Last night, following Shigure's sudden departure. Asuga stood opposite her father in his study, Murakami Einzbern, an austere and paranoid man. How nice of him to leave this mess on my actual doorstep. Her jaw was firmly set, not concealing her vexation in the slightest.

Her father's study was more of a library as along its walls were wooden shelves of books regarding Thaumaturgical theory, Alchemy, self-published works, and related formulas, some of which being exclusive to the Einzbern lineage. The books were, of course, all meticulously seperated by category. Such things would be expected of a man seemingly posessed by his work.
Light filtered through the adjacent stained glass window which portrayed the image of a martyr, hung and shunned by peers and detractors, a remnant of the Einzbern's western origin. She watched her father move to the other side of his cluttered desk and take a seat.

Get this over with, she restrained the urge to roll her eyes.

Murakami produced a wooden tobacco pipe from his sleeve, one equally as polished as the cane with which he stood, and placed it into his mouth. Plumes of smoke rose from its head upon it making contact with his lips, he seemingly bypassed the act of lighting the pipe itself. Such were the mundane abilities of an accomplished magus, bringing about 'miracles' on a whim. A miracle was a non-reproducable act of magecraft, ergo, magic. But it was a 'miracle' more so because Nobody else does that except this geezer. Old man thinks he's too good to use a lighter.

"That boy's clearly a magus, why did you bring him onto our property?" Murakami appraised her fidgety demeanor, his compact inky eyes and dense brows afforded him an intimidating aura even in his old age.
The intensity of his gaze drew forth sweat from her pores as if they were magnetised to it. "I was confirming a suspicion, father."

"Continue."

"To keep a long story short, I noticed him when he was enrolled and joined my class. His eyes constantly leaked mana, yet he seemed to be indifferent to that fact. Either he has absurd amounts of Od," Od was one's life force, an inner source of mana facilitating the activation of spells. "or he manages to replenish it at a rate faster than it is depleted by, what I assume, are some brand Mystic Eyes, an equally absurd notion."

"Stop." He exhaled a stream of smoke. "Mystic Eyes don't explain why you brought him to this property."

"I needed a confirmation. An inconspicuous application of Magecraft, the Bounded-Field surrounding our property." She bit her lip. "And, he has a peculiar looking crest, it piqued my interest." Finally, she swept a curtain of her hair aside. "I've also grown fond of him, he is someone I consider a friend after all, despite his... peculiarities. Naturally, I invited him to my home."

She put the knowledge of the Einzbern family at stake out of mere fancy? No, my research at stake?

Smoke billowed from Murakami's nose as his body shuddered and his expression darkened. He removed the pipe from his mouth and rested it between his fingers.
Asuga almost reached out to grab her father's shoulders, pausing halfway before retracting her hands. "Are you alright, father?" Although she disliked her father, her piety was instinctual.

Murakami clasped his hands and leant forward. "Did I raise you to be so easily swayed by your emotions?" Drops of sweat poured from her face as if wrung from a cloth while his eyes shone as the colour red diffused across his eyes, the Einzbern's trademark eye colour.
Asuga's body stiffened until she could do no more than breathe. He's using his Mystic Eyes of Binding!? Her body dropped to the ground, being gently caught by the rug. At the same time, Murakami moved to her. "You need to learn some discipline. You are an heir to the Einzbern's knowledge and this is how you act? Like a petulant child." He prodded her stomach with his cane as if she were cattle.

She gagged. He raised his cane, preparing to bring it down on her. All he cares about is a former glory we can't reclaim.

"Das Schließen Soundproofing. Vogelkäfig."

A translucent dome-shaped Bounded-Field encapsulated her body, repelling the cane. A teenage boy stood in the doorway with a bag slung over his shoulder held with one hand. His other arm revealed a rolled sleeve and magic crest sprawling across the length of his forearm. Touji, she breathed a sigh of relief. Why did he soundproof the fucking thing?

He yawned into his hand. "What happened now?" The words left Touji's mouth with an air of nonchalance as he scratched behind his ear buried beneath his spiky bush of hair. To Asuga, who still lied on the ground, it was like a silent film. Murakami's gaze shifted to Touji, undoing the binding. She wasted no time in disrupting his field.

Asuga staggered to her feet, clutching her stomach.

"Remove yourself from my sight."

She promptly retreated to her room, but not before whispering "Thanks." to Touji as she passed by him in the doorway. Touji's eyes betrayed no concern. "Be no such thing. Thankfulness is dependency." He curtly responded in his distinct flat-tone. He took after the bastard alright, but he cares at least. Asuga reached her room, locking herself insisde.

The gargantuan room was sparsely decorated. A four-poster bed, occupied its center. Besides that, a bedside table with a lamp, a desk, and chairs which seldom saw use by visitors. The chairs were only symbols of a hollow existence. In addition, her room featured an en-suite bathroom which she entered, running a bath for herself. Magecraft is an illness. It drives them all so mad. It was a small, rectangular bathroom which lacked windows, only having a vent. Her safe place.
She stripped and slipped into the bath. The vent hummed a comforting tune, lulling her into a trance.

During the next day, Shigure roamed the school's busy hallways during lunch hour, catching a glimpse of Asuga who appeared to be distant. Her eyes were glazed, like voids. She's not bothering me today. He felt a vague compulsion to engage her. She looked to him, their eyes met. She looked through him.

"Hey, dumbass. Don't just stare at me, say hello." I didn't notice it the other day, but there's less of a mana concentration around his eyes.

"Hello." I was too hopeful.

She was taken aback. "What? No wisecrack?" He usually has something to say.

"I've got no material."

As Asuga underwent change, he underwent change also. Emotional volatility was a hallmark of the Uchiha as it was their main source of power despite their disdain for attachments.

They traded glances before she grabbed his wrist, dragging him through the hallways which were packed on account of the poor weather, ushering him to the rooftop. I'll just go along with this as usual.

The clouds were dark, the rain, dense. A terribly sullen sky.
She stepped out into the rain with her arms outstretched and hands open to catch it.

"Shigure, you know that I know."

"I didn't think you had a flair for the dramatic, Asuga." He scratched his chin. "Were you expecting me to know that you know that I know that you know? Because I thought I got away with it."

"Das Schließen Soundproofing. Vogelkäfig." Her accent was thick. A magic field went up.

"I hope you don't plan on going against me." I only know the basic spells but they should be enough. Since my crest is only partial, I suppose I wasn't very skilled prior to my memory loss.

"I just wanted some privacy, you fool." her retort was quicker than usual. If he is a magus I'll be able to identify him by his family name. "You know, Shigure, I've never caught your last name.". If not, then a Spellcaster? A Spellcaster being one who did not subscribe to the way of Magi.

"Uchiha." That bloodthirsty clan booted from the association. I'd heard of them but weren't they eradicated by some Dead Apostle? Is this another of his jokes? He'd usually just reply 'Shigure' with a deadpan expression. What changed?

"Shigure Uchiha, it suits you." She faced away from him, looking over the city. "You were quite the mystery to me when you showed up at this school."

"Likewise, I wondered why you took such an interest in me. Also, this isn't how you usually speak." I see we've both been hiding things.

"Shut up." Even with her apparent zen-like disposition his words could still grate. "And are you saying you didn't know your eyes gave you away?"

This was a long time coming anyways.
"I lost my memories some time ago. But I've recently recovered them, well, mostly."

He's been walking with deliberate steps. He's nothing like he's been for the past year or since he arrived, it's like he's been revitalised. Well, he's only slightly different. "Memory loss is convenient."

Sometime last year, homeroom began.
"…We have a new student joining us." The teacher gestured to the new student. "Please introduce yourself."
He was clearly an irreverent student, judging by the way he stood with a hand in his pocket. Shaggy black-hair whose length flew in the face of any regulation, eyes so narrow they were on the verge of becoming slits. Gaunt and predatory, a starved wolf. But, admittedly, he was handsome with an air of mystique about himself which drew the others which he rebuffed to himself.

He looks like he's about to keel over. Asuga, who sat at the front of the class, gave him a once over.

"I'm Shigure." The boy wearily waved to the class with his free hand. "I'll be in your care, that is if you want to take care of me." A few students snickered at the additional remark.
He moved to an unoccupied desk with soundless footsteps.

The teacher wasn't amused. I've got another weird one in my class.

Drip… Drip, the sound of water trickling down her hair which was now slick with it pulled her from the memory. Shigure was also damp with rainwater.

"Don't get distracted, Asuga. Anyways, if that's what you wanted to know, now you do. There's nothing left to speak of." On cue, the clouds parted, randomly spotlighting parts of the city and rooftop in dull light. He turned to walk away, not looking back as he said "If you're not coming, I'm going. But if you are, then I'm not going." For some reason, I'd like to hold onto whatever 'it' is that we have.

There are other ways to say that you want me to be around, Shigure. "Hmph." I'll put my questions on hold. I haven't forgotten about that woman either.

Knock, Knock, "Mind taking this thing down?" He scratched his head while standing at the boundary of the field.

"You can take it down yourself, I'm sure you know how." She walked by Shigure, phasing through the field. I'm not leaving here without something to show for it. Now show me your Magecraft. She stood opposite him in front of the staircase leading to the rooftop.

He shrugged with both arms. "Alright, but I'm a little rusty." I don't exactly feel like breaking my hand. His hand turned into a haze when he wound it back. "Chidori Eiso." Thrusting his hand forward, a straight spear of lightning cut through the field, Bzzt. A crack should be enough to disrupt it since she's not supplying it with much mana.
As he foretold it, the dome shattered into polygonal fragments, turning into a fine mist before being carried off by the wind.

What a crude use of Magecraft. But now I've determined that he is well-versed in Alchemy.

The spear stopped just short of her face, blowing a gust of wind at her face. "Watch it, facility boy." She stared down the tip of the lightning spear then sneered at him.
"My bad, you know how it is being institutionalised. I couldn't let you diss me like that." Asuga sighed, Back to his nonsense as usual already. How does he even know that slang, what does he do in his spare time? "Hey, where I live, it's killed or be killed."

"Shut up already, class started a few minutes ago." Not waiting for him, she left him standing on the rooftop. The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. At his locker he heard footsteps, and assuming it was Asuga, he turned.

Noel-sensei?
"Shigure, I noticed you were absent the other day without any reason." She winked at him and raised a finger to her lips. "Don't worry you can tell Noel-sensei what happened." Her tongue ran across her bottom lip.

Am I being groomed right now? He looked around, noticing a male student lingering in the hallway. Oi, you walking by… The student slowed down and mouthed "sorry." not wanting to draw attention to himself. Don't run off!

Noel closed in on him, her face almost touching his. Heat radiated from her in waves. He turned away from her. "I was ill the other day." She placed a hand on his forehead, checking his temperature. "Seems like you're still burning up." He swatted her hand away.

"Just kidding!" Noel backed away. "But Shigure, you're really a jerk." She casually strolled away as if nothing untoward had occured.

And are you even a teacher?!

Asuga walked by, seeing Noel walk away from him. "What was she talking to you about?"

Shigure shrugged. "My attendance, but towards the end she seemed more interested in Jamaican chicken recipes."

She overlooked over his comment.
"Okay... I wasn't done with you on that rooftop. Walk with me." They left the school and strode through its gates. She pointed at his eyes as they walked.

He looked at her. "Mystic Eyes, you know this already."

Not long after they left, sounds of the station coming into view broke the ambiance of the silent streets. Meanwhile, her finger poked his head, twisting around like a drill head.

"Are you using age regression to cope or are you genuinely unable to speak?"

"Your memories. How'd you lose them?"

Ah, Arcueid should be around here. Memory of his planned meeting with her ran through his head. No use in ditching Asuga, and I might need her help. Ignoring her question, he said "I'm meeting someone at the station, I want you to tag along."

She stopped. No point in asking who he's meeting, it's unlikely I'd know. And since when did he have friends. Unless... It's that woman I saw with him before. "I've got time to kill."

They headed into the station as he finished talking, passing through the strainer of people huddled on the platform. I won't let her get the jump on me this time. Time decelerated such that all appeared to be stood still, really, it was simply the case of his visual perception accelerating. The world took on a blue tone. There she is.

Asuga was staring at his eyes. He must've been wearing contacts to conceal them, a pair of 'killers' would've suppressed them and removed all traces of mana. "Don't look into them, Asuga." Adding to that remark, "I also get the feeling you see me more as a science project rather than a social one now."

Again, Asuga slammed his back with her hand, her mollifying signature move. "Of course not, Shigure. I'd never be so cruel." Damn right I do, you anomaly.

Of course you wouldn't, Asuga. He pointed at something, someone in the distance. A blonde-haired woman standing at the right-end of the platform.

"Arcueid."
He walked besides Arcueid who stood by the platform, standing to her left side while Asuga stood to her right.

"I didn't know you had friends, Shigure." She flashed a toothy grin, intentionally exposing her sharpened incisors to Asuga.

Nothing about this man is normal, and nobody around him is. Shit. That includes myself.

Asuga regarded Arcueid with a guarded demeanor. Arcueid's was the opposite.

"I'm just here to watch over him." Her voice was monotone. I finally get to see what this guy gets up to outside of school.

"I see." Arcueid swiped her hair, gave Asuga a sidelong look and said "The more the merrier as they say."

A train pulled into the station. The trio entered, occupying a corner of the empty train carriage. Shigure sat on one side next to Arcueid while Asuga sat opposite to them. His heart raced and his skin subtly glistened with a sheen of sweat.

I haven't been on a mission in ages. Why am I calling it a mission? Oh well, this was to be expected when a vampire suggested the idea of sleuthing. I'm... excited.

"So a vampire, magus, and a magus walk into a train." He paused. "I don't know what the punchline is because that is yet to be seen." Come on Asuga, say something. Instead, Arcueid softly chuckled. "You really know how to pick your moments."

Asuga cut through the preamble. "Where are we headed?"

"Why don't you fill her in, Shigure?" Arcueid tilted her head to him.

"We're going hunting." He raised his hand to stop Asuga's outburst. "I'm sure you're aware of the Vampire Killings, occuring in the area. I think you can put two and two together."

"And you invited me, why?" The corner of her mouth twitched.

Because he doesn't trust me. Arcueid's eyes flicked between the two of them while she wore a pleased expression.

"Morale." Now isn't the time to make her privy to my arrangement with Arcueid. "You know you're interested, don't deny it."

He's right, but I don't trust that woman. And I don't want to leave him with her. The biggest question is, why does he know her? The train screeched to a halt, prompting Arcueid to shoot up from her seat.

"Alright, we're here, make up your minds."

Asuga and Shigure looked at one another. "Fine, Shigure, I'll tag along this time." They rose from their seats, exiting into the station, then the streets.

It was night. The clouds were thin and the moon shone .

Upon exiting the station, they were greeted with the sight of a shrine's walls hanging over them on the other side of the road.

"Let's head in."