Tenth Night - Part 3
continued from here
"Nor had you turn the vines into slime and rot."
"I'd never do that!" Omi realized that he did make the flowers explode. "Okay, I'd never do it willingly..."
"As I said, it is a remarkably good attempt for one who is new."
He smiled weakly. "Then I'm not hopeless?"
"Absolutely not. Your potential is merely untapped."
Omi smiled more. It had been rare that he'd ever received praise, and though he'd tried to hide it, it had hurt the boy, who hadn't even known who he was.
The vampire got up and inspected the fountain and the vines that seem to be strangling the gargoyles that perched on it.
The fledgling followed behind him. He was curious, anyway, to see what he'd done.
The vines were thick and covered with sharp thorns, strong enough to crack stone, water trickles out from the gargoyle's eyes, rather like tears.
"W-wow..."
"They are stone blossoms, creatures of the underhill use them as part of their fortifications."
"What kind of creatures?"
"The sidhe, they go by many names including the fair folk, the people, the fey."
"The 'shi'?" Of course, being Japanese, Celtic pronunciations were lost on the boy.
"Ah, right. They can be called Fairies or Elves if you must. But do not let stories you see on those screens or picturebooks fool you, they can also be Goblins, Puka, and other terrors."
"So, they all exist?"
"Yes they do. There are more things in heaven and earth then there are in your philosophy"
Omi knew that was a quote from somewhere, but he didn't know where. "It's hard to believe that, sometimes..."
"It helps to keep an open mind child, just don't let it be so open that your brain falls out."
He laughed. "I don't think that's really possible..."
"Perhaps not. You did get this old thing to work again."
"Wait, I fixed it?"
"It requires a certain pressure on it to keep the water flowing, and stone blossoms take far too long to grow."
"Huh..." He didn't say much, but he was obviously pleased with what he'd done.
"It should be flowing at it's full strength in a forthnight."
Omi smiled. "That'll make the garden look a lot better."
"Indeed, and I think your ladyfriend over there will appreciate it." The vampire gave an amused grin and seem to be looking over the young man's head.
Omi didn't dare turn around. He'd be too bright red.
There were some quiet giggling
He blushed anyway.
The vampire glanced at the sky. "It is time to hunt."
"Do we have enough time?"
"Yes we do."
Omi sighed in relief. "I'm really hungry."
"Let us be quick about it"
"Do we have to drink from humans?" Omi asked suddenly. "Or do animals work?"
"It is possible to sustain on animal blood, but it is a wretched taste and you will require vastly larger amount of blood."
Omi nodded. "And... do we have to kill people to feed?"
"Not always, but as you may notice, the hunger is difficult to control."
Another nod. "I... I don't want to kill anyone who doesn't deserve it."
"Nor had you turn the vines into slime and rot."
"I'd never do that!" Omi realized that he did make the flowers explode. "Okay, I'd never do it willingly..."
"As I said, it is a remarkably good attempt for one who is new."
He smiled weakly. "Then I'm not hopeless?"
"Absolutely not. Your potential is merely untapped."
Omi smiled more. It had been rare that he'd ever received praise, and though he'd tried to hide it, it had hurt the boy, who hadn't even known who he was.
The vampire got up and inspected the fountain and the vines that seem to be strangling the gargoyles that perched on it.
The fledgling followed behind him. He was curious, anyway, to see what he'd done.
The vines were thick and covered with sharp thorns, strong enough to crack stone, water trickles out from the gargoyle's eyes, rather like tears.
"W-wow..."
"They are stone blossoms, creatures of the underhill use them as part of their fortifications."
"What kind of creatures?"
"The sidhe, they go by many names including the fair folk, the people, the fey."
"The 'shi'?" Of course, being Japanese, Celtic pronunciations were lost on the boy.
"Ah, right. They can be called Fairies or Elves if you must. But do not let stories you see on those screens or picturebooks fool you, they can also be Goblins, Puka, and other terrors."
"So, they all exist?"
"Yes they do. There are more things in heaven and earth then there are in your philosophy"
Omi knew that was a quote from somewhere, but he didn't know where. "It's hard to believe that, sometimes..."
"It helps to keep an open mind child, just don't let it be so open that your brain falls out."
He laughed. "I don't think that's really possible..."
"Perhaps not. You did get this old thing to work again."
"Wait, I fixed it?"
"It requires a certain pressure on it to keep the water flowing, and stone blossoms take far too long to grow."
"Huh..." He didn't say much, but he was obviously pleased with what he'd done.
"It should be flowing at it's full strength in a forthnight."
Omi smiled. "That'll make the garden look a lot better."
"Indeed, and I think your ladyfriend over there will appreciate it." The vampire gave an amused grin and seem to be looking over the young man's head.
Omi didn't dare turn around. He'd be too bright red.
There were some quiet giggling
He blushed anyway.
The vampire glanced at the sky. "It is time to hunt."
"Do we have enough time?"
"Yes we do."
Omi sighed in relief. "I'm really hungry."
"Let us be quick about it"
"Do we have to drink from humans?" Omi asked suddenly. "Or do animals work?"
"It is possible to sustain on animal blood, but it is a wretched taste and you will require vastly larger amount of blood."
Omi nodded. "And... do we have to kill people to feed?"
"Not always, but as you may notice, the hunger is difficult to control."
Another nod. "I... I don't want to kill anyone who doesn't deserve it."