A/N: Sorry! So I updated the first chapter with a better summary inside! This is the second chapter and I hope it's going well so far. I'll get to the kids when I can. I think maybe the next chapter will include the kids! Yeah! I'm excited for this fanfic and I hope that there are people enjoying it! Please leave a review when you can thanks!
With her long, wavy green hair swaying in the wind, Eto took one last glimpse of the saturated blood-red sunset and began to walk towards her traveling companion. Rize was already a good distance away from her. They've already stayed too long and it was time to leave, anyway. On the surface, Eto's expression was stoic, but in the inside she was overjoyed to see Yuu again. Happy thoughts surging through her, Eto gleefully trotted to catch up with Rize and childishly looped her arm around hers.
Still irritated, the purple-haired woman couldn't resist her left eye from twitching. The woman was obviously still upset, however, she trusted Eto's judgement so she didn't question her any further. It's what saved her in the first place. Easing up, Rize slid her arm out of Eto's grip.
"So…" Rize started, clapping her hands together with her lips pursed tightly. "What will you do about that demon problem, hm? On top of that, what are you also going to do about that seraph problem?"
"It will be handled," Eto stated blandly whilst grimacing slightly.
But not the way I wanted it to be. I can control one side, but not the other.
"In the meantime, let's head back to Nishiki and Kimi."
Rize nodded her head in agreement, while the whites of her eyes turned black and her eyes a bright, glowing red. Sensing her companion's instincts, Eto's kakugan activated in her left eye. Together, the two female ghouls activated their kagunes, jumping down from the roof they were standing on and onto another. They weaved their way up and down the ruined buildings that made up the future Japan with ease. All four of Rize's tentacles assisted her in springing up and absorbing impact as she traveled through the different leveled buildings. Meanwhile, Eto was in her toned down form where her standard kagune made her movements more graceful and nimble.
"Where did you say they would meet us?" Rize inquired.
"In the subway where the Harajuku station is located," she said, jumping down lightly on a graveled roof. "I told them to stay in the shadows and out of sight while we were out. In addition, I put a repel charm to ward off any Horsemen. They should be fine. We are almost there. Just a few more blocks."
Eto launched forward to get to their destination faster and Rize soon followed as she pierced one of her tentacles beneath her to give her momentum. Catching up with Eto once more, Rize knew something was amiss with her. To Rize, Eto was still a mystery and always has been and will be. But she did know when something was bugging Eto. The once former infamous One-Eyed Owl knew how to mask her emotions well over the harsh years as a young, orphaned ghoul on the streets, however Rize has gotten to know her for years now.
She would get slightly fidgety and impatient at times and it would show briefly, but then Eto would always try to hide that it was ever there. But those brief moments showed her true self- her human self.
"You didn't know, did you?" Rize asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Didn't know what, exactly?"
"That Yuu-chan has that thing. That demon beginning to take control of her." She said.
"No, I did not. But again, it's being dealt with." Eto admitted vexingly, gritting her teeth.
"She'll turn into a namanari at this rate... or even a demon." Rize continued.
"I know. I saved you from becoming possessed. Don't worry about it," the ghoul insisted, feigning a smile at Rize.
Rize shrugged and looked away, uncomfortable that Eto was starting to get passive-aggressive. Then, the crumbling image of Harajuku Station came into their view, and Eto immediately noticed that Nishiki did not follow what he was told. He was standing outside with his shoulder resting on the entrance, while his face was painted with an annoyed expression.
"How typical of you," sighed Eto.
"Men never listen, do they?" Rize joked.
Looking up and adjusting his glasses, Nishiki straightened his posture against the wall he was leaning on and drew his attention to Rize and Eto. "It's about damn time you came back. What the hell took so long?!"
"We kinda got caught in the moment," Rize admitted earnestly, trying to look innocent as possible whilst she hid her arms behind her back. Playfully, she twirled her tentacles in the air, until she had enough and dissipated it into the air.
"Tch. I should've been there to see my kids," Nishiki growled while tightening the grip around his crossed arms.
Eto snapped her head in his direction as her feet reached the ground. "No, you shouldn't have. You would of reacted on impulse and revealed ourselves if you were there. If you saw what we saw, that is."
Suddenly, Nishiki was right in front of Eto's face with his kakugan activated. His face twisted with anger and concern, his hands clenched by his sides as if he were prepared to fight.
"What happened?!" Nishiki demanded.
Gently, Eto pressed her hand against his chest to push him away from her.
"They are alive, but their condition isn't the best," Eto explained, with her eyes gazing up at Nishiki with a playful smirk on her face. "Shihō is wounded, but Rize's daughter, Shinoa, ordered everyone to retreat to safety. They had to leave the army for their safety. They sacrificed their own soldiers to fuel their new Seraph. "
A wave of relief flowed through Nishiki's body as he heard that his son was alive, however he was still concerned about Mirai. What of her? Surely, Shihō looked after his sister just as he promised. He knows that he did so. Unbeknownst to the Kimizuki boy, or rather the Nishio boy, his father had been watching him from afar. Nishiki witnessed himself that he defended Mirai, trained for Mirai, and visited Mirai while she was in the hospital. However, with her big brother gone from the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and hearing that they turned not only on humans, but their own soldiers just made Nishiki more worried.
What else are these people capable of? He thought.
"What about Mirai? Do you think she'll be safe?"
Eto just stared blankly. Her fake smile fell and she pursed her lips together tightly. "Um, well…About that."
Behind her, Rize crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Tch. There's no point in sugar coating it, Eto. Those humans turned your daughter, your Mirai, into a seraph."
"They made her the fifth trumpet, Nishiki." Eto stated, "I know that this isn't easy to take in, but you have to be strong for Kimi. You need her and she needs you. Most importantly, I need her for this plan to work."
Nishiki just gawked at her as he tried to comprehend the current status of both of his children.
"She'll be so freaked out when I tell her," Nishiki groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"Where is she, anyway?" Rize inquired, tilting her head behind Eto to grab his attention.
"She's in the subway, sitting inside the information booth." said Nishiki, "I told her I needed some air, but what I really wanted was to see you first before her to get an update. So I can prepare myself to tell her. Your premonitions aren't all sunshine and rainbows, One-Eyed Owl."
"I know Shihō is fine. He'll heal in a couple days." Eto reassured, reaching up to pat Nishiki's shoulder. "However, I can't see Mirai's status clearly anymore. Not after she fully became a seraph."
"Then, what do I say?"
"Just say they are both alive. It's not a lie," the ghoul began. "The Japanese Imperial Demon Army wouldn't kill her, anyway. They couldn't. She has become their tool of destruction to use on their command whenever they want. Moreover, she is their first seraph that they have successfully controlled. As long as she is useful to them, they won't kill her. That much I know."
Nishiki's eyes dashed back and forth in his sockets as he tried to figure out a better way in telling his wife, but he sighed as he realized there was no other way.
"Augh! You're positive as always." The man groaned, leaning out and throwing his head back in exasperation. "Give me a minute, will ya?"
"Of course, we'll be here if you need us." Eto replied with a smile.
With that Nishiki disappeared into the darkness of the abandoned station. His footsteps echoed throughout the abandoned station, bringing life to the desolate place. Approaching the metal bars leading to the trains, he grunted as he tried to push the rusted bar with his hands. Nervously, his fingers fidgeted to adjust his glasses when the information booth came to view.
He wrapped his knuckles against the door and said, "Oi, Kimi. It's Nishiki. I'm coming in."
The door moaned in protest as Nishiki pushed open the door, revealing Kimi tucked in a corner with a talisman prepared between her her index and middle-finger. Her stance was relaxed once she laid her eyes upon the familiar brunette.
She sighed. "Don't scare me like that. I heard footsteps and I thought it was someone or something else. You could've yelled my name or something to alert that you're back."
The brunette man threw his head back in amusement. "Ahaha. Babe, don't worry. I was only out for 10 minutes and this place was secured recently by the human army."
An exasperated expression painted across the woman's face as she burned the talisman in her hands. "How are the kids?"
"They're both alive," Nishiki started, sliding his hands in his pockets and bouncing on the balls of his feet back and forth.
At least this news will at least give her some hope. Nishiki thought.
Since the apocalypse hit, it hasn't been easy on Kimi. Especially being a human that should've died. She was separated from both her children right before the apocalypse hit when Eto gave the news and the vaccine to protect her from the virus. Kimi wasn't able to cope for the first few years to adjust to her new reality. Sure, she loves Nishiki and he was and is the sole person she relies on to keep her sane, but she misses being a mother.
Shihō reminded her so much of his father- loyal and protective of those near to him, especially Mirai. However, he was a little snob like his dad, too. And her sweet Mirai, always having a positive view in life and putting others before herself. Those children were her light, but now they were gone and her life has been filled with darkness and fear in this new world. However, despite the years she's missed, she now has a chance to meet up with them again.
Upon hearing those words from her husband's mouth, a smile of joy slowly spread across her face, making Nishiki's heart throb. He hasn't seen that beautiful, lovely smile he adores so much on her face in a long time. Her smile, with those smooth pink lips that he's kissed so many times and white teeth that sparkled, was one of the many reasons he fell in love with her. It made him feel safe and it comforted him that he was never alone. Never.
"That's great! Oh, Nishiki, I'm so happy." Kimi exclaimed, embracing Nishiki as she burrowed her head in his chest. "We'll finally be a family again."
Suddenly, Nishiki felt cold and, although she couldn't see it, her lover's face showed an expression of guilt and pain as he embraced her. Tentatively, Nishiki pulled her closer to his chest and kissed her hair. Still holding on to her with his left arm, he stroked her hair and continued to nuzzle her as his heart raced.
If only you knew. Nishiki thought ominously.
Still in his embrace, Kimi gazed into his eyes as she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips. Trying to savor the moment, Nishiki closed his eyes and pressed his lips gently against hers.
I missed this. They thought simultaneously.
Suddenly pulling away, Kimi looked up at him with another one of her special smiles that was only for him.
"Should we get going?" She suggested, "Eto and Rize are out there, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, let's go!" The red-haired woman exclaimed excitedly, pulling on Nishiki's arm towards the door. "Eto-san told me she needed me to help her after she came back."
A/N: We shall see what Eto has planned. Fufufufufuu.
