(no subject)
Author: Aublivienne
Story: Belial Jones: Archrival for Hire
Challenge: Vanilla #12 (a storm), Grapefruit #16 (due date)
Extras/Toppings: none
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 900
Summary: Alain's past comes back to haunt him and to help Belial.
It almost never rained in the Void.
No one knew how to handle the storm that was raging outside. Near constant lightning lit up the endless night, and everyone jumped whenever thunder sounded. People stood in front of windows, staring in awe at the torrential rain.
Something big was about to happen. Sable could feel it.
Belial stormed into the library, throwing his umbrella to the side. “Can you tell me what the hell this is about?” he asked holding up an expensive-looking piece of paper.
Sable took the paper and read it. “About that time, eh?” he said with a chuckle. “My little brother's finally growing up.”
“No!” Belial stomped his foot. “I'm not old enough for an apprentice yet! I'm only four hundred and seven.”
“Well, someone has to take over the library when you retire.”
“Which won't be for another few centuries, at least.” Belial crossed his arms and glared at his brother. “I don't want to look after some fucking kid.”
Sable raised an eyebrow. “You know, people your age generally start looking to raise families of their own.”
“So? Who said I wanted a family?”
A laugh made them both turn around. “Aww, is our little librarian throwing another fit?”
Alain sauntered into the library, taking off his soaked coat and hanging it on the back of a chair. “What's the big deal, anyway? Having an apprentice can be fun.” He smiled fondly.
“Having an apprentice is a big responsibility in the Void,” Sable said. “You're expected to take very good care of them, since they're going to take over when you're done.”
“Huh.” Alain cocked his head. “Do you have one?”
“Only people in certain positions get them. It's kind of like hiring an employee and having a child at the same time. Unlike the human world, you don't get to choose.”
“But I don't want one,” Belial interrupted. “I'm not ready.”
Sable rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Belial, you wouldn't be happy no matter when you got one.” He turned back to the window. “Besides, I have a feeling that this one's going to be different.”
“What do you mean?” Belial asked, joining his brother.
Sable gestured out at the rain. “Storms like this happen for a reason. Something's coming.”
The library's doors flew open with enough force to hit the walls. The three of them turned to see a brown-haired man standing in the doorway, drenched and shivering. He looked exhausted, but his blue eyes were glowing brightly. He looked up at the group, surprised. “Professor?” he said, seemingly shocked.
Alain blinked. “...Errol?”
Errol gasped and ran across the room, throwing his arms around the former scientist. “I thought you left me!” he said happily.
Alain returned the hug and smiled, only to freeze when he felt something sharp at his throat. Errol was holding a large knife that looked like it had been used recently. He smiled coldly, like one would at a fallen rival. “I thought you left me,” he whispered again, giving Alain no time to move before he did.
The first thing Alain noticed was the fear on Sable's face. Sable was usually unshakeable, but he seemed to be just short of sheer panic as he drew his sword.
The second thing Alain noticed was how strange it was to see his own headless body fall to the floor.
Errol completely ignored the katana pointed at his chest and glanced at Belial. “You're the librarian, correct?” he asked without a shred of emotion. He smiled when Belial nodded. “Good. I suppose you're my new boss, then?”
“Fuck,” Alain's head rasped, taxing the shredded remnants of his vocal cords. “This really hurts. Is there any way we can fix this?”
Sable picked up the head with his free hand, examining the wound. “There's nothing I can do here,” he said, glancing down at the body. “I never was all that great at healing...it can't be helped. We'll have to go to the hospital.”
Alain raised an eyebrow. “Don't you think we should call an ambulance? This seems urgent, what with my fucking head being detached from my body and all.”
“Oh, calm down,” Sable said, rolling his eyes and pulling out a handkerchief. He tied it tightly around the bit of throat that was still attached to Alain's body in an attempt to slow the bleeding. “It's only a simple decapitation. They're always a bit jarring, but the most you have to worry about is an overzealous spirit getting into your body. Then it gets complicated.”
“Wait, what?”
“Don't worry, that rarely happens,” Belial said, handing Sable a towel and helping the body to its feet. “You should probably hurry up and go, though.”
Once Sable and Alain left, Belial turned to his apprentice. “To be honest, I've been wanting to do that for a while,” he said, laughing nervously.
Errol smiled, his cold eyes having an unsettling effect on the librarian. “Most people have, I'm sure,” he said, his voice tinged with insanity. He set the knife on a table and wiped his bloody hands on his shirt. “So, what do you need me to do first?”
Story: Belial Jones: Archrival for Hire
Challenge: Vanilla #12 (a storm), Grapefruit #16 (due date)
Extras/Toppings: none
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 900
Summary: Alain's past comes back to haunt him and to help Belial.
It almost never rained in the Void.
No one knew how to handle the storm that was raging outside. Near constant lightning lit up the endless night, and everyone jumped whenever thunder sounded. People stood in front of windows, staring in awe at the torrential rain.
Something big was about to happen. Sable could feel it.
Belial stormed into the library, throwing his umbrella to the side. “Can you tell me what the hell this is about?” he asked holding up an expensive-looking piece of paper.
Sable took the paper and read it. “About that time, eh?” he said with a chuckle. “My little brother's finally growing up.”
“No!” Belial stomped his foot. “I'm not old enough for an apprentice yet! I'm only four hundred and seven.”
“Well, someone has to take over the library when you retire.”
“Which won't be for another few centuries, at least.” Belial crossed his arms and glared at his brother. “I don't want to look after some fucking kid.”
Sable raised an eyebrow. “You know, people your age generally start looking to raise families of their own.”
“So? Who said I wanted a family?”
A laugh made them both turn around. “Aww, is our little librarian throwing another fit?”
Alain sauntered into the library, taking off his soaked coat and hanging it on the back of a chair. “What's the big deal, anyway? Having an apprentice can be fun.” He smiled fondly.
“Having an apprentice is a big responsibility in the Void,” Sable said. “You're expected to take very good care of them, since they're going to take over when you're done.”
“Huh.” Alain cocked his head. “Do you have one?”
“Only people in certain positions get them. It's kind of like hiring an employee and having a child at the same time. Unlike the human world, you don't get to choose.”
“But I don't want one,” Belial interrupted. “I'm not ready.”
Sable rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Belial, you wouldn't be happy no matter when you got one.” He turned back to the window. “Besides, I have a feeling that this one's going to be different.”
“What do you mean?” Belial asked, joining his brother.
Sable gestured out at the rain. “Storms like this happen for a reason. Something's coming.”
The library's doors flew open with enough force to hit the walls. The three of them turned to see a brown-haired man standing in the doorway, drenched and shivering. He looked exhausted, but his blue eyes were glowing brightly. He looked up at the group, surprised. “Professor?” he said, seemingly shocked.
Alain blinked. “...Errol?”
Errol gasped and ran across the room, throwing his arms around the former scientist. “I thought you left me!” he said happily.
Alain returned the hug and smiled, only to freeze when he felt something sharp at his throat. Errol was holding a large knife that looked like it had been used recently. He smiled coldly, like one would at a fallen rival. “I thought you left me,” he whispered again, giving Alain no time to move before he did.
The first thing Alain noticed was the fear on Sable's face. Sable was usually unshakeable, but he seemed to be just short of sheer panic as he drew his sword.
The second thing Alain noticed was how strange it was to see his own headless body fall to the floor.
Errol completely ignored the katana pointed at his chest and glanced at Belial. “You're the librarian, correct?” he asked without a shred of emotion. He smiled when Belial nodded. “Good. I suppose you're my new boss, then?”
“Fuck,” Alain's head rasped, taxing the shredded remnants of his vocal cords. “This really hurts. Is there any way we can fix this?”
Sable picked up the head with his free hand, examining the wound. “There's nothing I can do here,” he said, glancing down at the body. “I never was all that great at healing...it can't be helped. We'll have to go to the hospital.”
Alain raised an eyebrow. “Don't you think we should call an ambulance? This seems urgent, what with my fucking head being detached from my body and all.”
“Oh, calm down,” Sable said, rolling his eyes and pulling out a handkerchief. He tied it tightly around the bit of throat that was still attached to Alain's body in an attempt to slow the bleeding. “It's only a simple decapitation. They're always a bit jarring, but the most you have to worry about is an overzealous spirit getting into your body. Then it gets complicated.”
“Wait, what?”
“Don't worry, that rarely happens,” Belial said, handing Sable a towel and helping the body to its feet. “You should probably hurry up and go, though.”
Once Sable and Alain left, Belial turned to his apprentice. “To be honest, I've been wanting to do that for a while,” he said, laughing nervously.
Errol smiled, his cold eyes having an unsettling effect on the librarian. “Most people have, I'm sure,” he said, his voice tinged with insanity. He set the knife on a table and wiped his bloody hands on his shirt. “So, what do you need me to do first?”