A/N: Fact of the day... Nobody is as gary-stu in Busou Renkin as Victor. Him and his creepy ass green glowing antenna hair. lol I swear they misplaced him. He actually belongs in Dragon Ball Z. Shhhh~ Our secret *gives you a fresh baked muffin of your choice*
Chapter X: The Third Kind
A large crash was heard from above the school roof again where Kazaki and Tokiko were. Koushaku and I glanced over from each other.
"What's going on over there…?" I muttered with a confused expression.
Koushaku glanced back to me and then back over to the roof with a somewhat anticipated expression.
"It's a third existence exceeding both humans and homunculi…" Koushaku spoke but his attention was snatched away for a moment when he noticed something smoking on the ground where Dr. Butterfly had disappeared. Koushaku looked back at me and was about to say something but then noticed the black vines on my body started to fade away.
"The vine markings are disappearing from you." Koushaku said suddenly. I looked down at myself and saw that the vines were finally gone.
"That's so strange…" I muttered and then looked back at Koushaku intently.
"We'll talk about it later. Are you well enough to stand…?" he asked.
I gave a hesitant look but tried to push myself up. Koushaku attempted to help me up and I was actually able to stand without falling. I still had felt a little dizzy and tired but I didn't feel like I was about to collapse.
"Seems so…" I murmured and then looked over at what Koushaku had been looking at before his attention was directed to my vine markings. It was the mustache of Dr. Butterfly's on the ground and steaming a little bit as if it had been really hot. Koushaku had also turned his attention back to the mustache that lay on the ground before us.
"…Is that Dr. Butterfly's mustache…? You know it looks a lot like a moth now that I really get a closer look at it. How ironic…"
Koushaku nodded and smirked slightly, "he's nothing but an unsightly moth. It suited him…"
I nodded and then stepped backwards into Koushaku when the mustache suddenly lifted up from the ground in mid air.
"Okay… What the heck…" I gasped and saw that the mustache suddenly turned into a Kakugane and then dropped to the ground. I stepped forward and kneeled to look down at it and jumped when I heard Koushaku from behind me cough up blood.
"Koushaku…?! What's wrong…?!" I stated and stood up to turn and look at him in worry.
I saw that his whole body had been put under a purple glowing aura. I gasped when I suddenly felt weakness once again pour upon me but it felt different this time. It felt slightly painful and draining… I looked down at myself and noticed that my whole body was now glowing with that purple aura too.
"W-what is this…?!"
"This is…Energy drain!" Koushaku replied with a frown as he too looked down at himself.
"Energy drain…!? From what…?" I questioned while furrowing my brows as I looked between the two of us.
Koushaku glanced back at me, "Like I said before it's the third kind not a homunculus nor human but something of a different caliber. He's draining us as we speak…" he explained to me and I gave him an odd expression as I took that in. Something or someone had come out of that flask then…And apparently it wasn't a homunculus but something stronger…Something different…
I watched closely up above where Kazaki and Tokiko were and the person of the flask. I was able to make him out a little. He was very tall and muscular, his skin was a reddish color, and his hair was light and glowing neon green. It almost looked like he had antennas by his odd long hair style. I heard Kazaki yelling and Tokiko for most of the time. Though I couldn't see much I could tell they were fighting but soon everything went pretty silent. Koushaku and I kept watching and suddenly a loud heart beat type noise began to erupt. It was rather eerie…I wonder what was happening…!?
"What…?" Koushaku stated as the heart beat sound had begun to pulse. All of a sudden the winds started to pick up and we could see a whirlwind from the roof begin to form.
"Damn, what's happening up there…?" Koushaku said out loud as we sat there and stared up at the whirlwind in confusion.
"I-I don't know…" I replied back though I know he spoke rhetorically.
Koushaku glanced over at the Dr. Butterfly's Kakugane that had been dropped and he grabbed it.
"Hmm, perfect I'll use this for healing power…" he stated and started to smirk again. I glanced over at him and the Kakugane.
"I'm slightly shocked you were able to take all that damage. You're a mess…" I said while looking up and down at him and his broken up state. He gazed over at me with his smirk never faltering.
"Don't act too surprised…" he replied and I shook my head while gathering up a smirk.
"I'm not…Though it looks like you're in need of a hand…" I started snickering at my terrible lame pun as I poked fun at his lost arm.
Koushaku gave me a look and scowled, "You're funny…" he replied sarcastically and I just snickered some more.
"So do you grow it back like a lizard grows back a tail or something…?"
Koushaku glared me lightly and I just snickered again, feeling rather humorous at a bad time.
"Well are you going to think of something else to pick at me for? Maybe the hole in my chest too…?"
"I could…."
Koushaku pushed me away playfully with an eye roll and glanced back up towards the roof. Once my snickering faded I took looked back towards the roof too in curiosity.
After a couple minutes the Kakugane's seemed to heal Koushaku up to the point where his chest was completely healed though his arm was still gone. I looked over at him and grinned slightly, "Wow, those things work quick…"
Koushaku just smirked at me and grabbed on to me with his one arm, "I suggest you hold on!"
"Huh-WAHHH…!" I shrieked as Koushaku propelled up into the air while holding me even as he had only one arm. His black butterfly wings appeared and kept us up and hovering in the air…
"PAPILLON…!" Koushaku yelled cheerfully and Kazaki looked over at us in shock.
"Papillon…!"
I gripped on to Koushaku for my dear life and glanced down at the ground, "Don't drop me please…!" I muttered but he didn't reply as he seemed too busy looking over at Kazaki.
"I saw that, Muto! I never in my wildest dreams imagined that you would give up being human! This pisses me off, Muto Kazaki!" Koushaku started to say and his tone of voice started to get very violent. He was not very happy at the moment…I hope he didn't drop me from his anger!
"You, who tried to stop me from giving up being human to become a superhuman, and even killed me once, have given up being human yourself!? THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT TO YOUR HYPOCRISY!" Koushaku yelled at Kazaki in fury that was until he all of a sudden dropped and started coughing up blood!
I screamed at the top of my lungs and closed my eyes as both of us tumbled to the floor of the roof. I ended up falling on top of Koushaku but he got the unlucky fall onto the concrete ground! I felt my head reeling and everything around me seemed to be spinning for a moment!
I gasped and quickly took myself off of Koushaku and looked down at him once my vision went back to normal. "Koushaku, are you okay…!?" I shouted at him in concern.
"Don't push yourself in your condition. Are you all alright…?" Kazaki asked as he stared over at Koushaku while he held Tokiko who looked really roughed up by his side.
Koushaku groaned with pain and suddenly pulled himself up in a sitting position painfully, "SHUT UP!" he yelled and doubled over from the pain. I watched him worriedly and kneeled next to him and placed a hand on his back to comfort him as he sat there coughing.
"Papillon…" Kazaki said once again.
"What…?!" Koushaku replied irritably back.
"I haven't given up being human. As you can see, my body has been restored…" Kazaki explained to Koushaku but he didn't seem any happier by that comment.
Koushaku pulled himself up from being doubled over and pointed violently towards Kazaki with his one hand. I sat there and looked back and forth between Kazaki and Koushaku still in a worried state.
"That's just its dormant state, isn't it…!?" Koushaku yelled at him again and paused a moment while breathing heavily before speaking again. "If you're fighting instincts are triggered again, you'll activate that black Kakugane in your left chest and transform again, won't you?" Koushaku said and gritted his teeth while still fuming angrily.
I bit my lip awkwardly and kept watching, I didn't know what to say and I didn't know what a black Kakugane was…I've never heard of such a thing…But I did know one thing…Koushaku didn't like it one bit. Especially since Kazaki apparently wasn't human anymore…
"You can keep making excuses for yourself, but the fact is you're an interim existence between a human and Victor. Can you return to being human as you originally were?" Koushaku continued but this time a little bit more calmly though it was still harsh sounding.
Kazaki looked down for a moment and Tokiko seemed to regain consciousness and she looked over in Koushaku direction.
"The commander…"
"Tokiko…!"
"I'm fine. More importantly, about the black Kakugane, and your transformation…The commander might…-"
Koushaku cut her off and began to speak, "I see, so it's true that while those of low rank don't know anything, those above might." Koushaku stated thoughtfully as he finally stood up and I slowly pulled myself up too once he did.
Tokiko glared Koushaku intently and then yelled at Koushaku as he stared over at her,
"I'll kill you!"
"Go ahead…" Koushaku challenged her while starting to smirk sinisterly at her comment.
"Right…Let's go!" Kazaki finally decided to cut in and he brought Tokiko closer to his side. Tokiko frowned slightly but seemed to be blushing furiously.
"But before that…" Kazaki muttered to himself and looked off in the distance. "Let's go Tokiko…" he said and started walking away with Tokiko at his side.
Koushaku watched them as they left and then turned to me. I crossed my arms and looked up at him with an irritable expression.
"What's with that look…?" he questioned.
"Don't ever take me up in the sky again! That was horrifying! You dropped me!" I scolded while narrowing my eyes slightly though I wasn't actually angry at him.
"I don't think I can make that promise but I apologize for dropping you. It shouldn't happen again." He stated while putting a hand to his hip and looking at me blankly.
I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, "I would hope not!" I said and then looked down with a light smile after a moment.
"What an exciting afternoon this has been…"
Koushaku seemed to smirk at that comment and nodded, "Too exciting for you…?"
I looked back up at him and chuckled slightly, "Nah…It was actually kind of fun…Scary but fun…"
Koushaku kept smirking and there seemed to be an awkward moment of silence before I decided to break it.
"So…Now that Dr. Butterfly has been taken care of…What of Moon Face…? I hope he died somewhere…Preferably in lots of pain..." I commented while sneering at the thought of Moon Face.
"Hm…I'm not quite sure but I assure you we won't be having him around us. He seems to have a rather vexing obsession with you. And I won't tolerate that…" Koushaku said while also gaining a frown at the thought of Moon Face. But mostly at the thought of him having an obsession with me I would have to guess.
"Obsession seems to be an understatement. That guy creep's me out…" I shuttered and started walking over closer to Koushaku.
"But on the positive sides of things we can be together without complications." Koushaku replied while starting to smile towards me. I smiled back and stopped at his chest and looked up with my smile still on my face. He leaned down and kissed my forehead and I blushed furiously…That was going to take getting used to…Though I loved it none the less…
"Hm, we should go though… I'm not finished with Muto quite yet…" Koushaku said after a moment. I nodded and started to follow him as we left to go find Kazaki and the others.
Koushaku and I walked into the school to see tons of random students lying on the ground asleep.
"What's up with them…? I muttered out loud while glancing down at a few of them as we walked past them.
"The energy drain most likely drained them dry." Koushaku replied while still looking ahead. I nodded in response and kept walking beside him until we saw Kazaki and Tokiko standing by their friends who were asleep on the ground also.
Koushaku paused and leaned in on the wall and I stopped and looked over at Kazaki and Tokiko quietly until they noticed us.
"Still thank goodness. Everyone seems to be fine…" Kazaki spoke while examining Mahiro who was sleeping on the ground.
"I've surveyed the area briefly and it seems that there have been no casualties or critical injuries." Tokiko replied.
"Thank goodness…" Kazaki said and soon after Koushaku intervened.
"Thank goodness, my ass…Your victorization is partly to blame for the damage they've suffered. Don't just try to talk your way out of it." Koushaku said as he pointed towards Kazaki.
Kazaki said nothing and kept looking away from Koushaku. I glanced over at Koushaku as he seemed to be going out the window and I started to bite my lip nervously. Oh God, he was going to fly again and probably drag me with him.
"You're headed to L.X.E's base. Right…? I'll go on ahead…" Koushaku said and his black butterfly wings suddenly appeared from behind and he jumped out of the window and yelled.
"Papillon..!"
I was about to say something until Kazaki pushed me aside quickly and jumped out the window and caught on to Koushaku's leg. WHAT THE HELL..!?
Koushaku looked confused for a brief moment and looked down to see Kazaki hanging on to his leg like a leech.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING…!?" Koushaku yelled at Kazaki and tried to kick him off.
I growled and waved from the window, "HELLO! Um…I can't fly! And what are you doing, Muto!" I shouted out in annoyance. Tokiko stood beside me and watched in silence. I glanced at her and then back at Koushaku and Kazaki.
"Give it all you've got, Homunculus! You too Tokiko, come quickly!" Kazaki yelled and turned himself to look over at Tokiko and me.
"STOP KIDDING AROUND…!" Koushaku yelled furiously as he continued to attempt to throw Kazaki off his leg.
"IT'S GOING TO BREAK OFF! THE LOWER HALF OF MY BODY IS GOING TO BREAK OFF!"
I watched Koushaku fling Kazaki around on his leg pathetically. This was turning into a comedy act….
"Don't worry! I'm expert when it comes to swinging!"
I shook my head and sighed and glanced at Tokiko. "Idiots…" I muttered and chuckled a little…You have to admit it…It was kind of funny…Though very pathetic…
Tokiko was interrupted by one of her friends that woke up. I sighed and looked back out the window as Kazaki and Koushaku continued to battle each other in the air with lame insults and arguing. I wonder if I could get out through the window without killing myself. I knew I couldn't fly but maybe I could at least get out to the ground. I looked down and noticed bushes and quickly shook my head. There was no way I was going to jump out the window and on to the bushes. That would be suicide…And just stupid…But maybe I could do something like I did back during the fight with Dr. Butterfly. I seemed to have some kind of control over plants…I dumbly stuck my hand out and thought to myself what I wanted the bushes to do.
In reaction something happened but not really what I planned on it doing. Thorn less vines shot up from the ground and entangled me. I gasped as they pulled me out the window and started taking me to the ground extremely quickly! I screamed for a good moment until they set me on the ground lightly. I breathed shakily and heavily as I glanced back up at the window that I was at before and noticed Tokiko looking out of the window at me in shock.
I felt kind of cool for a second and smirked at her smugly and then turned away from her to look over at Koushaku and Kazaki who moved a little farther away but it was nothing I couldn't catch up too. I ran forward and chased them from the ground while looking up at them. Ugh, I couldn't chase them the whole time…I needed something…. As if luck was on my side, I looked over and saw a motor bike that was conveniently there and it had the key still in it…What idiot would leave the key still in the motor bike when they left it…?
Whatever…I was going to commit a crime by stealing it but I think I had a pretty good reason to take it. I ran over and got onto the bike, I wasn't lucky enough to have a helmet so I had to be careful. I started her up and started to drive off and follow Koushaku and Kazaki. It was a good thing I knew how to drive a motor bike…
I kept following them and soon I saw Tokiko beside me while riding a motor bike too.
"Where did you get that…!?" Tokiko called over at me with a glare. I smiled sheepishly and waved her off and sped up to avoid the question though I had a good feeling she knew the answer.
"Tokiko…!" Kazaki yelled from above while still holding on to Koushaku's leg. Tokiko looked up at him and Koushaku yelled at Kazaki.
"STOP MOVING AROUND…!" Koushaku seemed to notice me and gave me a weird look since I was driving a motor bike that obviously wasn't mine. I grinned still sheepishly and waved, I felt rather good even though I just committed a crime that could put me in jail!
"You're slow…!" Tokiko said while still glancing up at them. Kazaki frowned and looked up at Koushaku.
"Hey, she says you're slow!" Kazaki said to Koushaku and he scowled loudly.
"I'd have been there by now if it weren't for you." Koushaku replied agitatedly.
"Kazaki, you should be able to see their base from up there, right?" Tokiko called out again while looking up at Kazaki.
"Yeah, I can see it. It's just a bit farther…" Kazaki replied then all of a sudden I heard a loud explosion from the distance.
"What was that…?!" I yelled out while glancing over towards the direction I heard it in.
After a little more time we arrived at the base and saw Bravo holding what looked like the upper torso of Moon Face. I don't think this day could get any better now! I put the motor bike in park and jumped off of it. Tokiko also got off of her motor bike and Kazaki let go of Koushaku's leg.
"I'm sorry, I was held up here." Bravo said while looking over to us with a stern expression.
Kazaki and Tokiko went over to explain what was going on to Bravo. Koushaku landed next to me and gazed over at me and over to the bike. "Where did you get that..?" he asked and I smirked smugly.
"Ah…You know…I just kind of … Found it…" I said slowly and grinned stupidly at him. He gave me a look and then replied.
"You stole it…?"
"NO….I just borrowed it..!" I defended myself and crossed my arms while looking away with a smirk still on my face. Koushaku seemed to smirk too and shake his head.
"They keys were still there…?"
I nodded, "Yeah, lucky isn't it...? No thanks to you...You were too busy fooling around with Muto…" I said and then snickered at his reaction. He looked extremely irritated at that comment…It was cute!
"But enough about me…" I trailed off and looked over at Moon Face whose torso was just lying on the ground by Bravo… I walked over and grinned widely as I looked down upon him and his dead form…-
"OH hello, Yumi! Well this is kind of embarrassing but seeing you makes me feel better, moon!" Moon Face said in his usual cheery tone.
"WHAT…!? YOU'RE NOT DEAD…!?" I screamed and shoved my foot on him and started stomping on him roughly.
"HEY, OW..! OH Yumi, aren't you OW! Feisty today, moon-OW..!"
"WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE…!?" I yelled viciously and Koushaku went behind me and pulled me away by my arms before I actually did kill him.
"NO, HE'S LIVED LONG ENOUGH…! LET ME AT HIM…HE'S SO VUNERABLE RIGHT NOW!" I struggled and flailed in Koushaku's grip but he didn't seem to have any problems with me considering I was light as a feather.
"Yumi…He's not worth it…" Koushaku said dully as he kept me from murdering Moon Face.
Tokiko, Kazaki, and Bravo glanced at me as I was raging at the fact Koushaku wouldn't let me end that damned perverted moron's life!
"Is everything….Okay…?" Kazaki asked and I sent him a glare.
"No, no it isn't!" I whined and pulled myself from Koushaku's grip but really he just let me go at that point… I crossed my arms and glared daggers at Moon Face and he just stared at me with a stupid grin.
"How about you two…Do something with him so he isn't just lying there…" Bravo said while looking over at us.
"Oh… I'll do something to him, all right…" I muttered with a glint in my eyes.
After a couples minutes we had Moon Face in a tapped up ball with his head sticking out, unfortunately Koushaku wouldn't let me stick his whole head in the ball…
"Moon..!"
"SHUT UP…!" I kicked the ball Moon Face was in and sent him bouncing off a tree and then rolling around on the ground. Koushaku put his hand to his forehead and sighed as I stood there laughing like a maniac at Moon Face as he rolled around in the dirt helplessly.
"That's not very kind of you, Yumi! Moon..!"
"Say it one more time… I dare you…" I growled and was tempted to kick him again but Koushaku gave me a disapproving look and I restrained myself from doing so. I growled and sat down next to a tree the opposite of Moon Face and pouted to myself. Koushaku walked over next to me and leaned against the tree.
"I don't suppose I have to worry about him stealing you from me then, huh…?"
I looked up at him from where I was sitting and gave him a disgusted expression, "OBVIOUSLY…"
Koushaku just smirked and looked over to Kazaki, Bravo, and Tokiko. I decided to get my focus off of murdering Moon Face and did the same.
"A black Kakugane..? Victorization, huh…? This is the first time I've heard of it either…" Bravo said.
"I see…" Kazaki replied and looked down slightly.
"So both the lower and upper ranks are clueless, huh…? Coming here was a waste of time…" Koushaku started to speak and pulled away from leaning on the tree I was sitting next to.
"I suppose I must attain what I desire on my own with Yumi, after all…" Koushaku continued and started to walk away while giving me a gesture to follow him.
"It would be best to investigate this myself…"
"Will you do so to restore Kazaki to being human? Or is it because you want to victorize yourself…?" Bravo stated while staring at Koushaku as he began to walk away. I stood up from my spot and began to follow Koushaku until he paused and looked back at Bravo with a smirk.
"Humph…Both..." Koushaku replied while raising his fingers to gesture the number "two".
I shuttered and thought about that for a moment. Does Koushaku really want to become even stronger…? I was worried enough about him just becoming a homunculus. Now he has to take it a step further and become some kind of creature like that Victor character was…? It was okay to be strong but I was a little perturbed by this…I really don't want Koushaku to go any further with this. I love him as it is…I'm just worried this power will over take him if he gets too strong…Power always does that to people…No matter, who they are… It's some kind of corruption to the mind.
I said nothing and looked down slightly…I would just have to take it by ear and see what happens. Maybe, I could lead Koushaku in a more comforting path…
"I, while in my stronger form, will kill Muto Kazaki in his human form. This is the outcome I'm hoping for…" Koushaku continued and then got a nasty look in his eyes while he looked over at Kazaki.
"So Muto, don't ever give up being human again…"
"Yeah, I don't need you to tell me that…Take care of that wound." Kazaki implied while watching Koushaku intently.
Koushaku turned his head away from them and continued to walk away again while talking, "If you were really concerned about that, you wouldn't have clung to me just now."
"HOLD IT…! Are we going to let them go just like that…!?" Tokiko yelled while glaring Koushaku and me.
"Its fine, Warrior Tokiko…"Bravo said to Tokiko and grabbed her shoulder from chasing us. I looked back at them and they stared at me for a prolonged moment. I said nothing and turned around back towards Koushaku with a "humph" and began to run back over to Koushaku's side.
"So…Let me get this straight…" I started while catching up to Koushaku's side. He glanced at me with his eyes but didn't say anything.
"You want to investigate a way to turn Muto permanently human so he doesn't turn "victorized" and you want to become like that Victor guy and then kill Muto off..?" I said thoughtfully as we walked through the forest.
Koushaku simply nodded and glanced again at me with his purple hued eyes.
"But…" I stopped walking for a moment and sighed. He also paused and looked at me.
"Something wrong..?
"It's just…I don't know…I don't think being what Victor is…Is a very good idea…"
"You said the same thing about me becoming a homunculus and this has turned out nothing but for the better…" Koushaku said while looking at me blankly.
"Well…" I sighed and tried to think of a way to say this without offending him. "Koushaku too much power is a bad thing…" Well that didn't particularly sound good at all…
He frowned and put his hand to his hip and looked at me closely, "And how could you possibly think that…?"
I shuttered and felt that I offended him slightly, "It's just…Power…It gets to peoples' heads, Koushaku…Too much of it….I-I'm just worried, Koushaku…About you…"
Koushaku still seemed offended and he put his head back slightly with his frown still brewing, "Well you shouldn't worry about me." Koushaku said a little coldly and started to walk again. I sighed and cussed myself out in my mind. Great, now I ticked Koushaku off…
"Uhh...Don't take it offensively, Koushaku! And I have the right to worry about you! Don't you dare think I won't! I only want you to be safe!"
"And you wouldn't have to worry about my safety if I were to become stronger…Yumi. So stop worrying. I don't need your worrying. I will become stronger and there's nothing even you can do to change that." Koushaku stated more coldly and paused on the spot and glanced at me with his eyes having that crazed look about them.
I bit my lip and looked down and felt like crying from frustration with him and myself.
"…I'm sorry…I get it…I'm an idiot…" I muttered and waited for him to keep walking but he didn't and he just stared at me with his expression softening a little.
He sighed and walked over to face me. He put his hand under my chin and lifted my head up to look him in the eyes.
"Yumi…"
"…What…?" I muttered dully.
"I love you… You know that, right…?" he said now with a gentle tone.
I looked at him and felt tears threaten to rise, how pathetic did I seem right now…?
"I know…"
"It's just…I won't stop until I become the strongest I can be. To keep myself from harm but even more importantly you..." He said and kissed my forehead once again.
I sighed and pushed myself against him and hugged him tightly without a word. He sighed lightly and hugged me back while placing his head lightly on top of my own.
"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have doubted you. I just worry sometimes…I love you, Koushaku…" I muttered and he smiled lightly and brought me away from him and held on to my shoulder with his one hand to look me in the eyes again.
"I love you too…"
I smiled at him and nodded. "Well…We should get going then! We have investigating to do right…?!" I said now more cheerfully and he just shook his head with his smile still there.
"Of course…But you look tired after today's events…" Koushaku said while eyeing me.
I nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty worn from today. A lot has happened…"
"You can stay with me if you like…"
"Well duh, genius…" I said and smirked at him and he smirked back at me.
"Alright then, let's go…"
A/N: The fight with Bravo and Moon Face made me want to cry out in hysterics. I hated and loved it at the same time. Something about Moon Face drives me nuts yet I still love his character. It makes no sense... lol Also... I think I died a little on the inside when Kazaki latched onto Papillon's leg from in the air and they started bickering back and forth like two little kids. I seriously got a kick out of that one. Poor, poor Papillon *snickers*