I left the house much later than usual, hoping that the wind would die down. It didn't. Even keeping my parasol in hand is a challenge, but with the sun already setting, I won't have to deal with that for long.
As I sat inside, briefly trapped yet again, I made the most of my time by glancing through a few of Patchy's books. Admittedly, much of the content goes over my head… Magic is a strange beast. Something we rely on so heavily, despite only barely understanding how it truly works.
It's only natural that different species and different people would be more suited to different types of magic, but the variance is absurd. Neither men nor monsters are created equal. In fact, with the unpredictable nature of magic, it's hardly uncommon for an individual to possess abilities that have yet to even be recorded. Though, Patchy says that could be because so many records have been destroyed…
Meiling's ability to detect and manipulate the energy of life itself; Qi, and Patchy's myriad aptitudes with the elements… Perhaps not wholly unique, but I hardly have anything so specialized at my disposal.
In my attempts to find that niche, they always gave me the same advice: 'Follow what feels right. It will come naturally.' Usually, Patchy would add, 'Assuming a brat like you has the potential,' like the smart little witch she is.
On the outskirts of the sunset-soaked city, I close my eyes. The wind whistles in my ears, all but blocking out the industrial sounds of the city. 'What feels right…?' Hm… What is it I want? In this very moment, what it it that I desire…?
…
I sigh, and continue walking. What rubbish… Admittedly, I can't help but feel a bit greedy. Vampires are renown for their physical abilities, after all. What was it that book said? 'The strength of an oni and the speed of a tengu'? Eastern creatures, yes? I wonder if I'll ever meet any… I'd love to prove that saying true.
Perhaps… Perhaps I am trying too hard… Perhaps all I need is strength, speed, and charisma… My grip tightens on my parasol. But for Flan's sake, I can't be complacent. I can't rely only on what has gotten me this far. If I have no special capabilities of my own, then I have to do the next best thing: Find myself a servant. A servant who can offer something to me that no other can. I almost laugh at the thought. So greedy… Is it your fault for raising me this way?
Before long, night falls, and despite the artificial glow from the street lamps and building windows, it seems darker than usual. Perhaps the smog is blocking out the stars. Many cars and carriages race by, but I don't see anyone on the streets by themselves, which is particularly irritating for me. If I had the time to observe these buildings closer, I could've found a discreet way in, but without preparation I risk blowing my cover… I close my parasol and find myself drawn to lean against the wall of a small bakery, still ripe with the scent of fresh bread. …I shouldn't have waited so long. You're an idiot, Remilia. …No. No, I can't keep thinking like that. I don't have the luxury of feeling sorry for myself.
I… I just need to find that girl.
I lean against the bakery's window and my eyes drift towards the cool glass. It's dark, but I quickly notice a bit of movement. My vision continues to adjust, and I see that the place is a mess of debris and stains. I then realize that pieces of people are amongst said debris, the stains are most likely blood, and that the only movement comes from a small figure, crouched near a corpse with blood slowly pooling around it, ravenously consuming a pastry of some kind.
It's her.
The blue eyes of that silver-haired girl look through the window and meet mine. I can't tell if it's simply my faint reflection in the window, but… For a brief instant, her eyes seemed drenched in the same namesake scarlet of my own. And in that same instant, before I can so much as take a breath, she bursts through the window, sending shards of glass all over the street and sidewalk, with her knives drawn and one hand pulled back far behind her, readying a savage slice.
I just barely move away as the blade passes by my face. I'm allowed a second to secure my balance before she continues her assault. Still not talking? I guess now would be a good time… As she attempts a thrust of her knife, I deflect her hand with my parasol, while opening and letting go of it in an attempt to distract her. It buys me the moment I need to concentrate, and a few moments later, when she swings at me again, I've formed myself a weapon.
A mass of ethereal blood, hardened into a sharp, sturdy, and scarlet spear; my trusty Gungnir. The only notable magic I know… Not quite as interesting as altering life and nature itself, but it gets the job done. I stop her first blade, then shift the handle to catch the second. Our weapons trade blows as we duel in the dimly lit street. Despite my reach, I can only barely keep up with her speed. She's adaptable… Good.
I attempt a thrust, but she knocks it slightly off course with a knife, dodges, and gets into position to stab me with the other. I use the momentum to my advantage, stab my weapon into the ground, and kick the knife out of her hand with my heel. I prop myself up and attempt another kick, aimed right at her, but she avoids it, backing off and going straight for her knife. I flex my wings hard enough force my coat off, and flap them to send my self into the air, dislodging my spear and taking it with me. I close the distance quickly, attempting to plunge down upon the girl, but she spots me at the last second and dives away.
I pull my spear out of the ground and hold it at the ready, while the girl does the same with her knife. I wait for her to make a move… But she doesn't. Patience? Surprising. Then I realize she isn't luring me in. She seems rooted to the spot, her feet planted, as if bound to the stone beneath her. She hasn't lowered her guard completely, but growing both bored and intrigued, I relax my own stance, standing up straight.
"Are you read to talk at last?" I ask, casually.
"You're a monster." The girl says it as plainly as one would say 'hello'.
I grin at her, baring my fangs. "You don't seem frightened by that fact." I walk over to collect my coat and parasol, the former of which is a bit too damp and torn for my liking, so I merely fold it over my arm. The whole time, I listen carefully for the girl to make any sudden movements. I hear nothing, and sure enough, when I look back at her, she hasn't moved. There's barely a hint of fear on her face. If anything, she looks more annoyed.
"Shall we talk inside?" I ask.
"What makes you think I'd talk to you?"
"Aside from what you're doing at this very moment?" Her scowl grows fiercer. "Well, you've gone nearly a full minute without trying to kill me, so I assume that I've caught you in a good mood. Or, at the very least, your blood-lust has already been sated. Additionally, I imagine you want to get back to your meal, yes?"
After a moment's hesitation, she relaxes her stance and walks over to collect her other knife. I release Gungnir as a show of good faith, and walk towards the bakery before her. I keep my ears perked up as I turn my back to her, and though my muscles don't completely relax, I get the odd feeling that she isn't a threat. Not in the moment, at least.
I turn on the lights and drop off my coat as we enter the murder scene. The blood and viscera is fresh and makes for a rather pleasant atmosphere. As I take my seat, the girl reclaims the piece of bread she left on the table. Her eyes jump between me and the bread constantly, until she finishes it naught but a few moments later.
"What do you want from me?" She asks.
"Not one for conversation?" I ask. Her eyes narrow. "I figured as much. Very well, I won't waste your time." I lean forward. "I want you to serve me."
She stares at me for a few moments. "…What?"
"I want you to become my servant," I say plainly.
"What makes you think I would ever agree to that?"
"Oh, I assure you, I'm quite the benevolent master." She seems like she's about to stay something else, but before that, I hear something. I hold up a finger and gesture to the store counter.
"What are you trying to pull?" The girl asks.
"I hear something over there."
"I don't-"
"Have ears as sharp as mine, clearly. We can kill each other later, so would you please wait a moment?" Surprisingly, she listens, and relaxes in her seat.
I walk behind the counter and listen intently. It's just as much of a mess as the rest of the area, with the centerpiece being the mutilated corpse of whom I assume is the cashier, leaning against the cabinets under the table. I then hear that faint movement again. Something is shaking. I move the corpse aside and open the cabinet to find a man sitting in it, trembling.
I smile at him. "Ah, what perfect timing~." The man attempts what I assume is an attack, but from his cramped position, it's rather pathetic. I grab him by the neck and place him forcefully onto the counter. With a crushed windpipe, his attempts to scream are amusingly feeble.
"Now, where was I…? Ah! Yes." I toss the man onto the ground in front of the girl. "Kill him."
She looks at the man, then back to me. "…Why?"
"Why not? Or, are you a bit murder shy? I can close my eyes if-"
She steps on the mans hand, keeping him from crawling away. "What are you, lazy? Do it yourself."
"Lazy?" I laugh. "If I did nothing but sit on my bum and only suck on whatever poor sap Father dragged in, I wouldn't be alive right now. After all, you can't rely on other people in this world, now can you?"
Before I can continue, she moves. In a flash, she draws a knife from beneath her rags, lifts the man by the collar, and plunges it deep into his neck, before tearing into him with a speed and ferocity that I wasn't prepared for. Did I strike a nerve?
When the man falls back to the ground, I see his neck partially severed, and a gash having opened up his entire torso. The girl, previously only speckled with blood, was now drenched crimson in front.
Yet her eyes are just as dull and lifeless as they always have been.
Satisfied with the results, I walk back over to her. "Happy?" She asks with a frostbitten tone.
"You don't have a reason to kill, do you?" I ask. She seems taken aback by my accusation. "With your skill, you seem more than capable of stealing your food without the need to kill. You obviously aren't the talkative type, so I doubt you're seeking information. You don't seem like a hired killer, either, considering your apparent standing. You don't even take the slightest bit of pleasure in your craft. Not a spark of joy in the blood, nor pride in the kill, nor indulgence in sadism." I look over her blood-splattered face and dress. "You have no purpose, do you?"
"…What do you care?"
"Because I find you interesting. Now, before we continue, would you like to wash yourself? You look like a child after her first meal." I walk out of the building and beckon her to follow. "Come now, there's a small house nearby. A lowly couple, though they seem well-off. I fetch myself a drink while you wash up. Sound fair?"
Silently, she follows me. We enter the house with ease, and while she enters the washroom, I find and make short work of the sleeping couple. Once I've had my fill and siphoned some for Flan, I make my way towards the washroom, but not before acquiring a new coat from their wardrobe. Conveniently enough, it's quite similar to my old one, but newer and a bit bigger. Mercy on my poor wings.
The girl stands in the shower, paying me only a glance as I enter. Her skin is dotted with numerous faint scars, and she's unsurprisingly quite lithe and athletic. Though, as I scan her pale, bare body, I can't help but feel that something's off. She looks sickly, yet I can't quite tell why. Undernourishment? A disease or health condition? Or maybe…
"You must've gained quite a sum of trust in me, to leave yourself so scandalously exposed before a monster." I say, taking a seat on a wicker chair.
"I'd have a knife in your before you could touch me."
"I don't doubt it."
She turns the water off, dries and dresses herself in a robe, then sits on the floor, staring at me. That faint sense of regality becomes a bit more apparent, now that her hair and skin are clean. "So, you think I'll serve you just because I have nothing better to do?"
"For a gross oversimplification, yes." Her scowl returns. I instinctively grin at her, before deciding to lean forward and put on a more grave expression. "To have no purpose in this world is to have no reason to live. When that will to live leaves your mind, your body will lose it's motivation. It's ability to function.
"I could already see the atrophication plainly on your body. It doesn't matter how well you eat, how much you tone your body… With no reason to sustain itself, the body wastes away." Her scowl falters slightly. She realizes it too… "Most in your situation would wander the streets aimlessly, or simply lie in bed, waiting to fall into an everlasting dream. But you're different. You continue to act. Why is that?"
She averts her eyes, and that frigid demeanor seems to finally be thawing in this steamy room. "I…" She doesn't say more.
I extend a hand and smile. "You are in need of a purpose. I can give one to you."
She glances from my hand to my eyes, but only a moment passes before she knocks my fingers away. "You don't care about me. You just want me as a slave. A tool for your own ends, right?"
"As I said earlier, 'servant' not 'slave'." I fully retract my hand and straighten my posture. "However, you aren't wrong. Your skills impress me, and I do very much want them at my beck and call. I have my own purpose to live for, you see."
"You seem more than capable of gathering blood on your own."
"I do not refer only to sustenance." A moment of silent passes as I try to find the right words. A bit of intimacy may be necessary, but I mustn't be careless. I am the master, and you, the soon-to-be servant. "You see me as your average vampire, yes? With a thirst for blood and a hate for humans?"
"Pretty much."
I laugh. "Oh, silly girl… Tell me, do you hate livestock? Do you consume beef because of your hatred for cows and bovine-kind? No, vampires do not kill for the sake of killing; we simply do what we must. In fact, we very rarely kill humans. If we killed without hesitation, we'd cut off our primary food supply. It's far more efficient to simply take a pint or two and leave the human be afterward."
"You say that, yet you seemed to enjoy watching me kill the one from earlier. Nor did you have an issue killing the owners of this house. And if those rumors are to be believed, you've been on a murder-spree throughout the city."
"Oh? I didn't know I had admirers." And are you sure those reports aren't about you?
"If most vampires don't kill, then why do you?"
"Simple. I am not most vampires." The girl seems to tense and relax at the same time, but doesn't react otherwise. I sigh. "Do I need to spell it out for you? Fine. I do hate humans. I do enjoy killing them." I stand, my theatrical nature taking over. "I love that feeling when I tear open their flesh! I love the sounds of their pained screams! I love to watch their muscles go limp as the life fades from their eyes…" I sigh. "It truly is a pleasure like no other~."
"Yet you don't want to kill me?"
"You?" I laugh again as I sit back down. "Why would I want to kill you?"
"W-What do you mean-"
"You aren't really human, are you?"
She goes quiet, and I see that icy shell of hers starts to fall away.
"You're an outcast. Shunned by society. Treated as something less than human. …Am I wrong?" She looks away and remains silent. "When the world treats you as inhuman, it takes quite a bit of effort to regain the title of 'human'. You aren't interested in regaining that humanity, are you?" Her eyes turn to me for a brief moment. For once, I see something other than anger or annoyance.
"You hate humans, don't you? In that sense, we're similar." Once again, I extend my hand. "So? Do you wish to rot in the gutter amidst human filth? Or do you wish to put that hatred towards a purpose?"
"…You really are a monster among monsters."
"And you, a monster among humans." I leave my hand patiently hovering before her. "When humans look at you, they see something below that of a human. I do not. I see something far superior to a human." I move my hand a touch closer, though it wasn't intentional. I felt a sort of… Pull. As if my hand is caught in a web. I swear the girl moved closer at the same time.
"More then human, huh…?" She mutters. "Then what am I?"
"A perfect, elegant servant for a devil."
I feel like we were both taken aback by that. I wasn't sure what I was about to say until the words were already out of my mouth. Then she giggles. As I'm paralyzed by the shock of such a jarring sight and sound, she grabs my hand.
"I can still kill you at anytime," she says, layering another expression over her small smile.
"And I, you," I reply with a smile of my own.
I leave the girl to find some fitting clothes and step out under the pouring starlight once again. …Did they get brighter? She soon rejoins me, clad in a shirt, jacket, skirt, and shoes. Wearing proper, if mundane, clothing only adds to that refined aura I feel faintly radiating off of her. "Now, the first order of business to this new partnership," I begin. "What is your name?"
"I don't have one."
"…A part of me expected that." I look up at the night sky. Just as I'd thought, the full moon has passed. Hmm… "I said that you are something greater than human," I begin. "However, I sense that you've been above humanity for a long time. I wish to make you into something more. The perfect servant. An asset that will allow me to achieve my goals and beyond.
"As monsters gain strength from the night, I shall gain strength from you. But you are something greater than that. Something hated by many, but hence forth, loved by me. You shall grant me the hidden power of what lies beyond the full moon.
"You are my sixteenth night: Izayoi."
A long moment of silence follows my impromptu speech. As she stares at me, I feel sweat roll down my neck. Was… Was that too much?
"…What kind of name is 'Izayoi'?"
"An eastern one. It'll help you fit in when we reach the promised land."
"Promised land…? You never told me anything about-"
"I've told you want I need to, clearly." She scowls yet again. "I will explain what needs explaining. You will follow my orders. Understood?"
"I'm having second thoughts…"
I laugh. "Don't you realize it? You've shaken hands with the Devil herself."
"I'm bound to you?"
"Perhaps you are, perhaps you are not. Perhaps you always have been. Fate is an interesting thing, isn't it, Izayoi?"
"Fate, huh…?"
"What other force could have possibly brought us together?"
"Fair enough," she says with a dismissive shrug.
Yes… 'Fate'. I can't say for sure why I chose that word. 'Fate' isn't something that I spend much time thinking about. Though, it isn't something that's meant to be 'thought', now is it? More so, something to be 'felt'. And I can very much feel it. A gentle pull, as if my body and soul were bound by thread.
"Now, Izayoi, I've work to do, and thus, so do you. …Understood?"
"Understood." I wait for a moment, and is if I'd instructed her aloud, she begrudgingly continues. "…Mistress."
I clap my hands and feel my heart flutter. "Oh, how I love the sound of that!" I turn away and beckon her to follow. "So, let's get to work, shall we?"
"Of course, Mistress." I giggle at the sound, and she sighs accordingly.
"Looks like it's going to be a fun night~." I say.
"Looks like it's going to be a long night…" She echoes.