Ch. 5

She bathed in the small creek she found. She is willing to stay there forever due to the fact that she had lost her clothes. She also knew that there are poachers nearby who'll be more likely to capture beings like her.
She stepped out of the water and wrapped a large leaf around her body. She walked barefoot when she spotted a van. She closed in when she reached the vehicle. The little girl seized this chance to sneak inside and find hope to escape from her pursuers.
She hid in the back compartment where it is stacked with boxes. She then heard loud footsteps as the passengers as they hopped inside. The driver started the engine as the van sped off. The little girl hugged her knees. The leaf around her body is loosening from her every movement. Soon, she fell asleep during the trip...

######

"Oi, come inside. I've prepared dinner for you!"

She awoke from her slumber. She rose and saw the seats emptied from their passengers. Knowing that the back compartment is locked, she climbed up over the back rests and escaped. She gently slid the door open, hopping out and sliding it back shut. She made light steps to proceed when she stood over a large chunk of wood and peeked through a window.

She sees a small group of teenagers gathered and seated around a table where they are eating together. She spots a girl with long purple hair pulled back into a ponytail matching the color of her eyes. She wore a pair of glasses and an ushanka on top of her head. 

The little girl heard her stomach rumbling as she grew alarmed when the purple-haired girl glanced towards her.

Before the child could make a step, the lilac-haired female came approaching her.

"Hey there. What are you doing here?"

The child staggered backwards.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt you." the girl says. "What's your name?"

The child seemed to gain her trust.

". . . .M, Musume..."

The girl beamed. "Ahh, Musume-chan. What a cute name. I'm Galil. Why are you staying out here at this time?"

Musume lowered her head. "I'm lost..."

Galil suddenly stepped out of the house and approached her. "How about you have dinner with us? I thought you might be hungry." She observed her from head to toe as she sees the leaf wrapped around her naked body. "Oh my goodness. You were walking around like that? Come inside. I'll give you some clothes."

"H-Huh..?"

She took her arm gently. "I can't leave you out here."

Musume accepted her offer. She was led inside the house when she happened to see a small sign entitled: SHADOWRUNNER.

What..?

Galil dragged her along with her. They reached their destination as two wardrobes stood and leaned on the walls. She opened the first where browsed on their clothes inside that will fit Musume. 

"Here you go. I've found one!" she pulled out a small sun dress embroidered with few circular outlines. A green ribbon at the center of its waist gave it an astounding look.

"Oh, I have Mika-chan to lend you some of her underwear and shoes. And... you should take a shower first."

Musume didn't say anything. Galil pulled the leaf off her that served as her only protection. She is then led inside the bathroom as Galil set the shower's temperature to mildly hot.

She sulked inside the shower.

Shadowrunner.

She couldn't believe it. Lex actually lived in this place. She was almost driven to tears.

She found herself sobbing silently. She wanted to escape her past... and then suddenly, she is taken care of by a family whom she never knew.

"Musume-chan, are you done yet?"

Galil's voice echoed as the girl is snapped out of her thoughts. She turned off the shower and dried herself with a towel. Galil came in eventually.

"You sure enjoyed bathing in hot water, ne?"

Musume's face flushed as her gaze averted.

"Uu... yeah.."

"C'mon, it's dress-up time. You'll be our living doll~ ei, Mika-chan, time for our dress-up party!"

"Yay!!" A little girl whose height is somewhat similar to Musume's appeared dashing inside the room. Her red hair is pulled back into a ponytail and she had a pair of orange eyes.

"Who's that~?"

"She'll be your new playmate, Mika-chan. Meet Musume-chan~" Galil says.

Mika fixed her glance on Musume as she grinned. When she pounced on her, she gave her a tight squeeze.

"Wafu~! Musume-chi is so cute!!~"

Musume squirmed from the tight hug. Her cheeks turned deep red as her green fox ears twitched and her tail moved wildly.

Galil's eyes widened. "Musume-chan.. are those ears and tail.. real?"

The fox girl lowered her head without uttering a word. 

"Mika-chan, don't just pounce on her like that!" Galil scolded.

"Mouu, I like her!" Mika pouted with her arms folded on her chest.
They started dressing Musume up. They styled her hair into a pair of buns, pinning them with tiny blue bows on each side.
"You look perfect!" Galil shouted in delight.
"Wafuuu~!!"
Musume timidly walked outside to see the others. She saw the rest of them who have finished eating their dinner. It seemed that they did not notice her.
She decided to look around. She saw picture frames nailed on the walls & sitting on the small tables. There were images of Galil, Mika and other members posted as they all enjoyed each other's company. There was one picture of Mika hugging a teddy bear. Next to her was a person with obsidian hair and a pair of cyan eyes.
Crack.
She staggered backwards when her back bumped against the wall.
"It can't be.." she whimpered when she suddenly locked herself inside the dressing room where she fell on her knees and cried.
"Musume-chan, what's wrong?" Galil knocked on the door.
Musume cried, making Galil grow worried. She was in all fours as tears fell to the floor.
"This is where he lives... I should have known..." she pulled herself together slightly and stood up.
"Musume-chan!" Galil used a key to unlock the door. "What happened?"
"Lex is a member here, right..?" Musume asked with her eyes nearly lifeless.
Galil gasped in shock from what she just said.
"You... you know Lex..?"
The fox girl nodded slowly. "I should have known that I'm right here... where he lives. He surely doesn't like nuisances within his sight."
"T-That's not true. Lex-kun doesn't hate you." Galil's mouth quivered. "Why? Did...did something happen? What are you telling us..?"
Musume remained silent as she just averted her glance.
I should have known...

########

"So when will out training start?" Ruko soon asked as he, Len, and Kaito are the only ones left in the headquarters. 

"We still haven't organized the training sessions just yet," Mizu said. "We'll contact you for updates. In the meantime, you deserve a break."

"That's a bummer. I wanted to improve my fighting skills. It's like judo, karate, taekwondo and kung-fu fused together!"

"And you'll be the master of amateurism, that is.." Koide added in a deadpan manner. "Say, where did your other 'half' go?"

"Shopping with Mi-chan as always," Ruko said while crossing his arms behind his head. 

"Aren't you planning to take her out?"

"What? No! Amy's picky towards everything! And she doesn't want me to do the stuff I wanna do."

Koide folded her arms on her chest. "My opinions toward you have improved slightly. I'm impressed."

Ruko narrowed his eyebrows. "Ohh, look who's doing the real talk here."

The female redhead sighed. "She's your girlfriend now. Give her what she wants and give it your best shot. Girls tend to be temperamental so you better watch out."

"Eh?! I'm not gonna spend all my money on her! I deserve a little for myself."

"Exactly. Don't let her ruin your fun and when a girl flips out on you, it does not mean you should not calm her down."

Ruko leaned against the wall and stared at the sky.

"Yeah... I guess you're right. We'll never understand women..."

"...in the same way, we'll never understand men..." 

Meanwhile, Namato observed them from afar as he happened to eavesdrop into their conversation. 

"Tch... humans..."

######

Splat.

A shudder.

This ritual requires pinches of blood as sacrifice. Its scent will provide aroma for the ancient demonic spirits who have nurtured the Underworld.

The sight of blood made Miyako shudder before she realize that she'll do the same thing. She brushed the blade against the skin of her palm, cutting a few on her epidermis. She weakened slightly when her own blood cascaded down her hand and splattered its droplets on a tiny ceramic.

The next phase came.

Ryuu paced around the circle with his hand surreptitiously holding a black celestial blade. Miyako remained kneeling on her place when the pacing was done successfully.

Just then, the circle glowed in a hue of crimson and violet. Ryuu chanted words in the Underworld language as symbols appeared swirling around the casting arena.

Miyako suddenly remembered that she also has to chant her incantations. She quickly stood up and channeled on Nyx's power. More glowing symbols appeared swirling around them. The powers of the two Deities were manifested as their cores emanated their life forces.

Nyx's core released a black and a white fog as they fused together to form a yin-yang symbol. The girl stared wide-eyed. Kuro has been right all along.

Nyx wasn't just a night goddess and a moon patron but.. a divinity of both Darkness and Light. She has divided powers -- facing evil and in the same way, following the moral teachings.

"I'm right here."

Miyako felt tension rising all over her. "N...Nyx-sama..?"

"I'm right here."

"She's here. Prepare yourself."

Kuro's voice echoed as the Dark Deity manifested himself behind Ryuu. 

"Kujyou-kun, please do the honors."

Ryuu then tossed the blade on Miyako's hands.

"W...What's this..?" she asked.

"When I give you the signal, you will stab me."

"H-Huh?!?"

"Just do what I say."

The fusion phase came next. The incantations were chanted, commanding the cores to fuse with the mortal bodies permanently. The blood they've sacrificed were absorbed by the circle until they were gone.

The ritual is about to face its end when the demonic spirits along with their diabolic forces gathered around Ryuu. He engaged in a conversation with them... but his mouth wasn't moving.

"Miyako-chan, repeat after me. Azlo moraizo..."

"Azlo moraizo..."

"Mokuruzo iyomu...:

"Mokuruzo iyomu.."

"Akum nitani... cerebrasu.. zubin.."

"Akum nitani... cerebrasu.. zubin.."

"...Chyubin!"

"Chyubin!"

The spell was activated. The yin-yang symbol appeared in front of her again as it separated into a black feather and white feather. They were fused together as one. It landed on her palms before shoving it into her chest.

She felt a burning sensation in her chest as the feather dissolved inside her. She is encased in a mixture of Dark and Light mystical aura, finishing the fusion phase until Ryuu is the only one left.

"Kujyou-kun's confirming his responsibilities to live by," Kuro said. "Prepare yourself. He'll be done shortly."

Miyako watched until she can see the diabolic spirits huddled around Ryuu. The Dark core was already fused inside him. Yet he's doing another ritual on his own. It was then the spirits swirled around him, bombarding him with violent swears as their voices became too unnerving and disturbing to the ears.

"Yamero." Ryuu stated one word, an imperative sentence with his expression unchanging. The spirits paused as he fished out another black celestial blade to scamper them away. Sighing abruptly, he stabbed the floor with it. 

"Get out at once."

He urged as Miyako stepped out. His conversion ritual began as he sacrificed more of his blood.. the black celestial blade remained stuck on the floor.

"It will take a while before he performs the finale." Kuro told as he watched his heir get the ritual in its proper phasing.

"What does it require?" Miyako asked.

"Blood, presence and humanity to begin with. When you hereby accept the conversion contract, there is no turning back."

"Y-You mean... the stabbing?!"

"Yes.. yet it seemed that he has changed his mind about giving the position to you."

After several incantations, Ryuu pulled the blade out as a silhouette of him is shown holding the blade pointing towards his chest. He then pierced it whereas suppressing the very concept of pain. 

Blood came spurting out of his chest. He felt his body weakening as he destroyed his circulatory organ -- the only source for the supply of blood in his body. His pants were heard... his loud heartbeat and his pulse beating. Miyako shuddered upon hearing them going louder.

The Dark casting circle faded slowly as the blade fell to the floor with a loud clank. Ryuu went all fours panting with his hand clutching the deep stab wound. The conversion ritual has been finished.

He managed to get up and give himself some comfort. He panted faintly as his heartbeat was heard again.

Miyako approached. "Ryuu-kun... are you all right?"

"Not enough.."

"Uh... what is it?"

The heir's pants became heavy when he drew closer, grabbing her by the shoulders and biting the same spot where he bit her. Miyako yelped.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"The progress earned him some blood lust.. " Kuro advised. "Blood feasting would result to imprinting. When a couple is imprinted, it signifies their bond as one."

Miyako fell into a daze as her cheeks turned beet-red.

Ryuu-kun...

The more he drinks, the more she feels every pleasure. She slightly moved her legs when she raised her knee to make herself comfortable...