A/N: Heh heh heh nervous chuckle hides

Well… coughahemcough Please don't kill me. I haven't died and I haven't given up on this quite yet. ACTS, school, and such have destroyed my life, and then I planned to update during a lot during Spring Break, but my sis had college reports to do, so between her and my mother…computer time was scarce. Anyway, I still have quite a bit of writer's block so I hope this chapter isn't terribly bad, I seriously need to get back in the habit of writing this fic. Sorry for any mistakes and/or OOCness. Much love.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 11

It had been a good while now since Joachim and Arikado had left the chapel, and Joachim's injuries seemed to be healing awfully slowly. Arikado found himself stopping several times (to his slight annoyance) to wait on Joachim to catch up. Neither of them complained, but both were obviously annoyed: Joachim because he couldn't keep up despite his abilities and Arikado because he was being slowed down.

The two turned a nearby corner and proceeded up a new staircase and into a garden like area. Plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors surrounded them from every side, and as the two walked among the forest of vegetation a slight slithering sound caught their attentive ears. Arikado paused first at the sound, and turned slowly to look at Joachim. In the dim light of the moonlit branches, he could see the elder vampire's pale eyes surveying the ground around them. The sound drew slightly louder.

"Run." It wasn't a harsh command or a hurried one, but Arikado put just enough emphasis on the small word that Joachim needed no second warning.

The duo turned on their heels and fled to a nearby dried up fountain. They climbed on the cracked sides in order to get off the ground, making it slightly harder for whatever was tailing them to get to them. Arikado surveyed around a bit and seeing nothing, began to scope for a way out.

"Where is it?" Joachim asked, still surveying every inch of the ground within his view.

"Hiding. Be careful, it would not be wise of you to face anything in your current state."

Arikado waited for a moment for a reply. Instead of the semi-angry I-can-take-care-of-myself toned answer he received only silence. Silence, that was far too quiet even for this place. Turning, he found himself alone.

"FINALLY!" J gasped gratefully as he stepped on the last step. How long had they been climbing? He couldn't even begin to guess, and ignoring that pang of gratitude that would've allowed him to fall to his knees and kiss the ground, he turned to Soma. The boy simply halted next to him, and smiled a slightly relieved smile. The steps didn't bother him that much and they had given him a chance to work out some things in his head. During his near constant daydream, Soma had lost the lead to J not that it mattered much though, because they were going to the same place.

"Where to now?" Soma asked half heartily. In a way he wanted to know what was around each corridor, and still a part of him begged not to know. Leave what lingers in the dark there, face it when and if it comes it seemed to say.

"Well, this is your castle, well not literally. But I'd say you have a better idea than me. So what do you think, what's next?"

"I…haven't got a clue." Soma smiled a bit. The good thing about having J around, the mood always seemed to lighten a bit…perhaps because he had done this so many times before? Soma supposed that was the reason; there was a sense of comfort in having the legendary slayer of Dracula traveling with you. The two continued forward, and around the newfound corridor.

Room upon room lined the walls on both sides. Old wooden doors with faded pictures hung on them. The architecture of the ceiling seemed to make both J and Soma wobble a bit, giving them the sense that they had fallen through a portal to some hellish wonderland. In which case, loosing their heads would be the least of their worries. As they walked, several doors creaked open slightly and then slammed as they passed. Monster, they knew, were behind it, but why weren't they attacking? Perhaps they were afraid? But of what? At the end of a nearby corridor, two large doors with bats carved in them rose from the floor like the gates to hell. Heaving a sigh in unison, the two pushed on the old doors. Rust, dirt, and dust flaked off and fell to the ground, as the doors screamed open.

In the five minutes since the coat incident, Yoko had gained enough military style clothing from Hammer to make G.I. Jane look pathetic. Not only had he given her a coat to keep warm, but also a pair of camo pants, military boots, and gloves. Yoko seriously began to think that maybe Hammer had a fever, and that was he thought it was so cold. She knew better than to ask.

"Well, I should probably be on my way, thank you for your help." Yoko said as politely as she could.

Hammer turned around from the pile of junk he was digging through, the manic smile on his face, finally dissolving into a crestfallen frown.

"You're leaving!? Why you just got here! I'm sure if you wait, Soma will come here, he usually does."

"That's quite alright thanks; I think I'd rather find him myself. Arikado too, I owe him a beating." A sadistic smile crept onto the blonde's face at the sheer thought of beating Arikado into a bloody pulp. "Well, toodles."

Yoko quickly turned and headed back into castle through a nearby doorway, she was half tempted to just sit there and wait, but she was afraid that Hammer would try and follow her, and so she moved forward. What was it about that guy that freaked her out so much? Yoko decided that Hammer was like the creepy neighbor, the one that always has his shades drawn, and you never see any lights on, yet when you run into the guy while getting your mail he is one of the nicest people you have ever met. Like she thought, creepy.

Ending note: Well, I hope this chapter wasn't too bad, and I guarantee that things are going to pick up real fast from now on, because I have everyone where I want them. :) I hope grammar and what not wasn't too bad, I didn't have much time to proof read this chapter since I'm going out of town and I'm a bit rushed (and I chose to do this instead of homework so I could have time to pack). My apologies. It shouldn't take me this long to update again seeing as how the end of the school year is coming soon. Whoot. Anyhoo Reviewslove, that is if anyone is still reading this story. ;. Hope everyone is well and having a good spring Elixir9