Blood Bound

The Red Mansion

Henryk goes out of the store with a good pale colored jeans, black comfortable t-shirt and a casual grey blazer. Brook bought another two sets of suit for the kid to wear in the anniversary night, and two other casual pair. 

"Thank you so much for the discount, Dustey. I can't convince you to take the discount back can I?" Bess hugged Dustey. The guy chuckle.

"I know you have the money, Redhound. But I want to do something for my good friend." He let go of the hug. Bess doesn't want to stare at his artificial eye, but it's beautiful. At least for her. 

"Then would you come to the anniversary?" Bess hopefully look at her friend. Dustey bitterly smiled. 

"Your family and I have gone a very long way. I couldn't say no, but can I just go to the after party? I'm not going to do good on the meeting, you know."

Bess nod, "Whatever you want, Dustey. See you soon, then?" 

Dustey smiled. 

"Of course." He hugged Bess once again, before moving on and hug Brook after.

The trip from Dustey's back to the teleportation booth is fascinating, for Henryk especially. He saw the automatic ceiling that appear on top of each person's head when it's starting to rain, looking like the top part of umbrella, transparent and sturdy enough to hold even the pouring rain. He also had a little snack, airdog, or a hotdog made out of the ingredients' smoke. They made the ingredients' with low caloried stuff, make sure the texture's similar with the real thing and so it's safe to consume all kind of junk food in this town. It's calorie-less. They also came in an edible plastic wrapper. 

"So where are you guys living? I mean it must look magical!" Henryk happily jumping around. Bess bitterly smiled. 

"Well, wait till you see. We almost arrive to the teleportation booth." Bess pointed ahead, the kid follow the tip of her finger and his jaw agape watching the green lights scanning over people and they just disappear after that. 

"Does it hurt?" Henryk gulped his saliva. 

Bess chuckled. 

"No, come on." She pushed Henryk by shoulder softly to approach the green booth, she swiped her card and the gate open for the three of them to get in. 

"Brook, go first, I don't want him to get lost." 

Brook walked past Bess and touched the pad beside the capsule, and set the location to their mansion. He stepped into the clear green jade capsule, and slowly there's a light scanning his body and he slowly disappear. 

"Awesome..." Henryk exhaled. Bess hold her laughter and push the boy forward. 

"Go on, you just need to stand on it." 

The kid carefully observe around, and put his hand on everything he can touch. 

"Now, now, stand properly, you might leave your finger behind if you don't." 

Henryk flinched and quickly put his hand back and stick it to his body, standing stiffly in the middle of the capsule. The same light scan his body and he's gone. 

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What Henryk saw, was not what he expected at all. He was imagining a metallic, futuristic castle. Dominated by cold colors, that can reflect the light of sun.  But this one is more of a rustic, old mansion. In front of it is a big metal gate, various vines wrap itself on it, and a big garden exist between it and the mansion. The mansion is big of course, Henryk never seen a house that huge. And there's some kind of a dark, deep aura to it. 

"So this is your house?" Henryk asked, slowly, carefully approaching the gate. 

"The one and only." Brook replied, when a little thud sound of Bess' teleportation arrival can be heard behind him. 

"Welcome to the Red Mansion." Bess walk pass both of the guys towards the gate, and when she touches the gate the 'R' symbol in the middle of the gate, lit up red. 

"This is the Red Mansion, your identity please?" 

Henryk flinched, looking around trying to look for the source of voice. 

"This is Arabess, and Brooklyn." Bess answered, but the gate still hasn't move. 

"We detected one un-recognizable person, is that your guest?" 

"Yes, he's with us." Bess answered again. 

The R symbol's light turned off, and the vine on the gate slowly slipping back towards the bushes beside the gate that grew all around the fence.

Bess looked around, "Come in, let's go." 

She took a walk inside, and Henryk carefully followed behind her. He would occasionally peek behind to check if Brook is still behind him. He feels like something would jumped him anytime soon. 

"Good afternoon, Miss Redhound." 

And someone did. 

An old man, with white beard, and almost no hair, appeared out of nowhere, and Henryk was frozen on his feet. 

"How are you, Mr. Jameson?" Henryk watch Bess hug the old man, and he somehow feel safer again. 

"It's been too long, Miss Redhound, without you at home, it was... tense." He let go of the hug, and look at Bess like he's looking at a family. 

"It was tense, when I was here too. At least for me." Bess pat the old man's shoulder and she scoot a bit to the side so Mr. Jameson can take a look at Brook. Brook is a lot taller than Bess, anyone could see him clearly even if Bess stood in front of him, but Mr. Jameson's eyes are already worn out by time. Brook's tall figure clearly had the man's attention, he was scanning him at first with a squinted eye, and then he smiled, warmly. 

"Brooklyn. Nice to see you!" Mr. Jameson slowly make his way towards Brook, and Brook quickly approach him to give him a little hug. 

"It must be hard, taking care of the house." Brook chuckled. The man sighed. 

"Always love to work for the Redhounds, but since... you know." He pulled back, and switch his gaze to Bess and was about to talk about the death of their parents when his eyes found a little figure hiding behind Bess' legs. 

"Oh, a young man. Who is this little guy?" 

Bess reached to the kid and pushed him forward. 

"He said he's going to be my student, the next Redhound, but well, he's still scared of new things it seems." 

Hearing that, Henryk tried to stand straight and approach Mr. Jameson to offer his hand. 

"M-my name is Henryk, and yes I'm going to be the next Redhound." 

Mr. Jameson took the little hand to squeeze it a little, and he gave a glance towards Bess and Brook. 

"You two aren't going to take him yourselves?" The look on the old man is clearly worry. 

Bess looked at Brook for help, but he's also a bit dumbfounded. Mr. Jameson's 'no' is a very strong 'no' and Bess and Brook had never went against Mr. Jameson's advice. 

"We're... unmarried, Cliff, and we travel far, without money sometimes, and we're one of the youngest Redhound at the moment, it's not our time to take a student." Bess explained, trying to read every reaction she can get out of Mr. Jameson. 

"So you're going to bring him to the trial?" Mr. Jameson throw a pity look to Henryk. Henryk wasn't scared, but the more he heard about all this 'trial' thing, he can't help but feeling a bit terrified of what about to come. 

"It seems like it's his only option."