Chapter 19: Enemy at the Gates

{Roadways: July 18th, 2020, 7:40am}

Another sneeze caused the group to pause as they looked to the black-haired, emerald eyed teenager in their group who was sniffling a bit, looking irritated as he held the back of his hand to his nose. Mika couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the reaction, as it had been about the tenth time that his brother had sneezed, and while neither of them had allergies, it was clear that something was irritating his nose somehow. Kimizuki on the other hand, had an expression of evident mirth, finding the situation rather comical as the other boy continued muttering under his breath while the others watched him.

"Damn you Guren…" Mika rose an eyebrow at his brother's statement.

"What does he have to do with you getting a cold?" the other shook his head.

"Its not a cold… he's talking about me or something. I don't know why, but I have this feeling that he's worried about something," he explained.

"You woke up with a headache though, and we're heading into Shinjuku where we'll be fighting Vampires. Its probably all stress related." Shinoa received a glare from her boyfriend.

"Believe me, this has nothing to do with stress. There's something going on, and it has to do with the entire thing going down in Shinjuku… like the Moon Demon Company and the Army itself is trying to prepare for something more dangerous than vampires or Four Horsemen," Yuu mentioned as Kimizuki rose an eyebrow.

"Please, what could be worse than them? Besides, we know how to handle them." The emerald eyed boy looked to the side.

"Fallen Angels would be worse," he muttered, startling the others while the boy seemed to have an expression that read as worry and slight confusion.

"Fallen Angels? I've read about them, but those things are more like legends. I mean, no one has ever seen one or anything." Yuuichiro sighed as Mika looked to Mitsuba.

"This is coming from someone who's in a militaristic organization that wields weapons with demons inside them." The girl frowned.

"You've got a point there. but still, Fallen Angels have never been seen, and I highly doubt that the Imperial Demon Army has fail safes for things that supposedly are just stories," Mitsuba told him as Mika shrugged.

"Where did you come up with that one Hyakuya? I mean, the information on them are just a bunch of fables." Emerald eyes glared at Kimizuki.

"I don't know, just came up in my head when I started thinking how Guren was acting last I saw him… and what I'm feeling. I don't know why, but I just know something's wrong," he insisted.

"You do realize we're about to engage in a full-on brawl with the vampires, right?" the boy nodded before looking down.

"Call me crazy if you want, but I have a bad feeling about this, and I get the feeling it has very little to do with vampires." Shinoa glanced his way.

"Maybe it's just because of the strain you've put on yourself recently? I know it may seem like an odd reason, but when people become physically stressed, they end up jumbling their emotions, and often mistake something like anxiety, for a bad premonition-like feeling. It's probably just stress, so when this is over, we really need to rest," she told him.

"I agree with Shinoa on this one, Hyakuya. You're looking a little pale and shaky, like the wind could blow you over." The periwinkle-haired girl looked to the pink-haired boy with a knowing smirk.

"Kimizuki, you have a lot to learn about when to apply that foot of yours to your mouth or not," she told him pointed.

"Excuse me? What do you –"

It took a matter of seconds for Kimizuki to feel a painful slam of weight across his shoulders which caused him to crumple in pain while he heard the others make different noises of recognition as Mika sighed while staring at the sight of one Kimizuki Shiho lying upon the ground, and the irritated glare on his brother's features, that for some reason several of them found slightly comical. The kick that had come from Yuuichiro was enough to hurt anyone, and that was evident in the prone form of the pink haired teen; however, Mika had learned during the last three years of training, that his brother had remarkably strong kicks, and in having that knowledge, the blonde honestly wasn't certain of whether he should find it humorous, or be mildly concerned.

"How's that for being blown over?" Shinoa laughed while Yoichi crouched down to look at Kimizuki.

"W-What hit me?" the pink-haired bespectacled teen sat up in slight pain before glancing to Mika, who smiled a little to innocently, and then at Yuuichiro, who was looking around the area.

"Two guesses," said Yoichi.

"One, that wasn't just an accident, and two… did my attacker have black-hair, green eyes, and was around midget sized?" the two glanced at one another.

"Who are you calling a midget?" the pink haired teen looked to Yuu.

"You pipsqueak," stated Kimizuki. A dark aura seemed form around the black-haired teen in a fashion that made Mika inch away from him.

"This is the part that I go and hide from my soon to be rampaging brother."

"You should stop calling me a pipsqueak – it puts me in a really bad mood." Kimizuki frowned.

"To bad because I'm not about to stop telling you what I think of you chibi!" Kimizuki said. Mika gave him a slightly anxious smile as he glanced at the others and then to Kimizuki who was smirking while Yuu had his eyes downcast for his bangs to shadow his eyes.

"Is Yuu okay?" Mika shook his head.

"Just back away… slowly…" he muttered as the other three followed his advice, and Kimizuki remained put as Yuuichiro settled a menacing glare upon Kimizuki, causing his expression to slowly turn from smug to fearful.

"What are you doing Hyakuya?" the boy put a hand on his sword as the others stepped back before heading behind an overturned car.

"Um… are we safe?" asked Yoichi.

"Well… I can say we're pretty much safe… I cannot vouch for Kimizuki's safety though…" Mika's answer did not make them feel better as they turned their attention back to the other two.

Kimizuki turned to face the black-haired boy as he drew his sword, causing the pink-haired teen to realize then, and there that he may have crossed the line, and a very vindictive plan had started to form within his teammate's mind. Yuuichiro took a single step forward, and Kimizuki backed up as Asuramaru's blade gleamed menacingly as he glanced to the others, and they realized that the others weren't going to help him – seeing as they were hiding behind a car – and he would have to try and defuse the situation with his frenemy teammate alone.

"N-Now… Hyakuya, I… let's work this out, okay?" he backed away more and the boy glanced at him from under his bangs.

"Work it out? I'm about to work something out alright…" Kimizuki swallowed nervously.

"I was just… you know, kidding! Its kinda funny, right?!" the boy relaxed a fraction.

"You're right, it is kind of funny… but, you know what I find funny?" Kimizuki felt sweat slip down the side of his face.

"No, what?" he questioned.

"This… get him, Asuramaru!"

Black and green flames rose from the boy's shadows as he swung his sword while the others stared in disbelief. If someone had desired to see something wicked, then they had surely missed it, as currently, Yuuichiro Hyakuya appeared as if he was leading an army of the flames of hell, which Kimizuki tried to run from, but failed, and screamed in shock as the fires caught him. it was some time later, that the group was walking down the streets, the pink-haired teen shuffling about while Mika and the others remained a bit behind him with Yuu quite some ways ahead of them, still very irate over the entire ordeal.

The pink-haired, slightly singed teenager glanced to the black-haired boy, walking ahead of them before sighing as he looked at the others who seemed to not want to discuss it. Without much questioning, Kimizuki could agree that this was one of his most unnerving experiences yet. Mentally, he was trying to wrap around the notion, that the black-haired boy would even draw Asuramaru on him, not to mention that he had just learned that the sword commanded wind and fire. Knowing this, and more about the boy's temperament, he wisely decided to be more tolerable with the emerald-eyed teenager. Kimizuki glanced to Mika, who gave him a sympathetic smile, and glanced to his brother before sighing himself.

"That's twice now," Shinoa said as she walked beside Kimizuki.

"Yea, but last time it was you! Did anyone else know that Asuramaru commanded wind and fire?" Mika laughed a little.

"Fenrir said that he commands ice and ash. Apparently, my own Cursed Gear, and Yuu's know each other and work well together. Seeing as we're family, I think it's kind of interesting we ended up with two weapons who play off of one another," he stated.

"So, is that why the ashes are blue?" Mika glanced to Yoichi.

"I think it plays off of our auras, but yea its possible," he said.

"How far are we from Shinjuku?" the group looked to one another.

"If we're lucky, we'll be there by mid-afternoon," Shinoa stated.

"Great… hey… wait, what's that ahead of us?" the group looked up to see Yuu waving them over. He was standing next to an old militaristic hummer that had been abandoned on the streets.

"Looks like Yuu found a car," Mika clarified.

"Does anyone know how to wire a car?" Kimizuki frowned, trudging forward.

"I am going to hot wire the damn thing," he said to them.

"Thank – "he turned to them with a withered look.

"Just keep that short-tempered demon away from me," he said as he got closer to them.

"I HEARD THAT YOU PINK-HAIRED JACKASS!" said pink-haired jackass flinched a bit despite himself.

"And you probably didn't know this, but even without his gift, Yuu has pretty good hearing," Mika pointed out.

Kimizuki grumbled as he walked forward, and the blonde-haired teenager grabbed his brother before dragging the rest over to an area where they could eat something and rest for the time being. Once they made it to the place the others had found not far from Kimizuki, they settled down while Yuu sat against the wall of the building, and leaned his head back. He was tired, but past that, he knew that there was nothing to be done. Once Shinjuku was taking care of, he was crashing until the next appointed mission. Mika sat not far his brother, having grabbed a granola bar, which he held out to the black-haired boy who took it, but didn't open it as Mika started on his, and took a few sips of water he had while the girls and Yoichi ate something from some of the cans they had brought with them.

"What you did back there was pretty intense," Mitsuba said as Yuu glanced her way as he had recently closed his eyes.

"He deserved it…." Shinoa gave him a sly look.

"Did he also deserve to be thrown fifty feet?" she asked.

"It was only twenty." She hummed.

"Oh, I see only twenty… well, I must say I didn't think it would as entertaining as it was to watch you lay into Kimizuki like that – but it was fun to watch. However, I was wondering about what you were feeling earlier," she told them.

"What about it?" she frowned.

"Do you still have the same sensations?" Shinoa questioned. The others looked at the two of them.

"They've gotten stronger since we've been getting closer…." Yuu looked down as he confirmed this.

"Why are you asking?" Shinoa looked to Yoichi.

"Because, I was starting to think about it, and even I've been getting a strange feeling as well as we get closer to Shinjuku. I can imagine that people with gifts are more intune with emotional pulses that travel through the area around them. Mika? Are you feeling the same?" the blonde nodded.

"I'm feeling that something is… off, but not as severe as Yuu's," he admitted.

"My abilities are more matured than his are…" the black-haired boy put a hand to his forehead, tangling his fingers in his bangs.

"Are you okay?" Yoichi questioned.

"Just a headache… nothing to serious, promise." He kept from looking at them, and Shinoa knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Are you really okay?" she asked him.

"I just feel a little sick. Whatever all this negative energy is has got me wound up… and I feel like there's something dangerous on the rise, not evil, just dangerous." His voice sounded conflicted about something, which Shinoa noticed, but decided to not bring it up.

"You need to just take a deep breath and stop stressing over this. We're all anxious about this fight, but what we really need to focus on is helping our allies win this fight in Shinjuku, then we can relax," Shinoa told him.

"Yea, okay…" a sound of a car going off caught their attention as the group looked towards where Kimizuki was.

"Does anyone know how to drive?" Mika glanced to the side and Shinoa smiled, stepping forward.

"I guess my expertise driving skills are needed!" she said as the others watched her walk ahead of them.

"She knows we can't drive, huh?" Yuu glanced to Mika.

"Well, she thinks you can't drive… you know I can't…" the blonde gave him a pointed look.

"Oh boy do I ever…" the black-haired teenager shot him a glower.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Shall we recall the time that you decided to drive into a wall with me and Guren in the car?!" the emerald-eyed teenager grumbled under his breath, but said no more on the matter.

The group had come over to the car only to stare when Shinoa sat in the driver's seat and smiled before realizing that she couldn't see over the seat. Mika looked at his brother knowing that he was doing his best not to laugh at his girlfriend. Yoichi made a polite cough-like noise to cover his laugh while Mitsuba frowned and was fighting to keep a straight face much like himself. Kimizuki couldn't help it – he started laughing and soon enough they all were joining in. Shinoa gave them a look and Yuu found he couldn't contain his laughter either.

"Shinoa….your….too…short to…to…see over the steering wheel!" Kimizuki and Yuu both had said it at the same time in almost the same tone – Mika continued his laughter and began backing up – but apparently none of them were going to escape the wrath of the girl.

"Short am I?" they stopped with confused looks as she held up the pen shaped object that her scythe came from.

"Ah….um….Shinoa? Shinoa! Wait we!" she grinned wickedly.

"Let me show you what a short girl can do." There was no escaping.

Twenty minutes later the group was going down the road in the hummer sitting in silence. Shinoa had exacted her revenge upon all of them swiftly – none had the chance of getting away – Mika rubbed his cheek in slight pain as he thought about the fact that the girl was just as fiery as his brother and how terrible that could be if they weren't careful. His eyes traced the scratches on Mitsuba and Yoichi's faces and felt some sympathy for them – they had tried like he had not to laugh – and then he glanced at Kimizuki who was driving and at Yuu who was sitting silent in the seat next to the other. Shinoa sat next to him and had a sweet smile on her face. This decidedly was going to be the state of the car's occupants until they arrived in Shinjuku.

"I think we shouldn't make fun of Shinoa's height anymore," Yuu said calmly.

"You know, for once I agree with you completely."

{Alleyways of Shinjuku: 11:40am}

A huff left Akane as she pulled the hood of her white cloak up to hide her face as she remained crouched in the alleyways. Though she wouldn't ever say it aloud, Ferid knew how to formulate a plan; however, it made her wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. Ferid had told her where she could hide until the battle began, and she had done so, if only to keep her own agenda as quiet as she could. None of them Vampires with them knew the truth about what she would be doing, and had been preparing to do for so long, so with her going along with the strategy of Ferid Bathory, Akane hoped she could continue her own plan without being caught, not that it would be easy.

"Just be safe wherever you guys are, I'm going to find you," Akane muttered as she closed her eyes momentarily.

"When I find them, I'll hand over this information to the leader of the Moon Demon Company, and then… the three of us can run far away from this messy, horrible war, and be a family again…"

Naturally, Akane knew what was at risk if she were caught, and taken back to Sanguneim. The chances of her being killed or imprisoned were bad enough, but she also didn't know where Yuuichiro and Mikaela were, and Queen Krul could potentially be either an aid or an enemy for her goals, Akane couldn't be sure. However, she would be twice as damned as she already was if she'd let Ferid Bathory or anyone stand in her way of protecting her brothers. Taking in a deep breath, Akane calmed her nerves, her mind thinking of all the things she'd done these last four years.

There were many things that Akane could have spent the last four years doing, she had dutifully played the marionette on a string for those whom she needed to, having trained in sword skills, and magical crafts, and had gotten access to the enormous archives the Vampires possessed, and began looking into the things she'd heard the day she was turned. Ferid had mentioned Seraphim, and how dangerous messing with them could be, and Krul's reaction to his statements had gotten the brunette girl curious. Thus, Akane had read hundreds of ancient books, scrolls, notes, journals, and anything she could get her hands on to find what she needed to, and had stumbled across paintings, sketches, photos, and many other things that she knew would assist the Japanese Imperial Demon Army.

But, if she was captured, it was for nothing. Akane couldn't hide what she had been researching, what she had found and stolen from the archives that she now carried with her safely. She had taken a high risk, and while Ferid had exploited her feelings, Krul had prodded at them, but had also given her access to all her of research, almost as though she needed outside help to accomplish something. Akane felt a shiver race down her spine, anxiety coiling in her stomach as she thought of the risks and the things that could come of her choice.

Akane placed a hand to her throat, barely feeling the choker under the high collar of her black button-up shirt as she took in a deep breath, her mind recalling what had happened. The pendant had been replaced with a replica that held all the information she'd researched, and she never let anyone within Sanguneim save for Krul, know that she had it. At this point, there were know slip-ups to that could happen.

Opening her eyes, Akane stood up, her white cloak falling to her ankles, legs covered in black leggings, thigh-high black boots, her white skirt, jacket, black belt, and black button-up shirt. She blew her bangs out of her eyes once more, letting the long waist-length braid of her hair, held in place by a black tie that formed in the shape of a bow as she started walking out into the open to begin meeting the other Vampires.

"One false move, and it's all over. If Ferid finds out, he and the other Nobles will attempt to subdue me, and he's been given orders to find Yuuichiro and Mikaela. If he finds them here in Shinjuku, we're going to be in serious trouble… so please, hold on so I can help stop this war!"

To the average person, her plan seemed so basic, that it would have been easily plucked out; however, Akane had learned over these last four years, that with the Vampires, simplicity was what could easily be overlooked. Her mind recalled the images of Mika and Yuu, walking home together, talking, and seemingly relaxed in a school uniform, smiles on their faces. It had seemed so nice, so normal, and safe, that she longed to walk beside them like that one day, and just talk, go to classes, and forget the life she'd lived these last four years as a half-vampire. However, that wasn't the world they lived in, people has special abilities, akin to the one she had that had been all but subdued due to her being made to drink Krul's blood to survive.

She narrowed her eyes at the thought about all the struggles she'd endured, and how she had desperately searched for a means to stop her from having to turn into a Vampire. Finally, a week ago, Akane had located a solution, and that, was in the form of something that she knew the Imperial Demon Army had access to, and wished to bargain with them for the information she had in exchange for this cure. If she were to do this, she would have to first survive long enough to find the man in charge here: Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose Guren. That meant killing, something she wasn't fond of, but if it gave her a chance to be with her brothers, just one chance, she would take it, and with that thought in mind, she walked further into the warzone, her mind set on what must be done.

{Location of Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose Guren: 12:56pm}

"God this is boring…" Guren said with a yawn. His unit had been waiting on the Vampire's leader to show up, and the invasion had only just started to spread into the area, the Army had been holding their own fairly well; however, Guren got the feeling that the Vampires were hiding, waiting on something, but what he wasn't sure of.

"Then you should have gone down there and started a party." Guren looked at Goshi who stood there puffing his pipe – also his weapon – in irritation.

"Like your any better! Look at them all – hiding and thinking their better than us because they can dress fancily!" Goshi gave him a look.

"You know that's not why… to them we're food," he stated as Guren rolled his eyes.

"Let me have my fun while I can. There are four Nobles that are supposed to be here, so we need to be careful once this battle starts." Goshi sighed.

"Okay, might as well enjoy yourself while you can, just don't step on my humor too," he stated as Guren looked to him.

"I doubt that anyone would find your sense of humor enticing any way." Goshi looked to him.

"At least I have a wife. Mito is my fiery-haired warrior princess!" he said as the Lieutenant Colonel hummed.

"I've actually thought of seeing if Sayuri wants to get hitched." Goshi gave him a startled look.

"Seriously?! What would those two boys of yours think?" he inquired.

"Eh, Sayuri and I raised them, so it wouldn't be such a big deal." Goshi hummed.

"How are they doing? You didn't say goodbye to them before we came here," he pointed out as Guren sighed.

"You heard about what Yuuichiro did in the tram way, right?" Goshi nodded.

"Um… yea. How could I not? Never thought that kid would be a Naturopath… but I get why you didn't let anyone outside of Sayuri and Shinya know about Yuu being one." Guren lit a cigarette.

"I did it to keep him, and Mikaela safe. They've been through plenty, even for the world we live in. I mean, you know the truth, Goshi, and I told you, and those under my command to prepare themselves to defend them, and any who offer their help. I only did that because I was scared that I'd end up watching those two children being used as lab rats or weapons… and after what they've gone through… surviving the Vampire Reign, and all that other bullshit… they don't deserve that kind of life," he told Goshi.

"You know… I remember when Yuu and Mika right after they were given the all clear from the doctors and we took them to a local park, and they took in all the warm sunlight and wind and ran until they were completely out of breath, laid out on the ground smiling even though they had tears in their eyes. It seemed ridiculous to me at the time, but when I think back on it, I can almost see the others who didn't make it out with them running in that field with them, laughing, and smiling in the sun…" Guren smiled fondly.

"What's your point?" he inquired as Goshi sighed.

"I'm saying, that you're right to protect them, and not just because of what they are. When I see them, and look into their eyes, I understand what you meant with wanting to go to such lengths to protect those boys. No matter what they are, they deserve to be happy, and do what they want with their lives. But, remember, only you and Sayuri were present when that happened for the first time three years ago… we have no idea what we're facing." Guren smiled.

"Goshi, it's a terrifying thing, but there's this dreadfully dark beauty to it. Once you see it, the sight will never leave you… but you won't want it too," he explained.

"Well… then I'm really looking forward to it…" sarcasm dripped from Goshi's tone, and Guren laughed.

"Just chill out while we can, I'll keep watch here," he said as Goshi nodded and left the man alone as he looked across the city, seeing smoke rise in the distance.

"But you don't know what it was like to witness that… and think you were going to lose one of them."

No matter how many times Guren tried, he couldn't forget the sickening noise of crackling bones and ripping flesh, the copper stench of blood that soaked the floor, and the screams of agony that carried throughout the room they had been in. Nails growing out into sharp points, gouging groves into the floor, teeth lengthening to fangs as the child he'd watched for the last year recover, writhe and contort upon the floor, eyes shining maliciously, body arching in agony and in a manner that the human body shouldn't be able to. The sounds and sights were unforgettably horrible, but to the point that he couldn't look away as the slackened, shadowy, blood-slicked feathery appendages splayed out, skin whitened to the shade of a corpse as he and Sayuri had watched one of the two children crawl in an almost unnatural manner towards them, body moving almost brokenly before standing, head lolled to the side.

None of it made sense, and it terrified them to the point that they had barely been able to utter a word. The scene had been something jerked from a nightmare, and once it had ended, things never were the same, as he and Sayuri always wondered if one of these boys, if Yuuichiro could become something so horrifically terrifying and dreadful, what would happen to Mikaela? Were they the same? It was at this point, he had begun to research into what he'd and witnessed, and finally, had discovered more information on a thing he'd heard of and researched once after all hell had broken lose almost eight years ago.

His mind had gone to Kureto's obsession with the Seraphs of the End, and he had remembered why he had went to Kyoto, and had found Yuuichiro and Mikaela in the snow half alive: because Kureto had believed an ancient prophecy, and Guren, had chosen to protect these children on a whim. His resolve had been set that day, when he finally realized Kureto's obsession with an at the time ridiculous story, was the truth, and his two boys, were the creatures he'd heard stories about and researched before, and that the Seraphs of the End, were real. After that though, he did more research, and added it to the boys' files, fixed the chokers they had worn as children and given the two items to the boys under strict orders to never let anyone take the choker's tags from them.

However, even Guren knew that at some point secrets exposed themselves, and though he couldn't figure out how or when, but both the boys had started to put together that something was wrong with them, and then, Yuu and Mika started having moments where they would go into trance-like states – more so with Yuuichiro – and had to develop a concoction for the boys to drink to help subdue their powers as these creatures, and one of their gifts, giving them a chance to have a somewhat normal life, and time to become stronger, and hopefully, more capable of handling what they were capable of with time.

"However, the time for the two of them to own up to what they are has come… even though I didn't want it to… for their sake… Mahiru, give me some strength please…"

In knowing all of these things, Guren had been given no other choice but to brace his team, and himself for when the time came, which he didn't doubt would be during this battle. However, as he looked back to all of the efforts they'd all made, Guren couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty for doing what he had in giving Shinoa the typical pills to hand out with special instructions to give the ones hued a pale green to Yuuichiro. He knew what it would do to him, and knew it would expose the others to a great danger, but he had no choice, because they needed the edge, or Shinjuku would fall, and the Moon Demon Company would be severally handicapped.

The group would be here soon, and he had not been able to prepare them for the truth on who two of their teammates really were. However, as Guren stood and looked out to see the vampires flooding into the streets, showing that the battle had finally begun, he knew the time to regret things no longer had a place within him or in this situation. Now, he needed to focus on defeat these vampires, and protect Shinjuku, hopefully with a good result from what he had chosen to do.

"Good luck everyone, looks like hell is upon us, and it'll take an angel to save us… if we're lucky."

{…}

If it means the death of me, I won't let go…

{….}

Author's Note: Here's our set up chapter, and before you know it, the battle for Shinjuku will begin, oh wait, that's starting next chapter, so be prepared guys! Tell me what you think, leave a review and a like!

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.