Griffin
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Goodness, it feels good to be writing again. I swear, life without the Internet is NOT a way of life for me. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM OKAY xD
So, I'm sorry you've had to wait over a week for this, but here is the sequel to "Teki no Teki wa mada Tekidearu". Ahhh sorry ahead of time for any rough translations for the Japanese. I only used a bit because Google Translate isn't known for being 100% reliable... Anyway, I hope you like it! :3
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While the phantom-boy annoyed me to an intolerable degree in such a short amount of time, I knew he was correct about the intruders. As he had become invisible to our eyes, I had peered through the peephole. There had been something... off about them. Something different. Something sinister and corrupt.
For the time being, I was willing to cooperate because only he could take care of what he claimed were demons. Though I could not forgive him for interrupting our planning, interjecting his own misguided opinion, and blatantly making assumptions, it was necessary that we fought together.
Once Kuroshiro returned and became solid once more, his ghostly face twisted into an expression of contemplation. “I suggest trying to disu-amu them before you attempt to kill.”
A surge of battle lust and fury swarmed through my veins. “Or, we could defend our house and-.”
Narrowing his eyes, he shook his head in opposition. “No. I feel they are being controlled by something else. Something sini-suta. A demon. Destroying these humans won’t destroy the demon. He is most likely somewhere on the grounds.”
As she shook with what I presumed to be barely-concealed rage, Akira demanded, “So WHAT NOW?!”
Without hesitation, the spirit constructed a plan. “I’ll take the demons. You take out the humans. Just don’t hurt them if you can help it.”
Now that could be a problem.
It was true that I had years of fighting experience under my belt, but they had all been associated with gang violence. Of course, I would give it a try. I had to do all I could to protect this building and the people inside. It was my duty.
Nodding sharply, I flexed my wings, concocting a more detailed course of action. As I gritted my teeth, I set the knife I had retrieved onto the gateleg table near the door. If I was not to harm the humans, it would do me no good.
“Kuroshiro, we will circle around back to ensure stealth, and you should come out when we incapacitate the men out front in order to locate the ‘demon’,” I stated, locking eyes with him. “Wait until we have taken out the humans so you can take care of your business. Is that favorable?” At first, he seemed as though he wished to disagree.
“Since we are on a tight schedule, I’ll agree to it,” he sighed, appearing annoyed. “Get to work. I’ll be waiting.”
As I turned, I motioned for Akira to follow, struggling to contain my frustration. Why must some members aggravate me so?
“What’s the deal?” Akira demanded once we were a significant distance from the front door. Surprised by her outburst, I could only manage to stare for a few seconds.
“It would help if you clarified your question,” I muttered, still moving toward the back door. Growling under her breath, she grabbed my wrist, jerking me to a standstill.
“You know what I’m talking about, Dragonboy,” she snarled, her red eyes flashing. “What the h*ll is going on between you and Kuroshiro?” Blinking, I tugged my hand away.
“Akira, it is not a good time to be discussing nonexistent issues,” I dismissed, shaking my head. “There is nothing wrong. We just met.” She grumbled something about “guys being so d*mn territorial and abrasive” but left it at that.
She could not know the truth, not then, hopefully not ever. I could barely accept the truth myself.
The rest of our trek went in silence. In the distance, the repeated sound of a wooden tool smacking into a door echoed, the thieves relentless in their action. It seemed as though they would never tire.
After a few minutes, we crouched in the cover of the forest, eying the five men from less than thirty feet away.
“Remember, we are not to harm them, if what the ghost-boy says is true,” I recounted in a hushed voice, snapping Akira out of her indulged stare.
“I know, Dragonboy.” Her reply was sharp and cold, icy like the dark side of the moon. She was upset with me yet again. Massaging my temples, I sighed.
“I apologize,” I whispered, sincere. “Shall we?” Brandishing her gleaming claws, she nodded, her tail bristling.
“Let’s go,” she ordered. In a smooth motion, she leapt over the shrubbery, racing toward the group and leaving me in her dust. Wide-eyed, I beat my wings against the air, propelling myself forward so I could catch up with her.
When we were within a few feet of the nearest man, they all seemed to hear a single command, and, with stiff spines, they turned simultaneously to face us.
Yes, there was definitely something wrong with them. While their eyes should have been lively, what with them being in their mid-twenties, they were dull, flat, and gray, much like that of a corpse.
Akira seemed to sense the abnormalities, as well, but, even so, she didn’t hesitate in tackling one of the men to the ground, pinning him with ease. Vowing I would obey Kuroshiro’s instructions, I swept my wing under another man’s feet, sending him crashing down, his knife spiralling from his hand and embedding itself into the near-frozen soil.
Moving in a fashion that seemed robotic, two of the remaining men, one wielding the bat, surged forward, directing their attack at me. Akira took out one of them before I could move, wrenching his knife away. Folding my wings behind me, I grabbed the man’s shoulders, kicking his wrist so he would release the bat. With a swift smack, I sent him tumbling to the ground where he laid in a heap, perfectly fine but unable to move.
A click caught my attention, drawing my eyes to the remaining man, his stare unblinking and intense. Steady and sure, he held his gun so the barrel shifted between the two of us. After a few moments of uncertainty, he pointed it at Akira, her back turned.
“Akira!” I shouted, diving toward her as a shot went off. There was a sharp, short-lived sting on my shoulder as I shielded her and shoved us both to the ground, but I didn’t focus on it. As soon as she was out of harm’s way, I knocked his weapon into the trees with my wing, returning to slam him to the ground.
Pleased with our work, I rose to my feet, offering a hand to the werewolf. Trembling in the slightest, she accepted, averting her gaze.
“Thanks, Griffin,” she mumbled. Not used to her gratitude, I could only nod.
“Kuroshiro, the situation is under control. We could use your expertise now,” I called, gritting my teeth as I rolled my shoulder.
Instead of phasing through it, the spirit, managed to open the door, stepping outside and eying our work. Without another word, he knelt before the fallen men, closing his eyes.
I suspected he was doing... something... to rid them of the demon’s control, but, even with my enhanced eyesight, I saw nothing. After a few minutes, he rose, content with whatever he had done.
“They will wake up in a few hours having no memory of their experiences here,” he stated as he rose, he gaze blank. “I have seen this many times before. Judging by past encounters, the demon should make his appearance right about... now.”
On cue, a shadowy figure emerged from the trees, its red skin shining in the moonlight. Its thick eyebrows were furrowed, yellow eyes narrowed to slits, and, swishing behind it, a long tail brushed the ground. Other than its strange skin and tail, it looked like an average, overweight man.
Beside me, the spirit’s eyes narrowed to match the creature’s.
“ここで何をしているの? 鬼! これの意味は何ですか?” Kuroshiro shouted, his fists clenched in rage. While I did not understand his language, I assumed this being was the demon he had been speaking of.
The creature moved forward, unsheathing a long Tachi from his belt as it grinned, its teeth sharp.
“Do not fret, Psychopomp,” it spoke, his voice not matching the movements his mouth made. “I am not targeting you. This visit is beyond your comprehension.” Its words, spoken in English despite being of Japanese mythology, puzzled me, and, after sparing a glance at both of my companions, I could see their reactions were the same.
“What are you talking about?” the ghost demanded, drawing his katana once more. His eyes glimmered with a fury I had never seen. Apparently, he did not like having secrets kept from him.
The demon grinned even broader.
“Soon, you shall find out,” it answered cryptically, mocking us all. With a snarl, Kuroshiro lunged forward, his blade connecting with the demon’s despite the fact that they existed in different dimensions.
Feeling a desire to be in on the action, I moved forward, but Kuroshiro shot me a look that stopped me dead in my tracks.
“This is my fight, Wyvern. It would do no good for you to interfere.”
So, with Akira, I watched.
Though I hated being on the sidelines, I felt myself enthralled by the spirit’s graceful movements. It was almost as if I were watching a choreographed dance, the way he spun and stabbed with his sword as if it were an extension of himself.
Within minutes, Kuroshiro had fatally injured the demon, pinning him to the ground with his katana through its stomach. Coughing, the demon closed its eyes, retaining an truly humanesque appearance.
“Very soon... you will know the truth,” it wheezed, clutching his wound. “Kuroshiro... you are a good soul. I almost... regret... that you... and the... others have had to suffer. The truth shall be made known, but you will not like it. None will.” With that, the demon went limp for the last time.
Visibly shaken though he tried to hide it, Kuroshiro removed his weapon and sheathed it, turning to face us once more.
“We shouldn’t dwell on that. He was... insane,” he excused, his eyes flickering away. “Well, it is over now. Let’s go inside. We should all get some rest, no?” Respecting his words, I nodded, and, after Akira led the way inside, we followed after, abandoning the unconscious men and the deceased demon.
Even with the mysterious claims the creature had made, it had been a good night’s work. In my opinion, at least, it had been.
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I spent a few hours tossing and turning in bed once I had cleaned my wound, unable to fall asleep, before I gave in, travelling downstairs and making my way into the living room. The bullet had only grazed me, so it would not bother me any longer.
By intuition, I had figured he would be there, too. Peering out the window at the night sky, he acknowledged my presence with a sharp nod. I stood beside him, staring at the stars and the surrounding forest.
“May I ask you a question?” I blurted, my gaze darting to him for a split second. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him turn to me, his face shocked and confused.
“I suppose,” he shrugged, his words unfriendly. Sighing, I furled my wings, running a hand through my hair.
“You guide the souls of the dead to the afterlife, correct?” He seemed genuinely stunned by my inquiry.
“Yes.”
“Regardless of religion?”
“As far as I know, they all go to the same place.” By now, his eyes were wide, his expression wary. As I licked my lips, my shoulders slouched slightly.
“Do you... Do you recall ever guiding a soul... who was... who looked...” I did not know what I was doing. Why was I trusting him, someone who had threatened to fight me not five hours previously? But I could not stop. Turning to him, I kept my gaze level. “Do you recall guiding a soul who looked exactly like I do but without these scars?” I brushed my cheek, indicating what I meant.
For a moment, he stared at me. Then, he bit the inside of his cheek in thought.
“Yes, I do remember. His name was... Cyrus?” As soon as he had uttered his name, a pain shot through my chest, a lead weight pressing against my heart, but, even so, I managed to nod.
A minute of silence passed.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Griffin,” Kuroshiro muttered, surprising me with his sincerity. I nodded in appreciation.
“You are not a bad man, Kuroshiro,” I confessed, offering a tight-lipped smile. Chuckling, he returned the grin.
“And you’re not as much of an *sshole as everyone says,” he retorted. I laughed before I realized the meaning of his words.
D*mn. And I had struggled so hard to change my image.
Yet, that did not ruin my good mood, no matter how brief. Someone who had started as an immediate enemy had quickly become an acquaintance.
It was not a momentous alteration to my life, but it was certainly a step in the right direction in the long run.
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... Yeah... FORESHADOWING AND STUFF. xD Okay, so it's 3AM... if any of this really sucks, I'm blaming it on lack of sleep. :33 ONTO THE DATE... and Solana... and... sigh.... so much to do, so little time.... xD <3
