Disclaimer:
Rosario + Vampire, et al = property of Akihisa Ikeda, produced by Shonen Jump.
Tekkaman/Teknoman, et al = property of Tatsunoko Productions.
My OCs = property of me. Nuff said.
Just doing this to get it out of my head, kids. Enjoy!
XXX
To uub: Yeah, I hear ya, but I wanted to show everybody that even though my OC is a Tekkaman, he still has desires and wants like any other human being.
XXX
Chapter Two: Making New Friends among Monsters
XXX
- The following day at Yokai Academy
- First day of classes
Hayate Katsuragi's buzzing wrist-comp woke him up at five-thirty A.M. with its incessant tones, prompting him to get out of bed, quickly splashing water on his face as he got dressed for his early morning run around the campus. After last night's intense dream, Hayate had washed himself off, and then managed to catch a few regular hours of sleep, thankfully not getting awoken again by his inner desires. His training regimen, ingrained into him ever since he had become a Tekkaman, was now fully on his mind.
Within ten minutes, Hayate had run a brisk enough pace to take himself to the edge of the Academy's grounds, catching a glimpse of the school bus with his enhanced vision, approaching from the tunnel he had come through before. Reminding himself of the bus' monthly visiting schedule, and the private communiques he had promised to send to his 'handlers' to keep them in the loop, Hayate resumed his training run, now beginning to turn back toward the Academy and his trailer. This time, the warmed-up young man began incorporating spinning cartwheels, forward flips, and spiralling leaps into his run, executing intricate acrobatic moves that would make the most talented Olympic gymnasts green with envy.
After a good hour of training between his acrobatics and several martial arts katas, Hayate took a break, sipping purified water from his water bottle. Once he caught his second wind, Hayate put away his bottle and began heading back to get a shower and change his clothes before classes started. Hayate had been jogging back to his trailer for only about ten minutes when he suddenly heard a female voice shout out, "LOOK OUT!", followed by a very loud CRASH! Hayate sprinted off in the direction of the loud impact, and moments later, came upon the scene of a young woman with deep pink hair, flowing in smooth waves on her head, now sprawled out on top of a dazed young man, a smashed bicycle lying nearby. 'Ouch; now, that HAD to smart.' Hayate mused to himself as he headed over to check the two out for injuries.
Hayate arrived at the 'crash' scene a few minutes later to see the two young people there beginning to collect their wits and disentangle themselves from one another, but he was rather surprised to see the young woman lean over and BITE the young man on the neck! 'Uh oh, I think I've seen this particular kind of monster movie...' Hayate said to himself as the pair sorted things out, and even agreed to be friends on campus. As soon as they were back on normal speaking terms, Hayate chose that moment to walk up and introduce himself.
"Hello! Everyone all right?" Hayate called out.
The two young people were slightly startled, but soon got over their surprise as Hayate came into view. "We're fine! Thanks for asking, mister!" The pink-haired girl stated to Hayate, as the young man shrugged and scratched his head.
"'Mister?'" The pink-haired girl twiddled her fingers in response as Hayate spoke to her. "Sheesh! I'm don't look THAT old, do I?"
"Sorry..." She responded, only to have Hayate chuckle.
"Ah, no harm, no foul." Hayate replied. "You two sure that you're both okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." The young woman stated. "Hey! Are you a student here, too?"
"Yep." Hayate answered. "Hayate Katsuragi, from Fujinomiya, over in Shizuka Prefecture." He extended his hand forward, prompting the young man to shake it first.
"Tsukune Aono." As the young man spoke his name, Hayate's enhanced level of perception could see that Tsukune was human, of all things, and that the girl was indeed a yokai. He could also tell that for some reason, the true level of her powers was hidden away from sight, which meant that Hayate would have to be wary of her. Quickly returning his thoughts to the moment, Hayate then shook hands with her.
"Moka Akashiya." She said. "Nice to meet you."
XXX
After helping Tsukune and Moka get themselves back on track - and realizing that the young human was a little on the clueless side about the Academy so far, - Hayate agreed to help him get settled as Moka wished them well, hoping to see them again later. Hayate already had clearly seen that the lovely vampire (his assessment of her had been dead-on) seemed to genuinely want Tsukune as a friend here on the campus... but, also as a sort of 'happy meal,' judging by the gentle, but clockwork bite-kiss that she had given Tsukune once more before leaving. Her saying to him that his blood was 'the sweetest she had ever tasted' immediately told Hayate that he was going to have his hands full now, keeping an eye on Tsukune and making sure to keep the young man alive as long as they were there, while not revealing the Academy's purpose before it could not be helped. The kid had to see it for himself, that much was for sure in Hayate's mind.
Hayate walked with Tsukune to the campus dorms, and told him to get settled in at his room. He then promised to meet him back there after the Opening Ceremony and before classes started to show him where he needed to go. Tsukune happily agreed, and headed up to his room in the dorms. Hayate took off running, making it back to his trailer in plenty of time for a shower and to change into his school uniform to being the day. Grabbing his prepared backpack, Hayate looked out the nearest window, and a brief flash of a crystal outline appeared on his forehead as he mentally conversed with the Mark III Pegasus Tekkabot's online systems.
'Morning, Pegasus.' Hayate mentally called. 'All clear out there, so far?'
'YES, SIR; NO ANOMALIES DETECTED BEYOND THOSE ALREADY LOGGED INTO THE MASTER DATABASE, MASTER KATSURAGI.' The transformed Tekkabot replied to his commander's question.
'Good; I'm off to class. Hold down the fort.' Hayate replied.
'UNDERSTOOD, SIR. HAVE A GOOD DAY.' The Tekkabot responded before returning to its scanning patrols.
After making sure all of his property was safe and well protected from all angles, Hayate headed back out of his trailer to rendezvous with Tsukune to attend the Opening Ceremony, and to compare notes on their classes. To his mild surprise, both he and Tsukune had the same home room. Chuckling, Hayate and Tsukune headed to their home room after the Opening Ceremony, making it there with plenty of time to spare, and began to go over their class schedules before the first bell rang to start the day. Save for a couple of classes at different times, the two shared the same classes and teachers. 'Terrific.' Hayate thought as he waited for the home room teacher to arrive. All the while, his innocent-looking wrist-computer was scanning and recording the various types of supernatural and differing life-energies of the various yokai present in the classroom.
Hayate also noted to himself that his enhanced awareness of his surroundings also made him aware of the more unscrupulous and rather malevolent intents of several of the disguised monsters in the room with him and Tsukune. That fact would help him out greatly in warding off attacks on his person, and helping keep Tsukune alive long enough for him to discover what this school was built for. Just the, the door of the classroom slid open, and in walked the home room teacher... Miss Shizuka Nekonome, the cat-woman of all people that Hayate had met the day before. 'She's our home room advisor? Lucky us.' Hayate thought as he half-grinned, especially when she spoke out to the entire class with a smile. "Good morning, students, and welcome to your first day at Yokai Academy!"
XXX
Tsukune could not believe what he had just heard from the teacher, and from what her own appearance had just told him about the school he had been sent to. 'What were my parents thinking, enrolling me in a school for real-life monsters? I'll be dead before the end of my first class!' He mentally shouted, doing his utmost to stay calm, even as his eyes furtively darted about, looking at the other students in the room with him. Then, Tsukune felt a calm feeling flow over him, and felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Slowly turning in his chair, he saw that it was none other than Hayate, whose very presence near him was strangely having an immediate calming effect on him. Hayate's smile hid his whispered words well.
"Keep your calm, Tsukune." Hayate said as he kept looking forward at the teacher. "I'll help you through all this. Call it a favor you can owe me for later."
Hayate's confident whisper quickly brought down the level of panic in Tsukune, allowing him to listen to the rest of the school rules from Miss Nekonome without fidgeting, up until a voice of strong dissent was heard from the back of the classroom. "Such idiotic rules!" The voice growled out, and Hayate's eyes soon found the student in question, with the foul aura of a bully and the superiority complex to match. The way he was sitting, and his multiple piercings, added to Hayate's instant assessment that this particular student was going to be nothing but trouble. Miss Nekonome quickly identified him as Saizou Komiya, and asked him what was so wrong about the rules, seeing as those were the reason they were here.
"Those rules are utter garbage, sensei!" Saizou grumbled. "Why can't we just eat those humans!?"
Saizou's words made Miss Nekonome sigh with annoyance, but his next words immediately focused Hayate's full attention on him.
"I could start with all the cute girls first." Saizou sneered.
Sure enough, true to Hayate's assessment, Saizou looked over in Hayate's direction, letting his tongue roll out with yet another sneer to the class.
"Come to think of it, I think I smell something human here." Saizou stated as he tried to focus on the scent.
As Miss Nekonome chuckled and casually replied to Saizou that the school's dimensional barrier kept them shielded from human eyes and detection, Tsukune nearly shook with fear as she then finished her statement by saying that if any humans did happen to be found on the grounds, they were to be killed on sight and without hesitation. Only Hayate's quick heel to his foot kept Tsukune from going over the deep end, and he quickly calmed himself before anyone said anything.
"Still,..." Saizou said as he glanced in Hayate's direction, his tone dripping with disgust. "... I still think there's a human somewhere in here..."
Catching Saizou's glare, Hayate gave one right back at him, but with ten times the intensity and sheer will. "Look at me like that again, CUR, and I'll happily thrash you within an inch of your pitiful existence, then rip out your wagging tongue and HANG you with it for good measure."
Before the sputtering Saizou could utter a retort and start anything with Hayate, the classroom door opened up, and in walked, to the chagrin of Tsukune and the amusement of Hayate... Moka. Speaking in a tired tone, she said that she had gotten lost after the Opening Ceremony. Miss Nekonome reassured her that all was well, and asked her to introduce herself to the class. Enraptured comments and cheers that the the pink-haired, lovely framed Moka was part of their home room class erupted all around them, but Moka only saw Tsukune and Hayate a few feet away, and quickly moved to greet her first two friends of the new year.
XXX
The more than happy greeting Moka gave to Tsukune caused no end of glaring daggers from many of the students in the room, and her friendly attitude toward Hayate sent a fair share of disapproving stares at him as well. Still, none of them were as hateful as those being sent their way from Saizou. The young Tekkaman could literally feel the incensed bully's intent to show Moka that he was a better match for her than the two weak-appearing monsters she was conversing with. Hayate knew without a doubt now that Saizou would try something against him and Tsukune very soon, but Hayate would be more than ready to handle whatever Saizou tried to do. He knew he would also have to protect Tsukune from harm, too, so it was going to be a very interesting day to say the least.
As the trio left home room and began to walk the corridors of Yokai Academy together - their class schedules and placements were eerily similar, - more death-stares, cat-calls, and spoken threats were heard coming their way again and again. Hayate took it all in stride, his enhanced perception keeping track of them all, while Moka's presence seemed to calm Tsukune down, despite her being a yokai, almost as much as her arms locked on his made him smile. Keeping their gait brisk, the trio happened upon some vending machines. Tsukune picked out a diet soda - the safest thing, he figured, - while Moka purchased some tomato juice. Seeing her friends look at her choice with interest, Moka replied that vampires like her were able to consume other liquids as sustenance to survive on, and tomato juice was the best choice of them. Hayate merely sipped water from his backpack bottle. Just then, Hayate's battle instincts perked up. 'Trouble... and I think I know exactly who is it.' Hayate remarked to himself.
Sure enough, Saizou Komiya sauntered up to them, and commented on how beautiful Moka was, adding that he was glad that she was in his class this year. Moka replied pleasantly, saying that she and her friends were relaxing there before their next class, only for Saizou to brush that aside by grabbing Hayate by the collar and bodily using him to sweep Tsukune backwards as he lifted Hayate off his feet and up to his eye level, glaring at him.
"I don't see why such a beautiful yokai would even WANT to hang out with a pair of weaklings like you!" Saizou growled at Hayate, not even bothering to realize that Hayate showed no fear of him at all. "You sure don't look powerful to me." As Saizou finished his sneering, Hayate coolly replied to him.
"Looks can be deceiving, Komiya, especially here." Glancing at Moka, Hayate then added, "As for Moka hanging out with Tsukune and me, it's because we're treating her like a woman,..." Just then, Hayate's voice slowly began to change to a very powerful tone of his own, not that Saizou took the hint as he finished speaking. "... NOT like a piece of meat on a plate. NOW, GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME."
Saizou chuckled darkly at Hayate's response and threat, never paying attention to the flexing muscles in his prey's arms.
"What the hell are you going to do about it, eh?" Saizou sneered right in Hayate's face. "Moka-san should go out with a real monster of power, rather than some weak punk like you!" Hayate had heard enough from the foul lout.
"Whom she goes out with, is HER decision, CUR." Hayate grinned as his eyes looked at Saizou's fist gripping his collar. "As for being weak in your eyes,... let's TEST that theory, shall we?"
XXX
To Saizou's great surprise, a very strong and steadily increasing pressure clamped down on his hand, and it was coming from Hayate's own grip on him. Still sneering at his foe, Saizou tried to match him, but try as he might, Hayate's grasp and strength gave him no leverage. As Saizou was forced to lower Hayate back down to his feet, he growled out his spite toward him, and tried to punch the upstart, only for Hayate to block the incoming blow aside with ease! Then, still as calm as an undisturbed pond, Hayate spoke to his two friends behind him.
"Moka...?" Hayate slowly spoke. "Would you please help Tsukune up, and back away? This will only take a moment."
As Moka took Tsukune's hands and surprisingly yanked him right up to his feet, the pink-haired female vampire swore to herself that she saw SOMETHING push itself against the material of Hayate's left racing glove. She soon understood why as Hayate firmly spoke two words into the air.
"Shiden!... RAIZAN!" At those words from Hayate, a flash of light filled the corridor, and a fist-sized ball of lightning smacked into Saizou out of nowhere, knocking him off and away from Hayate. His hair frizzing, and his body numb from the bolt, Saizou growled out a muffled threat to Hayate.
"I'll... get you... bastard..."
Hayate straightened his jacket, made sure his backpack was on his shoulder, and simply answered Saizou's threat.
"Stronger and more fearsome creatures than you have tried to do that to me, Komiya." Hayate said. "So, STAY OUT OF MY WAY." At that, Hayate looked around for his friends, but Moka came over and tugged on his arm.
"Hayate-san!" She cried. "We should go! You don't want to get hit with detention on your first day, do you?" Hayate nodded.
"No, I suppose not." Hayate replied. "Come on, Tsukune. Best to head out while the getting's good." The trio hurried off, leaving a very startled crowd behind in their midst.
XXX
Once they were safely away from the scene in the corridor with the stunned Saizou, Moka, Tsukune, and Hayate all hid themselves away on the roof of the Academy facing the racing track, both to catch their breath and for Hayate to discreetly check out their surroundings with Pegasus' scanners via his wrist-comp. Once he knew that they were in the clear, they could all head out and resume their day. Thankfully, as it was the first day of classes, they still had a good hour before needing to be at their next class.
"Man! What a trouble-maker that Saizou is!" Tsukune cried out as he flopped down on the roof, rubbing his arm where Moka had grabbed and dragged him away in the corridors. She was MUCH stronger than she appeared to be.
"Wow, Hayate-san! You were really amazing!" Hayate looked up from his checking his watch to acknowledge Moka's statement.
"Oh?" Hayate replied. "Why do you say that, Moka?"
"You weren't even scared by Saizou-san, and you made him let you go so easily..." Moka exclaimed. "You even protected Tsukune and me from getting hurt! That's so cool!"
"Sorry I couldn't help, Hayate..." Tsukune said, sheepishly rubbing his head.
"No worries, Tsukune." Hayate answered back. "Next time, we'll help each other out, all right?" Hayate nodded, prompting Hayate to add in a few more words. "I have NO love for bullies and louts, my friends; none whatsoever. Besides, Saizou obviously has very little brains to go with that tiny bit of brawn of his. He can be dealt with easily, as long as we stay alert and aware of him."
Moka nodded at Hayate's words, as Tsukune still did his best to hide his growing fears of his situation. 'He's holding together quite well.' Hayate mused to himself, right as Moka spoke up to them both.
"So, Hayate-san, Tsukune-san..." She said. "What kind of monsters are you two?" Hayate half-smiled back at Moka.
"Well, I can't speak for Tsukune, but didn't Miss Nekonome say that we can't show our true monster forms while we're all here on Academy grounds?" Hayate's response caused Moka to blush brightly.
"Well,..." She replied. "... You're right, Hayate-san, but I already told Tsukune when I met him, since he's my first friend I made here, and well,... my first love..." Hayate finally let out a slight chuckle, as Tsukune seemed to nearly swoon at Moka saying that he was her 'first love.'
"It's quite all right, Moka." Hayate said as he looked out over the Academy grounds. "I can't tell you everything about my heritage, as it would take far too long, but I can say that I'm descended from ancient Oni clans."
"'Oni clans?'" Moka asked. "I'm sorry, but I'm not too familiar with them, Hayate-san." Tsukune chimed in.
"Yeah, me neither." The young man said, scratching his head.
"I'm not surprised." Hayate sat as he sat down in front of his two classmates. "Oni clans are quite old, and happen to be masters of elemental magic, weapons-forging, and advanced in the methods of time travel."
"Time travelers?" Moka exclaimed.
"Yes." Hayate said. "They used their knowledge to prevent all types of unscrupulous humans, at different periods in time, from using other monsters in bids for power. Many times, they even recruited humans with strong, noble qualities to aid them, granting them weapons and specific powers to do so." As he finished speaking, Hayate noticed that Moka's face had turned down. Tsukune noticed it, too.
"What is it, Moka?" Tsukune inquired, only to hear her quiet reply, and immediately wish that he hadn't.
"I hate humans, Tsukune." Moka gently said. "I don't see how we can be anything but enemies with them."
"Why's that, Moka?" Hayate interjected.
"I went to a human school for junior high before, Hayate-san." Moka replied. "Everyone there treated me like I didn't belong there, like I didn't exist at all. They left me all alone. They gave me so many bad memories. That's why I hate humans, Hayate-san."
Hayate nodded in understanding of that. Back in his world, when people first found out that he was a Primary Body, even being the son of the legendary Blade, there were those who still hated him, still called him a monster. He listened more as Moka continued on.
"But, you and Tsukune aren't frightened of me, even when you found out that I'm a vampire!" Moka exclaimed, a smile returning to her face to show her friends. "That makes me so happy!"
"You're wrong, Moka-san!" Tsukune suddenly cried out.
"Eh?" Moka replied.
"Humans aren't all bad!" Tsukune continued on. "I've had my share of run-ins with bad humans at my old school, but I also made a lot of good friends during the time I spent there! They're not all bad people, Moka-san!"
Hayate was just about to interject his opinion, sensing that Tsukune was about to do something rash, only for Moka to beat him to the punch with her reply.
"But, how can you be so SURE about that?" She retorted.
"Because,..." Tsukune replied, standing up. "... I'm human, too!"
Hayate could only slap his forehead in defeat. 'And, the kid sticks his foot in his mouth; PERFECT.' He mentally grumbled as Moka gasped at Tsukune's inadvertant revelation, standing up as Moka looked over at Tsukune in shock.
"No...!" Moka quietly said. "That... can't be... how can you even be here if...?" Even as she spoke, Tsukune stood up and turned away from her.
"That doesn't matter now, Moka." Tsukune said, pain in his voice as he spoke. "I am who I am, and if you can't see that I'm different from what you know of humans, then we can't be friends,... and I need to get out of here before I end up DEAD."
Tsukune took off running, heading off the roof, leaving Moka in stunned amazement as Hayate watched him go. After witnessing Tsukune and his declaration, Hayate checked his watch again, but stopped as Moka spoke to him.
"Did... did you know, Hayate-san?" Moka quietly asked.
"I had a feeling he was, Moka-san." Hayate gently replied. "All Oni descendants have higher levels of perception than most yokai, due to their heritage with magic, and we can tell the difference between a yokai, and a pure human. Still,..."
"Still, what?" Moka said, looked over at Hayate.
"Food for thought, Moka." Hayate responded. "If not for the strength and nobility of a HUMAN soul, I would not be here, alive today, to tell you that Tsukune is a good person to get to know. Sayonara." Hayate finished flatly as he headed off after Tsukune.
XXX
Moka sat there on the roof for a few moments in stunned silence, very conflicted by Tsukune's revelation of being human, and that Hayate owed his very existence to a human. A human in Yokai Academy was one thing - she should just go straight to the Headmaster and tell the school about him, - but the more she thought about it, the chance of seeing Tsukune killed, and Hayate ridiculed by the other yokai, filled her with regret. Tsukune had been so kind to her, and Hayate had been very much like a school prefect, watching out for the best interests of him and Moka, despite his human attachment. They WERE her friends, and she understood that now. She HAD to do something to keep them safe from the wrath of the school. Figuring Tsukune would get his things and head for the bus stop, with Hayate watching his back, Moka left the rooftop and took off running through the forest to catch up with her friends before she lost them.
She hadn't gotten halfway there when she found her path blocked, and her pace interrupted by an unwelcome sight... in the tall form of Saizou Komiya, smiling a darkly lecherous grin at her.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, Moka-san?" His oily tone, and his stance toward her, made Moka wary of Saizou as she tried to step by him.
"I'm busy, Saizou-san." She replied. "Please, excuse me."
Saizou's grin grew wider as he suddenly started to transform in front of Moka, shedding his human disguise as he shouted out loud at Moka.
"I can't take it anymore!" He bellowed. "No one is here to stop me now, or get in my way! I will MAKE you MINE, Moka Akashiya!"
XXX
A few minutes earlier...
Hayate had easily caught up to Tsukune as he headed off to the bus stop. He listened to the young man gripe about his situation, about how his parents should have looked into the school better despite his low grades, how he didn't belong there at all, and when Tsukune had finished with the relevant reasons to leave - including mentioning Moka's description of her Rosario and her true vampire self within, - Hayate lightly whacked Tsukune upside his head with his hand.
"Ow!" Tsukune cried. "What was that for!?" Turning to look at his friend, Tsukune found himself on the receiving end of an iron-hard glare from Hayate.
"That was for being a bonehead." Hayate flatly said. "Now that you're done whining, consider this, Tsukune: there is a reason that you were allowed to come here in the first place, just as much as a reason that I'm here as well."
"Huh!?" Tsukune said in surprise.
"The dimensional barrier that shields this place both keeps humans out, and prevents them from seeing it, Tsukune." Hayate replied, crossing his arms sternly. "And yet, you are still here. The universe does not make mistakes like this, my friend." Tsukune was struck speechless at that, and Hayate continued on.
"She may be a vampire, Tsukune, just as I am descended from ancient Oni warriors and revived living armors, but that fact defines her species, like mine, but not her character." Hayate stated. "She liked you for who you were: kind, and gentle to her, to a PERSON who has not known much happiness in a long time, if I'm right." Hayate looked Tsukune dead in the eye. "Don't you think that you can TRY to see how this is going to play out, hmmm?"
Before Tsukune could reply, a terrified scream echoed out through the forest.
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hayate instantly knew who was screaming, and Tsukune did as well.
"MOKA!" Tsukune exclaimed.
"She's in trouble, Tsukune." Hayate grimly nodded at Tsukune's own intuition. "And, I'd bet my watch that I know exactly who's the cause of it. Hold on!"
With a quick grab, Hayate flung Tsukune over his shoulders, and took off running through the forest at an amazing pace, and in the direction of Moka's scream.
XXX
Hayate's Tekkaman-augmented frame easily carried Tsukune on his shoulders as he sped through the forest. His enhanced speed allowed him to reach the location of Moka's scream, with the occasional yelp of discomfort from Tsukune. The two of them arrived just in time to see the pink-haired girl being thrown into a nearby tree! Moka cried out in pain as she landed, and Hayate and Tsukune saw that she had clear, but sticky slime all over her uniform, as well as seeing the brutal person that had attacked her.
A large, human-like figure was standing not too far away, with a long whipping tongue slithering out of his mouth, and several bony protrusions sticking out of his body to go with his multiple piercings and unkempt brown hair. Hayate had no trouble recognizing Saizou's foul aura, and he immediately announced his presence to him.
"Leave her ALONE, you loathsome CUR!"
Moka gasped as she looked up and saw Tsukune running over to check on her, while Hayate calmly strode over to stand between them and the transformed Saizou. "Tsukune... Hayate..." As Moka tried to get back up, the revealed Saizou growled fiercely, very angry that these two weak fools were interrupting his fun with Moka, AGAIN.
"This is my TRUE form, you weakling!" Saizou crowed. "There is NO WAY that you can beat me!"
"Really?" Hayate replied, not even batting an eyelash.
"No matter what form of monster you are, you can't possibly hope to beat me now!" Saizou yelled, too drunk on his own power to notice that Hayate was not even frightened in the least. "You're nothing but a weak fool who caught me off-guard!"
Moka could clearly see that Saizou's intent was to kill Hayate, and then Tsukune, but again, just like before in the corridor at the Academy, Hayate showed no fear whatsoever, even as Moka called out to him as Tsukune was finally able to help her to her feet.
"No, Hayate-san!" Moka yelled. "Run! Get away from here! He's not someone you can beat like that!" Hayate remained put, despite Moka's warning, but he did speak over his shoulder at her.
"Don't worry, Moka. I know what I'm doing." Looking at Tsukune, he spoke again. "Tsukune, keep close to Moka, and you'll be fine. I'll handle this loathsome CUR, myself." Saizou snorted loudly at Hayate's perceived smugness.
"You think you can intimidate ME!?" Saizou laughed. "You just don't know who you're fighting, do you!?"
"Enlighten me." Hayate said, still not moving an inch.
"Hah!" Saizou sneered again. "Show me your REAL form, so I can see just how much of a weakling you really are!"
As much as Hayate knew he could simply armor up and thrash the arrogant Saizou without a care in the world, he wanted to keep up his cover for as long as possible, and his abilities in his human form were more than enough to handle Saizou. He then gave Saizou a sizable taste of his own medicine... he TAUNTED him right back.
"Why would I?" Hayate sassed at Saizou, audibly cracking the knuckles in both of his hands. "You're nothing more than a puddle of pond scum, Saizou,... a bully and a sadistic child to boot. All brawn and no brains, whatsoever." Even as Saizou sputtered in anger, Hayate kept on going. "I don't NEED my true form to beat you, Saizou. You are not even WORTHY to see what I can do at full power."
Hayate's words were quickly having the intended effect; Saizou was now livid with rage. "WHAT!?" Hayate chuckled as he pulled off his school uniform top, tossing it perfectly onto a faraway tree branch, revealing the tight body-shirt underneath as a light bluish-green glow surrounded him. Moka and Tsukune both saw Hayate's eyes glow briefly, and then, three orb-shaped crystalline growths passed through, and came into view, on the backs of his gloved hands! That was accompanied by smaller blade-like crystals erupting from Hayate's elbows and his torso! Seconds later, the glow was gone, and Hayate flexed his hands as he kept egging Saizou on.
"You must be DEAF as well as DUMB, you filthy cur!" Hayate shouted at Saizou as his now-augmented form recalled the familiar sensations of intense energies coursing through him now. "You REALLY want to fight me!? Then, quit your BABBLING and come on, already! If I'm as weak as you think I am, then I should be no trouble to beat, right!?"
XXX
"You're dead meat..." Saizou growled out, his body tensing for a charge at Hayate, only to get another taunt right back in his face.
"As I thought..." Hayate sassed. "All brawn, NO brains, NO spine at all,... and NO STONES to back up that loud mouth of yours. Exactly as I figured you'd be, Saizou... PATHETIC."
Moka and Tsukune could not believe what Hayate had said to the transformed Saizou just then. 'No! Run, Hayate! I don't want to see you get hurt because you went and protected Tsukune, or because of your human ties... please, get away...' Moka mentally cried, only for Saizou to charge full steam at Hayate!
"THAT'S IT, YOU ANT! YOU'RE DEAD!" Saizou roared.
Saizou's charge reached Hayate seconds later, and the transformed yokai launched a powerful fist at him, only for Saizou to see a brief flash of light come from Hayate's eyes as he STOPPED Saizou's punch with an open hand! The force of the blow caused Hayate's feet to gouge deep furrows in the ground as he was driven backwards, but somehow, he remained on his feet to face Saizou. "WHAT!?" Saizou exclaimed in disbelief, dumbfounded that Hayate had actually stopped his blow, but before he could utter out any other sound, Hayate shouted out two words of his own at Saizou.
"SHIDEN! BURAITOU!"
In the span of two seconds, Hayate pushed Saizou's limb away, and slammed a flurry of lightning-charged blows into Saizou's torso! The transformed yokai had assumed that Hayate had no real strength in his human form, but the radiating pain through his ribs said otherwise, culminating in a powerful back-flip kick from Hayate that staggered Saizou back into and through several rows of trees!
Hayate landed gently on his feet, eyeing the stunned Saizou and the dark blood dripping from his pierced lip and mouth, obviously from unintentionally biting down on his lengthened tongue. Hayate then slid into a fighting stance, and spoke again to his opponent.
"My assessment of you was DEAD-ON, Saizou Komiya." Hayate said, calmly adjusting his gloves. "All you have is that big mouth. You have NO mastery of that brute strength of yours; thus, it is your WEAKNESS, just like that aura of arrogance you put forth." Hayate then stared at Saizou with cold intent. "Now, STAY DOWN, OR BE PUT DOWN."
"NO fancy fighting moves can protect you from me, runt!" Saizou's eyes blazed hatred at Hayate as he shouted. "I'll SHOW you strength, you pompous weakling!"
Saizou's wounded tongue lashed out, but Hayate was waiting for it, letting it wrap around his left forearm before YANKING Saizou off his feet with his trapped limb, and into another devastating blow that he punctuated with two more words!
"KOEN! ENRYUU-KEN!" Hayate shouted as the three crystals on his right hand turned crimson red, embuing his entire arm with a powerful flaming aura, before delivering a teeth-shattering uppercut to the airborne Saizou! As the half-conscious Saizou tumbled away, Hayate landed, then wiped the slime off his arm. "Disgusting AND predictable." Hayate said as he snorted at the groaning yokai, before checking over his left shoulder to his friends.
"You two okay?" Hayate said, prompting Tsukune to nod in response.
"Yeah, we're okay, Hayate..." Tsukune answered, right before his eyes went wide, and he shouted out a warning! "... HAYATE! LOOK OUT!"
Hayate pivoted at Tsukune's fearful cry, his foot kicking away the flying chunk of tree stump thrown at him, while he fully body-blocked the enraged and bloodied Saizou's charging form! "Tsukune! Get Moka clear!" Hayate shouted as he made sure Saizou could not move toward them any more, even as the brute's mouth swung open in their direction as well!
"She's MINE!" Saizou roared, his tongue lashing out at Moka and Tsukune!
Despite his fear and shivers, Tsukune did move to push Moka clear of Saizou's attack, but he tripped on an overgrown tree root, hands flailing out as he fell. In free fall, but still pushing Moka clear, Tsukune's hand gripped something on Moka, and he unconsciously took hold of it as he went down, even as he heard a loud CLICK! coming from her! Landing hard, Tsukune groaned out in pain, but he was still able to glance up to see what was now in his hand... and then, looked back at Moka.
"It... came off...!" Moka whispered, looking down at her detached Rosario in Tsukune's hand.
"ARASHI! KUGA!" Hayate yelled out, summoning the very wind around him to surround his fists and feet, letting loose with a veritable barrage of blows that knocked Saizou utterly senseless! As the force of the intense blows from Hayate sent the transformed student flying, Hayate immediately sensed SOMETHING change in his surroundings, and he looked over his shoulder, abruptly noticing the Rosario from Moka's choker now clutched in Tsukune's hand.
"Aw, frag." Hayate flatly stated to the air.
XXX
Moments later, the sky seemed to grow darker, the moon turning an eerie blood-red, and a powerful aura began to envelop the area, while a multitude of sleek black bats encircled Moka! "What the...?" was all that Tsukune could squeak out, while Hayate's battle senses told him that a VERY powerful entity had just arrived on scene.
'Terrific; I'm about to see just how powerful she REALLY is.' Hayate grumbled to himself. 'I sure hope I don't have to Tek-Set to get out of this major Charlie-Foxtrot.' (1)
Even the dazed Saizou as dumbfounded as Tsukune, both of them enraptured by the sight of Moka's body becoming much more mature, her bust expanding a few more inches, her calm eyes turning crimson with vertical slits, and her once-pink hair was now much longer, and of all things... SILVER in color. As she stretched her arms out, flexing her joints as if she hadn't been very mobile lately, Hayate could hear Saizou mumbling behind him.
"That... that power..." Saizou babbled. "... that beauty... there's no doubt! THIS is the power of an S-class yokai! This is the power of a TRUE vampire!"
Hayate nodded to himself at Saizou's utterances, but remained wary of the transformed Moka as her eyes fell on him.
"You..." Moka suddenly spoke to Hayate, her tone regal and far more commanding than before.
"Yes, Miss Akashiya?" Hayate replied, thinking that politeness and honesty were his best defenses now.
"We WILL discuss the situation more later on, after I DEAL with THAT disrespectful, mongrel DOG of a yokai." She flatly stated to Hayate, who nodded with an arched eyebrow.
"As you wish." Hayate calmly replied.
The revealed true form of Moka flipped her silver hair to one side as she slowly walked past Hayate, and toward the recovering Saizou, a cold and fearsome look in her eyes.
"You attacked me..." She coldly said to Saizou. "... and tried to molest my other side while I slept... THAT, was a MISTAKE." Despite his apprehension, Saizou pulled himself up to attack Moka again.
"Even... even with all that power,..." Saizou mumbled, trying to sound fierce, but failing miserably. "I can still beat you, Moka! YOU WILL BE MINE!"
Hearing Saizou yell out THOSE words, Hayate only closed his eyes as he muttered out, "And, he's SCREWED."
Saizou roared out his anger once more as he charged Moka, only for the silver-haired vampire to narrow her eyes.
"You think that YOU are worthy of my attention?" She scoffed at the charging yokai. "IDIOT! KNOW YOUR PLACE!"
Hayate had no problem sensing the raw POWER and strength behind Moka's sweeping high kick as it RIPPLED the air around her, right as her blow connected, sending Saizou soaring through trees and across the spooky forest, cratering the dusty ground when his soaring arc planted him into the earth! "I'll... remember... that...!" Saizou's vanishing cry on the air was the last thing they all heard as the defeated yokai was ejected from the immediate area.
Tsukune was left speechless by Moka's transformation and sheer aura of power, but Hayate was actually CLAPPING at Moka's devastating blow. He smiled in approval as she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Very smooth technique, Miss Akashiya." He stated as he looked in the direction of Saizou's departure. "A bit much on the power delivered, in my opinion, but, as you said, you'd been resting for some time before Tsukune woke you up."
"H-Hayate...?" Tsukune mumbled, even as he slowly walked over to him and Moka. Hayate's calm comments about Moka's blow did not seem to bother her, though, as he walked over to the tree branch where he had tossed his uniform jacket, dusting it off.
"So, I won't hold that against you." Hayate finished, before throwing it over his left shoulder. "Very nicely done, indeed."
Whirling around, Moka stalked over to Tsukune, who was far too surprised and scared to move, only for her to take her Rosario from him before scolding him.
"You HURT the other 'me' by not telling me about your true nature when we first met." She pointed at the Rosario for emphasis. "As you are my favorite nourishment here at the Academy, I will let that slide for now, if you PROMISE to APOLOGIZE to her, immediately upon her return. Am I understood, Tsukune?" Her commanding tone left no room for arguing, and Tsukune nodded his head despite his bewilderment at her words.
Turning, Moka arched an eyebrow at Hayate as he stood there, the crystalline growths still present on his hands, elbows, and torso as he waited for her to speak.
"And you, Hayate Katsuragi..." She began.
"Yes, Miss Akashiya?" Hayate kept up his polite tone.
"... There is more to you that just Oni ancestry, and the legends of the ancient living armors." She coolly replied. "As I stated before, when next we see each other again, you WILL explain yourself further, especially the reason you still smell like a human being to me, Hayate Katsuragi." Hayate arched his eyebrow in response, but let Moka continue on.
"The 'Outer' Moka may not be able to smell it clearly, but I certainly can." The silver-haired vampire said. "Besides... I think it would be quite interesting to SPAR with you in the future." Smiling at that, Hayate politely bowed to Moka.
"I'd be honored to spar with you in the future, Moka-san..." Hayate replied, before looking at Tsukune. "... and to work on toughening up our friend Tsukune while I'm here as well."
"Pay attention, both of you." Moka spoke again. "You will be nice and courteous to the 'Outer' me, or I will be VERY displeased."
Nodding at her veiled threat, the two students watched as Moka snapped her Rosario back onto her choker, reversing her transformation back into her pink-haired self. Leaning against a nearby tree, her knees wobbly as she got her senses back, Moka looked over at Hayate, who had already returned to his normal state, and Tsukune, before she spoke to them.
"Wh... what just happened?" She asked, a confused look on her face as Hayate looked over at Tsukune with a smile.
"Let's get back to class, Moka." Hayate said, gesturing with his head as the moon in the sky returned to normal. "We have a lot to discuss after classes are done. Trust me, it's going to be one hell of a very interesting year, for us all."
End Chapter One
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Hayate has made his first major statement at Yokai Academy...
Tsukune has discovered just what a pickle he is in...
Moka has found her first true friend, and best snack to boot...
Stay tuned for the next part, pals!
XXX
(1) Charlie-Foxtrot: the polite military way of saying cluster-bleep, or in other ways, a majorly messed up situation. DOH!