Paying the Piper [La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia fanfiction]

Chapter 8

The man hid in the shadows. He had managed to trick them alright. They had thought he would run back to his warehouse or to the harbour. But he had prepared in advance for a situation like this.

Now he was safe in his new base, an abandoned port far away from the main harbour.

Next he would begin the carnage..... they would pay dearly for crossing his path...

He felt a sudden surge of energy. Yes this was perfect and he would make that alchemist pay too for what he had done.

"I am coming for you Jolly...." he whispered...

"Funny!" Came a voice behind him "I have come for you too!"

The man whirled around and saw Jolly standing there..................

"But how...?" He stammered, "I ...Impossible! You weren't even there!!"

"No..." said Jolly as he lit another cigar "But I made sure that I could find you again..."

Then he pointed at his shoes.

The man looked down and saw that there was some blue dye under his shoes. With a start he turned around and saw that it was everywhere behind him... he had led him right here....

"Yes..." continued Jolly ".... I thought you would have noticed. But I suppose ecstacy can make anyone less intelligent than they are capable of. It wouldn't have made any difference though since it cannot be removed. So what did you want with me?"

Jolly was satisfied to see that he had shattered his confidence.

The man than laughed again loudly and said "Well played Jolly! But tell me don't you want to know why? You must be curious!"

"No." said Jolly "I don't care... now the pipe..."

The man stepped forward.

"Don't you remember me Jolly?"

"Not really..." replied Jolly "... vaguely maybe like you would remember a rat in your lab..."

The man scowled and burst out "Yes!  And I was a rat.... your rat! Your failed experiment! And because of that I had to leave! Tell me now... do you remember?!?"

Jolly glanced out at sea and after a moment said "It's almost dawn... I have work... The pipe....."

The man almost howled with rage. "Don't pretend.... YOU CHEAT! Come on old man! I was living happily. Mondo looked to me for help all the time. I was a part of the family. A servant maybe.... a mere musician... but I was alive!!!! Then you took me. killed me slowly.... and then brought me back to life so as to kill me again....."

Jolly was expressionless.

"Perhaps you have forgotten...." Jolly said. "You wanted to be experimented on. You thought that with what you termed your Amazing Musical Talent that you would be the right host for The Empress. But you failed...... because you weren't enough...."

"How dare you!!?!!?!?" he screamed "Look at me now! My pipe has brought your entire family down. They couldn't lift a finger against me! How can you say I failed?! I have grown beyond what you ever could have imagined..... without your stupid contract!!!"

Saying this he took his pipe and moved towards Jolly with a mad glint in his eyes.

Jolly studied him for a second and said "Perhaps you should remember that the pipe was my design too.... a failed one of course. I would never make anything so crude now.

Obviously you still have no talent of your own... you never had.... The Empress could never have been hosted by you.... Because you never had the strength for it.... and if you thought you could use my research to forge a contract yourself then..... you are wrong. For I see less potential in you now than I had then......."

The man screamed out in rage and swung wildly at Jolly.

Jolly side stepped the blow; with one hand he grabbed the hand holding the pipe and with the other he took off his sunglasses.....

Luna Pienna Sono

The man was left writhing on the ground. He was screaming incoherent words.... Like a mad man....

"Please enough! No more! The pain....... No!!!!!!!!!"

Jolly put his shades on. It hadn't been that hard to find out his memory. The man hadn't even gone through a fraction of the pain the others had when they had made their contracts. But he had more ambitions than the rest.......but couldn't pay the price for it like the others.

Jolly leaned in close and said "If you know what is good for you.... leave.... Mondo would have wanted me to spare you. I wouldn't have gone so easily on a criminal especially a rat like you. You can never be a host for any of the tarots.....So live whatever pathetic life you can...."

He stood up and then walked over to the pipe that had rolled away in the... fight, if you could call it that....

Jolly wondered if he should keep it and then decided  against it. He could design much better now.

He placed his foot on the pipe..... and there was a definite crack as the pipe split in two..........

************************************
The sun was up by the time Jolly reached back. Elmo ran out to greet him.

"Jolly!!! You are back!"
Jolly ruffled his hair and asked "Are they awake?"
The boy nodded eagerly.

"Yes! One-chan is up now! Papa and Mama are alright too! They are all in the house..."

"Good...." Said Jolly "... and good work Elmo..."
"Thank you Jolly!!!!" Said the boy happily "And that man..... is he......"

"Gone" said Jolly " He won't return...."

Jolly looked at the house. He could hear their happy voices and laughs from inside... their happiness at being together again....

Immaterial.... just like the children they are....... Why do I even do all this...........

"Jolly...." came the voice at his side and he felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked down.

"Yes Elmo......."
"Are you alright?"

Jolly smiled.....

"What a curious question Elmo? Why shouldn't I be......? "

He took Elmo's hand and the two of them walked towards the lab................

END