Captured Hearts
Chapter Twenty-four: The Familiar
The next day...
"C'mon, Lambo, pull harder! They're gonna leave us behind!" Fuuta protested, struggling to stay stable in his water tank. The bull-centaur cross groaned, straining his muscles as he tried to catch up to the band of beings that walked solemnely ahead of them.
"They don't care about us!" he cried. "The tamers wouldn't hesitate to leave us behind, either!"
Suddenly, one of the vampires ahead paused, and walked towards the small wagon that Lambo was hitched up to. "Need a hand?" he offered. Lambo looked up into the soothing black eyes and sighed in relief, nodding, and the vampire chuckled, before getting behind the wagon and helping to push them forwards. "You two are mere children," he noted. "I do wonder why they treat you so carelessly..."
"It's 'cause we're weak," Fuuta sighed. "I can't last more than ten minutes out of water, and my friend Lambo is... well... not very strong, either."
"Just wait until my horns grow out, Fuuta!" Lambo protested, still struggling to push himself forward in the grasses. "Then I'll be really awesome!"
The vampire chuckled and continued to gently help the wagon along, while introducing himself as Fon. "You two are fragile," he said after a sigh. "We from the Italian branch must stay together."
The three quickly caught back up to the rest of the crew. In the lead was the tamer Verde, the princely werewolf Rasiel right behind him. The werewolf Colonello, and the vampire Skull were also part of the small group, and together, they made up the creatures that were moving from Italy to Japan. "So, Fon...," Lambo began uncertainly. "You seem awfully calm for a vampire..."
"Ah, do I, really? Well, the Clan I come from is very well-disciplined... not that I was a member of it for long. I'm distantly related to a Clan known as the Hibaris, and they are very, very well-tamed vampires. Although... I hear that they were hunted to extinction for their precious fangs." Fon reached up and touched his single true fang, his eyes involuntarily watering. "One of my fangs are false, because I, too, was seen as a Hibari, and shot. They only had time to take one of my fangs when they caught me, because a hoarde of vampires swept in the second they discovered what was happening to me. A kind old vampire I only know as Uncle Kawahira built me the fake one... I presume that my handicap is another reason as to why I'm so calm..."
"Wow, they stole one of your fangs?" Fuuta commented, leaning up over the edge of the tank, his sandy blonde tail swaying as he tried to get a closer look. "Didn't it hurt?"
"I was unconcious when they took it, so I couldn't say," Fon replied. "It was difficult to know that I'd never be able to bite the same way, but it's okay... because at least I have the one. I have heard rumors that my fang might grow back, but that'll take a few hundred years yet..."
"Humans sure are scary," Lambo said, brushing his hands over his horns to make it clear that he was nervous about losing one of them.
Suddenly, one of the werewolves fell back in the group and took the other end of the wagon, shooting a smile at Fon. "Hey, you," he greeted. "Want some help with this, dammit?"
"It would be greatly appreciated," Fon said. "And you are?"
"Colonello. Served in the army for ten years of my life, dammit."
"Haha, an army wolf, huh?" Fon returned, smiling. "That sounds like quite the intresting situation... My name's Fon, and these two are Fuuta, and Lambo."
The four chatted for a while, before the group stopped moving, and Rasiel announced, "All right, everyone! This is where we're camping! Werewolves take that tent, vampires in that tent, merman, stay in your tank, and centaur... thing... you can sleep out here tonight!"
Lambo stiffened to find out that he was supposed to sleep outside, and he sighed, for then he had realized that Fuuta and he were going to stay harnessed together for the entire night. Meanwhile Fon headed towards the vampires' tent, sending a pitiful glance back at the two, and Colonello reluctantly stalked back to the werewolves' tent.
As Fon entered the small tent, he nodded his head and gave Skull a quiet 'pardon me' as he entered. The other vampire nodded, sitting upright, and muttered, "I hate this. I don't wanna go to another camp."
"Ease yourself, Skull," Fon sighed, lying down on the ground. "So long as we bear these collars, we are not free. Remember this."
The Chinese vampire couldn't tear his eyes from Skull's excessive piercings as the other vampire growled in resentment, saying, "Humans are disgusting."
Once more, Fon's hand brushed over his false fang, and he nodded sadly. "Yes, Skull. But this is the natural order as we know it... with humans at the top of the food chain."
Meanwhile, Colonello and Rasiel were getting to know each other in their tent. "So, you're royalty, right?" Colonello said, his legs crossed as he watched the blonde werewolf who was absently combing through his hair.
"I sure am, usheshe~," Rasiel chuckled, his thick, blonde tail wagging with glee when he thought of the prince back in Italy. "I was the prince's prince! Shesheshe!"
"You've got one weird laugh, dammit," Colonello laughed. "I hear you've got a buddy in the Japan branch, Rasiel."
"Yeah, my brother, Belphegor. I haven't seen him for a number of full moons, but I know that he's alive. I'd be able to tell if he wasn't. You're an 'army werewolf,' right?"
"Sure am, dammit. Served for ten years before I was tamed. I have great aim, too. Ask me anytime, and I'll shoot an apple off your head, dammit," Colonello answered. Rasiel grinned awkwardly.
"No thanks... I'll pass on that."
Outside, Fuuta and Lambo were both shivering with cold. "M-man, this sucks," Lambo shuddered, hugging himself tightly as his pelt quivered. Fuuta sighed, trying to warm himself in the waters that quickly lost their heat.
"Don't worry, Lambo," he murmured. "We're all right... we're gonna tough it out... together."
Lambo nodded shakily. "I'll try, Fuuta..."
Morning the next day...
Colonello and Fon each took a side of Lambo and helped him forward, for his limbs were numb and stiff from the cold. Just ahead of them, Skull and Rasiel absently talked to one another, while Verde kept his sharp gaze firmly on the path. The group was nearing a massive cave that had a ceiling replaced by thick glass, and a large, stone door soon stood before them- the entrance into the prison.
"Finally," Verde sighed, walking up to the door. "Rasiel, keep your fellows in line as I talk to their... tamer."
Verde unlocked the stone door with a key that looked oddly bony, then called inside, "I have the new arrivals here!"
Immediately, three tamers rushed out, and the creatures watched, stunned, to see the almost friendly faces. One man had a shaved head with a green bang, and he approached Fuuta and Lambo immediately, cooing, "Oh, you poor things, let mama Luss take you inside."
Lambo and Fuuta were helped along inside by Lussuria, and the rest of the creatures awaited their lead inside as the two youngest creatures disappeared into the prison. A blonde tamer named Dino smiled and took both of the werewolves by the shoulders, and the left over, creepy looking man with mismatched eyes smiled at the vampires. "All right, you two," he chuckled. "In you go..."
The man bowed to Verde, and they exchanged pleasantries, before Fon and Skull, too, were led inside. Fon winced to see how restricted the space was inside, and many people were crowding them, humans who gazed at them curiously as they walked through. As Mukuro led them into a cage, a gate to a larger enclosure was lifted, and the two glanced over their shoulders at him, before proceeding. Fon stepped inside, to see two fellow vampires tending to a luscious, bright rose garden, and he immediately went over to greet them. Meanwhile, Skull, feeling out of place, went to take a long nap under the tree that had just broken ten feet tall.
"Why hello there," Fon greeted a young vampire with tan hair, "we're the transfers from the Italian branch- how do you do?"
"I art quite well, thank... you...," the young vampire said, his eyes growing large as he saw Fon. "Wow, my Lord, thy looks be just the same as my mate, Hibarin!"
Hearing his name, the other vampire stood upright, and when his eyes met Fon's, they realized something. Fon reached out, and touched Hibari's cheek, then smiled softly. "Greetings, Hibari Natsu Kyoya the second. It has been long."
"Too long," Hibari replied. "How have you been, Feng Natsu Fon the second?" Fon paused, then chuckled, and the two enjoyed a small moment to laugh with their happiness.
They were cousins.
-End Chapter
Haha. So much for introducin' them slowly! XD
Notice to Saruko- No, I am not ignoring you, I told you, we had a fair vote on who Gokudera would be paired up with. I'm sorry, but Takeshi won over Tsuna. Majority ruled on that vote, and it was fair, so there's not much complaining to be done there.
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