𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄; DIABOLIK LOVERS

ᴡʜᴇɴ ʟɪɢʜᴛɴɪɴɢ ꜱᴛʀɪᴋᴇꜱ

And speaking of chosen family...

I'm going to see the Mukamis again. I've spoken about it with Carla and he also thinks it's a good idea to ask the people closest to Karlheinz about a cure. It was a bit surprising to see him agree so easily without having to ardently persuade.

Normally I would expect some of his pride to get in the way and how those 'fake vampires were the lowest of the low and you would be better off getting advice from a spoon.' But he said was going to teleport me there while he, Shin, and Yui will go back to the demon realm to look for an anti-venom as well as answers from Mertz; if they could find him. Though, Mertz seems like the type of person that finds you instead of the other way around.

Mertz said the venom was irreversible when he gave it to me. He may believe so but, after spending time with the founders, I've got to see even the dead can come back to life. Normally metals rust, flowers wither, and the sun descends. With magic, these things are never assumed. With magic, the natural laws are overturned. So, even if there's the deadliest of venoms an anti-venom could be made. It just depends on how clever the mind is to procure such a remedy.

Karlheinz most likely has a vial of antivenom and even though I could call him all the curses in the book, and justify it, he is clever. Disastrously so.

But this doesn't mean I need to think like Karlheinz. Oh no, we're not going there again. That took me to a mindset that wasn't at all human. I was barely scraping at a form I will never be. I am human, and I'm going to think as one because this win will only mean something if I still have my humanity left. I'm not going to match Karlheinz and win by using his deceptive, cruel, ways to end up alone on a throne. It's important to win, but not as important as how you win.

I admit I still have a lot yet to learn, a lot left to do, and a lot left to say. And I can learn a lot with the Mukamis. The last time we saw each other was when they thought I was being held against my will by the founders. That's how it started, but it definitely wasn't like that at the end. They worked together with the Sakamakis and Kino which must've wounded their pride deeply. But that means they thought getting me back was worth that, and I still have to hug them and tease them for it at the same time.

They have no idea about what went down, and it's going to be difficult to ease my way into the conversation. But it's going to happen, I'm not going to keep secrets from them anymore. It almost cost me my life and it's not the death that scares me but the fact I won't be there for them at every birthday, Christmas, or half-assed maid cafe where Azusa got confused and was wearing a maid dress.

When I was crawling to the cave, after the blood loss, and the cement filling in the wounds, I passed out from trauma and shock. It's true what they say, that you see a flashback of your life. And it wasn't comforting, because there wasn't enough.

I need more memories of them being themselves and me being myself. No false pretenses, no lies. I'm not going to expect them to be any more or less a vampire if they don't expect me to be any more or less than a human. It's not about changing people, but accepting them for who they are.

I am sure that I am not the one people talk about in prophecies. I am not particularly strong, wield any supernatural powers, or have been blessed by any gods. I am also not sure I will survive this next leg. I am no Achilles, or Hercules, or Perseus. I am the daughter of a dulled woman and a ghost of a father. I am not qualified.

But I am here.

So I put the homemade medicine Carla had made for the pain into my bag and closed it. It's worked wonders and also helps with movement so I'm less stiff when walking. It was a mixture of poppy for the pain and burdock to extract the toxins. It is not a panacea, but it will do for now.