Kassatsu

Life Or Death

Sutoomu

So, here is thefifth chapter for this fic. I'm sorry it took so long but my laptop connection broke again and then I procrastinated trying to fix it until I got a PM from a wonderful reviewer who persuaded me to do something about it so she could have an update and keep breathing so I went out and bought some CD-R's to transfer my fics to another computer and they were bogus so I had to buy some DVD-R's and they wouldn't work so I had to take me laptop into Staples and get them to help me so I could post some more chapters... /BREATHE, BREATHE, BREATHE/

Anyhoo, this is the chapter with Helvete /eeeeviiiil/ I hope you enjoy it. Thank yous to my reviewers, RayneDancer, anissa32, HolyMistress, MousyCoon, Pyro-Bunny, Phoenix, Kinaua, and JASR! I hope you like this chapter.

"It's been a while since we last met. And I have to admit, I thought our parting went off a little rough."

/You bastard/ Quatre yelled, anger replacing the fear. /Get away from me./ Quatre shot force towards the spirit, but he simply flinched for a moment and then grinned his toothy grin again.

"Now, now, golden, is that any way to treat your old pal?"

/Pal...pal! You were never a pal of mine! You ruined my life/

"We'll just have to remedy that, then. I do believe I never formally introduced myself..."

/No. You just stepped in and began killing/

The spirit scowled at Quatre's interruptions and snapped a finger. Immediately, manacles wrapped themselves around Quatre's wrists. The spirit blew and Quatre was slammed back against the wall, and restrained with his hands above his head. "As I was saying," the spirit snapped. "My name is Helvete. There, now we're not so much of strangers. That should make this easier, eh?"

/Make what easier/ Quatre asked as he pulled on the manacles.

Helvete 'tsked' and shook his head. "Now, now, I expected better than that from you, golden. I'm sure this time will be much funner than last time. You don't know how long I've been aflicted by the bloodlust. Too long, and stubborn little you keeps running away. Well, sorry to tell you, but it won't work this time. As you may have noticed, I'm much, much stronger than I was last time." Helvete floated up to Quatre. If Helvete had been alive, Quatre would have been shrinking from the smell of hot breath. "This time, of course, we're going to have to incorporate a bit of persuasional punishment. Last time, you see, you had a bit too much freedom."

Quatre hissed in pain as Helvete drew a small knife down his inner forearm, slicing it deeply. Maybe a bit of pain here, a bit of pain there...won't that be nice? It'll be like old times again, only better. And we can solve our bloodlust. Helvete chuckled in his throat. Don't deny it, because I know. You want blood, too, don't you? You crave it, need it, just as I do. You have bloodlust inside you, golden. No more innocent little child. You want to kill. Is it not a wonderful feeling? Does it not rush through your veins, provide you with a surge of adrenaline? That adrenaline, that high! It is powerful and wonderfully addictive!

/You sick bastard.../ Quatre growled, which involuntarily turned into a small whimper as Helvete reapeated the process on his other arm. Quatre felt his blood, his life force, seeping down his arms.

Now, now, Helvete dug the knife in and twisted it just before he pulled it out, causing Quatre to close his eyes tight against the pain. He wasn't new to it, but pain in the spirit world was always magnified ten times worse. And that hurt! First rule, golden. No more backtalk! You will listen to me! No arguments, no sneaking about, no trying anything funny! I know much more now, and I will dominate you!

/Go to hell/ Quatre spat venomously at Helvete. /You will never be able to possess me! Never again/

Helvete growled and his spirit form dove at Quatre, becoming a thin line of white mist. It speared into Quatre's chest, entering him and trying to possess him. Quatre immediately felt an overwhelming sense of pain, starting from his spine and spreading throughout his entire body. Unnoticed tears of pain flowed from his eyes as the manacles disappeared and he fell to his knees. He tried to find the power to fight Helvete, to battle him, but the pain was too distracting. Helvete had planned this well. But what Helvete hadn't planned was Quatre already having a spirit inside him. A rather pissed off, angry spirit, who was tending to have a very protective side to him right now.

"You know, you've really caused a lot of trouble," Solo snapped as he held Helvete out of Quatre's mind. "And you're really making things much harder for everyone. So I have two suggestions. Fuck off and stay the hell away from us!" And Solo connected with Quatre, using the blonde boy's powers along with his own in the spirit world. He thrust forcefully at Helvete, and the dark spirit was pressed back a considerable amount. Not enough, though, and Helvete responded to Solo's attack with his own fury, fueled stronger by bloodlust.

"Shit!" Solo cursed. "Quatre, you have to help me. I can hold him off, but I can't get rid of him. You have to bring us back to the real world. You have to leave the spirit realm. You'll die if you don't."

/I...can't.../ Quatre gasped. /It hurts/

"Please try!" Solo's voice had a hint of extreme urgency under it now, and Quatre tried. He thought of his human form, lying in bed, sleeping in a sleepless state. He tried to think of going there, of waking up, but it was too hard! Solo was straining under the effort of holding the stronger spirit off, and Quatre knew he would break. And when Solo broke, he would break, and be practically dead while Helvete wreaked terror in the human world. He had to get back! He had to! But he couldn't...!

Little one...

Quatre gasped at this voice suddenly in his head, and with sudden clarity and peace, he closed his eyes and opened them, staring up into the very anxious face of Trowa. Blinking hazily, he wondered why the brunette was hovering over his bed in his room, and his mouth opened in slight surprise as he saw Wufei there as well, and Heero holding a disturbed Duo on the floor.

"Thank God!" Solo practically yelled. "Man, I thought we'd never get out of there. Damn, Helvete was tough. Almost too tough. I couldn't have done it if I hadn't used your powers, too. By the way, sorry about that. That's, like, only a step under possessing someone, and I know how you hate that. But you know it was neccesary, right? Right. And we got away! I wonder why Trowa's voice called you back, though. It's odd how you reacted. Hmm...maybe there's something deeper with him? Some sort of...crush?" Solo's voice had a tease in it, and definite amusement. "Just so you know, Trowa's gay, so you have a good chance. And he always tilted towards cute things. I think he likes you already. And with me here, I can divulge anything you want to know about him. His likes, dislikes, peeves, interests, fave music, fave idea of a date..."

"Shut up!" Quatre yelled, sitting up abruptly and putting his hands over his ears. His cheeks were a nice shade of red from blushing now at Solo's thoughts inside his head. He noticed everyone staring at him and decided to right away reveal that Solo was with him. Better that than them thinking he was insane, especially Trowa, as Solo not-so-kindly pointed out. He looked over at Duo. "Your brother sure talks a lot!" Duo looked at Quatre with red eyes, insecurity and a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Solo chuckled in Quatre's head, a pleasant, merry sound. "It tends to run in the family, Quatre."

"Quatre." Quatre's head turned to look at Trowa, who was trying to press something against his forearm. Quatre saw the cuts from the spirit realm and his mouth opened, his eyes widening as the momentary distraction of waking up passed.

"Rashid!" Quatre yelled. He pulled his feet under him and vaulted off the bed into the larger man's arms, who automatically caught him. "Rashid, it was him!" Tears were streaming down Quatre's face at the simple thought. Seeing Helvete again had brought back so many memories he had tried to put behind him. This time they were extremely life like and vivid, not to mention it had added a another horrible memory to his collection.

"Master Quatre, calm down," Rashid soothed, setting the blonde boy back on the bed. "Relax. We must take care of your injuries."

"Helvete's back!" Quatre persisted, trying to tell the large man. "He found me!"

"Master Quatre, if you do not calm down and stop squirming, I will sedate you," Rashid said firmly.

/Solo/

"Yeah, Q?" Solo replied quickly.

/Help me. They won't listen to me. I'm trying to tell them, but they won't listen/

"That's because you're hyperventilating," Solo explained. "You have two rather serious cuts on your arms, not to mention you were just practically drained of energy to death. You have to relax, breathe, let them tend to your injuries, and then explain nice and easy so they understand. You have to be patient."

/Screw my injuries/ Quatre shouted back. /I'll survive easy! This is more important/ And out loud he said. "Rashid, Helvete is back. He found us..."

"Just one moment, please, Master Quatre!" Rashid boomed, sounding quite like a father about to lose all his patience. The situation was making Quatre lose his patience. Rashid was practically holding him down while Trowa and Wufei both tried to tend to the wounds on either arm. This was pathetic!

"STOP!" Quatre's voice echoed across the room, the deep tone resonating off the walls to enter everyone's ears twice. A sudden wind whipped about Quatre as his silver eyes flickered with anger and annoyance. The wind forced the three nearest him back forcefully, but not harmfully, and Quatre sat up. He looked pointedly at Rashid, who blinked in surprise that Quatre had used his powers. Quatre stood, huffed, and raised a hand right above one of the cuts. His hand glowed silver for a moment, and then the skin seemed to reknit itself. Quatre switched hands and did so with the other arm.

"Master Quatre, how can you be so foolish?" Rashid demanded to know. "Using your powers will draw the spirits towards you!"

"I know that and it doesn't matter a damn bit," Quatre bit out. "Because, like I've been trying to tell you, Helvete has already found me." Rashid looked at Quatre in confusion. Quatre took a deep breath. "Helvete is the phantom manslayer spirit's name," he whispered. Rashid's eyes widened in surprise and shock...

Well, how was that? Tell me if you liked it, R & R!

Storm