Previously on Doerai: Dawn of the Darkness...
Nick was the first to notice that something was emerging from the volcano that rested just over the horizon of Warfang. It appeared to be a lava rock creature similar to the Golem, but about fifty times bigger than the Golem.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!!" Yuki exclaimed.
"I see you've noticed the Destroyer. Have fun playing."
And with that, the image of Doerai disappeared, and the octopus creature that was projecting the image flew away.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!!" Yuki repeated.
"Calm down, Yuki-chan," Doremi commented.
"The black witch has every reason to be scared," Hunter stated, fear gripping his own voice. "The ancient legends say that the Destroyer brings about the birth of a new world."
"That doesn't seem to be so bad," Yuki noted.
"By issuing its destruction," Hunter finished. Yuki's eyes went nearly blank at this realization. "It travels the world over, leaving destruction in its wake, and once it completes it course at the beginning of its journey, the Belt of Fire it creates will utterly destroy this world..."
"So what you're saying is, if that thing makes a full lap around the world, we're finished?" Nick wondered.
"We've gotta stop it!!" Akemi exclaimed.
"It is no use," Hunter stated. "The beast moves too quickly for us to catch up to it."
Suddenly, Nick had a stroke of genius. "I've got it!! If we can't catch the thing, why not intercept it before it can finish its little run?"
Akemi's smile brightened considerably. "Nick, that's brilliant!!"
"I see," Hunter noted, drawing his bow and arrows. "We should take the path through the underground ruins. That will be our only hope of having the element of surprise without letting Doerai know we've left the city unguarded..."
"Well then, what are we standing around here for?!" Nick exclaimed. "Let's head for the ruins!!"
(Footage: As the opening begins, we can see a crystal-colored bird flying across the screen.)
Habata itara modoranai to ittte
(You say if you could fly, you would never come back)
(Footage: Nick and Akemi can be seen walking towards the beach, staring towards the sun.)
Mezashita no wa aoi, aoi ano sora
(You aimed for that blue, blue sky)
(Footage: Akemi smiles brightly, leading Nick to do the same. During the instrumental, we pan into the sky as the Doerai: Dawn of the Darkness logo appears on the screen.)
"Kanashimi" wa mada oboerarezu "setsunasa" wa ima tsukami hajimeta
(You've yet to remember "sadness", just now began to grasp "pain")
(Footage: Yuki and Doremi can be seen strolling down the city streets, just happy to be with each other.)
Anata e to daku kono kanjou mo ima "kotoba" ni kawatte iku
(Even the feelings I held onto for you are just now turning into words)
(Footage: Something knocks Doremi to the ground, and Yuki spins around, only to gasp in shock at what she sees.)
Michi naru sekai no yume kara mezamete
(As you awaken from the dream of an unknown world)
(Footage: A tanuki hops off of a nearby building, crossing great distances with very little effort, as if it's looking for someone...)
Kono hane wo hiroge tobitatsu
(Spread your wings and take off)
(Footage: The tanuki sees something and its face lights up. It charges forward, hopping into the arms of a girl. We can't see her features, as her upper half is obscured by the camera.)
Habata itara modoranai to ittte
(You say if you could fly, you would never come back)
(Footage: Nick and Akemi hop away from an energy attack, both holding each other's hands. They stare at each other for a second and nod.)
Mezashita no wa aoi, aoi ano sora
(You aimed for that blue, blue sky)
(Footage: A quick flash of the mysterious girl, then cut back to Nick and Akemi, both glowing with a powerful aura. After about a second, they thrust their hands forward and perform the Double Ojamajo Sparkle Screw, the silver beam of light blinding the screen.)
Tsukinuketara mitsukaru to shitte
(If you break through, you know you'll find it)
(Footage: Yuki pulls Doremi close to her to avoid a barrage of dark energy beams, nodding to the pink witch. The two join hands and begin chanting.)
Furikiru hodo aoi, aoi ano sora
(So try until you break free to that blue, blue sky)
(Footage: A quick flash of another mysterious girl, this one holding a microphone, then cut back to Yuki and Doremi, who thrust their hands into the sky to perform the Double Ojamajo Rewritten Masquerade, the massive collection of energy once again blinding the camera.)
Aoi, aoi ano sora
(That blue, blue sky)
(Footage: Quick flashes of the rest of the Ojamajos in spirit form.)
Aoi, aoi ano sora
(That blue, blue sky)
(Footage: A very familiar pair of blood-red eyes opens, the light covering the screen. When the light clears, we cut to Nick and Akemi at the beach, only this time, they're joined by Yuki and Doremi. Both couples are smiling brightly as the summer sun shines down on them.)
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(Even in the brightest light, there is always a little bit of darkness.)
YukiShinoya444 and S.P.D. Gold Ranger present:
Doerai: Dawn of the Darkness
Story Created: November 9th, 2008
Summary: AU. In the end, there is only a new beginning. The story continues as Nick and his friends go through another set of experiences... And what of the others?
On Today's Episode: The race is on as Nick, Hunter, and the girls head through the underground ruins of Warfang in a desperate effort to intercept the Destroyer before it can complete its course. Along the way, as the forces of darkness try to stray them from their task, Akemi continues to feel an ever-growing desire to protect Nick from whatever might come their way...
Authoress' Notes: This time, I will do the odds and Nick-kun will do the evens! Wai~
Disclaimer: ...Shouldn't it be obvious by now we don't own anything? (by S.P.D. Gold Ranger: EXACTLY, Yuki-chan.)
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Phase 7: As Crystal Clear as Time Itself (written by YukiShinoya444)
"Underground... ruins... Urgh..."
Yuki pinched her nose. "Nothing ever smells pleasant in here."
"You'll get use to it, princess." Hitomi laughed, flipping a bit of her tree brown hair. Torikki beside her seems to growl.
"Damn... I can smell that thing from over a hundred miles away..."
This made Nick perk up.
"You're not like other tanuki, are you Torikki-kun?"
"No... Really. Please, kid. How many magical tanuki do you know? The ones from myth?" Torikki shook his head, trotting along closer to his mistress' leg. "Thank my mistress that I won't kill you..."
Nick sighed. Akemi just smiled a bit.
"So... The tanuki girl's name is..."
"Hitomi." The said tanuki girl stated with a grin. "Kokoro Hitomi."
"So... Hitomi-chan? Or... Kokoro-chan?" Yuki asked, her mind in a confused whirl. Doremi just blinked twice.
"Hitomi's my first name. Kokoro's my surname. Either's fine, really." Hitomi waved her hand. "You call the boy 'Kellysi-chan' right? Even though his real name's Nick?"
"There's... a reason for that..." Nick muttered, blushing a bit.
His girlfriend blinked, and smiled. "My name's Suzuki Akemi. Nice to meet you, Hitomi-chan."
Hitomi nodded, while Torikki growl.
"Mistress..."
"Calm down, Torriki-kun!" Hitomi quickly snapped, extending her hand so the tanuki could crawl up to her shoulder. "Bad boy."
Torikki responded by using its tail to stoke her chin, earning a giggle to escape from her pink lips.
"Don't worry, I forgive you, Torriki-kun."
"So... How long have you and Torriki-kun been together?" Doremi asked as she fiddled with her fingers, hoping to pass the time quicker.
"Hm?" Hitomi blinked, her eye shade flickering from red to pink and back again until they turned a deep brown.
"I will not tell you that." she pronounced every word with a quick and easy breath, somehow making the statement sound more threatening. Hitomi looked ahead, her eyes going back to a crimson red.
"We got a Destroyer on our hands... Let's go kill it."
Nick and Akemi just looked at each other. Utau on the other hand just gulped, as if at some frightening memory.
Torikki huffed, growling yet again.
Hunter looked about. "Mistress... Can you sense the darkness?"
"Please, Torikki-kun tells me before time." Hitomi then flinched, Torikki's growls getting louder and louder.
"Incoming!!"
Everyone took caution when darkness started surrounding them. Yuki bit her lip as she quickly pulled Doremi close.
"Great... Another thing to add to our list our troubles."
Akemi latched onto Nick's arm, looking about. Nick looked a little confused.
"Akemi-chan...?"
Hunter readied his bow but Yuki raised her hand, Doremi still pushed against her chest. Hunter blinked, confused. Utau gasped, while Hitomi looked a little confused.
With that, she released the pink witch, walking up to where the darkness seemed to actually be moving.
"I'll give you something to be afraid of." the black witch stated coldly, glaring into the deep black.
She seemed to focus for a few minutes before her eyes snapped wide and she whipped out a fierce dark aura, rough enough that the energy nearly shoved everyone back and caused dents in the stone walls. Yuki's eyes then seemed to glow a dark black as a growl escaped her lips.
Within moments, the dark creatures let out a squeal, scattering back into the further of the ruins, obviously afraid of the black witch's power.
A smirk played on the girl's lips.
"Yuki-chan...?"
Yuki instantly snapped out of it, the dark aura retreating back into her body. Doremi quickly rushed up and caught her, confused as her girlfriend's breathing went back to gentle.
Hitomi whistled.
"Impressive, princess. That ought to freak them out for a while."
Torikki blinked, actually surprised.
"Incredible power, there... The younger prince must of used it wisely."
Yuki flinched a bit, pretending she had no idea who the tanuki meant.
Don't think... Don't think... Don't think his name...
Akemi let out a sigh of relief while Utau took cover behind Nick.
"I-I can't believe it! She's that strong... even now!!" she yelped, terrified. Her future father laughed a bit.
"Don't worry, it's just Yuki-chan."
Utau blinked as she watched Doremi help Yuki up, keeping a tight grip on the black witch's hand, as if she were afraid that Yuki would slip away if she released her.
She finally smiled.
Yeah... I should know... Yuki-chan's like that.
Hitomi walked forward, Torriki still clinging to her shoulder.
"Either way... We need to continue..."
Torriki lightly huffed.
"Mistress." his voice whispered carefully into her ear. "Are you absolutely positive about that girl's power? It was more than I expected..."
"Everything usually is... You suspect too little of people, ironically." Hitomi gave him a half-smile.
"Yes, I'm positive."
Her tanuki just nodded, deciding against anything else.
Akemi blinked, a sigh escaping her lips.
Ahhh... My heart sped up for a second... How strange... I wasn't nervous or anything... So... What?
"Uh..." She looked at her boyfriend who looked back in confusion. Akemi quickly smiled.
"I'm... glad you're safe!"
Nick couldn't help but smile.
"Thanks, Akemi."
Hunter made a "huh" sound and they all continued on their pathway once again.
It was a matter of time.
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"We're getting closer..."
"Any idea of why we're walking?"
There was a sharp crunch.
"OW!! Hitomi-chan, control that tanuki of yours!!" Nick exclaimed, quickly shaking his hand that Torikki had bit. "Ow, damnit, OW!!"
Akemi giggled.
"Keep your hand up so he can't reach..." Hitomi sighed.
"Sheesh, Torriki-kun."
Torikki growled.
"Boy needs to learn PATIENCE. Besides, it was a light bite."
"As if I haven't heard that before..." Nick grumbled, rubbing where the tanuki had "lightly" bitten him.
"At least it didn't pierce the skin..."
"Will you SHUT UP?!" Yuki exclaimed, exasperated. "This is NOT the time to be arguing, Nick-kun!"
Doremi and Utau both nodded, feeling a bit uneasy.
"He started it..." the green witch mumbled, still annoyed.
"I'm going to END it."
"Fine..." he sighed. Akemi took his hand, smiling all the way.
Oh Nick...
Hunter perked up. "Mistress Hitomi... Do you feel that?"
Hitomi turned to Hunter and nodded.
"So you're the mistress..." Doremi mumbled, looking fascinated. Yuki growled a bit.
Hitomi simply smiled, her eyes a bright shade of pink now.
"So says the lucky one who has the princess as her own."
Doremi blushed darkly and scooted next to Yuki who placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Doremi-chan..."
The black witch let out a sigh.
"Hey, Hitomi-chan... Are we getting much closer?"
"Yeah... Um... Remember those dark creatures you spooked?"
Torikki began shuddering. Yuki's eyes widened. Hitomi's eye color went back to crimson red as she growled.
"They brought friends."
Nick snapped up and Akemi flinched. A look of confidence spread over the crystal witch's features.
NOW!!
"Abunai!!" Hitomi called out, only for a dark blast to burst out. Nick and Akemi quickly hopped out of the way, Akemi spinning and grasefully flipping as she landed, and curtiesed.
Utau had star eyes while everyone else looked a bit surpised.
"Sugoi, Akemi-chan..."
Akemi light blushed, holding up a victory sign.
"No way will I ever lose that."
Nick just smiled, nodded. Akemi nodded back.
They soon joined hands.
"Spirits of the earth..." Nick chanted, his hand tightening around Akemi's.
"Spirits of the stars...." Akemi continued, glowing with a silver aura.
"Lend us your wills and give up the power to grant a miracle!! Our beautiful souls shall crush your dark heart!!" they both exclaimed, the force around them becoming tense.
"Double Ojamajo Sparkle Screw!!"
The beam of silver light shot into the darkness and it sucked away, appearing to roar in agony.
Yuki and Doremi both shuddered.
"Okay... EW."
Hitomi snapped up.
"Pheonix Flare!!" she exclaimed, unleashing a fiery blast at the darkness, which almost immediately withered away.
Taking a breath, Hitomi patted both of her hairbuns, ringing the bells attached.
The soothing sound echoed, brightening the path up ahead, free of any darkness.
Torriki's teeth bared, appearing to grin.
"Well done, mistress."
Hitomi nodded and winked.
"Aren't you glad I'm on your side? It's useful, right."
Nick just nodded, surprised.
"Definitely... Hitomi-chan."
Akemi pulled him close. "Nick... Are you alright?" she whispered in a light voice, looking up with sparkling eyes.
Nick quickly nodded, and his girlfriend smiled, relieved.
I really wish I could protect him like that...
Her eyes darted to Hitomi, her eyelids lowering.
It's really... amazing.
Yuki and Doremi walked forward, a little confused themselves.
"Hey, Yuki-chan... Have you seen that before?" Doremi asked with sparkling eyes.
Hitomi stared at them both, a little surprised herself.
"You mean... You haven't seen it before?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion.
They both shook their heads.
"Strange... Um... You're familiar with... Urr... The older prince?"
Doremi flinched, a light blush crossing her cheeks.
"You mean... Akatsuki-kun, right?"
Yuki gulped and gripped her chest.
No... Don't think his name... Don't think it...
Hitomi's head bobbled. "Yes, you didn't know?"
Doremi frowned, and shook her head.
Hitomi's eyes turned a surprising shade of misty yellow as she looked off to the side, as if staring at something that wasn't even there.
"Daylight is like a healing from the dark... When you're alone and afraid of the night, the rising sun will always wash away those fears those injuries... Ah..."
She closed her eyes, looking calm for a minute.
"It's a beautiful feeling, really."
Torikki's ears folded back, his differently colored eyes wide.
"His powers are much more different... But they can be used differently then you think... For example... Instead of curing a tear to the heart, it could rip the fragile thing in half."
Hitomi smirked.
"Just saying."
Doremi covered her mouth in shock, Yuki gulped.
"He wouldn't do something like that... right?" the pink witch whispered, her lips pursued.
Hitomi shrugged.
Akemi's gaze once again darted to Nick.
Nick... I wouldn't...
She gulped, her heart pounding.
No way in hell would I let something like that happen.
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Next time:
Phase 8: Midnight Revolution, Falling Comets
As the race continues, all hope seems lost for a few minutes when Nick encounters something shocking and unexpected... Something even Hitomi wasn't prepared for... Something Torikki didn't even see coming...