Minus Transylvania

Chapter 8:Humans are the most cruel monsters

Kumagawa and Dracula stared at the suspended Quasimodo. This night has surely taken a sudden shift.

Dracula:It's alright. Fourtunately, he had all the food for the party prepared.

Kumagawa:[Si what will we di wuth him. I mean, someone will notive a frozen short man if they stumble here and they will ask questions.]

Dracula:Yes...Let's wait until after the party. He wasn't convinced that you were a vampire, but has no other indication you were human other than your smell. I think I can convince him otherwise after.

Kumagawa:[Let's see...Ah!]

Kumagawa had walked over to the oven and opened it. After taking out the half cooked vegetables he has shoved Quasimodo's suspended body inside and closed it back up.

After witnessing this, Dracula had began to stare between the oven and Kumagawa. Having that look pointed at him, Kumagawa gave a shrugg of his shoulders.

Kumagawa:[He did put me in there first. Beside, J don't think there's anyone in this hotel that would try to look inside thw kitchen's hotel. By how he acted, I think the staff would just avoid the kitchen all together.]

Dracula:That is true.

Kumagawa continued to eat the hald cooked vegetables unbothered. This was far from being the first time he covered a crime, although usually the one responsable for said crime was himself.

Dracula:But are you alright with eating all of those? I can't imagine they're too tasty.

Kumagawa:[There's no need to worry, I've never been a picky eater.]

Dracula:Well, if you say so...

Zenkichi had once voices out how Kumagawa was even more of a ckean freak than Medaka. He supposed the zero was right, he had raised himself more than his parents did.

While he's good at looking after himself, he isn't that bothered with his own health. He'd usually just make something with what he found in the fridge or go eat fast food and at irregular periods of times, sometimes a few days between his meals.

Like at the pool, there wouldn't be a normal person that would really think of eating scream cheese. But Kumagawa was the furthest thing from normal.

He didn't mind it, it's not like he could die anyway. When Najimi was around she'd fuss and make him eat propely, but that was a long time ago.

Dracula looked over at Kumagawa. He has gotten rather close to the boy lately and, dare he say, formed a bound with him. Perhaps he'd understand...

Dracula:Come with me. I want to you something.

Dracula began walking through the halls of the hotel with Kumagawa behind him. When they reached a certain door the vampire unlocked it with a key and entered together with the minus.

Kumagawa looked around the restricted room. It was old and dusty, the most notable thing being a coffin and the picture of a woman holding a baby.

Kumagawa:[Ah, I have seen this before.]

Dracula:You have?

Kumagawa:[Yes. If I remember right, it was at the ruins of Castle Lubov. A duke and duchess lived there and they had a baby. Sadly, all of them died on a mysteriously lit fire over the castle. But...I don't think that's really true, is it?]

Records of hystory are left behind by those who were cunning enough to survive. As a liar, Kumagawa knows better than to believe something without actual proof.

Dracula:Yes. Only the duchess died that night.

He slid the material covering hald of the picture. The fell picture now revealed Dracula, holding the baby together with the woman.

Dracula:And the fire was far from mysterious. She was killed...By your kind.

Dracula stared at Kumagawa, his blue eyes glowing in the dark, with bitterness and resentment. But Kumagawa could tell that, for once, those feelings weren't directed at him.

Dracula still remembers that night clearly. How unrest settled in his and Martha's heart as they saw the mob of villagers coming with torches and pitchforks.

How he told Martha to hide with Mavis, his daughter being but a baby back then. How he tried in vain to talk out with the villgers.

He remembers with such grief hearing the shout of Martha and coming to find his beloved wife's corpse. How he took Mavis away while watching the castle burn.

Dracula:They were the real monsters.

Kumagawa:Yes, that is most often the case.

Dracula looked at Kumagawa, the boy sitting down on the cold floor. However, the joy which was usually in his face and voice were now gone.

Dracula:And now Mavis had caught feelings for you.

It was clear to Dracula. The excited way Mavis was talking with Kumagawa, her feelings not as hidden as she'd think, and the calm conforting way Kumagawa answered to her reminded him of himself and Martha back in the days.

Like father, like daughter. Back then he thought he was being subtle, but he was young and stupid.

Dracula:It's alright, you're one of the good ones. If we lived in a different world, perhaps it would've been possible.

Kumagawa:I'd lie if I said I don't reciprocate those feelings. Times have changed. While it's true monsters could integrate in today's society, that wouldn't be true for all of that. Above all, Mavis is a sensible girl. Even I think that making her take such a risk would be...Cruel.

Humans could truly become monsters, that much is true. Kumagawa knew that very well, because he was the worst monster of them all.

He bets that his past self would openly laugh at his current self. He truly has become soft.

For once Dracula took a good look at Kumagawa for once. He should've figured this out sooner.

Dracula knew he was over all superhuman and his mental stremght was no joke either. But, no one would become like this having lived a normal life.

Now Kumagawa looked nothing like the childish boy he saw the first time. He looked hollow and so...So very tired.

Kumagawa:I lost someone like that too once.

Kumagawa still remembers that day when they first fought Iihiko to take Hanosode back. How while his bandaged form laid in a bed of Aka's office he saw the registration Najimi left behind.

He knew in that moment that thdir adventure ended. He knew after, because she told him sge could never beat Iihiko.

He knew feom the moment he saw her in that classroom that his beloved not-equal was dead. But even so, just for a little, he wanted to delude himself that she was atill alive.

Kumagawa:All good things must come to an end. You can tell them that something cane up kr I had to return.

Dracula:No! I...I don't want to ruin her party. You worked hard too, you shouldn't miss it. Wht do you say? A last night of fun?

Kumagawa sifted that empty gaze at him, a gaze similar to the deepest ends of the ocean. Putting a had over his face his smile returned, like putting on a mask.

Kumagawa:[That would be nice. I might not often get invited to parties, but I'm alwais ready for one!]

Dracula:Hehe! You know, you might've done for an awesome vampire. You had everyone fooled.

Kumagawa:[Is that so? I think I might actually do a goid impression of your trick.]

Dracula:Really?

Kumagawa backed down a bit, now into the shadows of the room. A trick of light making his eyes seem like they glow.

Kumagawa:[Listen closely! You are not Dracula. You are... The werewolf!]

Dracula:Awww! Awww! Help me, I have too many kids! I've got fleas!

The two laughed together as they departed from the room. Dracula feels like he can relate to Kumagawa now.

They both do the same thing. They use goffines amd siliness to take their mind from their own grief and pain.

Dracula:Perhaps we are not so different...