From: chrismg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (christian gadeken)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Miyu/Frame (Part 8)
Date: 2 Oct 92 19:03:08 GMT
Reply-To: chrismg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (christian gadeken)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: chrismg@grumpy.cc.utexas.edu


			Who Framed Vampire Princess Miyu?
				Part 8

	The taxi slid to a halt in front of a warehouse in the
commercial district.  The four passengers got out and looked around.
	Matthew frowned at Larva.  "This is it?"  Larva nodded.  "Well,
no point in standing around."  He headed for the side door.  The others
fell in behind him.
	The door opened, sticking only slightly.  Inside was a huge
storage space, now empty.  The warehouse smelled of years of neglect.
	Matthew scowled.  "If this place is as abandoned as it smells,
why would the door-"
	"Because it's not completely abandoned."  Everybody whirled
to face the new voice.  Standing in the door to an office was-
	Miyu gasped.  "Sensei!"
	Matthew shook his head.  "No.  I can't believe-  Not even with-
You *couldn't* have-"  He staggered and grabbed Larva for support as
the man's eyes began glowing a hateful red.
	"Oh, yes I could."  He stepped forward, locking eyes with
Miyu.  "Do you know what it did to me, knowing my Naru-chan was
rotting in the ground while this *thing* she'd created was going to
be forever young?  Do you know how I felt, knowing that because I
brought you into this world, she *left it forever*!?"  His voice
was rising to a shriek.
	Miyu stepped back, then rallied.  "I didn't ask to be brought
to life, but I'm alive and I like being that way!  I mourned your
wife along with all her creations while *you* were treating us like
we'd killed her ourselves!  Turning yourself into a monster and setting
me up to die won't change what happened to her, our heal any of that
pain you're bragging about."
	The red-eyed thing flinched; then sneered at Rob and Larva
before turning to Matthew.  "You.  I suppose you think you're the hero
of all this.  "Rescuing" her from a life she hated, "Kindly" giving
her a job, "Selflessly" giving her your blood... Tell me, how long
before you tear off those bandannas and tell the world, 'Look at what
a wonderful person I am, giving my blood to this thing all these months!'"
	Matthew gaped.  "I never want anybody to know!  If people found
out what Miyu's been doing to me, they'll ostracize both of us!  I'm
not helping her because I want admiration, I-"
	"You want to beat your breast in the privacy of your home and
say 'Nobody knows what a wonderful person I am, If they only knew how
generously I give!'"  The thing had him backed against a wall.  "You
want a dirty secret that tells you, in your heart of hearts, you *must*
be better than other people, because otherwise you wouldn't be doing this!
Maybe you don't even know it yourself, but-"
	Matthew straightened.  "All right, listen up.  I pulled her out
of that dive because I *cared* about what happened to her, how she felt.
Because I cared, *she's* happier, she has a good job and a good life;
*I'm* happier, yes I take pride in doing a good deed;  she's helped me
do much better work:the people who hire me are happier.  Seems an
awful lot of good has come out of this 'breast-beating act' of mine!"
	The thing had stepped back a couple paces, with a snarl on
its face.  Now it straightened.  "Well, I hope you've enjoyed  'caring
for her.'  Because it's over."
	And it fell to the floor.
	And a streak of silver lunged for Matthew's face.

-- 
			C h r i s t i a n  G a d e k e n

Yakumo: "But I really did destroy a monster in Hong Kong!"
Saru  : "Ahem, ahem"
Yakumo: "Saru, do you believe me?"
Saru  : "Where's my Hong Kong souvenir?"