••••••••••

  E P I S O D E
17

°°°°°°°°°°

 
    As she was about to control their blood, a sudden burst of blue flames came into her view. She stared wide eyed at the beautiful blue flames, to the owner of such beautiful power. She was utterly surprised that someone came to save her.

"You all seems to be having fun picking on a single girl." The guy with burnt skins smirked triumphantly with mocking in his eyes. He stepped infront of Yurika. 

"It's none of your business, she's our target! You better go away or else, we would not hold back and kill you right here and now." The leader said seriously, his buff body slowly becoming tense - getting his body ready to fight.

"What if I say i don't give a damn about your business?" The guy smirked, further irritating the buff guy.

"Come on, we're both villains right? Give us the girl right now."

"I would have to reject your demands, since i also like this little victim of yours. So I will be taking her away."

The buff guy clicked his tongue in annoyance.

  He looked at his comrades and nodded his head. Not wasting another second, they all pounced towards the guy infront of Yurika.

The burnt guy did not hesitate to burn all of the villains that attacked him, ignoring the screams of agony in the background.

Seeing as his comrades were easily killed by a single man, panic striked his entire system - Yurika watched with scrutinizing eyes.

  'Hmmm, that guy is going to run for sure.' As if it was a cue, the big guy did run - abandoning his comrades in the moment.

"Ara~ he ran." Yurika watched in disdain. And since she needed some blood right now, she wouldn't mind sucking his blood dry out of his body. Her eyes glinted and used her wings to sprout at that moment, Dabi who was beside her widened his eyes from the sudden appearance of her bat-like wings. He had thought that she's simply a fragile beautiful lady. Turns out he was wrong.

Yurika zoomed in towards the guy in a fast rate, not even Dabi saw her movement - as if she just suddenly teleported behind the buff man.

Her fangs grew longer and sharp, and dug her fangs deep into the man's neck. "AGH!!" The guy screamed in agony at the sudden contact of her sharp fangs, followed by the sudden dizziness in his body - feeling the blood flow out of his body like some water going out of the waterfall.

Yurika definitely hated the taste of bitterness and the taste of rotten blood in her mouth, but she had no choice hasn't it? Her only food right now is this evil villain. As a vampire, they liked human blood - whether it is evil or good, it tasted heavenly for them. But for Yurika - she liked the taste of good people's blood.

  The buff guy fell on the ground lifeless and drained, and Yurika felt the sudden surge of energy in her body - she felt alive again.

Her flushed face and some blood flowed down her chin while still in a daze. Under the moonlight and having her hair down with a daze flushed look on her while having blood dripping down her chin, she looked ethereal. And Dabi witnessed the whole scene. He had to admit though, the girl is beautiful - also strong.

Dabi walked towards the girl, and Yurika noticed his presence as well and snapped out of her trance. She looked behind and saw the guy who saved her.

  "Turns out you don't actually need my help." He smirked and watched the girl infront of him lick the blood on her chin using her fingers. It looked really odd to see a girl lavishly licking a blood like some high quality food. But mind you, blood is high quality food for Yurika.

"No, you showed up at the right time. Thank you for saving me." Yurika curtsied, Dabi looked at her weird by how she curtsied like she's a royalty. Nevertheless, he didn't mind it though.

"Now that you're fine, I'll be going now." He said and putted his hands in his pockets, walking away from the vampire princess. Yurika was about to walk away when she suddenly realized that she's lost.

It would be embarrassing, but she'll need to follow that guy - hoping he would go out of this alleys.

And so she followed. Ofcourse, it didn't go unnoticed by the dark haired Dabi - it kind of ticked him off but thinking that she's following him to find the exit, he simply didn't mind it. Although she could've just said that she doesn't know where the exit is.

  Yurika stared from behind, and noticed multiple burnt skin - it kind of looked pitiful for her, who would've done something so terrible like this? But he looks cool though, she had to admit.

When walking, she noticed the familiar lights from afar - she's finally out of the alleys! She breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude that the guy saved her. Oh, wait - she hasn't paid him yet for saving her!

  Just as he was about to walk away, Yurika grabbed his wrist softly. "Wait! I haven't heard of your name. Would you tell me?" She asked him, looking earnestly at his eyes. Dabi eventually sighed and gave up.

This girl is really something else. Normally, people would run away from him the moment they see his horrible face. But this girl is staring at him earnestly asking for his name. But still, he is a villain.

"Why would you want to know my name? A villain? I'm a bad guy, little lady." As he said that, he saw different kinds of emotions in her eyes - is it confusion? Sadness? Disbelief? He honestly don't know.

But what was happening inside Yurika's head was, all kinds of different questions of 'why?'

And eventually, her thoughts flew out of her mouth smoothly. "Why would you think like that? Why would you think you're a bad guy? Sure, I don't know your story - but everyone had a story. And my heart is telling me you're a good person. Doesn't mean because you're a villain you're straight out evil. Saving me from the other villains from earlier were proof. So, I do not think you are a bad guy at all."

It feels odd hearing these kind of words from a stranger, not from a person he wanted to hear it the most. He felt his heartstrings pulling in his cold, dead heart. He almost chuckled - this feels stupid, but he felt touched, he felt warm.

He ruffles her hair and smiled softly, "You sure do know a lot, little lady."

  Yurika became annoyed when he messed her hair, "Hey! Don't you know that it's disrespectful to mess a girl's hair up? Also, I'm not a little lady! I'm the descendant of the Great Count Dracula who wandered around a mortal plane six hundred years ago! I'm the great Todou Yurika-sama!"

'This girl is silly. Just where did she get those imagination from?' Dabi thought in his head.

"It's nice meeting you, the Great Yurika-sama."

Yurika quickly blushed when she heard his statement, no one has ever called that before - she, always says that line to herself to boost her ego and pride, but she never heard anyone say that line to her ever before!

And now that she heard it, she felt really embarrassed. But she cannot say that, right?

"So, as thanks - I decided to form a blood bond with you."

  Dabi became confused, "Blood Bond?"

Yurika realized that she needed to explain it to him, since she's literally from another world and he probably doesn't know how it works. "Yes, its a connection between you and me, although it has its benefits - it also has drawbacks. By forming a blood bond with me, you'll get stronger and will acquire skills that is similar to mine, your body will also get enhancement - by speed, strength, dexterity, agility, eyesight, and all your four senses."

As Yurika explained, Dabi's eyes widened in astonishment and thrill - he could get stronger by forming a bond with her? That's such a perfect opportunity right infront of him, freely offering it to him like it's some free food to a villain, A VILLAIN.

He can't help but question the girl's common sense.

"But like I said, it has its drawbacks. You won't be able to free yourself from me - the bond is like a chain, it locks both the contractor and the bonded. You will feel my emotions and my presence, the same goes for me. You won't be able to hurt me and those people close to me, and you will be under my command."

At what she explained on the drawbacks, Dabi became hesitant if he could still accept that bond. He doesn't like being under control.

As if Yurika knew what he thought, she let out a gentle chuckle. "Don't worry though, you're free from me and I won't put you under my command. And i'm pretty sure we won't be meeting anyways, so you're free to do whatever you want. But know that you'll still be able to sense my emotions and my presence, that's the only warning I can give you. So, do you want to accept it?"

After Dabi thought of the pros and cons, he looked at Yurika - he needed this power for his revenge, and Yurika is right infront of him giving him the opportunity to be powerful immediately, a reward from saving her. He cannot thank his self even more for saving Yurika, because a sudden blessing came infront of him - as if saying that 'you've done great, so i will give you a reward.'

He cannot be more than grateful to accept this offer from her. "Yes, please do."

Yurika grinned, "Then, give me your wrist."
Dabi showed his left wrist, grasping his hands - Yurika opened her lips and bit his skin lightly. Droplets of blood flowed down his skin, and Yurika smiled contented.

"Form: Dabi's Life." A gold ancient letters started appearing in Dabi's skin, glowing in golds. He stared in admiration to the sudden flash of lights in his skin. Yurika chanted once again to complete the blood bond. This time, biting her fingertip and wiped her blood on the bite mark.

She drew a line, "Bound: ቿꪊ𝕯𝖊𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖈𝖆𝕿𝖚"

The letters chanted started appearing on Dabi's wrist, it's a beautiful language written in Yurika's mother tongue in their world. Colored in blue lights.

( the picture above is created by me.)

When the blood bond was formed, Dabi felt multiple electricity flowing in his body - a sense of sudden surge of energy, strength and enhanced hearing. He can feel the air, the breathing of the girl infront of her, the voices of people meters away from them.

"This is amazing..." He whispered, excitement tingling his heart - and most of all, the sudden warmth when he looks at Yurika. Maybe it is the effect of the bond, but he suddenly felt close to the girl infront of him.

"Well, I hope you enjoy my gift, Dabi-san. I'll be on my way then!" As Yurika walked away from Dabi, waving him goodbye - she missed the mixed emotions swirling in Dabi's eyes as he watched her disappear in the crowds.

....

   Ako sat on her bed and looked at the time, she still has two more hours to go to her work, infront of her is Koharu's bed - also sitting while brushing her still wet hair.

Remembering that Koharu hang out with Kirishima brought a grin to Ako's face, a teasing smile arose. And for some reason, Koharu felt a shiver and immediately knew it was Ako.

"Ako-chan, whatever you were thinking it is nothing like that at all."

"Mn..? But I saw how you gazed at Kirishima-san earlier. You can't underestimate my eyes Koharu-chan. "

Koharu had fun, actually. She felt like floating when she was with the fun and kind guy, Kirishima. Although, saying that she like him would be an overstatement. She just consider him like a friend, kinda like how she felt with Ako and the other princesses. Koharu doesn't know why Ako suddenly got the idea that she like him.

"Ako-chan, he's just a friend." She softly smile. Hoping her cat friend would believe her.

Ako stared at her friend in a disbelieving eyes, how could this girl not realize how she feel? Ako clearly saw her expression! But anyways, since she doesn't realize it yet  Ako decided not to push it anymore.

"Koharu, we need to leave this house soon." At what Ako said, Koharu stopped brushing her hair and looked at Ako in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You see, I joined a dangerous organization where you have to kill or be killed. And I can't let the Yaoyorozu family know of this, or they might be in danger as well."

  Koharu stared wide eyed at her dear friend, a princess - joined a dangerous organization. It's outrageous! If her mother and father heard of this they would surely be in tears for their daughter, knowing how doting they are to Ako.

"Ako-chan, are you sure about this?"

"Mh. You know we can't always rely on them, Koharu. You also know that as a princess, we always have a responsibility. And my main mission for now is to gather knowledge so we can come back to our home. By joining this organization, they let me have access to all source of information, including the inside, and the outside. It's a great source of data, and surely i would get my formula once I've gotten access to their system." 

Koharu suddenly remembered why she always liked to be around the proud princess, Ako. From the very beginning, she always thrived to be the best! She's determined to fulfill her responsibilities, no matter how hard it was for her.

She's great at adapting to situations quickly, she's a fast thinker, dependable, always sticking to what she thinks is right and doesn't discriminate against others. She's soft hearted when it comes to her friends, but fierce to others.

Koharu admired Ako. And this too, her plans and all of her decisions is what made Ako, her.

"I see. So, as your responsibility to search for a way home. Leave the rest to me, Ako-chan. I'll find a proper place for us to live."

"Mh. Thank you, Koharu."

Ako stood up from her bed and began packing her bags, getting ready for the job. Her boss gave her a telecommunication device that looked like an airpod, she had to admit it's really cool how advance this world is compared to her home.

"Well, Koharu. I'll be going now."

Koharu watched her friend wear a black jacket and a black cap, slightly uneasy for the girl's safety. But she had to trust her right?

"Mh. Stay safe, Ako-chan."

To be continued...

  Okay, so I promised I'll tell ya'll the reason why Yurika had to experience the hardships of this world - you see, she's a sheltered princess, not really knowing how people suffer from all kinds of tragedy, she also lack the sense of humanity and emotions. She only cares for her friends, and her responsibilities as a princess.

I made Yurika's character to be completely oblivious of the dangers of each world. Since she has everyone in her world to protect her, she became ignorant to what happens in reality. She thought that their world is peaceful as it is, and so she became a coward - unconsciously.

That's why when the demons attacked at Ako's palace, she didn't do anything to save her. And that was why it was engraved in her brain, and she became depressed.

Well, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading!

Unedited.

Word Count: 2650