I know I posted these at the same time, but I wanted a sort of double-feature, I suppose. Anyways, I hope I start on the next chapter soon, but first Love After Death. I'm really hoping to start doing one chapter a week, in a circle. Next week, by friday, I'm hoping to have the next Love After Death chapter out. And maybe my G.E.D. And an update on LJ, and Youtube! Not a whole lot... but... PLAH. Hahaha.

Well, reviews anyone?

DISCLAIMER: again, I don't own the characters, or the music. But I do own the idea. And Luxord's wank. Hahahahha~

until next time!
Lady Pickles

xXx

"I say my hell is the closet I'm stuck inside
Can't see the light
And I say my heaven is a house up in the sky
Got central heating
And I'm alright, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah."

xXx

Chapter One
hellrider: leviathan of the skies

Axel brushed the hat back off his head, as he stepped inside the dimly lit tavern. There were few patrons, and the bartender didn't look too happy to be there himself. There was no smoke, clear to see. His bright green eyes flicked up and down the tavern, trying to find someone who knew exactly what they were doing. His angular face was so inhumanly perfect, it got a few eyes from people in the tavern. Bright, flaming red hair spiked out behind him, the hat on his head was a dark brown, matching the duster on his body. His tall, lithe form moved through the tables, the duster parting every so often to give glimpses of a worn dark gray blouse, suspenders clipped to dark brown breeches, and the boots were so scuffed a few holes were in them. Down one leg was an odd shape, that caught the looks from the few patrons in the bar. He looked back at them, and frowned, wondering what was all their problems, as he rubbed the back of his neck, heading in the direction to the bar. Axel could smell the strange scents waft around him in a flurry, telling him subtle things about different people. The only other man at the bar used guns. The gunpowder was strong. He was balding, the hair follicles were dying at a rapid rate. And he was sick. That sweet, thick smell gave it off, of the germs clinging, waiting to be passed on. Axel found his nose wrinkled as he subtly looked to the others. One by the door. Long brown hair... hasn't had a bath for weeks. Axel shook his head, and decided he didn't want to even bother with the others.

They all were probably really bad smelling, to be honest.

Side stepping the sick man, he went down a few stools, and sat down, rubbing his hands together under the bar, gloves on them. He watched, as the bartender eventually came down his way, and leaned on the wooden bar between them, looking at him closely. Axel could smell the fetid breath from the man, and wanted to plug his nose from the horror being bestowed upon him. He could feel his ears go back slightly, and then remembered he wasn't suppose to do that, when the other man's eyes flicked to the hat on his head. "Ya'all ain' frum 'round 'ere is yah?" He asked in a thick accent that made Axel try to think over what he was saying before nodding slowly.

"No. I'm new." He said simply, as the man's eyes narrowed. He could feel the internal prosecution upon him, as he wiggled on the seat slightly. "I was hoping to see if there was a ship around here heading for the central city." Axel found himself explaining. When under pressure he worried about what others thought. Honestly, though, he wish he had a little more self control over his tongue, as the man leaned back, and snorted. He seemed to shake his head, and ignore the abnormalities of Axel, turning to clean a drink.

"Wha' in yer ahll nee'in ta goh to dah cap'tol fer?" Bartender inquired, looking to him out the side of his eyes. Axel almost blurted the answer out, before slapping a hand over his mouth and frowning. Shaking his head, he looked to the side, and back to him again.

"Personal reasons." He said simply, before looking down to the bar, and rubbing a gloved finger over the dirty surface, bringing the smudged leather up to his eyes, gazing at it critically. "I need someone fast, who won't back out if there's a bit of trouble between here and there." He explained slowly. "Preferably low key."

"Well'n, tha's all?" Bartender laughed, his belly bobbled a bit, catching Axel's eyes, wondering if it was just the clothes, or if the stomach was so distended, it looked like a pregnant woman's. "I's cahn tell ya no many of 'em pilots ahre richin' like tha'." He continued, as Axel watched the bigger man look at him, other Patrons slowly turning in their direction, and he grinned slowly, and Axel nearly choked at seeing the almost rotted teeth. "Iffin yer lookin' fas', uhnd brave... s'got one man. Though he ain' been likin' to givin' passen'ers rides to dah cap'tol."

Axel blinked, and looked up brightly at that. "Who? I need to know!" He said, leaning over the bar a bit. He'd been stuck on this island for the last four months, working hard, day after day. "I'm certain I have enough fair for a passage to the capitol!"

"No amount of fare you got in your pocket, will get you a safe passage to the capitol." Came a sharp voice, and Axel spun around, turning to see a short blonde, whose eyes were as big, and blue as the sky, with hair that probably hadn't seen a brush in ages. At least not in this lifetime. "Especially not if you're looking to ride the hellrider." He continued, hopping up onto the stool and slapping the bar. "Hey, Ted... the old man wants a pint to go, and some whiskey bread." He said, as Bartender nodded, turning to get to work, seeming to almost shy from the boy. Axel looked down at him, wondering what would inspire such respect from a grown man, for a young boy.

"Hellrider?" Axel asked, looking at him with a tilted head.

"Yeah.S'the fastest ship in these parts of the sky. My boss owns it." He continued.

"Roxas here is an engineer on that blasted ship from the core itself." The sick man nodded, from down the bar, before coughing violently into his scarf, making Axel jump, before looking down to Roxas. The boy looked far too young to be engineering anything, let alone a ship that frightened people.

"Aw you all are chicken weed! It's not from the core." Roxas rolled his eyes, and looked back to the bar, gathering his items as they were laid before him.

"Oh? Then how do you explain where the metal came from? Or that strange captain of yours? He's been around longer than anyone here remembers, and yet he's still barely kicking his mid thirties!" The man from the door hollered, giving his input on this strange vessel that now had Axel's attention. He looked at all the patrons who were now sitting upright, wanting their part in the conversation, to be heard, from their points of views on this strange thing.

"They say he's a demon from the core!"

"I heard he was a human with a crystal all his own!"

"No. I think he's an alien. He's gotta be one of them shifters!"

"You're mad. He's not some dumb shifter!"

While they argued, Axel had been distracted, before noticing the boy wasn't before him, and was ducking out the door. Axel waved to the bartender, before turning to leap out off the stool, and rush through the tavern, and out the door, looking up and down, wondering where that boy went. Sniffing the air, he caught the faint scent. Turning, he followed it. To his eyes, it was like a perfectly marked, invisible trail, that only his nose could find. The rain was a soft drizzle, hitting his hat in a faint buzz, and bouncing off his coat, while he crouched a bit, looking around. The cobblestone lined street was filled with puddles, and the air smelt of rain and wet dirt. Turning, he ran slowly in one direction, following his nose, after the boy. He'd spent so much time in this place, a new scent was like a beacon. Closing his eyes, he imagined the trail, then went for it, pacing down an ally between two buildings nearly squished together. The grass was slippery beneath his feet, and he clutched to the wooden side, before turning to continue, running across another street, and scrambling over a fence in the next ally.

The trail moved down the street, and when he looked, he say the boy running at full speed. Snapping his jaws together, he launched himself down the street, splashing puddles as he went, the water flying up around him, as the few people who were out, looked at the redhead oddly. Axel felt his hat start to go up, and reached a hand up to smack it back down. It was a bit harder, running with one hand holding his hat, but he forced himself to continue on, this strange emotion bubbling in his stomach, rising through his chest, and out into his limbs, telling him the hunt was on. Axel's eyes flicked to the moon. It was still only half pregnant with light. He knew it was just a feeling, but the instincts were strong, and he darted faster, scurrying around a post office, and over the wagon, where a man was unloading a big package of mail. The man watched Axel sail over his wagon, hit the ground, and continue running.

"Well. Ain't seen that a'fore." He muttered, blinking widely at the inhuman acrobatics.

The chase continued on, through the town, down the hill to the docks. Axel could see. He could see where they were heading, going through the simple homes now. The docks extended from the island, for ships to land on, and he could see the boy running to a black one, that was long... almost snake like. The wings of the ship extended out, and the helm was broad, with a bulbous red glass. The black metal, that's what intrigued him. All the metal from the islands was a deep hue of orange. And it took a lot of money to dye it another color. That ship wasn't died. And by the looks of it... it was almost breathing. He swallowed, and kept running, a few passengers getting off another ship, were looking over at the strange sight as well. Axel found himself sliding down a grassy hill, flipping over a bench, and scrambling across the wooden deck. "Wait! WAAIT!" He yelled loudly.

The boy kept running, only stopping to look back and see Axel, before jumping, and turning to bolt up to the ramp between him and the ship, getting in through the open hull, and closing it, as Axel ran closer. He swallowed and kept yelling at the boy to wait, getting down the deck to the ramp, and leaping up it, hitting at the door. Or... where the door used to be, now was an armored shield. He beat at it violently, before gasping, the skin splitting across his hand. This metal was sharp. It actually hit him back! Glaring, Axel looked around. He had to get on this ship. His instincts told him to. Licking at the blood that ran down his hand, he gripped the side of the ship, and pulled himself up, feet slipping on the side, as he used the creases in the armor to haul himself higher. Just as he got above the door, he could hear the heart of this ship begin to whirr, as the thing shuddered, coming to life. Axel could feel the warmth of it beneath his palm.

Frowning, he knew he only had so long, dragging himself up higher, kicking his boots off in the process. His feet gripped the sides of the ship, and propelled him up faster, jumping onto a wing, and running along it. He just had to get to the red glass. The rain making the ship slippery, and harder to grip. Axel heard the ship undock, and his eyes widened, before letting go of his hat to hold tighter onto the sides, hauling himself up higher. The higher he went, the more the wind began to whip, and the harder it did too, as he scrambled, trying to keep a good hold. One slip, and he'd fall right into the sky, and down into the core.

It was a long fall.

Axel used his arms to pull him up higher, the armor of the ship cutting into his palms as he did so, making him whimper, as he was almost to the red glass. Another gasp, and he pulled himself up higher, the muscles in his arms aching. He clenched his eyes shut, but there was a pop, and an airlock release, forcing Axel to turn his head to see a blonde man sticking his head out, Azure eyes sharp and unnerving, as he reached out and grabbed Axel, dragging him through the air lock, and shutting it, before locking and sealing.

Axel found himself laying on the metal flooring, looking up at the tall man, who crouched over him, and shook his head. "Fucking moon wolf." He scowled, running his hand over Axel's red ears, which twitched, and made Axel's eyes widen.

"You know what I am?" He asked, astonishment in his eyes.

"Yeah. I just want to know who you are, and why you're on my damn ship." The man responded with annoyance, and Axel found himself being picked up off the ground, and turned to be carried somewhere, the clanking of his shoes resounded in the empty halls.

"I...I... I needed p-passage to the capitol. I have fare!" Axel panted softly, gripping his sleeve, looking around, before back to him. The man was wearing a black suit, that probably was covered in grease somewhere, unzipped, and hanging from his waist, the white tank was dirty, the necklace hanging from his neck was a gold locket. The man snorted.

"Not a matter of if you have fare or not. The capitol isn't safe for a damn wolf. They're looking high and low for your kind. Need more blood crystals." He muttered before stepping down a few steps and tossing the redhead onto the table, before turning to yank out the counter, and start the water, looking for a cup.

"But I need to go! The wolves.... they're....."

"Planning the end of the human race. I know." The blonde replied, as he turned to shove the glass into his hand. "Drink that."

"No... wait... how did you know?!" Axel asked gripping the cup, staring up at him, as he swallowed, his eyes wider. The man couldn't have known, could he have? Really... it seemed so strange.

"Can't you even sniff out your own kind?!" Roxas snapped, his hair twitching, as Luxord pushed the hair down, revealing blonde ears, that were flattened, but now had sprung up, and he shook his head, before pulling the tail from the pant leg. Axel leaned down to touch his own, and swallowed.

"I...didn't know." He said softly, looking at Roxas, then to the other man. "I have to go to the capitol." He looked at the blonde man pleadingly. He could see the annoyance in those azure eyes, and the groan, as he leaned against the counter, before shaking his head.

"Fine." He said slowly, before looking at Axel. "But two conditions."

Axel was about to internally cheer, but he stopped, looking at the man. "what....."

"You provide blood for the ship, and if you die, your soul belongs to me." He said simply, eyes narrowed.

Axel stopped, and looked at him slowly, his fingers curling around the cup tighter, and he swallowed, looking to Roxas, and back to him. ".....k-kay." He said slowly, nodding.

The man's grin only widened, as he walked over and held a hand out, and when Axel took it, he shook the wolf's hand firmly, smirking. "The names Luxord... and welcome aboard the hellrider." He said simply. Axel was pretty sure he'd just signed his name away with the devil himself.

xXx

YOU SURVIVED.
REVIEW.
PLEASE.
IT WILL MAKE PICKLES HAPPY.
:DDDDD

P L A Y L I S T :
Damien Rice
Rootless Tree

Dave Matthews Band
Halloween
So Much to Say
Crash Into Me
Angel
American Baby
Space Between

David Jordan
Sun Goes Down

Devil May Cry 3 Soundtrack
Ending Credits Theme

Dream Theater
Hell's Kitchen
Under A Glass Moon
The Root Of Evil
Panic Attack
Never Enough
Sacrificed Sons

John Williams
Brush On Silk
The Chairman's Waltz
Destiny's Path

Sabaton
The Hammer Has Fallen
Masters Of The World
Hellrider
Primo Victoria