Official Duties Part Five
Title: Official Duties
Authors:
butterflyslinky,
ladydiskette,
fuzzywezzy
Characters: Linkara, Rachel, Spoony, Ashens, Mike Michaud, OCs
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence
Summary: Linkara takes Rachel on her first mission.
Notes: Takes place in the Denny’s Court verse after “ The Nice and Accurate Stories of Sursum Ursa, Witch.” Rachel created by
achika_chan. Used by permission.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Meanwhile, Spoony had taken Rachel to the nearest Dairy Queen, being the only place open that late that serves ice cream and was not likely to be crowded with other nosy creatures.
“Um....I will have the Chocolate M&M Frosty please,” Rachel ordered with a smile.
Spoony grinned. “Whatever your monthly special is...they're always so creative here.”
The cashier was only a year or two older than Rachel and looked bored out of her skull. “Here you are, sir.”
“Thank you,” Spoony said.
They sat down in a booth as far from the counter as possible. Rachel ate her ice cream slowly, looking down at the table the whole time.
“Something wrong?” Spoony asked.
“No, sir,” Rachel said quietly.
Spoony raised his eyebrows. “You know us vampires can read people's minds...right? It won't be hard to figure out what is bothering you.”
Rachel glanced up, but quickly looked down again. “Linkara told me you need a blood link to do that.”
Spoony ginned. “Yeah, I just figured that would get you to open up to me. Come on, I'm the Vampire Lord, you can tell me anything.”
Rachel nodded slightly. “I...I know, sir.”
Spoony studied her for a moment. “Rachel, look at me.”
Rachel sighed and looked into his eyes.
Spoony stared her down. “Tell me.”
Rachel shrank back slightly. “I...I don't know what to say to you, sir.”
Spoony raised an eyebrow. “You're afraid of me, aren't you?”
Rachel hesitated. “Well, I…don't mean to. I mean, you're a good guy and fearless leader and…”
“You think I will snap and drain your blood one night when you're asleep still, aren't you?”
“No,” she said. “Not really...”
“Well, I could,” Spoony said bluntly. “You're right to be afraid of me. You know that I could snap your neck right now and no one would object out of fear I'll do the same to them. You know I could throw you out of the city just because you looked at me wrong. You know that there is nothing to keep me from turning you into a vampire to prevent you from turning against me...and the only thing that's keeping you from running away again is Linkara's protection, which could go away any time something came over the border. You're afraid of me because I'm an actual danger to you. There's no shame in admitting that.”
A tear fell down Rachel’s cheek. “Yes,” she whispered. “It’s true, okay?”
“Yes,” Spoony said. “It is okay. Not only is it okay, it's healthy. And I'm not going to pretend I'm not dangerous...but you're still sitting here with me. I could do anything to you...but I won't. You understand that, don't you?”
“Yeah.” She focused on the ice cream for a moment. “I mean, I know you have to be tough and mean…you're a Vampire Lord, you can't expect to rule dominion over every monster in the book and let people push you around. I get that. But I wish I can just get over my fear of you sometimes.”
Spoony shook his head. “Don't. Don't ever wish for that, and don't ever get over it.” He was silent for a moment. “It's like I said...there could be a day when Linkara isn't there to hold me back. And when that day comes, I can and will take it out on anyone who gets in my way. When that happens, you need to have that fear to tell you to get the fuck away from me.”
Rachel looked up at him. “But how do you know when that day will come?”
“I don't not really,” he said. “It’s like, how can you prepare to be pissed off at something and say something or do something you wish you hadn't. It’s just going to happen. I prepare for it. I know it will happen. But that is it.”
Rachel nodded. “I see...thank you, Vampire Lord.”
Spoony laughed. “You don't need to keep being so formal. Just call me Spoony.”
Rachel grinned sheepishly. “Right, Spoony...gotcha.”
“Good girl,” he murmured. There was another pause, but it was more comfortable this time. “So I take it you didn't actually enjoy killing a vampire?” he finally asked.
“Well, she reminded me that she was a human once,” Rachel answered. “Like that would keep me from killing her, because I would be killing someone that was once a human to...committing murder so to speak.”
“But you didn't Rachel, you killed a vampire. Plain and simple.”
“But what is the difference?” Rachel asked.
“Technically speaking, a vampire is already dead,” Spoony said. “So you're not really killing a human...or anything, really. You are simply returning what is already dead to its natural state. Vampires like that like to say shit to screw their slayers. It’s all mind games. Besides, you were doing others a favor. She killed humans in that hospital, and fucking things up for me. No one would have shed a tear if she died.”
Rachel nodded. “I know that, but...you're not really dead, are you? I mean, you're sitting here eating ice cream and talking to me, you run the city and take care of your Court and...you're married to Linkara...so you're living, really.”
Spoony shrugged. “Well yeah, I have a ‘life’ in some sense of the word, but my heart doesn't beat nor my lungs take in oxygen.”
“I see,” she said. “And when you're slain...”
“Well, I don't know for certain,” Spoony said. “But they say we don't have souls, so...nothing. Once you slay a vampire, it's over in every sense of the word. Their body returns to ash.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay…” She still looked troubled.
“Don't mourn for them,” Spoony said softly. “They lived a fuller life than most people can hope for. They had their time, and now they sleep without fear or worry. Most of them chose that life anyway and once they do, they decide to keep it and throw away their humanity.”
“I...I understand why someone might...” she said, glancing shyly at him.
“I didn't choose this,” he said in answer to the unasked question. “But now that I'm here, I'm making the most of it...and it's just as well. If I hadn't been turned, I would have missed out on the greatest love of my life. But I don't fear the day when I am slain...because it will happen, eventually, whether by a slayer's hand or by my own. But once that time comes, I am not afraid.”
Rachel bit her lip. “But still, I keep thinking about all the vampires we've met and ones that Linkara and Cinema Snob have told me about and their fates....how some had it thrust upon them...”
“Yes,” Spoony agreed. “Not everyone chooses to be a vampire. But like everything that is thrust upon us, the only thing we can do is keep moving forward. And most of us are happy here, at least. That's something, isn't it?”
Rachel nodded. “Yeah...I mean...Jaeris is the sweetest guy I've ever met.”
“Yeah, he seems nice to me,” Spoony said. “I'm sorry that I haven't gotten to know you two better, but the Court won't run itself.”
“I understand,” she said. “But it’s been interesting meeting everyone else on our own.”
“Good.” He sat back. “But I still ought to remedy that a little. So tell me about yourself, Bella.”
Rachel smiled timidly. “Um, well, to start with, my name isn't Bella.”
Spoony grinned. “Noted. What else?”
Rachel hesitated. “I...I don't know what to say.”
“Well, what about your family?” Spoony asked. “What made you want to become a slayer in the first place?”
Rachel nodded, glad to have questions she could answer. “Well...my dad worked at a meat packing plant and my mom was a librarian. I have a little brother, but I haven't seen him since he was a baby because I was identified as a Slayer and shipped off to the academy when I was only six years old. I didn't choose to be a Slayer, I was just chosen. And my parents didn't have any hopes of paying for my education, so they agreed straight off.”
Spoony raised his eyebrows. “So it was simple as that, huh?”
Rachel shrugged. “Usually is. And once they have you at the age of six, it's pretty hard not to go down their path.”
Spoony nodded. “Most stories I've heard is ‘orphaned at aged eight by some psychotic killer vampires blah blah blah…’ weren't they concerned about their only daughter fighting vampires and other creatures of the night?”
Rachel shrugged again. “Maybe. But we were poor. I didn't have any prospects where I was. And I think they liked the idea of their little girl being ‘special.’ They wrote to me often...until I left.”
“Sooo.....how did they react when they found out you were living out the actual ‘Twilight’ story?” Spoony asked. “With no buff shirtless lycan I mean.”
Rachel looked down. “They, um...don't know about that yet. I haven't exactly written to them since I left...just dropped them a note to say I was alive.”
“I see...”
Rachel twisted a napkin nervously. “I know...I keep meaning to tell them, but I don't know how. I mean, how do you say ‘I eloped with a potentially homicidal vampire’?”
“I don't know,” Spoony answered. “Never had to deal with that. All my immediate blood family besides Insano passed away.”
“I...I'm sorry?” Rachel said.
Spoony waved her off. “It's okay, I've had time to grieve...well, I suppose we can work on that together...Linkara might have some suggestions.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay. Thanks for the ice cream. That was nice of you.” She smiled at him.
Spoony smiled back. “No problem, just need to pick some up for Linkara and we will be on our way back home. It’s still a school night for you young lady.”
Rachel raised her eyebrows at him. “Um...I don't go to school...except with Linkara.”
Spoony looked surprised. “Oh...didn't I make ‘high school diploma’ one of your tasks?”
Rachel shook her head. “No.”
Spoony grinned. “Maybe I should. I don't want no dumbass slayers taking over for my consort...” He got up and ordered some ice cream to go for Linkara while Rachel got her coat back on. “You ready?”
“Yep,” Rachel said.
As they headed back to the manor, Rachel giggled a little.
“What?” Spoony asked.
“You realize that I'll never take over for your Consort, right?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Spoony asked.
“Well, first, I'm female...” Rachel said.
Spoony laughed as well. “I meant in the Slayer business.You're a little young for me, anyway. And I really don't want to fight Jaeris for you.”
Rachel grinned. “Fair enough.”
He offered his arm and they walked home, chatting and laughing casually. He still frightened her, deep down, but not as much as he had...or probably should.
THE END
Authors:
butterflyslinky,
ladydiskette,
fuzzywezzy
Characters: Linkara, Rachel, Spoony, Ashens, Mike Michaud, OCs
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, violence
Summary: Linkara takes Rachel on her first mission.
Notes: Takes place in the Denny’s Court verse after “ The Nice and Accurate Stories of Sursum Ursa, Witch.” Rachel created by
achika_chan. Used by permission.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Meanwhile, Spoony had taken Rachel to the nearest Dairy Queen, being the only place open that late that serves ice cream and was not likely to be crowded with other nosy creatures.
“Um....I will have the Chocolate M&M Frosty please,” Rachel ordered with a smile.
Spoony grinned. “Whatever your monthly special is...they're always so creative here.”
The cashier was only a year or two older than Rachel and looked bored out of her skull. “Here you are, sir.”
“Thank you,” Spoony said.
They sat down in a booth as far from the counter as possible. Rachel ate her ice cream slowly, looking down at the table the whole time.
“Something wrong?” Spoony asked.
“No, sir,” Rachel said quietly.
Spoony raised his eyebrows. “You know us vampires can read people's minds...right? It won't be hard to figure out what is bothering you.”
Rachel glanced up, but quickly looked down again. “Linkara told me you need a blood link to do that.”
Spoony ginned. “Yeah, I just figured that would get you to open up to me. Come on, I'm the Vampire Lord, you can tell me anything.”
Rachel nodded slightly. “I...I know, sir.”
Spoony studied her for a moment. “Rachel, look at me.”
Rachel sighed and looked into his eyes.
Spoony stared her down. “Tell me.”
Rachel shrank back slightly. “I...I don't know what to say to you, sir.”
Spoony raised an eyebrow. “You're afraid of me, aren't you?”
Rachel hesitated. “Well, I…don't mean to. I mean, you're a good guy and fearless leader and…”
“You think I will snap and drain your blood one night when you're asleep still, aren't you?”
“No,” she said. “Not really...”
“Well, I could,” Spoony said bluntly. “You're right to be afraid of me. You know that I could snap your neck right now and no one would object out of fear I'll do the same to them. You know I could throw you out of the city just because you looked at me wrong. You know that there is nothing to keep me from turning you into a vampire to prevent you from turning against me...and the only thing that's keeping you from running away again is Linkara's protection, which could go away any time something came over the border. You're afraid of me because I'm an actual danger to you. There's no shame in admitting that.”
A tear fell down Rachel’s cheek. “Yes,” she whispered. “It’s true, okay?”
“Yes,” Spoony said. “It is okay. Not only is it okay, it's healthy. And I'm not going to pretend I'm not dangerous...but you're still sitting here with me. I could do anything to you...but I won't. You understand that, don't you?”
“Yeah.” She focused on the ice cream for a moment. “I mean, I know you have to be tough and mean…you're a Vampire Lord, you can't expect to rule dominion over every monster in the book and let people push you around. I get that. But I wish I can just get over my fear of you sometimes.”
Spoony shook his head. “Don't. Don't ever wish for that, and don't ever get over it.” He was silent for a moment. “It's like I said...there could be a day when Linkara isn't there to hold me back. And when that day comes, I can and will take it out on anyone who gets in my way. When that happens, you need to have that fear to tell you to get the fuck away from me.”
Rachel looked up at him. “But how do you know when that day will come?”
“I don't not really,” he said. “It’s like, how can you prepare to be pissed off at something and say something or do something you wish you hadn't. It’s just going to happen. I prepare for it. I know it will happen. But that is it.”
Rachel nodded. “I see...thank you, Vampire Lord.”
Spoony laughed. “You don't need to keep being so formal. Just call me Spoony.”
Rachel grinned sheepishly. “Right, Spoony...gotcha.”
“Good girl,” he murmured. There was another pause, but it was more comfortable this time. “So I take it you didn't actually enjoy killing a vampire?” he finally asked.
“Well, she reminded me that she was a human once,” Rachel answered. “Like that would keep me from killing her, because I would be killing someone that was once a human to...committing murder so to speak.”
“But you didn't Rachel, you killed a vampire. Plain and simple.”
“But what is the difference?” Rachel asked.
“Technically speaking, a vampire is already dead,” Spoony said. “So you're not really killing a human...or anything, really. You are simply returning what is already dead to its natural state. Vampires like that like to say shit to screw their slayers. It’s all mind games. Besides, you were doing others a favor. She killed humans in that hospital, and fucking things up for me. No one would have shed a tear if she died.”
Rachel nodded. “I know that, but...you're not really dead, are you? I mean, you're sitting here eating ice cream and talking to me, you run the city and take care of your Court and...you're married to Linkara...so you're living, really.”
Spoony shrugged. “Well yeah, I have a ‘life’ in some sense of the word, but my heart doesn't beat nor my lungs take in oxygen.”
“I see,” she said. “And when you're slain...”
“Well, I don't know for certain,” Spoony said. “But they say we don't have souls, so...nothing. Once you slay a vampire, it's over in every sense of the word. Their body returns to ash.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay…” She still looked troubled.
“Don't mourn for them,” Spoony said softly. “They lived a fuller life than most people can hope for. They had their time, and now they sleep without fear or worry. Most of them chose that life anyway and once they do, they decide to keep it and throw away their humanity.”
“I...I understand why someone might...” she said, glancing shyly at him.
“I didn't choose this,” he said in answer to the unasked question. “But now that I'm here, I'm making the most of it...and it's just as well. If I hadn't been turned, I would have missed out on the greatest love of my life. But I don't fear the day when I am slain...because it will happen, eventually, whether by a slayer's hand or by my own. But once that time comes, I am not afraid.”
Rachel bit her lip. “But still, I keep thinking about all the vampires we've met and ones that Linkara and Cinema Snob have told me about and their fates....how some had it thrust upon them...”
“Yes,” Spoony agreed. “Not everyone chooses to be a vampire. But like everything that is thrust upon us, the only thing we can do is keep moving forward. And most of us are happy here, at least. That's something, isn't it?”
Rachel nodded. “Yeah...I mean...Jaeris is the sweetest guy I've ever met.”
“Yeah, he seems nice to me,” Spoony said. “I'm sorry that I haven't gotten to know you two better, but the Court won't run itself.”
“I understand,” she said. “But it’s been interesting meeting everyone else on our own.”
“Good.” He sat back. “But I still ought to remedy that a little. So tell me about yourself, Bella.”
Rachel smiled timidly. “Um, well, to start with, my name isn't Bella.”
Spoony grinned. “Noted. What else?”
Rachel hesitated. “I...I don't know what to say.”
“Well, what about your family?” Spoony asked. “What made you want to become a slayer in the first place?”
Rachel nodded, glad to have questions she could answer. “Well...my dad worked at a meat packing plant and my mom was a librarian. I have a little brother, but I haven't seen him since he was a baby because I was identified as a Slayer and shipped off to the academy when I was only six years old. I didn't choose to be a Slayer, I was just chosen. And my parents didn't have any hopes of paying for my education, so they agreed straight off.”
Spoony raised his eyebrows. “So it was simple as that, huh?”
Rachel shrugged. “Usually is. And once they have you at the age of six, it's pretty hard not to go down their path.”
Spoony nodded. “Most stories I've heard is ‘orphaned at aged eight by some psychotic killer vampires blah blah blah…’ weren't they concerned about their only daughter fighting vampires and other creatures of the night?”
Rachel shrugged again. “Maybe. But we were poor. I didn't have any prospects where I was. And I think they liked the idea of their little girl being ‘special.’ They wrote to me often...until I left.”
“Sooo.....how did they react when they found out you were living out the actual ‘Twilight’ story?” Spoony asked. “With no buff shirtless lycan I mean.”
Rachel looked down. “They, um...don't know about that yet. I haven't exactly written to them since I left...just dropped them a note to say I was alive.”
“I see...”
Rachel twisted a napkin nervously. “I know...I keep meaning to tell them, but I don't know how. I mean, how do you say ‘I eloped with a potentially homicidal vampire’?”
“I don't know,” Spoony answered. “Never had to deal with that. All my immediate blood family besides Insano passed away.”
“I...I'm sorry?” Rachel said.
Spoony waved her off. “It's okay, I've had time to grieve...well, I suppose we can work on that together...Linkara might have some suggestions.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay. Thanks for the ice cream. That was nice of you.” She smiled at him.
Spoony smiled back. “No problem, just need to pick some up for Linkara and we will be on our way back home. It’s still a school night for you young lady.”
Rachel raised her eyebrows at him. “Um...I don't go to school...except with Linkara.”
Spoony looked surprised. “Oh...didn't I make ‘high school diploma’ one of your tasks?”
Rachel shook her head. “No.”
Spoony grinned. “Maybe I should. I don't want no dumbass slayers taking over for my consort...” He got up and ordered some ice cream to go for Linkara while Rachel got her coat back on. “You ready?”
“Yep,” Rachel said.
As they headed back to the manor, Rachel giggled a little.
“What?” Spoony asked.
“You realize that I'll never take over for your Consort, right?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Spoony asked.
“Well, first, I'm female...” Rachel said.
Spoony laughed as well. “I meant in the Slayer business.You're a little young for me, anyway. And I really don't want to fight Jaeris for you.”
Rachel grinned. “Fair enough.”
He offered his arm and they walked home, chatting and laughing casually. He still frightened her, deep down, but not as much as he had...or probably should.
THE END