Self-Fulfilling Nightmare

Aimee was found to be on another hunt, and the perfect place no less. New York was something of a refuse pile for the United States' less admirable sorts, as well as a prison for those so unfortunate to be living an honest life here. Or at least, that's what she had heard from her Uncle Wiegraf. She might say it was going well, but she didn't pay too much attention to it anymore. There was nothing enchanting about this. Nothing shocking about killing criminals, no, not anymore. She couldn't even muster the will to flaunt her delusional self-righteousness. It had simply gone on too long to be her families fault anymore. This was her choice now. Her path. It was one she accepted with the diligent zeal of any proper crusader. Of course. The souls weren't all that bad either.

Something about this hunt. It wasn't right. Aimee shook her head, and rubbed her eyes. It's-!... She thought in shock. Her jaw hung limp in shock, her dangling arms springing to cover it. "N-no!" She muttered, looking on the family in front of her. A family of three. These weren't brigands. The souls!? She thought as hey eyes searched for a new quarry, only to uncover that the only answer was: She had already eaten them.

A familiar voice sounded in her head. It was her own, and it was without mercy in it's pursuit of her wounded ego, and heart. "Killer. Murderer. Monster. Brigand. Harpy. Butcher." It would say to her, as she retreated a few short steps into a wall. This had been a massacre. So much blood, and all without her even knowing where she was. A sickness rose in her stomach, but it wouldn't grace her with the relief of vomiting. "Now, who will bring you to justice, Belrose?" Her own voice would continue. But it couldn't be her. She would never do a thing like this.

She ran to the nearest door to find another body just down the hall of the apartment building. A maid of sorts, and probably why the door wasn't busted down. Once more, no soul. She realizes that she's in tears. Bolting down the stairs, she has to get away from this. After a 2-3 block sprint, she is forced to stop. Falling to her knee's in what seems like an empty street. Her hands glide to her face once more. No one could look at her. She was less than human now. Aren't I!?

Saren was once again, on another vacation. He still felt like he needed a break from Death City, as hunting kishin eggs could be oh so bothersome. He traveled to New York, hoping to find SOME sort of stimulating experience. Unfortunately, just like Las Vegas, he found everything to be loud, obnoxious, and all sorts of annoying. But, this time around, he decided to stay longer. This was the city of opportunities, right? There had to be SOMETHING there. Perhaps he could visit the various landmarks? Maybe see some of the businesses? His thoughts were somewhere else, but he quickly refocused once he saw the crying girl in the street. I-is that...? He quickly dashed over, realizing who the girl was. His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed it was Aimee, crouching next to her. "A-Aimee! Are you alright!?" He spoke in a worried tone, obviously concerned with his friend's well being.

Aimee turned, throwing a hand in Saren's direction thoughtlessly, and scooting as far as she could until hitting a wall. S-saren? The words never escaped her thoughts. Her mouth opened, but only a small sound could be heard as the air escaped her lungs. Her hands rushed to cover the blood staining her dress, but it was too extensive. Her body shook harshly, as if the confused emotion was so powerful as to send vibrations throughout her being. "I-..." She finally managed after a straight minute of gasping. "Y-you-... L-leave. N-not my self... P-p-please?" She managed with a shaken voice, and teary face. Even with all this, the situation could be made worse. She had managed to make a real friend again, and now he would probably kill her, or worse, hate her. Her legs still worked to push her deeper into the wall in response to the social fear. Not being able to stand it, she throws her arms out in front of her face. "P-please! D-don't look at me!"

Saren backed away, trying to give a reassuring face. He needed to calm her down. "A-Aimee, calm down! You're fine! D-don't be afraid!" That had to be her own blood, right...? He couldn't worry about such thoughts now, though. The only thing that he needed to concentrate on was Aimee. "J-just tell me what's wrong, okay?" Saren almost cried himself, as seeing Aimee in this state crushed him. What could have made her this sad? He almost wanted to hug her, but he knew that wouldn't help either of them. He crouched down in front of her again, trying to look her in the eye. He gulped, trying to sound confident. "I will not hurt you." He spoke with an emphasis on each word, still trying to be reassuring.

Aimee tried desperately to calm her breathing, and take back a modicum of her composure. Struggling against this feeling however, only fueled it. She was bawling uncontrollably by now. Her voice not being able to form words, escape in pathetic sobs, and hics. She holds a hand up to Saren, trying to get the point across not to come closer. She felt like a monster. When it was just her parents, she tried to justify that it was their own fault for pushing her so hard. Even then she knew what this was. Monster, monster, monster. Without a warning, she flicked the arm spared to still cover her face, and formed it into a blade. "I-..." She tried to put her feelings into words one last time. After a short stare into Saren's eye's, she flicked it towards herself.

Saren quickly backed away, seeing as getting any closer would result in something terrible. What was she about to do!? "A-Aimee! Don't do anything drastic, okay? C-calm down!" Saren was almost in tears, as this sight made his stomach churn uncontrollably. He couldn't let this happen to her, not at all. This was his first friend in a while, and he couldn't lose her. "I-I don't want to lose you. I want to help you, J-just tell me what's wrong, okay?" He had so many question rolling in his minds, but he had to stay focused on the problem. He put his hand to his sides, trying to signify peace. He gave a reassuring face again, giving off a calming tone.

Her name being called by Saren forced an after thought through her mind, causing the blade to fall just short of her neck, the tip only just far enough to draw blood. Her teeth gritted wordlessly as she tried to will herself to finish. She couldn't though. Even if she was a monster now, she wasn't ready to die. Didn't it have to be done though? She wasn't the way she should be. Just a monstrous aberration. The tip of the blade moved slightly deeper into the side of her neck, sending a bead of blood down her soft skin. She appeared to be stark white with the paling fear of her truest undeniable failure. "I-I'm n-not like you." She tried, finding that her words still failed to convey, or scratch the surface of describing properly this battle ground of emotion. "P-perfect! You're perfect!" She cried loudly, trying to press the blade farther, but having no will to. Tears began to flow in a deeper volume as everything she had hid for so long boiled over. She bit her tongue harshly, resisting the urge to tell him everything. If he knew about her, he would hate her, but if she managed to finish herself off, he would never have to know, right?

Saren stood in shock, covering his mouth. He almost couldn't see through the tears flowing down his face, but the sight in front of him made that a good thing. He couldn't even bare to look at what was going on, but he tried his best to stay focused. He couldn't let this happen to Aimee. He wouldn't let her die. He gulped, trying his best to have a clear voice. "I-I'm not perfect, Aimee. I'm far from it. I-I have so many problems you don't know about. I look at you, though, and I see someone wonderful. I see someone close to perfect. Someone amazing. You don't have anything wrong with you. The only wrong thing you're doing is hurting yourself right now!" He wiped tears from his face, feeling a mix of emotions that he couldn't even comprehend. This was crushing him, and he knew that.

Aimee shaking stopped abruptly, and her breathing was shot down to a normal pace. "M-me...?" She muttered, a chill of a strange excitement running down her spin, then spreading into her limbs briefly. The feeling resided as soon as it had sprang up, and the old one replaced it, and found a new twist, and fervor from Saren's words. "W-wonderful?" She began, her voice still crackling, and her heart feeling ready to explode at any moment. "You don't know though. I-I'm just a monster. I'm not human at all!!" She threw herself to her hands, and knee's, as if to beg Saren for his permission, and forgiveness. As if it mattered if he did. "I killed them! I killed them, and it was worse than the first time! W-when it started... My parents... I-I didn't want to be sent away like that! I just wanted to live my own life. I-I didn't want to be a trophy!!" There was another uncomfortable silence. "I killed them Saren. I ate their souls. I-I tried to control it by eating the souls of criminals! B-but now!?! Innocents?" Aimee's arms gave out on the last word, forcing her face to the ground. Reeling herself backwards, she appears in a huddled form on the ground, her long silky hair mixing with the muddied ground, and he soft features collecting dirt as her tired visage rests against it.

Saren slowly walked over, hesitant to come close. He would crouch down in front of Aimee, rubbing her back, trying his best to sound comforting. It all pieced together in Saren's mind slowly, as if he was finding the pieces to a puzzle. Aimee had turned her arm into a blade, meaning she was a weapon. The story he told him, however, gave him a different conclusion than he was expecting. If she ate the souls of 'innocents', then this only meant one thing. Aimee was a dark weapon. This almost gave Saren a fit of anger, but he surprisingly stood calm and collected. By the tone of Aimee's voice and her obvious sadness, Saren found that he forgave her, in a way. Saren couldn't bring himself to not trust Aimee, but he was comfortable with that. She hadn't meant to kill those innocents, meaning she had no bad intention. "It's okay, Aimee. It's fine. You didn't mean to do it. Y-You're no monster. You're not a bad person." Saren still felt some anger inside of himself, but he knew it was wrong to be angry at a time like this.

Aimee, continued to sob on the ground, finding nothing was proper to say. Saren's hand anchored her to the moment. A well needed safety net from herself. With the blade pulled from her neck, the blood was let to fall freely, but the wound wasn't a fatal one. It wasn't fine though. She had consumed 25 pure souls, and become everything she was afraid of becoming. It was a good feeling though. That the feelings were open now. More importantly, that she wasn't alone in spite of all that. "P-please... Don't leave." She muttered quietly, the sound akin to someone clinging to life.

Aimee lurched into a slightly more upright position, her hair falling tangled into her face, and matted with the grime of the ground. "S-something in me... I-It was capable of that." Aimee's hands reached to her face, removing the blue contacts that his her deep ruby eyes. Lifting her head, she peers into Sarens face with pleading eyes. "I-It's these isn't it?" She asked, fresh tears coming from her eyes. "Please... Y-you have to end me. I... I can't do it! i don't want to hurt anyone else!" She cried, her eyes entirely locked onto the young weapon.

Saren looked shocked, another tear falling from his face. She didn't just ask ask him to kill her. She couldn't have. Such a request was almost...cruel. Even if he felt it was the right thing to do, even though he felt it wasn't, he wouldn't be able to do it. He was friends with this girl. He couldn't end her life. Saren looked her in the eye, giving a determined look. "A-Aimee, i'm not going to kill you. You know I won't do that." Saren couldn't resist the urge anymore, and hugged Aimee, still shedding tears. "Y-you won't hurt any one else. I promise. You're not evil, Aimee. You can control yourself. You're not some butchering monster who kills the weak." He hugged more tightly, as if he was latched on to Aimee. "You're something better than that. You're my friend." Saren smiled, his eyes still covered in tears. He truly cared about Aimee, and he couldn't let her fall into this...sadness.

Aimee trembled in Saren's arms. She hated contact. That is, in any other situation she might have. But this new thing was unprecedented. Something about the fact that he wasn't afraid to touch her, no, to embrace her, after what she had told him. More so, he didn't even take the time to mention her eyes. "D-don't. I'm covered in muck. Y-you'll get dirty." She sobbed, her face pressing into Saren's shoulder, and betraying her words. "I-I can't go back to the DWMA." She continued before another thought could pass. "I-I wouldn't be able to look at her... Not after what's been done." Aimee's arms snaked sheepishly around Saren, confirming that she didn't mean what she had said. Crying... for me?... She thought to herself, and wondered what Sora will do if she were to learn of this.

Saren forgot about his fears of touching and hugging for this one single moment. He felt an odd comforting sensation, feeling a excited joy that Aimee had returned to somewhat normal. He wiped the tears off his face once again, trying to calm down. He figured the girl she was talking about was Sora, as she mentioned her while they were in Vegas."Even if you two ever met again, she would most certainly forgive you, like I did. W-what you did wasn't your fault. That wasn't you. You can't blame yourself for that. Y-you'll be able to look at her, and tell her the truth. You're strong." Saren felt another feeling again, but this time it was something...different. He couldn't quite figure out what it was. It gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling. He didn't feel something like this since he was a little boy...

Aimee gave a slight sniffle. She couldn't fathom why he was using these words. Of course it was her own fault, but she couldn't resist the liberating idea. The idea that everything would be fine again. But what to do with it? She couldn't just expect to run back to Death City, and not simply be killed by a weapon meister pair, or welcomed in, and forgiven by the loving arms of the lord of death. What now then?... she wondered silently. But if she Sora would forgive her, it would all be better, and worth whatever happened. Two of the three people she had left to care about would know, and care for her non-the-less. With that her mind wondered to her Uncle Wiegraf. Would he forgive her, or grant her the death of an honerable duel she couldn't hope to win, and save her pride as a Belrose. She realized that she had sat silent for a considerable time. "C-can you take me to Death City? I-I have to face it. Whatever happens."

Saren stood in thought for a couple moments, finally slowing down his flurry of emotions. How could he get her inside Death City? What if someone with soul perception saw them? Would they both have to fight a student of the DWMA? He knew that he couldn't fight a student, but...he still had to help Aimee somehow, right? Finally letting go of Aimee, Saren blushed in embarrassment. "Y-yeah,  I can, but...i'm not sure how it would turn out. S-someone might see you with soul perception, and they might attack you..." He sat in thought again, this time for longer. What kind of plan could he create that would get Aimee into Death City safely...?

Aimee fell forward a bit as Saren retreated back in to his personal space. She hadn't realized how much weight she was putting on him. Sitting back on her own strength, she remains silent for what may feel like an eternity, a hallow look hiding that she was scrutinizing Saren's statement, and the situation she was in. "It doesn't matter." She finally decided aloud. "I'll get what I deserve either way. I just-... I think I want to speak with Lord Death. I don't know how I could make it that far though..." Aimee wrapped a single arm around herself, the other covering the gash on her neck. The blood loss was becoming more real now, her head feeling light. It could wait however.

Saren smiled again. Seeing Aimee so dedicated almost gave him another spike of joy in his emotions. It made him so happy for her, that he almost hugged her again. He resisted the feeling, however, and instead tried to focus on the matter. How COULD he get her into Death City? There had to be someway, but his thoughts were cut short. He finally remembered Aimee's cut, and he quickly stumbled over to her. "W-we can think about that later, okay? We need to get you to a hospital. C-can you walk?" Saren didn't walk to stomach the thought of carrying Aimee, but if that's what needed to be done...

Aimee stumbled to her feet, using the wall to keep her balance. "I-it's n-nothing." She stated as confidently as her shaking voice could afford, and remembering to keep plenty of pressure on her neck. She didn't want to go to a hospital. She wanted to go home, and rest, or spend time with the friend that had saved her from a horrible thing. Unfortunately, this was reality. Reality that was dripping to the ground, and soaking her upper arm. Aimee began to shamble towards the hospitals direction, feeling a cold vibration in her limbs, and an uneven heartbeat. Am I-?... She realizes she isn't moving anymore. She's on her knee's, and leaning against the building, a vacant expression on her face. She tries to move, but there is no response. She can't even speak now. She wasn't sure how far she had managed to walk, or where she was. No, she couldn't think either.

Saren followed, always making sure to keep an eye on Aimee. She was walking in the direction of the hospital, he could at least figure that out. But...something was off about her. She was moving all wrong. He saw her stop, leaning on the wall of a building. She looked like she was...dying. Saren couldn't even think thhat this was happening. She couldn't be! All that convincing for nothing!? Saren's adrenaline shot up, giving him an energized feeling. He picked up Aimee, letting his reflexes do the work. He couldn't let her die. Not after all that... Saren picked up pace toward the hospital, trying his best to keep hold of Aimee. His fear was gone. All that he felt was an odd mix of excitement and passion...but emotions didn't matter right now. All that mattered in this moment was Aimee.

Weightlessness was the only sensation to describe what Aimee was feeling. It felt oddly comfortable not to breath. Or was she breathing? She couldn't tell. She didn't even remember what was happening, or how it did. Through half lidded eyes she could see Saren, and the world rushing past them too quickly for her to catch. The air rushing over her blood whetted skin felt as cold as ice, and the trickle of blood added to chill. Saren's warm, ever relaxing arms gave her a soft buzzing feeling in the pit of her chest. What was that though? Why now?

Feeling the rush of the moment, Saren rushed toward the lights of the hospital in the distance. He was in tears again, but he couldn't let that get to him. He couldn't let any distractions get in his way. "Don't go, Aimee. Don't leave. I need you." Saren barely heard the words escaping his mouth. His feelings were besting him, and he couldn't fight them anymore. He looked down at Aimee again, welping at the site of her bleeding. He couldn't even think. The hospital was close now, and it almost served as a beacon of hope for him. He rushed in through the doors, still carrying Aimee in his arms. He yelled out, his voice breaking. "S-someone! We need help!"

After a few muttered words into a phone at the desk, a swarm of mix matched personnel encompassed around the two of them. Before there was time to react, there was gauze on Aimee's neck, and she was being hefted onto a stretcher. "It's good you got here when you did, but there's no need to worry." A staff member would assure Saren after a few minutes of waiting. "She lost a good bit of blood, but she's in good hands. Can I ask your relation?" He casually throw in the question, lifting a clip-board.

Saren couldn't help but smile in joy as he saw the gauze go around Aimee's neck. She was safe, and that meant so much to him. He tried his best to collect his thoughts, but with all that just happened, his mind mind still raced. He blinked when the doctor asked him the question, snapping back to reality. "I-I'm her boyfriend." Quickly putting his hand over his mouth, Saren blushed in embarrassment. What had he just said!? WHY did he say it? What could have possibly drove him to say that? He didn't mean it! ...Did he...? He let his mind reel for a couple moments, collecting his thoughts again. He lowered his hand, trying his best to speak seriously. "I-I mean we're just friends! W-we're just good friends, that's it!" He tried to stop his profuse blush to hide his embarrassment, but to no avail, he couldn't do it.

The doctor gave a light chuckle at Saren's poor choice in words, and translucent embarrassment. "Of course. I'll be sure, and specify that the two of you are "just friends" in the record." He cut away to continue a laugh, and began down the hall to whatever business awaits him, leaving Saren to himself for an hour or so before sending news that he may see her now.

~~~

Is Saren gone? Where did he go? She could have sworn he was just there. No, her eyes were closed now, but she wasn't asleep. Not awake however, somewhere in between. There were unformed words in her head. Focusing a bit, she calls them back to the front of her oddly conscious mind. I need you. Who could have said that? Saren? Need me? That's ridiculous. Saren is an upstanding weapon with the DWMA. Honorable, noble, well thought, well dressed, good manners, taught body, intelli-. !?! What was that? How did that slip in? How unprofessional after all that-. Was she talking? How much did she say!? Who's in the room!? While they were at a low volume, and muttered, they sounded as clear as day to her. Aimee's skin light up a bright red, and she gave an uncomfortable groan as she tried to open her eyes to no avail.

Saren walked to Aimee's room with his hands in his pockets, worrying about the site he might see. Was she going to be bed-ridden? She couldn't be on the verge of death, could she!? Saren quickened his pace to the room, growing more and more paranoid of Aimee's condition. He wasn't on the verge of tears, but he was close. He stopped in front of her room once he arrived, looking at Aimee from the hallway. She definitely wasn't dead. Her eyes were closed, though. What could that possibly mean? Was she even awake? She couldn't be in a coma, could she!? His thoughts were quieted once he saw Aimee mutter something and...blush? Why was she blushing? He couldn't quite hear what she was saying, making it all the more confusing. Saren slowly walked in, trying his best to make his presence known so he couldn't surprise her. "H-hello, Aimee. It's me, Saren. H-how are you doing?"

Aimee's blush deepened. Saren was in the room with her!? What did he hear? What was he doing while she was incapacitated? She tried again to move, but didn't so much as bat an eye, of utter a single sound in response. She couldn't understand why she wasn't moving. It was just a cut right? She didn't lose THAT much blood from a little scratch like that... Right? She felt a mile deep in the bed, and that her muscle was completely removed from her body. There was the sensation of being trapped. WAIT!! Where are my clothes!? She thought, noticing the off feeling in her numb body. Her redness spread from her face into her chest, and limbs at the idea that hospital gowns have no undergarments. H-how shameful!? How dare they!?! From the outside She appeared to be a blank slate. Completely unresponsive.

Saren looked at Aimee, his confusion getting more intense. Why was her blush deepening? What could cause her to do that? She still seemed unconscious, but she had to be awake. She was blushing for a reason, but what reason? I-is she blushing because i'm here? Why!? Saren himself grew a blush, looking away from Aimee. He tried his best to relax, but Aimee's ever present blush made it all the more difficult. "U-uhm...I don't know if you can hear me or not, but...i'm glad you're okay, Aimee. I...I don't know what I would do if i were to lose you..." He couldn't help but grow a smile, looking down in embarrassment. He didn't know if she could hear him or not, but maybe that was a good thing? Perhaps he wouldn't even be able to say anything if she knew she could hear him, for fear of total and utter embarrassment.

The simple statement shocked Aimee's mind clear of her embarrassment, but the blush never faltered. It had a new catalyst. M-me? She thought to herself. If she could move she would shake without control. There was an explosion of emotions that couldn't be conveyed in her current condition. B-but why? We haven't known each other for very long, and I'm a dark weapon! I devoured soul's of the innocent!... Of my parents. Aimee's eyes whetted, falling just short of allowing tears to form. She didn't know the emotion, but it made her feel whole again. Like the madness driving her to such horrible things was far way. Impossibly so. Still, she lay there like a stone slab, showing nothing of what she wanted to. Maybe she preferred it like this. That she couldn't ruin the moment by leaping from the bed, and meeting his embrace again. She felt a whimper of mixed feelings form, then die in her throat, having no place to escape to. I want to know why Saren? What means so much to you, between us? She continued wondering more intensely on the bond between them that grew out of control so quickly, and without explanation.

Saren started to tear up, wiping his face. This quiet moment alone with Aimee gave him time to think, letting him finally relieve the stress he got from the past few hours. "Y-You're my first friend in a while...my only friend...I-I just...you mean more to me than you think. Y-you offered me money and shelter, and...it's just so nice to have a person that cares about me. I know you're a dark weapon, but that doesn't matter. With everything you told me, about your parents and the innocents, I forgive you..." This sudden out pour of emotions was such a surprise to Saren, but he felt oddly content with it. Aimee might not even be awake to hear this, but it was still nice to get this all off his chest. This sensation suddenly came over Saren, driving him to slowly lift his hand and rest on Aimee's. "I...I just hope you're okay..." This sensation was the same one he felt before, the same one he was confused about. It got him over his fear of contact. He was still unable to figure out what he was feeling. It was something new, but something great...