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This article, Vampiric Entry, is the fifth chapter of the Hueco Mundo arc, which is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal, and authored jointly by Kenji and Fire. After briefly touching on the character of Vlad in the previous chapter, this chapter serves to fully introduce the Reikon Kyuuban into the story.
To some, the very notion of a “Vampire” was something only possible on the written page or in the world of television, with such a thing existing in nature long considered an impossibility. What creature could possibly live forever, after all? As the years went on, however, the myths and lore attached to the fabled blood-suckers only seemed to grow. New stories and fantastical interpretations seemingly crawled out of the woodwork just as the old and familiar tales began to grow stale.
What would people think if they knew the truth?
Shinigami may govern the Spirit Cycle, beings with animal-like powers may stalk the far-flung corners of the world and run in the wild, and Hollow may play at being bogeymen, but the true masters of the night were no fable. They were known by many names: Vampire, bloodsucker, bat, and even archfiend if the describer was being particularly dramatic. To one being in Naruki City, however, the true title of these “Vampires” were known: Reikon Kyuuban. To some, this man was as ancient as the world itself, even if he looked like an average man in his late twenties. Not a grey hair in sight, and a strong, albeit wiry, frame. The only oddity were his ancient-looking blood-red eyes, and pronounced canines, the latter of which were only seen when he smiled.
Vladimir Tepes, known these days simply as Vlad, was one of these Reikon Kyuuban, or a “Vampire”, as he preferred to be called.
It wasn't often he bothered with spiritual matters, not these days. Not unless he was threatened first. There didn't seem to be the same interesting creatures and oddities these days as there used to be for him to waste his eternal time, but sometimes something still managed to come along and surprise him. This had happened just the other day, in fact. For Vlad had witnessed a curious sight, and for a being as long-lived as him, that was something special! A pair of young Shinigami, one of whom was actually closer to the Hollows he was supposed to defend people against, had been asking questions. This wasn't strange by itself, but the nature of those questions were. Questions about a “Hotaru Hiroshi”, and an “Ōin”, for example. Given his age, Vlad was a knowledgable man, and it wasn't everyday one of the young asked questions about the Kyūtai.
It was also very rare for one of the young to know a Reikon Kyuuban by sight and sense, and by their real title no less, and not be perturbed by it. This boy -- this Akira Hiroshi -- was one such person, and that alarmed Vlad.
And alarm was something Vlad hadn't felt in a long, long time.
His brethren knew this about him, of course, so when he put out the word that there might be trouble brewing in Naruki City concerning their kind that he needed to discuss with them, the higher echelons took notice. He just didn't know how much notice they took, or who would come. His private quarters, located on the outskirts of Naruki City in a mansion whose closest neighbour was almost a kilometre away, was where he said he would be waiting. The room was deliberately dark, and stayed that way even in the brightest sunlight, with blood-red furniture and black curtains on the windows. A hearty fire blazed against the north wall, its hearth made of magnificent brown brick, and hanging above it and dominating the wall, was Vlad as he looked as a younger man. To tell the truth, he had barely changed. A coffee table sat in the middle of the room, which was surrounded on all sides by high-backed leather sofas.
Vlad settled himself into one of the single chairs near the fireplace, a glass of fine red wine in his right hand, and contented himself to wait.
Myst Kagekyo, Second Queen of the Reikon Kyuuban, arrived in Naruki City. It was a little out of the way for her but when one of the Elders called upon her even she couldn’t decline without a good cause despite what her position would lead others to believe. The Elders acted as her council and her court and while her word was final, absolute and beyond contestation except if the First Queen stepped in she valued their input nonetheless and gave them their due respect so long as they showed her the same in return.
One would imagine that Myst, being rich beyond imagination and royalty to boot, dressed in opulent attire, a flashy dress or exquisite robe. But given the circumstances that had called her to this place she elected to dress in the fashion of mortals; a short-cut shirt, jeans and sneakers sufficed in such circumstances. It was better to lay low and not announce what she was, who she was to the world at large. She easily hid herself in the crowds bustling to and fro as she followed the directions she had been given to reach the mansion. The entire walk only one thought circled her mind. What could unnerve her spies so much that they had to bring the matter to her personally? Of course the monarch didn’t have to arrive personally but Myst was a doer not a delegator. She could have flown to the mansion but a random bat turning into a person would cause an uproar if the place was being watched, so taking a bit of a detour didn't bother her one bit.
Wiping a rose-hued lock of hair out of her line of sight, she made her way to the home of Vlad Tepes, Dracula, THE most famous vampire in fiction, bar none. And naturally an Elder among the Reikon Kyuuban. Upon her arrival she was let in by a servant who promptly realized who he was in front of even though she dressed so commonly. There wasn't many among their kind who didn't recognize her on the spot. "Your Majesty, you honor us with your presence. T-the Master didn't mention you were coming, so pardon us for not having a larger welcome prepared for you. Please...come in and I'll take you to see Master Vlad right away."
"It's quite alright. I didn't send him any indication of my arrival anyway. However, it is important I meet with him." Myst replied as he followed the servant through the mansion. The servant knocked thrice on the door to Vlad's chamber. “Sir, the Queen has arrived and she wishes to speak to you.” he announced, waiting for his master to open the door to the private room or at least acknowledge the otherwise unheralded arrival. Not that it bothered Myst to wait. In fact, it gave her a few seconds to prepare herself. Vlad was her senior regardless of her station and while she had vastly improved when it came to her royal duties she still worried about making a fool of herself.
On the opposite side of the door towards the far side of the room, the rap of knuckles on wood caused Vlad to stand bolt upright! It hadn't been the knock that lent his movements such urgency, however, but rather the words that accompanied them: "Sir, the Queen has arrived". He gulped nervously. Even an Elder like him, and one of the Queen's council to boot, felt nervous at the prospect of meeting Queen Myst Kagekyo.
That said, the nervousness was soon replaced by a degree of annoyance. Not that she had heeded his call personally, you understand, but that she had taken such a risk in coming alone, unescorted!
"... Of course, she'd come herself," Vlad thought, as he further considered. "That one never liked to delegate."
Still, it surprised him that she risked it. The spiritual community at large hadn't always been very tolerant or understanding of the Reikon Kyuuban in the past, and they had done little to improve themselves in Vlad's eyes in the centuries since. The Shinigami especially and since this dealt partly with them, he felt she should travel wih a little more of an entourage. But that was a discussion for another time. He had matters of etiquette to see too and wasted not another moment on his own ruminations, plentiful as they were. Vlad crossed the length of the room quickly, opened the large mahogany doors wide, and inclined his head respectfully as he beckoned Myst inside. He signalled the servant with his eyes to prepare refreshments, took Myst's right-hand in his own and gently kissed the back of her hand, bowing in the process, and regarded her with a warm smile that displayed his glistening canines.
"My Queen, I expected a drear evening with one of my contemporaries," he said, the term "contemporary" dripping with contempt. Not all the Elders got along, you see. Being old just gave you longer to harbour grudges, and some of them ran very deep among the Elders of an immortal race. "I was not expecting you to come personally, and especially not alone."
But then, if he were going to discuss Shinigami and Kyutai, then perhaps it was best she was alone?
"My home is yours, my Queen,"
Myst had no clue how startled Vlad was when he opened the door to greet her. Of course showing up unguarded, unannounced and completely out of nowhere was just her style. She saw nothing wrong with it and up until she became a ruler of an entire race of being she didn’t have soldiers who would gladly give up their own lives for her. And that was something that she still had trouble accepting. People died for her already. And more would do it without question if it ensured her safety. To her, it was mind-boggling to even think of it as normal. On the other hand she was also blinded by the fact she had allies on the other side of the divide.
Seeing the look his master had given, the servant quickly excused himself and hurried to prepare proper refreshment for the pair, which meant breaking out the best wine and sparing nothing given who their guest was and how frightful it would be to displease her.
“Hello Vlad.” she said with a smile of her own as the Elder greeted her so kindly. She walked into the chamber, finding comfort in the dim light and the darkened colors, her vision naturally attuned to the subdued atmosphere. She saw the ornate picture of him from long ago and silently pondered upon just how many humans had seen it and been fooled. If only they knew how long-lived the Impaler really was.
She took note of how Vlad’s tone changed when he referenced the other Elders and in fact expected such bitterness. Whatever bad blood was between the ancient group there was, she refused to let that stand in the way of what was best for Reikon Kyuuban society. As long as they worked together and her orders were followed, they could bicker and argue as they wished, as much as it displeased her to see her trusted advisors glaring daggers at one another and barely restraining their grievances. She understood long-standing grudges were a thing, events that preceded even her birth were still carried into the meeting hall and no matter how much she wished it were simple, patching old wounds that ran so deep was no easy task. All she asked is they understood that such history was left elsewhere when it came time for a gathering.
“I apologize for coming with no notice, but given the circumstances, I thought it would be best for us to meet personally as soon as I could get here.” she told him, giving a thin, albeit sound, excuse for her to show up with zero warning and not a single person at her side, even if traveling with an escort would have just slowed her down. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger nervously after a second, part of her expecting a scolding for her wanton disregard for her own survival. It wasn’t the first time she did something dangerous for the thrill of it, very much embodying the idea of being old enough to know better and young enough to do it anyway.
Some of his mannerisms were so long engrained in him that he couldn't hide them completely. Like how his left eyebrew arched and his right lowered when he heard what was, at best, a flimsy excuse? It was a look his fellow Elders had seen thousands of times before, and if Vlad had his way, they'd see it a thousand more times. He quickly shook his head however and closed the double doors of the room behind him. He trusted his servants, but some things just weren't intended for their ears.
"Given what I've heard recently here and abroad, and given the possible implications, it might actually be to our advantage that you came alone. Some things are that dangerous." And he put special emphasis on dangerous, hoping she would take heed. In the privacy of his own thoughts however, he had a fair idea that she would run headlong into it instead. Youth and danger seemed to go hand-in-hand.
He beckoned Myst towards the sofas, for they would soon have use for the coffee table, and seated himself opposite her, his glass of wine from earlier forgotten. He could prolong their talk, ask after the other Elders and inquire as to how she found life now that she was the ruler of their kind, but he could tell that she hadn't altogether come to terms with her position yet. The nervous walk, the way she twisted her hair about her finger, were all signs. Vlad just hoped his own nervousness didn't come across. Myst was quite different from Katsumi, whom Vlad had loved dearly, and if he were being honest, he hadn't completely come to terms with the changes at the top of Reikon Kyuuban society.
"I guess we are both adjusting." He mused, as he smiled.
Rather than wait for the refreshments, he opted to dive right into matters.
"There is a Shinigami here in Naruki, my Queen, and another in Soul Society. By my reckoning, they are twins: Hotaru and Akira Hiroshi. They hunt for the Kyutai."
A dangerous notion, for in the wrong hands, those artefacts could cause widespread catastrophe. One in particular was known to the Reikon Kyuuban, for it had been directly responsible for a number of deaths, back when even the Gotei 13 was only an idea in the head of Yamamoto.
"Akira seeks the Ōin, whilst Hotaru has already secured Fushichō." The term "Fushichō" caused a noticeable reaction in Vlad, for his lip curled in distate the moment he voiced the name. "The Shinigami, back when they were called Balancers and whose members ammounted to little more than butchers, once used Fushichō to burn our kind alive, believing this method was ritualistic, and that it 'cleansed' us of our 'curse'. It was in the keeping of the Shihōin, by ancient covenant, but is no longer."
He gave himself a moment to allow his anger to cool before continuing in a less grave tone.
"This Akira knows there are Reikon Kyuuban here in Naruki City, for he has asked enough questions, and he is aligned with the Gotei 13. At best, I'm overreacting. At worst, my Queen, we have an ancient artefact in the hands of potential enemies, and many Elders with long memories, personal grudges, and deep wells of anger."
Luckily, Myst didn’t see the exasperated look on her loyal aide’s face. She already knew she had a rough time coming to terms with her new reality and how different things were these days. It was hard enough keeping the peace among the Elders for a few hours; being torn between what she had to be and what she knew was like juggling chainsaws...flaming chainsaws and trying to turn them off without losing an arm. She needed help. She needed people like Vlad who she could turn to and ask for their thoughts. But more than that, she needed them to all have faith in her. Because if she ruined this it was more than just her life at stake!
She heard the doors click shut behind her. So it IS that bad. She mused to herself. And then Vlad said things were ‘dangerous’ Oh how she loved that word. But coming from someone so powerful, even moreso than her, instead it chilled her, an involuntary shiver running down her spine. What could urge an immortal nigh-unstoppable god of the night to think something legitimately dangerous?
Before she could ask for clarification, Vlad began to explain. Good. He didn’t keep her waiting or making her pry for information. That was something she enjoyed. A sudden look of interest and surprise crossed her face when he brought up the name Hiroshi however. She knew that name. She knew it, but where? It felt like an eternity since she heard it, thus she couldn’t place it. But more than hearing Vlad call something dangerous, there was something that caused a visceral reaction in her, one much less subtle than Vlad’s own. Hearing him speak of a weapon the Shinigami used to purge the Reikon Kyuuban caused her to recoil in absolute horror, a frightened expression on her face; visibly pale and her pupils like little dots of black. It was horrific and terrible to know the Shinigami had at one time seen the execution and extinction of the Reikon Kyuuban as a ritualistic duty to “purify” them. How many of her kind had been rounded up and ended by their hands, she dared not ask.
Flutily, Myst did her best to compose herself. She couldn’t hide that she was scared at the prospect of that weapon being turned on the Reikon Kyuuban once more. “We...we need to find out if this weapon has been found…” she said trying to hide the fearful note to her voice. “And if it is...destroy it.” she declared, clenching her hands, which until now rested on her lap, into fists. She was almost tempted to summon the Elders to get a plan together but Vlad was right; there was too much fury and hate they harbored. If too many found out it had been brought back, there was no telling what the most powerful vampires would do in retaliation.
The anger, and horror, that Myst now felt, Vlad knew had been experienced by Katsumi herself, once upon a time. And now, just like then, it sent a searing lance through Vlad's heart.
He had lost much to the Kyutai, and time had barely dulled those terrible wounds. And therein lied one of the major problems, and it was one Vlad knew Myst saw as well. The Elders age and experience allowed them to accumulate a part of the world's knowedlge and history, but knowledge could sometimes become a double-edged sword. Some things cut too deep, burned too long, until they were ingrained upon your very Soul. It twisted and coiled, like an old gnarled root, and time only made it worse. Immortality wasn't always a blessing. Even if the Gotei 13 hadn't been complicent in the retrival of Fushichō from the Shihoin vaults, the fact it was loose as his spies claimed, on the Shinigami's own turf, would likely lead to war.
And that was something that needed to be avoided at all costs. He wasn't going to let another generation of his kin face such a terrible fate.
Vlad clenched his fist, fingernails drawing blood. His keen smell caught the scent and he found his racing thoughts slowling, until his calmness returned.
"... It's risky, my Queen, but I suggest we bring this Akira Hiroshi here, and question him."
He didn't mention what would happen if he didn't like the answer to their questions. But his canines were glistening, and he had caught the scent of blood.
Myst’s expression changed as her resolve to put an end to the crisis before it began took hold. She quickly began thinking of how best to track down their prey. She could call the Presas...no, that would alert too many Reikon Kyuuban if the wolves were sent on the hunt. It’d inevitably come out she was doing something dangerous just by summoning her forces in any capacity. Besides, the Presas were still not recovered from defectors during the Wolf Rain incident as well as the Civil War. While those that remained were the best and most loyal of their kind, it didn’t sit well with her to use them right away.
The scent of Vlad’s blood hit her like a ton of bricks. Before her coronation, she would have likely lost herself in the cursed hunger that pervaded her race. Every Elder had offered her some of their own blood in a show of fealty and that blood had not only bolstered her powers but it had inoculated her from being overwhelmed by the much older and powerful vampires’ ichor. Even still, the urge to hunt was undeniable now. It was what they were born to do.
She stood up and walked to the nearby window to gaze at Naruki, her rage and sorrow barely hidden behind an icy cold expression “This is your city Vlad.” she said with a calm, stern voice. “I trust you have ways of gathering intel on our enemy?” She didn’t need to be told what would happen if this Akira wasn’t forthcoming with answers. She wasn’t one to shy away from doing whatever she had to do to ensure the safety and security of her empire and its people.
Before the Elder could reply a couple servants brought in their awaited refreshments. Wine and finely crafted snacks were set before them. “Forgive the intrusion and the delay, but we have brought...,” one of the servants said with a bow before realizing just how tense the air in the room was, along with the scent of blood in the air. It was enough to scare just about anyone. “We hope that you enjoy.” he said, quickly excusing himself to leave the two to resume their harrowing discussion.
How could Vlad expect Myst to learn restraint, and not run headlong into danger, when he counseled such action himself? The irony wasn't lost on him. Still, he favoured his Queen with a reckless smile, and suddenly he seemed as young now as he looked in the portrait above the fireplace.
"He'll be here within the hour,"
And he followed this statement with a resounding SNAP of his fingers!
Vlad, or rather his servants, had proven their master's trust in them warranted.
Lying at the feet of the two immortals was a young, lithe, black-haired youth with a clean-shaven face. Worn about his shoulders was a mane of brown fur, curiously adorned with Hollow masks like trophies of the hunt, and he slept like one amongst the dead. His Shinigami garb was sleeveless, without further modifaction, and from his waist dangled the empty sheath of his Zanpakuto. Vlad had already taken measures to secure that.
Vlad's servants, under the cover of night and a deliberate power cut that plunged the market district at the heart of Naruki City into pitch blackness, had surrounded the youth and his companion, who slept in a nearby room under heavy guard, and plucked them from the streets! Akira, enscorcled into sleep, was subsequently ferried to the mansion by the cauldron of bats, as quickly as Vlad had promised.
"Leave us," he said in an aside to his servants. "Watch his companion."
As soon as the double doors closed, and he heard the lock engage, Vlad knelt by the boy's head. He ran his hand across his face and took a cuatious step backwards, taking care to place himself between the awakening Visored and Myst. It was any Reikon Kyuuban's duty to safeguard their Queen, after all, and that went doubly so for him.
In moments, Akira was standing on unsteady legs, facing the doors. Unknown to him, Vlad and Myst were behind him. "... Ugh, well that was eventful... If I ever get home, I owe Kusaka an apology. Turns out, Vlad is an asshole." groaned Akira.
The Queen highly prized those who could see her will be done in a timely fashion and Vlad was never one to slouch in that respect, so when he said within an hour she could trust his word on that. Before their guest arrived however, she decided that it was unbecoming for her to do her duty to her people dressed as a mere common mortal and to that end, had one of Vlad’s maids bring her clothing befitting the occasion and her position; in this case a sleeveless black dress with matching elbow length gloves. She tied her hair up with a silver ribbon before spending the rest of her time waiting by enjoying a few glasses of wine to calm herself.
Once Vlad’s forces brought Akira to them, whatever sense of fear or dread she still had was long-forgotten. She stood behind the protective Elder, for once not complaining about a bit of defense on her behalf. Akira was still an unknown element after all.
“I hope you’ll overlook our rather...forceful invitation, young man.” she spoke after Akira had awoken. Her tone betrayed no hint as to the raging storm in her mind, but rather in both voice and bearing she carried herself with an air of dignity. Even she could act the part of nobility when the situation demanded it. Quite the far cry from the casual, careless way she acted when left to her own devices, for now she was carrying out her duty and she would respect that.
Akira busied himself dusting himself down and rearranging his cloak to sit a little more naturally on his shoulders. By the lighter weight at his waist, he hadn't got his Zanpakuto. He sighed.
"Forceful isn't the word, lady." Akira said, having not yet turned around. "So much for not wanting to kick the hornet's nest," he began musing, by way of self-attack. He then addressed his captors. "How would you feel, walking along minding your own business one minute, only to have a literal flock of bats fly at you out of nowhere the next!? Goddamn flying rats. I trust Asuka is safe?"
"Cauldron," Vlad corrected. "Not flock. And she is. We are not barbarians."
This made Akira round on the voice! "I don't reall- ....... Oh, shit."
The sight of the woman, regally attired, made his breath catch in his throat. He gulped. In his own world, Kei Yume was a good friend of his father's, and a very worldly man. Most of what Akira knew he had learned from listening to his father and Kei trade barbs over a drink. As such, he recognized the woman standing behind Vlad. Myst Kagekyo wasn't just any Reikon Kyuuban lady. She was the Reikon Kyuuban lady! He had expected Vlad to do something. Okay, he hadn't expected him to send a flo- a cauldron of bats to literally kidnap him, but he had expected him to want a chat. The one thing Akira had never expected? An appearance from the Queen herself!
"Your invitation couldn't have been more friendly," he said at last.
Sweat was already running down his cheek. His discomfort increased three-fold when Vlad, by way of a smile, showed glistening teeth.
Myst snickered a bit at Akira’s reaction after turning to face them, unable to keep herself stone faced. It was just too perfect. Fear was a valuable thing, deadlier than any poison, sharper than any blade. And Akira’s face spoke volumes of how much he really seemed to know of her. Whatever means he had of getting information was quite good indeed, something she’d have to get to the bottom of sooner or later.
“Judging by your words and expression...you know who I am already. But permit me to introduce myself properly. Myst Kagekyo, Queen of the Reikon Kyuuban. Be at ease young man, as long as you help us, you and your friend will leave here unharmed, none the worse for wear. Of that I can assure you. As Vlad said, we’re not barbarians, despite what popular fiction would tell you.” she said, never once changing from the overly calm, civil tone. She would have her way through either diplomacy or force and it was clear what she favored, even in such forced circumstances. A soft, closed smile adorned her face. For now, this was just a discussion, nobody had to be hurt to get their way.
"I haven't seen such a fearful reaction since the last Elder annoyed Katsumi," Vlad thought with pride.
"... You can thank my father for that." Akira stated. "He's been back and forth through so many different worlds now, I'd honestly be more shocked if you hadn't heard about him. He certainly got around, back in the day."
Still, this had surprised him. He had been prepared to face Vlad, although that was frightening in an altogether different way, for he was privvy to some of the feats his counterpart had inflicted on Kusaka. And this Vlad kind of lived up to the hype. He hadn't expected Myst. Some of the stories Kei had told me about her coming to lead the Reikon Kyuuban, the trials she faced, didn't seem real. But then there were some individuals who just seemed able to make the impossible possible.
Vlad, meanwhile, had barely needed to open his mouth, and already this Akira youth appeared to have soiled his trousers. Although he was long-lived, he hadn't yet gone senile. "Different worlds? Has fear addled his mind?" He resolved to watch, and to wait. He could play the part of intimidating guardian because, after all, he wasn't playing at all.
Akira took a seat without waiting for an invitation, careful not to appear threatening, and inhaled sharply. He seemed to have collected himself for now he sat with an expectant look. And still, no sign of violence. Either he knew his chances were nill, or he was recklessly brave. Or recklessly stupid. For there was no mistake: he was in the viper's den.
Myst chuckled. Either this Akira was brave or stupid, acting so brazenly with two of the uppermost beings in vampire society standing right in front of him and playing probably the world’s most literal game of good cop, bad cop. In either case, she could work with the result. But what he had said most certainly caught her attention. Other worlds hm? I wonder what that means… she thought, filing away that bit of information for later use. Either it mattered or it didn’t, but information was always worth holding onto until she figured out which category it belonged to.
She took her place across from him, likewise taking care not to make any moves that could be misconstrued as violent. “I’ll cut to the point as to why we brought you here. You’ve been asking dangerous questions. And we’ve connected those questions to things of grave importance. So I won’t beat around the bush, I know you’re looking for the Kyūtai. What do you know about the Fushichō and the one who currently holds it? Hotaru, was it?” she asked bluntly, getting right to the heart of the matter at hand.
Bravery, with a pinch of stupidity, sprinkled with a hearty topping of recklessness, and you had the basic Hiroshi mindset, at least according to Ino. Too bad for Akira that most of his bravery was false. It was all he could do not to shake in his boots. And since he was literally about to flip the coin, as it where, bravery would have been nice. Instead, it was recklessness. He was betting a lot on what essentially amounted to the tales of drunken men.
Vlad had been standing with his arms crossed against his chest. Now, they hung loose at his side. In his mind's eye he was calculating the quickest way to snap the young man's neck.
Akira, unaware of the Elder's thoughts, instead held Myst's gaze.
"Okay, where to begin? You should know, that while I'd love nothing more than to go home, I don't share Hotaru's methods, or his preference for violence. In fact, he kind of ran his sword through my gut the last time we disagreed. I'd rather relax, either with a fishing rod or a guitar or a glass of wine close to hand, because that doesn't involve me getting stabbed. Especially with my twin brother. I don't know why he went after Fushicho. The only Kyutai outside of the black that can send us home is the Oin. Oh, and if it weren't clear already, we aren't from this world. Hotaru wants to get us back. I don't, because he has happily killed to get us closer. Hence, why I've vowed to stop him."
Vlad looked momentarily taken aback. The boy was being quite forceful, the emotion in his voice clear, yet the Elder couldn't help but joke around. "... You don't look like an alie-"
"And NO, I'm not an alien! Soul King, almighty. First Asuka, and now you? Why does everyone think that!? There's a vast multiverse out there, you old fool!"
And that was when the temperature in the room plummeted. It was right around then that Akira realized just who he was bad-mouthing.
"... I'm sorry." He turned to Myst, eyes wide, and pleading. "So, Fushicho. Yeah, he probably done that to neuter my Zanpakuto. Fire-type, which Fushicho kinds of renders null and void. Far as I know, he hasn't had much interest in the Reikon Kyuuban. In fact, his agents seem to be avoiding Naruki City in the same way they're avoiding Karakura Town."
Before Vlad could step forward even the tiniest bit, Myst already held a hand up to silently order him to wait. The chill in the air even made her briefly shudder and she wasn’t even the one Vlad’s anger was directed towards, but still Akira was offering information and she she would keep her word that he would be unharmed. While she could understand the perceived slight, she could see it clearly; Akira was scared of them and frustrated. Emotions she could understand so well.
“So, when you mentioned your father traveling other worlds than these, you spoke from experience? Regardless of that however, the fact your brother has a weapon with such a history as that, I have to see him as my enemy. And considering you wish to stop him, you two are opposed. Is there not a saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Whatever Myst had expected Akira to tell her about Hotaru or the implements they sought, the grounds for a partnership of sorts was not high on her list. But gift horses and not looking them in the mouth was a saying as well, and what were the odds of such a chance coming along so readily?. She would at least put the offer out on the table, anything to further her position.
The Second Queen took a moment to pour herself more wine, as well as a glass for their hapless guest as a show of good faith. “I don’t need an answer right this second, think it over if you must.” she said softly, fully aware there was a chance of her offer being denied.
Holy shit! Flipping the coin actually worked? And to think, Kenji Hiroshi used to make this kind of thing look easy. Akira released a breathe, the nervous tension seemingly lifting from his shoulders. For the first time since he awoke there was a clear resolve burning in that gaze.
"... The Kyutai can't be destroyed. My father tried, and failed. At best, they can be hidden away. And guarded. So long as he's in the Soul Society, Hotaru's beyond your reach, unless you're willing to piss off the Gotei 13 and risk a war. Which you clearly aren't, or we wouldn't be having this talk." He regarded Myst with a half-smile. "He isn't beyond my reach. I'll accept your proposal on the condition that, if you encounter Hotaru in the World of the Living, that he not be killed. Restrain him, sure. Batter him black and blue, sure. But if he gets to the point that he's that far gone, and there's no coming back? It'll be me who ends him. Agree to that, and Fushicho goes to you afterwards to do with as you want. In return, I get access to whatever eyes and ears Vlad has in the Soul Society. Without information, we're blind."
Hotaru didn't know how close he was skirting to disaster. He was a manipulator sure, and a good one, but he was no Aizen. The net was closing in around him and if a deal with the devil, as it were, is what it took to get him out of this alive, then so be it.
"Those are my terms."
Myst grinned as she saw the resolution in Akira’s eyes. Ambition. More than bravery, she respected those who were holding fast to their convictions and their goals. Now they were getting somewhere! She wasn’t very enthused to hear the weapon couldn’t be destroyed, only sealed and guarded so no one would ever use it again. It was better than nothing, and who better than a race of immortals to oversee a prison befitting a weapon that brought nearly genocidal amounts of death in the wrong hands?
“You’re right in that I’d rather not jump straight into a war right now, but it's rare that any meeting with the Gotei 13 ends favorably, or even fairly for us. Regardless, you’re right that we need to jointly share our intel and combine our efforts if we’re going to make progress to our shared goals. And so, unless Vlad has any objection, we agree to your terms.” she said, raising her glass to toast their new partnership.
“Here’s to seeing this through to the end.”
"Lovely, another danger-obssessed youth," Vlad mused in the privacy of his own mind. "None, my Queen," he said aloud.
"Agreed!" Akira even managed to finish his glass before leaving.
Myst was as good as her word, too. Asuka and he walked out of the mansion's front door, escorted by one of the servants who no doubt was responsible for whisking them here in the first place. It was only when the doors closed behind them and they breathed the fresh night air once more that they allowed themselves to release the breathe they had been holding.
"Akira, please promise me there'll be no more vampires."
"... Well, I kind of can't? On account of me kind of partnering with them to stop Hotaru?"
"YOU DID WHAT!?"
She slapped the son of Kenji for roughly a mile before ceasig, and that was only because two figures stepped out of the night to greet them. Asuka was about to draw her Zanpakuto and attack, convinced it was another cauldron of bats come to whisk tem away to be fed upon, but Akira gently grabbed her by the hand and shook his head.
"It's good to see you two again... Ashido. Gundinger."
"You won't think that in a moment," Gundinger replied.
It was difficult to tell what he was thinking on account of the half-broken Hollow mask fragments on his face, so it was a matter of reading his body language and identifying his tone. Right now, Akira knew that he was stressed and irritable.
"You were right." Ashido continued. "Averian is back."
The happiness at seeing his friends again vanished. And once again tonight, Akira found himself muttering what he hoped didn't become a catchphrase:
"Oh, shit."