A Gentleman's Red Butterfly

Chapter 19: The Final Battle. Part 1

When they finally reached the town, Poco immediately ran to his home, which wasn't thar far, and asked in a rush where Peggy was. His father, once seeing him enter, got upset with him for being gone for so long. "Poco, where've you been?! How dare you leave the house like this?!" His father yelled as he delivered a slap to the boy, knocking the boy down. Poco held his stinging cheek, but he held up a strong front. "P-please, Papa. Papa, I'm sorry for I left the house, but where's my sister?" Poco asked as he looked around the house.

"Well, where do you think? She's out looking for you." His father told him. He had no idea what has been going on. Poco snapped his attention to his father and paled. Frighten by the fact that his sister was out there in the dark with monsters running around! His father had absolutely no idea what had been going on. "What?! No Papa! Don't say that, tell me she didn't go out!" Poco begged of him as he began trembling. Seeing his son's frighten face, the man kneeled down to him and gently asked, "Poco, what's ailing you? You're not behaving right." Poco didn't answer him as he began screaming out for his sister, praying to God above that she was safe.

Peggy was trembling as she stared at her captor and the zombie chimera pets, two of which were mens' heads attached to feline bodies, were grinning ear to ear by just looking at her. Peggy didn't know how this happened. All she was doing was searching for her younger brother and suddenly she found herself in this castle. Held captive by this...demon in human skin. Dio turned to her as he held up one of the roses. "Consider this, dear. Examine this rose in bloom for but a moment. Vibrant, fresh and young, what you see is a mirror of your youth. Consider this fact carefully, mademoiselle. From the first moment this flower fully blooms, it begins to wither. A shame, don't you think?"

Now that he said this, he hoped Viola would appear soon. She was still very young, but he wanted desperately to immortalised her youth and goddess-like beauty. He may haven taken this girl as his prisoner, but she wasn't even close to the kind of woman he wanted, nor was her face anywhere close to Viola's gorgeous face. After all, once Viola becomes his, wouldn't she like a servant to tend to her? One of his chimera pets licked his lips and he stared wide-eyed at Peggy. Grinning like a mad man. "Only sixteen! So sweet, so innocent and pure, now!! So full of delicious life energy! Wonderful, Lord Dio!! She is much more youthful that that wench of a woman, Rose! Heh-Heh-Heh-Heh!!" He laughed.

Dio glared at the chimera in pure disgust and rage. This being a rather vulgar creature was bad enough, but how dare he think that man of his stature would desire this youngling, or any other woman, than his beautiful rose? Such actions would be nothing short of betrayal. He wanted Viola and no one else. As the chimera continued to, Dio lifted up his leg, which the chimera was resting upon, tossed him in the air before bringing his foot down and killed the zombie pet by smashing in his neck. Peggy turned away in fright from the scene.

"Those lacking in manners are not fit to exist." Dio said. Honestly, was is that hard to learn some proper manners and behave with even a little etiquette? Standing up from his seat, Dio walked over to Peggy and stood above her. "Now, mademoiselle. I offer onto you a choice. Would you not care to enjoy your youth and beauty for all eternity? Fret not my dear, I shall not force my friendship upon you like others might do. You control your life. You hold your destiny in your own hands." 

"You fiend..." Peggy muttered under breath. Dio kneeled down and leaned his face close to hers. "Eh? How's that again?" He asked her. Peggy shot a glare at his way and with no hesitation, Peggy slapped Dio across the face. The sound echoed throughout the as they were left in silence. "You wear the flesh, but you're not a man! Devil, go away!" Peggy yelled at him. All Dio did was give a smirk as he licked the blood that trailed down his lips. It didn't sting as much as she liked to believe. But it did bring back some memories. A simple slap to the face? Really? Was that the best she could do? His woman had brung far more force when she was merely twelve and held so much more fire and passion than this sapling ever could or ever will. What was he thinking that he could have this girl amongst his servants? He didn't want to make Viola jealous.