"All units! All units, we have confirmation-… there are reports of-… proceed to-…" a radio said with static and sirens muffling the transmission.
Throughout the streets of a human city screams of terror and sirens were heard, along with thunderous roars which seemed to be on the move between the towering buildings. Crashes and gunfire were heard while a skyscraper rumbled violently before collapsing down towards the ground below, debris and fire raining down onto the streets as people ran around screaming in a panic.
"Holy fucking shi-… get some goddamned backup over here now! There are-… I repeat, there are monsters-…" the radio chatter sounded off.
A helicopter up in the sky hovered near a large building, its camera crew filming the chaos down below in the streets. A dark shadow engulfed the vehicle before a large creature flew by, with its wing destroying the chopper and reducing it to flaming wreckage that rained down towards the streets below.
"Evacuate the city! Monsters are attacking! I repeat, monsters are-" the chatter said before cutting to static.
Racing down a street inside the city along with dozens of other frightened motorists a car weaved around traffic accidents and people that were running around through the streets in a panic. Felucia swerved her car around a truck that had crashed into another van, then banked right and just avoided a woman who was running across the street while holding her daughter's hand. Sitting next to the doll demon's soul Akasha was glancing to the side, watching as two more of the giant winged demons were still flying alongside them down another street, the monsters' eyes watching the car that had the catatonic chronofly in the backseat. Luna continued to look down at the floor with lifeless eyes, showing no reaction to anything around her at all still.
"How far is it to your friend's place?" Akasha asked as she looked back behind them, watching three of the demons that were chasing them keeping close, with the two on the edges of their flight pattern tearing apart walls and signs of buildings they passed by. The one in the middle swooped down and annihilated a truck with its talons, its powerful wings flapping and throwing cars and people wildly to the sides as the demons slowly started to gain on the fleeing car. Felucia glanced back to the monsters in her rearview mirror then looked back ahead with frustration.
"Not too far, but I'm seriously questioning if these guys are going to let us get that far," she said shaking her head. Akasha nodded then looked back to Luna.
"She must be valuable indeed to warrant such a strong retrieval party. What makes her so special that this monster would send so many after her?" she asked curiously.
"You didn't know? That asshole wants Luna to breed more chronoflies, he wants an entire army of time controlling minions, and the sick fucker is going to have her raped to death to get it," Felucia said with anger. Akasha looked at Luna with concern, the chronofly's head bobbing slightly as the car swerved to the left and right.
"Oh my, the poor dear," Akasha said gently. Felucia glanced back to Luna then ahead again.
"He already had her being used by his demons, she… she was violated before I got to her. I just pray to the Almighty that she isn't pregnant with one of those vile monsters," she said with remorse. Akasha looked at Luna with a worried eye then back ahead.
"I see. I wasn't informed exactly why she was so valuable to be freed and guarded, only that I was to protect and guide her far away from the darkness," she said softly. Felucia glanced to her then back ahead.
"We can't let her be taken back. No matter what, she can't go back into that world," she said firmly. Akasha nodded as she gripped her sword's handle, the blade resting down on the floor between her feet.
"If he really wanted her so badly, he should have sent more after her," she said coolly.
Up ahead a fire truck raced across the intersection, being struck in the side by an oncoming semi-truck that crashed into the vehicle causing them both to spin slightly, with two more cars slamming into them followed by another. Felucia swerved to avoid them then made a hard right turn as an oncoming bus had veered to avoid the pileup from the other side.
"Shit!" Felucia yelled as they were now traveling down the road while behind them two more vans slammed into the traffic accident. Akasha looked back to see the three winged demons flying over the intersection, with one skidding across the ground and plowing through the vehicles as it tried to stop while the two above it banked hard and swooped down road after their prey. Akasha then looked ahead to see the two that had been flying down a road parallel to them banking around building and flying towards them.
"Fuck, definitely not the right way!" Felucia yelled out looking around.
"They've got us trapped, get us out of here," Akasha said as she looked around for another route, only seeing tall buildings along both sides of the street as the demons in front and behind closed in while keeping low to the road. Felucia looked around quickly then reached over, yanking the strap to Akasha's seatbelt to tighten it.
"Hang on!" she yelled before making a hard left turn. Akasha watched as the car skidded along in a drift before driving towards a shopping center, the vehicle racing up and crashing through the multiple glass doors while people all around screamed and darted out of the way. The car's loud engine echoed out up above through the three story shopping center, the structure built as a long stretching atrium that connected to the street down the block. There were dozens of shops and stores on each floor, walkway ramps and elevators set all around to get from floor to floor, and people on all levels of the mall watching with surprise as a car floored it through the ground level of the center. A moment later the glass and brick wall near the street exploded as two of the winged demons tried to follow after the car, the giant monsters tearing through multiple stores on the two lower levels after their prey before they slowed down while they got stuck and collided against each other. Felucia glanced back to seeing the winged demons unable to follow them properly while the third floor above collapsed down onto the beasts, with debris and broken glass flying out from a large cloud while people ran away screaming in terror.
"Driving through a human mall, bet Dark's never done anything like this before," Felucia said with a laugh. Akasha merely glanced to her then back ahead as people dodged the fast moving car while small stands and carts were obliterated and tossed to the sides. Far ahead of them they saw the glass entrance to the other street along with dozens of windowpanes above it that towered up the three stories. As the car got near the exit two of the large winged demons swopped down and crashed through the glass, with one demon clawing and grabbing hold to the upper floors while another scraped along the ground, its large wings destroying the stores and shops on both sides of it while people were either crushed under the monster or by falling debris.
"So what now?" Akasha asked, glancing to her friend. Felucia stared at the monsters with wide eyes then hit the brakes, squealing to a stop inside the mall as she and Akasha looked back, seeing two of the demons struggling to rush them while both occupying the same two lower floors and tramping over each other, while the other two in front of them closed in with one on the ground level while the other crawled along the side of the atrium above it.
"Ok… now we're trapped," Felucia said with a grunt. She looked back then forward again while Akasha gripped her blade tightly. After a pause Felucia narrowed her eyes and floored the gas, making a sharp spin with the tires screeching loudly. She raced back towards the two demons that were struggling to catch them, both of the monsters destroying the two lower floors with both their large wings and the fact that they couldn't both fit through the narrow atrium very well together.
"Um… what are you doing?" Akasha asked as Felucia stomped down on the gas, driving towards the demons at high speed while people all around were trying to flee into nearby stores for safety. Felucia glanced back to seeing the two monsters behind them still crawling toward them at a steady pace then forward as the sides of the atrium started to crumble above.
"We're not getting past those two back there," Felucia said with a shrug.
"And how are you planning on getting past those two then?" Akasha questioned as she gripped her sword and seat while tensing up. Felucia smirked then swerved off to the side, racing towards a walkway ramp that led up towards the second floor.
"Only one way, let's hope this works!" she called out as her floored it onto the ramp and raced up it.
"Wait, what do you mean hope?" Akasha shouted out before the car launched off the ramp, soaring up and skidding across the ceiling with its roof. They flew just over the demons as the two monsters smashed through the mall below them, the car then landing down on the other side while large chunks of debris started to fall and crash down around. The two demons tried to turn around but got stuck as the floors above them collapsed down, with smoke blasting towards the car in a furious cloud as the entire building above started to crash down. The demon that had been crawling along the walls leapt over and landed down behind the escaping car while behind it large chunks of debris rained down and buried the three others that had gotten boxed in. Akasha looked behind to seeing the monster snapping and lunging at them ferociously while right behind it large concrete blocks and debris crashed down onto the ground. Felucia raced through the mall while weaving from side to side, avoiding falling debris and glass as the car's tires squealed loudly.
"If you could possibly go faster, I would highly recommend doing so," Akasha said as she watched the dust cloud behind the demon racing towards them along with furious crashes from the collapsing building. Felucia saw the broken entrance they had plowed through up ahead, narrowing her eyes as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. The winged demon behind them leapt forward and snapped at the car, its beak tearing off the roof and windows with a powerful snap. Felucia screamed as she kept the car steady, the demon's long hair along with Akasha's flowing behind in the wind. As she neared the entrance she turned the wheel, making a sharp turn with the car and sliding it sideways in a drift, the tires squealing as the winged demon lunged towards them. Before it got close the building above slammed down onto it, crushing it into the ground as the dust cloud enveloped and raced past the monster. Felucia kept the wheel steady as the car skidded back onto the road, heading left back onto the street while the dust cloud and debris shot out from the destroyed atrium like a wave, crashing into the adjacent buildings with a fierce impact. Akasha looked back to the large dust cloud then over to Felucia curiously.
"Where did you learn to drive like that anyway?" she asked. Felucia glanced to her then looked ahead with a proud smile.
"By the best agent that ever lived," she said confidently. Akasha looked at her curiously then up, seeing the remaining three winged demons flying around above. They screeched loudly then swooped down to chase after them, with Felucia glancing back to them with frustration.
"They just don't give up," she growled. The car raced further down the road then made a sharp left turn onto another major street, skidding along on all four wheels and then taking off while dodging other cars as they were driving by in a hurry.
"Hopefully the other four are at least down for the count," Akasha said with a shrug. A powerful explosion was heard as the buildings to their left rumbled, right before two of the winged demons plowed through the structures while two more shot up into the air through the roofs. The two behind banked around and scampered along with road, destroying cars and crushing people before taking flight again and chasing after the girls while between the towering buildings. The two in the air banked around and followed after high in the sky while the three from earlier swooped around the corner and followed the rest.
"You've got to be kidding me, why won't those damned things just stay down?" Felucia yelled out with frustration. Akasha leapt back into the backseat next to Luna, watching the demons that followed behind with narrowed eyes while she readied her sword. Her long pink hair flowed to the side of her head as she held the blade to the side while standing on the seat. A winged demon closed in and snapped at her, with the vampire swiping her sword and screeching the blade across the monster's beak. It howled and stumbled along on the street, destroying the pavement and knocking a few cars aside before it lunged at the girls again.
"Get her to safety, that's your only priority now," Akasha declared before she leapt off the car towards the monster with Felucia looking back with shock.
"Akasha!" she yelled out as the vampire flew towards the low flying demon. Akasha landed on the beak of the demon, striking her blade into the eye of the beast before running along the monster's back towards its tail. Her blade carved through the spine and body of the large demon, the vampire then leaping off towards another winged beast while the one she sliced dropped down and crashed into the pavement. Akasha landed down on the second monster's head, swiping her blade down and through the skull of the beast before leaping over to the side at another low flying demon, the woman's blade trailing blood from the second kill which spiraled off to the side and crashed into a department store violently. Akasha landed against the third demon's head on the side, jamming her blade into the skull with a yell.
"You shall never reclaim that chronofly!" Akasha yelled as the monster spiraled around while banking off to the side, with Akasha standing against the head and holding onto her blade tightly. The vampire then leapt off before the large monster slammed into the ground and crashed into a few buildings, the woman flipping through the air before landing down on a car and crushing in the roof with a rough impact. She slowly stood up as her hair flowed behind her, with the giant monster behind her collapsing down with large crash while the vampire glared at the two other winged demons that were closing in on street level with her. Felucia stared with wide eyes then looked up to seeing the two airborne demons diving down towards her.
"God fucking dammit!" Felucia yelled as she continued to speed down the street, unable to stop without being caught by her pursuers.
Akasha casually spun her blade around with one hand then held it at the ready with both, her vampire aura suddenly flaring around her like a storm. Felucia blinked then glanced back, sensing a powerful boom of monster energy behind her.
"Holy… fuck," she said softly.
Akasha tensed up, and then ran towards the winged demons, both monsters closing in on her fast while screeching loudly. The vampire jumped up onto a car then launched up towards the monsters with a mighty leap, swinging her blade and striking across the face of one of the demons. Akasha spiraled down to the ground and landed on the pavement, her feet cracking the ground under her from the fierce impact as the winged demon she struck spiraled down towards the street with her blade lodged in its skull. As it crashed down onto the pavement the second demon flew towards Akasha with its beak opened, howling as the vampire turned to glare at it. She reached out and caught the upper beak with both hands while she used a foot to hold the lower beak down, bracing from the impact as she skidded down across the street with the monster still charging her. Her boot tore up the pavement as she remained firm in her stance, the vampire showing a focused expression while the winged monster scampered along on the street while trying to bite down on the woman. She skidded back towards the downed monster which was howling weakly while flailing around on its side. The woman was pushed back before hitting against it, becoming pinned against the monster as the other tried to snap down on her. Akasha narrowed her eyes and then reached over to the side, grabbing her nearby blade that was sticking out of the other demon's head. With a mighty swipe she swung around and sliced off the top beak while jumping over to the side, the wounded monster howling before it stumbled forward into the other demon. Akasha lunged forward and struck into the monster's skull with a powerful thrust, killing it as the other monster stumbled back to its feet. It shakily looked over to see Akasha yanking out the blade from the downed demon, the woman then glaring over to it as she gripped her sword tightly.
"Your master underestimated that chronofly's guardians by a large margin. Pity," Akasha said coldly before running towards the beast, jumping into a powerful downwards cut as the demon stared with shock. A splatter of blood coated the ground before Akasha landed down, followed a moment later by the demon collapsing down in front of her with a large gash carved through the front of its skull. Akasha whipped her blade to the side with a quick swing, flinging off the blood from the sword before looking towards where the remaining two winged demons were seen in the distance as they were chasing after Felucia and Luna. Sirens were heard echoing out nearby along with peoples frightened screams as dozens of people were still running away from the area in a panic. A few had stopped to stare at the powerful woman who killed a few of the flying beasts with surprise while many were lying about wounded from the chaos that had befallen their home.
"Here's hoping that girl can elude her pursuers long enough to reach sanctuary," she said softly to herself.
Running down a hallway inside the large villa Mizore searched franticly for any sign of her demon. She peered down each hallway and intersection, desperately searching for any trace of Dark's essence. She felt no dark aura nearby or around the halls as she ran through the building with a remorseful expression.
"Dark, where did you go? Please, don't hide from me now," she said to herself before rounding a corner, just missing colliding with a guard who watched her run down the hall hastily. She searched the lower floor and rooms, then ran upstairs to the next floor and started searching the offices and lounges, finding no trace of her beloved demon.
"Dark! Please, come back!" Mizore called out as she looked around the halls with worried eyes. She shouted out with frustration and continued her search.
"Dammit Arial, how could you crush his spirit like that? How could you be so goddamned blind?" she yelled out with anger. After running through the building's second floor to no avail she walked out onto a balcony, overlooking the courtyard inside the villa. She saw some of the group standing around near a small garden and stream nearby. Apoch and Astreal were sitting down next to a flower garden with Leon and Gabriel standing near them, Gin was looking down at the gentle stream that flowed through the garden with Kokoa hanging onto his arm, Sun was leaning against a tree nearby watching Gin carefully, Ruby and Razico were standing together on a small wooden bridge over the stream, and Rason and Kurumu were looking up at the sky with worried eyes. Kurumu blinked then glanced over as she saw Mizore out of the corner of her eye, then turned to wave at her.
"Mizore, did you find him?" she called up.
"No, I can't find him anywhere," Mizore called out while shaking her head.
"He's a shadow demon, he's going to be nearly impossible to find, especially if he doesn't wish to be found," Apoch pointed out with concern.
"So what can we do now?" Leon asked.
"All we can do is wait until he wants to be seen, that's how he's always been," Rason said, looking down with concern for his silent friend. Sun looked down for a moment then over to see Moka and Render walking out of the building towards them, along with Yukari who was crying.
"Yukari? What's wrong?" Ruby asked as she and Razico saw the crying witch.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Kurumu asked as Moka walked up towards them.
"She… um, Ahakon…" Moka said looking down to Yukari.
"What about Ahakon?" Rason asked.
"He kissed Ran!" Yukari cried out, with everybody looking to her with surprise.
"What? He did?" Kurumu asked, looking back to Moka questioningly. The vampire nodded slowly and looked back down to her young friend.
"That's what she says she overheard, Ahakon was talking to Ran inside about how he… kissed her last night," she said softly.
"No way, he wouldn't do that to Yukari. He loves her," Kurumu said shaking her head. Mizore saw her young friend crying then leapt off the balcony, landing gracefully on the ground just as Ceal and Complica walked out nearby. The two stopped as the snow maiden stood up in front of them, both trying to ignore having seen the girl's panties clear as day from her landing.
"Ever heard of the stairs?" Complica asked, holding onto Ceal's hand still. Mizore glanced back to them then ran over to her friends as they were watching Yukari cry.
"Is that true Ms. Yukari? Did Mr. Ahakon… really do that with Ms. Ran?" Astreal asked worriedly. Yukari nodded while crying, whimpering as she wiped her tears away.
"I heard him confess that he likes her kisses, and he even admitted he was in her room last night. Ran admitted they were making out together, I can't believe he did that with her," she said sorrowfully. Ceal and Complica walked up to them while Mizore looked at her friend with worry.
"That can't be true Yukari, he loves you. He wouldn't cheat on you with her," Mizore said softly.
"Yeah, Ran probably charmed him with a stupid siren's song," Kokoa scoffed, glancing to Sun with narrowed eyes. Sun showed an annoyed expression from that insult then looked back to Yukari curiously. Yukari cried and held onto Moka from around the waist, the vampire holding her gently with a sympathetic expression.
"We should find and talk to him Yukari, find out what really happened," she said softly.
"Finding him won't be a problem," Leon said, pointing over the building where Ahakon was stumbling out of, with Ran trying to cling to his leg. They were both dressed in casual clothing again, with the siren desperately trying to hold onto the mage as he tried to get away.
"Let me go Ran! Let go!" Ahakon yelled before he dropped to the ground. He looked back to the siren as he kept trying to scramble away from her, not noticing that everybody was watching them.
"Please Ahakon, I love you! I really do!" Ran cried out. Ahakon yelled out as he pushed her off, stumbling back to his feet as he faced her while trying to hold in his tears.
"Just stop already! I don't love you, you hear me? I love Yukari! I love Yukari!" he yelled out while shaking his head. Ran stared at him with heartbroken eyes while on her knees as the group watched him with wonder. Yukari took a step closer before Moka held a hand out across and stopped her, the vampire shaking her head as she wanted to hear what the mage would say.
"But Ahakon… that kiss…" Ran pleaded with teary eyes. Ahakon growled with frustration and shook his head more.
"That wasn't a lover's kiss Ran! I told you before, I told you I only love Yukari, that I don't love you!" he cried out with tears forming in his eyes. Ran stared at him with worried eyes as he looked down with a tired sigh.
"I didn't want to crush you, I didn't want to make you cry; I didn't want to break your heart. I only went into your room last night because I heard you calling my name, I thought you were awake and something was wrong. Then I found out you were dreaming, about me," he explained with remorse. The group watched him curiously as Yukari tilted her head slightly. Ahakon shook his head and then looked back to Ran with concern.
"I was going to leave, but then you woke up. I didn't want you freaking out and causing a scene, and Yukari was right outside, she wouldn't have believed anything I told her about why I was in there with you like that. I had to silence you, to try to reason with you. I'm sorry, but I can't return your love, I never could. I didn't want to take everything away from you, you said it yourself that your dreams were all you had left. So… so I gave you that kiss so you could have your dreams still, to have something. I just wanted to let you down easy, I didn't want to hurt you," he reasoned. Yukari watched him with wonder as the group glanced to her. Ran trembled and slowly held a hand out towards Ahakon, with the mage backing up with a frustrated expression.
"But then you went and said that to Yukari, said that I was sneaking into your room to make out with you. How could you, how could you do that to me? I didn't want to hurt anyone, I wanted everybody to get along, and then you ruined it! You took my girlfriend from me Ran, you took everything from me!" he yelled out with anger. Ran backed up as she cried softly, with Ahakon narrowing his eyes at her.
"But… Ahakon…" Ran pleaded shakily.
"You're just as delusional as Arial! You ruined my relationship with Yukari, now she'll never forgive me because she thinks I'm unfaithful, because I'm supposedly sneaking around with other women! I would have been fine being friends with you, I would have been fine being your hero Ran, but you ruined my life! You cost me my only girlfriend! I hate you!" Ahakon yelled out. Ran's mouth opened slightly as she trembled, tears dropping from her cheeks as she shook her head slowly.
"No… please… I love you, I love you Ahakon…" she said quietly. Ahakon backed up a step and looked down with closed eyes.
"Stop saying you love me, stop loving me Ran. Stop loving me!" he yelled out with frustration. Ran looked at him with sorrow then over to see everybody watching her. After a moment of silence Ahakon looked back to her, seeing her watching something. He slowly turned around, and then jumped in surprise as all eyes fell on him.
"Ahakon…" Yukari said softly.
"Um… how long… have you guys been there?" Ahakon asked nervously.
"From start to finish Ahakon, we heard everything," Ruby said glancing to Ran with discontent.
"So, that's what this was all about," Kurumu said with narrowed eyes at Ran.
"He never made out with you Ran, you little liar, he just wanted to let you down easy because he felt sorry for you," Kokoa said, putting her hands to her hips.
"I knew Ahakon wouldn't have been unfaithful to Yukari, not after all they've been through," Rason said, glancing to Yukari. She slowly walked towards Ahakon with eyes of wonder.
"Ahakon… is that… true? You were just trying to let her down gently?" she asked. He nodded with remorse and looked down.
"I'm sorry, I never meant for it to go so out of control like this. I only gave her that kiss because she thought she was dreaming, and I didn't want to take her dreams away. She was broken," he pleaded. Yukari looked at him with awe then over to Ran carefully. Ahakon sighed then looked back to Yukari.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want her freaking out last night when I went in to check on her, and you were right outside. She thought she was dreaming, I thought I could let her down gently and then leave without anybody ever finding out. I just didn't want to crush her heart," he said softly. Yukari looked at him with a gentle gaze then down. After a pause she looked back to him with worried eyes.
"Promise me that you'll never kiss another girl but me, promise me Ahakon," she said softly. Ahakon nodded quickly as Yukari watched him timidly.
"I promise Yukari, never with anyone else, either here or in a dream. Only with you," he said assuredly. Yukari smiled softly then hugged him, the mage then holding her gently as the group smiled at them. Well, not Ceal of course, and certainly not Ran. After the hug ended Yukari glared at Ran, walking in front of her boyfriend and holding her wand up. Ran scooted back fearfully as Yukari growled with anger, the group watching her carefully as her wand glowed brightly. After a moment she slowly breathed out then lowered her wand, with Ran trembling in fear still.
"Our deal is off Ran," Yukari said with discontent. Ran whimpered as Yukari looked at her with a dull glare.
"Stay away from my boyfriend. He may be your hero, but he's all mine, got it?" she said sternly. Ran looked to Ahakon with pleading eyes, the mage looking down and away. Ran whimpered and looked down with sorrow as Yukari walked up to her.
"You had your chance to stay by his side, as his friend, but now you've thrown all that away," Yukari said firmly. Ran growled then slowly looked up to Yukari, a deep glare in her eyes as she bared her teeth. Yukari showed a bit of caution then aimed her wand at the siren.
"It's not fair… I love him, I worship him, he's everything to me. And yet I'm supposed to believe that you are more worthy of him than I?" Ran demanded with anger.
"He chose me as his girlfriend Ran, not you," Yukari said with a nod. Ran yelled out as she swatted the wand out from the witch's grip, the siren then grabbing the young girl and lifting her up into the air. Ran stood up while glaring at Yukari with rage as Ahakon watched with surprise.
"It's not fair! I love him more than you could ever possibly dream, I've dreamt of him unlike any other! He's my world, and I'm supposed to just forfeit that to you? The one who nearly kills him with horrible cooking every day? The one who is a constant danger to his health every day? The one who doesn't have a damn clue just how incredible he really is?" Ran shouted out with anger.
"Ran stop, put her down!" Ahakon called out.
"Enough Ran, he's with Yukari, you need to deal with it!" Kurumu shouted out. Ran growled with fury and wound back a fist, with Yukari struggling to pry free from the siren's grip.
"Stop taking my hero away from me!" Ran yelled out with tears in her eyes. Yukari watched with surprise as the siren readied to strike her in the face, followed by a sudden blast of arctic wind that blew out from the doorway behind her. The ground and walls froze over instantly while ice raced up and solidified across Ran's legs, back, and arm that she had geared back. Ran screamed as she let go of Yukari, the witch dropping down and stumbling back as the group stared at the frozen siren with surprise.
"Mizore?" Ruby asked, looking to Mizore. The snow maiden just shook her head.
"That… wasn't me," she said softly. The group looked behind Ran to see Arial walking out, fully healed and looking down with a dull expression. She stopped next to Ran and glanced up to her, with the siren trembling and shivering loudly while looking down to her.
"First you accuse Sun of being a murderer, and then you try to beat up a little girl. And they say I'm being a problem," Arial said flatly.
"S-S-S-Stay… out-t-t of… th-th-this," Ran shivered with frustration.
"She's healed again, how…" Rason started before the group looked to Ceal, the catalyst mage merely glancing away.
"Complica requested her friend be healed, under the agreement that such a service would not be repeated should the snow angel repeat her mistake," he said simply. Complica nodded and smiled up at Ceal gently, holding onto his hand securely as the group looked back to the frozen siren. Arial sighed and waved her hand to the side, causing the frost and ice to instantly recede. Ran dropped to the ground holding her arms around her body, shivering violently as Arial looked down at the siren.
"What is it with you sirens, always thinking you can charm away any man you see?" Arial asked with discontent.
"You're one to talk! You're trying to steal away Dark when he's clearly engaged to Mizore!" Ran barked out at her with frustration.
"I never gave my blessing on the matter," Arial said crossing her arms in discontent.
"I don't need your goddamned blessing you little bitch!" Mizore yelled out with anger. Arial growled then glared over to her.
"Alright already! That's enough!" Moka yelled out. Everybody looked to her as she marched towards Ran and Arial.
"I have had enough! We have far more important matters to deal with right now, and I'm sick of all of these interruptions," she declared loudly.
"You and me both," Ceal added while glancing away. Moka walked up to Arial and stared her down with discontent.
"Get it through your head Arial, open your eyes and see what's in front of you for once. Dark. Loves. Mizore!" she shouted out. Arial opened her mouth to speak before Moka shook her head.
"There are no buts or excuses at all Arial! Dark marked Mizore to be his wife. Dark proposed to Mizore to marry her. Dark loves Mizore, he always has! If you really cared about him in the slightest you would have seen that before ruining the image of his guardian angel by you telling him that you love him like a husband! You scarred him, cut him deeper than anything else ever could have! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Moka shouted out. Arial stared at her with a stunned expression as the vampire looked over to Ran.
"And you! …what the HELL is wrong with you Ran? Never mind the age difference, Ahakon loves Yukari! That trumps any other reason why you can't have him! You know this! We all know this! So what if he's your hero, that doesn't mean you have any right over him at all! He gave you that kiss last night to let you down easy; he wanted to avoid taking away everything from you. He wanted to be kind to you, to keep you as a friend. He doesn't love you; he even shouted it to you pointblank! If you have any shred of a heart, if you truly do care about him, then you will apologize to him and Yukari for your behavior!" she yelled out with anger. Ran stared at her speechless as the vampire turned around and pointed to Sun who had stepped closer to Gin's side opposite of Kokoa.
"And you! Are you just as blind as these two? Gin loves Kokoa, how can you not see that? You had your chance to be with him and you turned him down. You sent him away after he confessed his love to you, you gave him up! You can't just turn around and say differently now and expect him to come running, he's moved on, found somebody who returned those feelings! If you really want to keep him in your life then you will acknowledge Kokoa as his one and only mate, and you will respect them as a couple! You have no idea what Gin went through to be with her, what they both did to stay together! And so help me Sun, if you try to take that away from them then I'll beat you into the ground myself!" she roared, her hair flashing silver while her eyes shifted to red briefly. The group stared at her with stunned expressions, Ceal not so much of course, as she walked back towards the others.
"There is a war looming ahead of us, the human world thinks we're the devils again, we're isolated from our home, Arial and Complica need to be returned to heaven, and Luna is trapped above in that dark world. I can think of so many things we should be talking about rather than arguing about your goddamned obsessions with boys you can't have!" she yelled out, looking around at the three girls in question again.
"She's… kind of scary when she's mad," Complica said quietly while sliding behind Ceal.
"What… was up with her hair and eyes?" Leon asked curiously. Yukari slowly picked up her wand while watching Ran closely, the siren shivering and looking down with worried eyes. Arial continued to stare down Mizore, the two glaring at each other with discontent. Sun backed a step away from Gin as Kokoa marched up between them, the vampire glaring at the siren with a hiss.
"So can we please settle these differences we have once and for all? Can we please put an end to all this fighting and tension, and work together against this bigger crisis? I have a mate waiting for me in the monster world, and I'll be damned if I let him walk out here into a war," Moka declared as she looked around at the group, her expression and stance identical to Inner Moka's.
"I would greatly appreciate it as well if you could all resolve your differences peacefully, before more damage is done to my lovely home," Fang Fang added while walking out of the building towards the group. Moka turned to him then bowed with remorse.
"I'm truly sorry about the way they've behaved, I promise my father will be more than willing to pay for all the damages," she said sincerely. Fang Fang waved his hand with a casual smile.
"I hope so my dear, otherwise my father may be slightly upset with both of us," he said with a nervous chuckle. Moka smiled weakly and nodded then looked back to Arial and Ran with discontent. Fang Fang sighed then glanced to the two girls as well.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you please keep your personal affairs more personal, and refrain from causing another fight within my home?" he asked. Ran looked down with a whimper while Arial looked away with a scoff. Fang Fang looked at them with a dull glance, and then to Ran curiously. As she was looking down a faint glimmer was seen through her glasses.
"Excuse me, what manner of glasses are those?" Fang Fang asked curiously while pointing to them. Ran looked up to him curiously as the group watched her.
"My glasses? They're just used for me to see better, why?" she asked. Fang Fang looked at her carefully then to Ahakon, the young mage just watching them while Yukari remained at his side.
"I see. Could I please look at them?" Fang Fang asked, holding his hand out toward her. Ran looked at him puzzled then slowly handed him her glasses, her eyes squinting slightly as her world turned blurry.
"Fang Fang? What is it?" Yukari asked. Fang Fang examined the glasses then held them up to see through the lenses, looking around slowly with an intrigued smile.
"Tell me my dear, who made these for you?" he asked. Ran blinked and looked at him curiously.
"I've always had to wear glasses, ever since I was little. My parents got them for me a long time ago," she explained. Fang Fang nodded as his gaze rested on Ahakon, noticing something different about the mage through the lenses.
"Tell me, did anyone ever enchant them for any purpose?" he asked knowingly. All eyes fell on Ran as she slowly nodded.
"Well… yes. My old master, the one from the dark world, he had to enchant them so I could see properly from above down to the worlds I was about to be sent into. Until he did my glasses obscured my sight while my sisters could see through the rifts properly," she said with a shrug. Fang Fang nodded and smirked as Ahakon looked at him curiously.
"I see. And Ahakon, tell me, is she the first girl to be smitten with you, besides your girlfriend standing next to you?" he asked. Ahakon looked at him curiously then down in thought.
"Well, no, actually she isn't," he said, and then looked back over to Apoch and Astreal. The witch sisters just watched him then raised an eyebrow each.
"Why are you looking at us?" Apoch asked.
"Um, because, well…" Ahakon said, rubbing the back of his head. Moka glanced to the sisters then nodded.
"Apoch, Astreal, the two witch sisters from our time were in love with Ahakon before they died," she explained. Apoch and Astreal jumped with surprise while everybody looked over to them.
"What? They… we… were?" Astreal asked with disbelief.
"You two were in love with him? Really?" Render asked. Apoch waved her hands in front of her while shaking her head.
"No no no, I was only with Dark, never Mr. Ahakon!" she pleaded. Yukari nodded and looked back to Fang Fang.
"It's true, the Apoch and Astreal from this timeline were in love with Ahakon. They even tried to steal him away from me before they died," she said. Fang Fang nodded slowly then raised an eyebrow with an awkward smile.
"From… this timeline?" he asked.
"Long story, but back to the point here… what's your point here?" Kurumu asked. Fang Fang smiled and pointed to Ahakon.
"You my little friend are the cause of all this," he said. Ahakon looked at him puzzled as did the rest of the group.
"Um… what?" Ahakon asked. Fang Fang chuckled and tilted his head curiously.
"Tell me, when did those two witch sisters fall for you before, was it at first sight?" he asked. Ahakon blinked then shook his head as the group watched him curiously.
"No… it was, well, a little while after that," he said with a shrug.
"He tried to stand up for them when they were being picked on, tried to defend them when they were in danger, and even baked them a cake. After all that they agreed to… well, they both wanted to be his girlfriends together," Yukari explained.
"We what?" Apoch and Astreal cried out. Render and Leon looked at the sisters curiously, the girls then looking to them and franticly shaking their heads.
"It's not true, we swear! We've never been attracted to Mr. Ahakon!" they cried out together.
"How are you both saying everything together like that?" Complica asked puzzled.
"Thank you!" Rason said while waving to her.
"They both wanted to be his… and he said yes?" Ran asked softly while looking to Ahakon. He waved his hands around nervously and shook his head.
"Don't read into that Ran, I made a mistake back then. I broke up with them because it wasn't fair to them having to share me, and… and I wanted to be with Yukari, just with her," he pleaded.
"We wanted to be that little boy's lover?" Apoch asked weakly.
"Together?" Astreal asked while wavering slightly.
"You were both ready to kill Yukari to have him, you nearly did even," Mizore pointed out. Apoch and Astreal looked at her with disbelief then to Ahakon.
"Why would we have done that?" Apoch asked.
"Yes, Mr. Ahakon isn't quite what I would want in a boyfriend…" Astreal said with a slightly disturbed expression. Fang Fang nodded then looked to Ran.
"And you my dear, when did you fall for him?" he asked. Ran looked at him with gentle eyes then back to Ahakon.
"When I saw him fighting Alucard. He was so brave and daring, to stand against such a powerful foe without fear of harm or death. I couldn't take my eyes off of him the entire time I watched from above," she said softly. Ahakon watched her with worry while Ran looked down with longing eyes.
"And then when I was sent to his school, I saw him more and more up close, and even got to be closer to him personally. The more I was around him, the more I couldn't deny my feelings. It wasn't just that he was my hero for standing up to Alucard, he… he was so much more to me, I couldn't control how I felt," she said softly.
"I suppose you couldn't, seeing as how you were charmed," Fang Fang said with a shrug. Everybody looked to him curiously from that.
"What? Charmed?" Ran asked. Fang Fang nodded and waved the glasses in front of him.
"It's true, though I doubt Ahakon had any idea he was ever doing anything at all to entice you girls towards him," he said, then motioned for Moka to come over. The vampire walked over while looking at Ahakon curiously then glanced to Fang Fang.
"What do you mean charmed? I don't know how to use such magic," Ahakon said while shaking his head. Fang Fang glanced to him then to Moka.
"Here, put these on, and look at your friend," he said, handing her the glasses. Moka looked at them carefully then slowly put them on. Looking around everything seemed fine, although slightly blurry from the distortion by the lenses. However as she turned to look at Ahakon she noticed something different.
"Wha… what is that?" she asked. Around Ahakon was a very small purple aura, faintly flowing in small wisps around him. It was nearly invisible, however with the glasses Moka could see something around the boy that couldn't be seen before.
"Moka? What do you see?" Kurumu asked.
"Ahakon, he's… he's exuding some form of aura around him. It's really small, but I can almost see it," Moka said while focusing on the boy. Ahakon examined himself confusedly then looked back to her.
"I am? But I'm not doing anything, honest," he said while shaking his head.
"An aura?" Yukari asked, looking to Ahakon curiously. Fang Fang nodded then walked over to her, taking the glasses from Moka and handing them to the young witch.
"It's really faint, but it appears he's constantly emitting a small aura around him, a charming aura in fact," he explained, with Yukari taking the glasses and looking at Ahakon with wonder.
"I am?" Ahakon asked. Yukari slowly nodded as she looked at the mage, her heart beating faster as she blushed slightly. Even though she loved him to begin with, through the glasses he appeared even more enchanting to her.
"Yeah… you are. Wow, you really are," she said softly, suddenly feeling more drawn to the boy than before.
"But… I don't understand, I don't know how to cast such a spell. How can I be casting it… all the time?" Ahakon asked, looking around confusedly.
"It's just your natural state of being Ahakon. It's very small though, I doubt anybody else ever noticed it. Your aura is so faint nobody would have detected it naturally. Except for…" Fang Fang said knowingly while glancing to Ran.
"Somebody who was watching him for so long, with enchanted glasses," Yukari said, looking over to Ran with wonder.
"Or two girls who are made from magic themselves, and were exposed to multiple acts of heroism and kindness from him," Leon said, looking over to Apoch and Astreal. Kurumu looked back and forth between Ahakon and the witch sisters then jumped a bit.
"That's it, that's why those other two sisters were so head over heels for him. Everything he did for them drew their attention to his charming aura. No wonder they swooned for him so quickly, in their eyes he must have been the most attractive boy in the whole school," she said with the realization.
"I was wondering why he was having so much luck with the ladies. Seriously, he had Apoch and Astreal chasing him after only a day," Gin said with a thoughtful smile. Apoch and Astreal looked at each other curiously then to Ahakon, both wondering if the young mage really did sweep them off their feet in this timeline before. He was cute for a boy, sure, but not to the point where they felt they would try to kill for him.
"Wait, are you saying… the only reason I love Ahakon…" Ran said nervously.
"He charmed you Ran, he had you under his spell from the moment you laid eyes on him," Fang Fang said while crossing his arms in content. Yukari walked over and handed the siren her glasses back, the girl putting them on and looking over to Ahakon with disbelief. She never thought the aura around him was a charming spell, rather she thought it was his monster aura.
"I see. And since Ran already had a little crush on him from all her stories she reads, that only fueled her love for him more," Moka said looking to Ahakon. He still looked around speechless as everybody turned to him.
"No wonder you've always been a little pimp dude, you've been charming all the girls with your magic," Rason said with a laugh.
"Wait, but… I…" Ahakon said unsurely before looking over to Ran. She shook her head, looking down speechless while she thought about what she heard. After a moment she whimpered and looked back to him with heartbroken eyes.
"That's why I feel this way about you? That's why I love you? It's only because… you charmed me? You put a spell over me?" she asked shakily.
"Ran… I… I didn't try to; I mean I never knew…" Ahakon said gently. Ran shook her head and looked down while choking back a sob.
"Everything I've ever felt… was a lie? It wasn't real?" she asked. The group looked at her with worry as she sobbed quietly. She closed her eyes and hung her head low while she whimpered.
"No… that can't be. How could everything I felt be a lie?" she asked with disbelief. Yukari watched her sob quietly then glanced to Ahakon, the boy trying to think of something to say but unable come up with anything. After a moment Yukari sighed quietly then walked over to the siren.
"Not everything was a lie Ran," she said gently. Ran slowly looked up to her and sniffled. Yukari looked at her with a blank expression for a moment then down.
"You idolizing him as your hero, just like you did with your fantasy stories and manga, that was real. How he was your light that you held onto in the darkness, what got you through the nightmare you endured, that was real," she said softly.
"But… I… he…" Ran stuttered worriedly. She shook her head then looked back down with sorrow.
"It's not true, it can't be. I know… I know I love him. I do! I have to, that can't be a lie, it just can't be!" she cried out while shaking her head, holding her hands to her head as she desperately tried to validate her feelings for Ahakon.
"I saw him fighting Alucard, I saw him fighting to save all those people, and I know I felt something for him then! I had to have, he was all that kept me going in the darkness, if it wasn't for him… I don't know what I would have done," she said shakily.
"Face it girl, you were hexed by his magic," Arial said shaking her head. Ran yelled out with frustration and then looked to her with a glare, stumbling back to her feet as she clenched her fists.
"No I wasn't! I don't believe it! I don't want that to be true, I want to love him! I do!" she cried out.
"Why? He doesn't love you," Arial replied coolly. Ran growled with anger and narrowed her eyes at the angel.
"Why do you persist after Dark when clearly he doesn't love you like you want? He loves Mizore you little bitch, yet you still claim that he loves you the most. You're the one that's deceiving yourself!" she yelled out. Arial narrowed her eyes and formed her ice claws as the group watched them worriedly.
"Dark is my demon!" Arial shouted out.
"Ahakon is my hero!" Ran yelled back.
"You're both nuts," Render said shaking his head.
"Shut up!" Arial and Ran yelled out at him together before glaring at each other again.
"Ran has a more valid argument actually," Yukari said looking down thoughtfully. The girls looked to her puzzled as the witch smiled a bit.
"What are you talking about?" Ran asked. Yukari thought about something then looked to the siren.
"It's like you've said from the start, he's your hero. That wasn't something you could be charmed about from watching him just during that battle. He was better than those characters in your stories, just like you always said. He was your idol, somebody you admired. But answer this honestly, were you in love with him then?" she asked knowingly. Ran looked at her curiously then to Ahakon as Arial glanced between the two with annoyance still.
"Well… um, I don't think so… not then anyway," Ran said unsurely.
"You only started to feel that love when you were closer to him, and his aura," Ruby said with a nod, seeing Yukari's point. Ran glanced to her then looked down questioningly. Yukari walked up to her and smiled at her.
"He saved you from that bully in the pool, he saved you from being taken back by your old master, and he stood by your side the entire time we were out here in the human world. Ran, think about it. You've been exposed to his aura for so much longer; you've been so sensitive to it, seeing it whenever you look at him. That's why you feel so strongly about him now. He really is charming you, without even knowing it," she said expectedly. Ran looked at her with wonder then to Ahakon while Arial slowly lowered her fighting stance out of boredom.
"But… I… he…" Ran said worriedly. She shook her head while holding a hand over her mouth.
"No, no no no, that can't be it. I… I do love him… I have to… it's real. It has to be real…" she said sadly. She choked back a sob then looked down with watery eyes.
"Ahakon clouded your real feelings for him. You admired him as a hero, but you took that admiration too far with his charming aura and fell in love with him," Moka reasoned gently. Ran trembled and then looked to Ahakon with watery eyes. Slowly she reached up and took her glasses off, watching the image of Ahakon blur slightly with her naked eyes. After a moment of silence she showed a heartbroken expression, realizing that although she still felt a strong admiration for him, without her glasses on she didn't feel so powerfully drawn to him.
"No… no!" she cried out while dropping to her knees, looking down with despair.
"He loses a bit of his appeal without those glasses, doesn't he?" Kokoa asked gently.
"I'd imagine a lot actually, he doesn't have that much to begin with," Kurumu said with a shrug.
BANG!
The succubus dropped down next to a golden washtub, with Yukari still looking at Ran with sympathetic eyes while holding her wand up.
"Ran?" Yukari asked softly. Ran shook her head then looked to her.
"I… I…" she said softly. Ruby smiled gently and shook her head.
"You were tricked, that's all, the same way the original Apoch and Astreal were when they saw him. His aura was seen by your magically enhanced sight, and along with your strong admiration for him… well, you fell for him like a ton of bricks," she said with a shrug. Ran looked to Ahakon with worried eyes, the mage showing a sympathetic expression.
"I'm… sorry Ran. I had no idea I was doing that. I didn't even know one could emit an aura and not be aware of it," he said with a shrug.
"You and I both kid, but apparently we're just that awesome," Render said, looking up with a cool gaze and a casual shrug. Apoch glanced to him and smirked amusedly while Leon and Astreal glanced to him with dull expressions. Ran slowly stood up and looked to her glasses.
"I can't believe it… I thought that I…" she said softly. Yukari smiled gently at her then looked to Fang Fang.
"Is there any chance you could supply her with a normal pair of glasses, ones that won't cause her to drool over my boyfriend?" she asked curiously. Fang Fang nodded and took Ran's glasses, the siren looking down to Yukari with a squint as the young witch smiled up at her.
"Yes, I'll have my people here prepare a new pair of glasses just for her, ones that won't be enchanted of course," Fang Fang offered generously.
"Yukari… I…" Ran said remorsefully. Yukari shook her head with a sympathetic smile.
"Forget about it, you couldn't help yourself. I can't blame you for that, although I wish I had known about this before, I wouldn't have been so hard on the original Apoch and Astreal. We… could have had a friendlier last day together," Yukari said, looking down with a sad smile. She felt guilty that she and the original sisters had fought the way they did, and that they only managed to come to a truce moments before the sisters met their demise. Ran looked at her worriedly then up with disbelief.
"I can't believe this. I'm a siren, how could I be the one who was charmed by magic? Oh god, Ren and Rin are never going to let me hear the end of this," she whined. The group smirked at her as she groaned and looked down while holding her hands to her face to hide behind.
"Look at the bright side," Gin said with a shrug. Ran peeked to him as he chuckled in amusement.
"Rin will likely forget it every few minutes. You only need to be worried about the teasing from Ren," he said with a laugh. The group laughed a bit at that before Moka walked over to Ran.
"Ran? Are you ok now?" she asked gently. Ran breathed out then looked down with a remorseful gaze.
"I feel like such an idiot," she said quietly. After a pause she looked to Yukari.
"I'm sorry… I… I thought…" she said softly. Yukari nodded then shrugged.
"Love makes you think and do crazy things. Trust me, I know how that goes. I've… made some very bad judgment calls in my past, definitely did not think things through properly," she admitted. Moka glanced to her with an amused smile then back to Ran. Ran looked at Yukari with remorse for a moment then over to Ahakon. The world was blurry to her, but she could mostly make out the appearance of the young mage. She still felt a sense of admiration for him, being drawn to him like she always had been. But without her glasses she felt that pull loosen slightly, seeing in fact that she was being charmed without ever having realized it before.
"I'm sorry Ahakon, I'm so sorry," she said with remorse. He smiled and nodded as he walked up to her.
"I'm sorry Ran, I didn't know what I was really doing to you all that time. I still don't know how I… anyway, don't worry about it. It's not your fault," he said gently.
"Are you three good now?" Moka asked, looking between them. Ran nodded then looked down with a quiet sigh.
"Yes, I just don't know what to think now. I don't know how I really feel about Ahakon, or how I've ever felt, I'm so confused," she said softly.
"No you're not, you know exactly how you feel about him," Yukari said, getting Ran's attention. The young witch smiled and nodded at her.
"He's your hero, just like he's always been. Just like he's always been mine," she said gently. Ran looked at her curiously for a moment then smiled softly. Ahakon looked between them puzzled then shook his head.
"What? But wait, I'm not a real hero still," he said with a shrug.
"Yes you are," Yukari and Ran said, looking over to him with gentle smiles. Ahakon looked at them curiously as the girls giggled a bit, the two then glancing to each other. Ahakon opened his mouth to speak before Ran looked back to him and shook her head.
"Please Ahakon, don't take that away from me. It's all I have left for us," she said softly. Ahakon looked at her with wonder as the siren looked down timidly.
"At the very least, I don't want to let that thought, and that feeling, go," Ran said gently. Ahakon smiled slightly then glanced to Yukari, the witch watching him with a cool smile and her hands at her hips.
"Yukari?" Ahakon asked carefully.
"So, all this time you've been charming other girls," she said with an accusing smile. Ahakon jumped and waved his hands in front of him nervously.
"Wait, I didn't know. I had no idea… um, I never meant to, really," he pleaded.
"Ahakon, I must say I'm surprised at you. So that's why Apoch and Astreal were so infatuated with you before, you hexed both of them," Ruby said amusedly. Apoch and Astreal looked at the young mage with wonder, imagining how the boy had somehow charmed both of them into following him around like love-struck schoolgirls.
"No, I never wanted to do that! Honest, I had no idea I was even doing that from the start!" Ahakon cried out.
"And now you've got poor Yukari under your spell too. You're a witch eater aren't you Ahakon?" Kurumu said in jest with a coy smile. Ahakon stammered something incoherently as the group chuckled amusedly. Yukari giggled then held onto Ahakon's arm, bringing his attention to her as she smiled gently at him.
"Charmed or not, I'm yours now. You'd better charm me and only me from now on," she said softly. Ahakon looked at her with a gentle smile and nodded.
"I promise," he said assuredly. The group smiled at them, glad that they had resolved their conflict. Yukari smiled happily then hugged Ahakon, the boy then gently holding her as well. Ran smiled softly at the couple then looked down. She then reached over and took the glasses back from Fang Fang, looking at them with a blank expression. She sighed then dropped them down, the group watching as she stomped on them and shattered the glasses.
"To think I almost lost my hero because of those things," she said with annoyance. Yukari and Ahakon smiled at the siren, the girl looking down at her destroyed spectacles with a small amount of relief. Moka nodded slowly then glanced to Arial with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, that's one problem dealt with," she said, getting everybody's attention. All eyes then turned to Arial, with Ran squinting to see properly of course. Mizore marched up towards the snow angel with anger.
"Arial. Give me back my ring, now," she demanded. Arial glared at her and shook her head.
"Over my dead soul," she said sternly.
"That can be arranged," Mizore said through bared teeth and narrowed eyes. Complica looked at her friend with worry and shook her head while still holding onto Ceal's hand.
"Don't start another fight Arial, Ceal won't heal you again if you get hurt," she pleaded.
"He shouldn't have healed her to begin with, she's been nothing but a problem since she got here," Kokoa said, crossing her arms with discontent.
"Yeah, she nearly killed Mizore out of jealousy and then she broke Dark's heart," Kurumu said in agreement.
"I never broke Dark's heart! I would never hurt my demon!" Arial yelled out.
"You did worse than just hurt him," Mizore said with anger. Arial looked to her while the snow maiden shook her head with frustration.
"You were his guardian angel; he loved you like a mother!" Mizore yelled out. Arial watched her carefully while the group looked at the snow angel with discontent.
"He looked up to you Arial! He worshiped you like his own mother! He led his entire life in honor of you, to make you proud of him. He changed from a soulless killing machine into a real gentleman, and all for you. You were his guiding light in this world, the one soul he looked up at the sky at night to, praying that he was living up to your wish of him being free," Mizore said before looking down with teary eyes. Arial watched her curiously before Mizore looked back up to her with a glare.
"And you've ruined that for him! You took the most precious and sacred image of his and destroyed it! You've hurt him more than anything else ever could have!" Mizore yelled out with anger. Arial looked at her worriedly then over to the others, all of them shaking their heads slowly.
"You're the furthest thing from his guardian angel Ms. Arial," Apoch said with discontent.
"You should be ashamed of yourself after what you did to him," Astreal said with a scoff. Arial shook her head and opened her mouth to protest before Complica spoke up suddenly.
"Just stop Arial!" she cried out. Everybody looked over to her as she quickly stepped in front of Ceal while watching Arial with worried eyes.
"Just stop already! Stop this please! Ever since I've known you it's been 'Dark is my husband' and 'Dark and I belong together' and 'Dark and I's honeymoon is going to be the greatest', just please listen to us for once! Every time we tried talking to you in heaven you lost your temper, every time your parents tried to reason with you the entire neighborhood was frozen solid, every time you came over to play with me all you ever did was obsess over Dark! He's not your husband Arial, he never was!" she cried out with desperation. Arial opened her mouth to speak before Complica instantly appeared in front of her, a trail of distorted air wavering behind the chronofly from the jump through time. Complica shook Arial by the shoulders out of desperation.
"Just stop this already! Please, for once in your afterlife, take a good look at the world around you! Dark loves Mizore! Dark's always loved Mizore! If you really love your demon at all then for god's sake Arial stop trying to come between him and the girl he loves!" she cried out before hugging Arial tightly, sobbing onto her shoulder while Arial stared ahead with a stunned expression.
"Complica… but, I-" Arial started before Complica hugged her tightly and shook her head while sobbing.
"No more Arial! I'm begging you; please don't let this destroy your soul! You nearly killed the girl he loves, you broke his heart by taking away his angel, you're going to get in trouble with the Almighty and I may never see you again in heaven because you might not be allowed to come back into heaven and I don't want to lose you as friend Arial I care about you I really do!" Complica desperately pleaded. The group watched with sympathetic expressions as Complica cried on Arial's shoulder, with the snow angel looking ahead with worried eyes. After a moment Complica slowly let go and backed up a step, looking at her friend with teary eyes.
"Please, stop this. For me," she begged softly. Arial looked at her for a moment then to Mizore.
"You can't… you can't just expect me to hand over my demon to… to her!" she yelled out with frustration.
"Your demon chose her, doesn't that mean anything?" Complica asked while shaking her head. Arial growled with anger and stomped her feet, causing ice and frozen ridges to spread out on the ground around her.
"No no no no! It's not fair, I love him the most! He's my shadow demon, he's always been mine!" she yelled out while shaking her head.
"The mark over the snow girl's heart says differently," Ceal said while still looking away. The group looked to him as he refrained from making eye contact with anyone. He shrugged and glanced up casually.
"A demon from hell marks those they wish to mate with by imprinting their essence and insignia over their chosen one's heart. She bears the demonic insignia for a shadow demon. If any girl has any claim over him whatsoever, it would be her," he said without a care. Mizore looked back to Arial with discontent, crossing her arms before her while holding in her growl.
"Enough of this Arial. Give Mizore her ring back right now, Dark gave it to her because he loves her," Moka demanded, putting her hands at her hips.
"Never, I will never stand to allow my precious shadow demon to be taken away by some lousy snow maiden who couldn't find a husband of her own!" Arial yelled out at Mizore.
"Like talking to a frozen brick wall," Razico said flatly while shaking his head. Mizore drummed her fingers on her arm for a moment then shook her head.
"This ends here Arial. I'm going to count to three, and then either you're going to give me back what's mine, or I'm going to pry it from your broken fingers after I've beaten you down into a pile of slush," she said sternly. Arial glared at her while her hands formed into ice claws, her hair freezing over as the group watched her carefully.
"Arial, please don't," Complica begged.
"One," Mizore started, lowering her hands to her sides.
"I will not be scared by the likes of you or anyone," Arial hissed with anger.
"Two," Mizore continued, holding her hand at the ready and preparing to form her frozen blade.
"Um, could you possibly have this little argument of yours elsewhere? Like outside of my home?" Fang Fang asked nervously. Arial held up her claws as the group tensed up.
"Thr-" Mizore stated before everybody looked toward the front of the villa, the thunderous sounds of howls and screeches being heard in the distance drawing their attention. The sound echoed out through the air as everybody slowly looked around towards the sound of the disturbance.
"What was that?" Leon asked cautiously. From the nearby doorway two guards ran out in a hurry.
"Master Fang Fang, we have an emergency. There are sightings of two very large demons flying towards us as we speak," one of them reported quickly.
"There are reports of a monster attack in the nearby city; it looks to be a very serious one too. A few of our members witnessed the attack and claimed that two of the flying demons are heading in this direction," the other added.
"A monster attack? In the city?" Fang Fang asked with caution.
"Wait, two of those things are heading this way? Right now?" Moka asked quickly. The guards nodded as the group looked to each other.
"Do you think it's him?" Gin asked.
"Why would he attack a normal human city?" Kokoa questioned. Ceal narrowed his eyes towards the sound of the roars in the distance, and then glanced to Complica.
"Complica, get inside, now," he ordered out. She looked to him curiously as he pointed to the building.
"Take your snow angel friend and get inside, right now," he said sternly. Complica only paused for a fraction of a moment before nodding quickly.
"Right, whatever you say," she said before grabbing Arial's arm and trying to pull her inside.
"Wait, hold on, I'm not going anywhere until I find Dark," Arial whined before Complica yanked her to the side with a stern expression.
"Ceal said to get inside, so you're getting inside right now Arial! That's an order!" she yelled out, with Arial staring at her with surprise. Moka looked to Sun and pointed towards the building.
"You too Sun, those things could be after you again. Get inside and watch over those two, hurry!" she called out. Sun looked back towards the distant roars then ran over to the two young angels.
"Ran, do you think you could free whatever it is he's sent here?" Ruby asked quickly. Ran peered around as she listened closely, hearing the howls of the incoming demons as they drew closer.
"Um, I could try, but… I can't really see too well now, I won't know what song to sing for them or for how long," she said before looking down at her destroyed glasses.
"Oh crap, she needs her glasses and quick," Ahakon said shaking his head. Fang Fang nodded then looked to the two nearby guards, pointing to one of them with a firm expression.
"You, take these two young angels and their friend inside, do not let anything get near any of them," he ordered out, with the guard quickly saluting with a nod. Fang Fang then pointed to the other guard while gently guiding Ran over to him.
"You, take this girl inside and have her fitted with a new pair of glasses as soon as possible, she may be needed here very shortly," he said urgently. The man nodded and took hold of Ran's hand, the siren looking off into the distance again then towards Ahakon.
"I'll be right back, please stay safe," she said before the guard quickly escorted her inside. Sun took hold of Arial and Complica's arms, with the snow angel looking up to her with worry while her claws and frozen hair returned to normal.
"But… but…" Arial said worriedly. Sun shook her head then quickly led her and Complica into the building alongside the other guard. The group then looked back towards the front of the villa as the monstrous roars were getting louder.
"Why would that creep attack a human city and then come way out here?" Yukari asked.
"Maybe he's searching for our silent friend back there, who knows," Leon said with a shrug.
"If that's the case, then we can't let those things found out she's here, otherwise we may bring down his entire army on top of us," Razico cautioned.
"Well guys, looks like we're getting a workout this morning," Render said with an eager grin.
"Let's go, and don't let those things find Sun here!" Moka called out, her rosary glowing brightly as she summoned her strength from within. The group ran off together towards the front of the large estate, hearing the sounds of the airborne demons drawing closer.
From the forest near the villa a car with no top raced out onto the road, its tires squealing loudly as it tried to remain steady. From behind it trees were annihilated as a large winged demon plowed through the woods towards the vehicle with a loud screech, broken trees and clumps of dirt flying about while the monster flapped its large wings to hover close to the ground. Up above a second winged demon flew over the woods while watching the car closely with its red eyes, screeching loudly as it soared in the air. Felucia glanced back to seeing one of the demons low to the ground and closing in, the sight of the monster's large beak opening with a screech while Luna shook around slightly in the backseat, the chronofly still unresponsive to anything going on around her.
"Dammit. C'mon, almost there!" Felucia yelled out as she saw the villa further up ahead. She floored the gas and tried to keep the car steady, her hands gripping the wheel tightly as she got closer towards possible refuge. The winged demon behind her banked up and swooped down towards the car, with Felucia looking back to it with a loud yell.
Inside the compound the group ran out into the large courtyard where their cars were parked from the other night near the front gate, with multiple armed guards running around quickly. Some were quickly taking cover around walls and corners while others were rushing towards the compound's wall.
"Open the gate Fang Fang, we'll take the fight out to them," Moka called out.
Felucia swerved at the last moment, sliding off the road into a wild spin as the winged demon slammed into the ground and crashed through the pavement, careening towards the emblemized gate to the villa. The monster stumbled and skidded on its talons before slamming into the gate, plowing through it as the barrier was torn apart to the sides. The group watched with surprise as the winged demon howled and scampered on its feet, crushing a few guards and trucks before taking off into the air. Dust and debris collapsed near the destroyed gateway as armed guards took aim and fired into the sky after the winged demon.
"Actually, I believe they're bringing the fight to us," Fang Fang said simply.
"What the hell is that thing?" Kokoa cried out.
"A very, very, very big… bird," Render said with a shrug.
"We can take it down, ready angel boy?" Kurumu said as her wings and tail appeared behind her, her nails extending out with a gleam across them.
"You bet," Rason said, quickly taking off his shirt and tossing it aside.
"I'm right behind you," Gabriel said as he took of his shirt and threw it aside, the two angels spreading out their wings. Ruby's raven wings extended out while Astreal summoned her magical wings, the two girls looking up at the airborne demon with focused expressions.
"Count us in," Ruby said firmly. Astreal nodded as a red glow traced along her arm to her palm.
The flyers got ready to take off before they heard an engine revving loudly, the group then looking over towards the dust cloud near the destroyed gate to seeing a car flying through the smoke. Wisps of dust and smoke billowed around it as it raced into the courtyard, two of its wheels then blowing out causing the vehicle to spin with a loud screech across the pavement. It clipped a crevice that had been carved up by the winged demon's rough entrance before it and was thrown into a spin before crashing against one of the group's SUVs. From the destroyed gate another large winged demon tried to follow after the car, its wings crashing into the sides of the torn up gate as it scampered wildly in an effort to rush the downed car. The wall above it collapsed down, slamming down on the demon and taking it to the ground with a loud crash while the nearby walls of the compound collapsed down, kicking up clouds of dust all around.
"And that would be the second one we heard about," Gin said while watching the winged demon screech as it attempted to break free from the piles of debris on top of it.
From the downed car a girl stumbled out of the front seat, shakily getting her footing as she looked back at the winged demon. Her long light green hair flowed behind her as the group looked over to her.
"Who's that?" Render asked.
The winged demon in the air roared out into the sky, with the green haired girl quickly looking up and to the side towards the sound. As she did the group, minus Render, Leon, Ceal, and Fang Fang, stared with wide eyes as they saw her face. Her long hair flowed behind her while Mizore's mouth dropped to the point where her lollipop almost fell out.
"It can't be…" Kurumu said softly.
"Is that…" Moka said with wonder.
"Felucia," Mizore breathed out, her eyes locked onto her comrade with wonder.
The winged demon nearby roared as it clawed closer towards the car, the rubble and debris on its back rumbling and cracking apart as its wings started to budge. Felucia quickly looked back to it then raced to the car as the group stared at her with awe. The doll demon quickly picked up a passenger clad in a blanket from the backseat and stepped away backwards while watching the winged demon screeching at her. She turned and started to run away desperately, stumbling off-balance as she carried somebody in her arms.
"Help! For fuck's sake somebody help me!" she cried out, then halting and staring with surprise at seeing everybody nearby watching her.
"Felucia Sonsta? What on earth are you doing here?" Fang Fang asked while shaking his head.
"Felucia, you're… alive?" Yukari shouted out with surprise.
"Wha-… what the hell are you guys doing here?" Felucia cried out. Kurumu stared in shock from seeing the doll demon again then slowly looked down to the girl she was carrying, and then jumped with surprise while pointing to her.
"Luna!" she screamed out, with the group quickly looking to seeing the chronofly in Felucia's arms. She was clad in a blanket, her wings and arms dangling down at her sides while her head was lying against Felucia's shoulder.
The winged demon leapt out from the rubble with a powerful thrust, its wings spreading out and launching debris and dust to the sides while it roared at Felucia. The doll demon looked back to seeing the large demon flying towards her, its claws outstretched as it screeched at its prey. Felucia screamed and then turned while ducking down, holding Luna tightly in her arms as she braced herself.
"NO!"