The Battle Pair's Story (discontinued)

Melancholic Encounter

A/N: This chapter contains minor changes from before! Please read through in case you might not understand the things that may happen in the future!

Kyoko's tears fell freely onto her face, as she ran out into the snow. Anywhere... anywhere away from here... As she got closer to the roads, the snow got lesser and lesser. She was lost in the sea of crowds, shoving her left and right. She was pushed against a door, where she quickly rushed in. She relaxed a bit when she realised that almost no people were here, just a black-haired man, wearing a traditional Japanese kimono. She sighed, taking a seat next to him and grabbing the menu, hopefully giving her an excuse to stay in the store.

"Ah... The eve of Battle... To what pleasure do I owe you?"

She jumped back and fell to the floor. Why was it that wherever she went, there were vampires? "Who are you?", Kyoko regained her composure. "Hmm...? You don't know me...? I am the Servamp of Melancholy, nicknamed 'Who is coming', but, feel free to call me Tsubaki." The man picked out another plate of sushi, "Tell me an interesting story... I'm bored." Kyoko sat back quietly next to him. "Boring.", Tsubaki took a bite, "You know... You got some nerve running away from your friends." 

Kyoko crossed her arms. "You killed 2 vampires when you were just 12 right? You hunted after them after they killed your friend.", Tsubaki proceeded to take another plate, but before he could, he was stopped by kyoko grabbing his arm. "You know can't kill me." "I know. But I want you to shut up.", Kyoko sat back down.

Kyoko wondered how this vampire knew... "How did you...?" "I am the servamp of melancholy... I can sense your feelings like the others- Your memories of sadness are pretty easy to find when you're recalling them right in this moment.", Tsubaki continued to pick out sushi but paused," ah, your friends are looking for you... I think I better leave." "And what are you running away from?", Kyoko asked, eyeing him.

Tsubaki froze. He stood up quietly, "I shall take my leave... Good luck, Eve of Battle. Besides, wouldn't your friends turn on you, if they found out what you did...? I bet they'd probably leave you in an instant..."  Tsubaki walked out of the store and disappeared around the corner.

He was right... Kyoko sat quietly, alone in the store. I... i am a monster... She stared at the counter.... what would the others think of me...? She took a plate of sushi and took a bite. Her mind was scattered and panicked, she almost forgot that she left her friends back at the hot springs resort. She didn't mind if they never found her. She shivered in her robe, her head was so hot, and she was covered in cold sweat. Being sick never really stopped her before, she remembered as a child, she would lie to her Grandmother, so that she could go horse riding with her Grandfather, no matter how sick she was. She teared as she ate the sushi. She stood up and looked around, there didn't seem to be anyone attending to the counter, which was strange to her, but she took the opportunity and left without paying.

She didn't want to go back, so she wondered around in the cold. Even though she had some resistance to cold weather, one layer of clothing was definitely not enough for her.

Meanwhile, the Eves and Servamps, spread out around the area, calling out for their lost girl. "Kyoko-saaaaan!!??", Mahiru called out, worried. Licht wandered further into the city, looking out for Kyoko. Tetsu and Hugh stayed back at the resort, in case she came back. Misono and Lily, walked around the resort while Merlin flew about, looking down at the city. Kyle had stayed back, being the chatterbox that he was, Misono was afraid that he might make it worse.

Kyoko had settled herself down next to a bus stop. She sat down and stared off into the distance, as she wrapped her arms around herself. She looked up and noticed a familiar Angel looking around. Oh... they managed to get all the way here... Licht was only wearing the hot springs' Yukata. To him, it was freezing, but he didn't hesitate to just run out after Kyoko had ran off. Hyde had just passed him a scarf, then followed Mahiru to look for Kyoko as well.

Kyoko got up and quickly moved away, ashamed. She didn't want him- especially him, to see her in this state. What happened last night was already so embarrassing for her, she really didn't want to keep relying on Licht to help her. She quickly walked away from the bus stop, only to be noticed too soon. "Kyoko!" She quickened her pace and turned around the corner to another street. She heard running footsteps behind her, so she started running as well, desperately trying to get away.

Licht quickly took out his phone and contacted his sister and Mahiru, who made their way to corner Kyoko. He continued to run after her. Kyoko had run into an alley and hid behind some trash bins. She crouched down and placed her arms round her legs, while looking down and hiding her face. She heard the Licht's footsteps getting closer. "Kyoko." The Angel turned around and looked down at the farmer girl, who leaned her face onto the wall, avoiding any eye contact. Licht sighed as he squatted next to her, before sitting down onto the cold snow. His hands made their way to her face, as he pulled back a bit of her hair the was covering her right eye. He decided to stay quiet and give her some space. They sat there for a while, before Mahiru and Hyde found them.

They had managed to get her back to the resort and covered her in blankets. She sat quietly and the corner of the room as she stared down at her feet with her arms around her legs again. Merlin sighed, "Okay... I guess you guys need an explanation... Ko-Chan... I think it's best you sit this one out okay...?" Kyoko nodded quietly as she walked out of the room.

"When Kyoko was 10, she had a friend named Eito. They were really close. In fact, he was like a brother to her. So, one day... He and Kyoko were out playing in the woods... and those subclasses attacked Kyoko. Eito was brave... He... Sacrificed himself to save her. Kyoko had witnessed everything, so she was pretty... messed up by it... But she continued to stay strong. That kid... She trained even harder after that. After a few years, her Grandfather was killed by vampires as well... I just... never told her... he was found right outside the farm with a gun..." Merlin paused," I.... I wish I could have told her but not after she...." "She what? Merlin, what did she do?" Misono pressed in. "I shouldn't.... she wouldn't want... Never mind... she... she'll tell you in her own time. Just don't press in on her okay?" The gang looked at each other before nodding.

Meanwhile, right outside the room, Kyoko listened in to the conversation. Grandpa was killed by vampires too? How did she not know this till now...? But then again, Merlin had a point. Not after she hunted down the vampires and killed them... She was relieved that Merlin didn't tell them what she did... but how could she ever tell them as well? Killing a vampire who was once a human as well.... But... they deserve to know the truth, don't they? How could she lie to them too? Her mind once again was clogged with questions and scenarios where her friends would leave her. She teared silently as she stood up and walked back to her room.

After pondering for some time, alone, in her room, she came to the decision. I'll tell them tomorrow... I'm ready to lose everything. At least... if they leave, they'd be out of harm's way... and if they stay, I would gain true friends. Kyoko was willing to tell her friends something that her grandmother didn't even know. She wondered why she suddenly had the courage to, but she did. There was no turning back with this decision, she wasn't planning to... all her questions and doubts, there's no point in thinking them if she wouldn't even do anything about them.

Merlin had come back to check on her, only to see her smiling, "Hey... at you okay...?" Kyoko walked over and gave him a tight hug, "Merlin... I think I'll tell them..." "wait what? Are you sure...?" "Yeah... they deserve to know... they've been so nice to me... I just can't lie to them." Kyoko smiled as she buried her face into Merlin's chest. Merlin was confused on her sudden change of behaviour, she never had the courage to tell anyone but him, "hmph... brave girl... but that's what the Eve of battle is supposed to be." He smiled down at her, proud that she could make this decision on her own.

"Besides... No matter what happens, I'd never leave your side..."