No, I will most likely not be using stuff from the manga. I already had a set plan, which I think is cooler anyways :O
Before you ask any questions about certain people not being affected by the mirror. It's because they already are showing their true hearts/intent/nature. Get it? Doesn't work if they're already doing it.
Also, I've gone a slightly different route as opposed to what most people think I would've written. Don't get mad, get glad! Also… due to not writing for a while, things might be a bit iffy. Just a heads up.
K, enjoy!
P.S. I recently found Rammstein. Their song, Reise Reise is so AWESOME!
P.S.S. I don't know how long I'll be out. I've finally found what I want to major in so I'm going to start giving it my all. Updates might come sporadically, but hopefully at least once a month. Sorry for this, but I WILL continue to write! This is not the end… for those who care to read my comments.
X X X X
The light faded and Kyou blinked as her eyes adjusted. "E-Eh?" She was confused, wondering why was she alive. Wasn't she supposed to be eaten?
She looked up, having fallen onto the ground and all. There, standing like some sort of orange-haired savior was that Ichigo person from earlier. Only this time he seemed to have a sword strapped to his back and was wearing black Hakama pants with matching Kimono. He was holding the fairy, who was dangling her legs, unable to move since Ichigo had a hold of her wings. The little fairy grimaced as she twisted the mirror up to Ichigo, who looked at it with confusion.
Kyou braced herself for the inevitable transformation, but a few seconds passed and nothing happened.
"W-Why isn't this working?" Ririsu said as she continued to hold the mirror in front of her, and Ichigo getting tired of it, simply plucked it from her hands.
"You alright?" Ichigo asked as he turned to the girl. Kyou simply nodded… feeling strangely relieved that Ichigo had not transformed despite the sword on his back. All that went through her mind was, if the mirror didn't work, that Ichigo was not a monster.
Before she could realize what she was doing, she got up and flung herself into Ichigo's arms. The shocked boy could only stare with mouth agape, nearly dropping the mirror and letting go of the fairy in the process.
"Ichigo!" Said boy turned around to see a very unhappy Kurumu standing a bit behind, still in a maid outfit.
"It's not like I wanted this to happen! She jumped me!" He reacted with an upset look, still unsure of what to do.
Realizing what she had just done, she pulled herself away from Ichigo and blushed. "S-Sorry… when I saw the mirror didn't affect you… I was just so happy since it had affected everyone else."
"What do you mean?" Kurumu asked when she pulled the mirror from Ichigo's hand. She looked at it and saw her reflection, only with wings, tail, and claws. Then she became aware that her disguise had somehow dissolved away and she really was in her original state.
"Ack!" Kyou hid fearfully behind Ichigo, who was utterly confused as to why Kurumu had transformed.
"Why did you change?" Ichigo asked, ignoring the girl shaking behind him.
"I-I didn't!" She said, waving the mirror in the process. "My disguise just let up by itself!"
"There you are Kyou-chan!" Ichigo and company turned to see Tsukune and Mizore running towards them.
"Tsukki!" Kyou yelled happily as she jumped from Ichigo into Tsukune's arms.
"Tsukune, what's happening?" Ichigo asked, really not liking the fact that he hadn't gotten any answers yet.
"Ah well, I think I can answer that." Tsukune said as he began explaining. "That mirror is called 'Ririsu's Mirror' and it has the ability to reveal the true nature of anything."
"T-Then… how come it didn't affect Ichigo?" Kyou asked timidly, knowing full well that Ichigo had to be some sort of monster. She thought this even after she had hugged him and all.
Tsukune scratched his head. "Well, it doesn't work on humans." Then he realized what this meant. "Wait, you really are human!"
Ichigo gave the flat look. "Haven't I said this before?"
Tsukune grinned sheepishly. "Well, yeah, but I mean it's kinda hard to believe it with all your power."
Suddenly there was a flash of light and the boys looked over to see what had happened. "Haha! Now you're in your released state too!" Kurumu said playfully as Mizore raised her arms, which were now sharp claws of ice.
Kurumur's laughter soon stopped as she was frozen in a block of ice. Tsukune and Ichigo merely sighed. Suddenly there were multiple roars and howls as the monsters surrounding them began to clash and fight against one another. They didn't even seem to be thinking, just simply attacking whatever was in front of them.
"What's going on? Why are they fighting?" Ichigo asked, really seeing no reason for them to fight even if they were transformed.
Suddenly, Tsukune remembered something else. "Ah, when I said the true nature of things, I also meant what's deep in their hearts like feelings."
Ichigo blinked, then got the idea. Monsters, in general, had their roots set in fighting. Logically, that's what would lie in their hearts, though, he did see a few here and there opt to escape, most likely survival was their only concern. He grimaced, he didn't like flaunting his power, but he would have to do it. He would have to call upon his reiatsu to weigh all of them, and from the looks of things, he might even need to go into Bankai. Just as he was about call upon his reiatsu, something interrupted him.
"W-Wahh?" Ichigo nearly fell over when he was glomped by a suddenly enthusiastic Kurumu.
"What are you doing?" He asked as she rubbed her body against his body, not having done so in what seemed like ages.
"Ichigo…" She cooed into his ear, which sent an unbelievably pleasurable tingle down his spine, "I need you. You are my Destined One." She slid a gentle hand over his chest, her voice soft and soothing as she said, "We've been through a lot, and that makes me want you all the more. You're so special to me, I don't think I could live without you Ichigo. I… know you're still a bit unsure of your feelings for me. But I want to tell you this Ichigo."
She looked up at him, violet eyes meeting brown, unsteady ones. She smiled serenely, her heart completely sure about what her lips were about to utter. "I love you Kurosaki Ichigo." She said tenderly as her hand made its way towards his own and laced her fingers between them. "Though I want to do some things with you, I want you more. You are the best thing that's happened in my life. I don't want to lose you." She tiptoed upwards and placed a chaste, gentle kiss on his lips.
Ichigo, for his part, had never ever felt his heart beat this fast, even when things got heavy between them. His mind was abuzz with a multitude of thoughts. She loved him? Maybe it was just the effects of the mirror… but the mirror revealed the true nature of things, not fabricated them. Could this be… what Kurumu truly felt deep within her heart?
"I know you're thinking, but take your time." Kurumu told him as she snuggled into his chest, "I'll wait as long as it takes."
Right now… Kurumu looked so damn irresistible to Ichigo. Her true feelings, the kind and generous way she was acting, all of it seemed to strike a chord within him. She… to his sudden realization… actually loved him.
"Kurumu…" He said softly, causing her to look up. She hummed in response and he felt his arms steadily wrap around her. Her scent wavered into his nose and he felt his heart hammer madly against his chest. He had stayed up last night thinking, wondering what he was feeling. He had asked himself if he loved her, but from what he read, if he was already questioning himself, then it most likely meant he did. He felt his throat go dry, his voice suddenly eluding him as he tried to speak up. So wrapped up in his thoughts the he ignored the chaos around him and the fact that Kurumu was still wearing her maid outfit.
Meanwhile, both Mizore and Tsukune were secretly chanting to themselves. "Say it, say it, say it." They urged Ichigo silently. After a few seconds ticked by, they held their breathes when Ichigo pulled away slightly from the hug to look at Kurumu. Their eyes widened, Ichigo's lips opened, Kurumu smiled in ecstatic joy.
A terrible Youki descended around them.
Ichigo reflexively grabbed a hold of Kurumu in a tight embrace as he staved the energy with his own enormous reiatsu. It surrounded the group like a shield and helped them from falling to their knees. The monsters around them weren't so lucky. Others that could withstand it fled from the area while others that weren't so fortunate—or maybe actually fortunate—collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Those with enough power to hold it off, yet not enough to escape, suffered horrible fear that seemed to strike their very being.
Ichigo grimaced as he faced the direction the Youki was coming from. He placed himself protectively in front of Kurumu as his thoughts wandered. This truly had to be the strongest energy he had felt since getting here. Taking no chances, he felt himself slip into Bankai, knowing just how deadly underestimating an opponent was. He had defeated those immensely stronger than he through this tactic, and he was not about to be duped by it. The Youki didn't cease until the entity causing had arrived. His eyes widened.
"Moka?" Kurumu and the others voiced Ichigo's surprise. She was the one causing this? Then, something caught his eye from behind the released Moka. A taller, much more menacing man appeared behind her. It was strange because even though there had been light out, he almost seemed to melt out of the shadows even when there were none. The man held himself like a high-class aristocrat, yet, his eyes seemed to burn with something. It was an intense pride, one that knew no bounds. There were no overt actions, but Ichigo could tell the man was already looking at them with contempt.
"Now Moka. Which one?" The tone told that it was more of a demand than a question, and Moka obediently listened. She immediately pointed towards Ichigo, whose eyes furrowed as confusion settled on his features. Something about this situation wasn't right.
"I see." His features marginally changed, a slight dip in the curve of his lips, "I see you failed to succeed in making him your mate."
Moka visible stiffened as she felt her father's glare even though he wasn't even looking at her. As a Vampire, fear was not known for the proud race. But even so, Moka felt… cautious… to say the least around her father.
"I apol—" She cut herself off, knowing the consequences of bowing her head. That would mean she threw away her pride as a Vampire… and that was not acceptable even if she was facing an Elder that outmatched her power by hundreds of times.
The older Vampire's eyes flickered momentarily over her daughter, a silent warning. He let it slide for now. He had more pressing concerns. "You are Kurosaki Ichigo." He paused in thought before continuing, "I don't sense much power coming from you."
Ichigo shrugged, but this wasn't a relaxed motion. Suddenly, a voice from behind him interrupted the severity of the situation.
"Well that's because he's holding back! He'd probably wipe you all over the floor!" Ichigo turned around and gave a semi-incredulous stare to the bluenette behind him. She smiled, but then felt she had said a little too much when a fearful amount of Youki seemed directed toward her. Ichigo stepped in front of her once more and shielded her.
"Thanks Kurumu." He said over his shoulder, "But I'll handle it from here."
"Sorry…" She murmured apologetically. Ichigo smiled at her before he felt the Vampire grow serious.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. You will come with us and become Moka's mate." The Vampire's stoicism was replaced with a degree of severity that made Ichigo uneasy. He prepared to defend.
"And if I don't want to?" He asked, feeling himself grip Zangetsu tighter.
"That would not be a wise choice. While the Rosario has chosen you. I am the one that gets the final say in this. A Vampire's authority is absolute." He said it in a way that almost made it seem like it was truth and that there was nothing wrong with those words. It bugged Ichigo.
"Sorry, but I still won't change my mind." He glared defiantly while Tsukune and Mizore nodded in the background.
"Then I will get rid of her." Ichigo's eyes hardened into the warrior he was. He did not blink and was able to grab the hand that had threatened to slip by him and hurt his girlfriend. Slitted irises momentarily met a steely gaze before the Elder was tossed back.
The Elder landed gracefully on his feet before replying, "I see. So this is your choice then." He unclipped the cape which fell silently like a hushed whisper, "So be it."
The ground shook as the Newspaper Club took a few seconds to realize that the two super beings were already in a fight. Not only that, but monsters that had been previously fighting had to surrender to the might and sheer display of power. Curiosity became their main instinct as they stared, or tried to when they realized the speed of the fight was more than their eyes could handle.
Ichigo however, was surprised. The man before him knew how to direct Youki into his body and counter his sword. It vaguely reminded him of how Grimmjow was able to do that when he was in his Resurrección; or even an Espada's Hierro. He ducked and swerved his body out of the way when a particularly powerful blow went right past him, carving up the land and throwing debris into the air, which made Ichigo realize the Vampire could also "throw" his Youki. He was given no respite as he ducked a blow to the face and he was pressed to counter. He diagonally slashed at the Vampire, who swiftly moved barely an inch past the tip of Ichigo's sword. This left Ichigo open to an attack, which the Elder took. Ichigo was knocked sideways by a powerful kick that nearly caused him to demolish a building behind him.
Ichigo felt another attack coming and instinctively blocked with his sword while planting himself into the dirt. Of course, this led to the building being destroyed anyways since the force went through him and demolished it. Ichigo felt really annoyed by that and felt he had to put an end to this. Calling upon a massive surge of reiatsu, he leapt towards the Vampire. Just a few feet away, Ichigo let out a Getsuga Tenshou that the Elder had not been expecting. He rose his arms to block it, but was swept away by the dark power.
Ichigo didn't feel he had won. Now he was reminded of how easily Ulquiorra had taken his Getsuga Tenshou when the Vampire simply rose from the pitch-black energy. And like Ulquiorra, only his clothes seemed to have taken any damage. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and upon closer inspection, noticed that he had actually taken some damage. This would make sense why the Vampire was suddenly realeasing so much energy.
Ichigo smirked.
"You think this warrants a celebration?" The Elder's tone could've frozen over hell as a red fog descended around them. It wasn't Youki… but regardless it exhumed a power that wasn't really felt but more known. Yet, Ichigo was tempted to nod his head, just to get a rise out of the Vampire. He didn't do it though and opted to observe what would happen.
"You will come with us." The Vampire Lord stated simply, his irises shining dangerously, "That is what I have dictated."
Ichigo remained silent, opting to let his stance do the talking. "You seem to have mistaken something. The Rosario only unlocks to those who have the potential to oppose me. You don't even have the skill to defeat a person like I, who has faced hundreds of battles." He said, not doubting that his words were true. By a mere glance he could tell Ichigo was unskilled. "Careful where you tread Kurosaki Ichigo, fighting a Vampire Lord is not a simple task."
"I'll take my chances." Ichigo said with confidence. His eyes stared unwavering into the calculating ones of the Vampire Lord.
"Then let it be known that I, Shuzzen Issa, showed you mercy and you rejected it so foolishly." Before Ichigo could come up with a retort, he was blown back by a force he could not see. He plowed through buildings, walls, and stands that had only been up just seconds ago and now reduced to splinters and rubble. He flipped himself up in an effort to avoid collision with the monsters that he had felt were fast approaching. He didn't want to turn them into pancakes after all. He leapt high into the air, somersaulting over the group of monsters, only to be greeted by raw force.
All humor left him when he was brought down by an incredible kick to his gut. The air in his lungs left him as he collided towards the earth. The main school building was nothing more once Ichigo collided into it, flattening it into a crater that was as wide as the once proud school and almost as deep. Ichigo grimaced, he hadn't expected such power, especially from someone who wasn't a Shinigami. He had made the fatal mistake of underestimating his opponent. Yet… he felt something surge within him. It was like being awakened to something he had once lost. He was actually feeling pain, he was actually feeling pressed to defend, he was actually fighting. As odd as it sounded, it was almost comforting at being able to fight such an opponent.
Maybe he was turning into a cynic…
His thoughts were forced out of his head as he rolled sideways before bringing himself up and jumping away. He narrowly avoided a javelin thrust from the Vampire now known as Issa. Said Vampire brought out his hand, and if one had looked down the hole he had created, they would've noticed that it seemed to be nearly bottomless.
"Impressive." He said as he looked at Ichigo. "You have survived an attack that would've felled anyone else, even another Vampire."
"I'll take it as a compliment then." Ichigo smirked at the Vampire who frowned. A heartbeat passed and the two were once again on the offensive, trying to take down the other with all the force they could currently muster.
X
"Are you serious?" Kurumu asked, disbelief etched into her face as she met Moka's own cold eyes.
"I failed to take Ichigo as my mate. So I must eliminate you if I am to achieve my goal." Moka was serious, and this bothered Kurumu very much.
"So you're going to kill me then?"
Moka considered this before replying thoughtfully, "If you are willing to surrender, then it will not need to end in that fashion."
"I'm not giving up Ichigo." Kurumu stated firmly. For a brief moment, Kurumu could've sworn Moka was hesitant before those daunting red irises came to bear on her once more.
"So be it." Moka released a tremendous amount of Youki as she said "Let it be known that I, Akashiya Moka, showed you mercy and you wasted it so foolishly."
Before long, both girls dove headlong into a fight where only one would come out as victor.
X
Issa moved with a speed Ichigo had yet to encounter in the monster world. Least to say, he was surprised when even in Bankai, the Vampire Lord had managed to invade his guard. Invade was not to say the attack was successful. Ichigo saw the low attack aimed at his ribs like a javelin and dodged to the right. The attack barely missed by inches. The Vampire dove beneath Ichigo's reflexive swing and proceeded to let Ichigo know his mistake as he aimed another javelin-like strike towards his heart.
He hit nothing but air.
Ichigo reappeared a few feet back, clutching his heart even as no wound presented itself. Issa could clearly see a form of shock and horror in Ichigo's eyes. Immediately the Vampire knew something about the boy's heart left him more alarmed other than the simple fact that he could die. He had to know what.
So again he attacked, but this time Ichigo seemed more prepared as he actually lunged towards him as well. Ichigo used his Hollow's favorite attack as he grabbed Issa by the face and in a tremendous burst of power, plowed him straight into the ground. A tremor shook the land, but Issa was not fazed. Almost as soon as his head had impacted, he had grabbed Ichigo's arm in an attempt to break the bones inside. Ichigo, feeling what was about to happen, pulled away at the last second and Shunpo'd a safe distance away. Issa stood up and dusted himself, feeling a bit of interest in this fight.
"Interesting." Issa spoke, "You are more skilled than I gave you credit for." Then he looked at the sword in Ichigo's hand and said, "Why do you not strike with that sword? Is it because you don't wish to kill me?"
Ichigo's silence gave him the answer. "Foolish. A simple sword cannot pierce my skin." He said condescendingly that suddenly made Ichigo remember Nnoitorra. This man seemed to be a combination of all the people he'd fought in Hueco Mundo.
Issa, however, was thinking along different lines. He would have to teach Ichigo the proper ways of combat. He entered the fight with a high kick, which Ichigo seemed to be familiar with as the Shinigami dodged, making it a bare miss as he counter-attacked with the blunt edge of his sword. It was blocked by the Vampire's forearm before the sword was pushed back. Issa moved forward for a grab, but once again was out of reach.
Had the Vampire overextended himself, he might've been grabbed as Ichigo reached out. He moved backwards, reassessing his opinion of the boy. Then he noticed a large pick up of energy as a dark mass surrounded Ichigo, swirling around his sword.
"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled as he let the energy move outwards, forming into a crescent shape as dictated by its name.
Issa narrowed his eyes as he reached out with his hands and simply crushed the attack. He blinked when he felt the slightest twinge of something on his hand. He looked at it and noticed there was some type of burn mark on his palm. He had been damaged? He grimaced at that as he turned to face Ichigo, who was dutifully focused on the Vampire.
"What type of monster are you?" Cold, hostile eyes stared at Ichigo who decided to reply.
"Does it matter?"
The two held their intense gaze until Issa broke the silence. "No, I suppose not."
Ichigo staggered backwards at the ferocity of the attack. It was on a level even superior to Kenpachi's own insane attacks! He ducked and weaved as best he could, a few nicking him here and there. Then the kicks came. When he first fought Moka, he realized that her attacks were quite strong, but they were nothing compared to the ones before him. Each kick created large craters and tore up the ground, spewing dirt and debris into the air. It came to Ichigo's sudden realization that this was the whole point. Honed instincts are what saved him from a particularly nasty blow that would've hit him in the back of the head.
"Tell me." Issa said, not letting up on his attacks while he spoke, "Why is it that you deny a Vampire? We are a superior race. Do you not understand that?"
"No, I don't." Ichigo said frankly as he Shunpo'd away. "I don't understand any of this superiority crap. I understand less why you would try to take advantage of your power." Then he pointed his sword at the Vampire when he was about to reply, "What's the point?"
"I don't understand the question." Issa replied, "We are superior because that's how we are. All lesser beings should know their place when in front of us."
"What if I were a superior being to you?" Ichigo retorted sharply, Issa narrowing his eyes dangerously at the blasphemy.
"Watch your tongue or I will tear it out." He nearly hissed.
"It's just a hypothetical question." Ichigo said with a slight smirk, finally uncovering what could unnerve this powerful being.
"Then I will teach you the answer." In a burst of speed that left Ichigo at a loss, Issa moved to the position in front of Ichigo and delivered a powerful axe kick to Ichigo's crude guard. Ichigo struggled from being plowed into the ground as his left arm tried desperately to hold off the attack. These Elder Vampires, Ichigo thought, were a lot stronger then he thought they would be. Not only was Issa not tiring out, but he seemed to be steadily getting stronger. It was even reaching up to the point where his Bankai was being nullified.
Ichigo was thrown back by a particularly strong kick, causing massive deforestation as he plowed into the forest. One thing he could be thankful for, despite the mess, was that he wasn't destroying anymore buildings and he was away from everyone else. He smirked, he supposed that was actually two things instead of one.
"I wouldn't be so excited if I were in your position." Ichigo knew the attack was coming, but decided to let it connect. He was stomped further into the ground, a large crater spider-webbing around the two fighters. Issa had expected Ichigo to at least begin to realize how vastly outclassed he was, but the boy merely grinned beneath his bangs leaving the Vampire even more upset than before.
"You're not me." Ichigo replied before he reached out with his hand. Only this time, it was covered in thick, black reiatsu that made Issa reflexively pull away. What perplexed the Vampire even more was the sudden pressure around him. Even through his Youki-enforced body, he could feel an ethereal energy trying to wrap around him Then, suddenly, the earth itself shook as multiple scars seemed to tear the earth around him. A new feeling welled up in the Vampire… something akin to excitement. It seemed this boy seemed to have some power after all.
"I'm going to end this right here, right now." Ichigo pulled his hand in a downward motion over his face, distorting his voice at the last syllable. The twisted sound almost made Issa flinch at how… inhuman it sounded. He was broken from his thoughts as the pressure he was feeling earlier increased exponentially as all around them large clumps of earth seemed to hover in the air before crashing down again.
The smoke cleared and Issa saw the new Ichigo. A masked face greeted Issa along with indifferent, menacing yellow eyes the glowed dangerously behind the mask. The eyes… that was what got to Issa. Those eyes, though indifferent, were nothing but pure malevolence. Issa took a step back, unsure as to why he did so.
"Scared?" Ichigo's voice warped, a sound akin to two people trying to talk over the other.
"You should be." Issa's eyes widened as he turned around. Somehow, the boy had gotten behind him even though he had been staring at him the entire time. He was unprepared by the merciless attack that cut him diagonally, spewing his blood into the air. As he clutched the wound that ripped through his chest, he came to hear a rattle. The chain. It was the chain at the end of Ichigo's sword. It rattled, instilling him with a new sensation he hadn't felt in many centuries. It was fear. Whatever this boy was, it seemed he had been holding back.
The Vampire looked up, and noticed the boy raise up his sword, preparing to end the battle. The Elder chuckled; it seemed it was time for him to stop holding back as well.
X
Tsukune and Mizore stared, unsure of what to do. Both Kurumu and Moka were in a fierce battle right now. While they felt like helping Kurumu, they didn't want to hurt Moka either should everything get resolved. They weren't Ichigo, so it's not like they could step in and immediately stop this. They were both going for Ichigo, each in their own way. In the end, the couple opted to watch and only interfere should either of them step over the line.
Moka elegantly evaded from one of Kurumu's claws before having to jump backwards to avoid the other. While Kurumu wasn't as strong nor as fast as Moka, she could fly. "Coward." Moka spat as Kurumu took towards the air.
"All is fair in love and war." Kurumu replied with a smirk, earning a frown from the silver-haired Moka.
"We'll see about that." Moka kicked the ground at the right angle and a huge chunk of earth sprang from the ground. She spun and kicked the piece of earth towards Kurumu, who narrowly evaded the devious tactic. Now it was Moka who was left smirking while Kurumu frowned.
"Where'd all your talk go Succubus? Was it all for naught?" Moka taunted deliberately, trying to get a rise out of the girl. She was surprised to see the girl take a breath and forcefully make herself relax.
"I don't know what your problem is." Kurumu stated, "Ichigo is mine, and I don't know why you just can't accept it."
"I'm a Vampire." Moka replied swiftly, as if that explained everything.
"So what? Just because you're the elite, does that mean everything should land in front of you?"
"Not precisely." Moka countered as she smiled deviously, "But with respects to what you said, we do expect inferior beings such as yourself to know your place."
Kurumu was getting tired of Moka's haughtiness, but she wanted to at least try to win Moka back with logic. After all, she knew Ichigo wouldn't be very happy if she didn't at least try to do something about it. She huffed, at odds with what to do. Honestly, she wanted to beat up this Moka. The other Moka was at least tolerable and somewhat fun. She sighed, she hoped she wouldn't have to use her trump card, but it seemed it might end up that way.
"Are you just going to float there like a hapless idiot?" Kurumu felt herself get riled, even though she told herself she wouldn't. Well, it didn't matter now. She did try after all, and if Moka got her butt kicked, then so be it!
Kurumu rose high into the air, which aggravated the grounded Vampire. Soon she was so far up that Moka lost sight of her. She looked all around, but could spot no trace of the Succubus. Finally, only by pure luck she caught something out of the corner of her eye. It was heading towards her and it was heading fast. She jumped backwards to avoid it, but the wake of air knocked her backwards through a few trees as the land was carved up. At the end of the trail was Kurumu, who was panting at having done such a strenuous attack. It was meant to be direct hit, but somehow Moka had spotted her. Then again this attack was more chance than anything else. Had she not been spotted, the hit would've ended the battle, even for a strong Vampire like Moka.
As it was, Moka was back in the fray, even sooner than Kurumu had expected. However, she was pleased to see trail of blood dribbling down Moka's lip. The Vampire's voice stopped what little victory Kurumu had been celebrating in her head as the Vampire said, "You think this is a victory?"
Kurumu stared, not saying anything. "You are a fool." Moka finished before she darted in an incredible burst of speed, her foot plowing deep into the ground as she did so. Before Kurumu had time to react, she was impaled by Moka's hand that ripped through her body and out her back.
"Looks like I win." Moka said in a low tone, noticing the way the life in girl's eyes seemed to fade away. In truth, this victory was not as satisfying as she had hoped. Not only had she killed Ichigo's woman, but she felt Ichigo would now not even think about accepting her with what she did. She shut her eyes. The consequences were of no matter. Even if Ichigo was powerful, he would not win against her father and he would be forced to submit.
Reality, or in a way, unreality shook her from her thoughts as Kurumu spoke up, despite being stabbed. "No…I win."
Before Moka's very eyes, Kurumu's visage seemed to melt before morphing into a tree. Moka struggled against the tree, but somehow it overpowered her and sent her to the ground. Branches rose from the earth and chained her to it. She struggled to break free before she felt something rather sharp surround her neck. It was a necklace of vines with sharp thorns… very sharp thorns. She felt that if she moved even a millimeter, she would have more holes than she could count. It didn't help that there were so many either.
From her right she saw Kurumu walk up to her, looking completely exhausted. Moka sneered at the Succubus, but paused when the girl didn't seem to be gloating or anything. No, it was even worse, she was pitying her. It disgusted Moka and stung her pride, making her want to break free even if it was dangerous to do so.
"Don't stare at me like that." Moka hissed and Kurumu shook her head. Kurumu waved her hand and the thorns disappeared, leaving only the vines in place. It finally registered to Moka that this had all been an illusion. Yet, despite knowing it was one, she still wasn't free from it.
"Would you want Ichigo to see you like this?" She asked and Moka grew quiet, surprised by the unexpected question. "Ichigo wouldn't want to see us fighting. He would want us to get along, even if we are rivals."
"What he wants and what I want are different things." Moka retorted.
"But you still want Ichigo right? You want him to see you in a positive light at least." Moka didn't bother with a reply, but she didn't really need to. She was about to open her mouth to say something, but she was beaten to the punch.
"I understand why you're so vicious all of a sudden even though we were starting to get along." This piqued Moka's curiosity as she turned towards the Succubus and eyed her carefully.
"Why then?" She asked while Kurumu simply smiled.
"It's because you love him." Kurumu nearly giggled at the wide-eyed look of Moka before she turned away. Now Kurumu was intrigued. Had that been a blush she saw?
"I want him as my mate. He is strong and powerful. He is much needed for our dying race." Moka stated simply, not giving Kurumu the pleasure of being right. This effort was in vain, however.
"That's a lie. What you said is what your father told you to recite. You want Ichigo because somewhere inside that prideful heart of yours, you love him don't you?"
"Enough of this, let me go." Moka stated as she began struggling against the illusion by releasing her Youki. She was surprised when she sank deeper into the ground, and rather painfully at that as the vines choked her and cut off her air.
"Moka." Kurumu stared at the resistant Vampire, struggling to find the right words to say. She couldn't keep Moka tied forever. Though her illusions were stronger since she had been practicing, she had a limit, especially after that attack from earlier. It had really worn her out. The high speed she had undertaken severely strained her muscles.
"Come on Moka-san." Kurumu registered Tsukune's voice, who was heading towards them. Mizore towed along next to her boyfriend.
"What do you want?" Moka nearly spat. She was hating all of this. What were they trying to achieve? It's not like she was friends with any of them.
"I just want to help our friend." He smiled at her, and it made her blood simmer.
"We're not friends." She stated firmly.
"But you are." Mizore chimed in, sucking on her lollipop. "You've been with Ichigo longer than any of us. Are you really going to throw away you friendship with us even when it means so much to Ichigo?"
"Nicely said Mizore-chan!" Tsukune said to his girlfriend. Mizore nodded, proud at having said such eloquent words.
"Hm. Friends are not needed in this world, only power." Moka was obstinate, and nothing was going to change her mind.
"Do you want to know how Ichigo got so much power then?" Tsukune asked earning a hesitant, yet curious stare from Moka.
She took the bait. "How?" She asked.
Tsukune took on a thoughtful look as he recalled one of his sparring sessions with the orange-head."Well, simply put, his friends are what made him strong."
"I find that hard to believe." Moka stated, but Tsukune shook his head.
"It's true. You can ask him yourself." He paused for a moment, "That is, if you are willing to stop fighting?"
Now it was Moka who looked thoughtful. She had struggled so many times to find the answer to the question that was Ichigo. It never occurred to her to simply ask instead of trying to beat it out of him. Still, simply asking would lower her pride as a Vampire. To throw away her pride was basically saying she was no longer a Vampire.
"Who knows, you might win his affection." Tsukune and Mizore both turned to Kurumu with near flabbergasted looks on her face. She was the one suggesting this even though they were rivals? This would mean some serious scribbling in their handy dandy notebook later on!
"You say this even though you've already won his heart?" Moka asked, ignoring the fact that she had sounded a bit hopeful, even if no one else had caught on.
"It's because we're rivals." She smiled before adding, "And because I think Ichigo was starved of good affection when he was younger."
Moka stared blankly. "It's a long story."
"…Why?"
"Why?" Kurumu touched her chin thoughtfully, "Well, I don't exactly like the idea of sharing, but if Ichigo ends up taking a liking to you, I won't complain. He's my Destined One and I'll do whatever it takes to make him happy."
"So, come on." Kurumu said as she dispelled her illusion, reaching out with her hand. "What do you say, no more fighting?"
Moka stared at the hand before her. She thought a moment about swatting it away, but then thought on what had just transpired. Her eyes shifted to each person there, and noticed nothing but smiles even though she had just tried to kill one of them. She closed her eyes and huffed. They were all a bunch of idiots. Sadly, they were Ichigo's idiots so she wouldn't dare harm them lest she ruin her chances of becoming Ichigo's mate. Yes, she made this decision entirely on her own and not because she was convinced of anything.
"Fine." She said finally and was hoisted up by Kurumu. She patted the dust off her uniform before staring at the shorter girl. "But only for now."
Regardless of Moka's dismissive tone, everyone there was happy to have Moka as their friend once again. Suddenly Moka snapped her eyes towards the forest, picking up a familiar sensation as Kurumu picked up on Ichigo's sudden power surge.
Hurriedly, both ran off towards the forest followed by Mizore and Tsukune a moment later.
X
Ichigo had been taken by surprise at the power that suddenly flowed out of the Vampire. Ichigo had honestly not expected something in the living world to surpass his Bankai. Yet, this Vampire Elder had done so. The tall Elder stood at his full height. What made Ichigo's golden eyes widen almost imperceptibly was the transformation his opponent had gone. Though not entirely different, there were some changes. The red hair that topped the Vampire's head flowed out to shoulder length, giving him a regal appearance as well as sophisticated. His slitted irises seemed to be brimming with power as the mist formed around him. Then, something incredible. The mist fused into his skin, slightly tinting it. It rippled out in a wave throughout his body as Ichigo detected and even greater power coming from him. He simply kept getting stronger and stronger.
Ichigo continued to watch, almost mesmerized by the slow transformation. Curiously, the mist suddenly seemed to escape from the tips of his fingers and formed against his palm into a length. Finally the mist dissipated to reveal a blood-red, double-edged sword. It was elegant as the hilt and the base were as black as his reiatsu. Ichigo got a funny feeling about it. It felt like something inside him was being pulled towards it. It felt like his insides wanted to escape, but he struggled to maintain focus.
"Do you know why we are called Elders?" Startled by the voice, Ichigo almost failed to respond.
"No, why?" The Elder gave a fanged grin, the first emotion other than the stoic appearance he held usually.
"Power." He explained, "Vampires do not get weaker with age. They get stronger. I have been alive for two millennia."
"You must've used a lot of beauty products to stay looking so young then." Ichigo drawled sarcastically, causing the Elder to bristle with barely checked anger.
"Laugh while you can. I will show you your place soon enough."
"We'll see about that." Ichigo challenged the Vampire, lifting up his sword once more as he prepared for battle.
"Very well then. I have warned you." Not long after those words were said, steel clashed against steel, the familiar feeling of a swordfight sending adrenaline throughout Ichigo's body. This was something he was familiar with.
Ichigo's eyes widened as he barely ducked beneath kick the belonged to the Elder. Not only had the Vampire's strength increased, but it so had his speed. But Ichigo did not hesitate. As soon as he regained his footing, he leapt forward with a jump before sending his sword crashing down. A shockwave rippled out, flattening the trees and cracking the ground. The Vampire coutner-attacked with a high kick that clipped Ichigo in the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the side. Of course, tumbling for two high-powered beings meant gouging up the earth. It was purely destructive. Quickly he regained his footing as the Vampire began an elegant attack filled with stabs, slashes and quick prods of his defense.
Ichigo grimaced behind his mask. He got that feeling again, like something was being pulled from his inside. It was hard to fight with this feeling as he had to adjust for the pull, which was almost like a magnet. He had to use more force than normal when jumping back. The Elder seemed to know the position Ichigo was in and didn't hesitate to use full advantage of whatever power it was he possessed. He pressed into the attack, each swing from both participants tearing up the ground and scathing the land as high winds swept across, threatening to uproot trees. It was a high-level fight.
Ichigo was the first to suffer a wound. It was only a nick, but it finally told him what that pull was. He had tried to block the sword with his hand in order to bring up his sword for a chance to attack. That had been his mistake as the Elder's sword cut into his hand. Ichigo felt a draining sensation and noticed that his was spewing out blood, forming a trail that led directly towards the Vampire. With a flare of reiatsu, Ichigo closed the wound and replenished the blood. But he saw the affects of his blood on his enemy's sword.
"You have a rich blood and vast power Kurosaki Ichigo." Issa commented as he somehow seemed to be enjoying the blood that absorbed into his sword. "I now know why the Rosario responded to you."
The Vampire raised his sword up, storing up energy and preparing to bring it down. Ichigo's eyes widened as he copied the same motion. The Vampire brought his arm down and released a red crescent of energy. It clashed into Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou, which tore up the land even more
"Y-You copied me!" Ichigo stunned voice held a menacing edge. The Vampire ignored this.
"No. You are now a part of me." Issa corrected, "Your blood now flows through me along with your power."
The Vampire's lips curled into a terrible grin that made Ichigo fearful. "…And your feelings."
Ichigo gasped when the Vampire disappeared. Not a quarter-second later and Ichigo was on his tail.
X
"We'll never make it through!" Mizore stated as she and Tsukune stood behind a sturdy tree. Even then, the force of the winds rushing out threatened to topple the tree and crush them.
Kurumu and Moka paid no heed to words nor nature as they struggled to push through. They nearly collapsed when the winds suddenly stopped, but they managed to catch themselves before doing so.
"D-Did somebody win?" Kurumu gulped, almost fearful of the answer. But then she picked up Ichigo's energy, which she suddenly realized she could do. Did Ichigo win?
"Not yet. I still sense my Father's power." Kurumu frowned. That answered that question. Kurumu then noticed that Moka went rigged as she began to feel an oppressive force draw nearer to them.
"Father…" Moka whispered and Kurumu snapped her head forward. This was only a second before she found herself hoisted up by the neck, her lungs gasping for air as she struggled to breathe.
"Let her go!" Ichigo yelled as he emerged from nothing, his reiatsu flaring wildly as it ripped the ground apart in frightened anger.
"Submit." The Vampire replied. "Submit and join us. Leave this trash and join our powerful race Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His muscles were tense and coiled, ready to leap in, but afraid of hurting Kurumu in the process. The sick yellow of his eyes glowed ominously as his mind raced for a solution. But the Vampire wasn't a patient being as he hoisted the Succubus into the air as she struggled against the vice-like grip of the Elder. Ichigo took a step forward, but one glare from his opponent stopped him in his tracks. One step further would cause the loss of someone he loved.
And it pained him that it was only now that he realized his true feelings for the girl in front of him. He couldn't do anything. His heart raced with desperation as a terrible fear gripped him. This fear was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It tore him and he couldn't do anything about it. It grasped him, clawing his insides like a mad beast. Even his Hollow, now turned monstrous began shrieking inside his mind, wanting to get out. It wanted to protect its Queen… and then it hit him.
"If I kill myself, will you let her go?" Ichigo's quiet tone was barely heard, but the Vampire picked up on it with a raised eyebrow.
"Kill yourself?" The Elder mused before he was kicked in the face by the incessant girl.
"N-No! Ichigo d-don't!" She wheezed before the grip around her neck tightened.
"Your proposal intrigues me Kurosaki Ichigo." He stared directly into the boy's eyes, detecting no hint of deception. It didn't matter if he did try to deceive because he had the boy's blood inside him. He would've known instantly.
"You are really willing to end your life for this lower being? All for the sake of…" He spat out the word like it was acid on his tongue, "love?"
Kurumu's eyes widened as tears began to form in her eyes. He…he loved her… and now he was about to give his life for her. She cried. She was about to lose her Destined One, and she couldn't do or say anything about it. She was barely conscious as it was, but hearing those words brought her back as her heart twisted with despair.
"Yes." Ichigo replied solemnly and without hesitance. "I am willing, but only if you let her go."
The Elder contemplated this. He was in no immediate danger. Even if he let Ichigo's woman loose, the boy would not reach him in time to protect her. One scratch from his sword would send all the blood rushing out of her and he knew Ichigo wasn't willing to risk that. He supposed that if he did not choose to submit, then it was only logical to face death. After all, who wouldn't submit to a Vampire?
"Very well." The Elder tossed Kurumu to the side, who hit the ground and began coughing as oxygen finally made its way to her starved lungs. "Death is the only alternative for you since you are not willing to join. I have honored my side, as dictated by my Vampire heritage. Now it's time for you to fulfill yours."
Ichigo closed his eyes, readying himself. He breathed, and felt pain in his heart when he heard Kurumu's panicked cries reach his ears. Even Tsukune and Mizore pitched in, which brought a tiny hint of a smile to his masked face. Ichigo breathed in once more as he reversed his sword's direction and plunged into his heart.
All save for the Elder were stunned by the action. Ichigo's mask slowly cracked as pieces slipped off and hit the ground. His expressionless face was revealed as all saw the light in his eyes flicker and die. The golden of his irises reverted to an empty brown gaze as the black of his sclera receded into nothingness. The body slumped to its knees, one last breath escaping before the body froze in position.
"It is time to go Moka." The Elder told his daughter. The business he had here was done and there was no point in staying. He walked away, knowing his daughter would soon follow. He momentarily took a look at the crying girl he had thrown. Tears flowed in streams down her face, her whole body shaking with sobs as despair clutched her in its arms. It disgusted him.
It wasn't until he heard a faint rustle that he slowed down. He heard movement behind him, then it stopped. He vaguely wondered if Moka had decided to stay back. The thought irked him, but he knew she would never disobey. Deciding to turn around, he was met with a being unlike any he had ever faced. He had to admit, this new appearance was terrorizing. Two long horns protruded from the skull-like mask, which didn't hold any eyes that could be seen. It was like staring into the abyss; dark, cold, and empty. Nothing could escape it. His eyes peered down, black lines forming across pale skin of similar color to the mask. They curved before converging towards the heart… where one should've been. Instead there was a hole, and it came as a revelation that Ichigo's sword was stuck there. It dangled precariously. A strange chill ran down his spine as he looked at the hole, the rattling chain ringing quietly in the background. He unconsciously moved his hand over his own chest, finding his heart steadily beating.
"I-Ichigo?" The Vampire Elder turned towards the Succubus, who had uttered the name. He looked back at the monstrosity and found it hard to believe that this was the Ichigo he had fought earlier. The looks on everyone else's faces, however, held the same look as the girl, so he couldn't really deny that possibility. He had been looking away.
"So you wish to continue to fight then?" It irked him that he had somehow been deceived, but he didn't pay much attention to it. "You have gone back on your word, therefore which requires punishment."
His speed, unmatched by most monsters, brought him within striking distance of the boy's lover. However, the attack never made it. It took him a moment, but when the event finally registered in his mind, he howled with pain. Having never been wounded in a millennia, the unfamiliar feeling was as shock to his system as it tore through him like a raging current. His arm, gone, ripped from its socket was held in Ichigo's claw-like hands before being tossed carelessly to the side. The Elder didn't have time to scream again as he felt the air stretch and warp around him, constricting him, suffocating him, threatening to crush him. It was almost if this being's will was strong enough to simply erase him from existence.
His eyes widened as fear gripped him. A raw, visceral and horrendous roar tore through the air, making it too tremble with fear. The Elder's eyes, darting about, noticed that no one else seemed to have the same reaction. Another boy, with brown hair, was somehow shielding everyone underneath a strange power. This was a poor time to avert his eyes as he felt a burning sensation increase behind him. He turned his head; his maddened eyes registering the scene behind him unfold. In a last ditch effort to block the incoming attack, the mist inside him poured from his skin along with his remaining Youki to act as a shield.
It failed.
The attack connected and he was engulfed in a blistering red light. The attack continued on until it met with the school barrier. Winds screeched as a low static resounded once the winds died down. The shield seethed as a ripple stretched across it. At some points the barrier seemed to weaken before reinforced by energy from the school. Windows to the real world dotted the barrier before it stabilized. Even so, crackles of electricity could still be seen in the air where the barrier was
"F-Father." Moka's voice, once proud and strong, quivered. She breathed out, unbelieving that the most powerful being she knew had been wiped out, by a single attack no less. Raw, undeterred anger fueled her as she escaped from the cover of Tsukune's barrier. Said boy shouted out to her, but she paid no heed. It didn't matter if she was weak, she couldn't just let it end like this! She had to exact revenge, and she was going to do it one way or another! A fierce battle cry escaped her lips as she jumped high into the hair. Pouring as much Youki as she could into her kick, she slammed the heel of her foot on top of Ichigo's skull.
Nothing happened.
The adrenaline flowing through her caused her to see her mistake in a painfully slow manner. Through her fall, Ichigo had turned to her, his empty sockets striking a frightful chord within her. He reached out, his hand gripping her ankle painfully before she was yanked so hard that it almost felt as if her leg would be ripped from its socket. She hit dirt a few meters away before she ground and gouged up the earth, practically creating a cave with how deep she went. Every fiber of her being screamed with agony. Her bones ached, her nerves were shot, and her muscles were utterly useless. Her consciousness faded as she heard voices somewhere outside. She didn't have any strength to care who it belonged to as she gave into the peaceful darkness.
X
"Stop Ichigo!" Kurumu cried as she saw him charging up another one of those beams in the general direction of the Elder.
"I'll make him stop!" Tsukune yelled behind him, already on his way to intercept the attack.
"Don't do it Tsukune!" Mizore wavered, crushed by the decision to chase after him or believe in him. She chose the latter, though with heavy hesitance.
"I'll be fine!" Tsukune grinned, not really too sure himself. Finally he was in front, and he noticed this beam was particularly large, almost as large as Ichigo himself. He thrust out his dagger and prepared to block it.
What happened next was something he hadn't expected.
The energy warped and distorted as it wobbled over Ichigo's horns. The wielder of the powerful attack swung his head around wildly. One of Ichigo's hands clutched at the horns, intent on ripping it off. He howled, shrieked as he fought with himself. Both immense hatred and fear could be sensed by those close to him, especially Kurumu. Her eyes widened as she felt the struggle happening inside. Fear, hatred, revenge, anger, frustration, horror…love, caring, kindness; they all escaped from Ichigo. Both emotions conflicted, but her face paled when the darkness seemed to be growing stronger. It grew steadily, the beam held precariously between the horns as it sputtered. Once more Tsukune was next to her and Mizore, his shield up in hopes of deflecting any possible mishaps.
Then, Kurumu smiled as she felt an immense relief flood her. Almost in one fell swoop the darkness receded. She didn't understand it, but was glad for it as the beam diminished in both size and intensity before winking out of existence. Ichigo stood there, motionless. For a moment, nothing happened until the mask shattered. It didn't fall to the ground immediately, but formed into white wisps that fell down, slowly like a feather until they reached the area in front of the hole.
Kurumu blushed, and she felt bad about doing so in such a serious moment. She couldn't help it though. Seeing her Destined One with long hair, bare-chested, and looking sexy… it could do that to a woman. Ichigo's pale skin regained its color as his eyes blinked. He dropped to his knees, grasping his face with his left hand as he gripped tightly with the other on his sword. Kurumu rushed over.
"Are you alright Ichigo?" She immediately asked. Ichigo groaned in reply.
"I'll take that as a yes." She said as she helped him get up. Ichigo slowly rose before turning his head towards Kurumu.
"Hey…" His voice sounded weak and exhausted, but to Kurumu, it was the greatest thing she could hope to hear at the moment. After all, it wasn't every day that your boyfriend dies and then comes back to life, speaking of which, she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.
The conversation ended rather abruptly when Ichigo's eyes widened. Before she could ask, he had Shunpo'd away. Once she saw the direction she was going, she remembered what he had done. How stupid, she told herself. Here she was feeling all happy and whatnot when Ichigo could've possibly killed someone. Before long, she took to the sky, following Ichigo's energy signature. Moka and Tsukune themselves turned towards Moka's direction, hopefully finding some way to help her if she needed it.
X
Ichigo found what he was looking for. A smoldering crater filled with tiny shards of glass. He swallowed as he walked downwards. Somewhere deep inside, he hoped this wouldn't end the same way it did with Ulquiorra. He really regretted that, and sometimes thought about it when he was feeling moody or depressed. He searched the rather large crater, knowing for sure that the Vampire should've been down here… unless… he had completely vaporized him.
It was faint, but his ears caught it. The sound of breathing, he heard it, but couldn't be too hopeful. He followed it as best as he could until he came upon the body. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. The Elder was missing his arm, which was cauterized by his attack. However, multiple lacerations stretched across the body and he was pretty sure some of the Elder's bones were broken. What could he do about it?
An idea occurred to him, and he acted fast on it. He poured some of his lighter reiatsu into his left hand before taking Zangetsu and cutting his palm. He was careful not to overdo it, lest the Elder find energy to attack him again. He sent a small stream of the life liquid into the Vamire, who choked on it briefly before swallowing. After a few seconds passed, a faint sizzling noise was heard and the superficial wounds were healing. Ichigo could also hear the bones beneath mending as they grinded against each other. The only thing it didn't heal was the arm, the wound now covered by a large scar and partially by skin.
Ichigo saw eyes flicker beneath the eyelids of the Vampire and waited. When he came to, Ichigo spoke up, "You awake?"
The Elder, noticing his position, struggled to get up. However he was not strong enough to do and managed to fall backwards. "What do you want?" He hissed.
"I want you to leave and never come back." Ichigo stated in a dead serious tone.
"Why should I listen to you?" The Elder spat back, feeling his pride hurt more than anything at the moment.
"Because I have won. Your race seems to think that the winners make the rules. I am the winner, so I am making the rules." Ichigo's eyes hardened as the Vampire's steely gaze met his.
Begrudgingly, he accepted. "It would be against my pride to act so foolish. I will accept your demands."
Ichigo was tempted to tell him that he had been acting foolishly this entire time, but decided not to do so. Issa's next words caught him off guard, "What about Moka?"
"That is up to her." Ichigo replied as he thought. So this man was a father, even though he acted all haughty. Like father, like daughter he supposed.
"Is everything alright?" Ichigo turned around and saw his girlfriend land next to him, her dress briefly lifting and giving him a view of what was underneath. He looked away.
"Yea, everything's alright." He saw a worried look on Kurumu's face and asked what was wrong.
"I hope Moka's alright… you kind of hurt her." She said, feeling guilty for some reason about bringing it up.
Ichigo closed his eyes briefly before he replied reassuringly, "She'll be alright."
She looked at him and gave a small smile. "Yea, I suppose you're right."
X
Ririsu tried to run away as best she could. All this strange new power flowing through the area just a minute ago had been too much for her poor wings. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to land, but was afraid that if she did, she might be squished by some of the more rampant monsters. However, in a minute, she wouldn't need to worry anymore.
"Kyaah!" She yelled as she was grasped by a hand the appeared from behind a rubble of debris. She struggled before her eyes staggered upwards into the glowing eyes of the headmaster.
He grinned.
"Found you." He said as he sensed a presence behind him. He knew very well who it was, there was no way he could've missed the boiling anger within. He let the her fade away, to retreat into the whole she had come from. There would be another time, and she would be taken care of then. For the meantime…
The smile on his face did not depart, even as he surveyed the destruction. Honestly, he was quite happy with the situation. It could've been a lot worse. When he had founded this Academy, he had expected this kind of fighting every day. Surprisingly, the Academy ended up being surprisingly peaceful up until this point. He grinned once more; second time's a charm… or was that the third? Oh well.
X
October 31
Ichigo looked at the sign, then at the dorms, then at the sign, then at the dorms. His eye twitched.
"Due to the thorough destruction of the Academy, it will be closed until proper repairs can be made. Everyone is to return home immediately. You are not allowed to run riot…again." Kurumu read for Ichigo, who was already annoyed by the sign and didn't need it shoved into his face.
"What's the matter?" Kurumu asked as she peeked at Ichigo's face.
"For one." Ichigo stated semi-seriously, "I'm pretty sure I destroyed the dorms. There's no way it should be standing. Second: If they could repair the dorms this quickly…" He took a breath, but it didn't help, "Then why the HELL can't they repair the REST of the buildings this quickly!"
Kurumu patted Ichigo's arm. "I know. The headmaster is weird like that."
Ichigo sighed, there was no refuting that. He supposed though that this was part of some master plan. Then again… he was going home. He supposed that wasn't so bad, except for the fact that goat-chin would be there. Almost perfect…
The rest of the group came up from behind and they also read the message. "What!" Moka, wide-eyed, searched the sign before turning towards Ichigo. "Does this mean I won't be able to see you anymore?"
"No wai! I won't be able to have a threesome then?" Yukari quipped up and everyone sweat-dropped.
'You weren't going to get one anyways.' Everyone thought the same thing.
Ichigo ignored the outburst as he looked at Tsukune. "Hey, can I borrow some paper?"
Getting the idea, Tsukune replied. Ichigo then wrote down his contact info to everyone. When he handed the slip of paper to Kurumu, he felt sad that he would be leaving her since there was no way she would be able to go to the human world. Her eyes looked sad as well, but they weren't as bad as he thought they would be. He got a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Something was warning him… but about what, he wondered.
"You guys better hurry up, or you'll be left behind." Everyone turned to see the bus driver walk up with Kyou next to him.
"Kyou-chan!" He said as he walked up to her. Before she could reply, he bowed, surprising her.
"I'm sorry for giving you bad memories!" He apologized. Kyou was glad for the apology, but realized she was to blame as well. She tapped his head, indicating for him to raise head.
"It's alright." She replied in a soft tone, "You're in good hands, I know."
She turned to Ichigo and smiled at him. "Thank you for protecting my cousin!"
Ichigo rubbed his neck when he saw Kurumu glaring at the girl. "Sure, no problem."
"Buses just arrived." The driver interrupted the silent contest. "This is to the human world, you better get on."
With that said, Tsukune, Kyou, and Ichigo got on it. But before Ichigo could step onto the bus, he was literally yanked from the little staircase before his lips were captured passionately by Kurumu's own. He turned red when he heard the sounds of surprise and random hooting coming from the crowd…but then something interesting happened.
'Screw it.' He thought before he tugged Kurumu and dipped her backwards, making her taste some of her own medicine. In that moment, Ichigo had overcome his weakness of public affection. As he pulled away, he could see her grinning goofily at him.
"I love you Ichigo." She whispered to him.
He smiled, melting her heart. "I love you too." He whispered back.
She dragged a finger down his chest in a caressing manner. "I'll see you soon alright."
Again, Ichigo got that weird feeling, but brushed it off. "I'll see you soon too."
They departed with one last kiss and before long; the bus was out of sight. As the bus disappeared from sight, Mizore stepped next to the Succubus.
"You're planning on visiting his house aren't you?" Mizore asked, not turning to look at Kurumu.
"Yep." Kurumu said, a smile in her eyes.
Mizore smiled as well. "Then maybe we can help each other."
With a handshake, the partners joined forces to go and claim their respective men. After all, love was a battlefield and if they were going to survive it, they would have to go all the way, pulling out all the stops and overcoming all obstacles. This… was one of them.
Then a thought occurred to Kurumu. 'Wait a minute… where did Moka go?'