Hello everybody! It's snowing today as I post this! And you know what else? I'm sick. I have a cold, a fever and a sore throat. Wonderful. It's taken me some time trying to write this chapter but the bricks decided it would be funny to give me a dose of writer's block.
Never fear though, your darling Bustahead is here! ^_^ (gives the peace sign or victory sign) I've got this chapter here and I've already started work on the next one. Havoc in the House is something I'm still struggling with but don't worry, that should soon be up too.
Until then, I present you Chapter 15! Much thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love you guys! (hugs you) Oh Damn…the snow's stopped. (pouts)
Chapter 15
Look at them. Look at those fools. They're so tiny, pathetic. They're nothing compared to me. Nothing. They're weak. And idiotic also. To think that the three dared try to fight against me. Now one of their number is cut down. I see how one grieves. My reign of terror is here. I have the final shard, the final chip. Without it, the Dark Angel cannot make good use of the crystal. He needs me in order to activate it. He may have power, but his intellectual strength is sadly lacking.
It wasn't always this way. It wasn't always like this. I used to be human too. I don't enjoy doing what I do, even though it seems like this. They don't know what I'm really after. To say that I'm taking over the world is only partly true. It's much more than that. So much more. They don't know what it's like. They don't know how I keep feeling torn up inside.
I have killed so many innocents. I kill, I burn, I am chaos. No one can stand against me anymore it seems. I should be thrilled at this, but instead life seems to lack all excitement. I must remember that I am not truly invincible just yet. Nelo Angelo, the Dark Angel still is a threat. If he does by any unfortunate chance happen to come across the last crystal shard, I dread to think what would happen. Hopefully he would not know the necessary ritual needed in order to activate it.
I remember the vampire well. Reiko. I remember seeing his little face stare up at me in shock after the death of his parents. Why did I do that? I suppose it was because I was bored and needed a thrill. I watched the boy grow secretly and smiled as I watched him suffer in his sleep, in his every waking moment. I had done this to him. It gave me a great pleasure. I had power to give and take. I had the power to cause harm to others.
I think it was just after that when I started to kill more and more. I had savoured my first taste of power and now I just wanted more and more. But something happened shortly. I felt tired of creating the same type of terror. I wanted something new.
They think I'm trying to take over the world, and in truth, I am. However, like I said there's so much more to it than that. I want the thrill again. I want to feel alive. What would I do next? What would happen once I take it over? What then? I'd become bored again. Life is a never ending cycle of boredom it seems. I could have done with Jaal being alive. But that's the way it is. Life comes and goes.
That child's parents. They knew who I was. It was my first time killing. But even before, they had heard of my name. How? Perhaps because the terror I had spread through the torture I had administered? I don't know, nor should I care. But I feel uneasy. I left one of them alive. But he is still a mere puppy. What harm can he do me? So consumed by his rage and grief, he won't be able to touch me. He won't keep a clear head, whereas I can.
I wonder if the Dark Angel knows about the secret of this gem?
I hope not.
The vampire awakens and is now on the move…but I sense that something has changed. I wonder what it could be…and whether I could use this to my advantage.
Reiko slowly made his way out of Devil May Cry, as though in a trance. He paused and looked around warily and shuddered before continuing down the street. Soon, he found himself in the city. People were still awake at this time of night, the loud music of various clubs filtering out into the cold world outside, creating a medley of sounds. His hazel eyes glittered in the dark, as he stood and observed, unsure as to where he should go. The streets were alive with people laughing drunkenly, some alone most in groups. A man crashed into him and stared up at him belligerently.
'Watch it, jerk-off!' Reiko blinked but something inside of him snapped. Without warning, he snarled, revealing his sharp white fangs. He was sick and tired of constantly being laughed at. Somewhere through the red haze that had crept into his vision, he thought he saw the man laughing at him silently, mistaking the grimace of terror as mirth.
'What the fu-' Reiko snarled again, his voice a low, but loud growl, drowning out the other's voice. He picked up the man by the throat, watching as though in fascination as the human choked and squirmed. The red haze suddenly disappeared and he let out a sharp gasp before dropping him none too gently on the ground. The man lay on the ground, coughing and gasping for breath. He looked up but found that the vampire was nowhere to be found.
Reiko walked into the first alleyway he could find and crouched down near the brick wall at the end, cradling his head. What the hell was happening to him? He had been feeling awful for the past few days. Had Stephanie's death pushed him over the edge? No…he was used to death. No he wasn't. His feelings conflicted and battled each other. If he was so used to it then surely he wouldn't have taken it so badly when he saw Death staring at him. He feared it, yet he wanted it so badly.
No…no he didn't want Death yet. Death could wait and claim Mostro first as its victim. He had to remember his vow. But right now, it didn't seem so important. Right now he was hungry. A rat scurried around at his feet, fearless. Reiko watched it and wrinkled his nose in disgust. At one time he would have thought nothing of it. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, sighing loudly. What he wouldn't give for the sweet taste of human blood…wait…what the hell was he thinking? His eyes snapped open and he staggered slightly, as though he had just been hit with a sledgehammer in the chest. The shock of the thought winded him. He was finally losing it. He was becoming less human. The thirst for human blood was now becoming overpowering. He was becoming a true vampire.
'This can't be happening…' he croaked. 'This just can't be happening. Not now. I'm so close to what I want…' He stood up, shivering, his appetite totally gone. He swallowed hard and began to make his way back to Devil May Cry.
The streets seemed to be crawling with people. Reiko groaned softly to himself as his stomach clamoured to be filled. The red haze began to creep into his vision again and before he knew what he was doing, he had grabbed someone, moved into a darkened alley and fed from them. The woman had no time to scream for help.
The red mist disappeared from his eyes, and suddenly everything seemed so crystal clear. He was aware of the heavy body in his arms, was aware of the silkiness of her hair. He was aware of something different on his tongue, yes it was blood, but there was something about it he couldn't place. He decided he liked the taste. It was strange, he felt pleasantly adrift, and a dizzy feeling filled his head. He slowly stood up, and stumbled slightly. He blinked. Strange…
He walked off unsteadily towards Devil May Cry, but idly wondered about various different nonsensical issues. Like…why was it always referred to Bullshit? Why not Elephant shit? Made better sense, didn't it? Yeah…it would be bigger. So why were lies and nonsense often called Bullshit? A little corner in his mind fuzzily told him he was talking nonsense. He was talking Bullshit…no…make that…elephant shit. He blinked as a new scent made its way to his nose. Chicken? Yeah…chicken. He grinned. That was probably what that blood had tasted of. Chicken! Chicken was nice. It always tasted good. Chicken…now why was it that Chickens were meant to be cowards? They crossed roads! Even when they were too thick to! Chickens were brave, not cowards.
'We could all learn something from chickens,' he said sagely to a stray dog. Pleased with his theory, he walked on, his mind wondering, constantly wondering. Bullshit, chicken and…caviar. He remembered tasting caviar once. It tasted horrible. Fish eggs. They tasted nothing like chicken. You ended up with a bellyful of fish eggs at the end of the day. And if they hatched -which they probably could, he thought- you'd end up with a bellyful of fish. Lovely. Caviar tasted like shit…not elephant shit or bullshit…but just shit. Not that he'd ever tasted it…
Dante looked at Reiko in confusion as he opened the door. The vampire was obviously drunk and was stumbling uncontrollably. He saw Dante and at first looked at him as though he was some sort of alien. He then grinned.
'I know yooooou…' he chuckled drunkenly. Dante blinked and frowned. He felt Trish coming up from behind him and looked at her direction. Trish looked faintly amused. Reiko staggered over to Dante and smiled. 'Guesh whaaart. I'm losin' it!' Trish giggled at that.
'You sure are!'
'I'm looosin' my humarnity.' Trish stopped giggling and turned pale. Dante stared at Reiko in shock, trying to figure out whether it was the drink talking or whether he was being serious. His face returned to it's expressionless, stony look and he forced Reiko down on the couch.
'Go to sleep. You're talking bullshit.' Reiko blinked up at him and chuckled again.
'I'm not speaking bullshit…it's elephant shit!' Dante looked at Trish again and sighed wearily before going upstairs. Trish put the blinds down and gave Reiko a nervous smile before sitting down near him.
'Go to sleep, okay?' Reiko latched onto her and nuzzled her.
'You're pretty!' he exclaimed, as if only just realizing it. Trish rolled her eyes and pried him off him, but blushed all the same. Reiko lay back on the couch and looked at Trish with faint surprise in his eyes.
'You don't like being called pretty?'
'No I prefer being called a siren.'
'Okay…you're a siren!' Trish shook her head and looked away, thinking things through. She had to get him to sleep. He was beginning to annoy her…even if he was giving her what she'd call sweet compliments. She looked back towards his direction and blinked seeing he had fallen asleep. Either that or he had passed out. She smiled to herself and switched off the lights, going upstairs.
Reiko woke up only when the evening of the next day had fallen. He couldn't remember much of the night before but then a sudden impact hit him as he remembered one shocking discovery. His head ached, his vision was swimming but he tried to push this to one side as he stood up and staggered into the kitchen, where he could hear Trish and Dante talking. They had various items on the kitchen table. Vital Stars, Yellow Orbs, the gems, Devil Stars, the whole lot. Reiko looked down at the table and slowly looked up at them.
'You said we had to get on the move soon,' explained Dante. Reiko nodded, but his pale face had turned even more ashen.
'I…have to tell you something. I think I'm losing my humanity. Last night, something happened…and I took someone's blood. I couldn't control it,' he said softly. He looked at first Trish and then Dante. 'Please…is there anyway you can help me?' Trish looked towards Dante for help but Dante looked solemn.
'I don't know.' Reiko stared at him as though he hadn't heard correctly. 'I'm sorry. I don't think there's anything I can really do.' Reiko blinked and then the words seemed to sink in. He sat down heavily.
'I think I'm going to be sick…' he muttered. Dante chuckled.
'No surprise. After all you drank last night.' Reiko looked up at him quickly.
'What?'
'You were drunk when you came back here last night.' Reiko didn't smile. His eyes were filled with fear.
'I can't lose it now. Not now that I'm actually doing something to stop Mostro.' Trish swept some items into a bag and gave it to Dante before opening the fridge and searching for something edible. Reiko sighed and Trish straightened up.
'We'll try everything we can to keep you from taking the blood of a human,' she said softly. Reiko looked at her sadly and shook his head. Dante watched him steadily and then frowned.
'It's more than that, isn't it?'
'The choice not to drink human blood was mine. I thought that it would help me. But yesterday, last night, I had a sudden urge that I couldn't control, even though I wanted to. That's normal though…sometimes it happens…but usually I'm able to control it. But the thing that really bothered me was…I felt hatred. I suddenly felt hate for this world and everything in it. I suddenly wanted to make mortals suffer…give them something to really complain about. The vampires who used to be members of the guild…they all used to feel this way…I know now…I couldn't understand it before. They all said they cared not for this place. They wanted to repay people for what they had been given…they believed that they had been shown nothing but hatred…they blamed their lives on the humans. I always said that they were being ridiculous…so why did I suddenly get so angry?' He finished by looking at Dante expectantly. The demon hunter was quiet for some time, his cold blue eyes thoughtful.
Trish scowled.
'Does it matter right now? Virgil could be getting closer to Mostro, something might happen while we're standing here doing nothing. Reiko, you said it yourself, we have to get moving.' Reiko blinked, as though he had just been shaken into wakefulness and nodded.
'All right…' he said softly. Dante grabbed his sword and silently walked out of the house.
'We move during the night, we rest at day.'
'Obviously,' snorted Trish. Reiko said nothing but remained silent. He suddenly stiffened but then started shivering. Trish frowned. 'Reiko?' Reiko scowled, his fangs suddenly seeming a lot longer and whiter than before. Dante turned and took in the situation with a single glance, pushing Trish out of the way just as Reiko charged forwards.
Dante turned fiercely, sword in hand, silver hair moving off his eyes as he prepared to meet Reiko in battle.