A/N. Hi. It's been more than two weeks. Heh. Whoops. Sorry for having to make you wait. This is perhaps the longest chapter I've written so far. I hope it is worth the wait. Unlike the past few chapters in which only a single day's events transpire, Chapter 30 is comprised of a few days' series of events. For reference, I've made a Timeline so you could better understand the order of events; I've placed it at the end of the chapter.

Disclaimer: Blood + is not mine. The mistakes herein are, however.

Happy reading.

Chapter XXX

Duty and Desire

On the grounds of an exquisite Victorian manor lush with greenery, a lovely girl sits, her surrounding area littered with ripped and tattered playthings and stuffing. Today, she favors the inanimate over the living; she is no mood to play with live prey: she is tired of dealing with struggling, panic-stricken humans and hearing them scream and curse at her. It is quiet, save for the wind rustling the leaves every now and then. Nathan is sitting close by, pleasantly drinking oolong tea and composing the script for a new play he had in mind. He studies his Queen for a moment, notes how remarkably quiet she is today. "Why don't you rehearse for your performance tomorrow?" he had suggested earlier, but she had completely ignored him, her face impassive. She has been singing less and less—screaming seems to be her new favorite hobby as of late (her voice can reach nearly impossibly high pitches when she is severely upset or demanding). Today, however, she is broodily silent, her temper manifesting itself in the vicious ways she had destroyed her stuffed toys.

"Nathan," she calls in an ominous low voice as a gust of wind dies away.

"My Queen?" He glances at the blue-eyed twin, but she is not looking his way.

"Saya-neechan is no longer here, but she still hurts me. Why is that, Nathan?" Her head is lowered, the dismembered remains of a doll scattered on her lap.

"Oh, darling," Nathan can only sigh, taking his reading glasses off and gazing at his Queen with a wry smile.

"When I think of her, I have a funny feeling in my chest, almost like my heart is breaking." Her fists tremble. "I don't want to feel this way anymore, Nathan. How do I make this pain go away?"

"To get rid of the hurting," Nathan begins, leaning an angular chin into his palm, "perhaps you must rid yourself of the cause of it?" His lips furtively pull into a sinister smile.

"You're right." Diva looks up at him and smiles cheerily, her voice child-like once more. "If this is how she makes me feel, Saya-neechan might as well," she pulls at the doll's head, making it come apart from the body at the seams, "be gone."

-ns-

Friday Night

The Chevalier watches his Mistress as she remains huddled on her cot in the farthest corner of the unit. Hours have passed over the heads and she is showing no signs of shifting out of her current position; Saya must be suffering cramps at this point. Haji makes no move to touch her, however; he knows better than to do so, given the sullen behavior she is exhibiting. Ever since Saya had looked through the folder Lewis and David had left her, she has been in a state of shock, withdrawing from everything around her, even from her own Chevalier. In the ensuing moments however, she finally speaks:

"Haji."

"…Yes?" He quickly stands to attention.

"Did I…"Her mouth feels awfully dry; she licks her lips. "…really murder all those people?"

No good comes out of hiding the harsh truth behind kind words. Plainly, the Chevalier answers, "You did."

"All I can remember is anger." The folder's contents had reminded her that there had been more to the blinding rage she had submitted to: there had been blood and lots of it—human innards, too—decorating the ground and walls, dripping from twisted limbs, flowing freely from gaping holes. But she has no recollection of any of these and the blood and gore had been too much, so much that she had lost her appetite. "I knew what I was doing, but at the same time, I didn't. Like…like it wasn't the real me. I was just so mad, Haji. I just wanted to—I wanted to" —Her hands unconsciously ball into fists as she remembers the slap of her appendage against her victims that broke bones, the rip as her fingers dug into human flesh and tore out entrails—"hurt everything, hurt everyone because it was too much for me." A brief spasm of pain reminds her of the way her chest felt like it was coming apart; she takes a sharp intake of air as a response to this.

"Everyone must hate me. After what I've done…" She senses that Haji is standing next to the bed, but he makes no move to comfort her. "You must hate me, too. After all, you all must think that I am a monster—" She stops when she feels a hand on her head. Her eyes well up with tears at the moment of contact, but she does not pull away from the Chevalier's touch.

"Haji…" She raises her head, meets his gaze. His eyes soften at the sight of her: at her tearful eyes and quivering lips. She looks like a pitiful lost puppy, more than anything else. He sits at the edge of the bed and she leans into him.

"Look at me: imprisoned like a common criminal," she says bitterly.

"You are far from being a criminal," Haji tells her gently. "You were simply upset."

"Don't patronize me," she snaps, suddenly angered. "I know what I did. There's no excuse for it. I…" She drops her gaze, her outburst easily dissolving. "I enjoyed it. It felt like a relief, killing them. After the anger, there was only this desire," she stares down at her open palms, closes them, "to kill. And after that, there was nothing. And then…" Her brows pull together. And then there was sadness, an unending sadness as vast as the sea, as deep as the ocean. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel anymore."

Haji does not say anything. She gazes into his eyes again, searching for a response. "Do you hate me?"

"No. I can never find it in myself to hate you."

"Even if I am a monster? Even if I become evil and do bad things?"

"We share the same blood, Saya," he reminds her, brushing away her faint tears. "If you are evil, then I am evil as well. I am as much as a monster as you think yourself to be."

An overwhelming surge of guilt makes her reach out. She grabs hold of his hand and leans into his palm, closing her eyes, squeezing out a fresh line of tears. "I don't deserve you," she says in a feeble voice.

"You deserve me and so much more." He holds her face carefully with both hands and presses his forehead against hers.

She does not tell him otherwise; she allows herself to immerse in his kindness, if only for tonight, in the late hours when most people are fast asleep and the Director is witnessing the entire scene, listening to their conversation and observing them carefully.

-ns-

Saturday Morning

The weather is pleasant during the party celebrated by Goldsmith Holdings held in Amshel's chateau. The prestigious and the elite are present, including scientists and researchers, top military industrialists whom Lewis recognizes; he and his cohort, Okamura (who had returned from his week-long training at dawn, complaining of aching muscles) watch the scene through a hidden micro-camera attached to David's dress tie. A number of guests are unfamiliar with the young Director and his blonde escort, their status made evident by the Joel VI's authoritative demeanor and David's wary behavior as he flanks his superior.

Amshel arrives on the scene, the only evidence of his link to Diva pinned neatly on his lapel: a deep blue rose. The austere Chevalier greets his guests with gracious smiles and compliments before finally turning to Joel Goldschmidt VI; he regards the young Director with barely-concealed contempt but the words he speaks are welcoming and kind, a stark contrast to his cold and condescending aura. Joel responds amiably, wisely choosing to play along with the Chevalier. The pleasantry soon dissolves into something more sinister, however, and the exchange between the two heads of opposing organizations progressively worsens, threats and scathing insults veiled thinly through light words and pleasant smiles. David is tense all throughout the conversation, his hand itching for the pistol holstered beneath his jacket; he restrains himself, however, knowing he is in no position to attack the old Chevalier. Amshel Goldsmith then excuses himself, saying there are more pressing matters to attend to at once (he says this with a challenging glint in his eyes, mocking them for lack of knowledge on the matter).

Shortly afterwards, they come across Doctor Collins, who is not the least bit surprised by their presence. His parting words only further their growing apprehension: "From now on, you will be facing the most powerful country in the world." The Director follows Collin's gaze, the brunt of his burden as presiding head of Red Shield growing ever as heavy as his eyes fall upon the U.S. President and the Secretary of Defense, who are casually conversing with other smartly-dressed officials. Joel finally decides it is time to leave, suddenly becoming terribly aware that everyone present in the party is ultimately their enemy.

-ns-

Sunday Late Afternoon

She is reading through one of the books (a prized collection of Joel's) they have left her, skimming the contents. The novels are captivating but she finds herself setting them aside and lying back in her cot. The absence of a timepiece in the unit is making her restless; already she is becoming acutely aware of the upcoming concert in Hyde Park. She tries not to dwell on it too much, at the fact that in a matter of days she will be facing her twin once again. She rolls to her side, facing the wall, too agitated to notice that Haji is watching her carefully. 'She' will be there, she thinks, unconsciously nipping the skin of her finger. Her heart aches at the memory of Diva but she knows it will no longer be the same with 'her'.

"I won't kill you this time, but if we ever meet again, know that we're no longer what we once were. I'll treat you like the humans, and once again we'll hate each other like the old times."

She cannot find it in herself to hate 'her' because she remembers Diva is more than hatred and blood and anger: Diva is her sister first and foremost; 'she' is her mirror image, an extension of herself. There had been a time when she did loathe Diva to the very marrow of her bones, but that time was in the distant past when the human intervention kept them apart. What kept them apart now?

I did. It's all my fault. If I hadn't tried to defend Kai and the rest when… when they were trying to get me back. Why did they want me back? She was where she belonged: she was with Diva. So why would Red Shield try to take her back when they already knew she was finally, finally reunited with her true family?

"Ah…" That's right: she is Red Shield's only weapon, the only one who possesses the means to kill Diva, her sister. It is her duty to put an end to it because it had been she who set her twin free in the first place. She had only been allowed to live in the world to slaughter 'her'.

It is a duty she can never set aside so easily. Not after the lives that had been sacrificed for this cause, not after the decades of searching and fighting, the ceaseless chase after Diva and her Chevaliers. Desire and duty. Duty and desire. Even if her desires have changed, her duties have not.

"Why must everything be so complicated?" she says hoarsely, turning to lie on her back again, feeling defeated. Her head is hurting from all the contemplating she had been doing for the past hours. She rubs her temples thinking, what should I do?

Without looking at her Chevalier, she extends an arm to him, beckoning him to approach her. As he advances toward her, she slowly sits up and clings to the fabric of his dress suit as she stares down at the floor, feeling lost.

"Saya…" The Chevalier places a reassuring arm around her.

"I want to…" Saya pauses momentarily, hesitant. I want to leave. I want to get out of here. I want to run away. I want to be free. Instead, she says, "I want to play the cello."

Haji stares down at his Mistress, finding this unexpected request rather strange. But he readily obliges. "As you wish."

-ns-

Sunday Night

Saya is in deep slumber. As she sleeps, her Chevalier gazes down at her, watching her and the steady rise and fall of her chest. Even in her sleep, he can see the traces of anxiety etched on her face, subtle as they are. When she is not in complete control of her emotions, they resurface in the faintest of ways. He reaches down and gently brushes away a stray lock of hair from her face. This makes her stir slightly; she mumbles incoherently and turns to the side. Her dinner remains untouched as her lunch had been earlier; Saya has only taken a few reluctant bites of breakfast and that had been it. In less than 24 hours, the Quarantine will be over. Until then, they will have to endure for the rest of their stay in the unit.

-ns-

Monday: a Few Hours Before Dawn

"How has Saya been doing?" Joel inquires as soon as he enters the room where David and Julia have been conversing quietly.

"There haven't been any signs of hostility or aggression," Julia responds, understanding what Joel's question meant. "She's agitated. By who or what remains unclear, although I can make a few guesses as to what is making her uneasy."

"Diva," David finishes plainly.

"It's still difficult for me to accept that 'she' can have such a drastic influence over Saya," Joel says ruefully. "Saya is our only efficient weapon against her and her Chevaliers. However, she is being more of a liability than an asset now, destroying what she's supposed to protect. We may be able to contain her, fortunately. For how long, I am not certain," Joel continues, clearly disappointed.

David chooses not to speak; instead, he watches the pair of them, reflecting on their words.

"…And what if we can no longer restrain her?" Julia asks quietly. "What if Saya is beyond our control?" The answer to this dreaded question has never been discussed.

"If it comes to that," Joel begins grimly, "we will have no other options but to put her down. Her Chevalier, too." Even if they had anticipated this, hearing them from the Director and confirming it still stuns both David and Julia.

"Is that even possible, Director?" David asks dubiously. "Saya and Haji are the best we have against them."

"The primary goal of Red Shield is to protect humanity from Chiroptera. As agents of Red Shield, we will do everything we can to fulfill this goal, even offering ourselves willingly as shields for Saya to aid her, to protect her as she defeats the enemies. However, if Saya poses herself as a threat, it is only our duty to eliminate her as well." He watches as the Chevalier sits on the edge of the bed his Mistress is sleeping on and begins to stroke her hair. "Saya is…a Chiropteran, too."

-ns-

Monday Late Morning

Saya is lying in bed, caught in a reverie, when the steel door suddenly swings open. "Saya!" a voice calls cheerily, instantly breaking her from her trance. She rises slightly on her elbows to see Kai walk into the room.

"Kai…" She gazes at him with dazed eyes, not quite comprehending that the 72-hour Quarantine is finally over. Instead, she is confused by his presence. "What are you doing here?" She sits up as the ginger-haired teen approaches her cot.

"To get you out of this nasty room, silly," Kai says, placing a relaxed hand on his hip. "It's over, Saya. The Quarantine is over."

"Oh," is all she can say, a lame response to the delightfully good news.

"C'mon," he says, smiling warmly at her. "Lewis and Mao prepared a feast for you. Everyone's waiting. We're celebrating."

"Celebrating?" she repeats.

"Yeah." Kai grins. "I figured since everyone is here, it'd be nice to eat together."

His words and his relaxed stance remind her briefly of someone she has not thought about for quite some time: George. For a fleeting moment, she sees her father standing before her, and a pang of guilt rushes within her although for what, she is not sure. She smiles and nods at him nonetheless and gets to her feet, following him out of the unit with Haji in tow.

-ns-

Saya stands by the threshold of the dining hall and raises her eyes to see a luxurious banquet prepared. Kai had certainly not been exaggerating when he said "feast". The long table set in the middle of the spacious room holds an array of dishes, most of which are unfamiliar to her. Streamers and balloons decorate the walls and ceiling. Kai glances back at his sister to see her staring at the scene before her in wonder. Her eyes shift to a banner hanging from the ceiling, the words "WELCOME BACK SAYA" crudely painted on it. "Yeah, I did that in a hurry," Kai admits as he follows her gaze; he scratches his head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Of course, I had to force them to hang it up there. Kind of ruins the entire setting but we never got to make you a welcoming party, did we?"

"Kai…" Saya is at a loss for words. She grabs his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Thank you."

"Ah, there she is." Kai chuckles as he watches her hastily wipe her tears with the back of her free hand. "You crybaby."

"Don't be a bully," she says with a frail voice, hitting him lightly on the arm.

"Alright, alright," Kai laughs.

"Otonashi!" Mao calls as they approach the table. "Sit next to the master chef, alright?"

"You meant me?" Lewis teasingly calls from the background.

"Yeah right," Mao snorts.

"Hey, don't take all the credit for yourself!" Okamura barks. "There were other cooks, too!"

"Like you're even one of them," Mao retorts sarcastically. "All you did was get in my way!"

"Saya," Joel smiles genially at the brown-eyed girl. "I truly apologize for what we've put you through. To make up for the trouble, we've prepared all this for you. It was your brother's original idea, of course." He nods at the ginger-head teen, who beams proudly at the acknowledgement.

"Thank you," Saya says gratefully, warmed by the Director's words. Before she can say any more, she is quickly whisked away by Mao to her seat.

"You haven't been eating well lately," Mao says disapprovingly. "So this time, make sure to pile your plate with everything!"

"But Jahana-san—" Saya begins to protest.

"Nope! No excuses!" Mao intervenes firmly, pushing Saya down into her seat. "We made sure to cook a lot for you. We've been working our butts all morning, too!"

"Jahana-san…"

"And you. You're not going anywhere." Mao pushes Haji forward from behind ("I do not require food," he reminds soberly; "Like hell you don't," Mao replies, ignoring him), forcing him to take his seat right next to Saya. The rest of them gather around and take their respective seats, the noise and conversations promptly dying down as they wait expectantly for the feast to begin. Bottles of the finest red wine are uncorked and waiters pour them into empty wine glasses. Kai, who is seated across Saya, rises and raises his glass in the air. "I want to have this opportunity to welcome you back, Saya. I know things haven't gone well but you have to know that you are not alone; I will always be here." He glances briefly at those present at the table. "We all will be."

Kai… She looks up at him, heartened by his words.

"To Saya," Joel avows, lifting his own cup.

"To Saya," everyone else echoes, following suit. The brown-eyed girl beholds the entire scene of raised glasses and smiling faces: Kai, Mao, David, Julia, Lewis, Joel, Okamura—even Haji is participating in this human custom, honoring her with a raised glass of wine in the manner of a toast. They are all gazing down at her expectantly, and the kindness in their eyes overwhelms her. She raises her glass, a silent response as well as gesture of her acknowledgement and appreciation. Her eyes burn but she does not cry. She does not want to ruin this moment with her tears.

"Alright everyone," Mao declares eagerly as soon as everyone drinks from their wine glasses. "Let's dig in!"

-ns-

It is almost unreal to her, sitting among them, dining with them, celebrating this grand party they had arranged for her. The food is excellent, far beyond her expectations. "Eat more, Saya," Mao would urge her every now and then, and Okamura would have his usual squabbles with her and they would laugh; Kai would occasionally glance at her and they would exchange smiles whenever they make eye contact. When she observes them, she notices that Haji's posture is less rigid (he is not partaking of the meals, however), Joel's countenance is less severe, David's lines are not as deep, Julia's eyes are less calculating, and Lewis's laughter is louder than usual. The differences are subtle, but she notices them nonetheless. Their gestures and their features are less sharp, are kinder, warmer: her chest swells so much it almost hurts; she is sure she has not felt this happy in a long time. How long has it been since she had last felt it? Days, weeks, even. She has felt lost and lonely since then, alienated from everyone, from everything. But as Saya glances at her companions and takes a spoonful of her meal, she finally understands that she does belong somewhere. It is a moment of bliss, knowing, feeling that for once, she belongs with them and she is theirs.

-ns-

She stands on the front deck of the ship and leans forward to rest her arms on the railing, her eyes scanning the orange horizon. The sun is beginning to sink with red and pink streaks stretching across the darkening sky. Her Chevalier is motionless beside her, quiet as always. The vacant look on his Mistress's face suggests she is lost in thought again. He does not attempt to break her out of her reverie, even when the minutes stretch on and the evening begins to descend upon them. Saya has been zoning out more often now, looking more preoccupied than usual. The Chevalier had thought that the party would have enlivened her in some way, but as soon as she had separated from them, her good mood had progressively waned until she had gone back to her impassive state.

Footsteps from behind them announce the arrival of a guest. Both Queen and Chevalier turn to face David as he stands before them. "So this is where you are. I've been looking all over for you."

"Why?" Saya asks. "What do you want?"

"I would like to show you something. Haji," David addresses the Chevalier this time. "Please, will you hand her katana to her?"

To Saya's surprise, Haji obliges. "I've seen it already," Saya protests. "There's no need to—" Haji proffers the sword to her despite this. Gripped by a sudden curiosity, she glances up at him before taking the sword carefully with both hands. She unsheathes it slightly and the ruby is first to catch her eye; it reflects red light unto Saya's face.

"To remind ourselves of our duty, we all carry a crystal made from Chiroptera," David states. From his inside pocket, he takes out his own emblem: it is a cross on which rested a similar-looking ruby. "That one you carry is the same one George had."

Saya stares at the red crystal. "My father's…" she mumbles to herself.

"Saya." She looks to his direction, and is surprised to see him bending forward from the waist in the act of a bow. "You play the most crucial role in fulfilling Red Shield's goal. You are the only one who can eliminate the Chiroptera"—his eyes, downcast, glint with an unreadable emotion as he lifts his head slightly to glance up at her—"and defeat Diva once and for all."

Her countenance is composed as she studies him; she betrays no emotion to the last part of his statement.

"Your absence has been a tragic loss for us. Without you, we cannot hope for a future. You are all that stands between humans and them. This is why I am asking you, in behalf of Joel and the rest of the Agency, as a close comrade and a friend, will you fight for the Red Shield again?"

She watches him, unmoving. The moments stretch on in silence and the blonde agent thinks her quietness to be answer enough. Unseen to her, he frowns, deeply disappointed. He begins to lift his head, but he freezes when she finally speaks:

"I'll do it."

Recovering from his surprise, David stands upright to lock gazes with the brown-eyed girl.

"I will become Red Shield's weapon," Saya continues in an unwavering voice, "defeat Diva and put an end to everything." She does not hesitate to speak her twin's name; he sees the resolve burn in her eyes, firm and unfaltering. Saya is not lying; he dips his head, acknowledging the unspoken promise in her words.

"Thank you." He speaks formally, but Saya detects a tinge of warmth somewhere in his voice. He takes his leave shortly afterwards.

As soon as David is gone, Saya completely draws out her weapon and stares at her reflection in silence. This was my destiny from the very beginning. No force of nature, let alone sheer willpower, can change it. Because no matter what I do, no matter how much you mean to me, my duties will always come first. A sharp pang in her chest makes her grip her handle tightly, a reaction that does not escape the Chevalier's eye. She will not suffer alone; he will share her burden. He goes down on one knee, saying, "I will continue to follow you to time indefinite, no matter what happens. I will watch over you regardless of who you will become, regardless of what you turn into. I will not turn away. I will never leave your side."

She lowers her head and sheathes her sword.

The ensuing minutes drown in silence.

"…Do you remember our promise?" she asks quietly.

He watches her turn away to face the open waters once again. "I do."

"There will be no 'time indefinite', Haji," she tells him, her heart aching terribly, the bitterness echoing in her every word. "Not for me." Not for 'her'. Not for us.

-ns-

There are only three of them left. Gudrif is dead. They had made the mistake of letting him take Saya's blood and as a result…

They had met with Kai that day; the ginger-haired teen had given them the blood packs he had promised them that week. Then they had retired to an abandoned warehouse along the River Thames, where they had decided to take temporary residence for the remainder of the week.

Lulu is first to enter, eagerly looking forward to lighting a candle at the far side of the building. "Look!" she says happily as soon as the candle is lit. "It's our light of hope!"

"It'll burn out soon," Karman mutters, which Lulu does not fail to hear.

"Karman!" Moses chides. The bespectacled Schiff grumbles a response, but Moses is no longer listening. He looks over his shoulder, confirming the unnerving atmosphere in the room. An intruder stands still in the darkest corner of the room.

"What the hell?" Karman growls, when he spots a second standing close by. Lulu squeals in fright when she realizes the third is right behind her; she runs up to her companions who are eyeing the strangers warily.

"Three of them, huh?" Moses says, gripping his scythe. Their senses tell them that these strangers are not the slightest bit human.

"Diva's minions?" Karman snarls, leveling the spear at the nearest of the intruders. "Let's get them!"

"I have a message from Amshel," a derisive voice cuts in, startling the Schiff.

"Who's there?" Moses calls, eyes darting here and there. They all finally see the source of the voice and at once recognize the dark-skinned man standing above them.

"'We took the trouble to create you, so we're going to make some use out of you in the end', so he says," James states.

"It's that Chevalier!" Karman hisses.

"Even though you are defective products, we can at least use you as sandbags." James smirks. "Terminate!"

At his command, the combatants lurch forward with alarming speed. Moses slashes at the first, but it vanishes and quickly reappears behind him. He jumps back in time to avoid the deadly swipe, landing nimbly on his feet and glowering at his enemies.

"What are they?" Karman cries in frustration. He thrusts his spear frontward repeatedly, aiming for his opponent's head, but it is dodging each of his strikes easily.

Ignoring the danger, Moses springs to the second floor, aiming for the Chevalier. He slices at him, but his opponent quickly stands before the Chevalier, receiving the blow. It cuts off a portion of his opponent's helmet, revealing a face that mirrored his own.

"Type Moses," James informs the bewildered Schiff. "Selected from all the prototypes that possess the ideal genetic information and refined into a finished Schiff product; they are born to be high-grade combat weapons."

"You used me…" Moses says, gaping at his clone as it slowly advances toward him. "To create these things, you used me… You used us…"

"…Moses?" Stunned, Karman stares at his opponent's face, whose helmet he had managed to cut off with a swipe.

A pained cry draws their attention.

"Lulu!" Karman cries, shocked to see the girl impaled in the chest. "Get away from her!" he roars, rushing to the girl's side. The combatant quickly withdraws its blade before Karman could stab it with his spear. He carries the girl in his arms, leaps to a safe distance before the two fighters could run him through with their blades.

Moses quickly snaps to attention and evades the incoming strike from his opponent. He leaps back to defend Karman, who manages to shove Lulu ("No! I want to help! Let me go!") out the window despite the girl's protests.

"What should I do? What should I do?" Lulu says frantically as she stares at the ground. She hears the clinks and clangs behind her and the constant curses of Karman as he fights his opponents off. They won't stand a chance against them. Not like this. "We're all going to get killed!"

She stares at her splayed hands, thinking frantically. Only one name resurfaces in her muddled head. Determined, the girl vanishes into the night.

-ns-

As soon as they arrive in the condominium, Saya heads to her room to shower while Haji takes his place outside by her door. Mao heads off to the kitchen to brew coffee. Kai is still in the city; he had volunteered to buy dinner for them because it is too late in the night to cook. The adults won't be back anytime soon; there are still things to be done. Diva's concert will be taking place the following day and they are making all the preparations needed and planning the operation ahead.

Frantic knocking on the main door breaks the silence in the unit. "Saya? Saya!" a frenzied voice calls from the outside."Saya, are you there? Please! Saya!" Mao, alarmed by the racket, heads at once to the entrance. As she unlocks the door and swings it open, Lulu, who is leaning on it heavily, collapses unto the floor.

"H-Hey!" Mao hastily gets on her knees to assist the injured Schiff. "What happened to you?"

"We need Saya," the little girl says weakly. "We need her help."

"Haji! Saya!" Mao anxiously hollers over shoulder before facing the girl again. "Hang on, they're coming."

"What's going on?" a voice asks and both turn to see the red-eyed Queen and her Chevalier standing before them. Saya eyes the Schiff warily.

"One of Diva's Chevaliers brought these weird guys over and attacked us," Lulu answers desperately. "They're so strong. We can't defeat them on our own."

Saya says nothing; she simply stands where she is. Not even the mention of Diva and her Chevaliers is enough to move her to action.

"Please, Saya," the young Schiff implores. "If we don't go back soon, Karman and Moses will…" Her eyes brim with tears as her gaze drops to the floor. "Dismas, Gestas, Jan, Guy, Irene and Gudrif"–the mention of his name makes the brown-eyed girl react slightly: the death she had unintentionally brought upon one of them is still fresh in Saya's memory; she has not forgotten –"are gone. If Karman and Moses die, I…I don't want to be alone…"

Alone. Saya has tasted more of this than she wants to admit. She observes that the Schiff is shaken, frightened; somehow, the sight of Lulu, mortally wounded and desperate, moves a part of her. Chiropteran or not, Lulu is still a little girl in her eyes. The world is too cruel, too lonely for little girls like her. She will not allow it.

"Can you run?" she finally asks. "If you can't, then Haji will carry you." She advances toward them, saying, "Show us the way."

-ns-

"Shit," Karman curses, clutching his bleeding stomach. He had managed to avoid a lethal blow from one of the combatants but had failed to miss a quick impalement from the second. He gets down on one knee, glaring daggers at his opponents who stand perfectly poised for battle a short distance away.

"Karman!" Moses calls as he battles the third, which is relentlessly battering him down. With Lulu gone, the remaining Schiff are reduced to only defending themselves.

"How weak," James mocks. "And here I thought you'd be worthy targets. You really are a waste of time." He smirks. "Finish them off!" he barks.

The two combatants surge forward, raising their blades in the air, preparing to slaughter the helpless Schiff. Karman cusses and tries to escape but he is too weak and slow to defend himself, let alone escape.

"No!" Moses yells.

A coffin-shaped case smashes directly into the first fighter, slamming it into a wall; three daggers fly straight into the second, instantly stopping its advances. Swift movement drives the third unit back, startling Moses and making him leap back as his opponent is struck with ruthless blows by another intruder.

"What!" James cries. This new overwhelming presence makes him stagger back in disbelief. No. It can't be… It can't be— He springs back in time to evade a clean swipe from behind him but even in midair, a quick series of slashes follow him. "You!" he snarls, quickly morphing his arm into that of a Chiropteran's, and swiping back with so much force that his opponent is driven back a few meters away.

Saya stands upright, leveling her blade at the dark-skinned Chevalier. The graze on her scraped knee heals instantly; she had slid on it when James had struck her.

"What are you doing here?" James demands, glaring at the brown-eyed girl.

"I should ask you the same thing," Saya responds flatly.

-ns-

Haji retrieves his cello case, blocks an incoming strike from the first fighter. The second comes after him, but a quick slash from behind ("Take this!" Lulu cries jubilantly) makes it drop to the ground. "Lulu!" Karman says in relief, as the tiny Schiff reappears beside him. "Where have you been?"

"I asked for their help," Lulu beams. "Are you alright?"

"I am."

"C'mon, let's go help Moses."

"Right." Karman nods and manages to get his feet.

-ns-

"How has life been with the humans?" James sneers.

"They are pleasant company," Saya returns, "compared to the likes of you."

"Tch." The Chevalier frowns. "You really are pathetic. Diva was right to send you away."

The temperature in the surrounding air suddenly drops, making him shudder involuntarily. He gulps, unnerved by the dangerous glint of her eyes as they begin to glow in the darkness. "You're going to regret that," she says in a low menacing tone.

Something flashes.

He jumps back and she pursues him, slashing again. She gives him no chance to retaliate. She blurs out of sight and reemerges behind him, striking savagely. She releases a series of blows, blows so vicious they begin to frighten him; already, he is suffering a few injuries from her. She does not allow him enough time to regenerate. He is out of options; he swiftly morphs into his true form, discharges a barrage of barbs to her direction. She heads toward him, unfazed, evading the spikes and blocking others with her blade. He moves back, she charges, leaps and strikes him on the head. He shoves her back, shoots more spikes in the darkness where she disappears into. Dust explodes from the impact of the spikes. The smoke stirs with swift movement; she reappears, aiming for his head again. He lifts an arm to protect himself, swipes her with his free arm.

As long as her blood is not in play, he is in no real danger. He notices something, however, when she attacks him again. What? His eyes widen when he realizes her blade is already coated with her blood. When did she even—

She thrusts her blade forward, nearly impaling him in the neck. His armor is that of steel, but it cannot protect him forever. With Saya attacking him so forcefully, he knows it won't last long enough. He cusses, feeling trapped for the first time, by her of all people. Maybe he can try to distract her. But how? "What are you trying to prove by protecting these weaklings?" he says. She says nothing, aims for his head. "Don't you know that it's pointless?" She slashes; he blocks it with his arm again.

"They are doomed to die. Without Mama's blood, they will perish soon enough." He releases more barbs, manages to nick her in the arms and cheek. "You will all die. You, these weakling Schiff and your pathetic human family and friends. Diva will see to it that none of you will live."

She clenches her teeth, irritated; James notices this and goes on, "Do you think it matters to her if you die? Don't even think for one second that she still cares about you." He swings an arm, she sidesteps, hits his other appendage.

"She's been doing so much better without you. You should see how happy she has become ever since she banished you from her sight."

"Shut up," Saya snarls.

"Not that you will ever be able to witness it. You see, you are no longer privileged to see her, to be graced by her company. It's a pity you're no longer allowed to see her"—she sees 'her', smiling and laughing in delight—"or hear her voice"—'her' voice resounds in her memories; she remembers 'her', singing on the stage with all the lights centered on 'her'; she remembers 'her' humming the song to her, lulling her to sleep—

Her eyes burn. "Shut up."

"…to see her smile, to see her laugh", he continues, amused that his words are beginning to take their toll on Saya; already, the signs of her distress are becoming more visible—

…"onee-chan" she giggles; in her memories, 'she' is as vibrant as the sun—

"Shut up!"

"And do you want to know what she really thinks of you?" James says, blocking her strike once more, his voice growing ever louder. It is subtle, but he has noticed that her attacks have become less forceful.

"SHUT UP!" She plunges forward.

"YOU ARE HER WORST MISTAKE, SAYA!" he bellows. "YOU ARE NOTHING TO HER NOW! SHE DOES NOT NEED YOU ANYMORE."

She stops dead on her tracks, completely stunned by his words. With frantically wide eyes, she stares at him, incredulous, disbelieving, hurt. "No…" Her tears brim over, a single drop streaming down her ashen face.

"Yes!" he growls triumphantly, lunging at her and running her through with his appendage.

"Saya!" Haji calls from bellow, hurrying to rescue his Mistress.

"She's all yours!" James says, violently hurling Saya at her Chevalier, sending both flying to crash into a set of crates.

"Bastard!" Karman cries, rushing towards the Chevalier. The last remaining combatant, severely injured, stands in his way, receiving his attack in place of James'. "Dammit!" he flings it away and Moses makes a quick end of it by decapitating it with a swift slash from his scythe. They both go after the Chevalier but with a powerful swing of his arm, they are driven back into the wall, where they both collapse into a crumpled, bloodied heap. Lulu rushes to their aid.

"You're all pathetic," James sneers. "Without Diva's blood, you will all be dead soon," he tells the Schiff. At this he takes his leave, his booming laughter echoing in the dilapidated building.

-ns-

"Saya…" Haji carefully holds his Mistress in his arms. Blood had soaked through her clothes, spreading quickly on her torso.

"Saya!" All three Schiff descend around them.

"Are you alright?" Lulu asks, kneeling before her and her Chevalier.

Saya winces but says nothing, wordlessly picking up her katana, ignoring the excruciating pain in her torso. She's experienced worse in the past, she remembers. She uses her weapon to support herself, disregarding the help Haji and Lulu try to offer her.

"Hey, be careful; you're still hurt," Moses mildly advises, eyeing the girl's injury. Even if Saya is a Chiropteran with regenerative abilities, her injury is far too serious to ignore. "We're bringing you back to Kai, okay?"

She staggers to her feet, disconcertingly silent. They watch her, anxious, waiting.

"Saya?"

"I'll get you Diva's blood," she says, finally speaking.

"What?" They all look at her, astounded by her words. She is staring intently at the spot where James had disappeared.

The Chevalier places a hand on her shoulder. She is trembling. "Saya…"

She ignores him. "I will get you Diva's blood," she repeats, her voice firm, resolute, betraying no emotion. She has decided; there is no turning back now. Her eyes narrow dangerously as she grips the handle of her katana. "I promise you that."

Here's the Timeline:

Saturday – HQ (Chapter XXVII, Part I and Part II: In the Headquarters) Diva's concert will be occurring in 10 days' time. (Refer to Chapter XXVII, Part II: In the Headquarters)

Day 1: Sunday

Day 2: Monday – Kai and Okamura leave for week-long training in Holm Islands; Saya runs away (Chapter XXVIII, Part I: Glass)

Day 3: Tuesday – Gudrif dies; Kai finds Saya (Chapter XXVIII, Part II: Glass)

Day 4: Wednesday – Saya rests

Day 5: Thursday – Saya rests

Day 6: Friday – HQ; check-up by Julia; interrogation (Chapter XXIX: Interrogation)

– start of 72-hour Quarantine – time: 11:23:05

Day 7: Saturday – Okamura returns from week-long training (Chapter XXX: Duty and Desire)*

– Party held by Amshel Goldsmith

–time: 11:23:05 - Day I 24 Hours of Quarantine are over

Day 8: Sunday – time: 11:23:05 – Day II 48 Hours of Quarantine are over

Day 9: Monday – time: 11:23:05 – Day III 72 Hours of Quarantine are over

–Quarantine is officially done

–Welcome Party for Saya

–James attacking Schiff

–Saya and Haji saving Schiff

Day 10: Tuesday – Diva's concert (Chapter XXXI)

*Notes: Included in said Chapter is a portion of Friday Night wherein Saya confesses to Haji what she feels of the murders she had committed.

Alright, I hope you understood the timeline. If you have questions, I am more than happy to answer them. PM me anytime. I may not be able to reply at once, but rest assured I will respond.

Reviews are highly appreciated. It's really gratifying to hear what you have to say.

'Til next time.