-the death-
Giroro- Ganrougel
Keroro- Kurse
Tamama- Taiki
Dororo- Aldmora
Kururu- Krueger
Mois- Molioke
Natsumi sat on the couch, looking at her hands in her lap. Her parents sat in the couch opposite her, eager for what else she could say. To hear that she was fine, that no one was hurt, that maybe this was just another monster ready to show that there was good in them. Fuyuki stood behind them with Kurse. Koyuki sat beside Natsumi with a glass of water and pain relieving tablets for her. Ganrougel stood right behind Natsumi but kept his eyes closed as he listened for anything outside of the house.
"Natsumi," Haru began as he leaned closer. His voice was soft and calm. "Your friend here said it ignored humans who couldn't see it. What else can you tell us?"
"I-i don't know. I don't even know why they couldn't see it. It was right in front of us." Natsumi stuttered as she tried to focus on the moment.
"Some creatures can hide behind a veil. Only people who have spent time around monsters or magic are able to see every monster. What did it look like? Maybe I know what kind it is and we can get this all straightened." Haru smiled with genuine warmth and care.
"It-" Natsumi took a deep breath. "It looked like a giant bull."
Haru stiffened. The smile gone and his complexion paled. He stood up and left for the hallway, only Aki followed him.
"Don't go after it." Aki voice pleaded from behind the door.
"I have to Aki." Haru's monotone voice muttered through the wall. Somewhere around the stairs Natsumi had guessed.
"No you don't. You just got back home, spend some time with your family. Get to know your kids." Aki's voice was stern.
"I'm going after it to protect my family." Haru slammed the door open as he returned to the living room. He dropped a large bag onto the couch he was previously sitting on. "I'm not letting him take anymore people."
Haru ripped the bag open, revealing his collection of weapons. Guns and blades meshed into a pile with boxes of ammunition sprinkled in.
"Dad?" Natsumi stood up. "Give me a knife, I'm coming with you."
"No you're not." Ganrougel's eyes snapped open as he barked. "You don't have control of your magic and you haven't been trained to fight properly."
"I learned enough on my own." Natsumi clenched her fists.
"Don't worry, I won't let him go alone. I'll fight with him." Ganrougel sighed.
"That's super cool of you but I won't sit on the side like a child!" Natsumi argued.
"You also have a headache." Ganrougel reminded her.
"I'll get over it! Humans get headaches all the time." Natsumi shouted.
"If you two can stop your fighting, get this kid off of me!" Krueger spoke up from the hall. He was wearing a large trench coat the nearly trailed on the ground, hiding his legs and extra arm completely. The hood covered his head and kept the tentacles from view until he pulled it back. He Kept Fuyuki away by holding Fuyuki's head as the teen scribbled in his notebook and took in every detail.
"How do you know where I live?!" Haru held out a blade towards Krueger, who shoved Fuyuki slightly so he could enter the room.
"Wait? Do you know him?" Natsumi questioned her father in surprise.
"I didn't until I knew you were related to her after I tested her DNA." Krueger answered with an amused grin.
"Do you know him?!" Haru demanded as he turned to Natsumi.
"Oh yeah~ Plot twist I know both of you." Krueger chuckled to himself.
Natsumi crossed her arms and glared her father down. "I'll let you go first."
Haru sighed. "I did promise no secrets. Fine, Krueger was the one who taught me everything about monsters. He has a database on just about every type you will find on this planet. He can even track them down and would give me tips if he felt generous enough or if he wanted something from me."
"Alright." Natsumi nodded, accepting his honesty. "Ganrougel introduced me to him so I could learn more about what different kinds of monsters were out there. The more I know the better I'll be."
"You introduced her to other monsters?! I don't care of Krueger is useful, I don't want my daughter around such dangerous people!" Haru turned to Ganrougel.
"I'm not going to stop her from learning about the world. I only want to help and protect her as she grows stronger." Ganrougel looked down on Haru. He glanced to Krueger. "Why are you here anyway?"
"Something came up on my computers." Krueger's grin thinned as he gave a more serious tone. "Something that hasn't come up in a long time."
"Well don't be so ominous, what was it?" Natsumi huffed.
"Haru, it's definitely what you think it is." Krueger affirmed Haru's fear.
"Kids... come with me." Aki whispered as she started gesturing to the windows. No sunlight was coming through them. The sky was clear but the roads and ground were shadowed over. She waved to Natsumi and Koyuki. "You too hun. Let's all get in the basement."
Ganrougel pulled a couple of blades from his back and walked towards the glass doors. Haru quickly geared up and joined his side. They glanced over everything in view.
"My headaches gone..." Natsumi whispered and froze as she felt something change behind her. She turned just in time to see the wall cracking slowly. Bit by bit until it all shattered and revealed the beastly bull she ran by earlier.
It grinned eerily down on her. "So you were the spawn I was smelling out. You played along nicely as an everyday human chick."
"You were hunting me?" Natsumi asked softly.
"Yes." The bull chuckled. "But really you were just the link for my real target."
"NATSUMI!" Haru and Ganrougel shouted as they ran for her. The bull's eyes landed directly on Haru.
"There he is. The little human I left years ago to grow angry and desperate to kill me. I was bored so I thought it might be time to snuff you out finally." The bull smiled wider, until he noticed Ganrougel stepping in front of Natsumi. "No..."
"Natsumi go to your mother." Ganrougel whispered as he gently pushed Natsumi away.
"No. I want to help." Natsumi struggled to keep her knees from shaking but didn't want to run away.
"No...!" The bull's eyes narrowed in anger.
"You can help by stepping aside for now. Please." Ganrougel urged.
"Why are you here?!" The bull cried out and stepped towards Ganrougel and Natsumi.
Haru acted quickly and stabbed a blade into the bull's arm. "You want me remember?"
The bull ignored the knife in his arm and knocked Haru away, sending him into the wall. Haru went limp on the floor. Krueger worked with Kurse to remove Aki, Fuyuki, and Koyuki from the danger. The bull kept his gaze to Ganrougel.
"Why do you suddenly care about me?" Ganrougel gulped. He was good at fighting but he wasn't used to having someone he needed to protect right behind him during the battle. "I don't know you."
"You don't?" The bull pulled away slightly. "How could you forget? You were the one who turned me into this."
Ganrougel froze. He looked over the rough body of a bull standing on it's hind legs. Tufts of fur randomly stuck under crude stitches that held the body together. "I... I couldn't have."
"You really don't remember?" The bull almost laughed. "You're a poor excuse of the soldier you once were if you can't remember your own masterpiece."
Ganrougel went cold under the words. He didn't know what to think or do. Natsumi listened from behind him. She could feel her best friend shudder under her fingertips.
"I guess I won't kill you if you don't remember yet. It'll give me the chance to really build up a good and permanent death for you." The bull smirked. He pulled the knife from his arm and threw it at Haru, expertly stabbing his chest. "And now I don't have any other toys or distractions, Corporal Giroro."
The bull turned and left swiftly disappearing from sight. Ganrougel stood frozen, listening to the words echoing in his head. Natsumi covered her face as tears stung her eyes and stained her cheeks. She approached Haru's body with weak knees and fell beside him. She looked at the knife and then at his wide and empty eyes. It was quick and left blood pooling around him. Natsumi couldn't scream or even whisper anything. She didn't want to touch him and make it real.
The world seemed so slow to her now. Even as the sunlight returned and Aki ran to her side, screaming and desperately holding Haru in her arms. She watched Fuyuki join them and try to say anything that would make their father wake up and miraculously return to life. Soon a tall figure stood close by and waited. He wore a long deep blue cloak, in his hand was a golden staff with a crescent moon on the end.
Natsumi was able to speak with a dull and coarse voice. "Who are you?"
The others noticed the man's presence and looked to him with confused and sorrowful eyes.
"I'm known as the King of terror." The man spoke calmly through his long white beard. "Your name is Natsumi right?"
"How do you know me?" Natsumi asked.
"I've heard so much lately about you from my daughter, Molioke. Can you tell me where she is? I need her help right now." The old man placed a gentle hand on Natsumi's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I don't know." Natsumi looked to her father again, feeling empty and useless.
"I know where she is but I don't want to get her. I guess I should though. It's my fault she isn't already here doing her job." Krueger huffed as he walked out of the hole in the wall. He scanned the sky for a moment before looking to the moon. "Hey, you're needed down here if you haven't noticed since you get distracted easily. The girl needs you and I know you like helping people."
After a moment of no response, Krueger's eyebrow twitched. He took a deep breath and gruffly muttered. "I'm sorry ok? I need your help and you're not empty headed."
Suddenly a small light drifted closer and closer from the moon. Details became clearer and the light became Molioke. She smiled happily as she quickly hugged Krueger.
"I still didn't say you could hug me!" Krueger tried to pry the girl from him. "Go help them!"
"Molioke, it's time for him." The old man chuckled softly.
"Ok daddy~" Molioke drifted over to Natsumi and kneeled beside her. "Don't worry."
Natsumi was confused and watched as the old man lifted his staff over his head. She flinched when he plunged it down to Haru's chest. Aki cried more until she saw the moon of the spear didn't enter his body but seemed caught in something else. The old man tugged until a warm red line formed over Haru. Molioke seemed to reach her glittering arms inside and soon pulled out a small orb of golden light. She moved her hands around it as if to shape it. It wasn't long until it resembled a star.
Molioke stood up and looked to Natsumi. "Want to see something beautiful?"
Natsumi nodded and followed Molioke outside. Molioke held up the star and spoke softly. "You know where to go now."
The star shot from her hand and off into the sky, leaving a trail of energy behind it. Natsumi could feel more tears, watching a burst of bright light as it joined the other stars above her.
"When someone dies, I take what you would call the soul and put it in their own space in the stars until they've burnt out and are ready to come back and start another life." Molioke smiled cheerfully. "Your dad will be up there for a really long time too. He'll shine extra bright too so you can't miss him."
"Thank you." Natsumi hugged Molioke tightly as she cried. "That's such a beautiful thing."
Molioke stood with Natsumi as she watched the sky and memorized where she could find her father's star.