Moon, Sunny and Weaver sat under the shade provided Gemini. The Vampire sisters tended to their wounds with ointments. Weaver took small violet vial and slugged it back. He slumped back in relief. "We need to find a Healer." Zeke said looking at his arm. He sniggered. "Finding a Healer in Hell isn't an easy task." Clara raised her hand. "I'm a healer." Sunny dripped her head forward, holding her side. "He's right. We're in Hell, there aren't many practitioners of healing down here." "But I-" Zeke raised a finger to Clara. "Zeke, I hate to agree with her, but she's right. We might think of getting out and then coming back in, when we're all at full strength." Zeke said nothing staring at them silently. They stared back at him. "What?" They asked. "Clara, would you mind introducing yourself again?" "I'm a Healer." "What!?" They exclaimed. "Why didn't you say anything?" Moon snapped. Zeke rolled his eyes with Eleanor and Ordelia. "Hurry up and heal us then!" Sunny demanded.
"It's not that simple. My healing is a bit different..." "Oh I swear to god! If you try to turn as a way to heal, I will shove my foot so far up your-" "Moon!" Zeke scolded. "Clara, can you stop their bleeding?" "For those two, yes. For him. I can't save that arm." "That's fair." Weaver looked at his mangled arm and tore off the last fibres of muscle. "Hey pup. Catch." Gemini greedily ate Weaver's arm. He tied it off with threads. "I'll get a Healer on the other side to patch it up later." "So, what's different about your healing." Clara winced. "Well...it kind of, sort of requires me to have a large amount of Mana, to manipulate your blood." She blushed her eyes darting to Zeke. "You need to eat my Mana again don't you." "If that's okay?" "Oh no. You eat my Mana, and then give it to her." "Ew gross. I don't want your Mana." Sunny said looking at her disgusted. "It doesn't work that way. I'll be reconstituting Mana into new blood and bone. I can't do that when you're both running low." "I'm fine." Moon declared proudly her face pale. "Yeah me too." Sunny said with a nasally voice.
Moon chuckled. "How about you tell us how you came about this good boy?" She said forcing a smile at Gemini. He responded in kind, blowing his hot breath onto them. They reeled at the smell. "Uh, well I found three Cebersais-" "Cerberuses." Moon corrected. "Whatever! They were eating one of those um...like mutated conjoined monsters?" "A Night Creature?" Weaver said. "Yeah! One of those, and they weren't sharing with him." "Just how big were they?" Sunny asked looking at Gemini. "Oh they were slightly smaller than him now. Before he was about the size of a bear." "Um...if that's the case, how did he come into enough Mana to grow to that size?" Ordelia asked. "It would require a tremendous amount to grow to that size." Eleanor said. "Well I ended up having to fight the three of them. Apparently the whole "Son of Samael" thing doesn't always work. I killed two of them and let him eat the hearts."
"YOU DID WHAT!?" Weaver snapped. Zeke reeled back startled with Gemini snarling at him. "You could have amplified your powers immensely. Why would you do something so idiotic?" Weaver scolded. "Gemini. It's okay." Zeke said calming the snarling beast. "Well, we need a way to move forward right? The Hell Stallions aren't gonna keep moving forward, but Gemini can, and he's big enough to carry everyone. Strong enough as well." Gemini wagged his tail enjoying the compliments. "Although, I can't figure out why he can't talk like the other ones. I thought it was because of the size thing at first." "Because he's not a Cerberus. He's a Hell Hound." Clara said. "Not as smart-" Gemini scowled at Ordelia. "Still smart!" She yelped. Weaver chuckled shaking his head in disbelief. "Very well. We'll continue onwards with Gemini as our mount." "Think you can handle carrying us boy?" Zeke asked. Gemini nodded eagerly. "Okay, we'll load you up right after we heal these two." "Oh no, I don't want any vampire healing and whatever other healing they have." "I have to agree with the dumbass on this one."
Zeke flicked both of their foreheads. "Both of you stop it." He gave Clara his hand. "Eat away. Just don't use your tongue like last time." "I make no promises." "It actually helps if we all eat-" Moon and Sunny glared at the sisters. Clara reeled back sinking her fangs into Zeke's hand. Leaving it in her mouth like a chew toy, she held her hands over Sunny's face. A bloody pentagram appeared. The blood shot into Sunny's face. She winced, feeling the gloop enter her broken nose. Moon reeled back baring her teeth in disgust. "Weird. Weird! WEIRD! WEIRD!!" Sunny cried out, shaking her hands. Clara took Zeke's hand out of her mouth. He felt light headed and took a moment to compose himself. "There, you're all better." Sunny opened her eyes touching her nose and rib. "Hey! I'm all better! That's amazing! What was that?" "It's Blood Magic. Commonly found amongst their kind." Weaver said. "Are you okay to keep going?" Clara asked Zeke. "Yeah, I'm fine. Get her up and walking again." "She's lost a lot of blood, and the nerves are damaged. This will take a little longer." She cringed. "Just do it, and could please ease up on the tongue? You're going to awaken something in me." He blushed.
Moon and Sunny shared a look. Clara bit down on Zeke's hand with Ordelia and Eleanor seethed with jealously. The bloody pentagram appeared over Moon's legs. "Wait, wait!" They stopped. "What is it?" "You don't have AIDS or something right?" The three sisters looked at each other. "What is that?" Clara asked. "It's a blood disease that came from some guys fucking monkeys." Clara lurched forward disturbed. "They did what?" "They fucked a bunch of monkeys." Moon said again. "Are you serious right now? Is that a real disease in your realm?" Eleanor asked. "Sadly yes." Weaver said. "And it really came about from men fucking monkeys?" "That is the prevailing theory. Yes." "No, I don't have that disease. We're immune to them. At least I hope." Clara said. "I'm not comfortable then-YAH!" Zeke poked her shins, placing his hand into Clara's mouth. "Just heal her." Pouting and frowning at him she flinched and jumped with each droplet of blood touching her. She felt it wriggle under skin. "AH! AH! WEIRD!" She cried out feeling her skin crawl. She shuddered pulling her legs in, before a smile stretched across her face. "Oh hey! I feel great!" She leapt up onto her feet.
"That's amazing. Weird, but amazing." Clara blushed shying away. "We should keep moving and-" Zeke collapsed face first into the dirt. "ZEKE!" Moon cried out. He awoke seeing the bright full moon above them, the stars twinkling and shining just as bright. With heavy eyes he panned around feeling Gemini's thick fur on his back. Looking down he found Moon sleeping on his right shoulder, and Sunny on his left. A blanket draped over the three of them. "Wha...where..." Clara rushed over kneeling in front of him. "I'm so sorry!" She whispered. "I ate too much Mana, and you fainted." "That...that can happen?" She nodded bowing to him. "Where's...Where's Weav-" "He's keeping watch. Here eat." She offered to feed him dry pieces of meat. He tried to reach up. Moon grumbled and groaned snuggling Zeke harder, with Sunny pulling his arm tighter. "I'll eat later." "You're dehydrated. You need to eat and drink."
Zeke licked his dried and cracked lips. "How long have I been asleep for?" Clara grimaced. "About 13 hours?" Zeke took a sigh, opening his mouth. Clara carefully reached to place a piece of jerky into his mouth. Moon and Sunny snatched her wrist, moving faster than lightning. Clara froze on the spot her bulging eyes darting back and forth between two glaring eyes. "Moon, Sunny. Can you let her hand go before you break it?" "Yes please." Clara asked wincing trying to pull her arm out. Moon took the bowl with Sunny grabbing the water flask. Clara left by backing away slowly. Zeke took both of the items and forced himself up on shaking footing. "Zeke, you need to-" "I'm fine. I just need to pee."
Walking through the forest and guided by the sisters, he found Weaver patrolling with a stump for arm. Under the bright pale moonlight he could see the threads glistening in the air. "I always wondered how you could seemingly sense people." "You're awake. That's good. How are you feeling?" Weaver said without turning around. He stood by his side offering him a piece of jerky. "I would complain about how shitty I feel, but you're literally missing an arm." "Not the first time, I've lost a limb." Weaver said rubbing his stump. "What was it last time? If you don't mind me asking?" "Both my legs, and my lower jaw." Zeke looked at him concerned. "I was much weaker and brash back then. I took a fight I couldn't win, and acted on emotion, instead of reason." "Big monster?" "Yeah...let's go with that." Zeke dropped the conversation sensing the tension in his questions. "Where are we?" "From what the sisters have told me. We're in the heart of the King Cerberus's territory, one of the Bone Monarch's generals apparently." "Is he gonna be pissed that I killed two of them?"
"They don't need a reason to be angry at us either way. Hopefully we can take a diplomatic approach to our future...altercations." "Here's hoping." Weaver turned around seeing the sister's crimson eyes staring at him in the tree line. Moon and Sunny resting beside the giant Hell Hound. The Hell Stallions with the wagons hung on the side of Gemini like a backpack. He snickered rubbing his face. "Uhh, did I miss something?" "I'm just laughing at the situation. I had everything planned out. That we would take the most direct route, but avoid any fights, and yet here we are. Being guided by three of Lord Dracula's runaway brides, riding a Hell Hound to our destination, and missing an arm." Weaver continued to laugh. Zeke awkwardly tried to join in. "Can you promise me one thing Zeke?" "Sure..." He placed his hand onto Zeke's shoulder. "Never change Zeke." He said smiling at him.
Zeke blinked rapidly shocked at the words. "No matter how the world beats you down. No matter how angry you are at them. Never lose your humanity. It is the best thing about you." "I'll...I'll try." Weaver sat down staring up to the night sky asking Zeke to join him. "Did Elizabeth ever give you the night sky pep talk?" Zeke shook his head. "She always sent us back to the dorms, before sun down." "A long time ago, nearly ancient history from how old she is." Eliza woke up in her hotel room scowling. "Someone's talking shit about me." Weaver pointed to the moon. "When a student felt like they amounted to anything, and were being outclassed. She would take them to the very top of the academy, and point to the night sky. Then she would say, after slapping the air out of your chest and calling you a name, you're that star up there." Weaver smiled. "You'd obviously be lost, looking at nothing trying to find a star, and when you did. She'd slap your hand and say, if you think your bright enough to be that star, why are being a little bitch." Zeke chuckled. "Really? Although that does sound like her." Eliza's eyes darted back and forth. "Someone's definitely talking shit about me."
Weaver nodded. "And you'd obviously feel even more like shit, so you would want to leave, and when you did. She would point to the telescope up there. She'd make you look through it or-" "Or she would shove it into you?" Weaver nodded, with the two laughing. "You'd take a look and you would see stars just like this night sky. Each one dazzling, twinkling and sparkling in the dark. She'd say, you shine just as bright as any other star. Don't ever forget that." Zeke was at a loss for words. Weaver gave a sentimental smile. "That just because no one can you see through the bullshit, doesn't mean you aren't an amazing star that lights up the night sky." "She really say that?" Weaver gave a small nod. "She'd tap the telescope, look you right in the eyes, and say. Sometimes we need help seeing how bright we actually shine. Then she'd ruin the moment by gut checking you and walking off." Zeke chuckled. "That's definitely her."
Weaver turned to Zeke. "When I met you and Moon in my office that day. I knew she was a bright star, but you? You were this Moon eclipsing yourself." Zeke froze unable to even respond. "Bold enough to threaten the guard for checking out Edelgard and Moon's ass." "You knew about that?" He smirked at Zeke. "I saw it on the cameras. Eyes front." He growled imitating Zeke. He cringed and curled in. Weaver gently shook Zeke giving him a pat on the back. "You did the right thing and always have. You never let your convictions and morals waiver in the face of anything. I want you to know Zeke. You've come so far in the short time we've met, and I have no doubt you'll surpass me in a short time." "I don't think that's ever gonna happen." Zeke said lowering his head. "You will, I believe in you. I can see the potential in you, and I'm proud of you, from all the achievements you have done, and the ones you will do." Zeke awkwardly scratched his head. "I don't really know how to accept compliments. Is there any chance you can just insult me?" Weaver laughed patting Zeke on the shoulder and standing up. "Good night Zeke. I would also speak with Moon and Sunny. You're long overdue for a conversation with them." "I don't suppose you could speak to them for me?" Weaver walked off. "Please? Even just a little bit!?" He called out. "We can't have this heart to heart, then you leave me like this."
Weaver stood over Moon and Sunny. "I know you two aren't sleeping." They both opened their eyes at the same time. He took out a coin. "Call it." He received two confused looks. "Call it." He said again annoyed. "Heads." Sunny said. "It's tails." Moon fist pumped in Sunny's face. "What do I win?" "You get to talk to Zeke first, and air out all your issues." "Oh...is there any chance I can pass my turn?" "No." "Hehe." Sunny mocked. "You can either go next, or listen in, but do not watch them. Zeke doesn't feel a presence unless it's physically watching him." "Can't we just avoid this conversation-" "No." Weaver said firmly. "As it stands right now, with my injury. Zeke is the strongest member of this party. I can't have him distracted by the emotions you two stir. Settle it now, or I'll have you tied up for the rest of the trip." "But, I don't even know what to say or do." "Figure it out."
Zeke continued to sit under the moonlight, sucking on his lips. "Hey." Moon called out awkwardly. Zeke spun around. "Hey..." "Can we talk?" She asked wincing. "Sure..." Zeke replied lowering his head. She took a seat next to him, wearing a cheap pair of breeches and cotton shirt. Her flowing hair sparkled under the pale moon light. The two sat in an awkward silence fidgeting with their hands, keeping their head down. 'Say something please, I'm dying here.' "Shh." "Hmm?" "Oh, not you. I just had something..." 'Fly into your mouth.' "Fly into my mouth." "Oh, are you okay?" "Yeah..." The two chuckled awkwardly. Weaver tossed Sunny a cup. "What is this?" "Listen." He said. She placed it to her ear, hearing Moon and Zeke awkwardly breathing. "Is this like some kind of spying magic?" Sunny asked intrigued. Weaver looked at her askance. "No. It's a tin can phone." Sunny looked away mortified, keeping her head down. Moon clenched her fist breaking the silence first. "Zeke, I miss you!" She declared. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I've been with you, since you got back." "No, I mean..." She took a frustrated breath. "I mean, I miss talking to you...I have for the last three months."
She scowled at the ground too ashamed to look at Zeke. "I should have told you how I felt the moment I started feeling it." "Moon, you don't-" "Ezekiel." Zeke went completely silent, he had almost forgotten the last time she called him that. "I've been a terrible friend to you...I stupidly thought that after three months you'd just be waiting for me. That nobody would ever see all the amazing things I saw in you." Zeke eyes widened, his cheeks going red. "You've always been amazing, and I'm so fucking angry at myself, for not realizing it sooner." She took a heavy breath, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. "I'm not going to stand in your way. You deserve to be with Sunny and not me. So go be happy with her." Sunny's jaw slowly dropped. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?' Iziel screamed. She wiped her tears and quickly left. Moon had her wrist caught by Zeke he spun back around into a kiss. Her eyes nearly popped out of its sockets.
She felt his firm grip on her nape and waist, keeping her in close. He broke away keeping his forehead on hers. "Zeke...what are you-" "Shut up." He said with breathy voice. "I know you've been trying to stop me from becoming like the other Demons. I know you hate the idea of losing me to this damn blood...,but could you forgive me, if I acted a little selfish? I want Sunny and you." "But Zeke, you-" He interrupted her with another kiss, the two fell to their knees. "I don't deserve either of you. I know that...,but I won't lose either of you. I won't. So please...stay." Moon nodded. She sat with Zeke shoulder to shoulder. "Can I ask you something Zeke, and you don't have to " "Yeah, what is it?" "What made you fall in love with me?" Zeke blew out a long exasperated sigh. "I get why you fell in love with Sunny. She's amazing. Hot, smart, has that short hair cut you like, has a job you respect and love. I mean I don't even stand a chance against her." Zeke chuckled, looking to Moon. "It's true, I fell in love with her the moment I met her. She found me waiting for her in the park, and took my chin, asking me out to dinner on the spot. Every day with her was like a dream come true. I got to stay at home cooking and watching TV. I got to help her fix puzzles. It was amazing."
Moon lowered her head, with Zeke staring at her. "It was like every day, I ever spent with you." Moon perked up. "I fell more in love with you day by day, since the day I walked across the street and fed you for the first time." Moon went red. "I didn't say anything, and kept making excuses of when I would tell you. When you first got your powers, I wanted to tell you, but I thought you should remember this day. When you first called Athena. When we ran away together, and spent that night, freezing our asses off on that park bench." "You mean, when you froze your ass off. I had you as a heater on mine." "And it was a good thing, my body didn't know what a boner was at that time." The two laughed before Zeke dropped his head. "I grew to love everything about you, and when I finally mustered up the courage." "I turned you down like a complete and utter fucking retard. Zeke, I didn't think you meant in that way at the time, and it was like a, ahhh I love you for hosting this wicked birthday party."
"You took me to KFC." "Uh well...the chicken was bomb." "You ate most of it." "Okay, you gotta throw me a bone here Zeke." "I also remember you making me pay for it." "Now you're just being mean." Zeke giggled, before his expression became sullen. "I'm stuck Moon." He said looking up the night sky. "I've fallen in love with two women. If I pick the one I've loved since I was kid, I lose the one who I fell in love with now. I pick her and I lose my childhood love. What can I do? Ch...never thought I'd find myself in this situation." Zeke buried his face into his hands. "Ahhhh, I have no idea what to do." "Because it's not up to you." Sunny said. The two jumped turning around. "Sunny!..." Zeke looked at her holding a cup. "What is that?" "Oh, this? This just let me hear how amazing I am." "Oh no." Moon said mortified. "Oh yes!" "You heard nothing." "I heard EVERYTHING!" Sunny let out a deep evil cackle. "I can't believe you fell in love with this dork." "This amazing smart, hot, respectable dork." Zeke picked up the cup following the thread. "He can make these?"
"How much did you hear?" "Iunno, when did you say 'Hey' all real awkwardly?" Moon cringed and became mortified. "We can't keep going as we are. We both love him, and he loves the two of us equally, but more in my favour." "He did not say that." Moon pouted. "He might as well have." Sunny said with a grin. Moon leered at her, sucking on her teeth. Sunny stuck her hand out. "We'll deal with who he ends up with later. For now we need to put aside our differences, and help Weaver finish this job." Sunny took out Weaver's coin. "What's that? Did you bring cash?" Zeke asked. "Winner gets to have sex with him, the other walks away." "Fine. Heads." "Wait what? You can't just decide that-" "Ezekiel. Heads or tails you're gonna have sex with one of us. Why are you trying to stop me?" Zeke nodded and then frowned looking away confused. "Why am I trying to stop you? Carry on." Sunny flipped the coin. The three looked at the coin land on the hard ground landing up tails. Moon groaned. "Fine, have him for tonight, but I get him next." "He won't have anything left for you afterwards." Sunny smirked. "Um, how exactly do we...." Zeke zoned out as Sunny took off her blouse. Moon stomped off. "Stupid coin. Not landing up on heads."
Morning and Gemini sauntered happily with Zeke sitting next to Moon and Weaver on his head. Sunny sat with sisters, wearing a satisfied gleeful smile. "Is she okay?" Ordelia asked. "I don't know, she's in some kind of stupor." Clara said. "I mean we all heard her right? I'd convert to Christianity as well." Eleanor said. "Eleanor!" Clara scolded. "What? He preaches love all the time. Give me some of that, and I'd go to church every weekend." "It is amazing." Sunny said grinning. "You look tired." Weaver said. "Huh? Oh, I um..." "Say it Zeke. I'm not going to get angry." She said through her teeth. "I'll be okay." "I've been meaning to ask you about your new powers Zeke." "Yeah me too. What the fuck are those swords you're making?" Zeke summoned his suit. "Um, well when I bonded with this thing, I could make them using cold air." "Can you summon them without cold air?" "I can, but the amount of Mana it takes to make them is so draining." "What about those slashes? I thought you could only do one at a time?" "You remember that black book I got?" Moon nodded.
"Well it was a coded message to teach me more of those Sovereign techniques. Sword Master Pendragon got the translation wrong, thinking it was a onetime use, but I can make as many as I can. So long as I have the Mana to pulse." "Pulse?" Moon asked. "She thought we only released that frost pulse, when we activate our Demon's Blood, but we're constantly releasing it. I can increase the amount of Mana I release even in that state, to make more slashes." "Also draining on you Mana I assume?" "Mmmmhmm. Thank god she was already weakened. I was not gonna last much longer." "Still Zeke. She was a contender." "She was!? Sheesh, I got real lucky I was a counter to her." "Zeke, are you able to manipulate all forms of cold into those...hmm what do you call them?" "Uhhh, never made a name for them." "Ice swords!" Moon exclaimed. "Phantom swords?" "I like his one better." "I can't get a win today." Moon pouted.
"And to answer your question. Yeah, it's actually better if they do it for me." "And the platform I saw you leap off on your birthday. What was that?" "Yeah what was that? Can you fly with that?" Moon asked. "Oh, the Mana step? No, I can't fly with it. If I release a condensed amount of Mana in an incredibly tight spot, it gives me a small boost. Super hard to do all the time. I can only do like four steps, before I fail." "Interesting, and you Moon. That was a Shadow Slash you used in our fight. When did you learn that?" Weaver asked. "You can do one of those now?" "Yeah, Selena taught me how. I can do um...." 'Say a believable number.' "Ten of them." 'I said believable.' "That's impressive Moon." She blushed smiling at him. "And what of that spear of yours?" "Spark?" "Yes. It is Draconic in origin." "How did you-" "That thing was made from a Dragon!?" Zeke exclaimed. "No, it is a Dragon. It was being eaten by the Broodmother, and to thank me for ending his suffering. He became this to help me." Weaver snickered, catching their attention.
"Excuse me." He smiled. "I saw potential in you both, but you have both blown me away with your growth. I never thought we'd be here in this situation." "You bet on the right horses." Moon said pulling Zeke in for a hug, and smiling at him. "I'll be sure to thank you all properly, once we are done here." "You already gave us cars, I don't think we need-" Moon shook Zeke. "We will gladly accept your gracious-" Zeke pinched Moon. "Yeow! Why?" Zeke pulled himself free. "We don't need any more of his free stuff." He bowed at Weaver. "Thank you for the offer, but after this, I hope we are considered even." Zeke said offering out his left hand. Weaver smirked. "Deal." He shook his hand. "I look forward to paying for your services. Will Sunny be joining your agency?" "No!" Moon declared proudly. "I thought you needed a Hunter that can traverse blue Rifts." Moon turned to Zeke, considering the idea. "Are you seriously gonna have your ex, work with you?" Zeke shrugged. "I was just thinking about it, but I doubt it. She'll go back to working as a detective."
"Whatever the case, you two make an excellent team." "We do not." Weaver snickered. "Say what you will, but under Zeke's leadership you two would thrive as a near perfect three man team." "Shouldn't the strongest be the team leader? I would be the Tank role. Moon the warrior, and Sunny the Spellcaster or Assassin in our case." "Being the tank doesn't mean you aren't the leader. A leader, leads the charge. Which is what a Tank would do." "You have way too much faith in me." "And you have too little in yourself." "He got you there." Moon said. "When we pass through this "King Cerberus's" territory. You will need to play a part." "A part?" Zeke asked concerned. "You will need to act like this Samael the Destroyer." "How am I meant to be something, I've never even seen before?" "Zeke, just act like Constantine." He gave Moon a confused look. "You mean some egotistical dick, that thinks everyone and everything should go his way, because he's the son of the most powerful....OOOOOH!" "You gotta give him real examples to use." Moon said. "I will remember that."