A surge of overwhelming magic had knocked Ficky unconscious in an instant. His entire body had frozen, his vision blurring until he succumbed to a deep, forced slumber.
When he finally woke, it was the small hours of the morning. The crackle of burning wood drew his eyes to a nearby fireplace. It was a gated hearth, radiating a warmth that was slowly seeping back into his chilled limbs.
"Are you alright?"
It was Aya. Ficky blinked several times, realizing he was still alive and in one piece.
"Where am I?!" Startled, Ficky bolted upright into a sitting position. His heart hammered against his ribs—the suddenness of the transition from the dark street to this room left him disoriented.
"Ficky, calm down. We're safe here. I brought you to a place on the border between D-Dance and the next city. It's freezing outside; it's snowing."
Seeing Aya standing there seemingly unharmed, Ficky let out a long sigh of relief. For a fleeting second, he allowed himself to believe she was truly okay.
For a second. But then...
"What exactly happened to you?! Tell me, do you even know who I am?"
Panic surged through him again. His furry ears twitched and stiffened—a clear sign of his agitation that Aya couldn't miss.
"Ficky, what are you talking about? I'm Aya. Look, it's really me," she said, pointing to her slave brand. "And of course I know you, Ficky. I don't know your last name, but I still have that card you gave me."
She pulled his business card from her pocket as proof.
"Oh... right."
Her expression wasn't like the one she'd had when she left him. Her gaze seemed normal, her eyes steady. Ficky's eyes scanned her body—not touching her, but gripping her shoulders firmly as he searched for any sign of a lingering curse.
Nothing seems wrong. Or is it just my gut feeling? Ficky wondered.
He turned his gaze toward the fire dancing behind the iron bars of the hearth. He surveyed the room; the air smelled unfamiliar, a scent that made him slightly nauseous.
"What kind of place is this?"
"I don't know what happened either," Aya replied softly.
Ficky turned back to her, his gaze sharp and suspicious. It made Aya flinch, her lips trembling as she spoke.
"What is it, Ficky?"
"That man... who is he?" Ficky demanded.
"Oh, him? That's Yuda Troy. He's the one who saved me when I got lost in D-Dance City." As she spoke his name, Aya's face actually brightened.
"Do you have any idea what he is?" Ficky asked again. He lowered his gaze but kept his guard up.
"He's human."
That's it? Ficky had assumed she knew the truth, considering she had been awake during the confrontation. But why? Was she still under his influence?
Questions swirled in Ficky's mind like a storm. He cursed the misfortune that always seemed to find her. He had taken it upon himself to be her shield, but what good was a shield if the danger was already inside the walls?
"Ugh... that damn vampire!" Ficky growled, his breath coming in harsh rasps. He shook his head, his brow furrowed into a terrifying scowl.
"Vampire?"
"Yes! That man is a vampire! And you were stupid enough to just follow him?! Are you out of your mind? Tell me—how could you stay with someone like that?!" Ficky roared.
Aya recoiled, her body shaking as tears began to well in her eyes. She had never been screamed at like this before.
"Don't you dare cry! If I'm not around, how are you supposed to protect yourself?! Don't you dare make me feel guilty a second time!" Ficky shouted, his words fueled by raw anger.
His eyes burned with intensity—a piercing sapphire blue and a golden yellow that glowed like embers in the dimly lit room. Standing half-upright with his back to the fire, his silhouette was monstrous, the shadows of his claws stretching across the floor.
"Ah... I'm sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sorry."
Suddenly, Ficky's voice softened. He sat back down with his back to the hearth, looking at Aya with a pained expression. Aya remained silent, holding back her sobs, her head bowed from the shock of his outburst.
"I'm sorry. But I'm truly worried. I'm your protector—that's why I'm like this. Your life is my responsibility."
Aya slowly looked up at Ficky, who was now hanging his head in guilt.
"Listen to me. Do you feel anything strange in your body? I'm certain that man, Yuda, did something to you."
"What do you mean, Ficky? I know him well. And why do you keep calling him a vampire? Aren't those just fairy tales?" she asked, turning her face away in annoyance.
That's not what I want to say, Aya's mind screamed.
On one hand, her mouth was speaking words that weren't hers; on the other, she was desperately trying to tell Ficky the truth, but the words wouldn't come.
"Fine, whatever you say. But I'm certain of one thing: this 'tough girl' act isn't you. We've only known each other a few weeks, but I know how you really are."
Ficky stood up and walked over to her. He reached out to take her hand and lift her chin, but Aya jerked her head away, refusing to look at him.
"Listen. That man is a vampire. I don't know what you're thinking, but it's the truth. You lost your coin, and he's the reason. If I can, I'm going to take it back tomorrow," Ficky stated firmly.
"I see."
"Do you even remember what you did before all this happened?" Ficky asked, moving so he could force her to face him, but she kept dodging his gaze.
"You're like this because I left you alone. God knows what will happen if you stay like this. Agh, this is so frustrating!" Ficky groaned, ruffling his own hair in exasperation.
The communication was broken. They were both in a state of internal chaos—Aya was being controlled from within, and Ficky was drowning in his own protective rage. Both were terrified for the other, but neither could bridge the gap.
"What do we do?" they both wondered silently.
Finally, Ficky grabbed Aya's chin with more force than before. He forced her to look into his eyes, which were brimming with suppressed anger. Aya stared back, her eyes full of irritation.
"Do I have to get rough to bring you back? Don't let that vampire win! You're a fox—you've got more power than him, don't you?!"