S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ The Spectre's Seven ❯ Chapter Five--You Look So Good, They Will Eat You Alive ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: No.

A/N: Okay folks, here's how it goes. This chapter is about Raviel and Mimori and the next revolves around Kazuma, Ryuho, and the rest of the gang. Now knowing this, reading this chapter is entirely up to you. Whether you decide to read it or not doesn't make a difference. Cheers.

Chapter Five--You Look So Good, They Will Eat You Alive

Asuka awaited the return of the two Legendary Alter Users. But when they returned, it was empty handed.

"Kazu-kun!" Kanami fled towards her longtime friend and jumped into his arms.

"Are you all right Kanami? That guy didn't touch you did he?" Kazuma asked, concerned.

"Kazu-kun, Kazu-kun," She nestled her face into his shirt. "You came back."

"I told you I would, didn't I? Any time you were in trouble I told you I'd come back for you."

Asuka stepped up to the plate. "Where's the third accomplice? And Ms. Kiryu?"

"Gone," Ryuho said, his voice disappointed. "They got away."

Asuka tensed. "Got away!? What do you mean?"

"Never mind," Ryuho waved him away. "I'll tell you about it later."

"Ryuho you can't do that! If he has Mimori as a hostage now, there's no telling…"

"Shut up Tachibana." Ryuho brushed past him. Looking down the hillside, he saw Urizane and Elian keeping hold on the two bandits that had escaped earlier. "Are those…?"

"Two of the bandits that caused the disruption." Asuka said, bitter feelings towards Ryuho beginning to arise. "It was your job to capture the third."

Pivoting on one heel, Ryuho spat, "Didn't I tell you to shut up!? You don't know anything!"

The green haired man's ears perked up at the sound of Urizane's voice from down the hill.

"Ryuho! Kazuma! We caught them!"

Ryuho felt ill to his stomach.

"We showed those thugs what happens when you cross paths with…" Urizane stopped halfway up the hill. "Where's Ms. Kiryu? And…wasn't there supposed to be a third accomplice?"

Ryuho growled and stomped off.

Staring after the younger man, Urizane asked, "Was it something I said?"

-----------------------------

"Sir!" Isaac Crane was interrupted in his office.

"Yes?"

"Word Sir!" An obedient HOLY-S member dashed into the room. "The cargo hold has been ambushed. All the supplies were lost."

Surprisingly, Crane remained quite calm. "Who caused the upheaval?"

"Supposedly it was those bandits again."

Crane tapped the end of his pen against the polish of his desk. "Hmm, that's not unusual."

"There's more. Mimori Kiryu was there as well as those two Legendary Alters."

This caught Crane's attention. "Mimori…Kiryu? And our dear friends, Kazuma and Ryuho?"

"Yes."

"Where are they now?"

The member tensed, startled. "Well…Miss Kiryu has been…taken hostage by the bandits…and Ryuho and Kazuma…They…"

"Yes?"

"…They got away."

Crane sat there, unmoving, for a brief moment.

"They got away?"

"Yes."

He gave an exasperated sigh, his patience thinning. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"Uh…"

"We have to look for them."

"Which would you prefer to have us look for?"

"Mimori Kiryu. Once she learns the death of her family, she will try all she can to find out about it. We could lose the money then."

"…T-The death Sir? It was that soon?"

Crane chuckled, such an absurd question it was. "If I had postponed it, they would've gotten in our way." Then, arising to his feet. "I'd like to play with my new toys. Send out the new recruits from the Mainland. Have the Unified Resource Broadcast Committee take care of the findings."

"The URBC, Sir?"

Crane nodded. "That would be right."

"I understand Sir. Your orders will be carried out."

-----------------------------

The boat, under the intense pressure from the chase, was pronounced dead.

"Looks like the engine blew," Raviel said, using his hand to clear away the smoke emitting from the engine. "We were lucky it didn't blow the ship up completely."

But now the two were stranded out in the middle of the ocean.

"By the way," He added. "Since we're going to be stuck together for awhile, I don't see the harm in telling you my name. It's Raviel." Raviel plopped down in his seat, using his arms as a perch behind his head, and crossed one leg over the other.

"Get comfortable why don't you?" Mimori said bitterly. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Take a chill pill will ya? I offer you friendship and give you my name and that's all you can say? You've done nothing but nagged since I took you hostage."

"And you can't see WHY I'm angry!?"

"All right, maybe the word 'hostage' was a little too offensive, but you catch my drift."

"How can you say that!?"

"And you didn't have to slap me earlier either. That was uncalled for."

Mimori jumped up, her small hands balled into fists at her sides. "How dare you!"

Raviel laughed and blew a strand of loose hair from his face. "Ya? Me?"

"You pig!"

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break my perfect ego." He continued to laugh, finding the entire ordeal hysterical.

"I feel sorry for Kanami for having to be stuck with a selfish man like yourself!"

Raviel rose a single brow. "Excuse me? Kanami and I are great pals. It's that Kazuma guy you should be calling the chauvinistic pig."

"Don't lie!" Mimori huffed. "You put that little girl through turmoil!"

"I did?"

"And even though Kazuma may be a lot of things, I see how he really cares about that girl!"

"Okay time out," Raviel rocked his body back and with great momentum, swung himself up to his feet. "NOW we have a problem." Then, holding a finger in her face. "See, that's not what Kanami said. She told me that she hadn't even SEEN the guy in four years. Then he would always take off running. Ya know, I may not be as motivated as that guy, but at least I have the decency of taking care of the people that matter to me and not shoving them aside so that I can be the hero."

Mimori's voice fell to an acceptable volume. "Then…why did you kidnap her in the first place?"

All at once, Raviel's hands went above his head, defensively. "In all honesty, that was never planned. It was just in the midst of the confusion of things. We didn't let her go though because she had already seen our faces and we weren't sure what to expect from her. But as time went on, it was actually that she didn't WANT to leave."

"And why on earth would she decide to do that?" Mimori asked, skeptically.

With an embarrassed laugh, Raviel answered, "Guess she figured that we men weren't capable of taking care of ourselves. None of us could even cook. And Gray's Toilet Paper Surprise doesn't count." When he saw the look on her face, he added hastily, "Look if you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself. We didn't brainwash her or devour her soul or anything."

"That's NOT what I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?" Raviel, though despite his cool nature, was beginning to find that these nonstop questions piqued him.

"You don't understand what we went through." Mimori said, turning her back to him. "How worried we were, how frightened. We checked that paper everyday in fear, expecting to see her name in it. We never knew if she was alive or dead and you can just sit there with that grin on your face like it means nothing at all!"

Raviel was silent for a mere moment, her words not quite attaching themselves to him as she would've liked.

"I…uh…I'm sorry about that…"

"Sorry!?" She spun on her heel, daggers in her eyes. "You're sorry!? That's all you can say!?"

Raviel shrugged. "Well I meant it. What? You want me to kill myself now?"

She couldn't believe his words. "You're HOPELESS!"

"Well you know what, Princess? If you knew what it was like living here in the Lost Ground, you'd see things my way."

"That's no excuse! And don't call me Pr- - "

"I KNOW it's not an excuse," Raviel talked over her. "But if we HAD given her up without caution, it would be the slammer for us."

Mimori folded her arms over her chest. "And it would serve you right. After you caused the Mainland to pull out like that…"

"Hey, hey!" Raviel waved his hands at her. "Don't be saying stuff you know nothing about! We didn't cause ANYTHING to happen."

Mimori had her doubts, but the look on his face showed no lies. He was serious.

"Then…How is HOLY…"

"Search me," He interrupted. "But let me tell ya now. We aren't the bad guys in this. We make a living any way we can."

"Stealing from the people…"

"Correction, Princess. Stealing from the Mainland." Raviel flashed her a smile. "Now I know that it may sound appalling and all since you're one of the wealthiest families of the Mainland, but…"

"Just because my father is an important figure on the Mainland doesn't mean I support everything the Mainland is doing." She sat back down.

The waves crashed up against the side of the boat, breaking the silence between them.

"Everyone thought you were dead." He said.

"Maybe I just don't like making my presence known."

Couldn't argue with that.

"Even with HOLY?"

"I acted like a normal worker amongst them. I never asked for special privileges. They handed them to me instead."

"Bummer," He said, sitting next to her. "You're more mundane than anyone else I've known. Very down to earth."

"I don't try to act like someone I'm not. We're not God."

Good answer.

"I see," He nodded. "That's very interesting. I remember always hearing good things about you. Must've been hard not being able to fit into society and all…"

"There was nothing I could do about the biased opinions of the people. Still I…" She trailed off.

"You never gave up." Raviel nodded again in understanding. "That's like how we poor folk are, ya get my drift?"

"Believe it or not, but most of my friends ARE Alter Users themselves."

"Ah, so you're an Inner now, correct?" He chuckled. "Native Alters and Inners. Just like the city folk. HOLY…HOLD…Man I remember a time when we never had to worry about labels."

Mimori's brows rose in confusion. How could he remember back that far?

"But aren't you…"

"Twenty-five," He answered. Her words hung in mid-sentence and he grinned. Raviel seemed to smile quite often. "You're wondering how I knew you were going to ask that."

"Yes."

"Quite obvious. I get that a lot." He moved to the side of the boat, looking out into the icy waters of the ocean. Dusk was beginning to merge with the light of the sky. "Yes it's true that I was born one year after the Great Uprising, but you'd be amazed at what I knew."

"You said that you remember a time when you can recall a society in which labels were never required." Mimori moved beside him. "When?"

"Oh geez that was years ago," He said, moving his wrist in circles, as if to indicate the time spent in his life. "I've been just about everywhere. France, Germany, America, Britain, you name it."

Then why?

"Why would you decide to come back to the Lost Ground after that?" Mimori could hardly believe it. This man must've had more sense than that!

He shrugged. "Pretty stupid huh? But I grew up here. I can't change my past. Most people nowadays don't choose to leave the Lost Ground, but I'm sure that if they had just one moment of living a normal life, they wouldn't want to go back. My mother died here on the Lost Ground. I wouldn't be honoring her if I just ran away and never came back."

"And your father?"

Raviel shook his head, his mouth drawn into a straight line. "The heck would I know? I never even met the guy. If him and I passed each other on the street, I'd just think of him as another civilian. Probably rob him, but just another civilian. I'd never know that that guy was my dad."

It was an answer. Not the one that Mimori would have expected from someone who was always living on the edge, but it was an answer nonetheless.

"I see." Was all she could say.

He fell back onto the seat, propping his arms behind him.

"So yeah, that's my life story. Sad isn't it? But enough about me and you for a while. I'm burned out."

"What?" Her eyes watched as he closed his eyes and snuggled into the seat. "You mean you're not even going to try and fix the boat?"

"Nah, someone will find us soon enough. Best not to worry now."

She suddenly remembered why she disliked him.

Turning her head away from him, she immediately gazed in awe as land appeared over the horizon.

"L-Land!" She exclaimed. "Land!"

Opening a single eye, Raviel smiled. "Well I'll be…"

-----------------------------

"What do you mean hostile actions!? Kazu-kun, I'm FINE!" Kanami argued with the older man. "They treated me kindly and took care of me!"

"See? They even brainwashed you," Kazuma said, pointing at her. "How can you believe that for one moment what they did was right?"

"And what about you and your 'jobs' with Mr. Kimishima?" She retorted.

Kimishima's name certainly hit home and Kazuma didn't even have the gull to quarrel anymore.

"Those were different," He said hastily and retreated to the screen door. "I didn't kidnap anyone."

"That's NOT what I mean!" She cried as the screen door slammed shut and Kazuma disappeared into the dark night.

"Let him be, Kanami," Ryuho said, stepping out from the kitchen with a mug in his hands. His alluring eyes escaped from her and stopped at the door. Brushing past her, he sat down in the chair beside Asuka's desk.

"Ryuho, don't you agree with me?" She begged for compassion, but he would show her none. "Please Ryuho! They're my friends!"

"With friends like those, who needs enemies?"

She sulked. No one would listen to her.

Gray and Sydney were locked in Asuka's spare bedroom, the windows bolted, the doors locked, and the two bound together with rope and chains. Not to mention, Elian was keeping a constant eye on them while Urizane made unnecessary threats from the other side of the door.

"Ryuho please!"

"Enough!" He snapped. "Enough Kanami!"

She turned heel and fled to her room, weeping.

-----------------------------

"Is this wrong?" Asuka asked minutes later after Kanami had dashed to her room. "What if she's right?"

"It doesn't matter," Ryuho said calmly, sipping from his mug. "The fact still stands that they are alleged criminals who have disrupted peace and order, robbed from all over the Lost Ground, and kidnapped innocent children."

Asuka sighed. "But is it right? Are they really that bad? Kanami seems to be fine, Ryuho. Even that must surprise you. I know I was."

"Asuka, we all made the decision together how we should handle these thieves. In fact, if I can recall, it was YOU who offered to hand them over to the authority right then and there."

"I know but…"

"Kanami is still young. She is not fully aware of the dangers in the outside world. If I can, I would like to protect her from them for as long as possible."

"You're not her father, Ryuho."

"Nor do I expect to be. That is not why I do what I do."

-----------------------------

"Commander Crane!" Came over the intercom.

"Yes, what is it now?"

"The URBCs have located an unusual reading to the northwestern point of the Lost Ground!"

"The northwestern region?" Crane quirked. "Isn't that where…"

"The eruption first hit 22 years ago. A small, isolated village lays over that region."

Licking his lips in satisfaction, Isaac spoke the next few words proudly. "Call back Unit Z and Q from the specified city point. I think we need to pay the isolated rebels a visit…"

-----------------------------

"What do you think a village would be doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" Raviel asked as he and Mimori left the boat at shore. Just several yards from shore, they could spot the smoldering glint of light coming from beyond the stream of trees before them.

They trudged up the hill, a faint smell of cooked meat playing at the tips of their noses.

"Mmm," Raviel ran his tongue over his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. They have food."

"I find it to be quite puzzling myself," Mimori said, not sharing the same joy as he. "According to my beliefs, we are on the northwestern side of the Lost Ground where the ground cracked and seceded from the rest of Japan 22 years ago."

"Yeah? And?"

She stopped in mid-track. "What that means is that there should be absolutely nothing living on this side of the Lost Ground…at least not so close to here. The air is completely permeated with radiation!"

"Well maybe they got lucky?"

"I highly doubt it," Mimori snorted. "Even if they were Alter Users, they wouldn't be able to stand this much radiation. It won't be long before you and I feel its effects as well. I suggest that we find someone to repair the boat and get out of here as soon as possible."

"Hey you included me on our quest!" Raviel beamed, delighted. "And all this time I thought you hated me."

"I do…wait…" Suddenly scowling, she stomped ahead of him.

"Women…" He shook his head.

But sure enough, they came to a large gate barricading them from continuing any further. Raviel pressed an ear to the wood, and the sounds of a sizzling fire and voices was enough to soothe him.

"I'm happy," He told Mimori. "Let's knock."

"Well…I suppose…"

"HEY!" Raviel slammed his fist against the door long before Mimori had completed her sentence. "OPEN UP YA HOSERS!"

"Hosers?" Mimori blinked.

Shrugging, Raviel waited for a reply. Finally, several small steps edged up to the door.

"Who's there!?" A child-like voice called from inside.

"We're travelers from the other side of the Lost Ground," Raviel answered. "Our boat broke down and we were wondering if someone could help us fix it."

"Travelers?" A second child chirped. "We don't want any travelers here! Go away!"

"Wow. Hospitable little buggers, aren't they?" Raviel looked over his shoulder at Mimori.

Suddenly, a round object materialized from over the top of the gate, whistling, and hit Raviel upside the head.

"SON OF A--" He screamed, toppling to the ground and clutching his head. "You little brats! You are all in dire need of a well deserved spanking!"

"Oh my," Mimori said, a hand to her mouth.

Foaming at the mouth, Raviel scurried to his feet, pushing the coat sleeves of what had once been his disguise up each arm. "When I get through with you…" His body radiated with anger.

"Wait," The first child interrupted. "Did you say 'travelers'? From the other side of the Lost Ground?"

"Yes!" Raviel spat. "What? Am I talking with a lisp?"

"Yum…it's been a long time since we've had anyone from the other side Lost Ground come by."

"Yum?" Raviel instantly forgot his anger and turned his gaze to the younger woman. "What kind of greeting is 'yum'?"

Mimori had no time to respond as the wooden gate creaked and moaned, insinuating that it had indeed been a long time since the village had opened its doors to outsiders. They were ushered into the village by the children, who began to push them from behind. Staggering over his own feet, Raviel turned to the slums, where poorly built houses, built in two rows down the street, hovered over them like a shadow, hauntingly. Rubble and debris littered the small village, reminding Raviel of a landfill. It was tragic indeed.

He averted his gaze to the night sky, where thick gray clouds had moved in overhead and hid the moon from his sight. He hated moonless nights. Bringing his attention back to the town, he noticed that the further he walked, the heavier the air felt. This was what Mimori had said, he recalled, about the radiation from the Great Uprising. How these people could bear it, he did not know.

Soon the street came to a fork, and split down who knows where. Another thing he noticed was the lack of houses down at the end of the street. He tried to ignore it. Perhaps it really was just a small village.

"This way," And Raviel was pushed in the direction of a small house.

"Uh…may I ask where we are going?" Mimori turned her head to look down at the small child.

"You can't go anywhere until you've met Mr. Mayor. He's the one who takes in all the travelers."

"Sounds fair enough," Raviel muttered as he stepped up onto the porch and opened the front door.

"Yes! Yes! Very fair indeed!" The children chirped.

Mimori and Raviel stumbled over their own feet as they came into an open room with an ignited fireplace in the far back. A large wool carpet lay sprawled out on the floor and several boxes were thrown into the corners. Other than that, the wooden room was very spacious. A long hall branched off to the right, where the bedrooms must've been located, Raviel assumed.

Diverting his attention to the creaking footsteps behind him, he caught the wistful eyes of a wizened man slowly approaching him and Mimori.

"My it's been such a long time since we've had any visitors come here to our lowly village. Please, make yourselves at home."

A big grin broke at Raviel's face. "Hey, that means that we can have all the food we want, right?"

"Don't be so rude," Mimori said harshly, her eyes narrowing.

"But we're their guests," Raviel argued. "And we're entitled to act as guests." Then, turning his large eyes back to the Mayor, asking for consent. "Right Mr. Mayor?"

"But of course! You must stay with us! You must eat, sleep here, and make yourselves comfortable! Come! This way! I will take you to our great feast…"

Mimori realized that she had been outvoted, and she shuffled hesitantly towards the eager old man who beckoned her forth. She was taken aback when she suddenly was constrained by a strong arm.

"On second thought Mr. Mayor," Raviel said, "the lady SHOULD be the one who decides for us. After all, where would we modest men be without the exquisite form of woman? The same women who cherish, comfort us, and deprive us of any fun."

The Mayor was at a loss for words, no doubt, not expecting such a string of words from this man. "I…uh…"

Mimori spun on her back heel, glaring at the older man. "What are you…"

"Just play along," He whispered back and then his voice heightened to a dull roar. "Yes my dearest! We shall find you a warm bed in which you may lay your soft and gentle head! Mr. Mayor! Surely you have supplied such commodities ahead of time? In case of our arrival?"

"Well…no one actually portended your coming…"

"Of course! So we shall have to make do! Quickly now!" Raviel pulled Mimori into the other room. "Before she faints from such exhaustion, I shall find her a cot! Do forgive me my dearest Mayor, but I must tend to the woman!" Then, shouting from down the hall. "I bid thee a fare night!"

"What's with all the elaborate talk!?" Mimori hissed, her arm becoming sore from Raviel's tugging and pulling.

"Never you mind my dearest lady," Raviel told her, opening doors from side to side, searching for a bedroom. "I am only here to serve you. Now, let me find you a comfortable pillow."

"But what about our boat!?"

"The boat can wait, precious. Materialistic things shouldn't be the top priority on your mind anyway."

Then he yanked her arm into a dark room with two dirty cots. Shutting the door shut behind them, he began to fumble around the room.

"What are you looking for?"

"Candle. I don't think that it's a wise idea to sleep in the dark…if you know what I mean…"

Mimori had the sudden urge to reply to that remark, but even in complete darkness, she could see his cold blue eyes. All humor had left him.

"Get some rest," He told her. "We'll fix the boat first thing tomorrow."

-----------------------------

Raviel could not find a candle, much to his disappointment, so he sat close to the window, where darkness overtook the sky. Mimori slept soundly on one of the cots, no doubt unaware of the augmenting tension prowling around them. Raviel was not tired, for he was used to nights like these and often worked through them up until dawn. Still, he was silent. Something was out of place.

"…One of them is an Alter User…" Came a meek voice from outside the door.

The blonde man jumped, startled. He had lost track of the time hours ago and was not certain how long he had been sitting there. But now, another voice chimed in, and they were approaching the door.

"Mmmm, Alter User…But are you sure? Mr. Mayor said that they are ordinary travelers."

"Well…maybe you're right, but the girl still looks tasty. Mr. Mayor won't mind if we have just a little bite, right? Then we can make sure. If one of them is an Alter User, then we'll be able to tell because their power will instantly be ours, right?"

"Hmmm, I don't see the harm in that…Besides, we can always shift the blame to someone else if Mr. Mayor gets angry."

Raviel held his breath. Alter User? How could they…!?

The doorknob turned!

"Shh…Mr. Mayor said that they're in here…"

"Evening fellas!" Raviel jerked the door wide open and stared down at the two children who had welcomed him and Mimori into the village earlier. "What's this about eating? I'm starved!"

"H…He's awake!" One of the children cried, terrified.

"Hey don't wake the lady now," Raviel said, pushing himself and the children out into the hall, shutting the door behind him. "Then I'm sure she'll eat us all."

"W-What!?" The other child shrieked. "She's a demon too!?"

"Demon, eh?" Raviel's eyebrow rose in question.

"Idiot!" The first child socked the other. "Why did you say that!?"

"Well…seeing as how demons are no fun…" Raviel brought up his hands and slid his leg back, assuming a fighting stance. "…I guess that means I'll have to trounce ya."

"T-Trounce!?" The children wailed. "How horrible!"

"Maybe I'll have to eat you instead." The blonde thief grinned.

"Mr. Mayor won't be pleased to hear this!" The children turned heel and fled down the hall. "He won't be pleased at all!"

Disengaging himself from his posture, Raviel stood upright, and stared after the children. "These people eat Alter Users? For their power? What makes them think that if they eat Alter Users, their power will be transferred to the consumer?" The blonde man shook his head. "Geez…I knew I should've listened to the Princess…"

Rushing back into the room, Raviel lunged on top of Mimori's cot and began to shake her by the shoulders.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" He hissed.

"I was awake the moment you jumped on top of me!" Mimori said angrily. "What do you think you're doing, you pervert!?"

"Pervert?" Raviel paused and then shook his head. "Never mind. We've got to get out of here! These guys are cannibals!"

"Cannibals?"

"That's right!" Then Raviel leaned down and threw Mimori across his back. "Now let's get out of here before we become human sandwiches with a side of shredded eye guts…or something."

"Put me down!" Mimori shouted, thrashing about and beating her balled fists against Raviel's back. "Put me down NOW!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Geez, okay!" He set her down onto the floor and hobbled away from her, clutching his injured shoulders and back. "That hurt!"

"How can you be so sure?" Mimori asked, suspiciously. "Could you just have been sleeping or something?"

"Noooooo!" Raviel rolled his eyes. "I overheard the little munchkins from earlier talking about it! They came here just a moment ago for a midnight snack, I.E. US. Now would you PLEASE stand up so we can leave this creepy place?"

Mimori was reluctant, but the look in the man's eyes startled her. "You're…not joking…are you?"

"Does it LOOK like I'm joking?" Raviel snapped. "No, I'm NOT joking." Then he leaned over and grabbed her arm. "Listen, I apologize ahead of time for having to drag you along, but I'd like to live to see tomorrow." And then he sprinted from the room, tugging Mimori along behind him.

To his surprise, she did not complain about his grip being so tight, or his jerking causing her any pain. Instead, she said, "Tell me all about it."

"In just a moment," He agreed, throwing the front door open and jumping into the street. "Right now, I just want to get out of here."

Reasonable enough.

But then he was let down.

"W-What…?" He asked aloud. "What's this?" The entire city had changed its layout. The way they had come in before was no longer there.

"Raviel," Mimori pointed to the sky. Raviel hadn't even taken notice that this had been the first time she had called him by name. "Look!" Indeed, the fog had turned red.

"Blood?" He found himself say. "Is this blood?"

"Blood of the people they have consumed?" Mimori followed up on the next question. "Could it be that blood and the radiation from the eruption of the Great Uprising?"

"Princess, these guys eat Alter Users!" Raviel took her by the shoulders. "They think that if they eat Alter Users, the power from those Alter Users will be passed unto them."

Mimori's mouth fell agape, and her eyes widened.

"Perhaps you are right," He said. "about the Alter Radiation. It has made these people go mad. None of them are Alter Users, but by being around it so often and not having its actual power…well…it's like a cat being teased by a hovering mouse on a string."

Indeed. This was true. "But it hasn't affected us yet," Mimori protested.

"Not in the way that it has these people who have been suffering by its power for 22 years. However, in short-term ailments, it's made you grow weary and tired. You slept through the entire incident with the children, who both them and I were shouting loud enough to wake an average person."

"…I see," Mimori said, turning from him. "The differences of ailments between each person due to the Alter Radiation…It's horrible."

"That's right," Raviel agreed. "But that doesn't explain how the town was able to change layouts."

"It hasn't." Came another voice. Both Mimori and Raviel turned to stare down the old Mayor and all of the villagers. "It seems you've figured out the power of our Alter Radiation, but it's done more to you than just made you tired…It's distorted your senses as well. The town is just as it was when you came in…Nothing's changed…"

The hairs on the back of Raviel's head stood up.

"But that doesn't change my thoughts about the two of you!" The Mayor continued. "One of you…IS an Alter User…Which is it?"

"My, my, dear old man," The blonde thief grinned. "What leads you to assume such things? You know what they say about people who assume things. Usually they are wrong and it makes an ass out of you and me…but mostly me."

"Yes, but we…are not wrong…" The old man ran his tongue over his teeth, baring them for just a moment. The townsfolk behind him did the same thing. "So which is it?" He repeated.

'Alter Users…eh?' Raviel still clung to Mimori's hand. 'My, my, my…They are thinkers, aren't they?'

Then with a sudden burst of energy, Raviel pointed behind the Mayor and shouted, "IT'S THEM! MONSTERS!"

Panicked, all eyes turned down the road to see a blonde man with a woman running away.

"Who the…?" The Mayor paused and then turned back to Raviel and Mimori…who were gone. "What on earth!? But wasn't that just…!?" He turned back and forth to where he had just seen the man and woman running down the other end of the street back to where Mimori and Raviel had just stood…

…but had mysteriously vanished.

"Where did they go!?" One of the cannibals cried.

"Who were those two!? They looked just like…"

Suddenly, a piquant sensation tickled the Mayor's nose. It was the smell of an Alter User. "Someone…just used…their Alter…"

"What were they looking at?" Mimori asked. "I didn't see anyone…"

Raviel stopped short behind a broken down house far along down the road.

"Beats me," He grinned. "I didn't see anyone either. I just pointed down the road behind them." Then he slid down against the back of the house. "Now how are we going to get out of here?"

"The Alter Radiation has us trapped," Mimori said, beyond the corner of the house. "If we don't break free from the illusion of it, then we'll never get out of here."

"Nothing looks familiar anyway." Then the blonde man gazed up at the sky. "This bloody fog doesn't help either, does it?"

Mimori joined him at the foot of the house, resting her back against the cold boards. "We can't give up," She told him. "There must be a way to get out of here!"

"Hmm," He rubbed his chin. "What if there's a particular pattern to all of this? Like the formation to this layout is backwards or something…?"

"Eh…" Mimori wasn't too sure.

"Listen," Raviel said, standing up. "Stay here. I'm going to break this spell once and for all."

"Why should you have the right to go and I stay here!?" She argued. "You're not an Alter User either!"

"No, but I'm a thief." He replied. "My job is to move as stealthily as possible. Just trust me on this one. Besides, if you got hurt, your friends will never forgive me."

"Raviel!" She called after him.

But he had already slipped into the darkness.

-----------------------------

"Isaac Crane!" Came over the radio. "There is a boat here Sir. It is the same brand from the dock located on the other side of the mountain."

"Is there anyone inside?" Crane asked coolly.

A short pause, and then…

"Negative Sir."

"Well then…they must've already gained access into the village…"

"Permission to storm the village, Sir?"

Crane sat, buckled into his seat, and looked over to the driver of the HOLY van. "Take whatever precautions necessary. If the residents look hostile…take them into custody."

"Understood Commander. Where are your pinpoints?"

"On Route 385," Crane replied. "We will be joining you in a little less than five minutes. Send a report to the other vehicles to surround the village and take every man, woman, and child into custody." Crane tapped his two forefingers together. "I would like to see my new toys in action too. Send them in first, followed by Unit F, Q, and Z, and lastly, send in HOLD to maintain order. This could get ugly."

"Roger that, Sir. And what would you have us tell the URBCs?"

"Tell them that we are justified in doing this for a good cause…"

Thirty HOLD and HOLY vans rode the streets of the northwestern region, tearing up the land and forestry that had once remained undisturbed there.

No one was safe from HOLY.

-----------------------------

"Just as I thought!" Raviel laughed, coming upon the large gate that he and Mimori had walked through just hours before. "The layout was backwards. Surely they didn't think that their spell would hold us, did it? What a nuisance…"

But he had been gone for a little too long. He knew that he had to go back to Mimori while the townsfolk were still following that illusion, and escape. If daybreak came too soon, they would be spotted and thrown into the spices to make eggs benedict.

He fingered the gate one last time and then ran back along the path he had fashioned. Then Raviel's chest grew heavy, as though someone or something was warning him not to go back. But Mimori was there! But something…something! Yes something was there…

And then his steps became too arduous to finish and he fell back against the wall of one of the many houses that lined that strip. He was so close now! What was holding him back?

Raviel caught the sound of a low voice…Then another voice…then laughter from many people! His eyes scanned the horizon for a silhouette of any such figures.

"That man is an Alter User! He is the first we've had in over thirteen years! We MUST have him! Woman, where has he gone!?"

Soft whimpering…

"You choose not to speak? Then we'll eat you instead!"

"YEAH!" A loud commotion…obviously all was in favor of this decision.

"No, wait!" A protestation. "If we eat her now, then we'll never learn the whereabouts of the Alter User!"

"Aw it's not like she's gonna tell us anyway! I'm STARVING! Besides, there's no way he'll be able to make it out of the fog."

"Please! Just leave us alone!" Raviel recognized this voice!

"Great, it's the Mainlander Girl." He blew a strand of hair from his face, which had been dirtied during the escapade. "Guess it's my fault for leaving her there. I just wish those guys would pick on someone their own size." 'Or of their own mental capacity…' He added to his own thoughts.

Using a single arm to brace himself against the wall, Raviel jerked his gaze to the street. A dull aura formed around him, too faint to be traced.

The men who had gathered around Mimori were silent now, their nostrils teased by a sweet scent. One they could not ignore.

"Alteeeeeeer…" One man slurred the word, rolling it over his tongue, and he turned to his fellow cannibals, saliva spilling over his lips. "Can you feel it!? Alter!"

"Mmm…" It was the Mayor. He slithered up to Mimori, his bony fingers clasping her chin firmly.

"Oh geez, you guys never seem to give up, do you?" All attention was brought back to the streets as all the cannibals turned around to stare at Raviel, hands on hips, and giving them a smug grin.

"It's the Alter User!" One of the cannibals pointed out, causing a large stampede to break out into the streets, everyone aiming for the blonde thief.

"No! Stop!" Mimori cried as the Mayor discarded her and followed the violent herd out into the street, chasing Raviel down the road.

Once the cannibals disappeared from view, Mimori found the strength to stand, the well-being of the thief thwarting her. She hardly noticed the moving figure on the roof of the broken down domicile above her, until the large shadow leapt from the shingles and landed deftly in front of her. Mimori screamed, leaping backwards, and Raviel bowed lowly before her.

"Did you miss me?" He asked deviously.

Her breath was caught in her chest and her face went pale. "You…You…"

"I see your company has deserted you." And he stood erect, his eyes gazing upon the abandoned street. "Such rude hospitality."

"But you were…! How!?" Her loss for words aggravated her to no end.

Raviel knew what her troubles were, however, he would do nothing more than offer a mysterious smile. "I found the way out of here." He boasted. "Just thought that you would like to know."

-----------------------------

"Corner them from every side!" The members of HOLY-S shouted back and forth to each other, taking the cannibals by surprise as they came empty-handed up the street, their once known target vanishing without a trace.

"W-What on earth?" The Mayor's jaw trembled as he gradually looked around the circle forming around him and the other cannibals. Hundreds of soldiers dressed in the HOLD and HOLY-S garb thickened the oncoming circle around them, until a break was finally made and a man in a black top hat dressed in a suit walked proudly down the line, the soles of his shoes clicking against the broken stone of the street.

"Suspects are all in custody," A HOLD member announced to Isaac Crane.

A smile broke at the new Commander's face. "Ah, the cannibals of the northwestern region. Very valuable allies you would all make." He cocked his head slightly, staring at the members of HOLD closely. "Prepare a route to the Mainland."

"W-What are you doing?" The Mayor asked fearfully, all thoughts of Alter Users leaving him. "Who are you?"

Crane tipped his hat slightly. "Your new Commander, dear Mayor. You are all now in my custody."

-----------------------------

"That man!" Mimori cried as she and Raviel watched from their hiding place in the back of the town. "I saw his face in the newspaper!"

"That old geezer?" Raviel jerked a thumb in his direction. "Who's he?"

"That's Isaac Crane," The Mainland girl explained, the truth itself giving her cold chills. "He's the new Commander of HOLY."

"…Never heard of him," Raviel mumbled. "But he looks like a conniving pig. Let's get out of here before he and those other bozos notice us."

"Wait," Mimori grabbed onto his arm. "It's not right that we let them get done away like this, even if they did try to attack us."

"The correct term is 'eat,' Princess. And what do you want to do? Take on Crane and his army of geeks? We'll just use the information against him anyway. But we won't be any good to anyone if we get captured ourselves."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Mimori allowed herself to be pulled away, where Raviel led her to the exit.

-----------------------------

Daybreak was already upon them.

The blonde thief dashed down the hill, back to the abandoned boat, and then looked back at Mimori, who nearly tripped over herself, but regained her balance and followed after him. His blue eyes turned to the countless HOLD vehicles lined up on the other side of the forest and he frowned.

"Let me check the boat real quick," He said, taking a gander at the engine. Then his blood ran cold.

Stuck in the bottom of the engine was a single scimitar, driven directly into the heart of the engine. Forcing himself to wade into the shallow depths of the water, he quickly inhaled and submerged himself into the water, looking underneath the boat. Protruding from the bottom of the front of the boat was a small triton, all three points wedged deep into the engine.

Raviel jumped out of the water, screaming, "SEA MONKEYS!" His earsplitting cry startled Mimori, and she jumped backwards. Her eyes widened as he quickly moved out the water, his face horrified.

"What are earth are you talking about!?" She asked angrily. "You scared me half to death!"

"I know what happened to our boat!" He said, grabbing her shoulders. "Sea Monkeys!"

She looked at him skeptically. "Sea Monkeys are brine shrimp. Are you suggesting that brine shrimp attacked our boat?"

"No!" He shook his head frantically. "Sea MONKEYS! They're a rare breed of monkeys that come from the Amazon Jungles in the Sahara Desert in South Africa! Some how they managed to migrate from Africa here to Japan!"

She remained silent, not bothering to correct him on his stupidity. There WERE no jungles in the Sahara Desert, which was located in NORTH Africa, by the way.

Then he wailed, "YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME! NO ONE BELIEVES ME!" Instantaneously he released her shoulders and began to push the boat off the shore. "Quickly now! We'll have to row back to the dock! Before those HOLY Clowns find us! Hurry up and help me, Princess!"

Mimori held her face in her hands, and sighed heavily.

-----------------------------

Yes. I added the Monkeys of Duume. They're just randomly there. No explanation or anything. But they DO cause a lot of trouble throughout the story. ^_____^

Kat