вroĸen raввιт. ♔

  Sweeping his hands through his bangs and sighing in exasperation, he analyzed the place– Hive City, it was called? His eyes scanned the horizon, taking note of the certain landmarks or buildings. It was too early to adapt but he might as well try to figure out what was going on. Moreover, he had other important duties to tend to rather than being stuck here. Determining the best course of action, he decided to talk to someone to gather information.

  As he approached the girl clad in a striking attire, Kurapika noticed that she was holding an object? …No it was something else. When the realization finally sunk in, he could feel the wrath boil up within him and his eyes automatically glowing scarlet with animosity. Of course it wasn’t directed at the girl but it was that thing. That spider. 

  It served as a reminder of how his brethren was wiped out. Their eyes being cruelly stolen. His ultimate quest to bring them back. Even if it was just a normal spider, his hatred and rage knows no bounds and will not waver. 

   ❝I suggest you put that vile abomination down. It is a hellish spawn that must be brought to its demise.❞ His voice was laced with bloodlust and every intention to kill it.

       His words, however, were what befuddled her most of all. The blonde spoke with such contempt when the thing she held seemed so harmless. It was very disconcerting, considering that she had no clue just what it was. Was it food or not?

       ❝...❞

       ❝--What is it?❞ She asked, still unbudging as the thing in question writhed around more. She refused to let it go until she knew what it was, in case it really was food. If this guy thought he could just take her meal then he had another thing coming.

What a shock! But there was another feeling that shrouded his amazement: disappointment. For the shortening of their game to be the result of a tree in the way? And just when he was about to really start playing?  The tantou couldn’t help but sulk, and gave a well-deserved look of scorn to the culpable trunk, placing his hands on his hips.

It didn’t take long for his gaze to move towards the being from which he heard gleeful chewing. And when the contagiousness of the girl’s mood worked its magic on him, any bitterness in his expression was quick to dissipate into a more inquisitive look, as he took interest in the happiness she exuded.

In fact, Imanotsurugi had been about to make a comment about how much she must like meat, but her sudden movements were quick to startle him, though momentarily. Her words, however, left more of a lasting impression. Manservant? He had heard of both ‘man’, and ‘servant’, but never put together. Arms limp at his sides, he could do little else but give the girl a blank stare.

    There was a short pause where her eyes lit up again.

    ❝You will serve me and get me meat whenever I please!!❞ How exciting for him. This kid should be thrilled at the thought. She didn’t just choose anyone to serve her -- only the worthy were chosen, the ones deemed useful in her eyes.

    Confused over the sword’s question about playing, she paused briefly, warmth filling her chest as she thought about having someone she could actually play with for once. Back home, there was never any time to play around as much as she liked, not with everything going on. And being imprisoned in a tower her entire early childhood made it a little hard to make friends. Mentally, she added this on as a rule on her ‘list of rules to being a manservant’ she just thought up of.

Madoka nodded and clasped her hands together in delight. “Of course– Plus you seem new here… its the least I can do as a welcome.” Having been at Hive City for a long time, she could recognize all unfamiliar new citizens. She took it upon herself to always show most of them around the metropolis. It was the least she could do since she too, used to be new and get lost a lot until some kind people helped her.

“My name is Madoka Kaname, by the way!” She added whimsically. 

A soft twinkle was heard as she opened the doors of the shop. The bell alerted the shopkeeper and asked both of them about their order. 

Since it was a meat shop, the pink-haired girl got a treat which looked like the one that Kyouko would always have around. 

     Eyes dilating, Alice darted around as she entered the store. She was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of meat, and drool slid out the side of her mouth as she ran over to the display case. There as so much and she wanted it all, but this wasn’t Seaweed Head buying--it was a stranger, a random pink girl whose name she had entirely missed in her elation.

     As the pink girl ordered, Alice's hands and face were pressed up against the glass. Her stomach gurgled noisily while she eyed around, trying to base her decision off of what looked most appetizing. Her face lit up as soon as she recognized something she liked.

    ❝Ah!❞

  “–?!” , there wasn’t much time for him to grasp the situation after he heard his name, shouted by a lovely, familiar voice, before something blocked his view after turning around and threw him to the ground.

He was left speechless for a moment, his eyes wide open staring into the eyes of the girl on top of him in surprise.   “Alice…?” , saying her name quietly, his expression would slowly brighten up, before pulling the girl into a tight hug, before releasing her after a few moments to look at her.

    ❝You idiot...❞

    She glared at the other, sniffling back her tears, only to have them spill down her cheeks in messy streams. ❝Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been--!?❞

    And truly, she had been. What a mystery this city was, and she had been whisked away here without anyone she knew -- until she saw the Nightray guy, the guy who was supposed to be dead, to make matters even stranger. To top it off, Oz and Gil had been nowhere to be found. She had worried over them, especially Oz. If anything was for certain, it was that Oz needed her protection. It was straining, wondering if he was left alone back in their own world, or if something else had happened to him altogether. He had an irritable knack for getting himself into trouble.

            Noire blinks, eyes watching the girl before her. She finds her own looks to be flattering to herself, the long strands of hair dancing through the wind. They stand out in the crowd, since most people that lived normally through the city hadn’t so much allowed their hair to grow at such length. Transfixed to her and her hair, she pictured it being tyed into pig tails. Reminding her of her friend, Severa.              This earns a chuckle from her and she excuses herself to the other who by now she must of caught attention of.

    ❝...Thanks.❞ She replied simply, a little flustered by the unexpected comment, but not enough to forget the manners which had been practically beaten into her with a paper fan. She could thank her onee-sama for that.

    Her gaze switched to her hair, which she ran a gloved hand through, before dropping it to observe the girl once again. She was dressed strangely, as most people here were, but it was unlike others she had seen and it ensnared the Baskerville’s interest. She turned towards her more fully in an effort to introduce herself.

In response to the question about being new, the ghoul nodded. So this girl’s name was ‘Alice’? It certainly wasn’t a Japanese name, but it was pretty. “F-Fueguchi Hinami… Or… Hinami Fueguchi if you’re…” What was the word for Europeans? Westville? Westful? Oh! “Western!”

    ❝Hi...Himani?❞

    She wrinkled her nose lightly. A nickname would come for this girl later if she couldn’t figure out her name before then. With that out of the way (mostly), she considered what to do. The rumbling in her stomach certainly helped that train of thought.

    ❝If you want, you can help me find some meat to eat.❞ Of course, the chain didn’t realize exactly what sort of impact her words would have on the other, more timid girl. She remained contentedly oblivious while she fantasized. Who knew what this city had to offer!

—- ✲ ) The sun’s brilliance caused Madoka to startlingly put her hands in her line of sight in an effort to shield her eyes from the glare. She winced softly. It was an unusual sunny day… However the pink-haired girl did not mind since it made the gloomy dark Hive City seem more radiant. It was as if the weather illuminated the city today; it seemingly took away the disparity that harbored within it’s walls. 

With her usual light bounce in her stroll, she scoured the various shops that her district had to offer. An interesting sight of another girl whom had her face plastered against the glass of a meat store caught her attention. She looked as if she walked out of a wonderland. It piqued Madoka’s curiosity at how the girl wasn’t entering the shop.

    ❝R-really--!? You’ll buy me something!?❞

    Balling her hands in tight fists near her chest, she was shaking at the thought, mouth salivating while she pictured all the possible meat this girl could get for her. Still new to the city, poor Alice was completely broke but yet she felt as though she was bordering on starvation almost constantly. She was unused to the currency back in her own time, let alone the one here, and mixed with her very limited schooling she found herself in quite a bind.

❝ Uhhh – ❞ Which direction? Len had no idea. He vaguely recalls seeing a restaurant earlier, but now that he thinks about it, he’s pretty sure it was a vegan place, and he knows this Alice girl would never let him live down taking her to a vegan place.

A flush of anxiety tugged on Len’s chest. Which way are we going, she had asked, and it serves as a reminder that neither of them know where they are or how to get around – and if Len doesn’t get street smart soon, he could end up in serious trouble. The involuntary thought of accidentally leading Alice to a dangerous place triggers a sort of protective attitude in Len. He won’t let that happen, he vows to himself.

Len looked at Alice’s eager expression again, and his face relaxed. He started, ❝ Hive City is weird, to be honest. I’m not sure, but we’ll be able to find something.❞

Gesturing to a nearby path, Len takes his best guess:

    ❝Come on, Len, hurry!!❞

    Alice paid no mind to the fact that he didn’t seem to know where he was going. As long as he supplied the money, they would be okay. It was in her very nature to sniff out any restaurant or place that withheld meat, so she felt confident enough in her abilities to not be phased.

    She was all buzzing energy and excitement as she led them down the path, and it wasn’t too long before she finally caught a whiff of what she desired most -- meat.

    ❝Len! I think I found a place!❞ 

  She quickly sat down by the stranger, hands reaching out to grab the triangular slice from her. It was messy and grease spread on her gloved hands, but Alice paid it no attention--she was too enraptured by what was just about to enter her mouth. She took a bite, and immediately brightened, perking up.

See, Imanotsurugi made his mistake when turning his head back, overeager to praise his chaser, for he was quite pleased that his playmate could keep up with him! No thought of the dangers which could arise while looking anywhere but ahead had flickered across his mind.

   ❝Woah! You’re not so bad!!❞

   ❝Aha! I’ve got it!!❞

   Wasting almost no time, she chomped down on the stick, pulling what was left of the meat straight off it. Her cheeks puffed out with a beam of happiness as she chewed, nearly forgetting the boy was still there. After swallowing, she acknowledged his presence once again. Whipping out a finger to point at him, foot stomping on the ground to accent her confidence, she came up with a plan on the spot.

   ❝You, brat!❞ She called out, ❝I’ve decided to make you my new manservant.❞