Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Problem Children are Coming from Another World. I just own the plot of this story.
"What...?" Asuka blinked. "What did you just say?"
"I said Black Bunny is going to be leaving us," Jin repeated, a surprisingly strict look on his face.
"But why?" Yo looked to the floor, the news obvious taking its toll on her.
"She has her reasons," Jin would not elaborate.
Izayoi said nothing, he only bore into her eyes with those intense violet eyes of his. However, it was obvious that he was steaming. He felt betrayed, hurt, and confused. Things he did not like feeling. She met his gaze, but with a blank stare. Damn it! She wouldn't even speak. Even as Jin went on to give the details of her departure, SHE said nothing. Izayoi interrupted Jin's speech and addressed the traitor herself. "Why are you leaving? What's you reason?"
Rabbit's blank face went unfazed and her voice was shockingly neutral. It was an emotionless, pale imitation of its usual bell-like beauty. "I have no desire or obligation to answer you."
Yo and Asuka were both taken back by this cold Black Rabbit. Just yesterday, she was warmly hugging the three of them for winning the community a large bag of star fruit seeds that were blessed with the power to heal and grow anywhere. She had been her happy, bubbly self then. Izayoi also felt surprised, but he didn't let up on his question, "You don't think we deserve to know why you're leaving the community? Don't you think we should know why one of our strongest players is going to disappear?"
He had her there, but she had no desire to tell them everything. She knew that they would try and prevent what she was doing. "Fine. If you must know, I'm leaving because the three of you are here."
The answer confused all three of the problem children, so she elaborated. "I brought you here so that you could fight to protect the No Names. I never dreamed I would get all three of my targets. I was really only hoping for one, and in fact, that was all I needed."
A sick feeling pooled in the pit of Izayoi's stomach as the realization hit him. "You didn't bring us to just join the No Names, you brought us here to replace you."
"Correct. You were originally brought here to serve in my place. However, when I brought you here six years ago, you were nothing but unruly, undisciplined, and powerful idiots. There was no way I could leave the community in your hands, but I have seen you mature and can be confident that you'll do what's best for the community." Black Rabbit no longer met his intense gaze, but her tone softened with the appearance of a small smile on her face.
Yo and Asuka relaxed at the sign of her confidence in them, but not Izayoi. Izayoi didn't want her confidence, he wanted her to stay. He grabbed hold of her arm, to stop her. Her hair turned its signature pink, he barely let go in time to avoid one of her powerful kicks. "Izayoi, don't make me hurt you."
Izayoi assessed the situation and took an all possible risks. He decided to take the chance. "You wouldn't hurt me, Bunny."
The Moon Rabbit made quick work of dispelling that notion. Before Izayoi could even finish making his signature smirk, Black Rabbit was already in the hand stand the she would use to throw him out the window. Izayoi's eyes widened into diner plates. He had never seen Black Rabbit move so fast. But he had only a few milliseconds to consider this before he had to brace himself for impact with the window.
The problem child tensed even more so when shards of glass cut the exposed skin of his face and hands. He was moving so fast, he couldn't even right himself before he hit the nearest tree. He gave a grunt of pain, squeezing his eyes to try and discount the pain.
Big mistake.
In the instant his eyes were closed, he felt something hard slam into his abdomen. Izayoi's eyes flew open as every once of breath was forced from his body. He stared into the eyes of his assailant, eyes widening even more than thought possible. Black Rabbit's usually warm, kind eyes were steely and cold. She didn't give him the same determined gaze as when they would occasionally spar. No, this was a look of mild annoyance mixed with an easy conscience. She wasn't the least bit hesitant of her actions.
Izayoi fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and dry heaving. He was really glad that Jin had called them in before breakfast. This would be a lot uglier if he had eaten first.
The others rushed to the scene of the confrontation, Jin more slowly than the others. Yo rushed to the side of the of their injured friend, ready to protect him from another blow.
Asuka tapped into her power of Authority to stop Black Rabbit. "Black Rabbit, freeze where you are!"
It seemed to have worked on the Moon Rabbit when Black Rabbit stiffened. But then, Izayoi and Yo saw a sadistic smile spread across Black Rabbit's usually kind features. The Moon Rabbit spoke with a voice that didn't sound like her own, "I refuse."
Black Rabbit twirled the staff she'd used to knock Izayoi to the ground and turned her sadistic gaze onto Asuka. With every word, she took a step closer to Asuka until she stood over the lady in a terrifying manner. "Did you honestly think that you could control me? You are not only outmatched, you are out-classed too. I am an aristocrat of the Little Garden. Maybe at one point, you were some high society bitch, but now you're just a bottom feeder like the rest."
Asuka was shocked and terrified. She had never known Black Rabbit as anything but her ditzy, klutzy, kind, beautiful friend. She would never have thought her friend of such cruelty. "Black Rabbit... I just tho-"
"Do us all a favor and don't think. It lowers the IQ of the entire lower ring."
Black Rabbit's words actually made Asuka physically wince. Asuka could feel the burn of tears at the back of her eyes. She couldn't understand why her friend was saying these things. That's when Yo stood up and began to stare down the Moon Rabbit. Her tiny fist were clenched at her sides and her eyes burned with anger.
She shouted, "What did you do to Black Rabbit?!"
The others looked at Yo in shock. All except Jin. Black Rabbit smiled. Finally, she could unleash everything. Black Rabbit's twisted smile grew as a beam from the sky and illuminated her entire body. As her pink hair began to swirl about her, she spoke to Yo, "I'm slightly impressed by your perceptiveness. How did you know?"
Yo tried not to let the situation get to her, "It may have been subtle but your scent is different."
"Really?" Black Rabbit said thoughtfully. "I assumed my physical features would remain the same when I took over mentally. Well, I may as well as tell you then. I am indeed not your friend, but I am Black Rabbit."
Asuka squinted, her confidence returning with this new revelation. "That's impossible."
"I'm surprised you still think that anything is impossible in the Little Garden," Black Rabbit mused. "I am indeed Black Rabbit. The foolish girl you know is the true impostor. She was just a harmless bunny who got lucky once."
Izayoi could feel his stomach do another flip. Was it really possible? Was the kind, gentle Moon Rabbit that they had known been a wonderful lie?
Black Rabbit's face contorted again into that sick, sadistic smile. She sneered, "Still don't believe me? Then a good demonstration is needed."
There was a flash of light. Everyone lost sight of the Moon Rabbit until it cleared. Izayoi felt his eyes would burn when he finally caught sight of her at the top of a tree. Black Rabbit's usual pink battle had become crow's black. She no longer brandished her staff, but she sported a new outfit. It was an off-shoulder evening gown. Even worse were her eyes. There was no trace of the ruby eyes, only a terrible endless onyx.
But the worst was yet to come. In Black Rabbit's arms, there was another girl. She resembled the Black Rabbit who now stood before them, but her hair was the familiar blue they had come to love, but it was parted by a pair of antlers. Izayoi immediately recognized those endless legs. It was her, it was the girl they had befriended on that day they came to the Little Garden. And she was laying lifeless in the arms of an enemy. "I introduce you to Jackrabbit."
With that, she dropped the unconscious girl, head first.
"No!" Izayoi moved quickly, ignoring the intense pain that screamed in his body. That didn't matter right now. The only thing that mattered was saving her, saving his bunny. Black Rabbit made no move to stop him, but just gave him that twisted grin of hers and disappeared.
By the time Izayoi had the girl in his arms, she had woken up just a bit. She blinked and smiled that stupid grin of hers at the boy, "Izayoi..."
"I got you, Bunny," he smiled at her, cradling her head to his chest. "I got you."
Izayoi landed amongst the broken glass Jin's shattered window. The crunch of glass made the jackrabbit jump a bit in his arms. The others ran to their friends, concern and worry written all over their faces. Asuka and Yo ran to embrace the little jackrabbit.
Asuka half-cried, half-reprimanded, "How dare you make us worry like that! Are you okay? You better not have a single bruise."
Yo only hugged her friend with the strength of a bear.
But Jackrabbit's face screwed up in confusion. She stared down at the two girls making it difficult to breathe. "I'm sorry to have worried you, but I'm not quite sure just who you are."
How did you guys like it? Reviews decide whether or not this grows or just becomes a two-shot. For more updates, more direct reviews, and request for and on all my stories, please follow me at lady-lynne-barri-thewoman on tumblr. I promise to update something soon. Until then my pretties.
