Chapter 37: Traveling The Long Perilous Road

Garder remained sitting, arm propped against his raised knee and breathing in slowly to regain his energy. Most of the outer most parts of his body were ripped as if he be been flayed and his blood loss, while not life threatening, was more than enough to keep him from moving much less doing the incredible stunts he had shown in the fight with Kurama Mariko. The flames and cries of the torn city wafted through his nose and ears, filling him with the realization of what had just happened. A single girl, of only 5 years old had managed to turn Kamakura into a wasteland. Though he had no idea how it would plan out, the actions today would inevitably have to be explained to the public eyes not only in Kamakura but in Japan and outside of it as well. Unless by some miracle video proof did not show up, lies would never work.

In short, by the next 5 hours maximum, the entire world would soon know about the secret of Diclonius. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there, merely listening to the destructive sound of few small complexes collapsing from broken supports, yet he became aware of something. A figure, twitching and moaning before the sound of something being pulled out sickeningly and the airless gasps that came along with it. Turning his head slightly, his calculating black slit eyes found the cold crimson orbs of Elrya Alya.

Lying on her knees and clutching her wounds, the young girl didn't say anything to him. She made no retort, no come back, no ill-fated remark, she just stared.

…With cold hated murder dripping from her eyes.

By merely looking at each other, a mental battle raged on equal to that of the destruction that had be befallen Kamakura. Black and red glaring without pause, without blinking because doing so would only prove the weakness of the other. Unsteadily, Elrya rose to her feet, stumbled forward and caught her balance, feeling the warmth of the hole inside her body oozing out of her frail body. Yet somehow, even with all of these wounds it became meaningless with this man. On her very birthday she had lost one of her closest friends to a madman.

"Garder…Garder F. Morotisan." She spoke his name with spite, each syllable filled to the brink with hate. The old man didn't reply, he merely keeps his gaze on her. The murderous intent filling her body is getting greater, her hands clenched so tightly that small traces of blood leak out from the palm and trickle down her arm.

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

Each footstep brings her closer to him, his body wounded as hers but at least she can stand. No, that isn't correct, she can't stand, her body has been torn apart and ravaged and she'll fall back down in only a few seconds. It is best to just call it luck that she has enough will power to stand up and walk over to the elderly man. At long last she stands before him, she attempts to bring out one of her vectors and yet merely trying to push one out makes her wobble. Garder can already hear the vibrations of the air as it tries to exit out of her back but in his condition, he doesn't have a much of chance against her anyways.

Then before she knows it her body gives out and the Diclonius falls to her knees with soft thud, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. "Are you going to kill me?"

Although it's a question, Garder doesn't ask it as such. It would be better to say that he states a question. That is to say, he is stating a question, not asking it. At this point, with his body too weakened from his previous fight, Elrya may have her only chance at ending his life. But like the old man, she too is weakened from Vladimir's attacks and can barely lift her physical arms.

*Drip*

A small drop of blood leaks again from her wounds.

*Drip*

Another small drop.

"I…killed…my…mother." The horned girl murmurs with a dishearten tone.

"Of course." Garder answers nonchalantly as if stating the obvious.

"..I was...laughing. I was laughing…even while I was…killing her. I remember that my mother would show me love. Yet I was…laughing. Someone else had come in, that person was you, wasn't it?."

Garder doesn't answer.

"…Why? Shouldn't you have helped me? Shouldn't you have done something? Shouldn't you have tried to calm me down and stopped me? At that point, if there was ever a reasonable time to kill me, why didn't you do it now? At the very least you'd have had a good reason. Instead, you let me live for the soul purpose to have me tortured and beaten and then just let others attempt to kill me."

"…"

"Ooh…Ahhh…haaa…" Waking up from his daze, Yin feels the soft push of hands against his body and the murmurs of voices trying to wake him up. People are crowding around him while he moans and picks himself up in a sitting position, shaking his head and massaging his shoulders. "Miriana…"

That's right.

Elrya had left and then, what could have caused so much destruction? He can smell smoke and fire and the unmistakable scent of death in the air. How could he have been so stupid? Miriana had tried to race off to where all the destruction was happening and when he tried to pull her back…

He put his hand to his neck, feeling the tiniest puncture wound on it. "I can't believe she actually shot me." He moaned before speaking louder. "People! There was a young girl with me with dyed hair. Do you know where she went?"

A young man answers. "Y-Yeah. She ran off that away.." His finger points over. "…But sir, something strange is going on. It's…It's so strange. You should…wait!" Yin gets up, and with after yelling "Thanks!" quickly, he races off to where they told him. Something bad has happened and it isn't the fact that blood is seeping through the air. Something bad has happened as he constantly berates himself for letting Miriana go like that.

"Agh!" As a doctor he's used to the sight and smell of blood but this? People are torn and ripped apart to the point where some are unrecognizable. It isn't just 10 or even 100. The road, which in and on itself can hardly be called that in the first place, is smothered from end to end with bodies and pieces of bodies. The complexes around him have fallen, torn up by some strange force and scattered around. 2/3 of Kamakura has been wasted and the last part is in such disarray that it too may fall at any moment. He feels like he's going to lose it, his stomach heaves but he swallows and looks up, breathing through his mouth and keeps going forward.

At last, he comes to the scene and sees her.

"Elrya!" His voice nearly breaks and runs towards her as her body slowly falls forward and with a leap, drags his body across the ground and catches her before she can fall face first. Garder whom until recently has looked at Elrya with disinterest, suddenly gazes curiously at the young man. Yin gently lifts Elrya up and cradles her so that she's leaning back against his arms. "Y-Yin…"

"That's right, I'm here. We'll heal those wounds up right away."

She smiles, loving his compassion and nods. She won't die, although it might take some time for her wounds to heal. If Vladimir wanted to kill her, he would've done so. Her wounds, while painful, wouldn't kill her, Vladimir had made sure of that.

He cradles her head back, relaxing her body but keeping her body popped up. It is then that he notices the elderly man. "Who…Who are you?"

"That's him…" Elrya moaned. "Garder."

!

A brief moment of surprise passes his face, then an ever briefer one of anger until he decides that taking care of Elrya is much more important than having to do anything with Garder, even if he was the one who hurt her before.

"Hm?" Garder's questioning mumble is shared by the others as a new figure arrives, walking with casual steps to the battlefield. For half a second Elrya wonders if Vladimir has returned but the person who comes isn't someone neither she nor Yin have seen before.

"Julius…" The old man replied plainly. The male Diclonius came over, this time without his hat as the fiery wind blows his pink bangs around. He passes a single glance at Elrya and momentarily notices that he can't sense her. Elrya however is nearly astounded by what she sees. It's the first time she's ever seen a male Diclonius and for the most part she (and good bunch of others as well) had always believed that Diclonius were entirely female.

"What about Lucy…" Garder mumbled.

"its fine, she's still stationed at the facility. She will not be going anywhere." Garder nods at the answer, content with it. "W-Wait…" The girl moaned, coughing wildly in the process. "You're also a Diclonius."

"Aye…so to speak." Julius commented, not feeling like going into the whole human/Diclonius speech as he did before.

"Garder…you bastard! Now you're using more of my kind for your sick little games?"

"Don't get the wrong idea." The male Diclonius said strictly, placing his hands in his pockets. "I serve Garder and Vladimir under my own volition. Do not be so arrogant as to put me in the same group as you and your kind."

"Huh?" She was baffled, a Diclonius that sided with Garder, under his own free will? Impossible!

Julius bent down, lifting the director up by his arm pits and keeping him balanced. "You've taken quite a bit of damage yet…" He paused looking around at what was once a bustling city now turned to a nightmare. "…I 'm quite surprised that you managed to last so long. I could feel Number 35's energy even from the facility and tried to come as fast as I could. What happened to Number 35?"

"She's dead. I killed her." Garder replied back plainly. Julius didn't bother to question him anymore. "I have a vehicle ready, I'll take you back to the facility and have you rest up."

"Good."

"Just wait!" Elrya cried out. "Shall I kill her?" The girl tensed up, hearing Julius cold and solemn words.

"…Not now…" His answer is as plain as his voice. Nodding once, Julius helps Garder away, leaving Elrya and Yin alone. He comforts her and finally takes notice of the third man in the vicinity. "K-Kurama!" Sure enough Kurama is standing there, looking at his own hands with a mortified look in his face. The use of his name seems to snap him out of his trance because he jumps and looks around frantically before spotting them. "Oh…It's…you guys."

"You…guh…" Elrya tries to speak but instead only groans. Yin places a soothing hand on her body, silently telling her to relax. "Kurama…have you seen Roy and Bando?"

"…I have…" Kurama said after a moment. "There's a missile silo east of here where Director Kakuzawa was trying to launch a vector filled missile. Since…nothing else has happened I'm hoping they managed to stop it." Yin nods seriously, only imagining what would have happened if such a weapon was launched and shudders. "I'm going to check, Kurama, do you think you can watch Elrya while I'm gone?"

The spectacle man nods once.

"Thanks."

"Yo. Yo, wake up bastard…I know you ain't kicking the bucket that quickly." Bando growled, nudging Roy's side with tip of his foot. There's a massive hole in his metallic hand and an even bloody one in the flesh and bone hand. There's also a good sized dent in his gut where the spiked ball hit him along with some other minor wounds. Other than that, Bando has suffered the least damage compare to the other three. Groaning, Roy rolls onto his stomach, bites back the short yell as his body aches and uses his knees to pick himself back up.

"Guh!" A hand reaches up, stopping his fall forward and keeps him balanced. "Hey now bastard, don't be falling down after you just got up. It makes you look weak."

"Keh…" The blue haired man snorts darkly at the comment. "…Vorono…Orlana…" He sees them, their bodies far away, lying down without movement. "Did it launch?"

"Nah…they stopped it." The soldier said briskly, almost as if trying to find some sort of reason to hate the two for nearly killing them and yet he can't. Instead of hatred, the only thing the brutal man feels is almost strange sense of pity. "Help me over to them, Vorono first…" Roy uttered.

While he may be a cold hearted soldier, he's not one to just let the last words to comrades go unnoticed. Bando helps the weakened sniper to the first body where he gazes down at the fallen member designated as "The Tank." His back is torn and swollen from the multiple iron balls being slammed into it. With so much poison in him, it was a miracle he managed to keep going even after one of them was shot at him. These balls represent the dark cowardliness of fools who can't fight facing the enemy. It's almost shameful to know that he was killed in such a way. Therefore, even though it would mutilate his back, Bando thought it was more honorable if such disgusting fifth wasn't attached to him.

Roy doesn't mind as Bando carelessly rips out each orb and tossing it to the side. He continues to look down at him, his eyes close, almost peacefully as if knowing that despite death, he managed to avert a serious catastrophe. No, that's the not the look on his face, though his intentions to stop the missile were successful, it's not the reason for his peaceful look. While its true intention may never be known, Roy decides that, at the very least he should make that peaceful look that may be a lie begging for help, into a truth.

"…Bando…could you remove his shirt, and tie it around the edge of my jeans."

The soldier nodded, took off the blue garment and tied it tightly around the man's jean where the soft wind made it flutter. Then after a moment's pause Roy turned around and gazed down on Orlana's fallen body. He doesn't need to ask how she died or who killed her. A burning disgust fills his heart as he thinks of his own leader who did this to her. No, he is not his leader anymore, he is an enemy. Like before, Bando removes the poles sticking into her body, at least offering her a more decent look in death.

"…I know what Vorono's desire was…but what about you Orlana? What point did you have in becoming a killer? Kuh…I don't believe it, I the weakest member of the group, with the lowest rank of 5 am alive and you two are dead. The irony of it is almost laughable. Bando, her Clock Stopper, the broken one, place it around my neck."

The silver chain was draped around his neck, the broken piece tapping against his chest lightly. For a moment he thought he could hear just the tiniest clicks of the watch working but that, as he thought, died away soon after.

"Now what will you do?" The soldier growled, casually picking out a smoke from his pocket and letting the carcinogens waft through the air.

"They will never get to see their desires and so it is my job to make sure those desires are fulfilled anyways. Even if I don't know what they are, I will attempt to fulfill them. We were comrades, with different agenda yes and different points of views, but we are still comrades even against one another. It is only respectable to do so."

"I'm not going to say anything against it, I guess. Oi! Where the hell have you been?"

Yin nodded, ignoring the man's tone as something he was used to hearing anyways and walked over. He first saw Orlana's body, recognizing her from the fight at the restaurant. His eyes traveled to Vorono's corpse before finally settling back on the two men. "Looks like you can use some help Roy."

"Really…" The blue haired man returned sarcastically as Yin got out his supplies and treated the man as best as he could. "What happen to sunshine?"

"Elrya's hurt but not dying, she's with Kurama right now." Yin answered, knowing exactly who Roy was talking about despite the nickname. "Shit…wounded again…I feel like Bando right now."

"Eh? What that's that supposed to mean?" The brutal man said darkly.

"I mean I'm pissed off!" Roy muttered coldly.

"Alright, I'm done…" Yin spoke after doing some minor stitching. "Of course don't move around too much or old wounds will open up."

"Yeah…Yeah…Yeah…"

Arriving at the spot, Kurama has, to the best of his ability treated Elrya's wounds although she'll still need Yin to look at her properly. However, even her wounds mean absolutely nothing compared to the real trauma that has occurred. They can sense it already, the moment a certain innocent figure is unseen in the group. "Where's Miriana?" Roy mumbled, looking around for a sign of the multi-haired girl. The look on the Diclonius' face could not have been any more dreadful.

"Vladimir took her away."

The shock is apparent.

"He…did what?" Yin moaned now truly hating himself for letting her go like that.

"That's right…" Elrya continued sadly. "He's using her as bait for me to come to him."

"So what do we do?" Yin asked.

"I'm going to save Miriana, that's the only thing I will do right now." The young girl said strictly, her hate for that man burning to the core. "Then I'll come as well." Yin said which only got him a disheartened look from the Diclonius. "No way! I can't let you do that Yin. You know I can't. Besides, this is between me and Vladimir."

"Actually the man's got a point." Roy said, bending his legs to loosen them up a bit. "Once we heal up, it might be best to take our separate ways right now. Vladimir as you said is keeping his eyes locked on you, while I can't guarantee Miriana's health, he won't kill her. At least…not until you arrive. I know that much about him anyways. Bando and I will head off to the first facility that we talked about and…"

"My greatest desire…is to save the poor souls still crying out so desperately in need of help…"

"…I need to fill a certain obligation right now. You don't have a problem with that I assume huh Bando?" Roy asked, nodding as the man gave a gruff shrug of his shoulder stating he was content with it. "Besides…" Roy continued. "…A little brat like you isn't going to last very long by yourself."

"Hm! You've got a lot of nerve saying such a thing. That bastard could've at least told me where he was going." The blue haired man sighed, looking up at the sky. "Trust me, you'll find out where he is sooner or later. He may send you on a wild goose hunt but in the end you'll meet. Quite honestly you have no chance against Vladimir Cents but…there's nothing else that can be done about it right now. The only thing I can say for you is to not die."

"Yeah…thanks…" The Diclonius mumbled.

"Kurama! If your place isn't in shambles, we can rest up there again?" Roy called over. "Of course…" The spectacle man replied, still looking at the burned mark on the ground.

"Yo. Your girl is going to need a lot of support on this one Yin, don't let her down."

The young man couldn't help but hide his blush as he heard this. "Oh…so you already know…" Roy shrugged at the answer, clearly not surprised by it at all. "I may be a killer but I was also a husband myself. The age thing might be a bit of an issue but I'm not going to argue about it either. Quite a shame we have to abandon each other just after meeting again. Yo! Sunshine!"

"…"

"That's you girl." Roy exasperated.

"Why am I sunshine?" Elrya muttered.

"Cause you're so bubbly and cute."

Oh if looks could kill, yet it changed once Roy spoke. "The same goes for you, Yin doesn't have any sort of combat training or skills, no offense man. He needs to be there for you in case you get hurt, wait, let me rephrase that, he needs to be there after you've gotten your bones broken to pieces, cause you aren't coming out of that fight without any wounds. Likewise, you need to protect him and most importantly, you two need to take care of each other."

Yin nodded once, his expression collect but serious. "Of course, don't worry Elrya Alya, I won't let anything happen to you."

The girl smiled sweetly, knowing the truth in his words.

"Oh..." Roy said suddenly. "...This might be a bad time, but...happy birthday Elrya Alya."

Of course he was angry, no he was beyond pissed right now. Hands gripping so tightly his nails threatened to break through his skin and his teeth grinding together. Director Kakuzawa was angry and for good reasons after all. Firstly and most importantly, Lucy, his prize, had not been captured and delivered to him faithfully. She was the ultimate prize, the woman he needed most of all to complete his agenda. Not only that but Number 35 had gone out of control, lost it completely and turned the city into a wasteland. Secondly, and this was just grated on his nerves, that bastard who had come to the facility had lied to him. He hadn't died, he had faked it all and he could see it, watching through the television as the choppers filmed from below, that gleeful little smile on his face and of course…

…The missile had failed. Years of planning, years of trial and error ruined! Oh he could see them alright, watching from the television and through his own personal security cameras. Those bastards who tried to interfere with the launch, including that damn woman! At least Vladimir had done something right when impaling her without concern. He took great notice of Garder's actions, obviously surprised at his skills and abilities. He was willing to let his actions go as Number 35 had already gone wild and needed to be stopped anyways but it was when he saw something else that made him raise his eyebrows.

Pink hair, white horns, red eyes, the definite trait of his perfect species and to top it all off, it was a male. A male Diclonius had appeared and needless to say his heart had nearly stopped. Of course there were males, he was one himself, and yet it was the first time he had ever seen one so…so genuine. It was truly pure, without any sort of inhuman disease dirtying its body. A magnificent specimen and oh, if he was capable of having sex with a queen, with Lucy…yes! Yes! Yes! Suddenly, anger turned to happiness, his eyes widening gleefully at the thought that it had not all been to waste.

And then…it came to him. Yes, his plan had failed, even he and his pride would admit that, but it wasn't a total failure. The people knew, the world knew about his kind's ungodly power and he could use it to submit everyone to his rule. Yes! Yes! Yes! Truly he was a god! Truly!

*Whoosh*

The sound of doors sliding open as a single figure walked in, leaving a harsh blow of unintended fear to pass through the staff members. Of course, without his hat, and there was no longer any reason to have it on anyways, Julius' appearance was rather shocking for everyone. It might have been a wonder why he didn't wear his hat before, had it just been a foolish misjudgment? Incorrect, surprisingly enough Julius Javel never wore his hat as a way to hide his identity, at least that was never his intention, and it just happened to work that way and served a purpose. Sometimes it's better to just stay low and not make a scene. He wore the hat however, because he wanted to, not because he had to and even he couldn't stand hiding in the shadows forever. He admitted that he had not expected Kakuzawa to find out but it wouldn't matter, he came to his call as Garder rested up at his facility.

"Hm?" The mere motion of his head was enough to send a chill through the spines of woman who scurried against the wall frantically. He paid no mind to her afterwards, and merely walked into the office of the arrogant man who had called him in.

"Kakuzawa…" The Diclonius said plainly, hands in his pockets, not glaring or smiling, but merely looking plainly at the Head Director as he would any other person on the street. The old man's lips curved. "Ah…so it is true…oh?" He took notice of the object on the man's forehead, slightly obscured by his long bangs and shook his head fretfully. "Oh…I see, you have been used."

"Used? Ah, I see, don't get the wrong idea, I am not being used. This object suppresses my powers."

"Suppresses?" Kakuzawa said slowly. "Has Garder not understood his place, suppressing one of the greater ones and using him as a slave? You misunderstood creature…"

"…I believe we are facing an opposition here Kakuzawa. I am neither being used nor slave to anybody. I came this way under my own free will, knowing your intentions but perhaps hoping you had more to offer. There only two people that I work for and that is Garder F. Morotisan and Vladimir Cents, even if the latter is hard to understand."

"Opposition? There is no opposition? You are to obey me as the god of your species without question. I am god, not just any god but the god of all Diclonius. That in turn makes me your god and like all gods you must prostrate yourself before me."

The Diclonius starred and then, almost shockingly he bent low on one knee and sunk into what was unmistakably a deep bow. "…Of course, Kakuzawa-sama. Please forgive my insolent tongue for I have been under the watch of that man. I had forgotten, what it was to see a true Diclonius." He kept his head bow, his body low and his eyes unmoving. Kakuzawa, apparently pleased spoke in a loud and boastful voice. "All is well, I understand your dilemma. Do not worry for I am also a kind god."

"I thank you for your forgiveness oh Lord Of The Diclonius! I give my absolute loyalty to you, Kakuzawa-sama, to be used as you please. Allow me to offer you my services."

"Ka! Ha! Ha! Ha! Excellent! Excellent! You know very well my friend; you are truly an obedient one! Of course…we'll have to make some arrangements, I have to know a bit about you and see if…yes…yes…yes…" The look in his eyes could not have been anymore devilish.

It had been awhile, since had been stripped naked and thrown into one of the many cells that lined the walls, hearing the cries and moans of his species around him. There were no beds in this facility, just cold ground that they were expected to sleep on and the lowest of food for them to eat.

"Ahhh…"

:"Ugh…Ugh…"

"Ooooh…"

Moans. Nothing but moans of pain around him. He leaned against the wall, uncaring about his nude body and pressed his hand against the edge of his left ear so that the transmitter would turn on. "You owe me big time for this Garder. Not only am I here in a cell without clothes or food, I also had to bow before Kakuzawa. However, as you wish I have entered the facility and have, as far as he knows, Kakuzawa's complete trust."

"Very good Julius." Garder's static voice spoke out from the transmitter. "I apologize for putting you into such a mess."

"Do not worry about it, I am more than capable of going through this job even if it mean humiliating myself. I will keep you up to date on what I know and what I find out."

"Alright, contact me either once a day or whenever something important comes up."

"Aye sir, over and out."

Author's Note: The end of the chapter as well as the end of the second arc. Poor Miriana has been captured by Vladimir and Elrya along with Yin are going to try to save her. Meanwhile Roy and Bando will continue the original mission of heading to the weaker facility. Julius, under Garder's command has infiltrated and allowed himself to be used by Kakuzawa at his facility to gain information and above all, the world now knows about Diclonius and their destructive capabilities. The third arc is underway, what will happen next time on "Pinpoint Lifeline?"

R&R