Chapter Six – Successor

Author's Note: I do not own the Buso Renkin series and the characters of the original series. I own only the original characters of this fic, Sakuya Mutou, Kaworu Jounouchi, their siblings and friends, Phalene, some members of the Alchemist Army, and the enemy, the Tetsujin Juusan. Buso Renkin is the creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

Sakuya held the unconscious Kaworu in her arms as she glared at the humanoid homunculus before her. Reiko Motomiya was the school beauty of Ginsei Academy. She had so many boyfriends and had them on a leash. She even flirted with teachers, who she blackmailed or bribed just to sleep with them. Who would've guessed that someone like her would be the Homunculus that the Alchemist Army had been looking for? "How long are you going to hold your boyfriend?" she teased, crossing her arms.

"Sh-shut up!" Sakuya blushed, pointing at Reiko. "Kaworu-kun is NOT my boyfriend, for the last time! He's my tutor!" But why was she so defensive about it? Sakuya felt Kaworu move around in her arms, so she let him go to wake him up.

"Nn…" Kaworu groaned as staggered to his feet. "Sakuya-kun…stand back…" In a quick motion, he stood behind Reiko. Even she was surprised by his ambush. Kaworu then thrusted his claymore Buso Renkin into her back and through her stomach. The humanoid homunculus gasped as blood squirted from her mouth. She looked back at Kaworu and kicked him in his wound, sending him flying to a stack of boxes. "AGH!" he yelled and closed his eyes.

"Kaworu-kun!" Sakuya yelled and activated her Buster Sword Buso Renkin. The large sword appeared in her hand as she slashed downward, the cloth at the end of the hilt shining brightly. But as she swung the oversized blade, Reiko jumped into the air, leaving her uniform behind. She was wearing a bra and frilly panties, both black with a white butterfly on the center. "God, you're such a whore!" Sakuya growled and swung her blade again, only for it to be caught by Reiko and kicked aside so easily.

"You're too slow!" Reiko exclaimed and brought herself to Sakuya's position, kicking her stomach and sending her to the other side. She cackled as she landed, brushing off the dust from her beautiful body. Her wound from Kaworu's attack was exposed, but it slowly began to heal. "Do you even know the significance of the butterfly, you shrew?" she asked as Sakuya struggled to get back up. "This is my sign. My sign of loyalty Papillon! He may have stopped eating humans, but he will always be a Homunculus, and I will pick up where he left off!"

"You mean the buttefly man?" Sakuya questioned as she stood up. "If you were going to be like Papillon, you should at least work with other people than perverted disgusting sex-fiends!" If Kaworu heard that, he would be very upset with her.

"Don't insult me!" Reiko growled and bore her claws, charging at Sakuya by scratching at her. They were sharp, razor sharp. Sakuya had a hard time deflecting them with her sword. Mostly because the sword was big and bulky, it was hard to maneuver while Reiko was continuously slashing at her. "You don't know anything about Papillon! You don't know anything about my love for him!"

Meanwhile, back at the headquarters, Tokiko walked through the halls with her hand on a clipboard. Passing her were some of the Alchemist Warrior Trainees, playing around like high school kids, considering some of them were. "Stop running in the halls!" she exclaimed at the kids while the kids were out of sight. She sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. But as she heard the footsteps of boots, she growled and turned to punch the person behind her. "G-Gouta!"

Gouta blinked as his hand caught the punch. "Defensive as ever, I see," he grinned and put her hand down. "I came to give you this report that we received just earlier." He handed to her a yellow envelope to Tokiko, who opened it, her eyes widening with a gasp. "It seems people have spotted Warrior Kaworu chasing after the target. As of three hours ago, we've yet to hear from him."

Now Tokiko was worried. What of Sakuya? She bit her bottom lip as she gripped the paper tighter. "Sector B7 isn't too far! I'm going!"

Then Gouta took Tokiko's arm, preventing her from leaving. "Then you'll do what?" he asked her seriously. "You'll destroy the Homunculus, but what if something happens to Sakuya-chan? What will you do?" Tokiko stopped and closed her eyes, breaking into tears. Gouta took her into his arms to comfort her, but he had no intention of loving her like he used to. Though, this was a fantasy in his mind. "Believe in Sakuya-chan. From your reports, she's grown into a fine warrior. You just need to believe."

"Sakuya…"

Kaworu was still out, and Sakuya was almost beaten. She tried to stand up, but the wounds on her legs prevented her from standing without feeling pain. "That's what you get for insulting my Papillon!" Reiko growled and moved her arm back, ready to thrust her claws into Sakuya's brain. But she let her guard down, and Sakuya turned her blade upwards, slashing into Reiko's arm and cutting it off. Reiko screamed as the blood dripped, and she stood back a bit. Wait, why was she in pain? Her Homunculus mark wasn't destroyed. "You bitch! You goddamn bitch!"

"Reiko-san…" Sakuya muttered, questioning why Reiko was in so much pain. "Wait! Don't move! I'll-"

"Stay away from me, you damned witch!" Reiko snarled, slashing at her with her other claw. Sakuya fell back, hitting her head on the box. "I'm hideous! He'll never love me like this! I'll kill you!"

"The fact you are in pain proves that you are just like him," said a voice in the back. Kaworu had regained conciousness! "Papillon was an incomplete Homunculus, thus his mark never appeared. While yours is purely visible, you will continue to feel pain. It's your love for him and desire to be like him that's causing your Homunculus body to be so unstable. That's what you deserve…for all those you killed!" He dashed forward and thrusted his sword into her back again as she gasped, blood dripping from mouth. He turned the blade toward her mark and was ready to pull. "You shall not harm Sakuya-kun any farther!"

"PA-PIL-LOOOON!"

Before Kaworu knew it, he was sent flying toward the boxes once again. He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. What the hell just happened? What was that…ridiculous voice? Before he knew it, a grown man stood behind the bleeding Reiko, holding her in his arms. His hair was split in the middle, and he bore an orange butterfly mask. He was wearing a very revealing, yet elegant, black spandex suit, showing off his bulge, muscles, and slender body. "Y-You're…"

"Papillon-sama!" Reiko gasped, turning her blushed face to her savior. It truly was him, the urban legend himself. The Butterfly Man, Papillon. "Omigod, it's really you! You came to save me! Now…let's beat these weaklings together!"

"Now now," Papillon grinned and turned his head to Sakuya. "Why would I want to kill HIS daughter? After all, it wouldn't be fair if he came back alive to find his own daughter killed by my hands."

Sakuya's eyes widened. Was he another of her father's friends? No, he wasn't a friend. This man...seemed to treat her father like his rival. An archrival, maybe. "You…knew my father?" she asked and used her sword to stand up. "Please! Tell me all you know about him! Tell me where he is!"

"Shut your mouth!" Reiko yelled out, trying to keep Sakuya quiet. "How dare a mere human like you talk to the great Papillon-sama like that? You treat him with respect!"

"Hush now…" Papillon sighed, covering Reiko's face with his hand. "Being his daughter gives her all the respect from me. I'm willing to tell her everything she needs to know…but it's best for you to ask those in charge of him yourself." Those? Does he mean the Alchemist Headquarters? But where is that? How will she get there? "Now, I take my leave! Come!"

Reiko blinked and took her severed arm. "Wh-where are we going, Papillon-sama?"

"To the most elegant clothing store we can find!" Papillon seemed to laugh as he said this. "You must be fully dressed…if you wish to be my successor."

Reiko gasped, covering her mouth with her one arm. His…successor? This was the happiest day of her life! Every day, she fantasized of being with Papillon, but to be his successor…oh happy day! Then she turned to Sakuya and snarled. "You better get stronger, wench! I'll kill you myself the next time we see each other!"

"Reiko-san…" Sakuya muttered as the two took their leave. She was left with one thought in her head. Maybe she had to go to headquarters and straighten things out with them. Maybe they'll tell her where her father is. As she thought of this, Kaworu came up to her and lifted her up by the arm. "K-Kaworu-kun!"

"You're hurt as bad as I am," he smiled, ignoring the pain on his stomach. He carried her to the entrance of the warehouse, where Tokiko was waiting for them. She was teary eyed and ran towards the two. "But you did good…don't worry. Everything will be fine now. You just took your first step on becoming stronger."

Sakuya smiled as Tokiko held the two into her arms, as if Kaworu was her child as well. They didn't kill the target, but managed to drive her away. And with the mysterious Papillon's help, they ended her killing spree.

But by the entrance, where no one can see him, a male with squinting eyes and black hair with long bangs over those eyes watched them from the harbor, a snake-like grin appearing on his lips. "He's still alive…ohhh, I'm glad. So very glad…"