Chapter 12
Security Committee, a Wizard, and a Vampire
Tsukune, Yozora, Kurumu, Moka, Yukari, and Mizore were now on the case to find out what the security committee was up to, as Kuyo's followers were now interrogating students for their whereabouts at the same time. Taking careful snapshots of what the school police force was up to, they knew that there was little time to waste as they made sure to have plenty of detail about them. At long last they had all the evidence they needed to prove that this group was not following the rules and regulations of Yokai Academy.
"Good work guys. We managed to get plenty of pictures of what those bastards were doing," said Yozora.
"All we need now is to find people to help us testify against them so that we can shut them down, and insure that a new safety committee be installed," agreed Tsukune.
"Unfortunately, nobody is being responsive about what they've been doing. they've either been put into a coma, or worse sent to the nurse's office," said Yukari.
The others nodded, but Yozora was still hell bent on ensuring that they find someone who would be willing to help them.
"All we need to do for now is lay low until then," said Tsukune.
"Indeed. Caution is a more acceptable way of trying shutting down this force of power hungry demons," agreed Mizore.
Moka asked Mizore if she found someone who could help them. To their surprise she revealed that some informants would be willing to help them. Yozora knew that it was indeed the fanclub coalition members who were still obsessed with Moka, Kurumu, and Yukari.
"Did they provide you with any useful information?" asked Kurumu.
"Yes, they told me that we could see them in person," replied the snow angel.
The five friends marched right up to the coalition's club room. Yozora was now holding both his sword and wand in his hands, as he blasted the door right of it's hinges with a bombardment spell sending dust and splinters everywhere.
"Well, so much for the formal approach," muttered Kurumu.
"We know that you have information about the school police force," Yozora said darkly to the club coalition.
"Prove it," they said, as they attempted to flee.
But Yozora had come prepared for them as he swung his blade at them with unrelenting fury cutting off the pictures of Moka, Kurumu, and Yukari posted on the walls around them. Even the standees didn't survive his assault, which made the three boys more afraid of him.
"Don't destroy our precious work!" cried Kubasaki, as he tried to wrap his neck around him.
But Yozora swung his sword down, forcing him to retract it. Bosaburo and Kozo were also shocked by this change in Yozora's character, as they also tried to flee. Finally Yozora managed to corner them, and pointed his blade threateningly at them.
"TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!" he shouted, as he telekinetically began to strangle them all with his power.
"Okay, okay! We'll talk! When the police force said they were enforcing martial law, we told them that we would stay out of their way!" Kozo said in desperation.
"Martial law?" the wizard hissed as he placed his sword right near their throats.
"When they heard us saying that we would have no part in trying to shut down your little club, they chose to let us go, but said that if we told you anything about them, they would not only arrest us, they would send us to a group of people they call, The Order of Shadows," added Bosaburo.
Yozora wanted to press them for more answers, when Kurumu ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his chest.
"Yozora no! They already told you! There's no need to take it to the extreme!" she said in desperation.
Letting his sword vanish in a flash of light, Yozora let them go.
"What made them agree to leave you alone?" he demanded, while still glaring at them.
"At first, they told us that they would pay us handsomely, in exchange for getting revenge on you for our humiliating defeat. But then we realized that our goddesses, Kurumu, Moka, and Yukari would also be in the same situation as you would be, just like Tsukune," said Kozo.
"How dare you compare yourselves to my best friend?" the wizard said darkly.
"Because it's the truth! All we wanted was to find someone we love, and be loved in return. And that's exactly what we're able to do with those three girls and Mizore, you, Tsukune, and that werewolf, Gin. After the safety committee left us in peace, after we swore to change our ways, we were walking away, until we saw Kuyo with a figure clad in a black hooded robe, that hid his face. It turns out that the hooded man was named Mordo. When he glared at us from beneath his hood, we felt a cold chill running down our spines, much colder than what your precious snow angel's gaze can do to us. That's pretty much all that we know from this point onward," explained Kubasaki.
"We don't buy it," replied Yozora, who still had his arms crossed over his chest.
"Believe what you will. The committee is now doing whatever they can to silence anyone who speaks against them. That's how you'll be able to defeat them, and install a new era of creating respect amongst the between humans and monsters," said Bosaburo.
"Well this leads us to a dead end," said Tsukune.
"You're the only ones who are too scared to fight back for our friends," added Yozora.
"That's not entirely true," Kozo said.
"What are you saying?" demanded Kurumu.
"I fear there might have been another dark figure dressed in a black cloak, that's helping someone out. Someone called Caius. He's also helping the security committee while infusing them with pure darkness to make them more powerful," said Bosaburo.
"If you're lying, I'll deliver you to the security committee's front doorstep," Yozora said ominously to them, as he turned and walked out.
The three club presidents sighed with relief, as the newspaper club left their room.
In the security committee's conference room, Kuyo stood in silence when one of his confidants opened the door.
"Please forgive my intrusion," said the young man.
"It's all right, you may speak," replied Kuyo.
"Apparently those three excuses who worship three of the Newspaper Club's members had to be locked up after Yozora Ikeda made them leak information about our whereabouts," said the confidant.
"Such foolishness, have them executed immediately," Kuyo said calmly, as Caius emerged from the dark corridor.
"Not to worry, I'll see that it's done, Kuyo," replied Caius.
The next day, Tsukune and Yozora were now on their way to the club room, but the young man was a bit tired out from all the searching for clues on the safety committees whereabouts, while the wizard had a bit of a troubled sleep in his dormitory. When Moka approached them, she was surprised to see that Tsukune was still exhausted, and Yozora was somewhat rested from his quiet sleep.
"Sorry about Tsukune, he and I were thinking about where we should actually take it from here. Sadly he wasn't able to get some sleep," said Yozora.
"I understand," replied Moka.
"With the way things are, we still have little evidence for a perfect article. Unless, we can find more clues to this situation," said Tsukune.
"Hey, guys? It's a bit strange. Compared to how you both worked when you first came to this school, You've actually started to be a bit more mature than I realized," Moka said observantly.
"Really, well what do you know? I never would have guessed," replied Yozora.
"Yeah, thank you Moka," added Tsukune as they placed their hands on each others' arms.
They soon stepped back when Kurumu, Yukari, and Mizore arrived to tell them that they had a busy day to try and get back on the case of the corrupted school police force.
"Right, let's double our efforts before they have our backs up against the wall," said Yozora.
Gin, however, was observing different girls through his camera, when his gaze shifted to Kuyo and his most trusted officials heading to Miss Nekonome's classroom. The werewolf was shocked. Meanwhile, Miss Nekonome was busily lecturing her students about various adjectives, when the door suddenly opened. Tsukune and his friends were shocked by what they saw, until Kuyo walked in.
"I apologize for interrupting your class Miss Nekonome, but I promise you that this won't take too much of your time," Kuyo said, feigning kindness as he bowed respectfully to her.
Everyone stood watching in horror as Kuyo approached Tsukune, who was trembling in fear.
"You must be Tsukune Aono," he said.
"Yes sir," the young man said quickly.
"As of this moment, you are under suspicion of being a human being," Kuyo told him.
Everyone was shocked by what they all heard, even Yozora. They even murmured to each other as quietly.
"For the time being, you will be subjected to an inquiry by the safety committee," he continued.
Moka and Kurumu tried to protest, when two figures in dark robes grabbed them and covered their mouths to stop them from talking.
"Thank you gentlemen," Kuyo said with a nod.
"Please continue," replied Mordo.
"Now where was I? Oh yes, depending on the circumstances that have transpired, the four of you are just as guilty as he is, Moka Akashiya, Kurumu Kurono, Mizore Shirayuki, Yozora Ikeda, and yes, even Yukari Sendo. I want all of you to collect your belongings and come with us," Kuyo told them.
Tsukune knew that he was in really deep trouble. But then Caius and Mordo had let go of both the girls and vanished into the darkness behind them. They all tried to tell Tsukune that everything would be fine, and that he was not really a human being, but Yozora took Moka's hand and vanished from the classroom with his apparition magic when the committee members weren't looking. Miss Nekonome was also shocked as they were, as Tsukune, Kurumu, and Mizore were led away from the classroom in chains. Kuyo asked his allies if they had any luck on the rest of the club members. They all told him that they would also be rounded up as well.
"Also, Yozora and Moka must have disappeared while we were preoccupied at the moment," said Deshi.
"It is of no concern to us, for now. Caius and Mordo will have them brought to us. In the meantime, leave Morioka be. As long as he doesn't try to stop us, everything will be as it was. Once we have joined the Order of Shadows, everything shall go exactly as planned." said Kuyo.
"The Order of Shadows?" asked Kurumu in shock.
"Yes, They are a group of dark wizard's called Necromancers; wizards who dabble in dark magic and use it to raise those who died back to life as part of their own personal army," explained Kuyo.
Behind them Gin and Yukari were also watching, knowing full well what was going on. The werewolf warned Yukari if she tried to save them, she too would suffer the same punishment they had planned for their friends.
"We need to hold back on trying to help them. It's the only way to ensure that they'll be alright. Also, You must have faith in Yozora, just like I do," Gin said as he hugged the sobbing witchling.
"Yozora, their fate lies in both yours and Moka's hands," he whispered.
At the bus stop near the entrance to the Human world, Yozora and Moka had managed to apparate a safe distance away from the school before they were caught.
"Yozora, why would you resist them?" she asked.
"Because if we were to go willingly with them, they do terrible things to you. Things like splashing water all over you, until you're completely drained of your power," answered Yozora.
"But what about Tsukune?" asked the vampiress.
"Hate to say it, but he's already a goner by the time they're done with him," Yozora admitted.
"Indeed he is," came a voice from behind them.
They were soon caught off guard and knocked out by Caius and Mordo. Then they were picked up and transported to the security committee's headquarters.
"Listen to me, I'm not a human being!" cried Tsukune.
"There's no need to worry about Moka and Yozora, but I can assure you that no harm will come to them, at the moment," said Kuyo.
Before Tsukune stood up, the two necromancers cast a bind spell on him that prevented him from moving.
"I suggest you be calm before you decide to do anything rash. You're in our custody for right now, and we have some questions to ask you," Caius said to them.
Mordo projected a screen and showed Tsukune evidence of what all the students said about him being a human being, which shook him to the very core of his being.
"It is decided then. Everyone's testimony shows that you truly are a human being. It's quite clear to everyone that you are nothing more than a mere human mortal, who should have never come to this school in the first place. That includes the people you have been calling your family" Kuyo said.
Tsukune looked in horror as he saw his friends one by one on the screen in the interrogation chamber. He listened as they told the interrogator everything they knew about him, until they heard that he was nothing more than a spineless coward of a man. Worst still the interrogator told Moka that vampires always liked the taste of human blood, making Moka ashamed as the secret about Tsukune being a human being publicly announced all over the school. Moka was about to protest when the interrogator placed a glass of water on the table.
"We have ways of making you talk," he said, as he threatened to flick her with the water.
"I wouldn't continue with this foolishness, boy. If you do you'll end up just like all those poor unfortunate souls that came here before you," Kuyo said ominously.
He clicked his fingers and revealed the now deceased club coalition bound in chains.
"These gentlemen leaked information about us, so we had no choice but to have them eliminated and made to serve as an example to what's about to happen to you if it is decided you are a human being," said Mordo.
"They told us everything that happened several days ago about how they continued to hammer you down to the ground, but still you didn't change into your monster form until your precious family came to your rescue. Now then, you will tell us whether you are a human being, now, or watch your family suffer," Kuoy said sadistically.
When Tsukune heard Moka's screams of unrelenting pain and agony, he was shocked and angry at how they were torturing her, but he was unable to speak because of the dark cloth that kept his mouth shut. Kuyo then threatened to have Moka cast into the pond unless he spoke the very words about him being a human being. But although Tsukune couldn't move, the necromancers carefully removed the cloth from over his mouth, making the lad cough furiously.
"Come on now, you don't want Moka to suffer now. Tell us if you are a monster or a human, and she'll be spared the pain of being doused with water. Do it now, or she dies!" Kuyo said with evil triumph in his eyes.
Tsukune knew he had no choice but to speak the truth.
"You win, Kuyo. I am indeed, a human being. Now please, let her go," Tsukune said somberly.
"Good boy, Tsukune," Kuyo said.
Then he began laughing with triumph on his face and summoned all of his friends to his side.
"Did you hear what Tsukune said?" he asked.
The three girls were all in shock and tried to deny it with all their hearts, while Yozora looked away in shame.
"This shrine may be just like any other from the human world, but inside there are many corridors and illusions that can make almost anyone become quite confused as well as unsure of where they are going. We can have everyone in separate rooms, or have them all brought together in one great hall if need be," Kuyo explained.
"You tricked me?" asked Tsukune.
Moka on the other hand was still ashamed of herself for letting her secret be leaked to the entire police force, as her eyes were now filled with fresh tears. Suddenly, Kurumu slowly stood up and glared at Moka, as the necromancers bound the dark cloth over Tsukune's mouth.
"So you knew he was a human being this entire time, didn't you?" she demanded.
Moka was a bit hesitant, until Kurumu slapped her hard across her face.
"Yes! Or! No! Moka!?" she said furiously.
But Yozora slowly stepped forward.
"We both did, Kurumu. Though we were unsure about the human part, nor did we have any idea to approach you, Mizore, Yukari, or Gin about it," admitted Yozora.
"If what you say is true, I wonder if our bond will remain strong, if at all," Kurumu said in a low whisper.
Moka tried to explain, but Kurumu extended her claws near her throat.
"You and Yozora, will Not follow us, or say another word about what we just heard. For now though, just know that I'm branding you as traitors, and cowards," she said in a low whisper, as she ran away with the tears stinging her eyes.
"There is the proof. A perfect liar who was born only human from the start of his life. And I see that your friends have abandoned you," said Kuyo.
He motioned for his followers to escort Kurumu and Mizore out of their headquarters. and to take Moka and Yozora to a cell. But Yozora picked Moka up bridal style and teleported out of the shrine before they could grab her.
"Hmph, such cowardice. They knew what you were from the very beginning, and have chosen to abandon you as well, thus making them equally guilty of that crime." he said nonchalantly.
"Should we pursue them?" asked Mordo.
"No, that won't be necessary. For now though, it is time for Tsukune's execution to take place. Then you can resurrect him as your most faithful servant, brought back from death as a shell of what he used to be," replied Kuyo.
Tsukune dropped to his knees. He now knew that Kuyo had won. Kuyo then proclaimed that it was time for Tsukune's sentence to be carried out, by a vote of no confidence. When the members of the security committee declare that Tsukune was guilty, it was done.
"Tsukune Aono, you are hereby sentenced to death," he said.
In the club room, Gin was dejected by what his friends had done, while Yukari sat looking sullen and sad. When they saw Kurumu and Mizore walking into the club room, they were happy to see them, but noticed that they had a look of betrayal on their faces. When Yukari asked about her friends, Kurumu told them that Tsukune was a human being, and even went so far as to brand Moka and Yozora as cowardly traitors.
"The truth is, those two kept it a secret from us, until he told Kuyo right in our faces," said Mizore.
"He said what?" Gin asked in shock and dismay.
"It's the truth! There's nothing more that we can do for Tsukune! It's time to face facts and give up, like Gin said!" cried Kurumu, frightening them both.
"If what Moka and Yozora said was true, I always thought that Tsukune was afraid of telling us about what he truly was. If he'd just tell us we'd understand," said Gin.
"On the trip we took to the human world, I sensed that he was excited about being there," added Yukari.
"To be honest, I now know what it's like to be an idiot," admitted the werewolf.
But Mizore had heard enough, and decided to step out of the club room without another word.
"I guess she has a solid point, I'll also go and watch the execution," said Gin, and walked out as well.
Once the werewolf was gone, Kurumu asked Yukari what she knew about human beings, but Yukari admitted that she knew almost nothing about them. The witchling explained that before she had come to Yokai Academy, she and her family used to live in a valley below the mountains in the human world, and how she was told that humans were nothing more than dangerous creatures who didn't believe in monsters, witches, wizards or anything of that matter. She then went on to say that witches had always been hunted like wild beasts and killed off for no particular reason through all the years they had to endure the hell they faced.
"Looks like you and I are much more alike than we can possibly imagine. I was told that many guys from the Human World were nothing more than soulless emotionless creatures who knew nothing about love or compassion, all we succubi did was turn them into our own personal playthings for our pleasure and amusement," Kurumu said robotically.
Before they could press on, they heard an announcement from Kuyo that Tsukune was going to be put to death by a public execution for all to see. He even added that Tsukune's confession to being a human meant that he had somehow found a way through the barrier without being destroyed by its effects, and said that his end would serve as a permanent example for all the students. When the students heard what Kuyo said, they chatted about what was said and done, and began hurling objects at Tsukune, whilst agreeing with the committee's final decision. Some of the students even admitted that they made plenty of friends at different human schools while they kept their monster identities secret from everybody else, until the committee silenced them and allowed Caius and Mordo to drag them to the dark realm, as Kuyo said the the execution ceremony would take place at 4:30 PM, said that his destiny was already set in stone, and that he would be revived as new servant of the Order of Shadows. All the students raised their fist and roared their approval, while the faculty also stood watching in terror.
"It is finished then. Tsukune Aono's destiny is decided," said Mr. Kotsubo.
Miss Nekonome tried to say that Yokai Academy was created to ensure that humans and monsters could coexist together in peace, until Yozora appeared behind the gym teacher.
"It still is, until Kuyo bribed the headmaster into changing the rules by saying that humans should not be permitted to be in or near the school at any cost. You also said that if humans did come to this school, they would be eliminated on sight. But more importantly, when Tsukune said he was a human being, Kurumu, said that both me and Moka were both traitorous cowards. If you want to bring it up with the headmaster, be my guest," said Yozora.
Miss Nekonome nodded, as Yozora teleported back to Moka who was now sitting near the boss stop, and went to the headmaster's office with her head hung in shame. Back in the club room, Yukari now knew that Tsukune was going to die. She was about to ask Kurumu, when she heard her angrily slam her fist on the wall.
"Those fools, Moka, Yozora, and Tsukune. They are all fools! I hate them! I HATE THEM ALL!" she shouted as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
Yukari had never seen her friend this upset before, but she understood how it felt to be betrayed. At the bus stop, Moka tried desperately in vain to remove her own Rosary, but Yozora stopped her by taking her hand off it.
"There's nothing more we can do now. It's over. Kuyo has won. Tsukune's future was already set in stone when he came to this school to be our friend," Yozora said sadly as he looked back at the school he cherished so dearly.
"But we can't just go into exile!" protested Moka, through the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"We can, and we will. That's what we can do now. This is how the story ends," Yozora said as he teleported them both to another location far from Yokai Academy, unaware that someone was watching from behind a nearby tree.
All the students were chanting, "Death to Humanity!" at the top of their lungs as they saw Tsukune being held up in a crucified position over a large pile of wood below him.
"Good night sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest," Yozora's voice said within his mind, while Kuyo smiled with evil triumph.
"And so it came to pass, on that fateful day at Yokai Academy, that Tsukune Aono's life would come to a close. But even then, the boy called Yozora Ikeda was unsure of how he would be able to save his best friend from the jaws of death that had been opened wide to consume his soul, for this was far more than the human being's end. This day was the day upon which Kuyo and his loyal would join the ranks of our great order. This was the day, the Order of Shadows would rise. For the Darkness!" said a man dressed in far more regal robes that signified him as the organization's leader.
"For the Darkness!" the voices of millions said in unison.
"For Victory!" The man cried out.
"For Victory!" replied the voices.
"For the end of the Human race, ITSELF!" the man shouted more loudly than before.
FOR THE END OF THE HUMAN RACE, ITSELF!" chanted the dark robed figures.