Disclaimer! I do not own any characters belonging to the shows! All rights belong to the creators.
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
"Mo! Kumo! Tsukumo!"
Tsukumo couldn't open his eyes. They felt heavy, like stones were weighing them down. A black void was all he could see behind closed eyes.
A pressure seemed to weigh him down, forcing him further and further into the inky blackness.
'Where am I? Where is everyone? Am I…dead?'
Surprisingly, death was pretty peaceful. He thought maybe because he had been turned into a creature of darkness, he would go straight to hell when he died.
But there was nothing but a gentle pressure pushing him down, into inky peaceful darkness.
Something flickered in the darkness though, a shape emerged. But Tsukumo couldn't see it's face. It was shadowed.
The figure spoke. "Tsukumo? Is that you? What are you doing here?"
Tsukumo couldn't move, but his thoughts rang clearly in the darkness. 'Who are you? How do you know my name?'
The figure chuckled lightly. Tsukumo couldn't tell wether it was male or female. The voice was warped.
"I am your maker, Tsukumo. The one who turned you. We are in a state of Limbo, I suppose you could say. Did something happen to you?"
Tsukumo hesitated, a bit confused. 'So I did die then…'
The figure came closer, walking right up to Tsukumo, and raised a shadowy hand, placing it on his cheek. "You are not dead, in the mortal sense. But, you will fade, trapped here if you don't wake up. Please wake up Tsukumo, your friends are waiting."
A tear made it's way down Tsukumo's face. He recognized this feeling of gentle hands. The soft caring voice.
'Mom? Is that you?'
The unknown figure cleared away, revealing a woman, with long black hair, and gentle dusty red eyes. "I'm so happy you remember me. You were quite confused, when you were turned. I wasn't able to be with you. I had gotten attacked, and put into a state of eternal sleep. I don't know if my body even remains."
Tsukumo still couldn't move. He wanted to embrace his mother. The foggy darkness started clearing away. 'No wait! Mother! Stay with me!'
His mother leaned forwards and hugged him, whispering in his ear. "Silly. I'm always with you. Now wake up. Your friends are worried!"
She faded, Tsukumo's soundless cries echoing in his head. He was alone again.
Something was shaking him roughly, and wouldn't stop.
"Go away…you're annoying me."
Tsukumo sat up, blinking open his eyes to glare at however dared to wake him. But, he stopped glaring when Akeno hugged him, crying.
"I thought you would never wake up! Thank god you're alright!"
Tsukumo blinked at her shaking form, raising a hand and patting Akeno on the head. "Well, I'm sorry I worried you. I feel a lot better, what exactly happened?"
He looked at himself. His wounds were gone.
Akeno let go of him, looking nervous. "Well, um, one of us had to donate blood, to heal you."
Tsukumo grabbed her arm, taking off the makeshift bandage. Her arm was blue and purple, with two fang marks.
"Akeno, don't tell me…"
She ripped her arm away from him, holding it close to her chest. "I'd do it again if I had to. No, not even if I had to. I'd do it just to make sure you're safe."
Tsukumo frowned at her, noticing how ashen her face looked. Blue eyes were dull, hair matted. Clothes stained with dirt and grime.
'Now that I think about it, I can taste her blood in my mouth.'
Tsukumo looked over to the Volvo. It had been freed from Yarkuzi's vines, and Percival and Hana were inside the car, talking.
Yarkuzi was on top of the shack roof, sitting crosslegged, eyes trained on Tsukumo and Akeno.
Tsukumo flexed his wing. It flapped. 'Still sore…but not sprained anymore.'
Tsukumo grabbed Akeno's wrist, gently this time, and pulled her in close.
Akeno snuggled into him, sighing and closing her eyes.
Tsukumo stayed like that for awhile, until he noticed the clouds starting to clear up.
Tsukumo stood up, holding Akeno in his arms, and walked over to the car.
Hana reached out her arms, taking Akeno while Tsukumo got in. The whole process was rather quiet. Tsukumo gritted his teeth, growing frustrated.
"Why are you guys pussyfooting around? I'm fine aren't I?"
Percival turned in his seat, staring at Tsukumo. "We were quite worried about you. You wouldn't wake up. Akeno had to hold your head and force you to drink her blood."
Tsukumo scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "What a sight that must of been."
Hana placed Akeno in her seat, then buckled her up, as Akeno was fast asleep.
"She was the most worried. Thank her when she wakes up."
Tsukumo gave Hana a thumbs up.
Yarkuzi shouted at them. "Hey guys? What are we gonna do with this lug here?"
She was standing by RipFang, who was trapped in vines, glaring at her. "You sealed my mistress! Now what am I supposed to do?"
Yarkuzi snorted, and made a vine cover his mouth. "You can shut up, for starters."
Tsukumo laughed, and even Hana giggled. Percival just sighed tiredly.
Yarkuzi tapped on RipFang's forehead, infuriating him.
"Mmph! Guh. Frumnle."
Yarkuzi held a hand to her ear. "What's that? Speak up I can't hear you!"
Percival snorted. "Alright, you've had your fun. We'll take him back to the Agency. He can live the rest of his life as a prisoner, unless he agrees to join us."
Yarkuzi stared at RipFang expectantly. He simply glared at her.
"Jail life it is then."
Yarkuzi walked over to K'Tun Sanathi's mummified body, picking it up, and went over to the trunk, opening it and placing the body inside.
Since the sun was coming out, no one could help her.
Yarkuzi went and picked up the spear, then flicked her wrist. The vines crawled along the ground, dragging RipFang along.
She placed the spear in the back, careful not to stab Hana, and then stared at the vines.
"Criunous Travious."
The vines wrapped themselves around the Volvo, trapping RipFang underneath them on the roof. He struggled, saying something, but his mouth was still covered, so no one understood him.
Yarkuzi got into the driver's seat, closing the door.
"Alright, next stop, the tomb. We have to return little miss Curse Master and her spear to Jaded Komodo's friends. Any objections?"
No one answered her.
Yarkuzi started driving. "Then off we go!"
Tsukumo glanced at Akeno, watching her sleep soundly. 'Thank you, for saving my life. And maybe, I'll have a chance to save my mother too.'
END OF CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
Author Notes
-Hurray! Everyone's alive! Well…you know what I mean.
-Surprised? It's not like Tsukumo just popped into existence you know.