Authors note : I noticed there are some who are strict 'Canon' readers. Quick to say 'That's not right! This is how it is!' People, this is a STORY based on R&V. And with different stories, things change a bit to keep things interesting. If anyone has noticed I don't do Straight Canon. Go talk to the GUP girls if you want canon. This is the first time I have had Tsukune be a ghoul, the first time I have tried to make him live a normal life as possible in a fully human world. Gamera has a point, I mis-typed Kyoko's nickname for Tsukune. It should be Tsuki, not tuuki. A minor, minor thing. As far as how Tsukune and his ghoul interact, what happens in this story is what happens. I've seen some good stories that blow canon right out the window and don't have a lot to do with the R&V story line period.. You know what? IT DOESN'T MATTER. They are still good stories.
Anyway, if you're looking for pure canon, don't look for it here. If you're looking for a good story, then please continue.
CH 10
Rai went to the address Kata had told her, 56 Minaka Drive. Upon arriving, Rai noticed Kata across the street with Imo and Nami. "What do we got?" Rai asked, coming up to them.
Kata let out a snort. "Total idiots. No cameras, no lock on the gate, I didn't even see any outside lights. I think it's sorority house or something."
"Doors?"
"Front, side, back. Unless they have good dead bolts, which I doubt, we can be inside that place on two minutes and have miss blue hair spilling her guts not long after," Kata said confidently. "A couple windows are open, so we won' even have to screw with the doorsif you don't want to."
Rai looked at the place. The outside wall was the standard six foot wooden stockade. "Knives sharp?" she asked. They all nodded. "All right, when it gets dark, we jump the wall and go in a window. Sato and Koto are on their way. We'll make out plan then."
.
Reiko, Kurumu and Yukari were in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. Reiko washed dishes, Kurumu was drying them and putting them away. Yukari wandered around, waving her wand to clean whatever looked dirty.
In the sun room, Moka and Tsukune laid on their stomachs as Ruby in between them, gave them a massage.
"Mmmm, this is nice," Moka said with a smile.
"It sure is. I like nice quiet evenings," Tsukune agreed.
.
Rai's plan was to charge in the partly open window on the end. Rai, Kata and Nami would enter and find miss blue hair. Sato would cover the front to keep anyone from escaping. Koto would cover the side door. Sato and Koto would go in only if someone tried to get out.
Rai Checked to be sure the coast was clear, then motioned them on. Rai and her group vaulted the wall, hit the ground and ran for the window. Sato and Koto ran in through the gate, shutting it behind them.
A low growl was heard.
"Where is it?" Sato asked quietly. She scanned for the ugly sounding dog and found the gargoyle statue.
"Must be a motion sensor," Koto said. They ran forward. The gargoyle jumped and rammed Koto back into the fence. Spinning on Sato, it bit her leg just above the knee and yanked her off her feet to shake her violently, breaking her leg and spewing blood everywhere.
The screaming began.
"In, in!" Rai prodded. One by one they flipped though the window. The screams were wails of pain and terror. Good, teach these people a lesson! She thought.
What Rai didn't know was they were entering the 'normal' part of the house. Not the magical additions that everyone was in.
Koto climbed back over the gate, heart in her throat. She thought about helping Sato, but Sato was already limp and bleeding all over. The gargoyle threw Sato to the side and charged the gate.
Koto dropped to the other side, got up and fled as she wailed out her screams.
Rai and her duo ran through the house and found nothing. No furniture, no people, no nothing. Outside, the screams were fading. Rai could not find the front door or the side door."False doors?" she wondered. Why would anyone build a house like this? And where was everyone? Seeing the back door, Rai swung it open to look for running figures of people trying to escape.
A low growl sounded. Rai stared at the large, dark shape of the gargoyle that stared back at her.
"Aww hell!" she spat. They ha d abig fuckin guard dog. She slammed the door shut and ran. The gargoyle burst through it, chasing them.
.
In the sun room, Moka picked her head up. "Did you hear something?" she asked Tsukune.
"Sounds like someone hurt themselves. We better go look," he replied.
.
Fleeing through the house, Rai ducked into a room. Ahead of her, Nami and Kata ran for another room. The gargoyle caught Kata by the leg and shook it's head as it drove her to the ground. Wailing out a scream, she tried stabbing it with her knife.
Tink
Tink
Tink
Kata's femoral artery was ripped open and she died before she realized the knife was not doing any good. Gathering her bravery, Nami launched herself at the large dog-thing from behind.
Tink tink, … TINK TINK TINK TINK TINK! It was like trying to stab stone. The knife only bounced off it. Nami second guessed her bravery too late. The gargoyle spun and got her around the neck. CRUNCH. Nami's head hit the wall as the gargoyle shook her body by the neck. The neck ripped free, dumping blood to splatter against the wall and run down into a large pool.
Peeking out of the room she'd hid in, Rai saw what happened. That thing had ripped Kata up, then bit Nami's head off. What in the hell was that thing? She quietly shut the door and leaned against it, trying to slow her pounding heart and gasping breaths. Someone had set a trap for her, it was the only explanation!
.
Ruby found the dead girl in the front yard. She opened up the ground and dropped her in, then waved her wand to clean up all the blood. "No where did the guardian go?" she asked herself.
.
Rai heard the monster leave. It went back out the door it had come in. She peeked out to be sure it was gone, then bolted for the open window. As she neared, the window grew a steel grating over it.
"What?" she cried and grabbed the grating. She pulled, she pushed. She had to get out!
"And what are you doing here?" Ruby asked in a smooth tone.
Rai spun and brandished her knife. "Stay the fuck back!" she snapped.
Ruby laughed. She waved her hand and Rai's knife blade turned into a blade of grass and flopped down.
Rai stared at it. What the fuck was going on here!
"Ruby, what did you find?" Yukari asked as she came running in.
"A trespasser with a knife. Well, one live one anyway," Ruby said and motioned to the floor. "That's three the guardian got. I put him back on post. He did his job."
"Come near me and I will kill you!" Rai snapped.
Both witches laughed. "Yukari, I think she need to be taught manners," Ruby said. Yukari twitched her wand.
BONG A brass pan dropped down on Rai's head.
"Be nice!" Yukari snapped.
Rai looked up, then glared at the witches. "I am leaving. Don't try to stop me!" she growled, and ran for a door.
BONG
Rai stumbled and fell. She got back up to run.
BONG
Crumpled on the floor, Rai held her aching head. "All right, I give up, you got me!" she cried.
With a wave of a wand, the floor opened up and swallowed the two dead women. Another wave cleaned the floor of blood.
"Do I get a turn?" Moka asked as she came in.
Terror settled into Rai's bones. She turned to see silver haired Moka, and crab crawled to the end of the hall in an attempt to get away. She hit the wall under the steel grated window. She had no where to go.
"You have one chance to live. Who are you, and why are you here?" Moka asked as she approached.
"I'm, sorry," Rai cried weakly as she pressed herself against the wall in a vain attempt at escape.
"You certainly are. Answer the question!" Moka barked.
Before Rai knew it, she told this red eyed monster woman everything. Everything and anything to keep those wicked looking fangs out of her neck. Yes, she was to get information before she killed Kurumu. Yes, she was being paid by Kasahiro Komiya, yes, she knew where he lived, where he worked out of and when he would be there. She didn't want to die in this strange place where everything she met was worse than the last one.
And later, she spilled her guts to the police. She didn't mention her gang, for she was warned that would get her killed.
.
Inspector Nakamura got a wealth of information about the drug running Komiya from a crumpled, blabbering woman who'd been arrested for attempted burglary. Once the uniforms got done booking her, he had her taken to an interrogation room.
By the report, she'd been caught inside the house at 56 Minaka Drive. The woman who went by the name Fuji Rai was very cooperative with officers. He went in to see the hollow eyed woman staring at the table. He shut the door, she jumped at the bang and cast his a frightened look.
"Miss Fuji, I hear you broke into someone's house," he said as he sat across from her.
"Yes," she said meekly.
"And why did you do that?"
Again, Rai told him everything. The only thing she did not mention was her gang, or what happened to them. She didn't dare. They were watching.
"You seem a bit frightened," he noted aloud.
"I was caught," she said meekly.
"I see." he said evenly, then looked at her rap sheet. "Wanted for multiple murders, extortion, drug smuggling, and prostitution. It's hard to believe just being caught in someone's house makes you so afraid. You never even got the chance to hurt anyone. Surely a strong, willful person like yourself does not fold so easily."
Looking at him intently, she said, "I don't want to die."
"And who's going to kill you?"
Rai paused. "Komiya, if he finds me," she said.
"He won't find you where we're going to put you," Nakamura promised.
.
Inspector Nakamura had another clue to add to his notes. Fuji Rai was a known criminal, covered her tracks and made sure no one talked. This hardened felon went to the Aono residence and was brought out a frightened, shivering shell of her former self. She had been afraid to say where her cohorts were, and when pressed, all she did was cry. That woman didn't cry. Something in that house had scared the living hell out of her.
It was tempting to get a search warrant, but for what? The Aonos stance was they found Rai in their house. They called the police, the police took her away. Not even the hint of a wrongdoing. Besides, Inspector Nakamura was becoming nervous at the thought of going there uninvited. It was just not a good idea.
.
By morning, there was no trace of Rai and her gang. Tsukune left for school with Reiko at the normal time. The neighbor lady asked if they heard screaming last night. Tsukune admitted to hearing it, but when he went out, he didn't see anyone. They talked briefly about that 'weirdness', then Tsukune and Reiko went on to school.
Coming to the school grounds, Tsukune saw Inspector Nakamura angling towards him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Aono, may I have a moment?" Inspector Nakamura asked.
"Certainly, Sir. I'll see you this afternoon, Reiko."
"Ok, bye Dad." Reiko said with a wave and went on her way.
"Yes?" Tsukune asked the Inspector.
Inspector Nakamura pulled out some pictures and handed then to Tsukune. "That woman who broke into your house. She usually runs with this pack. Have you seen any of them?"
Tsukune looked at the pictures one by one. "No," he said in a musing tone. "I don't think so. They look like a rough bunch." He handed the pictures back.
"They are. We were trying to figure out why miss Fuji attempted an assassination without her crew."
Tsukune perked up at this. "Assassination? Who was she trying to kill?"
"Your wife, Kurumu."
Confused, Tsukune asked, "Why Kurumu? What did she do?"
"A public service," the Inspector said. "Aono Kurumu caught a drug dealer and turned him in. Apparently, someone wasn't happy with her for that."
Wearing a frown, Tsukune asked, "Are we in danger?"
Inspector Nakamura shrugged. "Not too much. Miss Fuji spilled the beans. She told us everything she could think of about her boss. We had suspicions about him, but no proof. He's local Yakuza and connected. Miss Fuji is someplace safe while we verify her information. If she's telling the truth, we'll have everything we need to take him and all his buddies down. She even told us where bodies are hidden. We've got half the department working on him. He doesn't sneeze without us knowing."
"That's good, isn't it?" Tsukune asked.
Inspector Nakamura nodded. "It is. I got this feeling though that Komiya is not going to come along quietly."
"Wait, what was that name again?" Tsukune asked, eyeing the Inspector.
"Komiya, Kasahiro he has a cousin working with him too. Komiya Saizo," Seeing Tsukune's frown deepen, he asked, "You know him?"
"Yeah, I know Saizo from high school," Tsukune said in a near growl. "He was a total asshole back then. Inspector, you can't take these guys down. Please, don't try, you'll just get men killed."
"We can't let them run free."
Tsukune eyed him and asked, "Can you look the other way?"
"What do you mean by that? I can't allow anything illegal," the Inspector said firmly.
Tsukune looked at the school, then back to the Inspector. "We can only help if you let us. Whatever you do, don't try to take them down yourselves. You'll just get men killed."
"You know something."
Firmly, Tsukune said, "I do. I know that police or even SAT don't stand a chance against them. Do yourself and your men a favor. Get your raid … or whatever ready, the give me a call and look the other way. You'll be sorry if you don't."
Seeing Tsukune was serious, he asked, "Who are these guys?"
"Trouble. Big, dangerous, trouble."
.
Koto took alleys and did her best to stay concealed on her way back to Komiya's place. Going inside she found Kasahiro eating steak with his cousin Saizo. Kasahiro looked up at her.
"Job's done?" he asked.
"No. Everyone's gone. The only one who came out of that house was Rai, and she was taken away by police!'" Kata cried. "They had a … big stone dog guarding the house. It ripped Sato apart! I managed to get away. I was the only one that escaped. Where in the hell did you send us?"
"Sounds like she's upset," Saizo noted with a chuckle.
"Did you at least get a name on that blue haired woman," Kasahiro asked.
"Aono. That is if..."
"DAMN IT!" Saizo roared and broke the table in half with his fist. "Kasahiro, a guardian ate your hit squad!"
Kasahiro looked down at the mess on the floor. "That was my dinner," he growled.
"Forget your dinner! I know Tukune Aono, he had several girlfriends. The blue haired one was Korono Kurumu, a succubus!" Saizo stated. Turning to Kata, he asked, "Was there a pink haired one around?"
"Ahh yeah, with this big rosary ..."
"DAMN IT!" Saizo roared. "He's got the vampire too!"
"A vampire?" Sato asked meekly.
"Saizo!" Kasahiro barked. "We can't go saying things like that here!" He pulled out a silenced pistol and shot Kata. She fell dead with a shocked look on her face. "She'll be dinner tomorrow. Look Saizo, you can't go telling humans about yokai!"
"You tried to off a vampire? Are you fukin looney? Got a death wish? Snort too much coke? Do you know what's going to happen if they find us? I was assaulted by her. When I say assaulted, I MEAN ASSAULTED!" Saizo ranted.
"Calm down!" Kasahiro snapped. "The only one left alive is Rai. She's in jail, I'll have someone off her. As long as we stay clear of them, they won't mess with us." Pointing to the body, he added, "Take care of the body, burn the clothes and stop mentioning yokai in front of humans!"
.
The police found burial dump site was right where Rai said it was. Barrels marked 'Hazardous waste' contained partial skeletons. By the scrape marks on the bones they did find, it looked like cannibalism. Skulls were split open, but searching through dental records of missing persons, the police found five missing girls and one's mother. A couple men were found, as well as the missing DA.
Setting up a stake out, the police waited for someone to come visit the site. A van arrive to drop off another barrel. One man, should have been easy.
Seizo parked the van and opened the back. He'd no more than dragged the barrel out when six officers surrounded him, guns pointing at him.
"Police! Let go of the barrel, hands in the air!"
Seizo stopped and looked at them. "Why?" he asked.
"Put it down NOW!"
Seizo looked at the officer speaking then threw the barrel at him. The barrel rocketed over and smashed into the officer, knocking him down and out. As the others saw this, Seizo rushed over and punched another officer, killing him, then grabbed the dead officer by the foot and swung him around like a club, sending two more flying. A shot came from behind and pinged off his back. Saizo threw the dead officer into that one, knocking him down. The last officer screamed in fear as he shot. Saizo ducked and dodged. Seeing a piece of rebar, Seizo snapped up up and flung it. The officer saw it coming, making a buzzing noise as it spun. He didn't duck in time. The steel bar crushed his skull.
"That hurt!" Saizo barked at the dead man. He went around and broke thir necks to be sure they were all dead. Looking around, Seizo grumbled, "Now I have to find barrels for them too!" THere had to be some barrels with room in them.
.
Tsukune was about to leave for the day when a somber Inspector Nakamura came into the teacher's office. The man looked at Tsukune but didn't say anything.
"Need help?" Tsukune asked.
"My car's outside."
"I have to take Reiko home. Give us a ride there, and we'll talk,"
.
Reiko didn't second guess why they were getting a ride home. She showed Tsukune the book she got to do a book report on. "I have two weeks to read it and do my report. Fifteen pages a day and I'll have plenty of time," she bragged.
"Good sweetie. Maybe if you like it you'll read more?" Tsukune asked.
Reiko shrugged. "There wasn't much of a selection by the time I got there. It doesn't sound very interesting, it's called 'The Secret Diary of Cameron Baum'. It was that or one about pirates."
"I'm sure you'll slog through it all right," he told her.
"I will, I do have to do a report on it," Reiko said. "I just wish it was something interesting,"
"Who knows. Maybe you'll like it."
Reiko flopped back in her seat and let out a sigh. "Dad, the back cover says it's a diary of a robot. Excuse me, cyborg. How interesting can that be? How can that even be?"
.
They got home. Tsukune invited Inspector Nakamura Nakamura noted the roofline looked a little higher. Going inside, he saw the staircase and the second floor ceiling which looked to be higher than the rood was.
"Tsukune!" Yukari cried and slid down the railing, arms out.
Tsukune braced himself and caught her. Setting her on the floor, he said, "YUkari, hon. Go get Kurumu, Ruby and Moka. Have them meet us in the sun room."
Yukari glanced at Inspector Nakamura and nodded.
As usual, Reiko went up to her room, Tsukune took the Inspector out to the sun room.
Looking around, Inspector Nakamura saw this hallwy looked to be longer than the house was deep. He said, "The inside dimensions don't match those outside."
"Things are not always as they appear," Tsukune replied. He was wondering how much to let Inspector Nakanura in on what was real. He decided to wait and see what the problem was, though he already had a good idea.
In the sun room, Ruby hurried in and set chairs in a circle. She bowed to the Inspector and Tsukune. "Would you care for something to drink?" she asked pleasantly.
"No thank you," both men replied and sat down.
Moka came in followed by Kurumu, taking their places by Tsukune's side. Ruby stood behind Tsukune. Yukari sat in her usual place beside Moka.
"What happened, Inspector?" Tsukune asked.
Inspector Nakamura wiped the end of his nose. In a soft voice, he said, "It happened like you said, Mr. Aono. We found the dumping ground for bodies the Komiyas were using. We staked the place out. Saizo showed up, six officers tried to arrest him. He killed all of them. They defended themselves, eight shots were fired. Somehow, they missed. He didn't. As far as we know, he didn't even have a gun."
"Komiya Saizo, huh?" Moka asked and crossed her arms. "I would figure something like that from him."
"Master, would you like me to bury him?" Ruby asked.
Inspector Nakamura eyed her. "You can kill him?" he asked.
Ruby cast him a smirk and said, "That happens after you put someone ten or fifteen meters below ground."
"Him and his cousin will not stop, will they?" Tsukune asked.
"No. I hate to admit it, but we can't stop them without a huge loss of life," Inspector Nakamura said.
"So, you are ready to look the other way?" Tsukune asked.
Inspector Nakamura gave a begrudging nod. "Just say when," he said with a huff.
"How many?" Ruby asked.
"Two. Saizo and Kasahiro Komiya."
"I want to help, they're only Orcs," Yukari piped up.
"Yukari!" Kurumu said sternly. "No mentioning yokai in front of humans!"
"And what did YOU just do, boob monster?"
"Listen, you flat chested little ..." Kurumu growled at her.
"STOP IT!" Tsukune and Moka chorused.
"She started it!" Yukari announced.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"I don't care who started it, it stops now!" Tsukune yelled. "We got a real problem here."
Inspector Nakamura heard one thing clearly. Yokai. Legendary monsters that supposedly lived on the fringes of humanity. Although they were suppose to be myth, it would explain many things about the Aono family. It was hard, almost impossible to believe, but that was the way the facts were going.
"Tonight?" Moka asked Tsukune.
"Fine by me. The sooner we stop them the better."
"We have a stake out at the Komiya residence. I'll pull them back tonight," Inspector Nakamura said, sounding defeated.
Noting his tone, Tsukune said, "Inspector, it's the only thing you can do to save lives."
Inspector Nakamura gave them the address and told them about the guards and security system. Ruby showed him out.
.
Even though he was suppose to look the other way, Inspector Nakamura very much wanted to see what was going to happen. He removed the officer in back of the residence and took the front observation station over himself. Even though it was across the street in an unused apartment, the telescope and listening devices saw and heard everything. Between the front and the back posts, they saw whoever came and left from the large two story house.
At ten thirty, Kurumu came along and stopped to chat with the guards about nothing. Both men eyed her with lust. She got them closer together, then she petted their cheeks, talking sweetly to them. She then rammed their heads together. Then fell unconscious. Tsukune and Ruby walked up the street and stopped in front of the thick gate. Ruby had a wand and waved it. The gates opened.
Something exploded out of the second floor. A large man windmilled as he flew out of the house. Ruby waved her wand again. A large crack opened in the ground. The man fell in, his scream fading after he disappeared. The crack closed up.
"Dear Kami!" the Inspector gasped. He'd just witnessed the impossible.
Another man came running out the front. Ruby waved her wand. The man jumped the crack that appeared in the ground. Tsukune charged him. The man grew in size as he charge Tsukune. They met with an impact that sounded like an explosion. Even though he was smaller, Tsukune only stopped. The large misshapen man flew back into the crack, screaming all the way down. Ruby waved her wand again and the crack closed up.
Moka came out of the house and joined them. They shut the gates and walked away.
Inspector Nakamura sat down hard. If he hadn't witnessed what he just did, he never would have believed it. Rubbing his forehead, he mumbled, "Not just a yokai, but a whole family of them. What else haven't we been seeing in this world?"
.
Reiko's laughter filled their ears as the Aono's got home. They went into the living room to see Reiko lying on the couch and reading her book. She read a bit more then laughed again.
"I take it that book is good?" Tsukune asked.
Reiko looked at him and said, "It is Dad! This cyborg is really smart, but stupid at the same time!"
"It's past your bed time," Moka told her.
"It is?" Reiko asked innocently and looked up at the Grandfather clock. "How'd it get so late?" Seeing her family together, she asked, "Did you go someplace?"