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.
And now it's almost sunrise and I must escape! *runs*
Edit: Wedge sammich? ...please don't make this a regular occurrence. orz.
Topic: Gegenschein [Ch.18: Open] - 16/5 (Read 80413 times)