After endlessly walking around the area in silence, he finally spoke. "So . . . how are you feeling?" He glanced at me before looking forward again. "I mean, two weeks ago you were just at home, now you've been across most of the North continent, nearly sold off to a shady market, cheated death twice, learned you were a hybrid- you've been through a lot."
"When you put it like that it sounds horrible-" I sighed and scratched my head, glancing at what was once my injured arm. "To be honest, I don't think there was a time I've felt worse, nor have I felt any better. It's been weird, frightening, confusing, even angering, but I guess that's normal for us, huh?"
He shrugged, and walked towards a park. He sat on one of the swings and looked around a bit. "Yeah, I suppose. I mean, for the 'elites' this isn't new. For us? I'm still getting used to being something other than what your father made me."
I raised an eyebrow and sat beside him, intrigued. "My dad made you?"
"Yeah, out of his ice magic." He chuckled and formed a small bunny statue out of snow in his hands. "Your mother possessed cryokinesis, but your father possessed cyrokinesis and memory sight. He created me when he was around your age I think."
He blew on the snow, revealing a white rabbit as it's tiny nose sniffed the area around it. It then jumped down and hopped it's way to the nearby grass. "So you've been by his side this whole time? As a tiger?" I swung a bit and looked at the other, curious.
"Yeah, and he made sure I watched over you two when the accident occured." Sholto looked up at the sky and sighed. "I always thought it was easy, since Ienzo never let either of you go anywhere without letting someone know. But, I guess he'll have to replace me, or get rid of me entirely now."
"Wait- hold on." I stopped swinging and turned to him, concerned. What did he mean by that? My dad wasn't that cruel, right? Sure he was strict, but getting rid of Sholto forever? Impossible.
The snow tiger- hybrid lifted his shirt to reveal bandages covering his abdomen, the middle being stained with a light scarlet. "When Rosaline choked you into unconsciousness, I tried to get you away from her by attacking her face." He dropped his clothes and explained the entire situation. "Her tears stopped most of the bleeding, but it hurts like hell to move."
". . . what is the MizuKai Market?" I picked up the white bunny that came back some point during his talk. "I understand it's like a black market, but it seems a bit confusing."
"No idea, after all I was born here and lived here my whole life. You'll have to ask the others for that." He got up and stretched a bit before looking at me again. "We should get back and see if they've stopped. I don't think Vanitas would enjoy the idea of you out of his sight for too long."
I nodded and followed him back, still curious about what he had said earlier. Maybe I'm just overthinking things like normal, I thought. And at that moment, I believed it.
~~~
When we returned to the somewhat run-down building, we found both Nico and Roland covered in bandages, Roland fighting with Crimson while the Loranian was idly chatting with my brother.
Vanitas glanced at us and smiled a bit, relaxing his posture. "Welcome back. Had a nice walk?"
"I suppose," Sholto shifted into his tiger form and laid beside Nico. I glanced at everyone in the room before sitting beside Vanitas.
"Hey, does anyone know what the MizuKai Market is?" Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. The elites gave each other uneasy glances before finding the ceiling to be really interesting. "Anyone?"
"The MizuKai Market is known to be one of the most dangerous black markets across the systems," Nico said grimly. "The name MizuKai originated from a lost planet, which inhabited creatures known as Factorem Malum." Factorem Malum? Hey, those were the creatures from my visions! "They were the most dangerous beings since they could control every element there was. Therefore, the Mizukai Market holds dangerous goods, particularly hybrids such as yourself."
He looked down at his hands and continued. "No one other than rich or high-end criminals know the location of the Market, so if you get caught there there's a low chance you'll ever get out without being sold off to someone." After that there was an uncomfortable silence, and it seemed really hard to change the topic again.
Eventually, Eli coughed and got up. He grabbed his jacket and made his way to the entrance, turning to look at us all again. "'Kay, I'm gonna head out, do you guys want anything?" He asked us.
"The souls of the innocent." Crimson said.
"What?"
"A bagel." Vanitas interrupted.
"Alright, anything else?"
"Oh oh! I know!" Jay beamed like a child and started going off about a bunch of delicious snacks and foods, with Skai poking his opinion as well. Mune groaned at the long list spewing out of the two while Eli began writing it all down on a notepad he found.
"Okay! That's all? Or do I need to buy a restaurant for you two?" The Eyvicbon smiled politely, almost like a waiter would.
Vanitas scoffed and rubbed his bandaged neck. "Yeah right. May I remind you who fought with Ash in an eating contest in Mexico? You wanna buy a restaurant, you better buy it for yourself then."
A few of us laughed while Eli rolled his eyes and opened the door. "Gee, what a great friend you are. I'll be back in an hour, don't miss me too much!" And just like that he was gone.
A bark was heard shortly after beside me, and I turned to see a golden retriever looking up at me happily. It was missing a leg, but it seemed to be really active overall. Sholto growled and hissed at the dog, and almost jumped at them had Nico not been keeping him calm with his head pats. "Easy pal. He's only saying hi, not trying to replace you as 'favourite pet.'" He murmured.
Zane sighed and looked at Roland. "So, now that you two have had your fun, what are we going to do about the chip?"
"I'll see if I can find an animal, attach it to them and let the wild goose hunt ensue." Roland replied while picking at his bandages.
"Animal? But doesn't that seem cruel?" Skai intervened. "I mean yeah, it would work and they would get away from us, but- attaching a chip into say a bird's body before letting it go? What if it dies at some point after having that inside it for too long?"
"No worries, they won't feel a thing. And if that chip could cause health issues, you would have seen them in Vanitas." The blonde boy kept his distance from Crimson as he continued taking off his bandages. "Besides, it's not like they'll care. They're just animals."
Skai glared at him, before leaving the house and running after Eli. Roland just rolled his eyes and looked at Vanitas. "So how long are you gonna be here?"
"Only a few more hours, then we're going." Vanitas raised an eyebrow at the other blonde and glanced at the dog beside me. "You got a vehicle we can use? Don't want to attract attention to us, you know?"
"Yeah yeah, I got one. But I'm not giving it without a price."
"Of course he wasn't giving it to us the easy way-" Nico groaned. "Listen. We don't have time to 'negotiate' or 'bargain' or whatever shit you're trying to do here. We just need the car and then we can let you rot in this dump for the rest of your life."
"Oh why don't you shut up, no one asked for your opinion, you useless freak."
"Freak? Even after losing you still have your inflated ego? You really are hopeless aren't you?"
"Hopeless? Yeah right, I'm the only one here who isn't being chased by psychos last I checked-!"
"Yeah, because no one would bother trying to take someone as selfish as you!"
"Oh screw you! You're just jealous people actually like me, unlike your kind!"
Nico pupils turned to slits. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it's supposed to mean! Or are you too dumb to realize?"
"You Vonprak!" He jumped and tried to lash out at the other, angry beyond realization. "Say that to my face! I DARE YOU!!"
Mune and Ash both tried to hold him back while Roland cackled. "This is the future ruler of Drakon?! An adult baby who can't even handle a simple insult?"
Vanitas glared at Roland before asking Crimson for assistance. "Try to calm Nico down while I punch this man on his behalf."
"Now hold on-" Crimson started.
"Oh no, let him be. After all he's just proving how weak Nico is himself to land a blow on me."
Next thing I knew, Zane and Crimson were holding back Vanitas while Jay was having an insult fight with Roland. Needless to say this wasn't how I expected most of my memories in America would be. But then again, I wasn't really expecting anything better. I covered my ears and left the room, Sholto following behind me closely.
For a bunch of royals, they sure acted like 5- year- olds at the worst moments.
Making my way up the house and onto the roof, I took a deep breath and smiled. I heard a small gruff from the snow tiger as he crawled behind me and laid down. I rubbed his head while staring at the small neighborhood around us, purring in response. The silence was nice, calming even, and I could feel myself relax to the quiet noises, the crickets and birds chirping, the sounds of children playing in the distance, even the honk of a horn from a far seemed peaceful. I guess since we were always running around we never got the chance to actually sit down and-
"Hey Oni! What are you doing up there?" An upbeat voice said beside me. I yelped and turned to see Skai holding a hognose snake in his hands while Pebbles sat in his hair. Sholto growled at the long reptile before moving away from us. "I saw everyone fighting and didn't see you so I got curious."
I smiled and shook my head. "Nah, it just got too loud for me. Wanted to get away from the chaos."
He snorted and looked at the snake in his hands again. "Well, I want you to meet Snouthorn!"
"Snouthorn?" I tilted my head, confused.
"Yeah! Because his snout is pointed up like horns, y'know?" He pet the snake, his giddy smile never leaving his face. "Eli got it for me when we went out to get food. I didn't think he'd take me to the pet store, since it was a bit far from the store, but he did!" He continued babbling on and on about his trip with the mermaid downstairs, sometimes waving his hands around to exaggerate a scene.
Eventually we were all called down to eat, to which Sholto almost ran. Probably because he felt uncomfortable with the reptiles nearby. Skai laughed and ran after him, carrying his pets of course. I smiled softly and looked around at the neighborhood. Maybe I could come back here with my family when things finally settled down.
Maybe.