A/N: Well, this is it, the big one, or at least the first part of it at least. I've had this scenario playing in my head for a good part of a year now, so to have it finally written down is a big milestone for me. The second part will be out as soon as I can get around to it, and I hope you all enjoy it.
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Inside Blare's apartment, the hellhound was happily humming to the song she was listening to through her earphones currently lodged in her ears. She was in the middle of cooking something up for herself and suddenly felt the urge to listen to one of her favourite bands. Just as she was ready to serve it up, she heard a rustling sound behind her. Her ears perked up as she spun around to see where it had come from. Blare pulled the earphones from her ears and looked towards her wardrobe with a look of confusion on her face.
"What the hell?" She muttered to herself as she neared the wardrobe.
She could hear rustling from inside, and the hellhound's feature took on a serious look.
"Hey, Bug Eyes, you better not be messing with me again." She spoke out loud in an annoyed tone as she reached the wardrobe and grabbed a hold on the handles of the doors.
She swung the doors open, only to be greeted by Lala falling towards her. Blare reacted instantly and grabbed hold of the dullahan to stop her from falling to the ground. The sudden appearance of the young reaper confused her more. Why was she here? Wasn't she supposed to be with Yuuto right now? She had so many questions to ask her.
"Lala?! What're you doing here?!" Blare exclaimed in surprise before noticing that the girl currently in her arms was sobbing to herself, unable to keep her composure. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realisation. Yuuto wasn't with her, and she knew the reaper wouldn't come to her unless something was wrong.
Blare looked down at her as fear took control. "Where's Stud?! What's happened to him?!" She exclaimed, her very core now filled with worry and dread.
Lala looked up at the hellhound as she clutched at her hoodie, barely able to keep her eyes open as they flooded with tears. "Blare…" She said before sobbing loudly once more. "They took Yuuto!"
The MON agent was shocked by what she just heard. Her squad captain had been abducted, but by who, and why? She started to be overcome by rage as her flame lashes burst into life from the corners of her eyes. Someone had taken Yuuto against his will, and as soon as she found out who had done it, she was sure as hell going to make them pay dearly for it. Blare glanced back down at the dullahan still sobbing in her arm. Now wasn't the time to get angry, she had to find out what had happened. To that end she raised a hand to Lala's cheek, causing the girl to look up at her with tear-stained eyes.
"Lala, tell me what happened."
Sometime later, Ms Smith, Lala, Vee, and all the members of MON excluding Doppel had gathered in Yuuto's apartment to figure out what to do. The young reaper was currently sitting on the couch with Tio and Manako sitting on either side of her, the two MON agents trying their best to comfort her as she continued to sob to herself. Zombina and Blare were sat at the table in the small kitchenette with looks of frustration on their faces. Kestria was leaning against the wardrobe with a downcast look on her face, while Raia, Kasumi and Vee sat on the bed with looks of worry as they watch the government agent pace back and forth across the room, fretting over the situation they were in.
"Dammit, Kazama. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Kuroko thought to herself, trying her best to keep herself calm.
Suddenly there was a knock at the window. The group turned around to see another Kestria waiting outside with an anxious look on her face.
"What the-?!" Kestria exclaimed in shock before being cut off by her superior.
"Don't worry, it's just Doppel." Ms Smith explained to the raptor harpy.
Kasumi moved up the bed and went to open the window for the new arrival. The other Kestria got inside and thanked the empusa before the window was shut once more. She started to unravel into many strands of long white hair, now revealing the doppelganger underneath as she took a seat on the bed.
"Sorry, I got here as fast as I could." Doppel explained in a gloomy tone.
Ms Smith just nodded at the girl before positioning herself in the middle of the room to get everyone's attention. "Looks like everyone's here, let's get started." She announced before removing her sunglasses and clearing her throat. "As all of you are aware, one of our MON agents, Yuuto Kazama, has gone missing. From what we know he was last seen in one of the back streets of Akihabara trying to assist a liminal in distress. By the time police arrived at the scene of the incident, all persons involved had disappeared, along with Kazama." She explained before focusing her attention towards the dullahan. "That sound about right, Lala?"
The young reaper wiped the tears from her face as she looked up at the government agent, barely able to hold back her weeping. "Aye."
Smith nodded and continued. "We haven't got a great deal to go on, but from what I've been told, it appears that Kazama was ambushed and abducted by the individuals involved. Their motives are as yet unknown, but the police are doing everything in their power to track him down, though they haven't found any leads thus far."
Zombina was still sat in her seat with her head hunched over, her hands balled into fists on the table. She couldn't stand just sitting there while her best friend was out there, having god knows what happening to him. Losing her patience, she shot up from her seat and slammed her hands against the table, gaining everyone's attention.
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "WHY THE FUCK ARE WE JUST SITTING AROUND WHILE BEESH IS IN TROUBLE?! THEY COULD BE TOTURING HIM FOR ALL WE KNOW!"
Kuroko glanced towards the zombie and furrowed her eyebrows at her. "Zombina, I understand that you're upset, but there's nothing we can-"
"She's right!" Blare exclaimed as she stood to her paws abruptly. "We can't just sit around and do nothing while Stud's waiting on us to help! I don't even want to imagine what those bastards are doing to him right now!"
Lala heard this and started breaking down into tears once more. Tio went to pat her back comfortingly before looking towards the zombie and hellhound with a disapproving look on her face.
"Bina-chan, Blare-chan, can you please calm down? All this arguing isn't helping, plus you're only upsetting La-chan more." The ogress told them in a stern tone.
"Tio's right," Manako spoke up. "even if we went out to look for Yuuto, we have no way of tracking him down." She continued in a gloomy tone.
Suddenly, Vee's eyes widened in realisation as her feeler shot up straight as if an idea popped into her head. The slime got off of the bed and quickly made her way to Yuuto's laptop on the desk next to his bed. Kasumi, Doppel, Raia and Kestria looked towards her in confusion, unsure of what she was doing.
"But still, Stud needs our help!" Blare shouted in frustration.
"Yeah, Beesh would do the same for us!" Zombina added in an annoyed to towards her superior.
Ms Smith sighed in frustration as she locked eyes with her more stubborn subordinates. "You know Kazama of all people wouldn't rush in without a plan. I'm just as annoyed that we can't do anything to help, but we need to wait and see what the police investigation turns up." She explained to them, trying to be sympathetic.
Both the zombie and the hellhound hung their heads, the former was annoyed by not being able to do anything, and the latter was upset that her squad captain was suffering while they had no idea where he was.
"Ms Smith, do you have any idea who might've had reason to kidnap Medjay?" Raia spoke up from her seat on the bed, trying to keep herself calm and collected.
Kuroko looked over towards the mummy with a worried look on her face. "Only one person comes to mind. Gaku Takahashi."
Zombina shot her head up once more as her temper started to flare up again. "Wait, the asshole that led the back robbery?! I thought he was incarcerated at Fuchū Prison!"
"Was." The government agent emphasised. "They said on the news a few weeks back that he somehow broke out and the police haven't been able to trace him. I can't say for certain, but he might have something to do with Kazama's abduction."
The redhead slammed her hands against the table again. "That fucking spineless bastard! If I find him I swear I'm gonna make him wish he stayed locked up!"
Everyone else in the apartment stayed quiet as they let Zombina continue her yells of frustration. Even if they knew who took Yuuto, there was a strong possibility that the people involved were all human, and in that case, MON couldn't do anything to intervene without breaking the laws of the Exchange Bill. As the zombie took a moment to catch her breath, the group noticed the clicking of keys coming from Yuuto's laptop, and they looked to see that Vee was typing and clicking away with the mouse and keyboard, engrossed by what she was doing.
"Vee, what are you doing?" Kasumi asked as she got off the bed and crouched down next to the slime girl to see what had taken up her attention.
"Gooball, this isn't the time to be messing around with computer games! We need to find Stud!" Blare exclaimed in an annoyed tone.
"Yeah, what are you even messing with anyway?" Kestria questioned as she stood to the other side of the orange slime.
Vee didn't turn her attention away from the screen for even a moment as she concentrated on what she was doing, not even giving them a verbal answer. She continued to do so until the clicking of the keys stopped and her feeler shot up straight, accompanied by a bright smile on the slime's face.
"I found Yuuto!" She exclaimed joyfully, causing the raptor harpy and empusa to flinch from her sudden reaction.
Everyone in the room shot a glance at the slime girl, their eyes wide in surprise, not quite believing what she just said. Nonetheless, Lala, Zombina and Blare rushed towards the laptop as fast as they could, the dullahan couching as close to Vee as she could as she looked to see what she had found, while the zombie and hellhound stood behind them looking over their shoulders to see what was going on. What they saw was a map of what looked like the docks of the Koto ward. There was a small marker with a phone symbol on it with a cell phone number next to it hovering over one of the warehouses.
"Hey, that's Beesh's number!" Zombina exclaimed in a positive tone.
"But how did you even find it?!" Blare asked, now on edge with this recent discovery.
"Yuuto was worried about losing his phone, so he installed a tracking app on it just in case he ever lost it. The site I'm on works with the app to help track down the phone, so if we're lucky Yuuto should be there too." Vee explained as she looked up at the hellhound with a smile on her face.
Kestria quirked an eyebrow at the slime girl. "But how did you even figure out how to do that?"
"I learned from when I read Yuuto's mind." She replied in an innocent tone.
"…The hell?"
"Wait, slimes can do that?" Raia asked as she and Doppel got off the bed to see what was happening.
"Got to admit, that's pretty useful." The doppelganger said with a smirk on her face.
"It certainly is," Kasumi added as she placed a hand on the slime girl's head and started rubbing it gently, to which Vee responded with a joyous giggle. "good job, Vee."
Lala couldn't help but let a bright smile cross her lips as her eyes teared up with joy, happy that they had at least some idea where Yuuto might be. Unable to contain herself, the dullahan wrapped her arms around Vee in a loving hug as she nuzzled her cheek against hers.
"Thank ye, Vee! I am eternally indebted tae ye fer this selfless act!" The young reaper cried out in joy as she tightened her grip around the orange slime.
Vee let out another giggle as she wrapped some of her tendrils around Lala and used her feeler to wipe away her tears. "No pro."
Ms Smith walked over towards the laptop and examined what the slime girl had found. She took the mouse and looked over the map thoroughly to pinpoint where the phone was exactly. "Hmm, looks like its somewhere around Tokyo harbour in Koto ward, probably hiding out in an abandoned warehouse nearby." The government agent muttered to herself as she continued to look over the map. "That's where his phone is, but there's no guarantee that Kazama is there as well. But it's the only lead we have." She continued as she stood herself up straight once more. "I'm going to get in touch with the police with this information. Everyone, we're heading back to headquarters to suit up and be on standby just in case there's any liminal presence."
A massive grin appeared on Zombina's face as she heard the superior's request. "It's about damn time!" She shouted enthusiastically.
All the other MON agents nodded and got ready to move out.
Kuroko redirected her attention towards the dullahan and slime still by the laptop. "Vee, I'm going to need you to stay here and keep track of the phone just it case it moves." She explained as she jotted down something on a piece of paper nearby and left it by the laptop. "Call me on this number on the apartment phone if you need to get it touch with me."
"Got it!" Vee exclaimed with a bright smile and a salute.
The raven-haired human nodded and locked eyes with the young reaper. "Lala, I need you to stay here and keep and eye on Vee. Trust that we'll get Kazama back as soon as possible."
Ms Smith was just about to turn and leave when Lala stood up straight and gave the human a grim look. "I am coming with ye." She stated in a very serious tone.
Kuroko and the MON agents turned to face the dullahan at her declaration, the human returning a serious look of her own. "I understand that you're worried, but I can't risk you getting hurt if things go-"
The government agent was interrupted as shadowy tendrils shot from around the young reaper before they started to wrap around her arms, legs and torso. They soon shaped themselves into gauntlets and arm guards around her arms, armoured boots around her feet and thighs, and finally a breastplate and waist guard around her chest and waist, all of which were black with gold trimmings. More shadowy tendrils shot from her shoulders and started running down her back and arching over her head until they formed into a black cape and hood. Lala kept her eyes locked on the human as she formed Crescent Shadow in her right hand and slammed the tip of the shaft against the floor with a look of determination on her face. The other women in the room were stunned by the sudden transformation.
"Holy crap, Lala!" Blare shouted in startled surprise.
"Damn, Headless!" Zombina exclaimed in excitement. "Didn't realise you had a battle mode!"
Lala kept her eyes locked on the government agent as she refused to back down. "I said that I will accompany ye on this endeavour." She responded as she furrowed her eyebrows at Ms Smith. "He is me Love and I will nay abandon him tae this fate. I do nay care if I must go alone, but I will save him." She continued with grim resolve.
Kuroko stared back at the dullahan, not entirely surprised by the transformation as she stood there unflinchingly. "Even so, you have to realise the potential danger you'll be putting yourself in if you do go alone." She told her in a stern tone.
The young reaper spun her scythe in her hand for a moment before she held the blade low to her side and placed her free hand over her face while keeping her eyes and mouth visible as she gave the human a confident smirk. "Do nay underestimated the combat prowess o' a Knight o' Death."
The government agent couldn't help but smirk back at her as she placed her sunglasses back on her face. "Fine, you can come. Doubt you'll take no for an answer anyway. But, you are to follow my orders like everyone on MON. Is that understood?"
"So be it. I will do what it takes tae retrieve Yuuto from this peril." Lala replied as she gave the human a warm smile, letting a single tear trickle down her cheek.
"I'm glad that we've come to an agreement." Ms Smith responded before turning her attention back to the MON agents in the room. "Alright everyone, let's suit up. We've got ourselves a bishie to rescue." She announced with a confident smirk.
All the girls' faces lit up with confidence as they nodded at their superior. "Right!" They all shouted out in unison.
Yuuto found himself standing in an empty white void, bare and barren as far as the eye could see. He couldn't make sense of what was going on, the last thing he could remember was trying to help the echidna girl as she was being attacked by two thugs, only to be thanked by the same girl strangling him with her tail. He was pretty sure he wasn't on the verge of death seeing he wasn't in Limbo, which could only mean that he was in a dream. He looked around to see if he could find something, or preferably someone, but he was met with the emptiness of the void wherever he looked.
"Seriously, why am I always stuck in an empty space in these dreams?" The blonde said out loud to himself in an annoyed tone.
"Me Love."
The human jerked his head around to see Lala standing a few feet behind him in her Limbo form, her cowlick nowhere to be seen and wearing her white turtleneck dress and white stocking. She stood there motionlessly as she gave him a loving smile.
"Lala. Is that-" Yuuto was cut off as the dullahan spoke once more.
"Ye may nay be aware o' it, but ye are nay like other mortals. Ye possess a power beyond human comprehension, yet ye have yet tae tap intae it." She said in a flat tone despite the smile on her lips and the blush on her cheeks.
The human quirked an eyebrow at the young reaper and started moving towards her. "Babe, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense." He replied, confused by the current situation.
"Ye will come tae understand yer potential soon enough."
Just as Yuuto was about to reach out to his girlfriend, she vanished into thin air without a trace, leaving him standing there in bewilderment. He knew it was just a dream, but what was she talking about? A power beyond human comprehension? Tapping into his potential? It sounded like her typical chuunibyou nonsense, but he couldn't help but feel there was some merit to her words, even if it was just his subconscious messing with him.
"She's right, Yuuto."
He froze in place as he heard a voice that he hadn't heard in years, one he hoped he'd never hear again. With dread filling his core he slowly turned around to see a man standing right behind him. He had shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes with a short trimmed black beard which only covered the area around his mouth, as well as his chin. He was wearing a grey suit top and trousers with a white button-up underneath with the top button undone, along with a pair of polished black shoes and a gold chain around his neck. The MON agent stood there shaking with rage as he recognised the man that was his father.
"…Dad. What the hell are you doing here?" The blonde asked with barely contained anger as he turned to face him.
"It is time you realised what you are capable of, my son." His father replied with a smirk on his face.
Yuuto balled his right hand into a fist and stepped forwards as he took a swing at the man. "I'LL NEVER GO BACK TO THAT LIFE!" He yelled as he let his temper take over, ready to punch his so-called father with all his might.
Just as he was about to make contact, the man flashed to the side like a red blur, completely avoiding the attack. Yuuto glanced to his left and saw his father mere inches away from him, his entire body crackling in sparks of crimson lightning, emanating some sort of overbearing power. Before the blonde could react, the man raised his right fist and swung it at him with incredible speed.
"Whether you like it or not, you will realise your potential!"
The fist collided with his left cheek and was soon blinded by a flash of white light. It faded, and the human now found himself inside a large darkened warehouse, the only source of light coming from a line of windows revealing the moon hanging in the night sky. He felt a searing pain on the left side of his face as blood trickled from his mouth. He looked down to see that he was bound to a steel chair, his legs tied to the front legs and his arms tied behind him to the backrest. He then looked up to see three liminals standing in front of him.
The first was a muscular looking male jinko right in front of him with short black hair and orange fur with black stripes, wearing a white V-neck and blue jeans. Yuuto saw him holding up his large clawed fist with blood on his knuckles as he stared down at the human with a menacing look on his face. The second was a bulky and tall male gargoyle looking down at him with a stoic look on his face. He had combed back black hair and green slit eyes as well as pale skin, apart from around his arms which looked like they were made from slate. He had two large slate-coloured horns protruding from the top of his head as well as two large wings with membranes that looked like purple stained glass and a large stone tail which was also the colour of slate. The brute of a man was wearing a tight-fitting blue T-shirt, grey jeans and a pair of black army boots. The final individual who was standing at the back of the group was the green-scaled echidna from before, standing there covering her eyes with her bangs as to avoid eye contact with the human with a forlorn look on her face.
The jinko grasped his hand around the top of Yuuto's head and forced the human to look into his eyes. "Time to wake up, twerp. The boss wants to talk to you." He said with a gruff voice, obviously enjoying his current power trip.
"Take it easy, will you?" The gargoyle spoke up. "He said to keep him in one piece till he gets here."
"I hardly touched him." He said with a sadistic grin as he tightened his grip on the MON agent's head, the tips of his claws threatening to break his skin. "What's a few little cuts with what he's got planned for this unlucky bastard?"
Before the jinko could continue, the tip of the echidna's tail wrapped tightly around his neck and lifted him up into the air, causing him to let go of the human. He looked down at the reptilian to see she had crossed her arms under her breasts, looking up at him with a disapproving look on her face.
"What the fuck, Roxanne?!" He yelled in anger as he struggled to break free.
"You heard him, the boss will be pissed if you try anything without his say so, plus, he's not the only one who wants the human in one piece." Roxanne answered with a hint of venom in her tone of voice.
After a moment she unravelled her tail from around the jinko's neck, causing him to drop to the ground with a grunt of pain. He took a moment to catch his breath before he managed to get back onto his paws as he looked back at the echidna and snarled at her.
"You little bitch! I'll turn you into a pair of snake-skinned boots for that!" The jinko shouted as he raised his claws, readying himself for a fight.
The echidna took up a defensive stance as she raised her scaled arms to guard herself and raised the tip of her tail to the side, ready to strike at the man in front of her.
Just as he was about to pounce at the girl, the doors at the far end of the warehouse opened and a shadowy figure walked through, slamming the door behind him. The two liminals stopped what they were doing as both their faces contorted into looks of fear and dread. Even the gargoyle, who had ironically hardly moved an inch since Yuuto regain consciousness flinched at the man's presence. Yuuto just looked towards where the newcomer was, struggling to make out what he looked like in the dim light.
"What's with all the racket in here? I just fucking asked you to wake our guest up." He said in a commanding tone.
"Boss!" The jinko exclaimed in a fearful tone as he lowered his claws to his sides.
"I-I-I'm sorry, Sir..." The echidna stuttered as she lowered her stance, trying her best to not quiver in fear.
The gargoyle stayed silent, trying to avoid their superior's ire.
From what the MON agent could make out, the individual they were referring to as the boss looked like he was only human, yet they were cowering in his presence like he was some nightmarish being from the depths of Hell. As the man neared the group, the moonlight started to reveal his features. The man was wearing a black suit with a red button-up shirt underneath, black tie, and a pair of black boots. His head was completely shaved, and he was sporting a massive scar across his right cheek. The man stared back at the blonde with his brown menacing eyes, accompanied by a sinister smirk on his lips.
"It's been a while, Kid." The man spoke up with a lethal edge to his tone of voice.
"…Takahashi…" Yuuto responded, not at all pleased with this unfortunate reunion as he furrowed his eyebrows at the former Yakuza.
Takahashi couldn't help to chuckle to himself as he stared daggers at the MON agent. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. And I bet you were thinking you'd never have to deal with me again, oh, how wrong you were." He said as he slowly made his way to his captive.
Yuuto smirked back up at the man, trying his best not to be intimidated. "What, you took all the effort to break out of prison just to get back at me? Didn't really take you for a stalker if I have to be honest."
The former Yakuza stopped where he was as he opened up his suit jacket and pulled out his dagger from the inside pocket, idly twirling it in his hand as he continued to glare at the blonde with a sinister grin. "As much as I despise you, Kid, that's one thing I can respect. You don't take shit from anyone and that's something I can relate to." He said before he glanced over towards the echidna. "Roxanne, be a dear and fetch me a chair, will you?"
Roxanne nodded nervously as she used the tip of her tail to pick up a spare chair nearby and placed it in between Gaku and Yuuto. The man nodded in response before he turned the chair around and sat on it with his legs spread and his arms resting on the backrest as he continued to stare down the MON agent.
"Despite that though, you humiliated me, and not only that, I got stuck with twenty years prison time, and I just can't let that stand." He continued as he spun the dagger in his hand faster now.
"And you expect me to beg for my life? Sorry to disappoint you, Gaku, but that's not happening." Yuuto replied as he kept up his bravado. "So, if you want me dead, just get it over with because I'll make sure you don't enjoy a single moment of it."
The smirk dropped from Takahashi's face as he continued to glare menacingly at the blonde and had eventually gotten up from his chair. "The tough guy act, that's fine, but the cocky attitude is something I could do without." He responded as he stepped closer towards Yuuto. "Didn't your parents teach you manners, or will I have to do it myself?"
"Please," The MON agent answered mockingly. "the only reason that you're the slightest bit threatening is that knife of yours, otherwise all you've got is shit talking to help you get by."
"Says the shit talker bound to a fucking chair." The jinko interjected with a smirk on his face.
"And you're lucky I am." The blonde responded as his smirk widened.
Gaku was losing his patience, so he gestured the jinko to go behind the captive, which the liminal complied to. He went up behind the bound human and grasped him by the shoulders hard, his claw digging into his skin as Yuuto let out a low grunt of pain. The former Yakuza then gestured the gargoyle to move in front of him, and the bulky liminal did so. The gargoyle stopped right in front of the MON agent and looked back at his boss for approval, to which Takahashi nodded in reply. The gargoyle nodded back and faced the blonde human before slamming a fist into the young man's stomach hard. Yuuto hunched over as far as he could as he felt like he was hit by a wrecking ball, letting out a short cry of agony before the liminal responsible retracted his fist.
"Again." Takahashi commanded.
The gargoyle complied and swung his fist into the young man's stomach a second time, eliciting another cry of agony. He removed his fist and stepped back from the MON agent as the blonde human sat with his head hung low taking several deep breaths to try and cope with the pain. The former Yakuza just smirked to himself as he watched him suffer, but to his surprise, Yuuto slowly raised his head as he locked eyes with him with a smirk on his face.
"What… too scared to… do it yourself? You really are pathetic… Takahashi." He said mockingly in between deep breaths.
Gaku's face contorted into a look of rage, pissed off that his captive was still mocking him despite the danger he was in. He put his knife back into his jacket pocket and stood in front of the blonde before he swung a fist at him with all his might. The punch made contact with Yuuto's left cheek as small droplets of blood spirt from his mouth. Before the MON agent had time to recover, Takahashi followed up with a left hook to his right cheek. The former Yakuza continued to alternate punches as he whaled on the captive repeatedly.
"Not so fun on the receiving end, is it?!" Gaku yelled in anger. "Don't you dare underestimate me, Boy!"
The man finally stopped as he grasped his captive's hair and pulled it, so their eyes were now locked. Takahashi's eyes went wide as he noticed that there was no sign of any swelling or bruising on his face despite the beating he just received, just the blood trickling from his mouth, though it wasn't much.
"The fuck?!" The jinko exclaimed, his claws still latched to the human's shoulders. "How tough is this guy?!"
The gargoyle had a look of confusion on his face, while Roxanne stared in awe from a distance, amazed that how the blonde was still in one piece after that.
Before the former Yakuza could say anything else, Yuuto spat blood from his mouth right at the man's face. Gaku stepped back in shock and wiped the bloodied saliva from his face before looking back at his captive as his rage grew tenfold.
The MON agent just smirked back at him once more. "Like I said, if I'm going to die anyway, I might as well make sure you don't get to enjoy it."
Takahashi finally snapped. He pulled his knife from his jacket once more and hurried his way towards the blonde as he raised his dagger above his head. "If you like smirking so much, let's see how you like looking like the fucking Joker!"
Just as he was within striking distance, the former Yakuza stopped suddenly as his body began to tremble slightly. Yuuto had a look of confusion on his face while the jinko's and gargoyle's eyes widened fearfully, both taking a step back from the captive, knowing exactly what was about to happen to their boss. Even the echidna slithered back from the man slightly as her own features grew fearful. Gaku dropped his knife and it clattered to the ground as his eyes rolled back into his head. Suddenly the man was covered by a mysterious blue aura as the irises and pupils of his eyes rolled back into view, now swathed in a glowing blue hue. Now Yuuto was becoming fearful of what was happening to the man.
Takahashi soon straightened himself out as he stared back at the blonde with a look of recognition and a smirk on his face. "I do apologize, Gaku tends to have a bit of a short fuse." He spoke, his voice now intermingled with that of another, one that the MON agent hadn't heard in years but was unable to fully recognise. "Though I must admit, for you to keep up such bravado in such a dire situation is certainly impressive. You're definitely your father's son, Yuuto Kazama."
Yuuto's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting him to know his name. "Who the fuck are you, and what have you done to Takahashi?" He asked with a hint of dread in his voice. "How do you even know my name?"
"What, you've forgotten about me after all these years? Takahiro and I were practically brothers while you and Hikari were growing up. Well, that was until he betrayed me and had me killed off." The man explained with a sense of nostalgia.
The blonde was suddenly hit with realisation, finally able to recognise the voice that coincided with Takahashi's. "…No way. Fukuda?"
The possessed man smirked in response. "In the flesh, though not my own, seeing that my corpse is still rotting at the bottom of Osaka Bay." He replied as he stepped towards his captive. "Quite convenient that the body I've possessed just so happens to have a grudge against you, helps me keep in control if we have similar motives."
"But how? You should be dead."
Fukuda continued to smirk at the blonde as she slowly began to pace back and forth in front of him. "Tell me, Yuuto. Have you ever heard of a revenant?"
Yuuto calmed himself as he kept his eyes on him. "Yeah, they're either corpses or spirits that have returned from death to carry out their vengeance." He answered as best he could.
"Good, very good." The revenant replied in a calm tone as he began to slow his pacing. "Now tell me, why do you think I've come for you first instead of your father?"
The MON agent's eyes widened in realisation. "Because the one thing he values more than his own life is his legacy…"
The man stopped as he looked back at the son of his old friend, letting a sinister grin cross his lips. "It's good to see that you haven't lost your quick thinking. It's almost a shame to have to kill you off." He spoke as he moved in front of his captive and crouched in front of him, so he was at eye level with him. "True, I could've just gone straight for Takahiro, but for one, it would've been challenging, and secondly, where's the fun in it if I don't make him suffer first by denying him what he's spent years to achieve. I won't be satisfied unless I wipe out his entire bloodline."
"Okay, that explains why you're back, but that doesn't explain how. How did you even avoid being sent to the afterlife by a dullahan in the first place?" Yuuto asked with a look of confusion on his face.
"Oh, so it seems that you're connected to the reapers somehow. It seems I don't have as much time as I hoped." Fukuda replied as his eyes remained locked with that of his prisoner's. "It wasn't easy to escape their notice, but for the sake of my vengeance, I found a way. I had to possess many different people during the last fifteen years trying to find where your family disappeared to. I'm just glad that my patience has finally paid off." He continued as he stood up straight and looked towards the echidna, gesturing her to come closer.
Roxanne nodded in compliance and nervously slithered over to her boss' side. As she moved to his side, Fukuda placed a hand on his shoulder and stared back at the MON operative. "You see, Roxanne here was a student in the Exchange Program until just recently. She was constantly pushed from one host family to another just because she was perceived as a threat to them, and after being rejected by her latest host, she had enough and ran away. I found her one day in the back streets of Akihabara trying her best to survive on her own, so I offered her a home in exchange for her assistance." He said this as he continued to stare at Yuuto menacingly while the echidna stood there trembling with fear, which implied in the MON agent's eyes that she was here against her will.
"And why are you telling me all this?" The blonde questioned.
The possessed man removed his had from Roxanne's shoulder and proceeded to crouch down in front of his captive once more. "Because, Yuuto, she will be the one to put you out of your misery." He started with an evil glint in his eye. "As you well know, lamiae and their subspecies require a male from another species to reproduce, and since the Exchange Bill was put into place, that has become exceedingly difficult for them, so I plan on killing two birds with one stone. Imagine it, you slowly being constricted to death while she has her wicked way with you, your body being rent by her claws while her venom slowly and agonizingly courses through your body. How ironic it'll be for an agent of the ICEP to be tortured to death by someone they were meant to protect."
Yuuto furrowed his eyes at his captor. "You monster…" He muttered with barely contained anger.
Fukuda chuckled to himself as he stood to his feet once more and motioned the jinko and gargoyle to accompany him out of the darkened warehouse. "I would love to stay and chat more, but I do have business to attend to, like finding the whereabouts of your dear sister for starters." He said in a menacing tone.
The blonde's eyes widened in shock, rage now consuming him as he struggled to break free of his bonds. "You bastard! Don't you dare lay a finger on Hikari!" He yelled in anguish.
The boss merely smirked back at the MON operative. "Unfortunately for you, you don't have much say in the matter anymore." He started as he began to walk off with his lackeys before turning his attention towards the echidna. "Roxanne, you know what to do."
"Of course, Sir…" She replied dejectedly.
With that, the woman slithered up to Yuuto and coiled her tail around him as she pressed herself against him and in between his legs. Once he was fully ensnared, she tightened her coils around him, hard enough to elicit a yell of agony from the human. She silenced him by placing her hands on the back of his head and pushing his face into her cleavage as she continued to torment the young man.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll enjoy yourself before you die." She said out loud in a sultry tone as she continued to constrict him.
The blue aura faded from around the former Yakuza as Takahashi was back in control once more. The man looked back at his captive with a sadistic smirk on his face. "Don't think she'll be the end of it, I still plan to slice you up myself before you pass on, Kid. Maybe that'll teach you to pick your fights better in the next life." With that the trio of men left, leaving the blonde to his current torment.
As soon as they left, and that Roxanne was certain that they couldn't hear her anymore, she slowly uncoiled herself from the human, much to his confusion. She slithered back slightly as she looked back at him and was now waving her hands at him apologetically.
"Omigod, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed in a hushed tone just to be safe. "I didn't mean to hurt you! Are you alright?!"
Yuuto just stared at her with widened eyes as he tried to make sense of the situation. "I've felt better, but I'll be fine, I guess." He answered in a confused tone.
"Oh, thank God." The echidna replied as she let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry I had to do that to you, Takahashi wouldn't have bought it if I held back, please forgive me." She continued as she gave him a pleading look.
"Hey, it's okay. I forgive you." The human replied as he gave her a reassuring smile. "I had a feeling you weren't here of your own free will. How did you even end up here?"
"It's just like what Fukuda said, I ran away from my last host and he took me in, as long as I did what he said that is…" She trailed off, the shame now mounting on her. "But now that you're here, there's a chance that I can leave this life and start over." She spoke up once more as she looked at him with a warm smile on her face. "I was kinda happy when you came in to save me earlier…"
Yuuto smiled back at her despite his precarious situation. "It's alright, I would've done the same for anyone. Anyway, if you want out of this, I'd be willing to help if I can get out of here."
"Wait, you would?!"
"Sure."
Roxanne couldn't contain her elation as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh, thank you so much! I don't know how I'd ever make it up to you!" She yelled joyously.
"Hey, take it easy, we need to get out of here first." He replied in a hushed tone to try and calm her down.
"Oh, sorry." She answered as she pulled away from him. "If it helps, I held onto this for you." She continued as she pulled out his cell phone from her person and held it in front of him. "If nothing else you can call your friends for help."
Yuuto smirked at her, happy about the fortunate turn of events. "That won't be necessary, my co-workers will probably have found the tracking signal for it by now. Might not be long till help arrives."
"Great!" Roxanne exclaimed excitedly as she moved in close again. "Now, let's get you out of those bonds before someone-!"
She was cut off as a long curved black blade materialised just in from of the echidna's neck. She froze in place as fear set in, slowly turning her head to the side so she could glance at her assailant. She saw a blue-skinned woman with long white hair, clad in black armour and a shadowy cape staring back with a death glare with her golden eyes.
"Yer transgressions have brought ye tae this fate, so do nay hope fer any mercy." The young reaper spoke in a threateningly grim tone.
Roxanna shot her hands up in the air in surrender as she freaked out over her current dilemma. "I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! Please don't kill me!" She screamed as she shut her eyes tight, hopeful that the act would somehow bring the situation to an end.
"Lala! It's alright, Roxanne is trying to help!" Yuuto yelled to grab his girlfriend's attention.
The dullahan glanced over towards her boyfriend and her eyes widened, overjoyed that he was still alive and in one piece. She suddenly dematerialised Crescent Shadow and ran towards him, crouching down just in front of him before pulling him into a tight and loving embrace as she started to sob out loud, now overwhelmed by a sense of relief.
"Yuuto! Thank the gods, ye're alive!" She exclaimed joyously as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, continuing to sob as she did so.
The blonde smiled to himself as he pressed his cheek against hers and nuzzled against it gently. "It's good to see you too, Lala."
Lala continued to sob for a moment before she calmed down and pulled back from him slightly to lock eyes with him with a look of worry on her face. "Me Love, are ye hurt?" She asked as she placed a gauntlet-covered hand on his cheek and stroked it with her thumb.
"Yeah, I took a bit of a beating, but I'll live." He answered as he smiled at her reassuringly.
The young reaper couldn't help but return him a loving smile. "Thank goodness." She replied before she moved in for a kiss, their lips glossing over each other for a moment before she pulled back and gave him a determined look. "Do nay worry, I will free ye o' this torment soon enough." She said as she stood up and materialised her scythe once more.
The echidna let out a sigh of relief before she slithered up behind the human to cut free the rope that bound his arms together. "Alright, I'll deal with the bindings here." She said before she locked eyes with the dullahan. "I need you to deal with the bindings on his legs.
Lala nodded, and she executed two quick slashes with Crescent Shadow, instantaneously severing the rope from her boyfriend's legs. Once the rope was removed, Yuuto let out a sigh of relief as he stood up to stretch his muscles.
"Ah, much better." He started as he rolled his shoulders to get rid of the stiffness in them. "Let's get moving before someone shows up."
"Right," Roxanne answered as she started to slither towards the back of the warehouse. "there's a back entrance we can use to get out of here unnoticed."
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go." Yuuto replied while Lala nodded in agreement.
Just as they were about to make their escape, the front door opened as Takahashi, along with the jinko and gargoyle from earlier who were now both armed with an AK-47 each came in to check on the captive. The timing couldn't have been worse.
"It's gotten quiet in here." The boss said out loud as she strolled in. "I hope you aren't going easy on our-" He cut himself off as he saw that his former captive was now free from his bonds and was about to make his escape along with Roxanne and the newcomer. To say that he was angry at the current situation was a gross understatement.
Yuuto's eyes widened as he was now filled with dread. "…Shit…"
"OPEN FIRE!" Gaku commanded at the top of his lungs.
As if on instinct, the blonde grabbed hold of Lala's and Roxanne's wrists and started dragging them to the nearest cover available. "MOVE!"
The group started sprinting towards a large stack of wooden crates as the thugs started to open fire at them with their rapid-fire weaponry. Thankfully every bullet strayed off course as they were running for their lives. The trio dived behind the crates and laid low as the bullets started to shred into the wooden crates, sending splinters flying in every direction. Lala's head tipped from her shoulder as she laid flat on the ground, causing her armour, cape and scythe to dematerialise, revealing the outfit she was wearing earlier that day. Yuuto laid low as he pressed his hand on Roxanne's back to make sure she was doing the same as the bullets flew over their heads. The jinko and gargoyle continued to fire their weapons until Takahashi raised a hand to indicate to them to stop. The gunfire ceased as a sinister grin appeared on the man's face.
"Don't think I'm going to let you go that easy, Kid!" He exclaimed before he turned his attention towards the gargoyle. "You. Go get the grenade launcher."
The liminal nodded and handed over his AK-47 to the former Yakuza before he left the warehouse to go fetch the other weapon. Gaku proceeded to ready the weapon and began to open fire on the stack of crates once more with the jinko now doing the same. Yuuto, Lala and Roxanne stayed as low as possible, hoping they wouldn't be hit by any stray bullets.
"Crap, we're going to be stuck here if they keep this up." The blonde cursed to himself, trying to think of a way out of their current dilemma.
"It seems they will nay allow us to flee from this torment willingly." Lala added, trying her best to keep calm.
Roxanne clenched her fists as she looked over towards the couple. "I can cause a distraction for you, it might give the two of you enough time to escape." She told them as she tried desperately to stop herself from trembling with fear.
Yuuto locked eyes with the echidna as he grasped a hand on her shoulder. "Not a chance in Hell, they'll just slaughter you!"
"But if I don't, we're all going to die anyway!" She yelled in protest as tears started to well up in her eyes. "It's my fault that you guys are in this situation in the first place, so I should be the one to get you out of it!"
"There is nay need tae throw away yer only life so needlessly." The young reaper interjected in a calm manner as she locked eyes with her.
"And how else are you two going to get out of this then?!"
Before the dullahan could reply they heard the front entrance open again as the gargoyle came in with the grenade launcher Takahashi had asked for. The former Yakuza halted his fire for a moment as he smirked at his lackey and exchanged weapons with him. The gargoyle proceeded to open fire at the crates with the jinko while the man readied the weapon for use.
"I was hoping I'd get chance to torture you personally, Kid, but it looks like I'll have to settle with blowing you and your friends into tiny chunks!" He exclaimed as he pointed the weapon towards the crates, at which point his underlings halted their fire. "Any last words before I send you to the other side?!"
The MON agent gritted his teeth as he prepared to shout as loud as he could. "YEAH, YOU AND FUKUDA CAN GO FUCK YOURSELVES!" He yelled defiantly.
A menacing grin crossed Gaku's face as he prepared to pull the trigger. "That's the fucking spirit!"
The man pulled the trigger of his weapon and a grenade was launched from its tube. The projectile sailed through the air as time slowed to a crawl, their inevitable doom inching ever closer as the seconds passed. Roxanne in her emotional state clung to Yuuto tightly as she pressed her forehead against him, wishing to feel some closeness before her demise. The human grasped her shoulder tightly once more in a vain attempt to comfort her, hoping for it all to end quickly. Lala remained calm as a smirk graced her lips.
"Our tale does nay end here." She spoke with confidence.
As the grenade reached the peak of its arc, it suddenly exploded mid-air along with the shattering of one of the windows, much to the surprise of the former Yakuza and his lackeys. Yuuto's and Roxanne's eyes widened in surprise as they found that they were still alive. Before Takahashi could process what happened, the grenade launcher he was holding exploded into shrapnel in his hands, also accompanied by a shattering of another window.
"The fuck was that?!" He exclaimed in shock.
Before the jinko and gargoyle could register what was going on, their rifles also exploded into shrapnel, much to their disbelief. Out of curiosity, The MON agent got onto his feet and peeked around the corner of the remains of the crates they were using for cover while Roxanne sat herself up straight and Lala stood up and placed her head back on her shoulders, now rematerializing her armour, cape and hood, as well as Crescent Shadow. The human observed the scene in front of him, seeing the three criminals standing in confusion with the remains of their weapons at their feet, as well as the shattered windows to the right. This had to be Manako's handiwork.
The blonde couldn't help but smirk to himself at the fortuitous timing. "Looks like the cavalry's here."
No sooner had he said that the roof of the warehouse blew open just behind the criminals as a cloud of smoke billowed across the ceiling, obscuring the freshly made hole. The three criminals looked up in surprise at what had just happened. Before they could react a familiar red-headed individual jumped down through the smoke and landed just in front of the men on one knee, and she soon stood up straight as she pointed a pair of SMGs at the individuals in front of her as a toothy grin graced her lips.
"You unlucky assholes picked the wrong bishie to abduct!" Zombina exclaimed as she readied to pull the triggers on her weapons.
Before they could react, the zombie fired her weapons at the group, assaulting them with a barrage of rubber bullets. Takahashi took the full brunt of the attack, being riddled by the projectiles before he collapsed onto his back. The jinko dodge as fast as he could to the side to avoid getting hit, while the gargoyle merely crouched down in place and shielded himself with his stony arms and tail.
"I'm going to tear you a new asshole, you bitch!" The feline liminal exclaimed as he charged at the zombie with his claws raised.
Before he could get close, another individual jumped through the smoke and intercepted the jinko, landing on the man's back paws first as she knocked him to the ground. The hellhound then jumped to the side and readied her claws as she locked eyes on her target, the corners of them bursting into flame as she did so.
"Sorry, but you're going to have to play with me for the time being, little kitten!" Blare shouted challengingly at him as she gave him a smug grin.
The jinko growled at her as he stood up straight and began to charge at her with his own claws raised. "Fuck you, you damned mongrel!" He shouted as he gave into his rage.
As he closed the distance, he swung at her with his right claw in a wide arc, only for the hellhound to jump back a step to avoid the strike. The jinko continued his flurry of strikes as Blare continued to evade each attack. Eventually, the criminal left an opening for her and she leapt straight at him, grabbing his face with her left claw before she slammed it into the concrete floor as hard as she could, instantly knocking him unconscious.
"Maybe try learning how to fight first, dumbass." Blare said out loud as she stood up straight and let go of the jinko's head unceremoniously.
While the zombie and the hellhound were preoccupied, the gargoyle noticed the blonde human peeking around the corner of the crates. With the target in sight, he opened up his wings and took off into the air as he rushed towards him. Yuuto saw this and ran the opposite direction as he motioned the dullahan and echidna to follow. Lala stepped in front of them as she raised her scythe, ready to intercept the threat. Before the gargoyle even got close, he felt something hit his wings as they were now bound together, and he looked behind him to see they were tied together by a bolas.
"What the-!" He exclaimed before he was cut off as he felt a weight hit the back of his head.
A slender figure landed on his head mid-air and sent him careening to the ground. He hit the concrete floor hard as his body skidded towards a stone pillar. The empusa on top of him performed a backflip and leapt off of him before his head collided with the pillar, rendering him unconscious. The shinobi landed gracefully into a crouch with both sets of carapace-covered arms spread wide for balance. Yuuto, Lala and Roxanne stopped in place as they looked towards their saviour, who by now had stood up straight and folded her sickles to her sides as her green compound eyes locked with those of her squad captain's.
Kasumi gave the human a wide joyous smile as she began sprinting towards him. "Senpai!" She exclaimed in relief.
The blonde gave her a warm smile and he opened his arms wide, allowing the woman to press herself up against him as she latched her sickles around his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his chest. She buried her face in his chest as she let streams of joyous tears trickle down her face, while the human wrapped his arms tightly around her in an attempt to comfort the empusa.
"Hey Kasumi, it's good to see you too." He replied as he began to gently pat her head.
They stayed like this for a moment before she looked up at him and gave him a warm smile. "Thank goodness, I had thought the worst might've happened to you." She said as she fought to hold back her tears.
"Still alive and kicking I'm afraid." He joked as he fought to hold back a chuckle. As he looked down at her, he noticed that she had Black Lotus tied to her belt. "You brought my katana with you?" He questioned as he gave her a puzzled look.
Kasumi calmed herself down as she stepped away from him and untied the katana from her belt. "I thought that you may be in need of it, considering the circumstances." She answered as she held the weapon towards him in both hands.
Yuuto smirked back at the empusa as he retrieved the weapon and tied it to his own belt. "Thank you, Kasumi, but where are the others?"
"The rest of MON is currently intercepting other hostiles along with the police. Ms Smith and Sergeant Ogawa are currently commanding the operation from a safe distance." The shinobi explained as she returned to her more reserved self. "I doubt there'll be much resistance left."
The human let out a sigh of relief as he rubbed the back of his head. "Should be a cakewalk with the ringleader down at least." He replied as he glanced towards the incapacitated Takahashi.
The former Yakuza groined in pain, unable to move a muscle without them stinging in pain as the zombie sauntered up to him and nudged him in the side with her boot. "Chromedome here doesn't look like he'll be going anywhere anytime soon." She said out loud with her signature grin as she kept her weapons honed at the criminal.
Blare was soon done with retraining the jinko before she stood up and wiped her brow with her forearm as she locked eyes with her captain. "Well, at least you're still in one piece, Stud." She said as she gave him a warm smile.
"Barely," He retorted as he smirked back at her. "If Roxanne here wasn't so willing to help me try and escape, I'd probably be crippled right about now." He continued as he hooked a thumb towards the echidna behind him.
"…Yeah, I'm just glad everything worked out…" Roxanne said out loud as her cheeks went bright red.
Lala had a grim look on her face as she moved to her boyfriend's side. "I am afraid that it's too early tae celebrate. The vengeful spirit that possesses this mortal still poses a grave threat." She warned as she kept her focus on Takahashi.
Just as the dullahan said that Gaku began to stir as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Zombina wasted no time as she pointed her SMGs at the ringleader once more.
"Don't even think about trying anything funny." The zombie warned in a threatening tone.
Suddenly, a blue aura engulfed Takahashi once more as his eyes shot wide open, surrounded in a blue hue as he cracked a wicked grin. Before the redhead could react, an ethereal katana materialised in his left hand and he swung it up at her, severing her arms with ease. A large ethereal tendril shot up from his body and swung at the zombie, sending her and her arms flying towards the far wall as she let out a scream of surprise. Blare watched as Zombina was sent flying, but she was too distracted to notice another ethereal tendril shooting out from the man. It swung at the hellhound and sent her flying towards the same wall as she let out a scream of agony.
"Zombina! Blare!" Yuuto shouted in concern while both Kasumi and Lala took up fighting stances for the upcoming confrontation with the revenant.
Gaku's body stood to its feet as he turned to face his adversaries, now with Fukuda in full control. "You think that I'd be so easily defeated? No one will stand in the way of my vengeance." He said menacingly as he pointed his blade towards the blonde agent.
Yuuto locked eyes with the possessed man and gave him a death glare as he drew Black Lotus from its sheath and pointed the blade towards him. "You monster. You're going to pay for that." He threatened with barely contained anger.
"Don't worry, Senpai, I have your back." Kasumi interjected as she raised her sickles, ready to strike at their opponent.
"No, I need you to get Roxanne out of here." He told her sternly as he kept his focus on Fukuda. "It's too dangerous for her to stay here."
"But Senpai-"
"Just do as I say, please." He begged. "He's only after me."
The shinobi was reluctant to leave his side, but she soon complied and bowed to him before she left. "As you wish, but please, stay safe."
From behind, it looked like that Roxanne wanted to object before the empusa reached her and shook her head. The echidna reluctantly nodded back as Kasumi took her hand and escorted her towards the back entrance.
"Me Love, as skilled as ye are, ye are nay a match fer this foe on yer own as ye are now. Please, allow me tae aid ye in this battle. I have much experience against vengeful spirits such as this one." Lala explained as she stood at his side and pointed her scythe towards the revenant.
The blonde glanced back at her and gave her a confident smirk. "Alright, but I'm taking the lead. I don't want you getting hurt."
The young reaper couldn't help but smile back at him lovingly. "I would nay expect anything else from ye."
Fukuda let out a maniacal laugh as he got into a fighting stance and extended several ethereal tendrils from his back. "If you wanted to die together, then you only needed to ask. Let this be your final resting place, for there is no hope for you now."
"We'll see about that." Yuuto replied defiantly.
Without any hesitation, the human and dullahan pair charged forwards at the revenant with their weapons raised. Fukuda held his own ethereal blade high before he swung down at the oncoming MON agent. Yuuto blocked the strike as their katanas ground against each other, but the possessed man gave him a sinister grin as he sent several tendrils to strike at the human. Lala intercepted the tendrils and slashed through them with Crescent Shadow, causing the severed ends to dissipate into nothingness. The revenant pushed the blonde to the side as he readied to defend himself against the young reaper, who had now started striking at him in a series of wide arcing attacks. He held his ground against the whirlwind of blades while the severed tendrils reformed and tried to strike her from the side. Lala was forced to back off, so she could successfully parry the strikes coming at her. While Fukuda was distracted, Yuuto tried to flank the man, only to be intercepted by another ethereal tendril. The MON operative blocked the strike with Black Lotus and was pushed back towards where his girlfriend was. As the pair stood at each other's sides once more, they re-established their fighting stances as the possessed man continued to stare menacingly at them.
"Shit, this guy is no pushover." Yuuto said out loud in between deep breaths.
"Aye, this spirit feeds off the resentment it feels towards the living and manifests it as a means tae enact its vengeance." Lala replied as she did the same.
"Well, that makes things difficult."
The revenant began to laugh maniacally once more as he locked eyes with the blonde. "Don't worry, Yuuto, it'll all be over soon. And once I'm done with you and your precious girlie over there, I'm going to go find your sister and show her the true meaning of pain and suffering." He said as he gave him a sadistic grin.
The MON agent's temper flared as he gripped tightly at the hilt of his katana, giving the man a death glare as he charged at him furiously. "You bastard! It ends here!"
"Me Love, wait!" The dullahan cried out with worry.
As the blonde closed in on Fukuda, he swung Black Lotus down towards him with all his might. The possessed man blocked the strike with ease before he blindsided the younger human with one of his tendrils. Yuuto was sent flying towards the remains of the crates, landing hard on his back as he let out a cry of pain.
"Yuuto!" Lala screamed in distress.
As Fukuda started to move towards the blonde at a leisurely pace, the young reaper rushed in between them and took up a defensive stance, pointing her curved blade at the revenant once more. He stopped where he was and gave the girl a sadistic grin.
"Try all you want, reaper, but you cannot save him." He said menacingly.
"Ye will nay have him!" She shouted back defiantly.
"Oh, we'll see about that."
As this was going on, Blare came to once more as she propped herself up. She looked around to see what was going on before someone called out to her.
"Blare, over here!" Zombina yelled from the far wall.
The hellhound looked over towards where the yell came from to see the zombie sat with her back against the was with her severed arms conveniently laying nearby. The younger MON agent stood up and rushed over towards her comrade.
"Zombina, are you alright?!" Blare exclaimed with worry as she crouched down next to her.
"Yeah, but I could use a hand here." The redhead replied with her signature grin as she tried to make light of the situation.
*Sigh* "Hardly the time for making jokes. Anyway, where's Stud?"
"Over there." Zombina replied as she pointed one of her stumped arms in the general direction of where the fight was taking place.
Blare looked over to see Lala trying to fend off the ringleader as best as she could, and she also noticed that her captain was lying down on top of a pile of splintered wood, struggling to get back up. Her flame lashes burst from the corners of her eyes as she got up and attempted to charge at the possessed man, letting out a furious battle cry.
"Blare wait!" The zombie shouted in vain.
While the young reaper was trying her best to deflect a flurry of attacks from the revenant's tendrils, the man was distracted as he heard the yell of the hellhound as she rushed towards him. Blare had her claws raised as she leapt towards him.
"Leave them alone!" She cried out in anger.
Fukuda merely smirked at the woman as he swatted her away once more with one of his tendrils, sending her flying towards the far wall once more as she smacked of it and landed on the concrete floor hard. Blare let out a cry of pain as she clutched her arms around her chest.
"Blare!" Zombina cried out with worry, unable to help out her comrade.
The revenant refocused his attention towards the young reaper as he slowly sauntered towards her, giving her a menacing grin. "Accept your fate, girl. This is where you die."
"Maybe so, but I will nay let ye take me Love from this world!" Lala shouted back as she charged towards the possessed man with her scythe raised.
As she closed in, Fukuda blindsided her with one of his tendrils and sent her flying towards one of the stone pillars. Her head was sent flying from her shoulders as her body's back hit the pillar hard. Her body slumped down with her back resting against the pillar as her head landed in her lap. Her armour, cape and hood, as well as Crescent Shadow dissipated into nothingness, leaving her in her outfit she was wearing earlier. As she opened her eyes from her lap to see what was going on, the man had sauntered over to her and was now standing right in front of her, staring down at her with a sadistic grin and an evil glint in his eyes. She looked up at him as her whole being was now filled with fear and dread.
"Like I said, reaper, no one will stop me from having my vengeance, and I mean no one."
Yuuto was regaining his consciousness as he tried to prop himself up as best as he could. He looked up to see Fukuda now towering over his girlfriend with his ethereal blade raised, ready to strike down at her. His mind flashed back to all the memories he had of Lala and their time together, remembering all the precious moments they had together, and it was all about to be taken away from him. Just then something snapped in him as if something that was locked away had finally broken free with anger and fury. His muscles tensed up as sparks of red lightning arced across his whole body, just like his father from his dream earlier. His face contorted into a grimace as the chaotic energy was now coursing over his eyes. He was not about to let his girlfriend die.
"Say your prayers, girlie!" The revenant shouted as he began to swing his weapon down at the dullahan.
Lala shut her eyes tight as her body clutched her arms tight around her head as tears began to spill from her eyes. "YUUTO!"
"LALAAAAAAAA!"
Fukuda was distracted as he now glanced to his side. Before could react the blonde agent was on him in a flash of crimson as he swung his blade to intercept the revenant's strike. Before the possessed man could register what was happening, Yuuto had pushed him back as the same crimson lighting was arcing through Black Lotus. The energy coursed its way into Fukuda as he was sent flying into the opposite wall at great speed. As soon as he made contact with the wall, the whole area exploded in a burst of crimson energy which shattered the wall and the ceiling nearly, the surrounding area now covered in rubble.
Lala opened her eyes and looked up to see her boyfriend standing in front of her protectively as he held his katana to his side. She noticed that both he and the weapon had crimson lightning coursing through both of them.
"Yuuto…" She said in a barely audible mutter as she stared at his back in amazement.
Blare and Zombina saw what happened from where they were. Both of them had their mouths agape as they struggled to make sense of what just happened. They were left utterly speechless.
After a moment, the revenant used his tendrils to burst out of the rubble and began to climb out of it. As he pulled himself out and struggled to stand up once more, he looked towards where the blonde was standing. His eyes shot open in shock at what he saw. The MON agent was standing proudly as the chaotic energy continued to course through his body. Fukuda was visibly shaking at the terrifying sight in front of him.
"But how?! What the fuck happened?!" The revenant shouted in frustration.
Eventually, Yuuto opened his eyes and looked towards him as if ready to kill. They weren't his blue hope-filled eyes he was born with but were now a crimson red with his pupils now slit and his sclera now as black as the shadows which dominated the scene, the chaotic energy coursing through them as his irises lit up in a flash of red. As he spoke, his voice was now accompanied by a demonic echo that could strike fear into the hearts of men.
"You just made the biggest mistake of your life."
A/N: Well, shit is finally going down, though the main fight will be coming in the next chapter, so look forward to that.
So, it's finally official, Yuuto isn't completely human, though some of you may have already guessed that from the subtle hints I left since the early days of this story, though I won't spoil what else he is just yet, you're welcome to take a guess. As for Lala's 'Battle Mode', I wanted her to get more involved in the story and help her stand out more, plus it gave me a chance to expand on her abilities more. I don't plan on doing anything too farfetched with their abilities, but I will take some creative freedoms with what they'll be capable of later down the line.
As always, drop a follow or favourite, as well as a review or any suggestions you may want to make for the story, and thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this story. Until next time!