Two sets of footsteps echoed through the empty hallways of a mental ward near Fuuka Academy. They stopped in front of one particular patient's room, and anyone inside of this room would have heard the muffled but distinct voice of Nagi Homura speaking on the outside.
"She's in here. Or at least what's left of her."
Whoever he had been addressing must have instructed him to return to his own devices, as now only one set of footsteps traversed the hall. While this happened, the door unlatched and slowly opened to reveal the grinning silhouette of Reito Kanzaki.
Reito was greeted by what he deemed to be a most pleasant sight. A girl two or three years his junior stood with her back toward him, looking out her barred window. Her attention was fully focused on a strange red object in the sky just to the side of the moon. Her brown hair was of a somewhat long length, reaching past her shoulders and looking mildly unkempt. She was dressed in light blue hospital attire that suggested pajamas, and one would think she just got out of bed. In reality, however, her mind was trapped somewhere between the waking world and a ceaseless nightmare.
As Reito began approaching his bewildered beauty, she slowly turned in place so her stare met his. Her eyes were amber-colored and seemed sadly empty. Perhaps they once held a look of cheerful energy hidden behind a veil of shyness, but now they were only blank and soulless. Her lips were slightly agape, trying to form a frown but lacking the energy to do so. To a common passerby, she was quite vapid. Anyone she was important to, however, would be able to see past these faults and reach the bubbly girl within. Reito smiled warmly to the display.
"Ah, Akane."
He lightly took a hold of her chin with the fingers of his right hand and began turning her head. He was able to move her with zero resistance, giving her the appearance of a lifeless doll being carefully inspected by her experienced collector. When Reito was done, he allowed her to look toward him again.
"My poor, precious Akane."
His eyes briefly peered over her shoulder, out the window, and toward the same strange crimson satellite she had been watching. When he turned back to her, a new gentleness entered his voice.
"Here, let me make it easier for you to hear me."
His fingertips began glowing in the same shade as the silver moonlight being cast through the window. As a result, a tiny spark of humanity grew in the girl's eyes. Unfortunately, even with Reito's mystical aid, all she could summon the willpower to do was shed a few weak tears and mumble a single word. A name. The only distinct thing her ravaged mind could think of.
"Ka... zu..."
Reito's smile widened with joy.
"Even when you're suffering, you make yourself look so sweet."
He then shifted into a more sinister tone.
"Telling you this probably won't help you feel any better, but I want you to know your suffering hasn't been in vain. She has taken all of my red herrings and is convinced I've chosen Tokiha as my bride, and keeping you like this has actually been for your benefit. None of the other girls would suspect a powerless HiME could be such a great threat."
He tilted his head to look further into her watery eyes, almost feeling a tinge of sadness of his own.
"I feared losing you when that Kuga girl stole you from me, but I see the people here have been looking after you just as well."
He shook his head a few times before his full confidence returned.
"Besides, even though it was never part of my plan, I never would have realized how important Kazuya was to you if Searrs's enforcer hadn't defeated you."
A more poetic character flowed through his next words.
"The way you reacted to his death was beautiful. In my thousands of years, I've never seen such an emotional reaction to a single person's demise. Your hysteria went on for months before you finally settled down."
This entire time, Akane still seemed to be absorbed in her own dreary universe. She whispered softly as she seemed to gaze to the empty space behind Reito.
"Come back... Kazu..."
Reito released Akane's chin and raised a single index finger to his mouth.
"Shhh."
Akane reacted in the way he had wished, but she seemed to do so out of mindless obedience rather than genuine comfort. He smiled again as he offered some calm words.
"Only through great despair can new hope be born."
His eyelids fell as he explained his grand scheme.
"That's the true purpose of this ceremony. It was never about weeding out weaker Childs from stronger Childs. I can adjust those playthings as I deem necessary."
When they opened, Reito's eyes stared intently at only one thing: Akane.
"It's about finding the one with the purest heart, a woman who could love a single man more deeply than anything else in the world and would go any length to defend him."
He looked to the side and shuffled through his practically infinite span of memories.
"What was it you said that day? I believe it went something like, 'I'm not sure about fighting for the fate of the world, but I know I can fight for Kazu.'"
His demeanor then became almost lustful in nature.
"His life is more important to you than the entire rest of your race. Such devotion is... admirable."
Reito considered what to say next before he began to slowly lean forward. Just when his lips would have touched Akane's, he stopped himself and frowned. He shook his head in what could have been an incredibly rare display of disappointment in himself before he returned to his original stance.
"No. I'm not the one your heart belongs to. Only one Prince deserves this Sleeping Beauty."
Finally, his mouth curled into an ingenious smirk.
"But, speaking of which, perhaps it's time for you to meet someone."
He lifted his left hand into the space beside his head and snapped his fingers. On cue, a weak shimmering sound beginning filling the room. The source of the nose was a stream of tiny, sparkling emerald-colored particles that descended to the floor just beside Reito and Akane's feet. At first, the radiant vapor condensed into a solid shape no bigger than a firefly, but it quickly and steadily grew. In a matter of seconds, it crafted itself into the outline of a teenage boy kneeling on the ground in a Fuuka uniform. And then it gasped for air.
While all of this happened, Akane's head turned on its own volition and gazed toward the strange light. Whatever veil had been masking her emotions was instantly lifted, and her eyes filled with a hopeful glow as her mouth widened in amazement. When the process was complete, she fell to her knees and dived forward so she could take a hold of the young man in a warm hug. Her eyes freely streamed tears, but now they were tears of joy.
"Ka-... Kazu!"
Kazuya winced slightly as he clutched his chest. He replied to Akane in staggered breaths, but he soon found the pain subsiding as his heart returned to its natural rhythm.
"A... ka... ne..."
When he moved his arms to return her embrace, she buried herself deeper against his chest. She had to fight off a fit of playful giggling before she could speak again.
"I missed you so much!"
Kazuya, who was by far the more emotionally collected of the couple, simply grinned and whispered. His fingers grazed the back of her head.
"Hey, calm down. I won't leave you again."
When Akane's celebration was finished, she rolled back into a seated position and took a moment before studying her own attire. She then reached upward to feel her shaggy hair, and a dark blush formed on her face. She shyly lowered her head so her love wouldn't have to look at her.
"I'm sorry. I'm a such a wreck."
Kazuya leaned forward so his eyes could be even with hers, then shook his head to show her his acceptance. He used his fingers to straighten a few strands that were hanging in front of her face.
"Don't worry about it. You look adorable. You just need to brush your hair a little."
She raised her head with a thankful expression, and both members of the pair spent some time simply looking into each others' eyes longingly. They rose to their feet together and, after Akane rested her head against Kazuya's cheek, they finally remembered they were in the presence of their shady benefactor. They turned to face Reito, who was watching them with his arms at his sides and a satisfied smirk on his face. When he caught their attention, he turned to Kazuya and spoke.
"Kazuya, how much do you remember?"
An angered scowl appeared on the younger boy's face when he responded.
"Everything. I don't know where I was, but it was like I was looking everywhere at once."
He sighed as he looked toward the ground, feeling considerably weaker as he contemplated his next words.
"I understand what happened that day in the forest. I know who you are. I saw..."
He suddenly squeezed his eyes shut as he brought his love slightly closer in his arms.
"I saw everything Akane's been through since we were separated."
Reito nodded before he casually moved to his next inquiry.
"Do you hate me for it?"
When Kazuya returned his full attention to Reito, he nearly scoffed at how insulting he found the question to be.
"Of course."
Reito's tone was unsympathetic when he spoke next.
"You're a man. Why don't you protect Akane and do something about it?"
Kazuya's response came more forcefully then ever.
"I AM protecting her. If I do something to piss you off, I know you're probably going to phase me out of existence and put her through all this again."
Reito became noticeably more lively as his hypothesis was confirmed.
"Perfect. I knew there was something about you when she revealed her secret to you and you gave up your normal life to support her. You're willing to make sacrifices for her just as much as she is for you."
But he reverted to his more reserved character for his next words.
"That's why I'd like you to be my host. Not only is Akane the most deserving winner of this Festival, you're also the most compatible person to assume my power."
Kazuya sighed deeply. There was a very good reason none of this was news to him.
"I know. I heard the handful of conversations Nagi had with Mashiro where he wasn't lying out of his ass. The Queen HiME needs to be mated to you for her to use the star's full potential."
He glanced toward his female companion before he brought up his concerns.
"What will happen to me? Are you just going to use me like some kind of puppet and do whatever you want to Akane?"
Reito shook his head as he explained the finer details of his scheme.
"Our relationship will be a symbiotic one, Kazuya. Your body will remain your own. Only your presence can truly make Akane happy, and I have no desire to interfere with that bond.'"
His voice became more ominous when he continued.
"However, I expect you to follow my promptings when I have a mission for her. My patience is limited, and it would be best for the both of us if I didn't have to forcefully keep you in line."
Kazuya took some time to organize his thoughts. Just when it seemed he had made up his mind and was about to announce his decision, Akane spoke up in a concerned voice.
"Kazu, I have to tell you..."
He interrupted her with a reassuring smile. He didn't want Akane to worry herself over him anymore.
"I'll go through with it. As much of a bastard as he is, I think he's telling the truth. I won't mind as long as it keeps you safe."
Reito responded with a pleased nod. He then turned his attention to the brunette.
"Well, it seems the final decision falls on your shoulders, my HiME."
Something was deeply bothering Akane. She at first gazed out her window toward the tiny red star, then to the floor of the room. Her voice was unusually low and sorrowful.
"I know what you're really planning."
She turned directly toward Reito's smirking countenance and narrowed her eyes.
"You want to kill everyone on the planet."
Kazuya suddenly gasped in horror. Reito let out a short chuckle before speaking.
"Good. You're more prepared than I thought."
He stroked his chin in thought, honestly curious as to where his investigation would lead him.
"If you don't mind telling me, how did you figure it out?"
Akane lowered her head again before answering quietly.
"The HiME Star told me."
When her eyes returned to Reito, she trudged through her darkest memories to explain her odd response.
"I mean... all those nights I couldn't do anything but stare at it, I could hear the voices of all the girls you've tortured in the past. They were trying to warn me."
Her expression would have turned to rage toward Reito if she hadn't been overwhelmed with sadness.
"You combined all of my grief with theirs. That's how you make the star so powerful."
She then hung her head again as she stopped herself from weeping.
"Why does it have to be that way?"
Reito's response was again void of sympathy. He sounded annoyed when he delivered the following harsh words.
"I've offered a less destructive solution in the past, but the previous girls in your position have rejected it too many times to count. After trying to get humans to listen to me for so long, now I see annihilating and restarting their breed is the only thing that can save them."
Akane could see both she and Kazuya were in a precarious position. After lengthy consideration, she returned with determined words.
"I'll make them listen."
Reito smiled in amusement.
"Oh?"
Akane quickly nodded as she continued in her new tone.
"You can make yourself king or something. If you and Kazu are going to be the same person, I'll do anything you want. Just don't make me hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it."
Again, her eyes grew moist. She clenched her teeth as she buried her head in Kazuya's shoulder.
"Even with all the bad things in the world, there's still so much worth protecting."
Reito simply sighed. He shook his head in disappointment with a small frown on his face. It seemed his efforts had resulted in yet another pointless venture.
"You still hold too much sympathy for your people. It looks like I've overestimated your devotion just like the others."
Akane suddenly found new strength. She turned her attention back to Reito with a determined flare in her eyes.
"You're wrong."
Her expression changed to a look of regret, but her resolve stayed intact.
"The only reason I won't do it is because I'd just be using my powers to turn Kazu into a monster. I'd rather be your prisoner again than force something like that on him."
Akane's words restored Reito's confidence in her. He commented with his usual coy grin.
"Interesting. I hadn't considered that perspective."
His head tilted as he became even more devious.
"But what makes you think you can bargain with a god?"
Akane didn't hesitate in her response.
"The fact you've never been this close to getting what you want. You're willing to make compromises because I'm the first one who has been this willing to help you, right?"
Reito nodded, possibly conceding defeat for the first time in history.
"You're quite the brave one when Kazuya is your inspiration. I like you more and more every minute, Akane."
Despite this, he still wasn't fully satisfied. He still had one concern he felt was worth addressing.
"If I accept your offering, what will you do about this generation's remaining HiME?"
Some of steel behind Akane's voice melted. When she answered, she sounded regretful, but still determined.
"I... I'll kill them for you."
Kazuya gasped again, and finally took his lover by the shoulders.
"Akane!"
She responded to the words she knew he was going to say.
"Kazu, this is the only way. I can tell there are some places where this guy isn't going to budge."
Kazuya looked away in concern and hesitation.
"But you'll..."
Akane shook her head as she tried to smile. Her voice changed to the soft, caring tone she naturally used.
"You're the one I'm worried about, Kazu. If this is too much for you, I understand. I won't do anything you don't want me to."
Her energy then seemed to fade entirely as she looked downwards.
"But he'll just separate us again if we don't listen."
After thinking the matter through, Kazuya reached forward to gently pet her cheek. He directed her head toward him, showing her his accepting smile.
"Okay, Akane. I don't care what you have to do."
They both turned toward Reito when they heard his low voice again. He was addressing Akane.
"If you hold so many regrets toward your purpose, why don't you just focus on killing their Childs?"
Although this solution would technically lower the death toll by half, Akane knew from first-hand experience the emotional cost would be infinitely higher. She spoke quietly, trying to put hopefulness in her dark words.
"Because I know I can't save them from you, but I can at least make them suffer less. I'll make sure they aren't left behind by the people they love."
Reito briefly laughed before he smiled and raised his voice.
"Determining who lives and who dies. You're acting like a goddess already."
He studied the soulmates he had carefully selected before speaking again.
"So, I suppose that settles it. Are you ready, Kazuya?"
This prompted Kazuya to turn to Akane and take her in his arms. He leaned forward to offer a kiss, and Akane giggled and obliged to the offer the moment she understood his intent. When they parted from the gesture, Kazuya whispered to his happy lover.
"Just in case he's tricking us and I never see you again."
A hint of dread appeared on Akane's face, but his calm gaze was enough to relax her. With nothing else to do, he turned back to Reito and answered sternly.
"Fine, do it."
The older student stepped forward and placed a single hand on Kazuya's shoulder. He closed his eyes and fell into a sort of meditation, in which Kazuya took on a rather sinister complexion as his irises began emit a purple aura. After a few moments, Reito became frozen in place and disappeared in the same display of green embers that Kazuya had been formed out of moments earlier.
When Kazuya was alone in the room with Akane, the glow in his eyes flickered a few times before fading away entirely. His familiar friendly smile returned, spurring Akane's curiosity.
"Kazu?"
He nodded, seeming very much relieved.
"Yeah."
Akane playfully lifted herself on her toes to offer a kiss of her own, which Kazuya quickly returned. When they parted the second time, a look of joy beamed on Akane's face.
"It IS you!"
She then gave him a concerned glance.
"Is... Obsidian Lord... ?"
Kazuya replied as he tapped his middle and index fingers against his temple.
"He's in here. He's... talking to me."
This was followed by his own look of uncertainty. He was haunted by the terrible things he was about to send his innocent lover to do.
"Akane, are you sure you want to do this?"
Akane quickly nodded and regained her cheerful attitude.
"Back when you disappeared, I still didn't understand why I was born with these powers. Now that I know it's all for protecting you, I couldn't be happier."
Understanding her rationale and the source of her joy, Kazuya hugged her, kissed the top of her head, and whispered.
"Then I won't stop you from using them."
Akane was grateful for his acceptance, and she soon began thinking about where she should start her mission.
"So, what do I have to do first?"
Kazuya spent a few seconds thinking to himself, then replied.
"He wants you to take out Fumi and Mashiro, before they 'get in our way.'"
He appeared to second guess himself before speaking again.
"And... you shouldn't try to summon Hari in any cramped areas. Apparently you're in for a big surprise the next time you see him."
Akane pondered what these words could mean as she began exiting the room with Kazuya.
Just as soon as the couple reached the door, Nagi stepped into the open doorway to block their path. He was understandably confused as he stared to his two onlookers, and he spoke in a puzzled voice.
"Hey, what the... ?"
He looked from side to side before focusing on Kazuya.
"Where's the boss? And what the Hell are you doing back here?"
Kazuya gave a look of disapproval as his eyes temporarily regained their dark aura. The henchman immediately discerned what had transpired in his absence.
"Oh. I'm deeply sorry, my lord."
Kazuya offered a calm nod.
"You're forgiven, Nagi."
Although he now understood the situation, Nagi still seemed to be perplexed. He repeatedly studied Akane from head to toe before speaking. He didn't seem to care that she was unsettled by his impersonal comments.
"You've chosen... this one to be your wife?"
Nagi snickered toward Akane before he gradually changed his opinion of her.
"I gotta say, now that I've gotten a good look at her, she actually is a pretty cute catch. Strange how she's the last one I ever would have pictured with you."
Akane had hidden half of her face against Kazuya's chest, with the visible side gazing toward Nagi in timid contempt. Kazuya had heard enough, and he ordered his disciple to stand down.
"Nagi, I thank you, but your presence is upsetting Akane. Your services are no longer necessary."
Nagi groaned and shook his head before conceding.
"Oh well. See ya around, lovebirds."
After he spoke, he moved one of his hands into what could only be interpreted as a comical salute. When he was finished, he disappeared into the air in another swarm of green particles.
Akane stood in astonishment for a few moments before she turned back to Kazuya. There were two possible explanations for what she had just seen.
"Was that your idea, or his?"
He provided his answer with a playful grin.
"Would it be a problem if I said both?"
Akane only smiled and hugged him again. The two then began their journey back to the grounds of Fuuka Academy.