Chapter 9: Neffy:1 Zoi: 0
[Scene: Biology class. Neffy is giving Zoi a charming smile, but Zoi can tell it's fake. He's taken a strong and immediate dislike to Neffy, so he focuses on opening the blood typing kit. Neffy opens his as well, but doesn't take his eyes off Zoi.]
Neffy: My, what alluring green eyes you have. Has anyone told you they look like pools of emeralds?
Zoi: Um, no.
[Zoi pricks his finger until a dot of blood wells up then dabs it against the prongs before applying the prongs to the card]
Neffy: You look like you've done this before.
Zoi: I have.
Neffy: [pushes his card over to Zoi] Now do mine.
Zoi: No. That would be cheating.
Neffy: So?
Zoi: So, if someone tells Mr. Tomoe, I might get expelled.
Neffy: Motoki would do it for me anyway.
Zoi: I'm not Motoki.
Neffy: I can see that.
Zoi: Sorry, I know you're squeamish, but you're just going to have to prick your finger like the rest of us.
Neffy: I'm afraid that would not work at all. You see, I don't have a blood type.
Zoi: Everyone has a blood type.
Neffy: [picks up the lancet, slices open the tip of his finger and shows Zoi the trickle of green] Not everyone.
Zoi: Oh, my god! Your blood's green. How are you still alive?
Neffy: Never mind. Just do my card.
Zoi: I think you should talk to Mr. Tomoe. I'm sure he'll understand.
Neffy: No, I think you should do exactly what I say before I rob you of your free will.
Zoi: huh?
Neffy: Fine, have it your way… [Zoi shrieks as a soul shadow rises from Neffy and howls at Zoi with its big red eyes and mouth.
Neffy: How are you seeing this?
[The shadow circles Zoi and then is absorbed back into Neffy.]
Neffy: What are you? Why didn't that work…? Oh, well, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
[Zoi rises from his chair with the intention of fleeing, but Neffy touches his arm and an arc of energy appears, crossing over to Nephrite and causing both of them to glow.]
[Zoi slumps face first onto the table.]
Neffy: Damn you're tasty. I can see why my brother likes you so much.
[Neffy grabs Zoi's hand, jabs it hard with the lancet, and completes his lab. Then he raises his hand.]
Neffy: Mr. Tomoe, Zoi isn't feeling well. Requesting permission to take him to the nurse's office.
Tomoe: [looks at Zoi lying cheekdown on the desk with a blank expression on his face] Great, a fainter. There is one in every crowd. Permission granted.
[Neffy pulls Zoi's arm over his shoulder, grabs his waist, and helps him out of the class.]
[Once outside he pushes him against the wall]
Neffy: Alone at last, my chickadee. Now I can start feeding in earnest.
[The arc reappears, and Zoi's legs are giving out. He falls to one knee and Neffy drapes Zoi's arm over his shoulder again and half carries toward the nurse's office, laughing like a fiend while Zoi grows weaker with every step]
Zoi: …i…can't…feel…my…legs
Neffy: [admires Zoi's rapidly fading aura] Don't worry, it's not much further.
Zoi: Just let me sit for a minute, please?
[Neffy drops Zoi, who rolls onto his side into the snow and curls himself into a ball]
Neffy: I wish you could see yourself right now. Your face is almost as green as my blood is.
[Neffy steps back and the arc of energy reappears between them. Zoi's breathing is becoming labored and he closes his eyes. Neffy throws his head back and resumes his fiendish laughter. His laughter stops abruptly as a transparent black dome appears over Zoi.]
Neffy: Huh?
[The dome resembles a protection spell, except Neffy is still able to leech energy through it. He wonders what the point of a protective dome might be if it doesn't stop his attack. Then it hits him.]
Neffy: Oh, shit.
[The blast sends Neffy flying. He hits the side of the cafeteria, leaving a sizable hole in the stucco before he collapses to the ground. Kunzite floats down and blasts him again for good measure, before vines resembling barbed wire snake out from the ground to pin Neffy in place.]
Neffy: [smiling at Kunzite] It was worth it!
Kunzite: [glances at Zoi's still form in the snow] I tell you not to do something, then I turn my back, and you decide to do it anyway. Such insubordination cannot go unpunished.
Neffy: [still smiling] Oh, man. You've got to try some. It tastes like spiced wine and hot cherry pie.
[Kunzite stares at him]
Neffy: Don't look at me like that. I wasn't going to drain him completely without giving you a taste.
[Kunzite looks at Zoi, who hasn't moved an inch]
Neffy: Ok, I totally was, but that wasn't my intention in the beginning.
Kunzite: It seems you have put me in a very awkward position. I swore I'd kill you if you tried something like this, and I don't want a reputation for making idle threats. However, Mother will be greatly displeased with me if I murder one of her children just because he tried to break one of my toys. [A pair of energy swords appears in his hands] I'm afraid you're going to have to suggest a suitable compromise before I start cutting.
Neffy: [still smiling] Ah. Look at the poor little guy. Half buried in the snow and too weak to shiver. I wonder how long he can lie there like that before hypothermia sets in?
[Kunzite looks at Zoi and his face softens. Then he sees a rivlet of green near Neffy's hand. The swords vanish.]
Kunzite: You're already bleeding. I'm glad. It will make it far easier for you to swear a blood oath to protect Zoisite at all cost, even at the expense of your own safety.
Neffy: [his smile vanishes] No.
[Kunzite grabs Neffy's bleeding hand, snapping the vines holding it in place, and uses the bloody finger to draw a symbol on Neffy's forehead]
Kunzite: Say the words.
Neffy: Never.
[A knife made of energy appears in Kunzite's hand]
Neffy: [laughs] What are you going to do with that? Kill me? Do it. Then go to Mother and explain how you diced me up for no good reason while I was having a snack.
[Kunzite smiles at Neffy and grabs a fist full of his hair and tugs it off to the side]
Neffy: [breaks into a sweat] Oh. Hell no.
Kunzite: I always did wonder what you'd look like as a bald man.
Neffy: No, not the hair! Please! Not the hair!
Kunzite: [smiles] Don't worry. It'll grow back. Eventually.
Neffy: God damn it, Kunzite! This isn't funny! Do you have any idea how many centuries it took to get it to flow like this?
Kunzite: Maybe Beryl can help you with her dark healing magic. After we show her what you look like with your head sheared pink.
[The knife descends]
Neffy: NOOO! STOP! DO IT AND I'LL KILL YOU! I MEAN IT!
Kunzite: And then do what? Go to Mother and explain how you killed one of her children over a haircut?
Neffy: FINE I'LL SAY THE WORDS!
[Kunzite steps back as Neffy chants in a long forgotten language. The green symbol vanishes. Kunzite steps back and the vines release as he saunters over to Zoi.]
Neffy: [rises to his feet] You know what? I don't even care. I'll have enough fun watching you self-destruct as you make a sentimental fool of yourself.
[Neffy laughs maniacally before he teleports away]
