Jeremiah Nehemiah's Story

Jeremiah knew exactly where the Coliseum was. Once there, he gave her directions to the Fourth Zone, and told her to expect some of the poor males to be there with the women, as well, due to the social structure. "I'd try being in there with you, but it's too obvious to the Romans that I am not one of them." When at the Third Zone, he sat in the seat closest to the action as possible. The scholar even caught a glimpse of Caesar on his seat near the Vestal Virgins. While all the other men cheered on the action, Jeremiah took notes of what he saw during the duels.

As expected, there was a rigid set of rules the gladiators had to follow, and every time of them broke a rule, they were stationed back at where they began and the duel started over. The scholar watched on with keen eyes, though he was a getting anxious about Ana after each duel, not knowing how she would be treated as she sat alone in the Fourth Zone.

Ana went into fourth zone. There she watched the gladiators duel. To her surprise none of it was so far violent or too violent. Some gladiators would leave with scars and cuts but it seemed almost as if things had been... "Nicefied" because of the tourists. But along with the lack of violence there was lack of applause. And instead of finding interest in the show she found many of the woman taking an interest in the fact that her hair was weird and that she was single.

As the matches continued Ana found herself getting petted. That was until the last match when two harsh looking gladiators stepped out. Both were much bigger and... violenter then the others had been. Soon as the match began the two began there attack. Ana's stomach turned watching how these two competitors fought to kill one another. Yet despite the turning in her stomach she could not look away. They were oddly graceful the way they turned and maneuvered around the rink. In fact the entire crowd seemed from at the sight. But she could see grins on peoples faces.

But as the battle continued Ana found herself wanting to run. Something was telling her she to go. She had to go NOW. But she ignored it telling herself that no one would die. No one would die. No one... would die??? She felt her heart leap as blood began to cover the sand. The battle continued and Ana watched in horror as it came to an end when one gladiator stumbled and the other proceeded to chop of his head staining the sand with crimson. Ana's heart lept as she finally tore her eyes away from the scene. Hot tears pored from her eyes and she felt sick and ready to puke.

She had just witnessed a death. But what was worse of all. Was that everyone else was cheering. Standing and cheering to a slaughter in front of there eyes. Ana sobbed got up. And ran. She ran out of the arena and out onto the abandoned street tears running down her face. She could still hear people cheering. She ran through the city until the roaring of the crowd was in the distance. Feeling sick and alone she sat and hugged her knees. How could she have suggested they go to the arena. She knew about gladiators fights and everything yet... She still could not wrap her head around the horror she had witnessed. A death... A death.

When Jeremiah witnessed the last duel, he noticed something out of place. Wait, wasn't it that a gladiator about to be killed could raise their hand in surrender, then his fate be decided by either thumbs down to spare him or thumbs up to confirm the kill? I guess they forgot about that. As he walked out and waited for Ana at the entrance to the Fourth Zone, the scholar became anxious when she did not appear, at all. Could it be that... oh, no... Now he was frantic, running until he knew the roaring of ther crowd could not be heard, plus realizing all the Romans were at the Coliseum, he took this opportunity to try and figure out where the girl was.

He shouted off the top of his lunes in fear for her well-being, not knowing what could happen to her. "Ana? Ana, where are you? Ana! Please be okay, please! Ana!!"

He caught site of her crying and froze still for a moment. "Ana..." He slowly walk to her before sitting down with her, hugging her tightly. "Thank goodness, you're safe! I was afraid you could have been... well I don't want to think about what would happen!" A tear came down his left eye. "Please don't run off like that again! Please! I can't stand the thought of losing you!"

Ana was sobbing and barely felt Jeremiah pull her close. It wasn't until she heard his calming voice that she realized he was holding her. She trembled and uncurled from her ball before wrapping her arms around Jeremiah and sobbing. "T-That was terrible... H-how... How could people cheer to a... t-to d-death???" Her voice was shakier then herself and she gripped Jeremiah tightly hiding her tear stained face in his chest. She cried for what felt like forever until she ran out of tears and felt exhausted.

She simply lay there limp in Jeremiah's arms sniffling and struggling to catch her breath. "I...I'm sorry for scaring you..." She was whispering cause her throat hurt. "But... I could not sit and watch as blood pored onto sand while people... even children cheered in joy of... of a DEATH???" She felt as though someone had ripped out her heart and twisted her stomach. "What if... what if that man had children or... a wife??? Or even someone who loved him...And now hes dead just like that and people are cheering???" Somehow new tears arsed in her eyes and she whimpered hugging her knees and trying to fight back another wave of tears. Ana looked up at Jeremiah feeling pathetic and sobbed silently.

"I know, it's heartbreaking to think about." Jeremiah began to think clearly, now, as he still held Ana. "But, what would have been more heartbreaking for me would have been coming all this way only to realize that you were added to the deaths, today." His expression was still sad, yet his tone was calm. "Ana, what I'm trying to say is..." The scholar leaned close enough to whisper the rest. "I love you!"

Ana froze when Jeremiah whispered 3 words she never thought anyone would say to her. "Jeremiah???" Her eyes went wide and the pink in her eyes shone. "You...love...Me???" She knew she heard him right but somehow it was just one huge shock to her system. Her cheeks took on a pink tone before she flushed wild shades of red. Her heart was pounding probably loud enough for Jeremiah to hear. "Jeremiah..." She smiled a little and blinked away her last few tears. "Did you have to tell me when I looked so horrible from crying... jerk..." She gently smiled and layed her forehead against his staring into his eyes what she read in his emotions was truth and she felt her heart swell. No wonder he had watched her so closely held her so tightly and... She blushed more and smiled kissing Jeremiah's nose she pulled a piece of paper from her jacket and sketched something on it quickly before holding it up to hide her blushing face. It was a quick sketch of the two of them kissing. Ana felt to shy to use words... And sense art was her real way of expressing herself... Well this was her way of sharing the feeling's Jeremiah felt toward her.

Jeremiah's widened as Ana kissed him on the nose. When he saw the sketch of the two of them kissing, he grinned. Leaning closer, while holding the hand that held the paper and gently moving it so her face was visible, the scholar pressed his lips onto hers, eyes closed. He was oblivious to everything else as it came to this moment of bliss.

Ana blushed feeling Jeremiah's lips press against her own. She blushed brightly at first not sure what to do and kissed back shyly. It was Ana's first kiss and she wasn't sure how to go about it. But if she knew anything it was that the kiss was warm and sweet. And made Ana blush and her heart pound. When she grew more comfortable with the kiss she closer her eyes and relaxed into Jeremiah's arms.

When Ana broke the kiss she blushed and hugged Jeremiah closely. Her lips tingled a little but she felt completely at peace. Ana was about to ask Jeremiah something when she realized someone was standing behind Jeremiah. Ana looked up and saw one of the royal guards. "Ummm hello???"

Jeremiah looked behind him when Ana suddenly became shy again. Crud! I totally forgot that this could be looked at as something else while we were here! Tried as he could in Latin, he did not seem to make a dent with his explanations. The Praetorion just stood there with a glare. After a moment like this, plus some deep frustration on the scholar's part as his tone turned angrier, the Praetorion pointed his swords if telling them to get out of there.

"Just this once, Vocaloids."

Jeremiah had enough of him, at this point. All he could muster to say to him, though, was, "Thank you..." His tone changed when he turned around. He was calm, again. "It's okay, Ana, we can go." The scholar sighed. "I think we outwarmed our welcome in this city, though. It may be best to not come back here until matters cool down." Holding her hand, he guided Ana back to the hotel room.

"What makes you think your welcome has been outwarmed?" Caesar stood in the distance, smiling. "It was, after all, an honest mistake, considering our different cultures! This Praetorion was just doing what he was supposed to under normal circumstances when he saw you, is all!" The emperor patted both Jeremiah and Ana on the shoulders. "For one thing, I would not expect an outsider to take any thrill in the games, which was why I periodically looked at the two of you to watch your reactions and be sure nothing bad happens if either of you were to leave early, and it appears I came right on time!"[/b]

The Praetorion lifted an eyebrow in confusion, not understanding what was being said. That is, until Caesar explained in Latin what he was telling Jeremiah and Ana. The Praetorion shrugged and went back to his station.

"There! Problem Solved!"

Ana hide behind Jeremiah as he tried to talk to the guard. She was worried they had done something wrong and her heart leapt up in her throat when a sword was pointed at Jeremiah. She hugged his arm and felt stressed as they began walking back to the hotel room only to be cut off by Ceasar. Ana was rather confused by the fact the emperor kept popping up everywhere. Didn't he have a wife or something???

"Thank you very much Ceasar... Though may I inquire... As to why you so keen on helping me and Jeremiah?" She smiled kindly still in a little state of shock from Jeremiah's confession. She hoped with all her heart it was real...But if it was... She was not sure how to behave no one had ever felt feelings for her so she wasn't sure how it was suppose to work all she knew was that she was very happy.

"Well, it's not every day that a non-Roman proves to be contrary to popular belief about them. You see, it has long been believed that Rome was the light and all over peoples were barbaric. Seeing you two and how each of you reacted at the palace was an eye opener for me, and I am thankful for that. Perhaps there is something Rome can learn from it."

Jeremiah was confused as anyone could get. "Am I hearing this right, Caesar?"

"When I first heard of Ana being so friendly to the residents of the city as she went on with her art, I could not believe it, at first. I needed proof, so I sent the Praetorions for her. Watching the two of you and hearing your words was all the proof I needed to know that the empire is not the only place with a hint of enlightenment."

Ana smiled. "You only live once so always be happy and try to make a change." She hugged Jeremiah happily and smiled at Ceasar. "If you want il gladly paint for you again... It would be pleasure to help decorate your palace walls... Besides after that I won't have free range anymore... Well not for awhile because I have to go to the medieval ages afterwords with Jeremiah... It was gonna be a surprise but my parents set me up to paint portraits of the next king for 3 days straight until he chooses a queen and is crowned king..." She looked up at Jeremiah. "You don't mind my surprise do you???"

Jeremiah smiled. "I don't mind!"

Caesar's grin grew wider. "I'd love it, but sadly, the Senate has organized a meeting for today. They are advisors, after all. There are matters which require my attention that they are going to mention to me. Good day to you two! He bowed his head before walking away.

Jeremiah looked at Ana. "So, since we have time, darling, where should we go?"

Ana blushed. "Darling????" She blushed more and smiled a little. "Why don't I show you how to talk to viruses... We can go a little ways past the hotel I saw a few hiding as bunny's and deer il show you how to tell the difference and everything~" She took Jeremiah's hand and pulled him along with her. They went past there hotel into an area where vegetation grew.She smiled up at Jeremiah and pulled him along grabbing his hand tightly. "lalala~" She stopped when they came to a clearing with flowers and little rabbits.

Jeremiah looked at the rabbits. They appear normal, but there is something out of place. What, I don't know. "So, how do we know whether it's a virus, or is that why we try to communicate with one?"

Ana sat in the grass and smiled. "Animals that are simply programmed into the wilderness are stuck on a set loop there data only lets them do certain activities in this sense there stuck going through a programmed loop throughout the day." She pointed at a rabbit that seemed to be acting in a loop. "That one is programmed but that one." She pointed to another rabbit. "Is acting more on its own free will." She grabbed a few virtual berries from a bush and held them in her hands. "Viruses need to eat data the more data gone into the coding the more they enjoy eating it... Viruses come in all shapes and sizes some of them are known to imitate people hide within a part of the web and completely take over someone life after consuming them... Others appear as animals." She held out the berries and watched the virus bunny hop over and hungrily eat the berries. "Viruses like these don't need much data and often replicate one animal to the point they share similar behavioral patterns... BUT one thing I've noticed that no one has is Viruses are very good at sensing when something bad is going to happen..."

Jeremiah nodded. "So, in other words, if a virus were to consume someone and take over, they would possibly resort to gluttony in the manner people do, or worse resort to more sensual pleasures for data other than food?" He shuddered at the thought of it. If there were a virus that would even try to imitate him, there would be no telling what would happen to Ana, let alone how he would react to the scenario.

Ana nodded. "Yes but not all viruses or bad so keep it in mind." She pet the virus bunny's who happily bounced around her. She pulled Jeremiah down to sit and handed him berries. "Hold out your hand and feed them then pet them slowly near the back to get them to calm down." She picked up a Virus bunny and fed it berries. "If there ears are flat there scared and that means there's something out of place... Ears are up that means things are fine ears are not flat but not perky there sleepy..." While she described all this one bunny began rolling around which was very out of character for a rabbit. She giggled. "Oh were lucky there going to show us there true appearance not many people see this..." She pet the bunny watching as they began to change from bunny's to what appeared to be strange creatures made of different forms of data and coding. They were oddly cute but very bright in the naturally coded forest.

Jeremiah did as he was told. When he petted them= bunnies, the ears perked up, signaling that it was okay. He breathed a sigh of relief. As he watched the transformation, his jaw dropped. "Wow..."

All of a sudden, it occurred to him: he received no word from anyone, even his own creator, if he was an official vocaloid or not. All his attempts to find out failed. Could I be the result of a virus, or worse, am I one, myself? The more he thought on that possibility, the more it made him uneasy, because he did not want to harm Ana in any way. There were times when he just knew something was wrong and he sprinted over to see people in trouble before helping them out. Oh, crud! I might have been able to do that because... His eyes widened, internal panic sinking in prior to a deep breath.

I'm not a virus... I'm not a virus... I'm not a virus...

((Hope you like the plot twist.))

Ana looked over at Jeremiah and gently leaned against him. "Calm down Jeremiah... I can hear your heart beating from here..." She gently lay her head where his heart was and hummed a sweet calming tune. "You know... Most people think viruses are bad... But you know what I think..." She opened her eyes and smiled. "I think there... well oddly wonderful... Sure there not vocaloids... But if you meet a few like I have you learn that there like us... They feel and even if there not made out of the best things they certainly find the best within themselves... That takes allot of courage... I wish I had that kind of courage..." She smiled. "And besides not all viruses hurt people... Some are super kind... LIKE THESE ONES!" She tackled a virus bunny and laughed picking it up and spinning around signing before she tripped and fell over. On her spot on the grass Ana smiled at the viruses as they clamored around Jeremiah. "They really like you Jeremiah."

(( DUN DUN DUN PLOT TWIST xD are you kidding??? I love plot twists specially ones like this... :P Poor little Oblivious Ana not even noticing Jeremiah's distress. ))