Barairo Akaku ni Chandelier
Chapter Three
"Have you ever wanted to live forever?"
The five vampires turned to the television set, as a man was reporting on the Project of Eternal Life, as the press conference today would announce the opening of the project for the first time.
"I'm so excited! Jasmine-san, can you fix my hair?" Teru cheered, running over to Jasmine.
"Of course." Jasmine replied, taking hold of Teru's long hair.
All of the vampires were dressed in the finest garments that were worn in the time they were originally from. Kamijo fastened a rose to the collar of his shirt, and glanced at the others, who were excitedly fixing their outfits as well.
"Hey, Kamijo, this reporter, isn't he—"
"Yes, he is." Kamijo answered Yuki's question, almost before he asked it. Teru turned to listen to the conversation, or to find out who 'that man' they were referring to was, but was left curious, as they never mentioned his name.
The television continued with the story of their project, and they all paid little attention to it.
"Everybody, it's time to go." Kamijo announced, "Let me do the talking, some information has already been released regarding our kind to the press. This conference will confirm that information, and let them sign into the agreement that is the Project of Eternal Life."
As they all turned to leave, Kamijo was thinking…
'It's unfortunate, that poor man doesn't even know that every other member of the press has already sold their souls to us, to the Project of Eternal Life.'
"It seems they've arrived."
The ballroom was decorated beautifully in roses and picture frames of old art and antiques. It was truly a red carpet day. Kamijo walked in the head of the line, as the press swarmed behind them, taking pictures and questioning them.
He climbed up the stairs onto the balcony, as the others stayed below. They stood in the face of the cameras, as the lights flashed. So many thoughts were rushing through each of their heads.
Teru stood at the far right, smiling and posing for the cameras. Jasmine was close behind him, turning to the cameras elegantly. Yuki and Hizaki were the more serious, and held no smile as the cameras flashed bright lights every second at them.
The cameras continued to flash, and Kamijo's 'daughter' stood ready to emerge when his speech was over. Kamijo took his place on the balcony, and gazed at the crowd of the press, smiling as he knew their secrets.
"I'm appearing from eons past. I command solitude through eternity…" He began, "You, who are condemned to repeatedly commit countless ugly sins: I shall drink from you, all your ugliness and shame, and release you from the bonds of death. In exchange for the darkest solitude, I shall give you eternal life. Make with me a covenant, and join the beautiful revolution." Kamijo grinned, revealing his fangs. Only one man in the crowd of the press looks shocked.
"The miraculously resurrected girl, who has said to have been granted eternal life, has been brought to the podium." Someone said.
Kamijo put his arm around her, and whispered to her, "Good job." For the mission he had sent her on earlier, concerning the members of the press.
"We cannot allow them to exist."
With that, the five vampire's heads all turned to face the man who said it, as he continued, "Is this not a blasphemy against God? Although our bodies may perish, we will not sell our souls to these demons."
Kamijo couldn't help but suppress a chuckle, as the man quickly turned to the crowd of the press behind him, as he noticed a strange uproar rising from them. Another thing he noticed was that they all had fangs. As soon as he realized to run, a man grabbed him from behind.
"We are Versailles! We are Versailles! We are Versailles!" The crowd chanted over and over again, while waving their hands back and forth in the air, with their pinkie and pointer finger out. "We are Versailles!" It echoed off the walls, and resounded endlessly through the hearts and minds of the Descendants of the Rose there in that room.
Teru held his hand high, but something about the scene scared him. He had seen what went on before, when that girl had bitten all of the members of the press. He knew this was their destiny, but it wasn't anything like he thought. Kamijo smiled broadly. It was even better than he expected. Hizaki scanned the crowd, shocked by the outcome of their plan. And Yuki grinned, with almost a fanatical look in his eyes.
When the press conference was over, they all stood in the empty ballroom. The moment everyone had left, was when they realized that Kamijo was gone as well.
Footsteps sounded down the hallway of the church, quickly growing louder as the nurse girl nervously approached the altar. She had seen the press conference on television, and was terrified of the creatures that were exposed. She felt like this place could be safe for her. The idea of eternal life seemed… unwelcome to her. It was wrong. People were meant to die, she thought. Did so many people really wish to live forever?
"You'd be surprised." A voice from behind her said. She quickly turned to see him. The president of the Descendant of the Rose agency, Kamijo, dressed in elegant clothes and a rose on his chest, "Don't all people desire it? Miserable…eternal life..?" Kamijo snickered, the girl was practically frozen in fear, yet the darker side of her that had already been captured by the Descendants' power, forced her to move.
Slowly, she took steps back, her heart beating very slow, in contrast to how scared she was. Suddenly, Kamijo seized her shoulders. When the church bell rang, she should have come back to her senses, but her mind was already captured. Kamijo opened his mouth, as his fangs elongated with thirst and his eyes changed color.
Swiftly, he sunk his fangs into her neck. She didn't scream, and in a few moments, the change was made. She leaned her head back, and opened her new eyes.
Kamijo gazed outside into the darkness of the night, and the full moon. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and shrugged it off.
"Don't tell me you changed your mind." Yuki said.
"I didn't." Kamijo replied.
"Then what's wrong?"
Yuki could see in Kamijo's reflection, what he least expected. Yuki thought he'd be upset about something, but instead of a troubled sigh and frown that he anticipated, Kamijo let out a snicker, and grinned a fanged grin at Yuki. The sight looked so ghastly and frightening in the light of the moon, that Yuki took a few steps back from him.
He began to laugh, it was loud enough that the other vampires entered and stood next to Kamijo and Yuki by the window.
They all gazed wistfully into the moon as it seemed to laugh at them.
"My friends… the time has come for us. The world will now turn into the hand of the Descendants of the Rose." Kamijo said.
As the moon rose high into the night, the rose colored symphony continued to play on in their unbeating hearts. Kamijo's words floated like a soft whisper to them.
"Maybe the gods wished for this. To cut the sea and the land into half, laughing at people's fights and tears. Now we're looking at just one sky. I give this song to those who don't have wings. Someday a beautiful flower will bloom in this world. Together with this time...
"We shall become a rose."