Author's Note: I'm on chapter 30! Wow! This story is now 142 pages long, which means my spell check (for some reason) won't put red squiggles under wrongly spelled words. I'm sorry about the increase in spelling mistakes from here on out, if the computer won't display them, I probably won't catch them.
The Story So Far: Hiruma has been rescued and is now receiving some medical care from his mother the other Succubus. The others are in some room, waiting for food and guidance.
Hidden
By: Bar-Ohki
Chapter 30: Hiruma Yuuya, Elder of the Eastern Ocean Isles
Hiruma Yuuya was standing before several distressed parents. The Anezaki family was not amused that their daughter disappeared. Kobayakawa Mihae was panicking because her son hadn't said anything when he left with his football uniform, she had just assumed he had gone to practice. Yukimitsu Rin, Yukimitsu Manabu's mother, was under the impression that her son had been kidnapped. Shin Toshio, Shin Seijuro's father, was 'kindly' wondering where the hell his son went. The worst bay far was the look on the face of Kurita Kiyoshi; it was a very disappointed look.
"I don't know where your children disappeared to!" Hiruma snapped for the seventh time. "All we can tell at this point it that Sensitive Kobayakawa Sena somehow managed to walk the lot of them somewhere else!"
"Then he should have been within seven leagues of Tokyo!" Mihae protested.
"We've checked that, your son took several steps." Hiruma rubbed his temples. "They are not in Japan anymore."
"Where are they then!?" Yukimitsu demanded. "They've been missing for two days!"
"I said I don't-!" Hiruma was cut off by the opening of a door.
"Elder Hiruma of the Eastern Ocean Isles," the woman spoke with an English accent, "would you kindly explain this?" The woman was wearing a green dress. She had long red hair and blue eyes. In her hand was a photograph of a bunch of boys wearing football uniforms on a bus that was violently turning around a corner. Of course they were Devil Bat uniforms.
"Elder O'Neil of Northern Europe," Hiruma's eyes narrowed, "perhaps you should explain the Hunters that have been seen around Tokyo recently?"
"Our headquarters was destroyed by these children!" O'Neil shoved the picture in Hiruma's face. "And every one of them was Japanese!"
"Explain where our national treasure went!" Hiruma countered. "It's also missing!"
"Perhaps I can offer my services as a well-informed person." A short, black cloaked figure in the corner of the room announced with a bow.
"What the hell?!" Hiruma gasped, startled by the sudden appearance of the figure.
"I don't think 'hell' is exactly the word you seek, Elder sir." Malhavoc pulled back his hood to reveal his pale, childish face, "Personally, I will recommend 'Underground'."
"Who are you?" Kurita asked, curious more than anything else.
"A very well-informed person." Malhavoc answered. "Now I'm sure everyone here would like to hear the information, but its not going to be free."
"What do you mean?" O'Neil demanded.
"A trade." Shin muttered. "If he's from the Underground, he wants to trade."
"Yes, I do wish to trade." Malhavoc nodded. "And like any good trader I will now disclose to you some of the many things I know but presume that you might care about knowing about."
"Something we want?" Mihae eyed the elf wearily. She had heard horror stories about the kinds of things that were traded in the Underground for information.
"I could explain both the Hunters' presence in Tokyo. I could also explain and identify the people in the Lady Elder's picture." Malhavoc explained. "I also know where all of the missing things currently are, including your son, Lord Elder."
"You know where Manabu is!?" Yukimitsu gasped.
"What do you want?" Shin demanded.
"Which of those things do you want to know?" Malhavoc cocked his head. "They all have different values, you know."
"Where are our children?" Anezaki, the man, asked.
"For that I must first hear the name of the missing person or thing, and you must tell me why whatever thing or person is significant to you." Malhavoc laid down a fairly reasonable price.
"Anezaki Mamori," Anezaki, the female, began, "she's my only child."
"Anezaki Mamori is at the Moon Mountain Roost under the protection and permission of Lady Lotem." Malhavoc informed her.
"…Shin Seijuro," Shin announced, "he's my son."
"Shin Seijuro is also at the Moon Mountain Roost." Malhavoc informed the man. "Don't worry sir, Lady Lotem is also looking after your son."
"I am wondering about the fate of my son and his friends. In exchange I have a piece of information you might find useful yourself, Lord Elf." Kurita offered.
"…What would be the nature of this information?" Malhavoc asked.
"Portals to the Underground." Kurita answered. Hiruma gave him an uncomfortable look.
"I accept your trade." Malhavoc nodded.
"There were two melfins created recently. One is on the field of Deimon High School and the other is outside of Liverpool, I believe." Kurita explained.
"Ah, that is useful to know." Malhavoc nodded. "Your son and his friends are all at Moon Mountain Roost, under Lady Lotem's care."
"Do you know of the fate of the half-Succubus?" O'Neil asked.
"Perhaps, what do you have to offer for it?" Malhavoc asked her.
"I know your real name." O'Neil smirked. Malhavoc raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me it quietly to my ear then." Malhavoc told her, his tone leaving no room for argument. O'Neil decided to humor him and whisper his full name into his ear.
"Hiruma Youichi is alive and recovering from the damage your people did to him." Malhavoc answered.
"Your people!?" Hiruma gasped, angry.
"Now, Lord Elder, Lady Elder, I will explain what exactly has transpired if you answer me this:" Malhavoc took a breath, "who is the envoy to the Underground?"
"…Elder Doburoku of the Eastern Ocean Isles." O'Neil answered.
"…Yes." Hiruma agreed quickly.
"Curious that is." Malhavoc chuckled. "Very well, here is the information you seek…." And with that Malhavoc broke off into a long recount about the war between Northern and Southern Europe, the decision to capture Youichi, the capture, the abuse of his blood and magic eating, and then his rescue.
"And the Ladies of Ven kindly flew the lot of us to Moon Mountain, where they still remain to this hour." Malhavoc finished.
"You're here?" Lotem blinked as she walked into the room, Rae and the bus lady right behind her.
"Should I not be?" Malhavoc asked her back.
"I suppose you have a reason for it." Lotem shook her head. "Yuuya, deal with these poor ladies kindly. They've had a rough time at the expense of your son."
"You're just dumping them on me!?" Hiruma protested.
"It's not my place to alter their memory!" Lotem snapped back, showing a lot of fangs. "I'm not impressed with the treatment of the Elders whose district these girls belong to, so I'm going to leave them with you."
"And what issues do you have with Northern Europe?" O'Neil demanded hotly. Lotem moved so quickly, no one could actually follow her movement. It was as though she had instantly smashed O'Neil into the wall and held her up by her heck.
"You killed my mate and nearly killed me son." Lotem told the woman with a sadistic smile. "Do you have any issues with that?"
"None." O'Neil managed to choke out. Lotem dropped the woman like a rag doll.
"And I expect you to do something about that." Lotem waved a hand in the general direction of O'Neil. "Since I now have to take care of our son."
"What!?" Hiruma protested.
"He grew into his powers with no schooling!" Lotem hissed. "He grew up completely ignorant of his heritage and your careless protection nearly got him killed! I see no reason this arrangement should continue!"
"And would you risk stripe him of his friends?" Malhavoc asked Lotem wisely. "I can't say that I know many that would have gone through such lengths to rescue your son."
Hiruma and Lotem stared at Malhavoc.
"Who's side are you on?" Shin couldn't help but to ask.
"My own!" Malhavoc announced. "And at the same time, Youichi only knows the Upground, he has a place here. It would be unfair to keep him from it without his consent. Now, I admit that his powers do need schooling immediately, for the sake of the others around him. Perhaps a Succubus could stay in the Upground with him to protect and tutor him until he wishes to return to the Underground."
"You're telling me to reason with her?" Hiruma demanded.
"Actually I am suggesting that she have more patience when dealing with you." Malhavoc rolled his eyes. "Now I am going to take my leave of the lot of you."
"And where would you be going?" Lotem asked.
"To deal with the melfin." Malhavoc answered. "Until the next fall, tansy, tarragon, dill, chamomile."
"What!?" Lotem gasped, but Malhavoc had already disappeared.
"What did he say?" Rae asked, freaking out.
"Don't you know your herbs!?" Lotem stared at the girl. "Tansy is hostility, tarragon is permanence, dill is survival, and chamomile is wisdom…."
"Something horrible's coming this way?" O'Neil gasped.
"It's here." A new voice announced. "Oh is it here."
They turned to see the siloutte of a large man with a big staff.
"Blake!" Hiruma and O'Neil hissed, recognizing the man.
"That elf won't escape my men." Blake assured them. "So how's about a game, hmm?"
-At Moon Mountain-
Hiruma Youichi woke up.
_=_=_=_=_
Cliffie! Ha!