semi-hiatus

idolofdeceit

Butterflies, how odd?

It was strange for Uggae to see the blue butterflies. Souls that echoed to her and asked her for help, or at least asked her to look at them. She smiled to the souls that were all around her, her eyes coming ‘alive’ with curiosity on a particular one that was broken, strong but broken. Holding the soul in her hands she smiled to the butterfly as she took off one of her gloves and gently touched it. 

Back in those days, he and the other kids in the sewer would climb up to the streets to either beg for food or steal if they were pushed to the brink of their desperation. Kou recalled how he was kicked and hit by the street vendors for stealing from them. And even then when he was taken by the orphanage, the treatment was no better. Too violated and too scarred for an eight-year-old boy like him. Being desired by those damn sadistic aristocrats was a nightmare up until now. Most of the nights, he would wake up in panic-- his eyes and hands frantically searching for any proof that he wasn't reliving those days.

And to make matters worse, Ruki-kun wasn't around to calm him down and assure him that he wasn't in the orphanage anymore.

“They’re dead… all of them… the ones who put you through such a horrible fate have gotten what they deserved”

Kou placed a halt to his steps upon finding a woman standing before him with a gentle smile adorning her lips. He blinked in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?" When the lady then introduced herself, Kou frowned. Did she expect him to believe her that easily? He wasn't an idiot. She must be one of Karl Heinz's associates, probably assigned to mess with him as some kind of life test. He looked around cautiously before leaning in closer to the girl to speak in a hushed tone.

“Hm…I see. That is a good and a bad thing: good because it is heartening to hear nobody has encountered troubles as of yet, but bad because the ‘dark things’ that may be here may be hidden, if it has not been spied straight away. In which case, it may be more difficult to counter.” A pause, then, at the other asking what he would do if he saw a troublemaker. “It depends on the situation. Some troublemakers may be able to be reasoned with through logic and words, but I know a peaceful approach may not work all the time. If that be the case, I will deal with them myself.”

He saw the obvious interest in the other’s eye, and underneath his robes, Laurent folded his arms, looking as if in thought: but in reality, this ‘innocent’ looking motion was not only to look thoughtful, but grasp a gloved hand on his spell book in case of attack. He didn’t wish to fight, not really - by standards may get involved and be hurt and besides, nor did he wish to badly harm anyone, but he would use his wind magic to attempt pushing away if he had to.

“….’Magic wand?’ Well. Healers do use staves to utilize magic, that is true - but that is not to say all folk need them to use it. …I am uncertain of what ‘Harry Potter-ish’ means, exactly, but - you say wizards do not exist?” 

 Wizard…that was not something he had heard term-wise before, but given the context, he was smart enough to know it was another term for a ‘mage’.

How very curious. Mages were something well-known of in his realm : to see something so normal and logical dismissed as nothing more than a ‘fairy tale’ felt rather surreal, especially considering he dwelled in such magic.

Or, at least that's what the idol was trying to convince himself. It felt too surreal to be actually meeting someone who just stepped out of a Harry Potter book after all. Being over a hundred years old, Kou had always considered himself as someone who had seen and experienced almost everything to the point that he had gotten bored of the life this day's modern society had provided him. However, now facing a supposedly fantasy being, he was beyond confused. For the past few years, everything has been so ordinary other than Yui stepping into his life. And now, a wizard standing before him? He knew denying it would be pointless so instead, Kou grinned before stepping to his companion's side and swinging an arm over his shoulders.

"Whether wizards do exist or not, it doesn't matter!" He waved his free hand in the air dismissively with a good-natured laugh. "Unless you can prove that they're real, then I see no reason why we should even be talking about this. Anyways, why dontcha take a break from this mission of yours and have a snack with me, yeah? It'll be my treat!"

Figuring this guy out will be too much of a pain and will require too much effort. Kou had settled upon the thought that the lesser he knows, the better the chance of him staying out of trouble. He was already in this city for his shenanigans after all-- he didn't need Karl Heinz rubbing salt to his injury. Speaking of that person, just how long was he intending on keeping him here?

The vampire shook that thought away then pulled the other male along with him to leave the alleyway.

He didn’t miss it one bit… is what he would have liked to say, but that wasn’t entirely the truth. Despite all the rough days he had made so many precious memories, met people who were dear to him and gone on adventures on a daily basis. In comparison the life in Koi seemed almost boring. It was unimaginable that spotting a single person could shake that feeling, but here he sat.

It was supposed to be different; so why was he seeing that kind of aura here? That deep red that folded out almost like scarlet wings engulfing the very air. What was a Blood Breed doing in a place like this?!

He was scared. No, he was beyond scared. How could a creature like this be running wild outside of Hellsalem’s Lot where there were no Libra to deal with them? Unfortunately he had been staring for far too long, and the other had also noticed him. Feeling the sweat of horror spread on his face, Leo lowered his gaze as the other approached.

...refreshing.

He would be lying if he said he didn't miss the sense of dominance over someone. Why this guy was afraid of him though, Kou couldn't be certain. He looked back over his shoulder to see his fangirls still watching them with curious eyes, obviously just as confused as he was regarding the young male's behavior. Kou pursed his lips and directed his attention on the dark-haired boy once again, leaning in close.

"Mistook me for someone else?" He stalled, his treasured crimson right eye glowing underneath his blond fringes in an attempt to read the other's mind. However, doing so had only pushed him further into confusion when all he heard was the word 'why' over and over again. One thing's for certain though, this guy was lying to him.

          ;; 「Cut out the lousy act,」 he demanded, smirk withstaining, but eyes stern enough to pierce through a rock. It wouldn’t take a genius to tell that he meant business and that he didn’t enjoy being made a fool of.

          ;; 「You reek from miles off. Even the lowest ranks would be able to tell you apart from the rest of these petty humans. Who do you even take me for? I am the King of Despair, and if you’re clever then you’ll do best to make me a friend. Is that understood?」Naturally he had no way of knowing how influential this guy was in the Alterworld, but it was fairly easy to get an estimate. If he, a king, had never seen anything to him, then he couldn’t be anything special. Not that it mattered much. The King of Despair would have showed his dominance even towards a fellow king or queen if he deemed it necessary.

King of Despair.

No wonder he couldn't read his mind. Kou had never heard of such a title before. Ruki-kun probably knew what that is but the idol is never the type who pays attention to the history of their fellow beings. Nevertheless, he could tell that it was the kind of title that should not be taken lightly. This stranger could even be more powerful and compelling than his father but the blond still had some doubts about that. He had always feared Karl Heinz-sama after all but he never thought there were actually other unfamiliar devilish beings outside their world and that thought brought a cold chill down his spine.

He refused to let that be brought upon his features though. Instead, he maintained his scowl at the other. If he displayed his fear, then it will bring more confidence to the other and Kou certainly didn't want to help him with that. Of course, he was weaker than this guy considering the fact that he's not bloodborn but he refused to let that disadvantage cloud his mind.

This question was partially answered in the very next sentence the other spoke: the mage blinking slowly as he took this all in. This was the strangest thing a stranger had ever said to him: yes, he spoke a little more ‘ scientifically’ than most, but nobody had claimed it to be talking funny before: to say the least of a mage outfit, which was common place among the magicians of his realm, being considered ‘funny’. “All folk who choose ‘my profession’ dress like this back at my home realm, though. Back home - your curious apparel would be the clothing considered strange, new and fascinating, in all honesty.” This honest truth spoken, when he was asked of what he was doing here, Laurent adjusted his glasses and straightened himself, looking somber.

“I am here to check on how safe this place is. I only arrived here today, so I wish to learn if it is truly as ‘peaceful’ as it first seems…but that is not to say I am expressly ‘looking’ for trouble. Just looking to see how safe things are.” 

He's being... honest...? What the hell?

So there really is a place where everyone dresses the way this dweeb does? And that his genuine intention in this city was to see if it truly is a place of tranquility as it was claimed to be? Frowning in disappointment, Kou moved back from the bespectacled male and ran his fingers through his fringes which proved to be a habit he had grown accustomed to when facing a predicament he couldn't react on.

"Well, I haven't seen any signs of trouble here. At least not yet." He decided to provide his recent observation of the place, not even sure if that was helpful. "What are you gonna do if you do see a troublemaker?" A spark of interest glimmered within the cerulean specks of the vampire's right eye. Maybe he could make this guy an exception in revealing what he truly is then swiftly end his life after. He's getting rather thirsty after all but of course, he needed to select his prey carefully. Especially when he's in a place he was barely familiar with.

✯  The heels of his boots hit the ground with a loud thud each step he took, displaying his anger, frustration and confusion with every single step he took. The teen looked around the different shops and street signs looking for any sort of indication on how to get to the Chamomile Apartments, where he would be staying and apparently receive a roommate in the future. If he knew how to work the phone he was given perhaps it would have been an easier journey… But at the age of sixteen and growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, he did not necessarily know how to even use a cell phone. “Ugh…!” He frustration grew, letting out a grunt and slamming the cell phone back into his bag with fervor.

✯   Taking a deep breath, Yuu attempted to calm his steps, easing up the fury with each motion. Getting frustrated won’t do anything, just find the apartments first. Sure, thinking of it more like a mission calmed him a bit more. He’d think about the meaning to it when he had time to and the task at hand was accomplished. A surprisingly smart decision by him, considering he doesn’t really make those often. Looking towards the street signs, his determined stride was interrupted by a gentle male voice, his head turning, quirking to the side slightly in confusion at the stranger.

In spite of the other's evident wariness around him, the vampire chose not to let it get to him. It was better to act oblivious for now. Perhaps if he carried on with his friendly facade, he could get this guy to be on his side and even have him become his fan.

"Ahh, is that so?" Kou finally responded with a feigned cheerful smile. "You're right. I should ask somebody else. Since you're pretty much lost too, we should go and ask for directions together, yeah? Two heads are better than one, so they say." He winked. Kou knew this wasn't exactly the time to make friends (although such motive was something he was never fond of), he would rather have at least one person in this city to be on his side. Being in an unknown location without his brothers was rather unnerving in a way but he wasn't going to admit that.

          ;; 「Wah! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep in a place like this and troub–」

          ;; His words cutting off mid-sentence, Black’s eyes narrowed as he took in the figure of the blonde kid in front of him. There was something… different about him. His scent? His aura? No, the King would recognise a fellow creature of the night anywhere. A wide smirk spreading on his face, his demeanour turned into a whole other from the flustered youth that had just been woken up in an embarrassing situation.

          ;; 「… This is unexpected,」 he commented, although his tone was amused. There was really no point in hiding it – if Black had noticed something off, the other part was bound to be aware as well, so even if he wanted to there was no way he could take advantage of the other. In which case he would just have to try get the other on his side. Well, it didn’t matter much in the end; if this creature didn’t get in his way, they would be able to live nicely and peacefully.

“Huh? Your own kin?” He frowned, displeased at how something was blocking him from reading the other’s mind. His right crimson eye glowed behind his blond fringes in desperation of seeing into the other male’s mind but to no avail. Kou fought back the scowl of irritation that nearly curled his lips at this. One thing’s for certain though, his attempt of concealing the fact that he’s a vampire was no secret to the other male.

Or maybe this kid was just demented. Kou hoped he was demented.

“Quite - that is, to simplify statements, exactly what I am asking of you, sir.” For someone in the middle of a dangerous looking ‘winding path’, he didn’t seem too bothered or surprised by his presence  however: perhaps he had worried too much? That was a habit he himself could admit to having that may not be too positive. Regarding the other’s next sentence, however, the mage paused, red eyes blinking at the assumption.

“I did not claim you were, sir. I merely asked if you would be fine alone.” This was true: he simply had wondered if the other would be fine - not that he was incapable of self-defense. “If you do not require my assistance through these winding paths, I shall respect that and leave you be - the last thing I wish is to step on any toes. However, I could provide assistance, should you do need it. Experience has taught me to look out for people even if things seem peaceful, so I do apologize if it seems I am overly fretting.”

"Ahaha! You're a riot!" Kou couldn't help the genuine laughter that slipped past his lips. He wasn't even sure what he was laughing at but the very fact that this guy sounded very much like Ruki-kun was immensely entertaining. He most likely did not need this guy's help, at least in the matters of self-defense. But he certainly wanted to mess with someone right now granted that he had been bored out of his mind lately.

"You really talk funny, you know." His laughter faded to a soft chuckle, finally pushing himself away from the wall and taking a step closer to the stranger. "You even dress funny. A total dweeby style." He couldn't even imagine this guy being in battle let alone have him look out for him. Kou couldn't blame the guy for assuming that he looked like the type who shouldn't be walking alone in a dark alley though. The blond's features leaned more to the feminine side after all but this fact had been nothing but a great advantage to him.

"Kidding aside though," He went on as he waved his hand in the air dismissively. "What's a guy like you doing here anyways? This isn't exactly the perfect place to look for people who would play Dungeons and Dragons with you after all."

Being quite new indeed to the place of beautiful waterways and strange, winding paths that felt like traipsing into a narrow, confined pathway of a castle -  Laurent had admittedly not wanted to go down any of these ‘winding paths’ (or what the normal person would call alleyways) - they most certainly didn’t look like safe places to go, but if there were those who wished Yilesse harm in this realm: those spots would logically be the best spots to hide.

Therefore, sadly, as much as he did not wish to: he must ensure they were empty. Placing one hand on the wall to his right (an old trick he had learnt about ‘not getting lost in a maze-like area forever’) - his other hand held his Wind Tome at the ready. Yes, he was not as skilled at wind magic as he was with his mother’s element, but should there be villains lurking: he would very much like to talk sense into them and to subdue them without expressly harming them. Wind might buffet around, but Fire was more dangerous.

“Hmm…even the most placid of places can hide hidden dangers. This area may well be as peaceful as it seems, yet I know better to assume.” Soft musings to himself aside, his stride was slow, cautious down the winding paths. His sharp red gaze was keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, out of place: but to see a stranger who looked like an ordinary soul at first was not what he had been expecting. What on earth was another person doing in these winding paths?

Much the same could be asked of himself, of course, so while he was observing - his stance was not testy or agitated - ready to fight - just yet. “Good sir. This area….pardon my saying so - but it doesn't seem entirely safe to traverse alone. I am fine, as I have matters of protection, but will you fare equally well in safety?”

Tch, not even a scent of sweet blood anywhere. This place blows. A frown dawned upon Kou's soft features as he kicked off a pebble and slid his hands into the pockets of his pink hoodie. On spur of the moment, a prickle of attention traced down his spine the very second he caught on someone's presence close at hand. Nearby, he sensed a lone individual who strode with great caution in their flow and if he had read them right, the stranger was pondering on about his purpose in this particular place.

Kou turned around to finally face the newcomer, already being greeted by the other male's odd vocabulary.

"Huh?" The idol blinked in genuine confusion. Wow, it almost felt like he was talking to Ruki-kun but this guy appeared to be the dweeb version of the eldest Mukami. It was amusing, to say the least. "I uh... I'm assuming you're asking if I'm okay with walking alone in a place like this, yeah?" Kou knew that he was never the brightest one in the family and talking to this stranger just reminded him of that. Not that he minded. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall behind him, heterochromatic eyes studying the bespectacled male from head to toe.