Disclaimer: I do not own Hana to Akuma or any of the characters therein.

Chapter 26: A Test and A Curse

With the Reagent not coming and Eleanor and Velten separated Tsubaki felt like she could finally concentrate on Gilbert. She did not want to wait for tomorrow. It was near sundown and she had already made up her mind that something had to be done about Gilbert. She needed to put her mind to rest regarding him. With Ayame's help she had come to a decision. Gilbert's malicious words were hurtful but they raised more questions than they answered and Tsubaki was determined to leave nothing undiscovered.

After a few minutes after she realized that Gilbert had disappeared, she asked her remaining guests to retire to their rooms until dinner. She signalled to Ayame and although they went in different directions, they both set out to work. If Gilbert wanted to leave then that was exactly what he was going to get. She checked her watch. She had exactly 1 hour 34 minutes before sundown here in Avalon. She had to act now.

Dressed in a water resistant travelling habit, Ayame knocked rapidly on Gilbert's door. When he gave the command to enter she walked in proudly and said, "It is time. I trust that you are ready to leave? Come I will take you to the Gateway."

Gilbert knew that it was less than 2 hours before the sunset and he asked, "You wish to escort me in such inclement weather?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You are the one who wishes not to remain here. I thought you would jump at the chance to leave. I am offering you safe passage back to the Demon World on the Queen's order. Do you not want it?"

Going over to the corner of the room where his katana and sheath were leaning, Gilbert picked up his sword and attaching it to his belt, he said, "Shall we depart?" The truth was he did not really want to leave without seeing Tsubaki. He needed to apologize to her, but maybe it was better this way. She did not want to see him and that was why she sent Ayame in her place. Could be even blame her?

"Do you not need some sort of protection against the rain?" Ayame asked. She held out a water proof mantle to him on which a cresting wave was imprinted. "Tsubaki wanted me to give this to you."

Gilbert had learned that the cresting wave was Tsubaki's personal insignia. Only she could use it or grant others permission to utilize it. At that moment, Gilbert wished that he could turn back time. No matter how hurt she was, she was still thinking about of his well-being. His heart lurched in his chest. He did not trust his voice and so he silently took it and slipped it on.

"Alright." Ayame said quickly. "Let's go!"

He followed her and they made their way towards the front entrance of the castle. Releasing a lever the door opened heavily and as soon as an opening was cracked a chilling wind entered the castle and blew hard against them. They entered into an evening darkened by black clouds which pelted rain against their bodies. The screaming wind caused trees to creak and it picked their leaves throwing them every which way. They carefully crossed the bridge which ran over the now roaring river into the field of flowers. Ayame plodded along in the mud and grass. Soon... soon Tsubaki would have her answers. "Let us take a short cut through here." She pointed towards the east.

They had been travelling for about 10 minutes and had reached a wooded area which afforded some shelter from the squall. Ayame knew that this was the place and so kept a close eye on Gilbert by allowing him to walk in front of her saying that they simply needed to just follow the path they were on for about half an hour. According to her after that there would reach the Gateway which she would open for him. Suddenly Gilbert stopped and began looking around ahead of him. "Ayame-sama. What is that sound?"

But his voice addressed an empty wood as she was nowhere in sight. Where did she go? Am I lost...? He looked down and saw the path below him... Then he heard it again. It was the sound of a sweet and beautiful melody. It sounded like bells chiming and violins crying out magnificently. It led him in the direction away from the pathway. He should have been trying to escape back to Earth, but the exceptionally beautiful song beckoned him deeper into the woods.

He walked among the trees for quite a few minutes and then came upon a clearing. The rain had let up a bit and the wind had died down. There… between the trees he could see the surface of a lake shimmering slightly in the limited light. He saw it clearly, thanks to his nocturnal vision, and on a large flat rock on the opposite side of the lake sat a mermaid. Her back was arched slightly, her head thrown back and lips were moving and from her mouth that most precious and lovely song was emanating. Her back was turned slightly to him and she looked like she was serenading the sky. Her tail was the colour of antique gold and was uncommonly long as was its terminal fin. The fin was iridescent and looked like diaphanous mother of pearl. Around her slim waist was a set of small blue-green fins arranged like a belt.

Gilbert stepped closer silently, not wanting to disturb this creature who could create such music by opening her lips. She seemed to effortlessly produce the most moving sounds. His heart felt full and warm and he was mesmerized by the sight in front of him. He continued to observe her. His eyes left her slim waist and travelled up a firm, flat abdomen and to a well-shaped medium sized breast which was left bare. Her other breast was obscured under a thick layer of strikingly red hair. He swallowed a lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. The hair at the back of his neck stood on end when he saw the mermaid's tresses. It fell in heavy curly crimson locks and he had seen hair like that only once before. Her face was obscured from view but when she turned to watch him he was not too surprised to see Tsubaki's eyes staring back into his.

She flicked her head and threw back her hair to reveal her entire body to him as she turned to face him squarely. Gilbert would have felt guilty looking at a naked female, but found that he could not tear his eyes away. There was no shame in looking at something as perfect and beautiful as the vision Tsubaki presented. He watched transfixed to his spot as she smiled invitingly at him and then dived from the rock into the lake. She surfaced after a minute and swam towards the edge where he stood. She stood up in the lake, assuming her human form wearing nothing but the ring of fins around her waist that created a mini skirt.

All this time, Gilbert simply stared at her. Unable to speak as he was faced with the woman he had hurt so terribly this morning. Right now, in his mind, she was the most beautiful creature in all of the universe and as she stood there looking at him shame filled every fibre of his being. He looked away from her eyes. He was a pitiful creature and he did not deserve such a privilege as looking upon her beautiful face. He badly wanted to apologize to her and he took the chance now.

"I am so very sorry, Tsubaki-sama." His voice was earnest and she listened. "The words which would convey to you just how much I despise myself for hurting you have not yet been created. I know that you cannot forgive me, but I did not mean anything I said to you this morning. Initially I had thought of betraying your trust and breaking my word, but after I danced with you, on that very day, I knew that I would not reveal anything to my lord until you were ready for me to. I never, never intended to do you bodily harm in anyway and I am so sorry that I hurt your feelings. But surely you could not be in love with me so I thought that it was best that I curtailed any affection you had for me so you could move on." He ceased talking but still refused to look at her.

"Gilbert..." She said, but still he could not look at her. "Why do you want me to move on?"

He turned away from her completely then. With his back to her he said, "I am no good for you, Tsubaki!"

"Why not?" she wanted to know.

"You ask me that after all the cruel things I said to you?" he said as his shoulders slumped.

"Why did you find it necessary to go so far, Gilbert?" She closed the gap between them and placed her hand lightly on his back. "All I wanted was to be with you."

When he felt the contact of her hand against his shoulder blade he immediately straightened his back. Wherever she made contact with him always felt like it was getting burnt. He turned around then and taking her hand in both of his he said, "I am cursed to live alone until the day I am dead."

"Cursed?"

"Yes. I cannot be with you, Tsubaki." He looked around. It had gotten darker. The time was close. "I have to leave..." He released her hand.

"NO!" she said desperately. She stepped in front of him blocking his path. "Please don't leave! Stay with me!"

"I must leave!" he insisted trying to get around her, but she would not allow it. She grabbed on to his shoulders and held unto him tight, pressing her naked breasts into his chest. Gilbert needed to get away. If he did not then she would witness his transformation. He did not want that. Whatever affection she had for him would surely vanish then... Then an idea struck him... Why then was he keeping it a secret from her? If he wanted her to find someone else then the most effective way to get her away from him is if she saw what he became at night.

"Tsubaki, do you want to know why I need to be left alone at nights? Why I cannot be with you?"

"Gilbert... I don't care!" she hugged him even tighter and she said to him, "I love you!"

His heart was overjoyed at the sound of those words, but Gilbert needed to be realistic! "No, please don't say that!" his voice was fraught as he peeled her off him. "You can't love me!"

"But I do... It is too late. I love you! I love you! You have passed the test! You are my destined mate."

"What are you talking about?" He searched her eyes.

"I am the Lady of this Lake like my mother before me and her mother before her. If we make love to a male who is not our rightful mate, we lose our powers. In order to ascertain which male is the right one, we sing a special song. It can only be heard by the man who fits us perfectly. I sang that song tonight, Gilbert, and you came straight to me. You have passed the test. You are the man I am supposed to be with!" Tsubaki smiled broadly and hugged him again. "Gilbert! I have waited hundreds of years for this day... I want..." She became nervous here but pushed on. "I want to know what love is like. I want to know what it is like to make love to a man and you are the only man who can show these things to me."

He could see nor hear any deceit in her eyes or voice. "Tsubaki..." he did not know what to say. He was her mate? "Tsubaki, are you serious about that song and test?"

"Yes, of course. Now behave and let me love you!" she laughed.

How he wanted that. If only life was perfect. His heart sank as he said, "Tsubaki I am cursed." He took a stabilizing breath before he said, "My transformation is almost upon me. Since you believe that I am your mate, then you must witness it yourself."

"T-transformation?"

Any minute now he would turn. Would Tsubaki still want him? Probably not... It was sundown. He could feel his skin beginning to itch. He pulled away from her. She tried to drag him back to her but he said as he removed the mantle she had sent for him, "Here put this on." When she did as he said he continued, "Now, stay there! Whatever happens, do not approach me. Do you understand?"

She nodded to indicate that she did. She heard Gilbert release a moan which intensified into a low scream. She watched in horror was his face became contorted, his back bent and his knees buckled under so much pain that she could barely watch. As he knelt before her his back and arms grew to a massive size and ripped through his tunic. His legs expanded and destroyed all of his trousers below his knees. His feet which became giant talons with frightening large nails and covered in green scales erupted from his boots. His now huge chest was also covered in scales and his fingers were disfigured like he was clutching something and from each a sharp claw extended. His beautiful silver-white hair became a shaggy, slightly curling mane which covered most of his back. From his head two large horns curled out on either side of his pointed ears and while his face retained some resemblance to his true form, it was wider and squarer. His eyes were more slanted and larger and his nose was now broader and flared.

When the pain finally abated he stood to his true height. Despite his back being bent and his large muscular legs being bowed and bent at the knees, he towered over Tsubaki. His mass had increased by more than twice and he was almost a foot taller than his original 6 feet. He looked at Tsubaki through eyes that were not completely his anymore and he saw her crying. He turned around swiftly to make an escape. His muscles flexed and his body was poised to leap away when he heard her call his name.

Tsubaki saw his muscles still, but he refused to face her again. She therefore went around him but when she reached out to touch him he shied away from her touch. When she tried again he did the same thing. He then spoke, still looking away, "Why are you still here? Are you not afraid?"

"How can I be afraid of you, Gilbert?" she asked.

"Then why were you crying?" he wanted to know.

"Because I hated seeing you in so much pain!" She tried to touch him again and he allowed her to. She ran her hands over the scales which covered his chest and shoulders. The feel of them surprised her. They looked like green glass or like emerald, but they were warm and soft instead of cold and hard.

Gilbert shivered under her touch. "Tsubaki... please..." he pleaded. In this form he was much more of a beast. The last thing he needed was the only woman he had feelings for igniting something lustful in him while he was in this grotesque form.

"Gilbert," she whispered before she tried to pull him down to her. "Why didn't you tell me...?" she was crying again. "I am so sorry I called you a coward! I had no idea!"

He knelt down on one knee then so that she could wrap her arms around his huge shoulders. "Why would I want to show anyone this monstrous form?"

"You are not monstrous!" Tsubaki insisted. To demonstrate she placed her face against his face and rubbed her cheek against his.

"You are too kind to me, Tsubaki." He said still afraid that all this would disappear. This must be a dream. He had fallen asleep somewhere...

"No. It is not kindness!" she replied, "It is selfishness!"

He opened his lips to ask her what she meant but instead her lips snuffed out any sound as she kissed him squarely on the mouth. In his disbelief he stopped still. He refused to even breathe because if he did this apparition of Tsubaki kissing his gargoyle form would disappear forever. He wanted the dream to last forever, but he knew that it would not so taking Tsubaki's advice, he took what was offered. He grabbed onto her and crushed her against him and he kissed her back.

How long had it been since he had felt the lips of a woman against his, in any form? He felt her lips move apart and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Tsubaki moaned when his tongue curled around hers. She buried her fingers in his mane as he moved his tongue against hers gently caressing it. Her heartbeat sped up and she had difficulty breathing. Her breasts felt hot and she pressed them into his chest. She heard Gilbert groan in pleasure against her lips and her kisses became more ardent.

Gilbert was quickly losing his head and so he pushed her away. Tsubaki was shocked and confused, but before she asked what happened, he supplied her with an answer. "Tsubaki, we can't continue like this. I have very little control over my basic instincts when I am in this form. You can guess what will happen if I we don't stop now. If we went further, I would probably break you in two."

Tsubaki blushed and nodded. "I am sorry... I..."

"Please do not apologize." He smiled lopsidedly.

"Tell me what happened to you. Why were you cursed?"

It happened 250 years ago. I was engaged to a beautiful woman named Millicent, but she was not what she seemed. The only reason she wanted to be my fiancée was because she knew that I was close to the King. It took me a long time before I discovered what she and her family had planned. Her father, an archduke wanted to overthrow the King and she used her position to acquire information on the King's whereabouts and routines. They had planned to assassinate him and they almost succeeded. If I had not discovered their treachery the Demon World would have been thrown into anarchy and possibly destroyed. Very few demons know that Lucifer's power keeps the entire Demon World in balance with the Miasma which lies beneath it. If his power is weakened or absent then miasma would flood the Demon World and then there would be nothing stopping it from rising into the Earth and beyond. Miasma in high concentrations are toxic to most demons except the strongest. Can you imagine what it would do to humans?

"You know I was actually stupid enough to believe that she was in love with me!" He smiled sadly.

Tsubaki gave him a quick kiss and said, "You never have to live without love again. I will love you until the world is no more!"

"Just before she was put to death, with her dying breath she placed this curse on me. I turn into this monster every night and I keep this form until sunrise. There is no way to break it!"

OKAY so you all got a bonus. Give me some reviews for me being so kind as putting up 3 chapters in 1 day!