Fifth Night [Part 1]
Hansel was in the garden. The entire castle may belong to Dracula, but this was his domain. And so, he was here, tending the garden, and learning about its plants and inhabitents. The Dryads teased him and made him blush, but he put up with it. It reminded him of how Youji had teased Omi. He was very focused on his work, not paying attention to anything other than the garden.
A couple of snapdragons popped up, snatching palm-sized insects in their jaw-like flowers, while the nightshade started to unfurl their blooms. What wasn't a mobile or at least animate creature was a plant known well for magical and medicinal properties
As Hansel worked, Dracula stepped into the garden to see the young vampire's handiwork after spenting some of the evening double checking notes
Hansel didn't notice Dracula come in. He was avoiding the snapdragons for now, but making notes to find something he could bring for them to allow them to let him safely approach. In his mind, he was tallying everything, noting what uses he knew, and what uses he still needed to discover.
An Alarune snaked one of her vines over and playfully smacks Hansel on his bottom while he worked, the 'woman' resting on her huge petals languidly as she did so
Hansel flushed bright red. "H-hey!" he protested.
"It seems they like you," Dracula drawled - actually sounding amused.
Hansel jumped, startled. He instinctively reached for a weapon, forgetting that he no longer had them. However, surprisingly, the vines covering the ground responded to his startlement, and wrapped themselves around the Elder Vampire's legs, and tried creeping up higher.
Dracula started and made a noise of dismay as the vines appeared. He ripped what got too close to comfort, and moved his limbs, rather like a cat all bound up in yarn.
The boy just stared, trying to figure out what had happened.
"What in the blazes?" He scowled, and works the rest of these vines off.
"Wh-what happened?" He completely had no clue what had caused the vines, that he thought were normal vines, to suddenly act up.
The vampire looked around - all the intelligent creatures had hid, or in the nearest Alarune's case - closed their bud up tight.
"C-can I help?" Hansel knew that his Sire wasn't pleased with this turn of events.
"Thanks... but I got it." He shook the vines off, and holds one in his broad hand.
"What happened?" the boy asked again.
"It seems they were animated by magic." The vampire commented,
"Magic?"
"It has the hum of it in it's material, something animated these to act."
"But... what caused it? I didn't do anything." Oh Hansel, so oblivious.
"Hmm... perhaps not consciously." Dracula rub his chin with his free hand, musing over something.
Hansel blinked.
"Magic though it requires discipline often manifest spontaneously"
All of this was going over Hansel's head. "I'm not sure I get it."
He smiled. "If I am correct, it seems that wizard has passed on a bit of skill into you."
The boy's eyes went wide. "You mean... I did that?!"
"It is possible."
"B-but... how did I do it?"
"By instinct, you reacted and grab hold the power and more or less threw it."
"I attacked you, though!"
"You reacted to being startled."
"I should've been paying more attention."
"You were working, everyone has their off moments." Dracula countered
Hansel still looked down. "Sorry..."
"Do not apologize, I did startle you after all."
"How can I control it?"
"It can be taught, it will be long and difficult mind you."
Hansel sighed. "It's that, or I tangle anyone who startles me."
He nodded. "I will be in the library to gather some tools, meet me when you're finish here."
"Alright." He was almost done, anyway.
With that, Dracula bowed and ducked out of the garden, with that, the Alarune slowly flowered again and peered out.
Hansel smiled for the Alarune, before finishing up in the patch of garden he was working in.
The demon smild at him before giving him another spank.
And, of course, Hansel turned bright red again, and was still red when he made it to the library.
Dracula is at one of the longer tables with some books, a candle, a bell, a chalk, and a potted plant.
Hansel found him, having mostly calmed down, although he wasn't sure if the Librarian had seen him blushing or not.
"Have a seat." He gestured. "You can take these books out of the library under the condition they are to be returned in the same condition. It'd be easier to detooth a demon then to let him part with one of his books."
The boy sat down, nodding.
Dracula picked up the chalk and started to trace an elaborate circle around the plant. "This will keep effects under control while you do some practice here."
"Just normal chalk?"
"The medium matters less then the sigil itself, anything can do long as it can last long enough for the purpose."
"Huh..."
He nodded. "Blood, graphite pencil, or even drawing in the dirt." Dracula explained before he moved on. "What was your intent on dealing with the 'intruder' when I startled you?"
"I... I wanted to keep them away from me. I was reaching for one of my darts."
He nodded. "Let's try an exercise - focus completely on this plant in the circle, make it come to you."
Hansel nodded, and focused on the plant the way he'd focused on the bat. While he did that, said bat that had 'adopted' him, flew down from the library rafters and landed on Hansel's shoulder. The plant, however... barely twitched.
"You were thinking of the bat, weren't you?"
"Not exactly... I was focusing the same way I focused with the bats. Was that wrong?"
Dracula chuckled at the little bat. "Not a bad idea, but part of you got distracted. Magic comes easiest when acted on instinct, but it is dangerous, uncontrolled. To use it at will requires absolute concentration."
That much was obvious, as he'd done quite well earlier. He closed his eyes, focusing again. He loved plants, he always had. Didn't the plants love him back?
There's a slight curl in the stem. Dracula said nothing - but he allowed the vampire to continue.
Hansel urged the plant to come to him. He'd care for it, wouldn't it help him?
There's an audible thud as the plant suddenly surged forward and hit the barrier.
The boy's eyes lit up. "I did it!"
Dracula nodded. "Not bad, a little fast, but you will be able to fine tune their movement in time."
"And these books speak more to it?"
"Yes, they contain discipline exercises as well as seals to keep experiments contained."
"I'll go through them later, then."
He nodded. "I will test you again at a later point."
"Alright." He glanced at a clock to see how late it was. "I was in the garden longer than I thought."
"And done quite a bit, I'm impressed."
Hansel blushed. "I like plants."
"They seem to like you, that Alraune had torn a hole in the seat of your pants."
"What?!" He twisted, trying to see if there was a hole there.
There was, not huge, but noticeable.
"Crap..." He was still wearing his mission clothes, although without his headwrap, them being the only clothes he had.
"I can get you other clothes."
"You can?" That was a stupid question.
"Of course I can, take a long jacket to wear until then."
"Umm... where would I get the jacket?"
"I have some spares, they would be big on you, but it seems baggy is popular among the children of this era."
"Thank you."
With that, Dracula got up and left the library
Hansel opened one of the tomes. He assumed that the other Vampire was going to get said spare jacket, because they had to hunt, right?
Indeed, it wasn't until too long that a black dinner jacket was laid on the table
Hansel had never worn something so... nice. He slipped off his mission jackets, putting on the formal jacket. It looked like quite the contrast, against his shorts and t-shirt.