Pinpoint Convition

Chapter 36: Alongside Each Other

The spear flew through the air in a single motion, flashing faster than most eyes could've perceived it. With enough power to cleave a man in half, it would surely have reduced the elder soldier into half the man he used to be. Instead the blade passed over his head as Garder dodged with practically easy refinement and threw his first punch. Anticipating this attack, Vlad twisted his weapon round, allowing the fist to hit the other spear end sending a scatter of sparks into the vicinity. A strong punch, obviously helped by the serum Garder had injected into his body. They took a step backwards and then lunged again, Garder's enclosed hand striking against the very tip of the spear and knocking it off course. The blade, would not pierce his power and the third blow was now aimed at the incorrigible man's face.

*Shoosh*

Sweat pouring from his face, Garder had to admit his surprise when Vladimir actually brought his weapon upward, allowing a defensive maneuver that blocked the attack. Taking this opportunity, Vlad grasped the wrist of the would be attack and swung Garder over his shoulders. The attack was worthless in the end as Garder had already landed on his feet just in time to avoid the horizontal slash. With a better opening in his spot, Garder let the first hit make contact.

*BAM!*

Blood seeping out of his mouth, Vladimir's gut was pounded in by the single fist. The blow was strong enough to put holes in people, but thanks to the specialized endurance serum that Vlad consumed, this was only a punch. A punch though that felt as if he had been hit by a wrecking ball and it was enough to force him back, breaking his arm out and grasping the ground to stop his slide.

Morotisan swiftly moved his arms around and got into another offensive position moving forward with spectacular speed Vladimir did not attempt to dodge the attack or block it. He swung his bladed spear forward and again, the sparks rained over them. Now it was his turn to commit the offensive attack. Cents grasped his weapon and brought it back near hip length then stabbed. Once, twice, thrice, Garder avoided the attacks, deflecting a few and then found another opening.

*BAM!*

The force that would knock a head off threw Cents into a spiraling frenzy, his body crashing all over the streets before he once more kicked himself up, the blood flowing from his overwhelmingly chaotic and happy face. Garder did not wait, he had already rushed forth to deliver the next punch and Vladimir had already prepared himself for the same thing. The two old men who had fought years ago, now threw out a punch to each other.

*KRAM!*

*SLAM!*

Garder's fist connected to Vladimir's face once more, sending out a spew of blood from his nose. Vladimir's own punch had hit full force into Garder's gut, forcing the old soldier to spit out a bit. They did not wait even a second until they brought their punches back and threw it again with full force into each other's body. This time Garder aimed for the gut, sending out more of Vlad's blood into the air while Cents delivered a brutal strike on his opponents face, leaving a bloody mark at the side. The third time was the same but against the same part of the body. Garder and Vladimir both punched full force into each other's face.

Garder's body was beaten, but hardly out of place. Vladimir was the one taking expressive damage to him and it was him who had to drop his guard, leaving his worthy adversary enough time deliver the ruthless kick to his head. At this point, there was no more street for Vlad to fly across and he found himself smashing back first into the near window.

Garder breathed in slightly, his ears listening ever so carefully for Vlad's next strike. Amazing how different this fight was then the last time they had fought. Ten years ago, he and Cents had a spectacular brawl that showed the difference between power and endurance. But that was just it, Cents endurance had been great enough so that he could withstand Garder's onslaught but it had been apparent from the start that he held the advantage. Ten years later, Cents was actually connecting blows with him and it had nothing to do with Garder's blindness either.

The man had gotten stronger in these past ten years, holding onto that pitiful grudge of his. Just waiting endlessly for the day that he could have this fight he desired so much.

Inside the rubble, Vlad chuckled under his breath.

"You never cease to amaze me Perfect Soldier. I expect nothing less…" Cents reached up to one of the broken handles and lifted himself up, brushing the dust and debris off, he stepped out into the sunlight and faced his enemy. Both them of them now made a slow walk towards each other, the wind blowing their hair and coats wildly around.

A stern expression of seriousness on Garder's face.

A low smiling, mischievous gaze from Vladimir.

*Tak* *Tak* *Tak* *Tak*

The sound of their footsteps was the only thing that could be heard besides the wind and the off-heard screams of the people and battle going on in the places around them. At once Garder and Vlad's attentions were caught by the indication of several Diclonius flying by to chase after Onyara, their forces lead by the true Queen of the Diclonius race.

"Well what do you know, looks like some fun is happening isn't it?" Vlad amusingly articulated. Silently, Garder watched them and his already strict frown became deeper. They were chasing after Onyara and Kaede was leading them. The only reason Synth would have let Kaede do that, was if Onyara now had gotten what she wanted. Dealing with the Diclonius would have to wait though, because Cents clearly was not going to let him just stare blankly at the horned girls.

The wind was blowing, both men facing the other down like a standoff in an old western movie.

Something like a coin was dropped and that was the moment of attack.

Both men reached into their coats and pulled out their guns, unleashing a hail of bullets on one another. Flashes of light and the smell of gunpowder filled the air as both moved to the side, continuously firing as their weapons embedded into the other's body. More and more until the entire area was obscured in smoke, and the gun shots finally stopped.

Silence was more filled the air, letting the smoke cleared revealed the extend of the damage each had done.

Vladimir had been shot a total of five times, two bullets in his arm, one bullet near his upper thigh and two more to his right shoulder.

Garder had been luckier, three bullets one his right shoulder just above the collarbone, one around his lower left arm and the other having struck his finger of his left hand. While this might've torn it off, his serum did not wish for such a thing to happen. It however did leave it broken, at least before Morotisan set it back into place.

"It's been so long, since I've felt such a joyous sensation run through my veins. You must feel the same too right Perfect Soldier?" Cents uttered.

"Listen well Cents, you and I are nothing alike. You can keep living your obscene nature of desires if you wish, but I look towards the point of reality and logic. If you want to believe this fight is something between two worthy opponents to have fun, keep believing that. But I am only here to defeat you, because you are in the way of my goal. As long as you stand before me, I will defeat you like I did before.

Whether it is ten years ago or now, I will defeat you just the same as before. Not for revenge, not for self-satisfaction, I will defeat you because I simply must. "

Vladimir Cents gave a long look at the old man and sighed while keeping that same smile on his face. "You never do change, do you Garder F. Morotisan. Just like today, just like the days before, just like those many years ago when we first met. Say what you will Perfect Soldier, but we both know deep down what this fight is all about.

It may be true that you are fighting me for the purpose of stopping me, but if it was just for that, you could've just left. There'd be no reason to bother with me if I wasn't any concern to you. But that's not it is it now? My reason is quite simple for fighting you.

I hate you. The man who was so close to his desires and then purposely threw them away. My hatred of you is intense, burning through every last vein in my body. How could I not resist the urge to attack you? How hard it was indeed, to live my life with you and have to resist the urge to attack. It was all I could do to take it out on the rest of the members of cents while I kept at bay from you. But you are magnificent, such power, pride and though you are a dreaming bastard, I cannot help but respect you. You unforgivable fool who I despise and admire."

Vladimir turned around, raising his hand upward.

"...And we both know why you're fighting. Because of the exact same reason I am. You can hide behind that little ideology of logic as much as you want Morotisan, but we both know the truth. You hate me, for taking your world and crushing it into powder. Not a day goes by that you don't think of that man, Nicholas Vegas who I shot. Not a day goes by that you don't think of your daughter Veronica Morotisan and the fact that you were forced to kill her."

Garder did not say anything, but continued to listen intently.

"...And the other reason is just the same, because as much as you don't care, I am the only person who can possibly understand you. Both of us lead meaningless lives, pure killers in a world of warfare and danger. We, who thought we understood ourselves, instead are cast into unknown oceans to be tossed around. What we thought we knew, that gets cast aside.

I have a daughter of all things, who could've thought that I of all people could've had a child. But it is true, that little girl Lilian Cents is my own flesh and blood and she believes that I was a good person. The things we know about ourselves is nothing but the half of it. That is what we are Garder, two old men fighting an endless war against each other because nobody else understands us and we don't even understand ourselves. "

The old man starred strongly at his adversary once he was done, casting his blind eyes across the field to Vladimir.

…

…

"You can say whatever you want Cents, make any proclamation you wish. The end will not change, I am not here to fight you because of revenge or the desire of war. I fight you because you are in my way and need to be stopped, that is all there is to it. I will tell you once more, King of Deceit.

…You are nothing more than some fool craving for your idiotic dreams and calling them desires."

Cents glared at him, his smile shaking as his anger grew. They both began their slow walk towards one another, tattered bodies bleeding outwards but with no sign of stopping. As they came to one another, both of them made their move. Garder's gun hand shot upward, aiming the black pistol directly at Cents' forehead as he grabbed the man's harm and kept it steady.

"Then shoot me, and show me that ideology you so claim." Vladimir uttered. The gun was steady, there was no shaking of Garder's hand and the finger was tightly pressed against the trigger. One pull would splatter the ma's brains out and put him down for good. But Morotisan did not fire, he only kept his cold blind gaze on the man before him, imagining that smile he had seen years ago.

"Come on then old man, pull the trigger. You have killed hundreds of people before, a man like me should be no different. Here's your chance, prove yourself! Prove to me that this is some job for you!

Shoot me! Shoot me! Shoot me!

COME ON GARDER F. MOROTISAN! SHOOT ME AND SHOW ME THAT IDEOLOGY OF YOURS! YOU DREAMING BASTARD! KYAHAHAHAHAH!"

He let his laughter died as Garder remained motionless. The two who battled in bloody beating starred at one another and finally backed off. Garder put down his gun while Vladimir returned his spear back to its normal form and placed it inside of his coat.

"…You fool…" Cents muttered darkly.

Garder did not reply, because he was right. He could kill anyone else in the world, even his own family, but he couldn't kill this monster before him. Because that was the only thing keeping him still attached to the world. Because that man was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He was infuriated with Cents, maddened beyond belief at his very voice. Each time he was around, his memories of his own daughter came into place. There was nothing more than animosity between him and the incorrigible king.

And he was also right, he respected Cents. He respected that desire he had, a desire that he had given up long ago and only obeyed the logical reasoning of the world.

*Tak* *Tak* *Tak*

The sound of their footsteps echoed loudly, a droplet of rain was already starting to fall. Sirens roared in the distance before the next awestruck of might burst against each other. Putting their strengths into their punches, both landed a clean hit against one another's face, spewing out blood from both side, they staggered only slightly before regaining their balance. No sooner had they done so then they threw out their second punch, hitting the same faces again, shattering noses upon impact.

Vladimir spun once, bringing out his spear and slashed it horizontally only to have it avoided. Dexterously twirling his fingers, Vladimir produced an almost dance-like array of waves and slices, each one avoided by the soldier in the same dance like maneuver. Once the opening was made, the old man sprung forth with his enclosed fist. With enough time to expect it, Cents defended himself, raising his arm to block the punch. Vladimir jittered with joy as the bones in his arms cracked from the force of it, after all that was to be expected by a man who's punches could plow through normal skulls.

Morotisan used this time though to land a flurry of blows, punching the areas of Cents that he could reach. A brutal blow to the head, an attack towards the gut, once more to the left side. He pushed the King of Deceit back with each pressure attack. Swerving to the side, he delivered one more combo, cracking punches to the face then bringing himself back with his fist raised. Cents sighed with blood filling his mouth he fell forward and collapsed onto his hands and knees.

"Aguah…guh…urgh…" That filling of blood was too good. The last time he had felt his body this far down into the ground was with his fight with Elrya. He couldn't help but feel a combination of enlightened happiness and utter hatred. This pain, suffering and the fight was glorious but knowing how the old man wasn't going to put the final attack to finish him off forever was beyond irksome. Yet that beautiful feeling, to fight against the worthy opponent was nothing more than ecstasy. In a world of humans and Diclonius, of bullets and vectors and of hate, love, revenge and the bloodstained pasts, these two battled it out. Two titans wielding their fists and weapons and clashing them.

In a world of this, the simple terms of human or Diclonius did not apply to them. Compared to the likes of those two, as the rain dashed across their bodies, mixing together with the smell of blood. This was their world, away from the world humanity and Diclonius. Away from all that was happening around them, a battle of souls and war that had gone on for over a decade.

A war between two old men from years ago.

Kaede leapt across the buildings as she chased after the fleeing Onyara, her eyes set coldly as her vectors were released along with the company of the other horned girls that had come with her. Like winding snakes, vipers ready to strike, they struck with precision and yet like a clever beast, the black haired woman dodged them with an almost beautiful movement.

"Damn!" Kaede cursed. She wondered how much danger she was putting on herself, her baby and the others around her but kept up the charge. Of course Onyara would be able to dodge her attacks, she was still a Diclonius and one of select few to be able to see her hands.

"Everyone, keep your distances as much as you can, she can only attack five of us at a time with her attacks." Taking the knowledge she had learned earlier, this was where she was going to change things up. Onyara's vectors, the thin whip like lines she called her "veins" were able to be produced a specific amount of meters away from her own body and attack from there. But her weaknesses came that she could only produce five areas of attack. Still the danger did not dwindle much and already, two of the horned girls that had bravely come forth were decapitated.

Kaede wasn't going to forgive her. A world of pain and misery had once been her only salvation, now she had found families, love, friends and was even with child. That bitch down there who would even dare to take that away from her, she regretted a lot of things, but taking that fool's head off would be one of the few times she was glad to have spilled blood.

"Should I attack?" The voice of Lucy, her internal voice that had once been her worst enemy now one of her greatest allies.

"Take control, but don't use up my power too much, I need to last as long as I can." Kaede uttered, allowing her voice to take center stage. Putting a sadistic grin on her face, Lucy spread her arms out and formed the circular line of vectors from behind her and aimed. This was the first time that the others would see her as well, that power that the Queen Diclonius possessed. Let them feel that expressive form of energy, when the power of vectors did not just have to form into hands.

"This time, I'll make sure you don't get back up!" Lucy roared and fired. White beams of destroying light, burning, sizzling and blinding exploded with the force of cannons. But she had underestimated the intelligence of that black haired woman of death. Onyara had been nearly killed by that same attack and only her ability to regenerate had saved her. But there was no way to regenerate now, an action required her to take the flesh of another person. Much like the vectors, the lights that possessed the power to destroy cities was dodged. Even worse, Onyara took another tactical option and lowered herself further into the city.

"Shit, cowardly little bitch." Lucy cursed angrily. She couldn't attack there at the city, she'd hit the people and it was once again another heavy reminder of how much she had changed. Even worst, she could smell salt, they were getting closer to the ocean.

"Signature of Expectation!" Onyara cried as she pointed a single finger upward.

Blood splattered from the skies as Diclonius fell down with holes in their heads. Kaede had barely avoided the attack and was now sweat profusely. She had taken control once more and felt the line of red down her face. She had barely avoided that attack and it had murdered four others. That was one of her special abilities, the Signature of Expectation formed a specific line of attack directly to wherever Onyara desired.

"Damn you!" Kaede yelled." With her power increasing ever so much, the world around the city turned into a wave of hands. Kaede's horns had elongated and her reach was well over five hundred meters long. Onyara felt a chill run down her spine as all of her hand struck to reach her, sweat pouring from her face as she desperately tried to avoid them.

"Kuh! That power…" She uttered. One hand managed to graze her cheek but beyond that superficial wound, she was unscathed. Kaede's body was starting to sweat now, she knew that if this kept up, the entropy in her body would reach its limits and her body would melt. That was something she didn't want, it sounded just as painful as it was and somewhere in her mind, she had this strange idea that this could've happened to her in a different future.

The black haired Diclonius slipped down between the streets, crisscrossing different areas and then glared behind her back. She couldn't see Kaede anymore nor the others but her power was definitely felt. "Hm? Where did that fool go?"

"Here!"

The voice came from the front and before Onyara could react, Kaede's vector blew her right into the side of a structure, through the window and then right outside the other end. Glass embedding itself into her body, she screamed obscenities just as the pink haired woman assaulted her once again, pounding he already tattered body into the next room as those inside looked on in shocked.

By the time the black haired witch had finally gotten on her feet, she was pounded away again. The strength of the Queen beyond eve her expectation. Kaede herself was lashing out with precision, always aiming for a deadly strike and the only reason she wasn't making those attacks count was because of Onyara's skill as well. The witch was keeping herself alive, though only barely and she was losing this fight. This would not do, she never lost.

"Signature of expectation!"

"Ah!" It pierced her arm and, sending a shivering wave of pain through her body. This gave Kirashu enough time to deliver another blow against Kaede's head, splattering the wall with blood and leaving her teetering on the edge of her feet.

"I don't have any more use for you, Lucy! Die!"

But there was no death for the Queen. Kaede had already attacked before Onyara had finished her sentence and blown her right out of the structure with one of her vector blasts. "Don't look down on me you bitch. You think your something special, get real. You might be powerful in your own right but compared to what we had all had to go through all our lives, you don't understand a damn thing about us or me!" Roaring those words at Onyara's falling body, she slammed her foot harshly into the woman's gut, feeling spit splash up into her face, there was definitely a glee in Kaede's eyes from that.

Her teeth ground together, filling up with blood and vomit while her crazed eyes saw the pink haired woman above her. Too strong, she didn't show this kind of power during their struggle before. Had she really underestimated Lucy's power that much?

"Farewell!" The time had finally come. Kaede's vector would slice off the woman's head before she even reached the ground. Unfortunately for her, fate was not as kind.

To her surprise Onyara made a sudden move, twisting her body around she pointed at the Queen and smirked. "This little game of tag is getting on my nerves, former Queen. Signature of Relinquish!"

And Kaede's world suddenly went dark. Her body fell to the ground, lost in memories of the past.

The others stopped their chase to help her, giving Onyara the chance to escape. Once she gazed at the ocean waves, she knew it was time. Those fools with their pitiful normal vectors couldn't stop her now. She'd go to Europe, find her sister and finish what should've been finished thousands of years ago.

*BAM!*

"Wh-What!?" She managed to choke out something. Was it a fist? It had felt very much like one that put a hell of mark on her left cheek and sent her spiraling out of control, landing on the beach side, the sand kicked up into the sky where she had landed.

"Urgh…who the…?" Her attacker revealed herself instantly.

Nana's arm was missing, having used it to deliver that hell of a punch on the wicked woman. But there was definitely something else that stood out. That was the stern, outright dangerous expression on Nana's face. Her body was tense, her legs spread out and one hand to the side as her vectors swarmed around her like angry wasps. Those eyes, they lacked the colorful warmth the cheerful Siplilet was known for.

"Lucy-san?" Nana muttered looking over the horizon at the city.

Onyara wiped the trail of blood from her lips and rubbed her wounded cheek. "You've got some nerve, you shitty little brat."

"I have to stop you, if you escape, you'll do terrible things. Terrible things that will hurt my family and friends, people like Mayu and papa." Nana growled angrily.

Her footstep kicked up a small cloud of dust and before Onyara could even react, Nana had already punched her several meters across the sandy beach. Her eyes wondered upward as her head did from the third bounce enough to see something flash before her eyes. Along with her cheek, she could feel her nose breaking from the impact as Nana kicked her square in the face, sending her already flying body swirling out of control. The purple haired girl was relentless, no kindness from her, not to an enemy as dangerous as this one.

By the time the wicked woman got up, Nana had already beaten her down again. Another punch from her fake arm, leaving her limbless and Onyara a bloody mess. While Kirashu tripped over her feet, tasting the blood well up the daughter of Kurama lunged out to take the girls' heart. She would kill, she refused to kill any other time but she would kill here. Killing was not a sin in this case because if she didn't, she and everyone else would die.

"Don't underestimate me!" Onyara whispered in frustrating irritation.

Too late, Nana's attack was unluckily avoided and now she was open to attack. As she had been flung off her feet, she soared upward and saw the sky, cloudy and the raindrops on her face. "Ugh…ow…." Something hurt, around her legs. Lowering her eyes she could see two of her feet sprawled out. So she had got her there, but why did it hurt and why was their blood flying through the air? Nana gasped as she realized the terrible truth. Onyara didn't just manage to take off her prosthetics, she had taken sections of her real legs that sent an utterly terrifying pain through her body as she landed on the sand ground.

"Guh!...Ugh…oww! Papa…it hurts!" This pain, this terrible, excruciating pain. The pathetic state she was in, just like that time long ago when she fought Lucy.

"Fucking little whore…" Onyara cursed. "Doing that much to me, a mere fucking Sipilet like you. Goddamn it all, but I win. Get it now you fucking girl? I FUCKING WON! SUFFER! SIGNATURE OF RELINQUISH!"

"Gah!" Something hit her, and her mind went black. Nana who had once been on the beach now found herself in a very old location. An odd yet horrifying familiar place of long ago. She was naked and her body was strung up against the walls of the facility. Above her, she could see the machine lowering itself down to fire off its next strike.

"This isn't real…" Nana muttered, shaking her and closing her eyes. When she opened them again, the scene changed, her body still chained up but another figure looking at her.

"P-Papa?" Nana uttered as the person she admired the most stood with a glint on his glasses. "Papa! Papa I need help, I need…"

"Be quiet…"

Such a tone, filled with disgust and hate. Papa never spoke to her like that before.

"Papa?"

Someone else was with him, a blonde girl with horns smiling sadistically at her while clinging to Kurama's legs.

"Mariko-chan?"

"Nana, I have something important to tell you." Kurama uttered, his voice echoing and lacking the kindness he would usually give to his adopted daughter. "You are a fool…"

"This…I don't…what?" Nana asked in confusion.

"You think I have ever cared about you? What a stupid girl you are…"

"Stupid!" Mariko cried happily.

"What? This is a lie, this is all just a lie!" Nana cried out, shaking her head and closing her eyes. When she opened them, Kurama was right in front of her face along with Mariko.

Kurama straightened his glasses and said with absolute conviction in his voice.

"…Number seven, you are by far the most pathetic freak I have ever known. You have been nothing more than my test subject and you will never be my daughter. Looking at you has filled me with so much disgust and that I wanted to kill myself multiple times whenever I saw you.

Listen well, you brat…"

"Listen well, big sister!" Mariko chirped.

And they both said together.

"Nobody loves you, you don't have anything and I will always hate you forever…"

"No…stop it! Stop it…please…stop it!" Nana cried out, closing her eyes. Even if it wasn't real, she didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to see it. This felt all too real for her. "Please stop it! I can't take it anymore, papa! Save me papa!"

Onyara stood from behind, putting a thin black "vein" to Nana's throat.

"Nobody will ever save you…"

And slit her throat in an act of sheer cruelty.

"Ah…!?" Nana was held up by the scruff of her collar before Kirashu dropped her back, letting the sand become wet with both rain and blood. Nana her eyes going fuzzy tried to reach a vector out, and snatched on a small lock of Onyara's hair as she sped off, her make shift wings spreading out and soaring over the ocean to freedom.

"…Ugh…agh…guh…" She coughed several times and closed her eyes crying for her papa to save her.

"Nana!" That voice, she couldn't see very clearly but could tell it was Lucy. Sure enough the woman passed over her, her long pink hair covering her face. It was strange, Lucy looked so amazing shocked right now and, through her blurry sight, it looked as if Lucy had also been crying. Why did Lucy seem so shocked and scared, this wasn't much different from last time. Her memory was getting too fuzzy, her throat hurt and she now had a broken heart.

"No! Shit, that bitch!" Kaede yelled, getting on her knees and pressing her hands against Nana's body. "Shit, Nana, stay awake, please!"

"L-Lucy…san?" Nana muttered. Had Lucy changed that much that she was actually worried.

Kaede looked around, there had to be something she could do to save Nana. This girl didn't deserve to die, not for something like this. She had been a fool, she had let others die and now she was about to let Nana die as well. The wicked woman had already made her relive the past with Kouta on the train, that was why she had been crying when she arrived. She had done something similar to Nana and it only made her hate Onyara even more.

"Nana! Damn it Nana please…stay awake! Shit! What can I do?"

"Can't we perhaps…piece her cells back together with our vectors?" The instinctual voice asked.

"Will that work? Oh god, I don't have time to ask! Nana!" Kaede screamed lowering her corporeal hands into her the base of Nana's neck, she could only concentrate as she began to stich the flesh and muscles back together. "Ow…agh…gah…damn…it…!" It was hurting so much, she felt like the right side of her body was burning up. But she wasn't finished, Nana's throat was still ripped open and still needed to be healed. "Come on, goddamn it come on!"

Something burned around her right arm and she heard something slip downward. Almost done, just a few more seconds and then Nana's throat was cleared. Other than a tiny red mark, there was nothing else left to say that it had once been slit open. Healing the legs was easier, thankfully Onyara had only managed to chip away a small part, though even still that was dangerous enough. Less time was spent healing that and then Kaede blacked out.

"So painful…can't…stand…" And fell backwards while holding the stump of her right arm that had melted from the shoulders down. "Gih! So painful…dammit! Haa…huff…huff…haa! I didn't think doing just that would hurt me that badly. My arm, I guess Roy and I are a bit more similar now. Sorry…" Her apology this time was addressed to her unborn child, gently rubbing her gut she looked over her shoulders at Nana who she was glad to see was breathing normally.

"L-Lucy-san? You helped me? Your arm…"

Kaede smiled. "Yeah, I got a bit carried away, like usual. Ugh…gah…this really hurts you know. But then again, this is nothing compared to what you had to go through. Sorry Nana, for what I did, but maybe this makes up for a bit of it, at least a quarter I guess, heheh…hheheh…ow…"

"You're…different. Thanks…" Nana said as the two Diclonius laid their broken and beaten both physically and mentally. "But I'm sorry, I tried to stop her but, it was awful. She caught me off guard and…Mariko-chan and Papa…they…"

Tears welled up into her face, ones that Kaede gently wiped away with her good hand. "Don't think about it, I can probably guess. She caught me off guard as well and made me relieve my past. I had to see myself killing Kouta's father and sister again, it was incredibly painful for me as well. Oh…I hope someone comes soon, this really hurts."

"Can you feel it, Lucy-san?" Nana asked.

"Yes, Elrya-san is having a lot of trouble right now. She's already using such a large amount of power already, if this keeps up, she's going to end up like my arm…"

The two girls could do nothing else but wait. Onyara had escaped and they were too weak to be of anymore use now. Kaede the pain becoming too great for her, dripped into unconsciousness shortly after just as she heard the other Diclonius that had survived drop down.

Morotisan could feel his body giving way, his serum was about to run out and need to be replenished. Now was the time to finish things off before that happened. Preparing his next attack, he concentrated the energy into his fist, ducked to avoid the next punch and aimed directly at Cents' gut. He hit it hard, hard enough to send the man upward and off his feet. Spit and vomit flew out and there was even a slight bulge at his back. Letting gravity do the rest of the work, Cents landed right back on his feet and then collapsed backwards, landing painfully on his back, the blood dripped from his mouth.

His arms reached upward as he turned his body around, choking and spluttering while smiling broadly. He used his strength to lift himself back up and remove the crick in his neck. Garder returned back to his position again and tightened his fists. The two men glared at one another, one of sternness, one of chaotic joy and prepared to go for the final round.

Author's Note: The holiday season is among us and I hope this next page was worth the read. Please remember to Read and Review.