(Chapter 1.)

It was dark . and it was damp.

Not often was it this wet outside, especially during this time of night. It hadn't rained . so why was it so wet? So cold.

It was late fall, and Merion Rybald was standing outside his house, on his porch. He had his hands in the pockets of his jacket, holding it close to his body. The somewhat young looking boy's lips were light blue, and his teeth were chattering together. November was not the greatest of months to be outside around two in the morning, gazing at the town below.

Merion was just gazing out across the sea of rooftops, since his home was high enough up on the mountain that he could easily see the homes of those below, his beautifully shaped crimson eyes distant and glassy. He had spent many nights staring down at the town, sleepless, restless . thinking about what it would be like to be close to someone. But he knew, he knew that no one would want to be with him, or near him. He lived in a mansion made of stone, a pseudo-gothic century castle. It had belonged to his family for decades, but a few years ago the rest of them just left.

They left Merion alone.

It had been rumored that Demons lived in the castle on the hill, so his family packed up and left. They never even told him, they just went away.

Merion sighed, deeply. He was short, only around five foot four, and he was feminine. A Demon he was, but not only that. What he was made his body womanly, with expansive hips and a small waistline; He was most definitely male though. He kept his raven hair long, and at the moment the gentle winds were whisking the black lochs around his pale, soft face.

Then he heard something. Turning to look over at the trees, Merion let his gaze drift over the dark forest, wondering what made that sound. There was rustling in the bushes. The boy rolled his eyes, Just an animal, then looked back towards the town.

It's so cold. Merion bit his bottom lip, then hugged his jacket closer to his body. He stood there for a few moments longer, the sound in the bush blocked out of his mind. It was late, he should sleep. Turning around, Merion caught a glimpse of something metal in the bushes--he paused.

It was only a few moments later that he felt a pain in the back of his shoulder, then the contact made between his body and the stone of his porch. Someone was walking closer, their footsteps on the leaf-covered ground becoming louder every moment. Merion groaned, trying to sit up, but he could barely focus his eyes.

A hand was rested on Merion's back, then a voice soothingly said, "You are the Demon." and that was the last thing Merion heard before he blacked out.

~

"Professor . I brought something you might want to see." It was that same voice, the one from before. Merion tried to open his eyes, to see whom it was, to see where he was.

"Hmmn." Hojo Okokou stood there, still, hands neatly folded behind his back. It was obvious that he was listening, but not interested in what this man had to say to him, or what he had to show him. His black hair was held back, not quite as neat as it could be, and his rounded glasses were slowly sliding down the bridge of his nose.

"Professor, please. I brought you the Demon. The one who lives in the castle near Nibelheim, you know." There was a long pause, during which Hojo and the other stayed silent, staring at one another. The quiet of the room was making Merion feel uncomfortable, as if he was being stared at, like he had to say something. Still though, he couldn't even open his eyes; All he could do was listen.

"Demon?" It was a new voice to Merion, Hojo's voice. "There are no such things. They were simply made up to frighten people into obeying 'God.'" He turned away, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "I have no time for this bullshit, so if you would so kindly leave, it would be much obliged."

"But, sir. If only you would run a simple test, it would prove that he was what people call a Demon. It would take but--"

"No," Hojo cut in, "I won't run any tests to see what the person is, but you could leave it here to be used as a guinea pig." Once again, the scientist looked back to the man who brought the supposed Demon, his eyes cold and showing boredom.

"Professor. This is a Demon. He is dangerous, and if I could, I would bring the rest of his . family, I would suppose they were, but they abandoned their home once the rumor of Demons was spread. I do have sufficient evidence that it in fact is a Demon!"

Merion left out a pained groan, his eyes opening slightly. It was bright where he was, and slightly colder than he wished for it to be. Shivering, the boy rolled onto his side, soon to realize that he was in what could be considered a cage.

"Whatever it is, it's awake." Hojo stated bluntly, walking over to the cage. "I don't care if you say it is a Demon, just get out of my home." A glare was aimed towards the man, before he looked back down at the nude form in the cage. "Leave it here."

With not another word, the Demon captor turned and left, leaving Merion to whatever the professor had in store for him.