A/N: Well, hasn't it been a while? Would you believe it, I updated! Also, Maikeru has become my muse. Although he's slightly more evil as a muse than he ever was in this. Anyway, thanks to the plan of the story I had rotting in a corner of my computer and an inspirational review (Thanks for that Ryo) I finally moved onto chapter 13. The ending chapter to this has been written for almost two years! --; My my, well, now it's time to fill the void between now and the end. See if you can notice any changes in my writing style after all this time. :wink:
Disclaimer: As always, pretear does not belong to me. Only Hime, Yurokai, creepy hooded lady, Maikeru, Tetsuo and Miss. Atsui belong to me, THEY'RE MINE! Heh heh...
Chapter 13
Princess of Sorrow
As the school day ended, the three not-so-normal students grabbed their bags and moved on to the library. Maikeru had to fight his way through the crush of students, all packed into the small locker space like sardines. It would be so much easier not to have to go through the locker bays to get to the library, especially at the end of the day. It was helpful he didn't have claustrophobia. (s/p?)
" Maikeru! Hurry up!" As he squeezed his now battered body through the moving human wall he noticed Hime and Himeno waiting by the Library doors impatiently. Hime was tapping her foot against the nylon flooring.
" Sorry, got a little delayed in the rush." Flushed, he barely breathed out the words thanks to broken ribs. (AN-Or what he considered to be broken at any rate. Don't men always over-react:grin:)
" Never mind, let's go."
Inside the library it was quiet, dull and lifeless. The huge student body the school usually boasted were now cheerfully heading home, leaving the silent place of learning alone for the weekend. Hime headed straight for the books, there was one she'd wanted to read for a while and she hoped that good old Awayuki High would have it in. Himeno began to log in to one of the library computers, while Maikeru stood stiffly by her side.
" Something wrong, Maikeru?" She asked, typing in her password. The keys clicking were the only sound in the place, it was slightly unnerving.
" Nah...I guess I just don't like libraries. There's something about them. Too quiet I suppose, empty." He explained, glancing round wearilly. Books were fantastic, but he'd rather buy them from a bookstore than get glared at by hook-nosed librarians who thought him a nuisance.
" That's odd, I don't mind them. I'd probably like them more if I was quieter though." Himeno grinned and laughed her bubbly laugh. " As it is, I think I'm naturally loud!" Smirking, Maikeru agreed wholeheartedly. He glanced at the screen as Himeno pulled up the internet.
" What are you doing anyway?" He asked, peering at what appeared to be a map of a large town.
" I'm marking where the demon larvea show up for Kei. He's looking for some sort of pattern, and he didn't have time at work to do it himself." She typed in a few things and red circles showing the demon larvea popped up in various locations on the map. They appeared randomly scattered across the map, except for one area which was to coincidental to ignore. He put his finger on the screen over the area. There were no red circles anywhere within a twelve mile radius of it, and the name was like a beakon to the two of them.
Awayuki Chapel.
" It seems Kei's idea was a good one." Maikeru mumbled. "We're going back to the church where Takako began this whole thing sixteen years ago, unfortunate building."
" Hey, what're you two up to?" Having not found her book, Hime rounded the corner to the sight of the flashing map. "And what's with the blinking?"
" It's a map of all the attacks by larvea. And they all avoid one place." Hime peered over Himeno's shoulder.
" The church?" She asked.
" The church." Maikeru echoed, picking up his bag. Himeno closed the window, face set in a thoughtful expression, mulling over what it could mean. Takako is definitely on our side now, she'd never turn back. She loves Sasame. She's loved now, I know she's happy and she was there at the same time as the woman once, wasn't she? I think so. Himeno couldn't quite remember. She thought Takako and the woman in purple had been in the same place at one point. Then who is it? And what does the church have to do with it, if anything? When she came out of her musings she realised she was no longer in the library. Apparently she'd been dragged by the others out of the school and the cold weather had shaken her out of her thoughts. Now she walked down the road toward home, the duo beside her silent.
X
" Do you feel that?" Sasame asked the three knights beside him, earpiece glowing as he picked up on some form of activity.
" Yeah. Something big." Kei replied, eyes suddenly containing a worried glint.
" Should we go check it out?" Asked Goh. "Sasame's never been wrong before..." Suddenly Hayate disappeared in his signature blue flash. " I guess that means yes then." Goh finished, scratching his head.
" Where about is it?" Kei asked.
" The church. It feels like it's near the church."
O.O
When they arrived in the street outside the church, all four were on guard. At least the children were meeting Himeno, they wouldn't be near this new beast.
" What's going on then?" Mannen's loud voice sliced through the air. Spoke to soon it seems.
" We're not sure..." Goh replied, looking round for any sign of unrest.
" I felt something dark, really dark." Himeno's voice was quiet, and she held out her hand. "We may as well be ready." Hayate nodded back to her and took it, and it wasn't two second before he was gone and Himeno was in the outfit of the wind pretear.
They began to walk onwards, toward the church, when a chill coursed through all of them like a bad omen.
" What the...-?" A cold, dark wind cut Maikeru off. It blew leaves down the street, draining the colour from them as they went. Trees and animals around them wilted and collapsed.
:Himeno, it isn't the Church...: Hayate suddenly realised.
" Hayate says that it isn't the church." She related to the rest of the group.
" Then where...?" Sasame began, but Maikeru interrupted him.
" The library." As one they ran down the street, toward the place of learning. When they finally saw its regal pillars and huge magestic steps, they found their view marred by something that had certainly never been there before.
A swirling leafe vortex.
It was a fat, ugly stain in the middle of Awayuki town, sucking in the life and leaving only death. Maikeru's brows furrowed into a frown.
" We can't stop it from here, any attack would go right in and out to wherever this thing leads." He observed, starting towards it cautiously.
" Then there's only one way to stop it, and that would probably be to find its source, the creator. I think we can safely assume that person is inside the building." Kei continued, moving with more confidence forward after Maikeru, and beckoning the rest to follow after they'd all stopped un-ceremoniously at the sight of the vortex. He soon caught up with the wind knight and they led the way into the seemingly innocent library, which was like any library should be. They found themselves in a perfectly ordinary reception, the receptionist slumped at her desk, leafe gone. Passing her quickly they moved on to the first room of books on bookshelves on walls which held more bookshelves of books. It was pretty safe to say they'd all most likely end up preferring television after this episode.
" Nothing's disturbed." Himeno breathed as she noticed a girl collapsed over a homework project. Other visitors were lifeless next to stacks of books, but only a few, and the silence bore down on them like so many knawing gnats. Eating at confidence and resolve.
" You're right. It's like nothing ever happened. Maybe it was the church after all." Goh wondered aloud.
" No." Sasame quickly threw the notion aside. "There is something here. And it's been here a while, that woman from Leafenia comes to mind." The next room was large, and relatively empty of books and desks. That was an odditty in itself, what was the purpose of an empty room? They moved slower, taking in everything, missing not the slightest movement and all were alert immediately when it happened.
X
It was just a darkness that seeped into the room, a shiver that claimed the skin. Hime stayed at the very back, knowing full well that she was out of her depth and yet unable to leave everyone there alone. Or return through the silent library by herself, that was almost as unnnerving as the darkness that had now become a rolling fog. It lolled mid-way between the floor and ceiling, mocking them in their unstable position. The knights had their weapons drawn and eyed it up, weighing how much of a threat it could be.
" You shouldn't be here." A voice sliced through the fog, but no speaker could be seen. It wasn't the cold voice of the cloaked woman, but of someone younger, more like an eight year old. She sounded sad, and scared, but mostly resigned. It wasn't a voice that an eight year old should have possessed.
" Who are you, what do you want and why shouldn't we be here?" Sasame challenged, keeping his bow and arrow knocked and ready to use. (1) The voice sighed, but the fog began to clear.
" I am Yurokai, a simple servant. I want you to leave, and that is because if you don't then my mistriss will get angry. She isn't nice when she's angry." In front of them, shrouded in fog, a young floating girl appeared. She had wings, and once the fog had completely moved to form two walls on either side of the hall they could make her out more clearly. It wasn't a girl, but a doll, one with fairy wings and a tattered dress. Her eyes told of many more years than eight though, and each wondered what this little thing had been through to give herself such a gaze.
" Please leave, or she will make you."
XxxxxxxxxxX
Well, after a while it's finally getting close to the climax of the story. I'm sorry this was short, but I wanted to post quick and I do seem to be making everything shroter now-a-days. Maybe I can make it even less chapters than I predicted, considering how much I squeezed into this short chapter? Ah well, it'll end when it ends and not a moment before. Apply Dapply, little brown mouse, went to the cupboard in somebody's house...
(Yes, I am insane :evil grin:)
(1) I gave Sasame a bow because it's easier to write about the battle if they all have weapons they can see, touch and use solidly. If anyone minds then I'll change it. Kay?
Forgetful XxX