Here's Where did the Four Years Go?
Jundo Konime and her children walked across the snow barren wasteland, in the middle of a blizzard.
Unlike Shimo, who was comfortable wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, everyone else was still shivering from their many layers of clothing. Having to walk with all their gear packed on them wasn't helping.
"Man, how do your people survive these conditions?" Ganseki shivered. "I think I'm developing hyponemia."
"It's hypothermia, dumbass." Roru corrected, he was suddenly slapped by Jundo. "How many times have I told you to watch your mouth?"
Roru bowed. "Forgive me mother."
Nagi snickered behind him, only for Roru to hear him and glare daggers at him.
Jundo ignored him and continued following Shimo.
Koyomi approached the hooded figure in front of her. "Lunar, if you don't mind me asking, how are you able to stand this temperature?"
The hooded figure named Lunar talked under her hood. "My babies are keeping me warm."
Koyomi nodded as if that made perfect sense.
Shimo abruptly stopped. "This is the place."
Everyone looked at what he was talking about in astonishment. Standing in front of them was a tall castle like structure made completely of ice crystals. The surface reflected the aurora above it giving off a vision of beauty.
"The Palace of the Snow Priestess." Koyomi exclaimed
"It's a true sight to behold." Nagi gazed in awe.
Jundo Konime spreaded her arms. "The very symbol of purity. Look at how beautiful it is, this is what God intended the world should be like. And I, his messenger Angel, will abide by his wish and make this world pure." Jundo took out the briefcase from under her heavy minx coat and held it in the air. "This gift from our Lord will be what separates those pure, from the rats that infest this world."
Pretty soon they stood at the front entrance behind Ganseki and Roru, as they brought out their instruments.
They both raised their guitar picks as their angel wings popped from their backs, and grinned. "Time to put on a show." Ganseki said as he brought down his pick on the guitar strings.
Roru sighed as he started playing his bass. "Let's get this over with."
From inside the palace several women in various kimonos either whispered among themselves, or kneeled and prayed to a statue of a woman with a little snowman like creature rising from her hand.
The piece and quiet was highly disturbed as a sound wave shook the room and the ice door shattered, filling the once quiet room with the sounds of heavy metal. Most women covered their ears in agony, while others pulled out various handguns, shotguns, and assault rifles from their kimonos.
When the dust cleared, there stood the Lady Angel with her children ready to fight.
"Nagi." Jundo ordered.
Nagi pulled out twin rapiers from his sheaths and stood in front of them.
"How dare you defile this sacred building!" The various snow women opened fire despite the fact they were shooting at a fourteen year old.
Nagi raised his swords and swung them faster than the bullets flying towards them, the bullets seemed ineffective as his blade deflected them like they were mere house flies. In under a minute, all the snow women were out of ammunition.
Several women were wounded by their own deflected shots, but there were no tragic losses. Several Yuki-Onna still standing prepared to use their ice magic.
Jundo snapped her fingers. "Lunar."
Lunar nodded from under her hood, and threw it off, revealing who she actually was. Despite being the oldest of the siblings, she was the shortest of them all, a few inches shorter than Nagi. And unlike every one of her family members, she had short dirty black with some of it in a long ponytail; while some locks of it dangled covering her forehead. She had big green eyes and was well endowed with toned skin and an ample bust, proven by the sleeveless satan red blouse with shoulder straps showing off her figure. But etched on every visible part of her body were several tattoos that looked like different types of serpents with dragon heads.
Lunar raised her arms wide. "Time to go my babies."
At those words, several of her tattoos literally flew off her body, and rocketed towards several of the standing snow women, who attempted to freeze and skewer them with blizzards and icicles shooting from their sleeves.
The dragons seemed to be intangible, as the snow women's attacks went right through them. Several dragons flew to various women, and phased in and out of their bodies like ghosts.
The affected snow women suddenly froze like statues, and dropped on the ground in a collection of thuds.
Jundo approached Lunar and patted her head. "Good job." She smirked as her siblings checked around at the snow women lying on the ground.
"Are they dead?" Roru asked, somewhat worried about their safety.
The dragons flew back and etched into Lunar's skin. "They're fine. My babies merely paralyzed them."
Ganseki groaned. "You should've had your babies tear off their kimonos in the process." He grinned pervertedly at the unconscious women, only to suddenly be frozen in a block of ice.
All of the Konime siblings surrounded the Ganseki-cicile, Roru chuckled at his brother's state.
Jundo turned to the culprit and smirked at the Yuki-Onna gracefully gliding towards them.
"The Snow Priestess." Jundo smirked at the leader of the Yuki-Onna village.
She was a beautiful woman whose face seemed ageless. She was dressed in a cloak of shimmering frost colors and on her head was headpiece of intricately cut crystal, her hair was a pale lavender and her eyes were a blue so light they almost seemed clear.
After managing to free the frozen Ganseki from his ice cube, they all stepped in front of their mother getting ready to defend her from the Snow Priestess.
"That's quite enough children." Jundo stepped in front of them and faced the smiling snow woman.
"An Angel." The snow priestess addressed her with a smile, but there was a hint of bad intention under her mother like smile. "Might I ask why are you attacking this sacred palace? And why one of your children were trying to force himself on one of my people?"
Ganseki grinned and Roru slapped him on the back of the head.
"My children's actions are not of my concern. As for our intentions." Jundo continued. "We merely came to set up our base of operations."
The Priestess nodded. "Yes, I heard a rumor about a Demon killing all your members, freeing your captives, and setting fire to your branch in Scotland."
Jundo scowled as the mere sound of the word Demon made her visibly sick. She presented the briefcase, the Priestess however stared at the box and chuckled. "So you've collected the souls required to awaken Divine's Grace?"
Jundo smirked and tossed Lunar the briefcase. "I'll make you a deal you'd be stupid enough to refuse. If you willingly hand over this palace to the Purifiers. When I activate Divine's Grace, I promise to spare your village, and it's people."
"And if I refuse?" A thin layer of frost encased the Priestess's hands, and grew until they became ice caws with each finger sharper than an eagle's talons.
Jundo held out her hand and a blue flame popped out of the palm of her hand. She gave her a sadistic grin. "I'll purify this village even more than it already is. By cleansing it in my Holy Fire."
The Snow Priestess gritted in fear and contradiction. It was either preserve the place that represented the pride of the Yuki-Onna and Otaku that inhabited this place, or watch their pride burn along with their bodies.
Before she could do anything, a voice spoke from behind her. "She's bluffing."
Everyone turned their attention as a spirit revealed itself attached to the Priestess's back. It looked like a ghost with the body of a snowman, and the face of a jack-o-lantern.
"What is that?" Nagi pointed at the spiritual being.
Shimo glared at the little creature. "That's an ice demon that resides in the priestess's being. It's the embodiment of her prophecy reading, and tells her what the future holds for our kind."
The little ghost clapped with it's thin arms at Shimo's explanation. "Very good, blood traitor. I am the great Jack Frost. And you're right. I'm the one who tells the future for our kind."
The egotistical spirit was interrupted as the priestess's body was set ablaze in blue flames. Shimo stared at his mother and back at her in horror. "What are you doing?" He yelled at her.
Jundo watched as the Priestess rolled around the floor in agony. "She carries around that filth like it's normal. She was impure and needed to be cleansed, while the creature dies."
Shimo gritted his teeth and shot snow at the priestess, completely smothering the flames. "I'm sorry mother. As much as I want a pure world, I cannot sit idly by and watch as my own kind suffer." He said in a tone of bravery for standing up to his mother.
"So you're turning your back on me? Is that it?" Jundo glared at him with malice in her voice.
Shimo stood paralyzed and swallowed a lump in his throat. "That's not it at all. All I ask is that you spare her life."
Everyone stared as Shimo had the guts to stand up to his mother. Even Lunar found this surprising.
Jundo huffed and walked past the unconscious Priestess, Jack Frost disappeared inside her. "Get her out of my sight. I should actually thank you Shimo. I didn't want to waste my time with filth while I was here."
A sadistic smile etched her features. "When Divine's Grace is activated, she goes first." Jundo said to herself.
As she disappeared within the downstairs' chamber, she yelled one last thing. "Clean up this mess."
The six siblings stared at each other in what looked like fear and somewhat regret, except Shimo, who stared at the doorway his mother disappeared in with questionable eyes.
"Who the hell are you?" Kurai gasped at the girl.
The mysterious girl bowed at him. "You don't remember me, old friend?"
Kurai stepped back as she slowly stepped in the house. Tsukune stood between him and the girl. "Kurai, who is this?"
"And why did she call you old friend?" Kiria asked with jealousy in her mind.
Kurai was at a loss "I don't even know her. But that was the girl I saw in my dream."
He looked closely at her smiling at him, then to his surprise, the girl ran up to him and tackled him to the ground, embracing him in a hug.
The girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I finally get to see you after so long."
Kurai gulped as he noticed Kiria's teacup broke under her grip. "Kurai, do you mind explaining to us who she is?"
The girl got off of him and helped him up. "I don't know her." He turned back to the girl. "Who are you?"
The girl gasped and gave him a soft smile. "You really don't remember me, do you?"
"I've never seen you in my life." Kurai said to her rather rudely.
"My name is Ayami, a few years back, I was your friend and we did everything together."
"Kurai, is this true?" Moka asked him.
Kurai was having difficulties comprehending this. As far as he knew, he's never even met this girl in real life, yet she claimed she was an old friend of his.
"I don't understand." Kurai gripped his head trying to figure it out, when something hit him.
Ayami started to tear up, and then started laughing, her laugh became high pitched and she fell on her back. Her eyes grew wide and her laugh started to sound wicked as her body started writhing and squirming around with a dark look on her face.
She caught Kurai and he stepped back from shock. "What's wrong with her?"
As if on cue, a purple substance spread across her arms and legs like a disease. Whatever it was, caused the nearby carpet to lose it's color, and the flowers in the pot next to her started withering rapidly.
Moka and Kurumu stood up to restrain her but Gin blocked their way. "Don't go near her, whatever she's doing, it looks dangerous."
Katsumi approached the hysterically laughing girl. In a quick spasm, Ayami slapped her away with her diseased hand. She scooted back and covered Miko. "I don't know what's going on. I've never seen anything like this."
A weird yet familiar feeling washed over Kurai, and without thinking, he kneeled next to the girl and started patting her head. "Don't worry, everything's going to be alright." He said in a calm voice.
"Kurai, get away from her!" Kiria yelled out of concern and jealousy.
The girl suddenly stopped laughing and looked up at the smiling demon. As he continued stroking her hair. "Do you remember?" She suddenly asked, the purple faded from her body.
Kurai stopped stroking her after realizing just what he was doing. He stepped back away from her and looked down. "Sorry, I still don't remember."
Tsukune looked at Ayami wanting to know what she just went through. "Are you okay?" He helped her on her feet. Dazed and disoriented, Ayami mustered enough strength to stand up.
She bowed her head. "Please forgive me. My body does weird things from time to time. It's a part of my curse."
"What do you mean curse?" Kokoa asked.
"And while we're on the subject, what exactly are you?" Kurumu asked her.
"Let me show you." Ayami stepped away from everyone and pulled a concealed pistol from her cleavage. Before anyone could even react, she pointed it at her head, and pulled the trigger.
*BANG*
As she fell back, everyone was beyond shocked at how fast that just happened. Kiria screamed and hid behind Kurai who kept her back.
Gin fainted and Kurumu hid behind the couch.
Moka cried in Tsukune's chest while Mizore merely stared at them, forgetting that someone just shot themselves.
Everyone turned away not wanting to see anymore until Yukari called out to them. "Guys, take a look." They all turned back to Ayami, whose headshot wound was completely healed, and was standing and smiling as if she wasn't aware that she was dead seconds ago.
"What the hell are you? You almost gave me a fucking heart attack." Kurai yelled, agitated how she messed with him like that.
"It's not easy to kill a zombie is it?" She asked staring at everyone's shocked faces.
Quick Monster Fact:
A Zombie is a corpse that was brought back to life by Necromancy Magic. They are known for their decaying and rotting flesh due to them being deceased. They normally have no recollection of when they were alive and are easy to kill with one blow to the head, but only if the Necromancer responsible for their resurrection is alive. If the Necromancer is murdered, the zombies they brought back dies with them. But if they die of a natural cause, their zombies can never die by any means and their flesh turns normal, making them almost human. They regain their memories as well. Because they can't feel pain, they have the capability of using their strength to beyond the normal limit.
Yukari approached Ayami and snatched the gun from her hand. "I want to try." She placed the nozzle on her left breast.
"Yukari don't!" Kiria yelled.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
Ayami fell back and the three wounds where her heart was closed itself up and disappeared.
Yukari pulled the hammer back getting ready to fire until Kurumu snatched the gun from her. "Give me that before you hurt yourself, or one of us." She yelled at her.
Ayami turned back to Kurai. "Do you remember anything at all?"
Kurai was fed up with the badgering. "Why do you keep asking me if I remember you? How many times have I told you I've never even met you."
Suddenly the entire room went black. "That's where you're wrong Mr. Kage. You did meet her, at one point in your life."
The lights turned back on, and standing behind Kurai was the Yokai Academy headmaster, who was still determined to hide his eyes under his hood.. His sudden appearance scared everyone except Ruby, who bowed in his presence. "Hello Headmaster, I hope everything is well."
Katsumi approached the headmaster. "The headmaster of Yokai Academy himself Tenmei Mikogami." She sighed. "Do you want tea?"
Kurai patted his mother's shoulder. "You personally know the headmaster?"
His mother shook her head. "Not on a personal scale. But his reputation as one of the three Dark Lords is legendary to all Yokais."
The headmaster smirked. "As for the tea, I'm going to have to decline. I'm here strictly for two reasons."
Before he got to that, he turned to Tsukune and noticed the slight changes. "How is the demon blood treating you?"
Kurai turned to Tsukune. "Right I remember, you injected yourself with my blood. You now carry both the blood of a vampire, and a demon." He wrapped an arm around Tsukune's neck. "I guess that makes us blood brothers."
That moment was interrupted as the Headmaster got everyone's attention. He turned to Ayami. "It seems our friend here shares a history with Mr. Kage, yet he doesn't seem to remember her at all. Why don't you explain to us how you two know each other?"
Ayami nodded and took a seat next to Kurai. Kiria held Levy and rested her head on his shoulders, discreetly letting Ayami know: He's taken.
The headmaster leaned against the wall as everyone sat down and gave Ayami all ears. She took a deep breath.
"Five years ago, I met Kurai at an alley in Kyoto-"
Kurai interrupted her. "Let me stop you there, I was in a coma at that time, so it couldn't ha-"
The headmaster shushed him and gestured to Ayami. "Continue." He told her.
Ayami started over. "Five years ago, I met him in an alley in Kyoto."
Flashback: 5 years ago, Year 2003
A tired Ayami ran across the rain through the rain soaked streets of a night time Kyoto with a small backpack in her hands, as several men in uniform gave chase with flashlights and German Shepherd's on her tail.
"I don't want to go to jail." She cried as she ran as fast as she could. All of a sudden she felt her leg snap and fell as her femur popped out of her leg.
She gritted in pain as she stood up. "Damn it." She limped until a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her into the nearby alley.
Thinking that whoever grabbed her was a cop, she screamed and struggled against her captor as they dragged her behind a dumpster and draped their trench coat over herself.
"Be quiet." She heard a young boy whisper as he concealed them both behind the dumpster. Once they were well hidden, he placed his hand over Ayami's mouth muffling her voice.
Ayami clung onto the body for warmth after running in the freezing rain. Her pulse was rapidly growing faster as several of the cops after her made themselves present.
"Where did she go?" One waved as they all scouted out in search of her. As they looked around, one of the cop's police dogs started barking continuously at the dumpster.
"You got her boy?" The leading officer waved to his group and they opened the dumpster lid. "She must be hiding in here." Several cops jumped in and started dumpster diving for Ayami.
Ayami sighed, and her pulse started to go off as one of the police dogs stared dead at them and started growling and barking at the two.
"Shit." The boy whispered in her ear.
The police dog would've jumped them, if not for the guard holding the leash keeping him at bay. "Let me take a look." The officer looked behind his dumpster and shined his flashlight on the two.
"We're busted." Ayami quivered under the boy's hand.
"Shut up." The boy whispered hoarsely, he kept his hands tight over her mouth as she started shaking. "And stay still." He ordered her.
The cop looked behind the dumpster and shined his flashlight as his dog continued barking pointing his head right at them.
"Anything Warren?" One of the cops asked him.
"The cop named Warren scratched his head with his light and dragged his dog away from the dumpster. "Nothing."
The other officer approached him. "There's no ladder or exit she could've escaped with."
He pointed his flashlight back to the street. "I think she maneuvered us and made a run for it."
"Let's go." One gestured to all the officers.
Ayami and her savior stayed behind the dumpster until the sound of rain soaked steps became dim and dim until there was nothing but the sound of rain hitting the pavement.
"Hold on." The boy unwrapped the trench coat from her and stood up to look if there were any lingering enforcers.
"Okay, the coast is clear." He assured her. Ayami reluctantly stood up, but fell back as the pain from her broken leg started coming back to her. To her surprise, the boy wrapped his arm around her neck so she can stand up. She was amazed at how at ease he helped her out.
"There's a secluded area in the woods where I set up a tent. I can help with your ankle." He told her under his hooded coat.
A light gasp escaped her lip as she suddenly felt her entire body tense up and implode. There was a flash of smoke and the two of them disappeared.
Kurai was trying to comprehend her story. He racked his brain trying to think back then, and was drawing a blank.
Gin cleared his throat and asked. "He saved you from getting arrested, that I understand. But how did you two become friends?"
Ayami sniffled lightly and continued her story. "After teleporting me to his tent, I knew he wasn't human."
The two materialized, and Ayami opened her eyes and saw they were in a clearing somewhere in the forest. There was a small pit for a campfire, a log with an axe split in the middle, a cooler tied to a tree with some rope, and a tent that was big enough for at least eight people.
The boy helped Ayami into the tent and she was surprised at how roomy it was, and how comfortable it looked lined with several sleeping bags. "You live here?" She said in amazement.
"Lie down and I'll see if I can find a first aid kit." The boy ignored her question as he took off his trench coat and threw his boots outside. He turned on the nearby lantern, and Ayami finally saw his face. Like his voice gave away, he was a relatively young boy with short blond hair, blue eyes, and a skinny build. Without his huge trenchcoat, he wore a black shirt under a navy blue jacket, and a pair of green cargo pants.
Compared to him, her petite body was covered in old clothing from dontion bins, depicting her aa a homeless person. Her short purple hair was covered in grime and dirt. Her round face had several bruises from her constantly defending herself from muggers, and her eyes had several bags under them from not sleeping in days.
As the boy felt around her femur trying to think of a solution. "Push it." She abruptly said.
The boy looked at her with a weird expression on his face. "Push the bone back in my leg. My body will do all the work."
"Are you sure?" He looked at the sick twisted bone sticking out of her leg. "It looks like it'll hurt a hell out of a lot."
"Just push it in." She told him.
The boy looked unsure whether or not to do what she was telling him. "Don't be a wuss, just do it." She told him.
The boy groaned and gripped the girl's leg. "Okay hold still. In three, two, on-"
"Hehehehehehe." Ayami started to chuckle. The boy released his grip on her femur, and stared as she started to chuckle. "Are you okay?"
Ayami's laugh grew from a chuckle to snickering, then to a full on maniacal laughter.
The boy shook her shoulders and tapped her cheeks. "Are you okay?"
Ayami's laugh grew louder and louder as a weird purple substance spread through her arms. She gripped his cheeks and pulled on his hair.
The boy kneeled on top of her and held her hands down. "Take a deep breath and calm down." He ordered in a soothing voice.
Ayami's laugh stopped and the purple stuff on her arm disappeared. She looked up at him and suddenly started madly blushing at the position they were in. The boy realized he was still lying on top of her and quickly got off of her and sat down. "Sorry about that. Don't get the wrong idea. I promise I'm not some kind of weird pervert who takes advantage of sick girls. I swear, I'm only eleven."
Ayami interrupted him. "It's okay. I'm eleven years old too."
She sat Indian style with her bad leg sticking out. The boy remembered her injury and kneeled next to her leg. "I can heal it, but you might not believe it if I told you how."
Ayami stopped him. "I got it." She gripped on her femur and forcibly pushed it back into her leg. The sickening crunch sound made the boy visibly sick to his stomach.
The skin on her leg stitched itself together, and Ayami felt her bone knit into place.
"That's really cool." The boy motioned her sitting position and held out his hand. "My name is Kurai Kage."
Ayami hesitated for a second and shook his hand. "My name is Ayami."
"Ayami...?" He wanted to hear her last name as well.
"Just call me Ayami."
"You don't want to tell me your last name?" Kurai said somewhat offended.
Ayami looked down and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know my last name."
"You don't have a last name?"
"More like I don't remember it."
Kurai tried to find a way out of this awkward conversation. "I have a lot of questions I want to ask you."
Ayami smirked. "Shouldn't you buy a girl dinner before you get to know her?"
Kurai fished out three rice balls and a can of root beer from his back pack. "I don't know if it's dinner, but it'll have to do."
Ayami took the snacks and laughed. "That was a joke."
"I don't get it." Kurai said.
Ayami found his actions adorable. "I am a monster."
Kurai's eyes widened in excitement. "Oh that's so cool. I'm a monster too."
Ayami looked around the tent and remembered he lived here. "So you really live in a tent?"
"Yep this is my home right here. It's quiet, it's peaceful. There's no humans to bother me and treat me like a freak." At that time, Kurai could care less about what happened to a stupid human.
"You don't like humans?" Ayami asked. Just moments ago he was kind and curious, to someone who looked like he wanted to hit something.
"They can't handle what they don't understand. And it develops until it becomes hatred for individuals like us." Kurai clenched his fist to where his fingers started digging in his skin. "I was an open book, I didn't care if humans knew what I was. That was a grave mistake. Those who didn't believe me thought I was weird, and those who did believe me ran away from me as if I was going to eat off their faces. Now, the very thought of a human as my friend makes me sick to my stomach."
Ayami was surprised at how uneasy the conversation turned. "What kind of a monster are you?"
"I'll tell you, if you tell me your monster identity." Kurai smirked at her.
"Okay, I'm a Zombie."
"Really? So that means you eat brains and rise out of your graves? And can your limbs move even without being attached to your body?"
"That's only in the movies, the moving severed limb thing." Ayami commented. "And we don't really rise out our graves. That's just a stereotype. A Necromancer digs up our graves and resurrects us."
"A Necro-mand-ier?" Kurai attempted to enunciate.
"A Necromancer, a sorcerer who practices raising the dead. My Necromancer was a kind old witch who lived near a graveyard."
"She must have a strong liking for the dead if she's constantly digging up graves." Kurai rebutted.
"Yeah, I was her first successful test subject. And she raised me like her own daughter. She taught me how to read, write, everything I needed to know since I didn't remember most of that from my old life." Ayami gave Kurai a sad smile. "I hated being a zombie at first. My arms would always fall off and I always smelled like a sewer. So one day, I read that if my Necromancer died, I would become normal again. One night I attempted to stab her in her sleep, but she woke up and cursed me, that laughing and weird arm thing from earlier, every once in a while I go into hysterics, and a disease spreads to my arms. It kills every living thing that is near me, or I touch."
"Well you touched me and I was fine." Kurai reminded her.
"Yeah, I guess that's true." Ayami responded. "Maybe it has something to do with what you are. So what are you?" She asked him.
"I'm a demon." He proved it by turning his eyes from blue to red.
"Like a creature from hell?" Ayami asked. Kurai nodded as if he was proud of that.
Kurai looked at the small backpack she was doing her best to hide from him. He crawled next to her and grabbed it despite her struggling.
"What's in here? He opened the bag.
"Hey give that back." She yelled as she attempted to stop him from seeing what was inside.
Kurai opened it and saw several stacks of cash lined up inside. "Whoa, where did you get all this?"
Ayami snatched back the bag. "I stole it from a convenience store few blocks back from where that alley was. I really needed it more than they did."
"Was that why those cops were chasing you?" He asked in a redundant fashion.
Ayami nodded. "It's about two-hundred and something dollars in there. I figured it could help me with clothes and food." She sulked back and hugged the bag like it was her favorite teddy bear. "I'm too scared to go to jail."
Kurai liked this girls style, and didn't want to see her arrested. "If you want, you can stay here with me. I'll make sure you don't go to jail." Kurai gave her a sincere grin.
Ayami was shocked at his proposal. But something about him made her uneasy. "How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you won't sell me out if there's a bounty on my head."
"What if I told you three secrets about myself? So I can prove you can trust me?" Kurai sounded serious.
Ayami sat back and listened. "Okay then."
Kurai sighed. "I have a secret fear of snakes and wolves."
Ayami nodded and motioned with her hand. "And?"
"All this equipment and gear. I stole it too." Kurai told her. His last secret brought a glum look to his face. "If I told you this third secret, can you make me a promise?"
Ayami crossed her arms. "Let me hear it first."
Kurai turned his back on her and loosened the waist line on his pants showing a mark on his hip region. "Eight years ago, bad people took me away from my home and tortured me every day." He then showed her multiple scars on his chest and back. "When I was five, they stabbed my mother to death and made me watch the entire time."
Ayami gasped lightly at his revelation as Kurai continued. "I killed two people, while the one who killed my mother got away."
"I'm sorry." Ayami was at a loss for words and that was all she had the strength to say.
Kurai got rid of his depression and gave her a cheesy grin. "So I promise to keep you from getting arrested, if you promise to protect me from those bad people." Kurai held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"
Ayami looked down at the grinning blonde, and his hand. "Why are you being nice to me? We just met, and you want to become friends. Why?"
"Because I've been alone and depressed for the worst part of six years. I don't want to go through another day like that. And what better way than by making a friend?"
She looked up at him and saw a determined smirk. "If you don't want to call me your friend, than at least call me your partner in crime. With our powers, we can make a better life for ourselves and one another. By stealing from those who treated us like lower class citizens."
"From now on." Ayami gave him a gleeful look. "We take by storm."
"And take with stealth." Kurai added. He placed his hand out one last time. "So do we have a deal, partner?"
Ayami smiled and shook his hand. "Deal, friend."
Kurai's eyes were wide as she finished the first part of the story. Everyone remained silent trying to process what they had just heard.
"So since then, you two have become good friends?" Ginei asked taking in every word from the story.
Yukari broke down crying. "That's so beautiful. It's like you two were destined to meet."
At those very words, Kurai instinctively turned to Kiria, who had a vein sticking out. "Destined, huh?"
Kurumu started to cry. "Two people, forever friends bounded together by a strong oath."
Tsukune chuckled at how dramatic they were, when a familiar voice started echoing in his head. 'It's all a lie. This chick is obviously crazy. How do I not remember anything that she's saying? I don't understand it at all.''
Tsukune stared at Kurai, who was still in a state of denial. "What the hell? Did I just read his thoughts?'
Kurai looked up from his denial and stared back at Tsukune. 'Did you just read my thoughts?'
'It might have something to do with the blood link." Tsukune thought, for which Kurai could only hear.
A child like squeaky voice echoed in their heads. 'You both are right.'
Kurai and Tsukune looked around and turned to the only person who they knew had the blood link. Levy stared at the both of them and pressed her fingers on her lips shushing them. She pointed to Ayami, who was continuing her story.
"Since then, the both of us not only became good friends, but good partners as well. A while after we met, I read in an obituary that my Necromancer died of old age. Her death turned me immortal. We got by in life by stealing from stores and businesses. Kurai was always the sneaky and silent one, while I was the brains and the distraction."
Flashback: Year 2006, 3 years later
In the afternoon, outside of the shopping plaza.
"Oh my god! She's been hit!" One man yelled.
"Somebody call an ambulance." One of the women yelled as various people grabbed their phones.
The driver stepped out of the car and approached the face down violet haired girl with scattered groceries lying in front of his car. "I swear, I didn't even see her. It's like she appeared out of nowhere."
All of a sudden, a soft, feminine moan came from Ayami as she tried to regain her footing. One of the women helped her up and checked her entire body looking for any scratches. "Are you okay?"
Ayami shook it off. "I'm fine." She moaned. She looked up with a mock weak look. "I'm alright."
"Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital?" One of the women asked.
Ayami chuckled nervously when all of a sudden, a weird feeling popped in her throat and she felt her arms sear like they were individually set ablaze.
"Shit, not now." She quickly picked up her groceries despite the protests of the bystanders and quickly ran to hide. Everyone else was trying to get her help.
"Wait!"
"Hold on!"
"You need to see a doctor."
Once she was out of earshot, her arm turned back to normal as she turned a corner. A voice whispered in her ear. "Is anyone following us?" Ayami looked around and saw no one in sight. She looked up and saw no security cameras at all. "The coast is clear." She responded.
In a quick puff of smoke, she disappeared.
Ayami opened her eyes and found herself back in the tent. As she set down the groceries, Kurai materialized in front of her wearing a large heavy duty trench coat. He opened it up and various groceries spilled all over the ground, among them were several packages of raw steak. "Why can't I get the lighter stuff?" He asked as he took off his coat.
"Wouldn't it be weird if a girl bought several packages of meat." She teared thr the plastic off of one of them and started scarfing it down.
Kurai cringed and tried to keep the contents of his stomach from rising up. "Why do you eat it raw?" A small flame materialized in Kurai's hand. "When it would only take a second to grill it up."
Ayami had stars in her eyes and held her flushed cheeks. "Because it tastes so better that way." She teared into the rest of it and finished it in under a second. "A girl needs protein."
Kurai handed her two packs and took the rest. "I'm going to put these in the cooler before they rot."
Kurai came back in a minute and picked up the can of milk coffee. "I can't believe they fell for that old bit." He took a sip and lied back. "Stupid assholes." He laughed as Ayami smiled at his antics.
Ayami looked at her steak and stared at Kurai, who was busy digging into a cup of ramen. "Kurai, I think we should move beyond this tent."
Kurai stared at her with a look of surprise. "But this like our headquarters. Besides, it's not anyone is going to give us a free place to stay."
Ayami gritted her teeth as she looked around the familiar walls of their home. "It's not that I don't like it, but we've been living here for three years. I don't know about you, but I miss a bed, and an actual toilet. I want to take a bath that's not from a lake. I'm actually surprised no ones noticed about this place."
"This tent has been the closest thing I had to a home. I like the solitude, and the peace and quiet." Kurai argued.
"But there's a lot of places we can live. We can steal some money and stay at a hotel, or maybe we can rent an apartment." Ayami countered. She was trying to find a way she can manipulate, when something about him hit her.
"You're scared aren't you?" Ayami asked him.
Kurai looked away not wanting to look her in the eyes. "I have no clue what you're talking about." His voice started cracking up. A telltale sign he was lying.
Ayami gave him a reassuring smile. "That would explain why you don't turn visible until we're back in the tent. All that fear has left you paranoid-"
"Shut up!" He yelled sounding like a five year old. "I told you I'm not scared of anything."
"Then why don't you want to leave this tent?" Ayami asked rhetorically, wondering what he was going to say.
"Because I don't want to go back!" Kurai screamed, and then he started crying. "I don't want to go back to that horrible place. They won't ever find me here, that is why I don't want to leave this place."
Ayami gasped to herself and wrapped her arms around the crying demon, trying to comfort him. "Remember the promise we made when we first met? Right before we became partners. I said I promised to protect you from bad people. If we move out of here, I promise to not let anyone get you."
Kurai wiped the tears from his eyes. "Promise?"
Ayami nodded. "You do know it'll be difficult finding a place to live." Kurai told her.
Ayaami smirked. "I know that, so that's why we should do what we're good at."
"Which is taking by storm, and taking with stealth." Kurai finished her sentence with his own grin.
"Kurai whined like a baby?" Ginei suddenly fell back laughing. Everyone glared at him while Kurai wanted to skin him alive.
Ginei sat back up clutching his ribs. "I'm sorry, but that is classic." He fell back laughing again.
Kurai groaned and turned to Ayami. "So your saying that during the four years I don't remember, I spent all that time in a tent?"
Ayami nodded yes. "You were afraid to leave unless you were invisible. It was only three years we lived in that tent. After we left, you were still a bit edgy, so you burned the tent and everything so no one could track us."
"Hold on, hold on. I just have one last thing to ask. I could turn invisible?"
Ayami nodded. Kurai sat back.
"I wish you knew that before." Tsukune patted him on the back. "That could've helped us a lot."
Kiria turned to Kurai. "So how exactly did you two get separated?"
Ayami placed her head down and sniffled. "I'll never forget that day."
Flashback: August 7th Year 2007, 1 year later.
Late at night, Ayami and Kurai roamed through the streets of Kyoto. Technically, Ayami was walking through the streets next to an invisible Kurai.
For the past few months the only thing the two would roam around with, is a satchel full of stolen money. They would normally steal it the same way they always have been. Ayami fakes a severe injury while the clerk is checking the register, the clerk would come to help her leaving it open, and Kurai, who remained invisible, would always snatch the money from the register, leaving a few not to look suspicious, and wait by the door. Ayami would promise not to sue for a few snacks and clothes and the manager would agree. Every once in a while, she was stopped when the clerk realized some money was gone, and would check the security camera over and over, it would always result in them drawing a blank, and Ayami and Kurai leaving scott free. For months, they've been living motel after motel for a night or two. The guy who worked at the latest one kicked them out, and by that, meaning chase them away with a loaded shotgun after they tried to take his wallet. So they robbed another store and was looking for a place to stay.
"How much do we got this time?" Ayami asked looking like she was talking to herself.
"About twenty-four thousand six hundred and forty-five yen."
(That's $245.00 in U.S.)
"That should cover two nights at the motel a few blocks from here." Kurai whispered to her.
"I'm not going to a motel after that horror movie we snuck into." Ayami countered.
"You're an undead walking corpse. No matter how many times someone stabs you in a shower, you're not going to die." Kurai argued back.
Ayami sighed and looked up at the forty story tall Hyatt Regency Kyoto Hotel. The front door was open giving off the scent of sakura blossoms.
Ayami was unaware that Kurai was staring at her as if her head fell off. "Are you on drugs? That place costs five hundred thousand yen a day. You really think we can afford-"
One look at Ayami's face later, and Kurai knew what she was thinking. "Right."
"Nice choice of rooms." Ayami said as she gazed at the top floor suite.
It was a large luxurious room with, chairs and a couch, two beds, and a bar stocked up with various sorts of candies, sodas, and chips. A hotline to room service. Fluffy towels and water beds with feather pillows. A plasma screen with satellite, and a jacuzzi on the balcony.
Kurai locked the door and became visible.
He enunciated. "Holy shit." He laughed and flopped on the bed. "Screw the tent, this is how we should be living."
Ayami was happy to see him smile and run around the room like a curious child. She grabbed a towel. "I'm going to take an actual shower." She disappeared in the bathroom and all Kurai could hear as he was munching on chips was the water running and Ayami humming a song.
After a few minutes, Kurai turned and almost suffered a nosebleed as his friend stepped out in nothing but a towel. It too small to where it barely covered her lower region, and her breast were dangerously close to popping out.
'Damn hormones.' He thought as he tried to fight a blush. Normally, Kurai wasn't one to ogle at her, with her being his close and only friend, but even he had to take in how much she had developed in the past four years.
Her height had grown to where she was a little taller than him. Not to mention her hair was reaching her shoulders, and her bust had grown to a D-cup. He had known that for a while seeing as he had to steal bras for her one too many times.
Before he had time to react, she placed a hand on his forehead. "Are you okay? Your cheeks are flushed."
Kurai quickly stood up as a sudden urge to grope her infested his head. His cheeks were starting to burn and he could the flag pole stand up straight.
Kurai blurted out an excuse. "I'm going on a food run by myself." He sat up and placed on a jacket.
Ayami sat down on the bed. "We have a whole bar full of food."
Kurai placed a hand on the back of his head. "Yeah, but I know you like raw meat. A girl needs her protein, right?"
Ayami jumped up allowing her breast to jiggle and hugged him, pressing her chest on his. "This is the first time you went on a run without me. Are you sure you're up to it?"
"Yeah I can handle it." Kurai brushed her off.
Before he could teleport, Ayami wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Promise me you'll be careful."
Kurai stuttered frozen for a moment from her lips on his skin and reluctantly hugged her back. She squeezed tighter, and odds are she didn't want to let go. "Thank you." She suddenly said.
Kurai stared at her backside. "For what?"
"For being my friend, and helping me when I needed it the most." She started to sniffle on his shoulders. Ayami couldn't deny she had a close bond with him, and she didn't want to go back on her promise that started their friendship. She walked over to the nearby dresser and pulled out a small pocket knife. She handed it to him. "So promise me you'll be careful."
"I will." Kurai told her as he slipped it in his back pocket.
After a few seconds of silent, Ayami let go and he backed away a few steps. "And in the event you get caught while I'm gone?" Kurai wanted to run down a strategy with her.
"I know, fake a panic attack, jump off the balcony, fake a suicide. And then call you at the nearest payphone. We catch a train, and get the hell out of here." Ayami explained her accurate, yet disturbing plan of action.
Kurai nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"And that was the last time I saw you since." She told Kurai as she finally let out all her sadness from those memories and broke down crying on Kurai's shoulder. He was highly uncomfortable, mostly because Kiria's nails were starting to dig into his leg. Kiria momentarily released him when Moka realized something.
"You said it was in August that he disappeared?" She asked her.
Ayami stifled from her crying and nodded. "The seventh. I looked for him everywhere, but no matter how hard I looked I always came up short."
Moka placed a finger on her lip trying to think. "Kurai went to Yokai Academy in September, a month before he allegedly disappeared."
Ayami turned to him with her eyes hidden in her hair. "I was worried sick about you. I thought you disappeared from the face of the Earth, and you went to a-" She punched him in the nose. "Fucking border school?"
Kurai held his broken nose and hissed. "I told you for the last time, I don't remember any of that."
"Kurai." Yukari got his attention. "What do you remember before you went to Yokai Academy?"
Kiria restrained Ayami as she now attempted to strangle the Demon. "I woke up in a hospital, a few weeks before I went to school." He tried to rack his brain trying to remember. He turned towards the robed headmaster who was having a conversation with Ruby. Something flooded back in his head.
"And the headmaster was in my room when he invited me to Yokai Academy." Kurai remembered. He pointed his fingers at the headmaster. "You were the one who told me I was in a coma."
Tenmei chuckled at his realization. "If I had told you what had really happened at the time. You wouldn't have been able to process it as much."
Ruby got his attention. "You met Kurai before you invited him to the Academy?"
Tenmei grinned under his hood. "You could say something like that. More like I decided to help him find his missing memories. I allowed him to stay at Yokai Academy until he regained them."
"What are you talking about?" Kiria asked him.
"Sir, what are you not telling us?" Kokoa asked.
"Well I might as well tell you. Waiting for him to figure it out is becoming tedious." He laughed to himself. He then cleared his throat. "For a while, I've been hearing about money mysteriously disappearing, and out of all the news stories, I realized you were always at the scene of the crime, and I managed to put one and one together. Although I was unaware you had an accomplice who possessed invisibility. So I went to Kyoto to find you and enroll you at Yokai Academy." He turned to Kurai, and then Kiria. "When I stumbled into the middle of an Angel's Purging."
Flashback: August 7th, Year 2007
Tenmei Mikogami strolled through the streets of Kyoto looking for Ayami. A weird yet familiar sensatin etched itself into his head. "I can sense two Yokai's presence. That was easier than expected."
He followed the trail of monster energy and found himself in an alley hidden away from the public. Where he saw a tall girl wearing a white dress and a blue rose on her head, standing over what looked like trails of light streaming up.
The Exorcist knew what was transpiring. "Interesting fact about the Purging. Not only does it takes away one's memories, but their powers as well." The woman turned around quickley and stared at the mysterious man. Her face turned into a stern look. "Tenmei Mikogami, the Exorcist in the flesh. Do what do I have the pleasure?"
Tenmei walked over to where the lights were coming from and saw a blonde headed boy with eyes that looked like sheer horror. Streams of light shot out of his mouth and chest, as he sounded like he was struggling for air.
"You do know I can't allow this to continue?" He said as he took off the Rosary hanging from his neck. All of a sudden he was blasted and skidded a few feet back.
"Don't interfere." The girl told him coldly. "You'd really waste your magic on scum like him?"
Tenmei finally realized what she was talking about and stared at the suffering boy. "You Angels are all alike. Prejudice and vain, considering yourselves as the perfect beings."
"You're an Exorcist aren't you? Don't you hate their kind?" She asked as she continued the spell.
All of a sudden, a long green claw erupted from the ground and wrapped around the girl like a snake. The hand pointed its claw and touched her throat. "Undo the spell and I might spare you."
The girl didn't think twice about struggling. "So this is one of the three Dark Lords mother warned me about? The Strategist himself Tenmei Mikogami."
"You're doing an awful lot to save a Hell Spawn." The girl told him despite her current condition.
"I built a school for the sake of monster equality. So those like you can understand what it's like walking in another's shoes. I don't hold hatred, but I know what is the right thing. So undo the spell, and you might walk off scott free."
"A Demon coexisting. Besides, even if you do kill me. You wouldn't want to stop the Purging unless you want him dead. In that case do whatever you want with him." She disappeared in a swarm of white feathers. "You'll regret it either way."
Once she was gone, he approached the boy and muttered an incantation while placing his Rosary on his forehead. The lights disappeared and the boy slumped on the ground and twitched uncontrollably.
The familiar smell of tobacco wafted through his nostrils. "Is he dead?" The Bus Driver asked as he approached him. He looked down at the boy and chuckled while blowing a smoke ring.
"Unconscious." The headmaster stood up as the sound of a rushing paramedic echoed through the alley. "Although I can't say the same with his memories."
The both of them disappeared as several paramedics approached the boy and shined a light in his eyes.
"Looks like a drug overdose." One of them said.
"He looks about fifteen, maybe sixteen. Another checked his body thoroughly. "He doesn't seem high. Although his eyes are dilated, he looks perfectly healthy."
One of the men lifted his shirt and noticed several scars. "Jeez, what kind of person does this?"
"Maybe it was Post Traumatic Stress." The paramedic loaded him on the stretcher. "Let's get him a diagnostic." They loaded him in and rushed out as several onlookers stared wondering what was going on. The Exorcist and Bus Driver stood atop the roof and watched as the ambulance speeded away.
Two days later, at Kyoto City Hospital:
The blond boy awoke but found it painful just opening his eyes. As he stood up, he wondered who beat him with a bat. His head started throbbing uncontrollably and he gritted in pain. He looked at his surrounding and noticed he was in a hospital bed strapped to a heart monitor.
He started panting at an accelerated rate and was struggling to breathe "Where am I? How did I get here? Why aren't I in the tent?" He yelled to himself as he noticed his hands were bound to the bed
"I see you're finally awake." A low voice said to him from the corner. He noticed two figures on each corner with glowing one on the right wore a robe, while the guy on the left wore what looked a train conductor's uniform while smoking a cigar.
They could tell by his constant struggling that he was freaking out about something. "Get away from me!" He yelled at the two trying to break free.
"Relax, we're not going to hurt you." The robed figure approached him. "I just want to ask you a few questions."
The boy shifted his eyes and glanced at the Rosary hanging around the guy's neck. "You're one of them! I'm not going back there. You're going to have to kill me before I ever go back." The heart monitor was starting to beat rapidly and then slowed down.
'So his memory wasn't fully erased.' The headmaster thought as he caused the heart monitor to slow down.
"We don't need doctors rushing in here and getting the wrong idea." He said to the boy. "I just want to ask you a few questions. That's all."
"Who are you people?" The boy interrogated.
The headmaster chuckled. "I'm merely a friend."
Those words caused the boy to calm down a bit and lie back on the bed. "Now will you cooperate and answer some questions?" The boy nodded.
"What's your name?"
"Kurai Kage."
"How old are you?"
"Eleven years old."
"When were you born?"
"March 3rd, 1992."
The headmaster raised an eyebrow. "What year is it?"
"2003. What does that got to do with anything?"
The headmaster stood up for a second and whispered something in the smoker's ear. He chuckled in response.
The headmaster approached Kurai. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you've been in a coma for four years. It's actually August 7th, 2007."
"You're joking, right?" Kurai asked him, the look of disbelief never once leaving his face.
"I'm afraid so. You're in a hospital right now. I'm sorry to tell you this, but I'm afraid you've been asleep for four years." Tenmei told him with a neutral expression. He pulled out a small package and handed it to him. "But I can make amends. I know you're not human. I have a school far away from humans for your kind. I can enroll you in, and I'll have a room for you as well."
Kurai took in all the information and realized he was still tied up. "Do you mind?" He gestured to his restraints. The headmaster stared at the knife lying on the dresser and cut him free.
"Where did you get this?" He asked the boy.
Kurai took the knife and stared at the exterior thoroughly. He then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I probably stole it."
The headmaster chuckled and then touched his forehead with a light in his hand. Kurai's eyes rolled back and slumped on the bed.
The Bus Driver approached him and waved his hand in front of his face. "Memory manipulation?"
"Yeah, if he's going to regain his memories, than he's going to have to do this on his own. This way he won't come to me and make the healing process difficult."
"Can't you just give him his memories?" The Driver exhaled.
"His condition is different to minor amnesia. While that represses your memories, the Purge completely wipes it out, never to return, or so they say. But that kind of forbidden magic is beyond even my abilities."
"So he's going to end up stuck like this forever?"
"I never said that. I have a few trinkets that can help him, but it might take a while. As for now." He looked down at the unconscious Demon. "You need to play off everything about him and let him figure it out for himself."
"I read you loud and clear." The Bus Driver responded
"You knew this valuable piece of information, this whole time." Kurai yelled and punched a hole in the wall. "And you never thought to tell me?" Kiria sat him down as he started breathing heavily.
The headmaster grinned "I understand your frustration, but like I said, that kind of magic is beyond my control-"
"Who gives a shit about magic!" Kurai stood up and yelled. His eyes started twitching and he looked like he was about to have a freak-out. "I lost four years of my life, and the only one who knew never thought to tell me, or give me a fucking hand." Tsukune held him back as he was about to pounce the headmaster out of blind fury.
Kiria approached him and attempted to calm him down. "You need to control your anger or else you'll lose it again."
Gin stood up and sat him down while Moka held him down. "Take a deep breath, nice and easy."
Kurai complied and stared at the headmaster and realized something. "You were the one who sent me that crystal ball. And fixed Levy." He realized.
"Nya nya nya nya nya?" (What are you talking about?") Levy asked.
"Wait you said a girl performed the Purge on him?" Kiria asked.
The headmaster nodded.
"And you said she wore a white dress and had a blue rose on her head?" She asked.
"That's correct." He answered.
"You know who did it?" Mizore asked her.
"The only girl I know who could actually perform that kind of magic is-"
"Koyomi." Kurai's eyes turned demonic red. "Oh she's going to pay for that dearly." His eyes turned blue again and he turned to a smiling Ayami. "So now that you understand, do you remember?"
"I believe you now. But I can't remember those events ever happening." Kurai told her, with an apologetic look on his face.
Ayami looked down. "I understand."
Tsukune turned to the headmaster. "Is there anything that can bring back his memories?"
Ruby asked. "Maybe some kind of spell?"
Yukari asked. "Or a potion?"
Katsumi was the one who answered. "It's easier said than done. The headmaster has his reasons for not helping my son. These kinds of things take time, and if he were to be told all that without time to process, we might as well send him to a mental ward."
Kurai was highly offended. "You're making me sound like some kind of test guinea pig. Just because I lost these memories, doesn't mean they're completely gone. I'll get those memories back someday, but for now I'm going to have to put that on hold."
Ayami stared at him in shock and surprise. The Kurai she knew was paranoid, scared, and never could leave without her. It was amazing how much he changed in the one year they were separated.
Kokoa remembered something the headmaster said. "You told us you were here for two reasons. What was the second one?"
"Ah yes." The headmaster remembered and turned to Mizore. "Your mother gave me a message to give to you." He handed her a letter and walked out the door. "I'll be taking my leave now. Oh and Ruby." He said gaining her attention. "Make sure to keep these kids out of trouble."
Ruby bowed. "I will do whatever you say."
With that, the headmaster disappeared and everyone turned to Mizore as she finished reading the letter with a stunned look.
"What does it say?" Kurumu asked her.
"My village is in danger. The Priestess's palace was taken over by the Angel." She answered.
Alright, not my best, but not my worst.
This chapter celebrates the season four premiere of the Walking Dead.
My next chapter should be up soon.
Next time, with Icy Hell.