“Is this the place?” Lilha asked, glaring at the abandoned warehouse from across the street. “Would Takako really bring Emiyo here?” She considered the girl too vain to willingly live in such a dump.
“It’s what my sources within the Prime Minister’s office say. She wanted her own place.” Dreven replied, not sharing his queen’s reservations. It impressed Lilha that her once champion had such contacts.
“Luck is on our side.” Dreven continued. “My sources also tell me Seina isn’t on the planet anymore.”
“What?!” Lilha jerked in sudden surprise.
“She’s on Starlight Dream trying to rescue someone,” Dreven said. “Who, my sources couldn’t determine.”
That was fantastic news, better than Lilha could ever imagine. Their most hated enemy had just walked into a den of lions, with likely no chance of escape! The chances of the hated magical girl returning were beyond nil!
Oh, who am I kidding! The girl has proven to have the devil’s luck! The demon! Whatever happens, I doubt it will be good for me. “We better hurt than before the accursed girl returns!”
Dreven nodded, a sly smile appearing on his lips. “Understood, but we shouldn’t rush,” Lilha grunted in pain as Dreven pushed her down below the wall that constituted their hiding place. She opened her mouth to protest, but froze when she spotted Takako gazing out a window. The magical girl wore a bored expression and yawned before leaving the window.
“That was too close.” If Lilha was still human, her heart would have beat out of her chest. Even if they brought an army of thousands of vampires, they’d only be rushing to their slaughter. Seina’s ridiculous, pointless bodyguard passed by next, but Lilha ignored him.
“Unfortunately, we can’t rush in,” Dreven said, getting comfortable in his hiding spot and withdrawing a volume of manga from somewhere in his dress. It displayed some human with an idiot grin playing soccer. “Best wait until the right moment.”
“But Seina could return at any moment!” Lilha said, frustrated. Sure, they could sneak inside, but stealing Emiyo's blood might require effort and time they couldn’t afford. Dreven only ignored her complaints, laughing as something amusing happened in his manga. Grumbling, Lilha stayed put, hoping the situation might improve, and this mission wasn’t a complete waste of time.
---
“Not bad.” Colten flitted around, studying the little nest Takako had created for herself.
“Since I’m staying here from now on, I’d need my own place. I’m an independent young woman, you know,” Takako replied, lounging on a decorative couch. “Might as well make one for myself.”
They sat on a circular coach surrounded by a 1.5-meter plasma TV with game consoles and DVD boxes littered under it. A stone fireplace occupied the opposite side of the room, radiating warmth and heat. It gave the scene a cozy, relaxing aura.
What had once been grimy concrete, Takako had transformed into rich marble. Ugly rusted metal walls became rich mahogany. Walls formed from cement, creating rows of rooms for guests and relaxation. The finest furniture she could imagine populated the rooms. It was the perfect pad for Takako’s needs. To think it’d been an abandoned warehouse only a few moments ago. With her powers, anything she’d imagined was possible!
“Much better than Lilha’s grimy apartment.” Takako made a face. “Never again.”
“Nice!” Colten’s belly flopped into a velvet cushion, delighting in its comfiness. It almost made him forget about the dire danger his partner had dived into. Right now, she might be fighting for her life against countless evil magical girls! His happiness abruptly ended, replaced with anxiety that made him fidget.
“She’ll be fine!” Aiko said from her perch next to Takako, reading his thoughts. “Seina’s strong!” After their contest with Emiyo, they’d retrieved her and informed her about their adventure.
“I know, but I can’t help but feel like such a coward for abandoning her!” Logic be damned. He was her partner and should be by her side, regardless of the risks.
“No kidding,” Kiyojiro added.
While he hid it better, Seina’s bodyguard was also worried about his charge. He had second thoughts about not coming along. It ate them both inside, not fighting alongside her. It was horrible being so comfortable with Seina in danger. A desperate part of Colten wanted to charge after Seina, Kiyojiro in tow! But that wouldn’t accomplish anything. Darn it all!
Colten’s eyes drifted toward Emiyo’s prone body on the floor. Still trapped in ribbon, Takako had placed the girl unceremoniously on the carpeted floor. She’d recovered somewhat when Takako released her hold to redecorate her new home, but not enough to regain consciousness. Still, Takako kept the lieutenant close. If she broke free, little could stop her reign of terror.
“They’ve been gone a long time.” Colten frowned at the decorative clock on the wall. By his estimate, they’d been gone almost four hours and nightfall would come soon. It heightened his already taut nerves.
His stomach growled and Colten flushed. Because of the day’s events and Seina’s mission, he hadn’t eaten all day.
“I’ll get something,” Takako said, standing up. “There’s a ramen cart nearby that makes the best soba I’ve ever had. It’s one reason I’m squatting in this abandoned warehouse.”
“That sounds good!” Aiko said. “I prefer oden. See if they have any.”
“Takoyaki for me,” Kiyojiro said. Much to Colten’s surprise, the bodyguard didn’t protest that Takako was leaving Emiyo unattended, even for such a short period. The bodyguard knew the uselessness of arguing against her. The willful girl didn’t enjoy being confined for long periods.
“Just get me whatever you think I’d like,” Colten said. While still unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine, he’d enjoyed almost everything he’d tasted.
“Don’t dawdle,” Kiyojiro warned. “You’re our only chance if Emiyo gets free.”
Takako waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine. It can go hundreds of kilometers away from my wand without it losing even a speck of power.”
“Get going then.” Kiyojiro waved a dismissive gesture, allowing Takako to go free. “I swear, what a troublesome girl. I don’t know how to deal with her. Seina usually listens!”
“She’s a handful.” Still, Colten had eternal gratitude for the girl for saving Seina. They couldn’t have beaten Emiyo without her. That didn’t make her willfulness any less irritating, though.
“I’ll be back.” Seina’s bodyguard yawned and stretched. “I might as well take advantage of Seina being gone. I’m going to get some booze. With Seina gone, it gives me the perfect opportunity to relax a little.” With a wave, he left them alone.
“That just leaves the two of us, I guess,” Colten said, buzzing around Aiko’s head.
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“Want to watch something?” Aiko explored the grab bag of DVDs, not organized in any particular order. She frowned. “I’ve watched all these before. Can’t Takako, in her infinite power, create something new?”
“It probably doesn’t work like that.”
“I’m not like Seina. I hate watching the same movie repeatedly.” Aiko snapped her fingers. “I’ll be right back. My contact found me some Disney movies and I forgot to bring them from my place.”
Colten always found it astonishing how nothing seemed out of Aiko’s reach if she put her mind to it. Once, she’d conjured an old-fashioned ice cream maker when Seina complained about the local ice cream stand. She’d brought actual cream and everything!
Unfortunately, Colten realized he was alone with the creepy, unconscious Emiyo. Just being around the girl unnerved him. Even asleep, he sensed her malicious intent. It, once again, made Colten worry about Seina’s safety.
Before Seina, he’d been a failure. Other fairies mocked and bullied him for his weak stomach for the suffering of others. His worried parents had even sent him to a behavioral correction camp to get his head in order. It had only made his problem worse, causing him to despise the Starlight Dream even further for their cruelties.
“Stupid jerk!” Colten kicked Emiyo’s unconscious body in frustration. Immediately, he retreated, shamefaced, despite how much the vile magical girl deserved it. He flew over to the couch and signed, digging himself deep into the comfortable cushions.
“Next time, I’m going with Seina!” In Colten’s imagination, he dreamed of battling the Devil Princesses with Seina at his side. Together they kicked butt, insurmountable even for those monsters. It was a silly daydream, but an enjoyable one. He froze when he heard someone pushing open the front door.
Figuring it was Aiko returning early, he peered over to greet her and froze in terror when he recognized the two figures entering uninvited.
Oh, no! Scared out of his wits, he buried himself deep in the cushions. Thankfully, he’d been too quick for the two vampire lords to notice him. Their evil taint filled the room, making Colten gag. His heart thumped so hard, he feared its pounding would alert those two monsters of his presence. Thankfully, they passed by, not noticing the tiny, helpless fairy hiding inside the couch.
“The fools, leaving such a prize unguarded. The magical girl’s arrogance will be their downfall!” It was that random vampire that tried joining forces with Takako and Emiyo. He wondered why she had such a grudge against Seina.
“And your arrogance will be your downfall. Hurry. Time is short.” From his pink dress that mirrored Seina’s, the other was undoubtedly Dreven, Lotus Butcher!
The vampire woman seethed, eye twitching in agitation. She almost exploded in rage, but stopped herself and nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”
“Of course I am. Get moving already.”
The disrespectful tone almost threw the woman into another rant, but she controlled her temper with several calming breaths. A habit considering she didn’t need to breathe. She extended a hand, summoning a translucent rapier with an equally see-through gauntlet that covered most of her sword arm.
They’re here to assassinate her? I thought they were friends! Then it clicked, realizing what the duo were attempting. They were trying to steal Emiyo’s vast power for themselves. Hadn’t other vampires tried stealing Seina’s blood before? This was bad. There’d be terrible consequences if vampires gained a magical girl’s power. Worse, only Colten stood in their path.
What now? I can’t deliver a butt-kicking one-two punch like Seina! And retrieving Takako would take too long, the vampire was already feasting on Emiyo’s helpless body.
The see-through blade passed through Emiyo’s skin, ignoring her magical defenses. Sweat gathered around Lilha’s forehead, the act proving more strenuous than she’d first suspected. While difficult, she successfully caused a trickle of blood that oozed from the small puncture wound.
“Hurry, my powers can’t stop the wound from clotting long.” The vampire woman wiped the sweat from her brow.
“Excellent.” Without warning, Dreven struck. The vampire woman howled as the warrior’s hand impaled right through her chest.
“What treachery is this?” The woman wheezed, coughing blood as Dreven removed his arm.
“What was the saying? Only the strong survive?” Dreven said, amused by the vampire’s reaction. “Are you really that surprised? It was the tenant you preached the most. Shouldn’t you be rejoicing that I’m following your sacred teachings so closely?”
“Damn you!” The vampire woman wheezed some more, trying in vain to kill her attacker. Dreven tossed her aside like a doll.
Colten used this betrayal to act, his mind racing for some solution. Despite the vampires losing one of their a number, there wasn’t a chance he could fight the vampire champion. He could summon a portal, but there wasn’t any chance he could drag Emiyo through without Dreven stopping him. Besides, the magical girl would be free to break through Takako’s bonds once they entered another universe. With no better alternative, Colten flew over to the unconscious magical girl as fast as his wings could carry him and placed his mouth over the wound. He’d read somewhere saliva helped promote healing. It had to count for something, right? If he could stop the bleeding there would be nothing for the vampires to take. He grimaced at the taste of iron on his tongue, but that was the least of his problems.
“Oh?” Dreven turned his attention away from the groaning vampire woman, noticing Colten’s movement. “Ah, the fairy. I’d thought the room was empty. What now? Are you trying to stop me, little fairy?”
Pain rippled through Colten’s body as Dreven grabbed him from behind and pressed his fingers against Colten’s back. Bone shattered, leaving little remaining of his poor spinal column. With casual ease, Dreven discarded the tiny fairy from his perch. A flick tossed Colten across the room. Every breath passed waves of hot agony through Colten, finding himself paralyzed. His efforts to protect Emiyo had proven less than useless.
“I wonder if it’s true that fairies can’t die without their partners?” Dreven said, returning his attention towards the helpless magical girl. “An intriguing experiment, but it’d waste time.”
Bending down, Dreven opened his mouth to feast. His fang wrapped around her neck, not piercing but getting a hold. Tears flowed unbidden as Colten watched the scene, hating himself, hating his uselessness. Why had he even bothered? As usual, he was a pathetic excuse for a fairy.
A cough made Colten jerk in surprise as Dreven released Emiyo and collapsed to the ground, shivering. Each involuntary breath was pain, and the vampire shook his head, dazed.
“Such power. It’s like my blood is on fire.” Dreven tried and failed to stand, overcome with pain. Despite his agony, the vampire laughed. “Reach for the sun and you get burned.”
Incredible, magical girl’s power must be toxic to his kind! Colten would smugly point this out, but his jaw refused to work.
As suddenly as he’d collapsed, Dreven returned to his feet. He seemed stronger, more alive. Oh no, he’d gain some power from Emiyo’s blood after all! The smile on the vampire’s mouth confirmed Colten’s worst fears.
“Difficult, but not impossible. My power saved me. Nothing can kill me, remember?” He reached down for another attempt at Emiyo’s blood, but frowned. “It’s closed already. My vampiric saliva should have stopped that. Your interference must have done something after all, fairy.”
Dreven’s dagger-like fang drove into Emiyo’s throat to reach her precious blood, but it was like trying to cut a diamond with a plastic dinner knife. The magical girl proved too tough to hurt. The discrepancy between their power proved too vast.
“Dammit.” The vampire uttered several other curses. “You win this time, fairy. But know this, I’m watching.” After giving Colten a predatory wolfish grin, the vampire vanished.
Hot tears stung Colten’s eyes, unsure if they were of joy or relief. His pain had somewhat dulled, but he wouldn’t heal from a broken spine anytime soon. While the agony was horrific, he took pride in being an obstacle to Dreven’s evil plans.
“Colten!” Aiko’s eyes widened in shock upon seeing the fairy’s battered body and the scene before her. She rushed to his side, cradling his body with the utmost care. Tears dripped onto Colten’s back, warm and somehow soothing. “Takako! Takako!”
“What is it?” A bored Takako said, entering with a to-go bag over her shoulder. They dropped when she saw Colten. “What the hell happened?!” With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her wand to her hand, spinning her ribbon over Colten’s broken body.
Pain vanished like it never existed, and Colten moved his body experimentally. He waved a leg, finding no pain or stiffness bothering him. He did a somersault in the air and laughed.
“Incredible!” Colten flew around Takako’s head, eternally grateful for the magical girl who’d once been an enemy.
“What happened, Colten?” With a flick of her wrist, Takako’s ribbon rebound Emiyo.
“Uh, she didn’t get too much stronger while you healed me, right?” While relieved to be healed, Colten spared the lieutenant a nervous glance, she didn’t seem any different.
“Who cares about that?” Takako tapped an impatient foot. “What happened to you?!”
“Yeah! Are you okay, Colten?” Aiko asked, worry etching on her features.
Colten gave a brief rundown of what had happened. He’d pointed towards the wounded vampire woman, only to discover a bloodstain on the carpet and nothing else. She must have escaped during the confusion, darn her.
“That bastard.” Takako seethed. “We got careless. He better hope we never run into him again. And he stained my nice plush carpet! I can’t use my magic to clean it!”
Aiko rolled her eyes at Takako’s antics, but smiled. “I’m just glad you’re safe, Colten. We won’t leave you again!”
“Yeah,” Despite her tough exterior, Takako’s worry for her new fairy friend was obvious. Still, she could at least afford to throw him a hug his way.
“What the hell?!” Kiyojiro’s bottle of booze rolled across the carpet, eyes wide upon seeing the terrible bloodstain on the floor. Colten laughed. It felt good after the trauma he’d just faced. Still, he was worried about his partner, hoping Seina's day was going better.
---
Agony continued to tear Dreven’s body to pieces. Despite his bold claims to Seina’s fairy partner, absorbing Emiyo’s magical power proved more difficult than he’d expected. Perhaps he was lucky that he hadn’t drunk more of the girl’s blood. It’d likely have driven him to madness. But Dreven persevered. It was his power, after all.
This power must be divine in nature! It was like he’d swallowed the sun. Every waking moment was agony as every single cell within him burned. The matter deserved more consideration before he continued any further. Yet, strength beyond his imagination sung in his blood, rejuvenating him and making him feel alive.
Alive? He blinked. Were those actual breaths he felt when he inhaled and exhaled? What had happened to him? Was he evolving, growing past his base vampiric nature? Curious, Dreven stepped out from the alley’s shadows he’d been hiding and dropped all his defenses.
Warmth struck his skin, bringing unexpected tears dripped down his face. What was this? Had he missed the sun’s warmth this badly? Had his longtime curse made him forget such simple human joys? Yes, Dreven supposed he had, and laughter bubbled from his lips. Sunlight was no longer anathema to him, making his usually pale skin glow with radiance. The more he absorbed the sunlight, the more his pain ebbed. Would he have to abandon his vampirehood to gain greater power? But where did that lead him? Oh, well. It didn’t matter. Power was power.
Dreven smiled and extended a hand towards a collection of flowers that brightened a normally grubby building face. With a flick of power, they crumbled to dust. They’d aged decades in seconds, decaying into nothingness. As Dreven had expected, he’d absorbed a fraction of Emiyo’s time abilities.
No, in time, he’d developed them further than the magical girl could ever imagine. He’d push this evolution to its limit. He couldn’t wait to see where it led him.