They both turned to face the voice. Fear was starting to creep into her, as was anticipation. She wasn't really prepared to see what she saw. A petite, dark-skinned girl with the brightest red hair she had ever seen on anyone. She seemed so small and wraithe like that she was afraid that a harsh breeze would carry her off.
"Lizzie, you... you... you are still alive? Where did you disappear to? What happened? What... no... I see," the words fell from Tekeshi's tongue as he noticed a symbol on her collar.
"Usually a little more confident than this. What's wrong, you act like I am more of a ghost than I am. How long did you wait before finding this airhead to take up with," malice dripped from the girl, "Lizzie", like water from a soaked animal.
"She isn't my girlfriend, closer to a sister than anything. Do you understand just who you have taken up with? What they stand for? What they want," The voice that Utsuki heard from Tekeshi was unfamiliar, almost dead sounding.
"Fairy Tale, I understand perfectly. They want to place humans in their proper place, below us Monsters, They want to restore a proper order to things, and keep what happened to me and my mother from happening again. However unlike that brain damaged fox, I want to give you a chance to come back to my side. I have missed you these last few years, you have always had a place in my heart. And I know how you feel about that silly little gang you ran, I can make sure that they have a place at your feet, just like they like."
Tekeshi glanced around and noticed that almost all of the patrons of the shop they were in had left, and the ones remaining were all yokai. Stretching out his awareness he counted around a hundred in the area. None were a threat to him individually, most were even weaker than he had faced just a few days ago. The problem came from numbers, and him having to protect Utsuki.
"I am guessing you weren't too sure of your success if you had to bring a company with you to try to get me onboard. He is dead you know. My Uncle made sure that he went to prison, and had a run in with some people who weren't too happy too find out about what he did," Tekeshi said, still with the same dead tone in his voice.
"Ah, the voice of the famous Hammer of Phoenix. So easy to slip into what you are, isn't it? I already know that Fairy Tale took care of him. Lord Kiria brought me his arm as proof, so try your lies somewhere else. Besides, I already learned what humans truly are. The only good one that was ever in my life was my birth father, and even he left when he found out what me and my mother were. How about this exchange then. Join me and I will keep my voice down so she doesn't come to pass from this mortal coil."
Utsuki didn't speak english well enough to understand everything that was being said right then, but she saw the burst of fear enter Tekeshi's eyes as the girl finished speaking, "What's wrong? Tekeshi, I don't know why, but I am really afraid of her. What is going on, and who is she?"
"'Suki, I am going to do something that is going to disorient you severely. I need you to do something for me. Tell my parents what is happening here. Right now I need to get you away in case she screams. I'll explain why later. Right now, just close your eyes, and breath," he replied calmly, never taking his eyes off the girl before them.
"Ok. I trust you, and I am ready."
As she closed her eyes she heard the snap of Tekeshi's fingers, and everything felt, purple? She didn't understand how she was feeling a color, or why, but that was the only way that she could describe it. Maybe it was easier to say that she wasn't truly aware of what was, even the concept of what. Then she opened her eyes to find herself in a small room that had a desk, a couple of chairs, and a gigantic version of a magic circle like she had seen Tekeshi produce engraved into the floor.
"You obviously care enough about her to get her out of harm's way. Even you can't fight this many enemies, I know how weak you are. You are an embarrassment to the entirety of the vampire race. That's why your parents shipped you off to America, so they didn't have to look at your pathetic face. Anyway, I gave you your chance. Goodbye Teki, even with this I do still love you, and will until the day I die. Men, eliminate him," A quivering note hit her voice at the end as she turned to leave.
Tekeshi called out before she could leave, "I had hoped you were still alive. You are the first girl that I ever loved, and at one point I thought the only one I ever would. My father told me the truth of who the people leading Fairy Tale are. They will use you and discard you if you ever lose your value to them. I am done with you, but I hope you have the sense to get away from them and find a new path."
She turned back, "You are done with me? Maybe you aren't really as smart as they keep telling you that you are. Look around you, I have over a hundred soldiers here ready to fall on your head. Teki, you won't last long enough for your parents to get here, just accept it. And don't try to change my mind, I made my decision years ago, and you weren't there to help me make it," and with that she left.
Tekeshi took a deep breath as he unwrapped Jakkasu and drew him from his sheath. The question wasn't if he could outlast them, he knew he couldn't. The question was if he was still going to be alive by the time someone could arrive to save him. He slipped the ring from his finger and steeled himself for the fight.
The first charged, a Minotaur, and was struck down by a quick slash. Some kind of ram creature was next, and met the same fate. Endurance was going to be the main problem, and if they ganged up then that was out the window as a concern. Though if they did he could use his advantage in his unique techniques of the Dimensional Sword to deal with many of them at the same time, but that would still use up a large amount of energy.
Time was against him, and if he couldn't win, then he at least shouldn't embarrass himself. He gave in to his vampiric nature. Instead of defense he chose offense. His blade left trails of blood in the air with the speed of his blows. He would come around and lop limbs and heads, and did his best to dodge bullets that began flying at him. He was now in a war zone, and that was a natural place for a vampire.
He did start to take hits though. Even if he didn't notice initially he quickly started to slow, his body not able to take the strain of moving faster than one could see long term. Bullets tore through his body, knives and swords slashed and stabbed, and clubs and fist crashed against him. Even as fast as he naturally healed, and the extra burst of power available without his limiter doing its best to keep ahead of the damage, they weren't enough.
Pain started to wrack his body before he had even been able to deal with forty of the assailants. Major organs were damaged and starting to fail him. Muscles built up excessive amounts of lactic acid, stiffening and exhausting, and his vision blurred. His limits were very fast approaching, and he really had doubts about him seeing another day.
'Not like this. Even if this is an honorably death, I'm not ready. I have too much that I have to do before I am ready to die. I have to see Fairy Tale to an end for warping her. I. CAN"T. DIE. HERE.'
He started to feel something well up inside him. Almost like a maelstrom of darkness and hatred. His remaining vision started to tinge red as he felt his healing start to outdo the damage being dealt to his body. He was getting his second wind, but a sudden oppressive energy damped it and brought him to his knees.
He looked up to see an axe held by an orc start to fall, as the center of it's chest disappeared. An arm with a heavy fist withdrew and the body fell revealing one of the most frightening things he had ever seen. His father at his most powerful.
Tsukune truly warranted the title of the most powerful living being. There were none who were willing to face this monster, something beyond even a vampire. He had fallen to a ghoul, and that had never left being a part of him. There before his son he stood a black skinned demon. Long platinum hair framed a pair of deep crimson eyes that radiated a hatred for all that opposed him. Muscle and sinew rippled enlarged and bulging against the skin that dared to contain it. He was death, he was a god among all living.
The rest of Fairy Tales forces gathered, unaware that numbers would not help them. Several on the edge of their huddle had their heads fall from their shoulders. Standing on one leg, the other held out sporting a high heel dripping blood stood his mother. Her appearance was the exact opposite of her husband. Her skin was pale and bright, her eyes shown a warm vermilion, and silver hair flowed around her shoulders. One did not fear her, only held her in awe at the pure beauty. She was a protector of innocent life, an angel. The perfect companion to the god of death.
The pair stepped between their fallen child and the enemy. This was not simply a rescue mission for the younger vampire now, this was a prelude to utter slaughter of all that remained to threaten him. Despite their tendency to pacifism, they were vampires, and they were natural killers matched by very few.
"Attempts to flee, will be useless. All of you will die now, and we will not claim that it isn't personal, that it is simply a matter of war. You have harmed our child, and you will die for that. Then we will slaughter your commanders, and end the very organization that you represent. I hope that you have made your peace with your gods," the words spoken by Aono Moka at that moment showed that their sins would be punished.
Seconds were all it took for the last to die. Even Tekeshi, born with a natural tolerance to blood, could not watch. Shinso vampires of their stature were nothing like their regular kin. Even he was thankful that so few were remaining in the world. He could not imagine how devastating the fights between them could grow when only a stronger Shinso would be able to stop them.
Power began to drain from the area as the two adults withdrew their power within themselves. The visages that he was more familiar with returned and he realized that he had barely been breathing during the event. He could feel that the worst of the damage to his body had largely healed past where he was in danger of death, but he was still extremely weak from blood loss.
"Tekeshi, please say something. Are you healing, can you understand everything I am saying ok? Please say something," the sheer fear in his mother's voice hardly matched the sheer barbarity of her actions moments earlier.
"I'm, healing. Not as fast as I usually would, but I am healing. Is 'Suki ok? Nothing bad happened when I transported her did it," he was honestly more afraid for the young witch than himself.
His father helped him to his feet and gathered him into a hug, "She is safe. I am so glad you are alive. You can not understand how proud I am of you for standing as strong and long as you did. No matter what others have said, you are more of a credit to the vampire race than even I am. Let's go home and let you rest, Little Samurai."
"Little Samurai, you haven't called me that since I was four. It's, good to hear it again," and with those words darkness claimed Tekeshi.
Surprisingly to everyone, Deeseedra was the most worried about Tekeshi. Though they both would have denied it, they actually got along better than it seemed. Though it wasn't uncommon throughout history for those who had fought against others, doing their best to kill each, to become fast friends in the aftermath of their conflict.
"I don't believe it. He was able to stand up to me and got more powerful and a sword. He faces a legion of pipsqueaks and Delicious Bloodsucker nearly dies. How does that make any sense, especially since I have fought beside him. I have watched him kill. I don't understand this, especially how well you are taking this Lovely Mistress."
Utsuki looked up from a magazine she was flipping through, "He has actually been overdue to spend sometime down from being injured. He gets his ass royally and mutually kicked quite often. Spend more time around Yokai Academy and you will start to understand. I am not sure that even being at ground zero of a nuclear blast would take him out for good."
"He is tough. Back in Phoenix he is actually quite well known for being able to outfight entire gangs by himself. Of course those were all humans, so maybe it doesn't count in that regard. I wouldn't worry too much, though maybe going in and rubbing your boobs on his face would help him feel better faster," Machiko replied from the chair she was draped across.
The adults walked in at that moment, the younger witch's mother in the lead, "For the love of god Machiko. Me and your father are going to have a major discussion about this. Please tell me I was not that bad at her age, Moka, please tell me I wasn't."
Three vampires giggled a little at the plea, "It wasn't by much. The only thing missing was the groping and lack of care for personal space. She is definitely your daughter. With luck she grows out of it before the criminal justice system has to get involved."
Tsukune gained control of himself and changed the subject, "Yukari, who is this Lizzie girl that he was mumbling about?"
"You don't remember? Lizzie was his girlfriend about four or five years ago, before she disappeared. Didn't we tell you the entire story on that?"
"No, you did not. Though I am starting to recall the name a little. She was half yokai wasn't she?"
Yukari shook her head, "She was a banshee, they breed true. They do take more from the human parent than say a Yuki-onna, but a banshee will always birth a banshee. Thank god she didn't start wailing before Tekeshi could get Utsuki out of there. Anyways, like I said, she was Tekeshi's girlfriend. Just before she disappeared her stepfather murdered her mother, and nearly beat her to death after finding out that they weren't human. It devastated Tekeshi, he withdrew even from the Mongrels for months afterward. It was worse since it was Tekeshi and Fang-Fang who found them before she could die. Fang-Fang nearly beat the man to death himself in pure rage. Lizzie was taken to my ward at Banner Estrella, and from there she just vanished. Fang-Fang pulled some strings and made sure her stepfather went to prison and ran afoul of some Triad members. I was afraid of him for a while after that, but I got over it. Tekeshi also changed around that time."
Kokoa raised an eyebrow, "Changed, how so?"
"He kind of developed a parallel personality. Have you heard about the high profile absence of the gang MS13 around the Phoenix area? If not let me explain. We gave Tekeshi way more freedom that we should have. It was somewhat awkward to suddenly be raising an eight year old when our own daughter was still an infant. We didn't know what we were doing and, well we know the Mongrels, he started to become more vampiric. Around a year after Lizzie's disappearance a young boy that Tekeshi knew in our neighborhood was accidentally killed in a gang shooting involving MS13 members. It was senseless and it pushed Tekeshi into becoming what you expect of a vampire, in that he manipulated the rest of his friends into helping him kidnap and torture the local gang leader. I was scrying on Heavy worried about Tekeshi, and what I saw drove home what he was. Heavy, Black, and Akoni held the man in a chair while Tekeshi crushed his legs with a ten pound sledgehammer."
Tsukune's face showed a picture of pure shock, "He did what? Did he not understand what he was doing? Even if a bunch of human gang members didn't pose too much danger to him, what about his friends. Why didn't you say anything to us?"
"Tsukune, just wait a second," Akua stepped over and put her hand on her brother-in-law's arm, "Don't go off the deep end right now. How he acted is very in line with how vampire nobility is expected to act. He felt that area was his, and he acted as he felt he needed to to defend it. It is what comes natural to us. I take it he didn't kill him?"
The witch shook her head, "No, he didn't. From what I could gather he wanted him to understand that he was powerless, and the man would either pull everyone of his guys out of Phoenix, or all of them, and their families, would die to the youngest child, or furthest relative. Not long after the name Hammer of Phoenix started working through the underworld. Phoenix was never the most dangerous place, but it became much safer afterward."
Utsuki piped in, "Wait, that is normal behavior for a vampire? Why is it every time that I think that I am becoming more comfortable with everything, something else has to come along that causes more anxiety?"
Kokoa sat down next to her, "Vampires are territorial. The House of Shuzen controls all of Japan, and large areas of continental Asia. No other vampire family or group operates in these areas without our permission, unless they want to go to war with us. It has only happened once in my lifetime, and that was after Tsukune took over the family. He by himself crushed the enemy, as was expected to show that he was truly the head of our clan. The sheer violence we are capable of rivals entire human armies. Don't look down on him or fear him for those actions, you are one of us now, human or witch, and Tekeshi will stand and slaughter any who threaten you. And most likely get his ass kicked looking at his recent track record."
Tsukune leaned back against a wall, "Ok, maybe I was using my human brain right then instead of the vampire. It is still shocking to me though. Did he ever talk to you about it?"
"I don't think he is even aware that I know about it, and I am too afraid to bring it up with him. I know he would never harm any of us, but I don't want to ruin my relationship with him. That would hurt me more that any physical harm he could inflict. Machiko, did any of the Mongrels ever say anything to you about it," Yukari turned to her daughter.
"No, this is the first I've ever heard of it, Mom. It might explain why they would show up with injuries so often. I know they aren't good people, but I never thought that they would do stuff like that. I thought it was like petty school stuff," The young girl pulled herself into a proper seated position, shock written on her face.
Moka was disturbed by the reveal, "He only targeted violent gangs?"
"Violent ones, drug dealers, and I have a suspicion that I can't confirm that he helped break up a human trafficking gang that kidnapped a couple of his classmates. He protects those he views as under his protection. I think that being away from all of that has been good for him. It's let him be more like a teenager, rather than a pseudo ruler," Yukari replied.
"You are disturbed," Issa asked his son-in-law after the story was relayed to him.
"Having been human? Yes. It is one of those things that just doesn't compute. I don't understand how just losing a person you had only known a year or two could turn someone into that. It just doesn't make sense no matter how much I consider it," Tsukune replied his forehead resting on folded hands.
"I myself find it strange that humans, with such a short life, don't develop strong relationships so quickly. In my much younger days, I was much like the Moka you remember from your earliest days at Yokai Academy. I formed powerful relationships with many different races, including humans. I could accept natural deaths fairly easily, but many died in the name of vengeance at my hands. If I view someone as one of mine, no matter how much disdain I held for them, if they were mine, I would kill nations to protect them. Tekeshi, you should be proud of how far he was willing to go to protect humans, even if only in one city."
Leaning back Tsukune looked at the older vampire, "That part I can appreciate, it's just his methods. He crippled a man to send a message. You see that as being justifiable?"
Issa thought for a second before he answered, "Yes, I do. A corpse will only send a message for as long as it is on display. A mangled enemy, the message will last until their corpse is buried. That man has who knows how much life left to him where he can relay the story, decades most likely. This is an area I should have instructed you in. I apologize for my failure there, and I plan to rectify it as I have the time. Just remember this for now, a broken man babbling about demons reaches much farther than a disemboweled corpse."
A/N: I appreciate reviews. I can often find a direction to go in reading them, and understanding what my audience likes. I know that not everyone cared much for the campy intro to things that the first four or five chapters were, and I did that kind of in homage to the anime. Personally I am trying to follow more the base progression that was seen in the manga, and come to a very serious climax, while not forgetting the throwaway gags, and fanservice. Also remember, cause I know that I may catch flack for points of this chapter, the full extent of what vampires are capable of is left rather vague.