Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. Keep in mind that my story is an alternate version of the Shibuya/Shinjuku arc with differences from the original; please refer to the footnotes at the end. Once again, I would like to thank my beta reader, ResidentialPsycho, for her help in making this fic possible. Enjoy and please review!
Chapter 11: Old Scars and New Allies, Part I
"Seriously, who does that girl think she is, ignoring orders and acting solo? I bet the only reason Yuichiro Hyakuya is in the Moon Demon Company is because she's the lieutenant colonel's ward!" Mitsuba muttered in frustration as she scrubbed her arms with soap and water using a loofah sponge.
As if in answer, the blonde girl heard a merry laugh coming from the shower stall next to hers even though she had not intended for her rant to be heard. Parting the curtain separating their stalls, Shinoa poked her head through the opening and gave Mitsuba a playful grin.
"Oh come now, Mi-chan, *1* everything worked out, didn't it? You need to have a little more faith in your comrades! Even if she is his ward, I'm sure the lieutenant colonel wouldn't have put Yuu in the MDC if she wasn't a competent soldier."
The blonde girl glared at her squad leader. "As I recall, part of being a 'competent' soldier is being able to follow orders!" she shot back.
"True," Shinoa agreed. "But there's also more to being a good soldier than mindlessly obeying orders. Besides, it's not like you don't understand where Yuichiro is coming from, right?"
Mitsuba frowned. She knew Shinoa was absolutely right. Yuichiro's actions reminded her of the time she herself disobeyed orders and broke formation to rescue a squad mate from being devoured by a Horseman of John. As a result, her previous squad leader sacrificed himself to save her when she left herself wide-open since she had not been as lucky as Yuichiro was when she managed to rescue that little girl and fend off the advancing vampires long enough for the rest of the squad to come to her aid.
No, that wasn't right. Yuichiro didn't fare better because she was lucky but because she was a quick thinker and a stronger, more competent fighter than Mitsuba herself. If the ravenette had better control over her emotions and impulses, she would have also made a better squad leader as well.
"That was a long time ago, Shinoa…" Mitsuba said without emotion. "I was lucky I lived to learn from my mistake. Yuichiro may be lucky this time but don't let her keep pushing her infamous luck if you don't want to get us all killed."
"Oh, is that what you're really upset about?" Shinoa teased. "Or are you still bitter that you crushed on Yuu for almost a year before you found out she was a girl? I understand how disappointed you were, I was too, but she did tell us her reasons. After all this time, I thought you would have gotten over it by now, Mi-chan…"
Before the purple-haired girl could say another word, she heard the sound of a fist hitting the wall of the shower stall lightly.
"Shinoa…"
Lifting her gaze from the shower floor to the other girl's face which was red with embarrassment and a bit of anger, Shinoa asked:
"Yes?"
"Don't ever come in when I'm showering again."
The purple-haired girl blinked and stared at her squad mate for a moment before her face broke out into a mischievous grin.
"Aww, come on, don't be so shy!" She squealed with delight as she shoved the curtains open and ran butt-naked into Mitsuba's shower stall before gleefully glomping the terrorized blonde girl and knocking them both to the wet floor.
"AHHHH! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
"Tickle, tickle, hee hee!"
As the two girls wrestled and rolled around naked on the shower floor with Mitsuba desperately trying to pry the laughing Shinoa off of her, they both heard a voice calling out.
"Jesus, what the hell is going on here?"
Blushing furiously, Shinoa and Mitsuba found themselves in a somewhat compromising position when they looked up and saw Yuichiro staring down at them from the entrance of the shower room with a look of complete bewilderment on her face. The other girl was clad in a fluffy white towel and her long raven hair was loose from its ponytail.
From the look of things, Yuichiro had been waiting outside for her two squad mates to finish showering before coming in herself since she preferred to shower alone. But the racket had roused her attention so she went to see what was going on out of concern that Shinoa and Mitsuba were fighting again even after Guren had told them not to.
Shit, just kill me now… Mitsuba thought as her face burned with humiliation.
Shinoa, who had managed to find her voice first, laughed nervously and said:
"Yuu, I swear, it's not what it looks like!"
Yuichiro stared at her squad leader as if unsure whether or not to believe her.
"Is it? I believe Guren told both of you to stop fighting and the rules apply everywhere, including the shower" Yuu said matter-of-factually as if she were the squad leader instead of Shinoa.
"We weren't fighting!" Mitsuba insisted as she managed to shove Shinoa off of her before both of them stood up and faced Yuichiro.
Not knowing what else to say, Yuichiro sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Nevermind. Are you two done yet? I want to finish my shower and get to bed as soon as possible. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"What's the hurry, Yuu? Showers are supposed to be enjoyable!" Shinoa said playfully. "Since we're here, why don't you let us scrub your back for a change?"
Yuichiro was about to refuse before she saw the expression on Shinoa's face that reminded her of Akane, who also offered to help her bathe after finding out she was a girl. Although she was perfectly capable of cleaning herself, Yuichiro had to admit that she did enjoy her orphanage sister's attention before Akane's life was cruelly cut short by the sadistic Ferid Bathory.
And if there was anything the loss of her previous family had taught Yuichiro, it was to appreciate and treasure the kindness of those dear to her heart since she never knew when or if she could lose them.
"Ok, Shinoa. If you insist…"
Glad to have a distraction from the compromising situation Yuu had caught them in, Mitsuba offered to help as well.
"Here, let me help with your hair, Yuu."
"Are you sure, Mitsu?" the other girl asked. "You don't have to, really."
"It's ok," Mitsuba insisted. "It's not like I have anything else to do right now anyway."
"All right. Thanks, Mitsu, I appreciate it," Yuichiro said as she removed her towel and handed it to Shinoa.
Once she stepped under the running water, Yuichiro allowed Shinoa to lather her skin with soap from a loofah sponge starting from her shoulders and going down her arms while Mitsuba started shampooing her hair. As silly as she felt allowing her friends to bathe her like she was a child, Yuichiro had to admit that she did enjoy their attention just as much as she used to enjoy Akane's. It also reminded her of the time Sayuri and Shigure gave her a sponge bath after she had escaped Sanguinem with nothing but Mika's locket and the clothes on her back.
Yuichiro closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax for a moment before she heard Mitsuba speak up again.
"Hey, Yuu, what's this?"
Confused, she asked: "What's what?"
"This…" Mitsuba answered as she lifted Yuichiro's hair slightly off her shoulders and placed a finger on her back before running it down the other girl's skin in a diagonal pattern.
While rubbing the shampoo into the Yuu's hair, Mitsuba noticed five deep sunken scars stretching from her upper right shoulder to her left lower back.
Yuichiro released a soft gasp. She had almost completely forgotten about them until the blonde girl reminded her.
Shinoa, who was also seeing the scars for the first time, found herself just as surprised as Mitsuba.
"What happened? You never told me you had scars like these, Yuu. They don't look like they came from a Horseman of John."
Yuichiro shook her head. "No… they didn't. They were made by a vampire."
Shinoa frowned. "From the looks of it, you couldn't have gotten them recently since your demon can only heal wounds or prevent scarring from injuries while you are in contract and not before. Or after. You've had these for a while, haven't you?"
"Yes…"
Mitsuba's brows furrowed in concern as her annoyance and anger at the other girl's earlier act of insubordination was replaced with pity and sympathy.
"How did it happen?"
Yuichiro closed her eyes and was silent for a moment as her thoughts went back to the night where her life would be changed for the second time.
The night she lost Mikaela, Akane, and the rest of her dear family.
Sensing the other girl's discomfort, Shinoa gently scrubbed her back and said: "its ok, Yuu. You don't have to tell us if you don't want-"
"I was injured by Ferid Bathory, the vampire noble who killed my brothers and sisters, just before I used Mika's gun to blow his brains out and escape Sanguinem," Yuichiro answered before Shinoa could even finish her sentence.
Shinoa and Mitsuba blinked. They hadn't expected Yuichiro to tell them something like that right out of the blue. But since she did, both of them almost regretted asking since it seemed to bring up painful memories for the other girl.
"I see…and this was right before Guren found you, is that right?" Shinoa asked quietly.
"Yes… I remember my back felt like it was on fire but that was nothing compared to what Mika had suffered. I didn't want to leave him but I had no choice. We both knew he wasn't going to make it and if I stayed behind, I would have been captured and brought back to Sanguinem. That was, if I didn't bleed to death from my injuries first. After that day, I swore I never wanted to survive at the expense of another person's life again. Because Mika gave his life for me."
Mitsuba frowned. Drat, I've misjudged her. For a moment there, I thought she was just trying to show off and play hero… the blonde girl thought sadly.
"I'm sorry…" Mitsuba said quietly, swallowing her pride as she gently rinsed the shampoo out of Yuichiro's hair before putting on the conditioner.
Yuichiro smiled sadly and shook her head.
"Don't be, Mitsu. You did not know him," she said, echoing Guren's words when he told her of his own childhood friend, who also died young like Mikaela.
"True, but it doesn't mean we can't sympathize, Yuu," Shinoa said gently as she made a gesture for Yuichiro to lift her arms slightly so she could scrub her sides. "Like I've said before, there isn't a person in this messed-up world who hasn't lost someone dear to them."
"I know… even though I knew Mika wanted me to survive, there are times I wished I died with him. That's why I want to wipe every vampire off the face of the earth, even if it takes me a lifetime, or if it's the last thing I ever do. Because as far as I'm concerned, the only good vampire is a dead one."
Not knowing what else to say, Shinoa and Mitsuba exchanged a silent look before turning their attention back to the raven-haired girl.
It looks like some scars never heal… Shinoa thought sadly.
And from the look on Mitsuba's face, she was probably thinking the exact same thing.
SSSSSS
"Shit, girls take so long to shower. What the hell could they possibly be doing in there?" Kimizuki muttered as he took a sip of his hot chocolate.
"I'm not sure…" Yoichi said as he offered the older boy a biscuit he had picked up from one of the vending machines outside. "I thought I heard screaming in there but Yuu told me she'd check it out, so I'm sure everything's fine now."
"Hmm… well, I hope our squad leader and assistant squad leader didn't get into another fight. That's the last thing we need right now. Especially since we need to plan our next move," the pink-haired boy said dryly.
Unlike the girls, both Kimizuki and Yoichi finished their shower in less than ten minutes and had been outside in the locker room of the shower facility waiting for them. Kimizuki swore that Shinoa, Mitsuba, and Yuichiro must have been in the shower for at least twenty minutes or more.
Knowing that there wasn't much they could do until the girls got out, Kimizuki turned to the little girl Yuichiro had rescued from the Horseman of John outside the Harajuku train station earlier that day. As soon as she was treated for her injuries, the child immediately asked for Yuichiro and was referred to the shower facility by one of the other guards.
"I forgot to ask you earlier, what's your name, girl?" Kimizuki asked kindly as he offered her the biscuit he had received from Yoichi but chosen not to eat.
The girl hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Aya…" *2* she said when she finally found her voice and took the biscuit before stuffing it into her mouth. From the way she scarfed it down, Kimizuki could tell that she probably hadn't eaten all day.
Seeing how nervous the girl seemed, Kimizuki's expression became one of brotherly concern.
"Are you ok, Aya? That Horseman of John didn't hurt you too bad, did it?"
The younger girl shook her head fiercely.
"No, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to Miss Hyakuya if that's ok. Where is she?"
"Well, from the look of things, she's probably still in the shower, but I'm sure she's almost finished," Yoichi assured.
No sooner did the words leave his mouth, the three of them heard the girl in question calling out.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
Turning, Kimizuki, Yoichi, and Aya saw Yuichiro enter the locker room while squeezing the excess water from her hair. As expected, she was also accompanied by Shinoa and Mitsuba, and all three girls were dressed in shorts and t-shirts. From the look of things, it seemed like Yuu had heard at least a part of their conversation.
As soon as she saw her savior, Aya smiled shyly and approached Yuichiro.
"There is something I wanted to give you… for saving me."
Yuichiro blinked. "Hmm? You don't have to give me anything, Aya. I told you that exterminating vampires is what I do."
"But I want to, really!" the child insisted. "Please…"
Although she wasn't the kind to accept rewards simply for doing her job, Yuichiro found it hard to refuse the younger girl when she looked at her like that.
"Well, if it'll make you feel better, ok. So what was it you wanted to give me?"
Before answering, Aya lowered her face to avoid looking Yuichiro in the eyes, as if she suddenly found the floor very interesting.
"It's about the hideout…the place where I was being held captive, Omotesando Station. *3* There are more people there…"
"I know… that's why we're heading out again tomorrow. To free the rest of them," Yuu assured her.
"Yes, but what you don't know is how many vampires are hiding there too."
Before Yuichiro could say anything, Shinoa spoke up. As squad leader, it was imperative that she had this information if it was available.
"You know how many vampires there are down there? Please tell us, any information you can provide will be helpful." the purple-haired girl asked in a gentle yet persuasive tone.
After hesitating for a moment, Aya finally said: "There are seven… seven vampires. Including the ones you fought today. Please be careful, Miss Hyakuya. That vampire lady, Anya, will be there too. She really has a grudge against you."
Yuichiro laughed as she remembered the red-haired female vampire who threatened to rip her tongue from her mouth.
"Don't worry about me, Aya. I'm not afraid to take on that bitch again."
Mitsuba, who had been listening the entire time in silence, suddenly cleared her throat to remind the other girl that she was talking to a child.
"Language, Yuu…"
"Yes, mom!" the ravenette shot back in a mocking tone as she gave Mitsuba a look of annoyance that made everyone in the room laugh, including Aya.
Turning back to the younger girl, Yuichiro smiled at her before ruffling her bobbed brown hair.
"Don't you worry about a thing, Aya! We'll rescue your family and friends so just be a good girl and wait here for us, ok?"
Aya giggled. "Ok."
"Good girl… you've been through a lot so try getting some sleep. I'll take you to the civilian quarters if you want."
Aya smiled as she accepted the hand Yuichiro offered.
"I would like that…" she said.
Relieved to finally have an excuse to get away from Mitsuba's hen pecking, Yuichiro finally left with Aya while Shinoa and the others watched.
After the pair was gone, Mitsuba turned to her squad leader.
"Honestly, Shinoa, would it be too much to ask that Yuichiro watch her language around kids?"
Shinoa simply smiled and waved off the blonde girl's comment.
"You worry too much, Mi-chan. Just be glad that we were able to save someone and get a bit of information for the next part of our mission as well. It looks like Miss Hyakuya actually did us a favor."
Mitsuba crossed her arms as if she was unwilling to admit that her squad leader was right.
"Tsk, fine! I swear you and the lieutenant colonel indulge her a little too much."
"Well, to be honest, I don't see a problem with it as long as she can do her job," Yoichi said timidly. "Since I've met her, I've never seen Yuu fail to take down an opponent even once- she's that good."
"Or maybe she's just really, really lucky," Mitsuba suggested. "Anyway, I'm going to go grab a bite to eat and turn in. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I suggest you tell Miss Hyakuya not to keep pushing that infamous luck of hers if she doesn't want to get us all killed."
And without another word, the blonde girl left, probably to get some dinner from the mess hall.
Once Mitsuba was gone and out of earshot, Kimizuki turned to his squad leader and asked.
"Seriously, what's up with her? She seems to criticize Yuu a lot, even more than you, Shinoa."
Shinoa simply smiled and shook her head.
"Don't worry about Mi-chan, Kimizuki. It's not that she doesn't have faith in Yuu's ability to fight. For as long as I've known her, Mi-chan's always been a worry-wart, especially when it concerns her friends. Anyway, she's right about one thing, we'd best turn in soon since we'll be going to Omotesando Station for the rest of the hostages tomorrow."
"You're right," Kimizuki said as he finally finished the last of his hot chocolate. I'm not really hungry so I'll just turn in."
"Me too…" Yoichi added.
"Good… just make sure you're up bright and early. I expect everyone to be armed and ready no later than nine o' clock tomorrow morning."
"Sure thing…" Kimizuki said. "Night, Shinoa."
"Good night…"
SSSSSS
Later that night, after everyone had turned in, Yuichiro found herself unable to fall asleep in her guest quarters just yet. While grateful for Aya's willingness to give her and the rest of the squad information about the vampires they were going to confront tomorrow, something about the child's demeanor didn't seem right to her. Before Yuichiro left Aya at the civilian's quarters, she noticed that the younger girl avoided looking directly at her as if she was hiding something.
Unable to shake off the nagging suspicion that Aya's information could be inaccurate, Yuichiro finally got up and picked up the phone on the small night table next to her bed, hoping the intended recipient of her call was still awake. *4*
And to her relief, he was.
"Hello?" a masculine voice answered on the other side.
"Hi, is that you, Shinya? It's me, Yuichiro. I'm sorry to call you at such a late hour but there's a favor I need to ask."
"Yes, Yuu? What is it?
After a moment's hesitance, the ravenette took a deep breath before she finally spoke the request that was on her mind.
Footnotes:
1. In the English version of the manga/anime, Mitsuba's nickname is "Mitsu". In my AU, only Shinoa calls Mitsuba "Mi-chan", similar to how only Mikaela calls Yuichiro "Yuu-chan" since they are best friends.
2. In the canon story, the little girl Yuichiro rescues at Harajuku Station is not named. In my AU, I've decided to call her "Aya".
3. Omotesando is an avenue, subway station, and neighborhood in the Minato and Shibuya wards in Tokyo stretching from the Harajuku Station to Aoyama-Dori where Omotesando Station can be found.
4. In canon, one of the first things the vampires did after the apocalypse was to cut off Japan's means of contacting the outside world by destroying all the phone lines and cell phone towers. In my AU, the humans managed to restore at least some of the phone lines so local communication via phone is still possible but restricted to smaller radiuses.
