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YOU BE QUIET! LAST NIGHT NEVER HAPPENED!

Monday.
Normally, it would be time for me to go to school, but Ciel firmly told me not to leave this room.
It's better if I don't go anywhere until Ciel returns.

"Sorry, not gonna be in today... I got possessed by a vampire. Should have it exorcised by tomorrow, though." I gotta try that excuse sometime.

…… Having to tell Akiha I won't be coming back for a while.
…… And to Kohaku-san. It can't be forgiven, but the fact that I have to apologize to her.
It's painful to leave those two things aside, but right now I think dealing with Roa takes priority.

"…………………"
I pull the sheets over my head.
Resisting the tightness I feel in my chest, I fall asleep once more.

Music: play track 4

No, the goal itself has not changed.
I aim for eternity.
I tried to seek out eternity for no reason.

That was, really a pure, undefiled will.

Changed.
I've changed.
My goal. The goal of attaining eternity has been degraded to a means to an end.

How ugly is this.
I understand so myself, yet I cannot change my heart.
That woman.
Because of that woman.

Because of that woman----I became impure.

Bloodlines fans: Am I the only one that hears these scenes in Grout's voice?

You can stop the aging, but that is only a halt. There is no meaning to a mind which has stopped.
I have to exist with the purity of my essence preserved.

Unless I can be like that---I won't reach that woman.

As expected, I will use the method of reincarnation.
Restarting from birth, being myself, and dying once more.
In this cycle, I can exist while preserving the purity of my self.

What I regret is that I've lost my original purity.
I, like those other pitiful wretches, am wishing to continue existing as my self as it is right now.

It was the first time I knew hate.
Because everything, it was a downfall which would have never occurred if that woman did not exist.

WROA gets bad reception in Ciel's apartment.

"…… This…… woman, I know……?"

--------------Throb!

"Gah---!"

---What, is, this, headache?

It isn't, it isn't, natural……!

"Ah…… gh……!"
I hold my head with both hands.
It hurts. I've never felt pain like this before.
My head. My head feels like it's being hit with a hammer.

"Gi-----!"
My body convulses.
It hurts. Won't it, ever, stop?

"Hya----"
It hurts so much that I smash my head against the table.

A shattering sound.
The glass table breaks into pieces.
Blood flows from my forehead.
But, it doesn't hurt one bit.
More than that, this headache that comes for no reason, is far more----

"-------,t"
Unbearable.
I can't even pass out.
How many seconds? How many minutes? How many hours, will this, pain last?

"---He,lp."
It hurts.
Trying to do something about it, I stab my hand with my knife.
It's no good. It doesn't, hurt at all.

"-------"
Ciel…… Ciel-senpai, has not come back yet. I look at the clock and it isn't even noon.
It hasn't even been an hour since I woke up.

There is, another twenty hours until tomorrow morning. Just knowing that almost makes me go insane.

"I-----can't."
Ciel told me not to leave this room.
But---If I stay here, I'll die before Roa takes over me.

"I'm saying----I can't."
My legs head towards the door.

For no reason.

I really wanted to see the golden moon.

Music: stop

There's no sign of anyone else.
A cocoon that's like a spider's web is everywhere on every building.
It's terribly quiet.
Like a dead city at the bottom of a vast ocean.

In that illusion, I still walk.
Overhead, the large golden moon shines radiantly.
Is it the mercy of the moon?
My headache has disappeared and my head is in a daze.

Under the moon.
As if under a spell, I continue walking.

The moonlight is strong.
Under the light as bright as the sun.

There, Arcueid stands dressed in white.

Music: play track 9

"It's been a while. Isn't it a wonderful moon tonight, Shiki?"
"--Arcueid. Didn't you go back?"
"No, I haven't fulfilled my objective yet. I can't go back before then, can I?"

---Effortlessly.
Arcueid looks at me with crimson eyes.

"Stupid Shiki. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't side with that woman."

You have to admit, she's right about that one.

Arcueid shows just a brief moment of pity. Then, her eyes light up with pure delight like a happy child.
"So how is it, Shiki? How does it feel to have Roa inside you?"

"He's a grand old chap, pretty talkative, actually. Likes to reminisce about the past, but don't we all?"

The white vampire princess speaks with indescribable enmity in her voice.
Feeling the danger that sends chills up my spine, I clearly realize the situation.
---Standing before me is Arcueid, who is trying to kill me.
Our distance is---about seven meters.
Damn it. With an opponent like this, you can't even feel safe with a hundred meters, but she is only seven meters away.

"---What kind of nonsense are you saying?" I confirm that the knife is in my pocket and play dumb.
"It's useless you know. In the first place, Roa was made into a Dead Apostle by me. It's very easy for me to tell where the person is who stole my power."

---I see.
Come to think of it, Ciel said it before.
That Roa became a vampire because he had his blood sucked by Arcueid.

"I don't know why. There have been seventeen reincarnations before this, but this is the first time this has happened."
She doesn't even move one bit.
There's, no reason for her to come closer.
Because, this is well within her range.

"Certainly, I can sense Roa. Back then, Roa must have transmitted himself to you. I really don't understand why though."

S.O.U.L. cannot be held responsible for headaches, nausea, dizziness, multiple personalities, vampirism, or persistent erections. Please contact your local exorcist if you suffer from any or all of these symptoms.

"-------"
…… It hurts.
Every time Arcueid says his name, the memories of this guy rage in my brain.



Throb.

Throb.

Thro-----b.

I… don't understand.
Even though she was a True Ancestor, she was not even told the meaning of her own existence, and was only used as a tool to hunt fallen True Ancestors.

She herself does not receive any wounds whatsoever.
The girl painted only in the crimson blood of her enemies.

Not knowing words, the woman was just looking up at the moon as if she was some sort of an idiot.
Overhead, the huge golden moon.
In that withering courtyard, only her figure was distinct.

He felt her figure was beautiful.

For the first time since he was born.
Probably, no definitely, the only time in his life.

"--------"
This is the first time.
Not an impulse, but truly Roa's heart.
The only remaining emotion.
Roa's personality had long died, but it continues to exist without disappearing, that eternal memory.

"…… I, see."
That's why---he hated Arcueid so much.
The woman who stole his purity.
Just an instant. He only saw her for an instant, but his heart was stolen.

That hated True Ancestor that caused his purity to fall.
That existence. He hated everything about that white vampire princess.

"…… What a mistake."
What a mistake it was.
Roa hated her so much that he reincarnated so many times and always waited for Arcueid to come pursue him each time.

Why did he not understand?
The hate that caused him to reincarnate and wait for Arcueid.
That isn't hatred.
The man called Roa was so pure, he didn't even understand his own emotions.
To think about someone else so much it makes you go almost crazy. That feeling is very similar to hatred.

But, merely a single word.
If this man called Roa could have been told his feeling was love, he wouldn't have made this mistake---

"………………"
----For just an instant. No, for a long time.
I saw the dream of the instigator of it all, the man who reincarnated to stay in the "present".

"---Hm? I didn't think you could still bluff around. I really thought over half of you was taken over by Roa already---I see, that's how it is."

Her voice sounds happy.
…… I don't know what's so enjoyable, but it seems she still does have those kinds of human feelings.
Then, if I can do something.
Maybe there will be a chance to run away---

"…… I don't know what you think you understood, but I'll settle the thing with Roa myself.
I won't lose to Roa. If you say you want to kill Roa, then I'll kill him myself for you.
So, you can just---"
"I won't listen if you tell me to go back. You intend to get the help of the Church, right? I refuse to let them seal away Roa.
Shiki, I want to eliminate Roa so I can get back my power.
So, you know? If I don't do it myself, it would be meaningless."

"----Then, no matter what---"

You're going to kill me, Arcueid?
"But Shiki, the Roa inside you is very weak.
He probably can't take away a person's will unless he's born into their body. He somehow managed to transmit himself to you, but that was all he could do. He is only able to live as your dark side."
"……… Eh?"

Does that mean that Roa's will is almost nothing in me……?

"Arcueid, that means--"
"Yes. There's no need for me to kill you if that's the case. I'm fine just having the power Roa stole from me working under me."

She wants Shiki to work under her.

"----?"
She's saying there's no need for me to be killed.
So why did she come to see me?
Why---does she look at me with those serious eyes?

"…… What? That wasn't a joke?"
"No. I like you. So isn't it natural for me to want you by my side rather than to kill you?"

----Snap.

With that line, my headache pounds more than it ever has before.

Roa. The guy inside my head rages against her words.



…… I don't know if that comes from delight or from deep jealousy.

"If you are willing to become my servant, I will stop Roa from consuming you.
I don't think you even need to think about it, seeing how Roa will consume you like this."
"…… You say it so simply, but how do you intend to stop this Roa inside me?"
"Huh? The only one who can stop Roa is you, Shiki.
But that method would mean your death.
My method is simply strengthening you. As long as your will is stronger than Roa's, then it doesn't matter how much he rages in you, right?"

Don't let her fool you, he rages. This woman wants to make you her puppet.



-----*sigh*

I take a deep breath.
…… I won't believe Roa's words.
But, even I can understand. The Arcueid now is slightly different from the one I knew.
Certainly what she says might possibly stop Roa.

But---a heart strong enough to resist these headaches means a heart that is so strong that it won't feel anything.

I take off my glasses.
I take the knife out of my pocket.
I take the blade out and hold it at eye level.

"I see. Then, I guess it'll just have to be by force."

A hard footstep cracks through the air.

"You killed me once, so I always thought I should pay you back."

Her white figure rushes forth with a gust of wind.

----In that instant,
the fight begins.

Music: stop

"You know, she's trying to kill me... but she *is* pretty hot."

Clang!
We repel each other again.
To be honest, I can't even see her movements.

Clang!
We repel each other once more.
Arcueid isn't serious at all.
But still, it should be easy for her to rip off my arms and legs.

Clang.
We repel each other again.
My body moves without thinking.
My arms and legs, this body, with just the intention of not dying, fends off Arcueid's claws by itself.

"Tch-----"
My lips curl in irony.
I don't want to admit it, but it seems my body has become beyond that of a human's.
In the dead of night, it seems Tohno Shiki has become like SHIKI, probably able to easily jump off the third floor of a building and be just fine.

Clang.
She hits my knife.
With just a swing of her arm, I fly through the air.

"K-----!"
I manage to land on the ground and ready my knife.
No matter how much I look, I can't see any "lines" on her.
"Damn it. What nonsense you are……!"

----Yes, I am so right.
In the deep night without the mercy of the sun,
facing the princess of the moon is too reckless.

"Geez, you really are stubborn. If you had that much strength, you should have went ahead and killed Roa."
"Wha---what, are, you, saying?"
Gasping for air, I manage to suck in air.
"Kill, Roa? That means… to kill myself, right?"
…… Well, to fight and kill myself rather than running away may indicate a strong heart, but…

Shiki can never truly be cured of emo.

"You don't seem to understand. Shiki, your eyes do not kill the body, but the meaning… existence itself.
The death of things, those "points" are not something that kills the body.
It does not mean you are killing their life. That kind of power is very common in this world.

"Shiki, your unique eyes, they kill the meaning of things. What is destroyed is the existence. The extinguishing of life is only a side effect that comes afterwards.
With your power, it is possible to kill the soul without harming the body. Usually, a body without a soul will cease to live, so it is like suicide.

"But that's different for you right now, right? Because you have two souls in one body.
Well--it's always the case that the weaker one loses. You do seem to be about even right now with Roa. I suppose there is a high probability that you both will disappear."
"Eh-----hey, wait. What do you………"

That's what I love about Shiki. Anybody that can kill existential concepts is alright in my book.

"No, I won't wait."

"Gh----!"
I hear a sound from behind my head.
Her body pushes up against my shoulders.
I'm down.
In an instant, without me knowing what's going on, Arcueid has pinned me down.

I thought we were gonna wait 'till later, but now's okay too

Music: play track 8

"------"
This close.
Now that we are so close---I may be able to see it.

------I stare at her body.

Once a pervert, always a pervert.

The core of my brain screams in protest.
Completely unlike the pain of my headache before---as if it really were tearing itself apart.

"-------"
But it's no good.
I can't read the "death" from an existence like Arcueid.
Daytime might be different, but at night, she is close to being a perfect life form that doesn't even carry the concept of death.

"---Oh, you don't have to hold back, go ahead and let me go. Don't worry about me and go home, back to your daddy."



"But you know, isn't it natural for me to take back my own power? And more than anything else, I do like you."
Squeeze.
The body weight on my shoulders becomes even heavier.

"More than killing you and destroying Roa, I want to take you in."

Well, why didn't you say so sooner?

So, I won't kill you,
her red eyes seem to say.

"I can't believe it, but it seems I really like you. That's why I'll save you. I won't suck your blood, and I won't do anything you won't like."
So please listen to what I tell you, her red eyes say.

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