Teen Titans Gen Presents; Tokyo Knights-

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Chapter 28: Curse of a Former Witch Turned Insect Queen – Attack of the Fifty Foot Heavenly demon!?

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Ami was sure that her eyes deceived her. At first, she believed none of the blue, the black or white in her gaze as the will of a maiden of night's calling, pulled her deathly close. Kaede pulled out her talismans of a shamanic alley, with Aya holding her sai in both hands. "Walk not a step more."

"She is here, in this room."

The door creaked as Ami hugged her arms to herself and called out. "Ageha? You wanted us to show up. We have, for Iyori. Come out." She felt the gasp of airy cold show that a spirit had entered the floor. The furniture in this room was for a fortune teller as the room lit itself by magic and dark hexes.

The flames burned a light, hot lit blue as the gold at its tip only kept the world around them visible enough to peel through. Ami was tugged by what felt to be a chair, until she saw that it was not, yet a giant blue and black swarm of butterflies in a cluster. The showed her to her seat, an armchair that made the teen feel insecure in her position as the demon wanted.

~ Come, sit by the fire awhile. ~

The fox and grasshopper spirit lifted their ears as they were whisked close as well, Ageha coming out of the spoke she toted from her long pipe of an older style. A culture of pleasure and mystery. Lips sealed to every secret kept, she smiled with ruby lips to her coy followers. To be, in time if the priestess folded to her willingly. The fire was a real, illusion. A fire place by the wall as it morphed in the shadows to form a crackling glow. The room was bathed in it, as Kaede started to sweat upon her brow. Maybe coming here wasn't the wisest move.

Yet, Ami was about to let free her voice, as Ageha read the child's strong wisp of fear to drink that in, and become hungrier. She did. Ami swallowed with a loud, dramatic gulp while the feelers of the moth at her back made the child realize that the many had become one as it hung over her head, big bug faceted eyes staring down into her soul. She rose them to seek out Jorogumo, remembering her guilt and a secret weapon on her person from her doting uncle Shoji.

~I am neither foe nor ally, fox and kindred warrior. You may rise and seat yourselves as mere creatures. ~

"We'll maintain our forms." Replied Aya as she put her arms not an inch lower. She only watched the proboscis as Ami tried not to shudder at what the flyer by wanted. "He's friendly, right?" She nervously chuckled as Ageha smiled coy and strong willed not to speak the truth. ~ Perhaps. Yet, they are territorial. As the goddess's liaison on form, her…shadow, you must know why it peaks upon ye. Little fox? Have you not explained what she must be? ~

"Ami is Ami – chan." Kaede responded, sternly turning away the dust from more butterflies of an evening gowns blue. "She is here for her friend. Aya will be doing the same."

~And you? That which walks not with its tails carried high? ~ Sniffed the spider's lackey. ~You mistake us for not having any such pride, my child. The goddesses of old and later would return if Jorogumo were allowed her way. In fact, the Djinn boy is a perfect example for a container of a maker of this world that she wishes to spin by her threads alone. ~

"She's doing against order, against all good in this life time –

~Is she, small grasshopper…~ The butterfly maiden clicked her tongue disappointedly. ~You're supposed to have had a hand on her situation. I then believed every desire for Seimei to entrust you with that Onmyouji's descendants was…. miscast. What do you think, child of the Sun Lady? ~

"Aya cares more about Iyori fir a lot longer. She deserves to be there. What is your youkai friend planning to do? Why is, us she always so ill around you all the time? I know, I saw how she was with our teacher."

Aya pulled away and dropped her blade a minute. "You, disgusting-

~ Quiet. ~ The demonic winged thing waved her arm as Aya didn't have a choice. The butterfly above Ami could do as it was told, Kaede was too far to make it pay if anything became if their mini miko savior.

~ Abe no Seimei's line only ended with Iyori's mother. I was forced to watch her pass as I let the last line of protection break. You see, I came to aid Jorogumo as more than her servant. The fact that she holds the key to revealing Iyori chan's real destiny us why I have brought you to my void. To discuss your fates. ~

"Tell us what she's planning. If you think we can't be trusted." Ami crossed her arms, the proboscis sniffing her out as she tried her best to ignore it. She'd not fall as her allies had. As countless if innocents on that train, or the one that was supposed to be her teacher, chewed up and spar out as an imposter and spy.

"You got past the wards we set. You got to me, Iyori, and even took our principal away."

~ To make things easier to divide you. ~ Ageha dipped her smoky pipe to its tray as she let her lungs speak in higher pitches. As if to gather herself after being half awake. (Opium, ancient being and demon. Will explain.)

"In fact, your possession showed me that you can take hold of those and her name was not Japanese…honestly, your origin is confusing too. You…" Ami tried to shift as her mouth dropped open. "You're a foreign youkai??"

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"It's why my magic didn't hurt you a whole lot. Why Jorogumo is still stuck. You're the only one that can help her escape." Ami noticed that the butterfly was dripping a strange fluid onto her shoulder. ~ No! ~ She turned red with the crystals under her palm. Circles like Verra's marks appeared on her fire hands as she became more powerful against this actual demon from ancient China.

How she'd made it to the corridors of the underworked where Jorogumo hid in wait, was questioned by Ami's palms that were lit by her half Tamaran heart. "Ageha…you're not a real butterfly, are you? We were tricked to think you might have any idea of what Iyori is up against- what you…. you'll stop at nothing, won't you?" Ami huffed out.

The demon put down her hand as her wings poked out to turn into something crooked. Her eyes bulged to scare Ami, yet she knew better, reverting to have the one watching Ami of her creation; the proboscis dealing insect at Ami's back, transform into a very, dangerous looking demon.

Aya was on edge as she weirded her sai against it, the creature made the building quake as Ami pushed it back, the display and the fire going out while the roof of the place Ageha had trapped them, to grow and grow.

~ My children will expand! They all will! If you cannot see this plan as a way to salvage your ever-loving peace, my child…then you must perish. Go! Devour that miko, my pets! ~ Ageha laughed as her wings returned to pose a threat. Ami set up the crystal to start a barrier as they reached the crunching exit, out onto the streets where time had returned.

The roar of the bug, the hum of dark evil had Ami and her allies reunite to high tail it. The creature went on every food to stop her. She used her wards, yet it was reflected back. Ami took to her fans and tried to chant a spell, something to make them invisible which did work.

"Whoa, my powers!" Ami saw her palms glowing as Aya's pointed ears dipped curiously over the man-made stones. Not rubies, sorcery." She pointed out. "Lab crafted. This, is true alchemy."

Kaede started to change firm to her Kyubi body while Ami was reluctant to allow Kaede to get hurt. "No! You'll end up in its stomach or worse, we have to run –

"It will feed on the fear it finds and devour us if we do." Kaede retorted. "Go back, find a way with Aya to -.

"And what?"

"What now…" Kaede growled at the overgrown green cricket. "You. Stay with my charge."

"I am a warrior –

"Without a contracted soul like Iyori's to make you even stronger, you will end up dead before this darkness rises over." Kaede said. "Ami. You have to be quick. I'll stomp on this bug if it's to my last hair's wit."

"Ah…Kae..please! Don't do this…you saw what Haru had to…" Ami shook her head as Kaede gave the youth a pitying look. "I'm stronger from that war. I became only then when I sacrificed my all for you, the future vassal of my sun princess. Hurry." She pulled her white muzzle back as Ami was on the surface, destroyed by Kaede's determination. ( In chaos arc, Haru was defeated by the god of sleep and had to reincarnate in a way to another age. Kaede was against her having done this for Aki, but things did change. She wants to be a good guardian kitsune.)

"Ami, this is for Iyori as well –

Ami snapped her eyes up to Aya as the grasshopper looked tear stricken as well. "She will not perish. Please trust, in your friends." ( Maho Shoujo moment! Aww.)

They ran off, their breath light and screeches from the red-light district ringing into the new year that would never come for each of them. Should another life be lost to the questionable things lurking in the darkness.

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"Everybody ready to go down and lose control?? Hoi! ~

The group around Roko's damned cult following was massively overblown. ( She's pulling a Reol.)

~ Hoi! ~

~Hoi! ~

~ HOI! ~

She was donning Harajuku maiko style and it looked very disrespectful to the culture of her outfit. "Ready. Se…no! ~

"NO, no all of you. Back in line –

~ Line up, know your place because I'm here to to light the lamps! Time to get lost in the world of night and make yourself believe in another. I am here to push and pull, my animal instincts can't be shared. So come with me, though the curtain and I shall tell you…quite a tale…. ~

The shamisen in the background mixed with metal and techno. Before John knew it, he was blocking his ears and running closer to the side of the stage. No opening there.

~ Come after us, as we dance for you to say. This us nor the way. Where will you stay tonight? Cold or hot! Take a pick and fly! ~

~ Oh! ~

~ Fly! ~

~Go! ~

"Soo –

Her arm was tugged as John was booed and pushed down. "Blasted…oi!" He didn't like the worst version of a club turning mosh pit on his watch. Especially while that pup off a leash was running the chorus to hell!

"She's going to dance them right into moving traffic…. what do…" John cracked his knuckles as the feeling was mutual. Dancing with a demon. Was she that tolerable to being led, he wanted to know.

~ そこでセイレーンが呼ぶ歌を無効にしてください。月と木の神にかけて、彼女を彼女が歩く石板に縛り付けてください。~

"Sokode seirēn ga yobu uta o mukō ni shite kudasai. Tsuki to ki no kami ni kakete, kanojo o kanojo ga aruku sekiban ni shibaritsukete kudasai!"

Roko put her mix down as she breathed out, eyes to the ceiling while the cult following bar goers clapped and stomped for more. "Did you need me for something, fan boy?"

"Yes, your full attention. Kudasai!"

The people were thrashed by moving wooden vines that kept the stage from being met by more applause, caging in the loud-mouthed imp as the magic was lost.

"Time to shove off. Again." John put out his hand for her to grasp it and reset the spell binding them together, temporarily. "I can see why he never likes you close enough." She sheeted and pushed her dark hair from her face, not taking the hand as he grabbed her forearm. "You can't be so bloody reckless with this body! -

"Because it's not mine, is that why? Why he has to be cherished while I starve for what I was left to pick up…." She growled and didn't move, shuddering as je just had her come quickly out. "I told you. Play nice, and you'll be yourself in no time. You're like him, a little messy on the introductions. It's not right, I agree what happened –

"He hurt all of that which he sought, bleeding every petal red upon the throne of a conqueror." She stated in recitation. "From the book. You really know your long-term originals." John blinked. "That myth was your story too. It may have been a cry fir help all along."

"As do you see it as such." She lifted her eyes as the door shut behind them to the club. "You cared for him. Why would you then think to share any of that kindness with his neglected duplicate rejects? We were nothing but lives warped by a monster's will. For control. You forget…" She pretended to be out with more of a pleasant eye to the sky. John let her be, his arm still keeping her by his side. "Far from safe are we if that monster resurfaces with one, single push. The dragon is large, not only that. The knowledge of the old ways is none compared to his –

"Stop." John had her drag out her other hand as he kept that too. "We'll find them, and when we do, let me be the judge if you're able to even be civil on our world. You love this? Being longed for? As a human, you'd not make it. I know it hurts, the past is a damned issue for the majority who know pain for pain's sake," He explained. "Instead, try to just do this favor under your brand…I can't do anything to save you if you end up killing yourself inside a seedy Japanese nightclub. You'd be like the monster you claim still walks among these common folk." John let her other arm go as Roko didn't know how to say a word. "You'd…You'd do something to us, like I'm just useless too…"

"You're alive. Use of anything is only good for him ta ssurvive. In a way, you acted as direction guards, or more like traffic cops in Richard Ainsley's mind. You had him play nice with his papa to stay alive. And, you'll learn." John tilted her head up. "Mind you, princess. It's not the same as your dark castle, being this mess we humans can live in." He smiled a bit. "Now, come on. We can catch the next –

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The thunder reminded John of his eighty's golden years. When he'd been a fan of getting high and making fun of monster movies while having had met plenty of beasties and ghoulish figures during his career as a warlock.

Since of course Roko was technically a borderline case, she sensed it to, eyes glowing red and ears bugging out as they turned to a ten-foot terror, that Ami was being chased by??

"BIG BUG!! Nice buggies?!" Ami was as spooked as Scooby-Doo with his tail tucked, though comically so, as Kaede fought like a true fox by her fire and pushed it back. Aya was…. was hopping mad as her leaf blade magic only made the thing angrier while a howling laughter erupted with the span of two blue butterfly wings and a dark voice.

A swarm of them; rabid demons in a hive formation, winged nightly terrors pronounced by their master's efforts. John assumed this was a new task and Ami was stuck in the middle, falling behind and even larger, uglier mass. The insect was larger than even –

"Run…" Roko rasped as she tugged John along.

"RUN!!"

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This was going to be like a spirited away style chase with Ageha becoming the demon insect. Yet, I took it a bit of a different avenue. Ami put two and two together like her detective father and grandpa, and she also used her mom's power combined with Shoji's gift to reveal that Ageha was actually not of Japanese origin, but China as a Shinchu. I divine or deadly insect that had become too powerful from staying this way. Question now is, how did Ageha know or want to free Jorogumo since the spider was once human in her past but was corrupted by her anguish once Abe no Seimei stopped her plans then? If she is truly not able to leave her domain yet Ageha is, how will this country's magic work against her? John may know the answers, or not! Find out!