Not too crazy about this chapter :/ It's honestly just a filler, and took me much longer than I wanted to be for some reason. But the last part is awesome! :D But I'm going to be bringing it more into a close soon.

How many chapters are left exactly?

Two more, three if you count the epilogue.

...

Damn. Excuse me, gonna go sit in that loner corner over there X'D

You know Hidekaz Himaruya owns all characters. I own the plot. For now, the best you can:

Enjoy!

Chapter 36:

Preparation

"I'm not going to say again, I don't want him going out there by himself!"

"Alfred, I understand your concern. But ve've already lost too many. Ve must use vhat ve have if ve vant to defeat Satan."

"I don't care, I just got him back and I'm not about to lose him again!"

"Arzur will be around moi et Mathieu, Alfred. It's not like we're sending 'im off east, where 'e can easily be killed."

"You're right, I'm not sending him off east, I'm sending him to my bedroom where he can at least be safe until this all settles down!"

"And what will you do if zis takes years? You cannot repress his freedoms. Zat wouldn't be fair to 'im, would it?"

"…"

"Well Alfred?"

"…I just…I love Arthur a whole lot. I don't… I-I'm afraid something will happen to him… And…I don't want anything bad to happen to him."

"I understand zat well. All of us 'ere do. We 'ave our own lovers to fret over, Alfred. But we bring zem wiz us so zat we can be wiz zem. And if one were to die on ze battlefield, ze other would follow. You just need to trust 'im."

Arthur opened his eyes a few minutes later, when the noise from the other room had dwindled down to a mere whisper. In the corner of the room was a small pit of fire that allowed streaks of light spread in the nearly-spare space. He sat up from the bed he had been in, looking around the area he had been left at. His body felt stranger than usual; when he was an angel, it was a bit hard to get used to. The halo was almost an extended part of you; your wings were light and gentle and although it was strange to support it, he became used to it in seemingly no time at all. But now, there was a heavy weight on his back and sharp intrusions on his head, as well as something swooping back and forth just above his bottom. His body wasn't "free", in the way that he had been in his white robe. Instead, as of right now, his clothing was much different. A black jacket on top of a red shirt and black tie, with matching black slacks and military boots that went under his knee: oh yes, that was extremely different.

Of course. He had been changed to a demon by his lover. Alfred…one of the most amazing beings he had ever met. He was a dream come true, what every girl wanted to hold and comfort and lover her. Too bad the American wasn't for that team and already owned the heart of a British gentleman. Arthur smiled at the thought; Alfred would always be his and no one else's dear Poppet. If he wasn't, then he and Alfred would have never agreed to changing him into a demon. They wanted peace, a peace that others seemed to be taking a rather long time at allowing. But they would get there, and hopefully soon, too.

After waiting a while, the Briton got up to walk to the next room and see if there was any more of a commotion. On his way, he glanced into a mirror and smirked: scarlet hair in the same style as his blond, pale skin that was slightly lighter than his last appearance; black horns that were pointed and protruding upwards, and blood-red eyes that were a symbol that he had a lover. Alfred was probably convinced he looked perfect. And he looked the exact part of his American lover.

He walked past the mirror, after a few more examinations, and wasn't too surprised to see several familiar demons around a table, he in the library and off in a room to the side. Alfred sat at the head of the table, Ludwig and Kiku on either side of him and most likely the commanders just one step below him. The American was currently facing the other way, swiveling back and forth in his chair, one elbow resting on the armrest. Luckily, no one had noticed the new arrival yet, and so he quietly kept to the side and listened to the talk.

"Alfred, you've been away for a vhile, you haven't been able to take proper responsibilities because of za trial about a veek ago, und you've missed too much to appear suddenly viz a new demon and expect he vill be safe," Ludwig clarified, his stern face looking threatening from the flicker of the flames that was emitted from the lanterns attached to the wall. "You can't expect anyvun in zis var to not vant to-"

"One," Alfred stopped him, holding out his index finger and looking as if he was trying to quiet him. "This is not a war. It is a rebellion. Two…I don't care if he's an angel or demon or human…I am not letting my Arthur out and on the battlefield as long as I am here."

"Alfred, you being too unreasonable aru," Yao pouted, arms crossed on the table and chin resting on top. "You need to let Arthur choose when he wake up."

The American groaned and dragged his fingers through his short, neat black hair. "I don't know… I can't control his decisions, but I don't want to know what happens if I let him go out there and he gets hurt."

"If he want to go, you have to let him. You can only defend a person so much aru. If you do it too much, then nothing happen to them."

"Maybe we can come up with something so that you can go with him," Matthew suggested, the chair next to him available but his bottom seated in Francis' lap. "That would be okay for you, right?"

"Yeah, but…" Alfred rubbed his fingers and kneaded his palms into his eyes. "I just want him to be safe."

Arthur found this as his cue to chuckle and gather the others' attention. "You're much too sweet for me, Luv," he smirked. "You're a bit overprotective of me, but it's persistent and charming all the same."

The head demon leapt from his seat in surprise with shock clearly shown on his face. "Beautiful!" He spread his wings out and glided over the long table, landing in front of his lover and placing his hands on his hips. "Are you okay? How do you feel, Lovely?"

"I'm quite alright, Alfred." He reached up and pushed back a strand of his hair, placing it behind his ear. "There's no need to fret. I just want to know why I have to wake up to a persistent lover who doesn't want me doing anything risky."

Alfred blushed slightly at the line, but managed to give him a small smile in return and pressed a sweet kiss onto his lover's lips. "The war has gotten bloodier than it originally was."

Arthur looked past his embracing lover to gaze at the other demons. All their faces seemed stressed and exhausted, even those who were recently changed. He could now make out certain details of the group, like how Yao seemed less cheerful and almost dull, how Feliciano- with one of his hands wrapped in white cloth- was staring critically at the table and kicking his legs back and forth, how the room smelt of blood and dirt and a heavy, foreign stench that made him recoil. "Whot's been happening?"

"Ve're losing recruits each day," Gilbert, the other German, replied, leaning back in his chair. "Satan has too many men to back him up, und it's overvhelming us."

"We've been training ozers to fight 'im but 'e just seems to get stronger each day," Francis commented. "Our side is too close to falling and not ever getting up."

"Don't say that," Alfred frowned, pulling on the Briton's hips, as if to hide him against his body. "We can beat him. We just have to keep on trying."

"Alfred, tell me one willing soul who would zink about going wiz you. Because I'm sure I speak for many wen I say zat zere aren't many who will."

The American looked away frowning, his fingers rubbing circles into Arthur's sides. The former Londoner started to speak to say that he would always be by Alfred's side no matter what, but Matthew beat him to it.

"I'm always going to fight with you," the Canadian reminded his brother, and managed a weak smile. "Besides, I don't think we ever properly got to, right?" Francis grimaced from behind his younger lover, but didn't protest further.

"Thanks, Matt," Alfred managed to lift his mouth upwards in a smile.

"You only have one other person wanting to help you," Lovino, Feliciano's brother, pointed out. "No one else feels like risking their lives for something that already is a losing battle."

Arthur honestly felt heavy inside. He wanted to help Alfred in some way. He couldn't just let him be treated like that and brought down! It almost seemed as if his American lover was going to be fighting the Devil alone, and although he felt a bit sluggish from sleep, he would do anything for his Dearest Poppet- even if that meant he would be risking his life. Maybe that was what he had to do now: make it clear that no matter what, he would faithfully be by his side.

"I will."

Almost immediately, again, everyone focused on Arthur, and he stared them down again. He was expecting this, and he was ready.

"I can't speak for all of you when I say I will fight with him no matter whot…but I love him dearly, and I'll risk everything for him, no matter whot the circumstances may be." He wound his fingers with Alfred and gave them a squeeze while he looked into the scarlet eyes that held so much love for him. "I'd do anything for him."

Alfred laughed and nuzzled the Brit's face, receiving a warm smile from his lover. "Thank you, Lovely~!"

Arthur chuckled at the tickle of the silky black locks against his cheeks, and rubbed the side of his American's face.

"You can't just send 'im to ze fighting, you know," Francis interjected. "'e will need to get used to 'is new form."

"I can train him aru," Yao piped up, sitting up and yawning, his wings flapping out once. "It can't be too hard for him. He already was demon before; it should be easy."

"I want to help!" Feliciano cried out, jumping from his seat with his usual boisterousness. "I can run really fast and I'm cute! Maybe I can help him too~!"

"And zen zere's his animal form," Gilbert mumbled, before raising his head to make contact with Arthur. "I don't know vhat the national animal of England is, but you're going to need some practice viz zat."

"Vait, vait, hold on a second," Ludwig interjected, rubbing his eyes, as if aggravated, with one hand. "If ve are to now include Arzur in za fight, how are ve going to do zis? Ve need a plan."

"Ooh! Ooh! Pick me!" Alfred raised his hand eagerly, as if in school, pulling the Englishman along with him to the swivel chair he had been in before and plopping down, pulling Arthur down with him. "I got the perfect idea!"

When the group had their plan organized and everyone had their part to play, Arthur was brought to an arena, and then one of its large rooms that was scattered with various materials. There were weapons that were in proper cases, large rocks had been placed in random patterns around the perimeter of the room, there were open spaces for most likely miscellaneous purposes, the walls were marked with scratches, the ceiling had its own obstacle course for flying- he knew he would be in this room for quite a while.

"You remember how to fly aru?" Yao asked, floating a foot above the ground and his back to the floor.

"They feel a bit heavier the last time I tried," Arthur responded, flexing his bat-like appendages to get used to the feel. "It shouldn't be too hard, though."

The Chinese demon gestured toward the open space in front of them. "Try it. Let's see how you do aru."

Arthur rolled his shoulders and stretched his wings out on either side of him, flapping them in uneven patterns to get slightly used to the feeling of using such a large weight. One foot slid back, his legs bended, his upper body leant forward, and he took off. He ran down the pathway, legs moving quickly, spread his wings out on either side of him, and rose into the air-

-before he connected with the floor of the room face-first.

Yao's loud laughs were probably heard from the whole building they were in, a small thump heard that told his friend had most likely fallen to the ground in his current state. Arthur, the front of his body aching from his fall, stomped out of the room to clean himself up with a scowl and brightly-flushed face.

When the British demon returned, still a bit annoyed, he was met with a tackle-hug and a loud "Ciao Arthur~! It'sa so good to see you again~!" from whom he could only and always recognize as Feliciano.

Yao was grinning madly still, but its amusement decreased slightly when the Englishman glared over at him. "Feliciano is faster than most of us," he started to explain. "He help you with taking off."

"Vee~ this will be fun, right~?" The Italian grinned, jumping in place.

"Sure," Arthur grumbled, giving his friend another irritated look. Yao only giggled as a response.

Feliciano was a good instructor for him, first showing him and then giving another demonstration with instructions. He took it slow with Arthur at first, letting him get used to the weight of the leather-like appendages before they practiced flying, diving and landing at separate times, moving to the next as soon as the Brit mastered the one before that. And Feli didn't laugh hysterically like Yao did, who was watching the show and had waited until his friend was able to fly through the obstacle course without any difficulties. The Mandarin-speaking demon flew up after him, going to one side with Feli on the other. When Arthur looked beside him, he couldn't hold back and gave a groan.

"Please don't mess me up, I've been doing excellent right now." And it wasn't a lie; he hadn't messed up after he had gotten the hang of using his new wings, and he refused to let anyone or anything ruin that.

"I won't do anything to you aru," Yao rolled his eyes, laughing lightly. "I just want to talk."

"About whot?" He dove underneath a boulder that was somehow attached to the ceiling, his two companions following afterwards.

"About your lover aru."

Arthur's head skidded a bit inside his chest, but he continued onwards. "Why do we have to talk about Alfred? He loves me, I love him, that's the end of that."

"It no that, Arthur. We want to know- well…Kiku and Ludwig, specifically, but I suppose everyone wondering this-"

"Everyone wants to know how you were able to do it," Feliciano finished, flying a bit faster forward to land on a small cliff that was embedded into the wall.

"Do…whot?" His face blossomed brightly into a scarlet shade; they didn't mean It, did they? The two of them had to have already made love with their lovers, right? Yao must have read him easily, because he started to laugh when he saw the other's expression.

"Not that, aru," he grinned. "We already know how."

Arthur blushed, but stayed silent, looking between the two for an explanation.

"Ludwig and Kiku said that before we came along, Alfred was really mean and rude and grumpy all the time," the perky Italian clarified. "But when he met you, he started to become happier than before and now he's not like that! The others want to know how you changed him, how you got him to be nice and happy."

The Briton gently sat himself down beside Feliciano, pondering on what he had just been told. Alfred had been mean and rude before they had met? That was strange, considering how he acted around his lover. But that did explain the situation a little bit, such as how he had bitten him when they first met and had something of a temper within him. Maybe because he had pale red eyes for a long while, symbolizing he was lonely and wanted someone. And like he had mentioned before, he had searched everywhere for an Arthur Kirkland and hadn't found one until he met the true owner of that name. But the thing was, he couldn't answer their question because he didn't know how to answer it if he didn't have anything to reply with.

"I was there for him," Arthur began slowly and quietly. "I… I can't really explain it because I don't know how or whot I did. I mean…when I first saw him, I didn't feel anything but fear for him. I wasn't attracted in any way to him. But…the more and more times he used those compliments he gives me, I…I supposed you could say I may have gotten myself into something that made me never want to leave." Arthur could recall every moment that he had had with his American demon, every kiss they had shared, every word they had spoken to one another. "And…I don't regret a damn thing…

"I risked my life for him. I risked my life for us. I could have stayed an angel forever, but instead, I let myself become a demon so I could be with him. He just seemed so lonely and sad…I wanted to give him the same feeling he had given me, to make him feel that same happiness that I had received from him. And nothing else mattered in the whole entire universe. Anything could happen to us at any moment of the day and whotever that would be…it wouldn't matter, because Alfred and I aren't separated in half. We're both whole because we have each other to hold on to and to never let go. And thanks to that feeling of completion…we'll be together for eternity."

Arthur will admit that he had drifted off somewhere during his monologue, filling his head with memories and words and feelings that he experienced throughout his time as a lover to Alfred. He meant every word he had previously said, because anything could happen to them, and it wouldn't matter what it would be, as long as they weren't separated. They had sold their souls to each other long ago and hadn't returned the hearts that they held. Arthur didn't want to, and he was sure Alfred felt the same. The other owned his heart and would protect it and give it loving care for the most important person in their lives.

Feliciano's light sniffles brought the English demon back to reality, and he resisted a chuckle but managed a smile before he tugged the Italian into a one-arm hug. The younger male rested his head against Arthur's shoulder and sighed lightly and shakily.

"You two are so much in love," he sniffed, rubbing his wrist under his nose. "It's so sweet!"

"Thank you, Feli," he smiled. "I'm sure you feel the same way about your lover, right?"

At the mention of Ludwig, Feliciano perked up and nearly fell off the cliff. "Ludwig is everything good in the world! He's wonderful and sweet and kind and loves me and protects me when I get scared and he makes sure I'm always smiling and he loves me so much and…I don't know what to do with myself!" The Italian leaned backwards with a melodramatic exhale and let his wings carry him a few feet away from them. "I can stay with him holding hands for forever and eternity~!"

I feel the same way… Arthur hadn't realized it until the white-haired Son of the Dark started to go through the rest of the obstacle course when it hit him: all of the angels that had come here and been changed to demons were madly and utterly in love with those that had brought them here. There was no doubt about it with Ludwig and Feliciano, and Francis and Matthew (by what he had seen at Hyde Park) seemed deeply passionate with each other. Kiku and Yao seemed that secretive couple that weren't as public with their relationship as everyone else, but could be when they wanted to. He didn't know much about Antonio and Lovino, but the way their hands were intertwined and their eyes shifted to each other once in a while at the meeting earlier that day, one of them giving a smile that was returned, he was sure they were in love as well.

And then there was Alfred and him. Sweet, kind, loving, handsome, goofy, protective Alfred. It was too obvious that the two of them were in love and completely head-over-heels, horns-over-wings, for each other. They were going to do anything to keep the other safe and out of harm, even if it was risking his life.

"Anglais~! We need to see you!"

The familiar French accent rang out around the room about a half hour later, while the three were practicing their flight. Arthur could see the white-haired demon from where he was, and he glided over to a tunnel that was in the air by silver chains, sliding against the inside on his stomach and looking down at Francis in detest. "Whot do you need?" He called down to him, voice heavy with boredom. There had been a peace over the trio in the room, and the Briton didn't want it to be ruined by the Frenchman.

"Zere are some friends who wish to speak wiz you."

"And I should believe you because…?" He never trusted a Frenchman; they were all too disturbing and too weak and too grabby.

Francis must have felt the hate radiating towards him, because he rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Your Américain boyfriend is waiting for you, imbécile. If you do not wish to come to 'im, you can explain zat yourself."

Arthur rolled his eyes but nonetheless said his good-byes to Feliciano and Yao, and then dropped down to the ground, where he followed the white-haired male in silence. They went down a corridor to the left and turned several times, so much that the Brit was nearly convinced that this was a counterattack that would be going against him. He shivered slightly at the thought, wondering what he would do then, but didn't have to dwell much on the idea when he arrived in a barren circle of a room, the cone of a ceiling carved with claw marks and craters alike. "Where the hell did you bring me, frog?" The Englishman turned around to comment, and had to jump out of the way when a large brown bull came charging at him.

He had been right. Counterattack, definitely.

He dodged out of the way hastily by gathering air, how he had been taught, by using his wings and got away from the charging animal. The raging bull snorted at him, glaring at him with jade eyes for not reaching him. The Briton growled deep in his throat, but it stopped when a louder rumble was heard, and he turned to see a large cheetah, Francis, snarling at him. He was trapped and defeated if he was going to escape by ground, and both exits were blocked. There was no possible way for him to get out.

A loud squawk from above him had him glancing up and zooming just out of the way of a black eagle's clutches, and he dove forward, just missing the claws from grazing his wings. Unfortunately, the bird followed him, and the demon got close enough to the ground to receive a swipe from the talons of the large feline and a stampede from the bull. He dodged the claws but was unable to get away from the head of the stomping animal, and was drilled into the ground harshly.

Arthur flew against the wall, bringing a few bricks down with his fall, and was in the ground in a heap. Luckily, the three transformed demons didn't charge him, and he was able to glower at them harshsly. If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get.

With a snarl of his lips toward the trio of animals, he stood on two feet strongly and unfurled his wings. The three creatures glared at him, and the demon took a running step forward, charging forward. The cheetah sped up and met his speed in a few easy steps, but instead of connecting with him, he jumped over him and landed perfectly on his feet, touching down on the other's tail. The cat snarled in pain and scratched his nails into the floor.

The eagle swooped forward, claws outstretched, but the Briton got close to the ground and missed them, extending his own talons from his hand (as every demon owned), and grappled onto the feathers tautly. The bird dropped down to the ground, screeching loudly and flapping its wings as the scarlet-haired male tugged a feather out and let it fall to the ground. He avoided the sharp beak that now pecked down at him, open or closed, trying to pierce him, but the demon got the eagle to move down each time he would strike and was successful in giving himself a small scratch against his shoulder and getting the beak to stab into the tail of the feline, who gave another loud roar.

Arthur gave a sneer of his lips to the remaining beast. "Would you like to face me as well?" The bull snorted loudly at him, and he stamped his feet into the ground before making a run forward. The Briton waited with fists clenched, arms at his side. The animal got closer quickly. The former Londoner remained in his place. Just as the bull was just three steps away, the demon leapt into the air and spread his wings out on either side of him, flying through the two horns and landing on four, pawed feet. The bull slid forward, hooves on either side to stop him from running into the other two but failing. While the trio flailed and tried to regain their bearings, the Brit examined himself the best that he could.

His height had definitely changed, for he was much closer to ground than he had been. His entire body felt strange and covered in fur, and his body felt longer. There was a brown, coarse fur that surrounded his head alone, but he could see his tail was lengthier than before and puffy at the end. The rest of his body, when he looked down where he could, was a perfect golden color and there were four talons coming out of his paws. When he ran his tongue over his teeth, he felt sharp canines and molars inside his maw, and when he wiggled his ears, he discovered they were smaller and rounder than before, as well as more enhanced.

When he glanced over at the trio, he saw that they were back to demon form and nursing any wounds they had. Gilbert, the German-sounding one as well as the large eagle, looked annoyed, but nonetheless smirked at the Briton. "Nice job for a beginner," he complimented. Francis and Antonio glared at him, looking a bit battered and cold. Arthur didn't know what was happening, but he wasn't panicking. He sniffed at the trio, and turned around to gaze at the newcomer.

Alfred leaned against the inside of the door with a smile, and strode over to his lover when the lion (because Arthur figured that's what he most likely was) roared at him and bounded over. The American rubbed behind his ear and laughed when he jumped up on his shoulders, nuzzling and purring at him. "Look at you, my Lovely," he grinned, rubbing behind his ear. Arthur arched his back and sat down on his hind feet, pawing the air and humming at the feel. Alfred placed a kiss against his wet nose, and received a lick from a tongue and a loving gaze. "I think you're ready, my Thornless Rose."

So do I, Arthur thought. Ready for eternity.