A/N:
This fanfiction contains graphic description that some may find disturbing however none of this is sexual.
Disclaimer- I own none of the rosario vampire characters and will make no profit from the publication of this story.
Chapter 1: Silver clouds, shadowy linings.
銀雲、影のライニング
A light hearted hubbub fills the air in the bar. At a large table sits a group of eight friends reminiscing over adventures past and gone. Among this group sits the jubilant Tsukune Aono as he talks to the many friends he made during his time at Yokai academy. One year has past since he finished his time at the school and they have met up to celebrate Kokoa's and Fan-fan's graduation; hoping catch up on what was happening in each others lives.
After enjoying a long period of chatter Tsukune looked up and suddenly realised that all the other clients had disappeared along with the sullen barman who,although not threateningly so, had shown a distaste to their boisterous behavior. But, now he was gone along with everyone else. "Ummm, Guys do you have any idea whats happened to everyone."
"What do you mean silly there's no-one here" Kurumu quickly quipped, thinking herself quite clever all of a sudden.
"That's exactly it you stupid bazooka girl." Came the bitterly cold tones of Mizore from below the table. this remark quickly caused the girls to descend into a childish argument until two large golden pans were dropped on their heads by the child genius Yukari.
"Shut up, this is too weird to be coincidence; something must be behind this!" And with this final cry a soft rapping was heard on the partition as a partially covered face peered around. This newcomer had a pure black mop of hair that framed the scarred features of a face covered by the high neck of a long, billowing trench coat he wore, that almost reached the floor .
"Hello, you must be the ones I was sent to find." He said in a frantic tone creating a cold pit of fear in the hearts of the group. "I'm afraid that you are in terrible danger and must come with me if you wish to leave with your lives."
"Wait! who are you?" Tsukune enquired.
"And why should we trust you?" Moka quickly interjected viciously as if she intended to kill him with just a malicious glare and piercing words.
"Who I am is not important, but I was sent by Mikogami, your former headmaster to warn you of a band of assassins known as the Shadow Hunters that aim to exterminate yokai living in the human world." Now unsure of their own safety the group huddled up to decide if they could trust this mysterious individual for the time being.
After what seemed an age the group finally reached a decision.
They followed his directions down dingy corridors that had obviously received little care over the years down the back of the bar. Shadows flickered into life as they passed and reached towards them with earnest before darting back like snakes testing the air before heading outside. Tsukune noticed this strange activity but put it down to the effect of the low hanging lights swinging when someone would inevitably knock them as they passed. A ancient door now stood ahead of them made of decaying wood that had rotted around the door frame to allow in the icy chills of the crisp winter eve.
"Now beyond this door stands our only chance at escape. Once we are out there you must check the surrounding area for any signs of danger because this is a powerful and well trained group without any qualms of using extreme force. I'll hold the door and check no-one is hiding behind us and then follow you out." This was explained with a strong manner that the friends could not help but be filled with confidence by as they head through into the the chilly darkness.
Once outside they checked the low roofs for even the slightest flitting shadow that could give away their pursuers. Yet no attack came or foe found and when they heard the door shut they were filled with confidence in their chances of surviving this twist of fate.
Cracking bones and tearing flesh ripped through the once eerie silence. A bloodcurdling scream of pure terror gurgled through this sound of mutilation and every head jerked in a sudden gut wrenching movement towards this terrifying sound that had cut through the calm like a shaft of light through shadows. But, nothing could have prepared them for the sight which seared itself to their minds.
A hand protruded mercilessly from the torso of their friend Fan-fan having punched through his chest cavity and left a gaping hole of mangled flesh. The organs that had once taken this space were splattered across the now crimson concrete and the clothes of those that were stood near, creating a painting in blood and organ matter. What had once been the rib cage was embedded, as small shards, in the remaining muscle tissue that was Fan-fan. No more than a mangled cadaver after the strike. Suddenly, shadows began to rise from the flesh of their friend and accumulate around this fist as if drawn to it like a magnet. All this was in amoment stood still in a wave of terror at this pure barbaric brutality.
With this moment passed the friends looked to identify the killer and saw that it was in fact the ally that had led them to supposed safety. He dumped the body off their friend with the care of one dumping a bag of shit and faced the seven remaining. "Fools, your own stupidity has killed your friend. I am the Shadow Hunter assassin! You have 30 seconds, run and let the hunt begin."
Too in shock at the impromptu and barbaric death of their mild mannered, bubbly and naive friend they shot of in the opposite direction without as much as a second glance. Halfway down this miserable alleyway Ruby began to transform and grabbed Moka and Tsukune with Kurumu following her lead grabbing Mizore and Yukari and shoot off into the air. Shortly afterwards they were heading towards one of the nearby high rises that loomed over the miniature suburbs to get stock of this incident.
"Moka! Where's Kokoa!" Tsukune called out realising that he he couldn't see her among the rest of the group. This prompted a frantic search until she was spotted facing off against the assassin.
"Kokoa! No!"
She observed him, how he stood and moved, it was the precise, practiced movements of an expert but he was nothing more than a human. She knew that undeniable human scent. He stood no chance against a mighty vampire. Yet, her sister had run; what was wrong with…
"Well, well. You must be my second kill, how great that it is to be a vampire" On this final word the assassin pulled out a long, pitch black katana which he held, with practiced ease, in an offensive two handed stance. This blade dripped with a dark liquid that corroded any concrete which it landed on with terrifying ease.
"You're nothing nothing but a human with a blade, as if you stand a chance," she rebuttled menacingly and gabbed her own weapon "Morning star!"
"Ahh, no fair, yours is bigger than mine." He mocked in a sarcastically whiny voice.
Kokoa no longer planned on sharing insults and began to cover the distance in a ferocious charge. Raising the weapon above her head to bring it down into a deadly strike. Yet nothing happened, no collision, no destruction, nothing. Just before the blow had collided with its the shadows had boiled up like the sea in a storm a sent out waves of darkness that completely obliterated the heavy weapon.
"How! You completely destroyed it!" Kokoa demanded of this strangely powerful man.
"Well you see we in the Shadow Hunters have learnt how to absorb the yokai power held within you monsters and use it to make us able to control and wield superhuman strength and speed." He laughed maniacally.
"It doesn't matter I don't need a weapon to destroy you!" She charged aiming to sweep his legs with a low kick and leave him vulnerable but only stuck thin air. Not only had he dodged her attack but he had cut her leg with that katana he was using. Now the black liquid burnt her leg yet she pressed on with the offensive.
After a few minutes of failed attacks and small nicks from the blade Kokoa had begun to feel the energy drain from her and leave her near death. She knew she had to end this quick. Sprinting towards him she fainted with a left kick and bought a right uppercut into his gut as he dodged. She'd found her mark, blood burst from his mouth to soak her back in the warm, sticky liquid. She'd done it she'd won, alone.
"hehehehehe…" It came from behind her "did you think you won? You just killed me shadow doppelganger," and with that his body exploded into shadows "now look at your own chest," Looking down she saw protruding from her chest was the tip of a long, pitch black blade.
He stood behind her triumphant as black lines spider-webbed across her body; which was visibly digressing into a paler and paler form. Once that black web had spread across her entire body he prepared a kick that struck the base of the hilt dead centre. Blood arched from the lines of the web and the body of Kokoa exploded, launching fleshy chunks across the small courtyard behind the bar. These fleshy chunks smacked into the wall with a sickening thump and crack as the bones, that had been cut perfectly, shattered with enough explosive force to cause small chunks to tear their way through the muscle and embed themselves in solid concrete.
Laying there on the floor at the feet of the assassin are the severed heads of Kokoa Shuzen and Fan-fan Won in a cracked, bloody and mutilated condition.
"Two confirmed dead, six remaining."
A/N:
Thank you for reading the first chapter of this story. The next will be out shortly but I will try to read some reviews before beginning the second chapter.
Any constructive criticism is appreciated as it helps me to improve my writing which I am always looking to better.