A/N: I just discovered that I made a mistake in previous chapters, that I was inter-changing between the spelling of Issak and Isaak. The correct spelling should be Isaak. Sorry about that. Another thing to take note of, most information I found are from Wikipedia and TB Canon websites.
Insanity - Chapter 6: Never Judge A Book By Its Cover.
Updated on: 9th of April 2007.
Written by: Guardian 0 Devil
Pairing(s): Please don't ask me, go figure it out yourself.
Warning: This is done in my point of view; I'm sort of like a narrator here in this chapter. I also seem to be recounting events and talking about the profiles of Trinity Blood's characters. I think I'm doing this for my friend PoaA, who's quite newly introduced towards the anime TB. Maybe considered a boring chapter to read.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Trinity Blood or anything else that is copyrighted. Please don't sue me.
(At the New Human Empire)
The New Human Empire was in the sad heart-wrenching moment of grief and sadness for their beloved Mother, Her Majesty Augusta Vradica. Most of her courtiers and servants have never seen her before in all the centuries that they have served her; mainly due to the heavy veils she wears to cover her appearance as well as the use of a voice modifier. Though she does age, she still appears as a little girl at over nine hundred years old. Poor thing.
However, even as they grieved for their loss of their Empress, a leader was urgently needed for these turbulent times. Therefore, the Duchess of Moldova, Mirka Fortuna who was a faithful servant of the late empress and holds the rank of Head of the Imperial Secret Council was elected to be their leader, guide and compass for the future.
The Earl of Memphis, Ion Fortuna, was ordered to act as an Imperial envoy and diplomat to negotiate with Albion. He was once ordered by the late Empress to act as an Imperial messenger and envoy to negotiate with the Vatican. Initially, he holds strong prejudices against Terrans. After his acquaintance and growing familiarity with Esther, however, his attitude changes considerably. He harbored growing romantic feelings towards Esther, though these seem to be slightly one-sided.
A powerful Methuselah yet so beautiful that he was often confused with a girl. He's Mirka Fortuna's grandson and thus of a high, noble family. Full of pride for his Empire and his race, he was supposed to take his grandmother's place one day. Also, through his experiences with the treachery of the Rosen Kruez Orden he has a growing desire for vengeance.
As for the Viscountess of Odessa & Duchess of Kiev, Astharoshe Athrun, she was promoted to be the Commander of the Empire National Security and Defence Armed Forces. Though only from a lower noble class, she was an inspector in the Empire and was sent after the criminal Enderles Kudza. On this mission, she became acquainted with Father Abel Nightroad while in Venice. This was the first step to peace treaties between the Vatican and the Empire, which is why she was respected by the late Empress Augusta Vradica and also the Duchess, Mirka Fortuna.
First sent to investigate an incident suspected to be connected to a vampire mass murderer and reluctantly partnered with Abel, Astharoshe is a direct, no-nonsense individual who harbors a low opinion of humans. After working with Abel, however, she changes her views and becomes his ally. She fights with a large rod that can extend on her command and fires massive blasts of energy from its tip.
Then the letters were arrived and were received by Ion Fortuna, Astharoshe Athrun and also Mirka Fortuna herself. A moment of silence was observed by the three leaders of the empire. Which was later break down by our spit-fire Astharoshe, who exclaimed: "What the ---- was Abel thinking of, sleeping with that traitor Catherina?!"
"…Um… With utmost respect, Viscountess, I don't think that was Lady Catherina…" said Ion in a hushed voice.
"Pray tell me that you're in denial that Abel, my Tovarish, and that woman Catherina are sleeping together?" snorted Astharoshe.
"If you would please listen to reason for once, you will find out that things aren't always what you think!" retorted Ion angrily.
"Why you snotty little brat!" yelled Astharoshe.
"Who are you calling brat! You..." shouted Ion.
"Ion! You should not have raised your voice against Viscountess. Apologize at once." interrupted Mirka.
"Sorry…" muttered Ion reluctantly.
"As for you, Viscountess, Ion does have a good point. I believed that it was not Abel and Catherina sleeping together in that picture taken. From my years of experience of studying the arts of photography, I can tell you that it was a picture of two men there."
Astharoshe theatrically arched her eyebrows high to emphasize her point of disbelief and also silently asking the reason why she should believed any of this. It was at this moment that Ion cut in and added his comments: "Please read behind what was written behind the picture."
"…" shocked silence reigned above the three of them as Astharoshe tried to take in the shock of Abel sleeping with his twin brother Cain in the same bed and the horror that Cain was cross-dressing as Lady Catherina…
"Oh my… I thought that it was 2 men sleeping indecently together. I didn't know that it was two brothers sleeping together, with one of them role-playing Cardinal Catherina." commented Mirka playfully.
"Huh? Grandmother, I thought you already knew that beforehand? Haven't you read what was written behind?!" asked Ion.
"It was until you mentioned about reading behind the picture that I took any notice of it. I was too engrossed in the picture as I am focusing on the details of two gorgeous men in that picture. As I mentioned before, I was a lover of the art of photography. Did I ever mention that the art topic was mostly on men?" was the reply.
I really do not want to or wish to tarnish Mirka Fortuna's reputation by saying this and I knew that I would probably get flamed or even get beaten up by Mirka's fanclub, but I really can't resist:
I never knew that she was such a pervert.
(At the meeting room of the Albion's royal palace.)
Hailing from the city of Istavan, Esther Blanchett grew up with a nun, Bishop Laura, who treated her like a daughter. When Abel meets her, she has just murdered a Colonel Lattikar to avenge Laura. A vivid, star-shaped birthmark adorns her side, marking her as the Albionian "star of hope", the name "Esther" was derived from the Persian word for star.
This mark later proves her to be part of the royal family of Albion, and she ascended the throne to become queen. She seems to have growing romantic feelings towards Abel Nightroad and has also shown a strong degree of altruism in a romantic way with Ion, though how she felt was much unknown and certainly arguable.
The AX organization was later disbanded by the Pope Francseco after the death of the late Pope Alessandro XVIII. But it was later regroup by Esther's effort to be her supporting and reliable secret agents in the fight against the Rosen Kruez Orden.
News of the Vatican City decimated to ashes shocked the young queen of Albion and her secret operatives and also friends, the members of AX. However, just as they were grieving for the loss of so many innocent lives, Esther and the members of AX received a letter.
"…What do you guys think of this letter?" Esther asked solemnly.
"Well… if I did not know them any better, I would have thought that Abel and Catherina are lovers from the look of things here." said Father William Walter Wordsworth, codenamed Professor, while smoking his pipe thoughtfully.
A gentleman originated from Albion. His intellect is second to none. He used to study at Imperial University and was one of the prodigies of the university, along with Isaac Butler. Framed by Isaac Butler, who was later known as Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer, he was charged for a terrible accident that also killed his fiancee, and expelled from the university. He later joined AX and became a professor at the University of Rome, Father Wordsworth often comes up with bizarre inventions - some of which work, others ending up as spectacular failures. Very spectacular if you people could recalled.
"Ha! If I did not know you any better, I would have thought you're so knowledgeable." commented Sister Kate Scott, codenamed Iron Maiden.
Sister Kate manifests as a hologram. She appears able to project herself nearly anywhere in the world despite the lack of a readily visible projector. Her duties include relaying messages, gathering information, and most importantly, captaining the battleship Iron Maiden. She was originally from Albion and was also famous for her herbal tea.
However, I really don't think I can handle Sister Kate appearing in front of you while you're having a shower...
"That was really mean of you to doubt my abilities…" muttered the Professor.
"I heard that Crystal Clear!" shouted Sister Kate.
"Enough of bickering! This is not the time and place for it. If the two of you wish to continue, please get a room." said a disapproving Father Vaclav Havel, strangely codenamed Know Faith.
His special ability was to optically camouflage himself, as well as seemingly take flight. He was one of Cardinal Sforza's most trusted friends, and apparently has been by her side for at least 10 years. However, his codename, "Know Faith", could also be considered a play on words, being read as "No Faith". Now he was working for Queen Esther as a spy, collecting important intelligence and spying upon their enemies. However, he's not what I would love to have as an invisible stalker.
And of course, a collection of gasps followed that statement.
"Oh God! I never thought to see the day that the gentlemanly Father Vaclav Havel simply implied innuendo." laughed outrageously loud by Father Leon Garcia de Asturias, codenamed Dandelion.
Which in my opinion, an even stranger name than Know Faith. Why in the world does a manly and hot man with a built of a body-builder or lack of better word, a super model called himself Dandelion?
For killing his wife and 30 clergy men, he has been imprisoned. He used to be a decorated professional soldier from Hispania, but due to unfortunate circumstances he was now a criminal with a 1,000-year-long sentence. His sentence decreases with each mission he takes. He tends to fight with sharp throwing disks and a bazooka.
Not very incentive for me to marry him, considered of the record that he killed his wife.
But of course, during a mission, when he heard that the AX was disbanded, he never went back to the Vatican City. Preferring to make himself useful and repent for his sins, he went into hiding with help from Esther and secretly helped in training the Albion's military in preparation for the wars to come.
"So said the old man." said a wry Sister Kate.
"Who you're calling an old man!" yelled Father Leon, who seems to take great offense at being called an old man.
"To the one who responded first!" retorted Sister Kate haughtily.
"Oh well, looks like a cat caught your tongue, Dandelion." teased Father Wordsworth.
"Indeed." said Father Havel seriously, with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
"Oh no! Please don't do that again! EVER!" groaned Sister Kate.
"As much as I would love to tease you about it, Father Havel does have a point. This is certainly not the time and place for it." smiled Esther.
"Let me say my piece, please." asked Father Wordsworth, Esther nodded and he continued: "I believed that the picture shows Abel, but he was not with Lady Catherina, of which I'm sure of it."
"What gives you the clues anyway?" asked the silent Father Hugue de Watteau, codenamed Sword Dancer. He was a very independent person, and often leaves AX on a whim in order to track down vampires.
Wielding a blade-staff as his weapon, Hugue can easily match an average vampire in a fight. He has artificial limbs that enhance his speed and strength. Hugue was a son of a noble family before he joined the AX. His entire family was mysteriously murdered and he has been trying to track down the culprit to seek vengeance. He has a sister who escaped the slaughter but she's missing currently, presumably taken away by the murderer.
He's really the most handsome man, more so than Leonardo de Caprio or even Orlando Bloom. The beautiful lover to die for.
Literally. If you happened to be a vampire.
"Well, for one thing, Lady Catherina has giant golden curls that fall pass her shoulder. In this picture, the woman was hardly having any of those even though she was wearing what Lady Catherina would have worn before her exile. Besides, if you look closely at the eyes of the woman, it appears to be glittering red. Very unlike the sapphire blue eyes of our dearest Lady." explained the Professor patiently.
"Let me see that." asked Esther, who took the picture and scrutinizing it very carefully. A certain look of recognition and disbelief cross her delicate features. She shakes her head slightly and flipped over to read the back of the picture. In which her face pales instantly.
"What's the matter? Is Abel in danger?" asked Sister Kate in concern.
Esther shakingly passes the picture to Father Leon and then starts laughing uncontrollably. She was later joined in by Father Leon. The rest of the AX was looking at them as if they have been let out of the IMI.
Which simply stands for the Institute for the Mentally-Illed. An asylum for the very mentally insane. Cain should really take the time off from his busy schedule of destroying the world to visit this place. I bet he will be thoroughly feels very at home. What with all those insanity around.
Father Watteau moved forward silently to took hold of the picture and reads out loudly on what was written on the back, with a stern and straight face.
'As I quoted, never judge a book by its cover. I'm using this proverb to say that you can't tell what something/someone is really like just by looking at it. It might be different from what it looks. The picture said it all the more clearly.'
'With love. From Dietrich von Lohengrin, who was also known as Marionettenspieler, which also means Puppet Master or Puppeteer in the German language. '
Father Watteau paused seemingly for effect, and continued disinterestedly.
'P.S.: It was a picture of Father Abel Nightroad and his beloved brother, Cain, who was dressed up as Lady Catherina. It was done as a joke to be played on the both of them when they're both in the state of unconsciousness.'
Seemingly more insane laughter was roaring out of the meeting room, scaring anyone who walked by. Even the spies planted there by the Rosen Kruez Orden quickly and diligently made reports of this unusual event back to his Order.
(At the main office of RKOPO Pte. Ltd.)
A man, who looks to be in his mid-thirties, was holding up a big stack of letters which was supposedly to be delivered to the Vatican. And he looked to be frowning and cursing furiously at the big stack of letters in front of him. For him, delivering the letters secretly to the important leaders of the entire Order and Empire was easy job to do if you know where they're. However, it was the job of delivering the letters to the Vatican that proves to be a problem.
At the moment, our dearest Postman was now cursing and muttering along the lines of: "What in seven hells should I do with these!"
Yes, as you people guessed it, these letters happened to be the ones Isaak wanted them to be sending out. In the name of Dietrich of course.
However, as we all know perfectly well that it was Dietrich who hacked into the New Human Empire's Mother Computer's System and it was Isaak who commanded one of his 'shadow minions' to activate and launched the nuclear attack, Rome was under direct hit and the Vatican City was demolished by the attack with no survivors.
Therefore, our dearest Postman was in a little dilemma on what to do with the letters that were supposed to be sent to the Vatican.
I bet you people are wondering who this man is. Well to cut to the point, he's a Postman. He's the acting head of the secret intelligence, or the head of the spies as people would have disgusting sneered. Collecting information for the Order and keeping the active members updated on news around the world and whatever mission orders, instruction that needed to be passed down to the right person for the job.
Not just any ordinary postman, but with the rank of Philosophus (4-7), he's also the man in charge for the job of ensuring the delivering suspicious letters and unidentified parcels to the correct recipient, the correct destination at the right time as stated.
If you're wondering as well, the RKOPO Pte.Ltd., literally stands for – "Rosen Kruez Orden Post Office Private Limited."
Yes, seriously. How else do you think that the Rosen Kruez Orden was able to communicate and do terrorist activities so effectively?
Okay, looks like some people seems confused about the Rosen Kruez Orden Ranking System also known as Argenteum Astrum, which was also known as Silver Star, and often referred to as A.'.A.'. . It was an order created by the founder Aleister Crowley after leaving the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
The A.'.A.'. was unique in that members officially only know those directly above and below in the chain of instruction. There are no regular group rituals as measures are taken to hide the identity of the Officers during the few initiation rituals, and members are expected to work alone, consulting as needed with their superior in the Order.
In this way the founders of the system hoped to avoid the many political problems that allegedly brought about the downfall of the predecessor organization, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The A.'.A.'. claims to be a spiritual organization focused on enlightenment of the individual, with a strong emphasis on maintaining the chain of initiation from teacher to student, and devoting all of one's attainments to those individuals who follow. The A.'.A.'. consists of eleven grades divided into a preparatory stage and three initiatory Orders:
The Order of the G.D. (Golden Dawn)
- Neophyte (1-10)
- Zelator (2-9)
- Practicus (3-8)
- Philosophus (4-7)
The Order of the R.C. (Rose-Cross)
- Adeptus Minor (5-6)
- Adeptus Major (6-5)
- Adeptus Exemptus (7-4)
The Order of the S.S. (Rulers or Magi of the Silver Star)
- Magister (8-3)
- Magus (9-2)
- Ipsissimus (10-1)
Anyway, back to our Postman. He was still staring hard at the letters, perhaps in the hopes that it would all burst into fire if he stared hard enough. After a long torturous moment for our dearest Postman, he sighed as if the end of world was at hand and gingerly took up one of the letter to read in the details of the recipient and the address.
It was only when he flipped to the back of the letter, did he cursed. In a strange mixture of extreme anger at his stupidity and relief. This was because at the back of all those letters, it was written:
'If undelivered, please send it back to Ipsissimus (10-1).'
And thus, our dearest Postman gets to work in delivering the letters. It was his job to deliver any letters to any specific recipient as stated, even if it means breaking into high technology security secretly. If only he could get pass those irritating tight security alive that is. His dearest superior, with the scary rank of Magus (9-2), always made an effort to invent and even upgrade the standard of the security around their most respected leader, who had an even scarier rank of Ipsissimus (10-1), each time he managed to get pass it alive.
Still it was time to deliver those letters back to Cain Knightlord.
(End of Chapter 6)
A/N: Yeah! Finally got it out of my system! I hope that you people are not bored to death by this chapter! At least it seems to be… educational? Whatever! For your information and strong curiosity:
- Cain Knightlord: 10-1
- Isaak Fernand von Kampfer: 9-2
- Dietrich von Lohengrin: 8-3
- Radu Barvon: 6-5
Oh yeah, by the way, I sincerely thank evilangel990 and Passe on an Angel for taking the time to review. As for all those ghost readers out there who are still reading it and not scared off by the creepiness of it, please review! Or else there will be no more updates! Har har!