[Rain]

Argus:

He watched through the window as she moved upstairs. She seemed so lifeless now, no pun intended. All drive of humanity that was still left within her was hanging by a thread. If she wanted to become a machine then that was up to her. He turned from the window and looked out over the landscape. The wide field to the front of the house left no cover for anyone that might try to come for him. He then circled the house, moving around the building so that the heavily forested area behind the house was looked upon. He couldn't sense the pulse of anything humanoid or otherwise, so they were safe.

The water came on inside. He moved in through the back door, moving into and through the kitchen. He passed through the living room and then came to the stairs. He ascended the staircase and made his way to the master bedroom and looked through the clothes the former wife of the residence wore. He found a set of clothes and folded them over his right arm. He moved back out into the hall and down to the bathroom. The water was running. After two knocks he moved inside, laying clothes down upon the sink and taking up the bloody ones.

"I should have these clean by the time you get done. I have brought you in fresh clothes to these are dry." He said and then left, moving back out into the hall and then back outside.

Indeed, the place they were in was very uncivilized compared to Berlin. He had to wash the clothes by hand upon a washboard, which was tedious. He scrubbed them though, making quick work of the bloodstains and then drying them with a special method. He ran his shadows through the fabric, pulling the water through. When he aS finished he would walk back inside and place the clothes upon the couch. The father and the son were standing, bodies shambling around as they grunted and groaned.

"You two." They both turned to look at him. "Bury the little girl outside." She would not become a ghoul. "And remove her head before you do." The two ghouls would then pick up the young female and haul her off to do what was told. He set the clothes down upon the couch.

He then walked over to the mother that still remained, kneeling next to her body as his right hand reached forth to place upon her arm. The body was getting cold. He grabbed the dead female by her hair and drug her body into the kitchen. Thee he found a flask, more than likely belonging to the father, and then pulled the corpse out the back door. He looked to the two ghouls that he had given a job too. The father was burying the little girl and the son was chewing upon her severed head. He just shook his own head back and forth and pulled the mother into the woods. He dropped the body next to a tree and moved to grab a clothesline.

When he got back to the body with the twine he strung it upon, by the ankles, to a branch. He then went and procured a bucked and placed it directly under the hanging corpse. His sword was drawn and swung low, taking off the woman's head. The blood drained down into the bucket ad the head landed next to the container with a soft thud. As he sheathed his weapon he reached down and picked the head up by the hair and lifted it, looking over his shoulders to the two ghouls. The body had been buried and now they were playing tug of war with the young girls head. He chuckled and let loose a Sharp whistle, drawing their attention, and then tossed the head to them. Now they each had one.

"Enjoy." He would say calmly, and look back to the hanging corpse that was draining its blood into the bucket, which was quite sizable.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

This was simply a nightmare. My entire world had shifted into this eternal darkness. The Gods hated me and the sun was my friend no more. The reason behind all of this was unknown to me. Maybe I had done something during the time I cannot remember. Or perhaps I was simply the worlds joke. Whatever the case, I was here now. This feral dream was my reality. There would never be any escape, so why try? Something inside me said to revel in this, to cause greater destruction. Why then do I feel this way?

I turned my head upwards, the water had grown cold. Oddly though, it wasn't the least uncomfortable. That was probably due to my dieing body. It would soon be much colder than this water. I reached forward, turning the tap until the stream ceased. There was no point wasting any more. I had more important things to think of. Finding a towel in the quaint little bathroom, I dried my hair first. It seemed to take an eternity and wasn't quite dry by the time I was done. I slipped into the clothes the demon had brought to me. God how I wanted to hate him. But why? He had simply saved me from death by offering another form of life. It would be my decision whether or not to take it.

Once that chore was completed, I looked back into the mirror. What to do with my hair? It had been tied back in two places before. That style was pigtails and more suited for children. I wasn't that person any longer. I had changed, been forced to grow up by matter of necessity. For now, I would leave it down. I chose to deal with it later. Seeing a brush sticking out from a shelf, I took it into my hand. It was small, covered in little gold stars. This had, no doubt, belong to the little girl. I felt the sorrow swell within me, but I could not cry. I brushed the tangles from my crimson locks methodically. Nothing could hurt me any more. I was beyond this existence.

I emerged from the bathroom. I listened carefully for any sounds that were out of place. Nothing. The house was as still as death. I smirked at the sadistic humor in it. The sentiment was fitting, seeing as how death was currently here. Argus was the embodiment of destruction, and now, so was I.

I went back into the child's bedroom, where it all began. I had a need to be in a place that was quiet, dark, and secluded. I had need to think. I shut the door behind me, hearing it latch with a muffled click. I sat there, on the corner of the bed, staring at the window. I cannot recall how long I was there. I was lost, on another plane of existence, trying to locate all my memories and find a way to break the rules.

I remembered that there was once a woman that had spent her life traveling the world. She was out to learn all the secrets of weapon-making. She had spent many eons doing so. I shook that thought from my head. Though the woman was ancient, she was very driven towards her own goals. She would have no interest in something like this. How many people out there would? There were mages, of course, but they would never help me. They liked the fact that creatures of the night had these limitations. So that counted out the magic users. This was tedious. What was I going to do? At this point I might as well go ask those demon worshiping fools. Those imbeciles that sit there chanting around their little magic circ-

That was it! Circles! I laughed out loud, reveling in the fact that I could be so dense. An Alchemist could do it. They specialized in transmuting one thing into another, chemistry mostly. But they also dabbled in magics to create enchanted items. So all I really have to do is get all the information I can out of Argus. Once I've done that, I seek out the worlds best alchemist. It would definitely not be simple, nor easy, but it could be done.

[Rain]

Argus:

Argus was lucky on the fact that the bucket he was using the collect the blood from the hanging corpse had a spout on it. While the body was draining he collected a series of glass containers and lids to go on them. The body itself was draining slowly, perhaps he waited too long? It was still draining regardless. He turned his attention over to the two zombies which were still gnawing upon the two heads that they had. It was slightly comical, causing him to chuckle, when the zombies traded heads. A smile pulled at his features, exposing his pearly whites. But then he stopped, noticing something different.

Silvery hues pierced through the night as the orbs rolled over to the house. The water had stopped running, thus was the benefit of living within the old domicile. The plumbing was ancient and thus made a lot of noise. He knew the general location of the bathroom from where he was outside the house. He could tell her location through the connection they had. So his eyes would follow her form, as if he had X-ray vision as she moved into the little girls room. But the body had finally finished draining. The corpse was a dull grey color and loomed nasty. He reached down and slid the bucket out from under the body.

The glass bottles he found were lined up evenly in a straight line, one next to the other, with lids sitting down in front of them. He picked the bucket up, left hand taking grip upon the handle while the right grabbed the bottom of the bucket itself. He began to fill all the glass bottles. No funnel was necessary here,  with pinpoint precision that only being a vampire could bring about. So the bottles would be filled and the bucket would be discarded. The tops would be screwed onto the bottles and the dozen or so glass containers would be picked up. He'd then look over to the zombies and whistle loudly.

"Dinner time." He said as he got their attention. He jerked his head toward the hanging corpse. The ghouls got the idea and began to meander off in that direction. He just walked into the house.

He made his way into the kitchen and placed the bottles of blood upon a table. He arranged them into two lines of six and then backee away. He looked up, watching the ceiling for a moment before turning and walking toward the living room. He picked up the clothing he washed some time before. He then made his way up the stairs and to the room that Aria was sitting in. He knocked first and would then enter, setting her clothes down upon the bed and standing back to look at her. She seemed to be happy, perhaps she had come to an epiphany. Either way he merely watched her for a moment, judging, before he spoke.

"Your mood seems to have changed. Did you figure something out?" He inquired curiously.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I looked at the man as he entered. He stared at me for a second, as though assessing every detail of this situation. The words he spoke seemed truly meaningless. He already knew the answer. What he was doing was fishing for information. I smirked. I had nothing to hide and I highly doubt I could hide anything from him anyway. I moved to stand. I had to emphasize every detail of the words I was about to speak. It was crucial he understood that what I was about to say had more weight and more meaning than the words would reveal. I took in a deep breath.

"I understand that it will not be easy and know that I may never find the result I'm looking for." I paused, allowing him to process for a slight moment before continuing. "However, if I could gain some semblance of assistance with this, I have no doubt that you could use the same knowledge to further your own goals. All I need is knowledge and time." I smiled wryly. My next statement was too obvious. "Time is something we have in abundance."

I had not taken my eyes from Argus', but at this point, I broke away. I began staring out the window where the trees were swaying in the wind. I had a lot to prepare for and even more that had to be done. With or without the ancient one's help, I would find an answer. My very existence hinged on it.

[Rain]

Argus:

He did not want to pry directly into her mind, such a thing would be unethical. He wanted to keep her trust, not force her cooperation. When someone was working for you willingly things went a lot smoother. Better results were attained and worker morale went up. You had to make your subordinates feel happy to be doing the work for you, a concept not many in the management game knew how to grasp. He continued to watch her from how position, eyes waiting for searching for subtle hints at her own inner delight at the revelation that her existence might be tolerable.

So he would wait for her to speak her piece after she rose, silvery hues following the unearthly elegance of her form. But she started so delicately, speaking as if there were more meaning to her words than what was expressed through mere vocalization. He would remain silent, watching gestures she would perform with her hands as she spoke. But then she switched her method of proposal and spun a web verbage that aimed to hook him. He silently complimented her on her word usage and approach to this situation. It was like making him an offer he couldn't refuse. He smiled, knowledge for power.

He contemplated his options, taking into account what she could be speaking of. Immediately his mind went to the fact that she didn't want to drink blood. Perhaps she thought of something he did not? Indeed, he did not have a problem killing for his meals. It was humane when he did it. His victims felt no pain and they died instantly if he killed them. In other cases he merely would render them unconscious and take what he wanted. Leaving them just enough to live. But the possibilities that her voice held intrigued him greatly. She would be able to tell by the smile that grew upon how features and the ever growing amused expression.

"An interesting proposition, Aria." He would say and look to the clothes he brought to her before casting his eyes out the window. Daybreak was coming. Those glowing orbs would then move back to her. "Get dressed and come down to the kitchen. I want to hear more that you came up with."

He left at that point, making his way down the hallway so he could descend the stairs. He then moved into the kitchen and to the bottles of blood. He would grab two, one for each, and take them over to a dinner table that held four chairs. He placed one bottle at one end of the table, for Aria, and took his to the opposite end of the table. He took a seat and waited at that point for her to come down.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

This was good. Argus saw that there were possibilities with what I was seeking. I know that he had ideas of what my goal was, but the ability to use energy as any form of a catalyst was good for him as well. I did not yet know his goals, but in time the light will shine on all things. Thus, it would be prudent that goals be reached before the enemies that would see their downfall came into play.

 I looked at the clothing that he had brought to me. They were the same as before. Had he washed them himself? Or had he forced someone else to do his bidding? I shook the thought, why should I start mistrusting my allies? That could be fatal in this circumstance. This was a man that I needed to trust me, and for that I had to trust him as well. Though it was nice of him to have the clothes cleaned, no matter the method used to do so. A means to an end, I suppose.

I got dressed. Easy matter really. The temporary replacements that were brought to me were a few sizes too large. Then I left the little bedroom, descending the stairs in a timely fashion. I walked into the kitchen and proceeded to sit on a nearby chair. placing it at the corner diagonally across from Argus himself.

[Rain]

Argus:

When she rounded the corner and came to bring her presence into the kitchen he would smile to her. Watching as she pulled up a chair and placed it at a corner of the table. The bottle of blood was sitting in front of him and this hers would be across from her, off to her left upon the surface of the table. She did not have to kill for it. She did not have to take a life. So the blood itself should be of less a bother. But who knew how she would react to such a thing. Through this new semblence of life was a massive void of uncertainty afterall. With that thought passed and done with he would gesture to the bottle itself.

"If you feel the need, have a drink. It should still be warm." His hands would fold in front of his form upon the surface of the table. He would sit with his back straight, looking much like a business man. "You look stunning in that dress though. So when you are ready, please begin." He spoke with a business casual tone.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

I ignored the bottle. In fact, something in my body was actually telling me that I didn't need it now. I guess that this was the feeling of thirst being sated. If I had to continue this act of drinking someone's life source, I suppose that these instincts would come in handy. If all went well though, it would be unnecessary.

The plans that I had would help him too, if he chose to see it. This development of a way around feeding could also be a potential way to boost one's power. He could do his great feats longer and/or more powerful than before. Argus seemed like the type that enjoyed new toys. If that was truly the case, he should be more than just a little interested in my reckless venture.

I took a deep breath. After asking that I go uninterrupted, I began detailing every facet of my idea. The thoughts about alchemy, the creation or location of a source of energy to draw upon, all of it. Once I had finished what I had to say, I fell silent, I knew that the criticism was to follow. So I waited.

[Rain]

Argus:

He watched her in regards to the bottle. Besides it being an offer it was a test of sorts. He was seeing how she would react to having blood put right in front of her. She didn't go for it, she just brushed it off as if she didn't need it. That was a good sign. It showed control, she read and felt her instincts and trusted them. Those feelings would less her to peace within herself in this new life that she was beginning. It was a pleasant thing to see. Bit his mind could only wonder if it was because she was still freshly turned, not even out of her first 24 hit cycle. Perhaps her own morality and humanity was still clinging to her psyche.

When she asked not to be interrupted he would give a nod of his head. As a business savy individual he knew that in order for him to speak his thoughts on a subject he first had to hear the pitch and then the following explanation. He had heard the sales pitch, and of was good, so now he got the facts. As she went on he thought more and more about the possibility and validity of what she was saying. She spoke of alchemy, which he had little knowledge in but had heard of. She spoke of the blood they drink and the energy it provided, the precious vitae.

But the intriguing part about her idea was the ability to tap straight into that power without using the blood as a medium. This would mean the power would be more raw, it would be more focused. They would be able to draw directly upon the source if this energy and siphon straight from it. This could be used by him very easily. Not to mention the applications in regards to other energies. He had acquired some knowledge from oblivion. It was a wealth of knowledge that he could tap into. He continued to listen and remained silent even after she was done speaking. His hands unfolded and the fingers of the right one came to brush along his chin.

"Your idea is very interesting. I had never considered it as a possibility, but this place seems very different from where I come from." His hands folded upon the table top once again as this silvery hues refocused on her.

"I will help you try to figure something out. Logically speaking it should work, we just have to figure out how." He smiled and placed the palms of his hands on the table and stood, sliding the chair back with the backs of his legs. "But now I have a task for you." He walked over to the kitchen window and would gesture to the horizon outside.

"The sun is almost ready to rise. I can not be out in the sun, normally, so I need to go rest. Your job, while I am asleep, is to protect my chambers. I will be asleep in the cellar. You will be fine in the daylight for now." He would begin to walk toward the cellar door. "Tonight I will teach you more."

And should she hold no more questions he would open the door and descend the steps. Moving into the darkness and closing the door behind him. Leaving her to stir within her thoughts.

[Aria Haruka]

Aria:

Protect? From what exactly? I had been through the house, I had seen through most of the windows. From what I could tell, there was nothing that could hurt us. As long as we didn't provoke the only dangerous entity out there. As of right now, it had no idea we were even here. If nothing went amiss, it never would.

I walked outside the front door. There, to my left, was a worn wooden rocking chair. I moved to sit in it. As I rocked  there, waiting for the sight of my first newborn sunrise, I took in my surroundings. On the left side, there were flower pots sitting on a makeshift ledge under the window. This porch was sturdy, made to last many years. It spanned about twenty feet in width. As my head turned towards the right, I noticed the three steps in front of me. On the right hand side of the door, there was nothing other than a wood cutting axe leaning against one of the posts that held up the roof. The feel was very old fashioned, very quaint.

I sat there for a time, simply rocking and thinking. I thought of the different ways to achieve my goals. As I sat the mulling over it, the sun would rise. And what a sunrise that would be.