Chapter 7

Disclaimer, Please refer to previous chapters

Hello again, I'm going to be working on this secondary story alongside I Fell as a means of inspiration on other such muse ^-^

Warning: May contain OCs, OOCness, AU and other applicable nonsense

Note: And that is the seventh chapter done after much work and a slight block. Enjoy!

On with the story


[Many years ago]

She remembered…

It was dark and the icy rain poured above them. She was about eleven at the time, but even then her golden eyes had already seen the horrors of the world and the Empire, and had lost much of their innocent light. She was dressed in the clothing she had swiped from one of the warehouses in the Empire Capital, and she doubted it would be noticed or if it would be the last time she would have to do so. It barely made any protection against the wind and the rain that soaked right through the thin fabric.

She had been hiding in an alleyway, after she had a run in with the guards. It was the footsteps that alerted her. It was the first time Leone met her onee-san.

The woman was dressed in a black hoodie that did nothing to hide her figure, reached her upper thighs obscuring whether the woman was wearing lower clothing, it had a strangely shaped blue shaped zip on the equally strange large zipper. Aside from the black pair of boots that had unusual heels, if the woman wore lower clothing then it was concealed. Ah yes she forgot to mention how much the entire ensemble made the woman look cat-like. It had orange ears on the hood and the closed sleeves ended in what looked like paws. That along with the fluidly moving yellow tail, blotched with brown fur attracted her eyes.

The woman's face was completely obscured, only showing a pair of red eyes and a fanged grin. The only amount of skin actually being showed by the woman was at the gap between the bottom of her jacket and the top of her boots, revealing darker skin, and her hair, the twin pigtails emerging from the lower back of her hood through openings, brown hair, streaked with yellow[1].

The woman moved with unnatural grace, it entranced the little one as she watched her move. She had seen it in only the most skilled dancers in the slums. Even back then without Lionelle she could feel how dangerous the woman in front of her was. It literally oozed from the woman's frame.

"Well now, what do we have here?" the woman muttered, pinning the young girl in place by her scarlet gaze, the smile on her face(?) widening.

Leon said nothing, staring at her knees intently, and her arms tightened around her legs. She hoped that the woman would lose interest in her soon and would leave, she had enough trouble to deal with. She was shocked when she found a pawed sleeve lifting her chin and she found herself face to face with the woman. Even with how close she was, she found that she could not make any of the contours of the woman's face aside from the same red eyes and fanged smile.

"Who might you be little one?" the woman cooed soothingly, Leone relaxed slightly at the kind tone, not by a lot thought. She knew too much to truly relax even at kindness, if it really was kindness.

Leone mumbled a reply, trying to look away from the glowing red eyes, but was unable to.

"Hmmm, speak up sweetling," the strange woman coaxed kindly.

"…Leone." The girl muttered loud enough for the other woman to hear.

"Leone," the cat lady(?) stated amusedly, more to herself than to the girl, "Hmmm, what are the chances that a lion and a tiger meet?"

This only raised a confused look on the girl's face, which the woman chuckled at.

"Ah but I digress, you look cold," the woman stood up from her crouched position, "Wouldn't you prefer somewhere warm to stay."

Leone said nothing, knowing full well that the other woman was offering her a place to stay. She also knew how many children from the slums were taken in like this and were never seen again.

"I promise to not harm a single hair on your head," the woman replied, the genuine kindness in her tone not lost to Leone, "And I always keep my word."

The woman offered a hand/paw/sleeve for the girl to take, who despite experiences saying otherwise, was greatly include to accepting the offer. It was just something in the woman's voice.

"Who are you?" Leone asked as she hesitantly accepts the paw in front of her.

"I have many names young one," the woman answered, ignoring the fact that Leone chose to keep a grasp on her paw/hand/sleeve as they walked, "But you can call me onee-san."


"Onee-san!" Leone in her mid-teens exclaimed excitedly as she jumped on her guardians back.

The woman, who wished to be known as either onee-san or Tora, showed no signs of strain when the teenager dropped on her while she walked at the same passive gait.

The teenager had changed from the stolen clothing she had that night many years ago to that similar her big sis albeit in beige instead of black with a red zip instead of blue, along with a white-tipped black cat tail and the addition of the brown belt with a circular buckle with a hexagonal protrusion in the middle, over the hoodie. The ensemble had been specially made by Tora after she had seen Leone with the belt. She knew exactly what the belt was and so created the outfit to augment the Teigu the younger girl had unknowingly acquired. It seemed to work, if her face concealed in darkness, showing only red eyes and a fanged grin, and the cat tail swishing excitedly behind the girl was any indication[2].

It also helped to make the teen look absolutely adorable in her eyes.

"Did'ya miss me!" teenager crooned ecstatically, Tora could only chuckle at the younger girl's energy, as she moved her arms to fully support her weight.

"Indeed little one," replied in the same subdued and kind tone she always spoke in, "You've gotten bigger."

"Hehe yup," Leone grinned proudly, "Soon I'm gonna be bigger and stronger than you."

"Is that so?" Tora asked kindly, as she walked them through the alleys to their hideout.

"Uh-huh, I'm gonna be big and strong," the girl cheered loudly, waving a pawed sleeve in the air, "So I can protect you onee-san."

"Oh my, how ambitious of you," Tora replied coyly.

"Wah! Onee-san I'm being serious!" Leone exclaimed, using her pawed sleeves to reach over Tora's shoulders and squeeze the older woman's breasts in retaliation.

"A-ah, Leone w-where do you think you're touching!" the older woman yelled, running at an incredible pace in an attempt to dislodge the girl, "That is improper."

"Boing, boing!" was the girl's gleeful reply as her grasp on the soft mounds never wavered. Not even when Tora began to bound up the walls.

It took a while, but eventually Leone was tired out from being dragged around like a flag. Her onee-san had even taken to jumping the rooftops, who does that in this day and age. It left her arms sore, but she was alright with it, after all it means that onee-san had to carry her back to their hideout. Her training must have been paying off if she could hold on for that long.

"You still need more training if you want to protect me," Tora uttered gently to the girl on her back, "You'll need to become at least as strong as the Lighting One[3] of the Empire before you have the strength necessary to protect me, let alone defeat me."

"T-then I'll do it! I'll become as strong as the lighting guy so I can protect you," Leon yelled as enthusiastically as she could despite how tired she was.

"Well then, we better hurry back home, a warrior needs her rest after all."

"I'll protect you onee-san… *mumbling noises* …I promise."

"Uh, Leone?"

She was answered with the distinctive sound of snoring.

"Oh Leone… I guess you're still just a kitten after all."


Leone cuddled closer to her to a sleeping Tora. Looking at the window she saw the full moon out in the night sky. Looking back at her guardian, she noticed that once again, Tora had chosen to keep her hood up.

Being the curious teen she was, Leone slowly moved her hands towards the hood, making sure not to rouse the older woman. She had always been curious what she looked like underneath the veil of darkness the hood would cast. Granted, she could simply ask, but where was the fun in that.

What was it her onee-san always said?

"Leone, get away from my ramen!"

No, not that, the other one.

"If you're going to get in trouble for hitting someone, might as well hit them hard."

Close, but not really. Either way, trying to be sneaky was more fun than just asking. There was no sense of achievement if she just asked.

Just a little closer, she thought, her hands, which were freed from the pawed sleeves, grasping the hood. As she slowly pulled the hood away and the dark veil slowly dissipated instead of a sleeping face, she was met instead with vibrant blue eyes staring at her, shining with amusement and mirth.

"And just what are you doing still awake?" Tora said, causing Leone to jump in fright, much like a cat.

"Um… well you see… umm…" Leone fumbled, trying to come up with an excuse, but finding nothing confessed, "I was… trying to look under your hood."

The older woman giggled gently next to her, before raising her own hands and pulled down the hood the rest of the way.

Along with the blue eyes she found that all her features were different. Instead of the brown hair streaked in yellow, Leone saw blonde hair, much like her own, where she expected darker skin, instead found a lightly tanned face. Leone has never seen anyone as beautiful as her onee-san, except her face was familiar.

Then it hit her, 'the Angel of the Empire' was holding her in their bed.

In her mind, here was one of the reasons that the Empire was corrupt, but at the same time, she couldn't find it in herself to hate the angel that has given her everything. Given her a home, a means to protect herself and a family. With all she had given, she simply couldn't.

"What will you do now?" the Angel asked her gently, her voice never wavering.

Leone barely hesitated in her choice, bringing her head back into the woman's bountiful bosom and returning to the warm and loving embrace before her. No other words were needed, as her onee-san tightened her grasp around her, before she too settled back into her sleep. Unseen to her Tora smiled gently at the little one held firmly in her arms.

I promise onee-san


[Present]

Naru blushed softly at the memories, she remembered just how cute and affectionate Leone had been when she was younger. Which also led to the question of where the outfit she had made was. She hadn't seen it on Leone when they reunited after the girl had left to join the Revolutionary Army, with Naru encouraging her. True her current outfit was, well, fitting, but it just didn't have the pure cuteness factor her old clothing had.

So lost in thought, she barely noticed when she made it to her living quarters, and had sat on one of the couches in her living room. She also barely registered the intricate blood red tea cup and saucer placed in her hands or Esdeath pouring her tea for her.

"My lady, are you okay?" Kurome, who was sitting across from her, asked, her sword laid bear on her lap.

"It's nothing to trouble yourself with," Naru replied gently, barely hiding her blush, or the bite marks on her neck that was barely covered by her turtleneck. Her less than discrete attempts of trying to cover up her neck more only brought unwanted attention to it.

"Oh, what's this?" Esdeath asked from behind her, pulling at Naru's shirt. The blonde's attempt to evade only succeeded in Naru dropping her tea on the floor and exposing her neck, or more importantly the markings Leone made on her body.

"M-my lady… are those…" Kurome trailed off, the rest was implied.

Inwardly she thought, "Who dared to touch my (future) wife?"

My lady… please tell me who touched you so that I may eradicate their existence from this world," Esdeath was more blunt with her thoughts, as she wondered if it was Najenda one upping her again.

They're both looking at me, Naru thought to herself and to her inner voices, What should I do?

Why don't you tell them the truth?

That's stupid, no more suggestions from you Menma

Simply redirect the conversation.

They're too fixated Mito, than wouldn't work

Why not run away?

Menma, what did I just sa—wait...

"Umm… well you see—"Naru promptly jumped out the opened window of the living room.

"Did she just—?"

"Yep."

"I see."

"…"

"…"

"AFTER HER!"


[Meanwhile with Naru]

Brilliant idea Menma, now what?

What?

I didn't really think we would get this far

So?

Sooo~ you're on your own… bye~

She barely got any further than the inner gardens of her quarters when she was pinned by her two comrades amidst the gardens. It only got much worse when a third weight dropped on her and she saw the distinctive purple of an extremely amused, and for some reason aroused, Sumire on top of her.

"My lady we need to have a talk."

She was their superior, but that didn't make them less intimidating. Nor did it stop the shiver that went down her spine at the way they looked at her. It wasn't necessarily a bad feeling.

She didn't need to look at Sumire to know she planned this… somehow…


[Night Raid Base]

Within her room, Leone gently sighed as she finished reminiscing about the days when she first met her onee-san. Those were good times, she thought as she put on her old coat, the one Tora had given her all those years ago. It had been stored in her room ever since the last time it was damaged

Through the years it has faced many obstacles, the pawed sleeve endings have been torn off, the torn endings now ending just below her elbows. The hood on her head didn't cast the veil it used to, but it did make her eyes a blood red and the cat tail remained, sprouting out the moment she placed the jacket on. Next she placed her strangely heeled boots, which were still same length as her current boots so it barely made a difference overall.

Looking at herself in the mirror she was hit with the nostalgia. Maybe she would wear it again for old times' sake, it does supplement Lionelle after all.

Even with her Teigu dormant she could still feel her senses enhanced to what it would have been if it was active. Tora's[4] creation was still powerful, even if it did lack the power it once had when it was still fully intact.

Just wearing the thing made her remember better times. A time when she was held by her most beloved onee-san.


End

Sooo~ I'm gonna leave that there

Refer to above numbers

[1] Essentially Torakaka from Blazblue which I still do not own

[2] It's Taokaka ^-^, I know she's(Tao) not a lion, just roll with it

[3] That's Budo for those who didn't get it

[4] Naru will be addressed as Tora when with Leone, since in her mind Naru is still Tora

Another chapter done whoopee

MOAR blatant Blazblue reference

That's all for now, hoped you like the ooze that poured from my head

As always thanks for reading! ^.^