A/N: Here we have the next installment of Painful Tolls of the Heart, though not my most popular story, it is one that continues on! I have the following chapter up for Aspirations, here it is now! Let's explore it together.
(End A/N)
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Chapter 8: Aspirations of Growth, Part II
The following day for Akane had been one of a surprise, she'd awakened with the mess of black hair close to her and the feeling of his squirming had gotten her up pretty quickly. She was not sure if he was trying to escape or just get her up. Either way she decided something of their hunt and where it would lead them today. As she got herself up from the bed, she felt eyes on her back and it only made her smirk. He really was eyeing her for weaknesses at all times and it excited her. There was something in the act that she found somewhat endearing, despite the threat on her life.
"Is there something you'd like from me, little wolf?" Akane said this softly with her back to him, as her red hair was still beautiful and somewhat disheveled due to her just waking.
"I'm taking you up on your request from the previous day. Let's work together hunting these youma as a unit, it would let us get it done far easily." the suggestion from Hijamura clearly had surprised Akane.
"You suddenly agree with what I said yesterday? What's the catch cute wolf...I know you, Hija-kun. You are acting within reason for your personal gain with watching me." Akane knew well by now that was his goal.
"Yes, but we have a common enemy here, that's all I am taking advantage of it." Hijamura hid nothing in the intent, he'd still be looking for weakness, but he felt it best to make sure not to squander a resource. In this case, it would certainly be an able one.
It made enough sense and yet, this didn't bother Akane at all. Especially since she agreed with the assessment, she needed this bothersome 'Kingdom' out of her way as it was; since this planet was for Galaxia-sama only. She would see the job done properly and probably learn more about this group that her precious little Hijamura ran with. Though she still saw nothing remarkable about the starseed, dull as the evening...pitiful and reeking of crushed dreams, of no tomorrow. No matter how one looked at it, this starseed was worthless and yet it was not possible this way. Hijamura was a brutal wolf, he had a magical transformation and that meant it had to come from somewhere.
There were so many mysteries for her to actually keep track of. She was going to have to go through them all and start connecting the dots and soon. Eventually this world would give its secrets up to her, all it would require was her patience...and the hope that Galaxia-sama didn't apply pressure as she was known to. From experience, she had seen past Animamates destroyed over lesser reasons: even for something as simple as questioning something that was given to them as a directive. Well she stopped thinking about that when she felt herself pressed back to the wall by Hijamura. Looking to the young man and his determined eyes, she couldn't help but blush just a little bit under his gaze.
"Well Hija-kun, I do agree...by why do you stare so hard? It's not like you haven't had me before." her words aimed at taunting the young wolf, even though she could see that he didn't respond to it at all.
"Whatever you've done to me, it's done and I accept that. I have some strange draw to you. Whatever this is...it is not a normal relationship by any means." Hijamura said this while taking their hands and entwining them together.
The fierce disposition of the statement and the grip of his hand, almost commanded her hand to accept his grip. And for that moment the pair locked eyes and shared something of a mutual understanding. Akane tightened the grip on his hand that held hers to the wall, where she hadn't realized that she was pressed to at first. Then her second arm draped around his waist and pressed him to her firmly, before she smiled wickedly and spoke up.
"Right you are, young wolf. What draws us together is destructive...we will be the death of one another one day in the future perhaps. But...rrr, I will have you keep me close company until then. Very close company, my sweet lover...are we understood?" Akane seemed thrilled by the prospect of him offering her some kind of death, a release in the future...perhaps while Galaxia-sama destroyed Earth?
"I would let no one else be near you, I don't trust you with anyone close by. So I will watch you, and if removing you when the time comes is the mission; I won't hesitate for an instant." Hijamura's fierce tone sent a shiver up the red head's spine again.
She loved the way that he declared it and she found herself welcoming it, in a strange way he made her empty container stir with life. She had nothing else going on inside of her these days, just that sense to do what was told for survival sake. Some part of her had wondered how long had it been since she felt something? There had been no words on its form, in truth it had been beyond difficult thus far to contend with. She leaned into Hijamura and shut her eyes, resting her body against him as she felt his embrace of her body only bringing her some strange comfort that she had no words for.
"Class is in an hour, hurry and get dressed." this was what Hijamura would say before letting Akane go, as the strange moment was over for him.
After releasing her, he'd started over to his clothes and had started to dress. The Infinite Academy was not known for being kind to those who were late and had no reason to be. Akane proceeded to get dressed and she mused herself with that thought, as she thought about the focus of identity. That was something that had always eluded her beyond some kind of a physical or mental grasp of one's personal being. She had a sense of self yes, but that was just what remained after that day that she never referred back to.
With distractions aside for her, the red head joined Hijamura in not only dressing quickly (after both cleaned up from the previous evening's action), but then remained close with him on the trip to the Academy. She was holding hands with him in part, for keeping up this image of her claiming him (in her eyes), but also to earn the ire or envy of other students. He was a lovely youth to look at, more if one could stand up to his fiery front and get past it: that fire became passion. Perhaps it was just an excuse for her to be clingy? That thought amused her more, this life was an intriguing one as far as the outcome.
Still they were headed into their first class, which as the foreign language study of English, it was as usual, just another distraction and something that she' simply learn for the sake of making use of it later. These human schools were not completely useless after all, though there was still plenty of annoyance with the interaction and small talk. It was just going to be another day at school and she was going to power through it. As she knew that Hijamura was going to hunt those pathetic beasts and today she would be helping. It was a truce that they'd both come to, even though it was only to her benefit.
Perhaps her counterpart was doing better than she was?
-With Aya & Itani -
Doing better? Perhaps wasn't the term that dear Lead Crow would have used when referring to Aluminum Seiren, who had all but now focused on living a normal life. And who in fact was walking to class and talking to several students that she'd made friends with. It was utterly perfect her as she could think of nothing better for her new life. There was nothing better for her than the feeling she got from talking to even the simple others. Even for normal humans they were actually quite nice and a life that was normal...it was great to balance out having powers she felt.
Part of her almost wondered what she might do, maybe invite someone over for a sleep over? She considered it a few times, though she really did enjoy having Itani over...that might ruin her privacy. But not if she went over to their house, she was certainly considering sleeping over their house if It ever came to that. Still she felt that the potential of this was perfect, all she had to do was see that she had the advantage as far as choice of friends, and given a focus, she could make a choice depending who offered the sleepover.
"...Hey Aya? Did you hear me?" one of Aya's friends asked her, since the blue haired princess (called by those who love her cute and innocent look) was focused inwardly on her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry Miya, what was that you said again?" the apology came fast as she was too much in her mind.
"I was asking you, so what's it like with Itani? Is he sweet?" Miya pried on the fact every time they met up. Itani wasn't the most popular, but he was a sweetheart and when she found out that the two were dating? She had to learn every little detail!
"He's wonderful, best thing that happened to me, I can't say how or why...just that he is." the words were quite true, as Reiko Aya or Seiren...didn't matter which, he was a wonderful person, the nicest boy that she'd met and he stood by her now. The two had been intimate, and none of that was any more or less a reason of why they were close.
"You sound so smitten! It's adorable, it sounds like the perfect way to be." Miya was happy for her good friend, ever since Aya arrived, things had been a little strange, but always for the better. Some random disappearances aside, she always was pleasant and managed to keep her grades up and hang out.
All in all, she was a good example among those in the student body, a mostly straight B to A student, there was nothing better in mind than that except to be at the top of the class. But Aya was a solid B-student choice, as she did not want to stand out and make a big splash, instead she had to remain in the mixture and being near the top was okay, especially for her ego. Some part of her couldn't stand getting a C, especially since her boyfriend was a bit of an egg head. He was very smart and always showed a strong aptitude for sports, something that she tried to mirror as best she could. It was more that she couldn't let herself be seen as some kind of lesser dragging Itani's reputation down, it really mattered to him a lot.
It was yet another thing on the list of those things that she enjoyed about her choice acceptance, this new life was more than worth it. This thought was the very same reason that she had guiding her every purpose. What was she going to do now? Go to class, after all there were only a few left in the day before she had to move on. Part of her knew that she was also being monitored and it made her grin: this pathetic Dark Kingdom were probably aware of some of her actions, even if it would only lead the next of her victims to their death. Itani was fighting this all of his time at present? The thought made her feel more justified in playing the little 'angel' that she was by this time.
-With the Dark Kingdom-
Had this new Senshi destroyed another of their youma?! The murmurs within the ranks were growing, as by this time Jadeite had been destroyed by the Sailor Senshi, this mysterious set acting freely of those tied to this solar system. Nephrite had been the supreme commander in charge of the dark forces, the next who made his plans to track down this new threat and destroy it. His counterpart had failed to do so whilst facing the major threat they were already aware of. The Kingdom's goals would be met no matter the cost to its soldiers! He knew inside that he was as expendable as the next of his warriors in mind, he had simply to see what it was this pair could do.
"Seora, you will find this new pair, succeed where Abina could not! Hunt one and destroy them, do not allow disgrace to befall my grace as well. I am not merciful like our Queen, but take heed...the stars will guide you. All you must do is find one of them, and the stars shall divine me an answer. With the heavens working for you, it will be impossible to fail." as the wise Heavenly King spoke his words, did he too take the next moment to prepare an attack. The Kingdom had moves to make in order to make up for lost time, the Silver Millennium Crystal needed to be theirs!
To free Queen Metalia from her slumber, this was going to be the only acceptable outcome. Nephrite was not going to press his majesty, Queen Beryl for more time, as he would not need it. This was going to be a matter of application, trial and error in the terms of figuring out how to deal with this new threat. As it became more clear, that he had no intentions of allowing these new enigmas causing him trouble, no he would examine them and see them properly destroyed. He was not going to allow pressure to halt their successes as they had still gathered some human energy, it was just going far slower than hoped.
He was the seer in the stars, he had to vision of the heavens always at his side, if anyone could find the solution it was him. Nephrite did not understand why he could not divine an answer easily, whoever this new force was remained illusive for reasons unknown. Was it something older and darker..? Impossible, that would have helped hide the reasoning however, as if there was nothing that he could do to stop it. There was just no way that he could actually keep that image in his mind for more than an instant. He had no sufficient answers, at least not without tackling the sources. This was why he sent Seora out, she would get him his answers one way or another...as he intended to watch her battles.
-With Seora-
Unlike Abina, she was a long range tracker, even though she was not as adept at hiding in the shadows, she kept herself at extreme ranges and divined. She used a small pendulum in hand and a map to divine the location, and then she could see what her target did in fact, do. Situated two streets over from the strange apartments that gave her an off feeling, she attempted to pinpoint a target, in this case: the pendulum had chosen Lead Crow as the one to be located. She felt some sort of hesitation coming from herself, as the falcon themed seer had looked down, her wings flapped once and somehow she let off a light huff. Why did she get a severe shock of dread? It wasn't something that she seemed to be able to fathom in the moment.
"They cannot be so dangerous, not to make me, the mighty Seora fear for my life! I will rend her asunder from above, where she cannot and will not hear her final gasps, as my talons shred her." the words spoken to no one but the wind as she puffed up, like a proud bird of prey. It was almost comical in the way that she felt that she had to, since it was one of the few ways she could shake off the subtle dread lingering on her person.
She felt nothing but dread watching the redhead as she walked the streets towards the weird feeling complex which just didn't seem right. What was it about this person that startled her so? There were no words that she could put to it, all she knew was as this young look redhead and the strange boy beside her moved in unison. These two were certainly her targets, divined to be those that she would terminate for the Dark Kingdom. It was just a matter of finding the right time to attack them. As long as she could keep them out of her way, they would regret ever existing.
It was only a matter of making things clear: there would be no enemy that would get in the way of Dark Kingdom. Despite it being against her better judgment, she took to the air, with her wings allowing her silent flight that she planned to use to track the pair. It was something that anyone with sharpened senses would be aware of, even the silent flight didn't hide the most evil of intent. Akane was all about such dark intentions...sensing that killing intent made her lip curl up in a small grin. Lead Crow was looking forward to exacting some of her own desires for pain and torment.
Such a weak foe thought themselves worthy of not only the greatest of lights in all the universe, but also were arrogant enough to send weak minions. Clearly these weak creatures were no match for either her or Aluminum Seiren, and yet the would continue to try. It was perhaps the curse of the weak and thus, something that she was going to love exploiting. It was only going to be for the Dark Kingdom to find out that they stood no chances of actually defeating them, as death would be the only thing that they are partnered with. The day of Lead Crow was going to begin and her assault on the Dark Kingdom would soon be at hand.
(end chapter)
Ending with only a hint of what is to come, I am sure that it may surprise you as this breaks out. Though it is the entire point of showing off some more of Akane's sheer ability, since I have been focused mostly of Aya Reiko, I am sure the change towards Akane and Hijamura might make for a nice change of those who read this! So Let us see where else it goes, here the fight steps up and action lays ahead!
Until the next chapter, adieu~!
-Quentix
