Disclaimer: I do not own NightWalker: Midnight Detective or Inuyasha. They, as well as the characters, belong to their rightful creators and their distributors. The only things I own are the slight changes that I make within the story.
AN: This is for DeathNoteMaker after updating "Red River of Tears" and also agreeing to co-author, not only "St. Pheliosta's Other Princess" but also "Miko Chara" despite that she agreed with not much knowledge about Shugo Chara. I'm very grateful to her.
Hope you guys and Shí-chan enjoy this, despite that it might be short.
2nd Night:
Stardom's Stipulations Part 2
On the same night Shido and Yayoi found the latest slaughtered dog, Shido had gone to Yoko's place to tell her everything he knew about her being possessed by a Night Breed, what she had done, and what Night Breeds were and where they came from.
Soon after her manager came through her apartment door, Shido took his leave but not before telling Yoko that if she dared to kill a human that he would person find her and kill her. And he would have no qualms in doing so.
Now, riding with Yayoi, Shido asked, "Have you ever heard of those stories? A person is granted three wishes… by the devil in exchange for his soul?"
"You mean those genies in the bottle? Isn't that stuff only in fairy tales?" Yayoi asked, keeping her eyes on the road as the rain continued to pour.
"Perhaps. Since days long gone, some Night Breeds have thrived by deceiving humans in similar ways."
"You don't mean that woman… Asahina Yoko also dealt her soul off to a Night Breed?"
"If a human willingly solicits a breed… there's nothing I can do."
"Solicit? A human soliciting a breed?"
Shido looked out the window before continuing, "Kagome was right when she said that an understudy would usually do anything to outshine their senpai… I guess she also meant that they would go so far as to go through murder or sell their soul to the devil himself."
After a while of silence, Shido turned Yayoi and asked, "Could you drop me off at Kagome's?"
Yayoi gave a small knowing smile, asking, "You're worried about her… after what she had seen Asahina do a couple days ago?"
When Shido gave an affirming sound, Guni stepped out from behind his hair and spoke, "Come on, Shido. I'm sure she's just fine. She's most likely studying for the upcoming exams at school as well as college entrance exams."
"Still… it can't hurt to check on her…" Shido really was actually worried about Kagome since she hadn't come by the office after telling him and Yayoi of what she had seen Yoko done with the first slaughtered dog that week. Thankfully, Yayoi didn't question him any further and started taking the familiar roads to Kagome's apartment complex.
With word that he might stay with Kagome or would most like take a taxi back to the office, Shido made his way up the steps to Kagome's floor as Yayoi drove off. Once he was in front of Kagome's door, Shido knocked and waited for the miko to answer the door. After the first couple of minutes, he knocked again before Guni suggested, "Maybe she went to bed early tonight? Or is probably out somewhere…"
A muffled 'just a sec' came from inside before hurried steps came closer and the door opened to reveal wrapped in a dark blue bathrobe and her hair soaked. Her deep blue eyes were wide with surprise as she saw Shido standing outside her door.
"Kagome… umm, I'm sorry to come so late but… I was a bit worried since you hadn't been by the office the past couple of days…" Shido almost stuttered at first before clearing his throat and saying that he would leave now since he was probably disturbing her.
Coming out of her surprise, Kagome spoke, "No, no! Wait, Shido-san! It's okay… you didn't interrupt anything. I just finished taking a bath." Clearing her throat, Kagome opened the door wider, "Please, come in. No need to stay out in the rain."
Shido gave a slight bow before entering. As Kagome shut the door behind, Shido slipped off his shoes while Guni came out of hiding and greeted, "Hey, Kagome! How's it going?"
"Hey Guni." Kagome replied with a smile before turning to Shido, "Would you like something to drink? I was planning to make some tea…"
The vampire gave a smile before saying, "Some tea would be nice."
The miko grinned before making her way to the small kitchen area while saying, "Go ahead and make your self at home. And please don't mind the books scattered on the low table."
Curios of what she meant, Shido made his way to the living area of her apartment. He gave a soft chuckle, seeing some of the low table and most of the floor was almost covered in text and study books. Guni saw this as well and called out to Kagome, "hitting the books for the upcoming exams?"
"Yeah. It's one of the main reasons why I haven't been by the office lately. I really want to pass these exams because they make up the majority of my class grade. And they are also trying to gauge my educational level for which college entrance exams I should take." Kagome answered while setting the teakettle on the stove.
Shido made a sound of understanding while picking up a Japanese History book. There were a lot of markers saving various pages, most likely sections she had to study on. As he was setting it back onto the pile it came from, Kagome came into the living area before asking, "So how's it going with the understudy-turn-leading star and the Night Breed she's sold her soul to?"
The vampire turned to her before giving a sigh as Guni seated herself on one of the book piles on the low table. With Kagome's permission, he too took a seat on the seating pillows on the floor and answered, "I met with her at her apartment earlier this evening. I had warned her that if took a human life to gain power, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her."
The miko nodded in understanding while setting some books aside to make room of the tea that would be ready soon but didn't disturb Guni. At the high pitched whistle from the teakettle sounded, noting Kagome that the water for the tea was ready. Making her way back to the small kitchen area, the miko asked, "Do you really think that she'll take that threat to heart and not kill a human? Most humans don't tend to take to promises, even when it means their own death."
"You never know… even if it's a slim chance." Shido replied before Guni put in her two cents, "There's still that one thing humans possess, Shido. It's pride… and it tends to push humans to prove something that doesn't need to be proven."
Shido gave Guni a curious look before turning to Kagome as she spoke, making her way into the living area with the tea, "There's no doubt that Asahina-san will destroy anything that stands in her way to show she's better than her senpai. There's even a chance she'll kill an innocent if she believes that they may outshine her." This made Shido think… what she had said was true.
It was a part of human nature. And it was a Night Breed's influence that made human nature much more deadly.
His thoughts were cut short when Kagome had cut her finger and let a few droplets fall into one of the cups before pouring her special tea blend.
Guni gave a coy and witty smile before speaking, "Kagome sure knows how you like your tea, Shido."
Kagome shook her head as Shido cleared his throat to rid his embarrassment and the blush that colored his cheeks as he accepted the blood mixed tea she offered before the miko brought out a cup small enough for Guni to drink from after pouring herself a cup.
The pixie thanked the miko as the said miko took a seat herself. Setting her tea down, Kagome picked up the towel she was going to use to dry her hair before draping it over her head and started drying her dark tresses.
For most of the storm, Kagome and Shido talked… mostly about what to do with Asahina Yoko if she really did kill an innocent human. During their discussion, Guni mostly played with Kagome's kitten, Luna who woke from one of her catnaps.
Throughout the conversation, Shido savored the flavor and sweetness of the tea Kagome gave him and also savored the unique taste her blood had.
After seeing that it was late and knowing that she had to wake early, Shido announced that he should leave since the rain had somewhat stopped. But since Kagome didn't want Shido and Guni to leave should the rain pick up again, she offered to let both pixie and vampire stay the night.
"It's all right, Kagome-chan. You don't have to go out of your way to make room for us." Shido assured with a soft smile as Guni flew to him and went to hide behind his hair.
Before he left out the door, Kagome stopped him saying while handing him a dark colored umbrella, "At least take an umbrella so you and Guni won't get wet."
The vampire smiled at her caring nature and thanked her. Before he left out the door, for reasons unknown to him, Shido gave Kagome a light kiss on the forehead, leaving her surprised as he left to the staircase down and out of the apartment complex with the miko's umbrella in hand.
XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX
The next morning, while Kagome was at school and after much teasing from Guni, Shido and the pixie went with Yayoi to some warehouses where there was a murder.
The victim was a dark green haired woman who Yayoi said was someone who was cast along with Asahina Yoko. Around her neck was light blue hair that looked similar the hair that was found with the bodies of the dead dogs and Tsukimura's manager- instant proof of who had done it.
Shido was pissed at this before racing to a police car with Guni still on his shoulder and Yayoi right behind him. He cursed as he tried to drive off to where Yoko was going to perform.
He couldn't go very far because the Night Breed somehow dropped two hooks from a pair of cranes, making Shido turn side to side wildly before it tumbled onto its roof. Shido and Guni were able to get out just fine.
"Shido, are you alright?" Guni asked worriedly.
Sensing that the Night Breed was hiding in his shadow, Shido told her to get away before standing and the Night Breed attacked him by forming these tendrils that impaled most of his upper body and raised him into the air. His blood soaking most of his clothes and dripping down the black tendril that pierced his body.
As the Night Breed was about to give a finishing blow, Guni flew in front of Shido, summoning her energy to create a barrier but the Night Breed was stronger than her and pushed her away and land on the hard concrete.
Yayoi then came with her gun loaded with silver coated bullets and started shooting at the demon, making it let go of her vampiric partner before disappearing.
Once she was sure it was gone, she made her way to Shido helping him sit up despite the blood that was pulling around him.
In his semi-conscious state, Shido asked Yayoi to take care of Guni before completely passing out.
The N.O.S. woman tried waking him by calling his name as the rain started to pour but after no reply or movement from Shido, she set him down and made her way to get Guni who was conscious but in pain. Most likely receiving a couple of bruises and one of her wings was fractured from the force the Night Breed used to push her away. After setting the pixie with Shido, Yayoi ran off to get her car.
After she got them in the car, Yayoi picked her cell phone up and called Kagome to hopefully get her help.
"Come on, Kagome. Pick up!" Yayoi muttered after the third ring, making glances to Shido who was out cold in the passenger seat and Guni was sitting on the dash, grasping her injured wing. At the fourth, Kagome answered her phone.
"Kagome! Shido and Guni are badly hurt! I need you to meet me at the office to help me get them in and take care of their wounds! Where are you at now?" Yayoi's sudden urgent voice surprised Kagome before she answered, "I'm… already at the office…"
"Stay put! I'm almost there! I'll need you to help me get Shido and Guni inside!" Was the last thing Kagome heard before the older woman hung up.
The miko stared are her cell phone confusedly before she started to feel dread as news of Shido and Guni being hurt started to sink in.
She soon heard the motor of Yayoi's car come up before Kagome ran out of the office and came out into the rain to help Yayoi get Shido inside while letting Guni sit on her shoulder and hanging on to her hair.
"Yayoi-san, what happened? Why are Guni and Shido-san hurt?" Kagome demanded but Yayoi understood that it was because the younger girl was obviously worried and shocked at how injured they were. Not to mention Kagome most likely was in disbelief that Shido even survived his injuries, despite that he wasn't human.
"The Night Breed attacked after Shido found out that its host killed a human. Guni got hurt while trying to keep Shido safe and Shido… the Night Breed attacked him first, impaling him multiple times at once." Yayoi answered as they entered the office and gently laid Shido on the couch.
Thanks to Shido's healing as a vampire, the bleeding had stopped but it left him weak from the loss of blood he suffered. After Kagome did her best to heal Guni, mending what bones were fractured or broken and what few open wounds she suffered while Yayoi slit her wrist a bit to give Shido some of her blood to help him boost his healing, letting the red liquid pour into his mouth.
After covering the cut she made on her wrist, Yayoi turned to Kagome who looked a bit worried as she assured, "Don't worry. He should wake in about half a day after he recovers a bit." She then stared into Kagome's eyes, instructing, "If anything should happen to me, Kagome… I'll leave it to you to spare him some of your blood. A little more than what you put into his tea." And with that, Guni and Kagome watched Yayoi run out the office and into her car, driving to the theater with a promise of nailing Yoko for almost killing Shido.
The miko turned worried eyes back to Shido who lay so still on the sofa while Guni stayed seated on the desk. Kagome kneeled beside the sofa Shido was resting on and gently grasped his hand in hers. She hoped that Shido would wake sooner because she felt that something horrible might happen to Yayoi if she fought that Night Breed alone.
Making her grip on Shido's hand a little firmer, Kagome concentrated her power to help speed up Shido's recovery and hopefully get him to wake up sooner.
Guni witnessed Kagome work her powers to heal Shido. The miko's energy engulfing both her and Shido's body, raven and lavender tresses flowing upon a gentle breeze that seemed to come from Kagome and her power.
In Shido's unconscious mind, he could feel warmth flow through him the felt like bliss. He also felt his pain slowly ebb away to the point where it was a dull throb in his upper body. When he felt the warmth leave his body, he almost groggily opened to eyes to see the reason why and faintly heard Guni's voice speak, "Kagome, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Guni. My emotions are all going haywire making it almost hard for me to concentrate on completely healing Shido-san. But I did heal him enough to where he won't be in too much pain anymore and recovered enough energy for him to wake up in a while." He heard Kagome reply, almost sounding out of breathe before she continued, "I just hope he wakes up soon. I've got a bad feeling that something bad might happen to Yayoi-san if she faces that Night Breed alone."
'Yayoi… took off alone?' Shido thought before forcing himself to open his eyes. He still felt weak but at least he wasn't in too much pain. Whatever Kagome did to him, he was very thankful.
Once Kagome noticed that Shido was awake, she immediately asked if he was all right.
"I'm fine, Kagome-chan… where's Yayoi?" Shido spoke, his voice a bit groggy.
"She went to take care of the Night Breed by herself…" as Guni answered, Shido tried to sit up with Kagome asking him to lie back down, despite that Yayoi may really need his help…
"Kagome… do you know where she was headed?" Shido asked with a grunt caused by how weak yet stiff he felt. Like he had just woken up from a long nap.
"At the condominium where Asahina Yoko is going to perform…" the miko answered softly before Shido grasped one of her hands.
As the detective vampire looked into the miko's eyes, almost pleadingly, Shido asked, "Kagome-chan… please, I want you to take me there…"
"But Shido-!" Guni protested but was cut off when Shido said that Yayoi might not last long, facing the Night Breed alone.
After a while of silence, Kagome's eyes gained a glint of determination before nodding, "Alright… let's go. Just don't push yourself or your wounds will reopen." With that agreement, Kagome helped Shido up off the sofa while letting Guni sit on top of her head before they headed off to where Yayoi was going to face the Night Breed.
XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX
Yayoi had busted into the main theater room after Asahina Yoko lost control and killed a fellow actor while on stage in front of everyone. The N.O.S. woman shot her gun at Yoko but the Night Breed possessed woman made a high leap to the ceiling and through it to the roof where Yayoi followed it.
On the roof, after running up so many stairways, Yayoi kept her guard up, just waiting for the Night Breed to attack her. But with a flashing of the lightning and the pouring rain it was hard to tell where the Night Breed was hiding, especially when there were gargoyle statues on the roof.
Like Shido, Yayoi noticed that the Night Breed was hiding in her shadow. In its shadow form, the Night Breed divided into four sections, quickly and swiftly making way to the four gargoyle statues. Taking control of them, the Night Breed had them turn toward Yayoi before shooting out something similar to a long tongue and restricting the longhaired woman's movements before the Night Breed revealed itself.
Its appearance looked like that of a very thin woman's with red eyes, thick cloud-like light blue hair, and pale white skin. It's form from the waist down looked like a mix between its hair and the form of a genie coming out of its lamp.
After Yayoi called it a monster, struggling from her restraints, the Night Breed answered, "A monster? No. I am a lover of the arts. I merely dispense some sparks of talent to the humans."
"Sparks of talent?"
"Human flesh is all I ask for in return for my services. A fair trade, is it not?" The Night Breed's smile turned darker as 'she' continued, "I didn't expect this woman to break as easily as those before her, especially when she was the one who begged me to make her a great star. But in the end, she became too overwhelmed by the instincts of my kind." The Night Breed's fingers elongated a bit into sharp points, "Now I must find myself some fresh material… Goodbye, young miss!"
As the Night Breed elongated its fingers of its right hand at great speed, countless drops of blood darted at the Night Breed, hitting its body in various places.
The action surprised Yayoi as she recognized the attack and turned her head to look behind her and find Shido, who was leaning against Kagome for support while Guni was sitting atop the miko's head looking better than she did before the pixie was brought to Kagome. Shido looked a bit better as well, if a little weak and clothes still bloodied from the attack earlier that day.
Shido's eyes, golden with slit pupils and filled with anger, spoke before lifting his arm from around Kagome's shoulder and walked toward the Night Breed, "How can I rest peacefully without squaring off my depts."
"I see… you're a vampire." The Night Breed stated before Shido promised that he would put the said Night Breed into its grave.
When Kagome noticed that Shido was going to attack again by using his blood as a weapon again, she cursed before drawing her dagger she kepted concealed behind her back and hit the Night Breed right between the eyes.
The vampire looked to Kagome, surprised that she had such a weapon with her as the Night Breed laughed before speaking, "You can't kill me with a cheap prop like this, little girl."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but that was only one of the pieces that would help me put you down." Kagome smirked before bringing out a talisman and raising it over her head and to the sky, chanting in Ancient Japanese. The spelling the miko was casting was a summoning to call lightning.
"The spotlight had always belonged to us…" With her aim being as true as ever, Kagome ordered the lightning she summoned to hit the dagger that was still imbedded in the Night Breed's head.
The Night Breed cried out in agonizing pain as the lightning continued to strike it before its hair burst into flames, burning its skin, and falling onto the roof, dead. The intensity of the flames melted Kagome's blade as the Night Breed's corpse continued to burn.
With the Night Breed dead, the hold it had on Yayoi was lifted as she, Shido, Kagome, and Guni watched the flames.
After the flames died out with the rains stopping as the morning sun rose, the Night Breed's appearance evaporated as its hair did the same, revealing Asahina Yoko… dead and naked.
Standing next to Yayoi, Kagome saw this with an emotionless face but pitied eyes as she held Guni in her arms.
"Those engaged in the arts need to have the strength to face their own inner demons." Shido spoke already over his surprise when Kagome finished the Night Breed on her own, most likely to keep him from fighting when he's in no position to try fighting.
Yayoi then replied, "She became so fixed on her persona as an actress, she lost sight of her true identity."
After a pause, Kagome spoke softly but loud enough for Shido and Yayoi to hear, "Many humans seem to try and find a shortcut to achieving something like glory and fame. It's such a waist because, with enough patience and the right guidance, Asahina-san would've been able to achieve that without the Night Breed's influence."
Guni then sighed, "But what's been done is done. It can't be helped that she willfully solicited the forbidden darkness while being promised that shortcut."
As Yayoi and Kagome were going to head back in to leave the building, Shido stayed behind, lost in his thoughts before he decided to follow but stopped and turned his head slightly to look on Yoko's body with something akin to pity…
"Shido-san…?" Kagome's voice brought the vampire out of his thoughts before she spoke, "Let's head back… the sun will ride higher soon."
Nodding to her, Shido came up to her before following her down the steps…
Another chapter done and dedicated to my friend, DeathNoteMaker in hopes that she'll update another one of her fics or send me a chapter for one of our Xovers soon.
Despite that I know school as probably loading everyone with projects, homework, and/or tests, I really hope some of you will leave a review. 'Cause to see so many hits with so few reviews is a bit… sad.
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy. Next chapter… let's say Kagome and Shido go out.