V.V. just stood there, looking blankly past them, her dress and hair blowing in the wind. It send chills up his spine, it doesn’t look like her, those blank eyes and expressionless face staring at their faces, with not one ounce of recognition in her. But deep down, it’s really her. But not the one that they knew.
“V.V., it’s me…” Lloyd said, taking a step forward, much to the surprise of the others gawping at him, their expression clearly says, “What do you think you’re doing???”
“Can you still remember me, V.?” Lloyd said, keeping his gaze locked on her. “Do you remember how we first met?”
“Do you honestly think…” Guy said scathingly. “That she would remember all your petty times with her?”
“You said you didn’t want to be a weapon for others, right? I…saw your past life, before you became this, but…. V.V., I don’t mind, I don’t care whether you’re some monster or freak, ‘cause….I care… Care for you…Sure, most of the time we seemed to be fighting and never had time for a break, but I just want you to know, that we…” He gestured at the others. “…Care for you…”
“What? Ow. Um, yeah…” Glenn said, after getting nudged hard by Francis, who sensed him dreaming. Eric, on the other hand, had not spoken a word since he first saw Guy and V.V. He seemed to be fascinated by them, well of course, who wouldn’t. They both looked very young, still in their teens, but they had lived for a very long time.
“V.V.’s not going to listen to you.” Guy held out the transparent liquid. “I gave this to her. The demonic essence leftover from Taishii’s lab. It enhances strengths and abilities, but to a side effect,” A corner of his mouth twitched upwards. “The person loses their sanity.”
“Like you, you mean?” Lloyd said with quiet menace.
Guy’s eyes snapped at him. “What did you just say?”
“You were considered a failure…because you lost part of your sanity, didn’t you?”
Guy’s face, which had been expressionless, now twisted into what looked like insult.
“You dare bring that up, boy?” Guy’s hair grew out, yards and yards of it, twisting itself into multiple smoking serpent’s heads, like the Lernean Hydra. “Don’t think I’ll let you get away with that insult.”
“Bring it.” Glenn said, whipping out his Sauer.
“It’s payback time for what you did to me, ya freak.” Francis said, bringing his knuckles together and sitting bringing his left leg forward, putting the weight in front and straightening his back leg. The gendan barai in Karate.
Lloyd and V.V. are still facing each other, their gazes locked. Guy had said that the essence had block off her humanity, but he truly believes, that she has not been fully gone. Even back then, she had hurt him, but the wounds were not fatal, easily treated by medicines.
Something caught his eye. In the sunlight, V.V.’s blank eyes seemed to gleamed. He was certain sure, that he caught sight of a hint of sparkle in them. Her humanity.
“V.V., get him!!!” Guy shouted.
Without warning, V.V. charged at him, her hair turning into what look like strands of thin braids with round orbs at the tips and they stretched like javelins being hurled towards him. Whatever sparkle of her humanity that is left seemed to have disappeared. Some of them hit him in the abdomen, legs and hands, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Inari and Eric dodged out of the way just as the orbs came hurling towards them, denting the metal railings.
Guy’s hair had lashed out like spider’s webs and grabbed both Glenn and Francis, the hair wrapping itself rapidly on them. Francis struggled and tried to lash out at Guy but then the hair kept shielding him. Glenn managed to fumble his Sauer and then, shot Guy with pin-point accuracy on the side of the head. There was the sound of glass cracking and Guy touched the side of his head, which now has a bullet hole in it.
“You-You-IMBECILE!” He shrieked, flinging Glenn off the deck, but he managed to clung onto the dented metal railings for support. But Guy didn’t even let him catch his breath. He flung Francis aside and leapt over to where he’s clinging and swung his hair casually like a painter flicking his paintbrush. A deep cut appeared on one hand, causing him to loosen his grip slightly on the railings.
“I wonder…” He said softly, reaching for the side of his of his head and pulling out a small tiny object. The bullet that he had driven into Guy’s head. “How does it feel like for you to feel a bullet being shot into the side of your head?”
There was a sharp cracking sound and Guy dropped the tiny bullet from his fingers, staring at the crack that had appeared in his body. Whirling around, he saw Eric pointing the revolver at his chest.
“You-You’re that boy…” He said, eyes widening.
“The next one will be your head.” Eric fired again, causing Guy to stagger as another bullet caught him in between the eye. Inari shot blue fireballs from her nine tails which blasted him when they came into contact. If it had been a normal human, he would’ve been blown to smithereens, but instead, there’s the sound of glass shattering like showers of ice.
V.V. gave a roar and tried going to his aid but Lloyd blocked her way, kicking her hard on the chest til there was the sound of glass splintering. Angered, she stabbed her hair down into the depths of the ship, and hairs erupted from beneath him, like a mass of web. They caught him in the legs and hands and anchored him down. His Zanmato lay pinned on the ground.
Even as he watched, V.V.’s hands suddenly twisted into dual blades, glinting in the light and shining wickedly sharp, like the surgical blades that you see in hospitals. Her face is blank as she placed both blades near his throat.
“Finish him off, V.”
Everyone turned to see Guy clinging onto the railing for support. He look like a mess, his face have cracks on the forehead extending down to the chin. His body is covered with sharp cracks, with some bits blasted apart. And his clothes seemed to have torn apart, leaving half of his body bare.
“How can you still stand?” Inari said in disbelief.
“Don’t kid yourself.” He snickered, swaying slightly. “I have been alive for more than a hundred years, you think I’ll die from mere kitsune star balls powers? Kill him, V.V.”
“Shut up.” Francis grabbed him in a headlock and punched him rapidly on the face. There’s a cracking sound and Guy seemed to have been knocked out.
A huge shadow swooped down, knocking all of them to the ground, though Glenn managed to sidestep in time. He is already familiar with this guy. The shadow came swooping towards him, sharpened nails outstretched to rip him apart. He brought out his wooden stake and stabbed deep into the arm, tearing into the black fabric and pierced deeply til the stake come out of the other side. Blood gushing out like a fountain.
“Retard….” Revarie hissed, his hood up to protect him from the sun.
“You never learn, do you?” Glenn said, bringing out another stake and trying to drive it into his heart but he missed, grazing his cheek instead.
“Guy!” Alen gasped, running over to him.
“Why are all of you here?” Guy growled, looking extremely ungrateful.
“You are a total mess. ” Reo said bluntly, trying to pull him up but Guy shouted, “Don’t touch me, it hurts!”
What’s with all the distractions, no one noticed V.V. had stabbed down with both of her blades til they heard the sound of wood splintering. Everything seemed to freeze as everyone starred at her blades which seemed to have been driven through Lloyd’s body.
“L-Lloyd?” Glenn choked out.
“How sad…”
Everyone turned as Dario approached, wearing black and white. His rapier hung by his side.
Inari glared at him, her eyes flaring gold. Eric, on the other hand, went, “Aren’t you the head of Twilight Inc?”
“Looks like I’m well known in here too.” Dario said, looking at Lloyd’s way. “Looks like my dear little brother is dead, stabbed by his beloved ally.”
Glenn tried to move towards him but Revarie pulled him back by the hair and said, “Most likely he’s dead, so why bother?”
Francis grabbed Revarie by the back and kicked him so hard on the face til his neck was snapped back. His face an expression of shock and his grip on Glenn loosened. Even as they watched, Revarie’s head tilted forward again as though it was nothing and he glared at him. “That really hurts, you dirty lowlife.”
V.V. glanced at the others and without hesitating, roared and charged towards Alen, who had been watching from the sidelines.
“Ahhhh!!!” Alen screamed as her hair danced around him, trying to bind him like what she did to Lloyd. “Guy, do something!”
Guy didn’t seemed to have heard. His cracks had been healing but his expression looks…insane and shock.
Shock?
Everyone followed his gaze where Lloyd is pulling himself up, covered with red marks and cuts and bruises, but otherwise seemed unharmed.
“H-How?!!!”
“You are too naïve,” Lloyd said coldly to him. “She did not hurt me, but merely stopped herself at the last minute.”
He let himself think back where everyone were being distracted by V.V’s dual blades near his throat. He could see it again, the small sparkle of humanity in her eyes. Guy may have brainwashed her but she’s still in there, somewhere. When she plunged down, she did not even stab him, she stabbed the side, narrowly missing his chest on purpose, fooling everyone.
“You nearly had me fooled there, dear little brother.” Dario said, “I thought you were gone for good.”
Guy suddenly ran over to V.V., who had been trying to attack Alen and even as they watched, plunged a syringe full of liquid, no, Lloyd corrected himself, demon essence into her. As the sun sets down, the sky turned a dark purplish in colour. And the screaming started. Oh God, her screams. They’re screams of someone being tortured to death, the feelings of agony and helplessness. Lloyd could practically feel the slugs crawling up his neck and her screams ringing in his ears.
Without even asking, Eric whirled around and – the pin in his teeth – flung his handmade bombs at them, even as Glenn shouted, “No!”
An explosion of orange red erupted. The ship shuddered and everyone started yelling as the impact caused the ship to be partly destroyed. Worse, they could smell the sickening scent of something burning.
“Why did you do that?” Glenn shouted, grabbing Eric by the scruff of his neck just as Francis came over and said, “Cool it, man.”
The smoke parted as V.V. roared, looking even more berserker like. Her hair is now extended into various kinds of weapons. Blades, javelins, spiked balls, drills, axes and many others that he couldn’t identify. It’s like a head full of Medusa’s snakes, except instead of snake-like hair, it’s weapons full of hair.
“You all think you’re so big…” Guy said in a deadpan voice. “I gave her the entire essence. She’ll soon be what she was back then.”
V.V.’s hair swung around wildly in a 360 degree turn and flung most of them aside. Eric went slamming into Inari. Alen and Reo went flying, only to be caught by Revarie, whose hood had fallen off, revealing his pale handsome face. His dark hair that is usually tied back into a ponytail had hung loose around his face, giving him the expression of a half-exhausted person who seemed to have lack of sleep. Dario staggered slightly but stabbed his rapier hard into the deck for support.
Lloyd flung himself onto the floor just in time as a forked spear came thrusting pass him. It crash into the wall, which went falling apart. To top it off, the ship shook again as another part exploded.
“I don’t think the ship can hold on much longer…” Francis gasped, clinging onto a broken pillar.
Lloyd got up, staring at V.V. who is on a mad rampage, destroying things that are in her way, shrieking and roaring, not even speaking. In his mind’s eyes, he could see the crazed berserker girl who had killed countless of soldiers.
To everyone’s shock, he sheathed back his Zanmato and made his way towards her.
“What’s he doing?” Eric said, throwing his revolver aside, falling into the sea with a splash which is already out of ammos and pulling out his orochi blade.
“The fool.” Revarie said. “Is he trying to get himself killed?”
Lloyd went over to where V.V. is flailing madly at objects, completely oblivious that no one’s around her, not even caring that the ship is on fire or half-destroyed by her.
“No, baka. Get away from her!” Inari shouted.
V.V. looked up as he approached, unarmed and looking completely devil-may-care. From the way things are, it looks as though he’s meeting her for a date.
“Hey.” He said softly.
She had stopped trying to destroy stuff, but now she’s looking directly straight at him. Her eyes may be blank, but her face, it showed a small flicker of expression. Like a cat who had just spotted a mouse.
“I get it now…” He said, completely ignoring the fact that her hair seemed to twist itself together. “You had always been alone. But you don’t have to be lonely anymore.”
He pulled her into a deep embrace and at the same time as he held her in his arms, there was a sharp tearing sound and suddenly his vision seemed to become hazy. He could also feel the warm taste of fresh blood trickling out from the side of his mouth. He glanced down-
To find a cyan coloured blade stabbed him deeply in the stomach.
“You are not alone anymore, V.V.” He whispered, smiling slightly at her. He then collapsed onto the hard surface of the deck.
“Lloyd!!!” Glenn shouted, running over to him with Inari, Eric and Francis after him. Dario and the others held back, waiting to see what unfolds next.
V.V, whose expression had been blank and empty like void, suddenly became confused and puzzled. The blade, which had been sticking out of him, reverted back into her harmless looking hair again, though stained with blood, with her shaking hands.
And her eyes, which had were no more like empty bottomless pits, were misty, wet with tears, which dripped down her face as she saw what she had done.
“Lloyd…” She wept, shaking all over.
Glenn reached him first, shouting at him. Inari drew out her star ball and is trying to stop the bleeding. Francis and Eric drew out their weapons, keeping her at bay, but not stopping her as she ran past them and cried, cried over him.
The ultimate weapon, who was forced to lacked emotion, was crying, tears of sadness and remorse.
“He deserved it.”
She looked up to see Guy standing a few feet away. He’s body is alright now, the cracks are gone, but his face still have the look of humiliation of losing to normal mere humans.
“He got stabbed for trying to bring you back. Not very bright, is he?”
V.V. screamed in rage and threw herself at him -hair and hands morphed into blades, - except she never got there for her entire body froze midway. Glancing down, she saw that a large shadow had held her shadow into place.
“Not very dangerous now, are you, girl?” Mind’s Shadow cackled.
Glenn brought out a revolver and shot twice at the shadow. It was enough to cause Mind’s Shadow to withdraw, shouting, “He got blessed holy bullets! He got blessed holy bullets!”
Giovanni, Dario’s eyes flashed.
Something grabbed him by the shoulder and he looked around to see Lloyd holding him by the shoulder, looking weak.
“Lloyd, you shouldn’t get up.” Glenn licked his lips nervously, staring at the blood that is lying in a pool near him.
“I’m alright…” He said. “Is V.V. alright? Is she…back?”
V.V. wept as she saw him, looking very upset. What had she done? She nearly killed him. Even though she had not pierced his vital organs, he suffered a massive blood loss and the wound was deep. He certainly look very pale right no as though all of his blood had drained out from him.
“Lloyd, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” She wept hard, the tears seemed to keep flowing, unable to stop. How long has it been since she last shed tears? A long buried memory slowly arisen up to the surface. Her parents, their face long since faded, selling her to the Russian Army for a piece of gold. She had cried for them to take her with them, but they had taken no heed of her and left her, thrown her aside and let her suffer the sexual harassments from the soldiers, never even bothering to keep in touch with her. Never even bothering to knew what has become of her.
“You’re back, I thought you would.” He gave her his old grin, which made her seemed to want to brawl again. How can he still grin like that? She had hurt him deeply, and yet, he still like her. He should’ve hated her, despised her, but instead he was just grinning at her like an old friend.
“V.V.,” Glenn said, looking weary. “Are you…back to yourself?”
In response, V.V. flung herself at him, crying and screaming all of her sorrow out. Glenn held her, letting her scream and scream. The others held back, taking all of this silently when they all gasped.
The ship shook again and a fire erupted from beneath, like a magma geyser erupting from beneath the earth. The fire is slowly spreading onto the deck, thick smoke slowly spreading all over.
The ship is going to sink.
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