Captured Hearts
Chapter Thirty: The Loyal
A Few Descriptions of the main Italy-branch characters:
Ginger Bread: Centaur. Black pelt with white stars. Orange hair and tail. Hoof color- off-white. Clothing: None, except for a white magician's hat and cape. As can be inferred, he's big on magic, and often helps around the center with cleaning and bringing pairs of creatures together.
Zakuro: Centaur. Palamino pelt, black socks. Blood red hair and tail. Hoof color- Three jet-black, front left hoof is off-white. Clothing: None. Has an extreme fascination with fire and volcanos.
Kyoko: Mermaid. Bright orange hair and tail. Used to take care of Fuuta before he moved. Best friends with Haru.
Haru: Mermaid. Dark, reddish-brown hair and tail. Used to take care of Fuuta before he moved. Best friends with Kyoko.
Lal Mirch: Werewolf. Long, dark blue hair, white-tipped dark blue tail and ears. A red scar stretches across her cheek. Clothes: Shirt that has been messily patched together from several tears. Black pants, and a brown, camoflauge cloak that she often wears when slipping out of the hunting area to meet Rasiel. Also wears heat-sensing goggles that she swiped from a human. Very serene and blunt, but loves her former mate very much.
Bianchi: Werewolf. Long, gray-pink hair and tail. Very matured body. Clothes: Short white t-shirt that exposes her stomach, and black pants. Hayato's older half-sister. Has trouble hunting on her own due to a previous experience in which venom from a naga (exclusively female human-snake hybrid) got on her claws. The venom had resided within her claws, and she can now no longer catch prey without poisoning it. Thankfully, she is immune to the corrosive poison, although her mate, Romeo, is not.
Romeo: Werewolf. Short, wavy, black hair and tail. Clothes: Wears jeans, and a dark gray-lavender shirt with a white jacket. He also has a chain link necklace. He's a skilled hunter, and is Bianchi's mate.
Lavina: Werewolf. Long, silvery hair and tail. Older woman. Clothes: Wears simple clothing, such as a white t-shirt, and a skirt. She's the mother of Hayato from the Japan branch, but was the second mate to his father. Hayato's father also was the father to Bianchi. She was sickly for a long time until Tsunayoshi gave her a cure that had taken even longer to develop, and she owes this favor to her son's persistence.
I-Pin: Vampire. Long, braided black hair. Fang Size: 1.4 cm. Clothes: Wears red robes that resemble Fon's, mainly to show their relationship as mentor and apprentice. She's a kindhearted girl, and is particularly skilled at fighting off the urges to drink blood.
Nozaru: Vampire. Long, bright pink hair. Fang Size: 1.6 cm. Clothes: Wears traditional black robes. Closely associated with Tazaru.
Tazaru: Vampire. Short, blonde hair. Fang Size: 2 cm. Clothes: Wears traditional black robes. He's one of the only vampires in the world to be dark-skinned. Closely associated with Nozaru.
Shamal: Tamer- Doctor. Short, black hair (the style of which is similar to Hayato's in the Japan branch). Clothes: Doctor's coat, black shirt, tie, black pants. He tends to be a womanizer, but regardless, he is very familiar with the animals, and often treats the diseases that show.
Verde: Tamer- Scientist. Pine-green hair that tends to stick up. Clothes: Scientist's coat, mostly formal wear, and also wears round-lens glasses. He's very intrested in the creatures at the center for their scientific value, but is more often working the gates than researching.
Gamma: Hunter- Also Exclusively Tames Centaurs. Short, combed back, blonde hair. Clothes: white shirt, leather coat and pants. Used to hang out at a bar, living off wagers at the pool table until he met Yuni, who offered him a job at the SCSB. He immediately became fond of the centaurs, and has been working in the pasture for the majority of his stay. He uses his old pool cue to help tame centaurs.
Yuni: Boss of the Italy branch. Short, dark green hair, and very blue eyes. Clothes: She often wears the t-shirt, jeans combo, but she hides this with a white cloak, and a hat that somewhat resembles a big, white mushroom. She's a purehearted woman, and her main goal is not to learn, but to protect. Because of this concept, the SCSB is very popular, if a little poor.
Science Center for Supernatural Beings- Italian Branch- Centaur Enclosure- 10:00 PM
"Uwah, it's so quiet here without that cow kid," Zakuro groaned, reaching up and rubbing his tired eyes as he fought back his drowsiness.
Quiet, quiet, indeed~," Ginger chimed, his orange tail flicking as he trotted up to Zakuro. "We could mess with the tamer," he suggested, indicating to the man who sat beneath a tree, reading a book.
"Nah, let's not," Zakuro sighed. "That guy's scary with his dumb whackin' stick."
Ginger giggled and pulled down his bright, white wizard hat. "I hear that he uses that thing for other purposes," he hinted. "And I'm not just talking sports, fufu~."
Zakuro arched a brow, and snickered, "I didn't know you were so kinky, Bread."
"It's Ginger," the other centaur muttered, his bubble having been bursted as he began to walk off. "Well, since I'm bored, I may as well start cleaning the enclosure."
"Be my guest," Zakuro said, sweeping his tail side to side and heading to the back of the enclosure.
As the centaurs talked with one another, the tamer closed the book on werewolves, finding it to be rather boring, and sounding quite false. As he stood back up, he watched Ginger come back from a corner of the enclosure with a broom, and chuckled as the magic-obsessesed centaur started to 'dust off' Zakuro's face.
"What are you doing, idjit?" Zakuro shouted, making a run at Ginger. The two began to chase one another around the enclosure, and Gamma smiled, knowing that no serious harm would befall either of them. It was as though those two colts had never grown up, after all; they were practically still teenagers. And although he missed the little guy, Gamma was glad that Lambo had been taken away, for he was becoming a fearful centaur with Zakuro and Ginger around. Gamma had hoped that Lambo would toughen up and learn how to stand up for himself, but that hadn't happened.
"Hey, Gamma," Verde called from the fence. "Are you intrested in werewolves, or what?"
"Not really," Gamma answered, walking over to the other tamer. "I just prefer the centaurs..."
"That's all good and well, but if you don't find out some mating habits soon, I'm going to make you work another cage."
"Oh, come on, Verde, we have five centaurs, and three of them don't even stay in the pasture. Zakuro and Ginger aren't likely to mate."
The scientist sighed, and began to leave. "I've got to go feed the merpeople. Just watch over the vampires for a little bit, all right? Your centaurs will be fine."
Gamma shrugged, and hopped the fence, then moved on towards the vampire enclosure. When he reached it, he naturally frowned. It was a large, dark cave with little light but a few candles about the walls, and in the center of the enclosure stood a knot of feral vampires, all mindlessly drinking the blood of their neighbor. These group blood-shares, to Gamma, were the most disgusting things about their kind. But then, he noticed, in the far corner was I-Pin, gracefully practicing her martial arts in the same way Fon always would. Observing her, Gamma smiled, as it took his mind off of the vampire-orgy a few yards away. I-Pin soon noticed him, however, and approached with that same grace, and it was beginning to worry Gamma as she walked up to him.
"Greetings, tamer," she said. "How are you?"
"I was doing good until I saw that," Gamma said, pointing at the vampires in the center.
"It is a very complex bonding ritual, that's for sure," I-Pin chuckled. "I'm sad to say that it's also not the most attractive display unless one is participating."
"I see," Gamma sighed. "Well, why aren't you participating in it?"
"My Master raised and nurtured me on his blood," I-Pin explained. "Because of this, I don't crave the blood of anyone else."
"You mean, Fon, right?" Gamma said. "What are you going to do if you do crave blood?"
"I will fight it," I-Pin replied. "I want to make my Master proud." With that, the young female turned and walked away, and Gamma smiled, glad that there was at least one sane vampire in the enclosure.
"All right, Gamma, it's time for the vampires to hunt," Verde said, walking over to the control panel that was disguised in rocks, and pulling down a lever. The centaur tamer watched as the gate rose, then observed as the group of vampires disbanded and broke out into the wild, each quietly screeching in excitement as they burst into the limited forest beyond. I-Pin was the only one to stay back, walking calmly out into the open space with the same grace of her Master. "You can head back to the centaurs now, or you could head on to the werewolf enclosure- your choice."
Verde left at that, and Gamma sighed, walking away from the enclosure, when he came upon his boss. "Y-Yuni...," he greeted. The young girl smiled back at him.
"Gamma..."
"I was just... er... heading to the centaur enclosure...," Gamma murmured.
"I was going to see the werewolves back from hunting, so I guess I'll catch you later, ne?" Yuni said.
"Y-yeah, I guess..."
As Yuni walked away, Gamma smacked himself for getting nervous, and started back towards the centaur enclosure.
Science Center for Supernatural Beings- Japan Branch- Vampire Original Enclosure- 12:00 PM
"Hibarin...," Mukuro murmured as the vampires filed into the hunting area. The last vampire stopped, and looked at him, confused, and Mukuro undid the lock on the door, and allowed Hibari to come out. Confused, the vampire folded his arms.
"What now?" he asked.
"I want to-," Mukuro began, before suddenly turning away and coughing ruggedly. Hibari watched, and placed a hand on the illusionist's back, rubbing gently until the hunter calmed down. "I want to talk to you about something," Mukuro finished, standing up straight again. Hibari noticed the paleness in the illusionist's face, and placed his hand on the other's cheek.
"Something's wrong with you," he murmured. Mukuro shook his head.
"No, I'm fine. It's just a little cold. Promise. Come now..."
Hibari followed the hunter out and up into his room, and observed as Mukuro sat down on the bed. The illusionist lied down, and Hibari sighed. "I'm not mating with you today," he said, before suddenly feeling a burst of lightheadedness. With that feeling, he swept down onto the bed, and groaned quietly. "Nng... my head..."
"Hibarin," Mukuro murmured, pulling the vampire closer. "There's a cure... there's a cure to Heartsickness."
Hibari allowed himself to be pulled into the hunter's lap, and breathed, "What...?"
"You have to break away from the one you really love entirely. What this means is... I'm going to leave."
"What...?" Hibari rasped. "Leave?"
"A month, at least," Mukuro sighed. "By then, the Heartsickness will fade away, and you can't get it twice... like chicken pox. I have to remove myself from the picture in order for you to heal. Also... the schedule is going to change so that Fon and Colonello don't come into contact with each other. Werewolves and centaurs are going to have swapped feeding times."
"I don't want to be away from you," Hibari snapped. "You can't leave me."
"You don't have much choice," Mukuro breathed. "C'mon, Hibarin, it's for the better good." Hibari came in and bit down on Mukuro's neck, then drank greedily, making the hunter close his eyes and lean back, quietly moaning. "Hibarin... no... not today... not like this... I can't... handle it..."
"You'll take it, because you love me," Hibari snarled, blood dripping down his chin. "I won't let you leave me."
"Hibarin... I...," Mukuro moaned quietly. "I love you, but... I really can't let you stay Heartsick... what I did was a terrible thing... I can't let you get any closer, or it'll just get worse."
Hibari frowned, then, overcome by desire, started to undress. "Get ready, Rokudo," he hissed. "I'm going to take you. And I can guarantee this won't be like last time."
Mukuro stared for a moment, dazed, then closed his eyes. He was too weak to fight back, even though he knew it was wrong.
Because he knew...
He wanted it, too.
-End Chapter
Phew. That took a LOT of effort, so please take some of that and put it your reviews, ne?
Course, the descriptions took up a lot of space. But whatever~ It was fun~
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