Help me…
"Sorry kid–no money, no ride!"
Help me…
"You're in the wrong neighborhood. Get lost, you bum!"
Help me…
"Which way to the west side of town? How would I know, I'm not a map!"
Help…me…someone…please…
I've been wandering these streets for hours on end. Though for all I know, it has been several days. A few hours? A few days? In the end, I still feel the same…
Where am I exactly? In the north-eastern area, perhaps? The only thing I know for sure is…
"...please, help me."
Someone.
Anyone.
It's been so long since daylight.
I can hardly see my way or tell where I'm going.
It's not like I knew my whereabouts better during the day anyway.
It's dark.
I'm fatigued.
My soul is wounded.
I just want to lie down and ease the pain.
But here I am, hopelessly wandering around, pathetically begging for help.
Who would want to help a guy like me anyway?
This is the world judging me for the sin I committed. No, it's more accurate to say that this is judgement sanctioned by the goddess herself.
This is justice served for Kira and Rika.
This is what a hypocrite deserves.
This is what the human-shaped creature named Gene Neas deserves.
Maybe I'll never return home.
Maybe I'm cursed to endlessly wander…?
Limping aimlessly in the streets of Gannet, Gene passes by several civilians who scowl at him pitifully the second he makes direct eye contact with them–that is, if they even bother to acknowledge his existence in the first place.
Running out of options as the night grows, Gene rests his back against a nearby street traffic light. As his eyes drift to a fixed distance, he notices a small girl. Of course, there was no shortage of girls roaming around, but this girl in particular was a sight to behold–her body is translucent and submerged in a bright light. Despite her presence seeming difficult for anyone–especially at nighttime–to ignore, everyone else seems to pass right through her as though she were nothing but air.
"?!"
No way, it can't be. It's impossible!
The girl, looking past everyone else and directly at Gene, gives him a bright smile, holding her hands behind her back typical of a playful child.
"Hello, Uncle Gene!"
" Kira?!"
There's no mistaking it, I remember that face all too well. I could never forget Kira!
My heart burns inside my chest, the girl who died because of my selfishness stands before me.
Is this her soul coming to haunt me? Or is she an angel sent to rectify a demon?
No matter, this is my chance.
My only hope for redemption!
" Kira, I'm sorry! I didn't deserve to be your uncle–you should have had someone better than I. I know that you're dead, so I am not worth redemption, but I want to reconcile with you the best that I can. Please Kira, I beg for your forgiveness! "
With no semblance of humiliation, Gene casts himself down on his knees, pleading with a little girl in the middle of the public street. His behavior would put any devoted religious fanatic to shame.
"..."
The girl looks at Gene, innocently tilting her head signifying her lack of understanding of Gene's intentions. Putting this aside, she lets out a small giggle and runs further down the street.
"Wait, Kira! Don't leave me!"
Not yet. I can't let her go yet!
Choosing to play her game of "tag", Gene chases after Kira down the street, completely by-going any semblance of politeness to other people who happen to obstruct his path. His focus was solely on one person alone–no one or nothing else mattered.
My chest burns, my breath is running out, my body can hardly keep up…but I will push it to the brink of death if I have to!
I must make things right with Kira! Otherwise, I can never find peace!
Far away from their starting point, Kira ends up reaching a dim tunnel. A location such as this, especially at night, would normally make any girl shudder at the very thought of it. However, Kira stops at the entrance, then turns around to look at the exhausted Gene–she wears nothing but a warm smile on her face, free of any negative emotions. Confirming Gene's close presence, she levitates off the ground and floats into the tunnel keeping her frontside facing him.
Why would she run all the way here? Is this a game she's playing with me?
Games that we used to play together…
"I see, this is your way of making up for lost time. The time that you deserved but I denied you. Kira, you're too kind…"
Kira tilts her head, placing her finger on her chin.
"I know that you won't linger here forever, I'm sure of it. So just for one last time, let me embrace you."
"..."
Gradually closing the gap between them, Gene finds himself in arms reach of Kira, reaching out to her. This visible desire for an embrace is, however, one-sided; Kira looks at Gene earnestly, waiting with her hands behind her back.
Just one more touch.
Just one more embrace.
Just one more time…surely her pure soul can purify my tainted one.
With the gap finally closed and Kira ceasing her floating, Gene wraps his arms around the little girl's body, closing his eyes as to dimmer the bright light that emanates from her.
"Kira, it's really you after all. I know my selfish actions said otherwise, but I truly loved you! This doesn't mean much to you now, but I'll do anything to make it up to you. You can even haunt me. Anything to redeem myself to you, Kira!"
"Eh? What are you running on about, boy? Who's Kira?"
"?!"
The sound of an unfamiliar voice rings in Gene's ears; the voice was smooth, mellow, and feminine. Opening his eyes, the girl he thought to be Kira was no longer before him, but rather a vampire bat demi-human.
"I don't know, Irina. He's probably mistaken you for someone else."
"Well, there's no mistaking him, Kiran. This is definitely the boy we were sent for!"
In a similar vein, two other vampire bat demi-human ladies appear from behind the one in Gene's embrace. Their skimpy clothing exposed their wings to the chilly winds of the night. Their white fangs, sharp and angular, hang out the corners of their cherry-red lips.
Whaa…who are these women? What did they do with Kira?!
"Teehe, looks like he may have a crush on you, Irina!"
"Shut-up, Raven! Get off me already, you pervert!"
The tallest one of the trio–by a small margin–shoves Gene away from her, breaking free from his unwanted embrace. Gene stumbles backwards a bit, barely able to maintain his balance.
"Who are you…people?"
"Whaaat? Why did you hesitate to call us people? Do you think less of us because we're demi-humans?!"
"Calm down, Irina. The boy probably has never seen demi-humans before. At least not our kind. We don't get many humans around this part of town anyway."
"Aw, look at him–he wants to learn more about us. Why don't we teach him, ladies?"
Following Raven's lead, the three vampire bat demi-human women line up in a triangle formation. In unison, they take a deep breath.
"We are the Bat Sisters!"
"Though technically, we aren't blood-related, just close friends that–"
"Raven, I thought we agreed to cut that part out of our intro. It's too much information!"
"Oops, my bad Irina. I got caught up in the moment, tehee."
Raven sticks her tongue out, while Irina facepalms and shakes her head. Gene, unsure of what he is witnessing unfold before him, looks at them dumbfounded.
Are these women idiots? Am I already in hell?!
"Sigh, look at him. Now he thinks we're idiots! Girls, I'll take the lead from here."
Kiran steps out in front of her team, directly confronting Gene.
"I sincerely apologize for our lack of professionalism. You would be Gene, correct?"
"What do you want from me? I'm lost and just trying to get home. I have nothing of value you can take from me."
"Hmm? I beg to differ. In fact, our client hired us to retrieve it from you."
"Retrieve what exactly? And who is your client that hired–"
Shoo
Thunk
Out of nowhere, a small projectile drills into my neck. At least, that is the only explanation I can reason. Regardless, some tiny object just hit me, and it feels like my nerves are being pinched…
…and my body is…
Is…
Thud
"All right girls, pin him to the wall."
Following Kiran's command, Raven and Irina pick up the collapsed boy, carrying him to the tunnel wall as his body lifelessly drags along.
"..."
My body…it won't move. It's like I'm asleep, but fully conscious at the same time.
I can't even squeal a sound.
I am completely at the mercy of these bats.
"Now, Irina, what was our mission again?"
"If I remember correctly, we were asked to take his blood."
"Only what's necessary. We can't forget that part!"
"Hmph, the word 'necessary' is rather subjective, is it not? To him, maybe a drop of blood is only necessary. But to us vampire bats, blood is always necessary!"
They are after my blood after all…wait, this is my salvation!
My curse is the blood flowing in my veins, but to these bat ladies, it's a source of life!
I can finally be free of this blood! This burden will no longer be mine to bear!
"???"
Feeling a shift in the atmosphere, the three women pause their banter. A light blush and a toothy grin greets them, much to their confusion. Irina covers her breasts.
"Ladies, why is the boy smiling? Tch, I knew he was a pervert!"
"The reason doesn't matter. Let's get this over with already. I'll take his neck."
"Hey, I wanted to bite his neck!"
"You had your chance last time. You and Irina will take one of his arms each. Understood?"
"I hardly want to be near this boy anymore…"
"Okay Kiran, you're the boss…"
The women draw near to Gene, completely surrounding him. They cautiously bend down, crouching to his level.
Rip!
In one maneuver, they rip Gene's shirt off his body, exposing his arms and neck. With their sights on his apricot skin, the vampire bats get in their respective positions, preparing their mouths to dig into their prey.
"Let's eat!"
As though they were a hivemind, the women bare their sharp fangs, elongating them to be twice as they initially appeared before proceeding to sink their teeth into Gene's tender limbs.
Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
Thanks to my newfound numbness, I can't feel anything.
No pain from my body.
No pain from Helia's body.
Nothing but the sound of rapid, deep swallowing.
Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
This is truly the best ending I could have ever hoped for.
I promise to you Kira…
…Rika…
…Tensen…
…Helia…
…and everyone else…
Gulp
Gulp
Gulp
Suck
…I will redeem myself in the next life.
"Aaaah, how delicious!"
The last bit of life in Gene's eyes dissipates. His eyes are completely sealed…but nevertheless, a small grin remains intact.