Chapter VII.

"Have you ever dancesd with the devil in the full moon light?"
-The Joker, 'Batman: The Movie'

The man's eyes were the same dark brown as those expensive, status
symbol chocolates that no one can stand the taste of. He was tall with
heavily tanned skin and wavy near-black hair that came to his jawline.
He was not an effeminate man, not in the least, but his form and face
still were possessed of a viscious, deadly grace. Those garments he
wore which were not blood red were so black that they absorbed any
light cast upon them. He was dressed like some sort of warrior king,
in armor that was decorative yet funtional and a sweeping black cape
which would have been terribly guady had it been on any other figure.

His expression was one of mocking and unconcealed disdain and he
spoke in a rich, amused voice. "So you are the one my enemy would send
against me. How typically foolish of her."

"I resent that," said the scrawny black haired boy in a nasal vioce.

The man chuckled, a gravelly and somehow enthralling sound.
"Pathetic. Her flawed judgement betrays her again. She hands me my
victory."

The other scoweled. "Just who are you?" he demanded irritatedly.

"My name is Schetain, I am called the Deceiver."

He snorted. "Good then, I'll know not to believe a word you say."

"Oh? But sometimes it's so much easier to lie with the truth. Don't
you know that? No wonder you're such a failure. She really has sunk to
a new low with you, hasn't she?"

He glared at man. "You're talking about Geheivia, aren't you"

"How very astute of you, boy. At least you're not a complete idiot. I
may have some fun with you yet. Or rather my minion will. It's one of
the rules we agreed upon you see, we gods only act through our servants.
It makes it more, entertaining, that way."

"A game, is it then?" he hissed, insultedly.

"Heavens no, never a game, my boy," he gave a grin like poison,
leaning towards him, "this is war."

The mortal scoweled, irritation at being adressed in such a manner
nearly giving way to ouright anger. "Now see here, I demand you tell
me what is going on."

"You, demand something of me? Laughable. But perhaps I'll indulge
your insolence this once. Who knows, it might make my conquest all the
sweeter." He paused. "Listen closely boy, because I will not repeat
myself. My oponent and I represent different hmmm, aspects, if you will
have it as such, and we have been at odds with one another for quite
a while."

"Aspects of what, and how long is a while?" he interupted.

"Tut tut, hold your questions til the end of the lecture please
students. Simply put, when we are ready for a skirmish we each select a
player, a pawn, a servant, put it however you like, and pit them
against one another to determine who the winner is."

He grimaced. "I am not a pawn."

The god laughed. "My dear boy, you have evidently been reading the
heavily abridged version of you own biography. Now, you had a question
I do believe?"

"Yes, indeed I-"

The man cut him off suddenly. "Oh me, it seems we've run out of time."
He looked casually at his own dark wrist as though checking a
non-existant watch. "Until next we meet, boy." He gave a respectless
bow and-

For the second time Snively woke with a start, sitting suddenly up in
bed. This time however he was not in his own windowless bedroom on his
miserably hard cot. Sunshine was pouring in casting a cheery light on
the shelves and such.

He groaned inwardly, finding himself still in the same situation he'd
been in last night. He didn't know what he expected to be different or
how he had thought things would be any better but, ah well.

He stetched and yawned. Outide bird were chirping noisily and he
expected that must have been what had woken him, only, it seemed to him
when he thought about it, that it had been something else. A dream,
but what of?

He was no stranger to nightmares, that was certain, but ususally he
woke up from those shakey and drenched in sweat and at the moment he
was perfectly dry and calm. He shrugged it off, after all, it was only
a dream and everyone sensible knew that dreams were only an inane
expression of the subconsious. He pulled on his shirt.

Well, he thought, today I get to go and get X-rayed and brained
scanned. Oh goody, lucky me. He looked around the room for something
resembling a comb or a brush. There was none. He ran a hand, with
difficulty, through his hair. It had gotten rather tangled at night, as
had the sheets. One of the pillows had been knocked to the floor. He
always had been a fitful sleeper.

He continued to comb his hair with slender fingers until it met with
his grudging satisfaction, wishing again for a shirt that was warmer
than the one he was in. He listened for noises that would mean
occupants above him were awake. There were none. It seemed he would
have some time before he had to go and be poked by machienes, and ones
built by an inventor he didn't trust anyway. Sir Charles Hedgehog,
let's pray your inventions work better when dear Jullian hasn't
tampered with them, I'd rather not have my brain fried for real.
After all, it was the only thing he had, really.

He walked to the window, for lack of anything better to do, and
crossed his arms on the sill, resting his chin on them. Outside a few
early risers scurried about their buisness, creatures of all
discription. He wondered idly how so many species could have evolved
along the same lines, so closely as to be able to interbreed. He had
no idea about genetics, or evolution really. Oh, he knew the basics,
but it wasn't his area of study or genius. No, he was a master
programmer and hacker. To bad most of the computers this side of Mobius
were his own.

He yawned, the expirience of breathing in air that was neither smoggy
and sinister, nor recycled and sterile was unfamilier. He could almost
taste the scenery, smell it certainly. He snorted. Yes, and he'd
probably catch some nasty disease from it as well.

Above him he now heard someone stiring, Doctor of the terrible,
unsettling pun name most likely. He sighed as he heard feet shuffle
down the stairs and someone knock on the door.

"Come in," he said, trying to to sound too resigned. What was his
name supposed to be again?

"Ah, Davin, I see you're up bright and early. That's a good sign."
Quack smiled the unressuring smile of all pshycians.

Davin, right. Well, time to get into character.

To be continued...

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