On The Side Of The Pitch With You

Reconciliation

"I kept my promise." He looked up to face two figures who had just appeared. "So now will the Children of the Night leave my team alone?"

"Funny you'd call us that." One with blue-grey hair chuckled. "However, our team name is The Excellars. Surely, as a fellow captain, you'd prefer it for your team to be referred to properly too, no?"

"I thought you'd say that." He mirrored the other's amused expression. "If I called you by your team name, then I'll be giving the rest of your factions the green light to continue harassing us. The so-called vampires of Vamptym and the wanna-be werewolves of Tsukigami are all becoming a pain to deal with."

"Like the freaks of Zanark Domain are any better. Grrr." The other with bushy, coral-pink hair growled, though he didn't seem to mind the half-hearted insult that much. "You guys cause more trouble than we do. And you're the late-bloomer here."

"That just means you admit that, even before I awakened as one of you, I was still stronger."

"... As we agreed, the Children of the Night will no longer target those in Zanark Domain."

"Oi, Vanfeny!"

"Such is destiny, Garsha." Sharp, green eyes narrowed. "However, bear in mind that this is simply a truce. It is not a partnership."

"Hah! Zanark Domain partners with no one anyways!"

"The hell do you have going on with Raimon then? Grrr." Dark blue eyes looked at him in confusion.

"My personal ties have nothing to do with them." This time, the pupils that narrowed were blood red. "Which was why I told you to keep whatever problem you have with me with just me."

The one named Vanfeny let out a huff. "The Avalons, unlike other adults, hold a special place in the heart of the Children of the Night. Both me and Garsha are not the only ones to be... offended by their favoritism of you."

"And the fact that you weren't the one to finish off the old man wasn't known by everyone until Saru told us in our past meeting with Feida a couple of months ago. Grrr." The one named Garsha scoffed. "If it weren't for him, we'd still be thinking you have their kid brainwashed."

Well, he has brainwashed people before, so he supposed that was a fair accusation. "I didn't have to. That kid stuck to me like glue all the time since she first met me."

"Except for the years that she didn't. Grrr."

"Details." He said, giving an uncaring shrug. "Fact is, even after returning her memories, she chose me over you."

"... Be mindful of your words, Zanark. You are not her true brother."

Like anyone in this world is. She's an only-child. Sometimes, he wondered if he was the only one that remembered that.

(He refused to admit that sometimes, just sometimes, he forgot too.)

~~~~~

Yuuichi watched as the two strangers disappeared, leaving Zanark alone in front of the grave. He exchanged glances with Masato before walking over to him.

"Zanark?"

Red eyes wandered over to him before going to the man behind him. "Done with your talk?"

"We are. Thanks."

"Didn't do it for you. But you're going to have to get along if you plan on becoming in-laws."

Masato sighed. "We're aware."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that reaction. Then, he eyed the remains of the cottage, above which the two strangers stood before. "Zanark, if you don't mind me asking..."