Stepping off the bus, Norbert looked around at the neighbourhood they found themselves in. Count von Count coming behind him, his white shirt beaming under the street lights.
Sniffing the air deeply, the vampire exclaims, "Smells like chicken tonight."
Norbert just stared at the vampire, wondering what chicken would have to do with hunting down a dog. Not wanting to question the man, knowing it would not lead anywhere good, Norbert shut his mouth as he left along the street.
"This way." Count von Count said to him.
Spinning on his heels turning to face the vampire, Norbert followed Count von Count, seeing the suburban area sprawled out before themselves. The street lamps are shining white lights, creating circles of light on the sidewalk. He walked into the darkness, feeling something was watching him.
Spinning around, Norbert saw only an empty street, nothing else there staying still Norbert stared for several moments, confirming that nothing would jump out the moment he turned around. Turning around, Norbert began opening his mouth, only to be interrupted by Count von Count with a finger to his lips. Nodding in confirmation, reaching the end of the street.
Pressing the button for the lights to change, Norbert whistled to himself, Obsius joining in. The two of them went in tune, singing from a show Obsius was watching the night before. Finally, the lights changed, allowing them to continue their crossing; it was unlike any cars or people around at these hours to interrupt them.
Down the street they went; on the next crossing, Count von Count took a left, heading down the next street. Norbert looked down, seeing the row of houses stop, a small metal fence painted burgundy continuing across, Norbert catching a set of swings from his angle. As he went past the corner, Norbert looked at the street he was in. 'Lane Road,' it read.
Norbert turned to Count von Count. "I know this is meant to be serious, but where the hell is this 'Lane Road'? It’s stupid for a street. It isn't even a road." Norbert protested to the vampire, who continued to walk forward, dismissing the argument before it brewed up. Focused only on his prey.
Count von Count turned to Norbert and, with a grin, tapped his finger to his nose before twirling around and continuing walking. Norbert shook his head in response to the flippancy of the vampire.
Coming to the park, Count von Count stood in front of the gate, staring at the park. Norbert, next to him, looked at what was around. Seeing the swing set, a yellow plastic slide on a platform with a fire pole. Norbert looked at the rest, only a bubbler, some seats, and that was the rest of the playground; Norbert saw the four houses on each side and the next street opposite him.
Count von Count leaning on the gate as he reached for the knob, pulling it up, the latch opening with klunck, the gate opening on its own with a screech, Norbert looking down at the hinges and seeing no rust on them, wondering what could be causing the noise.
Count von Count, standing moving with the gate, holding it open to Norbert with a wave of his arm and a bow, "Ladies first."
Norbert, about to take a step, just stared at the vampire; shaking his head, he continued into the park, not wanting to start the argument between them.
Norbert heard the gate close behind him; the vampire joining him as well “Thought you were going to stay out there." Norbert said to Count von Count, "You know, the whole vampire not going onto property thing?" Norbert asked.
Count von Count just shrugged his shoulders. "There are rules for this, but nobody owns or lives here. There is more to us than meets the eye." Count von Count said.
Norbert stopped, staring at the vampire. "Really?" he asked accusingly.
Count von Count walks past Norbert without saying a word. Obsius chirped in Norbert's ear before taking off and flying over to the slide. Sitting on it, Obsius flapped her wings slightly before sliding down, taking off into the air at the bottom, only to go to the top of the slide again.
Norbert looked at Count von Count as he sat on the bench, Norbert taking a seat next to the vampire. "And now we wait." Count von Count said before Norbert could even open his mouth.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Norbert just nodded and stared at the cloudy sky, looking at the stars as he looked at the pattern they were making and pointing to every constellation up there, showing him feats of strength and dangers always lurking above.
Closing his eyes, Norbert rested on the bench, only having brought the gloves and nothing else; taking the mask out of his jacket untangling the knot he made to secure it through the eyeholes, Norbert flicked it around before placing it on his face.
The comforting weight on it once again. Opening his eyes, Norbert changed his vision, the world becoming black as he looked around the park. Obsius fluttering around a tiny white speck in the world of darkness and holding onto the park bench, not wanting to fall and get dizzy, Norbert looked at the vampire, seeing the blood-red lights swirling around its head and heart, all of its veins shining bright red, almost illuminating the area around him.
Gazing off into the park to the other side of the road, staring at what he would assume to be bushes was instead illuminated in blue light, taking the height of half a meter in the air, like flames dissipating in the wind, a fire trying to hold on as much as possible.
Changing his vision back to normal, the colour came around as Norbert stood up, Count von Count looking to the same bush that Norbert was as well. "Took you long enough." The vampire said to Norbert, Obsius chirping as well in agreement with the vampire.
Norbert, not taking his eyes off the bush, spoke to them, "Ok, so how does this go down?"
"You rush in there, apprehend the dog, put it down if you can't and don't let it escape. I'll watch you and ensure it doesn't get anyone else." Count von Count replied.
Nodding his head in agreement, Norbert pulled on his gloves, ensuring they were as tight as needed. Walking forward, Norbert saw the bushes rattle, but no dog appeared. Breathing in deeply, pushing the energy throughout his body, the world seemed to slow down as he charged forward, diving headfirst into the bushes. Not knowing what could be on the other side as he crashed into something.
Tackling on the ground, hearing the snapping of teeth on him, the two rolled out of the bushes, feeling the head of the beast wrestle around him, the crushing sound of its jaws trying to bite onto anything.
Holding the head with both of his arms, feeling the claws of the dog dig into him, scratching at him. Norbert was on top of the dog as it was still under him. Breathing deeply, Norbert relaxed slightly, his body drenched in sweat after the brawl.
Taking his eyes off the dog, Norbert looked over to Count von Count speaking, "It-"
The dog spun around him, its back to the ground as Norbert looked deep into its eyes. The look of care for a moment as the growling stopped, and a whimper started to come out, only for a blue smoke to go behind it as the dog jumped up, mouth agape, landing on Norbert's neck.
Screaming out in pain and surprise as the dog shook around its entire body, trying to pull everything out of Norbert’s neck that it had grabbed onto. Holding in his breath, Norbert forced energy to his neck, not wanting to die like this.
Prying his hands into the dog's mouth, Norbert pulled against the jaws, feeling the teeth dig into his hand, purple blood going everywhere over the two of them; with a resounding crack, the dog let go, dropping to the ground.
Norbert landed on the ground, scrambling away, one hand clutching his throat as he started to choke on liquid. Feeling lightheaded, Norbert forced energy there, forcing his eyes to stay open. Feeling an itchiness around his neck, Norbert didn't scratch at it as he waited, slowly counting.
His stomach felt weird, and Norbert went onto his hands and knees, retching up everything within his stomach. The blood smattering the ground, a dark patch visible in the darkness. Staying on his hands and knees as his vision swam around him.
After several seconds, his neck was itchy, and he almost felt the skin growing back on him. His vision was no longer swimming; Norbert saw Count von Count standing over the dog's body. Norbert saw it was a brown Chihuahua.
"Such a small dog to pack such a punch, and it's still going." Count von Count said. Norbert stumbled up and forward as he made his way next to the vampire. He looked down at the dog, changing his vision to see the blue fire again. Now more subdued than before, the flames gushed out of its jaws without it being contained as it slowly lost its energy; Norbert assumed it was trying to heal the injury that he gave it but could not.
As Norbert looked back to the vampire, "So what now?" Norbert asked Count von Count.
"Now we wait, for the clean-up crew. They should already be making their way over; we must wait another hour." Count von Count said as he picked the dog by the tail, dangling in the air as he returned to the park bench.
Obsius was already there, pecking at the dog lying on the ground; Norbert could hear its whimpers. Norbert made his way to the bench.
As he sat down, the words came from Count von Count's mouth: "So review time. You went well at the start but after you…"
***
Norbert stumbled into his apartment, head bursting with everything the vampire told him about, both the fight he just had, improvements to like the problem with tapioca balls.
On the bus ride back, the conversation continued, going into more mundane topics, until finally, the vampire stopped at the front door of the apartment complex, Norbert leaving Count von Count without even a word.
Obsius on his shoulder, gliding into his bedroom, landing on the pillow already. Norbert followed close behind as he landed on the bed with a comfy.
Closing his eyes, he digested what happened in the night. After some time passed, he heard his phone vibrate in his pocket, an alarm going off. Taking his phone out, he looked at the message; it was his regular alarm, the 7:15 blazing into his eyes. Groaning, Norbert got out of bed, ready to start another day, internally hoping he wouldn't see Count von Count again.