Been writing Part 5 of Crimson Darkness this weekend off and on, and I do believe this thing is going to be epic, even if I do say so myself ^_^;;. The story is about mid-way now, so I wanted the half way point to be shocking, emotional and action-packed with several plot twists revealed.

Oh, I just found out that WordPress just released a new poll thing widget. I’ll try one out now. For my readers, what would you like me to focus on more as I continue writing?

I do apologise for taking a bit longer though, but it can’t be helped. The chapters are getting longer and longer, as I get back into the swing of things.

For now, I’ll just post a bunch of Yami images, the cuter ones from the Manga (from OneManga), to make it up to you ^_^;;. I am aiming to have Part 5 out tomorrow (if all goes as planned).

Oh yeah, more loot incoming tomorrow! I bought a bunch of supplies to make my photos look better too!

Yes. Yes we are, Yami-san

Yes, even others agree!

First Appearance

I wish sometimes my Yami figure was cast-off ^_^;;

Very lolificious. If that's a word

Damn you Rito! By the way, I still need to put a scene like this in the fanfic

Did I mention cyuutte yet?

Poor Yami-san. Although you might want to wear a longer skirt if you hate it so much

School Swimsuit Fetish Lovers

I would too

Not Yami-san, but still supa cute

Yes, if you got all the way to the end, she was saying that to you!

It’s a bit late, but here’s Part 4 of Crimson Darkness, my ToLoveRu Fanfiction that turns fanservice comedy into serious action drama. Just in time for Friday! Again, this part is longer, which is another reason for the delay. I must be getting used to this ^_^;;. I’m a bit bummed that the anime series has now ended, but at least the manga is still ongoing (which is likely better anyway!).

As always, catch earlier parts here:

Crimson Darkness Part 1

Crimson Darkness Part 2

Crimson Darkness Part 3

Again, the pic below has nothing to do with the story, but used to decorate my fanfic. It probably doesn’t suit the genre either! :D

Warning! It starts to get a bit more gratuitious in its violence. But read on if you don’t mind:

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Crimson Darkness – A ToLoveRu Fanfiction
            
Fanfiction by Ace Sanchez.

Note: ToLoveRu and its characters belong to its associated author, Hasemi Saki-san, I’m just using them to have a bit of fun and practise writing again!

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Part 4 – The Place Where We First Met

Over a half-ruined city, storm clouds the colour of ash drizzled light rain, rumbling with faint interjections of thunder as they blocked most of the morning sunlight from reaching the dreary wet streets down below. The air was lent a constant sound of downpour with raindrops striking building rooftops and the cracked cement of footpaths and weed overgrown roads.

A strikingly beautiful, girl-like woman with long blonde hair tied in black ribbons led a young man with a tangled mop of dark red hair along the narrow street side, shading them both from the wet rain with a black umbrella that was formed out of her right arm.

Something crashed across the road, and startled, Yami retracted her umbrella back into her hand and pushed Rito and herself flat against the damp brick wall of the abandoned shop front. Peering carefully along the scattered rubbish and debris that was interspaced along the other side of the shopping district that they seemed to be in, she was relieved upon noticing that it was simply a cat scavenging among the junk and trash cans.

She looked back at Rito, his hair rapidly darkening to almost black as it began to absorb the falling rain. Blank of expression, his eyes were pale red in the scant light of the early morning, as they seemed to stare at her and at the same time, right through her.

“Yuuki Rito,” she whispered, her breath fogging in the cold before it dissipated into a mist.

No response. Ever since he had killed that man, his friend, the night before, he had been like this, silent, with a cloud of depression and failure surrounding him, such that it would swallow him completely. She didn’t think he had slept either. After the battle, they had taken shelter within a nearby bus stop. Unintentionally, she had fallen asleep upon the hard bench, and when she awoke, Rito was the same as before, his emotions blank on his face, unspeaking. Even though she had somehow rolled her head on to his lap as she slept; her face was still slightly warm from embarrassment that she had done such a thing.

Now she stared up into his eyes, suddenly feeling an immense guilt. “It was my fault … again.” She looked away from him, blinking the wetness from her lashes, whether from the rain that was now striking her, or tears, she didn’t know. She hoped it was rain, she would never let her façade of toughness drop, never show weakness. She had decided that long ago. But it was hard, especially in front of him. “Please do not blame yourself, Yuuki Rito.”

All of a sudden, his hand around hers clenched tightly, warming her cold fingers, and she quickly looked back into his face. He was now staring at her, serious, his eyes now shining with life, though sad and determined. “It wasn’t your fault, Yami-chan. It was my decision. I decided to kill him. To stop him. And I will forever hate myself for it. That I was too stupid to think fast enough of a way to do it without doing what I did.”

“But-”

“No buts.” He looked around, and swiped the wet hair out of his eyes with his free hand. “Where are we? It looks familiar.”

Studying him carefully, she was glad that he seemed back to normal. She remembered back in the old days, that he would sometimes hole himself up in his room whenever serious despair hit him. And they couldn’t afford that right now. Then realising what he said, she turned around and recognised the shop front they had stopped in front of. “You are right. This is the place where we first met.”

He looked at her, and smiled in remembrance, rain trickling over and down his pert nose. “This is the shop where I first bought you taiyaki.”

That smile made her feel funny. “And when I first tried to kill you,” she said crossly, to get rid of it.

He turned and indicated a faint slash mark on the street, sloppily repaired by a patch of tar. “Yes, that was part of that attempt.” He stopped smiling and studied the surroundings with sudden understanding. “So … that means that this city really is home. Or what’s left of it.”

“Yes. This is your town, Yuuki Rito.”

“I was hoping it wasn’t, but this really confirms everything, doesn’t it?” He shook his head, not expecting an answer, looking down at the cracked tiles of the footpath they stood on. “We used to have so much fun … It’s all I remember … I wish … I wish we could go back to those days. Instead … everything is … everything is-”

She realised she was still holding his hand, so she pulled him around to the entrance to the store. “Let’s find some taiyaki. I’m hungry.”

Surprised out of his reverie, he could only let her lead him through the open door and into the musty interior.

<><><> 

She bit into the crispy taiyaki and sighed as the sweet bean filling warmed her mouth and tongue. She hadn’t had taiyaki in three years, and she thought she would almost faint in pleasure. She almost hoped that she didn’t have to share the plateful in front of her.

“It’s a wonder that the electricity is still working,” Rito said as he shut off the griddle and began cleaning the utensils.

“The humans … I mean, people, haven’t left this city.” She paused to chew for a few moments. When her mouth was empty, she continued. “They wouldn’t. This is the place where they have gathered their strength.”

He was now looking at the dusty tables and chairs, at the dirty front window, at their footprints on the wooden floor. “But if that’s so, where is everyone? Why is it so empty?”

“I don’t know. But the number of humans with power is increasing. And it’s being done where it all began.” She took another bite of her taiyaki and began chewing, enjoying the unique taste. She thought of something as she swallowed. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything?”

“No. Nothing. To me, it still seems like years ago and this never happened. Like this is all some nightmare.” He closed his eyes and was silent for a moment. “But I know inside that this is reality and I’ve done things that can never be undone.”

She dropped the taiyaki and focused her gaze on him. “You do know that without what you did, this planet would now be destroyed?”

Opening his eyes, he matched her look. “It might as well be. I’ve seen the city from up high. And I know that other parts of Earth probably didn’t fare any better.”

She wasn’t hungry anymore and poked at the half-eaten taiyaki. “That is correct.” She narrowed her eyes in determination. “But I … and now … we … can now fix this.”

His voice was suddenly serious and deadly. “But not by killing Haruna-chan,” he said softly as he looked at her. “You said you wouldn’t, but I need your promise. I know that the Golden Darkness keeps her word. Promise me that you won’t try to kill her.”

His tone was of such a dangerous air, that she hesitated.

 ”Yami! Promise me!”

“Do not make me promise that, Yuuki Rito,” she said evenly. “You don’t know what will happen.”

His eyes were glowing now, in the darkness of the room they seemed blood red and even she felt the slight stirrings of fear. He repeated, “Promise me.”

She closed her eyes, and then opened them. “Okay, for you, Yuuki Rito. I promise you that I will not kill Sairenji Haruna-san.”

He let out a large breath of air, relieved, his eyes losing their anguished glow. “Thank you, Yami-chan.”

“Don’t thank me.” She looked at the left over taiyaki. “Are you not having any, Yuuki Rito? They will become cold.”

“No, thank you.” He finished re-organising the cooking utensils, walked over and sat down in the chair next to her with an exhalation of breath. He looked out the window, at the continuing rain upon the street outside. “I feel that if I eat anything, I won’t be able to keep it down.”

Unexpectedly she was feeling a deep anger, and at the same time, a despair so great that she couldn’t bear to look at him any longer. It was a mistake to decide to work together him, especially when she still felt like this. She had always worked alone, she would atone alone. But at the thought of leaving him, of being alone once again, after years of solitude, after now knowing the difference, she felt an even worse sadness and desperation, such that she forced the emotions away as hard as she could. So she stood up and began packing the taiyaki away in one of the foil bags they had found under one of the counters. “Best to save this later then.”

“We need to find Mikan.”

She stopped, but didn’t turn in his direction. “No.”

“I know her. I know that we can turn her.”

Now she glanced at him. He looked so confident, his face determined and set. She knew she was anything but; her stomach feeling like it was dropping down a cliff. It was extremely difficult keeping her emotionless expression. “I don’t want to fight her again.”

“We won’t have to. This time I’ll convince her.”

“Like you convinced Saruyama-san?” she asked in an even tone, then immediately regretted it. “Sorry, I-I wasn’t thinking-”

“No, you’re right,” he said, though his eyes had suddenly moistened, shining in the faint sunlight that was passing through the windows. “I know what to expect now. I won’t be an idiot this time. I have a plan.”

Despite herself, she dared to hope. Whatever plan he had, was more than she had, which was to say, none. And there had always been something about Rito that made her believe in him, want to believe in him, even in the most hopeless of scenarios. “What kind of plan?”

“You’ll see!” He was suddenly cheerful, boyishly eager even, and it reminded her of the Rito of three years ago. “I’ve lost my best friend, but I will never let you lose yours. And I’ll have my little sister back. Just watch. I’ll fix this.”

She believed him. And for just a moment, she knew that everything would be all right.

There was a rumble, and the ground beneath them trembled slightly at their feet.

She looked down. “What was that noise?”

Rito narrowed his eyes, then completely startled her by throwing a fold of his long black sur-coat over her head and wrapped her within his arms and the cloth’s dark embrace. At the same time from behind there was an overwhelming shattering of glass simultaneous with an explosion of such immense proportion, rocking the whole building’s foundation such that she lost her balance and fell into Rito’s chest, knocking them both over on the wooden floorboards as they shook with several violent aftershocks.

When they subsided, she threw the folds of Rito’s sur-coat from her head, shards of glass tinkling as they fell from it, and rose to a crouch over him, peering slowly over the table, careful to rise just enough to see what had happened outside.

Through the shattered front window, it was still raining lightly, though now a slight drizzle. However a wind had picked up, howling a bit as it came through the opening, fluttering the curtains and the table cloths.

The street outside was a mess. Where before there was an unkempt road, overgrown slightly with weeds in the cracked asphalt, now was a smoking crater, large chunks of concrete surrounding it, hissing as the light rain struck the still burning remnants of destroyed stone, pavement and street.

A number of armoured men were quickly moving around the site; no, not men, Yami realised, spotting the familiar black forked tails that exited at the men’s lower plated rears. Deviluke soldiers. They were all carrying high powered energy weaponry, mostly plasma rifles, though one was holding a still-smoking heavy pulse bazooka. What were they doing here?

“Uh, Yami…” Rito began.

“Quiet,” she whispered quickly. “Whoever it was they shot that weapon into, it wasn’t us.”

“Yami,” he whispered now, and she could hear the blush in his tone. “Y-You’re touching something ecchi!”

She looked down and realised where one of her hands was holding as she held herself upright. It clenched reflexively, and Rito gasped. Her usual cool façade was obliterated, and she could feel her cheeks burning, as if there was a raging fire beneath them. Simultaneously throwing her offending hand away, she began a scream.

“What was that?” one of the shoulders shouted from outside.

She cut off the scream by throwing her hand into her face. Then almost screamed again when she realised it was the same hand that had clutched something ecchi.

“In that store!” another soldier’s voice answered.

The sound of booted footsteps crunching gravel began to approach, and Yami rolled off Rito, forcing her embarrassment away so that she could prepare to fight. They were still blocked from view by the tables and chairs, but if they stepped through the shattered front window, the soldiers were sure to see them.

“I’m still here.” The feminine voice was deep and commanding, and with total authority. It came from the centre of the crater outside. It was loud enough to be heard over the blowing wind and rain and terrible in its ferocity.

“That voice,” Rito breathed.

There was a squishing sound and a shriek so full of suffering, it was painful to hear, before it was cut off, as if something had crushed the throat that was emitting it.

“SHIT!” someone yelled in extreme desperation. “Kill it!”

Rifle and blaster fire, to the sound of several more screams, and panicked shouting.

“While they’re distracted,” Yami said quickly as she pulled Rito up and began pushing him to the side of the store for more cover and a better vantage point. When they got there, it was just in time, as another store across the street exploded in a huge fireball as another pulse bazooka shot drove into it. The following shockwave caused a section of the roof above them to cave in and flatten the table they had just been taking cover behind into a squashed plastic mess.

“Kotegawa Yui?” Rito exclaimed in absolute shock.

Yami turned her attention to the commotion outside and finally noticed the tall human woman darting around the ruined street so fast, it was like her image was fading in and out, her long black hair and rain-darkened sur-coat fanning out in the wind behind her at each movement. In her gloved hands she held a huge claymore sword, one and a half times the length of her body, and double the width of her chest, wet with splattered blood, as she used it to great effect.

Most Deviluke soldiers were running about in total disarray and confusion, but some half dozen of them opened fire with their pulse laser rifles in a co-ordinated strike.

The huge claymore sword spun around in Kotegawa’s hands and wrapped around her athletic body in an elaborate weaving of defence. Such was her skill that each blaster shot struck the flat of the blade at each swing and was deflected either into the ground, sending waves of dust into the air, or into various nearby buildings in co-ordinated explosions. Two shots were deflected back into a pair of corresponding Deviluke soldiers, who instantly dropped dead, one plasma burn through the heart, the other through an eye socket.

The remaining soldiers immediately stopped firing when they noticed what happened, which seemed to be another signal for Kotegawa to resume her attack. Another of the Deviluke men gurgled in agony as the massive claymore struck him vertically through the head and through his body, cutting off the death cry, and splitting him into two halves as if she were playing the watermelon game at the beach. Red mist sprayed out in all directions, mixing with the light rain as she used the tip of the blade striking into the rocky floor to propel herself into a somersault directed at another poor soldier, folds of her grey dress and black sur-coat trailing high above her.

Desperate blaster fire shot into the air after her, but her flip was protected by several mid-air swings of her over-sized sword, one more plasma laser deflected back into another shooter’s stomach, who collapsed vomiting saliva and blood. Meanwhile the target of her leap was skewered through the breast bone as she landed, and then partly bisected as she swung the sword out of the pierced body to deflect more rifle fire.

“I-I have to stop this slaughter,” Rito gasped as he tore himself away from Yami’s grip. Shocked at the extreme violence, she could only let him go. She had heard the rumours, but now she knew why Kotegawa had been dubbed with a new name…

But before he could intervene, a massive blue energy blast struck Kotegawa in mid-air which stopped her cold, despite blocking it with the flat of her claymore. “What?” she called out in bewilderment, red eyes surprised, before she was propelled backward, tumbling end over end, before her back struck a brick building wall, and she bounced off to land on to the street with a thud and splashing of collected puddles. The huge claymore fell out of her hands with a loud clang.

Yami followed the dissipating trail of what could only be a ki blast to find the muscular man standing atop one of the still-standing stores across the other side of the street, outstretched palms still smoking from the immense energy they had shot. He had longish bluish-white hair, wet in the rain, and was wearing what looked like a dark grey fighting jump suit, the short sleeves torn at the ends. He jumped off the three storey building and landed in a crouch upon the foot path.

“Elite Killer Yui, I’ll kill you,” he said simply.

Yami finally recognised him. Ren.

Kotegawa’s voice hissed from the place Yami last saw her. “Haven’t you done enough to us, aliens?” she asked, and although it was said in a forceful tone, Yami could detect a sense of despair behind it. “Leave us and Earth in peace.” The anger and directive in her voice grew now to overcome all of the sadness. “Or we will make you leave it.” The ringing sound of her claymore being drawn filled the air.

Ren stood up and cracked his gloved knuckles, the corner of his mouth upturned in a half smile, although the amusement did not reach his maroon eyes. “Your race will be exterminated, wiped from the face of the universe.” He lowered his stance and clenched his palms together which began to glow a fiery blue. “Which is what Emperor Gid Lucione Deviluke should have done in the beginning!” he screamed, simultaneous with a release of his ki into another massive fireball, sparking with lightning as it left his hands, melting the rain away in its heated trajectory.

Yami didn’t know how it happened, but abruptly the blue fireball was deflected from its original path, perpendicular from its source, and into another shop building which detonated, and then fell into itself from the resultant hole blasted through it. And then she realised why when she noticed the empty spot beside her.

“Stop it,” Rito said tiredly as he stood directly between Ren and Kotegawa. “Both of you…. Or I will make you stop.” He looked at the claymore wielding woman now with a stare so deadly, it stopped her in mid-breath. “Both of you.”

-End Part 4

Next Episode Preview: A lethal fight from both sides. Rito and Yami back to back and facing death from all directions. The war between humankind and everything else has escalated. But … help from somewhere unexpected? Tune in next time to Part 5 of Crimson Darkness!

Author’s notes:

Sorry guys. I didn’t really finish what I wanted to finish in this part, but it was getting too long, so I decided to stop it here. Yes, at an awful cliff hanger. Well, if anime series can do it, so can I! ^_^;;

Yes – Yui is influenced from the anime/manga, “Claymore.” I love it!

So … what do you think?

Feel free to comment here or via,

Email: acesan@gmail.com

Ja!

~Ace

Well, I’m finally done with Part 3 of Crimson Darkness, my ToLoveRu Fanfiction that turns fanservice comedy into serious action drama. It took a bit longer, because it’s slightly longer than the earlier parts. As always if you missed the first parts, you can catch them here:

Crimson Darkness Part 1

Crimson Darkness Part 2

The pic below is one I got from www.dannychoo.com from one of the member posts. It really has nothing to do with the story, but I thought it looked cute so I’m gratuitously using it here to decorate my fanfic

Continue below to read Part 3 of Crimson Darkness! Hope you all enjoy it!

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Crimson Darkness – A ToLoveRu Fanfiction
            
Fanfiction by Ace Sanchez.

Note: ToLoveRu and its characters belongs to its associated author, Hasemi Saki-san, I’m just using them to have a bit of fun and practise writing again!

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Part 3 – A Dear Friend

Periodic quick wind blew his hair into his eyes as it coincided with the extreme speed of his leaps and dashes while in the process of following the drainage canal to what he hoped was the outskirts of the city. He also hoped that the slow splashing of the stream within the cement valley served to mask what little noise he made, as he landed and jumped in a zig-zag pattern over the slowly moving water.

At a particularly forceful landing, and having to shift his hold beneath the bundle he was carrying, he suddenly encountered soft, but taut material within his palm.

“I hate echii,” the girl with long blonde hair exclaimed softly.

“S-Sorry!” Shocked completely out of his thoughts, he stumbled, boots skidding upon cement, and unexpectedly lost his balance as he immediately let go of what must have been panties. Unfortunately he completely let go of her in the process.

“Do not drop me, Yuuki Rito!” Yami said aloud in alarm, hands scrabbling along his chest for purchase. Finding none, instead she wrapped one of her legs about his waist in desperation. The result was a catastrophic stack as both of them dropped into what they found was knee deep water, himself on top of her.

She stared up at him, the moonlight reflecting from her crimson eyes. “I still hate echii.”

He removed his hand from her now wet chest, and jumped away from her with a splashing sound. His face felt like it could steam all of the water from it. “It-It wasn’t on purpose…”

She gave him a blank stare, and then stood herself up in a matter-of-fact manner, the water dripping from her soaked black dress and tattered cloak. Still not speaking to him, she placed her palm on the cement banks of the canal river and hoisted herself up on to dry land.

“I guess that part of you hasn’t changed,” Rito laughed softly as he did the same and examined the damage. The loose robes he seemed to be wearing were dripping wet, along with the lower half of his sur-coat. Thankfully the canal water seemed relatively clean and sewerage free, so apart from the wetness, they weren’t overly dirty. He sniffed his shoulder. And nor did they smell bad. He shivered a little as a soft wind made itself known to them, quite cold against his wet clothes.

Yami took the tattered black cloak she was wearing over her shoulders and rung some of the water out, making loud splashing noises against the relative silence. “It is fine, Yuuki Rito. We needed to stop anyway. It is not a good idea to leave the city just yet.”

Taking her cue, he also took off his coat and rung some of the water out. He realised that he hadn’t taken a good look at himself since … he had become aware. But he seemed to be wearing exactly the same kind of clothing that Mikan had been wearing. At the thought of his sister, depression again began to sink in. “I know that. But I just didn’t know what to do. Except to get away from there. I-I don’t want to fight Mikan.”

Yami draped her wet cloak over her left shoulder and looked at him seriously. “I am sorry, Yuuki Rito. But they are all like that now. Even … you were.”

He felt at the side of his neck where, for some reason expecting to feel a wound there. However he was surprised to feel nothing there, except freshly healed skin. “If I could break free, that means the others can too.”

She seemed to look sad at that. “Perhaps.” She suddenly sneezed and shivered.

He looked at her wet clothes, but averted his eyes from where the damp material was sticking to her slight chest. “You can transform your body. Why don’t you transform yourself dry?”

She eyed him. “And how do I do that?”

He tilted his head as he actually thought about it. “Change yourself into a towel?”

“Would not the towel also be wet?” The corner of her small mouth lifted. “Also I cannot change my clothing, as they are not a part of my body.”

“Oh.” Then he noticed the set of her eyes, and her pale face. Along with the cuts in her clothes, and the dried blood on her lip, that had now been mostly washed away, she looked absolutely exhausted. Meanwhile, for some reason, he didn’t feel tired at all. A result of his modified body? He still had mostly no memory of what had happened in the years before, and the few glimpses that had shown themselves to him, he dared not think about for fear of what else he would discover if he examined them more deeply. He knew he was being a coward, but just now he didn’t want to think about it. First thing was first, and that was to take care of Yami. “Let’s find somewhere to rest,” he suggested.

She looked around, but couldn’t see much from the high walls of the canal. “We will need to hide.”

<><><> 

There wasn’t much choice for cover, as they found from the mostly destroyed houses that seemed to fill this part of the neighbourhood. It was mostly a consortium of collapsed roofs, tumbled down walls, and a massive crater in what seemed the centre of the residential area that looked like it had been from some kind of energy blast. In which case, those particular buildings were simply vaporised.

Strangely, the wave of destruction seemed to have spared a child’s playground within a fairly large sized park with overgrown oak trees and shrubs. Which was where they were now, within an intact plastic cubby-house, with its own pretend chimney and fireplace.

He looked at Yami who still shivered occasionally, as they sat next to each other within the enclosed space. “You don’t want to light a fire do you? You look cold.” Even though his clothes were also damp, it didn’t at all feel uncomfortable, but he was worried about her.

She looked at him askance. “The fireplace would melt.”

“I suppose so,” he said, disappointed.

“And also, the smoke would give away our position.”

“I didn’t think of that either,” he said, embarrassed. “I just don’t want you to catch cold.” He couldn’t even offer her his sur-coat, as it was still wet.

She seemed to smile at him without actually smiling. “You worry about the strangest things, Yuuki Rito. I think you should worry more about how we are going to survive.”

“I just want it to be how it was,” he said simply.

She hugged her bent knees and looked down into them, hiding her face. “I do too,” she said quietly.

He looked at her, as she sat, seeming so small and vulnerable, her long blonde hair fanning over her shoulders and body. She didn’t look all that different if it was supposed to be three years from his last memory. Her hair was perhaps a little longer, her clothes slightly different, the black skirts longer, the tattered cloak a little more worn. It was only her eyes, that when he had looked into them, seemed so haunted and hurt. It began to make him think about what must have happened, what she had seen … and suddenly a pair of violet eyes malevolent with sheer hatred dominated his memories. He blinked, willing them away desperately, and when he came back to himself, was surprised to find his eyes damp, as if he had been crying.

“What is it, Yuuki Rito,” Yami said, concerned. She had lifted her head from her knees and was now staring at him.

“I don’t know,” he said, forcing a laugh. He didn’t want to talk about what he had felt just then, so he thought of something else to change the subject. “I was just thinking about, that in three years, I haven’t really grown all that much. I must be eighteen now, and I’m still not all that much taller than you.”

“You aren’t so weak any longer, Yuuki Rito,” she said, pointedly looking at his chest. He looked down to where some of his coat and robes had gotten ripped and he could see the athletic muscles beneath. They weren’t there three years ago. He felt his face heating up.

Noticing what must have been a blush, her face also reddened as she realised what she had said. “I-I didn’t mean it like that. I hate ecchi.” She suddenly changed the subject. “So you have decided that you are going to help me?”

“You still haven’t told me exactly what you are trying to do.”

“I’m an assassin,” she said simply.

He abruptly felt sick, the feeling tightening within his stomach such that he thought he might throw up. “What were you trying to do tonight?” He again began to see the malevolent violet gaze within his mind’s eye, and suddenly he didn’t want to know the answer. He began to say stop, but it was too late.

She looked at him directly, the sadness within her dark eyes unmistakeable. “I was trying to kill Haruna-san.”

And all of what he had suppressed with the mention of that name came tumbling forth like a torrent that had been squeezed behind dark barriers shored up for far too long. The violet eyes within that serene beautiful face telling him without words that he was nothing to her now. An object, without even a shred of feeling. A weapon to be wielded against her enemies.

He didn’t remember himself sliding closer to her and gripping her shoulder tightly with his right hand. “I-I won’t allow you to kill her. Never that!”

She was biting her lip. “You are hurting me, Yuuki Rito.”

He noticed that her shoulder had begun to darken into a bruise within his tight grip. He immediately let go. “I’m sorry!” He gulped, feeling extremely ashamed. It was like a moment of insanity. “I keep saying that, don’t I?” he said weakly, and swallowed, rubbing his eyes which traitorously felt like they would tear up.

“No, it is my fault. I … was too direct.” She looked down into her knees again, hiding her face from him. “I … know how you felt … about … Haruna-san.”

He held her small hand within his. It felt cold, despite the warmness within the small play house. “It doesn’t matter anymore. But I won’t help you kill her. In fact, I’ll stop you if you tried to do it. Instead we’ll wake her up. Wake everyone up,” he said, determined.

She looked at him again, her eyes moist for some reason. “But you were-” She stopped what she was about to say. “Okay then, Yuuki Rito. I will help you ‘wake’ everyone up. However I don’t know how exactly it can be done.”

“What did you do to me?” he asked, thinking back to when he had gotten his first awareness back.

“Nothing. You held me, and I was waiting for a blow that would finally kill me. But it never came. You screamed and then yelled my name. When other humans, and even Mikan, attacked me, that never happened before.”

He tried to remember, but the memory eluded him. He knew it had something to do with a wound on his neck. Instead he thought of something else. “Why don’t we catch one?”

“Catch what, Yuuki Rito?”

“A human.”

She looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. “Have you ever tried to catch lightning?”

Puzzled, he answered, “No?”

“That is what it would be like. Think about what you can do now. Admittedly, you may be more powerful than most of them, but every human left is at least on the physical power level of Gid Lucione Deviluke, if not more, and you remember how powerful he was.”

“But you can kill them.”

“Only because they can still be killed by attacking their …. your … vulnerable spots, like the neck and your heart. Because I have the type of body, speed, and ability to take advantage of that. But to be able to restrain one? Impossible.”

“It doesn’t matter, we … I … need to do it-”

A twig snapped outside.

“Rito!” Yami shouted, her long hair immediately lengthening and stretching around them in a shield of defense.

Instinctively, Rito knew it wouldn’t be enough, and grabbed her about the waist as her shield of hair wrapped around them, and jumped.

Before he could burst through the ceiling, the plastic walls around them seemed to be pulverised, like a sandcastle that had been hit by a nuclear bomb, a gloved fist pillaring though and striking his lower left leg which was unprotected by Yami’s hair. He screamed as it felt like his leg was being disintegrated, the flesh of his shin crumpling, the bones within shattering and crushed to fragments, red mist flying into the air.

After that, the world was a spinning sphere of pain as the impact knocked his leap awry and caused him and Yami to spin in an uncontrollable parabolic arc, before they crashed into one of the park’s oak trees, with a massive cracking sound, the thick trunk snapping at the sheer force, its roots coming part way out of the grassy ground within a shower of dirt.

They fell to the grass and dirt with a thump and a bounce, and slid for several feet, scraping more grass from the soil, before coming to a complete stop.

Yami retracted her shield of hair part way, which had prevented further damage to them from the impact with the tree and ground, and stood up, protectively over him, as she looked in the direction of the destroyed playground.

Ignoring the pain, he sat up, and immediately picked out the distant figure standing nonchalantly within the dust and fragments of his handiwork, and sucked in his breath as he recognised him.

“Saruyama,” he breathed.

It was unmistakably him. Despite the three years seeming to have matured Saruyama much more than it had apparently done him, a taller, and even more muscular body, the face was definitely that of his old best friend. The spiky black hair, over an always cheerful face. Except instead of the usual friendly black-brown eyes, they were now the colour of blood, just like Mikan’s, though they held a bright glow of maliciousness to them, as if what he were looking at, was something that he hated with every part of his being.

“I can’t believe I have this chance, Rito!” he shouted over to them, as he began to walk slowly in their direction, his hands within the pockets of a black sur-coat that was twin to his own. Even his voice was the same. “I can’t thank you enough, now that you’ve given me an excuse to kill you!”

“Snap out of it, Saruyama, you’re being controlled, just like everyone else!” He tried to stand up, but his left leg crumpled like a moist paper towel and he fell over again. He screamed again at the pain.

“Stay still and let it heal,” Yami whispered harshly at him. “I will take care of this, or at least buy you some time.”

Saruyama laughed as if what Rito had said was a particularly funny joke. He continued to approach. “You were always popular with the girls. Even now, one of your harem, stands protectoress over you.” Then his blood-coloured eyes narrowed, his mouth thinning to a slit. “I always hated you for that, you know? You didn’t deserve it. You didn’t deserve your looks, a face that every girl could love.” He smashed a nearby oak tree with the back of his hand in sudden anger, with such force that the area of the trunk he had hit just seemed to cease to exist. The remainder of the tree fell vertically into itself, and then slowly toppled over with a thunderous crash, leaves and branches flying into the air. “And then you found a way to save the Earth from the Devilukes, and you were a hero!” He paused, and stopped his slow, relentless approach. “And I was still a nothing.”

Rito could only be in complete shock over what he was hearing. “You can’t think that,” he said softly. “It’s the Devilin’s brain-washing. They’re making you say this. You’re my best friend.”

For a moment, Saruyama seemed confused. “What are you talking about, brain-washing?”

“Die,” Yami said. She seemed to blink toward Saruyama, her speed impossibly fast. Her left arm was already a seven foot long katana blade sweeping toward the back of his neck.

“You can’t beat me, Yami-chan!” he laughed as he knocked the flat of the blade away with a reverse spinning backhand, and smoothly brought his other fist into a rising uppercut. “You’re nothing but a Non-Human!” Ready for the counter though, Yami had already ducked it and transformed her right leg into another sword.

It all happened almost too quickly, but Rito could only sit up in surprise as Saruyama landed several yards away from her and then crumpled to the ground shouting an ear-piercing yell of pain, his left foot missing from his leg, blood fountaining from the end of his ankle.

“Now you may fight on even … footing with Yuuki Rito,” Yami said in her dead-pan voice. “But you’re too easy, even for me.” She transformed her leg-sword back into a girl’s leg, and this time transformed both of her arms into katanas. “Die.” She leaned forward and shot toward him like a bullet.

“Stop it, Yami!” Rito cried in desperation as he threw himself using all the strength in his good leg. “Don’t kill him!”

His one legged leap managed to propel him in front of Saruyama’s prone body. Yami gasped as she stopped both of her swords in mid-flight.

Laughing, Saruyama grabbed one of his outstretched arms, and used his momentum to throw him into Yami’s attack. Rito coughed blood as one of her blades slid into his stomach as he smashed into her, throwing them both back with massive force.

Blinking forward with extreme speed, Saruyama appeared behind both of them, preparing to throw an elbow into Yami’s back. “I’m not the one going to die, Yami-chan! You are, you whore!”

Rito’s vision darkened to a world with tones of only blood and black. He knew she wouldn’t be able to dodge such a blow with his body impaled upon her sword like this. He also knew that such an elbow into Yami would take her apart like a split melon, based upon the strength Saruyama was all too easily capable of.

He would not allow this.

Instinct and hidden memories of technique overpowered his thoughts. Faster than even Saruyama could move, he twisted both himself and Yami in mid-air, and forced the katana that had exited from his back into the tip of Saruyama’s elbow.

His best friend screamed in abject and total pain as the sharp blade entered the cartilage and skewered his upper arm like pig spit, continuing until it met Rito’s back. Blood fountained over Rito’s face as his momentum continued, and he turned his body slightly to grasp Saruyama’s face with the palm of right hand.

Their flight was ended by the back of Saruyama’s neck striking the suspended steel metal bars of the playground monkey bars that was in their way. An abrupt cracking of bone and tortured steel sound squealed into the air at the impact, and Saruyama’s scream was cut off in sudden mid-yell.

The three of them fell to the ground, in a tangle of bodies.

For a moment, they lay there, with Yami draped on top of him, her sword still impaling him through the stomach, with Saruyama impaled through the elbow behind him. Both he and Yami were breathing hard, sweat pouring from both of them, both of them splashed with blood. Whosever it was, he didn’t know. Probably mostly his.

Saruyama below him was the only one not breathing. His body was still.

“I-I … didn’t want to kill him,” he stuttered. “He was my best friend.” And then his eyes overflowed with wetness, and he began to cry.

Yami looked down upon him, long blonde hair covering them both, her beautiful face sombre, but crimson eyes full of compassion. She leaned her warm forehead against his, saying nothing, as the moon up above was obscured by clouds and they were both cast in shadow.

-End Part 3

Quick Link to Part 4 

Hmm. This is turning slightly more violent. What do you guys think, tone it down? But I’m fairly happy with this chapter in terms of where I want the story to go. Anyways, let me know what you all think, as always, happy to accept comments and critiques. As many of you know, it’s been a while since I’ve written a serious project so am completely rusty, and am already finding faults everywhere .

Ja Matta for now!

~Ace

Here’s another installment of my ToLoveRu Fanfiction which attempts to turn a Fanservice comedy anime/manga into serious action drama using an alternate universe scenario ^_^;; (If you missed the first part of Crimson Darkness, Click Here).

My other favourite character in this show is Rito’s little sister, Mikan. I don’t know, I just really like her character design. I know she’s meant to be loli, but yet she isn’t. The second cutest character besides Yami.

Anyway, she makes her debut in this next part!

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Crimson Darkness – A ToLoveRu Fanfiction
            
Fanfiction by Ace Sanchez.

Note: ToLoveRu and its characters belongs to its associated author, Hasemi Saki-san, I’m just using them to have a bit of fun and practise writing again!

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Part 2 – Flight

Startled so rapidly to his feet that he didn’t remember the act of standing, he was stopped from moving further by Yami abruptly grabbing a fold of his sur-coat at his back.

“Stop,” she hissed under her breath, her voice even quieter than usual. “She is not the Mikan that you knew.”

Rito looked at her over his shoulder. Her face seemed without emotion, but large crimson-coloured eyes shining of moisture told a different story. “You mean, that she’s controlled, like I am … was?”

“All humans are controlled.” She jerked him back with a pull of her arm, her strength surprising despite her short stature. “We must leave … it is not a good idea to fight further tonight because we have lost all element of surprise, and as each minute passes we are even more at a disadvantage if more humans are summoned.”

Rito jerked back with furious strength, causing his sur-coat to tear and rip loose from her fingers, and the wooden floor-boards to crack under his boots. “If it’s Mikan … I have got to save her.”

Her crimson eyes narrowed. “She will kill you.”

“How could you be so sure?” he fired back. “She was your best friend, she’s my sister, she’ll turn back before killing any of us!”

She grabbed him again and turned him around forcibly, this time not hiding any of her anger or tears. She undid the corset at her waist to reveal a foot long jagged scar of pink flesh. “This is what my best friend did when I tried to ‘save’ her, just like you’re trying to do now!”

Shocked into momentary speechlessness, he took a step backward. And that was when the wall behind Yami exploded in a whirlwind of plaster dust and concrete. Yami screamed as two arms interlocked her from behind, pinning her in a cruel vice-like hold.

“Yami-chan!” the same voice they had heard from below shouted in glee. “So it’s you! I’ve been searching for you for months!”

Rito looked at her, at the girl who was still roughly the same height as Yami, but who had obviously grown to adolescence in the three years he had been ‘asleep.’ She still wore her brown hair in the same style, loose, long and with the spiky bun, but that was the aspect about her that had changed the least. Her body had grown and was now lithe and athletic, and her face now seemed as pretty and mature as his female classmates back then. She wore the same kind of clothing that he wore, a black sur-coat that draped over her shoulders and upper arms, along with lower robes that completely covered her legs and boots.

However, her eyes were now a deep red, as red as blood, and seemed to shine with malevolence. Her pink lips smiled as she began to tighten her hold, crushing Yami in the process. Yami screamed.

“Mikan, stop that!”

Mikan stopped crushing her, and looked at him questioningly. “Oni-san, what’s wrong with you?”

Using that distraction to her advantage, Yami formed a katana blade out of her left arm and sliced deeply into Mikan’s bicep, dark blood flying into the air. Mikan fell backward with a surprised exhalation of breath, and flipped backward, breaking her grip on Yami just before the now-furious blonde girl could decapitate her with another formed blade out of her long hair.

“Yami-chan,” Mikan growled, as she landed lightly on her feet, black-gloved fist retracting backward, preparing to strike again.

“Mikan,” Yami breathed, as she stepped sideways and reformed her hair back to normal. This time, she formed both of her forearms to long, curved katana blades and held them to her sides, ready.

Rito stepped in front of her and faced his sister directly, who narrowed her eyes in curiosity at him. “Mikan, stop this.”

Mikan raised her posture from the fighting stance she had taken. “Oni-san, why are you protecting her? Why have you not killed her already? She is the enemy. A non-human. She tried to kill Master.”

Though she looked exactly like his sister, though three years older now, Rito almost couldn’t believe it was her, but knew that it was. “I don’t know how it happened, but I’ve woken, Mikan. I will no longer be controlled, and neither should you.” He looked at Yami, who was behind him, breathing heavily and tired. “This is Yami-chan, who was your best friend. Why would you ever want to kill her? Wake up!”

Mikan blinked, then shook her head. “Why are you betraying us, Oni-san? The Deviluke were ready to kill us. Kill all humans. Why must you protect their friends?” Then her eyes narrowed as she seemed to come to a decision. She lowered her stance again, and lifted both fists to the side. “First I will kill Yami-chan, and then bring you back to the Master. You are sick and confused.”

Yami walked forward and pushed him aside violently. “She cannot be turned, Yuuki Rito. I will fight. I am Konjiki No Yami.” Abruptly she coughed, and more blood leaked out of the corner of her lip.

Mikan exploded forward, the floor-boards beneath her feet giving away to her sudden destructive acceleration. “I will kill you!” she screamed.

Images flashed within Rito’s mind. Of him shouting the same hateful words, in the same suicidal strike. But this time, it was him leaping toward a girl with long pink hair, her exotic face accepting her fate as he charged toward her. The girl was saying, if this is what Rito wants.

“No!” he shouted hoarsely. Without knowing exactly how he did so, the next thing he knew he had blocked one of Mikan’s outstretched punches with his right palm, then smoothly shifted that same hand into grabbing Mikan’s outstretched fist by her wrist. Simultaneously he had intercepted Yami’s horizontal swing with her left katana forearm with a vertical axe kick into its flat, forcing it to the floor and trapping the blade beneath his boot and the boards.

Mikan seemed shocked. “Oni-san, don’t interfere.”  A sudden movement of her eyes forewarned him of her next move, which was a ducking spin kick toward Yami’s unprotected neck. Rito pushed Yami over with the leg that he had been using to pin her arm and blade and she grunted as her back hit the dusty floor. This caused Mikan’s lethal kick to miss completely, as Rito using pure instinct, shifted so that Mikan lost balance and had to use her free arm to prevent her from striking the floor.

In response, Mikan used her other leg to aim another kick down on to Yami’s back. But this left her open to Rito’s other hand, which he used to grab that leg’s ankle. Using the purchase of this hold, he was able to fling Mikan back away from Yami.

Mikan, still shocked from his interference, descended several yards away from them into a back-flip landing, then a crouch, both palms resting on the apartment floor, her long brown hair and black sur-coat settling around her.

“Yami-chan, you’re tired and hurt, and it’s my fault. You won’t last another second against her if you continue fighting at your strength.” He helped Yami up into a sitting position.

Yami looked at him, her expression almost emotionless except for a faint curving at the corner of her small mouth that seemed almost a smile of gratitude. “As I thought, you still remember how to fight and use your strength,” she said softly.

Mikan was looking at him with an angry expression. At first it reminded him of the times she had looked like when she saw that he had left the house messy, before he realised in sadness that this time, the situation was much more grave than him forgetting to clean up after himself.

“I don’t want to fight you, Oni-san, but if you are going to be like that, then I will.” She crouched slightly, and began side-stepping forward, palms held above each other and horizontally out from her chest, but this time, her stance was directed at him.

“I don’t want to fight you either. You’re my little sister, Mikan, and I love you. But you’re not yourself and I will not allow another death of one of my friends.” He didn’t know how he was doing it, but muscle-memory from somewhere in his consciousness let him lower himself into his own fighting stance. He moved forward to meet her and completely block her from attacking Yami. The corner of his mind was slightly surprised that his stance was identical to his sister’s. Identical fighting styles?

She seemed hesitant in her approach at first, but then visibly steeled herself and rushed forward in a silent leap. She struck first, in a right palm strike, which he blocked by throwing it to the side with his own right palm strike. There was a slight boom and shockwave to the air at the power of the impact. She retaliated with a left, which he also blocked with his own corresponding left, but not pausing in her sequence, she spun from the force of the first blow to throw another right at his chest.

Dodging to the side, he brought up a vertical kick and aimed it to strike her on the head which would knock her out without serious damage. But she saw what he intended, and brought up her own vertical kick which she threw from behind, to strike his boot off course and instead sent it crunching to the floor, exploding a massive hole into it. They jumped apart before they could both fall through to the floor below.

“If you won’t fight seriously, I will have the advantage, Oni-san,” Mikan said smiling. The rate of her breathing had not altered at all, even after all of that exertion.

Surprisingly, Rito did not feel the least bit tired also. His body was different, much different to how he remembered he used to be. He would have felt pride that he could now protect, were it not for the fact that he was using this new strength to fight his sister. But something about what she said, and what he noticed about her movements, seemed to bring up the same thought. “You are not fighting serious either, Mikan.” At the words, he immediately regretted saying them.

Mikan’s eyes, already crimson red, seemed to darken further, as if to blood. “Of course not! You are my older brother! But you are protecting non-humans! Non-humans who tried to kill us all three years ago!” She pointed accusingly at Yami. “And she, my best friend, has been trying to kill me and almost succeeded just because of what we are now!” She ripped at the collar of her sir-coat and revealed a jagged scar that ran from the top of her breast to her neck, where it would have most likely taken her head off if it had continued further.

Rito turned to Yami in abject shock. The short blonde girl had stood up shakily, but was now looking sadly at Mikan. “It’s a war, Rito. The turning of the humans turned them against every other lifeform in the Universe. But it’s true that Gid Lucione Deviluke tried to destroy Earth.” She looked at him now. “You stopped him though. You killed him and saved Earth. But at a terrible cost. Your humanity.” She looked at Mikan again. “And the humanity of all of your family, friends and race.”

More sudden memories of his three year sleep leaked from the dark corners of his mind. He remembered as Gid Lucione gathered all of his power, and threw an energy blast that would have destroyed the Earth had he let it strike the surface. Instead, he had absorbed that power using the strength within, that he had taken from the Deviluke’s enemies, and flew forward to …. He suddenly lost the memory, like losing his grip upon a fleeting shadow.

“Oni-san,” Mikan was saying, “Don’t listen to her. Every non-human is against us. We must destroy every non-human that is against us. Just like you destroyed the Devilukes … and the Devilins who created us.”

Yami’s eyes widened. “You’ve destroyed the Devilins?”

Mikan smiled a half-smile. “Of course. We humans will now rule the Universe. Thanks to Oni-san … Rito.”

He couldn’t think clearly anymore. All of the thoughts that he tried to grasp refused to be remembered. He didn’t know all of what was true anymore. But he knew one thing that was true. It was all his fault.

Using his extreme speed, he picked up Yami in his arms before either she or Mikan knew what he had done. “I have to think about this Mikan. Goodbye for now.” He punched the apartment floor with the extreme strength he knew he was capable of, and then smashed through the building wall and into the night air.

Behind him, in the wake of his violent exit, the multi-levelled apartment block began to collapse at its foundations in a thunderous roar.

His sur-coat and hair flapping furiously in the wind, he was careful to hold Yami gently in his arms as he searched for a roof-top to land on.

He didn’t know how he would do it. But he would take responsibility as the number one man in the Universe to fix everything.

<><><> 

Mikan crouched on top of one of the surrounding buildings to the apartment complex her brother had just flattened. The dust from the collapse filled the city wind, preventing clear view for miles around. Her long brown hair glided about her shoulders, her usual spiky bun half undone so that more hair had escaped into the breeze.

They had gotten away.

And Oni-san had betrayed them.

“Mikan-chan.”

The soft feminine voice from behind her filled her with dread. She turned toward her Master, eyes downcast. “I’m sorry … Lady Haruna.”

-End Part 2

Quick Link to Part 3

Did the last part surprise anyone? Probably not if you are familiar with the way I write ^_^;;

As always, C&C (comments & criticisms) welcome. I didn’t spend too much time writing this, and hence correcting grammar and spelling mistakes, so a few might have gotten through. I think I’m starting to get the hang of writing back now, so I can write other projects once I’ve finished this one.

I am thinking this one will take about 8 or 10 chapters to complete (though they aren’t very long chapters comparitive to other stuff I’ve written).

Anyways, ja matta, and Ace signing off!

As a return to writing fanfiction, I thought I’d use an idea that suddenly came upon me while training it to work one day. Since I have a love for marrying stories with completely different genres, I actually came up with the idea of mixing a Fanservice Comedy Romance series (ToLOVERu) with Serious / Drama and Action.

And I’ll do it using one of my favourite characters in the series, Konjiki No Yami

It’s a fairly short fic, and simplistic, compared to the standard fics I write. Anyway without further ado, continue on if you would like to read Crimson Darkness Part 1!

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Crimson Darkness – A To Love Ru Fanfiction
            
Fanfiction by Ace Sanchez.

Note: ToLoveRu and its characters belongs to its associated author, I’m just using them to have a bit of fun and practise writing again!

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Part 1 – Awakening

 
She had been so close.

Yami leapt from the rooftop, her long blonde hair tied on either side of her head by black ribbons flapping in the wind, trails of her dark dress and over-cloak billowing out above her.

Thirty feet down, she landed in a crouch, muddy water splattering the walls of the alley as her boots struck a shallow puddle.

She knew it was following. Despite the darkness caused by the grey clouds covering the moon in the night sky, the little light there was obscured by the surrounding ruined buildings, she had a sense that it knew exactly where she was.

Hearing nothing, Yami propelled herself forward into another run, vaulted a trash can, took in a deep breath at the same time she tensed her leg muscles, then jumped the twenty feet required to reach the rooftop of the next building.

Landing softly upon the crumbling cement roof, she continued her run, keeping to the shadows of the clouds. A simple mission. Assassinate the leader. Despite all their power, they were still flesh and blood, and vulnerable in places. She didn’t know why they were here, in this ruined unimportant city, but it was a chance. A chance to knock down one of their bastions of power and gain even one small iota of revenge.

She jumped toward the next building, sensed something below her and moved to avoid it, but it was too late. The gloved hand wrapped around her ankle. Yami bent in mid-air and grabbed her attacker’s wrist before it could throw her off course. A struggle ensued with both trying to reverse each other’s attempts to propel the other into a vulnerable position.

She knew she would lose out on a match of strength, so before that could happen, she willed several tendrils of her hair to form a katana and stabbed it down at her assailant. It dodged by twisting, but she was ready for that, and metamorphed her leg that it was grasping into another katana, shredding the leather straps and its boot while it was off balance.

Incredibly it let go before the sword could slice his hands, reached backward with its legs, grasped the hair-sword she had formed earlier with the soles of both of its feet and uncoiled violently.

Before she knew it, Yami was hurtling down into the dark street with deadly force. Desperately she formed her hair into a hard shell to protect her head and body before smashing into the pavement in a shower of rocky debris.

When she had come to a stop, she retracted her hair and stood up shakily, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of her lip.

Her attacker landed softly several yards away, the dark hooded surcoat it was wearing rustling several times as it caught the wind. Its face was cast in shadow by the hood covering its head, but she knew who it was.

The guardian.

It was always there at the leader’s side, silent, intimidating, and extremely powerful. Impervious to energy attacks, it relied on incredibly hard hitting physical blows, and speed so fast, one blink could mean you
lost track of its movements.

Three years ago, it had killed the King of Deviluke.

Retreat. She couldn’t win this. Forming her hand into a steel wrecking ball, she smashed it into the street in front of her, exploding it into shrapnel and dust, and simultaneously launched herself backward, away
from it.

A disturbance in the wind at her back was enough warning to quickly morph her hair into another shield, before a palm strike collided into it, and sent her hurtling in the opposite direction.

The guardian followed her trajectory as she desperately defended with shields of morphed hair, and elbows. It wasn’t enough. Every third strike leaked through to hit unprotected parts of her body. Her body jerked back and forth as her velocity was altered at each blow in mid-air.

A final kick into her stomach propelled her through an abandoned store-front window, and she crashed into old wooden furniture and merchandise, glass raining around her.

She couldn’t get away. It was too fast. The only option was to fight. But it was too strong.

The sound of glass crunching underfoot approached her as she pushed herself to her knees. A trickle of blood tickled her chin as it ran from a cut on her forehead, down her face, and on to the ground.

The sound stopped in front of her.

Gathering one last huge effort, she morphed all of her hair into long spears and sent them striking toward the guardian.

Suddenly a gloved fist was clutching her around the neck, and she could hardly breathe as it lifted her upward. Her hair fell limply around her sides, her strength draining away.

Red eyes flashed underneath the guardian’s hood as it lifted its other fist to finish her.

Yami coughed, then smiled, accepting her coming death. “Kill me … Rito.”

The fist stopped abruptly before striking her face. “Konjiki no Yami?” 

The guardian screamed as he let go of her. They both fell to the ground, Yami on her side, he on his knees.

The hood fell away, revealing light reddish-brown hair over a tortured handsome face.

<><><>

“… Rito.”

It was as if he were awakening from a long sleep, the world hazing into view. And when his vision was in focus, his fist was inches from striking the face of a beautiful blonde girl, long hair held in black ribbons on either side of her head.

What was he doing? He would never hit a girl! STOP he shouted to himself within his mind. It seemed as if his body still wanted to desperately kill her.

He suddenly recognised her. “Konjiki no Yami?” Brilliant pain flashed in his temple. KILL KILL KILL ALL THAT STOOD IN THE MASTER’S WAY.

No! He could never do that. He screamed as he forced himself to release her. He barely noticed the glass cut through his clothes and into his knees as he collapsed on to the shard covered floor.

The overwhelming pain in his mind continued to flare. KILL.

NO! he shouted again within his mind. Whatever it was, it felt like something was alive in his head forcing him to violence. It felt as if it were trying to bring him to unconsciousness, so that it could continue
whatever it was that it was doing.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD.

Agony erupted from the side of his neck as something fell out with a splash. The sweet smell of hot blood filled the air.

And all of a sudden his mind was clear. He looked at whatever it was that had fallen out of his neck. It looked like a black spider.

A butcher’s cleaver thunked into it with abrupt force, sending its two halves flying away in gory pieces.

Momentarily confused, he looked at the cleaver and followed its handle with his eyes, and realised it was connected to Yami’s wrist, who had formed it out of her hand.

“… Yami-chan…”

He passed out.

<><><>

When he awoke for the second time, it was to the feeling of something cold, metallic and sharp to the front of his neck.

“Yuuki Rito.”

He dared not move, or even look at her. He started to talk, but a slight trickle of blood dripped slowly down his neck from the blade that was her hand that she held against it.

“Sorry,” she said, and lifted the blade enough so that he could talk without cutting himself.

He could remember nothing. Nothing except the cold dread of a feeling that he had done something terrible; many things, and a sense of wrongness that he could feel inside his chest such that it would
suffocate him.

And then it hit him. If nothing else, he could remember this cold, evil fact.

“I killed Lala.” And at that simple statement, moisture welled up in his eyes, the tears overflowing on to his cheeks. He coughed and twisted, cutting himself again on Yami’s blade as he dry heaved.

Yami quickly retracted her blade and watched him as he hugged his knees and cried softly to himself. Even though he did not know how he did it, at her silence, he knew it was true. He felt like he couldn’t breathe at
the pain and sadness overwhelming him. He wanted to die so much, he could practically feel the desire eat at him, and he knew that he could do it, will himself to die. His heart slowed its beating, and he could start to feel himself fade away.

“Don’t die, Yuuki Rito.” Yami’s calm monotone voice broke into his thoughts, interrupting him from his desire for death.

“I must.”

A sharp cracking sound shocked him, and a moment later his face started heating up with the pain of being slapped. “You are a coward.”

He sat up and realised he was on a futon. She had dragged them both into a more hospitable looking room in one of the abandoned buildings in the city.

“I don’t care. Let me die … please.”

She looked at him with calm crimson eyes. “Will your death bring her back?”

“No, but it will atone for it.”

“It will atone for nothing!” she suddenly shouted, standing up, her long blonde hair floating about her pretty face, usually emotionless, but now angry. “Dying is the easy way out. Atonement should be hard, suffering.
Atonement should be paying back what you caused.” Then her face settled into its more usual calm demeanor. “You have strength now. Enough strength to help me.”

He stared at her, his eyes still burning from the awful sadness that he knew would never go away. “Help you?”

She sat back down and picked up a roll of bandages which she started awkwardly wrapping around her bleeding left arm. “What do you remember of the last three years?”

Rito closed his eyes. Through the sadness of awful knowledge of that one thing, he could not remember anything else. Just darkness. A darkness filled with blood. “Nothing.”

Her voice was soft, with no more emotion. “It was an invasion. The Deviluke’s greatest enemies.  They were called the Devilins, and all were extremely powerful, each easily as powerful as the King of Deviluke.
Everyone thought they had forever been destroyed. But it turned out that a few survived, and had been in refuge in the planet at the farthest reaches of the universe.”

Rito looked at her.

“That’s right, they were here on Earth.” Yami paused as she checked the wrapping on her arm was secure. Then she continued. “When the Devilin awoke on this planet, they discovered something. The humans who normally dwelled on its surface, in outward appearances, seemed weak. But when one examines their inner power, and harnesses amd converts it with biotechnology, they are actually the strongest in the universe.”

Something pushed at the faint edge of his memory now.

“They captured a boy and his six other human friends. And using their biotechnology cocoons, converted them into monsters. And the Devilins found a way to control and bind them to their will.” She looked at him
meaningfully. “Those were only the first of the humans being converted, but ended up being their most powerful.”

He shook his head in absolute denial. “No, it can’t be!”

Her crimson eyes held him. “You know that I do not lie, Yuuki Rito. You must help me. You must make up for your wrongs. Stop the Devilins conversion of the humans, and kill your friends. Only then may you kill yourself.”

He was about to answer when they heard a crash from downstairs. An evil female’s voice echoed up to them along the walls.

“Oni-san,” the voice called sweetly. “Have you killed the assassin yet?”

Yami gasped, her beautiful face going pale as the blood drained from it.

Rito closed his eyes. “Mikan…”

*** End Part 1

Quick Link to Part 2

Just a short fic, which sets it up for the next installment of the story. This series is not going to be meant to be a huge epic monster of any kind. Moreover, I want to use it to write some quick action scenes, get back into the swing of things, and at the same time explore the Rito and Yami relationship in a serious setting. If Lala and Haruna are not involved of course. I’m also kind of sick of Rito being a pansy, and let him fight on the level of the aliens for once.

Anyways, comments and criticisms welcome of course.

Ja Matta!

~Ace
Email: acesan@gmail.com