KyokoRen Week 2023 Day 3 Prompt: Moonlight
Skip Beat! characters belong to Yoshiki Nakamura.
AU. I had a lot of fun writing this one so I hope you all enjoy the reading as much as I enjoyed the writing!
Slaying by Moonlight
The moon was full and red, painting the world in bloody hues as the slender woman slowly made her way across the frozen blades of Aoyama Cemetery grass, guided by one of the Fair Folk.
She stopped in front of a modest headstone jutting from the ground beneath the skeleton of a large sakura tree. A fresh bouquet of forget-me-nots and white chrysanthemums rested atop the grave.
It was much too early for the living to be mingling with the dead, but Kyoko Mogami had been unable to return to a peaceful slumber after she'd woken from the grip of a nightmare. The memory of the dream had vanished the moment her eyes snapped open, but it was what she had seen as she snuggled back under the covers that kept her awake: a strange—but no less beautiful—fairy, fluttering on iridescent wings a foot above her head. It was less human and much smaller than ones like Corn, but larger still than the kind she had seen the most, the ones that dwelled in the forests or near rivers. Starlight danced in the depths of its black eyes as it peered down at her. Scaled legs and taloned feet matched its large owl-like eyes.
No amount of eye rubbing or water splashing had made the fairy disappear from her sight; the creature had followed her around her apartment, unblinking and seemingly amused by her efforts, but there was also a darker undercurrent that wasn't present with the sweet, kindly fairies she was used to.
"I can be kind, but I am more often clever," it responded to her thoughts in a high, otherworldly voice.
"W-what do you want?" Kyoko asked, not a little unnerved.
"The blood moon is rising. Come. Only you can save him."
Save? "Save who?"
But it hadn't spoken again, except to direct her paths, and she had followed, half in a disbelieving daze, wondering at their destination all the while.
Her breath formed wispy clouds in the chilled air as she gently reached out, tracing the letters of the name embedded on the grave marker. Why had the fairy brought her to this grave of all places? There had been some sorrow at his passing as a few sweet childhood memories had resurfaced. How could there not be? But she'd managed to keep the promise she'd made to herself years back. Tears leaked from her amber eyes, rolling down her cheeks and falling like drops of dew upon the frigid knoll. Kyoko didn't know why she was crying now or why she couldn't stop.
"How am I supposed to save him?" she asked, one hand still resting on the headstone. "He's quite dead." His body had been lying on the little hill for the last two years.
The hatred she once held for him had transformed into something else, eventually settling into a friendly rivalry, but she had continued to view him as something of an asshole playboy. That very nature had sealed his fate in the form of a jealous ex who drove them off a cliff in his Ferrari Icona. It was the moments where he'd broken that character that had made him tolerable. And the fact that she would never have met the one she cherished in her heart if it had not been for him. Tears continued to trickle down and she wiped at them with her sleeve.
The creature alighted on the headstone and smiled at her. In the moonlight, its gleaming needle teeth looked crimson-stained and a shudder coursed through her. She was beginning to believe that lumping all fairies into the same basket was a mistake. A dangerous one.
Its grin widened. "Have no fear, Sighted One." Kyoko thought about asking what it meant by calling her that, but the thought of its teeth kept her silent. "No harm will befall you by my hand, though you would be wise to be cautious of my kind in the future. I am a neutral party, helping to keep the balance. You may call me Leith."
"Nice to meet you Leith-san," Kyoko said, straightening and bowing low.
"Such a polite human–a rarity," Leith said. He moved a hand to caress Kyoko's cheek, wiping the droplets from her face and she stilled under his cold touch, skin tingling where his finger tips traced, where the tendrils of his power met her nerve endings.
The tears stopped their flow and she blinked the last of them away.
"I am pleased that one such as yourself was gifted with the ability to see the Fair Folk––when we allow it." Fae blood flowed through the young woman's veins, an inheritance from the father she never knew, but Leith held his tongue. He was not here to reveal that secret. Not yet.
"Mm," Kyoko hummed in understanding. "A-and balance?"
"Between light," he raised his left hand which suddenly held a brightly glowing orb, "and dark," he finished, flipping his right hand upwards to reveal a shadowy blackness in its palm. It closed both hands, extinguishing the elements.
"You are correct—Shotaro Fuwa is beyond saving, but he is the crux nonetheless. One of the Host, as the dark fae are known, offered him a deal: his soul in exchange for talent and fame."
Kyoko thought he was a fool to accept, but that was just like him. Some big-boobed sexy fairy "lady" had probably jiggled her assets in his face and because he always thought with the other part of his body first, he'd fallen for it. Unfortunately, he hadn't counted on dying not long after. It explained so much. Shotaro had been a naturally talented musician, however he'd become a sensation in what felt like the blink of an eye, dominating the top spots on every chart, appearing on each music-focused TV or talk show. His increase in talent and fame had been so far from natural, she couldn't believe she hadn't questioned it, but she'd been too caught up in despair that he had overwhelmingly surpassed her at the time.
"You were crying because a part of you," Leith continued, interrupting her thoughts, "the same part that allows you to see our kind, can sense what Fuwa will become."
That doesn't sound ominous at all. Nope. "What's he going to become?"
"The Host despises mankind and Fuwa foolishly failed to stipulate the terms of his soul reaping."
Moron. And he had the audacity to call me nupid?
"When the red moon reaches its zenith, part of his soul––the part that harbored ill will towards his fellow humans when he lived––will return to his decaying body and he will rise as an undead being of pure malevolence, driven to feast on the flesh and blood of the ones he hated when he yet possessed breath. Only those like yourself shall be able to see him."
Kyoko paled. "Wh-what?" she gasped, wrapping her arms around herself.
How utterly terrifying. Scenes from Tragic Marker flashed before her eyes––red eyes brimming with madness, skin peeling off a partially decayed body. Monsters like that truly exist? And Sho would become one?
The young woman pinched herself in the arm, the little flare of pain confirming reality.
It's real. She turned away, eyes seeking something to counter the fear and disbelief gripping at her heart, but there was little comfort in the winter graveyard. Her eyes found the flowers and focused on them instead.
Leith watched the woman's internal struggle. Even for one so open-minded this tale would be difficult to take and he was not unsympathetic towards her plight. Of course, he had yet to address the most important information.
"Do you not desire to know who he will target?"
Wait. Who would he attack? Who did Shotaro hate? In her preoccupation with the what and the why, she'd forgotten part of the who.
She turned to look at the fairy.
"Tell me," she said. "Please."
"Your beloved—the one you call Ren Tsuruga."
Of course.
Ringing stabbed at her ears, sharp and staticky, pulsing in time with her elevated heartbeat as the horror she'd felt moments ago was swallowed by rage.
Shotaro! You idiot bastard! Dead and still screwing with her life! To think she'd been crying over his corpse–even if it was due to some magical influence!
Leith watched as a scorching fury lit up her features like a wildfire, burning her shock to ash.
Little wonder many of his kind found humans fascinating. They were so amusing and full of surprises. Of course it was that allure that caused situations like this in the first place, though some fae like to meddle with humanity out of sheer boredom.
Kyoko suddenly stopped fuming and Liath could read the dread on her face.
"Did you say Ren won't even be able to see it coming?"
The fae nodded his head, the bright flecks in his deep black eyes shining solemnly. "Yes. That is why you must save him."
She knew Ren could fight–scarily well actually, but if he couldn't see his opponent…
Molten gold determination churned in her eyes.
"How can I save the man I l–" she struggled over the word before managing to unstick her tongue. "Love?"
"With this," Leith said, holding his arms out from his lithe form, hands palms up.
A massive longsword appeared in a flare of light so bright, Kyoko had to shield her eyes. As the light dimmed she could see its blade and guard were black and smooth like polished obsidian with a golden hilt and pommel. The sword was so beautiful, the woman was afraid she'd sully it with a touch. Of course, it looked like it weighed a ton too so she doubted she could lift it if not for magic.
"Will you hesitate?" Leith asked. He looked like he was sizing her up.
I had wanted to kill a devil.
She flicked her eyes away from the sword to look him full in the face. "No."
Kyoko softly, almost tenderly, touched the sword. Another blinding flash and she was gripping it in her right hand, but in the form of a katana. A white lotus shimmered like flames above the guard.
She spun her wrist, gauging the weight and balance. It was a masterful work of art. And powerful, she could feel the energy throbbing, eager to be put to use.
"You must take the creature's head with that sword," the fairy instructed. "Only then will the dark being be banished."
She swallowed hard. It was one thing to have sword training for showbiz, another to use it to behead some evil monster, but… she hadn't let the Grim Reaper have Ren and she sure as hell wouldn't let some dark fairy monster with Sho's face have him either.
"I will banish the monster."
Leith smiled, carefully this time so as to not show his teeth, pleased he'd chosen well when he'd picked her. Fae blood that gave her Sight and enhanced speed. Sword training, athleticism, and unwavering tenacity. Kyoko Mogami was perfect and the sword he'd bestowed would make her stronger still.
"Very well." He pointed to the night sky. "Soon Shotaro Fuwa will rise. I must leave this place. Dark energies will have granted him enhanced strength and speed and the ability to regenerate." The fairy began ascending into the frigid air.
"Beware the claws and aim to take the head," Leith said and faded into the night like a morning fog.
Claws. She liked how he'd slipped that last bit in before vanishing. Great.
Kyoko pulled off her puffy down jacket and used the sword to cut off the thick sleeves that would get in the way, leaving her with a vest that would still keep warmth at her core. She began warming up like she would for sword training, stretching her arms and legs and moving into various stances to execute light slashes in the air.
Swords were like extensions of yourself and truly this blade felt like a part of her arm–it was so light. Pure perfection. She wondered if they would let her keep it.
Probably not.
As she moved into practice thrusts, the ground began trembling violently and a thunderous roar shook the air. Kyoko stepped back, away from the grave just as two wickedly curved, clawed hands breached their earthen tomb and pulled the rest of what was left of Sho Fuwa from the dirt.
Black vapor clung to the body in an ominous, billowing cloud. Arrogant arctic blue eyes had dulled to a malice-filled sooty black and the remnants of his blonde spikes were ashen tufts. Part of the lips had decayed so that half his teeth were bared like a threatened wild animal. The skin covering the emaciated flesh, where visible, had turned a charcoal shade, nearly as dark as the suit he wore.
"It's more intact than I'd thought it'd be," she said aloud, sprinting forward to engage. She wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing, but she was grateful that none of its insides were showing at least.
The monster turned at the sound of her voice and a chill shot down her spine as their eyes locked.
She sprang into the air, lighter and faster than ever before, the power of the sword coursing through her, and aimed a high slash at its neck. The Sho zombie monster let out a guttural snarl and dodged almost faster than her eyes could follow, coming round behind.
She spun, barely catching the claws attempting to rake her back on the flat of her sword and countered with a kick.
It flew backwards a few feet and skidded to a stop.
Dead eyes regarded her for a heartbeat.
Its head snapped left, to the east.
Towards Ren.
"No!" she cried, launching herself forward.
She brought the katana down in a horizontal cut. It parried the blow with the claws of one hand as the other slashed at her face.
Kyoko rolled beneath them and cut across where his legs should have been, but zombie Sho was as agile as a cheetah–it had already tucked its legs up into its rotting body, leaping away from the deadly blade. It looked back down at her as it soared over and she could swear it was smirking.
Well, it is part of Sho's soul–the asshole part.
The twisted creature landed and took off to the east in a blur of movement.
X-X-X
Ren Tsuruga had just stepped out of the shower and tucked a towel around his waist when the sounds of what could only be his front door literally exploding assaulted his ears.
What the hell?
His apartment complex boasted top of the line security with auto-locks and thick reinforced walls. He'd once joked that it would take a tank to bust through–apparently not.
He sprinted into his adjoining bedroom, vaulted over the bed and jammed his thumb onto the print reader. The lock chimed, light flashing blue. Ren extracted a compact, but clearly lethal, razor-tipped s-curved knife, palming it in his right hand and crept towards the living area, silent as a jaguar stalking prey.
He peeked around the corner and saw…
Shattered shards of his door strewn about the floor and nothing else.
But an intense killing intent permeated the air, so thick he could cut right through it. He breathed it in, letting it saturate his body and deep inside, Kuon stirred to life.
Ren knew something was there, he just couldn't see it. Something had come for him and he wasn't going down without a fight.
A very ungentlemanly grin lit up his face. Whatever it was, he was going to fuck it up.
…Or so he thought until Kyoko appeared through the gaping hole formerly known as his door looking like a vengeful goddess, golden eyes bright and wild, wielding a sleek black sword that looked like it had been carved from the night sky itself, glowing like the moon.
His breath caught in his throat. He'd seen Kyoko with a sword before when she was in character, but she was devastatingly sexy as herself.
Hot damn.
"Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko yelled in warning, but Ren was too preoccupied with the glorious vision that had appeared before him. "Watch out for the Shombie!"
Her yell snapped him back to reality just as a vicious growl came from his left.
"The what?" he called back as he moved to dodge, but he wasn't quite fast enough.
Pain lashed at his arm and he countered instinctually, thrusting the curved steel into his invisible opponent. The knife met resistance and Ren's grin widened, tinged with madness.
Blood oozed from his wound, hot and sticky. He spun away, kicking out in the movement to create some distance.
It was too quick. I'll be quicker then.
Kyoko slipped into the gap and took the next blow on her sword.
"A dark fairy turned Sho into an evil zombie monster that wants to kill you," she said in a voice husky from exertion.
He and Sho had had a hate-hate relationship so the second part of Kyoko's statement didn't come as a surprise, unlike the first.
"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," indeed.
She executed a flawless front flip kick, almost faster than he could track. Something crunched on impact and the monster went flying, slamming into the wall cabinets. It cracked the wood, sending pots and pans crashing to the floor.
Holy shit. Ren picked his jaw up off the floor. Abnormal strength aside, her talent never ceased to amaze him.
As he gawked in his moment of reprieve, he noticed her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily. Slash marks littered her clothing, a few soaked red where she'd been mauled by claws. She'd been battling this thing for a while. Long enough to give it a nickname.
"Only my sword can damage it because the Shombie's been enhanced with dark magic and to kill it, I have to cut off its head."
Damnit, no wonder my knife had no effect.
Kyoko blocked low and twisted, slicing across the monster's body. It roared and struck back. She parried one set of claws, but as she ducked, it caught her shoulder and she cried out. Blood welled, dyeing her left arm bright red.
Dead and still a bastard.
It was wearing her down. Fuck.
"Kyoko!" he called. She stumbled a moment, but turned the movement into a roll, coming up swinging. The sounds of metal clashing against something sharp and solid filled the air. He needed to do something. Now. "Lure it towards the sink!"
He angled himself, keeping them opposite as he rummaged through his cupboard. Hopping over the counter he unleashed the hose, spraying until the water bounced off nothingness.
She glanced back out of the corner of her eye.
"Now!"
Kyoko back flipped, landing in a crouch, sword up and Ren tossed up the bag of flour. He thrust his palm forward and the bag shot out towards the creature, bursting on impact.
Now. Now Ren could see its outline.
Zombie Sho snarled and wiped the paste from its face as it stalked forward. Towards its prey.
Ren grabbed a serrated knife from the wooden block.
"Together! Low."
"High," Kyoko answered back. She had to go for the head, after all.
"Knees, then head."
She nodded. "Got it!"
They moved in tandem and for the first time Ren sensed hesitation in the monster's body language.
Good.
"Yeah Shotaro," Ren taunted. "You arrogant little prick. You're still no match for me."
It roared and lunged.
Parry, parry, dodge and–
"Kick!"
They both stuck the legs, popping the knees backwards. It dropped low, slashing wildly as it fell. A claw punctured Ren's thigh. He gritted his teeth and staggered, falling to his knees. The other claw swung towards the actor's head and–
Stopped.
The Shombie's head rolled across the floor.
Ren breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes for a second, savoring the fact that he was still alive. He turned towards Kyoko and grinned.
She grinned back and stumbled to where he rested, dropping to her knees beside him. He knee-walked closer, wincing with the movement.
"Kyoko, are you all right?" He brushed her hair aside and gazed into her face, fervently wishing for a time when he could lose himself in the golden pools of her eyes every second of every hour of every day for the rest of his life.
She blushed hard and turned away before he could see what her name upon his lips was doing to her face. "Tsuruga-san, please don't speak so informally." He'd nearly caused her demise earlier.
He sighed. "Mogami-san," he tried again. "Are you okay?"
She looked back up into his face and her brow furrowed. "Yes…but why are your eyes green?"
Shit.
And in that moment his no-longer-so-carefully wrapped towel decided to reveal another large secret.
Thanks for reading!