(Meariri) (Kirasaya) Crimson Nocturne

Trouble (Part Two)

As Mary, Ririka, and Yumeko sat atop the verdant hill, Mary's keen discernment spotted a figure in the distance—an enigmatic woman who exuded an unmistakable air of elegance.

Her intuition whispered a disconcerting truth to Mary; this woman bore the hallmarks of a vampire.

Mary, an adept identifier of vampires, relied on her astute observations: the ethereal glint in the woman's eyes, her uncannily graceful movements, and her hauntingly pale complexion.

There was no doubt about it; the woman was a vampire, and Mary had her in her sights, prepared to take a calculated shot from her concealed vantage point.

"That's a vampire," she murmured to her fellow vampire hunters. "I'm taking the shot."

Ririka looked at Yumeko with a look of panic in her eyes.

"Wait a moment, Mary-san," Yumeko said smoothly.

Yumeko's ability to maintain her composure in the face of impending danger was evident, and her actions served to steady the atmosphere, offering a momentary pause in the unfolding drama.

Ririka, who had been on the verge of panic, found herself compelled to follow Yumeko's lead. Yumeko's steadiness reassured her, and she watched in silence, grateful for the intervention that had prevented a hasty and potentially catastrophic action.

"What is it this time?" Mary sighed.

"Well, Hinata and I feel that enhancing our abilities in close-quarter combat is a crucial facet of their role as vampire hunters. Dispatching a vampire from afar wouldn't further our expertise in handling more immediate confrontations, would it?"

"Oh, yea," Ririka added with a measured proposal. "It might be prudent for us to retreat into the depths of the forest for some rigorous close combat training. Such exercises would undeniably fortify our proficiency as vampire hunters."

"You're so smart, Hinata-chan! There is no better opportunity than this to refine our skills in grappling with vampires up close, especially since Hinata is a newbie."

Mary, who had been poised to take her shot, weighed the merits of their proposal. Having grasped the significance of improving their capabilities for intimate vampire encounters, she agreed.

"Alright, Hinata. Fumihita has been telling everyone about your remarkable kinetic vision and speed. Go ahead and show me."

"A-Ah?! Um...right!" Ririka exclaimed, shooting a glare Yumeko's way.

*****

As they descended the hill and delved further into the forest, Yumeko cleverly seized the moment to divert Mary's attention. "Hey Mary?"

"Later, Hanako. I want to observe how Ririka takes down the vampire," Mary said in a hushed tone.

"But look at this! I've discovered an unusual set of tracks here!" She bent down, pretending to examine a series of curious footprints on the forest floor.

Mary's curiosity piqued, and her focus shifted to Yumeko's discovery. As Yumeko continued to inspect the tracks with exaggerated enthusiasm, she explained, "These tracks are unlike anything I've ever seen. They might belong to a rare forest creature we haven't encountered before. Isn't this fascinating?"

Unbeknownst to the blonde, the vampire had made use of her super speed and had created the tracks beforehand using one of the fruits from a nearby bush.

In tandem, Ririka discreetly approached the unsuspecting vampire with a heightened sense of vigilance. In the cryptic vernacular known only to vampires, she softly intoned, "Run, Sachiko. There is a hunter close by."

It seemed that this vampire was one that Ririka knew. She was none other than Sachiko Juraku, the elder sister of Sayaka Momobami.

Her red, cat-like eyes glinted as she swished her grey hair to the side.

"No problem," she replied in Sanguinarian.

With a graceful yet rapid movement, the vampire retreated into the depths of the forest with breathtaking super speed.

Her figure became a blur of shadow and moonlight as she traversed the woodland, her dark silhouette gracefully weaving between trees and undergrowth.

Leaves rustled and twigs snapped in her wake, but her speed was unparalleled, and she vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.

The forest seemed to embrace her as she melded seamlessly with its shadows, leaving no trace of her presence behind. Sachiko's ability to disappear into the depths of the forest was a testament to the supernatural agility and swiftness that vampires possessed.

Ririka watched her kin's escape with a sense of relief, knowing that their warning had been heeded, and Sachiko was now safe from any potential harm.

There was no doubt that—being one of the most powerful vampires—she could take down Mary in the blink of an eye.

However, that would jeopardise their mission and blow their cover, and that was something Ririka could not afford.

With Sachiko safely retreated into the depths of the forest, Yumeko knew it was time to dispel Mary's curiosity and redirect her attention away from the fabricated tracks. As Mary began to show an interest in following the trail, Yumeko stepped in smoothly.

In a tone of mild disappointment, Yumeko remarked, "Mary, upon closer inspection, I'm beginning to suspect these tracks might be from a random wild animal, nothing extraordinary after all. Perhaps it's best not to delve too deeply into this matter."

Yumeko's casual dismissal of the tracks, combined with a hint of genuine curiosity, was enough to sow doubt in Mary's mind. Her willingness to accept the possibility that the tracks were insignificant allowed Mary to save face without realizing the tracks had been a clever ruse.

Mary, still captivated by the idea but not wanting to appear overly eager, nodded in agreement.

"You may be right," she conceded, deciding not to press further.

Little did she know that the distraction had effectively concealed their true intentions and kept their secret realm secure from discovery.

"It's getting late," Ririka said, realising that they had been here longer than she had expected. "Why not we get some dinner?"

"Sure," Mary replied. "A new restaurant just opened nearby and I've wanted to check it out for a while now."

With their mission in the surrounding woods successfully concluded and the vampire safely warned and departed, the trio began to make their way back to the heart of the small town.

Yumeko giggled and whispered to Ririka in Sanguinarian. "Crisis averted!"

Ririka let out a sigh of relief and smiled warmly at her friend. She responded in the same cryptic language, "Indeed we managed to protect both our secret and a fellow kin."

"What tune are you guys humming along to?" Mary asked.

"Um, this American song called 'Red' by Taylor Slow—Swift," Yumeko said, laughing nervously.

"Oh, I adore that song," Mary laughed. "Here, I'll play it on my Spotify and we can sing to it on the way."

They retraced their steps, leaving the peaceful woods behind as they headed towards the inviting glow of the town's modest streetlights.

The waning sunlight cast a warm and gentle glow on their backs as they strolled towards the promising prospect of a delightful dinner at the nearby restaurant, eager to savour the flavors of the evening.