People ask me why I adore poisons.

'Such a dangerous hobby!' they exclaim, the women fanning their selves hurriedly, and the men pretending to sound unaffected. They hope to persuade me from my 'interests', dainty women all seeking to be my husband, only afraid of my poisons. The men aren't much better, afraid to be my enemy, for the fear of my elixirs. I see what they are; the simpering little wretches…and I don't trust any of them.

They all struggle to converse with me, because they simply have no idea on what it is that makes me Count Hargreaves. So they use the rumours that surround me, and they try to interest me in by striking what they think is the closest to my heart. Only, their plans backfire because they have next to no knowledge on what a poison actually is, and I find it ridiculous. It's insulting.

The upper class of society have little idea on the subtlety of poisons and its uses, and they just cannot comprehend the complexity of the liquid known as 'Poison'.

After all, poison can be an incredibly loose term.

There are so many poisons out in the world, from plants to drugs, and many have yet to be discovered. Where as society looks upon arts as being beautiful hobbies that inspire imagination, such as music and sculpting, I look upon my poison making as something that even surpasses myself. I love my poisons, especially the ones I have made myself. Morbidly, they could also be called my children.

I snicker at the thought.

Combining two poisons is as simple as mixing…lets say fire and water, or at least, complete opposites. Never sure of the results, you don't know what will accept or reject each other, and the overall effects can indeed be questionable.

There you go; rodents do actually have a use in this world after all.

Riff frowns upon my poison making, but he never says anything. He occasionally helps me clear away, always with a small crease between his eyebrows, and his blue eyes narrowed in contemplation. But he doesn't realise that poisons are plentiful in this world…anything can be a poison, absolutely anything.

For example, sugar can deadly if given excessively, and it seems to raise the heart rate extremely quickly. Only, I couldn't be sure because my test subjects were rather small, and the amounts of sugar I subjected to them far surpassed their body volume…twice over.

…I really must try salt sometime…

I must also mention that to Riff, it would be amusing to watch him ulcer over the fact that even sugar (without arsenic) can kill. Only, I must find a way to increase its concentration, to think, my father could have been able to kill me.

Yet, it fascinates me to see people die excruciating deaths, just with the uncapping of a vial and a tilt to the hand. To see drops of what could become your very life-blood slowly infect you, and eat you inside out. Not that I've ever used one of those 'special' poisons on anyone, I think I have just enough humanity left within me to feel guilty.

No one really knows how I feel about my elixirs, because if they found out, the first thing they'd do would be to ship me off to the nearest mental ward. I don't tell Riff because he would just worry more, and I feel that he already knows the reasons for my obsession.

And again and again, my answer lies within religion, within the God that cursed me at birth.

He might be able to control people's life spans; he can send them illnesses and fevers. But doctors and medicine are all improving, learning more and more about illnesses, and introducing newer cures and different solutions. But through poisons, there is something definite, something sure about the fact that they will die, with the added spasms and pain. There is only one cure for one poison, and only the maker can create the antidote.

I think I should be flattered by the way people call me the 'Poison Count'. My dark hair and cursed eyes all tell my own story, from my lineage to where I am now. I am glad that people are afraid, and I will abuse my power until it bleeds.

And in a way, I use these poisons to be God, to try and copy what he can do with a single thought.

He cast me away the moment I was born; it's only fair I take his name…and make God…myself.

~end

AN: . Anyone else think it's a little boring with just Cain and poison? Please tell me if it is.

Sorry about the comment with rodents…^^'' But apart from that, it is rather Ooc. I'd imagine that this could take place after Alexis's death, and before he met Merryweather-I think he lightens up somewhat after he meets his sister. CC will be worshiped as usual.