#vantrece

the scrape of a SERRATED BLADE on brick accompanies the distinct sound of his own heavy footsteps crunching against wet and greasy pavement. however, he is not alone. dark shadows dancing among the vast alleyways by light of flickering streetlamps. suddenly, in that same instant, his lips pull back from his large teeth; the graveled HISS of his voice rolls forward as though he had not used it in ages.  

                                         ❛    this one is MINE.   ❜

(that’s uh... that’s a lot of metal.)

He’s silent-- almost like he were struck dumb by such a sight. It’s not like it were... unusual, but it’s also not something Naki would expect to see daily. Eyes were wide with uninterrupted attention, like this was going to be the only time he’d see anything like this. Lips were ajar, just slightly open to imply a silent ‘ooo’ noise that’d never touch the open air. She’s not a ghoul, is she? He’s contemplating for a moment, because, well... uh, that doesn’t seem normal for ghouls. Balling his hands up into fists, he’s suddenly eager to call her way. Hands are brought up to his chest, practically holding all of his excitement inside himself.

“Oy-- where’d ya get all’uv that from?!”

He hadn’t even paid attention to what she’d been doing previously.

mistral, why on earth she’d be at picus headquarters was anyone’s guess but eliza didn’t deal in guessing. she was fact-based and this begged a few questions. she came here to see the news reader, obviously but to what end? she wouldn’t find eliza’s ‘body’ so to speak here. she’d only find herself asking more questions. her body turns, moving to face the fearsome woman with a curiosity that’s almost organic. eliza smiles faintly.            ❛ now what on earth could you need from picus? ❜

                              ' Where are you leading me~? '

                                                  ' You will see. It is a suprise~ '

                              ' Tempting~ I do hope it is not too 'scary'~ '

     Mindless rushing through thoughts. Through memories. Through possibilities torn asunder and dragged out from deepest desires and the ideas that a mind as old as his own could only create. But was it sure a creation to behold? When those mingling concepts would turn into reality and bring to light what he had to have surely promised in the dying hours of a long-gone day. It would be a lie [ yet once again ] to say, that the Count had not meant to carry off a formerly lost soul [ now so obviously brought back to him in another era ] for quite a few ticks of the clock they had spent in delirious chatter about this or that. The very opportunities presented by so sure unlimited powers to satisfy the very wishes whispered breathlessly between night and days, mending and melting into one another.

    It's just as much favourable, that today he had decided to undertake questioned and laughed about secrecy, drawn out to lead her off and away, halted just by her movements to nestle against him, to cling to him wholly and allure and tempt [ all to be discarded with the same smile, turning darker and darker - a little bit wolfish to behold, brushed aside by the next moment his eyes would blink in beguiling, flickering fires ].

                              ' You know what happened the last time you merely whisked me                               away in the middle of the base~ '

                                                  ' Oh, but I do. So isn't it quite amusing for you to                                                   have me perform such again? '

                              ' You know me well, maybe they manage now to reach and find me~ '

                                                  ' I doubt so~ '

                              ' Now, mon chéri, you underestimate our powers, truly~ '

    Teasing animals. Beasts released from their cages, prowling around one another to find and to find [ the smallest openings ], to sink teeth into smooth skin and refresh oneself upon the luscious feel of power running through singing veins. It's all the same and only conveyed as a feeling by ice to clash with fire. Colours of such chilling beauty that would remain only locked upon one another. For whoever desires, whoever wished to separate, mere danger and perilous aura, veiling them both and binding them together would wash over anybody who just dared. How was it not easy enough to feel such radiant prowess to devour whoever wanted to come too close, just whole.

    And that laughter that fills his ears as much as his mind does drown out any sound around them that was all the more enough to have abilities beyond recognition of human capacities rise around them and throw unfortunate souls wandering past and watching [ watching and wanting. wanting to be in either one's place, how would they not love to live the same life. such fools, all but cattle for the slaughterhouse ] into eternal darkness for a few moments to behold. And as soon as this had happened [ cacophony of screams of terror all but barely rising to their ears ], it changed. It changed. It changed like a dream. A fantasy, the creation of each other's delirious minds, to bring before eyes something never seen.

                              ' .... What---? '

                                                  ' Surprised~? '

                              ' ... Where are we? '

                                                  ' A place where they will never be able to reach you~ '

    Colours of shades and hues to appear to the eye like they should never become. Soft and light. Yet the darkness illuminated past all delight. An ocean that opens in a spectrum of violets and greens, for the air around them, the sky above, had not a single shade of blue to call their own. Silent, this place was all so silent. Nothing else past any breath that could be taken in: to steady a heavily beating heart. To calm a racing pulse. No other sounds to behold, in mindless wonder, what one would believe there may be made to indulge. And ever more the eye opens to see, with those fluttering lashes kissing darkened skin, and finding themselves wondering wordlessly [ so surely breathlessly ] anew. Asking and questioning, how such an event could even be called in the slightest to be true. And it was enough of a moment's notice when wavering hold skits past strong arm that had fastened around her waist, wishing for herself to be left free. To loosen his hold and be allowed to wander, in the mindless, endlessly ticking solitude of a world that never a soul had witnessed before.

    Oh no, she knows. She knows that this monster, this beast that would be quite so tame in her grasp in seconds and hours to be shared, had caught sight of a numerous ones in all those dwindling hours, melting like sand streaming through the aperture of an hourglass, endlessly to be turned and turned - so that hours mean days mean months mean years [ and still, anymore, mean nothing quite at all ]. Oh yes, he had seen a countless of them in only the short time she had been alive unequalled [ alive for this time, when mind rattles to create another memory ]. And had still made to bring her here. To experience with childish wonder all but guided by stronger grasp and iron lead [ and still so gentle was his hold ].

                              ' How far... are we away from Earth? '

                                                  ' A distance nothing can count. '

                              ' So that means---? '

                                                  ' Another reality. Another dimension of life. '

                              ' ... How insane~ '

    So after what appeared to feel like every little grain of sand trickling past cracks of fingers, the very same ones spread apart, fingertips to brush along the fine, light feel of what is supposed to be so similar to wheat, corn, any of those little creations humans sought to refresh themselves upon, and now presented in such deep and dark and otherworldly, brilliantly shining dark royal blue. She touches it with a simple curiosity, for it felt like a mixture of the finest velvet and the softest form of silk. Soon enough moves to pluck out one of those long strands, twirling it in inquiring hand and letting it wander over whatever exposed plane of artificial skin she were able to reach. And playful just, after that initial feeling of hysteria, would she smile and simper and let the little plaything trail along the Vampire's strong cut of jaw. He could have reached for it.

    Mean to hold it.

    And sure all but returns that pleasant curl of lips, to behold in the numbing silence of an all but laughter, breath and touch filling the sky.

                              ' Why is it so silent? '

                                                  ' I don't know. This place does not hold any sound. '

                              ' But I hear you. '

                                                  ' Truly? Or is it that I speak in your mind? '

                              ' Petit Coquin~ '

    Wide and unbridled and so surely untamed. Like their own own souls running through endlessness of ever-changing colours, here and there set with a glimpse to shine and yet shyly flee and recoil into the nothingness of glowering darkness. Nothing had ever reached this place before, and reaching it would all but remain a dream engraved into mind in colours dulling over time. They know and know it just as well, that their togetherness would rob everything from their shine.

    Had they not danced in the surrounding soothing cadence of a world that was their own to feel? Moved through sands of eternal darkness, glimmering in the shining lush greens whenever feet were to touch and form were to playfully kneel. How oftentimes, these moments shared with a monster like no other just to behold, in the silence of a world of glow, in a world that no one else would be ever told about. How oftentimes, one may want to wonder---

    [ When would he just devour her whole? ]

    ---and still brushes it away, like the waves that drag and tease and playfully tug around their ankles - for they only have themselves to truly care about. It was oh-so-real.