Walking all the way to the city hadn't been too fun through the mountainside. Kotori was used to the wild few day trek, though. The mountains separated the humans for extra protection, and the forest usually closed off the vampires. The forest sunlight was for more intensive. That sunlight still didn't kill vampires, but it did give harsh burns if unattended. It was one of the things that bridged the gap between the species comfortably. Only the most dedicated or qualified got past the forest's humid terrain.

But Kotori had the muscle to power through the rocky areas. Now, she was here to prepare her mind and body before the storm. She patted the Shinken at her side absently, glancing around at the people wondering around the Neutral Area's streets. Most of the people were elderly but many younger people were looking at the wares in windows. This definitely was not a place where people came to live if they could help it. It was more like a tourist attraction.

She knew where she had to go. She had been there previously and was acquainted. There were plenty of humans that visited there frequently as well.

Finally after a while, she found the brown building at the side of the road. Relieved, she raced towards it.

Evidently, though, she crossed the street too quickly.

She bumped into something flimsy yet soft. She and whoever she had bumped into both fell to the ground, and many packages fell next to her feet as they both landed on the dirt road. Kotori's hand skimmed a sharp pebble and she gritted her teeth lightly.

"I'm sorry—" Kotori began.

"I'm sorry—" Hokuto said in unison.

Kotori noticed the girl had a black cloak and suddenly felt sheepish. She felt a bit overdressed in a long blue dress compared to the newcomer. She hoped she didn't seem rude talking to her.

As well as the black cloak being custom to the vampire country, it had spread a bit to the Neutral Area for another meaning. Showing off that you didn't have a status to identify was common.

On the other hand, Hokuto noticed that the girl in front of her had long, wispy brown hair. Hokuto almost wanted to run her hand through it and feel it. Actually, what kind of shampoo the girl use? She could smell a light spritz of something nice.

"Oh—I shouldn't have gotten so overexcited!" Hokuto chastised herself after realizing she was being rude. She tutted and shook her head. She was the one to stand up first. Before grabbing her bags, she reached for Kotori's hand. "I got so excited when I looked around the shops today that I couldn't stop myself from buying too much… Can't help it!"

Kotori didn't think much about how she had so much money and wasn't wearing more expensive clothes right at the moment. Those questions didn't get asked around here unless you enjoying getting stabbed or in a fight. The motto was "don't ask anyone, don't tell" for personal business because it was none of your business to know anything.

"No, it's okay," she assured and grabbed her hand. Hokuto's skin was cool to the touch. The weather was on the cooler side today anyway, and the air had a bite to it from the winds coming down from the mountains. But she felt warmer from the kind smile she gave her. "I wasn't paying attention. Here, I'll help you."

So, Kotori picked up a few bags, and she helped her pick up everything that she had dropped. The bags were fairly heavy and she was surprised someone of Hokuto's stature could lift so much at once, but she couldn't complain about that, either, since she didn't look like she could stab a vampire through the heart and have the stake come out next to the vertebrae.

"Where are you going?" Kotori asked.

"That inn," Hokuto said, pointing to the exact inn Kotori had had her sights on moments ago.

Well, that sheer luck worked out for Kotori.

Hokuto took half of the bags, and Kotori took the other half. They both walked into the inn and placed them down on a table. Panting, Hokuto stretched her arms out above her head. The inn was sparsely furnished, but there were many people here, and Hokuto felt right at home with that much.

"How long are you going to stay here?" Kotori asked. In the last few minutes, she had gotten, to her surprise, fond of the girl. She radiated a sort of energy that made Kotori tingly and happy.

"Just for a few nights," Hokuto told her. "Duty calls… I mean, going back home." Something flashed across her face but she shrugged. "I don't know how I'm going to carry this all with me, though!" Hokuto laughed like silver bells chiming. "Maybe I'll have to get a carriage and pay someone to take me…" She sounded thoughtful but not really sure at once.

It was pretty common to come and leave that way. Kotori assumed she was human, and most humans didn't like walking through steep mountainsides.

"Me, too. Not too many days," Kotori told her. She was a bit reluctant but she had to move on now. "It was since to meet you. I'll go get checked in and maybe see you later." She felt sad that she had to leave so soon, but she had things that she needed to accomplish and they couldn't wait for later.

Hokuto waved at her with a smile, seeming not to mind. Kotori walked up to the clerk at the desk.

"Okay, let's get you booked," the clerk said.

Indeed, coming back with all of these things would make it look like she had just left to be frivolous… which they totally wouldn't be wrong about in their own right. And Hokuto would have to pay someone double to go to the vampire castle, because not that many vampires stayed out here in the city, except the ones that mediated between vampires and humans. She couldn't control everything. She could carry them herself—she had the strength—but it would take longer for even Hokuto's to handle.

The clerk checked her computer and squinted at the glowing screen. "It's your lucky day," the clerk told Kotori. She pulled a card key and placed it on the counter for her. "We only have one last room."

Hearing this, Hokuto's sighed to herself dramatically. This was one of the problems with shopping. There was never a break for the one who carried it all!

Kotori glanced over at Hokuto. She looked like she needed a place to stay more than Kotori did. Hokuto would have a hard time if she wanted to lug all that stuff elsewhere, and Kotori didn't want her to do that.

Exchanging a glance with Hokuto, she bit her lip. She tasted her apple lip gloss and decided on it.

"I'll go somewhere else." Kotori guessed it wouldn't be that much trouble. She had seen another inn down the road. In fact, that inn had had a rather lovely garden out back. That would be nice to get her mind and body in the right place. Kotori was about to turn, swiveling her foot. Maybe this was also a chance for her to go grab something to eat from a stall she had seen on the way here.

Hokuto narrowed her eyes. She marched up to Kotori's side and put her hand on Kotori's shoulder to stop her, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Don't leave! You have to be more assertive about these kinds of things!" She didn't know how, but Hokuto worked herself out of a pinch. "It's fine! Great!" Hokuto put too much enthusiasm into it.

Suddenly, she hit the brick wall after that. She hadn't liked Kotori simply giving up after she had put her all into helping her, but there wasn't much they could do. She guessed she didn't mind leaving after all.

Kotori blinked. She didn't get it.

"But how am I supposed to do that? I thought it would be easier for you if—" Kotori said.

The lightbulb flickered to life above Hokuto's head.

"We can… share a room!" Hokuto hadn't thought about it before, but the idea hit her. She hadn't wanted to leave this girl after making a friend out of nowhere and the opportunity to spend more time would be wonderful. "Let's share a room. It's only a few nights, and we're both girls. It's perfect." She definitely didn't want to put Kotori out because she wanted to move in. That wouldn't be right of her.

Blankly, Kotori thought about it. "Eh?"

Kotori hadn't considered that. She hadn't thought about being near anyone else. On top of being kind of intrusive to other people, she had to prepare her weapons and look at the map of the castle again.

"The room only has one bed," the clerk said wearily, looking between them both. It looked like they weren't sure if two strangers would be fine with this arrangement and was trying to be cautious.

Kotori tried to open her mouth. It wasn't necessary, really. She could pay for any inn that she wanted to go to with her card, but Hokuto beat her to the punch again. She wouldn't have her denying this time.

"No problems! We can share a bed. We're both girls, after all! We can each pay half of the bill if you want to be equal. Besides, we're friends now. We have all kinds of things to talk about," Hokuto told him. She winked as if she had it all planned out. She grabbed onto Kotori's arm. Kotori felt a butterfly zoom in her stomach. "C'mon… oh, what's your name again?" It was Hokuto's turn to look and feel sheepish.

Not knowing a new friend's name. Kotori had never had anyone say that. She wasn't complaining.

Hesitantly, she told her, "Kotori."

Hokuto brightened. That smiled could melt the ice caps on top of the tallest mountains. "That's a pretty name. And my name is Hokuto, Kotori-chan."

Hokuto snatched the key card from the desk top. In the end, she didn't matter to her much what the arrangements were. At the least, she could ask this girl questions, and she wouldn't feel so… secluded out here alone. It wasn't for long but that didn't mean Hokuto didn't get lonely by herself. Kakyou was fun, of course, but he was busy with his own things. She couldn't always bother him with lively chatter.

Kotori let herself be swept along to the room on the second floor. This time, helping Hokuto out with her bags was a little price to pay for finding a friend.