Author's note: None of this is going to make any sense if you haven't read abicion dot tumblr dot com/post/130781792397
Pallas sat on the edge of the hotel's luxury bed with Shiso draping his arm over her narrow shoulders. She was wearing a red dress with her long, dark wavy hair hanging down to her waist. The only thing that marked her as a prisoner of Mikage International were the small metal bracelets sealed around her wrists, suppressing her celestial powers.
She should have known this was going to turn into a nightmare. Gladys had talked her into it. "A good mother-to-be needs to spend some time with the father. It will just be for the weekend," is how she put it. Half of Pallas had been stupid enough to buy into her advice and look past the fact Shiso was a complete monster. The other half was just looking for an excuse to see the free world again, no matter how long it lasted. Now she was regretting ever going along with it.
Four Mikage guards stood closely by the door. They were all wearing dark business suits and hid their eyes behind black sunglasses. Just like the one who shot Yuuhi.
Shiso brushed his nose against Pallas' bangs and inhaled gently.
"Mmm… you smell sweeter than my last woman, but I like it. If Touya has to settle for used goods, I guess I can do the same."
Pallas left her head hanging forward, her features hidden under her long curls. Her shoulders were shivering and her hands were nervously clenched in her lap. Shiso narrowed his eyes as his voice changed to a menacing tone.
"What's wrong, you little cunt? Don't you Tennyo bitches like it when you meet a guy you can't just use as your personal sperm factory?"
"Shiso, please… Just take me back to the lab." Pallas started to quietly sob.
Shiso instantly went to his feet and pulled her forward by the back of her head. He removed the pistol from the inside of his suit jacket and pressed the silencer underneath her chin. His thumb unlocked the safety. Pallas squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered.
"Where the hell do you get off telling me what to do?" he growled. "Maybe I'll just have to even things out between us."
"Calm down, sir," one of the guards said jokingly as he moved from his post. "The boss said the specimen shouldn't be harmed."
Pallas didn't understand why she was still alive when she heard the suppressed gunshot.
The guard slumped to the floor with a smoking hole behind his eyes. Shiso swiftly executed the other three before they could even draw their guns. He emptied in the entire clip into the last guard's corpse, gritting his teeth in a vengeful scowl. Then he loaded another clip and turned back toward Pallas.
She cowered on the edge of the bed, crossing her arms over her head in a pathetic attempt to protect herself.
"Try to hold your arms still," she heard Shiso say in a strange voice, much softer than before. "I don't want to hurt you."
A single bullet flew harmlessly through her bracelets, shattering the seals and causing them to drop to her sides. She could feel her Tennyo powers instantly returning. If another bullet left the gun, her aura would deflect it.
Pallas looked up with a baffled expression in her vibrant gold eyes. Shiso was holding the gun at his side. He was offering her his empty hand.
"It's me, Chidori," he said in a trepid tone.
It felt like it had been ages since someone called her that. It almost sounded more alien than her Tennyo name. Looking into his eyes, she didn't see fiery rage of Shiso anymore. She saw someone else.
"Aki…?"
He nodded silently.
"I don't get it," Chidori said. "I thought you were Shiso. When did you take control again?"
"It started a few days ago. I had to throw these bastards off until I had an opening. I don't expect you to forgive me."
"But… how?"
"I can't really explain it. I was watching everything Shiso said and did, and it just became too much. I tried to focus on the only good thing I could think of, and after a while it's like I just woke up. All I know is when I came around, I was thinking about… you."
"Me?" She whispered in disbelief.
"Kagami drove my sister out of her mind," Aki said in a regretful tone. "He killed Yuuhi and Kei. He made Shuro kill herself trying to break down his barrier. I don't know if Suzumi is in hiding or if they buried her in some landfill. You're the only chance I had left."
"A chance for what?"
"Fixing all of this."
Chidori took his hand and let him help her off the bed. She glanced toward the floor, her mind still reeling in shock.
"Besides," Aki tried to say in a more friendly tone, battling his own uneasy feelings, "I couldn't let them treat you like this when it's my kid in there."
Chidori looked back up with an almost blank expression. It took her a moment to remember where she was.
"You are still pregnant, aren't you? They told me they gave you an 'out clause' when they explained the Project to you."
The beginnings of a grateful smile started to form in the corners of her mouth. She took his hand and placed it on her slender stomach as she shook her head.
"I couldn't just get rid of it. The Mikages might be monsters, but this baby isn't to blame for any of that. It deserves a chance to live."
"Is that really what you think?" he asked in doubt. "Or is that what Gladys convinced you was best?"
"It's what I know," she answered without hesitating. "Most of the time I'm not sure who to believe anymore, but this was a decision I made by myself."
Aki nodded in silent agreement.
"Let's get out of here before they come looking," he said.
"How long do we have?" she asked.
"I'm not sure. It will be at least a few hours before they start wondering why I haven't called in. If we're lucky, we might go an entire day before they send someone after us. Shiso has an expense account he uses in my name. We could get on the first train that's at the station and get out of the city. Maybe I could buy you a ticket out of the country and leave you with some money. After that, I don't know. But as soon as we're in the clear, I think we should split up. If Shiso takes over again, I… won't be able to protect you anymore."
Chidori gave him a concerned look.
"How do you know he'll come back? What if he's gone for good?"
Aki let out a hopeless sigh as he stared at the gun in his hand.
"Because of this thing. I've never held a gun before in my life, but I was able to take out these guys like it was nothing. That had to be coming from somewhere."
Aki nervously slipped the pistol back into the holster in his jacket.
"That means you can control him. He can't make you do anything as long as you don't let him," Chidori said in support. "I can't just leave you behind after you've helped me. I hardly know you, but I know it will be better for both of us if we work through this together."
She looked up at him meekly, desperate to save him just as he wanted to save her.
"Please, Aki. For me and the baby?"
Aki was at a loss for words. For just a brief moment, her face was the only image in his mind and all of his apprehension melted away.
His arms seemed to move on their own, gently and protectively wrapping around Chidori's back. She returned the hug, tucking her chin against his shoulder and letting her angelic hair form a pillow against his cheek.
"Okay, Chidori," he said quietly. "Let's just get out of here."
They left the suite and walked out into the unknown. Aki locked the door behind them.
"Shh. Shh. Shh. There you go. Drink up, little one. You'll need all the strength I can give you for the future."
"Lady Ceres."
"Yes, Mr. Mikage?"
"We've finally tracked down our lost swan. But there were… complications."
"Aw, that's a shame. I was hoping Miku would have a little playmate."
"No, Pallas and her daughter are both fine. The child was born several months ago, around the same time as yours. Pallas named her Tsubame. It was apparently a healthy delivery."
"Then what's wrong? Why don't you bring them back to the birdcage so they can be safe with me?"
"We're not equipped to handle the situation. Pallas has become even more proficient with her powers since she escaped captivity. I don't mean to upset you, but it also seems she convinced your original husband to join her. They're being supported by the remaining Aogiri family. Together they've wiped out every security contingent we've sent after them."
"Heh. I should have guessed. My younger sister always was a bit spoiled."
"She's not the one I'm concerned with anymore. I fear she'll train her daughter to rise up against us when she's older. She could jeopardize the future of the new human race."
"A new line of C-Genomer born from a pureblood Pallas mother and a father imbued with my powers. I could have told you that would be a risky combination if you had given me Enlightenment before you scavenged our nests."
"We were running behind schedule. Ensuring you and your sister produced descendants was our first priority, and I knew your hormonal imbalance from the pregnancy would make the re-education process easier on you. It was a minor oversight on my part. We can still fight fire with fire."
"Just like before."
"What do you mean, Lady Ceres?"
"I may not remember my mortal name, but I know a little bit about how you tried to have Miori catch me. It seemed like a pretty clever strategy now that I can see things your way, even if she was an inferior Ceres."
"Would you like me to tell you more about your life when you were still human?"
"No, I don't want to worry over silly things like that. It's not important to my purpose on this planet. I'm just worried about putting Miku in harm's way, even if it's for a good cause."
"I see. Your maternal drive is surfacing very well. Miku will be perfectly safe when the time comes. I'm going to have you produce more offspring who will help her defeat Tsubame… with your consent, of course."
"The fruit of the C-Project is always welcome in my humble womb, Mr. Mikage. But it should be Shiso's child this time, if you want someone who can grow up to rival Pallas' girl. Even if Shiso has abandoned me, I can still quicken his seed."
"That's part of the problem. His samples are no longer viable. At first I thought Howell had made a mistake, but I verified it myself. It's as if the cells destroyed themselves in cold storage. Do you have any sort of explanation for that?"
"Hmm. Our kind does have certain ways of protecting the bloodline. Something must have changed when Shiso took another Tennyo as his wife. Miku will be at a disadvantage if I don't have a baby that possesses his genes."
"Gladys and I have already calculated for that. We can still win through the numbers game."
"Mmm… I'll be a busy momma cow. I'd love to always have a new life growing inside me, making me shine like a plump summer melon. It would set a good example for the other C-Genomers. What numbers were you considering?"
"Ten children conceived in-vitro between you and Touya, including Miku as the head of the flock. You'll carry each of her younger siblings to term over the next nine years. While your family flourishes here, we'll let Pallas and Shiso assume we've given up the hunt and they'll be free to live in peace. On the day of Tsubame's 16th birthday, she'll be introduced to your ten successors, aged 7 through 16. The youngest will be deployed first. The older siblings will join the operation in sequential order if they're necessary."
"So Miku might not even have to fight? She'll always be my most precious."
"It could be that she never has to leave the reservation. But if it comes down to a confrontation between her and Tsubame, it will only be after Tsubame has exhausted her powers against your other offspring."
"Unless Pallas has more children of her own."
"That won't be a possibility. I made sure both of you were thoroughly harvested when you were first brought here. She can't conceive without the donor eggs in our possession."
"You're thinking of this from a human perspective. We Tennyo aren't always limited in the same ways."
"Are you suggesting her ovaries will generate a new clutch of eggs to replace what was harvested?"
"I'm telling you that's exactly what she'll do if she decides she likes being with Shiso. She might be foolish enough to think she's more human than me, but deep down we have the same instincts. How are we supposed to be the perfect mothers if we can lose the ability to have children that easily?"
"So be it. Her family will still be smaller than yours, and any natural-born children she has won't benefit from the gene selection procedures we have in place. Yours will."
"I know. That's why I've kept my nest as dry and cozy as the day your surgeons plucked it clean. You'll only pick what's best for me and my babies."
"So can I count on your help?"
"Pallas' brats won't stand a chance against my sweet little beauties. I'll give you what you want, Mr. Mikage."
"Sedate her and take her to the fertility wing. We'll implant the second embryo immediately."