![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mistkittTesting, 1, 2…
~
Living more than a hundred years had a way of spinning cobwebs on memories, caking them in the dust of the people who had died before him, the ash of all the bridges he’d burned. But other memories stayed with him, as fresh as spring flowers. They came back to him in dreams as his soul, still weakly grasping the hand of heaven, tried to purge him of the sins he’d committed in the past.
“Your friend’s awful stiff, ain’t he?”
“He’s just shy! Give him some of that ale and he’ll loosen up fast enough. Right, Ulquiorra? Tell the ladies you’re shy.”
“What kinda name is that? Latin, innit? I know some Latin too. Never remember it ‘til I’m in bed though.”
“And there you have it, Doctor. A wink of approval from the filthiest whore this side of Europe. Not half bad at incantations either.”
And everyone had danced and sang and made merry, save for Doctor Ulquiorra Cifer, who had a rule against making merry in such a miserable world. He’d always suspected there were devils in those woods, and now he knew for certain. The ghouls, the crones, the wizards, the pagans, and the depraved, all spinning crazed circles around the creature he’d accidentally trapped in his home with a pentagram. Where he himself fit into that picture, he wasn’t sure.
The memory still echoed around the back of Ulquiorra’s mind as he descended into his study a little past dawn. Its windows were frosted over; fresh snow had fallen on the mountains overnight, further blocking the path to the village at the foothills below. There was no hope of sending that woman back, then.
Where was the woman, anyhow? She was usually there by sunrise, a book on her lap, ready to pester him with her incessant questions…
“Missing something?” Ulquiorra’s gaze fell upon Kokuto, who had procured a cravat, a naval jacket, and a hat since the day before. It would have made for a handsome picture, had it not been for the side of his face that was disfigured, twisted and leering and smelling of rotting flesh.
“The girl,” Ulquiorra said.
“Orihime Inoue, yes?” Kokuto marched in front of a standing looking glass and struck a pose. “If I had to guess, I’d say she’s gone to be with the Lord by now.” He stole a peek at Ulquiorra, relishing the slight widening of his eyes. “Poor thing doesn’t stand much of a chance against the elements in such thin underclothes.”
His words had their desired effect. Ulquiorra shoved him out of the way of the looking glass and put his hand on its surface. The reflected image rippled, slowly at first, then faster until it had changed into a vision of blinding snow. In that vast expanse of white, he saw the flaming tendrils of the woman’s hair being whipped about by the wind. She was practically buried. Ulquiorra turned to Kokuto, pale with unspeakable rage. “Why is she outside?”
Kokuto shrugged helplessly. “Why don’t you ask her maid?”
Ulquiorra bit down on his thumb hard enough to draw blood. “I intend to.” He tilted the looking glass until it was parallel to the floor, pressed his bleeding thumb onto it, drew a line under the woman’s prone form, and symbols at her head and feet. Kokuto took several cautious steps backwards.
“How about I fetch the maid for you?” he said, not waiting around for an answer. Ulquiorra was already reaching into the looking glass, his anger growing exponentially when the bitter cold struck his exposed hands. He was almost shoulder deep in the mirror before he had a secure enough hold on the woman, and he lifted her out of the snow, out of the shrieking wind, and into the warmth of his study.
Her muscles were stiff, breaths coming in weak little gasps. Her skin was pale, making the blood he’d smeared on her neck that much brighter, and the sight of it repulsed him. But he had no time to waste. Lowering his mouth to hers, he breathed into her, and felt warmth spreading rapidly through her body beneath his hands. She began to shiver, whimpering in her sleep. Ulquiorra’s tongue swept over his lips. He’d been alive far too long to not recognize the taste of a sleeping draught.
Someone had tried to kill the girl. In his own home. And when Kokuto brought the rat to him, they would discover just how much of a demon their master truly was.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-30 04:40 pm (UTC)This is so brilliant! Are you going to expand this Faust AU to a full length multi-chapter fic? Ulquiorra as Faust fits so perfectly. Having studied everything there is in the world, he couldn't find what he was looking for... Meaning? The heart? "Verweile doch du bist so schön!" Will he lose the bet with Kokuto because of Orihime?
How far are you willing to go with the parallels between Gretchen and Orihime though? Gretchen killed their child after all and died herself...
Is this Kokuto/Mephisto character an OC of yours?
I'm so excited about this! I hope you'll continue with it!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-30 04:51 pm (UTC)As for Kokuto, he is a character in the fourth Bleach movie, which was about hell. He was a deceptively kind guy who turned out to be the main villain. And since that movie started with the Ichigo vs Ulquiorra fight - which Kokuto somehow witnessed - I thought he'd be perfect as the seemingly kind Mephistopheles. :D
no subject
Date: 2015-05-07 07:29 am (UTC)This makes me so excited! I couldn't imagine a better crossover than Ulquihime/Faust at least considering Ulquiorra's / Faust's search for meaning / something worth living for. I'm so happy you're going to write this!