A/N: Co-written with Code-Emperor07, the author of several incredible stories, each in their own right! Among his projects are Resurrected Trials, Crimson Dragon, Fractured Existence, and several others! I truly do owe him for this one!
For this fic, our delinquent hero Yuichiro winds up in the world of DxD due to unknown circumstances, and ends up living with the Hyoudou Family. He will be taking Issei's place as Rias' Pawn, but for the sake of the story itself, he will not be the one to inherit Boosted Gear. Don't worry, I'm not writing Issei off. I've got something planned for him. I'm still kind of iffy about making this a harem story, so we'll see how this goes first. And also, for future questions whether or not Yu will be relying on physical strength and his 'talents', not quite. You'll understand when we reach the Familiar Forest part. So, with that in mind...
Welcome to Highschool: Devil X Seraph!
Episode 1: Die Today, Live Tomorrow (Part I)
The first thing Yuichiro Hyakuya awoke to was the sound of his alarm clock blaring loudly. It continued to ring loudly, causing him to growl in frustration. He felt very comfortable in his bed, so he didn't want to move around, and tried to block it out. Unfortunately, as it continued, his annoyance grew, and slammed his hand down on the damned thing, ceasing it's idle chatter.
He sighed as he reclined back into his bed, about to head back to sleep until his door slammed open. "Oi, lazy ass!" the intruder of his room shouted. "Wake up! We're gonna be late!"
In response, Yuichiro pulled his covers over his head. "...Shut up, Oppai Baka." he muttered, closing his eyes as he tried to go back to sleep.
"Oi...If that's how you wanna play...!" The intruder marched over to the side of his bed and tore to covered off him. WIth the removed covers, came the once sleeping teen as he fell off the bed and face planted onto the bedroom floor. "Get up! I don't wanna be late cuz of you!"
Yuichiro growled in annoyance, opening his light green eyes and glaring at the one who had apparently decided to be idiotic in the morning. He was young, sixteen or so, with brown bangs hanging at the forehead and slightly bushy at the back of the neck, standing up straight, possessing similar colored eyes. He was wearing a uniform, consisting of a black blazer, a buttoned shirt, red tie, and slacks.
This was his 'younger brother', Issei Hyoudou. Before one is to ask how Yuichiro, or rather, Yu for short, was apparently his 'older brother', it was because he was adopted by the Hyoudou family about four years ago. The circumstances behind it were bizarre to anyone who heard it: a boy that showed up at the shrine in town, seemingly out of nowhere, wearing bloodstained clothes yet possessing no injuries whatsoever. The family found him there, unconscious, and worried about him, took him to the hospital.
Yu didn't really remember much what had happened around that time... and in honesty, he didn't want to remember it. Seeing the images run though his head as nightmares, or when closed his eyes were bad enough. Even still, he couldn't bring himself to forget them either, otherwise it would be like spitting on his family's memory.
At any rate, back to reality, Yu glared up at Issei, who returned the glare in turn. "Dammit, what the hell?!" Yu snapped angrily. "An hour of sleep, is that too much to ask?!"
"Well excuse me for trying to get you to school on time! Remember the last time we were late?!" Issei retorted.
"Grgh...Don't remind me."
He remembered what happened all right... In all honesty, he wished he could forget what happened. Seriously, that damned glasses-wearing demon was even more terrifying than the fangs, and he didn't even think that was possible. Although, he was downright confused. Why the hell was she allowed to carry a whip on campus?! He didn't attend school up until the Hyoudou's decided to enroll him, but he was pretty sure weapons of any sort were NOT allowed!
"Well, unless you don't want to get chewed out by Shitori-senpai, come on!" the boy said, trying to look as stern as possible. "You want to fall behind?!"
Yu couldn't help but laugh. This? Coming from him? "Oh, that's rich!" he snarked. "Considering all you do is look at women's bodies! Seriously! You're a horndog who's gonna die a virgin!"
"Why you son of a...!" Issei growled. "That's IT!"
And so, once again, the daily routine of the Hyoudou family household took place, with the two engaged in a scuffle while the mother prepared breakfast for the family, and the father already at the table, reading a newspaper.
"Sounds like they're at it again." Ryonaga Hyoudou said, sighing.
"It appears that way..." His wife, Kasumi Hyoudou sighed. Ever since they adopted Yu, while it was all an good that he and Issei got along like brothers, there was also the fact that they also quarreled like siblings often.
Of course, they never really expected Yu and Issei to actually bond, given the former's apparent attitude.
When they first found him, he was pretty rebellious and rambunctious. But they didn't really blame them, as he lacked a past, lacked memories, only recalling his name.
The two felt sorry for him, and if what the doctor said was any indication, they pitied him. They had hoped that, by finding solace with them, he could let go of those painful memories, so they took him in. Of course, it was his decision whether or not he wanted to adopt the Hyoudou family name.
At first, he was against the idea of being with another family, despite the fact that the doctor told that, even if they didn't adopt him, he would be placed in a foster home. Already, though, they could tell he was likely to run away on the first day. In the end, the better option was for him to be with one family, rather than bounce around until one actually suited him.
In the beginning though, it was rather rough... especially since he and Issei didn't get along...
AT ALL.
It was the truth. Every second of everyday, the two would quarrel over even the simplest things. Yu was even more annoyed by his brother's perverted tendencies, as he kept preaching what that dirty old man taught him years ago. They still regretted not being able to save him from corruption sooner.
There was also the fact that Issei tried to extend that influence to Yu... and every time he did, he would receive a punch to the face.
Overtime, though, Yu started to mellow out... somewhat. He was still against going to school, deeming it completely and utterly useless. He was also known to ditch somedays as well, much to their chagrin, but they really didn't blame him. The boy was traumatized, though what sort of event it was must have been mortifying, if he watched his friends and family, nothing but orphans like him, being slaughtered right before his eyes. It was little wonder he didn't remember much of his life. The police did everything they could, but due to the trauma, Yu called the murderer a 'vampire'. The police simply shrugged it, but to this day, no one knew who had killed those children, or where it had happened, or where the bodies were.
At the very least, though, Yu was leading a semi-normal life, having stable grades, and was the star member of the kendo team as well. Although, because of his attitude, he didn't really have very many friends... in fact, they don't recall him having any at all.
It was kind of sad really. They really hoped he would be able to improve socially. They didn't want him to live in solitude like this forever.
After what he been through, it would only cause him to suffer more if he shouldered it all by himself.
"AAAARGH!" Issei's cry echoed through out the neighborhood. "YOU BASTARD! THAT WAS MY FOOT!"
"HAH! SERVES YOU RIGHT, HORNDOG!"
Kasumi sighed once again, this time shaking her head as she set the omelettes down on the table. "One would thing we would get used to this." she said to her husband, who hummed in agreement. Although, his newspaper concealed his look of irritation. "You think either of those boys will find a girlfriend?"
"Dear God, I hope so..." Ryonaga replied, his face on par with a saint performing a sacred prayer to the lord. "I really want grandkids to spoil, but Ise is turning into a good-for-nothing pervert, and Yu's anti-social as hell."
"I guess...If only those two would learn to change, then maybe they would have a chance..." Kasumi rested her chin on her palm in worry.
"More like them meeting the right girl, if you ask me." her husband retorted. The sounds of crashing objects continued. An irritated sigh escaped him. "Sounds like it's ending soon."
"Tch, this is absolutely pointless." Yu said in distaste as he and Issei walked on the path to school, surrounded by the other passing students. "Why the hell do I have to go?"
"Hey, if you wanna skip and get the crap beated out of you by Kaichou again, then be my guest!' Issei countered. "Really, go ahead! Just don't cry to me!"
"You're an ass!"
The other students were torn between watching the two bicker, while the others tried to ignore them. The girls, however, were quick to recognize them both.
"Hey, isn't that Hyoudou-kun of the Perverted Trio?"
"Why's he walking with Hyakuya-senpai?"
"What, you don't know? Hyakuya-kun is Hyoudou-kun's adopted brother!"
"What?! Really?"
"Still, they really don't get along all that well..."
"What do you expect? Hyoudou is a total creep, while Yuichiro's a delinquent."
Yu scowled deeply, hearing the whispers while Issei was completely oblivious. Dammit, why couldn't these people actually gossip behind his back when he wasn't around? It would be so much easier! Oh well, there really wasn't much he could do, considering that he was pretty much Shitori's target. If it wasn't for the fact that he got into fights with a couple of students, it was the attitude. If it wasn't the attitude, it was his tendency to ditch. If it wasn't his tendency to ditch, it was his clothes. Unlike the students, he chose to forgo the tie, and wore a black v-neck with neon grin strips along his shoulders and running down his arms and sides.
The woman was like a damned dog hunting down it's prey. Why the hell did she always go after him?! Didn't she have anything better to do?!
When they reached the school gate, Issei was joined by two students... the very same ones Yu was tempted to chop up with his bokken. Out of everyone in this damned dump, it was these buffoons that pissed him off the was tall with a shaved head. This was Matsuda, the self proclaimed Lolicon.
Next to him was a shorter teen with ash brown hair with spectacles resting on the bridge of his nose. This was Motohama, the glasses three size scouter. He claims to be able to see a girls three sizes.
It was the nicknames they picked for themselves.
"Yo, Ise my man!" Matsuda wrapped the breast idiot in a headlock, grinning from ear to ear. "What's up my brother?! You ready for some peeping!"
"Yeah, you-AGH!" Motohama was about to join in, but leaped back, his face pale as he pointed a shaky finger at Yu. "W-what the hell is he doing with you?!"
Yu glared at the idiots, scoffing as he walked on ahead of his 'brother', his wooden sword still carried over his shoulder, and his school bag held in his free hand. He didn't want to be around those morons, lest their idiocy be somehow contagious.
"It's a long story..." issei answered. Yu was still within hearing range before he turned around a corner.
He didn't even bother listen to them, his eyes set on the school in front of him. To be honest, he really didn't get why all the boys were so excited about this place. He knew it was an all-girls school until recently, so what the hell was all the fuss about? It wasn't like there was anything even remotely interested about it. Hell, he still didn't understand this place at all.
Why... why was the human race still alive? Why weren't there any vampires? He just couldn't understand it at all.
He shook his head, banishing whatever thoughts would lead him back to those memories. "Stupid friggin world..." he muttered, entering the facility. "Why the hell do I have to come here? I could be lounging around in bed sleeping."
As he continued to mutter to himself, he failed to notice the people observing him.
"Ara...isn't that Yuichi-kun?"
The one who had spoken that was a young woman, looking close to eighteen, with beautiful, shimmering violet eyes and long, jet black hair that was tied back into a ponytail, courtesy of the green ribbon in her hair. She wore the standard Kuoh Academy girls uniform, a simple buttoned shirt with a black, stylish tie with a black cape that covered her shoulders, and a red skirt. Unfortunately, she was rather 'gifted', shall we say, in the chest department, and as a result, her shirt was strained. Beside her was another girl of the same age, except in contrast, she had long, crimson red hair that fell down to her slim waist, and possessed beautiful sapphire eyes.
These girls were among the Three Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy, Akeno Himejima and Rias Gremory.
"I believe it is." Rias agreed.
"It's kind of surprising that the ace of the Kendo club is a delinquent type character." Akeno commented cheerfully.
"I know. It's gotten to be a pretty big problem to Sona."
That had been a major understatement. It was actually fairly well known to everyone in the school about the relationship between those two. Sona would apparently try to 'correct' the boy, who in turn ran like a bat straight out of hell, or somehow slipping away during one of the girl's lectures. In other words, a regular game of cat and mouse.
"So I've heard." the black-haired girl said, giggling in her hand. "And if what I've been hearing is any indication, people are actually taking bets as to how long he'll hold out against the Student Council President."
Rias smirked at that particular fact. While Sona did not tolerate gambling at the school, it was apparent that she was taking Yu as a higher priority. At the rate things were going, she knew it wouldn't be long before she brought out reinforcements, and asked her members for help.
"I wonder how he would fare if Sona brought the rest of the Student Council for back up?"
"Most likely, it would only be a matter of time before he's cornered and trapped." Even someone as elusive as Yu would have a difficult time if pursuers came in from all directions.
"Fufufu~" Strangely, Akeno seemed to be very excited at the very thought. "I might actually help her out... provided I get to bring rope."
Her friend sighed at her antics, but then again, what could you do? Akeno was a Sadist, plain and simple... and you really didn't want to be on the receiving end, unless you were a Masochist. But, in all likelihood, Rias doubted anyone would be... unless they were her hardcore fans who were still virgins and hoping to get into her pants. They would run like men possessed once they would see what she is capable of.
"By the way, Akeno..." Rias spoke up, eying her classmate's form as he entered the hallway leading up to the staircase. "You felt his presence as well, right?"
"Hai, Buchou." Akeno nodded, retaining her smile. "It's relatively human... but it's still there."
"Still though...for something like THAT to be inside him..." Rias shook her head. "...Just how was that even possible?"
"Who knows? There are many possibilities as to why. But we are only observing for now, are we not?"
"Indeed we are, but I'm sure the other factions will take notice of him, sooner or later." the red-haired Great Lady stated, flipping her hair as she turned to leave, Akeno following suit. "After all, it isn't every day you encounter an existence such as him."
"Tsuchikage?"
"Here."
"Yuribito?"
"Here!"
"Karubuki?"
"Present!"
"Himejima?"
"Here~"
"Gremory?"
"Here."
"Hyakuya?"
There was no response.
"Hyakuya?" the teacher called out, looking up from the roll-call sheet. "Yuichiro Hyakuya-kun?" He scanned the classroom, looking for the trouble student in question, but the boy was nowhere in sight. His bag wasn't at his seat, and neither was his bokken. The old man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why am I not surprised?" he muttered before looking at Akeno. "Himejima-san, would you be a dear and go find Hyakuya-kun?"
"Hai, sensei." The voluptuous teen obliged as rose from her chair and left the room. Finding him wasn't as difficult of a task as one would assume. After all, there was one place that Yuichiro Hyakuya would tend to go whenever he skips class.
And fortunately, Akeno knew where that was.
The boy in question was on the rooftop, his wooden sword leaning against the ladder leading up to the top of the water tank, and his bang sitting next to him. He was lying flat on his back, his legs sprawled out, and his arms behind his head, staring up at the sky.
"It's already been four years..." he muttered, staring up at the azure cape above him. "Ever since I arrived here..."
'I can still remember it clearly... It always happens, playing out whenever I close my eyes. I see all of my friends right in front of me, stuck in that stupid shack, having dinner while Mikaela is out with that damned fang bastard. Ever since the virus claimed humanity, the vampires had taken us in, taught us where our teachers left off, and fed off our blood. They kept us nice, clean, and fed. It was so sickening... I felt like I was losing my goddamned mind. That was why I made up my mind to start a revolution... to take out those vampire bastards, and make a place only for humans. I swore we would get the hell out of that place, and into the outside world. Even though we only had about a year for us to be susceptible to the virus, I knew we would at least find a way to find a way to live.
Then... that day came, when Mika came home.
That was when he told me the truth...why he was willing for that bastard vampire feed on his blood directly: to get his guard down and steal his gun.
Mika never betrayed us. He was just as willing to save his family as much as me. We were young. We thought they stood a chance. All we had to do was plan carefully and escape through the door into the outside world, where we would be free, even if only a short while.
However, our childish foolhardiness was the cause of our downfall.
We were able to escape the prying eyes of the vampires, and we were so close... so close to having the freedom! God, we could almost taste it... But reality bit us in the ass when that fang showed up. He had been waiting for us to show up... waiting for when we would escape. He knew Mika was trying to wait for him to drop his guard.
And then... he began to slaughter us. I watched as our friends died, being killed off, one by one. Their deaths were quick and painless, at the very least... They didn't even have a chance to scream before their lives came to an end. I just watched... so weak, so helpless as everything I loved was taken away, right in front of me.
At the very least, I was able to put a bullet in that son of a bitch's skull.
However...I wasn't even able to save his...my best friend's life. He protected me...He let the Vampire's take him while I was still free. He let me go...He wanted me to live...I wanted to help him but...
I couldn't do anything... Mika, that stubborn bastard... He shoved me away, and flat out told me to run. That was all I could do. So I ran... I ran and ran, all the way outside, into a field of snow. The world outside was like I imagined it... desolate, empty, lifeless. The entire city was ruined, buildings in a state of decay, and houses smashed to bits, the streets cracked and shattered.
I had been running so long... by the time I had realized how far away I was, I was close to passing out, face first in the snow. The only thing I remember what happened before I was knocked out was seeing a girl staring at me... a girl with long, black hair.
I don't what happened after that. When I came to, I was in this white room, a machine hooked up to me.
I didn't know why I was there, how long I had been there, or what was even happening to me. It felt really hazy, my memories were all a blur. But for some reason, I thought I heard people talking...but I couldn't make out what they were saying.
When everything snapped back in place for me, I saw a man in a white coat standing over me. He asked me if I remember what my name was. It was a stupid question, of course I could remember my own damn name. Then he asked me if I knew where I was. I didn't.
The guy told me I was in the Kuoh General Hospital.
Kuoh...That was the name of a place I never heard of. Just how far did I run to get into a place like this? But a hospital...there were still hospitals in this ruined world? And why was there an adult here? I thought they all died from the virus.
That had been when the doctor introduced me to these people, a man and a woman. He told me that they were the ones who found me at the local shrine. That threw me for a loop. I don't remember passing out at a shrine...
Then, an even bigger surprise came... a man in a police uniform.
So many adults...why were they still alive? Didn't the virus kill everyone 13 and older? But the policeman was also a surprise. Why were people like him still there? First the doctor, now him? You would've thought the world wouldve been in so much turmoil there wouldnt be such occupations.
The officer asked me how I got blood on my clothes, and I told him the truth. My friends were all killed by a vampire.
The guy didn't know whether to look at me like I was crazy, or if he was pitying me for some stupid reason. The doctor suggested it might be trauma or something. I just asked what the hell they were talking about. And then, out of the blue, a woman standing off to the side, told me straight to my face, "Sweetie... Vampires don't exist."
"No...You're wrong!" I shouted back. "They're real! They...they killed by family! They killed my brothers and sisters! Those bastards!" I was thrashing around, even though the doctor tried to calm me down.
I just couldn't understand it all... how the hell could she say that? How the hell could she say that vampires weren't real?! Anyone that wasn't dead because of the virus was taken in and then raised like damned cattle!
However, they were startled by my outbursts, and my condition was written off as trauma. It annoyed the hell out of me. How the hell could they not know what was going on? Why were they looking at me like I'm some lunatic?
The police did a full check on me. Strangely, they didn't find out anything about me. There was no records of a Yuichiro Hyakuya ever existing, but even weirder still was that the Hyakuya Orphanage didn't exist... and neither did Mika. There weren't able to find a match on the blood on my clothes either. I still don't understand it at all. What the hell was going on?
I don't know what happened after that. It was just a long time of consultation with therapists, them thinking me calling the bastard who killed my family a vampire a way of me coping with what happened. I know damn well what I saw, but they didn't know a damn thing. The cops also told me that I would be placed in a foster home, seeing as how I didn't have a family.
To hell with that. I wasn't about to be put in some stranger's shack. I flat out refused, but they weren't gonna budge. They could already tell I was trouble, and were about to get pretty assertive when the woman and a another man, probably her husband if what I saw on their fingers was any indication, came in.
They asked me the one thing I never wanted to hear... not ever.
"Would you like to come live with us?"
The couple gave their offer to me. Live with them...Why would they...?I don't want a new family...I want my old family back! Just why the hell did they have to die?!
But... it was either that, or going to home from home. I didn't want to be kept bouncing around from home to home... Beside, they looked nice enough. I guess it was them, or living running away from houses.
The doctor thought it was a good idea, considering that they were the ones who found me in the first place. I was allowed to go with them to the house I would be staying in tomorrow. They still needed to run some stuff on me, considering everything that happened. I was glad for once. Hospital food tastes like crap, even the stuff the fangs gave us tasted better than this.
But... nothing could ever prepare me for when I was allowed to leave. It was when I stepped outside that hospital with the woman, Kasumi Hyoudou, that I finally understood why no one believed vampires were real. It was when I saw people walking around a perfectly normal city, no damage or devastation in sight. It was when I saw that bright, azure blue sky.
It was then that I understood... that this wasn't my world.
There were no vampires...no virus...that was why everything seemed so...normal and peaceful. Would this be the what the world was like if there were no vampires?
It was almost like a dream to me... For a while, I thought that maybe, this was the sort of life I would have wanted to have with everyone else... with Mika, and the others. Even today, there hasn't been once that I don't think about them.
Mika... would you ever enjoy this world... a world where there was no danger whatsoever?'
Yu smiled fondly at that last thought, about to close his eyes and drift away to sleep. That was what he usually did whenever class rolled around.
Sadly, once again, such a thing wouldn't be happening. "I found you, Yuichi-kun~"
His eyes snapped open in mild irritation. He turned towards the ladder's direction and came face to face with one of the Great ladies of Kuoh: Akeno Himejima.
"...What are you doing here?"
"The teacher asked me to retrieve you, silly." Akeno informed him, a smile on her face. "You always go up here, even though Sona already knows that this is where you usually go when you skip class."
"Hmph," Yu scoffed. "If Four-Eyes wants me, she knows where she can find me... not that I give a crap."
"Ara, stubborn are we?" Akeno climbed the ladder and knelt down by his side. "...You know, It's not fun to be alone by yourself like this."
Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at his classmate in confusion. "You're actually gonna skip?" he asked. "You? One of the most popular girls in school? Hell must be freezing over." he joked, and closed his eyes again, tuning out the world around him.
Akeno giggled, staring at his face. She had to admit, up close he was rather cute. She was sure he would be quite the heart-throb if it weren't for that bad-boy attitude of his. "Well, I didn't say that..." She smiled playfully.
"Then why go through the trouble to come here to just sit here instead of dragging me back?" Yu questioned the futility of the action.
"Touche, Yuichi-kun."
"And will you quit calling me that?" the boy asked, annoyed as he stared at her with one open eye. "It gets annoying."
"Would you prefer Yuichiro-chan?"
"...Go to hell."
"Ara, that isn't very nice." Akeno pouted jokingly.
"Just shut up."
"Well, jokes aside..." the black-haired beauty said as she looked up at the sky. "I can understand why you hang up here... It's very soothing." The girl giggled, and her tone of voice made something Yu's head sound of warning bells. "Don't you think so... Kaichou?"
Instantly, Yu's eyes shot open, and his body bolted upright, and came face to face with the third Great Lady of Kuoh: Sona Shitori, the Student Council President. While she was lacking in what Akeno and Rias had, she certainly made up for it with her cold beauty. She wasn't quite as tall as them, and lacked the cape the girls wore, and the sleeves rolled up to her biceps, much like how Yu rolled his up to the forearms. Her dark hair was cut short in a bowl style, and sitting on her face was a pair of square thin-rimmed glasses.
And once again, she was carrying a whip.
"Dammit, Four-Eyes!" Yu shouted at her. "Don't you have something better to do than to chase me around?! Also, shouldn't you be in class?!"
"Funny," Sona said with an icy tone in her voice. "Coming from you, Hyakuya-kun. And to answer your question, because of my duties as Student Council President, I am exempt from morning classes."
"Tch...figures..." Yu clciked his tongue in annoyance. "Why are you even here? Can't you just leave me alone?"
"You know I can't do that Hyakuya-kun."
"And why the hell not?!" he demanded, wanting to know what this woman's demented pursuit was all about.
In response to his question, the girl pushed up her glasses. "For one thing, there is the matter of you're apparent talent of picking fights. It's only the first term, and you've already been caught in five different brawls, most of which happen to be with your pervert of a brother."
"Tch, don't call him my brother..." Yu scowled, turning away as he crossed his arms. "Just hearing that makes me want to puke."
"Secondly, there is the matter of what I am seeing right now." she continued, ignoring him completely. "You've skipped a total of 30 classes. Even if you have acceptable grades, this is hardly excusable."
"Hey, the place is boring! There's absolutely nothing hear to learn!"
"And lastly..." the girl smiled slightly. "There is the matter of THAT." Her eyes were on his bokken. "As I recall... you are not allowed to carry a wooden sword with you during school hours, even if you are a member of the kendo team."
"Hey! Where I go, my sword goes. No way in hell I'm going without it for even a second!"
"Well, hope you won't be too heartbroken when I confiscate it."
Yu scowled. "Damned witch!" he cursed, grabbing his sword and bag, and jumping off the roof. He was already at the door when Sona jumped down, cracking her whip. "Shit!"
He immediately ducked underneath the strike, the sound of scraping metal screaming in his ears. Before she could get another hit in, Yu slammed the door open, and immediately bolted right out. Sona scowled, and immediately chased after him. "Get back here this instant, Yuichiro Hyakuya!" Akeno heard the girl screech, chasing after him like a banshee. The sadist giggled madly, a hand at her cheek.
"Never a dull moment with those two around."
"Gods, don't you know when to give up, you crazy bitch?!" Yu shouted over his shoulder as he sprinted down the hall and past the classrooms, disrupting the classes in session. He was also jumping around like a damned monkey, evading Sona's whip. He already got a first-hand taste of how horrible that thing was, and he certainly didn't want another repeat!
"Not until you hand over that sword!" Sona shouted back, keeping pace with him.
"Make me!"
The resilt of the two shouting was apparently enough for several students to poke their heads out the doors, some peering out the windows. They were all laughing as they saw the spectacle. "Run, Hyakuya!" one of the boys jeered. "Run like the wind!"
"The hell do you think I'm doing?!"
He hated spectators like this. All they do was blab the obvious. He then noticed an open window coming in close next to him. An idea formed in his head. He ran for a few more meters, turned on his foot, and rushed toward the opening.
"Hyakuya!" Sona roared, sending a cracking lash at him. Yu could feel the wind snapping at his back as he went soaring past the windowsill and the outside. Everyone gasped at the sight, considering that they were on a second story floor, and rushed to the other side of the room. To their shock and amazement, the delinquent landed safely on the ground, crouching on the ground as he stood up and looked up at the window, seeing the disbelieving look on the student council president's face.
He grinned, giving her a mock salute. "Laters, Four-Eyes!" he said, turning towards the school gates. Sona seethed with anger, gritting her teeth as she slammed her fist on the windowsill.
"I'll get you one day, Yuichiro Hyakuya!" she vowed for the school to hear. "Just you wait!"
Everyone was laughing, some clapping at the boy's miraculous escape. Three spectators in particular were whistling. "Damn," Matsuda grinned. "Never seen a guy with balls like that before."
Motohama chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "And the Rogue Samurai escapes to see another day." he said, mentioning the nickname Yu had earned due to his antics. "At this rate, it won't be long before Kaichou calls in reinforcements."
Issei just watched on as his adopted brother run away. "Yu..." Sure he an Yu fought a lot, but he genuinely cared for him as family. The way things are...he's only hurting himself. He distances himself from everyone else, not wanting to make friends. He just takes everything on alone.
Back when he first met Yu, he wasn't entirely sure how to feel. Maybe he felt a bit jealous, with all the attention he was getting? Maybe he felt as if he had been replaced? Either way, he was pretty antagonistic with Yu in the beginning, even purposely starting fights. Although, in every instance, he always got the crap kicked out of him. Eventually, he became determined to beat the crap out of him one day.
But... all of that changed when he pushed Yu too far one day.
'What the hell would you know what it's like?! Did you watch your family get killed right before your eyes?! Did you watch them get slaughtered without even doing one damned thing to help them?! Did you watch them all die, and you weren't able to a SINGLE! GOD! DAMNED! THING?!'
He had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. He couldn't. He couldn't match up to what he said. His family was still alive. They were living in peace. They were happy. But Yu had all that taken away from him.
He just couldn't bring himself to retort. It was uncalled for.
Ever since then, he wasn't even entirely sure how to approach Yu after that. He couldn't even look him in the eye for a month without feeling guilty. He had taken his teasing too far then, and he still hasn't found a way to make up for it. So, he did the only thing he could: try to cheer him up, and make him forget those horrible memories.
How would he do that, you ask? Simple... by showing Yu the glorious world of Oppai.
...and after that he was quickly punched in the face by Yu. He called him a disgusting pervert and continued to beat the crap out of him.
Oh well. At least it got him to stop brooding.
Even still, that didn't mean he was about to give up! He had an obligation to help his older brother out of his funk in whatever way possible! And what better way that to give him a taste of the world of hentai?!
Let it be known that Issei Hyoudou was a man on a mission.
Yu smirked to himself as he walked around the town, his bag slung over his shoulder with one arm and his bokken resting on his shoulder with the other. "Heh, take THAT, Four-Eyes." he said smugly. "Gonna have to do better than that to take this thing." There wasn't anyway in hell he was going to give this up. It had been a present to him from the guys in the club when they learned about his past. He wasn't sure who told them, but he had a pretty good idea who. Anyway, when it was his birthday, apparently some of the guys went and got him a finely made wooden blade for him to have. Naturally, he put the thing through the wringer, and suffice to say, it was working like a dream.
Then Sona started to get really antsy about the whole thing. It looked like she added another thing on her list of things to correct relating to him, but hey, not like he cared.
He just wanted her to stop bugging him. This had been going on for the past two years! WHen was she just going to give up? Why can't she just label him a lost cause and leave it at that?!
"Ha...troublesome..." He sighed again.
Well, since he was out of school, and only after second period too, he had a lot of free time left on his hands. What should he do? He had some money to spend, so maybe he could go to the arcade? His 'younger brother' introduced him to a fighting game that got him hooked, so maybe he should play that? Nah, he wouldn't have enough money to play it all day. Maybe he could get something to eat? There was that new coffee shop that opened up just recently that he wanted to try out.
"What to do, what to do..."
Decisions were open to him. Ever since he became part of this world, there were so many great things and entertainment that he was able to experience first hand.
Foods, music, television, games... the possibilities were endless. Even back when before everything started with the vampires, he wasn't really able to enjoy much of what was offered to him, mostly because back then, he just didn't know what to do with himself. Ever since that time when his father tried to kill him, and when his mother killed herself, he had been so listless and lost. It wasn't until later that he found a family with the Hyakuya Church, even though he hadn't fully admitted it until it was too late.
"Maybe I can kill some time at the theater." Yu thought aloud. "What's that really popular overseas one called? Pacific Rim or something?"
Arcadia Screen was a movie theater that had opened up about a year ago, and was well known for showing movies outside of Japan. It held a variety of genres to choose from, and everyone was allowed to pick what movie they wanted to see. Yu had visited it a couple of times with Issei. The first one they had seen was apparently a 'chick flick', if he remembered right. A movie called Twilight.
After seeing it, he wasn't sure which he hated more. Vampires from his world, or the vampires he saw in the movie. Seriously, since when the hell do they SPARKLE?!
It was a horrible representation of the race that made his life hell. If he could, he'd shoot the creator for making such crap. He didn't care if the girls hated him for it.
Well, he digressed. There were better movies to watch anyway.
As he made his way to Arcadia, which wasn't too far from the arcade 4GMR, he accidentally bumped into someone, nearly stumbling. "Whoa, sorry there kid." the man he bumped into apologized, his tone sincere. Yu turned, and couldn't help but frown. The man looked pretty shabby looking, with black hair that possessed blonde tinged bangs, along with a scruffy beard. His attire was also strange and formal, a simple black yukata with a brown coat over it. Both of his hands were placed within the sleeves, and a strange, whimsical smile was present on his face. "Didn't mean to."
"Huh?" Yu blinked before shaking his head. "No, sorry, that was my fault."
"Hey, no going formal." the man chuckled as he looked at his clothes. "Say, aren't you a student? Shouldn't you be at school right no? Or what? Did some banshee chase you out?"
Well, that was one way of putting it. The damned woman was a banshee in a sense. "Maybe."
"Ha!" the man threw his head back in laughter. "You're a funny one!"
"Hey, cut it out. She was just so annoying, I had no choice but to leave."
"Hoho, trouble with a girlfriend?" the strange man asked, grinning in a manner that Yu could almost mistake for Issei... except only worse. "If you want, I can offer some pointers."
"No thanks." he dismissed the man, turning around to leave. "Also, why the hell would I take advice from a stranger?"
"Hey, come on, don't be like that! We only just met!"
"And now, I'm leaving." Yu deadpanned. "Goodbye." And without another word, the boy turned on his heel and stormed off.
"Ah, man..." the stranger sighed, a hand at his head. "And I was just about to suggest Ghibli Studios' Spirited Away too." It had been a very good movie, or at least, he thought so. Truly, he had to give a hand to Miyazaki, that was by far his best work yet. As he watched the young boy leave, he developed a strange smile. "So, that's him, huh?" he said to no one in particular. "Gotta admit, he's a bit young."
He wasn't expecting such a young person who be housing something so...sinister. He felt the presence within the boy quite well, despite it being suppressed. Makes one wonder what happened to him.
"Well, this should be interesting, either way." the man chorted, shrugging his shoulders. "Still, though... I never imagined you would try to go behind my back, Kokabiel. Then again, can't say I blame you, given what sort of presence that boy has." he muttered, walking away and being lost in the small sea of people.
Yu couldn't help but yawn, holding a hand over his mouth as he walked out of Arcadia Screens. "That wasn't as good as I thought it would be." he thought aloud. He decided to choose a movie at random, out of five that peaked his curiosity, and chose a flick called I, Frankenstein. From the story itself, it was about a monster created by a madman who later tossed him aside like trash, only to have his wife killed by the monster in retaliation. He didn't really get it all that well, other than that the monster was caught in a rock and a hard place, being hunted down by angelic beings called Gargoyles and demons.
He found the whole scenario to be a tad cliche...the whole creation getting revenge upon its creator and being pursued by other enemies. It just seemed a tad predictable.
"Although, that thing he had was pretty badass." he chuckled, recalling the weapon Frankenstein was wielding. It was pretty damn brutal, and he could just imagine himself chopping off vampire heads with it. The mere thought of recalling those ideas was enough to bring a giant grin to his face. "Hah, that would be so awesome...!"
RING RING! RING RING!
"Huh?" The boy blinked, feeling his phone vibrating in his pocket. He had gotten it about three years ago, a sort of birthday present from Issei in order to make up for what he did when he accidentally pushed him over the edge. It was a simple model, being an ordinary flip-phone, colored black with a neon green trim. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulled it out, and looked at the caller ID. "Oh, great, what does the horndog want now?" he scowled, flipping it open and pressing it against his ear. "What is it, Oppai Baka?"
"Dammit, will you quit calling me that, Aniki?!" came the voice of his 'younger brother'. "It's bad enough the girls at school call me that!"
Yu grinned, recognizing the tone anywhere. It seemed like he didn't learn his lesson yet... one would think he'd get tired of being on Death's Door nearly all the time. "Lemme guess, you tried to peak at Katase and Murayama and the rest of the kendo girls, and you got caught."
"Don't rub it in...!" Issei growled back. Yu sighed for the upteenth time. Is he a masochist if he keeps peeping like that?
"So what do you want?"
"Rgh... Looks, it's getting pretty late. You coming back home anytime soon? Kaa-san is making Salisbury steak tonight."
Yu's eyes widened, and felt the waterworks in his mouth beginning to do their magic, saliva already beginning to flow out from the corner of his mouth. Truly, nothing in this world would taste better than Kasumi's cooking. It might have seemed cold that he didn't call them 'mom' or 'dad', but they knew the trauma in his heart had not healed, and accepted it. In fact, they weren't sure how they would feel if he suddenly began to call them by those names.
"...I'll be home soon, moron."
"Tch, you better be!" the brunette snapped back. "I covered your ass and didn't tell mom you ditched because you were too scared of Sona-senpai!"
"Hey, she was chasing me around the damn school with that whip of hers! You'd do the same damn thing if you were in my shoes!" he retorted.
"Actually, I'd take it like a man! ...If it meant I got to see her Oppai."
Yu sighed. "You see? THIS is why you can never get a girlfriend."
"Look who's talking!"
"So? I'm not interested in getting one yet. That's your life!"
"So?! What kinda guy DOESN'T want to have a relationship?!"
"At least I don't want to cheat on several girls all because I want a damn harem!"
"Hey! A Harem is every guy's dream!"
"Only perverted guys like you! Don't you get it?! If you get it on with several girls like that, you're basically cheating on them! THAT is why you won't get a girlfriend! You can't stay loyal! You would be no better than Makoto Itou from School Days!"
"WHAT?!" Yu had to pull his phone away from his ear. He had almost forgotten how loud he could get. "Oh, you did NOT just compare me to some sleazy anime character!"
"Damn right I did." he replied smugly. "Anyway, later doofus."
"This isn't over-!"
CLICK
Yu slammed his hone shut, and slipped it back into his pocket. It was so easy to rile that idiot, it was almost funny. "Well, guess I better get home." he said, stretching his arms. "Don't wanna miss Kasumi-san's delicious steak! Hahah, man! Just thinking about it is enough to make my mouth water!"
However, just as he was about to rush home to get his food on, a timid, shy voice came up from behind him. "A-ano... Excuse me?" they called out. "Are you... Y-Yuichiro Hyakuya-kun?" Yu scowled in irritation. Ah, great... another damned fan girl. He sighed heavily as he scratched his head. Dammit, why did they keep trying to ask him out? Can't they see he wasn't looking for a relationship?
"What do you want?" he asked, turning around to face them. As he suspected from the voice, it was a girl with black hair and dark eyes, wearing a school uniform that didn't belong to Kuoh Academy. It was a simple black blazer with a dark gray skirt, knee-high socks, and a bag carried in her hands.
"M-my name is...Yu-Yuuma Amano!" She introduced herself. She seemed really nervous.
"Okay...And what can I help you with?" Yu questioned in skepticism. Why was a girl he had never met before want with him?
"U-um... well... you see... Er..."
"Well?" Yu crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. "I'm waiting."
"Will...W-Wil you go out with me?!" She bowed formally.
Yu's eyes widened. Well... that was a first. Normally, they would just run up to him and hand him some love letter or something. Instead, she was outright asking him? At the very least, he could give her props.
But...
"Hell no, why should I?" he asked, turning on his heel. "I don't even know you. Hell, we only just met like a few seconds ago."
"B-But...!" The girl seemed desperate to change his mind.
"Sorry, mind's made up. Goodbye."
"T-then can we at least be friends?!" she shouted. Yu didn't even bother to answer that. Friends? You had to be kidding? What part of them just meeting did she not get? Was she braindead or something? Thinking that, he walked away, leaving the girl stunned into silence. Sure, he felt bad, but she was a girl, he was pretty sure she would get over it.
However, he failed to notice the dark scowl that appeared on her face, a dark contrast to her earlier behavior.
"Damned brat..."
"Yo, I'm back." Yu shouted as he opened the door. Instantly, the smell of food flooded into his nostrils. "Whoa... the idiot wasn't kidding!"
"Welcome back, Yu-kun." Kasumi smiled at him. SHe had just finished setting up the table for dinner.
"Yo, Kasumi-san." he greeted. "Eh? Where's Ryonaga-san and the dork?"
"Oi, I heard that!" Issei's voice shouted from up the staircase. "I'll be down in a minute!"
"What? You jacking off to your porn again?" Yu grinned, hearing what sounded like the harsh smack of flesh hitting wood.
"Dammit, Yu! I do NOT jack off!"
"Whatever, just hurry up and get down here, otherwise I'm eating your share!"
"You'd better not! Otherwise, I'll spread rumors around school that your gay!"
The older boy cringed at that, though not for the reason one would think. 'Knowing those damned idiot girls at school, they'd probably be squealing so loud they'd wake up the dead.'
He really disliked the annoyances in this world. Why can't anyone give him some peace and quiet? That is all he asks!
"You do that and I'm gonna kick your ass with my kendo sword!"
"Now now, boys." Kasumi giggled in her hand. "No trying to pick fights before dinner. Yu-kun, will you be a dear and fetch Ryo for me?"
He nodded as he set his blazer on the chair and leaned his bokken against the wall, entering the back part of the house. It wasn't long before the family gathered at the table. Other than Salisbury steak, there was pasta, a large salad, some shrimp, and even slices of beef. All in all, it looked good... at least to Yu. Even after four years, he still couldn't get over how delicious everything tasted!
"So, how was school you two?" Ryonaga asked as he made his own plate, taking some of the salad and beef with a bowl of pasta. "Anything new?"
"No, not really." Issei answered before Yu could say anything. "Although, Yu did get into trouble again with Kaichou." He gave a disapproving look at his adoptive brother. "Seriously, Aniki. Just give her the damned thing. It'll save you the trouble."
"Over my dead body." Yu harumphed. "I ain't giving up my sword. Besides, the day I give in to Four-Eyes is the day you stop trying to peep at Katase and Murayama."
"Oi! I'm never gonna stop!"
"Exactly! And by the way, you're never gonna get a girlfriend if you keep invading their privacy."
"Yu-kun has a point, Ise-kun." Kasumi pointed out. "At the rate your going, you'll be alone, and you'll never get married." And just like clockwork, once again, the usual routine of the Hyoudou household took place as anime-style tears ran down hers and Ryonaga's faces. "And we won't be grandparents!"
"Why does our son have to be a good-for-nothing!"
On cue, Issei face-faulted, causing Yu to burst out laughing. "Hah! Saw that one coming!"
"Oh, shut up!" the boy snapped back. "You haven't gotten a girlfriend either!"
"Tch, like I need one. Besides, girls are annoying, especially earlier when some girl I don't know just goes up and asks me if I want to go out with her."
"And you refused?!" Issei cried, eyes wide. How the hell could he not realize such luck?! That was his one shot to being a man dammit! And he just went and blew it! Argh, why did he have to be so frustrating all the time?!
"Of course I did. I'm not gonna date some chick I don't know."
"But why not?"
"Are you even using common sense?!" Yu stared at him like he was an idiot. "Why would I date some girl that I only just met? Not only does it sound fishy, but it makes you sound desperate."
"Dude, that was your chance at becoming a man!"
"For you, maybe!"
"Gah, you're so friggin' dense!"
"Look who's talking, Oppai Baka!"
"DAMMIT, STOP CALLING ME THAT ALREADY!"
Kasumi sighed, shaking her head. "Teenagers..." she muttered before she took a ladle into her hand and-
WHACK! SMACK!
"OW/YEOWCH!"
"No fighting at the table, boys." she scolded the two, wagging her finger at them.
"Hai, Kaa-san/Yes, Kasumi-san..." the two said, rubbing the lumps on their skulls. The woman smiled, and sat back down.
"And that is why I don't make your mother mad..." Ryonaga stated as he continued eating.
Yu didn't have anything to say to that. In all honesty, Kasumi was even scarier than the caretaker back at the orphanage. He chose not to cause another little skirmish at the table, and took a bite out of his steak. Instantly, a giant smile stretched across his face. "Hell yeah, now we're talking!" he cheered, beginning to devour the meat in front of him.
Kasumi giggled. "I'm glad you like it, Yu-kun."
"Sheesh," Issei sighed. "You'd think you've never had steak before, despite us having it for four years."
"Hey, Kasumi-san's cooking is really good! What I ate before doesn't even begin to compare!"
At the mention of his past, Issei fell quiet, as did Kasumi herself. Ryonaga didn't really say much at dinnertime, but even he felt slightly uncomfortable. Yu's past was something of a taboo subject for them, especially anything remotely related to his previous family. Though they didn't know much, they did know that apparently Yu's father tried to kill him, and his mother committed suicide. Afterwards, he was sent to the orphanage, where he met his family for the first time.
Issei didn't mention this to anyone, but there were nights when he could hear his adoptive brother calling out for someone named Mika, and every time he did, he would always be crying.
He didn't even tell Yu that this happened. He couldn't let such things disturb him. And based on his restless sleeping, Issei assumed that Mika was also a taboo subject.
He wanted to help him, but he didn't have the slightest idea as to how.
Sometimes, he wondered if he could even be of any help at all.
The next day, Yu and Issei had arrived at school without much fuss. The two had gone to their respective classes, ignoring he whispers around them. Of course, the former was also on the lookout from the student council president, keeping his wooden sword close at hand. There was no way in hell she was getting her hands on this!
As he took his seat, he placed the bokken against the wall, and placed his elbows on the desk, waiting for the lecture to start. Well, not that he would listen. He still failed to see the point of such stupid stuff. Seriously, even the stuff the fangs taught him weren't this dull.
"Ah, Yuichiro-kun." the teacher nodded his head, pleased. "Glad you could join us today."
Yu scoffed, waving the old man off and laying his head against his hand, staring out the window. "Whatever..."
"Anyway, for today's lesson..."
He ignored the lectures of the teacher, his mind wandering into the past, present, and future.
His mind drifted back to when things used to be peaceful in his world, when he was with his family and the people at the orphanage... then he recalled how quickly things went to hell, how his world collapsed right in front of him as every adult was falling dead at his feet, even teenagers. The horrible memories of when they were in captivity nearly made him scowl in annoyance, even more so when he remembered how he had abandoned his friends all just to save his own life. Even if Mika wanted him to live, even if his friends wanted him to live... he should have stayed behind 'till the end.
'Do I really... deserve to live this life?'
That questioned continued to eat away at him. Did he deserve to live like this...when his family wanted to live like this as well Was he really worthy of this new life?
The more he thought about it, the more the guilt continued to eat away at him. Why? Why had he run? He managed to kill one of those vampire bastards, hadn't he? He had managed to avenge their deaths, right? So why... why had he left them? Why didn't he try to take their bodies with him? The very least he could have done... the thing he should have done was give them a proper burial.
His family deserved to be buried after all the hardships and sacrifices they made.
His thoughts drifted to his life now. While he was still trying to enjoy, to some extent, the world he now lived in, he still couldn't help but feel annoyed. Instead of vampires, you had rapists, thugs, thieves, murderers, terrorists... the world was still a mess. But there was always that nagging feeling, that something screaming in the back of his head telling him something. Just what was he missing?
"Yuichiro-kun?" the teacher called him out, causing him to snap away from his thoughts. "Do you know the answer to this question?"
"S-sorry, what was it?"
He scowled when some of his classmates giggled, Akeno Himejima being one of them. "The question was," the teacher said calmly, not at all bothered by his student's absent mind. He was more than aware of the situation concerning the boy. "What was the name of the vampire that shared the same name as the book that Bram Stoker published?"
Ugh, vampires... The very last thing he wanted to hear!
He cursed the fact that the literature being taught now was about vampires. On fact, a lot of the literature they have learned so far was.
"A damn fanged bastard named Dracula." Yu answered in the utmost honesty, groaning as he looked out the window again. "He was based off some prissy brat named Vlad the Impaler."
"Very good, Yuichiro-kun." The teacher nodded in approval, paying no mind to the crude comments of the character's names and origin. He moved on with the lesson, but Yu already tuned him out.
Of course, the students were quick to pick up on his apparent distaste for vampires.
"Man, what's up with him?"
"Ever since we started learning about vampires, he's been really fidgety!"
"Maybe he just doesn't like them?"
"Hah, I bet ya he'd wet his pants if they were real!"
"Ssh, he'll hear you!"
Yu scowled at that comment. He had killed one before, idiot. He could sure as hell do it again. Honestly, this was why he hated gossip. The idle chatter never ceased! The bell needed to ring dammit. At this rate, he was gonna go nuts.
"Now then, starting where we left off from yesterday, the basic theory behind geometry is rather..."
Issei couldn't focus on the lecture today. He had been leaning back in his seat, staring up at the ceiling with his book up to make it look like he had been paying attention. He wasn't afraid to admit that math had not been his strong suit... hell, he never really paid attention. Yu, despite his tendencies to ditch, had managed to help him out though, so he was the reason why he was even passing in the first place. Of course, there was another reason the book was up.
It was to hide the dirty magazine Motohama had given him, which had yet to be opened.
He had been itching to crack it open and examine each little detail of the models within, but never got the opportunity to. Hopefully he would get a peek soon. The anticipation was killing him.
The reason he hadn't opened it up yet was because his mind was racing back to his adoptive brother. Sure, it might be getting rather repetitive to worry about him, but he couldn't help it! Even if he was the younger one here, he could still worry, shouldn't he?
'It's already been four years since he came to live with us, and he still has those walls surrounding him.' he thought sadly, which was mirrored by his expression. 'Yu... I know that it was hard to lose your family, but... is it really so hard to let other people in?'
It must've been truly traumatic for him, making him close his heart up like that. If only there was a way to open it again. He wouldn't know unless he tried!
'But... what can I do?' Issei thought, placing his arms on his desk. 'I mean, I really don't know anything about him, other than that he lost his whole family. Maybe if I can learn more about them... But where could I look? The police said they didn't have anything on them, or the person who killed them, and not even on Yu himself.'
He sighed. 'There has to be something I can do... something that even some useless pervert like me can do!'
School had reached its end at long last. Normally, this would be the time when Yu would head on home with Issei, or go out into the town and do something to kill some time before heading back. It was the usual routine, one of which he stuck to in these last three years since becoming enrolled in Kuoh.
Sadly, he was once again on the run from the hound of hell. "Don't you know when to give up, you crazy broad?!" Yu screamed, running down the hall at full speed and trying to avoid hitting some of the students while Sona, once again holding her trusty whip, was hot on his tail, a determined gaze found in her eyes. "Seriously, just leave me the hell alone you witch!"
Quickly making a turn to the left, he dashed straight forward, seeing a golden opportunity. 'Yes! Golden opportunity!' he cheered once again for a window being open. Sadly, however, his hopes were dashed when he was forced to come to a halt when a student blocked his path to freedom. He scowled upon recognizing him. "C'mon! You too, Blondie?!"
Saji Genshiro grinned, showing off a slight fang to his molars. He had unruly blonde hair, and like Sona, he had only the slacks and shirt on, complete with the tie. "Sorry!" he apologized, still grinning. "But you're not going anywhere!"
"Son of a bitch!" Yu swore, looking over his shoulder to see Sona quickly gaining on him. The boy immediately made a dash for the stairwell, but once again, he was forced to a stop. "Oh, great! Four-Eyes #2!"
"I would appreciate if you did not refer to me like that." Tsubaki Shinra replied as she adjusted her glasses. "And these are Kaichou's orders."
"Dammit, so she DID bring the Calvary."
"Correct."
Yu turned, and to his horror, Sona stood there with an evil glare reflected in her glasses, cracking her whip menacingly. "Now, there are two ways this can go: Hyakuya." she said with a cold tone, as usual. "Either give yourself up... or make this painful for yourself. Which do you choose?"
Yu gritted his teeth. As much as he hated to admit it, he was pretty much cornered like a rat in the trap. He honestly hadn't expected the hellhound to call in her lackeys. Thankfully, though, he lived by a saying: When in doubt, get the hell out! "I choose... none of the above!" he shouted, and bolted for his next target of escape, which was right next to Tsubaki.
The railing.
Sona's eyes widened. "Are you actually planning on-?!" she shouted, and to her horror and shock, the boy was once again doing something crazy, hopping over the railing and plummeting down to the first floor... on the third floor. "Have you lost your mind, Yuichiro-kun?!"
"No! I'm perfectly sane!" Yu called back as he tucked in his knees and rolled over in the air before finally landing on his feet. He stood up straight as if everything was perfectly normal. Everyone watching couldn't believe what they had just seen.
He stood up, and grinned back at their stupefied faces. "Catch ya later, Four-Eyes!" he shouted, giving a mock salute before shooting off like a bullet straight for the front door. On the third floor, Sona gnashed her teeth together harshly, and held up a shaking fist. Saji gulped, taking a step back while Tsubaki was looking nervous.
It was never a good thing when Sona got this worked up.
"YUICHIRO HYAKUYA!"
"You hear that?"
"Yep. And once again, the Rogue Samurai escapes."
"Damn, and Kaichou brought in Genshiro-kun and Shinra-senpai!"
"He's gonna have to be extra careful if he wants to avoid the Student Council now!"
Issei sighed, shaking his head while his two friends were impressed. "Damn, your bro's getting bolder by the minute." Matsuda commented. "Remind me again, why the hell isn't he on the track team?"
"Because he's a member of the rivaling kendo team, Matsuda." Motohoma answered. "Although, I will say this much: He's one toug son of a bitch!"
"Yep..." Issei sighed again, hanging his head low. "That's my brother for ya."
"Whew..." Yu panted heavily, taking a short break at the park nearby. It wasn't very far from the school, and given his usual schedule, the hellhound wouldn't even think to look here. "Oh man... Got away from her again...!" he breathed, his hands on his knees with sweat pouring down is brow. "What the hell is up with that brat? The hell did I do to her?!"
His question went unanswered as he moved to sit down on a nearby bench. He lay outstretched across his seat with his wooden sword next to him.
"Huh..." he mused. "Don't think I've seen the sky so orange before." A soft smile appeared on his face as he let his head rest against the bench's rim, closing his eyes. For a while, he felt slightly at peace with himself. He wondered how long he could have peaceful moments like this, if only for a short while.
'Yu-chan, you shouldn't be so picky.'
'Aw, shaddap! I HATE broccoli!'
'C'mon, Yu-oniichan, it's really good!'
'Nu-uh! No way! You can't make me!'
'Oh, quit being such a baby, Yu-kun!'
'Forget it. Yu-chan's a big old wuss.'
'SHUT UP, MIKA!'
His face soon fell in remembrance. Even now...the happy times that he once took for granted remained deep within his mind. Never once had he wanted to forget those times. His family may be dead...but they live on...within his memories of the times they shared.
'Hey, Yu-chan?'
'What is it, Mika?'
'You're going to fight the vampires, right? And start a revolution?'
'Damn right I am! And I can guarantee you, the first fang I'm gonna beat the shit out of is that noble you've been hangin' with!'
'These are vampires we're talking about, Yu-can. We have to be smart.'
He knew that...He knew that...but he still failed.
That failure was his biggest regret of all...
'Yu-chan... We'll always be family. Remember that... okay?'
'W-wait, Mika! MIKA!'
"Mika!" Yu sat up straight. His brow damp with cold sweat.
His eyes were wide, his breath returning to it's previous state. His clothes stuck to him uncomfortably because of the sweat that caked his body. His chest fell up and down heavily, and his body trembled. He pressed a hand to his face, his eyes covered by the digits. "That dream again..." he murmured as his teeth clenched together tightly, sucking in his breath. "Dammit... Why did they..."
A tear fell from his cheek. "Mika... I'm so sorry..." he whispered, his voice breaking from the emotions he had been bottling up. For all the time he had been here in this peaceful world, this world that embodied their dreams of a world without danger, he still had the nightmares. Every night, every day, every time he closed his eyes, he could hear them dying, one by one. He could always see them being slaughtered right before his eyes.
He could always see that fanged bastard shoving his arm into Mika's chest. To this day, no matter how much time passed... it would forever haunt him.
"Dammit...!" He kept cursing his weakness at that time. He could've done something! Why was he so weak?! Even though he put a bullet to the bastard's head, nothing changed!
If only... if only he had been stronger...!
...
...DO YOU WANT POWER?
Yu's eyes widened, his head snapping up. "W-what the?!" he shouted in alarm, shooting up to his feet. He looked around wildly, feeling as if his body had just been dumped in water that had just been recently frozen. "The hell was that...?"
"Hmhmhm... What luck..."
Yu whipped around, grabbing his wooden sword in the process. He recognized that voice from somewhere...but after seeing who it was who spoke, he remembered. It was Yuuma Amano, the girl who asked him out on a date yesterday. However, she seemed different. Her eyes were much sharper than last time. her attire was now a skimpy, black leather bondage outfit. But the main difference were the ebony feathered wings on her back.
"I was actually on my way to see my comrades, and here I found you..." the girl said in a mature, cold tone. "Truly, I must be lucky."
Yu scoffed, his sword resting on his shoulder. "And what the hell is this supposed to be? Some kind of foreplay?" he leered. "Cause it's not exactly a turn-on!"
"Hmph, arrogant child." Yuuma flipped her hair, giving him a cruel smile. It made him freeze on the spot. This feeling... this was just like that time... "I don't need some filthy creature to lecture me on appeal... Still, I also can't let someone as dangerous as you roam around freely, either. So..."
Her smile was sickly sweet as she raised her palm.
"...Will you die for me?"
In an instant, a mass of light gathered into her palm before stretching out into a spear. She pulled her arm back in a movement to throw it.
Yu, sensing the danger that weapon carried, immediately grew on edge. 'Tch, that thing ain't gonna hit me!' he thought cockily. 'I don't care what the hell she is! She's going down-!'
nd then, in the next moment, the spear was gone. Yu suddenly felt his body go cold, as if it had just been dumped in the arctic, and his arms suddenly became limp. His bokken fell out of his grasp, clattering to the ground. "W-wh...a...t..." he gasped quietly, his eyes quivering at the smug form of Yuuma before looking down.
Impaled right through his stomach was the spear. His shaky arms tried to reach for it, in hopes of pulling it out, but it disappeared, disintegrated was more like it, as soon as his fingers brushed against it, creating a harsh sense of warmth against the tips of his fingers. Blood gushed out from the wound, the liquid flying out of his mouth as the strength in his body vanished. He fell flat on his back, not even able to feel the impact.
"Don't take it personally." Yuuma told him, her smile still plastered on her face. Her legs were crossed over, with one hand carressing her cheek, her eyes suggesting some sort of sick and twisted pleasure. "You really were my type, Yuichiro-kun... But you were too much of a danger to be left alone. After all, you are one of them."
"O-one...One of...who...? Guak!" Yu coughed up more blood as he collapsed on his knees. His vision was starting to blur. But he could still see the woman smirking.
"Nothing to concern yourself over."
His vision was becoming shit. He couldn't even see straight anymore!
"It's a shame, really." he heard the crow say with amusement. "I was hoping we would be able to go on a date before I got to kill you, but oh well." A giggle followed. "Well, sayonara, Yuichiro-kun~"
Then, with the sound of wings flapping, the woman vanished. Yu growled, trying to lift himself off the ground, but he couldn't muster the strength. He felt too weak... He felt so cold, and his eyes... they felt so heavy.
'You've got... to be kidding...' he thought, still struggling to stay awake. 'I'm really... going to die here...? Before I've... had a chance... to do something...?'
Faces ran through his head. The faces of his family, of his friends from the orphanage... of the people he had watched being killed before his eyes. 'Mika... Guys... Will I... see you guys...?'
For a moment, there was comfort. He would finally be able to see them again, wouldn't he? They would be together, just like old times. They wouldn't be separated, they would finally be reunited, after so long...
'I swear...'
That voice... was that... his...?
'I swear... Mika... Akane... Everyone... I... I will...'
Yes... That was his... It was his voice... from the day he...
'If I ever find my way back home... I will... KILL EVERY LAST VAMPIRE THAT STANDS IN MY WAY!'
Yu's vision snapped back together for an instant, desire and strength burning in his body. His fingers grinded harshly against the ground, the nails threatening to break and bleed as he tried to get up once again.
'That's right... My promise...!' he thought, pain erupting all over his body. 'I have to... Keep it...! If I... die now... I won't be... able to face... Mika and the others...! I've got to... I want to...!'
"I... Want..." Yu growled through gritted teeth. "To... Live...!"
Once again, however, his strength fled from him, and his body fell back. Once again, he coughed up blood. "Damn... it..."
There was no way... he wasn't going to die here... He couldn't face Mika and Akane, or anyone else from the orphanage...! He need... to keep his promise god dammit!
As his vision was beginning to give away, he heard a strange sound... it couldn't be described, but he could have sworn he saw a bright light engulf most of his vision. Then, he heard a familiar voice... He knew he heard it somewhere before, but... where...?
"Looks like I was right to ask Koneko to watch after you." the owner of the voice, a woman, said with slight sorrow. "I'm sorry this happened to you... But, you have a strong desire... So I shall allow you live once again. However, you must live... only for me."
He looked up, his head nudged upwards. He couldn't see their face... but he saw their hair. Their red hair, the same color as the liquid that dribbled down his stomach and mouth.
Before darkness took him, he could have sworn he saw a smile on their face.
"Live... my adorable Seraph of the End."