Chapter Twenty-Two: Counterpoint Four

"I don't know why I want you so. Cause I don't need the heartbreak. I don't know what addictive hold you have on me I can't shake. No, I'm not in control. Release me, release my body, I know it's wrong so why do I keep coming back. I say release me cause I'm not able to convince myself that I'm better off without you."

-Release Me Lyrics (Artist: Agnes)

Albel Nox

The gentle orange glow at the end of a cigarette and the small curl of smoke it left in the air was the only sign Albel was even standing in the shadowed alley where he'd settled himself. It was one of the worst neighborhoods in Tokyo and took a little walking and creative bus scheduling to get to. It was worth it though, he was waiting idly, and eventually he'd attract the attention he was after, negative attention. Woe be it to those that found him in that obscured passage.

The young warrior was angry to say the least, the claw like weapons he used were already summoned and he was deftly taking a draw of the cigarette while using them to hold it. It took the hands capable of being quite delicate to truly be monstrous as well; his were quite capable in both regards. He liked holding the smoke in his lungs a moment after he pulled it in, the slight burning was nice. Albel had always liked a little pain with his pleasure, and tonight was no different. Right now it was his pain with the cigarette, once someone crossed him, it would be their pain; still gratifying for him on both counts.

Kagome had escaped his watch because she decided to choose today to be a fickle bitch and walk home. It was only his second time on watch, she hadn't deviated the other few days according to the reports and he figured she was going to remain busy in the library. Worse was when he actually called and asked glasses worthless nerd ass for help all the velvet wearing pussy had to say was that she was fine and happy where she was.

His shift was almost over so he had to report the bullshit to Jade. When it was mentioned that he could come along to keep an eye on her Albel had passed on the option.

"Let the ruby eyed bastard deal with it his damn self. Why the fuck should I care if I'm not on shift for her?" Albel was growing more frustrated the longer he talked about it. Caring was exactly why he had a problem with it. He'd been informed as to the spell that was cast on her and he was on the team of 'kill the fucking kami that did it'. Sadly the rest didn't think that was a workable option so he was stuck with touchy feely feelings that made him want to gut rabbits.

Worse was that he knew it wasn't his feelings, knew it wasn't real, and wanted to go find her and protect her while pinning her to a wall with his pelvis. He also wouldn't have minded a number of other things that she wouldn't have all preferred. If that Rufus fuck hadn't interrupted he'd of already had her. He both did and didn't want to win her, though it would be nice to have the rest of the useless scum gape like the fools they were if he did.

He assumed whoever she had sex with first would win; she was obviously a virgin and what better way to express love than spreading her legs. Though he wasn't sure, she'd warmed up to him pretty fast in that basement, perhaps she was just a slut that could act more innocent than she really was. Either way, it only made him simmer more and more.

Eventually he let out a long breath of steam, taking in the cool air quickly enough that it also burned his lungs. Likely, such an approach would make many men sick, but he was my no means average. He was waiting, he'd learned through several victims of his violence today that this area often was where Rufus' minions would meet. Patience was a virtue he could muster when it came to finding and gutting his enemies. He wanted that blonde little brat to die screaming on the ends of his claws.

Seto Kaiba

Kaiba hadn't seen Kagome for a while, she was gone because of the school issues and he didn't have any real reason to visit her house. He'd tried to call to talk to her but only another girl from the school would answer the phone that was staying over for the break. Winry something from some of the classes, another new student like himself and many others since other schools in the city had closed.

It had seemed odd that Kagome was never there to answer her own phone and now he knew why. His team that had gone to investigate her reported back that a strange group of people were lingering around her house and that they couldn't get too close. Further investigation of those individuals and a fair amount of cash invested later and Kaiba had discovered they were part of a government group that researched and dealt with supernatural occurrences.

Years ago he'd of pushed it off as nothing, but not since he'd finished his days of playing Duel Monsters in tournaments. He had seen too much to think that the supernatural was no longer real. So if they were there, and they kept going into a shack on her property that contained a well – more investigation – then there was something believed to be wrong with it?

What irritated Kaiba the most is that he had no real way of contacting her without playing his hand that he knew. He wasn't sure that was a hand at all. He didn't really have much he could do against magicians and gifted fighters as the files claimed all of them to be. A couple even posing as teachers, which was frustrating. He had to be careful not to let on that he knew anything. As it was he was still having the organization they were with researched.

He would have to keep an eye on Kagome though, was she supernatural as well? That seemed unlikely after she'd nearly drowned in the sea; she looked human enough when he saw her. There were also the lies about her sickness to contend with though. Did he have a crush on a girl he had no real chance of knowing? It was bothering the young CEO more than he would openly admit.

What then to do about it? He could keep calling, but so far her mother had picked up and he'd already left a message for her. He would seem like a creepy stalker if he kept it up. As it was his workers would let him know when she returned home again. He planned to ask her to the winter formal in a few weeks. It would happen a few days before the holiday break began…though he was rather uncertain if she would have the slightest interest in it. Here he'd always said he'd have no interest in women…but he couldn't get this one out of his mind.

Lezard Valeth

Lezard muttered another colorful phrase to himself about the 'blue haired upstart joke of an archer' as he tugged off his jacket and began to fold back the sleeves of the work shirt underneath it. The expensive velvet overcoat discarded to the floor as he moved toward the basement, it was the area of his home no one, not even himself, could safely teleport into. He breezed his hands over the arcane marks along the frame swiftly, unlocking the mystical combination he'd left there before passing through the arch.

"I can't let the fool get to me." Lezard spoke lightly, but as there was no one in his home to overhear him. He didn't mind talking to himself aloud, it wasn't as if the other creatures in the house were good conversationalists and they didn't make much noise so it was helpful to his concentration. "I'm nearly done with this body…so many prototypes to reach this one…as long as nothing goes wrong with the final adjustments I set in my goddess will have a much more suitable form soon."

He moved down the stairs, casting off his cloak on the stairs as well, his servants would come along and collect them, the monster like chimera he'd pieced together from various creatures, with only the barest understanding left in their minds so they could serve him.

In the basement it looked like a mad scientist's laboratory. There were large containers all over, many of the capsules were quite large where a variety of things could fit, even the smallest of them all could fit a human, and the largest could likely fit an elephant. Most weren't used, but a few had disfigured creatures within that were blends of other animals. There was a lot of equipment, all of it state of the art which was a strange combination to the arcane symbols worked into almost every surface. Lezard had learned to combine technology with magic quite quickly. Child's play for him; the man that had crafted the Philosophers stone and stolen his immortality from the gods themselves had little trouble adjusting to the modern realm.

At first it hadn't appealed to him, too much chance to get caught, but Kagome had changed that. She was his goddess, and soon she would have the body to show to match her brilliant personality. He came around a corner of one of the rows of capsules and smiled at the large bed in a separated area he'd summoned for the body laying on top of the thick blankets. The body itself was much as Kagome's was, the same measurements, no taller, no differently proportioned. Though her body was face down her head was tilted to one side – it too was a perfect copy of Kagome aside from a few details. As opposed black hair the copy had pale silvery locks that glimmered lightly in the pale lighting of the laboratory. Her eyebrows, the small hairs on her arms, her legs, all of it was silver, and to further change the appearance, there were a pair of wings coming from her back that were the same pale platinum. Her eyes were closed and the body was breathing, otherwise there were a few tubes coming from it, keeping it alive while it didn't have a soul to possess it.

Its skin was exceptionally pale compared to Kagome's but as it'd never seen sunlight that wasn't a shock. The chimera was developing well, better than the rest of the failed experiments he'd had to use for something else or toss out. He couldn't feed the failed bodies for his goddess to the dogs, they might think to eat Kagome then when she visited.

"Yes, it's nearly complete my sweet." Lezard said, stroking the cheek of the sleeping form and trailing his fingers over the body appreciatively though the body didn't, and in fact couldn't, reply in any way. "So soon now…I'll have the systems ready and you will be able to transcend your mortal body my Kagome."

He leaned down and pulled up the body just enough to kiss it passionately despite it's lack of a response, then petted the hair back as he set down the copy gently. "Soon…I promise you."

Ghaleon/Jade Curtiss

"We have our hands full." Jade was agreeing. The subject of Kagome was more complex than either of them could have anticipated. "As far as I can tell the creature was right, unless she picks one individual the spell will remain and just get stronger."

"What does choosing entail then?" Ghaleon replied with a frown. "We can't know what the spell considers that either."

"Well, I doubt her just speaking to someone like they're a pokemon will be the answer." Jade commented with a smirk.

"Stop being facetious Curtiss." Ghaleon replied. "You know it's only a matter of time before it turns to violence. Albel is already out hunting Rufus. For now he's pointed his claws at our enemies but it is only a matter of time before the rabid dog starts to see everyone as an enemy."

"This winter formal will complicate things." Jade observed thoughtfully. "We should set up some sort of contest at the school for boys to take out the girl of their choice. Some completely random contest like a raffle, the girls that participate get extra credit and the boys have to pay for tickets."

"It would help diffuse the need for her to pick a specific boy." Ghaleon answered with a small nod of his own. "Though it would be better if she didn't go at all, then there would be even less of an issue."

"We can't tell her just not to have a life." Jade replied with a shrug, grinning a little more. "Besides, it's more fun this way."

"I thought leaders were supposed to be serious." Ghaleon commented coolly, frowning at the Colonel.

"I think it was more my ability to retain a clear head. Perhaps you've been more subtle, but you've been trying for Kagome's attention no less than the rest of them." Jade commented observantly, amused at the slightly surprised expression he got from the poker faced albino, even if it was only for a moment. "None of you have obfuscated your actions as much as you would like but you're her teacher Ghaleon, have you thought about how badly it will reflect on her if someone did see you?"

"I'll repeat those words to you one day. I've seen the way you look at her when you think no one is watching you." It was Ghaleon's turn to smirk at a pair of raised brows. "You aren't nearly as unreadable as you'd like Curtiss. You may have a certain delicate nuance to your actions, but don't pretend you aren't affected."

Sephiroth

Sephiroth eyed the holes in the door of his apartment in distaste, he'd send the bills to Rufus and the blonde brat would pay them or he'd send him to join his father. The green eyed warrior sighed, why he'd betrayed Rufus at all was on his mind. Kagome, she was clearly why, and even with the knowledge that his emotions were the result of an enchantment he had a hard time denying them.

The group she was with was obviously capable. Albel wasn't as strong as he was, the claw fighter could hold his own for a while but Sephiroth would win if it was one on one. The wizard's are more what concerned him, all of them had been quite capable and unless he caught them off guard it could go poorly for him. He couldn't reasonably hurt them anyway; it would only turn Kagome against him. Regardless of his feelings, it was clear that she cared about the group of supernatuals around her. Sephiroth was planning to move, he was just here to check and see if any of his stashes of weapons or money had been left. He couldn't trust remaining here now that he'd crossed Rufus. It was just a matter of time before he became a target of Shinra.

Rufus wouldn't give up easily either, it was likely that very soon Kagome would be targeted by even more of them. He'd shared the information with Jade, they had started to keep watch on her, so Sephiroth was helping to protect her, but he needed to do research of his own now…he didn't want to be under this spell. Now that he knew it was controlling him in any way he wanted to crush it out. He'd be getting anything left here and then going to visit the headquarters to find out what he could.

Ishida Uryuu

Ishida was down the hall in his room before he took a deep steadying breath. His face was filled with enough blood that he was a little dizzy, he'd just moved before Kagome kissed him.

If she would have pressed her lips to his he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from pushing her down and taking her right there. As it was, without even thinking about it he'd drifted back up the hall to her door and paused. He was hesitant to put much faith in love curses, yet his actions and feelings were making him a swift convert. Still, she'd been about to kiss him, that means she wanted him in some way right?

If he hadn't hear her crying inside he might still had gone in and taken advantage of her. His body deflated from the slightly aggressive stance it had adopted on his stalk back to the room when he heard the soft muffled sobs on the other side of the door. The girl definitely didn't need some horny boy making a bad situation hellish. He told his body to calm down, not that it did much good, and as much as he wanted to step in and comfort her he knew that was unwise.

What one knows and understands isn't always what one does.

He reached down and opened the door.

End Chapter

Important!

I will be having some events that happen in the fiction based off of what readers want. Not all, but some. In this case I need people to tell me who they'd rather stay around longer: Lezard Valeth or Ghaleon! Please let me know what you'd prefer, if I don't get any votes or get equal either way I'm just going to roll a dice.

Whee, I enjoy doing the counterpoint chapters but the more guys I add the harder they become, more people to work on. Oh well, at least its fun difficulty!

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Kuroneko388 – They'll come in after the winter break, new semester new students seemed logical.

Sin of the Fallen – They all have reasons. Kagome's a main one for most of them but Albel. He just wants to deny his feelings mostly. Others have other plots going on – like Lezard.

Angel – Yeah Ishida is pretty awesome, though they're all that imo.

Black Firelight – Well this last chapter should have been awesome then, all viewpoints of the guys. Counterpoint chapters are some of the most fun (and difficult) to write.

Kagome midnight fox – Need to know how to help at all : P