Chapter 14
Sho-dono: hey all. I'm being forced to create a panorama-thing for English class. Woo. Shiinmaru-dono, do the disclaimer
Shiinmaru-dono: Heya! I'm soooooo sorry for not keeping up with my updates! Homework has been piling up like crazy! Speaking of which...I've an incompetent idiot to force into work...Sho-dono! Start the story!!!
Sho-dono: I am not an incompetent idiot; you're the incompetent one.
Shiinmaru-dono: I wasn't talking about you; I was talking about Squeaky.
Sho-dono: oh… well then yes I agree with u wholeheartedly
Artemis awoke with a groan. His head felt as if there was a horse stomping on it. He lifted his head and looked around at his surroundings and was surprised to se that he was back in his bed at home. He rolled over and saw Butler asleep in a chair beside him and Holly talking quietly on a cell-phone to someone. There was also a glass of water sitting on the bedside table and Artemis realized that he was very thirsty. With a grunt Artemis pulled his hand from under his side and attempted to grab the glass of water. His plan was foiled however when a small tanned hand came out of nowhere and snatched the glass away from his reaching fingers.
"So you finally decided to wake up, eh?" an irritated Holly Short snarled.
Artemis sent he a hateful glare, "Yes, now give the water; I'm thirsty."
"Sorry, Artemis," now Artemis was worried; Holly sounded sincerely apologetic. "You can't drink or eat anything within the next seventy-two hours."
"Why not?!" Artemis' growl was beastly at best, monstrous at worst; he was so thirsty and wanted that water now. He was so angry and right now, he hated the LEP officer more than anything in the world. Artemis swiped at Holly with his newly formed claws; the only thing that kept Holly's arm from being shredded was a bandaged albino hand grasping Artemis' arm.
"Because, Artemis, you inhaled a bit of the aura that surrounds a Shade; you eat or drink, it gets the nutrients and you lose your humanity," Liam's voice was raspy and there was red seeping through the bandage on Liam's hand. Artemis turned towards Liam and gasped at the amount of stark white bandaging on Liam; seems that he didn't get out of the fight as unscathed as Artemis. Liam was shirtless but his entire chest was covered in the white gauze; his entire right arm was bandaged from hand to shoulder. Liam's sightless eyes were swathed in the white; blood was seeping through that bandage as well.
Artemis was only able to stare in shock, "Liam… what happened to you?"
Liam offered a pained smile "This is what happens when I don't think things through properly." A look of thought popped onto his face, "and if you're wondering, the water is to draw the demon out. After three days it will be so thirsty that it will launch itself from your body at the glass and that's when we need to capture it. So try not to drink any o.k.?"
Artemis sank deeper into the covers of his bed grumbling, "Fine but I'm not going to like this."
Holly snorted, "No one in their right mind would, MudBoy. But buck up and tell me the plan for destroying Rei Byakko's life. 'Cause you know it was him who sent the Shade."
Artemis groaned, I knew it, "I figured it would be him… how did you find out about our plan?"
"I told her," Liam said simply. "She seems like a very interesting person to work with."
"Yah, and you were right, Artemis. He's not so bad once you get used to him," Holly added as she happily clapped Liam on the shoulder, who winced in pain.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Holly?" Artemis questioned with a raised eyebrow. Liam chuckled weakly and lied back down; he seemed exhausted and burdened.
Artemis was struck with a thought but could not voice it, for Butler spoke up, "I was unable to mention this earlier, but a man named Amaya Maro came by the orphanage this morning; he was looking to adopt both Beka and you, Liam." Liam sighed; he knew the day would come when he would be adopted, he just hadn't thought it would be Mr. Maro.
"I'm guessing that Beka threw a fit?" Liam was concerned; Beka had a great secret and though Liam trusted the people in the room implicitly, he couldn't tell them Beka's secret.
"She broke down; I heard Amaya whisper something to her but I'm not sure what. Beka seemed to calm, somewhat at his words..." Butler trailed off but Liam had to be sure of Mr. Maro's words.
"Do you know EXACTLY what Mr. Maro said to Beka to calm her? This is important, Butler; I need to know what he said," Liam was firm but his voice and tense body portrayed his worry.
"I think he said something about 'knowing what it was like to grow up without a loving parent' and something else I can't remember..." Butler was truly trying to remember but the exact words were fuzzy and the more he focused, the less clear the memory became. Liam sighed and sat back up with some effort; turning towards Butler, he asked, "Would you have any problems with doing a Vulcan Mind Meld?" Everyone in the room turned toward Liam in utter shock and confusion. "A Vulcan Mind Meld is where I can see into your mind and memories in search of a specific topic or memory. In this case, the memory of Beka and Mr. Maro's conversation that you overheard." Butler nodded his consent; Liam leaned over, touched his hand to Butler's forehead, and fell into Butler's mind.
Within Butler's Mind
Butler's mind was a well ordered blue lit space; each of his memories were a white orb of light and each thought was a green orb of light. Liam touched the brightest of the white orbs; the orb displayed the recent conversation between Holly, Artemis, himself, and Butler. Leaving the memory and going on the newly acquired information, Liam went in search of a slightly faded memory (completely ignoring the pink orbs that represent thoughts of attraction, affection, and love) and came upon a glowing black orb. A glowing black orb meant a memory was tampered with; which meant that either Liam had found the correct memory or Butler had come across powerful beings before. Praying to the Goddess for the former, Liam dived in
Liam found himself in the correct memory and let the scene unfold before him.
"Oh really? Who were you thinking of adopting or were you just going to look around to see what types of kids are here?" Beka was practically growling in anger.
"What?" Amaya held his hands up in a defensive gesture; his face was puzzled, "I don't understand what you're saying. I cam here to adopt two children and donate money to help fix the place up; I know what it's like to grow up as an orphan. Trust me; I know how much it sucks to not have a parent that loves you." Amaya had stood up from his chair and walked over to the distraught and crying Beka, "I know what it's like to run from your family and escape to someplace far away; I know how you feel, Miss Beka." Amaya enfolded Beka into a firm hug; he truly knew what it was like to be so utterly alone.
When the memory was finished, Liam pulled out of Butler's mind.
Back in Artemis' Room
Liam ran a hand through his hair before flopping down; he was official worried. Shades he could handle; Rei he could handle; people after his life in general he could handle; this, this he could not handle. "My worst fear is confirmed; Amaya Maro knows Beka's secret... Now, what does he plan to do with this knowledge of her?" Liam was mumbling but everyone in the room could hear him clearly.
"What secret?" Butler asked curiously. His head hurt a bit and he felt dizzy but otherwise the mind meld hadn't affected him.
"Can't tell you, sorry," Liam replied gently. He lay back down, curled up, and was soon asleep.
Holly stared at Liam for a few moments the switched her gaze to Butler, "Well? Feel any different?"
"No… nothing; just a headache," Butler stated simply, he glanced once more at Liam before turning to look at Artemis who looked as miserable as a dog in a medicone. "You will be confined to that bed for the next three days. Understood?" Artemis, begrudgingly, nodded and lied down next to Liam, falling to sleep easily. Butler left to sleep in his room and Holly decided to sleep on the couch. Little did they know that what was to come was much worse than just a mere Shade.
Shiinmaru-dono: Heya! The poll for the rape is over! The stats are: rape – 7; no rape – 5. As you can see, Arty will be raped my Rei within the next few chapters. The poll for the preferred ending will end on the eighteenth chapter; send your votes in NOW!
Sho-dono: #is lying curled up clutching stomach# never again will I eat mushroom and onion pizza for dinner. Never again. #groan#
Shiinmaru-dono: You are an idiot. #rubs head# See you all next chapter! Shiinmaru-dono out!