Rosario Vampire Fan Fiction ❯ Two Guys, A Vampire, and a Monster Academy ❯ Urban Sprawl and Vendetta ( Chapter 11 )

Two Guys, a Vampire, and a Monster Academy

This chapter took longer to write then I had anticipated, and that’s not including the downtime in between writing sessions. To that I must apologize to my more loyal readers. Hopefully this would not be a continued trend but I doubt that I would continue my earlier publishing progress from earlier. Oh and before I forget....

Disclaimer: I do not own Rosario + Vampire storyline, background, characters and similar media. Anything that sounds familiar to the readers is more then likely not mine, but originated from a source that I do not remember clearly. I may not be able to own my OC in this fiction.

Chapter 11: Urban Sprawl and Vendetta

The older witch, Rubi, suddenly awakened as if from a nightmare to find herself beneath sheets upon a futon and within a very unfamiliar room. However, there were familiar faces that crowded around her downed form, those of the Newspaper Club she fought against upon the roof top earlier.

“So Carrie’s awake I take it?” The group then turned their attention back to Lou, to whom Rubi had not encountered that time.

“Nani (what)?! Where am I?!” Rubi demanded as she threw off the sheets from her form and rose up from the futon, only to be halted by the pain of her injuries from the battle earlier as she clutched her body.

“Rubi-san shouldn’t move yet! ~Desu!” Yukari warned. “You’re still recovering! ~Desu!”

“Doko (where)? Where am I? Who are you people?” The elder witch asked in between gasps of pain.

“You’ve already met Yukari-chan,” Tsukune gestured towards Yukari, who simply smiled. “My name is Aono Tsukune, and these are my friends Akashiya Moka, Kurono Kurumu, Shirayuki Mizore, and my cousin Louis McCorray.” The other monster girls greeted.

“Yo.” Was all Lou stated.

“And, well, we’re only here for a research trip for our club.” Tsukune continued. “And this is the motel that we’re stayin’ for the night.”

“Which would explain the cramped conditions in here.”

“And why am I here?” Rubi inquired. “What are you planning on doing to me, now that you have defeated me? Why help someone who tried to kill you?”

Tsukune simply shrugged as Lou replied. “That’s actually a very good question.”

“But to be honest,” Tsukune began. “It would be better if we’re friends then if we’re enemies.” The other girls agreed.

Just outside the room, the mysterious bus drier and Shizuka Nekonome listened in on the conversation with the members of the Newspaper Club and the elder witch. “Is this really ookee, Shizuka-sensei?” The bus driver warned. “This ‘case’ that those kids are involved in is becoming very serious. More dangerous then you realized. If worse comes to worse, we’ll have to call for back up from Monster Academy. Is that clear?” Nekonome simply snacked upon her cashe of raw fish, smiling.

“Arigato (thank you), Lou-kun ~Desu!” Yukari thanked Lou as they approached a nearby supermarket. “You didn’t have to walk with me to go shopping ~Desu.” Her attire lacked only her signature hat and cloak.

“I’m just making sure that you don’t have yourself a nervous break down like yesterday.” Lou replied.

“That’s so mean ~Desu!” Yukari puffed her cheeks in annoyance. “It wasn’t my fault-”

“Whatever, I already heard the details.” Lou then looked around the outside of the supermarket, searching for a particular vessel. “Huh? Guess this one doesn’t use shopping carts.”

“‘Shoppingu kaato (Shopping Cart)’ ?” Yukari repeated with an eyebrow raised in curiosity just moments before the two passed through the glass doors. The little witch couldn’t help but analyze the pressure sensitive automatic doors in child-like awe as they opened for each individual who entered the supermarket.

“Pressure sensitive,” Lou answered for the young witch before he looked upward in thought. “Or so I figured.” The American then turned to pick up a shopping basket.

“So what is this place called ~Desu?” Yukari looked around. “It’s so big ~Desu!”

“Supermarket.”

“What’s wrong with a regular market ~Desu?”

“Lower prices and convenience mostly if I remember that documentary correctly.”

“What documentary ~Desu?”

“There was nothin’ on TV that day and I was bored, so sue me!” Lou defended, causing the little witch to question the American’s sanity, but only just as they entered the produce department of the store. “So what’s on the list?”

“‘Risuto (list)’?”

“Well I presume that everyone else got their own tastes in drinks, what with Pinkie preferring Tomato Juice and V8 over everything else but Couz’ and me own blood works.” Lou noted while subconsciously rubbing his own neck from previous encounters with the vampire’s fangs.

“Eetoo (um)...... I think Boobie Monster wants something really sweet, Stalker wants some Ramune Soda or something similar, something refreshing and cold. And most witches would prefer an apple cider soda. ~Desu!” Yukari noted. “What did Tsukune-san wanted again? ~Desu!”

“So pretty much Pepsi, Sprite or 7up if they don’t got it, V8 or similar, two apple sodas, an orange soda and a regular cola should be about right.” Lou counted upon his fingers, only to look back upwards to see that the little witch had relocated herself to the produce section.

“Sugoi (wow)!” Yukari exclaimed in wonder. “It’s almost like a farmer’s market ~Desu!”

“I’m guessing that’s the idea.” Lou walked up to the little witch. “Let’s try not to loose each other, alright? Even in a place this small it’ll take forever to find each other.”

“Ookee.” Yukari nodded.

“I’ll take it that you’d like to have a good look around before findin’ them drinks right?” The little witch nodded with surprising enthusiasm that caused the American to chuckle in amusement. “Hate to see what you’re like at a mini-mall, let alone the full version.”

“Nani (what)?”

“Nevermind, let’s just enjoy ourselves a little bit and take a look around.” With those words, Yukari began to look at the other stands within the produce section to look at all the variety of items available for sale.

Lou simply shrugged before he put on the magic glasses in an attempt to amuse himself for whatever time it may have allowed and spied before the lenses a whole web of red string. He raised his eyebrows in awe from the amount of red string that appeared to flutter in the wind and wondered why he never seen the red strings of destiny act in such a manner when he wore the glasses the other day. He then turned towards the little witch and spied two red strings tied to the knuckles of her pinkies. The curiosity took over his better judgement as he stealthily took hold of Yukari’s string to see exactly who she was fated to marry in her future. He recalled the fact written in the notebook witch stated that with enough contact, the wearer could potentially learn the attributes of any unknown match.

To his misfortune, he found that the string was tied to his own pinkie and added to the already troubled number of red string to his fingers. Internally, he screamed in horror. “What else is here at this ‘super market’ ~Desu?!” Yukari asked, barely giving Lou enough warning and time to hide away the glasses, but not enough to hide the fact that he hid something from the little witche’s gaze. “Lou-kun? What are you doing ~Desu?”

“What? Me? Oh nothin’, nothin’ at all!” Lou smiled as innocently as he could, raising suspicion but Yukari dismissed the thought as the duo continued with their exploration of the store. This little exchange continued each and every time the little witch focused nearly all of her attention upon some product or display to which he took advantage to briefly sample the abilities of the magical glasses. He would then see the red strings and experimented with them, observe the consequences and barely able to hide the glasses before the little witch would turn back to Lou to ask him a question or make a statement, to which caused her curiocity to increase ever so slightly. Especially in the latest attempts when he had nearly destroyed a family by accidentally severing the red strings of the parents and barely able to correct the problem in addition to introducing a young couple to each other and had begun a romantic relationship almost instantaneously. He barely dragged the witch away before the newest couple would turn to Lou to tank them for this encounter.

After several minutes worth of browsing up and down the isles of product Lou used subterfuge to learn the limits of what he could do with the magical glasses, the duo found the soda cans for their Newspaper Club comrades and approached the registers. Though despite the American’s best efforts, Yukari had noticed that Lou had performed some task while her attention was elsewhere. A task that he did not want her to be fully aware.

“So did you find anything else yesterday Lou-kun? ~Desu.” The little witche’s inquiry nearly caused Lou to have a panic attack.

“Wh-what makes you say that?” He gulped, to which Yukari simply giggled.

“I’m just curious that’s, all ~Desu.” Yukari asked before turning back towards the line to discover that she was next to perform the transaction.

“Out of random curiosity,” Lou began. “How are yah gonna pay for the drinks?”

“Money, nani (why) ~Desu?” The little witch answered as she pulled out a wallet from her rather adorable looking purse.

“Like Yen?”

“Hai (yes), nani ~Desu?”

“Just wondering, well considering our little *ahem* situation.” Lou noted, to which it took Yukari a few moments before she realized just what the American had referenced.

“Aa (oh), well it’s basically the same thing ~Desu.”

“Oh good.” Lou replied just as Yukari handed the cashier the money for the sodas. “Considerin’ what happened yesterday-”

“Lou-kun, you’re mean ~Desu!” The little witch pouted as her cheeks puffed out in annoyance.

“What?!” The American asked with a dumbfounded look and tone to his inquiry.

The little witch and the American exchange student then returned to the motel where the other members of the Newspaper Club and one irate witch occupied.

“Ano ne (hey), okaeri nasai (welcome back) Yukari-chan, Lou!” The pink headed vampire greeted the duo. “Are you ookee with the city on your walk?”

“Hai! Check this out ~Desu!” Yukari exclaimed in an exited, proud tone. “I went to this place called a ‘suupaamaaketto (super market)’ and I did it all by myself ~Desu!”

“Sugoi, odorokubeki (that’s amazing)!” Moka complimented the little witch’s achievement. “And you were so scared of the human city before.” The latest statement forced a blush upon Yukari’s face as she passed out the drinks.

“I still don’t see how it’s such a big deal.” Lou commented as he was given his soda can.

“Just be thankful that her first chore wasn’t a beer run.” Tsukune noted after he thanked the little witch for the soda. That little statement raised eyebrows of the other members of the Newspaper Club.

“Don’t remind me.” Lou advised as he opened the can. “Not easy trying to justify the sell of alcohol to ten year olds when the adults are too fuckin’ drunk to do it themselves.”

“Such interesting stories ~Desu.” Yukari noted. “Gozonji no yooni (you know), at first I had given up in understanding the feelings of others. Datte (but), now I think I might be able to do better by understanding everyone else ~Desu.” The group were touched by the little witch’s words. Then moments later, she latched herself upon Lou’s torso. “And I have Lou-kun to thank for giving me this idea ~Desu!” This action caused Kurumu to flinch.

“GYAAA!!!” Lou shrieked akin to a six year old girl as he flailed his arms chaotically. “Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!” Causing a commotion with the other Newspaper Club as they began to swap stories.

“Yame (stop).... yamete kudasai (stop it)!” Rubi’s outburst stopped any conversation the group were engaged at that moment in time. “Are you all that naive?”

“Rubi-chan ~Desu...?” Yukari asked the elder witch.

“Don’t think you can fool me with this act! There is no way witches and monsters can ever get along!” The elder witch then raised her hand, poised to strike at Tsukune. “Do you think I’m that stupid!”

The other girls of the Newspaper Club and the American moved to protect Tsukune, however all that the other human could do to defend himself was to place the apple soda can before her face just mere centimeters from the strike from impacting his own body. This action caused Rubi to halt her own attack. “I heard that the Witch Hill was planned for demolition and subsequent new construction. That alone helps me understand why you would be so distrustful of our intention and I would at least like to help you protect your home. But in the mean time, I’m hoping that we can become friends.”

To which Tsukune received a swift, yet blunt strike to the crown of his skull by his own cousin’s fist. “Are you TRYIN’ to give me a heart attack!?”

“It wasn’t intentional, Lou-kun!” Tsukune defended as he rubbed the wound he received from his cousin.

“No matter,” the elder witch scoffed. “Your attempts towards me are futile and of poor timing. The humans of this city have already angered Oyakata-sama. As punishment, Oyakata-sama will transform this ruinous blight upon nature into a sea of flames.” The words Rubi gave off such an ominous and foreboding air that it caused a rather cold shiver to run down the spines of the Newspaper Club members.

It was late that night and the members of the Newspaper Club along with their newly acquainted witch guest were fast asleep. All but one as Lou slowly awakened to an unfamiliar weight upon his torso. He turned his head towards the unknown mass and discovered that the weight was that of the bluenette succubus who had subconsciously snuggled her body against his own.

“Wrong cousin.” The American groaned in his groggy state as he rolled Kurumu towards Tsukune’s futon, to which the succubus was more than gracious to entangle her own limbs with her self proclaimed “Destined One”. Though this time her limbs struggled against the limbs of the Yuki Onna’s own for the right to subconsciously embrace Lou’s cousin.

Suddenly, and almost without warning, a thought appeared and plagued Lou’s mind. A thought that halted any attempts of slumber for the American until it was satisfied when he snuck out his magic pair of glasses and took a look at the red string that bound together the fingers of Kurumu and Tsukune. In his mind, he wisely deduced that he should keep this little discovery a secret from all, lest he add fuel to the fire to already heated argument between the monster girls. It was also that time that he also discovered that he was also bound to the succubus with their own red string, to which he reacted with horror. He had decided to keep this little discovery secret as well since both he and his cousin already had a conflicted heart between them that was Moka Akashiya.

It was along this particular thought that he noticed that Tsukune had the strange double string that Lou had upon his own finger, two strings that were bound together under a single knot while every other knot that bound two people by the crimson cord held only a single strand. Enslaved by this sudden curiosity, the American tracked their mutual double strings to find out the reason for this strange phenomenon. They soon lead him to the hands of a certain pink headed vampire, one double string for each hand.

“Well this is just fuckin’ perfect...” Lou groaned as quietly as he could from this little revelation, yet it still did not explain why Moka was bound to both Tsukune and he with two strings each as he lifted his own double string that gently raised the vampire’s hand in suspension. As he held firm to the double string in one hand to each string in each, alternated between the two as he engaged in thought, Lou could not fathom as to why the pinkette’s red strings were as they were instead of a single strand. It was then that a question appeared before him that asked exactly which half of the technically dissociative identity vampire that he and his cousin were bound by this strange string.

“Wait.....” The cogs within the Ameircan’s mind began to turn as he started to put together the pieces in the puzzle and he began to realize that there was a good reason why destiny has bound both Lou and Tsukune together by this strange string formation. He then thought back to the painting he accidentally and absent mindedly created of the three, or rather the four of them and realized that the image was slightly inaccurate to which it made the an already difficult thought to swallow almost suffocating.

“You’ve got to be kidding me-” Lou’s attempt to shake the very thought from his head caused his eyes to capture an already awake Rubi whom held a confused look as she bear witness the American suspending Moka’s left hand in mid air without any visible means of support yet the position of his own hands would indicate otherwise. He then gently placed the hand back upon the vampire’s side and removed the magic glasses. “You didn’t.....see anything right?”

“I’m not sure-” The elder witch began.

“Oh good! Let’s try to keep this between ourselves alright? I’m in deep enough as is.” Lou whispered as he returned to his own futon with a single hope that Rubi would keep what she saw to herself.

The elder witch, Rubi, was attempting to make sense as to what the American was doing with Moka’s hand. Finally, she shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts as her gaze caught a glimpse of the same soda can that Tsukune had offered. His words soon echoed in her mind as she brought the aluminum can close.

“Rubi-san, doo shimashita ka (what is wrong), can’t sleep ~Desu?” The younger witch’s sudden inquiry caught the elder witch by surprise and barely prevented the can from slipping through her fingers.

“Aa, Yukari-chan.” Rubi sighed as the two witches carefully maneuvered themselves around the others still in slumbered as they exited the room, however it was before they added another to their number.

“Can’t sleep too Lou-kun ~Desu?” Yukari asked, catching a false sleeping American off guard.

“Uh...yeah, going in and out of it.” Lou lied. “Need some more company or is it a bit ‘exclusive’?” He asked, implying if the presence of a non-witch, male ear was necessary.

“Iie, it’s alright ~Desu.” Yukari answered and soon the trio exited the room, however their vacant present had not gone unnoticed when Tsukune slowly awakened to the sound of the door slid open.

‘Oh, it’s Yukari-chan, Rubi-san, and Lou-kun, but where are they going? It’s midnight already-’ Tsukune’s train of thought was then interrupted by an unfamiliar weight upon his torso to which he discovered was that of both the succubus and the yuki onna. Needless to say, the average Japanese boy was quite surprised and confounded by this new dilemma presented before him.

“Yukari-chan, where’s my magu?” Rubi asked as the trio climbed the short stairs that were just outside the room.

“A wha?” Lou asked.

“A magu is an item that allows us witches to control nature and perform magic.” Rubi turned to explain to the American, to which he snapped his fingers in revelation.

“Oh! You mean like Sabrina’s little Magical Girl-esque wand right!”

“Majokko (Magical Girl)?” Yukari arched an eyebrow in confusion before she shook her head and turned to the elder witch. “Why do you need to know Rubi-san ~Desu?”

“Without it, I am unable to return to Witch Hill.” Rubi confessed.

“Why not stay here a little longer ~Desu?” Yukari offered. “I’m sure everyone else will want to become your friend, Rubi-san ~Desu.”

“Granted, there are quirks but we’re not that bad of company,” Lou added. “Right?”

Rubi shook her head before she leaned upon the window ledge. “It’s not that, it’s just....the last time I was in the Human World, my parents died in a car accident. It was humans that had killed them.” The elder witch barely kept her composure. “We were just shopping as a family when a car suddenly appeared and my parents pushed me away to save me. Ever since, even before I was taken in by Oyakata-sama, all I could do what hate humans. I hated the humans, hated this city, hated everything that involved humans.”

“Rubi-san...” Yukari barely muttered.

“So, you too?” Lou’s question caught the attention of the two witches. “Not too long ago, a little brother of mine died because of arrogance and stupidity. My little brother had heart problems since he was just a toddler and we had to be careful that nothing would cause him to have cardiac arrest. Yet after such extensive tests, the doctor who was charged with determining my little brother’s health said that he was fine and gave the rest of the family a sense of security, that he would have a future. Not long afterwards, he died. When that doctor was confronted with what happened, he denied responsibility and spouted bullshit even though we have his voice mail that claimed otherwise. Even now, I want to strangle and murder the motha fuckin’ asshole for fucking up his job, but only him and not the entire human race. One can’t simply blame the entire bushel for just a few bad apples, no matter how easy or convenient that might seem.”

Rubi could only chuckle from Lou’s words, in a tone that meant that she understood them. “If only I could have met you all earlier.” She wished absentmindedly with tears in her eyes before she suddenly dashed down the stairs, past the now awake Newspaper Club members and out of the motel.

“Rubi-san!” Yukari called out in vain as both she and the other members of the Newspaper Club chased after the elder witch, however their last glimps of Rubi was of her flying away and towards the direction of Witch Hill.

The Newspaper Club returned to their motel room and reflected upon what had occurred earlier.

“I really thought Rubi-san would be our friend, yet she ran out like that ~Desu...” Yukari had difficulty to absorb the fact even though the words flowed from her young lips.

“To her, there was probably no other way.” Lou noted, to which he was answered with a few moments of silence.

“Shouldn’t we stop her then?” Mizore spoke up, surprising a few of those within ear shot. “You did hear her that her master is planning on attacking the city right?”

“Hai, we should stop her before she does something she would regret.” Tsukune agreed. “We’ll need to wake the bus driver and-”

“No need to wake me up, I am ready to go.” The bus driver suddenly slid open the door, only to duck from a pillow aimed at his head. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“Well then don’t scare us like that!” Lou exclaimed. “But whatever, we got ourselves a witch-led genocide to stop!”

“Are you sure you are up to the task, young one?” The bus driver asked. “After all, the relationship between humans and witches are deeper than you think.”

“‘Deeper than we think’?” Tsukune echoed those words, pondered their meaning.

“Well it’s not like we have much choice in the matter, we HAVE to stop it!” Lou declared, to which the other monster girls nodded.

“Hai! Even if I understand Rubi-san’s anger, massacre between witches and humans would not solve anything!” Tsukune added.

“Brave words, young ones, but how long will that bravery last if you must face an army to stop this attack?” The bus driver inquired.

“Wait, what army?” Lou asked in return.

The Newspaper Club arrived via bus to Witch Hill as the vehicle jumped from a mound and laded with a skid across the sunflower field. The high schoolers of Monster Academy then scrambled out of the bus.

“Hehehe, we’re here young ones.” The bus driver announced. “Fast wasn’t it?”

“Look, you insane stunt driver, just because we’re in a rush to save a city doesn’t mean that you can drive like you’re in a blockbuster movie!” Lou scolded. “This is a fuckin’ bus, not the batmobile!”

“Hai!” Kurumu agreed. “I thought we were going to die back there!” Any chance of a heroic entrance by the near hyperventilation of the Newspaper Club members who earlier were more concern for their own well being and their seemingly tragically short lives then that of the city they had initially sojourned to save.

“So it was you bunch?” The group turned towards a cloaked figure that is presumed to be Rubi’s master. “It would appear that you have taken good care of my Rubi. So what is your reason for being upon this sacred Witch Hill, to become my foot soldiers?” The master then conjured forth a force of power from her own aura to overwhelm the senses of the other Newspaper Club.

Only Lou was unaffected by this invisible show of literal force. “What? Did I miss something?” The American asked dumbfoundedly as he spied his other fellow members bracing themselves from some kind of wind.

“You, young witch!” The master pointed her aged fingers towards Yukari. “We are of the same species, so I will give you another chance to join our cause. With our combined power, we will show our superiority over these worthless and selfish humans as we exterminate those vermin!”

Almost with fear within her eyes, the little witch latched her arms with Lou to show her answer. “Wakarimashita (I see), such a shame. If that is the case, then you can all die right here and now!”The master roared and soon the sunflower patch exploded to reveal grotesque, plant-like creatures.

“Kyaa! What’s going on?!” Moka exclaimed.

“What’s happening to the sunflower patch?” Mizore asked.

“‘Sunflower Patch’, heh, your eyes deceive you.” The master chuckled. “My strength lies in flora manipulation. Before you is not a simple garden or flower patch, but creatures that I have grown under my care. What you see as simple sunflowers are in fact my army of Hanabake (man-eating plants)!”

“Ohhhhhh, so that’s what he meant by ‘army’!” Lou realized as he snapped his fingers.

“That doesn’t help our situation you know.” Tsukune reminded his cousin.

“You’re right, it really doesn’t.”

“It will be a good measure of their combat prowess and skill. Kill them all, leave nothing, not even their bones!” The master ordered an a squad of Hanabake rushed towards the Newspaper Club. The group were able to dodge the first set of attacks by the plant-creatures and have readied themselves for combat when Tsukune stopped them.

“Nani? Naze?” The bluenette succubus inquired the human.

“Matte (wait)!” Tsukune called out to the witch master. “We’re only here to talk! I’m sure that if we just talk, we can find a way to protect this hill without fighting!”

“Couz’, are you fuckin’ insane!?” Lou exclaimed. “I’m pretty sure that- oh wait, they stopped.” The group then noticed that the Hanabake halted their attack upon them, indicating that the master had contemplated the offer given by Tsukune.

An answer delivered by a swift attack by a Hanabake’s tail against Tsukune’s face. “Oh yeah, THAT plan really panned out well.” Lou noted as he moved into a defensible position but only later did he realize. “Wait, did we bring weapons?”

“Begging for your life, foolish human? It’s enough to make me ill, so why don’t you just die already?!”The master witch threatened.

“For your information, we’re not humans!” Kurumu defended.

“Uh...yeah!” Lou defended the lie the two cousins shared.

“Witches, and monsters joining together? Even more foolish a proposition!”

“Iie, it is you who is in error.” Tsukune barely spoke out as he recovered from the attack. “Rubi-san is hurting, suffering from all the hatred and pain from hating humans all the time. Fighting will only deepen that scar.” Those words caused the master to pause to ponder the very thought as Tsukune continued. “So instead of fighting, shouldn’t we talk and understand each other and become friends?”

“Tsukune, do you have any idea just HOW corny that sounds?” Lou asked his cousin.

“Now that I think of it, yeah, it does kinda sounds stupid.” Tsukune noted. “But someone has to stop this cycle before it gets even worse.”

“Are you trying to make me laugh?!” The master roared. “I am not as naive as you are, foolish creature! There will never come a day when witches and humans, let alone other monsters, will ever seek community with one another!” A Hanabake poised itself to strike at Tsukune, with the intent to kill the human. Instead, it was Rubi who shed first blood with her razor wings and slashed the unfortunate plant-creature to ribbons.

“Whoh! Where’d THAT come from!?” Lou exclaimed, observing the lethal sharpness that were the elder witch’s wings.

“Yamete (stop)!” Rubi begged her master. “Please stop hurting those people!”

“R-Rubi....you-”

“Is it true, Oyakata-sama, that there is no other way? That fighting is the only way to protect our home?” Rubi then turned towards her master. “I...I just want to believe in Tsukune-san and everyone else.” The members of the Newspaper Club were moved by the elder witch’s new desire.

To which her answer was given in the form of a vine erupting from the elder witch’s chest. “Foolish girl, no matter what propaganda they fed you, no human will EVER give us the mercy you now show them.” The vine removed itself from Rubi’s chest and retracted back into the body of the master. “If you will not lead my army to destroy the human city, then I will do it myself!”

“Rubi-san!” Tsukune exclaimed as he rushed towards the now barely alive form of the elder witch as she collapsed from the shock and pain from both impalement and betrayal.

“Oh crap, not a good sign.” Lou knew almost instinctively that any form of negotiation with the now mad witch were but a waste of time. Internally, he just wished that he was wrong just for once with such cases. At that same span of time, the entire sunflower patch then erupted to show the entire army of Hanabake soldiers that the witch master has grown upon the Witch Hill. “Anybody got any ideas right now? Ideas that have a SLIGHT possibility of success might I add?”

“Kya! They’re everywhere!” Moka shrieked from the sight of so many of these plant-creatures.

“By twilight, there will be nothing left of that retched city but a sea of flames!” The witch master declared as the Hanabake moved towards the Newspaper Club members, ready to devour them alive and leave no trace of their existence.

“Iie!” Rubi was able to cry out that caused the master to give pause. “Oyakata-sama, onegai (please), you don’t have to be so angry.” She pleaded in between the throbs of pain. “Ever since I have met them, Tsukune-san and his friends have showed me that it IS possible for we witches and humans to co-exist with one another! If you attack the city, then there is no hope of such a future to appear! So you mustn’t fight!”

“Have you forgotten that it was I who took you in and raised you as if you were born of me?” The master reminded Rubi. “Am I not significant enough to remember, to be thrown away like trash just because of a few kind words?!”

“You didn’t exactly show the same kind of care with Carrie here earlier.” Lou bit back.

“Do I look like I care for the words of such a creature as yourself?!”

“Personally, I’m havin’ a hard time tellin’ if you’re female or not- GACK! Sorry! Sorry!” Lou barely managed to dodge an eruption of vines from the ground with his life intact.

“It looks like we have no other choice BUT to fight!” Kurumu’s nails extended into talons and began her assault against the Hanabake. Yukari and Mizore joined into the melee with their respective magic and ice conjure powers. “I won’t forgive anyone who harms my Destined One!” The bluenette declared as she transformed into her true succubus form and used her aerial advantage against the plant-creature army.

“I won’t go easy on them as well.” Mizore added as she froze an entire squad of Hanabake in solid ice and provided what could be best described as fire support with her ice projectiles such as kunai blades.

“I can’t stand around and do nothing either ~Desu!” Yukari’s own iron Tarot Cards were also utilized to stem the tide of Hanabake soldiers.

“Foolish monsters, your attachments to humans will undue you all!” The master roared as she sent more plant-creatures into the fray.

“We shouldn’t fight like this you guys!” Tsukune begged the other monster girls fighting before him.

“Couz’, I hate to break it to yah but I seriously doubt that talkin’ is gonna get She-Stalin here to change her mind. For one thing, she kinda tried to kill Carrie here and if that doesn’t really show her lack of remorse towards life and her hard core devotion, nothin’ ever pretty much will.” Lou advised. “Still, I could be wrong and trust me, I WISH I was wrong about this.”

“Demo (but) fighting won’t solve anything Lou-kun!” Tsukune defended as the other monster girls continued to slay Hanabake.

“Nobody likes to admit this full heartedly, but fightin’s necessary if all other options don’t work.” Lou countered. “Still, I’m open to any suggestions, preferably those that work and us livin’ as requirements.” The debate was soon interrupted by the sudden halt of any sounds of fighting. The cousins, elder witch, and vampire then turned their attention towards the slaughtered bodies of Hanabake soldiers with Yukari, Kurumu, and Mizore in the middle of the former maelstrom.

“Is that all you can throw at us?” Kurumu taunted the master witch. “It doesn’t matter how many you throw at us, it won’t do you any good if that’s the best that they could do.” Yet those words hide hints that the succubus was exhausted from such high energy and furious combat, to which the witch and yuki onna share the same amount of exhaustion.

“You’re monsters, yet you seek to aid the humans.” The master noted. “It appears that none of you understand anything.” The moment the master witch opened her book, a light engulfed the group and surprised those unprepared for this sudden assault upon their collective senses. Once the light died down, the members of the Newspaper Club found themselves in the middle of a trash heap with an apparent factory some distance away.

“What’s going on ~Desu?!” Yukari asked in a panic, unsure as to what happened.

“Where are we?” Mizore was also equally perplexed.

“I don’t know why, but I feel like I’m in the middle of a Captain Planet episode....” Lou commented upon the situation at hand.

“Do you understand now? Do you know where this Trash Dump is?” The master asked the group.

“I have a feelin’ that I know, but you’d tell us anyway.”

“Hai, this Trash Dump is what they plan to do to my hill! The humans want nothing more than to turn this beautiful witch sanctuary into nothing more then a pile of rubble for their wasteful ways!” The master witch announced to which caused several of the Newspaper Club members to gasp at the revelation.

“In my defense, my family recycles.” Lou raised his hands with palms open to showcase his innocense.

“Do you now know of my pain!? How it turned to anger and hatred towards these arrogant and destructive humans?! For over a hundred winters have I lived, ever since the city was a mere town, a settlement, and no humans have once set foot upon this hill. All those years ago, this hill was vastly different for us witches who were driven out by the humans. This hill was our sanctuary, our last paradise!” The master monologued the brief history of Witch Hill to the Newspaper Club. “Even so, those humans chased after us, killed the animals before our very eyes and now they seek to turn our final refuge into a dump?! How dare you mock our cause!”

“Okay, I can understand the motivation.” Lou admitted. “Now, the execution and the part about mass genocide.....yeah, I really don’t agree with the idea.”

“This has to stop.” Tsukune barely spoke.

“What now?”

“Someone has to stop this senseless cycle of hatred and vengeance.”

“So then let’s start with you!” The master witch exclaimed as tendril vines whipped towards Tsukune. Lou, without thought upon his actions, pushed his cousin away and instead found himself entangled with his arms stretched out by the vines as a kind of perverse crucifixion.

“Lou-kun!” The group exclaimed as the American was pulled back towards the witch master.

“Yeah, that was a REALLY fuckin’ brilliant idea of mine.” Lou groaned in between his struggle to breath due to the pressure the vines exerted upon his chest.

“Not what I expected, but useful none the less. Now you will taste my vengeance, a taste of the punishment I shall give to the arrogant humans of the city!” The vines then tightened their hold upon Lou, who now groaned in pain.

“A little help please?!” The American gasped in pain. Surprisingly, it was the pinkette vampire who answered Lou’s call for aid as she dashed and struggled against the horde of Hanabake soldiers who bit into her flesh yet unable to halt her advance.

“Lou-kun!” Moka cried out as she reached towards Lou.

“Foolish monster child.” The master taunted as she moved the still gasping Lou away from Moka at the last possible moment, yet it was not quick enough for the American was barely able to grasp onto the vampire’s rosario despite his position.

“Nani?!” A sudden explosion of a powerful aura ripped apart not only the Hanabake that attempted to claw into the vampire, but also the vines that bound Lou as prisoner. In place of the kind pinkette vampire was the silver lock released form of Inner Moka.

“Oh yeah! You’re fucked now!” Lou warned as he rubbed the sores of his body from the pressure of the vines. “Damn, that STILL hurts....”

“Foolish man, to take such a gamble,”Inner Moka scolded the American. “Not only that, but to get yourself captured so easily in the first place. It would be wise if you do not repeat such reckless actions in the future.”

“What’cha expect? I’m sixteen fuckin’ years old, I’m still learnin’!” Lou defended just before the silver haired vampire turned towards the master witch.

“My fellow witches, a yuki onna, AND a vampire? You bunch are more of an eyesore then I had previously thought.” With those words, the master conjured a mass of vines and swung them like whips towards the released vampire. The attack never reached its intended target as Inner Moka delivered a swift upward kick into the master’s face that caused the rest of the master witch’s body to fly away from the point of impact some distance away.

“I’m not as forgiving as the others.” Inner Moka warned. “All you desire is blood rather then an explanation, isn’t that what you wished for?” To which the inquiry was answered with a chuckle from what was originally believed the master witch’s broken form.

“Might be a good idea to back away from her, Xena.” Lou warned the released form of Moka.

“Don’t think me defeated, little girl.” The master threatened just before she touched the surface of her book that caused a glow than enveloped the ancient witch’s body.

“Oyakata-sama, don’t do it!” Rubi begged in a panic, which caused the others to wonder exactly what the master had done as the Hanabake rushed towards her and merged their bodies with her own and increasing her volume and mass.

“Might be a good idea to back away, A LOT!” Lou urged Inner Moka without success as the master transformed into a gigantic humanoid creature. “Anybody got an idea in fighting giant monsters, or is it proper to call em Daikaiju? I can never really get that straight?”

“Such a baka (idiot), she wont’ understand until she is dead.” Inner Moka stated.

“Sounds too much like them extremists I hear on the news.”

“How horrible ~Desu!” Yukari exclaimed in shock. “She merged with all of those creatures ~Desu?!”

“Incoming!!!” Lou warned as a claw descended upon them with the intent to smash their bodies into the ground. The group was able to avoid the attack in time, but were soon knocked to the ground by the force of the displaced wind from the impact. “Where’s a fuckin’ bazooka when you fuckin’ need one?!”

The gigantic creature opened its chest mouth to reveal the corrupted form of the master witch. “Impressive, isn’t it? None of you look so threatening against my century worth of experience and power!” The grotesque gestalt of Hanabake then roared. “All humans will fall before me!”

“Yeah, she’s definitely NOT in a talkative mood.” Lou commented. “Not like she was before, but still.”

“What kind of spell is that?” Mizore turned towards the elder witch.

“A forbidden spell,” Rubi answered. “Once cast, she could never return to her original form. But still, I must-” And before the group could protest, Rubi took off into the air and flew towards the Hanabake Gestalt that was her master in one more attempt to detour this now self-destructive path.

“Get back.” Inner Moka commanded the elder witch, who halted mostly due to surprise. “This goes for the rest of you. Do NOT get in my way.”

“No argument there.” Lou replied before he leaned towards the released vampire. “But tell me, are you some kind of Power Ranger or something in secret?”

“Iie, naze?” Inner Moka asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

“No offense, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that ANY vampire could go toe-to-toe with a monster THAT big.”

“You shouldn’t cast defeat so casually, especially in my direction.”

“Well, there is the story of David and Goliath. However, you ain’t no ‘David’ and THAT,” Lou pointed at the collage giant. “Is bigger than Goliath ever was. Way bigger!”

“You should take the advise of that boy there, do you really think you can fight against me, let alone gain victory?” The master taunted.

“I prefer fighting over long and boring speeches.” Inner Moka countered. “Don’t come back complaining if you die.”

“How could she when she’s dead?” Lou inquired in an almost jest tone.

“Silence! I’ll crush you to paste!” Tendrils then emerged from the right limb of the creature and slammed Inner Moka into a nearby tree, to which the trunk shattered from the force alone and the vampire soon found herself smashed through several tree trunks.

“Moka-san!” Tsukune cried out in worry as he was lifted away by Kurumu with Yukari upon her back. The combined mass forced the young succubus to struggle in flight and the inability to fly up to higher altitudes.

“Now how the fuck do we stop somethin’ THAT big?” Lou asked the group from the arms of Rubi, who struggled with the weight of Mizore as well.

“Rubi-san!” Yukari turned towards the elder witch. “That book is your master’s focus isn’t it ~Desu?”

“Stop moving so much!” Kurumu complained.

“Hai!” Rubi grunted in response. Lou then looked at the mouth which contained not only the perverted form of the master, but also the book as well.

“Talk about ‘grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat’.” Lou gulped.

At that same moment in time, the master saw Inner Moka rise from the mass of timber with an amused look upon her face. “Fascinating, you are able to stand even after such an attack? And those crimson irises is only proof of your true form of a vampire: a being that infused their own bodies with energies to give them strength, the same strength that separates them from both monster and humans whom fear them. I think I’ll take it!”

“You will fail.” Inner Moka predicted as she used her vampiric strength and agility to climb up a tendril and towards the mouth that held the master. “No matter how massive or repulsive you become, it will be of little concern to me.” She declared as she performed a powerful kick upon the disfigured witch master. However, the attack had left her open and soon found herself entangled by vines.

“Now you are mine.” The master taunted as her body morphed back from the powerful blow Inner Moka’s kick performed earlier. “Nothing but an insect bite upon my neck. Don’t think I only grew in size, but strength as well. To which I will deprive you of!” The released vampire then felt the painful sting of tentacles that penetrated her skin and dug deep into her flesh.

“What are you doing to me?!” Inner Moka demanded.

“As I’ve said, I’m taking your strength!” The master answered. “To be exact, the source of your vampire strength: your blood. With this form, I can rob an unlimited number of creatures, robbing them of their strength and adding them to my own! The very purpose of this spell!”

“Yamete!” Tsukune cried out as he reached out towards the captured vampire.

“Don’t get too close Tsukune-kun!” Kurumu warned in between grunts. “You might get absorbed too!”

“If Moka can’t defeat her, how can we ~Desu?” Yukari asked.

“What we fuckin’ need to do is get that book away from her or destroy it!” Lou advised. “If we can’t use brute strength, then we gotta strategize!”

“Do you have a plan?” Mizore asked.

“Nope, but I’m open to any good plan.” A reply that caused many to groan in annoyance. Then, the succubus found herself two more passengers and a slow decent towards the ground as Rubi flew towards her former master.

“I can feel it...! This phenomenal power flowing into my body, invading it! With it, I will soon become the most powerful creature in this universe!” The master declared. “Now then, let’s become one, vampire!” Tendrils then rushed towards Inner Moka’s already bound body.

“Yukata-sama, yamete!” Rubi flew to intercept the attack. The tendrils wounded her greatly and destroyed the crystal sphere within the ornate wand that she held. With what magic and strength she had left, she severed the tendrils that bound Inner Moka and pushed her away.

“You-” Inner Moka began.

“My wand is broken, and thus I cannot use my magic.” Rubi interrupted as she offered her broken wand to the vampire. “That is our greatest weakness as witches.” Inner Moka soon landed relatively safely upon the ground with the broken wand in hand, near where Kurumu’s wings lost the fight against gravity.

“Xena, the weakness is-” Lou began.

“I know of that master’s weakness, that witch told me.” Inner Moka interrupted as she held Rubi’s broken wand close to her face.

“She did pass on the note that it’s the book right?”

“I had reasoned as much, but the knowledge is useful none the less.”

“Why do you continue to act against me Rubi? We had plotted and worked together this vengeance until now! The thought of rebellion never entered your mind, so why?!” Master Yukata demanded.

“Yukata-sama....onegai....stop this slaughter....” Rubi begged in between gasps of pain. “It’s over....it’s all over...” The elder witch briefly recalled more peaceful memories with her master before she turned towards the newspaper club. “Minnasan (everyone), I beg of you, stop Yukata-sama from-” She could not finish her last request as the pain overwhelmed her mind into darkness.

As a reaction, the gestalt being soon engulfed Rubi’s wounded form and swallowed her whole to the horror of the Newspaper Club members below. “Do not believe that you can defeat me, young ones! You will ALL become apart of me soon enough!”

“Looks like we gotta do a Trench Run after all.” Lou groaned, to the confusion of most of the Newspaper Club.

“Nani?” Mizore asked.

“Star Wars.” Lou answered.

“Rubi’s sacrifice should not be made in vain.” Inner Moka proclaimed, the broken wand pointed straight at Yukata. “And we should also fulfill her final wish.”

“As if you can!” Yukata roared as tendrils lanced towards the group and forced them to scatter upon broken ground.

“Yo! Snow White!” Lou called for Mizore. “You think you can pin that thing down with ice?!”

“I can try, don’t expect much.” Mizore answered as she summoned all of her strength within her body to summon several pillars of ice to impale the mass and render it immobile.

However, one pillar of ice arced towards the chest mouth of the gestalt being with Inner Moka and Lou atop. “I DIDN’T MEAN WITH US ON IT!!!!” Lou screamed as he held tightly to the vampire’s waist for dear life, whom at the same time used this opportunity to ready the wand for a strike at the book.

“Stop moving so much!” Inner Moka commanded. “I can’t get a straight shot!”

“I don’t DO fallin’, alright?!” Then Lou called the vampire’s attention forward. “Tentacles ahead!” Inner Moka used the broken wand as an impromptu staff to block and parry the incoming tentacles. Though several drew blood, none were able to capture the vampire.

“I won’t be caught a second time!” The vampire roared as the ice pillar slammed into the constructed titan, the momentum caused both to fly towards the misshapen form of Yukata with the wand poised and ready to strike.

“Nani?!” Both Yukata and Inner Moka exclaimed as the wand missed its intended target by centimeter, striking what would have been the lower torso. Instead, it was Lou’s right hand that impacted the surface of the book in an effort to stop his forward progress. The impact shattered the gemstone in the center of the book cover and magical energies evaporated from its pages.

“Whoh.....that’s new.” Lou stared at the result, unsure as to what happened since in his mind they had not moved fast enough to cause a gemstone to simply shatter from the impact of a human palm. “What the fuck just happened?”

Inner Moka was just as perplexed, now wondered what secrets this seemingly human boy held as Yukata stared at the broken wand that was once held by Rubi. Neither had enough time to contemplate recent events as the gigantic form had cracked and surged with magical energies.

“Minna! We need to get away as far as we can ~Desu!” Yukari warned the rest of the group.

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Lou replied as he carried Inner Moka bridal style, much to the vampire’s displeasure and slid down the ice pillar.

“What are you doing?!” Inner Moka hissed.

“I now just realized how BAD of an idea this was....” Lou admitted before the duo’s velocity was increased towards the base of the ice pillar as the American screamed in pure terror. When Lou reached the bottom, the momentum was enough to slam both the human and the vampire into the ground. A momentum to which the vampire intends on taking advantage of as she spun the both of themselves around and ended up with Lou held up in bridal style by Inner Moka’s arms as she ran forward and away from the creature.

“And here without a camera to post on YouTube..” Lou complained.

“You should be more thankful, after what you have done.” Inner Moka scorned.

“I’ll be more thankful if we get out of this alive and in one piece.”

“What’s going on?” Tsukune asked as Kurumu was forced to carry the weight of three persons, though thankfully with the aid of the little witch whom needed to get away as far as possible.

“That body is comprised of a multitude of creatures held together by magic ~Desu!” Yukari explained. “If that magic is lost, then everything will end up in a massive explosion ~Desu!”

“Wait, what about an explosion?” Lou asked as Inner Moka was able to catch up with the rest of the group. Suddenly the group found themselves grounded from the pressure wave caused by the explosion that was once a constructed monster giant.

The rays of light soon peaked over the horizon as the Newspaper Club gathered before Witch Hill. All reflected upon the actions of that pre-dawn morning.

“In the end, I couldn’t do anything.” Tsukune sighed in remorse.

“Well you did what you could.” Lou patted the shoulder of his cousin. “That’s all we could do.”

Before anyone could reply, the sound of vehicle horns could be heard. The group turned to see the familiar school bus and an unknown car approach them. From that car climbed out their club advisor Shizuka Nekonome. “Sorry for the delay!” The teacher then spied upon the aftermath of the battle. “Waa (oh my)! It didn’t end without trouble it seemed.”

“What do you mean ‘without trouble’?!” Lou demanded, his voice taught with annoyance as the Newspaper Club members gathered around Nekonome.

“Are you guys a bunch of idiots or are you just doing that as a joke?” The group turned towards the familiar voice of Gin as the werewolf emerged from the bus door with the unconscious form of Rubi in his arms, to the amazement of the other members of the Newspaper Club.

“Rubi-san’s alive ~Desu?!” Yukari exclaimed.

“Hehehehe, almost leaves you all speechless eh?” The bus driver asked as he leaned against the door frame of the bus. “That witch escaped that explosion unscathed, it seems, and we found her lying unconscious. It would appear that her master used the last of her strength to protect this child.”

“Rubi-san!” Many of the Newspaper Club exclaimed as they rushed towards the unconscious elder witch’s side, glad that she made it out alive. The crimson gem of the rosario, however, turned its gaze towards the American and wondered exactly who was Louis McCorray.

Next time on Two Guys, a Vampire, and a Monster Academy: The Introduction of the Public Safety Commission! As if that was a big enough surprise for everyone familiar with the manga....–_-;

As always, flames and brutally honest reviews will not be tolerated.