Strolling through the evening terrain of this snowy wasteland, the cold air breezing across their bodies, both Alucard and Garnet silently transverse to Hillfar; small town not far from the wooden cabin, hoping they could find their comrades after learning the truth of Lilim's whereabouts. A walk that seems to last an eternity but still they pressed on with the journey towards their destination.
Flying at her mistress side, Garnet glanced up to her best friend, "Alucard," her low and soothing voice echoes throughout their surroundings, the sound of wind muffling it little bit before coming to an end, "do you think this is the right thing to do?" She asks, maintaining her stare to the very person she serves under.
Alucard stopped her tracks, clenching fists as she shamefully look down with visible conflict of her expression, unable to distinguish which one of the two sides of her, "I don't know," she quietly responds, feeling if her chest was about to burst with conflicted emotions, "as much I hate humans, something about what you said earlier made me feel guilty," the words were quiet yet carried enough weight into silence between friends
Garnet's expression was blank with confusion written all over it, "about what?" Not getting a clue as to what the vampire girl meant, making herself wonder about her mistress sudden change of heart.
Perhaps the conversation they had was somehow able to bring the poor girl to the point of doubt or question in her actions?
"I'm not the only one who suffered terrible fate, haven't I?" The vampire's question was blunt but clear, causing her servant to look up at her best friend with astonishment, not quite expecting the sudden answer for it didn't take long for Garnet to finally process it in her mind, having the answer clear as day to see and hear.
"Yes..." Forced sorrowful smile graced the pixie's lips, "You and Adam aren't the only ones," Garnet confessed, eyes lowering to the ground, feeling pity for the girl she called friend, "You may be immortal but you still have human heart," taking a deep breath to recollect herself, she looked up at Alucard with sympathetic gaze, "Even though it continues to hunt you," she explains with hands in her hips, "your still the girl I met centuries ago," her wings flutter softly from behind her back.
Blinked slowly, she held her tears from escaping out of her eyes, "And Adam?" Asked the young mistress, now more determined than ever to see the job through and done. Desiring to finish off this case and be done with it once and for all. It's not like she wanted Adam to hate her guts, no matter how many times he has helped her life in the past. There was always that spark of admiration that glimmered deep inside her soul for him.
Her servant, on the other hand, shook her head, "he will be alright, his a strong dude," Garnet smiled kindly to her mistress, giving the best wishes and confidence that they will come out victorious from this problems. It wasn't long before Alucard took the advice to heart and gave a silent nod, understanding the words she was given to her.
Silence enveloped the air, feeling a little awkward but none the less with the chirping birds in the background. After a quiet moment, the vampire broke the silence by asking a question, "do you know why his like that?" She inquired with genuine curiosity and concern in her voice. It wasn't like her to care so much about another human being. Sure she was known to care for those she loves and admire, but when it came to the man himself.
His presence made her feel odd. That was the only way she could describe it. Never in her life had she felt so strongly about another human being. Sure she admired Adam for what he had done to help her life, but that wasn't enough to explain how she felt.
Whenever she look at him, the way his eyes spoke of tragedy she never wanted to imagine in her worst nightmares, she felt sad and confused at the same time. It was an odd sensation to feel like that, but it didn't change the fact that she did.
"Because his..." As the pixie instinctively turn her attention away from the girl, seeing the three men moving towards to their direction; she noticed two recognizable individuals; Vesh and Adam, walking side by side with strange man she never have met before, presumably new friend they have made while she and her young mistress were away.
"Whats the matter?" Alucard asked, confusedly before turning to the direction where her servant is staring; seeing her comrades once again, one of them is Adam, the very person she was ready to tell the truth about everything she has learned of his daughter's whereabouts, "Adam!" She shouted happily, running towards him with inhuman speed.
Adam gave a surprised expression upon seeing her in front of him and before he could ask why she was here and where she have been. It wasn't long before the vampire threw herself onto him with open arms; embracing him in a tight hug. A feeling of confusion, happiness, sadness, and other emotions flooded through him.
"Hey kid, what made you go out here all of the sudden?" Gentle smile reached onto the young man's face, surprised and relieved to see her again. A soft chuckle escaped his lips of feeling happy to know she managed to will herself out of the plaguing depression she has been enduring ever since they arrived to the wooden cabin, "glad your okay."
Cain could only watch the girl with pitiful look, softening his gaze with thoughtful expression from being reminded of the boy he once adopted in being his own son; having once been so happy and full of life when he was still living even though his son had went through several events in his short life span.
Departing their embrace, Alucard nodded with smile of her own, "I was worried about you," the girl's raised huddled arms touching her torso, "so I came out just to make sure you were safe." She spoke, trying to make her words as lighthearted as possible but despite this; the tone of her voice sounded too worried to be considered anything but serious.
"Thanks," Adam responded, his tone just as lighthearted and reassuring, "but you didn't have to worry old little me, I'm sure you would be fine without me around," kind-hearted expression appeared on his face, putting his hand over her head as he gently stroke her hair, "I can't always be around kid, just remember to also focus on your well being and be safe."
Alucard was at a loss for words. There was nothing she could say that would express how she felt about seeing him again after what had happened earlier today. There was an unexplainable sense of relief in knowing that he was still alive and safe, although she had reasons for wanting to meet him, making her look down in painful expression.
She wants to tell him, where they are keeping Lilim but deep down; she isn't sure if she is strong enough to do this by herself, much less alone.
It doesn't make any sense, why would she care about the humans who hurt her so badly? It didn't make any sense to her why she cared so much about a group of people who didn't care about her own feelings in the first place.
Knowing someone out there having suffer similar circumstances of her own doing would make herself feel bad about it; not because she cared what happened but having another person going through where she had once, especially when the act was caused by telling him the truth makes her feel disgusted in being reminded of it.
The idea of leaving and letting Adam be the one to find out on his own or have it come as a surprise was too cruel to think about, much less actually do. There are so many ways it can go wrong, it wasn't worth the risk of what could happen and not only to Adam but everyone involved as well. Having no guarantee that they would be able to take them on his own, but it wasn't impossible.
If she told him, then he will likely head to the direction without thinking; his a family man after all, person devoted to protecting and nurturing his own family at all cost, which is exactly why she wanted to avoid telling him about it, fearing for his safety as well as Lilim's and Garnet.
Not only that, he might be too distracted by anything else other than saving his daughter.
"Is something wrong?" Retreating his hand, he looked down at her with expression of concern over his face, "if its bothering you, don't hesitate to tell me," Lilim's father said in a calm and collected voice, trying to ease her own concerns as he tried to get her to talk to him about what was going on inside her head. "Are you having second thoughts about telling me?" Adam asked in worried tone, watching her nod slowly.
Guilt overcame his curiosity, seeing his fellow comrade distressed was the last thing he wanted to see right now. Alucard didn't deserve to go through this, and it wasn't fair for her to have to experience any of this. Even if it meant telling him what he didn't want to hear, she deserved to know that, "listen," kneeling down as he placed his hand over her shoulder, "follow your heart and make the right call in your decision," Adam told her softly as he spoke, giving her an encouraging smile, "even if things get complicated and it may seem like everything is lost, do not lose what you strive to be."
Nodding once again as she kept quiet, she tried to say something but her words caught in her throat. When it did, Garnet flew to their direction, "yahoo!" Her little pixie friend shouted out in joy, surprising everyone including Adam himself as he never expected her to return back to them, "I'm back!" The mirthful Garnet said with a large grin on her face, fluttering over to the side of Alucard's head.
Standing up, "you...you returned?" Shock filled in his words, the way he said it was full of disbelief, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him. There was no denying it, his pixie friend had come back to them, alive and well, "where were you?" Was the second thing that came out of his mouth, directly looking at her face to see if she was really there.
Pouting at him, she placed her hands over her hips, "of course dummy! No one can kill me! For I am the all powerful Garnet!" Her statement made Adam chuckle, it was while of seeing her act like this again, he almost felt when everything was back to normal again until he remembered something important.
"What about my daughter? Was she with you?" Adam's words stopped the moment Garnet turned her head towards the ground, she looked guilty, and she did for a good reason. As soon as Adam saw her reaction, he already knew the answer to his question, "you were with her," his voice was so quiet, he didn't even need to say it as if he already knew it to be true.
The self-proclaimed world's best psychologist, even though he isn't one anymore; his still exceptionally skilled in knowing truths or lies from merely his cold reading, having a keen eye on others emotions, mannerisms and behaviors, to even able to guess what someone is thinking by their body language and expressions.
Just when any of them could say anything else, Cain intervened in the conversation, "its better if we talk about this at home, the day is beginning to descend into night," Adam simply nodded at him before looking down at Garnet once again, "I want the truth," he said sternly at her. She only gave him a look that seemed as if she was apologizing for trying to hide it from him.
