October 30th...Yokai Academy School Festival Day Two...
I woke up with a smile on my face, ready to greet day two of the school festival with a little more pep in my step. Thanks to my high spirits, even Archimedes' attitude seemed to adjust. Although he was still upset that he couldn't get his beauty sleep, I don't even want to question it. I'm happy that while yesterday didn't exactly go as planned, it still ended how I wanted it to. I got to ask Kurumu to dance at the bonfire this evening...and she said yes. Now all I have to do is wait. That, and actually enjoy the festival rather than deal with crazy mothers. God only knows how much I dread seeing those two again on Parents' Day.
Speaking of, I got a little more information from Ms. Nekonome about said day. It turns out it will happen not too long after we start our second year. I also gave her my mother's regards. She was quite sad she didn't get to see her 'best friend' again, but she was glad to hear that she thought about her. I thought it was sweet how she hugged me, she said it somehow reminded her of my Mom. I'm glad to provide at least the teacher I care about some sort of comfort. Although...I didn't appreciate how some of the guys' jealous looks that I received. These people really need to get their minds out of the gutter.
...Sometimes I hate how horny the students can be, it gives Yokai Academy a bad name.
I shake off that thought as I walk around the festival alone, just simply seeing the sights while also looking for the others. I haven't seen anyone else since yesterday, but given all the festivities, I understand if I don't find them faster than I hope.
"Hey! Elijah!"
Guess I didn't have to look for too long. "Hey, Kuru. How's..."
Normally, subtle changes don't have much effect on me, like how Moka was wearing that kimono yesterday. She looked pretty and all, but it didn't really change how I looked at her, unlike a certain human friend of mine. But...seeing how Kurumu is now... It's not a big change, but I can't help myself like how she's letting her sky-blue hair fall naturally down to her shoulders. She wasn't wearing her usual headband and little star pin either, Kurumu was even wearing my old Skillet jacket that I gave her all those months ago.
She notices my slight change in demeanor, smirking in response. "Notice anything different?"
"Well, duh," I flick some of her hair that was hanging in front of her shoulder, I couldn't help but notice how soft it felt. "There's this, for a start."
"Hey!" The Succubus hastily fixes her hair. "What did I tell you about doing that? Don't mess it up."
"I think that's impossible at this point," I chuckle. "Anyways, you ready to get going?"
"Yep!" She nods. "Ready when you are."
So far, this is going even better than I had hoped. It doesn't feel like a real date, but...somehow, it feels more than just hanging out as friends. At least, that's how I feel. Kurumu seems to be enjoying herself too, she hasn't stopped smiling ever since she found me earlier. I'm not sure if it's the festival that's making her happy...or me, but I don't care. I love seeing her happy.
In the short time we spent together today, I learned that everything went...somewhat well with her mother, Mizore's too. Turns out Kuru's mom was not happy about being lied to about her daughter not being in a relationship. Sucks to be her, I guess. I wanted to bring up to Kurumu how her mom basically insulted me behind her back...and technically my own since I wasn't...myself. As for that whole fiasco, Kurumu was impressed that I made a pretty good Tsukune impression. Although, she teased that I wasn't dorky enough. What does that even mean? As for Mizore... I still need to apologize for how I practically bit her head off last night. I'm just glad that she's not mad at me...at least, not outright.
"Oh, look!" Kurumu calls out, pointing ahead of us. I see Tsukune, Moka, and Yukari enjoying some ice cream cones. I'm sure Mizore is nearby, but she probably just wants to remain out of sight.
"Might as well join them," I say. "Hey, you guys!"
The Vampire girl was the first to notice us, smiling as we got close to the group. "Oh, hey, guys!"
"Seems like you two are having fun."
"I'll say," Yukari looks at me with a knowing smirk.
I mouth the words, 'zip it' to her before I speak up to the others. "I see that you guys are having fun too."
"Yeah," Tsukune confirms. "Moka was just telling us about her big sister."
"You have a sister?" I ask, tilting my head in fascination.
"Mhmm!" She nods. "I don't think I ever told you guys, I have two big ones and a little one. I'm the third of four girls."
"Four girls?"
"You're father has my condolences," I say, Kurumu jabs be in the side with her elbow. "Kidding."
"I had no idea, you never talk about your family," Yukari states.
It's good to know she at least has family, but they didn't show up at the festival...why is that?
"What about you, Tsukune?" The Young Witch asked.
"I'm an only child. But I have a cousin who's two years older than I am, she's like a big sister to me."
"Aww, that's sweet," Kuru remarks.
"Big sis cuz!" Yukari quipped.
"...Is she hot?"
"Dude!"
"Elijah!"
"What? It was just a question," I chuckle after both Tsukune and Moka hit me in the arm. "But seriously, what's she like?"
"Her name's Kyoko. She lives in my neighborhood, so we practically grew up together. Although," Tsukune sighs, nostalgically closing his eyes. "She can be a bit stubborn at times, but she's always taken care of me when my parents were too busy with work."
"What does she look like?" Moka asks curiously.
"Hmm... She's a bit tomboy-ish but cute," Tsukune looked around, his eyes searching the crowd around us. I'm guessing to find a nearby girl to compare. "Kinda like that girl over there, especially the hair," The Human points to a girl with short black hair and silver hair clips, she's also wearing a bright red jacket and white t-shirt with a denim skirt and brown boots. "In fact, she kinda looks exactly like her," The girl in question notices our gaze, her eyes widening as she looks directly at our human friend.
Oh, god, please don't let this be another-
"Tsuki?"
"..." 'Tsuki'? I wasn't the only one confused by that sudden nickname, the girls were equally baffled. As for Tsukune...his eyes darkened with pure horror.
"Kyo?!"
'Kyo'? "...Oh, Lord," I mutter as I realize who this girl is.
"Tsuki!" The girl in question runs directly towards my best friend, hugging him tightly after dropping the yellow envelope in her arms...and she cries. "You're all right! I was so worried!"
"W-What's going on, Kyo? What are you doing here?!"
"What did you expect?!" Kyoko releases her cousin, looking up at him. "I looked everywhere for you! I couldn't call you on your cell for some reason, and you haven't contacted me! You..." She covered her face with her hands as she continued to cry. "You used to never leave my side."
"Uh..." Tsukune's face grew red with embarrassment.
"You couldn't do anything without me!"
"Uh, Well..."
"We even took baths toge-"
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry already! Just shut up about when we were kids!"
"...This is a side of Tsukune I didn't expect," Kurumu whispers in my ear.
"I'm more worried that she willingly admitted that with people watching," I add.
"But the real mystery is..." Kyoko wipes her tears away, sniffing before she looks at Tsukune with a defiant scowl. "This Academy! It isn't on any map! I went to the address on the letterhead, but all I found was a creepy old building!"
"So...how did you get here?"
"Well, I was poking around the building when this lady came over to talk to me," Lady? "She asked me if I wanted to go to the Academy, she noticed me snooping around and asking questions. She said that she would help me sneak in, which is already suspicious, might I add. All she asked me to do was to deliver this envelope."
Kyoko holds up the yellow develop to her cousin. "An envelope?"
"Now is that suspicious or what? I was so worried about you!"
"..."
This is bad. The school is hidden by the Great Barrier. Even if a human sees it, their lives are in mortal danger. But for one to actually come onto the campus... We can't mess up here. If we do, Tsukune's cousin could be in great danger.
"Anyways," Kyoko continued on. "now that I'm here, I'm going to take a good look around and find out what this school is all about! And if I see anything remotely odd about this place, I'm taking you straight home with me, Tsuki!"
"What?! Hold on, Kyo-"
I cover Tsukune's mouth forcing a smile on my face. "Well, Kyoko. We would love to give you a tour of Yoaki Academy! Right Tsukune?"
"Mmph! Hmm?!"
"I think that was a yes! So, let's get going."
"Uh...who are you?"
"I'm Elijah Everett, Tsukune's best friend," I reach out my free hand down to Kyoko for a handshake. "Nice to meet you."
"...Uh, yeah," She hesitantly takes my hand. "N-Nice to meet you too," Kyoko shakes her head to clear her head. "Come on, Tsuki."
I release Tsukune after Kyoko gets a few feet away from us. "Dude, what the heck?!"
"Well, we don't want to be rude hosts, now do we? Plus, we can't let her find out that this is a school for monsters," That, and I want to find out who specifically sent her here. This shouldn't interfere with this evening, but I'm not taking any chances. "We'll just treat this like a normal school festival."
"And there's no way she'll take you away," Moka adds.
"No way!" Yukari agrees.
"Cousin or not, we won't let her take you, Tsukune."
"Tsuki!" Kyoko calls out, waving the envelope in her hands. "Let's go already!"
"Coming!" Tsukuen lets out a nervous chuckle. "Guys, just act natural. And I mean human natural!" He shouts in a hushed whisper.
"Of course, Tsukune."
"Got it."
"We won't let you down!"
"I got your back...Tsuki."
"Not cool, dude."
So far, Kyoko doesn't suspect a thing. At least from what I can tell, she seems to like all that we've done with the festival. She even found herself smiling at some nearby children enjoying the stands.
"Hmm... This festival's really rocking!" She claims.
"It sure is," Tsukune agrees with his cousin. "So relax, enjoy yourself!"
"If you like everything, you should thank Tsukune here," I pat his shoulder. "He and I were on the festival committee, after all."
"Is that so?" Kyoko rubs her chin with her thumb and index finger. "...It's too rocking! That's suspicious!" She takes a few quick glances around at the nearby stands and students and fellow festival goers. "Yes...very, very suspicious."
"...Is she always like this?" I whisper to Tsukune.
"Yeah...she really hasn't changed. The nicest way to describe her is 'confident'. If she keeps this up, I'm sunk."
"Don't worry," Moka reassures.
"Yeah, I'm sure everything will be alright."
"Why don't we show her our booth?" I suggest. "There's no harm in that."
"Yeah," Tsukune nods. "that's a good idea."
"Hi, Elijah!" A girl's voice calling my name confuses the hell out of me. What confused me even more was that I didn't even know this girl, that, and she was wearing a maid outfit...and her leopard tail spurng out of her skirt. "My class is doing a maid cafe, I read in your newspapers that they're really popular in the human world and I wanted to get your opinion on it!"
"'Human world'?"
"Do you think it looks-"
BONK!
Thank you, Yukari and your magical washtubs. The Young Witch and Kurumu drag the unconscious girl away while Tsukune, Kurumu, and I rush Kyoko along the hallway. "How about you stop by our classroom, Kyoko?"
"Y-Yeah! We're doing goldfish scooping!" Tsukuen nervously adds.
"Did a washtub just appear?"
"That? Pfft!" I wave a hand dismissively. "Yeah, some guy upstairs has been doing that lately. Darn, ruffians!"
"Yeah, guys can be jerks!" Kurumu adds.
We quickly enter our classroom, finding other students inside...and Mizore is here too. Looks like I was wrong about her following us, I guess Ms. Nekonome wanted her to work the stall. She quickly notices us and smiles...but it falls when her eyes gaze upon Kyoko.
"So...you picked up another girl?"
"Another?" Kyoko tilts her head.
"If you two don't cool down," Mizore dips her hand in the water, searching for a goldfish. "I'll have to put you both on ice," The Snow Fairy pulls out one of the goldfish in the water...encased in a crystalized ball. "Like thi-"
BONK!
Another washtub falls from the sky and Mizore is dragged behind the white cloth we set up in the classroom. Thanks, Yukari. I pick up the frozen goldfish in my hands, Tsukune takes her cousin to another tub of goldfish-filled water, and Kurumu remains at my side.
"Flealick, no..."
"You named them?"
"No, that's his name."
"How do you know that?"
"I asked."
"You wha-"
"Long story short, I was curious about a certain spell, I used it, and I talked to the goldfish," I place my palms in the ice ball, muttering my 'warm hands' spell. The ball melts quickly and I gently place the fishy back in the water. "Come on, little buddy..."
Flealick soon sprung to life, flipping around in the water and looking at me with his right eye. I can't hear him, but I'm sure he's thanking me. "Aww, he's kinda cute."
"Oh, Tsukune, Elijah! You're back!" Ms. Nekonome's voice rings out through the classroom. "You guys wouldn't mind if I take the leftover goldfish, do you?" Oh, no... "In case I need a snac-"
BONK!
That's another washtub...keep it up, Yukari!
"What was that all-"
"Oh, Hi, Tsukune!" Great, now Ruby's here?! "I've been meaning to find you and Elijah. The headmaster wants to see you. Something about The Blessed Child and Tsukune turning into-"
BONK!
Sorry, Ruby! The Young Witch drags her away as a group of girls approach all of us. Why does everyone need to see us all of a sudden?!
HOO! HOO!
"I say, what's with all this-"
BONK!
Oh, I know Archimedes is gonna be angry about this.
"Oh, Hi, Elijah. I heard you beat up another-"
BONK!
"Hey, Tsukune, nice job beating up-"
BONK!
"You guys are so cu-"
BONK!
"Sup, fellas-"
CRASH!
Okay, I'm pretty sure Yukari just wanted to drop that trashcan on Gin. "Take care of them," I whisper to Kurumu. "We'll take Kyoko somewhere else."
"Right!"
"Why don't we go check out someplace else, huh?" Tsukune rushes her cousin out of the classroom and I follow them.
"Yeah, our booth doesn't get a lot of customers anyway!" We lead Kyoko a good ways away from our classroom and the thoughts run wild in my head. Okay, if she didn't know now, I don't know how she doesn't know now! I swear, she's either just in denial or just completely stupid.
"Oh, shit!" Tsukuen pulls me and Kyoko to the side, hiding around the corner. "Guys, be quiet!"
"Tsuki!" Kyoko tries to fight out of Tskune's grip. "What are you-"
"Shh! Be quiet!"
I peek around the corner, seeing...the same guy from last night. The same Yakuza dude that Tsukune pushed off the roof. Oh, shit... I hid back around the corner before he could see me.
"That's weird..." He mutters. "Coulda sworn I just saw Aono..." He huffs in anger, guess someone can't handle being pushed off the roof after trying to rape someone. "Damn punk, pushing me off the roof... Whatever," I can hear his voice getting quieter as he walked away. "I know his name now. Soon as I find him, he's dead."
"Come on," I say, leading Tskukune and Kyoko back the way we came, avoiding any more prying eyes. I just hope that we can deal with this as quickly as possible, the dance starts in a few hours.
We managed to sneak outside to a quiet place where no one would hear us, somewhere close to the bus stop. Kyoko looked at me with suspicion but I simply ignored it. Tsukune looks more stressed than I've ever seen him, and I share the same feeling.
"What are you hiding from me, Tsuki?!"
"Huh?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" Kyoko shouts, pointing a finger at me. "Either of you! You may be hot but I know you're lying!"
"Kyo..."
"Hot?"
"Never mind that! I've already figured it out. I know what this school is."
"..." Well, shit...
"...W-What?"
"I can't believe a school like this actually exists, but...I understand. And I can deal with it." Huh? That's...actually a good sign. "But first... You!" Kyoko points to a nearby bush. "Hiding there! Out! Now!"
To my shock, Moka, Kurumu, Mizore, Yukari, and even Ruby popped out from behind the bush. Their faces flushed with embarrassment as they were caught spying on us. I was more surprised that Kyoko managed to notice them, I did as soon as Kyoko pointed her finger at me in accusation.
"All of you guys are here...?"
"You're surprised?" I leaned over to Tsukune.
"Everything adds up!" Kyoko continues with her revelation. "No wonder you wanted to keep this a secret, Tsuki. " She starts counting her fingers, listing all she's witnessed today. "A hidden school... not on any map... no entrance exams... a girl with a tail and maid costume... a young witch... that cat-eared teacher... that girl who laid with ice... And a yakuza..."
Well, she knows everything, it's no wonder after everything she's seen.
"It's plain as day!" She continues on. "Anyone can see that this is a school for..." Yep, a school for- "Perverts!"
"..." I swear I thought I could hear a pin drop with how quiet it just got.
"My little Tsuki...enrolled in a kinky school!" Kyoko points an accusing finger at us.
"...Sister in Christ, how fucking wrong you are," I mutter as I pinch the bridge of my nose. This reminds me of another person who jumps to conclusions.
"What?!" Tsukune was equally as baffled.
"I read about a school like this in a manga once!" She's still going?! "I should've known the second I saw all these cute girls hanging out with you! I mean, how else could that happen?!"
"Okay, ouch." I know that must've hurt Tsukune.
"Not to mention you never had any guy friends before, not even cute ones like this guy!" Okay, first she called me hot, now cute? Does this girl have low standards or something? "Why... Why, Tsuki? Is this because you couldn't get into a real school?"
"Kyo-"
"It doesn't matter!" She interrupts before he can even answer. "I'm taking you home and that's all there is to it!"
"Now, hold on," I speak up. "If I may interject here, I think you should-"
"There you are!"
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I groan at the sound of an approaching voice. "Who is it this time?!" I turn to my right...seeing the Yakuza guy from earlier sprinting towards us. More specifically, at Tsukune.
"Tsukune Aono! I finally found you and now you're gonna die!"
"AUGH!" Tsukune mirrors my frustration. "This is the worst possible time!"
"Tsukune, Elijah, you guys get Kyoko out of here!" Moka orders as she and the others shield the human girl.
"We'll take care of this pushover," Kurumu adds.
"Sorry about this," I quickly clasp my hands together and do a quick bow before I lift Kyoko in my arms bridal style. "Up you go!"
"H-Hey! What do you think you're-"
"Just trust him, Kyo! He knows what he's doing!" Tsukune and I make a run for it, he follows close behind me as I weave through the forest of dead trees. When I feel a good distance away from the others, I set Kyoko back down on her feet. She nearly stumbles but I catch her by the hand. "You okay?"
"Uh...y-yeah."
BANG!
"What the fuck?" I turn my head back to the way we came at the sound of...a gun. Don't tell me that thug brought a gun...
"That sounded like a gunshot..." Tsukune and I share a nod, we can't just sit here. He turns to his cousin. "We have to go back. Wait here, Kyo."
"What?!" Kyoko stops Tsukune in his tracks by grabbing him by his wrist. "Are you two insane?! You can't go back there! That guy's a Yakuza, he'll kill you!"
"...Kyo," Tsukune looks directly into her light aqua eyes, his tone more serious and direct. "I'm really glad you came here to Yokai Academy. It is dangerous here, but...I love it here. Every day is an adventure. I have a lot of close friends..." He looks at me with a smile. "I even found my brother here. We're all there for each other...like right now."
"Tsuki..."
"So don't ask any more questions," Tsukune slightly frowns but doesn't come off as condescending. "Just let us go."
"Just stay here," I add, offering her a comforting smile. "Everything is gonna be alright."
"..." Kyoko eventually sees our resolve and reluctantly nods. "Okay."
"Thank you, Kyo." Tsukune smiles at her, looks at me, and nods. "Let's go."
"Right behind you, brother."
Kurumu...
The five girls stand in shock after the Yakuza fired his handheld weapon, the bullet left a hole behind a tree...inches away from Moka's head. Kurumu and Yukari stood at the Vampire's side, Mizore hid herself behind a tree with her head peeking out from behind it, and Ruby fell to a sitting position, bearing a terrified expression.
"Hold on...You're that chick from last night!" The Yakuza waved his gun at the vampire girl in question. "I wasn't finished with you."
Shit...he's gotta gun. Still, I have to keep the others safe for the boy's sake so they can get Kyoko to a safe place.
"Heh, pretty cool, huh?" The Yakuza notices all the girls eyeing the pistol in his hands and he smirks. "This is just a little toy I stole from some human, but it'll do the job. No matter who or what you are, put a bullet through your head, and you're history."
Not caring for their own safety and refusing to back down, Kurumu and Yukari shield themselves in front of Moka. The young witch has her wand at the ready and the Succubus has her claws sharpened and ready to slash a Yakuza.
Meanwhile, he only scoffed in annoyance. "Come on, you think I'm messin' around?" The veins around his head began to bulge in anger, and his teeth grew sharper, His lower canines extending by the second. "Bring me that punk or I'm blasting all of you away one by one!"
"Over here, Numb-Nuts!" The voice of their human friend rings out through the area, immediately grabbing the attention of the Yakuza. He points his pistol at Tsukuen and sneers.
"There you are, you piece of shit! I'm gonna enjoy-"
"You're aiming at the wrong guy, dumbass!"
"Huh?" The Yakuza turns around and sees...another Tsukune with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. "What the fuck?"
"Two of them?" Yukari glanced at both boys in confusion.
"..." Oh, god...not again. Kurumu internally sighed to herself as she immediately knew what was going on.
"The fuck is this shit?!" The yakuza couldn't decide which Tsukune to aim his gun at, switching his gaze back and forth between the two boys. "Don't matter, I got plenty of bullets for the both of you!" But before the yakuza could decide which human to shoot, the second Tsukune moved in close while the Yakuza's back was turned. He grabs him by the arm, forcing the Yakuza to aim his pistol at the dirt ground. Using his left knee, the Second Tsukune forces the Yakuza to his knees...and he pulls back on his arm.
SNAP!
"AUGH! You mother fucker!" The Yakuza drops his gun now that his right arm is broken.
"All yours, Aono," The second Tsukune looked to the first with a knowing smirk, his face slowly shifting back into...someone else.
"HA!" The real Tsukune moved in and side-kicked the yakuza in the face, sending him flying and crashing through some of the nearby trees. His eyes glow red as he dusts himself off. "You wanted me, you got me, asshole."
"Woo!" The second Tsukune now revealed to be Elijah all along, throws his fist into the air triumphantly. "That's my boy!"
Tsukune high-fives his best friend. "Hell yeah! How many does that make it now?"
"I don't keep count, haha!"
"Oh, boys..." Kurumu let out a soft chuckle at the sight of their brotherly bonding.
"Oh, come on," Yukari pokes the Succubus with her elbow. "It's kinda cute how they bond, wouldn't you agree?"
"I would," Mizore admits as she emerges from behind the tree. "They always look good whenever they beat someone down."
"..." Okay, she's not wrong. I mean... look how hot- Kurumu shakes off the rising feeling in her heart with her head. Pull yourself together, girl.
"Hmph..." Elijah picks up the gun off of the ground, scoaling at the man-made weapon of destruction. "Such fascinating human technology...made for the ultimate crime."
"I know how you feel," Tsukune pats his brother's shoulder.
"Tsuki?"
"Kyo?" Tsukune is concerned by the arrival of his cousin, immediately nudging Elijah to get rid of the gun. "Dude! Hand!" Elijah throws the pistol away in a panic. "K-Kyo That gun didn't belong to-"
"Just stop," Kyoo interrupts. "I don't want to hear any more excuses."
"Kyo..." Tsukune prepares himself for the worst, he most likely expects Kyoko to not accept this school...and that she'll drag him away from everything he's built with his friends.
"...You said to not ask questions, right? And the way you said it...you must have a good reason."
"Kyo?"
Kyoko wipes her eyes with her jacket sleeve, sounding like a proud parent as she speaks. "I've never heard you talk like that before. You're on a path you believe in, you need to keep walking it."
"Kyo..." There was an entire weight lifted off Tsukune's shoulders as he watched his cousin smile at him with pride. "Thank yo-"
"Even if it is the path of the Yakuza."
"WHAT?!"
"Oh, boy..."
"Not again..."
"She really is dense..."
Elijah
Well, after a thorough explanation of how Tsukune is not with the Yakuza, Kyoko finally seemed to believe us. She still doesn't know that we're Monsters, but it's probably best that way. She says she understands, but I can't help but feel like she still doubts us. I don't blame her, but Kyoko is willing to let Tsukune stay here.
"Well, it's getting late. I'm gonna head home."
That's right... I look up to the sky, noticing the setting sun. "The dance..."
"Someone's a little excited," Yukair smirks at me, I simply flick her witch hat off her head in response. "Hey!"
"Wait, hold on," Tsukune stopped Kyoko before she could start leaving. "That envelope," He points out the large yellow envelope in her hands. "Weren't you supposed to give it to someone?"
"Oh, yeah! I forgot!" Kyoko fiddles with the parcel in her hands. "That's weird. That lady who gave it to me said I just had to bring it to the academy and somebody would come for it. But nobody did."
"Let me see it," Kyoko hands me the envelope...but as I took it...
RUMBLE
"Ah!"
"What the?!"
"An earthquake?!"
Everyone else was occupied with the rumbling around us, but TSukune and I were more worried about the envelope. As I held it in my hands, I could feel it...resonating with something. Whatever's inside, it's not good. Tsukune could feel it too. I have a good mind to destroy whatever's inside before we could find out...but we had bigger problems, emphasis on bigger.
"What is that?!"
Kyoko screams as she looks up at the cause of all the rumbling and shaking...a giant frog-like monster with teeth as large and sharp as battle axes. It tore down every tree in its path as it headed straight for us.
"And what's it doing at your school?! What the hell is going on here?!"
"We'll talk later!" Moka grabs her by the hand and runs with Kyoko. "Just run!"
"Tsuki?"
"Just listen to her, okay?"
Great, I'm stuck with running away with the others since I can't use my magic in front of her. Kyoko is like a sister to Tsukune, we can't let her get hurt. But she's seeing monsters! If she puts two and two together properly, she'll know that this is a school for monsters and she'll most likely tell his parents, then they'll be in danger too! We need to think of something...and fast!
"Don't let it catch me!"
"..." I swore I thought I just heard a voice...but it wasn't from any one of us.
"Huh? Who said that?" Looks like Kyoko heard it too. "It's just one weird thing after another around here! What is up with this school?!"
"I have a hard time knowing that too!" I say. "Just run!"
"We've gotten pretty far, we should be safe now."
God, I forgot how much I hate running. We managed to outrun the frog beast and found ourselves just outside of campus next to the incinerator. "Is everyone alright?"
"I'm good."
"Speak...for yourself...Moka!" Kurumu lets out an annoyed huff in response.
"Maybe you should get in better shape," Mizore quipped.
"What?!"
"You okay, Kyoko?" Tsukune worries for his cousin.
"Okay...now I get it," Oh, boy... "I know what that weird creature was! You've been keeping it secret all this time! I should've figured it out right off the bat, but I just couldn't believe it!" Well, I guess she had to find out after- "So, where's the hidden camera?"
"..." Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
"I mean, you're catching this on film, right? All these people getting scared by phony monsters!"
"...Okay," I whisper. "she's either in massive denial or she's just dumb."
"Pretty good animatronics," Kyoko goes on. "There must be some serious tech geeks at this school!" She takes the envelope back from me. "I guess everyone is in on the joke. What with the school not being on any map, the freaky lady that gave me this mysterious envelope, and that disembodied voice I just heard!"
"Okay, seriously, Kyoko," I speak up in a serious tone. "That's not what-"
RUMBLE!
"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Already?!
"What was that noise?! That phony monster again," Kyoko laughs nervously at her cousin. "Okay, Tsuki, you can stop now. It's not funny now that I've caught on, it's not like it's gonna scare me anym-" The giant frog beast appears from behind the trees...and Kyoko runs for her life in the opposite direction. "AAAHHH!"
"Kyo! Wait!"
"Guys, it's back!"
"Why is it even after us?!"
"I've had enough!" I screech, looking back at the beast with fury rising in my body. "I don't remember picking a fight with you, but I'll still kick your ass!"
"Heh heh...I don't remember being 'after you'."
"..." Either I've gone insane...or the frog just talked. And the voice...it was so familiar. I decide to leap up on top of the beast and I immediately recognize who was sitting ot top of it. "...It's you."
"Forget it," The familiar uniformed man takes the cigar out of his mouth, smirking at me. "Have you seen a mirror lying around by any chance? Been lookin' everywhere but I can't seem to find it."
"Elijah! Who is that?!"
"It's the bus driver!" I yell back down to Tsukune.
"Hehe... Sorry to startle you, kids."
Kyoko...
"Sheesh!" The human girl takes a breath after running for what feels like miles. "Tsuki's growing up to be such a jerk! I come all the way to his school 'cause I'm worried about him and all he does is play tricks on me! That's just mean, Tsuki!" Kyoko could go on, but the rattling and shaking coming from the envelope in her hands stopped her. She scowls in annoyance as she begins opening it. "What now?! This thing must be a trick too! It's probably some smoke bomb or somethi-"
But what was truly inside the yellow envelope was the last thing the young human expected. It was a silver, ancient-looking, handheld mirror. On top was a pair of eagle wings with a few green jewels across the metal. Kyoko, even more confused in finding such a trinket in the envelope, shakes it in her hand.
"A mirror? Weird...it looks like a regular old mirror."
"Ah! Please don't shake me like that!" The mirror seemed to...speak to the young human, the reflective glass glowed a bright green. From within the looking glass...appeared a small silver-haired fairy-like creature wearing a bright green summer dress and a chrysanthemum in her hair. "Ah, that's better. Oh, hi! Nice to meet you!" She smiles at the human girl. "I'm Lillith, the spirit of this mirror. You must be my new mistress."
"..." Kyoko drops the mirror, turns her heel, and makes a run for it.
"Waugh!"
"Smoke and mirrors! It's all just smoke and mirrors!"
"But mistress, wait!" The little spirit chases after Kyoko, carrying the mirror in her hands as she flies. "I wish to thank you!"
"Thank me?" Kyoko watches as Lillith catches up with her at ease.
"Yes! I never would've gotten away from them without you. Permit me to express my gratitude by granting you one wish."
"..." What is this? I've never seen animatronics this realistic before! Could it be CGI?
"Oh, you never saw my kind before?" Lillith saw her confusion and offered a simple explanation. "In fact, seeing as you're human, I'm beginning to wonder if you've never seen a monster before."
"M-Monster?" Kyoko waves her hands and laughs nervously. "Haha! You think I'll fall for that? Do I look like a little kid?"
"But, you're talking to a monster right now," Lillith is baffled by Kyoko's delusional state. "Looks like I found a dense one this time. I think...you need some visuals," The little spirit looked around, finding a pair of monster students heading toward the main campus. "Excuse me, you there!" Lillith flies herself over to the pair of monsters with her mirror. "Would you take a look in this mirror?"
"Huh?" The shorter boy unwillingly looks at his reflection, finding that his human disguise is no longer active. Instead, his third eye in the middle of his forehead was there for the world to see. "W-What the?!"
"Where did your disguise go?!" The taller girl who accompanied him was equally confused.
"EEK! What the heck?!"
"You see?" Lilith flies back to a shocked Kyoko. "These students are only disguised as humans. They're actually monsters! My mirror reveals their true nature! My mirror can dissolve the best disguise in the world!"
"...Amazing."
"Hmph!" Lilith proudly smiles. "Believe me now?"
"That's a projector, right?"
"...How can someone be this dense?" The spirit mutters under her breath.
"This is so cool! Show me more tricks! I mean, haha, show me more 'true natures'. I can't believe Tsuki got accepted here! This is the craziest school ever!"
"Well, alright," Lilith smirks at her mistress' wish. "Your wish is my command, Misstress!"
Elijah...
"The Lilith Mirror..." I silently repeat to myself as I hear that name from the Bus Driver.
The Lilith Mirror. A relic from ancient times that has the power to reveal a Monster and Yokai's true nature. In the wrong hands, it can be used as a dangerous weapon because not only does it reveal a person's true nature...but it makes the person act on their deepest desires. I once thought that I could use that mirror to help me get in touch with Merlin's Might, but who knows what I would do after the fact?
"Why is it here?"
"Well, it was hidden in a safe place, but...apparently, it's been stolen. I'm searching the school for it. And all of a sudden this fellow with the webby toes started acting up," The Bus Driver pats the frog beast on his nose.
"Attacking us, you mean," I correct him. "But as you can see we don't..." Wait...that envelope Kyoko had... "Oh, shit. Kyo-"
"That envelope Kyo has!" Tsukune is on the same page as I am. "What if it's in there?"
"Then she could be in mortal danger!" Moka adds.
HOO! HOO!
"Archimedes!" I watch as my bird friend swoops down and perches himself atop a nearby tree branch, he hops in place in a panic.
"Oh, dear, boy! It's a mess out there! Everyone is not themselves! It's all pin scratch and gully fluff and utter madness!"
"Did you see a mirror out there?" Tsukune asked him.
"Why, yes! Along with a nasty little spirit accompanying a young girl with a bright red jacket."
"That's Kyo!"
"Can you take us to her? We have to get that mirror back."
"Of course! Of course!" Archimedes takes flight and leads the way. "Follow me!"
It didn't take further convincing to get all of us to follow our flying companion, the Bus Driver stayed behind seeing that we could handle this ourselves. I doubt that festivities are going to continue after today...and that infuriates me. I swear when I find out who's responsible for this...
"There she is!" Yukari points out to the rising chaos...and my jaw drops to the floor.
Rather than the festivities being enjoyed by everyone in their human forms, they're all in their natural states, running rampant through the stalls, and they were all chasing after one human girl.
"Kyo!"
"Tsukune!" Alright, time to get to work. "You, Kurumu, Yukari, Ruby, and Mizore try to keep the crowd under control and away from Kyoko. Moka and I will get her and the mirror!" They all nod at me, Moka and I make a run for Kyoko. "Try not to hurt anyone, they're just confused!"
"Come on, Elijah!"
"Right behind you!" I catch up with the Vampire. The closer we got to Kyoko, I overheard the sound of the spirit's voice cackling at the cowering girl.
"Hehehe... The soul of a human trembling with fear is so awfully scrumptious!" She shines the mirror at Kyoko...and the surrounding monsters gawk at her, ready for their next meal. "Dinner time!"
"Get away from her!" Moka swats the spirit and the mirror away from Kyoko, I kneel and reach my hand down to her.
"M-Moka? Elijah?"
"Kyoko, you alright?" I take her hand and pull her up to her feet. "Tsukune and the others are trying to distract the crowd. Come with us, we'll keep you sa-"
SMACK!
I take a few steps back after Kyoko smacks my hand away, she looks at me with disgust and fear rising in her aqua pupils. "I'm...I'm not fooled anymore... You and her are monsters too, aren't you? Just like all the others... Some kind of horrible monsters! Get away from me!"
"..."
"...It's true, but-"
"How dare you!" The spirit flies up with her mirror in tow, looking down on us in anger. "How dare you come between me and my prey!" The monster crowd around us stops, with Lilith flying above us all. "I chose the most violent monsters and used my magic to control them! They were so confused by their sudden transformation, it was child's play to take control of their minds! Now you have nowhere left to run!"
"The mirror..." If we can get our hands on it, we can stop this rampage. But I need to keep Moka and Kyoko safe. "Kyoko, I need you to make a straight run for the mirror with me and Moka."
"What?! No way! I'll get killed! Why should I trust you?!"
"Because you trust Tsukune, don't you?" Moka asks. "You're right, Kyoko. We are monsters, but we're something else, too. I'm Tsukune's friend, just like you are."
"And he's family," I add. "He's my brother. So please..." I reach out my hand again to Kyoko. "trust us."
"Get them!" Lilith orders her bewitched monsters. "Get them, my pets!"
"Kyoko! Come on!"
"..." Kyoko takes my left hand and she nods, we run straight for the spirit and her mirror. I raise my right hand and it glows a bright gold.
"Protecto!" A golden see-through ball surrounds us and serves as a shield. It won't last long against how many there are, but it'll buy us time.
"What... What is this?"
"Just keep going!"
"It won't hold for long, Moka! Grab that mirror on my go!" The Vampire offers me a nod and we keep running, Kyoko keeps a firm grip on my hand. Lilith isn't far from Moka's reach, just a few...more...feet... "NOW!" I take down the shield around us and Moka grabs the spirit, Lilith wriggles in her hands.
"Hey! Let go of me! Think you'll take me down with you, do you?!"
"Guys! They're coming!"
"Moka, use the mirror!" Whoever holds the mirror should be able to command the spirit as long as they don't mistreat the trinket. "Just don't-" When I looked back I saw Moka looking straight into the looking glass, seeing the reflection of...her Inner Self. "Oh, no..." In a beam of monster energy, the monsters around us are blinded by the flashing light. The Vampire has awoken. "Moka wait-"
But She ignores me and delivers a swift roundhouse kick to everyone around us, shocking the human girl with her strength. "Whoa..."
"I see now," Inner Moka speaks. "She used the mirror to awaken me without removing the rosary. Mirror!" The small spirit squeaks in fear as she fell to the ground with her trinket. "You've cursed yourself with your own power, that's what you get for reflecting everyone's true nature!"
"Woo!" I cheered. "I mean, not exactly what I had in mind, but not bad."
"...You guys," Kyoko looks at us in disbelief.
"Kyo!" Tsukune and the others join us, the human boy hugs his cousin. "I'm so sorry I put you in danger! You must've been terrified and you-"
"Tsuki!" Kyoko pulls away from the boy and smiles. "It's okay. Elijah and Moka protected me."
Well, at least that's progress. I look back at Lilith's Mirror, she was trying to fly away. "Oh, no, you don't!" I grab the little fairy by her wings and she looks up at me in fear. "So, you're the little spirit causing all this trouble?"
"It's pretty rare," Mizore pokes the spirit. "I say we preserve it in ice."
HOO! HOO!
"Or perhaps I could eat it? Evil spirits like this one are quite a meal!"
"...Did that owl just talk, Tsuki?"
"Yeah, let me explain-"
"Another time," Ruby interrupts, moves right beside me and looks straight down at the mirror spirit. "We've got a lot of questions for you. Who stole you? Why were you sent to Yokai Academy?"
"EEP! I'll tell you anything you want! Please don't hurt me!"
"It was a gift..."
"What?"
My head turns back to that older...yet familiar voice. I feel an unpleasant shiver go down my spine once my eyes are met with the same black irises I never thought I'd see again, ones devoid of soul or any attachment to this world. Her voice still haunts my nightmares whenever I think of that day I was turned to stone.
Ms. Hitomi Ishigami...
"...You."
She laughs mockingly as she meets our gaze. "What's wrong? Surely a former teacher can't be faulted for adding a few thrills to the school festival. Did you enjoy your present, Moka Akashiya?" Ishigami sneers at the vampire girl. "It would've been such a boring festival without me. Don't you agree...Lilith?"
"Huh?" I look at the spirit in my hand...and she begins to glow in a bright green. Something isn't right... "Guys! Get ba-" My warning comes too late as I'm blinded by a flash of green light, causing me to let go of the mirror spirit and fall to the ground. "Augh...what the hell?"
When I sit up, I feel...an overwhelming sense of energy throughout my body. Wait a minute... I took a lock of my hair and brought it into my vision and it was pure white. I look to the others, Kurumu's wings and tail have sprouted from her body and Mizore's hands and hair were turned to ice. They have been affected by the mirror. I'm sure Yukari and Ruby have been affected too, but since they're witches they won't make a physical transformation.
"W-What the? I didn't even mean to transform!"
"Shit," I look around for the mirror, seeing the little spirit flying right up to our former art teacher balancing atop a line of hanging lanterns.
"Let's all get to know each other better, shall we?" Ishigami smirks as the Mirror returns to her side. "The light of the Lilith Mirror cuts through all your pretty lies and forces you to reveal your true self. Let's see what happens when we shine it on everyone at this school."
"No!" Tsukune shouts. "You'll undo their transformations! They'll attack each other! It would be a bloodbath!"
"There are children here!" I add. "Families! Innocent people! Don't you care about a damn thing?!"
"...Boys. The most beautiful thing in this world...do you know what it is?"
"..."
"..."
"Death." The way she enjoyed saying that sends goosebumps down my arm. "Every classical playwright from Aeschylus on wove his tragedies around the fallen hero. And don't we all adore the poignant beauty of falling flower petals? Flowers... Love... Life... They all shine the brightest at the moment of their extinction. As an artist, I long to witness the beauty of the death of this school."
"..." I can feel my fingernails digging into my palm. This woman is evil personified. Monsters like her are what's wrong with this world.
"You're insane," I hear Tsukune mutter in disbelief before turning to me and the others. "We have to stop her! We can't-"
"Tsukune..." Kurumu goes up to him, a rising blush flushing her cheeks. "...Tell me you love me."
"What?!"
"WHAT?!" I shout in equal shock. The Mirror...
"Please, just say it to me. I need to know..."
"Kurumu, what are you-"
"We don't have time for this!" I say. "We need to- OOF!" I'm tackled to the ground by a pair of cold hands, no, ice shards. "Mizore?! What are you-"
"Take me, Elijah. Right here and now."
"Huh?!" I instinctively cover my special place as Mizore's flushed face is mere inches away from my own. "M-Mizore!"
"Cute, isn't it?" I make out the sound of Ishigami's voice as I wriggle myself out of Mizore's grip. "Now you see the true power of the mirror!"
"Mizore, knock it off!" I keep her at bay with one hand.
"Well, well. So you're caught in its spell too, huh?" The Medusa looks down on the Vampire. "Then you better be honest with yourself, Moka. What you most desire...is the mirror, isn't it?" Ishigami cackles madly before launching herself toward the main campus building.
"No!"
"Get back here!" We can't let her do this... "Archimedes, get Kyoko somewhere safe and we'll go deal with this."
"Right right, young Everett."
"Don't worry," The Bus Driver steps up. "I'll keep an eye on her too, least I could do for ya kids."
"So, this is the power of Lilith's Mirror?" Tsukune asks him as I try to keep Mizore from tackling me again.
"Hehe, it's pretty simple once you grasp the concept. The true self the mirror reveals isn't just the outer self. Our secrets and desires...those are a part of our true selves too, aren't they? That's why the Mirror was hidden away for so long, it's treacherous. When people's souls are bared, they lose all self-restraint," The Bus Driver points with his cigar. "Just like them."
"Tsukune...just tell me, please. Maybe this will help..." I watched as Kurumu slowly took my Skillet jacket off...and then her brassiere. She wasn't wearing anything underneath? I felt a strong urge to...not look away. Wait, what?! I turn my body around despite the twinge in the back of my head. "Please, just say it once. I need to know."
"Kurumu, now's not the time!"
BONK!
I hear the sound of a washtub being dropped, hopefully on Kurumu to knock some sense into her. "Thank you, Yu-"
"I always hated your body," That made my head turn back around. Oh, God, not her too! Thankfully, Tsukune covered Kurumu's exposed body with my jacket. "You think you're so perfect with your oversized boobs! At least with mine, they're-"
"I'm not listening!" I cover my ears. "LALALALALALALA!"
"You know," I turn back to Mizore as she looks down at her own womanly features. "This reminds me of the story of Goldilocks. The first one's too big... The next one's too little... Until finally, you find the one that's just right."
"None of this is right!"
"Get away from him!" Kurumu tackles Mizore to the ground, shaking the Snow Fairy by her shoulders. "You think you can take him away? No chance, you snow skank!"
"Elijah, are you alright?"
"Oh, Ruby!" I sigh in relief seeing that she hasn't changed much. "Thank God. We need to get the others-"
"Tell me what you want from me..."
"...I'm sorry, what?" The way she says that with her face red like that...I don't like it one bit.
"Please..." Ruby leans back against a tree...unzipping her blouse. "Just tell me what you want to do...Mas-"
"Nope!" I turn away with my hands thrown up. "Not even gonna question that!"
"Will you all just get a grip!" Tsukune shouts in equal annoyance...but the sound of distant destruction and screams is what makes everyone stop. "Oh, no..."
"Hmph," Inner Moka huffs, walking off with meaning in her steps. "Looks like Ishigami's started her new game. I'm going, Tsukune. I don't need to babysit you anymore."
"What?" What is she talking about?
"Moka! If you're going to fight Ishigami, then I'm going too. We have to-"
"No way," Inner Moka interrupts. "I'm just going to fetch that mirror."
"...What?"
"Moka, you can't be serious!"
"Oh, but I am," She smirked. "Turns out it lets me transform without taking off the Rosary. Which means I can trade places with my other self anytime I want, so I don't need you anymore. Maybe Elijah here can start pulling his weight with the help of the Mirror too."
"You think that's all that Tsukune's good for?!" Kurumu shares my sentiment, putting my jacket back over her body. "Pulling off your Rosary?! And since when does Elijah not pull his own weight?!"
"What the hell, Moka?!" I don't care about her last remark, there are more important things than that right now. "There are innocent people out there caught in the crossfire of all this madness, kids even! And all you care about is some stupid mirror?!"
"Of course, that's all that Tsukune was ever good for anyway. That's all that ever mattered to me anyway. No offense, Tsukune, but the truth is that you just got replaced by a looking glass!" Moka runs off into the chaos...looking for Lilith's mirror.
There's no way she means that...
"...I'm still going after her," Tsukune reluctantly says, his fists shaking.
"I'm right behind you," I say.
"Oh, will you guys just forget her?" Mizore steps in front of us. "She was just using you, Tsukune. And she thought you were dead weight, Elijah."
"And you still have us," Yukari adds.
"Are you guys serious right now?!" Tsukune shouts before I can, shocking everyone...even me. "You believe some old mirror can tell Moka what she actually feels?!" He takes a breath, seeing that anger isn't going to get his point across. "I don't believe that was the real Moka."
"I don't either," I add.
"But you heard what she said!" Kurumu retorts. "You were replaced by a mirror..."
"So does that go for you, too?"
"H-Huh?" Tsukune's question catches Kurumu off guard.
"Are you easily replaceable? No, you're not. That goes for all of you. No one could ever replace you, Kurumu."
"Tsukune..."
"No one is ever going to replace you, Kuru. That goes for you too, Mizore. You two as well," I smile at my Witch friends.
"Elijah..."
"We're irreplaceable...and that goes for me, too." Tsukune turns back with a determined frown. "No mirror could ever replace me!"
Inner Moka...
Chaos...
That's all that remained of Yokai Academy's festival. No more peace and harmony filled the halls and stalls, only destruction and madness...followed by shrieks, cries for help, blood-curdling roars, and helpless wallows.
And in the center of it all...an ex-teacher with a darkened thirst for art in its 'purest' form. This is the dream of a madwoman. She stood alone with Lilith's Mirror in tow, looking down to the destruction of Yokai Academy below her...with a smirk on her face.
"This is the truth of our souls. Without disguises, lies, or artifice, we are reduced to nothing but lust and rage!" Ishigami looks up to the night sky, her hands raised high above her head. "This is my dream! This is truth! This is art!" She places her hands back down to her side, feeling the presence of whom she's truly after. "And to complete my masterpiece, I await you, Moka Akashiya."
The arriving Vampire scoffs. "You know, for all your talk of truth and art, isn't your real motive just revenge?"
"Revenge? Not exactly," Ishigami reaches for her bandana, taking it off and revealing her snake-like hair...and it was already slithering with life. "The day you defeated me, I wouldn't admit it at first, but I was smitten. By your beauty, your cruel, perfect beauty. The longer I hate you, the more I adore you. I want you. I want to slay you. For you to die by my own hands."
"Sorry, I'm not into that. Just hand over the mirror, Uglylocks."
The Medusa mockingly laughs. "So cute. You haven't even noticed, have you? The changes in your body..."
"What?" Faster than the Vampire could even see, Ishigami makes her move, appearing behind her and adoring her like a piece of art.
"Lovely Moka...you're already mine." Her snake-like hair takes its true form, biting down on Moka's defending arm.
What? How is she moving so fast?!
Ishigami sneers. "You're familiar with my ability to petrify, yes? I shall turn you to stone...while you're still alive."
Moka tore herself away from the Medusa, blood spurting out from her arm as Ishigami used her hair to attack the Vampire girl. But Ishigami's attacks were still damaging Moka, her skin already turning to stone.
Damn it...how is she faster?
"There's no escape for you, Moka," Not even two seconds after Ishigami's claim, four monsters from the crowd appear on the roof, surrounding Moka. "Meet my minions. I brought them along in case you tried to get away."
Moka desperately tries to dodge not only Ishigami's attacks but the four appearing monster's as well...but to no avail. A small drop of blood manages to drip from the corner of her mouth. No...it's not that Ishigami's faster, it's that I'm slower. I can't even dodge her pathetic attacks. In no time, Ishigami has Moka pinned down by her snakelocks, holding her up by each of her limbs. Moka's breathing becomes labored, taking long, deep breaths to just keep her eyes open. My body feels so heavy... Why?! What's wrong with me?!
"Well, Moka? Where's that vampiric power you're so proud of?" Ishigami mocks. "You're as timid as your lesser half!"
"..." Moka looks down at her chest, more specifically, at the Rosary that is still chained around her neck...and that's when it hit her. "So that's it...I still can't use my power because of the Rosary."
Ishigmi sneers happily "Finally, you get it! The sealing power of your Rosary is still in effect. The Lilith Mirror revealed your true self, but you're still wearing the Rosary. In time, the effect of the Mirror will weaken, and the Rosary will seal you away entirely once more. From the beginning, Lilith was only a means to isolate you. From your friends, and your power!"
"...That's exactly why I want that Mirror."
"What?"
"Until now, I couldn't fight without Tsukune. Hell, even Elijah manages to do more without me. Too many times...I've felt so helpless. Too many times...I've almost got him killed," Moka scowls, fighting against the grip of her aggressor. "No more. As long as I possess the mirror, I can fight alone!"
"Ha! Ridiculous! Tsukune is nothing! And that other boy is only good for a display piece! What could they possibly do for you?!" Ishigami sneers, licking her lips maliciously. "But I...I will worship you every night! Your beauty will be eternal once you turn to stone!"
Ishigami readies her snakes...only to be stopped by the sound of a voice calling out, shocking the medusa. "I can't believe you, Moka! Why didn't you just tell us?!"
"W-What?" Ishigami looks up and sees a familiar Succucubs flying overhead and carrying a Young Witch and Snow Fairy. "You?!"
"You have gotta be the world's worst communicator!"
"You could've told us, dummy!" The Young Witch adds. "We're your friends!"
"No...What are you doing here?! I told you I don't need you! Why are you here?!"
"No! I won't let you have her! Kill them!" Ishigami orders her monster followers on Moka's friends. "Kill them all! Don't let them get near her!"
Ishigami's monsters stood no chance against a Young Witch and her washtubs, a Snow Fairy and her power to freeze her foes and a Succubus who slashed through the bigger ones as if they were just normal pieces of paper. Once her minions were dealt with, Kurumu smirked at Ishigami.
"Too bad for you! We woke up thanks to them!"
"What?" The Medusa looks up and sees... "You!" A Witch carrying a human boy as she flew in with her raven-like wings accompanied a young man with pure white hair and glowing interstellar blue eyes...and angelic wings.
"Tsukune..." The Young Vampire girl looks up, her eyes widening seeing the human being dropped. He falls directly to her...his hand reaching out to grab the Rosary.
"If you need my help, Moka...just ask. You can use me anytime," Tsukune sneered. "We're friends, aren't we? So act like it, dummy!" In one swift motion...the Rosary is swiped away by the human boy.
...Incredible. I thought it wouldn't matter if you lost me. I thought...that it would be best for you.
The sheer and raw power of the Vampire tears away the Medusa's bindings, causing the snake-haired monster to clench her teeth in anger. "She's at her full power now... Damn you, Tsukune Aono... DAMN YOU!"
BOOM!
One roundhouse kick, that's all it took to knock Ishigami across the rooftop and into the concrete wall, leaving a cloud of dust and rubble. Tsukune smiles at Moka. "Nice job."
"..."
"Really?" Elijah tilts his head, having a hint of annoyance in his voice seeing the Vampire giving no hint of a response. "Not even a thank-"
"Damn you all..." Ishigami's voice comes from the rubble, she barely stands on her own two feet and her forehead is bleeding at an alarming rate. "Damn you all! I'll slaughter every single one of you!"
Inner Moka scoffs, readying herself to take care of this pest...but Elijah stops her by placing his arm in front of the Vampire girl. "She's mine." The Wizard doesn't even wait for a response before he slowly walks to the injured artist. Elijah towers over her, his energy never faltering.
Elijah
"Remember me?"
"Hahaha..." Ishigami lets out a weak chuckle followed by a blood-filled cough. "That desperate, pleading look on your face was hard to forget. Tell me... Does that day still haunt you, Elijah Everett? Does your skin crawl at the very thought of me turning you to stone? You think some cheap hair dye and color contacts are enough to intimidate me? You're still nothing!"
One of her remaining snake braids tries to go for my neck but I catch it with my left hand, it wriggles around between my thumb and index finger. I start squeezing the little monster until the head pops off, splattering a bit of blood on my face, this makes the Medusa wince in pain and suck in a breath of air through her teeth.
"Oh, I'm fully aware of that day, Hitomi," I use her first name, having no need to address her in any form of respect. "You've kidnapped...you've stolen...you've tortured...and you've terrorized this school, innocent people...children." I feel my left hand clenching against my palm as I kneel. "You're heart holds no compassion, no empathy...no love. It's blacker than any bottomless pit." I raise my right hand... "...Mort-"
I stopped myself before I could finish that word. I stand back up as my hand begins shaking and my ears start ringing. What the hell was I about to do? I...I almost uttered the most unforgivable spell. But...I wanted to. This monster has done nothing but torment us and this Academy, she's evil, she has no place in this world other than to bring misery...and she ruined my dance...
What is wrong with me?
My head twinges at the sudden flash of a certain memory flashing into my head, the day we had to stand against Kuyo and the Security Committee. I wanted to kill him that day, too. The same anger I felt then...is the same I'm feeling now.
"Haha..." Ishigami sees my hesitation. "What's the matter, Elijah Everett? Afraid of a little blood on your hands? Not all of us are ready to see the beauty that comes with death-"
"Petrificado."
A flash of blue comes from my hand, Ishigami's body jolts and her limbs stiffens, and she falls to the ground. I kneel back down, meeting the only part of Ishisgami that will be allowed to move for the rest of her days, her eyes. They look up at mine...with just a slight hint of fear.
"It's a simple spell but quite unbreakable for all non-magic folk."
I stand back up, facing the others. They all look at me with astonishment...minus the two witches. They must've heard me nearly mutter that curse. I don't know what came over me but I would never use that spell by any means. I ignore their stares as I make my way over to the edge of the roof, the rampage below is not calming down. There are even fires starting in all this chaos. An idea pops into my head, I know what I could do to stop this madness.
"Elijah?"
I ignore Ruby's concerned tone and my wings take me high in the air, hovering myself over the pandemonium. I take a deep breath, focusing my energy and my mind to what I want to do. I clasp my hands together, and the clouds above me begin to move and form a storm.
"Calm of the Storm."
A surge of blue and yellow surges through the clouds and rain soon followed after, putting out the fires below me and landing on the monsters as well. As I lower myself down, I see the fighting coming to a complete stop and everyone is slowly turning back into their human disguises. I feel my feet come in contact with the roof and my wings retract. I sigh in relief and look up to the sky, feeling the rain coming down and washing my worry away.
"It's over...no more screams."
"Impressive," I turn back to the familiar voice of the Headmaster of Yokai Academy. I see that he, the Bus Driver, Kyoko, and Archimedes have arrived on the same frog beast that was tamed earlier. "I was right to have high hopes for you, Young Everett. That display of magic takes me back to the gold old days."
The good old days? Does he mean Merlin?
HOO! HOO!
"I say!" Archimedes flies down to my side with a smile. "That was quite a spell! I could hardly believe it myself!"
"Yeah, that was amazing, dude!" Tsukune adds, patting my back.
"That was so awesome!" Even Kyoko was amazed, she stepped off the giant frog and stepped up to me with wonder sparkling in her aqua-blue eyes. "You're a wizard? Magic is real, too?! Can you shoot lightning out of your hands? Or move things with your mind? Ooh! What about-"
"Okay, okay," Tsukune tries calming down his cousin. "Kyo, that's enough."
"I'll admit, that was impressive," Inner Moka admits, crossing her arms as she looks at me and Tsukune. The human steps over to her, only now realizing the hight difference between them. He stands with confidence.
"Moka, I never knew that you were relying on me so much. But...you don't have to feel ashamed for needing our help, you know? We're friends, after all."
"..."
Damn Vampires and their pride...
"How about this? We don't have to worry about holding each other back anymore. Whenever we need help, we don't even have to ask," Tsukune reaches her hand out to Moka, wanting her to take it. "Deal?"
"..." The Vampire takes the Human's hand. "...Deal."
Look annoyed all you want, Moka, but I see that look in your eye.
"Hahaha," The Headmaster chuckles. "This reminds me of the good old days when we founded this school. Back then, it was constant pandemonium. So we decided to hide our true selves."
"I stand by that decision," The Bus Driver adds, taking a puff from his cigar. "Coexistence depends on hiding differences. After all," He looks at the headmaster with a smirk. "aren't lies the stuff and love of diplomacy?"
"True, but we can't be sure that our way will last forever."
"So we will find common ground," I speak up, everyone looking towards my statement. "Humans, Monsters, and Yokai alike need to find a common bond that can survive the truth. After all, we're all living on the same earth. Wouldn't it be better if we fought trying to keep peace rather than crate divides?"
"Hahaha," The Headmaster nods at me. "I couldn't have said it better myself, Elijah Everett."
After all the noise had died down, we decided to walk Kyoko to the bus stop so she could safely go back home to the human world. It's been a long day, I'm sure she wants nothing more than to collapse in bed and forget what she saw here. I know I would. I missed my dance thanks to that bitch...
Speaking of... The Headmaster and Bus Driver assured me and the others that she will be locked away where she will never see the light of day again. Not that she could escape thanks to my spell, it will remain in effect until either I take it away...or I die. Something tells me that she'll be long dead before then, so I'm content with her demise. As for Lilith's Mirror, Headmaster says that it will be placed under the highest security imaginable to keep it from falling into the wrong hands again. I don't know why it wasn't like that the first time but I decided not to speak up about it and trust him.
Still...I can't help but feel ashamed for what I almost did. I mean, I know she deserves it, but I can't just take a life with just the utterance of a single word...that's a coward's way out. And...I would be no better than any Warlock on this earth. Ruby and Yukari expressed their concern as we walked, but I reassured them with my thoughts. Ruby seemed to understand my feelings but Yukari was still worried about me. I don't blame her, she and Ruby were on the receiving end of the Tormentum curse...that thought sends chills down my spine whenever I think about it.
"You sure you're gonna be alright, Kyo?" Tsukune expressed his worries as we all made it to the bus stop, the Bus Driver already had his vehicle at the ready.
"Yeah," Kyoko nods. "I'll be alright. And I know you'll be okay too," She looks at the rest of us and bows respectfully. "Thank you all for being Tsuki's friends and don't worry," Kyoko stands up straight and winks. "Your secret is safe with me!"
"Thank you, Kyoko," I'm the first to express my gratitude. "And I'm sorry that you had to experience...well, not what Yokai Academy is all about. This place is supposed to be one where monsters can learn how to live in peace with humans like yourself, to coexist. I hope that you can come back and see it for yourself one day."
"I think I'll take you up on that offer. I wouldn't want to leave Tsuki here for too long."
I chuckle. "We'll take care of him, and he does the same for us."
"And before I go..." Kyoko rushes over to me...and plants a gentle kiss on my cheek, making them burn. I can feel Mizore's eyes burning into the back of my skull...along with another pair of eyes but I don't bother looking back.
"What was that for?" My hand unconsciously grazes over my cheek.
"That's just my thanks. You know, saving my life and being Tsuki's friend and all?" I guess, but still... "Anyways," Kyoko hugs Tsukune one last time before heading into the bus, she looks back and waves to all of us with a smile across her face. "Bye, everyone! Take care!"
We wave as the bus takes Kyoko back to the human world, at least now we have another friend out there. I feel an arm slip around my left one, I tilt my head down to see that it belonged to Mizore.
"Who does she think she is stealing a kiss from you?"
"It was just an expression of gratitude, Mizore. Okay?"
"Still don't get any ideas, man," Tsukune warns me, making me chuckle.
"Sure, like I have any chances with Kyoko, Tsuki." Using that nickname causes Tsukune to punch me in the arm, making me laugh even more. I'm just gad that this whole thing is over...but I feel like this is not gonna go well for the rest of the festival.
"You okay?" Kurumu asks me after I pull myself away from Mizore.
"Yeah, just pissed off." I shrug.
"Yeah, me too. What do you think's gonna happen now?"
"...Probably nothing good," I admit to her and myself.