Rising Hope
"Moka-san... is gone?" It was naught more than a breathless whisper, but it struck them all terribly.
But none was more horrified than Inner Moka, now having her greatest dream, her freedom, but at the greatest cost. Her Outer, the one she secretly thought of as a sister, the other half of her, warm where she was cold, kind where she was harsh, happy where she was stoic. It was her other half, thinking of a life without her felt... incomplete. As if there she had already lost a great part of what she fundamentally was.
And, once again, it was her fault. Her careless nature, believing that all would be as immutable as her vampiric nature, had brought her ruin once more. Had she not learned anything from Tsukune's cruel fate? How, how could she allow herself to repeat the same mistake, be so damn naive! Of course the seal would break, it wasn't supposed to be removed in the first place! That's why her mother had given it to her, to protect her forever until she grew strong enough to protect herself! And now, now... now her last memento of her mother was...
What had possessed her to be so naive with the Rosario? Spend a day free of its clutches? Was that so important as to sacrifice Outer? Train everyone to fight on par with a vampire? Was the improbability of that thought even closely reach the price of loosing her other half?
But because of her, because of taking the rosario off for so long, this had happened.
And even beyond that, there was another thing that stung, an egotistical, selfish thing.
Why had Tsukune looked so panicked, so horrified at the thought of Outer being gone?
Would he have reacted the same if it was her who was gone? Did he consider her pink-haired version more important than her?
After all, Outer was only-
"Yes she is. Or will be unless the Rosario is repaired. As is, the seal is barely holding itself together. If someone could repair it, then the Outer Moka could be... saved. However, I am unable to perform that. I barely could repair the Rosario in the first place. No, there is someone else you must seek." The Headmaster interrupted, giving them a sliver of hope at rescuing their friend. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Life seemed to seep back into Tsukune, his eyes widening and his posture tightening.
"Who? Speak old man, I have no patience for riddles!" Screamed the boy, taking a step forward. His fear for the loss of Moka had given him courage he would have otherwise lacked and a sense of urgency he rarely felt. But that was no usual case, this time Moka-san was in danger and he would be damned thrice again if he let her fade away like a summer's dream, not while he still had a chance to save her.
"I believe, we could be of assistance in that regard." Spoke Ling-Ling, drawing Tsukune's eyes towards her. "You see, I believe my little brother mentioned it but, our Grandfather is Touhou Fuhai... Master of youjutsu, especially the black arts and seals. In fact, who do you think taught Mikogami-sama sealing in the first place?" Her tone was smug but not mocking, she didn't dare mock a Dark Lord, despite her beliefs at that moment. "Of course, we wouldn't just hand out our services. You'd have to do something for us too li-ghak!" And she spoke no more as Tsukune's right hand had transformed into its demonic form and grabbed her from her throat. It didn't dispell her smirk.
"Listen to me, Wong Ling-Ling, and listen well." Tsukune growled at her. "I don't care if you're dead, trust me I know things that would make death a release." His voice was furious and yet low at the same time. "You will lead us to Touhou Fuhai, he will restore Moka-san's seal back to perfection and you will stop trying to control us. Am I clear?"
Feeling the grip relax ever so slightly, just enough for her to speak, Ling-Ling smiled evilly. "Oh, crystal clear. But, don't you forget something? Death and other threats don't affect me. Because, you know, I'm already dead." She mocked. "What do you think you could do to push me to submission?" She would have helped anyway, she was just interested to see how much she could push his buttons, how far Tsukune would go.
Then a ball of acid melted through the trunk of a tree next to Fan-Fan's head, making the boy yelp as he leapt away from the falling tree. Ling-Ling frowned, she had her answer; pretty darn far, that's how far he'd go for the girl.
That's when she smiled. It was good. He was emotional, but his emotions were solid. He was strong but he also had power. It didn't matter if he refused to work for her family, he would work with them anyway. There was no other way for him, not if he wanted to protect his friends.
"Very well Tsukune-kun." She stressed the suffix though there was no hostility in it. "We will help you with that. But remember, we are not the ones responcible for your troubles. It is our common enemy, Fairy Tail that has been leading to this. Think about that while I ready our transportation. In two days we shall depart for our home, the Wang Family's mansion in Hong Kong."
Releasing the woman from his grasp Tsukune fixed her with a glare. Under normal circumstances, it would have been laughable.
These were no normal circumstances. This was Tsukune being serious, deadly so. Not only him either, so was every one else as well.
Yukari, Mizore, Kurumu, Ruby, all four of them considered Moka to be their friend, a great friend, someone they would go to great lengths for. Heck, Kurumu even considered her a back-up lover and that's saying a lot, considering said succubus' innocence and naivety. There was not a single member of the Newspaper Club that would have left Outer Moka fade away, save Kokoa perhaps but even then it was doubtful as she had warmed up a bit to her emerald-eyed self. Tsukune was simply more direct and forceful in his attempts.
Inner Moka however watched with trepidation. Shock from her Outer's vanishing mixed with a strange emotion that seemed akin to fear and sadness. She couldn't help but wonder, why did they react so frantically to Omote's dissappearence? Tsukune had not hesitated for even an instant, Kurumu had brought out her wings and claws and Mizore had instantly assumed her true snow-woman form. Even Yukari and Ruby had seemed ready to bolt away to their tomes of knowledge in a way to save Omote.
Self-doubt, a rare emotion for the usually jaded vampiress, wormed its way into her heart. Did they consider Omote to be more important to them than her? Did her pink-haired self have a hold over them that she did not? Was it that her naivete made her so much more desirable than her own more composed, she would never say cold or stoic, demeanor?
Did they prefer an illusion over the truth?
Did not one of them like her for her?
Was it at her other half's sufferance that they befriended her?
If she was the one to disappear, would they act like that too or would they forget all about her?
Tsukune placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her away from her depressing thoughts. "Don't worry Moka-san. We'll save Outer. Even if I have to beat up Touhou Fuhai myself, we'll get your rosario repaired."
Wordless, she nodded. It wasn't what he said, but rather what he didn't voice. Did he also mean to say to return things to the way they were? Where she, Inner, was sealed and her Outer was free to live? Where her awakening time was limited to combat and a bit of training? To where she had a mere back-seat to her own existence?
She nodded, subdued and still deep in thought and let herself be led away from Paradise.
They were on a tight schedule anyway; Tsukune had given everyone involved in the Sports Fiasco a detention after all. Being his friend didn't exclude anyone from it, he gave himself even a punishment.
Later that night, Inner Moka, for once having studied like her Outer did, sat on her bed wearing little but her satin nightgown. Not that she cared about clothes and such, she had been raised to consider them frivolous beyond the satisfaction they gave her at looking her best. Besides, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts she didn't want to face.
She had become dependant on her Rosario.
She had become dependant on its lullaby and how it would let her keep her distance from everyone.
And now, it was gone. Or inactive. Or broken.
Its state didn't matter, the fact that it didn't work anymore, did.
Because there was nowhere to hide now, nowhere she could escape to now.
No one she could speak to either, even if she never did.
The loss of her Outer, her sister in all, gave her a sense of mortality she had almost managed to forget, even if she never really got over it.
How could she have? She had been sealed, asleep, unconscious even, all this time. Ever after her mother... She had never been forced to face her pain, there was always the easy way out.
And she hated it, she hated herself for taking that way, even if she didn't really have a choice.
Then there was Tsukune. The damn human that was kinder than he was smart and braver than he was sane!
The one person, one person, that could actually look at both sides of her the same damn way! It was as if he thought they were two different people but equally important to him!
She should hate him and despise him. He was a weak human that became something more only due to her power. He was nothing to her, nothing before her!
So why did it hurt so much that he was so worried about Outer going away?
Why did she herself hate it so much?
And even beyond Tsukune, Moka had finally gotten friends. Rare, for vampires, as most are rather solitary beings, not to mention that not everyone can handle their inborn pride, arrogance and sheer power.
But a succubus, a yuki-onna and a witch could. And they did. They were right there, every time she woke up. Or almost any time, because Moka certainly didn't want to remember about the Arcade right now.
"Omote... Dammit..." She sighed, looking at the worn silver cross.
It didn't look ruined, just as shiny and perfect as the day she was given it, but the signs had been there. Omote had been getting more tired easily, she appeared more often, she could even create a phantasmal body Outer could perceive and talk to. There had been the signs, but she had just ignored them.
A tiny voice inside her even asked her if she was so envious of Outer, if she, at least subconsciously, desired to usurp her pink-haired self's life.
The scary part was, she didn't know.
'Omote... Where are you?'
So imagine her surprise when someone answered. "Did you call?"
Some say that vampires act like cats, and usually they get pummeled. But at that moment, Moka acted exactly like a cat; letting out a high-pitched yelp and leaping straight up from her bed, almost to roof-level, her hands like claws and slit eyes wide.
The silver cross vibrated almost as if it tried to control its laughter and the eye-like gem in the center glinted in mirth. "Hehehehe! Ura-chan, you acted just like a cat! You almost said 'Nya'! Hahahaha!"
Said side of Akashiya Moka had the distinct impression that her other side was rolling on the pendant's imaginary floors, laughig at her.
Wait, laughing at her?
That would require breath and consciousness, something that in turn requires one to exist and be alive.
The realization hit Ura-chan with all the force of a brick wall. "O-Omote?"
"Hai-hai!" Giggled the previously Outer Moka. "I tried to speak to you, but you were sooo preoccupied, I couldn't form a link! I just now managed to reach you!"
Filing away the need to scold the pinkette on saying 'yes' only once, she focused on more important matters. "So, you're alright?" There was a lot of hope in those few words.
"Yeah, I'm fine, see?" Then the rosario seemed to very quickly move around in its chain. "It's a bit cramped up, it could use a bit of a woman's touch..." Now that was teasing her, and Inner knew it. Despite her skills, home economics in general was her greatest weak point, not just cooking.
Though she would brutally beat anyone who would ever speak of that particular shame.
"S-so, you're still here, right?" She was hopefull now. Even if she had, at some point, wished to take Omote's place, she didn't want her gone, they were like twin sisters after all. "Headmaster said that you were gone and everyone was so worried about you. You should have seen Tsukune when he heard about it, he threatened a Dark Lord!"
And now, she just wished she had held her tongue. The way her Rosario looked at her, she recognized that look. "Oh, so only Tsukune reacted like that? Or did you care only about how Tsukune would react?" Yep, she had seen it on Kurumu's face many times. And it was not nearly as amusing when directed to you as when at someone else.
"O-Of course not! He was just the most extreme! Who else would threaten to beat up a Dark Lord?"
"Well, only Tsukune would do that for us. After all, you know he lo-"
"Don't say it! Just... just don't say it..." She cut off her other side. "Even if he is crushing on us, it means nothing. It will mean nothing in a hundred years, when he will be dead. It will mean nothing once the vampire community hears of us and come to claim us. It will mean less that nothing once his human heart falls for another, someone like him."
"But you don't like it do you? So why don't you-"
"No! I will not!" Now she snarled at the Rosario. "How dare you think that I, a Super Vampire, would ever take a mere human as my mate!"
There was no answer as the link had been cut, their minds loosing the synchronization necessary.
"How dare you..." She was just sad now, her anger vanishig faster than a mirage. "To imply that I..."
She had no more to say, she dare not say any more, and instead hugged her feet to her chest.
That mere human had made her soft, she was feeling lonely without her friends near her.
Without her even realizing it, every moment she had spent in the Academy with them became more important than an entire lifetime away from them.
And that scared her. It terrified her!
She wasn't meant to make friends in the first place. She wasn't good with them. She 'didn't do crowds' as the saying could go.
That's what her other side had been for; a crutch to help her grow.
But she had grown so dependant on it that nothing good had happened. She had grown weaker while in the seal and softer while outside it.
To one Akashiya 'Inner' Moka, she was between a rock and a hard place.
That night she dreamt. It was a... unique experience.
She never dreamt, not since she had been sealed and it's not like she could recall any of her child-time dreams.
The Rosario's lullaby only lulled her into a state much like sleep, but closer to a dreamless coma, only littered with flashes of awareness.
She had not had to think for a long time. She had not had to adapt or even compromise for even longer.
So, being forced into these circumstances was quite literally unexplored territory to her.
If only her precious new dreams weren't so... terrifying wasn't the exact word for it. They were quite pleasant. The scary part was wrought of her conscious mind.
Why should a human, a succubus, a snow woman and two witches dominate her thoughts so much?
What kind of majestic-unearthly-unstoppable power did they possess?
Most importantly, when was it that they managed to worm their way into her heart, each in their own way?
Getting up with a sigh, Moka went on autopilot as she experienced her first morning ritual in almost a decade.
'Normalcy is overrated...' She thought annoyed at having to do all these chores first thing in the morning, yet at the same time enjoying her newfound sense of 'self'.
Really, who knew what torture it is to keep hair as long as her's at perfect condition? Shampoo, wash off, conditioner, wash off, dry, comb them several times over...
And she still couldn't get it as well as Outer! She 'harrumphed' and declared it good enough, ignoring her 'Outer's' giggles.
It had been... weird... to hear her giggle like that. But that's the benefit of being together for so long; though they had had a 'fight', they still remained as close as ever.
They had no one else after all. Their family rejected them, humans hated them and ayashi envied them.
Only a few managed to get over their hate and fear to get to know either of them. Inner Moka couldn't decide if that was good or bad. She had at long last gained her greatest dream, friendship, but at what cost? At what emotional trials?
Moka sighed as she checked herself once again in the mirror, wearing her school's uniform and preparing for a day as a teenage girl going through high school...
The most natural thing of them all. 'Yeah, right.' She sneered. Nothing normal about her, not even her going to school!
"Oh, don't be like that Ura-chan! Or is it Omote-chan now?" Wondered the formerly Outer Moka in her characteristic bubbly way. At least it managed to get a smile and a playful snap at her from her stoic other side.
Of course, the pink-haired Moka wasn't as cheery or bubbly as she made herself out to be. No matter how positive one's outlook on life is, there come rough times where seriousness and stoicism are needed.
That's why she made herself out happier than she was. Someone had to be happy and cheery lest they all descended into the angst and sorrow that had been haunting them.
Someone had to be happy for them all and she would be that one. Who else would take it? Her silver-haired half would never be caught dead making jokes and bringing smiles. She was more used to bringing her heel down on others.
Especially perverts, as she was doing at that moment against a rather... doggy... male.
The silver rosario reduced Moka's power significantly but she was still a vampire as Gin was all too sad to note. His poor camera would be remembered.
That didn't stop him from taking out another one and doggedly hounding after Moka.
The day passed relatively quietly. Mostly due to the shock and awe of seeing Moka released because she was nowhere near being subtle. Be it acing classes, smashing perverts or aserting herself in club activities, nothing was untouched by Inner Moka's rather... unique... temperament.
And she was supposed to be quite subdued. They never knew she acted out so much more out of a defence mechanism rather than her own desires. Well, Kurumu knew, but she also knew that time did a wonderful job of helping people get over their problems. First the vampiress would have to accept the problems she was facing and then they would talk about them.
Tsukune on the other hand was much more frantic than the rest of the club. While they had relaxed significantly after being assured that there was a way to save Moka, not to mention witnessing the Rosario's lively activity on their own as proof, the group's sole human had no such intentions.
First, there was the problem with that spy they had, still obsessing over it, despite how much it stressed his fragile psychology. On top of that, he had his own duties to perform and his club activities and own homework as well. Not to mention Nekonome-sensei trying to make him class president still. Then there was his own worrying about his family. They hated him, yes, but he didn't hate them back, that was for sure. But now he had made a name with Fairy Tale, no way they would ignore someone who took down one of their main bases. There was no way Fairy Tale would ignore a 'weakness' as large as that for long.
There was also his growing thirst, lust almost, for Moka and her blood. Ever since tasting it, it had been getting slightly worse as time went by. What he had had was a cold, dead, sample ripped painfully from her. Yet, it had tasted so good! It had tasted like every part of him was pleasured at the same time! It had felt like a minature sun had erupted within him but never hurting him. It felt like he had found his calling, what he was meant to do.
"So, what if I could have some of her warm-fresh-living blood, given freely?"
The pencil in his hand snapped as his eyes dilated and his breaths came out heavy, panting, wanting.
It would taste like a piece of Heaven!
His Divine Lock rattled, trying to restrain his growing power, even strained and damaged as it had become lately. It took several jerky, unsteady motions to place the MP3 earplugs and press 'Play'.
Several seconds passed by before his motions were subdued and calmed enough for him to relax the tension in his muscles.
"I really need to talk to the Headmaster about these episodes... God, I can't keep thinking about Moka-san like that..." A weary sigh came from his lips as he looked back down on his homework. "Later, after I'm done."
'Later' would never come.
Tsukune's Inner Demon might be suppressed by the deteriorating Lock and even pushed back by the Siren's melody, but it wasn't defeated. It simply changed its avenue of attack. Instead of focusing on the boy's rage, it focused on his lust, knowing how easy it was to confuse it with love. Along with some very careful suggestions and helping the boy forget about some minor things, it was working wonders.
It was growig stronger and stronger every day. The Lock suppressed it and that foolish boy tried to depend on his other power, but they forgot something very simple, he and the Headmaster.
Demons feed on evil and corruption. There was nothing more corrupted than the twisting of one of Creation's Favoured into a blood-drinking parasite filled with unthinking fury. There were few things more evil than a cadaver-eater.
So while the boy got high on its vampiric-power trips, the demon itself bid its time and schemed, using the boy's own fears against him in creative nightmares, when they boy was unable to meditate and not listening to that damned song.
Little by little, the demon was wearing down Tsukune's mental resilience.
That did not mean it was easy, but it was definitely a good thing the boy managed to get himself into trouble constantly. Most Demonblooded who retained their minds managed it because they spent more than a couple of years secluded from others so they could come to terms with what they were. Others managed it by setting small goals that went hand-in-hand with their Demonic personalities, like wiping out entire groups or settlements of those who hurt them and caused them to turn. Not to mention that most of them were adults by that time and pure-blooded, not half-breeds like that boy. Instead Tsukune had to suffer through his puberty in a situation he was not used to, faced with constant struggle he did not wish for and unable to be given respite.
For that alone, Fairy Tail would be spared, at least at the begining, the demon thought. Or they would be used and milked dry for resources to change the world.
Megalomania was another characteristic of the demon, so diametrically opposed with the more humble mortal form it resided in. Lust and Love, Anger and Courage, Rage and Perseverence.
Good and Evil? The demon worried about it no longer. It was Aono Tsukune's 'antithesis', his 'nemesis', his red-and-black opposite. It grinned, despite the mental chains that weighed on it.
After all, they were covered in rust...
Elsewhere, Shirayuki Mizore and Kurono Kurumu were doing something few would expect of them. Not that they were playing hooky, but that they were in fact... meditating.
While Mizore had chosen the coldest waterfall she could get her hands on in Paradise while Kurumu had chosen a nearby rock, both of them were deep in meditation.
At least Ruby was there to maintain a protective barrier against possible predators who thought them easy meals.
Both girls needed to refine their control over their powers. They had a lot of youki but relatively low control over it. Exactly the opposite of a witch; low amounts but with such control that reality bowed to them.
Which was why Ruby was there instead of another succubus or yuki-onna or even another combat-teacher.
Kurumu's power would be the easiest to control, at least theoretically. Her power depended on her imagination and strong will to weave illusions to befuddle her opponents. However, a drastic or unrealistic illusion would be easily seen through as such and disregarded. Not to mention that she still depended on locking eyes with her enemy to use her abilities, something that a more aware or skilled enemy would make sure to avoid. So she had to meditate and find out how her youki reaches out to other things but to do that she first had to gain a sense of 'self' and 'ego' far beyond what she had at that moment.
She had to feel the entirety of herself at the same time, without the help of external aid.
It is a little known fact, but a body, human or ayashi, cannot actually feel two areas of it at the same time. Or rather, it can't do so accurately and instead switches its 'sensory area' extremely quickly, giving the illusion of it. But in fact, a person cannot tell their left leg and right arm hurt at the exact same time; their brain only processes one signal at a time, usually the strongest.
Kurumu's training was about overcoming it and having her 'mind' perceive herself as 'one'. To do that would require intense focus as she would have to maitain feeling on each and every part of her body at the same time, without forgetting about any. Certainly a hard feat to accomplish, but Ruby was sure that it would help the succubus gain ever better control of her power, as well as awareness of herself and her limits. Never a good thing to overstep those, she had learned that lesson very well.
Mizore on the other hand... She simply had too much power to control. Most yuki onna her age could just freeze something, not create constructs of ice from nothingness. Even Mizore's mother could only form simple constructs at that age and she was considered a prodigy. Mizore could create working mechanisms, even if that required enough focus that she couldn't do it in combat.
So there was no lack of 'focus' that limited Mizore as much as an inability to control and channel her power properly. For the young girl even the lowest techique had to be observed closely lest they were overloaded and went berserk, a certain incident with had own ice clones trying to kill her easily came to mind. Beyond that, Mizore lacked confidence. Despite her training and impressive skill, she still saw herself as 'weak', the weakest of the group now that Tsukune had become so strong. That definitely didn't help much -except those maiden dreams of her where Tsukune comes to save her like a knight in shining armor before giving her all the children she would ever wish, along with the more pleasurable benefits of procreation.
Despite her controlled demeanor, Mizore was every bit a growing girl during puberty and her hormones were a pretty large part of her existence.
Understandably it was hard to restrain the urge to fight with Kurumu when the succubus giggled at her failed attempt at meditation, especially since the damned 'boob-monster' seemed to know exactly why she failed.
"Kurumu-san, focus please and stop thinking about Tsukune-san! You're too young for that! And you Mizore-san, try again, reach out to your core and try that trick again!" Ruby's voice reached the two. While the elder witch was certainly still her good-old masochistic self, she could be a slavedriver when the situation called for it. Or when ordered to.
Sighing, the two girls tried to focus again. At least they didn't have to go through the endless amount of paperwork Tsukune was forced to.
But Ruby wasn't so cheery, even if she hid it. Things were moving, too fast in some cases too slow in others. Her master's plans hung in the balance and she had to make sure they managed to succeed. Failure was worse than their deaths. It wasn't an option even.
Yet these two girls, easily considered prodigies of their respective race, were blocked from their true potential by such pathetically aggravating things such as what they considered to be their own limits. Not their true limits, but rather what they perceived them to be as such. Which were, in fact, quite a bit lower than what they could possibly do if trained properly.
Then again, no child should be forced into situations calling for such training so early in their lives. There was nothing else to do however; these children were not pawns to be tossed aside carelessly, they were bishops and knights in a vast game of chess played for many decades. Sacrificing them was not an option, they were irreplaceable pieces. Even if she killed her heart and friendship, there was no way she would let them die.
So she had to train them, and if that meant revealing a few witch-only tricks to them, then so be it. Kurumu was the easiest to train, if most time-consuming. The succubus would be forced to breach her mental defences, something rather hard to do considering the depths of insanity she had fallen to before. A sane mind is much more vulnerable than a mind broken and remade, she was proof of that.
But Mizore didn't have it so easy. Her unique temperament would also call for a unique training. Mimetic training? No, copying wouldn't cut it. Mnemonic? No, too little time.
What to do, what to do?
Ruby's eyes fell on one of Mizore's many ninja-related manga and a grin came to her face.
Oh yes, that would do nicely.
Elsewhere Fan-Fan and Ling-Ling were looking outside a window in the male's room.
"Nee-san... why didn't you push for Tsukune-san to join us?" He asked his sister, curious. He couldn't be blamed; Tsukune would become a major asset for whatever force enlisted his help. Naturally, he wanted him for themselves.
"Because I don't have to." She replied. "You have much to learn still, little brother. An unwilling servant is an servant that won't hesitate to betray you. A willing ally, even if not officially so, is one that will stand with you no matter what. Tsukune-san isn't weak enough to become our servant anyway, he is at least deserving of the rank of 'ally'. He doesn't hold the degree of command you do, of course, and he lacks our forces and resources, but he is a worthy asset nonetheless. Sometimes, a peace offering is enough and, if not, he is as controlled by his desire to protect these women as he is by his sense of honor. We could use that to secure his help until he realizes we have the same goal in mind."
"Oh, I see... But, what if he doesn't help us in the end? What then, nee-san?"
"Then, little brother of mine... then we scheme. And find another way to fight because things... they are not looking good back home. We are loosing ground every day, we need to regroup. Father and Mother are doing their best, but Fairy Tale is just too well entrenched."
"So why did you choose to wait two days, nee-san? I know we could have left the same day."
Wong Ling-Ling smiled sadly at him. He was too young still. Too naive. He lacked the bonds these people had, he lacked the very perception of 'death' that these people had learned. He couldn't quite yet understand how fleeting life was. "Because, little brother, this fight is not theirs, yet. I am not wasting time, I'm giving them time to say their final goodbyes and come to terms with what their lives will be from now on. This is quite possibly the last time they will know of 'peace'..."
The very next day, most of the Newspaper Club was aboard one of the Wong family's planes, waiting for take off. And of course, Ruby was wearing a hand-made flight attendant's outfit, even though she couldn't go. Neither could Kokoa, supposedly because she had been suddenly swamped with lessons.
Aboard the plane, Kurumu and Mizore were hugging each other, fully convinced that a chunk of metal couldn't possibly fly. Amusingly enough, even though Yukari was aware of what laws exactly allowed airplanes to fly, even she was terrified of the actual act of it. Hell, even Tsukune wasn't exactly comfortable.
Still, they were off the ground and flying quickly to their destination. Soon, they all hoped, soon everything would be back to normal.
All of them? No, not all. Or, not entirely, to be exact.
Moka wasn't so sure herself. She was supposed to be sure of it, but she just couldn't convince herself.
Especially not when that damned 'ladies-man' Tsukune walked up to her and told her, with a straight face at that, that he wished Inner and Outer would become one some day because they both were precious to him.
She couldn't even growl at him! Just talking to that guy leeched her of all her will to fight him!
Rage spent, she spent her time pouring herself soft drinks, attempting to focus on the fizzy refreshment rather than what that idiot was doing to her.
"Geeze... I'm almost completely focused and then he just up and says things like that... Damn, Tsukune..."
"Tee-hee, sounds like someone's conflicted, Omote-chan!" Giggled 'Ura' Moka. "That sigh sounded too soft for you!"
Moka sighed again, looking outside the craft's windows. At least it was a nice view. "Soft huh? Maybe I am..."
"Omote-chan... what's wrong? You can tell me, right?"
"It's just that... you may be right... I am getting soft. Look at me, I had resolved myself to a life in the seal, it wasn't so bad, not really... And then... and then this had to happen. I get out more and more every day and I feel... I feel nice... I feel I have friends. And now? Now I'm always on the outside and it... It's making me soft, it's making me weak! I am a Super Vampire, an S-class monster, I'm practically royalty!" Her tone got louder and louder until, with a sigh, all her energy seemed to leave her. "And now I'm becoming more and more like a normal woman. And I can't find it in me to care about it. Omote, I'm loosing my will to fight... It's you who's supposed to be on the outside, not me. I'm just the fighter, not the-"
"Oh, would you stop that!" 'Inner' Moka pouted angrily at her other side. "What 'soft', what 'weak'. Ura-chan, you are getting stronger, don't you see it? Besides, what if we become weaker. We have friends now, and Tsukune-san. Isn't that more important? The Ura-chan I know would never let something like this get her down. Didn't you say it before? 'If you feel you are weak, then train until you get stronger.'? To Tsukune-san at that! Follow your own advice!"
"O-Omote, what are you saying?"
"Well..." Now she seemed apologetic. "Usually, you are the one to give me courage and strength, so I thought, this time, maybe I could help you. I know I am weak, Ura-chan. I know I'm not a fighter or as beautiful as you or as strong or as smart... But I try. You taught me that. So, if you are forgetting who you are, I'll just have to remind you, right? Like you did for me."
"Omote... you-"
"Moka! Come here, it's got chinese food!" Kurumu's over-enthusiastic voice called from the front of the aircraft.
Sighing in dismay, knowing full well that if she didn't go, then they'd come looking for her and asking questions she was not going to answer, Moka put the conversation behind her, for the time being anyway.
Unbeknownst to them all, a disagreement was taking place in Hong Kong.
"Why didn't you let me do it, Akuha-sama! Up there, taking care of them all would be a easy!" Screamed one incessed Yoshii Kiria.
That only earned him a sigh. He was always too impatient, too quick to rush into a foolish plan if the name 'Aono' came up in it. He could scheme, did so many times in fact, but he simply lacked the patience and cold logic to see it through, always abandoning the best-laid plans in favour of blindly rushing in. "Do you honestly think a little gremlin would have taken care of them? Or that they would be unable to defeat the few harpies you command?" She fixed him with a cold glare and crimson darkness played behind her irises. "Do not question me, child. I will deliver you Aono Tsukune and you will fight him. However, if you disobey me..." The threat remained unvoiced but present nonetheless. She might have been as vile as one could be and extremely patient to boot, but that deranged fool's constant requests were wearing thin on her nerves. She dismissed him with a wave and turned back to her other 'pet projects'.
"Just you wait Akuha-sama..." Kiria growled. "I will soon be strong enough to dismember everything in my way to vengeance..." His insane mumbles continued as he went deeper down the complex, where the science department was placed.
He had a certain 'cure' to inspect. He grinned in his insane way. Soon, he would 'cure' himself of his 'incomplete state' and become pureblood, no, more than pureblood!
He would become undefeatable!
A/N: Survival's Log, day 4: Not a single living soul in the entire damn camp and I'm still left behind to manage Comms...
Yeah, four days in camp (you all professional soldiers know how annoying this can be), with a 24-hour service every day, just one week before being relocated next to my home. Hell, I can see tumbleweeds passing before my window, which is weird because the climate here is rather temperate. I can't even manage the inspiration to write, possibly because I haven't done so for a month!
My muse more-or-less put a gun on my head, chained me on my chair and had me start writing.
On the other hand, I finally broke the 100review mark! I don't think I have to remind you people, but every review you write, especially long, detailed, juicy on es, makes me write faster and better. So review away, even of earlier chapters. Eventually, I will go back to correcting the typos, but for now I want to move on with the story. I think I've been focusing a bit too much on Moka and her troubles, so please let me know if I do. I want all three girls to be more or less equal (or as equal as possible since Moka is two people technically).
This chapter is mostly a cliffhanger before the fun really takes off. I removed the gremlin because, really, what would it have done? Annoy an already pissed of Moka? Besides, Akuha plans for them to let their guard down as much as possible before taking what she wants.
One reviewer said that he reads stories for the action and happy endings. Well, I hope you will have more action these few next chapters, especially with all the chaos that is going to ensue. As for happy endings... well, heroes have to be put through the wringer first right? So, don't loose hope and keep on reading. I promise it will be worth it.
Today, on this 9/6/2012, I, Soulblazer87, do hereby leave this site, possibly forever.
I shall not update this, or any other story.
I shall leave them on, however. Should you desire to follow my stories, do so in my new site of residence: www dot yourfanfiction dot com.