Ah, yeah. So here's what. I did put up that message and some people reacted. Like discussed, I'm continuing this because you said so. And yes, you might think I'm going to give this a half-assed job just because I say I was tired in working on this one. But no, I'm still trying to do my best to make this beautiful and still aligned with the previous unwritten and unannounced standards I have posed to all my readers.
To those who have answered back, thank you. I am really happy to know there are people like you guys out there.
Disclaimer: Idon't own DRRR! And Kanokon as well. Guardian and Crimson Demons belong to me! Some other references are used.
Warning: YAOI and some violence. Swearing and sexual themes are also employed. Not for children who are not familiar with Shounen-Ai. OOC!
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Itazura no Inutachi
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The siege of the demons from Yomi might have started but the Butai and the Order need to rest their lovely pawns. Everyone takes the night off and like what they should do as Shizuo and Izaya talk about things over again. Realization rains upon the lovers— Izaya choosing to re-learn 'love'.
Away from anything else, Celty and Shinra spends the night in a tub while discussing sensitive matters to the former exorcist. Shinra then reveals the nature of his divine sword, Renai, and the threat it can seriously pose against the people protecting the city.
Izumii's squad has also conversed about their next steps and about who Izaya is said to be. Vorona comes into contact and tells them about her dismissal and their continuance of being exorcists. Looking into the moon, they ready themselves for the next things to come.
The fox's other followers then realize their loss yet the twins smile at such favorable future scenario… that could disrupt the daily life of the Butai…
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Itazura no Inutachi
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The threatening clouds in the sky have finally unleashed upon the city beneath them. It has been raining heavily since early morning and it seems that whatever exists has become displeased of the humid atmosphere. There have been reports on missing people and those who have died with unimaginable wounds while being protected in their houses. Demons are indeed starting to invade the mysterious yet beautiful city of Ikebukuro.
"Shizu-chan… Get back on the bed." The raven fox groans as his hands grope at the space beside him. The man with blonde locks then calls out somewhere nearby, "How about a no? Just keep on sleeping, Izaya." The voice sounds so distant to Izaya… since he has not been feeling well. The heavy rain has fallen on the city as Izaya starts thinking off everything that has happened yesterday. It has been a long night and he has lost things he can never recover. Namie… is his soundless cry…
Right. Namie and her brother Seiji have perished that night they have gone to the Core of Yomi. Lingerin Douglanikov, a General exorcist, had preyed on them. And even though Izaya wants to cry and grieve that very moment, he isn't able to. So he wants to do it today… when classes are suspended yet again due to bad weather.
Shizuo, who just finished brushing his teeth, goes to his side and then he caresses the raven's head, "Sorry. I don't know how to make you feel better." Izaya then rolls to hold his hands out to grab the blond's sleeve, "There's no way you can do that. I just lost a family… my dear sister…" The lover sighs and holds Izaya's hand, "I know." The fox then reaches out one of his tails to grab Shizuo to the bed, "Then stay with me and share my despair…"
"Hey, I can't stay here…"
"And why not, hm?" Izaya gets on Shizuo— revealing the fox ears and eight tails beneath the think covers, "Is there something much more important than me that you have to attend to?" The blond glares at him and he pulls on the corners of Izaya's mouth, "Yeah, I do have something to attend to but it's not more important than you! So fucking get off!"
The tails then wrap against his arms so Izaya can pin him at the bed, "You know, Shizu-chan. I have decided last night… that I will forget about everything and learn about what you will teach me…" The blond twitches and then he smirks, "Looks like Izaya's back to normal… somehow." The fox then licks Shizuo's face, "No, not yet. I'm still caught up with Namie and… I can't even hide my ears and tails right now. Shizu-chan, be my sole remedy…"
"—Heiwajima! We would— want… to…" Moto, the class president, cannot help but to gape at the beholding sight before them. Izaya is on top of Shizuo and he seems to be near enough for a kiss. The other students behind him then died on their feet… Ran glaring fiercely at the fox since Izaya has his ears and tails showing.
"…? Hey, Moto. Why is everyone here?" Izaya asks in a casual voice and then Shizuo slams his fist at his face, "Get off!" Izaya screams as he rolls off the bed and then the furious (disturbed) blond darts his glare at them, "Why the fuck would you guys barge in my room early in the morning." Moto gulps the thick lump in his throat and then he shows a CD case…
"An independent movie comes out today. This is the one shot at Ikebukuro… the one you starred with Yuuhei-kun. 'Kasuka and the Mysterious City', remember?" The blond twitches and then he sighs. This will be a bumpy ride for Izaya's heart…
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Itazura no Inutachi
Rei Haruno —Sakura no Imooto
Chapter 37: Rainy Days
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The Girl's Dorm does have its normal serene atmosphere… yet the once shared room has grown gloomier at every minute. Vorona is sitting at her bed which lies next to an empty one… the one Celty used to sleep on. They might be together for only less than six months but the pale-brunette has made a good impression on the Russian. Celty is a valuable friend… but she turns out to be surveyor of Nebula—
Their new sworn enemy.
She then draws her knees to her chest and stares at nothing… a very hollow feeling embracing her. She closes her eyes and then she whispers, "I never thought I would miss Celty like this…" Soon, tears drip from her eyes and she twitches at the sudden boil in her chest. The pain excruciates her slowly and she starts sobbing harder and louder… until she breaks down in her own bed.
Rolling around the bed multiple times, she squeezes herself with her arms, "Ah! It hurts! It hurts so bad! Someone help me! The pain… the pain…" Her words slow down as she finds the pain vanishing into a faint feeling.
"What just happened?" She whispers and then she stares at the ceiling as she listens to the heavy rain tattering the windows behind the drawn curtains. Her consciousness slowly eases the pain as she gets into slumber… dreaming of a little weird scenery.
Loud cries are heard from a corner and then a voice of a young girl from afar, "Milady… why are you crying again?" The cries stop and then a small girl walks out of the corner and goes to the other young girl who came from the other direction. The smaller girl is wearing a rather classy and detailed kimono and has a big headdress— too big even for her own to balance it, "…Nee-san, why should I do? I can't find the sutras at the shed…"
"The sutras aren't kept in the shed. They are all in the archives. Why do you need the sutras for, Milady?" The girl takes the crying girl's hand and they walk around to go to the archives. The one referred to as Milady clears her face and smiles at her, "The preachers told me to get those since I was the only one who can handle them…"
"The preachers? Milady, they are just making fun of you. Stop listening to them like a good girl. You have your own mind. Don't let their ranks take it away from you…"
"I have to, Namie." The girl twitches her way of talking and then Milady slips out of her hold, "This is one of the Trials I have to go through. Forgetting myself and being enslaved by them. Shedding everything I own… even if it means shedding away the ownership of my body." The girl walks off and then Namie stands still and she exclaims at the Priestess, "Izaya!" The young Priestess turns to her… the girl saying.
"I should have been the one walking those shoes right now. And I know I won't last doing so. So I'm grateful you took over… somehow. So if they insist that you lose everything you had, it is impossible." Namie places a hand on her chest, "I have given myself to you… so if you feel incomplete, come to me. I will… be your other half… even just for this lifetime…"
She then smiles her sincerest, "And they will never take that away from you."
"Vororin. Hey." The woman twitches as she gets awoken by a nearby voice… yet she remains alone in the room. She looks around and then it sounds within her head again, "Vororin, it's me." The Russian then sighs and speaks, "Izaya…" She clears her face and then he chuckles, "Sorry, you have to see that. Geez, I need to control myself more…"
"I can completely understand how you feel… not being able to cry right after you found out. You're not the only one feeling lonely, Izaya."
"…We're watching 'Kasuka and the Mysterious City', right now. It's fun, isn't it? Everyone's here… I can remember those days. Everyone's laughing… Namie… Shinra and Celty…"
"Izaya…"
"Vororin. I know I don't have the right to depend on you… but you know how it works, right? I push myself to make others like me… and then I rely on their belief on me as my source of power. Don't go weakening me, okay?"
"…You better not go away either…"
Despite the struggles they have all been through, this is the only day when they remember Ikebukuro as it is. For sooner, greater calamities will engulf their beloved town and everything has to change in the name of adaptation and survival.
Victory… should be around the corner as well.
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Itazura no Inutachi
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After all the Order and Raira demons' greatest efforts, the city of Ikebukuro has never been the same before. Dangers lurk in every corner and everyone gets riled up by how things have gone into. Protests have broken out for the past three months and there are two reasons for it. One is the lack of safety and security of the public and the other is the total shut down of the city from anywhere else.
No one is allowed to enter or leave. All exports have been strictly watched over by the city government and even media was cut off from there. Some information has been leaked out and all of Tokyo worries for the city in the heart of Toshima. Monsters, as they call it, are seen roaming around in most parts and some creatures are said to be spotted even outside the city— but not as worse as Ikebukuro has it.
The Order has doubled their scope and efforts in street-sweeping the district of Toshima and the rest of Tokyo prefecture. They have done rapid trainings and recruitment steps to double their headcount and prevent more trouble to befall on the city. However, no matter what they do, those three months have compromised the so-called innocence of humanity. The citizens of Ikebukuro are forced to stay inside a big place— as if a contingency plan for a massive calamity.
And to dispel doubt in the hearts of the people to the exorcists, they strictly enforce a no-demon policy inside every establishment that they hold people inside. As a reply, the Raira demons has taken refuge to other places while carrying out the very order the Guardian has issued for them to act on.
"Attack only if death is baring fangs at you. What a great instruction he got there…"
"What the fuck is he thinking? That's a total bullshit."
"I guess that's natural for the Guardian to make the sorry-ass Order handle it from here. He's only role is to prevent other demons from reigning and taking his territory."
"Mistake. Compromise innocence. (His only mistake is to let the exorcists compromise the innocence.)"
"The Order is having it rough. They don't have any choice but to let the people know and learn of a way to protect themselves…"
"It's been three months and still, everything is in shambles."
"If this continues, then even the people would be force to fight them. Can't we do something?"
"I understand your worries, my love. But if Kit is to do something, that dreadlock dude will kick his ass."
"…I won't be able to live with this any longer…"
The followers of the Grand eight-tailed fox and the demon himself gather at his rundown mansion as their base. Since the house itself isn't easily spotted, they doubt any exorcist will come up any time. They are discussing about the shitty order that has been enforced by the Guardian of Raira himself. The demons who make a move on those on loose yet without a threat to them are being punished and it is completely foolish and stupid…
And so the Grand fox knows something is up. The Guardian is cooking something within his unknown locations…
"I wish everyone is alright. We haven't seen any exorcists for a while or a fight breaking out nearby." Mikado sighs as he looks outside to see the serene backyard in the Orihara mansion. Masaomi sighs as he lies down at Mikado's lap and then Anri closes her eyes to feel Saika, "Somehow… humans are too far away. I can sense them… but there's a barrier that prevents me to enter their consciousness…"
"I think uglier things will come around." Shizuo hums and then he twitches as Vorona and Izaya do. The three fling to a direction and then the blond gets up, "Exorcists…" Izaya and his followers walk to the entrance and then they hide as three exorcists crash to the door. One of them is heavily wounded while the two are covered with multiple cuts.
The one carrying the heavily-wounded man then huffs in fatigue, "What with those demons? They tend to grow stronger more and more every night…" The other guy whispers, "This isn't good. The blood trails will lead them to us." He looks around, "We should do something about this. There are no available reinforcements and Moto's…"
"Guys. I'll hold them back from here…" The guy they refer to as Moto speaks, "Go back to the HQ and report. And… please give this to Suichiro for me." He hands over a small trinket to them and one speaks, "Don't worry. You will not die in vain."
CRASH! The exorcists get thrown away as a number of demons barge in the room. The trinket flies over to Izaya's side and he secretly takes it as they watch the battle from their hiding places. One of the demons, which has a big head and big-ass claws, speaks, "Hahah, poor humans. You dare to challenge me, one of the strongest demons of Yomi!"
"GO!" Moto screams as he reaches for his gun and shoots at the head. The demon rages and attacks him— only to have his hands hold down by five furry tails. The demons and exorcists twitch and then a swift figure of a woman dashes around the big-head demon… using her sword to cut off its thin limbs. The demon screams while falling back in pain and the other demons hiss as the hands disintegrate.
The figure— which is a woman— stands with her back against them and then she positions her sword diagonally on her back, eyes glaring at those weaklings, "We are told to not interfere. But I cannot bear to watch my beloved humans falter before you despicable creatures."
"Who… who are you?" The demon screeches and then she turns to them as two kitsunes of gold and lilac eyes fly around the room. The exorcists twitch and then they notice people hiding behind things. Izaya return their gazes with a grin and finger on his lips, "Shhh."
The smaller demons attack the three of them and a small fight breaks out. Being followers of such a powerful demon such as an eight-tailed fox, they are able to knock down all of them even they are tainted by Nebula's black goo. Anri sighs and then she turns to the exorcists, "Are you… alright?" The exorcists stare at them and the other demons get out from their hiding spots…
"Geez, we can just say… they were trespassing." Izaya sighs and he dangles the trinket before the Moto guy, "Here, Nii-san. That's something you shouldn't lose, you know. And about this encounter, if you can't keep it a secret, I can kill you at this very moment."
"Izaya." Vorona puffs a bit as they finish squeezing back to their clothes. Then Shizuo, in his partial form, has his tails wrap around them, "Tell me, is everything alright at your HQ? I mean, the humans… are they doing well?"
Moto twitches and then he stares at the blond, "Wait a moment, you're… Shizuo Heiwajima, aren't you?" He then stares at everyone else, "You're those children in the film 'Kasuka and the Mysterious City'!" They twitch and then Izaya chuckles, "Sure, sure. But I'm no Guardian like what the film says." The other two exorcists then speak, "So the attack was real! Not just a frigging movie!"
"If the humans know much earlier, don't you think the city will be thrown into chaos more than this?" The fox make sly eyes and then Shizuo hums, "Ah, if they recognize us already." Izaya glances at his lover and then he speaks, "Don't worry, Shizu-chan. If ever they can't keep their mouths shut, I'll make sure Suichiro-iinchoo will pay for it."
Shizuo twitches at the sudden swing of attitude and then the older brother screams, "No! Please don't involve my brother in here!" Izaya hums as he walks off with his sisters from them and then Masaomi speaks as he drags Mikado away, "It seems that more exorcists are going to this place. We should hide before they do come here…"
"How could you be so heartless?" Vorona whispers and then Anri sheathes her sword inside her palm, "We are demons. We can care less somehow… but if the whole humanity is at stake…" She walks away and then Shizuo let goes of the exorcists only for them to notice the healed wounds, "We should go, Vorona." The girl twitches and then she stares at them… "Sending new recruits at places inside Ikebukuro."
She runs after the other demons and then the exorcists look at one another… failing to understand what just happened. "Demons… protecting humans?"
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Itazura no Inutachi
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"Iinchoo!" A female freshman calls for him and then she huffs, "It's been three months. We can't still find our other classmates. Do you think they have been eaten?" The male hums and then he whispers, "I don't know. Most of them must have been lunch and dinner by now. They might have been shitted out if it's three months already."
"Ah, that's too horrible!" The girl despairs over the supposed truth and the class president hums… "Not necessarily." He then hums as he stares at the other Raira students within the facility. "Kuronuma-kun!" A voice calls on the president and then he turns to the caller. The man standing before him is Suichiro Moto, the class president of Izaya, Shizuo and Vorona's class, and he comes to ask things, "Kuronuma-kun, you're always with the Orihara twins, right? I know three months were too long… but do you know where they could be?"
Aoba hums and looks away as he sees the exorcists making their rounds in checking everyone in the locked shelter. He then turns back to the other class president, "I don't know… but they're probably fine wherever they are." Suichiro hangs his head and then one of the seniors with him speaks, "Those things outside. Don't they remind you of the monsters in Yuuhei-kun's independent film?"
The freshman class president twitches and then most agree with her, "They must have known they're coming!" Then one tries to joke about it, "Then… that would mean some 'beautiful demons' are fighting against them as well? You know, like what Yagiri-sensei and our sempais portrayed in the film?" The group then chatters loudly— enough to get the patrolling exorcists' attention. One goes to them and then he asks, "Is something wrong?"
"N-Nothing really." Suichiro chuckles and then he asks, "Yamada-san, has my brother gone back? It has been three days since his squad left and—" The man named Yamada turns somewhere else, "If it has been that long, they must be dead." He walks away as some woman calls for them. The younger brother freezes for a bit and then Aoba taps his shoulder, "Hey. You see, there's this small chance that they're still alive. Don't lose hope just because they were gone for too long." The senior only nods his head… as if forcing himself to get back some optimism.
The other seniors then chatter again and one speaks, "To think about it, isn't Douglanikov supposed to be with Izumii and Sharaku?" Some agree and then Aoba watch the innocent people formulate hypotheses about things that were happening. It has been three months already yet nothing is well explained to the people of Ikebukuro. Can he just blurt out the fact that the city has become a gateway towards the underworld and they will endure those times until the gates are closed? But the twist is… the gates cannot be closed one way or another?
"Iinchoo." Aoba twitches as a girl from his homeroom goes to him. She is in an exorcist uniform but someone from their age cannot be a new recruit. A misunderstood smile comes from her lips and then she speaks, "The new recruits are doing some bad job at surveying. Would you like to go with us? We'll be deployed in an hour. You can fight demons, too, right? Like Izumii." The students around them twitch and then Aoba chuckles to dismiss the idea, "What are you talking about?"
"I understand the woes you have, Iinchoo. But the Order is slowly becoming unable to handle all these demons as it is. We're setting out to look for survivors and survey the true face of the city now." The girl smiles more and then she puts a hand at her chest, "And somehow, I can feel Mama trying to reach out towards all of her children. Knowing so, the Raira Butai still exists and there must be something Sempai is doing about this. You know he will never let anything like this stay."
Aoba is about to speak again but then the girl speaks, "It has been raining so hard for quite some time now. Will you join us in forcing the sun to shine?"
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End of Chapter 37
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Thanks for reading! Please review! I badly need it to know if everything gets acceptable. Like this new arc I'm launching…