Disclaimer: I don't own Rosario+Vampire, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story. Simple enough, ne? Just don't copy from this story and we're all good!
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V^^ …Reap The Whirlwind ^^V
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Something new was in the air, something different than before, an aura, a feeling that wormed its way into cognizance though there was no outward indication to warrant its existence in the minds of those present. Fundamentally, something had changed. A sliver of fear made itself known in that feeling, for they knew whom they were looking at had initiated that change, and now he too commanded that new aura they couldn't see, could hardly feel, but knew it was there all the same. Only one knew he didn't command that aura at all, for she and she alone knew what it was.
With vampires their auras could be more oppressive than any blunt force, a physical manifestation of pure power translated directly into strength; their power. It pushed down on everything, like arrogance given form, blocking out all but it and demanding it be respected with single-minded focus. In that the magic of witches was inherently different, for even if a magical aura came into being it was exemplified by its connection to Nature, a connection that could be exploited to seemingly unrealistic—and a good many deadly—ends. As Nature worked with the mage employing it, in a sense nothing was unrealistic, because the Earth itself assisted in the result. Oddly enough, the snow people were very similar, but like the vampires their power was derived from themselves and almost seemed to contradict the future which they preferred to look to. The ability to freeze things, take their choices out of the flow of time and stick them in everlasting Present, however temporarily they might choose to do so. Likened to cold and intent, a snow person's aura could be easily identified when exposed.
This was unlike any of those, for what they felt, what unsettled them so much, was that this was hardly an aura at all. There was no oppressive feeling, no magical display, not even a drop in temperature. Everything simply screamed something was wrong about the picture in front of them. It was like Nature, Reality itself, avoided coming into contact with the space he occupied, like it knew to him it was nothing but a malleable entity that he had complete and utter control over. On a level all but one could realize, that aura almost scared them more.
Kurumu knew—they had never thought of the ramifications of their plan before Tsukune had manifested frozen hands, but now they were seeing the results directly. Leathery black wings had taken residence on Tsukune's back, and from the new hole in his pants they could see the long, devilish tail swaying lazily to and fro. From their vantage point they could even see his once-normal ears, lengthened and tapered to elfish tips. The allure was almost too much to resist; charisma practically radiated from his body. Just like a succubus could grab attention with their mere presence, so too could an incubus. No fear could be seen on his face; any shaking of his convictions had been settled with an iron grip. There stood a vampire in all but appearance, and that appearance was no less intimidating.
A muted "I told you so," came from Kokoa's direction.
This is new, Tsukune thought with a smile, after the obligatory, 'holy crap I have a tail!' phase of course. His body felt different, though that was likely because of the new additions he wasn't used to having. He rolled his shoulders and tested his body with a few experimental movements, and needless to say it felt weird when new appendages responded to the stimuli. Just like when his hair had frozen and he had become more like Mizore than he ever had before, he knew he had changed in more than appearance. The whisper of mind-magic was stronger now, more dominant, and he knew it would be perfect to throw a certain vampire off-guard. He was going to see him writhe, that he swore.
Mirthful honey-brown stared into two pairs of astonished ruby, and his subsequent smile was eager, if not slightly vengeful.
"Well now, where were we?" Leaping away from a newly-formed rope of fire produced by the off-white sword, he quipped, "Oh right, I was running for my life. So silly of me to forget!" He wasn't totally kidding either, but the high he was on made making light of the situation all too easy.
Nails trimmed and blunt thickened while they sharpened, turning more into outward extensions of the distal phalanx than the refined, daggeresque length characteristic of a Succubus. On larger, more masculine hands, the inch-long claws suited flawlessly. Most succubae and incubi may be a good many ranks below the famed super vampire, but in vanity they were a close second, and third only if a dragon's hoard was taken into account. The proof was in how even transformed they sought to be creatures just as dangerous as they were beautiful. It worked.
Agilely evading yet another attempt to divide his body into halves, Tsukune swiped hard at Vincent when he came into range. The claws would be less than worthless trying to hold off a demon blade powered by vampire blood, but they could still do damage. He honestly had to hope so, because the consequences of them not being able to do that were higher than he was willing to pay. He hadn't expected Vincent to recoil the second he saw the hand come down, falling to the side in a graceful roll that minimized effort and maximized distance. Any thought of wondering why was thrown away when once again the ground was subjected to mutilation, this time from wind currents not altered by magic, but sheer force. The warily guarding swordsman didn't know what to make of the way Tsukune looked at his hands after that, but the disconcerting smile that soon followed made him suspect he'd rather not know.
Words became unnecessary; the battle had stretched on too long, there needed to be a conclusion. The terrible game resumed, though one side was still at a distinct disadvantage. Without a sword or the slightest idea on how to use one, Tsukune could only ever be the defensive party. Then, as whips of heat slashed around his ever-moving body, he made the connection that changed everything. It's just like playing tag with the kamaitachi!
It was true. Tsukune had no hope of matching the sickle weasels in speed or distance traveled, but if their blood had any effect it was a shot of adrenaline to already vampiric reactions. He may not have been able to chase them, but that certainly wasn't to say he couldn't wait for them to come to him. Their game was quite simple: they attacked him, and he tried to attack them while not getting hit. Thus, 'tag' was born, though admittedly the weasels currently had him beat at a score of three-hundred to sixty-two. They couldn't talk, but he could swear they laughed at him every time they got a hit. Now if Gin donated some blood, then he'd get his revenge.
The wings threw off his usual upper-body balance, adding resistance that had never been there before, but the look on Vincent's face when he saw he was going to close his eyes was not something he'd soon forget. He needed to react, and thankfully this sense wasn't completely useless under the seal of the holy cross. His sightless vision lit up with specks of white, and he dissolved into a flurry of movement that ensured no slash of the sword that had its own youki would hit. Against monsters that rode on the very wind itself, sight was worthless. This opponent struck like the wind, so Tsukune moved like a leaf caught in its clutches. It was only when he was by himself that he could do that, for Rei didn't have the same abilities as him. While her response-time was higher than most, she simply couldn't react on fluxes of youki alone like he could.
Left, right, duck, jump, twist, strike, land, strike, duck, slash. The cadence of their fight never slowed, the melody of their motions set to a percussion of hissing flame and cracking ground. Tsukune wasn't dumb enough to cut off his raging blood entirely, but he refused to allow himself to give in completely. The result was an incubus that fought like a vampire, and he took full advantage of that. Grabbing his foe's wrist at the downswing and plunging the sword in his hand into the ground, he successfully negated any further combo while he smashed his open palm into the other vampire's face. The solid crack it made on contact was oh so very satisfying.
As he stumbled back dazedly, Vincent was officially unnerved, and had been ever since the student underwent yet one more new, unexplained transformation. Nothing made sense anymore! He can't be an onimodoki, they only imitate the powers of other monsters! That ice wasn't fake, and that magic wasn't either! A doppelganger? No, they copy everything. If he copied one of those witches he'd look exactly like them! There's no way he's a monstrel, their blood's usually so mixed all they can do is transform body parts! A third generation maybe? The half-blood of a witch or wizard and a full youkai might dilute the effects, and the next generation marries into a…but that doesn't explain his regeneration at all! If he really took her broken bone he would be in significantly more pain! But how could he do that in the first place? And how can he be fighting me with his eyes closed?!
It reminded him disturbingly of another encounter. He, like his brother, had been trained from a young age to use swords in preparation for when they were ready to bear the signature of their family, but he had never felt as outclassed as he was when his mother had administered the final test. It was meant to show how much a family member had yet to grow, but she hadn't even deemed it fit to call her blade. She anticipated his every move with her eyes closed, and disarmed him with her bare hands.
This Tsukune Aono, he moved exactly like her. He moved even though he had no way of seeing he had to, and unlike her he took every opening he could. I've fought in war! I've broken through bunkers, teased the blackest Black Ops alive! How can this child adapt to my technique so quickly?!
He could do it of course, but he was a vampire! They and only they had the natural ability to sense the demonic energies of other monsters as a conscious application. He didn't know whether he should be insulted or amazed that the man dodging his blows was doing something similar. If he wasn't an enemy of his brother, he could honestly think he wouldn't mind getting to know the walking anomaly.
That wasn't going to stop him from beating him, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
V^^^V
Three girls screamed as the wall next to the window they had been looking out of exploded inwards, covering them and the rest of the room in splintered wood and drywall dust. The rather dramatic entrance into the second-floor dorm had been the result of a deceptive kick from mid-air. The only good thing was it hadn't been the sword instead, which had been what he was expecting. A figure coughed in the middle of the room and made to stand, where the tall, winged man they had just been watching was revealed shaking himself off and muttering under his breath angrily.
"Two. Bloody. Years! Two years I've been explaining extra uniform costs! Now property damage? Oh ho, there's no way I'm taking the fall for this!" He suddenly seemed to notice there were other people in the room, and Tsukune Aono rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he saw the three young women staring at him. "Um…whoops? Sorry about your room. You know it was his fault right, not mine? You'll tell the headmaster that?" They nodded dumbly. He visibly sagged with relief and smiled warmly, unknowingly producing three blushes. "Thanks."
Practically stomping out of the hole in the wall, Tsukune didn't even bother with the guardrail, and instead booted it straight out of its supports with one kick from his bare foot. He paused, as if just realizing what he'd done, before turning back to them. "He did that too, alright?"
Again, they nodded, and he smiled again. With a farewell wave, he jumped back down to where his opponent was waiting, almost like he didn't know how to use the wings on his back.
For those girls, suddenly seeing amber-brown eyes in their dreams wasn't so impossible to explain anymore.
V^^^V
When the vampire-turned-incubus landed, he cast an irate glare at the older male that in any other situation would have had Vincent laughing. He could practically see the accusation of 'you just had to do that, didn't you?' in his eyes. It might have even been friendly had all-out war not broken out right after.
While mismatched, both managed to fight in a way that made the other's style a wasted endeavor. Since neither could truly gain the advantage that way, Vincent did something that most experienced fighters couldn't. He switched ranges. Jumping back from a retaliatory punch, he continued even when Tsukune made to pursue, setting both a ways apart. The puzzled scowl over closed eyes showed his opponent didn't know what to make of the change, and that was when he struck. Flinging out his sword with a full flare of fire following, the whips Tsukune had dealt with earlier were suddenly revealed to have an almost corporeal tensile elasticity when desired, and could be used in the same manner as a real whip. The saving grace was in the fact that since the flames were demonic in origin, they too were composed of youki, and thus were well within Tsukune's grasp of comprehension.
Unfortunately for the former human, the weapon-wielder proved just as accomplished in this field as he had the last. The whip was constantly moving, even when simply rounding around its master's body in preparation. It could move in ways normal whips couldn't, stretch endlessly, horizontally, expand, burst, and even with long-range attacks of his own, Tsukune was hard-pressed to find an opening since he was forced so thoroughly on the defensive.
Bounding over a sideswipe, he lashed out with both arms, hoping to catch the vampire with one hit at least while he was focused on finishing the slash. That hope was dashed when the flame disappeared without so much as a sound and Vincent rolled away, coming up on one knee with his sword positioned much like a rifle. This was lost on the one with his eyes closed, but the fireballs that soon launched at him definitely weren't. Still in the sky from his jump, Tsukune reacted reflexively and tried to twist, but different muscles answered that call and his wings flapped hard, dipping around his body and twirling him easily away from the jets of heat. With feline grace he had worked damn hard for, Tsukune landed deftly with his legs spread wide, and used the momentum of the fall to bring down his arms again, spreading chaos out to his front.
Vincent knew he had no chance of an aerial advantage at this point, and he would only open himself up if he tried to jump the blades of wind coming his way. Zipping to the side, his whip reignited in a wide stroke that his foe all but floated over with effortless elegance, only to meet more bullets of fire that avoiding turned him right into the path of a flaming arch coming from where he had just been. Tsukune scarcely managed to save himself by dropping flat to the ground, and had to quickly roll away from a very physical stab that would have left him with ventilation for his grey matter courtesy of a gleaming bone blade.
Had he mentioned how much he hated weapons? The scars on his body attested to that, and he had no desire to see if he could add to that collection even though he could heal almost anything thanks to his genus transition months ago. Training with Moka had given him a style adaptable to most any situation, and Mizore and Kurumu had taught him how to use their gifts and how to deal with more than one opponent at once, even when they worked together. He was using that to his full ability, dodging, attacking, and overall simply avoiding everything sent against him with the ease brought on by Rei's harsh memorization training. Some of them were getting much too close for comfort, but they still missed. The wielder of one aforementioned weapon was beginning to lose his cool faced with this.
"Open your eyes, dammit! Look at me when I'm fighting you!"
Tsukune just about slapped himself in the head. He had become so focused on making the other feel physical pain that he had totally forgotten about the alternate route he had available to him! He had spent an entire month learning how to become invisible before he could actually become invisible, labored day and night to trick senses with little more than a glance. Had he not just become exactly what utilized that skill to the fullest? He needed time to recuperate and allow his body the slightest bit of a breather, now he knew exactly how to get that. He stilled, awaiting the next attack, and when he felt the blade moving towards him…Tsukune opened his eyes. There was a pulse no one felt or saw, but he could only smile. Yes, this was going to be fun.
A collective gasp came from those assembled as the winged warrior rushed his opponent with no apparent concern for his safety, and that gasp only got louder when he passed right through the sword swung at him and rippled into Vincent like a pebble in water. Then there was silence. Stunned, open-mouthed, silence.
The oldest spoke the words on everyone's minds. "What just happened?"
"What do you mean, 'what just happened?'" asked a chillingly well-known voice from behind. "Are you looking for someone?" Brain function screeched to a grinding halt. Heads creaked slowly over to what they knew had to be impossible, but sure enough, Tsukune Aono stood there calmly, playfully even. That may have fooled some, but those who knew him best could see the sweat beading down his neck, and the rapid, shallow breaths he was taking in secret. He was far from alright, but that didn't mean he was going to show it. The only response he gave to their shock was a mock-salute with two fingers. "Yo."
"What…what did you do?" Vincent growled.
The incubus raised his hands innocently. "What did I do? I think you should be more worried about what he'll do." That said, he pointed back to where he had once stood.
"Do you think I'll fall for that?"
He shrugged. "Your funeral."
Crackling electricity growing in strength sounded behind his back and Vincent whirled around with his weapon at the ready. The last thing he expected to see was a mouse. More specifically, a giant, pudgy, yellow mouse with adorable red circles on its cheeks and a jagged tail that looked like it had been through a crimper. It looked…surprisingly menacing for such a cute creature.
The vampire blinked, pinched himself, then muttered, "Bullshit."
With a cry recognized the world over, that little mouse blasted millions of volts at the stunned youkai, who just barely managed to escape the blast radius as smoking earth replaced his previous position.
"This is not happening."
A sizzling buzz hummed into existence as heavy, modulated breathing took his attention elsewhere. Twirling around again—and starting to become exceedingly annoyed at how easily he was being snuck up on from behind—Vincent couldn't help but stare when he found himself face to face with two meters of cloaked black armor holding a glowing red beam of light.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing."
He couldn't be blamed for the way his mouth dangled; neither could the rest of the vacationing students. They were looking at the definitive reason to never disregard an amputee in an Iron Lung, after all. What was supposed to be a quick attack stopped dead against the angrily hissing blade held by humanity's illustration of a dark lord, and the rhythmic sounds of his artificial breaths didn't even indicate any stress.
"Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me."
"Now you're just insulting me!" Flame gilded Cerberus' edge, and with a harsh sideswipe, went straight through the fictional weapon it was opposing as well as its master. Even when that happened, he was still shaken when the image simply vanished into thin air. Then and only then did he realize what he had just experienced, and his mind boggled. "Illusions? You can use illusions?"
"I could make you sparkle too, if you want," Tsukune snarked with a crooked grin.
Both returned to the fray just as viciously as they had before, only now Vincent couldn't be sure if what was evading him was real, if what he felt hit him was actually there or just a figment of his imagination. His education told him illusions were supposed to be just that, but it also told him those high enough on the hierarchy could make their adversaries feel things for real. At this point he really didn't doubt the fact that Tsukune Aono could very well be among those fabled few. His joyous laughter was singularly more disturbing than almost anything else done so far. Skin shredded under a strike he hadn't been able to dodge, but that didn't hinder him in the slightest, it only increased his desire to inflict the same.
Not even closing his eyes helped, as he found out very painfully, but it was difficult to fight someone using the very method they clearly had more experience with. He was assaulted from all sides by what he knew had to be copies of his enemy, yet he couldn't be sure which one was real. Even his supersensory radar seemed to be muddled, and just knowing such a thing was possible put him more on edge than the many incubi out for his blood. Trying to find out which was real by seeing who didn't bother moving away from his attacks was hopeless; they all reacted the same! It was like he was literally fighting clones! After he had brought out his sword he had thought things would rapidly turn in his favor, but that only lasted until Tsukune had pulled out a surprise of his own, something the dark-haired youth seemed to have in abundance.
I can't believe he's pushed me so far. Any farther and I'd actually have to… the lesser noble didn't want to go any further than that, even in his thoughts. To the dumbfound amazement of those watching, Vincent mimicked what Tsukune had done earlier and stopped, seemingly awaiting his fate as his eyes closed and his stance relaxed. Too many things screamed the peculiarity of the action, however to let it go unexploited would be a mistake regardless. Every student of Youkai Academy waited with bated breath as the many replicas converged, and the blood drained from their faces at what happened next.
Youki buffeted Tsukune with unforeseen force as Vincent's previously resigned expression warped into minacious glee, and he could feel the might of the vampire's aura weakening his hold on his mind. Strong as he was, he couldn't compare with a vampire of Vincent's obvious strength, and the images flickered in uncertainty. Not like it mattered in the following few seconds.
For all appearances, it could almost be surmised that Vincent lost all his joints. He moved like no one Tsukune had ever seen before, spinning and twisting not unlike he had when he danced with Rei. That was where the similarities ended. Often relying solely on one appendage rooted beneath him, he flowed in ways that would make a contortionist proud, his uncanny strength matched with the balance he displayed despite the positions and what they segued into. Somehow, he managed to hook his leg around the neck of one of the attackers, and though they were illusions, his body felt the substance. What it couldn't compensate for was the nonexistent weight of the figment in what was clearly a grappling style, which was all Vincent needed to know it was a fake. Youki skyrocketed and everything sputtered once again, where he crushed the neck between his calf and thigh and spun, twisting image into image and plunging his sword straight into the earth upon landing. Straight spines of fire shot out from the ground around him in fountains of flame, skewering nearly every single incubus left before they evaporated into nonexistence.
Vincent was left panting from the exertion of fighting as many as he had while at such a high output without the blood to support it, even if he had eventually decimated them all, and he was pleased to note the goal had been accomplished. One copy remained, with a cut in the side of his shirt singed by a spear of fire, openly putting on view the blackened flesh underneath to the cries of those watching. The swordsman frowned then, more than a bit disconcerted. His flame could become as sharp as any sword, though made of pure heat. Tsukune should have been run through regardless of if he had managed to avoid the brunt, and the burn was hardly second degree, in fact as he looked on it was healing right in front of his eyes!
Excitement was starting to give way to genuine fear. What on earth am I dealing with here?
That wouldn't dissuade him. He was a vampire, a proud member of a proud race, and he was being put to the test! That alone made him want to keep fighting, and fight they did. Flashy shows of techniques and styles were abandoned in the hope of bringing an end to the lengthy battle, and with Vincent constantly flaring his youki, only the occasional illusion was sent to hinder him. Tsukune began switching between keeping his eyes opened and closed depending on what his challenger did, and he could only be thankful he only had to deal with the one.
Fatigue was starting to set in on both parties. Even with his extrasensory radar, Tsukune was making mistakes he otherwise wouldn't, and Vincent had taken more than his share of blows, including a rather nasty one from the thick claws that had torn open one of his sleeves and gouged slices into his arm. Tsukune knew that if he kept making those mistakes it was going to cost him dearly, and the only reason he wasn't bloodier than Vincent was because he had somehow managed to elude the sword's attacks. He shuddered to think of what would happen if he didn't. That in mind, he weaved past a strike that would have released him of an arm had he not, and just as he was about to retaliate…
"Stop!"
The exclamation from out of nowhere froze both combatants, but for different reasons. Vincent because it was Alexander that had called, and he was in no condition to do anything; Tsukune because all it took was a peek through his eyelids to see Alexander currently had his unconscious familiar by her neck. He could hear the labored breathing of the other vampire, and it was obvious even standing upright was causing him pain, but his pride kept him from going down, and it was his pride that had him holding a defenseless girl hostage.
"Put her down!" Tsukune screamed as his fury took to new heights.
Instead of answering him, Alex addressed his brother. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"
Now Vincent was torn. He hadn't had a fight like this in ages; he was actually enjoying himself! It would ruin the taste of the victory if it was marred by something as underhanded as this. If he wanted to keep his pride as a vampire, anything less than total domination under his own power was unacceptable. Alexander clearly hadn't learned that yet, or desperation was making him blind to it. Seeing the pain etched into his brother's face was enough for him to decide it was definitely the latter. Even Alexander wouldn't do something like this unless he thought he was pushed into the tightest corner he could be.
His decision was made for him when an icicle slid smoothly through the skin and bone of Alex's right shoulder from behind, rightfully earning a horrible cry of pain and all but necessitating he drop Rei back to the scarred earth. Blood poured down his arm from the vicious wound, but Alexander just twisted in blind rage to see who had hurt him.
Mizore and Kurumu were standing before the rest of their group, their expressions matched with Tsukune's.
"I'm sorry, Tsukune. We know you wanted to do this by yourself, but…" Mizore's sentence trailed off, and any ending was made unnecessary under the force of her burning eyes.
"You bitch!" the lesser vampire seethed. Properly motivated, just how much power the young monster still had available to him was easy to see, and it wasn't comforting. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't as dumb as they thought. He knew if he took the spike out it would bleed more and make him weaker, but he also knew that if he left it in it would melt and cause him significantly more trouble. He opted for the former, and did so with nary a whimper, even if he did sway unsteadily. He was furious though, that much was clear. "I'm going to redefine what you think of pain!"
No one heard it, but there was a clear sound as reality broke.
Trees shot up in a great circle and closed four people inside their combined canopies, both preventing anyone from seeing inside and stopping anyone from entering. The vampires looked around in confusion until finally their eyes came upon the only other conscious person trapped in with them, and he looked exactly like he had when he had first arrived. Murderous. Any comfort Vincent might have found in the knowledge of Cerberus' fire was lost when no trees suffered from his flames, and he knew they weren't dealing with a new power, but one he had become quite acquainted with recently. Remembering how much power it had taken to overcome the illusions the first time, he paled. The thirst was already more ravenous than normal; he didn't know if he had the strength to break out of this one.
"This is going to end. Now," Tsukune declared. He had one trump card above all of the Movements he and Rei had created, something only he had: his experiences. No one could take those from him, and no one could defend against them either. They were his last resort, but he had all the inspiration he needed to make sure they were every bit as effective as they could be.
"You wanted to redefine pain, hmm?" he drawled darkly as he stepped forward, and even though they wanted to step back, Alexander and Vincent found themselves paralyzed in place. Golden-brown irises bored into their very souls, and before Vincent could think to shut his eyes at what he should have anticipated coming, it happened. "Allow me."
The screams that echoed from inside those woods chilled the hearts of all who heard them.
Only one other living being had ever been put under the nightmarish charm the two brothers were experiencing, and unlike the hyakume, they could voice their pain. Images were blurred, but there, moments of insight before the pain associated with it took them over.
A giant thing threatening…something? Someone? It was too distorted to make out, but whatever it was it must have been important, for the next thing they knew it felt like their organs had been liquefied.
Snakes…or something moving…? Bites—definitely snakes—pain…fear…stone.
Torture. Interrogation? No, no explanation, only pain. Fire, fire moving towards…someone. Who? No! Desperation. Incineration. Pain, oh the pain! Blistering, fiery cold pain! Sweet blessed darkness.
A figure…a woman? A rooftop. Sadness. A child. Reaching…pain! Chest…heart…pain…can't….
Plants. Moving plants. Monsters? Teeth, claws, flesh giving way. So much pain…must endure…must reach… So, so much pain…
Someone falling. Shouldn't need to have fallen. Why? Guilt. Emotional suffering. Kindred spirit. Stop! Relief. Surprise. Terrible pain. Body numb, only pain…
PAIN! NO RELIEF. HURTS! DYING. BREAKING! FALLING APART. SO MUCH PAIN! Trouble…new pain—external pain?—someone important…stop! Chest on fire. Stop! Can't breathe. Stop! Can't move. Stop!
Determination. Resolution.
BREAKING!
Don't care.
DYING!
Don't care.
One more…just one more…
PAIN! …No…no pain. DEATH.
On and on it went, injury after injury, suffering heaped upon suffering. Blades, fists, guns, dreams; nothing offered solace. They wanted anything, anything to release them from this hell, and just when they thought it couldn't get any worse, it appeared.
A cemetery? A forest. A…woman?
Silver hair.
So close.
Beautiful.
Red eyes.
Dangerous.
Red lips.
So close…so close.
A gentle push…
Just one push…
Agony.
Not close…never close.
Broken.
Heart. Broken.
Pain.
Unending, unstoppable pain.
"My pain," a voice called out from the darkness. "This is what you mocked by coming here. This is what my family has gone through to get where it is! I'm not her familiar any more than I am Ruby's or Mizore's! I'm her mate. I'm her blood-mate! I'm theirs!"
As the man walked into their vision he was the same as all the other images: unclear and hazy. It took a moment for them to comprehend that this time it was because they were crying. Blinking back the tears and wiping them away after finding their arms mobile, they saw his face was just as tortured as they expected theirs were. Then he did the last thing they could have anticipated.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to have to do this, but the longer we fought the more I realized it simply wouldn't stop. Moka beat you within an inch of your life, Alexander-san," he continued, specifically facing him at the mention. The addition of the honorific was equally mollifying and horrifying. "And here we are again, in the same situation. I don't expect you to understand; you don't have that someone you'd throw yourself into the fire for yet. But you," he said pointedly, pinning Vincent under his fierce brown eyes, "have to know that I will do whatever it takes to protect my family…just like you would yours."
That revelation scared Vincent more than many things ever had. "You've been in my head," he whispered in a voice even he didn't recognize due to his screaming.
The faux-incubus flinched back as if slapped. "I'm the one forcing your mind to live through things it never has, of course I'll see things… I only saw a bit, and I'm sorry." The expression that overcame his face then was one Vincent had only ever seen on army personnel too long on tour. "But it's harder now, isn't it? Now that I'm not just some obstacle." He made a hoarse sound in the back of his throat as he fought a losing battle against tears. "It's harder for me now too. To…to know that you have a wife at home waiting for you…a little brother you'll try to help grow even if he won't succeed, to show him he needs to learn from his mistakes… It's…it's so hard." Shaking his head forcefully, Tsukune glared anew at the brothers, and as unlikely as it was, the tears stains made it more menacing. "But I won't let you take this from me! We've worked too hard, gone through too much! I meant what I said earlier."
If the two vampires could pale more than they already were, they did.
Suddenly the darkness surrounding them evaporated and they were back inside the circle of trees. Tsukune slumped to sit on the ground, but they couldn't tell whether he was physically exhausted, mentally exhausted, or emotionally exhausted. Vincent put his money on the last. They on the other hand fell under all those categories, and phantom pain their healing could do nothing against still rattled their muscles involuntarily. If Tsukune tried anything more to hurt them, both knew there was little they could do to prevent it.
Vincent also knew his brother was more injured than him, and he only barely managed to catch him before he fell. The shoulder wound was looking particularly inflamed, and with the adrenaline wearing off his arm was starting to really bother him as well. The wounds they had endured psychologically weren't visible on their bodies, but that mattered little. It was only Vincent's mental conditioning that allowed him to stay upright and not collapse under the pain he knew wasn't his, and it spoke of how powerful it was that even that had only minor effects. Alexander on the other hand, having been knocked out once already and not in any shape to stand in the first place—and lacking the conditioning his older brother had gone through—was less than a sitting duck. There was really just one option available to them.
Throwing the arm of Alex's uninjured side over his shoulders, Vincent straightened as proudly as his wounded muscles would let him. "Come on, Alex, we're going home."
That got the unsteady vampire's attention, and he winced mightily at the minor movement of his head. "But—!"
"No," he interrupted quietly. "No, the time for that has passed. How we are, even the witch-child outside could defeat us." The younger sibling had no response to that. Setting his gaze on the one who had them at his mercy, an unasked question passed between them, and in the silence that followed the forest disappeared.
They scarcely heard the relieved exclamations from the group off to the side; their eyes stayed locked in a battle of wills that had nothing to do with illusions and charms. Finally, Vincent turned away, and with him, his brother, back to the entrance of Youkai Academy. His sword vanished to places unknown.
"Are you going to tell me your name at least?" Tsukune called after them. Gasps came from all around now when the others stopped in their trek, and the long-haired man looked back over his shoulder at him in thinly-veiled amusement.
"I'm named after my great ancestor. My name is Vincent Valentine, son of Isabella, the greatest swordswoman our family has seen since him. You, Tsukune Aono, can simply call me Vincent."
Said person smiled back. "I won't say it was a pleasure to meet you, Vincent, but it was certainly one hell of a first impression."
Vincent was still laughing when they walked out of sight.
When they were honestly and truly gone Tsukune let loose a huge sigh of relief as he turned back to normal. It was over. It was over at last, and he had come out the victor. He had won! He won, and the only real damage was to… He looked around at the various broken trees, headstones, and landscape varying between frozen and charred. He sighed again. He had won, and the only real damage had been to everything around him. Great.
That was the farthest thing from his mind as he heard the excited shouts of, "Tsukune!"
"OOF!" was really the only sound anyone could make after being tackled by a family happy to see them. Luckily he was only outrageously sore and not critically wounded, so he was all too happy to greet whoever he recognized first. A cold tongue slipped past his open lips and that part was taken care of. He only knew one person who tasted like candy and ice, not to mention the amazing things she was doing with her tongue.
"Hey," he rasped cheekily as she let him breathe again, where he was left staring into her crystal blue eyes.
Mizore frowned mockingly. "You have a remarkable talent for understatement, you know that?"
"Um…I missed you?"
"Getting warmer."
"Is that a good or a bad thing with you?"
She giggled. "Idiot."
"Do you love me anyway?"
She grinned in that innocent, knowing way that was altogether too sexy to be legal before claiming his mouth once more. When that was done, only the shout of, "My turn!" was processed before Tsukune found himself with a mouthful of eager succubus. Naturally, Ruby took advantage of his unawareness too, while Yukari received her customary kiss on the cheek once he was sane again.
When he was eventually allowed to sit up he could see they all had a million questions they wanted to ask him. Still, right then something else needed him more, or someone else rather. For all his skill and bravado, the well-dressed vamp had had the chance to kill the newest addition to their family and had chosen to knock her out instead. Then again, with the power he later displayed, he could have killed most of them before he had even gotten there had he decided to let loose from the get-go. Maybe there was something to the whole 'only came for him' nonsense he had spouted. Well, Tsukune had learned to take whatever blessings he could get. One that saved a life was pretty high up there on his list.
That didn't stop the rumble from rising up in his chest as he walked over to her still, unconscious form. Her white hair was strewn all over and around her body, which itself was positioned so awkwardly it could only have resulted from a fall during unconsciousness. God, just looking at her like that made him want to punch something! Knowing it could have been any other member of his family had they stood with him in her place only added fuel to that fire. He snuffed out that urge quickly; the fighting was done and they were all alive, that was what was important.
Though he had spent at least eight hours—if not far more—of every day for the past month doing things that made strenuous seem like a compliment, fighting two vampires at once topped that easily, and his body was beginning to let its ache be known. And the thirst, yes, that too was back with a vengeance. Selfless was nothing if not his defining trait however, so he promptly ignored himself and focused back where he should. A careful touch let him know her body had long since healed and she was in no danger at being moved—another blessing. Even with her blood's restorative effects boosting what was hampered by his seal, it still relied on him having other blood to work from. Right then it was taking everything he had left to act normal, anything beyond that was out of his reach until he fed again.
Sitting back down, he softly maneuvered his sun-kissed companion into his lap and rested her head against his chest. The ease in which he did so raised some eyebrows, but after a month of living with only the other as company, they supposed it made sense. They weren't about to stop him either; they all knew they would like the same done to them had they been in her position.
"Is she alright?" Yukari asked worriedly.
He grimaced. "She is, but she won't be once she wakes up."
That sparked only more confusion. "Huh? Why?"
Rather than try to explain it to them, he gently shook her. After the fourth time, she stirred and started mumbling, and a smile momentarily crossed his face. "Come on, Rei-chan, it's time to get up." The only effect that had was her curling up tighter into him, like she was still a hatchling. He rolled his eyes. Leaning over to her ear, he whispered something so quietly even Moka and Kokoa couldn't hear it. Whatever it was, it worked like a charm. Her platinum orbs shot open and looked up at him excitedly, but it only took a few seconds for her other senses to start working as well. Her bewilderment was as clear as theirs after that.
"Tsukki? Where are we?"
Here comes the fun part, he thought with morbid amusement. "We're back at school. Remember?"
Her face scrunched up adorably as she considered what he said, but they all knew when she found what she was looking for. Her entire body stiffened as her nostrils flared in reignited fury, and Tsukune bit back a groan of pain as her talons dug into his skin unintentionally. Her grip was bruising, and no matter what he had been through before, having long claws burrow into muscle was never a pleasant sensation. He bore it though; he had an acute understanding of what she was going through. When her skin started devolving from brown to scaly grey he decided it was enough, any more and she'd probably set fire to the whole school. She froze when he pulled her to him harder, but it didn't take long for her to start struggling.
"Unhand me, Tsukki! They will pay, I swear it! Let me go!"
He really couldn't afford to lose the blood her nails were liberating, but he couldn't very well let her go on a rampage either. He simply hugged her tighter. "Rei-chan, Rei, shhh, it's all right. It's all right, they're gone."
Frenzied draconian pupils looked into his, desperately searching for some other truth than the one that hurt the most. The one that said she had been useless when it mattered; worse, a liability. "But…but I…"
"You did your best, that's all I've ever wanted," he continued soothingly as he ran a hand down her lengthy ashen mane.
The dragon collapsed into his chest and bawled. It was the first time she had ever cried in her life, and it was one of the most heartrending things anyone in the vicinity had ever heard.
Ruby was the one that first noticed the crystalline tinkling sound as it chimed ever so faintly around them, but it was only when she looked at the ground around her lover that she saw what was causing it. It took tremendous self-discipline to keep from fainting outright. Mindful of what was going on, she reached a hesitant hand to pick one of them up, and when she did her heart hammered against her ribcage so hard she was sure others could hear it. Her eyes couldn't have been wider as she looked over at the crying myth in the arms of another legendary creature, awed by what she held.
Clutched in her fingers was a perfectly round, colorless gem, glittering majestically in what little light found it. She was holding a Focus. That by itself was incredible, what was more was that it had come from a living being. Dragon lore was hard to come by, even for someone that had been around as long as the headmaster, so what she knew was basically what he had come across and his own experiences. She knew they were bonded to nature, possibly as deeply as any witch, but now she was witnessing just how much they really were. Their very bodies were conduits for the lifeblood of the earth; their tears formed crystals that without any interference were able to connect to the energies all around them. She idly wondered what would happen when she bled, actually bled rather than simply feed her partner, but quickly banished the thought. To wish harm on any of her family, even one as unique as Rei, was not acceptable to her.
Yukari had seen what she was doing by then, and her response was much the same. Rei was birthing priceless stones with her own tears, and by the time she settled down into sniffles against Tsukune's shirt there was a small handful scattered around them. A small handful of what had to be the most perfect diamonds Ruby had ever seen in her life. The only thing hindering their worth was their small size, but to a witch…to a witch, that made them beyond value.
Finding a focus was difficult; gemstones often worked best, as they had been immersed in their mother Earth for untold generations to achieve their state. High quality gems and crystals, without fail, had some connection that could be exploited, but it took a ritual like the one they had performed for their bracelets for them to truly become able to center a witch's power. Anything of sufficient age and importance could suffice, like the wood of an ancient tree—where the wood wands and staffs of the wizards of common belief came from—but that was in short supply, as no witch would willingly end the life of such a thing just to use its wood. Tsukune's focus was the smallest one she had been capable of making, and the gem she had used, while not the most expensive she owned, was by far the one of most importance.
Large crystals were the easiest to adapt, but they were in no way inconspicuous. Many witches and wizards had been killed in the past simply for their focus. Yukari's wand looked innocent, but the fact of the matter was it still ran on the same principle, though with a weaker crystal and a much stronger ritual made possible only by her superior intellect. To be not immediately obvious was to stay safer longer, and that made Tsukune's book more valuable than he would ever think. It warmed her heart to know that even though he didn't know that particular detail, he expressed all the thanks she might have expected if he did.
And then some, she mentally concluded with a giggle. Oh yes, she would remember him thanking her for a long time. I wonder when I can steal him away for an encore?
But that was for later, for now she couldn't stop staring at the little pebble she was holding, the one that quite likely was worth more than she made in a year, even as small as it was.
"Rei-san…"
"Rei," a small voice corrected weakly. Said girl was still nestled protectively in her partner's arms, but now she was looking at the people around them, albeit with red-rimmed eyes. "May I have the honor of being Rei to my treasures?"
Well if that wasn't the stupidest— She didn't even bother trying to finish that, replacing whatever ending that could have come to mind with a tender hug that enveloped both her and Tsukune. No sooner had she done that had everyone else joined her, and she had to smile. That didn't stop her from becoming alarmed when she let them go and saw one of her arms wet with red. The source wasn't hard to find. "Tsukune, you're bleeding!"
He cast a dry look at his bruised and bloodied bicep, and didn't bother to tell them the identical state of the other area she had grabbed. Ignoring the pain had been his priority for the most part, but the thirst was really getting to be overwhelming. "I can see that."
His bronze-skinned familiar looked justifiably mortified. After so long of feeding on her blood and the mass supply of other creatures to help keep his strength up, she had gotten so used to him recovering from even serious injuries after only a few days that seeing things like bruises not heal instantly told her just how weak he was right then. She didn't hesitate to bite open her wrist and shove it at him incessantly, neither did he hesitate to fall into the offering like a starving man at a buffet. The sudden change in events was startling to the others, but when they considered how the two must have lived for the past month, it made sense. They were used to doing what they needed when they needed, so if one of them needed food and the other could provide… It just made sense, especially after a fight. Watching flesh and nerve visibly heal right in front of their eyes never got any less spectacular though, despite having three members of their group that could do exactly that.
As amazing as that was, Ruby couldn't let the earlier revelation go unnoticed. "Rei-sa…Rei, do you…know what this is?" she asked as she placed the precious stone in the girl's hand. Truth be told, she really didn't want to let go of the item, but let it be known that Ruby Toujou was not greedy or materialistic, well, unless time with Tsukune and a certain chained collar was part of the bargain.
The growing young woman surveyed the object in her hands whimsically, almost as if she was resisting the urge to caress it. "Of course," she replied quietly, her normally sure and dark, smoky voice edged with melancholy. "For lack of suitable words: this is a piece of myself." At the looks she received, she almost smiled. "Dragons may be born, but the one from whom our egg comes is not the only one we call 'mother.' We are tied to nature more powerfully than you can imagine. When we perish, our bodies return to the Earth as minerals. Where a dragon has laid to its final rest, there one shall find no less than the richest deposits of rare ore and gemstones. When we cry, the Earth cries with us; when we die, the Earth honors us; while we live, the Earth empowers us.
"Witches share our bond in many ways, but while nature may occasionally answer our calls, those humans touched by the mother are never left unheeded. I can only surmise our prideful nature is to blame, just as only it can be held responsible for our near extinction. Had they banded together like the humans, surely more would be around today. Had we lived like the witches in your sanctuary rather than hoard everything to ourselves, perhaps we may still be worthy of the honor that beats through my heart."
No one had anything to say to that. What could they say? Rei took their silence with a smile that showed she understood, and gathered up the glimmering pebbles around her before walking to each member of her family in turn. With deliberate slowness she folded their hands around the stone she had placed in them, only nodding at their thunderstruck expressions. When she reached Yukari and Ruby, she split what she had left into two even piles and wrapped her hands in theirs, leaving two speechless witches in her wake when they saw what she had done.
"I have no doubt you can use those more than I. Distance cannot separate Tsukki from me, now the same can be said for the rest of my treasures."
Yukari was practically bouncing. "Oh Rei, thank you, thank you, thank you ~desuuuuuuu!" She threw herself at the dragon with childlike joy, into a hug so tight even Rei gasped for breath. "Do you know how much better we can make the rest of our experiments with actual foci?" Something stopped her there, and she relaxed her grip as she looked suspiciously at the dragon-teen. Rei had no idea what she was so uncertain of, but she wasn't about to complain when she was hugged again. She became even more confused when Yukari's eyes widened comically.
"Is something the matter, Yukari-chan?"
"This isn't fair ~desuuu! You can't be bigger than me already ~desu!"
A white eyebrow quirked skyward at the belated repudiation, though she supposed it was to be expected. Standing toe to toe, her tanned body stood just taller than the young witch, but not by much. Tsukune had to fight laughter behind his hands at the size his familiar's eyes went when instead of comparing their height, Yukari reached out and grabbed Rei's chest, defining the growing flesh from under her baggy clothing.
Kurumu was quick to investigate, and Rei squeaked when the succubus groped her from behind. "Well whad'ya know? You really are filling in nicely!"
Tsukune hadn't honestly known dark skin could turn the color it was, but that coupled with the look of shock on her face was more than enough to have him rolling on the ground laughing. That turned into a startled choking however—that was joined by the rest of those still looking on—when rather than being embarrassed or something normal like that, Rei promptly shucked the overlarge shirt with one graceful motion, leaving her in only the commandeered boxers that fit her like shorts.
"If you wished to examine my body, you need only have asked. I wear these garments merely because Tsukki seems uncomfortable with my nudity, I myself prefer to go without," she elucidated calmly as she reached for her leggings. The discarded shirt virtually materialized on her from the haste Yukari used to do so, but Kurumu was looking at the young woman with the cocoa complexion admiringly.
"You're going to be a real beauty when you grow up, I can tell," she complimented casually, and Rei preened. "It does irk me that it looks like you'll be taller, just by looking at how much you have to grow into." Stares turned on her, and the blue-haired succubus flushed indignantly. "Hey! I may not know my books, but I know my bodies!"
At first Tsukune only chuckled, but soon that evolved into full-blown merriment that all of them joined.
It was good to be home.
Fate got her kicks by choosing that second for him to come to a realization.
"Wait a minute! Did he say Vincent Valentine?"
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V^^^V
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Home at last.
He was happy he could even see straight, let alone drive, when he pulled himself and his brother to the car they had hidden outside the dimensional tunnel. Bloodying the expensive vehicle was a small price to pay to not have to walk all the way home, and the second they were through the doors the meeting he both dreaded, and looked forward to, occurred almost immediately. It was lucky for him in that he could barely keep his eyes open anymore and he needed the help—plus he wouldn't have to explain himself right away. Unluckily for him he would have to, and she would accept nothing less.
"Vincent? What happened to you?" shouted a voice he knew as well as his own.
Straining his eyes to focus, he could see her standing before him, her beautiful scarlet eyes wide with alarm. While the pain forced on him hadn't been his own, he could still feel the ache of a heart shattered to pieces. Out of every single injury, none caused torment the likes of that. To see her, his mate, his beloved, finally allowed him to circumvent that terrible pain. It was all he could do not to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless right then and there, but Alexander needed medical attention, and god did he ever need a drink—of both the living and alcoholic variety. A bed would do wonders too.
"Eva, get the servants. We need to get Alex some help, and some blood." He hated how weak his voice sounded, but nothing could be done about that. Thankfully, she didn't barrage him with questions and instead vanished in a burst of speed. The one good thing about looking like death warmed over was people tended to get the hint that help was needed and needed now.
He collapsed them both to the hall bench and tried to quell his spinning head. Not in all his years of service to the family, or even the military, had he dealt with the kind of pure, brutal, suffering, that the Aono child had put him through. He made sure to keep shaking Alexander awake; he couldn't afford to fall asleep, not in his state. If he was having this much trouble, he shuddered to think of what his brother was going through. Initiations into the life they generally lived were often quite harsh, but compared to this it was like being asked to endure a paper cut against having holy water injected straight into the heart. To be perfectly honest he was surprised Alex hadn't gone into shock yet. He had the makings of a great vampire, he just needed to grow up a little.
When Eva returned with the mansion's servants he eagerly let them cart off his brother. Even how he was, none would dare try anything. They took good care of their help, but they all knew what the master family could and would do to them if they tried anything. With him out of sight and being taken care of, Vincent allowed himself to slump against the wall tiredly. He was mildly aware of the hands undoing the buttons on his shirt, and when the expensive—and ruined—garment was gingerly tugged from him he fought the wince at the pressure on his still recovering muscles. An eye inched open when he felt gauze being wrapped around his wounded arm, and saw his mate had taken it upon herself to bandage him up.
His wife was a magnificent woman, and even more magnificent a vampire. Shades of platinum-blond shimmered in her pale silver hair at the right angles, setting the lazy curls of her shoulder-length locks into unearthly qualities no matter what the light. Her sharp, angular features were softened in all the right places, and only seemed to enhance the intensity of her brilliantly red, reptilian eyes. He had been enamored with her from the very moment he saw her. Older than him, and thus stronger, he had worked himself to the bone to prove his worth to her. Of course, fate would have it that it was only after all that and working up the courage to ask her for the privilege to court her, that she had revealed she had wondered how long it would take him. Apparently she had had her eye on him for some time as well. The rest was history.
His heart clenched painfully inside him for a reason entirely its own. He loved her, had loved her for a very long time. Had he gotten so out of touch with himself that he would instantly doubt the love of another simply on the grounds of improbability? Worse, because something else dictated it be so? The burning passion he and Eva had felt for each other initially had faded, but was in no way extinguished. Over the years another thing had grown to replace what had dimmed: a deep-seated sense of belonging and true mutual love he knew he would likely never find again in his immortal existence if he lost her. If he would fight to his last breath to preserve what he had now, what would he have done when he was younger? How would he have fought had something threatened them when he was still so reckless and stupid, and just to put things into perspective, had forged their passion into a blood-bond of all things? How would he have reacted had something threatened not only his mate, but his blood-mate?
After seeing what he had, feeling what he had, Vincent felt the honest urge to vomit. How had he been so blind?
He would have reacted exactly how Tsukune had.
A delicious smell pulled him from his musings, and he reopened his eyes to the sight of an unfastened, generously-sized blood-bag.
"Drink," she commanded, "the boya's not the only one that needs to get his strength back. I brought more; don't worry about taking your time. One of the maids is nearby if that's not enough."
Need enough to lessen the etiquette drilled into him as a child took over, and Vincent nearly demolished the first bag in record time, though Eva didn't seem the least bit surprised at that. After the second was downed and the tremors she had felt him undergoing still hadn't stopped, she became more concerned. When he started on the third with the same vigor as the second, she knew he was practically dead on his feet and only forcing himself awake to drink what he needed under his own power. The bags she had grabbed were twice as large as the ones they usually used as meals, and she had only grabbed three as a precaution. She had only seen him so weak a handful of times and one of those was his fight with her.
"What happened?" Eva asked again, softer this time as she smoothed back his long hair. "Did the boya insult an Elder or something?"
It was meant to be sarcastic, but he still gave a small laugh after he had sucked the last bag dry. He would never have survived that encounter, yet some part of him quivered at the association. Dwelling on it was mercifully impossible; he needed rest now that his body had what else it required. Coherent thought was beginning to elude his grasp, but he still had the sense of mind to tug his wife's head to his for a tender kiss. She didn't refuse him, and openly relished the firm hold he had behind her ear. Her sensuous chuckle when they parted made him wish he had more strength.
"Not that I didn't enjoy that, but you're not getting out of telling me that easily, buster."
A long sigh escaped him. "I promise you, I will tell you. Would you do one last thing for me first?" She nodded. "Come to bed with me? Please?"
The vampiress smirked. "Hmph, as if I would do anything else with you like this."
Helping him to their room was child's play for someone like her, and he fell to the bed with a low groan of gratitude. While not late by any stretch, nonetheless she crawled beside him and let him envelop her in his arms. There was no way she was leaving his side anyway. An afternoon nap was always nice, though it would take a while for the adrenaline to wear off after seeing him come in like he did. His eyes were still entirely red, every blood vessel surrounding the irises obviously broken by some unknown force. He had survived, but she could tell he had been deeply affected by whatever it was he had fought. Letting herself lull to the sound of his ever deepening breathing, her eyes had just closed when whispered words passed through half-lucid awareness.
"Evangeline…would you…stay with me…forever…?"
Her eyes snapped open so hard it could have been audible. She lay there for many tense, breathless seconds, until it became apparent her mate had fallen asleep.
Did he just…?
What in the unholy rings of hell had happened today?
Sleep came fitfully, all dreams and nightmares centered on not the possible contents of the day's events, but rather the words last spoken. Dreams ran on how to pursue them, while nightmares told her they were just a dream to begin with.
Evangeline Valentine had many questions for her husband, and so help her, he was going to answer them as soon as he awoke.
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V^^^V
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In another part of the world, answers were being given to different people. After the significance of the name had been explained to the female vampires present by the ones in the know, and their consequent hilarity over such a thing, they calmly—or as calmly as they could—enlightened their friends to the state of many a large company in the human world; that is: owned by a vampire, if only behind the scenes. A tribute to one of their own made in anything, from a book to a video game, was hardly unexpected.
Tsukune resolved to never look at a video game the same again.
Still, as much as Rei's blood had made him feel more normal in the aftermath of the battle, he was dead tired. The conversations around him were fading in and out of his ears, and he took one last look around what had been a blossoming landscape before he and Rei had reduced it to ice and ashes. Gathering as much strength as he could to perform the newly completed snow transformation, he waved a frozen hand at the ice that remained, scattering the moisture back to the atmosphere. At least with it gone Rei's presence would be able to heal the flora faster. That was his hope, anyway. That was also his last thought before his head slumped forward onto his familiar's shoulder—whom was still seated comfortably in his lap—fast asleep.
All banter ceased when the ice disappeared, and it only took one glance over at Tsukune to see they wouldn't be getting anything else out of him until tomorrow at the earliest. That was the only reason Ruby left to inform the headmaster of what had happened, though she didn't have any doubt the man already knew far more than even she did, and she had been there. Meanwhile, the others were at a loss as to what to do.
"Shouldn't we move him somewhere more comfortable?" Kurumu put forward uncertainly.
Rei shook her head as she played with the dark strands of hair that had fallen over her chest. "Do not fret; the stars have been our roof for weeks. If you wish, I welcome you to join us when you decide to retire for the night."
Not about to miss the chance now that Tsukune was finally back, it wasn't much of a surprise that sleeping bags were out that evening.
What came as the surprise was the enormous white dragon found wrapped protectively around them in the morning, and the buds of green breaking out from under the blackened earth.
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V^^^V
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From his tall office overlooking the school grounds, the Exorcist, feared headmaster of Youkai Academy and one of the titled few to bear the name Dark Lord, awaited a certain student's arrival. From the tower where he resided he could see everything laid out before it, right to the bus stop by the trans-dimensional gateway. What he was looking at now brought a grin to his face, though most would view it as disconcerting.
A good portion of the tree-line leading away from the girl's dormitory had been reduced to cinders, carving a swath of death through the scenery that was rather frightening to behold. Since the dragon had come before vacation started, many of the trees had been showing marked improvement in health, to the point where the feel of the eerie institution as a whole could almost be sensed as changing. Flowers bright and fresh had been known to bloom outside the girl's dorm in particular, flowers that would normally be associated with the human world and not any of the deadly or carnivorous variety native to youki-infested land, yet they were greeted with admiration and care. Healthy grass extending off to the coastline had become a frequent hotspot for picnicking couples as they enjoyed their vacations, and even the few animals that called the secluded grounds home seemed happier with the revival of their environment.
Now, scorched nothingness marked a long divider, but even only a day after it had been made, greenery could be seen pushing through the ashes of those gone. He chuckled ruefully. The boy was a constant amusement to him, and the true harbinger of change in a world that needed it desperately. From the heart of a vampiress to the near-extinction of dragons, nothing was left unaffected after he touched them. If only the classes knew how much they were acting differently simply because of his mere existence around them. The maintenance crew never ran out of work either.
Fairy Tale's goal had run directly counter to that of the academy, but that once fragile hope beamed brightly because of a diverse group of friends unwilling to abandon one another in the face of insurmountable odds. It was so very refreshing to the priestly man. Things would change, and for the better, all because of them.
He knew who was entering before he even opened the door, so he didn't bother turning away from the window. Plus, he loved freaking out the kid.
"Well well, the camper returns. Did you have fun, Tsukune-kun?"
"Gah! Don't do that!" cried the irritated teen.
The Exorcist shifted back to get a good look at him, and he had to admit, he was impressed. If what had been worn yesterday was any indication, most of his clothes had been scuttled over the month-long stay, so he must have grabbed something from his room. The clothes were, by all definitions, unspectacular, but the body they covered certainly wasn't. A defined physique was clear, even better than when he had left, and the longer hair was to be expected. It was the way he held himself that gained the most attention, and the headmaster didn't bother hiding his dark smile.
"I see you've recovered from yesterday's foray. All went well, I hope?"
"If by 'all went well,' you mean, 'were you nearly killed by a self-important jealous moron and his brother in front of most of the school,' then yeah, I guess things did go pretty well," the sealed vampire shot back with a roll of his eyes.
"Ah, but young Ruby-chan drew a much different picture. According to her, you, and I quote: 'sent them limping away with their tails between their legs.' I take it it was the same one as before?"
Tsukune's scowl deepened. "Yeah. I don't know what to do; I hope I gave them enough of a reason to stay away from Moka, but I just can't know for sure! Isn't there anything you can do? This is your school, isn't it? Maybe if you made the Grand Barrier—"
"It doesn't work like that, Tsukune-kun."
He sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his thick mop of hair. "I know, I know! Look at what happened though! If we need to rely on attacks like that to stand a chance, someone could end up getting seriously hurt!"
"If I understand things correctly, you also placed a significant handicap on yourself. You wanted to test yourself, and so kept Moka-chan and the others on the sidelines. I think you underestimate what you're all capable of. I hear of certain projects being done as well, and the one completed wasn't even used," he pointed out factually.
The brown-eyed youth raised a finger to protest, but it died on his lips. "Okay, I'll give you that. Why'd you want to see me then? Here to put restrictions on any more trips to Paradise?" The headmaster's glowing eyes sparkled with something akin to—dare he think it—mischief, and the chuckle was just as creepy as ever.
"Of course not, I have a feeling any time you spend there will be beneficial to all of us. After hearing of your impassioned speech yesterday however, I thought I should help you with your brave ambition. It warms my heart to hear students so dedicated to protecting their school."
He really didn't like the way that was said. He should have known all those compliments were a set-up for something; now the other shoe was going to drop. Fate was about to screw him over again, he just knew it.
"…What're you going to do?" he put forth hesitantly.
A perfectly tailored, all too familiar black and gold uniform was lifted from behind the large desk, and Tsukune blanched.
"Have I told you how much I loathe you lately?"
Again, the headmaster only smiled. "It's been over a month now. We were long overdue."
Despite that, Tsukune found himself smiling back.
V^^^V
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Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or just want to talk, send me a line. I wouldn't object to you filling in that review box either.
'Til next time!
Sabr
…
Outtake Theatre
Then and only then did he realize what he had just experienced, and his mind boggled. "Illusions? You can use illusions? What else can you do?"
"My kamehameha's still rusty; the situation hasn't called for me to suddenly get an uber eye bloodline that will develop even more uber-powers as circumstances demand and completely disregard the fact that a man who, at the time of his death, was even blinder than the one going blind, thus taking his worthless eyes would not suddenly make him even more uber-powerful than before; my reiatsu doesn't have any hidden surprises that change without explanation; my arch-nemesis' name doesn't sound like a supermarket and the deadliest spell I have in my repertoire is not 'Abracadabra.' I could make you sparkle though, if you want," Tsukune snarked with a crooked grin.
Both returned to the fray just as viciously as they had before, only now Vincent couldn't be sure if what was evading him was real, if what he felt hit him was actually there or just a figment of his imagination. His education told him illusions were supposed to be just that, but it also told him those high enough on the hierarchy could make their adversaries feel things for real.
Getting hit by a coyote on a crudely-built rocket, smacked with an overly-large mallet pulled from nowhere by an oddly-proportioned rabbit, thrown in a highly-improbable judo maneuver by a semi-aquatic mammal wearing a charming brown fedora, and attacked with beam weaponry by cuddly forest animals with logos on their bellies, made him know either those things were real, or he was on a really bad trip.
When a bearded Texas Ranger appeared in front of him, Vincent nearly lost control of his bladder. The man France had surrendered to at a mere glance, the man the dark was scared of, the man who did indeed build Rome in a day, the man who literally beat the odds with his fists, the man who had more myths about him than any vampire, was cracking his knuckles.
Vincent grabbed Alexander and ran for the exit as fast as he could.
Illusion or not, he wasn't stupid enough to try and fight him.
…
LOL, funny or not, I wanted to write it. Sorry to HP fans. No disrespect, but I've always found Avada Kedavra funny, and Voldemort really sounds like it could be Moldy-Mart or something. Someone once said something in a review about making Tsukune the next CN, or something to that effect, so I thought it'd be funny to write him in one as himself.
Any characters mentioned are properties of their respective owners. Any person mentioned is himself, and therefore, not my property. To give credit where credit is due, a sentence talking about Darth Vader and an Iron Lung was used in Perfect Lionheart's story Partially Kissed Hero, but that's it. I made it my own, but the idea for it came from there.
Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'll see you next chapter!