Prologue (Part One): The Damned.
AN: I know, I know, another new fic. But I got this idea a while ago and have been working on it for a long time now, so please forgive. This prologue will probably make you confused more than anything, but please be patient, the first chapter will explain most of it. The only thing I will say is that the monologue at the beginning is Hitomi's but she wont appear until the next chapter… Enjoy!
Warnings: hmm…the rating to this fic will almost certainly go up, oh and a tiny, tiny bit of slash in this, but not involving any of our Esca characters ok!
Disclaimer: I do not own any anime characters, etc. etc. blah blah blah…
One more thing, I strongly suggest listening to the song 'Tomorrow' by SR-71 (I don't own that either @.@;;), when it appears later on, the intension was for it to create an atmosphere, go to launch.com, or mp3.com or sum place like that. OK, I hope you enjoy the start of this fic.
The first thing you have to understand is that it wasn't our fault. But the mistakes of the few, are too often paid for by the many.
Time has passed slowly for us, waiting in darkness is torture. Days, weeks, months pass by in a haze of colourless shadow and endless lifetimes of restless unknowing has made us weak.
For an eternity it looked like we weren't going to make it, we stopped hoping, stopped praying, stopped living.
Cut off from the world, we are alone. Cramped and hungry it's hard to breath. Those who suffered from claustrophobia were the first to go, you can't save someone from their own fear. Children scream while mother's weep. We're helpless. Nothing can save us now, we thrived in the Earth's destruction for to long, our pride blinded us from the truth.
We are not Gods. The right to change the planet was never ours, and now we pay.
It's hard to believe that we came down here to save ourselves. Many regret it but we can't turn back now. What's done is done. We're still waiting, for what we don't exactly know. A sign maybe?
What ever it is, when it comes we'll be glad. Glad to return to the surface, to the light. Growing in darkness for so long, the sun's rays will more than likely blind us, but mother's says that my eyes will endure, that I am strong. I believe her at least I want to. When we return it will be difficult, but after living down here we will survive. When I ask mother when the time will come she smiles down at me, and then utters a single word…
Soon.
~~~~~
''Il cacciatore!''[1]
From his place behind the bar Marcus smiled. Motioning with one of his long bare arms he signalled for his old friend to take a seat. His grin widening as he watched chocolate red orbs scan his clubs interior. Seeing that the younger looking man was walking over he turned and took a glass from the shelf in front of him, humming quietly as he grabbed some ice in his chunky left hand and a bottle of clear liquid with his right.
When he turned back the dark eyed newcomer sat hunched on the stool, his elbows resting on the bars stained finish. Marcus placed the glass in front of him and then watched as tanned, slender fingers clenched the glass and raised it.
''It's been a long time my friend.'' Marcus laughed after the glass was drained then placed back down. ''Ain't seen you round here since the great light!''
The newcomer's lips curled up at the edges slightly, he spoke in smooth tones, savouring every word. ''Thought it was about time to pay you a visit.''
Marcus laughed again; reaching over he patted his friend on the shoulder. ''You picked a good night to drop in old friend.'' He said, a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes.
''Is that so?''
''Sure is, got a great band lined up for tonight.''
''Oh yeah?''
''Yup.'' Marcus' grin widened, the laughter lines at the corners of his mouth stretching. He walked away without saying another word, marching down to the other end of the bar where two men sat, requesting more drinks.
From beneath his raven bangs, the newcomer watched silently as Marcus turned his back to the customers, pouring more drinks. The years had been surprisingly kind to the bartender in his friend's opinion. Marcus was clad in simple brown trousers and a stained white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his hairy elbows, a brownish looking rag over his right shoulder. Once ginger hair however, was specked with grey and bald patches had started to form near the back of his large head.
It wasn't long before Marcus was back, a small smile still adorning his wrinkling features. ''The lead singer's got one hell of a voice.'' He continued, ''heard their song a few days ago and signed 'em right up!''
''They certainly seemed to have brought in a crowd.''
''Uh huh. You gonna stay long enough to hear 'em?''
''Might as well.''
''Great! I'll get 'ya another.'' Marcus snatched up the drained glass and turned around again, smiling to himself. Van certainly hadn't changed. Still choosing to dress completely in black, that long overcoat hiding his figure from view. Chuckling to himself as he turned back round he received a questioning glance from his companion. ''You'll never change will 'ya?''
''Probably not.'' In seconds the glass was empty again. ''So this band?'' Van questioned, gesturing to the semi-circular stage at the opposite end of the club with his head, black bangs falling over his young face. ''They really that good?''
Marcus winked, ''trust me.''
As the barmen strode of again to serve Van looked around. The clubs dim lighting created a calm atmosphere, but the crowd were becoming restless. Smelling the air Van sighed, all human. They'd only reappeared what, four months ago? And already they were collapsing back into old habits, acting as if they owned the planet. Not even his kind was stupid enough to be that egotistical. Then again, he couldn't judge, could he?
After the 'great light', the name the humans gave to the beginning and then the end of their third world war, they fled underground. The rest of Earth's inhabitants were left with destroyed cities, radiation, and one hell of a hole. They hadn't come back to the surface for a good decade or so, after they figured out that the demons of old had cleared up their mess and restored the planet.
It meant they had to start all over again, an although it looked to Van as though they were only going to let history repeat itself, even he had to admit that they were being a little more…conservative, this time round. After the death of their 'world leaders' they hadn't bothered to choose any new ones, but of course this had good and bad consequences, none of which Van was particularly interested in. Humans were always going to be a thorn in the Earth's side, but being one himself (human that is), once, he couldn't really do much about that. Not that he was really interested in the planet's well being anyway. This life had screwed him a long time ago, so screw it.
Van looked across the sea of small tables towards the dimly lit stage, none of the group had taken their places yet, but their instruments and microphones were already set up. The intense atmosphere Van had sensed the moment he entered appeared to be coming to a climax, the audience hushed as the sound of footsteps echoed through the club.
The first to appear was a boy, no older than eighteen Van mused. His black hair was tied back into a tight ponytail and onyx depths pieced the crowd as he walked towards the drum kit near the far right of the stage.
As the Chinese teen sat down the next band member appeared, and this time the audience was presented with a pair of dazzlingly innocent light blue eyes. The blond haired angel took his place behind a large keyboard, smiling pleasantly at the crowd as another teen pushed through the red curtains that marked the beginning of the stage and walked on.
Van almost smirked at the brown haired young man, his first impression of the omni banged boy being one of slight confusion, 'how much hair gel must that guy use?' the raven haired man wondered as dark green eyes concentrated on a sleek red base guitar, as he picked it up from its place, leaning against one of the keyboards leg stands.
Van's ever alert senses picked up on more than one heavy sigh from a few female members of the audience as the lead guitarist almost skipped on stage, a long light brown braid whipping behind him as he picked up his black instrument, another guitar, and took his place behind a microphone, before leaning on it, a large grin gracing his features as his violet eyes danced.
The blond angel started up a electric sounding pulse on his keyboard and soon the drummer had started up as well, the two guitarists following suit as the curtains were pushed aside for the last time and the lead singer walked up to the centre mic. Prussian Blue eyes gazed out from under dark chocolate locks and took in the intensity of the music. He opened his mouth.
''Is it any wonder why I'm scared,
if I was a little younger would I care,
feeling like the walls are growing stronger,
I don't know if this cage can hold me any longer…''
A deep, bordering on husky voice sailed from the boy's lips, Van's own orbs darted around the crowd they seemed almost hypnotised. Van decided to concentrate on the glass in his hand, instead of how familiar the lyrics seemed to be. He felt, rather than saw, the braided boy walk up to the lead singer, sharing the mic with him as his own voice sailed through the air, almost speaking to the other boy as Prussian eyes watched him intently.
''You never dreamed you'd have to live your life so guarded,
cause they'll find a way to make you feel discarded…''
The braided one stepped back as the lead took over again, Violet not leaving Prussian.
''I'm not afraid of tomorrow,
I'm only scared of myself,
feels like my insides are on fire,
And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else…''
Van smiled sadly as the words reached his ears. Swirling the remaining ice cubes in his glass with one hand he watched the light bounce off and create an image of the ceiling above him, right through him. The next verse followed the chorus almost immediately, the singer now resting both hands on the mic, leaning forward on the stand.
''I never thought they'd want me to go even faster,
never thought I took my foot off the gas,
everybody loves to be in on the pressure,
but I know they're all waiting for the crash…''
Once again the back up singer spoke his words into the same mic, his face so close to the other boy's the female part of the audience almost wept in loss.
''You never dreamed you'd have to live your life so guarded,
cause they'll find a way to make you feel discarded,
things have changed you've become a complication,
can't make it through another days humiliation…''
From his hunched position over the bar Van almost fell off his stool, so that was why the words were familiar, he looked up and his gaze locked with that of the lead singer. It seemed they were singing his life story. As the chorus started up again the lock was broken and Van looked back to his glass. He smirked, 'How clichéd.'
''I'm not afraid of tomorrow,
I'm only scared of myself,
feels like my insides are on fire
And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else...''
As the lead singer carried the last note of the chorus, the Violet eyed back up singer chanted, their voices moulding together as the music became so intense it was deafening.
''Is it any wonder why the answer keeps me petrified,
is it any wonder why,
I'm scared...''
The music was building to a climax again, coming to an end, the lead singer almost screaming now, his eyes shut tight, while the longer haired teen kept his pace accompanying the other boy while still smashing his fingers against his guitar. They were now singing together, the lead still singing the chorus as the other boy sang the verses at the same time. No one moved.
''I'm not afraid of tomorrow,
I'm only scared of myself,
feels like my insides are on fire
And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else...''
As the music died down, the singer's voices with it, the tension was suffocating. Van was suddenly a whole happier about not having to breathe. A whole minute past before the audience suddenly irrupted with applause, Van shot a look at Marcus, who just smiled as he made his was back over. Coming to a halt in front of the younger looking man he spoke five words, which Van would never have been able to make out if he was still human.
''Told you they were good.''
[1] Italian, meaning 'The Hunter.' It will be explained later on I promise.
So what'cha think? Good, or crap?
A cookie to whoever can tell me what kind of creature Van is in this fic! And another to who knows who the band are