Golden Festival Day 52
Hanako leaned against the railing of an abandoned overpass, the city stretching beneath him in scattered golden lights and muted movement. His posture was relaxed, almost careless, but his eyes were anything but. They moved constantly, calculating, piecing together things no one else could see.
He had been searching for weeks.
For the other vampire group.
Footsteps echoed lightly behind him.
Unrhythmic.
Almost playful.
Lily stepped into view, spinning once as if she had just walked into a party instead of a meeting between monsters: "Kakuto's been missing for a few weeks, did Chisato beat him?"
Hanako didn't turn immediately. His gaze remained on the city: "Chisato beating Kakuto?" A faint exhale.
Lily: "Haha! No way, no way, unless she's been holding out on us."
Hanako finally turned, meeting her eyes: "Unfortunately… I think that's the case."
Lily: "Aw. I liked her. But I guess that means she was never on our side from the start."
Hanako: "If she killed Kakuto… I will avenge him."
Lily hummed, almost amused: "Everyone likes a good revenge story."
Hanako: "That's only for the protagonists."
Lily's smile widened: "I don't like that narrative. Villains can be protagonists too."
Hanako: "Well…You're not wrong. Light is a villain… and a protagonist. But that's rare."
The wind picked up slightly, carrying the distant hum of the city below.
Hanako: "In any case… Let's get going."
Lily: "Okay!" She spun once again, then suddenly remembered, "By the way, I played with Iris the other day."
Hanako stopped: "Oh?" He turned his head slightly. "Let me guess. You planned an attack near her."
Lily pouted: "Nooo." She placed a hand on her chest dramatically. "It was a pure coincidence that she was there!"
Hanako looked at her: "You can fool others, Lily. But not me."
Lily: "Hehe."
She didn't deny it.
Hanako walked toward the stairwell leading down from the overpass. Lily followed, hands behind her back again, skipping slightly to keep pace.
***
An abandoned building stood hollow and still, its cracked walls and shattered windows letting in strips of pale city light. Dust hung in the air like something long forgotten, disturbed only by the faint echo of footsteps that didn't belong.
Inside, was Talaryuna. Shiori sat nearby, casually crouched on a broken slab of concrete, twirling a knife between her fingers.
Shiori: "Looks like we've got company."
Footsteps echoed.
Two figures stepped into the room.
Hanako and Lily
Hanako looked around once, taking in the space, the shadows, the broken structure, the hidden corners: "Yo, Stray dogs." His eyes landed on Talaryuna. "I've finally found you."
Silence followed.
Talaryuna didn't react immediately.
She simply looked at him.
Talaryuna: "What do you want, Slayers?"
Hanako stepped forward, hands in his pockets, completely at ease: "I've been looking for you for a while. A hidden group of vampires operating outside the Slayers' structure."
He glanced around again.
Hanako: "You must either be smart and planning something, or scared of the Hunters."
Lily swayed slightly beside him, smiling: "I think they're scared."
Shiori laughed: "Scared? That's funny."
Talaryuna: "I could crush the Hunters with my palm open."
Hanako: "That's lovely. But you've been actively avoiding us, so I figure that's not your plan."
Talaryuna: "It's not."
Hanako: "Then tell me. What could you possibly be planning?"
His tone shifted.
Slightly colder.
Hanako: "Because if you can't even beat us… You don't stand a chance."
The air tightened.
Shiori's smile widened just a little.
Talaryuna stepped forward.
Just one step.
And the entire room felt smaller.
Talaryuna's gaze was that of a fierce, ruthless predator.
Hanako laughed: "Ohh. Scary."
Lily's expression changed.
Still smiling—
But sharper.
More dangerous.
Lily: "If you keep acting like a beast when you're not… I'll do you the pleasure of putting you down like one."
Talaryuna didn't flinch: "The only part of my body that's a beast is inside me."
Shiori: "The beast sounds freaky. Why is it inside of you?"
Talaryuna: "…Because it's my soul."
The tension cracked.
Just slightly.
But not enough.
Not nearly enough.
Hanako stopped smiling.
His eyes shifted.
Not to Talaryuna.
Not to Shiori.
Around them.
The shadows.
The corners.
The broken structure.
Lily stopped swaying, but her smile didn't fade: "…Oh."
Hanako glanced slightly to the side. Then behind. Then up. Then below: "We're surrounded."
Shiori: "Of course you are."
7 figures revealed themselves. The first was a brown-skinned figure with black hair slashed by crimson streaks, his gaze was cold and unyielding, he had an ominous presence radiating quiet menace and ruthless intent. To his right, a cloaked figure crouched low with long hair spilling forward, her fierce eyes locked on the potential enemy, coiled and ready to strike without warning. Jumping down through an opening from the top floor was a lightning-shaped twin-tailed girl with a cropped military jacket over a bra and shorts, her gaze was sharp, bold, and commanding, projecting authority. The floor beneath them started to shift, it made an opening and lifted up a brown-skinned female, her hair was a wild, spiked flowing mane, she stood nearly 7 feet tall. The next figure that appeared was a man fixing his pompadour, he was dressed like a yakuza member, exuding swagger, he was the odd one out looks-wise. From the shadows, a 6'7, broad-framed male revealed himself, he had dark blue hair with a lone white streak, and sleeveless robes exposing well-built muscle. The last figure wore a long black fur coat, her gaze was the most ferocious out of the others, she held her hand up ready to attack.
The tension held for a moment longer.
Lily: "Aw, this is cute." She glanced around at the 9 vampires, completely unfazed. "But a forest full of deer still doesn't stand a chance against two lions."
One of the vampires shifted forward slightly.
Shiori: "Are you sure it's not the 2 deer that wandered into the lion's den?"
Then, Hanako slowly raised both hands, casual, almost mocking: "Alright, alright. Let's settle down, I was just messing around. We're not here to fight."
That line hung strangely in the air.
Because everything about this situation said otherwise.
Then—
One of the vampires froze: "…Wait. We're surrounded."
Shiori: "Haha? Seriously?"
Talaryuna didn't turn.
Didn't react outwardly.
But her senses expanded, reaching past the walls, beyond the building.
Presences.
Multiple.
Her eyes shifted just slightly.
She didn't show it.
But she was surprised.
Hanako noticed. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Hanako: "Our top men have four vampires that report directly to them." He stepped forward, slow, deliberate. "We call them Fangs. But I have a lot more than four fangs."
The weight of that statement settled into the room.
Talaryuna: "Okay. You've got my attention." She decided to go along with the situation, knowing a full-on fight would be a waste of time. "So… what do you want?"
Hanako: "Simple. We attack together. Before our reinforcements arrive."
Shiori's eyes flicked toward Talaryuna immediately, curious about what her decision would be.
Talaryuna didn't answer right away: "I'm not opposed to entertaining the idea."
Hanako: "What a relief."
And it was.
Because despite his confidence, he knew fighting this group here wouldn't be clean. They'd probably both wipe each other out.
Hanako: "Correct me if I'm wrong… But I think you already have an attack planned."
Talaryuna didn't deny it: "We do. But we prefer to act alone."
Lily chuckled lightly: "Yeah, we can tell that much. You guys were a pain to find."
Hanako: "If you don't mind me asking, where will the attack be?"
Talaryuna: "Hanabi Island. On the last day of Golden Festival. That's where Odd Jobs will be. We will wipe them out."
Hanako blinked once. Then smiled: "Oh. Now that's a surprise. I wonder what your connection to Odd Jobs is… But I won't ask."
Talaryuna: "What do we gain from working with the Slayers on this attack?"
Hanako: "Hm. Let's see. There's a chance Shoyo Kusakabe will be there. What do you plan to do if he is?"
Talaryuna: "He won't be a problem."
Hanako laughed: "I think that's a bit conceited. Here's a better idea. If Shoyo is there, we'll handle him. I'm sure you've heard of Akutenshi. He fought Shoyo at full strength and couldn't defeat him."
Shiori leaned in slightly: "Shoyo isn't your priority during this attack, right, Tala? Letting them deal with him takes a weight off your shoulders."
Talaryuna sighed: "Fine. You lot can take on the strongest Hunter. But is that all?"
Hanako smiled: "No. Along with that, we'll be creating chaos."
Talaryuna: "Hmph. I hope you can live up to your name, Slayers."
Lily clapped her hands together lightly: "Sounds like a deal."
Hanako extended an arm to the side and bowed slightly: "Pleasure doing business."
An alliance was formed.
Not out of trust.
Not out of loyalty.
But out of opportunity.
And when monsters decide to cooperate, it's never a good sign.
Especially not for the ones who'll be on Hanabi Island.