Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for not posting last week, just came back from Japan! Yes I bought lots of merchandise *screams at my chibi Rin figurine next to me*! Anyway, this chapter signifies the end of the first arc so after this I'll be taking a break as my trials are coming up.

I know I owe you guys a Christmas Special but due to special reasons I can't post it yet, if not it'll spoil everything! So remember I owe you guys one!

I'm thinking of reviving my Free! fanfiction series, should I? Anyway, enjoy this chapter! Oh yeah, and if you want to find great anime merchandise in Japan just PM me, I can tell you where 3

Big shout out to Guest whom always leaves a review on every chapter, you really motivate me!

Shigeru's POV

The Jorogumo bundles me together with her silk threads as she cackles, all the while doing this in midair. I thrash about, trying to escape her clutches but she relentlessly clings onto me, determined to wrap me up like a piece of pork strung up in a butcher's shop. Well, that's what I'll be if I don't move quickly!

Shit, shit, shit. I need to get out of this mess quick! Before she completely binds my wings together! I try myself to transform into my other form but somehow my power is blocked, fatigue overtaking my senses swiftly. The venom is draining me of my energy. If only I had enough feathers, then I might be able to turn the tables…

That's when a brilliant plan forms in my mind. She still hasn't completely restrained me yet, I still can afford one more shot! I spot the Inugami standing not far off, mumbling and chanting as he keeps the spell working on me.

I need to take out that Inugami!

I take aim, locking in on my target as I struggle to get a good visual, wiggling my way out of the whore-spider's grip. I only have one shot at this! The feather soars through the air, piercing the Inugami's eye.

The Inugami's pained howls sends chills down my spine as it claws at its face, attempting to yank out the feather in its now mangled eye. A tingling sensation rushes through me as my feathers start to regenerate again, springing out like flowers in spring. Yes, I managed to sever the link! I broke the incantation!

I extend my wings to their full length, breaking out of the Jorogumo's cocoon and her grasp. More feathers break out across my face as my wings grow larger, creating a trail down my neck and across my arms. The blade like feathers slice the whore-spider's limbs and body, magenta blood spraying out of her wounds like a fountain, splattering on the floor to paint a gruesome picture. With a cry, she falls to the ground and lands with a sickening crash on her back, legs curled upwards disgustingly, becoming completely still.

As I land on the ground soundlessly, folding my wings, I turn and look at the Inugami. It whimpers, cowering before me, body hunched as it holds a paw over its injured eye. I feel no pity for it, as Tsuki had nearly died at their hands but I'm not here to kill. All I came here was to rescue Tsuki, I shouldn't kill unnecessarily.

"P-Please… S-Spare me… I'll do anything for ya…" The mongrel whines sorrowfully at my mercy, slobber dripping down from its open maw and magenta blood gushing from its wounded eye.

"Then lift the charm on Tsuki, mutt."

The mongrel gives a snivel before muttering words under its breath shakily.

"There. Da girl should wake when ya touch her. So don't kill me, alright?"

"I'm not going to kill you. But that doesn't mean I forgive you. I'll be keeping an eye on you." I drift away from it, turning my back on the corpse of the Jorogumo and flying to Tsuki's side. The torches surrounding her have all been extinguished save for one that still burns weakly.

Tsuki's still exactly how I left her: Still gleaming in the moonlight, her hair like a silver ocean, eyes closed as if in sleep, levitating in the air as if in a space with zero-gravity. I slowly reach out and she magically floats down gently into my open arms. I can feel the weight of her and the smoothness of her skin, the silkiness of her silver locks as she dozes lightly against me.

"I got you, Tsuki." I whisper, smiling gently to myself. It was all worth it. Tsuki's finally safe in my arms, safe from any evil-

"And I got you, bird!" Like a shot, silk fibers fly through the air but I whip around, using my wings to slash them away in time, leaping backwards and becoming airborne.

The Jorogumo crawls up painfully from its position, cursing as her sniping attempt had failed.

"That girl STAYS! If not the Master will skin our hides!" The whore-spider hisses at me, drawing closer with every step, her humanoid face that of a madwoman, her hair wild and her eyes bloodshot in insanity.

"And ya gonna get it now, you punk!" The Inugami barks in triumph, all signs of weakness evaporating in a split second.

That ungrateful mutt. I grind my teeth in annoyance. Next time, remind me not to go easy on you.

Just then, Tsuki starts to stir. She gives a moan and her eyes flutter open, giving a big yawn. Still groggy with fatigue, her beautiful red eyes then start to focus on me and they widen in shock.

"Shigeru! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HOLDING ME!? GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME AND PUT ME DOWN!" She yells, landing her fists on me mercilessly. I wince in pain as she hits one of my injuries. Boy, is she unappreciative! I charge headfirst into danger when she gets kidnapped and this is how she repays me!?

"OI! What are you doing HITTING ME!?" I vociferate, refusing to put her down. The Jorogumo and the Inugami freeze as they witness our banter, faces expressing surprise. All of a sudden, Tsuki pauses for a moment and exclaims.

"AH!" Her face starts to display disturbance as she suddenly remembers something. The grogginess must be wearing off and she recalls everything now.

"W-What happened…" She stutters as she looks down at the ground, her long hair obscuring the expression on her face as she shivers in my arms. Poor Tsuki… This is going to be so traumatic for her, being kidnapped, drugged and nearly killed. My heart goes out to the little bundle in my arms.

"It's alright, Tsuki-chan…" I stroke her hair and say reassuringly trying to comfort the trembling Tsuki when she suddenly interrupts me.

"…TO MY CHOCOLATE!? Where's my chocolate? Where is it!?" She squeals, her eyes blazing with anger.

Eh!? What!?

Tsuki glances around and finally spots the pair of yokai, pointing a finger at them.

"HEY YOU! You took my chocolate, didn't you? GIVE ME BACK MY CHOCOLATE! You chocolate thieves! I'll get you for this!" Tsuki shouts frantically like a mad person that just escaped from an asylum. All the two yokai can do is blink in confusion.

I'm completely dumbfounded. I just rescued her from being sacrificed and all she can think of is CHOCOLATE!? Is she menta!? Did the spell damage her common sense? What is wrong with her!?

"Do you take us for fools, you little runt? I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR LOOKING DOWN ON US!" The Jorogumo roars, making a beeline for us along with the Inugami. Time to split, I think.

"No can do. Catch you around, guys. And tell your stupid Master that he won't be getting Tsuki anytime soon, because she's mine!" I give them a smirk as I rise upwards through the hole in the roof, leaving the two demented yokai swearing away beneath me. Tsuki gives a cry of fear and clings onto me tightly when she sees how far down the ground is.

"PUT ME DOWN, SHIGERU! RIGHT NOW! THIS INSTANT! AND WHAT'S WAS THAT WITH ME BEING YOURS!? I DON'T BELONG TO YOU, IDIOT!" She screams at me agitatedly, blabbering on like a chicken that lost its head. Maybe I should bring Tsuki flying more often, this is really fun! She's so funny and cute! But I decide not to poke fun at her anymore, even though she's unaware of it, she did have a rough day. I alight on a rooftop and try to set her down but she doesn't budge.

"I-It's r-really h-high up here. I'll just stay like this. Not because I like it but I'm too tired to move." She mumbles. Ah, she's so cute.

"You know what just happened, right?" I ask her tiredly.

"Hai! Someone tried to steal my chocolate by drugging me! Those insolent bastards! I'll get them someday! My chocolate! I was just going to sink my teeth into it! My wonderful chocolate…" She rambles on and on. So she really has no idea, does she?

3rd Person POV

As the Jorogumo and the Inugami watch helplessly as Shigeru, carrying Tsuki bridal-style flies out of the warehouse, they survey the destruction around them briefly. The place is in a wreck, a disaster zone as dead oni corpses lie everywhere, pools of magenta blood staining the ground. The magic circle, initially drawn in crimson blood is now smeared with the blood of pure yokai, rendering it useless. The Jorogumo lets out a wail of chagrin.

"Great! Just great! We let the sacrifice get away! Now the Master will really have our heads," She turns to the Inugami and shrieks, "It's all your fault! If you haven't broken the spell, he wouldn't have been able to fight back!"

"What ma fault!? It's ya fault! If ya haven't been so slow in shooting at them, they wouldn't have gotten away!"

The two yokai turn on each other, arguing and gesturing rudely as the moon continues to gleam in the night sky.

Tsuki's POV

Shigeru filled me on everything that I missed when I was out. He was a bit hesitant but I managed to squeeze it out of him eventually. I'm stupefied by the fact that I was kidnapped and nearly sacrificed for some kind of power gaining ritual. This is really disturbing - there's actually someone out there after my blood, literally. I shiver at the thought of someone draining my blood and becoming unstoppable. So this person knows my true identity and what I am. This isn't helping my nerves at all.

So the beautiful lady was a Jorogumo and the cute little puppy an Inugami. Teaches me not to judge people by the cover. I'm usually a very guarded person, how was I so careless? Just because of chocolate, I nearly died! I really need to be alert from now on.

So Shigeru rescued me… He actually came all the way for me and rescued me, battling the Jorogumo and the Inugami fearlessly. I was so heartless to him, yet he came for me… Guilt starts to build up inside me as I sneak a peek at him from the corner of my eye. He has such striking wings that are as black as the night around us, his feathers soft and warm, making him look like an enormous bird. His green eyes are dazzling under the light of the moon, the tiny feathers lining his face, snaking down his neck… I can't believe that I never noticed or wondered what kind of yokai he was but I'm dumbfounded by the fact that he's a…

"…Tengu." I murmur as I admire his wingspan. Tengu… Raven like creatures with impressive wings… They're quite powerful, aren't they? I never expected him to be one but come to think of it, my initial impression of him fits well with this image. Cool, mature and sophisticated, only to find a complete different personality obscured under it.

Just then, Shigeru's phone vibrates. He tries to reach for it but he's still carrying me bridal-style and he doesn't seem like wanting to let go. Either that or it never crosses his mind to put me down first. He's such a dork… I slip a hand inside his pocket and rummage around for his phone, pulling out and pressing it into his hand. I notice that his body stiffens significantly as my hand brushes against his, his face reddening slightly.

"T-Thanks." He mumbles almost inaudibly, making me blush lightly as well. Why is he making this so awkward? He peers at the screen and perks up.

"Oh! It's a video call from Banri-kun!" He tries to take the call but because both of his arms are kind of occupied, he nearly drops the phone. I mentally face palm myself.

"You know you could just put me down first, you idiot!?" I snap at him. I don't even know why I'm so frustrated in the first place. What if he drops his phone? What if he slips off the roof? Ugh, what am I even doing worrying about him?

"I'll hold it!" I snatch the phone from him and hit the answer button, positioning it so that the people in the screen can see both our faces. This guy is such a blockhead, he could have just asked me to hold it, couldn't he? At least let me do something for him after all he's been through… I try to hide the blush from my face when the people from the receiving end explode.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, SHIGERU? Bursting out of the window and flying off like that! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED KARUTA-CHAN IS?"

"Kageyama! We called you SO MANY TIMES AND YOU NEVER PICKED UP! We thought something bad happened or that you DIED! YOU'RE CLEANING UP THIS MESS WHEN YOU GET BACK!"

"Man, that was cool but Nobara is super pissed at you now! But you made Ririchiyo worry. Soushi too."

"Kageyama-san, are you alright? Ririchiyo-sama was worried about you and Yoake-sama."

"Hang on, isn't that Tsuki-chan?"

"TSUKI!" Everyone clamors and presses against the screen, as if they wanted to squeeze through it and reach me.

"Tsuki-chan! You're safe!" Ririchiyo manages to squeeze herself directly in front of the screen, her eyes slightly red and puffy. Has she been crying? For my sake?

"Shigeru, tells us what happened!"

Shigeru narrates his whole heroic mission to everyone and I have the feeling that he's exaggerating some of the details.

"And then 'BAM'! I hit her square in the jaw and she slammed right into the wall! But when I went to get Tsuki she tried to attack me from behind," He gushes, his green eyes twinkling in delight, "But I was too smart for her! When she lunged at me, I skewered her with my feathers and she got pinned up on the wall, begging for her life! I defeated everyone! And that's how I saved Tsuki!"

"Good on you, Shigeru!"

"Truly admirable, Kageyama-san."

"Woah! You defeated everyone single-handedly!? So cool! You really are a delinquent! Teach me, please!"

Everyone gives Shigeru a round of applause, whooping, hooting and whistling in the background. They sure make a good audience… although Shigeru was only telling a tall tale. These people are so impossible.

"How's Natsume-san?" I question, concerned about his wellbeing. If it wasn't for him, Shigeru would have never found me and I might be already lying dead.

"I won't worry if I were you, man. He's recuperating well, just he's feeling a bit drained." Renshou reassures me.

"He's such a fool, always never taking care of himself. When he sees something, he just laughs it off and pretends it never happened." Banri sighs. On the outside, Banri's always arguing with Zange but I can see he actually does care about him a whole lot.

"Oh! By the way, why was Tsuki the one kidnapped? Man, all of us are genetic throwbacks, right? They could use any of us for a ritual but why Tsuki? I mean they could have just taken Banri, he makes an easy target with him being so cute-" Renshou pipes up.

"SHUT IT YOU! I'M NOT CUTE! I CAN DESTROY EVERYONE IF I WANT TO! SO NO ONE MESSES WITH ME!"

"But onii-sama, only powerful yokai can be used in a power-gaining ritual as their blood is said to have more divine power."

"Then how about Karuta? She's powerful, why not her?"

"ANYONE WHO SO MUCH ASBTOUCHES KARUTA WILL GET IT! I'LL BEAT THE LITTLE SUCKER UP!"

"Actually, Sorino-Zuka is making some sense for once. Tsuki-chan, do you have any idea?" Nobara looks me square in the eye and asks.

I hesitate for a moment as everyone has their attention on me, including Shigeru. I don't want to reveal my identity but… All of them, they all seem genuinely concerned for me, worried about my safety and Shigeru's. They have the right to know at least, no matter how they will treat me afterwards. Especially Shigeru. He risked his life to save me and now I feel indebted to him. I shouldn't keep him in the dark, I at least owe him that much.

"Be-because I'm… a Hybrid." I whisper, averting my gaze and suddenly finding interest in one of Shigeru's feathers. It's really silky and smooth to the touch… The sudden lack of noise makes me shiver as I can feel their gazes boring into my head.

"Of what?" Ririchiyo asks.

I swallow and take a sharp intake of breath, licking my lips to moisten them.

"Kitsune and Nekomata." I reply, keeping my eyes trained on the feather I'm rubbing between my fingers.

What will they think of me? Will they tell me not to come back? Will they cringe in horror and disgust? Will they tell Shigeru to abandon me? What about Shigeru? Will he just drop me in revulsion and fly away, refusing to even have any more contact with me? I squirm as I wait for my verdict in agony.

"Tsuki-chan, you're a Hybrid. So what? That doesn't make you any more different than us. Whether we are pure yokai, atavist or Hybrids, we are all one family and we all stick together. I'm really sorry that Miketsukami and I were sneaking around behind your back. We should all trust each other, not let the shadow of suspicion hang over us." Nobara says softly to me.

"Yoake-sama… I am truly sorry for doubting you. I should not have mistrusted you, nor judged you so harshly. Please let me make amends for my mistakes in the future, I truly regret my actions." Soushi bows his head and apologizes.

"Hmph, just because you're a Hybrid, you're not that special. You're still a person, an atavist that is," Ririchiyo then smiles gently, "And you're a good person. That's all that counts to me."

"Yeah, Tsuki! You're a part of our little community now, you hear?"

"WE'RE SORRY, TSUKI-CHAN!" Everyone shouts at once, their voices soothing my heart and the wounds on it that have accumulated over the years, making me become overwhelmed with emotion.

"You guys...thank you. I'm sorry for being mean to all of you too. Thanks for accepting me as myself… But you're all still crazy, eccentric weirdos!" I exclaim, my lip raised ever so slightly as I try to hide a smile.

"Tsuki-chan… Let's eat ramen together…" Karuta suddenly holds out a bowl of steaming ramen and my stomach growls. Ah, I didn't even realize how hungry I am. I must have been knocked out for a while, I'm famished.

"Um… Help me say thanks to Natsume-san too. I owe him a lot."

"Yoake-sama, you should thank Kageyama-san. He talked sense into us after you ran off, making us realize our mistakes. He really was worried out of his mind for you, even going to the extent of flying off to rescue you when he heard you were going to be sacrificed. He spoke of many good things about you… I was wrong about you, Yoake-sama. You really, truly are a good person."

I stare at Shigeru with an open-mouth. This annoying numbskull actually did all of that? And I actually punched him when I woke up…

Shigeru smiles at me and laughs.

"Yeah, I did kind of did that. But only because it was true."

It's as if someone had hit me on the head, making me disorientated. No one has ever spoken up for my sake… I look away, trying to hide my emotions.

"Anyway, my phone's running out of battery so we're be going now!"

"Tsuki-chan! I'll hug you when you get back! You little cutie!"

"See ya, man! Make it back safe!"

And then the call ends.

Shigeru's POV

Tsuki slips my phone back into my pocket before she addresses me.

"Listen, Shigeru… Thanks. For rescuing me. I'm sorry for being so rude to you and not giving you a chance-" She suddenly spots the gash across my chest. "YOU'RE INJURED!" She shouts.

"Um… Yeah. But it doesn't hurt. I'll be ok, as long as you're safe, even if I die I'll be satisfied." I say to her truthfully.

"Baka! You're so stupid! First you barge into my life, insisting on wanting to be with me at all times, then you rescue me and get yourself injured! Are you stupid!? Why would you do something like that for me!?"

"Because you're important to me! Because I want to be by your side!"

"Do you even know what you're saying!? Are you just saying this for fun!?"

"FINE! I'll get you all the chocolate in the world if you want, just don't run out of my sight ever again, Tsuki! You hear me?" I yell at her and she stops abruptly.

"I'M SORRY ABOUT BUGGING YOU, OKAY? You can have all the chocolate you want from now on but on one condition: Let me be your SS agent, Tsuki Yoake, please!" I blurt out, not daring to look at her in the eye.

A silence falls between us as she stares at me, all I can hear is the sound of the wind.

Was it something I said? Is she mad at me? Is she going to burst into tears? Is she going to hit me again?

A giggle gurgles from her throat and she bursts into uncontrollable laughter, making a blush creep onto my face. She's laughing! Tsuki's laughing! She's so adorable when she's laughing, she's shining ever so brightly in the moonlight…

When she's finally over her fit, she gives me a smile.

"You're such an IDIOT!" She giggles, her face radiant as she beams at me, punching me good-naturedly.

Oh god, this isn't fair! She's so cute I'm going to die… I'm going to explode! I try to hide my blushing face, turning my gaze towards the night beyond.

It's a memory I would recall countless times and smile over. Because that was when Tsuki finally accepted me into her life and the beginning of a long, long story...

Tsuki's POV

That magical night was a night I'll always remember. Every time I recall that day, it doesn't fail to make me smile and laugh. Because that's the day when everything changed. When I finally was accepted into the family at Ayakashi Hall.

When Shigeru Kageyama barged, squeezed and wiggled his way into my life and began a long, long story...