Tekeshi opened his eyes. He knew that ceiling. This wasn't his dorm room. This was the infirmary. Well, he actually missed this.
He got himself sat up, and stretched. The pops as his joints released and relaxed were bliss. He didn't realize that whole thing was going to be as taxing as it ended up being.
He turned his head to one side, and was met with a very angry set of purple eyes. He had a feeling that he wasn't about to be told to take his clothes off.
"What, have you done," Karasu's voice was low and dangerous.
"I kept a promise to my grandmother. One that she deserved to have kept," he said as he swung to sit on the side of the bed facing her.
The nephilim shook her head in exasperation, "You stole from the afterlife. Even a demon would know better than to do that. There are forces beyond your comprehension that govern the souls of the dead. If it was something that you used to bring Yusa back, this would be a different story, she isn't dead. Akasha, was dead. Even if her soul hadn't been claimed yet, she shouldn't be alive again. Do you understand just how aberrant an act like that is?"
"You act like I care. Deesseedra, I'm not the first. Shinso created the tool I used. It's whole purpose is to bring the dead back. To steal from what he called the Keeper of the Whispers. As much as I hate to, I may have to let her die, to save her. I needed to know that I could use it though, so here we are," Tekeshi replied to her.
"Damn it. Tekeshi, you may or may not get away with this. I have no clue how much tolerance the ones beyond life have for such things. Like I said, not even a demon would do anything like this. What if they come after you? Are they even something that you would be able to fight," tears formed in her eyes.
Tekeshi took her in a firm hug, "I don't know. You know me though, I am willing to throw down with anything, anytime, anywhere. I mean, look at how you got hooked up with 'Suki. I knew I couldn't beat you, and I still went toe to toe. If it comes to it, we will find out. By the way, where is 'Suki?"
"She is royally pissed at you. The scraps of a couple of corpses looks bad on her, and your father. Thankfully, everyone who knows they are dead, is on your side. The issue will come to be when it is realized they are missing. Things are a little bit different now, the rules aren't the same. With humans openly attending, you can't go around with the intent to kill if you are attacked anymore," Karasu looked into his eyes as she spoke.
Tekeshi hadn't thought about that when he saved the girl. He hadn't even thought to ask about what they were. Though, technically, he wasn't actually enrolled, so he didn't fall under the authority of the school.
"I'm sorry. I saved a girl from them, and you know how orcs are. The fact they died, was the whole reason that I decided to take the chance, and see if I could succeed. I still can't believe that I did. It's amazing. She's, alive again. My family is, whole, or at least more than it was. Where is she," Tekeshi suddenly realized that he needed to speak to her, and deliver on another promise.
"Due to space constraints, she is having to share a room with the slut you sent back a few weeks ago. I don't know how Akui will react to a man walking in there right now. When she arrived, Sis, healed her. She had to get undressed to do so, and she had a small breakdown. She is ok with us two, and managed to see Dad without too much issue, but I don't know how far that goes." she grimaced as she told him.
Tekeshi stood up, "I still need to see my grandmother. Akui dealt with me basically being her nurse for a few hours, so she can deal with me now. Then, I need to talk to everyone, to let them know what my plans are going forward. Especially, with Yusa."
Down the hall Akasha was waking up. She didn't remember falling asleep, but then again there was a chance she might just go right back into it. Her body was hurting all over, she was stiff, sore, and her stomach felt like it was about to collapse. It was the best feeling in the world to her at that moment though.
Muscles, that hadn't ever been used, were stiff. Despite that she managed to work herself into a sitting position, albeit painfully. She had never been much in the way of a masochist, yet the pain was making her feel more alive than it had, when she had previously been alive.
"So, what hellhole did you get rescued out of?"
She blinked as she looked around for the source of the voice. Her perception was still working on getting itself set up, so everything seemed like it was spinning, while being still, and perfectly clear, while being completely out of focus.
"Huh, they cut your tongue out or something? You are way worse off than I was. At least they let me keep my hair. Still, that was one hell of a hunk that brought you in here. Not that the guy who helped me out wasn't something, but a mature, manly guy like you had, hard not to stare at that. Nice ass, too."
Akasha was still having trouble figuring out where the voice was coming from, but she had to agree on one point. Issa really did have a nice butt. That was something that she was never going to argue with anyone on, though she wasn't going to necessarily be the one to bring it up.
"Hey, you're going to hurt your neck swinging it around like that. Stop, and turn your head to your left."
She followed what the voice said. The muscles in her neck were barely holding her head up, and turning it was almost more than they were capable of. She needed blood, and a lot of it. She finally managed to get her head turned though.
She looked over at the woman in the other bed. She wasn't much healthier than Akasha, but the vampire couldn't help but be a little jealous of her hair. She really couldn't wait until her hair started growing out. Not only was she a little ashamed of how she looked, but her head was also cold, and she didn't know how to process that.
"If you can't speak it isn't a big deal. I have a second cousin that visits me everyday, and she can do some incredible things. She helped heal some major damage that was done to me. I will, save you the details of that. I need, you know what I am just going to leave it there before I depress myself. I want to introduce myself, since we are likely to be together for a while, but I feel bad that you can't return the favor, and I don't want to make you...," the woman just kept talking.
Akasha knew exactly who she was, and wasn't completely sure she wanted to share a room with her. Yes, she was a much different person than she had been, but she was still Akui. Akui did not have a very good track record, and Akasha had developed a much stronger suspicion of people who showed they deserved it than her grandson appeared to have.
Akui noticed the other woman staring, "Oh, sorry. I haven't seen that many other faces other than my cousins, a cousin in law, the doctor, and the orc woman who guards the door. I just need to actually talk to someone new. I have a sneaking suspicion they are purposely keeping men out of the room though, because the only man I have seen was my cousin."
Akasha actually didn't mind listening to her ramble. She had only been able to talk to Tekeshi for so long, she was happy to be acknowledged. She knew what a piece of work the woman was, but here she was, reveling in having someone to talk to, and Akasha was reveling in listening.
"Anyways, I, really don't know what else to say. I haven't ever really talked to anyone that couldn't answer before. Uh, its, I'm going to take a nap if you don't mind, I spent a long time in a bad place, and even with what was healed, there is a lot that is, still giving me problems. I don't know what time it is."
As Akui turned over and laid down, Akasha couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Here she was, not knowing that Akasha knew the truth, and she was just trying to be friendly to a stranger. Trying, to be someone different from the person that had lived in a way, that led her here.
Akasha laid down, and was going to get some rest herself. She was so weak that she wondered if she was actually going to be able to really live. As she started to close her eyes, she heard the door open.
"Mother, are you awake," she heard Moka say softly.
Despite really wanting to rest, she sat back up. She looked over at Moka. She was so beautiful, and seeing her with living eyes made Akasha so proud. She had grown up so well, and given life to such a good man, that had now given her a chance to actually be there with her daughter.
"I know that you may have trouble speaking, so I won't stay to long. I brought you blood. I can only imagine how hungry you are, seeing as you technically have never eaten anything. Here," Moka held out a bag of the most delightful looking red liquid that the bed bound woman had ever seen.
Akasha looked around for a glass or cup of some sort. When she didn't see anything, she was confused. Surely her daughter could not mean for her to drink from a bag like a barbarian. Why would she assume that even as hungry as she was, that she wouldn't show proper manners?
"Is something wrong?"
Akasha pointed at the bag, and then mimed drinking from a cup. Moka looked at her actions for a second before it dawned. Leaving the room for a moment she then returned with a plastic hospital cup. It wasn't really what she would have liked, but it was better than nothing.
"You can't understand how happy I am that you are here. I never would have dreamed of this, never could have even though this was possible. I spent an hour last night thinking this was just a dream, and Tsukune and Father kept assuring me it was real. I can't wait until you are strong enough to speak," Akasha listened to Moka speak as she daintily took drinks of the cool, refreshing, and life giving liquid.
This was the greatest day that she had ever had. She was already feeling stronger from just the small amount of blood that she had taken in. If she was recovering this fast, it meant she still had to be a shinso, so that wasn't going to be an adjustment. She had actually been wondering about that since before Tekeshi had called her to that clearing the night before.
"Your color is already looking better. You may be out of here really soon, and then we have so much to show you. We need to introduce you to Tsukune's parents, and I know Kokoa will want to see you. We need to take you shopping too. There is so much," why did people seem to love rambling when they knew the person couldn't answer them back.
Akasha just smiled and pointed at another bag of blood. Moka took the hint and refilled the cup. This wasn't that bad of a life. Being waited on.
"I'm just so happy to have you again," Moka went to hug her.
She pushed her daughter back. She loved Moka dearly, but, there was someone that she needed to give her first hug to. She had made a promise, and she was going to keep it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think, you might need some more time. I know how strong I am, and you were a part of me for a long time, so you know as well. We don't want to hurt you without thinking about it," Moka shrank back embarrassed.
"Mom, she has only been alive for a few hours. Don't you think you are wearing her out with the rapid fire," the two women looked at the door.
She had been bound with Tekeshi for so long, that she now didn't know how to process looking at him. She really hadn't had an ability to judge size as she couldn't even touch anything. Now that she was starting to be able to perceive things like that, she realized how gigantic he was. He was also really handsome. Oh, right, she had hormones now, that might cause issues in the future.
"Tekeshi, thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to all of us. I almost can't believe it. You are the best son to ever live, you really are," Moka threw her arms around her son's neck, and anyone else she would have crushed their spine.
"I made her a promise. You know I don't like to break a promise. I'm glad you're awake, there is another promise I know you want to keep," he said as his mother finally released him
He knelt down, and Akasha copied what her daughter had done. It was the best feeling she could imagine. She was also starting to realize how easy it was for a feeling to be the best, when your body didn't have those memories.
"Tek...kes, 'Kesi, tha...k you," it was hard to speak, but she had to.
"It's ok. You need to get your strength, well, get your strength going. I can't really say back since this body is new. Hmm, here," he flicked his hand out, and handed her something.
It was a, flat cap. It wasn't even a very attractive one. It looked like something that an old man would wear, with a horrible gray and black hound's-tooth pattern. She loved it though, and wasted no time in putting it on her head and smiling.
"Mother that is the single worst looking hat I have ever seen. Do you want us to find a matching sport coat," Moka said giggling.
Akasha made a pout as she nodded. She didn't care what it looked like, her grandson had given it to her, and she was very proud of that.
"I can't help on that part. Some random guy gave it to me in Australia and said I needed as much shade as I could get with all the white hair and red eyes. Oh, I just realized he thought I was albino. That explains a lot. Now I feel really bad, and maybe those people weren't so bad. I feel like an asshole," he said with a timid expression.
Akasha shot him a look, and he understood she meant to watch his language. Then she smiled and reached back up to touch the hat again, loving it so much. She couldn't even feel the pain anymore, there was too much overriding it.
She then reached out to Moka with both hands, and the younger woman came in for the hug she had wanted earlier. There was nowhere that she would rather be, than right there.
"Moka, Tekeshi. I know that you are very happy to see her right now, but, would you mind if," they looked over at the door and saw Issa there, "I, had a few moments with her?"
Akasha's eyes went wide as she looked at him. She had never seen anyone that wonderful. Handsome was not even close to describing the perfection she saw there. As much as she loved her daughter and grandson, right now she wanted them to go somewhere else. To that end she made dismissive movements toward them with both hands.
"Sure, come on Mom. I need to apologize to 'Suki, and I don't want to go without back up, especially given what Deesseedra... Damn it all, I am going to get this," Tekeshi said as he drug his mother out of the door.
They could hear Moka's reply as it faded down the hall, "It isn't going to be as easy, but you will eventually get it."
Issa gave a small smile as he stood there, "I love all of them so much. I hate having spent so much time in the shadows, even if it was necessary. Akasha, I, don't even know what to say."
Akasha motioned for him to sit on the edge of her bed. He didn't even think about it, so excited to be able to touch her again.
"Akasha, you, I... I... I don't know what to say. I had never been at a loss for words, until I met Tekeshi face to face. I had never met anyone like him, that could care less about being a vampire, and cared more for others. During the first time we talked, he refused to rise to any bait to fight. All I could think when he had walked away, was that he had so much of you in him, and that you would be so proud of him. I never imagined, that he would have a way to bring you back. I never thought that I would ever see you again. Akasha, I..," she put a finger on his lips to stop him.
He looked at her. He knew that she couldn't really speak, but her eyes said so much. They always had. It was one of the things that he loved about her so much. The happiness, and calm in them. The love and kindness. Her smile though, is what brought those eyes to life like nothing else.
Without breaking eye contact, he leaned over, and their lips met. Tekeshi had once described to her how it felt when he kissed Utsuki. He had said that it was like everything else in the world just, no longer existed, just them. This kiss, made everything in the world come into such focus and clarity, and they didn't care that any of it existed. It could all go to hell for all they cared. This moment was for them.