There's something I've noticed in my time here at Yokai Academy, there's only one continuous season here. This school is hidden behind a magical barrier, the sky is always filled with thick clouds, and the air is never really hot or cold. Even the weather is cut off from the human world. It's not that bad, but what I would give to see some rain or snow again.
"Elijah?" My attention is brought back to the club as Moka speaks to me. "Are you alright? You seem a little out of it, like Tsukune."
I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the peculiar weather around Yokai Academy."
"Yeah, me too," Tsukune adds. "Guess we just lock track of reality for a minute."
"Well, we have to hurry guys. It's only two days until our paper prints. I know it's hard since yesterday was your birthday, Tsukune, and you got turned to stone, Elijah."
I shudder at the thought. Well, more so that the devil woman's laugh is still stuck in my head. At least she was fired and kicked out of Yokai Academy. "I still can't feel my toes on my left foot."
"That's normal!" Yukari shouts from across the room.
"Is it?" Either way, we need to get the story about our ex Medusa art teacher in print. Speed is the lifeblood of a newspaper. All my music and movie sessions feel like they're from another lifetime. I'm a journalist now. My reporter wheels are turning at full speed.
"Rrrrg! This is killing me!" Kurumu says cutely as she stretches. "Being cooped up inside all weekend!"
"So true," Yukari agrees, using my laptop to type up the newspaper. "I feel like a manga artist in the shadow of a perpetual deadline. But without assistants!"
"Or a discord moderator getting rid of all the rude comments," I add.
The girls look at me in confusion while Tsukune barely holds back his laugh. "What's discor-"
"Quit complaining!" Ginei yells at us. "Newspapers live and die by deadlines! Our front-page story happened Thursday, the day before yesterday! If we don't have it in print by the beginning of next week, we can hardly call it 'news'!" Save your bitching for after we've put the paper to bed."
"Big talk for our club president as he just sits there and sips on his coffee." I retort.
"Yeah!" Moka says. "Don't just sit there, help us!"
"Well," Kurumu diverts the argument by wrapping her arm around Tsukune. "I don't care what I'm doing... As long as I'm here with you..."
"Kurumu!" Moka shouts as she sees Kurumu's display of affection. Honestly, it is annoying at times, but at least her attempts of wooing Tsukune have toned down a lot since we first met her. Now she's being casual, but still making her intentions well aware. But I can't help but feel... wait...why am I jeal-
"You may have made Tsukune a wonderful drawing, Moka, but nothing beats winning a boy's heart than homemade cooking!"
"I hate to agree with her, Moka," I add. "Her cookies were awesome."
"Ha! See?!"
Moka pouts at me. "No one asked your opinion, Elijah!"
"Well, she did say 'boys', and that's what I am." The vampire grumbles in frustration at my logic, making me chuckle as I get back to my work. I swear if I have to write for another two hours, I think my fingers are gonna fall off. I wonder if I have any more healing cards.
"Hello, everyone!" The club is greeted by Ms. Nekonome, carrying a few plastic bags. "Everyone hard at work? I brought snacks!" None of us respond because we're too focused or exhausted to even address our Neko teacher. "Ah, I guess I really don't have to ask."
"You read our minds, ma'am," I say.
"Well," She lifts the plastic bags in her hands. "have a snack. It'll lift your spirits!"
Yukari and Tsukune take the bags. Inside...are fish. This wouldn't be bad of a snack...if they were cooked...and not alive. "Ms. Nekonome...these fish are..."
"You don't like sashimi?" She innocently asks, like when your pet cat brings in a dead animal as a present.
"But it's alive!" Yukari shouts.
"I can always cook it," I say. "I just need some time to skin it, a stove, some soy sauce, a little bit of garlic, and boom."
Moka, Yukari, and Tsukune look at me in surprise as Ms. Nekonome talks with Kurumu. "You can cook, Elijah?" Moka asks me.
"Yep. My dad taught me as I was in junior high. Figured he had to since I would be living on my own at Yokai Academy and he didn't like the idea of me having instant meals for the entirety of school."
Tsukune chuckles. "Yeah, having ramen almost every day can get old really quick."
"So what else can you cook?" Yukari asks curiously.
"Not much else. I make a mean omurice, classic spaghetti with marinara, sometimes onigiri. Ooh! I want to learn how to make curry sometime, too. Yokai Academy has cooking classes, right?"
"Mhm!" Moka answers with a smile. "But those won't be for a while."
"Ah. Gotcha." As the others keep continuing the conversation, I notice Kurumu bending over a box filled with tools for the newspaper club. Remembering my promise to myself, I stand and walk over to her, feeling more happy as I take each step. "Hey, Kuru?"
"Huh?!" She looks at me, almost in a panic. "Oh, h-hi, Elijah! What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanna-"
"Oh, no, sorry! I just remembered something I have to do today! See you guys later!" Kurumu starts to leave in a hurry, waving to the club goodbye and leaving us confused...and me a little upset.
"But, Kuru-"
"You'll be fine! I believe in you!" She shouts from the hall, her voice getting more distant.
"..." What was that all about? And why did she sound...worried? I turn to the others, looking just as confused as I am, even Moka. "Do you guys know what that was about?" They shake their heads, silently answering me. Well, whatever it is, I just hope she's okay...and that she'll come back. No, stop thinking like that, Elijah.
Kurumu
"Oh, Kurumu..." Ms. Nekonome hands the young Succubus a sealed envelope. "This is addressed to you, I saw it by the door."
"An envelope?" Kurumu takes the letter. On the back, it says, 'To my beloved Kurumu, from Nagare'. Kurumu is used to receiving 'love' letters almost on a daily basis from random guys around Yokai Academy, and she expected this one to be just the same as the rest. Normally, she would just throw them away or just ignore them entirely...but what was inside this one, she couldn't simply just ignore. This...was no love letter. Inside the envelope...are pictures. Not just any ordinary pictures, each one viewed Kurumu in a very vulgar manner. Specifically showing the underneath of her skirt, when she was changing during P.E., and one where she's sleeping in her dorm room.
Other than the disturbing pictures, there was also a handwritten note, saying, "Kurumu, my beloved. Unless you want these photos spread all over Yokai Academy, come alone to the "Monster Tree" at 4:30. I'll see you soon, my love. Nagare." This was clearly blackmail, but what could Kurumu do? She couldn't just let these kinds of photos be seen by everyone. Sure, she like flaunting her gorgeous body, but this is just sick. She definitely doesn't want Tsukune or Elijah to see these. Wait...why was she thinking-
"Hey, Kuru?"
"Huh?!" Kurumu turns around in a panic, feeling relieved but also terrified to see her friend. "Oh, h-hi, Elijah! What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanna-"
"Oh, no, sorry! I just remembered something I have to do today! See you guys later!"
"...But, Kuru-"
The succubus already feels guilty about leaving, but even more so that she has barely seen Elijah all week. She...misses him. "You'll be fine! I believe in you!"
The Monster Tree of Yokai Academy. To most, it's just a creepy-looking tree surrounded by lonely gravestones. But to some, most believe the tree to be a living creature just waiting for its next poor victim to claim. Some even believe it's older than the Academy itself with how worn out and sickly its branches have become. Kurumu hadn't seen much of this tree, but she knew for a fact she thought it was creepy...a perfect place for the stranger who sent her that envelope.
"H-Hello?" She calls out, hoping that she could get this over with as soon as possible.
"Ah..." A voice comes from above, spooking the young succubus. When she looks up, she sees a boy...a sweaty, sticky-looking boy. His hair is a medium length, kept in a messy way. And to make it worse for Kurumu, he...stinks. She can practically smell him from on the ground. "I'm so pleased my letter found you. I've been waiting a long time, Kurumu..."
"Who are you?!" She demands, still feeling embarrassed about the gross pictures. "And how did you get those pictures of me?!" Kurumu reached for the envelope...but she was in such a hurry that she left it in the toolbox.
"Cute shots, weren't they?" The boy says as he hops off the tree and lands on the ground. "They're my favorites..." He breathes and wheezes heavily, looking up at the young succubus with a sly smile. "I'm Nagare Kano. Don't you remember me?"
"..." Wait...did I meet this guy when we started school?
Kurumu remembers vaguely the same boy asking for a quick photo of her, calling her the 'best-looking girl in Yokai Academy.' He also claimed she was prettier than Moka Akashiya...well, he just liked that she had a bigger chest size. Kurumu was so pleased that she even 'promised' to go out with the boy if he took nice pictures of her...too bad that she completely forgot. Or maybe...it was a good thing. No, definitely a good thing.
"I'm sure you remember."
"..." Not much... Of course, guys are always after me. And I can be a bit competitive when it comes to Moka.
"I've been waiting ever since..." Nagare starts sweating like a pig, creeping out Kurumu even more. "Seems like forever... And now, you're going to keep your promise, Kurumu! If you don't...those pictures are gonna get scattered all over Yokai Academy!"
"..." Looks like Kurumu doesn't have much of a choice...for now.
Elijah
"..." I internally sigh, this blows. Kurumu has been gone for almost an hour now and I'm starting to get worried. She's never this...distant, especially when it comes to being around Tsukune. I wonder if she's in some sort of trouble...no, I can't be worrying so much. She's fine, she has to be.
"...Kurumu hasn't come back," Tsukune says with a frown.
"Deadline ditchers are the scum of the earth." Yukari says with a big smile on her face.
"Man, for an eleven-year-old, she's really harsh..."
"Hey, you guys?" Moka addresses the three of us. "How committed do you think Kurumu is to the club, really?"
"What are you talking about?" I say.
"I mean, she only joined after Tsukune agreed, right? So does she...really consider us friends?"
"Moka..." Tsukune says in a disappointing tone.
"I mean, that would explain her taking off right when we really needed-"
SLAM!
The entire club, including Gin and Ms. Nekonome, were taken aback when I slammed my hand on the desk in irritation. "She's not like that, Moka."
"How do you know-"
"She saved my life!" I calm myself down before I lose my temper, taking deep breaths. "...Sorry. I'm sure Kurumu has her reasons to leave. I just think she just couldn't tell us. I don't know why, but I know it has to be for a good reason. She'll come back...I know she will."
"He's right, Moka," Tsukune supports me. "Besides, you two have been getting along better than ever. Just think of how she couldn't stand you when she first met you, now she...well, I'm not sure what she thinks of you. But I know she doesn't hate you."
"...Okay." Moka sighs, reluctantly agreeing. "I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. But she better come back soon."
"I know she will," I add. "...I hope."
Kurumu
Ugh. This is so humiliating. "Why do I have to wear these gym clothes on our 'date'?" Kurumu asks in annoyance as her 'date' pants and wheezes, happily holding his camera. It doesn't help that this boy is absolutely unattractive, and the fact that he's forcing her to wear a white t-shirt and shorts that completely violate the school dress code.
"This is what's called 'pin-up photography.' Mmm." He grossly squirms. "Those shirts look so great on you, Kurumu!" Nagare takes multiple pictures with his camera, smiling creepily. "That's it! Perfect! Turn this way!"
"I didn't agree to this!" Kurumu angrily shouts, trying to cover her exposed legs. "Put that camera down!"
"Tsk tsk..." The sweaty boy gets up un Kurumu's face. "You better watch what you say. I have a special talent that lets me learn a girl's secrets. I know a lot of your secrets, Kurumu."
"...What?"
"Maybe I should tell those secrets of yours to your precious Tsukune...or perhaps that other boy, what's his name...Elijah?"
The succubus softly gasps. "Y-Y-You know about them?!" Kurumu looks at Nagare, pleading with her eyes. "Don't...not them...they can't-"
"Then put on this costume!" Kurumu's creepy 'date' whips out a maid costume for her to put on...and she has no choice but to abide by his demands.
This is bad... This creep's getting carried away. Maybe I can use my Succubus magic to force him to obey me and... No. I can't. Ever since I met Elijah...and Tsukune, I just can't force myself to do such awful things anymore. What am I going to do? While I'm trapped here, the rest of the guys are in an awful time crunch... Tsukune...Elijah...anyone...please help me...
After a cruel and unusual 'date'...and twelve costume changes later, Kurumu is finally free to go back to her friends at the Newspaper Club. Finally...I'm free at last. I wonder if the others are still working. Kurumu nervously reaches the clubroom. She knows they might be upset about being gone for so long, but she wanted to try and make up for all the work she missed. When she opens the door...
Everyone looks at her with...death in their eyes...even Elijah.
They're mad! They hate me! They're gonna...gonna...yell at me! Kurumu closes her eyes, waiting for any berating she might receive from her friends, but...
"Hey, Kuru. You're back." Elijah happily says.
"..." Huh?
"But we just decided to call it a day," Tsukune adds.
"We decided to finish up tomorrow," Yukari noted as she packed her bag.
"...You might as well just head back to the dorm," Moka adds as she walks passed the succubus and leaves the clubroom...without even looking at her.
"..." I was too late... Kurumu stands alone in the clubroom, feeling alone. This loneliness...reminds her of how things used to be for her. I used to be so concieted...using my powers to turn guys into slaves. But even though they pampered me like a princess, I never made a single real friend...until he came along. Now that I know better...I'm paying the price. I have to apologize-
"Kuru?"
"Huh?" The young succubus turns around, seeing the card-wielding boy he calls her friend. "..." She doesn't say anything, feeling her guilt riddling her mind.
"...You okay?"
"..." She wants to tell him, she knows he can help, but her pride...and her shame is too much.
"...You can talk to me, you know that, right?"
"..." The succubus solemnly nods, still not looking up to the boy.
"..." He sighs in defeat, knowing he can't get through to her right now. "Okay, you don't have to tell me, it's okay. You can just...let me know when you're ready, okay? And..." Elijah reaches for his backpack, pulling out a small square plastic case. "Here, I want you to have this."
"..." Kurumu takes it, reading the cover. "...What's this?"
"It's one of my old CDs, my...favorite one. My mom said she found it as she was clearing my old room of junk and sent it to me with my recent letter from her. I guess she doesn't fully realize the concept of my phone's playlist, heh..." Elijah scratches the back of his head, feeling like he spoke a little too fast. "I wanted to give you this but you ran off and I didn't really know when I could but now you're back so I think now's a good time... Anyways...I want you to have it. So whenever you're feeling down, or even when you need a little extra motivation, you can listen to it."
"..." The Succubus can't help but blush at this wonderful gesture. Elijah is giving her one of his most precious possessions, his Skillet: Awake CD. She smiles, finally speaking to the boy. "...Thank you so much, Elijah. I promise I'll work extra hard to make it up to you guys!"
The boy laughs, patting Kurumu on her head, and ruffling her hair. "I know you will," He takes his leave, but first, he looks back to the young succubus, smiling to her for the last time today. "See you tomorrow, Kuru."
Kurumu giggles as she fixes her hair. He knows I don't like it when he does that...well, not entirely. Why can't Tsukune treat me like...that? "...What is this-"
"Hehehe..." That voice...that hoarse, vile, creepy voice. "What's wrong Kurumu?" The young succubus gasps as she sees Nagare leaning against the clubroom doorway, sweating heavily, holding up his camera, and smiling with malicious intent. "Today was real fun, wasn't it? let's play again tomorrow, hmm?"
"What are you doing here?! I only promised you one date! I don't owe you any more!"
"Tsk. Don't be so cold. You wouldn't want me to show Tsukune these pictures...or perhaps that ugly magic guy that left earlier? Do you think he would love to see his precious friend posing for me?"
Kurumu scowls. "Don't talk about him like that! You know nothing about him! And you promised me that no one would see those!"
The boy sneers evilly. "And they won't...if you play with me again tomorrow! I'm never letting you go now!"
"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Kurumu leaves the clubroom in a hurry, hoping that this creep won't follow. And he doesn't...
...But that only sealed what was going to happen next.
The Next Day...
"EEEE!" Everyone's eardrums practically burst at Moka's scream. "The layout we made yesterday... It's gone! It's all gone!"
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouts.
"How is it gone?!" Tsukune asks.
"Did someone steal it?" Yukari inquires.
"What now?!" Elijah shouts in a huff as he sits down. "We don't have time to start over- Wait...my laptop!" The boy quickly goes over to the front desk, remembering how he left it there overnight so he'd know where it is when it was time for the club. After pulling it out and opening his hard drive... "NO! All my data's been deleted! My back up saves are gone too! Even all my playlists! Do you have any idea how long it took to download all those songs?!"
"Elijah! Focus!" Moka shouts.
"Sorry... Wait...augh! My keyboard is all covered in some sort of gross slime!"
"...S-Slime?" Kurumu silently asks... It was him! He was the last person in this room yesterday! He must've taken the draft to force me to do his bidding!"
Well...damn," Gin says, slamming his hands on the front desk. "We don't have a choice. There's no time to look for whoever took it. We'll...have to start over! We'll just cut the page count down. Just get it done!"
Everyone nods, Elijah looks angrily at Gin. "You better not be sitting back and letting us do all the work."
"Don't test me, Everett. I'll get started too."
"Good..." Elijah looks over...and sees Kurumu backing away from the group. "...Kuru?"
"...I...I know this is a really bad time...but I can't stay to help out today..."
"...But, you prom-"
"KURUMU!" Moka shouts, shocking everyone in the room. "What is wrong with you?! How can you bail on us at a time like this?! Don't you care about anyone but yourself?!"
"Moka! That's enough!" Elijah says angrily...but Kurumu can tell...that he is more angry at her for breaking her promise. She looks away, barely holding back her tears.
"...I have to go." And she walks away, leaving the others angry, disappointed...and a little sad.
"Fine!" Moka continues. "I'm really disappointed in you, Kurumu! Well, we don't need you in this club!"
"..." Kurumu continues on...but Moka's words continue ringing through her head as she storms out of the school. Her mind set on getting what rightfully belongs to her club...and most importantly, her friends.
The Young Succubus continues her march to the same Monster Tree, taking each step with more determination as she gets closer. The air was cold, and the atmosphere was heavy...but it wasn't the perpetrator that made it this way...no... It was because of one girl on a mission to take back what's hers. She glares up at the Monster Tree, more directly, at the boy who's been tormenting her as he flaunts the newspaper layout like some worthless ragdoll.
"Heh... I knew you'd come, Kurumu. Looking for this?" Nagare waves the paper in his hand...along with a small plastic case. Upon seeing them both, Kurumu stares at the boy...as if she were staring down her prey. "What a boring newspaper. The writing is so amateurish. I could do better illustrations than this. And what is this trashy human music? The sounds you make as you sleep are more entertaining than this."
"..." Kurumu grips her fist, her hands trembling.
"The only good thing these are worth for is lighting a fire," The boy pulls a flip lighter from his pocket, igniting it. "So what's it worth to you, Kurumu? If you want to save them, you better do whatever I tell you to-"
"Go ahead," She interrupts. "Burn them."
"...What?" This was the last thing he expected to hear...and she was far from done.
"Sure! Destroy something that matters to the people I love! Destroy my gift from someone precious to me! Go ahead and piss me off!"
"..." Nagare could sense the Succbubi's held back anger, this could be bad if he doesn't turn the newspaper and CD over...but he's too arrogant and stupid to know when to back down. "...Planning to defy me, eh? DO you really think you can stand up to me?!" Out from his neck, a pair of tendrils begin to slowly grow out. "I don't have to take this! I'm a monster too, you know! Time to play my trump card." From his tendrils, a mysterious gas emmits from out of them...
Elijah
"..." Just like yesterday, this just doesn't feel the same without Kurumu. None of us have said a word ever since she left, and it's honestly getting too quiet. Why did she have to leave again? This can't be just a coincidence, something must be wrong and I can't be the only one who's thinking that. I can't take this anymore, I need to find her. I stand from table, catching everyone's attention. "I'm gonna go look for Kurumu."
"What?" Moka says in surprise.
"...You know what, me too." Tsukune stands with me. I nod to him, knowing he's always got my back.
"Let's go."
"You can't!" Moka steps in front of us as be begin to leave the clubroom, blocking our path. "If you guys leave too, we'll never finish the paper in time!"
"But..." Tsukune sadly says.
"Please! We've got to focus on this. Do it for the club, if you won't...do it for me."
Us boys say nothing more as we walk past her, offering no response from me or Tsukune. I know this probably hurts the poor girl, but I don't care.
"So," We hear Gin say from his desk. "You two aren't committed to this club, huh?"
"On the contrary, Gin." I say without looking back. "This club is important to me, which is why...I can't sit idly by knowing one of us is missing. It's not complete without Kurumu."
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Elijah." Tsukune adds. "Plus, I think she could be in some sort of trouble."
"What does she even mean to you guys?!" Moka yells, causing me and Tsukune to turn back to her. "It's not like you guys have a thing for her, so why are you two so adamant about this?!"
"N-No! Moka it's not like that at all!"
"..."
"Well, Elijah?" Moka insists on wanting to know my answer...but I don't-
"Oh my God! This is disgusting!" All of us hear Yukari shout from across the room. She's holding a box full of tools for the newspaper club in her hand, and an envelope in the other. "I was looking for clues to the missing draft and look what I found in the toolbox!"
"What?" I quickly move across the room to the young witch, taking the letter in her hand. I open it, finding... "What the fuck is this?!"
"That's what I thought! This creep is trying to blackmail Kurumu! That's gotta be why she's gone, and I guarantee that he's the one who stole our newspaper!"
"Wait, what?" Moka and Tsukune come over to us, reading the letter over my shoulder...while I can barely contain myself. "Oh my gosh, Kurumu..."
"...I'm gonna kill 'em." Everyone looks at me in worry, especially Tsukune.
"Elijah? You okay, man?" He asks me.
"This bastard thinks he's gonna get away with this?" I crumple the envelope in my hands. "If he's already laid a finger on Kurumu...he's going to know Hell's wrath."
"Elijah!" Tsukune snaps me out of it. "I know you're angry, trust me, I am too. But we need to keep our heads and come up with a plan. We all know that's one thing you do best, so keep yourself together, okay?"
"..." I hate it, but he's right. I need to calm down. I take a few deep breaths, letting my rage subside. I want to hurt this guy and I can't do that if I don't think straight. "...Okay, I'm calm. Now, I already have an idea of what this guy is, so Tsukune."
"Yeah?"
"Looks like today is gonna be our first unofficial day of training with your Tarot Cards, think you're up for it."
The human boy smirks at me. "Hell yes."
Kurumu
"AAH!" Kurumu is pushed back into the wall of a nearby shed, she stumbles on her feet as she can barely stand. What's happening? The succubus was already fired up, so why was she losing her strength?
"Heh... What happened to that firey spirit?" Nagare says as he pushes her again, causing her to fall to the ground. "So docile... Just like a doll..."
What's happening? I've lost all my strength... Kurumu looks to the boy, his body slowly becoming deformed as his sweat dripped into...slime. Upon a closer look, she sees the strange gas coming out of his neck tendrils. Wait...that's poison gas! He's emitting some kind of poison from his body! N-No...if this keeps up, I won't be able to move! Krumu struggles to crawl her way into the shed, locking herself inside.
"Hehehe... Now you know the extent of my powers..." The monster says from outside the door. "Now you know you can never escape me!"
The succubus pants heavily as she sits against the door, desperately trying to find any remaining strength. "Ngh...I can't..." She whispers. "I can't let him win!" Kurumu raises her right hand, extending her nails. "I have to buy time somehow...find a chance to counter-attack..."
"So cute...hiding in the storage shed. She wants to be caught."
"..." Kurumu could hear his voice, but...it was coming from inside the shed. But how? She locked it, so how in the hell did he... She looks down, seeing a slimy eye stalk slip under the door. "Aah!" She crawls away from it, completely creeped out more than she already was. "What the hell are you?!"
"Hehehe...don't you know?" The rest of the monster's body slips underneath the door, its slime dripping all over the floor. "A slug can slip through the narrowest of cracks. Yep! I'm a slug monster. That's how I can sneak into girl's rooms..." One of its eye stalks twitched. "...To learn their secrets."
"...You sick creep. How many girls have you spied on?!"
"I don't keep count..." He smiles with his crooked teeth. "But out of all of them...you're the best catch! We're going to take lots of sexy pictures today!"
The slug monster slowly approaches Kurumu, she tries to run, but she has no remaining strength left in her body thanks to this stupid gas. I can't move! No! I have to beat him! I have to get them back! "YYYAAAAAH!"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"Kurumu! Are you in there?!" That voice... Moka? "We found that blackmail letter in the toolbox! We understand now, Kurumu! I'm so sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I thought...you didn't care for our club. I thought you just wanted to be close to Tsukune. But...we fell apart right away without you, Kurumu. We came to help you... We need you, Kurumu!"
Hearing their 'moment' interrupted by the voice from outside, Nagare opens the door of the storage shed, surprising the living hell out of the waiting vampire outside. He laughs like a madman seeing his next 'victim'. "Mmm... My lucky day! The next on my list was Moka after all, she's hot!" The slug monster emits more of his gas and Moka falls to the ground. "You're going to taste delicious!"
No! Moka! Where are the others?! Tsukune...Elijah... Help us...
BOOM!
"AUUGGH!" The slug monster stumbles backward as he's struck with a fire bolt. "What the? That burns! Who..." His question is answered by an approaching boy.
"Get away from Moka you son of a bitch!" he yells as fire engulfed his right hand.
"..." Tsukune? He came! But...where's Elijah? He has to be here too, right?
"You'll pay for that!" The slug monster lunges toward the human boy, he nearly dodges the beast's attack and throws another fire bolt at his head. Tsukune hits his target, but it only seemed to piss off the monster. "Try this you waste of flesh!" Nagare emits his poison, unfortunately for Tsukune, it's effective. The human stumbles to the ground as he loses his strength. The slug towers over him, grinning. "Maybe I should make you my next meal..."
"HEY!"
The slug turns to another shout...seeing another boy come to the scene of the crime. His eyes squint in anger as he sees who it is. "You!"
Elijah
"..." It's taking everything I have to not use one of my more powerful cards, but I'm making this more personal. All I need is one defense spell...and this baseball bat. "Aura of Purity," I say with malice in my tone. I see the slug monster looking confused at me as I slowly approach, ready to beat the living shit out of this...thing. I won't kill him, but he's gonna wish I had.
"Heh. You think you can hurt me with that?!" The monster sluggishly says, emitting more of his gas...but I keep getting closer. "Huh?! What is this?! Why aren't you collapsing?!" He slightly trembles but refuses to back down. "No matter, you can't do shit to me you-"
"HAAAAUUUGGGH!" I run at full speed toward the giant slug, holding my bat over my shoulder and ready to swing. I strike one of his eye stalks, making him stumble back. I find his pained cries satisfying as I continue to swing and continuously hit his body. I can hear the wood start to break, meaning that I'm hitting him just as hard as I hoped I would. All he can do is sit there and cry as I let my anger toward this creep take over me. How dare you take such photos of her?! Scum like you don't belong in this world! Monsters like you are the reason humans hate us! You think you can take her away from us...from me?! NO! "HAAAH!" I went in for one last swing to his head, but I felt my strength fading as my bat made contact with the ground. "Ngh...no, not now!"
"Hehehe..." The slug monster laughs, but also starts coughing up a little bit of blood. I still did a number on him, but I'm not finished, I need to reach for my deck! "Damn, that hurt... Now I know I'm going to enjoy killing you." The beast holds me by the neck with his slimy tendrils, cutting off my air. "You really think you're better off with my Kurumu?" Damn, getting...weaker...need to...get my deck... "Look at you, a disgusting wriggling ant. It's adorable how you believe you deserve to be associated with a girl like her."
"...Bear's...Stamina!" I struggle to shout, tossing my newly acquired card to the side. I instantly feel myself boosted with energy, allowing me to reach my hand up to a nearby branch of the Monster Tree. I break it off and stab one of the slug's eye stalks. He drops me as he cries out in pain. I cough as I feel the poison coming back into my system. Hopefully, that'll be enough to make him back off...but I was wrong. Fuck! How much more do I have to kick this guy's ass?!
"Fuck!" The monster roars at me, seeking me out as its prey for taking out its eye. "You're dead!"
RUMBLE!
"What the?" I say weakly as I feel the ground underneath me begin to shake. What the hell is happening? It can't be an earthquake and it's definitely not any of us, especially not the damn slug.
"...Stop," I turn to that weak voice, seeing Kurumu struggling to get to her feet. She doubles over...but she doesn't fall to the ground. Instead, her wings grow from her back and her claws extend. "Don't you...lay a hand...on him...or my friends!"
"..." I've never seen her like this before, she sounds...angry. Little did I know the full extent of her power. She stares down the slug monster, her eyes...are practically glowing as the rumbling gets even more frequent. I turn to my left, seeing...the roots of the Monster Tree begin to move. Each root surrounds the slug, causing him to scream out in fear. "...Kuru."
"I won't let you get away with this! If you so much as lay another hand on Elijah, Moka, or Tsukune, you'll regret it forever!"
The roots hold the monster in place, and...the Monster Tree moves in closer to the slug with Kurumu resting on one of its branches. I thought the tree being a living creature was a myth, so how in the hell is it moving on its own like this? Wait, don't tell me... "...Is Kurumu...the one doing this?"
"But...how?" Moka asks in shock...
Her rage... A familiar voice answers. It's her rage that must've drawn out her latent powers. This is the true power of a Succubus.
Moka, Tsukune, and I watch in awe as the Monster Tree holds the giant slug in place with its roots. Having nowhere to go and nowhere to hide, Nagare is forced to be trapped as Kurumu falls from her place on the branch. In one swift motion, she uses her claws to give the slug a few good slashes. He falls to the ground, bleeding immensely from his nearly lethal wound. As the fight ends, the roots that were unearthed...seemingly begin to vanish.
"Huh? What's happening to the roots?" Tsukune asks.
They were merely an illusion born of Kurumu's magic... Inner Moka answers from the rosary.
"...Kuru," That was the only word that I could say right now.
Powerful Succubi can even kill an opponent with their illusions. I never dreamed she had so much power within her...
"..." Neither did I... I feel...so many things right now. I feel...proud, happy, a little frightened, in awe, and...I can't quite put my finger on the last one. I barely get to my feet and make my way over to Kurumu, seeing her holding up our newspaper and...my CD.
She pants heavily and smiles brightly at me. "I...I did it. I got them back... I got them back, Elijah!" The succubus holds them both close to her chest, or in my best guess, her heart. This makes me smile as I reach my hand out to her, offering to help her to her feet. Kurumu takes it, and I keep my smile on my face.
"...You sure did."
"You guys!" We all turn to the sound of the young witch running over to us with Gin right behind her. "Are you okay? We got Ms. Nekonome to get this guy reported so he can be punished for all of this! Where is- OH MY GOSH! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"Damn," Gin says in surprise as he stands over the slug's unconscious body. "This guy got fucked up. You and Tsukune really did a number on him."
"...It wasn't us," I say, still looking at Kurumu in awe. She was so...badass. "...Are you okay, Kuru?"
She nods. "Yeah, I'm okay." Kurumu's smile slowly turns into a worrying frown as she looks away from me...then to Moka. Bowing her head, she softly speaks, "...Moka? Can I...come back to the club?"
"Don't be silly with that stupid question!" She says, smiling brightly.
"H-Huh?"
"If we don't hurry, we won't make our deadline!"
"She's right!" Yukari adds. "So let's get back to work!"
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Tsukune happily says.
Smiling at Kurumu, I rest my hand on her shoulder. "Let's go. Besides," I whisper. "I know how much you want to play my CD. I'm glad you love it."
Kurumu's cheeks turn slightly pink. She looks down at the CD in her hands, smiling brightly. "...I sure do. Alright then, let's go!" The succubus says with a pep in her step. But as she started walking, she nearly tripped over before I caught her.
"Woah there..."
"I'm... I'm okay." She says, but I can hear the tiredness in her voice.
"..." Oh, the hell with it... I squat down in front of her, gesturing to my back. "Hop on."
"H-Huh?"
"Like you said, 'don't think much of it'." I snicker after using her own words against her like she did to me a few days ago. "Let's go already, dummy."
"..." The girl reluctantly agrees, climbing onto my back and wrapping her arms around my shoulders as I keep my grip on her thighs. I don't know if it's the poison in my system or it's just me being tired, but her legs...feel so soft. It doesn't help that Kurumu is also pressing herself into my back...especially one particular part of her. No, Elijah! Just stop thinking and get her back to the club. "...Thank you, Elijah."
"..." I smile...feeling right about this whole situation. I'm still not entirely sure why, but I guess it doesn't matter right now. I'll figure it out sooner or later. "...Anytime, Kuru."
Early Monday Morning...
"Our Deadline is upon us!" Ms. Nekonome proudly enters the Newspaper Clubroom. "How's the paper looking, everyone?!" Little did she know that when she entered the clubroom this morning, she thought she would be met with all of her students ready for the day, but she found all of them sound asleep at the center table. Even Gin was sound asleep at his desk at the front of the classroom. "Hmm?"
Ms. Nekonome noticed that in the midst of all their snoring, the newspaper layout was completely finished. It's...It's finished! This surprised the Neko Teacher. During the entire week, she had been concerned that her student's relationship had been growing apart, and that made her sad. But now... Ms. Nekonome smiles at her beloved sleepy students. Even though she doesn't show it often, she truly and deeply cares for her students and their well-being.
I guess the bond between them isn't so weak after all... Hmm? What's this? She takes a closer look at them sleeping at the table with their heads resting on their arms, more specifically, Elijah and Kurumu. ...Oh, my. Ms. Nekonome couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the cute sight of Kurumu's hand...resting on top of Elijah's. She wasn't a fan of any sort of public display of attention, but she thinks she can let this one slip by. After all, no one else will know, not even the sleeping Newspaper Club when they wake.
Ms. Nekonome quietly takes her leave, turning back to the others and whispering, "Great work, everyone. Now leave the rest to me and get some rest."