Harsh Reality [Demi, or Invite][NR]

Alec had traveled around the world in several seconds. He'd destroyed an entire city, killed millions of creatures, and traveled to another country to find a comrade dead. Precautions had to be taken to ensure that nothing else happened to any more of his people, mainly Demi. He had to show her the consequences of her actions.

He'd arrived home, and immediately sent his Loyal Butler to travel to Sugure No Shima to fetch Demi. Others would come with her most likely; that was fine. Alec could only hope that he wasn't too late...

Demi entered into the office after a light knock. She closed the door behind her, frowning. She had no idea why she'd been called here. She hadn't done anything wrong, that she knew of, and had tried her hardest to avoid Himitsu, her city, and to just keep her nose clean, heck she had even made sure she had been going around far more dressed than she had previously. "You wanted to see me?"

She crossed her arms across her orange colored top, waiting for him to speak, and a frown still on her face.

Something was wrong, very wrong. Extrasensory perception was a lovely thing, and it was the reason she was here, now. Back in Darkman Tower. She'd been in her room, pacing, for a good hour or so, trying desperately to figure out what could be going on. But, for the moment, all signs pointed to Demi...

She hadn't slept in about three days, since she had spent that time searching through the past, but she didn't care. This was more important. She had just reached the floor to Alec's office when she saw Demi slip in. She had been on her way to see if he knew where she was; so that was convenient to say the least.

She slipped in after Demi, wanting to catch her before she could disappear again...

Extrasensory Perception::

Alec was looking out of a window. His emotions began to get the best of him again, which caused the clouds outside to thicken, and a light rain to fall. Every so often came a rumble of thunder, or a flash of lightning. Alec sat in his father's recliner holding his head up with his right hand, looking out of the window at the huge black cloud that used to be New Vegas on the horizon. This black cloud stretched all the way up into the stratosphere, and was visible most anywhere outside.

Demi walked in and had a frown, with Niala not far behind her. Good, she needed to hear and see this too. Demi was probably mad for being pulled away from whatever mischief she was currently causing, but the frown that was upon Alec's face indicated that he didn't care. Alec stared at Demi for several moments, trying to find out where she got the nerve to have an attitude with the way things were beginning to turn out.

He said nothing to the Vampire at first, and just stretched out his left arm, his hand enclosed into a fist. He opened his hand, causing Squall's necklace to fall from within and land on his desktop with several 'plink' sounds. The necklace and pendant had blood on them. Alec wasn't one to sugar coat things, to talk in code, or to beat around the bush. He was going to tell her exactly how it was, uncensored and in living color.

"Squall is dead," he said, then he went silent several moments for that to sink into her head. "Despite my requests that he lay off, he went back to Shinkai, and began to tear the place apart like your first visit, blowing up buildings and killing innocent people. But this time? Something fought back. Something came out of the fire, and beat him so severely that every bone in his body was broken. I can't even imagine the pain he must have felt before he died."

Alec scratched the side of his head. There was a tremendous crack of lightning just outside one of the windows, followed by a loud BOOM! of thunder. "And that isn't even the best part! This thing is so strong, even I don't know if I can kill it, and if my hunch is correct? It's coming after YOU next!"

Demi's gaze snapped to the necklace that he held out and her frown turned into a look of shock. She had been wondering why Alec had summoned her here... and that was it. Whatever had killed Squall had to be pretty damn powerful, and Alec's words confirmed it. She groaned softly. "Why in hell did he go back there?"

She was supposed to be the trouble maker, the one who constantly got herself stuck in positions that were dangerous, because well.. she was crazy. But no, she had been the one to keep her nose clean, to mind her business, keep her head down, and concentrate on her family. Not be out causing Alec or herself more problems. "Shit... I thought I was the one who was supposed to be out getting in trouble... I've just kept my butt near my family and my head down.."

Her family... they didn't know. They were still on Amaranth's island, so close to the danger. Her little Nanalie... Flynn. She wouldn't put them at risk. "I have to get my family off of Amaranth's island... they're too close to her city.. I won't have them hurt because of something that they have nothing to do with." Her tone of voice was deadly, serious. She cared nothing for her own safety, and that much showed due to her lack of fear when it came to dying, but those two.. they meant everything to her, and she wasn't going to leave them behind to suffer...

Niala was silent as she watched and listened to Kane. And then, as if she couldn't help herself she reached out, hand ungloved as it had been already when she had entered the room. She didn't know why she did it, other than the fact that she wanted to see exactly what would happen to Demi if she returned....

As her hand made contact pain flooded through every nerve of her body and she dropped to the floor, body instinctively curling in on itself. It wasn't Demi's doing, though, it was the past and future that she could not only see, though hazy as it was, but that she could actually feel. She could feel Squall's painful death, and the pain was even too much to cry out. But, she kept her hand where it was, because after the past came the future... Demi's future.

"Hnn... don't..." She released Demi's arm, allowing herself to fall the last six inches to her butt, body shaking. "I... can go get them... don't go back to that island. Not.. not now."

The Sight:

"Neither one of you are leaving this tower, not while that thing is still in this world," said Alec, pressing a button on his desk linked to his Loyal Butler, who was still on Sugure. Directions were given to him to find Demi's family, and inform them of the situation. Alec was sure they would arrive here soon, to stay with her throughout this.

"I don't know if you're educated on the matter or not as a Vampire, but this is something that i've seen many times. Sometimes, a person dies so violently that their soul stays bound in this world until it is avenged, and the people responsible for whatever happened are burning in hell. Sometimes powers they would have never been able to control are realized to them. This is one of things I feared would happen, and tried to prevent."

Alec didn't know what was wrong with Niala, but he figured it had to have something to do with her powers. "Your actions have ripples. Never forget that. Everything you do is a rock being tossed into a body of water, the splash behind it causing ripples. Ripples that spread, and hit other people. Sometimes, this is the kind of shit that happens, when you show up in other people's cities killing innocent victims, or spray painting rainbows and knocking over fucking statues."

It was already looking like the beginnings of another war, something Alec could live without. Since Squall was now dead, it would be a war over some fucking spray paint and graffiti... but now, it looked as if he, and even some of his family would be dragged in...

Demi reached down, picking Niala back up with a frown. "Don't look into my future.. no matter what's going on I can imagine it's never a pretty one." She turned her attention back to Alec and nodded. "I've heard of such a thing.... even Amaranth has told me about it. Hell, the girl told me she could raise them if she really wanted to... the murderous rage that lurks in every victim who is taken early from the world."

A sigh escaped her, she could only hope that her family got here quickly. The itch that was beginning to form from the separation, and the fact that she had no idea of knowing if they were safe or not, was already beginning to start up... and it was likely going to make her violent eventually.

Demi couldn't help but find herself thinking that had Squall just listened in the first place, like she herself did, that none of this would be happening now. She'd still be out on the beach somewhere, hanging out with her family, not stuck in Alec's office under orders not to leave the building again at least not until this thing was gone. A sigh escaped her. "I know what I did was wrong... and I'm not saying it wasn't... but if Squall ever finds his way back to life again I'm likely to attack him myself. For once... I followed orders. Kept my head down, my mouth shut, hands to myself... don't believe me, go ask Amaranth. But now... my family is in danger regardless..." It just all made her want to break something, over and over again, but she simply clenched her hands into fists, and kept her arms folded across her chest.

Niala let herself be picked up and took several steps away from Demi. That had hurt. She had seen and felt a lot of death in her short thirteen years of life but nothing quite as painful or vivid as that. "Ugh... your death is painful..", she said softly after ensuring enough distance was put between them, it helped more than anything, to make the last of the remembered pain to escape. "But... I can't see when it happens..." She went quiet, letting the two talk, while lost in her own thoughts on everything that had suddenly begun to happen: including wonder what would happen to her new friend, Amaranth, if that thing decided to go and attack her and her island.

"Knowing you were wrong doesn't really do SHIT for us right now, does it!?" yelled Alec, the very floor beneath them shaking behind his powers. Thunder rolled across the darkening skies outside, the rain falling against the windows in the fashion that made vision outside almost impossible.

Alec was growing pissed off, and remembered that he couldn't blow up and become The Psychotic Gunman of old. He took a deep breath and calmed down, which also made how hard the rain was falling to let up some. "You aren't the only one that has family at stake. My Grand Daughter's island isn't very far from where that thing is, not to mention the fact that Ghost and my son are out there too. Have you stopped to consider that, Demi? Or the fact that it could come here, killing hundreds of thousands until it found you? Niala has it sounding like it plans on doing you even worse than it did Squall."

If what Niala was saying was what he thought, Demi was definitely the other person that had to die before this vengeful spirit could be put to rest. This was not good at all.

Demi didn't even flinch underneath of his anger: she more than deserved it. The idea of any of them becoming hurt or worse because that thing, whatever it was, was after her was almost sickening: and she had a pretty solid stomach when it came to violence and death.

In a very soft, very calm voice, she turned her gaze to Alec and spoke, "I have thought about it. I have thought about all of it. Many times over again. I saw exactly what Niala saw when she touched me... So, here's my question for you... why keep me here then? If the lives of all of these people are at stake, why have me stay? I'm not afraid of death, no Malkavian is... you should know that from my father. So why shouldn't I just go over there, face the thing, and if I destroy it then so be it and if I don't?... Well, it should be satisfied with my death and go back to where the hell it came from regardless. Sounds like a solid plan to me. What's one life compared to dozens, or more?"

Niala rubbed her temples, she needed rest...to lay down and sleep for a while and then to try again. All of this lack of sleep was clouding her focus. She sighed after a moment and moved to the door: the way Demi was talking wasn't helping her focus and concentration anymore.

"I... I need some rest, get my head right before I try looking at the future again. Maybe I'm missing something."

With that said she opened the door and slipped out, heading down to her suite to go do exactly as she had said...

-Exit.-

She found herself glad that she had decided to stop by and see what in the world was happening. New Vegas was gone, nothing more than some smoke, that could be seen for... well, Destiny assumed a very long ways away. Now, there was a nasty storm brewing and she could only begin to imagine that that was coming from her father.

But this? Her best friend offering to go on some sort of suicide mission to save everyone else. Yes, it was noble of her, smart even... practical. One person sacrificed to save the rest. But, god damnit, that was her best fucking friend, and she was not about to allow Demi to go marching off to meet either victory or death by herself.

So, as the dark haired small female exited her father's office she slipped in, taking position in front of the door with her arms folded across her chest. The message was clear without Destiny having to speak: the only way Demi was leaving was through her, and she wasn't about to step aside without a fight. She wasn't going to allow her friend, even if that was the best course of action, go off to meet her death alone. Her dark stare remained level on the other female's head, and she was sure she'd feel the stare as if it were burning a hole through her head or something. There was no smile on her face, just a hardened line, a poker face, that still spoke volumes with the sudden energy her body was beginning to throw off in her building rage at her best friend.

She spoke as if Alec should let her go over there and face this thing. Let her go to face something even more horrible that Squall had. Alec was pissed off, yes. That big black cloud out on the horizon, the rain, the shaking floor, these were all obvious signs of Alec's fury. There was a crazy vengeful ghost out there, and it could start attacking him, or his family at any time, and let's not forget that damn Demon that showed up on the beaches of Amaranth's island.

Niala left, and Destiny walked in. The Psychotic Gunman that didn't give a fuck about anyone or anything was trying to re-emerge. Alec had to be grown up about this. Yes, he'd blown up an entire city because a Demon had tried to kill his Grand Daughter, but he was not going to let Demi go out there and get man handled even worse than Squall.

"Because I care about you, Demi," answered Alec, in a calm tone, to let her know he was telling the truth, saying so with no frown. This was the truth because the rain outside came to a complete halt. "I love you, even. You are just the same as Destiny. I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you, just like her. If I didn't care... you wouldn't even be standing here right now. Never ask me something like that again."

Demi could feel the proverbial hole being stared into the back of her head, but she didn't turn around. She didn't have to to know that Destiny had arrived, nor to see her face and know how pissed off she was. Hell, she half expected to be hit by the other female for suggesting something that she was sure Destiny had thought was stupid.

But, she couldn't take her gaze off of Alec. She knew his words were true, but they had shocked her somewhat. Sure, she figured he put up with her more than other people, cared even.. but to love her like another of his kids? That.. was a bit more than she had expected. After a moment she sighed and nodded. She had nothing she could say for the moment, lost with words at least for the time being.

She had no sort of other plan in her head to think up, and was drawing all but a blank on another idea...

Destiny stared at Demi a moment longer, answering the female's unspoken question, "Oh, I haven't knocked you through a wall yet because I'd rather not piss my father off further by causing more issues that would need fixed..." Yup, she herself was angry enough to knock the female around a good bit and knock some sense into her, but she wasn't going to do it, yet. "I come to find out what in the world is going on with the hole over there," she pointed off in the direction to New Vegas "and the rage storm outside.. and hear you talking about going to sacrificing yourself... that's just the icing on the cake."

Shaking her head she turned her lightning blue gaze to her father, her tone losing its anger: that anger was reserved for Demi. "Does Amaranth know what's going on, yet? And does Himitsu have anything to do with this? Because that woman is currently on Amaranth's island..." She always knew who was on Amaranth's island, just like Amaranth herself did, Dez had been the one to pull that place out of the ocean and create it after all, she gave it life... So, she always just knew.

Alec put his face within his left hand and grumbled, which caused the rain outside to start again and become a downpour. This was new news. Himitsu had been here, in Edge somewhere, all this time, and when Squall went down, she decided to go out to his Grand Daughter's island, right in the backyard of her city where that thing was waiting. Alec was convinced that Demi was the person who needed to die before the ghost could rest, but what if it was Himitsu? She was there at the moment, with other members of his family....

...But with Demi's family probably on their way to the Tower, he felt confident that Amaranth, Ghost and Alec Jr would be enough for one ghost... not to mention that Ghost was exactly what his name said, a ghost, and with Amaranth being part ghost, if anyone knew how to deal with the situation it would be them. Alec pressed a button on his desk once more, to give the Loyal Butler a new set of directions to go and inform Amaranth and even Himitsu of the current events.

"New Vegas, I did that. That's another story though... Destiny, I don't want you going too far away from this building for now. Demi, you are not to set foot outside of Darkman Tower for at least a week. This is not a request. Any attempt at leaving this building before the week is out I will know about, and I will be in your face immediately. Your family should be on the way here, if not I will go and get them myself. I want all of you safe and out of the way until this matter has been settled. This discussion is not debatable, for now just do as I say. I've seen this thing with my own eyes, and it's no joke."

Alec turned his chair around and looked out of the windows behind him. He had nothing else to say, for now.