Heart
of the Melting Blood
Legend
of the Moonlight
Written
and conceived by: Lone Wolf NEO
Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.
Chronological Note: Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight takes place scarcely half a year after the event in Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED, and currently runs roughly in parallel with Guilty Gear: the World within and Without written and created by Sheo Darren. This is Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.
Chapter
17
Summer
Lights -- Natsukage (part 2)
The Tsukihime & FATE groups were going to the venue of the summer festival just outside Misaki Town. Like their Natsugumi counterparts, they too had been looking forward to attend the event and enjoy it as much as possible. Despite the crisis that had yet to recede, they decided to put all conflicts aside and concentrate on the summer festival.
"Feeling better now, Sion?" Logan asked.
"Yes, I hope so," Sion answered and breathed out in relief. "Thanks for accompanying me that day, Logan. It was a pleasure to hear your stories."
"Why, I'm more than glad to spend time with you," he answered and hoarsely laughed, scratching his roughly shaved chin as he did. "You know what? You remind me of Alex from his younger years. He used to sit around with me and ask me to tell stories whenever we were free of duty."
"He did? So he learnt all the storytelling from you, Logan?" Sion. "I know that he likes to share stories with people, but to know that he actually learnt it from you…"
"He really liked storytelling, and he even told me that he would become a bard and travel around to entertain people with his stories," Logan said.
Sion chuckled. "He was?" and here she was promptly groped by a drunk Arcueid. Gasped and shuddered at the physical insult, she kicked Arcueid away from her. "What the hell was that for, Arcueid!"
"Nothing…! I just want to have fun with you guys…!" the True Princess answered and toppled upon her feet, while her hand was holding a bottle of sake. She continued mumbling in unknown languages, occasionally ramming upon random people and groping female visitors as she did. The mortified Shiki could only slap his head in embarrassment, while the rest of the group watched at Arcueid in amusement. They decided to leave Arcueid be and continued walking around the site, and was soon separated from each other when the night grew more heated. Sion tried to call for Shiki, yet he was already too far to hear her voice. Now they were stuck in the middle of a human ocean, and were trying to get out of the disorganized chaos before they were dragged along in the confusion.
Trying to get out of the chaos, Sion stumbled across someone in front of her, and she fell on her behind. "Hey! Watch it," she cried and rubbed her bum.
The person turned around, and glanced down at her. "If it isn't Miss Atlasia," she answered with a cold tone in her voice.
Lia looked up, and was horrified to know who she stumbled across. She was not saying anything for a very long time before Logan arrived and helped her to stand up, even as Lia said nothing at them. "What are you doing here, Lia? You aren't supposed to be here." Her voice was stern, and her eyes were glowering at the miko in anger. Certainly, the event at the hill was unforgiving, and she could not forgive her for that.
"My presence here isn't under the order of the society, Miss Atlasia," she answered and turned to Logan who seemed to be calm at her presence. "And you, Rage, seem to have abandoned your loyalty toward your mistress. Foolish, you know you might be killed for the disloyalty."
"Don't start any argument at this hour, Lia," Logan insisted. "And being a mistress doesn't mean elders like me can't get any respect from you."
Lia lost her patience and reached for her lance when Blaze appeared from nowhere and took her hand. "We're in public area, Mistress Lia. Be careful not to frighten the people," the ninja reminded.
"Then what has brought you here, Lia?" Sion asked.
Lia took a deep breath and firmly stood. "First of all, I must apologize on behalf of the Dragoon Society for the incident. I know that I shouldn't treat my brother… no, Alexander just because of his past, but the society has decided it's necessary for us to cleanse him of any sin he may have committed."
"By torturing him? By accusing him of all wrongdoings? By forsaking him in despair? Just because he was a criminal doesn't mean he deserves this! You should know of that better than anyone else, because he's your brother!" Sion answered. "And when he thought he could meet you again and ask for your mercy, you treated him like he's nothing to you? What kind of irresponsible sister are you?"
A slap promptly perched upon Sion's cheek. Everybody at the site was startled and watched at the roadside drama in surprise. Logan and Blaze, too, were surprised by the unexpected action the shrine maiden would commit.
"How dare you!" Lia cried. "How dare you calling me irresponsible! It's you who don't want to understand! Who do you think you are? You thief, trying to take my brother away! He doesn't need anyone else to look after! I alone am enough for her!"
Sion was shocked. The insult, altogether with the slap, was way too much for her to believe. Shocked, angered, humiliated, she ran away from the site and left Logan who tried to call her back far behind. The former judge turned around, and the spear was pointed on his throat. "Lia…"
"And you, Rage, are the most foolish man I've ever met. I hate you so much." With that said Lia brought the spear down and walked away from the scene without saying anything.
Blaze approached Logan and bowed to him. "I'm sorry for Mistress Lia's attitude. She's been in mishaps since the failure of the judgment day; please give her some times to calm herself a bit."
"I know," Logan answered. "She needs someone to look after her. That, and tell her that I won't lose all faiths in her even if she will hate me until the end of time."
"You can have my words, my friend."
x-x
Sion continued her runaway through the human ocean, practically ignoring everything that was standing in her way. Her heart was broken, her pride was shattered, her ego was bruised and her emotion was torn. Never in her life would she be slapped and offended in front the public.
She kept running, and found herself arriving at the hilltop. Not knowing of how she got there, she approached the lone tree and leaned against it. Her yukata had been drenched by her sombre tears, and she didn't even care of it.
"Hey, it's the oneechan we saw with Alex-niichan at the park!" She turned around and was surprised to see the three young girls, along with their guardian Yumiko, coming at the hill. "What are you doing here? Waiting for the fireworks show? And where's Alex-oniichan?"
Without realizing what she was doing, Sion flung toward Yumiko and clung onto her. Yumiko was surprised by the sudden action and did nothing to stop her from crying on her yukata. "What's wrong, dear?" she asked and softly patted Sion's scalp.
"Do I have to be subjected to these torments all the time?" she sobbed and buried her flushed face beneath Yumiko's arms.
"What's the matter, dear?" Yumiko asked.
"It was Alex…" Sion answered. "I thought we could be together until now, but he wasn't with me before I could tell him…"
Slowly Yumiko pulled Sion away and wiped off her tears. "Now, dear. Instead of crying on this faithful day, why don't we watch the fireworks together? I'm sure you need someone to accompany you tonight, and the person is Alex. Am I right?" she asked, even as a maternal smile carved upon her face.
"I'm sorry," Sion apologized and quickly wiped off her remaining tears. "I was being silly to cry in front of you. I'm so sorry…" She was later brought by Ayu and Akiko to the edge of the cliff, the latter two asked her to accompany them until the firework display ended.
"Ne, ne, oneechan," Ayu asked as the three of them took their seat. "Can you come over to our place? It's been a bit quiet since Alex-oniichan's absent."
"Why would I have to go there, Ayu?" Sion asked, curious of the purpose of the request.
"Of course to play together!" Akiko answered. "Alex-oniichan used to bring us to the playground to play games, and he's so generous to let us spend our time in class ourselves!"
"He is? I thought he would play tough to you girls," Sion added.
"He is, but he just wants to have fun with us," Ayu asked. "Ne, can you come over to our place? Can you?"
She smiled and put an assuring hand on Ayu's shoulder. "I'll try to, though I can't guarantee to be nice toward you girls."
"Why not? Is it because you're jealous to see us getting close to Alex-oniichan?" and here Akiko and Ayu ran away when Sion snapped in embarrassment. "Aw, oneechan is blushing! Oneechan is blushing! Nya!"
"Come back here!" Sion demanded and chased the two girls around.
x-x-x-x-x
Both of them were silent. Neither of them was saying anything, even as Dizzy and Kagura were watching at the night sky at the edge of the hill. The two of them were leaning against trees not far from the two girls, and just watched at them who were happily playing hopscotch, oblivious of the tension that was rising between the two men.
"So, kid," Sol spoke, finally breaking the silence, "you do have problem remembering anything, don't you?"
"I don't want to talk about it actually, but yes, I do have the problem," Alex answered. "The doctor told me that I may lose all the memories unless I strive to retrieve it back. But it's not an easy task, I must say, because it's just too hard for someone like me."
"Someone like you?" Sol spoke.
Alex just sighed. "I mean, Dizzy willingly offers herself to help me, and I don't even understand why she's so persistent. When I asked her why she would bother herself to do so, she just said "it's because you're my friend and I must help you because of that."" He later laughed in low voice and looked up to the night sky. "Don't you think it's silly for someone who I never meet in my life to suddenly come to me and offer me her help?"
"More like amazing to me," Sol answered. "Sort of." He took a piece of Marlboro and lightly touched its tip on the Fireseal. He started smoking and watched at the two girls, while occasionally glancing at Alex who was playing the harmonica. "Nice stuff, kid. Did you buy it?"
"Yeah, at the booth down there," Alex replied and played several songs with the instrument. He stopped playing the harmonica and handed it over to Sol. "Why don't you try, Mister Badguy?"
Sol just laughed at the offer. "Do you think I'd damn myself trying that stuff?" he asked. He noticed that Alex's eyes were persistent, despite its cool look, and shook his head in amazement. "For a former knight who can't remember anything from his past, you surely are persistent. Whatever." He took the harmonica and, with the Marlboro held between his fingers, played it. So concentrated he was that he did not notice Alex watching at him.
"You've got talent, Mister Badguy," Alex praised.
"Just call me Sol, kid." Sol put down the harmonica and chuckled, albeit it was barely heard. "It was nothing. I used to play this whenever I have time," he answered. "Listen, kid, I know this may not make you happy, but don't get too close to Dizzy."
Alex blinked many times at the advice. "Why not? We're friends, of course."
"I don't care of whether you're friends or not, but sooner or later," Sol answered and folded his arms, "you'll have to let Dizzy go. It's not for me, but for both of your sake." He later heard the sound of a punched wood; he glanced at Alex and noticed that he was glowering at him. "What do you think you're doing, Alex?"
"You want me to leave her? Dizzy? Of all suggestions, you'd expect me to do that!" Alex demanded. "What do you know about us!"
"A lot," Sol simply answered. "Way too lot, especially the time we fought at the Devil's Living Place. You were there, and like what you have said today, refused to leave her. You lost to me on that time, kid. Not once, but twice."
Shocked by the answer, Alex tried to deny it. "I didn't remember anything about fighting you, nor leaving Dizzy! What are you trying to tell me, Sol!"
Sol flicked the Marlboro off his fingers, took a deep breath, and gave out a very long sigh. "Do you have any idea that Dizzy's a Gear that you were taught to detest and hate for the rest of the life as an enemy?" He swallowed his pride when he said it, and he knew it was an irony for someone who was a Gear to call his own kind an enemy.
"But she's not!" he heard Alex refusing it. "How can a friend be an enemy? How can a woman as gentle as her be someone I wanted to kill? How can she?" He later pointed to Dizzy who continued playing hopscotch with Kagura, not knowing what was going on right now. "Look at her! Does she look like an evil to you? Does she?"
"You're just like a lone wolf, kid. Expelled by its pack, found a new family but lost it when it thought they could live forever to the hand of the hunters, lived in isolation before it found something it could protect, and had to let go of it again," Sol spoke an anonymous quote. "Always want to defend something precious until the end of time, even when you know it's a futile effort. Always want to protect someone you care so much, even when you know you're not supposed to do that."
"Why are you telling me this, Sol?" Alex glowered. "And for what?"
"Look, kid," Sol continued his rant. "I know you don't want to leave Dizzy whatever the hell happens to both of you, but should something happen to her in the future, are you going to be responsible?"
"Hell yes I will, even if sacrificing my life is the last thing I will do!" Alex answered. Immediately fireworks exploded in the night sky, as if supporting the statement he made. "And if you think you're going to make her cry, then you must step over my dead body first!"
Sol stared at the lone wolf for a very long time, unaware of Kagura and Dizzy who were calling them at their place. Then he sarcastically grinned. "Fine. If that's your point, I'll just look at both of you from faraway. Should something happen to her, even if it's just a speck of dust on her hair, I'm going to find you first," and here he seized the hilt of Fireseal as if emphasizing his statement.
Alex, too, grinned even though it was not convincing. "If that happens, I won't hold anything back against you, Sol," he said and cracked his fingers.
The firework display continued for several minutes, as the two warriors were staring at each other without a word being said. Then they laughed and shrugged. "What the hell? I don't want to have anything with this argument," Sol grumbled. "Damn, I'm supposed to accompany Kagura to this festival, not sparking tension with you."
Alex laughed as well and put a palm on his forehead. "Yeah, I almost forgot about that." Subsequently he was dragged by a frustrated Dizzy and was brought away from Sol. "Hey! I must finish my words with him first, Dizzy! Can't you give me a minute more, please?"
"Sol can wait! The fireworks display's started and you're still standing here like a silly," Dizzy said. "Come on! It's going to be fun if we watch it together!"
Sol almost say a word to call Dizzy, yet she was too busy talking this and that with Alex to listen to his rant. He watched at the married Gear in amazement before shrugged. "You're so happy to be with him, huh?" he pondered and stooped his head. "You don't have any idea of what happened to him in the past, Dizzy. You just don't know anything about him."
"Sol-kun!" Sol lifted his head and saw Kagura standing in front of him. "You said you want to watch the fireworks with me, right? So come on!" she insisted and took his hand. "It's going to be fun if we watch the fireworks with them!"
"Yeah, yeah, I heard that," lazily he replied and grumbled in amazement at the soft touch of the little hand on his rough palm. "Damn, why do I have to be a paedophile?"
"Because a paedophile like you is destined to be paired up with Kagura!" he heard Lone Wolf NEO answering the question, and almost tossed a Gun Flame at the direction. The author, who was walking up the stoned ladder with Hibiki and Hotaru, almost freaked out at the response before he laughed. "Come on, Sol! It was just a joke."
"You can call me anything but paedophile," Sol warned and flipped his middle finger. "(Censored) you, Lone Wolf."
Hibiki coughed at the response and made a 'no-no' signal, while Hotaru mimicked the gesture before she left to catch up with Dizzy. "Profanity isn't good for your mental health, Sol-san," she reminded. She later giggled when Sol grumbled in defeat at the impromptu advice. "You should remember that you have Kagura-chan tagging you. So please watch over your words, ne?"
"Bah!" Sol cried out.
"And as for you, Lone Wolf-san," she said and glanced at the author. "Are you sure you have to go now? You can stay and watch the fireworks with us until it finishes."
"You know what, Hibiki? I'd die to have a date with you tonight, especially since you're wearing this cute yukata," Lone Wolf NEO said and winked at her, and here she blushed at the gesture. "But I have something to do back at my… working place. So," and he brought his palms close and bowed to her, "gomennasai!"
This time, it was Sol's turn to tease Lone Wolf NEO. "Hah, look at that. Even the lone wolf of author's world is afraid of woman," he said.
"At least he knows what he's doing," Hibiki added. She looked back at Lone Wolf NEO who was repeatedly apologizing at her, and she could only sigh. "Very well, you can go. Mou, when I thought I could spend the night with you…"
Lone Wolf just laughed silly. "Gomennasai, but we do have next year, right?"
"It can't be helped." She approached him, bent forward, and placed a light kiss upon his cheek. "You better go now before I change my mind, you big bad wolf," she whispered to his ear.
"Wow, that was a surprise," he said and rubbed his kissed cheek. "Okay, then I'll take my leave. Later, Hibiki!"
Lone Wolf NEO ran down the ladder, waving to the people before he disappeared from sight. Hibiki waved at her good person and smiled at his reaction to the kiss when she heard a silly laugh from the behind. She turned around and saw Dizzy and Hotaru staring at her in mischief, with a teasing grin carved upon their face. "Dizzy-chan! Hotaru-chan! Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Aw, how sweet of Hibiki-chan, giving her fiancée a farewell kiss. I'm so jealous," Hotaru said and made her cutely pouting face.
"You know, Hotaru-chan, jealousy is the sign of love," Dizzy added and giggled.
"I know, and Lone Wolf-san's girlfriend happens to be the most possessive among us," Hotaru answered.
It was Hibiki's turn to be mortified. "Why are you teasing me!" she cried and started chasing Dizzy and Hotaru around the hilltop.
"Because you and Lone Wolf are lovey-dovey!" both the married women answered.
x-x-x-x-x
The American city of South Town too was holding its own edition of summer festival. Partially sponsored by the Howard dynasty, the festival was to become a proving ground for fighters and warriors to legally test their fighting skills and wrestle among each other, while the residents of the city seized the opportunity to gather around and interact with each other. No longer they have to hide in fear and seclusion after Geese succeeded in reclaiming his rank as a crime lord after a battle with Kain R. Heinlein, the latter happened to be his relative. Despite conflicts between the Most Powerful Man in the World with local authorities after reclaiming his spot, everybody agreed that the return of Geese to South Town was a blessing in disguise.
(Side comment: Geese/Kain duel will be featured in Heart of Melting Blood, if Lone Wolf and his buddies can come up with a plot device to support this event.)
And tonight, not only was Geese present at the summer festival, he was accompanied by his two children Misaki and Rock and the Scandalous One Ky, the latter constantly preaching to people he met on the sins of shoujo-ai coupling and how disgraced he was to see women getting paired up. When he was approached by those who were strongly against his opinion, his answer was as simple and as usual: "their sin is beyond the grace of God. They shall be sent to damnation in the name of justice."
(At another summer festival not far from Athens, Justine sneezed. "Hey, who dares talking behind my back?" she demanded.)
"Why would they be sinned and sent to damnation?" Rock said and sighed in wonder. "Being paired up doesn't mean they'd instantly become shoujo-ai couple. It's the people who always come up with such a conclusion."
"Oh, yeah?" Ky replied and prodded Rock's forehead hard. "Then what about Dizzy and Hotaru? What about our wives? Listen, son of Geese Howard, I cannot tolerate people who thinks shoujo-ai couplings are cool or cute or whatsoever. I still despise them because their idea is against the teachings."
Rock laughed. "You must know that Dizzy and Hotaru are destined to be together, because that's what the plot device wants. And the same goes to Justine and Athena, though Justine's now got her lovey-dovey."
"Blasphemy!" Ky screamed in disgrace and chased Rock down the road. "You shall be punished in the name of justice! Your sin is beyond the grace of God!"
(Again, Justine sneezed. "Aw, I don't like this," she mumbled.)
"How many times has Ky-san said that?" Misaki sighed. "Should we interfere, father?"
Geese watched at Rock who was tossing Ky across the road with his own version of Atemi Nage. "Nah, just let them be. Rock can handle him anytime he wants to."
"Oh, okay."
The father and daughter left the blonde duo behind and continued their walk around the site, greeting with people and visitors as they did. Some of them, especially the fighters of Fatal Fury league, seized the opportunity to greet Geese without the fear of being frowned upon by the crime lord. Indeed, they didn't have to; Geese had changed a lot since Misaki was adopted as his daughter (side comment: please refer to The Wedding Night 2) from a heartless man to a responsible figure. After all, he's a father.
"Misaki-san?"
Misaki turned around in response to the call, and was surprised to see who was calling her. "Mai-san?"
The owner of the name, at that time wearing scarlet red kimono, blinked in surprise as well. "What are you doing here?" Mai asked.
"And what are you doing here too?" Misaki repeated the question.
Standing beside Mai was an equally surprised Hikki. Wearing his usual red T-shirt and khaki trousers, he stared at Misaki and Geese for a very long time before he turned to Mai. "Hey, Mai, who are they? Do you know them?" he asked.
"And who's the guy beside you, Mai?" Misaki asked.
Mai giggled and bowed to the father and daughter in respect. "I'm sorry for surprising both of you. This is my husband Hikki," and here Hikki waved at them. "Hikki, this is my friend Kawane Misaki, and that's her father Geese Howard," she told him.
Misaki cooed in surprise. "You're married? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"You didn't receive our invitation letter?" Mai asked.
Misaki just shook her shoulders. "Not if I can remember it," she told her. "And to see both of you visiting South Town of all places, what has brought you here anyway?"
"Actually, Ms. Kawane, Mr. Howard, we just want to walk around since we don't have anything else to do at home right now," Hikki spoke before a pair of lithe arms seized his neck, and here he was pulled into a voluptuous, if not bouncy, embrace. "Aw, will you leave me for a while, neesan?"
"Yada!" Mriya cried and tightly hugged her living teddy bear. "Bad Hikki. Going to summer festival without oneesan's permission. You must be punished for this!" she squealed and rubbed her cheek against his.
Mai coughed and turned her attention to Misaki, ignoring Hikki who was crying for help. "Please forgive Hikki, Misaki-san. Mriya-san has been chasing Hikki around since our wedding day, and she doesn't mind playing with her little brother."
"Mai-chan, you're so cold," and here Mai glared at him in disgust. "Aw, why can't I call you with that suffix?"
"Falken!" Hikki, Mai and Mriya turned to the voice, and saw the Scandalous One stomping his way toward them. Apparently Ky survived Rock's Atemi Nage and Deadly Rave-NEO, and he was now glowering at them in disgrace. "I highly object your sibling love! It's against the teachings!"
Mriya pouted at the statement and seized Hikki's neck, pulling him toward her chest. "Why can't I love Chrono, Ky-chan?" cutely she asked while tightly hugged his neck.
"Because it's INCEST and don't call me with that SUFFIX!" Ky demanded.
Both Misaki and Geese gasped in surprise. "So Ms. Mriya is Mr. Hikki's older sister, huh?" Geese asked.
Mriya turned to him and smiled. "Yes, I am! And I love Hikki so much I can't live without him!" she declared and tightened her arms around him.
This time, a rather convincing smile appeared upon his face. "You must be so attached to him, don't you?" Geese added, and here Mriya just nodded to answer 'yes'.
"Falken! You aren't even listening!" Ky screamed.
"Who wants to listen to the likes of you?" Mriya replied and stuck out her tongue at Ky. "PIIDAH!"
"Neesan, I think we should stop bullying Mr. Kiske," Hikki said and was tightly squeezed, like a plush doll of Mriya's much-loved. "Neesan, please stop it! You're choking me."
"Yada! How can I ever let you go?" Mriya insisted and continued to ogle him.
"And you, Mr. Hikki," and here Ky pointed the Thunderseal at his face. "Where has your responsibility as a married man gone to? You should've known the consequences of those who commit incestual adultery."
"Do you think we've done that yet?" Hikki asked before the embarrassed Mai bopped him on the head with the tessen she produced from the air, much in the same way Hibiki did to Lone Wolf NEO. "Ow, you hit me. That hurts, Mai-chan."
"Stop calling me with that suffix, baaka!" Mai cried in disgrace.
Mriya continued ogling and rubbing her cheeks against Hikki, and Misaki and Geese were watching at the sibling couple in amazement, and the Scandalous One became even more scandalized and annoyed. "That's it! I shall punish each and every one of you tonight! Your sin is beyond the grace of God!" Ky lifted his Thunderseal and pounced at the siblings in his Ride The Lightning. "PREPARE FOR THE JUDGMENT!"
"Useless." Quoting her father, Misaki grabbed the blade of the sword, spun her arms and kicked Ky a good half mile away from the festival. Not bathing an eyebrow nor breaking a sweat, she corrected her yukata and swayed her hair. "To quote my father for the third time this week: predictable."
"Wow, Misaki-chin is surely a strong girl," Mriya cooed in amazement.
Misaki just giggled and bowed to Mriya respectfully. "Why, thank you, Falken-san. I'm honoured to receive such compliments."
"Don't forget the old man who's been teaching her," Geese added and laughed.
"Oh, father," Misaki replied and playfully Jaei Ken'd Geese. "Please stop teasing me."
Meanwhile, Ky could be heard screaming "Oh no! I'm falling!" as he descended head first toward a small pond near a bridge in the middle of the site (Hey, doesn't the bridge look familiar?). Poor him; as soon as fell into the pond, the Thunderseal electrocuted him and all fishes inside the pond.
Then along came the Guilty Gear announcer (who had been absent from all the silliness that is fan fiction for a very long time) and approached the pond. "DESTROYED!" he announced and left.
"Lesson for tonight," Rock said as he approached the venue and watched at the fainted Ky. "Thunderseal isn't waterproof."
