The walk from the studios to the hotel was a long one. Especially on foot – which Cain seemed to prefer even in the best of time. He paced forward, reflecting sullenly in the store front windows. She followed reflexively, no attempt to break the heavy atmosphere. Both travelled practically noiseless in the hustle and bustle in the crowd of city goers. The only clatter that came from them was the light click of her heels, the swish of the jacket he put over her…
And her demons. Definitely her demons, finally strong enough to surround her and mirror her thoughts back into her ears.
"He's here."
"Make him pay. "
"He can't be far."
"Find him."
The mantra looped in her mind. Dark and vicious as the fanged demons that circled around her blond head. Chanting. Hissing. Mio's cruel, cold demands of vengeance damped Kyoko's mounting panic . Turning it to a quiet hum in the background, as they turned the street corner to where the hotel lay.
"He can't be far. Find him. He's here."
Every twitch of anger was on display as she watched his muscular shoulders through the crowd with barely a second thought. Without his jacket, she could see the pulse of rage through his neck, and the rigidness of his spine. The throngs of people that had naturally parted at her frightening companion stayed apart as she slowly followed in his wake.
"Make him pay."
There was no way she would let Beagle get away with what he did to her. He constantly caught her unaware. Oblivious. Blind sighting her with a sudden attack, then pulling away – his own hellish form of guerilla warfare.
She had been furious with Sho. Livid at Sho. But that emotion was nothing in comparison to what she felt against the Beagle now. She had no time to plot for the long term like she did with Sho - to become a actress and beat them both at their own game. She would destroy him now.
Despite it being Tokyo's rush hour, it was amazingly easy to follow Cain. It was as if the general public didn't even want to touch the sidewalk he stepped on, fearful of some secret dark repercussion his footprints might cause them.
"He's here!" Every one of her demons shot to attention and pointed to the side, causing Mio to turn her head to one of the jumbo Tokyo advertisement displays.
There was her target. There was her point of revenge. Mio smiled darkly as she looked up to one of the many digital jumbo screens, where his mocking grin was smiling back at her.
Now that he escalated this anti-relationship they had had into a full all-out battle, she would treat it as such. The Beagle had admired Mio for her hatred and her power. Well she would show him her power. If he wanted war, Reino would get his blitzkrieg.
The whole group posed in their tattered leather pants and mesh shirts, clutching instruments and looking cool as a repetitive scroll ran underneath the picture.
"Tonight only! Sangsong Dome! Jikin Electronics Presents Vie Ghoul! "
Another one of Mio demons caught a strand of her blond hair, and pulled her attention to over her shoulder. Mio caught sight of the approaching 28 bus, Kujin District displayed in bright green neon.
All she had to do was hop onto the bus. Get her revenge and cure. Come back as soon as possible, and then grovel like her life depended on it to Tsuruga.
It wasn't much. Kyoko had promised not to enter acting in revenge. But she'd never be able to act again if she had to keep an eye out for the filthy Beagle and his demonic tricks all the time.
She timed her steps carefully. The 28 would definitely get her to the Dome. Setsu would get her in. That Beagle wouldn't want to catch her alone now, not if it wasn't his own doing. But she would get there, and he would underestimate her again, and that would be his mistake.
She would cure herself, and she would punish him.
"Your soul. I want it out. I know you've cursed me and I won't let your disgusting presence infect me any longer."
"But Akazukin-chan, don't you see? I didn't curse you. I simply reveled another part of you."
"This is NOT part of me! This is NOT who I am!"
Reino chuckled amusedly, his bemused smirk becoming larger as he began to walk towards his suspected prize. "Oh but it is, my dark princess. I've seen how you react first hand. Or have you already forgotten?"
"If you don't tell me how to remove this spell, I'll tell Tsuruga Ren about what you did to me."
"You wouldn't ."
Her fierce eyes was beauty at its most pure, but its intensity showed her truthfulness. If she did tell her bodyguard about their little tryst, there would be no life, nor afterlife for him. The dangerous man would rip him into pieces so tiny, rebirth would be impossible.
"I cannot remove the spell."
"Liar!" She pulled out her little pink phone, and flipped it open. It wasn't an idle threat, and for the first time, Reino felt a rush of fear for his immortal sin.
"Okay! Okay! I shall!"
Magic tingled through her system and the dark enchantment dissolved from her like a poison mist. Her dress morphed from torn risqué to innocent princess, sensing her mind mend, becoming whole and intact again.
Proudly wearing her tiara, Princess Kyoko pointed her royal staff to the hunched over evil wizard, cowering at her feet. "And you'll NEVER darken my path again."
"I won't princess..."
"And you'll wear this."
She laughed over his morphed body, mockingly wagging his beagle ears and tail. The ex musician, now dog, sported the pink collar, BEGALE emblazoned in bright white letters. She would make him bark out his latest hits, and let the whole world laugh at him.
She'd take the reminisce of the spell to her senpai, showing him her innocence. All would be better.
She let herself drop back. Distance herself from Cain, as she walked slower and slower.
Yes, it would be just like that. All she had to do was get to the Beagle. Once the spell was vanished, Kyoko was sure she could look Tsuruga in the face and apologize for everything. The late night. The outfit. Her strange reactions. She'd explain…some things..but most of all assure him that it would never happen again.
But right now, Mio needed her revenge. Setsu needed time to let her brother calm down. Above all, Kyoko needed to know that she wasn't that type of person…
But timing was everything. She couldn't have him turn around and see her heading off in another direction. So…she slowly curved her trajectory. Still walking behind him, but veering more and more towards the destined bus stop.
It was such a big risk. It was beyond a risk, the plan was everything. If anything went wrong, it was a guarantee that Tsuruga would never talk to her again. His long, furious glides broadcasted everything she needed to know. He was livid and sick, likely at the thought of her.
Kyoko could recall the fury in his eyes, the way small bits of brick crumbled onto her bare shoulder as Cain crushed it with his own hand. It was like he didn't even feel the small rivulet of blood that dripped from his knuckles. She could imagine how ill he was at the whole situation, working with a kohai who was promiscuous, as well as a newbie.
The bus lightly screeched to a stop. Hissing air out like a long sigh, the bus lowered, and opened its doors. The pleasant chime of the door floated into her ears like a friendly bell. Kyoko welcomed the sound like a long lost friend, knowing that it would be the sound to lead her to her next boss, and her next victory.
"Mama! Mama! Look!"
Something heavy slammed into the floor of her stomach when she saw his hand twitched. That meant Cain wanted a cigarette. If Tsuruga were in character, which no doubt he was, he would likely turn and take the box from the jacket's outer pockets.
She was only a few steps away. Her stride became half as long, almost the stride of a child, as people carefully filed in. The loose change jingled in her hands. Usually light, they felt like boulders in her hands.
Mio had come up with the method of revenge, and now it was up to her to execute it.
Young and old alike entered the public bus at a seemingly snail's pace. The coin machine jingled as the line grew shorter. Three people…two people…Her foot was on the front step.
Please..please..please move!
She watched with horror as he paused, as if remembering he didn't have his jacket anymore. As if in a horrible slow motion film, she watched him turn, and realize she was no longer behind him.
I'm sorry Tsuruga! I'll come back pure! I swear!
Throwing the change into the counter, Kyoko leaned into the driver's seat and yanked the bus doors closed. The door bell chimed shut like a tiny giggle.
"GO!" "GO!" "GO!" "GO!" "GO!" Her demons screamed around the petrified driver. A few grabbed the wheel, while another slammed on the gas pedal.
While the van lurched forward and the rest of the passengers gave a startled cry, she took the nearest seat and kept her eyes firmly on him in the crowd. He swiveled left and right. Pedestrians near him jumping further out of his way. The usual ambivalent eyes of Cain Heel were wide and seeking. Almost panicked. Upset.
Kyoko could read his lips, even at this increasing distance "Setsu! Setsu!" People outside the bus turned to look at him, so she knew he must have been yelling it loudly. The old engine rumbled the sound out. Eager, curious chatter also helped to cover it up. Even though her ears couldn't hear it, her heart did.
Although it hurt to see her senpai grow so worried about her sudden disappearance, he hadn't seen her go. Kyoko almost sighed in relief. She didn't want to do this, but she couldn't let that man's sin go unpunished…she already caused her kohai more than enough trouble. And the thoughts he implanted in her mind about her senp…
"MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMAMAMAMA!" Two demons pulled Kyoko's hair hard enough to force her head to the large glass panel in the back of the bus. Almost immediately, all the blood drained from her face.
His long limbs and graceful speed reminded her of an urban panther, running not because of food but because of need. The face was so raw with emotion that she didn't know how to take it. The handsome features looked bewildered, betrayed, and...
Her gut sank so far it fell onto the sticky bus floor. He caught sight of her? And he was trying to catch up to her…
Not trying…He's catching up! How is he catching up to the bus!
Turning her head in a frenzy, she saw the next bus sign as if it were a sign from Hell itself. As the bus lost speed and came to a halt, more and more passengers caught sight of the vicious looking man darting towards them with resolve in his dark eyes. The people underneath the stop waited just as patiently as the other passengers had, unaware of the surmounting dangers as her senpai closed the distance quicker and quicker.
"Noooooooooooooo! Don't stop!" Kyoko panicked, running back up to the driver with her ghosts screaming in tow. "Close it! CLOSE IT!"
As the door almost shut, five long fingers snuck past the gap. The gloved hand pulled the folding door back like a toy accordion, throwing it against the vehicle's frame. He stepped onto the landing with a heavy boot and slick with sweat, mouth straight and determined.
All chatter ceased. Everyone captivated, both in fear, and in shock, as the strange man pulled his gaze from the driver to the passengers. He was on a dangerous mission, and everyone knew it had something to do with the statue girl who stood frozen over the bus driver's steering wheel, holding the door lever.
"Di-di-dididirect ch-ch-cha-cha-change!" The driver bleated, glasses clouded and breath short.
The murderous glare was enough to silence the bus driver, as Cain took his eyes from him, back to his main goal.
With one swoop she was over his shoulder, carrying Kyoko to what she was certain to be a long, drawn out death.
"My sister is dead. There is no Setsuka Heel now…. I know this now. If I had a sister, she would never run off from her brother, twice. She wouldn't hold back secrets. She would never let some man she didn't know touch her so…intimately." Ren whispered the word as if it were as vulgar as the acts it described. "No, I've known for a long time that Cain Heel should not have a sibling."
He towered over her, eyes black as smoldering coals.
"My only question is, who are you? What have you done with Megumi Kyoko?"
A/N: I have an author's note in my profile about not writing anymore.
"Update 6/2012: For people who know my style, likely know I obsess with research and love being IC when I write. (Otherwise why even bother with FF?) When I loved SB, it didn't feel like homework, it felt like sharing pleasurable daydreams. Now all my unfinished fics feel like a dissertation. As much as I love people reviewing my work, I can't seem to stir up the desire to finish anything. I wouldn't count it as a lost cause...but something close to. I'd feel terrible if I just half-arsed the last bits of my story...it may be better to leave it to your imaginations.
Kyoko & Sho demons may be sent to my PM if desired.
- Mystie"
But I have a whole bunch of unfinished chapters in my computer. I wanted to spit shine them (more spit than shine) and post them. Even if I never finish my stories, no need for these to die along with this laptop if they're semi done.
Sorry that I have no beta. And a mild case of dyslexia. I tried to read the chapter backwards (It supposedly helps to catch errors) and fix any glaring mistakes.