Chapter 10: The (super) nature of relationships
I must apologise profusely for the horrific wordplay in the title.
I want to thank Revan and Nick for the reviews. Finally, I've found some readers who can accept the possibility of TsuxMoka not happening! I was beginning to think that there weren't any. It's not that I'm against
negative reviews as long as they give something tangible for me to
improve on (spelling, grammar, consistency (not about Yuuto though,
he's supposed to be like that) and anything that isn't a variation on
"You suck!"). Sorry about the double brackets, I hate them too.
Anyway they have really made me feel more comfortable about doing the
story, and so I'll continue with it for a little while before retiring
to only being a beta. Who knows, if I get a few more reviews like
that, maybe I'll carry out a few other proposed story ideas; I've got
a half formed fem-kyuubi story I may do after this, for instance. This
chapter will hopefully convince some of the tsuxmoka obsessed
readers that Tsukune still has a decent chance of winning, and
probably alienate more readers that dislike my (admittedly really
fast) pacing. If you're really unhappy with the way the plot is going,
pm me about how you'd like the plot to unfold later on and I will make
sure to take in all of your opinions and try and incorporate some of
them when it reaches the point that I need more inspiration. Don't
forget to pm me your guesses for the naming of chaps 7-9. Winner will
get to see the next chapter before anyone else. Thanks for reading
thus far, and I hope you will like the story.
It wasn't the most comfortable dinner party in the world. The siblings
were sitting opposite each other, Hiraku glaring coldly and Yuuto
making a point of not making eye contact. Tsukune would have laughed
at their childishness if he wasn't focussing on the auras of the two.
The huge killing intent was clear, with neither person making an
effort to hide theirs. Yukari happily helped herself to large portions
of broccoli as Tsukune and Lex exchanged nervous glances.
"Yuuto" Hiraku suddenly said, "why do you not solve your own problems?"
Yuuto slowly finished chewing a slice a duck before answering.
"Nee-san, believe me when I say I didn't want to get you to fix this.
I would have done it, but it is beyond my abilities."
Hikaru's frown deepened.
"A simple case of blood poisoning? Why do I find that difficult to
believe?"
Yuuto reached into his robe and threw Moka's rosario at Hikaru, who
caught it gracefully with a pair of chopsticks she had been eating with.
"If it had been just that, I would have waited until I had healed and
then cured her, or just given her to the Exorcist. The real problem is
this."
Tsukune, Lex and Yukari all stopped eating and looked curiously at the
rosario. Hiraku turned it over, with a strange look on her face.
"It makes a strange sound..." she said thoughtfully. "I'll take a look
at it. But only looking; I'm not going to fix it."
Yuuto caught Tsukune's eye, and winked.
"Thanks, Hikaru. I'll try and fix it later."
Yuuto stood up and inspected the table. He zeroed in on a pitcher of
blood near Tsukune. He grabbed a tumbler, filled it and tossed it back
like a shot.
"AB negative." he stated quietly. "Where did you get this from?
Usually when I announce my arrival, all I get it O. I wonder why that
would be?" he sarcastically wondered to himself before walking out of
the room, pitcher in hand. He returned a minute later, and apologised
to Tsukune. He poured a good amount into a wine glass for Tsukune,
before disappearing again. After about a minute, everyone in the
dining room heard a blood curdling scream echo around the house.
"Moka-san!" Tsukune shouted in shock as he dropped his glass and ran
for the room Moka was in. Everyone else followed except for Hikaru,
who poured herself some tea.
Tsukune burst in to see Moka drinking straight from the blood pitcher.
Yuuto was huddled over in the corner of the room, his chin resting on
his knees. As he looked up, a grain of understanding passed between
him and Tsukune. Tsukune winced and looked apologetic.
"Isn't it enough to know that I can still barely walk? Did you really
need to do that?" mumbled Yuuto through clenched teeth.
"I was just making sure you knew your place" answered Moka.
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm basically considered to be your
equal!"
Moka smirked. "Basically is the key word. Whilst you may have fighting
prowess, it will never match my pure vampiric strength."
"As we saw from the fight" Yuuto retorted.
Moka made a mock frown. "Would you like me to kick you again?"
Yuuto shut up.
"I'm really glad you are better, Moka" said Tsukune in a relieved
tone, hugging inner Moka.
Much to his surprise, she didn't freak out when he entered her
personal space.
"Yay desu~" shouted Yukari. "Now that Moka's better, we can have a
foursome!"
"Foursome?" asked everyone in the room in surprise.
"Yes! I've just decide that Yuuto can join us, desu~! And we have to
always do it twice; one with inner and one with outer Moka" she
grinned dirtily.
"You know what?" said Yuuto suddenly. "I've just had an idea from
that... Worrying as that may seem... Anyway, everyone but Tsukune and
Moka needs to leave the room. And Tsukune, would you get my sister
please?"
After some resistance on Yukari's part, everyone filed out.
Tsukune went to get Hikaru, who was still sitting at the table. Her
eyes were closed, and the rosario glowed with the power she radiated.
"Umm... Hikaru-san? Yuuto wants you to come."
"Not yet" she said. "I'll be done soon"
"He has that same weird look on his face he had when he turned me into
a proper ghoul...wait, does that mean I'm immortal now?"
Hikaru's eyes snapped open at light speed and she ran into the room
Moka was in.
Moka was in deep thought, and appeared to be having trouble making a
decision.
Yuuto turned around. "Tsukune, which do you prefer; ura or omote?"
Tsukune was so taken aback, he actually forgot to ask Yuuto about his altered lifespan. "I... Uh..."
"I don't have all day." urged Yuuto.
"Well, to be honest, it would be terrible for me to lose either of
them. I care for them both equally. In fact, I hope that one day,
they'll become one fused personality."
Yuuto laughed.
"Best answer I could have hoped for. Now, Moka, do you not accept that
both of you have flaws? And that you cover each other's? And you don't
need to worry about the other Moka; she'll be incredibly happy that
you value her so much."
Moka nodded slowly. "Do it." she said calmly.
"Excellent. Now, Hikaru. In my absence, did you fix the flaws in the
fusion rosario prototype?"
"Of course. I never miss a chance to prove my superior sealing skills."
"Then let's make the real thing"
Hikaru smiled at the prospect of a challenge and took out some
measuring tools and paper. She through a set to Yuuto and they
approached Moka.
"Get up, please. We're just going to get some measurements." said
Hikaru.
They measured Moka quickly, covering everything from height to even
hair length. Hikaru then made Moka wear the partially repaired
rosario, and they measured outer Moka.
They then disappeared into another room.
"So you're really fine with this, Moka-san?" said Tsukune, who had
just realised what was about to happen.
Moka nodded vigorously.
"I'm really happy that ura-chan cares about me so much she I'd willing
to sacrifice this much for me. It's more than I could ever hope for."
she smiled at Tsukune.
Tsukune wasn't totally convinced by the smile.
"Really, Moka-san? You seem to be slightly worried too. Are you
worried something will go wrong?"
"No. Ura-chan has complete faith in the combined abilities of Yuuto
and his sister, and I trust anyone that she trusts. It's just..." she
trailed off.
"Just what?" Tsukune pressed gently.
Moka was silent for a few minutes, gathering her resolve. Tsukune
didn't move, as he knew that whatever would come next out of her mouth
would be very important.
"Tsukune, I... I've fallen for you. Your kindness, your smile, the
extents you've gone and I know you would go to protect me... I just
consider Yuuto a good friend in comparison.
However, with Ura-chan it's a different story. Even though she doesn't
express herself as clearly as I do, I can tell that she loves Yuuto. I
think she did from a very young age, and him coming back has brought
back those feelings. She feels the same way I feel about Yuuto about
you. She is very grateful for the things you've done for her, but she
doesn't love you for it. So basically, I'm worried about what will
happen when our feelings combine. Whose love is stronger? Because
we'll have to pick just one of you."
Tsukune was shocked. He didn't know what to say. One Moka had
confessed to him, and then he'd been rejected by the other! What was
he to do? Luckily, he was saved from saying anything by the door by
which the siblings had entered bursting open, accompanied by a weird
sound and smell.
"That was reckless of you" commented Hikaru. Her eyes had turned
silver, and seemed to catch the light.
"Well, it worked didn't it?" countered Yuuto, whose hands were
bleeding and was carrying a small willow box.
"Let's just finish it before it cools." sighed Hikaru. She drew a
dagger which had runes creeping along the blade and gave it to Yuuto.
He opened the box, cut his sister's thumb with the blade and let a
droplet of blood fall on the new rosario inside.
"Blood of the Forger, so you may know your maker" he murmured.
He did the same for himself and Tsukune.
"Blood of the Sealer, who let you fulfil your purpose... And of the
Witness, who will see your first moments of service."
Finally, he removed Moka's collar and replaced it with a different
one. He cut her too before placing the new rosario on it.
"Finally, blood of your Master, for whom you were created."
The new one looked similar to the old one at first glance, but this
one was slightly smaller and gilded with a deep red. On the collar,
the old pearls had been replaced with designed like much like
Tsukune's old chain, but the new design on each one was an intricate
rose.
"You see these links?" Yuuto asked smugly. "These were from your old
chain. After I first noticed the problems with Moka's rosario, I re-
designed and enchanted these ones. If this rosario starts to break
like the old one, one of the links will break instead. Nice little
fail safe feature.
As he spoke, Moka reverted to her omote form, then started to change
into the ura form but stopped. She was slightly shorter than the
previous ura form, but not at short as omote Moka had been. Her hair
remained pink, and her eyes were still green.
"Moka, we are going to complete the transfer now by removing your new
rosario" said Hikaru. "Are you ready?"
Moka nodded once.
Yuuto nodded at Tsukune, who took it off. Moka's hair and eyes
instantly changed, and her aura came out in waves. She smiled at
everyone in the room.
"Well done. You've done pretty well to pull something like this off.
Does the fact that my blood is on this mean I can take it off?"
Yuuto shrugged, but his sister nodded.
"Yes." she said. "However, you will have a little more difficulty
removing it than either of those two or me simply because of the
nature of the seal.
My foolish nii-chan insisted on excluding your father from the list of
people able to unseal you. I only imagine the reasons he has for
intentionally taunting the husband of a Dark Lord."
She looked pointedly at him for the last sentence, but he shrugged.
"Does it matter? He can probably get it changed if he really wants to."
"That's not the point! You're so stubborn."
"You're so boring. Live a little!"
The two siblings continued bickering in louder and louder voices as
their auras expanded and filled the room.
Moka looked at Tsukune.
"These two are an incredible team together. With Yuuto's recklessness
and creativity, and Hikaru-san's logic and knowledge, they can make
and do things others would find impossible in minutes. But because of
these same differences, they can't get along with each other without a
common goal for more than a few seconds."
Yuuto turned away from Hikaru.
"So annoying... Anyway, please replace the rosario again Moka."
Moka put it on, and her hair and eyes changed back to her sealed
colours. Her body size wasn't affected at all.
"Ara? I'm not falling asleep?" Moka asked curiously.
"Good. The sooner we get out of here, the better." he said as he
strode out of the room, examining his hands. "Lex! Yukari! We're
leaving!"
After everyone had gotten ready and been hurried outside, they were
surprised to see the bus driver standing outside, leaning on his bus.
Tsukune was surprised.
"Busdriver-san? Why are you here? I thought you couldn't drive this
close to here?"
The bus driver smiled his unnerving smile.
"I had some other business too attend to." he answered mysteriously.
"As long as we can get on here, I may forgive you for lying and making
Tsukune carry me for so long."
Tsukune was even more surprised at that.
"How did you know it was me?" he asked in confusion.
"Yuuto knew if he carried me there after wounding me in the first
place, he would have wounded my pride; he was in a pretty poor state
himself, and looking after me would have probably seemed to the old
ura-Moka like he was taking pity on her. Isn't that right, Yuuto?"
Yuuto looked away, embarrased.
"Whatever" he muttered before entering the bus. Lex followed with a
very sad look in her eyes, and Yukari tried to console her.
Moka was about to enter too, but Tsukune stopped her.
"Moka-san" he said quietly. "Do you remember what you told me before
both of you merged?"
Moka looked seriously at Tsukune and nodded. His throat suddenly felt
dry, and the words wouldn't come out. He tried to calm himself, and
then opened his mouth again.
"Which one of us do you prefer now?" he blurted out, louder than he
had intended.
Yuuto stepped out of the bus again. He had evidently heard this
question.
"Yeah" he said thoughtfully. "I've sort of been wondering that too..."
It's funny how I always run out of ideas at cliff-hangers. Or, to be
more precise, I have too many ideas. I have theorised 5 totally
different situations that could happen now, and foreseen the 4 massive
storyline differences they all cause. Perhaps you would like to make
subtle suggestions as to which path I should take? (Either pm or
review is fine) If not, I'll pick one out of a hat, or use a random
number generator or something. Yes, I'm that stuck on what to choose.
Anyway, please review and stuff, I want to at least pass 10 reviews
(or 5 constructive criticism and/or complimentary reviews) by the time I hit 20k words.