Well, let us see if I get two [FFML]. :)  If this chapter confuses you,
ask me for the intro, which should help a little.  I posted it over a
month ago (and on a positive note got replies! :).  Author's opinion of
work:  Argh!  To think it would be fun to write, hah!  Yes, my first
attempt at dialog (or one-sided monolog, as reflection on this seems to
indicate :).  Hit delete as soon as you don't want to read it, I know I
most certainly would.  Don't feel bad, this actually gets published in my
anime club's newsletter (pathetic, but true, and I've found 3 nasty little
grammar errors since, much to my horror :), so its not like I need . . .
sheesh, no wonder new fanfic authors are so whiny. ^ ^

Anyway, standard disclaimers (Vampire Princess Miyu is of course
copyrighted by whoever was the wonderful manga-ka who created her).  I
made this, so please let me know if you end up using it somewhere (my ego
never tires of gratification :).

And the intro was much better, anyway.

Ari
Chapter 1

Four weeks into the past . . .

A pale maiden sits upon a branch, peering intently through a window into the
room before her.  A teenage boy lies upon the floor, unconscious, his head
resting in an elderly man's lap.  The boy's face is peaceful now, though pain
still etches the corners of his mouth and eyes.  The old man's shoulders shake
slightly, but she cannot see his face.

A dark grimness touches light and then shadow forms behind her.  She waits,
patiently, then stretches backwards, embracing her companion about the neck.
Smiling, she twists about to look into his face.  "This is where his part of
the story begins, Larva, " she explains softly.

"The boy, there, is the teenager from the shrine.  The old man is his
grandfather.  You've missed the most important part, though."  She rises to her
feet and Larva's arms surround her.  "Take us back three minutes in time." He
raises an arm and marks the air with lines of fire, tracing out an ancient word
of command. With a deep scream, the darkness surrounds them, burning with the
same arcane fire.  With an audible snap it pulls them in, then slowly fades,
till all that remains is a forgotten shadow.

**********

He had never approved of Ari's training.  It was required, but the teenager's
frail body could not take such exertion for more than a short period of time.
Ari glanced over and saw his frown.  "Sheesh, Ojiisan, it's not like I haven't
done this before."  He grinned and returned to his preparations.  His eyes
closed in concentration.  After a minute or two, he grimaced in pain slightly
and started to open his eyes.  With a sudden jerk, his body collapsed back into
the chair.  This was the part Godai hated the most, watching the boy's body
die.  It made every protective instinct in him respond at the same time,
leaving him feeling nauseous from not doing anything.

A pale light filled the room, surrounding the body.  The light carefully
wrapped itself around the body, covering every square inch.  With a faint
tremble, it began to push into the body, slowly disappearing from sight.  With
a gasp of air, Ari sat back up, and grinned at his grandfather.  "Ah, now for
my favorite part!"  Slowly, he leaned forward, stretching his legs and arms,
then with a leap bound to his feet.  Laughing with delight, he began to spin
around the room, twisting and turning, moving his now functional body with the
joy of a prisoner freed.

Finally, he stopped and began to go through a series of stretching exercises.
"Can you tell the difference, ojiisan?" he asked, grinning in delight as he
carefully stretched his arms and legs again. Godai smiled in return.  "No, but
I am sure you will tell me soon enough.  You never can keep a secret for
long." But within himself, he opened his inner self, stretching out a tendril
to touch Ari's body lightly, scanning it quickly to reassure himself that Ari
was still in good health.

"Hey, quit that!  It tickles!"  Laughing at the light touch, Ari brought up a
simple block to ward him off.  Turning serious, he knelt down before his
grandfather and stared into his face for a second.  "Seriously, ojiisan, you
can't tell the difference?"

At his grandfather's nod he grinned in triumph.  "Cool!  Well, in a half an
hour you would be able to.  I . . . I found a new source of energy."

Seeing his grandfather beginning to rise in anger, Ari put out a hand to
placate him.  "I know, I'm not suppose to mess around with unapproved sources,
but it just sort of appeared out of nowhere a couple of days ago.  I wasn't
really messing around with it seriously, but the second I touched it, I found
myself linked to it - without even trying!  And the great part is that I've
found a way to pull off just enough energy to sustain myself physically for as
long as need be!"

Trying to smile, he continued.  "Isn't it great?  I won't have to sit in that
chair for another second if I don't want to!" He leapt to his feet to resume
his stretching.  "I know, ojiisan, I will get it approved, but I couldn't wait
any longer, I had to show someone!"  Ari began to smile, but then he grimaced
and cried out, dropping to his knees.  He grabbed his head as pain tore through
it like lightning through a tree.

"O . . . Ojiisan!"

His cry brought Godai to his feet.  Ari's face was filled with pain and wonder.
 "Something's coming," he said quietly.  The corner of his mouth began to
twitch, then a tremor went through his shoulders.  Looking up in a sudden
panic, he threw up an arm to protect himself.  "It's too big!  I . . . I can't
see it all!  Wait, its stopping, no, its . . . its . . . NOOOOOOOO!" His scream
of agony stopped abruptly when his head slammed forward and back as his body
jerked in place, smashed into an invisible wall by some unknown and unseen
force.

Godai opened his inner heart to maximum, bringing his full powers into play,
searching desperately for whatever was attacking Ari.  Scanning the room
revealed nothing.  There was nothing else in the room except for himself and
Ari.  Only he and Ari . . . he froze for a second.  Then panic seized him and
he turned to face his grandson.  Reaching inside his shirt, he brought out his
handoru no ono and raised them in a defensive posture.

A voice spoke, cold, ancient, quiet, yet so powerful that it hurt to hear.

*MINE.*

Thinking quickly, he tried to find the source of the attack.  <A shinma?> Godai
wondered.  A basic exorcism might work then, if performed quickly enough.
Raising his handoru no ono and crossing them in front of him, he lifted his
voice in an ancient chant.  Nothing happened.  Worse than nothing, he could
feel it laughing, as if tickled by his attack.  He couldn't sense Ari's mind
anymore.

He began again, this time with a more powerful attack.  His hands trembled as
 the handoru no ono suddenly burst into flame.  The fires burned fiercely,
first
red, then black, and finally a pure, white flame that burned without consuming.
 Finishing his chant he raised them above his head and attacked.  A blazing
beam of light shot forward and smashed into Ari.

For a brief instant, the room was filled with a blinding light.  His strike
shattered in a multitude of directions.  Then, darkness.  Through barely opened
eyes, Godai peered across the room.  With a painful realization, he knew that
it had failed as well.

*FOOLISH.*  Ari's arm slowly rose until his hand pointed straight at his
grandfather.  A red glow engulfed it as it began to trace a word of power.
When it finished, a massive force smashed into Godai's chest and drove him back
against the wall.  A fierce pain began to build in his chest as the pressure
did not stop.  Finally, it was too much, and he screamed in pain.

With his cry, a shiver went through Ari and then the pain stopped, instantly.
Godai slumped to the floor.  As the aching pains dimmed, he opened his eyes.
Ari remained as he had been, frozen in place, but now a look of rage burned
across his face.

*No!  I won't let you!*  It was Ari's mind, lashing back at whatever was trying
to use him.

Wonder filled Godai's heart as he realized the power levels Ari was attaining
in fighting back.  It would have taken a whole subclan to generate that much
power only a generation ago.  He could feel the presence's astonishment and
fright.  Ari's body began to shake, every muscle struggling against its
neighbor.  The boy's mouth opened in a silent scream.  Godai could feel the
waves of pain that emanated from Ari and the invader.  It lasted for a minor
eternity, till finally, with a massive shudder of Ari's body, it stopped.

After a long pause, the ancient voice spoke again, first to Ari and then to
him.  *As you wish, foci.  But it will cost.  Understand that, 'grandfather'?
It will COST.*  Abruptly he was alone in the room with Ari and the presence
was gone.  Like a marionette with its strings cut, Ari's body collapsed to the
ground.

**********

Miyu's eyes remained locked on the scene for a minute longer till she had seen
enough.  Turning to Larva, she buried her face against his chest.  "It will
cost him too much," she whispered sadly.  Larva did not move, his gaze locked
upon the scene within the room.  Miyu looked up and then pushed back from him,
startled.  "Larva!"  There, welling from the mask's eye, was a single blood-red
drop. Slowly, it began roll down the mask.

Reaching out, she caught it on her finger and stared at it.  Shaking her head,
she raised her hand to show him the red drop.  "Larva . . . why?"  Gently, he
began to push the finger towards her mouth .  Angrily she tried to pull back,
but his gentle, insistent grip was unbreakable.  He tapped her lips.  She shook
her head, but he grasped her chin and tugged. Surprised, she gasped, and he
quickly placed the drop upon her tongue before she could close her mouth.

A bitter, salty taste filled her mouth.  It was a tear, she realized, not
blood.  And there was more.  Remorse, shame, desire, sadness, horror, and
heartache flooded her senses.  "Larva!"  She threw herself against him,
wrapping her arms tightly around him, desperately trying to stop the feelings.
No tears came to her eyes.  It was a luxury she no longer had.  She could still
hurt inside, though, knowing this pain.  But Larva pushed her away, turning her
to face the window.

He reached out his gloved hand and pointed at the young man on the floor.
Larva's fist clenched tightly and then slowly uncurled.  Upon his palm rested
three more tears of blood.  Gracefully, he tilted his hand and let them roll
off to fall to the ground below.  Hitting the ground, they disappeared into the
earth with a twinkle of light.

Larva stood suddenly, stretching a hand down to her.  When she placed her hand
in his, he pulled her up and wrapped his cloak about her.  Stopping, then, for
a second, he cast one last glance at the boy.  Turning away, he bowed his head
and stepped backwards into darkness, bearing her away.

**********

She sat shivering on her bed, alone in her cold and dark room.  She shouldn't
have followed.  What if he found out?  What would he do?  She couldn't stand
his rejection or scorn, not yet.  She hugged her knees, rocking back and
forth. It was all too much, she couldn't think straight anymore.  She closed
her eyes and cried quietly, resting her head against the wall.

A gentle tap came at her door.  "Your friends are here, Jenny!" called her
mother.  She raised her head, wonderingly.  Why would they have come to visit
her now?  She had been ignoring them for weeks .

"Jenny, quit moping and open the door!" came Harimi's voice.

She slowly got off the bed and straggled over to the door, opening it a crack
to peer out.  The sudden light blinded her temporarily, letting someone gently
push the door open further and her out of the way.  Her three friends swept
into the room, turning the lights on, chatting and laughing, grabbing her by
the hands and twirling her about in a dance.

A small smile began to form, and then a small giggle as serious Naru-chan made
a face at her.  "My, you are one depressing person, Jenny!" cried Harimi,
looking out from the closet.  "There's not one new thing in here!  How am I
suppose to try on something new if you don't go shopping more?"  Their warmth
and love filled her, flowing over so generously, restoring her spirit.

"Thank you, everyone."  But guilt now overwhelmed her.  "I . . . I'm sorry!"
She couldn't say anymore, as tears began again and she covered her face with
her hands.  Karin gently drew her to the bed and sat her down, pulling a
blanket around her shoulders.

"It's ok, Jenny.  We've known that something was wrong for the last few weeks."
Naru-chan sat down on the other side and Harimi collapsed into a heap on the
floor.  Their faces were serious now, and they sat waiting.

She didn't know where to start.  So much had happened.  *It's all right, Jenny,
just start with that first day.* Aiya's gentle voice whispered in their minds.
She was always there when they were together.

Haltingly, Jenny began her story, starting from the moment she entered the
classroom that day, the day he changed.  She related feeling a strange,
disturbing presence.  She turned in surprise to see who was there.  Reaching
out inside, she could see it radiating like a star from across the room.  It
was coming from the new transfer student, a crippled boy who usually rode in a
wheelchair.

Today he sat in a regular chair behind his desk.  He was talking excitedly with
several other boys, laughing and joking.  She reached out inside, trying to
touch him, but she could find nothing there other than that constant presence,
a gentle insistent pressure.  Somewhere deep inside her, something began to
respond.  Dazed, she sat down at her desk, staring blindly ahead, trying to
stop it, block it out.  That was the first time . . .

**********

In the present, two figures stand in darkness near a bedroom window, listening
intently as a teenage boy's voice comes from inside.

"Tar-Voronwe, heru ap Cair Andunak, Mellenorn, Ilu . . . Iluva . . . Iluvator."
The voice pauses for a moment and then stiffly asks a question of the unseen
listener in the room.  "Please remind me again.  Why exactly am I learning this
stuff?  I believe the comment you made was 'Win fights, get girls, and see the
world while making tons of money',  and this is definitely not one of those."

End Chapter 1

Ah, yes, I am pathetic enough to ask - did anyone actually get far enough
to read this sentence? ^ ^  Drat, the thing reads like an alpha, but I've
already rewritten it twice already!  C&C would be incredibly appreciated.

Charles K. Hurst - ImageNation Corp. Wage Slave/Employee - RPI graduate-MechE
Chocolate and Anime Forever!  12 months a fan and counting.
MI = eps. 96  MB = eps. 72 - 0/4 episodes each to utter boredom or Fushigi!
FY = eps. 16 - many, many glorious episodes to go!