Glenn and V.V. arrived moments later with bagful of crosses, stakes and holy water.
"We got your message." Glenn said, eying the debris warily. Ray was tortured badly and lying on one of the spare beds. Blaze's right side of his face had been burnt but otherwise he's fine. Terra had friction burned into the flesh of her left arm, so that the skin is red and in danger of peeling. Jake and Lance were unhurt, but shaken.
Lloyd, who still haven't fully recovered, was putting on his clothes, causing Dr Chang, who had arrived earlier to the noises and screams to go, "What do you think you're doing?"
"We got to rescue Hor- I mean, Tiffany." Lloyd averted his gaze to Blaze, who is holding Tiffany's card in his hands.
"Tiffany? Who's Tiffany?" V.V. said, looking confused.
"Hornet." Blaze answered hollowly.
"Hornet? That's the girl called Tiffany, right?" Dr Chang said, consulting his notes. "Well, I can only hope that she's safe. But with her current condition, I can't guarantee for sure."
"Well, we can't sit down and do nothing!" Lance snapped. "My partner's out there with her life in danger!"
"But why would Revarie wanted Hor- I mean, Tiffany?" V.V. frowned. "That doesn't make any sense..."
"He said that he's feeling thirsty..." Jake said.
Glenn sucked in a hollow breath. "Uh oh."
Lloyd turned to him. "How bad is it?"
"I think... He's going to....sire her."
"Sire?"
"I been doing research on vamps lately." Glenn said, blushing slightly. "A vampire reproduce by siring his offspring, usually a dying victim by drinking their blood."
"Hornet's, I mean, Tiffany is not dying, for God's sake." Lance spluttered. "How can he think that way???"
"The girl is between life and death..." Dr Chang said shakily. "If what you say is true, then the vampire might try to make her drink his blood."
Everyone paled at the thought.
"We got to find her, fast!!!!" Blaze yelped.
***********
Hornet feel weak. Really weak. There were times when she seriously feel like letting Death embrace its pale white hands around her so that she can drift off. Other times she feel nausea swimming all over her, making her feel pain.
And there are times when she can feel her friends, companions, saying soft-spoken words of encouragement, telling her not to give up hope. Terra's constant prayers of caring, Ray's grunt of encouragement, Blaze's demanding voice not to give up, Jake's shyness but with kind words behind them.
And Lance... Her long life companion and partner. They had been long life childhood friends, and the radioactive incident, they had been supporting each other throughout the ups and downs. Although she had never heard him muttering encouragement, she had felt his presence by her side a lot, especially when it came to taking care of her. Even though Lance's from Edinburgh, Scotland, whereas she's from Yushu, a town in Jilin province of northeastern China. Despite the fact that they're from different places, they had worked together like a dynamic duo, partners-in-crime, but more than that, friends... Beyond that, brother and sister...
She was suddenly aware of something brushing her arm. She tilted her head to one side and saw a pale long fingered hand like spider legs with black fingernails drawing circles on her arm. The hand belonged to a very good looking young man. He has long dark hair that hung like curtains around his very pale angular face and eyes as red as blood rubies. There's something about the way he looks. Like nobility, or aristocratic. He's wearing a very loose white shirt that was opened at his chest, revealing a silver pendant which hung on a chain around his neck.
Who is that, Hornet thought weakly. I think I've seen him before.
The man moved in closer to her, smiling angelically at her, opening his mouth a little wide to reveal shiny white teeth that seems to be fangs. He then bit his wrist hard till blood flowed from the punctured wound, trickling down like a thin ribbon.
Hornet's mind gave a gasp as he put his bleeding wrist near her lips, forcing it down her throat.
Stop it, leave me alone!!! Hornet's mind feel like screaming but the man held her head so that she had no choice but to drink.
After a few moments or so, he took away his bleeding wrist and murmured, "That should be enough..."
Hornet suddenly feel light-headed and drowsy just as she remembered who he is... The vampire from before. Revarie...
************
Revarie left the room where Hornet, or should he say, Tiffany was held captive. As soon as he had brought her back here, he had made sure no one gets into the room except him. He hadn't worried about binding her because she's too weak and frail to even escape. All he had to do is make sure to weaken her before siring her.
"Whatcha going to do with her?" Allen asked, holding a tray of nectar and honey in jars. Food for the hornet.
"I was hoping to sire her, add her into my collection." Revarie's punctured wrist had stopped bleeding, but the blood had stained his sleeves, like drops of red petals.
"What did you do?"
"Gave her a little medicine..." He smiled. "Made sure to keep her in a stable condition."
**********
"Wait..."
Jake was holding the ribbon that Tiffany usually use to tie her plait. The ribbon is well-worn but still acceptable as an item to trace her whereabouts.
"What is it?" Lance asked. He's sitting on a vintage Yamaha sport bike that he had nicked few months ago. Jake is using a Vespa scooter that they had managed to salvage from a junk site.
"I felt her aura. It's not very strong. It's as though she was purposely hidden." Jake shut his eyes. "I can't track her. What about Lupercus?"
"I'm calling him now." Lance nodded, holding out his cell phone.
Ray and Terra were running down a district. Well, Ray is in his wolf form, Terra is running, her pigtails trailing behind her. Back in her school days, she was often teased for being short, but she makes up for it by having steady legs that are good for running and sprinting.
"Hold it, Lupercus." She yelled. "Are you sure this is even the right way?"
Lupercus only howled in response.
"Hey, wait up. My phone's ringing..." She waved her bejewelled cellphone.
Lupercus halted and shifted back to Ray, who said, "Well, make it quick, will you?"
Terra pressed the call button. "Hello?"
"What's your status?"
"Not much." She muttered.
"I think we might've gotten a lead. Jake reckons her aura is at North."
"Well, pass it on to Blaze and the other three..."
Without waiting for an answer, Lance cancelled her call and dialled Blaze's number.
"Blaze, I think we may have gotten a lead..."
*************
Blaze was riding on the back of the Land Rover with V.V. as he said, "Can't this piece of junk go any faster?"
Lloyd, who was taking the wheel, with Glenn as his passenger, snapped, "Shut up, Hot-Head. This piece of junk had actually been with me for a very long time."
"God, you're so serious..." Blaze shrugged, leaning against his seat.
"You mind your manners, young man, and we'll help you out..." Glenn said, turning to face him.
That was when Blaze's cell phone rang loudly with Shakira's Hips Don't Lie ringtone, causing Glenn and Lloyd to snicker in the front.
"Quit it. I love her music." Blaze yelped, blushing a deep tomato red. "She's hot."
This only cause them to snicker even more. Only V.V. was kind enough to say, "I think she's pretty too. Why don't you answer your phone?"
Blaze gave her a look of respect and nodded. "Hello?"
"Hello, Pyro.... Head North. I can track her aura coming from there." Jake said, driving his scooter.
"Alright." Blaze then said, "Head North. Jake can sense Tiffany's aura coming from there."
Lloyd nodded, but couldn't resist adding, "You mind putting Shakira's music while we drive???"
"SHUT UP!!!!" Blaze roared, blushing even more deeply.
************
"They're coming..." Allen said to Mind's Shadow. "How did they find us?"
"I'm guessing that they have a skilled tracker..." Mind's Shadow then loomed to Revarie. "Hey, vamp, looks like hiding her aura doesn't seem to work."
"Be quiet, shadower. It doesn't seem to affect any of my plan of siring her." Revarie then turned to Reo. "You had better use that against them."
Reo was carrying the two cloth-wrapped parcels that he always carry with him. Up till now, no one even knows what inside, except for himself.
Reo's eyes flashed sharply for a moment. "Don't give me orders. I know what I'm doing."
That was when his phone ring. Reo flipped it open and said, "Yeah? Dario? You wish to speak with Revarie? Alright." He held out the phone. "For you."
Revarie stared at the phone suspiciously. He may have lived a long time but somehow, technology and him don't seem to get along. Gingerly, he took the phone and said, "Yeah?"
"Well, well , well, you finally grasped the basics of modern technology..." Dario's cold drawl came on the line. "So, did it work out fine?"
"Of course." Revarie smiled to himself. "I didn't touch Lloyd. Too bad the failure wasn't there."
"Yes, well, make sure you don't kill him off."
"What about the other two?"
"I don't care about the other guy, but don't break V.V. will you? She's my property."
Revarie then hand the phone back to Reo, saying, "Keep an eye out."
Reo briefly glanced at his way, but he nodded.
Revarie then ran out with such speed. One minute's he there, next minute he's gone.
************
All of them gathered in front of a Italian-looking manor with a huge courtyard. It looks odd in contrast to the other American houses, somehow this makes it stand out a lot. Although it may looks grand, it looks abandoned. The paint had long since faded away, the glass are dusty-looking with heavy drapes blocking the sunlight, and the garden is overgrown with weeds. The brick walls surrounding the place has been vandalized by hoodlums who had spray-painted the entire thing with vulgar words and drawings.
"You mean Hornet's here?" Terra wrinkled her nose in disgust. "That vamp is going to pay..."
"I heard ya, Terra." Lance nodded, putting wooden bullets into his gun.
Ray took a few stakes and tested its sharpened point. "We get in and beat the crap out of him."
"Watch your back, kiddos." Lloyd said, taking out his blade and pouring holy water onto the blade. "He might have accomplices."
Blaze smirked. "We're not that dumb, Mister Lloyd."
Lloyd slammed the boot shut and said, "Let's go."
************
The front door is nearly off it's hinges. Nevertheless, it was locked with chains and padlock that looks unrecognizable.
Terra touched the lock, melting it into lumps of metal. "Done."
Lupercus burst the door open and the rest troop in like SWAT teams. All with their weapons positioned.
"Right. Well," Blaze struggled, trying to find the right words. "I think we should split up...So that we can move much more easily and...we can search much more faster for Tiffany..."
"Sounds like a plan." Lance nodded, taking Jake with him.
"Works for me." Terra said, taking Lupercus with her.
"I'll be with Glenn." Lloyd said, nodding.
"Then that just lefts you and me." V.V. said to Blaze.
"Well, that's fine by me..." He said with a tinge of awkwardness. "Let's go."
*************
Terra was holding a flashlight with her with Lupercus beside her. His ears up for hearing any of the faintest of sounds.
"This seems too quiet..." She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Don't you think so?"
Lupercus gave a nod of agreement.
They had walked into what looks like a living room, long since abandoned. The entire furnitures, all from Victorian times, are covered in cobwebs and dust bunnies. A beautiful swirly lampshade with colourful patterns that would once awe people has long since became dull as a pearl that had lost its shine. The carpet is also thick with dust. With each step they took, a cloud of dust erupts in front of them.
"Ah-Ah-CHOO!!!!" Terra sneezed. "I don't like this..."
Lupercus suddenly growled, his hairs standing up.
"What is it?"
Lupercus was growling at the darkest corner of the room. The shadow seem to be become bigger, menacing and evil with darkness.
"What on earth-" Terra gasped.
There was a huge laughter and suddenly, the room turned pitch black.
She couldn't even remember hitting the floor.
**********
Jake was tracking a long narrow corridor with doors on each sides. Lance was watching him anxiously while checking his watch non-stop. Every minute seems to make the fear inside of him grow bigger and bigger.
"I can't take this anymore..." He muttered. "I just can't."
"What do you mean?" Jake asked, still tracking the corridor.
"I can't stand here not doing anything. I'm worried about Hornet."
"She'll be fine." Jake said reassuringly. "She's tough as nails. She won't go down without a fight." He suddenly became alert. "I tracked her."
"What???"
"Over here." Jake went to one of the many doors and threw it open. Instead of a room, it's a narrow stone staircase, chipped and cracked on the surfaces, making it impossible to go down without tripping.
"No way is Hornet down there." Lance yelped at the condition of the staircase.
"My senses are telling me she is."
"How are we suppose to get down there, then?"
"Allow me to help." A voice said.
"Who's there?"
They were suddenly lifted off their feet and yelling, plunged into a freefall.
***********
Lance was the first to stir. His head is pounding hard as though it's about to split. His body feel as stiff as stone. Taking in his surroundings, he felt his stomach lurch. Everyone was captured, two to a cell each. Each cell is decorated exactly the same, a steel bed with a thin mattress, no blankets and pillows. A steel chair sat on its lonely corner and a steel bucket to be used as a toilet. Each of the steel bars may have rusted but they still provide a very good cell to prevent prisoners escape.
"Oh my God." Terra gasped from the opposite cell. "They got all of us..."
"I can't believe this!" Glenn yelped from another cell.
As if by magic, bat-shaped torches sprung to life, throwing harsh glares in the dim darkness. At first it seems bare, then Terra gave a loud scream.
At the very end, there's an altar, also made out of stone. A blood red cloth was draped over it, held together by a pair of golden candelabra covered in wax, the candles burning very low. But what's horrifying is actually behind the altar. An unusually huge spider web has been woven by using strong steel wires. On the pseudo web, hanging like a broken marionette, was Hornet. Her head lolled on to her chest, her hair hung loose on either sides. One arm was above her, as though she's waving, the other dangled at her side. Her legs were wide apart and crooked. Her clothes were ripped and torn, covered in dirt and sweat. The sleeves of her off the shoulder blouse were ripped, exposing her skinny arms, where the bones were visible. She is also barefooted, exposing her toes which are painted a honey thistledown colour. The sight of her makes everyone sick. Jake clasped his hand to his mouth and hurried over to the steel bucket. Something hit the bottom with a thud and he gasped for air.
"That's sick." Blaze muttered, locked with Lloyd. "Seriously sick."
"Be quiet!"
Mind's Shadow had loomed up to them, connecting from Allen's shadow. Majority of them had fallen victim to him, engulfed in the dark and brought here, to witness a horror out of a real nightmare.
Revarie emerged from one of the darkest corners, grinning wickedly like some grotesque character out of a horror film.
"Benvenuto, my prisoners." He said in a falsely host-like voice.
"What are you trying to achieve?" Glenn said.
"One with the tainted blood have no right to talk with me." Revarie spat.
"Why do you have to bother Hornet?" Ray snapped. "She has nothing to do with you."
"Oh, she does." Revarie raised an ancient looking knife, wickedly sharp in the light. With one brief swipe he sliced the web cleanly. Hornet would've crumpled to the floor in a heap if he haven't caught her into his arms.
Ray, who saw what was happening, could not contain a small sob. "Please. She doesn't have anything to do with this."
Revarie gave a smile, revealing his fanged canines. He pushed Hornet's hair back to reveal the sickly pale throat.
Terra was trying to melt the bars but to her horror a weapon was being pointed at her. It looks like a sword, with silver blade and all. But what is unusual is that instead of a proper hilt and handle, it's a gun's handle, pewter in colour with an ancient handle with rune like markings. The edge of a sword is sharp and thin, but this one, well, it's thicker by a few centimetres and has the mouth of a gun.
Oh no no no no no.
"Don't bother." Reo said. "I could shoot you right here and now in a blink of an eye."
"Mizutsuchi, don't." Terra pleaded.
"We're not allies anymore. So stop calling me that."
Revarie then lunged at Hornet's throat, sinking his fangs and drawing out the blood. Although she's not councious, her body jerked in pain. They also noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
Ray couldn't stop howling in anguish, at the same time. He started to slowly shift into the wolf within him. Skin started to become furs once more, the clothes that he's wearing slowly get absorbed into his body...
Lloyd, Glenn and V.V. had never seen Ray transformed into a wolf before, well not in front of their eyes. The process seems fascinating. His wild hair became longer and morphed into fur matching his body. Hands and feet morphed into paws respectively, with huge black claws. As his muzzled grew out, his tail appeared, swishing back and forth. His amber tilted eyes had changed into blood red eyes that seems to show grief. Howling, he threw himself against the bars, shaking the whole cell in the process, causing Reo to stumble to the back and a quick thinking Lloyd grabbed Reo and knocked him out by slamming him against the iron bars. His weapons, whatever they are, drop onto the floor with a loud clang.
Glenn snatched one of it up and said, "Cool. It looks like a gunblade." Without any hesitation, he fired one of the bullets to divert Revarie's attention. One of the bullet embedded itself deep into shoulders, which caused him to say, "That hurts."
With Hornet still bleeding, he then bit his wrist, puncturing two holes, which oozed out some blood. This, he forced it to Hornet's mouth, all the way down to her throat.
CRASH.
Lupercus had smashed the bars down, with Terra, melting everyone's cells.
"Thanks, kiddo." Lloyd said, retrieving his blade, where it was heaped in a corner together with Glenn's pistol and an assortment of rusted weapons, ranging from steel chains, antique swords, pole arms and axes.
"Wonder what are all these doing here?" Glenn said, picking up his gun and tossing the gunblade aside.
"Who knows." Lloyd swung his blade to get the feel of it.
Shadows suddenly loomed over him and bind him with shadow tendrils.
"You have forgotten about me." Mind's Shadow cackled.
"But not me."
V.V. had pulled one of the blazing torches out of the wall and threw it down onto Mind's Shadow, who scream in terror and fled to Allen, who telekinetically lifted all three of them in the air and threw them against the wall.
Before Glenn could pick himself up, a pair of hands seized him and gave him a swift punch onto his solar plexus.
"That's payback for touching and taking my gunblade..." Reo said, his eyes cold. "Hey!"
V.V had clambered on top of him and was raining blows after blows on him. Despite the fact that she's small, she has a surprisingly brutal strength.
"You leave him alone, you monster!" She yelled, her legs hooked on to his back and refusing to let go. "You leave him alone!"
Water suddenly erupted from the ground and blasted her away, drenching her in icy cold liquid. Lloyd slammed a fist onto his face, knocking him off balance.
Blaze conjured a fireball and blasted it towards Revarie who ducked for cover, dropping Hornet.
"Get Hornet!" Blaze yelled.
Jake and Terra had hurried over to her and pulled her gently to safety. Terra had torn a fabric off her dress and pressed it onto Hornet's throat to stop the blood from flowing.
"Tiffany? Tiff? Can you hear me?" Terra murmured.
Hornet, or rather Tiffany, opened her eyes just by a little. "Don't...." She slurred over the words. ".....call me... Tiff...any. It's Tifa....."
"Are you...alright?" Jake said anxiously.
For a moment Tifa opened her eyes fully, trying to take in the surrounding. Without warning, she screamed. It's not even a scream of terror. It's pain.
"Tifa? Tifa? What's wrong?" Terra gasped, holding her down, who is thrashing around wildly while screaming in pain.
"My body hurts!" She screamed. "The pain is unbearable!!! Make it stop!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!" Her last three words rose into a glass-shattering scream that seems to cause their eardrums to burst.
"What's wrong?" Jake yelled.
Revarie gave a throaty laugh. "It's already in process. The transformation, that is."
"You-" Jake let out a swear word.
"My work here is done. I wonder if she will survive the process, or die..." Revarie then sprouted out bat wings and flew off. Reo retrieved his gunblades and said to Glenn, "Next time we meet, I won't go easy on you."
"I'll be waiting." Glenn said, accepting the challenge.
Reo turned on his back and left, sheathing the gunblades into their respective holders. Allen hurried after him, with Mind's Shadow yelling, "This isn't over, you humans!!!! I'll be back!!!!"
All of them hurried over to the altar, where Tifa is screaming in agony thrashing around wildly. Her entire face is sweating, and her hornet characteristics seems to be sprouting out wildly.
Three pairs of hornet wings, insect-like and a pretty sunset red in colour, with sharpened tips a brilliant crimson, sprouted out from her back. Two feelers, also a sunset red in colour, sprouted out from the top of her head. Her nails seemed to become stingers, sharpening to a sting-like tip and turning into a golden yellow colour that seems venomous. Pale red-tinged veins spider-walked just below the skin of her wrists and hands. Her dark hair that falls to her hips, is tipped with crimson, like flames licking around her. Her eyes, originally a deep brown, turned maroon.
"Isn't there any way to stop the transformation?" Ray, who is back into a human, was wiping his tears roughly off his face.
"There might be a way." Lloyd said unexpectedly.
"Tell me!"
Lloyd turned to Glenn, who was watching all of this silently. "Can you draw out the blood?"
"Me?" Glenn yelped.
"Your fangs seems to be sharp enough to pierce her skin. And you are his descendant, after all."
Glenn gave s small smile. "Do I?"
"Just do it!!!" Blaze yelled.
Lance touched Tifa's hand to hold it down while avoiding the stinger-like nails and yelped. "Her temperature is dropping."
"Please!!!!" Ray sobbed.
Glenn stared back and forth and said to Terra. "Let me see the wound."
Terra nodded and removed the fabric. The punctured wounds are still there like two holes. Is it his imagination or do they seem to be turning smaller by the minute?
"This is going to hurt." Glenn murmured.
"We'll hold her." Lance said. "You just make sure to draw the blood out."
Glenn could practically hear his heart beating fast against his chest. Silently begging the Universe's forgiveness, he let his teeth sink in.
The sound of Tifa's screams is unbearable. Everyone's eardrums feel like bursting like how a balloon pop into nothing, but still, they kept holding on. After what seems like eternity, she finally stopped. Tears like jewels slowly dripped onto her hair, and to her throat, mixing with the blood.
Glenn slowly pulled himself up, his mouth covered in drops of blood, panting hard.
She is slowly reverting back to her normal self. The wings shrunk back into her shoulders, the veins crawled away, leaving her skin bare, the nails shrunk into human nails, the feelers absorbed back into her skull. The crimson tips slowly turned back to ink black.
And she's her own again, though weakened and pale and limp.
"Is she-" Ray began.
"She should be fine." Glenn said. "I drew out a lot of the blood. She's going to need a transfusion to replace all the blood she has lost."
Blaze slowly turned to them, his face seems hollow, struggling to say the right words. Without warning, he finally uttered. "Thank you..."
Glenn nodded as Lloyd handed him a tissue and said, "There's drops of red beads on your mouth."
"Urgh. Gross!" Glenn yelped, wiping as hard as he could to erase traces of blood on him. "I am never going to eat raw meat ever again at this rate!"
"Be grateful we didn't have to get you animal blood from the butcher."Lloyd countered.
"And we don't have to stock up on garlics." V.V. couldn't resist adding.
"Not funny, V." Glenn moaned, roughly erasing the traces of blood on him.
Blaze then turned to his companions. "Come on guys. Let's get her back to the hideout."
"What are you going to do?" Lloyd asked.
"We have our own ways, Mister Lloyd." Blaze's tone has turned back into being his sarcastic usual self.
"If you don't mind... I would like to make an offer."
Glenn and V.V. turned to him with surprise. An offer? He never mentioned anything about offers.
"Adoption..."
Blaze's eyes popped. "W-WHAT?!!!"
"If you don't mind, I could help you arrange an adoption."
"What was that?!!!" Blaze yelled.
"Are you favouring Blaze over us???" Ray snarled.
"Just shut up and let me finish." Lloyd barked. When he was certain that Blaze nor Ray weren't going to interrupt, he then sighed. "Look, well, you came to me about Tiff's condition with sincerity, and well, I spoke with Dr Chang and if you want, he is willing to adopt you. Any of you."
"No thanks for me." Ray said.
"Nor me." Lance interjected.
"Not me either." Terra shook her head, her crucifix dangling.
"I wouldn't mind." Jake mumbled.
Ray and Lance both whirled around to face him. "What was that, Jakey?"
"I always wondered how a cosy home looks like." Jake mumbled, his head bowed as though he's is prayer.
"Oh, Jakey..." Lance sighed, patting his back.
Blaze shuffled slightly and murmured, "I might consider..."
Ray's eyes widened. He was about to open his mouth to protest when Terra shook her head, silencing him. Then she turned to Blaze and said, "Are you really sure?"
Blaze shrugged and said, "My family were a bunch of-" He let out some creative swearing. "Everything I do, they would beat me. It might be nice to get some new ones for a change. Or not..."
"Don't worry, Blaze. Whatever you do, we'll support you." Terra nudged Ray hard in the ribs. "Right?"
"Er-yeah." Though he looked unconvinced. "As long as you don't get sent to some lunatic asylum."
"Me too." Jake said.
Lance gave him a nod of agreement.
Blaze eyes all of them one by one. For a very long moment, neither of them, nor Lloyd, said anything. It's like a World War going on. Blaze's team on one side, Lloyd's on the other. The tension in between them is solidifying the area like ice.
It was Blaze who finally broke the silence, like shattering the ice wall in between them. "Alright. But on one condition." He added hastily at Lloyd's expression. "There are always conditions."
"Name it." Lloyd said challengingly.
"If I go, then all of us must go." Blaze said. "We're all in a package. Take it or leave it."
All of his companions stared ta him in awe, shock, and disbelief. But there's no way to hide the flicker of hope that is bubbling inside them.
Lloyd barely flickered, nor skip a beat. "Alright." He held out his hand, which Blaze grasped it tightly.
"Are you serious, Lloyd?" Glenn said, looking uncertain. "Wouldn't Dr Chang flip out if you suddenly brought-" He made a quick headcount. "-Six kids all of a sudden?"
"He won't." Lloyd said confidently, taking out his cellphone. "I just have to make a quick phone call..."
*************
Moments later, all of them, including Blaze and his gang, stood outside Dr Chang's house. It's more like a cottage really, surrounded by a small courtyard that is planted with herbs. A small border collie eyed them warily from her kennel. The house itself is a cerulean blue, the colour of tranquility. The door is painted in lavender with old fashioned shutter like windows. Oddly, whenever people walked by, they can't help but feel attracted to look at it. Because, the cottage looks as though it's smiling at you.
As soon as they have came out of their respective trasnportations (For Blaze and his companions, stolen bicycles, motorcycles and scooters...), the lavender door swung inwards and Dr Chang hurried out to greet them.
"At last." He said cheerily. "I was beginning to think neither of you would make it. Or pulling my leg."
"Doc, are you sure it's fine?" Lloyd said, eyeing Blaze and his companions, who are all looking tired covered in dirt. All of them had carried what little possessions they have left, scavenged what's left of the hideout. Their personal belongings, their rations and their leftover emergency cash, which is safely tucked into Ray's faded jeans waistband. Tifa, who seems to be in a comatose, was being carried on Lance's back. Her neck has a piece of fabric wrapped around her neck.
"Absolutely. The more the merrier. And I've got two spare rooms, one upstairs and the other downstairs. The girls can take the upstairs room, whereas the boys can take the downstairs room." Dr Chang then caught sight of Tifa. "Tiffany, is it? Bring her to the couch in the living room. Set her down gently now. One of you can fetch some water from the kitchen tap and boil it in the kettle. Mind it is warm. I'll treat her wounds later."
Lance carried Tifa into the house, with Ray and Terra following from behind, leaving Jake and Blaze with them.
"What about me, what can I do?" Jake said, looking uncertain.
"I'm planning to make dinner later." Dr Chang said kindly. "Why don't you go and prepare some? Fruit salad, some hamburgers and chips perhaps, and roasted potatoes. It's all in the kitchen."
Jake hurried away, looking relaxed and excited. Now Blaze is the only one left alone, eyeing the cottage with distaste.
Lloyd, who has been eyeing him the whole time, went, "So what do you think?"
"It...has a very homey feeling to it." Blaze muttered, his face red with embarrassment, awkwardness and a little...anger.
"Blaze is it? While we're waiting for dinner, why not go and take Colette out for a walk?" Dr Chang handed him a worn out leash.
"W-WAIT!!!" Blaze yelled, now his face is red with embarrassment. "I have another condition!!!"
"Another one, kid?" Glenn moaned.
"Don't interrupt." V.V. nudged him. "Let's just listen."
"This one is not for you guys." Blaze eyed Dr Chang face to face. "I get to call you Doc. The others too. Dad sounds very weird to us, me anyway."
"But of course." Dr Chang said. "And I perhaps, should bring out my own condition as well? I get to call you and your companions by your first name, Blaze?"
"Deal." Blaze gave a smile, a real smile on his face as he went over to Colette, who is eyeing him with distrust and curiosity.
Lloyd then said, "Thanks, Doc."
"On contrary, Lloyd, I should be the one to thank you." Dr Chang said gratefully. "I have the feeling that I have aged about 10 years younger when I saw those poor kids." He then smiled to himself. "So it's Blaze, Ray, Lance, Jake, Tiffany and Terra. Plus Colette and I. We should get along just fine."
"Doc, if there's anything important, I'm only a phone call away." Lloyd said.
"I'll take good care of them." Dr Chang prodded him firmly on the chest. "You looks after yourself. Try not to get injured too much." He then turned to Glenn and V.V. who were watching all of this in silence amusement. "You two take care of him, alright?"
"No problem-o." Glenn gave a mock salute. V.V. just nodded.
"Doc!!! HELP!!!!"
Blaze was lying on the ground, shielding himself from Colette who is frisking around him and licking him. She looks hyperactive, thinking that he's a new toy for her to play with.
"Duty calls, Doc." Lloyd nodded at them.
"Of course." Dr Chang nodded. "Remember now, Lloyd. Take care of yourself." He then went over to soothe Colette so that Blaze successfully put the leash around her.
The remaining three then headed back into their Land Rover, with Glenn getting behind the wheel. V.V. clambered onto the back and Lloyd on the front passenger seat.
"So, where to next?" Glenn said, starting the engine.
"I was thinking...Home." Lloyd said with a smile.
"Me too." V.V. yawned. "I want to sleep on my comfy bed."
"That sounds fine to me." Glenn shifted the gear stick to one. "Let's head back."
The Land Rover leapt forward with a growl and sped off into the starless night under the skies of Manhattan.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Supernatural Demon Slayers : Chapter 19 - Revarie's Prey ( レーヴァリーの餌食 )
"You know, Mr Anderson. You have to take care of yourself more often." Dr Chang said, fussing over him.
"I know, Doc. But it doesn't help if trouble keeps on finding me."
Back at the hospital, Lloyd was given some anti-biotic and injections to counteract the infection contained in Cerberus's saliva. The bright side, he's getting better, the not so bright side, he's back in the hospital...
"Good morning!" Glenn burst in, much to Dr Chang's disdain. He's carrying Number One Noodle Son carrier bags, wearing a plain white-tee with a pair of dark grey pants and plain sandals.
"Hey, you're looking well." Lloyd said without gloomily.
"Cheer up." Glenn rummaged in the carrier bags. "I brought you General Tso Chicken. And the cold sesame noodles that you love so much. Extra spicy." He handed the packets over with a pair of chopsticks.
"Thanks..." He murmured, ripping the plastic lid open.
"V.V. have to get to work and return the book I nicked." Glenn said, shrugging innocently. "Hopefully she won't get fired."
"If she does, then you're in trouble." Lloyd warned, slurping his noddles. "It's actually thanks to her that we manage to get another source of income."
"Mr Skyler, Mr Anderson needs his rest." Dr Chang came running in, flapping his arms wildly. "Please leave."
"I hear ya, Doc. And you can't make me." Glenn said rather stubbornly.
"Glenn, please..." Dr Chang never uses his first name unless he is desperate. "Don't be stubborn..."
Glenn pull a face and said, "Well, since the Doc insisted, see you later, Lloyd. Get well soon..."
He then left, closing the door behind him.
Lloyd slurped his noodles before saying, "Doc, you didn't have to chase him out, you know how I feel about being hospitalized."
"Well, that should teach you to take better care of your own body." Dr Chang said rather snappily.
**********
Ray stared at the mediocre meal on the crate which act as their table. Five pieces of thin bread, a bunch of grapes, and an apple.
"Is that it?" He muttered in disgust.
Terra nodded gloomily. "The greengrocer is really sharp this time. I only managed to get out in time."
"I don't think we can survive on this..." Jake said, turning a grape over and over his fingers.
"No, we really can't..." Lance said.
They all turned to Hornet, who is lying on a mattress, looking sick. Her hair which is usually plaited was let down so that her brown hair spread out like a fan. Her skin seems to have lost its shine, looking skeleton pale. Even her rose-petaled lips looks white and thin.
"Still not well, huh?" Jake murmured quietly.
"Pyro's looking for medicines right now." Terra said. "You know, I don't think we can give Hornet these kind of food. She needs proper medication."
Lance glanced at her irritably. "Need I remind you that we have no money to afford medication."
"I was just saying..." Terra scowled.
"Anyway, we could always try asking Francis for help..." Jake said hopefully.
"NO!!!!" All of them yelled.
"Fine, be that way." Jake snapped.
Hornet mumbled something in her sleep and stirred, but her eyes still didn't open.
"Leave her the grapes." Ray said. "We'll feed on the bread."
Lance picked up the grapes and took it over to her just as Blaze came in, carrying a newspaper.
"How did it go?" Terra asked.
"Check this out." Blaze plonked the newspaper onto the crate. A picture of Glenn carrying Lloyd with V.V. following behind was taken with a blurry camera, but it's definitely them.
"Them?" Ray peered over his shoulder.
"We're going to look for them." Blaze said. "And then we're going to force them to get us medical treatment for Hornet."
"Er-you sure this is a good idea?" Jake said meekly.
Blaze caught his eye and nodded, "Very."
************
Allen clutched his head in pain.
"What's wrong with you?" Dario asked.
"I feel someone's pain..." He murmured, his red eyes watery.
"Whose?" Revarie inquired.
"The girl... The one called Hornet..." Allen frowned, trying to concentrate. "She's in pain."
"Those experiment freaks???" Mind's Shadow said, forming itself at the wall. "How can the Hornet be sick?"
"I don't know..." Allen gritted, "I can just feel her pain."
Reo sat quietly, looking thoughtful. The copy of Rudyard Kipling he was reading was abandoned at his feet.
"Ah, I forgot. You were one of them too, are you not?" Mind's Shadow said to him.
"Don't remind me." He said evenly without raising his voice, but there's an edge to it.
"That girl... How weak is she?" Revarie suddenly asked.
"Very."
Revarie's face twisted with delight. Dario was the first one who noticed. "What are you planning?"
"I wonder...if that girl will make a valuable vampire..."
Reo's fingers twitched, but nobody saw it.
"Would you like to find out?" Dario offered.
Revarie nodded eagerly, his eyes lusting with hunger, or rather, the excitement of a hunt.
"Then, go. One more thing." He added as Revarie was about to leave. "Don't touch Lloyd. If you want to prune your family line, then go ahead."
"It's a pleasure." His face morphed to reveal the vampiric side of him.
***********
"Hello, Lloyd." V.V. tiptoed in, carrying a brown parcel.
"Hi, V.V. How's your job? Did you get sacked?"
V.V. shook her head. "Kelly's in a blur. She doesn't remember what Glenn nicked and returned." She then offered him the parcel. "Here you are. Kelly insisted on giving this to you."
Lloyd tore off the wrapper to reveal a book of poems by early writers such as Robert Lee Frost, William Shakesphere, Charles Dickens and Emily Dickenson. "Not exactly my type, V."
"I know..." She nodded.
Before she could continue on, there were several loud voices in the hall.
"Excuse me, but who are you? You can't just barge in here!"
"Be quiet! I'm just looking for this guy!"
"How dare you. What buisness do you have with him?"
"Tell me where he is."
The voices and footsteps became louder and louder till it stopped outside of his door.
"Listen to me, you can't just go barging in there! This is a private ward. Are you listening?"
The door swung open to reveal a teenager with the crimson hair like flames and wearing a private school uniform, leading a gang of teens. A tall olived-skin boy is carrying a dark haired girl who looked frail.
"Well, hey there, Mister Lloyd. Remember me?" He sneered.
**********
Blaze, together with the others accepted a glass of water from V.V., who threw him a distrustful look. Ray placed Hornet on one of the spare beds. Terra, Jake and Lance kept shooting glances at both Lloyd and Blaze, as though they're witnessing a ping-pong match.
"Nice to see you again, mister." Blaze said. "You don't look so well."
"I'm only 23, you little red head." Lloyd muttered. "And what's with that tone? You got into trouble with the cops, didn't you?"
Blaze snorted with sarcasm. "No way. The cops could never get me by a long run. Let's cut to the chase." He took a gulp of water. "We want your American Express."
Lloyd blinked. "What?????"
"Hand over your American Express. Or your cheque. Whatever you prefer." Blaze stretched out his empty glass as though hoping he would dumped some cash into it.
"You're nuts, you know that." Lloyd said. "This is the 21st Century for God's sake. How can you go around asking people for money?"
"I did ask him nicely." Blaze said innocently. "Terra, search him."
"For crying out loud," Lloyd edged away from Terra's outstretched hands, which is acidic. "V, help me..."
V.V's hair grew out and wrapped itself Terra's wrists. "Why on earth do you need money for?"
Hornet, who was lying on the bed, thrashed around, moaning feverishly.
"That's why..." Blaze nodded at her.
Lloyd turned to her figure and said, "What's wrong with her?"
"If we knew, we wouldn't even bother coming here..." Jake said, rolling his eyes.
"We just need the money to get medications..." Lance said quietly.
Lloyd got up from his own bed and winced. The injuries from Cerberus still haven't fully recovered. "V, call Dr Chang, would you?"
V.V. narrowed her eyes. "You sure?" But she didn't wait for any response, she just got up and left.
"Dr Chang is the only doctor that I trusted." Lloyd, with difficulty, helped himself to some water. "He should be able to help you guys out."
"That, I like..." Blaze yawned like a fat tomcat that had just finished its meal.
**********
Blaze and the others had insisted on staying in the ward despite the fact that Lloyd keep telling him over and over again. "This is not a hotel..." Even when V.V. came back with Dr Chang, they still refused to budge.
To make matters worse, they all piled up in the same room, occupying all of the space. Dr Chang had to navigate his way through the sleeping bodies just to get to Hornet, and the room wasn't even that small, but that shows you how cramped the entire place is. V.V. had flatly refused to enter the room and just left, saying that she has other stuff to do.
Only Ray and Lloyd is awake when Dr Chang was examining Hornet. He took her pulse and various samples, checked her temperature and prodded her. About forty-five minutes had passed when he finally said, "This is quite serious."
"What do you mean, Doc?" Ray asked. Now that Lloyd recalled, Ray is Native American, he got the accent and looks.
Dr Chang took out the thermometer that he had inserted into her mouth. The temperature reads 41.5 Celsius. "Hyperpyrexia..."
"Hyper-what?"
"Hy-per-pyre-xia..." Dr Chang said slowly, emphasizing his point. "It's a fever with an extreme elevation of body temperature greater than or equal to 41.5 °C. Such a high temperature is considered a medical emergency as it may indicate a serious underlying condition or lead to significant side effects." He eyed the thrashing Hornet. "Right now, her condition isn't that bad. But I fear it may become worse over time. She needs medical medication immediately."
Ray had made up his mind. "Then treat it."
Dr Chang nodded, consulting his books. "Sure. I'll need you to fill in the forms. But first, tell me her name."
Ray looked stunned. "We don't know."
Lloyd also looked stunned, "What? I thought Hornet was her Christian name or something."
"You idiot!" Ray half-shouted, causing Jake to stir in his sleep. He then lowered his voice. "None of us know her real name. But maybe I can go back to the hideout and fetch something of hers. Like her wallet or identification card. That's bound to have her real name."
Dr Chang nodded. "Of course. But do consult me when you want to proceed the treatment." As he headed to the door, he paused, then turned back, "I don't know who you kids are, but anything I can do to help, just let me know."
Ray warmed up a little. "Thanks, Doc."
************
"She was here...."
Allen was concentrating on the vandalized warehouse, trying to trace Hornet's aura. Revarie was going through their food supply. All they have left is thin slices of breads wrapped in plastic, a packet of crisps, over-ripe bananas and a gallon of water. Reo was going through some of the crates, pausing at the one which shows an old picture of Blaze and the others.
"Find anything?"
Reo quickly averted his gaze from the photo and said, "None."
A rat scampered up the wall, squeaking in fright. Revarie flew at it and caught it, sinking his fangs into its body and spitting out after a few seconds. "Disgusting. It's not very appetizing." He then sniffed the air. "And something stinks." He sniffed hard. "Like a...dog."
Mind's Shadow suddenly loomed over then. "I sense a presence. It's somehow not human and yet it is at the same time..."
"Hide." Reo said in a low voice.
All three of them ducked into the darkest corners as Ray loomed into view. He looked menacing in the doorway, like a giant. Well, he is over six-feet tall. Unusual for a teenage boy, but due to the wolf genes inside of him, it causes him to grow into abnormal height.
"Got to look for Hornet's stuff... Hornet's stuff... Hornet's..." He quickly run to where the mattress are piled. He was about to start leafing through the stuff when his wolf instincts tells him something is wrong.
He shut his eyes and let his wolf instincts take over. There's three people in here. One smells like the undead, one is an ordinary human, the last one seems normal but with a strange sense of aura presence surrounding him.
"Who's there?" He called out in the darkness. "Don't bother hiding. My wolf instincts is accurate."
"Well, well, well, you're not as dumb as I thought." Revarie sneered, coming out of his hiding place.
"You again? Don't you ever leave us alone?" Ray snapped.
"Don't mind us, keep on looking..." Allen appeared, but his lips weren't moving. It's his shadow. Instead of his own shadow, a shadow figure started to enlarge itself. "We are very interested to know about the Hornet girl."
Ray's eyes widened. How do they know about Hornet?
"I'm not saying anything-"
Too late, he realized that both of them are keeping him distracted to barely notice Reo had snuck up behind him and attacked him. At the last minute, Ray let the wolf inside him out, causing a over six feet tall wolf appearing in his place.
"Oh, crud." Reo muttered.
The wolf howled and slashed its claws at him. Although he managed to evade in time, some of the claws had managed to reached him, slicing his skin. Drops of blood ooze from the cuts.
Allen's eyes glowed bright red. Crates levitated in the air and started hurling towards Lupercus, who smashed the crates with his huge fist-like paws.
"Distract him!" Revarie roared.
Allen tried to step onto the wolf's shadow, but despite its bulk size, it's fast. Reo took out kunais and started throwing them with pin-point accuracy, but surprisingly, the wolf moved so fast till he's like a fast blur. Even when he used his hydrokinesis and terrakinesis to try and restrain him, it didn't even work. Lupercus struck Allen who gave a scream of terror as he loomed upon him.
"Get off him!!!" Mind's Shadow suddenly bound Lupercus with tendrils of shadow. Lupercus struggled hard but couldn't break free. When he did though, Reverie grabbed him by the neck and dashed him onto the ground, giving in to darkness.
"He's coming around..."
Ray opened his eyes, looking dazed. And he winced, his head is throbbing painfully. He's still in the warehouse hideout, thank goodness for that. He suddenly found that his muscles seemed stiff.
Still looking woozy, he looked down and gave a small curse. His legs and wrists are bound tightly, not with ropes but shadow tendrils. Also, he had reverted back to himself, all the more making him weaker.
Allen was standing near him, letting the tendrils bind him, but not to close in case he get gouged by the wolf in him.
"How do you feel? Terribly sorry about bounding you up like this. But you were the one who attacked us first." The vampire suddenly gave a grin, as though they were having cups of tea in a cafe. "Maybe I should've gone easy or you, hmm??? Lupo ragazzo?"
Ray threw back his head in a sickened way, the vampire is seriously twisted in a really sickened way. The way he says it, how many innocents had he twisted before turning them into his kind?
Someone then prodded him none to kindly from behind. With difficulty he shifted his head to see Reo holding a commando knife in his hand. Its blade glinting in the dull light.
"Reo here won't put holes into you unless I tell him to." The vampire turned with a swish of his cloak. "You are going to answer all of my questions with the truth. Otherwise, I might have to take your pelt."
Ray feel even more sickened than before. Oh man, what had he got himself into? It's not by choice, but still...
"Question number one, what are you doing back here?"
"It's our hideout." Ray shrugged. "And I don't remember inviting you in."
"That's very true, ragazzo. A vampire needs to be invited to enter into a living household otherwise he or she can't get in. But unfortunately, your hideout doesn't count as a living household. Question number two," he pressed on. "Where is the Asian girl?"
Despite the threat Revarie had given him, he decided to try and wiggle his way a bit. "Girl?"
"The lovely dark haired one. Hornet." He let the name melt in his lips.
"I don't know." Ray licked his lips nervously. His throat suddenly tight.
Revarie answered by punching him in the guts. There a sickening crack as his ribs snapped.
"You take me as a fool, do you, boy?" Revarie snarled, showing his fangs. "Maybe I should let Reo insert holes into you before I question you a second time."
Reo moved in, forcing Ray to face him. The knife in his hand suddenly looked threatening.
"No, wait! I'll talk, okay?"
Revarie turned back, looking a little satisfied. "You learn fast. Then, answer me this. Where's signora Hornet?"
"In a hospital, okay? I don't know which. But the dark haired one is there!" Ray yelled in desperation.
Allen's head turned. "Dark haired one?"
"He's name is Lloyd something."
Revarie's vampiric face morphed out. "The failure vampire's friend."
"I'm telling you the truth here!"
Revarie then grabbed Ray's hair and muttered, "You are going to be useful to me at any rate, lupo ragazzo."
He then forced Ray to face him. Blood red met with amber. Suddenly, those blood red irises seemed hypnotizing.
"What was your purpose to come back here?" He demanded.
"I was suppose to look for Hornet's stuff. We do not know her real name..." Ray said in a hypnotic tone.
"Where is her stuff?"
"The ceiling." Ray gestured with his head. "She don't let us touch her stuff. She always puts it in the ceiling."
Revarie turned to Allen and said, "Can your shadow reach the ceiling?"
"Leave that to me." Mind's Shadow surrounded the room in total darkness, not letting Ray out of its grip. There was a large exploding sound and dozens of small trinkets fall from the ceiling, bouncing on the floor. Some crashed into pieces.
Revarie walked towards the trinkets. Dozens of glass shards surrounded the stuff. On closer inspection, the jars are actually nectar jars. Most of her personal items seemed to be stored in a ceramic honey pot. Revarie had grabbed the pot and shook it, emptying its contents. A sewing kit, a personal savings of fifty dollars, silver thimbles, a blank scroll and a worn out plastic library card that caught his interest.
He picked up the card. It's 3 years old. A library card from San Francisco library. (She must've travelled here.) Her hair wasn't as long as now. It's shoulder-length and her fringe is long. The personal details were written in clear black and white. TIFFANY CHEN LI FERN.
Revarie sniffed the scent from the card. Her scent is still there.
"Colleghi, it's time to pay a visit to sweet Tiffany."
**********
"Something's wrong." Jake said outloud. "I can't seem to track Ray anymore."
"What???" Blaze gasped.
Hornet tossed and turned. Her fever is definitely getting worse. Terra, who was clutching her hand, said, "Hang on, Hornet. Ray will definitely be back soon."
"Indeed, little one."
Terra jumped. Who just said that?
Suddenly, the window smashed into pieces. Shards of glass flew in all directions. Lloyd, who had just emerged form the bathroom, went, "What on earth is going on?"
A dark hooded figure with huge bat wings had emerged from the broken window. There is no mistaking those blood red eyes that lust for blood. Tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes is-
"Revarie!" Lloyd gasped at the same time, Blaze shouted, "Ray!"
Revarie flung Ray on to the floor, saying, "I'm not interested in any of you." He then tossed a card towards Blaze, who caught it with reflex.
"I'm here to take her." He gestured at Hornet.
"What?!!!" Blaze yelped in outrage.
"Get out of my way!" Revarie swatted Terra away, who gave a scream as she was sent sprawling onto the ground. Lance took out cards and started shooting them at him. The cards struck him but didn't kill him. Instead, his skin started pushing out the cards and started to regenerate. Jake, who is sick of being useless, grabbed a broom with a wooden handle and snapped it into half with his knee, so that it became a stake. He tossed one to Blaze, who let it erupt with flames and tried to jab the vampire with it. The vampire parried the attack and the fire scarred Blaze who gave a yell of pain.
"Just what on earth are you trying to do?" Lloyd yelled, pulling Blaze into safety. The fire had already been put out but now the right side of Blaze's face is burnt. The scar will forever be there no matter what he do.
"I'll give you a hint. I'm thirsty."
With that, he tucked Hornet into his arms and launched himself out into the streets.
"I know, Doc. But it doesn't help if trouble keeps on finding me."
Back at the hospital, Lloyd was given some anti-biotic and injections to counteract the infection contained in Cerberus's saliva. The bright side, he's getting better, the not so bright side, he's back in the hospital...
"Good morning!" Glenn burst in, much to Dr Chang's disdain. He's carrying Number One Noodle Son carrier bags, wearing a plain white-tee with a pair of dark grey pants and plain sandals.
"Hey, you're looking well." Lloyd said without gloomily.
"Cheer up." Glenn rummaged in the carrier bags. "I brought you General Tso Chicken. And the cold sesame noodles that you love so much. Extra spicy." He handed the packets over with a pair of chopsticks.
"Thanks..." He murmured, ripping the plastic lid open.
"V.V. have to get to work and return the book I nicked." Glenn said, shrugging innocently. "Hopefully she won't get fired."
"If she does, then you're in trouble." Lloyd warned, slurping his noddles. "It's actually thanks to her that we manage to get another source of income."
"Mr Skyler, Mr Anderson needs his rest." Dr Chang came running in, flapping his arms wildly. "Please leave."
"I hear ya, Doc. And you can't make me." Glenn said rather stubbornly.
"Glenn, please..." Dr Chang never uses his first name unless he is desperate. "Don't be stubborn..."
Glenn pull a face and said, "Well, since the Doc insisted, see you later, Lloyd. Get well soon..."
He then left, closing the door behind him.
Lloyd slurped his noodles before saying, "Doc, you didn't have to chase him out, you know how I feel about being hospitalized."
"Well, that should teach you to take better care of your own body." Dr Chang said rather snappily.
**********
Ray stared at the mediocre meal on the crate which act as their table. Five pieces of thin bread, a bunch of grapes, and an apple.
"Is that it?" He muttered in disgust.
Terra nodded gloomily. "The greengrocer is really sharp this time. I only managed to get out in time."
"I don't think we can survive on this..." Jake said, turning a grape over and over his fingers.
"No, we really can't..." Lance said.
They all turned to Hornet, who is lying on a mattress, looking sick. Her hair which is usually plaited was let down so that her brown hair spread out like a fan. Her skin seems to have lost its shine, looking skeleton pale. Even her rose-petaled lips looks white and thin.
"Still not well, huh?" Jake murmured quietly.
"Pyro's looking for medicines right now." Terra said. "You know, I don't think we can give Hornet these kind of food. She needs proper medication."
Lance glanced at her irritably. "Need I remind you that we have no money to afford medication."
"I was just saying..." Terra scowled.
"Anyway, we could always try asking Francis for help..." Jake said hopefully.
"NO!!!!" All of them yelled.
"Fine, be that way." Jake snapped.
Hornet mumbled something in her sleep and stirred, but her eyes still didn't open.
"Leave her the grapes." Ray said. "We'll feed on the bread."
Lance picked up the grapes and took it over to her just as Blaze came in, carrying a newspaper.
"How did it go?" Terra asked.
"Check this out." Blaze plonked the newspaper onto the crate. A picture of Glenn carrying Lloyd with V.V. following behind was taken with a blurry camera, but it's definitely them.
"Them?" Ray peered over his shoulder.
"We're going to look for them." Blaze said. "And then we're going to force them to get us medical treatment for Hornet."
"Er-you sure this is a good idea?" Jake said meekly.
Blaze caught his eye and nodded, "Very."
************
Allen clutched his head in pain.
"What's wrong with you?" Dario asked.
"I feel someone's pain..." He murmured, his red eyes watery.
"Whose?" Revarie inquired.
"The girl... The one called Hornet..." Allen frowned, trying to concentrate. "She's in pain."
"Those experiment freaks???" Mind's Shadow said, forming itself at the wall. "How can the Hornet be sick?"
"I don't know..." Allen gritted, "I can just feel her pain."
Reo sat quietly, looking thoughtful. The copy of Rudyard Kipling he was reading was abandoned at his feet.
"Ah, I forgot. You were one of them too, are you not?" Mind's Shadow said to him.
"Don't remind me." He said evenly without raising his voice, but there's an edge to it.
"That girl... How weak is she?" Revarie suddenly asked.
"Very."
Revarie's face twisted with delight. Dario was the first one who noticed. "What are you planning?"
"I wonder...if that girl will make a valuable vampire..."
Reo's fingers twitched, but nobody saw it.
"Would you like to find out?" Dario offered.
Revarie nodded eagerly, his eyes lusting with hunger, or rather, the excitement of a hunt.
"Then, go. One more thing." He added as Revarie was about to leave. "Don't touch Lloyd. If you want to prune your family line, then go ahead."
"It's a pleasure." His face morphed to reveal the vampiric side of him.
***********
"Hello, Lloyd." V.V. tiptoed in, carrying a brown parcel.
"Hi, V.V. How's your job? Did you get sacked?"
V.V. shook her head. "Kelly's in a blur. She doesn't remember what Glenn nicked and returned." She then offered him the parcel. "Here you are. Kelly insisted on giving this to you."
Lloyd tore off the wrapper to reveal a book of poems by early writers such as Robert Lee Frost, William Shakesphere, Charles Dickens and Emily Dickenson. "Not exactly my type, V."
"I know..." She nodded.
Before she could continue on, there were several loud voices in the hall.
"Excuse me, but who are you? You can't just barge in here!"
"Be quiet! I'm just looking for this guy!"
"How dare you. What buisness do you have with him?"
"Tell me where he is."
The voices and footsteps became louder and louder till it stopped outside of his door.
"Listen to me, you can't just go barging in there! This is a private ward. Are you listening?"
The door swung open to reveal a teenager with the crimson hair like flames and wearing a private school uniform, leading a gang of teens. A tall olived-skin boy is carrying a dark haired girl who looked frail.
"Well, hey there, Mister Lloyd. Remember me?" He sneered.
**********
Blaze, together with the others accepted a glass of water from V.V., who threw him a distrustful look. Ray placed Hornet on one of the spare beds. Terra, Jake and Lance kept shooting glances at both Lloyd and Blaze, as though they're witnessing a ping-pong match.
"Nice to see you again, mister." Blaze said. "You don't look so well."
"I'm only 23, you little red head." Lloyd muttered. "And what's with that tone? You got into trouble with the cops, didn't you?"
Blaze snorted with sarcasm. "No way. The cops could never get me by a long run. Let's cut to the chase." He took a gulp of water. "We want your American Express."
Lloyd blinked. "What?????"
"Hand over your American Express. Or your cheque. Whatever you prefer." Blaze stretched out his empty glass as though hoping he would dumped some cash into it.
"You're nuts, you know that." Lloyd said. "This is the 21st Century for God's sake. How can you go around asking people for money?"
"I did ask him nicely." Blaze said innocently. "Terra, search him."
"For crying out loud," Lloyd edged away from Terra's outstretched hands, which is acidic. "V, help me..."
V.V's hair grew out and wrapped itself Terra's wrists. "Why on earth do you need money for?"
Hornet, who was lying on the bed, thrashed around, moaning feverishly.
"That's why..." Blaze nodded at her.
Lloyd turned to her figure and said, "What's wrong with her?"
"If we knew, we wouldn't even bother coming here..." Jake said, rolling his eyes.
"We just need the money to get medications..." Lance said quietly.
Lloyd got up from his own bed and winced. The injuries from Cerberus still haven't fully recovered. "V, call Dr Chang, would you?"
V.V. narrowed her eyes. "You sure?" But she didn't wait for any response, she just got up and left.
"Dr Chang is the only doctor that I trusted." Lloyd, with difficulty, helped himself to some water. "He should be able to help you guys out."
"That, I like..." Blaze yawned like a fat tomcat that had just finished its meal.
**********
Blaze and the others had insisted on staying in the ward despite the fact that Lloyd keep telling him over and over again. "This is not a hotel..." Even when V.V. came back with Dr Chang, they still refused to budge.
To make matters worse, they all piled up in the same room, occupying all of the space. Dr Chang had to navigate his way through the sleeping bodies just to get to Hornet, and the room wasn't even that small, but that shows you how cramped the entire place is. V.V. had flatly refused to enter the room and just left, saying that she has other stuff to do.
Only Ray and Lloyd is awake when Dr Chang was examining Hornet. He took her pulse and various samples, checked her temperature and prodded her. About forty-five minutes had passed when he finally said, "This is quite serious."
"What do you mean, Doc?" Ray asked. Now that Lloyd recalled, Ray is Native American, he got the accent and looks.
Dr Chang took out the thermometer that he had inserted into her mouth. The temperature reads 41.5 Celsius. "Hyperpyrexia..."
"Hyper-what?"
"Hy-per-pyre-xia..." Dr Chang said slowly, emphasizing his point. "It's a fever with an extreme elevation of body temperature greater than or equal to 41.5 °C. Such a high temperature is considered a medical emergency as it may indicate a serious underlying condition or lead to significant side effects." He eyed the thrashing Hornet. "Right now, her condition isn't that bad. But I fear it may become worse over time. She needs medical medication immediately."
Ray had made up his mind. "Then treat it."
Dr Chang nodded, consulting his books. "Sure. I'll need you to fill in the forms. But first, tell me her name."
Ray looked stunned. "We don't know."
Lloyd also looked stunned, "What? I thought Hornet was her Christian name or something."
"You idiot!" Ray half-shouted, causing Jake to stir in his sleep. He then lowered his voice. "None of us know her real name. But maybe I can go back to the hideout and fetch something of hers. Like her wallet or identification card. That's bound to have her real name."
Dr Chang nodded. "Of course. But do consult me when you want to proceed the treatment." As he headed to the door, he paused, then turned back, "I don't know who you kids are, but anything I can do to help, just let me know."
Ray warmed up a little. "Thanks, Doc."
************
"She was here...."
Allen was concentrating on the vandalized warehouse, trying to trace Hornet's aura. Revarie was going through their food supply. All they have left is thin slices of breads wrapped in plastic, a packet of crisps, over-ripe bananas and a gallon of water. Reo was going through some of the crates, pausing at the one which shows an old picture of Blaze and the others.
"Find anything?"
Reo quickly averted his gaze from the photo and said, "None."
A rat scampered up the wall, squeaking in fright. Revarie flew at it and caught it, sinking his fangs into its body and spitting out after a few seconds. "Disgusting. It's not very appetizing." He then sniffed the air. "And something stinks." He sniffed hard. "Like a...dog."
Mind's Shadow suddenly loomed over then. "I sense a presence. It's somehow not human and yet it is at the same time..."
"Hide." Reo said in a low voice.
All three of them ducked into the darkest corners as Ray loomed into view. He looked menacing in the doorway, like a giant. Well, he is over six-feet tall. Unusual for a teenage boy, but due to the wolf genes inside of him, it causes him to grow into abnormal height.
"Got to look for Hornet's stuff... Hornet's stuff... Hornet's..." He quickly run to where the mattress are piled. He was about to start leafing through the stuff when his wolf instincts tells him something is wrong.
He shut his eyes and let his wolf instincts take over. There's three people in here. One smells like the undead, one is an ordinary human, the last one seems normal but with a strange sense of aura presence surrounding him.
"Who's there?" He called out in the darkness. "Don't bother hiding. My wolf instincts is accurate."
"Well, well, well, you're not as dumb as I thought." Revarie sneered, coming out of his hiding place.
"You again? Don't you ever leave us alone?" Ray snapped.
"Don't mind us, keep on looking..." Allen appeared, but his lips weren't moving. It's his shadow. Instead of his own shadow, a shadow figure started to enlarge itself. "We are very interested to know about the Hornet girl."
Ray's eyes widened. How do they know about Hornet?
"I'm not saying anything-"
Too late, he realized that both of them are keeping him distracted to barely notice Reo had snuck up behind him and attacked him. At the last minute, Ray let the wolf inside him out, causing a over six feet tall wolf appearing in his place.
"Oh, crud." Reo muttered.
The wolf howled and slashed its claws at him. Although he managed to evade in time, some of the claws had managed to reached him, slicing his skin. Drops of blood ooze from the cuts.
Allen's eyes glowed bright red. Crates levitated in the air and started hurling towards Lupercus, who smashed the crates with his huge fist-like paws.
"Distract him!" Revarie roared.
Allen tried to step onto the wolf's shadow, but despite its bulk size, it's fast. Reo took out kunais and started throwing them with pin-point accuracy, but surprisingly, the wolf moved so fast till he's like a fast blur. Even when he used his hydrokinesis and terrakinesis to try and restrain him, it didn't even work. Lupercus struck Allen who gave a scream of terror as he loomed upon him.
"Get off him!!!" Mind's Shadow suddenly bound Lupercus with tendrils of shadow. Lupercus struggled hard but couldn't break free. When he did though, Reverie grabbed him by the neck and dashed him onto the ground, giving in to darkness.
"He's coming around..."
Ray opened his eyes, looking dazed. And he winced, his head is throbbing painfully. He's still in the warehouse hideout, thank goodness for that. He suddenly found that his muscles seemed stiff.
Still looking woozy, he looked down and gave a small curse. His legs and wrists are bound tightly, not with ropes but shadow tendrils. Also, he had reverted back to himself, all the more making him weaker.
Allen was standing near him, letting the tendrils bind him, but not to close in case he get gouged by the wolf in him.
"How do you feel? Terribly sorry about bounding you up like this. But you were the one who attacked us first." The vampire suddenly gave a grin, as though they were having cups of tea in a cafe. "Maybe I should've gone easy or you, hmm??? Lupo ragazzo?"
Ray threw back his head in a sickened way, the vampire is seriously twisted in a really sickened way. The way he says it, how many innocents had he twisted before turning them into his kind?
Someone then prodded him none to kindly from behind. With difficulty he shifted his head to see Reo holding a commando knife in his hand. Its blade glinting in the dull light.
"Reo here won't put holes into you unless I tell him to." The vampire turned with a swish of his cloak. "You are going to answer all of my questions with the truth. Otherwise, I might have to take your pelt."
Ray feel even more sickened than before. Oh man, what had he got himself into? It's not by choice, but still...
"Question number one, what are you doing back here?"
"It's our hideout." Ray shrugged. "And I don't remember inviting you in."
"That's very true, ragazzo. A vampire needs to be invited to enter into a living household otherwise he or she can't get in. But unfortunately, your hideout doesn't count as a living household. Question number two," he pressed on. "Where is the Asian girl?"
Despite the threat Revarie had given him, he decided to try and wiggle his way a bit. "Girl?"
"The lovely dark haired one. Hornet." He let the name melt in his lips.
"I don't know." Ray licked his lips nervously. His throat suddenly tight.
Revarie answered by punching him in the guts. There a sickening crack as his ribs snapped.
"You take me as a fool, do you, boy?" Revarie snarled, showing his fangs. "Maybe I should let Reo insert holes into you before I question you a second time."
Reo moved in, forcing Ray to face him. The knife in his hand suddenly looked threatening.
"No, wait! I'll talk, okay?"
Revarie turned back, looking a little satisfied. "You learn fast. Then, answer me this. Where's signora Hornet?"
"In a hospital, okay? I don't know which. But the dark haired one is there!" Ray yelled in desperation.
Allen's head turned. "Dark haired one?"
"He's name is Lloyd something."
Revarie's vampiric face morphed out. "The failure vampire's friend."
"I'm telling you the truth here!"
Revarie then grabbed Ray's hair and muttered, "You are going to be useful to me at any rate, lupo ragazzo."
He then forced Ray to face him. Blood red met with amber. Suddenly, those blood red irises seemed hypnotizing.
"What was your purpose to come back here?" He demanded.
"I was suppose to look for Hornet's stuff. We do not know her real name..." Ray said in a hypnotic tone.
"Where is her stuff?"
"The ceiling." Ray gestured with his head. "She don't let us touch her stuff. She always puts it in the ceiling."
Revarie turned to Allen and said, "Can your shadow reach the ceiling?"
"Leave that to me." Mind's Shadow surrounded the room in total darkness, not letting Ray out of its grip. There was a large exploding sound and dozens of small trinkets fall from the ceiling, bouncing on the floor. Some crashed into pieces.
Revarie walked towards the trinkets. Dozens of glass shards surrounded the stuff. On closer inspection, the jars are actually nectar jars. Most of her personal items seemed to be stored in a ceramic honey pot. Revarie had grabbed the pot and shook it, emptying its contents. A sewing kit, a personal savings of fifty dollars, silver thimbles, a blank scroll and a worn out plastic library card that caught his interest.
He picked up the card. It's 3 years old. A library card from San Francisco library. (She must've travelled here.) Her hair wasn't as long as now. It's shoulder-length and her fringe is long. The personal details were written in clear black and white. TIFFANY CHEN LI FERN.
Revarie sniffed the scent from the card. Her scent is still there.
"Colleghi, it's time to pay a visit to sweet Tiffany."
**********
"Something's wrong." Jake said outloud. "I can't seem to track Ray anymore."
"What???" Blaze gasped.
Hornet tossed and turned. Her fever is definitely getting worse. Terra, who was clutching her hand, said, "Hang on, Hornet. Ray will definitely be back soon."
"Indeed, little one."
Terra jumped. Who just said that?
Suddenly, the window smashed into pieces. Shards of glass flew in all directions. Lloyd, who had just emerged form the bathroom, went, "What on earth is going on?"
A dark hooded figure with huge bat wings had emerged from the broken window. There is no mistaking those blood red eyes that lust for blood. Tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes is-
"Revarie!" Lloyd gasped at the same time, Blaze shouted, "Ray!"
Revarie flung Ray on to the floor, saying, "I'm not interested in any of you." He then tossed a card towards Blaze, who caught it with reflex.
"I'm here to take her." He gestured at Hornet.
"What?!!!" Blaze yelped in outrage.
"Get out of my way!" Revarie swatted Terra away, who gave a scream as she was sent sprawling onto the ground. Lance took out cards and started shooting them at him. The cards struck him but didn't kill him. Instead, his skin started pushing out the cards and started to regenerate. Jake, who is sick of being useless, grabbed a broom with a wooden handle and snapped it into half with his knee, so that it became a stake. He tossed one to Blaze, who let it erupt with flames and tried to jab the vampire with it. The vampire parried the attack and the fire scarred Blaze who gave a yell of pain.
"Just what on earth are you trying to do?" Lloyd yelled, pulling Blaze into safety. The fire had already been put out but now the right side of Blaze's face is burnt. The scar will forever be there no matter what he do.
"I'll give you a hint. I'm thirsty."
With that, he tucked Hornet into his arms and launched himself out into the streets.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Supernatural Demon Slayers : Chapter 18 - The End of Myths ( 神話の終わり )
"Witnesses had reported seeing a large dog-like beast in the museum." The reporter was saying on live. "The authorities is now informing the public to stay calm and avoid going near the museum... Meanwhile-"
"Oh God, please don't tell me the thing gotten loose with the Hydra." Lloyd moaned as he watched the screen. V.V. was holding a large bag of chips in her hands she gazed at the screen.
"Lloyd," Glenn said rather abruptly. "I'm going to go to Columbia library. Maybe I can get the Greecian textbook from there."
"Actually, you can go to the bookstore that I'm working at." V.V. shoved an employee discount towards him. "Use this."
Glenn grabbed her into a hug and said, "Thanks, V. I owe you." He then grabbed his jacket and said, "I'll be right back." The door then close behind him.
"Looks like it's you and me again." Lloyd gave a mock cheery wave.
"Shouldn't we go and stop the puppy?" V.V. asked, tossing a chip to him, who caught it neatly in his mouth.
"Good point. Let's go."
***********
Reo parked his Suzuki right near Maggie's bookstore. He had received a call earlier from none other than Guy.
"I had a feeling they might try to stop the commotion. Stall them if you can." He had said.
Reo opened the compartment of his bike. An assortment of weapons ranging from commando knives to hand pistols and to a pair of long looking weapons tightly wrapped in a thick bundle of cloths.
There's no need to use them, he thought, eying the bundles. I just have to stall him, right? He then took out an old-fashioned Mauser and weighed it in his hands. Guess this'll have to do.
A cab pulled up in front of the bookstore. Reo eyed it with a feeling of familiarity. Oh yeah, of course. It's that cab driver, Arnie, the one who drove them to Brooklyn Bridge.
"Thanks for the ride, Arnie." Glenn was saying to him.
""Tis my pleasure, Glenn." Arnie said, tipping his cap to him. "You just look after yourself now."
Arnie then sped off, zigzagging into the road. Glenn hurriedly went into the bookstore, the bell tinkling.
Reo switched the safety off the gun and went in.
************
It didn't take too long for them to track Cerberus down. A three-headed dog is bound to not to attract people right? Wrong.
Lloyd brought his blade out of the boot as V.V. got out. Cerberus is attacking some of the people near the museum. Police are firing at it but are having no success. Cerberus had just caught hold one of the police and bite him from the head up, causing V.V. to turn away as she heard the screams and the sound of bones snapping.
"Ready?" Lloyd asked. She nodded in response.
They then made their way to the struggling police, who seems to be running out of firearms.
"Excuse me." Lloyd pushed his way through. One of the police officer turned around and yelled, "YOU!!!"
Yep, it's the same snobby police officer who wouldn't let the into the museum.
"What do you want? In case you did not notice, we're having a crisis here!"
Lloyd grabbed him by the collar, causing him to let out an alarmed yell.
"Now you listen you," He and the officer are a few inches apart. "I can see that you are on the losing side here, and you don't even have a clue what you're up against. We, on the other hand, had an idea what's going on here. So you either let us deal with it, or you can just carry on wasting your firearms."
"Are you threatening me?" His voice raised into an octave.
Before Lloyd could counter, several officers screamed as the Hydra slithered into view. Oh God, the officers seemed to have made its head multiplied into well, who knows. There's just too many heads in one body. Even as he watched, the Hydra struck multiple target at once, each one striking the heart.
"You know what, you can take over. I'm out." The officer squeaked as he saw countless of bodies with holes in their chest on the ground where the Hydra heads had struck.
"He learns fast." Lloyd said thoughtfully as the officer ran off.
"Here it comes." V.V. pointed.
Cerberus charged into view, its eyes tainted with fury. Lloyd swung his blade in front of him just in time to blocked himself from one of the heads from biting him. V.V. turned her hair into a schythe and diced it.
Or so she thought as a large red shield appeared out of nowhere and deflected her.
"V.V. Long time no see." A voice crowed.
She turned her hands into shield just in time as a large red spiked flail came swinging towards her.
"V.V. Come and drink with me." Guy turned his hands into large blades and tried slicing her.
"I should've known it was you." V.V. said as she tried to swing her schythe towards him.
"Tell me, V.V., do you like it?" He was breathing with excitement.
"No, I don't!" V.V. banged him hard with a mallet.
Lloyd suddenly came hurtling towards them, his blade stuck in front him, stabbing Guy through the stomach.
"So you're the mastermind behind all of this."
Instead of bleeding, like V.V., cracks appeared where he was stabbed. "That hurts, you bastard. Now I'm missing half of my stomach."
The Hydra suddenly swing towards them, causing V.V. to stumble back. All of its heads opened its mouth wide, leering for the kill.
"Leave her!" He snapped. "She's mine. You and Cerberus take the guy."
To everyone's surprise, the Hydra slithered back and aimed for Lloyd who jab it with the handle of his blade. Cerberus leapt at him, swiping his blade away.
"Oh, darn." Lloyd swore as Cerberus loomed over him.
************
"Sorry, we're closing." Kelly began as Glenn trooped in.
He shoved the employee pass at her. "I'm Vivian's cousin. She told me to get a book of Greecian legends for her."
"Oh, er... Last second row to your right..." She said meekly, flinching at his hassled expression.
Without a word of thanks, Glenn sprinted to the back just as the bell tinkled a second time and Reo entered.
"Sorry, we're closing." Kelly began again.
Reo eyed wearily. He have to get her out without drawing any attention. The most efficient way would be is to knock her out.
And that is what he did.
One minute he was in front of her, next minute he gave her a swift chop to the neck, causing her to slump onto the counter. He heaved her onto the back of the counter and set her on the stool so that she looks as though she's resting.
Meanwhile, Glenn is at the back, browsing the books through their covers.
"No.... no.... no.... oooh....A book on stress management... No... What the heck is this???? No..."
He must've shifted God knows how many books till he finally found the one which he was looking for, a thick dusty book with a faded cover and yellowed pages. There's a large NOT ALLOWED TO BE BORROWED sticker taped onto the spine of the book.
"Sorry, looks like I'll have to bend the rule a little." He was about to tuck it into his bag when there's a loud crack.
"What-" He jumped with fright, biting his lip in the process. "Yeow!"
Reo stepped into view, the Mauser aiming for his head.
"Minamio!" Glenn exclaimed.
"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere." Reo said. "I won't hurt you unless you do as I say." He held out a hand. "Hand the book over."
"What???"
"Don't ask questions. Hand it over."
Glenn shook his head and ducked as Reo fired another bullet at him. He swung his bag, which must've weighed a lot, which went slamming into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him, which doesn't help as he was also sent stumbling against the nearest shelf, causing a cascade of books rained down on him. The Mauser had fallen off his hand and landed in front of his feet.
"I'll be taking this." Glenn said, picking up the Mauser. "See ya."
He then ran off.
************
"Let...go...." Lloyd yelled as Cerberus bit his leg. Thankfully, the bite wasn't deep, but still, blood is seeping through the material.
"I say....let...go!!!!" Lloyd try lashing out with his other foot but it just clung on.
Every time V.V. try to run to help him, Guy intercept her and threw her back into their field.
"Don't interrupt, V.V. Let the dog play with its toy." He laughed, swinging her back to their battle.
"You, step aside!" V.V. turned her hair into a mace and try to flail him with it He caught it with his bare hands and smiled, "Ding ding. Round 4."
Lloyd's hand flailed around wildly around him. His blade landed a few feet away from him, but with his foot getting chewed by a vicious three-headed dog, it's impossible for him to retrieve it.
His hand caught hold of something rough and solid. A jagged piece of rock lying on the ground. With scuttling fingers, he grabbed hold of it and stabbed it down onto one of its snouts. It gave a loud howl of pain and let him go. Blood still tainted its fangs. And the blood on his leg is slowly spreading like a rapidly blossoming blood flower.
Lloyd made a dash for it as Cerberus leapt towards him, smashing a statue of the President of the United States that stood in the middle of a fountain feature. He grabbed his blade and with pin point accuracy, struck Cerberus's heart as it tried to pounce onto him.
Cerberus's eyes seemed to bulged a moment. Then without warning, it gave a loud yelp, like an injured dog and exploded into dust. All that remains of it is a pile of sparkling grey sand. Without warning, he sank onto the ground, giving weight to his injured leg. Even though Cerberus maybe a mystical Greek creature, the bite seems to be infected like a normal dog's bite. Right now, in addition to bleeding, his leg is also slowly becoming swollen. Beads of sweat started to form on his head.
"Ah, it's finally gone..." He then collapsed onto the ground.
V.V. ducked a javelin which Guy tried to stab her with and run all the way to Lloyd, who's turning pale and feverish by the minute.
"I forgot to mention," Guy said casually. "Even though Cerberus is like a Greek myth, it's still a dog, in a way... You might want to get him checked for infections."
V.V.'s hair morphed into a pair of fists and tried punching him, but he ducked out of the way, laughing.
That was when something twisted around her and tried strangling her.
"Hisss-ssss."
Uh-oh.
"No! No! No! Leave her!" Guy yelled at the Hydra who is strangling V.V. "Leave her, damn it! Take him instead!"
The Hydra gave a hiss and dropped V.V., who coughed for breath as it slithered towards a very weakened Lloyd. Before she could even make a move, Guy lunged at her, slamming her hard onto the ground. She's aware of her forehead cracking a little. And she could practically feel Guy salivating as the Hydra slowly wrap Lloyd into its embrace.
Suddenly, there was a loud crack and Guy loosened his grip on her. Taking advantage of the surprise, she turned her hair into a sledgehammer and smashed his face with it. There was sickening crack as it made contact.
"Good one, V." Glenn's voice came from behind her. He's holding his Sauer ready. He looks a little disheveled. There's blood flowing from his swollen lip and his hair is all messy. "You alright?"
"Y-Yes, thank you." She shakily got us. Guy was lying on his face. A bullet had embedded itself deeply into his back.
"Where's Lloyd?"
The Hydra came launching towards them, its many heads bared open to reveal venomous fangs. In the midst of its body, Lloyd is being bound tightly by its body. His eyes aren't fully shut, so that you see the whiteness of his eyes through the silts.
V.V. shuddered. "This is sickening."
Glenn was too busy shaking a faded yellowed book out of his bag. "What?"
"Noth- Isn't that a non-borrowable book?" She suddenly caught sight of the book.
"Er-yes." He said meekly. "Please don't report me."
"If that book goes missing, then you're responsible for it," she warned as he frantically flip the pages.
"Twelve Labours... Twelve Labours... Aha..." He stopped at a chapter. " 'Heracles' nephew, Iolaus used a blazing firebrand to scorch the stumps of the Hydra after each decapitation to prevent the heads from regenerating, because the weakness of the Hydra is only one of its many heads is immortal.' "
The Hydra slammed itself onto V.V. who gave a loud wail of pain as three of its heads bit her arm hard. Cracks started appearing at the punctured area.
"You leave her alone!" Glenn fired three shots straight into its heads. He didn't notice strands of red hair had wrapped itself around his legs till he felt something tingling. "Ahhh!!!"
Guy, whose face is badly smashed, though it's slowly recovering, tossed him onto the badly smashed statue.
"Screw you, you retard." Guy scowled.
V.V. inched away from the Hydra and felt something hard in her hands. Lloyd's blade...
As the Hydra lunged for her again, she grabbed the blade, which is surprisingly durable, and swung it hard at its head, managing to cleave many at once. While its headless stumps is writhing, she quickly pulled Lloyd to safety.
"That hurts." Glenn picked himself up. That blow would've break a normal human's bones, but thanks to his vampire heritage, all he suffered was blue black bruises. He then rummaged in his pockets and brought out a box of matches. "Good thing I always carry these around me."
Guy's eyes widened. "You wouldn't-"
"Watch me." He tossed the matches to V.V. who caught it without looking, struck a handful and tossed it to the writhing Hydra. At first it started as a small flame, but it gradually grew bigger and bigger as she tossed more and more matches, each one catching a part of it and eventually consuming it. The charred, unrecognizable thing that had once been the legendary Hydra was being burned into nothing.
"Damn you!!!!" Guy screamed, charging towards Glenn, his hands outstretched, each one turning into a sickle blade. But before any of them could make a move, a tall dark hooded figure swooped down between them, causing him to halt.
"Get out of my way!" He roared.
"Your little grand scheme had failed." Revarie sneered beneath his hood.
"Shut up!"
"Your plan to use Reo to stall also failed."
"Wha-"
Reo emerged from behind him. He suffered a few bruises and a cut lip from the book debris, but otherwise he's fine.
Guy gave a snarl of defeat as his hands morphed back to normal and his hair went back to its usual length.
"Next time, you won't be so lucky." Guy turned away with a huff.
As Glenn picked Lloyd up, Revarie said to him, "Be warned. Next time we meet, I will claim your head to prune my family lines."
He and Reo then left, who snatched back his Mauser without anyone looking.
"We have to get him to the hospital. You too." He nodded at her.
"I'm fine." V.V. protested.
"No, you're not. That Guy just gave you a beating. You need treatment." He tugged her hand. "Come on."
They then made their way to the parked Land Rover as the evening sun begins to set into the dusk.
"Oh God, please don't tell me the thing gotten loose with the Hydra." Lloyd moaned as he watched the screen. V.V. was holding a large bag of chips in her hands she gazed at the screen.
"Lloyd," Glenn said rather abruptly. "I'm going to go to Columbia library. Maybe I can get the Greecian textbook from there."
"Actually, you can go to the bookstore that I'm working at." V.V. shoved an employee discount towards him. "Use this."
Glenn grabbed her into a hug and said, "Thanks, V. I owe you." He then grabbed his jacket and said, "I'll be right back." The door then close behind him.
"Looks like it's you and me again." Lloyd gave a mock cheery wave.
"Shouldn't we go and stop the puppy?" V.V. asked, tossing a chip to him, who caught it neatly in his mouth.
"Good point. Let's go."
***********
Reo parked his Suzuki right near Maggie's bookstore. He had received a call earlier from none other than Guy.
"I had a feeling they might try to stop the commotion. Stall them if you can." He had said.
Reo opened the compartment of his bike. An assortment of weapons ranging from commando knives to hand pistols and to a pair of long looking weapons tightly wrapped in a thick bundle of cloths.
There's no need to use them, he thought, eying the bundles. I just have to stall him, right? He then took out an old-fashioned Mauser and weighed it in his hands. Guess this'll have to do.
A cab pulled up in front of the bookstore. Reo eyed it with a feeling of familiarity. Oh yeah, of course. It's that cab driver, Arnie, the one who drove them to Brooklyn Bridge.
"Thanks for the ride, Arnie." Glenn was saying to him.
""Tis my pleasure, Glenn." Arnie said, tipping his cap to him. "You just look after yourself now."
Arnie then sped off, zigzagging into the road. Glenn hurriedly went into the bookstore, the bell tinkling.
Reo switched the safety off the gun and went in.
************
It didn't take too long for them to track Cerberus down. A three-headed dog is bound to not to attract people right? Wrong.
Lloyd brought his blade out of the boot as V.V. got out. Cerberus is attacking some of the people near the museum. Police are firing at it but are having no success. Cerberus had just caught hold one of the police and bite him from the head up, causing V.V. to turn away as she heard the screams and the sound of bones snapping.
"Ready?" Lloyd asked. She nodded in response.
They then made their way to the struggling police, who seems to be running out of firearms.
"Excuse me." Lloyd pushed his way through. One of the police officer turned around and yelled, "YOU!!!"
Yep, it's the same snobby police officer who wouldn't let the into the museum.
"What do you want? In case you did not notice, we're having a crisis here!"
Lloyd grabbed him by the collar, causing him to let out an alarmed yell.
"Now you listen you," He and the officer are a few inches apart. "I can see that you are on the losing side here, and you don't even have a clue what you're up against. We, on the other hand, had an idea what's going on here. So you either let us deal with it, or you can just carry on wasting your firearms."
"Are you threatening me?" His voice raised into an octave.
Before Lloyd could counter, several officers screamed as the Hydra slithered into view. Oh God, the officers seemed to have made its head multiplied into well, who knows. There's just too many heads in one body. Even as he watched, the Hydra struck multiple target at once, each one striking the heart.
"You know what, you can take over. I'm out." The officer squeaked as he saw countless of bodies with holes in their chest on the ground where the Hydra heads had struck.
"He learns fast." Lloyd said thoughtfully as the officer ran off.
"Here it comes." V.V. pointed.
Cerberus charged into view, its eyes tainted with fury. Lloyd swung his blade in front of him just in time to blocked himself from one of the heads from biting him. V.V. turned her hair into a schythe and diced it.
Or so she thought as a large red shield appeared out of nowhere and deflected her.
"V.V. Long time no see." A voice crowed.
She turned her hands into shield just in time as a large red spiked flail came swinging towards her.
"V.V. Come and drink with me." Guy turned his hands into large blades and tried slicing her.
"I should've known it was you." V.V. said as she tried to swing her schythe towards him.
"Tell me, V.V., do you like it?" He was breathing with excitement.
"No, I don't!" V.V. banged him hard with a mallet.
Lloyd suddenly came hurtling towards them, his blade stuck in front him, stabbing Guy through the stomach.
"So you're the mastermind behind all of this."
Instead of bleeding, like V.V., cracks appeared where he was stabbed. "That hurts, you bastard. Now I'm missing half of my stomach."
The Hydra suddenly swing towards them, causing V.V. to stumble back. All of its heads opened its mouth wide, leering for the kill.
"Leave her!" He snapped. "She's mine. You and Cerberus take the guy."
To everyone's surprise, the Hydra slithered back and aimed for Lloyd who jab it with the handle of his blade. Cerberus leapt at him, swiping his blade away.
"Oh, darn." Lloyd swore as Cerberus loomed over him.
************
"Sorry, we're closing." Kelly began as Glenn trooped in.
He shoved the employee pass at her. "I'm Vivian's cousin. She told me to get a book of Greecian legends for her."
"Oh, er... Last second row to your right..." She said meekly, flinching at his hassled expression.
Without a word of thanks, Glenn sprinted to the back just as the bell tinkled a second time and Reo entered.
"Sorry, we're closing." Kelly began again.
Reo eyed wearily. He have to get her out without drawing any attention. The most efficient way would be is to knock her out.
And that is what he did.
One minute he was in front of her, next minute he gave her a swift chop to the neck, causing her to slump onto the counter. He heaved her onto the back of the counter and set her on the stool so that she looks as though she's resting.
Meanwhile, Glenn is at the back, browsing the books through their covers.
"No.... no.... no.... oooh....A book on stress management... No... What the heck is this???? No..."
He must've shifted God knows how many books till he finally found the one which he was looking for, a thick dusty book with a faded cover and yellowed pages. There's a large NOT ALLOWED TO BE BORROWED sticker taped onto the spine of the book.
"Sorry, looks like I'll have to bend the rule a little." He was about to tuck it into his bag when there's a loud crack.
"What-" He jumped with fright, biting his lip in the process. "Yeow!"
Reo stepped into view, the Mauser aiming for his head.
"Minamio!" Glenn exclaimed.
"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere." Reo said. "I won't hurt you unless you do as I say." He held out a hand. "Hand the book over."
"What???"
"Don't ask questions. Hand it over."
Glenn shook his head and ducked as Reo fired another bullet at him. He swung his bag, which must've weighed a lot, which went slamming into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him, which doesn't help as he was also sent stumbling against the nearest shelf, causing a cascade of books rained down on him. The Mauser had fallen off his hand and landed in front of his feet.
"I'll be taking this." Glenn said, picking up the Mauser. "See ya."
He then ran off.
************
"Let...go...." Lloyd yelled as Cerberus bit his leg. Thankfully, the bite wasn't deep, but still, blood is seeping through the material.
"I say....let...go!!!!" Lloyd try lashing out with his other foot but it just clung on.
Every time V.V. try to run to help him, Guy intercept her and threw her back into their field.
"Don't interrupt, V.V. Let the dog play with its toy." He laughed, swinging her back to their battle.
"You, step aside!" V.V. turned her hair into a mace and try to flail him with it He caught it with his bare hands and smiled, "Ding ding. Round 4."
Lloyd's hand flailed around wildly around him. His blade landed a few feet away from him, but with his foot getting chewed by a vicious three-headed dog, it's impossible for him to retrieve it.
His hand caught hold of something rough and solid. A jagged piece of rock lying on the ground. With scuttling fingers, he grabbed hold of it and stabbed it down onto one of its snouts. It gave a loud howl of pain and let him go. Blood still tainted its fangs. And the blood on his leg is slowly spreading like a rapidly blossoming blood flower.
Lloyd made a dash for it as Cerberus leapt towards him, smashing a statue of the President of the United States that stood in the middle of a fountain feature. He grabbed his blade and with pin point accuracy, struck Cerberus's heart as it tried to pounce onto him.
Cerberus's eyes seemed to bulged a moment. Then without warning, it gave a loud yelp, like an injured dog and exploded into dust. All that remains of it is a pile of sparkling grey sand. Without warning, he sank onto the ground, giving weight to his injured leg. Even though Cerberus maybe a mystical Greek creature, the bite seems to be infected like a normal dog's bite. Right now, in addition to bleeding, his leg is also slowly becoming swollen. Beads of sweat started to form on his head.
"Ah, it's finally gone..." He then collapsed onto the ground.
V.V. ducked a javelin which Guy tried to stab her with and run all the way to Lloyd, who's turning pale and feverish by the minute.
"I forgot to mention," Guy said casually. "Even though Cerberus is like a Greek myth, it's still a dog, in a way... You might want to get him checked for infections."
V.V.'s hair morphed into a pair of fists and tried punching him, but he ducked out of the way, laughing.
That was when something twisted around her and tried strangling her.
"Hisss-ssss."
Uh-oh.
"No! No! No! Leave her!" Guy yelled at the Hydra who is strangling V.V. "Leave her, damn it! Take him instead!"
The Hydra gave a hiss and dropped V.V., who coughed for breath as it slithered towards a very weakened Lloyd. Before she could even make a move, Guy lunged at her, slamming her hard onto the ground. She's aware of her forehead cracking a little. And she could practically feel Guy salivating as the Hydra slowly wrap Lloyd into its embrace.
Suddenly, there was a loud crack and Guy loosened his grip on her. Taking advantage of the surprise, she turned her hair into a sledgehammer and smashed his face with it. There was sickening crack as it made contact.
"Good one, V." Glenn's voice came from behind her. He's holding his Sauer ready. He looks a little disheveled. There's blood flowing from his swollen lip and his hair is all messy. "You alright?"
"Y-Yes, thank you." She shakily got us. Guy was lying on his face. A bullet had embedded itself deeply into his back.
"Where's Lloyd?"
The Hydra came launching towards them, its many heads bared open to reveal venomous fangs. In the midst of its body, Lloyd is being bound tightly by its body. His eyes aren't fully shut, so that you see the whiteness of his eyes through the silts.
V.V. shuddered. "This is sickening."
Glenn was too busy shaking a faded yellowed book out of his bag. "What?"
"Noth- Isn't that a non-borrowable book?" She suddenly caught sight of the book.
"Er-yes." He said meekly. "Please don't report me."
"If that book goes missing, then you're responsible for it," she warned as he frantically flip the pages.
"Twelve Labours... Twelve Labours... Aha..." He stopped at a chapter. " 'Heracles' nephew, Iolaus used a blazing firebrand to scorch the stumps of the Hydra after each decapitation to prevent the heads from regenerating, because the weakness of the Hydra is only one of its many heads is immortal.' "
The Hydra slammed itself onto V.V. who gave a loud wail of pain as three of its heads bit her arm hard. Cracks started appearing at the punctured area.
"You leave her alone!" Glenn fired three shots straight into its heads. He didn't notice strands of red hair had wrapped itself around his legs till he felt something tingling. "Ahhh!!!"
Guy, whose face is badly smashed, though it's slowly recovering, tossed him onto the badly smashed statue.
"Screw you, you retard." Guy scowled.
V.V. inched away from the Hydra and felt something hard in her hands. Lloyd's blade...
As the Hydra lunged for her again, she grabbed the blade, which is surprisingly durable, and swung it hard at its head, managing to cleave many at once. While its headless stumps is writhing, she quickly pulled Lloyd to safety.
"That hurts." Glenn picked himself up. That blow would've break a normal human's bones, but thanks to his vampire heritage, all he suffered was blue black bruises. He then rummaged in his pockets and brought out a box of matches. "Good thing I always carry these around me."
Guy's eyes widened. "You wouldn't-"
"Watch me." He tossed the matches to V.V. who caught it without looking, struck a handful and tossed it to the writhing Hydra. At first it started as a small flame, but it gradually grew bigger and bigger as she tossed more and more matches, each one catching a part of it and eventually consuming it. The charred, unrecognizable thing that had once been the legendary Hydra was being burned into nothing.
"Damn you!!!!" Guy screamed, charging towards Glenn, his hands outstretched, each one turning into a sickle blade. But before any of them could make a move, a tall dark hooded figure swooped down between them, causing him to halt.
"Get out of my way!" He roared.
"Your little grand scheme had failed." Revarie sneered beneath his hood.
"Shut up!"
"Your plan to use Reo to stall also failed."
"Wha-"
Reo emerged from behind him. He suffered a few bruises and a cut lip from the book debris, but otherwise he's fine.
Guy gave a snarl of defeat as his hands morphed back to normal and his hair went back to its usual length.
"Next time, you won't be so lucky." Guy turned away with a huff.
As Glenn picked Lloyd up, Revarie said to him, "Be warned. Next time we meet, I will claim your head to prune my family lines."
He and Reo then left, who snatched back his Mauser without anyone looking.
"We have to get him to the hospital. You too." He nodded at her.
"I'm fine." V.V. protested.
"No, you're not. That Guy just gave you a beating. You need treatment." He tugged her hand. "Come on."
They then made their way to the parked Land Rover as the evening sun begins to set into the dusk.
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