Ch. 2

"That would be seventy-seven yen."
Miyako searched into her purse and fished out her crisp bills. The cashier received the value before handing the change. Miyako bowed gratefully and took her goodies. She hopped on her bike and pedaled to the town where she could hardly cross the streets.
She isn't used to peddling on the streets to begin with.
Miyako made it back home several minutes later. Her parents were out of the country for a vacation for three months now; technically, she lives alone. She unloaded her grocery bags and neatly placed them on the counter.
After doing her chores, she heard a knock on the door.
"Oh, coming!" she hurriedly ran towards the door and opened it. An old woman wearing royal blue kimono and grey ankle-length skirt came on her doorstep. Her long silver hair glided down her back \.
"Mizu-sama..." Miyako muttered when she smiled in complete shock. "H-How did you know where I live?"
"I know everything about the newly appointed Guardians especially their estates." Mizu replied as the girl welcomed her in. She served saucers of cookies and tall glasses of iced tea.
"What makes you here?" Miyako asked.
"Nyx is concerned about you so she'd sent me to check on you." Mizu stated. "So far, Ryuu-kun cannot deal with you momentarily."
The blonde-haired girl frowned as her lime eyes averted. "Um... yeah. I hope Aika-chan will be all right.."
"But that is not important, Miyako. Nyx has great concerns about you and your... dividing powers."
The girl stared at the guardian incredulously. "What do you mean..?"
"There are things that only you and Ryuu should know and you're the only one who can control it. He'll be the only aide who can help you cope with your other entity."
Miyako's eyes widened upon hearing this.
Other entity... my other side?
"I... I don't understand."
"Let me explain to you the full details."
A voice echoed as it blasted the entire living room. Miyako remembered that voice. It was then an invisible dark aura emanated from space when it slowly grew visible, taking form into black snake-like beams entangling themselves next to Mizu. The beams shattered as it is replaced by a dark glowing light until it faded.
Kuro appeared seated a few meters next to Mizu. He wore the same black ruler-general attire with the Dragon crest on his left breast. His grey eyes stared unnervingly at her, thus, making Miyako flinch.
"I guess Kujyou-kun hadn't told you a single world about it. Well, it's about time I do it as I must." Kuro stated as he begins. "You were told that Nyx, your patron, is the goddess of the moon and goddess of the night. That is the most common detail about her. What the ancient ancestors have coined centuries ago that they've kept hidden are her dividing powers  -- there are two kinds of entities sealed within her which you've inherited from."
"H...How can that be? Two entities at once?"
"Yes.. Miyako.. Nyx's true identity is being the harbinger or the forerunner of Light and Darkness. The Light I am pertaining to has significant differences with Hikari's. Nyx's force is fatally dangerous when dealing with the opposite."
"Light signifies purity, benevolence, peace and support," Mizu added. "...whereas the Dark entity shows aggression, vengeance, malevolence and death."
"But since you've acquired the core, we'll leave the rest to you, Miyako." Kuro finished his statement before crossing his arms under his head. "As for now, Kujyou-kun is on a duel with Tsukiro-kun; I'm quite impressed with the shrubby boy's tenacity.."

*******

"Oi, why don't you use your daggers instead?" Ruko asked just as he was brandishing his naginata. Ryuu carelessly spun his own without dropping it.

"They're too poisonous.." he replied frankly when a dagger slipped onto his other hand with a flick. "It's venom-endowed, so I can't use it." 

Ruko then scowled. "That's ridiculous! You can simply extract it!"

"I can't do that."

The duel initiates as Ruko makes the first move by lunging towards his opponent. He roared when he jabs the blade of his naginata, aiming at Ryuu's rib cage. Ryuu leaped backward to evade, which surprised Ruko.

He's good at dodging... interesting. he thought as he changed his pace.

"Oi, Ryuu, gimme a counter attack just once!" he demanded.

All of a sudden, he gasped and hurriedly dodged a dark spear that swooped over his shoulder, stabbing a tree eventually.

Crap... he almost got me.

Amy sighed. "Ruko-kun, if only you have a stable presence of mind...."

"That was a hell spear he summoned," Tyson stated. "It can easily slip away from the naginata with one strong thrust. Luckily, Tsukiro-san managed to dodge it."

"I'd never thought Ryuu is a dangerous opponent.." Ash said. "Based from my observations, he and Yagumi-san have symmetrical agility and vitality."

This gave Ruko some pressure upon hearing those even from a short distance. He pulled himself together and lunged again. He exhibited his stealth movements whereas aiming to corner Ryuu. Pretty soon, he ran around like the fastest living carousel as Ryuu, standing on the center, watched him warily.

"Tsukiro, please put your showing off on a minimum." Zik reminded as he groaned. 

"Relax, Daddy-O, I know what I'm doing~!" Ruko responded haughtily as he smirked. He skidded his feet across the ground and rushed forward... when he suddenly halted.

Ryuu is nowhere to be found.

Mirouni gasped and stared wide-eyed. "Amazing..."

Tyson stands up from his chair in surprise. "How... How did he do that..?"

Ruko's tension grew when he looked either sideways, front and rear. In the back of his head, he earned the fear that his opponent might slit his throat or even impale him.

Far from his sight range, a seductive flash of a naginata caught his vision. Ryuu reappeared as his presence had caught him off guard.

"It's my turn now."

"Uh-oh," Ruko muttered under his breath. He quickly ducked before Ryuu sprinted over him while engulfed in extremely dark shades of power. Ruko rolled over to his side and got up.

"What was that for?!"

Ryuu landed on one knee up. "I knew you would say that." 

Then his own naginata dissolved into dark violet particles as Ruko got the thought of him finishing this fight... not until a pair of daggers slipped on Ryuu's hands with a flick.

"Wait! I thought he's not supposed to use those." Mirouni screamed in horror.

"I have given him my permission." Zik said, causing quivers and 'seizures' to flow onto them.

"You don't do that to me!" Ruko complained, pointing his forefinger at the Deity. "Since when did you learn how to contact with an unrelated mortal?!"

"I think I'll go check on Aika." Tyson proceeded and walked past the audience. He entered back into the house when his path is blocked by a long trail of toilet paper as if he's an uninvited guest for a reservation.

"What the--"

"You shall not pass!" Sora appeared wearing a pair of matrix sunglasses and an officer's cap. A toy whistle hung dangling around her neck as her hands are on her waist.

Tyson scowled. "Let me through.." Part of him wondered how this aquadite got in there all of a sudden..

Sora blew the whistle. "What's the password?"

Himeka's footsteps approached as she arrived into the scene. Upon seeing the toilet paper scattered all over the floor, she folded her arms on her chest and scowled.

"Sora, what is all this? And I thought you're supposed to be at the treehouse!"

The midget aquadite turned around and beamed. "I'll be your security guard~!"

"And what is Taisuke-kun doing under the table?"

"Huu~ Taisuke-chan wanted to play with the praying mantis that I've caught for him. Now he has a new friend!"

The shocked Himeka quickly looked under the table. Taisuke squished the green insect on his hands when he saw his mother. Himeka swatted his hands and pulled him out.

"That's not a toy, Taisuke-kun. Now go to the dining room and eat your breakfast. Your bacon and eggs are getting cold."

She tugged on his arm as Tyson sighed. He glanced at Sora and lifted the toilet paper, passing through it and making his way towards Aika's room. He entered inside to watch over the corpse of his consort lying on her deathbed.

He sat on a chair and glanced on Aika's pale face. His glance then went towards her pair of glasses sitting on the small table beside him and the small purple ribbon which she clips on the back of her dark hair.

Meanwhile, a translucent figure of a girl with long dark hair and a pair of cyan eyes stood next to the demon. Tyson doesn't seem to see her; technically, it is the soul of Aika.

It is somehow her temporary afterimage.
"So I'm dead..." she mumbled while watching her corporeal body. "...not a surprise.."
"Yes, and you'll be living as an afterimage momentarily before your revival." Saku says. "Last year, you've despised Tyson because of your unrelenting rivalry. As time have progressed, he slowly had grown fond of you."
Aika frowned when she glanced towards Tyson. She saw the great resentment deep in his heart because of his absence, thus, bringing her to the inevitable. She had also seen the bitter mourning of her first best friend, Amy, because of it.
She began to wonder.
Am I really... that loved?
"Now that you are Tyson's about-to-be legitimate partner, you are about to undergo the next step. But in that age, we cannot permit you just yet."
"I'm a student." the girl spoke. "I'm not ready for those stuff. I won't wait for it either... because there is always the, not necessarily perfect, right opportunity."
"That's very nice to hear from you, Aika-chan. To change the subject, they have found the pathogen, or simply the agent that poisoned you created by Yagumi's hex."
Aika's eyebrows narrowed. "Huh? You mean..."
"Your father did a rough examination, though. In the meantime, you will have to watch. The ritual will begin shortly."

*******

Beldum Institute welcomed the new freshmen and transferred students for the upcoming academic year. Koide went alone to fill up a registration form and file as assessment. As she was filing up her form, her eyes went towards the three figures standing with their backs turned. She quickly recognized the trio as they read the papers pinned on the bulletin boards. They were the three rebellious fallen angels in rivalry with their own race and ruler. It can be presumed that they are willing to enter this school to start anew and live as normal human beings.

"Ah, Koide-san!"

Solaris spotted her when the mage excitedly went towards her.

"Oh... Aris," Koide said.

Solaris beamed. "I'm so happy to see you again! I was worried about you... how did you get out of that white abyss?"

Koide opened her mouth when she caught Hikaru and Altaria approaching.

"It's a long story, Aris..." she simply replied as she went back to writing on her form. "I'm enrolling for second year. I don't wanna fall into a hassle."

"Ohh~ I see," Solaris nods as she glanced at her elder sister. "Onee-chan, shall we stop over at Mizu-san's place? I wanna see that cute little alien, Rozum-chan~"

Altaria shrugged at Hikaru and replied. "Well.... okay."

The tri left Koide later as they exited the lobby. Altaria sighed.

"Hikaru, now that Zarafyn is dead, who will take her stead? I cannot do that..."

"We'll just see and find out..." Hikaru replied. "Ever since Ryuu-san and I had settled on a treaty, I've thought that he was giving me enigmatic ideas.. but now I'm starting to understand his point.."

"I...I was wrong all along. Ryuu Kujyou-sama is different... and my opinions towards him have changed drastically in spite of the things we've expected him to be. We have to know him better!"

"And his father as well," Hikaru added her sentence. "For some reasons, he has caught our interests as well. Goliath had told that he was supposed to be the original ruler."

"Right. But due to justifying reasons, he wanted to live a normal life as a father and husband... like a normal human being like we are aiming to be.."

"Onee-chan, onee-chan!"

Solaris called for their attention. She somehow found the city's amusement park as she waved at them excitedly.

"C'mon, we should at least enjoy ourselves for a while. There're tons of popcorn and cotton candy~!"

********

The Deity Guardians' spirits appeared -- apparently, the only ones who are absent amongst them are Cain and Phoenix. 

"It looks like they're in the middle of a showdown." Micah contemplated when she glanced at Ruko. "As always, Tsukiro-kun exerts too much."

"...and I'm afraid I agree with you." Zik replied with traces of displeasure. "He never changed at all."

"When will you two ever get along..?" Hikari asked sadly. 

"In the meantime, Yukira-kun and Len-kun are not present," Travix stated. "The meeting won't be held here. I've found a perfect place." He turned his glance on Saku as the Deity of justice stood a short distance from them with Aika's afterimage.

"Saku, has Kujyou-chan prepared herself?"

Saku replied with a nod. "She has. And she has to be revived as soon as possible."

"Very well.. we'll wait a little more."

Meanwhile, Ichirou and Himeka entered the room where Tyson is. Ichirou nodded at him.

"May we ask for your cooperation, Tyson?"

The saffron-eyed demon nodded reluctantly as he stood up from his chair. He stared by the window to peek through. "Ryuu should be here by now.."

Ichirou then closed his eyes as he spoke. "Ryuu, I'm afraid you have to cancel the duel."

It is presumed that Ryuu must have heard it... due to the fact that they share the demon blood. In a few minutes, Ryuu entered the room empty-handed as if nothing happened.

As for the others, Ryuu ordered them to stick to the Guardian path lessons instead. This way, Ash's abilities can be enhanced especially as well as the others.

The doors and windows are sealed shut. Sora and Taisuke stayed in a separate room. Ichirou, Himeka, Ryuu and Tyson channeled their powers. Aika's afterimage approached as she watched her family and her consort channel on their power to kill the pathogen. 

"Ichirou had figured out that the pathogen cannot be extracted through the use of medical assets. It was Yagumi's fatal hex that created it... and therefore the presence of Dark force will destroy it albeit it has high risks." Saku narrated to give Aika some useful information. The four altogether chanted the latter incantations. Ryuu felt the tension rising into him and felt the pathogen wriggling and squirming. Tyson fought his fear... knowing that the poison will destroy Aika's entrails.

By the time they have reached the crucial part, Tyson took the next part as his. He chanted the spell carefully and slowly. The next turn is passed to Ryuu... as the spell for excruciating will be his role. The glow of his crimson eyes darkened.

While he chanted the torture spell, Himeka supported it with her charm and at the same time shielding Aika's entrails from the relentless pathogen. Ryuu then gave it his all just as he is reaching the end, and altogether they chanted it subsequently. 

The pathogen wriggled violently. Ryuu's spell for tormenting had enfeebled it until it is dispatched.

Upon succeeding, Aika's limp body twitched when it calmed. Tyson hoped that the hex's pathogen will be gone by now.

"We'll give her a few minutes to rest before the revival," Ichirou announced. "Ryuu, tell that young lady to come here at once. Do what you have to do."

"What's with the sudden cancellation?" Ruko complained as he and the rest of the crew stopped by Kaito's ice cream shop. Ash reserved a seat for everyone on the counter.

"Oh, this is a surprise."

Kaito encountered them as a grin spread across his face upon seeing Ruko.

"Oi, Tsukiro-kun~ what makes you guys here?"

"We're dying for some ice cream. Serve us your yummiest treats!" Ruko replied. "And ooh, give Amy-chan the banana split, her favorite~!"

Amy concealed a blush. "...Alright, I'll go with that."

Kaito gave a smug. "How are you two lovebirds doing in your commitment?"

Mirouni gasped in shock. "You two are what?"

Ruko's face flushed while scratching his head. "It's a bit hard to explain..."

"How naive!!" Kaito suddenly punched his cheek as Ruko growled while touching the injured spot.

"What was that for?!?"

The demigod's gaze darkened as he exhibited a posture showing sort-of superiority in character.

"A man should not conceal his relationship with his woman!" he raised his voice. "Yet you waver and cower!"

"The story's too embarrassing!!"

Ash sighed as he gave Kaito their orders. 

"So, how's Lex doing?" Amy asked.

The demigod stayed silent for a couple of minutes while preparing their orders. "Well.... I haven't heard a thing from and about him ever since we're all returned to Earth. I guess he's feeling dizzy right now."

Ruko toyed with his fingers and whistled when he asked:

"...who is Musume?"

Kaito froze upon hearing the name as Ruko's question quickly backfired. He fell silent.

"Umm... sorry. Didn't mean to freak you out..."

The demigod smiled sheepishly. "Nah, I'm cool. I've suddenly thought of someone else, I guess."

Ruko simply shrugged that reply. He couldn't understand the meaning behind that dream he had not a long time ago...

*******

Meanwhile, deep into the dark and desolated forest, a vulnerable mammal is seen running. She is escaping from the clutches of her pursuers. But in this case, the animal is seemingly running away... running away forever. It then grew tired as it paused and panted. Then its body begins to take form. Its paws transformed into hands and feet. Its fur soon faded into human skin and its purple locks grew longer. Its pair of strangely long ears shortened until on the mammal's place a little girl stood there. She acquired a pair of short fox-like ears and a long fluffy tail.

The girl's naked glory hid in the darkness as she looked over her shoulder.

"I made it..."

She knew to herself that she is free.