Gone But Not Forgotten (chapter 8)[FIC]

[dd]

There were numerous mirrors in the room.

Not only that, there were numerous fanciful pieces of furniture with artful nooks and crannies.

Were there cameras hidden in the room? Peep holes? If there were, it would certainly fit! The room felt like a prison, or some kind of elaborate zoo enclosure. All that was missing was a tire swing, some bars, and a ‘Do Not Feed The Animals’ sign.

Kaname was pacing back and forth, her ennui and malaise gradually giving way to anger and frustration. Just like Hope, she was caged: not only by the walls that surrounded her, or the guards that walked the property after dark, but also by the situation.

Damn Amalgam! Damn Leonard Testarossa!! Damn everything!!!

The lyre-based fern stand situated near the bed was a beautiful piece of Victorian furniture, topped with magnificent polished marble. More than anything, she wished that she could swing it with all her might, hitting Leonard in that perfect face of his. Not too far away, a heavy brass Sailing Cherubs Clock, a dazzling reproduction of an 18th century masterpiece, stood over a foot tall. It made a charming addition to the room. It would look even better, sitting on the jerk’s unconscious body.

The suite of rooms Kaname was ‘gifted’ with looked like something out of a period movie or an upscale furniture catalog. There was a stately coat stand… a Tiffany fireplace screen… an elegant two tier tea cart… a hand painted brass and ceramic wash stand… lovely antique prism lamps… striking accent chairs and ottomans… so many exquisite items. Any one of them could have made the halisen feel like an Ostrich feather by comparison.

Kaname stopped to look at herself in a large gold luster Victorian Lace Mirror. She fluffed her hair for a moment, thinking that she looked quite regal in her night clothes. She frowned, wondering how she could possibly let her vanity distract her at a moment like this. Glancing over at a Madarlay Mirror, a Triple Wedding Band Mirror, and a large floor-standing Swing Mirror, she thought that they would all make a satisfying sound when brought down hard across her captor’s head.

While she was not truly a violent person… despite her numerous flare-ups with a certain clueless classmate of hers… she felt a strong need to defend herself in some fashion. The further that Leonard was away from her physically, the less she found herself drawn to him, and the more she found herself despising him. He was a prideful man, one who was used to getting whatever he wanted, never stopping to question the morality of the situation. No doubt he had wanted to win her affections, making his victory over her complete. But, using that damned Whispered technique of his, he was making it clear that he wanted to win the game more than he wanted to win her over. Either that, or he could not stand being disobeyed, or denied anything he felt was rightfully his.

“I don’t want this.” Kaname began feeling anxious again, filled with an impending sense of dread. The kiss had been exciting, in the way that bad and dangerous things can be exciting. But, while she might fantasize about wicked things from time to time, that did not mean that she actually hoped to see such things happen in real life. What woman would want to be raped, taken against her will? There was no doubt about Leonard’s intentions. The fact that he would be manipulating her will did not change things. Maybe he had convinced himself otherwise. Maybe he didn’t care, or didn’t think in those terms. Maybe he thought that she would truly come to enjoy his attention, if he gave her the needed push.

“Leonard is a jerk!”

The parakeet’s words had Kaname nodding her head. “That’s right, Hope.” How she wished that she could fight back. But, how could she? He had made one thing quite clear. Amalgam had eyes everywhere. It had knowledge of her family and friends. There were endless ways to act against them, either with brutality or finesse. Shunya Kaname could appear to have a heart attack… be run down by an errant taxi cab… or end up savagely murdered by some criminal. Ayame Chidori could come down with a mysterious illness… suffer an uncharacteristic drug overdose… or be abducted and ravaged by ruthless men. Kyouko Tokiwa could find herself surrounded by explosives again, this time with no reprieve.

If she ran away, someone would die. If she so much as struck Leonard, someone would suffer. If she refused to work in the research facilities, someone would meet a terrible fate. The situation was so horrible! She would rather be held at gunpoint in front of Gauron… chased onboard an ocean liner by Arastols… held captive by Yakusa or street gangs… anything but this!

It was strange, how used to her predicament she had gotten, before Leonard backed her even further into a corner. Now, she felt the fear and desperation of the past months manifesting again, all at once. There had to be something she could do. There had to be! Kaname Chidori was not one to just give up and take things lying down. Wait. That was a bad analogy! Just the same, she had to think of something. Looking out the window, she wondered how long she had before dawn.

“SOUSUKE!”

Kaname looked over at the colorful bird. She brought a hand up to her mouth, running a finger across her lips. Almost as if she was admonishing the Ringneck Parakeet, which despite its name was actually a long-tailed variety of parrot, she shook her finger at the cage. It wasn’t as if Hope could actually tell anyone what happened out on the veranda. She smoothed out her nightgown, feeling relieved that Sousuke hadn’t seen what took place.

“How would I ever explain that kiss?” She asked the bird. “Then again, that was nothing compared to…” Once again she tensed up, thinking about Leonard’s words. Yes. There could be no doubt what he had in mind. If the two of them became intimate, how could she ever tell something like that to Sousuke? Saying that she was coerced by Whispered powers would sound too convenient. He might never trust her after she had slept with the enemy, whatever the reason. If he still felt any love for her, that might wither like unpicked fruit on the vine.

How could she ever trust herself? If Leonard could do things that affected her emotions, and had the power to coerce her actions, might he also be able to manipulate her thoughts? Could he control the things that she said or believed?

“Leonard is a jerk!”

Kaname sat down on antique Medallion Back Sofa, and put her head in her hands. How did she end up like this? Why was she Whispered? What had she done to deserve any of it?! For a moment, she clenched her fists, thinking about Sousuke. Things had changed when he showed up at school. But, she knew that was an unfair thought. It was true, he had brought a tremendous amount of disorder to her comfortable little world, not too long after she had finally settled into a pleasant life that seemed so full of promise. It was also true that the storm clouds had been forming on the horizon, unbeknownst to her. If a certain sergeant hadn’t blown into her life like an ill wind, she might not have gotten out of Khanka alive.

“Sousuke…” She rubbed at her eyes, feeling somewhat drained, the way she did after staying up late studying for exams. Mithril’s youngest A.S. pilot had come into her world as an unwanted distraction, and a never-ending disruption. But, he had persevered through everything, including her rather direct and forceful manner of admonishment. Being who she was, she had made it a point to help him fit in. He had slowly responded to her efforts, even though he remained as clueless and impulsive as ever. With everything he did that sent her anger through the roof, or made her question whether he would ever be fit for civilized society, he did something that made her smile, or showed just how good a person he was underneath. He was like an olive drab gemstone in the rough. He needed cutting and polishing. “Big idiot…”

Was Sousuke OK? Was he still alive? If he was, where was he? What was he doing? Did he still think about her? Might he be trying to locate her? Or had he found someone else?

“That stupid head? No way! He would only fall for some girl if someone ordered him too!” Kaname’s words had her smiling for a moment. That smile faded when she pictured Sousuke out on the veranda, Tessa in his arms. The way that Leonard spoke about his sister, he made no reference to whether she was well or not. What if she was still alive? What if she did manage to discover the technique that her brother used, and then turned it on Sousuke? She felt a chill pass through her when she imagined the two of them standing on a balcony, a large moon behind them, each of them naked, nestled in one another’s arms.

“SOUSUKE… SOUSUKE… SOUSUKE…”

No, it wasn’t Tessa she had to worry about. She was cute. She was very clever. She had a good heart, and needed to be loved. Sousuke did have some warm feelings for her, but was inclined to view her as a friend, not a love interest. Even if Mithril was done for, and she was no longer Sousuke’s commanding officer, she would never win his love. It wasn’t the known that she should be worried about. It was the unknown. What if Sousuke came across a girl that wasn’t his superior officer, and wasn’t a duty or obligation?

“Jerk,” Kaname said, feeling a wave of melancholy roll over her.

“Leonard is a jerk…. Leonard is a jerk… Leonard is a jerk…”

Hope was in a very talkative mood. Kaname didn’t mind. She felt less alone that way. Was that just an illusion? Leonard was unique, in that he wanted her because she was Whispered. To everyone else, the fact that she was different might make her undesirable. Sousuke seemed to care about her regardless of her unique nature; but, was that fair to him? Would it be fair to anyone? If the young scar-faced sergeant ever tired of guns, Arm Slaves, and fighting, why should he choose someone like her? If she were to be a target for the rest of her life, anyone she got close to would be faced with a life of uncertainty.

“It’s better to be a jerk… or a melancholy military maniac… than it is to be me.” Kaname hung her head. Leonard’s passion play was the straw that broke the Chidori’s back. Everything in her life seemed so wrong. She was feeling hopeless and helpless, like something out of a Greek tragedy. Dark thoughts waved their figurative hands, looking to catch her attention. If there was some way to sacrifice herself… and take Leonard with her… should she do it? No, could she do it?

“Jerk… jerk… jerk…”

“You’re right, Hope.” Kaname sighed. “It’s stupid to think that way. Something good could always happen.” The words sounded nice. They were true. Even if things were bad for a few years, they could always get better later. Could. That would spoke of possibilities. She was more concerned with probabilities at the moment.

When Sousuke entered her life… and she realized what being Whispered might mean to her… she had held on to her optimistic attitude, looking towards the future. It had been Sousuke who had seemed to be living things day by day. His absolute lack of excitement about life often drove her to distraction. Now, she had a better understanding of what his life must have felt like.

“Sousuke…” Kaname closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remember some of the good times she had spent with him. She thought about the gift he had given her aboard the Pacific Christmas. She remembered how she had felt, cutting his hair. She recalled being shocked, when he offered to hold her hand, unsolicited. Tears began welling up in her eyes when she remembered the series of events that led her to voluntarily leave with Leonard. “Saudade…”

She had learned that word from a Portugese Whispered woman who worked at the lab for a while. When the woman had left, she had stopped trying to open up to anyone else who might be caught in a predicament similar to hers. But, the word had been meaningful to her at the time, and was even more poignant to her now. She pulled her legs tightly to her, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knee.

‘Saudade’ is a Portuguese word, a feeling of loneliness for something you are fond of, which is gone, but can eventually return the future. It often carries a fatalist tone, and the repressed knowledge that the object of loneliness might never actually return.. Few other languages in the world have a word with just such a meaning, making Saudade a distinct mark of Portuguese culture.

The word also relates to feelings of melancholy, and fond memories of gone-by days, lost love, and a general feeling of unhappiness. Saudade is different from nostalgia, in which one has a memory of happiness, accompanied by a sense of sadness related to its impossible return. One might make a strong analogy of Nostalgia being a feeling one has for a loved one that has died, and Saudade being a feeling one has for a loved one that has disappeared. Nostalgia is located in the past, while saudade is current… anguishing…and anxious.

“Hey, it probably doesn’t matter!” Kaname relaxed her grip, and even managed to stand up. She tossed her hair, and then walked over to one of the mirrors. She stared at the reflection of her eyes, challenging herself to snap out of her current mood. “If I ever get out of this place, I can choose any man I want. Hmmmpppfff!”

That’s right. Why should she drag her heart through barbed wires and minefields like this? She knew quite well why she had cared about Sousuke in the past. There had been a number of reasons, and she had no reason to feel foolish or ashamed. But, if she managed to escape from an egotistical genius who thought more of her as a challenge or a possession, did she have to settle for an emotionally challenged soldier with serious impulse control issues? Really! She was Kaname Chidori, wasn’t she? The sky should be the limit for someone like her.

Naturally, her true feelings kept drawing her thoughts back to Sousuke. Nonetheless, her feisty nature would have nothing to do with that any more. Her thoughts turned to Leonard again, and how he was on the verge of doing something truly terrible to her. Instead of feeling trapped and abused again, she felt contrary and cantankerous.

“Leonard…”

“Is a jerk!” Kaname said, finishing for Hope. “A stupid… conceited… unfeeling… manipulative… bastard of a jerk!” And, she would show him!

Maybe she didn’t dare refuse him, or try to hurt him. But, she could throw out everything that she had that carried some stench of him about it. While he had threatened retribution for additional acts of that sort, she doubted he would use the sword he had hanging over her head. As a genius, he ought to know that such a thing would make it certain that she could never ever come to care about him, no matter how long she was forced to stay by his side. That would be a stupid punishment for a small act of defiance.

She started with her jewelry. Some pieces went down the toiled. Some got dropped in the bottom of the parakeet’s cage, right on top of the messy newspaper. Some ended up in the various trash bins scattered throughout the suite.

Next, came her clothing. There were few outfits that she would ever have chosen herself. Those she would keep. The others, selected by Leonard or one of the women who knew his tastes, would get a treatment similar to that of the jewelry. She wished she could just toss them off the balcony in a big flamboyant gesture; but, she didn’t want to draw that kind of attention to herself.

Sundry other items met a similar fate. Finally, only one thing remained. It had Kaname feeling torn. Walking over to Hope’s cage, she gave the bird another cracker. Soon, a crunching noise filled that area of the room.

“You’ve been the only real friend I’ve had,” Kaname said. For her act of rebellion to be complete, she needed to set the Ringneck Parakeet free. But, that act of emancipation would not come without risk for her feathered roommate. While that type of bird was native to parts of Africa, Malaysia, India and Indonesia, she had never been told whether Hope had been wild caught, or raised as a newborn from a nest. With some trepidation, she opened the door to the cage and left it that way. For now at least, the parakeet seemed content to sit on her swing perch and eat.

Looking over at a tall and elaborately carved Ravenna floor clock, Kaname swallowed hard. The rush she felt from her acts of defiance began to dissipate. Stark reality still stood staring her in the face. It was 4 a.m., and there was less than two hours left until dawn. In actuality, she really hadn’t accomplished anything, no matter how satisfying things had felt. But, that hadn’t been the point of her Spring cleaning.

She decided to add one final act of defiance. She slid out of her nightgown and tossed it over her shoulder, not caring where it might land. Marching into a quaint but crowded walk-in closet, she began getting dressed in as many layers as she could stand to wear. She might not be able to resist Leonard’s allure when he used that resonance technique; but, she could make a point, and could delay things a tiny bit longer. Small victories like that were the best that she could hope for.

“I wonder…” Kaname tapped on her cheek with one finger, her eyes taking on a distant look. If Leonard had the ability to affect her mind, why couldn’t she do the same in return? Maybe if she thought hard enough, she could make herself seem unappealing or something. Ha! Maybe she could somehow make Leonard impotent. Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone? “No offense, Hope…” She would love to stick it to his pride, just when he was trying to… well… stick it to her.

Kaname blushed. That was followed by a long sigh. It was just wishful thinking. If Tessa had never discovered how to make use of her mind in that fashion, how could she? Maybe it was a guy thing. Or, maybe it was a matter of practice. Who knows how many Whispered girls and women Leonard may have had available to practice on?

Without warning, the sound of gunfire rang out.

She immediately dropped to the ground, and crawled behind the nearest large piece of furniture. Her experience around combat, as unwanted as it had been, clearly taught her a few things. That was automatic rifle fire… submachine gun fire… and single shot sniper fire. A quick series of explosions that followed were likely grenades.

There was a heavy sound of impact on her balcony. For the briefest of instances, she wondered if it might be an Arm Slave hand, a stairway to escape courtesy of Sousuke or some other member of Mithril. Her heart tumbled down to her pelvic brim when she saw that an Arastol had jumped up onto the veranda. She ducked her head, covering it, when a number of shots ricocheted off of the robot, which subsequently moved into the room to shield her. Soon, another Arastol ran into the room, taking up a position near the outer door.

The sound of combat grew in intensity. There were too many noises now to make out individual weapons. In addition, the fighting sounded bi-directional. The Amalgam forces were putting up a stiff resistance.

“Let’s go…” That was Leonard, standing over by the interior door. He wore one of his special coats over the same robes he had on before. It was still an elegant outfit in its own right, and not one he had planned on wearing during an unexpected attack.

Kaname stood up, and then looked at Leonard’s clothing. She made it a point to smile and then snicker. She saw a flash of annoyance cross the young man’s unblemished features, and saw him raise one eyebrow when he realized how she was dressed. Her small moment of joy evaporated when an additional robot walked over and took a painfully tight grip on her arm, pulling her from the room.

The hallway seemed filled with Arastols. Kaname wondered where they had all been hiding, as she had seen most of the rooms in the building. “Who is it,” she asked. “What’s going on?”

“It’s merely an annoyance,” Leonard said, sounding a little cross. That was unusual for him, and worthy of note. “It’s stupid and poorly thought out. They should know that we would not leave any significant openings. This will merely inconvenience us for a brief while.” He called out a number of orders to his human servants.

“Is it Mithril,” Kaname asked. She thought that it would be poetic justice, should a supposed vanquished mercenary unit be able to mess up Leonard’s plans in some way, no matter how minor.

“I doubt it,” Leonard said, signaling the Arastol to pull Kaname down a flight of stairs leading to a cramped basement. He paid no attention to her gasp of pain when her hair got stuck between the wooden banister and one of the ornate brass fittings that held it to the plaster wall. “Though, I suppose there could be a small number of former Mithril soldiers amongst the fools.” He took a small control device out of his pocket and pushed a button.

“Good,” Kaname said, trying to sound as snooty as she could. “Hmmmpppfff.” She watched as a portion of a nondescript wall slid upward, revealing a long narrow hallway built from rough materials and hung with small unshielded electric lights.

“Why?” Leonard asked, sending one robot ahead as an unnecessary precaution. “Do you have some girlish fantasy that Sergeant Sagara has come to your rescue?” He stopped a moment, and gave her a very smarmy smile. “Well, don’t.” Another push of the button set the wall back in place. “This passageway will not be discovered, no matter how hard they search. There should be no reason to even suspect that such an egress exists, should they have access to blueprints. I had this escape route built secretly, without alerting anyone in the community. We’ll have a bit of a walk, I’m afraid; but, we are safely out of harm’s way as I speak.”

“Sousuke could find it,” Kaname said, simply wanting to rebut anything and everything that Leonard said. “I don’t know how he would do it, but he would. He always rescues me, sooner or later. I never gave up hope.” While that wasn’t entirely true, she was not going to give that conniving creep any sense of satisfaction.

“I’m sure,” Leonard said laughing, guessing that Kaname was trying to build up her own courage and confidence. “But, there’s another reason you should abandon such childishness. It does not become you in any case.”

“What reason?” Kaname asked, immediately biting her lip, angry that she had taken the bait so easily.
Listening to reports that were coming in over an ear jack he had put in, Leonard ignored Kaname. He had to crouch as he moved, as the long sloping passageway narrowed in height.

“Hey! What reason? I mean, if there is one, and you’re not trying to make things up.” Kaname scowled. “Is it because he’s dead, or captured?” He stomach suddenly felt as if it flip-flopped. She stumbled slightly on an uneven floor joint, banging her head on the Arastol walking in front of her.

“No,” Leonard said. “At last report, he was quite alive. It was a near thing, though.” He would let her have that little ray of hope. It would make his next statement all the more effective.

“Really? Sousuke’s alive!” Kaname felt her spirits soaring for the first time in a long time.

“Here. Put this on.” Leonard took a coat from an Arastol that had finally caught up with them. The garment looked identical to the one that Leonard wore.

“OK,” Kaname said, knowing what properties Leonard’s coat had. But, she worried that there might be some other trick involved. Nevertheless, she put it on. If Leonard wanted to, he could easily force the issue.

“Yes, Sergeant Sagara is still alive. At last report, he was indulging his destructive tendencies again.” Leonard paused, to let that old jibe sink in. “Oh. And before I forget, I should mention that he was staying with a rather attractive red-headed girl. As it turns out, she was a Whispered too, I believe. I guess he wanted something old and something new.” He waved his hand in a dismissive manner. “Word has it that she was very fond of the boy.” If by some chance Kaname was able to tap into his thoughts by Whispered means, she would see that he had spoken the truth. He had also left out a lot of pertinent information; but, that was understandable under such rushed circumstances.

“That’s a lie!” Kaname thought about kicking at the robot that slowed down abruptly in front of her, but thought better of it. “You’re just saying that to upset me. Well, I won’t fall for that kind of cheap trick!”

“Believe what you want,” Leonard said, shrugging. “But, if you like, I will show you a dossier on the girl when we get to my office.” He listened to more reports coming in, and then added “You are gone from his life. Why are you surprised that you have been forgotten? It’s time for you to realize that I am the best option you ever had, and the best you will ever have.”

“No,” Kaname said, needing to hear herself say that word. Doubts began crowding in on her, making the hallway seem even more cramped than it was. “No,” she said again, almost in a whisper. “No.” She tried to focus on the situation around her, fighting off any kind of thoughts that would drown her in despair. “Y-your… office…”

“It might be best that we leave the country for a while,” Leoanard said. “Things will settle down quickly enough, I’m sure. But, if our resources are compromised, we will want to move onto a more clandestine location for a bit. Besides, the fools in the government will find out what it means to toy with Amalagam. A wise man does not walk up to a hungry tiger and stick it with a toothpick.” He ran a hand through his long hair. “Kuala Lumpur will not be a very desirable place to live in the future… I can assure you that…”

“Then why…” Kaname was confused. Why wouldn’t they simply get onboard a cloaked helicopter, or make a dash to a private jet or something?

“There is little danger of anyone actually extracting the secrets that my group has situated throughout this country. That does not mean, however, that I do not have uses for some of the more important files and records myself.” He shook his head. “They will find enough to make them happy, should they live. The small number of names they uncover… and the few scraps of scientific knowledge they unearth… will do little more than inconvenience us. But, were I to leave certain resources behind, it would take a lot of effort to regain necessary data.”

“They’ll probably have people waiting at the Towers,” Kaname said. She had forgotten what it felt like, being led into a hazardous situation. She wished that was nothing more than nostalgia!

“Indeed they do,” Leonard said. “But, it should not be a problem. They have forces assaulting a number of our sites. The only thing that truly perturbs me is the fact that I cannot reach Belial tonight. Otherwise, I might have been able to teach them a lesson they fully deserve. Those that manage to survive the defenses that are already in place, that is.”

“Belial?” Kaname frowned. Leonard had never used that word around her before. It was familiar, somehow.

“Hmmm? I haven’t made use of that name before?” Leonard said. “That’s the name of my Arm Slave, the one I used to dismantle the white A.S. your former acquaintance piloted. “I like to keep it close at hand, whenever possible. It’s stored underneath one of the building at the Handicraft Centre of the Selangor Science Park, not far from some other buildings we occupy there. There’s little danger of it being discovered.”

“Wait a minute… Belial… wasn’t he some guy in Paradise Lost or something?” Kaname wrinkled up her nose. The English class had been made to read through the classic work, much to their displeasure.

“Yes,” Leonard said, smiling. “That guy…” He left the word hanging for a moment, a touch of conceited amusement in his voice. “…Was the rebel angel who realized that the war against Heaven had been lost by the hosts of Hell, and hoped that God would forgive them and allow them to return to heaven.. So you see, I’m not beyond redemption. There is a part of me, longing for a return to the light. I need a kind and caring heart to help me find my way.”

“That…” Kaname felt awash with sympathy for a moment. The sensation didn’t last long. “Yeh, right.”

“Of course, in the Dead Sea Scroll entitled ‘The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness’, Belial is credited as the uncontested ruler of the dark hosts. In Judaism, his claim to be the Messiah made some Christians of the First Century think he was the Antichrist.” Leonard chatted calmly as he strode along, as if he was unconcerned about the fighting they had left behind. “I know you would never think anything like that about me, right?”

Kaname mumbled under her breath. She would certainly like to let Leonard know just how she felt about him. But, she had too much dignity to do that at the moment. Maybe later.

“In early Christian writings, Belial was identified first with an angel of confusion and lust, created after Lucifer. Paradoxically, some apocrypha credit Belial as being the father of Lucifer and the angel that convinced him to wage a rebellion in Heaven against God. In the latter, Belial was the first of the fallen angels to be expelled.” Leonard was not above showing his brilliance now and again. It was good for Kaname to realize just how knowledgeable he was. “In Demonology, Belial is one of the Four Crown Princes of Hell… the North Crown… and symbolizes true independence, self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment. He represents the earth element, is the Master of Mankind, and the Champion of Humanity.” He smiled a very suave smile, looking back at Kaname. “He also represents the carnal and base urges of mankind.”

“Think a lot of yourself, do you?” Kaname’s sarcastic response had Leonard chuckling. That only made her even more angry.

“Let’s see if I can quote Milton after all these years…” Leonard kept striding along smoothly, showing no signs of claustrophobia. Kaname on the other hand felt like a rat crawling inside the walls of some giant house. “Belial came last; than whom a Spirit more lewd fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love, vice for itself. To him no temple stood or altar smoked; yet who more oft than he in temples and at altars, when the priest turns atheist, as did Eli’s sons, who filled with lust and violence the house of God? In courts and palaces he also reigns, and in luxurious cities, where the noise of riot ascends above their loftiest towers, and injury and outrage; and, when night darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night in Gibeah, when the hospitable door exposed a matron, to avoid worse rape.”

That last word certainly let the wind out of Kaname’s sails. No doubt, that had been Leonard’s intention, the freak. Why had she ever even asked about Belial?! She might be running to some sanctuary from the fighting, but that did not mean that she could escape the cruel fate that awaited her.

Her spirits began to sag, and her steps slowed. For a while there, she had thought that she was on the verge of being rescued.

So much for that dream.

[Weltall Elite]

The kiss had been exciting, in the way that bad and dangerous things can be exciting.

Or in the way that masturbating with a cheese grater can be exciting.

They're getting away!? I can't believe it! No offense, but I was REALLY ready for Sousuke to show up, plug Leonard a few times and then we can take the drama with Sousuke and Kaname at our leisure. Don't let them get to another country and we have to start this twisted game all over again!

Actually, I think I might know how you're planning to wrap this up. If it is how you choose to do it, I think it's a brilliant way you've developed the plot. But I won't say anything. I know I hate it when someone guesses what I'm going to do with a story. And I know you don't want to hear me talking about your work anyway so I'll just sit back and watch how this unfolds.

[dd]

But I won't say anything.

Go right ahead. It would be interesting to see what other people might conjure up. It won't change anything I do, since I have all of the major plot points mapped out in my head.

The first ending will be a bit melodramatic in some ways, but I think it will be memorable. The clues to the final setting are in place. The players still have to get to the same site, but that's what the next chapter will be for.

Actually, I would be shocked if anyone could guess a simple item that will play a major role.

The second ending might also be easy to guess.

[Weltall Elite]

Two endings? I really hope Kaname doesn't end up with Leonard or getting raped by him in either of them. It would probably be enough to tempt me to slash my own wrists.

Now what would be awesome is if in one ending, Sousuke finished Leonard off and in another it was Kaname who took control of the situation and ended up beating Leonard (also ending with his death). In fact, I think the ideal story would have dozens of endings finishing off Leonard in every imaginable way. That way we don't have to worry about who deserves to get the finishing blow more. ^^;;

But that's my own personal disdain for Leonard speaking.

Anyway, maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I imagined that Sousuke would go in Kaname's room, find she and Leonard are gone, and think she'd run off with him. Then just as Sousuke was about to give up on her, the bird starts talking and reveals a few secrets, prompting Sousuke to at least get some answers. I mean, the bird has to be there for a reason, right!? And Leonard giving Kaname a bullet-proof coat has to factor into something sooner or later too, right???

[dd]

Two endings? I really hope Kaname doesn't end up with Leonard or getting raped by him in either of them. It would probably be enough to tempt me to slash my own wrists.

Hint: there will be a climactic ending in Kuala Lumpur, and a story ending in Tokyo.

Now what would be awesome is if in one ending, Sousuke finished Leonard off and in another it was Kaname who took control of the situation and ended up beating Leonard (also ending with his death). In fact, I think the ideal story would have dozens of endings finishing off Leonard in every imaginable way. That way we don't have to worry about who deserves to get the finishing blow more. ^^

Hint: specifically, it will be gravity, a known secondary character, and a rash move by Kaname that does in a certain conceited character long overdue for death. Sousuke will play a role by prompting Kaname's actions. Kaname will also do a bit of 'turnabout's fair play' to Leonard in a slight fashion.

I mean, the bird has to be there for a reason, right!? And Leonard giving Kaname a bullet-proof coat has to factor into something sooner or later too, right???

Hint: Well, those are minor plot points, more as abit of extra color and flavor. The bird will raise some doubt in Sousuke's mind, which really isn't a minor thing after all. The coat will allow someone to show how much she cares for someone else later in a crucial showdown.

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Read no further if you don't want some surprise given away.


The key setting will be the Sky bridge of the Petronas Towers. The simple item will be a pair of handcuffs taken from a security guard. The 'fair's fair' move by Kaname will be to fumble a resonance attempt but cause Leonard to be disoriented long enough for her to do something rather drastic and potentially self destructive. Sousuke will save her life momentarily, almost dying along with her. A well placed shot from a long-haired blonde will cause only one to die instead of three.

[Weltall Elite]

Hm...

Hmmm...

Hmmmmmmm...

Just so you know, you can use [ecs] tags and make make your text invisible if you want to hide your spoilers.

Stories like this make me very tense, since I don't know just how far you'd let Leonard get with Kaname and I worry I might be horribly disappointed. But that's not really a bad thing. Keeping the reader's anxiety level high does wonders for keeping people on the edges of their seats. But it sounds like you got a pretty good plan and you're going to make this story more complex than I expected. Just don't drag it out TOO long. I'm not sure my nerves can take it.

[dd]

Stories like this make me very tense, since I don't know just how far you'd let Leonard get with Kaname

Well, the story in Tokyo will be whether or not Sousuke is willing to stay with Kaname while she carries Leonard's child.

Pause.

Just kidding. heh heh heh

Just don't drag it out TOO long

Well, three or four chapters.

Pause

Telling the truth this time. One chapter at Carcosa. One chapter at the Petronas. One chapter in Tokyo. I could add a fourth, but think I will be able to fold two secenes into one chapter with flashbacks.

[darkbane]

Well, now that the cat's out of the bag, I can finally go back to chapter 6 and start reading your story again, lol.

Keep up the good work.

[Weltall Elite]

Well, the story in Tokyo will be whether or not Sousuke is willing to stay with Kaname while she carries Leonard's child.

Fortunately, Kaname's pro choice and won't hesitate the kill the vile unborn bastard.

Hey, when your plot's running a little flat, artificially pump up your story by tossing in some gratuitous angst! Start with a rape, then an unwanted pregnancy, followed by someone getting cancer, and then finish it off with a mass suicide! You gotta love it when an author has a totally lame story and they think they can create some kind of emotion by throwing that crap in there for no reason. Not that your story does that. Your joke just reminded me of that.

[dd]

Not that your story does that. Your joke just reminded me of that.

Damn, and I was all set to do that. Sousuke rescues Kaname, only to find out they both have an uncurable disease... Mao got run over by a troop of rabid monkies... Kurz was abducted by an ancient Chines cult and brainwashed to become a homicidal ballet dancer... and they all drink poisoned Kool Aid to end the story, just before Tessa arrived to tell them that she had a sex change operation and now goes by the name of 'Butch'.

Now I can't do that. Thanks a lot!

[darkbane]

just before Tessa arrived to tell them that she had a sex change operation and now goes by the name of 'Butch'.

Now I can't do that. Thanks a lot!

So, there will be a Butch x Leo arc, right?

[HELLFIRE]

...i'd almost lay money down to see Leo get together with Kaname...
just to give her a taste of her own medicine A good dose of
Kaname-femrage is in order for Leonard... tho knowing him, it's like snowflakes
on his face

Cheers as always dd!


















Regards