RAISING MERIDIAN
Out of the Closet
VA and Syvia again would like to apologise for the length of time between updates. It's just that there are so many shiny things in this world to get distracted by these days…
Disclaimer: We don't own Legacy of Kain, Eidos does. The Nexus and its inhabitants are the Angel's responsibility, and Celia derives from somewhere resembling Mercedes Lackey. Krobelus belongs to Volition : Kurt Wagner to Marvel Comics.
Review Responses next chapter. We do appreciate each and every review we get ^_^
Raziel: *glares at the Silent Hill Room, which has been colonised by Old Kain* I never knew he had so much junk.
Celia: *poking at a roll of fabric, which goes "clink" ominously, and leaves a reddish stain on her finger* Can we just check the room and leave?
Krobelus: *glancing at posters on the walls* I never knew he liked Sesame Street.
Raziel: *lifts his head as if sniffing* Only vampire been down here recently is Kain.
Krobelus: I meant to ask – how come the Abyss didn't rob you of your sense of smell?
Raziel: It did. How do you think I can stand to be near Vladimir when he's cooking?
Krobelus: Then how…?
Raziel: You think I can smell him? I'm just going by the leftover blood bags.
Celia: *shudders* Guys…please.
She steps in something that goes "squish", and Krobelus suppresses a snigger.
Celia: That is IT.
She stalks up the stairs and out into the lounge. Sebastian, caught unawares, is sorting carefully through the bookshelves, looking for useful information.
Celia: Hah!
Sebastian: *drawing himself up to his full height and getting into his best proclaiming pose* Ahahahaha, puny mortal female, you shall tell me all I desire to know…
Celia: Lose the backchat, Sparky.
She balls up water from the stand of Vladimir's much-neglected rubber plant and hurls it at him. Sebastian realises what it is seconds before it hits – and just like that, he's off.
Celia: *watching damp papers drift slowly to the floor in the space where Sebastian was* Huh.
Krobelus: *coming out from the basement door* Quick, isn't he?
Raziel: *looking as cheerful as anyone with half a face can* I love little games like this.
He peers up into the stairwell.
Raziel: Three – two – one. Coming! Ready or not!!
He bounds up the stairs two at a time, heading for the third floor and the attic.
Celia: *looking after him* Is he or is he not the world's most emaciated three-year-old?
Krobelus: What, you mean you don't want to play?
The necromancer skips infuriatingly upstairs in the wake of Raziel and disappears in the direction of the second-floor bedrooms and the green bathroom.
Celia: *hands on hips* Why do women ever have children when there are so many men around to be immature?
Krobelus's voice: *from the second floor* Because you females are defenceless in the face of our masculine wiles, my dear.
Celia: *crossly, stamping up the stairs* You must've been behind the door when those wiles were being handed out….
Krobelus's voice: Better than having fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.
Raziel's voice shouts down from above before Celia can retaliate.
Raziel: Come back here!
Sounds of scuffling and thumping filter down from above. Several doors open and slam shut, rapidly.
Celia: Raziel? Do you need any help up there?
She is answered only by the entirely unnerving sound of Raziel's laughter, and the sound of the upstairs en suite shower being turned on full blast.
Sebastian: *muffled* Curses!
More thumping from above, and sounds that would be consistent with a vampire opening a cupboard only to be bombarded with mop handles, buckets, and the inevitable loose tennis balls.
Raziel's voice: *triumphant* Game, set, and mop….
Krobelus: *looking out of the green bathroom onto the landing* Did you get him?
Celia is nearly bowled over by something blurred and moving exceptionally fast that zips by her as she is about to head up the stairs.
Celia:…that would be a no.
Meanwhile, over at the Nexus Mall, Faustus is picking his teeth idly with a crate splinter. Marcus leans against the crate, examining his nails. They hear someone approaching and freeze. Marcus scampers behind the crate and Faustus jumps down and stands to one side of it. Faustus strikes a dramatic pose and waits... and deflates when he sees it isn't Kain.
Random Acolyte: Oh hello! You must be Brother Flutey's friend. *hugs Faustus*
Faustus: *rolls eyes and pats the Acolyte on the head* Yes, yes, thank you.
Acolyte: I've just come for a few more cans of soup.
Faustus: Good for you.
Acolyte: *picks up a box* You haven't seen Brother Flutey by any chance?
Faustus: Actually he's right-
Marcus' hand darts out from the shadows and knocks Faustus over the head.
Faustus: - in the bathroom... I think. I could be wrong.
Acolyte: Ah, well, if you see him, please tell him Sister Mattie was looking for him.
The Acolyte waddles away, smiling pleasantly. Marcus rounds the crate after he leaves, scowling.
Faustus: *deadpan* Sister Mattie was looking for you.
Marcus: *growls*
Faustus: *enjoying himself immensely* You should take your duties more seriously, Marcus, really. They need your help to hug and feed the senseless mortals wandering about this place.
Marcus gives him a death glare. His eyes go red, and he raises his claws, fully intent on knocking the other vampire into a pile of empty soup bins. Faustus only smirks, waiting. Marcus manages to compose himself, letting out a deep breath and crossing his arms tightly across his chest. Faustus returns to leaning against the crate, smirking to himself.
Marcus grabs his hair and flings him into the pile of soup pans.
Kain stalks through the soup kitchen storage area, listening to the sounds of a scuffle as he gets closer to the back of the room. He raises a silver eyebrow as he realizes the fighters are two vampires, and smirks when he identifies the voices.
Marcus and Faustus, still oblivious, Faustus sits down on a soup crate in the storage area behind the kitchen. Marcus stands beside him, now divesting himself of the white and blue pants and over-robes of the order, revealing a more normal black leather bodysuit. He grimaces at the white boots, and after a momentary decision, he pulls them off and chucks the lot behind a crate. Faustus looks at him curiously.
Marcus: I'd rather have bare feet than face Kain wearing white shoes.
Faustus looks amused, but says nothing- he is, after all, more obsessed with appearance than Marcus.
Marcus: Now remember, we are not going to rush Kain when we first see him, Faustus. We will try negotiation.
Faustus: *scoffs* Why? Are we not planning to kill the cat creature as soon as we subdue Kain? Or even kill Kain and then the hostage?
Marcus: *groans* I will not underestimate Kain, as you quite obviously are doing.
Faustus: *waves a hand, dismissively* Dormancy weakened his powers, Marcus. I nearly staked him and he ran to save himself. Besides- he is one, we are two.
Marcus: *sighing* Do you want to fight him and possibly get your clothing dirty?
Faustus' eyebrows fly to his hair.
Faustus: Let's try negotiation first.
Marcus: Good boy.
From the shadows, Kain continues to smirk to himself. Then, choosing his moment for maximum dramatic effect, he straightens his face into a suitable angry scowl, walks to the edge of the crate stacks and waits for them to notice him.
At Vladimir's house, from inside the darkness of the closet, the other, younger Kain abruptly begins sniffing.
Lupa: What's wrong, honey-fangs?
Young Kain: *distracted* I smell something odd...
Lupa: *glancing at her hands* It could be the chocolate body paint….
Young Kain: No no no- one of my kind. I think there may be...
Lupa: *determined* They can't have you till I'm done!
A listener outside the closet would have heard the sound of giggling, and limbs being flung against the walls, if there had been anyone outside to listen.
Sebastian runs down from the second floor at full pelt, trying desperately to dodge what are obviously some of Krobelus' lightning attacks – he pauses in horrible indecision in the hall. Should he run, or…?
His gaze falls upon the closet.
Krobelus' voice: *from the landing* Raziel, he's headed for the door!
Raziel's voice *from somewhere above* : I'll get him…
Sebastian makes his decision and flings open the hall closet door.
Sebastian, Lupa and Young Kain: AAAAaaaaaaaah!
Lupa: Pervert!
Sebastian: *in shock* He's naked!
Lupa swipes him across the face with her claws while Young Kain hisses and does his best to hide under an old winter coat of Vladimir's.
Sebastian: *rubbing blood out of his eyes* Kain! What are you do-
Lupa: *furious* What do you think he was doing?!!
She stalks out of the closet, grabs Legolas's knives from the umbrella stand, and starts taking swipes at Sebastian, who is still staring at Young Kain in disbelief. Raziel comes bounding down the stairs and comes to a dead halt at the sight before him. He puts his claws carefully over his eyes.
Raziel: *calmly, from behind his self-imposed blindfold* Lupa, my dear…please put some clothes on while you attack that vampire…
Lupa: *raging* Will it make him any more dead if I do?
Krobelus: *staring* No, but it'll make me feel a lot less uncomfortable…
Celia: *from behind Krobelus* She really has no shame at all, does she?
Krobelus: *still staring* Not a bit.
Celia grabs the necromancer by the arm and drags him off into the kitchen as Raziel steps in to take Sebastian by the throat and Young Kain thoughtfully drops another old coat over Lupa's bristling hackles.
In the kitchen, Celia turns on Krobelus, fuming.
Celia: Bloody men! I suppose you would have just stood there and got a really good look if I'd let you, wouldn't you?
Krobelus: *indignant* What? What did I do?
Celia: *spluttering* You – you…chauvanist!!!
Krobelus suddenly grins, leans into Celia, who scowls at him.
Krobelus: Jealous, are we, Celia?
He swaggers back out into the lounge, obviously immensely pleased with himself.
Celia: *to the empty kitchen* I…hate…him…