note: Once again, please review.
Chapter 7: Week Under One Roof
For the rest of the meeting, the group related the recent events to one another. They all tried to figure out where Neftier and her group may be hiding, but there were little to no clues as to their whereabouts, and Misaki was a fairly large city; on top of that, Neftier was virtually undetectable and unsensable. They also tried to decide on what to do about Hecate and how to stop the City Devouring.
"I've got a solution," Margery said, looking at Hecate wickedly, "and I'm sure the other Flame Haze here will agree with me." Hecate began to feel afraid again.
"Wait," Yuji said, "we can't kill her when she's so defenseless."
Hecate looked deeply at the boy defending her.
"If we leave her alive there'll be a huge risk that Neftier could devour the city," Satou said. "Sakai, didn't you make a vow that you would defend this city?"
"Satou?" Yuji said. "Since when did you care about the city so much?"
"I don't," Satou replied, "I'm just pointing out that leaving her alive is a fatal risk."
Yuji clenched his fist. "You're talking just like a Flame Haze," he said.
Satou shrugged. Yuji continued.
"It's true that I want to protect this city," he said. "But not at the expense of an innocent, defenseless being."
"Innocent?" Wilhelmina said. "The Supreme Throne Hecate has destroyed many Flame Haze and Denizens in the past. She has devoured towns singlehandedly. She attempted to harness the power of the Reiji Maigo on at least one occasion. She also tried to steal your memories. And finally, she betrayed you, all of you, in the last hour of Konoe Fumina. Do you still say we should spare her?"
"Risks. Past crimes. Betrayal," Tiamat said.
Yuji thought hard and looked deep within himself. He held no hate nor anger against Hecate, even after all the things she had done to him; but he did not love—or even like—her either, at least, he did not love the Crimson Lord side of her. He looked at Hecate. She did not appear as a powerful leader of Crimson Lords and Denizens, instead he saw a helpless, fragile girl, he saw Konoe Fumina. He looked to Shana.
"This is your decision Yuji," Alastor said. "You have shown great wisdom time and time again. I will trust in whatever judgment you make."
"It's your call Yuji," Shana said in agreement with her contractor.
"She stays alive," Yuji said, finally. "She'll need protection from Neftier though."
"But who would be willing enough to defend one of our most feared enemies?" Margery said.
"I'll watch her," Shana said. "She'll stay here, with me and Wilhelmina, at least until Neftier and her group are no longer a threat."
"It might get too crowded here," Wilhelmina said. "And you two had already decided to stay together."
"We only have three choices for hideouts: here, Satou's house, and my house," Yuji proposed, "but what would my mother think if two girls decided to sleep in my house over the week? Besides that, I want to keep my mom out of this."
"So it's either here or my house?" Satou said.
"Yeah," Yuji said. "Sorry about this."
Satou sighed. "Well, my parents won't really complain if I have more housemates. And nothing really happens around my house…"
"Besides Margery stinking the place up in her sleep with her booze breath," Marcosias said before getting punched again by Margery.
"But what'll you tell your mom?" Margery asked. "That you've got to stick with a little brat and an intensely powerful little girl, to make sure you can keep out of trouble from an insane freak who wants to eat up the whole city?"
"Um…no," Yuji replied. "Maybe I can tell her that I'm having training over the week at a friend's house."
"Hmph. Like that'll work," Margery said.
"And who were you calling 'a little brat'?" Shana said.
While Satou, the Flame Haze, and the Mystes discussed plans on one side, Hecate seemed to be forgotten, except by Yoshida. The human girl sat by the Supreme Throne.
"Um… Konoe-san?" she said.
Hecate just faced the girl beside her. "Do you… do you love Sakai-kun?" Yoshida asked.
Hecate's pale skin turned crimson. "I-I-I don't know," she replied. "Whenever I'm near him I feel this strange emotion, like I always want to stay by his side. I really like it. It fills me so much."
Yoshida smiled. "Shana-chan felt the exact same way."
Hecate looked at the said Flame Haze, she was arguing with Margery for some reason. She turned back to Yoshida.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Well, I've actually been in love with him for a long time," Yoshida answered. "However, I only had the courage to tell him last year. I may not be able to help him much in his battles like Shana-chan, but I still do what I can." She fingered the cross-shaped Hougu Pheles gave her. "Can you say that you love Sakai-kun?"
Hecate bowed her head. "I'm not sure if I even have the ability to love," she said. "For thousands of years I was a cold, heartless, and empty Crimson Lord."
"I once told another Crimson Lord that there shouldn't be any difference in love, whether it be for a human or Crimson Lord," Yoshida said. "Please ask yourself, was your love for him the main reason you came here? If so, I think I can help convince the others to let you stay for as long as you like."
"You don't want me to go away?" Hecate asked.
"Love can really change a person, Shana-chan and Satou-san and Tanaka-san proved that. I also changed because of my love for Sakai-kun. If you have truly fallen in love with him, you can have the courage to do anything, even going against your past, no matter how long and horrible it is, and turn back into the girl whose company we enjoyed; and I would be proud to accept you as another rival for Sakai-kun's affections, Konoe-san."
KSYHMSKSHK
Once Yuji had permission from his carefree mother, the gang took their trip to Satou's house. No one spoke, for everyone had to keep their senses on alert in case there was another unexpected attack. Halfway through their walk, Wilhelmina broke away from the group to file a report at Outlaw. Sometime later, Yoshida also departed for her home.
When they reached the house, Margery spoke. "Under our roof we have one strict rule: the bar is mine," she said. "No one drinks my booze without me knowing."
"Why would we want to drink your alcohol anyway?" Shana said boldly.
"And since when did you make up rules in our home?" Satou said.
Satou had one extra guestroom available, but Yuji would have to stay in it with the two girls. It had a bed large enough to fit two people, and a futon was also brought in.
"I'll leave you guys to decide who has to sleep on the floor," Satou said before leaving the two girls and the Mystes in the room.
"Yuji, you and I are going to have the bed," Shana said, putting aside the bag of clothes Wilhelmina made her bring, "Hecate sleeps on the futon."
Yuji flushed. "Wha? Wait… I-I-I can't sleep on the same bed with… with," he flustered. "I mean, I think it's better if Konoe-san shared the bed with you."
"Stop calling her Konoe!" Shana said. "She's Hecate, the Supreme Throne. When are you going to get that through your head?"
"Shana," Yuji said gravely. He had never said anything that seriously since the end of the Seishuu Festival. "Shana, look at her. Does she look like a cold, heartless Crimson Lord to you?"
Shana looked at Hecate, who sat on a chair with her head bowed. She seemed so sad, lonely and vulnerable, she hardly looked like the Supreme Throne many Flame Haze and Denizens feared. Rather, she appeared to be nothing but a weak, human girl.
"Shana, please give her a chance, I already have," Yuji said with softness in his tone.
"Fine," Shana said reluctantly. "But if she tries to betray us again, I won't hold back." She approached Hecate.
"You're going to share the bed with me," she said coldly.
Hecate just nodded.
YSHYSHYSH
Yuji, Satou, Shana and Hecate had dinner together in the dining room while Margery was drunk again in the bar. No one spoke during the meal, for everyone was busy with their own thoughts. Yuji was trying to decipher Neftier's plan for City Devouring, Satou was thinking of how he could assist Margery besides guiding her with the Haridan, Shana was trying to decide if she could trust Hecate, Alastor was thinking if the Supreme Throne could have really changed, and Hecate was pondering on Yoshida's words and tried to see if she truly loved Yuji.
After the meal, Hecate and Shana made their way back to the guestroom. Yuji was about to follow them when Satou stopped him.
"Sakai, there was another reason I let you stay here," he said. "Margery-san won't train me, but I want to fight by her side. You probably understand how I feel."
"So you want me to train you?" Yuji asked.
"Not you, Shana-chan," Satou said. "I want to join you two in your training."
"Huh?" Yuji was somewhat surprised at this. "I guess it's worth a try. But we can't do it tonight, Shana's too out of shape from the two fights today."
"I can wait," Satou said, dismissing the Mystes.
YKYKYKYK
Yuji lay fast asleep on the futon as Shana and Hecate lay on the bed, facing opposite directions.
"Hecate, just because I'll protect you doesn't mean I like you," Shana said. "As soon as Neftier's gone, I'll personally kick you out of Misaki."
"Where will I go?" Hecate asked.
"I don't know and I don't care," Shana replied. "I don't trust you."
"Shana," Alastor said in a low voice, "don't you think you're just saying this out of jealousy?"
"I'm not sure Alastor," Shana replied.
"What will it take for me to gain your trust?" Hecate asked.
Shana did not answer, she had already fallen asleep.