SS: Ok, let me explain myself first. I've been having both personal issues from life and stress issues from school. Emotional terminals, fears of medical appointments that are approaching and also I've been into gaming as well ^^|||

I've tried my best to make sure this is a long chapter for you hungry readers so I hope you all will enjoy this chapter. I apologize since I'm not very good at action scenes.

This chapter title hints there will be a lot of action coming. Those who cannot handle blood... Try to skip the latter half..even though its quite important. I apologize if any of you may have lost your lunch or appetite.

The Wolf who fell in Love with Red Riding Hood

Pages Stained in Red Act 2

Red Paper

Once upon a time, there was a boy. He was raised in a strict family, in a tense and repetitive schedule; wake up, change, have a meal, lessons, one break, continuation of lessons, dinner then bed, repeat.

A long list of harsh words for a child…But he soon grew use to it, too use to it. No matter how high he excelled in his lessons, no one of his parents acknowledged it. Instead they pushed him harder.

"You must get a better score than the previous!"

"Don't grow cocky, you hear? As soon as you think you did great, your grades drop!"

Little by little day, weeks, months and years trickled past him. The boy grew up to be an intelligent young person. His life revolved around mathematics, scientific reasoning, and knowledge of economics. The only things he read in his life were case studies and textbooks. His father also trained him in combat, molding him into an emotionless being. Sometimes he observed the other children and saw they were playing and enjoyed life, wondering how that would feel.

One day, his parents decided he was worthy to attend an academy. There his life changed with an encounter of a girl. She was a bookworm, always seen with a book of fiction in her hands. He grew curious about her; silently observing her and even taking up some of the literature she read. How different were those books to the ones he read…

He soon realized he was in love with her; love an indefinable emotion that humans fell at some points in their life. He was able to exchange words and sentences with her despite her being timid.

Then, one day, she disappeared with tears in her eyes. Stabbed at the sight, the boy followed her…

The night was quiet and still. The chirps of crickets had died down due to the temperatures dropping. In the moonlight, blue eyes reflected the milky light. Len was gazing out of the window from Rin's bed. His muzzle was pointed straight towards the night's light source.

Two princesses have lived, two have died, and they were killed. Is this what she wants? A story with pages stained in red? Was this her intention from the very start?

Rin suddenly stirred beside Len. "Are you okay?" she yawned. Len looked down at her with eyes of sincerity. She could feel a light blush dusting her cheeks under his gaze. Len leaned forward and pressed his wet leathery nose on her forehead.

"I'm fine, go back to sleep."

Her blush deepened as a small shy smile formed on her lips and Rin snuggled close to Len's side. The smile remained on her face when sleep took her back. Len watched over her as she slept. A smile of his own formed as pleasant memories flooded back to him; their first encounter of each other when she had saved him, the warm afternoons of her visits, the awkward discovery that he was a boy and of course, the moments that eventually led to her feelings of love to surface and blossom.

However Len's piercing blue eyes narrowed when he remembered the sight of Rin's bloody body wedged in the branches of a tree, her murky dying eyes gazing out to him and the brightness of her life liquid against her porcelain skin. He turned to the moon.

If that's Zatsune's true intentions; to dye these pages in red then I won't allow her to hurt or scar Rin anymore. I won't let her lay a finger on my most precious person!

Only the ghostly moon, silent stars and still night heard the wolf's determined vow.

Dawn broke with a sky stained in a bright red, the same shade of red as the liquid that poured and soaked the ground at the foot of a stone tower.

A female body lay on the red grass. Long silver-blond hair with braids was spread out and the girl's face was faced down into the earth where her life liquid was splattered out from. She laid still, lifelessly still. Her beautiful black and pink dress was ruined and stained.

From high above, the tower's open windows creaked loudly in the still dawn air. Suddenly there was the sound of heels on stone and Zatsune descended down the tower's stairs into the open air. She dramatically flipped her long black hair and stared at the corpse with satisfaction.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel~!" she sang, "Let down your hair~! No, why not throw yourself down instead?" She crouched down and took a long strand of the fallen princess's hair. "You're too easy to creep up on, Aria." She leaned closer to the girl's ear. "Oh, didn't you preferred to be called IA?"

"Zatsune!"

The witch looked up to see the huntsman burst out of the woods. Zeito panted to catch his breath. "I…finally found you," he puffed, "Stop disappearing on me." He then noticed Zatsune drawing a knife out. "What…what are you?"

She lifted the knife high into the air and brought it down. Zeito reacted immediately, charging forward and grabbing her wrist of the hand that held the metal weapon. "Let go of me!" she screeched, struggling against the hunter's iron grip.

"That'll be enough Zatsune!" Zeito cried, "She's already dead! You don't need to ruin the corpse more than it is already!"

"No! No! No! It needs more red!" Zatsune pulled away and made another lung to the fallen body however Zeito grabbed the blade with his bare hands. His own blood dribbled down. The witch watched the red river take form on his skin. Her eyes were wide and she said down.

A bloody sun complimented the stained sky; silently tell the world that another life was lost.

Birds sang their morning song as sunlight shone through the window, bathing the room in the morning light. Soft breathing could be heard. Then there was a groan as one sleeping being stirred from their slumber.

Rin gave a stretched and yawned loudly before rolling onto her side. That was when her eyes fully opened, to see Len's sleeping face inches away from hers.

It only took a moment before it registered…

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

BANG!

Len was now sprawled on the wooden floor. "Ow…" he winced, rubbing his head. He sat up and sleepily looked at Rin. She was clutching her blankets to her chest and glaring at him with a bright red face. "What's wrong?" he yawned.

"Y-You…!" Rin sputtered, "F-Face! C-Close!"

"Huh?" Len rubbed his eyes, barely understanding Rin's embarrassment. "You're the one who wanted me to sleep with you."

"That was when you were a wolf!" Rin cried, "Not a human!"

"Should have thought about my curse when it comes to daytime," dismissed Len. Rin's blush had not yet died down as she pushed the half-awake Len out of her room, for her to get change.

A slice of buttered toast hung from Len's lips as Rin and he weaved in and out of the bustling market place. People still stood clear from the pair due to Len's ears and tail. Rin kept a firm of Len's clawed hand so she wouldn't lose him.

"Rin~!"

Rin froze and turned around. A young girl was hurrying to her friend, "Hey Ling! Sorry if I'm late!" Rin swallowed, she had mistaken the girl's voice for Miku's… Len followed Rin's gaze and guessed her thought.

He finished the last piece of the bread before patting her head, "I'll be back soon," he smiled, "I'm going to get something. Continue with your groceries and meet me by the fountain when you are done."

"Where are y-"

Before she could finished, the wolf walked away.

Len casually walked around the town, ignoring the stares from passerby. His sharp eyes would occasionally scan the window display whenever he passed one. Suddenly Len stopped in front of a certain store and went in.

A bell chimed, welcoming his entrance. Bright sunlight shone through the large display window making all trinkets glow. The store sold antiques of shapes and sizes. Some was made from silver that radiated in the light while others were made from different minerals that glowed in the shadows of the store.

The storekeeper, an elderly man, raised a white bushy eyebrow and stared after Len, as he walked around, suspiciously. The wolf walked around, examining the wooden shelves and watching each merchandise wink at him, attempting to silently charm him into buying them.

Then one small lonely box which was tucked away in a corner of a shelf caught Len's eye. It was a circular box that was the colour of skies trimmed with lines of sunlight. When Len gently lifted its lid, the box played its soft and innocent melody as two porcelain danced in each other's arms.

He lifted the small box from its dark corner and walked towards the counter, ignoring the gleams of the other objects. "I would like this please," he said to the owner and placed the small box on the wooden surface of the counter.

The shopkeeper snorted, "Why should I serve a creature of evil and blood?" Len stiffened. "I've seen you raid villages and tearing its citizens many times in my life," the man continued. Len dug his claws into his palm, trying to contain his anger. "Get out of my store you devious creature," concluded the man.

Before Len could open his mouth, the bell chimed again and a voice called out, "Then I'll buy the box." The two turned towards the door and Rei stood there. "How much is it?" Rei asked. The man eyed Len before turning to Rei and mumbled the price. Rei gave the correct amount to the owner and walked out of the store with Len.

"What are you doing here?" Len asked, slightly bewildered.

Rei smiled and handed him the box, "I was walking past the shops and saw you so I decided to help out." Len took the box gratefully. "It that a present for someone?" grinned Rei. A light blushed find its way to Len's cheeks and Rei laughed. "I bet she'll like it," he said, "Anyway I must go. I was in the village delivering wood to some people."

Len nodded, "I'll see again. And thank you."

Before Rei left, he suddenly grabbed Len's shoulder. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something!" His voice abruptly dropped into a soft and lower tone. "Sleeping Beauty or Aurora has been killed," he hissed.

"What?!" gasped Len, "Another princess?" Rei nodded gravely. Len's face darkened, "She must be on a killing spree…" he muttered.

"You think she's behind this?" Rei whispered.

Len nodded, "The deaths are too regular. Also take note of the roles the victims play as. She's on the move, Rei…"

"It's…It's beautiful Len," breathed Rin. Her eyes were memorized by the box and there was a smile on her face as she listened to the soft tune.

"I'm glad you like it," smiled Len as he watched her enjoy the small gift he gave. Rin folded the drawing of her wolf, took the blue bead she had kept and placed both objects in the box. She then gave Len a warm embrace. His eyes widened in shock and surprise but he return the embrace while placing the dark thoughts of the deaths in the back of his mind.

I promise I will protect you, no matter what.

Crickets were chirping softly in the still night. The moon had hid behind the dark ominous clouds as a hooded figure roamed the empty streets of the village, occasionally stopping at certain parts of the village. The figure would crouch down for a bit, as if hiding or burying something.

Once the figure visited every corner of the village including the town square, they slowing departed from the village. One sliver of dim moonlight broke through a gap in the clouds, revealing glowing ruby eyes and a smirk of the Chesire Cat.

Morning came and birds sang their song as the soft tune of a music box accompanied them. Len had earlier invited Rin to visit the lake for the day. She now sat underneath the cool shade of an oak, listening to the song of her music box while enjoying the sight of Rui dancing on the water's surface. She closed her eyes momentarily thinking of what had happen a couple of minutes before.

Flashback

"Mother! Len and I are going to the lake!" Rin called.

Her mother smiled, "Okay dear, have a fun time." Rin blushed a little at her statement before nodding.

End of flashback

Her mother now has seemed to accept Len as part of the family which Rin was joyful of. "It's a lovely day isn't it Len?" she asked cheerfully. Her smile disappeared when she caught Len having a dark expression. "Len?"

He suddenly flinched and blinked at her direction, "Hmm?"

"Is something wrong?"

"N-Not at all."

A look of concern covered Rin's face, "You seem deep in thought these past few days. Are you sure everything is ok?"

Len gave a nod before turning to Rui, "She's putting on a lovely performance, don't you think?" he mused.

Rin returned her focus to the graceful swan, "Yes she is. Hey!" she pouted at Len, "Don't change the subject!"

"What are you talking about? I did nothing of the sort."

"Yes you did!"

"Is everything ok?" Rui asked as she slowly walked up to the two, followed by Rei who had been standing at the bank.

Rin frowned while Len reassured the two that everything was fine. The melody of Rin's music box came to a stop.

"Zatsune, what are you doing?" Zeito asked as he walked into their cave with a bag of supplies slung over his shoulder. The witch was standing over her desk with her back faced to him, mumbling something that he couldn't clearly make out. "Zatsune?" he called out again as he drew closer.

Suddenly balls of fire appeared, eerily floating around Zatsune and she turned towards the huntsman with a wide smile and the eyes of a cat who had stolen an entire fish. The unearthly glow from the flames casted a shadow over her pale face. "Yes~?" cooed Zatsune.

Zeito was taken back. The expression she wore frightened him and gave him an uneasy feeling. "W-What are you doing…?" he whispered.

"Fire," she started, "Is an interesting element. It's amazing how it can…set anything alight," she grinned.

The quiet morning air was shattered by a distant noise; an explosion. A flock of birds erupted into the air from fright. Red Riding Hood, the Wolf, the Swan and the Woodcutter all looked around in bewilderment.

"W-what was that?" Rui rasped.

Suddenly a dreaded feeling over came Rin as she clasped her music box tightly with shaking hands.

"Look!" cried Rei as he pointed to the line of tree tops. A large pillar of black smoke was staining the sky. "Isn't that the way to…," his voice died away.

Rin inhaled sharply, "N-no… It can't be…" she whispered. Len suddenly bolted forward in the direction of the smoke. The others watched after him until Rin snapped out of her paralyzing fear and followed him.

Len's boots thumped hard on the ground as he ran. Panic was pumping through his veins. His heart was beating with fear. Trees pasted him in a blur. His eyes were focused ahead on the dim orange light.

No… Please… Don't let it be…

He heard it before he saw it; an unnatural crackling. Len's eyes widened as he stood on an overlooking hill. His wide azure eyes reflected the unearthly glow of orange. He heard Rin's footsteps as she caught up with him, panting and felt her freeze beside him.

In front of them, the village was consumed in flames. Orange fingers tore buildings into shreds before tongues of fire licked them up until there was nothing but white ashes. The ashes filled the air like falling snow that burns the skin.

"NO!" screamed Rin as she ran down the hill, "MOTHER!"

Len grabbed her arm before she descended to the burning village, "Rin, don't!" he cried, "You'll be burned to death!"

"But..! But Mother is…!" she sobbed, "I need to get to her!" She struggled in Len's arms as he held her tightly. "Mother! Mother!" Rin's wails faded over the noise of the flames.

Red Riding Hood sobbed and wailed in the arms of the wolf as he sorrowfully watched the flames destroy her beloved home.

"You did what?!" cried Zeito.

Zatsune was merely lounging in her chair, "You heard me" she replied lazily.

Suddenly Zeito lunged forward and grabbed Zatsune by the shoulders. "Why would you destroy an entire village?!" he cried as he shook her. He froze when she looked at him.

Her eyes, were not one of human, in fact it seem to have lost all of its humanity. The red pools bore into his darker ones. It was bright red…like the blood of those who had fallen under her hands; her insanity. The light of life was clouded in those eyes as if reflecting the dead soul within her shell of a body. Zeito found himself trembling.

"Can you let go of me?" she asked in a monotone. This caused Zeito's grip on her shoulders to tighten as he held Zatsune close to him, trying to contain his tears. She didn't respond back.

Wind whistled past the black skeletons that once use to be homes to many residents; families or singles. Rin's red hood flapped in the same breeze. She had fallen down to her knees, her face blackened by the soot in the air with dried tear marks.

Len sat by her, stroking her golden hair. His ears perked up as they detected a sound. He turned in the direction of the noise; ashes crunching underneath leather boots. A pale-faced Kaito emerged from the wispy smoke.

"I can't believe it…," he muttered clutching his blue hair, "Every one… Not a single person," his voice died away.

"Where have you been…?" rasped Rin, "Why…didn't you come to help…them?"

Kaito kneeled down before the pair, "I received a letter from an old friend pleading for my help on a case. So I left this morning however it turned out that letter was a fraud. When I came back…" The prince looked around at the dusty remains.

Silence fell on the three when a horse galloped up to them. Neru reined her horse to a stop as she looked about. "No… It can't be," she gasped.

Len gave Rin a final comforting squeeze before getting to his feet. "I know who did this," he softly announced, "And I propose a plan to defeat this person once and for all. There are also others whom I know are willing to take part. Come with me." He gently helped Rin to her feet and led them back into the woods.

Hands held onto each other tightly as the group advanced into the darker depths of the forest accompanied with Rei and Rui. The sky was dark above their heads and trees slowly parted revealing a lone cave.

"Is it that..?" whispered Kaito with his hand readied at the hilt of his sword. This will be for Miku.

Len nodded before turning to Rin, "I want you to keep out of sight… She might be aiming for you." Rin stared at him in fear. "The majority of these…events seem to have their connections to you," he softly explained. He then turned to the others, "Is everyone ready?"

Kaito unsheathed his sword. Neru held a silver bow and Rei grasped two daggers in each hand with Rui standing behind him.

"It seems we have some uninvited guests." A voice rang out and Zatsune stepped out of the cave's mouth with Zeito at her side. The group was slightly startled by her sudden appearance but managed to compose themselves.

Although he seemed readied for battle, Kaito was shocked in the inside. S-she… She looks like Miku! He glanced at Zeito. He resembles me as well… What is going on here?

Zatsune clicked her tongue, "Those who come uninvited are not welcome here," she smirked. Suddenly ghastly figures emerged from the ground. "Shall we send them off then?!" cackled Zatsune.

A battle erupted as Zatsune's creation clashed with the group. Kaito struggled through slaying the gruesome things with Rei assisting him with his double blades. Rui would send white feathers to the foes, stunning them for vital moments. Len kept Rin well behind him as he tore the enemies apart with his bare hands.

Amongst the chaos, Neru had positioned herself in the branches of a nearby tree. She drew back her arrow with its tip aiming at Zatsune's pale face. It's her! She's the one who killed Miku and Meiko! Her light brown eyes narrowed. This shot is for the two of you! She released the arrow.

The slim arrow whistled through the air heading straight to Zatsune's skull. She turned to its direction. Suddenly a rotten corpse of a wolf-like man shot out of the ground, taking the arrow into its decaying flesh. Neru swallowed a scream of disgust and fear. The witch gave her a smile.

Len and Rin stifle a gasp. The corpse was of the wolf-man they long defeated. Len glared at Zatsune with his sharp azure eyes. So she was also behind that attack! Suddenly a yell of pure rage and vengeance rang out as Kaito slew the last opposing foes in front of him and immediately charged towards Zatsune.

He leapt up and flew down with his blade above his head. Zatsune turned with wide eyes. She had been focusing her attention on Neru's archery and now the prince's reckless charge caught her off guard.

Images of Miku flashed through Kaito's mind; Miku smiling underneath a starry sky, her wearing a magnificent white dress with a blush dusting her cheeks, Miku sleeping peacefully in the shade of an oak… It all ended with the sight of her limp body and lifeless eyes.

Tears pricked his eyes of ocean blue as Kaito swung his sword down towards Zatsune. "MIKU!" he cried, "THIS IS FOR MIKU!"

One sound resounded through the air; a gunshot.

Everything felt as if it was set in slow motion. Kaito's body was falling sideways, his eyes became dull and a river of red flowed from his head.

"KAITO!" screamed Rin.

His sword clattered loudly on the ground when he landed, dead. A stone-face Zeito held a pistol in his hand. The group had forgotten about the huntsman.

Rui suddenly leapt up, her arms have merged into white feathery wings and summoned a strong gust, disarming Zeito of his weapon. Rei took this chance to charge at Zeito but he was blocked when the huntsman pulled out a short sword. Len tackled Zatsune who quickly threw him off. He launched a series of punches and swipes but Zatsune masterfully deflected his attacks. Rin's wails echoed throughout the battle.

Neru fired another arrow at Zeito but he moved so it only caught his shoulder. The huntsman threw the woodcutter off him, yanked the arrow out and used it to swipe Rei. A cut appeared on Rei's cheek.

The witch thrust her hand forward, touching Len's shoulder which gave a loud pop. Len gave a cry of pain as he fell onto the earth. Zatsune had dislocated his left arm.

"Len!" cried Rin as she hurried to his side. Zatsune then turned her attention to Rei and Rui. She held her hand out and muttered incomprehensible words. A red aura swirled around her hand.

Rei had able to open Zeito's arrow wound more by cutting the same shoulder before he kneeled over in pain, clutching his chest tightly. "Rei?" called out Rui. The woodcutter threw his head back and blood spluttered out of his mouth before he collapsed.

Rui screamed, "Rei!" and held his still body. Suddenly her breath was knocked out of her as red poured out of her back, where she was previously stabbed. The swan too fell with the woodcutter in her arms.

"What did you do to them?!" Len groaned as pain shoot from his arm. Rin stared at the pile where her two new friends laid with a white face.

"I merely destroyed some useless marionettes," Zatsune replied calmly. Neru took the chance to jump down from her place, grabbed Zeito pistol, took aim and fired.

At the witch.

Zatsune's red eyes widened as red splattered on her face and on the ground in front of her. A faithful huntsman had thrown himself in front of the bullet's path.

A boy followed the one whom he loved dearly into an unknown world. He never came back…

I'm sorry, if its a little bloody for some of you readers. This story is coming to an end very soon. Probably an estimate of one or two chapters to go before it officially ends. Thank you for enduring this long and also handling my late updates

-Storm Skyress