Trinity Blood Fan Fiction / Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Darker Angels ❯ Sunlight And Shadow ( Chapter 5 )

 

For Takara to say the initial meeting at the Vatican had not gone well would have been the understatement of several centuries. The AX members had seemed calm and rational on the surface but there were a myriad of prejudices and sorrows in each that did not bend easily to negotiation. Add to the fact that there was no particular fondness between the members of the church and the group Takara and Jeirn assisted in leading. Takara had the feeling that the vast majority of the inclination to work with them in the first place had been born from desperation and her mother's connection to Abel. Then there was the fact that they could and would take all measures needed to see a mission through, whereas the AX was limited in their abilities and inclinations. The phrase “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” definitely came into play as far as any of them were concerned but they didn't have to be happy about it.

 

Cardinal Sforza had at least been inclined to listen without attempting to toss them into a holding cell somewhere, so that had been a plus. Father Hugue, at least that's what Takara thought he'd been called, obviously had no interest in negotiating anything with the Methuselah nor with them as it felt he had lumped she and Jeirn in the same category. The feeling she got from him was that he would have been happy to slaughter them on the spot if he were allowed to and could actually manage it.

 

Possibly the only bright spot in the entire situation, other than threatening to hang Esther with her own entrails if she didn't stop interrupting the conversation, had been Tres. He had been frowning throughout the meeting as though he were processing something he wasn't quite certain how to react to. He had finally turned to . . . Dandelion? Odd name. And had asked very seriously, “Define: hot bot.”

 

The other man had snorted back a laugh before asking. “What brought that question on, Tres?”

 

“Referred to as such by Tatsumi, Takara,” Tres said.

 

Dandelion's lips twitched and he burst out laughing. The other AX members seemed to be too stunned to make any kind of comment. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand before answering. “I think it means she likes you, Tres.”

 

Tres had paused for a moment, looking as though he had been processing the information before saying, “Acknowledged. Define: Gives new meaning to enjoying electronic devices.”

 

After that there had been no chance of going back to anything remotely resembling a serious conversation. Dandelion had been laughing so hard he had dropped to the floor, holding his sides and practically howling. They had all been sent away except for Jeirn, who had stayed to speak to Cardinal Sforza along, then planned to go to Takara's mother afterward. Takara had flown to the family's home in Florence, needing to get away from Rome and the Vatican. There were heavier things on her mind than whether or not AX could look past their differences and actually work with them.

 

Takara sat on her bed thoughtfully looking at the small vial she had pulled from the dresser drawer. She tilted it first one way and then the other, watching the liquid swirl in the glass. The potential to end any war that might come about between Terran and Methuselah lay in those two ounces of liquid. It also had the power to destroy an entire race at once in the wrong hands. Her father's creation. He had given it to her for safe keeping. He had destroyed all of his notes and any other paperwork on his research and development of it because he knew what might be done with it. While the research could be destroyed, the sample couldn't be. It had the potential to contaminate any natural substance it came into contact with. If poured out onto the ground it would seep into any plant life that grew there, would be carried to any animals that consumed the plants, might run through to any natural water tables nearby. From there it could easily spread to any other water or food supply available and thus killing any Methuselah who came into contact with it directly and poisoning any others that had contact with that individual.

 

“Gods, Daddy, why did you give me this?” she wondered aloud.

 

“Because I trust your judgment,” a voice said from beside her.

 

“Daddy!” she said, hugging him. She let him go and held him at arm's length for a moment, looking him over considering she hadn't seen him in a month. He looked the same as always, white lab coat, long blonde hair stuffed back into a messy pony tail, golden eyes crinkled at the corners from constantly smiling, little owl perched on top of his head like a strange hair decoration.

 

“How's my baby?”

 

“Exhausted. The initial negotiations didn't go well and that was just the meet and greet portion of things with Jeirn and myself. I shudder to think of what might happen getting all these people in a room together for any serious talks.”

 

“So your mother told me.”

 

“How's Dad?”

 

“Up to his glasses in paperwork, for a change,” he said, winking at her from behind his own round rimmed spectacles.

 

She laughed then suddenly grew very serious. “Daddy?”

 

“What is it, sweetheart? You seem like you have something heavy on your mind.”

 

“You'll always love me no matter what, right?”

 

“Of course. Why, are you planning on taking over the world?”

 

“No. The world is too messy and annoying.”