Eyes Red as Blood

Twelfth Night: Debts

Arisu stood there unable to move as the ashes fell to the ground.

"Haven't you ever seen a hunter kill a vampire?" The hunter in the black trench coat asked, bringing Arisu out of her trance.

"Do you simply go out hunting vampires on your free days?" Arisu retorted with a question of her own.

"Maybe I do." Zero put Bloody Rose back into its holder. "There isn't a law against it."

"I'm sure there isn't," she sarcastically replied, stepping around the ashes and walking towards Zero as he was getting ready to leave. "When do we start training?" She pulled the small rod she kept hidden in an inner pocket of her coat.

Zero stayed silent, gaze searching to see how serious she was about the question.

"Arisu, where are you?!" Hanabusa yelled in the distance

"We'll talk later," Arisu said turning around, "but for now I must leave." She waved as she walked away.

Zero looked at her skeptically before taking one last look at the scene and leaving.

Near the park Hanabusa was frantically searching for his charge. "Arisu!" Hanabusa yelled her name again. 'Where is she, Kaname-sama, will definitely kill me!' The shopping bags he was carrying made moving difficult. The people passing by thought he looked like a parent frantically looking for their lost child. 'What will I do?!'

When he spotted her, relief immediately washed over him

"Where did you go?" Hanabusa asked as he rushed to her side.

Arisu looked up from where the rose was set. "I thought I saw an old friend of mine," Arisu explained with as much detail as she could, "sorry."

Hanabusa saw that she was being honest, so he decided to let that one pass. The sprinklers at the park showed no mercy, however. They switched on, spewing water at the pureblood who was standing too close. Arisu squealed in surprised delight, feeling like a little girl all over again.

"Arisu, please step away," Hanabusa set the bags down, offering his hand in assistance, "you might end up with a cold."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I always am." Her words were spoken much too softly at the end.

A rainbow appeared above the rose bush because of the way the light hit the water. It just served to intensify the beauty of the rose.

Hanabusa saw what she was looking intently at. "I've never seen that color or rose before. It's unique."

"Yes, it is.," Arisu replied as she picked it up, "I've only ever seen it another time."

"Here, hand it to me." He extended his hand again. Arisu looked at him puzzled, unsure about what he was going to do. She reluctantly gave him the rose and watched intently. Hanabusa took the rose in his right hand and placed his left hand gently over it. Small amounts of frosty vapor were coming from his hands. Five seconds later Hanabusa uncovered the rose and gave it back to Arisu. It was cold to the touch, almost like glass.

"What did you do?" Arisu asked curiously.

"I crystallized the rose for a bit. You can place it in resin later. That way you can keep it without it dying," Hanabusa replied smiling that he could do something to make her happy.

"I never thought of that," Arisu said, genuinely impressed. She never knew that Hanabusa's power was ice.

"Yes, brilliant if I do say so myself," Arisu slightly laughed, "but now that we established that I'm a genius, could you please get out of the sprinklers, Arisu? You might get sick. The day of the soirée is fast approaching."

"So all you care is that I'm at your ball," Arisu sighed as she stepped out of the sprinkling water.

"No, I assure you it is not," Hanabusa responded earnestly. Her coat and hair had been thoroughly drenched even though she had only been standing there for a short while. A gust of wind blew, and Arisu finally realized how chilly the evening had been. Hanabusa instantantly took off his coat and handed it to Arisu.

"Won't you be cold," Arisu asked, resisting the warm coat.

"Nope, don't worry about it. Besides my power is basically really cold every time I use it, so I'm used to it."

Fully convinced, Arisu removed her wet coat before slipping into Hanabusa's brown coat. It fit her a little big though it was toasty warm.

"Thanks," Arisu remarked casually.

"No problem." Hanabusa beamed at her.

"No really, thank you, Hanabusa. You really are always helping me out." She hated to admit it, but she was still very dependent on other people when it came to some things.

Hanabusa smiled and lifted the shopping bags and started walking back to the town, "Let's go. We came here to get you ready for the soirée."

"Yes," Arisu said as she followed him. She looked back down at the rose and smiled.

"I heard there was an incident when you went with Arisu into town," Kaname remarked, turning from his bedroom window to face the pale aristocrat.

"N-no. Who ever told you that?" Hanabusa replied, clearing his thorat. The full moon behind the prueblood was not helping the way Kaname looked to Hanabusa. It played with the shadows of the room and made him look frightening.

"Is that so? Then why-" Kaname stopped because of the ruckus outside. He titled his head to the side. He could discern the sounds of Rima, Ruka, Arisu, and even Seiren giggling. He walked over to the window and looked down. From his window he could see Arisu getting along and having fun with everybody.

'He actually smiled! I better get a picture to show the others,' Hanabusa thought, though he was still glued to his position in the room.

Then Kaname saw Arisu slightly turn to reveal a book in her hands that the girls were fawning over. He frowned, 'No, it can't be! She couldn't have gotten a hold of that book!'

"What is it Kaname-sama," Hanabusa asked, inching closer to the window.

"Stop right there," Kaname ordered. His voice almost showed a hint of panic, "Don't get any closer to the window until I've confirmed something!"

This time Arisu fully turned around and closed the book, and the girls whined in protest, even Rima!

Kaname fully opened the window, and yelled down, "Arisu, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm just showing the girls something," Arisu replied, smiling sweetly as she held up a book titled 'Kaname's Baby Pictures.' Which roughly translated to 'Kaname's most embarrassing pictures'. Kaname's face became stony. "Don't worry I haven't shown them that many pictures yet," Arisu turned to the girls, "do you want to the funniest one?"

Kaname's face went blank. There was not even a dark aura around him as he swiftly jumped out the window and started to run full speed at Arisu. The other girls quickly went into the dorms, fearing the worst. "Arisu," Kaname crooned, "Give. Me. That. Book. Now!"

"Make me," Arisu replied as she evaded Kaname and started to run away. She laughed the whole way, dodging several flying objects and powers that Kaname was using in an effort to get the book back. Hanabusa stood looking out the window in shock. A small paper bird came flying through the window and slowly unfolded itself to reveal its message.

Thanks again for the rose; I already put in resin.

You are very welcome; I rescued you from Kaname. ~A. Kuran

Hanabusa was still in shock, and happiness bubbled within him. He was safe from Kaname!

Revised 3/16/20