Can you spot the clues?

[xiiicard.livejournal.com]

Character(s): Ryoji xiiicard & Grell redcinemareel
Location: Training Center
Rating: PG
Open/Closed/Finished: Finished
Summary: Backdated to sometime in August - Of meetings, scythes, chains, black blood, and shopping. There's also talk of demons and more pouting than most teenage boys are supposed to do. Ryoji doesn't realize what he might be, but Grell has a clue about the truth.


Ryoji is looking forward to the demonstration Grell had promised to show him with her special weapon. He can't help but be extremely curious about it.

Grell is already in the training center, working on fighting a few Grats. They were not much of a challenge, but he had already felt as if his skills were becoming dull. It was a good warm up!

Thankfully, there wasn't anyone within sight in the Training Center, otherwise Ryoji might have embarrassed himself with asking every person he met if they were the person he was looking for. Ryoji's first impression of Grell was that she must like the color red a lot. That, and she reminded him of someone, just not anyone he could remember at the moment.

"Grell?"

Grell turned and saw...a young male with a pretty good fashion sense approach him. He rose an eyebrow and rested his scythe on his shoulder, which was just a very awesome looking chainsaw. "Yes? Do I know you?" He would remember a face... "Ah, are you an adoring fan~?"

"I'm Ryoji. You said you were going to show me your special weapon, remember?" If a normal person was supposed to be scared about talking to a rather dangerous looking person wielding a chainsaw...scythe...thing, then Ryoji was only proving he wasn't normal by not showing any fear in the slightest.

"Ah, you're that person? A pleasure then. I'm Grell." He gave a curtsy, some of his hair dripping off his shoulders like blood. "I'd be happy to show you." He thusly presents his weapon, a proud grin on his face. "This is my precious~. It can cut through anything."

"It certainly looks rather dangerous, but it doesn't look like any kind of weapon I've ever seen before," Ryoji commented with a grin. And then, with a flourish, Ryoji returns Grell's curtsy with a bow, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. He can't help but notice that Grell's hand is slightly bigger than most girls, but doesn't say anything. "However, I think it suits you."

Such manners. Grell was liking Ryoji already! He gave a hum of curiosity at his words before shrugging. "It's completely unique to me. Specially modified and everything." He rubs the flat of the weapon fondly. "Oh, yes, many things were accomplished with this beauty." His attention moved back to Ryoji. "Do you have a weapon yet?"

There's now a sheepish look on Ryoji's face as he shakes his head. "Not yet. I don't even know where I'd go to get one." While Ryoji didn't enjoy the thought of fighting, for some reason the thought of owning a weapon was fine by him. It almost seemed like he should have a weapon of some kind.

"Well, you can't continue on without one. It would be silly." Grell rose an eyebrow, under the influence everyone should have a weapon. He sighs dramatically, hoisting his weapon onto a shoulder again. "I guess I'll lend you a hand." Not as if Ryoji had a choice. "Do you like fighting?"

"Ah, not really," Ryoji admitted. "But, for some reason, the thought of having a weapon to use doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's a little odd, isn't it? I've been told I have good reflexes though."

At hearing about those reflexes, Grell got a good idea. There was a smile that crept onto his face, his hand on his scythe itching to do what it wanted. So...who was he to deny himself some fun?

"Good reflexes, you say?"

Ryoji blinks at the question, but he nods. It doesn't occur to him to be nervous at the look on Grell's face. If that fact is stupidity or bravery on Ryoji's behalf, it still remains to be known.

"Good." And with that, Grell vanishes out of sight before appearing behind him, scythe buzzing loudly as it descended upon the poor boy.

Ryoji's body is moving before he can even think and he moves, out of the path of harm from both the weapon and from Grell herself. He only blinks in confusion at the sudden attack, and turns to face Grell.

"Uh... Grell?"

"Save your words, darling. Mine ears are deaf!" Grell wasn't going to pause as he zipped in for an upwards slash.

Ryoji actually made a face, most of confusion rather than fear, with a touch of annoyance, as he continued to dodge Grell's moves. "But you seem to be able to hear me just fine," he pouted.

Grell gave a few more slashing moves, impressed, and mildly annoyed, by how he was actually not shedding blood. His only response was a wide circle swing, as if his scythe was an axe. "Hmmm~? What?"

"Really now. I'm feeling a little hurt at being ignored like this." By now, it was turning into some kind of impromptu dance where Ryoji moved around to avoid getting hit and Grell moved to hit. Amazing enough, even with all the moving around he was doing, Ryoji wasn't out of breath in the least.

Grell paused, surprisingly, perplexed. "...well, you're definitely not human." He wasn't out of breath either, as he had no need for air.

Utterly and completely confused was the only way to describe the look on Ryoj's face at Grell's statement. "Huh?"

"No human could avoid all that and not get a scratch. Annoying," Grell peered to him in curiosity. "Why so surprised?"

"Really? There's no possible way at all?" Raising his hand to his chest in a familiar and comfortable gesture, Ryoji can't help but continue to ask. "But I'm pretty sure I am human. What else could I be if I wasn't?"

Grell sized him up, walking in a silent circle around him. Yes, this boy was different that it was almost familiar.

Almost familiar?

"...you're not human," Grell said with conviction. Rare for him to be so serious. "But not a demon either."

"Demon?" Ryoji was starting to feel a little like a parrot, but it was the only thing he could think of to say. He followed Grell's movements with his eyes, but he was clueless as to the reason behind it. "Um... I'm pretty sure that I'm not a demon either. I don't even think they really exist in my world, although I'm not sure about this place."

Grell stopped behind Ryoji and held his scythe at his neck from behind, he lips close to the other's ear, chuckling. "Just one little cut should shed some...light on all this."

"I don't.... That's not..." Ryoji frowned. It wasn't fear that laced his stumbling voiced words. It was more that Ryoji couldn't exactly pin-point why it would be a bad idea, or was it supposed to be an impossible idea, for Grell to try and cut Ryoji. Shaking his head, Ryoji tried again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"But you're not me. Convince me not to within the next five seconds...four.." Building the anticipation to that pivotal moment was what he craved. It had better not be anti-climatic.

"Grell..." Though the tone sounded a little, well, whiny, there was also a note of something else to Ryoji's tone. Something that hinted at the dark and night, and of finality. "Don't." If Ryoji knew how to explain what it was he felt, he would have done so, but he didn't. So instead, he tried to voice all of the reasoning he couldn't understand into that single word.

"Three...two..." Grell wasn't listening, gripping onto his weapon and readying his arm for that slash, so used to doing so it would be like second nature.

With a sigh, Ryoji decided to just let Grell get in her cut since she seemed so dead set on it. He heard the voiced 'one' before feeling the slightest of nicks on his skin at the back of his neck. Ryoji blinked. That hadn't felt like anything at all.

What Ryoji didn't see was the thin chain, materializing from out of nowhere, that had blocked the majority of the blow at the last minute, leaving only the tiniest edge to cut him. And even then, the blood that dripped out was dark in color, almost black with how dark the shade of red it was.

"That didn't hurt at all."

Grell, on the other hand, was quite surprised when his usual deep slash was blocked by metal. He was lucky to not have revved up his scythe or it would have become entangled with the chains. He stepped back in shock, apparent on his face, and saw a sliver of a trail of a dark, black liquid. He was quiet for a moment before frowning. "What was that all about?!"

"What was what about?" Ryoji turned to blink at Grell curiously. Any more repetition of what had been previously said, and Ryoji was going to consider himself a parrot.

Grell took off his glove and wiped at some of the blood from Ryoji's neck, showing him. "Humans don't bleed black, Weird One."

Peering at the stain on Grell's hand, Ryoji tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "No clue, but it looks kind of red to me. Just a really dark shade of it."

"How are you so...thick headed?" Grell was starting to lost his patience.

"Because I really don't understand?" Ryoji tried offering helpfully.

Was he serious? "....idiot boy, who dodges a scythe, bleeds dark, inhuman blood, and has chains sprouting from cuts. Yes, so very human."

With all the accusations being thrown at him, added with his confusion, Ryoji could only think of one way to respond. And that was to pout. "I really don't know what you're talking about, but if I'm not human than what am I supposed to be? I was pretty sure I was human this morning."

"No, you only thought you were." Grell had no clue also, but...he had a hunch. There was something familiar about the boy that rang in his head, but he couldn't place it. "We'll have to find out the hard way what you are..."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"By making bigger, deeper cuts." Grell grinned.

Ryoji blanched and gave Grell a pleading look. "Are you sure there isn't another way? What's good are more cuts going to do anyway?"

Grell just shrugged with a grin. "It's fun for me, at least, and it seems to be the best way to make progress."

Now Ryoji can't help but pout. "But I won't be having any fun. And I still don't see how it makes any kind of progress. Can't we do something else?"

"Such as?" Grell didn't think the boy had many other ideas.

"Uh...." Think, Ryoji, think! "Didn't you say you were going to help me get a weapon?" he offered hopefully.

"You can't even fight. Why help you get a weapon?" But as Grell thought of it, he figured a staff would be more appropriate. "A staff would suit you best, though..."

A part of Ryoji wanted to protest that he'd never said that he couldn't fight, just that he didn't like to, but he thought it might be better not to say so. Besides, it not like he had any proof either way. "Where would I get a staff though?" he asked, playing along for the time being.

Well, that was a good question. Grell wasn't sure. He had bought his own whip, and his scythe came with his career. "...ask around?" Not so useful answer, but the only one he could come up with.

Ryoji couldn't help but chuckle. "You'd think there would be a place for students to get a hold of weapons at a military school."

"Very true," Grell chuckled as well. "But it shouldn't be so hard to get one. They give us funds for a reason," which he uses to get cute clothing.

"Maybe that's what I'll spend it on then. I've been mostly just saving it up." Because other than food or a few other random bits and pieces, Ryoji hadn't had much need to spend a lot of money.

"...saving for what?" Grell rose an eyebrow at this. "I don't see the need to save..."

"Well I just haven't found anything I need to spend it on yet.," Ryoji said with a shrug.

"It's not like this is our world..." He could care less about the place. Grell waved a hand dismissively. "But that's another story. You don't even need a weapon now. Not till next term."

"Probably not, but it might be nice to have one if I visit the Training Center on my own again."

"With those...things inside of you, I don't think you need to worry..."

Now Ryoji couldn't help but make a face that was part frustration and part confusion. "What things are you talking about?"

"Those chains that shot out at my scythe. Didn't you notice?" Really, Ryoji must really be ignorant of his own powers.

"I really don't know what you're talking about. What chains?"

"Why do you think I wanted to cut you deeper?" Besides his own amusement. "And... they're chains! You know...chains. Metal and such."

"Because you seem to like the color red?" Ryoji suggested helpfully. "I still don't know what chains you're talking about. I just have this scarf." Proving a point, Ryoji picked up the ends and made a little 'hi' gesture with the tip. "And it's not made of any metal that I can see."

"That's true..." Grell giggled at the lil scarf thing though. So cute! "So let me stab you a bit."

"But I don't like stabbing. Especially not if I'm the stabee."

"It's not going to hurt," Grell gave him a bored look.

"What if I offered you something else instead of stabbing me? I'm sure I can find a way to treat a charming creature such as yourself to something you'd enjoy just as much."

"...I seriously doubt that." Grell's tastes might surprise Ryoji, or sicken him. Or both.

"Aw. And here I thought most girls liked shopping."

Did...did he say..."Shopping?!" Oh, his favorite word! Grell had no trouble forgetting about stabbing the poor soul and latched onto his arm. "As long as you're buying~."

Ryoji laughed, not minding the new attachment in the least. "Of course. I wouldn't make a lady pay if I'm the one offering."

Oh, he's goooooooood. Grell offered a grin and lead them to the nearest exit. Yes, he liked this boy a lot now. The one with mysterious dark blood and protective chains.