::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Melty Blood heARTS::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
By Demon Eyes
Disclaimer: Characters...*Yada yada yada*...Type-Moon.
Notes: Okay, Walachia, or whatever, will be referred to as Walakia in here. Ciel will call Kohaku, Kohaku-san which is logical since she calls Hisui, Hisui-san. And the rest unknown as they are called. Thanks.
Act II
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(Apartment 707)
't was around midnight and Ciel was getting ready for bed. She had just taken a shower before with an uncooperative Nanako. Water was the elfin's worst enemy, or so she would claim at every bath. Ciel wished she would think of the aftermath since she always looked blissful afterwards. Ciel dressed in her pajamas and went to lie in the bed which was situated in a different room to the sitting room. Her apartment was big enough that she had almost three rooms, counting the bathroom too. The entrance was at one end of the only corridor in the apartment and at the other end, the sitting room. In the corridor, was the door to the big bedroom and the door to the bathroom was in the bedroom. The sitting room was divided into two parts by a ceramic link which was used as a little bar for the kitchen. The place called the kitchen was more of a cooking area but Ciel had made 'changes' to it to look like a real kitchen for her inconveniency in preparing her favorite dishes.
Nanako was using the bedroom system now playing a game called something like Xenosaga Episode III. It was some RPG about a CY weapon. Maybe the reason why she likes it a lot. Ciel would look on sometimes since the action was a little interesting. She likes action. But this wasn't one of those times. She was dead tired thanks to that weird Ancestor. Ciel wondered why she just started to bug her all of sudden. Before, she was really trying to avoid her but now, it looked like she was seeking her out or something. After a little inner thinking, Ciel now seemed really glad that she didn't start coming to their school to look for her like she did with Tohno-kun. 'Did' being the key word here. A week before Arcueid started coming to her apartment, she had stopped coming to school for Shiki's company. Since then, she has been paying 'unwanted' visits to her home and always leaving after a fight. Now that Ciel though about it, Arcueid seemed to come for 'fights' and when she got one, she left. If she didn't get one, she made sure to get it by invoking Ciel by calling her a dog of the church or other things.
Ciel didn't know why she always fell for it. Arcueid, though Ciel didn't want to admit it, was a lady...with manners. She never let her mouth run wild all the times Ciel knew her except now. And not just language. She was full of etiquette. Probably due to all her title or life time. You wouldn't think that Ciel was of the norm with the way she behaved; like today's tech driven teenagers. It was this innocent behavior that never let Ciel go all out with Arcueid even though that is what she is expected of by the Burial Agency. Whenever she is engaged in battle with her, Ciel feels like she is doing something unjustified, but then she remembers all those years ago how she had decided to have her penance and anger always comes to her from grief which overtakes her senses. The fact that she was saved by Arcueid too from Roa, didn't make matters any less complicated, and Arcueid knew that hence the mentioning it during every fight. What is more interesting, now that she thinks about it, is that Arcueid always brought that tad bit up after she lost her cool in the fight. This would seem like she was being saved somehow but Ciel wasn't buying it. Yet.
When she mentioned Roa's name, the memories of those terribly horrible four Centuries came to Ciel's fore mind. She decided to stop this line of thought as it was starting to make her depressed. She turned on her bed to watch her partner play games. Nanako was furiously working the pad with her eyes glued to the screen as if her life depended on it. Ciel looked to the TV and saw the chaos that was going on. Mysteriously, the girl was hitting life points like a winner in a casino. Shortly after the Shiki-Roa fiasco Ciel had a lot of time on her hands and so she decided to 'upgrade' Nanako, so to speak and give her normal meta-carpals and tarsal. This is the reason now that someone who had hoofs for fingers and feet, was able to hold keypad and successfully play games. It was a complicated task, but to a talented enchanted expert like her, it was a piece of cake to Ciel. Well, to be able to give a weapon as infamous as the 'Seventh Scripture’ form in a person, better yet wield it, requires the wielder to be a first class magic user.
The phone rang through the room as Ciel was still watching the spectacle of a weapon playing a video game. It was situated right besides their bed so all Ciel did was lean over and grab it from the side board on her right. She gestured for Nanako to turn down the volume as she brought the ear piece to its destination. "Hello. This is Ciel speaking. How may I help you?" She wondered who would be calling in this middle of the night. The voice on the other end would've made her curiosity fly out the window were the voice not a little urgent in tone. "Hello Ciel-sempai. So sorry to disturb you this late but we have problems. Big problems." "What's wrong Tohno-kun? Are you alright?" She asked wondering if someone invaded the Tohno mansion. "I am fine sempai. I don't have the details too but come meet us to the entrance of the park. Sion said to meet her there immediately so that she can explain what is going on." A pause. "I just called Arcueid too. Could you pass by her apartment since it's on the way and come together please? I asked her to wait for you." Ciel knew he just wanted to make sure Arcueid went. "Well, see you soon sempai." He hangs up and Ciel is left with a beep which she shuts out by replacing the phone head.
Ciel really was looking forward to a nice long weekend nap but since there was trouble, and if Sion says it's serious, then the nap can wait. She got up from the bed and stood up starting for the door. Nanako somehow sensing the atmosphere, turned off the game and stood up too. She knew her master was leaving on business and she might be needed, and she was right. Her master turned to her to confirm her conclusion that they were indeed heading out, and so she did the usual as she left her human-like form to join her master as a protective attire of her master. It was the usual colors of white and blue, and by the time Ciel reached the shoe area, just before each foot touched the lower floor at the door, it was protected by flexible battle boots. Ciel turned the door and closed it behind her after exiting through it. She didn't bother with the list down. She just took off the floor she was on and headed east towards Arcueid's apartment at inhuman speeds above ground, using electricity cables and then lamp posts as her stepping grounds.
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(Arcueid's residential area)
By the time she reached the Princess' aboard, which was just five minutes actually needed to travel six kilometers, Arcueid was leaning on a near by house fence, arms folded over her chest and looking towards the moon. She looked lost in thought with a disturbing expression on her face. Ciel didn't know why but she found herself compelled to watch this woman who was the number one of all women or la grande femme, so to speak. She was so taken that she didn't notice that Arcueid was no longer watching the enchanting full moon and was now watching her with an amusement of a sort. "Oh Ciel. You are here. Are you getting sloppy, because you sure took your time getting here." Se asked Ciel with a raised eyebrow. Smile on her lips. Ciel caught staring, got a little embarrassed but she was glad that Arcueid decided not to comment on it. She turned to hide her colored cheeks in part to leave and said,"Oh get off it.” The best retort she could master at the moment. "Come on. Let's go." Unlike before, this time she didn't take off. Instead she walked knowing Arcueid will come walk with her to their destined meeting point.
The walk to the park was irritatingly silent to Ciel and to Arcueid, surprisingly seeing as she was always so cheerful. Of course all this stopped a few weeks ago. Ciel saw an opening to strike up a conversation. "So anyway what's going on with you and Tohno-kun? I've noticed that you no longer come to school to spend time with him." Not bug him, since she knows too what things are important. Her tone was not missing the said point which might explain why Arcueid started answering her question. She was sure in normal circumstances, she would be receiving a 'none of your business' line. Actually, this is what Ciel was hoping would be the reply but when Arcueid brought the truth out to her, she knew not of what to say to make the truth barer feel a little better. "Hmm, I would never have guessed you would figure out something was amiss. I actually wanted someone to know about it so that, you know, I might talk to them about it. No one knows much about me like you do. Not even Shiki actually. We never talk about stuff like our lives and all that. This is actually why things are not looking so good. I wanted to talk to you about it but I will never come to you for help." So says Arcueid as she turns a smile to Ciel.
"Well, sorry to break it to you, but you have already come to me for help. All these times you've come to my place to fight I think it's because you wanted to relieve some pressure on your relationship hardships." Returns Ciel with a matching grin. "Okay okay. Anyway, we are not coping. We have never sat down and had a personal conversation. We always talk about unrelated topics. The only time we talked about ourselves was back when we first met. I asked him about his eyes and he told me briefly about them and how he met Blue. Nothing more than that. I also told him about the basic stuff about myself of who I am and that was the end of that. At first, I thought that we really didn't need all that stuff, that we could do without them but recently, it feel like we just came together like as in 'opposites attract' kind of way. Now even that is starting to fade." "What? You mean you have been together when you don't love each other?" Ciel was quite surprised, much to Arcueid's confusion.
"I told you, it was attraction. But now it's starting to fade and even if I know Shiki knows it too, I don't think he is ready for it to be voiced. I wanted too, to first talk to someone first before I told Shiki that we weren't going to work out. I might be making a mistake. After all, I've lived for almost one millennium but I've never been in love. This is my fist time even being attracted to someone and who knows, we might make it happen." Ciel though was a little apprehensive of Shiki and Arcueid's relationship because she was caring for Shiki's life, found that it was actually Arcueid who was, to put it simply, 'the underdog' of this relationship. For crying out loud, how innocent can someone get! Ciel knows that Arcueid isn't ignorant of the 'mature' ways but this was extreme. 800 years without a love life? Even Ciel had been in a relationship before the Roa incident. A thought came to her and even for this situation, it was too tempting to pass.
"So, you are an 800 year old virgin? Or was?” She teased the Princess walking beside her. Arcueid knew it was a joke so she laughed a little too. "Well? What should I do?" Arcueid asked Ciel for her advice in a soft tone. The Executer thought about this deeply. She knew whatever she said would be the decisive action to Arcueid's choice. Judging by Arcueid's situation, she would normally be in favor of the relationship without any doubts, but since she went to the extremes of avoiding Shiki, even if it was to buy time, this was a bad sign. She made up her mind. "Well, I think it's high time you spoke with Tohno-kun about this. This is very important and the outcome of that conversation should clear your thoughts and give you the answers to your choice; whether to break it up, or deepen it." She thought that it was a good choice of words. It was up to them ultimately to stop their relationship on their own. Arcueid having had the time to analyze the advice she was given, shook her head in agreement and thanked Ciel for her help. She joked about her and Ciel being best friends to which Ciel answered a 'Not a chance Vampire' as they neared the group of the others at the entrance of the park and by the looks of it, they were all present and counted for.
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(The Misaki Park Entrance)
"You are late Arcueid-san, Ciel-san." It was Akiha of course. She still didn't get along with Ciel. No body, not even Ciel herself was really sure why Shiki's sister was like that towards her. It can't be blamed on her actions the other time in the park on their first meeting since it seemed even before that, Akiha said literally that she will never get along with 'this woman' as she put it. Of course on the other hand, everybody knew why Arcueid was on the fiery girl's black list. Shiki. Apparently, Arcueid stole her dear brother away from her. They still live in the same house but after spending all those years separated from her brother, a girl can become quite possessive. "Ya~ho, Imouto-san. Shiki, and everyone. Surely you can spare a few seconds can't you?" She answered as she bent to pick up Ren who had come over to be given a piggy ride. She seemed to be fond of Arcueid and vise versa. "If you can't, well, you will have to ask Ciel here. She is the one who took forever to come to my place." Damn that Arcueid. Ciel had just helped her and here she was saying this. "Is that it Ciel-san?" It was Kohaku. The eldest twin and maid at Akiha's mansion. Her sister Hisui, the quiet one as usual, just turned her head in Ciel's direction. Ciel saw something devious in those golden eyes of Kohaku's and knew of what was brewing in them. She gave a glare to Arcueid. "No comment."
"Good evening Tohno-kun, Akiha-san, Hisui-san, Kohaku-san, Yumizuka-san and Sion. Sorry we are a little late. What's the emergency?" Everyone looked a little disappointed(?) perhaps hoping that the two had been in a fight as usual. Only Kohaku knew, somehow, that it wasn't because of that that they were late. Sion got in position where everyone could see her and after she saw that she had everyone's complete attention, she began to tell them what she had witnessed before with Satsuki. When she finished, everyone was in shock obviously except Satsuki who knew of it already. "But, but me and Arcueid killed both of them. I am sure we killed them. How could they be alive?!!" it was Shiki who had was the first to recover and ask everyone’s question. Sion didn't have an answer to that. Of all those present, she was the one most affected by Walakia's return. And an agent as she was however, had some insight on the matter. "By the way they were acting and a 'him' Chaos was referring to, would point to the choice that they are planning something. We should also assume that there are more people involved that the three we know of."
"You are right. It seems they are working together, perhaps in a group and up to anything but good." Akiha agreed. Everyone was waiting for more comments, and perhaps something from Shiki, who was for some reason taken as the leader. He coughed as he made his decision. " We should investigate this matter seriously. Tomorrow at 6pm, we meet here again and we will split into groups to investigate around town for clues. Ask any contacts you have. Anymore on the plan, will be tomorrow. For now, we should all go get some sleep. I for one have had a tiresome school week and need to rest." Eyes were rolled. He never does any activities at school but no one mentions that. " Anything you want to add Arcueid? Ciel-sempai?" He asks. Both heads shake a 'no'. "Okay. Let's go home everyone." As everyone starts to leave, he turns to Arcueid. "Erm, Arcueid, could we talk before you go please? In private." he added as he saw Akiha and the twins stop. The rest went with Ren walking beside Hisui and Ciel taking off in the sky. The silence left behind was felt a mile away and Ciel hoped that Arcueid will not lose resolve.
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(Outside the Tohno Mansion)
` A very grumpy Akiha, Hisui, Ren and Kohaku were on their way back home. Akiha spent all the way back wondering what her brother wanted to talk to that woman about. It looks like the little time they had had without Arcueid was over. She sighed in frustration and a few seconds later, an innocent branch in front of them was reduced to dust in an instant by a bizarre flicker of flames. Akiha didn't give the stares she got notice, not that she had a choice as an alien voice had called her senses to the Tohno mansion gate which they didn't know they were near yet due to Akiha's weird moods. "Whoa girl, maybe I should come another time. It doesn't seem safe here." At their gate, there was standing a young woman who looked like she had just receded the teens. In the night neon lights, she looked to have hair that would put Akiha's red skirt to shame during the day. Long too, almost reaching her calves and accompanied by a violet cap. A black leather jacket over what looked to be a white T-shirt. She was carrying a huge suitcase that she was still holding even as she looked to be going no where. "Hi, my name is Aoko. Is Shiki here?" Everybody on this earth would've paid whatever it took to learn of what was going on in Akiha's mind at that moment.
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(Some place Unknown)
The room is dark, making it very difficult in determining its location. Only one candle, held by an individual sitting in a chair was the only source of light. By the looks of it, this person was the leader of the many silhuettes seen in the dim light of the candle. Not even this most holy of sources of light, could pierce the darkness emitted by the wielder. His voice could be heard from all over the room as if the walls them selves were his lips. "Well, did you get the item I asked you get , Chaos and Walakia?" he asked without his head moving. One of the figures situated around in a semi circle in front of the speaker spoke up. "Yes. Here it is." An object is seen floating from one of the figures to the man with the candle. No movements were made to determine which of the figure was holding it. "Excellent. This will be enough for one more. I will need a lot of this product to be able to successfully complete this one. He will be your leader, so you better look forward to my ultimate creation. Once he is among us, then we can move on to our plan. Go back to your rooms now until farther notice. I have to think." The silhouettes that were now made up to be eight, left as if dissolving into the darkness and the candle man was left alone staring at the tube with a wide grin which would be made out because of his unnaturally white teeth. "Magnificent. It's time for you to be born anew and carry out what you were meant to do, My Brother.
A HAH HA HA HA HA HA HA~"
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To be continued.......
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