Francis wondered how long he'd have to wait for Toga to wake. At one point he started checking his non-existent watch in his right wrist. Just before the clock struck 1AM, Toga had stirred.
"Mm~" She immediately sat up, moving way too fast for the damage she had just sustained. Her hand reached for her head to aid the throbbing she felt, but nothing but time could help her now.
"What's up, sleepy head. Took you long enough." Francis spoke, his voice cutting through her strained silence like a hot knife through butter. Toga flinched, instantly snarling, ready to protect herself.
Her hands shot for her waists, slipping up her white T-shirt fitted crop top and reaching for two empty blade holsters on her hips. But she was in for a surprise when they were missing.
Shit! She snarled, feeling a bit of dread build up in her. What the hell is going on? W-Why can't I remember anything? She struggled with trying to maintain a tough appearance and search her own mind for closure.
Francis felt this–But read it as well. Taking advantage of his vampiric telepathy. He gazed at her incredulously. A look of amusement befalling his supernaturally beautiful face.
"W-Who are you!? What did you do to me!" Himiko flared her teeth, showcasing her own two canines that looked a bit more wild–Primal than Francis's. The one in question raised his hands up in mock surrender, jabbing a thumb to his right–
"Whoa! If you want an answer to that, you'd have to ask him. I was the one that saved you and found you being beaten by that brute." At the end, Francis snarled, clearly disgusted by what he had just said.
Toga flinched backwards, confusion evident all over her adorable face. Francis found it hard to even develop feelings of malice towards her, but he knew deep down just what a monster she truly was.
But she couldn't resist her curiosity. Drifting over towards the mild wreckage that cluttered the suspiciously dim alleyway, her breath hitched with momentary surprise. Francis watched her reaction, looking for any anomalies that could tip him off in the way that he could be living in an alternate reality.
It would already be an alternate reality since I'm here… Precautions are just precautions at the end of the day. He shrugged, but mentally noted the lack of expression Toga showed towards the corps.
"...Wow… You really fucked him up didn't you?" She questioned idly, her gaze lingering before cutting towards Francis, a siren flare in her eye as she approached. "Did seeing him hurt me get you all bothered? Is that it?" Francis raised a brow, allowing her to pace in front of him while his hands slid comfortably in his pockets.
Her grin had taken on a more alluring gesture, leading to Francis psyching himself out of whatever mental game she was trying to play. "Okay, yeah stop that." He reached forward and with a heavy, strong hand he held her in place by her shoulder.
He leaned forward, coming eye to eye with her. "I didn't save you for some romantic gesture–Friendly, sure, but cut this shit out." He shook his head heaving a sigh, Toga had unintentionally froze from his grip, but now that it was gone it was like her body had been unlocked–Freed from its suppression.
"Whoa~" She was starstruck. Her hands cupped her chin instantly, her eyes adopting shimmering meteors that just screamed curious.
Francis eyed the girl and then spun on his heel, walking out of the alley way. Toga watched him go, sputtering useless incomplete words of complaint but they stopped when the Vampire in question looked over his shoulder.
"You coming or what?" His travel continued.
Himiko Toga stood frozen in place for moments, watching Francis' back get further and further away as the darkness began to swallow him whole. Her heart hammered against her chest, an ache squeezing her nerves as she bit her bottom lip.
F-Follow him? But to where? What does he want with me? Her mind nagged her, but her heart raced quicker. Before he turned the corner, Toga shook her head and took off running, falling into step just a little behind him as they entered the pestering night streets of Shibuya.
As the two walked, they drew some curious glances, but nothing Francis was worried about. "So, how'd that even happen?" It didn't make sense to him at all. She's a badass, why would she fall to some drunkard.
He could've invaded her mind. But this was his first character from the series he was interacting with. Francis enjoyed human socialization more than anything–In his previous life, he was sort of popular simply due to how much he liked to talk to new people.
Toga shrugged, skipping along next to her new friend happily. "Like I said, I don't remember much… I do know I ran away from home… Caught a train, or a bus… And then yeah, now I'm here. Getting saved by you from that big ol` hunk of junk back there!" She chirped like a baby bird during feeding time.
Francis hummed, shrugging, "Well, if it's of no concern to you, then I guess I'll drop it." Silence slid in between the two fantastically. Encasing them in a soft shell of strange comforting privacy as they walked the bright city.
Toga kept stealing glances, her eyes just riveting with endless questions. Francis could feel them–Her thoughts were loud, invasive in their own right. "If you have any questions, I don't mind answering."
She floated about happily, humming with an inquisitive tune, "How did you find me? I mean, no way that was on pure raw luck–Or misfortune, depending on how you look at it~"
Francis didn't say anything immediately, he tapped his chin theatrically before flashing a bright smile, "I had a vision–It was by the fate of the universe that we even met."
That earned him a deadpanned stare. He waved it off, "Sheesh, where'd all that energy go… Anyway, I really did just happen upon you. You really should thank god that I did, he was whooping your a—" Toga shot up, her face turning pink from embarrassment? Or bruised pride.
Francis couldn't tell.
She waved her hands in front of his face frantically, "Okay, okay! Thank you for saving my life! Jeez, no need to start going into detail…" She pouted, falling behind him by just a step.
The silence between them ensued, they walked with no direction in mind. Toga is just happy to be there and… Francis wasn't too sure where he should go.
I doubt I have a home… Uh, I don't think she has a spot either… Oh, no she lives in an abandoned apartment building–Dilapidated and clearly in ruin. Francis stifled a heavy breath and grinned with thin lips.
"Well, I suppose this is the part where I take you home?" His question was followed by an extension of his hand. He noticed the massive flash of hesitation that appeared on her face.
Her eyes shook a little. "E-Erm, well… I think I can get there alright by myself." She started, her foot digging in the ground. Francis nearly groaned from the cringe he was feeling.
Yo that anime shit is actually real… I c-can't believe this is the first thing I encounter… He nearly had to hold back a bit of vomit too. But thankfully, he had the self control to do exactly that easily.
He smiled, feigning oblivion to his own inner turmoil. "If you say so. Just make sure you watch your back, next time I won't be there to save you." Himiko paused for a moment, studying his face.
Her golden eyes radiated gentleness as it led into the brightest, genuine smile Francis had ever seen–Even in his first life. "Okay! You betcha!" As she turned, Francis' smile dropped immediately and all his friendly pretenses fell.
His hand whipped out and grabbed her by the jaw. Her eyes widened, her body tensing as he whipped her face back towards his. "Yeah, I didn't want to do it like this, but nothing better than the present."
"W-Wuh!? H-Hey l-leh m-me go!" She struggled but the moment they made eye contact, her body froze. Going stiff while she looked into his eyes like a mindless puppet.
Her pupils dilated, while Francis' constricted. His vertical serpent-like pupils peered way deep into her soul. Deep into her subconscious as he also took root in her brain telepathically.
Woooo~ This feels weird…He mused, feeling certain, imperceivable supernatural lines crackle and pop within his mind. It was the most freeing thing he had ever felt–Like ice-cold water had been poured through his veins.
Access to her mind latched onto his, like interconnecting pathways. He took a deep breath, ["You will forget about this moment immediately when you turn around to go home.
When you get approached by a man named Giran, you will accept. And upon doing so, you will report back to me at the end of every week regarding the League of Villains' movements. You can access me by peering out your window, depleting your mind of anything but my name, Francis Von Marquis. I will appear in a sea of black."] He removed his hand, took a step back, and eyed Himiko skeptically.
She wobbled slightly, her eyes drooping into a fatigued glare. "Oooh~" She gloomed, only to shake her head and snap out of her trance. "Oh, uh? Bye! Maybe I'll see you again!" She exclaimed with a wave. Backstepping before breaking into a hasty skip.
Francis watched her go with a thin-lipped smile, waving slowly before slipping his hand back into his pants pocket.
Once she blended back into the crowd, he turned and melted back into the crowd on his own volition. I need a place to sleep.
The busy streets only proved to solidify that need. …Hide out on the roof, it is. And with that thought, he disappeared like he never existed in the first place.