Other Halves (Emily)

[Gabriel Seran]

Preface

Rough weeks ahead. There was nothing else to be said, the times were bound to get rough it was just the way of things, the turn of the tides. One couldn’t count them on their hand, or even a foot if they were allowed so much trouble rampantly scurrying about the place and there was to be no rest from it, wasn’t this the goal? Chaos? A solution, one would laugh at the proposition but through a madman’s eyes or the eyes of a philosopher the logical route to a new reign, a new rule was through total destruction of the prior reign. That way things could start anew.

Ch1: No two ways about it

Gabriel Seran sat turbid atop a wooden barstool, the thing had a slight creak to it that would sound every time he disrupted his motion about it. The heavy coat on him would shift ever so slightly to the motion of his hand downing another shot. He looked as if he’d been in their for a while though in reality it had only been about an hour or so. He was about as clear headed as a man could get under the current pressure he was forced to be under.

The place didn’t mirror happiness of any sort and that was perhaps why he liked it so much, it was a place he could recoup in peace because who in their right mind would go to a bar of this stature? A brunette bartender around the age of thirty would make constant rounds to him slipping the occasional shot before him silently hoping for a tip while her manager sat profusely licking his fingers counting the silent stream of bills filing their way into the register.

Gabriel would give her polite little nods to her even though he was sure of her intentions the moment she’d given him a slight gander at her “goods” he wasn’t interested, not in her at least his mind was weary over the troubles he brooded. Downing another shot as the fire water consumed his breath.

Throughout the bar there was no merriment no dancing or grinding to the oddly modern music that hummed in the center floor. The only thing out of place where the college students glaring out from their corner with the blood shot eyes carefully examining every woman to enter the room with expressed enthusiasm.

Gabriel slid a hand into his pocket and dialed a number sullenly on his phone. By whatever chance fate or predestination it had fallen upon Emily’s number. He still recalled the incident of streaking only a few days past. His pale skin fluttered a rosy red before it was stifled.
-Em
Hey you mind hanging out with me a bit, got a bit on my mind.

-Gabriel

[seishounohana]

It was late, but Emily couldn't sleep.

There was no arbitrary reason besides the fact that she just couldn't. Warm milk didn't help any more than it would help in increasing bust size (which she hoped to God was true, considering that she was still quite conscious of her own breasts. She was afraid of it growing any bigger than it already was.) Homework did the job in making her bored, but not tired.

So what was she doing to pass the time? Play the piano. She had bought a piano for herself earlier that day. Maybe it was just the itch of getting to playing again?

She did go on the internet and found some good sheet music an hour ago, and found this. After several awkward failures, Emily was already getting the song right.

Damn notes. Always having such a damn hard time reading them. Took her three quarters of her time trying to find out which note is for what key.

Damn. She didn't have time for piano lessons too. Damn it even more.

However, this try was doing well. She was two minutes and thirty seconds out when her cellphone rang a tune of "God Knows." One of her readers sent her an MP3 of this version, and she found it rather amusing, so she put it into her phone.

She pushed a button, and the music stopped playing. Ah, it was from Gabriel.

Hey you mind hanging out with me a bit, got a bit on my mind.
-Gabriel

...

Okay?

*beep beep beep*

It was a short reply.

"Sure. Where are you? (ll'._. )>"

[Gabriel Seran]

Gabriel read over the message in a single glance before turning the phone over to write atop the platform. He’d always been irritated by texting so impersonal yet at the same time was addicting.

“Down by the bar, 2304 Wilment Place, catch ya soon.”

Normally Gabriel would have dropped by in his sleek new ride but from prior experience Emily had appeared to be intimidated by the lavish show of goods he’d often show off. This was a chance to show another side of him he’d yearned to let loose at least for once. He’d sit there for another few minutes or so sipping down a shot of Vodka slowly at a slugs pace taking no interest in his surroundings in too much detail.

[seishounohana]

“Down by the bar, 2304 Wilment Place, catch ya soon.”

With that reply, Emily decided to take her time to dress up. A bar? Emily had never been to that sort of place before. Not ever. Not knowing what to expect made her slightly nervous, and decided to dress up in something less showy than her normal school fighting outfit.

After a quick shower and a little fix, she waltzed on over to the said address. Her current outfit wouldn't be the best thing to use her new scooter - it consisted of a green shirt, a gray skirt that was up to just above her knees and cream shoes. Her hair was fixed up in a nice french braid, with a green bow holding it together. Not that she was dressing up, she was basically at no knowledge of proper attire... and yet--

She found the bar to be slightly scary, at first glance. Emily was a little worried though, as to why Gabriel could slip into this sort of place, as they were more or less both minors. The lights, the skimpily clad females wrapped in rather drunken looking older men flirting as she walked inside made her a bit uncomfortable.

Yup, she dressed right. Just a little out of place. She looked far too innocent at the moment to be at this sort of place. Emily looked around, ignoring several calls from a few drunk men whom apparently have taken a fancy to her. She had white hair, was cute -- it wasn't really at all unlikely to happen.

It just made Emily even more uncomfortable, and she slightly wished Gabriel had gone to a classier bar, at least. It wasn't long before she spotted a familiar silhouette, and approached it. She gave Gabriel a tap on the back, and she would smile as soon as he looked back. "Hey." She said, scooting over to the vacant seat by Gabriel's side and immediately noticed the liquor on his hand.

She looked around, and made sure no one else was listening before she leaned closer to his ears, "You do remember you're a minor, right?" So said "Miss Goody-two-shoes."

[Gabriel Seran]

By the time Emily had arrived Gabriel was already plowing through onto his fourth shot taking his time about it too, he didn’t know exactly what to think of things now and to an extent he was fairly depressed never a good combination he needed to find some way out of this rut. And could that have been Emily? Why did he think that, now he was horribly embarrassed about asking her to come to the bar, maybe she thought of him as a reckless fool now, he couldn’t have that. However when she arrived he couldn’t help but feel a bit lighter, as if something brighter in the room lifted his spirits. It would of course have to be her clothing as she stood out amongst the other brawling drunks and scantily clad woman running about. Gabriel turned upon seeing her and shook his head, he’d be in trouble with this one.

"Hey." Emily said, scooting over to the vacant seat by Gabriel's side

"You do remember you're a minor, right?"
Gabriel turned to her giving her a look that practically screamed “no shit!” though when he made eye contact he couldn’t help but abandon the stare and roll his head back with a buzzed laugh.

He nearly fell over off the stool laughing before he grasped himself and downed the shot feeling its fiery musk retch down his throat. With a shake of his head once more to clear his thoughts he turned to address her for the first time.

“Sorry about that…” He collected himself charmingly despite being slightly buzzed and in a bad tempered depressed mood, “here have some fun with me…loosen up, my birthday is just around the corner…” He smiled with a slight twinkle in his eye summoning another shot for him and her.

[seishounohana]

She leaned back as Gabriel gave a slightly hostile look, but abandoned it with a laugh. Aye, he was tipsy. Just how much alcohol has he been drinking? He nearly fell off before he caught himself and downed the shot.

He was drunk. Emily didn't know if she should be worried for him or for herself. “Sorry about that… here have some fun with me…loosen up, my birthday is just around the corner…”

Emily shook her head, "N-no. Sorry, I--"

"Don't drink?" The bartender said, "Meh, Goody-two-shoes... we don't do "not-drink" around here." He said, before slipping Emily a tall glass with liquid of a gradient of red and orange. It was a tequila sunrise, and Emily thought it was some sort of juice. She didn't complain. "Don't worry, 10%'s on me."

"Ah, thanks."

A simple grin left the bartender and headed off to his other customers. Emily just stared at her glass. "... Do you go here often?" she asked Gabriel, slightly curious as to why he would go here of all places.

[Gabriel Seran]

Ch 2 Memories:

"... Do you go here often?" still the very same quit voice he could often recall. Gabriel was bleary eyed tired and had almost no association with the world but something about Emily’s presence brought him back a twinge he could remember the day he’d came to 259, things were so different from where they were now. He was a mess as now ok maybe things hadn’t changed all too much. Gabriel’s hand moved into his hair to shift it away from his eyes so he could better see Emily, perhaps admire her a bit.

Then there was Militia, he remembered being there at the meeting becoming a leader of militia without any past knowledge, he remembered training with her how she was always so much stronger than him at every turn but he could feel strength begin to grow within him he felt a new strength growing.

And then there was 42, 259 had collapsed and he was forced to leave Unfettered behind, remembering their last meeting and what he’d said. He took on the burden of pressing Militia onward but not without a few hitches in the road, Rem for one, Emily also had her doubts Gabriel was worried about that it was her influence that mattered most to him and his actions caused a bit of a stir in the motion of the school but he was sure that they’d see soon enough.

“No, not too often, only when I need to take a step back.” He said calmly taking a short lapse of the drink.

He remembered her in the halls, the one day she wasn’t herself. She’d kissed him toying with him as if he was some kind of plaything. It vexed him and yet he was driven onward to be teased he enjoyed it horribly so.

[seishounohana]

“No, not too often, only when I need to take a step back.” A step back, he said. Emily never really saw the point in getting drunk to drown out problems. Being one who studied medicine for quite a bit, the girl was particular about the logic of things, or at least she became slightly like that with time. The field of medicine changes you.

"Is there anything you're having a problem with?" Emily said, before taking a sip of her Tequila sunrise. She found it quite good, and had taken a good amount in before her shoulders jerked.

This drink was spiked with alcohol!

"... Dammit, this thing's spiked..." She muttered to herself, pushing the half-downed glass away. This was dangerous. The alcohol in that drink was strong, and Emily wasn't used to it. Man, was she in for a ride today.

[Gabriel Seran]

"Is there anything you're having a problem with?" Emily said with the ever present hint of sincerity behind it.

Gabriel was always astounded by how she could pull it off, he was going to have to be the one always ready to lose his temper or throw things out of proportion, he could live with it so long as Emily was there to bring him down.

“I…I haven’t been sleeping well, and all this,” He paused to console about the room to see any onlookers, “This thing with Militia, I see now what it took Unfettered to accomplish all this,” Gabriel turned to Emily with a tired look, “I’m surprised he wasn’t more messed up by the end.” He gave a small laugh before drinking from another shot, this time at a slower pace than before.

Gabriel sat there in a mellow mood trying to incorporate everything into one before realizing he needed something more he needed his energy back his youth. As if by divine intervention the music box sparked to life creating a different aura to the place.

“Care to dance?” He said calmly extending a hand towards Emily. However buzzed he was dancing was a talent he could muster even whilst under the weather he only hoped the same of Emily of course she’d ordered something without alcohol

[seishounohana]

The alcohol was getting to her, and it was not going to be a very good thing for the Filipina. She knew what alcohol does to her, and last time she had any she ran around the school in her underwear!

Emily groaned, clutching her head and trying to maintain a state of control over herself, which she did quite well. “I…I haven’t been sleeping well, and all this, this thing with Militia, I see now what it took Unfettered to accomplish all this, I’m surprised he wasn’t more messed up by the end.” Emily gave a small laugh with him, grinning loosely. Yes, "Unfettered" went through a lot to get Militia running. Emily was the first member to join Militia, and would probably be one of his most loyal members. She remembered the days when she still had black hair, and the time when she fought along with him against the enforcers before she got kidnapped and experimented on.

"He had help." Emily said, giggling to herself as she leaned against the counter. Damn the alcohol getting to her fast. The atmosphere of the bar changed when the music did, and Gabriel asked Emily to dance. "I can't dance, but I'll try... ahahaha~!"

She grinned sleepishly as she jumped off the seat, slightly at a loss of balance. Emily trembled a bit before she started to fall forward.

It was official. She was drunk.

[Gabriel Seran]

Ch 3: Falling

"I can't dance, but I'll try... ahahaha~!" Gabriel stood to make way to a makeshift dance floor as he noticed her stumble. Drunk already, he grinned easily noticing that she was indeed a lightweight. In a second he was already by her side catching her before Emily had fallen helping her up to her feet.

“It’s alright ma belle, I’ll lead.” Gabriel grinned cleverly semi carrying her onto the floor.
Assured that they’d be looking ridiculous but of course who would know in a bar honestly, most of the population was too far gone to realize that they were even alive right now.
Gabriel paced himself onto the dance floor holding Emily close enough to be within a breath of each other making sure she wouldn’t fall and suffer any head trauma, falling did that sort of thing to you.

“Now, you take one step at a time” He said in the charming accent not moving to force her in one direction or another rather he swayed lightly across the floor whimsically not to stir whatever volatile substance was shaking up within her belly.

[seishounohana]

“It’s alright ma belle, I’ll lead.” Emily snickered sleepishly. She felt as if she was falling, and her legs were weak. Her mind was throbbing and was feeling different.

She was at the brink of changing again. She didn't notice what she said, and she seemed to have dozed off for a moment before her eyes snapped back open, revealing a familiar gaze. "... Why do I think you're getting Emily drunk on purpose?" She said, pulling her hands away and placing them around his neck.

Kari was back. Emily was asleep in the back of her mind, and it seemed as if Kari was no lightweight, she had complete control of her body. But then again, kari was Emily with her inhibitions destroyed.

The white-haired lass grinned, "Purposely getting a girl to drink to get to her dirty side~" She noted, "That's mean~"

[Gabriel Seran]

"... Why do I think you're getting Emily drunk on purpose?" She said, pulling her hands away and placing them around his neck.

he could feel the different aura now seaming off of her with intensity it was almost as sudden a change as he’d had with Reven but this was certainly more alluring a figment. How the other side allured us to do horrible tantalizing things for Gabriel, Reven was the release of his sanity the change of things and he needed it almost as much as he did air.

The white-haired lass grinned, "Purposely getting a girl to drink to get to her dirty side~" She noted, "That's mean~"

Gabriel grinned to a savage extent before concealing it menacingly. Somewhere inside he knew that he’d find her again, that other half Emily kept hidden away he felt guilty but when she was there he couldn’t help over look it a bit.

“I had a feeling…it seems to have worked out thus far.” Gabriel purred off in his accent trying to appear as high and mighty as he could.

[seishounohana]

“I had a feeling…it seems to have worked out thus far.” Kari chuckled. Gabriel seemed to have gained a fancy for her, and that was something already particularly obvious. However, Kari IS Emily, and Emily's feelings are also her own.

It is just Emily's own inhibitions broken down, a side of her that she tried to hide showing itself to others. A wilder side that she had chosen not to show in fear of being called a slut or something close to that sort. She was a tsundere and a yangire to some extent.

Fear.

That was one of the things that controlled Emily's life.

She purred as she pulled Gabriel closer. "You do understand that making me surface intentionally will eventually kill Emily one day, right?" She told him. "Believe me, that girl has been trying to destroy me since day one. It is either she becomes me or I become her."

She grinned, pulling her arms away and sat again at the chair, crossing her legs and leaning back against the counter. Kari didn't really care at all when her skirt pulled up and showed her thighs to an extent. Yes, she was a tease. A confident tease.

This was all because Emily had so many fears with regards to herself.

"... I wonder why you pull all the trouble to wake me?" She said, quite seductively. "Emily not enough? Not desirable like she thinks she is?"

[Gabriel Seran]

"... I wonder why you pull all the trouble to wake me?" She said, quite seductively finally pulled away from Gabriel far enough so he could think quickly. "Emily not enough? Not desirable like she thinks she is?"

“No that’s not it…it just..” Gabriel paused as he followed her in closely closing off her escape from the seat should she have any intention to. He was close enough to lower his face down which he did so low enough to whisper closely to her to be heard over the music. His frame wrapped around her body, arms clutching the other end of the bar as he looked at her intently.

“I’d like to see all sides of you…” Gabriel smiled sinisterly, “it seems we share something in common.

A new voice emerged from the body and his emerald hues were replaced by more menacing versions of themselves thought the color was golden.
“There’s more than meets the eye.” He chuckled low and with a certain air of hostility.