Reiko is of Japanese descent and therefore, he speaks some Japanese here and there. This becomes more marked as he becomes more and more under stress. In this case, Kuso means shit or damn or something to that effect.
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Chapter 4'There is a council tonight my friend, but do not worry. I shall pass on your message to all the head vampires and I shall certainly tell you their judgement.' Reiko frowned at Augren, his hazel eyes serious, alarmed.
'A council? Aren't all the heads meant to be there?'
'Yes.'
'Then shouldn't I also go?'
'Well technically yes.'
'So why are you assuming I'll not come?'
'Because the vampires have already reached your city. Without a master, they could run rampant. I'm sure you wouldn't want that to happen.' Reiko felt torn. Either he should go to the council, and risk his vampires going out of control without a leading figure, or he could go to the city and risk having the Master Vampire pissed at him.
'Kuso!'
'Eh? What's that?' Reiko shook his head.
'Uh…nothing…nothing…' His mind continued to whirl. What to do? What to do?
'The Council would understand, Reiko. I mean, someone's got to go back to your city and lay down the law. Who better then the head of the city himself? The legendary Reiko?'
'Stop calling me legendary. You make me sound like a Circus Freak. "Come see the Legendary Reiko!" '
'You should really stop being so bitter, my friend.' Reiko scowled but then sighed, the anger leaving him suddenly, leaving his face looking tired.
'All right…' he sighed. 'So it is decided…I go back to my city…'
'And make sure that the vampires obey your rules.'
'You will make sure they hear my plea?'
'I'm sure they'll listen willingly. After all, you're le-'
'Save it.' Augren sighed.
'Something is wrong.' Reiko didn't meet his eyes. 'Tell me, what is it that worries you so?'
'I'm not worried.'
'Quite right. You're angered. But why?' Reiko shook his head slowly and sighed. Augren knew then and there that perhaps it would be better to leave the vampire alone for the time being. He passed Reiko a flask. Reiko looked at him questioningly.
'It's filled with human blood…so you stay well on the trip back home.' Reiko sighed but then smiled at him and took the flask.
'You've always known how much I hate having to hunt down humans.'
'You never kill them though, do you?' Reiko shook his head.
'I could never bring myself to knowingly kill a human.' His mind passed back to the time before when a blood lust had got so bad that he had killed a girl. He had ended up drunk because of it. After the incident, he knew that it was better to take a little at a time before he ended up killing someone else. The guilt he had been forced to live with had been unbearable. Even after Mostro's death, he felt as though he was being torn apart by grief. Augren's voice cut into his thoughts. He blinked at him.
'The officials know about our vampire community…but as we never take from someone who isn't willing, they leave us alone and pretty much to our own devices.'
'Isn't that in direct contradiction to the law?'
'Which?'
'The one that states we're meant not to draw attention to ourselves.'
'Vampires are the new "in" thing.' Reiko looked bitter and sighed.
'So we're reduced to fashion accessories now? Are two puncture marks in the neck a new fashion item? A new "Must-have"? Pathetic…' Augren frowned. 'I thought it was a shameful thing to be bitten by a vampire and turned into a child of darkness.'
'It was how you were born. Being bitten and turned was the way in which all of us got here.'
'Who said I ever wanted to be born? I want to die.'
'A good stake in the heart can sort that out.'
'Maybe so, but no matter what happens, I'll be damned.' He paused and then sighed. 'I'm sorry.'
'Given the circumstances and the coming predicament, it is understandable to be stressed. I take no offence.'
'No…I shouldn't be taking it out on you.' He shook his head softly and frowned. 'I should be thanking you for your help.'
'It is of no problem. You helped us all not too long ago, Reiko. Members of our race won't easily forget that.'
'Thank you for your help, Augren. I much appreciate it.'
'Think nothing of it. I am the one who is honoured to help you.' Reiko smiled and took his leave, leaving Augren to puzzle over the vampire's recent behaviour.
Once outside, Reiko felt himself beginning to wonder whether he was really doing the right thing by skipping the Council. The Council eliminated his ideas of continuing to search for willing vampires to fight for his cause. What would be the point of searching if all the heads were going to the Council? If all of them agreed to help him, their vampires would have no choice but to obey. Rebellion meant death in most cases. The only case that Rebellion hadn't ended in immediate death was between Reiko and Jaal. But he had perished at the end anyway so that pretty much ended the rebellion.
Augren had said that he'd ask the head vampires. Reiko knew that Augren was serious at heart, despite the jovial façade he often put on. He decided to go back home, seeing the wisdom in Augren's words. He had to keep his clan in check. Besides, he missed his friends. He still felt small pangs of regret when he remembered of how he had left them so suddenly, barely giving any time for Trish to get used to the idea as he became less a client and more a friend.
He uncorked the small flask and took a sip from the contents but then blinked and hastily put it back, wiping his lips, as he saw someone on the street at this late hour. No point in scaring the public…He tried to walk straight past her but instead she altered her course and came straight towards him, teetering on impossibly high heels, her clothes showing way too much skin.
'Hey cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutie!' she called in a high pitched voice, in his direction. Reiko ignored her and walked on, passing her by without saying a word. He blinked as he was brought to a sudden halt as the woman grabbed him by the wrist. Her grip was like steel, her nails digging right into his flesh, close to drawing blood. His eyes narrowed as he slowly, unwillingly turned to look at her.
'I want no trouble.' His voice sounded loud in the stillness of the night. He watched her impassively, and took in the cruel smile that had spread across the Harpy's lips. He made no move, his expression didn't change as the Harpy's grip tightened even more on his wrist, causing pain.
'I love preying on the younger vampires. And you? You're just a baby.' Reiko said nothing but stared into her eyes, trying to control her mind. The harpy blinked, feeling the sudden force on her mind. For a baby, the vampire was incredibly powerful. Reiko continued to keep the gaze, concentrating only on trying to overpower her with a mental attack.
'You will leave me be and any other vampire you come across.' His voice had grown in depth, sounding threatening and low. The Harpy blinked softly and nodded. Reiko pressed on but was distracted as he heard a sudden sound behind him. He turned, his concentration shattering.
'Reiko?'
'Augren!' The Harpy laughed suddenly, a sharp shrill sound. Reiko felt his power shattering and he fell to his hands and knees. The Harpy walked towards the two, her eyes glittering with hate.
'Every time a vampire tries to deploy an attack on a Harpy and the Harpy fights it off, your energy gets drained. Perhaps it doesn't happen to you when you fight a demon but then again, they're not equals in terms of mental prowess.' Reiko continued to pant but quickly regained his energy. The Harpy turned towards Augren and smiled, her eyes turning into a deep sea-green hue. Augren shuddered and felt himself falling to the ground, convulsing. Reiko stared, his hazel eyes widening before he got to his feet, turning to face the Harpy again. He was barely able to register the Harpy moving as he tried to keep one eye on Augren's condition.
Green eyes met with hazel.
'I sense you're still hungry.' She was trying to reverse the attack, and Reiko was the victim. He felt himself taking a step forwards, even though his mind screamed at him not to obey.
'No!' He growled, the sound coming from low in his throat. 'I just fed.'
'I'm sure you can manage a little more.' Reiko felt himself taking another step forwards. He shook his head, his mind fighting against that of the Harpy's. with a loud cry, he sunk his nails into his wrist, drawing blood. Pain freed him from the mental hold. This time, it was the Harpy's turn to fall to the ground. Reiko fell backwards and landed with a thump, panting some himself, his head pounding madly. The Harpy soon recovered and glared at him.
'You're just a baby! That other vampire couldn't resist me! How is it that you can?!' The Harpy cannoned towards him, shrieking.
Reiko cried out loudly as he fell to the ground, pinned down under the Harpy's weight. He thrashed his head from side to side, desperate to escape before she re-launched her mental attack. God, he'd never felt such strength. He had thought that only vampires possessed that kind of mental strength. He had been wrong.
The Harpy's eyes glared at him again, still that weird sea-green colour. Reiko closed his eyes tight and rested his head so then one cheek lay against the cold stone ground.
'How could you?!' She lifted his shoulders up, causing his head to follow and slammed him down on the ground. His head thudded painfully onto the ground, causing him to cry out in pain. 'How?!' Reiko snarled as his head crashed against the ground again. Black spots were appearing in front of his eyes. He glared up at her, his vision blurring.
'I'm an exception! You're talking to the youngest head vamp.' His voice shook with exhaustion but his eyes burnt with anger, and fierce pride. The Harpy bent down over him and blinked.
'You resisted my powers…and now I know why. I can see it in your eyes.' She let him go and moved off him, suddenly flouncing away into the darkness. Reiko watched her go and slowly sat up, his head pounding. It felt as though there was a little animal scratching away at his eyes from the inside of his skull. He stood up unsteadily, tottered about before falling to a crumpled heap on the ground.
'His first encounter with a Harpy and he resists?'
'Aye.'
'He wishes to fight in a war, leading an army of Vampires?'
'He does not wish for there to be a war. But there inevitably will be one. It is indeed his wish to lead an army of Vampires into war and presumably to victory as well.' The vampire stood stiffly in the centre of the hall. His mind began to wonder until his thoughts turned to Reiko and Augren. Augren was in a terrible condition. He had been almost comatose by the time he had been dragged back. When he had left to go to the Council, he had still been convulsing. Reiko however, had been half awake, though too tired to move. He seemed to have had no great injuries, just a bump on the head. He blinked softly as the Master suddenly began talking again, causing the other vampires that had been whispering amongst themselves to fall silent.
'I think it is time we try to renew our old alliance with the Harpies.' The younger vampire blinked in astonishment.
'What?!'
'Reiko is the first vampire who has been able to withstand a Harpy attack without serious injury. What ailment does he have?'
'A headache, sir.'
'A headache is nothing compared to what injuries he should have sustained. The Harpies are becoming dangerous foes. Far better for us to have them as friends. Therefore, Reiko shall be our delegate. He shall bring the two races together.' There were murmurs of approval. The spokesperson looked irritated.
'Aren't we getting off the point? Reiko needs help!'
'Aye and we'll give him help, only if he can do this for the Vampirical Race.'
'Hasn't he already done enough for the Community? He got rid of Mostro, didn't he?' There was a silence. The Master stood up.
'I stand by my decision. Those who wish to help him can, but he won't receive my official word of approval until the alliance is rebuilt. Dismissed!'
'Can you even believe what they're asking you to do? Don't you understand the risks you're taking?' Reiko nodded softly, holding an icepack to his forehead. 'Be reasonable, Reiko! They could kill you!'
'They won't, Zantro.'
'And how can you be so sure of that?'
'I just know they won't. If they can kill me, I can kill them. I didn't kill that Harpy last night so surely that can count for something?'
'What d'you mean?'
'I spared a Harpy's life so the Harpy will spare mine.' Zantro shook his head, annoyed.
'You're impossible!'
'Sometimes, you have to be impossible to do the impossible.'
'You're a fool! Please! Reconsider this! The community would suffer if we lost you!'
'Yeah right…'
'You killed Mostro, didn't you?' Reiko chose to ignore this.
'I might need some use of this allegiance. Besides, I need every vampire's help; not just the ones that choose to come.'
'Everyone but the Master is going to help you!' Reiko shook his head.
'I still want this alliance.' Zantro sighed and watched him as he discareded the ice pack and took off again.
'If this works, Reiko…you'd be a miracle worker.' Reiko said nothing. On retrospect, Zantro didn't think that Reiko had heard him.
Maybe it was for the best he didn't.