Hired Guns
Chapter 2
Yokai Academy
He was usually a cool but useless club president. Normally, all the work and planning would be shifted to Tsukune and his harem. But after days of lazing around the library, the cafeteria, and the main hall, he suddenly wondered what the hell was he doing with his life? It was a scary thought that the hedonistic werewolf usually pushed back. But after the Siren encounter back at the human world and after meeting San again, the laid back lifestyle he knew and loved was pushed into a corner.
He reflected on the years he spent at the academy. Was his entire high school experience a mere compilation of conquests, gratuitous bloodshed and perverted mischief? He couldn't even remember a time when he lifted a cover of a book. It was a miracle that he managed to reach the third year with the sort of shit he'd been pulling off. Who knows, maybe he'd even graduate?
Graduate… then he realized that it was his final year at Yokai Academy.
Gin trudged back to the Newspaper Club HQ and looked at the group's calendar of activities.
There was absolutely nothing.
The werewolf almost had a mental breakdown, realizing that he was indeed a useless president. What would San think of me now? He wondered. Gin cursed the day he decided to grow a conscience,
He pulled out his phone and texted all of the members for a meeting.
"I have an idea! Tsukune slapped the table in a moment of Eureka. Gin was almost blinded by the younger man's beaming optimism.
"The floor is all yours." Gin sat down and directed his attention towards Tsukune. The girls were silent and focused on their object of affection. Mizore was hiding behind a bookshelf, acting merely as a spectator and Kokoa was fast asleep with her head resting on the table. The ginger-haired vampire let out a snore while a thin line of drool slid down her mouth.
"Why don't we have a photography seminar? We ask known photographers if they could do a presentation on managing equipment, recommended types of cameras, and uhh… tips and tricks to creating great images. After that, we hold a photography contest?"
It was surprisingly a good suggestion, enough to pique the werewolf's interest. With a little more spit and shine, it could turn out quite well. It'd be the first substantial event that the NPC's ever held in a long time.
"That's pretty good Tsukune. I like it." Gin jutted down Tsukune's suggestion on a little black notebook the size of his palm. The girls looked at each other and nodded as their sign of approval. Tsukune smiled sheepishly and took his seat.
"Any other suggestions?" he made a mental bet on who would follow Tsukune's lead. His eyes wandered and landed on Moka; surely enough the pink haired vampire followed suit.
"This may sound derivative, but why don't we have a campus journalism seminar and workshop?"
Again with the seminars? Hmmm… Can't be that bad. Gin's thick brow lifted. "Please continue."
"Well, we could go to the YNN and ask some of the reporters to lend a hand and participate in the event. We could have lectures, skill training essential to journalism, techniques in regards to science, sports, features, editorials, and campus paper productions and etcetera…"
"We could also squeeze in some other types of journalism in your event Moka!" Kurumu added. The brainstorming finally got some traction.
The group participation was a pleasant surprise. Gin, with a warm smile, hung back and let their ideas fly freely.
"There's also visual journalism, which we can milk all the way; like drawing editorial cartoons. We can also have lectures on improving field reporting and storytelling." The succubus was on fire.
"That sounds good, you two." Tsukune complimented Kurumu and Moka which earned him loving gazes at his acknowledgment towards them.
"We can also ask the headmaster to allow collaborative projects with other the branches of Yokai Academy." Yukari added. "How about you, Ruby?"
The older witch held up her palms in a manner of polite rejection "I'm not really a member of the club, nor am I a student, so I don't really have any say in the matter."
Mizore peeked out from behind the bookshelves, lollipop twirling in her mouth. "Why don't we have a stalking seminar?" she said in her usual deadpan voice. The suggestion was followed by an annoying remark of disapproval from the succubus. Tsukune looked at the snow woman and gave her a cheeky smirk.
Mizore saw this and blushed. She gave a shrug as her response. "Geez, Cow Tits, you really can't take a joke?" she finally emerged from the shadows "I don't really have anything to add, but I'll design the new layout for the newspapers, all of the advertisement and promotions, as well as all the legal papers, should your ideas come to fruition. Is that a fine deal or not?"
They nodded and smiled at her surprising confidence and initiative. The brainstorming continued for a much longer duration. The gang argued and laughed at all their weird, lewd, and impossible ideas Yukari had to offer. Ginei folded his arms to his chest and sat back, watching as the scene unfold.
The sounds of their voices were all muddled by then, but the werewolf couldn't help but feel a swell of pride in his chest. For a moment there, it actually felt like a real club and that he had done something worthwhile in his life.
So this is what it feels like? Gin mused while a hint of regret shone in his eyes.
"Everyone." Gin interrupted the group's banter. "This club..." he looked around the room, trying to take in as much as he can "This club is very special to me and to all of us. So when the time comes that I'm not here anymore... please take of her, okay?" it was the earnest that he could possibly go for.
The members understood his request. The club was home to a treasure trove of memories and moments that they would've never experienced otherwise. They understood that even though Gin was a lousy club president, the man wanted what's best for the club. The shared gazes turned into an unspoken agreement
But there is at least one part of the gang that wrecks the mood.
"Gin quit it with the sappy shit. It's not like you."
They looked up on top of the bookshelf and found a bored Haiji Miyamoto.
"Haiji! What the fuck are you doing here?" This had to be that one moment that Haiji, of all people, had to witness. The werewolf knew that it would never be the end of it.
The tengu jumped down "You texted me, remember?"
A vein popped on Gin's forehead as he quickly took out his phone and saw the recipients of the text.
The crew watched on as the crow and the werewolf throwing their usual volley of insults.
Japan, Present Day
They all knew that there was nothing but a hollow urn inside his shrine-like gravestone. But he, like many others, lost his life in the fight against Fairy Tale and deserved no less than a hero's burial.
He saved them all that day. A move that was decisive in securing victory and saving Moka from the organization.
They all knelt down and bowed, praying that he may find the peace and happiness he longed for in life.
"You better not be chasing any ladies up there, Gin." Kurumu said with a fond smile. It was all made in jest, referring to the groups inside jokes about him.
Even though the details were rather fuzzy at best, a faint image of him comforting her in her moment of despair got etched into the back of her mind and it solidified the respect she had towards the man, despite their antagonistic relationship due to his perverse antics.
"Hope you're doing well up there." Mizore clasped her hands together. Their interactions with their senpai were at a minimum, with only a handful of personal conversations –some of them peppered with his trademark lewd remarks- but he was the club president, and was a part of their so-called 'Newspaper Fam'. Ruby and Yukari shared the same sentiments.
"Hey, asshole! Don't cause any trouble or I'll come up there and kick your ass!" Even in death, the warm and friendly between vitriol the two knuckleheads never faded. Their relationship had been mostly filled with exchanges that ranged from snarky remarks to fists, but for Haiji, it felt like losing a brother. It was a friendship that was forged in the hottest of flames. The duo had been together for numerous battles that meant either life or death. But they managed to pull through every single time.
Well… not this time, I suppose…
San was quiet for the duration of their visit. The pain had already been dulled by time, but a sharp sting of regret still lingered each day.
"What is it Gin?" she asked, face flushed.
"Forget it. I'll tell you after we beat those guys." He gave an awkward chuckle coupled with a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head, ever the shy boy in front of the siren.
She knew what he meant. She just wished he said it out loud before it was too late. Thinking about the 'what ifs' made her lose sleep for the past eight years. The indignant siren clutched her chest in an effort to quell the dull ache from the guilt.
If he just said it... If he just fucking said it! San thought bitterly.
Though her emotions were rather subdued, Haiji knew the inner turmoil hidden behind her gentle face. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. The rest looked at the duo with knowing eyes.
Fairy tale really did a number on them.
The girls walked over to their upperclassmen and pulled them into an embrace.
After paying their respects to their departed friend, the squad was determined to end the day smiling.
The gang was already a few steps away from Haiji's SUV.
Mizore stopped walking as if a thought occurred to her.
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked, looking worried. The snow woman's sudden pause also caught Kurumu's attention.
"I think I left my wallet back there." Mizore quickly did a 180 and vaulted out of there "I'll be right back!"
As Mizore's figure faded into the distance, Kurumu - at first- was bemused. Then an idea formed in her mind; her bright purple eyes became dull and her general demeanor gradually became dour. As a gust of wind blew past them, Ruby caught a glance of the succubus.
It was as icy as the snow woman who had just left.
Once Mizore made a hefty distance from the group, she started going to another path entirely. She continued walking, her radiant blue eyes scanning the area with an almost desperate exertion.
The path was different, but at a certain point, it became familiar. After a few more steps, she exited the cemetery and saw a sign that read:
"ST. LUKE'S PARISH- 100M AHEAD"
The walk towards said parish built up a sweat. Snow women were really sensitive to even the subtlest nuances in the temperature, or anything that went below their threshold of what was considered 'cool enough'. She removed her white cardigan, the spaghetti strapped, white singlet top she wore under it exposed a generous amount of her flawless skin. The tight-fitting garment also accentuated the ample size of her bust and it was put into full view.
The snow woman threw the piece of cloth over her shoulder and continued walking.
The strong wind had already cooled her skin through the thin fabric of her icy-blue culottes; the removal of her cardigan only hastened the process.
She spotted the castle-like parish. It was grand in all the sense of the word. She went up to the steps, yet another cause for sweat and went inside through the open doors.
The place was beautiful. It was a shame that it was rarely used, as there were only a handful of Japanese people that found their faith with Christianity. Admittedly, Mizore wasn't a religious person, but she could appreciate the delicate care put into creating their temples of worship. Her initial footsteps created loud echoes that reverberated against the chapel walls; she sighed and opted to glide along the pristine ceramic tiles as to not cause too much noise.
She went up to the church balcony, but only stuck her head out in hopes of spotting the cause of her visit. Finding no luck inside the parish, the snow woman descended from the stairs and exited the parish.
What was unique about the parish was that it was literally built on top of a grave. The snow woman made her way to the indoor ossuary situated under the church. An ossuary is a place where the remains of the dearly departed were stored in columbarium niches.
The ossuary was open on all sides and was right next to the garden, so the wind freely moved inside. It was dimly lit, but the natural light from the garden was bright enough to illuminate the interior.
Columbarium shelves filled the room with about forty to fifty niches per shelf. At the center were rows of chapel benches and at the far end was the altar. Behind the altar was a separate columbarium with black plaques on each of the niches.
A lone figure was seated in the first row.
The snow woman was firmly glued to her place and unable to proceed. Eight years had already passed since their last meeting. And it was this very spot where they had said 'last meeting'. Hesitation weighed her down like a pile of bricks and questions ran through her mind in frenzy.
What do I do? What should I say? What should we talk about? What if he doesn't want me here?
There wasn't any alternative, so she steeled herself. Mizore walked along the side aisles. Her steps were light, but the man had already noticed her presence.
Once she reached the first row, she took a seat at the far end opposite of him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, not diverting his gaze from the columbarium. At the very top of the shelf was also a plaque, albeit longer. There the words 'May the victims of the St. Luke's Hospital tragedy be granted eternal peace.' was engraved.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Mizore replied.
He finally looked at her "Shouldn't you be with your friends?"
"They're your friends too." She was keen on reminding him and was slightly offended by his dismissive tone. He made note of his callous remark and gave her an apologetic nod.
She felt awkward at the atmosphere, though it looked one-sided as Tsukune didn't seem to care. There are moments in life that when you meet a relative or an old, distant friend, you are unable to go past the pleasantries and remain in awkward silence at trying to think of relevant things to discuss. Mizore found herself in the exact situation.
Ask him how he is!
"You look good Tsukune…"
No not that! She mentally scolded herself for the weak line that differed from the one she intended. The snow woman dissected his appearance. 'Good' was an understatement. Hidden under that black high-collar leather jacket was surely a really toned physique compared to the one he had eight years ago. There was also something very gruff –yet dignified- about the air that he exuded.
It was faint but she could even spot that he grew a five o' clock shadow which accentuated his chiseled jaw.
Aside from being gruff, he was also cold and distant. Like a man who had lived for so long and had just grown tired of life.
Upon even closer inspection, she spotted numerous scars that marred his hands.
Who knows how many more scars he hid under there?
Her eyes traveled to his holy lock: it looked fairly new but the links -save three or four of them- were already cracked heavily from abuse.
Then it occurred to her that he was a military vet that served against the anti-human faction in the great Ayashi Civil War.
What sort of hell did you have to endure, Tsukune?
"Thanks. I see you grew out your hair. It looks good on you, Mizore."
His voice pulled her back from her musing. "Oh… heh-heh…thanks." The snow woman meekly smiled and swept a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
She blushed at the compliment, not knowing on whether it was genuine or merely a comeback for the flattery she threw at him. Indeed her hair had grown a significant length after a few years and it became less spiky. She didn't bother on maintaining the shoulder length after she became so busy with the force.
And with that, the momentum completely died down and they were back to a silent stalemate once again. At least it didn't seem as awkward compared to earlier.
"It's been a long time, Tsukune…" she paused "How are you?"
It took him a moment to respond to her question "I'm okay, Mizore. Just a retired soldier trying to live his life quietly now." He was stuck in a pensive stare while he talked. "How about you?"
"I'm fine. Keeping myself busy in restoring some peace and order in the land...I guess..."
Tsukune raised an eyebrow "So, you're a cop, huh?"
"Yes, I am." There was a hint of pride in her voice "Why? Did you do something that would make me arrest you?" she accused him teasingly.
He chuckled. Though it was still too early to call it a success, Mizore's expression became radiant. Very slowly, his aloof demeanor started chipping away.
There was hope after all!
But a thought hit him like a sharp stinging wind and soon his smile devolved into a bitter and sardonic one. Mizore realized the implication of her teasing and quickly regretted it with all her heart.
I'm sorry… The words were stuck in her throat and it almost choked her.
[The Night We MeT- Lord Huron]
"There she is."
"Who?" the snow woman asked, still reeling from the guilt. Tsukune pointed at the very center niche with a metal plaque that reads:
Kyouko Aono
1992-2013
Technically, Kyouko was his older cousin, but to him, she was and always will be his 'big sister.' Mizore, frustratingly so, was at a loss for words.
"Ken Suzumura owned a small coffee shop at Shinjuku. He proposed to his girlfriend and she said yes. They were to be married in his hometown in Kyoto."
"What?" Mizore tilted her head, puzzled at something so out of the blue.
"Naomi Ishida was granted a scholarship in the same university that I was to attend to." He paused after a lump had formed in his throat. "Shiori Ishikawa gave birth to a healthy baby girl; the girl must be eight years old by now." There was an audible crack in his rough voice when he said the last one.
A realization dawned on Mizore and she eyed the niches closely.
Ken Suzumura
1990-2013
Shiori Ishikawa
1988-2013
Naomi Ishida
1994-2013
Mizore felt a swell of pity for them. She looked back to Tsukune with tears pooling at the edge of her eyes.
"I did all this..."
He scanned the plaques dolefully and went over the names. "Eight years ago… all of them were complete strangers. After the incident, I stayed here for a long time, trying to remember their names and their faces." Not only did he memorize their names, but he also dug deep and looked into their past lives.
As a consequence, the people he considered strangers became part of him. To a degree that he grieved for them as family would.
They had families and loved ones that must have missed them. They had dreams and achievements, which compared to his, were more relevant and meaningful.
He robbed them of the happiness that they deserved in life.
After the incident, he stayed inside the ossuary, praying to whatever god that listened. He wasn't a religious person, but it was the first time in his life that he was knocked down on his knees. Tsukune allowed the days to pass by like the flowing stream, all the while wishing that things had gone differently.
He smiled bitterly and shook his head. "If I'd only done what I was supposed to do, all of them would still be alive."
The image was clear as day. The halls of the hospital painted with blood and lifeless corpses were strewn across the floor.
The woman in front of him curled up into a ball, shaking like a feral animal at the sight of him approaching. As he channeled youki, bright blue sparks of electricity danced along his arm.
He gritted his teeth, preparing to deliver the finishing blow but hesitated at the moment he saw fragments of his cousin behind the crazed red eyes that were like his.
That single lapse of judgment cost him dearly.
The ghoul gritted his teeth at the bombardment of all the negative emotions he tried so hard bury. Black veins crawled up his neck while his pupils emanated a blood red glow.
She wanted to kiss him, wrap him in an embrace and tell him everything will be alright, she wanted to do anything to help him fight away the anguish that was slowly eating away his sanity. But the snow woman kept her emotions in check.
Mizore wiped away the tears before they had a chance to cascade down her cheeks and calmly scooted over to his side, despite his current mental instability and placed a warm and firm hand over his. It was a gamble, but she took it nonetheless.
Tsukune twitched violently at the contact, and it unnerved Mizore, but she stood her ground. Her hand was naturally cold, but her feelings were warm enough to travel over to him. The trembling of his clenched fist died down and his grip loosened. The crimson from his irises quickly dissipated and the black veins on his neck slowly receded as soon as he saw the worry in her eyes.
She sighed in relief once everything returned to normal.
Though it didn't show on his face, he was grateful for her quick response and he that she was always like that; he just forgot. Even when he was with Moka, she would still be in the sidelines, keeping an eye on him while doing her own thing.
When did you become this strong, Mizore? He thought.
Their hands slowly unfurled and soon their fingers were intertwined. He averted his gaze to hide his embarrassment.
She also averted her gaze, but their hands still clasped on to each other tightly. The heat on their pressed palms sent pleasant shivers down their spines. Who could blame them? Years without intimacy could do that to a person.
There was a time when she got over her infatuation towards him and saw him as a mere friend. It was almost cathartic to not be bound by her affection and to be able to focus on her own future. It was also the time that they got closer to each other. It was a normal male-female relationship without any semblance of romance.
Tsukune and Moka's relationship was already laced with romantic undertones even before they decided to go to the next level.
So their friendship was an achievement in itself. But Tsukune and Mizore's past was for another time.
"This is really giving me déjà vu." The snow woman muttered.
"Yeah." His replay was quick.
Silence engulfed them once again, but it was more comfortable, with words becoming unnecessary. It was like a dream. Had eight years really passed? Even though they seemed like completely different people leading different lives, ii felt like it was only yesterday since they went to the same school.
"My first mission was an undercover operation." She gripped on his hand tighter, which he reciprocated. "We were investigating an alleged human trafficking ring led by a foreign organization operating on Japanese soil. It was a joint operation between the NPA and the FBI so it was a pretty major one."
He glanced to the side, listening attentively to her story.
"I was fine with doing reconnaissance, but my commanding officer assigned me to go undercover. I objected at first, but he wouldn't have it as they already had finished doing surveillance. So they dressed me up and paired me with another agent to pose as potential buyers. It was horrible." Mizore grit her teeth. "I hated it. How they treated them as mere toys and punishing them brutally for simple mistakes like dropping a piece of bread or spilling a drop of water."
While they continue to hold hands, Tsukune gently brushed his thumb over her index finger in order to soothe her.
The fat bastard who ran the ring led us to a room and gave us a tour of their 'items for sale'. They were all scared and bug-eyed. Shivering like shitting dogs while their limbs were chained to walls. They could hardly be considered in mint condition with all the wounds that marred their skin. And then… something caught my eye at the far end of the room.
After a pause that seemed like forever, Mizore continued. They were twins, no older than me, scared beyond reason and clinging to each other for their lives. They had purple hair and blue eyes: a trait very common to Snow Women. I had to confirm it so I went over to them.
The two scurried to a corner while I approached. They were absolutely terrified of me, and it broke my heart. Not because of their reaction, but because they were damaged and violated to the point that they were incapable of feeling trust for anything that came close to them. The sounds that they made could hardly be considered as words- incomprehensible, unintelligible drivel that sounded almost primal.
I knelt down and tried reaching for them. They were already backed up into a corner, so they couldn't run anywhere. They avoided my hand as if it was the hottest branding iron in the world.
"Please…" I managed to grab a hold of her wrist.
It was ice cold.
My suspicions were just proven true. They were Yuki Onna.
The cold that I exuded must have been a familiar touch to them. They instantly eased down and became tame. The look of dread was completely washed away from their faces. The twins trusted me, possibly the only positive contact they ever experienced.
It was at that moment that I decided that I would get them out and lock all of these fuckers in jail.
"Looks like they're quite taken with you." I heard the Fat Bastard as he said it with disgusting amazement.
The Fat Bastard and my partner discussed the method of transaction and agreed to one. He said that we will return tomorrow with the payment.
I wasn't able to sleep that night.
The operation was supposed to be a simple raid and rescue, but the entire plan got revised on the same night. We received intel that all of the victims, except for the twins, were bought by an unknown party and were to be shipped on the same day.
The sudden change was a godsend for us. It significantly minimized the possibility of a hostage situation.
It was the day of the raid and I only managed to find sleep just when the warm colors of the sun started bleeding into the deep blue sky. Since the plan changed, we were given marked bills to complete the transaction. We would get the twins out, signal for the squad, and the rest was up to them while the shipments of the other victims would be intercepted by different squads.
My partner was incessant in his reminders about trying to keep cool. He hammered them in my head so that I couldn't jeopardize the mission. Apparently, my greenness was showing, or so he said.
"Remember, the boss said he doesn't want any casualties." I could only nod.
We went inside with the money. The Fat Bastard led us to the room that held the twins. It was as shocking and disgusting as the first time I went in. I visibly reeled from the stench of dried piss and shit that permeated the air. They unchained them from the walls and started dragging them towards us like disobedient dogs. Their agonized cries and the sound of cracking whips got blurred out with the anger boiling inside me.
My partner gently held me back, reminding me of the mission. I couldn't do a fucking thing so I just looked away. Retribution would come to them, I just had to wait. The whips had lowered their resistance and they were hauled towards us, leaving a trail of their blood on the floor.
The twins saw me and it was like all the pain they had just experienced was gone. It took everything I had not to break down and hold them close to me. I handed the briefcase of marked bills to the Fat Bastard and we started walking away along with the twins.
"You know…" the Fat Bastard started. "There were more like them."
I stopped in my tracks. "What?"
"Same hair color with varying shades, blue eyes, and snow white skin. There were many more. It started when I was still a young and handsome man. I wandered a little too far from the nest and I ended up in a field of white flowers."
Fuck.
My eye twitched and the room became a few degrees colder despite the lack of air conditioning.
"I met a girl and she was picking those flowers." My fists were clenched, trembling with fury. I hadn't noticed that my fingers were already digging on my palms. The fucker was testing me, taunting me like he knew all this time that I was a snow woman.
He picked the opportune time to get into my head- when I was at my most vulnerable. Shame on me for being so transparent.
"The rest is history. It was a surprisingly effective modus. Each girl cost over a million Euros. It's amazing how far a few good looks could get 'ya. "
I snapped.
"Stop!" I heard my partner. But it was too late.
A claw of ice quickly formed around my hand and I launched an ice dagger at the throat of the henchman that was accompanying us. As he fell down to the ground, I grabbed his AK-47 and trained my sights on the Fat Bastard only to be gripped with apprehension once I saw that he had already pulled a gun on the twins.
He dragged them back to him using the chain connected to the metal collar on their necks.
"Put the gun down!" I ordered.
"You first." He replied.
I heard a fleshy thud behind me and my partner suddenly dropped unconscious to my side. I had already been surrounded by his mooks.
"You were too soft. TOO WEAK." The Fat Bastard jeered "I knew you there was something wrong the moment you came in." He violently pressed the barrel of the pistol on the head of one of the twins. "So you're one of them huh? What were you called again? Yuka-Onni, Yuki-Onno.., or whatever."
"Drop the gun, NOW!"I heard safeties being disengaged behind me. I was trembling and sweating uncontrollably; to think that my first confrontation would be a fucking Mexican standoff. I kept my sights glued to the Fat Bastard while I slowly backed up to the rusty wall.
"Drop yours and maybe I'll spare your life. I could always add another Snow Woman to my collection." I heard the mooks lock the door behind us. There were four or five of them. It was fucking tense. One wrong move could kill me or those twins. If I surrendered, my death was inevitable... maybe even something worse than that.
Then we heard shouting and gunshots from the other room. The lackeys behind me turned their attention to the door. Backup had already arrived. There was a chance that I could save those two.
The door blew off of its hinges. The SWAT team effectively breached the room. The debris and shock from the close proximity of the explosion incapacitated the henchmen enough for the SWAT to take them down.
I took my eyes off of the Fat Fastard for just a second. When I looked back, the other twin was already dead.
The blast caught him off guard and because of that, he unintentionally pulled the trigger while the gun was still pressed to her temple.
She died, eyes wide open.
The anguish of seeing her limp figure was only compounded by the Fat Bastard's indifference. I let out a cry at the top of my lungs, bloodthirsty and hell-bent on payback. Tears streamed down my face as I pulled the trigger, but one of the members of the SWAT team pushed the gun away so it only hit the Fat Bastard's shoulder.
They both dropped down and the surviving twin was released. I didn't know what was happening around me. It was all too much. I couldn't even remember what my C.O. was saying or what sort of reprimand or punishment he intended for me. It only mattered that the remaining twin is moved to safety.
Once he was done admonishing me, I moved closer to the surviving twin as she cradled her dead sister. She let out an anguished wail. I wanted to cry with her, but everything was just numb. I looked on as she pressed the deceased twin to her chest, blood smearing all over the tattered shirt that she wore.
The other twin saw the Fat Bastard's pistol lying beside his writhing body. It was a moment of clarity for me and I knew exactly what she was going to do.
She lunged for the pistol and quickly inserted the barrel in her mouth.
If only I'd been faster.
"My partner pleaded with our commanding officer to lighten the punishment for... you know... compromising the mission. I was suspended for a week. It gave me time to think about what happened."
Tsukune didn't say a word and just let her continue.
"If I hadn't let my emotions do the thinking for me, the twins would still be alive and being rehabilitated back home. If I had only done what I was supposed to do…
Which was to do nothing.
In many ways, the source of her grief was similar to Tsukune's. So she understood him, wholeheartedly. Even now, she still tried to find excuses to justify her irrational behavior back then, even if it would only give her peace of mind.
"The only thing we could do is to live on and bear our losses. Learn from our mistakes and make peace with our past." Mizore snickered "I'm finding it difficult doing the last part though."
Tsukune merely nodded in agreement.
"You're not alone on this, Tsukune."
He was able to find solace in the newly formed bond they shared. It was a bond that only people in their line of work could understand. They've both dealt with death so it was natural for them to seek comfort and healing with one another. "So are you."
Mizore squeezed his hand. Her heart fluttered at the tenderness of it all. His stoic façade cracked a bit and it showed a glimpse of the man that he was, before all the bullshit that ruined their lives. Then she spotted the faintest of smiles at the corner of her lips.
it was the most genuine that he could muster. Mizore rested her head on his shoulder as they had already established a degree of comfort. She was pleased when he gave no sign of objection. They stayed there for a while and let the calm silence encompass them.
She wished they could stay like that forever.
Then something prevented him from fully opening up to her and they were back to square one. The distant persona took control again "You should go, Mizore." He severed the contact of their hands, which caused her to grumble in protest "You shouldn't keep them waiting for too long."
She pursed her lips "How can you be so sure that they're waiting for me?"
"Just a guess, but I heard you panting when you came in here and when you sat down, your face was flushed and you were sweating. Judging by that, it seemed that you made your way here in a hurry."
She was amazed at the level of perception he just displayed. She stood up; taking mock offense "I'll have you know that snow women are very sensitive to heat!" her face was tinted with a shade of red.
"But then again, the weather isn't actually that hot is it?" he was awfully deadpan in his delivery, which somehow irked her for real.
She tried to think of a comeback, but then her phone vibrated loudly in her pocket, effectively cutting off their burgeoning repartee. As she took it out, Tsukune caught a flash of the caller ID.
"See? Kurumu's already calling you." He smiled coolly at the pouting snow woman "You better go. I'll just stay here for a while"
She was reluctant at parting with him so abruptly. The rational girl within her knew that she still had plans for today and it would be on a different level of 'unfair' if she backed out in order to stay with him a little longer.
"Come with us." she gave him a pleading look. At the back of her mind, she was resigned to the fact that the likelihood of 'no' as an answer was close to a hundred percent. Still, she tried.
"You know I can't. Not after what happened to Kurumu." His expression had a tinge of displeasure at the inherent impossibility of her request.
"Oh...right…" it would be better for him to keep his distance rather than to risk having a repeat of events with Kurumu. She started to feel a bit of resentment towards the succubus even though it felt wrong.
"I guess I'll go then." She spread out her arms, beckoning him for a casual 'long time no see' hug. He raised a brow, perplexed as if to say 'really?'
He wrapped his strong arms around her tiny frame. For eight years, the only source of an increased heart rate was the never-ending, life-threatening, and adrenaline pumping battles that he fought. It was strange that it started happening now because of a woman.
He'd almost forgotten how soft they were. He hugged her tighter, relishing the sensation of her body against his. A soft, short and completely unintentional moan escaped her lips as she felt her breast press against the chiseled physique hidden under his black shirt.
She got a whiff of his intoxicating, musky scent. The solid muscles of his broad back shifted as he breathed and she could feel every single bit of it. His rock hard arms slowly slithered down her slender waist causing her body to stiffen in a, daresay, aroused manner. Just imagine what would happen if they didn't have any clothes on.
She gripped his back, savoring the sense of strength and security it offered as she buried her face on the crook of his neck. "It was…nice seeing you, Tsukune." By then, her breathing was completely ragged.
She managed to pull away before it moved beyond the confines of a simple hug. The experience left her dazed, frustrated and… wet.
She slapped his chest and a solid, meaty 'thud' accompanied it. "Asshole…" a flustered Mizore whispered under her breath.
"What was that?" truth be told, he really heard what she said; he just got a kick out of seeing her react that way.
"It was nothing." She just remembered that Tsukune was really tall. She got on the tip of her toes and kissed him gently on the cheek, an action mostly fueled by her arousal.
"See 'ya." The sexually frustrated snow woman walked away. There was urgency in her steps, partly to get away from him.
She needed to get laid.
"I'm really sorry guys!" Mizore fervently bowed her head to mitigate the anger that her friends directed at her. She kept repeating "Sorry" until Ruby went up to her and pinched both of her cheeks. The older witch unleashed a scathing tirade like an angry mother scolding a wayward child. The snow woman comically shrunk down and could only mutter a weak and almost inaudible "schorry."
Ruby smiled at seeing Mizore's repentance and patted the younger woman on the head.
Kurumu, on the other hand, had one hell of a bitch face. Contempt was etched all over her soft features. It was a feeling that was just all too familiar with her. Jealousy, distrust, annoyance, disdain, anxiety, and many other synonyms all rolled into her clenched fist. And she wanted to clock Mizore in the face with it, just to let her know what she felt.
She didn't know why she suddenly felt that way towards the snow woman, but she didn't like it. The succubus tried her damnedest to fight off the simmering toxic emotions in her gut. There wasn't even any legitimate reason for her to feel that way, well except maybe for the long delay, but still! She breathed in through her nose, slowly filling her lungs and relaxed the tense muscles on her face. A few seconds more was enough to calm her down.
What the hell am I thinking? Fuck this!
She approached the Mizore calmly and bonked her on the head, eliciting an 'ouch' from the snow woman. Then she wrapped her in an embrace completely right after.
Goddamnit… I hate you.
I hate that I love you.
I hate myself for thinking that way.
I'm sorry…
"Kurumu…?"
The succubus broke off the hug placed and both of her hands on Mizore's shoulders, firmly putting pressure on them.
"Hey, Snow Bitch, you're ruining a month's worth of planning." Kurumu's face was horrendously warped with frustration, complete with twitchy eyes and popping veins.
"I'm really sorry! I didn't know where I dropped my wallet!" Mizore at that point was ready to go down on her knees and beg for forgiveness. "I'll do whatever you waaaant!"
Kurumu's face returned to normal "Anything?" She shared knowing glances with each other as if there was telepathy taking place. They all nodded in agreement. Her face became twisted yet again, but it was more sinister than before.
A month before, Kurumu went to Airbnb, which was an online lodging website. She looked through the catalog for any available condominium unit for rent. She found the perfect one at the cheapest price. It even had a karaoke machine. The only rule that the host stressed on was that all guests were required to maintain the cleanliness of the unit.
But when you pair a scheming witch and a box of strong booze, it was a recipe for disaster.
Gulp
Mizore took a shot of the crisp vodka...
...Without any chasers.
Yukari grabbed the shot glass, refilled it and gave it back to the snow woman. Mizore downed the shot in less than a second. The clear liquid left a burning trail as it slid down her throat. The heat traveled to her chest and then to the pit of her stomach. Each shot elicited a throaty "Ahhh" that became more guttural after a few more rounds.
She feared she wouldn't last until the tenth shot.
...
Mizore downed the ninth shot and she gagged. Her face was flushed, but the alcohol had yet to settle in, though she already felt lightheaded and tipsy.
"Just one more!" Yukari, ever the mischievous witch, grabbed a glass –not a shot glass- but a glass and sadistically filled it all the way. "Heh heh heh…" she handed the clear poison to the snow woman.
"You're going to fucking kill me!" Mizore wholeheartedly refused with every fiber of her being.
"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!" as the chanting became louder, the snow woman's mental faculties got battered down slowly. She finally succumbed to the pressure, believing that the bunch of assholes would never stop until she finally drank every last drop of the burning liquid.
"Give me that!" She snatched the glass and chugged it down without pause. The gang was silent, only the sound of gulping filled the room.
"ORAAAAAA!!" Mizore went Super Saiyan and crushed the glass cup in her hand. She let loose a loud, almost monstrous yell akin to the battle cry of the most savage warriors in history. "FUCKING STRONG!"
The raucous twenty something's cheered boisterously at seeing the explosive shift from elegant female into a literal monster woman.
"LET'S FUCKING DO THIS!" she twirled the bottle of vodka and shot the succubus a raging glare. "KURUMU!"
"Wha-"it all happened so fast, she couldn't even finish a sentence let alone a word. The drunken snow woman went behind her and pulled her hair down causing her to release a yelp.
"Wait! Mi-!" Mizore plugged her mouth with the bottle of vodka and poured it down her throat like a funnel. The succubus arms were flailing helplessly, but Mizore was surprisingly strong. The inebriated snow woman pulled the bottle out and Kurumu slumped on the carpet. The strong liquor that went down forcefully left her a twitching, heaping mess.
"WHO'S NEXT?"
Shuzen Manor
Moka Akashiya the "Silver Haired Goddess", as what many people called her, typed incessantly on the keyboard. Her office -slash- room was dimly lit; the only sources of light were the desk lamp right next to her PC and the monitor which was a tad bit bright.
She looked like the type of girl who missed a couple of showers. Her hair was a complete mess. A few strands of her silver hair even stuck to her oily cheeks. It wasn't noticeable under the anti-UV glasses that she wore, but there were dark bags under her eyes. With such an unkempt appearance one could say that she could hardly qualify as a 'goddess'.
But, damn, she was still beautiful.
She took a break from the keyboard clicking and stretched her fingers 'careful not to get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome' as they always said. She looked at the digital clock on the LED monitor.
12:53 AM
She had been typing for almost eight hours and her eyes started to sting once she took of them off the screen. She slumped on her chair, nursing her growing headache.
Her usual routine was to wake up at 5:30 in the AM and then settle down for a bit, check up on Kokoa on what the day held in store for her. It was mostly meetings with different families, most of the time it happened abroad. They'd usually discuss typical vampire stuff like forming alliances and shit like that.
And for the human front, she'd meet with CEO's and other executives for possible business ventures. The Shuzen Family had a century's worth of immeasurable wealth, mainly from the endeavors of the leaders that preceded her.
The family business spanned globally, ranging from housing development to medical and technological research and even environmental preservation.
One of the richest families in the world…
And she had the unfortunate responsibility of managing it all.
Ping!
"Shit..." her moment of reprieve was cut short. The vampire grabbed her phone in mild frustration. "What now?"
[No. 1 Party Anthem - Arctic Monkeys]
It wasn't an email from anyone on the business side of her life but from San. She opened her messenger. San's contact ID indicated that she just sent a video. Moka clicked on the attachment and waited for it to load.
"Hey, Moka! How are you?" She was greeted with the cheerful face of the Siren. There was a commotion happening in the background that forced her to speak up a few volumes.
San panned the phone camera to the rest of the crew.
"ORAAAAA!" Haiji ripped his shirt and joined a wildly drunk Mizore on top of the table while she held Ruby in a headlock. The snow woman shoved a bottle of booze in the witch's mouth and started giving her the same treatment she did with Kurumu.
She moved the camera again and directed it to a blubbering Yukari chugging down a bottle of brandy while she held a microphone on the other hand. The younger slammed the bottle down and continued singing a sappy love song completely out of tune.
"Hey who're you gonna send it to?" Kurumu was heard off camera.
"I'm sending it to Moka!" the screen shook violently. The front camera turned on and it was now facing Kurumu and San.
"Hey, Moka! Ya better get yer ass heeere r-right now!" there was no doubt that the succubus was absolutely hammered. "Just kidding! We know yer buzy and all!"
"Idiots…" Moka watched the video wistfully. The vampire had been thrust far too early in the real world. She wished she could just drop everything and go there right now as Kurumu said. Sadly, her line of work couldn't afford her the opportunity to be just a normal girl.
"We miss you Moka! We hope to see you soon!" San ended the video after waving one last time.
Three knocks came from the door. She placed the phone back on the table and cleared her throat. "Come in!"
"Big sister?" a ginger-haired vampire stuck her head in. It was Kokoa Shuzen, her half-sister. The younger vampire's green eyes glowed vividly against the dark. She went in and flicked on the lights.
"AGGGGHHHH!"Moka quickly covered her eyes; the jarring transition from darkness to light was blinding. It took a while for her vision to process the bright fluorescent light. Seeing this, Kokoa switched off the light again.
"Sorry…"
Her headache grew even worse and she started massaging her temples. "What it is Kokoa?"
"About the meeting with council elders…"
"Oh…that. Can we please move it on another day? I really… really need to sleep. And please tell them that I am perfectly capable of running this family and that I really don't need a man to save me from my woes."
Tokyo
It was nighttime when Tsukune finally got back and once he was there, he walked down the empty hallway and dug for his keys. Then he stopped, suddenly alert and tense. The door hung slightly open. His eyes narrowed and reached for his back holster, pulling out a black 50. Cal Desert Eagle. Dim light peered out of the door as he cautiously entered the room.
He flicked off the safety switch and slowly advanced down the narrow corridor of his condo unit that led to the living room. Tsukune raised the pistol, his stance and general movement were precise and tactical as if he'd been thrown back into a war zone.
He reached the corner and heard some shuffling footsteps in the living room. He closed his eyes, using the black void to determine the youki signatures of the possible hostiles. Five blobs of light appeared and out of the four of them, the one in the center was really, really powerful.
He bolted out of the corner and aimed his weapon at the intruders. The threat of conflict immediately died down as soon as he saw who they were. Tsukune lowered the pistol and pushed back the hammer.
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
Fangfang Huang was relaxing on the sofa. He even had his feet placed on the glass table. Behind him were three of his Qipai wearing bodyguards and his right-hand woman/sister, Lingling Huang. He was the spitting image of his great-grandfather, Tohou Fuhai. One could be forgiven at mistaking him for the Dark Lord himself.
"Nice place you have here."
The ghoul placed the gun back to its holster. "Well, you're the one who bought it." He sat right next to the Yasha. "But you didn't answer my question: what are you doing here?" he looked over to Fangfang's sister "Hey there, Ling." The zombie merely gave him a polite nod.
The mafia don snapped his fingers and removed his legs from the table. One of the bodyguards placed down two bottles of beer in front of them. The caps were already removed and Fangfang wasted no time in chugging one down.
"I landed three hours ago. Knowing that you were already here I thought I'd drop by and do a little housewarming." Fangfang was smiling and it was disgustingly coy.
Tsukune glanced at the bodyguard looking outside the window- he saw that the burly man was holding a briefcase.
The ghoul quickly came to the conclusion that it wouldn't be just a simple "housewarming".
Intermission
SMSC
It was an ordinary workday in the ASFC. Officers were busy monitoring activity on missile launches and providing support for ground troops on operations. The command center was bustling as always with an order being issued here and there and the sound of simultaneous keyboard typing filled the air.
"Ma'am, USA-75 is detecting a launch." One of the officers notified his C.O. Said commanding officer quickly appeared behind him and leaned close to the monitor.
"Launch vehicle type?"
"It's an M3-SII type rocket, ma'am."
"Hmm... That's strange. The UN didn't post any notification about scheduled launches today." The monitor was currently analyzing and pinpointing the bearing and location of the launched orbital vehicle. "Did you check with ITU?" the officer on the station merely shook his head.
The International Telecommunications Union was under a UN treaty. Satellites and other objects launched into space were to be registered there and on the UNOOSA.
"Location?" the commanding officer further inquired.
The computer finished and directed the marker on the northern part of Japan. The screen visualized a dotted line trailing the trajectory of the launched vehicle as it gained optimal altitude, before quickly disappearing from the radar as if it was never there.
"What happened?"
"I don't know." The officer was left perplexed by the rocket dropping out of sight.
"Give me a feed on the nearest satellite." The CO put a hand on her hip and mumbled something under her breath. "What the hell?"
"On it, ma'am." The officer typed away on the keyboard. "The nearest satellite is KH-11; live feed coming in on 3." The CO waited in anticipation as the screen de-pixelated.
There was nothing. It took a few seconds for her to register what had just happened. She blinked a couple of times just to make sure.
"Do we have playback?"
"Yes, ma'am." The officer typed a few more times on the keyboard before scooting over to the monitor interface. He flicked on a few switches and turned the center playback knob counter-clockwise.
The feed went back a few seconds before the mysterious object launched into space. The rest of the command center quickly caught on to what was happening at the particular station and watched with the same tense anticipation as their commanding officer.
Still nothing.
"Could it be a system error?"
"Running diagnostics." He typed as fast as his hands could humanly achieve. After a few seconds, all the boxes were ticked with green checks.
"All clean, ma'am." The officer on the station looked back at the CO, equally confused as her.
There was a sense of foreboding floating in the air.
"Get on the comm."
A/N: I really wanted to give a little bit of focus on Mizore. I feel that she didn't have enough spotlight in the original manga and it's sequel, aside from the arcs dedicated to her.
I already have the entire story planned out and I'll try to update it every month starting now. I've wanted to finish this story since 2012, but new ideas keep appearing so I took my time to build a definitive version of the story. I'll finish this story! I promise!
If you like it, please give me some feedback. It really helps. So please leave a review!
All of the girls will have ample amounts of screen time so don't worry!