I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am xD

-Anii

Chapter 9: Diva

Diva kicked a stone with the toe of her shoe in anger. Who the hell did he think he was to speak to her like that? Why the hell was a last name such a big deal anyways?! Reliving the short experience only enraged her more and she kicked the next stone in her path harder than necessary. It bounced off a tree trunk and flew behind her, striking something solid that cried out with pain.

She turned, her hands flying to the sword attached to her hip. Kai rubbed his head, Haji standing beside him looking unusually amused. Diva stammered out her apology upon seeing the two.

"Jesus, what the hell are you doing out here kicking stones at people?" Kai grumbled. "God, that hurt! Was that a boulder!?"

Diva turned to Haji, "Why are you here?"

"Kai thought that you would separate from Zero and Saya so he insisted that we come find you." He answered honestly.

Diva's eyes shifted to Kai, who looked away in embarrassment, "Don't look at me like that."

Diva shrugged, "I'm fine. There's no need to worry-"

The breath rushed out of her lungs as a monstrous hand burst through her chest cavity. One eye closed and her teeth ground together as she pushed back the pain. The chiropteran from behind pulled free his claw-like hand from her body, letting Diva stumble forwards on weak legs. Her breaths were ragged as her body raced to repair itself.

She let out a soft moan as the hole stitched itself back together, her injured organs shifting back into their rightful places. Several gun shots rang in Diva's ears as Kai fired off his weapon. Haji dashed behind her, using his cello case as a shield as the large creature thrust its blood soaked claw towards Diva again. He muttered, "Pardon me" as his hand swiped across Diva's bleeding abdomen. Haji punched his fist, dripping with Diva's blood, through the beast's belly.

The wound began to crystallize.

Diva's eyes widened as the hardened creature crumpled away into pieces. "It must have been made from Saya's blood." She murmured. "But…that's not possible."

"We need to go back." Haji said simply, shifting the strap of his cello case higher up his shoulder.

"Diva, you go back to the school." Kai rubbed the back of his head as he pushed his gun into its holster. "I can't go back knowing that these creatures are out here."

Diva shook her head, "You think I can? I'll stay here and-"

"No." Kai interrupted, waving his hand at her, "You have to report this to Kaien. Haji and I can handle this."

Diva glanced at Haji who sent her an encouraging nod. Diva reluctantly gave in just as the bushes rustled. The small group tensed in battle formation, each waiting expectantly for another chiropteran attack.

Instead, Saya stumbled through the shrubbery, her eyes lighting up when they found Diva. "Zero and I ran into a chiropteran..." Saya's eyes darkened immediately, "I killed it with my blood."

Diva's eyes shot open wide, "How is that possible?"

"Haji just killed this chiropteran with Diva's blood." Kai informed, pointing toward the pile of red rubble.

Saya rubbed the side of her head, confusion taking over her large reddish-brown eyes, "Then how-?"

"No time." Kai hissed as a loud roar broke through the quiet of the nighttime. "Go back and report, we'll stay here."

"But Kai-"

Kai cut her off again, "Go, Saya. We can handle this."

Diva grabbed her sister's arm gently, "They've done this before. Let's go back. We're wasting valuable time."

Saya nodded sullenly and followed her younger sister as Diva dashed through the dense forest. They had barely made it halfway to the school when a peculiar scent flooded their nostrils. They stopped suddenly and Diva whipped around, trying to locate where the coppery smell of blood was coming from.

Saya cupped a hand over her mouth and nose, coughing at the instense smell of blood that invaded the area. Diva swallowed down a gag as the smell only grew stronger.

"My, my? What do we have here? Lost little girls?" A voice burst from the shadows followed by a soft chuckle.

"Aidou, you shouldn't attack them. Something doesn't smell right." Another voice came forward.

"You're right, Akatsuki. They smell utterly divine." The first voice rang out as the bushes around the twins began to shake and snap.

Saya thrust her sword in front of her sister just as a blonde man lunged out from the bushes. He hid his face in shadows and straightened, his hands in the pockets of his dark blue skinny jeans. He had a black jacket over a gray undershirt with a thin blue scarf wrapped around his neck.

"Careful with that, darling." He hissed, lifting his face.

Dazzling blue eyes shocked Diva; they were almost as blue as her own eyes. He lifted his hand with his fingers positioned like a gun and winked, "Bang."

When the twins only stared at him, unmoving, he tried again. Still, they stood dumbfounded, a cricket's chirping filling in the silence.

Diva lifted a single eyebrow, "Bang?"

Aidou swung around, talking to the second voice still in the shadows, "Have I lost my mojo!? I knew we should have come back sooner!"

A man with wild orange hair stepped out of the shadows, his hands stuffed in his loose black pants. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt under a blood-red vest. His head fell to the side and the silver ring in his ear caught the moonlight. His eyes looked uncaring as he locked eyes with his friend, "Coming back sooner wouldn't have saved your mojo."

"So you admit, I've lost my mojo!" Adiou cried out.

His friend let out a long sigh, "Forget this, let's just go back to our dorm."

"Fine, maybe I'm just tired. I mean we have been traveling a lot lately. Maybe I have dark circles under my eyes, check Akatsuki!"

"I can't see circles under your eyes. Come on, the sun's almost up and I'm beat."

"Fine you know you shouldn't be so angry! Anger can lead to health problems and…"

Their voices drifted off as the two men wandered into the thick forest farther and farther away from the twins. Saya and Diva stood as still as statues, confusion locking their limbs up tightly.

"W-what…just h-happened?" Saya stammered.

"I…have no clue." Diva answered, feeling her eye twitch ever-so-slightly.

Oh, Aidou xD "Bang" lol -Anii