RICHARD AND JOANNA
by d_Galloway
Gallo-note: Yep, it's another Demon de Laplace fic, this time centering on Joanna (aka the nutcase) and Richard (aka the boyfriend). Be warned, though: this is NOT a romance fic! Thank you.
Richard walked down the streets one last time before leaving. Newcam was always beautiful this time of year, and the tourism definately made it an interesting place to live. Everyone here was kind and helpful, and the whole place seemed to be free of the pollution of the larger towns.
It would be perfect, were it not for Joanna. He had once loved her, he told himself, but he couldn't bear to look at her face anymore. She had proven herself to be self-centered and ignorant to everything he had tried to accomplish with her. Now she was wanting him to marry her? He wasn't going to let it happen. Not this time.
He slowly walked up to Benedict's house.
***
Joanna waited at the restaraunt for what seemed like forever. When she was forced to leave, she could barely control herself. Why had Richard forgotten their date? She had spent nearly everything she had to pay for this night, and he didn't show up!
"Maybe he just got lost," she thought, but there was no way that could be possible; the restraunt was right next to his apartment building! A thousand possible situations played in her mind, but she dismissed every single one of them.
Trying to fight back the tears, she returned home.
***
"So," said Benedict, "what business do you have with the Demon?"
"Mr. Benedict," said Richard, "I have seen humanity, and it sickens me. You say that Laplace will destroy the fools, right?" Benedict nodded in reply, and Richard continued. "I wish to help it in that conquest."
"But, you poor boy," said Benedict, "you would turn your back on this world completely? You would simply decide to leave forever? What about your family? Your friends? Your girlfriend?"
Richard pounded his fist into the chair's armrests. "Joanna is nothing but a self-centered bitch! She is no girlfriend of mine! I would rip her ugly face apart before I ever love her again!"
Benedict, feeling threatened, rose and took a step back. "Very well. It is, after all, your own decision. Are you at all familiar with the Black Arts?" Richard nodded his head yes, then showed his tattoo: a red pentagram on his left arm. Benedict nodded in reply. "Then I believe you are all set, child of Satan."
Richard smiled at the name of the Demon's creator. They both went into a back room.
***
The next day, Joanna stopped by Richard's apartment. She was worried when she learned that he had left the previous night, and had not yet returned. She asked around town, and was able to learn where he had gone.
Benedict's mansion.
***
Benedict's old butler led Joanna to Benedict. He was sitting in the study, a glass of wine in one hand and a large book in the other. The butler cleared his throat and said, "Miss Joanna is here to see you."
Benedict turned toward the frightened young woman, then motioned his butler to leave. Rising, he said, "You have come looking for Richard, have you not?" She nodded in reply, and he continued, "I know where he is, but I cannot vouch for your safety."
"I don't care," said Joanna. "All I want is to see my love."
Although the words of Richard echoed in his mind, Benedict decided to show her where he was. He dared not follow her in, however; he had to bide his time.
They entered the room Benedict had taken Richard the previous night. On the floor was a large red pentagram, similar to the one Richard had tattooed onto his arm. Benedict simply told her to stand on it.
The instant both feet where on the pentagram, Joanna had dissapeared.
***
When she awoke, she was standing inside a dark, cold room. She had only taken a few steps when several soldiers, dressed in medieval French armor, surrounded her. They threw her into the dungeon, apparantly under the orders of a commanding officer that was not present.
***
A few months passed, and Joanna had given up all hope. She thought she was never going to escape from here. Then she heard a loud gunshot from the neighboring room, followed by the sounds of heavy footsteps. Suddenly, her cell door opened, and a young man in a green suit entered, a hunting rifle in his hand.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" he asked, as if he was simply shocked to see someone here. She introduced herself, and the man introduced himself as David. She told him about Richard, and he offered to help her find him.
After they had left, he introduced her to his companions: Alex, August, and Morgan. They said they were investigating a series of kidnappings here. She didn't know anything about them, but she came along anyway.
They eventually reached the third floor of the castle. After searching for a bit, they found a ghoul blocking a door. Despite Morgan's scardy-cat attitude and Joanna's uncertainty, they easily crushed the opposition, then continued onward. In the next room, they encountered yet another ghoul. They were just preparing to attack when the ghoul did something only a few of them ever did: it talked.
"Filthy humans! Begone!" This seemed to piss David off, but Joanna pushed her way forward at the sound of the voice. "Richard!"
Richard, now a ghoul, looked disgusted at her. "Joanna, get the fucking hell away from me! You have brought me nothing but grief since I met you! I am a servant to Laplace now!" He then ran off.
Joanna just stood there, visibly shocked. "Joanna," said David. "Will you be all right?" Joanna turned around slowly. "Yes, I'll be fine. But I must follow Richard. Even if he cannot stand the sight of me, I still love him." She started to leave, but Alex and August stopped her. "We're going with you. We promise we won't let anything happen to you." Joanna smiled at their kindness, and left in the direction Richard had gone.
***
After a while, the three reached a bloodied torture room, filled with various instruments of torture. Standing by a window was none other than Richard himself. He turned towards the group, and growled at the site of Joanna.
"Bitch," he said, "why do you keep trying to follow me? You know I hate you, but yet you follow."
"Richard," said Joanna, "this is called 'love'. But you wouldn't know that. You never loved anyone in your life!"
"Lies!" screamed Richard. "I was once madly in love with you. You were everything to me. Then I learned the truth about you. You loved only yourself, like all the other humans."
Joanna motioned to Alex and August. "Please leave. I wish to speak to Richard alone." Alex started to protest, but August grabbed his shoulded, whispering, "She has made her decision. We will wait outside, by the door, in case anything happens." They then left.
"So, Joanna," said Richard, "what do you want to talk about? I have said everything that I have to say, and yet you remain. Please leave, before my patience leaves me."
"I will not leave, Richard," said Joanna, "I still love you, even when you hate me with all your heart!"
"That is it, you fucking bitch!" said Richard. "Have you no shame? You do not know the meaning of love! All you care about is yourself! I will somehow get that through to you, and if this is the only way, then so be it."
Joanna had no time to react before Richard had jumped on her. Hearing what was going on from outside, Alex and August broke down the door. Suddenly, Richard burst into flames and, reeling backwards, fell through the window into the water three stories below.
Alex went to Joanna, and noticed what had happened; Richard was successful in tearing one arm off. There was no way to save her. She quietly said, "Maybe he's happier now. Maybe I'm happier, too.", then died.
***
Alex and August joined up with the others. They returned to Newcam, where they buried Joanna's body. As everyone left to return to the case, Alex took one look back.
"She loved him to the end."
THE END
Gallo-note: Well, that's over. Good-bye!