Chapter 14

She could feel and see the changes occurring in her, but she didn't understand why. Not that she was complaining. She just wanted to know where her tail went and why. Her wings were dotted with small, soft, white feathers and her horns had started to take on a beautifully, brilliant golden sheen. What exactly was happening to her?

~xoxo~

He was confused. He no longer had his tail and his horns were starting to turn gold. Soft white feathers were starting to replace the hardened black and silver that graced his wings. Never in his life had this happened. His body was changing and he had no explanation for it.

Maria Takarada, lay on the floor of her bedroom, spent from the spell she had cast. She hadn't been able to do anything for her mother, but she could do lots of things for her Onee-sama and her Ren-sama. That stupid vampire boy would start to feel the effects almost immediately. She smirked at the thoughts of the outcome, wondering what his reaction would be, considering he was such a proud creature.

~xoxo~

In the darkened apartment of a vampiric VK artist, lay a young man, shivering from the cold. A new experience for him. He wrapped more tightly in the blankets of his bed in his deep sleep and dreamt of a strange little girl dancing around a cauldron, reciting an odd poem, in an ancient language. At the end, when the green goo bubbled over the sides and she'd stopped, he awakened in a panicked state.

"W-What the hell was that?" He breathed out with a painful feeling in his lungs. They were burning and the muscles in his chest were sore. He gripped the cloth of his pajamas and felt a strange pulsing sensation in his chest. "W-What's happening?!" He rolled over, sprang from his bed and flipped on the light. The skin on his hands and arms was a strange pinkish color, not its normal pale that is was before he'd had his morning feeding.

He stripped off his clothing and stared into his floor to ceiling mirror. To his shock, his entire body was suffering from this change. His skin tingled as he ran his hand over it. His hair was soft and silky, but had returned to its original color of dusty brown. His fingernails were no longer brittle and hard, and his eyes no longer had the reddish tint he'd seen his entire life. Blue, they were just blue. A bright, brilliant blue.

"No... No, no, no, no... What's happening to me?!" He threw on his robe and dashed out of his bedroom, shocking his manager that sat on the sofa, drinking her coffee, and enjoying her quiet-time, as she watched the morning news.

"Sho! What is..." She gave him a strange look and sniffed. "There's something different about you... You smell... different." She stood and something flashed in her eyes. Something that felt dangerous to him.

Sho shivered. "Sh-Shoko-san, something's happened to me. Help." He almost sounded like a small, lost child and it pulled her from her state.

She growled a little, then sighed. "Don't worry, we'll find out what's going on... Did you consume anything out of the ordinary?"

He shook his head. "Everything was fine when I went to bed last night."

She nodded. "Okay... Well, get dressed. I'll call the doctor and make an appointment to get you in today. I'm sure it's nothing serious."

He relaxed a bit more. She had a plan. She would take care of him and find out what was happening to him.

It was only a few weeks before the Winter Solstice, the days during which Maria's and Princess Kyoko's birthdays fell, and Kuu Hizuri had just arrived. The cover story was, that he was there to put his stage-name to rest, but he and only a few others knew the true purpose. He was there to confirm that this new actress Kyoko, was actually Lady Kyoko/Princess Kyoko. Lory kept going on and on about how the Princess had been found, and her parents wanted an impartial eye to evaluate the situation before they actually allowed their hopes to rise.

She wasn't exactly the sweet, bubbly child he'd met all those years ago, when both sets of parents met and decided to arrange the union of the two families. It wasn't a careless decision. The arrangement was made after many hours of observing the children. They were fortunate enough that both enjoyed each other's company. They got along well and it was almost as if they'd known each other from another life. Like they were soul mates. Now she seemed as scarred, and as jaded as Kuon. Perhaps they were soul mates after all. He seriously wondered what had happened to her and what she'd experienced to make her so cynical towards others.

He didn't like the fact that she'd darkened enough to have demons at her disposal so young. He would have preferred that she acquire something like that much later in life, but beggars can't be choosers. He decided that this was indeed the princess. There was no doubt in his mind. He could see Saena and Kazu, clearly in her features. There was no mistaking that. Not only that, she had a perfect mix of their abilities.

"DNA?" Kuu asked shortly.

Lory nodded and pulled out a baggy with a couple of small grey feathers and a piece of paper with results. "Done, and only needs to be presented. I know how they've been mislead over the years. What do you take me for Kuu?"

"You know we have to be thorough. I'm just making sure." Kuu retorted.

"Would you like to see her training sessions?" Lory asked excitedly as he turned on his main monitor.

Kuu chuckled and nodded. "You're almost as bad as I am with Kuon."

He was stunned when Lory showed him the video that had been taken of her sessions with Kuon. They were almost two of a kind, in perfect sync during their training sessions. It would seem that his beautiful son was returning, proudly. It would also seem that the princess was pulling him away from the darkness, just as he seemed to be pulling her.

"You noticed?" Lory smirked as he puffed on the cigar he'd lit with a flame on the tip of his index finger, after snapping said fingers.

Kuu nodded. "Their feathers are changing. I noticed the absence of their tails on the two of them in that last video."

Lory nodded. "I'm looking forward to seeing what other changes come about in the two. They seem to be good for each other, but they still cannot see exactly what is causing those changes." He smirked.

Kuu narrowed his eyes at him, before grabbing another plate of food. "And what would that be?" He asked a little confused.

Lory sighed. "How in all of the realms did you woo Julie, being so unromantic? Kuu, they love each other. Even the attendants at the training centers can see it. You and they seem to be the only ones that can't."

Kuu's eyes went wide. "OOOhhhh..."

Lory chuckled. "So, now do you believe me when I say that she is the princess?"

Kuu smiled. "There's no doubt about it. She's stunning like her mother, and talented like them both."

Little heart-shaped smoke clouds floated around Lory and he smiled widely. "And they are naturally drawn to each other." He added. "They have a bit of a trial before them though. I think that Fuwa Sho boy did a lot of damage to her, and he continues to claim that she's his property, his slave."

Kuu's brow furrowed. "A slave?" He growled out. "How dare..."

Lory held up his hand. "He is a spoiled, and only child of wealthy parents. He has only recently been introduced to failure and Kyoko was the one to be able to serve it to him. He didn't take it well. To say the least."

"What happened?" Kuu growled.

"He got a little physical." He held up his hand once again. "Not to worry, Reino has been keeping the boy busy; however, you should know that he's asked his father to make a proposal for her hand. Although, he will stand down if she chooses Kuon, but he will go after her with vigor until she does so." He explained.

Kuu groaned. "And let me guess, Kuon is being very judicious in his actions."

Lory nodded.

Kuu sighed out. "The one time he can't afford to, he does! Why can't he be aggressive in love?!"

Lory laughed. "Kuu, have you not realized that your own son has never truly been in love? He didn't even know he was in love until that first episode of Dark Moon! It took him nearly a week to figure it out and he still didn't know that's what it was!"

Kuu flopped onto the sofa and sighed. "They're going to take forever, aren't they?"

"You aren't worried about Reino?" Lory asked a little curiously.

Kuu shook his head. "Not really. When Kuon wants to do something, he always succeeds. I have confidence that he would fight for her if he has to."

Lory nodded. "I suppose you're right."