FicWad

Chapter 16



For three days they searched frantically for Fumio, scouring the city for any clue or sign. They went into strongholds of Amayah, smashing everything in sight, but none of them could say anything about it. The genuinely did not know. One thing they did know was that, with every stronghold that was falling, they noose was growing tighter and tighter around the household. However, it was a wide area, and it was at this point that the Hand began to realize just how big a city New York really is. A needle in a haystack would have been easier to find. Even Anjou's bats were pressed hard to find anything. They began to use some logic, hoping it would help them narrow down the search. For certain, they would have brought Fumio into their most secure area, and that would be their headquarters. They must have figured that, if the Clan found out where Fumio was, they would kill themselves trying to get to her. Therefore, knowing the arrogance of any household leadership, they would not live in anything that would be below their standards. Considering that Charlotte would be amongst the hierarchy now that her house was gone, she would be with Marcus Draco. They were also well aware that Draco had mob connections after the attempt on the restaurant. Even there, it was still a vast area to comb, and that could be any one of seemingly countless skyscrapers in the city, even any along Fifth Avenue and Central Park West where the Clan resided. Sadly, after three days, there was a wonder if what they were doing would no longer be a manhunt, and more of a confirmation of the death of Fumio. There was no way of knowing.



Meanwhile, three thousand miles away, in the woods of Oregon, but not far from Portland, four vampires were making a clandestine meeting between two worlds. Ai was not so sure about the wooded area, but Chiyuki just nudged her playfully, asking if she was worried about getting eaten by a grizzly or something. Still, it was atouch nerve wracking. The whole thing was odd how it came down. They searched in Portland for two days, trying to establish contact with House Lichen, and finding that they were even more elusive than any other household they had ever encountered. Yet, the reason for the evasion was just, because they were not aliked house. They had a vision similar to the Clan, believing that they could live in symbiosis and seclusion with their human neighbors, rather than seeking to rule them. They did not believe in killing people to get blood, and they were able to feed themselves without going to that extent. They were Native American based, and because of that, there was the strong philosophy of learning how to become one with the land and the people around you, and this did not matter if the neighbors were human or not. They were a "live and let live" group, and sought peace. Because of that, they tended to affect aslightly superior stance against the rest of the households. Despite the dislike of the other households, they were tolerated because of the resources they had. They combined Native American religion with their own abilities, and because of that, they had abilities beyond what the normal undead had, and they were therefore useful. However, with the fall of ten of the houses to amysterious foe, they feared that the remaining house would come after them. There were only 55 of them left, and their only pure blood, Lucas, knew he could not withstand a full attack. Considering that Amayah could easily wipe them out, they feared this happening. They figured that Amayah figured that Lichen would try to fill their numbers quickly and try to gain the ascendancy, so it was strike first before Lichen could strike. Now, there was a request from a group that claimed they were those that were going after the houses, but that they wanted to have a peaceful meeting. Of course, they wanted to refuse this for fear of their extinction, but when they patched Crystal through to them, (of whom they trusted and knew well,) their fears were eased, and ameeting was arranged. Now, Ai, Chiyuki, Elda and Victor stood in the woods, awaiting the meeting.



After a time, a limo pulled up, and out came about six armed men quickly, demanding that they put their hands up. The meeting was arranged in such afashion that the four strangers were to be unarmed. However, despite the agreement, they were not going to take any chances. Yet, when the four were searched and found to have no weapons, they eased up. Chiyuki wanted to lash out for the mistrust and harsh treatment, but she knew better than to disrupt Jean-Claude's plans. It was only that she owed him so much that she even subordinated herself. If she had the leadership, she would have taken the Clan in a whole different direction, because, deep down inside, she felt that the Dream was just that-a dream. There was no way that the two worlds would come together, and her bringing humans into the fold would be more to protect them from intrusion than anything else. Still, she relented, believing that Jean-Claude would come to his senses one day. She said, "I must say, Iexpected more of a cordial greeting than this!"

"Ancient one, you must forgive us," said one of the men, "But considering the situation, we could take no chances."

"After having been on the run before," said Elda, "considering that I had to even leave my home continent just to be safe, I can understand your trepidation. It cannot help when you know that we have been trying to put an end to the households of undead."

"Why would you want to destroy your own kind," said another man as everyone entered the limo, "unless you had intentions of trying to be like some other houses, and attempting to become the only one left to rule."

"Believe me," said Victor, "What we are has nothing to do with your civil wars. Our intent was to correct a major mistake our kind made centuries ago."

"Your kind," said a third man in surprise, "What do you mean by that?"

"Be patient," said Ai, "All shall be explained to you in time."



They soon arrived at a well secluded compound. They were well hidden, but the place did not lack in any modern conveniences. When the entered, they were met by a slender, averaged sized man, with shoulder length brown hair parted in the middle, a well groomed beard, a beaded necklace, white peasant shirt and blue jeans with calf length moccasins. He had big blue eyes and a warm smile. "Lucas, these are the ones we told you about," said the guard, and he said, "I am glad that you have peaceful intentions. Please come in."

Once introductions were done, one of them said, "Will we bring them through dialysis, chief?"

"Oddly enough, that will not be necessary for them," said Lucas, "First of all, they do not have the scent of death over them, and secondly, I have never seen vampires with body temperatures before. It seems what you told us was true."

Chiyuki looked at him oddly, and asked, "What do you mean by 'dialysis'?"

"We do not kill people to get our meals," said Lucas, "It is against everything we believe. We cannot stand to be around the household people without cleaning out of them the blood of the people they killed, because we can smell the stench of the death they created to get that blood. It's kind of the same thing to humans where, when one has smoked for years and then quit, their noses become ultra-sensitive to being around tobacco smoke. To them, for the most part, that smell is repulsive."

"We are so glad to hear you have this stance," said Elda, "because, what we have to offer you will not only assure that you will never have to kill anyone, but you will be able to feed without killing or harming, and you may even benefit people upon whom you feed."

"We don't have to go that way," said Lucas, "We have other means."

"Well, however you want to do it," said Chiyuki, "But what we have to offer you is more than that. If you accept what we have to give, you will not need nearly as much blood, and you will have your undead status removed from you."

There was silence in the room as Lucas, and other elder undead heard that statement. Lucas then said, "Considering your condition, we have to believe you do have...something. Yet, you make it sound like we have some kind of handicap that you are trying to correct."

"In truth," said Chiyuki, "the fact that there are even undead is really something about the vampire heritage that vampires created that should not have happened. It was compounded when undead started to make undead, and then created the houses we now know. However, there was going to come a day when there would be one to come to correct that, and give even the undead to become like the vampires originally were, and be a part of the true pure blood vampire society."

"Are you saying that I am not a pure blood?" asked Lucas, feeling like what they were being told was somewhat of a slight.

"What we are saying," interjected Elda, "is that the term 'pure blood' means something different to us. To you, it is one who came into this world as you are without having to be turned. To us, it means that we have a lineage back to what vampires truly are. Please understand, we are not trying to say that you are inferior, but we are saying that how you became vampires, as you know them, was not supposed to happen. The fact that creating a vampire by birth comes with extreme difficulty to you should tell you that something is amiss. However, please do not be insulted, because what we offer you is the ability for everyone to be pure bloods as we know the term. When we do that for you, you can have children, raise families, be more of a member of society, and have access to abilities that we as vampires have them, but you have been denied because of your state. How would you like to have what you have with all that, a need for only one pint of blood a night, and only from certain kinds of personality types, resistance to garlic and silver, more endurance against sunlight, and access to great power?"

Thunderous silence filled the room. It seemed too good to be true. There had to be truth to it, because evidence of this sat right before them. Victor then said, "What we also offer you is a chance to be free from fear. We hope to eliminate House Amayah, because they have proven themselves to be reprobate. They have no willingness to change, and they only have power on their mind. When they are gone, Lichen will be the only ones to remain, and yet, they will not even be like what they were in more ways than one. On top of that, we are members of a...well...I don't want to call us a household, because we are more of afamily than that. This is why we call ourselves, 'the Clan'. The one that was to come to correct many errors of our kind with her blood has created four others, directly or indirectly, that will help create something wonderful. In the Clan, there are not only vampires, but there are humans that believe in our cause, and even three dhampirs."

That last part caused a stir amongst the group. However, Ai said, "Do not fear, because two of them have been with us from the start, and, in fact, the one in charge of the whole thing is one of those dhampir."

There was a sense of tension easing, and Lucas said, "Oh, okay, that is arelief. There is one Daywalker that we fear who is called Blade. He hates us, and wishes us all dead, even though we want to live in peace with this world."
The four of them looked at each other, and then Chiyuki said, "What would you say if we told you that you would never have to fear that again?"

"That would make us very happy," replied Lucas.

"Then, know this for certain:" said Chiyuki, "What we offer you happened to him, and now he has stopped what he has been doing, and joined our cause."

"So he is there," said Lucas, affecting a serious look.

"There is nothing to fear," said Elda, "for he has reformed. His eyes were opened, and the one in charge, the one we call Jean-Claude, his helping him with that. He has now turned his resources towards seeing the Dream come to life. He has no choice, really. Whether or not he stays with us, he can never go back to what he was doing, because he could not go against those that have done so much for him."

There was mumbling amongst the council there, and Lucas said, "With Blade involved, we need ironclad insurance that he will not try to do us in."

"That is something we really cannot guarantee," said Victor, "He is who he is, and he has a problem with following someone else's leadership. However, we can say that, with our strength combined, we could stop him before he did you harm."

There was more mumbling, and then Lucas said, "We would like some time to discuss this. Please, give us a space of time, and we will have an answer for you."



After the others were led out, a vast debate ensued. There was no assurance that what they had heard was correct. They did not know if they were being led into a trap or if they were being given the keys to a whole new future. With Blade involved, it made it that much harder to feel assured about the whole thing. Finally, Lucas spoke up and said, "You know, the discussion we had with them has me thinking. I could say that I trust that they are not only a part of a separate household from Amayah, but that, just by their nature, they are quite powerful. There is no telling how big they are, and we are only 55. In truth, whoever wins this fight will turn their sights on us. Of that, there can be no question. When I consider that, I begin to realize that, if a fight comes-either by them or by Amayah-we have no chance. However you slice it, we face extinction. Yet, if there is a chance to live, they just may have the key."

"So, what do you propose?" asked one of the council.

"I say that we accept their offer," he responded, "because, if we are to die, at least we get it over with, but we go with the knowledge that we have achance to survive. If we do not accept, we are done for, no matter what happens. What do we have to lose?"

There was muttering and a buzz in the room, and they had to admit that what he said rang true. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain if what they had been told by these strangers was true. If not, at least they went out trying to survive, rather than just letting doom befall them. It was then agreed that they would go. The four were let back in, and Lucas said, "Considering our situation, we believe that the only chance we have to survive may indeed lie with you, and that if we are wrong, we have lost nothing, because we are more than likely done for anyway. Therefore, we accept your gracious offer."

"Then prepare your people," said Elda, "You will all be coming to New York City on our tab, and there you will meet the ones that will help you. After that, you can either remain, or come back here and be a branch of the Clan out here on the west coast. That would mark the third place in the United States that the Clan will exist. We already have thousands in Japan. There will come aday where this will get so big that, not only will we no longer be able to hide things, but there will be so many humans in the know, related to those that do not know of things, that they would have to accept our existence and live with us. We do fear that there will be those that would fight us, but Jean-Claude believes that enough people will realize that we have never meant harm, or else we would have brought harm long before, considering the number to which the Clan would have grown to by that point."

Chiyuki rolled her eyes at this, truly believing that such things would cause aworld war, but Elda pressed on, saying, "Even though there are those that do not believe in complete success, (giving Chiyuki a sideward glance as she spoke,) we believe that any fight that would happen would be a short one, because those that would come to believe that we are not there to harm them would side with us, and help us put an end to things. In the process, evil would be pruned from amidst the Earth, and people could continue their lives in a new paradigm. It's not that we would believe that we would achieve a utopia, but things would continue as normal with a new facet to society that would benefit all. Jean-Claude truly believes that the only way for vampires to ever have aplace with humans is not to rule them, as the households thought, but to live beside them in peace, and he is ever willing to stop anyone who stands in his way."

This time, the silence in the room was not one of fear, but of joyful anxiousness, because the way Elda spoke made them feel more at ease. If they had believed that what they had been told prior to this was just a story, that had just been dispelled, for, to create such an elaborate lie would have indicated a sever desperation to destroy Lichen, and that would have been something they would have detected the second they entered the compound. Lucas then said, "We will be ready tomorrow night."



Later on, as the four obtained lodging, Chiyuki said to Elda, "How could you believe all that? You know that he only delays our inevitable slaughter."

Elda looked her straight in the eye sternly and said, "Look, missy: I may be younger than you, but I am no less powerful. At one time, I thought that Icould have defeated Jean-Claude, but after being around him, and a little longer than you, I know that he could eventually beat me, though at great harm to himself. He may be younger, and not as strong, but what he lacks, he can make up for in many ways. He knows how to become like water, and flow with whatever comes to him."

Chiyuki did not like Elda's posturing, and took that as a challenge. However, Ai stepped up and said, "Elda, that's not very wise."

Chiyuki, knowing that this was Jean-Claude's grandmother, (and essentially her own ever since the day she took on the name of Makka to disguise herself while attending his school,) she merely raised an eyebrow and said, "More powerful than me? We'll have to see about that."

Before Elda could react, she was pummeled with a rain of blows, followed by atoss into the wall. To Elda, they all felt like the hit at once and yet none of them had enough force to knock her out. Yet, it was still quite painful, and she then lay there in a daze. There was nothing more she needed to say, and she decided to go somewhere to blow off some steam. Elda moaned, "What just hit me?"

"I tried to warn you," said Ai, "Chiyuki is not one to brag, and in reality, she could wipe out a great portion of the entire Clan before she was stopped."

Elda staggered to a couch, trying to shake out the cobwebs, and she said,"She acts like she doesn't care about the Dream."

"In truth, she thinks it's impossible."

"I don't get it? Why does she hang around, then?"

"It's a bit complicated. You see, she believes that there could never be complete mixing of the worlds. Let's face it, we are too different. I mean, humans getting over racial differences are one thing, because they are all human. We are a different species. Jean-Claude calls us homo sapiens nocturni, but really, we are hominid nocturnes. The undead are just aperversion of what we are. Yes, the kids will usher in a new age, and yes, Iknow that the prophecies said that the two worlds would mesh, but that doesn't mean we'll be intermixing in society as if the differences did not exist."

"Then...then, what about the prophecies?"

"At one time, Chiyuki would have never thought that what Jean-Claude had set up could come to pass, but he did it. Then, she was surprised at, not only the growth of the Clan in Japan, but how a magic society ended up in an alliance with the Clan. Then there was the defeat of the Inquisition forever, and now the set up in New York. Now we are absorbing a dying undead household into the fold, and fixing their state. Despite all that, she believes that, though Jean-Claude could achieve his dream, THE Dream is not going to happen how he thinks."

"What does she foresee then?"

"Well, after seeing him in action, she does not see failure. However, what she does see is a world where there will be a large population of humans that would come to be a part of the Clan, but despite that, it would still all have to remain underground."

"How could something that big stay hidden?"

"Well, considering the vast amount of humans that would be in the know, combined with the ability to erase memories, we could stay hidden better than ever before. However, what he envisions will just never happen."

"Then what are we fighting for?"

Ai pondered that for a moment or two and then she said, "Well, it won't be that way, but it will never be the way that it was. We've gone too far for that now."

"What kind of a world will it be?"

Again, she thought for a moment, and then she said, "Imagine, if you will, two completely different worlds living side by side. It is kind of like how the undead world and our world did not know one of the other, but not quite. We would have knowledge of both worlds, but they only of their own. It will be aworld where indeed there will be far more peace for the vampire than there has been up to now. It will be a world where hunting will be needless, because there would be enough humans who would volunteer their necks to us that it would be pointless. We would still have to be discreet, yet, there would be enough humans who would be able to deflect prying eyes to the point where no one would ever bother us again. Those on our side would be a part of two worlds, and they would have a haven of safety within us underneath the wings of the royalty. We would provide them with protection in exchange for our secrecy and their blood. Many would marry, and the few worthy would even be turned. That is indeed a far better world than what we had. Now, it's just the matter of convincing Jean-Claude of this."

"What would be the big problem with the two worlds becoming one?"

"Let's face it: too many humans would want to be a part just to be turned. In fact, there was a recent survey asking humans if they would want to be vampires. Surprisingly, 67% said yes. The main reason: eternal life and adesire for power. I don't think that's the kind of people we want around us. If they were to find out that we just don't operate that way, what do you think those kinds of people would do?"

Elda just let the question dangle as if it were rhetorical. The answer was obvious. Elda then said, "So, Chiyuki is just trying to save my grandson from himself?"

"That's about the size of it," Ai answered.

"Then, I could see what could happen if we did not," she said, thinking out loud, "If things did not go his way, then he would become obsessed with it. Even the most righteous of men could become corrupt if something like this were put before them. He could become so upset, he could well cause what he seeks to prevent, becoming a vicious dictator in the process. Yes, we have to help him. Yet, who could talk sense into him?"

"Let me talk to Karin and Anjou; he wouldn't dare lash out at either one of them."



As they spoke, Chiyuki was in France. She was beside the spot where Ren buried Ryuu. She only wished she could have him back, if even just to talk to Jean-Claude. She knew that he would never dare to resist Ryuu. She betrayed atear as she stood on the spot, and she could not take it anymore. She dug up the body, telling herself that she only had done so to perform a little ritual that probably was never done when he was put to rest. Because it had been sealed in plastic vacuum tight, and buried before sunset, the body had been perfectly preserved. She opened the seal, and her nose wrinkled to the scent of the bits of mustard gas still lingering on the corpse. She then bit into her own hand and started to spill it on the corpse, saying, "In blood is life. This blood is for you, in hopes that the life hereafter is more filled with life than the one you had."

She then began to reseal the bag, and started to remove the air. This was taking about a half hour, and at that point, something began to happen. In addition, considering who this was, something special was bound to happen. What she did not see was how her blood was mingling and moistening the dried blood that was Ryuu's. Because it was vampire blood, and had the capability to empower even a human to do supernatural feats, it began to have an effect here. It touched the flesh, and things started to renew. Things started to reconnect, and because the head was close enough to the neck, it too started to mend. Just as she was beginning to lift the body to rebury it, it started to move. In a split second, Chiyuki was standing in the tree above the grave, and stared in awe at who was emerging from the bag. When he stood, he made acouple of sniffs and said, "Chiyuki, where are you!"

Not caring about the smell, she glomped him hard, and they tumbled down the small hill upon which sat what had been his grave. "How...but...how were you..." she said all flabbergasted.

"It was your blood," he said, "It was the blood and your love for me. You have repaid me a hundred fold for all in the past! Thank you!"

They hugged again, and she said, "We have to get you back. The sun will be up in a half hour here."

"Where to?"

"Oregon."

He looked askance at that, and she said, "I'll fill you in on all that has gone on while we travel there. We'll get you cleaned up and fed before we introduce you to Ai again."

"Do you think she'll react the same as you did?"

Chiyuki looked at him with a knowing look and said, "Ryuu, she will probably rape you!"



Meanwhile, in New York, another drama was playing out. Charlotte and Draco turned on a monitor that allowed them to see what was going on with Fumio. It had been three days, and she knew that Fumio had to be ravenous by this point. When they looked in, they saw that she had trashed the room, and now she just sat in a corner of the room sitting in a fetal position, rocking back and forth, moaning with each rock. Charlotte smiled and said, "I think it is time. I shall now go talk to her."

She was soon at her room and entered. Fumio looked up, fangs extended, saying,"I...hurt...please...so...hungry."

Charlotte smiled and talked to her as before. She said to Fumio, "Would you like to see your son?"

Fumio became anxious, and she said, "please, can I see my son?'

"Will your son help make it better?" asked Charlotte, knowing how Fumio would react.

"Yes, yes he would," Fumio said as she nodded frantically.

Charlotte then opened the door and said, "Then, go to him. Go home, Fumio, and see your son. Let him help you make it better."

Like a shot, Fumio was up and out the door. Charlotte did not care if she was still in her nightgown. The people in New York would not have cared anyway. However, she told her two Samoan henchmen to follow her closely and let her know where she went. She also told them to take a good compliment of fighters with them. She then said, "If it gets like before, and it is such that, whatever causes us not to be able to enter the place happens again, have her tell you how to get past that, and then enter the place and destroy them. Let her feed on whomever she likes, and bring her back. She will be so in ecstasy that, even if she were to feed on her own son, she would not even care. In fact, she may even turn him, which would be even better. Better, insist that she does, and bring them all back. After that, we eliminate Lichen, and then take over this city."

They went, and she pondered how things were going. She loved how the dhampir were not able to cover their tracks the few nights before and how that there were rumors about vampires in the city. It was not a worry: fear and confusion always worked to their benefit. She knew that it would help them more than hurt them. It would also hurt their cause, seeing that they would now have to act with more caution, lest they expose themselves. In fact, their caution just might expose them to House Amayah, and if this were to fail, they could attack by other means. Now, she was a bit worried that, not only was Blade now allied with them, but seemingly, that fool Moon Knight as well was allied. However, she knew that, no matter how powerful they may be, there was no way they could stop Amayah in their full attack. "Clan," she said, staring out the window over the Word Trade district, "This ends tonight! You were such fools for trying to destroy us. Prepare to die!"

A devilish grin overcame her as one of her secretaries said, "We have your dinner prepared."

"Of course you do," she said, and turned to dine on her victory meal.