The night was cool. Ash raised her head to the night sky and breathed in deeply, enjoying the breeze as it blew gently on her face, throwing her hair away from her features. The town seemed to be a peaceful place, which was ironic considering it was in the midst of a demon invasion. She suddenly sighed and looked towards Minako.
'It's getting dark pretty quickly over here isn't it?' she said. Minako nodded.
'It's been doing that ever since the demons invaded. You should know now by your research that when in the midst of a heavy demon invasion, darkness falls quicker then is usual.' Ash took in this new information and stored it at the back of her mind.
'Why would the demons want to infiltrate this little place though? It looks perfectly normal to me. I can't sense anything out of the ordinary…and I would have done so by now if there was anything worth knowing.' Minako looked at her as though puzzled.
'You can sense things now?' Ash nodded once, silently. 'I envy you. I still can't sense anything much. I can only feel it when there's loads of demons around me.' Ash smiled at her, wanting to stop her from worrying about why it was she could not sense the taint of demons.
'As days pass, and as you get more experience of demons, you'll soon pick it up. Right now, it should be me who envies you. The stench of demons is foul, and I would have liked nothing better then to be rid of it.' She suddenly stopped, thinking. Yeah she had just said something that was deadly true about himself. He hated the smell of demons. Even when he was a child, he had been grateful for Dante, his grandfather's help, but he had still feared him. He still did. Though it was only faint, he had still been able to pick up the demonic taint in him. But yet, he had been able to live with Xyphos. She supposed that now she was very used to it in her own body, but now, as Ash she still wasn't. Maybe that was why she was recoiling from those she had wanted to trust.
The lights of the town came into view. Ash smiled as she saw it. From the top of the hill both she and Minako were standing on, she could see that there was a band of sand just to the West of the town, where it led down into the shimmering turquoise ocean.
'It's quite a way away from the base isn't it?' said Ash at length. Minako nodded.
'We're trying to find a site that's closer to Kilaya but w haven't had any luck yet.'
'It seems so peaceful…' murmured Ash. Minako nodded in agreement.
'I like coming here. Not to go in the town, but just to sit up here and watch what's going on. I like to come up here and think, you know?' Ash could see what she meant. Though the town seemed very welcoming to her after being stuck in a base for so long, where the locks and the doors were all controlled by electricity, it was nice to be outside. It seemed as though this place would be perfect for sitting down and trying to clear her mind.
'I think you and Arson will make a great couple,' said Minako suddenly. Ash swung her head around to look at her piercingly.
'Excuse me?'
'I think you and Arson will make a great couple. But you know…you should really try and be nicer to him…I mean you're always putting him down and insulting him. I often wonder why he's still been running after you for all this time.' Ash had turned her head to look back at Kilaya but now she turned to look at Minako again.
She saw the expression on her face. It was almost as though she were holding her breath, as though waiting for a bomb to go off and explode in her face. What kind of person had this girl been? Someone who had scared most people surely. That much was obvious when you considered the expression on Minako's face. Ash smiled at her.
'You really like to tell it straight don't you?' said Ash at last. Minako blinked at her, looking puzzled and somewhat relieved that Ash had not yelled. She smiled nervously.
'Well someone's got to tell you the truth. It may as well be me.' Ash's smile broadened. If she was going to act like a girl, then he might as well give it her best shot. She had already been thinking while Minako had been answering her question. Ash had cried so much recently. Nearly everyday since she had been here. Nearly every hour. Were Dante, Xyphos and Trish watching him right now? Were they laughing? If so, then she really had to stop this senseless weeping. He was simply trapped in a girl's body now and that was all there was to it. After all, if this was some kind of a test that Sparda was planning for him, and if this was all a world which Sparda had dreamt up, in order to test him, then he was surely failing. Ash made up her mind then and there to toughen up. No more tears. She simply had to do what was required of her, and try to survive as best as she could in the meantime. Besides, Kilaya needed help. What Kilaya didn't need were people who sat down and cried all day feeling sorry for themselves.
Ash looked down on the town again. No. Kilaya did not need anymore cry babies. She had already liked what she had seen and now she was oddly impatient to be on their way again. However, Minako didn't seem to think the same way as her. She had sat down and was now staring at the distance, a dreamy look in her eyes. Ash thought about hurrying her up but then decided against it. After all, everyone had been so patient with her, and now it was her turn to repay back the favour. She sensed that Minako wanted to talk about something, though she was not entirely sure what.
At length she began talking again, her eyes still far away.
'Me and Rayne…we've known each other since we were kids.' Ash nodded quietly, not really sure how to answer this strange remark. 'And only now, we've finally got it together. But it's so hard, Ash.' Ash was about to make some kind of sarcastic comment when Minako carried on again. 'You understand what I'm going through…I know you do. I mean look at you and Arson…' Ash held her silence. Sudden intuition told her that Minako had kept silent for so long, that now it was imperative that she should talk, and get everything out of her system. Minako remained silent for some minutes. Ash decided that it was time to prompt her.
'So why is it so hard?'
'He's a vampire…'
'Have you got something against vampires?'
'No not at all…' Ash waited. Minako didn't continue.
'So why are you finding it hard if he's a vampire?'
'Well…in the day he's usually asleep. But at night, he's always on his shift.'
'He isn't today though. And he wasn't when we went out walking that day when I…' Ash checked herself. She had been about to say "when I had been warped here". Mianko nodded.
'You're right. But it's just so hard. We barely even talk. And now I'm kind of worried.'
'Why are you worried?' Minako looked up at Ash at that point, her eyes deadly serious. Ash actually backed away from her frowning, sensing some kind of resentment.
'Ash I want you to be honest to me.'
'Sure what is it?'
'Well…do you like Rayne?' Ash frowned and then grinned.
'Sure I do.' Minako glared at her.
'I thought so.'
'But then again so does Arson,' continued Ash. Minako's eyes widened.
'What?' Ash looked at the expression on her face and frowned again, sensing that they were misunderstanding each other. 'What do you mean Arson likes Rayne? Does Rayne like him back? Are you okay with Arson liking Rayne?' Ash ran a hand through her hair, puzzled.
'Well I don't mind to be honest. I think Rayne likes him. At least that's why they always talk to each other. I mean, I haven't seen them exactly strangling each other or anything,' said Ash. She was totally nonplussed at the look of disbelief on Minako's face.
'But I thought you loved Arson!' Ash blinked but then frowned at Minako again. The two stared at each other, Minako with tears in her eyes and Ash with a look of pure bewilderment on her face. Suddenly, her eyes cleared and she burst out laughing.
'Oh! You mean like like!' said Ash loudly. Minako could only stare at her in disbelief but then shook her head, her anxiety slipping away rapidly. She couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Ash's face. 'I thought you were talking about something else!' Ash laughed properly for the first time since she had arrived here. This was getting wilder and wilder. She wondered what would have happened if she hadn't realised what Minako had been talking about. That would have caused too many problems. Minako stood up and stretched.
'Well, instead of sitting around, we'd better meet up with the guys.' Ash nodded and looked towards the town. She breathed in deeply and shook her head, a bemused look on her face before she followed Minako.
Ash sat down calmly at the table at the restaurant and crossed her legs, trying to act as feminine as possible. Arson didn't even look in her direction. He was pale faced and his eyes were on the menu in front of him. He looked distractedly around and brushed a hand through his hair, making him look even more haggard. Rayne was watching him worriedly but then smiled at Minako as she sat down beside him. Ash gently poked Arson in the side.
'Are you okay?' Arson jumped and blinked at her, as though he had only just realised that she was by his side.
'Hi!' he said, in a falsely cheerful voice. Ash frowned at him.
'What's wrong?'
'Nothing. What makes you think that?' Ash was about to comment on the ashen look his face had taken but then decided against this, thinking it might hurt his feelings. Instead she cleared her throat and forced herself to smile at him.
'Well, maybe because you haven't told me how I look.' She settled back in her hair and struck what she thought was a feminine pose. Arson frowned at her.
'What's wrong with you? You haven't put on any make up,' he said. Ash felt as though she had just been slapped. She scowled at him.
'Maybe I just didn't feel like it,' she said through gritted teeth. Arson suddenly smiled sensing her irritation.
'You look better without any on,' he murmured. Ash didn't exactly know what to say to this so remained silent.
'You know Arson, you look kind of pasty. Aren't you feeling well?' said Minako. Arson said nothing. Rayne frowned at Minako, telling her to drop the subject. Minako caught the warning glare and returned to looking through her menu. Ash also decided to do the same but then blinked.
'Um…what language is this?'
'Kilayan,' said Rayne promptly. Ash blinked at him from over her menu.
'You're kidding me, right?' Arson looked at her, confused. Rayne smiled falsely at Ash.
'No but you are. You're not being very funny.' Ash suddenly understood.
'Well someone's got to brighten up the mood,' she said in a small voice. She felt oddly out of place here. Everyone knew what they were ordering, apart from her. She sighed listlessly and fidgeted in her seat before freezing when she felt someone's eyes on her.
'You look cute when you do that.'
'Do what?' Arson smiled languidly. His face no longer looked troubled. 'When you play with your hair like that.'
'Yeah well it's long.'
'I like it long.'
'I was thinking of getting it cut,' said Ash promptly. Let's see him make a reply to that! Arson shrugged.
'It would look good short too.' Ash rolled her eyes when Arson wasn't looking in her direction. Rayne sniggered behind his menu, causing Minako to look at him curiously.
'So what are you ordering, Ash?'
'A Hamburger,' said Ash immediately. Arson choked on his drink. Minako looked at Ash in bewilderment. Rayne continued to chuckle.
'I…don't think they do hamburgers here, Ash,' said Minako. Ash shrugged.
'All right then anything else I guess. I'm not picky.' Arson blinked twice.
'That's odd…' he murmured. 'Usually you turn your nose up and everything. Including hamburgers.' Ash simply shrugged again.
'Can't be a bitch all my life can I?' Arson suddenly sighed and walked out of the restaurant. Ash watched him go, strangely concerned. A piece of paper fell out of his jeans pocket. Ash got up and dashed towards it, picking it up.
'Hey Arson!' Arson hadn't heard her. Or maybe he was just ignoring her. Whatever the case was, he didn't come back. Ash returned to her seat looking confused. She quickly unfolded the piece of paper. The red ink seemed to jump out at her as she scanned the letter.
It read, "The Curse. When you ran, you escaped for only a short time. You thought you were safe these past three years. But you were a fool. You were wrong. Now is the time to gain my vengeance. You won't even live to see the rest of the week. Ophelia". Ash gave vent to a petrified shout and then dropped the paper.
'Shit!' Rayne stood up.
'What is it? Ash? Talk! What is it?' Ash handed him the letter, her hands shaking. She swallowed hard and tried to steady herself. Minako read the letter over his shoulder and frowned.
'Who's Ophelia.'
'A very evil woman,' said Ash in a low voice. 'She's Arson's mother.' Minako's eyes widened. Rayne looked at Ash in shock, his eyes questioning her silently. Ash answered by giving a tiny nod.
'I think we should go home,' Rayne said softly, steering the two out of the building and back towards the base. Ash's thoughts were a whirl. So, Ophelia was still alive. For some odd reason she was not as scared as she should have been. She figured that this was because she was not in any danger this time. Instead, it was his parallel self. Her thoughts seemed to rewind and then play back everything that Arson had told her about his life. Ophelia had never died. He had never met Dante, his grandfather. And Val was dead. Judging by the letter, he had run away when he was fifteen and now Ophelia was back and hunting him down. Ash suddenly was filled with nothing but pity for Arson. He had been living through such trauma until he was fifteen, and as soon as he relaxed he had found out that he was on the run once again.
This parallel world was getting to be more and more crazy even as the minutes passed.
Okay, if anyone is finding this very VERY difficult to understand, E mail me and I'll explain everything.
Anyway, disclaimer is as follows. Despite what Dante's review said in Havoc In The House, he doesn't belong to me. Even though I wish he did. (steps away from Dante who was hiding behind her) Capcom owns Dante. As for me, I just use my evil imagination to make random things happen when I'm in a bad mood. Surprisingly, I'm not in a bad mood right now. I just have writer's block. ARGH!
Xyphos doesn't belong to me. Trish doesn't. Mundus doesn't. Blades don't. Minako doesn't. The only two who DO belong to me are the terrible duo, Rayne and Arson. Well they're not that bad in my serious fics but in HITH, they WILL make things happen. And not all of them good.
Read and review please??? (puppy eyes)
Thanks to Vampy Sparda for Rping with me and somehow making this idea come into my already twisted mind.