Captured Hearts

Chapter Twenty-eight: The Caring

The next day...

Dino walked into the vampire enclosure, holding in his hand the bracelets that Shoichi and Spanner had recently developed. They were crafted of vampire-hunting metals, and had each of the vampires' names engraved on them, as well as a phone number should any of the vampires escape. Now Dino didn't at all want for this to happen to the creatures that he'd befriended, especially because they had been promised freedom should they take a mate. But Reborn said otherwise. According to him, releasing Heartsick vampires and those who have been in contact with the disease would bring a downfall to vampire society. Dino could see his boss's point in that, but he still thought it was very wrong to taunt and betray dignified vampires in such a way.

"Hibarin!" he called as he entered. "Basil! Fon, Skull!"

The vampires approached Dino, and the tamer took Hibari's wrist, before clipping the bracelet onto it. He did the same to the others, biting his lip as he at last got on Skull's. "What's this for, tamer?" Fon asked. Dino paused, then reached forward, and patted Fon on the head.

"These are dark times for your kind," he said, sighing. "All I can say is that you're going to be here longer than I hoped. I wish I could help you guys out... but... I've got to take care of myself, too."

Hibari observed the watch closely, then muttered, "Hibari Natsu Kyoya II. If found, please return to the Science Center for Supernatural Beings in Namimori, Japan. For more information, contact 555-6984. ... These are... like dog tags for the wrist."

"Dog tags...?" Skull repeated, before blushing. "DOG TAGS?"

"No, calm down," Dino said. "It wasn't my idea. Since... since you two are Heartsick," he explained, indicating to Hibari, "we may be unable to release you two into the wild."

Fon suddenly gasped, and covered his mouth. "Hibarin has Heartsickness?" he repeated, his voice small. "Oh dear... oh dear..." With that, the Chinese vampire retreated into the far corner of the enclosure, and Hibari watched at him, his eyes pitying his cousin.

"He's got it," he whispered to Basil, who nodded in agreement.

"That poor soul," the young vampire rasped.

"Did you get him Heartsick, too?" Dino asked. Hibari looked down.

"I fainted from the sickness," the ravanette explained. "He thought that I had passed out from bloodloss... and he gave me blood to make me come to." The tamer sighed, then sat down on the ground- a very risky move when faced with a group of vampires. Leaning against the rocks around the entrance, he buried his face in his hands.

"I wish I could help you," he whispered. "I wish I could show you all some way to get around your instincts. I've always wanted to see a vampire win an arguement with a human. I've always wanted to see a world where we could all live in harmony... God, I hate this..." The tamer clutched his forehead as he finished, and trembled, his head aching as his pity took over. "Not just you, either... the werewolves, the centaurs... and the merpeople, too... But I can't do anything if you just... can't control yourselves!"

Hibari sat down beside the tamer, and reached out, taking his hand. "Dino...? Are you... all right?" The tamer sadly shook his head, then began once more.

"I wish I could release everyone from this prison. I really do. But... that would mean the SCSB would close, and I'd be the reason for Chrome, Tsuna, Shoichi, Spanner, Mukuro, Luss, and even Reborn to lose all their jobs... and I would lose mine, too..."

Skull stalked away to Fon, unable to sympathize with the tamer, but Basil followed his mate's example in sitting down to comfort Dino. "Sir Dino," Basil began, "I know we may not seem like it, but we art not uncivilized beasts. We art fully aware of the consequences of our actions... but sometimes, we truly cannot resist the temptation of blood. Perhaps one day... we might evolve to no longer need it..."

"No... that won't help," Dino said. "Listen, you two. I'm aware of Fon's relations to Colonello. What if Colonello should get sick? Bel would undoubtedly get it from him- because you all know how horny Bel is-, and by doing so, Bel could easily spread it to Hayato, Mammon, and maybe Fran, but if Fran didn't get it then, he'd get it from Rasiel, who would've gotten it from Mammon." Dino paused to make sure that the vampires were following, then began again. "Heartsickness spreads through water. All the merpeople would get involved, Squalo would give it to Xanxus, and meanwhile, Hayato would give it to Takeshi, and the centaurs would get sick, because they have a weaker immune system. Centaurs are strong until they get a disease, Hibari. If that poor Lambo were to get sick... well, it wouldn't be good."

Hibari nodded, and, deciding that Dino needed to know the truth, said, "Dino... I didn't develop Heartsickness on my own."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well, uh... I was given the disease... by Mukuro."

Dino stared for a moment, then stood, and left the enclosure without another word, leaving the vampires to mull over their next move. The tamer walked out of the cage and straight up to Mukuro's room, and, upon entering it, he found Mukuro, observing some of the things he'd crafted from what he'd recently killed. "Need something, tamer?" the hunter asked absently.

"Yes, I do," Dino said in a sharp voice. "Did you give Hibarin Heartsickness?"

Mukuro paused, then murmured, "Close the door." Dino obeyed the command, then came, and sat down on the bed beside the other, his caramel eyes blazing with anger. Mukuro explained, "I only did it because I knew that Basil was the only one who would get sick. Since Basil's weak, I was hoping he'd die, and I'd be free of competition."

Incredulous, Dino shook his head, and weakly said, "I can't believe you... Basil is a sweet soul, never meant to hurt anyone. And more importantly, Hibari fainted, and Fon revived him the traditional vampire way." Mukuro looked confused. "Fon kissed him to give him blood. You know what that means, Mukuro?"

"Fon's Heartsick," Mukuro answered. "All right. So?"

"So this is going to bring down a lot more creatures than you thought, Mukuro," Dino said. "Before you know it, the whole center will be filled with Heartsick creatures. We can't let people observe animals that are suffering and unable to even feed themselves- we'd be shut down, forced to release or shoot all of these amazing creatures. And the same outcome would show either way, because if people aren't observing, we can't afford to feed them or even clean enclosures. You've made one hell of a mistake, Mukuro."

The hunter paused. "But what if Fon doesn't spread it?"

"We'll just have to see if that's possible," Dino spat, before getting up to leave. "Think about what you've done, and think of a solution. And make it fast. Depending on how you react to all this will determine whether I contact Reborn about the outbreak of Heartsickness among the vampires."

The tamer left, and Mukuro sighed, looking at the dried werewolf tail in his hand. Years of killing these supernatural beings, taking whatever they had to offer... fangs of a vampire, ears or tails of werewolves, minotaur horns, centaur hooves, fairy wings, merpeople tails and scales... all of it was catching up to him at last. It was time for a life or death decision to be made.

A year ago, Mukuro would have laughed in Dino's face, before saying that the welfare of these animals was of no matter to him. But now... he loved a vampire. He loved Hibari with everything he had. And because of that, and that alone, was this decision a tough one. He wanted to be able to hold Hibari in his arms and say confidently that the vampire belonged to him... but if he was responsible for the downfall of the Science Center for Supernatural Beings, he might have to watch that vampire die as he himself pulled the trigger. Suddenly, Mukuro felt the urge to steal Hibari away from that place, so that they could spend eternity together, and with that, he sat down on the bed, feeling a tad dizzy.

Breaking into a bout of coughing, Mukuro made up his mind.

Hibari belonged to him, and him alone.

-End Chapter

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