JPHiP Forum
The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Topic started by: Estrea on June 23, 2008, 08:25:18 PM
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Before I start, I know, I KNOW, I have other things to finish writing! But I couldn't resist the call of vampires. XD :P
As the Sandbox readers have voted, here is the prologue for Gegenschein, my new vampire story. The title is German for "counter shine", a kind of optical illusion. Look it up in wiki if you need to know more. :P
Alright, enough chatter, here we go~
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Prologue
There are things that go bump in the night.
More than just the horror stories to frighten little children into obedience, more than the whispered tales at bars that bind men closer over beer...
There are demons that walk the night. Tread carefully, and stray not far from home when dusk settles.
You don't want to meet one up close. You might not even live long enough to regret it.
Trust me. I know.
I was one of them after all.
~*~*~
Normality was such a drag.
Pen to paper, rough drafts and notes scattered over an already littered table, fingers flying over a stained keyboard, the victim of one too many spilled drinks and bits of food. Toes tapped restlessly against cold tile, and she gnawed on her pen in frustration at the incomplete report winking back at her on the screen.
Her eyes her sandpapery and her brain was choked with rust. At least, that was what it felt like. She shook her head, hard. The deadline was in 6 hours, she couldn't afford to fall asleep now! Damn this paper for being almost half her grade for the class.
Why did I leave it so late?! Argh! I'm never listening to those two again!
Friends could be such a problem, no matter how much of a comfort they could be in better times. Her friends though, were hardly the type that were conducive to her keeping up her grades. One was always happily goofing off with her, and the other was no better...well, that one was annoyingly intelligent behind her "my brain is made of cotton candy~" bimbo exterior. She sighed out loud and glared malevolently at the screen, as if willing her report to write itself.
I hate being so average and normal and GAH!
She flailed around wildly when a huge bug flew right past her nose, pen flying in one direction, glasses in another, and her ass found the floor in about 2 seconds flat. She groaned piteously and covered her face with one hand. Now the rest of her body was hurting along with her head.
Great, life was just GREAT.
I hate you, Life! Oodles of hate! Bundles and crumples and humdingers of it! I hate being Normal!
The computer screen blacked out. She shrieked in wordless horror, scrambling up to try and save her work from complete obliteration.
Why does everything happen to me?!
Yup, normal life was just fine and dandy.
~*~*~
High places were nice.
She stuck her tongue out, tasting the wind on it. City air was full of toxic substances though, so she drew it back again. Not that they could harm her.
She was already dead, after all.
The moon hung heavy and pregnant in the night sky, veiled thinly in the shadow of wispy clouds. She looked up, a fanged grin visible on her pale, young face, dark hair arrayed wildly around it. The tip of her tongue curled around the points of her fangs, exploring almost playfully how they felt in her mouth.
More than 10 years and she was still fascinated by how they developed and were still developing in her mouth. She didn't know vampires had teething problems before, a fact she had soon discovered on her own not long after her entry into unlife. So many things she didn't know, and was still learning.
Geh, I don't need anyone...stupid Master...
Tossed aside like a plaything...she hadn't liked that. Still didn't. Rejection stung. But she clung on to her second chance at life stubbornly, not letting things get her down, surviving despite the odds, fighting tooth and nail against others that wanted to erase her for being what she was.
She could fight though. Fighting was what she did, what she was. She grew up fighting bullies twice her size on the streets, died fighting a monster three times her size and about ten times stronger who had wanted her for supper, and was revived by yet another demon who happened to pass by. And the first thing she had done upon waking up then was to claw at her Master's eyes.
Pfft, I just look small. I'm not weak.
Anyone itching for a fight would get one from her. Never mind that it would probably be their last, if they were human.
I'm hungry again.
The thought was sudden, as was the craving. Her nose twitched, catching the scent of blood in the whispery breeze. A low growl, animalistic and fierce, and blood red eyes.
She leapt, shadow on steel and concrete. It was a good night for hunting.
Too bad for those who were prey.
~*~*~
Don't change. I like you the way you are.
So that person said, smiling, and stepped into the flames.
She jolted from her light doze, upsetting the clear crystal goblet perched on the little table by that voluminous armchair she was currently ensconced in.
For a moment she forgot where she was, who she was, even what she was. Blissful incomprehension, for that one second, only to be broken, literally, by the shards embedded in the rich red carpet, winking innocently in the candlelight. A viscous drop hung perilously on the edge, before merging seamlessly with the heavy fabric below it.
Ah, that's right. I am no longer human.
Frozen into an eternal "now". That was what she was. Beauty crystallized into unyielding diamond, white as a marble sculpture, forever young, forever beautiful, perfection locked within an endless eternity, unchanging.
How many nights have I spent alone, counting the distance between us?
Every second, every minute, every nonexistent heartbeat that passed, putting her yet another step, another gasp away from her originator. Her cruelly humane, gently unyielding and oh so very beautiful master. He had set her free, and then locked her into another existence more inescapable than fate itself. Immortal, unchanging, inhuman and...beautiful.
He loved what he saw in me, so much that he bestowed his curse upon me.
So that her innocence, her beauty, would not fade and wilt in time as any mortal rose might. Innocence she no longer held, no more, not this way, but beauty she retained.
Live, and do not change.
His final command, before embracing the final rest, vanishing in a storm of ash and flame, his terrified fledgling left to face the darkness of the neverending nights to come, stretching endlessly before her until death would take her, or madness would.
She had seen many nights since. Some nights were light, filled with music and dance, laughter and carousing from those vicariously burning through their mortal coil. Others were painted red, so much so that they shaded into a deep darkness, tears and sorrow creating their own dirge as the moon winked out, covered by the clouds of war and misery.
Soon, it will be morning.
Night always came to an end, somehow. The day, a time of renewal, of fresh life, of change, for better and worse, running its course. A cycle as eternal as she was.
A morning that I shall face alone.
Once more, once again. Those who shared her immortality did not necessarily share her immunity. The sun was a blight to the others, the ones fresh into the eternal night. For one such as her, enduring the millennia had its rewards, such as being able to see the sun again without fear of dissolving into the ashes she should have belonged to, so many ages ago.
Master, why would you have me live while you chose death?
She could not cry, she would not. There would be no meaning for them now. After surviving all this time, she had learned to accept, even if she did not always understand. The alternative was insanity, and she would not betray the life she had been given, no matter how heavy the burden of eternity was.
Rising, she came to stand by the window, one pale hand reaching out to hover close to the crystal clear pane, dark eyes far away on the horizon, on that lighter patch of sky on the dark vistas, waiting for morning to return.
When will my morning come for me too, I wonder?
Until her own dawn broke, she would wait. As she had, all this time.
After all, time was all that she had..
Sunshine smile down, chasing away velvet night
Till sun returns, till sun returns
Until morning comes to embrace us all once again.
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Yay yay! New story! -runs around flailing like an idiot-
It's 2am. I'm hyper. Woo!
The last POV should be familiar to some. :P But eh, everyone else can try guessing who's who. XD And no, Yuuyami, you better NOT say who it is. XD Cos I already told you and it's not fair. :P And Sai, not a word out of you too. :P
Right, with that, I shall bow out. :D
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DIBS D<
Haha, so you finally chose to write it~ :heart: :heart: :heart:
-gives you another hardhat- Don't lose it this time~ D<
But yes, H!P + vampires = awesome xDDDDD. The second narrative is totally Reina, with the prissy + curious attitude and whatnot xD. I wonder who the master waaaas? Actually I already kn--bricked-
I'm looking forward to everyone's character development here xD. So far, we have a normie, a newb vampire, and a shinso, yaaaaay xD.
IWONDERHOWTHEIRFATESWILLBEINTERWOVENHMMMM -bricked-
Looking forward to more, Essy-chan~ :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:
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I knew it. I am by no means a vampire fan but I just knew I would get sucked in (pun intended) As for guessing, first POV is Reina, second is Miki-sama and third is Ai-chan. Just my initial guesses. I'm probably wrong because I never think when I first read something.
Love it so far though!
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What the hell is it with you girls and vampires? :P
There are things that go bump in the night.
Too easy. :twisted:
Friends could be such a problem, no matter how much of a comfort they could be in better times. Her friends though, were hardly the type that were conducive to her keeping up her grades. One was always happily goofing off with her, and the other was no better...well, that one was annoyingly intelligent behind her "my brain is made of cotton candy~" bimbo exterior.
K, my guesses.
Main girl = Reina
Goofy girl = Eri
Cotton candy brain girl = Sayu.
:lol:
The computer screen blacked out. She shrieked in wordless horror, scrambling up to try and save her work from complete obliteration.
:temper:
His final command, before embracing the final rest, vanishing in a storm of ash and flame, his terrified fledgling left to face the darkness of the neverending nights to come, stretching endlessly before her until death would take her, or madness would.
So the vampire's sire killed himself? Why the hell did he do that? :?
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Yey for new story! :cow: And with vampires, which is awesome XD
I have some guesses about who are the girls in this chapter, but they keep changing in my mind. The unlucky girl who's studying could be Eri or Reina, and the "new" vampire could be Reina also... The last girl... Maybe Takahashi?
Liked it so far :yep:
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JFC's right - what is it with you and vampires? :P :lol: There are things that seem familiar in this story... hmm... Yuu, you are so bad at keeping things secret. :P
As for guesses, let's see. The middle "noob" has to be Reina (knowing your tastes). It's her style, plus what you mention about her being "small" kinda rules Miki or someone like that out. If I didn't know you better I'd guess one of the kids actually. :P Then again... you seem to have enough characters, anyone could be in here. It's a tossup for me as to whether Aichan is the student or the Ancient One, but with how you write her I'd guess the latter... The first might be Risa? A vampire love triangle would be awesome. ;)
This was a good length too - even if the chapters are long I'll do my best to keep up! :D
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This fic seems cool...the 2nd one should be Reina and my pick is the last narrator is Ai. Let me think about the other two..It's interesting how the characters interact and know each other especially with the schooling girl.
Hopefully when school term really starts, I am still able to catch up with the story ;) :P
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Oh wow, another story :cow: damn... i have my opinions on the girls but... I'm just not sure.
As for Vampires and girls.
Well at least for me... Vampires (most of the time) promise: sexy promiscuous characters, intense sexual seduction, smart dialog, interesting characters and... did i mention sexy promiscuous characters?
I'm not a perv but I like characters with... well... chemistry ;) !
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wow!
i have to read this again.
XD
im not good in guessing chara..so i guess i have to wait.. >___<
yay~ vampires~
vampirates are hawt too.. mwahaha..!!
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awww~ vampires <3 great idea XD!
i think too, the second one is reina =P
the first one... let's see... she has one friend who's annoying and one with cotton candy brain... maybe kamei XD?
and i guess aichan is the last one... but...
that's mean XD pls post the next chapter soon, ne? so we see who they are, ne ^__^?
btw, i read all aboard since yesterday and it's great too XD!
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yay! firstly.......i'm a vampire fan...... :luvluv1: i just so love them......that if i encountered one of them, i would beg that she/he will turn me into becoming, of course a vampire!
i'm totally into your story i just hope that the characters were mikixaya.....haha
oh before i forgot.....update with your other story soon,,,,,,ja matta! :gmon hi:
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I'm back! Comment replies first. XD
Yuuchan: Blab more and I will murder you. Slowly and painfully. XD Just so you know. :P
strawb3rrykream: It takes too long to type your name. @_@ Can I just shorten it? XD I'm glad you got sucked in (haha) by the drama anyway. Hope to meet your expectations!
JFC: Ah, everyone's favorite reviewer. :P Yeah yeah, I have a vampire fetish. >_>; What, it's sexy! XD You'll see who is who in this chapter. Well, most of them anyway. As for why the vampire's sire killed himself...well, that'll show up eventually.
Grisours: Hi, I remember you! Haha. Well, you'll see if your guesses are right here, lol.
rokun: <3 Glad to see you here. I already told you stuff on AIM, so you know what I thought about your comment. XD Hope you can keep on reading!
tito: Mhm, character interaction will be fun here. I put a lot of work into it, so yup. ^^; Hope you like it!
poets: Totally agree with the sexy slant. I'll do my best to inject that into the story. ;) Well, it does depend on the situation, no? Hehe.
ringo-hime: Yes, vampires are hawt! :D
yanki07: Yay, hi there! You're new! And you read AA? Thanks. XD I'm glad you like my stories. ^_^
ayase909: I'm a vampire fan too! Lol, you bumped AA up, I remember. Haha, everyone wants me to update too...hehe...
Ok, without further ado...chapter 1!
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Chapter 1 - Dusk
"Ah~ I'm SO tired!" That declaration was followed by a loud thump as a figure slumped over the wooden workbenches, a picture of utter exhaustion. Across from her, her two best friends giggled. Well, one of them giggled. The other made a sympathetic face and patted the prone shoulder.
"All nighter?" She asked knowingly, reading the dark circles and lack of bounciness in her usually more upbeat friend with fair accuracy. Then again, one didn't need to be a genius to read such signs. One look around the campus grounds would reveal an alarming number of people with similar symptoms. Deadline fever, the universal leveler...
The prone figure whimpered in assent, but was interrupted as the third member of their trio cut in with a thoughtful gleam in her eyes.
"You were awfully loud for someone this tired though, Gaki-san~" Said Gaki-san, otherwise known as Niigaki Risa, huffed and rolled her eyes, although she did not lift her face up to show it. She had gotten close to no sleep the night before, so she had every right to be tired. She needed 8 hours to be a healthy, functioning adult! All nighters were so not her thing.
"I'm not weird like you, Sayumin." Risa raised her head blearily and yawned widely. "I don't get how you survive on irregular hours the way you do..." She opened one eye to glance at her other friend, who had a spaced out expression on her face again. "Kame too, how do you two pull it off?"
"Yes." Kame, or Kamei Eri, agreed blandly without changing expression. Risa, used to the lack of elaboration from her spacey turtle friend, turned her look to one Michishige Sayumi instead. The self styled "ichiban kawaii" girl tapped her fingers on the table and smiled brilliantly as she translated the vague answer her best friend gave.
"We make up for it in other ways. Naps are good!" Sayumi flashed a peace sign and another mega kilowatt smile. Eri smiled vaguely again as she glanced over at Sayu. "Yes." Was her simple agreement, and the two clasped hands on the tabletop, neither seeming willing to let go any time soon.
Risa hit her forehead against the table again. Sometimes those two were just beyond her comprehension.
"Oh I remember now!" Eri suddenly burst out, returning, as it were, back to normal reality. Neither Risa nor Sayumi so much as blinked at the sudden burst of enthusiasm. One just got used to the dynamic they shared in time. After a while, they pretty much learned what to expect when certain personality markers showed up in their interactions. It was just a matter of adapting to the situation.
"I forgot to hand in my draft to my tutor!" Eri pounded the table with her free hand, eyes glassing over briefly as mild panic started to seep in.
Risa had no such qualms over such an act though. She was already halfway out of her seat and ready to haul Eri over to fetch said draft for submission, complete with horrified expression and mile-a-minute scoldings. Eri chuckled nervously, tugged by her panicky friend on one arm, but still attached to Sayu with the other hand.
"Ow..." Eri whimpered as she was stretched, since Sayu hadn't let go and Risa was pulling pretty hard. Risa immediately stopped to check Eri over, while Sayumi rolled her eyes at them, still maintaining her death grip on Eri's left hand.
"Oh chill, you two. No need to get so excited." The devil bunny-loving girl smirked as Risa started to protest, cutting off the older short with a raised hand.
"I already handed her draft in for her. I have a class with Suzuki-sensei too, so I dropped it off with him just now." Sayumi smiled beatifically. "Eririn was sleeping so peacefully that I didn't have the heart to wake her this morning, so I just went ahead and did it~" The youngest of the trio shot off her sweetest smile as she pulled Eri back down to snuggle happily with her.
"You're a lifesaver, Sayu." Eri beamed brightly, and Risa let out a sigh of relief as she sank back into her seat facing them as well.
"Sheesh...Kame, if you didn't have your usagi-chan with you, you'd be in big trouble." Risa shook her head with a rueful laugh. "What would you do without her?"
"Badly, I'd imagine." Sayumi sniffed just a bit haughtily, although her eyes betrayed a merry twinkle as she leaned her head on Eri's shoulder. Eri merely shrugged with a lazy smile on her face.
"There's always you, Gaki-san. You were the one reminding me of deadlines throughout first year the whole time, before Sayu made it in."
"Haaa....don't remind me." Risa stuck her tongue out at Eri. "You're hopeless, Eri."
Eri laughed. "Eh, I'm not that bad. It's not like I always forget...eh, do I?" The turtle girl pondered aloud, leaning forward to rest her chin on her hand.
"No, you just do it most of the time." Risa and Sayu echoed in unison, before staring at each other. Risa chuckled, rubbing at the light rash on the back of her neck. It was just getting too warm these days, and long hair wasn't helping her case at all.
"You must be rubbing off on me, Sayu..." Sayumi smirked and flashed another 'V' for victory, her own lustrously long and dark hair tied up in twintails. Her dark eyes were lively as she detached herself from Eri, though their hands remained linked.
"Hey guys!" She started brightly, even though she had only approximately 2 hours of sleep the night before. "Since all our deadlines are over today, why don't we go out and celebrate?" She beamed again, playing with her hair.
"Oh, count me out, all I want to do now is to sleep for 2 days straight." Risa waved a hand weakly in defeat, slumping back down on the table. Eri giggled, poking Risa's puffed up cheeks as Sayu snorted.
"That's not sleeping, that's hibernating!" Sayu joined Eri in poking Risa's cheeks, and their senior puffed them out again in silent protest. Eri then added on to her best friend's comment.
"You don't want to turn into a sleepy grumpy bear, do you? Let's go out and have fun, and then you can sleep!" Eri finished with a broad grin, and the pair seated opposite Risa looked like Cheshire cats up to no good. Well, more Sayumi than Eri, but you get the idea.
"Speaking of bears..." Sayumi began, digging into her purse absently for something, before triumphantly extracting the object. "Aha!"
Eri burst out laughing. Risa took one look and was suddenly re-energized into trying to scramble for the incriminating photo. "Mou! Give that back!"
"Nanana~ Gaki-san the pedobear~" Sayumi grinned evilly as she waved the photo with the words scrawled over it. Risa flailed around trying to get at it, but failing miserably. The little devil smirked again, tucking the photo back where it was safely away from prying eyes (and hands).
"If you don't want me to stick this photo on the announcement board, you WILL go to the party with us tonight." Risa groaned and buried her face in her hands, as Eri and Sayu gave each other high fives.
"Mou, you two...that's blackmail..." Risa whined as her friends marched over to her side and started packing up her things for her. Sayumi flashed another grin, winking roguishly at her.
"Whatever it takes, senpai...whatever it takes..."
~*~*~
The loud crack of splintering wood and breaking bone echoed through the secluded little alley, seeming prenaturally loud above the faint sounds of traffic further out on the main thoroughfare.
Pale fingers flexed on a small black gloved hand, making small flicking motions outwards as if to shake something unclean off it. Quiet sobs of pain emerged from the shadowy corner where the first impact had originated, murmurs of fear rippling in a palpable wave towards the perpetrator.
Booted feet clacked on dirty gravel, past yet another moaning form half hunched over, victim of a solid punch that had knocked the wind out of him. His partner lay wheezing in a pile of collapsed crates, clutching at his broken arm and whimpering pathetically. He flinched backwards as his assailant got closer, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of more pain.
Only it never came, as that same gloved hand that had tossed him halfway across the alley simply picked up the bag that had slipped from his fingers, turning away with a contemptuous snort.
"Run." The terrified thug blinked at his sudden good fortune, scrambling up as quickly as he could to obey the low voiced command, holding his injured arm close to his body and tripping all over himself to make his escape.
"Amateurs." The only person left standing in the alley snorted, exiting the alley to find the wide-eyed little girl who was still on her butt, sobbing quietly in terror and cradling her scratched arm to herself. The child blinked in mid-sob when her missing bag was dangled in front of her face, and she looked up at the person holding it.
"Here. This is yours." The voice that had sounded so threatening in the alley had now modulated into a tone approaching gentleness. The little girl stared at her reflection in the mirrored sunglasses her savior wore, wondering why that big sister was wearing them when the sun had already set for the last hour.
"...thank...you..." The child stammered out, reaching out for her bag and making brief contact with the pale fingers holding it, feeling a strange chill as she did. With some effort, she climbed to her feet, though that stranger made no offer to aid her.
Instead, her own reflection continued to stare back at her, the sunglasses lending a certain inscrutability to that mysterious girl who had just saved her. If anything, the stranger seemed to be staring at something on her, lips pressed thinly together, the surface of her pale skin almost seeming to reflect the weak moonlight peeking through the dusty clouds above.
As she brushed herself off, the girl continued to feel that inexplicable sense of dread churning her stomach, her sense that something was just not right shrieking warnings at her and blaring sirens in her head. The crisp bite of cold night air had not yet settled in, but she felt chilled all the same.
Instinctively, she took a step backwards when the strange girl stepped forward, unable to repress the shudder that ran through her spine at the increased proximity. Dimly, she realized that her knees were quivering as she suddenly felt very small, even though the stranger wasn't very much bigger than she was.
A smile that was not quite a smile appeared on the face of the older girl, as she placed one cool hand on the little one's shoulder.
"Go home. It's not safe out here." Her grip tightened, ever so slightly, on the small shoulder, as if reluctant to let go, but quickly pushed the little girl back, sending the child stumbling back a little under the force. "Quickly." The voice had lowered to little more than a growl again, and the little girl needed no more encouragement to start bolting.
Eyes hidden behind the shades watched her go, a peculiar mix of emotions flickering within them. Her ears pricked up at the whisper of movement behind her, the racing heartbeat and shallow breathing alerting her senses.
In a blur of motion, she was gone, and a switchblade plunged down into empty air. The hand holding it extended back to a stunned face, and the remaining thug who had been knocked down with a single punch before looked around in utter bewilderment.
He gasped out loud, stiffening as something abruptly choked his airway, eyes widening as he struggled against the iron grip on his neck, knife slipping from his hand as he tried to pry the fingers that were threatening to cut off his breathing.
"You know, I would have let you go if you hadn't tried to attack me." A voice mused from behind him, tightening that icy grip around the man's neck as he began to choke, spluttering and desperately trying to get a breath.
His assailant continued on conversationally as he started to suffocate, only dimly aware that he was being hauled backwards into the alley he had just come out of.
"Now you've gone and made me angry, and even though I'm not really that hungry, I won't turn down a free meal." Pale lips pulled back into a mirthless grin, revealing a set of elongated canines that appeared bone white against the dark.
"Itadakimasu."
~*~*~
"How did you get invited to a party like this?" Risa yelled over the noise of the party happening all around them. Sayumi waved back at her from the dance floor, indicating at her ear to imply that she couldn't hear the older girl. Risa rolled her eyes and moved closer to where her two friends were dancing with each other.
"I said, HOW DID YOU GET INVITED TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?!" Risa bellowed into Sayumi's ear, making the younger wince, clapping a hand over the abused ear.
"No need to shout, Gaki-san. I heard you this time." Sayumi smiled ingratiatingly at her displeased senior, who looked as if she would rather be anywhere but here. Next to her, Eri latched onto the scowling Risa, pulling at her shorter friend's cheeks to make her smile (however awkwardly).
"Kame, stop that. You know it doesn't hurt me." Risa stated matter-of-factly, or as well as she could considering how her cheeks were being stretched. Eri grinned impudently and continued to pull playfully, as if trying to elicit more than just the usual bored response from Risa.
"Aw cheer up, Gaki-san. You just have to cut loose a little. It's the end of semester!" Sayumi latched on to Risa's other side, eyes alight with laughter. On the other side, Eri was also grinning goofily, and Risa felt any irritation she had with them or the place melt away.
"Oh fine. But I'm not lugging Eri home when she passes out later!" She waved a finger at Sayumi, who snapped at it playfully with her teeth. Eri protested from the side.
"I won't pass out!" Risa turned on her with a skeptical look.
"Oh yeah?" Eri nodded vigorously. "I slept through the whole morning and early afternoon before I met up with you guys! So I'll be ok for tonight!"
"Yeah, I calculated, she won't pass out until at least...1 in the morning." Sayumi predicted after quickly counting off on her fingers.
"So we better leave by midnight." Risa said decisively, snapping her fingers. Eri pouted indignantly at her friends.
"I'm almost 20 already, so stop babying me, you two!" Risa chuckled and patted the sulking Eri on the head. Sayumi giggled and pulled at the two of them, dragging the trio to the side away from the main chaos zone of the dance floor.
"You still haven't answered my question, Sayumin. How did you get invited?" Risa looked around the welter of college students massing in the club, where alcohol was flowing freely and not a few couples were already making out at some corners. And it was only 8 in the evening.
"This looks like a private party too..." Eri observed, snagging a drink from a passing tray, about to gulp it down before Risa snatched it from her to examine it first, ascertaining that it was really just fruit punch before returning it to the pouting Eri again. Sayumi winked outrageously again, blowing a kiss at them.
"Hi-mi-tsu~" Eri drank up as Risa raised an eyebrow, asking aloud half to herself.
"Do I want to know?" She paused, eyes sweeping the crowd again. "I probably don't want to know." She decided, answering her own question. She grabbed a drink as well.
"Now that annoying questions are out of the way, let's have fun!" Sayu clapped her hands together gleefully. She skipped back over to Eri.
"Dance with me, Eriiiiiiiiiic~" Risa had to laugh as Eri rolled her eyes, emulating the faux masculine persona that she had assumed the previous year for the drama production Risa had dragged her into, and Sayu squealed happily again as the pair mingled back into the dance floor. Risa looked after them, amusement twitching her lips as she sipped at her drink. Then she stared down at her glass.
"What is this?" It was better than any fruit punch she had ever tried before. She took another sip, and the liquid almost burned down her throat in silky perfection. Blinking widely, she sat back down at the nearest free seat she found, then looked around in confusion.
"This is good!" She beamed brightly, suddenly feeling less tired and grumpy from before, and continued taking little sips, not minding so much that she had been left alone again.
She jumped a little though, when another glass banged down on the counter somewhere next to her. Blinking owlishly at her neighbor, she realized that the gesture wasn't directed at her, and tuned in automatically to the conversation she had been ignoring ever since first sitting down.
"What the HELL is this, Eizan? I said I wanted the BEST for this party, and THIS is what you give me?" The young man pounded the counter again, his piercings jangling with the movement. Risa noted the state of his attire and concluded rather quickly that the boy was rich. As if the groveling attitude of the other guy next to him wasn't obvious enough.
"Sh...Shiro-sama!" The much larger male seemed to cringe under the wrath of the slimmer young man that was seething in front of him. "Is it the food? The drinks?" Eizan looked like he was about to cry. Shiro took a negligent sip at the glass he had banged down earlier.
"No, the drinks are fine. One thing you didn't do wrong, at least." He looked around the crowd. "Decent group you've gathered too. However..." His eyes narrowed as the music continued to pound along obnoxiously.
"What the HELL is this music! I said to get the best DJ in the city, no matter the price. I. Can. Afford. It." The last few words were punctuated with consecutive jabs against Eizan's chest, before waving at the sound system. "This is substandard trash! Playing on the best audio equipment available! What were you thinking?!"
Eizan cringed again, bowing ineffectually to his irate 'Shiro-sama'. He spluttered as he tried to explain, and Risa almost felt sorry for him. But then again, she sort of understood what this Shiro meant about the music, even though he was being an insufferable jerk about it. Whoever was running the system wasn't doing any justice to the equipment available to him at all.
"W-we contacted the best already! S-she's on her way!" Eizan managed to get out, obviously hoping that Shiro would be appeased. However, the spoiled young man frowned.
"On her way? A woman?" He glowered at his cronies arrayed behind the poor Eizan who was getting the verbal lashing. "I pay people to take time for me! Why is this woman late?" He scowled, the expression marring his otherwise handsome face. "And who the hell is this female DJ?"
"I can leave now if you want, Kanzaki Shiro-kun." A cold voice penetrated the cacophony flooding the background. Although the voice was not raised, it somehow managed to make itself heard well and clearly to those in that area, and the owner of that voice followed into the picture not long after.
Risa stared at the new arrival, her grip on her glass going slack as her attention was sucked in by that person. A similar effect seemed to ripple around the majority of the onlookers of the scene, and a small hush seemed to fall over the crowd. The commanding presence inspired instant respect, and even the arrogant Kanzaki Shiro seemed a little taken offguard by the sudden appearance.
"You...you are..." He stuttered, his blue tinted shades slipping down his nose. Eizan discreetly moved to flank Shiro's side, muttering to his boss.
"She's DJ Seirei. It took me a whole week to persuade her to even consider the offer. Not even the most elite clubs can get her to make an appearance half the time." Eizan seemed almost proud of his accomplishment in actually persuading the reclusive DJ to come over.
Shiro seemed to pull himself together, trying to present a cool facade for the woman facing him. He sized her up, mildly surprised at how such a small woman who barely reached his chin could project such an aura that had unsettled even him.
"Seirei, huh? I've heard of you." He smiled confidently, looking at her appreciatively. "No one ever told me you were this beautiful though..." He reached out to kiss her hand, but she slipped out of range smoothly, her motions tinged with an unearthly grace.
"Kanzaki-san, I do not take such advances kindly." The words were edged with steel, and dark eyes flickered over to where Eizan stood next to his boss. "I only came because Yuuhi Eizan-kun was so sincere in his approach." Her gaze was icy as she refocused back on the surprised Shiro.
"Appreciate your people more, Kanzaki Shiro. All the money in the world can only buy you sycophants, not friends." Her voice was soft, almost melodious, but it cut through the air like so many gleaming knives. Shiro seemed to pale even more as he met her piercing gaze, and he staggered back, trembling slightly.
"I will take my place now, Yuuhi-kun. I will honor my word." She inclined her head briefly before melting back through the crowd, heading towards the audio room. Shiro seemed to sink bonelessly down onto his seat, a trickle of sweat making its way down the side of his face.
"Shiro-sama! Are you alright?" Eizan seemed concerned, handing another drink to Shiro, who took it shakingly and swallowed it all in one gulp.
"So...that's the legendary Seirei..." He stared into the recesses of his empty glass. "Incredible...she's..." He shuddered again, before putting the glass back on the counter.
"I'm leaving, Eizan. Take care of things around here." Shiro pushed past his stunned crony, walking right past the silent Risa, who had been watching the whole encounter with widened eyes. She was no less impressed by what had just occurred, since she knew of Kanzaki Shiro, number one playboy on campus and possibly the richest student there. Having a multi-millionaire for a father had its perks.
That this Seirei person could just put him in his place so easily...Risa was impressed. More than impressed, when she noticed just how shaken Shiro was when he walked past her moments earlier. She didn't know what he saw in that woman's eyes, since her view of it was blocked by his back, but she had heard her words, and had agreed internally with them. That had been something that the rich boy Kanzaki had needed to be told, and Risa was glad that this DJ had been able to stand her ground against him.
The music seemed to change almost subtly in the air, leaving no doubt that a master had taken over the amateur's place. The party, which had sort of gotten a little sidetracked by the little ruckus caused by Kanzaki earlier, was slowly coaxed back into full swing by the undoubted skill of the new DJ. Risa closed her eyes, feeling the pulsing beat of the music, amazed how the difference made by the choice of music could influence the mood of the mob.
"Did you see that?" Eri gushed suddenly as she and Sayu made their way back to Risa, bringing the oldest of the trio back to earth as they joined her at the counter.
"What?" Eri gestured vaguely around, quite excited. "You were right here, you should have seen it even better!"
Risa blinked. "Oh, you mean the part where Kanzaki got told off? Oh yeah, I saw that." Sayu slid into the seat next to Risa, and Eri plopped down unceremoniously on her lap, still beaming brightly.
"Don't you think that was the coolest thing ever?" Risa had to smile at Eri's enthusiasm, nodding with a chuckle.
"Yeah, absolutely..." Her mind drifted back to the memory of Seirei's slim figure standing proudly within a circle made of Kanzaki's men. "Very cool..."
"I wonder who's that girl though, she must be really brave to just scold him like that." Eri mused, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. Behind her, Sayumi also hummed thoughtfully.
"She was so cool..." The youngest agreed, thinking back to the strange sensation she had felt back when Seirei was staring Kanzaki down. "I think she's someone special..." Eri's head bobbed up and down, adding. "She's really pretty too!"
"Ha, but I'm cuter!" Sayumi puffed up instantly, and Eri pretended to frown at her. "No you aren't!"
"Yes I am!" The two pretended to squabble, bickering playfully and batting at each other as Risa looked on, amused by the scene, but gradually spacing out again.
Seirei...I wonder what she's like...?
One song phased to the next, pattering raindrops seeming to echo around the place. A dazed smile crossed Risa's face as she recognized the song.
Daydream, huh? Her smile grew wider. I like this person already.
In the audio room facing down from above the dance floor, the lone figure there smiled.
~*~*~
The (relatively) young vampire was in insanely good cheer. First, she had gotten to hit someone earlier, even though it had been a rather unsatisfying fight. Secondly, she had gotten a free meal out of it, and that was the main cause of her good mood. Because of that, she wanted to party, and now that she was well fed, it would be safe to hang out amidst a mass of warm bodies gyrating on a dance floor. The temptation to feed wouldn't be so compelling now that she was actually full.
"Reina wants to have fun!" She announced to no one in particular, although a startled rat darted across her path to seek sanctuary in the ditch by the side. The now eternally 18 year old Tanaka Reina grinned, fangs and all, spreading her arms as if to embrace the moon hanging in the sky above her.
Letting her senses spread out in an erratic wave starting from the center (aka, herself), she listened, wanting to pinpoint the right direction to head towards for a good party somewhere. She was in an area of the city that had the most active nightlife, so she had no doubt that she would at least find something to entertain her for the rest of the night.
Boring...boring...boring...oooh fun, but ugh feels weird... Searching this way was faster, although not always accurate. Still, it beat checking out each spot place by place. Tedium did not suit Reina, and she went out of her way to avoid it.
Her concentration was terminated abruptly when someone bumped into her, a strange buzz tingling through her at the contact. She scowled, growling low in her throat as she whirled around to glare at the perpetrator, who only muttered a halfhearted 'sorry' as he stalked off, clearly in a bad mood.
Reina frowned, half tempted to beat the shit out of him for bumping into her, but she was feeling charitable tonight and decided not to take offense.
She would have ignored him entirely too, in order to find a good place to go party for the rest of the night, but she suddenly clapped her hands over her ears when some of his thoughts started leaking to her.
Sometimes her powers were way too unpredictable...or just that this guy was thinking WAY too loudly. Reina briefly reconsidered her earlier decision not to beat him up. If it meant making his mind shut up...
However, she caught an interesting image from his thoughts, and suddenly that momentary buzz when he had bumped into her made sense. Sort of. She shivered all over, brimming with a strange kind of excitement. To be strong enough to leave that kind of power residue in a moment's contact...Reina felt her anticipation bubble up inside her again, eyes alight.
Interesting...so interesting...Reina must see this!
With a slightly maniacal grin on her face, the vampire set off, ready to crash yet another party.
The night is young! She whistled as she went, no fear of the night in her undead heart. After all, what could be scarier than herself?
Yes, unlife was just wonderful.
=======================================
There. XD That was long. o_o Not as long as AA eventually got to be, but still. :P Hope people can keep up with it!
^_^
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You can call me SBK, poets uses that abbreviation. Or you can use anything else you had in mind.
I really do like this story now. Gaki, Eri and Sayu are too cute! But I kinda feel this slightly rivalry between Sayu and Gaki. It's like they both wanna be Eri's best friend ever and wanna help her with all the things she forgets. But Eri seems to like and appreciate them equally. And this pedobear shot of Gaki is very intriguing!! :hiakhiakhiak: And Reina, huh? So she's a vampire who likes to beat people up.....and suck blood, obviously. She sounds entertaining! :lol:
Can't wait for more!
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Aww, that wasn't too long! Though it did take me a little while to read. :) The Reina and party parts went quickly for me... I see that you like exposition, and I got lost in that a little in the first "trio" scene (XD), but I suppose that's necessary. :)
Aww x 2, Reina's a vampire with a heart, huh? Giving the bag back to that poor little girl. :love: Such a sweet violent nightwalking murderer... uh... yeah.
The old vampire is a DJ? :mon roll: What is it with too-cool-for-life vampires and their emo music tastes? XD Wish I knew what "Daydream" was, or I'd maybe be able to comment more intelligently on it. :)
So, obviously Risa had just come under this "Seirei"'s spell, and I'm looking forward to Reina joining the party as well. :mon yoyo: Was that last smile from Seirei for Risa? :? And to think she didn't even think she belonged at that party. :mon misch:
I wonder what the night after this dusk has in store for each of those girls...
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xDDDD And you accuse ME of being a blabber?! Rokun did it worse than me~ xDDDD
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO
Anywho xD
I love Risa, Eri, and Sayu's interactions with each other xD Typical college students, yaaaay. Deadline fever, noooo. xDD I may not be in college yet, but I certainly witnessed your deadline escapades xDDDD. Roffle at the pedobear joke xDDDDD Glad to know that my icon was well-received.
(http://www.imgur.com/files/080513/Pedobear-can-eat-his-heart-out.gif)
Anywho xD. This Seirei dj person is intriguing xD. Must be one hell of a person to make a prude like that rich guy shut up xDDDD Risa also seems to take an interest in this person too :3! I hope she meets her xD I wonder what a conversation between them would be like. xD.
Oh snap at Reina crashing the party xD. It will be fun watching her terrorize the party >D
Write moar~
<3
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yaaaaay~ reina joining the party =D!
this will be fun :heart:
and this seirei person... risa is pretty interested in her, ne~
i love this GakiKameSayu triangle too :D
but think gaki will be with seirei in the end, so maybe KameSayu?
but kame has to be there for reina XDD! so TanaKame... and sayu?
maybe reina will share kame with sayu... rokkis do everything together, something like this ^_____^ *joking*
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Well, I got one character right, Reina is the "new" vampire.
And Seirei... I have a guess as to who she really is... :grin:
SayuGakiKame interaction is very cute, even though Sayu and Kame act like a couple sometimes, making Risa be a third wheel or something like that :lol:
I hope Risa and Seirei meet soon!
Keep it up! :cow:
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Vampires!!
The Kameshige parts rocks, but It'll probably be Tanakame in the end
Is seirei an alias for another character? Like Takahashi?
Nice story so far
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Yeah yeah, I have a vampire fetish. >_>; What, it's sexy! XD You'll see who is who in this chapter. Well, most of them anyway. As for why the vampire's sire killed himself...well, that'll show up eventually.
Pirates and sailors are sexy too.
...
Just sayin'. (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/J-F-C/whistling.png)
"Ah~ I'm SO tired!" That declaration was followed by a loud thump as a figure slumped over the wooden workbenches, a picture of utter exhaustion. Across from her, her two best friends giggled. Well, one of them giggled. The other made a sympathetic face and patted the prone shoulder.
"All nighter?" She asked knowingly, reading the dark circles and lack of bounciness in her usually more upbeat friend with fair accuracy. Then again, one didn't need to be a genius to read such signs. One look around the campus grounds would reveal an alarming number of people with similar symptoms. Deadline fever, the universal leveler...
Ah...must be nearing the end of the year. I don't miss those days, I tell ya whut.
"You were awfully loud for someone this tired though, Gaki-san~" Said Gaki-san, otherwise known as Niigaki Risa, huffed and rolled her eyes, although she did not lift her face up to show it.
Risa?!? :O
"I'm not weird like you, Sayumin." Risa raised her head blearily and yawned widely. "I don't get how you survive on irregular hours the way you do..." She opened one eye to glance at her other friend, who had a spaced out expression on her face again. "Kame too, how do you two pull it off?"
Okay, so I got 2 out of 3. Question is, between Eri and Sayu, was I right in thinking that Sayu was the "cotton candy brained" one? :P
"We make up for it in other ways. Naps are good!" Sayumi flashed a peace sign and another mega kilowatt smile. Eri smiled vaguely again as she glanced over at Sayu. "Yes." Was her simple agreement, and the two clasped hands on the tabletop, neither seeming willing to let go any time soon.
/me looks at the hands.
...
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....naps. O0
"I forgot to hand in my draft to my tutor!" Eri pounded the table with her free hand, eyes glassing over briefly as mild panic started to seep in.
Uh-oh. :O
"Oh chill, you two. No need to get so excited." The devil bunny-loving girl smirked as Risa started to protest, cutting off the older short with a raised hand.
"I already handed her draft in for her. I have a class with Suzuki-sensei too, so I dropped it off with him just now." Sayumi smiled beatifically. "Eririn was sleeping so peacefully that I didn't have the heart to wake her this morning, so I just went ahead and did it~" The youngest of the trio shot off her sweetest smile as she pulled Eri back down to snuggle happily with her.
Wooooooooooooo Eri was lucky that Sayu noticed and did that for her. :)
Oh, and...awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...
:hee:
"Since all our deadlines are over today, why don't we go out and celebrate?" She beamed again, playing with her hair.
"Oh, count me out, all I want to do now is to sleep for 2 days straight." Risa waved a hand weakly in defeat, slumping back down on the table.
Ah, memories.
"Speaking of bears..." Sayumi began, digging into her purse absently for something, before triumphantly extracting the object. "Aha!"
Eri burst out laughing. Risa took one look and was suddenly re-energized into trying to scramble for the incriminating photo. "Mou! Give that back!"
"Nanana~ Gaki-san the pedobear~" Sayumi grinned evilly as she waved the photo with the words scrawled over it. Risa flailed around trying to get at it, but failing miserably. The little devil smirked again, tucking the photo back where it was safely away from prying eyes (and hands).
"If you don't want me to stick this photo on the announcement board, you WILL go to the party with us tonight." Risa groaned and buried her face in her hands, as Eri and Sayu gave each other high fives.
Given the context of what "pedobear" is....XD
The loud crack of splintering wood and breaking bone echoed through the secluded little alley, seeming prenaturally loud above the faint sounds of traffic further out on the main thoroughfare.
Pale fingers flexed on a small black gloved hand, making small flicking motions outwards as if to shake something unclean off it. Quiet sobs of pain emerged from the shadowy corner where the first impact had originated, murmurs of fear rippling in a palpable wave towards the perpetrator.
Someone getting beat up? Mugged?
Booted feet clacked on dirty gravel, past yet another moaning form half hunched over, victim of a solid punch that had knocked the wind out of him. His partner lay wheezing in a pile of collapsed crates, clutching at his broken arm and whimpering pathetically. He flinched backwards as his assailant got closer, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of more pain.
Only it never came, as that same gloved hand that had tossed him halfway across the alley simply picked up the bag that had slipped from his fingers, turning away with a contemptuous snort.
"Run." The terrified thug blinked at his sudden good fortune, scrambling up as quickly as he could to obey the low voiced command, holding his injured arm close to his body and tripping all over himself to make his escape.
Ah...an attempted (and evidently failed) mugging. But who's the mystery person? The vampire?
"Amateurs." The only person left standing in the alley snorted, exiting the alley to find the wide-eyed little girl who was still on her butt, sobbing quietly in terror and cradling her scratched arm to herself. The child blinked in mid-sob when her missing bag was dangled in front of her face, and she looked up at the person holding it.
"Here. This is yours." The voice that had sounded so threatening in the alley had now modulated into a tone approaching gentleness. The little girl stared at her reflection in the mirrored sunglasses her savior wore, wondering why that big sister was wearing them when the sun had already set for the last hour.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaah...so those guys were mugging some girl, and then this other girl comes and beats them up and retrieves her bag for her. Either this is our vampire, or it's just someone who's really skilled at fighting.
As she brushed herself off, the girl continued to feel that inexplicable sense of dread churning her stomach, her sense that something was just not right shrieking warnings at her and blaring sirens in her head.
Yeah...gotta be a vampire.
The crisp bite of cold night air had not yet settled in, but she felt chilled all the same.
Oh...AWESOME pun right there!
:cool1:
"Go home. It's not safe out here." Her grip tightened, ever so slightly, on the small shoulder, as if reluctant to let go, but quickly pushed the little girl back, sending the child stumbling back a little under the force. "Quickly." The voice had lowered to little more than a growl again, and the little girl needed no more encouragement to start bolting.
The unsettling thing is, the vampire could very well be talking about herself when she refers to the girl being in danger (especially if she hasn't fed yet that evening). The fact that she helped the girl shows that she might actually NOT want to feed on her, but if her hunger is strong enough, she probably won't be able to control herself for very long if the girl sticks around.
Her ears pricked up at the whisper of movement behind her, the racing heartbeat and shallow breathing alerting her senses.
...
He gasped out loud, stiffening as something abruptly choked his airway, eyes widening as he struggled against the iron grip on his neck, knife slipping from his hand as he tried to pry the fingers that were threatening to cut off his breathing.
...
"Now you've gone and made me angry, and even though I'm not really that hungry, I won't turn down a free meal." Pale lips pulled back into a mirthless grin, revealing a set of elongated canines that appeared bone white against the dark.
"Itadakimasu."
Well, considering he's a criminal, it's not like it's that much of a loss if she feeds on him. 8)
Sayumi smiled ingratiatingly at her displeased senior, who looked as if she would rather be anywhere but here. Next to her, Eri latched onto the scowling Risa, pulling at her shorter friend's cheeks to make her smile (however awkwardly).
"Kame, stop that. You know it doesn't hurt me." Risa stated matter-of-factly, or as well as she could considering how her cheeks were being stretched. Eri grinned impudently and continued to pull playfully, as if trying to elicit more than just the usual bored response from Risa.
Playing with Risa's numb cheeks...yeah, that's cute.
:mon lol:
"Oh fine. But I'm not lugging Eri home when she passes out later!"
Watch, she probably WILL have to.
:wahaha:
"You still haven't answered my question, Sayumin. How did you get invited?" Risa looked around the welter of college students massing in the club, where alcohol was flowing freely and not a few couples were already making out at some corners. And it was only 8 in the evening.
Part of the university (aka college) experience...apparently.
"This looks like a private party too..." Eri observed, snagging a drink from a passing tray, about to gulp it down before Risa snatched it from her to examine it first, ascertaining that it was really just fruit punch before returning it to the pouting Eri again. Sayumi winked outrageously again, blowing a kiss at them.
"Hi-mi-tsu~" Eri drank up as Risa raised an eyebrow, asking aloud half to herself.
Smart move Risa. You don't really want to be at a strange party and just drink whatever you see in front of you without checking it first (especially if you're a girl or if you don't drink). Can't be too careful with the possibility of the drinks getting spiked.
One can't help but agree with Risa and wonder how Sayu learned and got the invite (if she even did) for this party.
Risa looked after them, amusement twitching her lips as she sipped at her drink. Then she stared down at her glass.
"What is this?" It was better than any fruit punch she had ever tried before. She took another sip, and the liquid almost burned down her throat in silky perfection. Blinking widely, she sat back down at the nearest free seat she found, then looked around in confusion.
"This is good!" She beamed brightly, suddenly feeling less tired and grumpy from before, and continued taking little sips, not minding so much that she had been left alone again.
Uh oh. Risa knew to check Eri's drink but she forgot to do the same to her own.
:OMG:
"What the HELL is this, Eizan? I said I wanted the BEST for this party, and THIS is what you give me?" The young man pounded the counter again, his piercings jangling with the movement. Risa noted the state of his attire and concluded rather quickly that the boy was rich. As if the groveling attitude of the other guy next to him wasn't obvious enough.
"Sh...Shiro-sama!" The much larger male seemed to cringe under the wrath of the slimmer young man that was seething in front of him. "Is it the food? The drinks?" Eizan looked like he was about to cry. Shiro took a negligent sip at the glass he had banged down earlier.
"No, the drinks are fine. One thing you didn't do wrong, at least." He looked around the crowd. "Decent group you've gathered too. However..." His eyes narrowed as the music continued to pound along obnoxiously.
"What the HELL is this music! I said to get the best DJ in the city, no matter the price. I. Can. Afford. It." The last few words were punctuated with consecutive jabs against Eizan's chest, before waving at the sound system. "This is substandard trash! Playing on the best audio equipment available! What were you thinking?!"
Hmmm...frat house party? Or maybe a party being thrown by the snobbish, spoiled rich kid of the campus?
"W-we contacted the best already! S-she's on her way!" Eizan managed to get out, obviously hoping that Shiro would be appeased. However, the spoiled young man frowned.
"On her way? A woman?" He glowered at his cronies arrayed behind the poor Eizan who was getting the verbal lashing. "I pay people to take time for me! Why is this woman late?" He scowled, the expression marring his otherwise handsome face. "And who the hell is this female DJ?"
Few things here:
a) Shiro DEFINTELY sounds like a spoiled rich kid. He's probably been like that all his life. Coming from an affluent family, he's probably used to having his every demand fulfilled the way he wants it to be.
b) He's a male chauvinist pig (and remember this comment is coming from another dude)
c) Given what we've seen/read so far, it would not be at all surprising if the DJ in question end up being our mystery vampire from the mugging in the alley, and she's late because of said mugging, and subsequent "snack" that resulted from it.
"I can leave now if you want, Kanzaki Shiro-kun." A cold voice penetrated the cacophony flooding the background. Although the voice was not raised, it somehow managed to make itself heard well and clearly to those in that area, and the owner of that voice followed into the picture not long after.
Risa stared at the new arrival, her grip on her glass going slack as her attention was sucked in by that person. A similar effect seemed to ripple around the majority of the onlookers of the scene, and a small hush seemed to fall over the crowd. The commanding presence inspired instant respect, and even the arrogant Kanzaki Shiro seemed a little taken offguard by the sudden appearance.
It's the vampire-ness of her (assuming, of course, that this IS the vampire we met earlier). According to vampire canon, the whole "mesmerizing" effect is part of how they lure and capture those on which they feed.
"You...you are..." He stuttered, his blue tinted shades slipping down his nose. Eizan discreetly moved to flank Shiro's side, muttering to his boss.
"She's DJ Seirei. It took me a whole week to persuade her to even consider the offer. Not even the most elite clubs can get her to make an appearance half the time." Eizan seemed almost proud of his accomplishment in actually persuading the reclusive DJ to come over.
...
He smiled confidently, looking at her appreciatively. "No one ever told me you were this beautiful though..." He reached out to kiss her hand, but she slipped out of range smoothly, her motions tinged with an unearthly grace.
Ah, of course. Almost forgot that part of being spoiled-rich means that he's also got the whole "phony full-of-himself charm" thing going on.
"Kanzaki-san, I do not take such advances kindly." The words were edged with steel, and dark eyes flickered over to where Eizan stood next to his boss. "I only came because Yuuhi Eizan-kun was so sincere in his approach." Her gaze was icy as she refocused back on the surprised Shiro.
"Appreciate your people more, Kanzaki Shiro. All the money in the world can only buy you sycophants, not friends." Her voice was soft, almost melodious, but it cut through the air like so many gleaming knives. Shiro seemed to pale even more as he met her piercing gaze, and he staggered back, trembling slightly.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh SNAP!
/me 's head bobs from side to side.
She's totally right, BTW. :yep:
"So...that's the legendary Seirei..." He stared into the recesses of his empty glass. "Incredible...she's..." He shuddered again, before putting the glass back on the counter.
"I'm leaving, Eizan. Take care of things around here." Shiro pushed past his stunned crony, walking right past the silent Risa, who had been watching the whole encounter with widened eyes.
5 bucks says he's going to his room to spaz. 10 bucks says he's going there to wank. :rofl:
Seirei...I wonder what she's like...?
One song phased to the next, pattering raindrops seeming to echo around the place. A dazed smile crossed Risa's face as she recognized the song.
Daydream, huh? Her smile grew wider. I like this person already.
Ooooooooooooh. :pimp:
The fact that Risa seems to find herself drawn to Seirei...hmmmmm....
...
Aichan?
In the audio room facing down from above the dance floor, the lone figure there smiled.
Seirei, right? Strange that she'd be doing her DJ'ing from a separate room, instead of at a booth-type setup in the middle of the party.
The (relatively) young vampire was in insanely good cheer. First, she had gotten to hit someone earlier, even though it had been a rather unsatisfying fight. Secondly, she had gotten a free meal out of it, and that was the main cause of her good mood. Because of that, she wanted to party, and now that she was well fed, it would be safe to hang out amidst a mass of warm bodies gyrating on a dance floor. The temptation to feed wouldn't be so compelling now that she was actually full.
"Reina wants to have fun!" She announced to no one in particular, although a startled rat darted across her path to seek sanctuary in the ditch by the side. The now eternally 18 year old Tanaka Reina grinned, fangs and all, spreading her arms as if to embrace the moon hanging in the sky above her.
Good point. She can actually afford to relax a bit and actually enjoy herself now. And yeah, not that surprising that Reina is the vampire. :cow:
Letting her senses spread out in an erratic wave starting from the center (aka, herself), she listened, wanting to pinpoint the right direction to head towards for a good party somewhere.
...
Her concentration was terminated abruptly when someone bumped into her, a strange buzz tingling through her at the contact. She scowled, growling low in her throat as she whirled around to glare at the perpetrator, who only muttered a halfhearted 'sorry' as he stalked off, clearly in a bad mood.
Shiro?
Reina frowned, half tempted to beat the shit out of him for bumping into her, but she was feeling charitable tonight and decided not to take offense.
She would have ignored him entirely too, in order to find a good place to go party for the rest of the night, but she suddenly clapped her hands over her ears when some of his thoughts started leaking to her.
Sometimes her powers were way too unpredictable...or just that this guy was thinking WAY too loudly. Reina briefly reconsidered her earlier decision not to beat him up. If it meant making his mind shut up...
Interesting. Don't really recall anything about vampires being psychic. Empathic, yes (again, it's part of how they lure in their victims), but not "able to read your minds" psychic.
However, she caught an interesting image from his thoughts, and suddenly that momentary buzz when he had bumped into her made sense. Sort of. She shivered all over, brimming with a strange kind of excitement. To be strong enough to leave that kind of power residue in a moment's contact...Reina felt her anticipation bubble up inside her again, eyes alight.
This is interesting. What is it exactly that Reina sensed/felt from him, and why does she find it exciting (instead of, say, worrisome)?
Interesting...so interesting...Reina must see this!
With a slightly maniacal grin on her face, the vampire set off, ready to crash yet another party.
Oh...here we go.
There. XD That was long. o_o Not as long as AA eventually got to be, but still. :P Hope people can keep up with it!
Speaking of which...
...
...
...
ah...forget it.
:mon sweat:
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Ok I haven't read chapter 1 yet but i gotta say how stoked I am that you're writing the vampire one :drool: and how awesome it is to have a nice long story from you again :heart:
Sooooo tempting to read the chapter but my head hurts too much for ur awesomeness, I need to be able to appreciate properly ;)
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OOoo I like the title! I can't pronounce the german but I like the sound of counter shine =D
I love the kameshigeness...but of course you probably already know that XD well I already know whose who from having read the prologue...at least I think I do...but the introduction of seirei is interesting. I'm going to have to take a guess and conclude that she's Takahashi. I can see Reina and Gaki both being drawn to Seirei...though Reina's probably more compatible with her if she is indeed Takahashi...both? being eternal and all..but would you really pick RenAi over TakaGaki? hmmm....can't wait to see which pairing you choose.
ah...I forgot to mention how awesome baby vampire Reina is...she's a lot of fun =D
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yay~
prolly have same things to say like the others.
but lmao, pedo bear n' risa.
xD
yay cnt wait for Reina to crash the party...
moar vampire~ :wub:
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:) i'm liking the story so far :heart: keep up the nice work!
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Yay!Vampires :mon bat: And Reina is one of them!(well, no wonder just look at her fangs XD ) Can't wait to find out what is she plotting :lol: I wonder who is Seirei :? Hope it's Takahashi cos she would be a hawt DJ 8) I'm also very curious about the pairings... TakaGaki?ReinAi?a love triangle?or maybe something totally unexpected? :roll:
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Ok I would be doing comment replies but I'm so darn tired I can't really focus. @_@ It's almost 4 in the morning here.
I'll just answer generally for everyone.
For the Seirei question, well, you'll see. XD She's definitely going to be significant.
I'm also glad that the GakiKameSayu trio seems to be well received! I had fun writing their escapades last chapter (and this chapter as well XD). They're gonna be a lot of fun to mess with. :P
I like all the pairing speculation going on. Although...it's gonna be complicated. That's all I can and will say. :P
Alright, on with the chapter posting and whatnot.
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Chapter 2 - Break
Sayumi wondered what was worse, doing crazy things while drunk, or not being drunk enough to fail to notice just how crazy things were.
Rhetorical questions aside though, she was really trying her best to get tipsy, but somehow it didn't seem to work. Granted, a certain pair kept snatching up most of the drinks before she could even get to them, but given how much she had managed to down despite that, she wished she could feel more than just a light head and an annoying buzz in her mind.
Damn her alcohol tolerance levels, she couldn't get drunk even if she tried.
Speaking of drunk, her friends were pretty much in a world of their own now. Sayumi sighed and facepalmed as Risa started singing some weird 70s love song in a very offkey way, waving around a glass of that strange fruit punch and gesticulating at some imaginary person only she could see.
And Eri was no better, doing some weird robotic dance movements along to the background music and attracting quite a crowd to watch the usually more reserved (in public) girl show off some fairly slick moves. Well, drunken kind of slick, but it could have been a lot worse. Sayumi had to fend off several guys who had wanted to drag her beloved Eririn off to some dark corner, and a pissed off Sayu is usually a sight to behold.
Not to mention how Risa happened to pack a punch even while tipsy. Sayu never knew that Risa had it in her to smash her glass into a guy's face. Thankfully, that little altercation didn't last long, since Risa stumbled back to them almost immediately and clung on to Eri like a drowning person to a life buoy, while said guy passed out (he was equally drunk, if not more, and the impact sped up his entry to dreamland) right after.
At least, Sayumi reasoned, Risa wasn't completely gone. Somewhat woozy and probably more than a little aggressive, but not falling down drunk like a certain turtle was.
Speaking of turtles, Eri was currently getting awfully touchy feely with everyone in range. Thankfully, said range was currently being limited to Risa, who was still clinging on to Eri for some reason or another, be it her own comfort or for Eri's safety, one couldn't be sure.
Sayu just couldn't decide if she wanted to be jealous or just join in though. She wasn't drunk enough to forget herself yet.
It was amazing how much could happen in the space of two hours, really. Sayumi took another glass of punch, stared at it, then at the cuddling pair next to her.
She drank. Even if she couldn't get drunk that easily, she could very damn well try.
~*~*~
A small hand wiped at the corner of her mouth, a crimson streak staining the worn leather of the glove. The body fell limply to the ground with a dull thud, and bloodstained fangs gleamed crazily in the moonlight. A self-satisfied smirk adorned lips now flush and painted with fresh blood, and a long tongue came out to clean up the remains of her snack.
"That should be enough." Reina muttered as she straightened, taking a box of matches from her boot and striking one of them, the flame bursting alight. She let it fall onto the still corpse, eyes focusing intensely as the baby flame lapped greedily at the clothes.
The dancing fire reflected in her eyes seemed to grow, and her brows knit together into an intense look of concentration. The actual flame dimmed on the body, then flared up in renewed vigor.
In seconds, the corpse was wreathed in flames, and Reina had to step back as the fire intensified beyond normal standards.
The fire was almost cheery, Reina reflected, holding out her hands over the merrily burning body that was slowly being reduced to ashes.
So unlike the flame that had very damn near claimed her own life; at least this one she could manipulate, to some degree. She sincerely hoped she would never run into an efreet ever again. Once had been more than enough.
Once the evidence of her meal had been eliminated, Reina held up her arm to the flickering streetlight as she strolled out of the alley, marveling at how her pale skin now had some semblance of life to it.
She hadn't felt this pleasantly warm in a long time. Almost human. She took a deep breath, an unneeded one, trying to get used to feeling human again.
Trying to pass as one wasn't something she particularly enjoyed doing ever since entering her second life, but it just wouldn't do to freak out a whole house of people. Not unless she was planning to finish them all off...that sounded pretty tempting actually.
Reina burped, and changed her mind. She already had too much for the evening. Reina wasn't sure if she could get fat on drinking blood, but she wasn't about to risk it.
Besides, killing that many people in one place would draw far too much attention, and in her 10 years as a literal leech, she had found out that drawing attention this way made life very inconvenient for her. One close shave with a novice hunter had taught her the virtues of keeping her head down. Those anti-midian weapons had hurt.
Now, where is that damned place?! Reina growled as she stalked around. Admittedly, her sense of direction wasn't the best, either before or after she became a vampire, but she had gotten somewhat better ever since. Having an advanced sense of smell along with phenomenal eyesight tended to help her get her bearings.
However, it still took some time to wander to the right place. Assuming it was the right place. Reina wrinkled her nose. She could smell alcohol, cigarettes, and vomit. Typical college party, as it were. Reina sighed, suddenly less interested. Her acute sense of smell was turning her off the place, even if it was in an upmarket district.
Then again, she wanted to find that powerful person or creature. If someone that strong was setting up in her city, she wanted to know about it. Besides, she had always wanted to find another vampire to talk to.
In the 10 years since her turning, the only strong vampire she had encountered was her own master. She had run into a couple of young punks like herself around, but they hadn't gotten along at all, and Reina had been forced to fight and kill them.
Reina really wanted to find someone who understood her condition. There were still so many other things she didn't know, for lack of a master's guidance.
A familiar scowl worked its way onto her face at that thought. She still hadn't forgiven her master for abandoning her so quickly. Reina was a vindictive sort, and fully planned on giving her irresponsible master a good piece of her mind the next time she saw that woman.
In the midst of her mental ramblings, Reina's feet had started moving of their own volition, leading her to the entrance. Someone had conveniently left the door open, and the sounds of someone retching in the bushes nearby clearly indicated what said person had exited to do. Reina shrugged and slipped in, not above taking opportunities as they came. As she did so, she did her best to try and look human.
Then again, considering how drunk most of the young people in the place were, she could have sprouted claws and bat wings along with her fangs and nobody would have cared or even noticed. Reina briefly wondered if she used to be as crazy as they were back when she was one of them. She decided not to think about it after a moment's consideration though. It was just too depressing to compare things now.
Meandering around the grounds, she kept all her senses open for that power signature she had picked up on earlier. Frustratingly, there was nothing, at least none that she could discern immediately. Could whatever it was have left already? It was a distinct possibility, after all.
Scowling, Reina stared at the few people who were still sober enough to dance...or rather, sober enough not to trip and fall face first on the ground, since whatever it was they were doing, 'dancing' was the furthest thing from it.
Without really thinking about it, Reina continued barging her way around, feeling decidedly grumpy for whatever reason. Perhaps it was the fact that her quarry was lost. Even though she was at a party, her mood had been ruined.
So, even though alcohol had little to no effect on her, she gravitated towards the bar. Well, as long as it wasn't solid food, she could take it. Reina still had bad memories from when her body had spectacularly forced an ejection of solid food after the first time she had attempted to eat something the human way.
She would have made it there without any incident too, but for a certain collision.
"Ouch!"
~*~*~
Sayumi was beginning to feel slightly more than a little buzzed by now. Copious amounts of alcoholic substances did the trick, even if her tolerance for the stuff ran higher than normal. You just had to overload it by piling even more on top of it.
Eri had fallen asleep by now, or would that be passed out? While Risa had been mumbling to herself the whole time, as if conducting a persistent conversation with some imaginary friend or other, and Sayu still trying to drown herself in alcohol for reasons unknown to herself.
Deciding that her two friends could take care of themselves for the moment, Sayumi lurched from her seat and wobbled to the nearest bathroom. Or at least, planned to get there. She was rather rudely interrupted by someone barging into her, making her grunt in pain and shake off the worst effects of the alcohol.
"Owie..." She moaned in pain, her head ringing weirdly, partly from the alcohol, and partly from her sixth sense. Then again, she wasn't sure about the latter, since the alcohol probably helped throw her off balance more than just a little. Opening one eye, she peeked at the person who had set off her personal alarm...
...and was surprised to see a much smaller sized girl scowling at her. A small, extremely cute girl. Sayu squealed randomly and threw her arms around the stranger without really thinking about it, and that strange trill of alarm ran through her fuddled senses again.
Alright, so maybe she was a little more drunk than she thought she was.
"Kawaii~" Sayu squealed again, and squeezed more tightly. Dimly, she had a feeling that she should have been more wary of doing something like this, but she was too buzzed to process it properly right now. She would think about it at a later date. Right now she was too busy trying to choke the life out of the person she was pretty close to hugging to death.
Of course, that only applied if that person was not already dead, in any case.
~*~*~
Reina froze when the quite obviously tipsy girl latched onto her like she was a fluffy teddy bear. If Reina had needed to breathe, she would be choking by now, but since she didn't exactly need to, all she felt was a great sense of irritation once the initial shock wore off.
"Leggo!" Reina growled under her breath, the words coming out in a single garbled stream. "Geroff me!"
Right at this moment Reina devoutly wished that she didn't have so many witnesses present, because she would have dearly loved to rip this annoying girl's arms off for getting so friendly with her. Reina needed her personal space, and this person seemed hellbent on invading it at the moment.
Not to mention how this person smelled odd too. It was probably just the alcohol; but Reina couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something else mixed in too. Reina blinked, her thoughts interrupted when that strange girl tried to kiss her for no reason.
"Oi! Stop it!" She fended off the assault of physical affection, panicking slightly and shoving with a little more force than should be used on a human. That resulted in a nasty fall, and Reina stared blankly when the taller girl burst into tears on cue.
What the hell?! Reina was torn between wanting to help the girl up and get her to stop crying, or just knocking her out to save herself from further trouble. The latter was a far more tempting option at the moment though. Sometimes the young vampire couldn't help but think that unlife was definitely making her a lot less social.
A mere whisper of a chuckle, barely there and so faint that she almost thought she was just imagining it, made her whip around instantly, her hackles raised and fangs half bared. She could feel someone watching her, as opposed to the few people who were merely looking in her direction. She was definitely being observed by someone, or something.
Where! Where is it! Reina growled, eyes shining with a feral gleam as she grew more frustrated, completely ignoring the girl by her feet.
Then she felt it, a surging rush of energy, an overwhelming presence that made her knees buckle simply by making itself known to her. Gritting her teeth stubbornly together, Reina set her shoulders and pushed back with her own aura.
To any onlookers, it would have appeared as if Reina was just frozen in place, an intense frown of concentration on her face. There would be no further outward sign of such a purely supernatural battle of wills.
Reina scowled even harder, since she could just feel the other entity smiling condescendingly at her, even though she was pushing back with all her might. It annoyed her to no end, being taken so lightly. Unthinkingly, her fangs had sunk into her lower lip as she unconsciously bit down, her body starting to shake under the strain.
Don't be so stubborn, child. A sourceless voice seemed to echo in her mind, and Reina, out of habit, threw an insulting retort right back with her mental voice, coupled with swear words and rude gestures she made up on the spot. She could almost feel the other entity sigh, and the hint of gentle amusement in it.
Very well. Look then, and know your place. Reina found her head snapping upwards, as if beyond her own control, and her vision seemed to zoom in on its own accord to meet eye to eye with the master vampire that had been toying with her.
She began to tremble, just a little at first, before it became more pronounced, and she stumbled backwards, sweating profusely as, for the first time in 10 years, she felt true terror grip her heart. So strong...so much power.. The barest of squeaks wavered from her throat, and she fell backwards on her butt, eyes wide.
Now do you understand? Go now, and leave me be. That voice, sounding both youthful and ancient at the same time, was edged with a timeless regret bordering on a sadness so total, it was almost beautiful. It seemed very tired, and almost resigned. Reina found herself staring, uncomprehendingly, as the same gaze that had terrified her so much appeared to draw her in, despite her fear.
So frightening, so powerful, so......beautiful. These thoughts came unbidden to the young vampire, and tears ran red from her eyes. She did not understand why, only that it was beyond her ability to ignore, or even look away.
Reina did not know how she managed it, but her body appeared to be following the commands of an unknown power as she somehow stumbled out of that place, driven as if by the force of that voice that had ordered her to leave. She did not know how long she spent in that state, half dreaming and half awake, stumbling like some restless ghoul along the street.
When she finally regained her senses, she was practically halfway across town. Sinking to her knees, staring up at the full moon above, Reina wept again, not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy. She had finally found something worth chasing after.
I won't give up. I won't let you scare me away. Just you wait.
She swore at the night, the same bullheaded determination that drove her every action rearing its head within her again. She stood, clenching her fist so tightly it almost drew blood from her palm as her nails dug in, her irises bleeding to an unholy crimson in the faint light.
Just you wait.
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And done. Tired....@_@
Enjoy.
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Ok, well, I find drunk ppl quite interesting so I enjoyed this immensely. :lol: that Sayu has a high tolerance for alcohol. I guess she could be the type. But Eri and Gaki... XD Poor Eri gets hit on while Gaki takes care of the problem herself! That's cool. And Eri becoming touchy is great! I think Gaki likes it, for the record.
Whoa, so Reina burns the bodies of her victims, huh? Well, that's smart. And she nearly died from a fire when she was a human? That's interesting. And she also almost got killed by a vampire hunter or something? Well, this just gets better and better! I'm starting to get the idea that that Seirei might be a vampire. Sayu and Reina encounter = :lol: And I'm also thinking that Sayu has some kind of vampire sensing power. I really have no idea about vampire related things so I'm just guessing.
But I'm having fun reading! :D
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Seeing the girls drunk is funny, but it's kinda surprising that Sayu has that much of a tolerance for alcohol. Surprising, but it could be true, lol. And she has some sort of sixth sense, can't forget that. She also got to meet Reina in this chapter, I'm guessing they will meet in the future too. Reina's an interesting sort of character, she gets excited by challenges... It's obvious that her next challenge is to meet that powerful being she found. I'm guessing that's Seirei?
looking forward to the next chapter! :yep:
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A small, extremely cute girl. Sayu squealed randomly and threw her arms around the stranger without really thinking about it, and that strange trill of alarm ran through her fuddled senses again.
loool alcohol starts to get effective XD!
so the tolerance wasn't as high as she though, huh :P?
"Kawaii~" Sayu squealed again, and squeezed more tightly. Dimly, she had a feeling that she should have been more wary of doing something like this, but she was too buzzed to process it properly right now. She would think about it at a later date. Right now she was too busy trying to choke the life out of the person she was pretty close to hugging to death.
I LOVE this part XDDD!
for the rest, i think that the person is seirei :) i hope it is XD or is there a character we don't know yet :? ?
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I wonder whether Reina will have any impressions of Sayu or is she too taken away by the woman ( I suppose it is Seirei) :D Oh well, if everyone was drunk in there, Reina could have just suck everyone's blood. I wonder what Seirei is up to. I wonder what will happen next.
Can't wait for next update!
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Wow someone made a huge impression on Reina :O And she made a huge impression on Sayu XD Her attempt to steal Reina's kiss was my fav part :roll: I can't wait what will happen next when girls will sober up :lol:
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i love the 'voice' XD
and Sayu Reina encounter.
now i cnt wait.
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Vampire Reina? :wub: Loved how you threw in Reina's bad sense of direction, but compensated with her heightened sense of smell and hearing, and of course her ability to sense things.
Sayu with a high alcohol tolerance cracked me up XD Though she's really started feeling her mass drinking from the looks of things now. I love how she immediately latched on to Reina and tried to kiss her! :lol:
Regarding Reina's master... it wouldn't happen to be Miki would it? I duno... when I read the word "irresponsible" Miki just came to mind for some reason. Or it could just be the Miki fangirl in me :sweatdrop:
I'm in the same boat as those who have commented before me about the other vampire being Seirei. I'm eager to find out just who Seirei is! I have feeling about who it might be, but I guess at this point it could really turn out to anyone so I'll just wait for updates!
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ah goosefish has a good point on the master being miki...I didn't think of that! My guess was Nakazawa... I'm still bent on Seirei being Ai chan though...just cause she has to show up somewhere right? :mon cute: (lol look what the suspense has done to me!)
my favourite part from chapter 2 has to be the bunny hug of death XD I always think to myself if I ran into Reina in yanki mode in a dark ally...what would I do ? Would I hug her or would I run? lol I guess I now know what Sayu would do XD
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First vampires, and now ifrits too? :lol:
Looks like Reina's been looking for a mentor figure as her own sire (who, BTW now is appanrently a woman for some reason) abandoned her.
Going to be interesting to see what it was that Reina sensed from Sayu. :yep:
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Mk so I finally got around to reading this and I must sat it is brilliant
I love Sayu in this story XD shes so freaking hilarious and evil of course hahaha
Plus just the way you write keeps me captivated =]
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Oh, I'm very interested as to where this story is going to go. LOL Reina's cranky.
Hmm, I wonder who this master is...
Maybe this other vampire Maki O_o
And Eri was no better, doing some weird robotic dance movements along to the background music and attracting quite a crowd to watch the usually more reserved (in public) girl show off some fairly slick moves. Well, drunken kind of slick, but it could have been a lot worse.
Lol Eri does the robot XD
Eri= :mon taichi: :mon roll:
Not to mention how Risa happened to pack a punch even while tipsy. Sayu never knew that Risa had it in her to smash her glass into a guy's face. Thankfully, that little altercation didn't last long, since Risa stumbled back to them almost immediately and clung on to Eri like a drowning person to a life buoy, while said guy passed out (he was equally drunk, if not more, and the impact sped up his entry to dreamland) right after.
Wow, go Risa, but she seems to be having some trouble standing X]
Speaking of turtles, Eri was currently getting awfully touchy feely with everyone in range. Thankfully, said range was currently being limited to Risa, who was still clinging on to Eri for some reason or another, be it her own comfort or for Eri's safety, one couldn't be sure.
:wub: :luvluv1:
Sayu just couldn't decide if she wanted to be jealous or just join in though. She wasn't drunk enough to forget herself yet.
Jealous. Obviously :P
Sayu= :mon whine:
She drank. Even if she couldn't get drunk that easily, she could very damn well try.
Drowning all of your jealously in alcohol Sayu?
Hilarious how she tried to kiss Reina XD I can't wait for the update!
EDIT: Congrats on winning fic of the month!
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^Thanks! :D
Many thanks to those 5 people who voted for me. XD Hope I won't disappoint anyone with this fic!
Ok the chapter's almost done, but I need to add some more to it and edit before I can post. I'll do comment replies first though. ^^
SBK: Can I call you Ichigo-chan too? XD Anyway, yes, drunk people are incredibly entertaining. If I could get away with it I would add more drunk scenes, but I don't want to throw in too many random things to detract from the plot. As for Reina's history, well, she's a survivor. And Seirei? You'll get a formal introduction to her in the coming chapter. About Sayu though, well, you'll see. XD It's something to keep in mind for the future. Glad you're enjoying yourself!
Grisours: I rather enjoyed writing Reina. She's a fun character. Oh yes, her propensity to get into trouble will rear its ugly head in her current quest. Finding something super strong when it doesn't want to see you is generally not a good idea. XDD Oh well.
yanki07: I believe this chapter will answer several questions for you. Well, not that it wasn't obvious before, but at least you'll know for sure now!
tito: Lol. Yeah Reina could have just drained everyone, but she was a little on the full side. Besides, it's just way too suspicious if a whole house of people mysteriously go missing or is burned down. Reina's a little reckless, but she's not completely stupid. :P
peti-chan: I enjoyed letting Sayu try to kiss Reina. >D It was amusing when the idea first came to me, and I don't regret putting it in. You'll get to see what happens in the morning, although there really isn't anything earthshaking I guess. XD They can't be hyper ALL the time. ^^;
ringo-hime: Sorry to keep you waiting then! Haha. I'll be even busier this week, so updates might be slow too.
goosefish: Nice long comment. <3 Yes, Vampire Reina is fun! I just had to poke fun at her sense of direction, or lack thereof. Reina's master won't be making an appearance for a while though, but I hope people will like it when she finally does appear. XD Everyone wants to know who the vampire is, and it will finally be revealed in the next chapter! Haha.
Sukoshi: Hehe I liked the bunny hug of death too. It was just so...Sayu. Frankly, if I saw vampire!Reina in a dark alley, I'll freak out. Whether I run towards her or run away depends entirely on how I feel at that point. XD
JFC: Well at least you caught on to the Sayu thing. :P She's mostly normal, but well, just mostly. XD There are all manners of supernatural creatures around, vampires are just one of the merry group. As for the reference to a vampire's Master, its just a blanket term for both male and female ones. Nothing to it. XD
heyyouhiya: Thanks for commenting! Yes, evil Sayu is wonderful. I intend to keep her that way. :P Hope to see you reading and commenting often! ^_^
KonaKaga: Hi there! Glad you enjoyed the drunk trio parts. I like to make people laugh. ^_^ There won't be as much to laugh about (I think) in the next chapter, but I'll try to work in as much humor as I possibly can whenever the opportunity presents itself. Hope to see you around often!
Okie dokie. Now you guys can wait another half hour while I finish up the chapter. Muahahaha.
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Day
"Ooooh..." A suffering groan came from one of two lumps in the room. A messy head poked out from under one of the covers, wincing at the blast of sunshine that greeted her bloodshot eyes, and immediately withdrew with a strangled shriek. Sunlight was bad! Bad!
"Sayu? Are you finally awake?" An annoyingly chipper voice called from just outside the door, and Risa poked her head in, nudging the door open with her shoulder as she came in with two glasses of water and a bottle of aspirin.
Sayumi muttered something unintelligible from under her blanket cocoon, scrunching into a tiny ball and pulling the cloth further into herself. Risa chuckled, setting down the tray on her table, before taking one of the glasses and a couple of tablets to kneel by the Sayumi-shaped lump of blankets.
"Sayumin, I know you have a terrible hangover and the room probably looks like it's spinning to you right now, but you need to drink some water." Risa coaxed gently. "It'll make you feel better, I promise." She tentatively shook what she gauged was Sayumi's shoulder, trying to get a response from her.
"Mmprgh...Gaki-san I hate you!" Sayumi slurred from underneath the covers, jerking away from her senior. Risa blinked, confused. "What?"
"Why are you so bloody CHEERFUL in the blasted morning?!" A very displeased Sayumi poked her head out with a growl, her eyes reduced to mere slits to guard against the glare of sunshine. Risa couldn't help but laugh at the disgruntled look on Sayumi's face.
"Serves you right for binging on drinks the way you did yesterday." Risa said disapprovingly. "At least I knew to stop after I started feeling dizzy."
Sayumi grunted and blindly took the offered water and tablets, gulping the latter down before chugging the rest of the water. "Ugh. Don't remind me." She rubbed at her bloodshot eyes. "Why didn't you stop me?"
"Stop you? I had my hands full with Eri." Risa looked over at the prone form on the other side of the room. The turtle girl had not stirred since they had dumped her in the corner last night. "Will she be alright?"
Sayumi crawled over, carefully lifting part of the blankets from Eri and smoothing back the messy fringe from her best friend's eyes. With the practiced ease of someone who has been doing it for at least half her life, she peeled back one of Eri's eyelids and took a quick look before tenderly placing the covers back over the sleeping girl. Eri had not so much as twitched during the examination, and only snuffled a little after Sayumi moved away carefully.
"She's alright, knocked out as usual." Sayu appeared to be mostly back to normal as the effects of the aspirin started to make itself felt. She massaged her temples and leaned back on the pile of blankets that had been covering her earlier.
"Augh. Why did I drink so much?" She groused. "I don't even remember what happened last night."
"I don't really remember either, but that might be a blessing in disguise." Risa commented, flopping down next to the youngest of the trio. "Should we wake Eri up for some water and aspirin too?"
"Nah." Sayumi said after a moment's thought. "Let her sleep it off. She'll be fine after, oh, 14 hours of sleep." She laughed wryly. "Just have a pitcher of water ready for when she does wake up though." Risa grinned back and nodded, trusting the younger girl's judgment. After all, Sayumi had known Eri for far longer than she had.
The pair sat in companionable silence for a minute or so, Risa relaxing in the lazy atmosphere while Sayumi was just battling her persistent headache. After she had forced the worst of the pain down, the younger turned to Risa.
"So how did we get back here?" She looked around. "Where is here?"
"My house." Risa grinned sheepishly. "I called my parents for help since I couldn't lug both of you at the same time. And I didn't think that either of your parents would be thrilled to see you guys in this state."
Sayumi stared at her for a moment, then snickered. "Eririn's parents might have flipped out, but obviously you've never met my family." She paused, thinking, before she shuddered. "On second thoughts, it's a good thing you didn't tell them." She closed her eyes. "I don't enjoy being dipped headfirst into a vat of cold water."
Now it was Risa's turn to stare. "Say WHAT?!" Sayumi grinned mischievously, opening one eye.
"I come by my peculiarities honestly, Gaki-san~" Sayu cooed as she grabbed at Risa's cheeks and pulled hard again, forcing an unnatural smile to appear on Risa's face. The older sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Maybe I should have just left you with the headache, you were quieter with it..."
"Aww but you love me~"
"Keep on doing that and I will change my mind about that."
~*~*~
A heavy oak-paneled door swung ponderously shut, cutting off sterile white walls from the warmer interior of the room it guarded. There was a barely audible click as the door closed with surprising gentleness, and soft soled shoes ghosted across the mat, pausing by the shoe cupboard as small hands removed her footwear and deposited them within the built in closet that melded almost seamlessly with the wall.
Bare feet now crossed a highly polished floor, the grained pattern of seasoned wood matching with the muted wallpaper on either side of the narrow corridor that opened into a wider room, sparsely but tastefully furnished with a mix of old and new; the traditional homey air that resembled something out of a 17th century European manor harboring 21st century technology and amenities.
It was to that corner that the person padded towards, a darkened screen blinking to life with a move of the mouse, and the tiny owner of the apartment pulled out the chair for herself before ignoring it totally and moving over to the closed and blinded window next to her work station. A single light touch opened the blinds up a fraction, sending rays of piercing sunshine into the previously darkened room.
She blinked at the bright glare, her eyes adjusting in an instant to the influx of light into her domain. The peculiar thing about night vision was that it carried over to the day as well. Shadows had never been quite the same ever since, so it kinda screwed with her depth perception at times.
Turning, she squinted through the shadows created by the light, once again amused by how she could just see through them as if they were not there to begin with.
Settling back into the easy chair in front of her computer, Seirei smiled as the warm sunshine fell on her at regular intervals; segregated, naturally, by the blinds in the way.
She had always been a peculiar example of her...species? Not only did she have no fear of the day, she rather enjoyed the sun as well --- in controlled doses, of course. She still didn't tan very well, and sunburn still hurt her as it would any ordinary human.
Her lips twitched into an involuntary smile as she speedily checked her email, widening into a heartfelt one as she clicked on one of the new messages she had received in her absence.
The convenient thing about the 21st century and all its technological gimmicks was that it enabled her to keep in contact with the one person that mattered to her for the last half eon or so. Pure white teeth flashed in an even, gleaming row as she grinned at the message, complete with pictures and amusing anecdotes, from her child who was at present about halfway across the globe from her, and having a lot of fun making things and people explode, as it were.
There was another mail, with the heading To DJ Seirei, and she couldn't help but smile a little more at her own little joke. The name was highly ironic, considering her circumstances. For she was neither alive, divine, nor devoted to authority, in all readings of the name.
Naturally, it was as much an alias as the many identities she had assumed over the countless centuries. At present though, considering she was in Japan, her current identity had had to have a regular Japanese-sounding name too. As luck would have it, it hadn't been too difficult to use a variant of her true name for her current alias. These little consistencies helped keep her sane in an ever changing world.
Immortality was a difficult burden to bear, after all.
Takahashi Ai, yes, that's my name now. And so it had been for the last 2 to 3 years. With a little luck she would be able to keep this particular identity for another 10 to 15 years or so before having to move on. A perpetually youthful appearance had both pros and cons to it, unfortunately.
Ai tapped thoughtfully on the table as she went through her mail and checked the web for news, scanning with inhuman speed through the pages. One of the upsides of her condition, as she liked to put it. She rather enjoyed making quirky little jokes about her immortality that would not be obvious to the average human, and amused herself thus. It was a little lame at times, but every little bit helped.
Laughter helped her put herself into perspective. Without a sense of humor, she would possibly have gone mad a thousand years ago.
The days were always so long, but Ai had since found a way to deal with it. She had to, because if madness hadn't gotten her, boredom would have. Reading was always a nice way to pass the time, and she liked to keep up on news happening around the world. It paid to be up to date with current affairs, even if she were no longer human. At least she always knew where else she could relocate to in a hurry should the need ever arise.
Despite being a vampire, Ai was basically as non-violent as conditions would allow. She had not killed a single normal human being for decades, the last time being that unfortunate incident up in the old Soviet Union when she had been rather rudely awakened from a 20 year nap.
Ai was a reasonable creature when awake, less so when still groggy and in the grip of her bestial instincts. It had been a bloodbath of spectacular proportions, she recalled, and found herself licking her lips at the memory.
What was she thinking?! Slightly aghast by her own behavior, she snapped her jaws shut and pushed up and away from her seat, stalking quickly over to her secret stash, her fingers working out the unlocking sequence to the hidden safe. She reached in and grabbed a bottle, slamming the safe shut and relocking it before sweeping past the counter and grabbing a goblet, pouring the red liquid into it before lifting it to her lips.
The rich taste calmed her, as did the hint of expensive scotch mixed into her favorite beverage. Her only source of nourishment now, considering her current status. Retiring to a chair by another window, she placed the bottle on the little round table next to her, but not before refilling her goblet again.
Ai sipped distantly, her mind, as always, starting to wander. She had an iron grip on her bloodlust, so much so that she had not fed directly from a living human ever since that unfortunate incident on the killing fields of Crimea. She had other ways of procuring fresh blood as and when she needed it, and then again she never needed as much blood nowadays.
One of the benefits of advanced age, she conceded wryly. As long as she wasn't gravely injured, she didn't need as much fresh blood to sustain and regenerate herself.
The modern world could be tiring to keep up with, but it did have many fascinating developments in the area of human knowledge. Even though some of those developments made it awfully difficult to get away with certain things the way she could in less advanced eras. Law enforcement was far more efficient nowadays than it was about a hundred or so years ago, and making up identities was conversely both more and less easy at the same time.
Technology... Ai noted philosophically as she cast her eye on her still active Mac computer in the corner. She had had the foresight of enrolling for classes back when the computer was still a mass of metal and plastic, with cables the size of her arm and occupying a rather large room in its entirety.
Now the average computer was present almost everywhere, and was much smaller and faster than its lumbering behemoth of a predecessor. Ai sighed and finished up the last of her blood wine.
The world is changing so fast... She mused as she got up to rinse out her goblet, replacing the items where they belonged. She could only hope to keep up with the times, or risk being left behind as a mere anachronism of a bygone era and destroyed, as so many other things had been.
Maybe I should go back for classes. I haven't gone to school in a while... Ai considered that as she settled back in front of her terminal. Her mind swung from one subject to another as she clicked on the latest news for the city she was currently living in, frowning at one of the headlines.
Multiple Missing, Police Investigate. Involuntarily, she recalled that young upstart she met the night before. Cocky and confident, that much she had sensed from the fledgling. She had smelled the blood on the wind earlier that evening, and had no illusions about what had occurred. The missing people would not be found, she concluded. Not alive, anyway.
She could only hope that the kid had had the foresight of disposing of the bodies carefully. Dry corpses tended to draw too much unnecessary attention from all the wrong places. Ai was not afraid of the police though. She knew all the loopholes in most criminal codes, no thanks to a short stint as a law aide 2 identities ago. And she had also been a forensics investigator in yet another lifetime, so she knew exactly how to avoid detection.
No, she was concerned about the hunters. Ai did not particularly like tangling with them, even if she knew she could handle the situation most of the time. She understood their zeal to exterminate non-human creatures that threatened mankind, and supported it to some degree. It made her life easier if they helped to get rid of the troublesome low-level trash. It saved her the trouble of doing it herself.
For an Ancient like her, peace and stability were greatly valued. It was easier on her nerves. Young upstarts that wanted only to revel in blood and violence threatened that stability, and she had no wish to see the world ripped apart by a war between her kind and the humans. Humans slaughtered each other well enough on the slightest pretext; she didn't need her food source decimated in the senseless conflict that would result from her kind's exposure.
It was to avoid the hunters that she had relocated to this small city. It had a very low level of supernatural energy, and an insignificant population of non-humans mingled with the humans. Ai had chosen this place since it was less likely that the hunters would come to a place where there was little to no supernatural trouble. Peace and quiet was so very important to her, and she would be really upset if someone disturbed that balance.
She frowned at the screen again, minimizing the window as she stood, pacing around for a bit, thinking. This young upstart could be a problem. Briefly, she considered eliminating her before the hunters noticed anything strange and decided to investigate.
However, Ai was practical, not cruel. She could be ruthless when the situation called for it, but she would not destroy another needlessly. She had sensed the child's movements in the city from time to time, and despite the lack of finesse in hiding her aura, the fledgling wasn't completely incompetent. Rough around the edges and way too cocky and impudent for her own good perhaps, but not a mindless creature. Probably desperately in need of guidance, but Ai had no interest in a baby vampire. The young one would learn in time, on its own; or perish just as many other unnamed fledglings had in the course of time.
With a sigh, she pulled up the blinds by the window, letting the sunlight filter in, unfettered. It washed over her pale, immortal, undead form, and she could almost feel warm in the sun's embrace. Almost.
She did not breathe, her heart did not beat, and she could barely feel any compassion anymore. What little humanity she had left, save for this unaging shell. Yet she was human once, a long time ago, and the sun felt good on her skin, banishing the darkness from her.
Shaking her head, she retreated from the window, back into the cool shadows. She could not let the past entrap her, however much she clung on to it. It grounded her, but it could also swallow her whole. Grimly, she stared off into the distance, thinking of the young one she had encountered, wondering how much the child knew of the burdens of eternity.
We learn, or we die. Someone had told her that, once, at a time when the world was still young and fresh as she herself was. We adapt, even if we do not change.
For the other way lies madness, and destruction. She closed her eyes, trying not to think.
As always, the world spun on, it always has done. And always will.
For even as civilizations rise and empires fall, the world goes on.
Time goes on, and We remain, insignificant spectators to its march.
=====================================================
No Reina, unfortunately. Hey, it's morning, she's sleeping. XD
And the not-so-mysterious vampire has been revealed. It's a bit of a heavy chapter, even though it's not long. Hopefully it answers a few questions.
Enjoy.
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XD Sayu's a bit grumpy with her hangover, but she can't angry at Risa for being happy, it's her disposition! Wonder what Eri's going to be like when she wakes up :w00t:
So it was Ai, I can't wait to see how she interacts with other characters!
I'll be waiting :D
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Good chapter, I liked it lots.
She paused, thinking, before she shuddered. "On second thoughts, it's a good thing you didn't tell them." She closed her eyes. "I don't enjoy being dipped headfirst into a vat of cold water."
I might be looking to much into this (or not) but I think we can expect something special from Sayu. Besides this odd piece of information we also the curious observation Reina did about her smell.
The convenient thing about the 21st century and all its technological gimmicks was that it enabled her to keep in contact with the one person that mattered to her for the last half eon or so. Pure white teeth flashed in an even, gleaming row as she grinned at the message, complete with pictures and amusing anecdotes, from her child who was at present about halfway across the globe from her, and having a lot of fun making things and people explode, as it were.
HER CHILD!?!?!?!?! :stoned:
unfortunate incident up in the old Soviet Union when she had been rather rudely awakened from a 20 year nap.
:on lol: Now THAT's a story I'm looking forward to reading on
We learn, or we die. Someone had told her that, once, at a time when the world was still young and fresh as she herself was. We adapt, even if we do not change
Hmm, who was Ai's master (and Reina's at that) :dunno:
So basically, those are my speculations to date. Now things I found cool is that Ai is about or over 1000 y/o and a forensic investigator.
*waits for next chapter now*
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Yeah, Ichigo-chan is fine with me. :lol:
I was so happy to see that you won! And that they was an update!!!!!!
I love how Gaki is still so damn perky in the morning, even if she got slightly intoxicated the night before! And hungover Sayu sounds pretty funny-looking. Poor Eri, still passed out. I wanna know about the dunking head in water business that goes on at Sayu's house. When I read that Ai-chan was Seirei, I literally shrieked several times out loud! XD That's why Gaki was staring at her....cuz she's so hot! :D
Ok, I'll continue this later. The parentals are forcing me to leave the house to go visit the.....grandparentals? XD
Ai-chan has a kid?! I wonder who it is. So Ai-chan is a fairly humanlike vampire. She's not too violent and prefers not to cause trouble. Where does she get her blood if she hasn't killed anyone lately? Ohhhh, so it was Ai-chan's voice that was freaking Reina out the day before? She knew there was a novice and she didn't want her to cause trouble. I think I'm getting most of what's going on. But there is still so much to find out.
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Hungover, huh? :mon misch: Only Gaki still in her high spirit like always XD So Seirei is Ai-chan! :w00t: Yay ~ *squeals* No wonder that Reina and Gaki were mesmerized by her presence :twisted: Can't wait for her interactions with others :kekeke:
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Oh Sayu, almost always good for a few chuckles. :lol:
So Seirei is Aichan, eh? The fact that she can take sunlight (to paraphrase what you said, in "certain doses"), as well as the fact that she has a child (which made me go :mon wtf: when I read it), it makes me think that Aichan is actually a dhamphir.
:kekeke:
Now, considering that you said that "Aichan's child" wrote and said she was having fun blowing stuff up, does that mean the child has powers too, or is she just a pyro? XD
Oh, an how AWESOME would it be if the child was Miki? ROLFZ!
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I'm back~ Wow, fewer comments than before. Well, no matter, the show must go on, and it does make replying to comments a little easier...XD
KonaKaga: Unfortunately we won't get to see Eri's awakening. You'll see why. But I hope the chapter won't disappoint anyway. :3
poets: -snickers- I knew everyone would go catatonic over that word. Fun times, yo. And yes, Aichan has had a very colorful past, some of which might even come back to haunt her. :P Just wait and see. >D
Ichigo-chan: We'll get to Sayu's family in good time. Right now you get to see Eri's family first. :P Aichan's an interesting vampire, that's for sure. You will see how other vampires view her, eventually. So many interesting things to consider...>D
peti-chan: Yeah can't take our eyes off Aichan. She's hot, what can I say? Unfortunately, she's not present in this chapter. Not yet, anyway. Her role will be...limited, for a while. XD
JFC: I'm having a lot of fun with Sayu, can you tell? XD As for Aichan's status, well, that'll be explained in the future. As for the burning question of "who the hell is Aichan's CHILD?!", well, just wait and see. >D
Ok, time to post the longawaited (?) chapter!
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Chapter 4 - Wake
The dead sleep.
In mortuaries and graveyards, they sleep. In the rest from which there is no waking, they sleep.
In the bright sun, light cavorting overhead, they sleep. They do not wake. They aren't supposed to. The day belongs to the living.
The dead sleep. What was it like to sleep like the dead?
One doesn't find out until they are dead. By then, it no longer matters, save to some. It doesn't matter.
She knows what it is like to sleep like the dead. After all, you have to be dead to try it.
And she is, after all, dead. Not dead and not alive. The twilight in between.
She sleeps like the dead. In the day, a corpse in its own right. And by night?
The dead no longer sleep. Not all of them. No longer.
Not anymore.
~*~*~
"How is it that, less than 3 hours ago, you were still all washed out from last night, but now you're perfectly fine?" A voice asked in exasperation, before taking a sip from her drink. The gaudy plastic cup in her hand stood out starkly against the rest of her, all tacky decoration and childish art. It was loud, obnoxiously so. So glaringly strange against her more muted, conservative getup.
Then again, this was an amusement park, or what was left of one. What a pair of college age girls were doing in a rundown entertainment center decades past its time was beyond anyone's guess, at least at a casual glance.
Or perhaps not. There were always other teens, up to their own activities that were less than sanctioned by parental authority; here and there street urchins peeked out from behind worn out tires and rusted barrels, chains clinking as overfed rats scrabbled over them, playing their own games amidst the bright fluorescent and glowing neon.
"I recover fast, my dear dear friend." The one dressed in a combination of pink, white and black flashed a peace sign alongside that megawatt smile that easily beat out the worn old bulbs struggling to maintain their luminiscence in spite of their advancing age. Others had long since given up the battle, appearing a dull, dusty red or green or blue, bereft of illumination.
"Whatever you say, Sayu." The other sighed, looking around the tired old amusement park. The place looked like it had been there for decades, practically rooted to the greens it stood upon. One could not think of these fairgrounds without linking it to this place. It was as if one was synonymous with the other by now.
Inseparable. She knew what that thought triggered, but glanced around involuntarily all the same. One missing from the merry trio. The three musketeers. The...whatever other trio that was out there. Not here.
And it was...strange. She shook her head, continuing to take in her surroundings. It looked more...dilapidated, somehow, even more so in the receding glow of daylight. She had been here before, some years back, at night, and it had looked...different. Perhaps it was the night that hid the ruin, the rust and decay from young, energetic eyes eager for the bright lights and fun rides.
A sneaky move to intercept the fat straw of her drink jolted her out of her thoughts. Reflexively, she jerked away, leaving a pouting Sayumi grasping air with her pursed lips.
"Why so serious, Gaki-san?" Sayumi grinned impudently at the somber non-expression that the other had just sported seconds ago, which was now a mask of disapproval directed at the younger. "Let's put a smile on that face~"
"You're almost 20, Sayu. Grow up a little." Risa sighed as her face was once again unnaturally stretched out, courtesy of Sayumi's hands pulling at her cheeks. Briefly, she wondered why she ever told them about how she felt no pain when her cheeks were pinched. It was like giving them the license to pinch it whenever possible, just to try and elicit a reaction (in Sayumi's case), or just marvel at it (Eri).
"And did you just quote someone...?" Risa raised an eyebrow as the younger released her, still cackling in childish glee. The self proclaimed ichiban kawaii cocked her head to the side, arm still linked with the older girl's as she replied.
"Why, don't you ever read DC comics?" She tapped her chin. "Oh yeah, I forgot that you like Crayon Shin-chan instead~"
Risa flushed, mentally cursing Eri for uncovering her secret stash of old manga under her bed. She just knew that the devil next to her wouldn't just let her off so easily after finding out about something like that.
Lights danced in Sayumi's dark eyes, twin orbs rolling around with lively energy and sly anticipation. Risa, anxious to cut off the teasing before it really started, quickly started on another thread of conversation, hoping to divert the attention off herself.
"Why are we here again? You said something about Kame being here, but you never said why." To tell the truth, that was something Risa was definitely curious about. There were still so many things she didn't know about Eri, who was arguably her closest friend at the university.
Granted, they hadn't known other for as long as Sayu and Eri had (Since forever! Sayumi had piped up when asked for the first time). Even this city itself was still relatively new to her, having just moved in here only 2 years ago. Her little family unit moved around a lot, since her father often traveled for work, and tended to bring them along whenever there was a change in his base of operations. As a result, she had never really stayed in a place longer than 3 or 4 years at most.
Sometimes she wondered if having a permanent place to call home would be nicer. Better than a semi-nomadic existence, certainly.
"Ah ah ah~ You're woolgathering again, Gaki-saaaaaaaaan~" Sayumi tugged at Risa's sleeve, trying to get her attention. Risa smiled weakly.
"Sorry, I think I didn't get enough sleep from last night. It's starting to kick in..." She apologized sheepishly, tugging at the strands of her long hair. Sayumi patted her arm sympathetically, seeming to settle into a less hyper mode. Risa was always amazed by how easily the younger girl shifted between her moods. It was as if there had been no difference between how she was acting before and after, even if the gulf had been so very wide.
"Eririn's mom works here, and she wanted Eri to come here today. That's why she bolted so fast earlier." Sayumi said easily with the familiarity of an old friend. Risa couldn't help but feel a twitch of envy at how easily the knowledge came to the younger girl. She wondered how long it would take for her to achieve the same level of awareness, assuming she could stay long enough to.
Shaking the minute melancholy away, Risa smiled faintly as she glanced around again. "And what would she be doing here?" Somehow, she couldn't quite imagine Eri's mother working as a attendant for any of the rides. Maybe manning some of the booths? She was still pondering the possibilities as Sayumi replied.
"Oh, she runs one of the attractions." The younger girl smiled mysteriously, lips quirking strangely with some hidden joke. "You'll see."
"Mou, tell me!" Risa pouted, nudging Sayumi playfully in the side, but her junior laughingly avoided all attempts to weasel the truth out of her. They were still horsing around randomly until Sayumi suddenly blurted.
"And here we are!"
Risa stopped. Looked. And just stared, struck speechless.
Sayumi giggled at her stunned senpai, tugging at her arm to drag her in.
"Time to get our fortunes told~"
~*~*~
Sunset.
A pair of eyes popped open, burning a fiery red. They pierced the musty darkness, an unearthy glow pushing back the creeping shadows. They blinked, and the glow subsided. The darkness returned, or remained, but it was no impediment to the sole occupant of the cellar. There was no darkness for a vampire.
The abrupt shift from the death-sleep to consciousness was jarring as always, and she continued to stare, unblinkingly, at the faint tracery of brick underneath peeling paint. Noted the crumbling mortar, the flecks of dust and sand floating suspended in still air.
The scent of water, not so far away. Caked dirt, dried lizard droppings. Water lapping against cold stone, ebb and flow, splashing. An industrious spider, playing the trapeze artist. She exhaled. Watched the dust stir, air moist against dead flesh. Not cold. Not hot either. Temperature no longer bore meaning for her.
It was always thus, upon waking. Connecting back to reality, the mind having to realize, night after night, that it is not dead. Her own body, stone cold and stiff with the touch of death. Rigor mortis, was it?
No matter. She turned inward, reasserting control over her body. Commanded a finger to move. After a moment's hesitation, it did.
It relieved her. It was a continual worry that one day, she would find that her undead body would no longer respond to her conscious mind. That the whole experience had been some freaky out-of-body incident. Except that she was never out of it. Not literally, anyway.
She sat up, flexing her fingers, rotated her head on her neck. A smile, as she realized what had been missing for a while.
No rats. Not since the first few nights since she had taken up residence in here. Rats might not be rocket geniuses, but they were pretty good at survival. Sharing a space with a bloodsucking predator was hardly conducive towards their little rodent lives, and the resident rat population had vacated the area in record time after the change in tenancy.
She sat still for a long minute, silent as the grave, registering everything around her through her enhanced senses. Waited, too, for the last dregs of sunlight to be completely gone. She had no desire to be caught in the sun, even for a few seconds. Sunburns were bad enough when she was human; it was lethal as a vampire.
When she did move, sliding off moldering crates that had been serving as a bed of sorts, there was nary a creak, nor even a whisper of dust on dust. It was fluid, sinuous, inhuman. The spider swung the other way, disappearing through a crack. No living creature with any sense would linger in the company of a predator unveiled.
Unmoving, she could almost pass as one more shadow in that abandoned cellar. Here was the true face of the hunter, not so much cloaked in shadow as being one with it. The silent predator, ready to strike. The aura of danger hung heavy in the air. Even the roaches scrambled away, eager to escape.
She shifted, dampening her movements, her vampiric presence, and became...Reina again. Almost.
No longer human, merely pretending to be one. If it were the wolf in sheep's clothing that had to be feared, what of one draped in human skin?
I am the wolf in shepherd's clothing. Her grin was pointed. And tonight, I hunt bigger game.
Tonight, the sheep could sleep well until dawn returned as their shield. Tonight, Reina had other plans.
Time to get busy.
~*~*~
"...we have Tarot, crystal ball and tea leaf readings. Which system would you prefer?" A warmly cheery voice chirped on, only to be greeted with that same disbelieving silence that had remained so ever since the pair had been seated.
"Psst. Say something!" Another low voice hissed, punctuated by a harsh poke in the arm. Risa jumped, finally getting with the program.
"Um..." Was all she could think of saying, which wasn't very productive at all, unfortunately. Next to her, Sayumi rolled her eyes upward and sighed theaterically.
"Oh dear lord, why are you so shy around other people? You do a perfectly fine job of being loud when it was just us." Sayumi waved her hand around, before her finger finally settled on the benign-looking lady seated across from them at the table.
"It's just Eri's mother, for god's sake. Not some creepy stranger trying to sell you life insurance or cheat you of your life savings. I hope you don't mind, obaa-san." She addressed the woman, now revealed as Eri's mother. "Gaki-san's mind just crashed, it probably just has to reboot now."
"Do you think we have to reformat it too?" Another voice cut in, also obviously amused. Sayumi grinned proudly at her best friend, who was standing behind her mother.
"Finally! A joke that makes sense! I'm so proud of you, Eririn~" The devil girl shared a mutual grin with the older woman seated across from her as Eri pouted.
"My jokes make sense!" Warm laughter reverbrated around the little pavilion.
"Eri, I gave birth to you, and I know you best. Few of your jokes ever make sense." The woman smiled. "We just find it funny because we love you."
"Mom!" Sayumi smirked and gave two thumbs up to Eri's mother, who winked back in response, before adding. "I'm sure your friends agree." Her penetrating gaze swept over the still catatonic Risa and gleeful Sayu. "And as friends to my beloved baby, I would like you to call me Yuriko. Obaa-san makes me feel old."
"I'm not a baby!" Eri pouted again, and this time Risa recovered enough to join in the teasing.
"You're not acting like you're not." Risa jabbed playfully, regaining enough of her mental faculties to find it in herself to taunt everyone's favorite turtle. Eri frowned at the sentence, puzzling her way through it, even as Sayu mock-winced.
"Oooh, too many negatives~" She dramatically made signs to ward off evil. "Away with you, sentence-mutiliating creature!"
It was to Risa's credit that she was able to appear completely composed as she commented, looking right at Yuriko, who was smiling at the children's antics.
"It's awfully difficult to babysit both of them, isn't it?" Risa said conversationally to the older woman, whose smile grew wider.
"Oh, you should have seen them as children. Absolute terrors, both of them. Lovable little rascals." Yuriko recounted fondly, even as both Eri and Sayumi paused to stare at the exchange, temporarily unable to think of anything meaningful to say.
"I'm sorry to have missed it then." Risa noted with genuine regret. Yuriko reached over the table and patted her hand comfortingly.
"Don't worry, there are always the photos." Amazingly, neither had cracked so much as a smile yet. Meanwhile, the pair being discussed at the moment paled, mortified by the turn of the conversation.
"Mom!" and "Yuriko-obaasan!" rang out at the exact same time, horrified expressions covering both girls' face. Risa snickered. "Gotcha."
Eri turned puppy eyes at Risa. "You wouldn't really do that to us, would you?"
"Depends." Risa quickly avoided that deadly gaze. The Gorgon only turned people to stone. Eri's puppy eyes turned them to liquid mush. Risa much preferred her brains intact and functioning, thank you very much.
Yuriko chuckled again, clapping her hands and rubbing them together in anticipation. "Well now girls, I believe we were interrupted from a fortune reading." She paused, looking at Risa. "Risa-chan, was it? Would you still like a reading?"
"Um." Risa got stuck again, wanting to find the right words to phrase the burning question in her mind, so as not to offend her friend's mother. "Well, that is..."
"You don't believe in things like this, do you?" Yuriko said knowingly, and Risa flushed, caught out. Yuriko smiled, putting away her 'tools' and clearing the area between her and the girls.
"I don't blame you. Mysticism doesn't have much of a place in the modern world. It's all just brushed off as superstitious nonsense now." The lady, her middle years now showing in the subtle tracery of wrinkles as she smiled, a note of sadness coloring her words.
"I believe you though, Yuriko-obaasan." Sayumi said firmly, no jest in her tone. Yuriko smiled warmly at the youngest of the trio.
"Of course you would." There was an impish grin edging those thin lips. Sayu grinned back, eyes alight again with that rolling spark of poorly concealed amusement. Eri was giggling as well. Risa couldn't help but feel like she was missing out on something.
"You should let her try though, Gaki-san. She's not a fake." Sayumi turned to Risa earnestly. "Besides, it's not like it's going to cost you anything. Right, Yuriko-obaasan?"
"Oh I wouldn't know, times are too hard for me to work for free..." Sayu looked mildly ashamed of herself, at least until she noticed the jovial twinkle in Yuriko's eye. Eri, who already knew what her mother would do, was already ssexy beasting behind her hands.
"I was just joking, my dear. Anyone who takes care of my little Eri deserves a free reading should they wish it." Yuriko's eyes shone with an intensity that had unnerved Risa ever since she first stepped in. Clear eyes, with hidden depths. Risa wondered what the woman really saw.
"Besides, I believe I still owe you for chaperoning Eri from the party last night." An immediate silence followed these words, and the trio passed startled glances among each other. Eri shook her head vigorously from behind her mother, waving her hands frantically to mean that she hadn't said anything.
"I told you I can see these things." Yuriko, completely unruffled, still maintaining that kindly maternal exterior, helped to put Risa at ease, even though the girl still felt a prickling to her instincts.
Sayu flicked a quick look at Risa, who caught it reflexively. You can trust her, those eyes said. Wordless communication between her and Sayu wasn't the best, but the universal sisterhood of all women generally made it slightly easier to read these things. She relaxed, calming herself.
"Um, ok." Her voice did not reflect her enforced calm, the lack of certainty showing in her wavering agreement. Yuriko smiled kindly at her, though her eyes never lost that piercing quality that appeared to look straight into her soul.
Despite herself, Risa trembled. Did she really want to know what lay ahead for her?
"Do I need to, um, pick anything?" Risa asked, blinking rapidly to get some moisture into her widened eyes. Yuriko shook her head.
"No, all that's just for amateurs to play with. It's just for show." She smiled ironically. "People these days need a more visual statement for the workings of destiny."
"It's probably television's fault." Sayumi noted clinically, and she shared a look of understanding with Yuriko. Eri stood silent, watching quietly while one hand toyed with the chains of the pendant hidden underneath her clothes. Her eyes had taken on the same fathomless depths that Risa had rarely seen in her usually goofy friend.
What have I gotten myself into? She smiled nervously, feet shifting underneath the table to hide her growing unease.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." The voice was soothing, and Risa exhaled, trying to release the tension from her muscles. Next to her, Sayumi gave her a comforting squeeze on the arm, before moving away, careful to make no physical contact with her.
"Now, give me your hand, and we can get started." Risa gulped, and reached out slowly. Her breathing became shallow, before she remembered enough of her father's teachings to fall back on a deeper, meditative kind of breathing. Oddly, that was all she really needed.
Her mind cleared, and when she spoke, she had no conscious memory of manipulating her lips to form the words.
"I'm ready."
===============================
So I watched the Dark Knight on Friday. Does it show? :D
Enjoy.
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Interesting opening.
So Eri's mom's a fortune teller? And it really seems like she can see the future. Scary.... :lol: But she sounds like a really nice lady!!! I wanna know what Sayu and Eri were like as kids! Sounds cute!! It probably won't fit in your story, though. I wonder if Eri can do something similar then, because of the same look in her eyes.
And Reina. She just lays low during the day, huh? Sleeping but not really. Dead but not really. Can her body really stop responding to her mind, even if she's a vampire? Or is she just being paranoid?
More Ai-chan!!!!
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Damn you~ you're such a tease sometimes! :banghead: cutting it off right there... on purpose! *sighs* w/e *sits on floor and pouts* I'll just wait.... here... on the floor... mad!
GakiXShige were really cute at the beginning <3
Eri's family is into that kind of stuff... hmmm.... I've been wondering where the vampire hunter is going to emerge from (considering if one emerges, which I think will. You don't have vampires and not have some kind of vampire hunter)
And now all I keep thinking is "if there's going to be any kind of Tanakame romantic relationship it's gonna be really interesting"
P.S. The way you wrote Reina's part was *kisses the tips of her finger a la Italiano* Bellissimo
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"Why so serious, Gaki-san?" Sayumi grinned impudently at the somber non-expression that the other had just sported seconds ago, which was now a mask of disapproval directed at the younger. "Let's put a smile on that face~"
HAHA i just saw the movie yesterday
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Eri's mom's cool. :thumbsup
Can't help but wonder though what she's doing in a run-down amusement park. If she is indeed the real deal, she could probably set up a little shop for herself in town and do well for herself.
Ok, just what IS the deal with Sayu and that little "inside joke" she and Eri's mom shared?
Also,
Risa gulped, and reached out slowly. Her breathing became shallow, before she remembered enough of her father's teachings to fall back on a deeper, meditative kind of breathing.
now I'm wondering what the deal is with Risa's dad (like, what does/did he do, and how was it that he taught these breathing exercises to her)?
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Eri's mom sure is interesting. I so wanna know what she'll say to Risa... I bet is going to be important, or true, or something meaningful like that :D
And Reina... well, she sure is on the mood for a hunt...
keep it up! :grin:
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ah that was a nice chapter...I like how it appears all normal but you get the feeling that something horrible is about to happen...I guess the run down amusement park has that kind of horror movie vibe...though of course Reina's awakening certainly did heighten the feeling.
hmm...so is Gaki like the only normal one in this story? Because so far it seems Sayu has her sixth sense powers, Eri's mom can see things...and well Eri seems normal but that just can't be the case, I mean she's Eri, right? XD Oh wait..I forgot about the ending bit where Eri's eyes changed...okay, so she has powers too :heart: So yeah...I'm certainly curious about Gaki san.
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Your descriptive skills are just great; I've been meaning to delurk and say that for some time. Not only do you thoroughly describe the scene, you capture my attention and draw me in by doing it in an interesting way. For me, this is hard to get across to someone who is not familiar with the concept, but it really seperates decent stories from great ones.
The interaction between the "Three Muskateers" continues to be really fun, and you're doing a good job in consistently portraying their personalities. The hints about Risa's family and past (family moving around a lot for her father's work, the breathing exercises he taught her) have me curious too.
I enjoyed the glimpse of Reina's thought process when you described her waking up, but also you don't give away too much too soon. The vamp characters have a real aura of mystery about them- which is fitting.
This chapter continues to draw me further in, I get a definite sense of forboding from the atmosphere of the park. It just feels like the "calm before the storm," something is definitely building. Looking forward to the next chapter!
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I don't like that run-down amusement park... it's scary! :scared: Give me a vampire's lair any day :P
I feel sorry for Gaki-san, she seems like she tries so hard to fit in with Sayu and Kame at times but she just can't match their weirdness... Damn being normal, damn it to hell!
:mon bat: Hungry, awake and red-eyed vampire Reina is sexy :drool: But then again, I'm weird.
I'm sorry, I can't remember what else I was gonna say :doh: but seeing you were hoping for this reaction AI-CHAN HAS A CHILD!!!!! :mon closeup:
Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.
:mon freeze: Holy crap!!!
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AH! I never thought I'd say this to you, but that was too short!! XD It's like a prologue to the real story, where nothing actually happens in itself... lol.
As for what I want to say, hmm. I hope you'll bear with me. You know I'm strange and go with my impressions of things more than actual fact, but I think your story is descriptive and deep enough that it might not work too badly on it.
So okay, we have mainly vampires Aichan and Reina so far. And then we have your "three musketeers" (which btw, I challenge you to think up a different "trio name" to call them each time you mention it ;)): Gaki, Kamei, and Shige. Aichan and Reina we don't know a whole lot about yet, and the story really isn't focusing on them too terribly much. We know Aichan has connections apparently throughout the world, such as with her "child" blowing up stuff (the rest of you do realize what I imagine she means about "child", right? :mon sweat: like with respect to other vampire stories...). Speaking of, she's not like blowing up stuff over in the mideast somewhere, is she? Cause that would be awesome... though a potentially risky storyline. She's also been alive for millennia, so she's bound to have made some friends in that time (as well as enemies I'm sure). She also seems to have made quite an impression on our dear Reina, who doesn't really seem to know who she is yet. It'll be interesting to see if she discovers it.
Now, as to the trio who seem most significant so far. Why are they significant? As others have pointed out, there seem to be hints at some kind of powers for Kamei and Shige. Why do I have this nagging feeling that Risa is going to be the truly exceptional one, though? Like I said, impressions... I have a feeling the genuine fortune she's going to be told will be quite interesting. You could have easily made Eri's mom just a regular fortune teller that may or may not be (most likely not be) the real thing, but made a point that she is. To me, it shows there's something that needs to be revealed. What I'm curious about is that it seems to be linked to Reina, since her little "waking" passage fell nicely in between parts of the tale of the musketeers. Also, like the vampires, she seems to be the mysterious character in this subdrama. It's especially intriguing because events involving them have mostly been from her point of view. So we think we should know most about her, no? But Sayu, Eri, we're starting to know what's up... we've gotten hints about what might be a little special about them... Gaki's the void atm. I'm looking forward to her next run-in with Aichan, or even Reina. Will it be significant enough to be foretold?
As you always tell me...: MOAR! :yep:
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Good points Rokun! Hadn't thought much on Gaki, so you pointing out was good.
"three musketeers" (which btw, I challenge you to think up a different "trio name" to call them each time you mention it ;)):
*Exclimation mark (!) pops over her head*
Got it!
*takes out paper and a pen. Scribbles "The Chipmunks" on it*
Muwahahah
*Folds it and sticks into an envelope. Mails it to the PM BOX of Estrea*
:gmon bang:
Disclaimer: the previous was meant as a joke and not to be taken srs :grin:
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:mon bat: Hungry, awake and red-eyed vampire Reina is sexy :drool: But then again, I'm weird.
Well, so I guess it means I'm also weird cos I have exactly the same opinion on this issue :lol:
I also can't wait to find out what role in the story play Eri, Sayu and Gaki(especially Gaki :roll: )Cause now everything is very mysterious about those three :mon dunno: And I have to admit that I love our Morning Musume counterparts of Atos, Portos and Aramis in this story :lol:
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I'm surprised to so a vampire story in here, just cause I'm reading "The Historian" at the moment.
Keep up the good work, cant wait to see the next chapter. You are definitely one of my favorite authors in here :0)
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me likes the story a lot :yep:
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Well hey look, I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I was arranging my class schedule for school, it was nerve wracking. >_>
But I finally buckled down to finish writing in the past two days (after discarding two prior versions of this chapter), as poe-chan can testify...hopefully it won't disappoint. XD
Anyway, comment replies first!
Ichigo-chan: I wanna see Eri and Sayu as kids too! Maybe I'll work it in, if possible. XD There's at least one flashback I have planned for their childhood though, somewhere in the future. As for Reina, she's just being paranoid, but she doesn't know that for sure. XD No guidance, so she doesn't know her limits sometimes. As for Ai-chan...her role will increase in time. Patience!
poets: Haha, poe-chan~ <3 Hey you got previews while I was writing! No one else did! XD Of course there'll be vampire hunters, they make life (or unlife XD) interesting. Tanakame? Hmmm. I dunno. XD Things are complicated here, relationship-wise. Glad you liked Reina there, she gets a nice big chunk of airtime to herself again in this chapter. XD
takagakifan: And it won't be the end of the Batman references! Cos I did it again~
JFC: *nods* Eri's mom is awesome. She has her reasons for not setting up shop in a more glamorous place, trust me. All will be explained in time. As for that inside joke, just wait and see. You'll understand eventually. XD All in good time.
Grisours: Prepare for lifechanging shock (for Risa anyway XD). Hope to see you around more too! ^_^
Sukoshi: Glad you like the horror movie vibe. I know I liked it. XD Gaki is more or less normal right now, but then again, who really knows? (well except me, cos I'm writing the whole darn thing XD) This chapter should feed into more speculation, I believe. Haha. Have fun guessing!
Regent: Firstly, let me thank you for your kind words. I was very touched by what you said. ^_^ Your speculations reveal a lot of thought, and I'm glad someone pays attention to detail. It makes writing all that in worth my trouble. ^_^ This chapter should answer a few questions and raise still more, I hope. I hope I won't disappoint...
lollipopgirl: Haha. XD Hard to fit in with the weirdness, Gaki-san~ But yeah, I agree, vampire Reina is sexy in general. Even more so when feral...hehe. Yay for reacting! Thanks. XD
rokun: Holy shit longass comment. XD Sorry the chapter wasn't any longer (this one isn't much longer than the last either). But hey, I'm trying to keep it at reasonable levels for my own sanity! XD Moving on, your analysis makes me happy cos you think a lot and show it to me. XD I feel appreciated. As for your speculations, you know I talked to you over AIM already, so I won't repeat them here. Haha. And your challenge is accepted, cos I will find new nicknames to refer to the trio with. Lol.
peti-chan: Yes our dear golden trio all have a very good reason for being in the story, you'll just have to wait and see. Gaki in particular gets a partial revelation here, so look forward to it!
mads: Hi! Long time no see! XD Is that book you're reading good? Anyway, glad to see you are enjoying my story as well. ^_^ Hope to see you around too!
kRisZ: Me likes you for commenting too. Haha. Thanks for reading!
Okie. XD Here we go~
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Chapter 5 - Nexus
The windchimes at the entrance clinked as the door was slammed open with excessive force, the silvery tinkle drawing at most a couple of raised eyebrows and furtive glances, but the majority of the patrons otherwise ignored it.
Eyes the color of fine wine absorbed the scene laid out before them, studying the motley crew lounging around low tables, an odd assortment of the well-heeled and a tougher crowd. It had a subtle undercurrent of calm here, this place. Quiet conversation appeared to be the standard, with a couple of discreet and civilized looking poker games taking place in the shadowy booths on the far side.
The last fact might not have been obvious to the average observer from the vantage point at the entrance, but this was no ordinary person. Or really, a person at all.
Reina clucked her tongue impatiently as she shoved past the bouncer at the entrance. Well, attempted to. The man was about as yielding as a stone wall. Granted, Reina wasn't using all of her strength, which would have been more than enough for any stone wall, but she couldn't very well flaunt her vampiric nature out in public.
It was the first rule that had been stuck in her head when she had first awoken to her new state of existence. She could grudgingly see the point of such a rule, especially after her own run in with those over-enthusiastic vampire hunters, but it could be so bloody inconvenient at times. Growling, she checked herself and scowled up at the much, much taller bouncer in her way.
"Got any ID, kid?" A nervous tic throbbed heavily on Reina's face, her off center eyes crossing even more violently at the blocky man who was currently eying her suspiciously. Reina scowled at him, grudgingly taking her old driving license and holding it out at him. The man squinted at the faded picture and then up at her.
"What?" Reina grumbled discontentedly, not really wanting to pick a fight no matter what her instincts said. This place was supposed to be a neutral spot for people on both sides of the law, and if Reina's senses were leading her right, for things beyond the regular world as well. Such as herself, she thought ironically.
"You sure you're 28?" The bouncer didn't look very convinced. Reina sighed.
"Look buddy, it's rude to ask a girl's age. And to your question, yes, that is my age. I just look young!" Reina jabbed a finger insistently at his rock hard chest, hard enough to leave a bruise. The man gave her another quick look, then nodded slowly, his eyes gaining a modicum of understanding as he stood aside. Reina swiped her card back and stalked in, looking around as if to dare anyone to comment on what just happened. No one even bothered to glance in her direction, much less acknowledge her presence. Reina just shrugged and moved on.
Odd place, but the last guy I terrorized said that the info came from here... Slouching over to the bar, she flopped down in the nearest available seat, next to an emo-goth poet wannabe dressed mostly in black. On her left, two seats away, a heavily tattooed man glanced in her direction as she shifted around on the stool, the runic prints on his skin standing out starkly even in the dim light. When she returned the gaze, he turned away almost in slow motion, but the rest of him was already shifting sinuously off his seat and moving at least 5 more places away from her.
Smirking triumphantly, Reina turned back to look up at the ominously tall bartender standing ramrod straight behind the counter. Slender, wrinkled hands polished a glass with a cloth, and grey, almost colorless, eyes regarded her with a neutral expression. Reina couldn't quite shake the feeling that the man belonged more inside a mansion as a butler than as a bartender in a place like this. Particularly a very specific mansion with even more specific duties. He certainly looked like it.
"May I get you something?" The voice was polite and unassuming, just on this side of bored but respectful enough not to show it. There was no mistaking the caution in that weary old voice, even though it was mostly masked as a natural reticence. Reina grunted, sensing his mild unease as he put down one glass and picked up another to clean.
"Er..." Reina was about to refuse, given her stomach with regards to human food, but somehow felt bad about turning the kindly old man down. She hadn't felt quite so obliging, not ever since she was turned. Besides, she reasoned, it wouldn't hurt to order a drink just to justify her presence here instead of her usual threatening-for-information method. Perhaps a little subtlety was in order for this place, she decided.
"Well I want a drink..." Reina started, unsure of what to choose at first. Alfred, as she had christened him in her head, nodded sagely.
"Might I suggest a Bloody Mary? We have a special variant for you that you might enjoy." Reina raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't object. Taking her silence as agreement, the bartender moved smoothly away to prepare her drink.
The young vampire twitched on her stool, eyes darting around again. No one was really looking at her, but she couldn't help but feel hyperaware of her surroundings. This place set her on edge, despite the relaxed ambience, and her threat level felt unreasonably high for a place like this. This was supposed to be neutral ground, so she was technically safe here, even if she were just a little...unusual.
Maybe I'm just being paranoid... Trying her best to look cool, Reina glanced around in a more reserved way, only to be startled as the person on her right moved, her arms tensing in readiness for a fight at the sudden unexpected gesture. However, Emo Poet was only picking up his...or was it her...mug and drinking quietly from it.
With a puff of unneeded breath, Reina forced herself to relax, gritting her teeth and accidentally flashing a fang for all of two seconds before she regained her composure. She had momentarily forgotten that the goth wannabe next to her still existed. Given how silent and unmoving that gender-unspecific person was, Reina could have been forgiven for that little slip.
Taking a quick breath just to maintain her human pose, Reina briefly caught a whiff of what seemed like blood, and her irises contracted slightly at the scent. It wasn't exactly fresh though, the blood-scent, but it was definitely her kind of food. About to sniff around for the source, Reina was surprised again when a tall glass was set in front of her with a heavy sounding thud.
"Enjoy." The bartender smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and moved to serve the customer adjacent to the vampire. Reina, however, was barely aware of whatever Emo Poet was ordering, her attention wholly focused on the rich red liquid in the glass before her.
This smells...strange... Cautiously, she took the glass and held it close to her face, sniffing the liquid discreetly. Dark eyes flashed red for a single instant, the unmistakable scent of old blood blended into the drink triggering the brief flare of her true side. Without hesitation now, she placed the glass to her lips and drank, feeling the rich texture of blood and brandy caress her tongue and tingle down her throat.
"That's the Bloody Baron, compliments from another guest. I gather it is to your taste, Blood-Born?" The last words were whispered, and Reina looked up sharply at the knowing glint in the bartender's eye. Next to them, the goth wannabe turned a page in the little book clasped in his (or her, Reina stlll couldn't tell, what with the hair cut short and the shaded profile) hands, to all intents and purposes oblivious to the larger world beyond that tiny sphere.
"Very." Reina managed a somewhat dignified reply despite her surprise. Clearly, this kindly looking butler turned bartender was not unused to serving vampires. The mode of address was a little strange to her, but Reina assumed that it was a formal, if archaic, title. It wasn't like she had the opportunity to get into contact with vampire society, if there was one. Reina didn't know the first place to look, since those who walked the shadows could be pretty elusive at times.
"I'm glad, then." 'Alfred' nodded. "How else may I serve you?"
Reina couldn't decide between being flattered at the VIP treatment, or being instantly suspicious. She settled on somewhere in between, eyes narrowing cautiously as she nursed the drink between her palms.
"Yes...well..." The youthful vampire started slowly, framing the question in her mind. Some deep instinct warned her to tread carefully, cautioning that help could not simply be bullied out of this delicate-seeming old man. Again she cursed her absent master for conveniently forgetting to teach her about the proper customs and traditions of the darker world she had been reborn into. If only they had had more time together...!
"I need some information. I've been...advised...that I would be able to receive an answer here." A small smirk curved the side of Reina's lips, as she remembered the means with which she had obtained said 'advice'. Violence might not always be the answer, but it did feel good...especially when you were on the right side of it.
After all, was not giving better than receiving?
"I will do my best." The bartender replied diffidently, picking up another glass to compulsively clean it. Reina wondered if the man had OCD. After a moment of staring, he cleared his throat to get her attention, and the vampire blinked, having been distracted by shiny things (namely, lights playing off that pretty glass) in the meantime.
"I'm looking for someone. A DJ. Goes by the name Seirei." Reina shot off a little curtly, still somewhat embarrassed by her own inattention. The bartender put that already gleamingly clean glass down and picked up another, but not before pulling on his cuffs and shaking out his wrists, eyes glinting in the dim light.
"Ah yes, Seirei-sama." He rubbed hard at a non-existent spot on the glass. "And what would you want with her, Blood-Born?"
"None of your business." Reina replied abruptly, feeling her senses tingle slightly with annoyance. She gripped the glass she held, taking another quick gulp to calm her nerves. The blood helped. It always did. Sort of.
'Alfred' nodded. "Certainly it is none of mine," he agreed calmly. "However, Seirei-sama is a busy person, and will not entertain unannounced guests. She is, how shall I put it, selective." He smiled, a touch of irony on that wrinkled face. "I will need to forward your request should you desire a meeting. That is all I can do."
"Can't you just tell me where to find her?" Reina muttered grouchily, staring just a little sulkily at the bartender. Her eyes narrowed as she put a few things together. "So...you know about her being...this, 'Blood-Born' as well?" Pointless question, but Reina just had to make sure. It would explain a lot, and confirm her suspicions that yes, Seirei was indeed that vampire she sought.
His answer was abrupt, even chillingly formal. "Seirei-sama is FAR beyond mere Kindred, tyro. Not even the Nobles will cross such a one. Do not presume that your immortality in any way preserves you from the wrath of an Ancient."
The way he said it ticked her off, it did. Reina did not like being forbidden to do things. It just made it more of a challenge for her to accomplish them. Bad habit, perhaps, but that was just the way she was. She scowled up at him, finishing the last of her drink.
"So you're not gonna help?" At least, she reflected, she had pretty much confirmed that this Seirei was basically the strong vampire she was looking for. It didn't even occur to her that given how 'Alfred' appeared to be connected to the vampiric underworld, she could easily have asked for help on looking for a better mentor to approach.
But no, once Reina had gotten an idea into her head, she would stubbornly stick to it until the very end. Much could be said and commended upon her single-mindedness of purpose, where devotion to a single goal could indeed be a laudable achievement in a day and age of short attention spans (otherwise known as the IT Age).
Or one could just be mean and say that she was pig-headed. Truth, after all, ran relative to circumstance.
Regardless, she had already made up her mind, and she would look for this mysterious Seirei, come heaven, hell, or a host of vampire hunters...ok, scratch that last bit. Vampire hunters sucked, not literally, but they were still annoying pain-in-the-asses. Reina still had a 'souvenir' from that last encounter. She swore she would tear that little bitch a few new holes to match with those creepy eyes of hers the next time she ran into her...
"I am merely warning you about rash action against forces I suspect you do not fully understand, child." His eyes were piercing as he met her gaze, completely unafraid despite knowing that she was a vampire. "I can still forward your request, but any meeting will only be on Seirei-sama's terms. Can you accept that?"
She knew she shouldn't have said it. She knew she should have been less impulsive, more careful, more tactful. But to hell with it all, she was pissed off.
"No I do NOT." Eyes flared a dangerous shade of red as she stood, fangs barely concealed as she hissed her reply.
"I don't care if she's God, or even a fanged version of Jesus fucking Christ. No one, and I mean no one tells Reina what to do!" The novice vampire growled, baring her fangs threateningly. "You can take your warning and shove it up your ass."
And with that, she walked out. Or stomped away. Same difference.
The windchimes did not tinkle this time. They clanged.
Silence. Then a wry voice cut through it, dry and amused.
"Spirited, isn't she?" A soft rustle of paper on paper, slender white hands stark against a black cover. Lips pressed into a thin smile. "Youth these days..."
"Does my lady pass judgment? I can make the necessary arrangements..." If he bowed his head any lower, he'd be kissing the counter. A throaty chuckle.
"That is not needful. The Covenant can keep their hands off my territory. I will take care of it should it become a problem." A smile. "Lord knows I need the diversion, it's a slow decade."
"As you wish, my lady. Is there anything else my humble self can do to aid you?"
"No, there is nothing else. Thank you, Raimond." A whisper of movement, then darkness.
He didn't even get the chance to grovel. Damn Ancients and their disappearing tricks. Unconsciously, he started cleaning off another glass, noting the book left behind.
Sunshine. At least someone had a sense of humor. Lord help him, he needed one just to survive the day. Shaking his head, he realized his hand was the one that was shaking.
He sighed, putting down the glass and reaching for another. Damn vampires.
~*~*~
The future, no matter what Determinists have to say about it, is hardly if ever fixed, or even static. The flow of time, hardly discernable to mere humans who were no more than insignificant specks buffeted within its relentless currents, was ever changing, mutating with every single factor that made the slightest shift.
After all, is it not said that when a butterfly flaps its wings on one side of the world, a hurricane could result on the other end?
So it was with cause and effect in the aegis of time, with incalculable factors subject to change on the merest whim. Humans did, after all, have some form of free will. And they exercised it with a pathetically low awareness of the role they played in the greater scheme of things beyond their own puny existences.
Thus, fortune telling by a true Seer could be annoyingly vague. There was no such thing as a settled timeline, merely infinite possibilities. Without proper training, attempting to decipher the chaos of endless probabilities could potentially damage the mind beyond repair.
Even then, it was all just a game of probability. Events took place due to a combination of factors, and the removal or mutation of one or more of the factors could potentially alter the course of events. And given the element of uncertainty with the complication of free will, it can be said that future sight is hazy at best.
Kamei Yuriko, formerly Hikusei Yuriko prior to marriage, was well used to seeing all sorts of possible future paths. In her line of work, coming into contact with people from all walks of life, it exposed her to any number of possibilities. Promotions, betrayals, laughter, tears. Birth and death. All a part of life.
You just got used to it after a while.
However, once in a while, she still got visions that shook her to the very core of her soul. Like right now.
Delving into that endless void where past, present and future intersected in a wild tangle of antecedent and aftermath, Yuriko felt that familiar spiraling sensation as ego parted ways from the trinity of self to coast through the corridors of fate. It was easy to get lost here, wrenched out of your mind rather literally.
It was the unfamiliar sense of nausea in this vulnerable state that woke her to the reality of what she was truly witnessing.
Most ordinary humans, leading ordinary lives, generally had a set number of regular experiences that are most likely to occur. Even their trials and tragedies were not exempt from this rule. There were only so many things that could happen to a person in one lifetime, and in the many lifetimes of countless people all over the world, certainly some events were more common than others.
Yuriko had seen her fair share of 'death by violent agency', as she classified it in her own mind, but the sheer brutality of some of the possible paths chilled her. No stranger to witnessing possible violent deaths in her patrons, she was nevertheless shaken by the carnage in every single scene.
She always tried to nudge them to safety, her conscience not being able to condone silence after witnessing a tragic end.In one of her cases, there had been a possibility for rape and murder, and her succeeding advice had been for the girl in question to 'avoid going outside tonight'. Yet another one had been caught at the wrong place and time, possible victim of a car accident; she ended up warning him to stick to public transport for the next few days.
Sometimes her advice was heeded, and disaster barely averted, since after all, the human factor for unpredictability could still alter the course of events. Other times, greater causes had overshadowed any possible remedial effects, sending events hurtling along at breakneck speed for the inevitable.
There was no helping such cases, naturally. Some things were just too big to deal with, at her current position. She had learned to accept that.
Right now though, 'acceptance' was pretty much a difficult state to achieve. It was difficult to accept that one's own daughter had come into contact, and was in the process of intertwining their fates together, with an individual with a bloodsoaked past. And a high possibility for a short, brutal future.
Flashes of past, present and possible futures, in a complex snarl. Death ran down many routes, beginning and ending. A life born in violence, ending in violence.
Darkness. Flash. Warm, red, comfort. Flash. The seed of death. Flash. From one to two, and back to one again.
The Past was the foundation stone for Futurity. There was no escaping it. None at all.
One path, a torn throat! bloodkillfight Another, mauled and broken! fleshtearrip A hand, tattered and bleeding, raised in supplication, abandoned in defeat.
So many paths, so much blood. She recoiled, horrified, afeared. Such a cruel fate!
And then she saw it. The Nexus. The point where everything tipped in the balance. The hand of Fate itself.
The obscuring mists of time made it all so vague, yet so starkly real. She saw so much, yet so much more remained beyond imagination.
Yuriko was a Seer, but she was also human and therefore vulnerable to emotion. She pushed further, wanting, no, needing to see more. For the sake of her daughter, who had become so involved. For the sake of that poor child before her, who sat unawares of the storm ready to devour her.
Time was not amused. With a wrenching snap, she fell backwards, forcibly evicted from the Garden of Destiny. Her vision reeled, muscles straining across every inch of her flesh as her eyes widened even more, seeing and unseeing at the same time.
Locking with the startled gaze of her little Eri's new best friend, Yuriko could only gasp out one last warning before the pain overtook her, erasing that forbidden image she sought and taken.
"Beware your blood...the hand..." Her eyes rolled upwards into her eyelids, whites showing clearly as she slumped over.
"Mom!"
==================================
Yes I know I'm evil. :D
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I suspected Emo-goth poet from the beginning... When Reina started paying too much attention to him/her, I figured she would be someone important, even if it is minor... I guess we'll see :lol:
And with such a bloody future going on, I assume Risa is going to meet Seirei (or maybe even Reina) in the near future. Again, that's something we'll see, so keep it up! :grin:
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Alfred huh XD
Nooo! What's gonna happen to Risa!!! :(
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Yay, update! :D
So the reason Reina looks so young is because vampires don't age, right? They stay the same way they were when they died? Ah, so the Emo-goth poet person was Ai-chan/Seirei, huh? Whoa. Why does Reina even want to meet Ai-chan? Eri's mom....has a difficult job. But at least she can try and help save ppl from horrible fates, if they choose to listen to her. Oshit, Risa.... :OMG: As for all the blood, may I predict an encounter with vampires (the ones we know of and more evil ones), along with a little love connection between DJ Seirei and Gaki?
I'm not sure about the whole ability of love between vampires and humans but one can hope, right? :mon pray2: Or possibly a Gaki vampire? :mon dunno:
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good story ^____^
haha just started reading a couple of days ago ..
keep writing & update soon~
vampire momusu = <3 -^_^-
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Whee...the bar part was oddly funny XD I just love how Reina comes across as this tough lonely kid that's looking for some kind of guidance. The Alfred part made me laugh cause that's who I was instantly thinking of too and the emo poet...well you know :lol:
but yeah..you had me laughing at one point but that sure went away once I read the fortune telling part....
*shivers a little* that was chilling even though it's hot in my room and the sun is at maximum melty mode. okay....so much for Risa being normal...from the warning..I wonder if she has special blood that makes her desired among vampires.
Darkness. Flash. Warm, red, comfort. Flash. The seed of death. Flash. From one to two, and back to one again.
hmmm...this makes me think she's going to be turned into a vampire in the future...plus the part about a life born in violence. I wonder if it's really about the past. You have me really wanting to know her past as much as her future.
Now that Eri's mom has forgotten everything...I wonder what crazy interruptions Sayu and Eri are going to come up with in regards to the warning :dizzy:
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"I don't care if she's God, or even a fanged version of Jesus fucking Christ. No one, and I mean no one tells Reina what to do!" The novice vampire growled, baring her fangs threateningly. "You can take your warning and shove it up your ass."
Awesome line :on lol: Reina being such a badass is hilarious XD
I wonder who was the emo girl(I'm guessing she was a girl cos Raimond aka Alfred called her lady XD ) It could be Ai-chan but who knows :mon dunno:
And geez Kamei's mom vision was damn creepy.... :scared: I'm supposing that sooner or later Risa'll encounter either Ai-chan or Reina which is inevitable, and it may be a very close encounter... And it seems that Eri will also play a very important role in this....In short...I can't wait for the next chapters! XD
Oh and one more thing
One path, a torn throat! bloodkillfight Another, mauled and broken! fleshtearrip A hand, tattered and bleeding, raised in supplication, abandoned in defeat.
I'm a Dir en Grey fan and this sounded like a line taken from one of theirs songs XD I really, really liked it :hee:
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FINALLY I've caught up with this! :sweatdrop:
Good stuff! The range of your vocabulary never ceases to amaze me! (and put me to shame! :P)
I love how Reina's temper so easily flares, even if at times she thinks it would have been better if she had kept her cool. And sneaky Ai! Sitting there and listening in to the entire conversation, and Reina didn't even realise that the one she was searching for was right under her nose.
Gah, Risa! Can't wait to see how much of the future that Eri's mum saw will actually happen, or how much of it the girls may be able to change before it happens. :O
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XD Emo-goth poet wannabe... How cute! :heart:
'Alfred', perfect.
Oh I love badass Reina, that's right dear, you tell him where to stick it :gmon bang:
Ai-chan's character just keeps on getting sexier and sexier with how mysterious she is... now she better be a good vamp and wear some form of leather :drool:
Am I the only one not scared by all the blood in Gaki's future, but more extremely excited by it? :mon huh2:
@strawb3rrykream: I get the feeling you haven't read many vampire novels or anything? :P Shame on you!!! I have plenty laying around, let me know if you need to borrow any :lol:
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All that hard work you dedicated to this story was worth those sleepless nights. It paid off nicely, didn't it? XD
On another note!
So THAT's Reina's real age o.o??? She really is a noob vamp, that's cute. No wonder she has absolutely no idea what Alfred is talking about. Something that was ABSOLUTELY adorable was the bloody Mary moment<3... she got so excited about it ^_^. All of Reina's part was fun to read XD... then again you had a lot of fun writing it LOL.
Ai-chan's a really interesting character, I desperately want to know more. I feel for Alfred though, poor guy... OCD + ancient vamps + plus noob vamps = STRESSFUL ass hell job
Now for the EPICNESS of the fortune telling part...DUUUUUUUUUUDDEE that was good! I'm not lying when I say "I got goosebumps".
It was that good! Description was top notch.... kind of scary that you have that all in your head O_O ...
*waits for next chapter*
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Estrea: Hey, I know its been awhile :) I have to say, I'm really enjoying reading it, especially since I dont normally read books that has a vampire theme to it. I haven't gotten that far into it tho since I got sidetrack and ended up reading "The Secret" due to a friend of mines and work has been busy.
Can't wait for the next chapter. I'm not sure where you are going with this one. Definitely, want to learn more about Aichan. Also, so was that "ancient" at the bar?
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So the "emo-goth poet" was actually Aichan/Seirei incognito, right? :?
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Sorry about the delay, but yeah, I'm back with new chapter! Work and school are a bitch. >_>
Comment replies first though.
Grisours: Yeah I'm predictable like that. XD As for Risa, her future is well...gonna be interesting, as if no one can guess that. Lol. Stay tuned for updates!
takagakifan: Yeah, me and my Batman references. XD Noooo Risa! Yeah, wait and see what happens to her. >D
Ichigo-chan: Haha, so many questions. Reina's a curious cat, is why. As for Risa...well, you really want Takagaki, don't you? XD You'll have to see what happens then~
x_sleepyhead: Hey there new reader! Glad to have you! ^_^ Vampire Momusu <3 XD
Sukoshi: Haha at least I made you laugh. The blood running cold part was necessary though. Lol. At least I've got you interested. XD
peti-chan: Interesting observations, and I'm glad you liked the parts enough to quote them. XD You like Dir en Grey? Cool! ^_^
goosefish: Thanks! ^_^ Yeah Reina's cutely oblivious sometimes. XD As for the future-seeing, well, anything can happen. Hehe.
lollipopgirl: Just for you, I'll make sure Aichan wears leather somewhere in the future for whatever reason. XD Does that make you happy~? Haha. Nah you're not weird for being excited, I think it's cool. Lol.
poets: Haha I have all sorts of weird stuff in my head. Comes with the job. You already have the privilege of me telling you stuff on MSN. Lol.
mads: Ah, I totally get the being sidetracked part. I do it all the time. Lol. Which is why this chapter took so long too. :x Hope you haven't forgotten this story already! ^_^;
JFC: What do you think? XD
Okie. Story time~
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Chapter 6 - Vortex
She thought she would have felt...more...in a situation like this, where something apparently momentous was supposedly happening. I mean, it doesn't get much bigger than having your future told to you, after all.
But all that possessed her was a strange sense of disappointment, and...emptiness? There was a strange sensation of nothingness as those eyes seemed to pierce into her very soul, as if she had nothing and everything to hide, almost a sense of being incorporeal. She resisted the urge to move her hand, pinch herself, assuring that she really was there, and not just a figment of her own imagination.
Moments ticked by palpably, and Risa found her eyes trailing that bead of sweat that had formed on Yuriko's forehead, following its path as it slid down past her temple and again down her cheek, finally hanging heavily at the edge of her chin, frozen, wavering. Her hand in Yuriko's was being squeezed, almost too tightly, and the rest of her arm tensed, shifting uncomfortably.
Tension slipped first into boredom, then back towards vague unease. What could possibly take so long? Risa couldn't fathom what could be so complicated about the future of a normal person like her. She wasn't even particularly remarkable in any one field, nor in possession of anything that would take her down odd paths.
Frankly, her future seemed boring to her. More likely than not she would end up in some dead end office job if she were any less careful. Or maybe get married to some reasonable guy that she may or may not meet in the future. Set up a family, have kids. Then die at a ripe old age surrounded by grandchildren. You know, that kind of normal, boring, and utterly predictable lifestyle.
Niigaki Risa wasn't really expecting all that much out of her own life. She was a decent person, helpful to her friends and people around her generally, and was a filial child. She wasn't seeking any kind of momentous exploit to mark her passing through this world, although at times she found herself wishing that her life was just a tad more exciting, just once.
She found herself inexplicably thinking of that once more, as she watched the expression on Yuriko's face shift from unease to fear. Her senses seemed remarkably detached from the situation, taking in the look in the older woman's eyes, the heave of her chest as her breathing tightened into little gasps, the grip of bony fingers cutting off her own circulation.
Risa's vision seemed to narrow, her consciousness separating to different levels. On one hand, her normal self was protesting the excessively tight grip, wanting to pull away, but afraid to offend her friend's mother. Doubt, unease, discomfort. As expected out of the situation.
On the other hand, her meditative self was unruffled, unemotional, continually taking in information, reading the situation, telling her things. Like how Yuriko's pupils had dilated, how sweat was gathering on the older's palms, the near invisible trembling of intense concentration. The sharp angle of her jawline, the rippling motion of tightly clenched muscles evident across it.
She had barely enough time to knit the pieces together before nails dug painfully into her skin, carving into her flesh. Almost.
"Beware your blood..." A choked gasp, shrinking pupils and ragged breaths. "...the hand..."
The lights went out, both in Yuriko's eyes and the room, the candle snuffed as Yuriko collapsed.
"Mom!" Eri cried out, immediately rushing to support her mother's limp form. In the shadows, the room dimly illuminated by the glow of dusty old bulbs filtering through the entrance, there was a messy scuffle as arms and legs scrambled around trying to do a hundred things at the same time.
A few knocks, bruises, and lots of confusion later, order was partially restored by dint of Sayumi finally finding another candle and somehow managing to light it without setting anything else on fire. Risa and Eri were by Yuriko's side, the latter of the pair panicking and near tears; while Risa, though still slightly shocked by what had taken place, had set aside her personal unease to deal with the current crisis.
As for the current moment, Risa was alternating between reassuring the panicked daughter and trying to get the comatose mother into a comfortable position. Sayumi carefully set down the lit candle and trotted over, taking over the duty of calming Eri down by the simple expedient of wrapping her arms around her hysterical best friend, thus freeing Risa's attention towards caring for Yuriko.
"It's ok, Eririn, everything's gonna be ok..." Sayu spoke soothingly into Eri's ear, patting her comfortingly and continuing to talk Eri out of frightened mode. Eri, for her part, was still very much twitchy, her eyes darting around like rabbits in spring, trying to verify that her mother was indeed fine and not permanently disabled or worse.
Risa was rubbing Yuriko's temples in an effort to wake the older woman, and her efforts paid off as Yuriko's eyelids fluttered, albeit briefly. Eri seemed to calm down at the sight, moving forward to kneel by her mother's side and inadvertently dragging Sayu along with her.
"Mom?" Eri sounded very vulnerable as she stared, wide-eyed, up at her mother's face. Yuriko's forehead creased as she winced, groaning. Risa, who had left briefly to look for some water, returned with a glass.
"Yuriko-san? Here's some water if you're up to it." The oldest of the trio coaxed gently, placing the glass close to Yuriko's lips and tilting it gently after the woman had nodded ever so slightly, the grimace still on her face. Eri seemed much relieved as her mother drank, patting her on the back when Yuriko coughed, gagging slightly on the water.
"Are you alright, Yuriko-obaasan?" Sayumi asked a little anxiously, concern written all over her face. She had not let go of Eri the whole time, but had now raised one hand to hold Yuriko's in a comforting grip.
"Mother...of all...headaches..." The Seer groaned, using her free hand to shade her eyes. Her voice was weak, but otherwise steady as she continued.
"Did I...say anything?" Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Felt like I saw something...important...can't remember..."
Sayumi exchanged a long glance with Risa. The words remained with them still, but Risa made the decision for both of them in an instant.
"No, it was nothing." Risa set the glass down firmly, matching the note in her own voice. "Nothing at all."
"You should rest." Sayumi carried on, an unreadable look in the glance she spared Risa before directing a concerned gaze at Yuriko. The older woman closed her eyes, her free hand reaching down to pat her daughter on the head, as if to reassure her. Eri simply hugged her mother around the waist, laying her head in her lap.
"Maybe you should bring her home...?" Risa suggested, looking directly at Sayu again. The devil bunny nodded, releasing her hold on Eri and tapping her best friend on the shoulder.
"We should get your mother back home, Eririn." Eri looked back up, seeming to get a better hold of herself as she glanced quickly at her mother, who still looked more than a little pale. Slowly, she nodded, rising to her feet but never losing contact with her mother.
"Do you need my help? I could..." Risa started, but Sayu was already shaking her head.
"No, Eri and I should be able to manage." Sayumi smiled, but it seemed a little less bright than usual. Risa couldn't help but get the feeling that the younger girl was looking more closely at her than usual. Eri, for her part, was carefully trying to support her mother to her feet, and Sayu rushed to take the other side.
"Are you sure?" Risa wrung her hands together unconsciously, feeling a strong urge to do something to help but not knowing what to do.
"It's really out of the way for you, Gaki-san, we wouldn't want to keep you out late for two nights in a row." Sayu's smile still failed to reach her eyes. Those eyes. Risa felt like they were dissecting her, cross-examining her somehow. It was disturbing.
"Sayu lives next door, so it's alright. We'll see you soon Gaki-san. Don't worry so much!" Eri's smile though, was completely unfettered, the same goofy turtle girl she was the first time Risa had met her. The whole world might change, but Eri remained herself. That was the kind of feeling she got whenever she looked at Eri. It was comforting, too. Somehow.
"Alright, I'll see you guys soon then." Risa gave in reluctantly, standing aside as the pair helped Yuriko out. Risa stared after them for a moment, the lengthening shadows stained with shades of red and green and orange. Carnival lights, but old and faded. Just as the place was. Just as she felt, aged and washed out.
Alone. The room seemed a lot smaller. The small blots of shadow, the outlines of her friends, in the distance. Her own, thrown in crazy angles by a wavering flame. She stared, reflecting on herself, the world, nothing at all.
"Nothing at all. Nothing happened." She whispered into the flame. The shadows flickered, puppetry without a guiding hand, mocking her.
She exhaled. The flame sighed with it, pooling darkness reaching out with ebony fingers, caressing her cheeks, threading through her hair. Shades under her eyes. The light was so very small.
"It doesn't matter." I don't mind. I don't care. It doesn't hurt.
The light went out. And all that was left was...
~*~*~
Silence.
A single candle burned weakly in the middle of a huge table. The sheer massive structure of that table seemed to consume the entirety of the room, dwarfing the breadth and width of the cold stone room, though the ceiling arched high into unfathomable darkness.
Drip. Wax bled red, thicker than blood, coagulating into an unsightly blob. Froze there, the only movement being that wavering flame.
A lack of sound. The space seemed hollow, empty, despite the rich carpeting, the heavy drapes, that ostentatiously large table. Upholstered chairs, spaced evenly at intervals. So much territory occupied, but still that transience lingered.
When sound came, it seemed ethereal, echoing without substance to ricochet across bleak stone. Emotion, it did not wield. Merely a detached observation.
"The Hunters appear to be moving."
Soundless rustle, no more than shadow on shadow. The flame continue to illuminate that weak halo, barely enough to see beyond that pathetic circle of light.
"The Sanguini are disturbed." The new voice was richer in tone, modulated in frequencies that hinted at iron within a velvet fist. "They do not appreciate the breach on their territory." The last note was delivered neutrally, a fact stated, but there was no mistaking the displeasure lacing those words.
"The Watchers are looking into it, Radu." Another replied; this one a raspy hiss resembling the sibilant whisper of a serpent. "Apparently the Hunters have been culling the Thin Bloods more aggressively in the past few months."
"That's one problem solved." A monosyllabic grunt followed that roughhewn voice. "Damn trash don't even deserve to be called Nosferatu."
"Indeed." The first voice laid no particular weight on that agreement. "Though there are some who appear to be a little above their base instincts."
A brief pause. Snake Voice was the first to contribute.
"There are...rumors...of an underground movement. A coalition against the purebred clans." A sneer. "Hardly a threat."
"Perhaps." First Speaker withheld any judgment, and another void moment passed.
"What of the Ancients?" A slow, deliberate voice entered the discussion. "They may yet take a hand in our affairs."
"Not those who are active." Snake Voice deterred. "They no longer worry themselves over mortal concerns."
"Especially not the Daywalker." The rough voice growled lowly. "The sun must have baked her brains out a few eons ago."
"Careful of who you speak ill of, Ferrus. You are far from being able to handle a Blood Royal." The slow voice cautioned, although there was some thinly veiled amusement held to it.
Ferrus snarled softly, but made no further protest. "You know it's a bad idea to let her and that spawn of hers run around unchecked, Petrov."
"I agree that it's a risk. Their bloodline is precious. But who are we to stop our Princess?" A touch of irony colored First Speaker's words.
"She is as cold to us as ever, is she not?" Petrov observed archly. "Raimond's last report was characteristic of her."
"The Ancient can wait for now." Radu interjected. "At any rate, that hellspawn of hers is causing far more of a stir."
First Speaker spoke. "Baran?"
"My Watchers have gathered that our Cainite brethren are less than pleased by her free reign in that region." Baran's slithery voice continued with a tinge of displeasure. "The Hunters have already been drawn there."
"The Hunters know better than to touch the Nobles and those above. They can't spare so many to take down just one." Petrov noted clinically.
"The Hunters' Association knows their place. The secrecy statutes bind both sides, and we all know what is at stake." First Speaker stated, and a lull followed that statement. Ferrus was the one to break it.
"Child of a Blood Royal or not, we cannot let something like that run wild in Clan-territory. It would set a bad precedent."
"I will dispatch a Watcher to deliver the message. Traditional courtesies must be observed." Baran coughed, his voice lowering to a gurgle. "Meanwhile, there are other infractions to be dealt with..."
"And there is also the Gathering to be organized..."
"The Archives too...bloodlines to be updated..."
"We need to speak to the Ordo Dracul again..."
"Also, the matter of ascension..."
And throughout the whole discussion, not a single breath had been taken. Silent as the grave, the room bore witness to the deliberations of those without breath nor life, cold as the stone that comprised the chamber.
The candle flickered.
~*~*~
The sun cast long shadows across the barren land, dotted here and there by fields of hardy poppy plants. Mountains clawed up at the clouds, their backs making a jagged outline across the sky's basin.
Near the foot of those mountains, a tiny settlement hid in the shadows of those great giants, barely visible from high above, and unmarked on most maps. Brown on brown, it melted almost perfectly into the landscape. Darkness would soon envelop it, and it would escape detection for yet another day.
Black-robed figures busied themselves within that little settlement. Too small to be a real village, but bigger than a campsite. The heavy veils remained in place despite the blistering heat of a day which was drawing to a close, and the long fringes of their robes raised little dust clouds as they did their chores, often pausing to usher the many children at play indoors into the crude little mud huts that sheltered them.
The children laughingly dodged their attempts, whooping and cheering as they chased each other. A boisterous pair tackled each other, tumbling in the dirt as they wrestled each other. The other children, no older than 13 or 14, settled into a loose ring to watch, bright eyes watching eagerly.
A darker shadow ghosted over, and a sharp voiced command halted them immediately. Despite the edged tone, there was no mistaking the concern, nor the hint of femininity in that husky voice. The children, boys all, nodded, eyes wide, but with reverent faces as they gazed at the robed and veiled woman who towered over them.
"Run along now, it's getting late." The tongue of the desert nomads made her already husky voice sound harsher in using it, and the boys responded to the command without protest, scattering off to the respective huts.
The tall figure watched them with a distinct air of approval, before turning her attention to sweep across the edges of their little settlement. Keen eyes seemed to see far further than they let on, before sweeping upwards to glance at the setting sun. It would be dark soon, yet not quite soon enough for her tastes.
The dry, grainy wind shifted, the unmistakable scent of blood hitting her nose. It was no more than a whiff, but she wasted no time in action.
"Everyone, hide! Don't come out until I say it's safe!" Her voice echoed with authority, and all the other robed women around the settlement reacted, scurrying towards the dubious safety of the mud huts. The older children had to be dragged in, despite their willingness to stand their ground.
Within a minute, the whole settlement had been swept clean of human presence. Only that lone figure remained, all wrapped up in that heavy black robe that covered her from head to toe. The wind picked up its pace, kicking up clouds of dust.
She stood still in the precise middle of the encampment, eyes focused intently on one spot in the dust clouds. Flexing her fingers in the voluminous sleeves of her robe, she tasted the air with her tongue. It was heavy with hostility, and she lowered her head, her expression lost within the folds of her hood.
One, two, three...there's a lot of them out there. Dusky eyes flicked upwards to gauge the sun's passage. It seemed to be moving at a crawl.
"Well, damn." She muttered in her native tongue. "This is really pissing me off."
"There! There's the witch!" A voice laced with hatred shouted, ending with a grunt of pain. Again, the smell of blood, sharper and closer.
She tossed her head, amused as she figured out what had led trouble to her door. She knew she should have been more thorough with the last raid..
"That's more than a mere witch..." Another voice, strangely accented in a way she thought she could recognize. "That's a vampire."
"Upyri?" The native man whispered fearfully, eyes wide. He muttered some prayer to his god, backing away hurriedly before turning tail and making a run for it.
He didn't make it very far though. A rock, accurately hurled, smashed the back of his skull open. He dropped like a squashed fly. The woman flexed her fingers, shaking the dust off them. She waited, knowing that those who hunted her would soon show themselves.
She wasn't disappointed. A lone figure emerged in dramatic fashion out of the swirling dust, his shadow stretching almost far enough to reach her. The sun was at his back, meaning it was practically right in her eyes. She growled, cracking her knuckles ominously. Around her, curious eyes peered from crude windows, anxious.
"Vampire." That single word was filled with loathing. There was no question that the man in front of her despised her very existence. She snorted.
"Hunter." She returned the acknowledgment, watching the sun continue its annoyingly slow descent beneath the horizon. He seemed to catch the action, and smirked.
"Your robes won't protect you much longer!" That was all the warning she received as he lunged at her, blades flashing. She sighed, jumping back as one slash ripped through the front of her robe. The hunter was a frenzy of dancing swords and muttered curses, and the air sang as he slashed relentlessly at her.
The robes were a hindrance, she recognized that. Allowing him to cut her, or well, her clothes, she surprised him by hurling a fistful of sand into his eyes, ducking and rolling as she yanked off the heavy black burqa that had served to protect her from the harsh solar rays.
Beneath that cumbersome disguise lay a lithe figure clad in utilitarian combat fatigues. Her long hair came free of the loose bun she had tied it into, and it settled onto her shoulders as she came back up to her feet, pulling a combat knife from her boot.
He had recovered quickly after her little sand surprise, but this act managed to stun him for a split second. "What...but..." His head whirled around quickly to check that yes, the sun was indeed still in the sky, spilling the rays of death to any vampire.
Any vampire but this one, who stood and stretched, bathed in the orange glow and showing no signs of either falling over or burning into ash. The serrated edge of her knife glinted ominously, and he lost sight of it for a moment before well-honed reflexes reacted in time to throw his blades into self-defense.
"Pay attention, Hunter." The woman hissed, her shorter blade parried by the thrumming swords of the hunter. "I am not your usual riffraff."
His eyes narrowed, sweat beading his forehead as he muttered the incantation under his breath. The runes inscribed on his swords flared, blasting the vampire squarely with flame. She narrowly dodged, leaping and skidding around, crouched low like a panther, her eyes alert with dreadful intent.
"Not bad." She commented offhandedly. "That almost hurt." Burnt wisps of her hair floated by. Her eyes narrowed into slits.
"I don't like people messing with my hair." He had barely time to take a breath before she was on to him again, forcing him to use every bit of his skill to even keep up with the force and speed of her strikes. He was loath to admit it, but every time he parried, his arms grew numb from the staggering force he had to stop.
Something clicked in his mind, and he quickly bounded backward, eyes wide as he gave the female vampire a once over.
"Daywalker?" He said out loud. She laughed, pushing her hair out of her face.
"Nah, that's my Master." She grinned savagely. "You're not even good enough to kiss the ground she walks on, filthy Hunter."
"That accursed bloodline..." He spat, eyes flashing. "It will be my blade that cleanses you off our world!"
"Sorry, but I kinda want to live long enough to see my Master again. The likes of you won't be able to stop me." She had barely finished before he called out in his native language, and the shock of recognition, given that it was her native language as well, almost did her in.
Instinct was what saved her as her body threw itself away from where she stood, before a hail of bullets spattered into the space where she had just previously occupied. She rolled, coming back upright in a crouch again. Saw the sizzling ground where she had last been.
"Well, about time you folks got a tech upgrade. 21st century and all..." Her eyes scanned around for the hidden snipers, mentally mapping their locations. They pretty much had her surrounded. "But bullets aren't going to work, you know."
"Only if they're normal bullets, vampire." His eyes glowed with a disturbing kind of fanaticism. She sighed and bunched her muscles, zigzagging around to make it difficult for the snipers to hit her, heading for the annoying hunter under the assumption that his comrades would not open fire on one of their own.
"Quit calling me vampire. I have a name too, you know." She complained in her own language, taking satisfaction from his surprise as she swung at him.
"Yeah, I'm Japanese too. Baka." She kicked at his midsection, knocking the wind out of him. He managed to get a return cut in though, the gash burning painfully. Magicked weapons were a royal pain in the ass. She really didn't like hunters very much.
Then a hail of bullets raining down on her reminded just how much she hated those self-important bastards.
"Shit." Bullets might not be able to kill her, but being riddled with holes wasn't her idea of a fun time. What made things worse was that the bullets hurt a lot more than usual. They seemed to burn her from inside out, a stunning sensation. She fell, writhing from the shock and pain.
"How'd you like that, vampire?" The hunter wheezed as he came over. "That's our new weapon. Burns, doesn't it? Specially for you vampire scum." He ground out between clenched teeth, raising his sword to aim at her unprotected neck, ready to finish her off.
The runed blade came down with shocking speed, halting abruptly at her neck. Was halted, actually.
One pale hand had closed around it, blood trickling down the blade from her palm. He couldn't even make the sword budge at all, even with his augmented strength.
A long tongue flicked out to catch the droplets of blood from the blade. Eyes burning with inhuman glee pierced him, and she spoke.
"Night time, buddy." She grinned, flashing her fangs for the first time since the fight started. His eyes widened, realizing a little too late that the sun had finally set.
The sword was twisted out of his hands with shocking ease, his wrist cracking from the force. He hissed in pain, his own eyes flashing with a hint of red as he retreated from the awakened demon before him.
"That hurt." She growled, her form seeming to merge into shadow. "But it's nothing compared to what I'm gonna give you."
"Good night. It was fun knowing you."
They never even knew what hit them.
~*~*~
The moon lit her path as she left the station, walking down well worn paths to her modest home. It was some distance, but not so far that she had to take any other transport to reach it. Besides, walking wasn't so bad. It helped to clear her thoughts.
There weren't many people around, except for some individuals lurking around alleys and other pedestrians that were headed either to or from the station she had just exited. It was not the best part of town, but it wasn't the dumps at least. Still, not always the safest for a girl to be out alone.
Well, she should be safe enough along the main road at least. Risa did not slow her steps as she followed that familiar route home, head down and minding her own business. She had learned that minding her own business was a good thing to do when outside.
The night seemed very quiet and cold, with far fewer people on the streets than she would have expected. Well, it did look like it was going to rain. Perhaps it was pure sensibility that kept people off the streets. Still, it made her feel isolated. Alone.
"Mou...stop thinking like that!" She scolded herself out loud, sticking her hands into the pockets of her coat. Her face seemed to vanish further into her collar as she ducked her head down further, and she wasn't paying much attention to what her feet was doing as her mind decided that it would be a fine time to wander.
It wasn't a good time to be woolgathering though.
"Ow." She winced as her shoulder collided painfully with someone else. "Sorry." She apologized reflexively, her eyes coming up to meet those of the person she had accidentally run into.
"It's ok." A smile that was not quite a smile was directed at her, but Risa wasn't looking at that. Those eyes...she had to shake herself before she got utterly lost in them.
"Uh I..." She stuttered, but the stranger had already moved on, brushing past her. Risa stood still for a moment, wondering. Those eyes had seemed so familiar, so...mesmerizing. She half turned, wanting to take another look at the beautiful stranger.
But she was gone. No trace of her, just other normal civilians on their way home.
Risa shook her head again, trying to rid it of extraneous thoughts. "None of my business." She muttered, starting to walk again.
~*~*~
It had been a short, ugly fight. She grinned, a blood-spattered one. Fangs gleamed in the moonlight, now unobscured by the clouds.
"That was fun." She licked her hand clean after having ripped the heart out of one of hunters just moments ago. She had managed to take the worst of the actual fight away from the little settlement she had been residing in, not wanting the children to see just how savage she could get.
It had just been a matter of picking the morons off one by one after that, taking advantage of the darkness before the moon showed itself. She was wary of hunters, but not a bunch like these. She had seen worse, faced more dangerous hunters with her Master. The ones today weren't so bad, but they just weren't up to taking on something like her.
Still, being injured sucks. She hissed in pain as her fingers dug into her shoulder to remove a bullet that had been lodged in there. It hurt far more than bullets should have. She would know, she had been shot before. World War II had been a very enlightening experience.
"Ugh." She growled, pulling the annoying bullet out. Her shoulder almost sighed in relief from the light burning sensation that it had been causing. She glared at the offending thing in her palm.
"Stupid hunters." She muttered, noting the runes carved onto the spent shell. "Hmm."
Her eyes flicked to an abandoned rifle on the ground. Two steps and a few experienced motions snapped the half-empty cartridge out. The bullets inside seemed to gleam with a strange aura. She didn't like the feeling.
"Well this looks interesting." She took the cartridge with her. "I guess its time to get outta here." She looked around, stepping carefully around discarded guns, limbs, and smashed heads.
She kicked an eyeball, watched it roll, before smashing it with her heel. Her grin was feral as she took off into the night.
"Time to go see what these pesky Hunters are really up to."
~*~*~
"Tadaima." She called out, taking off her shoes and stepping in.
"Okaeri." A warm voice greeted almost instantly, and the smiling face of her mother appeared at the entrance to the kitchen. "How was your day, Risa-chan?"
"It was alright, mother." Risa answered with a tired little smile, removing her coat as she padded towards her room. She paused at a little tablet in the main hall, inclining her head and as per her usual habit, murmured a quiet little "I'm back" at the forlorn tablet on the altar.
Her mother watched her for a moment, then went back into the kitchen. "Remember to put your dirty laundry into the basket after you shower."
"Yes mother." Risa replied automatically, heading back into her room.
The door clicked shut behind her. She dropped her bag in the corner, then dropped herself onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. It was bare, much like the rest of her personal space. There was some personal clutter on her table, but she never bothered to leave more of herself lying around the room. Not much point in excessive decoration when she never knew when she was going to have to move again.
Sitting up, her gaze fell on the framed picture on her desk. Just a little family picture. Her father, her mother. And her.
She stared at it from a distance. Couldn't help but feel that something was missing from that picture. She knew what it was too. She had just paid her respects to it just minutes ago.
I wonder what it would have been like to have a sister? Risa mused, not for the first time. She had had one, but she never remembered it. Couldn't have, not when her sister, her twin, had been dead for as long as she had been born.
Stillborn. Risa had never known her twin for the precise fact that she had never been able to grow up with her. To this day, it was as if a piece of her was missing, in some strange, psychic sort of way. Or maybe it was just emotional, since she hadn't had many friends growing up. Hadn't been able to, not with the constant moving.
"I wish..." She said out loud, her voice sounding very loud in the silence. Moonlight filtered in through her window, pooling at her feet.
She wriggled her toes. The shadows followed. She sighed.
"Never mind." The picture stared back at her. She ignored it.
"Doesn't matter."
Moonlight in her eyes. The ceiling was still too bare as she laid on her back.
"I don't want to care..." She whispered. Her vision blurred, soaking her pillow.
And no one noticed.
They never did.
============================================
Well that was a long chapter. @_@
Hope it was worth the wait. ^^;
Read and comment everyone~
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JFC: What do you think? XD
How'd I know you were going to say that? (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/J-F-C/shakefist.gif)
Niigaki Risa wasn't really expecting all that much out of her own life. She was a decent person, helpful to her friends and people around her generally, and was a filial child. She wasn't seeking any kind of momentous exploit to mark her passing through this world, although at times she found herself wishing that her life was just a tad more exciting, just once.
A situation and sentiment shared by many people, no doubt.
"Beware your blood..." A choked gasp, shrinking pupils and ragged breaths. "...the hand..."
The lights went out, both in Yuriko's eyes and the room, the candle snuffed as Yuriko collapsed.
:o
This can't be good.
"Mother...of all...headaches..." The Seer groaned, using her free hand to shade her eyes. Her voice was weak, but otherwise steady as she continued.
"Did I...say anything?" Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Felt like I saw something...important...can't remember..."
She can't remember? That's not exactly comforting either.
"No, it was nothing." Risa set the glass down firmly, matching the note in her own voice. "Nothing at all."
Is Risa sure that she wants to not mention what she said? She might not remember it now, but seeing as how she is knowledgeable in it, Yuriko might be able to give an interpretation/hint/idea as to what it could have meant.
"Do you need my help? I could..." Risa started, but Sayu was already shaking her head.
"No, Eri and I should be able to manage." Sayumi smiled, but it seemed a little less bright than usual. Risa couldn't help but get the feeling that the younger girl was looking more closely at her than usual. Eri, for her part, was carefully trying to support her mother to her feet, and Sayu rushed to take the other side.
Man, of all the times for Sayu to get jealous. :doh:
**MYSTERIOUS FIGURES TALK**
Dang, sounds like we're bound to have a multi-sided war on our hands. Purebred vamprires, dhampirs, hunters...this can get ugly fast. :O
*HUNTER VS DAYWALKER'S APPRENTICE*
From the description...Miki?
I wonder what it would have been like to have a sister? Risa mused, not for the first time. She had had one, but she never remembered it. Couldn't have, not when her sister, her twin, had been dead for as long as she had been born.
Stillborn. Risa had never known her twin for the precise fact that she had never been able to grow up with her.
Hmmm...makes me wonder.
:pig huh:
Considering what the previous quoted part of the story said, along WITH what Eri's mom said...something tells me we probably should pay attention to Risa. :yep:
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Ichigo-chan: Haha, so many questions. Reina's a curious cat, is why. As for Risa...well, you really want Takagaki, don't you? XD You'll have to see what happens then~
Hey, I'm a curious one too. :lol: Hell yeah, I want TakaGaki!!! XD
Eri's mom = :shocked: Something's in Gaki's future. I feel so bad for her, all alone. Unfortunately, I know that feeling all too well. Those ppl were talking about Ai-chan and her kid, huh? I wonder....is the vampire who killed all the Hunters Ai-chan's kid? :? But damn, she kicked ass!!! :inlove: I wonder if Gaki's twin sister has anything do with the vision or vampires or something? Knowing you, it does. :D
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Wow an update and what an update ! :w00t: My brain is still trying to process everything...there's just so much of it that I liked! I liked the action and the feel of loneliness in the chapter. poor Risa....
oh! Devil bunny! I'm going to have to steal that from you =D
I'm intrigued at what the council have in mind...I'm also wondering who the child is. If I had to guess...I'd say it's Koharu? She's pretty tall...plus I can easily picture her as a pyro....XD unless it's Risa's clone twin.
hmm...I wonder what's Ai's view on bumping into Risa. Wonder if she sensed anything from her. I'm so curious...share your brain with me please~ XD
ah I just realized this chapter lacked Reina...can't wait for her next appearance...it's fun when she shows up =D
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^ I know who the child is. I don't think I should say it out just in case Essy kills me. But I can say it's not Koharu.
I think I should be thankful for Tuesdays since it allows you more time to write? I know I told you before and I'll say it again, reading your fics takes up soooooooooo much of my brain power. There's so many things to process!! I should probably stick to telling you my comments face to face since I don't know where to start.
The thing that I wanna say though is, you have to finish writing this. I wanna read it to the end before I die XD
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With Eri's mom scene and the information about her sister, I feel like Risa's going to be very important later on. And that her life will get a little more exciting, too XD
That reunion-like part was interesting too, but it will take some time till I process all the information there, lol. I'm kinda sleepy, so yeah (*coughexcusescough*)
I won't guess who the child is and stuff, cause it could be anybody and I really don't have a clue...
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lollipopgirl: Just for you, I'll make sure Aichan wears leather somewhere in the future for whatever reason. XD Does that make you happy~? Haha. Nah you're not weird for being excited, I think it's cool. Lol.
It suuuuuure does! :w00t: I can certainly be patient in waiting for more Ai-chan if it means eventually there shall be leather :drool:
Dude, I didn't even notice how long it was till it was mentioned and I went back and checked, WOW... for me not to have noticed whilst reading must have meant it was that captivating that I couldn't think about anything other than what was happening, awesome job!
The edition of the 'new' characters and information is extremely intriguing and keeps the excitement levels up nice and high! :D
I too am confused by who the child could be, I originally thought Sayu (wtf?!) till i got over my blonde moment and remembered she is accounted for, very nicely mind as well!
The council scare me, not in the sense that I am frightened of them, just that it implies impending doom, I don't want the shit to hit the fan just yet, but yet I also can't wait for it to happen XD *fingers crossed Gaki gets stuck in the middle of it and Ai protects her* :heart: :lol:
Awww Risa's sister:( That sounds like it shall be playing an important role later on... I wonder what that could end up being? :?
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Daywalker...
Risa...
:dunno:
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You should feel happy - I wrote this nice long comment last night after reading your chapter back at my dorm, and so now I'm posting it for you. :D Flash drives are my new best friend. Apparently I'm definitely back in the writing mood to be drafting something like this, as well as writing 6 pages of notes for my new story as well as even my Japanese essay homework. XD 私はすばらしい！XD そうすろと。。。
The thing that I wanna say though is, you have to finish writing this. I wanna read it to the end before I die XD
I definitely agree with this. XD With the way it's going so far, it has me worried... Six chapters now and things are barely getting set up, and each update is about a month apart. XD Well... I'll have faith in you.
As for this update hmm... I too thought by some descriptions Ai-chan's kid might be Koharu, but if she's not the case I have one more guess at this time XD though that seems wrong too based on some descriptions... so who knows. XD Whoever she is, she's quite the violent one. She and Reina would get along well I'd bet, although it seems Reina isn't near her level... maybe she just needs a bit of Ai-chan's blood to rise in the ranks. ;) I look forward to seeing it sometime...
Tuesdays are your day off huh? No wonder I was able to talk to you today. :) It's actually a slower day for me too, so hopefully it won't be the last time!
Ok it seems I'm just spouting random thoughts, hmm, there was more I wanted to say. I'm looking forward to see what all is going on with Sayu and Risa. Not much is going on with the latter yet aside from the vision from Eri's mom and odd chance run-ins with er... someone. XD Why do I think they're more than chance run-ins though? I can't imagine that she would have bumped into that person on the street had that person not intended to be bumped into for some reason...
I'm curious how all this is going to tie in - the large scale happenings such as the looming war among hunters and the different vampire ranks (and there are apparently other types of "demons" around too such as that one guy Reina noticed at the bar) seem obvious enough on the macro end of the scale, but also how Reina, Ai and Risa (who seem to be the major characters so far) get involved, how they get linked with the child in the desert at some point, and also with everything else that's going on. :)
I must also say that how the character of Ai-chan/Seirei is being presented so far is so damn COOL! When I've read vampire books, the thing that was most awesome to me were stories about ancients and the mysteries of what they've experienced as well as what power they might wield. Apparently Ai-chan is world reknowned in fact, even despite what seems like a highly ordered society of vampires (the nobles etc.). I just think it's sooo intriguing and mysterious what someone like that may be thinking. For example, you alluded to it too:
"What of the Ancients?" A slow, deliberate voice entered the discussion. "They may yet take a hand in our affairs."
"Not those who are active." Snake Voice deterred. "They no longer worry themselves over mortal concerns."
For someone who has lived as long as one of these "ancients" and faces the prospect of an eternity ahead of them, 'twould be interesting indeed exactly how they treated mortal concerns... "material" concerns... Seirei seems to retain that curiosity to some extent at least with the interest she has in Reina (c'mon, you don't expect me to believe she didn't set up that meeting in the bar either, and the mere fact she didn't have Raimond set his hounds on her seems to speak volumes), and also with whatever she did that resulted in her child and what she's doing right now. If she had truly shrugged off the world, someone like her wouldn't have set someone loose like that.
Anyway, where was I going? It'll be interesting to see exactly what her concerns are and what motivates her... and why she'll have an interest in Reina and I would also guess Risa. More of kick-ass Ai-chan in any respect though, please. :w00t:
I'll repeat again what I said earlier - keep this up! Otherwise I might have to be forced to come up with something along these lines as well with all the thoughts you're putting into my head with it. XD
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Well guess what, you guys are lucky and don't have to wait another month for updates! Haha. XD
Ok, comment replies first.
JFC: You know I can't reveal critical information at this stage. :P Yeah well you gotta think about how Risa feels, she's not too enthusiastic about random creepy pronouncements of her fate. Hell, I wouldn't be either. Hehe, wouldn't you like to know who Aichan's child is. :P About Risa, well, just wait and see. Hehe.
Ichigo-chan: In response to your question, yes, the vampire that killed all those hunters is Ai-chan's kid. XD Tough cookie, isn't she? Haha. I wonder about Gaki's twin too. :P
Sukoshi: Glad you enjoyed the packed chapter, I was afraid that it might be too much for people to process. Lol. XDD; Sorry about the brainsharing request, as of now only Sai, poe-chan and Fimmy have visiting rights (actually, it's only because I can't seem to keep them out entirely >_>...). Haha. Reina appears this chapter! So you won't be deprived of her usual antics. XD
lil_hamz: Oi, don't give out secrets ok! Haha. At least you know how to keep your mouth shut. :P Yeah Tuesdays really help. XD And hey, don't insult my slowness in updates! XD
Grisours: Mmhmm, Risa should be careful about what she wishes for. XD Have fun processing, but then again the coming chapter has significantly less information to process. Haha. XD
lollipopgirl: -pats- Don't worry, blonde or not I still like you. Haha. Don't worry, the shit ain't hitting the fan yet, but it sure is getting piled up in preparation! XD Everyone's so curious about what's gonna happen next, but only I know everything. >D Hehehehehe....
kRisZ: -pats you too- Don't worry, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. XD Don't think too much. :P
rokun: Ah, I'm so flattered by your long comment. <3 Love ya for it. XD You have very incisive thoughts about the situation, and the other readers would do well to look at your comment to guess a few things. Damn it, stop revealing all my hidden motives! Haha. At least I can still keep a few secrets though, and keep you all in suspense! Teehee. As for the Ai-chan question, let's just put it this way: the part you quoted was a comment from someone else about her. Whether or not they really understand her is up for debate. What I can tell you is that most of the vampire council thinks that the Ai-chan is eccentric, for good reason. As for why Ai-chan does the things she does, well, stay tuned! Haha. As for kick-ass Ai-chan, hey, it's me! Of course Ai-chan kicks ass. XD
So I've kept you all waiting long enough. Story time~
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Wedge <3
Always wanted to do that :otomerika: Not that I can read it just yet :P
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Chapter 7 - Capo
"Waaaaaaaah~ I can't believe break is almost over!" Eri wailed in utter anguish as she buried her face in her arms on the table. The ice cream parlor ignored her. It had had its fair share of whining students in the past week or so. One more wouldn't make a difference. Actually, the business was rather welcome.
"It's ok, have a parfait." Sayumi consoled her in the most practical way possible: dessert. Eri's eyes lit up at the mention of the cold, sweet treat.
"Parfait? For me?" She squealed as the delicious dessert was pushed in front of her. "Yay!"
Sayumi watched her best friend tear into the parfait with a sweet smile playing on her lips, then tapped at her chin as she wondered aloud.
"But you're right, where did the whole month disappear off to? It's like, poof and its here; but one blink and it's gone again..." The devil bunny sighed, stealthily stealing a spoonful of ice cream with her spoon from Eri at the same time. Eri spluttered and waved her spoon around like a baton, eyes wide and accusatory. There would be no leeway given in the war over dessert!
The ensuing tussle over the slowly melting pile of ice cream involved a lot of clinking, shoving, and smeared cheeks. Finally, it was resolved by a second double order of parfaits after the last of their prize had melted away during their scuffle. Lesson to be learned? Never get between girls and their ice cream. It could be deadly. Or profitable, if you happened to own an ice cream parlor.
"Mou...where's Gaki-san? She's taking so long..." Eri whined again. Sayumi delicately finished off her dessert, dabbing at her lips with the napkin.
"Oh, she sent a message earlier. Said something about having to drop something off at the post office so she would be late." Sayumi informed her somewhat airy friend. "Weren't you listening when I told you just now?"
"I was...but she still is taking too long..." Eri pouted, twisting her spoon around in her empty bowl. Sayumi grinned evilly as she thought of something else to distract (read: scar) her best friend with.
"So have you thought of what classes you're gonna be taking next semester?" Her grin was positively vicious as Eri groaned aloud at this unwanted reminder of school.
"Did you have to remind me?" Eri pouted harder, and Sayumi stuck her tongue out at the older girl. "Someone has to remind you or you'll forget to sign up for classes again."
"Meh, I have you and Gaki-san to remind me, and I don't forget anyway!" Eri pretended to look offended, then paused, a puzzled look on her face. "When do we have to do the registration again?"
Sayumi broke down laughing. Eri whined again, poking her childhood friend in the shoulder insistently. "Stop laughing at me!"
"Gosh, Eri...classes start in 2 weeks and you still haven't noticed?" Sayumi managed to compose herself after a while. "We have to pick our classes this week!"
"Oh." Eri frowned, then shrugged after a moment. "I'll figure something out."
"Really, you..." Sayumi shook her head. "Oh well, that's my Eririn." She smiled indulgently, hooking her fingers with Eri's and leaning on the older girl's shoulder. "I like you just the way you are~"
Eri grinned, absently playing with strands of Sayu's lustrous black hair. After a few minutes of blissful silence, Eri piped up again.
"So, what classes are you taking?" Sayumi arched one delicate eyebrow, but did not remove herself from Eri's shoulder.
"Mmhmm, I was thinking of taking this one class in applied mathematics..." She started off slowly, hiding her grin as Eri's eyes bulged in horror.
"Maths?" The turtle girl squeaked, giving a shocked look at the mass of dark hair to her left. Sayu tilted her face upwards, an impish grin on her lips.
"Well, I am doing Economics, you know. It's in the requirements." Eri was still cringing at the idea of mathematics in general as Sayumi went on.
"But I might still switch over to Business. I'll have to see first." She finished with a shrug even as Eri suppressed the last of her shudders at the dreaded mention of mathematics. Before she could comment any more though, a familiar voice cut in.
"What did you do to Kame again, Sayu? She's all pale and shaky." Risa grinned, having caught on to the tail end of the conversation as she swung into the seat on the opposite side of the table. "Been talking about classes?"
"Yeah. Mathematics~" Sayumi couldn't resist putting that in, and Eri whined again, covering her ears. "Bad word!"
Risa laughed at them. "Oh quit it Sayu, you know you don't have to traumatize her like that."
The youngest of the trio smirked and flashed a peace sign. "But it's so much fun!"
Eri scowled, or tried to. "It is not." She ended up looking cute instead. Sayumi giggled and sat up, snuggling closer to Eri while claiming sole possession of the latter's arm. Risa rolled her eyes at the display, absently taking up a menu and glancing at it.
"I'm taking a class on theater next semester." Risa offered while scanning the list. "It looks like fun. Kame, do you wanna join me?"
Eri brightened up. "Theater? Sounds cool!"
Risa looked up with a smile. "Yeah, we get to watch some pretty cool stuff. I checked out the lesson plans." She cocked her head to one side, thinking. "Plus it would go with some of the literature classes I'm taking, and it's a nice break from staring at a bunch of moldy old books." A wry grin. "So I guess you're in too?"
"Yeah, totally!" Eri cheered. "You can lend me your notes!"
Sayumi made eye contact with Risa, and simultaneously, they smacked their foreheads with their palms. Eri blinked, looking between her two best friends.
"What?" Sayu looked at her and sighed, her expression a combination of exasperation and affection.
"Nothing at all, Eri. Nothing at all..."
~*~*~
A crumpled aluminum can hit the far side of the brick wall, growing even more dented as it bounced and just barely rolled back to where it had first started. An irritated snarl, and the inoffensive can was crushed down to scrap metal.
Tanaka Reina was a ticked off vampire, and for good reason. Well, reasons that were good enough for her anyway.
"Damn you Seirei! Some kind of vampire you are!" A random crate splintered against the wall. "ONE WHOLE MONTH AND NOT EVEN A FUCKING CLUE!" The remains of an old cupboard smashed into that poor, abused wall. "What are you, some kind of coward?! Hiding just cos Reina is looking for you? Huh? Huh!"
Reina felt marginally better after she destroyed a few more inoffensive pieces of junk. She had snooped around, threatened various people, bribed them when necessary, and even went to the extent of following that creepy old bartender around, but all to no avail.
She did manage to find out about quite a few other interesting things that was going on in the city though. Just not what she was interested in.
"Argh." Reina slumped against the least grimy section of the wall, glancing down the very long and dark alley to check that she wasn't being observed. Once satisfied, she scuffed at the gravel surface with a boot, scowling to herself.
It was as if Seirei had vanished into thin air. Reina mentally went through all the tidbits of information she managed to gather. Many people knew of Seirei, but no one else seemed to know anything more about her. Her skill was almost legendary, as was her elusiveness. Only few could even remember anything about her appearance; that was what had mystified Reina. Surely more would have remembered such a striking character.
Even then, all they could appear to mention were her eyes. Those eyes. Reina shuddered, in fear or in excitement, she wasn't entirely certain. Shaking her head, Reina focused, trying to dredge up more concrete memories of Seirei's physical appearance. She came up mostly empty. Just the unforgettable instant of mysterious eyes.
Pale skin, lips curved in a smile that wasn't. Reina frowned. She had almost forgotten that. A melancholy that seemed to transcend all things. Very powerful, but very lonely.
Reina wondered why. And she fully intended to hunt down that elusive vampire and ask her about, well, everything.
"I will never give up!" The young vampire pounded her fist against the wall, sending a shower of sawdust spraying out from where she had struck. She wrinkled her nose and dusted herself off, stepping away from the less than clean surface.
A whisper of sound, too vague to be human, made her react instantly, fangs half-bared. There was no sense of a heartbeat or of breathing, so it could be no living thing that made that sound. Reina cocked her head to one side, listening. The main problem with facing another vampire was the lack of sound. Sight wasn't much better, what with their ability to blend into shadows. The lack of a heartbeat or breathing made things worse.
Still, there were ways. Reina kept her senses sharp, slowly moving her head around to scan the area. If that other thing out there moved, she should be able to catch sight of that movement.
She hated every single moment of this. It was like something out of a bad horror movie, and Reina hated horror movies.
Never mind that she could technically be the star of a horror movie given her current status in life now.
Another whisper of sound, heavier this time, followed by a very loud drip. Reina was moving before her mind even processed the information. As her brain caught up to her actions, it had to wonder at how clumsy her supernatural stalker was. No self-respecting vampire would make that much noise while trying to sneak up on someone else, much less someone with the exact same sensory capabilities.
Nevertheless, Reina wasn't about to kick a gift horse in the mouth. She did, however, kick the ass of the lousy stalker blended in at the turnoff into the next little alley in that backstreet maze. He, she, or it flew across the short intervening distance before making painful contact against the other side of the alley.
Without giving the rascal time to recover, Reina was already on him, hauling the poor sod to his feet and putting him into a stranglehold, ready to separate his head from the rest of his body should he try anything.
He was in a bad shape, that much Reina could register, and not all of it was a result of her own assault. For one thing, his skin was pale, paler than what was normal for a vampire, and felt oddly papery. He was also much lighter than someone of his size should have been. More significantly, his eyes were a solid red, fangs protuding unnaturally long in his mouth. When Reina shook him for a reaction, all she got was an animalistic snarl in return.
"Dude, what's your problem?" She was taken off-guard, however, when he swiped recklessly at her, sending her staggering back as she released her grip, seeing stars for a moment. She couldn't remember being hit quite that hard before! Wary now, she circled back around the other vampire cautiously.
He looks half-starved...maybe that's why he's like that... Reina didn't like the idea of a starving vampire running loose on her territory though. Too much risk of exposure, and Reina didn't think it was a good idea for humans to know that vampires existed. It would make her existence so much more inconvenient if humans started taking precautions against their kind.
"Hey, if you need blood, I can go grab someone for you..." Reina offered cautiously. She was a bit reckless sometimes, but after being backhanded like that, she felt that erring on the side of caution wouldn't be such a bad idea for once. Besides, it was rare enough that she came across a strong vampire, even if it was one that was just a little loopy from starvation.
Reina had only gotten really hungry once, and that had been bad enough. She didn't want to think how bad it would be like to get into the same situation as the poor sod in front of her. It must be difficult to even think coherently in that state, much less move around unseen like he sort of was earlier.
"Blood..." He grunted, a glimmer of intelligence coming back to those feral eyes. Reina backed up a little, not wanting to leave her back to a dead end, but blocking off the only exit to that alley. In case he wanted to run off, he was going to have to get past her first.
"Yeah, you look you could use some..." The two vampires were sizing each other up now, the stranger's eyes still glowing with that weird intensity, staring at a spot near her ear. Reina was suddenly uncomfortably aware of the fact that his blow earlier had opened a gash above her ear, and although it had sealed up almost immediately due to her rapid healing, the blood remained.
Reina hadn't so completely shed her humanity that she couldn't feel doubt and fear, and a knot of unease tangled her insides even further. She swallowed nervously, her fangs slipping out into view as she licked her suddenly parched lips.
The sight of her fangs seemed to spur some kind of adverse reaction from the other vampire, who growled angrily and narrowed his eyes to slits. Reina readied herself, wondering what she did wrong. If he wanted a fight, she would show him that Reina was no pushover.
"Are you with him?" He snarled, the sentience in his eyes fading back into a primal bestiality. Before Reina could even reply, he was attacking, swinging and kicking wildly like a rabid beast. Reina, taken aback by his ferocity, fell back at first, defending herself as she tried to figure out how to beat the guy.
Feinting quickly, Reina neatly dodged a double-fisted swing that might very well have decapitated her, the strike crashing into the concrete behind her. Running was not an option; given his crazed state she couldn't very well just leave him to run wild, and she was fairly sure he would catch up anyway even if she did run. After turning into a vampire, Reina felt that she might easily outrun a normal human, but against a rabid vampire out for her blood? Very unlikely.
So she would fight. In the split second it took for the hostile vampire to yank his fists out of the rubble that was once a perfectly good section of wall, Reina rounded on his back and struck at his spine. The snapping sound was clearly audible in the night, but it barely did anything against the enraged creature in front of her. Reina had to dodge another wild grab at her, bounding backwards to assess the situation.
Ok, so spinal damage doesn't kill us. Learning new things all the time... Reina thought grimly, ready for another attack. However, it seemed that even vampires were not entirely immune to such a move, because after that desperate grab at her, the stranger fell to his knees, then flat on his front. His legs did not seem to be responding, although his upper body was very much active. He was actually frothing at his mouth as he glared at her, unable to speak.
Finish it, leech. His mental voice was as clear as day, and Reina cringed at the pure hatred concentrated in those crimson orbs.
"Fine, whatever. R.I.P. and all that." Reina grumbled as she approached him. One swift blow, and his head was left in an awkward angle. For safety purposes, Reina borrowed the metal pipe she found lying nearby, and drove it into the heart with a wet thud. The corpse flinched with the impact, then seemed to contract in on itself.
Reina blinked in shock as the corpse seemed to relax, a kind of inaudible sigh coming from the final death, then disintegrating right before her eyes. As the ashes were blown away by the wind, Reina dropped the pipe and looked around nervously.
"I didn't do that..." Reina mumbled, backing out into the main street as fast as her legs would carry her. She had never seen a dead vampire do that before, at least not to the same extent. The first time she had killed a newly turned vampire, it had died right there like an ordinary human corpse, and she had had to dispose of it the regular way. Another time, the corpse had shriveled up and looked like the flesh had all but rotted off. Reina had to burn that one up, it looked so disgusting.
"Hmm..." Reina was so caught up in her thoughts, she almost completely missed a conversation being held by a group of obviously drunk young punks with hair in shades of wild color. Normally, she probably wouldn't have bothered with the likes of them, but a certain keyword made her perk up her ears almost instantly.
"...wildest party this month! They even got Seirei to come down! How cool is that?" One punk, his blond mohawk adding a good 3 inches to his height, was gesturing at his friends, sloshing beer from his can everywhere. Intending to take a drink after his oration, he brought the can down with every intention of putting it to his lips, only to find that it was no longer in his hand. Startled, he turned around, only to see a smiling girl holding the article in her hand.
"Now why don't you tell me all about that party, hmm?" Reina's grin was positively vicious as she slowly but deliberately crushed the can into nothing more than a very squashed ball of scrap metal. With a predatory smirk, she tossed the remains of the can aside.
"Shall we begin, or do I have to make you talk?"
The results, as anyone with two nickels to rub together can guess, was fairly predictable. Reina smiled benignly as she dusted off her hands and walked off, leaving a groaning pile of young men who now vowed to never EVER cross cute girls like that again.
Reina whistled as she went on her merry way. This night was turning out to be just fine after all.
~*~*~
"Akito is dead."
The announcement was heavy, but held no further emotion otherwise. As if the loss of a life was yet another number to be taken note of. The tatami room seemed very cold and formal in that instant, the evening breeze lending an appropriate chill to the atmosphere.
The elder sat ramrod straight in the traditional position, his expression inscrutable as he studied the reaction of his youngest grandchild. His only grandchild, after this most recent bereavement. The child, no longer fit for that term, he corrected mentally, looked at him with the eyes of one who had seen too much, too young.
"Did he die well?" Her face was pale, her teeth stubbornly holding her lower lip in place as she returned his gaze, chin up and not betraying her still tender years. A faint discoloration that was slashed across one eye was visible for an instant when she blinked, determined not to show emotion before the head of her family.
"His...remains...have been cremated and placed in the family shrine." The clear implication being that Akito had been in no condition for a public funeral by the time he had been returned to his homeland. The girl gritted her teeth, her jaw rippling with a clear anger that was barely controlled after a moment.
"The family shares your loss." The old patriarch acknowledged, a note of pain briefly underlying his tone. The loss of one of their most promising children was a bitter blow to bear for their diminishing family. Now all that was left for the new generation was this young child kneeling before him, still too young to even undergo the ceremony.
That would soon change. He straightened almost imperceptibly, watching with some approval as she composed herself in the way befitting one of their family. She would do, she had to. Their duty brooked no other choice.
"We have recalled you back from your duties for more than just your brother's death." Here he paused, giving her a moment to digest it. His granddaughter was a smart one, even brighter than Akito himself had been, and her eyes narrowed as she obviously reached some conclusions herself.
"You are the only one of your generation left in our direct descent, and the other branch families send their condolences." Pausing again to gather his thoughts, he continued.
"It is unprecedented, but the other elders agree that it is time for you to undertake the ritual. We are short-handed as it is, and we cannot afford to leave our region unprotected." He let that sink in, watching as the young girl's eyes widened fractionally, but nodding in acceptance without any hesitation.
"You must understand the risks of the ritual. There is no turning back after it, and it is a coming-of-age ceremony for our clan." The girl nodded again, her eyes downcast.
"Yes, Grandfather. I understand and accept."
The aged patriarch spared some pity in his glance for his grandchild, sorry that the full weight of the family's duty had to fall on such young shoulders. However, she had been raised well, and if she lived long enough, she would be a menace to the darkness they fought generation after generation.
"One more thing." He waited as she looked up to meet his gaze again. "The clan has decided also to pull you off active duty for a while after your ceremony has taken place. You know it is custom that we normally give the newly initiated at least 3 months of recovery time." She nodded, aware of the tradition. Satisfied with her knowledge, he continued.
"Due to certain circumstances though, we are unable to give you that same time for recovery." At her sudden stiffening, he quickly added.
"No, we will not send you on active duty immediately. To do that so soon after the ceremony is suicide. We do not intend to lose you as well." The girl relaxed, waiting attentively as curiosity burned in her eyes.
"One of our branch families have requested aid in locating one of the wayward members of their line." The old man watched as the girl's lips twitched, as if about to say something. "You may speak freely."
"Grandfather, would that be the same case as the one I read in our archives? The eloped couple?"
The old man nodded approvingly at her quick deduction. "Yes, the very same. Our relatives have been devoting what little resources they can spare towards recovering their lost son, and they have made little progress in all these years. Recently, however, they have uncovered some clues that prove to be very interesting."
"They have had children?" She guessed quickly, and her grandfather actually smiled at her deduction.
"A child. To be precise, one of those." The girl's eyes widened in surprise. The elder nodded.
"Yes, as you can see, we are interested in recovering that offspring. It's far too rare for us to merely ignore." He reached for the cup of tea, sipping elegantly from it.
"However, the training for your distant cousin has been sorely delayed thanks to the willfulness of the father, and so we charge you with not only the recovery, but also the mentoring duties for your cousin." The girl blinked, about to say something but clamping her mouth shut at the last moment.
The elder raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
"Um, with all due respect, Grandfather..." She sounded a little hesitant. "Why me?"
He actually smirked. "Because we cannot spare anyone else, and you're free for at least 3 months after the ceremony. What better than to put you to this task?" His expression grew warmer as he perceived the subtle frown creasing his granddaughter's face.
"Frankly, child, you're one of the smartest ones of the whole generation that our clan has produced. If there is anyone capable of tracking our wayward relatives down, there is no other that I would trust more. Your brother would have said the same." He added for emphasis, noticing that she straightened with a determined look in her eye at the mention of her brother.
"I understand, Grandfather. I will not fail the clan." She bowed to him respectfully, then asked.
"When will the ceremony be held? I must make ready for it." He nodded, pleased by her decorum.
"At the next full moon. Until then, rest well and prepare yourself for it." She bowed again, before humbly taking her leave.
He watched her go with sad eyes, sorrowing that he had to deliver such burdens to her so young. Absently, he patted his one good leg, before awkwardly touching his other limb. The prosthetic leg always felt so unnatural, but at least it enabled him to walk with only the aid of a crutch rather than being confined to a wheelchair.
Such was the price of following their duty. Death or dismemberment. He sighed, picking up his tea again as he gazed at the waxing moon in the distance.
Akito...watch over your sister. Watch over Aika...
~*~*~
The moon was hiding shyly behind noxious clouds, but the distant flickering of artificial light provided some scant illumination in the night. The wind whistled in its passage, stirring up dirt, dust, and other unidentified particles.
A shadow moved, a darker patch against a black canvas, barely noticeable to anyone of normal eyesight. A stray cat, rummaging in an overturned trash bin, froze in place as the ominous shadow passed, giving vent to a screeching yowl as its hair stood literally on end, tail upright. Then it did what any intelligent animal would do: run like hell.
Patent leather shoes seemed almost loath to step into the dingy little back alley, but the resulting crunch of the step taken announced that necessity came over an aversion to grime. Still, there was barely any noise other than that first step, the figure pretty much ghosting along into a very familiar looking little alley.
A polished wooden cane snapped down sharply next to an abandoned metal pipe. At one glance, the pipe looked rusted at one end...or perhaps not. The figure did not bend to check though, at least not for the pipe. He was far more interested in the ground next to the pipe.
"Interesting..." The voice that slithered out was oily, with a distinctly aristocratic ring to it. He eyed the destroyed wall, then back at the ground. His face split into a very pointed smirk, touching a gloved hand to his chin.
"Very interesting..."
======================================
Well that was fun. XD Aww lolli...you wedged! XD
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*clears throat, makes first post*
So that's an awesome fic ^^ I'm big on vampires, so it's smexy, and even smexier now ^^
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Ah! that explains a lot! Well at least I think it does...
my guess is Aikito was the hunter that got killed by pyro child in the last chapter...while Gaki must be offspring of the eloped couple. I wonder if Gaki's really going to become a hunter...I can see Ai chan interfering with the clan's plans...after all she did "accidentally" run into Risa the other night. hmm...I also wonder if the vampire Reina killed was being controlled by someone to test Reina....lol did I just say this chapter explained a lot earlier? Well it did but it also left me twice as curious =D
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JFC: You know I can't reveal critical information at this stage. :P Yeah well you gotta think about how Risa feels, she's not too enthusiastic about random creepy pronouncements of her fate. Hell, I wouldn't be either. Hehe, wouldn't you like to know who Aichan's child is. :P About Risa, well, just wait and see. Hehe.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Still...(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c340/J-F-C/shakefist.gif)
"Waaaaaaaah~ I can't believe break is almost over!" Eri wailed in utter anguish as she buried her face in her arms on the table. The ice cream parlor ignored her. It had had its fair share of whining students in the past week or so. One more wouldn't make a difference. Actually, the business was rather welcome.
"It's ok, have a parfait." Sayumi consoled her in the most practical way possible: dessert. Eri's eyes lit up at the mention of the cold, sweet treat.
"Parfait? For me?" She squealed as the delicious dessert was pushed in front of her. "Yay!"
I picture this scene, and kami-sama, it's so cute! :lol:
The devil bunny sighed, stealthily stealing a spoonful of ice cream with her spoon from Eri at the same time. Eri spluttered and waved her spoon around like a baton, eyes wide and accusatory. There would be no leeway given in the war over dessert!
The ensuing tussle over the slowly melting pile of ice cream involved a lot of clinking, shoving, and smeared cheeks. Finally, it was resolved by a second double order of parfaits after the last of their prize had melted away during their scuffle. Lesson to be learned? Never get between girls and their ice cream. It could be deadly. Or profitable, if you happened to own an ice cream parlor.
LOVED THIS! :rofl:
Risa laughed at them. "Oh quit it Sayu, you know you don't have to traumatize her like that."
The youngest of the trio smirked and flashed a peace sign. "But it's so much fun!"
:wahaha:
"Damn you Seirei! Some kind of vampire you are!" A random crate splintered against the wall. "ONE WHOLE MONTH AND NOT EVEN A FUCKING CLUE!" The remains of an old cupboard smashed into that poor, abused wall. "What are you, some kind of coward?! Hiding just cos Reina is looking for you? Huh? Huh!"
Hmmm...makes one wonder if Seirei is even aware that Reina's looking for her, and if she is aware, if she's concerned or not about it.
She did manage to find out about quite a few other interesting things that was going on in the city though. Just not what she was interested in.
I wanna know. :P
*REINA VS THE OTHER VAMPIRE*
Starved? Seems odd, considering the presence of the local population. Methinks there be something else afoot. :yep:
"Are you with him?" He snarled, the sentience in his eyes fading back into a primal bestiality.
Enter...a twist. :O
"...wildest party this month! They even got Seirei to come down! How cool is that?" One punk, his blond mohawk adding a good 3 inches to his height, was gesturing at his friends, sloshing beer from his can everywhere.
...
"Now why don't you tell me all about that party, hmm?" Reina's grin was positively vicious
...
The results, as anyone with two nickels to rub together can guess, was fairly predictable.
Question is though, would Seirei still be there by the time Reina arrives?
"Akito is dead."
...
The elder sat ramrod straight in the traditional position, his expression inscrutable as he studied the reaction of his youngest grandchild. His only grandchild, after this most recent bereavement. The child, no longer fit for that term, he corrected mentally, looked at him with the eyes of one who had seen too much, too young.
"Did he die well?" Her face was pale, her teeth stubbornly holding her lower lip in place as she returned his gaze, chin up and not betraying her still tender years. A faint discoloration that was slashed across one eye was visible for an instant when she blinked, determined not to show emotion before the head of her family.
"His...remains...have been cremated and placed in the family shrine." The clear implication being that Akito had been in no condition for a public funeral by the time he had been returned to his homeland. The girl gritted her teeth, her jaw rippling with a clear anger that was barely controlled after a moment.
So...Akito was the vampire that Reina fought? If so, they must have had someone following him, as they were likely the ones who did whatever it was that they did after Reina took him out. Does his family know about his "condition"? Or dare I say...did they have something to do with it? O_O
*GRANDFATHER/GRANDDAUGHTER CONVERSATION*
Hmmmmm....more mysteries. What's the purpose of the ceremony? What does the initiate become and what duties are he/she given and expected to perform?
"One of our branch families have requested aid in locating one of the wayward members of their line." The old man watched as the girl's lips twitched, as if about to say something. "You may speak freely."
"Grandfather, would that be the same case as the one I read in our archives? The eloped couple?"
The old man nodded approvingly at her quick deduction. "Yes, the very same. Our relatives have been devoting what little resources they can spare towards recovering their lost son, and they have made little progress in all these years. Recently, however, they have uncovered some clues that prove to be very interesting."
"They have had children?" She guessed quickly, and her grandfather actually smiled at her deduction.
"A child. To be precise, one of those." The girl's eyes widened in surprise. The elder nodded.
One of "those"?
...
The daywalker? Common legend does say that vampires have a deep-seeded hatred for dhamphirs.
Akito...watch over your sister. Watch over Aika...
EEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!??!!??!?!?!
:OMG:
A polished wooden cane snapped down sharply next to an abandoned metal pipe. At one glance, the pipe looked rusted at one end...or perhaps not. The figure did not bend to check though, at least not for the pipe. He was far more interested in the ground next to the pipe.
"Interesting..." The voice that slithered out was oily, with a distinctly aristocratic ring to it. He eyed the destroyed wall, then back at the ground. His face split into a very pointed smirk, touching a gloved hand to his chin.
"Very interesting..."
Undoubtedly this must be the "him" that was mentioned earlier during Reina's fight. :yep:
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Sayu, Gaki and Kame are so cute as college students. Urg, I agree with Eri, planning out your classes sucks. I hate doing it every semester....(so I wait until the last minute :P )
Wow, Reina really wants to find Seirei/Ai-chan. Ewww, scary hungry vampire! :shocked: But I'm glad Reina was able to take care of him. But who is this guy that the other vampire thought she was connected to? I wonder if she'll be able to find Seirei now? :D
Wait, hold up. Aika....is she a vampire killer? Or are they vampires too??? I'm actually leaning towards the first one. Ai-yah~
Oh, so this guy is the guy. :lol:
Gah, I really love this! :heart:
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I was afraid that it might be too much for people to process. Lol. XDD; Sorry about the brainsharing request, as of now only Sai, poe-chan and Fimmy have visiting rights (actually, it's only because I can't seem to keep them out entirely >_>...).
Es-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaan... shuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush... dont tell people about our brain sharing XD :lol:
okay now to rewrite the comment (i had posted a comment earlier but it didn't go through ~.~ for some ODD reason *shakes fist at forum*)
I just LOOOVVEE how u write kameshige... particularly Shige <3 <3 <3 <3 <3. I've said it before... I enjoy how you take the chemistry of the couplings and apply them accurately to different settings ^_^. I'm gald things are somewhat back to normal between the trio. Love the fact that Sayu's into economics XD... considering it's a class i'm taking right now =D.
Reina has a hectic life.... foh shizzel! Beating up weird vamps, stalking this ancient, scaring the crap out of punks.........all in a days work for a vampire XD.
Oh and LMAO @ her stalking the old bar man :rofl:
Now on to aika...........OMG AIKA XD is a HUNTER XD didn't see that coming... but I really like it. Things are gonna get mighty interesting now. Initiation sounds painful.......big time. I've seen the crazyness of clans when it comes to this kind of stuff.... and the fact that you mentioned that it would take three months for recover proves right there how many ouchies she's going to say through it. GANBARE AIKA ;-;
Now all this talk about an eploped couple and their child................. I'm super curious..... lets see if i get a direct link to your brain today and spot the info i'm interested in >=D
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Aloha! I'm back again! And wow, fewer comments. Oh well, it makes replying somewhat easier, I guess. Did everyone just give up on the story already? o_o?
Anyway, comment replies first.
whytphyre: Cassie! You commented! Haha. Thanks for being nice enough to do that. Yeah vampires are smexy. XD Now go write IK. Me wants more. :P
Sukoshi: I'm glad I stirred your curiosity! I hope to continue keeping your attention. :P Or at least, I plan to. Hehe. Hopefully this chapter will answer some questions and raise more as well. Teehee.
JFC: Epic comment again. XD Several of your questions will be answered by this chapter, it seems. Hopefully you can guess what's going on...or not. Hehe. Gotta have a few secrets after all. XD
Ichigo-chan: Yeah GakiKameShige is awesome. XD I hate planning my classes too, and I figured Eri wouldn't really like it either. Haha. Read on and find out whether your speculations are correct! XD
poets: Aww. *huggles* You make me happy with comments like that. XD Pity I closed the brain connection so I don't let things slip. :P Can't let people know my evil plots. Muahahaha. XD
Right-o. Some editing and I'll be able to post. Watch this spot!
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Chapter 8 - Accel
"...dubbed the Dark Terror soon after initiation, Soujirou was one of the clan's greatest assets until his defection. On his departure, he also took with him one of the clan heirlooms that had been entrusted to him; the Demon Fang, which draws out the full potential of the warriors of our clan..."
Aika closed the book, leaning back against a wall as she stared outside at the gardens outside her room. It was a beautiful night, she reflected. Wonderful for heading out for a hunt, but duty kept her indoors.
It just wouldn't do to exhaust herself before the ceremony anyway. Given what she had read about what was involved, it sounded painful...and exhausting. It would take some getting used to, certainly.
Still, it had to be done. She would be stronger after the ritual. Idly, she flipped through the book she had already all but memorized from cover to cover. Reading about the traitor helped her get into how he worked, making it easier to deal with him when the time came.
The initial facts didn't really make her feel that much better. Soujirou had been a warrior, much like her own brother had been, and excelled in hand-to-hand combat, mixing magic with physical strikes.
Akito... The sudden reminder of her brother evinced a sharp pain to her chest. His loss had been akin to a physical blow, not only to the clan, but to her as well. He had always been strong, a good warrior, and he had always looked out for her whenever he could.
Even to the point of bending the rules... She smiled a little at that memory, of her first hunt and the unexpected circumstances that had led to her first scar, that jagged reminder of how close she had been to losing an eye or even her whole head to that damnable creature.
She only took some small comfort in the fact that she had also left a deep scar on her opponent in return. Still, it had been a close shave. Her brother had had to step in to rescue her and deflect the killing blow that had left her with the mark commemorating her first near-death experience.
There had been more since that first time, naturally. Hazards were unavoidable in their line of work. Akito had helped her out a lot, training her between assignments, and taking time to have fun whenever possible too.
Aika had since realized that compared to the average 15 year old out there, she had had a very dysfunctional childhood, and an even more dysfunctional life. It was a credit to her brother that she had any kind of a normal childhood at all, what with the endless training they were faced with since birth.
Aika did not blame the clan; it was necessary for what they had to do. Although sometimes, when lying on the ground in a puddle of her own blood, she had to ask: why me?
And yet she still lived, but her brother was dead. Aika mourned him, as was expected. But she could not show grief; grief incapacitated their mental functions, and the slightest error could get them killed in a situation where one mistake could make the difference between life and death.
It hurts...but I have to be strong...I have to... The ink under her fingers smudged as she brushed them lightly across the page, and she lifted her hand, slightly shocked.
Soft pink fingers, just like that of any human, touched one cheek. It came away wet, and Aika stared at her hands, and the tears that they had caught.
Brother, I'm scared... For the first time since she could remember, she admitted that fact to herself. She was afraid. Of the ceremony, of her lifelong task. The weight of the clan's expectations on her young shoulders.
Can I really do it? There was no room for failure. She had to do it, or die trying.
But she had this night to herself. Hugging her knees close to her body, Aika curled into a small ball, letting her tears flow, grieving for her brother...and herself.
In the end, we are still only human after all.
~*~*~
"...night isn't over yet, is everyone having fun?" Her voice rose like a siren call above the raucous crowd, weaving its subtle magic as she projected her aura in a way that allowed her to gauge the general emotions of the revelers.
Even as she spoke, Ai calmly adjusted the music to best pump the crowd up some more. Being able to read the mood of the crowd as accurately as she did could be terribly handy as a DJ.
The party was already in full swing; hell, it had been in full swing since over an hour ago. Ai knew how to work the crowd; partly from skill, mostly from experience. Dealing with crazy mobs was a whole lot more exciting than this, she regretfully reflected.
Opening her senses thus, it helped her reconnect to a humanity long since denied her ever since she first woke to the night as a predator. It was part of why she chose to become a DJ in this particular incarnation; watching humans have fun helped her put things in perspective. She could and did get a bit grim about things at times.
Speaking of grim, something wicked this way comes... A half-smile emerged from the shadowed planes of her face, her highly attuned senses picking up the familiar aura of a person, or should we say, creature?
"For tonight, everyone, forget about the world, forget about reality...spread your wings and Fly!" On cue, she started up the funky beat to that song, adding her own spins and clicks to the already catchy tune. Unconsciously, she started to sing along, adding her own voice to the rapid rapping; fast, slow, soft, hard...she knew music, felt it thrum through her soul, or what was left of it.
Despite knowing the fact that her fragile peace would soon be abruptly and rudely intruded upon by the young upstart so intent on tracking her, she refused to abandon her music, especially not for someone like that. She felt alive in the music, and no mere fledgling was going to disrupt her from that.
On a whim, she started another song, mixing it with Fly...a song she felt was appropriate for her newly acquired stalker. The hypnotic effect of the dual rapping and beats seemed to doing its usual magic, and the crowd seemed lost in their own world of alcohol, dance, and drugs.
If you've fallen in crazy love...if you've fallen in stupid love...if you've fallen in helpless love...
Ai smirked, the tip of one fang peeking out just barely. Almost here...
Even if you don't know who I am...
And there she was. Ai rolled her shoulders around, and waited for her stalker to notice her.
Here I am, so come to me.
~*~*~
Well this sure is a rocking party...
Reina had paused at the other end of the shadowed alley leading to the abandoned carpark where the party was, taking in her surroundings before entering.
Had she still been alive and a teenager at this time, much like she was at the time of her death, she would probably have been at a party like this, having fun and not giving a damn about whether the world was going to collapse in the next minute or not.
Fun times... She actually sighed aloud. Life was a lot less complicated as a human who knew nothing. Dying and being resurrected as an otherworld creature really did a number on one's perspective.
"Whatever." Reina grumbled to herself, shoving her hands into her pockets and trying to appear less conspicuous by blending into the largely drunk and high crowd. It wasn't too difficult, since her outward appearance matched the profile of the kind of people who came to such events.
For another, nobody really cared about her since they were busy doing their own thing. Reina wrinkled her nose. Alcohol, sweat, and clashing perfume mixed with lingering vomit somewhere off in a corner did not mix.
The music really was catchy though, and despite herself she began to bop along with the music while slinking past young people bumping/grinding/groping each other. Among other things. Reina growled when someone tried to paw her, and he backed off.
Being a scary vampire had its benefits. The least of which would be to freak the hell out of people, or at the very least, keep them away from her. Humans might not know about the existence of vampires, but instincts hardwired to the sense of survival automatically shunned the presence of a predator.
And Reina was a predator. On a mission. Target: one very elusive, very annoying, very...holy shit.
Reina very literally froze in the middle of the crowd. Oh wow. Was everyone in the fucking crowd blind? Oh wait, they were drunk and high, that explained it.
Still, how could they miss something like that. Humans. So blind to the world around them. Ever since dying and coming back, Reina had found out just how little she had appreciated the world at large up until then.
Incredible...just...wow... Spellbound would be an understatement. Reina was utterly enraptured. It was like seeing a angel descended from heaven. Or better. Was there a better?
Reina had no comprehension of how long she stood there, admiring the perfection, the sheer power that blazed from her quarry like a veritable halo. It was beyond overpowering; it was pain and pleasure exquisite just to be there.
And then she looked up, a smile hidden in the depths of those eyes that had haunted her since the first time she had seen them, and a shudder ran throughout Reina's cold flesh.
The realization was stark even as she locked gazes with that, that witch standing there, feeling very young and very foolish as she understood just what had been going on the whole time.
Bitch...yanking me around like a fucking dog on a fucking chain... Reina narrowed her eyes at the Ancient, who continued to smile so genially, completely unbothered by the fact that the young vampire was shoving her way through the crowd to get to her.
Wait till I get my hands on you, then I'll, I'll... Reina frowned as she got closer. Eh, I'll think of something.
Right now, she had an Ancient to catch. And damn it all, no one stops Reina from getting what she wants! No one!
A feral grin, a predatory gaze. All aimed at the still relaxed prey. Well, she'd show her.
Cos no one ignores Reina like that, damn you.
~*~*~
Ah, youth. Ai kept her cool even as the little fledgling shoved open a path to her. She had handled worse things than a fledgling stalker. This was hardly a problem.
Not a problem at all. Definitely not. Quite the pleasant distraction, even. Ai only had so many things to amuse herself with, so a little amusement like this could be entertaining for as long as it lasted.
When one has been around long enough to watch Babylon change hands several times, so many other things would seem mundane in comparison. Ai wouldn't call herself jaded, not really. She had merely developed what some might consider a rather...perverse sense of humor.
On second thoughts, the little one is rather charming. Ai watched Reina with a certain bemusement. She had done a little checking up on her young stalker, and was surprised by how the young vampire had managed to survive despite the obvious lack of training and temperance that enabled a long unlife.
She had wanted the other vampire to stay away from her right at first. A peaceful life sounded like a good idea, all 50-odd years of it since that last fiasco. Passing as human was so much easier when she wasn't hanging around other fanged ones. Just the very presence of another vampire reminded her just how not human she was. And she didn't like it. Not really.
Ok, maybe she was just in denial. But cut the girl a break, she's over 4000.
And no, you probably don't want to remind her of that either.
So, repressing. All safe and human makes for a boring vampire. At one time, boring seemed like a good idea. Well, after an overly exciting period of time, taking a break definitely looked a lot better. But half a century of taking it easy?
To be perfectly honest, after all that time, Ai felt that she could use a little fun.
Closer. Reina did not look particularly happy when she obviously made the connection to the fact that Ai had essentially been playing her for a while. Still, the young vampire was clearly unaware of the way she was basically wearing her heart on her sleeve, displaying her emotions for all to see.
It was almost endearing, really. Ai could read a peculiar kind of tension writ large across the tiny shoulders, the intense focus in those off-center eyes. The young one wanted to get to her very badly, that much was obvious. For what reason though, she was less interested.
Right now, all Ai wanted to do was play. And play she would, now that she had the right partner to dance with.
You want me? Come and get me then. Her mental voice was directed straight at Reina, who growled cutely and bared her fangs. Ai rolled her eyes at the display, clearly unimpressed, which seemed to irritate Reina all the more.
And here we go~ Ai handed over her position to her replacement, having arranged for it earlier on. She was a responsible person after all.
One more glance over her shoulder, a taunting smirk. And then she took off, willing the young one to follow her, to chase her.
Reina did not disappoint. Ai felt a familiar thrill as the hunt began. The night called to her, drawing out the vampire from within. And she laughed, soundlessly, an echo of fragile sanity.
Though this be madness, let me revel in it!
~*~*~
If there was one thing Reina was firmly convinced of right at this moment, it was that the woman she sought was clearly mad. Completely, utterly infuriating.
Yet if truth to be told, Reina was having a lot of fun with this. More than she thought she would. Hell, it made her realize that hunting humans was no fun. They didn't even know what was going on.
Hunting Seirei though, was a lot more interesting. Damn that woman. Spreading the crazy bug. Hate her. Love her. Want her.
"Now where did she go?" Reina muttered to herself as she crouched on one darkened rooftop, scanning the veritable causeway of roofs stretching out before her. They had taken the chase from street level to the roofs. Just because they could.
Damn that Seirei. Reina knew the woman was just toying with her, but she stubbornly refused to let go and admit defeat. Tracking that ancient vampire was like playing hide and seek, complete with all the handicaps. Reina had been forced to use all her senses, stretch them to the max, to even catch a whiff of a clue to where that damnable woman had gone.
If she had been thinking about it, she might have appreciated this little game a lot more. In effect, she was getting what she wanted all along: training.
Now, crouched on the edge of a very tall building, Reina scowled at the city below her, just because she could, and it was there. She knew that Seirei could shake her off any time the older vampire wanted, and that knowledge offended her greatly. Just the idea that she was being yanked around on a chain irritated her to no end.
Yet, she couldn't just let it go. It wasn't in her nature to give up. No, she was too damn competitive to just throw in the towel. Concentrating hard again, she tried reaching out, find that elusive presence...and nothing.
"Looking for me?" Her voice. Reina whirled around, saw her quarry sitting on a water pump, swinging her legs like an ordinary schoolgirl and smiling just as sweetly.
Reina had never been known for her patience. And the chase, exhilarating as it had been, was rubbing her nerves raw. She needed to say something, do something, or she'd explode.
Well, she didn't explode. Something else did though. But we'll get to that later.
Right now, Reina was just ticked off. All that unrelieved tension was getting to her. And chasing this beautiful vampire halfway around the city was making her hungry...for all sorts of things.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, huh? It's all a game to you, right? Reina won't lose to you, you know!" Reina accused, stalking closer to the calm vampire seated on the water pump.
Just a bit closer... She pounced. Too late.
"Ow..." Hitting her nose on her pipe wasn't the most glamorous thing she had ever done. She straightened, about to turn around, when she froze again.
Proximity. Reina felt little chills run up her spine, unable to move as a cool hand touched her cheek. Felt the closeness of another body, pressed up against her back. Reina whimpered, as soft lips fluttered across her ear, down to her neck.
For the first time that night, Reina realized another very important fact.
Who was the hunter and the hunted?
It certainly hadn't been her in control. Feeling very helpless, very vulnerable at the moment. Her neck felt very exposed. Reina didn't like the feeling. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little thrill of excitement run through her. Damn instincts.
"Don't worry, I don't bite." An amused voice whispered, stroking Reina's cheek. Despite herself, Reina leaned into the touch and purred, her senses on fire as they reacted to the seductive aura projected by the irresistible vampire touching her.
"You're cute, I like you." If Reina had been in full control of her faculties, she might have been embarrassed by her own reactions. Because she had very damn near melted at the husky tone of that voice.
"Stay out of trouble, alright?" Right into her ear, a voice that practically oozed sex. Reina thought she might faint. A soft kiss to her cheek, almost burning into her skin.
And then just as suddenly, the magic was gone. Reina blinked, missing almost instantly the feeling of intimacy that she had so recently been receiving. She turned around, only to find that she had been left alone on the roof.
Ditched. Again.
This time, her anger was very real and very immediate.
"FUCK YOU, STOP MESSING AROUND WITH ME!" Reina yelled at the uncaring night, flinging her arms outward in an expression of fury.
Behind her, a water pipe burst. Exploded, rather. Into a rather pretty display for plastic shard fireworks. Minus the fire. Because, you know, water and fire don't really mix.
Speaking of water, Reina got a jet stream right in the back, making her not only an annoyed vampire, but also a very wet one. Take that as you will.
Had she been paying more attention to the rest of her though, she would have noticed her hands were still glowing faintly. A glow that soon subsided, as she calmed down after that little hissy fit.
Reina was still sure of one thing though. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
If anything, the game had just officially begun.
~*~*~
Ai smiled faintly at the outburst from her cute little rookie vampire. So young and so volatile. So much fun to play with.
It had been a pity to cut short their time together, but she had things to do. A frown creased her eternally young face as she went back to what had pulled her away from that lovable distraction.
Someone had been watching them, and Ai didn't like that at all. More disturbing was the fact that she hadn't sensed whoever it was until a little earlier. That had been more than a little unnerving.
For the record, very few people (or not-people, you get the idea) could effectively sneak up on her. The fact that someone had been observing her without her noticing shook her more than a lot of other things could.
Also, it probably meant that another non-human was stalking her. Because she was certain that no normal human could come within a hundred meters of her without her noticing. Or even watch her from a great distance without her feeling it. She was just that sensitive, after all.
Now, the first order of business would be to accost that unwanted observer. Ai was fond of her privacy, and if the Covenant had anything to do with this...well, let's just say she would not be pleased. At all.
Latching on to that faint trace of presence that had first alerted her to that other entity, Ai started to move, the very picture of a woman on a mission.
No one ever escaped her. And she wasn't about to break her own record now.
~*~*~
Interesting, I had not expected such potential from one like that. The rhythmic clack of wood on concrete was thoughtful, paced by soft footsteps that barely made a sound.
It had been a very rewarding experience, though tricky. He had not expected someone that powerful to be in the vicinity as well. It had tested all the skills of concealment and misdirection that he had at his disposal to its limits.
To that end, he supposed that his lineage could be credited (or faulted) for that. Gabriel had been a man of certain status in life, but his second life had been rather...disappointing in many respects.
Prejudice, it seemed, ran deep no matter which context one escaped to. It was just a matter of which side one was on. It was something politics had taught him, and it had stayed on even after death.
Perhaps it was only after death that the lessons of life seemed all the more pertinent.
This changes things. The chance was too good to pass up, but the prospect itself was not without risks. He would have to move cautiously, but when did he ever not?
A tug on his senses, a searching pull. Immediately, he suppressed his presence, blending as he deliberately moved into the station. Despite the time, there were still a considerable number of people moving in and out. Perfect for his purposes.
Ah, humanity. He sank into the crowd, becoming part of it. It was fortunate that he had chosen clothing that was not particularly flashy, but still finely cut as his more refined tastes dictated. Naturally, he was still fashionable. Wouldn't do at all to look outdated. One should always keep up with the times, particularly when one had all the time in the world.
He could feel the sense of watching sweep the crowd. He had to give the other one some credit. Not many could even detect his presence, not even those with centuries of experience on him. He had turned a weakness into a great asset on his part. Adaptation, that was the key.
Try as he might though, he could not track the other presence without revealing himself either. No mere Kindred this was, that much he could surmise. Highly skilled, and sensitive to the currents of power. He would have to be very careful indeed.
Gabriel d'Orsay smiled as he stepped onto the last train of the night. For him, all had only just begun, and he had plenty to do.
Little things like planning a reception for that delectable little potential. And avoiding the old one at all costs. So many things he had to attend to himself. After all, who was there to trust if not himself?
He smiled to himself, thinking. Planning.
Games were always more challenging when the odds were against you, was it not?
==========================================================================
And the plot thickens! Haha.
The songs that Ai-chan played were Fly and Fan, both by Epik High. The lyrics for Fan, particularly, suits the situation. Hehe. Go check it out!
If anyone is interested, I have the mp3s. XD Will upload if anyone wants. ^_^
Till next time then!
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I didn't comment on the last chapter, but I'm reading it. This one was great, as usual. I got really excited when I saw how many Reina and Ai scenes you've put there, and I wasn't disappointed! The insight on Aika was sad, though. And the last bit was as mysterious as ever!
something this way comes...
something wicked, maybe?
she's over 4000
oh wow, that's older than I thought. Much much older, lol.
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"...dubbed the Dark Terror soon after initiation, Soujirou was one of the clan's greatest assets until his defection. On his departure, he also took with him one of the clan heirlooms that had been entrusted to him; the Demon Fang, which draws out the full potential of the warriors of our clan..."
Aika closed the book, leaning back against a wall as she stared outside at the gardens outside her room.
A defection, eh?
This Soujirou is the "him" mentioned earlier?
It just wouldn't do to exhaust herself before the ceremony anyway. Given what she had read about what was involved, it sounded painful...and exhausting. It would take some getting used to, certainly.
Still, it had to be done. She would be stronger after the ritual.
Almost sounds like she's going to go through some type of forced/induced mutation.
Hugging her knees close to her body, Aika curled into a small ball, letting her tears flow, grieving for her brother...and herself.
In the end, we are still only human after all.
:cry:
Ai calmly adjusted the music to best pump the crowd up some more.
...
It was part of why she chose to become a DJ in this particular incarnation; watching humans have fun helped her put things in perspective. She could and did get a bit grim about things at times.
Speaking of grim, something this way comes... A half-smile emerged from the shadowed planes of her face, her highly attuned senses picking up the familiar aura of a person, or should we say, creature?
Hmmmm...Reina finally tracked her down?
Reina narrowed her eyes at the Ancient, who continued to smile so genially, completely unbothered by the fact that the young vampire was shoving her way through the crowd to get to her.
An Ancient? Aichan? :?
When one has been around long enough to watch Babylon change hands several times, so many other things would seem mundane in comparison. Ai wouldn't call herself jaded, not really.
Babylon?!?!? :o
She had merely developed what some might consider a rather...perverse sense of humor.
Oooooooooooo...:twisted:
Passing as human was so much easier when she wasn't hanging around other fanged ones. Just the very presence of another vampire reminded her just how not human she was. And she didn't like it. Not really.
Ok, maybe she was just in denial. But cut the girl a break, she's over 4000.
:stunned:
And no, you probably don't want to remind her of that either.
Heh...not unless you actually want to be able to hold your still-beating heart in the palms of your hands, that is.
And here we go~ Ai handed over her position to her replacement, having arranged for it earlier on. She was a responsible person after all.
Hmmm...makes you wonder if the replacement knows about Aichan or not.
*REINA CHASES AICHAN*
Dang.
:sweat:
Behind her, a water pipe burst. Exploded, rather. Into a rather pretty display for plastic shard fireworks. Minus the fire. Because, you know, water and fire don't really mix.
Speaking of water, Reina got a jet stream right in the back, making her not only an annoyed vampire, but also a very wet one. Take that as you will.
XD
Had she been paying more attention to the rest of her though, she would have noticed her hands were still glowing faintly. A glow that soon subsided, as she calmed down after that little hissy fit.
About the "glow", are we talking metaphorically, as in she was still blushing after her contact with Aichan, or literally, as in she was like a lightbulb?
It had been a pity to cut short their time together, but she had things to do. A frown creased her eternally young face as she went back to what had pulled her away from that lovable distraction.
Someone had been watching them, and Ai didn't like that at all.
Uh-oh. "Him"? :O
Ai was fond of her privacy, and if the Covenant had anything to do with this...well, let's just say she would not be pleased. At all.
I take it Aichan is supposed to have connections (perhaps even as a member herself) of this..."Covenant"?
Gabriel d'Orsay smiled as he stepped onto the last train of the night. For him, all had only just begun, and he had plenty to do.
Enter: The unpredictable element.
:dunno:
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ooo that was fun! I liked the chase~ Reina with the purring and the submitting...so cute! :wub: I wonder if Reina's getting more powerful since she made the water pipe explode? If so I'm guessing that's why the Gabriel guy is interested. Hehe the more people fighting over Reina the better =D
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Loved this chapter. I don't think I commented on the chapter with that badass fight scene (which totally won me over btw), but I was happy to see more action in this chapter, though it was a different kind of action. ;)
You want me? Come and get me then. Her mental voice was directed straight at Reina, who growled cutely and bared her fangs. Ai rolled her eyes at the display, clearly unimpressed, which seemed to irritate Reina all the more.
The mental image I had of this made me laugh. Very cute. Funny she got all the more grumpy when Ai shot down her little attempt to...what was she trying to do? Intimidate? Impress? Reina should know better. Doesn't hurt to try I guess. XD
Speaking of water, Reina got a jet stream right in the back, making her not only an annoyed vampire, but also a very wet one. Take that as you will.
Whatever do you mean by that? *whistles innocently* <--because I can't find an "innocent" smiley, or I just haven't look hard enough.
And the plot thickens! Haha.
Can't wait to see Ai in action. Seems like most people...and non-people would be vaporized if she sneezed on them. (Headline News: Ancient Vampire destroys half the world's population when allergy season hit. jk) She needs a little challenge, and looks like she has a few coming. :D
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OHHH,
Ai is so in control of Reina XD
cnt wait for moar hunting!!.haha.. best hunting game ever. >:]
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Aww~~It's soo good to be back XD
Sooo, wow a lot has happened :w00t:
Some crazy bloody battles, some mysterious characters, some cute Kameshige moments and...AIKA IS A HUNTER?! That sure will be interesting :ding:
Ok so now to the best part...ReinAi! :luvluv1:
I absolutely love you for putting those two into this story :inlove: The building tension between them and Reina being so determined to find Ai and Ai playing with Reina acting all seductive...it's just so...so...so AWESOME! I also almost melted down with Reina at one point :wub: XD I can't wait for their another confrontation :roll: and this time I hope no one will interrupt them :twisted:
So, in addition to all this I have to add one more thing...I hate you Gabriel d'whatever...so yeah, that's all XD
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Aww, Aika.. :( As much as I don't want her to kill our vampire hotties, I can't help but have some sympathy for her. I really really love how you made Ai-chan a DJ because music is definitely her forte. And I love how flirty-ish and teasing she is to Reina. Oooh, Reina is smitten (more like fascinated)!! :w00t: :heart: And Ai-chan is most definitely an angel! For some reason, I find it extremely amusing when Reina loses her patience. It's just so realistic. :lol: Ai-chan's got our kitty purring already! :drool: Who is the Gabriel and why is he watching Ai-chan and Reina???? :shocked:
I've seen this update for like days but I've been waiting until I know that I have time to throughly read and comment. :D
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ReinAi.... ReinAi.... I hate it when I read stories that make me root for them. *points at Es-chan* Damn you! Woman!
Okay, after the complaining comes the commenting.
You teased us with Aika >.<... you gave us a a little and just when I wanted more about her... you cut it off :(. But I wont rank on you to much about it... cause you compensated just nicely with the ReinAi.
The Reinai scenes were awesome XD, loved loved LOVED how you introduced Reina. That moment when Reina looked up and becomes just star-struck...*thinks* or should i say Vamp-struck.... *shruggs* w/e.... Anywho, I promise you I could hear the chorus pumping in the background, the crowd just dancing away as Reina and Ai exchanged glances. Good moment Es, good moment *lol*
The Chase was awesome! But the finale was epic! Gotta love it when Ai goes all seme and Reina turns all uke... it was JUST *_____________* epic
Just a bit closer... She pounced. Too late.
"Ow..." Hitting her nose on her pipe wasn't the most glamorous thing she had ever done. She straightened, about to turn around, when she froze again.
HAHAHAHH XD... I can acutally relate to this moment...dont ask how
Who was the hunter and the hunted?
About time she asked herself that question
"You're cute, I like you."
Simple reasons work the best ^_^
As for the new guy... I guess I should just sit and wait
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awesome, great to see u back at writing!!!<3 hope u update this and AA soon! =D
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wow, i love the RenAi interactions
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And no, you probably don't want to remind her of that either.
for some reason, i had to think of yuko there XDDD
however, the chapter was great... again XD
and there was RenAi <333~ *loves it*
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Ok, I admit I've been gone for a while from this story. :3 Got distracted by Nocturne. Hehe.
But then a certain someone keeps prodding me every now and then for this, so I finally caved and wrote it! Sorry about not replying to the comments, I don't feel quite up to it at the moment. :3
Without further ado, chapter 9. :D
===========================================
Chapter 9 - Fugue
"See you after class later!" A cheerful Niigaki Risa waved to her friends as they parted ways, each heading to their own lessons. Shouldering her own pack in one swift motion, Risa turned and started walking towards the buildings on the south side, where her class was.
It was a clear morning, blue sky adorned with wispy decorations that swirled endlessly overhead, carried by the prevailing wind. A pleasant breeze topped things off, making her feel like nothing could go wrong today.
"Yosh, today's another good day!" Risa said to herself, a broad smile on her face as she stepped right along. Along the way, other coursemates waved to her, and she acknowledged them just as brightly. She liked people, and people liked her back. That sunny personality had a lot to do with it, naturally.
Walking past the administration block for her faculty, Risa greeted a lecturer respectfully before moving to take a shortcut towards the classroom she was headed towards. As she passed the glass doors of the administration building, a petite girl scurried out, colliding into her.
"Ah!" Risa was not particularly tall, but it seemed that this girl was even smaller than her, and fragile to boot. In fact, the impact of their collision appeared to have knocked her clear off her feet, and the girl in question was currently sitting on the hard pavement, her glasses on the ground next to her.
"Are you ok?" Risa immediately knelt down, trying to make sure that the stranger was fine. Said stranger had her eyes lidded as if the surroundings were too bright for her, which was a little strange, since it wasn't all that sunny out yet. Her hands scrabbled around for her glasses, which Risa had to pick up and hand over to her, noting as she did so that the lenses were tinted for UV protection.
"Y-yes...thank you..." The girl said a bit hesitantly, peering like a frightened mouse from the bushes at the person she had collided into. Risa simply smiled, offering a hand to the other girl, and they stood up.
"Are you a freshman?" Risa asked, since the girl didn't look particularly old to her, and she would certainly recognize any other students of her own level or higher within the same course.
"Actually, I'm a transfer student..." The smaller girl murmured, looking down as she brushed the dirt off her almost all-white outfit. Her short hair swept forward to hide more of her face as she bowed her head almost shyly.
"Ah, that's unusual. Where are you headed? You look a bit lost." Risa smiled again, trying to bring the shy stranger out of her shell.
"Um, it says here..." The girl pulled out her schedule, pointing at the class in question.
"Ehhh! That's my class!" Risa blurted out, then grinned again. "I guess that makes us classmates, yes?" She stuck her hand out.
"I am Niigaki Risa. Pleased to meet you."
The girl stared at the hand for a moment, then returned the gesture tentatively. Her smile was just as tentative as her actions as she replied.
"My name is Takahashi Ai. I'll be in your care."
~*~*~
"You're older than me? Uso!" Risa exclaimed as they walked out of class together.
"Yes, well, I've been told that I don't look my age..." Ai replied with an enigmatic sort of smile playing on her lips. She clutched her file close to her, her white suede boots clicking on the ground as she walked.
"Eh...so what made you decide to come here? I mean, I don't want to be too forward and all, but..." Risa corrected herself, trying to restrain her enthusiasm a little.
"Well, I decided that I needed a break from my regular lifestyle. School seems like a good way to update myself anyway." Ai replied honestly, flicking a glance at her newfound friend.
"That's unusual." Risa commented, before adding hastily. "Commendable though. Most people just want to get out of school after they get their degree."
"Lamentable. Knowledge is important too." Ai opined as they crossed a street.
Risa looked around, which prompted Ai to ask.
"Are you meeting friends? In that case, maybe I should leave..." Ai started, already beginning to move away. Risa quickly grabbed the girl's arm, noting almost absently the slight flinch as she did so. The girl's arm was also more solid than she had expected. Clearly, Ai was not as fragile as she had appeared on first sight.
"Yes, I mean, no!" Risa blundered around trying to find the right words as Ai watched her with some amusement. "I mean, yes I'm meeting friends. But you don't have to go, I would like to introduce you to them. You should make more friends since you're new."
"If it's not too much trouble..." Ai demurred politely, but Risa tugged her along anyway.
"Never too much trouble. Come on!"
~*~*~
"Ah~ She's so cute!" Sayumi squealed the moment Risa introduced Ai to them. Ai 'eeped' and smoothly stepped out of the way of a crushing hug. Risa sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Don't mind her, she's just a little crazy sometimes." Risa explained apologetically, but Ai simply shook her head with a smile.
"It's alright. I've met stranger people." The exact color of her eyes was indistinguishable given the bluish tint on the lenses of her glasses, but they seemed very dark and lively even then as she fixed an appraising look on Sayumi.
"I suppose it can't be helped though..." Ai smiled in that oddly enigmatic way of hers again, as if appreciating some odd joke that only she could perceive.
"Is she your new girlfriend, Gaki-san?" Eri asked innocently, and Risa spluttered helplessly before turning on her turtle friend.
"What are you talking about, Kame!? Don't spout nonsense!" Risa blabbered about, trying to hide the fierce blush that currently adorned her cheeks. Next to her, Ai giggled, tucking her chin lower to hide her laughter.
"She really is cute though...if you don't want her, I'll take her!" Sayumi grinned deviously, sliding over next to Ai and looping their arms together. Ai gave her a bemused sort of look, the taller bunny girl looking down with a bright smile...
...that faded slightly as their eyes met. Sayumi stared at the calm orbs behind blue-tinted lenses, the hairs on the back of her neck rising up inexplicably. Ai only looked back placidly, seeming entirely harmless no matter how one looked at her.
"Ah, maybe I shouldn't steal her from Gaki-san!" Sayumi quickly let go, going back to lean against Eri instead. "What will Eririn do without me~"
Risa sighed dramatically. "Now you see what I have to put up with all the time..."
Ai simply smiled.
~*~*~
"Aren't we both too old for hide and seek?" Reina muttered under her breath as she flattened herself against a brick wall, melting almost seamlessly into shadow.
The city had turned into their playground, the nightscape providing a perfect backdrop for a game of cat and mouse. And for all that Reina physically resembled a cat, she was definitely the hunted in this case.
Or just a kitty given a string to chase... Reina thought just a tad grumpily as she masked her aura , erasing the outward traces to make it more difficult for anyone to detect her.
Not the first night since she had been out doing this; running and hiding, all while trying to chase down the elusive Seirei. She could feel the elder vampire watching her, and as if to add insult to injury, the master vampire would occasionally appear out of nowhere to tag her, before disappearing without a trace again.
It was aggravating, but it was fun. Reina never knew when or where exactly Seirei would appear; some nights, the elder vampire never showed up at all. Yet, Reina could still feel herself being watched, and resolved to prove herself worthy enough for that arrogant vampire to accept her as a pupil.
I wonder how her blood tastes like... Involuntarily, Reina extended her fangs in the equivalent of a drool, an instinctive reaction she could not quite control. She had not desired the blood of another vampire since...since? Reina frowned, sliding along the wall to sneak down the alleyway.
There had been her master. That had been the first vampire blood she had tasted, and the scent was imprinted into her visceral memory. The blood of other vampires that she had encountered in her existence thus far had never interested her; then again, most of them had been weaker than her, and it provoked no reaction from her.
From what little she had managed to observe thus far, strength seemed to be the deciding factor in the vampire world. Reina could understand that. The human world was not so very much different, and it was not quite that long ago that she was human herself. A mere 10 years, unchanging in her present form, but still within a human's lifespan. Not so easy to forget what it was like, at least, not all of it.
A tap on her shoulder, no more than a light touch, and this time Reina's hand shot out before she even thought to turn around, desperate to grab hold of the elusive vampiress that had been stalking her.
Fingers gliding across smooth, pale skin, no more than a fleeting touch. It was like trying to grab hold of smoke or mist. Near impossible...
...unless, of course, the target didn't mind being caught.
A figure clad in full black, like a hunting panther. Sleek and dangerous, silent and deadly. Again, Reina was forced to wonder who was the hunter in this game. She had a sinking feeling that it wasn't herself.
A moment of silence passed, dark eyes fixed on the grip that Reina had just barely managed to secure. Reina stared back defiantly, valiantly trying to disguise her discomfort.
"Ara, you've improved." A fanged smile, mesmerizing in the moonlight. Slender fingers smoothly reversed the loose two-finger hold Reina had on her wrist, turning the tables around easily to trap the younger vampire against a wall.
There really wasn't very much of a difference between their heights, but Reina felt very small in front of a domineering Seirei. Not far from a kitten caught between a tiger's paws, helpless.
She didn't very much like the feeling.
"Didn't your Master ever tell you it's rude to bare your fangs at someone else?" Ai smiled mysteriously, using her free hand to playfully poke at Reina's exposed fangs. Reina yelped and glared malevolently at the elder, pressing her lips together into a thin pout.
"Reina doesn't like you." The young vampire blurted out recklessly, without thinking. She found thought to be well nigh impossible in front of this damnably attractive vampire. That and she was feeling rather on the defensive side, and had to say something to save her pride.
Never mind that she didn't really mean it, or that the person in question could likely crush her with one pinky. Some deep, feral instinct told her that Seirei would not kill her, not for something like this.
She was right. Ai smiled, amused. She had still yet to reveal her true name, or well, her current name, to this young upstart, but she felt little need to. This young one was nothing more than a very enjoyable past time.
"Why do you keep chasing Reina? When are you going to teach Reina anything?" Ai chuckled at the insistent questions from her little toy, pinching the younger vampire on the nose lightly, making her squint and pout even more.
"I'm not chasing you, Reina." She all but purred Reina's name, making the younger shudder in her arms. Their bodies had somehow pressed against each other during the exchange, Ai still maintaining her hold on Reina's wrist against the wall, but otherwise there was little space left separate between the two.
"You are the one who doesn't want to let go." Ai finished, gesturing down with her eyes. Reina followed her gaze, the tip of her ears reddening in embarrassment when she noticed her own free hand wrapped around Ai's waist, pulling the elder close.
"You said..." Reina mumbled in a very small voice, but did not let go of the older vampire. Ai let a fang slip out again as she smirked.
"I promised nothing, kitten..." Reina looked up, slightly offended and even a bit outraged, but was caught by Ai's intense gaze. The elder vampire merely ran one cold hand down Reina's cheek, sliding down to grasp firmly at the young one's chin.
"Ah..." Reina squeaked, feeling suddenly afraid as Ai jerked downwards sharply, forcing her mouth open to expose her fangs to the night. Reina felt very vulnerable as Ai tilted her head to the side, as if studying an interesting specimen.
Why was she letting this arrogant vampire manipulate her? Reina felt her pupils contract angrily, displeased that she, a vampire in her own right, was being toyed with by another. She was strong now; she didn't have to bow to anyone else!
Gathering her strength, Reina was about to break free of the hold when Ai pushed her flat against the wall with enough force to send some dust sprinkling down on them both. Reina's eyes bulged outwards at the impact, reeling slightly from the shock even as Ai leaned in close.
"Don't even think about it." Her voice was a sensuous snarl, more taunting than truly upset. "You're a thousand years too young to pick a fight with me."
Flattening her ears back, Reina hissed defiantly, much like the cats that she resembled. She felt threatened by this dominant presence, although some remnant of good sense within her was begging her aggressive side to just roll over and play dead.
Ai shifted her grip from Reina's chin down to the younger's neck, feeling Reina shudder as her fingers closed around such a vulnerable area. Unconsciously, Ai licked her lips, her fangs showing more prominently as she glowered dangerously.
Reina swallowed nervously, her gaze helplessly drawn towards the revealed fangs with increasing trepidation. Was the elder vampire going to bite her? An unconscious shudder ran through her spine, partly from fear, and partly from...excitement?
What's this? I want her to bite me...? Reina's eyes went slightly wide at the thought. How could that be? What was going on? She did not, could not understand.
Ai merely continued to give her a completely inscrutable look, her hand still locked around Reina's throat. Then she smiled, a strange, dangerous sort of smile.
"There's so much that you don't know..." Her thumb, sliding down a major artery, making Reina swallow nervously again. "You don't understand at all, do you...?"
"Then you teach me." Reina rasped out breathlessly, her pupils already narrowed to slits. Her traitorous hand still clung stubbornly on to the elder vampire, needy for everything that this enigma could offer her.
"I am not your Master." Ai hissed lowly, pressing so close against Reina that their noses were almost touching. "Who do you think you are, trying to attach yourself to me?"
Reina could not answer even if she could have found a decent reply, because the next moment her mouth was engulfed by an overwhelming force, relentlessly plundering its depths and claiming everything within reach as its own.
Reina pawed helplessly at the front of Ai's black jacket, unable to exert any more force beyond that. Ai was an unstoppable force, dominating her every sense and aggressively marking territory. Teeth, tongue and lips clashed like battling armies, except that Reina was barely putting up any more than a token resistance against a vastly superior force.
Her tongue lashed around Ai's fangs, both of them having somehow avoided piercing each other with their fangs during that exchange thus far. Reina broke that unspoken rule though, brazenly using the sharp tips to break the skin of Ai's inner lip in an attempt to regain some control over the situation.
The first waft of blood rushed like a heady shot of the most potent brew she had ever known through all her senses, sending alarm bells ringing through her head in the best way possible. That scant taste made Reina reel; how could anything taste so good? Not even fresh human blood was anything compared to this exquisite taste. She wanted more. No, needed more.
Before she could bite any further, Ai forced her back, using her own fangs to nip warningly at Reina's tongue. The added mix of Reina's own blood only served to inflame the younger vampire, her eyes rapidly turning feral as she clawed wildly at Ai, desperate for more.
The elder vampire held her easily at arm's length, an indecipherable look in her eyes. She seemed displeased, even disturbed, by something. Licking her own lip to clean the blood off, she frowned at the taste of Reina's blood at the tip of her tongue, looking at Reina slightly differently from before.
"You..." Reina snarled at her, still caught up in her instincts. Ai sighed and applied more pressure on Reina's neck, shaking the girl slightly.
"Get a grip on yourself. It's unbecoming for someone of your lineage." Ai commanded. Reina shuddered violently, the fog in her eyes clearing with a start. She continued to stare longingly at Ai though, like a child denied her favorite treat. Her mind started working again though, catching on to Ai's words.
"My...lineage?" Reina seemed confused. "You know...who my Master is?"
"Know her?" Ai smiled enigmatically, finally releasing her chokehold on Reina's neck. The younger vampire rubbed at it, eyeing the elder cautiously. Some part of her still wanted to lunge at the other vampire, but good sense (and survival instinct) kept her from pursuing such a suicidal act.
"I know more than that." Ai did not seem inclined to offer more information, only taking a step back. Reina reached forward, wanting to ask more, but Ai was already out of reach, flashing away in an instant.
Know your place, kitten.
Cheap parting shot! Reina threw the thought back, but that domineering presence was no longer there. Muttering a curse, Reina kicked at the nearest object, sending the crushed, empty can scuttling down the alleyway.
Overhead, the waxing moon shone with a pale luminescence, yet never penetrating far enough down into the dark bowels of the earth. Too many things, lying hidden in shadow.
More than one predator was out there, and not all of them drank blood.
Only the moon knew them all.
====================================================================
:D I had fun.
*crawls back into hole*
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OMG!! I can't believe you updated this. But er...I can't really remember where you last left us hanging. Gotta read through this again. *awaits Hammy Potter opportunity* :P
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Chapter 9 - Fugue
"Yosh, today's another good day!" Risa said to herself, a broad smile on her face as she stepped right along. Along the way, other coursemates waved to her, and she acknowledged them just as brightly. She liked people, and people liked her back. That sunny personality had a lot to do with it, naturally.
It's hard NOT to like her. :)
As she passed the glass doors of the administration building, a petite girl scurried out, colliding into her.
"Ah!" Risa was not particularly tall, but it seemed that this girl was even smaller than her, and fragile to boot. In fact, the impact of their collision appeared to have knocked her clear off her feet, and the girl in question was currently sitting on the hard pavement, her glasses on the ground next to her.
Smaller than Risa? :?
One of the Kids?
"Are you ok?" Risa immediately knelt down, trying to make sure that the stranger was fine. Said stranger had her eyes lidded as if the surroundings were too bright for her, which was a little strange, since it wasn't all that sunny out yet. Her hands scrabbled around for her glasses, which Risa had to pick up and hand over to her, noting as she did so that the lenses were tinted for UV protection.
Oooooooooooooooooooh hello now. UV protection, eh? O_o
"Actually, I'm a transfer student..." The smaller girl murmured, looking down as she brushed the dirt off her almost all-white outfit. Her short hair swept forward to hide more of her face as she bowed her head almost shyly.
"Ah, that's unusual. Where are you headed? You look a bit lost." Risa smiled again, trying to bring the shy stranger out of her shell.
"Um, it says here..." The girl pulled out her schedule, pointing at the class in question.
"Ehhh! That's my class!" Risa blurted out, then grinned again. "I guess that makes us classmates, yes?" She stuck her hand out.
"I am Niigaki Risa. Pleased to meet you."
The girl stared at the hand for a moment, then returned the gesture tentatively. Her smile was just as tentative as her actions as she replied.
"My name is Takahashi Ai. I'll be in your care."
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!??!? Aichan??? :o
But then...given the description of this girl that Risa just bumped into (literally), unless she's putting on an act and their meeting like this was NOT an accident, then she can't possibly be Seirei (especially if Risa doesn't recognize her as such, unless of course she's doing the "Clark Kent" style of disguise).
:mon huh2:
Most people just want to get out of school after they get their degree."
"Lamentable. Knowledge is important too." Ai opined as they crossed a street.
Indeed it is. :yep:
"Are you meeting friends? In that case, maybe I should leave..." Ai started, already beginning to move away. Risa quickly grabbed the girl's arm, noting almost absently the slight flinch as she did so. The girl's arm was also more solid than she had expected. Clearly, Ai was not as fragile as she had appeared on first sight.
If Aichan IS putting on an act, and really is Seirei in disguise, then what's her purpose here? Is she "on the hunt" so to speak?
"Ah~ She's so cute!" Sayumi squealed the moment Risa introduced Ai to them. Ai 'eeped' and smoothly stepped out of the way of a crushing hug. Risa sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Don't mind her, she's just a little crazy sometimes." Risa explained apologetically, but Ai simply shook her head with a smile.
:lol:
"It's alright. I've met stranger people.
XD
"She really is cute though...if you don't want her, I'll take her!" Sayumi grinned deviously, sliding over next to Ai and looping their arms together. Ai gave her a bemused sort of look, the taller bunny girl looking down with a bright smile...
...that faded slightly as their eyes met. Sayumi stared at the calm orbs behind blue-tinted lenses, the hairs on the back of her neck rising up inexplicably. Ai only looked back placidly, seeming entirely harmless no matter how one looked at her.
What the... :shocked
*REINA-SEIREI's HIDE AND SEEK*
So these two DO have a history then?
"Didn't your Master ever tell you it's rude to bare your fangs at someone else?" Ai smiled mysteriously, using her free hand to playfully poke at Reina's exposed fangs. Reina yelped and glared malevolently at the elder, pressing her lips together into a thin pout.
OSNAP it IS Aichan! Seirei's Aichan!!!
...
Strange that she was able to spend the day with Risa and the others without any of them recognizing her from the party (especially Risa, who, remember, had been "drawn" to her :D).
*REINAI GETTIN' "CLOSE"*
Yowza...vampire make out session. :O
"Get a grip on yourself. It's unbecoming for someone of your lineage." Ai commanded.
Her lineage? Is Aichan referring just to the fact that Reina's a fellow vampire, or is there something more about her that we haven't heard of yet?
"My...lineage?" Reina seemed confused. "You know...who my Master is?"
...
"I know more than that." Ai did not seem inclined to offer more information, only taking a step back. Reina reached forward, wanting to ask more, but Ai was already out of reach, flashing away in an instant.
AW COME ON! DON'T LEAVE US HANGING!!
:frustrated:
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ESSY I LOVE YOU. :muffin: :inlove:
You also broke my silence of not posting. ^__________^
Don't leave us hanging with Sayu!
... and oh yeah, hi everybody. In case you're wondering, I'm the one who's been poking Estrea to get the new chapter out already. Since January, if our chat logs are right. ;)
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You updated!!! I thought this fic was lost and gone forever. XD
Takagaki... Reinai... Best of both worlds... Can't get any better than that. XD :heart:
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I nearly forgot about this story. :P But I'm oh so glad it's kinda back, at least for the time being. AWWWW, Ai-chan seems so vulnerable when she meets Gaki. :wub: My kind of cutesy raburabu~ Oh? Do Sayu and Ai-chan know each other? :w00t: Mmmm, and then some Reinai. :inlove: Hmm, who is this master and why does Ai-chan know her? Oh and I thought that the line "Reina doesn't like you" was soo kyaaa~~~ :heart: I can just imagine her pouting. :D
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finally u update tis again..XD..
love e renai scene.. :lol: :lol:
AiGaki, RenAi = best..XD
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Whooo! You updated! I was just thinking of this story just a couple days ago...so yay yay :pen_whirl:
ah baby vampire Reina...how I missed you :wub:
I like how Ai chan made her move into the Risa's world...I'm excited at the thought of what's to come. It cracked me up a lot when Sayu left Ai chan to Gaki once she felt that Ai chan was dangerous XD I hope the bunny girl at least gives Gaki a warning.
"Reina doesn't like you."
awww...isn't that like the sweetest saying ever? XD it can melt anyone's heart :wub:
need more baby vampire Reina~ she's just too adorable :shy1:
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an update :muffin:
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Now I remember what this was about. I went back to read the last few chapters. I'm POSITIVE Sayu realized there was something about Ai that was different from them and she's probably a little freaked. I LOL'ed that Risa took to the new girl aka Ai so quickly. Some things are just written in the stars eh :P
PS: Don't be sad Essy-chan. It will be a brighter day. It might take many days but still, that day will come. If you still feel upset, go bully Stef or something XD
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^ :dunno: me?
Barrrrrrssskett! What am I... both of your punching bag when you guys are emo/depressed or something?!
Saweet chapter btw. Although I forgot what happened in the previous few chapters and I'm lazy to re-read :P Why was Sayu afraid(?) of Ai? Did she sense that Ai was different or something?
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!
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I'm back! Yeah, I kind of am alternating between Nocturne and Gegenschein. :3 Hehe.
Comment replies first, then new chapter! :D
lil_hamz: Hehe thought the TakaGaki would make you happy. Yeah, it's cute, isn't it? XD Ehhhhh, I can't believe you just told me to go bully Stef! Are you sure you're ok, Hammy? Lol. :P
JFC: This coming chapter should hint at why Risa and the others didn't recognize Aichan. Just remember that in her 'Seirei' persona, Aichan has a sort of a glamour on, so people don't recognize her easily. :P What is Aichan doing with them I wonder? Hehe. Who knows? I love leaving you guys hanging, you know that. Reina's lineage huh...you'll see in future chapters. :3
kitaoji: Haha you should lurk a little less for this story at least. You and your nagging...lol. But hey, at least now I'm inspired again. あなたのおかげで。 :D
Fenrir: Aww it did seem like I abandoned the story, but never fear! Estrea is here! Ok, that sounded lame. XD Yup, best of both worlds here. :D
Ichigo-chan: Don't worry, I almost forgot the story too. Lol. But not so much that I completely had to redo the plans. XD I have an amazing brain when it comes to fic-memory lol. Why does Aichan know Reina's master indeed...well, who knows? XD Reina pouting = love. :D Stay tuned!
alwaysYou: Yeah I know. Finally a new chapter...and more to come! :D
Sukoshi: Baby vampire Reina is awesome, yes she is. Sayu's always funny, no matter where she appears lol. More baby vampire Reina? More coming up. :3
kRisZ: Yay update~ XD
stefy: Oi, I don't bully you hor. Don't drag me in between you and Hammy. Heh. Ya I know you forgot what happened previously, because you had to ask me on MSN. >_> Luckily I'm nice enough to forgive you. :P I still can't believe you ploughed your way through the chapter just to answer to Hammy's comment. XD Bravo! Well yeah, Sayu's good at sensing things. As for why she can do that, well, that's a secret! XD
rev2hd: ?!
Yup, new chapter coming up! Watch this spot!
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WEDGE STREAK.
¿¡
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Chapter 10 - Moto
"Ah...bored..." Eri mumbled as she tried balancing her pen on her nose. Next to her, a bespectacled Sayumi swiftly snatched the pen away from her best friend and tapped her on the side of her head with it.
"Eririn, at least try reading your texts!" The first year student scolded. Eri pulled a face and laid her chin on the stack of thick books, pouting like a petulant child.
Opposite them, Niigaki Risa backed up her kouhai's assessment of the situation.
"I know you have a test next week, so at least pretend to study, Kame." Risa had her own books open in front of her, a pencil in one hand making notes in the margins. Eri sulked, sticking her tongue out at the older girl.
"Maa...it's just a philosophy test... I can go in, write a whole bunch of nonsense, and still pass~" Eri yawned breezily and rested her head on her arms, on top of her books.
"I give up. She's right." Risa massaged her own temples. "She does always manage a pass in her classes somehow..." The literature student scowled down at her own meticulous notes.
"If only it were as easy for me..."
Sayumi grinned, tapping on her calculator as she went through a few more practice questions.
"Fret not, Gaki-san. I feel your pain~" Sayumi paused in her work, puzzling over the equation.
"You made a mistake here." A quiet voice pointed out, her own pen falling on where she had spotted the error in Sayu's calculations. Sayumi stared at it, exclaiming out loud.
"Ah! You're right!" She erased the section and redid it. "Yay now it comes out right! Thanks!"
"You're welcome." Ai smiled a bit shyly back, bowing her head down to return to her own work. Risa grinned at the girl next to her.
"Ai-chan is really smart!" Ai shook her head.
"No no, I just spent more time studying, that's all..." Her smile was tentative as she looked up at Risa. Sayumi had paused in her work, looking between the two of them with a speculative look in her eyes. Next to her, Eri smiled vaguely, having instantly fallen asleep just now.
"You two are really cute together~" Sayumi teased her two seniors. The pair both blushed, Risa more obviously than Ai, who simply 'eeped' and looked down, letting her fringe hide her eyes.
"W-what are you talking about? There's nothing going on at all! Don't talk nonsense!" Risa blabbered, almost dropping her pencil in her agitation. Sayumi giggled.
"I said nothing, Gaki-san~ What are you so excited for?" The little devil teased. Risa suppressed her instinctive reaction and just put down her pencil, pushing away from the table with a screech.
"I'm going to get some coffee. Do you guys want anything?"
Sayumi also put down her pen, taking a glance around the study area of the library. There were a fair number of other students scattered around, their books and notes all over the place. Then she glanced at Eri next to her, who appeared to be mumbling in her sleep again.
"I'll go with you Gaki-san." Sayumi took off her reading glasses and placed them on top of her notes, shooting a quick glance at Ai, who only stared back innocently.
"I'll be fine here. And I don't need a drink." Ai smiled reassuringly up at Risa, who flushed lightly at the look and quickly nodded, stepping past her and joining Sayumi on the other side.
"Nngh...Sayu...coffee..." Eri mumbled more loudly this time, lifting one hand to wave at the departing girl. Sayumi simply turned around and ruffled Eri's hair affectionately. Eri tilted her head upwards and gave her a vague sort of smile, squinting cutely upwards like a child.
"I'll be right back, Eririn." Sayu patted Eri indulgently and trotted after Risa, who was already waiting for her a little ahead. Ai watched them go with a smile.
"Kamei-san?" One lazy eye popped open to regard Ai with amazing clarity.
"Mm?" Ai also put down her pen, resting her cheek on the palm of her hand.
"That's a very nice necklace you have there. Where did you get it from?"
Eri blinked sleepily as she stretched, then drew the necklace out from inside her clothes to look at it. It seemed a bit dulled by age, more an antique than a real accessory. Eri shrugged, rubbing at the indented surface.
"Mama gave it to me. I never take it off, not even in the shower." She grinned and put it back. "I guess you could call it a lucky charm." The amulet slipped back smoothly, out of sight once more.
"More importantly though, how did you see it? I'm sure I never took it out before."
Ai masked her discomfort with a cough. "I could see the chain around your neck. It had an interesting design that I thought I recognized..."
Eri did not comment any further, although she yawned again. Ai smiled disarmingly at the younger girl, quickly changing the subject. One glance at the book that Eri had been conveniently using as a pillow gave her an easy opening.
"So, do you think the Cartesian theater is essentially an infinite loop of awareness that reinforces the whole premise of circular reasoning?"
Eri brightened up at the question, suddenly appearing more awake and alert than she had been moments ago. Straightening in her chair, she leaned forward, eyes bright and lively.
"Well you see, I think that..."
~*~*~
"Gaki-san."
"Yes, Sayumin?"
The two girls stood in front of the vending machine, the taller Sayumi scuffing her feet around as she hummed about something. Risa said nothing, raising an eyebrow as she waited for her junior to respond.
"Be careful with Takahashi." The warning left her mouth before she could find a way to moderate it, and Sayumi glanced quickly at Risa to gauge the response.
As she expected, Risa only laughed with some confusion.
"Why? Ai-chan is such a nice person." Sayumi sighed.
"Well...don't you think she's a little...weird? Like, isn't there something off about her?" Sayumi trusted her instincts, and her instincts warned her that Takahashi was not merely a normal person. Never mind that the woman appeared to be harmless most of the time. There was just something not right about her.
Risa shook her head. "You're just imagining things, Sayumin. Ai-chan's just a bit shy, that's all."
Sayumi bit her lip, unable to explain just why she had a gut feeling that their new friend was not all that she appeared to be. At least, the foxy devil reasoned, Takahashi did not have any malicious intentions...for now. First sign of any malevolent intent though, Sayumi would be out of there in an instant, friends in tow.
"If you say so, Gaki-san. Just...just be careful, alright?"
Risa nodded as they walked back to the study area, to the sight of an intense discussion between Ai and Eri. The two girls appeared to be debating some kind of obscure topic, if the jargon thrown around was any indication.
"Well, at least they're getting along..." Risa managed to comment after a moment of gaping at the completely alien concepts being shuttled back and forth between two nimble minds. Sayumi blinked at the excited expression on Eri's face, feeling a weird stab of jealousy at the sight.
"Hmph, definitely suspicious..." She mumbled to herself, glaring at the back of Ai's head. Stomping over, she planted herself right next to Eri, putting the can of coffee in front of her best friend.
"Ah, thanks Sayu!" Was all the acknowledgment she received, since Eri went right back to her discussion with Ai. Sayumi pouted, and shot a dark look at the radiant Ai.
Now I really don't like her...
And then Ai caught her gaze, and then inexplicably, winked knowingly without so much as a change in expression. Sayu swallowed and looked back down at her hands under the table. They were shaking, and Sayu felt a frisson of fear run through her again.
Does she know...?
Ai only smiled to herself as she continued in animated discussion with an equally enthusiastic Eri.
This was turning out to be a good night after all.
~*~*~
Reina was hungry.
And a hungry Reina was never a good thing. Especially not now, when she was a big, scary vampire. Okay, minus the big. But still a scary vampire.
Sulking from her favorite rooftop, Reina scowled downwards at the city. That annoying vampire, Seirei, had always kept her running around like some kitten chasing a string, and that had left very little time for real hunting.
Then again, she didn't really need all that much blood to survive. She did not have to eat 3 times a day like humans did. Draining one or two adults completely dry could last her for about a month or so. Anything more than that could be considered as a snack.
Vampires are opportunistic feeders. The words of her Master came back to her, in that whirlwind lecture she had gotten on the basics of survival when she had first awoken. Reina would never turn down an easy meal, and would take someone down randomly just because she felt like it.
We follow our desires. Licking her fangs speculatively, Reina dropped off the roof, hurtling down with startling speed, but landing cat-like on her feet with nary a sound. She had picked up that trick early on after being on the run from a hunter.
To hell with Seirei's demented hide-and-seek game. Reina wanted to feed on fresh blood, and she would have it regardless. Besides, she deserved a little reward for improving in that little game as well. Damn her (not)mentor for only teasing her with that sham of a kiss.
The memory of Seirei's blood on her tongue only made Reina's fangs itch almost painfully. Shaking herself, Reina tried to push that thought away, instead focusing on finding a handy meal right now.
Let's see, I think I'll pick a girl tonight...
Vanishing into shadow, Reina began stalking the night for suitable prey.
~*~*~
"Ah~ We studied later than expected!" Eri yawned at the end of her sentence, stretching lazily as she walked in step beside Sayumi.
"Oh please Kame, you didn't study at all." Risa retorted smartly, giving the turtle girl a playful whack on the shoulder. Eri screwed up her face in mock pain and pretended to bawl.
"Sayu!!! Gaki-san is so mean!" Eri clung to her best friend dramatically. Sayumi only laughed and hugged Eri with her free arm. On the other end, next to Risa, Ai giggled as well, her books stuffed in a large carry-bag.
"Ah, the street lamps are out..." Sayumi commented as they walked into a dark stretch of street leading to the station. Eri looked around nervously, clearly unnerved. Risa smiled and patted her on the arm.
"Don't worry Kame, ghosts can't touch you." Eri looked hopefully back at Risa.
"Really?" Next to her, Sayumi nodded, but continued on in a scary voice.
"But there's always things like vampires, werewolves..."
"Kyaa! Sayu! Don't say it!" Eri whined loudly, clinging to Risa this time. Sayumi grinned and looped her arm around Eri's own.
"Don't worry Eririn, we'll protect you. Ne, Gaki-san?" Risa laughed and nodded.
Ai was oddly quiet next to them, or perhaps not. Any ordinary person would feel left out by that sort of conversation between long-time friends. Risa noticed the silence on her left, so she looked over at Ai with some concern.
"Are you alright, Ai-chan?"
"Mm..." Ai was looking at a patch of darkness off to one side, and Risa could dimly see that it led off into a dark alley. Peculiarly, Ai seemed to be looking down that almost completely obscured alley as if she was looking for something.
Before Risa could ask anything though, Ai turned back to them with a small smile.
"We should hurry, it's not safe in the dark."
Eri agreed vigorously, so they picked up the pace. Within a few more minutes, they were out into the light again, the electrical brightness comforting after the extended shadows. The station was just within sight, right ahead.
Ai was rummaging around in her bag as they neared the station. Just before they entered it, she stopped. Risa turned around questioningly, and Ai looked up sheepishly.
"I think I forgot something back on campus. I'll head back and get it now."
"It's not safe to walk alone in the dark, I'll go with you." Risa volunteered immediately, but Ai shook her head, already stepping backwards.
"No, really, it's fine. It's getting late so you guys should get home quickly. See you tomorrow!"
Before anyone else could stop her, Ai had already turned around and started jogging back in the direction of the campus. Risa had one hand reached out, as if to stop her, but Ai vanished quickly into that inky stretch, out of the sound of her voice.
"Come on Gaki-san, I'm sure she can take care of herself." Sayumi reached over to pull on Risa's sleeve. Reluctantly, Risa turned back around, joining her friends at the entrance of the station as they entered.
Turning back around one last time, she murmured a quick prayer of safety for Ai's sake, before being dragged past the entryway by her juniors.
Be safe, Ai-chan.
~*~*~
"Reina, come out."
Silence, then a shadow moved, separating from the darkness around it. Reina slithered, ghost-like, to Ai's side, circling like a vulture as she took in Ai's altered appearance.
"Reina almost didn't recognize you, Ai-chan." The name rolled off the young vampire's tongue like an insult, or a taunt, even. "Reina almost thought you were human just now."
Ai exhaled, dropping all pretense of her human act. No more breathing, her skin paled back to its natural shade, and that illusion of temperature faded away. Suddenly, the cute human girl seemed very much more inhuman, even unearthly.
"Reina likes you like this much better." The young vampire grinned, coming almost daringly close to Ai's neck, her fangs extending hungrily at the tempting prize just within reach.
Before she could even blink, Reina found herself slammed against the wall again, the impact rocking her vision. Ai looked imperiously at her, releasing her fingers from Reina's neck and letting her hand slide down to the center of Reina's chest.
"Don't push your luck." Ai drew her finger around Reina's chest, leaving the younger vampire unable to move, despite the fact that all that was pinning her was just that one finger.
"Leave those girls alone, they're mine." Her eyes glowed dangerously in the dark, and Reina nodded fearfully, keeping her own eyes down. Without a word, Ai released Reina, and the young vampire massaged her front tentatively, eying the elder vampire warily.
"So, are we playing again tonight?" Reina asked cautiously. Ai actually smiled at the question.
"We'll see." She laid one cool hand on Reina's cheek, stroking the soft skin and making the young one close her eyes, practically purring in delight at the contact.
"Run along now." She leaned in close, whispering into Reina's ear.
"I'll catch you later."
Grinning savagely, Reina moved quickly to obey. Ai watched her go, a mysterious smile on her lips.
"You sure like your fledglings frisky eh, old friend..."
And then she too disappeared into the night, leaving no trace that either of them had ever been there.
~*~*~
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back."
Risa blinked at the male voice echoing the greeting, before a genuine smile lit up her face.
"Father! You're back!" Haphazardly shoving her shoes aside, Risa bounded into the apartment and all but flung herself into her father's strong arms.
Niigaki Soujirou patted his daughter's head fondly, even as his wife watched on with a relieved smile. Risa's smile remained steady as she separated from the embrace, at least, until she noticed the bandage on her father's arm.
"Eh, what's that? How did you get hurt?" Fussing over her father, the little family of three settled down around the table. Soujirou simply shrugged off his injury.
"Just a scratch, Risa-chan. It's late now, we can catch up tomorrow. Why don't you go to bed first?"
Risa looked at the bandage doubtfully, but recognized a command when she heard one. Nodding, she bid her parents goodnight before disappearing back into her room. Soujirou made sure that his daughter was settling down inside her room before turning back to his concerned wife with a pained grimace.
"What happened, dear?" Soujirou looked up at Emiko, who was slowly unwrapping the makeshift bandage around his arm.
"Ran into a little unexpected trouble after I finished with business." He winced as the bandage came off, revealing what looked like claw marks.
"This is...!" Emiko sounded a bit strained. Soujirou smiled a bit grimly.
"Just a scratch. Just be glad it's not a bite, or else I wouldn't have come back at all."
Emiko looked worriedly at him, but her husband merely began treating the wound with skill born out of expertise. After a moment of hesitation, she began helping him clean the wound, bandaging it back up.
"Will you go after it?" She asked finally, after the bandage was secure. Soujirou paused.
"No, I don't think so." Emiko looked surprised. Soujirou patted his wounded arm.
"It wasn't rabid. In fact, I think it was just looking for something. I just had the misfortune of getting in its way." Shrugging, he took his hand off his arm.
"Seemed uncommonly intelligent for a wolf man, that one. I think I'll just let it be, since it let me go." Soujirou smiled reassuringly at his wife, patting her on the hand.
"Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright. I promise."
====================================================================
There. Another decently long chapter. ^_^
Hope it meets with expectations. :3
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Yippie! Glad to see you writing more of this story again! :D And you definitely have been thinking about it!
More about GakiKameShige... What is Ai's interest in them I wonder? :? She definitely seems to have a variety of interests, from baby vampire Reina to those three. XD And we also find out Risa's dad is... a werewolf hunter? Are they the only things he hunts, I wonder? (Speaking of which, I wonder if that "uncommonly intelligent" wolf will make an appearance? XD) Along with Sayu's... whatever capabilities she has (such as her sensing something's up with Ai), I wonder if Ai really is observant and sensitive enough to notice something's perhaps a bit unusual about them. And XD at the sleepy philosophical genius Eri. XD I could totally see her just randomly rambling on about something obscure that only she understands... Nice for her to find someone else to talk with I guess, eh? :)
Poor Reina. She can't have cute college girl tonight, but I suppose she'll find something. Cute highschool girl maybe? XD Ok I'm naughty. >.> It'd be funny to see some other random H!Pers come up as momentary victims, though I know you wouldn't wanna lower yourself to that. :lol:
Oh, and I mentioned perhaps something special about Risa and Sayu we've seen, but there's of course Eri too with her mother and that necklace... which Ai obviously noticed. I somehow have the feeling it wasn't random chance that brought those three together to be friends. :) Just that might fascinate Ai enough. Then again, how did she notice them to begin with? From the party? If so, that's quite a bit of effort she went in to planning her new disguise and all. ;)
Keep it up! ^_^ <3
Oh, and lastly, the chapter title, is that pointing to the Japanese 元 character? If so, there's something deeper in here I'm not noticing maybe. :P But definitely interesting still...
-
Rokun, this is your fault. YOUR FAULT.
Minna-san, I have a new addition to the Gegenschein series. Known as...
The Police Files.
:D This runs parallel to the main story, so yeah. :3 Have fun!
===========================================================
Case File #01
It was late at night. The moon was shyly hiding its blooming pregnancy behind a thick layer of clouds, leaving the only source of light on the ground to be that of flickering street lights.
"Ah, cold..." A girl rubbed her hands together, pulling her coat more tightly around her body. Peering up and down the street, she waited impatiently for a taxi to appear so that she could head for home already.
A whisper of movement made her flinch, and she turned around abruptly. Nothing.
Giggling a bit nervously, the girl continued waiting, cellphone in hand. If no taxi appeared in a few more minutes, she would just call for one.
The wind picked up, picking up leaves and scattering them in an unearthly sort of rustle. The girl yelped again, her fingers instinctively dialling the number for a taxi.
She definitely did not want to stay out here any longer.
The operator informed her that a taxi would soon arrive for her in about 15 minutes. With a sigh, she ended the call, lowering the phone and slipping it back into a pocket. Looking around nervously, she huddled close to the lamp post, as if the meager circle of light emitted from the lamp would protect her from any unseen dangers.
The sound of a footstep behind her made her turn, panicked. Again, there was nothing. Exhaling painfully, she slowly turned back...
"Ahhh!" She shrieked and instinctively whacked out at the figure that had mysteriously appeared before her. Her handbag hit empty air even as the person sidestepped smoothly out of the way.
"Hey ease up girl. Don't get so violent." A distinctively female voice said, in casual street slang. The girl looked up fearfully, finally seeing that the person that had surprised her was actually another petite girl, dressed all in black.
"Y-you scared me..." The girl breathed out, clutching her handbag close. The strange girl grinned toothily, a flash of sharp canines momentarily visible before vanishing.
"You're out late. It's not safe for a cute girl like you out here, all alone in the dark." The new arrival drawled, leaning against the lamp post. The first girl chuckled a bit awkwardly.
"I just finished work at my part-time job, so I'm heading home now." The strange girl looked her up and down.
"You look almost like a model...pity, a real pity..."
The first girl looked confused. "What do you mean?"
The strange girl grinned again. "Well you see, I hate to cut this short, but I need a snack before the boss lady finds me. So I need your help."
"Me?" The girl took a step back cautiously, only to see the strange girl literally vanish from right in front of her.
"Eh!?" Her handbag clattered to the ground.
"Itadakimasu."
~*~*~
"Another missing person case, eh?"
The heavy slap of the files hit the table with a resounding thud. The slightly overweight inspector grunted as he looked through the latest case, scratching at his 5 o' clock shadow thoughtfully.
"Mano Erina, age 17. High school student, works part-time as a model. Cute girl too. Pity."
He closed the file, reaching for a cigarette.
"Damn, more work for me..."
=======================================================
Ehe. XD You would think the police would notice people going missing from the city. :D Well, here it is! XD
Most of it will be short though. :3 It's just an interesting addendum to the main series. XD
Back to the plotting board!
-
I'm so glad you're writing this one again :D You know how I am about vampires that don't sparkle :heart: :heart: Especially when they're Reinai XD
Anyway, I really like this little game of "tag" they have going on. ^_^ It certainly gives Reina the training she wants, and it's cute how it irritates her as well. XD Aichan is mean just for teasing her all the time, but it's amusing, hehe.
btw, the makeout scene... :drool: I do hope there is more of that in the future >D
I also found it interesting that Ai knows who Reina's master is just by tasting Reina's blood, does that mean Ai tasted Reina's master's blood? :huhuh It'd make sense
Gaki-san has a crush on a vampire~ so cute XD But her dad O_O; I take it he could take down a werewolf!? oooh, that's interesting, and does Risa know? Probably not, 'cause he sent her to her room.
TO BE CONTINUED!!
(I gotta go film XD)
-
Whee! More updates! :heart:
It's so nice to see the interactions of GakiKameShige. I'm sure Ai picked them because they all have special powers, right? Well, at least Eri seems to have some kind lineage that connects to vampires, if Ai noticed the necklace. And Risa's father is a werewolf hunter?! Does that mean he is a vampire hunter too? If so, that would make Risa's crush on Ai even more interesting. Ufufufufufu~
Vampires and werewolves... this is all starting to remind me of the movie Underworld. :lol:
Ah, Reina, never mess with Ai's prey. XD Baby Reina has much to learn. And it's so cute how she immediately obeys Ai's command. :lol: Although, now I'm curious who Reina's master was. Dammit, another thing to ponder about all day. "Are you pondering what I'm pondering, Pinky?" "Why, yes Brain, but how are we gonna get the refigita into the cheese?"
Lastly, rofl at the police file. Poor Mano. XD
-
Chapter 10 - Moto
"I know you have a test next week, so at least pretend to study, Kame." Risa had her own books open in front of her, a pencil in one hand making notes in the margins. Eri sulked, sticking her tongue out at the older girl.
"Maa...it's just a philosophy test... I can go in, write a whole bunch of nonsense, and still pass~" Eri yawned breezily and rested her head on her arms, on top of her books.
"I give up. She's right." Risa massaged her own temples. "She does always manage a pass in her classes somehow..."
Well, like Eri said, it is a philosophy class. Bullshitting/rambling/making it sound like you "know" what you're talking about is a large part of the class (as opposed to the rest of them where having to use factual information is required).
"You made a mistake here." A quiet voice pointed out, her own pen falling on where she had spotted the error in Sayu's calculations. Sayumi stared at it, exclaiming out loud.
"Ah! You're right!" She erased the section and redid it. "Yay now it comes out right! Thanks!"
"You're welcome." Ai smiled a bit shyly back, bowing her head down to return to her own work. Risa grinned at the girl next to her.
"Ai-chan is really smart!" Ai shook her head.
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!!!
:mon blowhorn:
I know, I know, I'm one myself. Just needed to be able to do that at least once in my life. :D
Wait a sec...
...
/me pictures nerdy Aichan.
...
Yep, thought so. Still hawt.
"You two are really cute together~" Sayumi teased her two seniors. The pair both blushed, Risa more obviously than Ai, who simply 'eeped' and looked down, letting her fringe hide her eyes.
"W-what are you talking about? There's nothing going on at all! Don't talk nonsense!" Risa blabbered, almost dropping her pencil in her agitation. Sayumi giggled.
Awwww...:D
Risa suppressed her instinctive reaction and just put down her pencil, pushing away from the table with a screech.
"I'm going to get some coffee. Do you guys want anything?"
...
"Nngh...Sayu...coffee..." Eri mumbled more loudly this time, lifting one hand to wave at the departing girl.
Aaaaaaaaaaah, coffee. The life-blood of many a university student. :yep:
"I'll be fine here. And I don't need a drink." Ai smiled reassuringly up at Risa, who flushed lightly at the look and quickly nodded, stepping past her and joining Sayumi on the other side.
Oh, if only they knew why she didn't need a drink. :)
*ERI'S NECKLACE*
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...so Aichan's interested in Eri's necklace, eh? Makes one wonder... :huhuh
*SAYU-RISA TALK*
Really? Sayu's a little suspicious? Maybe something about Aichan rang familiar to her? :?
Risa nodded as they walked back to the study area, to the sight of an intense discussion between Ai and Eri. The two girls appeared to be debating some kind of obscure topic, if the jargon thrown around was any indication.
"Well, at least they're getting along..." Risa managed to comment after a moment of gaping at the completely alien concepts being shuttled back and forth between two nimble minds. Sayumi blinked at the excited expression on Eri's face, feeling a weird stab of jealousy at the sight.
"Hmph, definitely suspicious..." She mumbled to herself, glaring at the back of Ai's head.
Or maybe she's just being visited by the green-eyed demon? :P
Though one wonders what it is about Aichan that is making Sayu so uneasy...the fact that she's seemingly getting along with Eri so much, or the fact that she can understand and keep up with Eri. :D
Stomping over, she planted herself right next to Eri, putting the can of coffee in front of her best friend.
"Ah, thanks Sayu!" Was all the acknowledgment she received, since Eri went right back to her discussion with Ai. Sayumi pouted, and shot a dark look at the radiant Ai.
Now I really don't like her...
Are we SURE that it's just not the green-eyed demon?
And then Ai caught her gaze, and then inexplicably, winked knowingly without so much as a change in expression. Sayu swallowed and looked back down at her hands under the table. They were shaking, and Sayu felt a frisson of fear run through her again.
Does she know...?
Ai only smiled to herself as she continued in animated discussion with an equally enthusiastic Eri.
This was turning out to be a good night after all.
:O
Let's see, I think I'll pick a girl tonight...
Vanishing into shadow, Reina began stalking the night for suitable prey.
Uh-oh. :shocked:
"Ah, the street lamps are out..." Sayumi commented as they walked into a dark stretch of street leading to the station. Eri looked around nervously, clearly unnerved. Risa smiled and patted her on the arm.
"Don't worry Kame, ghosts can't touch you." Eri looked hopefully back at Risa.
Zettai ni! :grin:
"Are you alright, Ai-chan?"
"Mm..." Ai was looking at a patch of darkness off to one side, and Risa could dimly see that it led off into a dark alley. Peculiarly, Ai seemed to be looking down that almost completely obscured alley as if she was looking for something.
Aichan notice something? Or...someone?
:mon huh2:
Ai was rummaging around in her bag as they neared the station. Just before they entered it, she stopped. Risa turned around questioningly, and Ai looked up sheepishly.
"I think I forgot something back on campus. I'll head back and get it now."
"It's not safe to walk alone in the dark, I'll go with you." Risa volunteered immediately, but Ai shook her head, already stepping backwards.
"No, really, it's fine. It's getting late so you guys should get home quickly. See you tomorrow!"
Before anyone else could stop her, Ai had already turned around and started jogging back in the direction of the campus. Risa had one hand reached out, as if to stop her, but Ai vanished quickly into that inky stretch, out of the sound of her voice.
Oh boy, there WAS something down that alley that she was looking down, wasn't there?
"Reina, come out."
Silence, then a shadow moved, separating from the darkness around it. Reina slithered, ghost-like, to Ai's side, circling like a vulture as she took in Ai's altered appearance.
"Reina almost didn't recognize you, Ai-chan."
Booyah. It's that vampire radar thing. Man, with Reina feeling peckish, it would have definitely been a bit awkward had she decided to make her presence known while they were walking past her in that alley.
"Leave those girls alone, they're mine." Her eyes glowed dangerously in the dark, and Reina nodded fearfully, keeping her own eyes down.
A statement like that just makes one even more curious as to what it is about them that has gotten Aichan's attention.
*NIIGAKI HOME*
Holy shit, Risa's father's...a hunter?!?!?
:stunned:
The Police Files.
Case File #01
MANOERI!!! REINA!!!
OSHIT!!!
:OMG: :OMG: :OMG:
-
lol @ case 01
I can't stop laughing at the thought of Reina doing away with ManoEri :lol: I'm so evil XD
I got a good kick out of moto too! Nerd Sayu is awesome along with slacker Eri XD I bet Eri just uses her erien powers to pass everything. I wonder if Eri was really sleepy or just pretending to be sleepy. She obviously knew what was going on around her while in her happy dream state. or maybe she really was just being Eri XD She's such an adorable enigma. :wub:
so is Ai chan....she's being so nice...it's messing with my brain!
First sign of any malevolent intent though, Sayumi would be out of there in an instant, friends in tow.
I totally misread this part XD I read it as "First sign of any malevolent intent though, Sayumi would be out of there in an instant" *pause* "friends in tow"
thought the little devil forgot about the others for a second XD It would be out of character but oh so funny if she really did just run off by herself XD
I'm surprised Sayu knows about werewolves too! Wonder just how much she's seen.
But anyways Baby Reina! :mon inluv:
-
"Nngh...Sayu...coffee..." Eri mumbled more loudly this time...
I thought she's asleep XD
Now I really don't like her...
someone's jealous :lol:
Does she know...?
Is Sayu a vampire too.?.
"Mm..." Ai was looking at a patch of darkness off to one side, and Risa could dimly see that it led off into a dark alley. Peculiarly, Ai seemed to be looking down that almost completely obscured alley as if she was looking for something.
Reina's in there I'm sure :yep:
"Itadakimasu."
Damn :lol:
Serei has a daughter right.?. Could it be Eri.?. :w00t:
-
*GASPS* Mano Erina is in your story?!?!?!? I thought you didn't like her. But then again, she didn't have such a great fate here :P I agree she's cute, but only cuz she looks like Sayumi XD
-
I keep running out of time to raad this. XD
Will DEFINITELY be back later.
Is back now:
Ch. 10
The GoRokkies minus Reina are so cute all together like that. Hmm, Sayu was feeling something at the party too. She's quite perceptive then. (You always make Sayu that way. Domo~ :wub: )As is Ai-chan with Eri's necklace. Or did she only notice it cuz she was starting at Eri's neck, wanting to know what it tastes like? :P Uh oh, some girl out there is in danger now that Reina's hungry. :( I chuckled at the ghost thing. :P Hmm, something's in that alley....REINA!!! XD I'm curious now. Is Ai-chan telling Reina to back off of the other girls b/c she likes them or b/c she has her own plans for them? :? Whoa....Gaki's dad.... :shocked: Wait a sec. Is that why Ai-chan's interested in them??? :O
Case File 1
Poor Manoeri. I'm not a huge fan of hers either but that's a sucky way to go. I wanna know who else will go "missing".
-
Comment, you say, so... comment it is.
Case File #01
Did we properly establish that strange girl is Reina? Hmm. Strange Girl is well, witty. Quite a difference from Reina, who /is/ a cat character, really reminds me of puppies and their giddy, high-pitched yips of delight around their beloved Masters XD. I wonder which other vampires lurk in Essy's world, and who's the next one up for slaughter. XD
Chapter 10
First of all, and just for the record (again), YOU TEASE US TOO MUCH WITH SAYU.
Or maybe it's just me. :?
Anyway...
-like Rokun said: Eri. :) Personally, I'm interested in how this Ai/Eri/Sayu intellectual/companionship conflict will play out, since it looks like Ai and Sayu each have some sort of an agenda that might end up butting heads with each other. And what is Sayu doing around all of them, anyway? Ai, I suppose, can claim temporary boredom (so we think...), but how did Sayu go about undetected by, at least, Eri's mom? I think Kamei-san should probably be able to sense something, unless whatever Powers That Be That Guide Sayu are on a slightly different and possibly unreachable (to Kamei-san, that is) plane on which the Powers The Be That Guide Risa reside.
(I'm on a coffee high, deal with me here. XD)
And dang, toss in Risa and Reina and you've got a pretty big mess of relationships around here.
-Eri's necklace: this is probably a connection to Ai's past, I hope. :)
"But there's always things like vampires, werewolves..."
-I think you're trying to nudge something about Sayu here. :D
-oh Reina you are such a mess around Ai. XD
*RISA'S DAD*
-He's not related to the same Soujirou associated with Aika and her clan/family/what have you? Is he? Or am I making big jumps? And the wolfman is not who I think it is... or related to who I think it is... hm? Obviously, things aren't going to be alright in the future, with you around. ;)
-and because I never really addressed it previously, when does Aika make a re-appearance? And Koharu, Junjun and Linlin :) And I guess, Ai's child, whoever that is. If Rokun can wonder about HPK, then surely I can throw in the Elder Club, right?
-Oh yeah, and Risa's... sister? I remember this being tossed around some chapters back. Wonder when she'll get back in.
-
More Gegenschein! Because I feel like it. Hehe. :3
Comment replies first though.
rokun: Nice long comment. XD Ai does have a wide range of interests, doesn't she? Well, a vampire as old as her has gotta find something to do in her spare time. XD And see, rokun, look at what you have inspired! Note to everyone, rokun was the one who suggested that Manoeri be the first victim in the Police Files. Haha. :P
Saikami: You like anything Reinai. :P Don't worry about Reinai action, you know I never disappoint on that score. :P Yes well, Ai's very sensitive to blood, so she knows exactly who is what depending on the scent and taste of their blood. Hehe. Yeah poor Gaki-san is oblivious to what is going on. Her dad's a tough guy, that's for sure. Hehe, stay tuned!
Fenrir: Yes Fenrir, a hunter is a hunter. XD They don't just hunt vampires, they hunt anything that threatens mankind. Hoho. Yes, it makes Risa's crush all the more interesting... I liked the Underworld series...but mostly because I like vampires in general. Lol. Yes, baby Reina is just so adorable. <3 Ai's command is almost absolute lol. You'll see why. :3 Yes everyone wonders who Reina's master is. XD That should come up soon, in another few chapters by my count. :3
JFC: Yeah I took a philosophy class so I know how that was like. Hehe. XD Yes, nerdy Aichan <3 Much love there. Mm, Risa's dad does seem to be involved in more things than his daughter is aware of. Hehe. XD
Sukoshi: Eri was just being Eri. Lol. That and she's not completely oblivious, well, not always. XD Are you mixing up Nocturne!Ai with Vampire!Ai? XD Although, I admit, sometimes the two of them can be eeriely similar...XD And yes, when I was typing that part about Sayu, I was totally thinking that Sayu almost forgot about her friends :lol: And yes baby Reina <3
kRisZ: Ah, Sayu's identity. XD Still not telling yet though. :3 Hmm, I wonder. XD Keep reading to find out!
lil_hamz: Yeah, but Manoeri died upon appearing. What does that say? XD Yeah lol. That's all you have to say??? Oh well. XD
Ichigo-chan: I like perceptive Sayu. :3 She seems like the type to be sensitive. :3 We never really know what Ai's thinking (except me, but that's because I'm writing the story LOL), but I guess you could say it's a little of both? Who knows? XD
kitaoji: Many more vampires in the background, just that they haven't appeared yet. I mean, come on, they tend to lurk. Lol. I SHALL CONTINUE TO TEASE YOU ABOUT SAYU. There. XD It's not just you. :P What is Sayu, I wonder...hehe. Who says Kamei-san doesn't know? Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that. Lol. Yes Reina is always a mess around Ai. XD Things are never alright where I am concerned. :3 Aika will show up properly soon. Hehe. More characters will show up in the near future, never fear! Nyahahaha. About Risa's sister, you'll find out about her soon enough. :3
There. Now I just need to edit the chapter a bit before posting. Watch this space!
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WEDGE STREAK x3
Sorry about the lack of comments. I will make up for it later. :D
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Chapter 11 - Bridge
The gentle sound of chimes tinkled in the silence of the darkened room, startling the single figure behind the bar. Carefully putting down the glass he had been diligently polishing, Raimond peered up at the entrance, where he was sure he had locked the door...
There was nothing, except the slight movement of the windchimes that had obviously been disturbed by something other than the wind. The windows were all shuttered, and with the entrance barred and locked, it did not seem that any ordinary intruder would be able to get in.
Of course, Raimond was hardly a stranger to unusual visitors, but it was still a shock to abruptly discover someone standing right next to him when he turned back to his work.
"Hello Raimond." A half smile. "I made sure to knock this time."
Clutching at his chest, Raimond smiled nervously and relaxed his grip, sweating slightly as he backed off a few steps to put some distance between himself and his visitor. Ai merely smiled again, leaning casually against the counter as if she owned the place.
"How may I serve you, my lady?" He managed to not stutter, even to the point of sounding utterly calm. Practice made perfect.
"Some O negative, if you don't mind. Warm, just the way I like it." Ai picked up the glass Raimond had been working on earlier, turning it in her hands to see the polished shine of it.
"Of course. In a moment, my lady." The elderly bartender retreated quickly to a back room, descending down a hidden stairway to his storeroom. After retrieving the requested product, he headed back out quickly, finding that Ai had vanished from behind the counter and was currently lounging at one of the corner tables.
With a reserved silence, Raimond eased over and delivered the goblet to the vampire. Ai took an almost dainty sip of the liquid, swirling it around like she was tasting a fine wine.
"A little tainted, Raimond. I can taste the cholesterol." Ai made a face, but she did not put it back down. She took another sip. "At least this one's healthier than the previous specimen."
Raimond bowed in apology. "I will try harder to meet your expectations, my lady."
Ai waved a hand at him dismissively. "I know of your efforts Raimond." She paused, looking at him directly.
"Why don't you just speak your mind? I can almost hear your thoughts from right here."
The man swallowed nervously. "Ah, my apologies. I was merely wondering why your esteemed self would be here in my humble little establishment so early in the day."
Ai smiled lazily, leaning back into the chair. "No class today, so I decided to drop by early." Raimond appeared unperturbed by the information. He knew of what she had been up to, of course. He wouldn't be doing his job for the Council very well if he didn't.
"Have a seat, boy. Keep me company for a while." Raimond shook a little as he obediently took a seat opposite the disarmingly harmless creature before him. It was not everyday that a vampire that could probably render you into compost with a finger would invite you to sit down with them.
Ai remained silent for a while, even as Raimond shifted around uneasily, trying not to meet her eyes. Keeping his eyes firmly fixated on the table, he tried his best to compose himself, as well as his twitching hands.
"The doors to the Blood Bar will open on the new moon, will they not?" Ai spoke into the silence. After a moment of hesitation, the bartender nodded. Ai smiled, putting down the half empty goblet.
"Where will they open here this time? I'm afraid I have not been keeping up with the news."
"I will obtain the information for you as soon as possible, revered one." It was unseemly for a fully grown man to squeak, but that was exactly how Raimond sounded like in front of a still cheerful-seeming Ai.
"Good." She did not volunteer more information, nor offer any recrimination. Raimond sighed internally, before asking cautiously.
"Does my lady intend to grace the Bar with your appearance?"
Ai gave him a slow, deliberate look. He looked down again, shaken.
"My intentions are none of your concern, human." Her voice was low, controlled, with just the faintest veneer of pleasantry that was hardly substantial enough to be real.
"Nor is it of any concern to the Council. Do you understand me?" The implied threat was right there, and the only thing Raimond could do was nod. Ai relaxed into an almost friendly posture again, the shift unnerving to any observer.
"The moon is soon to be full, is it not?" He nodded, and Ai leaned over her goblet, dipping one finger into what remained of the blood there, licking it off.
"The city smells like wet dog, Raimond. I do not like it." This time, he looked up, startled by her words. She pinned him with a direct gaze, and he froze, skin crawling.
"Are the children still disappearing?" Her question was forceful, as was her gaze. Beyond his control, Raimond could only answer as honestly as he could.
"Yes, my lady. The last one was a lesser Noble, just past his first century. The Council believes that it is the work of renegade Thin Bloods to undermine the true Kindred."
Ai's lips twisted in a warped sort of smile. "I expected nothing less of them. Only concerned for their immediate interests..." She trailed off, releasing her mental hold on him. Raimond choked and coughed, holding his neck almost defensively as he tried to recover his composure.
Ai dipped her finger back into the goblet, the blood staining it like ink on a brush. She used it like one, lightly painting a symbol on the old wood of the table.
"Power." She completed the first rune. "Greed." She finished the second.
"Self interest." She lifted her hand, and cleaned off her finger with her tongue. Looking down at the bloody symbols she painted, she hummed contemplatively before standing.
"Tell the Council that I'll take care of their little problem." She gave him another piercing stare.
"I trust that that is the only thing you will convey to them."
Raimond nodded wordlessly, his throat painfully dry. Ai vanished soundlessly, stepping into absolute darkness as she always did. Once she was gone, the old man's shoulders slumped, his body trembling from the sheer terror of the experience. He needed a strong drink, right about now.
Damn vampires. He rose shakily to his feet, stumbling over to the counter to get his drink. His hands were still visibly shaking as he poured himself some whiskey, splashing some on top of the counter. He drank, taking a long, shuddering breath.
Behind him, the blood runes on the table glowed eerily, then sank into the old wood, vanishing entirely from sight. Nothing remained, as if naught was ever there.
~*~*~
"Ai-chan! Sorry I'm late!" Risa huffed as she ran up to where Ai was standing in the shade.
"Did you wait long?" The younger girl panted as she stopped next to the older. Ai shook her head.
"No, I just got here." Ai smiled. Shading her eyes with one hand, she looked up at the sky.
"It sure is bright out here..." Risa laughed and looped her arm casually around Ai's, pulling the older out into the sun.
"You need to get more sun, Ai-chan! You're too pale!" Ai winced a little at the first touch of the sun, squinting her eyes defensively. Quickly, she lowered her head, pushing her sunglasses further up.
"Ah, it's too bad that Sayumin fell sick. Kame wanted to stay with her, so I guess it's just the two of us for today..." Risa trailed off to glance at Ai, who now seemed completely normal, although her eyes were still fully hidden behind those enormous shades.
"Oh I see..." Ai didn't offer any other comment, merely looking around with mild interest. Risa seemed a bit disappointed by the dispassionate reaction from Ai, but hid it well with an even brighter smile.
"Well, should we get something to eat? I'm starving!" Ai blinked behind her shades, turning to regard Risa with a slightly odd expression.
"Eat...ah, I had a little something before coming here." At Risa's crestfallen face, Ai quickly added.
"But if you want to eat, we can go get something." Risa brightened up noticeably, starting to chatter on endlessly as she dragged a bemused Ai along with her.
Even as they turned a corner down a different street, Ai turned her head to sweep the crowd with a searching glance. The hint of a presence, just round a corner, just out of sight.
Ah, as I thought, my senses don't work as well in broad daylight. Ai tuned back in to Risa, who was talking about the restaurant that she wanted to bring Ai to.
"That sounds interesting." Ai commented mildly, ignoring the pricking sensation of being watched. She would find out who it was later.
As they entered the restaurant, another girl walked past behind their backs, as if having nothing to do with anyone else except her own business. Hands in pockets, head down, cap pulled low. A satisfied smile played on her lips as she left the street, muttering to herself.
"Found you, cousin."
~*~*~
"Sayu~" Eri whined as she tugged at the blankets where Sayumi was hiding under on her bed. "Are you really that sick? What's wrong?"
"I'm alright..." Sayumi's voice was a little muffled under the many layers she was hiding under. Bright eyes peeked out from underneath the protective cover, much like a cornered animal.
"It's just me, no one else is around." Eri coaxed. Relaxing a little, the younger girl crept out, eyes darting around nervously. Eri climbed up onto the bed, snuggling up to her best friend.
"Why are you so scared, Sayu? What happened?"
Sayumi smiled shakily, clinging close to her sleepy-eyed friend for comfort. Eri was already resting her head comfortably on Sayu's shoulder, eyes already lidded.
"It's just..." She gripped Eri's arm firmly, eyes very serious as she said.
"Don't go near Takahashi, Eririn. It's not safe. She's not safe."
Eri opened one eye, looking up seriously at her childhood friend.
"I know that already, Sayu." The turtle girl lifted her necklace from its place of concealment within her clothes, hefting it with her free hand.
"She could see this when most ordinary people can't...she's not a normal person, that's for sure."
Sayumi looked at the amulet, but did not touch it. Her voice was quiet as she spoke.
"Gaki-san could see it too..." She inhaled deeply. "But I didn't sense danger with her like I did with Takahashi." She whimpered as she leaned into Eri.
"I'm scared, Eririn." Eri patted Sayumi comfortingly.
"I trust your instincts, Sayu. Yours are sharper, for obvious reasons." Eri stared up at the ceiling.
"If you say she's dangerous, then she is. I think we better talk to Mama about this..."
~*~*~
"Ai-chan, you're barely touching your food! Do you not like it?" Risa asked worriedly, afraid that Ai was unhappy with the situation. Ai looked up blankly.
"I'm just not really that hungry..." She picked up a small piece of beef, placing it into her mouth. Risa looked at her curiously.
"How can you eat that? It's practically still dripping with blood..."
Ai swallowed, dabbing at her lips with a napkin. "Oh, I'm not particularly bothered by blood. I think it tastes fresher like that." She smiled disarmingly again, and Risa seemed to relax unconsciously.
"If you say so..." Her mind still in a bemused state, Risa was not particularly paying attention until a sharp pain shot up her finger. "Ow!"
The cut was short but deep. Risa winced, dropping her fork. A bead of blood oozed out from the cut, almost hesitantly at first, then welling up out of the wound.
Before she could think of doing anything, a cool hand locked around her wrist, trapping her hand. Risa's pained eyes met with Ai's intent ones, which were thoroughly focused on the bleeding cut.
"Ai-chan..." Risa's eyes widened as Ai leaned forward, pulling Risa's hand towards her. The younger girl flushed heavily as Ai took her finger into her mouth, sucking on it gently.
After a moment, Ai released Risa's finger with a wet pop, her tongue flicking over the injured part before withdrawing. Her hand remained around Risa's wrist as she looked back up.
"Needed to clean that up before it gets infected." Ai had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at Risa, but the latter was too distracted to notice, her cheeks still a bright red. Ai let go of her hand, and Risa drew her hand back to herself shyly, pain practically all but forgotten.
"Shall we go then?" Ai did not take her eyes off Risa as she called for the bill and paid with a flourish, Risa still captivated by her charming companion. The younger could only nod dumbly as Ai led them outside, back into the sun.
In her distraction, Risa failed to notice that her cut was already sealing up. Next to her, Ai seemed oddly energized despite the bright rays falling on her.
Behind them, another pair of eyes watched with a fanatical hunger as they merged into the crowd on the street.
I've found you at last!
~*~*~
Reina watched happily as her latest meal vanished into flame. Making sure that nothing remained except for ashes and scorch marks, Reina looked around before cautiously climbing up to her favorite vantage point: the roof.
The moon looked like someone had taken a bite out of it, she reflected as she stared out at the city. Dusting her hands off on her jeans, the young vampire squatted at the edge of the roof, next to some rusted pipes.
Seirei, or Ai as those humans had called her, had rather abruptly informed her the previous night that she would not be entertaining her tonight. Reina had not been particularly pleased by the fact, but Ai had left no room for argument.
Sulking, Reina had comforted herself to a snack earlier, in the form of the unfortunate individual that had been consumed by fire just moments ago. Running her thumb across the edge of her lips, Reina wiped off the traces of blood there and proceeded to suck on her thumb just a tad grumpily.
The night was very beautiful, but Reina felt oddly unexcited over that. The city was filled with what was to her, thousands of walking blood bags. There was only so much one could do after playing with one's food, and another wave of boredom washed over Reina.
It was not the first time she had felt this way. 10 years was not a long time, but it was not a short time either. A kind of restless impatience took over the young vampire as she shifted around, feeling irritated for some reason. How could she continue on like this for all the decades lying ahead of her?
Master...where are you? Reina hugged her knees to herself, pouting. 100 years was too long to wait! Damn that woman, Reina grumbled. Her master had told her to survive her first century on her own before she would see her again. What kind of a stupid test was that?
Lying flat on her back, Reina let her legs dangle over the ledge, red eyes staring up at an incomplete moon. 90 years more to go. Could she really make it?
Well, she had to. Reina growled and turned her head to one side, sitting up again. Something caught her eye, and she leaned over to grasp at the strange patch caught on the broken end of the rusted pipe.
Fur. What was fur doing up on the roof? Curiously, Reina sniffed at the tuft of hair in her hand, before wrinkling her nose at the odor.
Wet dog. She tossed the clump of hair off the roof, letting the wind carry it away. She watched it go, before standing up and punching into her palm.
"Yosh, time to go look for something to do!"
Somewhere out there, a distant scream echoed into the night, sounding almost like the pained howl of a wolf...
~*~*~
"I had fun today."
Risa smiled at Ai as they stopped a few steps away from Risa's front door. The older woman did not reply at first, shifting around awkwardly like a teenager on her first date.
"I had fun too." Her voice was low and melodious, and her eyes seem to shimmer in the dark. The two girls stood there, one not quite yet willing to let go and go home, while the other was quite content to simply watch the younger one blush prettily.
Perhaps it was the intensity of their mutual gaze that sparked the memory, as Risa found herself mesmerized by the serious eyes opposite hers.
"Have I...met you somewhere else before?" Risa blurted unthinkingly, her fingers still entwined with Ai's. The older girl pursed her lips in an odd little smile, eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.
"Maybe..." Risa stopped breathing the moment Ai drew close to her, closing her own eyes quite naturally in anticipation. The soft fragrance from the other girl almost made her reel, and she felt a gentle breath on her temple as Ai dropped a soft kiss there, before whispering.
"Good night, Risa-chan."
Ai let go of her hand and vanished into the night, the darkness swallowing her as she walked off in the other direction. Risa was left standing there, still stunned, and definitely still blushing at what had just happened.
"Who was that?" Risa whirled around, startled.
"Father? Oh, nothing, no one, just a friend from school. Really!" Risa blabbered out nervously, turning on her heel and quickly stepping past her father to enter the house.
Soujirou looked speculatively down the street where Ai had disappeared, a contemplative expression tying his forehead into a knot of wrinkles. A shift in the shadows, some distance away, as if in pursuit of the departed girl. He frowned.
"Dear? Why are you standing at the doorway?" Emiko appeared behind him, casting a worried glance outside as well. Soujirou shook his head, laying one hand on his wife's shoulder and guiding her back inside, locking and bolting the door behind them.
"Nothing to be worried about." A furtive glance backwards. "Nothing at all."
The hair on his arms were still standing long after he switched off the lights in the hallway. Even as he bedded down next to his wife, his gaze was still drawn to the rapidly waxing moon outside the window, concern etching the battered map of his face.
Closing his eyes, he tried his best to summon sleep, despite the roaring in his veins. The curse of his bloodline, the lust for battle. It was a fate he wished on no other.
I will never give my daughter to them. Never.
With that, the man once known as the Dark Terror shut his eyes, one more mortal lost to Morpheus' dark embrace.
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Hyuk. :3 Read and comment lots! :D
*skips away*
EDIT: Extra section I forgot. :3
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So many questions in my head that are begging to be answered! XD This chapter only creates more. XD
I need to go back and re-read this story. lol
They all have some kind of super powers!!!!
May comment more after getting some sleep. :lol:
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"A little tainted, Raimond. I can taste the cholesterol." Ai made a face, but she did not put it back down. She took another sip. "At least this one's healthier than the previous specimen."
At least Ai's in Japan. I assume she would have a fit if she was in the US. It's probably like comparing Bud Light to Guinness on tap.
Lol, you're purposely teasing us with every part of this chapter aren't you? Every little section ends on a vague note.
I shall refrain from taking any guesses at this point because you'll just end up making me look like a fool later. D: I know of your intentions! You wanna make everyone guess and play and cry because you're a big teasing bully D: God damn, just take it out on Reina! :D
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Chapter 11 - Bridge
Am I the only one who's somewhat concerned about what exactly Raimond's..."tactics" are? :O
Furthermore, just who is he? Something tells me that he's not a vampire, given his apparent nervousness around Aichan. So then, is he like an informant or lackey that's working for them in order to protect his own skin?
"Does my lady intend to grace the Bar with your appearance?"
Ai gave him a slow, deliberate look. He looked down again, shaken.
"My intentions are none of your concern, human." Her voice was low, controlled, with just the faintest veneer of pleasantry that was hardly substantial enough to be real.
Oh yeah, he's not a vamp...and if he's not careful, he might not be breathing that much longer, either. :o
"Nor is it of any concern to the Council. Do you understand me?" The implied threat was right there, and the only thing Raimond could do was nod.
Hmmm...Aichan's not the biggest fan of the Council, I take it?
"The city smells like wet dog, Raimond. I do not like it." This time, he looked up, startled by her words. She pinned him with a direct gaze, and he froze, skin crawling.
Wet dog? She mean a werewolf?
"Are the children still disappearing?" Her question was forceful, as was her gaze. Beyond his control, Raimond could only answer as honestly as he could.
"Yes, my lady. The last one was a lesser Noble, just past his first century. The Council believes that it is the work of renegade Thin Bloods to undermine the true Kindred."
Ai's lips twisted in a warped sort of smile. "I expected nothing less of them. Only concerned for their immediate interests..." She trailed off, releasing her mental hold on him. Raimond choked and coughed, holding his neck almost defensively as he tried to recover his composure.
Ai dipped her finger back into the goblet, the blood staining it like ink on a brush. She used it like one, lightly painting a symbol on the old wood of the table.
"Power." She completed the first rune. "Greed." She finished the second.
"Self interest." She lifted her hand, and cleaned off her finger with her tongue. Looking down at the bloody symbols she painted, she hummed contemplatively before standing.
"Tell the Council that I'll take care of their little problem." She gave him another piercing stare.
"I trust that that is the only thing you will convey to them."
Raimond nodded wordlessly, his throat painfully dry.
Oshit...Aichan's plotting something...something BIG!
Behind him, the blood runes on the table glowed eerily, then sank into the old wood, vanishing entirely from sight. Nothing remained, as if naught was ever there.
:shocked
*TAKAGAKI MEET-UP*
WTF? Aichan must have gotten herself some industrial-strength sunscreen. :huhuh
Even as they turned a corner down a different street, Ai turned her head to sweep the crowd with a searching glance. The hint of a presence, just round a corner, just out of sight.
Ah, as I thought, my senses don't work as well in broad daylight.
Diminished senses? Could be because her body's fighting off the current exposure to the sunlight.
As they entered the restaurant, another girl walked past behind their backs, as if having nothing to do with anyone else except her own business. Hands in pockets, head down, cap pulled low. A satisfied smile played on her lips as she left the street, muttering to herself.
"Found you, cousin."
Eh? Cousin?!??! :shocked:
"Don't go near Takahashi, Eririn. It's not safe. She's not safe."
Eri opened one eye, looking up seriously at her childhood friend.
"I know that already, Sayu." The turtle girl lifted her necklace from its place of concealment within her clothes, hefting it with her free hand.
EH!??? Eri knows??? Just how much are we talking about here? Is it just a "vibe" sort of thing, or does she know what Aichan really is???
:mon scare:
Sayumi looked at the amulet, but did not touch it. Her voice was quiet as she spoke.
"Gaki-san could see it too..." She inhaled deeply. "But I didn't sense danger with her like I did with Takahashi." She whimpered as she leaned into Eri.
Wait a sec...I don't recall Risa being able to see the necklace.
:dunno:
"I'm scared, Eririn." Eri patted Sayumi comfortingly.
"I trust your instincts, Sayu. Yours are sharper, for obvious reasons." Eri stared up at the ceiling.
"If you say she's dangerous, then she is. I think we better talk to Mama about this..."
/me senses lines being drawn in the sand.
"Ai-chan, you're barely touching your food! Do you not like it?" Risa asked worriedly, afraid that Ai was unhappy with the situation. Ai looked up blankly.
"I'm just not really that hungry..." She picked up a small piece of beef, placing it into her mouth. Risa looked at her curiously.
"How can you eat that? It's practically still dripping with blood..."
Ai swallowed, dabbing at her lips with a napkin. "Oh, I'm not particularly bothered by blood. I think it tastes fresher like that." She smiled disarmingly again, and Risa seemed to relax unconsciously.
She likes her meat rare? Good choice. Definitely juicier that way. :yep:
"Ow!"
The cut was short but deep. Risa winced, dropping her fork. A bead of blood oozed out from the cut, almost hesitantly at first, then welling up out of the wound.
Uh-oh...Aichan's got to remember her cover here. :-X
"Ai-chan..." Risa's eyes widened as Ai leaned forward, pulling Risa's hand towards her. The younger girl flushed heavily as Ai took her finger into her mouth, sucking on it gently.
After a moment, Ai released Risa's finger with a wet pop, her tongue flicking over the injured part before withdrawing. Her hand remained around Risa's wrist as she looked back up.
"Needed to clean that up before it gets infected." Ai had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at Risa, but the latter was too distracted to notice, her cheeks still a bright red.
She doesn't even know how hawt what she just did was. :drool:
In her distraction, Risa failed to notice that her cut was already sealing up.
Oh boy, Aichan have some "healing elements" that she left on Risa's cut?
Next to her, Ai seemed oddly energized despite the bright rays falling on her.
Well, she just had the vampire equivalent of a quick snack, after all. :roll:
Behind them, another pair of eyes watched with a fanatical hunger as they merged into the crowd on the street.
I've found you at last!
The same presence from before???
:mon huh2:
Reina watched happily as her latest meal vanished into flame.
Manoeri? :(
100 years was too long to wait! Damn that woman, Reina grumbled. Her master had told her to survive her first century on her own before she would see her again. What kind of a stupid test was that?
Lying flat on her back, Reina let her legs dangle over the ledge, red eyes staring up at an incomplete moon. 90 years more to go. Could she really make it?
I'd guess it's a test to weed out the cream of the crop, so to speak. With all the dangers/hazards they face, vampires not only are hunters themselves, but they're also prey. As such, they quickly need to develop the skills and instinct to survive on their own. If they're not self-reliant, then they're nothing but a hazard to themselves, and other vampires around them.
Something caught her eye, and she leaned over to grasp at the strange patch caught on the broken end of the rusted pipe.
Fur. What was fur doing up on the roof? Curiously, Reina sniffed at the tuft of hair in her hand, before wrinkling her nose at the odor.
Wet dog. She tossed the clump of hair off the roof, letting the wind carry it away. She watched it go, before standing up and punching into her palm.
"Yosh, time to go look for something to do!"
Somewhere out there, a distant scream echoed into the night, sounding almost like the pained howl of a wolf...
Enter...they lycans.
:scared:
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Chapter 11 Gegenschein
FUCK YEAH!
Posting another comment to pimp this story. LURKERS where you all at? You guys should decorate this thread a little, even if it's just a "hello". It'll look more festive and festive shit makes the author giggle like a little school girl, amirite Estrea? :D or more like cackle evily, AMIRITE??
I'm shy, too. But I will make a fool out of myself for more updates. :D
Moar super vague and teasing updates pls. You've made us all a bunch of masochists.
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Sorry for posting so late! You know my excuse though :sweatdrop:
Ahahaha, I love Raimond, he just amuses me for some reason. XD I wonder if he's at least mildly freaked out about the idea of having a bunch of blood in that secret basement? He chose the job though, right? (Okay, maybe he was forced into it, but I'm amusing he chose it XD)
I also like how Ai is so picky XD And like stated by rev2hd, I'm fairly sure Ai would have some major issues in America LOL But I think it's weirdly cute XD It's interesting how different blood types taste different, I didn't really think that they would (and I wouldn't know :lol: ) but now that it's mentioned in here, it kinda makes sense XD
Ai's very cute when she's in the bar XD I can picture her being simply amused while Raimond squirms in his seat. XD
Poor Gaki though, she's so...oblivious XD;; It's almost enough to irritate somebody, but then again, she's just a normal (I think...) human being. XD
Wait...Cousin? o__O!! Hmm...and then there is another person later on, but I don't think they're the same person, or are they?? ;_; so many questions, damnit!! WRITE MOAR!
-clears throat-
Sayu's the one that's got it right! Gaki-san needs to listen to her XD But...I dunno, I don't think Ai will attack Gaki...at least not any time soon >__>;; She seems to sweet!? Is that possible for a vampire!? XD
...Poor Reina ;_; I gotta say, I think her master is a real bitch for ditching her like that D< -rantrantrant-mypoorreina!-rantrantrant-
I know of your intentions! You wanna make everyone guess and play and cry because you're a big teasing bully D:
But would we have her any other way? ^_^
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Poor Raimond, Ai-chan scares the CRAP out of him. XD I do wonder what his role is, besides providing Ai-chan with her warm O-negative. 8) I don't know what she's up to but I'm quite eager to find out. And now there's this "cousin". WHO ARE YOU!?!?! :P Ew, the bloody steak thing. I can just imagine it, all oozing... :shocked *doesn't like her meat that raw* The licking of Gaki's finger was kinda hot. :twisted: Aiya, they ALL have powers?! :grin: Reina misses her master~ :inlove: J/K I have no idea but to me, that's what it seems like. What's with this wet dog smell?
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So many tid bits slowly being revealed, or rather introduced to tease my curiosity. ;) The most pressing for me is the mystery person. Is there more than one of them? Cousin was said but is this person also a vampire. Ai+school+school friends, what does that mean I wonder. AiGaki scene was :inlove: I like kakkoii Ai. :wub:
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whee more vampire time~
I think I'm more disgusted at the thought of Ai chan drinking cholesterol than blood...and now I'm a little disturbed at the thought of thinking of that XD
I love how Ai chan messes with the bartenders mind. Originally I imagine the bartender to be sort of like Alfred...but then the name makes me think of haado gei XD I wonder how he got himself in the business...opening an establishment to serve the "unique" is certainly an interesting career choice.
Ooo so Reina's part of the noble line? Can't wait til she's all powerful and mighty.
hehe the scared little bunny...I just want to hug her too! but it's funny how her first course of action is to hide under the covers (while Gaki is getting her blood sucked by a vampire XD)
Hmm..did I miss something? Just how did Risa get that cut? Ai chan's doing?...I'm guessing Risa has special blood?
Seirei, or Ai as those humans had called her, had rather abruptly informed her the previous night that she would not be entertaining her tonight. Reina had not been particularly pleased by the fact, but Ai had left no room for argument.
Poor Reina. Sukoshi's not particularly pleased by that news either but there's TakaGaki action to be had and there really is no room for argument when it comes to that XD
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:muffin:
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Wow, the finger sucking thing. I kinda expected it but you still made it super hawt :P I wonder how Sayu and Eri will tell Risa about Ai and will she even believe them? I hope they don't end up falling out. Reina is...well Reina XD
Sorry about the Mano Erina thingy. I don't have much to say about her nor do I know her well. So whatever you write, I accept :D
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i stopped reading this fic for some reasons that........really dont know! :dunno: but my love for vampires made me read this one again! :wriggly:
argh! such an excellent story......demo.....aika, she's a hunter, right? and dont tell me her cousin is risa!!!!! :tantrum: :tantrum: :tantrum: dont do it author-san.........she just cant be.....because she'll become ai-chan's enemy......haha :pleeease: :on lol:
well, ai-chan is really kakkoi here! and really love it ........... :luvluv1: :luvluv1: :luvluv1: its getting more interesting but.....argh! the appearance of the lycans! :on chew: where there is a cool vampire, expect a lousy werewolves "no offense to lycan-fans" :kneelbow: :kneelbow: :kneelbow:
and yay! reina is being reina yankii :on cigar:.....kawaii though! playing with Ai-chan! and gah! did i ever mentioned how cool Ai-chan is? hahaha :wahaha: :wahaha:
update soon!...... :on woohoo:
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Mmm, so Risa's supposed to beware of The Hand... and yes, I think I see why, now. >_< Ai-chan's just about playing with everybody, it seems. The Council seems particularly interesting, and I don't think you've showed us too much about them, yet. (Or if you had, it got lost within the other Councils and factions.)
Sayu's feeling under the weather, isn't she. Actually, I'm more interested in the fact that she's completely terrified, and only being able to trust Pokepokepuu. :) Either Ai-chan hurt her more than we thought, or quite something's happened since the study session. (How long has it been, anyway?) Eri still seems like the most normal out of all that we've met so far.
Oh Reina, you're still such a baby. XD
Throwing in werewolves too... we need to see more of this conflict, since it died off in SoTN (I think I've given up pushing you on that one. XD )
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*prances in* I am baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack~
Comment replies first~
Fenrir: Yay super powers! Yes you need to go back and reread. Very much so. Yes you do! Go! Now! Do so! Excuse me, I'm just hyper due to lack of sleep and maniacal writing. :D
rev2hd: YES I BE TEASING YOU ALL. Fear me! I do so love being ebil. :3 Oh and I do take it out on Reina, just wait and see. :3 And thanks for whoring out on my thread. :3
JFC: Yeah Aichan is up to something. :3 As for the walking in the day thing, remember Aichan's called the Daywalker for a reason. She had a certain immunity towards sunshine, even if she can't stay in direct sunshine for too long without feeling slightly sick. As for Risa being able to see the necklace, that was earlier on in the friendship when she first met Eri and Sayu, so Sayu's merely referring to an event that took place before the events of the story. And yay lycans! :D
Saikami: Raimond is fun. :3 You'll get to see his secret basement in a couple of chapters. It's a slightly disturbing place, actually. :3 And yeah, Ai is awesome. <3 Ai's a sweet vampire? Maybe? XD See if you'll think that in the coming chapter. Hoho. And please don't kill me after this chapter because...*mumble mumble* >D
Ichigo-chan: Raimond's role is secondary, but he can be useful in his own way. :3 Hehe just read on to find out the answer to your questions. :3
shindoushiz: I think I remember you from my AA days. XD I'm liking your perception. Do continue reading (and commenting :3), and yes, kakkoii Ai is much love indeed. :3
Sukoshi: Oh your comments make me giggle like a slightly mad schoolgirl. Hehe. Drinking cholesterol does sound rather disgusting...eww. Lol. Heh Reina should be stronger, and could be, given time and practice. Or a good teacher could speed up the process. Lol. I love the bunny too, though I wonder what hiding under the covers would help against big bad vampire. Lol. Don't worry, there's plenty of Reina here....though you might wish there were less of it here this time. >D
kRisZ: :wahaha:
lil_hamz: Yeah it's me, of course I can make it hawt. :P Well we'll see if Sayu and Eri even manage to draw the right conclusion about what Ai really is. And yes, Reina is Reina. Lol. Don't worry, Mano Erina isn't appearing anymore. She's deceased. RIP and all that. Lol.
ayase909: Aww I'm glad you came back to read this. :3 Nyahahaha I ish evil author, what do you think? >D Lousy werewolves? But I likey werewolves...kinda. Lol. Yeah cool Ai-chan is made of awesome, yes she is.
kitaoji: Do you really know? :D Ai-chan has her own agenda, certainly. And don't worry about the Council, their turn will come. :3 Right now the focus is on certain other things. Teehee. They'll definitely be back though. :3 FYI, it's only been a few days since the study session, but you'll see why Sayu definitely has reason to be terrified. Hehehe. Eri does seem oddly normal, doesn't she? XD And yes, baby Reina <3 Yup, werewolves are here too. :3 You'll see lol. :D
Well that was long. o_O Oh btw, while you guys are waiting for me to edit and post the chapter, go relook at chapter 11. I added a little something at the end of the chapter. Teehee.
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-WEDGE- O_O
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EDIT: Epic fail from phone. :bleed eyes:
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Chapter 12 - Crescendo
"Sayumin, are you alright? Still sick?"
Risa's voice was sympathetic over the phone, and Sayumi felt genuinely bad for not being able to tell the girl more about what was really going on. With a little sigh, she replied.
"I'm doing a little better now. Eririn comes to see me everyday so it's not so bad."
Shifting a little uncomfortably on her bed, Sayumi restlessly drew little circles on her sheets with one finger, debating whether or not to continue.
"Well, I'm glad that it's not too bad now..." Risa still sounded a bit distracted for some reason, and Sayumi decided she had better approach the subject as carefully as she could.
"So, uh, did you end up going out with Takahashi-san?" She said the name with a wince, clutching the cordless phone a bit more tightly than necessary in her hand. A girlish giggle sounded over the line, prompting a dual reaction of an eye roll and a quiet sigh from the younger girl.
"Yes, well, she's really nice...paid for everything even though I wanted to split the bill. Said that it was only right since she was older..." Another dreamy giggle, and Sayumi wondered if it were possible to chuck the phone at her senior's head from halfway across the town.
"That does sound very nice of her..." If not for the tension and gritted teeth, Sayumi would almost sound normal. Fortunately, Risa didn't seem to notice. Cautiously, the younger asked again.
"So, did anything special happen?" She changed 'weird' to 'special' at the last minute, correctly assuming that Risa would probably not appreciate the term she had wanted to use.
A weird squeak sounded on the other end of the line, and Sayumi would probably bet her month's allowance that Risa was blushing. Resisting the urge to snort, she cleared her throat and continued.
"She didn't do anything too strange, did she?" That was what Sayumi was really worried about. Surely someone like Takahashi would not be hanging around them for no reason. Besides, there was just no mistaking the fact that her hapless senior was practically infatuated with that mysterious woman. Within justifiable reason, Sayumi was concerned that Takahashi might have ulterior intentions towards her well-meaning friend.
"No...she just sent me home, that's all..." Risa trailed off in an embarrassed mumble, clearly reluctant to share something. An icy finger of worry trailed across her chest, and Sayu pressed forward even more.
"She did do something, didn't she?" Despite her best efforts to keep the panic out of her voice, Sayumi couldn't help but let some of that worry leak out in her tone.
Then again, she shouldn't even be worried that Risa would notice. In her present state, the older girl was far too focused on her own situation to detect any other irregularities around her.
Risa mumbled something on the line, and Sayumi had to strain to hear it. A moment of silence ensued after the halting confession. Risa was the first to break it, albeit nervously.
"Sayumin? You still there?"
The sound broke the younger out of her moment of shock. Pinching herself in the arm (and wincing at the jolt of pain that resulted), Sayumi confirmed to herself that she was indeed not dreaming, and that Takahashi had in fact done something.
"You let her kiss you?" Sayu blurted out inelegantly, mind running around in several different directions while trying to ascertain the identity of one Takahashi Ai. A dangerous being with uncanny focus? Could be human, maybe a practitioner of dark arts? No, her fear had been instinctive, primal even. Something other than human? Maybe a demon?
Well if she likes girls and is charming Gaki-san, maybe a succubus...?
Her chain of thoughts was broken by one half of the object of her musings. Risa seemed somewhere between hysterical and embarrassed, possibly with a dash of agitated excitement.
"No no! It wasn't like it was that serious, just a goodnight kiss on my temple, that's all! Really! It's nothing! Not like she tried to kiss me on the lips...oh no, not at all! Couldn't be..."
"Gaki-san, relax. Breathe. I didn't say anything." Sayumi coaxed over the phone. Really, that girl could be more excitable than a family of squirrels hyped up on a cocktail of steroids and amphetamines sometimes. Letting out another small sigh, Sayumi was about to continue when Risa asked her to hold for a moment, followed by the sound of a hand muffling the receiver on the other end and the sound of voices in the background.
It wasn't too difficult for someone like Sayu to make out what was being said though. Granted, her hearing was hardly as effective as certain other members of her family, but it was still a little better than average.
"...othing's wrong, Father. Are you going out?"
"Yes, I think I'll be back late tonight. Don't stay up too late."
"Yes Father. Have a safe trip."
Sayumi hummed under her breath as she waited, looking out of the window. The sun seemed simultaneously piercing and dull at the same time, as if the rays could not fully penetrate through the protective shade of the house. All in all, the fact made Sayu feel just a little smug about the sun's failure to roast her living space.
"Sorry about that Sayumin. Are you still there?" The younger girl replied in the affirmative, before continuing their previous line of conversation as if nothing had interrupted it in the first place.
"...don't get too close to Takahashi, Gaki-san." The warning slipped out before she could moderate it in any way, and Sayu worried at her lip nervously, hoping that Risa wouldn't be too offended by the forwardness of the statement.
"Why not? She's such a nice person..." Risa sounded genuinely baffled that Sayumi would be saying such a thing, before another pause occurred.
"...Sayumin, do you like Ai-chan?"
If Risa hadn't sounded so serious, Sayu would have assumed that the older girl was joking. In any case, she broke out in a nervous fit of laughter, the tension draining out of her with the action.
"Are you serious? Me?" The sheer incredulity in her voice could not possibly be any greater.
"Trust me, Gaki-san, I have totally no interest in her that way. I'm just telling you to be careful, that's all." The younger was injecting every single ounce of sincerity she possessed into her voice, so that she could reassure her senior of her intentions.
"I'm glad you care, Sayumin. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just concentrate on getting well."
A few more of the usual pleasantries, and the beep of the call ending prompted the little devil to lower the phone from her ear with a sigh. Standing, she was heading towards her bedroom door when a voice stopped her from behind.
"No interest in me? You have no idea what you're missing out on, kit."
The girl froze in her tracks, unable to move with the dread and terror climbing up her spine and spreading like a terminal disease through the rest of her body. The hairs on her neck were practically standing on end, as were those on her arms. Beyond her control, she was already shaking like a leaf in the wind.
"Don't be afraid, I won't eat you." Smooth, almost pleasant, like the relaxed purr of a feline predator licking at its paws after a meal...or before it. Naturally, that did not contribute to the general well-being of Sayumi's mind at all.
"You're a smart one. Just for that, I think I'll keep you around. Interesting things should always be preserved. Too hard to replace otherwise." There was still no sound, no presence of a living aura, but the overwhelming sense of pressure was palpable.
"W-what do you want with me?" Sayumi managed to squeak out after minutes of valiant effort. A soft chuckle, then a soft, pale hand cupped her cheek from behind almost tenderly, stroking the smooth skin there. It was all Sayumi could do not to scream.
"Why, nothing at all. Just that you stay out of my business, and I'll leave you alone." A cold breath on her neck, and unshed tears wobbled fearfully within Sayu's tightly shut eyelids.
"Just a little taste though, before I leave. I've never had occasion to try out one of your kind before, diluted or not." A cold sensation down the length of her neck, and Sayumi almost fell over, if not for the iron grip that had snaked around her waist in the meantime.
In retrospect, it did not hurt as much as it should have, and it was over almost before she was aware that it had begun. Her consciousness had seemed oddly detached from her physical self during the moment, a side effect of the charm, perhaps.
What had felt intensely, painfully real during that extended moment of disassociation though, was, disturbingly enough, a volatile combination of terror, submission and a sick kind of ecstasy that bordered on sheer perversion. She could not escape, could not refuse, could not summon any force of mind or will to offer even a token resistance against that dominant presence. It shook her, on more levels than one.
Case in point, long after the presence had departed, she was still crouched over the floor on her knees, shaking and sobbing and feeling sickened by the effects of that touch. Not so much what had been taken that disturbed her, but what had been given in the process.
When Eri found her and enfolded her in a comforting hug, Sayumi finally allowed herself to break down in choked sobs out loud, letting the healing presence of her best friend shed the last vestiges of that dreaded touch from her body. Eri soothed her as best as she could, but couldn't help but be baffled at the origins of such a state.
"Eririn, I'm sorry...sorry..." Sayu repeated herself in a whimpering tone, curled up in her best friend's embrace and trembling like a leaf. Eri felt her heart twist at the tortured expression of mingled shame and horror on Sayumi's face, holding the younger tighter in her arms. The gesture only served to make Sayumi cry even harder, clinging to the front of Eri's shirt and sobbing uncontrollably into it. She could not say it, found that she was unable to say it, and in any case, felt too ashamed to even think of it, much less speak of it aloud.
"Sorry...sorry..." Was all she could repeat, unable to utter the reason why.
It wasn't supposed to feel this good.
~*~*~
Risa had had some trouble keeping the faint blush off her face after that conversation with Sayumi, but she hid it well by busying herself around the house, doing chores while her parents were away. Her father was always busy, and her mother had decided to go grocery shopping, so it fell to Risa to do the laundry and clean house since she had a moment of free time.
It was quiet, but hardly an unpleasant silence. The hum of the washing machine, the distant noise of cars rumbling past on the street, coupled with the padding sound of her bare feet on the floor formed a kind of homey domesticity that one would expect straight out of an ordinary television drama. It embodied the kind of normalcy that would set an unsettled soul at ease with its pure simplicity, or bore one who knew nothing beyond such a world.
Risa fell somewhere in between the cracks of those two categories, at ease with her surroundings yet somehow feeling that niggling, restless stir for adventure, for something greater than herself, for some purpose into which she could invest her entire soul.
She was dusting a shelf when the ring of the doorbell diverted her attention. Putting down the duster, she wiped her hands off with a patched rag before veering over to answer the door. More than likely it would be a door-to-door salesman, or some such along those lines. Both her parents had the key, so they would not have bothered to ring the bell.
Unless, of course, her mother needed help with the groceries, in which case she would not have had a free hand in the first place. With that in mind, Risa opened the door.
"Hello cousin. I've been looking for you for a long time."
Risa stared at the unassuming young girl standing before her, a friendly twinkle in the stranger's eye. Her brain processed the information, and the only response she could summon was, if nothing, entirely true to herself.
"Eh? Ehhhhh?"
The girl smiled again.
"Hi, my name is Mitsui Aika, and I'm the younger daughter of your father's eldest cousin. So that makes us cousins too, don't you think?"
Risa was speechless. How did one expect to react to something like that? Caution edged her to some suspicion though, since it was simply not safe to take words from a stranger at face value.
"I know you aren't inclined to believe me, but look at this here."
With some care, Aika removed an old photograph from inside her bag, handing it to her stunned cousin. Risa took it, and saw that it was a picture out of a fairly large group of people, something akin to a family portrait but not quite, given the informality of the poses.
"There's my parents." Aika pointed out at a smiling couple off to one side.
"And there's your father." Her finger slid across the photo to a much younger version of Soujirou, who had his arms folded and was scowling at one of the younger kids hanging off him.
Risa stared. There was no mistaking her father in the photo. He was younger, and as yet without that scar near his left temple, but it was him. Turning the photo in her hands, she saw some words written in faded ink, at the bottom right of the picture.
Clan Gathering at Azuchi, 1983
"Now do you believe me?" Risa looked up at Aika, confusion still written all over the older's face. Aika smiled gently and held out her hand in a gesture of greeting.
"Pleased to meet you, cousin."
After a moment of hesitation, Risa took it, inviting the younger girl into her house and her life.
Pleased to meet you indeed.
~*~*~
A lone man staggered along in the fading light, casting long shadows in crazy directions. The sun had sunk low, but was still sitting in judgment, bestowing the rays in which the homeless took comfort in before the bitter chill of night set in.
Dark, straggling hair and heavyset eyebrows, complete with several days or even weeks worth of beard, lent a wild, shaggy appearance to this foreigner. Sunken cheeks and a ridged forehead gave him a peculiarly skeletal face, and his eyes had a hollow and distant cast to them, as if he were staring right through things instead of at them.
Shuddering, he twitched spasmodically and clutched at the nearest bench, leaning against it while heaving painfully. His fingers seemed peculiarly hooked and gnarled, joined to emaciated arms. The rags he wore were shabby and none too clean, but there appeared to have been some attempts to patch the garments at some point or another. Oddly, there was no stench that one would have expected from so rundown a creature, as if the man had, in fact, paid some attention to personal hygiene.
Taking a long, shaky breath, the man seemed seized by a sudden urge to retch, falling to his knees and crouching on the soft grass behind the bench. Here and there, other passerbys cutting through this quiet little park after work sent him dismissive and even loathing glances, or just ignored him altogether and moved on.
For his part, the man appeared heedless of the eyes of others on him, letting his fingers sink into the rocky soil that had not seen the gentle touch of rain in a while. Nature soothed his own pains, for was not nature the only constant?
Yet for all that it was a constant, for this man, there was yet another constant that was far more eternal, far more worthy of pursuit. For was not nature so easily destroyed by man and their buildings? The constant he sought was well nigh indestructible, and immortal.
The sun sank lower into the sky's bosom, grey skies looming overhead as color was leeched out of them by that vanishing source of light. Within himself, his consciousness also shrunk, his eyes reduced to pinpricks of darkness, having so far contracted in his growing mania that they seemed almost unreal.
One firm hand clasped down hard on his shoulder, and he turned with a snarl, near frothing at the mouth. In the next moment he found his skull smashed into the edge of the bench, skin tearing and giving way at the force of the impact. Yet almost as fast as the flesh had been wounded, it was sealing up, leaving only blood stains behind to mark any evidence.
"Why did you follow me here, wolf?"
The knock seemed to have retracted some of the madness away, if only temporarily. With eyes only marginally less fogged, the man looked up at his ambusher, a faint hint of recognition settling into dark eyes. When he spoke, it was with a grating edge, as if he were unused to speech.
"Not follow you...follow the hunt..." A trickle of drool oozed between wrinkled lips, teeth faintly visible behind them. His fingers had dug completely into the soil, and he looked peculiarly bestial being held down like that.
"What do you seek?" The man stared up at him.
"A demon." Their eyes met, a peculiar tingle of something beyond recognition, bordering on kinship even, passing between them.
"Brother...comrade...I must finish my hunt." The half-wild man seemed almost desperate, raising one gnarled hand to clutch at the leg of his trapper. A gnarled hand that had nails caked not only with soil, but with faint traces of crimson.
"I must kill that creature, else I cannot rest." Mania was creeping back into those dark eyes, the irises contracting again as his body spasmed involuntarily once more.
"You sold your soul for your prey. Is it worth it?" The other man, standing tall and upright, held a hint of pity in that unbending figure.
"Yes and yes, even if I may be damned for a thousand lifetimes, I. MUST. KILL. IT." The gurgling whisper degenerated into a slavering hiss, rage and madness mingling to form a toxic combination. His hand on the other man's leg now dug painfully into the thigh, but the other man merely shook him off as one would shake off a dog, leaving the wild man snarling and spitting at the ground, shuddering violently as another spasm overtook him.
"And when you are done, I will kill you." The pitiful creature looked up with mad eyes, but not so completely gone in insanity that there would be no hint of gratitude in them. The pair exchanged another mutual glance, the bargain sealed in that moment.
The sun set, heralding the start of another phase of the day. The man who was left behind in the park watched it go, preparing himself mentally for what was to come.
A life for the hunt...? He shook his head. How foolish.
Still he headed out, determined to keep his promise. Someone needed to clean up the mess, and to finish the job if that demon the creature had mentioned proved to be more than what that lost soul could handle. It was only right to aid a fellow hunter, fallen though he was.
That both of them were, though in different ways.
It seems we must fight again, partner.
At his side, the living fang pulsed in agreement, accelerating his system as he took off in that familiar rush of power, reluctant to take pleasure in it but unable to not do so at the same time.
The moon was not yet due to rise, and was in any case hidden behind the foggy layer of clouds laid thick across a velvet sky. The wind was still and waiting, as if holding its breath for what was to come.
It was going to be a long night.
~*~*~
Red eyes snapped open, still and cold on moldering crates. As usual, the area was completely devoid of life. She had seen to that before settling in for sleep.
Sitting up, Reina stretched and yawned despite having no real need for either action. It was mere habit, some leftover memory ingrained into her body, demanding no thought for it to be carried out, only that it should be done.
However, when something touched her fangs while her mouth was still half open, she reacted even more instinctively by biting down, ending up sinking her fangs into her own lower lip. The subsequent yelp of pain drew an amused chuckle from her watcher, and Reina glowered balefully at a smiling Ai who was seated on another crate next to her.
"You sleep like your Master did." Ai rested her chin on one raised palm, watching as Reina licked away the blood on her lips. The younger vampire stopped and stared.
"I do?" Ai nodded and reached out with one finger to flick at a spot of blood that Reina had missed, licking it off almost absently.
"Like the dead. Very unsafe if you can't sense danger in your sleep though." Reina crawled closer to Ai, wondering how close she could get without being rebuffed or worse.
"What are we doing tonight?" Red eyes stared up eagerly while pondering if attempting a sneak attack was a good idea. She had yet to lay a hand on Ai without Ai's explicit permission, and would like to try it for once. Reina was stubborn like that.
"Absolutely nothing. At least, you are going to do absolutely nothing. Stay put."
Reina stared at Ai, wondering if the elder vampire was joking. Ai was not, however. Reina growled unhappily, baring her fangs again, this time fully aware that it was rude to do so but doing it anyway.
"Why? Is Reina not good enough? Why must I stay here?"
Ai prodded at Reina's fangs again, making the younger vampire pull away with a frown, closing her mouth and glaring mutinously. She even shrugged off Ai's hand on her shoulder, sulking as she stalked a few steps away.
"I just want you to stay out of harm's way for a while." As usual, Ai offered no explanations, and Reina stopped, turning to shoot an irritated glance at the elder.
"Reina can help! Don't treat Reina like a child!" She jumped back to crouch in front of Ai, but was held back from pouncing with a single finger. Ai shook her head.
"You're barely more than a baby to me, kitten. Be good and stay put. I don't have time to rescue you on top of my little problem." As if to emphasize the difference in their strengths, Ai pushed forward lightly with her hand, but Reina was suddenly airborne as if she were hit by a truck, destined to crash into the opposite wall...
...only to be caught in a snug embrace by Ai speeding forward in a flash, moving so fast that even Reina, with a vampire's enhanced senses, could not pick up the motion at all.
"See now? You shouldn't get into fights you can't handle. You won't last very long if you do that." Ai landed gently on her feet, still holding Reina in that gentle embrace. Reina sulked in that position, but did not move away.
"Why do you care?" Ai chuckled and smoothed Reina's wayward fringe from her face, leaning forward to nuzzle at the young vampire's cheek.
"Because I feel a sense of responsibility towards a fledgling of an old friend." Reina seemed a bit of disappointed by this answer, but her pout was erased by Ai's lips capturing her own, and any protest was similarly muffled.
"And, because I like you." Ai smirked as she released Reina's lips, leaning up to kiss at the younger's temple affectionately. Reina purred at the contact, snuggling back against Ai...
...only to slam painfully against the wall for lack of a person to snuggle backwards into.
"Ow, what the fuck?" Reina cradled her head with a wince, glaring around for someone to blame. As she had half expected, Ai had gone.
Damn that woman... Reina growled again, kicking at the unoffending wall.
Be a good girl and stay put now. Ai's amused mental voice echoed in Reina's mind, making Reina punch the wall again in frustration before flipping off a finger at the assumed direction of the elder vampire.
Hmph, if you think that'll make Reina stay put, you've got something coming!
The little vampire kicked at another crate as she left her hidden cellar.
Somewhere above ground, Ai smiled to herself as she watched the fledgling emerge from her hiding place. Of course the little one would disobey her. Everything was going according to her calculations.
Now was the time to proceed, and proceed she would.
With one final smirk, she faded back into the shadows, unseen.
~*~*~
Now where did she go...?
Reina wandered around aimlessly, not quite sure where and how to locate her elusive target. The meager taste of Ai's blood that day had given her a better sense of Ai's presence though. It was no more than a vague pull, but it was all Reina had to work with.
The night itself seemed peculiarly hushed, as if people knew better than to be out on the streets at this time of the night. Then again, with all the recent disappearances, part of them Reina's fault, that much she would admit, people were just more cautious about staying out late and alone.
Darkness was no barrier to a vampire, and this night in particular was full of it, more so than usual. The moon was hidden from view by the gathering clouds, holding the promise of impending rain. Yet the sheer silence of the city seemed unnatural, as evidenced by the odd echo of her step on the pavement leading to the city outskirts.
Instinct made her wary; this was a night for a hunt, but would she be the hunter or the hunted? There was a looming threat in the air, without the fun and games of the playful rounds she had held with Ai before. How had she not sensed it before? Was this what Ai was warning her against?
Reina had to find out. She never did like being kept in the dark. She owned it. That is, the dark should belong to her, be in her mastery, not the other way round.
There it was again, that sense of menace, that looming threat that set her hackles to rising. A fleeting whiff of a peculiar smell, mixed in with the rusted metal and motor oil of the scrapyard just ahead.
Wet dog. And then it was gone again. Reina looked around nervously, eyes darting around to scan her surroundings. Nothing.
Yet she was sure that there had to be something out there. There just had to be. Her senses were screaming at her, but she could not pinpoint its exact location.
Shink. It was pure instinct that saved Reina, forcing her to leap back even as her peripheral vision detected a hint of motion. A blade whirred at high speed across where her head had been, even as the young vampire rolled into a crouching position, fangs bared and ready.
The stink of rune magic made her eyes flare even redder at a painful memory; she had almost lost an arm to another hunter wielding runic magic. Senses all at high alert, she opened her mind in the way that Ai had indirectly taught her, seeking and finding her target.
Not a moment too soon, since the blade came flying in from another direction, intent on cutting her down. Darting to one side, Reina just barely avoided the blade, the flare of the magic searing at the ends of her hair as she swung out wildly at her attacker.
The wild punch made no contact, even as the lithe figure slid out of the way with uncanny speed, so fast that Reina could barely follow the motion. It was similar to how Ai had evaded her, yet different. Here, she could sort of see the blur, whereas in Ai's case the elder vampire might as well have just teleported, that was how fast she had been.
The next flurry of swings nearly decapitated her, and Reina was forced to backstep quickly, unable to touch the blade due to the enchantments on it. She was not so experienced in hand-to-hand combat with a seasoned hunter that she could effectively fight them, but she was hardly going to give up so soon. Gritting her teeth, she ricocheted off the nearest wall and somersaulted over the unidentified hunter, hoping to get a lucky strike at his unprotected back.
No such luck. She had underestimated his speed, and hissed as her fist made contact with the enchanted blade that he reversed in one fluid half-turn. Kicking upwards with one foot desperately, Reina arched backwards to avoid the straight thrust that emerged from that defensive block, this time somersaulting backwards and nearly clipping the hunter with the tip of her boot.
"Not bad, small fry." The words were harsh, grating, almost inhuman. Reina skittered to a stop on the far end of the alley, ready to try and make a run for it. This was not a character she wished to tangle with, not at this point in her unlife. The instinct towards self-preservation was at the forefront here, her innermost beast not wishing to fight against someone who so obviously outclassed her.
Now that she had a moment to actually look at her attacker, she was stunned by how unkempt he was, looking more like a vagrant than anything else. Dressed in rags, hair wild and teeth yellow, with mad eyes tinted a peculiar shade of gold. He looked more animal than human, half crouched and snarling at her.
"Die, abomination." He dashed at her, zigzagging rapidly as his feet barely touched the ground, or so it seemed. Reina did not stand around waiting for him. She ran.
The nearest place to try and throw off her pursuer was the scrapyard, with its towering heaps of scrap metal and rusted car parts, old tires caked with grime strewn about carelessly like a child's abandoned toys. It was into this metal maze she darted into, leaping over a fence effortlessly and running like her life depended on it to try and evade her dogged pursuer.
She knew he was coming for her, felt that gaze, as if he had locked onto her somehow, and that odd stench of runic magic emanating from the blade he wielded made her feel physically ill. Her fist was still burning after coming into contact with it, the skin blistered as if burned.
As she ran, her mind worked on erasing the sense of her presence the way her nightly games with Ai had taught her, while her body navigated each twist and turn around the heaps of metal on its own. She did not have a particular destination in mind, only that she had to lose him, or at least be able to shake him off long enough to make a clear escape.
That unthinking focus cost her dearly when he suddenly appeared in front of her, slamming into her full force with his shoulder and knocking her straight backwards into a pile of scrap metal. The impact was shocking, but what made her gasp was not so much the force of the impact as it was the number of sharp edges that cut into her body as a result. It was as if she were nailed there, except from behind and with rusty metal edges. And damn did it hurt like a bitch.
Reina had little time to ponder her situation though, a fact painfully proven when a strong arm actually pushed her further into her metal rack. It was like being impaled in a dozen places all at once. The sadistic leer on her tormentor's face was not helping, even as he held her neck with crushing force beyond what any ordinary human could summon. To add insult to injury, he wasn't even resorting to his blade, which had found its way back up his ragged sleeve.
"Filthy undead maggot." His eyes were alight with a fanatical fervor as he punched Reina in the stomach, the blow making the vampire cry out, struggling to get free of the death grip.
"Heretical trash." His next blow landed in between Reina's eyes, an audible crack of breaking bone as her head smashed backward into an old headlight, the splinters driving into the back of her skull.
"Burn in hell, bitch." His long knife slid back into his hand, and Reina screamed as the burning blade dug deep into her belly, her tormentor deliberately gouging the area where a metal edge had pierced her. The runes flared on the blade, searing her flesh with a flame unlike any other. She clawed impotently at her attacker, but was barely able to even make a dent on the madman. Pain could be debilitating, even for the undead.
The knife slashed downwards, a sick ripping sound of cloth and flesh accompanying the motion. Reina howled as the cruel knife sliced into her leg tendons, fancying the severed ends slithering back into bleeding muscle, white-hot pain shooting up her thigh to match the wounds above.
Her screams were cut short as the knife plunged into her throat between his fingers, severing the chords and spraying her blood all over the crazed hunter's face. It was perhaps fortunate that she no longer needed to breathe, but nevertheless she still choked on her own blood, the pain so great that the nerves reporting it to her brain were practically overloaded.
The dim realization that he was not only merely aiming to kill her, but also to inflict the greatest amount of pain possible, was at first slow in coming, but was driven in more painfully with every brutal action. Terror set in with the onset of helplessness; like an animal caught in a trap, roasted over a slow fire. No escape nor reprieve seemed open to her.
He raised the bloody blade once more, this time undoubtedly aiming for her eyes. Reina could barely see it however, her vision was fogged by her own blood, and she was too dazed by the pain to even react, much less respond. Her fangs were still bared though, out of some residual defiance, as if it could somehow help her.
The blurred image of the blade falling was the last thing she saw, before a whirlwind of motion erased everything from sight, leaving behind a fuzzy, splintered image of red and black reflected by fractured eyeballs. Her chin fell forward, no longer impeded by the grip on her neck, though her hair was still a bloody mess tangled with the metal behind her. Her blood continued oozing with cold certainty, and her body slumped weakly, sliding off with blood-slickness off the metal to crumple into a pool of her own blood.
As she lay there, barely conscious of herself or her surroundings, she was dimly aware a pair of booted heels right before her eyes. Her head lolled to one side, cheek mushing into a mix of blood and mud, her sight spiralling in and out like an off-focus camera.
Help me... No voice to speak with, only weak fingers to brush feebly at that boot, in some faint hope for salvation, or even just a release from her pain.
What she received was far beyond her wildest expectations.
Several drops of blood; ancient, powerful, familiar. Beyond any conscious control, her tongue stretched out for more, cleaning every last speck that had fallen to her. Instinct took over, and she started lapping like a crazed animal at her own blood on the ground, heedless of how she may look in that instant.
Dimly, beyond the animal consciousness, Reina was aware of an exchange of words, but she could not muster any energy to pay attention. What she could not fail to notice though, was the unmistakable sound of a howling wolf, its keening cry shattering the thick night air.
Struggling to look up, her mouth full of blood and dirt, Reina could just make out the form of one Takahashi Ai standing some distance ahead, one hand outstretched towards her opponent, finger crooking inwards in a gesture of invitation. Inexplicably, the elder vampire seemed to notice her broken stare, since a sidelong glance was shot her way, and for some reason unknown to her, Reina could very clearly see the ghost of a smile curving the older vampire's lips.
This won't take long. She seemed to hear or see, Reina could not be sure which. Exhausted, her face fell forward, too spent to even pay attention to what was going on.
Only one thing remained, a sure certainty that sprung to life within her without any prompting. The fact that Ai would win, and she would survive.
With that, Reina closed her eyes, allowing the darkness to swallow her whole.
===========================================================================
Loooooooooooooooooooooooong chapter.
I take no responsibility for people feeling sick after this. :3
*prances away*
-
I'll be back. :heart:
Sayu is totally peaking my interest here. :lol: Why is she so damn concerned about Ai-chan? Moreover, how does she know about Ai-chan?! O...M...G...how did Ai-chan get there.... :shocked: I would be so terrified. "Your kind"? So exactly is Sayu? And Eri too? Do they all have powers or something?! :lol:
Oooook, the Aika thing is weird. Just plain weird.
Is one of these men Gaki's dad? :shocked:
I think childish Reina is soooo cute. :P NOOOOOO!!! She should have listened to Ai-chan!!! I would say "Don't die!" but she's kinda already dead... :lol:
I have so many questions now. :D
-
Chapter 12 - Crescendo
remember Aichan's called the Daywalker for a reason.
Oh yeah...forgot about that.
:mon sweat:
"So, uh, did you end up going out with Takahashi-san?" She said the name with a wince, clutching the cordless phone a bit tighter than necessary in her hand. A girlish giggle sounded over the line, prompting a dual reaction of an eye roll and a quiet sigh from the younger girl.
"Yes, well, she's really nice...paid for everything even though I wanted to split the bill. Said that it was only right since she was older..." Another dreamy giggle, and Sayumi wondered if it were possible to chuck the phone at her senior's head from halfway across the town.
Eepz. :O
"You let her kiss you?" Sayu blurted out inelegantly, mind running around in several different directions while trying to ascertain the identity of one Takahashi Ai. A dangerous being with uncanny focus? Could be human, maybe a practitioner of dark arts? No, her fear had been instinctive, primal even. Something other than human? Maybe a demon?
Well if she likes girls and is charming Gaki-san, maybe a succubus...?
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?!? Man, Sayu's brain's workin' in over-top-gear. :shocked
Really, that girl could be more excitable than a family of squirrels hyped up on a cocktail of steroids and amphetamines sometimes.
Oh how I love colourful imagery. :lol:
Letting out another small sigh, Sayumi was about to continue when Risa asked her to hold for a moment, followed by the sound of a hand muffling the receiver on the other end and the sound of voices in the background.
...
"...othing's wrong, Father. Are you going out?"
"Yes, I think I'll be back late tonight. Don't stay up too late."
"Yes Father. Have a safe trip."
Geez, for a sec I thought at it was Aichan that was there. With it being Risa's father though, I guess he's going to.....um....."work".
Shit, what if Aichan knows about Risa's father and what he does??? :-X
Sayumi hummed under her breath as she waited, looking out of the window. The sun seemed simultaneously piercing and dull at the same time, as if the rays could not fully penetrate through the protective shade of the house. All in all, the fact made Sayu feel just a little smug about the sun's failure to roast her living space.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...foreboding? or just me being over-analytical?
"...don't get too close to Takahashi, Gaki-san." The warning slipped out before she could moderate it in any way, and Sayu worried at her lip nervously, hoping that Risa wouldn't be too offended by the forwardness of the statement.
*~SNIP~*
"I'm glad you care, Sayumin. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just concentrate on getting well."
Well, I'd say Sayu got her point across, and she did it without sounding too odd about it. It's good that Sayu spoke up about her concerns to Risa this way. Now, with that small seed sown, Risa might have second thoughts or may not be so ready to dismiss the odd bit of behaviour that comes from Aichan.
"No interest in me? You have no idea what you're missing out on, kit."
HOLY SHIT! SHE'S AT SAYU'S!!!
:mon scare:
"Just a little taste though, before I leave. I've never had occasion to try out one of your kind before, diluted or not." A cold sensation down the length of her neck, and Sayumi almost fell over, if not for the iron grip that had snaked around her waist in the meantime.
In retrospect, it did not hurt as much as it should have, and it was over almost before she was aware that it had begun. Her consciousness had seemed oddly detached from her physical self during the moment, a side effect of the charm, perhaps.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!!! SAYU!!
:OMG:
Wait a sec...what did she mean when she said "one of your kind before, diluted or not."
:dunno:
It wasn't supposed to feel this good.
:dizzy:
"Hello cousin. I've been looking for you for a long time."
Risa stared at the unassuming young girl standing before her, a friendly twinkle in the stranger's eye. Her brain processed the information, and the only response she could summon was, if nothing, entirely true to herself.
"Eh? Ehhhhh?"
But of course. It's Risa, after all. :P
The girl smiled again.
"Hi, my name is Mitsui Aika, and I'm the younger daughter of your father's eldest cousin. So that makes us cousins too, don't you think?"
Aika?!?! She's Risa's "second cousin"?
Why am I so suspicious about her? :?
*AIKA'S PHOTO*
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I wonder...
"Now do you believe me?" Risa looked up at Aika, confusion still written all over the older's face. Aika smiled gently and held out her hand in a gesture of greeting.
"Pleased to meet you, cousin."
After a moment of hesitation, Risa took it, inviting the younger girl into her house and her life.
Pleased to meet you indeed.
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh this just doesn't sound right. :huhuh
*DUDE IN THE PARK*
Enter...a random element? The (as of yet) secret participant? The...curve ball?
*REINA GETS PWNED*
Well, Aichan DID warn her to stay inside.
Still...OSHIT REINA!!!!
:scared:
Reina could just make out the form of one Takahashi Ai standing some distance ahead, one hand outstretched towards her opponent, finger crooking inwards in a gesture of invitation. Inexplicably, the elder vampire seemed to notice her broken stare, since a sidelong glance was shot her way, and for some reason unknown to her, Reina could very clearly see the ghost of a smile curving the older vampire's lips.
This won't take long. She seemed to hear or see, Reina could not be sure which. Exhausted, her face fell forward, too spent to even pay attention to what was going on.
Only one thing remained, a sure certainty that sprung to life within her without any prompting. The fact that Ai would win, and she would survive.
As I read this part, I thought [bgcolor=#000000]"Dammit, Essy's going to make it so that they're fighting Risa's father right now, isn't she?"[/bgcolor]
You would do something like that, wouldn't you? :banghead:
-
Weee~! Long chapter! (I skimmed the previous chapters. lol)
Ah, Risa is head over heels with Ai-chan. XD But Aika showing up complicate matters so much more now! Risa will find out what her dad has been doing all these nights! :O
Sayu~! She got bitten by Ai-chan XD Don't ask me why I find that amusing, but I do. o.O Think I'm a sadist. XD Anyhoo, Ai-chan never had one of her kind before... Hmm... So there is something special about Sayu. I wonder what it is!!
And poor Reina, completely played like a fool and almost died. Tsk, tsk, she is truly a kitten. Ai used her as bait and Reina totally fell for it.
-
:dizzy:
OMG double whammy!
Since I believe in the saying curiosity killed the cat, I held off on reading the *cough cough* of the story that shall not be named. After noticing an update for Gegenschein...I figured this is just perfect! I could read the *cough cough* and then read Gengenschein to wash away any traumatizing thoughts.... OH how wrong was I! So traumatized~ and curiosity really did kind of kill the cat! :stunned:
wow I can't believe Sayu's been hiding out for days :on cloudeye:
lol Ai chan as a succubus...somehow that doesn't seem all that far off XD
"...Sayumin, do you like Ai-chan?"
lol...great...now I want some TakaShige crack XD
Just a little taste though, before I leave. I've never had occasion to try out one of your kind before, diluted or not.
Eeew...Sayu's diluted! It better not be that cholesterol thing again! :P
Ai chan has seriously got to stop "touching" people XD At this rate, Sayu might end up being Nocturne-Risa 2.0 :sweat:
oh cousin Aika..how could I have forgotten about you. This girl is like everyone's relative in stories XD
"And, because I like you." Ai smirked as she released Reina's lips, leaning up to kiss at the younger's temple affectionately.
:O Eeek is a kiss on the temple from Ai chan like the kiss of death!?! oh no! Risa!! and poor Reina!
belly...sword....leg....eyes....eeeeew
:mon barf:
darn you and hammy for your crazy beatings!
Instinct took over, and she started lapping like a crazed animal at her own blood on the ground, heedless of how she may look in that instant.
EEEWWW!
:mon barf:
Okay...I'm glad Reina's gonna survive but I think I just died :imdead: Please revive me next chapter~ XD
-
"Gaki-san, relax. Breathe. I didn't say anything." Sayumi coaxed over the phone. Really, that girl could be more excitable than a family of squirrels hyped up on a cocktail of steroids and amphetamines sometimes
:lol:
It wasn't supposed to feel this good.
Ehh.?!. :O something like a love potion.?.
...only to slam painfully against the wall for lack of a person to snuggle backwards into
XD damn that's kinda nice to imagine XD
Aww, poor Reina... the battle thing's kinda intense
and Ai's kinda ummm evil
-
Of course Sayu was gonna be the first victim. Knowing too much can bite you in the ass...or neck. Whichever she prefers.
Poor Gaki is too trusting.
"Hey little girl, want some candy?"
"OKAY! 8D"
"How about we go to my place."
"OKAY! 8D"
"Now take off your clothes."
"O-OKAY! 8D"
Lol, Reina got her ass handed to her. That girl always has to learn the hard, painful way.
"REINA! I challenge you to a blood drinking contest, NO STRAWS ALLOWED!"
Instinct took over, and she started lapping like a crazed animal at her own blood on the ground, heedless of how she may look in that instant.
"OH NOEZ U DONT BITCH!" *gets on her hands and knees next to Reina and starts lapping away*
Someone ask me if I feel bad for Reina. DO IT, I DARE YOU!
And here's my unintelligent one-liner again:
I WANNA SEE AI ASSRAPE THE SHIT OUT OF PEOPLE. PLS UPDATE SOON!
Don't leave me hangin'. D:
-
"Hey little girl, want some candy?"
"OKAY! 8D"
"How about we go to my place."
"OKAY! 8D"
"Now take off your clothes."
"O-OKAY! 8D"
XD XD XD
-
^
^Too hilarious.
Your fics are very good Estrea!!!!!!!!!
:D
-
Are you /sure/ you didn't call up Nocturne!Ai-chan for a cameo in this chapter? 'Cos it certainly felt like it. :D That, or you were in a particularly sadistic mood while writing it.
-----
Aha! So it was Aika who was stalking Ai and Risa a couple of chapters back. I'd thought it was someone else. (You like stalker!Aika too, yes? :D) Hmm, this is going to be interesting, since we know (more or less) that Aika has Something Up Her Sleeve, whatever that may be, and it doesn't spell Something Good for Risa's dad, at the very least (and Risa herself, after all.)
I still keep on thinking that Risa is too much of a nexus here, and Reina is being sidelined, though. 'Cos... well, Ai's interested in Risa, Aika has a grudge of sorts, Sayu (and Eri) have either something coincidental or Something or they just really look out for her out of kindness (unless you're still playing with even more things in your sleeves and pockets XD), and if anything, Reina's hanging around... getting beaten up.
(I've stared at roadkill before, thank you.)
-----
So lah-dee-dah, I'm going to sit back with my usual idleness and poke you incessantly for a new chapter. XD And give Reina some time to heal, please? :)
-
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG When did you post this? I actually missed it??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
*smacks self*
*runs to read*
I WILL be back!!
-
I return! Brain dead at 5 in the morning. Sun is rising soon! I must escape before it burns me! Ahhhh!!! Comment replies first though, as always.
Ichigo-chan: Sayu is such a mystery. :3 Yeah, Ai is freaky in her own way too. XD Reina certainly is cute, and yes since she's already dead, she can't actually die a second time. She can be destroyed though, but not really, not now. Haha.
JFC: I can't reply coherently to you as of now, but let's just say, read on and you will find out. >D
Fenrir: Yes you are a sadist. :P Obviously there is something special about Sayu, I shall continue to keep you guys in the dark for now though. :3 Yeah, Reina was such a cute little fool. But at least she was useful in her own way? Lol. You'll see more interesting stuff this chapter. :3
Sukoshi: Sorry for double whammy? You should have known better! Gegenschein isn't exactly heavy on the fluff. XD TakaShige crack? Wait for Nocturne. :P And no, it's not cholesterol. Lol. Haha yeah Aika does seem to be the ultimate relative, doesn't she? XD She's just so...convenient. XD Sorry about killing you but I don't know if I can revive you properly. Will try though~
kRisZ: Ai is evil. Isn't that fun? :3 Hehe. Read on~
rev2hd: LMAO you crack me up way too much. :lol: And since no one asked you, let me do it: DO YOU FEEL BAD FOR REINA?! There. Ai does beat the shit out of something this chapter. Hope it makes you happy. :3
Hotaru: Hi there! And thank you! :D
kitaoji: I might have been channeling Nocturne!Ai for a bit. But eh, why not. Lol. And yes, I am rather sadistic. XD Aika has plans, that's for sure. She's a sneaky little one. Risa's the main plot driver now, I'll admit. Reina is along for the ride, but that should change somewhere along the line. I'm not saying how or why though. :3 You'll see. And lmao at Reina being roadkill...comes pretty close I would think. And I'll think about your request. Really. Think about it. :P
lil_hamz: Annnnnd you're still not back. Fine. Be that way. :P
Done with replies. Chapter will be up after editing. Watch this space!
-
WEDGE!
DO YOU FEEL BAD FOR REINA?!
NO.
-
Chapter 13 - Ignition
"Tch, how bothersome."
Hooded eyes turned snake-like sinuous to regard the panting hunter she had just sent flying, the poor creature whose obvious mania seemed to increase upon catching sight of her arrival. Dark pupils shot with gold seemed to dilate even further, even as the black core at its center seemed to constrict even more.
"You...you...I've found you..."
The words seemed labored, punctuated by growling huffs and the slavering drool starting to dribble from unnaturally pronounced canines. Ai shot him an look of obvious disdain, before lowering her gaze to rest back on the prone form on the ground. The young fledgling was badly wounded, but it was nothing that one of her generation could not survive.
Ignoring the mad hunter for the moment, Ai raised one wrist and slit herself with one sharp nail, the blood welling up quickly in the shallow cut. Holding it over the suffering young vampire, she let a few drops of her own blood fall into that clamoring mouth, watching how the fledgling reacted to it.
The reaction was less than dignified, but Ai let it slide; after all, Reina never had the benefit of a Master's guidance. Raising her bleeding wrist, Ai licked the crimson trail off languidly, her tongue sealing off the shallow wound as if it had never been there.
"You monster...I have found you, and I will kill you!"
Ah, the annoyance. Ai turned back to him, a perplexed look crossing her face.
"Have we met?"
The words seemed to aggravate the hunter even more, since he started shaking all the more violently, eyes glowing with an unearthly light. The blade he held clattered to the ground, his fingers hooked and rigid. Hatred loomed like a palpable aura around his pale figure, his hair falling forward to shade his gaunt face.
"Dublin, 1916. Have you forgotten, monster? How you humiliated me?" His voice was changing, becoming more guttural, more forceful, deeper and spiked with hatred.
"What was I doing 90 years ago..." Ai paused and thought about it. "Ah, yes, Ireland. Nice country. I don't recall...oh, were you the one who kept trying to kill me after I passed through London?" She looked thoughtfully at him. "You've certainly kept well for someone nearing his first century."
"You...I cannot die until you are destroyed! I've sacrificed everything to chase you!"
Ai did not seem at all impressed by the declaration. In fact, she looked rather bored. She flicked a stray bit of dirt from under her fingernails, blowing them off casually.
"Don't be boring. Everyone who has ever said that to me died first."
Enraged beyond all tolerance, the hunter lunged forward...only to be terminated in mid-leap by his own tortured body, falling down onto the rutted ground and thrashing violently, fingers clawing wildly at anything and everything within reach. Ai twitched at the bloody wounds the man was gouging in his own skin; she didn't approve of any kind of wastage, but she wasn't so keen on tainted blood either. She preferred her food to be of a certain quality under most circumstances.
A tormented scream broke the tension, cutting through the atmosphere like a jagged blade, leaving ragged edges of unease in its wake. It tore through the dark night, straight up into the sky, and right into the dense cloud cover high above. Ai narrowed her eyes, her jaw flexing with irritation. Her senses were being rattled by any number of things, the least of which being the fact that she was being watched. She bit off the beginnings of a few curses before they emerged, some of them in a number of already dead languages. This could be...annoying.
The full moon peeking out overhead definitely did not aid in her temperament. Irises flared a bloody crimson, and she raised one pale hand, as if testing the air around her. Abruptly, she closed it into a fist, before bringing it back down in a single cutting motion. Blood wards sprang up all around the junkyard, runes she had inscribed hastily with her own blood while Reina had been buying her time in her own way earlier. There would be no interruptions to this fight. No additional collateral damage either, since neither she nor that poor creature before her could leave the bounds until either one of them was dead.
A pity that I couldn't be more thorough. Ai cast that thought aside as easily as one would cast off a useless object, preferring to focus on the present moment. It would be...troublesome...with the addition of unwanted observers, but she already had the entire situation within the palm of her hand. Now it was merely a matter of playing out the script she had just as surely written, in pursuit of the ideal climax she sought.
Moonlight shone true, past the supernatural barrier that blocked off the attention of mere mortals and locked the arena she had chosen. It lit up the rusted metal carcasses, line and shadow cast in some crazy postmodern exhibition twisted beyond mortal comprehension. It fell on a rapidly bulking form, layer upon layer of muscle and bone, lending an impressive frame to what was once an emaciated shell. A sick twisting and cracking, deforming what was once human into something else.
It seemed all very appropriate to Ai, standing before this bizarre mockery of art, the dark reality of the canvas before her. Like the painter, she observed. Catalogued. Absorbed the soul of what she witnessed and prepared her hand to make it even more beautiful, splashed red on a dark canvas.
The broken howl of the wolf who was once a man rent the air; mad, golden eyes locking on its prey. Standing erect on massive hind legs in primate fashion, it was not quite wolf, not quite man, and all six feet of muscular monstrosity. The long muzzle that protruded from that wolf-like face was parted in a hideously fanged grin, a white froth gathering at the edges.
There was no warning as the creature literally vanished, the sheer velocity of its movement making it entirely untrackable save for the parting of the air in its wake. Ai blurred out of the spot she stood, conveniently dodging the dashing impact of clawed feet stamping right into the earth where she had just been. The wolf crouched, ears flattening back as it hissed, noticing that the fallen form of the other vampire was also missing. Frustrated, it howled again, claws ripping into the bloody earth, nose picking up the scent. And then it was off again, leaving churned up earth behind it.
Ai had just finished stashing Reina into a partially sheltered spot when she felt the bestial presence press nearer, and she darted away, leaping nimbly onto a heap of rusted metal frames to re-orientate herself to the terrain. Within moments though, her footing was literally demolished beneath her as 300 pounds of enraged fur bulldozed its way into the pile, claws swiping at her from below. Having backflipped a split second before the impact, Ai was still half in the air when the creature propelled itself into the air, using the collapsing heap as a springboard. With a triumphant bark, wicked claws tore into Ai's midsection as the wolf seized her, plunging them both into the ground amidst crushed metal and glass.
The impact would have broken the spine of an ordinary human; it only crushed a few ribs and cracked a few other bones with Ai. She hissed more out of irritation than pain, her fangs showing prominently as her eyes glowed with an inhuman light. She swatted at the creature's head in a seemingly casual move, but the audible crack of breaking bone when her slap hit the side of its head was testament to the force applied. The wolf whined at the blow, but held on with dogged perseverance, digging in deep with its claws in an attempt to eviscerate his enemy.
Ai snarled as she grabbed the persistent wolf by the scruff of its neck, forcibly ripping it away from her mutilated midsection and tossing it into the nearest pile of scrap metal with a force that belied the casualness of the act. The mountain of junk collapsed as the creature punched a hole into its center from the throw, burying it at least temporarily. Ai took the time to stand up, one hand pressing against the gaping wound in her stomach. A human would barely be able to remain conscious; but Ai only spat derisively on the ground as she straightened, removing her hand from the ripped flesh as it knit itself back together.
A roar broke the momentary peace, even as the werewolf tore its way out of the scrap heap. A dozen bleeding wounds scarred its furry hide, wounds that repaired themselves within moments, leaving only blood and ripped fur as evidence of ever being there. Its claws were still wet, slick from having delved into Ai's innards. That golden gaze was devoid of all sanity as it fell on Ai again, slavering madly as it lunged forward, claws outstretched.
Wicked claws slashed air as Ai moved her head out of the way, locked in close physical combat as the wolf clawed and tore at her, or tried to. Like a dancer, the ancient vampire slid out of the way of the blows as if in orchestrated motion, fluidly grabbing onto one furred arm and forcing it back, using its forward momentum against it. The sound of cracking bone as the joint snapped at the elbow was punctuated by a short howl of pain, the werewolf lashing out blindly with its good arm but catching nothing other than air as it found itself once more caught in vertigo, before making deadly impact against another stack of junk metal.
Ai dropped the arm she held, crushing it under her heel. That it had come off while she was hauling on it was an accident, but she wasn't complaining. One less implement with which that annoying creature could grab her with. The tattered remnants twitched again, still imbued with some residual, stubborn life force. The second crunch of Ai's booted heel ended that last gasp at survival, albeit separated from its main body.
The wolf did not immediately rush her this time, and Ai was almost disappointed. Was that all it had to show her? And under a full moon no less. Had werewolves fallen so far in recent times?
Her train of thought was broken by a whistle of movement, and she just barely sidestepped as the claw brushed the side of her cheek. Reaching up, her fingers came away wet and dark, the rich crimson leeched of its color by the pale moonlight. She barely had time to respond as something barreled past her position, one clawed fist punching through her midsection and sending her flying. While she was still in the air, before she could recover, the blurred outline of the wolf darted all around, inflicting all sorts of flesh wounds but never staying put long enough in one spot for her to grab hold and use her superior strength against him.
Wolfen speed under a full moon. Nothing faster. Ai felt oddly reflective as she crashed right through the windshield of a car. The pain of the impact and from the numerous open wounds would have at least drawn some kind of response from any living creature, but Ai was far from anything living. Sheer will banished any possible physical effects pain would normally have had on a person, and Ai pulled herself soundlessly out of the broken glass in one fluid motion. Cut all over, she looked to be in bad shape...though her eyes told another story.
She had barely stepped out of the wreckage when the wolf snapped past her again, using his one remaining arm to claw at her in passing. A chunk of flesh came off with the motion, her shoulder left raw and bloody. She ignored it, walking on with eyes a solid red, barely even slowing down. All around her, the air buzzed thick with anticipation. She felt the air pressure lower, the moisture heavy in the air. An overload of information, simultaneously barraging her from all sides, even as her mind put together the scattered links.
So it thinks to wear me down with speed. Bleeding lips curved into a mocking smile as another wound ripped into her thigh. She resembled some sort of broken sculpture, missing pieces of flesh and streaked with blood. Every other moment, yet another new wound would open in passing as the wolf streaked past her like a bullet, inflicting more damage.
How foolish. The wolf was fast, she could not keep up with it physically. But she did not have to match it for speed. There were ways aplenty for her to reverse the situation, though a certain number of them she would rather not apply, not with prying eyes in the area. That left a couple of very limited options, but they would do.
Though she would have to take unnecessary damage like she was doing now, but that was alright. Everything was still going exactly as planned. Ai smiled as she was knocked over to one side, claw marks imprinted deep into her back. Staggering a little, she let herself fall to her knees, heard the triumphant howl of her foe. She curled up a little, clutching at her torn and bleeding arm, head bowed to hide her fanged smile from sight. Come closer, you despicable mutt.
The dark presence of the beast descended with bonecrushing speed; clearly, the wolf was taking no chances even with her presumably down for the count. It would crush the puny vampire, break its neck before ripping the rest all to pieces to prevent regeneration. At least, that was the plan. Massive feet hurtled down with the force of a speeding truck, ready to snap the vampire's neck on impact...and then it stopped.
The wolf could not comprehend what had just occurred. It was like hitting water; all the force had been absorbed and negated into that limitless pool of darkness. Dimly, it realized that the vampire had been waiting for him to make a predictable move all along, and had only chosen to counter at the right moment.
And now Ai held on to his feet with one hand, having canceled out the incoming force with a trick that all vampires possessed, but that few have ever learned or even realized the vast potentials of that ability. The same ability that allowed them to walk in shadow, to be one with the shadow, all it had taken was just a little creativity to give it combat utility. And Ai had had eons to polish that technique to perfection.
Before the wolf could even recover from its shock, Ai had slammed it into the ground, cracking any number of bones with the impact. Releasing the crushing hold she had on the wolf's foot, well, what remained of the wolf's foot that could be recognized amidst the bleeding fleshy pulp, she pinned it with her boot to its chest and her bloody hand around its throat.
"You're a few hundred years too young to play with me, mutt." Ai sneered as she ripped the wolf's muzzle half off its face, cutting off the howl of defiance. She shook her head at the pathetic resistance it continued to show by sinking its claws into her leg, fingers deeper into its throat and stifling even the strangled whimper of pain from her prey.
"You don't understand at all, do you? I am not human. Did you think this kind of damage will stop me?" As if to emphasize her point, she tore the offending arm off the trapped wolf, tossing it casually aside. The gaping wound on her leg was raw and red...but it did not bleed. Likewise with all the numerous slashes all over her body. They were open, revealing flesh and bone, but no blood flowed from them. This was in stark contrast to the werewolf, who did indeed bleed, and profusely too, from the stump where his arm had been abruptly separated from.
Terror reflected back into her crimson eyes, a familiar sensation that she drew into herself, basking in the dizzying glow of power and control. The moon was no longer visible, hidden behind a thick layer of dark storm clouds looming ominously above.The wolf, devoid of its motivating energy, was trembling beneath her grasp, tail tucked and whining in the back of its throat. The man within the wolf was less docile, but no less horrified. Vocal chords fought for respite in a constricted space, straining to find voice.
"M..ons..ter..." The wolf who was once a man croaked out weakly, the burning glow of golden eyes lighting up fiercely in some final, pathetic form of defiance. The lack of lips and proper mouthparts garbled most of what it was going to say, but the meaning encapsulated in that single word he had managed to get out was enough in itself. Ai smiled, a smile devoid of any kind of mirth.
"Yes." Her fingers closed around the jugular, crushing the windpipe and an arterial spray painted her face red with fresh blood. The wound tried to knit together, testament to the werewolf's impressive regenerative rate, but Ai gave it no chance as she tore its throat out, using both hands to separate its head from the neck. One final blow smashed the skull in, deforming it beyond any physical recognition. The rest of the monstrous body seemed to shrink, receding rapidly into its broken human form, puny in comparison to the immense furry bulk from before.
Stepping off the decapitated corpse, Ai brushed somewhat ineffectually at her face with the back of her equally bloodstained hand, her tongue flicking out to lick at her skin. As she had come to expect, werewolf blood had a distinctive taste to it, and buzzed through her senses like a stimulant would to a human being. She stopped trying to taste it. Going on a blood rampage in a major population centre would be very...visible. Ai was fairly sure that wiping a city off the world map would not go unnoticed, and she really didn't need the attention in this day and age.
The sensation of watching eyes seared into her psychically attuned senses like a burning brand, making her turn on her heel and stare up into the distance at the roof of a building, sight closing in on the watcher like a hawk spotting prey.
He knew that she had seen him, and she knew that he knew it. Ai smirked at him, raising one bloody hand and pointing directly where he was. His response was untaught, and brilliant: he fled.
But not before one little diversion. Ai's smile faded slightly at the rocketing flare headed directly at her, the magical arrow burning a cool blue and driving directly into her shoulder, making her stagger backwards from the impact. It seared her flesh, making it melt and bubble like overcooked meat, and liquefying bone from within. Hissing in a pain that was far more than any mere flesh wound could give her, Ai tore the bolt from her shoulder with her bare hands, flinging it onto the incomplete cadaver beside her. It burst into an unearthly blue flame, consumed in a manner of minutes. The hand she removed it with also had its skin blistered off, flesh raw and showing underneath. She cursed, spitting the words out like a snake.
But she did not pursue him. She could catch him, she knew it, but she did not feel up to another fight so soon. If cornered, she would kick the ass of any coming challenger, but what was the point of pursuing needless battles? She would take care of the problem in due time.
Besides, she had other problems to deal with. The least of which being that hapless fledgling that had somehow fallen into her care, and there were still other concerns that occupied her mind. Moving slowly, she retrieved the still comatose Reina from where she had left the baby vampire, heaving her over her uninjured shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She would have carried her more delicately, but her wounded shoulder was still giving her a little trouble.
I must look like a mess. Ai shook her head in amusement as she left the scrapyard, the wards already down. More's the better.
The sky opened up, rain descending in solid sheets like curtains on a stage, closing the final act. It erased all traces of the battle, and indeed, all presence of having been there, if not for the carnage that still remained. And indeed, Ai was no longer there, borrowing the cloak of shadows and falling rain to disappear from the disappointed view of more than a single audience, even counting the one that had left early.
The watchers waited, and planned some more. The next act had to be perfect. Nothing less would satisfy. With that in mind, they too faded into the darkness.
The night had been long, and full of mystery. No one person knew it all, no one could.
What else did the falling rain hide tonight?
~*~*~
Risa was a light sleeper, prone to waking up several times at night for no particular reason, looking around restlessly before falling back to sleep. It was thus not unusual for her to rouse naturally from her dreams, wide awake and looking around wildly, as if some danger was imminent.
The normality of the practice was broken this time though. With a start, she had awoken, the rat-a-tat of water droplets gunning against her windows providing a decent source of distraction that first drew her attention. She focused on that for a moment, watching the drops of water perform kamikaze assaults against the clear glass with great effort but little result. The comparison made her smile, and she shifted around on her bed, about to snuggle back under the covers and try to get some more sleep.
The as usual part of this routine was broken at this point with the sound of voices outside her door. Well, far from her door, probably further out in the sitting room. The narrow slit between the door and the floor showed a sliver of light, dim but shining true. Clearly, her parents were up, or more than likely, her father had just returned. She glanced at the clock. 02:44. Well, no wonder her father had told her not to wait up for him.
The voices sparked her curiosity. Her parents did not normally quarrel, at least never in her presence, and definitely not loud enough that she would be alarmed. She was not certain what was going on, but the raised voices were of sufficient concern for her to creep to her door and open it a crack, allowing her to simultaneously listen in and take a discreet peek down the hallway.
"...need to leave. Now." Her father, agitated, pacing. Her mother, a picture of concern.
"We haven't prepared anything yet, and Risa-chan just started a new semester..."
"We'll get by. I'm not staying in the same city as a monster." For all of his agitation, Soujirou sounded more frightened than anything else. Risa closed the door with a trembling hand, retreating back to her bed in confusion. What did her father mean?
One thing she was sure of though. They were going to move. Again.
Just when she thought that she could finally settle down, finally make some lasting attachments to the people around her that were not family. When she finally found some real friends, friends who she cherished. When she had even found someone she might like.
And now, everything would be ruined again. She would have to start all over in some unfamiliar new place, trying to fit in, trying to be a part of something, but yet always apart. She would have to forget all about the here and now, and move on, as she had always had to.
Except this time, it would not be so easy. Risa felt like she had already left a part of her heart behind, and with no way of ever getting it back.
Outside, the rain did not stop, soaking into the ground as tears would soak a pillow. It was not gentle nor harsh, it simply was. A storm of weeping that would pass, as any storm would.
Eventually. But for now, she would cry, and the sky would weep with her.
~*~*~
Raimond was not accustomed to receiving customers this close to dawn, given that half his clientele was already on their way home, and the other half was well, customarily nocturnal. The sign outside read 'closed', and he was in the midst of cleaning up and all other sundry duties when he was suddenly made aware of another presence right behind him.
"A little late for a visit, I suppose. Or too early. In any case, I apologize." A deeply ironic voice made him nearly drop the mug he was picking up, but he caught himself in time, setting the mug carefully on the table and turning around slowly to meet the eyes of the only vampire who did not fear the coming sunrise.
He was surprised by the sight that greeted him. Ai was soaked right through from the rain, a dark black trenchcoat hiding most of her figure. Water dripped into a pool around her feet, and Raimond was almost certain that he caught a flash of torn cloth underneath the heavy coat. However, what surprised him most was the fact that Ai was carrying someone else in her arms, a small, pale figure whose fangs were peeking out from beneath slack lips.
Trying to reconcile this bedraggled image with that of the usually impeccable figure that this vampire usually cut, Raimond smiled cautiously and bowed in greeting, careful not to let his gaze linger too long on anything significant. Ai shifted Reina around in her hold, the young vampire practically dead in her arms. She was not surprised, not with the time this close to sunrise.
"I wish to borrow your basement for a while." Ai stated before the elderly bartender could ask anything, looking down pointedly at the burden she held. Raimond nodded, leading the stoic vampire down into the hidden basement, with its storage area for blood packs and other things.
"You will care for this one until she heals." Ai's tone was that of peremptory command, even as she laid Reina down on a reclining chair ever so gently. "Make sure she gets fresh blood, even if you have to sacrifice a few donors. The young usually need more to heal."
Raimond was perplexed, and the confusion must have shown on his face as Ai turned around to regard him with a stony face. She too, seemed paler than usual, or perhaps it could be her choice of attire and the effect of being soaked clear through.
"She is of an ancient lineage, a Noble. Treat her as such." Ai absently stroked Reina's fringe away from her forehead as she spoke. "Her Master is an old friend of mine. You will answer to me directly should anything happen to her."
Raimond's face went through a series of emotions before settling into a calm neutrality. He studied the raw, open wounds on the sleeping vampire, the extent of the damage speaking clearer than words that a hunter had been their source. That same realization was also instantly coupled with the conclusion that said hunter was now also no more than a footnote in history, probably even less. The fact that Ai had retrieved the fledgling already spoke volumes about what had happened to the hunter unlucky enough to cross her path.
"I am honored to care for one so precious." And frightened, if truth be told. There was no telling if that fledgling would attack him in bloodlust when she awoke. Not to mention what would happen to him if anything bad happened to her. Vampires were notoriously volatile when deprived of blood. He would have to stock up on fresh sources soon.
"Good." Ai leaned down and murmured something into Reina's ear, even though the younger was currently unconscious. Stepping back, she locked gazes with a visibly nervous Raimond again.
"She will not attack you without provocation. I've just seen to that. I will be back after a few days."
And with that, she stepped past him and he knew, vanished once more. Letting out a tense breath, he eyed his new tenant with a wary eye, before moving past another wall to consider his options. With a critical eye, he studied the bound 'donors' and considered who best to feed to his new charge.
With a sigh, he left the basement, mind working overtime with the preparations he would need to make. More work, he supposed. But who was he to complain?
This was his price to pay, his contract to serve. And in return, he was rewarded for his efforts.
An even trade. What more could he ask for?
~*~*~
It was a pain to keep up the facade, all the way until she was back in the relative safety of her apartment, but Ai managed it in style, appearing completely unperturbed...until she was alone once more.
Then she grimaced, peeling off the dripping coat to reveal the gaping wound that had yet to seal up. The lesser injuries she had received from the werewolf had already closed up, but the hole in her shoulder where the magical bolt had pierced her remained open. It was an ugly, festering wound, but there was no help for it. It would take some time before the magic faded enough for her to repair herself.
Clutching at her head, Ai growled, her fangs extending involuntarily. She needed blood. It was the surest aid to her healing process. Suppressing her bestial instincts, Ai strode over to her hidden safe, retrieving her stock.
Within moments, she had cleared out the entire contents of her cache, blood smeared around her lips. Licking her lips, she pressed at her temples to try and stop the humming sensation there. She wanted more. Craved it. The fight earlier did not help. It only rekindled an old desire to kill and feed to her heart's content, a desire that had been silent for a few decades since her last bloodbath. All the stimulation recently only served to reawaken that sleeping beast.
Not now. With a steely discipline, she shoved all her instincts into a distant corner of her mind, putting it under lock and key for now. She still had class in a few hours. Had to pass as human. Pass for normal. Not what she was now.
She was pretty darn tempted to skip. But she had a date later on, and the pleasure of seeing that other little girl squirm at the mere sight of her was enough to tempt her into making an appearance. She could stand a little discomfort for the entertainment.
But before that, she could really use a warm bath. And some more blood. Ai wondered if Raimond would be too rattled if she paid him another visit within 6 hours of the previous one. It was fun to unnerve him, but she didn't want him to collapse from cardiac arrest or something. She knew what her presence did to him. And took a lot of pleasure in frightening him, just for the heck of it. It would be a pity if he died too soon.
Still smiling to herself, the ancient vampire stared out at the rising sun, hidden as it was behind layers of storm and cloud. Every decent vampire was firmly attuned to the passage of the sun, and she was no different. She could feel it, even if she could not see it.
What would the new day bring? Curiosity was not a sin exclusive to the living. It was this question that kept her going, among other things.
Ai wanted to know. Which was why she remained. Even if the world crumbled around her, she would still be here. Here to watch every new sunrise, fresh and new to her no matter how many times she had seen it before. Nothing was ever the same, and nothing would ever be.
And she would be here to see it all.
===========================================================
So tired it's not even funny. I must escape from the sun. Tell me what you think!
-
*melts into a puddle of goo* So good... so good..... :heart: *drools and twitches at the sight of yummy Ai brutally crushing her opponent* :twisted:
That was Risa's dad watching the fight huh? More... want... more.... blood.... lol
*might comment more after picking up the pieces and arranging her brain back together*
Edit: Brain is surprisingly still functioning... I bet Ai-chan will convince Risa to stay after their "date" huh? :D
-
ai-chan so cool! glad, no one can beat her...... :onionwhip: :onionwhip: :onionwhip:
hmmm...im still thinking... :glasses: who's reina's master? is it miki? hehe :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe:
and risa going away, i bet ai-chan wouldn't allow it, haha :hiakhiakhiak: :hiakhiakhiak: :hiakhiakhiak:
sugiou battle scene! haha poor lycan! :on beatup
next please, author-san! :kneelbow:
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lol...I didn't know you could partially revive someone and add nails to their coffin at the same time XD
I don't know if I'm still dead or alive :stunned:
*shivers* The imaginary rain has me cold...among other things in the last chapter. :on freeza:
Still a little queasy from the battle but like most of the chapter, I loved the bits of humor thrown in during the tense encounter.
I feel bad for Risa. I don't feel bad for her father though. I blame him for a couple of things actually. Hurting Ai chan with the arrow and making her hold back! *hmph!* I wanted to see Ai chan crush the wolf with one finger! *darn that niigaki san*
but oh well, Ai chan's victory was still cool...and carrying Reina like a sack of potatoes is just love :wub:
I love how Ai chan picks on people young and old. I can see Sayu wishing to the heavens for Ai chan to skip all her classes. I think the poor bunny might end up having a heart attack before the old man.
so...Ai chan's going to class while blood thirsty?! *gasp* She already had a taste of Gaki...and Sayu....*darn player vampire*
NO~! She better not touch Eri!! :on blackhole:
I hope she saves her drink for her date! XD
-
Wow... that was a very good read.
Visualizing Reina’s image while drinking Ai’s blood is kinda XD
The baby vampire addressing is :lol:
I like how you write the battle thing, it was as if I was watching a movie
Risa's in love :wub:
I wonder what will happen next, especially the date part, will Risa be there.?.
And she would be here to see it all.
just feel like quoting it, don't know why, maybe because of the way it sounded
looking forward for the next installment :yep:
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Chapter 13 - Ignition
"You...you...I've found you..."
The words seemed labored, punctuated by growling huffs and the slavering drool starting to dribble from unnaturally pronounced canines.
Gotta be a werewolf.
[bgcolor=#000000]Only question now is, IS this Risa's dad? [/bgcolor]:?
"You monster...I have found you, and I will kill you!"
Ah, the annoyance. Ai turned back to him, a perplexed look crossing her face.
"Have we met?"
Ooooooooooooh SLAP!! (no that was not a typo on my part)
Think about it, here we have a hunter who obviously has a long-standing grudge...and yet he evidently isn't significant enough for Aichan to remember him.
"You...I cannot die until you are destroyed! I've sacrificed everything to chase you!"
Whoa...what now? Can't die unless Aichan does? Are we talking literally here or is it just proverbial bravado?
Enraged beyond all tolerance, the hunter lunged forward...only to be terminated in mid-leap by his own tortured body, falling down onto the rutted ground and thrashing violently, fingers clawing wildly at anything and everything within reach. Ai twitched at the bloody wounds the man was gouging in his own skin
Whoa...that's not exactly expected. :O
The full moon peeking out overhead definitely did not aid in her temperament. Irises flared a bloody crimson, and she raised one pale hand, as if testing the air around her. Abruptly, she closed it into a fist, before bringing it back down in a single cutting motion. Blood wards sprang up all around the junkyard, runes she had inscribed hastily with her own blood while Reina had been buying her time in her own way earlier. There would be no interruptions to this fight. No additional collateral damage either, since neither she nor that poor creature before her could leave the bounds until either one of them was dead.
So like, what is this, some type of mystic cage for a fight to the death between Aichan and the hunter? :shocked
*AICHAN-LYCAN FIGHT*
Ho.....lee.....shit.
:stunned:
Just.....what the HELL!?!?!? :o
The sensation of watching eyes seared into her psychically attuned senses like a burning brand, making her turn on her heel and stare up into the distance at the roof of a building, sight closing in on the watcher like a hawk spotting prey.
He knew that she had seen him, and she knew that he knew it. Ai smirked at him, raising one bloody hand and pointing directly where he was. His response was untaught, and brilliant: he fled.
Oshit...a bystander?
[bgcolor=#000000]Is THIS Risa's dad??? [/bgcolor]
Ai's smile faded slightly at the rocketing flare headed directly at her, the magical arrow burning a cool blue and driving directly into her shoulder, making her stagger backwards from the impact. It seared her flesh, making it melt and bubble like overcooked meat, and liquefying bone from within. Hissing in a pain that was far more than any mere flesh wound could give her, Ai tore the bolt from her shoulder with her bare hands, flinging it onto the incomplete cadaver beside her. It burst into an unearthly blue flame, consumed in a manner of minutes. The hand she removed it with also had its skin blistered off, flesh raw and showing underneath. She cursed, spitting the words out like a snake.
Okay, now THAT...is a hunter.
The sky opened up, rain descending in solid sheets like curtains on a stage, closing the final act. It erased all traces of the battle, and indeed, all presence of having been there, if not for the carnage that still remained. And indeed, Ai was no longer there, borrowing the cloak of shadows and falling rain to disappear from the disappointed view of more than a single audience, even counting the one that had left early.
The watchers waited, and planned some more. The next act had to be perfect. Nothing less would satisfy. With that in mind, they too faded into the darkness.
WATCHERS!??! :shocked:
/me hears Queen's Princes of the universe.
[noembed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cowJVBnMEqE[/noembed]
"...need to leave. Now." Her father, agitated, pacing. Her mother, a picture of concern.
"We haven't prepared anything yet, and Risa-chan just started a new semester..."
"We'll get by. I'm not staying in the same city as a monster." For all of his agitation, Soujirou sounded more frightened than anything else. Risa closed the door with a trembling hand, retreating back to her bed in confusion. What did her father mean?
Shit, it WAS him that was the witness Aichan noticed.
:scared:
One thing she was sure of though. They were going to move. Again.
Just when she thought that she could finally settle down, finally make some lasting attachments to the people around her that were not family. When she finally found some real friends, friends who she cherished. When she had even found someone she might like.
And now, everything would be ruined again. She would have to start all over in some unfamiliar new place, trying to fit in, trying to be a part of something, but yet always apart. She would have to forget all about the here and now, and move on, as she had always had to.
Except this time, it would not be so easy. Risa felt like she had already left a part of her heart behind, and with no way of ever getting it back.
Outside, the rain did not stop, soaking into the ground as tears would soak a pillow. It was not gentle nor harsh, it simply was. A storm of weeping that would pass, as any storm would.
Eventually. But for now, she would cry, and the sky would weep with her.
:pen_cry:
Raimond was not accustomed to receiving customers this close to dawn, given that half his clientele was already on their way home, and the other half was well, customarily nocturnal. The sign outside read 'closed', and he was in the midst of cleaning up and all other sundry duties when he was suddenly made aware of another presence right behind him.
...
"I wish to borrow your basement for a while." Ai stated before the elderly bartender could ask anything, looking down pointedly at the burden she held. Raimond nodded, leading the stoic vampire down into the hidden basement, with its storage area for blood packs and other things.
"You will care for this one until she heals." Ai's tone was that of peremptory command, even as she laid Reina down on a reclining chair ever so gently. "Make sure she gets fresh blood, even if you have to sacrifice a few donors. The young usually need more to heal."
Hopefully Reina doesn't go berserk during her recuperation and try to feed on Raimond. :-X
"She is of an ancient lineage, a Noble. Treat her as such." Ai absently stroked Reina's fringe away from her forehead as she spoke. "Her Master is an old friend of mine. You will answer to me directly should anything happen to her."
Reina??? She's vampire nobility?!??!
Does she know about her lineage?
:dunno:
"She will not attack you without provocation. I've just seen to that. I will be back after a few days."
Is that because of what she did just prior to fighting the lycan? She's a daywalker, so is there something in her blood that will keep Reina from going nuts?
This was his price to pay, his contract to serve. And in return, he was rewarded for his efforts.
An even trade. What more could he ask for?
Gonna need some background info on Raimond and just how he fits into all of this. :yep:
*WOUNDED AICHAN*
Crap...they do say that a beast is at it's most dangerous when it's wounded and/or trapped. Considering how ferocious Aichan was during the fight (before getting hit by the arrow, when she was relatively unscathed), just imagine how dangerous she'll be now.
:OMG:
she had a date later on, and the pleasure of seeing that other little girl squirm at the mere sight of her was enough to tempt her into making an appearance.
But Risa might not even be there.
Tell me what you think!
Vicious Aichan is vicious...and definitely hawt. :drool:
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Oooh, ignition! Wait, what happened to... well, crescendo to forte? Or fortissimo? Or if you must continue this path, when am I going to see combustion? XD I expect it on the level of... dipping a lit donut into a cannister of liquid oxygen. XD Enough sugar, not quite enough deadliness, but certainly unexpected.
Reina's previous condition does remind me of this dead thing I once saw split down the middle with its intestines showing. Something along the lines of being impaled, I think it is. XD
I'm feeling sorry for the blood donors, whoever they are. I think. Maybe they're just a footnote. :/ But I think Reina's Master should show up soon, or at least hinted at lots more, like you promised several chapters back. XD
So, when's Sayu going to recover? :? And will Risa show up at school, or will her dad immediately pull her out, classes and tuition be damned. Risa's melancholy and the rain (the rain!) reminds me of the Naichau Kamo PV. And while we're talking about school here - are you going to be referencing the new PV, or is my brain drawing outlandish connections here? :dunno:
Kamei-san needs to make an appearance soon, since I have this hunch that Eri's necklace has a pretty important function...
::more unnecessary tapping for the next chapter :D ::
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Ok, so I didn't come back in time to continue the previous comment. But you know my internet time is limited. Plus, telling you my thoughts face to face is tons better no? XD Geez, my excuses doesn't really seem to hold water.
Now for a proper comment for Chapter 13. Poor Risa!!! Having to move after getting to know incredible people like KameShige. But if she doesn't we won't ever get to read about how awesome she's gonna be with Aika.
Ehhhhh?!?!? Injured Ai? Woooooo kinda sexy though with all the blood and stuff :D Say...any chance Ai will seek Risa out for some REAL tasty blood? We know she enjoyed the finger thingy :P
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Hi! I just decided to read this story the other day, and let me say that it surely took me out of my hiding place(aka:lurker-mode)! :twothumbs I love the scenes with ReinAi because the way Ai-chan treats Reina is just pure awesomeness!!!lol And the thought of them being vampires is just plain awesome! The scenes with TakaGaki are rather cute though. :P I always love a mushy love-story with them. :inlove: So yeah...When are you updating again?lol JK take your time for whatever you need to write and I'll respect you. :D Thank you!
*crawls back into hiding place and waits for author-san to update*
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Oh Ai...must be an honor to be ripped to shreds by her hands. That pup had no idea.
For this fight scene, I must bring back the...
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/310964/stampofapproval.jpg)
I think you can guess when this might come up again... :halo:
If I remember correctly I read this chapter right after I watched The Hill Have Eyes 2...while eating noodles and coffee ice cream (not at the same time). :bleed eyes: Yeah, I'm pretty desensitized to blood and gore, at least reading wise. BUT, that just means I got to enjoy reading without being grossed out. 8D
Ai did a good job putting on a show for those curious onlookers. Okay, it's gonna take me forever to write out my comment because I'm massively distracted at the moment. Let's just keep it short and sweet. I can't think properly right now.
Reina certainly is cute, and yes since she's already dead, she can't actually die a second time. She can be destroyed though, but not really, not now. Haha.
OH, Reina will get DESTROYED alright, by Ai...very thoroughly...if you know what I mean. See what I mean to be careful using that word around me? :D
However, what surprised him most was the fact that Ai was carrying someone else in her arms, a small, pale figure whose fangs were peeking out from beneath slack lips.
I think I told you this already, but the image of Reina this gives is TOO cute. :3
Moving slowly, she retrieved the still comatose Reina from where she had left the baby vampire, heaving her over her uninjured shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
See? All that wrassling sure tired her out. 8D
Ai leaned down and murmured something into Reina's ear, even though the younger was currently unconscious.
"You better wake up soon or you'll miss out on some..." *pstpstpstpst*
.....
Guess Reina's really out.
"She will not attack you without provocation. I've just seen to that. I will be back after a few days."
Ah, the power of suggestion.
LASTLY:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/_dinny_/PoutyGegenscheinReina.gif)
EDIT:
I had something to say about Risa. Too tired, can't remember.
EDIT#2:
@berryzkouboumm1989
Hey there. Lol, seems like Estrea's fics have this pattern of slowly delurking people. Not all, but some. Still working on delurking more lurkers. I was a hardcore lurker once, but now...
.........OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE?? I gave into the insanity!?
EDIT#3:
I GOT IT! I remembered! Risa is...fuck. Risa is...sorry, I have to get back to you on this again later. :|
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Holy shit, I totally forgot about reading this! XD I was saving it and then everything was rearraged and I forgot....sorry Estrea, you know I love you and your work! :grin:
Ai-chan is a beast. A scary, insanely strong, sexy beast. :D I mean, she fought off a fuckin werewolf!!!! My stomach is totally churning from the visuals in my head. Good thing I haven't eaten yet. :lol: I think it's pretty funny how Ai-chan thinks of everything as an annoyance.
Gaki's family's leaving? :( I'm gonna take a guess (though I'm usually wrong) and say that the werewolf or whatever that Ai-chan waved at was Gaki's dad. Which is why he's in such a rush to get away, b/c he's seen what she can do. I can't imagine what he'll say or do if he finds out that Gaki is friends with her.
Wow, I'm slightly surprised at Ai-chan's taking care of Reina like that. I want to know who her master is and how Ai-chan knows them. Poor Raimond, Ai-chan scares the shit out of him. :lol:
Ugh, the visions of blood and a mangled Ai-chan.... :shocked But her in a bath is quite the pleasant view~ :P
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OMG vampire story with ancient Ai and baby Reina and hunter Risa and Aika and does that mean they're werewolves and who even knows what Sayu is and Eri is a baby Seer and OMG I freaking love this story Estrea-sama!! *takes a breath* Wow, okay let's try this a little more calmly. I really love this story and I can't wait for the next update.
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This is the pre-comment-reply wedge!
Thank you, and have a nice day. ;)
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WEEEEEEEEEE...
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I am back after a prolonged absence! Writer's block. :3
Comment replies first. XD
Fenrir: You like violence, don'tcha? XD More blood will be arranged...eventually. Hehe. You'll see what happens with Risa soon.
ayase909: Reina's master won't appear yet, but you should find out more clues on who she is within the next 3 chapters. Hehe. Next chapter coming up!
Sukoshi: Aw you poor thing, so delicate. XD Ai will get more chances to be cool soon, don't worry. Hehe. Yeah I agree, poor Sayu. She probably never wants to see Ai again in her life lmao. Don't worry, Ai has other plans, really. XD
kRisZ: I'm glad you liked the movie-like atmosphere, I had the visuals in my mind the whole time and I'm glad it could be properly transmitted. :)
JFC: Sorry for confusing you all the time. :P And as for your question, no, Reina knows jack shit about her lineage. Even Raimond knows more about vampire society than she does. Lol. I didn't quite plan on it but it seems that Raimond might have a bigger role than I anticipated. Yay OCs? Haha. I like vicious and hawt Aichan too. XD
kitaoji: Aw darn, you noticed the title theme change. >_> XD Didn't think I could get away with it, but eh. :P I'm sorry I keep delaying the appearance of Reina's master, but I have good reasons! Haha. :P And yes your brain is drawing outlandish conclusions again. :D Everything is just coincidence, unless I randomly declare myself omniscient and clairvoyant. XD Thanks to you and your constant tapping, here's the next chapter!
lil_hamz: Yeah yeah I understand. :P And you and your TakaGaki-ness...why do you keep wanting Risa to get injured/abused and the like? Are all Gaki fans sadists/masochists or is it just you? :P
berryzkouboumm1989: That is one freaking long nick. Sorry. Lol. Just had to mention it. And thank you for reading and de-lurking! Comments are always much love. XD I love ReinAi too, and vampires are just plain awesome, I agree. Mushy love stories are fun too, and TakaGaki are usually good for that...I think. Hehe. Updating now! Sorry for the wait lol.
rev2hd: Din din, stop trying to weasel perv outta me. :P But thank you for the stamp of approval (again XD). Yes I remember you telling me about watching that movie. Well, at least you could enjoy it and not be grossed out. Haha. And you have a perverted mind, you know that? XD Oh, and fun gif. I think Gegenschein Reina might get seks faster than Nocturne Reina...seriously. Lol. You still haven't told me what you thought about Risa. Seriously. Lol. Keep on pimpin'!
Ichigo-chan: Ai-chan is awesome. She rules. You need better tolerance for gore, kid. XD Yeah when someone is over 4000 years old, everything inconvenient is little more than a mere annoyance. XD Puts it in perspective. Yeah everyone's curious about Reina's master now. Hoho. Poor Raimond, I agree, he's got a stressful as hell job. Hehe, Ai-chan in the bath rocks no matter what the universe! :D
rndmnwierd: I haven't seen you in any of my threads for a real long time! Welcome back! XD And I'm glad you like the story. :3 Hope you stick around some more!
Alright well that was long. I'm really tired but I guess I can continue to edit and post. Please forgive any mistakes, it's almost 6am here. @_@
EDIT: WTF. I knew I shouldn't have let you two in on the fact that I was comment replying. You two weirdos. XD
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...EEEEEEEEEEDDGE!! 8D
Wait, that makes it a...WEDGE SAMMICH. OMG, is this the first of it's kind?
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Chapter 14 - En Passant
"Is there something wrong, Risa?"
Morning class had come and gone in a flash; time was irrelevant to those who had eternity at their fingertips, as well as to those with too much on their minds. Ai had let the situation pass without comment for the past couple of hours, given that discussion in class would hardly be fruitful in this case, but it was currently break time and Risa still looked like she was having an out-of-body experience while being more or less fully functional otherwise.
"Risa?" Ai placed a hand on the younger girl's arm, the contact making the girl jerk, startled. Sheepishly, she met the concerned gaze of the older girl, struggling to frame a reply in response.
The morning had not been easy for Risa. After enduring the rest of the rainy night, she had woken up puffy-eyed and out-of-sorts, dreading what she was to find were she to step out of her room. Would she have to accept the fact that they would have to move? Could she accept it as passively as she used to?
Things were different for her now. She was technically going to be an adult soon, her 20th birthday was hardly that far off. Did she not reserve the right to make her own decisions on her life? Truthfully speaking, she had never understood why her parents had kept on moving so often earlier on in her life. It was as if they had been running from something, in retrospect.
Not for the first time, Risa wondered if they had eloped in order to get married, or some such. Though it was not something she had ever asked directly, somehow sensing that it would not have been the best thing to ask, nor the easiest. How would she have phrased it? Mom, did you and Dad elope? What a way that would have been to begin a conversation.
Fortunately, and strangely enough, Risa had been spared an immediate confrontation at the time, since upon getting dressed and stepping out of the room, all she came out to had been a perfectly normal morning, with her mother busy in the kitchen, and her father nowhere in sight. She had been beginning to think that she had imagined the entire conversation from the previous night, until her mother turned to her and sat her down for a fairly serious conversation. The poor woman seemed equally, if not more, strained compared to her daughter, with evidence of puffy eyes as well. Clearly, there had been more to the argument than Risa had heard.
All her mother had wanted for her was to lead a normal life, that much Risa had gleaned during that conversation. To that end, her mother would protect her at all costs. With that as a final word, her mother had sent her off to class, telling her to be careful outside. It was a familiar warning, yet Risa could feel the thread of actual concern running through her mother's voice.
It had bothered her all the way through class; even the presence of Ai next to her during the lecture had failed to distract her from the matter. Now Ai was questioning her for her aberrant behavior. What could she tell her? Risa desperately felt like telling someone all about her problems, but could she really trouble someone with this?
"It's alright, you don't have to talk about it." Ai's voice was soothing, and Risa looked up and into that smiling face. Ai's whole person seemed to be smiling, lighting up every pore like a beacon in a stormy night. Looking into that disarmingly angelic countenance, Risa felt herself smile back unreservedly, her own natural charm emerging with a smile that even the characteristically dopey and sleepy-eyed Eri had described as "like the sun".
"Ai-chan, I..." Risa took in a deep breath. Ai waited expectantly, still clutching on to her files with one hand. Risa let out that breath and stared at Ai straight in the eye.
"Let's skip class."
Ai's reaction was immediate and very genuine.
"Eh?!"
~*~*~
A dozen candles sputtered in a semi-circle, providing just enough illumination in the dark, window-less room. The tablecloth was spotted with melted wax, hardened little gobs dotting the once pristine material.
A deck of cards lay within that crescent embrace, face down and silent. They would not speak until called upon. A pale hand passed over them, and the flames leaped higher, strange shadows dancing on the walls.
Forehead wrinkled in concentration, eyebrows damp with sweat, Kamei Yuriko opened her eyes to the flames, drawing strength of vision from the flickering spirits that dwelt within.
I seek...an answer. Lips moved, but no sound came from them. The fire surged up, the individual flames merging into a solid wall, a shadow lurking within them. Unclear and obscure, it needed a lead.
She gave it as an offering, a fleck of red, watched it be consumed by the flames, rising higher as if in contemplation. The strain was obvious on the woman's face, her age showing all the more clearly as she sought to decipher the threads leading to her quarry.
But it remained a fleeting shadow, almost teasingly out of reach. A whisper of sound, the rustling of the untouched deck. A clue, came the murmur. Something beyond the Sight's reach.
Came the first, slithering out of the deck and flipping face up. A woman in white, garbed in ornate robes marked with the sign of the Cross. The fires warped, twisting this way and that, and she saw, if briefly, the sun over a mountain range.
Came the next, rustling as it came to rest on the table. Tilted, off-center, the image of the Lovers, reaching out for each other. And she saw a face disappearing into the flames, an echoing scream remitting through the vaults of Time.
The third, marker of the Present. The Moon, shining over a benighted landscape, forlorn. The water's surface shimmered, in pale reflection of the reality above. Shadows wrapped around a solitary figure, obscuring them from sight. And as if it had never been there, spirited from view.
Comes the Fourth, one of the Four Horsemen, riding a pale green horse. The flames trembled, wavering, and she flinched back from the splash of blood red across her vision, cutting swift as a sword across the land.
The flames sputtered and grew low, a click followed by a shaft of light penetrating the cloak of darkness in the room.
"Mama...?" Eri's voice filtered in hesitantly, her head poking around the door frame cautiously. Her brows were also knitted together, her nostrils flaring as her eyes shrunk to mere slits, in reaction to the charged atmosphere of the room.
Yuriko let out an explosive breath as the candles went out in a flash.
"Eri, how many times must I tell you that you can't interrupt me while I'm meditating?" Her voice heavy with disappointment, Yuriko stood up, turning to face her daughter, who boldly entered the room now, letting more light in as she wandered to the table.
"I felt like I had to come in." Hands reached out to the table, picking up two of the fallen cards from the deck. Flipping them up, the Fool leered at her on the left even as the World smiled on the right.
"The Beginning and the End..." Yuriko inhaled sharply, grabbing hold of Eri's wrist and forcing her to drop the cards, even as the young girl teetered, her vision swirling. The amulet on her chest pulsed, once, twice, and the lines turned red, then dark.
"Eri!"
~*~*~
Splurt.
Raimond winced from his vantage point near the door. While he was intellectually aware of the reality of a vampire feeding, actually seeing it happen almost right in front of him was still a little unnerving. Especially since said vampire was feeding from a live source, and not just sipping it from a cup. Rationality aside, instinct made him fear, quite justifiably, that he would be next.
One prone body lay crumpled on the tiled floor, the pale green of the latter giving the appearance of kinship to a morgue...not that it was far from that at the moment. The ragged-looking vampire was currently hungrily feeding from her second victim of the evening, too exhausted to even find the artery accurately if the looks of her first victim were any indication. It was, forgive the pun, a bloody mess.
Half lying down on the makeshift bed and half bent over to attach herself to the victim's neck, Reina looked literally like a half-starved shadow of herself, little more than a ghoul with sunken in cheeks and wild red eyes, but that condition was fast improving as the second body hit the ground a lot lighter than when it had first entered the room.
The third "donor" shrank back from the still ravenous vampire, who turned with a blood-smeared mouth to eye her speculatively. Unfortunately, her hands and feet were bound, courtesy of Raimond, though she was unfortunately not drugged since he wanted to keep her blood pure for consumption. Not that it would have made a difference to Reina. Weakened or not, the young vampire was more than a match for any puny human, especially if they were bound to begin with.
Once the third offering was fully consumed, Raimond finally found it safe enough to announce his presence. Coughing discreetly, he waited until Reina turned around to fix him with a chilling stare before he dared to speak.
"Does it suit your taste? Should I arrange for more?" He bowed slightly, keeping his eyes respectfully lowered, but not low enough to fixate on the terror-stricken faces of the assorted victims sacrificed to Reina's hunger.
"It's not healing." Reina grumbled, rolling onto her back with a low growl and gingerly touching her wounds. Raimond looked warily at her.
"Ah, is that so..." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a neatly folded note. "I was instructed to give this to you in the event that your wounds would prove to be a problem."
"Oh?" Reina eyed him suspiciously. She didn't trust the old man one bit. Raimond nodded.
"Merely following orders, my lady. I am sure this would benefit you."
Reina frowned at being called 'my lady', but let it pass without comment as the note reached her hands. Opening it, she quickly scanned the contents of the admittedly short message.
Reina. Focus on healing your wounds. This is your first lesson.
"That's it?!" Reina burst out, eyes flaring red. Raimond took several steps back. Reina glared down at the message. That was the only line there. A single line on a relatively large piece of paper.
"What the hell..."
What was she supposed to do? Wincing, she tried to move her legs, but the severed tendons made it all but impossible to do more than twitch them, much less stand. Gritting her teeth, she quietly swore at the inaccessible elder vampire.
Just as she was about to toss the meaningless note aside, she saw the paper seem to shimmer. The surface of it seemed to ripple, as if something was hidden. Reina instinctively glanced up at the clueless Raimond, who was standing a considerable distance from her.
"Get out of here. I'll call you if I need something." Reina growled out at the pesky human, who was only too happy to vacate the area. The moment he left, she stared at the note again, forcing her eyes to ignore the rippling blankness.
The illusion wavered once more, than vanished as Reina inelegantly tore past the subtle masking. The letters were a bright bold red, and it made Reina salivate unconsciously. The scent was familiar. No doubt Ai had taken steps to make sure not to let any secrets fall to random humans.
Don't worry about the injuries. You're already dead. Stop thinking like a human.
"I know I'm not a human, what the hell do you mean?" Reina grumbled at the note. The transformation into a child of the night had done a number on how her mind was wired. There were significant gaps in what she could remember of her past human self, something no doubt caused by the trauma of having at least died once.
What she did know was that she no longer thought like the Tanaka Reina of before. The world she stepped into was different, and so was she. It came with the change, and it baffled her as to what Ai meant by her having to stop thinking like a human. She had assumed that she already had.
The next line shimmered and appeared, as if in answer to her questions.
Physical injury means nothing to a true Nosferatu. We are masters of Self. Our desires are fulfillment of Self. Abandon your preconceptions and let your Will take over.
More mystical nonsense. Reina frowned, puzzling through the words. Physical injury means nothing? The pain in her body argued otherwise. Abandon her preconceptions? What preconceptions? Reina sulked some more, sucking absently on the tip of her thumb as she stared at the note for some other clue.
You are your own master. Master your fear. Master your pain. Master your strength.
Reina felt a surge of power run through her, intoxicating. Dimly, she began to arrive at the conclusion that was desired from her. Apparently, she had to transcend what her body told her. Because...
You are Nosferatu. Will is Power. You are in control.
I am in control. Reina told herself, closing her eyes. Her wounds ached, cutting deep into her psyche. Looking inward was difficult, but Reina managed it. She could see, clearly, how deeply the injuries had cut into herself, and not just her physical self.
The memories of being beaten so thoroughly, seared into her unconscious. In a moment of clarity, she suddenly understood what Ai was trying to tell her.
I am already dead... The fact suddenly hit her on the head like an anvil. Knowing it intellectually was one thing, having to deal with the implications was something Reina had never given much thought towards. If she was already dead, what did it matter if someone was to damage her? Beyond all logical thought, she was already moving and functioning despite her state.
Something came into her head, spontaneously. Did she not wake up every sunset, feeling that same sensation of being dead and disconnected, yet willing herself to move all the same? The insight illuminated her understanding, and Reina looked back down at the note.
"I am in control." She repeated, feeling the truth infuse her. With that, she closed her eyes, ignoring the pain. The scar of being thoroughly trashed was still fresh, but she sought another image of herself, unharmed and whole.
The surge of awareness of hit her like a breaking wave, bringing her to a new level. Her body did not define her, it was merely an extension of the Self. She was in control, and therefore...
The wounds closed, vanishing without a trace. Severed tendons reconnected, as if they had never been cut before. Reina fought off the dark shadow of her unconscious, where her defeat attempted to replay itself. That dark image threatened her conception of her Self. It had been that which was keeping her from healing. Reina understood that now.
Opening her eyes, Reina hopped off the bed, flexing her fingers and rotating her limbs. Good as new. Better, even. She was still flush with energy from her feeding. While she felt physically fine, her mind still whirled with questions. This healing business had opened her mind to different possibilities, and she was excited to learn more.
So she's finally going to teach me! Reina bared a fanged little grin, pleased by the turn of events. Her excitement was a little tempered though. The beating she had received was still fresh in her memory. Strong as she was, she had been utterly demolished by that one werewolf. It took the edge off her confidence, that arrogance that had been birthed out of easy victories over others.
Idly kicking a still corpse out of her way, Reina took note of her surroundings. It seemed oddly sterile, much like a hospital, or as mentioned before, a morgue. The lingering scent of death and old blood was still sunk into the tiles, and despite it being scrupulously scrubbed clean, Reina had no trouble detecting the real use of this place.
"So that's how the old man serves blood huh?" She prodded at one of her victims with her toe again. She wondered how he got the people. Well, as long as they didn't taste bad, she supposed she didn't really have to know how it was done. Results were all that mattered.
Cracking her knuckles, Reina gave herself a once over and decided she was ready to go outside. The sun was well down by now, and something about full moons made her unusually twitchy. It would be a good night to roam out.
Besides, she still had to find Ai. The elder vampire had better have a good explanation for ditching her here and leaving first. Really, it was almost as bad as that Master of hers.
"Yosh~ Time to go!"
In the next room, Raimond nervously polished a few more glasses as he watched the young vampire bolt out of the place. Even though Ai had commanded him to keep that upstart indoors, he supposed he could justify not doing so by the fact that Reina looked completely healed to him.
Once he was certain that Reina was safely away, he picked up a phone and dialed a familiar number. In a hushed voice, he narrated the recent changes to his employers.
Silence, a few nods, and then he ended the call with a great sigh. The appearance of another Kindred of Noble lineage, however young, would be of concern to the Council. Whose spawn was it? He was certain that it would be a matter of discussion among them. In the world of vampires, influence mattered, and a successful fledgling boosted the power of the Master who sired it.
Not to mention how this one was seemingly fostered by one of the oldest of them all. That alone would be of concern. Raimond shook his head. It was not his place to be directly involved in the cutthroat politics of the Kindred. It merely facilitated his role of informer by being at least somewhat aware of the machinations behind the scene.
The old man carefully placed the glasses back in place, arranging them as he would his thoughts: with deliberate, meticulous care. It was not his place to offer opinion, only facts.
In the end, was he not only a pawn in a world of shadows?
~*~*~
Hand in hand, Risa had been dragging Ai all around town the whole day, as if desperate to do everything there could be done in town within the space of a single day. Content to indulge the girl, Ai allowed herself to be brought around, taking the opportunity to observe. Human behavior could be so delightful sometimes.
Now past sunset, at a time where Ai felt most comfortable, the pair was currently strolling down the length of the docks, engaged in quiet conversation. Risa had been avoiding the topic of her distressed mood the whole time, but Ai didn't push her too overtly. She correctly gauged that it would pop up of its own volition soon enough.
Instead, she amused herself with the sheer coincidence of the fact that they were actually a short walk away from Reina's old haunt by the docks. How ironic for them to be here when Reina was currently somewhere else. She wondered briefly if the young one had learned the lesson she had intended to teach.
"You know..." Risa broke the calm again, their conversation having fallen into a brief lull beforehand. Ai returned her attention to her human companion, ignoring the fact that her fangs were itching and that her shoulder was still sore. She had better control than most others of her kind did.
Still, hunter's blood was only inches away. Ai had always found them to be legitimate prey, given that those who hunted must themselves also be prepared to be on the other side of the line. However, since Risa's blood was not awakened, it lacked the extra punch in its essence. It was something unique to the hunter clans of Japan, Ai had discovered. Well, she wasn't too disturbed either way. Risa was a pleasant enough companion for the moment. Feeding could come into the equation later.
"You're worried about something, isn't it?" Ai butted in gently, reaching over to rest her hand on Risa's lower arm. Risa looked up with troubled eyes. Ai continued, her voice carefully modulated with tones of sympathy and understanding.
"You are torn between two paths. I can't tell you what's right, but I can only advise you with one thing." Ai smiled, taking some satisfaction in Risa's startled expression. She had gathered along the day that Risa had been mulling over a major decision. She could easily have pushed past the girl's mental barriers to look at what the real problem was, a feat made easier by the fact that she had taken in some of her blood previously, but Ai had chosen to refrain. Knowing everything right from the outset could be boring, and Ai would rather challenge her observation skills to keep them sharp. She could not always rely on the strength of will alone to penetrate the hearts and minds of others.
In the unlikely event that someone could keep her out of their mind, she would have to be prepared for alternatives. In a way, Ai was always planning for worst-case scenarios.
"Follow your heart." It was a pithy little saying, often used and carelessly thrown about, but it did have some validity. More often than not, humans tended to ignore instinct to pride logic and rationality above all else, but for someone who has existed as long as Ai has, she had since learned the value of instinct in tight moments where the slightest hesitation had meant certain destruction. If only people were to listen more closely to that inner voice, they would be less likely to blunder into avoidable problems. That was Ai's conclusion after years of observation.
"My...heart?" Risa seemed trouble, her eyebrows knitting together as she frowned. Ai bobbed her head, giving Risa's arm a light squeeze.
"Trust yourself. There are times when only you can make the decision for yourself, and no one else." Ai coaxed gently, her voice soothing. Her attention had already begun to wander from the human next to her, having of necessity returned to the far more important job of scanning the surroundings. She could not feel the presence of any stalkers, supernatural or otherwise, although the niggling sense of being watched remained. It was a sensation she was utterly familiar with. The Council always did like to keep an eye on her.
How annoying. I'll have to lose them eventually. Ai maintained her aura of calm as they continued walking, trailed by shadows. Risa merely remained caught up in her own problems, ignorant to the greater maelstrom raging unseen. Ai, the silent sentinel, kept her own counsel as she played her own game, independent of the other sides of the board.
The pawn moves, heedless of the meister. Or did it?
~*~*~
Reina followed the pull of blood, letting the remnants of Ai's blood in her guide her to the normally elusive vampire. It was vague, little more than a niggling feeling giving her a general direction, but it was better than blundering around blindly.
Now she was high up again, finding it oddly comforting to be perched atop buildings. The view was better, if nothing else, and she could look down at the puny humans at where they belonged.
She still felt oddly light-headed, possibly a result of her rapid healing earlier. She could not be sure until she met up with Ai first. There was still so much that she needed to verify with the elder.
Everything felt clocked in at a slower place than usual, somehow. Reina shook her head firmly to clear it. For some reason, things didn't seem quite right. Inside her, her gut twisted, as if warning her of some unseen danger.
She felt it a second too late as the barriers came up, making her body feel leaden and weighted down by enormous pressure. Her vision swam in and out, making her feel almost physically ill. Desperately, she remembered Ai's instruction, of mind over matter, to try and force control over her body. But her mind was still weak, untrained, and unable to focus quickly enough.
Reina fell to her knees, fangs out as she fought the unseen force. The air stank of used and mingled blood, rotten and dank. It made her sick, in a similar way that runic magic had turned her stomach, but different in that the blood was definitely of this world, yet not quite at the same time.
I won't lose! Growling low in her throat, Reina let loose her stubborn aggression, making nearby electrical cables spark and catch fire, shutting down the whole building's electrical supply in the process.
She had just managed to push one knee off the ground when a shadow loomed high above her, and she was barely able to twist her head around when a very solid blow caught her across the back of her head; once, twice, and a third time to knock her clear out.
Reina's last thought before her mind shut down for the second time in less than 24 hours was that life was being really really unfair to her.
======================================
I'm beat. And so's Reina, it seems (again!). Haha.
I'm mean like that. XD
And now it's almost sunrise and I must escape! *runs*
Edit: Wedge sammich? ...please don't make this a regular occurrence. orz. :lol:
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Yay! Skip classes!!! You don't need to go!!!
-says the one who skipped most of her 8am classes in college. >.>
More visions for Eri's mom!! And Eri?! Is she gonna go all super seer on us?! XD
Ahhh, so Ai does know Risa has hunter blood... so that means she wants to feed on her eh? lol Or will there be something more? Mmmmm.....
Poor Reina. Beaten twice in like one day. Poor little kitty... :(
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And you have a perverted mind, you know that?
I do? Yes, I do. 8D
Mom, did you and Dad elope?
Risa, why so CURIOUS?
--
"Ai-chan, I..." Risa took in a deep breath. Ai waited expectantly, still clutching on to her files with one hand. Risa let out that breath and stared at Ai straight in the eye.
"Let's skip class."
"AND LET'S ELOPE!"
Ai's reaction was immediate and very genuine.
"Eh?!"
--
You were right about the tarot reading too deep/obscure to figure out. Seems to me like Eri's the "key" to something though. Her and her amulet...
Splurt.
Lol, not sure why that made me laugh.
I already said this to you, but I'll say it again. Raimond is a backstabbing piece of poop. I would like to see Ai take care of him. :D
--
Now past sunset, at a time where Ai felt most comfortable, the pair was currently strolling down the length of the docks, engaged
Oh wow, they really went through with the eloping idea huh? :pimp: Mmmyes, Risa should listen to Ai's advice.
--
Baby Reina's learning!
She had just managed to push one knee off the ground when a shadow loomed high above her, and she was barely able to twist her head around when a very solid blow caught her across the back of her head; once, twice, and a third time to knock her clear out.
Nvm, opened my mouth too soon. :|
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/_dinny_/babyreina.png)
Reina's last thought before her mind shut down for the second time in less than 24 hours was that life was being really really unfair to her.
What is this? Am I starting to feel bad for Reina?
...wait, no, must've been something else. After laughing at her misfortune, maaaybe a little sorry. :twisted:
Wut? You don't like my epic Wedge sammich? ;_; I would like to has some AiEri plz. :3
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Sukoshi: Aw you poor thing, so delicate.
lol...thanks for noticing XD Reina gobbling up those people was certainly helpful :mon barf:
I think I'm going to have weird dreams again...but ya know if baby vampire Reina appears wanting to suck my blood in one of them...who am I to say no XD but if I dream of a crazed writer going all buffy on a certain undead cat (or vice versa) :ph43r:...I'll have to start reading this story at an earlier hour. XD
um speaking of the baby vampire...man life really is unfair to Reina XD I feel bad for her...she should really learn to stay in when things don't feel right XD wonder if the council is brave enough to capture Ai's little pet. I wonder if Ai would ditch Risa to go save Reina....I mean...which one has a better chance of surviving without Ai XD Would hate it if Risa got taken while she's running after Reina.
Things were different for her now. She was technically going to be an adult soon, her 20th birthday was hardly that far off. Did she not reserve the right to make her own decisions on her life?
I wonder if Risa decides to move out and live on her own, would her father let her? I could see him taking extreme measures to get them all out of there since it's more like running for your life than moving...but then again he might be convinced that with him further away from his daughter, Risa might actually be more safe. oh wait...his reasoning was to not leave her in a town with the monster right?
but anyways...if there's a possibility that Risa doesn't have to leave, maybe she could move in with the turtle or the bunny or even Ai ! The bunny's house would probably be the least creepy. I could see Risa getting all spooked in the kamei household after walking into a meditations or two. I actually half expected Ai to ask Risa to live with her during their walk....you know if Risa actually got around to voicing her problem XD
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^^ LMAO at the pic XD
Why must you beat Reina up!? ;_; poor girl (but it does make for an interesting story XD)
I'm going to have to look into that tarot reading more, it's interesting. ^_^ Hope there is more of it later on. In general, the Kamei family interests me with all this divination stuff. :3
The idea of Reina feeding off of people while Raimond stares in horror is very amusing to me :lol: I don't feel sorry for him one bit. XD;
So...Ai wants to eat Risa? (sorry, I had to say it LOL)
And once again...WHY REINA? ;_; You're just doing this because I love her, I know you are, you big meany! D: (jk XD we all know it's fun to beat characters up)
I wants more please :3
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Ah, so b/c of whatever werewolf shit that went down, Gaki's family has to leave? Poor Gaki, unfair stuff always happens to her (well, Reina suffers more in this story, but still. :lol: ) Skipping class= :D Ai-chan's reaction=what I would have guessed Gaki's would be. XD
Hey...this sounds familiar. :P Didn't Hammy (I'm pretty sure...) write something like this, where Eri's mom is uses Tarot cards? Hmmm, curious. Something happened to Eri, eh? And it affected her amulet. Jeez, is nearly everyone something in this story? :D
Oh ew, Reina's live feeding. :badluck: I guess fresh blood is better than the kind that's been stored. Ai-chan's finally teaching Reina! :hee: What the hell is a Nosferatu?! :dizzy: Hmmmm, something about Raimond is weird. :huhuh
So they ended up skipping class after all. I didn't think Gaki would go through with it but I guess b/c she probably has to leave soon, she wants to spend as much time with ppl as possible. DON'T DO IT, AI-CHAN!!!! :OMG: *sighs with relief* Good, companionship over feeding. 食欲より友情? :glasses: Will Gaki stay or will she go with her family? *cues dramatic music*
Owie, Reina gets smashed again!!! :depressed:
Awaits next update~ :lol:
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Well, another amazing chapter Estrea-sama :theking I really can't get enough of this story. I'm absolutely dying to know who Reina's Master is, and how everything will go for Risa. And I adore Ai-chan, the way she's kinda like observing, but at the same time, the cause of some of the, okay most of the action.
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wow just wow
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http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/_dinny_/PoutyGegenscheinReina.gif
:twothumbs
Chapter 14 - En Passant
*PREOCCUPIED RISA*
One can definitely see how the prospect of suddenly having to up and move with little to no notice would be a much more difficult thing to do now compared to if she was still a little girl. At Risa's current age, she can't just suddenly leave as she's got a lot more invested in where she's at here (both emotionally and literally in terms of her schooling). The fact that she's out of the loop as to the reason why just makes things more difficult and confusing.
On a side note, Aichan's concern actually seems genuine (as in, this was not something that she had anticipated in her planning, possibly due to whether or not she knows Risa's father's previous involvement).
She had been beginning to think that she had imagined the entire conversation from the previous night, until her mother turned to her and sat her down for a fairly serious conversation. The poor woman seemed equally, if not more, strained compared to her daughter, with evidence of puffy eyes as well. Clearly, there had been more to the argument than Risa had heard.
All her mother had wanted for her was to lead a normal life, that much Risa had gleaned during that conversation. To that end, her mother would protect her at all costs. With that as a final word, her mother had sent her off to class, telling her to be careful outside. It was a familiar warning, yet Risa could feel the thread of actual concern running through her mother's voice.
Seems like Risa's mom knows more than she's letting on. :huhuh
"Ai-chan, I..." Risa took in a deep breath. Ai waited expectantly, still clutching on to her files with one hand. Risa let out that breath and stared at Ai straight in the eye.
"Let's skip class."
Ai's reaction was immediate and very genuine.
"Eh?!"
Risa = :yep:
Aichan = :O
*ERI'S MOM'S MEDITATING*
Whoa boy...
:on freeze:
"Eri, how many times must I tell you that you can't interrupt me while I'm meditating?" Her voice heavy with disappointment, Yuriko stood up, turning to face her daughter, who boldly entered the room now, letting more light in as she wandered to the table.
"I felt like I had to come in." Hands reached out to the table, picking up two of the fallen cards from the deck. Flipping them up, the Fool leered at her on the left even as the World smiled on the right.
"The Beginning and the End..." Yuriko inhaled sharply, grabbing hold of Eri's wrist and forcing her to drop the cards, even as the young girl teetered, her vision swirling. The amulet on her chest pulsed, once, twice, and the lines turned red, then dark.
"Eri!"
EEEEEEEEEEEEH???
:mon wtf:
Splurt.
Raimond winced from his vantage point near the door. While he was intellectually aware of the reality of a vampire feeding, actually seeing it happen almost right in front of him was still a little unnerving. Especially since said vampire was feeding from a live source, and not just sipping it from a cup.
So I take it Reina's awake...and Raimond (as part of his "arrangement" with Aichan) has provided her with...well...lunch? :-X
Rationality aside, instinct made him fear, quite justifiably, that he would be next.
Well, THAT would depend on at least a couple of things, being:
1 - how much she needs to feed before she's "full," and
2 - whether or not she's "in control" of herself.
"It's not healing." Reina grumbled, rolling onto her back with a low growl and gingerly touching her wounds. Raimond looked warily at her.
"Ah, is that so..." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a neatly folded note. "I was instructed to give this to you in the event that your wounds would prove to be a problem."
...
Opening it, she quickly scanned the contents of the admittedly short message.
Reina. Focus on healing your wounds. This is your first lesson.
"That's it?!" Reina burst out, eyes flaring red. Raimond took several steps back. Reina glared down at the message. That was the only line there. A single line on a relatively large piece of paper.
"What the hell..."
Considering that it's from Aichan, she shouldn't be that surprised at how curt it is. When you take into account the intended results, Aichan's "teaching style" does make some sense here. One learns to do something best when one NEEDS to do it. No doubt Aichan has to similarly learn things like this on her own,that the hard way. Consequently, she wants to impart the importance of self-reliance on Reina. After all, if Reina wants to live as long as Aichan has, she has to be able to ensure her own survival herself.
*HIDDEN MESSAGE IN THE NOTE*
Given Reina's habit of getting frustrated easily, I guess Aichan knew that she'd have to have a little bit more in that note in order to motivate her and get her to actually figure out how to do what she needs to do to heal herself.
*REINA HEALS HERSELF*
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. :shocked
That was so friggin cool.
"Yosh~ Time to go!"
In the next room, Raimond nervously polished a few more glasses as he watched the young vampire bolt out of the place. Even though Ai had commanded him to keep that upstart indoors, he supposed he could justify not doing so by the fact that Reina looked completely healed to him.
Add the fact that Reina just might decide she's not quite full should Raimond try to stop her. :sweatdrop:
Once he was certain that Reina was safely away, he picked up a phone and dialed a familiar number. In a hushed voice, he narrated the recent changes to his employers.
Silence, a few nods, and then he ended the call with a great sigh. The appearance of another Kindred of Noble lineage, however young, would be of concern to the Council.
So then, he told the Council, but not Aichan? He really should, considering she was the one who left Reina in his care in the first place.
In the world of vampires, influence mattered, and a successful fledgling boosted the power of the Master who sired it.
Not to mention how this one was seemingly fostered by one of the oldest of them all.
And just who IS Reina's sire anyway? There's an actual way to tell who it is? :?
Hand in hand, Risa had been dragging Ai all around town the whole day, as if desperate to do everything there could be done in town within the space of a single day. Content to indulge the girl, Ai allowed herself to be brought around, taking the opportunity to observe. Human behavior could be so delightful sometimes.
I guess Risa wanted to make sure she didn't potentially miss out on anything here should she suddenly have to go away. :(
"You know..." Risa broke the calm again, their conversation having fallen into a brief lull beforehand. Ai returned her attention to her human companion, ignoring the fact that her fangs were itching and that her shoulder was still sore. She had better control than most others of her kind did.
Still, hunter's blood was only inches away. Ai had always found them to be legitimate prey, given that those who hunted must themselves also be prepared to be on the other side of the line.
OSNAP! THE HUNTER REALLY WAS RISA'S DAD!!! AND AICHAN'S PLANNING ON TAKING RISA NEXT!??!?
:OMG:
However, since Risa's blood was not awakened, it lacked the extra punch in its essence. It was something unique to the hunter clans of Japan, Ai had discovered. Well, she wasn't too disturbed either way. Risa was a pleasant enough companion for the moment. Feeding could come into the equation later.
This is the secret that Risa's mom and dad were keeping from her, isn't it? That she's got the blood of Hunters within her, and that one day it will awaken within her, possibly as part of some destined role???
She had gathered along the day that Risa had been mulling over a major decision. She could easily have pushed past the girl's mental barriers to look at what the real problem was, a feat made easier by the fact that she had taken in some of her blood previously
She did?
...
...
Oh...riiiiiiiiight. :mon sweat:
*AICHAN'S SENSES TINGLING*
Hmmm...Reina?
*REINA PWNED AGAIN*
In Reina style.....aw fuck. :doh:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/_dinny_/babyreina.png
:on lol:
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if this chapter is titled 'en passant' then does this mean the next chapter should have an awesome showdown?
oh wait, that's Reina, isn't it. OSNAP REINA! Although, coupling this with Nocturne!Reina, she's the only character who still has "fun". I laughed at the part where she shorted out the electricity. XD Somehow I have this nagging feeling Ai isn't coming to the rescue...
Aigaki is still wub, but I think Ai still has more of an agenda than Gaki-san would wish. So Risa's a Hunter, huh. Based on Aika and and her Gee-pa's conversation more chapters back, I think I should be worried for Risa. She's going to be in lots of pain between her instinct (I think we may need some backstory on the explanation of Hunters... dunno, through the Council? Aika? Other characters who haven't made an appearance yet?) and love for Ai-chan. Ai is... interesting. She's not, and probably nowhere as friendly as SayuEri (and we must pause and wonder here, did those two ever have an issue with Risa?)
And I forsee Bad Things for Sayu further on. I think once Risa's blood awakens (whatever the hell THAT means...) Sayu's not going to be comfortable...? Mediator!Eri, where are you? (Does Mediator!Eri even exist?)
Speaking of Sayu... tell me that the Eri/Mama scene is a catalyst for dark!Sayu. Yes? Yes? Yes? :D You promised ages ago T_T
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Whut.
Emofag wants to eat Gaki-san!?
WHUT?
(http://www.imgur.com/files/090522/lolcat-likes-squirrel-XD.jpg)
WHUUUUT?
xDDDD....
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WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...
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DOUBLE
WEDGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE....
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...(with a layer of mayo)
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I was thinkin' about a triple layer wwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.... (wedge sandwich), but nah, here's a good ol' pre-comment wedge. :)
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.... (with a layer of cheese)
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...(tosses in a layer of Aichan mmmm...)
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...( with a layer of Ai's PB :bow:)
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...(lays Eri over layer of Aichan)
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....EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... (lays beaten up Reina over Eri and Ai)
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...(smears chocolate all over the last few layers)
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I live! Kind of. It's 5 in bloody morning and I'm still kicking. Joy.
Comment replies now, and you know what that means!
Fenrir: Heh, I skipped my morning classes too. Couldn't wake up. >_> Heh. I wonder why. Super seer? Maybe. XD Who knows? Well, I do, but himitsu desu. :3 Blood is goooooood. Blood is foooood. XD And poor Reina indeed. But hey, the kitten has claws and fangs. She won't take it lying down. XD
rev2hd: I can't believe how you did selective quoting. XD Epic. :lol: Eri has a part to play. As for what that will be, well, gotta wait and find out. XD Raimond's the kind of guy that exists everywhere. They're like roaches, they never really go away. XD And I do like the wedge sammich, just...well, actually, I can't stop you, can I? :lol:
Sukoshi: Hate to disappoint you but...KEEP READING THIS AT NIGHT. Freak the hell outta yourself. It's fun. XD This chapter isn't realy too bad. Except one part. Maybe. But if you survived the werewolf chapter, this will be nothing. Hehe. XD And yes, life is unfair to Reina. Or rather, I'm unfair to Reina. Hehe. No worries, Ai's got it all covered. She's all mighty and stuff. XD More stuff happens here, a lot of stuff actually. You'll see how it all works out eventually. Hehe.
Saikami: I love abusing Reina. XD You know you love it too. Hehe. Tarot is interesting, and it certainly will be significant later on. And yes, Ai wants to eat Risa. She's a vampire. Blood is food. XD More is coming! Call it your pre-graduation present. The actual graduation present might take a while, wait for it.
Ichigo-chan: Hmm, everyone has a part to play in the story (that's why they're there!). Whether they actually have powers or other nifty abilities is questionable though. :3 As for your question, Nosferatu is just another way to say "vampire". Heh. Gaki will make her choice, but sometimes her choice might already be made for her? Hehe. I'm not saying any more. :P
rndmnwierd: I'm dying to reveal who Reina's Master is too. Haha. Yeah, Ai-chan is awesome. :3 Her very existence causes ripples in the plot, and she pulls her own strings at the same time. Fun stuff. Hope you'll like the coming chapter!
krisZ: Yay, just yay! :D Long chapter ahead!
JFC: I would love to answer point-by-point to your comment, but it's 20 minutes to 6 frreaking am and my brains are somewhat busted. As to telling who Reina's sire is, there is a way, but very few people know how to. It has to do with the scent and taste of the blood, simply put. If one is familiar with the source, then you can tell who the fledgling belongs to. And yes, Risa's parents are basically hiding their real identity from Risa, as you will find out more about in this chapter. :)
kitaoji: I'm not sure if this showdown is awesome enough, because you know how I struggled with this chapter. Ai does have her own agenda, and only she (and I, obviously XD) know what it is. I'll get the explanation for Hunters out soon, never fear. I got it worked into the story. XD And for the sake of completion, perhaps I might have to include some background on how SayuEri became friends with Risa. >_> More work for me. Bad Things for Sayu? Where? What? XD What did I promise? I don't remember. XD
Yuuyami: LMAO that pictures sums it all up. Good job. XD
.....
......
...............................
WHAT
THE
HELL
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING!
I give up. Time to edit and post.
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SAMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! (all on a toasted bun... or aibum) XD
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...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDGE SAMMICH! /me jumps on top of sexy mess of layers
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Chapter 15 - Sicilian
Do you dream?
If Death is the Eternal Sleep, does that mean it comes with dreams?
Are we so hungry for self-awareness that we seek it even in the unconscious state of reality? That even in death, we fear for the fate of our immortal souls?
What is the soul? Is it Self? How does it manifest? From where has it come and to where does it go?
Is Death the answer to all questions, or is it the question to all answers?
~*~*~
Pain is the indicator that we're alive. It stings the senses, sending messages through one's nervous system, loudly proclaiming its existence to all and sundry. It signals a wound, possibly injury, to body or mind. It demands to be treated, lest we die. Or worse.
To the undead, what does Pain mean? For one who is no longer alive in the conventional sense, to what purpose does it serve? Could they die again? Yes, possibly, though not easily. What does death mean to one who has died before? Everything and nothing.
I am here, I exist. Do I live? Probably not.
Pain makes things real. It awakens the senses, exposes the raw nerves underneath. It connects one to reality. It grounds the individual to their awareness. It defines us.
More importantly, why the fuck am I thinking of all this shit and GOD DAMN IT HURTS...!
And then Tanaka Reina, vampire fledgling and all round cool cat, woke up to her predicament.
The first thing she noticed was that it was still night. For someone who could be hurt by the sun, the passage of time in a single day was of utmost importance to her continued well-being. Even if there was no difference between one day and the next anymore.
The second thing she noticed was the pain. Several kinds of it. Maybe it was because someone hit her head not too long ago, but she hadn't even thought of there being different kinds of pain. Always before, pain was just pain. It sucked. End of story.
Anyway, pain. Definitely disorientating her. First, there was this dull, throbbing pain in the back of her head. Do vampires even get migraines? She could not help but wonder, then remembered that it might just have been because someone hit her on the head earlier.
Second, her skin was prickling as if teeny little ants were attempting to chew through her skin in a bad, bad way. Her nostrils flared, her eyes narrowing to cat-like slits. The sick sense of corruption was doing a real bang up job of making her skin crawl. Literally.
And the chains? So not a fashion statement. Despite being possibly concussed and terribly confused, Reina still had her sense of wit. Or lack thereof. She wasn't really sure, what with the slightly icky feeling burning at the back of her throat. Was she nauseous? She couldn't be nauseous. That was such a human thing.
Right, focus. Reina shut her eyes and tried to process everything that was going on. She was chained, her head hurt like crap, she felt sick, and she desperately wanted to get out of here. Have a shower, and then maybe go bite someone. Or the other way round. Whatever works.
Oh, and apparently someone bonked her on the head earlier, which was why she was here. Good, she got everything worked out now. So now she could just stand up and get out of here and...
...wait, not good. Reina opened her eyes. Took in her surroundings with greater care. Some abandoned warehouse. Gee, is this a bad horror movie? Wait, I am a walking horror movie. She shook her head. Excessive talking to oneself meant she seriously needed to get out of here before she went insane. If she hadn't already.
Rusty chains, with funny symbols carved into them. Reina yanked on them experimentally, then with full force. Nothing. She tried again, her wrists chafing from the effort. No good.
Swearing under her breath, Reina looked around some more. She was in the middle of a cleared area, rotting stacks of cardboard being rendered down to mold and rat litter, piled high in the shadows. Well, was being turned into rat litter, if the chewed edges were any indication. However, there were no rats in the vicinity. Not even a roach.
Which could only mean one thing. Another vampire. Who was most definitely not her, since it takes a while for all the assorted vermin to vacate the premises and clear out of there. They didn't just disappear in a few hours.
And unless Reina had been out for days, that was just not possible. A mere concussion wouldn't put her out of commission for that long. Reina had learned that from experience, a couple years back. Personal encounter with an aluminum baseball bat at close range. Not an experience she was eager to relive.
The stink was really putting her off. It was all around her, heck, especially on the chains. Old blood, rotting at that. That was a good reason as any to be nauseous. And the stench of something not of this world mixed within it. A cold chill crawled up her spine. She didn't like the feeling at all.
"I see you are awake, little girl. You'll pardon the accomodations, I could only do so much under such limited conditions."
An obnoxious voice. Distinctly foreign, the syllables spoken with an air of superiority, yet the cadence was hypnotic in its own way. Reina didn't like the guy, judging by his voice alone.
"Oh excuse me, I don't believe I've introduced myself. Gabriel D'Orsay, at your service."
He emerged from the shadows like a ghost, bowing floridly at the bound Reina. The girl glared at his mocking display of courtliness, choosing not to dignify it with a response as she desperately struggled with her chains.
"Don't struggle so much, little lady. You'll hurt yourself. Can't have that happening before I'm done with you." He smiled, revealing even white teeth. And fangs, of course. Though they were somewhat shorter and less pronounced than her own. Reina couldn't wait until her hands were free so she could deck the guy. He was such a pain.
"Now now, you can't escape even if you tried. I know you were injured not too long ago. Did you really think that you will recover so quickly?"
Elaborately curled hair bounced around his aristocratic face as he paced around Reina at a certain distance. It was only then that Reina noticed the markings on the ground. It seemed to be some kind of a mystical symbol, and she was right in the middle of it. Kicking experimentally, she cursed aloud as something akin to an electric current sizzled her soles the moment her feet struck the edge of the barrier circle.
"Did you think that you could get out so easily? I always hedge my bets, mademoiselle. No one's coming to save you, and there are still other safeguards to make sure that you don't escape me before I'm finished."
Despite her stranded state, Reina still possessed enough presence of mind to flip a one-fingered salute at him, accompanied by a foul expletive that she made up on the spot. She could be creative when the situation called for it.
"Spunky one, aren't you?" He seemed amused, almost excited as he leaned in to look at her more closely, like one would look at a mouse in a cage. "So young, so much potential...all that strength and you don't even know how to use it."
Reina decided right there and then that this Gabriel guy was on a whole new level of annoying altogether. Forget cryptic millenia-old vampires and pesky stubborn hunters. This dandy of a vampire was tripping all the wrong wires with her.
"What the fuck do you want?" Reina demanded as she continued trying to pry the chains off her. She would worry about the barrier later. One thing at a time. One of the cuffs cracked, ever so slightly, but it gave Reina some hope. She could do this.
"Want, my dear? You, of course." One gloved hand, inscribed with odd symbols, entered the barrier with no noticeable backlash, stroking tauntingly at Reina's cheek. She turned her head and snapped at it, but he had already withdrawn the appendage.
He was smiling, but it was totally without mirth. His eyes were an ominous cocktail of red and black, impure to say the least. Reina shuddered and averted her eyes. To look too deep within was madness, for madness laid within. He laughed, and the voice that followed was hollow, hungry.
"I want your power, ma cherie." He skipped a little, light on his feet and his hands spreading out, as if to grasp something. If Reina had never fully understood the term 'cavort' before, well, it was right there in evidence, right now.
He stopped in mid-leap, turning on his heel. Like a mad jester, minus the war paint. Speckled red orbed around a solid black iris, the dark tendrils spiraling out like some sick infection in his eyes. His lips were drawn back in a hideously wide grin, fangs extended in some perverse parody.
"I want your blood."
~*~*~
"I don't want to go home."
Ai looked up from the ice cream she was poking tentatively with her spoon. It was already melting, the crushed ice dissolving into a red syrup. She dipped her spoon into the mixture, even as her eyes glanced briefly out of the glass windows of the small shop.
Risa appeared somewhat distraught, completely ignoring her parfait. Yet Ai could dimly perceive the lines of determination set into her face. Clearly, the younger girl had made her decision, whatever it was.
"I want to stay here. I want to finish school. No more transferring." Risa continued, and Ai put down her spoon to look fully into Risa's face.
It had been a mere half hour since they had left the docks. Since then, Ai had been amusing herself by counting the number of watchers following her. Sylphs were invisible to the human eye, but their auras were just faintly visible, enough for someone as perceptive as her to pick up on them. It was more economical to deploy expendable assets to watch someone like her. Besides, the Council couldn't get a vampire watcher within a 100 miles of her without her picking up on it before too long.
"Are your parents planning to leave? Will they let you stay?" Ai asked with some concern, although she smiled inwardly. Her father must not be much of a hunter if he was to turn tail after watching her in action. Then again, perhaps she should congratulate him for having good sense.
"Father wants to move, but I don't know why I should follow anymore. I deserve my own life!" Risa declared, straightening in her seat. Ai watched her, but said nothing.
Five. She counted. And one more on the roof of the opposite building. Ai would have to act fast to lose them later. She had already lost track of Reina's presence. Something was hiding her presence from the fledgling. It would have been easy to track the little one down if she were really Reina's master, but with things standing as they were now, she would have to do things the hard way.
"Ai-chan, are you listening to me?"
Ai blinked. "Yes, yes, of course. And you should talk to him." She added with a bright smile.
Now it was Risa's turn to stare. "You mean, now?"
"Why yes, of course now. If you hold on any longer, it'll be harder to say it, right? You should tell him what you think right now, before your determination deserts you." It all sounded very logical, if Ai could say so herself. Though the truth was really that Ai needed to go hunting for the missing fledgling. Her own fledgling was never this much of a pain. Troublesome, yes, but never to this extent.
"B-but, what if he throws me out? What if he disowns me? What will I do?!" Risa was already starting to panic, but Ai quickly put a stop to that by placing one hand on Risa's hand, meeting the other girl's eyes with a calming stare. Risa relaxed a little, though her body was still tense.
"Just talk to him. It'll work out, somehow." Ai smiled reassuringly at her. Risa smiled back tentatively, looking almost as if she believed..
"If you end up really needing help, just give me a call. I'll work something out for you." Ai promised. Risa gave her a strange sort of look.
"I can't possibly impose on you..."
Ai laughed. "Don't worry, I have more resources at my disposal than you think. If it turns out that you need a place to stay, you can come to my place. I live in a penthouse apartment and I own the top 2 floors of the same building. More than enough space."
Risa's jaw dropped at the statement. She stared at the deceptively unassuming young woman before her, trying to comprehend just how rich Ai actually was. The person in question grinned.
"So as you can see, it's not a problem." Before Risa could protest, Ai reached over and pressed a finger to the younger girl's lips, silencing her.
"Trust me." She lowered her hand, and smiled.
"Let's go, shall we?"
~*~*~
Reina was getting increasingly frustrated, but yet it seemed that the Gabriel guy did not seem to want to do anything to her immediately. Instead, he appeared to be working on something, just a few feet away from where Reina was held captive.
After the man had declared his intentions, all he had done after that was to sit down and do whatever it was he was doing. Well, Reina certainly wasn't going to waste the extra time given to her, spending it on trying to break the chains. The tiny crack she had made earlier remained defiant and unyielding, however.
"And there, done~" Reina growled as she flicked an irritated glance over. Gabriel was smiling at her, seeming almost friendly as he flipped the object he had been working on for her perusal.
Reina stared at it. It was a very good portrait of her, she had to admit. Despite it being drawn only in pencil, the lines and shading had combined to form a truly life-like image. It was not the most flattering image of her on some level though, since he had drawn her complete with chains.
"Just what the fuck are you up to?" Reina asked in exasperation. This man was trying her patience. He appeared to be touching up on the portrait some more.
"A little something to remember you by, little lady. Call it a hobby of mine."
He appeared to be in a calm mood again, the mania of his outburst from before gone entirely. Standing up, he wandered closer to Reina, who inched away from him as far as the barrier would allow. He appeared to be studying her for some reason.
"You have no idea how fortunate you are, with that blood of yours." He muttered, circling Reina like a hawk again. Reina kept one eye on him, while contemplating if gnawing through the chains would be a workable idea. 10 more minutes with him would be 10 minutes too much.
"Life doesn't give us many options, does it? We do not decide where we are born. It could be a palace, it could be a farm. And when we die, and are brought back like this..." He halted dramatically, making Reina raise an eyebrow at the theatrics.
"We cannot choose who sires us either." He was pacing again, more frenetic with each step as he gesticulated to himself.
"Noble or trash, that's all the difference! Aristocrats, purebloods, they're all the same!" He turned on his heel, walking in a counter-clockwise direction, still raging.
"I was the useless son in my human life, the spare, if you will. Then my poor, stupid brother died, and I became Count in his place." He sneered, face contorted in an expression of self-mockery.
"The bastard turned heir. What a scandal that had been. I'm sure Father was mortified."
Reina almost felt sorry for the man, but then remembered that he most likely wanted to eat her, and changed her mind. She seemed to be completely ignored now, and she took the opportunity to try and force open the crack in her chains. For her captor's part, he was still ranting.
"And then what happens? I met my sire; that poor, degenerate excuse of a vampire." He spat the words out as if they sickened him. "Eternal life, he said. I wouldn't have to die of the thrice-damned sickness. I could become strong. I believed him too."
Shaking his head, he stalked back up to Reina, glaring at her.
"What a joke. Yeah, I didn't have to die. But strong?"
Whirling around, he struck out at a rusted metal rack. It collapsed, the metal twisting under the blow. Gabriel shook his fist negligently as he walked back.
"Strong for a human, yes. Strong for a vampire, not at all." He touched his extended fangs lightly, disgust coloring his face.
"I was a general!" He hit a stack of cardboard, the pile collapsing. Pacing, he continued. "I was strong!" Another pile went. The candle flickered briefly, but held steady. He reached out, grasping air. "But in this life, this form, I'm rock bottom!"
Mad eyes, crazed for power. "I couldn't take that. I refuse to take that." He clenched his fist.
"I will make my own destiny. I will become strong."
"You're crazy." Reina couldn't help but retort, even as she rolled back up to a sitting position. "Ugly too." She added, widening the crack in the metal. She was suddenly glad that she was so skinny. It wouldn't take much longer before she could get at least one hand free.
He snarled at her. "You don't even know how lucky you are. I saw it, you know. Your master is strong. You are strong. Or will be. Would have been, if you survived. But you're not going to."
"Master? Ai? She's not my Master." Reina grumbled. "And I can kick your ass anyway." Once I get out of here that is...
He ignored her. "Your blood will make me strong. It must. All those before, those were not enough. Not enough at all. A 10th generation, some 12th. Not good enough. I need a Noble, one of the purebloods."
"What the heck are you on about?" Reina tried to keep him talking, if only to distract him just that much longer. Her wrists hurt. She was really going to enjoy tearing him into little pieces later.
"Young, aren't you? Young and ignorant. But perfect for my purposes. I can take the young ones more easily." Gabriel paused.
"Do you know who your master is, then?"
"How the hell would I know? She left me after she made me. Goddamn it."
He laughed this time. "And so your Master abandons you to your fate. A renegade?" He thought to himself. "No, you're too strong to be the child of a mere renegade. One of the outcast Nobles then? They don't report their spawn to that high-handed Council."
"I don't understand." Reina was appropriately confused. Her education had not given her any insight to how vampire society worked at all.
"You really are a foolish child." He shook his head in amusement. "Not knowing anything, and you won't even have time to learn before you die."
"Well, you could at least tell me what a Noble is before you kill me." Reina said quickly. "And that Council too, or whatever it is." Just a bit more before her right wrist could squeeze through...
"How cute, you want to know." He sat down on a nearby crate, assuming a teacher-like superiority.
"Very well then, I suppose I can oblige you for a while."
~*~*~
Niigaki Soujirou was a patient man. Hunters who were too excitable didn't last very long. He had learned to approximate an exterior of calm even if he was panicking inside.
And he was panicking inside now, even as he paced inside the house waiting for his stray daughter to come home. His wife watched him wordlessly as she packed away some more of their belongings at his insistence.
"She should be back, she should have been, much earlier than this." If anything could make this tough man fret, it was probably his family. Particularly his daughter, since even his wife was adequately informed and at least somewhat trained to deal with problems of a supernatural nature. Risa, for better or worse, was just like every other normal, ignorant person.
"I called her friends. They saw her in school in the morning, but she left halfway, apparently." His wife eyed him critically. "If we had told her about who we really are, she wouldn't be out there right now."
"I wanted her to have a normal life, Emiko. I didn't want her to be raised like us. To fight, kill, then die in the shadows. I wanted her to have a life of her own. That's why we left. That's why she was able to live as a normal girl all these years."
Frustrated, Soujirou sat down on the couch, messing at the thinning hair on his head. Emiko settled down next to him, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I know. We wanted her to be happy." Emiko paused. "We could let her be happy, if she were away from us. Her blood is not awakened, and if she were separate from us, she should be safe from the trackers from the clan. And she is old enough now..."
"Not here, not in this city. That monster is still out there." Soujirou fought back the chill running down his spine at the mere recall of the memory. He had known, instinctively, that the vampire was too strong, far stronger than him, and he could not beat her. The fear boiling at the bottom of his throat when she had looked straight at him was evidence enough of that instinct.
"We could send an anonymous tip off to the clans. They can come do the clean up job while we disappear. It would be good for all of us."
"If only it were that simple..." Soujirou broke off and stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling an urge to walk over to the window. Looking cautiously out of it, he froze as he caught sight of his daughter standing on the opposite street corner, practically half in the embrace of a very familiar outline. He suddenly felt faint, clutching the window sill as he turned deathly pale.
That thing must have felt him watching, since she promptly enfolded Risa into a tighter embrace, and Soujirou could have sworn that he was the only one who saw that smirk on her lips.
He had seen enough. Stepping away from the window, he strode purposefully towards the door with a steely look in his eye. There was no way he would give his daughter over to that creature.
Flinging the door open, Soujirou paused on the steps and stared when that monster of a vampire leaned in and kissed his daughter full on the lips, and he could swear that she had one eye on him as she did so. His legs felt weak, and he actually staggered, feeling ill all over.
All his mind could do was replay that scene over and over. The monster already had his daughter under her influence. How could they run sufficiently far enough from something like that? He staggered down the steps onto the pavement, at a loss for what to do in such a situation. In his confusion he didn't even notice them separate, the vampire vanishing into the night.
He must have acknowledged his daughter on some level, waving her inside even as he leaned against a nearby lamp post, trying to get a grip on himself.
So lost he was that he did not even notice footsteps approach him, until they were close enough for him to react on instinct, pulling the Fang that was his out to point at the person's throat. For their part, that person didn't even blink, standing there with an imperturbable expression.
"I think we need to talk, Niigaki Soujirou."
~*~*~
"So let me get this straight. Our bloodline gets weaker with every generation because it gets diluted, and Nobles are just those further up the line?"
Reina, despite her situation, had had her interest stirred up by the little introductory course on the vampire world that she was being given by her captor. Given how desperately she had sought instruction, the situation could not be more ironic.
"Crudely put, but yes. At the fount of every bloodline is a Source. They are the equivalent to a God that we vampires have, and it is their blood who started everything to begin with."
"Then why don't you go after one of these Sources? They are the strongest, aren't they?"
"They are, but I'm not crazy enough to go after something like that. I would be obliterated where I stand before I could even get close enough to do anything. I'm not that dumb."
"Pity." Reina muttered, trying to ease her chafed wrist from the bloody cuffs. It was difficult with the metal cutting into her skin, but she endured. To buy a bit more time, she decided to press for more information. The fact that she was actually learning something was just an added bonus.
"And the Council? Are they made up of these Source things or something?"
"Hardly. There are no longer any Sources around. No one really knows what happened to them. In any case, the Council is made up of the more powerful Nobles as well as representatives from the major clans within the covenant." His face changed then, to a sneering expression.
"Truth is, the Council is just a way for the Nobles to protect their position. It's not enough that they're strong, they make rules so that the rest of us remain weak!" He thumped his thigh with his fist, anger searing his face.
"Purebloods, aristocrats, they're all the same. Calling the rest of us trash, unworthy of their attention, oppressing us..." Reina resisted the urge to point out that Gabriel had, in fact, been part of the aristocracy himself when he was still human. She doubted that he would have appreciated the comparison.
"They don't get it, none of them do! Who cares how we are brought into this world?!" Then he calmed again, an eerie light in his speckled eyes. "Strength is the only thing that counts."
"Yeah, it is." Reina said blandly as her hand swung free of the cuff. Her left wrist was still cuffed, but that was alright. She only needed one hand to punch.
The sizzling contact of her fist against the barrier was shocking, the skin withering from the jolt. She slammed against it a few more times, futilely. All she had to show for it was charred skin and a perfectly intact barrier that kept her within that circle.
"Very resourceful of you, little one. It will make devouring you all the more pleasant." He was still smiling, but it was more malicious than anything else. Reina swore again, pounding against the unrelenting barrier until her fist was numb.
"Don't hurt yourself too badly, your blood is mine." He chided her, but she all but ignored him. Shaking his head, Gabriel chanted something in Latin, and the chains still attached to her other arm and legs glowed a sickly red, sending a wave of agony through the young vampire's body.
"You can't die until I say so, and you can't hurt yourself unless I'm the one doing it."
"I hate to disagree, but that's my line."
"What?" Gabriel turned around, but there was no one. Laughter echoed off the rafters.
"That was a very nice concealment spell you had going there, but you forgot something."
The voice was coming from a different direction than from before now, moving from place to place without form. Gabriel slid closer to the magic circle, eyes wary as he tried to figure out what was happening.
"This is my city." Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He swung wildly, but hit air.
"And I know it better than you do." Several tons of force rocketed into his chest, sending him flying into another stack of moldy cardboard boxes.
Ai landed lightly on her feet, just outside the magic circle where Reina was writhing in pain. She clucked her tongue briefly as she eyed the bound fledgling.
"You really are a handful, aren't you?"
Reina muttered something uncomplimentary under her breath, shoving her face off the floor to glare up at Ai. The older vampire smirked, reaching out with one hand to touch the barrier...
...and was flung back. She skidded a few feet, then came to a halt.
"Well now, that's a mean barrier." Ai commented drily, dusting off her hands. Gabriel had already taken the time to pick himself up, escaping to hide next to the barrier. He was staring at Ai, as if unable to comprehend her presence.
"You're not supposed to be here! You're wounded!"
"An Almadel circle...haven't seen that in a few hundred years." Ai seemed to be completely ignoring the situation as she eyed the markings on the floor. "My compliments on reviving it, though you really shouldn't have used an inverted triquetra to ground it."
"Don't ignore me!" Uncertainty clouded his voice, lending it a slightly shrill quality. Then his eyes hardened, as if in comprehension.
"Ah I see, you're just trying to make me unnerved. I saw how that werewolf tore you up, there's no way you can recover from that so quickly." He seemed to regain his composure quickly, sneering at Ai, who was currently directing her attention at the trapped Reina.
"Reina, if you can break out of there, I'll give you a reward." Reina stared disbelievingly at her. Ai grinned, the tips of her fangs hidden coyly behind her lips.
"If you can't even free yourself, you're not worth my time, and your Master won't be bothered with you either." Ai pointed casually over at Gabriel, who seemed miffed at being overlooked.
"As for you..." Gabriel glared at her, already chanting something under his breath. Ai simply vanished from sight when blood red spears thrust themselves from the ground beneath her, reappearing just behind a stunned Gabriel.
"You have transgressed, and you shall be judged." Ai finished, her tone icy calm. Gabriel hissed as he backhanded her, but found himself in the air as Ai intercepted the blow and tossed him over her shoulder with just one hand.
"Just work on the chains, kitten. That should be enough. We'll work on the barrier later." Ai smiled as Reina made a rude gesture at her, then blurred away as more magical bolts pierced her lingering afterimage.
"Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel, you poor boy. Is this what you call blood magic? Even the Draconists would be ashamed of such petty parlor tricks." Ai chided gently as she sat on the crate that Gabriel had used earlier.
"Shut up!" Sketching a quick magic circle on the ground, the rogue vampire muttered an incantation as a haze swirled around the air above the formation, solidifying into a red serpent that hissed and flickered in the dim light.
"Is that supposed to be a summon?" Ai chuckled, completely ignoring the fact that the specter had bulked up in size to become a full fledged dragon coiled up to attack her.
"Not even an 8th generation could withstand this." Gabriel declared, eyeing Ai cautiously. "I don't know who or what you are, but I'm not going to take any chances with you."
"That must have been a disgrace of an 8th." Ai murmured, resting her chin on her palm. "Then again, you keep preying on newborns, so I guess it can't be helped."
The dragon screeched and swooped down, seeming all too solid in the dancing shadows of the warehouse. Reina paused in her struggles to free herself and gaped at the dripping maw of the beast, stretched wide enough to devour the pint-sized Ai whole.
Ai didn't even bother to dodge, only standing up and stepping forward lightly. The dragon howled and dove straight at her, and Ai smiled as it vanished right into her. Reina's jaw dropped as the last of the enormous form completely dissolved out of sight.
Gabriel waited. Ai continued smiling. Nothing happened.
"W-what?" He couldn't believe it. Ai chuckled.
"What you called was simply a phantom, an illusion that kills the mind. Only those weak of heart and mind would fall for such a childish trick." Ai coughed delicately. "Not that I even want to absorb something as corrupted as this. It's really disgusting, you know?"
"How, how did you..." Gabriel seemed to be at a loss for words. He had never been one to resort to pure martial force to deal with his targets, preferring to bait and trap. Subterfuge had always been his best ally.
"Child's play, my dear boy." Ai shook her head regretfully. "You could have lived peacefully. You would have thrived. But you chose the road not taken, and now there is no way back."
"Are you with the Council?" Gabriel subtly inched closer to where Reina was held, eyes fixed on Ai. "Only those stinking purebloods would want to keep all those rules. You're just afraid that we'll overthrow you!"
"The Council has no hold over me." Ai said chillingly, and the temperature in the warehouse seemed to drop significantly with every step she took forward.
"I don't even care how many of our brethren you have preyed on. You were right when you said that strength is what allows us to thrive, and that those who fell to you have simply failed the test of time." Ai stopped a few yards away from Gabriel, who had frozen in his tracks.
"But you have committed the one crime that I laid down the rules for, and for that, you shall be judged." Ai finished coldly.
Gabriel found that he could not move, try as he might. His legs were shaking, pinned to the spot by that deadly gaze aimed at him. All his instincts were shrieking in pure, unadulterated terror. Fear immobilized him, that overpowering presence of something so vast, so intense that he could not even budge as Death stalked closer.
"W-who are you...?"
Ai smiled mirthlessly. "I am not obliged to tell you, sire-killer. One who murders their own Master is not worthy of knowing my name."
"You...how did you know?" Gabriel stuttered, shrinking into himself with sheer panic. Ai no longer smiled, and though her face and form were still beautiful, there was no mistaking the demonic aura that surrounded her. She looked like some demon, or perhaps a fallen angel, lovely in appearance but no less chaotic.
"Your blood stinks of it." Ai tapped her nose. "And the Council will not doubt me, for my word is final." Ai halted by Gabriel's side, leaning in to whisper into the terrified renegade's ear.
"Did you really think that I let you catch the fledgling for nothing? I knew you would come for her if we were weakened and separated after that fight. All I had to do was wait."
Gabriel shuddered inwardly at the meaning implicit in the statement. He was not above using others for his schemes, but the extent to which this monstrously powerful vampire would and could go frightened him. Only someone who had complete assurance in their own capabilities could pull off a plan like that. He had underestimated her.
"Be glad though. You get to be a stepping stone for the little one over there. She still has a long way to go, and she will continue to grow into her powers." Ai smiled grimly.
"Didn't know that you caught a 4th generation Noble, did you?"
Surprise, shock, regret. These emotions ran through him. To have had his quest for power so rudely interrupted, just when the end was in sight...it was more than he could bear. He wanted, needed to do something. It could not end like this. With a howl of rage, he broke out of the mind control, rushing towards the spell circle where Reina was still confined within.
Ai let him go, expression bored. Lifting one hand, she mimed lifting a chess piece, setting it down on some imaginary board with a click she made with her tongue.
"Checkmate."
Reina had been fighting the rest of her bindings while Ai had been taunting Gabriel. She had one hand free, but the rest of the chains were still coiled around her, and she squirmed around like a fresh-caught fish while trying to wriggle free. The accursed things seemed to be almost glued to her.
Break it, I gotta break it. Reina thought to herself, remembering how she had gotten her hand free in the first place. It was easier said than done though. In a fit of petulant anger, Reina started thrashing around even harder, yanking and clawing and even biting blindly.
Oddly, that seemed to work a bit better than just pulling. Reina wasn't really thinking about the consequences of using her fangs to widen the hairline crack in the other cuff, but since she was desperate (and probably lucky), it worked.
With both her hands free, it was easier to pull the rest of the strangling chains away from her. Some of it seemed to be suctioned onto her skin, but Reina ruthlessly tore them off, skin and all, her eyes already a frenzied red. She was bleeding from several places, and everything hurt, but the rush of power from her rage allowed her to ignore those niggling concerns.
The last bindings were those on her feet, locked to the ground. Driven completely by instinct, Reina casually bashed at them with her bare fists, heedless of how her hands were already a raw red.
Her irises glowed even brighter as the tips of her fingers sizzled, the iron of the chains glowing a cherry red from the contact. It burned her as well, but she barely felt it as she ripped off the warped metal with disconcerting ease.
It was at this point when she sensed an incoming force; saw, no, felt hungry hands reaching into the barrier that still kept her within, clawing desperately for her.
She felt like she was moving in slow motion as she twisted around, feeling her dirty fangs of her captor attempt to sink into her neck, growling in response. Her hands sought, and found, his neck instead, broken nails digging into cold flesh with an animal satisfaction. The crack of bone as she exerted her not inconsiderable strength was like music to her ears, and Reina snarled as she met his wild eyes with her own.
"Die." The voice that came from her throat was guttural, barely recognizable as her own. She tasted his fear and found it good, even as she shattered his collarbone, then clawed his eyes out with a flourish, licking her fingers daintily afterwards.
Don't eat him. He won't taste good. The warning came a split second after she had tasted her prey's blood, and she gagged involuntarily at the foul aftertaste, spitting the rest of it out in disgust.
Ai strolled up to the edge of the circle, expertly avoiding the spray of blood that came her way as Reina crushed the man's neck. Unfortunately for him, it was still not quite fatal enough. Ai almost pitied him. Almost. Actually, she was already starting to get bored by the whole thing.
"You can stop playing now. We'll need some time to go feed you properly before sunrise."
Reina brightened up noticeably at the mention of food, dragging the badly mutilated and barely recognizable Gabriel by the scruff of his neck to the edge of the barrier, then shoving him into it.
As Ai had expected, the caster was the key. The flesh on his back sizzled at the prolonged contact, but he no longer possessed the vocal chords to scream. Ai coughed diffidently to get Reina's attention, tapping at the space over her heart.
Reina got the point immediately. Holding him up with one hand, she used her other hand and thrust it into the stricken vampire's chest, her fingers closing around the heart and tearing it out.
Then she squeezed. Ai stepped out of the way as yet another spray of blood spurted past her. The rest of the splatter had shimmered against the barrier, the magic flickering and dying. Reina dropped both heart and body, stomping on the now fully dead vampire. The corpse shriveled, taking on a dessicated appearance, before flaking into dusty parts.
"Good girl. You did well." Ai praised almost fondly as she cupped Reina's bloodstained cheek with her hand, the younger vampire purring like a kitten at the gesture. When she next opened her eyes, it was no longer a solid red, but normal again, almost child-like as she looked pitifully at the older vampire.
"Something you want to tell me?" Reina nodded miserably, looking like she was about to cry. Ai waited, continuing to stroke Reina's cheek with her thumb.
"I broke my fangs..." Reina whimpered, bloody tears springing from her eyes. As if to prove her point, she opened her mouth and bared them. One was chipped in the side, while the other had had the tip broken off entirely.
A moment of silence, then Ai chuckled. "Silly girl, don't cry. I'll fix it for you."
"You will?" Reina asked almost hopefully. Ai nodded, holding Reina's mouth open as she examined the broken fangs. Then before Reina could even blink, she yanked both out in one swift motion.
"Aaaaagh!!!" Reina exploded in a whole tirade of incoherent expletives as she covered her mouth with both hands. Ai ignored her, looking at the fangs she had extracted, before handing them back to a hysterical Reina.
"Don't be a baby, they'll grow back." Ai scolded. Reina glared balefully at the older, one hand still covering her mouth.
"I'll getch 'choo faur tchat." Reina muttered. Ai smiled amiably.
"You can try, but I won't advise getting on my bad side for now. Who else will feed you while you have no fangs?" Reina's eyes widened as she realized her own predicament. Having no fangs would make feeding incredibly messy. Ai only laughed at her.
"Come on, let's get you fed first." Ai's eyes were glowing in anticipation. "I haven't hunted in a while, so this will be fun." Reina shivered a little at the wild look in those eyes, terror or anticipation, she could not be certain. Ai smirked dangerously, glancing around.
"Hold on to me, we'll take the shortcut out of here."
Obediently, Reina clung to Ai, wrapping her arms around the older. Ai casually kicked over the single light source in the warehouse, greedy flames licking first over the discarded pages of an open book, the conflagration expanding to consume all in its path.
The fire would cover their tracks for now. Ai closed her eyes and faded into shadow, taking Reina with her. Finding the Dark Path with ease, she glided on pathways unseen, through a darkness not even her vastly superior night vision could penetrate.
They would go, and she would feed again. This whole sham of a confrontation had only served to bring her bloodlust back, and she hungered for so much more.
The moon was in full flower, hanging luminous overhead. The sky was dark, cloudless. The distant stars were no more than mere pinpricks on velvet, shimmering like tiny diamonds. It was a beautiful night, and it was hers.
The night was still young. The hunt would begin. By the time the sun would rise to claim its place, the sky bathed crimson in its wake would but be only a poor imitation of the blood she would shed tonight.
Time to paint the town red.
==========================================
I'm crashing. Comment freely.
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"Did you think that you could get out so easily? I always hedge my bets, mademoiselle. No one's coming to save you, and there are still other safeguards to make sure that you don't escape me before I'm finished."
:O
aichan will :lol:
"Want, my dear? You, of course." One gloved hand, inscribed with odd symbols, entered the barrier with no noticeable backlash, stroking tauntingly at Reina's cheek. She turned her head and snapped at it, but he had already withdrawn the appendage.
He was smiling, but it was totally without mirth. His eyes were an ominous cocktail of red and black, impure to say the least. Reina shuddered and averted her eyes. To look too deep within was madness, for madness laid within. He laughed, and the voice that followed was hollow, hungry.
"I want your power, ma cherie." He skipped a little, light on his feet and his hands spreading out, as if to grasp something. If Reina had never fully understood the term 'cavort' before, well, it was right there in evidence, right now.
He stopped in mid-leap, turning on his heel. Like a mad jester, minus the war paint. Speckled red orbed around a solid black iris, the dark tendrils spiraling out like some sick infection in his eyes. His lips were drawn back in a hideously wide grin, fangs extended in some perverse parody.
"I want your blood."
at first i thought he was some "bad" guy..XD..so what he wants is reina blood
"If only it were that simple..." Soujirou broke off and stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling an urge to walk over to the window. Looking cautiously out of it, he froze as he caught sight of his daughter standing on the opposite street corner, practically half in the embrace of a very familiar outline. He suddenly felt faint, clutching the window sill as he turned deathly pale.
That thing must have felt him watching, since she promptly enfolded Risa into a tighter embrace, and Soujirou could have sworn that he was the only one who saw that smirk on her lips.
He had seen enough. Stepping away from the window, he strode purposefully towards the door with a steely look in his eye. There was no way he would give his daughter over to that creature.
Flinging the door open, Soujirou paused on the steps and stared when that monster of a vampire leaned in and kissed his daughter full on the lips, and he could swear that she had one eye on him as she did so. His legs felt weak, and he actually staggered, feeling ill all over.
aigaki :wub: :wub:
aigaki moments win..XD
"You can't die until I say so, and you can't hurt yourself unless I'm the one doing it."
"I hate to disagree, but that's my line."
.
.
.
Ai landed lightly on her feet, just outside the magic circle where Reina was writhing in pain. She clucked her tongue briefly as she eyed the bound fledgling.[.quote]
oh yes..aichan came..XD
[quote["Reina, if you can break out of there, I'll give you a reward." Reina stared disbelievingly at her. Ai grinned, the tips of her fangs hidden coyly behind her lips.
"If you can't even free yourself, you're not worth my time, and your Master won't be bothered with you either." Ai pointed casually over at Gabriel, who seemed miffed at being overlooked.
still training reina despite they were in a dangerous/not dangerous situation.. :lol:
"Did you really think that I let you catch the fledgling for nothing? I knew you would come for her if we were weakened and separated after that fight. All I had to do was wait."
aichan..no no..you make use of reina huh..XD
"Something you want to tell me?" Reina nodded miserably, looking like she was about to cry. Ai waited, continuing to stroke Reina's cheek with her thumb.
loving aireina too..XD :wub:
"I broke my fangs..." Reina whimpered, bloody tears springing from her eyes. As if to prove her point, she opened her mouth and bared them. One was chipped in the side, while the other had had the tip broken off entirely.
A moment of silence, then Ai chuckled. "Silly girl, don't cry. I'll fix it for you."
LOL!!!this make make goes :lol: :lol:
loving your story estrea..XD
you are a great writer..XD
i love the way you describing the situation etc..
my english is sux to put in good words for many part of your story so i just skip it..XD..
update more..XD..
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Ufufufufufufufufu~
Sneaky little Ai. Much love! They get to beat up more people. XD And Reina... used again in Ai's plans. XD
You know the rest of my comments. lol
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Flinging the door open, Soujirou paused on the steps and stared when that monster of a vampire leaned in and kissed his daughter full on the lips, and he could swear that she had one eye on him as she did so. His legs felt weak, and he actually staggered, feeling ill all over.
So evil Ai... but still TakaGaki moment :cow:
So Reina’s a fourth generation
"Something you want to tell me?" Reina nodded miserably, looking like she was about to cry. Ai waited, continuing to stroke Reina's cheek with her thumb.
aww so cute :gmon love:
"Aaaaagh!!!" Reina exploded in a whole tirade of incoherent expletives as she covered her mouth with both hands. Ai ignored her, looking at the fangs she had extracted, before handing them back to a hysterical Reina.
Hahaha damn, very nice to imagine
"I'll getch 'choo faur tchat." Reina muttered. Ai smiled amiably.
yeah, getch cher faur tchat XD
Time to paint the town red.
And the hunting season commences. I only hope she won’t make Risa’s blood dry
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Yay Gabriel d'whatever is dead! :on woohoo:
Poor Reina first got beaten into pulp now losing her precious fangs :cry: But she was so cute whimpering over the loss of them XD And poor Soujirou :lol: He saw his daughter kissing with another girl, which could be enough devastating, but what actually is worse is that her "girlfriend" is a powerful vampire who can even eat(of course literally XD ) his beloved daughter. Somehow this situation reminded me of Otsuke from Nocturne and his experience XD Can't wait to see how the ReinAi and TakaGaki part is going to develop :hehehe: and I believe I don't have to mention for whom I'm keeping my fingers crossed :roll:
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i love vampire stories!!!
poor sayumi...threatened by ai...
reinai and takagaki...which pair is better.... :doh:
hm...i want takagaki more...i think...
waiting for an update..
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"I'll getch 'choo faur tchat." Reina muttered. Ai smiled amiably.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/_dinny_/illgitj00.gif)
Sorry, I'll have some actual comments later. Figured I can stall a little with this. :D
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Reina is a crackup, even when she's all in pain and stuff. :lol: But poor her, being in this situation in the first place. Ah, it's that freaky Gabriel dude again. He wants Reina's blood....ok, that's weird. :D Poor Gaki....everyone's so mean to her~ :P I only made her suicidal once, so I'm not THAT mean, at least not to her. :grin: Hmm, so Ai-chan's looking for Reina and Gaki doesn't wanna move. What else is new? :P I think she should stay...b/c it's Ai-chan that her father is running from in the first place, yes? And I don't think Ai-chan is gonna hurt Gaki, or at least I hope not. Wow, I think I would lose my patience with Gabriel too. :lol: He's just one of those ppl who gets something into their head and will stop at nothing to get it. Reina's quite smart with the whole "keep him talking so I can try and escape" thing. Good thinking, Reina. :thumbsup Mmm, so both of Gaki's parents are hunters and her hunter blood won't be activated or whatever if she's not near them? I think they should let her stay, I mean she's a college student which means she can probably take care of herself for the most part. Plus, she's Gaki, the motherly one~ :wub: Oh my....Papa Niigaki saw his precious daughter sucking face (well, not really) with HER.... :shocked: I wonder what this will turn into. Wow, Gabriel really is a basketcase. :P Glad that Ai-chan took care of his sorry ass. But OMG, Reina at the end~~~~ So cute~~~ I can imagine her nearly in tears with a little pouty face~ :inlove: Ow, getting your fangs pulled out like that. But I think it's so adorable that Ai-chan's taking care of her like a little kid. :grin:
LONG-ASS CHAPTER, Essy. I'm glad I took your advice and waited to read/comment b/c I would not have been able to comprehend anything before. :lol:
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I'll say it again....Ai-chans meccha kakkoi! :shifty: :shifty: :shifty: i love how she controls the situation.....not to mention influencing risa....haha :on lol: :on lol: :on lol:
poor risa's father, seeing her daughter kissing the monster he wants to escape from :wahaha:
aw.....im getting more curious whose Reina's master... :tantrum: :tantrum: :tantrum: was it mikitty? ne, ne, reveal it already! haha
hmm....watched the hello morning episode where miki said she will cheer reina on since they have the same aura, then eri mentioned Nakazawa having the same aura too, mikitty replied, "you mean my master?!" haha so much rambling! :sweat:
but my point is, maybe its mikitty her master............hmm, nakazawa? haha :whistle:
nice chapter, author-san! :on lol: :on lol: :on lol:
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Everyone, this is not an update! Well, actually, it kind of is, but to a slightly different thing.
Doesn't everyone want to know where Ai and Reina went and what they did?
Well, the full story (or at least the preview) is here! Hehe. XD
====================================================
First Blood
It was a bloodbath of epic proportions.
Thought was fleeting now, it came and went. Impressions, more than anything, counted far more. Moment by moment, flashes of action and reaction. That was what mattered.
The dim glow of emergency lights lent a ghostly illumination to the place; the main floodlights having already been knocked out one after another during the first few minutes. External power was cut off, as were all communications, wireless or otherwise. Cables were easily enough dealt with, radio communications were terminated by something far beyond a simple jamming field.
To put it simply, it was magic. Magic of the highest grade. The blood red barrier kept everyone in, and everyone else out. The moon had already hid itself behind thickening clouds, the storm brewing as the slaughter took place.
Red, red, red. Such a festive color, bright slashes of it across corrugated steel. The color of wine, spirits drunken and lifted to giddy heights. The color of blood, the color of life.
Hands; slick, sticky, grimy. The dark stains appeared almost black in the stark lighting. It highlighted the paleness of the skin below, visible only in patches. The rest was covered, smothered with that intensely dark liquid, hardening to a crust.
Those same hands, arched in a deadly grip, hooking into the flesh of another. There was no sound of breathing, only a cold dripping sound. Slow, erratic; a bigger splash here, a smaller drop there. Almost negligible, but for the fact that there was no other sound.
A dull thud, followed by red eyes. Blinking, a pink tongue lashing out to lick at her lips, Reina appeared almost feral, crimson streaks like war paint on her face. Her cat-like eyes only added to the impression, making her look more animal than human...not that she was human at all.
The corpse she had just drained had its throat torn open, the military green of his uniform soaked to a deeper shade. For lack of fangs to work with, she had simply resorted to the alternative her teacher had suggested, or rather, demonstrated to her to begin with.
"But I can't bite him now! My fangs are...!" Reina protested as the wriggling figure of the young man was thrust before her. Ai smiled thinly, her own fangs already stained with the blood of her victims.
"Silly girl, all you need is a hole. Make one."
The arterial spray painted her face for the first time that night, as Ai casually tore the man's throat open with two hooked fingers. Reina's eyes glowed as she took her still warm meal into her arms, feeding greedily. Ai smirked, licking her fingers.
"What you need is a little imagination, Reina!"
Smacking her lips together, Reina cast her sight around, but found no movement. The entire quarter had been silenced by her own efforts, after Ai had showed her the way.
And if she was guessing right, the rest of the outpost had already been turned into a floating graveyard. There were no more gunshots, at any rate. Reina had been a little uneasy about storming into a whole troop of soldiers, but after observing Ai walking straight into a hail of bullets and come out laughing, she threw caution to the wind.
They were not human, as Ai had told her before. She could move faster, regenerate faster, and could withstand more damage. Then again, Ai had dropped her off in the crew's quarters and told her to enjoy herself. She had done so. Unarmed and still groggy, mere human men could hardly pose a threat to her, especially not in so vulnerable a state.
Stepping almost daintily over the unrecognizable remains of one of her first few victims, Reina tried the door, then kicked it open when she found it locked. She left bloody footprints as she exited, testament to her killing frenzy earlier. She had been less concerned about feeding than she was about wreaking havoc, taking a little from everyone, but mostly just finding joy in the kill.
Unthinkingly, she headed out onto the main deck, seeking and finding her target with unerring ease. When she caught sight of her quarry, she would have lost her breath if she still had one.
Head thrown back, fangs gleaming in the sputtering light of a broken bulb, Ai seemed larger than life itself, still carelessly holding up a broken body in one hand, her tongue flicking out to catch the last spatter of blood dripping from her victim. Then with disturbing ease, she flung the useless corpse aside, the dead body landing perfectly on top of a substantial heap of similar victims.
Reina approached the elder vampire with an almost fearful reverence, wary to disturb her in such a moment. The young vampire might be reckless, but she wasn't stupid.
Ai turned, eyes glowing with satisfaction. She seemed even more beautiful to Reina now, her hair wild and face spattered with blood. Their hands were identical works of gory art, and Ai's pale skin was almost like alabaster when the light of the glorious moon peeked out shyly from its hiding place. She glowed like a pale candle flame, strong and unwavering, unearthly in her radiance. Reina paused, uncertain how to approach her. Her missing fangs ached in their emptiness, as did her longing to meet the other vampire in a deadly embrace.
"Come." Ai held out one hand, a clear gesture of invitation. Reina hesitated no longer, closing the distance before she could even think of any possible consequences to her actions. She seemed to be acting on autopilot. Instinct, or pure need, dictated her actions. Thought was wholly unnecessary.
Lips crashed forcefully together, a hunger for more than just blood spurring them on. The thrill of the hunt and the banquet that had followed must have drowned their senses, leaving only desire in its place. Reina did not even pause to consider just what exactly she was doing, knowing only one thing.
She had to have this woman before her. To share in her magnificence, to taste of her, to become closer...in every way possible.
Blindly, she dug her nails in deeper, ripping into the fabric and shredding Ai's clothes. Contact was what she craved, a visceral communion of flesh and blood. Lacking fangs, she bit hard nevertheless, breaking skin with savage facility.
She was dimly aware that Ai was returning the favor, her own back now cold and exposed to the cutting wind. Blood, both her own and Ai's, mingled sweet and metallic in their mouths as they fought a battle as old as the earth itself, seeking dominance over each other.
Pain and pleasure boiled over like a pot left too long over the fire, and Reina felt the pressure knotting her stomach. The scent of blood, thick in the air, was driving her mad. When Ai pulled away, she almost groaned in disappointment, her fingers digging into Ai's shoulders petulantly as her lips formed into a childish pout.
A visible aura of danger loomed thickly all around the elder vampire, a quality that only served to draw Reina even more irresistibly towards her. Her eyes flamed with an unreadable emotion, raw energy crackling between the two creatures of the night.
"Reina..." A liquid hiss, in quite possibly the most arousing way Reina had ever heard her name being uttered, slithered into the crackling silence between them.
"What do you want?" Intense eyes, and an even more intensely overpowering will. Dimly, Reina was aware that she was being tested, the crushing pressure of Ai's gaze almost making her knees buckle. Stubbornly, she held on, meeting the look head on without wavering.
"I want you."
Fearlessly declared, sheer determination breaking free of the restrictions on her vocal chords. Reina stared boldly at Ai, who smiled, fangs peeking out coyly from her lips.
"We'll see about that." Ai purred as she leaned in to claim the unresisting Reina's lips, her embrace tightening as the landscape blurred around them, shadows lengthening and engulfing them in their entirety.
All that was left in their wake was only blood and death. And the promise of so much more.
After all, was the night not still young?
============================================
More to come. I need to sleep first. The rest will be in the perv section you know where. :D
Night!
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Wow, Reina must have been hungry. XD It's almost terrifying to think about but at the same time, it's kind of exhilarating. Ooooooh, but the prospect of sexy time makes me happy~~~ :heart:
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Dang......
Reina and Ai...wow, that was...wow.
Love this story. <3
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YOU!! YOU DENIED ME MY WEDGE!!!!!
I WILL GET IT NEXT TIME!
SOOOO GOOOOOD..... *drools* ALL THAT BLOOD.... *licks lips*
*Awaits the good stuff* lol
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AIREINA AIREINA!!!
:wub: :wub: :wub:
More to come. I need to sleep first. The rest will be in the perv section you know where
you better pm me this..XD..
damn..your fic is really addicting.. :lol:
everything flows so beautifully..XD
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Oh no, I don't know if I'm dead or alive :on blackhole:
I think I was still alive during Sicilian~
lol at Reina and her deep thoughts XD and at Ai for picking up tips from her Nocturne self. Fathers just don't like her do they? XD
Sicilian played out like a nice little movie. Complete with a fruity villain that's more then willing to divulge all his plans and secrets right before his ultimate demise :lol: It's always the talkative ones that screw themselves over. And of course, Ai chan's like a super hero, an evil superhero, complete with her penthouse and spidery senses.
Ah, the ending rules~! it's like the ending to the movie but it's really only the beginning, which only makes it more cool :w00t:
one word to sum up my feelings for Sicilian: Exciting
First Blood~
I was all like ~let the hunt begin!~ by the end of Sicilian. and then the hunt begun. :mon barf: :imdead:
how foolish of me XD but then again anyone can be caught up in the excitement with the wonderful way you write~ hehe why blame oneself when you can blame estrea =D
and speaking of wonderful...the TakaReina :shy1:
three words to sum up my feelings for Frist Blood: Gross but hot XD
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I wonder what made Ai do that blood drinking from alive human thing again :dunno:
:on_hot: very well written
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Well, seeing as how I've got around 90 min to kill... :)
Chapter 15 - Sicilian
*PAIN=ALIVE TALK*
Damn...pretty philosophical stuff.
More importantly, why the fuck am I thinking of all this shit and GOD DAMN IT HURTS...!
Then you had to throw this in. XD
The first thing she noticed was that it was still night. For someone who could be hurt by the sun, the passage of time in a single day was of utmost importance to her continued well-being.
For someone who could be hurt by the sun, being outdoors...out cold could definitely prove to be painful...as would be indicated by the "waking up to being roasted alive". :O
Reina shut her eyes and tried to process everything that was going on. She was chained, her head hurt like crap, she felt sick, and she desperately wanted to get out of here.
WTF she's chained? How? :?
*ENTER GABRIEL D'ORSAY*
Hmmmm...new character...seems like a bit of an aristocratic snob...AND he wants Reina's powers!?!? :o
*RISA'S DECISION*
While I'm all "Yay Risa!"...I can't imagine this going over well with the folks, given the real reason (i.e. the reason that Risa doesn't know about) that they decided to move. In all likelihood nothing short of telling her the complete truth about who they are and why they're choosing to move now would come close to getting Risa to reconsider.
"Just talk to him. It'll work out, somehow." Ai smiled reassuringly at her. Risa smiled back tentatively, looking almost as if she believed..
"If you end up really needing help, just give me a call. I'll work something out for you." Ai promised. Risa gave her a strange sort of look.
Given who Aichan is and who Risa's folks are, if it came down to this the only way I can see any chance of a deal being accepted by the latter would be if Aichan promised to not harm Risa.
Ai laughed. "Don't worry, I have more resources at my disposal than you think. If it turns out that you need a place to stay, you can come to my place. I live in a penthouse apartment and I own the top 2 floors of the same building. More than enough space."
Risa's jaw dropped at the statement. She stared at the deceptively unassuming young woman before her, trying to comprehend just how rich Ai actually was. The person in question grinned.
Aichan = :cool1:
Risa = :stunned:
JFC = :stunned:
*GABRIEL'S DRAWING OF REINA*
Soooooooo...he made a drawing of her to remember her after he kills her?
Yeah, that's frakkin' messed up.
*GABRIEL'S CHILDHOOD RANT*
Hmmmm...wondering now if maybe he's been specifically stalking/targeting Reina? If his sire was a "diluted" or "weak" vampire, then one could "build up" his/her vampire strength by ingesting the blood of "stronger" vampires? If so, then yeah, Reina's probably got a target on her back without knowing it.
*RISA'S PARENTS' CONCERNS*
:cry:
Soujirou broke off and stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling an urge to walk over to the window. Looking cautiously out of it, he froze as he caught sight of his daughter standing on the opposite street corner, practically half in the embrace of a very familiar outline. He suddenly felt faint, clutching the window sill as he turned deathly pale.
That thing must have felt him watching, since she promptly enfolded Risa into a tighter embrace, and Soujirou could have sworn that he was the only one who saw that smirk on her lips.
Oh crap. :shocked
Flinging the door open, Soujirou paused on the steps and stared when that monster of a vampire leaned in and kissed his daughter full on the lips, and he could swear that she had one eye on him as she did so. His legs felt weak, and he actually staggered, feeling ill all over.
OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohCRAP!!! :shocked:
*GABRIEL'S PUREBLOODS/COUNCIL STORY*
Well, well, well...bitter much? :-\
*ENTER AICHAN*
WOOOOOOOO!!! AICHAN!!! :rockon:
I take it this happened after speaking with Risa's dad?
"Reina, if you can break out of there, I'll give you a reward." Reina stared disbelievingly at her. Ai grinned, the tips of her fangs hidden coyly behind her lips.
Pervvy thoughts...increasing. :twisted:
*AICHAN VS GABRIEL*
Whoaaaaaaaaaa.
"W-who are you...?"
Ai smiled mirthlessly. "I am not obliged to tell you, sire-killer. One who murders their own Master is not worthy of knowing my name."
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh...
...
Gabriel's SO dead.
:mon scare:
*REINA KILLS GABRIEL*
Yowza...
:mon wtf:
"Good girl. You did well." Ai praised almost fondly as she cupped Reina's bloodstained cheek with her hand, the younger vampire purring like a kitten at the gesture. When she next opened her eyes, it was no longer a solid red, but normal again, almost child-like as she looked pitifully at the older vampire.
"Something you want to tell me?" Reina nodded miserably, looking like she was about to cry. Ai waited, continuing to stroke Reina's cheek with her thumb.
"I broke my fangs..." Reina whimpered, bloody tears springing from her eyes. As if to prove her point, she opened her mouth and bared them. One was chipped in the side, while the other had had the tip broken off entirely.
A moment of silence, then Ai chuckled. "Silly girl, don't cry. I'll fix it for you."
Awwwwwwwwwww... :oops:
"You will?" Reina asked almost hopefully. Ai nodded, holding Reina's mouth open as she examined the broken fangs. Then before Reina could even blink, she yanked both out in one swift motion.
"Aaaaagh!!!" Reina exploded in a whole tirade of incoherent expletives as she covered her mouth with both hands. Ai ignored her, looking at the fangs she had extracted, before handing them back to a hysterical Reina.
"Don't be a baby, they'll grow back." Ai scolded
Eep...not quite the fix that Reina was hoping for. I guess, given the circumstances, that probably would be the best/most efficient method for it. :-X
Hopefully for Reina it won't take long for them to grow back.
First Blood
Geeeeeeeeeeeez
:mon one:
"Silly girl, all you need is a hole. Make one."
Okay, THIS was soooooooooooo creepy and sadistic.....not to mention messy.
*REINAI HOTNESS*
It's like "angry passion"...only with vampires...and blood. :drool:
...
...
Am I messed up for finding this part hawt?
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okay, less word vomit and more insightful writing it is! (I've also said that you should never expect it. :P )
-Hunters:
I am going to continue to hound you for GakiKameShige, because I said so. Start planning XD This chapter is particularly interesting 'cos it letting us know the beginnings of the extent of the powers that they have, and more of course I am going to need more exposé on just /why/ Niigaki Soujirou was nicknamed the Dark Terror. (I don't like the name, by the way. It reminds me too much of the Soujirou in Kenshin, who is /still/ my all-round favorite character of all time.) It also means that Risa's initiation ritual should just as well be awesome. :P
Meanwhile, if there will be no Risa's dad x Mysterious Stranger next chapter, I will hound you for the chapter following that, too.
... and while you're at it, define sicilian because I gave up searching dictionaries for the definition.
It /does/ leave me guessing how the AiGaki will pan out, since it's about time Risa butted heads with her father, anyway!
-Reina:
... is learning things in leaps and bounds, yay! Does the regeneration of fangs fall under the same healing category of reconnecting tendons and is Ai just teasing her? :D And if Reina is 4th gen, then I can make stupid and unfounded guesses about who her master is. XD
-Ai:
... is scary. Since, she's, um, a totally different creature compared to the angst!Ai-chan we saw back in chapter 3 (and about a year ago, too). And when you bring in the Council, do invoke discussion with the abilities they possess (and just because, hint at hunter abilities too, thank you).
-Gabriel:
You little boy, you got pwned. XD Although it's also clear that you're using him for an outlet to stomp on Reina for the heck of it. :D Like you said earlier, this society is a lot stricter on its hierarchies, although I wonder how much power Ai has over the minute little details. Council meeting, already!
-First Blood
... what did I say about Ai again? >_>
... following what JFC said: yeah, it's messy. You sure Ai has a way to clean up this mess? (Does this even matter? XD)
and that's it for word vomit from me; now I can properly prod you to write chapter 16. :D
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ai-chan....vampire? :mon huh2:
1,2,3,4,5........... :mon dunno:
imagination working.....
vampire.... :mon bleed2: :mon angel:
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Well, since I was reminded about this story recently, I thought it deserved a bump and Essy-sama needed a kick in the pants. I think this is one of the only stories where I actually like RenAi in it. (excluding Nocturne because that's such a fun story) It totally has nothing to do with the copious amounts of Takagaki in there as well.... Noo, not at all.
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^Hmph. >_>
Well instead of a new chapter I finished the perv that was just lying around on my hard drive. <_<
Might write...maybe...:P
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^ Its the RenAi perv, right? Don't think that excuses you from not updating in so long. I mean, come on, Ancient Ai-chan! How cool is that?
:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
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okay, one year (and several hours and minutes, but we're not being exact here) ago, Essy updated this story after a full couple of months of prodding.
So, this post is meant to be an anniversary-YAY- celebratory post in which.... I actually have not more to say, but Essy, please go and update. Pleasepleaseplease. :tama-mad:
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Boop~! Bumping this up to the front page.
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I think tis the season for unexpected updates. Don't think about it. I'm not updating AA.
Hehe. :P
alwaysYou: I don't think you even remember the story by now. 3 years! :lol: But in the event you do, I suppose you might have to reread it all again. :P Hope my update will be worth the wait!
Fen: I'm sure you don't read this anymore. No matter. :P
kris: Hopefully you will like my new update! :D 3 years in the making, but still progressing at snail's pace...lol.
peti-chan: haven't seen you around in ages and ages! :O I hope you'll come back soon! And yes, much ReinAi for you. :P
~happyxcharmy~: Vampire stories are fun. :D Sorry my update is 3 years late!!!
dindin: I know you don't read this anymore. Oh well. :P
kream: Guess what! This was what I was writing! :P Good surprise or no?
ayase909: I'm back! It only took 3 years! /sarcasm Haha. XD;
Hotaru: Look, I'm back! XD
JFC: I miss your epic comments. :/ Not that you ever do it anymore. D:
kitaoji: On a scale of 1-10, how much of a shock is this? Miss your prodding and word vomit!
gab: Hehe. I'm baaaccccckkkk!
rndy: Hello rndy. 3 years late with an update. I deserve that kick up the pants. Lmfao.
Ok. :D I have no idea what prompted this but....a small chapter for everyone! :D
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Chapter 16: Pivot
Her body felt heavy.
That was the first thought that emerged out of the muddied swirls of her consciousness. Lazily, slowly, like a great leviathan unused to the surface.
Her senses reawakened one by one. Touch, first.
I'm sore all over.
Her skin was chilled. Not in the usual way as death's icy grip receded from the awakening of her mind with the setting sun. The room was cold, her body loose and supple and oddly weightless. It felt eerily close to being alive once more, as far as she could remember.
Ten years was a long enough time to spend being dead, but she hadn't quite forgotten being alive. She took in an unnecessary breath, as if to luxuriate in the moment, this illusion of life.
Or perhaps the past ten years of unlife had just been a dream, and this was reality. She stretched lazily, feeling bones pop, skin stretching over raw wounds...and winced.
Her nose kicked in next, the musk of sweat and sex heavy in not just the sheets, but all over herself as well. And, underlying all that, the unmistakable scent of blood...
So last night really happened. Disjointed fragment swam into the forefront of her mind, lighting her pale skin to an almost mortal shade. Involuntarily, her tongue flicked out over her lips, scraping over the chapped remains of her decadent "feast" the night before.
And with that, taste returned. Vampires didn't have morning breath, one of those amazing things that somehow applied to living corpses, as she had personally experienced. There was no real logic to it, not that she cared. She simply dismissed it just as another convenient piece of magic that was part of what allowed her to exist as she was.
The hardened flakes of blood and lust crumbled onto her suddenly eager tongue, and her mouth dried instantly. Hunger. It hit her like a hammer between the eyes, making her recoil instinctively, her eyes springing open. Golden, with flecks of red starting to glow with more intensity.
Sight and sound snapped the world back into startling focus. She was lying belly down on soft satin sheets. Torn satin sheets. Her hands twitched involuntarily. She vaguely remembered doing that. A light shiver ran down her spine at the sudden clarity of memory.
Hands bunched tight over satin, muscles clenched tight as hands wandered softly over yielding flesh. There was no question of moving. She was frozen, locked in place by a single command that she was helpless to resist.
"What do you want, little one? Tell me..."
Exquisite torture. Utter humiliation, laying bare every single fantasy she could imagine. Which was not as many as she had thought. No matter.
She was going to find out just how little she knew.
Her body quivered pleasantly at the recollection. Rolling over, she felt the raw welts on her skin fading as she willed them away. She was completely sated, which made the recovery easier than she imagined.
The bite marks on her neck and shoulders she left intact. A perverse sense of having been so primally marked by so strong a vampire. Her mind was oddly lethargic, out of focus. Willing her mind to come to heel, she pushed outwards in an attempt to find her lover.
It didn't take long. The elder was taking no measures to conceal herself, at least not beyond the usual. An aura so tightly controlled and reined in that it was almost indiscernable, a patch of shadow on shadow. That power signature that seemed ordinary, but on further probing whispered of so much more. The glow of energy was lighter than she had ever sensed it, strips of color threading through her aura like any other mortal.
Ai was in a good mood, and she was not bothering to hide it. Reina grinned, her newly regrown fangs peeking out from under her lip. Stumbling out of bed, she wove unsteadily towards the closed door, and opened it.
The blast of white light made her recoil with an inhuman shriek, falling back on her naked ass as she scooted a good 5 meters back into the safety of the dark bedroom. A cold terror seized every single vampiric instinct she possessed, and she couldn't stop shaking.
"Reina?" A familiar voice. The young vampire whimpered, crawling under the covers to hide from the hated daylight. She couldn't understand. She had not seen the sun in 10 years. She used to like the day, but that changed with her entry into unlife. She never ever woke in the day, and the very idea of being caught out of doors in the wee hours before dawn always terrified her. She did not want to die again, no.
"It's alright, I closed the blinds." Ai's voice was soothing. "I forgot about the sun, I'm sorry."
What are you?!?! Reina howled inwardly, refusing to budge from her protective coccoon. No vampire could withstand the sun. Even her Master had warned her against it, and said that it was the ultimate weakness they had. But this woman, this monster, could just walk around in it like any mortal. What insanity was this?
"Yes I'm a monster." Ai's tone was clipped, effortlessly reading Reina's thoughts. Her aura turned cold and gray, starting to swirl around with a controlled agitation. Reina trembled. She was afraid. Afraid of what this terrifying, incomprehensible, and utterly beautiful creature could do to her. Without even blinking.
"I could erase you." Ai said casually, in reply to Reina's thoughts. "You'd be just another smear on the floor..." The pathetic lump under the covers seemed to shrink some more. Ai chuckled.
"You're such a baby. What was your Master thinking, picking someone like you..."
Instantly Reina reacted. Blindly, in anger. She launched herself at the elder vampire with a visceral rage. Those words stung. That she had been tossed aside like she didn't matter was something that bothered Reina very badly. Heedless of the odds, she simply attacked without thinking, her rage and shame overwhelming any sense of self-preservation she might have had.
And then Ai laughed, and Reina felt a sudden wash of calm as a powerful mental force swept over her. She stared down at Ai, who smirked at her despite the gouges that Reina's hands had left on her. Gouges that were already sealing up, right before Reina's eyes.
"You must master your temper, little one." Ai reached up and cupped Reina's cheek fondly. Her thumb caressed the soft skin there, and Reina fought the urge to lean into her touch like a kitten. Ai chuckled again, letting her hand trail down from Reina's face to her neck, still marred from the bites Ai herself had given her the night before.
"So spirited..." Ai's voice was distant, as if indulging in some memory that Reina could not even fathom. The woman seemed completely out of reach, despite being right next to her. Outclassing her in everything from power to experience. Reina suddenly felt very small. How could she even hope to be anywhere close to this presence?
It was then that she felt the light touch of Ai's will on her, coaxing her gaze back to that of the elder vampire. Reina swallowed reflexively; Ai was looking at her with something a lot like understanding. Understanding of? How could someone so powerful understand what it was like to be completely insignificant? To be powerless in the face of such unreachable, unattainable power? To be totally out of control?
Before Reina could react, she found herself being pulled close with surprising gentleness. Ai's lips were on her ear, brushing softly against the tips as she whispered.
"I remember being human, too."
With that, Reina was lost. Not that she ever stood a chance of resisting to begin with. She could have been compelled, could have been forced to capitulate. With a will as indomitable as Ai possessed, a fledgling like Reina was little more than a leaf in the wind.
Reina didn't know it yet, but she was already Ai's. Body and mind, heart and soul. If a vampire still had a soul. But it mattered little.
When their lips met next, it was Reina who took the lead. Tentatively, determinedly, and then fiercely. She was young, and so very proud. Ai smiled into the kiss, willing to let the kitten have her way. So much potential to mold. So easy to break her.
She chose not to.
The sun continued its journey across the sky, but in that room, the night was eternal.
~*~*~
"...so that's it, I'm going to stay here. I'm old enough. I want to finish school here. With my friends."
Risa finished off with barely a stammer. She did it! She said it! In all 19 years of her life, this was the first and only time she had openly defied anything her father said.
It was a life-changing event.
What was even more life-changing about the whole thing was the fact that her father did not rage about it. He simply waited for her to finish her tirade, a picture of calm self-control.
Soujirou was always a distant father. A good father, but a little cold. Perhaps a product of his generation. It was harder to squeeze any sign of approval out of him than it was to ask for extra pocket money. Risa had never done so, of course. She sought his approval by simply never defying him. That was her way.
A way she had finally gone against this day.
Risa steeled herself for a storm, but that never came. A hand rested gently on her shoulder. A firm grip, but it never exerted any pressure. Yet the combined weight of it was enough to drive her to her knees, figuratively speaking.
Her father hadn't touched her in any way since she was very little. A sudden flash of memory, riding on broad shoulders. Being tossed into the air. Soujirou was not a laughing man. But in that time, he'd smiled at her.
He was smiling at her now, but it felt entirely different. Risa didn't know how or what, but that didn't matter. Her father was finally smiling at her. Acknowledging her.
If all it had taken was defying his will, she should have done it a lot sooner.
"Be safe." A shred of emotion, so rarely shown before his daughter, ghosted across his face. Risa had heard her parents together before. She knew her father, while essentially a passionate sort of man, was not the sort of father who would be unconscionably weepy or soft on his offspring. He was protective, he was firm. He was a bulwark against anything and everything that might harm his family.
Sudden doubt struck Risa. She was afraid for a moment. She had never been away for any significant period from her parents. While she was capable of taking care of her daily life, there was always some comfort drawn from the protective aegis of her parents' presence in the background.
To be cast adrift like this filled her with uncertainty. Could she do it?
It must have shown on her face. Her face, that expressive instrument that hid nothing of her thoughts and emotional state. Her father's hand on her tightened briefly.
"You can do this, child. It is time to grow up."
He smiled again, and this time Risa noted a rippling across his jaw, the way his chest rose and heaved in a familiar pattern. Her father was keeping a tight lid on something.
His hand withdrew, and something in Risa cried out, wanting to burrow into her father's arms, just like she did when she was a little kid. But the moment passed and he turned, beckoning to someone standing just out of sight.
"Your mother and I have to go somewhere urgently. Family...business." He was making an effort to sound jovial. If Risa hadn't already sensed that something was off, she would have been convinced by that display. As it was, she was hyper-alert to the point where she could almost see the tension in the air.
"Your cousin will stay with you while we are away. She's new to the city, so you can take care of her." Soujirou stepped aside, and Risa blinked at the new presence.
"Cousin?"
The new arrival smiled.
"Mitsui Aika desu. Good to see you again, cousin. I'll be in your care."
~*~*~
Leaning decadently back into the plush couch, Ai cricked her neck idly as she flicked her laptop open. Her body was clad only in a loosely tied robe. The dying glow of the setting sun lent a dusky timbre to her pale skin, reminiscent of her original incarnation.
Eyes flashed down the news page she had been browsing earlier. Nothing on their rampage, as she had expected. The complete devastation of a U.S. aircraft carrier with no survivors onboard was not something that would be widely reported. It would be hushed up by the Americans themselves. They could not afford to let anything put a dent in their aura of invincibility.
Lips curved into a smile. She hadn't participated in such a mass slaughter in decades. A part of her whispered to her, wanting more. Craving more destruction. She tamed it with some effort. The madness was always a step or two away. She trod a very fine line.
Her emails brought another smile to her lips. Good news all around, as well as the conclusion of a few other businesses. Her replies were brief. While she could technically reach out halfway across the world to minds that were familiar to her, emails were convenient for non-essential communication that were not highly classified by its nature.
Perfectly ordinary to have an old friend intending to visit. Perfectly normal to have a contact send you the address to a bar. A very exclusive bar.
Without even looking up, Ai issued a command to that inquisitive fledgling who had been lurking in the shadows of her bedroom since the sun vanished 5 minutes ago.
"Reina. Take a shower and get dressed. We're going out."
A quiet little 'eep', and the young vampire did as she was told. The Ancient smiled and closed her laptop, setting it aside as she rose fluidly. There was still a little time before they had to leave. No account not to have a little fun before then.
The yelp when she materialized right next to the startled fledgling was very satisfying. Almost as satisfying as what followed. There were only so many amusements a 4000-year old could find in this world. Sometimes the simplest were the best. It kept her young.
Not to mention all too entertained...
===================================================
So I decided to write on a whim. XD A bit shorter than most GG chapters are, but hey. XD
:ph43r: away~
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is this real?! :O did you really update?! :shocked omg essy im so happy~! ;3; it could be 1 paragraph! XD i fail at explaining myself so i'll just say im happy :deco:
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:mon huh2: Update? :mon huh2:
:mon roll: :mon roll: :mon roll:
I'll be back later to read, need to go somewhere!
:on gay:
EDIT:
Had to re-read 3 chaps before this :P but OMG! only one word - MOAR!!!!!
Authors of your caliber should write more :yep:
Put your talent to good use, write the next chap ASAP! :grin:
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at the risk of risking the moderators' wrath, here's a one-off reply:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
I'll post an edit later, but let me go scream some more first. :D
Edit:
Annnndddd she's back. This is so hard, trying to get back into the loop and just making non-technical comments. I don't mind that it's short.
So, what is this meeting the Daywalker speaks of? I remember we talked about the Council about two years ago XD and discussed how they were going to come in at some point (someone needs to report Gabriel's demise, after all). Is this meeting for Official Business or is it going to be off the books?
And, well, three years (and leadership :cow: ) can do wonders for Gaki-san to grow up. So was Aika the Mysterious Stranger? (I think you said yes way back when), and how much of a role will she have in the Demise of Very Important People?
Reina is so damn pwned. All the time. Whatever goes on behind the vaulted walls of the Perv (and Essy's imagination) must have completely crushed her. Dammit Reina, you're a noble - step up to it! There had better be more levelling up in her powers after this meeting.
And because I insist -- bring back the Kameshige! Just because your pivot point has shifted your force's line of action (sorry, geek talk) doesn't mean you can abandon all that earlier plot development!
Now, for more general questions:
Will the Cookies make an appearance?
Will the Junkies make a cameo?
And most importantly, will we see another chapter sometime before 2013?
You caught me at a good time, because school will be out in three weeks and I can proceed to prod you unnecessarily. :w00t:
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OH MY GOD YOU UPDATED?!?!?! JKSDHFJKLSDHFKLJSDHFKJSDF MY TEARSS!!!!! of joy I assure you!
I don't believe I've commented here before *shame on me* but I've been closely following this and Nocturne and everything you write X__X I seriously choked on whatever I was drinking at the time when I saw that you had updated. Choking led to tears and well, it went downhill from there physically LOL
But damn, short means nothing. Quality is everything, and damn do you know how to do that well! All those sexy little implications with RenAi going on, mmmhmmmmm that's some good eats right there! It took me only two seconds after reading the first few sentences to realize what the last chapter entailed, but that probably won't stop me from going back and re-reading everything again. Can never have too much of sexy 4000 yr old Vamp-Ai <3 I hope these updates continue <3
And I feel almost bleh about asking this but, any hope for a Nocturne update? Or shall I continue holding my breath til I turn a healthy shade of purple? =D
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i swear you do this to troll the forum collectively. i lol at the 'is this real?' / 'unicorns?' comments.
will reread. good.
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PLEASE Update. I read this in one go and it was to amusing so ... you can`t leave us short here
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I confess I might have degenerated to some minor form of insanity as the chapter progressed. But before senility catches up with me, here are some comment replies.
kawaii: I think, therefore I am. You see a chapter, therefore it is real! Welcome back! :D I am happy to serve~
krisz: I'll try to write more. XD Hard to do so when I spend so much time trying to eeny minie moe my way through figuring out what to update next. :lol:
kitaoji: Look, a new chapter and it's not 2013! It must be the end of the world...wait. I have a time limit on this, ya? If this year is truly the end...I must finish before it does. :lol: I know I promised to have more action and plot progression, but I got a little digressed, but there's still plot progression! :D Reina will get more powerful without a doubt, and Aika will be very much in the midst of Plans to Demolish Very Important People. Whether she succeeds or not is...a secret! XD And thar you go, some Kameshige thrown in for kicks. :P Read on and find out!
kjpop: Lol your tears of joy. :lol: I'm glad I have such a faithful reader. :3 thanks for being so patient with my erratic updates lol. And you got a Nocturne update already! :P So stop turning purple, otherwise I might have to squeeze you to make juice. '_'
grac: How did you know I was trolling everyone? Ahem. I mean...yeah, who am I kidding. Massive trollage for the win!
Kikk4r: Here's an update! :D
Okie...time to edit and post. I forgot how massive Gegenschein chapters tended to be. This isn't even as massive as some of the others I've written, but it's still more massive than my other stories. >_> be back in a bit!
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Chapter 17: Crank
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
A question asked in earnest, in the most ordinarily offhanded manner possible.
"Ehhhhhh????!?!?!?!"
As usual, the incredibly huge overreaction from everyone's favorite Reaction Queen.
Aika laughed at her cousin, at the same time taking from the older girl the box she was holding. They were packing. With Risa's parents leaving soon, they had no need for such a big house.
"An apartment will do. It's just the two of us after all!"
On one hand, Risa was a tad surprised by how quickly everything was progressing. First her father was alright with her staying behind, and then (re)introducing her to a long lost cousin, and then they were already making plans to leave in the next couple of days.
Their moves were never this rushed. There were so many things to take care of, so it was difficult to rush things. Yet, somehow, everything seemed to already be in place for things to proceed.
Train tickets were the easiest to settle, and Risa blinked in surprise when Aika handed a pair of tickets to her parents. 'Compliments from the main house', or some such. Well, they did say it was on "family business", so that made some kind of sense. Risa wondered what exactly her extended family did. It seemed oddly suspicious to so easily obtain first class reserved seats on the Shinkansen at the very last minute during the summer.
Mafia?! No...this is Japan...then, Yakuza?!! That can't be right either...
Risa shook her head and continued sorting through her things. Her discard pile was getting steadily bigger. It was amazing how much junk she had accumulated in a relatively short span of time. An experienced mover despite being only 19, she was pretty ruthless with her own possessions whenever they had to move again. Anything that wasn't strictly necessary was either given away or dumped.
Even with the brutal pruning every single move entailed, Risa did still manage to accumulate a number of things that stayed with her through each journey. A picture here, letters and postcards there. Little mementoes she stowed away carefully in a box. She might not be able to be with her old friends anymore, but she cherished the memories they made together.
Risa eyed her cousin, who was industriously packing household items into another box. Most of it was going to be given away, apparently. Risa's parents weren't going to bring anything but clothes and whatever else they needed, so all they had was a couple of suitcases. Aika had all but decreed that they wouldn't be needing anything except for personal items, as the apartment they were moving into was already fully furnished.
How that teenage girl managed to pull so many strings to make everything come together on notice, Risa could not fathom. Right at this moment, she felt like a leaf carried down a raging stream, fate out of her control. She could only follow the currents and let them bring her where they wished. It felt vaguely terrifying.
It was also strangely exciting, like embarking on a new adventure.
"Ghosts aren't real." Risa said firmly, sealing yet another box with tape. She didn't have much to talk about with Aika, so picking up a previous line of conversation, however brief it had been, was preferable to silence. If they were going to live together, they might as well learn how to communicate. And everything had to start somewhere.
"They cannot be disproven, and science simply lacks the framework to prove their existence." Aika argued back. Risa shot a curious look at her usually sedate (if she judged correctly) cousin. The girl did seem rather heated up on such a topic.
"And you know this because..."
"A hobby? Or really, research for the family business..." Aika smiled mysteriously.
Again with the family business. Risa was dying to know, so she asked that fatal question.
"What is the family business?"
Aika seemed to have been waiting for that question. She seemed way too happy to answer it anyway, so there we go.
"We are one of the remaining onmyouji families in Japan." Before Risa's eyes could even stop bulging, Aika continued.
"Not those frauds you see on TV. You're right, ghosts aren't real in the sense that they can exist on their own. But ghosts do exist, because memories last longer than our human lifespan, and some people can see them because of their psychic sensitivity, and their minds are able to interact with the psychic footprints of those gone past."
Aika was leaning against the wall, calmly lecturing like any professor on the topic. Risa wasn't even aware of the fact that she was gaping like a goldfish. Her reaction was so huge that there was no conceivable reaction that could be enacted at the moment. Aika grinned.
"But ghosts are the least of our worries. Amateur distractions. You see, there are other things a lot worse out there. And they're real. Real enough to kill you." Aika folded her arms casually, allowing Risa to try and scrabble for whatever wits she had left.
"W-what would that be? Youkai? Demons? Werewolves?" Risa laughed shakily, evidently trying to get a grip on things. "Is there a camera hidden somewhere? You're not trying to prank me, are you?"
Aika looked at her calmly. The expression playing on her face could probably be interpreted as 'understanding'. Even somewhat pitying. But at no one point was it ever condescending.
One could not expect normal humans to discard the ordinary reality they have grown used to in a matter of minutes. Not unless something sufficiently shocking happened to them, and even then they will still seek a rational explanation that doesn't challenge their sensibilities.
Humans are like that. It was one of the reasons how supernatural creatures were able to stay shrouded in the secrecy of myth and legend, rather than being exposed and even more actively hunted than they already were.
That was another human trait. To persecute any Others that were unlike them. People like Aika though, genuinely believed that they were purging mankind of a major threat to their species.
They might even be right.
"I wish I were, cousin."
~*~*~*~
They were walking, just like any other mortal couple out for an evening stroll. The sun had long since set, and the only illumination came from the fluorescent lights from on high.
"Ne, why are we just walking? Can't you just...?" A flutter of hands to imply some kind of spatial jump. Ai smiled at the younger vampire, who was pacing restlessly even as they walked down the street, switching from one side to another.
"Where we are going, how we get there is as important as the destination itself. The journey is the key." Ai explained patiently, smoothing out imaginary creases in her blouse. The cream colored garment didn't even have too much lace or ruffles, thus sparing it any suspicion of having been manufactured in the 18th century or something.
Which, given the owner of said garment, was an entirely plausible option.
A high waisted burgundy skirt and classy heels completed the ensemble. Paired with the dangly earrings and the number of shiny bangles on either arm, the dark lines drawn around her eyes gave the Ancient an elegant and mysterious aura that had little to do with her otherworldly existence. Even if one had been looking at her on the supernatural level, she would have seemed entirely normal.
One did not live eons without learning how to disguise oneself. As Ai had very patiently attempted to coach Reina along the same lines earlier. She had at best only been able to guide Reina to suppress her aura sufficiently to pass off as a minor supernatural creature. Or to a more discerning observer, a weak vampire. Which wasn't too far off from the truth.
Of course, to ordinary human eyes, the pair of them looked just like any other girl on the streets. A mismatched pair, it must be said, but human enough.
Reina refused to be put in anything remotely formal. She had insisted on being almost defiantly goth, even. Even if she hadn't been a vampire, the ordinary passerby would most likely identify her as one. But in the human sense of the word, in terms of her fashion.
Reina was like that. Her sense of irony did extend that far. Ai, on the other hand, gave up trying to make the girl look any more respectable, and just went with the look that Reina was achieving, even lending a hand to make it more convincing.
Which probably explained the black leather, fuck-me pumps, spiked silver choker, ruby red lipstick, and the makeup accentuating her dark eyes and pale skin. Not that Reina needed any help looking pale. She was technically dead after all.
It was essentially a clash of fashions, them walking side by side, but what made people turn for a second look wasn't how odd or out of place they appeared. If any heads turned, it was because they were dressed to make them do so. A couple of guys even walked straight into inconveniently placed lampposts. These things happen.
But back to our undead pair.
"Reina doesn't get it~" The younger vampire whined, then leapt straight into another topic.
"I wanted to ask earlier, but how was I able to wake up in the day? That has never happened before..."
Ai smirked. "That's because you had some of my blood. It was still in your system so you were able to function in daylight. The sun will still burn you though, if you had been out there." She warned, tapping her finger on Reina's nose. The young vampire pretended to snap at her, though her forehead furrowed in thought.
"And if I had more...?" Reina hesitated, the gears in her head spinning. A part of her was salivating at the thought, but she managed to hide the fact. She wanted more. Ai's blood didn't only just taste good, it tasted powerful. And Reina wanted power, very badly.
You won't be able to handle it. Ai spoke directly into her mind, even as she hopped off the pavement and took a turn into a dingy side street. Reina pouted, knowing that the older vampire had basically just read her mind again, because she could veritably feel Ai smirking at her in her mind's eye. And no, it wasn't her imagination, because Ai really was projecting it to Reina.
"You don't need to take any unorthodox shortcuts like the nice gentleman who kidnapped you, Reina." Ai answered her unasked desire. Reina blinked, glowering suspiciously at Ai. She could never tell how deeply Ai was able to penetrate into her mental defenses. No one else had been able to read her so easily. It felt somehow offensive.
"We've shared some blood. It just made it easier." Ai admitted frankly. Reina scowled, then immediately tried probing in Ai's direction. Nothing.
The older vampire turned and grinned, allowing Reina to see a flash of fang beneath her lips.
"You're a few hundred years too early to even try, much less succeed."
Reina growled. So not fair. Then she looked up.
"Why are you taking us to the fairground? This is away from the city!"
Ai shrugged elegantly. "I decided on a little detour."
Reina gave up. It was impossible to try and figure out the woman's motives. She did, however, try to pry more information out of Ai, who appeared to be in a generous mood for teaching for once. At least, teaching in a way that didn't end up making her hurt in places she didn't even know she had.
Every vampire had absolute limits for their strength, and not just their physical strength, which was the least of their abilities. In terms of absolute physical condition, a werewolf had more power per square inch of muscle, and Reina shuddered at the memory of being beaten up by that raging beast. Ai smiled.
"Our physical strength exceeds normal human limits, because our bodies are no longer constrained by mortal concerns. That is nothing compared to a beast's strength, and a supernatural one at that. In an arm wrestling contest, we would lose."
Reina gaped slightly, then frowned. Ai grinned.
"A real fight isn't an arm wrestling contest, Reina. We have other strengths to compensate." Ai glanced across the alley where a homeless drunk was cradling his bottle in a pathetic heap. Without making a single gesture, she fixed her gaze on him, and the man suddenly jerked up, getting slowly up on his feet and dropping his empty bottle with a clink. His eyes were vacant.
For dramatic effect, Ai gestured with one hand, and the man began to shuffle in a robotic kind of dance. Reina laughed and clapped delightedly, like a child given a show. Ai smirked and bowed, then released her puppet without so much as a by your leave. He dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"That was easy, since he pretty much already eliminated his own mind and will." Ai shrugged. She stepped delicately past him, followed by Reina, who stepped on him instead. The man groaned, but did not wake.
"Can I do that too? Reina asked eagerly. Ai shook her head.
"Not to the same degree as I can, I don't think." At Reina's crestfallen expression, Ai chuckled.
"Your Master has other strengths. You will be able to do things I can't, at least not as easily as you will be able to. However, psychic control is something all vampires possess on a most basic level at the least, otherwise you won't be able to mesmerize people when you wish to feed." Ai explained, ruffling Reina's hair affectionately.
"Mesmerize?" Reina tugged on Ai's arm, linking their arms together in a gesture of affection.
"Dominance, control, whatever." Ai waved her hand dismissively. "You probably already notice that you need eye contact for it to have any effect at all."
"You don't need eye contact." Reina accused. Ai laughed.
"That's because my Talent manifested that way. We are all different, Reina. A fledgling's powers are in some part dependent on their Master's strengths, but those who survive long enough to hone their abilities will find that they have something unique to themselves."
"So what's mine?" Reina pressed. Ai gave her the psychic version of a long stare, without even turning her head, until Reina cringed back mentally.
"That is for you to find out."
Reina huffed. Big help she was. Stuffy old bat.
I heard that.
Reina eeped, and focused on not thinking for a while. It was a good way to pass time.
At least, until they entered the carnival grounds, and Reina just had to wonder if the Ancient had finally gone senile because there could not possibly be a bar amidst all these colorful tents.
She received the psychic equivalent of a spank, and stern instructions to stay in the general vicinity while Ai "renewed an acquaintance".
This being Reina, the chance of these instructions being followed was about as likely as a werewolf doing a flower dance in a grass skirt while hula-hooping. She turned and ran into someone almost immediately as she did so.
Somewhere out there, a werewolf in a short skirt sneezed while dancing for an appreciative crowd. There was no hula hoop. That would be part of a later performance. Werewolves generally don't catch cold, though, so that was probably a sneeze of cosmic importance. Said wolf scratched at the collar around her neck. The amulet set into it pulsed warmly, and she grinned a very large toothy grin.
The night was young.
~*~*~*~
"Always nice to meet a real Seeress."
So Ai said without any preamble, taking a seat without being invited either. Her own outfit and bearing mirrored the gypsy dress of the woman opposite her. One could not help but wonder if her choice of dress this evening was specifically intended to invoke irony under such precise circumstances.
Not even Coincidence could have been that coincidental, but this was a 4000 year old being we are discussing. Anything could happen, since any improbability could probably be improbably probable after so long an existence.
But enough digression. The Fates don't sit around waiting for you to finish. They continue spinning their threads, to bind and bond, to trip and tangle. They could also strangle you, but what was the point?
Cutting you off was so much faster.
The human woman opposite her gasped, her face dropping to ten shades below pale. An unhealthy grey not unlike death's pallor.
Not many people had that effect on her. Sometimes you get the odd customer walking in with their fates practically swirling around them, when every probability line around them was doing a salsa dance of danger. People like that got into trouble because their very existence, their every decision plunged them into danger and strife.
Kamei Yuriko usually tried to send those people away on the safest route she could perceive before something traumatic happened to everyone in the vicinity. This, however, was just infinitely beyond anything she could do.
Seers are few and far between. Trained ones even less. Her own mother had only been able to read probability lines for a dice game, and made a fortune for every two she lost. She was lucky to not have been lynched by creditors, though she did get thrown out onto the streets every so often.
Yuriko was a bit better than that. She could read anything up to a few hours ahead, even a few days if she was close to the person. Anything more than that got a little fuzzy on details, and she had to be very specific on what she wanted to find out, or risk having her mind unravelled like silly string and having to spend the rest of her mortal lifespan gibbering away in some mental hospital.
The person sitting before her, if she could even call this...individual...a person, shook every foretelling sense she had. There was nothing to read. Or more specifically, anything that could be read was warped, distorted. An Improbability. Wild Card. A Joker.
The Fool. Yuriko was starting to get spots in her eyes, until a gentle nudge reminded her to breathe. She did, and then stared again at her visitor, who was smiling benignly.
"Don't bother. It doesn't work on me. An ancestor of yours tried and went mad immediately after. I always felt bad about that." Ai shrugged, then rested her chin on the back of her hand, her elbow propped up on the low table. Her eyes twinkled.
"Why are you here?" Yuriko blurted. She'd heard about that story from her mother, who had gotten it from her mother, and so on and so forth.
"Your daughter is a dead ringer for your mad ancestress by the way." Ai went on casually, then drew a finger around her collarbones. "I trust the amulet helps? I rescued it from Alexandria before those idiots burned it down. What a waste..."
"What are you?" Yuriko trembled. Ai blinked owlishly at her for a moment, then straightened in a sinuous movement.
"Just someone very very far removed from Time." Ai said gently. She stood.
"It is enough to know that your line has survived. Live well and prosper." She paused at the exit.
"Have a care for those who would exploit your gifts." A pause.
"This meeting is but a dream. Be well, and stay safe."
The candles in the room went out, plunging everything into darkness.
~*~*~*~
"Watch where you're going!" Reina growled, swatting the annoying human off her. Her hand caught against a chain, lifting the heavy pendant off where it was resting on skin.
Their combined momentum made them trip, making Reina plant herself facefirst into the stranger's chest. The pendant she knocked away landed right on the back of her head, making her curse as she tried to pull away, but the girl she had run into was holding on to her arm, and Reina tripping into her made her fall backward.
That moment lasted an eternity for one of them.
~*~*~*~
Fire. A figure, outlined in flames. A raised arm, trailing embers.
"The circle's breaking!" "We gotta hold it!" "No! Send it back!"
Liquid fire danced along every groove, searing it alight. Terrified eyes met fiery ones.
A hand reached out, wreathed in an inferno. It touched skin, a face.
Burn.
Everything melted away, even the screaming, when there were no vocal chords left.
Only the burning was left, an inferno of fear and flame.
Burn!
~*~*~*~
Reina gasped, a useless move for someone who didn't need air. Her throat felt raw, scraped. Her nose was throbbing where she'd hit it against bone. She swore like a sailor and looked at the girl she was currently on top of.
Dark, terrified eyes meeting her fiery orbs. Something eerily familiar.
Something she couldn't remember.
Then the girl fainted, and Reina felt a sudden blast of raw hunger. Not 6 inches away from her, a throbbing artery. A dark night. No witnesses.
Feed.
Her fangs were out before she even realized, and just as she was leaning down for a drink, she was hauled up by the back of her neck and shaken like a disobedient kitten.
"Can't I leave you for 5 minutes without you getting into trouble?" Ai chided, then glanced down at the comatose girl on the ground. The pendant Reina had knocked loose was finally back in contact with her skin, and other than her being completely knocked out, she was in perfect condition. Well, save for the little bit of vampire drool that Reina had left on her neck only moments before.
Reina snarled incoherently, only snapping back to normal when Ai forced her will over the misbehaving fledgling to calm her down. The reddened orbs dimmed to a more human shade, and Reina stared back at Ai in confusion.
Ai sighed, then cocked her head to one side, as if paying attention to something in the distance. She put Reina back down, the disgruntled fledgling brushing herself off and muttering about control freaks on a power trip. Ai chose to ignore that.
"Let's be on our way." She held out a hand to Reina, who eyed it suspiciously before taking it with more confidence than she actually felt.
They faded into shadows just as a taller girl with milky white skin bounced into the area with all the exuberance of a bunny. She stopped short when she saw her best friend fainted on the muddy ground.
"Eririn!"
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Yay hint dropping like flowers at a parade! :gmon flowers:
:ph43r: away~
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Crying because you updated and I can't read it right now!!!! Such sadness~
Will return when I'm free~ *showers with all my love and chocolate*
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reply post reserved.
& I just noticed that all of your readers are of the velar plosive type. :yep:
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AW YEAH! GO OLD STUFFY BAT!
Gee poor Reina and she only wanted to eat Sayu :P
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Dang, this was an eventful chapter. Hints and connections and surprises, oh my! Hope you're bored more often :lol:
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I'm back again! I'm starving!
Comment replies :P
kjpop: My update was faster than you could comment. XD When you are free, I expect comments! And ooh choco! :D
kitaoji: My update beat you to it. I still expect a comment. :P We shall discuss 19 on Friday! And it only just occurred to me what you meant by velar plosive. :P Doesn't rndy break the mold though?
Kikk4r: I thought Reina was going to eat Eri? :P
rndy: I am very often bored now. No one ever talks to me anymore, 'cept rokun sometimes. Oh well, if that means more updates... :lol:
I now remember that Gegenschein never gets as many comments. XD Oh well. For personal enjoyment~
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Chapter 18: Open
"Will Eri be alright?"
Michishige Sayumi, 18 year old college student, paced around her best friend, who was currently out cold on a bench. She had put the girl there herself not 5 minutes ago, and was currently wringing her hands nervously. Her eyes were reduced to mere slits, and seemed somehow inhuman in the low light, but she did not notice.
Other than a few lava lamps that had been hastily turned on -- Sayumi had barged into the tent in total darkness -- the attraction was currently "closed" from the sign outside, as Kamei Yuriko morphed from "carnival fortune teller" to "concerned mother". She was currently seated in a stool by Eri's prone form, dabbing at her daughter's forehead with a damp cloth.
Yuriko laid a hand over Eri's forehead, her eyes going distant for a moment. Then she withdrew, looking at the obviously agitated Sayumi.
"Eri will be alright. She'll be weak for a while though..." There was an undertone of worry in her voice, which Sayumi could not help but seize on, her body language becoming even more antsy. Reflexively, her hands started to curl and uncurl in an oddly animal movement. When she turned in a swift movement, her features had taken on a distinctly vulpine cast, though the effect was more illusory than solid.
"Sayumin. Calm yourself." Yuriko said sharply. The girl shook her head, her body shuddering as she took quick glances around her like a hunted fox. Her nose twitched. The lingering non-scent outside had left her in a state of extreme agitation, and she had just caught a whiff of the same in the tent as well.
"Sayumin! You're losing control!" Yuriko snapped more sharply this time, standing up quickly and walking over to the obviously shaking girl. Assessing the situation in a brief glance, Yuriko drew in a deep breath...and gave Sayumi two quick slaps across the face.
The action had an effect -- at least Sayumi was no longer in the grip of her baser side. Her hands flew to her face, a sheepish look creeping into her eyes. She rubbed nervously at her neck after a moment, her gaze travelling back to the still comatose Eri.
"Eri will be alright...right?"
Yuriko sighed.
"By and large...yes. Her blood sugar will be low for awhile, so she'll need to replenish that." The older Kamei seemed drawn out, worn. "Her gifts exceed mine, and I'm not even sure if the amulet will suppress them entirely anymore."
Sayumi crept a bit closer, kneeling by Eri's side and taking the girl's hand in her own.
"I'll protect her as best as I can."
Yuriko gave the girl a fond glance.
"Before that, shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?"
Sayumi looked up. "Eh?"
Yuriko hid a chuckle. "You transformed."
The bunny eeped, looking frantically about herself before remembering the mirror she always carried. A quick once over confirmed her suspicions, and she groaned. A fluffy tail waved at her idly through her reflection, and the tribal markings of her bloodline were on her face. Not to mention the ears...
"At least you didn't turn completely..." Yuriko consoled the distraught best friend of her daughter. Sayumi whined.
"I can't do a full transformation, I'm only a quarter kitsune!" Her dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders, seeming fuller somehow. Streaks of ghost white appeared to weave in and out of the glossy strands, and as if to compound the problem, little balls of fox fire winked in and out of existence around the halfbreed kitsune girl, in response to her emotions.
"Ah mou~" Sayumi complained. "I don't really know how to turn back on command!"
Yuriko burst out laughing at that, even as Sayumi continued worrying at her new appearance in the mirror. On the bench, Eri stirred, rubbing at one eye groggily. Her head lolled to one side, where Sayumi was still knelt by her side, albeit in a flustered state.
"Nngh...furry..." One hand reached out and tugged at one of Sayumi's fox ears. "Hee, Sayu kawaii!"
"Ah, Eri you're awake!" Sayumi dropped her mirror and turned her attention back to her best friend, who seemed to be playing with her ear in a daze. "Are you alright?"
"Why is Sayu in this form? You haven't been like this in years..." Eri mumbled dazedly. A slow smile wended its way onto the sleepy turtle's face. "But I like it."
Sayumi smiled involuntarily. Eri was so adorable! To amuse the girl some more, she flicked her ear from Eri's grasp, making the girl giggle. Then Sayumi laid her head on Eri's chest, letting her best friend toy with her ears.
"I was so worried." The kitsune girl murmured, a pleased hum in her throat as Eri rubbed her ears gently, all while combing her fingers through that glossy hair.
"Do you remember what happened?" Yuriko, who was watching the children at play, finally spoke up. Eri stopped fiddling with Sayu's ears, a thoughtful little frown creasing her forehead.
"I was on my way here...then there was someone...and then, and then..." Her frown deepened.
"I can't remember..."
"What matters is that you are safe." Sayumi cut in firmly, propping herself up on her own arms. Her tail swished idly behind her, sending her skirt to fluttering. Her canines were a little sharper than normal when she grinned, nuzzling affectionately at Eri. The turtle giggled, wrestling playfully with her kitsune best friend.
"I won't leave you alone again." Sayumi promised, her hands locked with Eri's. Eri grinned back.
"I know you wouldn't..." Her voice suddenly dropped several octaves as her eyes went glassy.
"But you will, and what you seek, you may not find."
That didn't sound like the happy-go-lucky Eri at all.
"Eririn...?" Sayumi said uncertainly. Eri's grip on her hand had tightened to the point of physical pain. But the kitsune felt it not, because worry was gnawing at her instead.
"Your greatest fear will be your dearest friend, and without embracing darkness you cannot seek light." Her voice was dreamy, as if she was very far away. Sayumi squeezed her hand back, desperate to hold on to her best friend, as if by sheer force of will she could bring her back.
"Strike not at what you see, the enemy lies elsewhere." Her voice was hazy now, as if she was sinking further into whatever world she was seeing. Sayumi cried out and started shaking her best friend.
"Eri! Stop! Come back!"
"The Balance must be....eh? What is it?" Eri blinked lazily, her irises back to normal as she looked around in bafflement. "Did something happen?"
Yuriko laid a hand on Sayumi's shoulder, exchanging a look with the worried kitsune girl.
"You must be tired, Eri. Everything will be fine." Yuriko soothed with a gentle voice.
"Mm..." Eri agreed. Sayumi couldn't help but squeeze Eri's hand again, as if to make sure that her best friend was still there with her.
Yuriko was worried. The amulet was still in contact with Eri's skin, so why? Was it even beyond its power to suppress Eri's powers? Yuriko had put on the amulet in her own time before, and it had completely dampened any ability she had to see into the future. Once she had learned how to control her powers, she had laid the amulet aside until it was actually necessary.
Eri turned out to be that necessity. At a very young age, the girl was already starting to see and say things that seemed completely incomprehensible, at least until things happened exactly as she predicted. The ability came and went in spurts, and though little Eri spoke in riddles, she was never wrong.
The problems only started when Eri started seeing things and acting strangely. It was as if she couldn't distinguish between past, present and future anymore. As if she was standing simultaneously anywhere and everywhere in time.
Anyone could go insane from that kind of input. It only made Eri even more vague. Though, in the process, she did correctly identify Sayumi as a kitsune/human halfbreed when they first met at the playground, even going as far as to ask where Sayu was hiding her tail.
Fortunately no one else got the joke, though Eri got picked on incessantly for saying strange things. But Sayumi became part of their lives in the process, and defended the introverted little girl with her characteristically barbed tongue. It can be said that her poisonous remarks were likely honed by the years of having to argue with people who jeered at her best friend.
When Eri almost got run over by a truck one day because she was off in her own world, Yuriko decided she had to take steps. Out came the amulet, and it anchored Eri firmly to present time. She was still vague, but at least she wasn't making eerie comments about other people's inevitable demise anymore.
With Sayumi at her side, the last few years had gone by smoothly.
Until now.
"Ne Sayu, how are we going to go home with you looking like that?"
"This is why I hate transforming! I hardly have any control over the process!" Sayumi wailed, her tail flicking around in distress. Eri laughed.
"I know! Just dress up in a maid outfit and people will just think you're cosplaying! It'll be alright!"
"Hah? Will that really work?" The kitsune eyed herself skeptically.
Eri waved her hand vaguely. "It will all work out somehow~"
"Mou~"
Yuriko sighed. She didn't know if things would ever be alright again. Unbidden, a thought surfaced in her mind. Have a care for those who would exploit your gifts.
The elder Seeress blinked. What? She glanced at her daughter and Sayumi, who seemed so innocently oblivious. She should be alert for...what?
Unable to shake that vague sense of unease, Yuriko went on with things as best as she could.
She had no choice otherwise.
~*~*~*~
She closed the door quietly behind her, then leaned against the hardwood, pondering.
"Was I too harsh...?"
Mitsui Aika, 15 years old and already a hardened warrior, closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. Things were moving almost too fast, but she still had them under control. She could not afford to lose control. Deep within herself something moved, and she clamped down on it immediately.
This was why newly initiated Hunters could not be on active field service so soon after the ceremony. The chances of losing control and going berserk was too high, and not many could cross that threshold and return intact. The little compromises they made for power, in exchange for their humanity. Where did that line run? How far could they go without crossing it?
Aika questioned herself continually. Some of her compatriots, she knew, chose to not think about it, devoting themselves entirely to their duty. But Aika was different. She had to think.
She was not as fast, not as strong, and certainly nowhere near as skilled as her late brother Akito. What she did have in abundance though, was a keen intelligence that she applied to her combat style. Strategy became infinitely important to compensate for her physical weaknesses in the field, and there was none better in exploiting the ancient arts of the family and combining them with modern methods.
In the Middle East, reports were filtering in from their comrades there about the advances in weaponry. Silver nitrate bullets were a lot more effective than the solid silver bullets traditionally used, and more quickly fatal. UV bullets were new as well, and while lasering runes onto the individual bullets was tedious and time-consuming, the customized ammunition had a higher success rate than non-modified ammo.
The high proliferation of guns in the troubled region also made it easy to smuggle in and test new weaponry. Aika lamented briefly that guns were so much more difficult to obtain in Japan. Well, they could bring the heavy weaponry in, but using them was more trouble than it was worth. Not even the local gangsters tended to use full automatic weapons, handguns being the more popular firearm if they were used at all.
Aika did experiment with air rifles though. By hand-painting runes onto the bullets, she could maximise their damage potential. But she had other tricks up her sleeve.
Keeping an eye on R&D was always beneficial. Aika was very proud of her homeland, with their sometimes seemingly frivolous breakthroughs in technology that most other people simply didn't think of because it was just so...unnecessary. There was literally something to make any everyday task slightly easier.
But what got Aika's attention were the advances in robotics. Drones could make survelliance so much easier and safer. Remote-activated probes, combined with traditional locator spells hooked into their sensors, had a greater range and was difficult to detect.
Aika was very proud of that one time when she basically cornered a rogue vampire and then annihilated the bloodsucker without even leaving her hotel room. Her 'toys' were a little expensive, but money could be made. Lives were far more priceless.
Besides, if all else fails, she could just start planting bombs like that other time in Hokkaido...the avalanche had been somewhat unexpected, but it all worked out in the end, and it even helped to cover up the kill. Flashy, but effective.
Aika never played fair if she could help it. The other side had too many advantages, and Aika played to win, so she had to level the odds wherever she could.
Also, manipulating one's enemies was a perfectly acceptable tactic. Manipulating one's allies...well, that could be done with discretion. Like how she had handled Soujirou.
"Come back to the fold, and we'll take care of your daughter."
Phrasing things broadly meant that she had more leeway in dealing with things. She was not lying, per se. After all 'taking care' did have so many connotations...
It was a wonder she could even sleep soundly at night sometimes (she didn't).
Until the day where humanity could sleep safely at night without having anything to fear from the denizens of darkness, Mitsui Aika would stand and fight. What do her methods matter?
They were all in a war, and some things were simply inevitable. She brushed her forehead, where an old battle scar still lingered.
Such was the price of peace.
~*~*~*~
"Isn't this just an abandoned warehouse?"
Reina frowned at the forbidding structure down by her old haunt near the docks. The smouldering ruins of the warehouse where she had been held captive was on the other side of the general area, but it still held bad memories. She rubbed reflexively at the old scar adorning her arm. She might have to add warehouses to her list of bad memories.
"On this level, yes." Ai said all too cheerfully. Reina pushed against the rusting door, and it opened with a tortured creak. The inside was dark and smelled musty. No signs of life other than the usual vermin. Reina whirled on the older vampire.
"Is it underground or something?" Reina demanded, all while trying to sense any sounds or even movement. Still nothing, though she spotted an industrious rat with a clutch of newborn ratlings scuttling around in a corner. Ugh.
"Not precisely." Ai straightened. "Time for your next lesson, Reina."
Reina bounded back to Ai's side, listening attentively like a puppy awaiting a treat. Ai patted her on the head with a smile, eliciting a growl from the fledgling.
"You can Fade into shadow already, yes?"
Reina thought about it. "If you mean not letting humans notice me...yeah."
Ai smiled. "That's the most basic ability even newborns have. Have you gone even deeper?"
"There's a deeper?" Reina blurted. Ai was patient as she explained.
"When you draw on the shadows to hide yourself from notice, you are still in this world. This reality, to be specific. Human eyes won't land on you unless you make yourself known to them, and even then they have to focus to pay attention to you."
Ai held out a hand, and Reina took it without question.
"But we can step further into this world of shadows. To completely remove ourselves from this plane, in that twilight world only few can reach." Ai summoned her will, gathering her shadow up like a wall before her, and stepped through, pulling Reina with her.
The world went grey and dull in an instant. Everything slowed to a crawl. The odd human walking down the street in the distance froze in midstep, like a pantomime. An errant plastic bag hung in the air, lifted by an unknown breeze that seemed to have stopped in midflight. Subsequent movements by both man and plastic bag were jerky, as if in stop-motion but slowed to immense degrees.
Reina looked around her in wonder. Color seemed to have been leeched from this reality, although there had been little enough of it earlier in the dark. Everything was literally in shades of grey. In the corner of her eye, a bedraggled cat slipped nimbly past a dustbin, rummaging in the trash in hopes for a meal.
Reina looked at herself. She seemed even paler, more inhuman in this world. Her fangs felt bigger, more protruded than in real life. If she had a mirror, she would see that she looked decidedly more vampiric than in the real world. She glanced over at Ai...who looked no different from her usual human guise. Ai smiled innocently.
"A disguise wouldn't be very good if it didn't carry over to this plane as well."
Reina looked around again. "Why is everything moving so strangely? Well, except for that cat over there..." The family of rats chittered away in the distance, also seemingly unaffected.
"Some animals can move around in the first layer easily enough. They see the world a little differently from humans." Ai glanced at the cat.
"Cats on the other hand, exist simultaneously on all the planes at the same time. Sometimes I wonder..." Ai shook her head. "At least Schrodinger got it right on accident."
Moving on, Ai swept her hand around her.
"This here is the first layer of the Gloom. There are many names for this in between place, but they don't really matter. Time flows a little differently here, so it's convenient to travel like this if you are in a hurry."
Reina swallowed nervously. She felt seriously out of her depth here. Ai gripped her hand reassuringly.
"Staying too long in the Gloom has...consequences, of course. It drains you of your energy. Sometmes, ordinary humans can breach the first or even the second layer with blood sacrifices, but only for a moment. We're generally quite safe from ordinary humans on this level, though not so much from other supernaturals, of course."
The door to the warehouse was closed on this level, despite Reina having all but kicked it in earlier in the real world. Ai strode up to it, but did not open it.
"Now, Reina, where we are headed is in the transition between the first and the second layers. Try to break through, and open the door through the shadow."
Confused, Reina simply twisted the knob of the door. Locked.
Ai was shaking her head, but she said nothing. Reina thought about it.
It wasn't the first time she had seen Ai summon shadows. When they teleported the first few times, Reina had had the sensation of falling through several layers with her eyes closed.
How many layers were there? How does it all work? Reina bit her lip in an effort to concentrate. Her head felt a little heavy in this world of shadows, but otherwise she felt fine.
Fading was something she knew. It was like letting herself fall backwards into unreality, letting the shadows cloak her from unwary eyes.
What was it that Ai said earlier? The basics. Those were the basics.
And the basics don't change. Reina looked up, determined.
The door was open in the real world. Closed and locked here. She could break it down, but she had the sense that what lay inside would be the same as before. So, the point being...
Ai did say that the door was a transition. The place where they were going was...
It was hard to see a deeper shadow in a place already wreathed in shades of darkness. Elusive, like chasing an illusion. The door is the focus. Reina squinted, letting her eyes unfocus and wander of their own volition.
Shadows. She reached in, and grabbed the knob through that darkly flickering patch.
And turned.
Ai smiled, and followed a stumbling Reina into the Blood Bar.
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Ok so I stole liberally from the Night Watch and referenced Schrodinger's Cat for kicks. Lalalala~
The original plans were to include the Bar scenes too, but it got too long so...next chapter it is. Hee. :D
:ph43r: away~
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:mon XD: First! :deco: will edit later :grin:
Chapter 17: Crank
Done reading :D Comment later because obviously, I can't apply my quote-comment talent in your Fic :grin:
I'll be back later for Chapter 18 ^-^
New page getZ! :shakeit:
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Ack pppppffft. First you post fast, and then I was thinking the new chapter was going to be titled shaft. Or cog. Or pulley. Or belt.
XDDDD
No comments yet for 18 and 19 as suddenly workload when straight up the wazoo, but finally you got the Kameshige! :w00t:
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OK so you're doing this thing where you're being absolutely amazing and wonderful and surprising me with these updates. It's like I won the lottery or something absolultey ridiculous like that. I feel so undeserving, but then I realize, reality likes to make payback a bitch but giving me no real time to sit back, relax, and enjoy these treats you provide <33
But seriously, I damn my real life schedule and everything else that prevents me from loving you more <33333 I WILL END UP WRITING A MEGA COMMENT FOR ALL THE CHAPTERS IVE MISSED, AND THEN SOME.
Ch. 17:
I just love how you always manage to put reina in her place, but I can't help but wonder what her powers are (or her master's I suppose is more correct to say lol) or who her master even is, GAHHHHHH I NEED TO KNOW :panic:
The whole scene with Aika and gaki was so ominous and I gotta high5 you on your efforts to keep things generally light-hearted on Gaki's end with the whole Yakuza speculation LOL If i were her, I would have assumed the same thing LOL But obviously shit's gonna hit the fan soon! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!
AND OH SNAP. ERI'S MAMA AND AI MEET. SKJDFHSKLDJFHSDKLJFHSDKLJFHDSKJFHDSKJFSHDKLFS AND REINA AND ERI MEET. AND THE PENDANT. AKJSDHASKJDA BAHHHHHH!!! I HAZ NO WORDS OF SUBSTANCE!!!!
CH18:
(i'm going to do play by play commentary HAHA cuz that's more fun XD More honest reactions, ne?)
THE FUCK WAS GOING ON WITH SAYU?! lol...OHHHHH, MAKES SENSE. BAHAHA The image of Sayu in my head right now is absolutely precious.
"Nngh...furry..." One hand reached out and tugged at one of Sayumi's fox ears. "Hee, Sayu kawaii!"
BAHAHAH eri is such a simple, easily amused creature <3
"But you will, and what you seek, you may not find."
oh shit just got serious... :shocked
"The Balance must be....eh? What is it?" Eri blinked lazily, her irises back to normal as she looked around in bafflement. "Did something happen?"
I don't know if you intentionally made that adorable, but homaga Eri so cute <3
Anyone could go insane from that kind of input. It only made Eri even more vague. Though, in the process, she did correctly identify Sayumi as a kitsune/human halfbreed when they first met at the playground, even going as far as to ask where Sayu was hiding her tail.
Fortunately no one else got the joke, though Eri got picked on incessantly for saying strange things. But Sayumi became part of their lives in the process, and defended the introverted little girl with her characteristically barbed tongue. It can be said that her poisonous remarks were likely honed by the years of having to argue with people who jeered at her best friend.
I WISH YOU COULD HAVE HEARD MY "D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" at this part.
But man, I'm getting a bad feeling about ErixMamaxSayu. DON'T TEAR THE KAMEI FAMBAM APART T__T OR THE KAMESHIGE T____T ALL MY TEARS AND SADNESS IF YOU DO!!!!!!1
And holy crap you make Aika sound super badass :twothumbs
"At least Schrodinger got it right on accident."
^ This made me laugh.
That last bit with Reina finally making progress with her vamp-powers, OH HO HO HO I BET THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. I can't wait for her to get even better! Future battles with Ai would get a little more interesting that way, ne? ;D Even if Reina would lose again haha at least she'd put up more of a fight haha
EDIT 2: That little bit about RenAi grac said down there, I agree completely.
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Long chapter is awesome! Sayu the kitsune is confirmed, Eri gets a little more complex, Aika.... I dunno. And the vampires (or whatever Ai is) go to the bar!
Yay! Can't wait for the next chapter, I have been so looking forward to the bar portion.
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"Leave the Twilight!" nostalgia 8)
I promised myself not to read fan fiction is not complete... Real vampires, corpses, blood... Break a promise! Okay :temper:
Ai an experienced player, hard and calculating. I could be wrong, but for me she an old warrior who does not know the words of love. I would like it to be so
Ai uses the Reina and Risa in her plans, frightens Sayu. She kills enemies for breakfast and dinner, and instead of fitness. She exactly a dream. Really
Mitsui Aika, 15 years old and already a hardened warrior, closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. Things were moving almost too fast, but she still had them under control. She could not afford to lose control.
I want to see her on the hunt.
Please Update. Go to the bar! XD
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"You're a few hundred years too early to even try, much less succeed."
I liked this. Made me lol for some reason. Must be me hearing it in Japanese in my head.
I've always found Gegenschein's ReinAi so entertaining to witness. Their interactions are no different from any other ReinAi you've written, but somehow amped up by a hundred-fold.
All the cliches about chemistry, watching the sparks fly, etc apply to your portrayal of the two of them like its textbook. The way they work off each other just would never have worked with another pair and I'm not even talking about shipping. It's just how you've taken two separate personalities like alpaca wool and steel cable and macramed them in all sorts of designs that just work.
Ai in all her ancient glory and Reina as her upstart foil. Always, always gloriously Ai, and Reina as her constant foil.
Such is the beauty of this incarnation of ReinAi.
Srstalk aside...
Kitsune!Sayu- I wouldn't marry her like I would MSF!Sayu, but i would certainly strap her to my torso to chew on her fuzzy ears from time to time when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes, I shall go for the paws.
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Read chapter 18 this morning (my 'I'll be back later for Chapter 18' took me long long :nervous) and re-read Chapter 17 just because... I can lol... seriously, I read every single word of it, that's how good it is :)2 and so is 18 :yep: but after clicking the reply button my connection died on me and now I can't remember what my comment should have been XD all I know is I want to read the next Chapter :D and also I want to read more about Eri and her power. I want to read more about Sayu, also curious as to how far she can transform and of course her protectiveness towards Eri is awesome too, Yay! I also want to read more about Aika's capabilities. And although I'm not a ReinAi fan, I want to read more about them because their relationship in this story is very interesting, yep. And of course I wanna read more about Risa and how you are going to break her heart in the next days ahead XD okay that is all. :D