Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This story is an alternate version of the Shibuya/Shinjuku arc with differences from the original; please refer to the footnotes at the end. Once again, I would also like to thank my beta reader, ResidentialPsycho of DeviantArt for her help in making this fic possible. Enjoy and please review!

Chapter 2: An Absurd Order

October 17, 2020

Yuichiro slowly opened her eyes when she felt the sunlight touch her face from a small gap in her bedroom curtain. Looking at the alarm clock on her desk, the ravenette saw that it was about seven o' clock in the morning, the time that she normally woke up every day for school. Only that today was Saturday and school was out for the weekend. And even though she knew she could sleep in if she wanted, for some reason, Yuichiro found that she could not fall back asleep, try as she might.

Perhaps her restlessness was due to what she saw as a barb by Satoshi Hiwatari underestimating her ability to fight a Horseman of John alone simply because she was a girl. Deep down, Yuichiro knew the blue-haired boy didn't mean it like that but the way he said it just riled her for some reason and made the girl feel the need to prove herself which she did.

Knowing that any more attempts to fall back asleep would be futile, Yuichiro sighed and placed an arm over her forehead for a moment before finally getting up. Unlike her room back at Guren's house, Yuu's new living quarters was considerably smaller and less luxurious but the girl had no issue with it. She was a soldier now and had less need for luxuries though she was still grateful that she had her own bathroom and shower at least.

Stripping off her nightgown, Yuichiro stepped into the shower and turned on the water. When it finally reached a comfortable temperature, the girl wetted her long raven hair, which now hung to her waist when unbound, before putting on some shampoo. After returning home from guard duty the evening prior, Yuichiro was exhausted and chose not to wash her hair while showering before bed so her long tresses smelled of blood from the Horseman of John that she had slain alone. She knew that Guren would not be pleased when, not if, he heard the report of her act of insubordination but supposed it couldn't be helped: what's done was done.

As she rinsed out the shampoo, Yuu noticed the blood that had mingled with the water coming out as well. It wasn't much considering that she had tied back her hair before going on guard duty, just enough to make the water that was now going down the shower drain slightly pink but the girl wasn't bothered by it. Getting blood on her hair and body did not disturb her in the slightest; she had gotten used to it shortly after joining the Shibuya Guard a year ago even though she was not totally desensitized to violence.

After she had finished showering, Yuichiro dried herself off with a warm, fluffy towel that she also used to rid her hair of the excess water before rubbing some scented lotion onto her skin. Even after she had moved out of Guren's home and into her new dorm, Shinya continued to send Yuichiro gifts of brand-name soaps, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and even body sprays and perfumes which she was secretly grateful for since they were way better than the generic toiletries the Demon Army provided.

Normally, Yuichiro liked to let her hair dry naturally since she favored washing it at night before bed but since she did not want to wait a few hours in her dorm for that to happen, the girl opted for using a blow-dryer and flat iron, high-tech ones she had received as gifts from Goshi for Christmas. Now that her hair was much longer than it used to be when she was pretending to be a boy, Yuichiro had to put more time and effort into maintaining it as well. When on guard duty, she normally wore it in a low ponytail underneath her uniform cap.

But since Yuichiro had neither guard duty nor school today, she chose to wear it in a high ponytail after getting dressed in a white turtleneck sweater and knee-length burgundy skirt. After her guardian had discovered her true sex three years ago, Yuichiro also made it a habit of putting on make-up when going out every day, though she no longer wore nail polish as frequently since her hands and feet were usually covered by the boots and gloves of her guard uniform anyway.

As soon as she had finished getting dressed, Yuichiro heard a knock at her door. Curious as to who would see her this early in the morning, the ravenette called out:

"Yes? Who is it?"

"It's me, Shinoa. I wanted to ask if you would join me in the mess hall for breakfast."

Yuichiro blinked. While it was pretty normal for them to have breakfast together, Shinoa usually waited for her to show up at the JIDA headquarters mess hall instead of going all the way to her dorm room to ask. Nevertheless, the ravenette answered the door to let her friend in.

As soon as she was inside, Shinoa took in Yuichiro's casual dress. "It looks like I came just in time; I'd hate to disturb you while you were still asleep. After your late-night shift, I was expecting you to still be in bed."

Yuichiro narrowed her eyes at the other girl in suspicion. "What's this really about, Shinoa? You normally don't come all the way to my dorm just to ask me out to breakfast."

Shinoa sighed. "You're right; there is something I need to talk to you about but I'd rather not do it here while both of us are hungry. Will you please join me in the mess hall?"

"Fine… just give me a minute to put my shoes on."

"Sure."

SSSSSS

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Yuichiro asked as soon as she and Shinoa were settled on a small table in the JIDA headquarters mess hall with their breakfast.

The purple-haired girl whistled as she watched Yuichiro munch on a piece of toast.

"My, you're really quick to get down to business. Guren was right; there's no beating around the bush with you!"

"Spill, it Shinoa, I haven't got all day," Yuu said impatiently.

"Ok, ok. I got a call from the lieutenant colonel this morning. He didn't sound too pleased with you. Any idea why?" Shinoa asked as she sipped on her cup of orange juice.

"Let me guess, one of the boys from last night ratted about me hogging all the glory for myself by killing that Horseman of John without their help, right?" Yuu asked sarcastically. In all honesty, she could care less about glory or credit. As far as she was concerned, the boys could have it.

Shinoa nodded. "Unfortunately, Takeshi Saehara got that dubious honor," she answered with just a touch of humor. "I actually felt sorry for him since none of your teammates really wanted to rat you out to Guren. So what happened, Miss Hyakuya? You normally don't have a problem following orders. Why now?" *1*

Yuichiro was silent for a moment as if she found the question uncomfortable but eventually gave in and spilled her own beans.

"I got riled when Satoshi made an off-handed comment about my ability to perform in battle because I'm a girl," she answered flatly.

Shinoa looked at her incredulously. "Seriously? You committed an act of insubordination over a trivial thing like that? I'm sure Mr. Hiwatari didn't mean it that way; we all know you get a bit sensitive when you think people doubt you because of your gender."

"Well, I can't really help that having been raised the way I was. I believe I told you my story back in seventh grade if you recall." *2*

"I do. And I'm sorry your parents did that to you but you need to get over it and move on. I would have thought that after living with someone like Guren Ichinose for almost four years, you would have grown a thicker skin by now. In any case, there's another thing he wanted me to talk to you about and frankly, it's a concern of mine as well."

Yuichiro raised a brow. "And that is?"

Shinoa cleared her throat before continuing. "It's come to our attention that you haven't made any new friends beyond myself, Mitsuba, Satoshi, Daisuke, and Takeshi since you joined the Shibuya Guard and enrolled at Shibuya High. And that was at least a year ago."

"I haven't seen Mitsuba in school for a long time," Yuu retorted harshly. "As for why I haven't had much luck making new friends, whose fault do you think that is? Don't you think it's a bit hypocritical of Guren to demand that I make new friends while also being quite selective of the friends he allows me to have as well? By the way, I also find it highly suspicious how often you intervene when certain guys get too close to me. Could it be that Guren asked you to spy on me to ensure I don't make any friends he doesn't approve of?"

Instead of being offended or trying to deny Yuichiro's accusation, Shinoa simply grinned and threw her arms up in mock surrender.

"You got me there, Yuichiro. I've always known you to be rather astute and that I wouldn't be able to keep my 'criminal activities' a secret from you for long. If you want me to be frank, yes Guren did order me to keep all those hormone-crazed boys away from you. He even specifically told me that you are not to befriend anyone he deems a 'hooligan.'" *3*

"Really, Shinoa? I wasn't aware that over ninety percent of the boys at our school qualify as 'hooligans' unless Guren has a very broad definition of the word."

"Aww, come on, he's just trying to protect you," Shinoa teased, purposely neglecting to tell Yuichiro that Guren had been none-too-pleased to hear how many boys at their school had been eyeing her like a piece of prime rib but she had been too absorbed with her studies and training to even notice.

"Well, his over-protectiveness isn't doing me any favors. In fact, it's suffocating me," Yuichiro snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way and I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news but your guardian also specifically told me that he will not allow you to return to guard duty or take the entry exam into the Moon Demon Company until you make at least one new friend, a friend that he approves of, that is."

Yuichiro found herself glaring at Shinoa as if she were the one giving her the outrageous order.

"What? Are you serious? Guren must be out of his flipping mind!" Yuu nearly shouted, unaware that she was getting loud enough to turn a few heads in their direction.

Ignoring the attention they were drawing, Shinoa merely shrugged her shoulders and gave Yuichiro an innocent look.

"Maybe. But he IS the commander of the Moon Demon Company and you won't be able to get in without his approval so I suggest you get to it, Miss Hyakuya."

Knowing that it would be useless to argue with Shinoa any further since it was not the other girl's decision whether or not she could return to duty or join the Moon Company, Yuichiro groaned in frustration before getting up and storming out of the mess hall. She had eaten only half of her breakfast but Shinoa's news infuriated her so much, the ravenette lost her appetite and didn't feel like eating the rest.

After Yuichiro had left, Shinoa finished the rest of her own breakfast alone in silence. The other girl had reacted to the news exactly as she had expected. And even though Shinoa had often found herself at odds with Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose, this was one thing she had to agree with him on. Yuichiro Hyakuya was sociable enough at school and work when she needed to be but even so, she still didn't allow herself to get too close to others and kept everyone at arm's length, including Shinoa herself. *4*

But that was something that was going to have to change and soon. Especially if Yuichiro was serious about wanting to join the Moon Demon Company.

SSSSSS

October 19, 2020

After her most unpleasant conversation with Shinoa, Yuichiro spent the rest of the weekend in her dorm room reading, listening to music, and even singing to pass the time since she was not allowed to return to guard duty or go to the gym at JIDA headquarters to work out and train either. So upset was she at Guren's absurd orders that Yuichiro declined invitations to go out with her other classmates, particularly Satoshi, Daisuke, and Takeshi since they were the ones who ratted her out to him.

But no matter how upset she was at her fellow guards and classmates, Yuichiro knew that she had only herself to blame for her predicament. If the three boys had not reported her, they would have also been disciplined had any of the other guards who were on duty that night witnessed her act of insubordination as well.

Anyone who knew of Yuichiro's punishment would probably think Guren let her off a bit too easily but the girl herself knew better. Even though she was no longer living with him, Yuichiro swore that her guardian still enjoyed making her life difficult, even from a distance. She also did not appreciate Guren appointing Shinoa Hiragi, his subordinate in the Demon Army as well as Shinya's adoptive sister, to spy on her either. And even though the younger girl tried to keep it a secret, Yuichiro was still able to connect the dots pretty quickly. After all, it couldn't be a coincidence that they had every single class together since Yuichiro enrolled at Shibuya High, even homeroom.

Even so, that did not change the fact that Yuichiro's punishment still stands: she was not permitted to return to guard duty or take the Moon Demon Company entry exam without her guardian's seal of approval so the girl had no choice but to try and meet his ridiculous condition. Which was to make a new friend at school, one he actually approved of.

And that was going to be quite difficult if Guren thought the majority of the boys at her school were "hooligans." And since Yuichiro herself was so much of a tomboy as well as obsessed with her studies and training, making friends even with other girls was nigh impossible considering that she wasn't interested in shopping, fashion, gossiping, or dating for that matter. With her sharp hearing, Yuichiro often heard the other girls whisper unflattering comments about her when they thought she wasn't listening.

Comments such as how she was attracting the attention of boys left and right with nary a care.

And without even trying.

Not like any of that mattered to her. Yuichiro wasn't here to flirt, date, or be popular with her classmates. She was here to study and train, to perfect her sword fighting as well as other combat skills so that she could join the elite Moon Demon Company which, unfortunately, her hardass guardian also commanded and called the shots on who was allowed entry and who wasn't.

Even if it was Yuichiro herself.

Incredulously, most JIDA cadets actually thought Yuu had an unfair advantage being the ward of Guren Ichinose but the girl herself knew better. She knew he was not the kind of person to play favorites or hand over anything to anyone without them having truly earned it first. The time Guren gave Yuichiro her first sword after she assisted him in eliminating a rogue vampire during the Liberation of Shinjuku was proof of that.

Trying to shift her thoughts to more positive ones to begin her school day, Yuichiro opted to use darker eyeshadows and lip color than she normally did as she stood in front of her bathroom mirror putting on make-up. Unlike before, the girl actually intended to draw attention to herself so she could make a new friend, hopefully, one that her guardian will actually like and approve of. Afterward, Yuichiro brushed her long raven hair which she had not cut with the exception of her bangs since the day Guren discovered she was a girl three years ago.

While training or on guard duty, Yuichiro normally wore her hair in a high or low ponytail. But when going to school, she wore it in a side-braid in memory of her eldest orphanage sister, Akane, who had always wanted Yuichiro to grow out her hair and embrace her femininity. In three short years, Yuu's raven tresses had grown a whole yard from the spiky boyish cut she used to wear in her early childhood until she was thirteen.

After she had finished braiding her hair and securing it with a mint green tie to match the sash on her school uniform, Yuichiro made sure to smooth out the dark gray, green, and black sailor fuku of Shibuya High School clad on her person before putting on a pair of black thigh-high stockings and loafers. Though she was very fond of the pair Shigure had bought for her when she was twelve, Yuichiro had outgrown them by the time she was fifteen and required new ones for school.

And ever so thoughtful, the older raven-haired woman had bought her two new pairs of loafers before she moved out of Guren's home to join the Shibuya Guard. At sixteen years of age, Yuichiro Hyakuya now stood five feet, five inches and weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds, quite a change from the scrawny waif she was when Guren took her in. After four years dedicated to intense sword-fighting and martial arts training as well as sniping and physical conditioning, Yuichiro was no light or delicate flower. *5*

Nor did she want to be.

After her near death experience escaping Sanguinem as well as from falling off a waterfall ledge into a lake and having to be saved by Guren because she couldn't swim, Yuichiro vowed that she would never again allow herself to become a helpless "damsel in distress" as Westerners used to call it. Since then, the girl had put even more effort into her combat training as well as learning how to swim.

Before finally leaving her dorm, Yuichiro sprayed on some of the Gucci perfume she had received as a gift from Shinya and grabbed her black leather schoolbag that was set near the door. This was it. Today the ravenette was going to make her first attempt to find new friends in over a year since she enrolled at Shibuya High. If Yuichiro were still living with Guren, Sayuri, and Shigure, she might have asked the two older women to wish her luck because, with her guardian's difficult conditions, she was certainly going to need it.

Footnotes:

1. In canon, male!Yuu is often disobedient, going against orders frequently until he was suspended from the army at the beginning of the manga/anime timeline. Fem!Yuu normally follows orders without problems until someone doubts her ability to fight because of her gender, something she is sensitive about.

2. Male!Yuu and Shinoa did not meet until they were in 10th grade in the canon story. In my AU, fem!Yuu and Shinoa have known each other since 7th grade.

3. In canon, Guren often teases male!Yuu for being a virgin (cherry boy). But with fem!Yuu, I'd imagine he'd be quite protective of her chastity.

4. Male!Yuu is often anti-social and quite lazy when it comes to school and his studies since he is only interested in fighting vampires. Fem!Yuu studies hard and is sociable enough when she needs to be though she still keeps people at arm's length. Both need to learn the importance of trusting and working closely with others as a team.

5. At age 16, Male!Yuu stands about 5 feet, 7 inches in height and weighs 130lbs. Fem!Yuu is slightly smaller at 5 feet, 5 inches and weighing 120lbs.