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Nov 20, 2017

Withering Blossoms; fragment VII

AO3 link

previous chapter, fragment VI | Withering Blossoms tag | Prologue link

Notes: Hello. Uhh. I dunno if I want to say anything but sorry. The updates taking long again. cry.

Anyways. Let’s continue. I hope you’ll enjoy this chapter, with its funny intrigue :3 also as always I need to remind you that this project is brought to you by me and @eulyin-senpai~

Summary:

The walk of journey is a reservoir of meetings, and making choices.

Dia doesn't know why she's out of it that day. She doesn't know why she suddenly feel afraid, restless, uneasiness started to build up as she threaded steps to the truth. It is as if Dia was standing in front of a branching road; one will lead her to hell and the other is heaven—the sign said so, but there's nobody can prove that the sign never tell lies. One false step, and she would fail, she would be going to hell and regrets. Talking with Riko surely helps her to understand some key point she had longed to know, since viewpoints of a vampire is something she always overlook, be it when she was still hanging around Mari and now to her field of work due to many reasons.

Maybe it was her pride that done the deed, or she might as well feigning ignorance far too much.

"You're quiet today, Kurosawa-san." Sakurauchi Riko, the owner of the office she visited to, commented as she finished a sip.

Dia blinked, looking back and forth to Riko and then to the opposite teacup which the vampire hold, slowly concentrating back to dear reality. Dia insisted that her visit won't need a tea, but the maiden of burgundy hair prepared it nonetheless. She had the expensive-looking, porcelain white cup set brought out, with the lines of gold adorned as mere swirl of ornaments. Dia could tell what tea that the bubbly grey-haired assistant served from the smell. It might be a single breathe of Assam, because of its characteristic of spicy and flowery odor it exhibited. Seeing how lax the lady took her tea, the probability of poison seem to be nil, since Riko picked up random cups out of the two, the young assistant won't risk to poison her Master with a chance of half and half.

Then again, vampires couldn't die from a drop of human poison, so it must be—

"… Don't worry. You can search the house if you like, I have no poison in hand." Dia was startled, Riko found herself to stretch her lips a bit, half-smiling—she hoped not to annoy her guest.

"I wish you won't take your liberty to read my mind next time, Sakurauchi-san."

"I'm sorry; it's just that you were far too fixated that I can't help but wonder."

The office felt empty at the moment, there's no visible Watanabe You standing by Riko's side. It was just the two of them, seating by opposites of long, sturdy brown couch. Dia sometimes wondered why Riko made her main room below, any guest must descend from small, short stairs to reach it. From the main room, there were doors visible leading to other part of the office far to the north where they settled, the spot You's jumpy stature covered if she is standing there.

"Shall we continue from where we have left off?"

About a human-turned vampire – Dia still thirst the insight of it. Their last conversation was cut short yesterday because Dia needed to be home. Dia was beyond surprised to know that Riko had a vampire servant from human as well, and the said human—Riko's assistance, Watanabe You—was accepting willy-nilly to be turned into a vampire. If the memory served her right, Riko was also talking about how Vampires are not in the 'wrong' side of the circle, and there seem to be more into it, which she would love to unravel more.

"Then, tell me everything from your views," Dia said in a stern tone. "Everything."

Early this morning, Ruby opened her door to see that her sister left a note on the dining table—'I'll be out to town and will back for dinner.' written neatly, maybe with her favorite ink pen. Her sister could leave the house without any sound, a common skill that Kurosawa family had taught for their members to perform a stealth killing. Even with her heightened senses now, she still unable to predict Dia's movement, which could mean her older sister's ability is perfect, or that Ruby wasn't used in having an enhanced hearing.

Ruby re-read the writing again, Dia would be back for dinner, it was the first time she heard that words since forever. Actually, Ruby always know when Dia will back in the past, perhaps it was her sister's intuition come into play, and now, she couldn't help but to hope her older sister would be back soon—the forest is a scary place filled with inhumane creatures at night, after all.

After cleaning up the center room and kitchen, Ruby ascended stairs to where her room was. She sneaked a glance to the empty room of Dia's for awhile before touching her own doorknob.

Her room is about the same size with her sister's, but with more of fancy DIY frills that Ruby made from leftover thin fabrics she could find as wall decorations to color her room. Usually, the table near the window—by the front line from the door—would be untouched since she spent less time writing or reading there. Since she spent most of time confided inside, thinking her sister might hate to see her face, books that lined up her side of bed are placed there and the curtains are fully closed. Though, Ruby wasn't much of a fan of reading. She was introduced to the world of books by none other than Hanamaru and have been treading at the book recommendation from the bookworm ever since.

After her turning into a bloodsucking being, she kept the room cleaned day-by-day, only to left her spare gun with its ammo in the desk drawer, her inheritance from Mari—incenses and leftover lollipops—was inside her wooden wardrobe in her left, hidden by her clothes. That small room has been her confidant, her sanctuary, her silent companion through her beginning of vampire days, and she kept it cleaned everyday.

Seeing that her cleaning duty was done, the magenta-haired Vampire wondered of things to do.

"Maybe I should shop for dinner ..." Ruby rolled her eyes. "I think I might still make it if they happened to hold the usual timely sale ..."

Ruby opened her wardrobe, seeking for the incense. She remembered she still have some, instead of suffering to go through the forest while her skin burning even though there are much shades available.

"Three," she took out three small, shining golden ampoules. She cracked one neck and drank the content. It is tasteless, though Ruby sometimes think that if the real, shiny liquid of gold will taste the same or something since the color is identical.

One ampoule of small incense could make her invulnerable to sun for six hours. Mari said that there's a larger quantity available, but smaller incense is great to carry around and to easily hide from humans. "Mari-chan says that the Vampire Market in town sells it and I only need to say her name to get it ... I wonder if I must stock up ..."

Ruby found her black cloak on the door later and departed outside.

The little Vampire took the shortest and the quickest course, jumping from trunks to trunks to the direction of the town rather than taking on the road. When she arrived at the last fork before the town, Ruby settled down, trying to look as natural as possible, concealing parts of her black hunter outfit or her irritation to sunlight and cleaning her clothes away from stray leaves and small twigs.

A little walk across crowded town square is needed before reaching the marketplace, farthest north to Numazu. She was passing by the houses of huge bricks, visiting the town board to read newest announcements by the town square's first, seeking the huge bell tower she loved, before making a beeline through the crowds and moving to another unruly pack of people.

The market—large, packed, lined up stands of woods garnered with variety of dairies, vegetables, fruits and grains—was divided in several parts, in regard to the group of items they sold. If you went in from the direction of town square, you'll meet the seafood group first, defined by the hanging triangle cloth of blue by their front stands. The people of Numazu classified their stands so it would easy for anyone to make purchase and to remember the layout of the market. The gap between every stands were small, so it's usually hard to walk in if it was the time for sale.

Ruby doesn't remember if there's any timely sale going around as far as the town's board notice said. Perhaps everyone is in a mood to make a good dinner tonight, like me, Ruby wistfully sang to herself as she brisked through selection of vegetables and potatoes. Finding it wasn't much of satisfactory, Ruby moved from one vendor to another while mumbling. She wished to make a rich cream soup with fresh french bread dip, also sweet appetizers like strawberry pudding.

The magenta-haired vampire stayed in the last shade of the vegetable row a bit before she jumped to the far-east where fruits square was. Something caught her attention as soon as she searched through the fruit section.

MIKAN SALE. ONE HOUR ONLY.—written in large, round writing on a makeshift rectangular cardboard in front of one of the stand with lots of crater lined. Ruby could only think of a person, which the Vampire found herself chuckling. It has been some time since the last time she saw a certain Mikan lover who owned a strange shop in town. The Vampire met with the Mikan lover when she was there with Mari back then, Ruby wondered how and what the young woman is doing right now.

"I spot a little gem!" speak of a devil, Ruby could hear a familiar voice on her far back – so it is really because of the Mikan. Before she could turn and say something as a greeting, the said woman jumped, tackled the Vampire with a hug, the burst of pigii and chuckling from the 'attacker' commotions caused bystanders to watch.

"Caught 'ya, Ruby-chan!" the orange-haired young woman donning the fluffy orange dress with a matching frilly, hooded coat continued to cling, circled her arms on Ruby's neck.

"C-Chika-chan!" Ruby struggled to pull herself away as Chika rubbed their cheeks together, to no avail. Green eyes rolling here and there to see townsfolk and the sellers started whispering. Ruby started to blush. "P-People are looking! P, Please let go off me!"

"Aww, is that what you say to a friend who wanted a heartfelt reunion~?" Chika said in a sing-song voice. "Tickle attack!"

"Pigiiii!"

After relentless ogling, Chika, who's fully aware that crowds were gathering, apologized to everyone for making such rackets and dragging herself (with reddened Ruby) away from the market to a less crowded area, a little coffee shop at the corner of the busy town square. Chika ever said that she is fond of cute things, and she already told Ruby when Mari first introduced her to the shop. To think that it would escalate to such level of public embarrassment, Ruby would never imagined to turn as such.

"This place is emptier, so we could take a breather~" Chika said as they settled in the double-seated table right outside the café. The merchant made sure she chose the table with plenty of roof's shades, beside the glass walls that divided the inner and outer side of the small, cozy building of wood. Chika ordered a glass of cold tea for a sake of borrowing the table to settle down, Ruby didn't order anything. "I'm sorry, Ruby-chan, I got carried away, te-hee~ I forgot that you're that shy~"

"Mou, Chika-chan!" Ruby slammed at the table, pouting. Part of her cheeks are still aflame, and she struggled to control her breath.

"But it has been a long time, isn't it?" Chika beamed. "I see that you're still a weak fledgling, but I noticed there's something different from you."

"Different?" Ruby's brow quirked. Chika rested her chin on her open palm, her blue eyes lighted in wonder. The little Vampire hoped for compliments, though it's hard to think of Chika that's not making fun of her.

"You are … more melancholic, I guess?" the orange-haired merchant hummed. Ruby didn't expect that coming. Chika might have noticed her silence and picked up, "Did something happen?"

"Have I told you before that I have an older sister, who's a huntress?" Chika listened, she nodded at the mention of Ruby's sister. The vampire remembered that Mari had told Chika a part of her circumstances and the reason Mari had to turn her. Chika described Mari as a 'loner' who won't happen to easily 'turn' anyone without profit, in which Mari slapped Chika jokingly after that, Ruby didn't catch the meaning of the supposed explanation back then. "I—She found out that I'm a Vampire. In a horrible time, to add."

Ruby tried to explain briefly to Chika about that fateful night, when she was unable to control her own thirst.

The merchant lowered her head. "It must be hard, but you must come out to your sister soon or later nonetheless, so I should say it can't be helped."

"I know. I know it can't be helped, it's just …" Ruby clenched her fist on the table. She didn't make a contact with Chika's eyes. "Why must I be so … powerless?"

Ruby has been sure she's already fine with the nature of Vampires, then again this certain slip crumbled everything – the wall she created to hide her secrets is forever gone and her sister is never the same again. Chika spared Ruby's silence, enjoying to her own tea as Ruby continued to contemplate.

A vampire originated from human, one person came into her mind.

"—Well, then," The voice of Chika's slurping to her tea died and the table rattled. Ruby looked up to see the merchant, now standing and putting her hood up. "Why don't you try to make yourself useful now?"

"What do you mean?"

Chika puffed up her chest as she offered her hand. "Help me with something. In exchange, I'll tell you someone I know who might be able to help you and your vampiric problem!" Ruby eyes sparkled after the moment it dulled, and Chika was happy to see it. "So~ what do you say, little gem?"

The merchant requested to go back to her humble abode to tell the 'job' she had spoken of. 'The story will be long and someone may overhear us if we talk outside' so Chika said back in the café. That being said, the Vampire recalled that it would take the straight path to where they were, however, Chika was taking a longer course; she made sure that she passed lots of alleys and avoided wide, non-shaded spaces. Ruby asked many times whether it would be okay to take longer to be back, that her business would be due or something, and Chika grinned, shaking her head. Her shoes clicked aloud as bounced thorough the stone pavement with Ruby following beside her.

"Don't worry, Ruby-chan. The day is still long. Or, do you have something else to do?"

She could always shop for dinner later, since Chika said earlier that the job 'won't take long', but, "I want to meet the person you said as soon as possible."

"Heh, impatient, aren't we?" Chika winked. "It seems today is mine and your lucky day, though."

"Eh? Why so?"

They marched yet another alley to far south before turning to the left. It is Chika's infamous back alley at last, cramped houses lined in thin alley. Someone was standing in front of Chika's door, hands on their hips as their eyes scanning up and down. Ruby could tell that the person is a woman after some while—the choice of boyish clothing article and how straight their posture was, could easily fool anyone. That person shifted to scratch their blue-colored newsboy cap covering their grey hair occasionally, or tapping their high boots to ground, shuffling their brown vest, even counting the amount of their blue shirt's buttons, scratching on their puffy shorts or releasing a huff.

Though her supposed-to-be guest was there, visibly took their time and waited for the house owner, Chika made no move to come out from the alley behind the standing woman and told Ruby to be silent.

"I know you're there, y'know, Chika-chan." the guest said, didn't bother to glance at her back. "Why are you—"

"—You-chan!" and there Chika was, doing the same manner as she did to Ruby in the market, the person nearly knocked out of balance.

"You could've hang something on the door to say that you left or something! I've been waiting for an hour!"

"Sorry, sorry, Mikan sale is up and I forgot~" Chika stuck out her tongue.

Did Chika say that today is their lucky day? Does that mean, this person is—

"By the way," the woman looked over her shoulder, to Ruby who was still inside the alley, close to the wall. Ruby quickly shrunk herself. "Since when you hired a Vampire as your pet?"

Silence ensued.

"H, Huh? Pet?"

Both of them—Chika and Ruby—blinked. No one dared to break the ice.

"She's small and cute, she's not your pet?" the woman asked again, pointed at the magenta-haired Vampire.

Ruby was torn to be angry or to at least yell something as a retort, but in the end, she just pouted when Chika asked both of them to come on in the shop - before she's called out by the neighbors for causing yet another ruckus.

Chika introduced Ruby to her guest and excused herself to pick something in the storeroom, when the conversation went with a single word of sorry repeatedly.

They sat on a couch there, when Ruby noticed that she entered Chika's house by the 'front' side since the layout is different. Chika eventually have a normal-looking living room with a set of couch laid along with an armchair facing a cozy fireplace that was unlit. There's no table, though, maybe the table filled with Mikan in her actual shop is used there instead here. Unlike her house, Chika had many colored furnishes; orange-colored lamp, yellow shade flooring (how can she get a yellow-colored board?) – it was so lively, compared to the house of Kurosawa.

"So you're, umm, a vampire acquaintance of Chika-chan?"

The woman saluted, "Yes, Watanabe You, at your service! Call me by You!" Ruby didn't return the salute, she was famished of how energetic You is. "Though … it's not that long since I become one, haha."

"You were a human too?" so this person is not an ordinary vampire, she's the same as her. Ruby might say that You doesn't exactly look like a vampire, to be exact, she is more like a friendly guy next door to a usual gloom, silent bloodthirsty being lurking in the darkness.

"It must be surprising—eh? Too? That means you're—" You paused, as if catching on something. "Ah, no wonder I've heard the name 'Kurosawa' before."

"Is … something wrong about my name?"

"No, it's just a person named Kurosawa Dia came to visit my Master," the magenta-haired Vampire flinched at the mention of her older sister. Her sister was visiting a vampire other than Mari, a fact that quickly roped her to many questions. What's going on? "Umm, Ruby-chan? What's wrong?"

"Oh, uhh, it's nothing. P-Please continue."

"By 'Master', I mean, my owne—uh, mentor. Yes. The vampire who turned me as it is now." You blurted. "I take it that your Master doesn't want to teach you, or?"

Ruby shook her head, "I chose to be away from Mari-chan after I learnt everything I can."

"And wow! You're the great Ohara's pupil!" Ruby was sure You's cerulean eyes glinted. For once she forgot that Mari was a respected vampire 'elder' in the area. "Must be an honor to know you, Ruby-chan!"

Chika showed up from another room, now holding onto a round bag which Ruby concluded as Mikan-shaped rucksack. Ruby started to think that Chika is made of Mikan herself.

"Now, now, I see that you two have fun already, but it's time to work!" she zipped up her bag and slung it over her shoulders, raring to go. "Listen up because this Chika won't repeat it twice!"

"Eh? Me too?" You pointed at herself, when Chika nodded.

"You wanted to put in orders for vampire incenses, right, You-chan? I'll even get it to half price if you help me out," Chika said. "I want you two helped me go in the vampire district to collect information."

There was a pause, Ruby waited for Chika to continue, thinking it wasn't the end of the sentence, but then You chimed in. "That's it? You usually slipped in through your underground tunnel."

"Nuh-uh! They tightened the security and closed off the sewers!" Chika voiced her complaints loudly. "It's because of the recent outbreak counts! Last time I checked, you'll need to bring at least one vampire with you to vouch for your identity to go in."

"Ahh, so it's that, after all." You sighed at that. "Count me in, then. I'd love to hear what exactly happened."

"Outbreak?" Ruby turned to see Chika and You.

"Right, sorry to leave you out, Ruby-chan," said Chika. "You must've at least heard about vampires running rampant nowadays slowly increasing, nee?"

Ruby remembered that conversation in the Guild from days ago. Many hunters that would usually available in the post by the day is working to patrol the city every time necessary. Vampires thirsting for blood has been usual, but the recurrence has been impossible to say that it was 'normal'. She nodded at Chika's leading question.

"I'm always asking for information to my network about that, but they couldn't go out from the vampire district due to said restrictions. I'll be going in there now and I asked you to help me out, is that clear?" Ruby hummed an okay, and Chika continued. "It's settled then. Don't worry, I'll throw in an extra of three incenses to the deal since we can't avoid sunlight. Off we go!"

An increasing number of vampires going berserk, something bad must've been going on and we didn't know where the winds might lead—

'Vampire District' is a term used by townsfolk to differentiate the section of city where most of the Blood Bar—the sanctuary where most vampires get their blood in fancier, legal way—located. Though sometimes, the blood could be pricey and not affordable to lowly fledglings except they sucked up to a vampire houses or working for rich vampire families.

If the main street is wide road with small numbers of alley, the vampire district's streets are composed of narrow, stuffing in-between tight houses with numerous, expanding alleys that's dark with little to no lamp for the night. Usually, the day would be quiet, save for some incenses vendor or to some human blood whores who's open for day drinking in exchange for money. Humans who lived there were mostly workers in the house, or whores, or special members in Hunter association that monitoring the vampire activities there.

You was the one who vouched for Chika's identity by the guarding gate, and after a while of body checking and interview, the separating, huge wooden gate swung open for them. Chika went back to her 'stealth mode', donning her hood on as they walked in.

"Center Bar, You-chan."

"Alright."

"Follow me, Ruby-chan, don't get lost."

"Y-Yes!"

Ignoring Hunters that were lining up nearby the gate area, they made their way to the building separated from all tight houses.

A neon sign kept lit by the doorway saying 'Center Bar', which is their destination. The house was elevated, composed of mahogany rather than boring bricks. There's hardly no window available, save for the glass door which is their entrance way. Inside, lights were hanging in differently-sized bulbs, no one occupied the round table beside the main bar stools. There are two male and one female attendants around the far left corner, though the attendants ignored their presence. The bartender, a huge man in her fifties with fully white hair, black, stern-looking sharp eyes and big mustache shared a welcome salutations. His white shirt a bit tight on his big, round muscles, he also had this black apron with him, but no visible name tag to address him.

"Welcome—oh, it's you, human." His gruff slowly morphing into a stretch of smile. He's putting away glassware which he wiped earlier. "Here to get your rations, I bet?"

"Would it be strange if a human like me wanted a glass of blood cocktail, huh, gramps?" Chika playfully jested. The orange-haired merchant cued You and Ruby to sit on the nearby stools from her. "So, where is it?"

"I'll get it for ya," said the bartender. "That aside, it's rare that you brought a fledgling here, and oh, we get Lady Sakurauchi's trusted scout, too."

"You sure talk smooth, gramps." You commented. Ruby wasn't sure to comment, so she just let the conversation flooded. "How 'bout you serve us while at it?"

The old man laughed at that, "Well said, wait for me to get rations for this human, okay?"

Chika's red eyes wandered through the interior of the bar after the old man disappeared to the back door. You, noticed Chika's restlessness and asked, "Guess he'd want to say that your messengers are dead."

"How can you say that, You-chan?" Ruby piped in.

"You-chan is right. Must be because of the outbreaks too. Humans blood smell the most delicious to hungry fella, after all," Chika had a forlorn expression before she sighs. "They would usually go here in the day to talk up their plans and waited for me, but here it is, the bar's dead save from vampires," the merchant looked to Ruby. "Get it, Ruby-chan? Vampires are hardly around at day except they are matured enough or able to waste money for incenses. So if someone fills in the blood bar by the day and being loud, it's us humans."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear about your friends, Chika-chan."

"Nah, no worries. It's the risk to work for information gathering." Chika quipped. "Now that you mentioned it, You-chan sure already have a name now, eh? Lady Sakurauchi's trusted scout?"

"C-Chika-chan, that's ... not exactly important right now! Oh, look, the gramps is back."

The old man shoved a small book with worn brown leather cover to Chika. You and Ruby watched in curiosity as Chika flipped open the pages, revealing a grass-like writing they couldn't able to discern.

"Heh, cheap language," the merchant mumbled. She proceeded to take something out from her rucksack, which is a ... thick butterfly-shaped glasses. Finally, not a Mikan. "Sorry, give me time to translate this, I'll tell you all later."

"What are your orders then, young ladies?" the old man offered. "Our specials are Rat's Blood."

Ruby's face was once void of color. "R-R-Rat's Blood!?"

"Fear not, fledglings. It's just a name of the cocktail." The man let out an amused laugh, in which Ruby shrunk in embarrassment. "It's good, I can guarantee that you'd love for seconds."

"Then make it two Rat's Blood cocktails, on the rocks, gramps. Put the tab on me." You said.

"Comin' right up!"

Chika busied herself within pages to pages, turning to next rather slowly as she progressed. Ruby wanted to ask whether she could help, but You's hand stopped her.

"Let Chika-chan be, Ruby-chan. She's always absorbed in her work once she started, we shouldn't bother her," the vampire said. "Why don't we talk about other things as we waited?"

Now that You mentioned it, and it said that You might be able to help her. Ruby wondered if Chika thought of it as a cause, the similarity of being in the same boat as human who's turned to a vampire, or of other reasons that Ruby has yet to know from You herself – she has yet to get to know the grey-haired vampire.

"They said you are ... Lady Sakurauchi's trusted scout? What's that, You-chan?"

"Straight to that, I see, oh, I'm so embarrassed," You fanned herself over. "Err, how can I explain it? Lady Sakurauchi is my mentor, she's your kind of 'old vampire' noble, and before I was turned, I was working on the open seas," You was a bit fidgety as she told the story, Ruby found it cute. "Most vampires are afraid of water in general, but I'm not—maybe because I love the sea so much? I dunno—and I'm very knowledgeable with sea and ships so my Lady sometimes sent me out to help humans or vampires to anticipate seaborne attack."

The little vampire unconsciously clapped, "Wow, that sounds incredible, You-chan."

"I-It's not that big, really. It's the least I can do to be useful to my mentor~" the grey-haired vampire scratched her cheek, feeling self-conscious. "That aside, umm, is this your first time in vampire district? I see that your eyes wander around ..."

"Oh, no. It's just ... it feel different, somehow," Ruby answered. "It was crowded everywhere when Mari-chan introduced me to this place. When I was human, I never go to this area of town."

"It's like Chika said, the one's crowded bunch are humans; well, blood whores, though," You explained. "Gramps, are there still humans hanging around at night after the restrictions?"

The old man was measuring red-colored liquid in two small cups as they speak. "Only the brave young'uns, kind of this human who loves the thrill of information. Some are lucky not to be found dead by the next day. The outbreak is escalating rather in worrisome note, must I add," he poured the measured liquid to the shaker, adding some colorless syrup to the mix before sprinkles of ice and started to mix it. "There also Hunters stationed here day and night, but it's not easy to control rampaging, hungry vampires, don't you think?"

Ruby looked to her feet. Rampaging, hungry vampire—it hit her, it was the feeling of monstrosity; a call of devil, she could say, when the urge to get nothing but blood and be a mindless, unstoppable scary being. Part of her memories flashed directly at when she accidentally bitten her older sister, shame and regret crawled under her skin and made herself shiver.

"... Are you alright, Ruby-chan?"

You's voice chimed in like a bell, waking her up from the reverie. The little vampire looked up to see blue irises directed at her in worry. She noticed that the old bartender there did the same.

"I ..." Ruby swallowed. "I was also ... went out of control before and I hurt someone—a precious person."

All that Riko talked to her was more like reciting a vampire history from top to bottom, Dia surmised. What's different, beside how serene and collected Riko's tone was going, compared to how Mari conversed with her in riddles, is how the burgundy-haired vampire shared some key points in simple summary after answering questions in such length.

"There, might be times when older vampires wanted to create an army or a cause for our own greater good, but," said Riko. "After the war and the pledge with humanity, we're no longer seek for such theatrics."

"How can you say that? I can still see vile vampires around."

And Riko didn't even mind every single of Dia's direct to indirect mocking about her race, just like how Mari is.

"I can't blame fledglings and a little thirsty vampires population for that. You can see that blood is our source of power, yet it could be our true weakness," Riko smiled at this, the first time in the day. "Blood make us strong, but our dependence of blood is what makes us weak. It's simply our nature to desire for blood, and we can't deny our birthright. We might attack when we're hungry, it's unavoidable."

"Why do you have to turn someone, rather than sucking them until dry?"

Riko took a sip to her tea again, which finished the cup. Her amber softened, "I have to repeat that we won't turn someone unless the human agreed to it," the vampire was looking at Dia, but the raven-haired huntress could feel that she was ... reminiscing. "True that we can suck somebody to the point we dried all of the blood, but we're not greedy. We loved frequent single sips to taking down a bottle of everything," those amber eyes kept glazing. "That ... makes me remember of a question."

Dia's brow perked up. "My assistant asked the same when I found her years ago."

Right, Watanabe You said herself that she was a human and she was willing to be turned. Dia though didn't bother to speak a comment and waited for Riko to continue.

"Why don't you end my life instead? She asked," Riko went on. "Vampires were attacking her ship that day and she was the last one who's still breathing. I was happened to be nearby and exterminated those strange vampires. Her eyes were ... brimmed with life," there was a happy sigh in compelling her emotional story. "Though our method, as you continuously said, unacceptable by exchanging humanity for immortality, but it's all we can do to keep somebody 'alive'. Us vampires love the breathe of living."

Is this the fact she really want to accept, or will she keep denying it?

The cocktail was done at the point when Ruby finished her own story to the old man and You. Rat's Blood was a dark purplish liquid combined with syrup and another few drops of 'secret flavors' per the old man described. Served in tall glass with small umbrella and a swirl mimicking a rat's tail made from chocolate, the cocktail's appearance made you forget that it was a glass of pure blood.

The bar is now silent except for them, no more customers are coming in and the old man was busying himself with the cupboard of wines behind.

"That reminds me when I was turned; I keep biting at my mentor to the point I was chained by the authorities back then," You laughed.

Ruby watched her glass, giving the content a stir and the chocolate tail melted in. You gave her shoulder pats, seeing that the little vampire was looked down.

"My mentor was a respectable vampire back in Tokyo, and they despised me to be a useless fledgling to her presence. And how my family is hard to accept me sometimes," she popped at her straws. "There will be hardships, but believe me, everything will be alright when the time comes, as long as you keep trying your best and yousoro."

Trying her best – the words echoed inside her as it coming, everything will be alright, there's nothing to be afraid of. Will it be okay for Ruby to not give up, even though it's nearly no chance for everything to be back to 'normal'?

A rattling sound came from beside them, Chika was up, stretching her arms and taking off her glasses averted their attention from the sappy conversation. "I'm do~ne!"

"Ooh, welcome back, Chika-chan~" You exclaimed, chin resting on her palm. "Find anything good?"

"Nothing much," there was an 'eehh' from You. Ruby listened. "It's still much of speculations by the end of the notes, it has yet to be proven, though guess everyone is pretty much dead already."

Chika opened the book and pointed at the last page that's still written, both You and Ruby unable to read it, Chika outlined the said words in a circle with her index finger. She spoke with a small voice.

"It says, 'the source of vampire's wilderness is not normal'," Chika continued forth, to the next entry. "it is unknown of how the outbreak has spread, it might be same to how humans catch a cold, a virus, or something similar," the orange-haired merchant made a line on the last sentence. "A further inspection is needed, maybe from the dead human bodies, or from the caught vampires who once went out of control."

"So it's that ... dangerous?"

"It's still a speculations, You-chan, we can't jump into a conclusion yet," Chika closed the book. "We should tell somebody in the authority to have this matter checked ... oh, I can't contact Mari-chan directly, it would take a few days."

Ruby asked, "How about we ... go back to the town and ask You-chan's mentor? I mean, umm, she's an old vampire, right? I-I might ask for Onee-chan to do some research as well."

"—Sounds great!" You snapped her fingers, she jumped away from the bar stool and saluted. "Then, then, let's jet!"

"U-Umm, but first, can I ask to go to the market? I, I need to buy something for dinner."

A vampire with the love of the aspect of life.

A human who's skeptical with the vampire's way of thinking.

Everything Riko has been saying up until now is surreal, a story coated with honey that couldn't prove to be poisoned. It contradicted every Dia's view of world, the world Kurosawa family etched deep in her brain of how vampires, or other supernatural beings is only there for human to be extinct; of how they were nothing but thirst of power and recklessness to human's superiority of reasoning.

Part of Dia wanted to deny, but her heart wanted to believe in the fact that her sister is still her sister; the same old Ruby who's trying her best to be a strong huntress.

What's her hesitation – is it really her pride that rejected this 'truth'?

"Your tea is cold." Riko repeated. "And I know that there might be many things in your mind now, though I might say that what I'm telling you is nothing but the truth. It's still up to you to believe me or not."

Dia was standing on a branching road, one lead her to hell and the other one to heaven. The time has come for her to choose, since the road behind her was no longer to be found.

"—I'm sorry to bother you, but I sense guests are coming to our way," Riko stated, getting up from her seat. "It's my assistant bringing a vampire and a human with her."

"How can you tell?"

"I can tell if my assistant is nearby and if the particular people is close to her, it's just the power of vampire's domain," Riko explained. "I'll greet at the door, please take your time, Kurosawa-san."

The vampires which were turned from humans are not soulless. The vampires turned them by the will of the humans, not by the vampires' selfish conduct. The vampires loved to see living flesh rather than taking on greedily. Should she believe this to her own benefit, or—

"O-Onee-chan."

Dia turned to see Ruby was up there from the direction of the door. The assistant Watanabe was talking with Riko and other orange-hooded person. Ruby descended from the stairs, in her hold was a big paper bag with tall french bread sticking apart from other contents. It must be for dinner, Dia surmised as she walked closer to see her younger sister. There lies an awkward pause as their eyes met, Ruby was visibly tracing on the paper bag.

"I, I was shopping for dinner when I met You-chan," Ruby began to talk, though Dia didn't ask for Ruby to explain herself. "w, we happened to find something leading about the vampire outbreak, s-she might be explaining to you soon. And umm ..."

So she was going on her own – it's not like she would be a little sister who must ask her for a permission every time. She's matured already, she knows her priorities, and not to mention, she's no longer—

"I'm ... I'm sorry that I wasn't at home," Dia could see that Ruby is clearly afraid; the older Kurosawa memorized every movements in detail when her younger sister is scared, from the droop of shoulder and how she fidgets ever so often. Though, she could say Ruby is changed – she's not straying from the eye contact, she stood firm. "I promise not to be reckless again."

And finally, Ruby stopped, chewing on her lips, waiting for Dia to act – or at least, saying any word. Speaking with her sister holding the silence with a straight face is very nerve-wrecking, she hoped that she won't be yelled at or—

Ruby didn't expect that Dia would come closer, warm fingers tracing on her magenta hair, and ruffling it, tenderly. Emerald eyes looked up to see Dia's lips stretched slightly upwards, and it parted, flowing the words.

"Good job, Ruby." Dia said. "I'm proud of you."

Ruby felt her corner of eyes grow hot, but she held it back, the overwhelming burst of different feelings. "T-Thank you, Onee-chan."

"Shall we go home and make dinner together once the matter is settled?"

[ For the first time after walking in the darkness, Ruby happily smiled. ]

#project wb #withering blossoms #medieval and vampire AU #love live sunshine #lls fics #fanfiction #berry shit #enjoy and as always sorry