CHAPTER 16

THE FINAL BATTLE

In the evening, Tam and Jane walked out of the theater together, on their way to the vehicle.

"Personally, I think that movie was awesome." said Jane.

"It was." said Tamiko. "Possibly one of the best haunting stories ever."

"It was a perfect adaptation." said Jane as they stopped at the truck, looking at each other silently. Jane looked deep into Tamiko's eyes.

"Tamiko..." said Jane.

"Yes?" Tamiko asked with a smile.

"I..." began Jane and got quiet again. "Tam... You've shown me I can trust again... and be happy... and... life has gotten better with you in it..."

Tamiko smiled bigger and more warmly at her, before she slowly moved in and kissed him passionately. She moved her hand onto his warm cheek as she kissed him, before stopping and continuing to look into his eyes.

"I love you too, Jane." said Tamiko.

Jane then smiled happily.

"Anywhere else you'd like to go?" Tamiko asked.

"I have an idea." said Jane.

"Hmm?" asked Tamiko.

"I want you..." said Jane.

"Yeah?" asked Tamiko.

"Mmhmm..." said Jane, suggestively.

Tamiko smiled.

"As you wish." he said.

Later, at the hotel, they were in a bed, surrounded by and covered by red silk sheets. They were naked as Jane sat on Tamiko's lap, kissing passionately, her hand on his cheek and his arms around her waist as I Wouldn't Mind by He Is We played.

Jane then disconnected from the kiss, tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked Tamiko.

"Nothing..." Jane said with a smile. "Everything's perfect... I never thought I'd be happy again..."

Tamiko then rubbed her cheek.

"You never deserved to have been pushed far enough to believe that." he said.

Jane then laughed briefly through the tears as Tamiko wiped them away.

"I love you, Tamiko..." said Jane. "I love you so much..."

"I love you too, Jane..." said Tamiko. "Every inch of you, from your emerald eyes to your punctured heart that I'd be happy to patch."

She then smiled and kissed him once more, Tamiko lying on his back as he had noticed she wanted him to. He then disconnects from the kiss once more.

"You sure you'd rather be on top?" asked Tamiko.

"Mmhmm..." said Jane.

Tamiko smiles.

"Then show me how a carnivore rides." he said.

Jane smirks, then bends down and bites his neck gently. She then slipped his member inside herself and started riding him roughly, her head back.

"Ooohhhh..." Tamiko moaned.

"Ohhh yes Tam!" Jane cried out. "Tamiko! Mmmm!"

She then howled out her pleasure loudly.

Eight days later, Jane, who felt sick, was in the restroom at her home, on a morning she normally would've been at school by now. She held a pregnancy test up and looked at it. Having tried two tests previously, the results confirmed she was, in deed, pregnant.

"Am I even fit for motherhood?" she thought to herself. "Should I burden him with fatherhood or not?"

She then threw everything in the trash and walked downstairs. Juno was cooking breakfast.

"Mother?" asked Jane.

"Yes?" asked Juno.

"May Tamiko come over?" asked Jane. "It's important."

"I don't know if that's a good idea with you being sick." said Juno.

"I'm not contagious, mother." said Jane and took a moment before responding. "I'm pregnant."

Juno then turned the stove down and looked at her.

"I think you should think about this." said Juno. "It's important to do what is right."

"Yeah." said Jane.

After school, Tamiko stopped by the Wolfe household, and was talking with Jane in the kitchen. Her parents weren't currently present.

"Everything okay?" asked Tamiko.

"Yeah, it's just..." Jane began. "I've been thinking about this all day, and... Promise me that despite how I might feel about it, you'll do what you think is right after what I'm about to tell you."

"I promise." said Tamiko.

"Tamiko..." began Jane. "I'm pregnant."

Tamiko sat back in his chair, taken back, unsure how to respond. Jane looked down from the response she got.

"You don't want to stay with me, do you?" asked Jane.

"Quite the opposite, actually." said Tamiko. "I'm just... afraid for you and the baby's safety. Jane, I promise you this." he said and grabbed her hand. "I will do whatever it takes to make sure you and the baby are safe."
Jane smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes.

"I love you." she said.

"I love you too, sweetheart." said Tamiko.

Friday.

While on his way to school, Hikari was stopped at a red light. He sighed.

"Come on..." he said. "I'm going to be late."

He noticed a black semi pull up to the intersecting road and stop. Strange, as they could just go when they wanted. Seeming to have anticipated Hikari's moves, he tried to get across the road, but was t-boned. Hikari, injured, looked toward the semi, vision blurred and consciousness fading away.

Three hours later.

At Graywolf Manor, Legoshi was cooking and Louis hugged him.

"Thank you for everything, hun." said Louis.

Legoshi smiled.

"You make it worth it." he said.

Louis' phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking at the caller ID, it said 'Hikari', so he answered it.

"Hello?" asked Louis.

"Did you miss me?" asked Melon.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HIM!?" Louis shouted.

Alarmed, Legoshi put everything down and listened. Louis put the phone on speakerphone.

"Nothing yet, I assure you." said Melon. "Which is more than I would say he deserves after what you did to Mary. Meet me at the marina near Golden Manor. My patience with you is wearing thin." he said and hung up.

"Oh God!" Louis said and panicked, then quickly ran for the keys. He and Legoshi ran outside, got in a Mercedes-Benz and sped off. Legoshi then called Sarena.

"Hello?" Sarena answered.

"The day has come." said Legoshi. "Gather up men and get out to the marina near Golden Manor immediately."

"Yes, boss." said Sarena.

Quickly arriving at the marina, Melon was pointing a gun at Hikari, who was on his knees, one antler broke off and bleeding from the wreck.

"You all would've been fine, had you left us alone." said Melon. "But you just couldn't do that, could you?"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU COWARD!" shouted Louis. "IT'S ME YOU WANT!" he shouted, as he got closer to Hikari.

Melon then stared menacingly at Louis.

"I don't feel sympathy for you." said Melon. "I never did. However... You had a chance to live a happy life. 69 on a pile of gold and watch your son and brother-in-law start their families. We were out of Asia, for what seemed like a while. But you took Mary away from me... THE ONLY PERSON I'VE EVER LOVED!"

Louis then took off running toward Hikari.

"You put me in this position, old man." said Melon. "Now, it is YOU who will pay."

Louis shoved Hikari out of the way just before Melon fired shots, Louis taking them all, just before falling onto the ground.

"NOOOO!" shouted Legoshi. "YOU BASTARD!"

Melon chuckled.

"Guess Daddy's day care wasn't prepared for me." he said.

"You're wrong." said Hikari, angrily.

"NOW!" Legoshi shouted through a walkie.

Melon laughed, until he looked down, seeing red dots on him and stopped laughing, smile fading from his face.

"So, this is what it's like..." he thought.

From many different directions, shots fired into Melon, blowing chunks off his body and blood flying. Sniper rifles, uzis and pistols unloaded into him, leaving his body mangled, before he fell onto the ground, onto his back. Blood spilled out from his wounds and mouth, barely alive. Sarena then walked over to him, in black high heels and a black and white suit. Sarena standing above him, Melon forced a very weak smile.

"You took my mother away from me." said Sarena. "Go to Hell." she said and shot him in the forehead.

Though the others could not see it, unfortunately, Melon's soul would see something gruesome... From his point of view, as soon as the bullet pierced his brain, his soul saw and felt the ground open up beneath him. He felt heat worse than lava as many arms grabbed him.

"NOOO!" he screamed. "NOOO! PLEASE! LET ME GO! I'LL STOP!" his soul screamed, actually leaking tears, which the heat immediately evaporated.

"I'LL BE GOOD! PLEASE!" his soul screamed.

"It's too late." said a demonic voice below him.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed as the arms pulled his soul beneath the surface and the hole closed up.

Legoshi then ran to Louis and quickly knelt, holding him in his arms.

"Louis?" asked Legoshi.

He then got not response of any kind. Legoshi's eyes filled up with tears as he begged for a response.

"Louis!?" he shouted. He held Louis' head close to his chest. "Louis, come on... Come on, baby... Don't leave me now..." he said and started crying. Hikari started crying as well, on his knees.

"Louis, please wake up..." Legoshi cried. "Louis..." he then kissed his lips and rubbed his right cheek against Louis' before sat up straight and looked down at Louis for a few moments. As tears ran down his face, the normally quiet wolf then leaned his head back and closed his eyes as he let out a loud howl of emotional pain. He then opened his eyes and looked back down at Louis for a few more moments, before he rest his right cheek on Louis' chest, crying.

"You wolves... are such drama queens..." Legoshi heard Louis say, albeit in a weak manner.

"LOUIS!?" Legoshi shouted and looked at Louis, who was looking down at him. "I... I don't understand..."

"Bulletproof vest." said Louis. "Knocked the wind... and the consciousness... right out of me..."

Legoshi and Hikari laughed, out of joy that things may not be as bad as they feared.

"Will my two favorite men help me to my feet?" asked Louis.

Legoshi smiled and wiped his tears away.

"Yes." he said.

Melon's story had turned out to be a famous one, and a warning to those who had even thought about acting on the same sinister urges. They knew the Hogo-sha-gumi was real and that they would kill anyone that was a threat. Others' stories would become urban legends.

Three Sundays later was Christmas Eve. December 24, 2051.

Snow was still on the ground. Legoshi stood in Louis' office, smiling as Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar played over the radio.

"Hey, old man." said a familiar voice behind him.

Legoshi turned around and smiled when he saw a smiling Louis.

"I had a good time last night." said Louis as he walked over to Legoshi.

"So did I." said Legoshi.

Louis then kissed Legoshi passionately and they embraced, looking down at the beautiful streets of Tokyo.

"You know, hun..." said Legoshi. "I got a feeling things will be alright from now on."

"I KNOW things will be alright." said Louis and smiled as he lie his head on Legoshi's shoulder. "Thank you for giving me a family."

"Thank you for coming back to me." said Legoshi and kissed him passionately.

Letters to Cleo - I Want You to Want Me

FOR THE DARK ENDING, READ ON IF YOU DARE...

THE END... OR IS IT?