Captured Hearts

Chapter Forty: The Returned

*WARNING: This chapter will seem very 1884-ish! Remember, in the end, it will end up as 6918, so don't quit on me! Besides, we still have AT LEAST 10 more chapters to get there.

Science Center for Supernatural Beings- Japan Branch- Lab- A week later, at 12:00 AM

"Mukuro! You're back!" Dino announced, smiling brightly. "Who's that with you...?" Mukuro placed a hand on the young morph's shoulder.

"This is Enma. He might be the last morph in the world."

"A morph!" Dino repeated. "... You shouldn't have brought the young thing here! Mukuro, things have taken a turn for the worst. Reborn says that we're going to enslave vampires- if a morph shows here...!"

"Shh," Mukuro said, placing a finger over his lips. "Enma, go full vampire." The young morph lost the feathers in his hair, his hooves transformed into human feet with claws, and then, he opened his mouth, giving a quiet moan as his canines elongated into vampire fangs. "He's actually a really tame morph," the hunter said. "Anyway, where is my vampire?"

"Ah, well... all right...," Dino sighed, starting out of the lab. He and Mukuro went over into the main enclosure, and Mukuro saw his vampire immediately. The hunter ran over to the elite, but just before he could hug his love, another vampire raced in front of him, arms outstretched.

"No!" Basil shouted. "Thou must stay away from him, hunter... he art at last happy without thee!"

"What?" Mukuro repeated, before grinning. "Fufu, he would never forget about his true love, silly Basil. Hibarin!"

Hibari turned, and his pale face quickly grew red. He moved around Basil to Mukuro, and looked the hunter up and down, wondering why he was so drawn to Mukuro. After all, he'd determined that he loved Basil, right? "Mukuro," Hibari greeted, folding his arms. "You're back."

"Yes, I am," Mukuro said with only a hint of awkwardness. He held out his arms. "Come now, Hibarin, don't be shy."

"... What, exactly, are you asking of me?" Hibari asked. The hunter was quickly starting to grow short on patience.

"A little hug, you know. Because you did miss me, right, vampire?" he said. Although Mukuro inwardly cursed himself for referring to Hibari as a monster, he knew that something just wasn't right with the other. Hibari paused, then shook his head, and Mukuro frowned. "Hug me, Hibari Natsu Kyoya II," he ordered. The enclosure grew dead silent, and all of the creatures watched as Hibari stepped forward, leaned in, and wrapped his arms around the illusionist's body. The tension was unbearable, even for a man like Mukuro, and while Hibari lingered in the embrace, clearly waiting for permit to stop, the hunter found tears- a foreign substance- arising within his mismatched gaze. "Do you love me?" he whispered. Hibari backed up, and gave the hunter an odd look.

"No... I love Basil..."

Mukuro's mouth hung open, and he covered it with one hand, stepping back. "What...?" he gasped. "Basil...?"

"Damn, I knew this would happen," Dino sighed. Mukuro glared at him.

"What? What happened?" he shouted, lunging out and grabbing Dino's collar. The tamer gasped, but remained on level ground with the hunter as he explained.

"We managed a supplement for Heartsickness, but it only cures the Heartsickness by stealing away the true love that the creature felt," Dino admitted.

"What...?" Mukuro said, trying to blink the excessive tears out of his eyes. "No... then why are all the other creatures still together...?"

"They woke up beside each other in the morning," Dino sighed. "You were gone when Hibari woke up. So it's likely that the tide has changed." Mukuro trembled, then bit his lip, rejecting the idea with all of his might. It had to be a sick joke that everyone pulled together. The hunter would not have it.

"Hibari Natsu Kyoya II, bite my throat and drink my blood," he commanded, his eyes blazing. The vampire gulped, then walked back to the hunter, and came in close, opening his mouth wide as he instinctively pinpointed the safest place to bite, but just before he could sink his fangs into the flesh and remember all of the times they had loved together... regain their lost blood bond...

BANG.

The vampire paused, and took a wobbly step back, before fainting on the spot. "What the hell...?" Mukuro muttered, looking over his shoulder. "Reborn?"

"Don't worry. It's just a sedative," said Reborn. "Mukuro Rokudo, allowing a vampire to bite you... That's strictly against the rules- have you forgotten? Who's this?" he asked, glancing at Enma.

"Ah, that's Enma. He's a... vampire... that I caught," Mukuro said. "I decided to bring him back here."

"... Well, all right," Reborn sighed, before placing a hand on Mukuro's shoulder. "Look. These vampires... they aren't our equals, right? So remember not to get to attatched to them." With that, he walked away. "Dino? Close the observation overhang. No one else should be coming in until five tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir," Dino sighed. He looked at Mukuro. "You can stay here for a while. I know you want to catch up."

Mukuro nodded, and looked at the unconcious vampire on the ground. Basil was at Hibari's side, stroking through the elite's hair as he cared for his mate. But both he and Mukuro knew that Hibari's 'true love' for Basil wasn't true love at all, but a false true love created from the absence of Mukuro when his Heartsickness had been cured. The hunter knelt down beside the elite vampire, and placed his hand over Basil's on Hibari's chest. The young vampire looked up, and his sky blue eyes met Mukuro's. "Hunter?" Basil murmured. "Art thou... all right?"

"Do you want to be freed?" Mukuro asked. "Do you want to be set free with Hibarin at your side?"

Basil's eyes shone for a moment. "Would thou do such a thing?"

"I at least want to be remembered by him for that much," Mukuro said softly. "I know he's... happy with you."

Basil reached out, and cupped the hunter's cheek. "Dost thou truly wish for his blood to enter Lord Hibarin's system?" Mukuro gave a slow nod, and the young vampire leaned over the body of his mate, then bit down on Mukuro's neck. He swallowed the blood by the mouthful, knowing that it would go directly into his bloodstream where Hibari himself would soon find it. Mukuro shuddered at the feeling of the fangs piercing his skin, as he hadn't experienced it for a while, and he quivered, imagining the vampire that once belonged to him in Basil's place. The young vampire soon backed off, however, and he gave a quiet apology for any pain as he sat back.

"You really are the perfect one for him," Mukuro murmured, his eyes filled with sorrow. "I should've been kinder while he was still mine." Basil sighed, and continued to rub his mate's stomach, smiling at the hunter.

"Thou hast redeemed thyself, hunter," he said. "I wilt make certain that Lord Hibarin dost not ever forget thee."

Mukuro stood. "At one tonight, we'll have a sendoff celebration. All of the others should be at home or asleep by then. Three o'clock, I get you two out of here. Let everyone know."

Basil nodded, and stood as well, then stepped forward, placing a hand on Mukuro's shoulder. "Thank thee, hunter. I art in thy debt."

"I'll be back in an hour," Mukuro replied. The hunter walked back to the entrance of the enclosure, and over to Dino, who was shooing observers out of the balcony that hung over the main enclosure.

"But there's a new creature...," someone complained. Dino sighed.

"Come back again later... we need our sleep, as do the animals..."

"Dino," Mukuro said as some of the last observers left. "There's something I need to share with you." The two turned towards each other, and Dino nodded.

"Yes?"

"I'm setting Basil and Hibarin free," the hunter whispered. Dino's caramel eyes grew wide.

"R-really?"

"They've displayed enough love, haven't they?" Mukuro said. "I guess they kind of deserve it."

"Oh, Mukuro," Dino said, his eyes shining. He moved in close and gave Mukuro a tight hug. "I'm touched... a hunter... ready to set two of his catches free...!"

"Oh, shut up," Mukuro muttered. "It's for his sake."

"His...? Hibarin's?" Dino murmured, before smiling. "Ah. I see."

"Do me a favor, Dino," Mukuro said. "Instead of all of these fish that everyone always eats, go out and buy a feast for each of the species. I'll pay you a hundred thousand yen."

"A hundred thousand?" Dino repeated.

"Shh. You know what they all like best," Mukuro explained. "The best substitute for blood in a vampire's diet was...? What, again? Tomato juice?"

"No, no, they hate that," Dino chuckled. "The best substitute is actually saltwater. A lot of tamers just dye it red."

"Ah," Mukuro said. "Well, head on out soon. You've got an hour. Is there anyone else we can trust?"

"Well... I would like to bring up Xanxus and Squalo."

"All right, but you're going to have to handle them," Mukuro replied. "I'll get all of the other creatures together. See you at one!"

"Uh- see you!" Dino called as the hunter ran back into the main enclosure.

When Mukuro stepped into the main enclosure, he found that all of the creatures had already assembled into groups by species, and Basil was talking to each of them, explaining what would be taking place in an hour. "You're being freed?" Fon repeated. "Oh, congratulations~ Maybe someday, Colonello and I will be able to walk out of this place together..."

"I'll bet we will!" Colonello announced.

"Focus, everyone!" Basil proclaimed. "Listen, since this is clearly not going to be an event that the scientists will approve of, we need to have security when Lord Rokudo leads us out."

"Oya oya? Calling me Lord, now?" Mukuro chuckled, walking over to the young vampire. "Whatever happened to addressing me as 'hunter'?"

"Nothing happened," Basil muttered, a light blush tinting his pale cheeks. "It's just a formality."

"Right, well..." The hunter looked about at the groups before him. "We do have a lot of creatures, don't we?"

"Please try to focus," Basil replied. "We needst to break down all of the cameras."

Well, Byakuran can handle that," Mukuro said, looking over at the pegataur in the back of the centaur group. "Kufufu~ C'mon, Byakuran, you would love to, right?" The halfbreed slowly walked forth, and Mukuro arched an eyebrow to see how dreadful Byakuran looked. "Oh, my. Can't sleep?" he asked. The pegataur had dark rings around his eyes, and he was almost as pale as his hair was white.

"It's just... romance trouble...," the hybrid muttered, before yawning. "Breaking cameras? I suppose I could do that..."

"Romance trouble?" Mukuro repeated. "... Seriously?"

"Lord Byakuran hast been suffering from the fact that his brother hast cometh back from the dead to taketh away his lover... or something of the sort," Basil said. "More importantly, I needst ask... what is this whole sendoff for? Should we not be discreet about this entire ordeal?"

"Well, you guys have friends in this enclosure, right?" Mukuro pointed out. "I don't think it would be so good if you just up and left."

"I wouldn't be so happy if you took my cousin and got out of here, Basil," Fon chuckled.

Suddenly, Fran launched himself out of the merpeople pond, and Belphegor rushed to his side, then picked him up in his arms. "Fran has something to say!" the princely werewolf declared. Fran rolled his eyes as his lover carried him to the front of the crowd, but he did, indeed, have something to say.

"Why don't you just free all of us?" he asked. "I mean, why would you just have a sudden change in heart for Basil and Hibarin?"

"Well, if I free all of you, I'll just get fired," the hunter said with a hint of awkwardness. "Look, I'll take better care of the lot of you than I used to. Isn't that good enough?"

"So no more killing our families and waving it in front of our noses?" Fran deadpanned. "Yeah. That would be nice."

Mukuro sighed. "You guys..." Suddenly, a certain ravenette decided he was ready to come out of his unconcious state, and he stood up, then looked around.

"Huh...? It's not my birthday...," Hibari murmured. "What's going on?"

"Lord Hibarin," Basil said, turning his mate towards him. "The hunter intends to free us tonight."

"Huh? Mukuro does?" Hibari looked at Mukuro, and suddenly, he recalled everything he had gone through with the hunter, but he did not regain his feelings. "Mukuro...," he murmured.

"Nice to see that you're back," the hunter said in a less sweet tone. "Basil's telling the truth. I'm setting you both free." A trace of sadness crossed Hibari's face, and the elite vampire stepped forward, bringing his former mate into an embrace.

"I'm sorry," he breathed into the hunter's ear. "I'm so sorry." Mukuro teared up, and he gently patted the vampire on the back. "You can't stand seeing me with Basil, so you're freeing us," Hibari sighed.

"It's okay," Mukuro murmured. "I want you to be happy."

"I loved you."

"I still do."

CRASH.

Byakuran landed back on the ground, sighing, "I broke the cameras."

"Good work, Byakuran," Basil said. Hibari backed away from Mukuro, his eyes clearly displaying his apologetic sentiments, and Mukuro gave a small nod- permission for the elite to return to his mate. Hibari did so, and Mukuro stood up straight, preparing to speak.

"We'll all feast and enjoy the night while the scientists are away," Mukuro said. "And, although it is greatly against my morals, we're going to be family tonight. We're sending Hibari and Basil off in four hours."

"All right," everyone said at some point. Mukuro nodded, and started back into his room, intending to tidy up a bit and use his laptop to disarm the sensors that went off whenever a vampire exited the enclosure with a bracelet on.

Kusakabe looked at the vampire he had just recently reunited with, and he looked down. "... Damn."

Science Center for Supernatural Beings- Japan Branch- The Hunter's Bedroom- 1:00 AM

"I got everything," Dino said, holding several bags in his arms. Mukuro sighed, and took the bags from him.

"All right, I'll take these into the main enclosure, and you go get Squalo and Xanxus," the hunter said, before leaving his room. Dino stared after him, a smile on his face. How nice it was that for once in his life, Mukuro was on equal terms with all of the SCSB's captives. The blonde chuckled to himself, and went down the stairs from Mukuro's room, then turned to head down to the lowest, darkest room in the entire science center. While Dino feared Xanxus with a passion, he determined that all that time spent with Squalo must've softened up his rugged heart, even if just a little.

"Xanxus! Squalo!" Dino called, lighting a lantern as he headed down the stairs. "There's something important that you ought to join in..." The blonde paused as the lantern revealed the floor to be soaked with blood, and he gulped, holding the lantern up. He saw Squalo's discarded, unconcious body on the floor, and immediately paniced. The dark gleam of Xanxus's fearsome gaze went unnoticed as Dino rushed to Squalo's side, and the tamer checked for a pulse, knowing that Xanxus must've taken his bloodlust too far... again. "Oh, Squalo...," Dino sighed, "you're lucky you're alive..."

"Get your paws off of him, tamer," growled the low voice from the corner. "If you don't... I'll tear you to shreds."

Dino looked up, and his heart began to race with fear as he saw the bloody gaze of the nearly insane vampire, Xanxus. "Please, let me explain," the tamer whispered. Xanxus gave a low growl in reply, and he slowly moved forward. Somehow, Dino knew what was coming, and he anticipated it, because regardless of the fact that he hadn't done anything to the vampire, he felt as though he needed to compensate for some terrible sin. Dino sat still as Xanxus came close, locking his jaws around his throat, and sucking with that intense, searing pain that most vampires learned to avoid creating. The blonde coughed, his body wracked by the sudden bloodloss, and he rasped, "Xanxus, you and Squalo were invited to come upstairs... we're having a send off for Hibarin and Basil. They're being set free."

"S-send of... huh...? Xanxus... get off 'im...," Squalo muttered, weakly sitting up. The merman placed a hand on his mate's back. "C'mon, 'e was just doing his job... Xanxus... 'oy, Xanxus... ... VOOOOI! GET THE HELL OFF 'IM SO WE CAN GO TO THE DAMNED THING!"

At last, the vampire backed off, but his eyes still blazed with fury. Dino had a sense that this wasn't over yet.

-End Chapter

Video Update: All right! It looks like we might have a Mukuro, so Basil and Hibari are still open for voice-acting. (Just chapter one)

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