Studying is such a pain! It has taken up too much of my time in the past two weeks, so my co-writer cooked up and wrote this chapter almost entirely by himself in his free time. I only wrote a few bits of it. The rest is Cal's handiwork.
Thank you everyone who took the time to add our story to their favourites list and review the last few chapters, and special thanks to Anzer'ke for getting in touch with Cal via MangaFox and offering advice to smooth out the beginning of Chapter 1. Go check out his stuff! :)
Read on and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario + Vampire, or any of the names, characters, locations or organisations which feature in the manga. This is a fan-made, non-profit work of fiction based on Akihisa Ikeda's fantastic manga, which I urge all of you to buy and enjoy when it becomes available in your country. Any resemblance the content of this story shares with real events or people is a coincidence.
Chapter 03 - Manipulation
The Assembly Hall
Ayashakai, Far East Realm of Ayashi
October 10th, 2015
Hand in hand, Tsukune and Yukari ran back down the hallway with the intimidating menace in pursuit. Tsukune did not need to look around to tell how close the giant was; the floor shuddered under his heavy tread, and the pause between each thump was a clear indication that his stride was long. Forced to run at a pace Yukari could match, Tsukune was not surprised that their antagonist was closing in on them so quickly. Like a wolf chasing down a fawn, the man would soon be in range to attack.
Seizing the initiative, Tsukune let go of Yukari's hand and halted, wheeling around to face the predator. The man was three strides away, and showed no sign of slowing as he prepared to swing his right arm and strike Tsukune with his baton. The distance between them closed in a heartbeat. As the giant thrust his right arm forward, Tsukune swayed aside to avoid the blow and grabbed the man's wrist with his own right hand. As the momentum of the giant's charge carried him forward, Tsukune grabbed his opponent's belt with his left hand and applied his own strength to the equation, spinning on his heel and hurling the man down the corridor. The giant grunted in shock and crashed down hard on his front, tumbling on his side for several metres before regaining control and halting his violent roll.
A year ago, Aono Tsukune could not have dreamed of overpowering such a huge man by himself. The old Tsukune would have kept running until his legs gave out, and then crawled until he was absolutely sure he was safe. His time at Youkai Academy had changed him. Moka had changed him. For the better.
Growling, the man picked himself up and turned, snarling something in his foreign language.
"I don't understand you," said Tsukune firmly. He shook his head emphatically. "I cannot understand what you are saying."
"Then turn around and speak with me."
Tsukune turned. More people had appeared at the end of the corridor; a ragtag band of disheveled individuals, clad in dirty grey military fatigues and armed with an assortment of kitchenware. The person who had spoken was walking ahead of the others, and Tsukune noted that he was the only Asian member of the group. He was a man of indeterminate age, noticably shorter than the rest of his male companions, but only slightly taller than Tsukune. He carried a sheathed katana in his left hand.
"Who are you?" asked Tsukune, placing himself between Yukari and the swordsman.
"My name is Nanahara Shoujiki*. I am a lieutenant in the Japanese Special Forces Group, currently seconded to a United Nations task force. We mean you no harm, but I cannot guarentee your safety if you attempt to draw attention to our presence here."
Aono Tsukune was no idiot - despite what his school grades implied - and he was more than capable of joining the dots.
"You're the human terrorists," he breathed. "What are you doing here?"
The man called Nanahara shook his head. "The accusations made against us are false, young man. We are not terrorists. Highly-skilled combatants, yes, but our actions have never placed the inhabitants of the ayashi realms in immediate danger. But now is neither the time nor the place to talk of such things. Where are we?"
"The Assembly Hall."
"In Ayashakai?"
"Where else would it be?"
Nanahara looked thoughtful for a moment, and conversed with his companions in a language Tsukune recognised as English. He looked around at the human who had attacked him, and was glad to see that the man showed no intention of harming Yukari while his back was turned. Tsukune exchanged glances with the young witch, who was still trembling slightly.
It's going to be okay, mouthed Tsukune.
Yukari nodded, but did not look convinced. Tsukune knew that she did not have any prejudices against humans in general, but he understood her fear of these people. Some of them would be shady characters even without their unusual armaments, and despite his temperate demeanor, Nanahara had the air of a man whom others crossed at their peril.
"How tight is the security here?" asked Nanahara eventually.
Tsukune considered the question for a moment, before answering, "There's guards everywhere."
"You're lying. Tell the truth, or I will ask your friend."
"I won't let you hurt Yukari-chan!" growled Tsukune.
"Answer my question, and I will have no reason to do so."
"There are a lot of people in the public areas, and guys in jackets that could be security guards," said Tsukune. He shook his head. "I don't know. I've never been here before, and it never occurred to me to remember stuff like that."
"Very well. Thank you for being truthful. You could have simply said so to begin with," said Nanahara.
"Now answer my question," said Tsukune, emboldened by the man's courtesy. "Why are you here?"
"It is a very long story, one that I do not have the time to tell," replied Nanahara. His tone warned Tsukune that such a line of questioning would yield no answers.
The man at the head of the slovenly party shook his head and said something in English. It only took Tsukune a moment to realise he was addressing the giant, and he spun around in time to grab his attacker's wrist again, arresting a blow that would have knocked him out cold had it connected. By human standards, the giant's strength was prodigious, but it paled in comparison to the power Inner Moka used against Tsukune during their training sessions.
"Tsukune-san!"
Too late, Tsukune realised that the giant was a distraction. The cold steel edge of a blade was at his throat, pressing dangerously against his windpipe. Out of the corner of his eye, Tsukune saw Yukari draw her wand out from inside her cloak, but one of the female humans leaped forward to disarm her. Tsukune cursed. Physiologically, witches were no different from humans; their anatomies were identical, and their physical capabilities relied entirely on individual body strength. The only real difference was that witches possessed the ability to manipulate youki** and subvert it to their will, and in doing so they could augment and heal their bodies. Without her magic, Yukari's only advantage over the humans was her genius-level intellect.
"Forgive me, young man," said Nanahara. "It goes against my own principles, and the captain's modus operandi, but I am afraid we need you to come with us."
The humans were insane.
Their intentions were a mystery to Tsukune until they marched him into the foyer of the Assembly Hall, at which point it became clear what they planned to do. Nanahara walked behind Tsukune, reaching over his shoulder to hold the blade of his weapon to Tsukune's throat, while the dark-haired man who appeared to be the leader of the group held Yukari. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. Tsukune would never forgive these people for making Yukari cry.
Someone cried out in alarm as the group entered the foyer, and immediately the crowd dispersed to move out of their path. Tsukune's assumption that the men in maroon jackets were guards turned out to be correct; several were present in the foyer, and as soon as they realised what was happening they moved in to intercept the humans. To Tsukune's disappointment, none of them revealed themselves to be particularly fearsome monsters as they shed their human disguises in response to the threat. Two were lizardmen, the third was a noppera-bo and the fourth took the form of a giant anthromorphic rat.
"Stay back," warned one of the Caucasian humans firmly. His accent was slightly odd, but his Japanese was excellent. "If anyone makes any sudden moves, or tries to seize us, then these children will die. Get out of our way."
The guards backed off warily, and Tsukune suspected that their frustration was due to the fact that mere humans were making them look incompetant, rather than the fact that hostages had been taken at all.
"What happened to not drawing attention to yourselves?" asked Tsukune, wincing as Nanahara's blade grazed the skin of his throat.
"We were compromised the moment you encountered Baranov. If we let you go, you would report our presence to your fellow monsters," explained Nanahara distractedly. "And contrary to what you may think of us, we are not callous enough to kill children to ensure their silence."
"So you use us as shields instead?"
"The lesser of two evils, wouldn't you say? Besides, it's not like we want to do this. Neither the JSFG nor the SAS approve of using human shields. Even the Americans frown upon it. Put yourself in our place, young man. We are lightly-armed humans facing overwhelming opposition. Without an appropriate deterrent, these monsters would tear us apart without hesitation. Not one of us would make it to the door."
Tsukune wanted to argue, but the man had a point. He remembered his early days at Youkai Academy, dreading confrontation with his fellow students for fear that he would slip up and reveal his true nature as a feeble human. His first experience of an ayashi's combat capabilities was his encounter with Komiya Saizo, who had thrown him around like an angry child abusing a ragdoll, and only the intervention of Inner Moka had saved him. Until he acquired vampire blood, and the power that it infused his body with, Tsukune had relied almost entirely on his friends to protect him.
These humans had no such allies. They only had each other, and even the giant called Baranov could not hope to fight his way to safety with so many ayashi opposing him. There could only be one outcome of a direct battle between these humans and the ayashi surrounding them: death. All that remained to be seen was how many monsters the humans could maim before their lives were taken from them.
The humans' relief was almost tangible as they made it out through the front door without incident. To Tsukune's surprise, the school bus was still parked at the bottom of the steps in front of the building, and the sight of the driver leaning against the side of the vehicle was reassuring. An odd feeling of doubt settled over him, and it took him a moment to realise that it was caused by the driver's reaction. Or his lack of reaction. He did not seem at all perturbed as the humans descended from the Assembly Hall and made their way towards him, nor did he seem at all alarmed by the sight of two students being held against their will.
"We are taking this vehicle," stated the bi-lingual human at the head of the party.
"I know," replied the bus driver, casually exhaling smoke. "The keys are in the ignition. Bear in mind that it's nearly noon, and that the inner city roads will be congested with lunch-hour traffic in about twenty-five minutes."
"Why are you helping them?" cried Yukari. "Stop them!"
"I'm afraid I cannot, little lady. I was instructed to facilitate their escape. But fear not; as long as you stay close to your friend, you should come out of this affair relatively unscathed."
"What are you playing at?" snarled Tsukune.
The bus driver's perpetual smile broadened. "I am not a player, young man. I am merely a device to move the game to the next level."
Tsukune was bundled onto the bus before he could discern the meaning of the driver's words, and as the last of the humans scrambled aboard, the doors hissed shut with a clack and the vehicle began to move. To Tsukune's relief, Yukari was no longer being held at knifepoint; she had been forced into a window seat in the middle of the bus, and Nanahara steered Tsukune into the seat next to her.
"Tsukune-san..."
Tsukune took her hand and forced a smile to his face. "It will be okay, Yukari-chan. I'll think of something."
It did not surprise him that his words did little to comfort Yukari; they barely comforted him. As the bus picked up speed, surpassing any of the urban speed limits Tsukune was aware of, he took a moment to consider the situation. Nine humans, all armed with melee weapons, crammed into a confined space. Fish in a barrel to the likes of Inner Moka, and a simple challenge for Tsukune now that Nanahara had released him. If he could take back Yukari's wand, then the two of them could easily take on their captors.
But he could not bring himself to attack them. Despite the fact they were under duress, neither Tsukune nor Yukari were hurt, and deep down Tsukune knew that he was sympathising with their captors. They were ordinary humans, just as he had once been, and regardless of what skills or training they possessed, they would die if they remained in Ayashakai. They had already been sentenced to death, and after their actions at the Assembly Hall, the ayashi would spare them no mercy. If Tsukune impeded their escape, these humans would never make it back to the world they came from.
"What's your plan?" he asked Nanahara.
"To survive," replied the swordsman.
"How?"
"The scholars attached to our unit did not limit their studies to your culture. They researched your weaknesses, your flaws, and devised ways to turn your strengths against you. Once we retrieve the weapons developed using their research, we will stand a chance of surviving."
"You can't take on the entire city!"
"Of course we can't. But we can fight our way through whatever defences protect the city's only portal back to the human world***."
Tsukune hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's another way."
"What?"
"There's another way back to the human world," repeated Tsukune. "There's a portal on the campus of Youkai Academy."
Nanahara regarded Tsukune with narrow eyes, as if scrutinising his words for traces of deception.
"You aren't lying," he said eventually.
"No, I'm not. I'll tell you anything you want to know, as long as you promise not to hurt Yukari-chan."
Nanahara nodded. "I'm listening."
Fairy Tale 1st Subdivision Headquarters
Western District, Ayashakai
October 10th, 2015
Contrary to the fables of supernatural fiction, vampires did not fear sunlight. It did not incinerate them, nor did it make them sparkle****. There were some who disliked it, but Shuzen Kahlua was among those who rather enjoyed the feeling of the sun's warmth on her skin.
The morning sunlight beamed into the lounge through the row of terrace windows along one wall, and the white decor glowed in a way it never could under artificial light. The terrace doors were open, allowing a cool late-morning breeze to flow in and lower the ambient temperature of the room. Seated in a white club chair, from which she could easily reach her drink on the glass coffee table, Kahlua immersed herself in a translated edition of Journey to the West. The only sounds disturbing the silence were the occassional rustle of turning pages, and the frequent sighs of Fujisaki Miyabi as he exhaled smoke.
Miyabi was engrossed in his work, and had said little since opening the latest dossier of research notes to be brought to him. As his employee, Kahlua had offered to help him with his work, but quickly found that very little of the information in the dossiers made sense to laymen; complex formulae and esoteric text filled their pages, along with frequent but vague references to "Jormungandr" and "the Potentials". Miyabi would not even give her a simple summary of his work. Whenever Kahlua enquired about it, he would speak cryptically of a unique asset, and assure her that she would learn more when the time was right.
The peaceful atmosphere was disturbed by the sound of approaching footsteps out in the corridor, gradually growing louder until the lounge door swung open. Sato Akiyo strode into the room, his supercilious manner at odds with his appearance. Even dressed in the formal uniform of a Fairy Tale agent - a black tunic with gold lining and epaulettes, with matching trousers and well-polished shoes - Sato did not cut an impressive figure. He was a scrawny little thing, and his conceited attitude came from his belief that his position as the Commander's aide made him superior to everyone but Shuzen Gyokuro herself.
Sato halted beside the sofa Miyabi was seated on and snapped to attention.
"Subdivision Leader Fujisaki. I come at the behest of Shuzen-sama," he said.
"Of course you do," replied Miyabi dryly, without looking up from his documents. "What do you want?"
"Approximately eighty minutes ago, nine humans escaped from the dungeons of Shuzen Castle. In the process of doing so, they killed three guards and sabotaged the portal linking the Shuzen Estate with the Assembly Hall here in Ayashakai. Our informant at the Assembly Hall has confirmed that the humans have taken two students from Youkai Academy hostage."
Miyabi sat back, smiling. "I see. Might one of those students be called Aono Tsukune?"
Sato blinked in surprise and consulted his clipboard. "Y-yes. How did you know?"
"Call it a hunch. So where are the humans now?"
"They are at large in the Eastern District of the city. By order of Shuzen Gyokuro - Commander-in-Chief of Fairy Tale - you are to lead the hunt for the humans and their captives. Search and destroy. You are authorised to use any means necessary to restore the honour of the Shuzen clan."
"That's a convenient excuse. Gyokuro can't risk letting the authorities to deal with this, for fear that the humans will reveal the existance of our organisation. It would spoil all her fun if the Custodians and the Assembly became aware of her plans, now wouldn't it?"
"Take this seriously, Fujisaki-sama," snapped Sato. "Shuzen-sama deemed this task important enough to send her primary aide to act as her proxy and personally oversee its undertaking. You will obey her orders without -"
"If you don't stop your sycophantic whining, lowlife, then before nightfall Gyokuro's secondary aide will be making arrangements for your funeral," said Miyabi. The cold gleam in his dark eyes promised that the threat was not hollow. He leaned forward to stub out his cigarette in the crystal ashtray on the coffee table. "If you insist on spoiling my day with your dismal presence, then make yourself useful and contact the section chiefs stationed here in the capital. I'll need their agents. My own subordinates are busy with... other tasks."
Affronted by Miyabi's insolence, Sato Akiyo's pallid face flushed red with rage, but he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room without another word, leaving Kahlua alone with Miyabi. The subdivision leader drew a fresh cigarette from the pack in his shirt pocket, and lit it with his trademark zippo lighter. Kahlua closed her book and sat upright in her chair.
"This is your doing, isn't it?" she asked.
Miyabi nodded. "Yes, it is."
"Is it part of your plan to betray my mother?"
"A betrayal can only be considered treacherous if it is unexpected, Kahlua," replied Miyabi. He rose to his feet and donned his leather jacket. "Gyokuro knows full well that I will turn against her when our interests are no longer aligned. You can't stab someone in the back if they never take their eye off you, can you?"
"I suppose not, but that doesn't answer my question," said Kahlua.
"Yes, it is part of that scheme. You could say it's the beginning of the end for Fairy Tale."
Kahlua raised her eyebrows. "Nine humans and a student can't possibly pose a threat to Fairy Tale," she said, following Miyabi out of the room.
"The student alone is a grave threat to Fairy Tale. The soldiers are just useful pawns I intend to play with for a little while."
"Surely you can't be serious!"
Miyabi chuckled. "Don't call me Shirley. If everything goes according plan, you will understand my confidence in Aono Tsukune. And don't underestimate the tenacity of humans either. Remember; the exalted Brides of Dracula were slain in close combat by a human scholar, and the count's own heart was pierced by a man suffering from mortal wounds."
"The count was careless."
"His carelessness was the result of his hubris, a flaw shared by many of your kind," said Miyabi. "Including your mother. Be careful not to walk the same path she did; that road will lead you to nothing but betrayal and failure, and eventually to your doom."
They made their way downstairs and out into the garden in front of the manor. It was one of several expensive properties owned by Fairy Tale in the Western District, the affluent residential quarter of Ayashakai. Few ayashi in the city could afford such a large and luxurious home, but the house given to Miyabi was more than his personal residence. It was the unofficial headquarters of Fairy Tale's 1st Subdivision, and the hub of both their official and clandestine operations.
A helicopter was waiting for them on the lawn, and as she gracefully climbed into the vehicle, Kahlua was disappointed to find that Sato had made himself comfortable in the passenger compartment. He flashed her a coquettish grin, which Kahlua ignored. Sato Akiyo was under the false impression that being Shuzen Gyokuro's aide made him powerful and attractive, and he flirted with Kahlua at every opportunity. She was too polite to inform him that no rank in existance would ever entitle him to woo her, and she deflected all of his attempts to become familiar with her.
"Well?" asked Miyabi, climbing into his seat and slamming the door shut behind him. The rising whine of the helicopter's engines became a muffled drone in the background.
"Seven section chiefs are currently in the capital, and so far five have responded," said Sato, checking his notes. "They await your instructions."
"We'll make our way east for now, and proceed to our quarry's location once we have confirmation of their whereabouts," answered Miyabi. As the helicopter rose from the ground, he reached across the compartment and tugged the clipboard from Sato's hands. "Which branch leaders responded to the summons?"*****
"The Wraith, the Flayer, the Harlot, the Harlequin and the Triad," said Sato.
"Strange titles," said Kahlua.
"Not as strange as the people they refer to," remarked Miyabi. "Nevertheless, they are suitable enough for the hunt."
As she looked down on the green sprawl of Ayashakai's Western District, Kahlua's thoughts drifted to her sister, Moka. Aono Tsukune was Moka's friend, and had been with her at the Shrine of the Snow Priestess. In spite of the knowledge that the aim of Miyabi's scheme was to usurp her mother, Kahlua's spirits rose at the thought of meeting Moka again. Maybe Kokoa would be there too. Kahlua hated violence and conflict - particularly when her precious sisters were involved - and she was determined to ensure that their next meeting would not lead to a repeat of their last encounter.
She was to be bitterly disappointed.
The Assembly Hall
Ayashakai, Far East Realm of Ayashi
October 10th, 2015
Lurking in the shadow of a decorative plant, Shirayuki Mizore observed the commotion in the foyer. Custodians - the enforcers of the law in Ayashakai - moved to and fro, collecting statements from the distressed witnesses gathered in the chamber, noting down each person's take on events before moving on to repeat the process. Mizore had no idea what had happened here, but she was beginning to worry. Tsukune and Yukari were nowhere to be found, and there was talk that one of the private portals reserved for an Assembly Member had been destroyed. That explained the abnormal flare of energy that Mizore had sensed a while ago, but it did not explain what had happened to Tsukune.
She considered returning to the cafeteria, where their tour guide had herded the class at the behest of his superiors. Concerned for Tsukune's safety, Mizore had slipped away from the tour group unnoticed, determined to find Tsukune and make sure that he was safe. If Yukari was with him, so much the better, but Mizore would not waste time looking for her until she had found Tsukune. Maybe they had gotten lost, and had found the others in her absence?
Just as she got ready to move, Mizore detected a change in the atmosphere of the foyer, coinciding with the arrival of an imposing woman clad in a black lace gown. The Custodians snapped to attention and saluted as she entered the room, and the woman returned the gesture with a polite wave of acknowledgement. She began conversing with one of the senior Custodians, and Mizore watched her with wide eyes.
It was Akashiya Moka.
Her waist-length pink hair, angelic facial features and kind smile were identical to Moka's, but on closer examination Mizore noted several subtle variations between Moka and the newcomer. The woman was older than Moka, and slightly taller, and her overall appearance gave her an air of confidence and experience that seemed more similar to Inner Moka's mannerisms than those of her external counterpart.
Mizore could not hear their conversation, but whatever the Custodian was saying dismayed the woman, who eventually smiled politely and nodded to the man before making her way deeper into the building. Intrigued, Mizore slid out of her hiding place and stealthily followed Moka's doppelganger, taking great care not to be seen by anyone. It was not a simple task, but Shirayuki Mizore was skilled at moving around without drawing attention to herself. Stealth was one of the key skills in Mizore's repertoire, and one that she could not imagine living without.
She followed her target for several minutes, keeping her distance but never letting the woman out of her sight. The woman walked as if she knew where she was going, indicating that this was not her first visit to the Assembly Hall, and she paid no attention to the distinct signs declaring that the areas beyond them were out of bounds for visitors. It was as if she held greater authority than anyone likely to challenge her.
The woman disappeared into a chamber marked Private - Assembly Members Only, and Mizore quietly approached the door, risking a furtive glance into the room beyond. It was a brightly-lit hall, the walls of which were lined with doors. Each apparently led to the home of an Assembly Member, enabling them to travel to and from the Assembly Hall without using the public gateways connecting the ayashi settlements. The woman seemed interested in only one of these exclusive portals, a damaged door that revealed nothing but a bare patch of wall when she opened it curiously.
The sign above it read Shuzen Issa.
The woman concluded her examination of the door and reached into the satchel at her hip. She took out a gilded hand mirror and uttered a command as if expecting it to obey. As Mizore watched, a kaleidoscopic vortex of light and colour appeared in the glass of the mirror, gradually resolving into a distinct image.
"Akasha-san. It is good to hear from you again," said a familiar voice.
"Likewise, Mikogami," replied the woman. "Pleasantries aside, I would like you to explain yourself."
"Explain myself?"
"I am not in the mood for games. You know what I am talking about."
"That's a pity. The present situation is a game of sorts, you know."
"And I take it you are one of the players?"
"Yes."
The woman sighed impatiently. "Explain."
"Aono Tsukune's current plight is a necessary trial," said Mikogami. "If all goes according to plan, the boy will evolve into the champion we need to lead the fight against the Masked King and Fairy Tale."
"And if the plan goes wrong?" asked the woman.
"He dies."
Mizore's eyes widened.
"How did you arrange for the surviving UN observers to escape from Fairy Tale?" asked the woman.
"I didn't," replied Mikogami. "My opponent did. I merely manipulated existing arrangements for Aono Tsukune's class to visit the Assembly Hall, ensuring that the two events coincided. Like two chess players arranging their respective pieces on the board, we autonomously took action to instigate the boy's kidnapping at the hands of the soldiers. However, none of this would have been possible had you not brought Fairy Tale's existance to the attention of the human United Nations. For that, I thank you, Akasha-san."
The woman said nothing. Mizore could not see her expression, but the woman's reserved silence was more unsettling than any verbal outburst.
"I am going to intervene," she said eventually.
"Yes, I thought you might. All the arrangements have been made; our mutual friend awaits you with a car, and a means of pinpointing Aono Tsukune's location. Godspeed, as they say in the Old Covens."
"Goodbye, Mikogami."
The woman tilted the mirror to the side, dispelling the image of Youkai Academy's Chairman, and carefully slipped the mirror back into her satchel. She stood motionless for several moments, then glanced over her shoulder with a smile.
"How long do you intend to lurk out there, yuki-onna?" she enquired lightly.
Mizore blanched, but she did not make the mistake of moving. Only rookie stalkers risked moving when their targets suspected their presence; doing so only confirmed that you were there and, more often than not, if you stayed still then your target would reconsider and dismiss the signs of your presence as paranoria on their part. This woman, however, had not only detected Mizore's presence, but partially discerned her identity too. The fact that Mizore was deliberately suppressing her aura meant that the woman's senses were keen enough to pick up on minute traces of youki.
Reluctantly, Mizore stepped into the room, discreetly forming a dart of compacted ice in her hand. The woman cocked her head to the side curiously.
"That skirt... you're a student at Youkai Academy, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes," murmered Mizore warily.
"You must be a classmate of Aono Tsukune. And of Akashiya Moka."
"Yes," repeated Mizore. "Tsukune is my... precious person."
The woman seemed taken aback for a moment, but then she beamed and began to laugh. Just like Moka.
"Then you must be one of Moka's friends," she said, clapping her hands together. "Which one are you? Kurono-chan? Shirayuki-chan? Sendo-chan?"
"Shirayuki. I'm Shirayuki Mizore."
"Ah, it's nice to finally meet you. Moka has mentioned you all in her letters. I'm her mother; Akasha Bloodriver."
That explains so much.
"What happened to Tsukune?" asked Mizore.
Akasha's expression became sober. "The Chairman of Youkai Academy, fool that he is, has manipulated Aono-kun into taking part in one of his schemes. He claims that it is for Aono-kun's benefit and, in the long run, for our benefit too, but I am not convinced. You heard everything, didn't you?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It saves me the trouble of explaining it to you later, and you can help me break the news to Moka."
Mizore nodded. "If you're going looking for Tsukune, she will go with you."
"And what about you?" asked Akasha. "The way you described your relationship with Aono-kun tells me that you won't stay put, either."
"I will follow Tsukune wherever he goes," said Shirayuki Mizore.
Akasha's smile widened. "Then let's go and find him, shall we?"
Warehouse 115
Eastern District, Ayashakai
October 10th, 2015
The bus eventually came to a halt in front of an old, run-down warehouse in Ayashakai's Eastern District, and before the vehicle had even stopped moving the humans were rushing out of the door in an urgent but disciplined manner. They waited by the broad metal door while their leader fumbled with a loose brick in the building's front wall, prying it loose to retrieve the key hidden in the cavity behind it. After removing the lock, the humans threw open the door and disappeared into the gloom within, leaving Tsukune and Yukari alone with Nanahara and the youngest member of their group.
"The Custodians will be here shortly," said Nanahara, turning to address Tsukune. "We will make a show of holding you hostage, but as soon as we are done here we will hand the girl over to the authorities and make our way to Youkai Academy. We'll let you go as soon as we're back in the human world."
"How can we trust you?" asked Tsukune.
"We're professionals."
"They say the Shuzens are too," said Yukari quietly. "Could you trust them?"
"I would sooner carve out my own heart than place my life in the hands of a Shuzen," admitted Nanahara.
Without warning, Tsukune's ears popped, and moments later the black human emerged from the warehouse with an assault rifle in his hands. He mounted the bus and held out a heavy amulet to the girl sitting behind the vacant driver's cabin.
"The boss says you've gotta keep hold of this," he said by way of explanation. His Japanese was flawless.
"Are you all fluent in Japanese?" he asked.
At his side, Yukari shook her head. "We're speaking English now, Tsukune-san."
"Eh?"
"That girl has a Linguistic Manipulator. They're usually used by diplomats and ambassadors when they visit foreign ayashi settlements. It's a device that generates a magical field with a radius of one hundred metres, and anyone within that field automatically becomes fluent in the native language of the device's wearer. I knew what it was as soon as my ears popped." ******
The black human laughed. "Man, of all the witches we could've snatched, we went and grabbed us a real Hermione Granger."
"The witch from Harry Potter?" asked Nanahara.
"Yeah."
"The actress who portrayed her in the movies is quite an attractive woman."
"If that's your thing," conceded the black man. He gestured to Tsukune and Yukari. "C'mon, the boss says we've got to make you sit outside, so the cops can see you when they show up."
Recalling Nanahara's promise to release Yukari if they co-operated, Tsukune took the young witch by the hand and led her down to the front of the bus, stepping out into the late-morning sunshine under the vigilant gaze of the human with the rifle. The bus had stopped in the middle of a wide street between two rows of warehouses, all of which were sealed shut and showed no signs of recent use. At the far end of the street, the road was cordoned off by a high mesh fence, beyond which appeared to be a vast valley or a wide crack in the earth.
"What's over there?" asked Tsukune curiously.
"The underworld," replied Yukari.
Before Tsukune could ask for an explanation, he and Yukari were instructed to kneel in the space between the bus and the old warehouse, facing west with their backs to the truncated end of the street. Tsukune removed his green blazer and laid it down on the ground, sparing Yukari the discomfort of kneeling on her bare knees. The other humans emerged from the warehouse, laden with weapons, military-style webbing and bags of equipment, which they deposited on the bus before going back for more.
"Alexander says you and I have to stall the coppers, yank," said one of the men, wandering over to where Tsukune and Yukari knelt with their hands on their heads. He too had a rifle, and several holstered pistols were clipped to his webbing.
"Great, as if my day couldn't get any fuckin' worse," grumbled the black man. "Babysitting a couple of kids with the limey. Fan-fuckin'-tastic."
"Shove it up your arse, jarhead. Just keep an eye out for Old Bill."
"Who the fuck is Old Bill?"
"The police, you bloody nobhead."
"Excuse me, guv'nor, but that ain't what we call the Five-O back in the states."
The two men were still trading insults when Yukari brought the arrival of the Custodians to their attention. It was Tsukune's first time seeing the police force of Ayashakai in action, and he was surprised - and slightly disappointed - to see that they all wore their human disguises as they climbed out of their vehicles. There was at least a dozen of them, but none came within three hundred yards of the humans and their prisoners.
"They know we mean business," remarked the white human.
"Yeah. The boss made a good call putting the kids out in the open like this," agreed the black soldier, cocking his weapon. "Just gotta hope these freaks don't have snipers."
"The Custodians don't use firearms," said Yukari.
"You sure 'bout that, Hermione?"
"My name is Sendo Yukari."
"Sure. I'm Staff Sergeant Hayden, UNSOG. This here's Cross, but you can call him limey, 'cause he is a damn limey."
"Call him yanker," retorted the man called Cross, jerking a thumb at Hayden. "Because he's a yank and a wanker."
"Smart-ass. Remind me to beat the shit outta you when we get back to the real world."
Tsukune wondered how the men could be so relaxed in the presence of the Custodians, but then he remembered Nanahara mentioning that the group had access to weapons designed to kill ayashi. Had he been referring to the guns Cross and Hayden were now armed with? They did not look much different from the weapons Tsukune had seen in American action movies. Maybe the guns were just for show, and the real anti-ayashi weapons were being loaded onto the bus.
"This is just the vanguard," said Yukari, staring ahead at the Custodians. "More will come."
Tsukune couldn't tell if she was trying to intimidate or provoke their captors in some way, or if she was trying to reassure herself. He decided it was the latter, for a quick glance around showed that neither of the humans seemed at all troubled by their antagonists.
"Faced worse in Colombia back in 2013," said Cross. His tone almost sounded conversational. "It was me, Alexander and a couple of the other lads up against Santiago's paramilitary group. They were geared up for World War III, and all we had were a couple of spoons and a few guns we took from the guards we killed."
"Did you win?" asked Tsukune.
Cross shrugged. "I'm alive. Does that count?"
Tsukune was spared the effort of replying as Yukari jubilantly declared, "They're here!"
Sure enough, a trio of black trucks rumbled into the street behind the makeshift roadblock the Custodians had formed with their cars, and the two humans brought their rifles up to their shoulders in anticipation of imminent combat. Tsukune hoped that they would not fire; as much as he wanted to help them escape from the city, he couldn't stomach the idea of them gunning down police officers from behind their living shields.
Cross cocked his weapon. "Something isn't right," he said warily.
"Yeah. My gut's telling me to grab cover," replied Hayden.
Tsukune shared their unease, but he was unable to identify the factor that was causing it. Then it struck him; the cars used by the Custodians were silver, but the chasis of the trucks were painted an ominous black, and were bare of the decals and insignia displayed on the patrol vehicles. The Custodians themselves seemed bewildered, as if they did not recognise their reinforcements, and two moved away from the roadblock to approach the lead truck. The passenger-side window rolled down as the truck ground to a halt.
Two gunshots rang out in quick succession.
"Oh shit!" yelped Hayden, dropping to one knee and bringing his weapon up. "Boss! We got a situation here!"
Taken by surprise, the Custodians had virtually no time to respond to the new threat. Tsukune saw three shudder and fall as gunfire tore into them, and their comrades cried out in alarm as they dashed for cover. Men clad in black and gold uniforms were deploying from the black trucks and advancing on the roadblock, firing assault rifles similar to those wielded by Cross and Hayden.
"M16s?" breathed Cross.
"What the fuck are youse two doing?" bellowed a voice behind Tsukune. "Get the kids back on the fucking bus!"
"Alexander, the coppers are -"
"I've got eyes!" snapped the leader of the humans. Like his subordinates, he had equipped himself with a number of sidearms and grenades, and he held his own rifle in a way that spoke of years of experience. "Get the kids on the bus, now!"
Tsukune rose to his feet without further instruction, and he helped Yukari up before following their captors back to the bus. The lead truck rammed into the roadblock, slowly but surely pushing two of the Custodian's vehicles aside. The humans opened fire on it while Hayden ushered Yukari and Tsukune back onto the bus. He seemed more like a worried supervisor rather than an armed captor.
"What's happening?" asked the young woman with the translation device.
"The Custodians are under attack," answered Yukari. "There are more men with guns out there!"
Either satisfied that they had enough equipment, or not willing to risk staying stationary any longer than necessary, all but one of the humans climbed back onto the bus. The man called Baranov smashed the rear window with the stock of his weapon and began to fire through the gap. The overlapping thunderclaps of gunfire reverberated in the narrow confines of the bus' interior, and spent rounds clattered as they fell to the floor.
"Bulletproof glass," he spat. He stopped firing and backed away from the window. "Brace!"
Tsukune yelped as the bus lurched violently, and he scrambled into the seat beside Yukari. The bus was moving forward, but not under its own power; one of the black trucks had rammed into it from behind, and was pushing it down the street at an alarming speed. The human in the driver's cabin cursed loudly and fumbled to reach something under his seat.
"Turn the wheel!" shouted Yukari.
"No, don't! We'll present a larger target if we face them side-on!" barked the leader.
"But we're headed straight for Naraka!"
"Jackson! Get that fucking engine started now!"
"I dropped the bloody keys!" shouted the driver.
"You stupid twat!" wailed Cross.
The front of the bus clashed against the mesh fence at the end of the street. It clattered and buckled dangerously, but it did not yield. The hair on the back of Tsukune's neck rose as he sensed the talismans fixed to the fence posts emitting high levels of youki, and his blood froze as he realised that such measures would not have been taken to augment the barrier unless there was a real need for them.
"What's Naraka?" he asked Yukari breathlessly.
"The domain of the outcast ayashi," gasped the witch. "A chaotic cesspit where the cruellest ayashi and true monsters of Ayashakai live."
Before Tsukune could respond, the magical field reinforcing the fence's structure gave out with a loud bang. The deformed section of the fence snapped free of its fixture and was flattened under the bus as it rolled forward. Yukari threw her arms around Tsukune with a wail of terror, and Tsukune wrapped one arm around her while grabbing hold of the seat in front of him. The driver hastily abandoned his position and scrambled into the passenger section of the bus.
"Hang on!" he screamed, as the view through the windscreen behind him whirled into a vertiginous blur of colour.
Daniel Moore gave a wordless cry of horror and disbelief as he watched the bus topple over the edge of the precipice and disappear from view. There was a thunderous series of crashes, gradually replaced with an ominous silence, and Moore dropped to his knees in despair. They were gone. Jackson, the captain, Hayden, fiesty Doc Vokes, the kids... all gone, just like that. Moore wanted to weep. He wanted to scream his frustration and his grief until his throat was raw.
They had come so close. They had endured seven long, painful days in the dungeons of Shuzen Castle. They had sustained no casualties during their escape from that nightmare, and even after their discovery at the Assembly Hall, they had made it to the supply dump without incident. Why had their luck failed them now? Just as the tables were beginning to turn in their favour...
Curt voices snapped at him in Japanese.
Powerful hands grabbed at Moore and a pair of black-clad men wrestled him to the ground while three others kept him covered with their weapons. Converting his sorrow into rage, Moore resisted, mustering all of the strength and stamina the Special Air Service of Australia had trained into him. It was futile. His opponents were more numerous, and despite their appearances, both men possessed strength equal - or perhaps even greater - to his own. His wrists were cuffed tightly, and the same hands that had forced him to the ground relieved him of his newly-acquired weapons before hauling him to his feet. He did not understand what the men were saying to him. The average Western otaku possessed a greater understanding of Japanese than Daniel Moore.
The whirring drone of a helicopter filled the air, and the vehicle emitting the sound flew in low over the street. As helpless as a restless child in the grip of the monsters, Moore was marched towards the helicopter as it set down in the middle of the road. The gyration of its rotors kicked up a small storm of dust and litter. Moore was forced to his knees as the dust subsided and the helicopter's passenger doors opened. A handsome man in a dark leather trench coat hopped out of the vehicle, followed by a tanned beauty in a white gown and an ugly little man dressed in the same uniform as the men who were pinning Moore down.
"Hello there," said the man in the trench coat, raising his voice to be heard over the wail of the helicopter's idling engines. "Looks like you missed the bus, huh? Too bad. I'm afraid that disqualifies you from the game, soldier. What's your name?"
Moore remained silent. One of the men leaning on his shoulders slapped him hard across the back of the head and said something tersely in Japanese.
"It doesn't really matter. I just wanted to know which of my pawns had fallen off the board," said the man. He wedged a fresh cigarette between his lips and waved the packet in an inviting manner. "Coffin nail?"
"No," replied Moore.
"Ah, so you can understand me. Good. I was beginning to think my English was rusty."
Far from it; his English was perfect. The man's pronunciation was excellent, and his accent could have convinced Moore that he had grown up in New York. The man lit his own cigarette and tucked his lighter away as he crouched down to bring his face level with Moore's.
"You're upset. Don't be; I can guarentee that all of your comrades will outlive you. The children you took from the Assembly Hall certainly will."
"How do you know?" asked Moore.
"Because the game has only just begun," replied the man. "See, a few months ago, I became acquainted with the seeress who rules over the winter wonderland of the yuki-onna. She was a very formal and downright boring woman, but the spirit dwelling inside her was quite an interesting fellow. We talked. I had questions about the future, and it had great knowledge of events yet to pass. In exchange for not killing its host and her people, the Jack Frost told me how Aono Tsukune would make my dream a reality."
"What dream?" asked Moore.
"To create a new world."
Moore snorted. "Impossible."
"For an ordinary man, yes," agreed the man. He leaned in closer, and his voice barely rose above a whisper. "But then, I'm not an ordinary man, am I?"
Moore stared into the man's eyes. They were cold and dark, like the depths of an icy lake, and his pupils were like polished discs of black marble. A terrible chill gripped Moore's heart. His felt his soul quail under the man's penetrating gaze, and for the first time in a long time, Moore experienced true fear. Even his torment at the hands of the interrogators at Shuzen Castle had not terrified him like this. The man extended the fingertips of his right hand and gently placed them against Moore's chest, as if to feel the frantic palpitations of his heart.
"What are you?" breathed Daniel Moore.
"I am the harbinger of an ideal future," replied Fujisaki Miyabi, thrusting his arm forward.
Cal's Annotations
* - We had to change Nanahara's given name. Shinji is a surname. The replacement - Shoujiki - means honesty, and I include it as a reference to the novel that inspired this story.
** - Not to be confused with "youkai", a word commonly used in the same context as "monster" in the manga. "Youki" refers to the aura and power most ayashi possess. It's kind of similar to the concept of reiryoku/reiatsu used by shinigami in the manga series Bleach.
*** - For security reasons, there are no public portals directly connecting Ayashakai to the human world. Not only does this decrease the chances of humans stumbling directly into the heart of ayashi society in the Far East, but it also prevents monsters from crossing over to the human world en mass (zerg rush!) or without an adequate human disguise. In order to cross over to the human world, residents of Ayashakai have to apply for a travel permit, and pass through a portal maintained and monitored by the Custodians. This is not canon material.
**** - Vampires do not fecking sparkle. Only fairies and pixies sparkle.
***** - Fairy Tale's structure is somewhat vague in the manga. In this story, Fairy Tale consists of a command echelon and six Subdivisions, each made up of numerous branches led by a section/branch chief. An unofficial domestic division garrisons the Floating Garden, answering directly to the Commander herself. This is not canon material.
****** - This device was inspired by the translation capabilities of Mokona from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles and the eponymous Doctor from Doctor Who. Both have magical/telepathic abilities that enable their companions to communicate with people/creatures from worlds that do not speak their language. This will help Tsukune interact with the English-speaking humans. Celt and I figured that giving all the humans the skill to speak Japanese perfectly would be unrealistic, given how complex the language is, and we didn't want to limit Tsukune's interaction to just Nanahara, Jackson and Amy. Thus the Linguistic Manipulator was introduced.
Celt: Wow, this chapter was a lot longer than its predecessors. The word count? "It's over 9000!" Yeah, it's not much compared to some fics, but it's still bigger than the first three chapters put together.
Tsukune and Yukari are up shit creek, and Miyabi has assumed the role of Game Master. The aptly-named section chiefs he mentioned will make their debut in the next chapter. Kahlua is a lot more mature in this story - she is usually very girly and cheerful in the manga, but she gets serious when she is on the job, and in this story she is on Miyabi's payroll. (Which is why she isn't back home at Shuzen Castle.)
Oh yeah, the bus driver isn't out of work now that his beloved bus fell off a cliff. We've got plans for him...
Stay tuned for the next chapter! :)
