vampires and wolves [P]

[Arcadia]

if you love me let me go
back to that bar in tokyo
where the demons from my past
leave me in peace

The air was thick and hazy with the smell of cigars -- almost as thick and hazy as the age-old fog that lingered endlessly outside. The room was warmly lit by the lanterns that hung scattered about the ceiling. The demeanors of the people sitting at the tables and the bar indicated that were all regulars to this place; there were several cliques of people drinking it up and sharing their stories with one another. Not a single soul sat alone.

The door slid open with a shuddering sound. The numerous conversations that were going on all died down in unison to the point where if a pin were to drop it could be heard from outside. The sound of combat boots pressing against the creaky, wooden floors and the jangling of entangled knives and parchments within their pouches broke the silence. The medic closed the door behind him after he stepped into the silent bar. As he walked forward, he gave passing nods to everyone, most of which were returned. The noise slowly picked back up again.

"Warm sake, please." Yahiko said, slipping onto a barstool. The barkeep nodded, put down the mug that he was cleaning and went to prepare the drink. The boy looked around cautiously. Most people had gone about their business, though he caught a few eyes that still lingered on him. "Hm." He tucked his already concealed headband farther into his vest pocket. The last thing he needed was trouble.

[/justify]

[Zammy<3]

The air was swimming with the very essence of night. Crickets chirped a song of promises, and the stars scintillated brilliantly throughout the black sky. The cold embraced Zamarron, and she welcomed it with open arms. She closed her eyes to revel in it, smiling gently to herself. The night is long tonight... Indeed. Her meeting with Kouketsu-sama had been almost a disaster. But in the end, she'd stayed his loyal subordinate. Then she ran into Zibishi, whom she was developing maternal feelings for- always a complication with that one. And now, she was off to treat her adopted sibling to some... indulgence.

Approaching the building that was her destination, Zamarron called back to the youth, "Hurry up, flower girl! We're here!"

Entering the bar, the vixen's entrance was as elegant and neck breaking as always. Her heels clacked against the floor, announcing her arrival; as she walked, her hips moved to and fro, and these curves would lead up to humble bust, along with a most radiant face. She was the epitome of lust, the queen of dark beauty.

Knowing that Zibishi would follow her, she made her way towards the bar, taking a seat and patting the seat next to her with her long, sharpened nails. "Aye, prick," she called to the bartender. "Two round over here!" She laughed at herself, her fangs glittering in the light. "Oh, Zibishi.. be sure to enjoy yourself," she grinned.

She wouldn't notice the odd fellow sitting on the other side of her, though.

[/blockquote]

[Arcadia]

Steam from the cup danced erotically before his eyes.

"Thanks." he gave with a nod to the man. The boy glanced to his left and then to his right as inconspicuously as he could manage. Admittedly, stealth wasn't his biggest strength; even with his travelers cloak shrouding his body in mystery, he bore the demeanor of a foreigner, which ate away at his subtlety like acid. He grasped the cup of sake that sat idle before and, after blowing on it a bit, took a sip. And then another.

The sound of the door sliding open was unmistakable; the room had practically died when he walked in, so it was the only noise he'd heard. Again, the room fell silent and all eyes trailed over to whomever it was who entered. All eyes except for Yahiko's, anyway. The boy was preoccupied with the carvings on his cup -- the craftsmen in this country apparently took pride in their work. The sound of loud, flamboyant steps steadily approached the boy, and accompanied with them was an odd aroma, a very particular aroma; that of his least favorite ice-cream.

The noise in the bar began to pick up again, although for Yahiko everything fell silent.

"Aye, prick, two round over here!"

His head turned and widened, startled eyes gazed upon the obnoxious creature. Immediately, long buried emotions began rising from the depths of the boy's soul. They flooded his visage, almost making him sweat, but willpower alone held the floodgates shut, and prevented these feelings from spilling out of him. He swallowed them. He had to. The boy turned away from her and looked at his hands, fingers interlaced. Forced apathy.

"Careful," he said. "He might poison your drinks if you treat him like shit."

[Zammy<3]

"Careful. He might poison your drinks if you treat him like shit."

[/right]
That voice. It was familiar, however still foreign, as if it had aged with time.

No, she did not think of his words as concern for her well being. In fact, she was offended that he would even suggest such a notion; someone poison her? No one would dare to have the nerve. And treat him like shit? Why, not only did Zamarron not know any better, but that was how she treated everyone, and thus her summoning of the bartender had been the standard greeting. She turned to the mysterious man, angered all the more by the way his cloak concealed him. "Listen here," she demanded, her voice rugged and furious.

"He's a big boy. He'll get over it." And with that, she turned back to face front, her face apathetic as she and Zibishi recieved their drinks. She did not offer any showing of grattitude as she took her cup within her hand, before guzzling the whole thing down. The bartender looked at her with wide eyes, and, once she was finished, she slammed the cup down, cracking its delicate form. "Another," she said, and the bartender immediately catered to her whim. "Now," she muttered turning back to the apparant stranger.

"Do I know you?" The question was laced with sweet seduction.
[/font][/blockquote]

[Arcadia]

Time had sharpened her words

They were like daggers, masterfully crafted for the sole purpose of inflicting pain on someone. She fired off these words and, though sharp, left the boy physically unscathed. His mind, however, was thoroughly affected by what the woman was saying. It was still tainted with memories; events long since passed, and the only remaining remnants of these moments were the echoes left behind, resonating in his mind.

He could remember his friend...and how lovely she was.

"No," he started after her last inquiry, lifting his hands to his cloak and pulling the hood from his head. A single, gloved hand slid through his thick ebony locks as he scratched his head. "But you knew me." he added, finally glancing over at her -- into her eyes. Apathy had been plastered upon his visage and most would probably be fooled by it. She, however, could probably see through it like the paper-thin wall that it was. Truth was, she did know him. The real question was: did he know her?

[zibishi]

Zibishi walked patiently behind her as they were nearing an bar he figured. The scent of cooked pork and beef along with the undeniable smell of alcoholo as well. Was she planning on treating him to a drink before they left? It wasn't exactly Zibishi's style to drink, as he had his experiences with various natural stimulants and also the beverage. He performed the former, but wouldn't let it be known as he entered into the tavern and examined his surroundings.

His young face and undisturbed eyes seemed rare in his new environment as he walked in cautiously. He wasn't fearful as he didn't doubt he could hack and slash his way through the assortment of thieves, drunks, bastards etc. without problem. He heard Zammy talk rude to the bartender as she called for drinks, which didn't phase Zibishi that much other than the fact he figured she shouldn't be so rude in this type of place, but it was her personality and it couldn't be helped.

He heard grumblings and murmurs of insults directed towards him, because of his youth and his clothing which made him stand out in a building and room consumed of dreary browns and old greys. It didn't do anything positive to his mood as he approached the bar and picked up his drink and looked towards Zammy who seemed to be enjoying herself wildly which didn't surprise him as he simply shook his head and partook of his drink. The warm liquid flowed into his mouth and through his throat making its way towards his belly. The taste didn't too much for him and didn't alter his state of mind yet, but he had no plans of getting to that point anyways. Zibishi eyes diverted to the man who had offered Zammy some advice on proper etiquete. Zibishi chimed in as he placed his cup down .

"Quit biting people's head off all the time. Sheesh he has a point and I wouldn't want to have to drag you out of here to a hospital."

He chuckled as the bartender brought him another round that he slowly began drinking. He didn't care too much for this form of sake as it lacked any fruity flare in it that he had been so accustomed to whenever he drank with his father. The bastard would soon be under his feet Zibishi thought to himself as the drink began to make his mind wander. He placed the cup back gently and listened patiently to Zammy and the man's conversation. Or rather the mystifying questions they asked one another which made Zibishi shake his head once more, was Zammy trying to seduce another man like she did the Uchiha? If she was Zibishi wouldn't interfere this as he sat back quietly and let them continue conversing.

[Zammy<3]

She looked over at Zibishi, glaring at him. "That's no way to talk to your sister, ya fucking runt. Now sit straight and enjoy your drink."

But then--

the cloaked "stranger" removed his hood.

!

Her mouth fell agape. Her eyes widened, having erupted with the royal golden fire of sorrow and shock. That face... it was beautiful, carved by angels in Adonis' image. He hadn't seemed to age a bit since the last time she saw him; only his voice had changed. He sounded older, in a sense, as if his voice had been eroded by pain and war. And those eyes- so blue, like the never ending ocean, where they had first met. Looking at him, it was possible to relive that moment if she wished. But would she? No; but she would.

The sea. A vast body of danger and mystery. She stood erect at it's edge, gazing over at its horizon with day dreams swimming erotically within her golden eyes. The wind swept up her long, ebony tresses, and she let her lashes descend, greeting the gusts' wild embrace with a gentle smile. The sun was setting- the day had nearly reached its end. Only a one family was still at the beach, and it had reached the point where they were now packing to go home. Only, there was something wrong.

Zamarron opened her eyes as the sound of panicked splashing reached her ears, and her brows furrowed in cofusion. She looked out over the waves; a child. "Help! Help me!" He was struggling to stay above the water's surface, submersing within the depths at random. Immediately Zamarron kicked off her sandals, and in her black two piece ran straight into the ocean. Once she was deep enough she began to swim, kicking furiously, her adrenaline seizing her every movement. She stroked with passion, and she looked up- she almost to him.

Once she reached him, however, he went under. Never losing control of the situation, the woman dived under the waves, grasping a firm hold of his arm. With her massive strength, she swiftly pulled him to the surface, and as he took his first gasp for air, she felt... relieved.

"You okay?!"

But the voice wasn't hers.

She looked over, only to see a strange, however beatiful, new face; a boy's face. Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened with surprise. Even so, she never lost sight of her goal; she and the stranger pulled the boy to shore, before laying him out on the sand. He was coughing... so he was breathing. "You okay?" asked the boy again, and the child nodded in response, suddenly erupting in screams for his mother. She came running, having been distracted from her book, immediately realized what had just occured.

Her thank you's were shrugged off by both of her child's saviours, and once she was gone, they looked at one another. Zamarron blushed as his gaze fell upon her.

He laughed. She giggled.

"I'm Yahiko," he said, holding out his hand. The girl shyly took it with her own.

"Zamarron."

That was the first and last time she had ever given her full name to someone by choice. And every time he would say it after that day, she was ailed with chills, and butterflies erupted from her stomach, and they would flly out her mouth as sweet, innocent words to be choked on. That had been when she was fourteen, he thirteen... and until a few months ago, they had been inseperable.

She briefly wondered if his heart was still broken to this very night.

Judging by the look of apathy on his countenance... it was.

"Yahiko?" she whispered, reaching out to touch his cheek. Her face flushed scarlet, and music played in her head. Could it be...?

... was it really him?

[/blockquote]

[Arcadia]

He should hate her.

Any ounce of feeling that he had for the girl, even the tiniest sliver of it, should have been thrown aside and forgotten long ago. After what she did, he should hate her with every fiber of his being. And alas, his eyes met hers -- brilliant and tawny, like they'd always been, yet different, somehow. It was if the light that once shone through her eyes from her heart had been extinguished. She whispered his name, softly, curiously, and it was as though he was hearing it for the first time in a thousand years. Her tone had changed from the one that she adopted to speak to the barkeep. It was gentle like it used to be, yet as the sound of it lingered in his ears, he realized that it, too, was somehow different.

And then she touched him.

Her hand rose to his face, resting on his cheek. And like a flame to ice, the uncaring expression that he'd forced upon his face began to melt. He blinked and his eyes struggled to break away from hers, but they couldn't. He fought valiantly to pull away from her angelic touch, to relieve himself of the physical contact that he, at one point, craved night and day, but he couldn't. All was silent, save the sound of his heart pounding away like a drum.What? How was that possible? He was sure that the last time he saw Zammaron, she'd ripped open his chest and yanked the beating organ right from the cavity. But no, it was still there. Beating.

It was still beating for her.

"...Yeah."' he said, nearly choking on the word as he struggled to speak to her whilst looking into her eyes. It wasn't like it was before; had it been another time, an earlier time, he wouldn't have been able to shut up around her. Now it was as though he was trying to hate her. He wanted to. But he couldn't.

He couldn't hate her.

[Zammy<3]

"... Yeah?"

She'd taken it as a question.

She blushed an even deeper crimson shade. How embarrassing. Of course it was him. Her first love, the one she'd lost everything to, even the purity of her soul. She quickly took her hand away, returning it to her cup. She faced front once more, downing her drink in one swig. She gave the bartender a look, and immediately he went to get her a third helping to the euphoria inducing liquid. She slouched as she waited, keeping her eyes on low and averted. Her words were laced in poison as she spoke.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

She glared over at Yahiko, suddenly angry with him. Why was it whenever she entered dangerous emotional territory, he always ruined it with snide remarks? It was so fucking annoying. Was this how he wanted their reuinion to be like? A battle of the wits? She rolled her eyes for what seemed like no apparant reason, and returned her gaze to her cup, which had been refilled. Again, she downed it.

"You need to indulge a little, flower girl," Zamarron said, turning to Zibishi. "C;mon- down that bitch."

[/blockquote]

[Arcadia]

She pulled away.

Thank. God.

His heart slowed down dramatically. She turned away and downed the rest of her drink, though the boys eyes remained set on her. She hadn't changed a bit, not on the outside, anyway. Her vocal crossbow was now set on him. Her lips, the same ones that once delivered kisses before had now replaced love with ammunition, and her words, like arrows, delivered an onslaught of pain as they impaled the boy's ears.

This is how it was the last time she spoke to him.

The hurt in his eyes was clearly visible, for a few moments, but then vanished. The oceans in his eyes froze over and his brows furrowed as he turned away from her. He gazed up at the barkeep, giving him a swift nod indicating he, too, wanted more alcohol. He thought maybe it would help, even if only a little. "I could ask you the same thing." he replied, simply, not looking at her directly, but keeping an eye on her from his peripherals.

"Is this where you've been all this time? Hiding in the fog?"

[zibishi]

Zibishi watched with mild interest as the two were engaged in a abttle of the looks in his opinion. Their eyes constantly locked and he was sure there was a hour or two's worth of stories behind every single glance exchanged between the two. The man seemed to be unconfident and not used to the attention of the opposite sex which in a way made Zibishi chuckle. His eyes moved to Zammy and he rose his eyebrows slowly in amusement. Her face was flushed and her eyes looking longily into the other's. There was a romance between the two, that had been cut off and from all indications the man was the reason, because of it. It hadn't been a quick fling and the awkwardness of this reunion put Zibishi in an awkward mood himself. He declined another drink offer as the man sheepishly replied to Zammy.

What had he possibly done to end an relationship with Zammy? He wasn't sure his "sister" would be the best romantic partner especially for a man who seemed as flimsy as he, but she had a loyalty about her that made Zibishi think it would be hard for her to leave anybody she loved. He knew the woman well as her look of humbleness and childhood embarassment turned to a glare towards the man and she aimed a comment towards him which he eyed her suspiciously.

"Sorry Sake just isn't my thing neither is you playing googly eyes in a bar Zammy-chan. Both are kinda stale if ya know what I mean and what kind of brother would I be if I just let you talk to many any which way, that would be boring don't you agree?"

Though he wished to respect the two's relationship and conversation he had no interest in the both of them tip toeing around the subject. If there was something to rekindle then it should be done, but if the fire wasn't there anymore then it should be completely extinguished. That was the way he felt and in his best way he tried to convey that to Zammy in a stern criticizing grin. He was her brother now, but wouldn't let his new title stop him from adivising her or criticizing her. He was sure she needed it more than she knew.

[Zammy<3]

"Is this where you've been all this time? Hiding in the fog?"

Hiding?!

She suddenly submerged into a massive ocean of memories, the cold darkness washing over her as she sank deeper into the abyss. The bruises, the lies, the angry fire in his blue eyes. The dances in the pouring rain, the nights where they would make love underneath the stars... this was back when she had a soul. Back before she sold it to the devil, in return for power. Her greed had gotten the best of her; no, it was her ambition that had done it. Her recklessness. It wasn't his fault that things had ended, it was hers.

It was only now did she stop regretting it.

"Hiding?" she muttered, whirling around to face him and baring her fangs in a nasty snarl in retaliation to his words. "I have no one, or anything to hide from." She was starting to get a buzz. "Another!" she demanded, turning back to the bar. Promptly after her request was registered, yet another drink was placed in front of her. Zamarron looked at it stupidly for a moment, and then grabbed it, before chugging the entire thing down. "See, I forgot about you, Yahiko. You are nothing to me but a little insect meant to be squashed!" She laughed at that, rocking backwards, nearly falling off her stool.

"But what about you?" she asked, propping her elbows up on the bar to support her head as she looked at him with eyes that mocked genuine curiousity. "How have you been? Under a fucking rock? This place is no place for you." That much was obvious. It was a place for the worst of the worst, like herself. She was within her element here, and she would take every advantage of that. Her lips moved once more: "And why the long face, sweetie?" she cooed, cocking her head to the side. "I know you miss me, but come on... get over yourself."

She giggled at the cruelty in her words.

[/blockquote]

[Arcadia]

Pain.

The woman's words struck the boy hard, with nothing short of malicious intent. His eyes narrowed and his lips pressed harder together as she, who had once been his better half, spat her spiteful words at the boy and though he tried exceedingly hard to stand strong against the onslaught, he could not - her words drove into his heart like rusty nails. His form quivered ever so slightly as he inhaled and exhaled deeply. What had happened to her? Where had his friend gone? Her giggling, which was more of a witch-like cackle at this point, resonated in the boy's ears and he turned his head slightly, looking at her with eyes that struggled to be cold and heartless, but could not. All that shone through these optic doorways was pain.

Then, with a strike of the match ──

His hand swatted to her glass, knocking it behind the bar counter where it shattered on contact with the hard, wooden floor. "She's had enough, don't bring her another." said Yahiko glancing from the barkeep, who stood with a wide-eyed, dumbfounded expression, to the woman who sat next to him. The boy's visage radiated a combination of anger and confusion, and ultimately a bit of pain. "What in the hell happened to you ── where'd this wickedness come from?" he asked, deeply confused. He loved this girl; he had shared everything with the girl, from the deepest intimacy to greatest secrets. This wasn't her though, it couldn't be. What, exactly, had possessed her?

[zibishi]

Zibishi stared at Zammy as she began her verbal assault on the man who she seemed to be romantically involved with. What in the hell was wrong with her? She seemed to be more intoxicated with her drink every moment as she quickly and swiftly gulped down a whole glass of sake and then her bombardment continued insulting the man's worth and belittling him. It annoyed him to an extent as the bar was slowly turning its eyes on the display and the bartender slowly began to quiver in fear of the mistress.

The next action of the man caught Zibishi off guard as he swatted her drink away from her and defiantly shot retorts towards her challenging her characther and behaivor. Something about his statements made Zibishi somewhat curious, it seemed to be implied that Zammy had another side to her before probably becoming engaged with her mysterious master. Was that the path he was intended to go on? Berating and insulting his loved ones? No he wouldn't fall that far down and wouldn't let Zammy either.

To complement the man's actions Zibishi deployed his halbred and had it slammed into the bar directly in front of Zammy's abdomen which would slow her if she attempted a fierce counterattack against the man, which was expected knowing her and especially since she was drunk. His voice turned stern and his eyes matured greatly in a matter of seconds as he stared at his "sister."

You're the same woman, who was crying when I had to strike down a child and you're the same woman who took a runt like me into your family and the first thing you do is take me to a tavern, get wasted, and make yourself look like moron? You will not act like this again and we won't be going to any more taverns before Konoha, now compose yourself damnit."

Zibishi was truely angered with Zammy which slightly shocked him, but he couldn't take it anymore. He undeployed his halbred and clipped the scroll on the back of his belt while still staring down Zammy who he expected would have a mouth full to say.

[Kazuma.]

Blame Zam since she is too lazy to make our own thread. Well, me too but...

He stared. And stared. And stared at that small circular cup of alcohol on the bar in front of him. No, not a cup, he decided, more like a tiny bowl. A bowl can't be a cup, yet you could drink liquids from both of them. Curious, that. But to be served a beverage in a bowl and not a cup struck a chord in the bad of his busy, busy mind and it truly bothered him. He hadn't orders soup in a tiny bowl, he ordered Sake, a drink, and had expected a cup. His lips twitched just a bit, his golden orbs flicked over to the barkeep who was busy with the other... louder patrons.

He served him a drink in a bowl...

Such an... imperfect thing to do.

Tap. Tap. Tap tap tapping his finger went. His right index finger to be exact. Three, no four times it tapped. Four was an even number and even numbers were perfec-no, he had to focus. A quick intake and then the exhale... Kazuma turned his eyes back to the bowl in front of him, still filled with his rapidly cooling drink. 'I came here for a drink. Nothing more. Keep it together... maintain, maintain, maintain.' his mind slowly settled, his hands moving to the cup in front of him, finally.

The girl nearby with the long nails was rather loud, he noted as he picked up the bowl. He recalled how many drinks he'd seen her taking, a frown on his lips when he thought of them. She hadn't had many, not many that he had seen himself at least. Was it three? Or maybe four? No, it had to be three, he could vaguely remember that number. He glanced in her direction, noting as she nearly fell from the stool on which she sat, a boy near here berating her.

The number three was an odd number. And it could only be divided by the number one and itself. Such inflexibility... imperfect.

Only three? Or maybe more...

Stop thinking about it. If you keep this up, surely you'll go insane.

"Aren't I already?" he muttered to himself, putting down the bowl without drinking.

He picked it up again.

They all looked rather young, those other three near him.

Damn, the number three again. The bastard won't go away.

Kazuma swallowed the drink in a gulp, gesturing to the barkeep for another. He'd only had one drink, and the number one as as imperfect as the number three. And such an imperfect world he was in, allowing such young children to drink. He decided that while the world was imperfect, at least somethings in it can be perfect. And even more of them can be made to be perfect. Like the number four.

"You three..." he spoke up, picking up a new bowl filled with a new drink. He put it down... and picked it up again, frowning. "You look a little young... to drink." he noted, looking at the barkeep. "Though, I suppose, as ninja you can do as you please... Although one of you already looks inebriated."

He sipped at his drink.