Vampires Legacy

The group of 5 walks out to Shoyo's sports car, and Kagura spends several minutes admiring it. She wants to hold off on driving one though until she gets her own. The chances she actually waits are slim.

"Even I must say, this doesn't look too bad."

"Ho, so you can appreciate my amazing car, Ariel?"

"Yeah, it's a remarkable beauty Shoyo!"

"What the... You uh... You good?"

Ariel's complimenting her sworn enemy, what exactly is her ploy here?

"Allow me to drive us to Iris's home."

"Huh? Do you even know how to drive?"

"How hard could it be?"

"Hell no."

"Tch."

"Did you just click your tongue?"

Swallowing her pride, Ariel walks up right in front of Shoyo.

"Just this once, I don't ask very much of you. Let me drive your vehicle."

"Why in the world are you so insistent on this?"

The truth is, Ariel got excited hearing the car talk earlier and wanted to get behind a wheel herself as soon as she could. There's no such thing as cars in the Alter World, there's not even technology there. So she's been curious and eager to try out a lot of things in the past year. Also, the fact that Shoyo can do something she can't pisses her off.

Clasping her hands together and shyly facing her head down at a 3/4 angle while holding eye contact on top swaying her shoulders, Ariel pulls out the ultimate puppy card attack.

"Please Shoyo, it's always been a dream of mine..."

"Okay stop, I'm about to hurl. Here, take the keys. But you have to show me you can drive around the block first."

"Haha, thanks!"

The other 3 watched this whole scene play out like it was some sort of comedy skit.

"Kagura, ride with her would you?"

"Sure thing."

Getting in the driver's seat, the powerful Vampire Lord finds herself unable to even see above the steering wheel.

"Pfff."

"Hahahahahaha."

"Ariel, I'm sorry.. Hahahahaha!

Shoyo, Chifuyu, and Kagura all start laughing at this amusing sight. Iris looks on not knowing what to do. Clearly ticked off by their ridicule, Ariel starts the car without adjusting the seat.

"Hey, wait for Kagura!"

"Don't worry, I'm not taking off just yet," Ariel declares as she rolls down the passenger window.

"I'm gonna rev this thing up."

"Uh, do you know how to do that?"

"Of course, I just move this stick thing to R."

"No, no, Ariel..."

"Ariel, wait!"

Yelling out before the inevitable disaster, Chifuyu and Shoyo run towards the car. Right as Kagura and Chifuyu jump on it, the car goes flying in reverse and slams into a car 20 feet down the street.

Shoyo looks down at Ariel with a blank stare. She doesn't even look up as she knows she just royally messed up.

***

Shoyo's now driving everyone to Iris's house with a damaged rear bumper and a brake light that doesn't work. Ariel lost any driving privileges she would've ever had for a while. Shoyo left his contact and insurance information on the car that Ariel rammed into. She hasn't spoken a word out of embarrassment.

"Sorry, Shoyo."

He looks at the interior mirror and sees her sulking.

"... Sigh... Don't worry about it. I'll help you improve your your lousy driving skills."

"I'll look forward to it."

She isn't.

Upon arriving at the Sakata house, they're greeted by Iris's little sister.

"Hello!"

"This is your sister? She's so cute!"

"What's your name little one?"

"Ikura."

"Aw, that's a sweet name. How old are you?"

"I'm 9 years old."

Shoyo who was still in the car is just now getting out. Seeing him, Ikura runs and jumps on him.

"Mr. Shoyo!"

"Haha, hey! You doing okay?"

"Yep. So my sister really has friends!"

"Gah..."

An arrow of betrayal stabs Iris, the little one doesn't hold back her words at all.

"Of course I do... Where's mum and dad?"

"They told me to let you in cuz they're making dinner for everyone!"

"Seriously? They didn't have to."

"Well let's go in."

Iris's family lives in a nice small 2-bedroom home, nothing to complain about. They've been saving to move to a more spacious home and they have plenty saved up, but they're about to be receiving a lot more from their eldest daughter.

"Oh my god, Iris really brought over 3 friends!"

"Our friendless daughter is finally growing up."

Two more arrows of betrayal penetrate Iris's abdomen.

"Why doesn't my own family have faith in me..."

"Hahaha."

"Pfff."

"And that's 3 fatal wounds for our young heroine."

Chifuyu, Shoyo, and Kagura are getting a kick out of Iris's own family dissing her. After making some introductions, everyone except Shoyo hangs out in the living room because he knows his way around the kitchen so he offered to help cook. Chifuyu put on Kung Fu Panda while they waited.

"I love this movie!"

"Oh yeah? What's your favorite line from it?" asks Chifuyu.

"Skadoosh."

"Ay, that's what I'm talking about!"

Chifuyu and Ikura high-five. The little one actually has great taste when it comes to animated movies.

"Chifuyu showed me these movies. I love the tiger lady, what about you Ikura?"

"I love the tiger lady too!"

"Hmph. You know what they say, great minds think alike."

Ariel and Ikura exchange a double high-five.

"Ikura, have you ever had your hair braided?"

"Yeah, I like having it in braids! My mom does it a lot."

Sitting in Kagura's lap, she starts getting her hair braided for fun. Meanwhile, Iris is on her phone. Looking at the weather app. In her own home.

'Why is my little sister more social than I am...?'

Complete embarrassment. Iris was never good at starting conversations. Most of the time, she's only ever answering other people's questions. Although she has opened up a bit more in the past year, she still has a long way to go.

Ariel sees this.

After about 20 minutes, the parents realize they forgot something.

"Oh no, I forgot some ingredients."

"I could go and grab them real quick."

"Thanks, Shoyo."

"Actually..."

Appearing in front of the kitchen was Ariel.

"I'll get them if that's fine."

"You've never been grocery shopping before."

"Then I'll take someone. You hear that Iris? Let's go!"

"Huh, me?"

"Text her what you guys need, we won't take long."

"Thank you, Ariel."

"No problem, Mr. Sakata."

Shoyo smiles, realizing why Ariel is doing this.

***

Ariel saw the grocery store on the way, so she knew it was only about a 10-minute walk since it's right down the street.

There's an awkward air around them, Ariel intends to finally clear it.

"You have a nice name, Iris."

"Huh? Wh-where's this coming from?"

"Nowhere, I've always thought this. They represent your beautiful blue-violet eyes. It's a shame your always hiding them behind your bangs."

"I don't like my name... It's too pretty for someone like me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"..."

"C'mon, spit it out."

"...A name like Iris deserves to be for someone who's confident and full of energy..."

"What? That's a dumb reason. Why do you think like that?"

"I can't help it..."

Ariel takes a deep breath in and out.

"Listen, your parents decided to name you what they did because they knew it'd be a perfect fit. Isn't that how it is for most cases? You need to cherish it."

"... You really think so?"

"I know so! Stop putting yourself down so much."

Iris looks down with an awkward but joyful smile. Ariel sees this which in return makes her happy.

"So, you've thought of me as a friend?"

The Vampire Lord is curious about this, after all, Iris had told her parents she had not one but two friends.

"Well, yeah..."

"How come? We never really talked to each other."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"What're you apologizing for? I'm super happy you think of me as a friend!"

"Eh?"

"Honestly I thought you didn't like me this whole time."

"... I- For a while I just had no idea how to interact with a vampire. But after no time at all, I realized you're just as kind as any other human could be. But I could still never get myself to talk to you."

"Is that so? I'm relieved."

"Relieved?"

"Yeah, that you didn't hate me or anything. It all really just came down to your social anxiety."

"Heh, I guess so."

"Mind if I ask why is it that you're so shy and anxious?"

"Um... I've just been like this for as long as I can remember. I was never good at making friends when I was a kid. And for the past 5 years, I hadn't even talked to anyone my age before I met Chifuyu."

"Hm... Well, I can't speak on your past, but what I can say is that you have a long future ahead. Your strong Iris, you'll definitely be one of the strongest Hunters in a few years. You'll meet plenty of people who you can call friends, so I hope you can start to have a little confidence in yourself from now on. I can see it, one day I'm sure you'll even be a great leader!"

"Me, a leader? No way."

"This is what I'm talking about. If you don't believe in yourself, who will?"

"... I'll try. For now, I think my goal should be to just make a few more friends."

"There we go!"

"Reduce your expectations to zero."

"Iris!"

"Hehe."

Iris makes a break for the grocery store to escape Ariel's silly wrath.

***

After returning with the forgotten ingredients, the gang all ate together and spent time with the Sakata family. Hearing the news about how much money Iris has already made and how many vampires she killed brings her parents to their knees in surprise. They'd decided that the earnings Iris is giving will all go to Ikura's University savings.

Iris's mom gives a short speech.

"You've been dedicating yourself for the past few years to training, so if beating 50 vampires is just a fraction of the proof of your hard work, we're positive you're destined for greatness. We're grateful to have such an amazing daughter. You're our pride and joy, Iris."

Her words bring not only Iris, but also Chifuyu and Kagura to tears.

"Thank you, Mum."

"What about me mommy?"

"Hehe, you're amazing too, Ikura."

"We know how talented you are Iris, but we still worry about you. Always be careful out there, would ya?"

"Of course, Dad."

Iris and her parents engage in a heartwarming family hug, with her little sister jumping in after a couple seconds.