Darker Beginnings

Chapter 2

  Noroi awoke to the sunlight that crept in through the open drapes. Autumn Leaf shook him, smiling warmly to him.
"C'mon, hun. We need to check on Aria." she said. Noroi nodded, walking tiredly with her into the guest room. Noroi opened the door slowly, oblivious to the slight giggles that were deafened on the other end. As he opened the door, he gasped, seeing moving covers. Gulping hard, he saw Ultimate arise from the shelter of the covers, catching sight of Ultimate and quickly losing color to his face. Aria popped out seconds later, Noroi sighing in relief to find that her clothes were on.
"What's up, Ulti?" she asked. She looked to the door, gulping a bit.
"Oh. Hey." she said hoarsely. Noroi cleared his throat, standing straight.
"I have some questions. One, what were you two doing?" he asked. Aria chuckled, Ultimate holding her close and petting her hair.
"We were just fulfilling out halves of the bet from yesterday. She's feeling better today. Next question." Ultimate retorted, Aria weakly leaning on his chest. Noroi rubbed his forehead, sighing.
"Second question. How'd you get in here?" he asked. Ultimate petted Aria's hair, wrapping both his arms around her.
"I snuck in through the window. I couldn't stand being apart from my Ari...I woke her up but I cuddled her back to sleep." he said, Aria's face growing worse and worse as she nuzzled Ultimate's puffy chest. Noroi flopped his ears.
"Is she okay?" he asked. Ultimate lifted her face up, she limp. He went pale, shaking.
"O-Oh god she fainted!" he screamed. Noroi was quick to help her unconscious form sit up, putting her back into bed and helping Ultimate tuck her in. Ultimate sighed, muttering something under his breath. Noroi patted his back.
"Come on, let's relax and enjoy this Saturday-"
"I can't without Ari." he said somberly. Noroi sighed a bit, leading him to the kitchen.
"Well we can try. We'll make some breakfast and coffee and wait for her to wake up." he said. Ultimate joined him cooking on the stove, Autumn Leaf heading off to awaken Natsu.
"I'll try, Noroi. I'll try." he said.


***


Majoni awoke to the sound of rushing water, opening his eyes to the ceiling of his room. He sat up, looking to himself. He used a blanket to mask his bare chest, embarrassed at the scars that plague them. What did Kuma do? He found his tuxedo, on the floor and luckily without alcohol stains or signs of blood. Braving the cold castle air, he dashed out from the bed, snatched his clothing, and rushed into the bathroom down the hall to change and prepare for the day. He slipped on his dress pants and climbed into his dress shirt, covering it with the outer layer of tuxedo. He then peered into the mirror, looking past his scar and focusing on his hair. Applying gel and combing, he brushed it to kingly perfection. His routine was incomplete, however. Upon close inspection, his bow tie and dress shoes were missing. Sighing in slight annoyance, he journeyed back to his room, a bit more confident having been properly dressed now. When he entered his bedchamber, he froze seeing Kuma there, wrapped in a towel that scarcely covered what humans saw as offensive. He gulped hard, finding his bow tie in one of her hands and his dress shoes in the other, they aiding in holding up her towel.
"Forget these, pepperjoni?" she asked, sounding suggestive. Majoni gulped hard, going his very best to maintain eye contact and not allowing his eyes to wander.
"Kuma, if I may request that you return by belongings to me. They hold a high value to me and it'd highly appreciate it if you'd give them to me." he said calmly. Kuma smirked, chuckling.
"Depends, do you remember how much you missed me? I bet you haven't done that in eons~." she said, keeping her devious smirk as she spoke. Majoni snarled a bit.
"That's because I was busy escaping the literal hell that is the Netherworld purgatory for my species. Thousands of reforming Majitsu stuck in this limbo of space and time while they reform. They were all laughing at me and calling me Kira. So I'm sorry if you've been alone all those years, but I was busy being emotionally tormented. Can I please get my shoes and bow tie back?" he asked, slightly angered at Kuma's unwillingness to comply with him. Kuma got up close to his face, purring slightly, Majoni smelling the alcohol on her breath.
"You're dodging the question, dude." she said. Majoni sighed angrily and tried to formulate a white lie.
"It was great Kuma, it really made me miss you." he said, sounding as believable as he could, going so far as to wrap his arm around Kuma's waist. Kuma giggled a bit, setting a hand on his chest.
"Then why not go again?" she said. Majoni felt himself tense up, grabbing his shoes and bow tie and rushing to the bathroom, swiftly locking it after getting inside. He sighed in relief, brushed his matted hair again, and finished his attire, flying out into the castle city to escape the lustful desires of Kuma. Landing on the cobblestone path, he sighed in relief once more, heading to his all time favorite ice cream store to relax.


***


Noroi sat on the couch, eating a sandwich while Ultimate sat at the opposite end pouting with his ears flopped. Noroi glanced to him, finishing his sandwich and nudging him.
"Ultimate...She'll be okay. I promise. Aria's gotten through worse than this. I should know." he said. Ultimate gave no response greater than a sigh and a simple shake of his head. Noroi sighed a bit, rubbing his upper back.
"Hey, man, relax a bit. She'll live. She's gotten through way worse." he said. Ultimate sighed a bit, looking to him.
"I guess. But I've nearly lost her so many times...The thought itself scares me that this might be her last day..." he said, his voice giving way that he was tearing up. Noroi, gulping a bit, froze, unsure of what to do.
"Ultimate...dude...She'll be okay. You have to trust her." he said. Ultimate gave no answer, Noroi removing his hand from his back and relaxing a bit on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. Suddenly, he heard a creak on the stairs, looking to them and seeing Aria. She was pale and sickly looking, her arms shaking at attempting to hold her body up. A necklace that dangled off her chest was glowing a faint green, it likely being the necklace to hold back her glow and green static. Another was a glass heart, a necklace given to her by her wolf clan. Noroi darted to her, catching Ultimate's attention.
"Ari!" he cheered. Noroi lead her off the staircase and to the couch, Ultimate swiftly moving and kissing her.
"Oh Ari I was so scared...But Noroi suggested I don't see you until you get better since it might be contagious." Ultimate said, setting her in his place on the couch. Aria petted his cheek weakly, coughing.
"Think you can get me some coffee, babe?" she asked. Ultimate nodded rapidly, running into the kitchen. Noroi pressed is back hand to her head, flopping his ears.
"You don't have a fever...That's odd..." he said. Aria shook her head, laying back.
"I-I guess..." she said. Noroi removed his hand, Ultimate coming in with a cup of coffee, it steaming hot.
"Here, honey." he said. Aria pecked his cheek.
"Thanks, baby." she said. Ultimate took up a new spot behind the couch, observing Aria for any more severe signs. Noroi did the same, Aria taking a sip of the drink and pulling it away from her lips. Her lower jaw was weak, and some coffee leaked out. She swallowed the majority though, speaking soon afterwards.
"How am I going to be forgiven...?" she asked weakly. Noroi perked his ears.
"For being found out?" he asked. Aria weakly nodded, Ultimate set a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gingerly.
"Ari...Honey..." he said. Noroi sighed a bit.
"I don't know...But since you've been found out, I guess Ultimate's necklace doesn't have any use." he said. Ultimate nodded, removing it from her shoulders, setting it on a table. Aria yawned, drinking more of the coffee in her hands. Noroi got her attention with a swift poke.
"Hey, when you get better we can face the people together. With Ultimate if he wants to. This is all my fault, Aria. I'm so sorry." he said, getting up to pick up Natsu from school. Ultimate sat where he did, Aria setting her coffee on the table next to the necklace and laying her head in Ultimate's lap, Ultimate running his fingers through her hair to calm her, using his free hand to gingerly pet her ear.
"It's okay, Noroi. I've forgiven you for worse." she joked. Noroi smiled and nodded, leaving the house to retrieve his son from school.


***


Natsu smile wide, waiting patiently for Noroi's car to appear in the line of other parent's cars and retrieve him. Suddenly, he felt a slap to the back of his head. Holding his head, he caught sight of who did it. Unsurprisingly, it was Luke. He growled, but remained peaceful. He began talking to his friends. Natsu waited patiently, suddenly seeing Luke glare at him. Natsu felt his heart sink. Suddenly, Luke charged at him tackling Natsu to the ground and landing hits on him.
"Your damn dad ruined Aria's chances of protecting the world! You demon!" he said, landing punches on Natsu endlessly. Natsu sobbed, taking it all in. Suddenly, Luke was thrown off him, Natsu's vision being cloaked in the shadow of his dad.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Noroi yelled. He helped Natsu to his feet, checking his injuries.
"Oh Natsu honey I'm so sorry..." he said. Natsu hugged Noroi, sniffling.
"I-It's okay, dad..." he said. Noroi glared to Luke, he shaking in his shoes. Noroi clenched his fists hard, flattening his ears and narrowing his eyes.
"You even think about daring to lay a finger on my son again, I will kick your pathetic kid ass and report your bullying to Queen Anasta. Is that clear?" he threatened. Luke nodded shakily, Noroi looking to Natsu and petting his hair.
"C'mon, let's go home." he said. Natsu nodded, smiling wide. When they got into the car, Natsu looked to Noroi.
"Hey...dad...?" he asked.
"Yeah, Natsu?" he responded. Natsu smiled, hugging his dad from his seat, his tail wagging hard.
"You're the best dad ever!" he said. Noroi smiled, hugging Natsu back, giving him a slight noogie.
"It's what any caring father would do, Natsu. Now let's get home. Mom's making her family recipe spaghetti." Noroi said, starting the car and driving out of the parking lot.
"Hey dad?" Natsu asked again.
"Yeah Natsu?" Noroi answered.
"Thank you."