Later that night…
The forest was calm. The trees, draped in glowing bioluminescent moss, stood as silent sentinels, watching over the camp. The air was thick with the scent of earth and wood, with a faint breeze stirring the leaves. Crickets filled the silence, their chirping soft and steady under the vast expanse of a sky covered in a blanket of stars, shimmering silver.
The campfire crackled, its flames reaching up like hungry fingers, casting fleeting shadows that danced across the bark of nearby trees. The fire's warm light flickered, bathing the clearing in an orange glow, while the faint scent of roasted fish—its skin charred and crispy—lingered in the air. Five clean-picked fish bones lay scattered near the fire, half-buried in the dirt. The remains of their meal seemed to speak of a momentary peace.
Kibo sat leaning against a tree, his back against the rough bark, shirtless. His katana lay at his side, sheathed but within easy reach. His muscles were tense, as if the night itself was pressing in, yet there was a stillness in him—a moment of quiet where even his thoughts seemed to slow.
Syl, curled up beside him, lay with her head resting gently in his lap, her body relaxed under the warmth of his shirt. Her breath rose and fell steadily, the rhythm of her slumber peaceful. Kibo stroked her hair absentmindedly, his fingers weaving through the strands with a tenderness that contrasted the chaos of his mind. He found solace in her presence, the weight of his thoughts slowly dissipating in the quiet.
Still, the fire crackled, and Kibo's mind wandered, circling around the questions he'd longed to ask. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking in the night. The stars, the sounds, the coolness of the forest... it was the only peace he'd known in a long time. But even that peace was fragile.
"Hey, Ignis," Kibo murmured inwardly, his voice almost drowned by the sound of the flames. "Why don't we have that talk now?"
For a long moment, there was only silence.
And then—a low, guttural growl echoed in his mind, dark and familiar.
"Brat… What the hell are you babbling about?"
Kibo's lips curled into a slight frown, his gaze lingering on Syl's sleeping form. He gently stroked her hair again, trying to keep his voice calm, but a hint of frustration bled through.
"Don't act clueless. You know damn well what I'm talking about."
Another pause. The fire crackled, its sound suddenly too loud in the quiet night.
"Tch… You've got some nerve," Ignis growled. "Who the hell do you think you are, questioning me like this?"
Kibo's jaw tightened, the edge of his frustration sharpening. His fingers stilled in Syl's hair for a moment as he looked down at her, the gentle rise and fall of her chest the only comfort in a world that had been anything but kind to him.
"I'm your host," Kibo said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "And whether you like it or not... you're stuck with me and I'm in charge."
There was a shift in the air—something tense, something heavy. The fire crackled louder, sending a few sparks into the air, their light briefly illuminating Kibo's serious expression.
Another pause. The kind of silence that spoke volumes.
"Ha…Host? You're a damn cage, you mouthy little bastard—a chain I can't shake!"Ignis growled with bitter amusement."Yeah, you're 'in charge,' but don't kid yourself—you're still a whining leech clinging to my shadow!"
"What's your deal, Ignis? You told me to follow those rabbits to find Syl—crazy coincidence it worked. But when I thought it was a bust and tried talking, you went dead quiet. Why?"
"What do those two rabbits have to do with it now? Listen up, you thick-skulled idiot—those weren't just random pests hopping around! They're patterns, threads tied to something bigger, and you're too damn stupid to see it! Coincidence? It's the world mocking your sorry ass!"
Kibo narrowed his eyes. "Don't play dumb. You're hiding something. I know it."
Ignis's reply came like a rumble of thunder, low and threatening. His voice, sharp as a blade, cut through the silence. "It's not your concern, brat!" he snapped, his words dripping with venom. "What I keep to myself, what I don't share—it's none of your damn business. I'm already hauling your useless hide through this miserable life, trying to keep you alive—and this is how you repay me? What more do you want, you greedy little shit?"
Kibo flinched, the words striking deep, but he couldn't keep quiet anymore. His breath hitched in his chest, a surge of frustration crashing through him. "More?" he shot back, his voice cracking inside his mind, raw with emotion. "Ignis, all you've done since I found out about you is rag on me—day in, day out! 'Do this, don't do that. You're weak, no spine, give in to the power.'" His fists tightened at his sides. "I'm human, Ignis. I'm doing what I can. I'm trying to survive in a world that's out to crush me. What more do you want from me?"
There was a brief, bitter laugh from Ignis, but it wasn't a sound of amusement. It was the sound of something cold, something ancient, a voice that had forgotten the meaning of kindness. "Who said you were human?" Ignis scoffed, his words cutting like daggers. "The day you stopped being human was the day you died, Brat. And who brought you back? Who kept you alive?" The silence seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment. "Me. The great King Ignis, ruler of all dragons. Reduced to babysitting a ticking time bomb, someone who can't even control himself."
Kibo's heart pounded, his chest tightening as those words stung him deep inside. He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms, but it wasn't enough to stop the fire building inside him. His hand, trembling slightly, paused in the gentle motion of stroking Syl's hair. The tension between them—the weight of it—pressed down on him like a mountain.
"And who do I blame for that?" Ignis's voice came like a sneer, a harsh truth hanging in the air. "Your crazy witch of a mother who gave birth to you."
The words were poison, seeping into the cracks of Kibo's soul. His body went rigid, his breath catching painfully in his throat. His grip on Syl's hair tightened, his eyes flashing with something dangerous. The moment of quiet that followed felt suffocating, and Kibo felt like he might snap.
"Stop calling her that," Kibo spat out, his voice dangerously low. The anger in his words was palpable—his heart was a storm. "Stop calling her that, Ignis. You have no right!"
"And what if I don't? What the hell are you gonna do about it? Nothing. That's what. But don't worry, brat... your body's almost ready. Soon, I'll have full control."
Before Kibo could respond, Syl murmured softly in her sleep, "Kibo… don't stop stroking my hair…"
He glanced down at her, eyes softening. Then sighed. "Hey Ignis, does the rabbit incident have anything to do with your mate?"
Ignis's voice roared back, raw and furious. "Don't you dare drag her into this, you disrespectful little shit! You've got no right to throw her name around with that filthy mouth! Keep her out of it, or I'll tear you apart from the inside!"
"Take it easy, Ignis—didn't mean to hit a nerve. Just figuring your angle."
Ignis's growl simmered, sharply. "Figuring my angle? You're too damn dense to even scratch the surface, punk! She's not your damn puzzle to poke at—push me again, and you'll regret it!"
Kibo's lips quirked into a dry, bitter smirk. "Sure, whatever you say, oh wise one." He resumed stroking Syl's hair.
Ignis's tone shifted, gruff and reluctant. "What's the point in hiding it now? Waste of damn time. Fine, brat—if you gotta know, the rabbits weren't a coincidence."
Kibo straightened. "Then what were th—"
"You wanna hear it or not, you impatient ass?"
"My bad, oh wise one—go ahead." Kibo smirked faintly, his mental voice dry.
Ignis huffed, a rough sound. "Hmmm. Like I said—the rabbits weren't a coincidence. Same pattern my mate used to lead me to her. A trail, a damn sign carved into the world."
Kibo's brow creased, his fingers resting still on Syl's head as he processed it. "What're you getting at? Was she always in trouble?"
Ignis's laugh was harsh, dry as cracked earth. "My mate in trouble? Ha! She was the trouble! No—it was a game, something you humans call hide and seek."
Kibo blinked. "Hide and seek? You're kidding—so you were—"
"Brat, you wanna hear this or laugh it off and we drop it? Pick one!"
Kibo bit his lip, holding in a chuckle.
Ignis's voice settled, heavy with memory. "So, like I was saying before you butted in—it was hide and seek. She was a damn ghost to track—smart, slippery. I'd give up, worn out, ready to ditch it, 'til she got bored hiding. Kept pestering me to play—'it's what lovers do,' she'd say. Me, agree? Hell no—I was a king, a damn force! Had duties, a realm to run—but she wouldn't quit nagging. Then she cooked up the rabbit trick—said they'd guide me to her. Exhausting, chasing those little shits through dead ends. Turns out it was her ploy—'connect with nature,' she called it. Not my proudest gig."
Kibo was quiet for a moment. "I can't believe it… you actually had a peaceful life once."
"Don't be foolish. Life's never peaceful. It just… flows. For better or worse. All we can do is ride the current."
Kibo nodded slowly. "You should open up more often, Ignis."
"What's that supposed to mean, brat? My life ain't some sob story for you to gawk at! Shit happens—good or bad—to everyone. It's how you deal, let it roll off, stop worrying. Nothing sticks forever."
Kibo chuckled low, a rough sound, his fingers tracing Syl's hair again. "Yeah, you're right. Still—you should talk like this more, Ignis."
"Talk? What, so you can feel sorry for me, you pathetic punk? Pity your own damn life—a screw-up from the start!"
Kibo looked up at the stars and sighed. "And here I thought we were finally bonding."
"Bonding? We're stuck together, you idiot—closer than I'd ever want! What more you after? Humans—greedy bastards, always clawing for extra!"
"Then I guess I'm truly human, huh."
"Don't flatter yourself."Ignis muttered."And keep an eye on that girl."
"I will. Whether you like it or not, Syl… she's one of mine."
Ignis's voice rumbled, savage and annoyed. "Greedy bastard—what else you want? You've got a lover already—a damn good one—and you're still stacking 'em up!"
At the mention of Lily, Kibo smiled faintly. "Yeah… Lily sure is amazing. But how can I be sure I won't mess it up?"
"You're a damn fool—wasting breath on pointless worries! She's a different deal—don't lose her. She's got power you can't even touch. Keep her, and it'll save your ass more than sink it."
Kibo's brows lifted, surprise flashing across his face for a brief moment. He shifted against the tree, his gaze drifting toward the fire as the crackling of the flames punctuated the still night. "Praising Lily now?" He let out a soft chuckle, but it was hollow, almost like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's new."
Ignis huffed, his tone rough and dismissive. "Call it what you want, brat. Just stating the facts."
Kibo's smirk slowly faded, his fingers gently brushing Syl's hair as he took a moment to think, the weight of the conversation hanging between them. His voice, when it came, was quieter, almost reflective. "Should've gone for her first, huh?"
Ignis's response was quick, biting. "Waste of time. She's fine. You think she's some damsel? She'd kick your ass for thinking that."
Kibo's fingers tightened just slightly in Syl's hair, his chest tight. His gaze lowered, voice firm but edged with a quiet sense of doubt. "How sure are you, Ignis?"
Ignis's reply was more of a growl now, his tone cutting through the air with an unsettling sharpness. "How sure? You blind, or just stupid? She's got untapped strength, raw abilities. She's strong—stronger than you think. But that's for another day."
Kibo's eyes narrowed, the weight of Ignis's words settling into him like a stone in his stomach. He resumed stroking Syl's hair, his touch slow, almost absent as he tried to make sense of it all. "Untapped strength?" he repeated softly, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "What those that mean, Ignis?"
There was a long, heavy silence, the kind that made the night feel even darker. Kibo sighed deeply, shoulders slumping slightly as the weight of his own thoughts seemed to pull him lower. His voice was barely a whisper when he muttered to no one in particular. "What's going on, Ignis? Why now?"
"Sigh"
His gaze drifted up toward the stars, the distant twinkle almost comforting in its simplicity. His hand continued to move gently through Syl's hair, each stroke deliberate, calming in its own way. "Hope you're holding up, Lily," he said under his breath, the words rough, carrying a flicker of worry that he quickly buried beneath a facade of resolve.