Ending sucks, late entry. Fuck it, my body aches and I don't give a shit anymore.
---
A cold wind blew across the awakening streets of downtown Hitojin, the half asleep adults slugging themselves out of the comfort of their homes and heading to their cars to head off to work. The children however, had the luxury of staying behind, for this was the paradise of summer vacation, a 3 month nirvana of freedom from the chains and shackles that was the school system. Indeed, for these were the best months of a kid's life, not having to worry of grades, peer pressure or getting up to catch that infernal yellow chairot that dragged them down the road to an educational hell. The laziness ahd freedom would not last as many already knew...yes, summer vacation was ending soon, a a day from tommorrow to be exact. No longer would they have their freedom...no more would they sit on the sides of the roads and enjoy the sweetness of their melting popsicles as they melted in the sweltering summer sun. Another chilling wind blew across town...this one carrying with it the ominous whisper that spoke to the many youths that summer was on it's dying breath...and school was going to strange that last breath right out of it's failing lungs. Even so, there were some who didn't really care if school was starting or not...for with them, busniess would continue as usual. One of these individuals was known as Meira, The Carnage Princess and a junior attending Hitojin High School. For her, school was simply an outlet for her to conduct her operations, the agents below her being sent through the bowels of the school she attended like the larva of parasitic worms.
Meira ruled through fear...
Meira ruled through power...
Meira was a gang leader...
Many knew of her terrible strength on the streets and in the halls of Hitojin High School, and the fact that a good number of her gang was composed of, not humans, but youkai...even though she herself was a full blooded human. For youkai to follow a human could only mean that said human's might was indeed unmatched, and for Meira she was well equipped to back up the claims many have made of her ferocity; with her wooden sword and the skills of an ancient warrior running through her veins, Meira was a force to be reckoned with on the mean streets of the Hitojin District and in Hitojin High School...much to the disappointment of the Principle; Yamaxandu Shikieiki who was always on her case about following the rules and the consequences that lie ahead for her.
Not that Meira gave a shit...she did what she wanted and no uptight Yama was going to tell her how to run things.
Today, her gang had gathered at their usual hang out, an old warehouse located somewhere near the Industrial park of the Hitojin district. It used to be the warehouse where they kept all the tires, but after a factor shut down the warehouse has all but been abandoned and left to rot in urban blight. Of course, Meira used this as a chance to set up a base for her gang's headquarters. School was just around the corner and of the youkai gang was complaining of how they have to deal with the labors of education and the teachers they so hated in that prison they were forced to slave around in for hours a day. That being said, many of them were doing their best to enjoy what little of summer they could squeeze out of it's dying body, sucking up the festering juice and caring not for the vile taste it would leave in their mouth once they realized that school's advent was an inevitable change...
"Boss, I just got word that Yamaguchi's crew managed to run off some schmoes who were trying to muscle in on our turf." Saitou, a half youkai, informed his leader as he slid his old cellphone into his pocket and awaited Meira's next orders. Yamaguchi was one of Meira's newest allies, having pledged his alliance to her after his utter defeat in front of his own school. Normally, the average high school student would hold something of a grudge against the one who bested them in front of their peers, but apparently, Meira's grace in combat and chilvarous ways "captivated" Yamaguchi and brought him into the ranks of Meira's gang as a frontline soldier. Some even go so far as to say that he fell in love with her, and his desires for her are what compelled him to do her bidding as she willed it. Whatever the case maybe, Meira valued Yamaguchi as a strong ally and nothing more past that...
"We'll talk with him about this tomorrow, I don't really feel like dealing with him and his...advances on such a hot day." Meira sighed, laying back on the makeshift bed made for her out of various junk salvaged from the nearby scrap heap. For a day that signified the end of summer, it was still hot...at least, in this warehouse it was. Meira's sharp mauve eyes cut across the room like a dagger, slicing across the group of youkai hoodlums who were in the same area chattering and laughing about how good they had it underneath her thumb. As powerful and feared as Meira was to many others, she was actually a just leader to those who were allied to her. Respecting one's honor and pride being one of the key things she's carried with her from her ancestory onto the streets she tread upon.
"Alright, I'll let him know..." Saitou nodded turning back to his girlfriend, caressing her with his hands and smooth words that made the young woman blush and bury herself in his chest. Meira never really cared much for the amorous display most teenagers of her age seemed to enjoy. Perhaps it was because she was more of a fighter rather than a lover. Her mother often complained to her about 'finding a nice boy', but...Meira really couldn't be bothered with finding someone. For now, her gang and this street life were her only love...
As the sounds of merryment continued to embrace the warehouse, another suddenly came crashing in and fouling up the once cheerful air that everyone was getting drunk off of. The sounds of pained screams and bodies hitting concrete...commands being shouted and yells of how impossible the fight was were roaring outside, and resonating into the warehouse as everyone stood still and listened with fright and disbelief.
"B-Boss...we...we've gotta problem...!" The shaken voice of a youkai called out across the room, his tone killing off the good cheer that had saturated the atmosphere of Meira's quarters as he made his way to the entrance of the warehouse, barely able to stay concious from the injuries he sustained from the battle he just managed to escape from to warn his leader.
"What is it, who's attacking us?" Meira demanded, already knowing from his tone, physical injuries and the sounds echoing from outside that a battle was raging elsewhere and her forces were losing. "Do I need to get out there and teach them a lesson?"
"N-No...too strong...only one...BARF!" Meira's eyes widened slightly as she saw her youkai comrade lose strength and fall, his words ringing in her ears and setting off several alarms of what needed to be done and what was to happen if she didn't act now. Meira turned looked up to her gang who were already looking to her just as confused and spooked as the man who fell before them. Apart of Meira clicked her teeth, knowing that these shivering high school students were youkai to the core...they shouldn't be afraid of only one advisary...but, from what she was getting...just this one advisary maybe something they should indeed be careful about.
"Kai, Call up our forces at the the south part of town, tell them we need them for a fight." Meira ordered to a nearby youkai as she grabbed her trusty wooden sword and headed for the exit of the warehouse carrying with her the intent to defeat whatever opponent dared stir up her hive of soldiers. "Everyone else, prepare for battle."
"B-but, boss..." Kai, a short and rather scrawny lizard youkai, stammered to the opposing gang leader who turned to address his incoming concern. "If we leave the south part of town ungaurded, the Murasa Scouts will take control of that place." Kai was always one of those guys who showed his cowardice first rather than his courage, something Meira didn't readily admire in him as a fighter. However, he held a fair amount of knowledge about blackmail and was rather intelligent too boot. With this under his belt, Kai proved to be one of the sole members who were equipped for intelligent negotiations with other gang leaders and helped her acquire a couple of decent allies from rivaling schools. Saitou was much too hot headed at times and was easily swayed by tits and ass...
"Right now we're fighting against a powerful opponent who may very well be able to defeat me in battle, that territory can always be apprehended again if we gather enough forces from our reserve near the Mahoukin District, however, this is our main base of operations...if we let this foe take over and ravage us...the Kengou Gang will no longer be at the top of the food chain." Meira explained to the lizard who nodded and pulled out his cell phone to call for back-up. That's one other thing she liked of him...Kai was very obedieant, never gave her back sass like some of the other hot blooded punks she commanded. "Now then, if the rest of you are done cowering in the shadows, we have a battle to win."
---
Bodies...bodies everywhere...
Meira was used to this scene... a scene of a hard battle and, usually, a sweet victory on her part. Unfortunately, the bodies that lay sprawled out before her belonged to her forces, the youkai she placed as gaurds to her territory in and around this area to keep out rivaling school gangs from slipping into the cracks and causing trouble. Most were rouges from other gangs, aiming to be top dog by taking out strong and powerful leaders...and of course, she was the nearest one to most of these rouges. It's burdensome at best, but with a sizeable force to pick up the slack, it's never alot of trouble. Now however, this was not the case...her gaurd unit was utterly annihilated...by only ONE fighter...
"She's...she's too strong...go back..." A female youkai urged Meira, before she gave up conciousness and some of her money came spilling out her uniform. Meira payed more attention to the assaliant rather than the youkai who pocketed the loose money.
"I take it, you're the one who's causing such a fuss on my territory." Meira spoke, narrowing her eyes to her opponent up ahead, her brilliant red hair blew in the wind behind her. Meira knew of this woman, she knew from the stories across town that this lady was no one to be trifled with. The Dragon of Scarlet was her street name but, her true name was Hong Meiling, one of the "Big 4" that served a student who attended Koumakan Private Academy; Remilia Scarlet. The vampire was a woman of great wealth and threw around her money and charisma to gather dozens of followers both human and youkai. Unlike Meira, Remilia had it easy. Being the spoiled brat that she was made out to be, Remilia could get anything she wanted if she whined enough about it. "What business do you have with me, Meiling...do you not know that school's almost begun?"
"I do, but Miss Scarlet has other plans. Plans she wishes to discuss with you, Carnage Princess." Meiling said to Meira, her voice showing that she meant business and was ready to pick up arms and throw them if things proved to get hairy again.
"And the reason for incapacitating all of my gaurds?"
"Ahaha...I really didn't mean to do that..." Meiling chuckled nervously, shrinking a bit in embarassment. "They sorta...came at me first, I just defended myself." Meiling...was an interesting one. While she was regarded as a powerful martial artist, one of the best in Koumakan Academy, she was one of the more...sociable ones, at least in terms of being enjoyable to be around and generally a good person. Unlike her leader who was not only the most popular girl in school...but was also the top "bitch" there as well. From what Meira heard, Remilia was hated by a vast majority of the female student body...
"This is why I tell them to wait for name, school and business first..." Meira sighed and applied palm to face, the students behind her doing just about the same. "...in anycase, what do you wish to ask of me...it's hot and I'm in a bit of a bad mood at the moment..."
"I'm sorry but, Miss Scarlet has been thinking of something fairly complex lately and believes that you will be of great use to her." Although she knew Meiling was only relaying the message, the words "use" did nothing more than make Meira's blood boil in her veins. Born into a house supported by the chivalrous ways of the samurai, she disliked the act of using others as "pawns" and sees all her allies and friends as valued comrades.
"Let me make this perfectly clear to you; I am NO ONE'S pawn." Meira declared sharply, hands gripping her weapon tightly and her face wrinkled with rage that threatened to spontaneously combust with the dry air swirling around her. "Tell your 'Miss Scarlet' to fuck off, I work only for those who will respect my honor as a warrior of these streets."
"Uhm, yeah, about that...I don't think that's much of an option for you." Meiling spoke up nervously, her words catching Meira's ears and full attention. "Nothing personal but, Miss Scarlet told me that there were a good number of gangs who want your turf...most of them being under her command. If you don't want them all 'up your ass' then...you should probably listen to me."
"That vamp bitch...she's always pissed me off..." One youkai growled a few other agreeing with his sentiments on just how much they detested Remilia's ways.
"Yeah...always tryin' to be sneaky and play dirty..."
"C'mon boss, we ain't gotta listen to this broad!" A bespectacled student spoke up, stepping beside his leader his sleeves rolled and up picking up a nearby trash can. His nearby comrades beginning their song of war as Meiling lay ready for anything the group of riled up youkai would throw at her. "If we take'er out we'll be taking down one of the Big 4!!"
"And with it, the other 3 will come down and rip us a new one. Don't be a retard on the battlefield, Hanya!" Meira concluded loudly, shutting up everyone's battle cries and revealing to them the folly of their hot blooded ways. "We may be powerful but, I know Remilia has forces that we can't even scratch. Do you know Cirno, the Ice Titan? The one who defeated one of Hakurei's friends AND the 3 Fairies just recently?" The youkai looked to her with surprise, her words doing well with putting fear in their hearts and opening their eyes to the looming threat that Remilia held over their heads like a gullotine. "Yeah...you better gasp collectively..."
"As for you, Dragon of Scarlet..." Meira began bringing her attention to Meiling. "When does your mistress wish to meet? I will arrive at whatever time she is avaliable."
"3rd Block, tomorrow." Meiling stated. "Miss Scarlet has a piano recital today so, she can't discuss street matters."
"I don't see why someone with such a silver spoon in her mouth would want to get involved with us gangs." Meira huffed, shaking her head. Meiling only chuckling a bit. "It seems so out of character for some as 'high and mighty' as your mistress." This was actually, Meira's way of taking a shot at Remilia, subtly implying that the vampire shouldn't be getting into the street related things and leave things alone. Of course, Meiling didn't really catch it.
"Well...she once told me she considers all her followers as 'pawns on the board'...so maybe it's something like chess to her?"
"Typical of her to see us as such." Meira said with one eye open as she turned to head back to the warehouse. "In anycase, I'll be there. My schedule for school says my 3rd block is History...I hate history."
---
Like the prophecy to an oncoming doomsday event, the start of school came just as it was predicted by the adults to the youths. Dread and terror was only short lived in their hearts as they realized that it would get them nowhere and would not cease the torture school was laying ready to exact upon them. For those at Hitojin high school, they had to endure not only school itself, but it's principle, Miss Shikieiki Yamaxandu. For the students, seeing Shikieiki was the equivalent of getting sentence to hell itself. Indeed, Shikieiki was a formiddible Principle and she needed to be...with Meira and her Kengou Gang just as active as it was every school year, she made sure to make it clear that their antics would not be tolerated on school grounds. in fact, with the beginning of school, she had a plan. One she called the was willing to discuss with the Vice Principle, Yukari Yakumo about...even though she knew the youkai would never listen to her words anyway. The two were like night and day and always saw things differently...but somehow, things worked out when it came to running the school. At least, for the most part anyway...
"You know of the Kengou Gang, Miss Yakumo..." Shikieiki began as she watched the students pass by the window of her office, her leery green eyes scanning for any trouble amongst the integrated youth of humans and youkai alike.
"Oh, you mean, that gang under that samurai girl, Meira?" Yukari replied stealing one of Shikieiki's hard candies from the dish nearby and popping them into her mouth with merry abandon. "What do you plan to do this time, Eiki~?" This wasn't the first time Shikieiki has had to think of ways to deal with the Kengous...this has been going on for just as long as Meira first started coming into power with her gang of vagabonds during her freshman year.
"Zero Tolerance, Miss Yakumo." Shikieiki responded coldly, her finger letting go of the blinds to her office window. "We have been leniant with them for much too long. The P.E teacher, Hoshiguma Yuugi, has told me of how students of the youkai variety have been acting up lately, especially after the near rape of that Tatara Kogasa girl. Meira and her gang maybe the key to shutting this foolishness down."
"Hmhmhm, you realize they won't listen to us old ladies, right?" Yukari giggled, Shikieiki turning to her with an irritated expression. "Oh hush, you're just as old as I am, Eiki. Stop trying to hide it with that tight business skirt~"
"I honestly don't see how the children can be more at ease with you..." Shikieiki sighed as she walked to her desk and prepared for the morning announcements. "You're so unprofessional..."
"Hmm, maybe that's why?" Yukari remarked with a smile. "No one likes a girl with a stick up the butt, Eiki~"
= Elsewhere =
Meira stood at the doorway to her homeroom class, watching as the students around her clamoured on about their vacation and how they wished it wouldn't have ended. She knew a fair amount of them from either her exploits on the streets or through school related affairs, some respected her, others feared her. None of them, however, could be called a friend. That was where her gang came in to fill in the blanks, and as luck would have it, Saitou was in her home room. The half youkai making himself known by walking outside with her and looking at the crowd of teenagers pass through the packed hallways of their school.
"So...you're actually gonna help them?" Saitou spoke up, cutting his yellow eyes toward his leader, his hands resting in the pockets of his blue school uniform. "You know Remilia's reputation as much as I do, Meira-dono. If you help her, she'll only try to backstab you and suck you into her army of gangs...it happened to "
"I know, I know..." Meira sighed placing a hand on the side of her head, and running it through her purple hair. "She's practically left me with no options here; either I accept her terms and take whatever double cross she has up her sleeve or I refuse and risk being overwhelmed by her army..."
"You'll think of something...you always do." Saitou said leaning against the lockers, flipping off a kid he had beef with last summer. "I've known you since junior high, you've got some wit under that ponytail of yours."
"Did you cancel with Yamaguchi?" Meira said, taking Saitou's words as a compliment but not giving much of a response to it.
"Huh...oh yeah, he seemed real upset about it. Says he wanted to see your beautiful eyes again...Heh." Saitou said supressing a burst of laughter that threatened to tear it's way through his mouth. He knew how Meira felt about Yamaguchi and their one-sided relationship (if you could even call it that), so he usually tried not to laugh at how corny Yamaguchi could actually be with his words. "But after I told'em why I had to cancel, and who you had to meet, he sorta just hung up...didn't even say goodbye or anything."
"I would have expected him to do that." Meira replied. "Yamaguchi used to attend Koumakan, before he transfered to Youkai Academy last year. From what I remember about the stories...he was in an incident involving one of the Big 4."
"Oh yeah, I forgot he had some serious beef with Remilia and her crew." Saitou nodded, his memory managing to dig up the rumors he head heard on the subject long ago. "He was going out with Patchouli the "Week Witch" and Remilia broke them up, but...the way she did it..."
Meira said nothing on the matter and focused more on how much time they had left to remain in the halls. The clock above them and the slowly emptying halls proved that class was about to begin, along with their first day of the new school year. "We should be inside soon, if we stay out here, no doubt Yamaxandu will lecture us if she's out patrolling the halls..." The gang leader suggested, turning and retreating into the classroom, Saitou following close behind. The classroom was filled with the chatter of teenage gossip and excited reunions of students who haven't seen each other all summer. The homeroom teacher, Heida no Akyuu, gazed at the rowdy band of teenagers and sighed. It was her first time teaching, after having decided to give it a shot when Keine encouraged her to.
"Alright students, settle down please. The announcements are about to begin." Akyuu spoke up, the loud chiming melody that sounded from the intercom buzzing in right on time and snapping the student's attention to what needed to be said.
"Good morning students of Hitojin High School, I would like to welcome you all to a new school year and an oppurtunity to-" And that was all the children heard because after that, the rest was tuned out as they began whispering amoungst each other. Meira and Saito were no different on the matter, much more concerned about subjects concerning their gang and what Remilia planned on doing with them. That is, until a certain announcement caught the attention of the vastly uninterested whelps and answered Meira's questions for her...
"Also, I have been informed that the one known as, Remilia Scarlet of Koumakan Academy, is funding an afterschool event today for Hitojin High School, one circling around the student council's efforts which means that Koumakan Academy will be involved in the festivities." The classroom murmured with disdainful words, having still retained their distaste for Koumakan Academy...especially Remilia. "For this reason I ask that there be NO gang related activity during this event. If I catch anyone acting up, then it's immedieate 5 day suspension, no questions asked." All eyes turned to Meira and Saitou, the only two inside the room who were noted to being in a gang. Meira looked to the intercom with disdain, treating the yama's words similar to a declaration of war. "In anycase, I wish you all a happy and fruitful--" Shikieiki's words were suddenly cut short by the sound of what appeared to be a struggle to attain dominance of the microphone. "M-Miss Yakumo, s-stop it! Stop-!"
The mic let out a piercing whine as Shikieiki's voice suddenly disappeared. "I would also like to add that this is Chen's first day at high school, so no bullying her~"
Moments later the sound of uproarous laughter echoed through the halls, letting others know where Chen was attending homeroom...
---
Time marched on through the school day as it does like any other, and soon enough came the arrival of 3rd block. Meira, knowing Keine-sensei wouldn't let her skip out on a bathroom break, decided it be best to simply cut class altogether. Word of the meeting had already spread through out the bulk of the Kengou members prior to schools start, so many of them had already figured out what they had to do to attend it. After leaving the school grounds as discreetly as they could, the gang slithered their way through the back alleys of downtown and took roost into their warehouse base. Meira took her usual seat and watched as everyone situated themselves for Remilia's arrival. There were only about a handful present, give or take 6 or 7 students not including herself and Saitou (Kai was more interested in Home Economics class, for some reason). Of course, Meira knew that some of them weren't going to attend the meeting for one simple reason; Remilia is an arrogant bitch.
The gang had to sit for about several minutes before the shadows of two figures blocked out the source of sunlight leaking into the warehouse's dark interior.
"Hmph, who would have thought I would have to skip my 3rd block just to come here to these...backwater accomodations." Remilia sneered, showing her disgust for the gang's hideout in both her voice and her body language. "Listen to the beasts as they howl, thinking their bites will harm my flawless prescence...what a disgrace they are, wouldn't you agree, Sakuya?"
"Yes, they are indeed trash, Miss Scarlet." Remilia's ever present maid, Izayoi Sakuya agreed as she flashed a chilling glare to several youkai students who flashed them obscene gestures. Sakuya knew the lot of them would not act on their insulting gestures because of two things; they respected Meira's wishes and usually never acted unless she ordered them too and she knew that all of them would fall to her elite combat technique that earned her a top spot alongside Remilia. Still, It was obvious that they were not welcome here, but Remilia could care less now that she had her eyes set on Meira and the manpower her gang posessed...
"Tch, be thankful there are plenty of places for you to elegantly drop a load of your bullshit money." Saitou muttered before a loud thwack echoed through the warehouse, Meira having slapped him upside his head with her wooden sword to keep his tongue under control. She didn't want or need, things to go south due to someone'e inability to respect those of higher power...even if they were a spoiled vampire girl with no sense of respect for others. Remilia only chuckled to this display as her dutiful servant quickly pulled up a chair behind her to sit on.
"My, my...your dogs sure are noisy today..." Remilia chuckled, with a smile. "Here's a piece of advice; get them all nuttered and I garuntee that their constant barking will cease."
"If you're going to waste my time with childish insults then the door behind you is always wide open, Scarlet." Meira spoke, trying her best to keep herself calm and cool for this meeting even though her gang wasn't making much of an effort to. Remilia was trying to get under her skin, trying to make her look bad in front of her followers...but, Meira knew better. So long as she didn't feed into Remilia's snobby bitch routine, she would be okay. "Unlike you, I take pride in the well being of my allies and comrades."
"Hmph, very well then, we shall discuss business as planned." Remilia said with a shrug, snapping her fingers to Sakuya behind her who produced a yearbook of some sort. The silver haired servant girl handed the book to her mistress who held it open and directed Meira's gaze to circled photo of a young woman...well, it wasn't like she couldn't notice it what with all the doodles around it and the profane insults surrounding just that one photo. "Tell me, do you know of this girl here, the one on the far right?"
"Who doesn't, that's Hakurei Reimu. President of the Student Council that has several big names attending it; Marisa the Master Hand, Youmu of the Dead, Alice of Wonderland and (maybe) Suika the Barbarian Tower." Meira said, looking up to Remilia with a quirked eyebrow, her intuition telling her of what the vampire was getting at with this. "One of your servants came to me yesterday saying you wanted us to do something...does it involve Reimu?"
"Indeed, Reimu has alot influence at her school, and is regarded as one of the most popular girls at her school as well...alongside Marisa." Remilia explained, throwing aside Marisa's name like it were nothing more than a used piece of toilet tissue. It was already rather obvious the vampire was focused on no one else but Reimu. "You know that my school has a burning rivalry with yours but, at every turn they seem to best us. We're not at the top represented in Gensokyo's Best Schools anymore, we're..." Remilia paused and swallowed a lump in her throught, everyone looking to her with anticipation. "Number 2!" The vampire fell back in her chair looking to have grown faint, just from speaking the words 'number 2'.
"My lady, please bear with it a little longer!" Sakuya pleaded as she fanned the neatly dressed vampire girl with a paper fan.
The youkai of Meira's gang all looked to the despairing vampire and to each other, was THIS really the Remilia they all heard about? Someone who grows faint from just hearing herself say the word...number two? Apparently so. "Heh, I guess that means she can't stand the way her shit stinks, huh fellahs?" a youkai muttered as he nugded his buddies who laughed a bit and high fived him for his "ingenious" crack.
Meira rolled her eyes at the vampire's display and went about trying to make sense of things. Deep down, the junior couldn't believe she was wasting her 3rd block on someone who faints from being second banana. "...You do realize that being number two isn't that much of a problem right?" Saitou spoke up for Meira who was clearly in a mental facepalm at the moment to actively respond. Remilia immedieatly perked up right with a look of utter shock on her youthful face.
"Are you mad? My school is the most prestigous of academys in Gensokyo, we will NOT be bested by some...PUBLIC high school!" Remilia said, the words 'public' slipping out of her mouth like that of any profanity. "Well, I will tolerate it no longer...it's time Hakurei Reimu learned who is 'top dog' around this city and that's why I need you; I want you and your gang to defeat Hakurei Reimu at an upcoming event I'm funding at your school. I have arranged for my top forces to attend the event as guests and while under that veil of cover we will ambush that miko and take them down through sheer force and numbers."
"Defeat, Hakurei Reimu!?" Saitou gasped, looking to have almost shit himself from the surprise of taking in those words. "It's by her will alone that we're not dissolved...if we fuck with her, things will go badly for us, especially for you since you're from a different school."
"I would not worry of that," Remilia replied confidently. "If we come at her with full force we can defeat her. While not holding as many forces as I do, the Kengou Gang is one of the most successful in this district. With our powers combined we can achieve the impossible!"
"Even so, do you realize how big of a task this is?" Meira said to the vampire who retained her arrogant smirk. "As easy going as she is, Reimu is no light weight. Also the principle herself may be attending, if this were to happen while she is present our scheme will fail for certain."
"What's the problem? You claimed so many times on the streets that you worked for your own reasons and not with Hitojin High School, so why worry about who's going there and what their motives are?" Remilia said with that infuriating smirk spread across her face. The vampire's words did in fact rain forth some truth as Meira refused to affilate her gang with Hitojin Highschool and worked on her own. Part of her success as a gang leader was, in fact, due to this very decision. "But...I can understand if the dreaded Kengou Gang is too weak and spineless to handle one girl and her club of low lives."
"This coming from a leader who's too cowardly to dirty her hands." Saitou spat back, Remilia only smiling evilly toward him.
"I hope you realize that Miyako goes to my school...it would be a shame if something were to happen to her while she was oh, I don't know, walking home from school or in the toilet."
"You leave Miyako out of this!" Saitou shouted, stepping forward ready to strike had it not been for several of his comrades holding him back. "If you touch one hair on her head, I swear before Shinki and all things demonic that I will Head Bomb your frilly ass back to hell, you bloodsucking whore!"
"Saitou calm down! Don't feed into it!" Meira commanded, the half youkai struggling within the grasp of his friends as he glared at Remilia with a vehement rage. Sakuya was already standing ready to strike the half youkai down, but her mistress gestured her to stand down the moment she saw Saitou jerk away from his friends and leave the area to cool his jets. Meira watched as her second in command called it quits on the meeting and left it up to her to deal with Remilia. Kai would have been a better choice...but he was far to interested in Yuyuko-sensei to attend this meeting. Oh well, Meira's been through tighter situations...and this one just proved to be another situation of the same manner. "What are you really after...I know you and Reimu don't really get along, but there seems like more to this than that..."
"Hmm, you're right. There is something more to it." Remilia replied. "Do you know of Kochiya Sanae? The girl who attends Youkai Academy?"
"Yes the girl who attends the school off in the mountains." Meira nodded "What does she have to do with this?"
"Both Sanae and Reimu are slowly becoming friends...if Sanae attends this event and witnesses the defeat of Reimu she will no doubt see her as weak and come to me instead." Remilia replied as she leaned forward a bit with news that she knew would shock Meira down to the ponytail. "Did you know that Sanae attends a school that adores the ground she walks on? Youkai everywhere in that district treat her like a queen and do anything for her. The interesting thing is that Sanae herself is no gang leader, but she holds with her the means to summon forth an immense wealth of power simply due to how every teenage youkai in her town adores her so much. If I can get her on my side, do you realize how many youkai will follow behind her?"
Meira blinked as her mind began to piece the puzzle together and came up with only one possible answer as to where Remilia was going with this. "Don't tell me you wish to take over Youkai Academy too?"
"You bet your horrible vampire books I do~" Remilia said with an devious smirk, her eyes radiating of a egomaniacal march to absolute power and fame. Meira was told Remilia had her mind on taking over the city with the use of gang power alone, but she'd never seen it up close before. If she wanted an example of megalomania, then this was that term personified in it's purest of forms. "I am the queen of Koumakan Academy, and what kind of queen would I be if I didn't partake in a little conquest here and there?"
"A benevolent one."
"Spare me your moral standpoints and give me your answer instead." Remilia said, haughtily demanding Meira to give her what she wanted. "Do take the time to remember that, if you refuse, I hold the key to unlocking a mortal hell upon your gang and territory. You maybe feared by those of Hitojin Highschool, but your nothing compared to the military might of my army." Those damning words piereced right into the heart of Meira, causing her to faulter and cringe the moment they passed through her. Every vile word that fell out of Remilia's mouth was all true...and while, it was hard to admit...she could not refuse Remilia's orders...
"B-Boss...?"
Meira simply sighed and rubbed the bridge of her forehead. Fuck this peer pressure thing, but...if she valued the sanctity of her gang and friends...she had to follow through with Remilia regardless of what the future held for her. "Call up Utsuho and her gang, we're going to need their prowess and her 'Big Bang' technique for this..."
----
As the first day of school came to a close, Meira and her gang didn't return to the last class. Instead, the lot of them stayed behind and began preparing for the coming battle that lie ahead during the event Remilia was speaking of during the meeting. Many of the gang members were already planning on attending the event as it stood, most curious as to what it actually was seeing as to how the purpose of the event was never revealed to the student body. In fact, curiosity was what compelled most of the students to lean towards going to this event, normally, not alot of them would care seeing as to they went by the mentality that many school related events were nothing more than a waste of their time, especially those that took place after school hours. How many attended mattered not to Meira, seeing her main job was focused on Reimu and the council rather than the audience.
The event's location was nestled within the sports field of Hitojin High School, chairs lined up in front of a makeshift stage of sorts, however the set up of speakers and a microphone had some believing that this event would most likely be a concert or speech of some kind. Some were hoping for a concert...a speech would just be another giant waste of time...
"Oh, is this a concert?" One student asked to her friend, as a sea of teenages curiously approached their seats and the stage. "I wonder who's playing...?"
"I dunno, but if Remilia's funding it, then it HAS to be top grade stuff." Another answered, putting emphasis on how rich the vampire truly was.
= Elsewhere - Inside Hitojin High School ~ Student Council Room... =
Reimu looked down from the window of the student council room, seeing the crowd of students take their seats and look around curiously. Her gaze then turned to a certain vampire who sat at the table across from her, Sakuya at her side for whatever needs Remilia may have. "I hope you realize that I'm not going to fall for whatever you're up to..." the council president commented to the vampire who merely chuckled as she leaned forward onto the table, not seeming to take Reimu's words seriously in the least. "It's not like you to throw around money for other people like this...especially for a school that you don't even attend."
"Oh, Reimu...Reimu...Reimu..." Remilia sighed with a shake of her head. "Why is it so hard for you to trust me? We've known each other since elementary school, we used to be friends, remember? Don't you remember those tea parties we used to have on the playground together by that large playhouse?"
"...You've changed Remilia. You've changed for the worst." Reimu said back, keeping well away from the memories Remilia was willing to shove back down her throat. Indeed...they were once friends back then...but not now, the Remilia she knew back then wasn't the one she was talking to anymore. "After what you've done to earn such a reputation through out these schools...I can't find it in me to trust you. Even IF we were friends back in the day."
"Hm, I would have thought you would know the concept of second chances. I didn't mean to be this way you know..." There is a pause in Remilia's statement the vampire looking elsewhere for a moment then back into the serious gaze of the miko student leering ahead of her. "It's because YOU were always off with your other friends playing with THEM instead of with me. It's only natural I found more...attentive friends that could replace you."
"Gangs who do your every bidding are not friends...especially not in the way you treat them." Reimu told Remilia. "And the reason I moved on was because you were the one who abandoned me. After Sakuya transfered to Koumakan, you left our friendship for dead just because you had a personal servant to boss around. Is that what you wanted, some bitch to slap around and stomp all over just to make you feel high and mighty?" Remilia's once collected expression wrinkled with a rising anger, Reimu's words having struck a nerve...
Because it was the truth...
"At that moment, I thought that you were only friends with me because you wanted someone to order around and generally be your slave..." Reimu's glance drifted to Sakuya who was just as upset by Reimu's accusation as her mistress was. "Judging by the looks of things...I was absolutely right."
"How dare you..." Remilia gritted her fangs, and clenched her fists in a heated outrage. "Sakuya is my best friend in Koumakan Academy, and she knows it! Tell her, Sakuya, tell her you're my friend!"
"Yes, I am Miss Scarlet's friend as well as her servant." Sakuya replied, in monotone. Almost as if she's said it many times and has, for the most part, grown bored of saying it. "It's just a coincidence that I serve under her."
"I pity your relationship with her then..." Reimu remarked, turning away from the duo. "You don't realize when you're being used..."
"What was that-!" Remilia growled, her charismatic demeanor slowly beginning to crack as she lay ready to burst forth onto Reimu. However the sudden interruption from Marisa put a lid on this outburst.
"Oi, Reimu's it's about time for things to get rolling, you ready?" The blonde student said, turning to Remilia and giving her a friendly wave. Oddly enough, Marisa was one of the very few students in Hitojin who didn't viciously hate Remilia's guts, if anything, she was more nuetral to the vampire than anything else. However, the same could not be said of her to Remilia. The vampire had long side disliked the student for being one of the first friends Reimu obtained after 'ditching' her. To be blunt; Remilia hated Marisa for being the friend she never was to Reimu...
"Yes, I'm all set." Reimu said as she walked past the table not exchanging a passing glance to Remilia as she left...the vampire doing the same in abstaining from giving the miko and form of eye contact. Marisa blinked in confusion as she looked between the two and merely shrugged as she left to catch up to her council president.
Remilia and Sakuya both sat in utter silence, the echoing sounds of the students down below being the only source of background noise between them. Sakuya glanced to Remilia, gauging her spiteful expression and her wrinkled face exuding of crimson fury just waiting to be unleashed upon her former 'friend' Reimu Hakurei. "...It's going to be quite delicious when I finally manage to humiliate her...wouldn't you say, Sakuya?" Remilia muttered, Sakuya merely nodding in response. "Sakuya, when the attack is issued by Meira...show her no mercy. I want Reimu to hurt...I want her to suffer. Put her in the hospital if you must...I care not about what happens after this...I want to see that bitch's tears."
Sakuya said no words save for those of obedience to Remilia's orders...
---
The uptight principle Shikieiki cast a watchful eye across the field as things progressed without incident. The event itself was something of a concert supporting the student council's efforts to put an end to the gang related activities that ran rampant through the streets. The garage band known as the "Rivers of Prism", were the one's providing the musical entertainment for the students, while there were a few other motivational speakers for the students to lend their ears to. Well...sorta, most were sure to tune that part out.
"What's the matter, you look like you want to leave." Yukari asked to Shikieiki. "Ara, I wouldn't blame you though...these seats are a real pain on the rear end..."
"No that's not it..." Shikieiki replied, not giving Yukari any eye contact as she continued her visual patrol of the field. "Something's going to happen...as smart as those children are, I know one of them is going to attempt something. Koumakan and Hitojin are rivals...and with the Kengou's attending this there will likely be a strike made against them."
"Oh, stop being so negative." Came the jovial voice of the gym teacher, Yuugi Hoshiguma, her adopted 'daughter' Kogasa Tatara by her side. "Yeah, Koumakan and Hitojin don't get along, but that doesn't mean there's going to be some kinda riot or anything and if it does happen, we'll take care of it."
"I only wish it were that simple, Miss Hoshiguma..." Shikieiki sighed, crossing her legs and sitting back in the metallic chair as she watched a rather muscular man speak about how 'Crack was whack'. "...How old is the material these speakers use anyway..."
As the show progressed onward, the odd prescense of a small group of youkai students sat by at the very edge of the crowd pretending to enjoy the show that was playing out for them. This group was the Jigoku Ravens, the gang that was native to the Chireiden High School area. They usually did not associate themselves with other groups or schools often, at least not after the incident involving their leader, Reiuji Utsuho the Exploding Nova, who tried to over take the surface schools which earned her quite the hefty suspension. She had vowed to give up her previous interests in street life but later renewed herself as an ally for the Kengou gang once they saved her from an attack by a rivaling Oni gang. While it was a very beneficial partnership for both sides, Meira still saw them more as friends which Utusho seemed to enjoy about her. For the most part, Orin seemed to be the one awaiting the coming signal from one of Meira's gang members the kasha being Utsuho's right hand, but also being the one to handle intelligent decisions since Utusho was more focused on physical assualts than tact.
"Nyaaahaha, lookit them...they're all completely oblivious to what we're cooking up." Orin giggled with a cat like grin before she turned to see Satori tending to Utsuho who was doubled over in pain. "What's up with her...?"
"Okuu's not feeling well..." Satori answered in her usual soft tone. Satori shared a very unusual relationship with Orin and Utsuho, in the sense that they were her pets, but was not apart of the Jigoku Ravens. Even so, Satori was still valued among the team and the members protected her just as they would their leader. "Maybe we should call this off, if Okuu's sick we shouldn't attack anyone..."
"N-No, this will pass, I just..." Utsuho gasped out, sweat beginning to roll down her brow. She looked to Orin who was generally confused on what was ailing her leader, but still seemed concerned for her health overall. "Orin...I-I gotta do it...I gotta do it NOW."
Orin tilted her head in confusion before a red flag shot up in her mind. "What? But...Meira and her gang haven't given us the signal, we're not ready yet!"
"You're not ready, but IT is!" Utusho said, her pain fueling a slight annoyance toward the kasha for telling her she couldn't let it go. "Ooooh, fuck. if you don't give the call, I'mma blow us all up whether you like it or not!"
"You see, Okuu...this is why I told you not to eat the fried egg, hot dog combo..." Satori sighed, seeming to be the only calm person of the group as the other youkai feared the worst and were already beginning to fall into a panic.
Orin knew what was coming, she's been at the business end of this more times than anyone else, and was NOT going against it again. Immedieatly, the kasha assumed a combat position and began meowing orders to the Jigoki Ravens surrounding her. It was now or never, and while she was sure the Kengous would be thrown for a loop by the sudden release, but...it had to be done or things would literally blow up in their face. "Everyone fall back! Make way for Okuu's Big Bang, CAUTION! FUCKING CAUTION!"
"What!? Holy shit, we gotta move!" An oni yelled out as he bolted upright and fled the scene. "Run, she's gonna blow!"
The youkai didn't even wait for a second word to be uttered as the lot of them scattered like spooked roaches, leaving Utsuho by herself as the hell raven groaned and turned her backside to the crowd of opposing students who looked back and began clamouring about what was transpiring off the edge of the field. They all were gravely ignorant to the danger that was set to detonate the entire area...Utsuho had been saving this one since breakfast and now it was going to be put to good use, "Ahhhh BIG BANG!"
"What the FU-!"
Elsewhere, a garbage man tossed in a hefty bag of trash into the back of the truck, wiping his brow of the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead thanks to the linger summer heat. With a sigh he stepped forward to the truck only to hear a loud, thunderous boom rumble through echo through the streets, the ground beneath his boots beginning to quake violently for a good seven seconds. Shaken by the quake (in more ways than one), the garbage man looked around and soon came to gaze upon a mushroom cloud of noxious green gas rise from where he believed that Hitojin High School event was taking place. "What in blazes..." Was all he could say before the smell of rotten eggs strangled his nose with brutal strength.
Back at the school, all hell had broken loose.
Students were reeling from the putrid stench that covered the entire sports field along with a thick cloud of gas that cut vision like a knife. Panic was rampant in the field as students ran trying to escape the awful smell or raven fart, but with the poisonous cloud still looming over their like a sickening miasma...efforts to escape were all but drowned in confusion and failure...
"By the yamas, what in the world-" Shikieiki coughed as she brought her arm to her nose.
"Jeezus Squeezus, who ever cracked that one off, needs to see a doctor..." Yuugi commented, the gas doing just a big a number on her senses as Shikieiki's.
"I know this smell...it's that hell raven from Chireiden High School, what is she doing here!?" Shikieiki
"BLARGH my nose...OH MY GOD MY NOSE!" A female student yelled out blinded by the sudden ghastly bio-terrorist attack that came straight from the hell raven's lower intestine. "BARF!"
"This blows my day...literally!"
At the edge of the field, Utusho sat on the ground, panting in relief from having just released the Big Bang. It was a horrid technique she gained long ago after she ate something bad at Sanae's house (it was some kind of rare meat...it didn't exactly agree with her). The end result gave birth to the power of 'atomic farts', holding them back makes them more powerful at the expense of enduring terrible stomach cramps. This school is no stranger to this deadly move for Utusho used this once before against Reimu. The Big Bang in the past was so powerful and noxious that the school had to be evacuated and thoroughly fumegated for a week. For that entire week, Hitojin High School was declared a biological hazard to human life. "Pheeew, Mother of mercy...I think I blew off my panties with that one..." Utusho remarked, virtually winded and drained but, for the most part, in a state of sweet relief...really, you would be too if you just cracked off a back blast that practically gassed an entire field. "Orin...tell Meira I'm sorry...I sorta couldn't hold it back anymore..."
"Will do." Rin replied with a thumbs up, her fingers pinching her nose pulling out her cellphone to inform Meira of the news. Although she was pretty sure that the samurai girl could have easily heard the blast herself...
---
Further off, to the left of the main building of Hitojin High; Meira stood watching the chaos, her gang having came prepared with facemasks to help ward off the putrid stench of Okuu's deadly Big Bang, technique.
"The dreaded Big Bang..." Meira commented. "Fart and it kills everyone...truly a weapon of mass destruction fitting to the Exploding Nova herself. I'm glad such power is on our side." You should be Meira...you should be...
"Meira we got word that the crowd's been knocked for a loop by that fart move, Shikieiki and the other teachers are pretty much in the same situation. Should we head in and risk the poison?" Saitou asked his leader, who took a moment to gauge the crowd of panicing students and calculate just how much time they had before order was restored. She knew Shikieiki wouldn't allow the crowd to continue going apeshit, it's not in her nature as a yama to allow chaos, so if they wished to strike clean...they had to do it now.
"We'll have to, although waiting was an option, it looks like it's now or never..." Meira said as she turned to the gang, all of them armed and ready to fight the battle they were preparing for the entire afternoon. "Don't drop your facemasks, and focus all your attention on our plan. Kengous ATTACK!"
---
Remilia sat on the roof of the school, her group of elite fighters the "Empresses Four" all present on the rooftop of Hitojin high and watching as the gang of Kengous rushed into the chaos in search of Reimu and her council members. "How crude of them, using such a disgusting tactic." The vampire said in disgust. This would throw off her ambush plan being...well, SHE didn't want to go down there.
"Still though, you gotta admit, that was pretty darn smart of them." Meiling added. "I mean, who knew the Exploding Nova was on their side?"
"Indeed...if we're to become the supreme power, we will have a difficult time subduing them..." Patchouli agreed, before giving in to a coughing fit she had been trying to scath off since the Big Bang attack. The bad air was not doing her weakened lungs any favors...
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that. Once Reimu is out of the way, I intend to turn the Jigoku Ravens against Meira; their leader is quite the ignorant birdie so it should be easy to fool her. Once Reiuji is against Meira, taking her down should be child's play." Remilia chuckled ominously, her wings spreading full span as she prepared to brave the slowly dissapating cloud of gas. "But for now, let us focus our power on the student council...I have a grudge to settle with a certain miko..."
---
"God dammit, what in the hell is going on out there...!" Reimu cursed, her nose burning from the gas attack that was unleashed seconds ago. She and her council members were behind the stage awaiting their chance to deliver the closing speech when the attack was let loose onto the crowd.
"Ugh, someone farted, that's what happened." Marisa answered, fanning around her nose.
"We need to get everyone in order. If we don't tihngs will only get worse the more people panic." Alice suggested, before a large book came scream through the air and beaned the blond right in the face. Blood from her newly broken nose shot out into the air as she flipped and rolled over her own weight and came to settle several feet away.
"Miss Margatroid!" Youmu tore her eyes from Alice's downed body and looked around seeing no one. "Who thew that book! Show yourself!"
"Don't bother..." Marisa sneered, "That's the Knowledge Arts or more commonly known as the "Librarians Trick"...Patchouli's deadly signature move." Yes, she knew of this skill all to well.
"Patchouli? Dammit, I knew we couldn't trust Remilia!" Reimu cursed once more as she stepped forward, laying ready to confront the vampire who had declared war on her school and her council. "Suika, take Alice to the nurse's office. Me, Maris and Youmu will handle things here."
"You got it~!" The oni complied, effortlessly hoisting Alice's limp body off the ground and dashing off in another direction, more than likely to take another route that wasn't as dangerous as cutting through the chaotic crowd ahead of them. With Suika and Alice gone, Reimu and her remaining crew dashed from behind the stage and immedieatly came face first with resistance. Several vampiric gang members had .
"Head Bomb!"
A figure rocketed from the air, slamming into the oncoming hoodlums, the sound of bones cracking resonating loudly into their ears as they were driven down into the earth. The figure pulled his head from the bodies of the unconcious thugs, as he tossed aside his now broken sunglasses and turned to Reimu and the others who were ready to strike at him. "Relax, I'm on your side." The person stepped forward to reveal themselves to be Saitou, Meira's right hand.
"You're Saitou, Meira's right hand man..." Reimu then remembered that if Saitou was here, then that meant Meira's gang was involved with things outside in the field. "What's going on here, what's Remilia planning?"
"Hostile takeover. Vamp bitch wants you dead, girl." Saitou remarked dryly.
"That a fact, huh?" Marisa cracked her knuckles and assumed a combat ready stance. "In that case, I suppose we have to fight you too?"
"Nah, but you can if you want to though." Saitou shrugged nonchalantly. "First, lemme let you in on a little secret; Meira's not the one being used here...Remilia is."
"She's double crossing the double crosser?" Marisa gasped, her hands suddenly meeting the sides of her face in surprise. "No way, that's impossible!"
"Whatever the case maybe, we have the advantage here...since Remilia has no idea of what's going on." Youmu stated as she readied her weapon, a lead pipe with a flower tied to the base of it, and gazed out at the raging battlefield before her. "This is our last chance to defeat Remilia, we can't afford to mess this up!"
---
BGM. Listen if you want to, I don't care."BARF!"
A student's body was sent rolling back into a group of chairs, having met the business end of Meira's wooden sword in action. She looked around and could only see the maddening mix of an all out brawl taking place before her; the Kengous fighting against Koumakan's forces. Now that he gas had been cleared, Meira was sure Remilia would see that she was screwing her over. If they lost this battle...Remilia would surely take no mercy on her and unleash the full force of her army upon her like a raging fist of god. However, the battle was far from decided...so long as reinforcements did not arrive for Koumakan...they could win this.
"We can do this..." Meira thought, clenching her wooden sword tightly and whirling around to swat away a speeding book, sending the thick tome like dictonary spinning off into the distance into the face of a fleeing student. "She's already issued a warrant for my execution, has she?" Meria's sharpened eyes slid to her side and saw the visage of Patchouli, Meiling and Sakuya all surrounding her. Remilia had most likely gone for Reimu and had left her Empresses to take care of Meira.
"Indeed, your betrayal has left Remi very displeased. Her only regret is not being here to deal with you herself..." Patchouli wheezed, her palms glowing with magic energy that telekinetically picked up several books she had previously thrown and calling them to her person.
"Sorry, orders are orders...you have to be put down." Meiling added shifting her foot to the side as she went into a fighting stance.
"My loss, I presume?" Meira chuckled sarcastically, "All of you against me, I suppose Remilia has very low confidence in your abilities to defeat me individually."
"Save your bad mouth for the principal." Sakuya spat venomously. "Once this is over, Remilia will turn you in for disrupting the peace her. She won't allow-" Those very words died in Sakuya's gullet, as she dropped her sentence to pick up a chance to gaurd a flying chair from her right side. The maid turned on the heels of her stellitos and saw a familiar face grinning to her. "You..."
"Yamaguchi?" Meira spoke up, visibly surprised by the appearance of someone she didn't quite expect to be here. "What in the name of Yamato are you doing here!"
