Most of this chapter is more Hawks' perspective since we know what Hikari's thoughts and feelings are about all of this already. I wanted the readers to be just as blinded by her intentions as Hawks is in order to make the pain even more spicy. Hope you enjoy!

As Hawks and Hikari's silent footsteps echoed through the streets, the bird felt his feathers ruffle with anxiety for every step he took. He had gone over the plan in his mind about a thousand times now but even then the man couldn't feel at peace. No, he wouldn't allow himself to relax until this was all over.

Every move was like he was walking an invisible tightrope, leading his little sister unknowing into the den of wolves that awaited them, the wolves that were surely aiming to tear her apart as soon as she arrived.

He had set it up, all of it. Just for a meeting with Valkyrie, just for a conversation in order to get those stolen files back. Hawks had sold his sister without a second thought and as they reached closer to their destination, that realization rested inside of him like a heavy rock.

Get the files and get out, that was the plan.

In his head it was so incredibly simple, the bird glancing behind him only to see his sister's big bright yellow eyes blink back in pure innocence, innocence for what was about to happen.

At the look, the hero then turned back around, focusing on a thousands of other thoughts swirling around in his brain at the moment, all of them laced with heavy self hatred for what was about to happen.

He was so disgusting, so vile for all of this. And the worst was, if this was anyone else, if he had sold anyone else for information Hawks knew it wouldn't feel as guilty. He knew he would be able to write off his own sins.

That's it Hawks, just get in and get out. You have to protect Hika-chan with your life and you can't let her find out about this, about you, about who you really are. The mission has to be safe, she has to be safe.

But what Hawks didn't know is that behind him, Hikari walked with her own clouded thoughts, the bird completely blind to the dark and murderous look in her eyes, just a couple feet away.

They were distant and emotionless, staring into her brothers back like heavy daggers waiting to strike as she matched her pace with the man behind her, utter distaste and contempt behind her twisted lips and white knuckles.

And if he had bothered to turn around maybe he would've seen it, but sadly the hero was too wrapped up in his own mind to even look at his sister, to see what would soon play out.

He was always like that.

Reaching their destination, Hawks sucked in an anxious breath before wordlessly opening the doors of the abandoned mall before hearing his sister's small voice ring out with heartbreaking curiosity. "Kei-chan? What are we doing here, I thought we were shopping today?"

The hero then pushed his lips together in order to even his voice before turning back towards his sister with a fake grin, trying to hide his growing nervous nature. "Hmm? Oh well, I gotta do something here first and then we can go. Come on, don't you trust me little sis?"

He hated his manipulative words, almost as much as he hated seeing Hikari's response, her blind faith causing her lips to turn in a smile before nodding back. "Okay, but can we hurry? This place is kind of scary.."

Feeling his wings twitch at her innocent demeanor, Hawks nodded his head once before remaining silent. He hated this, he hated himself for going through with this. Hikari really trusted him and look at what he was doing?

So much so that Hawks muttered back with fake reassurance, mostly for himself than for her. "Mhmm don't worry Hika-chan, it will be over soon."

That's right, it would all be over soon. Hikari's fears, his files, Valkyrie, everything was going to be over, he just had to make it through this night.

Then everything would go back to how it was.

Just then, Hawks sensed thirty pairs of footsteps enter the area, causing all of his feathers to stand on edge before narrowing his eyes.

This was it, what happened next, he needed to make sure it all went smoothly.

Hearing one of their voices enter through the empty mall, Hawks involuntarily took a step closer to his sister as he watched her widen her eyes in surprise at the new stranger. "Took you long enough, Hawks…"

Hikari couldn't help but squeak when thirty men started to appear from the shadows seemingly out of nowhere, circling the two birds like their next prey before shakily calling out to her brother. "K-Kei-chan, what's going on..?"

She sounded so incredibly fragile but Hawks forced himself not to notice, instead choosing to shove his hands into his pockets lazily. "Sorry man, this one here took forever to get ready. That's not my fault, you know? But now that I am here, let's get this party started shall we..?"

The man chuckled at his impatience before fixing his eyes over to Hikari before she visibly flinched, his lips twisting into a malicious smirk. "Yes, lets. This will be fun, don't you think, Hikari Takami..?"

Although it was quickly interrupted when the bird stepped in front of his sister, using his wings to block her from the sleazy looking man. "Ah ah ah, I think we are missing something here. We had a deal, didn't we? I'm going to need you to hold up your end man."

Processing his words, Hawks then watched as his poor sister started to put his words together, her hands shaking with unexplained terror before turning to him in order to make sense of the situation, almost like she couldn't believe what was happening.

"Kei-chan? What do you mean deal..who are these people...I don't understand…"

And that broke the heroes heart, his teeth gritting in absolute self hatred before the man seemed to answer for her, telling her everything he never wanted her to know. "Oh? You still don't get it, do you? Hawks here just sold you out. We had a deal, sweetheart. We get you, and in exchange he gets to talk to our boss. You see, it works both ways, doesn't it?"

Hikari's eyes then widened in pure horror and betrayal before shaking her head in denial, the hero forcing himself to turn away from the utter hurt he had caused.

Although the knife seemed to push deeper when her small raspy voice echoed through the space a moment later, tears making their way into her eyes. "W-What? What are you saying? Kei-chan would never do that, he wouldn't s-sell me like that, right? You're lying.."

Continuing to keep his eyes planted to the ground, that's when he felt her shaking hands grab into his hero jacket, moving the object back and forth with heartbreaking blind faith, her voice frantic. "Tell them, tell them that's not true Kei-chan. You love me, you said you'd protect me. It's not true, it's not, right?"

It was obvious she was trying to reassure herself, trying to hold onto that bit of hope that her brother wasn't actually a piece of shit, that he hadn't actually sold her out for the sake of the mission.

But even he knew that wasn't true, that he had done the unthinkable, and that he would've done it again if it meant getting what he wanted.

Laughing at her pathetic nature, the man called out to them, clearly enjoying the show. "Yeah go ahead and tell her Hawks, tell her why you brought her here, tell her the truth.."

Still feeling her small shaking hands under his jacket, Hawks felt himself take a heavy breath before stepping away from his sister, her arm falling to the side at the action, at the absence of his warmth.

He hated himself but he knew it couldn't back down now, not when he was this close, not when he had already made his decision. He couldn't be weak, he couldn't be a coward, he couldn't be Keigo.

And for that reason, he turned to Hikari with a cynical laugh, his lips forcing themselves to twist into a villainous uncaring tone. "Poor Hikari, you didn't actually believe that, did you? It's simple, I saw an opportunity and I took it. Please try not to take it personal baby bird, okay?"

He hoped that the strange nickname would awaken something in her, that it would cause her to figure out his grand plan, that she would understand exactly why he was doing this.

Although that's when he watched as all of the lining hope in her eyes disappeared as she took in his words, tears spilling over the sides of her cheeks with a stifling sob. He hated to see that look in her eyes, knowing that he caused it. " W-What?"

A hard look of betrayal washed over her face, the malice and the hurt causing her tears to finally spill over the sides of her cheeks in order for him to see her anger. "H-How, could you?"

Forcing himself to remain still, the man's voice rang out again, clapping his hands once at the show. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we? Valkyrie's been waiting for you Hikari. Let's not keep them waiting anymore."

The villain then snapped his fingers as the thirty men began to close into the circle, one of them forcibly grabbing onto Hikari's arm before pulling her backwards and away from Hawks. "W-What are you..?! Stop it..don't touch me…!"

And to her cries, her brother immediately turned around before his gaze turned murderous, the bird using one of his feathers to pull Hikari out of the thug's arms and back into his a second later.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there. I think we are forgetting something here. You can't touch her until I get my meeting, remember?"

Yet as soon as Hikari felt her brother's hands around her shoulders, the girl flitched them away, stumbling out of his grip and taking a step backwards. It was obvious she didn't know what to think, or who to trust, and that hurt Hawks more than anything.

"N-No, stay away from me...all of you just stay away..!"

Seeing her breathing turn erratic, Hikari then turned her gaze towards the exit before immediately running to the destination, causing Hawks to panic all together. What are you..? No no no you gotta stay close to me sis, I need to protect you, don't leave my sight..!

"Hikari!"

Although his sister didn't seem to listen, causing the villain to narrow his eyes before snapping his fingers towards his fellow thugs with a smile. "Ah, we have a runner. You know what to do, boys."

Then all at once, all of the thirty men turned around and raced towards the shaking blonde haired Takami, Hawks' eyes widening in utter terror before his feathers sharpened immediately.

No, this couldn't happen, he wasn't going to let those low lower assholes touch her. He had to save her, to protect her before things got bad.

His feather began to detach before allowing them to zoom across the space, grabbing onto the men and tossing them aside without a second thought in order to get to Hikari.

But there were so many of them, he needed to be faster.

Hawks then felt his blood run cold as a terrible scream rang through the space, Hikari's shrill voice cutting through him like a knife as one of the thugs grabbed onto her arms as another tried to lift her up in order to carry her away. "S-Stop it! L-Let me go..! H-Help..anyone..please…!"

The hero's eyes turned dark before extending his feathers of the two men before three others started to come up behind him at the same time. Damn, these people were never ending! He should've brought some kind of back up, Hikari couldn't even defend herself right now. Everything was all on him.

The feathers seemed to pull the two men away, dropping the girl onto the ground before she let out a heavy groan, using her hands to claw herself up from the ground and back towards the exit, as far away from Hawks as possible.

But before she could do so, a pair of hands grabbed onto her ankles, pulling her backwards as the blonde haired girl screamed before four other men forced her up with brute force as she cried. "S-Stop, please just leave me alone...I just want to go home…"

Although a moment later, their hands were erased, replaced by the warm gentle ones of her brother as he gripped his feather sword so tight that his hands were pure white. "It's okay Hikari, I gotchu. I gotchu.."

Blinking in surprise, that's when she heard the leaders voice, calling back to the hero with interest. "Valkyrie's been watching you Hawks and they are not pleased. If you want that meeting then you will drop Hikari Takami and come over here.."

And that caused Hawks to freeze, his eyes moving from his terrified sister in his arms to the villain in front of him. He didn't' want to let her go, he couldn't' let her go now. She was so scared, so incredibly scared, he could feel it and the bird needed to give her some kind of comfort before she broke completely.

Yet that's when the villain said something that made all of his blood turn cold in a single second. "Unless you don't want those files. My, how desperate you seem for them. Whatever could be on them I wonder? I might have to share them around if that's the case, what do you think?"

That's right, the files, his mission. If he broke now, if he caved then that meant that Valkyrie could do anything with those files. It was everything to him, his mission. The president was counting on him, the world was counting on him to make everything a better place.

But if he let go then that meant those villains could hurt his sister, that she was probably never to speak to him again and that he had failed her.

What was he kidding, he had already failed her. He had failed her the day he agreed to this stupid deal. And now Hawks was so deep into this that he knew he couldn't back out, even if something inside of him so desperately wanted to.

Whatever it takes.

That was what he had to do, that's what the commission had drilled into his mind since day one. Without those files, he was ruined. It was as simple as that. His poor sister just became collateral damage.

His worst fears had come true, he had to choose between the mission and his sister.

But as much as he wanted to take his sister out of here, Hawks knew that his mission was bigger than the both of them. This was more than just a selfish desire, this was about the world, about making it a better place for heroes to live.

He was the sacrifice, he was the one that had to be corrupted for that to happen.

And as much as he wished for another solution, Hawks also knew that meant shoving down his real feelings, and least for now. He could get his sister out of here once he met Valkyrie, once he got those files.

The hero couldn't mess this up, he just couldn't, not if he didn't want to be a disappointment like his father.

So for that, he couldn't be selfish, even if he so desperately wanted to, he couldn't hold his sister close and reassure her that everything would be okay. Because he was so close, so close to getting exactly what he wanted.

Hikari felt his grip loosen first, her eyes widened with his betrayal as Hawks wordlessly detached himself from his sister before taking a step away and letting one of the men next to him grab onto her instead. "K-Kei-chan?"

Moving over to the leaders, Hawks then focused his eyes forward with no emotion, disgust and distaste in every part of his soul. I'm sorry Hikari, I'm sorry I'm so disgusting. Once I get those files, I'll take you out of here. Even if you don't speak to me again, I'll make sure you're okay. I'm just so close. Hang on a little longer. Please...for me…"

And the move seemed to have shattered something in Hikari because he heard her voice a moment later, loud and shrill, desperate and pleading as she struggled against her captives, against the people that he had let touch her.

"W-Why, why are you doing this? Kei-chan, why? I'm sorry if I did something, I'm sorry if I wasn't good enough for you. Please, I can fix it, I can be useful. Please don't leave me here. I'm scared, I'm so scared Kei.."

Each word that escaped her lips was agony to him, the bird's feathers ruffling at her choked sobs before forcibly turning his eyes away.

He knew she was scared, he knew she was heartbroken and terrified but the hero forced himself to remain still, to finish the mission he started.

Because of that, Hawks then turned to the villain before narrowing his eyes. "As fun as this is, let's get right to it, shall we? Don't tell me your boss is such a coward that they are backing out of my offer?"

Chucking at some unforeseen joke, the villain then turned back to the broken blonde haired girl before speaking to her, almost as if Hawks wasn't actually there. "You're right, I think it's time we stopped with the games. Don't you think, Takami?"

Hikari and the man then shared a look that was unseen to Hawks before the villain smirked under his breath and snapped his fingers only for the man holding her to punch her across the face, the girl letting out a loud gasp as he did so.

Coughing out a spit of blood from her mouth, Hikari then turned her tear soaked face towards her brother with a silent plea before whimpering back, her entire body shaking under the man's grip. "P-Please no...don't hurt me...Kei-chan...tell them to stop...please…"

But as much as he wanted to, her brother forced himself to remain still as all of his feathers began to sharpen with unsaid anxiety. Please, please stop calling to me Hikari, I can't do anything and it's killing me. I can't help you, not until I get those files. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…

The thugs seemed to take pride in the display though, another one of them coming over and pulling Hikari up by her hair before punching the poor girl in the stomach a moment later, his lips curved in a sadistic grin. "Oh, I've been waiting for this one…"

Widening her eyes at the pain, the girl then doubled over in pain before pushing her lips together with sniffled sobs before Hawks immediately turned back to the ringleader in order not to see the damage, to see the heartbroken look of his sister.

And as much as he tried to stay calm, his voice came out strained. It's like they were messing with him, prolonging the meeting in order to torture his sister, and he wasn't going to allow that to happen. "Sooo, where is Valkyrie?"

The ringleader only chuckled though, sharing a look with Hikari before shooing his hand away, the men nodding their heads before practically dragging the blonde haired Takami away from them as she gasped in terror. "W-What are you? N-No, no don't take me away..Kei-chan please...I'm sorry..I'll be better...I'll be good..I promise...just please don't leave me with them…"

Watching those nameless thugs carry Hikari away was something that her brother had only seen in his nightmares, the bird's hands shaking with unsaid fury before raising his voice and glaring at the ringleader.

He just needed to see Valkyrie, he needed to hold out until they were here. He couldn't break, he couldn't break yet and ruin everything. "Where is Valkyrie..?

His words only seemed funny to those around him though, the man smirking under his breath before Hawks threw his feather sword and aimed it at the ringleader's neck, his eyes so incredibly strained and anxious now. It was obvious to tell. "I asked you a question, you better answer it.."

And though his heart was beating out of his chest, Hawks heard his sister screaming his name, calling out to him as she struggled against the men holding her. God, shit shit shit I can't do this anymore. Why aren't they telling me anything?! Hikari, I'm sorry I'm sorry…

Sensing his distress though, the man still didn't say anything as the two of them watched as the men took Hikari away out of the room, and out of his sight, her screams and crying drowned out as soon as he shut the door.

And that was the breaking point for Hawks.

Every last remaining bit of self control he had was lost at the sight, sending a dozen of his feathers in the direction of his sister before turning around and pressing his feather sword even closer to the man's neck, a drop of blood pouring from the wound.

Who knows what's happening, who knows what kinds of horrible and awful things those men were doing to her, what he was allowing them to do?! Shit, no no screw the mission, screw everything, he needed her in his sights, he needed to see her before he went absolutely insane.

Lowering his voice three octaves, Hawks then hissed towards the villain with serious intent as his feathers searched blindly for his sister. "I'm only going to say this once. Bring Hikari Takami back out here before I cut off your fucking head.."

And for a moment, the man's eyes widened with slight fear before finding something in his sentence, the nostalgia in his voice very familiar to a certain villain he knew. "You two really are related. What do you know.."

Yet the bird didn't understand the meaning, his anger and fear taking over any logical thought, narrowing his eyes with serious intent. "Ya think I'm kidding? Go ahead, try me. I'm not in the mood for any more games. So either you bring the girl back out here or I go about taking down every last person in this building, starting with you…"

His hands were practically shaking on the sword now, his knuckles white from the intense grip as Hawks waited for the ringleader to give him a reason to cut him and every other bastard up, to let his anger and fear take over in a single second.

Although, that's when the villain seemed to close his eyes in some kind of unknown approval before snapping his fingers once again. "Very well Hawks, we'll give you what you want. It seems like the show is almost over anyways."

All at once, the men returned to the scene with Hikari's feet practically dragging across the floor in their arms before stopping in front of her brother as his eyes widened at the sight.

He didn't know what had happened but his sister's face and body was now covered in blood, her skin pale white as she slumped against the men with clear exhaustion, her tears now silent and constant.

It was like she didn't have any more energy to fight, like they had already broken her.

And seeing her so utterly destroyed tore a whole in the hero's heart, his breathing turning shaky at what he had done to his baby sister. "H-Hikari.."

At the sound of his voice, Hikari let out a heartbreaking whimper before lifting her head to meet Hawks' eyes, contempt and hatred staring back at him. "W-Why? H-How could you? Y-You said you loved me, you said you'd protect me. Y-You lied to me, why did you lie? I trusted you..I should have never trusted you…"

Feeling his breath lodge in his throat , Hawks knew Hikari was right. He was responsible for this, he was the one that indirectly gave her those injuries. She had every right to be mad at him, to disown him as her brother.

And even though he deserved it, that very idea it still hurt him beyond anything imaginable.

He had failed her, in every possible way. Some brother he was, he couldn't even protect his weak little sister. She should have never shown up in front of his door, she shouldn't' never had him as a brother.

Feeling his breath turn shallow, Hawks then looked at his little sister before feeling tears make its way into his eyes. He couldn't even keep his cover anymore, not after her words. "H-Hikari, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry….I...you're right...I can't be trusted..this is my fault...I'm so sorry…."

Hearing soft crying echo through the space, Hawks let his eyes fall in devastation as her small tiny sniffles and breathes of sobs poured into him in utter self loathing and hatred. It seemed like she was already broken.

In fact, her tears were the only thing that was heard, everything else was so eerily silent, almost like that was the only thing everyone was focusing on.

Hawks didn't notice though, he instead forced himself to listen, to be destroyed by his horrible betrayal, by the silent torture and punishment he deserved.

Although, that's when Hikari's voice changed.

It started off small, her small and quite hiccups and sobs morphing into something new, something far more cynical as the sound changed from crying to something that sounded more of a bitter laugh…

The low chuckles then seemed to rise in volume, her sadness changing without a second thought as the joyful and cruel noise replaced the once sad atmosphere all together.

And that's when Hawks heard her voice, far more condescending than he had ever heard before, the tone causing him to widen his eyes with surprise as a chill appeared down his spine.

"Oh Hawks, you're right. It is your fault."

The air turned completely cold as the words flowed into him, Hikari's brother blinking in shock as his little sister raised her head a moment later, all of the fear and devastation completely whipped away with her tiny uncontrollable giggles.

"Ah well, at least it gave me some entertainment. Although, I gotta admit, you really are the worst, aren't you Hawks? I mean, selling your poor little defenseless sister just for some information? Ouch, that really hurt my feelings Kei, it really did.."

Her tone, her expression, her eyes, they were all something that Hawks had never seen before from his sister. Usually she was soft spoken and quiet but looking at her now, she was anything but that.

In fact, it was like she was acting like a completely different person than the innocent little sister he had known forever.

Even her tone was different, giving off a more mocking and teasing air of uncaring amusement than the usual shy responses he knew. It was almost like she was making fun of him for his decisions and sins.

What was happening, what was going on with her? "H-Hikari..? I don't…"

Yet that's when Hikari snapped her figures as the men holding her immediately let go, the girl brushing off her dirt covered dress before smirking. "Aww Kei, do you not get it, is your little bird brain too small to comprehend what's going on? Ah well, that's not surprising, you always were so gullible and stupid, even as kids.."

No actually, he did not get what was going on, the hero shaking his head in disbelief. It's like the person talking to him wasn't even his sister.

And he wanted to say something but it seemed his lips were locked together, causing Hikari to let out a snort of amusement at the sight as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Big brother is speechless, is he? Well that's a change from the constant annoying bullshit I've had to hear for weeks. I honestly thought I was going to crack one or two times. He warned me, but I didn't think you'd be that insufferable."

Hawks couldn't believe what he was hearing. His sister was pretending this whole time? No no no, that couldn't' be right. She was the same, she was the same little innocent girl he had always known.

She had held onto him and begged him to brush her hair and go play outside and asked to stay by his side. That was the sister he knew, not this. She was anything but this.

It couldn't have been fake, every reaction, every conversation they had, it meant nothing? Did their relationship really mean nothing to her? No, this wasn't real, this wasn't happening..

Hikari then shrugged her shoulders before strolling up to her frozen brother with a slight skip in her step, her amber eyes cutting through him like a knife, enjoying every moment.

"And apologize for the little show but you really had it coming Kei, after throwing your poor little sister under the bus like that. I gotta admit, seeing you finally break, oh it was music to my ears truly. How ironic that dad always thought I was the crybaby, right? After that pathetic display I'm sure he'd change his mind.."

Stopping a couple feet away from him, Hikari took in every horrified and disgusted expression before curling her lips into a curve tight smile. Ah yes, that's the way he should be looking at her, she was a monster after all.

It's about time he realized it.

Lowering her eyes slightly, the girl then batted her eyes before giving him her sweet little innocent crybaby Hikari voice, the one he used to think was real before turning her head to the side with pouty lips.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost big brother. You said you wanted to meet me after all, didn't you? Why are you so unhappy? You really should be careful what you wish for.."

And that's when everything crashed into Hawks at once as his eyes clouded over in clear realization and reality, his heart dropping into his chest without a second thought.

The reason that HIkari was involved in all this, the reason why she was always in the same place as Valkyrie wasn't just pure coincidence like he had always hoped.

His sister wasn't the victim, she was never the victim.

She was the villain.

She was Valkyrie.

Next chapter will get some more of that spicy interaction between Hikari and Hawks. I wanted to break it up so it added more weight to the fight, so this chapter is more about the discovery and then the next one will be the conversation.

But don't worry I have the full week off so you'll be getting the next ch very soon!

I love how this first half of the chapter is just Hikari messing with Hawks in order to see how long he'll go before breaking. Everyone except him was in on it was she was just screwing with him and torturing him with her words on purpose.

But oof oof, everything is out in the open. All those hurt feelings from both sides, it's gonna get real painful very fast.

Next Chapter: Hawks finally talks with the "real Hikari"