"Author's" note: You're not going to like reading what I have to say next. I decided that the next chapter will not come along very soon because I need to delay it. With all the events revolving around me, I will be really busy. So updates will be rare. Still, do continue to support Vampire Fangs. The second segment is going to be up next after this. What do I mean? Wait and see. Patience is a virtue. Haha. Thanks for the reviews and do leave your comments!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice and it's a fact.
Chapter 13 – The battle
My body is asleep, but my conscience is awake. I stand in an abyss of darkness once more. How long will this go on? The nights that this dream continues to haunt and will haunt? The pain intensified as tears spilled over, trickling down the sides of my face. My fingers brushed the mark gently. It gives me a little hope to realise it was still there, but faint. The lids of my eyes steadily opened. There was something there, a bulky item covered with a silk cloth, black as night. The material shimmered before me, tempting me to reveal the secrets beneath it. What holds behind this cloth? I leaned forward. My hand gripped the soft material firmly, part of me fearful that it would disappear. With a resolved tug, I pulled on the cloth to reveal…
Azumi Yuka woke up startled. Her hands groped frantically for the switch of the lamp as she hosted herself into a sitting position. Her eyes were taking a long while to adjust to the darkness of the room. Finally, with a soft click, a dim light illuminated the small room. She grunted, noting the apparent amount of sweat that wet her bed.
"Mikan…" she murmured to herself. Her vision strayed to the doorway, meeting the gaze of her subordinate.
"Shiki, where is she?"
She ran her fingers through disheveled hazel hair, attempting to smoothen out the curls that stuck out without much success. A knot tangled in her stomach as she waited patiently for her subordinate's answer.
"Gakuen Alice, my lady," Shiki murmured.
Yuka froze. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. She lifted her blanket to her face, her forehead touching the blanket and her knees. Her head throbbed in anxiety for her daughter.
"Who sent her there?"
Shiki gave no reply, evading the death glares his mistress was giving him. A sigh escaped from Yuka's lips as she glanced away. She could somehow guess the person who had sent her daughter there.
"That old geezer," She muttered spitefully under her breath. Perhaps it was time to face her daughter. She knew she would be glad to see her, but what about her? Broodingly, she got herself out of bed, only to find herself falling flat down on the carpeted floor with a bemused Shiki struggling to stifle his laughter. She groaned, eyeing the blanket and sending Shiki one last deadly warning. With a "poof" and the blurring of her figure, Yuka was gone. Shiki smiled.
"Breakfast will be ready in a moment,"
A grunt from the toilets answered his question. Satisfied, he turned to leave, but heard his name and paused.
"Shiki, we must find her….Mikan,"
His mistress's tone softened upon the last word. In Yuka's mind, she desperately pleaded that nothing would happen to her daughter.
"Yes, my lady," Shiki replied in his usual tone, giving the slightest nod before leaving his lady in peace.
o.O.o.O.o
"Permy…are you sure this is the right place," Mikan gulped. She glanced at her surroundings suspiciously.
"Well, if you are scared, you can do a forfeit,"
Mikan shuddered, but did not reply. After all, did she have a choice? If she won this competition, the school would guarantee her not only a year's supply of stationary, food and education, but also cash, by courtesy of the principal. Such an offer is too hard to resist for someone so dirt poor as Mikan even if it meant having to be near a moody, perverted vampire. For money, anything is possible, but Mikan is starting to regret it slightly. The "battlefield" as decided would be the Northern Forest, located behind the quarters. The timings were all stated in an invitation that went mysteriously missing just after she read it.
She eyed the forest nervously, somewhere deep within the jungle of trees came the shrill eerie calls of the imaginary creatures. Once again, a chill ran down her spine. She wasn't exactly a fan of ghost stories. She had heard tons of stories about the forest, but none of them were pleasing to the ears so far.
"Welcome!" the principal grinned. His arms extending as a warm invitation, but Mikan felt colder at the thought of the battle. She did a polite courtesy and addressed the principal, who nodded in acknowledgement. She then glanced at her audience-to-be.
There was the blonde who stood awkwardly in a corner with a rabbit in hand. Mikan identified him as the one who always followed Natsume. What was his name again?
"Ruka-sama!" Oh yes, Nogi-san. Permy flung herself onto the vampire, who was more than eager to dodge to his side, leaving Permy in dirt and Hotaru clicking on her camera furiously. Hotaru! Yes! For once, Hotaru was here…with a camera though, but the main thing was the ice queen had bothered to come.
"Hotaru!!"
A blast sent another baka into the ground. Mikan grinned foolishly as she hosted herself up. A hand steadied her as she stood on her two feet.
"Arigatou, Yuu!"
Yuu scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, earning slaps and teases from Kitsume and Kokoromi, whereas Mochiage derived his amusement by watching his paper airplane flip somersaults.
The principal eagerly clapped his hands to catch the attention of all.
"Now that everyone's here, let's start,"
"But Natsume isn't!" Mikan observed, curiously scanning the group in case he was hiding behind any of them.
"Ahh…very good Mikan, cause your job would be to find him…there," the principal pointed towards the outline of the dense forest. His grin widened.
"There would be no rules, destruction is allowed, just find the guy and bring him back here," the principal continued in his usual drawl.
So this was it. Mikan groaned. That's why they have used a forest. To find a single person in such a huge densely populated (with trees) area would take hours! And the worse person to play hide and seek with was Natsume Hyuga who could happily vanished to the depths of hell and back. She glanced over to her opponent. Permy was anything but nervous. In fact, she was bursting with confidence and competitive spirit.
"What a simple challenge!" was the cue to her emotions. Permy had apparently said her thoughts out.
A sigh escaped through the lips of our brunette. She could literally see the money flying away. With one imaginary hand, she caught the notes and stuffed them back to her pockets. After all, she still had one trick up her sleeves.
"Oh right before I forget, Kokoromi would be your judge," the principal pushed the stuttering vampire forward. Koko rolled his eyes at the principal as he read his thoughts, which were, "It's too much of a hassle to judge,"
"Without further a do, let's start, shall we?" the principal gestured the two contestant to the edge of the forest.
"On your marks…get set…GO!"
Before Mikan could register what happened, she felt herself pinned to the ground.
"Move an inch and I will break this hand of yours,"
Sumire twisted the arm slightly, forcing a cry from the brunette.
"Wait, weren't we supposed to find Natsume…sama?"
Mikan winced as she felt the pull once more.
"Well, yes, but if I eliminate the opponent first, I could take my own sweet time to find him, isn't that right Koko?"
She turned towards Koko, expecting an answer.
But the judge made no sound except desperate attempts to warn her. Mikan gave a smirk. She could tell Permy was serious, but it was due to this that she had prepared a little something. The only sad thing apparently was that she had to spend a sum of money and use it so early in the competition.
Sumire frowned. There was this particular disturbing aroma in the air. What was it? She turned, her cat ears popping up instantly. She knew this smell. Her whiskers straightened in anticipation. This sweet alluring smell, she would recognize even from the depths of hell. Fish! Salmon! She sighted her target thrown in the air. Instantly, she was off the brunette, snapping her jaws shut at the piece of fish.
The brunette grinned triumphantly, her fingers clasping more of the fish. This was her ultimate weapon. Cats like fish, so Sumire rightfully should like them. She had asked Nonoko and Anna about this and took the gamble. Thankfully, they were right. She smiled an impish grin. Those fishies contained a dozen doze of sleeping pills at least.
Her hands stretched backwards in a powerful position. Gathering her strength, she swung the fish into the forest. Bad choice. Weren't they supposed to retrieve Natsume there? She stoned as the agile Permy raced into the forest. Opps. It took a while for her brain to start churning again and once it was started she could be seen weaving her way into the forest, a completely opposite direction from Permy. The spectators sweat dropped. Well, that was the end of one entertaining scene…
o.O.o.O.o
He lifted and flung the limp figure, watching as it smashed into the scaly bark of each tree. In a flash, he was right at the spot where the weak vampire staggered out of the debris. His hand crushed the ribcage of his victim ruthlessly, piercing through the body and into the wooden trunk. His crimson eyes were cold and devoid of any emotion as he clutched the skull of the offender. Blood tricked down the forehead of his victim as the assaulter tightened his grip. Ruby orbs pierced and reached into the mind of its victim.
"Speak, why are you hunting her?"
The vampire gave a crooked smile, but did not answer. What happened next happened too suddenly that it gave Natsume only a split second to realize the situation. He cursed and spat spitefully as he watched the curse take its full effect. Crimson orbs reflected the flames that devoured its victim in an instant. It was an eerie blue, simmering down as it gave a final lick.
"A royal," he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. This complicates things and to think that he was about to perform the same curse on the poor man. Someone had beaten him to it and it displeases Natsume to no end. Oh well, it did not matter for there were still two more around the block. It was only a matter of time before he extracts the information out of them that is if they take up the bait. He shoved a fern aside as he scanned his surroundings. Tall, thick trunks obscured his vision of the path. He took a whiff. Permy had not found him yet, which he is grateful as before then, he had to get this settled. With a powerful kickoff, he sprinted through the forest to find his next prey and a certain brunette.
o.O.o.O.o
Yuka cringed at the horrid scent that wafted past her nose. One she would recognize even in the midst of a rubbish chute. A knot twisted within her stomach, crunching as the moonlight cast a faint halo over the figure.
"Pink panther, or should I say Koizumi." She addressed the arrival. Her tone was one that was somber with a tinge of unexplainable guilt.
The lady smiled, but beneath those jade eyes hid the hatred she had harbored for years, even centuries. Luna sauntered towards the brunette, stopping an arm's length away. She watched triumphantly as the brunette tensed, eyeing her with some sense of trepidation and grief. Yes, this was how she was supposed to react.
"Your nose is still as sharp as ever, Azumi,"
Luna commented, tossing her head conceitedly. One slender finger tapped the bridge of her delicate nose playfully. Her unoccupied hand held a glass filled with dark liquid in which she swirled, sending tremors to the sides of the concave surface.
"Isn't it a beautiful bloody night, Yuka?" She exclaimed. Her soprano voice echoed through the forest. She gave a sadistic grin, liking the effect as she brought the glass to her lips, draining the liquid in one go. Her face gazed at the night sky with what seemed to be appreciation.
Yuka followed her gaze. It was a full grown moon. It glowed morbidly, illuminating the darkness around it. Clouds shrouded the light source, giving it a ghastly appearance - an unmistakable impending sign of trouble.
Her hazel orbs returned to study the enemy with intelligence.
"What are you up to, Koizumi?"
Luna narrowed her eyes. A crack and the shattering of the goblet showered the grass with droplets of liquid and glass shards.
"What am I up to? What am I up to?" She repeatedly mimicked the brunette's phrase, "I should be asking what you are up to, Azumi." She scoffed mockingly. Her clutched hand released the fine glass powder that slid from her palm.
"You have taken everything from me. Now, it's a little petty thing called revenge. Do look forward to it. I will, of course be a good sport and remind you over and over again of your sin, the incident that had happened a mere decade, not very long ago. We shall see how much I can take away from you, shall we? And of course, I'll make sure your eyes are watching every scene of their sufferings!" she screeched. Anger burst frostily from her, but the lady composed herself. Her pale eyes returned to gaze at the moon.
"Not one will be spared, all of you pathetic royal bloods," she lowered her voice and raised her fingers, making a motion that looked as if she was manipulating a puppet.
"You are mad, Koizumi,"
She laughed. Her laughter was wild and insane.
"You are funny, Azumi and who do you think have made me this way?"
Yuka did not answer. Her fingers gasped the handle of her knife, wrenching it away from its shield in one fluid motion.
"You know you cannot kill me, Yuka." Luna cocked her head to her side. Her eyes fixed on the brunette.
"You killed Ryona,"
"Perhaps, I did…she is stirring in her grave, I guess," the voice muttered sorrowfully, "Well then, we will meet again, dear Yuka,"
A dark veil came over the earth as the moon disappeared behind it.
"No, you don't," Yuka dashed forward at the last glimpse of Koizumi. When the moon returned, Yuka scowled to discover that the panther was gone. Her hand clasped tightly onto the material she had grabbed. The wretch had escaped and they don't call her pink panther for no reason. Uttering a curse, Yuka lit a flame and watch as the material burn. She clutched one of her stones, extracting its power.
"Shiki," she called.
"Yes, my lady," the ever stoic man replied.
"Find Ryona's child."
"Yes, my lady," was his last confirmation before she tossed the used rock and watched it crumble. Her hands caressed her forehead. Her priority now is to get to Mikan…fast.
o.O.o.O.o
The Northern forest wasn't actually as bad as it seems. In fact it appeared to be enchanted. Great trunks decked with leaves of distinctive florid shape glinted here and there under the intense gaze of the moon that shone through the canopy. Bowls of trees were heavily furred with moss. The ground was damp and springy, while the air was rich and warm. Who would have thought that this place contains…ghost. At that thought, Mikan squirmed. Her legs continued to trudge through the forest. She had no idea where she was going. Her instincts were the one that lead her on and on in this endless, not to mention meaningless trail.
At a queer noise, Mikan raised her exhausted head. She had heard something not quite right, a disturbing buzzing sound. A ghost? She stared into the calm, deserted forest, alert and frightened. Her back was as stiff as a poker.
It couldn't be she assured herself. After all, ghosts don't exist, do they?
She instantly wished she could take back her words as strong gusts of wind whisked past her, entangling her hair before her face. Her hands immediately went to her skirt. She slipped, her legs buckling under her. A blur of black and white flew over her. Twigs broke under her weight, but it wasn't the noise that distressed her, but a large crack from behind. She felt liquid dripping down her arm. It was blood.
Reaching out to touch it, Mikan felt a long but shallow cut across her arm. She winced. What happened? She couldn't comprehend, but her mind was screaming for her to do the one thing she knew – RUN. So she did. Her legs found the strength to support herself, dodging the blur of black and white once more as she ran for what her life was worth.
She spied it from the side of her eyes – a vampire and it was certainly not Permy or any vampire she knew. 'Faster, much faster', she willed herself to run. Her legs carried her well as she dashed past the lush greenery. No amount of effort could stop the panic from rising in her chest. Her eyes refocused on the killer. He was leaping from tree to tree doing mock tricks like a predator would to its prey for pure entertainment. His teasing performance pressurized the brunette, who felt no doubt inferior to the vampire.
Her feet skidded to a stop. Hazel eyes darted frantically for other alternatives, but there were none. She was trapped. A large crevice was before her and it was certainly not in her abilities to jump and commit suicide. A crash and a cry forced the brunette to twist her body around. She found herself staring directly at crimson orbs and boy, wasn't she glad to see him for once!
Without warning, she felt herself lifted and thrown a few feet into the air, only to be swung over Natsume's shoulders like a sack. They were travelling in high speeds to god knows where. So much for the delight she was feeling a moment ago.
"Natsume…where…you…taking…me?" she managed with much difficulty, burying her head in fabric to avoid air resistance. Her surroundings blurred, swirling around her. Something was building up in her stomach and it was definitely nowhere pleasant. Mikan resisted the urge to retch. She felt sick.
"Idiot gypsy, who would have known you would cause so much trouble," she could hear him mutter, but did not take much of it seriously.
She felt his tongue licking her wound up and her face warming as well. The uneasiness she had once felt was fading away, replaced by a stronger feeling. Somehow, whenever he does that, it aroused an indescribable thrill in her, so foreign that she was slightly afraid. Was she insane to love the feel of his tongue on her? No, she decided. This wasn't the time to think about this. A peep over his shoulders told her that the vampire was still at their tails. She tightened her hold on him.
Finally, Natsume jolted and stopped at a clearing. His hand rubbed circles onto her back, which was sweet but inappropriate for the moment. At the sound of smashing trees and another leap, Mikan found herself hanging on a branch. Natsume had gone back down to confront the vampire.
She groaned. Her head was still light and fuzzy from the ride. Noises and cries rang repeatedly within her head. She could not tell whether they were real or just her imagination. She caught glimpses of the battle, but could not make out who was winning. Slamming the shutters of her eyes shut, she blocked out all distractions. All she could do is hope that Natsume, being a self-conceited, arrogant jerk that he is, would win and her head would stop pounding like a drumbeat, threatening to split her into two.
When Mikan fully regained control her mind, the battle was already concluded. Natsume stood victorious. His hands clutched the neck of an unfamiliar face…
The vampire…she realised, gasping in horror. Blood drained from her face as she felt a fist clenched at the base of her stomach. An ominous crack caused the head of the vampire to swing loosely from its body. The nauseating memory of the badly disfigured beyond recognition, beyond repair face was one that will probably stay imprinted in her mind for the rest of eternity. She looked away, only to witness body parts strewn in the bloodied grass. Once again, she felt the urge to revolt. Who wouldn't at such a gory sight?
She trained her eyes once more on Natsume. He was staring into the vampire in some kind of ritual, the vampire whereas fruitlessly wiggled like a snake caught in the claws of an eagle. Natsume muttered something, which was inaudible to her. And without warning, he flung the vampire aside. A blue flame engulfed the corpse, reducing it to nothing along with its limbs in a short span of a few seconds.
The brunette uttered a soft prayer. It was always distasteful to witness the death of another. She wondered soberly whether the vampire had a family. Was anyone depending on him? Realisation dawned on her that Natsume had killed a man right before her. Was it right? She reopened her eyes to notice Natsume glaring at her, his eyes warning her to get off, but it was too late. A sharp object came into contact with her neck.
"Well met, Natsume-sama,"
Natsume scowled. He had overlooked the third attacker.
"You are the captain,"
The punk growled, unintentionally confirming Natsume's suspicion. He inched the knife closer in an attempt to threaten.
"It is unwise of you to forget my name, Natsume-sama."
"Who's the mastermind? Who commands you?" Natsume ignored the previous remark, pressing on for the person behind the scenes.
"I am my own, Natsume-sama," The punk lied, clearly annoyed by Natsume's response. His patience was waning out.
"Each time, you refuse to acknowledge me; I will sink this knife deeper into her neck until she is beheaded." He slid a thin line on the brunette's neck. Blood seeped out, trickling down her neck. Natsume narrowed his eyes with much annoyance. No one, NO ONE hurts his gypsy and get away with it.
"Youjo, touch him," He commanded.
She did. Her hands smacked against the punk's face in revenge. An unexpected result occurred. Bubbles began forming on his face as if her hands were toxic. The skin sagged, clearly melting away.
The punk pulled away, yelling in pain. His hands desperately trying to grab hold of the brunette. Bad choice. For the moment he was about to touch the brunette, fire seared up his arm. Terror swept through him as he sent a brief glare at the flame caster. With the knife, he dislocated his whole arm, watching as the limp arm burnt to crisps. But the assault did not end there. His hand released the weapon, too hot for touch. The metal had already melted due to the intense heat. Thus ends the sad life of the knife as it fell harmlessly with a clatter on the grass floor.
"A human gypsy! Pathetic human! HYUGA!" the brute howled in outrage as he fell off the branch and into the clearing right before…Natsume.
"Furgo,"
He raised his foot, ramming it onto the punk's head. The rage that bubbled within him was evident on his face – a rare sight for such display of emotions. He had no intentions of letting him live, this scumbag, who tainted the image of vampire. If not for his remaining hand that soften the impact, the punk would have had his head undoubtly crushed. Who would have thought Natsume Hyuga would be such a terror?
Natsume swung his leg away from the punks grasp. He eyed the falling brunette as she lost her balance. In one fluid motion, he caught her by the waist and set her onto her feet. He appeared in front of the punk in the next second. His hand held onto a flame, an orange hue unlike the previous flame, positioned to deal the last blow.
"Low life," Naqtsume spat, raising his hand to deliver the blow. What was very curious was that a blow indeed landed itself on the punk. The full blunt of the force had sent the vampire many meters into the soil, but the vampire was by no means finished. There was no flame at his palm. Natsume attempted to ignite the flame again but failed, he couldn't move literally due to a certain weight clinging onto his arm. He could not move. At all. Crimson eyes widened in amazement and shock to the cause of it.
"Mikan,"
"Spare him, Natsume,"
The brunette muttered as she collapsed into the arms of the vampire. A terrible lethargy spread from her arms through her body. She felt her strength drained from her at a frightening speed. Her vision was failing her. She didn't want another death; she didn't want him to stain his hands. His hands were meant to touch and not kill. She held his hands in hers, placing them on her cheeks. They held warmth, just like any hand would.
"You finally called my name," She whispered. Her lips etched into a beautiful, radiant smile, before she was truly unconscious.
He sighed, embracing the brunette in a lover's carry. Surely, this idiot is too forgiving and merciful. He frankly had sinned to bring such an innocent creature into the vampire world. He eyed the indent in the ground. The vampire was gone, but there was nothing to worry. After all, with that extent of damage, he couldn't possibly recover to the way he was before. His vision strayed to the position where the brunette had been. It was a distance away. How could she have made her way here? It was impossible for a mere human. There would be time to wonder, but healing comes first. Her blood must never flow. Settling down at the base of the tree, he leaned her against him. Her head rose to expose the ivory skin of her neck. He proceeded to do his job, taking no more than an extra sip for self-deserved award. He glanced at her throat with satisfactory. All that was left was a small scar, a nick. His fingers traced down to where his mark had used to be. So it had vanished. She was no longer his gypsy. The contract had been broken. After all, it was merely a bite during that vulnerable time, it was not as potent if he should he bite the brunette again. If he did, it would be the real deal.
"Baka youjo,"
His arms unconsciously embraced the brunette. A mixed of relief and anguish caught him by surprise. Had he gone soft? It had been a short while, but when had he grown attached? His lips twitched as he recalled their previous encounter. They were friends, huh. Perhaps it could remain that way.
He fingered her lips, rubbing his thumb over it. Somehow her sensuous lips appeared rather seductive to him. Those attractive lips that were more ready to smile than frown. He leaned forward, his sweet breath fanned across her face as he inched closer.
UNfortunately, an unfamiliar scent pervaded his surrounding and soiled the whole atmosphere. He backed away and sniffed the air warily to confirm it. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he detected the intruder. A fourth attacker? He leaned the brunette against the tree, standing in a defensive position. No. He could tell she meant no harm. Just as he had expected, the figure emerged from the shadows of the trees.
"Hyuga? Ryona's child,"
He flinched at his mother's name. His ember orbs taking in the woman's appearance.
"Yuka-san,"
He addressed the person with due respect and considerable amount of caution.
"You are in grave danger."
"Aren't I always?" Natsume quipped.
Yuka laughed, but somber up immediately. Her eyes directed to the sleeping figure behind her godchild.
"How much does she know?"
Natsume tensed, deliberately positioning himself in a way that would block the brunette from view.
"What is it to you, Azumi-san?"
"How much does she know?" Yuka repeated her question. Her voice chipped ice. She inched closer, but the lad was not deterred, standing ever-so-stubbornly in her path. A splitting image of Ryona flashed before her eyes. She sighed, realizing the change in her mood. There was no point in continuing for Hyugas are as obstinate as a mule when it comes to decisions like that. Trying a different approach, she softened her tone.
"She is my… friend's…daughter. I have…every right to know."
His eyes widened at the uncanny connections. It sounded suspicious, but Natsume was not one to probe further. That was an element of truth hidden away somewhere beneath the lies.
"So, how much does she know?"
"She's mine," A lie, but like her statement, there was some truth within it. Yuka was mildly surprised, but gave nothing away.
"May I see her?"
Natsume was tempted to object, but could see no good reason to oppose. He reluctantly drew back, close enough to react, but far enough for the brunette to have privacy.
Yuka stepped forth. This was her daughter. Her daughter she hadn't seen for years. The photographs had done no justice to her beauty. How she had grown. How tall was she now? Was she coping well? A thousand of questions swarmed her head. Tears of joy and motherly pride welled up in her eyes, but she will never let any of them fall in the face of a stranger.
"What trouble have you gotten yourself, Mikan?" she whispered, crouching over the sleeping form. Her hand, hidden from view, gripped a couple of Alice stones.
Before Natsume could realize what was happening, she activated them. Flames blazed in a circle around the brunette, scratching against the barrier formed.
"Sorry, my child,"
Yuka pressed a stone against Mikan's forehead. Lines streaked from the stone into Mikan. Her face contorted in visible pain.
"Damn you! What are you doing to her?"
The stone faded into a dull blue. Reclaiming the stone, she triggered another. This time, Mikan disappeared from view. Yuka turned to the enraged Natsume.
"I erased her memories and sent her somewhere safer," she stated emotionlessly, but it did not quell the anger of a certain raven hair lad. She released another stone. A gust of wind spread in waves, freezing the flames within seconds. She teleported. Her body appeared behind Natsume. Her feet nimbly treaded the grass, stopping a few feet away from the lad.
"You will leave this school,"
"No."
"Natsume, you cannot drag her into this,"
"No."
"Then you leave me no choice,"
Once more, the brunette vanished into the air. She appeared this time right in front of Natsume. Her slender fingers wrapped around his neck. Hazel orbs held crimson eyes captive in a staring contest of who could break into the other's mind.
His mind was like a steel wall, heavily guarded, just as expected from the son of Ryona, no more, no less. However, it was simple to break in, he had shielded well, but was no match for an experienced pure blood vampire. Her mind was a completely different type – mist. It was no wonder she had penetrated through him, her eyes having a hypnotizing effect on the lad.
"You're not going to waste it," Natsume squeezed the last of his voice from his lips.
The brunette did not answer. Her eyes glow an eerie brown.
"You will leave the school with all the other vampires, Natsume."
"Hn…" was the only submissive answer that came from Natsume as he stalked away. His eyes clouded in a trance.
o.O.o.O.o
The punk limped his way onto the streets. He was disfigured, deranged, barely alive, but living. Blood poured out of his body, staining the concrete floor as he dragged himself forward. His vision was getting blurry, but there was a woman before him - a familiar woman.
"Pink panther," he uttered, his mouth splattering blood all over the floor.
"Yuoe…falied," he attempted to decipher the words she was saying. He could not hear. He glanced once more at the woman. Her eyes were cold. Those emerald eyes penetrated him. Her mouth formed a word he understood very well – "die". This was an absolute command he must obey, the command of a royal vampire. He gathered up a smile, the last action he could muster before his body was set aflame. It was after all better to die happy. The flames consumed him, eventually dieing off, leaving nothing of Furgo, nothing of his existence. He was merely a creature whom had lived and died worthlessly.
Luna watched emotionlessly, detached from the scene. It was just as well. She could get another more reliable partner. The more important thing gained from this little excursion was: she had found her final two preys at last. Her mouth curled maliciously. Years of hunting had paid off. Yuka had been clever and meticulous in hiding it, but her carelessness had caused her. The truth was out – Mikan Sakura is indeed her daughter. Laughter rang through the desolate corridor.
Ending note: A super long chapter for you since you have been so patiently waiting for it. Kudos. Hee. Hope you like it! LEAVE REVIEWS!
p.s Please note Author's notes.