New Allies
When Annan's dark silhouette disappeared, Orseoph turned to Nero and explained: "I apologize for Annan's behavior. He despises demons together with those who have no matter how small fraction of demonic blood. We all know that you are not evil, rather, everyone except him. He just can't accept you… Or maybe I should say - he doesn't want to accept you due to his prejudice."
"A prejudice…?" asked Nero.
"Yes. He has a good reason to hate them, to be honest. Many years ago some devils attacked the village Annan was living in and they killed his whole family. Then he escaped to the town where his mother's good friend raised him and when he reached the age of nineteen, he began to fulfill his ´duty´, as he calls it. That is, to serve his God and to protect the weak as well as the humans who share similar past."
"Now I see why he is so cold. But still; it seems that he respects everyone else, even Kyrie, whom he doesn't really know yet. Why is that?"
"Because he values humanity. It is true that normal people don't possess such abilities like demons, but the way they behave finds Annan precious. Maybe he hates demons, but he really likes humans. Anyway, you are not the only one who doesn't get along with Annan. There is another member in our group. A half-demon."
"I am more than happy not to be alone here who is being bullied," said Nero ironically, then he continued in his normal voice: "Wait, a half-demon? Like his parents are a human and a demon or…?"
"Yes, exactly what you say. It's a girl, though, not a boy."
"And when will she arrive?"
"I don't know. Maybe Annan is right and they can't find this place."
"This eternal waiting is driving me crazy."
Orseoph laughed. "I am sorry. I guess they don't have the sense of orientation in new areas."
His Holiness shared his idea loudly: "What if something happened to them?"
"I don't think that's it, Your Holiness," refused Orseoph, "if they were in danger, they would know how to…"
"Wait!" Nero shouted and lifted his right arm, which started to shine. "It seems we are no longer alone. Everyone, stay alert and if a demon attacks you, quickly dodge, since none of you has a weapon."
"You are not the one to talk, Nero," His Holiness stressed, "where is your sword?"
"I didn't know that this event would require violence," retorted Nero, "now the only thing that can save us is my Devil Bringer."
"Where did you leave Blue Rose?" Kyrie asked.
Only at that moment Nero realized that that day Blue Rose wasn't in his room. He was so shocked by the dream that he wasn't noticing the world around him.
"Damn, this is bad… I… I didn't even… Err, I'll solve the loss of Blue Rose later, let's focus on this right no-…"
"WAAAAH!"
"…-ooaaaw!" Nero tried to finish his sentence, but he eventually gasped when the arms of a stranger suddenly grabbed his shoulders and at the same time shouted. Nero's face was paler than usual.
He heard a voice of a woman behind him: "Oh my, my… I didn't know you would be scared this much. Are you alive, buddy? Look here! Here we have someone whose conscience isn't clear! …oh, is it you, Ozzy? And also holy gramps?"
"Please, please, slow down, Faith," Orseoph smiled and showed her the palms with raised fingers.
"Do you want me to give you high ten?"
"No, Faith…"
"So you are pushing the air which is in front of you away?"
"Why, no! This gesture means ´Faith; stop talking and let me speak.´"
"Oh, of course!" Faith cried out and patted her forehead.
"Now when you are quiet, please; apologize to him."
During his sentence Nero sat on the edge of the fountain with Kyrie who was putting a handkerchief soaked with fresh water on his face. Although he was breathing hard, he claimed: "I almost…had a…heart-attack. If I…survive this day, I...I will survive everything."
Faith stood in front of Nero. Now he could see her face and body. She didn't look ordinary; with the blue hair and the purple eyes of hers she could impress many people. If she hadn't scared Nero, he would have been impressed, too. Her body was slim and she was dressed the similar way as Kyrie, but her costume could be used in fighting and the colors of the dress were different. She was carrying weapons; a gun on each hip, hidden in the sheaths.
"I am sorry for interrupting your dramatic meditation," apologized the blue haired woman.
"Alright, but don't do this kind of greeting again, ok?" demanded Nero.
"Ok, but I don't guarantee that it won't occur one more time," she answered with a grin.
"So, you are Faith?"
"Yup, that's me and only me."
"Are you a demon or what?"
Faith laughed. "A half demon, a half human… Whichever you prefer."
"That's the girl we were talking about earlier," Orseoph pinpointed.
"Aah, I would never say that you are a gossiper, Ozzy," said Faith.
"Don't worry. I didn't gossip you. I have just said that you are a half-demon and that's why Annan doesn't like you both."
"Oh, yeah, that idiot. I haven't even realized that he is missing here. Where is he? As far as I know, he arrives everywhere as the first."
"He did arrive as the first. He just left a while ago to look for you, guys, because he thinks that you are lost."
"Uh-uh. I see. When one is 5 seconds later, he or she is probably lost."
Nero tried to remake a dialogue with Faith again: "So it was you thanks to whom my arm shined?"
"Err, excuse me? What do you mean? Oh…ah now I remember. It shines when a demon or a demonic power is near you… or something like that, correct?"
"Yes."
"Well, it could be me. However, I am not alone here. I came with one of my pets, which could cause the shiny effect, too."
"What kind of pets do you keep, damn it?"
Faith's eyes sparkled. "You are curious, aren't you? Demons, naturally."
"Right…naturally," Nero repeated her word, "I thought demons are too proud to serve a half breed."
"According to your opinion, I think these fellows will surprise you."
At a moment's notice Faith whistled and made the same grin as before. The others remained silent, eager to know what would happen next. Nero stood up and sensed that the wind, which was gently blowing, cared an uncommon essence. It made him tremble; his actual feeling was a mixture of excitement and curiosity. Soon they heard barking echoing from far nooks of Fortuna. The barking object began to move pretty fast. The steps of a running animal (at least Nero identified it as an animal) were gradually louder and louder. Eventually it sounded like a jet traveling through the streets. Nero was listening to the run until it stopped. At the same time the sound vanished, he spotted a small four-legged creature standing on a high building. Faith made a few steps to the front and shouted:"Leo, come down and show yourself clearly!"
That being obeyed its master. It was jumping from one roof to other until it ended on the ground.
Nero's eyes watched it carefully; they were censoring the demon which didn't look scary at all. It resembled a dog with a massive fur, but the hairs around the neck seemed to be more like spikes. When he touched the neck, he felt a pain from a sharp object in his left hand.
"Pretty spiky, isn't it?" said Faith as Nero's fingers were slowly bleeding.
"His name is Leo. Leo, my reliable demonic companion.
"Heh." Nero's one corner of mouth rose up. "It looks more like a sheltie."
Faith widened her eyes.
"Yes!" stressed Nero, "a sheltie, but a mutated one."
Everybody laughed on Nero's sentence, except Faith. She scowled so funny, that her whole face obtained an amusing expression. "Am I the only one who didn't get the joke?"
"Try to understand him" said Orseoph, "you have to admit that all of your demons are similar to animals."
"Alright, alright," Faith grumbled, "but to make it clear, it is a demon."
Nero apologized while attempting to stop laughing. She then went on: "When I need someone small to keep me occupied, Leo is the best candidate for this job. Although he is tiny and quick in dodging, he did receive some bad wounds from the enemies. Man, if we didn't have Turner, I don't know what I would do. Leo would already be dead, I suppose."
Nero looked at her with questionable eyes. "Turner? Who's Turner?"
"It's me."
Nero turned back to see to whom the voice belonged.
He saw a black man dressed in a yellow and white costume with the emblem of the Order sewed into it. His black afro hair hasn't the typical shape of a plain globe; it was rather disheveled. He grew a little moustache which wasn't clearly seen on his dark skin. His happy face and friendly smile made somehow a good impression on Nero.
Orseoph came closer to them in order to sound clearly: "Nero, meet Turner, our scientist."
"This Jimi Hendrix is your scientist?" wondered Nero.
Turner smiled again and said in his deep tone or voice: "I know that I don't look like one, but I am."
"Oh, so you did come, after all," called out Faith.
"Why, did I say I wouldn't come?"
"No, but you've arrived a bit late."
"I would really appreciate if you didn't act like Annan," pleased Turner politely and continued, "I saw a boy hurt his leg, so I needed to take care of it. I thought I would be here first, as I went out quite early, but the boy couldn't stand by himself. I had to give him a hand with walking. We walked back to his home, where I handed him over to his mother. That's the story which explains why I'm late."
"Now you act more like a physician," said confused Nero, "who exactly are you, damn it?"
Faith replied instead of Turner: "He does almost everything. He is a great scientist, awesome doctor, a caring friend with a good sense of humor… although he isn't that typical kind of man. He doesn´t want to be cool no matter what and I bet he swears just twice a year."
"Quit that flattering, Faith," told her Turner with a smile and he turned to the devil boy. "I suppose you are Nero."
"Well, I think it's quite obvious, don't you think?" retorted Nero.
Turner made no immediate answer. Subsequently, he stated: You are indeed Nero. Your attitude is widely known. I would say you act like our Annan."
"Don't compare me with that asshole," hissed Nero, "I hope I can deal with him soon."
"Ah, so you've met already, I see. And it seems that you two don't get along. After all, what else could we expect from him and you when your personalities are so…"
"Don't watch your language unless you wish to piss me off, " butted Nero in the sentence.
Turner chuckled. "Ok, ok. I won't continue. I'll rather change the topic. Where is Annan and Victoria?"
Faith replied: "Hmm… Oh yeah, Annan thinks we are stupid idiots and we probably can't find this place and so he the hero is looking for our whereabouts. As for Victoria, she hasn't appeared yet. I wonder where she is…" She suddenly stopped.
Nero felt a cold sword blade below his chin. He looked at the other side of the weapon. The handle of the sword was held by a young woman. Her blonde hair, partly covered in brown color, was made into a ponytail, which hanged loosely over her left shoulder. The suspicious pale eyes of hers would make even an innocent one feel guilty; Nero wasn't that kind of a coward person, though. She received his arrogant glare.
Everyone except him and Kyrie acted as if they weren't alert of what she had done. They seemed to be used to it.
"Oh, there you go," noted Faith, "Vicky, you hardly know Nero and yet you desire to pick a fight? Or do you want to show off as usual?"
"Fighting is the best way to get to know each other," Victoria answered.
"I don't fight human girls," said Nero, still glaring at the mysterious woman.
"I'm not interested in excuses. If you don't want to fight, I will force you to do so."
He sighed and looked up. "Maybe a magical word ´please´ would help. Didn't your mom tell you about the appropriate behavior?"
"My mom died long ago. Besides, you are not the one who can talk about etiquette, boy."
"Boy, huh?" He glowered at her again. "…as if I have just found Annan in a female version."
She grinded her teeth and pressed the sword closer to his neck. "Do you want me to cut our head off?"
"You wouldn't dare…"
"I am sorry to disturb your arguing," cut Faith in, "but where's your other sword? You are always carrying two instead of one."
"I knew one sword would be enough for this demon," Victoria explained.
„Hey hey hey!" called Nero out furiously, "someone's too confident here! I believe I should give you a piece of my mind, lady, who insists on fighting and still pushes that damned sword into me!"
Faith decided to put an end to the argument. "That's enough. There will be no fighting and no pieces of Nero's mind. This meeting is too much freaking insane, damn it. Let's give a peaceful acquaintance a chance, shall we?"
"Fine then," retorted Victoria and against her own will she put away her weapon. She scanned the group until she finally realized Kyrie's presence. She came closer to her and glared at Nero's girlfriend so coldly that it made Kyrie slightly step back.
"N-nice to meet you," said Kyrie timidly, stretching out her arm to give her a handshake.
Victoria looked down at the hand. She spoke: "You have no weapons, do you? Do you even have any experience in fighting?"
"No" was the answer.
His Holiness reminded: "I think I told you that she's the songstress, not a Knight nor anything."
"Tch, what about it? I am a songstress, too and still I can fight."
She turned away from Kyrie. "Is this necessary, Your Holiness? A shy damsel in distress will be a burden. You had better dismiss her from the Order and send that useless girl somewhere far away."
Yet wrathful Nero went almost out of control. "Picking on me is one thing, but I can't forgive someone who hurts Kyrie!"
"Shut up, Romeo" said Victoria as she raised her head proudly.
"You…!"
Kyrie tried to calm him down by caressing his shoulder blades and whispering: "That's ok, Nero. That's really ok."
"I won't shake my hand with you, little girl," hissed the aloof woman.
"Whatever," answered Kyrie, now holding the left arm of mad Nero. Even though she ordered him to stop, he somehow felt that every Victoria's word cut through her heart like a knife.
If Faith hadn't interrupted, Victoria would have totally destroyed Kyrie: "Vicky, before you rip Kyrie off, let's find Annan. That poor boy's on a trip for nothing."
"All right," said the woman with a sigh, "It's better than wasting the precious time with such individuals," and she started to walk away as if nothing happened. His Holiness and Orseoph followed her quietly. Faith rolled her eyes and sighed deeply, but didn't say anything and soon she joined them. Turner smiled sadly, shook his head and shortly caught up with Faith. When Nero realized that Victoria was moving away from his sight, he cooled down a bit and together with Kyrie they left Opera House Plaza. However, he would rather stay there alone, because he didn't like the new people at all.
Annan was sitting on a bench with crossed arms. He spent his time of sweet loneliness at a huge lonely place, which was surrounded by few houses. It was an ideal place; no one was near him, no one could be seen, no one like Faith could annoy him… simply said, an ideal place.
When he saw a group of people approaching him, he narrowed his eyes to recognize the faces.
When he saw that it's his group, that is, the people who have recently formed the basic positions of The Order, he felt uncomfortable; because he knew his private time has ended and needed do some business.
And when he saw that on the head of the cluster was Faith (whose walking is the fastest and so she managed to be the leader), he knew his living dream was over.
He waited until she arrived first (together with her demon Leo) and greeted her. "You bastard. You leave me waiting and looking for you while you comfortably arrive?"
"Aww, come on, Annie," said Faith with a light ironical tone. "If you were a bit patient, you wouldn't have to go and scan whole Fortuna. By the way, why are you here? Don't tell me… so…you thought we were lost, and in the end you got lost yourself!"
"Like hell I got lost!"
"Yes, admit it!"
"No!"
Leo started to sniff his trousers. Annan attempted to dodge its nose somehow by moving his legs away.
"What the hell is your dog doing?"
"Leo, leave provoking Annan to me. You know it's my hobby, right, honey?"
"How dare you call me ´honey´?"
"I was talking with my ´dog´, idiot."
"Jeez, you really scared me!"
"Heh, whatever. I heard you have already met our new fellows."
"…So what?"
There was a silence between the two.
"Sheesh, it ain't much fun to communicate with you, indeed. You don't even deserve to be called ´Annie´."
"Thank God I don't."
During this interesting conversation His Holiness, Orseoph, Turner, Victoria and Nero with Kyrie, who kept themselves in the background, gathered around the comical duo. Only at that moment Faith and Annan realized that they are no longer free to converse alone and a little bit embarrassed, they slightly lowered their heads.
Nero's getting used to the fact that the Order had changed; the formation was lacking seriousness and formality, which were important criteria for Credo. He wouldn't possibly tolerate easygoing Faith, who was the epicenter of the small chaos. She would work alone, so that she couldn't entertain the people around her.
Orseoph stated: "Quit that pointless dialogue, Faith and Annan. There are more serious topics to mention. First, however, I would like to ask Annan to make a place for sitting, because His Holiness can't bear too much walking at his age and surely needs to sit."
His Holiness smiled. "Thank you, Orseoph, but if it's necessary, I will attempt to stand for a wh-…"
Annan's quick and elegant move to the left side of the bench made him not to end his sentence.
"Intelligent people must be valued and kept alive as long as possible, for they belong to the group of endangered species," Annan claimed. "Too bad there exist some creatures which can imperil those priceless characters," and he pointed at Nero, Faith and Turner with his eyes.
Our arrogant, but beloved devil was rather quiet and tried to calm down; he really didn't prefer the idea of a recently rebuilt city being destroyed again, that time by his anger.
At the same time he couldn't understand why Turner was included in Annan's category of ´the creatures´. He expected the stubborn human to behave properly to Turner, but Nero became aware of the reality. That scientist was a human, or wasn't he? Did he posses something that Annan despised?
"Fine then," spoke Orseoph after the old man sat, "let's finally talk about something serious, shall we?"
Annan hesitated at first, but then he took advantage of Orseoph's silence and he called coldly: "Not yet. I have a plan that needs to be achieved here and now, because I assume that soon there will be no time."
Orseoph sighed. "And what is it?"
"Maybe it appears like I went astray, but I stayed at this place on purpose. It has a lot of space; as if it was created for fighting. Therefore I've decided to take the chance right now." During his last words he looked straight at Nero.
When he did it, Nero's heart started to beat faster and in addition it was filled with excitement. The young demon knew exactly what he's going to say. He eagerly waited for the moment. The moment when Annan affirmed his prediction…
"I challenge Nero to fight me."
Turner made no reaction. Victoria moaned irritably, as it won't be her, but Annan who got the occasion to fight the arrogant devil. Orseoph looked down and complained to himself loudly about the needless actions. Faith made her typical grin. His Holiness leaned on the bench and stared to the ground. Annan's offer frightened Kyrie, although she didn't underestimate Nero's abilities and she looked at Nero to see his reaction.
"Never would I think that dreams could be fulfilled so fast," said Nero with a smirk on his face.
"Never say never," retorted Annan, after he did the same smile.
"Are you sure we have time for the childish games?" Orseoph questioned.
"Absolutely," he answered and went on, "it won't be a childish game to begin with. Just a small battle of the swords. The only thing I want to ensure is what exactly Credo taught this devil idiot."
"But you haven't brought any sword with you, I see. So how do you intend to attack and defend yourself?"
Annan stood and gave Victoria a look. "Would you mind lending me your sword?"
His question took Victoria away from her thoughts. "Fighting him was my plan as well. I…I don't mind anymore, though. You may borrow it. But will your opponent be able to participate in a fight?"
"Don't worry, I'll summon my sword Yamato," Nero replied.
"Yeah, Victoria, you forgot that I challenged magician Merlin," joked Annan, "I hope he won't use a cannon on me."
"I don't carry anything like that. Just let's have a fair play."
"That's just what I plotted. Nothing but the swords; no guns, no devil trigger. Only the clashes of our blades."
"I agree," approved Nero.
"Alright… So, Victoria… Would you…"
"Sure," said Victoria and she came to Annan to give him her weapon. "I can test the new girl to see whether she can stand something cruel or not. I hope our princess not to be terrified."
Kyrie lowered her head sadly as a result to Victoria's bullying.
Annan, who didn't about the recent conflict, was confused. "What do you want to accomplish? I don't understand…"
"You'll see," she answered arrogantly, as she wanted to return to her original place. However, she tripped over Nero's leg, which was obviously put into her way on purpose.
"Oops," Nero snapped without hiding his intention. Victoria scowled at him, but remained silent and eventually ignored him.
They moved away from the group and went into the centre of the terrain. When they set into their positions, Nero summoned Yamato. The bright shine of his arm dazzled everyone, so subsequently nobody could see the appearance of the sword.
"Wow!" shouted Annan, covering his eyes with the hand, "look at our Merlin! I hope you are not hiding a nuclear bomb anywhere. Or shall I expect the dancing rabbits as the next piece of your show?"
He doesn't take me seriously, thought Nero; we will see who will laugh in the end.
He waved over himself with Yamato as a preparation for the battle. Annan hefted Victoria's sword to get used to the new lighter object. He took a deep breath and came at the demon vigorously until their blades met in a noisy clash.