Co-starring Chikawaa!
âSo we are.â Hive grinned, even if it wasn't exactly the mission that was on his mind. He shrugged off -or rather he would have if she didn't hold him so tight, Cleo's disapproval of his and Ichiro's bet. Though it felt a little weird. After all, hadn't Hive and Cleo made a dozen of irresponsible bets until recently? It'd just been a few days since...
âHurt, us?â He tried to reassure Cleo (and simultaneously taunt Ichiro.)
âThat would imply here's going to be a challenge.â Hive rolled his eyes to drive the point home,
âCome now.â Though, cocky as he spoke, Hive knew he wasn't invincible. Something Cleo had also known from the moment they had met. He wanted her to trust him. After all, his plans were for Cleo too...
Nothing like being on the run. Hive wheezed. If he had a heart, it'd pound in his chest. Instead, some of the more high-strung of his insect community buzzed around him like a cloak trailing his every move. Heâd barely escaped with his life in tact. Or rather his freedom. Two hours ago, Hive had an encounter with demon hunters; mages specialising in tracking down and capturing demons like him. They had managed to surround and ambush him, giving Hive no option other than to fight⊠Something the mages had been well-prepared for.
Hive was missing an arm and a good number of teeth; not to mention his left eye. In addition to his second skin swarming around him, there was no way Hive could pass for human. Heâd regenerate in time, but he was severely weakened in the meanwhile. He had no choice to hide, because if anyone saw him like this, it wouldnât be long before the hunters would be at his figurative doorstep once again.
His coat was drenched, both in molten ice magic and mageblood. Heck, he could still taste both clearly in his mouth. With two antenna sticking from his forehead and his one eye on the look-out, Hive hobbled through the night. A small town was near, he could sense, and soon stumbled upon a house at itâs edge. The houseâs surroundings were unkempt, what had once been a well-tended rose garden was in the process of being conquered by an army of weeds. Cobwebs stuck between the fences and behind the windows (although Hive couldnât see or sense the latter) and the gate was ajar. Quite clearly, it was abandoned. Perfect, thought Hive, as pushed the gate open (the green-ish metal screeching as he did) and walked up the cobble way path to the front doorâŠ
It had been seven days now since the old mage had died in her sleep. Cleo had been obsessively counting down each passing hour since those painful moments not so long ago, though she wasnât perhaps even aware that she was doing so, since the grief of losing someone close to her was still settling in and her mind was not entirely as it once was. Of course though being Cleo, she was a merry girl by nature and to linger so sorrowfully on one thing for so long was rather out of character, but still despite the attempts she made to force a smile, it just would not happen.
Along with the life of her mage it seemingly felt order had also passed on from their once lively home. Throughout her whole existence cleaning and cooking were not natural qualities that Cleo carried, especially as she was a girl so use to being cared for instead, and as expected it was inevitable that the house would fall into disarray after the passing of dear old Rosette.
It had been a quiet morning thus far into the day and the rest of the time seemed to follow quite similarly, as Cleo perched herself by the windowsill. Ears flicking bored-ly, eyes drawn to the unknown world before her, the white-haired girl was at a loss as to what to busy herself with. And yet it was just at that precise moment in the day that the feline caught a glimpse of a figure entering her little sanctuary â at least in her eyes it was regardless of its appearance â which prompted the girl into motion as she ducked down below the window out of sight momentarily to gather her thoughts.
She knew the figure was going to enter the house soon, it was the only logical reason for someone to be there, since neither Cleo or her previous owner kept much contact with outsiders. However that did not put the girl at ease, she did not know how to deal with outsiders since most of the time the feline scurried upstairs out of sight â and yet this particular person intrigued her, or was it mere boredom that was encouraging her nosey nature?
Hurrying to the door the girl opened it very slightly, allowing herself a sneaky peek at the mysterious stranger who, by that point, had reached the gate and was growing closer to the door. At first, Cleo was rather frightened by the appearance of the figure, as it was evident that the stranger had been through quite a few struggles, apparently recently. Biting her lower lip and tightly closing her eyes, Cleo inhaled hard as she knew confrontation was imminent. But, at the very least she would take control and confront the stranger.
It was her home, her territory, and the last remnants of her owner.
âDonât come any closer!â She called loudly from behind the door, peering round the edge slowly before pulling the door open widely, and soon fully. By the time Cleo stood and took a step forward over the threshold the figure was very close, close enough to allow the feline to acknowledge his features enough to distinguish that the stranger was a he, another demon perhaps, she guessed. Almost immediately her ears lowered considerably, practically laying flat against her head as the girl inched closer to the strange male.
âT-This is my home,â She began with an uneasy tone, clearly. Eyes widened, fangs flashed, the feline adapted a more defensive stance with her arms raised a little. It was only now that she noticed that the demon was missing an arm, and an eye, and stank of blood.
âWhat do you want?â She asked, ears pricked up slightly.Despite the tough impression she gave Cleo could see that the demon was in need of care, and even though neither she or her owner did much in the way of outsiders, it didnât mean that Cleo would turn the figure away if he needed help. Her home was empty and she couldnât offer much, but at the very least she had shelter.
Having expected to enter an abandoned home, Hive inched back a little. Half the time, another demon meant a mage was nearby, and at this point, Hive felt more for dying on the spot than turning himself in. He needed to assess the situation first, so in his poor condition, Hive complied to other the demonâs demands and let her approach him instead.
âWe seek sanctuary.â Hive breathed heavily, but with these words a short, semi-toothless grin and a twinkle in his remaining eye showed on his otherwise beat up face.
âIronic, isnât it?âThe demon dropped his shoulders and tried to control his breathing. His condition wasnât working with him, as various buzzing bugs still circled around him. Some of them melting back into his skin, whereas others tore themselves loose. Hiveâs lack of strength had him shiver, too.
âWe are Hive, free demons.â He introduced himself, gauging the girlâs reaction to his mention of being masterless,
âThis is a good home you have, would itâs master provide us with shelter? We are desperately in need of a roof and some rest, as you can see...âCleo watched curiously as the demon engaged with her, conversing with her, and allowing the girl to become more at ease around the newfound demon that was in her company at that moment. Carefully she watched, amusingly staring at the small bugs hovering around the male, almost feeling tempted to snap at one and see if she could have one as a little snack. But that would have to wait for now, unfortunately. Focusing her attention she looked to the demon, taking a breath.
âYou are masterless?â She questioned mainly to herself, taking a moment to ponder over his words. Hive nodded it confirmation. Cleo hadnât met a masterless demon before nor many demons in general, it was certainly new to her. Twitching an ear, she blinked and took a step towards the demon. Trying to keep control over her evident surprise to the concept of being âmasterlessâ. After all, to her, what was the point of existing without a master? Who would take care of her? What would she do without all that attention given to her? It was certainly bewildering, though right at this moment in her life, Cleo was just that herself. Masterless. But not by choice.
âMy master is⊠no longer here,â She muttered with nervous twitching of her ears.
âIâm on my own at the moment, and you being here startled me a little. But⊠please come inside and rest.â She didnât fancy making a big deal of the situation, and rather preferred to keep things moving with small talk just then. With that in mind she turned slightly and motioned for the demon to follow as she guided him into her home.
To meet another demon without a master⊠And a helpful one at that. Hive was thankful for his luck. Hive followed the feline demon, and felt his stress slowly settle a little; as did the buzzing of his bugs.
The inside wasnât much better sadly. Cobwebs, coldness⊠there still lay some pieces of furniture; chairs, tables, rugs. A lot of the basics as you would expect, though only now covered in dust and stains. Cleo never dared change the arrangement, perhaps she was still loyal to her mage even after death, and that was just fine with her.
Turning to face the demon the feline bared a half-hearted smile, ever so slightly, out of politeness.
âThere isnât much to offer but you can do as you please here if you want to rest or fix yourself up. Thereâs still running water and I can light a fire if youâre cold.â She said, rubbing an arm awkwardly as she tried to figure out what to do next with her guest. â⊠Thereâs food too, not much. But I guess if you need anything then just⊠let me know.â
As she was about to turn Cleo suddenly stopped, looking to the demon once more.
âItâs nice to meet you Hive, my name is Cleo Gardenia. If it wouldnât bother you would⊠would you like me to tend to those wounds? I think I have some bandages if it would help.ââWe are not the type for bandages,â Hive sat down on one of the dusty rugs and explained. He held out his hand for some of the bugs to land on. They swarmed around it first, then slowly but surely the bugs fused with his skin; healing a number of cuts that had previously been etched into it. Still, it did little for his missing limb, eye and teeth.
âThis body is not of one, but of many.â He continued.
âTo heal it, we must replenish our numbers. Food, however little, would help us recover, but please⊠No fire.â Cleo leaned in curiously as she listened to the demon talk. Taking in his words carefully and allowing herself to think for a moment, the feline gave a confident nod in return.
âGot it â no fire.â She spoke with a reassuring smile.
âIâll just go get you something to eat. I wonât be long.â The girl hurried along and disappeared into one of the other rooms, presumably the kitchen area of the small home, as she rummaged around the cupboards. It didnât take long for her to stumble upon a small bundle of food left over from a few days ago, she guessed. It wasnât anything fancy; bread, cheese, and other edible assortments. The basics really. Scooping up the food the feline carried what she had found back to where the demon was sat and carefully placed the food in front of him on a small cracked plate that sheâd picked up prior.
Before saying anything else, the girl dashed back into the kitchen for a few minutes, before returning with a glass of water â incase the demon fancied some.
âI hope itâs ok for you.â She said softly before settling down on the rug next to Hive and watched him with a look of intrigue.
âSo⊠what happened to you?â Cleo asked.
âIf you donât mind talking about it.âHive eagerly accepted the food before him. He ravenised the bread in a manner almost true to his old name. The plate was empty in a matter of seconds; not even a crumb left; though a few flies remained on the cracked porcelain hoping otherwise. The water, on the other hand, went down a lot slower. Hive carefully took very small sips of it.
âThose who think our life belongs to them.â Hive answered cryptically between sips. He remembered Cleo said she was masterless, like him, but her disposition on mages seemed different than his. Not uncommon amongst demons, Hive had learned the hard way that conflict was a potent firestarter.
âWhat do you think of humans, Cleo?â Hive inquired carefully. Much as he wanted to tell his story (bottling up feelings never had been his strong suit), Hive knew he needed her hospitality.
âHave you met many mages?âCleo watched in amazement as the food quickly vanished down into the pit of the stomach that belonged to the demon. She had to blink twice just to ensure she wasnât imagining it. To his questions however she shook her head.
âI havenât met many, only my master,â She began to answer very honestly, taking a moment or two to think before continuing,
âThe old mage who took me in was very kind, or rather she just didnât really care that I was a demon. She fed me, cleaned me, and played with me. Isnât that normal?â Cleo looked to the demon, as if expected him to agree, as she hadnât expected anything different from a master.
âHumans are ok I guess, though I donât really pay much attention to them. I just stay here and keep to myself; it was always like that with me and my master. We just had ourselves.â Reminiscing, though only briefly, caused a rather wide smile to fill the girls lips. But that burst of contentment was short-lived as she looked to Hive, and asked,
âWhy⊠what is the outside world really like? Are mages different? Are they⊠not nice?â His questions could only cause some doubt in the girls mind. Why else would he asked such a thing, such a particular inquiry. In a way she felt like she didnât want to know the answer, given the state that Hive was in, it made Cleo wonder; was that was mages did?
Not nice? Hive wasnât sure whether to feel jealousy or pity for Cleo. Her master didnât fit the description of Hiveâs experiences with mages. Sure, Ervin had
played with his demons, but those memories were not worth a smile as bright as Cleoâs. A demon with such an innocent mind, to Hive, it was almost as ironic as asking for sanctuary had been. He was definitely jealous of her, his unconscious decided. A concept of normality like hers was one Hive never had.
âMy late⊠Master,â The demonâs face could not help but twist in disgust as he referred to the dead Ervin Lantos as such,
âMade us do his biddings. If we did not, he would cast a spell to force our hand. Then he would punish us.â Hive shuddered. It was hardly the first time heâd been mutilated, either in a fight or by his master. Ashamed of his memory he looked away.
âImagine; not a single muscle in your body responds to your will, but something compels you to stick your arm into the fire, and hold it there until every inch of it has been burned to a crisp... âHive took another sip from the glass. He stared down into the water for a while before he continued. If he were going to continue to tell her his hard truth, he needed to gather the strength to look in his hostâs eyes as he told it. âMost mages seek to either destroy or control us demons. We were assaulted, simply because there are those who want our power for their own. We fought back and escaped⊠And that was what brought us here.â
Something peculiar then crossed Hiveâs mind, however. Even if Cleo mentioned she and her master keeping to herself, but now without the âprotectionâ of a mageâŠ
âDoes any human know about you living here?â Cleo sat and listened as Hive spoke. At first she was intrigued, curious to know of his own experiences. Sitting in a rather relaxed fashion she was not expecting to hear what the demon said, the horrible mistreatment that he and possible others that gone through. More especially at the mentioning of being forced to burn his own arm, Cleo flinched evidently, grabbing her ears and holding them down hard against her head. However she did this without interrupting Hive, allowing him to continue, before finally speaking.
âPlease... do not say anymore.â She quietly muttered, her stare fixed to the floor. Truly, she did not want to face him. Not because of anything Hive had done, but rather the hardships he had faced only made the girl feel bad about her own naivety. To his last few words, Cleo glanced up and faced the demon.
âNo. No human knows Iâm here, as my master felt it was best to not inform anyone of my presence,â She replied.
âSo I just assume no one knows Iâm here, I trust my master to not lie about that. I, ah...â Her voice fell flat as she silenced herself, feeling it was better to not mention her master so much in the presence of Hive.
Hive dropped his shoulders let out a sigh of relief, hearing nobody knew about Cleo. Perhaps there had been at least one mage that understood how the others worked. Yet, he couldnât hold on to that moment of relief long, as Hive noticed the words heâd spoken had a powerful impact on his host.
âT-The mages you speak of... they truly exist?â It wasnât like Cleo doubted Hive, but it was still a shock to her that she was slowly adjusting to.
âI donât want to meet mages like that, I donât want my memory of my master to be tainted... I donât want to be hurt.â Releasing her ears the girl had a look of both determination and fright â she wasnât really sure how to feel, she only knew that going out into the outside world meant meeting bad mages.
Sheâd never go out in that case.âIâll stay here forever...â A thought suddenly entered her mind, a thought she couldnât help but act upon. Perhaps she was just frightened, her child-like naivety more obvious than ever. Suddenly, she shifted forward, placing a hand very gently onto the shoulder of Hive.
âStay here, with me. You can protect me from the bad mages. Wonât you stay here with me, Hive?âHive eyed his arm, or rather lack thereof, before answering.
âWe wonât be going anywhere for a while, if we can help it.â He replied. There was something endearing about Cleo, that made her both easy and hard to talk to at once. The bugs around him had almost all soothed, and Hive was glad to be temporarily safe and have a meal⊠But he wasnât planning on staying forever. He could barely defend himself, much less Cleo.
âWhat was your master like?â Hive changed the subject. Truly he was skeptical of the idea of a benevolent master, but Cleo seemed to be fond speaking of her.
âTell me about her.âCleo smiled.
âIâm glad youâll be staying.âLetting out a small purr the girl quickly got to her feet and scrambled over to a nearby drawer as if searching for something â and that she was â as the feline dug around in one of the open drawers and pulled out an old photograph of some sort.
âThis is Rosette,â She said, turning round and returning to Hive, as she held out a photo of an old woman with brown hair, dressed in a black dress.
âShe found me prowling round her garden one day and took me inside, fed me, brushed me, and from that moment on accepted me as her own pet.âShe placed the photo on the floor near the other demon.
âWe were more owner and pet, than a mage and demon. Maybe that was why she accepted me more. She was a kind lady who needed company, and that was what I gave her. In a way it was really nice knowing someone cared enough to look out for me, to spare a moment and fill their thoughts about me, and only me. As I do with her now.âMoving around Cleo shuffled closer to Hive, half laying down against the floor as she stared curiously up to the other demon. Suddenly blurting out,
âDo you find yourself in the company of girls often? Itâs just, you donât seem like the cuddly type, so I wondered if you had any friends... or family of your own.âHive had been studying the image of Rosette when Cleo startled him with that question.
âWe are a family,â Hive referred to himself, letting a dragonfly pop from his hair and land on his finger.
âThis is Gertrude.â He told Cleo. More bugs loosened their selves from Hiveâs skin one by one, and sat on his head and shoulders.
âTheodore, Rose, Kris, Emily, Bastian-â Hive appointed them all.
âWe are a large family⊠Even if we are ever changing, we are united by one will.â He said proudly.
As for Cleoâs other question, Hive was not sure how to answer. Not in the least because any potential insinuation would have went straight over his head.
âOne of our privileges as free demon is choosing our own company.â He said, trying to reminiscence of the encounters heâd had in the past years. Most of Hiveâs encounters had been brief.
âYet our company rarely sticks with us for long.âCleo watched with captivated eyes as a dragonfly emerged suddenly, carefully watching the bug land on the demons finger. Although the girlâs common nature was to chase and devour little insects of the, she sort she felt compelled to resist doing so, for obvious reasons.
âThatâs a lot of names to remember â heck, I dunno if I couldâve remembered them all.â Tilting her head to the side slightly, ears flickering, Cleo pursed her lips together which formed them into a smile.
âWell, youâre stuck with me for now. I donât plan on going anywhere, so⊠we should make the most of the night, or nights, for the sake of creating nicer, better memories for us both.â It was an odd thing to say, at least for her. Cleo didnât really know what she meant by her words, though surely some good memories couldnât be all that bad. He was the first demon she had meant in however many years, and she just wanted to make the most of it, simply. It was quite nice to have someone to talk to, another voice to fill her ears, and a face to cloud her thoughts.
âOh, is there anything else you need? Anything I can do to help?â She asked fist, followed by,
âI hope Iâm not being too annoying for you, itâs just, as you know, company isnât a common thing for me, haha.âHive smirked, letting the bugs sink back into his skin.
âNot at all. Itâs been a while since we had a talk.â He said, letting out that heâd been slinging threats and curses back and forth mere hours ago. Hive cocked his chin down and looked at his however, parts torn and others soaked in magesâ conjured frost, water and blood. The leather had already began to smell and stains like those would dissuade future⊠Companions.
Hive put down his glass and struggled to get up. With his single arm, he zipped open his coat and took it off. Realising his shirt had suffered a similar fate, Hive grabbed it at the bottom and pulled it over his head.
âIn the morning, weâll need to wash these,â He said. Though looking at his pants and boots, theyâd need a good rinsing and sewing as well.
âIf you have anything to wear until then, we would be grateful.ââOh no, I can wash and fix them up for you â I can at least do that.â She reassured the other demon as she got to her feet and picked up his discarded clothing, before folding it over a nearby chair. Turning to face him, Cleo paused for a moment to think.
âIâll just go and check if I have anything you could wear, just a minute!â Almost immediately the feline scurried off into another room to rummage around in.
Cleo had disappeared into the room of her old master. It was really the only room that would contain some wearable clothing, so it made sense for her to try her luck there. And, after sourcing through the old wardrobe that sat there, the girl had come across a set of old clothes that had once belonged to her masterâs lover. With the rags in hand she hurried out the door.
âHere, you can wear these if you want,â She said as she sprang in front of the demon, offering him the bundle of clothes she had brought.
âThey belonged to my masterâs husband. Heâs been gone for years â so he wonât mind.â Once Hive at taken the clothes the girl stood up straight before walking over to the chair where she had placed some of his original clothing.
âUm, Iâll just put your things into the kitchen whilst you get changed. Just give me the rest of your things after youâre done.â With that she retreated to the kitchen.
Hive had not even given thought to what clothes he would receive, but upon Cleo offering a manâs shirt, blazer and pantalon to him and hearing their origin, he considered that if his luck had been the slightest bit off, heâd be wearing a long dress instead.
Changing pants and boots with one arm was a lot more difficult than a shirt. So much so that, after two minutes of struggle, Hive gave up and simply dispersed into a swarm of insects to escape the confinements of his clothing. Fortunately, trying his new outfit on was much more manageable. Dressed in an outfit beyond his years, Hive followed Cleo into the kitchen as she told him to. She moved around a lot, it was hard to keep an eye out for her. Even with her love for the home, Hive couldnât help but think that she too, was meant to be free...
âWe are grateful.â Hive said, suddenly realising he hadnât used this word so frequently in years, and not so voluntarily in his entire life.
âGrateful indeed.âCleo was slightly startled by the sudden presence of Hive as he appeared in the Kitchen. Spinning round she collected the latter of his clothes and piled them onto the rest as she placed them on a counter near the sink.
âI have to say you look better,â She spoke with a cheeky grin emerging.
âThey sort-a suit you in a way â you were lucky, I swear you couldâve been wearing a frock otherwise.â Leaning against the counter before lifting herself up and onto it, Cleo looked to Hive silently for a few minutes as she bit her lip, and then asked,
âSo, when you're all better and healed⊠do you know where youâre going? What are your plans when you leave, as I assume you will?â It was funny in a way. To have only met someone only so short a time before and yet here Cleo was, unwilling to let her friend escape through her fingers so easily. She understood his desire to be free â to be his own demon. But what did the big wide world outside have that a little home didnât? That was her way of viewing the world at least.
âIs the outside world really⊠as good as people make it to be? Can you really be free in a place as big as⊠out there.â She asked with a clear hint of doubt in her voice.
âYou can only be free, in a place as big as out there.â Hive said, crouching near the leg of a kitchen-table. Were those claw-marks? Hive still felt a little hungry, looking at the wood.
âIt is not good, but it is not bad either. It just is. That is itâs beauty.â He told Cleo, reminiscing of the few years heâd spent free.
âTo go where you want to go and to wake up where you want to wake up. To rely on your instincts to live and boldly face the unknown every day. To be free is an adventure that never ends. Were it not for that, we would never have met you, nor would we have fought those mages. It is not easy to live in the outside world, Cleo, but it is the only way we ever would.â Hive smiled,
âWhen we heal, we will head out again. We are a free demon, after all.âSpeaking of his lifestyle, however, a questioned piqued in Hiveâs mind.
âWe cannot help but wonder. What does your future look like, Cleo?â He asked,
âWill you really spend all your days in this house?âThough his lifestyle did not exactly appeal to her nature, Cleo did however listen to Hive as he spoke passionately about his freedom and life on the outside. The way in which he cared for his way of living was almost the exact same with Cleo and her ways, though whereas Hive had a whole world to explore she only had the freedom that stretched to the corners of her home. Perhaps he did have a point.
âI guess freedom is just what you make it to be,â She replied whilst casting a glance out through the window to her side.
âIâve never really thought about being free â I guess I always assumed that being well cared for was just a good substitute. Maybe I traded my freedom in without realizing, but my life has been good all the same.â Hopping off the counter she ran her fingers carefully through her hair, gathering together her thoughts as a gentle laugh escaped her lips just then.
âItâd be crazy â even just thinking about it. I mean, I have nowhere else to go. No plans, no friends. The outside is just as empty to me as this house is to the world. Where would I go? Who would I meet? What do you expect me to do, leave this place and follow you around?ââThat would be up to you,â Hive grinned widely.
âThe right of freedom comes only to those who dare to decide what to do with it. Freedom does not rob you of friends or ambitions. It trades stability for options, order for a chaosâŠ- Do you mind?â Hive asked, tearing a splinter off the chair and putting it in his mouth to nibble on with the remaining of his teeth.
âWhen you let us in, you made a small change in your daily life. You invited a little chaos into your routine. We think it would suit you, Cleo. If you will it to be so⊠You could satisfy your curiosity. You need not ask us about the world, if you could see it for yourself...âShe watched his grin with intrigued, or perhaps confused eyes as a mental debate was on-going within her mind. Ears lowered, she grasped at a strand of loose hair that hung over her shoulder, playfully twisting and turning the end with nervous fingers.
âIâve never thought of it that way beforeâŠâ She muttered quietly with hints of uncertainty threaded through her words.
âYou make it sound so wonderful, so fitting. It clearly suits you â the life of a free demon. You deserve to be free, I know that much.â With a heavy sigh the girl straightened herself upright as she looked to Hive, ears now flicking up and down in an uneven rhythm.
âMaybe my master would forgive me for leaving her home unattended for a little while⊠maybe sheâd want me to leave, to find happiness again with someone else. A new mastââ Halting her words she knew exactly what she was about to say, but now doubted that very fact.
âMaybe not a new master⊠but a new friend.â Cleo gave a simple smile as a light purr erupted deep within her.
âYeah, a friend.â
Hive's short reminisce was blatantly interrupted by a sudden sting. The ladybug he'd given to Liliane was gone. Strange, Hive thought, as he felt Bugby coming near. As always when near Bugby, Hive could strongly feel his presence. Yet, the mimic demon was not around just around the corner. As if anticipating him, Hive kept an eye on the doors. Yet Bugby did not come in. His presence faded, even. Something didn't match up. Liliane and Bugby did have an exercise together if he recalled correctly. Was it a coincidence? For the time being, Hive paid it no mind. He had something better to focus on for now.
âIt seems you will be owing us a little favour then,â Hive challenged Ichiro.
âThe simplest of wagers, yet the least predictable. You wouldn't be averse to that, would you now? â As he discussed with Ichiro, he felt the presence again. This time Bugby did come in. Hive shook off the eye he gave him. He'd just willed himself not to think about it a few seconds ago. Ichiro asked Bugby about his exercise, and if he'd won one for the team. Hive himself had, frankly no idea whose team he was on now. Not that it'd matter, after tonight...
âWe should follow them.â Hive told Ichiro, as Cleo (and by force, Bugby) headed towards the cafetaria.
âThe only thing that is good about this place is the food.â
