The Final Hour (part 1)
AN: Well, that's it folks. The last chapter. I think. I may do a sequel to this, if I feel like it… Sorry that it's out so late. I had other things cough-EVIL SCHOOL WORK- cough to do. Yes, I do realize I may have gotten the timeline wrong, but bear with me please. It is now my spring break and I refuse to do any thinking of any strenuous kind. You guys have experienced this before, haven't you?
Disclaimer: Does not own Prince of Tennis. That is a right reserved for Konomi Takeshi. However, I do own this AU and OC's Kurai and Kara. And haha, I just noticed that three of the people in STYX have names that start with "K" (Kurai, Kara, and Kevin) and only Ryoma's name starts with a different letter. …yes, you can laugh now.
Last Chapter (part 1) Start~
"What?!"
Three, well, two cries of mild shock were heard. Tezuka's just happened to be a little less pronounced than the other two's.
"Yukimura? We haven't heard from him in a while."
Tezuka raised an eyebrow.
"Why now of all times? It's been almost a decade since we've heard from him."
It was true. Ever since junior high school ended, Yukimura had stopped keeping in contact with the rest of them. Everyone thought that it was weird, but no one could contact him anyways. It was like he disappeared of the face of the earth. His teammates knew nothing either. They shrugged and decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
*The Next Day, 3:00 PM, Kurai's Apartment*
Kurai entered her apartment, disappointed in her latest search for information. She had come up dry again.
"Kurai, find anything?"
Kara questioned from her position on the floor below the couch. She was surrounded by several high-performance computers. Wires wound their way along the ground to the nearest outlet, giving the room a rather-futurey look.
"Kara, I would appreciate it if you didn't turn my living room into a mad-scientist lab."
"Haha, feeling perky today, are we? I have something that can cheer you up."
Kara turned to smile at Kurai, the light from the computers reflecting eerily off her eyes.
"I found something on our client."
*Later, 6:00 PM, Atobe's New York Highrise*
The four were dressed in their best formal wear. It was, in spite of everything going on right now, a formal although private event. Atobe was decked in purple, his favorite color, while Sanada and Tezuka chose more modest suits in shades of grey and black. Fuji wore a navy blue suit, designed by him. Coincidentally, Fuji had designed the other's suits as well. Fuji was a world renowned fashion designer after his main job of a photographer, designing everything possible. Everything he designed was well-received by both the public and critics alike.
"Come to think of it…does Yukimura even know that people we know are dying?"
"He can't be that deprived of a TV in this modern age. Since you reminded me, I read in a magazine somewhere a while back that he made quite a name for himself in the business world. The writer of the article called him a 'shrewd, calculating man underneath the warm exterior'. I do not think Yukimura is such a person though."
Sanada raised an eyebrow.
Why do I get the feeling that something very unpleasant is going to happen now…
Still, he ignored his intuition, and proceeded to follow the others to their limousine.
*7:00, Kurai's Appartment*
"What?! You found something?!"
Kevin and Ryoma were quick to react when they heard that Kara had found something. Kurai just kind of stood there in shock.
"Yup!" Kara toothily grinned at them, her eyes becoming u-shaped arcs of joy. "I found quite a lot of information as well, once I got the name."
"How?!"
"Don't ever underestimate my information network."
That said, Kara turned toward her computer to list the all the information that she had found.
"Our client- Yukimura Seiichi. CEO of a very large business called Snow Fields. Snow Fields operates in many fields like jewelry making, fine architecture, and all of those fancy things that aristocrats love. Also, a small branch of his business deals in weapon making. At the age of 21, he was a genius in the world of business and paved the path for young aspiring business leaders. He is also featured in many magazines as an eligible young bachelor, currently aged 23. Many women are after him, either for his money or for his 'fine' looks, but recently this year, he has escaped the armoire. Meaning that he has announced that he is homosexual. After that, a lot of men are now after him."
The rest of STYX was left in the dust as Kara stated matter of factly.
"Yukimura… Seiichi?"
Kevin weakly asked from his position on the couch. He had collapsed on the couch in shock, after he heard that the person he had slept with was Yukimura. His knees had given up on him.
"Haha, lucky you Kevin. You're the first male to "officially" sleep with him or warm his bed. You're most definitely the uke, the way you were limping around this morning."
Kevin stuttered and his face flushed until it resembled that of ripe strawberries while in the background, Kara and Ryoma roared with laughter. Kurai was seen with a smug smirk on her face; no doubt she was patting herself on the back for getting Kevin.
Haha, payback is a bitch.
After Ryoma eased his laughter into weak chuckles, he tapped his head thoughtfully.
Yukimura Seiichi, eh? Now where have I heard that before…
A swift sharp pain nearly split his head in two. He clutched his head, willing the pain to leave his mortal body. Even if he did kill for a living, it did not mean that he liked pain. Kara and Kurai immediately rushed to his side, worried looks on their faces.
"Ryoma, what's wrong?"
He only shook his head, the pain intensifying with every passing second that he had tried to summon up information about Yukimura. Kara and Kurai exchanged a knowing glance filled with anxiety, while Kevin looked clueless in the background. He shrugged the knots out of his shoulders and grimaced.
"Guys, we should leave now. The dinner's going to be soon, remember?"
*8:00 PM, Yukimura's Villa, New York*
"Are you sure this is alright, Kurai?"
Kara whispered as they approached the familiar gilded double doors again. They adjusted uncomfortably in their new blood-red uniforms that were lined with silver edges. Upon arriving at the vast mansion, they were ushered into private changing rooms where they found their own set of uniforms that the staff of the household wore. Once they were changed, (Kurai and Kara had requested a different set of female clothing, after seeing that the usual female garb consisted of a dress [oh the horror] and would be too hard to move about in) they were once again led to where they were now.
"I'm quite sure. Since when was I one to take unnecessary risks, my dear Kara?"
"Since the day you were born."
Kara muttered under her breath, although not before being heard by Ryoma. He snorted. It was true. When Kurai was little, she was as much of a risk taker as she was today. She was always doing crazy things that no one else would ever think of taking. His thoughts were interrupted when the doors swung smoothly opened. He dually noted that the hinges were recently oiled to a shiny finish. As an assassin, it would be vital for a clean getaway that doors would not produce sound when they were opened even a little.
"Hmmm…so I was right."
The four tensed up at the silky voice that seemed to reverberate through the large "throne" room. Every time they heard the voice, they could not help but to repress the shudder that crawled up their spines, for their client had a way with his voice that made it resemble a very beautiful yet deadly cobra was slithering around, lurking behind the poison of the melodic voice.
"Kevin Smith, Echizen Ryoma, and Echizen Kurai. I was right in those aspects. There is still one person though."
His piercing violet eyes searched the group who already had their weapons out in their hands, only to rest on the one he knew as KIRIN.
"How do you know our names, Yukimura Seiichi?!"
Kurai snarled. The vicious sound tore itself from her throat and was echoed by Ryoma. The room took the sound as well and magnified the resonance into three times its original decibel, making it very scary to face them indeed. The man she had named was unperturbed, even when Kara shot a bullet just barely scraping his face. The silver bullet embedded itself deeply into the opposite wall.
"Arara, you of all people should know. It is common in the Underworld for people to gather information on suspicious people that you hardly even know, no? Isn't that right, PHOENIX, or rather… Echizen Kurai?"
"Tch."
"Besides, it's not like I want to harm you. You are STYX after all. It's virtually impossible to hurt you since STYX is a team of elites. Although I never expected STYX to be as young as 21. Ah well, talent and luck make up for age in the Underworld, I guess. LYNX and MERLION. Echizen Ryoma and Kevin Smith. I never knew that you two, whom I originally played tennis against and were rivals, would be part of the deadly assassin group, STYX."
They lowered their weapons. Yukimura went to the wall the bullet buried itself in and inspected it critically.
"Tch, what a waste of a bullet."
Kara tucked her guns, Ebony, Ivory, and Garnet back to their respective hidden places in her uniform. They were also their individual colors; Ivory being pure white and smooth, Ebony pure black with jagged edges, and Garnet blood-red and like a rifle that can retract into a pistol.
"Hmmm…" Yukimura still inspected the wall, not looking at anyone. "What is your name, KIRIN?"
"Why should I tell you, Yukimura?"
He met her gaze evenly.
"You were the only one I could not find information on. Your comrades were hard enough to find even a little bit of information about, but you had none."
"That's to be expected. A master hacker never leaves traces behind. It's a fatal mistake in the digital world of intricately spun webs of lies and deceits. You learn through your mistakes, that is, if you can lie your way through that kind of world."
"True enough. What is your name?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"I have your comrades' names down; do you think I would not use that against you? I will call the police if I have to."
Kurai, Kevin, Kara, and Ryoma started. They drew the weapons they had just put away.
"Bastard!"
"It's not polite to talk about my mother like that. Besides, I am serious about telling the police."
"You violate our contract."
Kara stated. Her tone of voice spoke masses for her though. If you violated contracts of the Underworld, you would have the whole of the Underworld on your ass. Meaning, that if you hired anyone related to the Underworld or even saw anyone related to the Underworld at all, they would be K.O.S., Killed on Sight. Surely even Yukimura did not want to live a life completely on the run. Apparently, they were wrong.
Yukimura shrugged his silk-clad shoulders, the magenta color clashing magnificently with his royal blue hair.
"I will be satisfied as those four are dead. I do not care if I die as a cause after it; I will be content to die like that."
STYX heard his sincerity through his voice. Raising the corners of their mouths in sync, they all bowed at once.
"Yukimura Seiichi, STYX admires your strong will and heart. We will honor you as our first client to actually accept their own terms of death that comes with working with us."
His expression was first that of surprise, then turned to amusement.
"Now do I finally get to know your name, KIRIN?"
Kara bowed low, one hand behind her back, one on her heart, and right leg crossed behind her left leg.
"I am Kara."
His mouth quirked up in one corner.
"What, no last name?"
"Unfortunately for you, that is disclosed private information that I don not wish to discuss at the moment."
"Well…I can't do anything about it."
Another servant entering the room, drawing all the attention of the occupants to him.
"Sire, they're here."
*8:30 PM, Yukimura's Mansion: Front Gate, *
The fancy purple limousine pulled up in front of the scrolling iron gates. The iron gates opened, the spikes on top of the double gates ominously glinting in the purple dusk light.
After they were led through the massive double doors, they were led into the formal-looking lobby of the mansion. Sanada and Tezuka noticed that the interior of the manor still had a slight Japanese taste to it, with old fragile scroll paintings and antique samurai swords set on display on the wall. Fuji was more interested in the design of the room, noting how well the subdued antique feeling of the room merged wonderfully with the sharp modern edge of the furniture. It was classy to say.
"Please make yourselves comfortable. Master will be here with you shortly."
Atobe raised an eyebrow. Ah well. He seated his long limbs into a jumbled pile that looked deceptively relaxed. The other three seated themselves down too, looking like hosts from a host club that were sitting regally on refined sofas. Soon, Yukimura entered the room.
"Hello…old friends. Welcome to my manor. Although I'm sure it pales in comparison to your villas, Atobe."
Atobe rose up from the sofa to reach for the extended hand. He grasped it and shook it firmly, while looking Yukimura in the eye.
"You degrade yourself, Yukimura. This is about as fine as you can get."
"Coming from you Atobe, thank you."
Yukimura's eyes roamed over the small group.
"Ah Sanada. You're looking better than you did in years. You finally got rid of that cap that I told you ages ago to lose."
Yukimura's teasing smile broke the ice between the two factions. Fuji walked over to embrace the blunette, who often in the past was a co-conspirator of their sadistic little schemes.
"Fuji! How goes your business?"
"They're doing fine, Yukimura. I suppose that you're moving along swimmingly as well."
Yukimura nodded, and then greeted Tezuka.
"You must be hungry; let us dine then."
With that, Yukimura led them through intricate corridors that made even Tezuka dizzy to remember. They were led through a modern version of a sliding shoji screen that was eclectic in taste into a small European style dining room that looked like it was for royalty. Talk about a clash of tastes. Even Atobe had to wonder how Yukimura managed to make the two mix, Japanese and European. As the maids and butlers served dinner, Yukimura continued to make small talk with them; chatting idly about how he missed Japan, his work, etc. They also contributed to the conversation by talking about their work when he asked them, what they did after they left junior high, when did they leave Japan, etc. Although the four had this little nagging feeling that something larger was at hand, they left it at the back of their minds, however unsettling this feeling was.
This is your last meal…
Meanwhile…
STYX was served dinner in the servant's quarters, as not to draw suspicion from the stars of tonight's show. Yukimura, although he didn't show it, treated his hired killers quite well. It seems that he only needed them for the final show.
"Meh. So what are we going to do now?"
Kevin questioned while stuffing his face, but it came out more like this.
"Mmph. So wub ah we gwomphg tuu dou nohph?"
"Don't talk your mouth full, Kevin."
Kara reprimanded him, like a mother scolding a naughty child.
"Yeah, it's disgusting."
Kurai added on her…not so wanted advice. Kevin sulked and swallowed his food. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, making a face about how fine the material was. In fact, Kevin was very disturbed about how fancy the entire estate was and treaded carefully, not wanting to break anything. Kurai and Kevin then proceeded to argue about the merits of being disgusting or not, like two rival siblings. Kara could only sweatdrop at the scene. The entire time this was happening, Ryoma was staring vacantly into space, having finished his food a long time ago. He fiddled with a loose thread on the cover of the sofa that he was sitting on, lost in his memories. Kara noticed and watched his expression carefully, analyzing it. She was fascinated by the many aspects that his expressions had; remembrance, rage, sadness, confusion, but most of all- indecisiveness. All of these emotions flitted across his face within the span of a second, before he noticed Kara watching him and hid his emotions behind a mask of calmness.
"Are you prepared sufficiently enough Ryoma?"
She questioned softly. He only scoffed at her.
"Of course."
"Are you sure?"
She pressed on, just having the barest hints of wanting to push farther past his mask that was worn. The mask was on the verge of crumbling as well.
"Yes."
She pushed no deeper after that, perceiving the quiver of his lips that he could barely hold him. He was grateful towards her though, in many ways; for teaching him, for worrying about him, for taking him in under her wing (not to mention Kurai as well), for feeding him, for clothing him, for sheltering him, for everything. He had already announced to the rest of STYX that after this assignment that he was going to retire from the Underworld, having accomplished his purpose after so long. Kurai and Kara accepted it without any objections, which he was appreciative for, while Kevin was inquisitive but accepted it as well.
"Are guys ready yet? Because it's time to get into position."
Kurai's smile was frightening. It could give demons nightmares and drive away the bravest and fiercest of warriors. STYX rose up, took the serving trays and the bottle of alcohol that they would need for the plan, and left the room devoid of human life, the only sign that it was just recently inhabited the half-eaten plates of food.
Yukimura's group
After the scrumptious seafood dinner, they were led to a room that reminded them all of a throne room that was found in the middle of the castles of olden time. Sound familiar? It was the room that STYX was first led into when they arrived. Atobe and company looked on curiously at the room while Yukimura ascended the stairs. He swept his arms around him and breathed in the scent of the room. He turned around and smiled a smile that sent shivers creeping up their backs, though they were sure that they imagined it.
"Behold my pride and joy, the 'throne' room that I spent many years on collecting the finest materials and items that I specifically collected for it."
Atobe could only raise an eyebrow at this, his interest piqued. What fine objects had Yukimura collected for the sole purpose of decorating this room? He and the others wandered around, realizing how much value there was in all the fancy trimmings alone of this singular room. The articles of the room cost far more however. Tezuka found an ancient banner that alone cost about 10 million dollars at most, for zealous collectors. Fuji observed the room at a whole, calculating shrewdly the entire cost of the room itself. Sanada could only raise an eyebrow at why Yukimura would do this.
"Why did you show us this room of yours Yukimura?"
He questioned. Yukimura smiled mysteriously.
"The answer to that question will be answered shortly."
This will be the room of your death.
Then, four young servants entered. They all carried a tray with a specific brand of alcoholic beverage. Yukimura motioned them over.
"Would you like champagne, wine, whiskey, or beer? I have a fine red wine that I've been keeping for fancy occasions or to share with old friends. Or would you like light, bubbly champagne?"
"Champagne please."
A young sturdy-looking Chinese woman stepped up with her face downcast as she approached the four young men with her tray of champagne. They all accepted their champagne with thanks. Yukimura took his blood-red wine from the tray of a young man with golden hair. He raised his wine glass, wanting the others to copy him.
"A toast," he proposed, and placed the rim of the spun glass to his lips. He savored the wine while the others sipped at their champagne. After they had what they little know as probably their last glass of a fine drink, he continued that sentence.
"To your death."
They paused, incredulous.
"What do you mean, Yukimura?!"
Sanada shouted.
"Exactly what I meant, old friends."
Only unlike before, the words "old friends" was dripping with contempt and malice. Behind him, the four young "servants" lifted their faces and straightened their backs proudly while unearthing their weapons. They also pulled out blank white masks and pulled them on, white masks that Fuji could only recognize with dread.
"STYX."
He whispered that word with terror, finally meeting the famous killers that destroyed his little brother's life. Starting, he shouted.
"You! You ruined my little brother's life! You killed our friends!"
The eyes of STYX's members glittered coldly through the eye holes of the wax mask.
"It is not our will; it is all the will of the client."
All the eyes turned to Yukimura. For the first time since arriving at Yukimura's mansion, Tezuka spoke.
"You…killed, our friends…?" He hoarsely managed to choke out.
"Not killed," he reprimanded. "Ordered to kill. All the work was done by STYX here."
He looked upon them with what could be only described as fondness.
"And damn well did they carry it out."
Atobe, Sanada, Fuji, and Tezuka were in a state that only could be described as shock. They gaped, but Atobe was the first one to regain his mind. He started to pull out his cellphone to call the police, but that idea was quickly gunned down. Literally. Kara shot his cellphone from his startled hand, effectively shutting down the cellphone for good.
"Don't move," she ordered coolly. "Or you'll be losing more than your cellphone."
Yukimura just observed the scene.
"Ah," he noted, "I forgot to introduce them. This one here," he gestured to Kara, "is KIRIN. The other female is PHOENIX."
Gesturing for Kevin to come closer, he looped an arm around his waist. The loving scene was only offset by the cold glittering eyes from the mask and the cold smile that Yukimura was wearing.
"And this here is my pet, MERLION."
Finally, he gestured to the last remaining member of STYX.
"The best for last, I'm pretty sure you can guess who it is."
"That only leaves LYNX…"
Fuji whispered in awe and even more fear. Yukimura beamed at him, eyes cold.
"Ding ding ding! You are correct! This is the famous LYNX. You sure have got your assassins down."
'I'm flattered that you know our alias, but do you know our real names?"
Their heads snapped in the direction of the speaker, PHOENIX.
"What do you mean?"
No answer was given. Instead, they ripped off their masks, the faces beneath them as cold as the wax the mask was made off. Their faces stood out prominent to their audience though. One face stood out the most.
"…Ryoma…?"
To be continued~
SO SORRY I HAD TO END THAT THERE!!! [bows on ground apologizing] Even though I was on break, I was tortured by evil work! D: I was in deprivation of friendly contact the entire break… ;__________________; I needed to end this here because I wanted to get it out for you loyal readers out there to enjoy since you had to wait so long! Sorry! This will be part 1 of the last chapter since it's so freaking long and I'll post part 2 when I'm finished typing it! Please review! Thank you to the ones who reviewed and stayed patient with me! Your reviews will keep me happy for the next two weeks to come because I can't post during that time since I have to study for my tests in school [4 FREAKING DAYS OF TESTING] and my EVIL piano test! D: I hate piano theory…. [cries]