The eternal night of the City of Light and Dark finally broke—if only for five minutes. At 7:00 AM, the sun's warmth blanketed the streets, a fleeting gift for the nocturnal residents. Yuda Troy, the immortal vampire, finally regained full consciousness. The "Phantom" trance that had consumed him was gone, shattered by the golden magic of the fox who had saved him.
"Ow..." Yuda groaned, massaging his temples. He leaned against a wall, his vision blurry, until he spotted a familiar figure.
"Werewolf!"
Ficky spun around, his face twisting in annoyance. "Why do you keep calling me that?!"
"I'm used to it. But... where is Aya?" Yuda asked, his eyes darting frantically around the street.
Ficky sighed, looking uncomfortable as he adjusted his coat. Suddenly, a small, furry head popped out from the front of his shirt.
"Eh?" Yuda stared at the fox, his mind reeling.
"It's her. Don't you recognize her?" Ficky snapped, his voice characteristically loud.
"Wait... Aya?"
The little fox nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Yuda. How are you feeling?"
Yuda's face lit up with a radiance that rivaled the morning sun. Overjoyed, he scooped the tiny fox into a hug. "You're so cute! And thank you, Aya! Thank you for saving me!"
Aya remained silent, her small body stiff with embarrassment as she was pressed against the vampire's chest, still wrapped only in a scrap of Ficky's cloth.
"Hey! Put her down! She's clearly uncomfortable!" Ficky barked, pulling Yuda's hands away.
Ficky is surprisingly perceptive, Aya thought, feeling a spark of gratitude.
Despite their violent encounter, a strange truce had formed between the two men. They had a shared goal: protecting Aya. Aya herself remained wary of Yuda, remembering how he had manipulated her, but she couldn't help feeling a sliver of sympathy for how weak he had looked inside the Phantom.
"We need to go shopping," Ficky commanded. "We're going to stay in this city or D-Dance City for a while to rest."
The city was bustling during the five-minute dawn. Owls, bats, and even koalas could be seen sleep-walking or enjoying the brief warmth. In the marketplace, humans and monsters coexisted in a fragile peace.
Yuda carried Aya, hidden under a cloak, as they browsed the stalls. Ficky, surprisingly, seemed to enjoy the normalcy.
"What is this?" Yuda asked, pointing at a strange fruit.
"It's a seed pod, Yuda," Aya whispered from the cloak.
Ficky, meanwhile, was trying to haggle. "Is there a discount on these?"
"Are you crazy?" the merchant yelled. "This isn't a clearance sale!"
"Haha, worth a shot," Ficky muttered with a dry laugh.
"You don't haggle for food, Ficky. Clothes, maybe, but never food," Yuda advised like a seasoned expert.
"Fine, whatever." Ficky turned and began walking toward a bookstore. "I'm going to look for something to read."
"I wish I could talk to people like everyone else," Aya sighed. As a legendary fox, her presence would cause a riot; people believed foxes were cunning creatures with ancient, unbreakable magic.
"Don't worry, Aya. I'm here," Yuda said, gently stroking her head. He hadn't stopped smiling since they started walking.
"I appreciate it, Yuda," Aya said firmly. "But don't get too close. This doesn't mean I trust you yet. I won't be a burden to Ficky again."
Yuda nodded, his expression momentarily saddening, but he quickly hurried to catch up with Ficky.
"Why the bookstore?" Yuda asked. "You don't look like the reading type."
"Tch. I want to look at something. But you should head west if you want those potions of yours."
Ficky headed for the books, while Yuda took Aya toward the alchemy shops.
"Aya, wait here for just a moment. I'll be right back."
Yuda left her near a shop entrance as he went to speak with a merchant. They seemed to be trading items, both of them smiling as they exchanged packages. Aya watched him, curious about the "potions" he had mentioned.
Suddenly, the scent of something delicious wafted from a nearby tavern door. Aya, feeling hungry, hopped down and followed the aroma.
But as she stepped toward the scent, her vision suddenly went black.
When she finally opened her eyes, she wasn't in the street anymore. She was inside a large, unfamiliar house. Her vision was blurry, and her head spun. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog.
"Where... where am I?"