Chapter 7: Trump Card

THIS TAKES PLACE SHORTLY AFTER VOL. 5

PLEASE RxR

Text Key:

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

Dreams

Last Time

Mitsuru wrapped his arms around her waist like he usually did and soon the bond between them and the earth was broken. Mitsuru seemed to be thinking deeply about something, but he was such an enigma, it was anyone's guess what it was. Mahiru gave another sigh, only this time a more contented one, and layed her head in the crook of his neck.

"ungrateful, handsome, kind, thoughtful...' were her last thoughts as she drifted into one of the best sleeps she had had in about a month...

end

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"That Bitch! Traitorous, evil, wench!" The screams of the demon penetrated the darkness, and shattering the stillness. "I trusted you! I loved you! I gave you my heart and soul! Foul trickster!" Mahiru could hear his voice growing louder until she was able to see him through the gloom. It was him, the demon she saw every time she closed her eyes, every time she looked into the water, he was there. Usually She saw him, with a loving smile on his face as he cradled a beautiful princess in his arms, and Mahiru would watch as they danced passionatley together. But every so often she would stare into the water and see him, sitting alone, just staring at her, his eyes filled with a rage so fierce that she once screamed out loud, making the whole swim team stop in their tracks.

"You! you horrid, filthy, traitorous, bitch! Curse you! Curse You!" He began to point and scream at her, and in a moments time, before she could react, he had gotten up and charged at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her so she was staring right into his eyes. Mahiru could feel hot tears searing her cheaks, but the Demon held her captive in his gaze. "What? What did I do? Stop it! Please! Stop!" She screamed at him, but only proved to make him look at her with even more disgust. "What did you do!" his eyes dulled for a moment, but they returned to their normal state soon. "You,- you filth, do you really mean for me to tell you? Fine, my beloved princess, let me remind you of your sins. It was you, was it not, who promised me your love, said you would be wed to me, promised me... and then when the time came, I found you already betrothed to another, throwing me aside like some forgotten memory. Can you blame my rage? So when I came for you, I expected you to at least remember your promise, even if you chose not to love me, but no... You came with me, and lay with me, and for a time I thought you may have remembered your love and promise. Once again I was wrong, and you hid yourself from me and sent your fathers house to kill me! You traitorous bitch! Curse you!-"

But suddenly the demons face began to change, stretching and tearing until it formed back together. Now, instead of the giant demon, The face of Mitsuru stared down at her, but those same eyes remained, deep, dangerously deep. "Curse you! Curse your whole god damn blood line!" He began to violently shake her, "KYAAAAH!" Mahiru screamed, bolting upright to stare into a very concerned Mitsuru's face. 'a dream... a nightmare...' the only thing she could bring herself to do was wrap her arms around the tengu's neck.

(backing up XD beepbeep)

Mitsuru smiled inwardly when she laid her head in his shoulder, and began to drift off. They had been flying about ten minuets or so when Mitsuru noticed something about Mahiru,- her face was twisted into a pained expression, and she was beginning to sweat bullets. "wha... what did... I do? st- Stop!" he heard her mumble as she gripped the fabric of his shirt and writhed a bit in his arms. "Mit-suru!... no... wait, I-..." she began to flail in his arms and cry out every so often. 'damn girl, if she dosn't stop moving around she's going to crash us!' when her convulsions didn't stop Mitsuru began to worry and quickly landed. By now Mahiru was drenched in sweat and her teeth gritted tightly. Mitsuru grabbed her shoulders and began to shake her. "Mahiru! Wake up damn it!" suddenly she opened her eyes and sat up, Mitsuru would never forget the look she had given him, like she had just seen a ghost or something. But before he could ask her if she was ok she pulled him into a deep hug. Without thinking Mitsuru wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her, he could feel her body still shaking, not letting go unitl it had subsided.

When she finally stopped shaking Mahiru calmed herself down and reassured herself it was all a dream, a very real, disturbing dream. Suddenly all her senses kicked back in and she realized what she was doing. 'Ack! he's gonna kill me for that... oh wait,... is he hugging me? I think I might still be dreaming' but before she pinched herself she felt his arms leave her sides, and supressed a shiver when she felt his warmth leave her flesh. "Erm,... nightmare?" Mahiru just nodded, afraid to look him in the eyes for fear he might start cursing her bloodline. "You nearly knocked us out of the fucking sky! flailing like that." He hissed, realizing he had just hugged someone, let alone Mahiru.

-Shut up! just-Shut-up! think before you speak! or better yet, don't speak! idiot.-

'awww, damn it.'

-How do you sleep at night?-

Mitsuru mentally kicked himself, but Instead of storming off like she had before, the young girl just sighed and stood up, her face blank of emotions.

"Can we just go home?" she sounded a bit, strangely, giulty. Wasn't he the one who made the rude comment? Not wanting to upset her anymore than she was he did as she asked. Taking her in his arms and flying the rest of the way home. Even though she had been sweating like a maniac a few moments ago, he felt her skin now as cold as ice.

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The next few weeks went by slowly, and sleeplessly for Mahiru. each time she even attempted to close her eyes she would see the demons face, screaming silently at her, and if she refused to open her eyes, sooner or later the face would change into Mitsuru's, forcing her to awaken. As for Mitsuru, he was his usual, enigmatic, grumpy, moody self. Although since the incident, she swore he had been keeping a watchful eye on her, but the thought was so far fetched she usually just dismissed it. He had improved drastically with his swimming, and even though he didn't need his water wings anymore, she would never forget that image. Today she planned to give him his last lesson.

Sitting, on the side of the pool like she had each time she waited for him, Mahiru watched the window. Right on schedule the tengu appeared. He walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the pool. 'She looks so tired...' Mitsuru thought to himself. He had grown to enjoy coming to the pool twice a week.

-not to mention swimming with mahiru, don't forget that part!-

'oh shut up, do I have to explain to you again why I can't and DON'T love her.'

-No, but we are making progress! first denile, then the realization, and now back to denile!-

"Ok, Mitsuru, today's the big day." she said standing up. "The day you completely conquer your fear of water!" she said triumphantly before diving into the deep end. Her head broke the surface of the water and she watched him, waiting for him to get in as well. He had never been in the deep end without 'the orange balloons tied to his arms' as he so often put it. Mitsuru eyed the dark water suspiciously, slowly easing his way in withought letting go of the wall. "Ok, oh mighty tengu, let go of the wall." she watched him take one hand off, but grab it again when he felt himself begin to sink.

"Oh, com'on! you can do it! just like with the balloons on, only this time you have to actually move your arms." Mitsuru didn't budge, he just stared uneasily down at the water. 'I 'm gonna drown, I'm gonna drown, I'm gonna-'keh?' Mitsuru snapped back to reality when he felt someone grab his arm. Mahiru pulled one of his hands away from the wall and began to swim backwards. "I won't let you drown..." she reasurred him. taking a deep breath he let go of the wall. Immediately his head went under, and he had to fight the urge to open his mouth. He opened one eye and looked at the new world around him. Instead of sinking any further he circulated his arms 'Im swimming! take that!' he smiled, but suddenly got a not so comfortable feeling in his chest. He felt himself being dragged back towards the surface of the water. When he came back up he gasped for air.

"Um, yea... you might not want to forget to breath. You may be a tengu, but your definitely not a fish." She smiled sarcastically as she let go of his hand, but suddenly felt him take it back. "Um... t-...thank-you" he managed to get out. Mahiru just tried to hold in a laugh, It looked like he was choking instead of trying to thank someone. "Oh don't thank me, like you said, tengu's learn like that," she snapped her fingers," You just needed a pull in the right direction." With that she gripped his hand and dove under the water, taking him with her. Mahiru was laughing, imagining the look on his face when she yanked him under the water, but what she saw when she opened her eyes was nothing like she imagined. Instead of holding the hand of a auqua haired boy, she now held the hand of a Tengu...

Mitsuru nearly took a gulp of water as the girl pulled him under. He was about to retaliate when he saw something he was not at all prepared for. The young blond who had pulled him under now had long hair, and instead of a bathing siut she wore a colorful, traditional kimono. Without questioing why, or asking what he was doing he took her hand, pulling her in close...

Mahiru felt him pull her into him, and she didn't resist, falling into his arms she began to sway, moving in sort of dance, cradled by the Tengu's arms. For what seemed like hours the two danced beneath the water, their lungs ignoring the need for air, until finally the tengu in front of her morphed back into the 17 year old boy. Mitsuru wondered for a moment how they could stay under so long and not need to breath, but like all his other rational thoughts, it was swept away when he looked into her chocolate brown eyes. Suddenly the image faded and the same, short haired, bathing siut clad, Mahiru swam in front of him.

Suddenly, like she had been hit by a train, Mahiru felt her lungs cry for air. Kicking off the bottom of the pool she finally reached the surface, choking and gasping for air. She could hear Mitsuru behind her doing the same. 'what was that?' She wondered, turning to face Mitsuru once she had regained her breath. "Keh?" was all she managed to get out. Right as she turned around, Mitsuru was inches away from her face, and he grabbed her by the shoulders, pressing his lips to hers. Mahiru felt him push her into a corner of the pool, and he moved his hands from her shoulders to the edge, cornering her. For a few moments Mahiru wasn't sure of what was happening, but the pressure of Mitsuru's lips against hers put it into perspective. Mitsuru dragged his tounge across her bottom lip, biting it gently, and Mahiru, as of by instinct, slowly closed her eyes and opened her mouth, granting him access.
Mitsuru didn't hesitate, and plunged his tongue in, searching every space he could reach, and then pressing in harder. Their tongues wrestling each other passionatly. Mahiru had absolutly no desire to stop the tengu, and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulled him in even closer.

Mitsuru had reacted so fast it even surprised himself. Something inside him finally snapped, and he didn't care about any of the consequences. He knew he loved her, and he wasn't about to think twice about it now. Mahiru closed her eyes as one of his hands slowly moved from the pool ledge to her waist. The sensation was electric, making her moan despite herself, but it was soon lost when Mitsuru enveloped her mouth with another searing kiss. Then, out of the darkenss behind her eyes she saw it. The demon, at first just a hazy spectral form, but as she unconciously watched he became clearer, watching her with those eyes. Until he finally looked as if he had had enough and said the words she would never forget, -

"Not again..."

Mahiru pulled away as fast as she could, opening her eyes she dove under Mitsuru, and didn't come up until she was at the stairs of the pool. Without grabbing her towel or bag she slammed into the door, forcing it open. Suddenly the visions, her feelingns, they all made sense, even if the truth wasn't something she expected or liked. She was about to run when she felt two arms snake around her waist and hold her tightly. Mahiru flailed until she tired herself out, realizing he was alot stronger and faster than she was.

"Let me go..." she stated pitifuly.

"Will you run?" Mitsuru asked, not losening his grip, but when she didn't answer he knew she wouldn't so he slowly backed off, waiting for her to say something. "Why did you do that?" Mahiru's voice was shaky, not turning around to face him. "Because... no matter how much I deny it,... I'm in love with you Mahiru."

-Whoo! browny points for mitsuru!-

'shut up'

- 0.0 -

Mitsuru watched her reaction, and drew the only conclusion that made sense in his mind. "What? am I just a monster? of course, how could you love a freak like me... How stupid of me to think you cared. Funny, that's usually something I'd feel" he said coldly, watching her stiffen in front of him. The she did something he really did not expect, she began to laugh. Mahiru turned around to face him, chuckling quietly and wiping a tear from her eye. "No,... just the opposite. You're not the Monster Mitsuru,... I am."

Mitsuru had no idea what she was talking about, but as he was about to ask, the sound of tires screeching drew his attention to the street behind Mahiru, where a red car was speeding right at them. Before either of them could react the car haulted to a stop beside Mahiru and the passenger side door opened. A hand reached from the inside and cupped around her mouth, before pulling the rest of her body roughly inside. All happening in one fluid motion. As the car door slammed shut and began speeding away Mitsuru finally grasped the situation. raisinig his arms over his head he began to chant," Lightnening! Wind! I call thee! you are my blood! Obey!" but instead of a blast of wind or even a thunder bolt, there was a bit of static at his finger tips. "What the fucking hell?" Mitsuru whirled around, looking frantically at the sky, but not even a trace of the moon could be seen in the dusk light,- tonight was the new moon...

"We finally have our trump card..." came the sinister voice of Hokuto Koudokui.

ooooooh, what will happen to our beloved princess? well, I know, but you don't 8D

RxR