"Ya bloody b@stard."
"What was that, Rori? Very well then, it seems your "clone" has been
giving Avery quite a day. Perhaps you'd like to see a kiss you shared?"
The time for being civil was over as Rori launched himself at the
illusionist. Unfortunately for him, what he found his teeth in was not
Shiki, but something much more horrible - Kirin's neck.
"Do you understand why I do not trust you, monster?"
And the other Rori kissed and agreed, and they lay down in the grass
exhausted.
______________
The twins moved both Rori and Averys' bodies back in to the car
and continued on to the real Colorado. Mori had since found a map
and plugged in how to get to the state, which was nowhere near
Canada, or other places starting with C.
The warm liquid that was Kirin's blood ran out the
corners of his mouth. From there, it dripped rhythmically down the
sides of his throat and stained his shirt the same color of his hair.
Somewhere in the dark corners of his mind Rori knew it was an
illusion, but somehow that fact didn't click. The scarlet fluid felt so
really, like all those other times he had been forced to kill. The scent,
the feel, the taste.. All of it.
His hands were painted red with blood, red with her blood, red with
Kirin's blood. How right Shiki was... He was a monster, an animal
who couldn't control himself, who couldn't even will himself to
release his "prey".
"Do you understand now why I can't have you near her?"
Yes... Yes... I know why...
Those word reverberated through his mind, and though he couldn't say them
aloud he knew them to be true. The tears running from his eyes told all.
"Well, then, let's end this...
There was a brief moment of pure darkness as everything faded
from sight before Rori opened his eyes.
He was in the van again, thrown in the back where Shiki had been
sleeping prior to their stop. Mori and Rose were up in the front
chatting back and forth, and calling back to Shiki who sat in the
chair Avery had previously occupied.
"I'll keep him in the illusion for now. It's probably better that way,
he can't kill people while he's asleep. Once were in range he'll wake."
Shiki paid Rori no heed as the redhead slipped into the only other
unoccupied chair. Avery had the entire back to himself, and from
the wide grin plastered on his face, Rori bet he was happy.
______________
"'Ello, Avery!"
There was a small, bright-eyed bird perched on the branch above
him. It tilted its head back and forth, trying to see before fluttering
down to the ground.
"Enjoying yourself?"
Avery looked up from his spot watching clouds.
"Oi, I'm not complaining am I? This your illusion Shiki or am I dead?
I'd prefer to not be dead....though I wish this was real too."
He draped an arm over 'Rori'.
"What's going on with the real Rori? I hope he's as happy as I am."
Rori smiled uncharacteristically at the bird. For once in his life he was happy,
he could be near another without the worry of killing them. He knew this could
never be real. The only one who he could be near and not kill had practically
just ripped his throat out.
___________________
Rose looked back and saw Rori was awake.
"You alright? You were screaming earlier, scared Mori half to death."
He wouldn't even look at the illusionist. He knew what Shiki could do to him
if he ever got mad, and he had reason to be mad after Rose's betrayal.
"You were out for a while....We're in Colorado. Shii, any idea where
in Colorado?"
"Keep going northeast, when Avery wakes up or
I can't feel anything at all, we'll know."
______________
"Eh, you were fast to pick up on that. An' your right about the illusion."
The bird fluttered once more into the air before its shape twisted
and expanded into Shiki. He smiled gently at Avvie and ruffled the boy's hair.
"You almost killed us all back there so I was forced to put both you
and Rori under. I thought you deserved happiness for a bit, so I linked
your illusion with your desire. Sorry about lil' Avvie over there. I had
to send him somewhere while I talked to Rori. Rori...
I can't say his time was or is as pleasant as yours. But, no worries.
We're almost where we need to be, I'll let you out soon."
The edges of the illusion were coming apart even now, and Shiki knew.
This was his power, nothing should be able to escape or destroy his
illusions, and yet... They were close. His illusions and power sensing
were failing him, he was becoming a "normal" kid.
Rose smiled at Shiki, "Aye Aye capt'n full speed ahead." He sped up the
car, hoping to arrive as fast as possible.
___________
Avery bowed his head in thanks to Shiki before gasping for breath as he woke up.
He looked around at the cramped car, and the cold snow falling around it.
"Wha...Where...? Rori?" He looked around for the companion he had just left
lying in the grass, only to find him sitting away from him, obviously not in
a good mood.
"Are we almost there? I'm feeling....did anyone slip me more meds?" Avery
looked around for an IV, "I don't feel...sick." He was highly confused.
______________
Braiden caught sight of the car and ran back to the house, bowing gently as
he removed his snowy shoes.
"You were right...they're here. Four of em from the looks of it. Shiki's with
'em. Should I welcome them?"
"We're here!"
Shiki opened his eyes and smiled happily. Only one person could do
this, only one person in the entire world.
"'ey, wot are you so 'appy about? We're in the bloody middle of
nowhere an' you say 'we're 'ere'. 're you bloody insane?"
In blinding contrast to Shiki's happy mood, Rori was sulking. His
encounter with the overly protective illusionist had left him in a sour
mood, and it didn't help that he was in a car. Damn van had no
windows to open in the back, so he had to rely on the AC.
"Rori?"
Damn. Avery was awake already. Shiki was just out to make
this the worst day in Rori's book. Leave it to the illusionist to know
exactly what to do. The only thing that could possibly make it any
worse was a certain someone showing up - but he found that highly doubtful.
______________________
"If you would, Braiden, I'll put some tea on. The cookies are
almost done, then we'll see what we can do about you, 'kay?
Thanks again for the help."
Her smile could brighten any room, but beneath it was a world of
pain. The one person she had run away from all those years, the
person she had been closest to, the brother she had trusted. After
all these years they would come face to face.
Shiki...
Braiden bowed again and threw on some shoes. The only reason
he bothered with them at all was because last time he got frostbite.
Wandering back out into the dark, Braiden jumped in front of the car, making
Rose throw on the breaks.
"Who the hell is he?!" Rose screamed, scared half to death.
Without saying a word Braiden opened the doors to the car and escorted the
travelers into the house.
"If you would, please remove your shoes and coats." As an example, he
removed his own shoes and hung up his thin coat on the hanger.
"Please follow me, and mind your manners. Ms. Kirin is making cookies, and
she will be out in a minute."
Without letting anyone see his eyes, Braiden quickly covered them with a
bloody cloth and sat down on a chair.
"Please join me, she will be out soon Shiki. As for the beast, she asks that you
try and act human while your here. As for the rest of you...please just
try and behave." Braiden yawned, his fangs exposed. He had gone too long
without eating and he was getting drowsy. He knew he had to watch this group
but on an empty stomach, all he could think about was food and sleep.
A low growl was emitted from Rori's throat as the
comment left his elder's lips. He knew this man.
Braiden Ryu...
He was from the same division of experiments as Rori. A bat-human
cross, if he remembered correctly. Braiden had always looked down
on Rori, unable to rein in his bloodlust - unlike Braiden, of course.
"Vampire" that's what Braiden was, but the man had always said that
Rori was more of an vampire than himself. Rori didn't need the blood
to survive... He killed out of pure instinct... Instinct and pleasure
which almost had him murder his friend today.
This day just wasn't getting any better... How did that saying go?
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire"? He had ended up in the
one place he didn't want to be, surrounded by four of the people
he didn't want to be around.
First there was Avery, who was making their relationship more
difficult than it should be. Second, Shiki who saw him as nothing
more than an animal, a monster. Then there was Braiden, the man
who could prove than Rori was just that - a beast that lived for blood.
And Kirin - he couldn't even look at her without that heart wrenching
guilt. Filled with this guilt and dread, Rori collapsed in a corner after
removing his shoes and sulked with his forehead against his knees.
"There you are!"
Kirin stood in the doorway with Braiden, both holding sheets of
cookies. A smiled graced her face as she greeted the visitors, but
left as soon as Shiki approached.
She would be civil, attempt to be civil, about this - this traitor.
Amber clashed with green as she handed her sheet of cookies of
to her housemate and approached her brother.
"Kiri-"
-SLAP!-
The sound seemed to reverberated off the walls as red-cheeked
Shiki starred wide-eyed at his sister.
"You monster! You vile blood traitor! How dare you come here!
How dare you show your face after you betrayed my trust all those
years ago! You have no right to say my name, you have no right to
call yourself my brother! You! You~!"
The tears flowed freely as Kirin spun around and buried her face in
Braiden's shirt. He was the only person in this room she would trust.
The others had betrayed her, had hurt her, but he alone had proved
that he was not the monster he had once been.
Braiden set down the cookie sheets and held Kirin. He didn't know Shiki
well, but anyone who hurt his friend was his enemy, and possibly dinner.
He growled and bared his fangs at the twin, then switched his icy glare
to Rori.
"Don't speak to Ms. Kirin unless she speaks first. You all who have betrayed
her, and left her for dead, as you continued to work at that horrible
place. Murderer of friends, dog of Song, beast, and the birds who told.
Why do you even bother coming here? Are you going to bring us back?"
Braiden yawned again and sat down on a chair, nestling in as he
started to go to sleep. Kirin hadn't fed him today, and all the running
around at night had tired him out. Luckily for everyone else, and unluckily
for Braiden, no one in the room was bleeding. All it would take is a paper
cut, and he wouldn't stop until he was fed. Tired or not, the hunger would
take over. However, since no one was bleeding, Braiden started to go to
sleep.
Avery looked at Kirin terrified. He didn't want to be on the receiving line
of another slap. He couldn't help what he had done to betray her.
They had set him in a room with a "faulty" experiment for him to terminate.
He couldn't control his plague, and he killed one of Kirin's friends.
Mori looked at Kirin, tears running down his face. Why was his friend being
so mean to everyone?
Rose couldn't even look at Kirin, he was the one who had betrayed her.
Hypnotized at the time, he had let BA know of her attempt to escape.
She had still managed to escape, but other experiments died because
of the information from Rose
Murderer... Dog... Beast...
This man, what did he know of them. He wasn't Kirin, he wasn't the
one who had been hurt. Braiden had disappeared while on
assignment. He, unlike Kin, hadn't had to deal with everyone in this
room. He shouldn't be the one blaming them.
Claws digging into his palms in frustration and anger he suddenly
knew that his choice to inflict pain and draw blood had been wrong.
Very wrong. The pheromones in the air had spiked at the scent of
blood, and only one person in this room had a sense of smell as good
as Rori.
Head shooting up, Rori stared at a hungry Braiden for a brief second
before lunging out the door. He didn't bother with his shoes because
it was obvious to him that someone hadn't eaten for a while.
Braiden sniffed the air, suddenly re energized. Before even asking permission,
he bolted out the door after his meal. Rori might have thought that Braiden
was the more civilized, and not the killer he was, but when he was hungry nothing
could stop the "vampire."
He could smell the hot dripping blood, and he sped up. He didn't want to get there
too late. Ripping off his blindfold, he was able to better navigate the forest floor.
"Where are youuuuu?" He called, singsonging.
"I'm going to eat youuuu!" He caught up, grabbing Rori by the hair and yanking
him to the ground. Smiling and panting, Braiden first licked the blood from his
hand. Finding it wasn't enough, he bit down hard on his wrist. With the other
hand he held Rori down. He wasn't nearly as strong as Rori, but he didn't want
the other to move while he gorged himself. Jumping back once he had his meal,
Braiden licked his lips and watched Rori. He had never been this out of control
around him before, and he was worried he was going to be killed for it.
Growling lightly Braiden continued to crouch, waiting to be attacked.
"I...can explain."
Rori made the mistake of trying to jump back to his
feet, and honestly, he should have known better. He hadn't eaten since
morning, after all and, with a metabolism as fast as his, having
a "vampire" suck his blood left him a bit light-headed. Had he not felt
like the world was spinning he would have lunged at his attacker
in self-defense, but instead he fell back into a seated position.
"Ryu..."
The snow about him, rich with his scarlet blood, was a blurry shade
of gray to Rori. He felt so sleepy, so worn out for some reason...
Little energy to move, little desire to get up. So instead he sat there
in the cold and licked the wound on his wrist while staring at the man
he had always secretly idolized, the man who had just proven himself
to be no less of a monster than Rori.
"Why? You lied ter me all those years about this..."
Braiden finished licking the blood off of himself and sat down, more than slightly
surprised he hadn't been killed. He thought about how much he had taken
and realized he needed to have a talk with Kirin about when he gets to eat.
"I told you the truth all those years Rori. When I was at BA I didn't get like this.
Unlike you, I'm still changing. I'm requiring more blood, more often. Lately
I've been having trouble satiating my hunger." He looked him in the eyes.
Those pitch black eyes than glimmered from the snow. How changed he was, they
used to be human. They only started to turn black right before he escaped BA.
Where once he had not liked to be out at day, now the day blinded him.
He looked at Rori's eyes.
"You're still so human Ror. I'm sorry for what I said in there. I'm just....
jealous."
Human...
That word embodied everything Rori wanted - normalcy, dull senses,
little desire to kill. How long ago had he been that street rat, the
beggar, the thief? Ever the little vigilante just to live, just to survive.
The others had been right when they had told him not to go after
Avery, when they had warned him that the "pretty lady" was bad
news. But he hadn't listened then.
Still so human...
Braiden had been gone too long, he didn't know what they'd made
Rori do, that they had dehumanized him and exploited the animal he
had become. Braiden envied him, but what he envied was a monster.
"No... Not 'uman anymore..."
His sad golden eyes met those black pits.
"You were right. I can't control it, either... The process is-is
progressin'. I 'unger all the time now. And even when I'm not, just
a drop o' blood 'as me wantin' ter go in fer the kill.
When you left... The others didn't understand... But she kept at it wif
me, 'ad me thrown in the "pit" more often after... They stopped
feedin' me normal food, Ryu... They... They stopped treatin' me loike
I was a kid... Loike I 'uman...
Don't be jealous o' me, not when you didn't try ter kill your best friend."
This man was the only person Rori would open up to. His mentor,
his idol - Braiden Ryu, the only other animal-human experiment who
refused to give into the beast, who refused to be an animal.
He wouldn't cry - he was anyways. Tears wouldn't help the
situation - but they'd make him feel better. Such a stupid show of
emotion, it wouldn't change anything - but even the toughest
people have to break every once in awhile.
Braiden looked at Rori crying confusedly.
Why was he, the more human, crying about his lost humanity
"St..Stop it. Alright...stop feeling bloody well sorry for yourself. So what
if you eat animals? You can eat. Just eat more meat. You tried to kill your
best friend? Do you remember Blithe? She got a paper cut and I killed
her on the spot. Don't think that your life is just the worst there is!" He would
have cried if he could, but he had long lost the ability.
He didn't mean to yell at Rori, he thought of him as his little brother. But
he always got so....moody after eating. And it didn't help that Kirin wasn't able
to feed him as much as he wanted.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the pit...I had hoped they never would use
it on you. I had heard about it from others, like Blithe. With me...when there
was an employee who was threatening to tell the world about the horrors of BA
Ms. Song would cut them and let them go. They'd release me, giving me a
taste. It wasn't just food to me...I liked the kill. I'd hoped you would be
different."
He walked over and hugged Rori.
"Shh....now you're here, and that's what's so important." He sniffed him gently,
"So the plague and you....well at least you got someone....though walking
plague might not be the best choice of mate. Would you like to go back or
stay here a little longer? I imagine they're missing you back at the house."
Braiden's final comment had been a turning point
in the conversation. It always came back to Avery, Avery and his
bloody pheromones! They were all over him from the fight and the kiss.
Shoving Braiden away from him, Rori got to his feet and shook
himself off. The flakes of white went flying as he did so, but the
flurry hid his look of hurt and anger.
There was nothing for him here. Just pain and angst. Kirin had
obviously found a friend in Braiden, and Avery just wasn't giving up
on him. The only way out of this mess was to take off, try and leave
everyone behind. Seeing as his shoes where in the house, and he
didn't want to risk injures by leaving them, he might as well stay
for a bit - be courteous and all - before taking his leave.
Plastering an emotionless expression on his face, Rori glanced back
at the house and nodded. Hopefully Braiden wouldn't catch on.
" Yeah, I could do with some grub right now."
Braiden could smell that something was wrong...
he just didn't know what. Grabbing Rori by the arm he turned him to face him.
"Did...Did I say something wrong Ror? I just thought...you smell of him, and
well he smells of want. I'm sorry if I said something wrong." He brow furrowed,
trying to figure out what he did to make his friend upset.
"It's just...I had kinda hoped you had a relationship. You need someone to be
with. Something normal in this abnormal life we live. Anyway, food sounds good...
maybe I can mooch a little off someone else. Because I am Braiden, the human
tick!" He laughed, putting his fists to his hips like a super hero. He hoped
he could cheer up his friend, he felt terrible for leaving him. His chipper
disposition left quickly as he saw he friend not smiling.
"I just...I..." He was at a loss for words.
"Stop tryin' Braiden. We don't fit in with them, so
stop it. Black Angel made us inter animals, an' animals 'ave no place
in the world o' 'umans except as pets an' prey. I 'ave been treated
as a pet, I 'ave been prey. I was prey long before I came ter the B.A.
So stop it, stop trying to pretend that the world will accept us!
Stop trying to joke about your pain, an' bloody well accept it!"
He stopped his ranting, clouds of white being expelled from his mouth
with each breath. All his anger, all his frustration, everything came
out in those few words. The things he feared, the past he wanted to
ignore, everything. But what scared Rori most was that he truly
believed those words, every single one of them.
"Face the facts, Braiden. We are monsters, we can't change that.
I'm startin' ter accept it. I think I 'cepted it long ago. I've been
distancin' myself from 'em ever since then. From ever'one. An' as
for Avery... 'e's jus' a friend, as much as 'e wants ter be more it
ne'er will be 'cause I see 'im as a brother."