IX - Duty and Friendship
Shizuru stood perched on the ledge of a tall building, facing the person across from her. This person whom she knew was going to find her sooner or later, especially after what had so recently happened with Natsuki.
"Good to see you again, Haruka," Shizuru said with her usual smile, "It's been a while, has it not?"
"...Yeah," the blonde angel replied, staring into her friend's eyes, "... I don't need to tell you why I'm here, do I?"
"Of course not, after all, I'm one of them now... and not because I earned it the way the others did. Oh you must be furious that someone found a loophole," Shizuru continued to hold her mask in place, "But really, can't we talk first? We haven't seen each other in so long, shouldn't we catch up?"
"Don't!" Haruka barked, "Don't even pretend to know what's happening! How can you be happy with this? You were never the type to want power... you were... always happy."
"Are you saying I'm unhappy now?"
"...Yes," she choked on her words, "Somewhere in whoever it is standing in front of me now, somewhere inside this person I know that Shizuru is unhappy."
The chestnut-haired angel only shrugged and hopped down from her position, taking a few steps towards her old friend.
"If that's what you think then I cannot change it, but I am myself. Yes, my time here has changed me, but it is for the better... there is no greater sensation of being alive than passion," she sighed, "I've been dead so long I've forgotten what it was like. It's a wonderful feeling... to desire something, anything."
"So... you're saying you don't want to come back?"
"Why would I?" Shizuru said with a frigid tone, "All that's waiting for me in Heaven is a prison cell, or worse. You shouldn't even have to ask."
Haruka looked down shamefully. After all, she knew this would happen, that's why it would be her who had to come. She had to be the one to pry her friend away from this; it was for her own good. The type of power Shizuru had now was not natural for her, for it was mistakenly given to her, not an inherent talent. Only a few of Heaven's most elite warrior class angels grew to be this strong.
And Shizuru's naturally peaceful personality must have been crushed instantly if it all hit her in one shot...
"Then so be it," Haruka said, meeting her friend's fierce gaze while materializing her set of golden chains in her hands, "... I'm sorry."
Ignoring the tears in her eyes, the blonde angel whipped her weapons at Shizuru, who easily dodged it with demonic speed. The chain crashed into the cement and sent blocks of it falling into the streets.
"Be careful," Shizuru teased, "You of all people would hate to hurt an innocent."
Haruka remained silent, not giving into the words meant to spur her into a rage. She turned to see her friend once again crouched on top of a metal beam that jutted out of an adjacent building. The urban decay of this area was a decent battlefield for them, with not many people out, especially in the rain, to get caught in the crossfire. For the time being, even as a second lashing was coming her way, Shizuru wasn't going to be the first one to take this fight to the skies. In fact, she wished to play more, and was so confident in her flying ability that she knew if they were in the air, she would be driven to deal fatal damage to her friend. So instead of directing herself upwards, the angel simply dropped from the pole and onto the roof.
Perfect... She thought as she was now beneath the outstretched chain and Haruka's arm was still raised to complete her follow-through. Shizuru took this opportunity to rush in at close range and deliver an open palmed hit to the blondee's abdomen. Haruka's eyes widened in shock as she was thrown back, coughing from the force of the hit. Her theory had been proven correct for certain now. This strength was not that of a common angel, or even a noble.
...She really is one of them...
Haruka heaved once and got to her feet, clutching the bruised area for a moment while keeping her eye contact steady. Shizuru on the other hand continued to smile, differently now though. Part joy, part malice... and part sadness. Her once bright red eyes, so full of life, were slowly fading into a dried brown. Her body would show what her mind refused to accept: that despite how alive she felt, she was not better off because of it.
"I thought you would have used a protection shield for that."
"I didn't think I had to," Haruka scoffed back, "Now I know better. Thanks for that. You reminded me I can't be naive just because we're friends..." A light green glow started to rise up around the blonde like steam, "...I will take you back!"
Roaring with might, Haruka charged again, using white magic to shield herself and her chain coiled around her wrists for leverage as she threw them forward. With her agility increased as well, she actually managed to securely close in on a surprised Shizuru, who only froze in shock as the whip that had originally missed her, began to swiftly coil back around and latch onto her wrist causing her to howl in pain. Then, when Haruka was close enough, she pulled hard on the chain, attempting to drag her friend into the ground. It backfired however when Shizuru pivoted with the spin she was forced into and opened both her wings at once, hitting the blonde hard in the torso and knocking her away again.
Both angels hissed at their wounds, but while Haruka was in the process of getting back up, Shizuru had snapped into a more violent mentality. The burn of being touched by these chains took the fun out of this, it was time to step things up. She opened her unharmed hand and took aim at the other of her kind. With a scowl, she conjured a large ball of flames to form in her grasp before firing it directly at Haruka.
As expected, the only way for her to dodge was to fly; part of Shizuru's plan to make this even more elaborate. Haruka flapped her wings powerfully and hovered above the molten concrete dripping off the side of the roof. Contrasting her choice in black magic, the stare that followed her friend into the sky was icy. The dark-winged angel remained standing in one position, steam rising from her palm, observing the other who seemed to take this time to rest while floating.
"Please Shizuru, stop this fight and come back with me! The less you resist the more likely you'll be able to last through a trial!"
"Possibly, but I'm not willing to risk what would happen if that didn't go as I hoped. Especially since I do not regret using myself to save Natsuki."
Haruka grit her teeth.
"So, all of this was for that girl after all... Here I was hoping there was a part of you who did it for yourself, but no, of course not... you're way too kind to cause this all for your-"
"Go back," Shizuru cut her off, "While I expected a fight, I do not want it. Return now before you are seriously injured by me."
The blondee sighed.
"I can't do that. The fact that you're fighting with magic gives me more reason to continue," she started to crack her chain like a whip, preparing to defend, "Normal angels can't use black magic!"
Shizuru simply smirked and kicked off the ground, flying swiftly toward Haruka at a speed which made her nearly invisible. While the latter braced herself for the impact of another blow, she was surprised to see a pair of crimson orbs stop right before her own. Even though they were both moving to stay in the air, their bodies remained still as Shizuru spoke.
"Since when have I been a normal angel?" she replied before using her friend's stunned mental state to smash another ball of fire into the holy chains.
-0-
Natsuki was racing along the streets on her motorbike, searching for Shizuru but finding nothing more than empty streets and skies.
If I haven't found her yet it's probably because she wants to be hidden... Tch.
Not caring about any other drivers on the road, the vampire hit her breaks, planted a foot on the pavement and spun her vehicle around to begin driving in the opposite direction. She was heading towards the industrial district. Being the abnormally fast biker, Natsuki was finding her way to her destination fairly quickly, but still had no idea how to find Shizuru. However, her mind was too occupied to take note of a designer car pulling out of a parking space and following her.
Then, on cue, a flash that appeared to be sparks erupted over a rooftop. The navy-haired girl slowed her bike for a moment to see if she could see anything in the dark. To her disfavour, her eyes could catch a glimpse at no more than subsequent spark flashes in the sky. In any case, Natsuki knew she had found the girl she was looking for, and judging from what she saw, there was a fight going on... in the air.
Another angel...!
The demon pulled to a screeching halt at the base of the building and looked around to get a better view of what was going on above her. Even with the rain falling onto her face, Natsuki could still see the frightening sight of two angels in battle, and became oddly entranced by its fantastical form.
If I didn't know any better... I'd say they were dancing...
But unfortunately, she did know better, and intended to put a stop to this. The girl bent down for a split second before launching her body upward and onto the ledge of a window, and then onto another, and another until she reached the top. She heaved her breaths as she witnessed Shizuru and Haruka locked onto each other and diving towards the cement. With both of their wings flapping, they looked like two falcons caught in each other's talons.
"Shizuru!" Natsuki cried out as it appeared Haruka had won the wrestling match, landing on Shizuru and denting the rooftop.
Although before the blonde even had the chance to react to the demon's presence, Shizuru had recovered and was on the offensive again. The latter rose quickly, pumping her wings with all her strength to ram into Haruka's body and attempt to take her down once more. However, just as it happened last time, the latter was by far the stronger of the pair and was able to shift at the last moment to drill Shizuru into the cement again. It was a minor error in the dark-angel's judgement, caused primarily by acting on the first thing that came to mind. Admittedly not one of her better decisions, but she had been fighting so long and retained more stamina than her friend.
Natsuki was about to step in when the shimmering golden chains reflected in her emerald eyes. She gasped inwardly as the memory struck her. The arched points on them, the glow they held, it was from the first time she became a demon. It was this type of weapon that angels used to capture their prey.
I'm not going to let Shizuru be taken! Not then, not ever!
Haruka and Shizuru were now across from each other, both apparently preparing for their final clash. The former with her chain and the latter with her flames, the two charged. Yet, they were interrupted. Natsuki was not going to risk Shizuru being hurt anymore, and wanted to know first and foremost what was happening. Using her own extreme speed and strength, the navy-haired girl dashed in between the two friends and gripped each by the wrist. She pivoted once due to the momentum, but slowed and held them both in place until they set down their attacks.
"What the hell is going on here?" she asked in shock, letting go once both seemed calm, "Shizuru, who is this?"
Before she could respond, Haruka firmly stood her ground and introduced herself.
"A denizen of Heaven and Shizuru's friend," she watched Natsuki like a hawk, assuring that she wouldn't make a move against her, but was surprised when the navy-haired girl seemed to take her words to heart.
"I think I've seen you before... once... in my memory..."
Haruka nodded.
"I was the one who sealed you the night you became a demon-"
"And the one who ordered me to kill you," Shizuru intervened, "While Haruka is a dear friend of mine, she can be a bit too dutiful, isn't that right?"
The blonde merely rolled her eyes and turned her gaze away from Natsuki who looked at Shizuru, stepping closer to see if her wounds were healing properly. Once she was secure in knowing her love was going to be alright, the demon returned to face Haruka.
"What was going on then? Why were you fighting?" while her emerald gaze was fierce, it was not necessarily threatening, "Is it because of me?"
"In essence," the blonde replied bluntly, "This is all because of you. You turned her into one of them."
Shizuru snapped again and was about to charge when Natsuki gripped her shoulders and held her back.
"No! Don't fight!" she cried, "Shizuru... she's right..."
Haruka was visibly taken aback by this sort of reply. While she predicted her friend's response accurately, she intended on having to defend herself against the demon as well. Instead, she was surprised to see Natsuki turn to her with a sad expression.
"This is my fault... and I'm sorry for everything... You lost a friend because of me, and you're even fighting because of me... And all I can say is thank you," she looked at her wrists, "Thank you for putting these on me so that I wouldn't hurt innocent people, or Shizuru... but I guess I did anyways..."
"It isn't your fault," Shizuru interjected, wrapping herself around the navy-haired girl.
Haruka continued to stare, unsure of how to respond, but took to clearing her throat and given a further explanation.
"I have come to bring Shizuru back to Heaven. We have been trying to find ways for a long time now, and while this is not at all the situation we had hoped for, it is still an opportunity for her to come back."
An arrow of loneliness pierced Natsuki's heart as she looked back at Shizuru, who remained cold towards her supposed friend.
"I'm aware of the relationship the two of you have... and while it saddens me to have to separate you, it must be done if Shizuru is to return to her home."
"There's a catch," Natsuki replied, "What is it?"
"... She is a criminal and will be treated as such."
"That - I can't let happen," Natsuki said confidently as she stepped forward, out of Shizuru's hold, "If she were going to be treated as she was before, then I would gladly allow her to choose between staying or returning. But even if she wished it for her pride, I won't let her be a prisoner! Not when it's my fault! If anything you should take me back instead!"
Shizuru's eyes widened as she watched Natsuki proclaim her guardianship; while Haruka merely scowled and held her chains tighter. The rain started to let up, time was running out.
"An angel's job is to practice justice, not make deals with demons. Shizuru will face her own punishment!" and with the flick of her wrist, the blonde threw forward her golden whip, but it was intercepted.
Natsuki leaped towards Haruka and tackled her to the floor, altering the trajectory of her chains as well as getting her out of the way.
"Shizuru! Go!" she yelled.
The angel complied and spread her wings, taking flight into the night sky, deeper into this broken piece of the city. A nearby car started its engine and started to drive after the shadow.
Natsuki and Haruka continued to wrestle on the cement until the demon was sure Shizuru was far enough away. She allowed herself to be kicked off and rushed to the edge of the building, jumping down into the alley and mounting her Ducati. The blonde cursed and beat the concrete with her fist, looking at the sky to see a swirl of clouds begin to form. Her time in this world was up, and if she did not return the situation would only worsen. Leaving the couple be for now, Haruka swiftly flew upwards into the misty violet sky.
-0-
The angel moved easily back through the portal made for her, landing at the bottom of the ocean and swimming upwards to the beach. Haruka broke through the surface and hovered over the ocean for a few moments, letting the remaining droplets fall off of her as she looked ahead at Reito and Yukino who were awaiting her return. Upon seeing their sad expressions, Haruka turned to head back alone but was quickly stopped by the other two.
"Haruka-chan..." the brunette muttered as she paused to embrace her, "I'm sorry it didn't work..."
"We saw everything... I'm going to meet with the elders and see what I can do about delaying a direct ambush. You two should go home and take the night off," Reito said before heading up to the sky palace.
"This... nothing is how it's supposed to be!" Haruka screamed, "Why is Shizuru the one paying the price? And why is that demon so willing to sacrifice herself? That's not like them at all... This... nothing like this has happened before..."
"Maybe... Maybe Kuga-san will be able to help us..." Yukino said shyly as she started guiding the blonde back to their home.
"What kind of place is this, where I have to put my trust in a demon?"
-0-
Back on earth, Shizuru continued to soar over the desolate industrial sector, looking down every so often to assure that Natsuki was close enough behind. She also noticed that the clouds seemed to clear and the rain had stopped.
No doubt Haruka went back alone... She thought, turning a corner and looking down again.
Ara?
The navy Ducati seemed to disappear and was replaced with a black sports car, a rather familiar one at that. The angel smirked and turned again, testing the driver to see if she truly was being followed. By the time that proved to be true, Shizuru had already formulated a plan. Folding her wings briefly, she dove down into the thin driveways the divided the different factories, aware of the path she was taking. Suddenly, the girl rounded a corner, followed by the car, but took a sharp turn upwards to avoid being hit by the dead end.
The driver on the other hand was forced to slam on the brakes, avoiding a major crash, but throwing herself forward violently and denting the sides of her vehicle on dumpsters. The girl shook her head side to side, regaining her bearings, and was about to step outside when there was a heavy thud on the hood of her car. Shizuru was standing confidently on it, waiting for further movement.
"Whatever could you want, following me around all night?"
Just then, the roof pulled back, revealing the driver of the convertible. Nao stood up in her seat, but still couldn't manage to scratch the steel shield the angel made for herself. There was nothing she could say. All she wanted to express was in her claws, which elongated in reaction to her emotions.
"You..." she hissed between her bared fangs, her lime eyes shining brightly between frayed ends of red hair over her face, "You took my sister from me!"
The vampire jumped at the angel, using the top of her windshield as a step towards her all-too-confident opponent. Shizuru hardly made an attempt to stop the girl, simply stepping to the side, allowing Nao to pass her in mid air before rushing up behind and slamming her head into the brick wall; using her forearm to pin the demon's neck in place.
"Why're you so damn quiet! HUH! You aren't even gonna deny that you took her from me!" Nao screamed, trying to squirm her way free but to no avail.
"Why would I deny it?" that calm accented voice scathed the redhead's ears, "...It is my victory after all."
"Damn you!" Nao roared, this time fuelled enough to break loose and throw Shizuru back. She didn't seem to care that the angel could - and did - hover as she listened.
"Your victory over me? Why do you hate me? Is that why you're doing this? Because you hate me?"
"Hmph," was the sturdy reply, "Such a self centered brat, as always. I took Natsuki from you because I love her, it never had anything to do with you," she paused, placing heavy emphasis on her next statement, "...Ever."
"Tch... You say that like you know me! But you don't know me or Natsuki! Someone like you could never get close to us!"
"Do not tell me what I can or cannot know, you ignorant creature. It seems you've come too accustomed to my presence to remember what I am."
"Nao! What the hell are you doing here!" came the voice of the third party's arrival; Natsuki rushed towards the other two.
Shizuru merely met the redhead's glare as she floated back down to the ground next to the navy-haired girl. Nao did the same, stepping off the hood of her car and walking towards her twin.
"I got drunk and crashed my car, what do you care?"
"You weren't following us?"
"What? Yeah, like I give a damn about what you do anymore. Just leave me alone!"
Natsuki looked to the side with sadness. She had come out too harshly due to the rush of battle; inside she was happy to see her sister. Although, even with that said, she could see that malice in Nao's eyes, for both her and Shizuru.
It's not safe... if we stay any longer a fight's bound to break out...
"Come on Shizuru... let's go home..." Natsuki mumbled as she strode back to her Ducati.
Nao watched as her twin drove off into the main streets again, and observed the angel carefully. The two gave each other one last second of eye contact, both telling the other that they were aware of what would have transpired if Natsuki hadn't intervened. Once Shizuru had flew away, high up above the biker, the girl cursed and sat back in her car; angrily shifting gears to hurry home and deliver the news to her parents.
-0-
"What do you mean she's still alive?" Ryuue asked as his youngest daughter sat by him at the dinner table.
"Natsuki showed up, if I tried to do anything she would be against me. I'm an assassin; I don't do two-on-one's."
The man sighed and leaned his chin onto his woven fingers, staring at the center of the empty table for concentration. It didn't surprise him that Nao couldn't complete her task tonight, after all her target was a being from another world. He wasn't even sure how it could be done either.
"But know this," Nao started, "She will die by my hands. It might take more than one attempt, but I promise you... I will do it!"
Ryuue smirked.
"Do so, and you will be worthy of Natsuki's inheritance."
-0-
"Shi-Shizuru... stop for a second..." Natsuki muttered as she tried to get a hold of the quickly wandering hands all over her body. While at some points, even earlier that night, she had very much enjoyed the attention, there was too much on her mind now, "Please... I want to ask you something..."
With a reluctant sigh the angel pulled away, but smiled at the navy-haired girl with all the love she had in her.
"No matter what, my love for you has not changed," she began.
"No, I know that... I wanted to ask you about that other angel..."
"Haruka? What would you like to know?"
"Why did she come for you? Are you really a prisoner because of me? And... what did she mean by you're... one of 'them'?" Natsuki looked up to retain eye contact as she waited for an answer, and was surprised to see the not solemn, but proud expression given to her.
"I have become something that not even official angels, such as Haruka, dare to speak of. While magic using angels are common, there are only a select few who are capable of black magic, destructive magic. I am not sure how they came to be, whether it was the same as I, or if they had a natural talent for it. But what I have become, thanks you Natsuki, is the highest form of angel... an Angel of Death."
Jade eyes shook, startled at the realization at what she had done. It made sense... an angel was turned by a vampire... this sort of result was not out of the realm of possibility, indeed it had already happened. Natsuki clenched her fists and looked away, unable to bear the thought of having turned Shizuru into something so feared, even by her friends.
"Why are you sad?" the angel then questioned, breaking the silence.
"Because... you..." her mind kept flashing memories of Shizuru, how they had first met, and their times in hiding, her innocence, "You're too sweet to be an angel of death..."
Ruby eyes softened upon hearing those words, and pulled the navy-haired girl close to her. At first Natsuki was stiff in her arms, but after being stroked gently over her back, she relaxed.
"You are too kind, my love... But this is nothing for you to be concerned with. No one will be separating us, and it does not trouble me to be this way. As I said, all that matters to me is you, and if you are happy not being bound by the desires of a demon, then I could not have helped in a better way. So do not fret over such things as this."
Natsuki continued to lean against Shizuru's chest, listening to the sound of her heart beating and calming to it. While she trusted the older girl's words, her voice still left her worried. She was still a human girl in many respects, unaware of the workings of this fantasy life thrust upon her. But if Shizuru trusted herself, then she would trust her as well. Natsuki smiled genuinely and leaned up to kiss the angel, who returned it gladly and allowed for one of the girl's soft hands to move over her feathers.
"They're frayed..." Natsuki mentioned, breaking from the kiss and gazing over the ruffled and broken form many had from the fight with Haruka.
Shizuru raised an eyebrow and brought one of her limbs over her shoulder to see for herself.
"So they are..." she then smiled again, happily, in love, the way she had the first time she smiled at Natsuki, "Would you like to help me groom them again?"
The navy-haired girl turned a furious shade of red, oddly embarrassed about doing such a thing a second time, despite the two having ravished each other earlier on in the evening. There was something about this though that was even more intimate. Taking hold of the gently outstretched hand, Natsuki followed Shizuru into the bathroom. She softly pulled the angel's clothing off her, watching it fade away and re-materializing when dropped on the floor.
Somehow, everything she had just found out was taken from Natsuki's memory; or rather, the gravity of it was. She knew, factually, what Shizuru had become, and it didn't matter. She still kissed her with love, still followed her into the sprinkling water, and still combed through her wings with her fingers. The constant of their lives was clear; they were in love.