Tamaki's violet eyes were eerily serious as he started talking. Perched on the end of her bed with Haruhi in a chair at Nala's side, and the other hosts gathered at her sides, he stared straight at her as he spoke.
"Before the twins came to join the club, they were in a bad place. None of us really know all the details, and there are plenty of rumors that have circulated, but suffice it to say, when we say the twins are dangerous we're not kidding."
Haruhi took over for him, her voice gentle, yet firm.
"They're tiger shifters Nala you know that. What you probably don't know, is that shifters are far closer to the supernatural border than any of these guys are."
That had Nala confused,
weren't they all supernatural and stuff?
Honey must've seen the confusion because he stepped forward to stand there and began talking in lieu of Haruhi.
"Nal-chan, we're not all that supernatural. We're not human no, but we have human consciouses and human bodies, well, " He glanced at Tamaki, "to an extent. Even Tamaki is closer to human than the twins. We only have to deal with one stream of thought and emotions, only one body for each of us. The twins have to deal with much more than that. Not only does the magic they hold make them share bodies, it makes them share many things with their inner animals that aren't quite human. Emotions run hot for them, it's why they act the way they do. Even in human form their cat instincts live close to the surface, and often dictate what they do."
Pieces were starting to fall into place for Nala as they spoke. The way their eyes sometimes seemed to shimmer in the light, how they sometimes watched her and the people around them with stillness that wasn't quite human, how when they felt cornered their lips would curl to reveal teeth that were at times a little more sharp than others.
"Oh wow." Nala glanced around at the hosts. "that's insane, it must be hard for them to deal with that."
And that was the most pathetic thing i could've said...good going Nala.
Kyoya stepped forward this time, bolivious to her mental annoyance at herself, and went to sit on the edge of the bed. His hip was pressed against her thigh as he turned his upper body to face her, and it made it difficult to focus at first on his words as she felt the warmth from his body seeping through the blanket against her leg. She snapped out of it in a second, and managed to look him in the eyes while she paid attention to his words.
"The twins need things that even we can't give them, they're predators by nature, and their will always be that bit of animalistic tendencies in them even in human form. They're not safe though Nala." His eyes seemed to darken as his thoughts drifted. "They're very close to being feral, that's part of the reason we were so determined to get them into the club. With our combined magic, it's easier to keep their animals at bay."
Here was where she interrupted him.
"What do you mean feral? Isn't that when an animal is going mad? Like a rabid dog or something?"
Kyoya nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Shifters walk a very dangerous line, especially them as twins, it makes their protective instincts twice as strong and it is hard to control. They need….well, they need something. We're not entirely sure what yet, but there is something that can calm them, we've heard it has happened before. Of course, like everything else, that's just a rumor, but there is a chance."
Nala's green eyes were troubled, her brows drawn tight as she thought over what they'd told her. There was still something missing from the story.
"What rumors Ootori?"
He hesitated, and glanced over at Tamaki. They seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation, before Tamaki gave Kyoya a short nod. Turning back to her, the Ootori heir began to speak again.
"The rumors are just that, speculation, there is no proof of any of it."
"Ootori, spit it out."
Nala's eyes were narrow with concentration as she pinned the boy with a stern look that she knew could've rivaled even one of his own.
Well, I did learn from the best.
"There is speculation that they killed their baby sister, the one person who was supposed to be able to tame their animal sides."
Nala went very still. She hadn't even known they'd had a baby sister, let alone any of that. Her stomach turned in horror at the thought, and the little bit of fear she had always held over them, flickered like a flame being fanned and began to grow.
"W-what? That can't be true!"
Her lips trembled at the very thought, and tears filled her eyes as she imagined it. The sad thing was, that after seeing them in their tiger forms, and knowing even a bit of their power, she didn't doubt for a moment that it would be hard for them to kill anyone or anything. She attempted to squash the niggling doubt, but it was hard. Haruhi, at her side still, took her hand and forced her friend to stare at her.
"Nala, like Kyoya said, it's all just rumors. There is absolutely no proof, so before you go judging or getting scared, remember that."
"I-I get that but Haru...what if it is? We've both seen what they can do, and if what I'm guessing is right then they went a little crazy when they did and that's why they're still in tiger form? And what do you mean the only person who can calm them? Can't others?"
"Well, like Honey said, shifters are far more closely connected to the supernatural world than us." Tamaki has her attention again, his violet eyes still dark with thoughts. "They have a...need that we don't. They require, each one of them, a person who can calm them, who can hold and accept both them and their animals. We call them the Adsumadamo, but the human equivalent would probably be soul bonded, or soul mates. In our world, it is both the greatest strength and weakness one can have."
"Benzaiten, the goddess of love was said to strike a deal with Gekka-o the god of marriage, and Hotei God of happiness, when she saw how miserable the shifters trapped between worlds were." Honey's eyes were almost glazed over as he spoke, as if he was staring at something none of them could see. Mori stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder and his watchful guardian eyes trained on the small priest. "She went to them and told them that if they granted the shifters the ability to find peace and life long happiness with a compatible partner, that she would bless them both with an unrivaled amount of lovers. However, even as they agreed to her wish, Amatsu Mikaboshi the god of evil became enraged because the shifters were his unholy creations and he didn't wish happiness on them. So even as the other gods gave the shifters their good will, he cursed them."
The mood of the room dimmed greatly as Honey spoke, and it was with bated breath that Nala asked her next question.
"What….What was the curse?" Surprisingly, none of the hosts seemed willing to meet her eyes when she asked that, instead looking everywhere but her. So, Nala turned to the apparently only other semi sane person on the room. "Haru?"
Her cousin's big, brown, doe eyes were troubled as she sat for a moment as if contemplating speaking.
"I don't have all the story, it's been passed down through the generations in the hosts' families, but as we both know my family never had anything to do with the supernatural so I'll try my best to explain since these guys are apparently so unwilling."
She gave them all a pointed stare to which they just managed to avoid even more. Apparently the vase that had been replaced on the small side table across the room was suddenly the most fascinating thing they'd seen all day. With a sigh Haruhi began to talk, not before muttering something about the hosts being old fashioned babies though.
"He cursed them to only ever have one other half. He took the already split souls of shifters, and tore off a bit from each of them before putting that little piece into the soul of another. For each shifter, through every generation, there can only be one person to complete them."
Nala raised an eyebrow at her best friend.
"That doesn't sound that bad though right? So he gave them the ability to only have one person. Doesn't that just mean that the marriage or whatever relationship they have will be healthier?"
Haruhi's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at me, and she nodded slowly.
"Yes, and no They are happy with their soulmate, the soulmate completes them and connects with them in ways that our minds can't even imagine. The curse though, was that he took part of their soul Nala. Your soul is what makes you who you are, and if you don't have a piece of that you can't ever discover who you should be. Think about it, what would you do if you had a nagging suspicion that only kept growing throughout your entire life that you aren't who you should be?"
Nala felt herself pale, as the sick understanding of why the hosts wouldn't look at her or talk about it slid through her mind.
They can't admit that...that….
"The twins are going crazy."
The words slammed through the silence and shattered. It was as if the room physically became colder, and Nala caught Haruhi shooting Tamaki a worried look as the temperature changed. Even as Nala watched, Tamaki's eyes seemed to shimmer and grow nearly black for a moment, before they flashed back to their normal purple. A shudder crawled up her spine. Nala didn't understand how Haruhi could do it, Nala loved the hosts as friends, but whenever she saw these bits of their other, abnormal lives, she couldn't help the fear that traveled through her. She didn't want to be afraid of them, she just couldn't seem to help it.
Maybe that's why I feel so safe around Kyoya, because he's more normal than the rest of them….no creepy magic changes, or fangs or anything. All he does is look into the magic crystal ball of his mind
"Yeah." Kyoya's voice, for the first time since she'd met him, was quiet, resigned, tired. "Unless they can find whoever it is in the world who completes them, then we only have, at most, a few more years." He hesitated for a moment towards the end, and Nala latched onto it like a shark scenting blood in the water.
"What? What aren't you telling us Ootori?"
His eyes rose to meet his, glasses flashing as he spoke.
"I...did some calculations." Again, hesitant, slow before he continued. "At the rate they've been going downhill, I'd say we only have a few more months before something triggers a reaction that makes them go completely animalistic."
Everyone was very very still as Kyoya spoke.
Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, it was Tamaki who started talking and changed the subject.
"We can talk about this at a later date, for now, we should probably tell Nala what Maria said when she called."
Something in his tone told Nala that this news wasn't going to be any better than the stuff she just received. Haruhi was the one who delivered it though.
"Maddy is going to be coming earlier than expected. Maria said that means that unless we get this cleared up that she could have a target put on her back as well since she's family and a friend."
Nala face palmed and sweatdropped as she muttered an angry curse at whatever god had decided to dislike her and her life.
"I really can't win today can I?"
**Author's note**
Hello lovelies! Ya'll are gonna hate me but look! Another cliffhanger! I hope you all had wonderful holidays and a wonderful start to your new year! Apologies are in order form me for not getting this out sooner, I got caught up in school and family problems. Also, apparently midterms are a thing? I've never had to take them before so this will be my first year doing them and I'm really not sure if i should be stressing out or not yet since they're next week...Anyway, wish me luck on that, and wish Nala some luck on her life in general cause things are about to tart getting crazy. Did you guys like the new chapter? Lots of shady stuff goin on in here, don't hate me for making the twins mentally unstable, I promise there is a reason! All will eventually be revealed, anyway enjoy guys!
ALSO for those of you who care, I just remembered this, but I have a tumblr. I really only post a ridiculous amount of marvel and anime stuff, but hey if you're interested I'll post my user name here on my next updated?
Shout out to...
ktmyldy28 (Honestly it was about time to for Kyoya to get knocked down to size! See what i did there hehe? Gosh i have an awful sense of humor...)
ocean full of lies (Thank you :D I'm so glad you're enjoying it, honestly...I don't even know where I'm going with this half the time and then it just happens and I'm like ya know i can work with this blah blah blah)
animegal1357 (I DON"T KNOW MAN I GUESS I JUST LIKE THEM! I hope you enjoy this chapter though!)
killjarkidranger (a lot apparently)
Mely (Guest) (You caught my reference!? OH MY GOSH YES! Thanks though! I'm glad to hear i have yet another person who loves this story as much as i do right now!)
RainbowKitsune (Nope I haven't, I've heard it's good though, also, the link didn't come through so could you try resending it with maybe spaces or something so i can type it out? I"m so glad to hear you thought of my story though oh my goodness!)
hiiro kira + Mina-Abe-Lovelys + Lunarose jodes + RaVeNcLaW65 + Idek1998 + avengeful + Halo0001 + LobstaFace17 + Whitlock-Hale + MoonlightWolf16 + cassiegreen (Do you all see the list of you that have followed and faved me and this story!? You guys literally brought tears to my eyes, happy ones, but tears because i have never had anyone care or enjoy my writing so much before. Thank you all so much, you guys are the best)