Chapter 33: Homecoming and a Brother's Love
Wolfram: Nice, a little less romantic than what I would have liked but it's fine.
Yuki: *sweatdrop* Nothing lives up to your expectations does it, Wolf?
Yuuri: Aw, Come on, Wolfram. Lighten up.
Wolfram: You try waiting for a chapter to come up! A year, Yuki; seriously, AN EFFING YEAR!
Yuki: (punches Wolfram to the sky) DON'T SWEAR YOU PERV! I JUST GOT INTO A NEW SCHOOL LAST YEAR AND HAD SERIOUS WRITERS' BLOCK!
Wolfram: (ping like a star)
Yuuri: *squints and shades his eyes* Geez Yuki, you didn't need to hit him that hard.
Gisela: I'll go get the bandages – again!
Yuki: (Cracks knuckles) No worries, Yuuri. He's just sore because this chapter is filled with pain for him.
Yuuri: Are you just plain mean that way?
Yuki: I've actually done worse.
Yuuri: *hides behind Conrad shivering* Kowaiii...
My dearest readers. I apologise for taking so long in updating, but I had quite a busy last year, summer included. I thank you all for waiting so patiently. I hope this chapter will be as satisfying as the last 32 chapters. Thank you all so much for your support and reviews, and for reading this story for the past five years. It has been a very rewarding experience.
"Big brothers... you know why they're born first? To protect the little ones that come after them!"
– Bleach, Kurosaki Ichigo to Acidwire.
"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more great hills to climb" – Nelson Mandela
Greta punched her father in the stomach.
"Oof!"
"What took you so long?" the little girl demanded, tapping her foot expectantly. Wolfram gave his daughter a goofy grin. "Ah..." he laughed nervously, "Gomen..."
Like mother, like daughter, Yosak thought wearily to himself, remembering the events of the past week: soon after Wolfram was exiled from Francia, Shinou Heika deemed it best for the Queen to go back to Earth. It was time for Wolfram to go home as well and face his daughter who had been waiting for news. However, both and Conrad knew that though Shinou Heika had given the order a sentence still had to be carried out. Either way, being a spy at the moment was likely the safest job in the world.
The blond almost could not believe his luck. Though he would have to wait another two to three years, he was going to be married to Yuri. He was finally home with his family, and his daughter – though, the last thing they expected was for his sweet little girl to punch him in the stomach.
"It's okay, Papa," the princess said, smiling a little too sweetly. Wolfram sighed; his little girl was as sadistic as her mother. "I'm guessing there's more where that came from." "Yup," said Greta, "And they're right behind you." The blond tentatively turned around and was met by his fellow disciple and his soon-to-be sister-in-law. "Any last words?" said Gisela, cracking her knuckles. Wolfram swallowed a shudder; even Julian had cracked his knuckles – only he had done it with a smile, making it scarier.
"Um... mercy?" Wolfram asked, holding up his hand in surrender.
"How much?" said Anissina, her glare never leaving his bright green eyes. "Enough so that I won't lose my manhood?" he joked weakly, "I still need to make babies." It was then Gisela gave every man a new reason to fear her as she grabbed Wolfram by the arm and started punching the daylight out of him with Anissina not too far behind with her Maryoku powered torture devices.
"This is going to take a while," said Conrad, cringing at Wolfram's yell of pain.
"Should he really have come home as a hero, Uncle Conrad?" asked Greta then, adverting her eyes away when things got too painful to watch, "He did after all save Mama, you, Gunter and Francia."
"Yes technically," said Conrad, "but we're just angry that he put himself in danger."
"Just like Gisela and Gwendal get angry with you for putting yourself in danger sometimes?" the little girl asked innocently.
"I think I prefer Gwendal's wrath," Conrad shuddered. Yosak laughed out loud remembering how he himself said the same thing when he had walked on thin ice around Conrart.
While everyone in Shin Makoku was enjoying Wolfram's homecoming, on Earth, a fifteen-year-old Japanese high-school student woke up from her well deserved sleep. Though coming back to Earth seemed to have arrived too soon, it felt like a good day this day. The sun was bright, there was no school, no team to train and no violin exercises to catch up on. She went downstairs dressed in sneakers, denim shorts and a dark green shirt while having her hair up in a short ponytail. What made the morning nicer for Yuri was the person waiting for her at the breakfast table: her father was home.
"Oyajii!" she squealed, hugging him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Shoma hugged his little girl. It was wonderful to be hugged by his little flower, it was rare that he was home for breakfast and able to be able to have a free day. "It's Papa, Yu-chan," Shoma chided gently, "How's my little flower?"
"I'm great, Oyajii," Yuri told him, sitting opposite to him, "do you have a day off today?"
"Yup," Shoma said, putting down the newspaper he was reading, "and I got the fishing rods ready."
"You'll take me fishing this afternoon, then?" she asked, excited. How long has it been since Shoma took her on their last fishing trip?
"Oh and what about your studies, chibi?" a teasing voice came from behind her as a hand snatched an octopus wiener from her plate. "Mo Onii-chan!" Yuri pouted as she snatched one of his, "I didn't do too bad in the last one."
"Right," said Shori impishly, ruffling her hair and making Yuri grunt indignantly. "Onii-chan, I'm not a kid anymore!" Shori just simply smirked stole another octopus wiener and tried to prevent her from getting his.
Shoma observed his children fighting over octopus wieners as he shook his head. For the past sixteen years they both acknowledge and ignored one another. Despite his teasing, he knew Shori was an over-protective brother, but he remembered a certain friend who said that was a good trait of an older brother. Shoma wondered if that man had experience. Shori had made Yuri take up Jujitsu with him and while she was not as good of a fighter as Shori, she still had spirit; one that seemed to be growing rapidly of late.
Looking at his children now, he could not help but feel pride for them. Shori was studying in university as a top student in the business and financial field where Yuri was well on her way in the arts. Shoma knew his daughter was not as ambitious as her brother, but she was as studious as could be. She works hard with her violin and was very good with children.
"I have to meet Murata," she told them, finishing her toast, "I promised Coach I would pick up the badges for the kids. I'll be back in a couple of hours."
"How about a little baseball with your old man before we go fishing?" Shoma asked as he picked up his newspaper to read.
"Of course, Oyajii," Yuri said, "Nii-chan, you be nice!"
"Whatever," her brother muttered, giving her a playful shove as he finished his own toast. "Well," said Shori as he brought his plate to the sink to clean, "I need to check my email, then we can decide what to do."
"Take your time, son," said Shoma as he turned once again to the morning paper. Shori left to go back to his bedroom then. Once they were alone, Miko let out a sigh of relief, "She seems happier than she did within the past week." Shoma looked up from his paper in confusion. "What do you mean, dear?" he asked. Had I been working too much?
"For the past week, she spaced out a lot, sometimes looking as if she lost someone dear to her," Miko explained as she folded her arms. Shoma frowned. Whenever Miko folded her arms, he knew right away that it was not just another mothers' worry; it was real worry.
"Not to sound offensive yomei-chan," said Shoma carefully, "but are you certain it's not because Mother Nature paid a visit?" Miko looked at her husband with serious brown eyes. "She had the same look you did when Nii-san died..."
"Honto ka?" Shoma murmured, thoughtful. Miko's older brother, Kaga* Shori, had been his best friend even before he married Miko. Kaga Shori had been his partner in kendo classes before he retired and became a banker. Through Kaga Shori, he met Hamano Jenifer, a talented fencing student – a.k.a Miko. Miko often joked that they could not have been closer even if they were brothers. Just a month before young Shibuya Shori was born, Kaga Shori died upon impact in a car accident.
*A/N: I don't know Miko's maiden name so I used this, one word of Kaga Kiyomitsu [a katana and a wakizashi].
"The first I saw you smile truly after the accident was when Sho-chan was born," Miko told him then, "and then, when you were with Conrad, and when Yu-chan was born..."
Shoma stood then, made his way over to her and brought his arms around her. "It's because Sho-chan and Yu-chan are your gifts," Shoma murmured, smiling, "I promised your nii-san I would protect you, and you made me a father of two fine children."
"Uma-chan..." Miko murmured before whacking him on the head with the spatula in her hand, "You're just saying so that you'll get extra curry?" Miko scolded, "Honestly, if I make anymore curry for you, you'll get fat, kono ero-baka!"
"Yo-Yomei-san..." Shoma protested as he sweatdropped.
Yuri stood waiting for Murata at the train station. She looked around her and thought about Shin Makoku. She laughed inwardly at herself, it seemed that whenever she was in Japan, she thought of the kingdom she was running. In Shin Makoku, she thought of her life on Earth. Both were very different and at the same time similar.
Iya, she thought as she sweatdropped, they're both not too different. How was she going to tell Miko and Shoma that she was engaged? Or even married by proxy?
Yuri frowned, remembering Conrad's transformation. How is he handling it?
Conrad didn't seem too bothered by it, Yuri thought to herself, likely because Wolfram is home, or is he hiding again?
She remembered how Gwendal warned her that there would still be a sentence, but not severe as Wolfram was acting under Shinou Heika's orders. The memory of Conrad's expression was more of relief rather than scared or worried. Meanwhile, he mentioned nothing about the increase in strength or even the physical transformation – even Lady Celi was worried.
Yuri remembered how Lady Celi would sometimes speak of her late husbands in passing. One of the times was when she gently reprimanded Conrad for being nonchalant with his injuries –again– saying, "You're just as bad as your father! Brushing your pain off as with that boyish air! What if you seriously got hurt?"
"What if, indeed," Yuri said to herself, the memory of her godfather being stabbed by arrows in her mind. That image was still burnt clearly in her mind. She did not know how long it had been in Shin Makoku, but it was only a week on Earth.
"Excuse me," a voice interrupted her. Yuri looked up to a tourist. She heard that particular language before and had taken lessons. Unfortunately, language was not her strongest suit. Yabe, Yuri thought to herself, panicking, A tourist! What do I say?
"I...I'm sorry... I don't speeek Een-gu-lish ne..." she stuttered.
"Acha, sumanai," the tourist told her, "I speak Nihongo."
"Eh?" And fluently too!
Ignoring her confusion, the tourist continued, "Actually, I'm on my way to Akihabara but I've forgotten which train to take."
"Oh, you take the yellow line on Track One—" Yuri began before another voice caught both of their attention. "Dr Rodriguez?" The now identified Dr Rodriguez looked behind him and found, "Ken? Murata Ken!" he exclaimed, "How have you been?"
"I've been good, doctor," Murata Ken answered as he approached them both and shook hands with the doctor. The only thing Yuri could do was stare in surprise. "You two know each other?"
"Dr Rodriguez was my family doctor when I was a kid," Murata explained to her, "I used to have strange dreams and not be able to tell them from reality, so my parents got worried. The good doctor here would listen to me without laughing at me unless it was funny."
"And Ken here has always been a pleasure to talk to," Dr Rodriguez said, "and Ken, you should've told me you've managed to snag a girl."
Yuri became red as a tomato. "W-We're not together! I'm—"
"—already taken," Murata finished for her, slightly red as well, "though she is my best friend."
"Where are my manners?" Dr Rodriguez said then, holding out his hand to Yuri, "Excuse me for my tease there, my name is Dr Jose Rodriguez."
"Pleasure to meet you, I am Shibuya Yuri."
"What nice manners from a pretty girl," Dr Rodriguez said, "the lad you are with must be a lucky fellow."
Yuri, still blushing, looked down to her shoes, thinking of a certain blond, "I suppose he is," she murmured.
"So, doctor what brings you to Japan?" Murata asked then.
"Medical conference in Nagoya though I thought I'd see Akihabara while I'm here," Dr Rodriguez answered.
"That's nice but what's in Akihabara?" Yuri asked, considering the distance between Nagoya and Akihabara.
"Whoo! I'm glad you asked!" Dr Rodriguez said excitedly, "it is the HOLY LAND OF THE OTAKUS! THE BEST WITH ANIME AND MANGA STORES!"
Yuri sweat-dropped. Of course...
Yuri had to admit though, she was fond of anime and manga, but she has seen people who were dedicated to anime and manga. More than a hundred schools are dedicated to anime voice acting within Tokyo alone.
"Should I go on my own while you catch up Murata?" Yuri asked, "Or would Dr Rodriguez accompany us? I really need to get those baseball badges."
"Oh no," Dr Rodriguez said with a laugh, "Ken and I can meet up another time. I'll be in Japan for awhile anyways." He and Murata exchanged numbers then and parted ways.
Dr Rodriguez kept looking at them even as they exited the station. "So that's the one who inherited Julian's soul," Jose murmured to himself, "Conrad, she's a fine young woman."
"Honestly, teasing me about my marks," Yuri grumbled, "I'm not a genius but–"
"Your brother sure reminds me of a certain grumpy Commander," Murata laughed. Yuri felt cold then, remembering Gwendal's face when he found out she skipped on Gunter yet again. "Don't remind me."
"Shi. Bu. Ya. Yu. Ri," Gwendal growled in a very scary voice, "Gunter tells me you went missing again..." He fist-balled her head on both sides while onlookers sweatdropped.
"I-te-te-te-te-te-te-te!" she moaned, trying to get away from him.
"How can you run the kingdom when you don't know its history?" he growled.
Yuri sighed at the memory. Normally, she was not scared of Gwendal, but he was truly angry about skipping her education. Not to mention, he used the same voice her own parents often used when she was misbehaving. She supposed it was something akin to stepping up in fathering Conrad and Wolfram when their fathers passed. Yuri wondered briefly how much it must have hurt Gwendal to do so – being a father rather than a brother.
"Try to pitch this fly!" a voice interrupted her thoughts. Yuri looked up to find a ball heading towards her and Murata. She ran to catch the ball but tripped and fell face first into a puddle. She found herself yet in another black-hole.
Yuri inhaled deeply as she resurfaced finding herself in Shinou Temple.
"Heika!" a familiar voice called out, "Okaeriinasai!"
"Mama!" a younger voice called. Yuri then found herself in an armful hug by her daughter. The Queen smiled as she hugged her daughter back, stood and looked around to the familiar faces. Everyone was there, including Waltorana. Conrad stood aside with the usual towels in his hands.
"Okaeriinasai, Nazukego," he murmured softly as he handed her a towel.
"Tadaima Nazukeoya. Genki?" she asked as she dried herself off. She knew those injuries of his would not have healed overnight.
"I'm fine," said Conrad, looking happier than he had since she saw him last, "Nothing Sl-Gisela can't handle." Yuri then looked around to find the person she had been looking forward to see again. With a weary sigh, the elder Von Bielefeld called out, "What are you waiting for, Wolfram? Come out and greet your wife!"
One of the doors opened, and there he was, coming out into the courtyard; his golden hair reflecting the sunlight. It lifted her spirit even more to see his face in a smile as he approached her. Yuri had to control herself at the sight of him. After all, he was only home after weeks of separating himself from his family. A band-aid on his left cheek told her that Anissina and Gisela had caught him in their clutches – the day before from the looks of it.
"Heika," said Ulrike, "Even if we are in the Shinou temple it's all right to be undignified once in a while." Yuri looked reproachfully at her godfather who just laughed and said, "Get over there, you little mischief!"
Yuri handed Conrad back the towel and ran to her husband – to his arms.
He swung her around and around, spraying water into the sunshine and creating droplets of a rainbow as they kissed.
What was supposed to be a chaste kiss quickly escalated into a vertical make out session.
"Honestly, you two," Gwendal grumbled, head in his hands, "get a room!"
"Who was the one who's becoming a father as of yesterday?" Wolfram joked
"Urusai!" said Gwendal as Greta laughed.
"Father?" said Yuri, surprised, "You're married?"
"C'mon, Gwen," Conrad pressed, giving his older brother a nudge of the elbow, "don't be shy, she is technically our sister-in-law."
"Quiet you!" Gwendal snapped, bringing his middle brother into a choke-hold. "And yes," the eldest brother grumbled, "I'm married."
"Congratulations," Yuri exclaimed.
"All right, don't rub it in!" Gwendal grunted, freeing Conrad who was still laughing along with Greta, "You got paperwork to do."
"Hai, hai..." Yuri said cheerfully, taking her daughter's hand in one hand and her fiancé's in the other as they went to the changing rooms where her spare uniforms were kept. Once she was alone with her family on horseback, Yuri found the chance to ask an important question, "So how is he really?" Conrad stayed behind at the Shinou Temple to help Murata with the history of Shin Makoku.
"Curious more than anything," Wolfram admitted, "he's handling it better than I thought he would. I'll fill you in with what Julian told me about it." Yuri nodded, she adjusted her arms so that Greta was sitting more securely on the saddle before her.
"Are you talking about why Uncle Conrad has silver hair?" Greta asked in a whisper. Yuri had to smile at her daughter's perceptiveness. "No one would tell me anything," the little girl continued. Wolfram winced guiltily and said, "Well... it's because we're not entirely certain why. I have an idea but I need to wait until your Uncle Conrad is ready to see it for himself."
"Oh," the little girl said in understanding. Nothing more was said as the company reached the castle.
"Gunter," Yuri called, "I'd like to spend some time with Wolfram and Greta before my lessons."
"Heh!?" Gunter exclaimed, a little disappointed, but quickly recomposed himself as he understood the Queen. "Very well, we will begin after lunch."
"And afterwards, I need you to sign paperwork with me afterwards," Gwendal added, he narrowed his eyes then, "and no skimping!"
"Hai!" the Royal Family chorused as they proceeded to the library of the castle. They were walking down when they heard a familiar voice, "Heika!" Wolfram visibly shuddered as they turned to find Anissina with new parts for her in inventions in hand.
"Anissina," Yuri called back as the Inventor approached them.
"Okaeriinasai, Yuri-heika."
"Aa, tadaima. I heard you were married recently, Anissina," Yuri told her, she grinned then, "or should I say, Lady Von Voltaire. Congratulations!"
"Anissina is fine," the gear-head laughed, "I'm sorry we didn't wait for you but we weren't sure when you would be back. And we both wanted it to be quiet."
"Not a problem, Anissina," Yuri told her, "You are technically already two months down the road."
"Aa," the gear-head murmured, hand against her stomach.
"I still can't believe I got throttled by a pregnant gear-head..." Wolfram grumbled quietly.
"What was that?" Anissina asked with Killing Intent. Wolfram drew back slightly. "Uh... I mean, I can't wait till the twins come to the world... heh heh..."
"I thought so," Anissina huffed, "which reminds me, do you have a name in mind for them?"
"Twins?" Yuri asked.
Now Wolfram was visibly sweating. "We'll let you know," he look away then, "oh, look the sun, it's time to study! Bye Onee-sama!" he then picked up Greta, grabbed Yuri's wrist and walked quickly down the hall trying to look as if they were hurrying to study rather than running away from a pregnant gear-head.
Once he brought his family safely to the library, Wolfram let out a sigh. "Whew!"
"Let me guess," said Yuri, "We're god-parents? To twins?"
"Bingo," Wolfram answered, "I swear, Aniiue's out to get me for that."
Yuri could not help but grin at her husband, "So have you thought up a name oitan?"
Wolfram looked at her confused, "Oitan?"
"A title for younger uncle," Yuri said easily.
"Hmm," her husband mused, as he put Greta down, "What is 'hope' in Japanese?"
"Nozomi," Yuri said thoughtfully.
"Lady Nozomi Von Voltaire...?" he mused, he turned to his daughter then, "What do you think, sweetie? Think that'll be a good name for a girl cousin?"
"I just can't wait to see the babies," said Greta innocently.
"That's because you're not going to be the one changing their diapers," Wolfram moaned. Yuri and Greta laughed at his dejected persona.
Shori was checking his email when he found there was another letter from Bob. While the email was downloading he took a peek into his sister's room. A standard sized room for a teenager. Posters of manga characters, such as Umino Iruka and Moto Yugi were on her wall, in addition, there were also baseball players, and the musicians, Yiruma and Yo-Yo Ma.
He smiled to himself remembering how Yuri used to follow him when she was little. All that changed when she entered primary school and since then she tried to be independent. Shori had tried again and again to help his younger sister, and it often ended in a verbal fight or, worse, a fist fight.
The worst that happened in a fist fight was a bleeding ear and a broken nose. Shoma had made it very clear then to both of them to never physically hurt one another again. Shori shivered at that memory; if people thought his mother was scary, they had not met his father. Though there were times when Shori wondered if that was where Yuri got her temper from.
"So ka..." he murmured, "It's been twelve years, huh?"
The family were in New York as Shoma had to attend a business meeting and was required to bring a party guest. Miko, being... well, Miko, made a fuss about it, particularly about the company expecting her to wear a kimono. Shoma could not understand what the fuss was about, but he was used to his wife's antics and tried to calm her down.
"How about I take you shopping afterwards with my limitless credit card–"
Miko gave him a flat stare, "I've maxed it out."
Shoma flipped backwards in shock. "But it's been one day!"
"I wanted to get good brand clothes for Yu-chan and Sho-chan," Miko huffed. Shoma looked to where his children were watching television. Shori was wearing his new collared shirt and smart shorts. Yuri was in a cute little dress with an apron and bloomers, with pig tails and a pair of Mary Jane's. Shoma almost crooned with how cute his daughter was but was stopped by Miko's ranting. "Why don't you get your nice bodied secretary to go with you?"
"I wouldn't," Shoma tried to placate her, "even she has a nice body and bigger breast. Reality is you're my wife."
"I'm taking the kids back to Japan if that's the case! And I'm filing a divorce!"
"Y-Yomei-chan!" Shoma protested., not noticing his son observing them.
'Divorce?' Shori thought to himself, remembering a friend of his whose parent got a divorce and separated him from his older brother. It was also not the first time he saw mothers on TV saying the same to their husbands. Did mean he had to be separated from Yuri?
No! He won't be separated from Yuri!
Quietly, he led the four-year-old out of the hotel and walked far, not noticing a man in black was eyeing him and his little sister.
"Sho-chan, lookie, lookie, Sho-chan!" Yuri suddenly squealed, pointing towards the distance.
"What is it, Yu-chan?" Shori asked as he looked towards the direction of his sister's gaze.
"It's a park! It's a park!" the little girl squealed.
"You wanna go to the fun park?"
"Ung!" the little girl nodded, pulling him by the arm, "Let's go! Let's go!"
The park had been fun, with the children friendly rides and the stalls. For Shori, just seeing his sister fun was better than anything the fun park could offer.
It was evening when they exited the park with ice-cream. Shori was unsure of where to go, he did not want to go back to his parents. They were likely still fighting. Yuri was stumbling while licking her ice-cream. "Yu-chan," he told her, "don't fall asleep."Unfortunately, the warning came too late.
Yuri tripped and spilled her ice-cream and it spilled against a man's pants.
"My ice-cream," Yuri whimpered, looking sadly at the spilled ice-cream.
"You should worry more about yourself, little girl," the man sneered, grabbing her causing the little girl to cry.
"Leave my sister alone!" Shori yelled, kicking the fat thug on the shin. The thug double over and howled in pain.
"You little punk!" the long haired thug growled and grabbed him by the collar. "NIII-CHAAAAA!" Yuri wailed, trying to reach for her brother she wailed even louder when a Mohawk haired punk pulled her hair.
"HANASE-YO!" Shori yelled angrily. No one hurts his little sister and gets away with it. "Leave those children alone," a voice commanded. Shori looked to find a greying old gent looking straight at them.
"What yer business with these kids, grampa?" the fat thug snarled.
"Do not make me repeat myself," the man said again as his sunglasses glowed and caused a wind to blow the thugs away from the children. The thugs tried to stand but the middle aged man stepped towards them as if protecting the Shibuya children. The thugs shuddered with fear and ran.
Yuri was still crying out of fear and hurt as Shori brought her in his arms. "Yosh, yosh, hime-chan," Shori soothed, "nii-chan is here, nii-chan will protect you..."Yuri's tears reduced to whimpers as she held onto Shori tightly.
"Are you both all right?" the middle aged man asked, finally looking towards them. Yuri looked from her brother's arms at the man who saved them and tear up again. "UWAAAAAA!"
"Gomen..." Shori said as the spectacled man paid for Yuri's ice-cream, "she gets scared pretty easily."
"No worries," the man chuckled softly, "I seem to have that effect on most children but apparently not you, Shibuya Shori."
"You know who I am?"
"I've known the both of you since you were babies," the man said easily, "and your father, Shoma, for far longer; ever since he first started as a typist at my bank actually. I'm Bob."
"Now, tell me," he said as they sat on the park bench, "do your parents know you are this far away from them?"
"No," said Shori stubbornly, "We're not going back either."
"Why?"
"Our parents are so selfish," the boy continued, "If I could do the magic you did, I'd really be able to protect Yu-chan."
"Magic? That's just a special skill I have. It would be a great pity to split you both up now," Bob explained, gently ruffling Yuri's hair, "Someday, this girl is going to face difficult decisions; ones that will not only affect the people around her but other nations. Possibly, even face battle and other dangers."
"What? No, she can't!" Shori protested, holding the little girl close. "Nii-cha?" Yuri asked. "She's still so little!" Shori continued as if he did not hear her, "She's my only little sister! I have to protect her!"
"Even with your protection," Bob told him, "it cannot shield her from that fate. No one else can live that life for her."
"Show me how to protect her then!" Shori demanded, "I may not be able to walk that path for her but I should at least protect her!"
"Well, then," Bob said, bemused by the strength the young boy displayed, "you ought to take over my job."
"What exactly do you do?" Shori asked, looking the man up and down, "do you run a company somewhere?"
"I suppose you could call it that," Bob answered, "it's basically protecting, budgeting and governing it as well."
"Eh? Are you a governor?"
"Something like that."
"But why should I follow in your footsteps?" Shori asked, confused as yuri fell asleep in his arms, "We only just met."
"Truth, I'm getting old," Bob said, standing and looking towards the sunset, "I've been performing this job for a long time; I'd like to hand over the burden to someone who is capable of taking over my position." There was a moment of silence between him and Shori then. "Don't you think it's about time we get you home," Bob asked, "I'm certain your parents are worried about you both."
"But what about—"
"I'm sure it's just an argument between husband and wife," Bob told him, "I'm certain they will not separate you both."
"If you say so," Shori said dubiously, "Could you show me that magic trick again before we go?"
"I told you, it's a special skill," Bob laughed.
Both the children were asleep by the time Bob's limousine pulled over at the hotel they were staying at. Shori woke slightly when he felt his father's firm arms lifting him and holding him close. He could vaguely hear Bob's voice, "Do not be angry with him, every child has a reason to run away, he was just simply worried he would be separated from his sister."
"Our friend was right..." Shori heard Miko murmuring. She was possibly holding Yuri in her arms.
"About what?" Bob asked quizzically.
Shoma laughed softly. "Sho-chan is a good big brother," Shoma explained to him, rubbing his son's back, "if you remember, when Yu-chan was born, Sho-chan would make a fuss if anyone other than Miko or myself hold her. Our friend told us that a protective brother is a good brother."
'I was protective of Yu-chan, even back then?' Shori asked himself, before drifting off to sleep with the wonder of who this particular friend was.
Shori sighed as the memory ended. "Honestly, Bob. I'm still in university." He read on and opened an attached file in his email containing a scene in Arizona where Bob was currently residing. Shori had done a bit more research on the man and found that Bob was known as the Maoh of the Financial World. "There's a change in the wind," Shori murmured, "You're talks about getting old isn't just a coincidence, is it?"
"Just wait for me, Yu-chan," Shori said to himself, determined, "Onii-chan will always come to save you!"
"Brr!" Yuri shivered, a cold feeling going down her spine.
"Are you all right?" Lady Celi asked, looking up from the fabric she was inspecting. A day had past since Yuri's arrival and Lady Celi wanted to spend time with her, insisting they went shopping.
"I'm fine, just a small chill," Yuri assured her. She was currently helping her predecessor in shopping for an upcoming trip and Lady Celi wanted a new dress. The fabric shop was amazing. Though Yuri was not a huge fan of shopping, it was better than being stuck in the office all day writing papers with Gwendal. The head scarf hiding her hair helped somewhat.
"So, what do you think?" Lady Celi asked, "Ultramarine or wine?"
"Ultramarine seems to look better..." the Queen conceded.
"Ah... I see..." the older woman said softly, "Now we just need something with the colour of the sea, ne?" Though she was smiling, Yuri could tell Lady Celi was faking it.
It hurt to watch the older woman going about as if everything was normal. "Why don't we rest for a bit?" Yuri said, "I'm a little tired."
"Oh?" the older woman said, slightly put out, "Yes, we do need the break." They exited the fabric store and turned towards an inn only a few doors away.
"Excuse me, could we have a private room for a couple of hours?" Yuri asked, silently handing a gold coin to the innkeeper. Conrad and Yosak had taught her that greed and need were good motivation for secrets. This particular inn in which she and Conrad had used once to hide assailants before had a hidden room where only Yosak could find them. "Yes, ma'am," the innkeeper murmured as he took the keys from beneath the counter and led the two ladies to the secret room
Once the innkeeper was gone, Lady Celi burst into tears and hugged her, much to Yuri's surprise. "L-Lady Celi?"
"You're very brave..." Lady Celi murmured, "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for my sons. And Shinou Heika could not have chosen a more suitable person to succeed my poor rule. Forgive me for leaving you with my mess."
"Lady Celi," Yuri murmured, hugging the older woman back, "There's nothing to forgive."
"Eh? Aa... Demo..."
Yuri was saddened to find this normally confident lady at such a weakened state. It reminded her of the times Shoma had unintentionally hurt Miko. Of course, they always resolved it, but during the time until then, Miko looked as if she was ready to burst into tears. Though she hardly see them interact, Yuri knew that her father always found a way to make her mother happy again but Lady Celi had no husband and Fanbalan was too far away to ask for help.
"Ano..." Yuri murmured, "if you don't mind me saying, you really ought to give your sons more credit."
"Eh?"
"Gwendal is doing what he can to help me understand politics," Yuri explained counting off her fingers, "he's always there to help me do paperwork. To a certain extent, he's more of a combination between my father and my jujitsu instructor. I trust his judgement on paperwork above my own. Conrad is like a brother or a father to me because he well..." she paused thinking for a moment, "he always managed to guide me to do the right thing; and Wolfram... he's... he's always done things with everything he has and..." Yuri sighed, giving up. "The truth is, Lady Celi," the young Queen began again, "I haven't done much at all. All I have really done is run around on impulse. It's not the first time they had to save me. I wouldn't have been able to run this country without them. They are my strength, wisdom and heart. You raised them."
"Oh, Yuri..." Lady Celi sobbed as she pulled her future daughter-in-law close, "you have no idea how much those words mean to me..." Yuri hugged the older woman back and allowed her to cry.
"Gunter, I've always been proud of you..." Gareth told him, smiling.
"SENSEI! SENSEI!" he screamed as pounded the invisible barrier as hard as he could.
"Sensei!" a voice called, someone was shaking his shoulder, "Gunter-sensei!"
"Wha-?" Gunter gasped, snapping out of his horrific memory.
"You all right, Gunter?" Conrad asked, "I have been calling you several times but you didn't answer."
"It was nothing, just a memory," Gunter assured him. That's right, we're researching the Forbidden Boxes, Gunter thought to himself before looking towards Conrad, "Did you need something, Conrart?"
"I think I may have found something..." Conrad told him, turning another corner of the library.
Not yet, he told himself, grasping his arm, it's too soon. How much longer can I hide the truth? Von Khrist, you
In another part of the Castle, Wolfram and Gwendal were sifting through the report Wolfram had from the Dai Shimarron library. Gwendal's face grew darker and darker as he read the content.
"Wolfram," Gwendal asked seriously, "Are you certain about this?"
"Positive," Wolfram told him, "not even Belal knew what I was doing."
"If the other line survived—" Gwendal started.
"No use," Wolfram told him, taking off his glasses, "they're either wiped out or have covered their tracks. I have half the mind of sending out Yosak to investigate. My hands were full at the time too."
"You want to bring this up to Conrart?" Gwendal asked then. Wolfram visibly shivered at the idea how angry Conrart would be for keeping this from him. "I don't want to keep him in the dark anymore than you do, Gwendal," the blond answered. Gwendal's frown deepened, knowing full well Wolfram only ever used his name when he was serious or angry. "This time, however," the blond continued, "he has a reason to hate them."
"Then," Gwendal decided, using his maryoku to seal Wolfram's report in stone, "you or I must decide soon when we should let Conrart know." Wolfram only gave a silent nod, hoping they were making the right decision.
Yuuri: Okay now I'm scared.
Yuki: Let's just hope that things will be well in the next chapter...