The Outsiders
What I Cannot Understand
"Tuberculoisis? Really?" I said, looking around for the source of teh voice.
Yeah. It makes him pretty much useless as a Black Blood.
"Useless?" there was a tint of malie in my voice.
yes, useless. What, are you having a problem with that word? 'Useless'?
As much as I hated to admit it, I did. And it was all thanks to the Nymphus.
Don't show weakness, O great leader of the Outsiders. the voice snickered maliciously.
"I'm not!" I spat, "Come out before i find you and rip your throat out!"
"Its true then." a small shifting noise echoed around the empty area, coming from the alley to my left.
"what's true?"
"I thought you knew. There are rumors about the Outsiders all around the world. Even though you're not even legal by human laws, you've become quite well-known around the whole world. Vampires are afraid to come near this town because this is where you live. And those that do are itent on destroying you." the voice became more and more feminine the more it faded from a raidiowave to a real voice, "You're worse than the Blue Bloods."
The Blue Bloods. They were the ones responsible for about one-fourth of the mayhem in Their society. Basically, a bunch of rebels who liked causing trouble for their own kind. The Outsiders had used their mercenaries before on one of the worse Dawns ever. That was the time that we lost Shiro.
"Us? The Blue Bloods? Really?" I almost smirked, keeping Zane's deathly pale form in the corner of my sight.
"Yeah. You've screwed around with the vampires enough. I don't even think Shiro can save you now."
My right index twitched.
"You're using present-tense. Shiro isn't alive anymore." I said flatly, "And even if he was, he'd kick your freaking ass..."
"Back to the rumors about the Outsiders. The lieutenant of the Outsiders becomes the Leader of the pervious Leader dies, right?"
"Yeah." I said, wry of where teh conversation was going.
"But, none of the Outsiders in all of history have been completely human. Half-breeds can't go to heaven or hell. So where do their souls go? They are reincarnated as the next Leader."
"But Shiro was older than me. He existed at the same time."
"'Being reincarnated '. I mean, their soul fuses with the Leader's. Once the very first Leader in the history of the Outsiders died, their soul attached to the next. Once the next died, it was unknown what happened to the first."
I could barely open my mouth to snap a jibe. Shiro? Shiro was alive? My stomach felt warm and fuzzy, my mind was filled with the memories of the Outsiders all going to see The Crow, dragging the guys along on a quick shopping trip, Tavia dumping a slushie over Jesse's head. But the most prominent was when we were all fighting together. That was always the best; knowing that your friends would have your back all of the time, even though they were prectically jumping into death's paws.
Then the reality crashed down on me. If Zane was actually sick, and he was able to easily pin me, how was I going to fight against this new person? She was obviously a female, and I had never really bothered to notice the strength levels of Them; usually it was just 'they're down for the count when they're down for the count', not measuring power levels. I was just hoping that the females were easier to knock out than the males. Because if i died, then what would happen to Shiro?
"So what are you going to donow?" the gir's voice was conteptuous, "I can order that dog back up any time..."
My eyes flickered to Zane, who was glaring at the figure in the alley with dull eyes, which were edged with pain.
"I'll..." I didn't want to admit that I didn't know what I was going to do. The Outsider code prevented me from killing unless it was absolutely nessecary. This wasn't totally nessecary. I felt Zane staring at me, waiting for me to move. It was becoming unnerving.
Gabriela. The clear voice said in my head, think about it. What's the whole heart of the problem?
That voice was so painfully familiar. The voice that was like a fresh breath of air, with a slight deep-winter chill.
Shiro.
Zane.
So, what are you going to do?
He was talking like he was giving me another lesson. I knew well enough that I should shut up and listen.
Kill him? it was more of a question than an answer.
Outsider code says don't kill unless you have to.
There's no other way! I snapped, Zane's whole mind is being controled by whoever that female is!She's the subordinate of the guy that killed me. Whatever. We'll talk about that later. just get inside his brain and break the control.
Easier said than done. He was tallking like I could break into his brain...I couldn't. His weird ability blocked my mind and nulled himself to my wards.
But that's not natural.
No, it's not. Zane's clear thoughts joined ours.
What's not?
My mind-blocking. I enter your wards and block your probing intentionally. I can let you into my mind.
"So? Are you going to kill him or not? I can have this Delicate Wolf let your last half of humanity go."
"Tch! As if i'd actually--!"
Gabriela!! Shiro growled.
Come on! Zane urged, tugging on my mind, before she forces me to do anything.
I followed his instructions into his mind. Damn, it was like being in a lybarinth.There were parts that he was willing to let me see, others were hidden behind murderous intent. One something was hidden behind something that was covered by a thin, wispy veil. I knew better than to go looking beyond that veil.
Other than that...he had the brain space to last about two or three mellennia. I'd never looked into a vampire's mind before. Didn't want to. Actually, it was weirdly interesting. Everything was filled with millions of calculations, looking at things with a mind that was able to create thoughts at one hundredth of a second.
Hey, I'll let you look around my mind later! Get your butt over here! Zan's voice came from one of the far corners.
I sifted through the sea of memories, and found a dark, looming energy.
Breaking it wil be a challenge.
Duh.
"What is this now, a stare-down?" the female's contemptuous voice broke through the walls of Zane's mind.
"I guess so." apparently, since I was in his mind, Zane's thoughts and actions were in sync with mine.
"You're never going to be able to understand exactly what you've done to my-our-society." the girl hissed, shooting Zane a pointed glare.
"Well, I'll be sorry once Gabby here kicks your butt to the curb." Zane smirked, making an obvious effort to differentiate his mind from my own.
"Me? Never."
Break the seal! Zane told me, then switched his focus back to the girl.
I focused on the seal, and pressed all of the energy on it. It wasn't moving. I looked around to find any cracks in the seal, but it was completely solid. How was that fair? That girl had totally sealed the whole thing up.
Zane was jumping from my body to his, making it look like we were both animated; I could tell it was wearing at him.
The energy suddenly filled my mind, pushing me forward.
You're being beaten by an inanimate seal? How weird. Shiro smirked.
Haha. Help me.
Fine. the energy intensified to where my head hurt with the constant flow of power.
Break! Break! I willed the seal to snap. That girl could give the order at any time, and Zane would kill me....dammit!!
BREAK, DAMMIT!!! the seal bent, crunched, then shattered.
"One more thing...." I said to the girl, "I hope your dog is loyal to you."
Yeah. It makes him pretty much useless as a Black Blood.
"Useless?" there was a tint of malie in my voice.
yes, useless. What, are you having a problem with that word? 'Useless'?
As much as I hated to admit it, I did. And it was all thanks to the Nymphus.
Don't show weakness, O great leader of the Outsiders. the voice snickered maliciously.
"I'm not!" I spat, "Come out before i find you and rip your throat out!"
"Its true then." a small shifting noise echoed around the empty area, coming from the alley to my left.
"what's true?"
"I thought you knew. There are rumors about the Outsiders all around the world. Even though you're not even legal by human laws, you've become quite well-known around the whole world. Vampires are afraid to come near this town because this is where you live. And those that do are itent on destroying you." the voice became more and more feminine the more it faded from a raidiowave to a real voice, "You're worse than the Blue Bloods."
The Blue Bloods. They were the ones responsible for about one-fourth of the mayhem in Their society. Basically, a bunch of rebels who liked causing trouble for their own kind. The Outsiders had used their mercenaries before on one of the worse Dawns ever. That was the time that we lost Shiro.
"Us? The Blue Bloods? Really?" I almost smirked, keeping Zane's deathly pale form in the corner of my sight.
"Yeah. You've screwed around with the vampires enough. I don't even think Shiro can save you now."
My right index twitched.
"You're using present-tense. Shiro isn't alive anymore." I said flatly, "And even if he was, he'd kick your freaking ass..."
"Back to the rumors about the Outsiders. The lieutenant of the Outsiders becomes the Leader of the pervious Leader dies, right?"
"Yeah." I said, wry of where teh conversation was going.
"But, none of the Outsiders in all of history have been completely human. Half-breeds can't go to heaven or hell. So where do their souls go? They are reincarnated as the next Leader."
"But Shiro was older than me. He existed at the same time."
"'Being reincarnated '. I mean, their soul fuses with the Leader's. Once the very first Leader in the history of the Outsiders died, their soul attached to the next. Once the next died, it was unknown what happened to the first."
I could barely open my mouth to snap a jibe. Shiro? Shiro was alive? My stomach felt warm and fuzzy, my mind was filled with the memories of the Outsiders all going to see The Crow, dragging the guys along on a quick shopping trip, Tavia dumping a slushie over Jesse's head. But the most prominent was when we were all fighting together. That was always the best; knowing that your friends would have your back all of the time, even though they were prectically jumping into death's paws.
Then the reality crashed down on me. If Zane was actually sick, and he was able to easily pin me, how was I going to fight against this new person? She was obviously a female, and I had never really bothered to notice the strength levels of Them; usually it was just 'they're down for the count when they're down for the count', not measuring power levels. I was just hoping that the females were easier to knock out than the males. Because if i died, then what would happen to Shiro?
"So what are you going to donow?" the gir's voice was conteptuous, "I can order that dog back up any time..."
My eyes flickered to Zane, who was glaring at the figure in the alley with dull eyes, which were edged with pain.
"I'll..." I didn't want to admit that I didn't know what I was going to do. The Outsider code prevented me from killing unless it was absolutely nessecary. This wasn't totally nessecary. I felt Zane staring at me, waiting for me to move. It was becoming unnerving.
Gabriela. The clear voice said in my head, think about it. What's the whole heart of the problem?
That voice was so painfully familiar. The voice that was like a fresh breath of air, with a slight deep-winter chill.
Shiro.
Zane.
So, what are you going to do?
He was talking like he was giving me another lesson. I knew well enough that I should shut up and listen.
Kill him? it was more of a question than an answer.
Outsider code says don't kill unless you have to.
There's no other way! I snapped, Zane's whole mind is being controled by whoever that female is!She's the subordinate of the guy that killed me. Whatever. We'll talk about that later. just get inside his brain and break the control.
Easier said than done. He was tallking like I could break into his brain...I couldn't. His weird ability blocked my mind and nulled himself to my wards.
But that's not natural.
No, it's not. Zane's clear thoughts joined ours.
What's not?
My mind-blocking. I enter your wards and block your probing intentionally. I can let you into my mind.
"So? Are you going to kill him or not? I can have this Delicate Wolf let your last half of humanity go."
"Tch! As if i'd actually--!"
Gabriela!! Shiro growled.
Come on! Zane urged, tugging on my mind, before she forces me to do anything.
I followed his instructions into his mind. Damn, it was like being in a lybarinth.There were parts that he was willing to let me see, others were hidden behind murderous intent. One something was hidden behind something that was covered by a thin, wispy veil. I knew better than to go looking beyond that veil.
Other than that...he had the brain space to last about two or three mellennia. I'd never looked into a vampire's mind before. Didn't want to. Actually, it was weirdly interesting. Everything was filled with millions of calculations, looking at things with a mind that was able to create thoughts at one hundredth of a second.
Hey, I'll let you look around my mind later! Get your butt over here! Zan's voice came from one of the far corners.
I sifted through the sea of memories, and found a dark, looming energy.
Breaking it wil be a challenge.
Duh.
"What is this now, a stare-down?" the female's contemptuous voice broke through the walls of Zane's mind.
"I guess so." apparently, since I was in his mind, Zane's thoughts and actions were in sync with mine.
"You're never going to be able to understand exactly what you've done to my-our-society." the girl hissed, shooting Zane a pointed glare.
"Well, I'll be sorry once Gabby here kicks your butt to the curb." Zane smirked, making an obvious effort to differentiate his mind from my own.
"Me? Never."
Break the seal! Zane told me, then switched his focus back to the girl.
I focused on the seal, and pressed all of the energy on it. It wasn't moving. I looked around to find any cracks in the seal, but it was completely solid. How was that fair? That girl had totally sealed the whole thing up.
Zane was jumping from my body to his, making it look like we were both animated; I could tell it was wearing at him.
The energy suddenly filled my mind, pushing me forward.
You're being beaten by an inanimate seal? How weird. Shiro smirked.
Haha. Help me.
Fine. the energy intensified to where my head hurt with the constant flow of power.
Break! Break! I willed the seal to snap. That girl could give the order at any time, and Zane would kill me....dammit!!
BREAK, DAMMIT!!! the seal bent, crunched, then shattered.
"One more thing...." I said to the girl, "I hope your dog is loyal to you."