Please Dont Mind Me

Black Sludge Murders

When Takehiko had placed Maria into the bed he stared at me and then at the bandaged leg. "Are you sure you're all right" he asked and stared at the small wet parts.

"My blood is clear, I find that strange," I said.

"What happened," Takehiko asked and sat down at the desk.

"Something tried to attack little Maria," I replied.

"Really," interest peeked his expression. It carried a worry that I hadn't seen before and I walked over to the desk. I picked myself up and sat down on it.

"I nearly killed it, it got away," I explained. "It was attached to sister Seras." I curled up and stared into his green eyes as he gazed at Maria with brotherly concern.

"Stay with her would you," he asked.

"Of course, I've come to like her," I shifted to look at Maria who was sleeping like a new born calf. He ruffled my hair and took the flower crown I forgot was there.

"She seems to like you too," he smiled. He placed the flowers on his desk and stood, "I'm getting ready for bed, why don't you be good and get in while I'm showering?" I nodded slowly and crawled into the bed next to Maria. She latched onto me immediately and I flinched a little.

I woke up with Takehiko hugging me from behind, Maria curling into my stomach, and my tail stuck in the wall. I started to panic when I couldn't move it and wrench it out trying not to be noisy about it. The door was opened and a man peeked in, whispering in a slightly cheerful manner, "Father Takehiko? Are you in here?" He walked in and I stared at the black scruff covered face with brown almond eyes. He didn't seem to see me as he walked to the bed staring at Takehiko. I started growling angrily as I heard a clank in his pocket. It sounded like glass and I could only imagine what it was for. He went to pull it out and I let out a cry, ripping my tail from the wall and ramming him into the opposite wall.

Takehiko jumped up, as did Maria who fell off the bed soon after. I had the man against the wall, tail flared and dancing behind me. Maria pulled at my leg.

"Rinryu-chan, down," Takehiko ordered. My body stopped when I tried to continue and a shock ran through me. I backed away automatically, allowing my body to twitch with the shock.

"W-what the blasted inferno," the man cried. "I thought I was hallucinating, what is that thing?!" I stared at him and snipped, my voice unnecessarily croaking from sleep.

"Rinryu, this is Father Peterson, he's a friend," Maria said and hugged my arm. Father Peterson slowly came up to me and knelt down, staring into my eyes. The brown that stared back gained a white ring and a total different personality took over the once innocently shocked face with a serious, calloused one.

"You didn't die in pain so how are you here," he asked with a serious tone. It wasn't as cheerful as it had been before and carried experience in its underlining.

"That's what I asked you here for," Takehiko sighed. "I wanted you to take her with you on your next job."

"This isn't human," Peterson said.

"I used to be," I retorted.

"But you aren't anymore. How long did you stay next to your body? How vigorous was the emotion coursing through your veins when you keeled over," he asked with malice. I flinched back and stared at my hide.

"She doesn't know any of that," Takehiko replied. He ruffled my hair and then reached to my neck. He pulled the collar he had placed there two months ago and wiggled it on my neck, "however, she has obediently done as I said. I haven't let her out of my sight once and she has not lashed out against my will."