Reunion
"A loud one at that", Tsukasa mumbled to himself as he stepped through the framed paper doors.
Shizuka, his guide, gave a small smile. "It seems that our other guests are more energetic than we had anticipated. I hope you don't mind.", the blind swordswoman whispered with amusement.
As long as they weren't directing their obnoxious racket making at him, Tsukasa decided that he would be polite and not mind. He was in someone else's house after all and being mean to fellow guests might get him in a fair bit of trouble.
"Eishun-sama.", Shizuka quickly located her teacher in sword fighting.
The elder's stern face suddenly lit up at the sound of her voice. It seemed that the man had been discussing something pretty serious with the side pony-tailed girl beside him. Eishun's smile was warm and welcoming, almost fatherly. "Shizuka, how was today's training?", he asked the young woman.
"Tiring.", Shizuka replied with a weary smile. "I was planning to get myself some breakfast before resuming my guard duties.", she continued.
Eishun nodded to his disciple, "Please do.". He dismissed his student and waved at Tsukasa, "Please, take a seat. I have been worried since last night's scare.".
The young man nodded mutely as he let Shizuka flash him a small parting smile. "Sure.", he absently pulled an unused cushion up and took his place beside Eishun.
Once the young man was seated, he took note of just who his host was entertaining. There was the side pony-tailed girl who looked a bit depressed but still sharp, A twin-tailed red-headed girl that was heavily injured but still childishly quarreling with a dark-haired boy about four years her junior, another girl who looked about the same age as the boy and finally a boy of similar age to the other with auburn hair in a short ponytail.
"Quite the curious menagerie.", Tsukasa discreetly noted to Eishun.
The older man chuckled at that comment. "I won't lie to you about that.", Eishun admitted. "They're actually students of the one who sent you over.", he helpfully informed.
"Really?", Tsukasa exclaimed in fake wonder. "I had no idea.", he lied through his teeth. He had been charged to look after them, guess the favor started right about now.
"Yes.", Eishun confirmed, "In fact you can call them your seniors. Come I'll introduce you.", he pushed the offer to the younger man.
"No really, It's not necessary.", Tsukasa declined but to no avail.
"Everyone.", the head of the Konoe house called for his guests' attention. The hullabaloo quickly dispersed to be replaced by a pregnant pause. Eishun looked around again to make sure there were no more loose eyes. "Everyone", he repeated, "I would like for you to meet my guest here.", he gestured at the brunette young teen who looked sorely tempted to plant his face in his palm, "His name is Kadoya Tsukasa and I hope you treat him well since he is a fellow pupil of Evangeline.".
"EH!"
"Tsukasa-san these are your sempai. Asuna.", he pointed over at a still gaping red-headed girl. "Setsuna-kun.", he pointed next to the side pony-tailed girl he had been speaking to earlier. "Yue-kun.", he pointed next to the youngest looking girl. "Kotarou-kun.", he pointed at the dark-haired boy who looked at Tsukasa with a mix of shock and respect. "Also here is the first of Evangeline's students, you could say he's the eldest amongst you in being under her wing. His name is Negi.", he gestured to the bespectacled auburn-haired 10 year old.
The teen nodded in understanding. He had remembered the short descriptions Evangeline had given of them before the train doors had closed its doors on him. They matched their descriptions well enough to be confirmed, but he had not been told about Kotaro and Yue. Most likely the two had come of their own volition, Tsukasa deduced. Still, one of the original members of the group was missing, Konoka was not amongst them. He decided that he would find out later, questioning it right now would throw suspicion on his identity.
"I see, it's nice to meet you all.", Tsukasa greeted the group. "Please take care of me sempai-tachi.", he gave a respectful bow.
Negi flushed from embarrassment as he tried to set the teen upright. "No, no that's not necessary.", he humbly chided.
"Well I guess I wouldn't mind.", Asuna smiled rather goofily with blush on her face. Apparently it was her first time being shown so much respect, even if it wasn't exactly the most genuine.
"Hey hey, nii-san!", Kotarou called the elder youth's attention with a flying chokehold. "We should spar some time, I wanna see what Eva's other students are like!", the hanyou excitedly challenged.
"I'd rather not actually.", Tsukasa declined. If they were anything like Chachamaru, he doubted he could fight them without assuming his rider form. He didn't want to let them know about his identity or his abilities if at all possible. There were people he had entrusted his secrets to already, but the less people knew the better, because he didn't want to involve them in this battle between riders.
"Man that sucks.", Kotarou quickly deflated.
Asuna tore the young boy away from the rider. "Get off of him, you're gonna scare our kouhai away.", she relished saying the word 'kouhai'. "We should see how far he is along Eva's standards and let him train along with us right?", she urged them all. She seemed completely eager at the prospect of being above someone in skill at long last. Either that or she finally got to be sempai after being kouhai for so long against bullies from school.
"But isn't Kadoya-san studying up Onmyoudou?", Setsuna voiced out her concern as she recalled her recent conversations with her teacher. "I mean he is the guest who was looking for basic instruction isn't he, Eishun-sama?", she asked the onmyou head.
The man nodded, "Indeed he is.". "Though with all that has been going on I've been rather hard-pressed to find him someone to show him the ropes.", Eishun thought with concern.
"How about me?", Kotarou offered out of nowhere.
"Kotarou-kun?", Negi looked at his best friend in surprise. "Are you sure you're up to teaching Kadoya-san?", the boy looked worried.
The raven-haired boy scratched the bridge of his nose cockily. "No problem. I may not use them much but I'm quite the adept at onmyoudou. It's just the basics anyway, how hard could it be?", Kotarou reassured his friend.
Kotarou's words did not calm Negi one bit. He had thought as much to calm himself on his first day of teaching class 3-A, sadly enough he was proven wrong very badly in less than the first five minutes of his employment. The 10 year old teacher still felt that it would be a bad idea but consented his support, "If you're sure.".
"Alright!", Kotarou yipped in glee. Maybe he would get that spar he wanted after all.
That notion was quickly trampled upon by two fingers that grabbed his ears in a well placed pinch. Yue could not stand the hanyou's childish behaviour, "Don't decide everything by yourself. We still need Tsukasa-san's consent you know?".
"Ow! Ow! Ow!", Kotarou howled in pain. "That hurts!", he tried to pull away without success. In a bid to calm the girl he quickly said, "Let's ask the man what he wants then!".
"Will that be alright with you Tsukasa-san?", Eishun asked the teen.
All eyes turned to Tsukasa for his answer. The rider felt their eyes on him, waiting for his words that would be the fuse to a situation he didn't even dare to imagine happening. "Umm…", he began unsurely, "if possible, I'd rather someone who doesn't look like he'll eat me.".
"What're you talking about?", Kotarou protested hotly.
Yue looked the boy's way before an angry vein popped into existence. "He's talking about that you idiot!", she dragged him by the ear which almost made him scream in pain. She points out the hungry gleam in his eyes as well as the drool at the side of his mouth. The diminutive girl huffed, "I don't know why we put up with a barbarian like you.".
The clearly battle-crazy boy shot back, "Like anyone cares what you say runt!".
"I care.", quickly chorused Asuna, Setsuna, Negi, Eishun and Tsukasa in return.
Yue gave the defeated Kotarou a small smirk. "And there you have it.", she gave a mock curtsy on a whim.
Kotarou protests, "Don't think you've won yet!". The two of them continued to argue much like an old couple.
Tsukasa couldn't hold back a somber smile. It reminded him of his journeys, his time when he was still Decade. The pleasant expression was wiped off his face when Eishun says something unbelievable.
"Why don't you teach him Setsuna-kun?", he asked of his pupil.
The girl in question looked completely shocked. "M-M-Me?", she stammered out.
"Why yes.", the onmyou head adapted a thinking stance. "You may be a Shinmeiryuu swordswoman but you've taken up onmyoudou as part of your training. I still remember that clearly.", Eishun reminded his student.
Setsuna vehemently shook her head, "But those are mere parlor tricks. The most basic of the basics taught to onmyous even. Would it not be better for an adept to teach him?".
"Please consider Setsuna-kun.", Eishun began disarmingly, "Any style of magic is similar once it is stripped down to the basics. You need only teach the basis I'm sure Tsukasa-san will find his own way to further his studies once he learns the concepts.".
"Isn't that right Tsukasa-san?", the elder man turned to the teen.
Tsukasa felt a bit stunned from the conversation that regarded him but was completely out of his hands. "Yeah, I guess.", he agreed in an overwhelmed daze.
"Then it's decided!", Asuna hopped up. She dramatically pointed at Tsukasa, the look in her eyes making his skin crawl. "Tomorrow he joins us for training!", she announced with no room for arguments.
The youth in question had a very bad feeling about this.
That evening, a haggard Tsukasa traversed the wooden walkways of the Konoe house. "They're crazy.", the teen concluded. For some reason or another, they had partied for a good eight hours before letting him off the hook. Now he was just glad that he could go his own pace as opposed to their sugar-laced adrenaline rushed one. Of course he found something off about the whole set-up.
The young rider leaned his back against one of the supporting posts and mumbled to himself, "One looked depressed, the other is still missing.". He thought back to the solemn expression on Setsuna's face. Even though everyone was in a way celebrating his initiation, he shuddered at that, she was completely void of any emotion but anxiety. Most likely it had something to do with the fact that Konoka was missing.
Had something happened to the ditzy girl? A glare formed on Tsukasa's tired face. That was unacceptable. He had promised to take care of them and he was a man of his word, however dubious his words normally were. He said he would take care of them and so he would. The rider sighed in vexation. He would have to put his fangire hunts on hold for now. Investigating Konoka's situation and making sure they were safe had to take top priority.
First issue was to locate the girl. Tsukasa held his chin in thought, most likely she would still be within the estate. Normally one would send wounded back to home base or in their case back to Mahora. However this situation was not normal, they must have been attacked on the way here and sending her back would just be another invite for an assault. So now logic dictates that they would treat her here rather than risk her transport being intercepted. As a plus this was the Konoka's home, they would want to keep her here.
Nodding in agreement with his thoughts, Tsukasa went around the big house. He kept alert, listening for any mention of Konoka while memorizing the layout of the structure as he went along.
"Weird.", the young man thought to himself. How come nobody he had come across was talking about the daughter of the house? Tsukasa had been roaming for quite a bit, crossing the kitchens, the various bedrooms, the baths, the toilets. He'd been pretty much everywhere except the main family's quarters. Not once had he heard mention of Konoka. What was going on? Was she so badly hurt that they had to hide her elsewhere in secret?
"I can't believe it.", a man in his mid-thirties in onmyou garb whispered to his companion.
Tsukasa tensed, he had been thinking so hard on the matter he'd forgotten his surroundings. He surveyed the area and confirmed himself to be a few halls away from the training grounds, a place he wasn't supposed to be at without permission. Quickly placing himself behind a pillar away from prying eyes, he listened in on the secretive conversation.
"Well it shouldn't come around as a surprise. How else did they know we had reinforcements coming?", the other man about in his mid-twenties, dressed similarly, replied. "Because of that lady Konoka has been unconscious for almost two days now. If we don't take precautions we just might get caught in an ambush.".
"But still", the elder man spoke skeptically, "It's hard to believe that we have a traitor in our midst.".
"Traitor?", Tsukasa repeated to himself in alarm. There was a spy amongst their ranks? He tuned back in to their talk for more details.
The younger of the two onmyous nodded gravely. "I know what you mean. The head's been really jumpy about it even though he said it's all speculation on his part.".
"Yeah.", the elder spoke, "He even moved Konoka-ojou-sama to another room personally. I hear the only people who know where she's kept is himself and his two most trusted pupils.".
Tsukasa had heard enough. He slid away from the halls and quickly put his feet on autopilot towards his own room. Fists clenched hard enough until his nails dug crescents into his palms. Only three people know where Konoka is, and chances are that there is a traitor on the loose. Tsukasa hated traitors.
"Kaias.", the young rider cursed. The sewing fangire was behind this, he didn't know why but he knew that this whole scenario was playing according to the undead creature's will. Just how many more tangled conspiracies did he have to deal with?
Meanwhile Sakurazaki Setsuna knelt down by her childhood friend's futon. "Kono-chan.", the hanyou indulged herself the small pleasure of addressing the unconscious girl as such. Slowly she reaching out a pale hand to stroke her magister's cheek.
Yesterday's events played across the ministra's mind like a movie that repeated itself endlessly. She remembered how it felt to be under Chigusa's aura, like bathing in ice cold water. All her senses had gone numb, she didn't even notice that they were in another world already or how it was affecting Konoka. She remembered her battle with the lightning fiend, Lund. She remembered being unable to defeat him, or at least lose him so she could assist in protecting her ojou-sama from the shadow wielder. She remembered them her powerlessness so clearly she felt like that moment had never passed but instead continued till now.
She lifted one snow white hand to wipe away at a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye. This wasn't the time for guilt. She had just spoken to Eishun after everyone was briefed about the current situation. He had shared to her his fears of there being a possible mole within their organization. As a safety precaution, the worried father had Konoka moved here to this location in secret. Only Eishun, Setsuna and Shizuka, another of Eishun's students, knew where this place was.
"Secchan."
Setsuna's ears quickly perked up to the weak call of her nickname. Only one person called her that. "Konoka-ojou-sama?", she spoke reflexively. She reached out for the girl lying before her.
The heiress looked up at her with a warm gaze. "Are you okay?", the girl began weakly. "You look like you were about to cry.", she teased.
"Konoka-ojou-sama.", Setsuna repeated. Slowly, she inched closer as if this was a miracle. "Konoka-ojou-sama! Konoka-ojou-sama!", she threw herself onto her magister and enveloped her in a passionate hug. "Konoka-ojou-sama. You're alright.", the ministra cried.
It was either the warmth or Setsuna's words but Konoka could not help but giggle giddily. "Of course silly.", she lightly admonished her guardian. "Just a little tired. A bit more rest and I'll be fit as a fiddle.", she declared.
Setsuna pulled away from Konoka who looked just a bit disappointed from losing the warmth. "Then sleep.", the hanyou commanded with a smile of content on her face.
Konoka shook her head. "But I want to talk to Secchan a bit more. I feel like I've been sleeping for a long time already.", she reached out for the pale girl.
Small yet strong hands firmly grasped the heiress outstretched limb. "There will be plenty of time to talk once you're all better.", Setsuna tucked her friend back in. She fixed her eyes on Konoka again before saying, "Everyone's waiting for you, we even have someone new joining us. So please, get better soon.".
The short speech was accepted with a nod. "Un.", Konoka replied before closing her eyes like an obedient child. A few moments passed and her breath steadied out into puffs of sleep.
An overwhelming feeling of gladness and relief filled Setsuna's heart. It was okay now. Konoka was safe. She'd regained consciousness and was now in a peaceful sleep.
But for how long?
Fear quickly squeezed the happy feelings from the Ministra.
How long till she's reduced to this again because of your weakness?
Doubts Setsuna believed she had thrown away were coming back again.
She gets hurt. You grow stronger to repel the danger. You grow complacent. She gets hurt again. The cycle doesn't end.
"Don't get sucked into your own pace.", a voice floated over from the other side of the room. "Worries are worries but if you let them consume you, it will only be a liability.".
"Who's there?", Setsuna sharply snapped back with Yuunagi in hand.
Shizuka stepped into the light so that Setsuna could see her. "You're still as jumpy as ever.", the blind teen hid her mirth in vain.
The hanyou visibly relaxed once she was sure it was her fellow Shinmeiryu student. "Shizuka-san.", Setsuna began, "What do you mean?". There is a good reason for this question, that being this is the first time the two have ever met face to face.
Shizuka's happy demeanor dropped, but only for a little bit. "It's nothing.", she shook her head. Gracefully, she sat beside the ministra, watching Konoka sleep. "Has she regained consciousness?", the blind swordswoman asked.
Setsuna herself settled down before answering, "Yes she has.".
"That's good.", Shizuka nodded. "Everyone will be pleased to know she has awakened, especially Eishun-sama.".
"Yeah.", Setsuna agreed.
Silence followed them for a bit.
"You…", began Shizuka, "you don't like me very much do you?".
The blunt question hit the hanyou like a hammer and made her splutter out. "N-n-n-no! I don't hate you Shizuka-san.", she waved her hands about in protest.
Shizuka gave a laugh, quiet but melodic. "You really are easy to tease.", the beautiful swordswoman told her companion as the candle light made her gray eyes twinkle mischievously.
Setsuna looked away embarrassed. "I-i-it can't be h-helped after all.", she stuttered. "I'm not too used to dealing with people I don't know.", she said the last statement quietly.
"Don't worry.", the blind bishoujo stared right at the flames of the hundreds of candles that served as the only light. "I knew that feeling as well, back when I was still a child.".
"Childhood.", Setsuna pondered on her own circumstances when she was smaller. She remembered being ostracized, wandering without a purpose, a life of hardship. At least that was until Eishun had picked her up and became a part of the Konoe house's many retainers.
Another silence stopped the flow of conversation.
"I guess you really don't like me."
"Wh-wh-wh-what!", Setsuna flushed quite flabbergasted again.
Konoka groaned from her futon before the two swordswomen.
Setsuna berated herself for being so loud. Her magister was still sleeping and here she was screaming all over the place. Her face burned an even brighter red from embarrassment. "I'm sorry.", she got back in proper seiza to sit guard. She looked at Shizuka to ask, "Why do you keep saying that I don't like you?".
"Nothing really.", she said nonchalantly. "It's just that you don't speak much when I'm around, but around everyone else you open up. Why just before I came in I heard you speak so tenderly. 'Konoka-ojou-sama!'", the blind swordswoman did an impression of Setsuna's earlier outburst.
The hanyou's face went red again at that revelation. "Y-y-you s-s-s-saw t-t-t-t-t-that?", Setsuna shook with every word. She looked like she was going to have a nervous breakdown. The shy girl hid her face, feeling like she just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
"Now.", Shizuka sweat-dropped at the childish withdrawal. "It's nothing to be ashamed about.", she reassured the ministra.
"B-b-but I'm her ministra, her guardian. Isn't it weird if we act so… so…", Setsuna couldn't quite find the words.
"So sweet?", Shizuka helpfully supplied.
"Yes! Sweet.", Setsuna whined.
The blind bishoujo had a cute look of contemplation on her face. Her gray gaze was scrunched up in concentration. "Isn't that supposed to be normal?", she pointed out, "Ministras and magisters usually end up together in life.". She even made a little finger play by holding up two index fingers then joining them together like they were standing side by side. "So there shouldn't be any problem right?".
"I-I know that!", the blushing swordswoman contained a scream. "But…", she sat properly and looked down at her hands. "We're both girls. Shouldn't feelings like this not be allowed?".
"I honestly don't see what the problem is."
Setsuna stared at the girl beside her.
"Err… pun not intended.", the blind swordswoman chuckled nervously. "Really though", her face turned serious if not tender. "If it were me, it wouldn't matter as long as I'm sure that I like that person.".
Setsuna didn't quite know what to say to her companion. One thing she did do however was smile and say, "Thank you.".
The genuine gratitude in those words made Shizuka blush to her ears. "It was nothing.", came the quick reply.
"No.", Setsuna shook her head. "You came to cheer me up. I felt lost until awhile ago. You gave me advice and I just seemed to take it worse. When you talk to me however, it's like I'm talking to a friend that I've known forever. It means a lot to me. Thank you.", she repeated her show of gratitude.
Shizuka got up quickly, hiding her face in her hands. Setsuna noticed her companion's haste and asked, "Where are you going Shizuka-san?".
"J-j-just Shizuka will be enough.", the bishoujo stuttered out. Her hand was already on the wooden door that lead outside before she answered, "I'm g-going to tell Eishun-sama that Konoka-ojou-sama has regained consciousness.".
Setsuna nodded, "Okay then. I'll just keep watch over ojou-sama.".
"Okay.", Shizuka confirmed as she stepped out of the room into the cold night. She paused just as she was about to close the doors shut. A small whisper but it was definitely from Setsuna. Shizuka's lips set themselves in a thin line, face still red but emotions a complete mess to tell what really caused it.
Just outside the compound, sitting on a rather large branch of a Sakura tree, a young man of 15 in a hood up jersey jacket of red and black with blue pants grinned wolfishly. His hair was white and shockingly brushed back into unruly spikes. His skin was tan which would have made him stick out like a sore thumb within the snowy petals had it not been night.
"How cute, the little maid servant has a crush.", he spotted the blushing Shizuka move away from the inner shrine. "Well doesn't matter", he put his hands in his pockets. "Not like it'd get in the way of getting the princess.".
He got ready to return back to base after this little reconnaissance. He tensed his legs so he could spring from tree to tree like how he'd gotten back. When he did, markings like that of an animal began to project over his skin. He grunted out in exertion before it stopped and he was completely normal human again.
"Damn.", he swore, "I must be getting excited over this favor. I can barely keep my true nature in anymore. If one noticed the grin that never left his face, his fangs had just grown more prominent than before.
He sighed annoyingly as he pulled out a rather high tech phone. "Guess I'll call for a ride back.". His fingers worked swiftly dialed a number that had saved his life a countless number of times.
3…8…2…1…
The youth smiled as he flipped his phone shut, listening to the announcement.
Jet sliger come closer.
That night Tsukasa could not sleep, there was a lot on his mind. Kaias' plan, the fangires still out there, Konoka's situation and now more recently tomorrow's training. These nocturnal musings were cut short when a foot found its way to the side of his head.
"Goddammit Kotarou.", he silently cursed to the young boy who was bunked with him on the other side of the room.
As some sort of grand idea for bonding, they had Tsukasa sleep with everyone else in the room, of course there was a screen door that separated the girl's side from the boy's side, but why? Why did the girls grab Negi to sleep with them but not Kotarou? The hanyou was snoring so unbearably loud that Tsukasa was convinced he'd go deaf by the time morning came.
Not wanting anymore torture, the rider decided to gather up his things and just sleep outside.
The cold bite of night air was nothing new to Tsukasa anymore, so he did little but yawn when he stepped into the walkways. He sat down and looked up at the stars, hoping to clear his mind and find some restful slumber in a few moments, until he saw something he believed to be impossible.
A jet sliger was in the air, flying at a lazy pace but that wasn't what caught his eye. It was the one who was driving the thing that made his mind come to a screeching halt. Unmistakable were the telltale neon red outlines of the suit.
"Faiz.", the wor left Tsukasa's mouth.