&Author’s note:

&Yume& Introductory chapter, not a whole lot of plot development in this one. The plot picks up in the second and third. But this one has action! ;D

&Kasu& It's always good to have an introduction with action in it. I don't like those really short ones where nothing happens. You get to meet some of the characters, though.
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'Psychomachia', (c) Yumeko (Nibedita Sen) and Kasumi (Emily Pannell)

Role-played by Yume and Kasu.

Adapted into story format by Yume.

Yume: Envy, Greed, Pride, Chastity, Humility, Liberality, Kindness

Kasu: Lust, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Diligence, Patience, Abstinence

Chapter One

"So where are the Virtues, then?"

Night hung dark and low over the buildings, the streets stretching out long and straight and lit only by the yellow wash of streetlamps. Over the horizon and behind the silhouettes of the darkened buildings, the moon hung pale silvery-white, and full.

Sitting on the very edge of one building, was a figure outlined darkly against the moonlight. As one came closer, the figure resolved itself into that of a teenaged girl. Her legs hung over the roof's edge, hands grasping loosely at it and body leaned forward. She was petite, her somewhat baggy jeans hung loosely around her slender hips. Dark hair fell in disordered locks to frame her pointed, piquant face; and large, deep green eyes that burned with some hidden fire.

She was not classically pretty—her face had too much character for that—but there was something undeniably attractive about her nonetheless. Her clothing was unremarkable, consisting of a pair of ratty jeans, faded old Doc Martens with the laces undone, and a black T-shirt across which the words 'Sinner 4 life' were proclaimed in slashing black letters. A single hoop earring hung from one ear, and several chunky metal bracelets graced her right wrist. In all, she looked like a perfectly normal girl, albeit one with a slightly strange fashion sense.

It was only when one came closer, that one began to notice details, like the aura of something sinister that extended off her; but most of all, the light burning in those eyes, a light that spoke of some awful, ancient knowledge beyond the confines of the mortal world. At the moment however, her eyes were subdued, touched with thoughtfulness…a strange, rare moment of calm.

Sin fought virtue, and virtue fought sin. It was part of the most primeval structures of the world. Their very natures demanded that they clash and forever battle, opposing each other. The battles stopped and started with the passing of time and their lives, but they always came back…always. And so, Envy cast her eyes up at the silvery moon, then down once more at the shadowed streets, and remained in silence. Waiting. For now.

x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.

A figure stood a distance behind Envy, the darkness covering up his form. Slowly, he walked out, finally coming up behind Envy. He was a young man with short, messy red hair, and clad in a tank top and jeans, both looking like they had just been thrown on. His dark eyes radiated only one thought, boredom.

Sloth moved once more and sat down next to Envy with a yawn. "What are you doing up here, Envy?" He said, moving around so he could lie on the edge. He was usually found lying down, rather than sitting up.

Envy didn't reply for a few moments, then glanced up to flash Sloth one of her manic grins, all traces of thoughtfulness gone. "Waiting for Pride," she said cockily, lifting a hand to brush an unruly lock of hair off her face. "She asked me to meet her here. Said something about the Virtues. Probably spouting nonsense, as usual--"

"I heard that, Envy." a calm voice rang out, and then sudden Pride was on the roof too, dropping down catlike from the shadows of the small structure that housed the stairwell to land crouched on the ground. Straightening up, she grinned at them both, shaking back her long, wavy black hair. She was tall and lean, with pale skin that stood out against their dark surroundings, and aquiline features. Her outfit blended into the darkness, consisting of a dark red, tight sports top that bared her midriff, and close-fitting dark pants.

"Yeah?" Envy scowled. "So where are the Virtues, then?"

Pride turned to gaze out over the street, scanning them with her dark, impenetrable eyes. "Oh, they'll be here soon." she said calmly.

Sloth--his usual lethargic self--yawned as he picked himself up. "Well, you two have fun with them. I'm gonna... hang out at the club. Catch you later." It was a lie, Sloth never hung out at the club. He was always roaming the streets, once or twice stopping at a local donut shop to buy coffee and a bagel. But he knew that they didn't care. As long as he helped in the major battles, that was all that mattered.

x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Chastity?" A young women, in her late twenties, said to the blond next to her. She had a dark brown hair pulled back in a bun, and chestnut eyes, and was dressed in a matching navy blazer and pants, with a white cotton blouse on underneath. Her expression was understandably concerned, seeing as she had never been in this part of town before. I know we are supposed to drop these books off for Humility, but would it be in this part of town? Patience thought, referring to the worn down, dilapidated buildings and burnt out street lamps.

Chastity looked worriedly around her, gnawing delicately on one pink-painted nail. "Umm, I think so?" she said hesitantly. Humility had said to take a left after the Starbucks on 3rd street...and then to follow the avenue by the park...or was it the avenue by the Starbucks? Her fingers fiddled nervously with the small pink heart-shaped pendant that hung around her neck, nicely setting off her white woolen sweater, and grey skirt. Blonde hair was scooped neatly into a high ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face, and worried grey eyes, her usual bubbly smile temporarily absent.

Avenue...park...avenue...left...right...too much thinking made her head hurt. This grungy neighborhood was making her nervous (her heels were going to be ruined after walking over these poopy pavements), and it didn't help that she had thought she had sensed the dark flashing aura of a Sin some time ago, rushing over the rooftops on their left. It had been gone in a flash however, and she was starting to think she had imagined it.

"I'm sorry, Patience!" she wailed. "I don't know which way to go!"

Patience stopped Chastity from moving, scanning the area quickly. She silently hushed her as she thought, 'Something isn't right. I just sensed something nearby. Could it be...?'

"Chastity, let's get out of here. We can ask for Humility for directions and try again finding it again. Ok?

x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.

Envy sneered as Sloth walked off. "Yeah, I figured you wouldn't wanna get your hands dirty!" she called out after his retreating back. Sloth did not deign to reply however, and she pouted, turning to Pride with a 'can you believe that guy?' look.

Pride laughed at the expression on Envy's face. "Heh, don't worry. This way, we get to have the virtues all to ourselves." Casting a glance over the streets, she smirked. "Speaking of which...I can sense them. They're right beneath us." She ruffled Envy's disordered black locks, knowing full well that the younger Sin hated it when she did that. "Ready for some action?"

With a growl, Envy batted her hand away and sprang to her feet. "Don't do that," she scowled. "And sure, ready when you are." The thought occurred to her that Lust probably didn't know about this one, and that they were going to get in trouble for going after the Virtues on their own like this. At the moment however, with the aura of the Virtues--sickly pure, and white--filling her senses and tingling them, and the promise of battle ahead, she really didn't care.

Pride grinned calmly at her. "Here we go then." Without a backward glance, she jumped right off the edge of the roof, disappearing into the darkness below. Rolling her eyes at her friend's theatrics, Envy followed suit, plummeting several stories to land catlike on the ground below in the yellow light of the streetlamps, a hand smacking into the hard pavement to balance herself right in front of two very surprised Virtues.

As soon as the sins landed in front of Patience and Chastity, Patience had moved herself to protect the younger virtue. Even though she knew Chastity could defend herself, the mother instinct compelled her to guard her. "What do you want with us?" Patience asked, softly, with some force behind it, but not too much. Being who she was, she could not lose her temper with them.

Chastity peeked nervously around Patience's shoulder, feeling the strange urge to cry. Oh great...not the Sins. She did so hate fighting. It made her break her nails.

Smirking, Envy straightened up and took a step forward to stand beside Pride. "What do you think?" she sneered. "

"Now now, Envy," Pride murmured. With an altogether unpleasant smile, she turned her dark gaze on Chastity and Patience, noting the way one was cowering behind the other. Pitiful. "Is that any way to greet us, sisters?" she asked mockingly. "My my, perhaps you need to be taught some manners."

"Hah!" Chastity blurted out from behind the safety of Patience's shoulder, and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth.

"I'm sorry...I didn't say anything..." she squeaked, her voice quavering in a woebegone manner.

Envy's green eyes glowed dangerously. "Ah, but I'm positive you did." She raised her hand to shoulder level, holding it out in front of her, and a roiling ball of green flame shot through with black tendrils, sprang to life in her palm.

Patience moved once more so Chastity was behind her, an impassive look on her face. 'I was hoping nothing would happen. And we're alone too... She thought to herself. Raising her hands in front of her, she took a defensive pose. She wasn't going to pull them into a fight if she could help. Her hands then began to glow white as she prepared herself for Envy's attack.

Drawing her hand back, Envy charged forward, and threw the fireball, a dark trail of luminous light trailing in its wake, her other hand already coming up to create another. Chastity squeaked and leapt to the side as the first flameball crashed against the wall of the building beside them, showering her and Patience with rubble, brick chips and clouds of dust.

"Aim better, Envy!" With a smirk, Pride raised her hands above her head, moving them in fluid motions. A dark vortex of spiral energy revolved between her palms, slowly coalescing into the form of a long handled silver scythe, with a sweeping blade in the shape of a V. Hefting the weapon above her in a two-handed grip, she lunged at them, attacking with a sweeping motion.

"Eek!" Fireballs, scythe, it was all happening too fast. Chastity tugged frantically at her bracelets, trying to get them off her hands, as Envy threw the second fireball at them.

Patience leapt out and got in front of Chastity as she tried to pull off her bracelets. "Please, I'll need your help." she said urgently as she threw up her hands and created a shield of blossoming white light. However, Pride was charging at them with her scythe. This'll only work once with a shield up. Chastity, please hurry... she thought as she raised a hand at Pride. A gust of wind came forth and threw Pride back. However, it weakened her shield a bit as Envy's fireballs hit. It rebounded the fireballs, purifying them, but it also threw Patience back with their force.

"Gah!" Envy threw her hands up in an attempt to shield herself from her own flames as they came roiling back at her, golden-yellow in colour now. Though they didn't burn her, the impact of blocking them threw her back nonetheless, sending her sprawling on her butt in a most undignified manner.

Thrown skidding back by the powerful force of Patience's wind, Pride dug her heels into the ground, bringing herself to a halt. Regaining her balance, she glared venomously at Patience.

Right. Now she was beginning to get pissed. No one did that to her, Pride, and got away with it.

"You are going to pay for that." she hissed. She raised her scythe above her, pointing it at the heavens. The serrated tip moved lightly, inscribing symbols in the air, and dark energy began to coil and gather around the weapon's blade. The air crackled slightly, becoming charged with electricity.

"Patience!" Chastity tugged at her fallen friend, pulling her up into a sitting position. She glanced worriedly at Pride, and the energy coalescing around her. Muttering curses under her breath, Envy was rising gingerly to her feet behind the Sin. This looks bad, she thought fearfully. Patience can't hold up her shields much longer.

Tugging her silver hoop bracelets off her wrists, she held them up in front of her, one in each hand. The hoops pulsed once, then expanded till they were big enough to easily fit over a person's waist. They began to glow with pure white energy."I warn y-you!" she stammered, waving the hoops in front of her. "Don't come any closer!"

Pride's eyes were slits of rage. "Sorry, no can do." Lowering the scythe, she aimed the curved blade at them, and dashed forward. Clapping her hands together, Envy called up another roiling ball of green and black fire, and followed

Patience sat up, rubbing the back of her neck from the impact. She looked at the scene, seeing Chastity trying to fend off Pride and Envy on her own. "Chastity!" Patience yelled as she pulled herself up. Her hands began to glow—but then, a beam of light came out of the sky and she stopped. A smile of relief came to her lips. Help was here.

x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.

As the light died down, two men stood where the beam had struck. One stepped out, a young man with platinum blond hair and a cocky smile. His blue eyes looked around at the scene, his smile slowly fading away. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt, with leather gloves on, and dark blue jeans with black boots. Another man stepped out, this one with slight graying brown hair, and a calm look to his feature. He was wearing a worn down brown jacket with black slacks, and brown dress shoes.

The blond boy walked over to Patience and said, "Need any help, or do you think you can handle them on your own?"

The older man responded before Patience could, "Don't be stupid, Diligence, we should not let them fight alone. Humility didn’t send us to check on them for no reason."

The blond, Diligence, responded with a roll of his eyes and a weary sigh. "Hey, I was only kidding." He then pulled himself together and held out his hand. A flash of light came forth, forming into the shape of a majestic sword…sharp and silver, with an ornate handle. He turned to the sins and said, "Now, do you think it's smart fighting the four of us?"

"Diligence? Abstinence?" Chastity squeaked, still foolishly holding her hoops up in front of her. "You're...here?"

Pride had seen the beam of energy an instant before it hit the pavement, and had leapt instantly to the side in a blur of speed, bringing her scythe up in front of her to shield herself from the flying debris and rubble. Envy, not having Pride's speed, had barely managed to dodge, and was now clambering to her feet for the second time that night, coughing and brushing dust chips from her hair. With a feeling of dismay, Pride noted that the younger Sin's eyes were alight with that murderous look she always got whenever she was about to go over the edge.

"Damn you," Envy growled. "Damn you!" She slammed her hands down on the pavement, and lines of green fire shot up, startlingly bright, to race across the ground in zigzag lines, forcing the Virtues to leap aside to avoid it. The pavement cracked, the slabs snapping with a cracking noise.

Chastity squealed in shock as roiling flames shot up to life on either side of her, blocking Diligence, Patience, and Abstinence from her view. She tried to step back, but there were flames behind her too. Then Envy appeared abruptly in front of her, face lit eeriely by the green glow of the flames, fire flaming around her hands. Biting back a scream, she threw her hoops up in front of her blindly. Somehow, even as the flames licked at her skin, one snapped around Envy's wrists, shrinking to pin them tightly together and beginning to glow with purifying energy.

Pride cursed as Envy shrieked and staggered back, the purifying bonds around her wrists glowing even as the flames began to die down. She lunged forward and caught Envy's falling form against her with one arm, stabbing her scythe deep into the ground with the other. The blade drove deep into the pavement, cracking the slabs further.Radiating from the point where the blade touched the ground, a wave of black energy spread across the ground and rose into tendrils of black mist that billowed around them like malignant tentacles, obscuring everything from view, including the forms of the virtues. She thought she heard Chastity shriek, and Diligence yell something.

With a motion of her hand, the scythe melted back into black smoke. Muttering furious curses under her breath as the pure energy burnt her hand, she ripped the hoop off Envy's wrists. The metal felt heated under her skin, and she tossed it aside with a shudder. She hoisted her limp form onto her shoulder and whirling around, took off, her feet pounding across the ground as she melted into a blur of speed. The voices and auras of the Virtues faded steadily behind her as the distance between them grew, till they melted into nothing.

x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.x.o.

Patience pulled herself up once more as she looked around. When the fire engulfed her, she put up a shield to protect herself and Abstinence, who happened to be close by. However, she had completely lost sight of Diligence and Chastity.

Abstinence joined Patience in looking around. The pavement on the street was completely destroyed, enormous cracks spiderwebbing across it. In fact, Diligence was pulling himself up from one of those cracks, muttering 'Damn those sins...' to himself as he dusted himself off.

"Chastity!" Patience cried to the limp form with blond hair. She ran over quickly and knelt down next to her, lifting her into her arms as Abstinence came over followed by Diligence. She ran a quick check, Chastity looked relatively fine, other than a few scratches and bruises. Sighing in relief, Patience stood up, lifting the unconscious teen with her.

"Let us go then, and tell Humility about what happened tonight." Abstinence said as he raised his arms up to the sky, a beam of light coming down to engulf the four. The beam glowed and increased, then faded into nothing, leaving empty pavement behind it.

A/N: Reviews make us happy authors, and happy authors write more...xD