Chapter 17: No Turning Back
Inside in one of their rooms, Tsukune and his friends all sat around the unconscious pink-red eyed witch from earlier. Yukari applied some medical herbs to her as she slept. They all turned to face the witch again when her eyes opened suddenly, her panicked movement causing them to continue staring.
"Ugh, where am I?" she asked as her facial expression transformed into a hostile one.
"Ah, Ruby-san is awake- you shouldn't move yet, you're still injured," Yukari stated as she grinded up more herbs.
"What are you guys…" the now-introduced Ruby said as more sweat poured down her face.
"My name's Aono Tsukune; I'm human, but a bit enhanced I guess heh… we arrived here today because of our extracurricular club research," Tsukune replied with a smile as he rubbed the shoulder, in which he'd been cut.
"This is the motel we're going to be staying in for the night," he explained.
"That's impossible- how can you be a human?! Humans cannot defeat me because I'm a human!" she stated with widened eyes as she focused on Tsukune.
"Well, I was kind of borrowing power from supernatural blood inside me," he stated with a defensive look in his eyes as he put his hands up.
"I'm a witch, as you already know," Yukari introduced herself.
"We're ayashi," both Kurumu and Moka said, introducing themselves.
"Stop joking! That is not possible! Ayashi can't possibly be friends with witches and humans!" Ruby shouted with absolute determination as she grabbed Tsukune by his shirt.
"That's just your way of thinking- and please get off my shoulder, the wound you gave me earlier is still healing," Tsukune mentioned as he held his shoulder.
"That wound… is that where I sliced you?" Ruby reminisced, showing a slight hint of worry on her face.
"Why did you help me? I tried to kill you back there… don't you hate me?"
"Heh, well, there's no need of a reason to help somebody, you look like someone who is very pained- I guess knocking you unconscious was also going a bit overboard… knowing that Ruby-san is a girl, I'm really sorry," Tsukune said with an apologetic smile as Ruby turned away from him.
The next day, Tsukune brought breakfast to Ruby-san; Tsukune couldn't really tell by the look in her eyes whether she was being hostile or thankful.
"By the way, I have to admit, from what I've seen, Ayashi and witches all have some amazing healing abilities- Ruby-san looks so much better today," Tsukune said with a smile as he looked at the dark long-haired witch. He could sense that she was still staring at him, even after he had turned around.
Moments later, the doors opened as Yukari walked in holding a bag full of shopping.
"Oh, Yukari-chan, you went out for a walk- how was the city?" Moka asked with curiosity.
"Heh, it was great! Check this out, I went to this store called a 'supermarket''- I even did all the shopping myself," Yukari declared with a smile as she handed out cans of drink to everyone present.
"Wow, that's awesome Yukari-chan! You were so afraid of the city at first as well. You did great!" Tsukune complimented with a smile.
"At first, I gave up trying to have everybody understand my feelings, but now, I think I can do better by understanding everyone," she stated with a smile as she wrapped her hands around Tsukune.
"I'm really glad… it's all thanks to Tsukune-san, he helped me to come up with this idea."
To his side, Tsukune could notice Ruby's presence becoming more negative so he braced himself for anything if it did happen.
"Stop joking around… you guys are so naïve! I'm not going to be fooled, because I know the true nature of the human race!" she shouted with closed eyes, and then she came towards Tsukune.
"I'm never going to trust the humans! I'll peel off that monstrous human skin right now!"
With his quick reflexes, he instantly put up a can of drink right before Ruby, surprising everyone.
"I've heard that the 'Witch's Ranch' is being terrorised, and destroyed because of the new construction. I can understand why you'd hate my race and I'm really sorry about that- I desire to coexist as well…" he stated with a sad look on his features.
"I know apologising won't do anything, but since I'm only one human… I wish there was more I could do…"
"Shut up! It's too late for anything now!" Ruby responded by knocking the can out of Tsukune's hand.
"The humans have already angered my master. In order to punish the humans, my master is going to turn the city into a sea of flames," she warned with an ominous look in her eyes.
Master… so there is another witch… yes, this witch is the puppeteer- the real, real danger. Her strong disdain and hatred for humans has created this desire to kill off the humans, his inner voice said as Tsukune's eyes narrowed. Well, we better do something about this- innocent lives will be at stake, Tsukune thought with a hard look on his face as clenched his fists.
Later on, when everyone was meant to be asleep, Tsukune could hear the soft chatter of someone talking outside their room. He could instantly recognise the young, high-pitched voice of Yukari, and he guessed the other voice must have been Ruby. Standing around the corner, Tsukune heard how Ruby's parents had been killed in a car accident caused by humans, and this was the reason for her hatred. As he was listening, Kurumu and Moka had also came to listen to the two witches' conversation.
"You're lucky, Yukari-chan… you have friends like Tsukune-kun, that's why I feel a little jealous of you," she said with a tearful smile.
"I wish I could have met with you guys a lot sooner," she said as she turned around and ran away from them.
"Ruby-san, wait!" their shouts were futile as her figure became smaller and smaller against the moonlit sky. Gazing up at the stars, he saw Ruby's wings appear and her figure slightly glanced back at them, then she was off. That look was so saddening… it's as if she wanted to be liberated from what's to come, thought with his eyes closed. Tsukune, it's just begun, his voice warned as Tsukune turned to go back inside.
"The mastermind is finally taking action- I'm guessing she'll bring an army to destroy this city, and that army will have Ruby. She is going to kill humans and destroy the city just to protect her ranch," the bus driver said as they all sat in a circle.
"The relationship between humans and witches is deeper than you think. So young ones, can you stop them even if that is the case?"
"Well, we know where they live, so let's go and bring back Ruby-san. I truly understands why she's hate us humans, but we can't just sit here and allow a massacre of people, just to satisfy the cruel desires of others," Tsukune said.
"So, let's go back once more to the witch's ranch, where the sunflowers are grown- and this time, we will save Ruby-san," Tsukune announced with strong determination, as he prepared his weapons for any conflict that was to come. He knew that this 'master' character was not to be taken lightly.
Their bus burst through the sunflowers into an opening where they saw a tied-up Ruby and another hooded figure. Jumping down, Tsukune was the first one to descend, as he peered at the scene before him.
"It is time for liberation from your hatred!" Tsukune declared as he kept his hands on his katana hilt, prepared for anything.
"So, it was your bunch- seems like you took good care of my Ruby. What are you here in the Witch's Ranch for this time? Wanting to be my foot soldiers?" the mysterious female figure said as her supernatural presence exploded.
"So you're the 'master'? Won't you consider not resolving this with violence?" Tsukune tried one last time to convince her, but he was ignored.
"Young witch, we are of the same race. I will give you one more chance, so come and be a part of our group. We are far greater than the humans… we shall prove this by destroying them!" her eyes glinted and vines started to creep out of the woman's hands. Seeing Yukari hold on tighter to TSukune however, turned her face darker.
"I see… such a shame… you will all have to die here!" she shouted as her spell book glowed and something began to crawl out of the sunflower patch.
"Something's coming out of the sunflower patch!" Kurumu shouted as all eyes turned to that area.
"Not a sunflower patch, my naïve visitors, for you see, by manipulating plants, I have grown a monster here," she said as a large creature jumped out of the ground. The creature was much taller than them and although it looked humanoid, it had very long claws on each hand, a large mouth, and numerous 'eyes' on their body.
"Kill them all!"
Hmmm, interesting, a hanabake- essentially a man-eating plant, but their body is as hard as steel, and they're good for combat… which is not good for you, his inner voice stated as they all jumped out of the way to avoid an attack.
"Don't attack yet," Tsukune said to Kurumu as he stepped forward.
"Please wait, we're only here to talk! We're here to help you think of a way to protect this ranch without fighting," Tsukune said as the figure became quiet.
Suddenly, the hanabake swiped with his tail and Tsukune had to jump backwards to avoid it.
"You make me sick! Now you're trying to beg for your lives!? Foolish humans, die already!" the figure erupted in anger.
"You are so wrong. We saw Ruby-san, and she was suffering. Fighting would only deepen that pain from all that hatred. So shouldn't you try to understand eachother and eventually become friends?!" he shouted as his face hardened.
He saw the figure's face transform into complete hostility as the hanabake prepared to attack again.
"Don't make me laugh! What are you talking about?! A trash like you can never get along with witches! A day for coexistence will never happen!" she declared as the hanabake attacked. Its attack was stopped mid-way by the blades of a wing as Ruby stepped closer to them.
"Please stop hurting those people!" she shouted with her eyes closed.
"Master, would it be true that a battle would be the only way to settle this? I want to try and believe Tsukune-san and everyone else," she confessed as tears flowed down her eyes.
Tsukune could see the 'master's' facial expression turn into that of surprise, then shockingly, turn into one of anger. Nobody expected the vines to stab Ruby herself.
"Every single one of you is a fool… foolish pests… I will destroy everything myself!" Ruby's master declared as the many sunflowers in the area started to close up.
Damn, Ruby-san… "Guys, get ready to fight- things are going to get really dangerous from here," Tsukune stated as he got out a Barrett sniper; this should be enough for these man-eating plants, he thought as huge amounts of hanabakes jumped from the ground.
"Ruby? How dare you betray me for these humans?! Now, I will destroy everything that I hate- nothing will be left. My army of plants, devour these humans so not even their bones are left!" she screeched as Tsukune started to aim.
How do you make peace, if you don't want to talk to your enemies? TSukune thought with a sigh.
Hey guys another chapter. So have fun reading this lol. Please review if you can and thanks for reading!