A/N: Hay guys, I'm back again. And I gotta say, the recent polls I've pulled in for the pairing of this fic have reached some decent heights. The standings are as follows;
OC/Harem: 14
OC/Moka: 14
OC/Kurumu: 1
OC/Mizore: 1
Good voting everyone, and the polls are still open for a while so to those that haven't voted yet be sure to cast yours before the decision is finally made. But that aside, this chapter has taken me the longest to right to date. But I'm rather proud of the overall outcome. So I'll let you guys become the final judges on the subject.
Disclaimer: I don't own InFamous or Rosario Vampire.
It was amazing how things could change after only two weeks. With their new jobs with the school newspaper, the group of friends had managed to really get their club off the ground. Each of them had their own section to write about each week that fit their style.
Yukari did a combination horoscope and fortune-telling articles thanks to her powers as a witch. Along with studying tips for anyone struggling through various courses.
Kurumu wrote about special recipes for home-baked goods, along with a couple of articles on how for a woman to land a good man. Of course everyone else in the group already knew that they were tactics that she was already currently using on Mike to get him in her bed.
Moka wrote interest articles. Mostly of the important events and functions going on around the school that people would like to attend.
As for Mike, he was the groups photo-journalist. With his ability to scale the buildings he could get pictures with his camera from very surprising locations and heights that most would not think of. And his charismatic nature made it easy for him to interview people on certain subjects.
All together they made a really good team, and the school paper had earned a great deal of attention after only two printings.
Gin came back a day or so after his suspension was lifted. He entered the club room and felt four burning glares tearing through him that made him feel like he was an inch from execution. He apologised for his behavior, and claimed he had a good excuse why things happened the way they did.
It seemed that during the time of the full moon, not only is a werewolf granted more strength and speed but their instincts are hyped up as well. Which includes their hormones.
In essence, Gin was unable to control himself and was basically drunk on power from the moon. And with him still being a young werewolf who is still learning how to control his urges it made it easier to overpower his logical thought.
Mike didn't buy it at first, until he read up on Lycanthropes and the effects the moon had on them. Gin was telling the honest truth and was asking their forgiveness for all the trouble he had caused.
The group had been willing to move on and start over...until they discovered a stash of photos on the club rooms computer filled with undressing girls which resulted in Moka, Kurumu and Yukari to start beating the werewolf senseless.
Despite him behind a huge perv and a man whore, Gin turned out to be pretty alright in the end. He admitted to Mike that he thought vampires were the only monsters to match his kind in a fight, and that whatever he was would probably make the list no problem with how hard the Conduit beat him down.
Mike just laughed it off, doing his best to move around the subject before people tried to dig into what he was even more.
At the moment, the group was handing out the latest issue of the 'Yokai Gazette' to the student body an hour before classes started. Groups of students crowded around the club members to get their hands on the papers, mostly guys who wanted an excuse to get closer to Moka and Kurumu.
"The latest issue gives a good feeling, doesn't it?" asked Gin as he and Mike pulled out the remaining copies they had and setting them out on the table they used.
The Conduit looked out at all the people coming around their stand and smirked, "Yeah, and it's all thanks to everyone working together to make it all that much more interesting." he set the rest of the papers out as Moka came up and took another stack before heading back you to hand them to more people.
"And to think I was never the 'read or watch the news type' back home." he admitted.
Gin looked down at the younger teen, "No good news in the world where you're from?"
Mike's back straightened a little before he shook his head. "No, not really." He saw the look the werewolf was giving him and just grinned, "Then again, there is hardly ever any good news in the world anyway. At least here we can write just the good parts."
The upperclassman narrowed his eyes a moment before letting the matter drop. Mike let out a breath of relief before getting back to work.
A sudden chill went up his back making him stop again. Looking around, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but just couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. Like back when they were all deciding on a club.
He'd been feeling this way for about a week now. At first he thought it was just his imagination, but he still had a strong feeling that someone had been following him almost everywhere he went.
And yet each time he looked for where it was coming from he came up empty. It was unsettling, and was starting to piss him off a little bit.
A half hour later Yukari cheered. "Yay! All the newspapers are distributed!" she said holding up an empty box.
Kurumu wiped the slight sheen of sweat from her forehead, "Yahoo, the news critics are really good this time too. It's no wonder we sold out so fast." she said as they started to pack things up.
"Hey I have an idea." Moka said smiling. "How about we hold a celebration? Our club has been doing so well I think a big party would be a good way to congratulate ourselves."
Mike nodded, "I like that idea. I think we earned the right to cut loose after all the hard work we've done." "Agreed!" Yukari exclaimed while jumping up on to his back.
"Uh, guys?" Kurumu asked looking around. "Anyone seen where Gin went?" They all started to look around and found the club president MIA even though the had seen him almost a minute ago.
"You don't think he's off harassing more female students, do you?" asked Moka hesitantly.
"Probably, but don't worry too much. He'll be on the ass end of another ass kicking if he get's out of line again." Mike said with a few volts crackling along his arms.
Kurumu stood in the front of their group with her hands on her hips. "So it's okay if we don't invite him. Other than that, how are we going to hold a party? Any ideas where we should have it?"
"How about the club room? It's big enough. Let's head over to the store after class and pick up some snacks and drinks." said Moka getting nods from everyone.
"Sounds like a good plan. But no alcohol." Mike said shooting a glance at Kurumu who looked away a little bashful. "Don't look so innocent over there, Kurumu. I had feeling of what you might have been thinking."
Yukari and Moka giggled as the succubus stuck her tongue out at the Conduit who just chuckled at her childishness.
"You guys sure get along pretty well. The newspaper club that is." said a soft, monotone voice from behind them.
Turning, the friends were greeted with the sight of a girl their age with alabaster-white skin, shoulder length purple hair and crystal-like blue and purple eyes. She was wearing white hoodie with black long sleeves that covered her hands and stopped at her shoulders revealing the straps of a black tank top above the same skirt all girls wore at the school. She also wore purple and white stripped stockings that went all the way up her toned legs leading into a pair of white tennis shoes.
She rolled the lollipop that was in her mouth before speaking again. "Getting close with one another...I don't really understand that."
"And what's that suppose to mean?!" Kurumu asked heatedly.
Mike reached out and squeezed her shoulder to calm her down before addressing their guest. "Sorry, didn't catch your name Ms..."
"Mizore." said the girl softly. "My name is Mizore." she looked at the empty boxes on the table before going back to the group. "Are there any newspapers left?"
The Conduit tilted his head before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out the issue he had been holding on to for later. "Got one right here, a little roughed up, but it should be alright." he said handing it over to her.
Taking the paper, Mizore moved into Mike's personal space. Looking up at his face since he had a good couple of inches on her. "Something wrong?" he asked a little uneasy at the girl's sudden move. The air between them seemed to drop a couple of degrees for some unknown reason.
"So you're Michael Macgrath?" she wondered with a small blush dusting her pale cheeks. "You're so much cuter than I first thought." turning around, Mizore gave a slight wave before walking off to only she knew where.
Standing still for a few seconds, Mike felt Moka grab on to his left arm. "Michael, who was that just now?" she asked confused.
"Not a damn clue...but she seems to know me." said the Conduit scratching the back of his head just as confused as she was.
"She kinda pisses me off..." Kurumu said glaring where the girl had been standing. Yukari nodding right next to her after the strange turn of events.
Mike shook his head, "Let's not worry about this right now. It's time to party girls!" he said pumping his fist. The girls cheered as they all began to head into the school in time for class. Not knowing that the very girl they had been wondering about was watching them from behind a nearby tree.
X
After putting everything away, the group made it to class in time as Miss. Nekonome had been going about role-call. Everyone raising their hands and letting know that they were present until she reached the last name on the list.
"Shirayuki." the teacher paused but no one answered. Mike took the time to look around the room and noticed that there had been an empty desk right in front of him that morning. "Shirayuki?" Nekonome called out again. "She seems to be absent today too..." the cat-woman said sadly.
The door to the class opened catching everyone's attention. Mike, Moka and Kurumu's eyes widened when the girl from earlier walked in. Crossing the room and sitting at the desk in front of the younger Macgrath without saying a single word or even making a sound.
"Mizore, you finally came?" asked Nekonome in higher spirits.
Mizore just nodded and remained silent.
Nekonome smiled, "Well let me introduce you to the class. Everyone this is Mizore Shirayuki. Due to personal reasons, she hasn't been coming to school. So everyone do what you can to make her feel right at home."
Mike looked at the girl sitting in front of him with a calculating look. "School started almost four months ago...why the hell is she dropping in right now?" he couldn't help but think to himself.
Sensing someone watching her, Mizore cast a glance over her shoulder at the Conduit and sent him a small smile before turning back to the front of the room.
"...I've got a bad feeling about this..."
When class ended Mike met up with Kurumu and Moka outside the library to further discuss their plans for the party later. "So it's agreed, after we get everything we need we'll all meet at the club room and start setting things up." said the pinkette.
Kurumu smiled sinfully at Mike and slid up to him so that her impressive chest was right up against his. "You better be looking forward to my handmade sweets, Michael. They'll be special." she started rubbing her breasts on him causing a blush to break on on his face until Moka pulled her off him.
"Kurumu! You're doing it again!" she said dragging the struggling succubus away.
"HAY! I wasn't done yet!" the bluenette cried as they disappeared around the corner. Mike regained his blood pressure and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't believe this sometimes. I had absolutely no game back at Empire High. But here girls practically fall out of the sky around me."
He felt a chill go down his spine snapping him out of his thoughts. Spinning around, he saw someone duck their head behind one of the pillars in the hallway. "Alright, I know you're there so come on out." he said evenly.
A moment later, a familiar head of purple hair popped out from behind the pillar. "Hi..." she said a bit timidly.
Mike blinked, "Uh...hi? You're name's Mizore, right?" he asked hoping he remembered the name.
She nodded before approaching him. "It is. I came to bring this back." she said handing the newspaper he had given her this morning back to him. "I read it, the articles you wrote were very interesting. As usual."
Taking the paper he slipped it into his back pocket, "As usual? What does that mean?" he looked back up and saw her holding a small blue notebook with a white heart on one side and a rabbit on the other.
"Have a look." Mizore said smiling. "When I was away from school, I always asked Miss. Nekonome to send me copies of the Yokai Gazette. I've been gathering your articles into this scrapbook."
Mike took the book and felt a wave of unease pass through him as he flipped it open. His eyes widening with each turn of the page. His articles were on every entry, with words in the margins like; 'Strong willed and a beautiful mind.', 'Poetic and powerful.' and strange enough, 'Mizore Macgrath' with hearts all around it.
"How is it? I even added some comments about what you wrote." Mizore said smiling.
"...SHE'S ALMOST LIKE SASHA WAS TO COLE!" Mike felt a little fear trickle into his mind of the sheer idea of someone being like the crazed addict turned Conduit that shadowed Cole for so long. "How long has she been stalking me?!"
The girl crossed her right leg over her left, "I really love the news reports that you write about. You always seem to right about the views of those who wish to better the world. And the pictures you take, they are beautiful."
She approached him to the point they were almost touching. "Your personality, and your way of thinking are similar to my own." Her arms wrapped around his left bicep and she cuddled into him. "You must be lonely, right? I know how it feels..."
Even Mike had to admit that she looked cute with the way she was looking up at him. The look in her eyes spoke volumes as well. He knew the look of a fellow outcast when he saw one, someone who had been either ignored or treated badly for one reason or another.
"Maybe she's not like Sasha...maybe she's just alone and looking for a friend." the Conduit thought while easing his mind. "I was lonely once." he admitted closing the scrapbook and handing it back to the purple haired girl. "But I still have my brother and my friends to make it easier."
Mizore tilted her head, "Am I...considered a friend to you?" she asked timidly.
Mike smiled, "If you wanna be." the girl seemed to glow with happiness before she started pulling him along. Taking him out of the school and into the woods by the very same lake where he had met Kurumu all those months ago.
"Have you ever skipped rocks before?" she asked picking up a small flat stone and tossing it across the water. Skipping it several times on the surface before it sank. The Conduit picked up one similar to hers and flung it sideways.
The rock skipped over a dozen times before sinking on the other side of the lake. "Me and my brother used to do stuff like this with our dad back when we lived in the country." he said picking up another stone and tossing it.
"What is your family like?" Mizore asked tossing her own stone.
"They were good people. Mom was a stay at home parent, dad worked for the fire department where we lived. My brother Cole moved out to go to college but dropped out to take a job as a bike courier and to be closer to his girlfriend elsewhere." Mike said picking up another rock. He had no idea why he was telling her all this. Perhaps it was because Moka had been the only one he had really opened up to and wanted to let others in.
Or maybe it was because he was missing his family lately. Either way it felt easier to talk about it.
The girl tilted her head at him, "You said they were good people. Did something happen?"
"Damn she's sharp." Mike thought realizing she had caught on. "My parents died three years ago. I went and lived with Cole after that."
Mizore looked saddened, "I'm sorry about your loss. My mother is all I have, and I know what it's like to lose family for one reason or another." she said looking at the ground as she remembered her own family.
The Conduit touched her arm gently. "We still have family left, and friends too. In the end that's what really matters." he said getting her to smile and blush at his words.
They continued to throw rocks into the small lake and just talk about random things. Mizore was a bit hesitant with some of the things Mike had asked, but his kind and compassionate nature helped bring her more and more out of her shell.
Soon she was giggling at a few corny jokes his brother and his friend had told him. "They sound quite interesting." she said referring to Cole and Zeke.
"They are my brothers, even if Zeke is Cole's best friend he always felt like a second brother to me." Mike replied as he checked his watch and saw the time. "Shit, running a bit late."
The purple haired girl looked at him strangely, "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"I have to get to the club room soon, we're having a bit of a party to celebrate our newspapers' success." he said turning back to her. "How about you come along? Give you a chance to meet the others and socialize a little more."
Mizore walked up and wrapped her arms around him. "It's because you want to be closer to her don't you?" she asked, her usual monotone voice returning. "Moka Akashiya...that's who you want to be with?"
Mike felt the air around them beginning to get colder, small clouds of fog swirling around the two of them causing warning lights to go off in his head. "Mizore...what's going on?" he asked as his body started to tense up.
"All you need to do is just be mine, Michael. Is that so much to ask? After all...she won't be much of a problem anymore..." she said evenly.
The Conduit's eyes widened at what she could have been implying.
X
Moka sat at the desk at the head of the club room. An array of snacks and drinks on the surface before her as he put her chin in her hands. "Michael is running late. It's unlike him." she said to herself.
The door opened making her perk up. "Michael?" her smile faded when she saw the purple haired girl they had run into that morning. "Mizore?" she asked hesitantly.
"Michael won't be coming no matter how much longer you wait." said Mizore emotionless as she stepped into the room. Droplets of water leaving small puddles in her wake.
She lashed out and knocked Moka to the floor before straddling her, hands going around her neck as she began to strangle her.
"W-What are you?" Moka gasped as she tried to pry the cold-hard hands from around her neck.
"You're an eyesore." said Mizore coldly. "If you don't exist, Michael will be mine."
Ice began to build along the pinkette's chin as she continued to struggle. "Stop this!" she shouted backhanding the girl over her. The strength behind the strike snapping the other girl's head to the side and sending small chunks of ice flying off of her.
The girl started to change, her body becoming that of solid ice and transparent. Half her head shattered from Moka's hit as she continued to look down at the shocked vampire.
"Unfortunately, the 'me' here is just an ice-doll. Isn't it made well." said the replica. She raised her hand as it formed into a set of razor-sharp ice-blade. "I'm sorry, but please disappear. Moka Akashiya. In order to fill my desire."
Moka's eyes widened as she screamed. "MICHAEL!"
X
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Mike roared, electricity firing out of him and sending Mizore skidding back several steps. Everything around them was covered in a thin sheet of snow, the lake itself now solid ice as the two faced each other.
Mizore's form began to change. Her long hair turned to ice and stuck out at all angles. Her hands changed into ice-claws that poked out from under the long sleeves of her hoodie as a cold mist surrounded her. "I won't let you run away." she said stepping toward him.
The Conduit channeled energy along his arms, "What the hell are you?" he asked already preparing to attack.
"A snow woman, and I can freely control ice." she said, large pillars of ice shooting out of the ground behind her with each step she took. More ice came out of the ground and began to form along Mike's legs keeping him where he was.
"We were destined to meet, Michael. Because we're both loners, fate brought us together. We understand each other. We'll warm our cold hearts."
A Giga-Watt blade formed on his right hand and he stabbed it into the creeping frost. Shooting power into it and shattering the ice before it made it to his waist. "Not the way you're thinking." he said leaping away as more ice tried to ensnare him.
"You sure are persistent." Mizore said wistfully. "But as long as your body is frozen, there's nowhere you can go. When that happens, you'll be mine." more ice went after the Conduit from all sides. He jumped into the air and used his static thrusters to stay out of reach.
Shock grenades fired from his hands down on to the pillars and shattering as they tried reaching for him. "Mizore stop this! I don't want to fight you!" he said thunder dropping down and sending ice shards flying in all directions. "Look, I know you feel alone in the world. I've been there. But this isn't the way to go about solving it!"
Two ice pillars shot up in front of him and he blasted them with a shockwave as they closed in. "It's the only way to ensure that you'll never leave me." said the snow woman as she sent more ice to capture the Conduit. "Please, can't you see we are meant for each other?"
A barrage of lightning bolts shot from Mike's hand and tore through the ice that was gathering around him. "This isn't working. I need to get out of here and make sure Moka's okay." the thought taking down another pillar.
"Michael!"
The Conduit looked up and was shocked to see Moka coming down from the air in Kurumu's arms. Mizore followed his line of sight, "Why, you are...?"
"By pure luck." said Kurumu smirking. "I was able to save Moka in the nick of time. But thanks to that, the cake I had made special for Michael was completely wasted!"
The snow woman gritted her teeth, "Don't stand in my way!" Ice pillars shot high into the air forcing the succubus to dip and weave around the sharp points that nearly skeward her and Moka. One of the pillars got lucky and knocked the two girls off course and sent them crashing to the ground.
"Those who hinder the true love between Michael and me, should just disappear!" Mizore said holding out one of her ice-claws.
A lightning bolt shot through the air and struck the outstretched limb. The ice-claws shattered at the tips and causing the snow woman to scream in surprise. All three girls looked over and saw Mike with his arm outstretched. Electricity crackling along his frame with a look as cold as the air around them.
"No one hurts my friends...you've gone too far." he said as the energy intensified.
"Why are you stopping me?" Mizore asked with her claws reforming. "We're connected, you and I. Two lonely souls finding solace in one another. Can't you see that?"
Mike kept his aim locked as Moka and Kurumu got back up and stood behind him. "I can understand you wanting to be friends. And I'd be lying if I said that you and I aren't similar in certain ways. But when someone hurts my friends all bets are off."
The snow woman's face fell, eyes shimmering with tears that froze halfway down her cheeks. "Don't tell me that...you're rejecting my feelings?" She shook with barely contained sobs before letting out a bone chilling wail of despair.
A whirlwind of white mist ripped through the area forcing the three friends to cover their faces. Within moments it passed as Mizore vanished into thin air. Mike's sharp eyes looked around for her, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Where'd she go?" asked Moka also looking for her.
"Good riddance." Kurumu said with a low growl before turning to the Conduit who still had his back to them. "Are you alright, Michael? She didn't hurt you did she?"
Mike was silent, eyes locked where the snow woman had disappeared. "...Mizore..."
X
The three friends, along with Yukari, all met back in the club room discussing what had happened. "Just what the hell was frosty the snow skank trying to do? Put Michael on ice like some kind of freaky ice-fetish?" Kurumu asked heatedly.
"And she tried to have Moka killed! That's not right!" Yukari shouted after they had told her everything that had transpired.
Mike hadn't really said a word since they had gotten back. His thoughts spinning multiple times a second as he tried to figure everything out. "Are you guys talking about Mizore Shirayuki by any chance?" the group looked up and saw Gin standing in the doorway with a serious expression.
"Yes...why?" asked Moka as the club president stepped inside.
"There's a bit of controversy about her going on around the school." said Gin leaning against a desk. "From what I could gather, she had been suspended from school in the beginning of the year because a teacher said she was coming on to him. When he rejected her, she lashed out and froze him solid."
Kurumu scoffed, "Guess we know why she's suddenly back, her suspension probably came to an end."
"Which teacher suspended her?" Mike asked, speaking for the first time in a while.
"Not really sure, but from what I could gather it was kept as quiet as possible." said the werewolf causing the Conduit to wonder more on the subject.
"Michael? What are you thinking?" Moka asked seeing the look on his face.
"I'm not completely sure. But in the time I talked to her she didn't seem like a real threat." he admitted.
"Not a threat?!" Kurumu said gobsmacked. "Michael she tried to kidnap you and slaughter Moka!"
The Conduit gave her a look and raised his eyebrow, "Really? And that doesn't sound familiar to you Kurumu?" he asked making the succubus blush and look bashful realizing that she had pretty much attempted the same thing months prior. "Look, all I'm saying is that there is something else going on that we're not seeing. If there's one thing I've ever learned in my life it's that things aren't always what they seem." he continued.
"And since I've started here...that has really held true."
The group thought hard on that piece of information. "So, are we suppose to just give her a chance?" asked Yukari uncertain. "After everything she's done today?"
"We gave Kurumu and Gin a second chance didn't we?" Mike asked. He looked to Moka who nodded, knowing that he had given her a second chance as well. "I'm going to head out and talk to Miss Nekonome, she knows a little more about what's going on than we do."
The Conduit stood up and headed for the door. "Why are you so dead set on this?" Gin asked making him pause.
"Because of the look in her eyes. It was the same look I saw in my own just before I came here." he replied looking back at them. "The look of someone who doesn't have much of anyone to rely on. Friends that can be depended on when things get too rough. Just trust me on this one." with that he was out the door.
Along the way to the faculty room he was deep in thought. The few pieces of the puzzle that he had managed to get came together a little. "If she came on to a teacher...why would she suddenly jump to me when she got back? Something's not adding up. And her change in emotion when she thought I rejected her...she's got deep seeded emotional trauma."
He couldn't put his finger on it, but he had a feeling that Mizore was in desperate need of help.
Arriving at the faculty room, Mike stepped inside and saw Nekonome munching on a couple of raw fish on a stick as he approached her. "Excuse me, Miss Nekonome?" he asked getting her attention.
"Oh Michael! What can I do for you?" she asked smiling.
"I was wondering what you could tell me about Mizore Shirayuki." he said causing the smile to be replaced with concern.
"Why? Did something happen?" asked the cat-woman.
"You can bet something happened!" both teacher and student looked up to see a tall man approaching them. His red hair slicked back into spikes, each ear having four piercings wearing an all white with blue trim track suit.
Mike bit back a growl as Kotsubo Okuto stood before them looking beyond angry.
The gym teacher at the academy rubbed him the wrong way several times. More than once he had caught the SOB ogling the girls in class as they went about activities, eyes glued to their curves like a sick bastard who couldn't control himself.
"I just got a report that two of my soccer players were found frozen! Witnesses said they saw Shirayuki fleeing the scene before the boys were discovered!" Kotsubo exclaimed.
Nekonome gasped as she stood up, "What?! That can't be!"
"Believe it." growled the gym teacher. "Both boys had been frozen and beaten pretty badly. They could have died if I didn't get them to the infirmary in time! With all the trouble that she has caused so far this year, I think it's best if she were expelled!"
"Hold on a damn second." Mike said getting the older man's attention. "How do you know she didn't do it out of self defense? I mean, look how many fucking pervs I had to help put in their place for getting 'overly affectionet' with the girls here. How do we know they didn't try to do something to her?"
Kotsubo sneered, "You should know better than to talk back to your superiors, Macgrath."
The Conduit stepped up and got almost nose to nose with the teacher, "It'll be a cold day in hell before I consider you my superior." he said clenching his fist. Small volts of electricity dancing along his knuckles as he tried to retain his powers.
"Michael, enough." Nekonome said putting an arm on his shoulder and pulling him away. "Why don't you head out. I'll talk with Mr. Okuto." she began leading the gym teacher away after he sent one last glare at the student.
"Fucking asshole." Mike muttered.
"Oh Michael, you're such a naughty boy aren't you?" said a sultry voice from behind him. Turning around, the Conduit was met with the sight of Ms. Ririko. Now, if Nekonome was a bombshell, Ririko was a damn knockout.
She taught math, and had a figure that distracted every single male student, and a handful of female students, in her classes. Shoulder length brown hair and beautiful fair skin with curves that even had Kurumu envious on occasion. She had glasses which added their own appeal and always wore a tight white blouse with the top two buttons open exposing a lot of cleavage with a tight black mini-skirt.
"Ms. Ririko." said Mike trying to look anywhere but the impressive breasts looking him right in the face...literally.
"You shouldn't argue with your teachers, it's very naughty." she said gently patting his cheek. "Although I can't blame you completely. Kotsubo is hardly an ideal teacher." she said with a sigh.
"That's putting it mildly." the Conduit thought bitterly.
Ririko rubbed her forehead, "I mean, he is always making moves on the girls here at this school. It's no wonder he hasn't been fired yet. I heard he even had one student suspended for threatening to go to the Chairman for getting to comfortable with her."
Mike's eyes shot open. "From what I could gather, she had been suspended from school in the beginning of the year because a teacher said she was coming on to him. When he rejected her, she lashed out and froze him solid." Gin's words from before came back to him and realized the upperclassman had been on to something. Only the whole situation was the other way around!
Without a word he took off into a run out of the faculty room leaving a confused Ririko in his wake. "I wonder what's got him all fired up?" she wondered.
X
With it being the end of classes for the day, Mike had to be really careful with how he handled what he was doing.
After finding the right number, he stood outside Mizore's dorm room. Mentally preparing himself for what might happen as he reached up and knocked. "Mizore? It's Mike. Look, I know you're probably still pissed about what happened earlier. But I just want to talk to you."
No answer. "Mizore? Are you in?" he asked knocking again. Reaching for the doorknob, he found it unlocked and slowly pushed the door open.
Inside the air conditioner had been on full blast. It had to have been at the very least 15 degrees in the room as the Conduit stepped inside. Shoes crunching on a small sheet of snow that covered the floor and every other surface in the room.
"Damn." he said, breath steaming out of his mouth in the dark room as he slowly treaded farther in. The dorm was empty, she wasn't there which left him wondering where she had went.
Moving over by the bed, his right foot bumped something on the ground. Reaching down, he brushed snow off of what he had hit and found a picture frame. Picking it up, he saw that it was of him about a week after the school year started. "This girl has a serious crush on me." he thought putting the frame down on the bed-side table.
Looking at the bed, Mike saw that the snow there had been disturbed recently. "She was here." he said out loud. "Which means..." He began channeling his powers and sent out an echo-pulse through the room.
A second later, Mizore's bio-electrical signature appeared on the bed in the form of a green outline. Hugging her knees and holding the picture in her hands as her shoulders shook. After a few moments, she suddenly stood up, the frame falling to the floor as she darted out of the room.
The Conduit began following the echo, leading him out of the girls dorms and into the nearby forest. Whenever the signature faded he'd send out another pulse to reacquire it as he continued to follow after the trail the snow woman left behind.
He went pretty far, the trail leading him to a secluded spot on the edge of the woods that revealed a large cliff high above the red ocean surrounding the school grounds.
Hearing voices, Mike pressed his back against a nearby tree and leaned out to see Mizore shouting at another figure that he immediately recognized as Kotsubo. "I said let go of me!" she screamed as the gym teacher gripped her arm tightly.
"Not a chance, you're too dangerous to let run around here anymore!" the teacher said darkly. "Can't have you running your mouth about what happened. All I did was make a few comments and you turn around and start spreading rumors!"
"They weren't rumors! You were molesting me! YOU TRIED TO RAPE ME!" The snow woman screamed only to receive a backhand that knocked her to the ground.
"That's enough out of you." Kotsubo said as strange black tentacles began seeping out from under his outfit. "Little teasing whores like you belong at the bottom of the ocean...but first," the appendages began to slither along her form causing her to whimper. "I'm going to do what I should have done back then."
Mizore's hoodie was torn open exposing the black tank top she wore underneath. She screamed, trying to use her ice-claws to get at the tentacles but they held her wrists. "Scream all you want, Mizore. No ones coming for you this time." Kotsubo chuckled.
He roared in pain when a lightning bolt struck one of his tentacles. Another one followed, then another.
Out of the forest, Mike ran forward. Arm outstretched and letting loose a barrage of lightning bolts that forced the attempted rapist to release the snow woman. "Let. Her. Go. You. Fucking. BASTARD!" each word was punctured with another bolt that hit its target head on.
Unable to block the barrage, Kotsubo was pushed back to the edge of the cliff. The Conduit gathered more energy to his hands and fired a shockwave that sent the teacher hurling off of the cliff.
It was underhanded, and a little on the dark side. But Mike couldn't find it in him to care as he turned to the shivering girl on the ground as she tried to hold her torn hoodie together. "Mizore. Are you okay?" he asked kneeling down next to her.
She shied away from him, not meeting his gaze as tears came to her eyes. "Why? Why are you here?" she asked not believing that he was there saving her.
"When I said all bets are off when someone tries to hurt my friends...I meant all of them." he said smiling.
Mizore looked up at him, a blush filling her face realizing that even after everything she had done he was still there willing to help her like he was.
"I wouldn't be too smug if I were you!" Mike looked up and saw a large tentacle aimed right for them. He grabbed Mizore and leapt to the side just as it came down hard where they had been a moment ago.
More tentacles grabbed on to the edge of the cliff and slowly began to pull the rest of the being up. Kotsubo reappeared, a large black octopus with glowing yellow eyes on its head attached to his back. Large tentacles spread out in all directions as he stood facing the two teens. "That really hurt you little bastard. Now I can have the joy of killing you both!" The multi-armed monster began lashing out with his arms trying to crush the two as they began to dodge around them.
Mike leapt out of the way of another appendage, bringing out his Giga-Watt blades and began hacking away at the ones that got to close. "Christ, what kind of fucked up creature are you?" he asked slicing another tentacle and sending several volts into it at the same time.
Mizore was next to him, firing a barrage of icicles from her hands and piercing the flesh of the gym teacher's limbs. "I believe he is a Kraken. Don't let his tentacles get you!"
"Too late for him!" Kotsubo shouted as two of his tentacles wrapped around Mike and pulled him into the air. "I'm really going to enjoy tearing to in half!"
"Michael!" the snow woman screamed as the Conduit was yanked into the air.
Mike grunted from being squeezed, but managed to focus his powers and electrocute the appendages that were trying to rip him apart. Kotsubo seemed to shriek in agony the longer he held on and was forced to let the teen go.
Now free, the Conduit activated his static thrusters and remained in the air. Firing shock grenade after shock grenade down on to the still recovering Kraken and driving him back. He thunder dropped back to the ground and fired a couple of shockwaves to keep the bastard off balance as he peppered him with more lightning bolts.
Mizore watched, mouth agape at the display of power the Conduit was displaying. And she wasn't the only one.
The newspaper club had gone off in search of Mike after they heard about what Mizore had supposedly done. With them was Miss Nekonome and Ms. Ririko as they stopped at the edge of the woods in shock and watched the fight unfold before them.
"Why are you bothering to try and protect that worthless skank? She's nothing but trouble." Kotsubo rumbled as he tried to block the electric attacks coming at him.
"Shut the hell up you fucking rapist!" Mike fired back. "Your a damn teacher! You're suppose to be helping the students here, not try and get your sick jollies off on them!" The electricity dancing along his body started to become more intense. "And for what you did to Mizore...I'm going to make sure that you fucking suffer!"
The Kraken chuckled, "With what? Your pitiful electric attacks hurt like a bitch, but not enough to stop me. It should have been so simple. Pinning off beating those punks on the snow slut would have made her an easy target. But no, you had to stick your damn nose in it, didn't you Macgrath!"
"And when your out of the way, no one will know any of this. And Mizore...she'll be screaming like a true slut soon enough!"
The group gasped, "It was Kotsubo the whole time! He tried to frame Mizore!" exclaimed Moka.
Gin took out his camera and began snapping pictures for evidence. "I may be a peeper, but I'm no fucking rapist." he growled making sure they had enough to prove to the school what a scumbag the teacher was.
Looking up at the monster, Mike started chuckling. "You really have no idea what I'm capable of do you?" The skies overhead began to darken, thunder could be heard in the distance as the air itself became charged around the Conduit.
"What's going on?" asked Kurumu looking up at the sky.
"I...I think Michael's doing this." said Yukari pointing at their friend/love interest. His arms glowed brightly as darkness continued to creep around them.
Mizore also looked up at the darkening clouds before turning to the Conduit as his power continued to channel. Kotsubo began to sweat from all the energy he was feeling. "What...what is this?"
"A simple scientific question." Mike said with a sadistic grin. "What happens to an octopus when it's struck by lightning?" he raised his arms as the claps of thunder began to resound much more loudly, electricity crackling and seeming to burn the very air.
"The answer...same as everything else." With a battle cry he brought both arms down.
The sky tore open and large bolts of lightning came shooting down from the clouds. Striking the Kraken hard and zapping him with tens of thousands of volts of power. Driving him to the ground and shaking the very Earth as his agony filled wails died in his throat feeling as though he was being electrocuted by Zeus himself.
Everyone's jaws dropped at the display of sheer power revealed before them. The ground rumbling under their feet as they tried to stay standing from the strength behind the attack.
The rosary around Moka's neck flared to life as Ura witnessed the display as well. The gem/eye widening seeing such a devastating technique. "How powerful is he to control one of nature's elements like this?" she wondered in slight awe.
Mike kept the strikes going, feeling the strong drain in his energy reserves. The Ion Storm was the most powerful attack he and Cole could unleash, but left them with very little energy in the end. That being said, they only used it when they really needed to.
Feeling his energy dwindiling, he stopped the ion storm and dispelled the energy around him as he looked at his target. Kotsubo laid at the bottom of a small crater, his body smoking and charred as it twitched from a few volts still running through his system.
The Conduit fell to one knee snapping everyone out of their amazement and they rushed over to him. Nekonome and Ririko going over to the downed gym teacher to make sure he was really out. "Eat...that..." Mike breathed out heavily as his friends gathered around him.
"Michael?" Moka asked kneeling in front of him.
He grinned lazily at her, "I'm fine...just tired. That attack takes a lot out of me."
"I can bet." Gin said slinging his arm over his shoulders and helping him up. "What the hell was that anyway? I've never seen something so powerful."
"Ion storm...my trump card when things go to shit." said Mike as Moka took up his other side and helped him stay standing. "Guess I just over did it fighting asshole over there." he motioned toward the crater where Kotsubo laid unmoving.
Nekonome came over to them after she and her colleague made sure the other teacher was still breathing. "Well...he's still alive." she said after a moment. "Though I have a feeling he won't be moving much in the near future. Michael...I don't know what to say."
"Make sure that piece of shit never comes around here again. Or I swear I'll kill him." the Conduit growled. "And Mizore here gets full pardon and an apology by the staff for even thinking about expelling her.
The cat-woman nodded, "I'll speak to the Chairman immediately. Now why don't you all head back, we'll speak more about this tomorrow."
Nodding back to their teacher/advisor, the group began to make their way back toward the campus. Yukari waved her wand repairing Mizore's torn hoodie before the snow woman turned to her savior. "Michael..."
The Conduit regarded her as everyone paused. She smiled, "Thank you."
"You don't need to thank me, and you will never have to." he said smiling back. "Friends do this for each other, Mizore. And I still consider you a friend, if you don't mind being a part of our little group here."
The snow woman blushed and fiddled with her fingers. "I'd...I'd like that."
Moka, Kurumu and Yukari all looked at each other with hesitation. While Gin had anime-tears pouring from his eyes. "Another one?! How the hell does he do it?!"
X
Another week passed and it was a very eventful one. Kotsubo's actions were brought to the light and he had been instantly fired and Mizore had been pardoned for any reprimands that had been brought against her.
The snow woman had apologised to the two boys she had frozen. As it turned out, she was distraught after what she believed was a rejection from Mike and they had tried to see if she was okay. She froze them out of fear, but quickly thawed them realizing what she had done and ran before someone saw her.
Both boys confirmed her story, then revealed Kotsubo had beaten them unconscious while threatening to kill them if they talked.
The newspaper club had been all over the story and had it out in the next edition of the Yokai Gazette. Gin supplied pictures of the fight that occurred between Mike and the demented gym teacher, including one of the Conduit bringing lightning down from the sky right on top of the Kraken.
It was all on the front page, with the caption; 'Rapist-Gym Teacher Exposed! Guardian of Yokai Academy Delivers Shocking End to the Terror!'
"Guardian of Yokai Academy huh? Sounds catchy, I could get used to that." Mike said as they all sat in the club room after another successful day distributing their work.
"It kinda fits though, I mean you do have a hero complex." said Moka smiling.
"Of course my destined one is a hero, he saved me after all." said Kurumu hugging the Conduit tightly from behind, her breasts going on either side of his head. A brass basin appeared above her head and slammed down loudly knocking her off of him allowing Yukari to take her place.
"Hands off helium-chest! He belongs to me and Moka!" The little witch exclaimed. Which promptly started another fight between the two of them leaving the others to sweatdrop.
"Great job everyone!" said Miss Nekonome. "Another successful newspaper, I knew this group would have been perfect for the job."
"Would you expect anything less from us teach?" Mike asked leaning back in his seat. He felt a sudden chill go up his back making a smirk appear on his lips. "How have you been Mizore?"
There was a soft 'eep' from outside the room before the door opened revealing the purple haired girl. "How did you know I was here?" she asked entering.
The Conduit's smirk widened, "Not many people can send a chill up my back without killer intent aimed at me." he said causing the girl to blush.
Moka looked at the snow woman and made an observation. "Your hair." Mizore's once shoulder length purple hair was now cropped short reaching just about mid-way down her neck giving her a whole new look.
"Does it suit me?" she asked timidly.
"Very much so!" Nekonome said happily.
Mizore smiled, "Even though you're exaggerating, I've decided to completely make myself over. I thought I'd start with my hair style first."
"You're pretty photogenic too, let me take a photo." Gin said taking out his camera. But in the process caused a small stack of pictures to fall from his pocket and scatter on the ground revealing images of mostly naked girls.
"Gin?" Mike asked making the werewolf look down at him uneasily. "You remember what we talked about right?" Gin paled slightly remembering the 'talk' he had with Mike not long after he got back from his suspension.
"Mike...no-!" But the Conduit wasn't having any of it.
"MAN CHECK!" Mike quickly stood up and drove his foot into the upperclassman's nuts causing him to scream like a girl and drop to the ground holding himself. Ignoring the whimpers of pain, the younger Macgrath turned to Mizore. "So what brings you here?"
The snow woman brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and blushed a little. "I was hoping to join the newspaper club. If you will have me."
"Of course! There are many places still open!" Nekonome said excitedly clapping her hands.
"We'd be happy to have you." said the Conduit making Mizore's blush deepen. "Right girls?"
"Oh...yeah...great..." Kurumu managed while trying to keep a fake smile on her face. "Yes, it'll be fun." added Moka with a vein pulsing on the side of her head despite her some-what happy disposition.
Yukari just smiled, but was plotting ways to keep this new girl away from Mike like she was doing with Kurumu. All three girls thinking the exact same thing unanimously.
"Great, more competition."
X
Elsewhere, a familiar yellow bus came out of the long tunnel leading to and from the dimension Yokai Academy was housed within. Coming to a stop by the welcome sign where three large sacks of letters were waiting.
Pulling to a stop, the driver stepped off and gathered the bags all over one shoulder. "I wonder how that kid is doin here." he wondered flicking the ashes off his cigar while tossing the bags of mail into the seat behind his own. "Hope this place isn't too much for him to handle. Good thing my brother has a tendency to see the true power in some of these kids."
His business taken care of, he turned the bus around and headed back toward the tunnel to deliver the letters he had picked up. But in the process didn't see the form drop from the large vehicles undercarriage.
The bus faded into the darkness and out of the dimension as the shadowed figure slowly stood up. Pale and thin frame that was clearly female with sharp claws poking out from under the long sleeves of a dirty short-leather jacket.
Sickly features hidden under a red hood as she observed her surroundings until her dark eyes locked on to the school in the distance. A disturbing grin appearing on her black lips. "How interesting..." she hissed before strutting her way toward the building.
A black ooze-like substance dripping from her body with each step she took.
A/N: And the plot thickens. A cookie to anyone who can figure out whose paying the school a visit next chapter. The next couple of chapters are going to be all original for obvious reasons. If you've seen the anime and read other fics then you'll find it a nice change of pace. If your new to the series, then you'll find it quite entertaining.
Until next time, you all know where to find me!
P.S.: To all my fans of Infinite, there will be an update soon. I've just hit some major writers block with it and need a little time away to regather my thoughts on it before throwing myself back into it. So don't worry, updates will be coming.
