Disclaimer: I don't own Cross Ange or any of its characters and original plot, excluding the original characters I created for this story. Cross Ange and all its rights belong to King Records (Japan), Sentai Filmworks (USA), and Sunrise/ Bandai Namco Entertainment (Japan). This fanfiction is meant for entertainment only and not for profit. This story contains heavy language, blood and violence, and mild sexual themes not for audiences under 16-18 years old.


CHAPTER 34: HOME BITTER HOME

'I got careless…Otherwise, Salia wouldn't have shot me.' Ange blamed herself as she can feel her empty body falling from such a height after Salia shot her and send her off Vilkiss. Surprisingly, she felt as light as a feather when she descended only to land not in the freezing ocean but rather in a large field of something soft and warm with a scent she unconsciously picked up when she slept in her surroundings. It's like… 'The roses that Mother grew in our garden. Am I dead? If this is hell, maybe, it's not so bad after all.' Ange wondered as she continues to sleep on possibly her afterlife when her mind suddenly clicked to hear a soft voice calling for her from possibly the sky above her shimmering with the blinding yellow light of the sun.

"Princess? Lady Angelise?" Is that...Momoka? Somehow, Ange managed to have her willpower rejuvenating inside her to tiredly blink her eyes and see a familiar face hovering inches in front of hers as she sleeps, startling Ange with a gasp and hastily climb and sit on the bed, looking at the side of the bed she found herself sleeping on to see Momoka rising from kneeling on the bed. "Oh, good morning."

"Momoka...where are we?" Ange asked.

"We're in your royal living quarters, Milady," Momoka answered with a smile.

"We're back in Arzenal? That doesn't…" Ange raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no. As you can see, we're back in your old bedroom at the Misurugi Palace. It seems it's been fully maintained this whole time, just as you left it." Momoka answered, raising her hand and revealing to her shocked mistress that she is in fact inside her old bedroom of the Misurugi Palace, looking as if it was the same, clean, and spacious room as she remembered before being sent to Arzenal, although she doesn't remember having flowers surrounding both sides of the bed when she stepped it out, wearing a sleeveless pink nightgown and her ring still on her finger, and stood in front of the window to see the Dawn Pillar right in front due to colossal size looming over the palace and the entire nation. If she's back home…then this means… Ange noticed some more flowers placed on her table with a card revealing the name of the possible sender when Ange lifted it off the surface and read only to grit her teeth in anger.

Dear Angelise,

I wish to express my apologies for the mistreatment my soldiers gave you and your maid yesterday. If you wish to see me, please feel free to patiently wait for Salia and her friends or my children who can be your escorts. I also invited Rush for a meeting I wish to speak with him today once we are done, so perhaps he can also join you.

- Embryo

'So even Rush's here. Then I better hope to find him first before we'll go see the enemy.' Ange sighed, relieved that at least she can see Rush instead of Jill, as she heard Momoka gasping in strange delight from behind, turning and seeing her hold up a pair of white, silk panties as if it is a gift from God. "Ah! Real silk panties! There's so smooth!" Knowing her maid, Momoka is going to help her change just like she would when she was a princess.

"I can change by myself," Ange assured although Momoka continues to be happily persistent. "Nonsense. Now that we're back at the palace, you're supposed to let me wait on you." As much as she could object, the increasing cold in the air made Ange shiver which leave her no choice but to allow Momoka to dress her, in the meantime, wonder to themselves their predicament to return to the Misurugi Empire and why Salia shot Ange with a tranquillizer dart. When Ange worries about Tusk and Vivian's fates in the previous fight, Momoka assured her that, as strong fighters like Ange, they should be fine which made Ange smile in hope and worry for their safety as well until Momoka finished changing her.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror in front of her, Ange couldn't help but be a bit happy to be seen wearing her favourite outfit she would sometimes wear before she was sent off to Arzenal, which also happens to be the one she wore when she first met Rush; the white and blue-trimmed gown that bared her shoulders and tightened around the waist with the blue corset, heeled shoes, and a silver bird pendant on a necklace.

"There. You're all ready, milady." Momoka told Ange, who nodded before her smile darkened into a cruel smirk when she heads towards her desk and opened a drawer, pulling out a letter opener and a handful of pens. "I'd rather have a rifle, a grenade, or some other weapon, but I guess this will work," Ange told Momoka.

"Are you planning for a fight? Or an attack with Sir Rush's assistance?"

"I won't allow it," Ange and Momoka turned around and see who but Salia, Irma and Tanya arriving, each wore dark blue, red and gold-trimmed uniforms with dark tights under their thigh-high boots over dark tights. "As Master Embryo's prisoner, you must act accordingly in my command, as leader of the Diamond Rose Knights."

"Master, huh?" Ange asked sarcastically. "What happened to your devotion to Jill? You lost it?"

"I did because I came to my senses," Salia replied with a smile, remembering the day she was saved by that angel of the man…


...What was supposed to be an underwater tomb when her Arquebus lost to Vilkiss changed for Salia to wake up and end up sleeping inside the most beautiful bedroom she had ever seen, received a gasp when she hurriedly climbs and sit on the bed she was laid, hiding her bare body and chest with the white, silk sheets that felt soft as if she slept on a cloud. When she did, she heard a soft sneeze in front of her that alarmed her in fright of seeing a man in the same room as her alongside two toddler children, an albino boy dressed in purple and a younger girl with glowing blue hair and eerily dark green eyes and black sclera.

Noticing the man kneeling and wiping his daughter's nose with the handkerchief he asked her to blow, Salia trembled in fear for she has seen him only once via Red Death's surveillance video from Rush's office. Embryo. Other than the man Alektra calls their mortal enemy, Salia was astonished at the two toddler children nearly hiding behind his legs, also knowing their names from Embryo's visit to Rush's Haven: Aya the albino boy, and the younger girl Khalifa. Just looking at the latter collected Salia's thoughts about her appearance AND her possible mother.

"Ah. Good morning, my dear. I hope you don't mind that I brought you and your friends under my care." Embryo stood on his feet and greeted with a tranquil smile on his handsome face. Before Salia knows it, she found herself allowing Embryo to tend to her wounds and clean her up, introducing herself to his children. Ever since the few days after Arzenal's destruction, Salia has been never more than better, no cheerier than she has ever been.

Apart from being glad that Embryo rescued Chris and the survivors of Third Squad to form their five-girl army Salia declared herself as leader of the Diamond Rose Knights for their new master's cause, Salia continues to be amazed that Embryo turned out to be a magnificent man than the opposite of what she was told from the meals he cooked for her and the others specifically are delicious and appetising than what she tried, charismatic to console and give her his time for her troubles, contrasts to Alektra's false assumptions of him. Most importantly, he gave her a brand-new life.

"No one understands how you are truly a beautiful, strong, and intelligent girl; Salia," Embryo once told Salia who was stargazing on the balcony one night, gently laying his coat over her shoulders from the slight chill. "Jill was wrong to discard you and your friends for her selfish agendas and hid the truth of it from you who trusts her the most." He then pulls out a small box on his hand in front of her face, holding a silver, sky-blue jewelled ring almost exactly like Ange's that controls Vilkiss. "My dream is to change this world. And I need you to assist me, will you?"


"That wonderful man saved me and helped me realize that Jill only sees her allies as tools, and she's wrong of Embryo. Which is why I'll do whatever I can to help him with his plans, as our duties for the Diamond Rose Knights," Salia concluded, showing the blue gem ring on her finger as if it is the most amazing gift for her. As Momoka shows surprise and worry, Ange expressed a bored glower with hands on her hips.

"From what I would think; you're desperate to find someone who could control you like a dog like Jill and now Embryo." Ange pondered, wishing she could smirk at Salia, Irma, and Tanya flinched with angry sneers until she immediately thought of one, she knows this leader will be furious from her delusions. "Although I feel bad for you and Rush, at least Rush has a good reason for playing with your master. If you were with Jill, I think you already know how much he cares for him more than with you now."

"Don't you dare say Rush's name to me!" Salia yelled, blushing in anger. "I was fine with Rush's accidental plans when I used to be on Alektra's side, but now I'll make sure that he won't lay a hand on Master Embryo! I'll show my master that I'm better than Rush!" 'Yeah, right!' Ange scoffed before she hurriedly closed the distance between herself and Salia, making her cry in pain from prickling her breast with her pen, at the same time, grabbing the other's pistol from her hip before everyone watched in shock of Ange flipping Salia off the floor and landed upside down on the bed. "Lady Angelise!" Momoka gasped.

"Captain!" Irma and Tanya cried after the former pulled her sidearm out of her holster only for Ange to shoot the gun out of her hand with just a bullet from Salia's gun, swiftly dodging Tanya who charged at her when she fired but it ends up with Ange leaping off the floor and kicks Tanya between the collarbone and chest, sending her flying towards Irma and both girls crashed and fell off the wall to land on the floor with a strangled scream out of their mouths.

"Y-You gorilla woman!" Salia groaned in pain and anger from her position when Ange stashed her gun, a proud smirk on her face.

"You're nothing compared to Rush and Sala. Clothes-wise, I think you should be in your magical girl costume." Salia blushed in anger at being reminded of her secret as she couldn't speak and stop Ange from dragging Momoka out of her bedroom, alerting Salia to climb out of the bed sluggishly and quickly help Tanya and Irma off the floor before the three ran out to find the, gone. "Where are you, Ange?!" Had she looked around before leaving the hallway, they would've noticed a slightly loose panel on the lower walls showing a hidden space from behind.

"Sorry. But we're in my house now." Ange whispered after Salia and her underlings left the hallway before silently ushering Momoka to crawl behind her through the secret tunnel, knowing the path that will lead them outside onto the palace grounds. After checking that no one has spotted the two crawling out of the hole and running outside the courtyard, Ange and Momoka hurriedly dash behind the corner of a wall from a patio with opened entrances. But Ange stopped Momoka from moving and going inside when she spotted a familiar figure watering one of the flower beds just by long brown hair on her back. But like the two fights before ending up back in Misurugi, Ange spot a glimpse of her face to express nothing but a dull look and blank, brown eyes, hardly showing any emotion and not even saying a word.

Remembering how aggressive she is back in Arzenal and told that she tried to rape Moon, Ange wishes to know what Embryo did to her.

"Ange? Momoka?" A voice, too deep and masculine to be Salia, called beside them which startled the two to turn and see Rush leaning closer beside the two, hurriedly backing away when Ange almost throw a punch at his bandaged face from noticing him from the corners of her eyes. "Hey, calm down, woman! I'm not Tusk trying to go down on you! You know I don't flirt with girls, remember!"

"Sir Rush!" Momoka smiled and hurriedly embrace Rush who returned the gesture with contentment in his smile, leaving Ange to watch the two hugging with surprise…but seeing him again made Ange smile her reassurance as well. Even if he's still Jill's ally, he doesn't completely follow her orders and possibly does the same to Embryo just for secrets that will help them kill him. Leaving Keren to water the plants as the mindless zombie she now is, the three sat underneath the patio's table and chairs where Ange and Momoka told Rush what happened at Aurora. When the two finished, Rush closed his eye and heave a loud, annoyed sigh.

"Of course, Alektra had to do that shit." Rush complained. "Ever since she changed for what Em did to her, she kept going on and on that she should do whatever it takes to get Vilkiss's new pilot to follow her orders, even if it means making her a puppet. But wanting to sacrifice the Haven crosses the line."

"So, you're not going to force me to join Jill's side?" Ange enquired.

"You kidding me? I had doubts that you can pilot Vilkiss when you were first sent to Arzenal, even when we met again." Rush shook his head with his mouth tugged into a calm smirk. "But from hearing how you easily adapt yourself to fight just like how you fought to initially save your sister, I'm more than reassured that you'll be fine destroying everything with and without Vilkiss by your weak-looking brutal hands and volcano temper."

"Hey." Ange grinned with annoyance, ignoring Momoka chuckling to herself. "At least I'll use those to knock some pegs off that guy you had fun playing with before he'll kill you as Jill wants you to." Rush scoffed although, to Ange's surprise, his grin dimmed into a serious glower.

"Yeah... Can I tell you a few things that could help you from Em?" Rush exclaimed, with Ange blinking her eyes in puzzlement but nodding her acceptance, glad that Rush is willing to tell her some helpful advice. "Em can both read our minds and memories with his powers other than being the Ripper, so don't be surprised if he knows what you are planning to do but allow you to do so just for his fun. My advice is to try and make up some random thoughts that make you out of character but surprise him enough to get a jump on. You can tell that like me with him, Em played with those girls by offering their desires for their loyalty to pilot the Ragna-mail. But knowing you, you're strong to not be fooled by that crap. So, with that, be the aggressive kid I know you are." Ange and Momoka stared at Rush in bewilderment, the former mentally cursed for another reveal of Embryo's powers and remembering him as the Ripper, although she calmed down and smile at Rush instructing and assuring her to do what she can do instead of giving her some mediocre strategies involves killing her allies.

"Thanks, Rush." Ange nodded before she looked at both Momoka and Rush with a frown, standing off her seat. "Momoka, Rush. We'll look for Embryo."

"Then, let me take you to him." A voice spoke from the door outside the patio and into the interior where the three noticed Chris standing before them, also dressed in the Diamond Rose uniform, but her face shows nothing but anger and contempt. Perhaps what happened to her from Arzenal made her no longer appear afraid and hold grudges against Hilda and Rosalie. Joined her side until he quickly ran to Rush, alarming Momoka to hurriedly reach her arms on Ange who caught her surprise by her maid's fear when he showed up, was an albino boy who appears to be younger than seven years old, dressed in purple and black clothing. From Momoka, Rush, and Salia's stories, Ange can tell that this is Embryo's mute son Aya. Leaving the patio and Keren, Ange, Momoka, and Rush with Aya sitting in his arms when the latter silently asked him to follow Chris leading deeper into the castle.

"Chris?" Ange tried to speak only to stop by Chris snapping in anger. "Save it. Don't act as if you care for me."

"I just wanted to ask if you're willing to kill Hilda and Rosalie?" Ange tried to make small talk

"You think I care for that now?" Chris seethed. "They abandoned and left me for dead just to save themselves like the cowards they are. They never cared for me back at Arzenal before Embryo saved me. He gives me his time to play like a real friend would. A shame his true friend is also friends with you losers." Rush ignored the cold look directed at him from Chris looking over her shoulder before she glared back at their path to see they have arrived at the castle library. The moment they went inside, a loud crack of a whip rang the air a few times.

"You idiot! I told you to bring me volume three, not volume four!? You disgusting reptile bitch!" Ange's eyes widened in surprise at the scene before her. On the floor of the library, Riza lay naked, her wings and tail exposed for all to see. Her body was covered in lacerations and a muzzled mask fastened over her mouth. Above her, Sylvia sat in her hover chair and lashed the whip she held in her hand over Riza's tortured body, each strike made Riza scream her muffled screams and tears from the pain. "Surely it was a mistake to spare you after you seduced my brother and poisoned me! You nearly made me comatose and dead!"

"Sylvia! / Riza!" Ange and Rush ran between the two before Sylvia could whip Riza again, bringing the former to scream her fear while the latter whirled and cry her muffled pleas to Rush only to jolt in horror at the boy in his arms when Rush turn and kneel closer to the DRAGON woman with concern rather than shame of seeing a naked woman.

"What are you doing here? Have you come to murder me? Like you did Father, Mother, and Brother Julio?" Sylvia demands Ange as Momoka kneels beside Rush and inspects Riza who instantly cowered and grabs the maid in a death embrace, staring fearful tears at Aya in Rush's arms which caught the latter looking at the boy also glancing back with a calm scowl.

"Sylvia, calm down…" Ange tried to reason but a step was it took for Sylvia to move her hover chair away from her sister and cried on her hands. "Uncle! Human Killer! Please save me! Don't let this monster kill me!"

'Uncle?' Ange wondered, looking at Rush who glanced back at her with confusion with noticeable annoyance for this uncle, assuming Sylvia could mean Uncle Akihide or Uncle Shinji, although she thought they and their aunt were executed when Ange was exposed as a Norma. However, everyone heard footsteps running inside for Ange to turn and grimace her annoyance at seeing Salia, Tanya, and Irma barging in.

"Stop right there, Ange!" Salia ordered although she froze in shock and anger from noticing Rush and Aya, distracted from Ange aiming her gun at Salia yet a translucent green orb of Mana instantly materialized at the gun's barrel just as Ange gasped from being held roughly in the neck, stomach, and back by a smaller body with his right gloved hand holding a rapier hovering inches against her neck, stopping her from moving and speaking with a hitched gasp out of her teeth from nearly getting sliced.

"Lady Angelise/ Aya!" Momoka and Rush shouted, the former almost tried to pull his gun off his hip after watching Aya unexpectedly jump off his arms and apprehended Ange, just when a voice chimed in from above.

"What a loud argument everyone is having, right when I was about to read with peace. Aya, don't hurt our guest." Everyone looked up on the balcony of the library's second floor where a familiar figure in a green suit stared down at them. Although Ange noticed the stoic anger when she stared back at those glowing red eyes, which perhaps alarmed her a lot, Aya removed his arms and rapier off her neck alongside his legs off her waist before he leapt away from Ange, nearly making her fall forward with a groan of pain when Aya kicked himself off her back with his booted feet before he lands effectively on the floor and glance at his father walking down the stairs. "I do enjoy reading books. Within their simple pages lie infinite worlds, unlike ours and the real world that is so boring." Embryo spoke with a bored glower.

"Embryo." Ange gritted, feeling Momoka cowering behind her with terrified whimpers at the man now standing in front of the group and silently gesturing Aya to stand closer behind his father's legs. It was that when Ange also noticed the little girl with glowing blue hair, dark skin, and glowing creepy-coloured green and black eyes peering curiously at everyone behind Embryo's other leg with his free hand resting gently on her head. That must be his daughter Khalifa… what kind of wife did he torture to make their kid look like that?

"I'm glad to see you all faring well. Even now, I worry about your condition ever since Arzenal, Rush."

"Yeah. Everyone outside the Haven still wants me dead, but still surprised YOU of all people don't want me to." Rush shrugged with a calm scowl with everyone kept shifting their attention in their conversation between Rush and Embryo, the latter softly widening his dimly glowing green eyes in bewilderment before his mouth tugged in a coy smirk.

"You shouldn't be thinking of what THEY want since they never appreciate your help of not being like them. Oh, and thank you for returning my journal to me." Embryo closed his eyes before reopening them and raised his hand holding the pink-coloured book in front of Rush, who immediately blinked his eye in surprise and hurriedly reach his gloved hand inside his suit to check that Aya must've taken it earlier, collecting everyone's curiosity as Embryo continued after flipping the pages with a strangely happy smile bearing surprisingly sadness as if the journal is precious to him. "I never thought I would see this again. Give my thanks to your boy Ammo for finding it in the DRAGONs world."

'Ammo?' Ange and Salia wondered, the former bear anger for Embryo casually mentioning her friend while the latter grimaced with a tint of anger for the boy, she initially had feelings for when Rush admitted in surprise. "I mean I may have peeked and seen some of the pictures, but I didn't expect it to be your book. You're lucky I can't read the language you wrote." Embryo chuckled at the complaint after closing his book and held the cover in front of Rush, Ange, and Momoka, pointing a finger at the faint black writing in the same language as the DRAGONs.

"Even if you can't read the language, it is mine by my real name here, Rush. At least you're the only person I trust to know that information. The same applies to Hebi but I'm glad that she returned to your foster son Moon." Embryo pointed with Rush slightly leaning forward to stare at the confusingly written name in dumbfounded annoyance before he backed away with a displeased smile. "Well, you better pay me back for returning that to you, Em." Ange couldn't help but be both impressed and annoyed that her ally conversed with their archenemy as if they were friends.

"Oh? To me, I think you have paid me enough with this for saving you after purposely falling off your Para-mail and nearly dying from your wounds after Arzenal." Embryo chortled at the rare befuddlement on Rush's half-bandaged face as everyone watched Embryo raise his other hand off his daughter's head and silently give Rush what they guessed is sign language by first holding his fingers together and move his hand away from his body towards Rush before he extends his fingers and stroke them from his mouth to his cheek, showing nothing but his confident smirk when he signed towards Rush.

Curious with her anger flaring inside her, Ange faces Rush confused but somehow understanding after he faintly stroked his bandaged fingers from his lip to his cheek before he glared back at Embryo in horror and anger, bringing Aya to smirk a cold-like grin at Rush while Salia and the girls show nothing but confusion.

"At least you were unconscious, and your people rescued you that day. Knowing you, you would've suggested me something more dangerous for your satisfaction." Embryo cocked his head with that confident smile before he shifts his attention from Rush gritting his teeth and wanting to strangle his twitching bandaged and gloved hands at him in anger and embarrassment, if not for Momoka holding him from behind in worry, before Ange narrowing her eyes at him, stashing his revealed journal inside his suit. "Forgive me for almost ignoring you. Please follow me outside and I'll take us somewhere I can answer any questions you wish to ask me."

Ange's sneer darkened and stares at everyone looking at her in mixed curiosity or anger, including Sylvia while Riza still expresses fear towards Embryo and his children. As much as she would rather demand his answers with Momoka and Rush present, she knew that they'll still die if she does something. Just until she's alone with him for the time to strike, making sure to follow Rush's advice to not think of her actions. Giving Momoka and Rush a glance, Ange followed Embryo out of the library although he stopped when he turned and stop Salia from following them. "I wish to speak with her alone."

"But sir! Ange's dangerous!" Salia argued.

"Salia," Embryo replied, smiling a soft smile but the three sensed something dangerous to back down before Ange followed her enemy out, ignoring his servants glaring dark daggers at both her and their master even when the latter spoke, this time to his children. "Aya, Khalifa, please stay with Rush, until we'll get back."

"Lady Angelise." Momoka worried as her mistress and the enemy left the library, removing her arms from Sir Rush's body before he could strike and nearly got himself killed, with the gunner also expressing concern in his calm sneer especially when Salia, Tanya, Irma, and Chris immediately turn and glared their anger and jealously at Rush who noticed from watching Aya and Khalifa hurriedly run towards him, simply for being the second person besides their father that they'll trust instead of others.

'Ange…you better follow what I told you to save yourself.' Rush hoped.


Riding on the pre-Mana, black car that he picked up and takes them on their way from the Imperial Palace to the Dawn Pillar, the four tires rolled instead of hovering off the road, Ange sneered at the driver in anger and suspicion. Just looking at his face makes her want to punch him if he stops driving but that didn't happen when he stopped and parked the car in front of the Dawn Pillar's base to exit the car for Ange to hurriedly walk out as well, stopping him from opening the door for her. Both walked inside, luckily there were no people which perhaps reignite one of Ange's questions of how the Dawn Pillar operated, back when she was a princess, before the two stood on top of an exact platform as the one in the Tower of Aura, taking them underground like the other tower.

"What is this place?" Ange demanded yet he didn't answer when the darkness around them lightened in a bluish-like colour from the colossal, glass tube of liquid containing the biggest DRAGON anyone would've ever seen yet Ange knew she is. Aura. Looking around the chamber, Ange noticed that other than Aura bearing several large syringe-like cylinders pumping blood-red substances through different parts of her, one of the two ring-like platforms holds six familiar Ragna-Mail in a formation, one of them is Vilkiss.

"The first DRAGONs and the one that her kind desperately look for to rescue her, and those are Dracunium, which helps produced the Light of Mana, even when Aura mutates some of them with Manasthma until they will or have died, nearly including my two daughters before my youngest was slain for bearing the disease I could've cured her." Embryo explained, bearing anger when revealing his late daughter's fate which Ange doesn't care anything of him but his plans.

"You stole the first DRAGON from her people, and feed her their corpses, just so you can use her life as a Mana factory?" Ange growled.

"Aura wasn't initially the first choice, but the source I would've used was outside my reach, so I had to use her. The other alternatives I researched would've created severe casualties through excruciating experiments on humanity, so I had to prevent that from happening. Thanks to the intelligence leaked by Riza and ambushed the DRAGONs, we now have more than a sustainable amount of Dracunium. Now that will make it move forward to…" Once the platform ended its descent on the chamber floor, Embryo only took a few steps out when he was stopped by the clicking noise and the gun pressed against the back of his head.

"You better let Aura go, or I will shoot a bullet through your head," Ange demanded in anger.

"Siding with the DRAGONs and following Rush instead of your ex-Commander? Touching." Embryo chortled.

"I'm not with you, Ripper. First my brother, then you tried to kill Tusk, Rush, and our friends. And who knows how many DRAGONs and your puppets you've already killed. Well, that's more than enough to kill you." Ange snarled.

"I suggest you should do it. I dare you." Embryo urged with such confidence that quickly alarmed Ange to pull the trigger and blow his brains out as the bullet emerged out of his forehead with a vast amount of blood before collapsing on his body, with Ange remaining cautious about what Rush told her earlier. '…he knows what you are planning to do but allows you to do so just for his fun...' "Okay…" Ange turned and look at Aura. "How will I get Vilkiss to release you?"

"Are you satisfied?" The familiarly dangerous voice asked from behind her, shocking Ange to hurriedly twirl and aim her gun at Embryo now standing before her, alive without the gunshot on his head. A quick look at where she last shot him, seeing his body and the blood has been cleaned off in a second, angered Ange to fire again at his heart, watching him descend on his side but keeping her eyes on the corpse.

"This is getting absurd." Ange turned again and aimed at Embryo walking towards her from the side, arms crossed on his chest, without even blood and holes again.

"What are you?" Ange demanded in shock, knowing the enemy in front of her is not human.

"Didn't Alektra tell you of me with that ironic word? Other than being called the Ripper." Embryo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"God? No…the Devil?" Ange guessed yet Embryo's glowing green eyes looked away with a disgusted sneer.

"I despise being called the former. I also prefer to be called The Tuner."

"Tuner?" Ange asked.

"Indeed. I have powers over the world's pitch. See?" Right after Embryo finished, everything around them shimmered in bright colours until Ange found herself standing not inside Aura's prison but on a grass-filled cliff above the sea endlessly receiving the waterfalls from the floating islands above their heads and the clear blue sky, both stood beside a white pagoda holding a round table and seven chairs. "Tell me; What do you hope to achieve by disposing me as everyone wished?" Embryo asked.

"I'm going to destroy this world and free the Norma," Ange answered, keeping her gun on Embryo walking a few steps away from her.

"Same goal, different method, yes? But why?" Embryo wondered, looking over his left shoulder without fear of Ange holding him at gunpoint.

"What do you mean?" Ange ordered.

"How can you be certain that freedom is what the Norma truly desire? I agree that, because they can't use Mana, they were thrown as outcasts. However, in exchange, they have the responsibility to combat the DRAGONs." During the explanation, Ange started to feel lightheaded, and her visions immediately blur and flicker multiple times as if she is going to faint, unaware of suddenly blushing but managed to get her willpower to shakily aim her gun at Embryo. "With a place to belong and a job to perform, they gain peace of mind and live comfortable, contented lives. This serves as an aversion to thinking for oneself because to humans, this causes extreme discomfort and suffering. I won't mention anything regarding Manasthma. But despite being the same kind, the humans outside the Haven never understand that their former people who exiled themselves under Rush's rule are more than the people I see as humans should be. Regardless of whether being born humans or Norma, the Haven risked their lives and secrets for years to protect their kind by creating false chaos and causalities to manipulate their fellow kind is both marvellous and concerning, especially from Rush. Even if I have foreseen how many times Rush receive their former people's contempt like the Norma for years, it does not stand that the non-Haven humans are dependently worthless in strength and knowledge of everything compared to their self-exiled citizens outside their homes."

"What...what is this?" Ange choked, finding herself wobbling and nearly falling when she shakily aims her gun at Embryo, amazing him. "Damn it! What did you do?" Ange fired but Embryo swiftly caught the bullet from shooting his right ear off with his hand.

"Ange. Even if you try to bare your fangs, you're also afraid. You've been betrayed by the people who deceived and took advantage of you for your predicaments. You don't know where to go anymore." Embryo noted.

"S-shut...shut up!" Ange yelled, trying to get her mind back.

"Affection, security, friendship, trust, belonging. Everyone wished to have those things and I can give them those and everything they crave, including you. Please let me release you from your fears. Forsake everything and open your soul to me."

Upon command, after his eyes flashed its glow once, Ange's eyes blanked and immediately dropped her gun beside her feet before she starts undressing by unfastening her corset and silently dropped both the corset and her gown on the ground around her feet before weakly reaching her hands to pull her panties off her legs. 'W…What am I doing? Stop it!' Ange wanted to scream and stop herself but whatever spell he put upon her forced her body to not follow and act like a mindless puppet just as she dropped her underwear and now stood naked in front of the pervert.

"I just need to inspect you. It won't take long," Embryo assured, cupping her right cheek with his hand which descends to her heart between her breasts, staring at her lifeless eyes with his glowing green eyes with a calm smile than a crude grin. "That lovely golden hair and burning red eyes. Not the same hellfire as I would've seen in the eyes of people that I've known but still enticing. I can sense such strength in your body and soul, which fits that you will rise and fight no matter how everyone will beat you down. You're very special Ange…but I wish to know what else THEY see in you."

Cupping the same hand under Ange's chin with a thumb gently pressed beside her lip, Embryo faintly move Ange's face left to right a few times and inspect something he is curious about, using his telekinesis to hear Ange begging herself or him in fear. "Stop it! I don't want to! Tusk!'"

'Calm down, Ange. I'm not going to kiss you or do something worse.' Embryo nearly assured the other when he watched one of Ange's memories that came out of the blue from his powers; she and the brunette boy he almost killed last week giving each other their first kiss in a familiar hotel from the DRAGONs world…which sparked him to remember one of his memories. That was enough for Embryo to blink his eyes with a gasp, accidentally breaking his control on Ange to also regain her control before Embryo hurriedly leapt away after Ange yelped in pain from accidentally biting her tongue.

'W…why did he back away? I didn't even bite him!' Ange wondered after spitting out the blood from her tongue, glaring her fury at Embryo slowly yet shakily removing his hand from his mouth with, surprisingly, disbelief. "Sorry, but you can't buy and fool me with presents like the others. I won't fall for it!" Ange bent down to pick up the gown and gun, covering herself with her dress while aiming at Embryo. "You may be God, Tuner, Ripper, Devil, or whatever the hell you are, but I won't stop until I'll kill you, till you're dead for good."

Expecting him to yell in rage or charging himself to fight her even if she's naked and armed… Ange wasn't expecting Embryo's face to break into a shaky smile that widened into a mad grin before covering his face with his hands when he started to laugh out loud.

"Now I get it!" Ange blinked and gawked as Embryo quickly fell on his knees and lowered his head, his hands still on his face as if he is going to claw his skin off with his fingers even when he suddenly glows his veins with the Light of Mana, continuing to laugh to himself like he is going crazy until Ange's dismay grew when Embryo slowly looked up while lowering his hands but still holding his face with his glowing green eyes peeking through his fingers and his demonic-like teeth nearly hidden by his palms. "No wonder…those BRATS WANT YOU!"


Lady Angelise hasn't been back yet. I'm worried, Sir Rush." Momoka informed Rush when they, with Aya and Khalifa holding the latter's hands, and Salia's group entered one of the Misurugi Palace's exquisite rooms that, unlike the other living and dining rooms, are filled with countless full-body mirrors placed in different rotations and show all their reflections when they arrived, all waiting for Ange and Embryo to return from their meeting. In Rush's case, Embryo promised to meet him once he is done with Ange, concerning him more. Releasing Aya and Khalifa's hands to leave them walking around the mirror room in curiosity and a tint of disappointment, since they were told that this room is one of Julio's rooms for his proud ego before his death, Rush pulled out his Haven phone and check the time to be 6 in the evening, making sure not to reveal his Lock Screen photo to the girls. Momoka's right; those two should be back by now. How are they going to wait longer if they have to be monitored by five…four girls spying on them like hawks, especially Salia sneering her envy at Rush?

"Same. But I'm still curious about what he wants with me." Rush exclaimed.

"I still don't see why would he WANT anything to do with you." Salia jeered, all left Embryo's children standing at the biggest mirror in front of them. "You're just going to kill Master Embryo when he should've realised you betrayed his trust!"

"He knew we're enemies and must kill each other. At least he allows that as OUR fun." Rush admits with a cold scowl that made Salia, Chris, Irma, and Tanya flinch in anger at his response, leaving Momoka to stand beside Rush's side in fear and Keren standing motionlessly. "Plus, I wouldn't hear that from someone who believed she was betrayed by her mistress."

"Alektra doesn't need me, or all of us to begin with!" Salia argued. "I did everything for her, not even asking for anything in return, but she threw me away for a spoiled princess who can pilot Vilkiss! Even leaving us for dead when Arzenal was destroyed!"

"Yeah!" Chris agreed.

"We were also told that she didn't help us when Master Embryo saved us from the humans!" Irma interjected with a hand waving at herself and Tanya who nodded in agreement, all four expressed anger for Alektra's remorseless actions towards Rush who looked away with a faint sneer. Although he would hate to admit it, they do have a point. Alektra was so obsessed with forcing Ange to replace her as Vilkiss's pilot for Libertus that she no longer cares for what her other allies desired, now seeing them as sacrificial tools especially the Haven nation despite the positive relationship between the other and Arzenal.

First watching the boring argument of almost all the girls scorning towards Father Rush like big babies, Aya turned and face the mirror he and Khalifa noticed first when they arrived in Julio's bright room, hiding their amusement at that pampered big brat's ego to have a mirror room for himself. Aya and Khalifa silently glance at their reflection with the girl subtly waving her arms in different directions, like an octopus waving its tentacles, and Aya may have been tempted to make faces to himself if not for the ongoing argument behind them. However, after Khalifa finished playing with her reflection, both children stared harder at themselves in the mirror as for some reason…

… they can hear faint voices of screaming and crunching noises inside their minds through memories flashing in their brains that immediately horrified them as Aya takes a few steps away from the mirror and Khalifa, but both cannot take their eyes off their reflection and are forced to hear more voices in their heads that no one but them cannot hear. At the same time as their possible delusions, they could've sworn their reflections in the other mirrors looked bigger than normal even if Khalifa never moved from her spot in front of the mirror.

"Sir Rush!" Rush heard Momoka raising her voice in dread when he and the Diamond Rose Knights first noticed the maid is staring at where Aya and Khalifa should be before they turned and noticed in their surprise of Aya looking around the other mirrors and away from Khalifa standing close to in front at the giant mirror, both express horror as if they are going to cry from what they might be thinking or seeing their reflections. Puzzled and worried, Rush almost ran towards them when he could've sworn, he saw Khalifa's glowing eyes change colour from Embryo's green into a blood red that illuminates her black sclera and…

"…. Mo…ther….Fa…ther…."


Ange and Embryo stayed silent ever since the incident at the Dawn Pillar with the former dressing herself back before the latter drove them back to the Misurugi Palace, opening the entrance door for the original host to walk inside before both walked through the hallways and heading to where could Momoka, Rush, and Salia's group should be. During the silent walk, Ange glared at Embryo through the corner of her eyes in anger at the calm scowl on his punchable face. First revealing his actions, then trying to grope her, and turning into his Ripper state; those are another few more reasons for Ange to plan on killing him other than for the Norma. But what did he mean by 'brats wanting her'? Could he mean Tusk and their friends? If it is, then Ange won't calm down and allow her friends to be referred to as trash by the enemy.

"Hey." Ange stood in front of Embryo and stopped their walk, collecting his attention. "What are you going to do with Rush? You're not planning on killing him, are you?" Raising his eyebrows in confusion, as if Ange is talking nonsense, Embryo closed his eyes with a chuckle from his faint smile.

"Of course not. I'm not Alektra allowing Rush to die for her heartless plans." Embryo responded. "I simply wish to have a final friendly conversation before we'll kill each other, as that's what Rush wanted."

"So, you knew that Rush wanted to kill you since the beginning? But why would you allow him, when he knew some things about you, he kept from his allies?" Ange demanded.

"Didn't Rush tell you I can read memories and thoughts? I knew Rush was both Rushian Surf and Alektra's underling ever since we first met. But I have my reasons why I open myself with Rush more than the others. Reasons that I prefer not to reveal to everyone, including you." Embryo confessed, not surprised of seeing Ange's anger flaring on her face and her hand twitching to get the gun from her corset, just like Rush whenever he wished to kill his enemies…

SMASH! / CRACK!

Ange and Embryo froze from the sounds of glasses breaking and girls screaming in horror coming from the room closer to their location, recognising them to be Momoka, Salia, and her girls. 'Momoka!' Ange dreaded when she and Embryo ran towards the open door where the source of those noises come from and sees what shocks Ange and Embryo when they arrived, the former pushed herself out of Salia and her comrades to stand close to Momoka, all frozen in fear.

Inside Julio's mirror room, all the mirrors have shattered out of their stands, littered on the floor as tiny, sharp snow, and Rush is found quickly but gently shaking Aya's unconscious body off the floor, his subtly opened eyes stream tears down his eyes. Khalifa, however, stood silent in front of the mirror stand that still has a large shard of the mirror showing her reflection but omitting her scalp and left eye, her right eye somehow flickered into a glowing blood-red colour than green and her mouth puked blood that stains her wobbling body and the floor under her feet and dress.

"Aya! Khalifa!" Embryo hurriedly ran inside in horror, with his Diamond Rose Knights backing away when he joined Rush's side.

"Em!" Rush noticed the children's father arriving which attracts Khalifa to sluggishly turn from the mirror to the horrified people staring at her blood-covered state and tears out of her red and black eyes in horror and sadness, prompting Embryo who he and Rush first checked Aya's pulse as stable to hurriedly kneel and grasp his hands on Khalifa's forearms with a few shakes, ignoring his knees bleeding from receiving the shards.

"Khalifa! What happened to you and Aya?" Embryo demanded, caring for their welfare more than demanding why Khalifa and possibly Aya used their Mana to break all the mirrors when he heard Khalifa choking in fear, continuously coughing more blood she puked out. "Pa…Padre…. we …remember…. everything …." Embryo's eyes bulged wide in horror with a gasp from hearing Khalifa whispering before he managed to catch her when she falls unconscious and almost landed on the shard-littered floor.

"Khalifa! Khalifa!" Ange and Momoka silently watch in dismay and concern towards the two children, but the former was shocked that their father sincerely cares for them when he tries to shake Khalifa awake without hurting her, acting like a different person instead of earlier, although Salia hurriedly runs inside and stood behind Embryo's back, reaching her hand towards him. "Master Embryo!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Salia backed away in fright shared by almost everyone while Rush blinked his eye from Embryo's immediate demand broken with rage and angst in his Ripper state as he slowly stood on his feet, his arms holding Khalifa's body sleeping on his clothed torso now stained by her blood…before everyone couldn't react in time from Embryo swiftly whirl in Rush's direction and violently grab him by the shoulder until everyone witness both Rush and Embryo disappear in a flash of lightning with Aya and Khalifa on their arms, to their aghast of what just happened.

"Rush/ Sir Rush!" Ange and Momoka cried.


'I'll never get used to that.' Rush's body shuddered in bewilderment from Em teleporting them out of Julio's now-destroyed mirror room with the Human Killer sitting on one of the two couches inside Jurai's old study room with the bedroom connecting to the room taken by Em checking on Aya and Khalifa, collecting Rush's worry when he stared at the door leading to the said bedroom. Even if he is used to it by now, Rush is still shocked by two things: Em's Ripper state and his kids. He once thought of asking Em about his Ripper state, back at Rush's old manor he knew Em destroyed it from Tusk's information, but he finds it too personal to rather avoid asking no matter how tempting it is. "I guess I should check on him." Rush groaned to himself when he slowly rises from the couch and head towards the bedroom door.

"Behind you, Rush." A quiet voice sadly spoke behind Rush before he could open the door, nearly having a heart attack to turn and look down, to his shock, of Embryo resting his back on the other couch's armchair on the floor, hugging his legs together with his arms to rest his head on his knees, and his suit and vest were removed to wear his white buttoned shirt, sleeves rolled over his elbows. Surprisingly, Rush was taken back of Embryo sitting like a scared boy afraid of the world than a proud leader.

"Em, you okay?" Rush slowly strode and kneel in front of Embryo, gently sitting on the floor as well to rest his back on Jurai's old desk.

"…I can't believe Aya, and Khalifa reacted like that, after remembering everything," Embryo admits, not lifting his head off his knees to show his sorrow to his archenemy. "I was hoping for them to remember, but not make them nearly kill each other with Mana."

"Remember what?" Rush wondered, recalling something earlier to catch his attention. "Wait, sorry if I should tell you this…but I could've sworn I heard Aya speak for the first time before he and Khalifa broke the room." Em flinched and hastily lift his head off his knees, showing the shocked Rush of the tears in his eyes and further revealing his vulnerability to HIM. "I…it was quiet, but I think Aya said…Mother and Father. Did they remember something about you and their mother?" First glancing at Rush in horror and sadness, Em calmed down and wiped his tears with the heel of his left palm before moving the arm back to hug around his legs.

"…Yes…. Rush? May I tell you a story?" Rush raised his eyebrow. "You're the only one I wish to tell you this. This can answer the questions you AND everyone would wonder of this disgusting world…and myself." Rush slowly reduces the numbness in his body, not expecting Em to tell him what he wants the other to know. And since he is angry at Alektra for what she did to both her and Rush's sides, including Ange and his team, he can omit Em's story from her as information.

"Sure, Em. I'm your man."