Disclaimer: Well... I guess I'll have more writing time soon... unfortunately.
Disclaimer Deuce: what ever happened to the young man's heart? Swallowed by pain as he slowly fell apart.
Adrian's POV
(Work it harder, make it better)
I know I got to be right now
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
?Cause I can't get much wronger
(More than ever ever after)
Man I?ve been waitin' all night now
(Our work is never over)
That's how long I've been on ya
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
(I need you right now)
More than ever ever after
Our work is
(I need you right now)
You know how long I've been on ya?
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since OJ had isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I never told ya
Uh, baby you're making it
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
(Work it harder, make it better)
N-n-now that that don't kill me
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
Can only make me stronger
(More than ever ever after)
I need you to hurry up now
(Our work is never over)
Cause I can't wait much longer
(Work it harder, make it better)
I know I got to be right now
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
Cause I can't get much wronger
(More than ever ever after)
Man I've been waitin' all night now
(Our work is never over)
That's how long I've been on ya
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
(I need you right now)
More than ever ever after
Our work is
(I need you right now)
Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
(I need you right now)
More than ever ever after
Our work is
(I need you right now)
I rolled my shoulders back as I finished my reps in kicks and switched to punches, it was kind of embarrassing to need to be taught how to punch but I stuck with it. Hour upon hour practicing combinations, stretching, and creating muscle memory. I sparred with Yuki a couple hours a day, everyone else thought I was still below them. I still did football drills I worked on in college to keep myself mobile and agile.
I seemed to have it a wall. I couldn't teach myself anything else. I didn't want to go running to Felix for help, and especially not Demetri. I punched at a wall but stopped myself before I broke something.
To stop myself from doing something stupid I continued walking. I made my way in to the weapons training room. I hadn't used weapons before but it was made clear that I would need one soon. I looked across the rack and saw two blades, each no larger than two feet. I grabbed them one in either hand. I spun my wrist with them and started moving. They felt right... natural... good. I moved with them stabbing and slashing, it felt as though these blades were made for me, everything felt so natural, the movement, the weight, the speed, everything, I spun with them coming around and stopping instantly as I saw out of the corner of my eye someone watching.
"They're called leaf blades... for the way the end looks... I assume you approve?" I flexed my fingers in the grips.
"Yes... they feel right."
"Good... they're yours."
"Wait, what?"
"Keep them... learn them... and for the price of them I need only one promise."
"And what's that?"
"That unless I break one of the Vampire laws you will never come after me with that weapon, you will never pursue me... you will never take my weapons away."
Mike's POV
I'm not crazy. I told myself again I looked in the mirror. No... I'm not exactly human either. My hair was growing... it was growing fast... I needed to shave twice a day just so I didn't have a full beard, I gave up on my hair which I simply kept in a tight ponytail. It curled at first which frustrated me, but once it was long enough it didn't, now it went down to my shoulder blades and I simply cut off more every day. I had no clue why my hair was growing so fast but it wasn't the only thing. My muscles would ache for an hour, then after that I'd feel fine, I'd feel stronger.. Every time I let myself believe I was human something else showed me it wasn't true.
I knelt ankles crossed and breathed deeply thinking in to the events that transpired to bring me here. I stopped to think about the very clothing on my back, I was learning far more about Japanese culture then I had ever thought I could... It was so interesting, the ideas, the ideals, the beliefs. I was going to challenge Kaito for the first time since I first arrived. Only after slowing down to learn customs, had I realized how I insulted him. I learned so much I didn't even understand. I learned apologizing was a virtue in Japan, whereas I didn't want to admit I was wrong I realized to earn Kaito's respect I had to recognize the mistakes I made, and the rules of etiquette I broke. Laying in front of me was my weapon, the kendo stick. I bent my body over stretching my lower back as I put my forehead on the floor in front of my weapon. I relaxed my shoulders and arms letting them reach past my blade. I breathed deeply. One of the many things I'd mastered since relearning humanity was my body. I stretched every day and it was evident I could never do this before.
"It is time." I heard Hikaru Nakamura say. I took one last deep breath while stretching then I slowly got back to my knees grabbed the kendo stick and stood up. I bowed and he nodded as a sign of respect and I made my way in to the main training area. Kaito stood in the center regarding me angrily. I breathed deeply.
"Sumimasen." I said before bowing deeply. After I stood up straight he stopped for a moment before bowing slightly.
"Doumo" He said. He smiled as he circled around me. I moved. His whole demeanor changed completely. Instead of anger he had a smirk on his face, but a cruel smirk, but that of excitement. He took the first swing charging quickly. I brought my blade up to block while swinging around to get his flank. He retreated immediately seeing my movement... this was a dance he'd mastered years ago and I was simply starting to learn it. I was floating my legs moved without pain, without hesitation as fluid as water. He charged in straight I went for another block but it was a feint as he slid across the ground attacking my left side. I dropped my weight and rolled away from him coming back up to my feet.
I quickly realized that waiting for him to make a mistake was a great wast of time. I blocked another strike and as he retreated again I pursued him swinging after him. I saw an opening but it was too easy I didn't commit to it I took a step towards him and jumped back as he revealed his hand. He swung back at me which since I didn't bite I managed to avoid completely. I swung at him he took the hit to his arm and went with it.
It didn't even faze him. He didn't seem at all worried. I was running out of tricks quickly. Kaito met me move for move, I wasn't faster than him, and unlike in my vampiric form I couldn't summon extra strength or speed to myself to simply move faster than him... but you're stronger than him... just over power him.
It was worth a try, I didn't have any better ideas. I watched him, waiting for him to throw all his weight behind an attack.
He came with a broad strike. Up until now I'd blocked and fled from his powerful strikes but not this time. I planted my left leg as his strike came in from my right. I absorbed the power with my kendo stick and pushed back as I held as hard as I could. He stumbled backward it was the only opening I would get. I pressed my attack knocking at his weak guard before he could regain his feet. I batted his kendo stick away and struck him across the chest. And brought my stick up to his head. He smiled and dropped his weapon.
"Maitta" I turned my attention to Hikaru who showed no emotion.
"You have beaten Kaito, and you have earned your "Sohi" you are free to go." He said before walking to me and handing me my sword. It felt so right, like I missed it's grip... forgotten that the sword was literally crafted for my hands. I set Sohi down at my feet and grabbed my kendo stick. Shaking my head.
"No Sensei, I have much to learn."
Embry's POV
I was out for my jog and my cell phone was ringing, I always had it on me but I didn't recognize the number... If this is one of the Cullens I swear... I thought as I picked up.
"Hello?" I said still short of breath.
"Hey Embry, You out for a run?" I thought I recognized the voice but I wasn't sure.
"Yes actually... Mitch Steramin is that you?"
"Yes it's me." he said. He was the father of Destiny Steramin I'd given my number to in case of an emergency.
"Is something wrong?" I asked immediately worried. I was in Italy there was no way in hell I could get to her quickly.
"Not life or death, but I wanted to talk to you about something." I nodded even though he couldn't see it.
"I'm sorry if you don't want to talk."
"No it's fine... I actually could use some one to talk to right now."
"Alright, but you'll have to forgive me for being blunt... I stopped filtering my thoughts after I retired." I smiled.
"Alright but you have to be okay with my side too."
"I can live with that."
"You go first." I told Mitch. It was good to talk to someone who didn't know about my power... someone I could be a kid with not an alpha that had to protect the world.
"Well the reason I called is Destiny isn't sleeping." I rolled my eyes.
"Okay. This is my problem how?"
"You said blunt, not an ass hole."
"Sorry, it's just your daughter kind of fucked up my world." I said flatly.
"Well she's been married for a while and every time I see her she seemed exhausted but until she stayed a night at the farmhouse I didn't think anything of it."
"So what is it?" I asked.
"She's crying every night... Fate didn't say anything about it." I audibly gulped in. Just say goodbye that isn't your problem anymore. Instead of stopping him I said nothing.
"Fate wouldn't tell me why she was crying every night. So I asked her. Do you know why she's crying." He's pissed, he's angry at me... at least he started calm.
"Why should I give a shit about the woman who left me after I gave so much more than you'll ever know."
"Stop your bitching Embry. You survived and you're not dealing with what I am." funny you say surviving, if you only knew your daughter is the reason I'm dying.
"She... left... me. I never pursued her after she fucking went and got engaged months after we dated, when she said I was the first person she ever loved. I never did any of that. I never pursued I just let her go, I did every fucking little thing I was supposed and you're still bitching at me about something."
"She cries every night because she wants her baby."
"That is too bad, but she made that decision also."
"So because she picked Fate over you she can't see her baby? Wow that's just being an ass hole to be one. I have no clue why Destiny doesn't just visit... but she said she can't, now why the fuck can't she?" He said yelling.
"And I'd like to see my son too, but you know what? Life's a bitch and some times you don't get to see your baby, and sometimes you need to sacrifice everything you love to protect those you love." I said heatedly.
"You think I don't know that? I'm a fucking retired Seal." Oh I didn't forget.
"You weren't forced to leave them to protect them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" He said still fuming.
"I'm not in Minnesota with Ayden either."
"Where the hell are you then?"
"Volterra Italy."
"And why the fuck are you there."
"It's complicated..."
"I'm a fucking smart person, educate me."
"I'm... here... for... a... job." I lied.
"I know how old you are... You're a fucking sophmore in college. Your 'company' didn't ship you out... why the hell did you willingly leave your son."
"I... Well... it's complicated."
"Yeah, I know, tell me."
"Swear to me, you can't tell anyone, not even Destiny, no one."
"Fine."
"You're not going to believe me... swear it that you will tell no one."
"Fine I swear it."
"I'm here because of your daughter and my son."
"And how is that?" I explained my entire story and after it he laughed.
"You expect me to believe all of that?"
"No but you swore you wouldn't tell anyone."
"So you'd have me believe you're some super human wolf and you've made a pact with vampires to keep my daughter and grandson safe?"
"No I don't expect you to believe me, but I do expect you to keep your word, and the reason I gave you my number is if Destiny is in trouble it might be a vampire who hunted her before... I recently killed him though." I said not sure if I believed it.
"And let me guess, you kept all this secret from Destiny some how." he asked sarcastically.
"Nope... she knows everything I just told you, and she's seen me phase."
"So you expect me to walk up to my daughter whose not sleeping and ask her if her ex boyfriend is a werewolf?"
"No... I expect you to keep your damn word and keep your daughter safe for me, if there is trouble... call the Cullens... their number is 419-555-7059, they'll come to help her... but I can't protect her anymore..."
"You're serious?" He asked me.
"They'll hunt you down and kill you if they know you know."
"Then why did you tell me?"
"Because I know that's a risk you'd take to protect your daughter."
"You're right, but how did you know?"
"I could see it every time I looked at you."
Aro's POV
"You heard what he said, Embry told this Mitchell Steramin. He must die." Marcus said. He was always the first to judgment. His harsh stances were the letter of the law.
"We can't, we need him and the more pressing matter is the war coming to our door, once that task is cleared we can deal with Mitchell Steramin and Embry." Caius explained.
"I agree, we can always deal with them later."
"This war will be nothing to worry about, have you forgot about Alec and Jane? We'll simply kill them, no explanation necessary."
"No... They know we have Alec and Jane... I don't like this." I said concerned.
"So we are in agreement? Once we've put down this rabble we will deal with Embry and Mitchell." I asked.
"Agreed" Caius and Marcus said in unison.
So there is your chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, please ask any questions, or whatever. It's late, I'm going to bed. Remember to give comments, ideas, reviews, rolls of twenty dollar bills and knucks. Catch you on the flip side.