AN: I went a little Tsukihime here. I've been playing too many Nasu works recently.

"Have you seen the news recently?"

"I have, sir."

"Quite nasty. Another has awakened, I see."

"Should we be concerned? It would take me no time to raise a spy and-"

"No. They can take care of it."

"They?"

"They should be able, as inhuman as they are. It would be no trouble and you wouldn't have to tip your hand so early."

"Of course, sir."

Chapter 3

A mug of tea sat steaming in front of Relena, untouched. She looked at it, and pulled her robe closer around her. "You are aware, without proof, what you say about my family is unbelievable."

Elaide took a sip of her own tea, then looked at the mug. "I know. I hadn't quite believed it myself until I was nearly killed. I can certainly give proof... but the issue is that you would need to put yourself into danger. You would need to hunt one." She gave Relena an apologetic look, taking another sip.

Relena shook her head. "I can't do that. You-"

"I know." Her voice was gentle, and she freed one hand from the mug to reach out to Relena. "But it's the only way. Didn't you feel anything when you saw the news report? Anything familiar?"

Relena looked away, her knees coming up slightly. Instinctively trying to curl up. "It doesn't mean a thing. It... it's a coincidence."

"My liege." Elaide took a deep breath. "I understand how insane this must feel. But it must feel familiar to you. This is something your family has been fighting for years. Something that plagued them that they were trying to keep from reaching public eyes and creating a panic." She looked up at the window, then nodded. "Tonight. If I'm wrong and there is nothing, then the walk I will take tonight will be nothing and you can accompany me with no issue. If that happens, I will leave. But... if not... will you take up the blade?"

"How dare you ask that of me," Relena said, her voice filled with heat. "To start killing. I don't-"

"I know, my lady. But if I'm right, we will need you."

Relena looked at her, her mind thinking. Would it hurt? After all, the things Elaide were insane. No possible way they could be true. A walk tonight should do her some good anyway. She had to cancel several speeches feeling the way she had, and it would be nice to get out of the house for once. "Tonight, then."

Elaide merely smiled, sipping her tea again.

Quiet nights were nice nights to take walks. Relena looked up from under the wide-brimmed hat obscuring her features, smiling a little as the peaceful faces also taking a small walk. This was what she wanted, faces like these without the taint of worry that the war would meet them here. Next to her, Elaide's gaze swept back and forth across the same faces that made her smile.

"There's nothing here," she whispered to the older woman. "I should go. This is ridiculous."

Elaide looked down an alley, then continued walking. Then, softly, "You're right. I'm sorry, my liege. I will no longer bother you." She moved a little away, continuing walking and slowly blending into the crowd and disappearing. Relena turned away, starting back to her house. How could she have let herself get caught up in that fantastical story, even for a short while?

She crossed the alley Elaide had looked down, then stopped. Her stomach felt... weird. Something was making it roll. Relena shook her head, ready to continue on. It was only the weird bug she had. There was nothing down-

Something groaned. Relena froze as the inhuman sound reached her ears. Something was groaning, asking her to come forth. Her legs started down the alley before she could think one way or the other about it, pulling her further away from the bustle of the crowd. Her hand crept up to rest against the skin covering her pounding heart, unsure and nearly frightened. But there had to be nothing here. After all, Elaide was wrong. There was-

Dust filled her eyes, and something scratched her face as it flew by. Bits of wall, a part of her mind noted. Something had slammed into the wall hard enough that the concrete powdered into dust and bits of the larger pieces scratched her. Relena coughed as the dust started to settle, then watched the scene before her, her breath caught.

The man before her, if he could be called such, was inhuman. His eyes were filled with a light indescribable to her, and he was covered in blood. One arm was broken, bits of bone sticking uncaringly out, and he was holding himself like it didn't even matter to him. His teeth, poking out from under thin lips twisted into a hungry grin, were sharpened into deadly points. Relena took one shaking step backwards, her breath wavering in her throat. What was he? She tried to take another step away before he rushed her, screaming in a tongue completely unknown to her. His hand came out to grab her, his prize stolen from his barbed claws as something slammed into him.

No, not something. Someone. Relena's eyes widened as she recognized the dark curls. "Elaide!"

The woman turned slightly, surprised. That was all the time the creature needed to grab her, turning so Elaide slammed against the wall instead with the same force. The knife Elaide was holding, a near twin of the one that she had tried to give Relena, fell from her suddenly nerveless fingers. It clattered to the ground as the creature screamed in triumph and tried to go in for the kill.

No...

This wasn't meant to be...

Relena's hand suddenly held the knife. She couldn't let Elaide die. She couldn't let another person die on her! The knife glinted once, twice, then the arm holding the woman to the wall fell off in pieces. There had been no resistance. The knife simply...

Glinted.

Again

And

Again

Until the unholy creature fell apart into eight distinct pieces.

Relena dropped the knife, her blooded hands coming up to her head as a scream built in her throat. It ripped across her vocal cords, trying to escape out and drown out of the happy noises of unsuspecting socialites. Elaide's arms surrounded her, pulling her up. She was saying something, but she couldn't hear it.

She killed someone. Something. She cut it into little...

Darkness rose to meet her, bringing the pavement with it.