Leonard did not answer immediately, his gaze unable to be torn away from the scorching vampire. Beyond the fear and wariness reflected in his expression, there was also a bit of fascination. Rin paid no more notice to his gaze. She slowly rose from her sat position, encouraging the wrath of her infernal blood.
Beneath her ashen skin a red radiance bloomed. It covered wherever she dared to move, raging like that of molten lava. With it came the further searing of her flesh and the rise of a thin steam which engulfed her. The steam was far too tame to hide the molten glow, a scarlet figure visible behind its veil.
If Rin was in pain she failed to show it… Casually disregarding its presence she walked forth to Ciel's side. Once there she returned to her usual unmoving state. Her scarlet glow dimmed and dissipated shortly after, followed by the steam that tailed her.
Leonard witnessed Rin's horrid curse first hand, becoming so fearful for a moment that he took a mirroring step back with every forward step she made. His back was now pressed upon the hallway's wall.
He had the option to retreat further down any direction that the hallway permitted, however he failed to do so. His eyes were simply unable to look away from such a dazzling pair of scarlet gems. Leonard found her gaze undeniably alluring, even despite her grotesque appearance.
For a moment, he even felt an urge to approach her, to fulfill whatever need she may desire. Realizing that emotion filled his heart with perplexed turmoil, even fear… Yet he continued to stare upon her beautiful scarlet eyes without shame.
Seeing such, Ciel turned to Rin.
"Quite the charmer huh…"
Rin did not turn her neck to face him, however her eyes narrowed to his side as her charred lips curled slightly.
"Might that be jealousy that I hear?"
Ciel's gaze turned cold.
"I physically lack the means to feel anything towards you."
Rin chuckled, her voice honey to the ears.
"Careful, the human you so brightly told I was your spouse might realize it's a falsehood."
Ciel indifferently turned his focus back to Leonard who was now much farther than before.
"Unlikely. It seems your charm has made him fall into a kind of trance."
"Ah yes, such a thing befalls humans who are far more susceptible to my charm."
Ciel returned his gaze to Rin.
"More susceptible? First time I have heard charm having that kind of nature."
Rin's smile curled even further as she added.
"Oh what do you possibly know of charm my dear master? You seem immune to its passive state. I must admit I find that rather mysterious and intriguing… Ah, but in regards to susceptibility, those who lack connections are especially vulnerable."
So loneliness can play a role in it, huh…
"I see."
Saying nothing else, Ciel closed the distance before snapping his fingers a few times in front of Leonard.
"Hey now, we are wasting a good morning. Let's get moving."
He said, adding an annoyed tone to his voice. His words seemed to snap Leonard out of his trance as he nodded somewhat sheepishly.
"Right…"
Ciel smiled.
"Good. Oh and try not to stare at her, it will ruin you trust me…"
Leonard's eyes opened slightly.
Was I staring that much?!
Ciel had spoken with a friendly tone, however staring upon his green eyes gave Leonard an eerie feeling. A chill ran down his spine as he vigorously shook his head.
"Yes of course! Let's get going!"
He must be the jealous type!
Not daring to stare upon Rin any further, Leonard moved towards the hallway's end with hurried steps.
Ciel stared at the fleeing back for a moment, sensing that his warning was misunderstood. Regardless he dismissed it from his thoughts and began following…
Before relocating would have been a difficult task thanks to his vampiric companion's infernal state. However, the Red Tiger Gang had not only provided him with his own PMV but a driver with it no less. Such a simple acquisition made the once troublesome task far more feasible with the only true issues being the entering and exiting of the vehicle.
The weathered inside of the Hazard Hotel's first floor greeted them. As per usual, the counter lacked anyone present before the hour struck 2PM. Ciel did not care though— He had no plans to inform the elderly Neil of his sudden departure.
He merely placed the small steel key card atop the counter before turning towards the exit. The old man seemed to have grown up within the outskirts, surely a presumed slum rat like Ciel disappearing would not faze the old geezer.
When he reached the hotel's exit, Leonard had already parked the PMV before the entrance. Ciel then inspected the area for any police officers or NSRA agents.
When he ensured that the area was cleared, Ciel signalled Rin to move as he opened the back passenger door of the vehicle. Rin did not cause him trouble, walking forward at the fastest pace she could muster, she promptly entered the PMV.
A trail of steam was left behind, causing some walking pedestrians to look their way. However, the moment they did, they were met by Ciel's rageful glare along with a few loud curses. As a result, none truly grasped what they witnessed.
Seeing such, Ciel entered the vehicle. He was immediately welcomed by a cloud of steam yet was not bothered by it.
"Ready, let's go."
Just like that, they were off.
*****
After a while, the steam that lingered inside the PMV dissipated. What was left behind was only a quiet vampire observing the passing roads. Ciel was doing the same, however his mind was far in the distance.
Ciel had initially gone to the Royal Casino with the simple goal of joining the Red Tiger Gang. He succeeded in that goal, yet also gained some unexpected revelations regarding the differences between his past life and his current present.
Finally he had a moment to ponder all of its implications.
There was the fact that he awakened 3 years after his desired date. While that would not hinder his ultimate goal of obtaining salvation for Bastion, it meant that he already failed to gain insight into, or perhaps even prevent, Maeve's mother's death.
It also meant that Maeve Dawson was likely already within the NSRA.
His approach in regards to contacting her would need to shift as a result…
Then there was the fact that he awakened at all. Before he assumed that he had died through gang affairs, however the timeline should not have experienced changes since his future soul had yet to arrive into his then 15 year old body.
Whatever happened to him was undoubtedly related to his failure to arrive at the time he chose, likely due to the shattering of his soul. The fact that Azik claimed his body was indestructible and how it adjusted its age from 15 years old to 18 gave the impression that his body was not deceased but rather frozen in time.
That was one of many conjectures he could make with the available knowledge. To know for certain he needed to obtain more information. Though he found this to be the most likely possibility.
Regardless, he now knew why he awakened in a coffin, who placed him there, and possibly why his body experienced the changes it did. However, some other changes were still left beneath a cloud of uncertainty.
For instance, within no period of time in his past memories was the NSRA's presence ever this heavy within the outskirts.
He could say with some confidence that it was related to the fact that the Red Tiger Gang now possessed access to the Esper Program. Perhaps they are not the only ones either. If there truly was a rogue group of mystic researchers providing esper technology to the gangs of the outskirts then their heavy presence was not only obvious but necessary.
Ciel doubted the issue was that big just yet though, had it been then the NSRA would not be so tame. He was not sure where the current pillars of humanity were, however if the NSRA so wished, then a single Saint Disciple could descend upon the outskirts and eradicate the issue.
Naturally such an option was destructive and they would not deploy it lightly.
Their approach to the situation meant that at most three mystic researchers have gone rogue. That was both a blessing and a curse for him.
On the one hand, it meant that he could regain his status as an esper far earlier than he originally thought. Using the time the NSRA fails to take action as an opening to ascend before making his exit. However, it also meant that there were likely a few Arbiters overseeing this crisis.
Running into one would spell an inescapable end to his freedom. At least for the him of today…
The Red Tiger Gang's acquisition of the Esper Program also explained why Azik was found within the Royal Casino. One needed to be intelligent to fully utilize the capabilities of an esper; it seems that the 12 Tiger Heads had judged Azik as unfit to obtain such a role.
Such is the fate of a brute I suppose…
That conclusion also implied that the Red Commanders were likely First Stage Espers themselves.
So much was now clearer, however with those answers came one glaring question. What exactly was changing the timeline's previous events so drastically?
Ciel understood one thing thanks to his Concept Accommodation: Fate was malleable.
It has strong preferences and dictates likely outcomes, yet it can be changed if one possesses the will to do so. Usually the will of humanity, each individual person's choices and actions, was what determined what history would deem as fated.
This time had already passed, which means it was already recorded, Ciel was the record keeper.
However, his previous certainties were no longer true, fate was experiencing a new timeline. That was always what Ciel aimed to do, yet he found that it had already gone out of control before he even took a single action.
What he thought would be controlled chaos was now just a chaotic unknown.
Ciel indifferently stared upon the passing buildings and pedestrians, a white radiance falling down from high above the earth-sky.
I can not use my memories as a reliable source of information anymore…. No matter, the goal is still the same regardless of my disadvantages.