Somewhere I Belong
A Saiyuki fan fiction by Iapetus
Disclaimer: If I owned Saiyuki, we'd see Sanzo in ONLY his PJs all the time. Gotta love that leather… *evil grin*
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! *bows* Specific review responses can be found in the link in my bio.
Sorry this chapter is a bit late, but I had to double-check on some information for the ending of this chapter, and it required me waiting until I went home for the weekend to ask my dad.
Stylistic note:
" " surround words or phrases being typed on a computer.
Definitions:
Scratching – in Pool, when the cue ball goes into a pocket on a player's turn
Scratching on the 8 – a variation of scratching. If a player knocks the 8-ball in but also puts the cue ball in, they lose the game despite the fact that they managed to get the 8-ball in.
Triangle – name for the most common pool ball rack in the game. Used only at the beginning to help straighten out the balls.
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Chapter 3: Coincidences
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Shuuei sighed as he sat down into the seat next to his main computer. It was a broken swivel chair that could no longer raise its height. He had fallen hard on that seat one time too many from so many busy days.
Hacking had been one of the few things that always relaxed him, and it was a bonus that he could use his skill to help the other Hunters. Absentmindedly fumbling for the lever to raise his seat up, he was reminded for the second time in that short time span that his chair had not worked in months. Sighing, he grabbed the keyboard and set it on his lap.
The cord attached to the keyboard knocked against the mouse, clearing the monitor of the screensaver. Quickly pushing the door to the small room shut, Shuuei turned his face to the only light source of the room, his main computer screen.
Almost immediately, he opened the first of several windows on his tool bar. As he scrolled down the list of numbers, he could already begin to feel his muscles relax. Every now and then, he'd stop to look at a number a bit closer, but he never stayed at one spot for long.
Satisfied with the results, he maximized a second window and began to look at the information more carefully. Pulling up a list of numbers from a personal file, he programmed the computer to do a search for any matches.
As Shrine Abbot and official leader of the Hunters, he had a duty to protect them all. It was him who guarded the Holy Water, and helped bail others out when they were having a problem. In reality, Shrine Abbots had never been able to do that much in terms of actual fighting because they were supposed to stay and guard the Holy Water. However, because of his special abilities, Shuuei could do much more than that.
His master had been regarded as the greatest Abbot ever, but the man had never been good with computers. Shuuei's main goal was to keep the Hunters actions hidden from the Diet by means of manipulating data.
The main issue for the Hunters was one of privacy. Two kinds of walls for housing existed in Oniori – paper thin and soundproof. Those that lived in the cheaper apartments were always at risk of being turned in by a neighbor if anything suspicious seemed to be happening.
Soundproof walls were of the second variety, but in some ways they were much worse. Microphones were installed in a hidden location in every one of the apartments – and the recordings were later screened for "taboo words." If someone was caught like that… it was worse than the witch hunts of the paper-thin neighborhoods.
The Diet would pick 5000 "sound proof" apartments at random each week to monitor. Because it would look suspicious if the same people never got monitored, Shuuei would just make the time periods between monitoring sessions for Hunters a bit longer. On average, about four Hunter residences were observed a week.
The search program had finished its function, revealing three columns of names. The first list was by far the longest, and the one that the hacker completely ignored.
Shifting his attention to the second column, he examined it much more closely. It was a list of the residences of every Hunter, sympathetic vampire and aware human in the capital. Shuuei began to modify the status of the list, taking over half of the names off the "random selector" for the week.
He began typing furiously as he eyed the last list. Shuuei had felt helpless when he first became a Hunter – the position of Abbot had left him grounded to the shrine. It infuriated him that he was sitting around while the others were putting their lives in danger.
Soon afterwards he had started to hack into the Diet's databases for more information and found out about the surveillance system. It was then that he had started to monitor how the operation system worked. As the Hunters began to write a list of all known vampires, Shuuei finally found his hunting method.
Using the "random selection" method as a tool, the hacker would also manipulate the information of the vampires. Picking up a few of the more troublesome targets, Shuuei tried to go after the vampire his Hunters couldn't touch. He would purposely take their names off every single week – making the Diet suspicious of their targets for "tampering with private information." While there were vampires in the Diet, most of them kept to themselves. The government was more than happy to get rid of some of the more bothersome disturbers of the peace – and would unknowingly do the Hunter's job for him.
Shuuei knew that his other hacker friends who were helping in the fight would have been doing this long ago – if it wasn't for the fact that someone else had already tried. When the vampire in question had been executed, a hacker friend of Shuuei's was transformed into a Creature of the Night himself. Because the manipulation had been the hacker's fault, the blood has figuratively fallen on his friend's hands.
So in the end by this method, the Abbot's hands were as red as any other Hunter. He still needed to purify himself after he got word of his target's deaths, just like the others. It made him feel a bit better that he was doing his part, but hiding behind a computer screen still made him feel like a coward sometimes.
A new screen popped up, prompting him to type in a password. Immediately recognizing the layout to the program, he smiled and began to hack around it looking for the key.
It took less than a minute for him to find it. When the screen completely opened up, it looked suspiciously like an Instant Messaging program. He could see that the person on the other side was already typing a message.
You're slowing down, Rikudo. Don't tell me that you're getting lazy. ^^
He smiled in response. Never, He typed. The program was just very good today. You made some good modifications, Hisui.
The Abbot knew that the hacker would probably be blushing at that moment. He was talking to Hisui-hime, The Jaded Princess, of whom he called just "Hisui" for short. She was his right-hand man – woman he corrected himself – and he found her modesty highly amusing.
It isn't like I'm at your level, she responded. Not even the Diet has people that can break through any of your programs. At the simple mention of "Rikudo" the officials tremble in fear.
Rikudo was his online alias – his hacker name that he established for himself soon after becoming a Hunter.
lol. Flatterer, he chuckled slightly. How are you doing?
Ok, relatively. Input and output are out of sync again, and the bank's going to have a shortage very soon.
Well, people aren't going to come in droves to see you, especially after that demonstration two days ago. You can expect that people would be scared. Hisui was the main manager of Oniori's Blood Bank, and was the primary source of sustenance for the vampires aiding the Hunters.
I understand, but you know I have to put the patients first. We'll have another shortage if it continues like this.
We can't afford to have that happen again. If we loose any more Hunters like that… Shuuei shuddered. That particular fiasco had been six months ago, and he still had nightmares about it.
How did you do on the video files? he continued, deciding to change topics.
I'm not sure. I did the best job that I could, but the code was especially complex and hard to crack. There was something about the way the message arrived to his screen that made him apprehensive. Shuuei didn't know if omens were real or not, but something about the response disturbed him… If you could take a look at it I'd appreciate it. Something doesn't seem right about it.
No problem. I was planning on doing so anyways. The hacker paused to crack his knuckles. Anything else happening?
It was a minute before she responded. Tonpu stopped by again today.
He could almost see her expression in his mind's eye. She would be exasperated and quiet with anger – even if it was not aimed directly at the Weakling himself.
I thought he didn't like getting blood bags. Very few vampires had the self-discipline to take only what they needed. Tonpu only came to the Blood Bank when he absolutely needed to pass on some information, and did not have time to see Gojyo.
Well, apparently he was hungry, Hisui responded cryptically. Shuuei, it's only a rumor, but something big seems to be going on in his office.
The Hunter's jaw dropped slightly. If she addressed him by his real name, then it had to be serious. He decided to respond in kind.
There are always going to be rumors, Shunrei. What exactly are you talking about?
Someone e-mailed the newspaper with a story idea, and it has all of the reporters excited. They want to do a series of articles on the lives of the best authors in the Empire, and guess who's on the list?
The woman's sarcasm has always been very light in normal conversation. To say it like this… Shuuei frowned. Goddammit… … but there isn't any information out there for him. The Diet is actually on our side for this – you know that getting that information against his will is one of the forms of identity theft, he responded.
Apparently that doesn't matter. The reporters have already started to bribe some officials. Tonpu has been messing with the records, but you know that won't hold them forever.
… Why didn't Tonpu come to me directly about this? He's one of the few people besides you who has the ability to.
You know why… Shunrei responded simply. Either way, I don't know when I'm going to see Kougaiji next, and you see him much more often than I do.
Of course. I'll give him the warning. He glanced at the clock in the corner of his computer screen and sighed. Something told him that he should really talk to Shunrei more, but a Hunter was about to come for their weekly purification. The Shrine Abbot couldn't ignore his duties.
I'll talk to you later, he typed quickly. Keep a lookout on that security system if you're nervous about it. I agree with you, something doesn't feel right.
.
.
"So, what's up for tonight?" Gojyo asked eagerly as he took his traditional seat in the worn leather chair. The vampire relaxed as the cushions conformed to the shape of his body. Sighing in relief, he closed his eyes lightly.
"I'm actually not too sure," Hakkai responded from the kitchen. "I got two different vintages from room 406, and I was going to wait until Kougaiji got here to ask his opinion."
"You'd ask his opinion before your best friend?" the vampire pouted playfully, pretending to take offense.
"Yes, well I know what you'd like, but we should still hold it up to a democratic vote. It's only fair." Gojyo could hear his friend's footsteps enter the room, and then place two bottles on the table. What they were exactly he could only guess, because his eyes were still closed and he was feeling too lazy to open them and check.
"Does 406 always give you wine? He needs a bit of variety. "You know that stuff isn't strong enough to help quench my thirst," Gojyo smirked.
Hakkai seemed to ignore that last comment as he explained. "He is a wine connoisseur – he doesn't get the hard liquor like you do at the bar. And it is one of the ways we agreed that he'd pay for part of his rent, so I don't see a problem with it." The tone was final, and Gojyo knew it would be pointless to continue arguing.
"Do you at least have anything a bit harder for later?" he complained. "Otherwise I think I'm going to run out and get some before we start."
"There's no need for that. I just recently bought some Gin. It would just be nice to start out with some a bit more… refined." He smiled innocently, but Gojyo knew full that it was anything but.
"Just what are you saying, Hakkai?" his eyes opened as he glared at his friend. "I can be refined!"
"Heh, sure you are." Both of the men turned to face their new arrival who had just spoken. Kougaiji's sudden appearance was not unexpected – Gojyo had felt his approach for the last several minutes. Hakkai actually preferred the two Keikans to not use his front door. While Shuuei was able to turn off the security system in his apartment, he couldn't risk doing so in the halls. No matter what kind of vampire the creature in question was, their forms would not be picked up on camera. It would look odd if Hakkai opened up his door twice for "no one." And since vampires had such a way with shadows… they could get into his apartment without using the front door.
Kougaiji smiled slightly as he read the labels of the two bottles. "Your tenant must really like you – those are both very good years." He moved to take his seat across from Hakkai. "You can't get those in stores."
"Well then, why don't we indulge a little bit?" Smiling, the Hunter uncorked the first bottle and filled their wineglasses three-quarters full.
"I think we should drink to something," he continued as he offered them their drinks.
"What to?" Kougaiji questioned. Gojyo had been wondering the same thing. There hadn't been much in the way of encouraging things that had happened recently.
Hakkai leaned back in his chair to think. "I don't know," he admitted, "that's why I asked you two."
Gojyo smirked. "Well, how about we drink to trying to think of better toasts next time?"
The three considered it for a moment, and then clinked their glasses together.
"So," Hakkai continued, "anything of interest happening?"
Kougaiji's expression soured. "I take it then you two didn't hear about last night?"
The two others shook their heads. While attacks happened almost every single night, no Hunter or vampire ever heard about every single one when they happened.
"Shuuei hadn't heard from some contacts in a few days, so he asked Yaone and I to check up on them." He paused to breathe deeply before elaborating. "There's been another ambush."
Hakkai eyed his best friend before speaking. "How many does this make it?" Ambushes were not unheard of while hunting vampires, but there had been an abnormal amount in the past few months. The ones in the last three weeks had been especially bloody…
"Who can say anymore?" Gojyo remarked gloomily. "I lost count awhile back." He looked at Kougaiji with suspicion. "They're gone, aren't they? Our contacts?" The silence that followed spoke more than his fellow Keikan ever could.
"Who did we lose?" Hakkai asked quietly.
Gojyo could tell that he was mentally counting as he took another sip of wine. "Three Weaklings, two Hunters and four Aware humans."
"It kind of makes you begin to think who hasn't been ambushed yet," Hakkai said solemnly.
Gojyo laughed darkly. "I can see the monkey or the little brat being taken by surprise-" he began.
"No, but Goku and Lirin are both too good to fall into the old ambush traps, even if they are still the rookies," Hakkai finished. "There's something more organized about it."
"And the fact that every single target recently has been somehow connected to us?" Kougaiji noted.
"I still say that it has to be some vampire on the inside. More than one by the looks of it, too," Gojyo commented.
"Of course they are," Kougaiji said, "Chin Yisou just got that promotion and he just happened to run into Yaone and you," he nodded to Hakkai, "during the protest. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others."
"But what can we do about it? You know that Shuuei has hit a wall when it comes to the Diet's database. No matter how hard he tries he can't crack the innermost system – and he is the best hacker in the Empire," the Hunter pointed out.
There was an uncomfortable pause as the three of them silently examined the situation. Gojyo knew that they wouldn't get anywhere else on the ambushes that night – he'd have to wait to talk to Tonpu later that week for more information. I might have to go out and check some stuff out myself… the Keikan considered. Until then, they had something much more important to discuss.
"I heard that you broke another computer mouse," Gojyo commented to Kougaiji. He cut the Keikan off as he tried to retaliate to the statement. "Yaone found it in the trash."
"When did you talk to her?" he remarked dangerously. The vampire probably didn't even realize in the change of his attitude.
Gojyo's eyebrows rose. "What, I can't even talk to my own little sister?" Kougaiji's reaction still had him surprised. His fellow vampire was so determined to hold onto his humanity that he was denying his… darker… instincts. The fact that they were beginning to surface subconsciously…
Well, no one ever said that Kougaiji didn't have willpower. He held the record as the vampire who has abstained the longest from blood after transforming. True, later he did break down and start feeding off of blood bags, but Gojyo still admired him for it. If Kougaiji had been any bit lesser of a man, he wouldn't even let him near Yaone, much less let them be friends.
However, the remark about his sister seemed to have jarred something in Kougaiji's mind as Gojyo continued. " What the hell has you that pissed?"
The vampire's eyes narrowed, which took the other two by surprise. "It must have been bad then, if you were to break a mouse over it," Hakkai noted. "I guess you really don't know your own strength if you were gripping it that tightly."
Gojyo grinned darkly as he watched the emotions change in Kougaiji's face. There's no way he'll be able to get mad at Yaone, no matter how hard he tries. She was simply concerned about him, and knew that her older brother and other best friend would be able to somehow weasel the problem out of him.
After a moment of hesitation, Kougaiji pulled out a folded piece of paper and threw it on the table. Hakkai tentatively picked it up and unfolded it carefully.
It appeared to be several sheets of paper folded together, and from the angle Gojyo was at, it also looked like a print out of an e-mail.
Gojyo watched as Hakkai read it over, and how his eyes seemed to widen and narrow at certain points. After finishing, he wordlessly handed it over to his best friend.
Reading it quickly, the Keikan could also sense his eyes react in the same fashion. "Bunny-san? Who is this psycho?" Throwing the printed e-mail back onto the table, he openly glared at it with the others. If Gojyo ever found out who sent it… they'd regret the day they did. No one talked about his little sister like that. He wouldn't allow it.
"I'm going over to the shrine later tonight to ask Shuuei to trace the e-mail address." Kougaiji said simply.
"He mentioned the Awards Ceremony. Chin Yisou brought it up too when he talked to us at the protest," Hakkai made no attempt to mask the disgust he felt for the new Chief of Police.
"I really wish she hadn't been nominated," he continued. "Yaone gets enough attention as it is being a Prodigy Child."
"The rest of the orchestra are a bunch of cowards," Gojyo said, "They don't want to get pushed into the lime light and chose her as a scapegoat. You know she couldn't refuse."
"It wasn't an option," Kougaiji said dryly. "The conductor practically begged her to."
"It isn't his style, though," Gojyo began, "Chin Yisou would never send an e-mail out anonymously like that."
"What would he want to do with Kougaiji? I can understand Yaone, but the e-mail makes it sound like he isn't that familiar with her."
"He knows of the rumors about my mother too." Gojyo noted that out of respect for Hakkai and his property, Kougaiji had set down his wine glass on the table. Had it actually been in his hand, the glass would have probably shattered by now.
Hakkai refilled his own glass and stared hard at the liquid. "I'd love to say that it's all a big horrible coincidence," he said finally, "but we all know that they don't exist. They never did."
.
.
He was in his element.
Oblivious to the looks of hidden jealousy around him, Goku slowly walked around the pool table, analyzing how to go about his next shot. It had been a very good game, and the young man knew he was about to win.
The more he looked at the setup, he realized that if he did not win on this turn, he would set up his opponent for the perfect angle to get it in. Making his decision, Goku finally opted on a backhand shot.
"8-ball, corner pocket." The small talked vanished as he swung the cue behind his back and set himself up. Other games seemed to have halted as well to watch the young man finish up the game.
The sound of the cue hitting the 8-ball seemed abnormally loud in the crowded pool bar. Dozens of eyes watched with great interest as the solid black ball rolled toward the pocket in question –
…and fell in.
Several people started to cheer, but were quickly shut up by their neighbors as they saw the cue ball rolling towards the opposite side pocket. If Goku scratched on the 8…
The young man grinned as the white ball stopped less than an inch from the edge. Cheers were now in full swing as his opponent offered his hand over the table to shake.
"Good game," the man commented as Goku took his hand. "I can see why they call you the "Double Prodigy.""
"It's a good thing that he isn't around during Basketball season, otherwise none of us would ever have any money!" a spectator joked.
"There's no way he could come by on-season," another young man put in. "Does Coach still work you guys like dogs?"
People began moving back to their own games, but the Hunter had a feeling that they would come back again once the next game was further along. A small group of men still remained as the others left, looking at him expectantly.
Picking up the twenty dollars thrown down by his opponent, he left his own still on the side rail and stuffed his winnings in his pocket, waiting for the next challenger.
"What, you still won't play me?" the young man from before, a former classmate of Goku's named Shing, asked. "I don't get to see you that often anymore and was hoping that we could hang out…"
To both of their disgust, a man staggered up and slapped a bill on the rail. "I'm next…" he said. "If you want to play him you have to get in line." His speech was slurred, and he reeked of cheap beer.
"It wouldn't be fair… for you to hog him, Shing." He spoke slowly. "There's always a line to play the "Double Prodigy"…"
Goku felt himself redden slightly at the statement, and then have to stifle the urge to laugh. As a Prodigy Child, he had been deemed to have "remarkable ability" in the area of athletics – more specifically Basketball. The Diet didn't give this title to pool sharks. Those that frequented the pool bars of Oniori gave the term "Double" to him.
"Hey, I promised you a game – you'll get it. I don't go back on my word." As Goku turned away, he almost missed the satisfied smirk on this companion's face. The man didn't seem to notice that he saw it, though.
Pulling all of the balls out of the pockets, the drunken man put them in the triangle and attempted to line it up. Taking pity on the man, Goku moved to correct the placement and motioned for his opponent to get ready to take his turn. Subconsciously, he felt a twinge of relief distancing himself between Shing and him.
Goku let the drunk break, and watched in amazement as a solid actually went in. Either it was dumb luck or this man was a really good actor…
As his opponent hiccupped and stumbled around the table for his next turn, the Hunter amended that previous statement. There's no way he's faking it. He's like Gojyo when he's drunk off his ass…
Sure enough, the man missed his next shot by several inches and it had been a fairly simple one too. Goku did his best not to laugh out loud. The man would feel bad enough about missing such an easy shot on his own, and especially after giving the "Prodigy" a chance to get into the game too.
He had knocked three striped balls in before missing, and went off to the side to find Shing holding two beers. Goku shook his head in refusal as he was silently offered one. "No thanks, I don't drink." There was no way he could even consider trying to drink tonight – not while out working on a kill. He had zero tolerance for alcohol anyways.
"C'mon, its on me," the man insisted. "You're off-season, so let yourself loosen up a bit."
"No really, it's ok," he reassured. Both bottles had already been opened. Goku didn't want to think about what might have been done to them.
Shing shrugged and set the offered bottle next to Goku on the table they were standing near. "Well, in case you change your mind…"
Goku wasn't going to change his mind. He had always hated the smell of beer. It wasn't like he could have some anyways – Hunters were required to remain sober at all times.
"So how's Math 110 without lil' old me?" he continued conversationally. "The professor still being a bastard?"
The Hunter winced inwardly at the question. Tomorrow would be the first time since the locker room incident that he would have the class. From what Lirin and Houmei had told him after he left, his return wasn't going to be pretty.
"I hate math," Goku stated vehemently as he went to take his next shot.
Damn, for someone so bad he's really making my shots difficult… Goku commented to himself silently about his opponent. Of course, this gave him a bit of a challenge, and Son Goku was never one to back down on a challenge.
Aiming for the black rail, the cue bounced off the side at an angle, and gently knocked the targeted striped ball into the corner pocket. He then reported the same sort of maneuver to knock another ball in before he missed again.
Shing leered at him. "Not good with math? Then how can you do those angle shots?"
"That stuff makes sense," Goku said simply, as if the statement explained itself.
"So you're a real-life application kind-of-guy. That's cool, but I thought you got bad grades in Geometry too…"
"The professor marked me down because he couldn't read my handwriting – uh, sir? Do you really want to do that?" Goku's statement had been interrupted by the action of his opponent. He was aiming for the 8, but the 1, 5 and 6 were still on the table.
"Don't tell me how to play the game!" he snapped back. "I'm an expert! You won't be called the "Double Prodigy" after I get through with you!" He then burped and kept on aiming for the 8-ball.
Goku turned to comment to Shing, but found his companion staring very hard at the drunk. His eyes did not blink, and the Hunter could almost see his "friend's" eyes take on a glow of molten copper.
The drunk seemed unnaturally dazed – even for his physical state – as he took his shot. The cue was steady in his hand, and the 8-ball rolled into the pocket. It had been an amazing shot – and Goku would have appreciated it more for his opponent had he not just thrown the game.
"Well… uh… I guess that's it," the drunk said in an indifferent tone. "I'll go now…"
Goku watched in astonished silence as his former opponent took his leave. As the door shut behind him, things suddenly seemed much quieter.
The once busy pool hall was now empty. Even the bartender had taken his leave. It was eerie, and Goku didn't like it. He had always been able to handle the actual fights without problem, but it was this waiting that would kill him.
Hypnosis… His eyes slammed shut as he began to go through the mental exercises to release himself from the trick. Breaking oneself out of hypnosis was ten times harder than resisting it in the first place. Playing pool and talking with his old "friend" had lowered his guard.
He should have known better.
Mind slipping away, he felt like he was trying to go uphill in a mudslide. Goku searched frantically for a point of reference – something to jar his mind back to reality.
He was dimly aware of Shing's approach. With each step, Goku could only feel repulsed. He couldn't die like this…
Images of a blood-splattered room seemed to freeze the mud that clogged his brain. Lirin kneeling next to a body, trying futilely to shake it awake. Tears were streaming down her face as she sobbed their best friend's name.
The memory was so real, it was almost as if he could feel his own tears on his face again…
No, Lirin and I promised each other that we'd avenge him… I CAN'T DIE HERE!
Eyes snapping open, he glared at Shing with undisguised hatred. The Weakling seemed shocked at the angry tears gathering in his "victim's" eyes as they were blinked away quickly, and that he was able to break through his illusion.
It was then that Goku realized how far the vampire had gotten. He could feel his throat throb as the creature's hand pressed against it. The Hunter smacked the arm away in disgust and jumped back. There was no reason to keep up the act now.
Red eyes narrowing, the vampire lunged forward. Goku quickly withdrew his spike. As always, he felt incredibly apprehensive that the weapon could do any good against such a fearsome opponent.
Goku you idiot! He insulted himself, he's using hypnosis again! The Hunter reminded himself of his fight only two days ago in the locker room. Yes, he could kill a vampire with his spike…
Holding tightly to the image of Lirin besides his friend's body, he grabbed a ball off the pool table and threw it at the vampire's head.
Even with his enhanced abilities as a Hunter, the object was simply too slow and the vampire caught it as it passed by his head.
"And here I thought you were supposed to be the Prodigy Child of Sports – I guess that is a bad assumption. You can't pitch worth jack shit."
"That's why I went out for Basketball, you asshole," he shot back. Something told Goku in the back of his mind that he wasn't going to be able to kill this Weakling with just his spike. Quickly glancing around the room, he grinned and put his weapon away.
Shing then threw the pool ball back so fast that Goku barely had time to dodge. He dove under the table in an attempt to avoid the returned pool ball. Missing his head by only inches, the Hunter watches as the projectile rammed into the carpet and cracked in two. He watched as some of the shrapnel flew past his face and tore into the green felt of the table he was using to keep his distance.
One of this place's main attractions is that they carry the best brand of billiard balls in the world, he remembered. They are supposed to not even break when thrown against concrete. If he can crack them on a carpet floor… oh CRAP!
His thoughts were interrupted as Shing quickly tipped the table over in an attempt to crush him. The earsplitting sound of a five hundred pound slab of slate shattering into a thousand pieces echoed ominously through the deserted game room. Maybe luring him in here was a bad idea after all…
"Now Goku, I'd really hate to ruin that cute face of yours. It would be so much better for the both of us if you just gave up now," the vampire taunted in a playful voice. "I don't bite… hard."
From where he lay, the young man felt like he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. As Shing advanced, his mind reeled for options.
Eyeing the tear in the felt on the fallen table, he pulled hard at it, letting a large rip form. As the chunks of slate fell at his feet, he grabbed an especially large and jagged piece and sliced at Shing's throat.
Goku knew that the hit would not do any damage, but the shock of actually being injured by a "human" gave him enough time to maneuver out of his previous location and get to his feet. The Hunter could already see the blood cease to flow as the wound healed itself. The only injury a Hunter knew they could inflict that would remain would be the final blow to the heart. After all, they were still "only" human, and all other wounds were healed instantly.
Picking up the discarded cue stick from earlier, he defiantly looked the vampire in the eye. "That was my favorite pool table, you jerk. How could you?"
The vampire smirked. "Really? Do you care that much more about a pool table than your own life? Because I'd be glad to take it from you if you do not want it." His face then darkened. "But I'm going to make you pay first for even thinking about injuring me, much less doing so." Rushing Goku, he extended his claws and aimed for the Hunter's heart.
Wielding the cue stick like a bo, he feinted an attack for the head with the top of the cue. Shing slashed at the cue as he moved out of the way, splintering the top of the stick and slicing off the tip. The Hunter grinned as he swung the lower half of his makeshift bo, using the uneven weight distribution to knock the vampire's feet out from under him. Taking the advantage, Goku moved quickly to stand over his prey, this time being the one to smirk.
With one swift motion, he drove the splintered end of the cue stick into the vampire's heart, pinning him to the ground. Blood slowly seeped out of the wound, staining the pieces of green felt and gray slate that lay around him.
"But… how… can… you…" the creature sputtered out, blood now trickling out of the corners of his mouth. "How can you… kill… and not be… like… me?"
Goku's eyes narrowed as he watched the life drain out of his former classmate's eyes. The Hunter felt that he should have been feeling something – regret possibly – but something. All he could think of as he looked down at the corpse of his most recent kill was hate.
I'm sorry we never "played" a game, Shing, he apologized sarcastically, but my promise to Lirin comes first.
Taking one of the larger strips of torn felt, Goku did his best to wipe the blood off of his hands. He had been lucky and only slightly splattered – but even if he had not gotten anything on him he'd still have to go purify himself.
Speaking of which – he needed to get out of there. Now that the vampire had been killed, his hypnosis would soon wear off. People would wander back in. Goku felt sorry for the poor owner, and making a mess of his place.
Despite the fact that Goku had successfully killed his quarry, there was something eating him at the back of his mind. Something didn't feel right. It was as if he hadn't really killed one at all. In fact, there seemed to be more…
Hand on the handle, the Hunter opened the door quickly that lead into the back alley only to see seven sets of red eyes staring back at him.
"Oh shit…"
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About the billiard balls that don't break when thrown against concrete – I wasn't making that up. They exist, and are made of Cast Phenolic Resin – a form of almost "super" plastic.
I didn't think about it until my prereader was going over this – not everyone knows the rules to pool. *sweatdrop* I grew up around the game, so it came naturally to me…
Special thanks to Cloud 1-3-5 for help with the fight scene (getting over my writer's block), Orenda with the wording, and my dad for a few of the details about pool tables I was still unsure about. ^^
Comments and criticisms are always appreciated! ^^
-Iapetus