Lilas' Mini Stories

The Book (Shudders)

(I recommend reading up until Chapter 40 - The Brothers if you're reading Shudders. This contains spoilers)
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"Why are we here anyways?" Red eyes deadpanned as they looked at the crowded and ruined hallways of the hospital.

"Because I need a book." Similar red eyes shot back, tired of the others impatience.

"A book?!" Akai groaned. "You dragged me to a hospital for a fucking book?!"

     Yama shook his head. He didn't drag him here, the link did. It's not his fault his brother has to follow him everywhere for the time being. "It's not just any book. It's one about human anatomy and I need it to study."

"Just kill one those Capturer people! That sounds more fun than digging around in trash!" Akai exclaimed as he kicked a chair out his path. Yama ignored him and walked up to a door that was blocked by a skeleton.

    Akai could've been doing literally anything else than this. The hospital smelled like sewage and the heat from outside didn't help at all. It was late summer and should be cooling down by now, but mother nature apparently decided to make Akai suffer in the hot air. "How do you even know that a book is here?"

"I checked the library records during our stay there and a medical student checked the book out before the apocalypse. The records stated that they were living here at the time." Yama observed the notes he took just to be sure. The records had the student's room number and floor, all he needs to do is find it and hope the book is still there and intact.

"Fucking nerds..." Akai muttered as he leaned against a counter while his brother went into the room.

     On the counter was a cracked photo of a woman with a man laying in a pile of dust and glass. Akai picked it up and observed it while the sounds of Yama rummaging the room could be heard.

    The two in the photo were probably in a relationship. To Akai, relationships seemed useless. He tsked and tossed the photo behind him.

"It's not here." Yama grunted. He exited the room with dust covering his black shirt. "There should be a library somewhere. That book could be there."

     Akai dramatically sighed and went limp against the counter for added effect. "This building is too big to be finding one small ass book!"

"It'd be quicker if both of us were looking." Yama said in a matter of fact tone. He went behind the counter and saw a directory laying on the ground. "Or I could focus if you didn't talk so much."

"Deal with it. I can't go too far anyways. I'm stuck with your boring ass."

    Yama rolled his eyes and found where the library was. It wasn't far, just a couple halls down. "I can't wait till our link calms down. Getting rid of you is all I want right now."

"You think I want to be hanging around you?" Yama is the last person Akai wants to be with. His brother is too strict, too 'mature', and too civilized to have fun with. "I could be knocking boots with that bug chick right now but no, I'm stuck with family~. Pshhh."

     The doctor massaged his temples, already done with Akai. It was so much better when he was by himself in his silent building with nothing but him and his research.

    Then his twin showed up...

"Why don't you go make yourself scarce and annoy something else."

    Akai shrugged and flipped his brother off. "Maybe I will. Maybe I'll go find a Capturer and get myself caught~."

"You're an idiot if you do that." Yama muttered as he started walking. "They'll end up killing you one way or another."

     The immature demon scoffed. He faked an offended look with his hand on his heart and his mouth wide open. "How dare you! You think I'm weak enough to let some humans kill me?!"

     The doctor stopped walking and turned around to look at his brother. He looked him up and down, seeing that he wasn't taking things seriously. "Yes."

    Akai narrowed his eyes and started following Yama. How dare he think he's some weakly! Akai has gotten into fights with Capturers plenty of times before, if anything they're the weak ones. All he has to do is throw a little fire, dodge some bullets, and stab them in fatal spots then BOOM, he wins. All Yama ever did was retreat and run like a wuss when Capturers showed up.

     The next time a group of them showed up, Akai will run in head first and take them all out. Then he'll grin in accomplishment while standing in their remains and give a big 'fuck you' to his twin. He loved proving Yama wrong.

     But seems like that time will be now...

     As the two passed by a shattered window, Akai caught a glimpse of a truck driving down the road with two smaller trucks following in tow. Akai went to the window without Yama noticing and saw that the group was passing by on the streets below.

     He grinned.

     Yama checked his watch and saw that it was starting to get late. They shouldn't be out at night in this area, they were almost close to one of those Zone places and Capturer activity picked up when the sun went down. This area was not safe for them to be in. "We should hurry this up. After we find the book, we'll head back into the city to avoid any humans. Alright, Akai?"

     No answer.

    Yama stopped and looked over his shoulder, catching his brother's tail going out the open window. He widened his eyes and ran over to it, seeing that Akai grew wings and was hading straight for a group of Capturers below. The group was bigger than normal, it was too many for Akai to take on at once.

"That idiot!" Yama gritted his teeth and started climbing the window. If he got those humans' attention, it'll be difficult to get away from them.

     Yama held his hand out towards a crane positioned near the buildings and used his ability to throw the chain hooked up to it towards his brother. Akai dodged it and flipped around to throw a fireball at the doctor with a manic smile. Yama had to dive back into the hospital to avoid getting hit. Before he got back up, he started to hear gunshots and yelling coming from below along with the sound of explosives being thrown.

     Yama got back up and went back to the window, seeing that Akai has already taken out a good handful of Capturers. He was using his arm as a blade to slice at a few while using the other to throw fire at them and the vehicles. He seemed to be winning the fight until Yama spotted a Capturer who looked different than the rest.

    This one was wearing heavier armor and carried a pole with him that electrified at the end.

     The doctor tsked. There goes his brother.

     The Capturer dodged Akai's fire and endured the slice that he threw at him which didn't seemed to hurt the human at all. The pole was twirled in the Capturers hands before jabbing into Akai's side and freezing him in electricity.

    Akai was electrocuted before but this was way too strong. Every pulse burned his body and forced his limbs to straighten out, making him completely unable to move.

    The demon dropped down and jolted several times until another Capturer quickly shot tranquilizers into him to keep him down.

     Yama watched from above with his arm rested on the windowsill and a 'told you so' expression on his face. "I tried to tell him. Now look what happened."

    He wasn't even going to help him. That's what happens to demons who want to be dumbasses, they get captured. He'll have to leave now and come back another day but at least Akai won't be with him.

"Peace and quiet here I come~."