Sorry for the lateness of the update, been busy with shtuffs. Anyway, the fic is finished, but I'm not going to update it all at once. Hopefully I'll have it all up by December 21st since I leave for X-mas break after that.

8

"You can't be serious," Kai said as the rather large structure came into view, "THIS is where you live now?"

Yuki laughed, "Yes," he said, "This is the Twilight Mansion, home to all the Zweilts as well as Luka, me, and now you!"

"Mansion is an understatement," Kai said with an amused grin, "I can only imagine what it looks like inside."

"Why don't you go in and take a look?" Takashiro said as he opened the door for them, "Kai, your room in on the second floor in the south wing, it's near both Luka's and Yuki's. The Zweilts are in the same area, so I'm sure you'll all become good friends. Yuki, I'm sure you can show her the way."

Yuki nodded, taking Kai up the stairs and down a long hallway, finally ending at the door at the very end. He gestured to it, saying, "Well, it's the only one near both my room and Luka's and I don't think it's occupied, so I guess it's yours."

"We'll know soon enough," Kai said, knocking on the door.

"Ah! You're early!" Senshiro said as he poked his head out of the door. He smiled, "It doesn't matter, though, since I was just doing some final dusting." He opened the door, granting them entrance. As they stepped into the room, Kai couldn't help but stare.

Before her stood a large window that stopped about two and a half feet from the floor otherwise taking up the entirety of that wall. Pushed against it was a large bed with a simple, yet beautiful spread, a clothing chest standing at its foot. At the other end of the window stood an easel and an artist's stool, with a stack of blank canvases as well as most of Kai's completed ones set off to one side. However, the one feature of the room that really caught Kai's attention was the large piano in the center of it. She ran to it, opening the lid and running her hands over the keys excitedly.

"This is amazing!" she cried, eyes shining with happiness, "Is this part of the Steinway Grand series?"

Senshiro nodded, "Yep, one of the older ones, but we were told that the older models are better and more durable than the current ones. I figured you'd know better."

"No, that's actually true!" Kai said jovially, "The one I have at home is a newer model and it doesn't sound as good as the older ones that I've heard at professional concerts." She laughed, "Do I really get to keep this in here? This room is amazing and all, but I feel like I'm getting spoiled to point of insanity!"

Yuki laughed as well, "I did too when I first moved in," he said, "but you get used to it quickly, especially when you realize that everyone lives in this sort of comfort."

"It's true," Senshiro said, "Kuroto and I just moved in about two months ago and our rooms were decorated to fit our personal interests as well. At any rate," he continued, "I'll leave you to unpack, dinner will be ready in about an hour." And then he left.

"We still have some time before dinner," Luka said, sitting on the edge of the bed as Kai stored her suitcase and messenger bag in the closet, having finished packing, "I want to give you some idea of what's coming your way."

She nodded, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, as Yuki took his seat by Luka's side, "I've been rather anxious about that, to be honest," she said with a grimace, "You call your brother a sadist, but I'm thinking that the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree."

"All Duras are sadistic to some degree," Luka said, "It's in our nature, but it's also a trait that, because of your human side, you are fortunate enough to lack. I am not going to sugarcoat it, I will not go easy on you at all in your training. It's important for you to master your powers quickly so you'll be able to defend yourself if Luze comes for you again, an event I have no doubt will occur."

"I understand," Kai said, "but how will this work? I mean, Takashiro enrolled me in college, didn't he?"

Luka nodded, "Fortunately, their break started a week after yours did," he said, "meaning we have about another two to get the basics down. It should be plenty of time, unless you're a complete idiot and, considering you're smarter than that Hostuma brat, I'm sure we'll fine. After the two weeks are up, your training will take place in the evenings after dinner. You should get all your schoolwork done beforehand, since I can guarantee you'll be too tired to do it afterward."

"Right," Kai said, a little daunted by the upcoming training sessions with the Opast, "Hey, on side note, you mentioned that my appearance will continue change until I look completely like an Opast, but how long does that-!" she was cut off as a sudden burning surge through her throat, shooting through her sinuses until it started to affect her eyes. Screwing them shut, she fell to her knees as Yuki cried out.

"It's alright," Luka's voice penetrated through the pain, "It's just the final stage of change, Yuki, she'll be fine."

"But… her eyes are…is that… blood?"

Blood?

"It's normal, Yuki," Luka said, "just let it happen, she'll be fine. It should be over soon, anyway."

He was right, the burning stopped a few agonizing moments later. Kai opened her eyes tentatively, wiping away the blood from her face and noting the weird sensation in her mouth.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked, handing her a wet towel to wipe of the rest of the blood, "You… you're eyes look like Luka's now, they're… really pretty."

Kai blushed, "Thanks," she said, taking the towel. She ran her tongue over her teeth, realizing that the odd sensation had come from the fact that her canines had not only lengthened, but has also become sharper, more feral. As she thought about it, Kai vaguely remembered seeing glimpses of Luka's fangs as they'd talked in the park when she first met him and the Zweilts.

"This is so strange," she said, leaning back against the wall. As Luka stood, she asked, "This is going to sound childish, but… what do Duras… you know…"

"Eat?" Luka finished casually, "Well, Duras are immortal beings that get sustenance from the darkness in humans' hearts. When I was still living under Reiga's command, I often joined in the practice of feeding on the abundant Nidatorehi as well, but that doesn't really matter. To address your real worry, we still eat normal food, for the sake of taste and the added nourishment more than any real need to."

Kai sighed with relief, "Good to know," she said, "I wasn't looking forward to either of the former prospects."

"Human food won't do much for you as you get stronger, though," Luka said warningly, "Whether you like it or not, you will eventually need to resort to taking the blood of Nidatorehi. I'll admit that it's something I do even now, however, one night of hunting every month should be more than enough to keep you healthy."

She nodded, "On the subject of nourishment," she said, standing, "I believe our hour's up," She smiled at Yuki, "Should we head to dinner?"

He nodded, "Yes, I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you again."

Despite what Yuki said, Kai still found herself entering the dining hall with no small degree of apprehension. Sure, she'd met the Zweilt Guardians before, but she was still human back then and they had witnessed her change so quickly afterward… the damage she'd caused… how would they treat her now? Nevertheless, she swallowed nervously, then followed Yuki into the room.

"Yuki! You're back, and Kai's with you!" Touko was the first to spring out of her seat and run over to them. Kai couldn't help but be surprised when the younger teen suddenly hugged her, saying happily, "I'm so glad you're here too! I was worried you wouldn't come!"

"It's good to see you again," Kai said a little breathlessly as Touko released her. She glanced at the others seated at the table, a little taken aback by their kind expressions. She blinked as Hotsuma suddenly let out an snort of annoyance.

"Good lord, do ALL Duras have trust issues?" he asked, leaning back in his chair, "I thought you'd be different, seeing as you've grown up human."

"Tsukumo said it before," Shuusei said with a gentle smile, "Any friend of Yuki's is a friend of ours, Duras or not."

Kai smiled gratefully as she sat in the empty chair next to Yuki, "Thanks," she said. Much to her delight, Kai found that dinner passed amid lively conversations and various jokes, the majority of which were pointed at Hotsuma and Kuroto. As they talked, Kai began to feel that she might actually enjoy living in the Twilight Mansion.

As the final dishes were cleared, Luka stood, "Let's go," he said, nodding towards the door. She followed as he led her outside, Yuki and the others in their wake. This didn't go unnoticed by Luka, who turned to them, annoyance plastered on his face.

"Why the hell are you following?" he demanded, looking pointedly at the Zweilts as they all entered a large clearing.

"I want to see what Duras training is like," Tsukumo said simply.

"We all do," Senshiro said with a smile, "it's a wonderful research opportunity."

"We're not lab rats," Luka growled, "Get out of here before I make you, you're wasting my time."

"Then stop arguing with them," Kai said with a sigh, "it's eight on one, you know you're not going to win."

The Opast let out a noise of frustration but stopped anyway, turning away from the others, pointedly ignoring them, "Alright," he said to Kai, "the first thing we have to do is get you to control of the instinct prominent in every Duras: the desire to kill. I noticed you didn't sleep the entire way here, a wise decision, seeing as you would have been taken over again."

Kai nodded, "I feared as much," she said, "but do you really think we can fix that in one night?"

Luka nodded, "It's an internal battle that I can't really assist you with," he said, "the only thing I can do is give you some coaching before you head off to fight." He turned to Shuusei, "I suppose it's actually good that you came," he said, "I need you to put up a barrier around the two of us. Then I want you and the others to get back into the tree line, got it?"

The brunet nodded, summoning the strange orbs that Kai had seen before. There was shift in the air as the barrier was put into place. She smiled reassuringly at Yuki, who looked worried as he backed into the trees, before turning back to Luka. He motioned for her to sit down, which she did, with her new teacher following suit.

"The most important thing you need to remember," he said, "is the cardinal rule among every Duras, and I don't mean just Opasts, it's true for Nidatorehi and Mid-Villains as well. It's a very simple concept: you must not hesitate. Hesitating is the worst thing you can do in battle and it's the one thing that makes the choice between life and death. In short, if you hesitate, you die. Understood?"

Kai nodded, "No hesitating, got it."

"The second thing," Luka continued, "I already told that once you enter the battlefield, I cannot help you. As such, I will not be there to pull you out if you loose yourself. Thus, the second thing to remember is to keep your mind absolutely clear, you cannot listen to anything your enemy will say, that will result in hesitation, which I already told you will result in…"

"Death," Kai finished, "No hesitating and keep a clear head, is there anything else?"

"Just one more," the Duras said, "this is not just a battle of skill and wits, it's primary focus is on influence. The looser will be forced to submit to the victor for eternity, an inescapable slavery that no one can deliver you from. Do you get it now? If you loose this fight, your instincts will completely overrun your conscious, taking over your body as a result. I will not hesitate to kill you at the first sign of that happening, understand?"

She nodded, swallowing thickly, "How do I start?" she asked.

"It's simple" Luka said, stretching his hand in front of her face, "You sleep."

Kai's body suddenly felt heavy and she couldn't keep her eyes open. However, this time she submitted to the sleeping spell, letting it carry her off to her fight. A moment later, she found herself standing in a ruined castle, a full red moon floating overhead. Around her were strew blades of varying sizes and shapes, all the same deep black hue. Carved in each weapon was some sort of animal, each one different from the last, some grotesque forms that she couldn't even put a name to."

"What is this, is this my subconscious?" Kai wondered allowed. She jumped away quickly as a scythe of compressed wind nearly cut her in half. She gaped at the figure who appeared before her.

"What did you expect?" it asked with a laugh, "I am a part of you, after all."

Kai was looking at herself, but it wasn't completely her. This person had the same long black hair, the same pale skin, the same silver eyes that Kai now bore, she even caught a glimpse of her own fangs as the creature grinned gleefully. However, this Kai had strange, swirling black patterns extending up her arms and from the outer corner of her right eye. Unlike the real Kai, who was wearing her customary tank top and jeans, this one was dressed more sensually that Kai ever thought she'd see herself be. This Kai was dressed in a lacey black corset that exposed her midriff and way too much cleavage. The woman was also sporting tight, ripped black leather pants that were tucked into knee-high combat boots, the chains on which clanked softly as the figure leapt to the ground.

"Who are you?" Kai demanded, taking her stance, ready to dodge another attack.

The figure laughed, "You really are an idiot!" she said, "I'm you of course!"

"No, you're not," Kai said, "I'd never dress like that even if my life depended on it."

The woman glared, "I always hated your simple way of dressing, it's so mundane," she said, tossing her head, "Well, back to the point, I suppose you can just called me your instincts, seeing as how that's just what I am, after all."

"That's not really a name," Kai said with a smirk, "but it's better than nothing." She glared at her instincts, "I suppose you already know the possible outcomes of this battle."

Her instincts grinned, "rest assured, Kai, you will loose" she said, "my powers may be the same as yours, but you have no way to access or control them. Face it, you're helpless in front of me. Especially as I've shifted time here to fall on Walpurgis Night."

"Walpurgis Night?"

"You really don't know anything!" her instincts cried, "it's the night where Duras powers are at their height! I'm at my strongest now, you can't possibly beat me!"

Kai seized the hilt of a katana, the nearest weapon at her disposal, "I won't let you beat me that easily."

"We'll see… after all… can you really kill me?"

She gaped as Kanto was suddenly before her. He glared at her intensely, making her drop the sword in shock and take a step back.

"Why are you here?" she asked, "How… how did you…?"

"Monster."

Kai gaped at him, "Kanto?"

"You're a monster, you're not my sister," he said venomously, "and you're too slow."

She blinked, confused, "What are you…!"

"Too slow," Kai coughed, watching as flecks of blood fell from her lips. Then the pain hit, making her knees shake as she looked down at the blade in her stomach. It was a sleek, black katana, the imprint of a wolf carved into its surface with silver inlay, the same one she'd picked up a moment ago. Kai gripped the hilt as her instincts tried to pull it out, springing away with the sword still in her gut. She leaned against a broken pillar, sliding to the ground in a sitting position.

"Pathetic," her instincts said, looming over her, "you couldn't even make it this far. I can't believe you thought you could beat me! But," her dark form knelt in front of her, seizing Kai roughly by the hair, "You already knew you couldn't do it, didn't you?" she threw her back against the stone, "You're nothing but a half-talent pianist with no career ahead of her, you're no fighter. Face it, you're not a human, not a Duras, you're a HALF-BREED, a half-breed with no hope of ever belonging. You know it, that's why you're in so much pain, YOU'RE A FREAK! Why… why are you laughing?"

Kai shoved her dark half away, drawing the blade from her stomach. She straightened, letting out a slight groan of pain as she did so.

"You're driving yourself to your own death," her instincts said darkly, "you can't possibly do anything with that… kind of… wound…WHAT IS THIS?"

Kai leaned on the katana as her instincts shrieked in agony, blood pouring from a seeming spontaneous gut wound, "Luka told me two very important things before I came here," she said, watching her other half round on her furiously, "he told me not to listen to you, for one, and he told me one other, very crucial thing." She took a step, instantly appearing behind her darker form, raising the blade above the stunned figure, "He told me not to hesitate."

She brought the blade across her dark form's back, drawing an ear-shattering shriek from her. Her instincts sprang away, looking at her venomously, "HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO ALL THIS?" she demanded.

"You said it yourself, you're a part of me," Kai said, wiping the black blood from the blade coolly, "if you can alter time in this dimension, then I should be able to do it with ease. After all, this is my mind we're talking about, isn't it? You're a part of me, yes, but you… are not… ME."

"Still…what did you do? I picked up the sword, I STABBED YOU!"

"Do you know how many times I've had to fend of creepers in the city back in Osaka?" Kai said, "I've pretty much mastered faking out an opponent, not to mention I know how to ignore bating. Thinking on my feet is also something that comes naturally now because of that. As it is, I figured if you could alter time in my subconscious, then I should be able to with ease."

"I-Impossible!"

Kai nodded, "Altering your perception of time was easy enough as well." She slid the katana back into its sheath as her darker half let out a low laugh.

"That sword," her instincts said weakly, "the weapon you use to kill me is the weapon that will be your closest ally in all battles. The insignia on it… is your… partner…"

"This is over," Kai said, preparing to make the final blow.

"I can't… believe… I lost… to such a boring dresser."

"Your power is mine now," Kai said as she brought the blade down sharply, her dark form disappearing in a whirl of shadows.

"You're smarter than I thought," Kai woke with a jolt to find Luka and Yuki sitting by her, the latter looking fretful. She realized that she was in her room, in her bed specifically, with morning sunlight filtering in through the window. She looked at Luka, confused.

"How long have I been out?" she asked wearily, falling back against the pillows again.

"Your break ends the day after tomorrow," Luka said, "I forgot to mention that time passes differently between here and your subconscious."

"Thanks," Kai said sarcastically, "Anyway, where do we go from here?"

"I'll give you today and tomorrow to rest," Luka said, "you took about the average time to defeat your instincts, it's generally a very quick battle, but it's also exhausting. You'll be feeling a little sore too, considering your body will have to get used to all that new power now flowing in your veins." He stood, "Once you start school, we'll begin the real training. For now, get to know your familiar a bit, she looks like she's been waiting for you wake up.

Kai blinked and sat up as a young, snow-white husky hopped lightly onto the bed, sitting and gazing at her with large, dark grey eyes. She stretched a hand forward, stroking the canine's soft fur, noting how it looked more lupine than an actual dog. She let out a small cry of surprise as the animal crawled into her lap, licking her face gently.

"What did you call her?" Kai asked as the creature settled to lying down in her lap, "My familiar?"

Luka nodded, "Familiars are essentially your closest companion and battle partner," he said, "that wolf is connected to you on a whole different level that anyone could ever hope to be. She was born from your soul, so she is a part of you. All you need to do now is give her a name."

Kai thought for a moment before a name came, seemingly out of nowhere, into her head. She looked down at the wolf, wondering if she would like it before saying, "Psyche?"

The wolf nuzzled her happily, obviously accepting the name.

On a side note, if any of you have questions about Japanese terms or anything else that may show up (I don't remember if they do) feel free to ask.