Chapter Text
Takes place in - - - Manga chapter: v.5 ch.26
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My name is Asakura Shion. My age? A secret. I believe life is better when it's complicated. It makes things so much more entertaining, doesn't it? I hate being bored more than anything.
Doesn't everyone?
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"Should we intervene? That your man seems like he's having a difficult time against the painter." A smooth, velvety voice chimed through the empty air, like the soft ringing of a bell. "What do you think, Shi-shi?"
There came an exasperated sigh, "Refrain from calling me Shi-shi, as I have stated numerous times before." There was a pause, "And no, let us wait. That one has yet to arrive."
"Oh, how ruthless, Master." A light chuckle could be heard, "How long will you put this off? This is your third attempt already."
"Silence! It must be the perfect timing! I will not half-ass it and make a fool of myself!" The youthful voice exclaimed before they cleared their throat, "He's here."
The voices went silent, the only thing left behind was the dark shadows on the concrete, blending perfectly into the darkness of the night.
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Mahiru raced around the corner, spotting Licht and a red haired man in the middle of the park. The man was holding a bleeding Licht up by his shirt.
"Get away from him!!" Mahiru shouted.
Licht and the man turned, both pausing in surprise at his sudden appearance.
"Hmm? You're sloth's..." The red haired man trailed off, a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"I said... Get your hands off Licht!!" Mahiru repeated himself, glaring at the man holding Licht.
"Oh, don't be that way. We were just dancing!" The man chuckled, waving his elbows around in the air.
"I'll... Kill you!!" Licht strained, trying to wiggle out of the man's grip.
"Who... who are you?? A servant of Tsubaki?"
"Me?" The man paused, his whole attitude changing as he smirked. "The names Higan. One of Tsubaki's fun little friends." His smile turned dark, half of his face was obscured in darkness making him look intimidating.
Mahiru shivered, his heart racing. He had been warned about this man before, how he was one of the most dangerous ones on Tsubaki's side. He grit his teeth, calling out for Kuro while holding his arm out for the vampire.
"Kuro!! It's on!"
"Hey... This is cat abuse." Kuro said despite biting down on Mahiru's arm and changing to his human form. "What a pain."
But suddenly, Kuro's heard began racing and blackness oozed out of the ground underneath him, climbing up his body to cover him completely.
"Huh?" Even Kuro himself was confused. "Ma...hiru...." He called out, raising a hand towards the boy.
"Kuro! What is it?! Kuro!!" Mahiro shouted, his face pale as the darkness covered Kuro and slowly formed into a dark ball on the ground, leaving everyone stunned.
"Kuro?" Mahiru bent to pick up the ball, holding it carefully on his hands. "No...way, Kuro, is that you? Kuro?" His face was pale, his eyes wide and his hands trembeld.
What just happened?
"Sloth turned into a ball?" The man scratched his head, "What gives?" He tried to lunge at Mahiru, probably for the ball. Mahiru tried to summon his brow in hopes of warding the man off but just as the brown formed it got sucked into the ball that had been Kuro. That left him defenseless.
A second later, Licht stood in front of Mahiru. He held his bleeding, aching arm as he said, "Hey! This is our fight!" He glared at Higen.
The man taunted him back, but it only made Licht more determined. He smirked proudly, igniting another fire in Higen's heart, making him just as a determined to win.
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Licht laid on the ground, burned and bruised from the fight he had lost. Higen chuckled, "Whew! What a chore! You're pretty strong. You've worn this old man out." He bent down to hoist Licht up with one arm around the man's waist, his head hanging down. "Now that I've done, it's time to go home. No choice."
"Hey! Wait!!" Mahiru finally got the courage to move, he jumped up and rushed at the man, trying to get Licht back. "Get away from him!!"
"Ah, careful there." A velvety voice suddenly called out, grabbing the back of Mahiru's shirt collar, choking the boy as he fell to his butt. "That's enough for now."
"Hm? What are you doing here?" Higen cocked his head to the side, hiking Licht's body higher. "Thought you left?"
"Well, My master just can't stay away from this place." The sudden newcomer smiled sweetly, placing a hand on his cheek. "They have the best cakes, he says."
"Wh... Who are you?" Mahiru was unable to process what wa happening. He was meeting two new people at once, adding in the sudden fight and the fact that Licht was still being held hostage. "Are you with him?"
The newcomer turned around, startling Mahiru. "With this man? Please, I have standards." He said such ruthless words with a sweet smile on his face. His hair was tied up with a blue ribbon that matched the color of his sweater. "I have come to help you, Shirota Mahiru."
"Help me?" Mahiru was having trouble keeping up.
The man turned back to Higen, "Will you peacefully leave that boy or must I use force?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Sorry, neither is an option this time." Higen regretfully sighed, "See you next time, then." He took off while he still could, leaving Mahiru on the ground, confused and upset with himself.
The man sighed, "My apologies, I would have tried to get that boy back but that's not possible at this moment." He turned back to Mahiru, blinking when he saw how frustrated the boy looked.
"My, perhaps I should have intervened sooner." He said, frowning. He walked over to Mahiru, lightly patting the boy's shoulder.
Mahiru looked up at the man, his face still pale and his hands clenched together. "Who are you, why... why did you say you were here to help me?" He tried to focus on something else, otherwise he felt like he might scream in frustration.
"Hm, perhaps my master would be better suited to explain." The man smiled, turning around to look at a random tree.
"Master?" Mahiru frowned. Was this man also a vampire? A servant of someone? But... Who?
"Master Shion! How long will you hide in that tree?" The man raised his voice, his hands cupped around his mouth.
"Lower your voice!" A youthful voice shouted from the tree, "Do not rush me!"
Smiling, the man turned back to Mahiru. "My apologies, my master is a bit shy."
"Shut your mouth!!" Someone suddenly jumped down from the branch in the tree, landing in front of Mahiru gracefully.
Mahiru flinched, backing up in surprise as he took the third newcomer of the night. He was around Mahiru's age but definitely looked better off financially. His clothes practically sparkled.
"....who are you guys?"