Is It Okay To Have Dinner With The Spider

【九】BNASCANI

Sera was killed. Because of me. Why would you want to be my friend? A blonde girl with brown eyes. She'd been Reina's best friend since they were little. They were always together; inseparable. Since Reina was always left alone at home, she often went to Sera's house. She thought she could do the same when her parents abandoned her for good. Even when she'd been exposed as the worst villain in the city. Reina had thought things wouldn't change between them. She was wrong.

When Sera opened the door and saw Reina, her eyes had nothing but fear. Reina had never forgotten them, the fear, the oblivion to their friendship. No, they weren't friends anymore. And before Reina had even said anything, the house burnt down in front of her eyes. But Sera didn't move. She stayed planted, shaking in fear of the Spider. The image of Sera burning to the ground, knowing it was her fault... it had scarred her childhood.

She got up shakily and pressed her hands against the wall to steady herself, quickly erasing Sera from her mind. Reina had to get out of here before anything.

The new bandages had been wrapped really well and she felt like she could actually use her injured leg and arm again. She stared, had Tetsuki done a better job than Demu-san? So the old hag really was all talk.

She stood up and started to walk away. Her usual vodka was waiting at the bar and she didn't intend to miss out on it. Just as she stood up, she felt another one coming. Her hands started shaking and her knees crumpled like paper to the ground. Her vision was shaking and her whole body was no longer in her control. She tried to scream, but she couldn't.

She was having another one of those. Her body felt like it was splitting in half, completely self-destructing.

No. I have to get up. I have to keep going. This ISN'T happening, she told herself. No. I need more... She stared at her fingers, which barely held her up against the ground. Slowly, they started moving. Not shaking like some uncontrollable maniac, but they were moving by her will. Soon she's clenched her fist.

Slowly but steadily, she could feel her body fighting back to the poison. Whatever it was, it was creating the seizures and she intended to stop them. Her knees buckled and her legs trembled but she held on to the wall even harder. Slipping and standing up again, she was finally back on her feet.

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The doors to the noisy bar were banged open and in the middle stood a bedraggled, red-eyed girl. She seemed like she'd been drunk or had just crawled out of a coffin. The only thing that terrified the spectators the most, was the eight, huge, sharp spider legs sprouting from her back.

"Where's Takaya?" she glowered. A shaking man pointed her to the wooden door beside the counter. Trying to hide her trembling legs, she forced herself onward to the kitchen. Before she even had the strength to open the kitchen doors, the man bust open, holding a tray of drinks.

"Spider-chan!" Takaya stared.

Reina bit her lip. "The weed. Did it get here?"

He blinked a few times before answering. "Ah, yes! Yes! Come with me. The guys brought it here a few hours ago. Saying it was for you." Reina had ordered the men to bring it here so it was easier for her to get. It had cost her a fortune.

She took a wobbly step towards the doors but nearly fell. Her hands had managed to hold on to the counter next to her, barely holding her up. Takaya was almost immediately next to her. His young but muscular build, held her up and soon she was walking into the kitchen.

"What's wrong, Spider-chan? A little wobbly today?"

"Shut up Takaya. I'll give you your money." Takaya grinned and nodded.

They disappeared into the kitchen.

"Here's the whole lot. They said something about bringing more if you pay them another bill," Takaya said, pulling the enormous wooden crate out from beneath a shelf. It was full of little bottles of dried up plant. This could completely stop her shaking and seizures. She'd had enough of those already. It was interfering with her life. Her money, recently, had been on low, too low.

She began stuffing her deep jacket pockets with a few bottles each. "I'll come here if I need more."

"Sure," Takaya nodded. "Say, Spider-chan, what do you need these for? I didn't take you for a drug type," he paused. "Or is for those quakes, everyone keeps saying they've seen you with. They say your downfall is coming, Spider-chan. It's those abnormal wounds those black ninjas gave you, right?"

"You can have three bottles of weed if you shut everyone up about this," she scowled at him, "Deny it. Tell them that it isn't true. And tell me about those who talk about it. I'll have them killed."

Takaya smiled slyly and nodded. "It's a deal." Cannabis was expensive in these parts. Reina nodded, but she didn't feel settled. She might as well go out there and announce it.

Reina burst through the kitchen doors into the loud bar and then she sprouted ten spider legs. Each one bigger, sharper and quicker than the one before. It was a grand entrance like none other. The atmosphere immediately quietened when they saw her.

Using her legs to levitate herself so that her voice could be heard everywhere, she eyed everyone. All the most obnoxious people were here today and there were sure to be conflicts and protests. "I've heard that there have been some people talking behind my back. My downfall?" Reina spat at the crowd. "It will never happen. What you saw today of me just then, it was the black ninjas but they were killed easily. It ain't no seizures or disease. I'm well, and active. And those who oppose me will be killed."

And now, the opposition. Someone will be sure to ask questions, protests against this. I'm sure of it. She eyed the room. It's coming.

"Yeah, so you have two extra legs. But what does that prove?! It ain't mean you're stronger or anything. It could be the opposite for all we know."

"On what proof do we have to stand on, that you aren't dying?"

"Yea, don't you just want us to believe that so we won't come charging at you with knives?"

Reina smiled. "I think you didn't hear me." Legs stabbed the three of their hearts and came back out, coated in blood and bits of their heart. "Anyone else have questions?" It was silent. "I thought so."

She lifted herself off the table with her spider legs and strode down the center off the bar and disappeared through the door.

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CANNABIS