Chapter 4: Only the Darkness

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"Hey Dad," Stiles says, facing his father in Derek's loft. "You want to handcuff me?"

"If my son is still here, if there's still a part of him standing here in front of me, then he'll put these on willingly and he'll come with me because he knows I'm here to protect him from himself and from others." The sheriff states. Stiles lets his eyes fill with tears, allowing handcuffs to be placed on his wrists. The sheriff notices the odd behavior. "You're not my son." Stiles looks up, smirking. He tears his hands apart, breaking the handcuffs.

Derek, Chris Argent and Allison walk in as the sheriff backs away. Allison holds out a taser and shoots, only for a burst of air to make the gun slide out of her hands.

Derek tries next. He growls, advancing only for the ground to shake and throw him off. The Nogitsune grabs Derek and throws him to the side.

Finally, Chris pulls out his gun, cocking it. Everything goes silent. "Argent, listen to me. Don't do this." The sheriff begs.

"Why not? I've done it before. Werewolves, berserkers. I can easily add a nogitsune to the list." Chris snaps.

"You're not going to shoot my son." The sheriff presses.

"You said it yourself, Sheriff. That's not your son." The sheriff takes out his own gun and aims it at Chris.

"Put it down." The sheriff commands. "Put it down."

"Dad, he's going to shoot me." Stiles whimpers, hoping to play on his father's feelings. "He's going to kill me, Dad."

"Don't listen." Chris spits.

"Put it down. Now! Do it! Put it down!" The sheriff yells angrily.

"Pull the trigger. Come on." The Nogitsune prompts, smirking.

"Listen to me, you put the gun down now!"

"Shoot me." The Nogitsune repeats.

"Put the gun down now!"

"Dad." Allison says, confusion in her voice.

"Shoot me!" The Nogitsune yells.

"Put the gun down!"

"SHOOT ME!"

"Stop!" Allison screams. "This is what he wants!"

"Well, I was hoping Scott would be here." The Nogitsune smirks. "But, you wouldn't have been able to hurt me. Not with an Elemental by my side."

At that, everyone stiffens. "Emma wouldn't do anything with you." Allison spits.

"You think so? Hmm." He laughs. "I'm glad you all have your weapons out. Because you're not here to kill me." The sun disappears from the windows as the Nogitsune backs into the crowd of people. Oni appear to take out the Nogitsune and all guns are trained on them. "You're here to protect me." With that, everything descends into chaos.

Within a few seconds, everything is quiet. Derek kneels on the ground, a gash in his shoulder. Chris and the Sheriff stand with empty guns, and Allison stands to the side, shocked by the disappearance of the creatures.

"What happened?" Everyone looks up to see Scott run into the loft with Kira Yukimura, the new-found fox spirit/kitsune by his side. Both come down the stairs, stopping right next to the others.

"They disappeared. They literally just vanished." Allison tells them.

"And so did Stiles." The sheriff sighs sadly.

"Scott, there's something you need to know." Derek groans, getting off the floor and going over to the Alpha.

"What?"

"It's about—"

A giggle sounds from the door of the loft. Everyone turns to see the same sight Stiles saw before he let the Nogitsune in. "Now, Derek." Emma coos. "You wouldn't be telling people about Mexico, would you?" Derek stays silent, taking in her dark appearance. "Remember what I said about that? Because I do."

"Emma." Scott breathes, completely taken aback by her appearance. Her dark eyes move to meet his chocolate ones. An unknown expression flickers across her features the moment she sees him before her expression turns neutral again.

"You must be Noshiko's daughter," Emma says suddenly, moving towards to Kira. "He's told me a lot about your mother."

"You're on his side?" Allison asks, scared to see her friend in such a dark place.

"I'll say the same thing I said to Stiles. I'm on my side." She cocks her head to the side, moving back to the stairs. "I learned a lot when I went away, one of which is that you can't rely on anyone— no matter your connection."

"What happened to you?" Scott whispers, not liking the change in his girlfriend.

"I saw what life really is." She replies cryptically. "The Nogitsune sends his regards. He also wanted me to warn you to stop trying." She pauses by the door, looking back with a smirk. "Stiles is gone, only the darkness remains."

"I refuse to believe that," Scott says, moving towards her. "Let me help. We can help you."

"Sorry, no one can help me." She tells him. "I was gone the moment I met with the other Elementals." A flicker of pain crosses her features.

"What happened?"

"Fun fact: Elementals can be quite jealous creatures. Especially when the most powerful of them all is a seventeen-year-old girl who's power was forced on her rather than earned." She spits out, glancing away. "So just like that weak, pathetic girl you knew is gone, so is Stiles. All that's left is power."

======

Derek starts to sort out the chess pieces on the board as Peter walks up behind him. "What are you doing? And more importantly," His eyes glance at the gash on Derek's shoulder. "Why aren't you healing?"

"It's from one of their swords. It'll heal." Derek states.

"By playing chess?"

"Back in his room," Derek explains. "Stiles had a board with my name on one of the pieces. If this is a game to him, then I need to figure out the plays."

"It's not so easy to do when it's a game without rules." Peter responds, causing Derek to pause.

"What does that mean?"

"You're dealing the the kind of spirit that's lived too long to play by human rules coupled with an uncontrollable teenage Elemental. It's a fox spirit that chose to become human. And supposedly, that's something they can do only after about 100 years." Peter tells him. "If a kitsune is an annoying pain in the ass, then a nogitsune, which is a dark kitsune, is a freaking disaster."

Derek glances down as Peter takes the time to put on his jacket. "Besides, chess is Stiles' game. It's not the game of a Japanese fox."

"What I don't get is what happened to Emma." Derek sighs. "It doesn't make sense to me."

"Oh, it does to me." Peter scoffs. "Elementals are known for their violence, Derek. They are individual creatures who hate when others are more powerful. Emma went to train, but I would bet anything that instead they broke her even more. You know what it's like to be alone and feel helpless. Hell, I know that feeling. The difference between us and her, is that we're strong. She's not."

"Being broken doesn't give her an out." Derek says.

"But it does change your mind." Peter points out. "I figured out what she stole from the Calaveras. It's called and Element Stone. Supposedly, it gives Elementals even more power. The only one who was able to use it was killed by a Calavera almost four centuries ago. How much do you want to bet she wants the Nogitsune to tell her how to use the stone before killing him herself?"

Before Derek can reply, the window swings open due to a sudden burst of water in an unexpected storm. When Derek moves to close it, a piece of paper floats in, unharmed by the downpour. The rain stops abruptly as soon as he closes the window.

Peter picks up the paper and reads it. "Coup de Fodre? What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know." Derek mutters looking back out of the window to see a dark figure running away.

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