Arson flinched as Inferno thankfully hopped off his arm and onto his perch in the hotel room he was staying in. He himself, flopped down onto his bed and stretched out gratefully. He jumped slightly with surprise as he heard a female voice coming from the bathroom.
'So, how did it go? Did you meet them?' Arson rolled over onto his stomach and folded his arms underneath his head, using them like a pillow.
'It wasn't that bad. Dante doesn't like me much but Trish was a lot nicer.' He smiled slightly at the memory.
'Inferno was getting restless so I let him out for a little while. Y'know? To stretch his wings out and stuff. I hope you don't mind.' A girl came out from the bathroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel, dressed in jeans and a sweater. Arson watched her as the turban came undone and as her wet hair was released.
'Inferno's the only reason I'm alive right now,' he yawned. The girl looked at him, an expression of scepticism on her face as she struggled with the towel.
'Yeah right. How can a bird save your life?'
'I had a little run in with Razzia and Inferno healed me.' The girl dropped the hairbrush she had just picked up from the dressing table. She clapped a hand to her mouth in a display of overdone dramatics.
'Ohmigod! You fought Razzia? My twin brother fought Razzia?' Arson rolled his eyes.
'You've been watching too many serials. Calm down, Val.' Val giggled and flopped down beside him on the bed.
'Yeah but…well it's hard imagining you fighting someone. You don't look like the fighting type. I mean, sure you're strong and you've got guts but you're too much of a softie to go fighting people.' Arson glared at her witheringly as she ruffled his hair.
'Cut it out!' he growled. Val stopped messing his hair, but continued to laugh. Her laughing suddenly died down to a cheerful smile.
'So, what did you tell them you're name was?' He looked momentarily surprised by the sudden change in subject but quickly recovered his composure.
'Arson. Why? It is my name.' Val smacked her forehead and groaned in despair.
'You goof! Please, people can make fun of you pretty easily y'know! Arse, arse-wipe, Arse-hole, Arse-bandit, Ass-munch, the possibilities are endless! The least you could have done was change your name for the time being!' Arson said nothing but sulked moodily. After a silence, during which Val started playing on her Playstation 2, Arson spoke again.
'Yeah but my name's not Asson so the last one doesn't make sense and anyway…you didn't change your name! Besides…they were going to find out sooner or later.' Val smiled at him smugly.
'I don't have to change my name. When I say my name is Val, it's short for Valerie. They wouldn't think it's short for Valkyrie!' Arson said nothing but glared at the expression on her face. His attention returned to watching the screen as Val continued to play.
'What are you playing, anyway?'
'Vice City. It's good fun, y'know?' Arson cringed slightly as Val ran over a person almost carelessly.
'A bit bloodthirsty don't you think?'
'Nah, this is fun.' Arson shrugged. Val sighed at length and put down the controller. 'I shouldn't be playing this,' she murmured. Arson looked at her.
'You're right. You should be drying your hair, doing your nails and all that other crap that girls do.' Val glared at him.
'It's not crap! And how would you know about all that stuff? Something you're not telling me, Arson?' Arson snorted, knowing that it was a sound she loathed to hear. He watched idly as it caused her to flounce off into the bathroom. Arson carefully picked up the discarded Playstation 2 controller and eyed the buttons of it eagerly.
'So uh…why are you in here anyway? Why not your room? There a spider in there or something?' he called above the noise of the hairdryer.
'Humph. No…I got locked out of my room. I needed the spare key so I came in here to ask you for it. But surprise, surprise, you weren't in here so I had to stay here instead. If it wasn't for your Playstation then I would have died of boredom.' Arson didn't reply. He muted the volume on the TV and started to play. He watched in dismay as he accidentally ran the car into the water. Soon the green word "WASTED" started to flash. Valkyrie ran out of the bathroom again.
'Oooh, I just remembered something. Siren called.' Arson looked up at her.
'Yeah?'
'She said she wanted to meet you tomorrow. At about two o' clock.' Val smiled slyly. 'She said she misses you.' She giggled and sat down on the bed again. She frowned as she saw the words on the screen. She grabbed a pillow and flung it at her brother. 'LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY GAME, ARSE-WIPE!' she screamed. Arson only grinned at her.
'It's just a game!'
'I don't care! You killed me!' Arson tried to keep his laughing under control.
'I hope you get this upset when I die.' Val suddenly turned quiet, her eyes serious, puzzled and a little frightened. Arson looked at her and frowned. 'I was joking.'
'You shouldn't joke about stuff like that, y'know?' She turned away from him and started drying her hair again, that same scared, worried look in her eyes. There was a pensive silence in the air, only broken by the sudden bleep that sounded from Arson's jacket pocket. He dug around for his mobile phone, looking at the display before he answered it.
'Hey,' he said softly. Val watched him with ill-disguised curiosity. 'Yeah?' Arson grinned at her smugly. 'Okay. I'll be right there.' He clicked off and then grinned at Val.
'Who was that?'
'Siren. She's come here.'
'To the past? Why?' Arson shrugged.
'I don't know…didn't ask. I'll ask her later.'
'Later? What d'you mean, "later"?' Val sounded incredulous. 'You've just been attacked! You're going to risk yourself just for her?' Arson looked undecided and then nodded.
'I'm going to go over and see her. Be good.' Val was about to reply when Arson flashed out of sight. She turned to Inferno and scowled.
'Be good…huh! What does he think I am? A kid?' She pulled up a chair and sat down by the phoenix' perch. She stroked the phoenix absent-mindedly. 'He still babies me so much, y'know? It's like he thinks I don't know anything. I know a lot more than I let on.' She paused, as if gathering her thoughts. She smiled softly at Inferno, who looked up at her questioningly. 'I know what goes on at home. I know the arguments they have. I'm not deaf, and I'm not blind. I can see how upset he gets after an argument with her. But he thinks I'm a little baby. I wish I could prove him wrong.' She found a small packet of bird seed and opened it up for Inferno. She looked disgusted. 'Jeez…how on Earth do you manage to eat this stuff? I'm lucky I'm not a bird!'
---
Arson soon began to feel nervous as he walked further away from the safety of the hotel, further into the dangers of the dark. He began to wish that he had listened to Trish and Val and had stayed inside. He began to wonder if this was a trap he was walking into. He looked at his watch and quickly pressed a button. A small beam of light erupted from it and then formed into a shape. Arson stared at the hologram and bit his lip when he saw the time. No one was out at this time of night, apart from him. Siren couldn't still be awake, could she? Well, this was Siren he was thinking about. With her, anything was possible.
He swallowed hard and then turned to go back towards the hotel, thinking it to be wiser. He ground to a halt as he heard a sudden noise. He saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Razzia! He felt his hand gently touch against the two small bars that he always kept with him in his pocket. They were no longer then pens, though they were much heavier and thicker than the aforementioned.
Arson couldn't help but begin to tremble. When he saw his own shadow, the possibility that it could very well be Razzia crossed his mind, filling him with a nameless dread. He shuddered. He could be anywhere; he knew that. He was no fool! Wait…yes he was…he was alone, in the middle of the night, when there was a tyrant loose. He knew only too well what would happen if he was caught unawares. He could still remember the pain but now it suddenly felt as though it returning back to his body, increasing ten-fold. He moaned softly to himself. Why had he come? He should have stayed indoors. He felt his knees shaking as he struggled to support his weight, his breath torn from him in short gasps of pain. What was happening to him? Was this Razzia's doing? And that was when the hands clamped down over his eyes.
Arson stifled a yelp of surprise and froze solid. His mind screamed at him to run but he was too terrified to move. He could feel someone's hot breath against his neck. His fear was then replaced by anger as he heard a playful voice whisper in his ear.
'Guess who?' Arson whirled around, shaking her hands away from his eyes. His eyes blazed with anger. Brown eyes met with violet ones in the darkness.
'Don't do that! And what the hell are you doing here anyway?' Siren only smiled at him lazily, her golden hair shimmering in the darkness. Almost casually, she put her arms around his neck and nuzzled against him. Arson's anger began to melt away at the gesture. It completely disappeared as he felt her kisses upon his neck and face. Siren slowly pulled away and gazed up at him, her violet eyes loving and gentle.
'You expect me to be content with you leaving me all alone at home? I want us to be together, forever,' she whispered in his ear. Arson didn't say anything. Siren smiled at this.
'Where are you staying? You'd better be staying somewhere safe. It's dangerous here,' Arson at last murmured softly, almost half-heartedly.
'Not any worse here than what it is in our time,' she responded. Seeing the worried look on his face, she sighed. 'Come on. I'll show you. It's really nice. Everything's nice. The setting, the placement of the furniture…the bed? You can see that for yourself.' She laughed kittenishly as she led him. Arson suddenly tensed and pulled away. Siren looked at him, dismayed.
'Arson what-'
'Quiet.' Siren knew better then to argue. She shivered slightly with the cold. Arson sensed this and wrapped one arm over her, his other hand reaching into his pocket. The cold was building now and the light breeze had now grown to a gale force wind. 'Oh God…not now…' Arson groaned. He drew his hand out of his pocket, firmly holding one of the small metal bars. Siren's eyes darted around, wide with terror.
'Can you see him? Can you see him?' she whispered. Arson shook his head. Suddenly, he saw a dark shape, like a shadow but then forming into the silhouette of a man. Arson pushed Siren to the back and got out his other bar. He pressed a button on both of them. Immediately, two red beams shot out. At first, they seemed like twin swords made out of fire. The fire then gradually disappeared to reveal two identical blades. A dangerous gleam fell into Arson's eyes. Siren had seen that look before. Arson was ready.
The figure paused and stared directly at the two. Arson shifted his footing slightly and crouched down into the warrior's stance, blades at the ready. Siren trembled slightly but then finally pulled herself together to stand by his side. The shadow started to advance, the pace slow, measured.
'Get out of here,' muttered Arson, his eyes never leaving the shape. Siren shook her head. 'Just go, dammit! Go!'
'I-I…' her voice petered out and she only shook her head again, her eyes wide in the darkness. Razzia charged. Siren screamed as Razzia altered his course and headed straight for her. Arson dashed out in front of her as claws streaked out at Siren. A sharp metallic clang rent the air as claws hit against steel. The two swayed there, matching their weight against each other. Arson finally broke it off by stepping backwards and readying himself once more. His eyes were lit up with the flame of battle. Siren dashed for cover as the two fighters circled each other, like two savage animals.
'Show your true self, Razzia,' said Arson at last. Something like a deep voiced chuckle reverberated through the air. Arson knew better then to let down his guard.
'I take it you didn't have enough earlier on. I thought I would have killed you. I should have known better. You're like a pest. You keep coming back and there's no getting rid of you.' The voice was something like a hiss, low and grating. 'You don't stand a chance. I could have killed you outright if I had so wanted.'
'So why didn't you?'
'Fool. Your new allies had to save your ass if I'm not mistaken. Poor Arson. You can't cut it by yourself can you? You're not even worthy to hold those weapons in your hands, boy!' Arson said nothing. Wisps of black smoke crept around the shadow, as he morphed into his true form. Arson stood back as a blinding red flash lit the area. Light reflected off his silver emblem and off his swords. He didn't look surprised at the sight that stood in front of him.
Razzia didn't look particularly menacing when he was in his true form. Long jet black hair fell over pale golden eyes, that shone brightly, even in the dark. A red headband kept the hair out of the rest of his face. Sharp features seemed to make him seem like a man with devious cunning, with a thin smile that seemed to make his wicked desires even more pronounced. Arson said nothing but suddenly ground his teeth together in sudden pain. Razzia's smile broadened.
'You're feeling it all over again, aren't you? You can't forget the pain, can you?' Arson snarled at him.
'You! You're doing this to me!' He fell to his hands and knees as another thunderbolt of agony lanced through him. Razzia's golden eyes were glowing slightly. They seemed almost alive and happy to see his nemesis in so much pain. He casually strode up to him and grabbed him by the neck. Arson was powerless to resist as he was raised clear off the ground. Razzia didn't notice that he was still gripping his swords.
'Scream for me, pest…' he whispered. Arson made no sound but opened his eyes and glared his obvious hatred at him. Razzia's smile disappeared. His eyes burnt insanely. 'I said scream!' Arson gritted his teeth as new waves of pain washed over him. One sword fell from his hand. His senses were blacking out.
'No!' he yelled. Razzia's eyes suddenly turned from golden to a coal black. A violet aura surrounded his body. Arson felt his body hit the ground as he was hurled to the concrete. An overwhelming pressure was crushing him. 'No!' Razzia suddenly stopped. Arson felt the raw pain leave him instantly. He looked up at Razzia wearily but then grew more alert as he saw something glitter on the ground. He looked around for his weapons and realized with sudden fear that he had been separated from them. A desperate idea entered his head. He narrowed his eyes as he began to concentrate.
Slowly, the swords rose into the air, the blades pointing straight at Razzia's back. Arson continued to will the swords. Just a little closer…just a little bit more his thoughts kept repeating this one idea, desperately, pleadingly. His head was beginning to pound, he couldn't keep this up. God…he felt so dizzy…this was…not good…Arson gave vent to a soft groan and closed his eyes tightly, concentrating, pushing himself to his limit. Razzia started to laugh at the pained expression on his face. The laughter died in a gasp as the twin blades impaled him. Arson looked up at him as Razzia's face twisted into a snarl of pain and rage. Arson scrambled backwards just as the mist returned to surround him. There was another chilling scream of agony before Razzia vanished. Arson breathed a sigh of relief before letting himself fall face flat onto the ground.
A shadow fell over him, causing him to quickly look up, every muscle in his body tense. Dante stood over him, his blue eyes impassive.
'I think you'd better come with me.'