-Chapter 6: Trust-
Venom sat alone in a rather large lounging chair within what could be called the dining hall of the manor. His eyes were closed in thought, though he appeared to be sleeping. The sudden sound of a door slamming far off within the manor only caused his eyes to open gently, yet after a moment of not hearing anything more did he return to his musing state.
"Nothing?" Zato asked as he joined Venom within the massive dining hall, his arms behind him as he approached him. Venom shook his head some.
"No…no sign at all…though…I can faintly trace someone else…I don't know who though. Whoever it is, they are growing close to this manor…I think we should ready ourselves, in the case that it is Slayer."
Zato nodded, and pulled his arms from behind him.
"If it is him, do not attempt to settle anything with him until I motion to do so," he instructed. Venom nodded obediently before standing and leaving the dining hall to Zato as he ventured through the manor towards the door. Just as he reached for the knob, there were a series of knocks. Exhaling gently, Venom continued to open the door. To his surprise, four people stood ahead of him: Dizzy, he knew, was among the four. Of the other three was a tall man in black, and two girls beside him; one with a yo-yo, while the other had an anchor by her side.
"Hi!" They all said cheerfully at once. Venom blinked a few times, then looked at Dizzy, who smiled in return.
"Venom…there is much to explain, but…may we come in?" she asked politely. Venom nodded quietly and stepped aside, so that the troupe could enter. After closing the door, he watched as the two girls ran about the manor in awe.
"It's so BIG!" one marveled, while the other looked at the various statues.
"Kinda' creepy though," the other said in a big of disgust, poking at one of the statues with the back end of her anchor. Venom chuckled faintly, then proceeded to clear his throat before speaking.
"Dizzy. Would you and your friends mind waiting here while I retrieve Master Zato?" he asked. Dizzy gave an affirmative sound before Venom started off briskly back into the halls of the massive manse, heading toward the dining hall. As he reached it once more, he found Zato admiring the various portraits scattered through the halls on the walls. Sighing a moment, as if he were regretful to disrupt Zato's moment of recollecting memories he'd lost over the time of death, Venom finally spoke.
"Master Zato, there are guests here to see you…and what they have to say is important, I think," he said slowly, watching as Zato turned to look at him.
"Who are they?" he asked.
"Three of them, I do not know of, but one of them is Dizzy, the Gear that resurrected you," Venom responded gently, taking a moment to look at the portraits himself. Zato nodded.
"I see. Venom," Zato began as he started to approach him, but just as he was beginning to pass him, he stopped, right beside him, and spoke.
"They are not guests anymore…recognize them as both allies and dear friends to the Guild from now on," he said. Venom nodded, smiling inwardly at hearing that.
"Yes, my—I mean," Venom started, but caught himself quickly. Before he could properly correct himself, Zato placed a hand on his shoulder, and spoke in a bit of a low tone, as if others were in their presence, and the next words were only meant for him.
"Do not correct yourself…you no longer must do so in my presence," he said, then continued past Venom toward the main hall, where the four that Venom referred to as 'guests' were waiting. Venom smiled once more before looking at the portraits.
"Understood…my Zato.." he whispered before following Zato's footsteps.
-
Testament sighed as he stood out on a cliff, waiting for Sol to catch up. Silently, he stared into the growing dusk, the demonic raven cawing gently every now and then as it perched upon his shoulder. Testament raised a hand a moment to pet the bird's head before he sighed, dropping his hand.
"Do you ever plan on answering me?" was Sol's question as he finally caught up with Testament and stood beside him, on the cliff. Testament was still silent. Sol clenched his jaw slightly before trying again.
"Look, if I pissed you off, just say so, okay?!" he growled. Testament chuckled.
"Still the same, I see," he mused aloud. Sol looked at him oddly.
"Eh?" he said. Testament motioned for his companion perched upon his shoulder to leave, and she did so. Afterward, he turned his back on the view from the cliff, and started to walk away from Sol, speaking as he went.
"Your soul hasn't changed. And in several minutes, you will regret all that you have spawned since your eyes were laid upon me," he said, almost regrettably. Sol blinked a few times.
"What the hell are you talking about? Do you mean that you're gonna fight me?" he asked, slightly offended by Testament's increasingly odd behavior, for in Sol's mind, he'd not yet done anything wrong to deserve this! Testament shook his head as he continued to walk.
"Look down from the cliff," was his simple instruction. Sol looked at Testament oddly before doing as told, and what he saw made a brown brow arch almost painfully.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" he shouted, backing away some. Ky Kiske?! Why was he here?! Spinning around, eyes wide, Sol pointed the blunt end of the fireseal in Testament's direction.
"Did you have anything to do with that?!" he asked. Testament stopped in his tracks and turned around. His crimson eyes flickered from Sol to the blade before a gentle smirk tugged at his lips.
"No. I do not converse with those that I despise, mind you. And…I have decided…though your previous words drove humanity to this…Gear's surface…I must decline, for your selfishness has yet to find redemption. When this is done, Gear Hunter, ask me that same question again," was Testament's reply to Sol's growing anger before he continued into the forest. Sol stood there, watching Testament disappear, speechless. His anger had been uncontrolled…and spontaneous…and Testament was right. If he wasn't out for himself, as he had been in the past, maybe things would have turned out brighter. Clenching his jaw, and for once, finally realizing the truth from another's point of view, Sol started off into a run after Testament.
I may be as this guy says…but I'm not losing him! Why is Ky even here!?! This would have been a lot less painful for him had he stayed in the office, but NO! Fuck…well, Sol…you got your ass into this…you're getting yourself out.
-
"….and…if I allowed the feeling to pass, I…don't know what would happen to you all," Dizzy concluded as she looked away from the fireplace toward Venom and Zato. Zato had reclaimed his rightful position within the throne, and had propped a hand up on his cheek, listening to what the Gear had to say. Venom stood by, next to the throne, listening as well. Zato's eyes drifted in Venom's direction a moment before he sighed, and leaned forward within his seat.
"I see, Dizzy…thank you for bringing this to my attention. So you feel that this is going to be bigger than a simple power struggle?" he asked. Dizzy nodded.
"Yes…between the premonitions, and everything that has happened so far, I feel like I should not stand by any longer. Undine and Necro have finally agreed to allow me to control my own power, rather than bickering over it themselves…with the exception of Necro's "price" for his resurrections…so…I want to help everyone. As I told Venom before I resurrected you, Zato, I want to help this planet…make it better and erase this stupid war between man and Gear! But..I can't do it alone," she said. Zato nodded in agreement.
"I see…we assassins do not discriminate between man and Gear. It is, sadly, about whoever is willing to pay us for our services," he began, watching as Dizzy's expression fell into sadness, and the other two girls looked to be doing so as well.
"But….since you are not a client to this guild and rather are like our allies…I am willing to lift such a burden from your shoulders…given that you have done that which you have for me and Venom."
Dizzy and the others began to show signs of joy at hearing that. The girl that held a yo-yo threw herself onto Zato, yipping quite happily.
"THANK YOU!! I DIDN'T WANNA HAVE TO SPEND MONEY!" she yipped. Zato chuckled.
"Well, my dear lady, it is only out of my own gratitude for what your friend has done for me.
"Okay! But, I'm not a lady, so don' call me that," the one that Zato assumed to be a female replied before springing backward to land beside the one that wielded a massive anchor. Zato blinked a few times…as did Venom. The both of them exchanged expressions momentarily before Venom cleared his throat to speak.
"It's a long story," the boy said, chuckling faintly.
"I…see. Well…Dizzy, you and your friends are welcome to stay as long as you'd like. But, be warned that there is a battle still raging between Slayer, myself, and Zato. Why he is so desperate to claim the throne is beyond me, seeing as how a businessman such as himself could easily establish on in Transylvania," Venom said. Dizzy smiled before nodding and bowing gracefully.
"Thank you….both of you. I will only stay this and next night, for I want to make sure no harm comes to this guild."
Zato smiled faintly.
"It has been some time since someone other than those within the Guild would opt to preserve it," he said. Venom nodded in agreement.
"Yes…other than ourselves, many have desired to see this place ablaze…though…once upon a time…Zato, myself, and a few others swore with our lives that this building would never see such a horrible day," he added. The tall man in a trench coat whistled faintly as he looked the place over from behind his sunglasses.
"This place looks dead….but are there any women here?" he asked. Zato smirked.
"Of course…if you have the mind to find them…they simply won't come to you unless you take the time to look for them," he said, chuckling faintly.
"YES!" the man yelped happily before taking off down a corridor, looking around hastily.
"Pretty ladies? Where are you? Come out so Johnny can see you!!" he called. Zato shook his head, while Venom stood silent, but, beneath the dove decorated with blue, his expression seemed that of an amused man's, for he too was entertained by the male pirate's behavior. The boy watched Johnny, laughing, as did the girl who wielded an anchor.
"Johnny's funny. Hey May, wanna go check out those weird statues again?!" the boy asked as he gripped his yo-yo in excitement. May nodded as she picked up her anchor, settling in upon her shoulder.
"Okay, Bridget…and, we can spy on Johnny and see what he's up to!" she added before herself and Bridget ran after the wandering Johnny, leaving Dizzy, Zato, and Venom behind. After the children's voices dimmed, Zato began to speak in a more serious tone.
"So…what were in these premonitions, he asked. Dizzy seemed to grow uncomfortable in mentioning them, but did so anyway.
"Well…there were a lot of them…some of them were about you, Zato…while others were about Venom…me….Sir Ky Kiske…and the others surrounded this big shadow and Testament…"
"What…? Did all of these seem linked?" Zato asked. Dizzy shrugged gently.
"Some of them, yes…while others didn't make sense…it was all so jumbled together, that it was too hard for me to try and make sense of them," she admitted. Venom stirred some in thought, then finally spoke.
"Was Slayer in any of them? Did he appear briefly or anything?" he asked. Dizzy looked thoughtful a moment before she responded.
"Well…now that you mention it…he wasn't in them…but this other woman was…though I could never really make her out….she was always in the distance though…does that help?" she asked. Venom closed his eyes beneath the sheet of white, and sighed.
"Sharon.." he muttered. Zato nodded in agreement, placing a hand upon his forehead.
"Yes..Sharon…Dizzy, I'm sorry, but this is something that Venom and I must deal with. If your assistance is needed, we will call for it. I suggest that we all rest for now…the stress can cause one to go mad…and I, having been given new breath, would not like to waste it worrying about that damned nightwalker and his wife…when everyone has properly rested, we will think of a proper way to deal with this…and hopefully not have to shed any blood," Zato said, standing from his seat, and, with Venom by his side, left Dizzy in the main hall. Dizzy sighed and shook her head.
"What does all of this mean? Why is this Sharon such a problem…she never did anything in any of my premonitions…but then…why was she there to begin with…?"
-
"Testament, wait!!" Sol yelled as he jogged to catch up to the Gear. Testament did not stop, but only slowed his gait a bit, as so the Gear Hunter would be able to catch up.
"What is it?" Testament asked. Sol sighed as he slowed to a walk.
"Look. I'll admit I'm and ass. Can't help that. Yeah, I'm selfish and arrogant and all that other bullshit, but hell, I can't change in under five minutes," he groaned. Testament chuckled.
"Then your soul is beginning to understand.." he murmured. Sol blinked.
"Understand what?" he asked.
"It's possessor," Testament replied. Sol still looked at him oddly.
"Meaning…?"
"There is no meaning…simply something that I needed to feel from you.." testament responded. Sol arched a brow.
"In order to..?" Sol continued. Testament finally stopped, sighing as he summoned his scythe. This time, Sol's hand did not find the hilt of the fireseal. Instead, it dangled at his side. Testament said nothing, and let his scythe fade away into nothingness.
"See if your Gear portion is able to overcome that that is human…or vice-versa. That is the same struggle that I once had…I contemplated your words; my own hatred for humankind fought with me over your words….and multiple times did I consider it…and would have killed you…but the human portion kept me from doing so. Blame my weakness on the part of me that is human…and my animosity on that which is Gear. Gear Hunter..I have resolved…and it is that which is human within me which has set aside my own selfish desire to destroy all humans that has been discarded in order to salvage within me that is human…though it will be difficult to maintain," Testament said, his crimson stare unwavering from that of Sol's intense brown. Sol chuckled faintly, then shook his head.
"I see…so, it took me and my smart-assed ways to make you understand yourself?" he concluded. Testament nodded.
"Oddly yes…and, if you would set aside your oath to destroy all that are of the Gears, would I, as you asked before, accept such an offering of affection…" Testament said. Sol smirked, drawing the fireseal from his side, and pointed it at Testament's heart.
"Then..from now until whenever the other side wins…Sol Badguy brands his name on that heart," he said, then, pushing the blunt end towards his own heart, he continued.
"And the same around…hopefully, we'll understand ourselves and each other completely, eh?" he asked, chuckling. Testament nodded.
"Yes…someday. But…for now, Gear Hunter…we must aide my dearest sister, Dizzy. Her soul calls to mine…and what she has to say is vital."
Sol shrugged.
"Sure thing. But don't call me a damn Gear Hunter again. It's Sol. Got it?" he asked, grinning further. Testament smirked faintly, the humane portion of him beginning to show more underneath the Gear's surface.
"Understood."
-
Ky groaned tiredly as he finally was able to reach the top of the cliff, pulling himself up onto the earth, he panted, then forced himself up again.
"You're here…I..ah..I can feel it.." he coughed. Pulling the thunderseal upward, he waved it along the ground until he felt the fireseal's presence once more….but…why was it that he felt so uneasy? Shrugging off the feeling, he traced the path sensed by the thunderseal. However, as he did so, he began to notice footprints…multiple footprints…boots like those of Sol's…and those of another's as well…but..Sol always traveled alone. So..could someone be following him? Ky continued to follow the tracks until they stopped. But..the tracks of the person that he thought was following Sol stopped as well. Who was Sol with? Biting his lower lip, Ky continued to follow…and though his heart was telling him to go back…he pressed on, sure that it was just him that was beginning to think the wrong thing….or so he hoped he was.
-End Ch 6-
