Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Illusions ❯ The Time of Ending ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: MellyN

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Shattered Illusions

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 7: The Time of Ending

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"Why" What do you mean by that?" The magenta-haired girl questioned as her gaze shifted to the tomboy in front of her. What could have possibly been so harmful about informing her classmates of her meeting with two seemingly handsome men? At the moment, Millie hadn't even begun to wish to speak to them about the vampire incident. No doubt her friends would think of her as crazy for even suggesting such a thing.

Tsubomi's words were icy, her frown deep and harsh, as well as her insensitive blue eyes, which were dull in coloration. She swore upon contact that they would have easily bore a hole through her soul.

"There are far more complex things going on here than you understand," the stripper advised, never taking those frigid eyes from her form. Even though they were the same height, it was an intimidating presence that the girl gave off. It was as if she were being towered over by sheer aura alone.

"Why do people keep telling me that? Everyone acts like I'm stupid or something. Even my own parents treat me like that! It's so utterly annoying!" Millie burst out in a fit of anger. If there was ever anything more exasperating, it was for her intelligence level to be underestimated.

Most everyone in her entire life had played her down to be a stupid fan girl. She had more depth than that of a screaming, yaoi-obsessed, idiot. She may have been a fan, but that didn't mean that she couldn't take something that was meant to be serious as such. Millie didn't need to be warned. She already knew that this situation was dangerous.

"Is she really that dense?" Millie whirled around, her slightly curled hair slamming against her cheek as she glanced towards Copernicus, who was standing a good distance from them. That content and peaceful smile still plastered on his features, as if the whole incident was mere child's play.

"She's from your country," Tsubomi poked fun at Americans.

"You had to go there. I've seen some pretty idiotic Japanese people too, you know," Copernicus smiled, happy to see that she was still cracking jokes, despite the serious issue that had turned up.

"Idiots are international."

"I can hear you!" Millie yelled in irritation. Now they were making fun of her too? She reacted how any normal person would react and yet she was the stupid one? "Don't talk about someone like they aren't here."

"You really should just go home. This is none of your concern," the stripper told her apathetically. She didn't know why the strange girl even bothered to stick around. Any normal person would have just gone home in a fright, trying to clear their head of any disturbing images of the events that they had faced.

"We might not be able to do that," Copernicus spoke up. His words felt like an anvil, smashing Tsubomi's suggestion and forcing the girl to remain with them longer.

"What? Do you want her to tag along?" The stripper inquired, and though her voice was her usual tone, she felt quite aggravated with the thought of it all.

"She did save our lives," the Inheritor noted, and it was only fair that they do the same for her. Besides, bigger things played a part in the girl staying by their side.

"How inconvenient."

"I never thought you were inconvenient. Are you jealous, Tsubomi?" Azure eyes shifted to the tomboy with interest. Funny how the boy was jealous of a school girl they had just met. It was as if Millie was invading the boy's private life with him. The whole situation amused him.

"How is she threatening?" It was that moment in time, that Tsubomi had begun to think that maybe she was jealous. The idea of someone like her being envious over a pathetic little school girl was absolutely ludicrous. It was not as if she and Copernicus were going out or anything.

"Oh great, I show off my skills and now I get disowned by a pretty boy," Millie sighed in exasperation. This was not how she wanted to spend her day that was for sure. Not to mention, she finally met the two pretty guys that were going to have sex in a love-love hotel only to find out that they were by far the weirdest people she had ever come across.

"It's not like I feel comfortable around you either," the Japanese girl sighed. 'Just another backstabbing woman from what I see. Why is Copernicus making me work with her?'

Tsubomi's opinion of women was not the best by far. She knew how females could be and she knew how a lot of them operated. They were so quick to buddy up to you and as soon as you turned your back, a knife would be plunged deep into it. Over time, she grew to hate most of her own kind. Tsubomi felt that if she hardened her heart enough, when someone tried to stab her in it, the blade would simply break it off.

Male friends were her only sense of comfort, and she had the mentality of a guy, a gay guy but nonetheless male. Plus, they understood her better and were far less likely to stab her in the back.

"Well, if you think I want your boyfriend, then you're wrong. I enjoy seeing the two of you together way more," the school girl smiled and clasped her hands together in adoration. No way would she ever think about coming between two beautiful specimens of the masculine world.

Such a thing would surely be a sin.

"Why am I surrounded by people with sick fetishes?" Tsubomi sighed in vexation as she closed her eyes and placed a hand to her forehead.

"You're special!"

"Don't get cheeky with me."

"Fine," Millie pouted and slumped down dramatically, looking her most dejected. 'Jeez, what's this guy's problem? He's a major jerk. He's cute…and gay…a cute, gay, jerk. Usually these guys are lovable in manga but in real life, you just hear hissing when they talk to you. Talk about cold as ice.'

Copernicus simply smiled at the two and looked to Tsubomi with gentle eyes. "Don't worry; you're my personal favorite, my little Tsubomi." He tried to chide the jealousy that built up within the tomboy by assuring her that he took no personal interest in Millie.

"Like I'm worried," the stripper replied with a jerk of her head. Her tone of voice was saturated in jealousy. 'I think I just played right into his trap.'

"So quick to be at my side, I like you."

"That's apparent."

"Don't be like that. We have to let her in on it," the vampire tried to reason with her. He knew that Tsubomi thought Millie was raining on their parade, and what was supposed to be a joke turned into something far more serious than both of them would have like to have been witness to.

"Are we going to do this to everyone we pick up?" Honestly, it felt more like people multiplied like roaches, infesting their lives. If this was some kind of reoccurring incident, then things would get annoying very fast.

"This one is different. She could be useful to us," Copernicus noted with a great deal of interest as he turned his sights to the girl.

"Then you talk to her," Tsubomi remarked coldly as she crossed her arms, closed her eyes, frowned, and turned her head stubbornly to the side. Someone like Millie was more than competition; she was a threat to her position as donor. If Copernicus took too much of a liking to her, she might lose her importance and usefulness. Replacement was a fear of hers in this situation and she didn't know why, but the stripper wanted to be someone important to her master.

"You really hate women, don't you? You're such a spiteful little thing."

"I just don't think we should trust her."

"Hello! I'm here!" Millie shouted in a scolding way at the two. Such disrespectful people they were, to speak of her in horrible ways as if she didn't even exist. Not only that but they downsized her for what little good she did.

"I didn't catch your name," Copernicus tried to make the situation a little better by reverting it to a friendlier subject matter.

"Millie Ashford, you must be Copernicus," the school girl bowed as she introduced herself in the traditional American way.

"Yes, I'm Copernicus J. Wittenberg, nice to make your acquaintance," the vampire laid a hand across his chest and gave her a very elegant and formal bow.

The Japanese girl tried very hard to concentrate but everything seemed jumbled. Their words were fuzzy and slurred together and Tsubomi could hear that familiar humming noise. Her skin tingled and she struggled to even keep her eyes open. 'Why…why is it so damned hard…to concentrate?'

She could faintly hear Millie ask something regarding what the vampire was that was after her. Vaguely, she could make out Copernicus' words as he spoke but they soon faded and his image fuzzed out, like a picture on a television with bad reception. Before she knew it, everything was black.

"It's a long story. I don't even know where to explain. You see, his name is Hizaki and the reason he's after me is-" The Inheritor only got half-way into his explanation before he heard a thump.

Turning around quickly, he managed to catch sight of the stripper as her form fell to the ground, unconscious. He called out her name in shock, and Millie's voice mimicked his own as the two of them ran over to her aid.

There was something wrong with her, something greater than just a fainting spell.

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Tsubomi cracked her eyes open as she slowly glanced around the light blue and white bedroom. The familiar smell of roses and expensive cologne filled her senses, and the light sound of classical music fluttered through her head. The girl turned her head to see the elaborate lace curtains and large sliding doors.

The bed smelled of him. No, of the both of them and the combined smells calmed her.

The stripper's head still spun, and her limbs ached. She felt empty, like she had no blood, and cold. Pulling the covers up around her, she turned in the other direction to see Millie, who seemed in awe at the large, lavish room, and Copernicus, who was standing there, ignoring the girl's reactions as he cast a sympathetic gaze to her. Tsubomi felt her heart sink a little. Did he truly think that she was so weak? Did he pity her?

What did those azure eyes project?

"You really are protective of him, aren't you? You haven't taken your eyes off of him this entire time," Millie noted as her magenta gaze went back to the vampire and softened.

"He's very important to me," Copernicus' voice was soft and endearing when he spoke of her, and Tsubomi couldn't help but feel a little warm upon hearing those words.

"Of course he is. He's your lover, right?" The girl found it sweet that he cared so much for the other male, but what was about to come made her rethink everything about the mysterious couple.

"That was a lie."

"What? You're not lovers?" Millie was genuinely shocked upon hearing the news. They looked good together and acted so friendly towards each other when she was walking home with her friends, but they weren't together. How could that be? It seemed unnatural for people that close not to be close.

"We were just toying with your minds. We have only known each other a week," the vampire informed her of the real situation at hand.

"Oh, so are you actually gay then?" For all she knew, they could have just been pretending to be gay in front of her. Copernicus was regal and very beautiful. Such a man could attract either sex.

"Gender doesn't matter to me."

The girl walked over and Tsubomi quickly shut her eyes as she felt the bed sink next to her stomach. "Do you love him?"

The question was so innocently asked, but it made Tsubomi's gut curl with an odd feeling. Perhaps it was the rising illness that clung to her slender body, or perhaps it was in anticipation of Copernicus' answer. She was attracted to him, and he was to her- so could there be something between them that exceeded the boundaries of master and donor?

"He understands me."

"Oh, come on! Seriously? There's nothing between you guys?" Millie could hardly believe it! It was an upset to know that the two of them weren't an item. To her, they seemed so cute together that it was hard to believe that it was all just an act.

The Inheritor was silent.

"Mr. Silent, huh?"

"It's rude to ask me about personal matters. You should be asking about the situation at hand, not my love life," Copernicus was quick to redirect the subject. He didn't want to think too long about Tsubomi's feelings towards him, and everything had been so awkward that it was uncomfortable to speak of such things.

"First, tell me if Tsubomi-kun will be alright," Millie glanced down at the stripper with a worried look on her face. The girl looked pale, but slept soundly. She had managed to drift back into a gentle sleep.

"He's just lethargic and a little anemic," an elegant hand was run over the side of the slumbering tomboy's face. The warm touch put Tsubomi's soul at ease. She didn't know why, but Copernicus' touches always soothed her. "His skin is cold but he should be fine." Tsubomi felt the covers being pulled put around her, caressing her small frame. "He just needs rest. He's been overdoing it."

"I think this is stupid but, are you a vampire?" Millie had wanted to ask him that for a while. A couple of times, when they spoke to each other, she could have sworn that she saw fangs but the girl didn't want to seem idiotic. After all, there were vampires after him as well and something about being in a royal court. So it must have meant that he was a vampire as well…didn't it?

"Yes, I am also a wanted man, but I'll explain that when Tsubomi wakes up. He doesn't know that about me and I want to tell him first. As my donor, he has the right to know," the Inheritor would rather Tsubomi know anyway, since she was the closest person to him.

"Donor?" Millie had heard that word before, but she was never too sure what it meant.

"He's a source of food for me. He volunteered to give me his blood. He's very selfless and I admire that about him."

"So, he serves you, right?" The school girl wanted to make sure that she got the facts straight.

"Yes, he is my servant in a way."

The girl suddenly became excited about the whole situation as she placed a hand to her mouth with a slight giggle. Millie's cheeks flushed at the victory of a possible couple being made before her very eyes. 'Oh my God!' The girl's mind squealed as she could hardly contain the yaoi thoughts and implications from spreading through her mind.

Copernicus sat a hand on the side of Tsubomi's face as the tomboy placed her hand on his, staring into his eyes with love and adoration and a slight blush that adorned her cheeks. This caused the brown-haired vampire to blush as well and a smile graced his features.

'I would do anything for you, master,' Tsubomi's words were dripping with implications and seductive in tone.

The girl squealed to herself, "that's so cute!"

"What is?" Copernicus asked, not really sure if he wanted to know about whatever fantasies the girl played out in her mind. No doubt it was something perverted involving him. Considering her earlier actions towards he and Tsubomi earlier, she was no doubt, a fan of homosexual male couples.

If he wasn't slightly disturbed at whatever thoughts she had of him at the moment, part of him would be mildly amused by that.

"Nothing!" She jolted and her form went rigid as she placed a hand behind her head and started to speak obnoxiously loud. "Yes, nothing is cute!" Millie laughed loudly, obviously lying.

"You're strange."

"Hey, I think you're strange, so we're even." Actually, he was the farthest thing from normal that she'd ever seen. Strange was a true understatement for what she thought that he was. Never in her life did Millie imagine that vampires existed, but less think of the possibility of meeting one.

In the bed beside of her, the girl felt Tsubomi stir awake and glanced down to the tomboy, who wore an innocent look of awakening. Millie noticed how beautiful her eyes were and mentally noted that the blue pools were her most stunning features. She could definitely pull off the defenseless uke look.

Something that further fueled her perversion.

"Copernicus…" The Japanese woman uttered through her haze of sleep as she spied the vampire, gazing on her form with concern.

"How do you feel, Tsubomi?" He asked as he leaned in close to her. She had been through so much since the time she had spent with him, and Copernicus was beginning to wonder if it was all too much of a strain on the young boy.

"I'll be alright. Sorry I couldn't follow through with my plan," Tsubomi glanced down and noted the failure at hand. She wasn't of any use to her master in this condition.

"Well, you saved Millie."

"Yeah, whatever," Tsubomi wasn't too thrilled with that fact. It was more of an annoyance than anything.

'What am I? Insignificant?' Millie fumed to herself from her position on the side of the bed.

"If you need anything, I can get it for you." The stripper offered as she held out her wrist, "here." Her offer was declined as Copernicus lightly held her hand and leveled her with his usual kind, soft smile.

"I'll be fine. Rest, my little Tsubomi," his words were like satin caressing her soul. A slight smile tugged on her features as she stared into those serene azure eyes of his, framed by dark lashes so gracefully.

"You shouldn't keep calling me that, you know. A person could get used to it," Tsubomi replied endearingly. Never had she been called a charming name like that before, and such things could easily cause her to believe that he meant it in other ways. Copernicus was such a flirt that it was hard to tell where the lines were with him. Some people would call him a Casanova, but Tsubomi thought there was something more to him than just that.

"Well, I'm not going to stop," the answer was in a serious, yet slightly playful tone.

'Why do I feel this way? When he talks to me like that…When he calls me that stupid little Tsubomi name…When I look into his eyes, I feel like I am the only one he sees. It's a warm, glowing feeling and I can't help but feel comfortable with him. If what Hizaki said was true…then he's in a royal court. No wonder he's called a blue blood. I wonder what position he's in…a knight maybe, or perhaps an advisor. He seems really smart.' Tsubomi pondered for a moment before she spoke. "Then, can I call you an annoying name too?"

"Depends."

"Oh what?"

The vampire leaned in close to her and swirled her tendril of long hair around his finger like a snake and purred in her ear, "I need something in return."

"Taking advantage of the defenseless, huh?" She responded, her eyes lazy and kind on his form. "Is that how you operate? First you hit on me when you were drunk and now you're hitting on me when I'm exhausted and I can't fight you back."

"You are my property," Copernicus reminded her of the truth behind their contract. As soon as he took the first drink of blood, she was marked as his.

"Sounds kind of nice to me," the Japanese girl nestled into his pillow and instantly regretted her words. 'That inhibition should have stayed in. I'm asking for it now.'

"Most people are offended by that," the Inheritor was intrigued by the tomboy's way of thinking. Most people didn't like to be claimed by another, especially not one that didn't love them but she didn't seem to mind. It was as if the situation was normal for her.

"I'm a masochist like that. Besides, you're the only one who seems to care, so belonging to you isn't that bad."

"So, have you abandoned the trust issues?"

"Maybe," Tsubomi teased. 'It's time to stop being so prude. Time to share something special and romantic with a handsome guy. I've never met anyone like him. I'm not sure if this is friendship…It feels so different than how things were at school. I don't want to believe that those alluring eyes just hypnotize me into being his prey.' Her long, elegant fingers coiled around his large hand, holding it back as azure hues rested upon the two clasped hands. 'I want to believe that he truly cares about me. I just hope that I'm not being stupid and acting like we're close when he treats all of his donors this way.'

It had been a fear of hers - the fear that Copernicus was simply acting out of instinct and gave all of his donors the same type of treatment. She didn't want to go into the situation blindly and think that the mysterious vampire who had recently came into her life was in love with her, when in fact, everything he had done so far could have been all part of standard procedure as far as the treatment of his donors went.

At this point, there really was no point in telling.

'Oh my gosh! So dreamy! I could stare at them all day!' Millie thought to herself in glee as she watched the two pretty boys before her, engaged in a cute moment of shounen-ai. It was like every fan girl's wildest dream! 'I hope they kiss, and Copernicus was acting like there was nothing going on between them!'

"I'm glad you're alright," the Inheritor's relief shone in his sapphire hues. He didn't seem to notice the strong look of adoration from the school girl, who sat close to Tsubomi.

"I've still got to work tomorrow. I can't go in today," Tsubomi knew that she was far too weak to get on that stage and begin to strip. One dance on the stage and she would no doubt topple over into the audience and a half-naked body falling into an audience was no fun. Not to mention, it was her luck that she would fall right into Copernicus' lap and her mask would be pulled from her face.

Rest was definitely the best option.

"I'll stay by your side. I'll make sure that you are well taken care of," the vampire reassured as he laid a hand on top of the weakened one below him. His words were a sweet promise helped her rest a little more peacefully.

Tsubomi thanked him, as she felt the space between their faces became less and less. Soon, she could feel his warm breath upon her, and the intoxicating smell of roses flooded her senses and caused her to feel as if she were drunk. All the stripper could do was stare into his eyes, those calming blue pools that possessed all of the kindness in the world for her. She felt her eyelids become heavy as her eyes shone with a mixture of pain and something that she couldn't quite describe. Tsubomi felt her heart slam against her chest as she slightly trembled at the slight moisture of his breath.

"You're a good friend," her voice was a little huskier than she had anticipated. No one had been this close to her face before, or held her so gently. It made her nervous and something else…but what was this strange feeling that she couldn't quite place?

"So are you," Copernicus inched closer, but the girl turned her head away at the last moment as she flushed a deep pink and looked wide-eyed, as if she had realized what she had done.

'What in the HELL was I doing? I almost gave him my first kiss!' Tsubomi scolded herself. It was one of the things that she cherished, one of the sacred things that she only wanted to give the person whom held her heart in the palm of her hand. At the moment in time, however, she had to ask herself- did the vampire not have a hold on at least part of it at the moment? Out of all of the people in the world, she could see herself kissing him the most. Tsubomi silenced her thoughts from further making inner comments on the subject.

"Something wrong? Are you hurting?" Copernicus looked concerned. She did jerk her head away quickly. He wondered if it was from pain or from the fact that they were so close.

"Yes, I just had a sharp pain from that fall. Sorry about that. I landed on my shoulder and it made my whole chest hurt," Tsubomi attempted to play off her action as logical. 'It's not entirely a lie. That actually did happen and it hurt like hell.'

The vampire closed his eyes and comforted her, telling her that she would be alright and that she simply needed rest. The stripper pulled the covers over her face in order to hide the blush that quickly stained her cheeks. She had been so close to kissing such a beautiful man and giving away her first kiss.

"Yeah, thanks…But I still want to talk to you," Tsubomi's voice became muffled beneath the covers.

"Well, we do need to discuss things, right?" Millie asked. After all, the entire situation was just strange - for all of them. Not to mention the fact that they were all thrown together so suddenly, and everyone seemed so uncomfortable with each other. It was time that they laid down some new rules and talk about how they were going to handle things from here on out.

The Inheritor agreed. As Tsubomi lightly pulled the covers away from her form and leveled him with a serious expression. "I didn't know you were part of a royal court."

"It's one of the reasons why Hizaki is after me. If he kills the members of the royal court, then he can initiate A Time of Ending," Copernicus began to explain.

"A Time of Ending?" Millie asked as she glanced to the vampire with inquisitive eyes.

"In many societies, there are prophecies that foretell the last great battle of good and evil. We vampires have a peace treaty based on that very principal, called the Time of Ending. I know the text by heart."

"Tell us what it is," Tsubomi wanted to know what the details of the text included and what Hizaki was trying to foreshadow as their future.

Copernicus began to recite the ancient text, that spoke of a blood-stained future for the vampires and humans alike. "And there grows near the foretold time. A time when the truth breaks fourth, like a chicken from its shell, at the moment of birth into the world.

The truth is upon the world and the wind becomes a gale. Once set free, the truth travels and releases knowledge. There shall be those on both sides who do not wish the truth be known, and yet, it shall become known to all. On that day, human shall turn against human, vampire against vampire, and brother shall slay brother, and friend shall slay friend…in the name of truth.

Then he shall have been the first, but his truth shall go unheeded and the children shall betray him. One of his own shall bring forth the tempest, and the child shall lead and so shall he become the first and the last.

In the end, there shall only be two kinds of humans: those who believe and understand and those who fear. The truth is upon the wind, and the wind becomes a gale, which shall blow across the land to devastate all within its path. The wind shall blow ill and so doth the Time of Ending become a plague on this land. The messenger rides fourth alone. The wall of stone is false 'tis but made of clay which is shattered as the balance is shattered.

They who speak this truth are the first to die. The messenger comes fourth to drive truth unto the masses. The death is accomplished by the hand of evil, which is mistaken for the sword of right.

But though his lips are silent, the heart screams and the words rise as the Phoenix to Harold the end of the beginning. As the storm grows more ponderous, they shall hear the wind song and what was fantastic will be reality, and reality will be proven.

He who is the first and he who is the last shall know the truth. As they do, so shall all and the tempest subsides, leaving the destruction, a memory…the voices echo and the truth, evident.

And brother kills brother, and friend lies to friend…and loves are lost as friendships die and the wind blows cold.

The silent battle rages, the balance is no more and yet, doth the end came slowly…with promise of renewed light."

"That's scary," Millie looked a little worried now. Was this truly the fate of humankind if Hizaki decided to put the Time of Ending into effect? That meant that vampires would plague the world and kill the humans who feared them. It also meant that the humans would either accept the vampires or die. It sounded stranger than fiction but since she had known Copernicus and had seen the truth for herself, the girl soon knew that the threat was very real.

"Doesn't everyone agree to battle in The Time of Ending?" Tsubomi asked. From what she had just heard, the vampires and humans had agreed to battle and everything was planned before it had taken place.

"Yes, but without the royal family around to maintain the vampuric society, many will see fit to do as they wish. We have many treaties with humans that follow under the Time of Ending. The treaty keeps the balance between human and vampire," Copernicus explained.

"So, I guess the royal family enforced it," Millie replied.

"Yes."

"A war of that magnitude will prove the existence of vampires to the world," Tsubomi stated that the importance of the war would shatter all myth that surrounded a being like Copernicus, and it worried her.

"Vampires have always been safe because of the myths. As long as people believed in the myths, the vampire remained safe to function freely due to the disbelief of mankind," Copernicus explained. Hiding behind the myth had become a way of life for beings like him, and as long as humans believed it then no harm was done.

"The truth about vampires would change that balance," Tsubomi noted.

"Would there be a threat?" The school girl wondered aloud.

"Why would they want to endanger themselves for humans?" The tomboy asked. Humans were cruel, and no doubt the vampires would be made into spectacles or sick experiments.

"I feel humans can be saved, but I don't want to risk the loss and safety due to those myths." If there was a way for him to keep under wraps about himself while doing so, then it would be great but Copernicus knew the task was next to impossible.

"Humans have always feared what they don't understand and tend to kill the things they are afraid of. Most of them hate vampires because of the legends. So really, it would be totally up to them whether or not to keep the treaty," Millie stated. Some humans would be accepting of the vampires and some would not. It made the Time of Ending right in a way, there would be those who understood and those who feared.

"Some humans know the truth of our existence…and it cannot be altered." Blue eyes were cast to the ground in worry, but they soon found their way to the tomboy as she placed her other hand over his to attempt to chide his fears.

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, if we can help it," Tsubomi told him with determination as she looked into that gentle gaze, the gaze that she didn't want to see shattered by sorrow or marred by malice.

In the end, she wanted nothing more than to see Copernicus smile the placid smile he had possessed when they first met.

…To Be Continued…