Chapter Text
"A bushy tail? That sounds very nice."
"It is! It's so big and soft too. Sometimes, when I had a bad day, stroking it helped me feel better...I didn't always ask though..."
After Saya asked a question about the redhead she saw earlier, the conversation certainly took off. I've noticed it before, but Noel seems to be at ease when talking about her friends. They both are getting along really well, which is something that pleases me. If my sister can make some friends after everything that happened, I'm not going to complain. She certainly needs it.
As she didn't leave the church, she never really had an opportunity to meet anyone of her age. The city was simply too far and I don't think kittens from the Kaka village would be good friends for a frail girl like her. If a game got a little too rough, she could hurt have herself. She used to say that her brothers were more than enough, but you can't just cling to your siblings your whole life. You've gotta leave the nest sooner or later. For that purpose, Noel is probably the best choice right now. She might be an idiot who needs to grow a spine for real and get her shit together, but she's certainly not a bad person and she can teach her some things.
Then again, there aren't many to choose from. I sure as hell don't want her to spend more time with those two Clovers than necessary. Aside from being much older, they are just...How do I even describe it...Batshit insane? That seems about right. The last thing I want is her picking up some shitty hobby involving cutting people open or making stupid living dolls. The Clovers' children, on the other hand, might not be too bad. That Ada girl was way too eager to gut me, but so was Saya for different reasons and we got it all sorted out in the end. As for Amane, he's nowhere near as bad as the masked bastard and he's already on good terms with my sister, but he's still kind of an asshole. Maybe I'm just pissed off at him for turning me into a child, which is a reasonable excuse.
"I wonder what it's like to have a tail..." - Saya says, tapping her chin.
"Some beastkin do look more beautiful thanks to their tails. I meet some absolutely stunning women with finely groomed tails while travelling, so, I can't deny it. Unfortunately, it's really not worth the trouble they bring." - Amane says, shaking his head a little.
"Oh? Is molting that bad for them? I think Jubei complained about that once." - she asks. Right, I don't think we ever got to explain that before she...
"It's...It's not that...W-Well, the fur does get everywhere, but...Some people don't treat them well because they are different." - Noel explains. That's putting it lightly...or not saying shit, really.
"Why?"
"Humans have a hard time accepting others as their equals. It doesn't help that most beastkin were created for war and, while most of them no longer have to fight on the battlefield, some are still seen as mere tools. Those who have never learned the history behind beastkin usually treat them as dirty animals instead. It's a narrow mindset." - he replies with a frown on his face. Sounds about right.
"Long story short, people can be assholes. How and why means jack shit here, so, don't bother wasting your time if you meet any." - I say, adjusting my bow. It's getting really annoying. Can I just tear it off?
"Your speech is as eloquent as ever, I see."
I immediately turn to the right and find that bloodsucker sitting at a table with her merry band of sidekicks, sipping tea with closed eyes. On it's own, that's not an unusual sight, but seeing her among ordinary people like this is new to me. Nobody else is staring at her or her pets, so, either it's completely normal to them or she's been here long enough. While the cat and the bat are here, I can't find that old fart anywhere. Less things to worry about, I guess.
"Long time no see, Miss Rachel. Lovely day to have tea outside, isn't it?" - Amane asks. I probably shouldn't be surprised at this point. It would be more surprising if he didn't know her.
"I wholeheartedly agree. But I did not expect to see you here. What brings you here?" - Rachel asks.
"That would be me. I require his assistance...Wait...Rachel...Rachel...Are you the rabbit?" - Say- Shit, I forgot to tell her not to use that name.
Now the vampire opens her eyes to look at my sister...but then she starts staring at me. Judging by how her expression changes from mild irritation to a puzzled one, it has nothing to do with that name. Her two servants exchange looks, but they don't say anything. Nobody really says anything for a while and it's getting kinda...awkward?
"I-Isn't that...The head of the Alucard family?" - Noel finally asks. Just looking at her is enough to tell that she's scared.
"...Why, yes, that is correct. Do not worry, I did not come here for your head. You would not live long enough to notice my presence otherwise. I came here for those two." - the rabbit says, motioning towards me and Lambda.
"And what do you what from Br- from my sisters?" - my sister asks. I don't think I've told her that she knows who I am yet.
"There is something we have to talk about, but it does not concern you. If I am not mistaken, you must be Saya. I've heard of you..." - Rachel says, obviously suspicious of the girl in question.
"I got better...That aside, if you simply need to talk about something in private, then we can leave you alone for a bit. Just don't take too long. We're kind of in the middle of something here." - Saya replies.
The others two don't object and soon only the three of us remain...Well, there are still people around, but they should know better than to eavesdrop if they know what's good for them. As for Rachel, she still has the same look on her face and for a while, neither of us says anything. I just want to get this done and over, so, I walk up to her. Several seconds pass and she stands up.
'...Uh...Are you just gonn-"
I almost yelp when the damn bloodsucker lifts me off the ground by the armpits. The hell's she doing?!
"Put me down, you idiot!" - I shout, seriously considering kicking her in the face if she doesn't listen. Some turn to see what's going on, but then quickly go back to whatever they were doing once Rachel looks at them.
"Every time we meet, your plight grows more amusing. I wonder what will happen the next time?" - she says with an annoying smile.
Before I can say or do anything, I'm torn from her grip and pulled into an embrace too tight for my ribcage. It's a little hard in this position, but when I turn my head, it turns out to be the other blonde and when I try to escape, her arms refuse to budge. When I'm about to tell her to cut it out, I notice how she glares at Rachel. The vampire, on the other hand, is merely surprised.
"You've grown more...assertive, I suppose. Do be careful with that attitude though. Now then, Ragna, what exactly is the cause of your current state? While it does suit you, I don't believe that one can suddenly regress into a child like this." - Rachel asks. I swear if I wasn't held like this, I'd make her cry for real. Can't she just ask the damn question without taking jabs at me?
"Blame. Amane." - I reply with grit teeth.
"Then I assume this dress is his work as well. I should thank him later. Since you are here, you must still be looking for that Azure Grimoire of yours. How is your other companion doing?" - she asks, sipping on her tea.
"If you're talking about Nu, she's been silent after I scolded her. She's probably mad at me, but I just couldn't stand it anymore...Still, I'd rather know what she's up to." - I reply.
"Mad at you? Oh, no no no, I was just...busy." - Nu finally speaks up and she doesn't sound even a little bit upset. A part of me is relieved, but only because it means she's not plotting anything.
"Busy?"
"Well, what happened last night got me thinking about something, so, I decided to look through some data, but so far, I didn't find much and what little was found is fragmented, so, it's taking a while. Did you feel lonely? If you did, I'm sorry for that. I can leave it for later!" - the voice in my head says. I have no idea what she was thinking about, so, I can't say for sure if what I sad had any effect on her. I'm just going to assume that she didn't get it.
"...Scratch that, she's fine. I really doubt she's going to understand anything anytime soon." - I tell to Rachel.
"But I understand, Ragna! You were simply grumpy after having a bad day and needed to vent, that's all. If you want to, you can lash out at me verbally...but I prefer something more...sensual..." - Nu retorts. Yeah, definitely no effect.
"Perhaps you two will come to understand each other later. That is ultimately up to you. What about your sister? I believe that the last time I've seen her, she was...much less lively." - the vampire asks.
"Where do I even begin..."