Meliora - Extricate - 13

[lady_mab]

Lysander Stavros

Kaito invites me over to Temple Fusion in the middle of the week in his normal flippant fashion, sending a text griping about the Darcy siblings and asking if I would come to listen to him complain in person.

I’m tired, and work is weighing on my mind. Lesson plans war with wondering what it will be like when I’m free of this city. An invite to the Temple is a distraction from my own thoughts as I help Kaito deal with his.

It takes a drink and a half before Kaito is freed up enough for a break. I spend most of that time scrolling through news articles on my phone, trying to keep abreast with the rest of the world while it whirls on without me. He grabs a drink and tucks into the space beside me. Normally he would be crammed between me on one barstool and Rhys on the other, but tonight it is just the two of us.

Kaito goes on about the recent slew of trouble between his teammates, as they struggle with communication and choices. While I’ve known Kaito and Rhys for a little over two years, I didn’t meet the twins until they started secondary school later that year. Lio and Lia are generally left out of conversations that I’m involved in. I understand the family’s situation to an extremely minimal degree.

I’ve learned that Rhys likes to not talk about things that he thinks he has under control. Which, of course, leads to him not talking about a lot of things because he’s constantly convinced that he knows what he’s doing.

Meliora has opened up a lot of contention between the siblings, and they dragged Kaito in with them.

“They’re not arguing, which is the problem,” he’s saying. His fingers beat an agitated rhythm on the bar. I can feel the tension from his lean frame, thrumming just beneath the music of the club. “Maybe it’s a twin thing, or it’s the fact that Rhys is ten years older. Combined with the twin thing. So many factors.”

I answer with a hum in thought. I contemplate the dark beer in my glass before speaking. “They’ll work it out like they always do. I think it’s more of a teenager thing than a sibling thing.”

He arches an eyebrow. “You figure?”

A grin takes over and I raise my glass in salute. “I’m surrounded by teenagers for about nine hours a day. Five days a week. It’s hormones, or whatever.” I never went to a formal school like the one I’m teaching at. I learned on the road, from people I traveled with and the mistakes I made. Sometimes I wish there had been a teacher to sit me down and lead me through subjects that aren’t just picked up. Literature, mathematics, sciences.

“Or whatever,” Kaito mocks, rolling his eyes. “You sound like you’ve never been a teenager.”

I press my lips into a thin line, but it’s mostly to try and hold back a smirk. “I was, once, and it was a horribly awkward time. I’m sure you would agree.”

He gasps and draws back in offended shock. “Far from it. I opened this bar when I was eighteen.”

I make a sound of understanding. “So you were one of those smart-ass teenagers.”

“It happens when you’re raised in such a strict setting as the No household.”

My automatic response is a flinch. He’s mentioned his family in passing. The head of the family is a solemn, no-nonsense old man who runs a traditional theater and tea-house in Japan.

I didn’t grow up surrounded by a family, strict or otherwise. I hopped around with whoever wanted to take care of me as I traveled, an extended family that branched across countries.

“I suppose that I wouldn’t know,” I admit, and a strange expression crosses over Kaito’s face.

He shakes it off just as quickly as it arrives, cheerful smile back in place. “Well, it’ll work itself out.”

“What’s it about this time?”

Kaito glances at his mobile and frowns at the time. Break must be over. “What do all good relationships argue about? A lack of communication.”

I disguise my snort of amusement as I take a sip of beer. “What a wonder that any of us are able to get anything done in this day and age.”

“I want chips to be implanted directly into my brain so I can think a message to someone and it will send.” Kaito returns to his position behind the counter, rolling his shoulders and bouncing on the balls of his feet. “No more of this having to pull out my phone and type it out. It’s 205 SD, for crying out loud!” He shakes a fist dramatically in the direction of the ceiling and then whirls on the other bartender on duty. “Don’t you agree, Taylor?”

The young man jumps in surprise. He’s unassuming and moussy next to Kaito, who exudes an easy confidence in any situation. “I… don’t know. I feel like that would cause some complications… don’t you think?”

Kaito hesitates, and I watch him ponder over the pros and cons of his idea. “Would it?”

“Like if you’re thinking something bad about someone and it sends that even though you didn’t mean it to?”

I wave a finger in his direction. “That is a very good point.”

Kaito dismisses the subject. “But you guys, consider how much easier sexting would be.”

The answer is so sudden and unexpected that I can’t help the explosion of laughter that bursts from my chest. I almost lose my grip on the glass, tucking my head into the crook of my elbow to try and take a moment to calm down. “Practical as always! Innovative. I can see how you managed to get this far at such a young age.”

He never would have said something like that if Rhys was around, because he doesn’t like having to deal with the frustrated silence. Whenever our third friend is present, he focuses more on teasing Rhys instead of his crass way of speaking. I’ve stopped trying to figure out which one is the more honest of Kaito’s personalities.

Kaito smiles and replaces my almost empty glass with a new one. “I’m glad you agree.”

I take a deep pull from the glass. It’s not that late, but I should be getting back if I want to be any sort of presentable at work tomorrow. However, before I can put that plan into action, my phone vibrates with a text message and I pluck it off the counter.

The first message is a reminder for shots. I feel like we had just gone in, but it is already nearing the end of September.

The second text message is an extremely cryptic riddle. 27 February 1970, A Vampire King from Wallachia.

I look up and catch Kaito’s eye. His smile flickers, and he says, “Oh,” after interpreting whatever he sees in my expression. He reaches for his phone as well.

Kaito mutters something in frustration as I continue to ponder the message.

“Vampire King from Wallachia…” The message itself rings a vague sort of bell in the back of my mind, but I’m not too familiar with folklore of Britain. My strengths tend to lie in Eastern Europe and the lands I roamed as a kid. Still, anything about ‘Vampire Kings’ stands out.

“You too?” Kaito asks, leaning in across the bar.

I glance at him, then turn my phone so he can read the message. He must have gotten the same message, which is the first time since ‘Meeting the Hosts’. I want to ask if he’ll spare some time to ponder this out with me, but he shakes his head.

“Not a good time.”

My mouth snaps shut and I nod. “I should leave, then,” I say, acting on my original plan. “Tomorrow is a school day. Or a work day. Which would garner more sympathy?”

He lets out a short laugh and slides his phone into his pocket. “The fact that you work at a school brings out enough pity from people, Lys.” Kaito touches the tip of his finger to his brow in a parting salute, and I return the gesture as I make my way into the warm evening.

I take a breath, enjoying the lingering warmth that doesn’t cling. It’s been cooling off, though the days are still long and reminiscent of summer. My students have been having a hard time getting back into the swing of school, and I honestly can’t blame them.

My feet carry me down the sidewalk. I’ll make the trip back to my apartment on foot. It’s not that far, and this way I’ll be able to take a shower and go to sleep as soon as I get home instead of waiting to sober up.

I should text Zoné and Jun. As much as I don’t want to bother them on a school night, they won’t be able to head off on the event until we’ve had time to figure out this riddle. I tug out my phone and my vape. My thumb keys out a quick text to the both of them.

We got another message. No timeline, but that doesn’t mean much.

We’ve gotten better at interpreting the half-assed clues sent by the APM. They’re normally hints that relate to Old London, even if the locations don’t always match up with their historical counterparts. It’s a relief. History is my strong suit.

Even though Kaito hasn’t received any of the same messages over the last two and a half weeks since the game officially started, we’ve taken some time to help each other parse the meaning behind the messages. I’ll have to text him later to make sure he figured this one out.

Jun is the first to respond. Zoné’s at work. What is the message?

Ah, then we really won’t be able to discuss it tonight. While I know Zoné lives on his own and tends to keep an erratic schedule between school and work, Jun lives in the care of her Uncle. It’s more difficult for her to meet up in the evenings.

I relay the contents of the message to them. I have a hunch about this. We can go over it after school tomorrow. Soon as we get this done, we can arrange for our next round of shots.

Dead foxes?! ヽ ( ꒪ Д꒪ )ﾉ What does that have to do with anything?!

I told you, I’ll look into it. Come to my classroom after school tomorrow and I’ll have the answer then. I hope.

Will do!

After a moment’s consideration, I add, Make sure Zoné remembers to come.

哈哈哈 Will do!

I tap the pen against my teeth as I walk. I suppose I could research the message on my trip home. It will distract me long enough, at least.

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