The hard wind blew against Alana as she stood from her kneeling position. She had been sent out to track another vampire that was suspected of being an anomaly. She was near the coast and could smell the salt in the air but she could also sense something else, she could sense that something was off, the night was unstill and the wind held a chill. She picked up her phone and pressed two on her speed dial. When no one picked up she flipped the phone closed and pressed one on her speed dial, Louis picked up instantly, "Louis where is Kusanagi?"
"I believe that he is at home but I'm not sure," Louis said.
"Have you spoken with him today?" asked Alana.
"No he was meditating and I believe that he went to visit Mina after that I am not sure of what he did. Why?"
"Something's off and I was wondering if he had had a vision of anything," she said.
"I'm not sure did you try to call him" Louis asked.
"Yeah I tried before I called you," she said, "he didn't answer."
"Where are you?"
"I'm at the bluff on the beach," said Alana "I was chasing down a rogue vampire that Kreon wanted examined. His whole coven was supposedly infected except him; Kreon wants to know if he's an anomaly or if he's just lucky."
"Did you catch him," Louis asked her.
"No I was about to when I felt something in the wind change, something sinister is coming Louie I can feel it," she said.
"Alright maybe it would be better if you came home."
"Maybe but I really want to speak with Kusanagi if I could." Alana turned her back to the ocean and looked around her. She never realized that turning her back was the biggest mistake she could have ever made. Suddenly without noticing it a woman appeared behind her. She had not noticed the intruder and was still speaking when she felt a cold blade slice open her back.
Alana screamed and dropped her phone to the ground. In an instant the figure had cut the tendons in Alana's ankles; Alana screamed once again and dropped to the ground. She could hear Louis calling out to her over the phone, she tried to reach for it but suddenly a blade was thrust into it destroying the phone. Alana was able to turn herself around to face her attacker.
"What do you want?" she asked the person standing before her.
"Information."
Alana looked up at her attacker and saw a pair of dark eyes. Then in an instant she recognized her attacker. "Who are you?"
"Don't worry Analia," Saya said her voice devoid of emotion. "You will not die on this night."
"Wait you don't…." said Alana. But before she could speak she felt cold steel pierce her hand; her scream echoed over the crashing waves.
Kusanagi suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his chest. Something was happening something was wrong. Visions began to obscure his vision; he cried out from their ferocity and then was silent. He stood up shaking and was visibly weakened from his vision. "Hermione and Serena…" he said weakly as he tried to make his way to them.
Before deciding to go to Kusanagi's Serena thought it would be a good idea to get something to eat. She had stopped at a restaurant and ordered food for both her and Hermione. After waiting the fifteen minutes it took to get their order together they were finally on their way to Kusanagi's.
Hermione had yet to speak; she held their meal in her lap and watched as Serena drove along the coast. She watched as the beach flew by and stared at the open ocean. It was peaceful nothing was bothering her as she watched the ocean. Everything could be forgotten, all her problems and all the stress. However within seconds the wind speed began to increase and dark clouds rolled in. It began to rain hard obscuring the view of the beach.
This may have been the reason that Hermione didn't see the attack until it had hit the car and flipped it over. Hermione didn't know how many times they had flipped but she knew the instant that they stopped. The car was upside down and she and Serena were hanging their seat belts having kept them in place. Hermione's head was throbbing and there was a ringing in her ears.
"Serena?" Hermione called out.
"Yeah…"
"Are you oaky?"
"Probably not."
"Can you get out," Hermione asked.
"Yeah can you?"
"Yeah," Hermione unbuckled her seat belt and allowed herself to drop down. She caught herself on her hands but felt glass cut into her hands. She kept from crying out though; Hermione maneuvered herself and was able to crawl out of her passenger window. She felt the glass cutting her legs as she drug herself out of the car but she refused to make a sound. Finally after several minuets she was able to stand up and brush off some of the glass. She looked over the car at Serena.
Serena's forehead was cut and blood was running down the side of her face, her hair had been dyed a pinkish color and her arms were cut up. "You okay?" she asked Hermione, Serena was cradling her right arm which had a huge gash in it and looked to be sitting in a funny angle.
"I'm alive but I'm cut to hell," Hermione said "You?"
"I think I might have broken my arm," she said "a few cuts and stuff but okay for the most part." Serena looked around and then looked at the car. "What the hell hit us?"
"I don't know the rain blocked my view" Hermione said. She turned too looked around and behind her while Serena began to survey the damage. After a few seconds Hermione spotted something in the rain. "Serena…"
Serena looked up at her and then looked over in the direction that she was looking. There standing in the rain dressed in all black robes hair hanging down onto her shoulders was a figure wearing a black and white mask. "What the hell?"
"Serena that's…." began Hermione but before she could say a word a blast of black energy was shot towards them. Hermione and Serena were able to jump away from it in time but it hit the car making it explode upon impact. Hermione landed on her legs but one gave out underneath her. She crouched down and stared at the attacker. 'Serena this person is extremely powerful…'
'Yeah I can tell that it's like the power is radiating off of em.'
'We need to be careful we may not be able to defeat her in this state,' Hermione said. 'Can you call for Darien?'
'I don't think so.'
'Why?'
'Because I've been trying to for the past three minutes and I think that she's blocking me.' Hermione looked over to where Serena was standing. They were alone.
"Calling for you vampire lovers won't help you any," said the woman. They could hear her voice just barely over the rain. "I have blocked all psychic telepathy in a two mile radius."
"Who the fuck are you?" yelled out Serena.
"Who I am?" said the woman her voice emotionless "that doesn't matter now, all that matters is you know that I am here to kill you."
"Why what the fuck did we do to you?" yelled Serena angrily.
"You betrayed the world that you promised to protect, you allied yourself with the enemies, you have committed the gravest treason known and yet you still ask what you have done?" said the masked woman.
"Yeah so we decided the switch sides what business is it of yours?"
"Your actions directly affected everyone in the Underworld, light and dark both felt the impact of your decisions. It is the business of everyone now," the woman said.
"Yeah right I don't care who you are you have no right to tell me how to live my life," Serena yelled. She raised her hand towards the woman and without chanting a blast of blue fire shot towards the woman and encircled her.
The masked woman didn't move and her calm demeanor didn't change, she simply looked at the fire encircling her and sighed. "Still using cheap parlor tricks?" The woman began to move her hands in a circular motion; she raised them to the sky. The fire circled into a ball and gathered at the woman's hands. "Allow me to demonstrate," she said. The fire grew, turned black, and radiated power.
"Serena….."Hermione yelled.
"I get it Herm."
The woman threw her attack towards them at intense speed. When it hit the ground it exploded with enough force to throw the car back several feet. Hermione was thrown into the concrete divider in the middle of the road, Serena had been able to dodge the attack but it had knocked her to her knees. She clutched her arm. 'Damn this is bad we can't fight back at out full strength,' Serena thought.
Serena looked over to where the woman had been standing and saw nothing. "You're too slow half-breed," said the woman's voice. Serena heard the swinging sound of a blade and without a second to think she rolled to her side and dodged the attack. She turned and saw the woman standing in an attack position with a katana clutched between two sturdy hands.
Serena tried to catch her breath, she was sure that she had some internal bleeding. Her movements were too sluggish and her body wasn't right. She tried to size up her opponent; then she noticed the markings on the woman's hands. She recognized a few of them but before she was able to think of where she had seen them her opponent was moving towards her. Serena dodged once again and this time added an attack. "Shakkahou" Serena yelled as she moved. Fire again blasted from her hand and this time hit the woman.
Serena was able to get to her feet; she turned and looked for Hermione who was lying on the ground near the barrier. "Hermione!" she yelled seeing that blood was mixing with the rain and pooling around her. She ran towards her but before she was able to get near Hermione she felt a presence behind her. Her eyes widened and before she could turn around she felt the sword enter her body.
To Serena it felt as if time had stopped. The rain seemed to slow down and the wind grew silent. 'No, no this…this can't be….' Serena thought. 'Darien!' Serena yelled right before she hit the ground. Mid fall she was able to turn so she was see her attacker.
The woman stared at Serena and Hermione silently. She tilted her head as if to say 'That's it?' Her bloodied katana hung at her side staring at Serena as she bled. "I have to admit I did expect more from you two, to go down so easily, it's such a disappointment."
"Bitch!" Serena muttered through the blood seeping from her mouth.
"Yes I supposed I couldn't expect a better insult from you, such a child Serena, pity." She raised her sword to bring it down upon Serena's head. Serena closed her eyes and waiting not wanting this woman to be the last thing she saw before her death. She waited patiently for the last blow staring into darkness. She exhaled and then there was a flash of light before her eyes and a scream of pain. Serena opened her eyes.
Their attacker was clutching her mask and had retreated a few steps. Serena saw Hermione's outstretched hand pointing at the woman and understood. She smiled knowing that it was Hermione's last show of power. Hermione collapsed back onto the ground and watched the woman.
She faced them once again and Serena saw that half of her mask was gone. They could see her lips but the rest of her face was hidden by her hair. "Clever I'm glad though I'm not as disappointed anymore." She raised her hand in their direction; black lightning crackled around her hand and her marking began to emit a slight glow.
The attack was shot at them with intent to kill and it would have had Kusanagi not jumped in front of it. His arm absorbed most of the attack and he could smell burning flesh.
"Kusanagi," said Serena weakly sighing in relief. Louis was next to her in the blink of an eye.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Serena looked at him, "Seriously?"
He smiled slightly, "Well at least you haven't lost your sense of humor."
"Who are you?" Kusanagi asked the woman. The woman didn't answer but they all knew that her eyes were upon them. "I want answers. Who sent you?" Kusanagi said.
Serena looked over at the woman who had remained silent. The rain around Serena stopped and she looked up to see that Darien was standing in front of her blocking the water. She looked around and saw Malachite, Zoicite, Ami, Nephrite, and Daniel backing Kusanagi. Serena smiled, she knew that no matter how powerful this woman was she wouldn't be able to take them all one, she knew that they were safe.
"You have attacked a member of the royal family the penalty for that is death!" yelled Nephrite.
"By who's hands? Yours? I think not!" said the woman. "You couldn't even me kneel to one knee let alone draw blood."
Nephrite moved to attack but was stopped by Kusanagi's arm. "Wait. I want to know who you are." The woman said nothing again only stared at the group. Suddenly from behind the entire group a blast of white light was shot towards the woman. A figure appeared from nowhere and deflected the attack from hitting the masked woman.
The opposite group turned to look behind them. On the hill overlooking the battle stood a bloodied Alana. She took a breath and collapsed, before hitting the ground however Louis was there to catch her. They then all saw the long haired woman who had deflected the attack. She too had a katana, her brown hair was matted against her head, and her eyes showed no emotion.
"That was unnecessary Rin I could have easily deflected it," said the woman.
"I am aware of that mistress but I didn't feel that you should have to defend yourself against this vampire rubbish."
"Your efforts were unneeded I was engaging them in battle," said the woman.
"I feel that a retreat would be the most concise move at this moment mistress," Rin said.
"Yes I agree," the woman turned to leave.
"You have no right to leave!" said Malachite moving to stop the woman. Before he even touched her Rin had grabbed his hand stopping his movements, she hit several pressure points on his body rendering him useless. Then she threw him back at his comrades; he skidded across the wet ground before stopping at Ami's feet. She bent down to try and help him.
"Your movements will never match mine vampire," Rin said.
"No but our attacks might!" said Daniel moving towards Rin. Her guard was down and in his hand was a ball of fire. Rin's eyes widened before she was thrown back by her mistress. Daniel's attack hit the other woman in the face and they all heard the shattering of her mask. She threw out her hand and sent Daniel flying backwards.
"Mistress! Are you alright?" asked Rin. The woman's back was towards them all and none could see her face. Her left hand was clutching to ensure that no damage done to her. "Mistress here," said Rin as she unwrapped a scarf that was tied around her waist. But the woman held her hand up to stop Rin.
"No it doesn't matter now," she said standing to her full height, she pulled down her robes and allowed the rain to pelt her face. "You were lucky Daniel I shouldn't have left my subordinate open like that but you have to admit that it was a cheap shot. I thought your brothers would have taught you better." Daniel stood trying to see the woman's face, but still it was hidden by the wind.
"Who are you?" asked Kusanagi once again.
She smiled at his comment and sighed, "It hasn't been long I am sure that you will all remember me quite well." The turned and pushed her hair from her face. Two blue eyes locked with Kusanagi's dark ones and his heart stopped along with time. Everything seemed to fade except them, he stared at her not wanting to blink and have her disappear.
"Momiji?" he said. Though the hard rain blocked their view of her they could see her well enough. She looked almost the same nine months had not changed her face so much that they wouldn't see who she was but her hair was longer and dark as night but it was her eyes that where the most changed. They no longer sparkled with the determination she possessed, her wit seemed to be replaced with emptiness, and her smile he could see had not been seen in a long time, to him they were unrecognizable. "Momiji….."
"That's not possible," said Serena staring at her old friend. Hermione didn't speak she only stared at Momiji. "We would have known her!" yelled Serena.
"It hasn't been a long time Serena but so much of me has changed," Momiji told them.
"Momiji…" Kusanagi said once more "Where have you been?"
Momiji said nothing just stared at him with cold eyes, "It's unimportant." She turned to Rin, "We need to leave." Rin nodded and turned towards them blocking Momiji from view.
"Wait Momiji!" Kusanagi yelled but he was too late a blinding red light erupted from Rin's sword and by the time any of them could see the two were long gone. The silence left behind was heavy. For an instant no one moved, spoke, or breathed.
Then it was Serena who finally broke the silence, "Well were kinda fucked."
Momiji walked into the room with the great fire once more. She took off her outer robe and let it fall to the ground. Underneath she wore a simple green woman's kimono, the pattern on it was delicate swirls of black and silver. She knelt down in front of the fire and closed her eyes.
"Do not allow your emotions to rule you," said Yoshiki from behind her. She breathed deeply, in and out. "You did well tonight."
"I am aware."
"You didn't kill them however." Momiji was silent and didn't react to his words. "You didn't intend to did you."
"I have decided against killing them outright I have other plans." She turned around to face him.
"Did they believe you?" he asked her.
"Yes it was good enough to even fool Kusanagi," the woman said. She stood and faced him. "They thought that I was Momiji."
"Well you do look enough like her to fool anyone," Yoshiki said.
"Like mother like daughter," she said. "Where is Momiji?"
"She went to carry out another mission she should be back by morning," he told her.
"Good, I will retire for the night," she said she turned away from him.
"Sophia!" he called out. She stopped in her steps. "This is going to get complicated soon we would do well to keep our emotions controlled."
"From where I stand it is you who has lax control over their emotions," Sophia said. With her last statement she exited the room leaving Yoshiki to himself.