Chapter 13: Black & Green
{Apartment: November 29th, 2020, 9:04am}
The sharp noise of music drifted up from the spare room as Mika sighed, looking at the clock before he went up the stairs, preparing to tell his brother that they would need to leave soon. As he peered into the room he saw the smaller boy working away, fingers tracing along the strings of the black violin in his grasps as he tried to focus on the music that drifted smoothly from the instrument. The blonde listened to the skipping sound of the rhythm, noticing the tune, but not being able to quite place it as the boy continued to play until the song ended and Mika entered the room only then, knowing it would be a risk if he did otherwise.
"Hey? Yuu?" he called.
"Yea Mika?" emerald eyes turned to him.
"We need to leave soon. Guren wants all of us there at nine-thirty to get the uniform measurements," he reminded.
"I know, I was just practicing…" the boy flexed his fingers a bit.
"Still stiff?" he questioned.
"A little, they're healed enough now, but I just thought practicing would help them some." The blonde nodded.
"Which song was that anyways?" the black-haired boy sighed.
"In the Hall of the Mountain King. It's not what I would call an easy piece and it's giving me some grief," he stated.
"Well, if we don't make it on time Guren will give us some grief." The boy nodded, putting the violin down into its case as he covered it and loosened the hairs on his bow before putting it away.
"Don't worry, I'm coming," Yuu said as he shut the case, latching it closed before walking towards his brother.
"Ready to go?" the other nodded.
"Yea, come on before Guren pops a vein," he told him.
"We don't need that, now do we?" Yuu shook his head.
"No, Sayuri would have a fit," he mentioned as they walked out the door and down the stairs to the front of the building before exiting it.
"Speaking about engagements…" the boy shot his brother a glare.
"Shinoa and I haven't been dating long enough for us to think about that yet Mika!" he defended.
"You've been dating since July! That's what? Six months?" the black-haired sixteen-year-old sighed.
"I don't think that's long enough just yet," he said.
"Yet? Oh, so you do intend to marry her?" the blonde probed him and the other glared.
"What about you and Mitsuba?" Yuu asked as the other felt a glower come to his face.
"Now you're just being mean…" the other smiled.
"That's what you get Mika ~" he sang a bit.
"Yea, yea…" the blonde rolled his eyes, and then heard his brother huff a bit.
"Why does Guren need us to come too? He has our measurements, right?" Yuu questioned.
"Normally, he wouldn't need us to; but our uniforms were so trashed after the Tokyo Raid that we kinda need new ones, and he thinks you've finally grown some." The blonde ruffled his younger brother's hair while he tried to get away.
"Hey! Stop that! It's annoying!" Yuuichiro stated as he swatted Mika's hands away.
"Come on, take it easy. Our uniforms were completely trashed though, you gotta admit…"
The black-haired-boy looked down as he started to recall the fight that had taken place a little over a week ago. The time had flown by, speeding quickly to the edge of the final days of November, and taking the singular first week that the Ghouls and humans of Anteiku had come to live in Shibuya. They had spent a great deal of time together, recovering and learning a bit more about one another as they went. Thanks to the suppressant pills that Guren had gotten some of the alchemic engineers to create, the Ghouls were fine, and for the first time in some of their lives, had been able to eat human food without finding it repulsive.
Yuuichiro had learned quickly that without those suppressants, the Ghouls couldn't even consider stomaching it, but were incredibly grateful for being able to use them and it not make them sick. However, that meant missions with them would be risky seeing as they would be taking those opportunities to satisfy their hunger for the flesh of Vampires.
A sigh left him as he thought of how much seemed to be changing, and how fast it all seemed to be going. Tokyo was in the hands of the humans again for the first time in four years, the Ghouls and humans who had survived the wild, monster infested streets of Tokyo for those years, were now living in Shibuya with them, and weren't only living there, but were officially part of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, and the Moon Demon Company. The notion, did make Yuuichiro wonder if Guren was planning something for the fourteen of them, and then the black-haired boy considered another thing that was changing. Since he and Mika had been thirteen, Guren and Sayuri had been dating, and now, three years later, they were going to be married.
"Hey? Mika?" sapphire eyes looked to the boy.
"Yea? What's up?" he asked.
"Do you think… things are changing so quickly… because something's… going to happen?" the blonde frowned.
"You're talking about how much has changed in just one week, aren't you?" the other looked down again.
"Maybe, I just…" Mika sighed.
"You've always taken change badly. Ever since we were kids, you didn't take it well, and it makes you upset… just like back then, you're still a crybaby," he said.
"I am not a crybaby! And while we're on the subject, why do you think I don't take change well?" the blonde sighed.
"Because, every time something changes, you just… shut down… and you put up walls that make me nervous… only because you keep ending up with things that hurt you later," Mika told him.
"Don't start relating Shinjuku with this… I didn't lose control because of change. I lost control of the Seraph inside me because I was scared that the others would be killed…" the older of the two shook his head.
"That's a form of change. You're scared that the things that are here now won't be here forever, but you've got to realize, Yuu… that things do change. Places, the world around us, how we feel, grow, remember, and most importantly people change." The black-haired boy glanced to the side.
"Your point?" he asked with a faint frown.
"It's part of nature and life, and that's not something we can just dwell upon and let it tear us apart at the seams. We can't unravel just because of what happens around us, what changes… because if we let it change us in the way that this cursed world wants… then we start to lose our way." The other took in a deep breath and looked up at the blue sky.
"Lose our way, huh? Hey, Mika?" he questioned.
"What is it now?" the other shook his head as he started walking.
"Can you do me a tiny favor?" Yuuichiro asked as he kept walking just ahead of the blonde.
"Your favors are never what I would exactly call tiny, but let's hear it…" the black-haired sixteen-year-old slowed his pace.
"Don't die out there… when we go beyond the walls again… don't leave me behind. We're supposed to be in this together, so please, don't give up… do me a tiny favor and survive, alright?" Mika looked to his brother, meeting his concerned gaze.
"He knows it as much as I do… something is going to change how things are… before we know it… our lives are going to be altered…"
"Of course, you know I'm not going to die," he assured him and the other smiled just a bit.
"Thanks… Mika. Now, come on, we better go before Guren gets angry…" the boy grabbed the sleeve of his coat and started dragging him a bit.
"It's your fault that we're gonna be late!" the other just smiled, laughing a bit.
"Whatever, just come on," he stated.
{Tailor Room: 10:00am}
Guren frowned as he waited for the next person to go in to have their measurements done. The Ghouls had been on time, as had the others of Shinoa's squadron; however, his two boys were still missing, now officially late because of something that he was sure either came up, or they had decided not to show up. Hide stood next to him, looking around the room where pictures, uniform sketches, and diagrams were lined across the walls like wallpaper. A few sewing mannequins were lined against the wall, various pins and needles sticking in them in a manner that reminded the blonde a bit of a voodoo doll. The blonde swallowed thickly and Shinoa eyed him.
"Nervous?" she asked.
"No! Why would I be nervous?!" he looked at the periwinkle-haired girl while Kimizuki glanced to Nishiki, both of which, had looks that clearly stated they didn't believe anything the blonde was trying to convince them of.
"Because it's your first step into the lives you'll be leading from now on. Just moving here and living in Shibuya is nothing, you could have done that regardless… but joining the Army, and becoming members of the Moon Demon Company is definitely a monumental moment," Yoichi stated while Hinami stood next to him.
"What about those weapons you guys wield? They're called… Cursed Gear? Is that right?" the others nodded and Guren sighed.
"That'll be in a couple of weeks once you guys are completely healed. Yuu can only do so much alone and the other healers aren't nearly as strong as he is," he told the girl.
"Which reminds me, why is he so powerful? Does it have to do with that Angel thing that he and Mika can do?" Guren frowned at Ayato's aloof tone.
"It's not an Angel thing. Yuu and Mika are what are known as Seraphs of the End, and they're the ones who are supposed to help us out, there are two more that would like nothing more than to see us all turned to ashes in the wind, along with the rest of the world," he explained as the others felt looks of surprise appear upon their faces.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" the Lieutenant Colonel shook his head.
"Nope, and that only has a fraction to do with how powerful they are. Both of them have three Gifts a piece, which I think you've been told about that somewhat… anyways, Mikaela has Psychometry, Abjury, and Icilia, an Ice-based elemental Gift. That also is coupled and supported by his Black Demon Series Cursed Gear, Fenrir," Guren informed them.
"And what about Yuuichiro?" the man sighed.
"I need to give them the groups profiles for them to read over… at least…that and a good debriefing on everyone's abilities…"
"Psychometry, Naturopathy, and Firias, a fire-based elemental Gift, which is boosted by his Black Demon Series Cursed Gear, Asuramaru. But, all that power does have its dangers…" Guren trailed off.
"Dangers? What do you – "the door clicked open, an emerald eye and a sapphire eye glancing into the room.
"Oh! Nice of you to join us!" Guren stated as he marched forward, wrenching open the door as he grabbed the two boys and slung them in the room.
"Ow! Jeeze, I'm sorry!" the Lieutenant Colonel glared.
"Mikaela! Yuuichiro! Where in the hell have you been?" he demanded as the two boys got themselves up onto their knees.
"Sorry, I lost track of time during practices and – "the man gave him a sour expression.
"Recite, now!" the others rose an eyebrow as the boy gave him a nervous look.
"What?! I shouldn't – "Guren walked over to the black-haired boy, smacking him over the head as Kaneki gave the man a slightly scornful look.
"I didn't ask if you should or shouldn't do it, I asked you to recite what Sayuri has been telling you since day one of your lessons with her," he stated.
"Isn't he being a little harsh?" Touka questioned Shinoa who sighed.
"He raised them both with a firm but loving hand, so, in many ways he may seem too harsh, but both Yuu and Mika can get out of hand sometimes and need that authority to keep them on the straight and narrow. Don't worry, Guren won't be like that with them permanently, he just wants them to behave as they were raised." The girl nodded slowly as she looked at the black-haired boy.
"To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable," he recited, almost as if he had heard the statement to many times in his life.
"Precisely, and what have both of you done this time?" Guren kept his gaze on the boys.
"We were late, not on time, and not early…" the man sighed.
"Just remember for next time, if you two act like this on the battlefield, we're all fucked," the Lieutenant Colonel said.
"You don't have to worry about that. We know that if you're late on the battlefield it costs lives that we can't afford to spare. Come on, give us some credit, you were the one who trained us!" the man grabbed the two boys, hoisting them up to their feet as Mika gave him a disgruntled look, a part of him not liking the fact that he was being handled like a misbehaved puppy.
"I find it rather entertaining, actually…" the pale-blue-silver snowflake earring Mika wore that concealed Fenrir glinted.
"Put a sock in it Fenrir, I don't want to be jabbed at today." The wolf laughed a bit, but he ignored it as he was sat on his feet and his brother adjusted his shirt and hoodie.
"I know, but you've got to make an example for our newest members, I'm counting on the two of you," Guren said as he ruffled their hair, making them both frown before Mika smiled a bit and Yuu swatted his hands away.
"Yea, yea, we hear you…" the man looked to the others as Kimi stepped out of the tailor room and looked to the others.
"You good?" Nishiki asked.
"Fine, I was told I'd receive alterations to my uniform as needed to accommodate my weapon once I received it." She smiled as she came to stand by him and Guren looked to the others.
"Akane? Why don't you go on and get yours done next," he said as she nodded.
"Alright, be back in a bit." With that she waved to Ayato and Touka eyed him as he smiled, and the girl left.
"Oh-ho! Someone's got the hots for the singer girl!" she stated in an exaggerated voice, taking the opportune moment to finally torment her younger brother over a girl.
"W-What?! Touka! I do not like Akane like that!" the boy tried to defend himself, but all eyes were on his blushing face and Yuu and Mika glanced to one another, a smirk coming to their faces.
"Really? Are you sure? Because I recall someone defending the princess the entire Tokyo Raid. Or did we just imagine that?" Yuuichiro questioned, a slightly devious smirk on his face.
"Careful Yuu, your horns are showing…" the boy shot Kimizuki a glare.
"Can it four-eyes!" the pink-haired teen glowered at the smaller boy.
"Midget!" the boy rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, egotistical moron…" Ayato sighed.
"Don't think you've gotten off the hook, now tell me… what are your feelings for my little sister? Exactly?" the purple-haired youth came face to face with Mikaela who gave him an innocent smile.
"Not buying that bullshit!" the Ghoul thought.
"Come on, she's a pretty girl. Why not get to know Akane better?" asked Yoichi.
"We'll get to you next Yoichi!" the brunette ducked behind one of the mannequins, causing Hinami to giggle a little while the brunette smiled to her.
"She's got a cute laugh," he thought.
"Ayato? Do you like Akane?" questioned Kimi.
"Oh! Not you too! I barely know the girl! You can't build a relationship from knowing one another for a single freaking week!" his defense spared him as Guren hummed.
"Good thing you'll be getting to know all of us better, especially Akane, seeing as she's working with you for training," the man said.
"Right! So, I'll be knowing all of you better, especially Aka – "Ayato paused, realization coming to his features as everyone gave him a knowing look.
"Did that actually just work?" asked Hide.
"I think so…" Guren smiled, satisfied with his achievement of tripping up the teenager.
"You know, something just told me you'd feel that way, Ayato," said Kaneki.
"Lieutenant Colonel? Did you know you're the devil?" the man laughed as Yuu and Mika looked to the Ghoul.
"Don't feed the megalomaniac's ego please, he's not trained," stated Yuu.
"Do you have any clue how much of a pain in the ass you are?" the Lieutenant Colonel looked into emerald eyes that for the first time in quite a while shined with mirth instead of malice.
"And your any better?" the black-haired boy asked.
"All the same! I have no feelings for Akane like – "Ayato paused, trying to clear the air, but failing as the brunette girl came out of the room.
"What's going on here? Guren? Why are you leaning over Yuu like that?" the girl tilted her head and he sighed as he moved away while the black-haired boy rolled his eyes.
"Just talking, now… Yuuichiro! You're next!" the boy turned to look at him.
"What?! They already have my measurements!" he stated.
"Go! That's an order, do you hear me runt?" the boy shot the older man a glare and then walked into the tailor room.
"Jackass…" was all the man heard as the door shut.
"Well… Yuuichiro seems about as I expected him to be," Kaneki stated as he sat down in the window seat and Touka joined him.
"What do you mean?" the white-haired Ghoul sighed.
"He's very mouthy, sarcastic, snarky, easy to irritate, and also very intelligent. I was surprised honestly when I met him on the battlefield… the person I met in the tent a few days before that he was very different from the person I got to know in battle," he explained as Guren nodded.
"Everyone here adopts a different attitude in a warzone. Most of us are like this normally, laid back, focused on what needed to be done, and thinking on important factors that will allow more people to escape with their lives in addition to strategies to take down as many of our enemies as possible." Kaneki nodded, looking around the room at the others.
"So, is it always this chaotic around here? Or are we just special?" asked Hide as the others began laughing while Mika shrugged.
"Oh, this is nothing, just wait until training comes into play and our first missions arrive… that's when the real insanity begins." Hide sighed, leaning against the wall.
"For some reason, that doesn't surprise me. But, all the same, I think I speak for the others when I say that I believe we're going to like it here," the blonde-haired teenager said with a smile, looking out to the blue sky through the window.
{Sanguneim: Queen Krul Tepes's Room: 1:03pm}
Barefoot, walking around with her hair down, her make-up undone, her attire as nothing but a loose fitting black dress that fell to her knees, Krul Tepes, the Third Progenitor paced back and forth, unease evident in her sharp apple colored eyes as she bit her pink-painted nail between her teeth, mind processing information and thinking deeply as she continued her pacing. It hadn't been too long ago that Ferid Bathory, the Seventh Progenitor had come in to tell her the news that the Tenth Progenitor Hans Weisburg had been killed, and that the Japanese Imperial Demon Army had retaken Tokyo; however, that wasn't his only news. Her pacing stilled, worry etching on her pretty features as she took in a steady breath, still gnawing on her nail as she considered the psychotic man's words.
"By the way, my lovely Queen… Doctor Kannou and his assistants have selected whom they wish to proceed with on, and believe that they should be ready to pick them up soon. Isn't that splendid news? Your plan will be perfect, the power that these two specimens will wield shall be unparalleled! I know there is much happening, and you must plan the next steps to take now that Weisburg is deceased, but worry not, I shall handle everything from here, have a good afternoon my beloved!"
Without even thinking of it, an irate glare came to Krul's features, eyes narrowing dangerously as she shoved her hand through the wall, being certain to turn it intangible before doing so as she took in a deep breath as she jerked a book out from between the wall and gripped it in her hands firmly, not certain as to what she could do with the information within it. Her original plans had been dashed due to Ferid Bathory bringing in Doctor Kannou and his goon squad; therefore, she had to think of a better strategy for getting these details to someone in particular in the outside world.
"I'm running out of time, and I only have one shot at doing this," she thought as she looked at the book.
There was one other thing that could be done instead of sending the original source material, and that was to send the chip that possessed the same information via her bat familiar to someone who she knew would at least hear her out. Taking in a deep breath she looked to where the creature was snuggled up on a pillow, snoozing away as if there wasn't a single thing to worry about. The Queen bit her lip, knowing that something had to be done as she went to her desk, laying the book down upon it as she pulled out a quill and began scratching away at a piece of parchment, preparing herself for what she was doing. In every way, the Progenitor Council would view her actions as treason, but she had no choice and she knew that. The immortal sixteen-year-old Queen took in a steadying breath as she looked around, grabbing her note and putting it into a small, gold cylinder before she went to get her familiar up, taking the book with her as she reached into a drawer near her bed and pulled out a small crystal-like object that was oval shaped and shined like a diamond.
"Crumpet! Get up!" she said softly, tickling the bat's stomach.
"Hmm… mh? Oh! Mistress Krul? Can I help you?" the little one-eyed bat creature sat up.
"Yes, please take these things to Satoshi Akane," she told him as the little familiar looked to her and then to the items.
"I will, but… may I ask why?" she nodded leaning closer to him.
"Because, this is something for the Spring, she has to decode it by then, and I know she can with some help. Please, get it and the message to her immediately, and do not let anyone take it from you or catch you," she whispered.
"Very well, I will take it… however, even some of the other Vampires are awake at this hour and if they see me without you… they will become suspicious…" the girl looked around, long pink hair flowing out behind her and upon the ground as she crouched and slid under her bed to pull on a hatch beneath it.
"Down here Crum!" the little bat slipped down, going under the bed with her.
"What is this Mistress Krul?" he questioned.
"A secret passage, my sister and I made this when we were little kids before we became Vampires. Only we know about it, so please, take this and it'll spit you out just above ground at the city's entrance. Go and get it to Satoshi Akane now, please… if you don't we're in serious trouble… go!" the small bat grabbed the chip and cylinder from his Mistress and ticked them into a small pouch he had on his wing before looking to her.
"I will go, only if you swear that you'll stay safe until further notice. And that you'll destroy that book… it has dangerous things Mistress Krul, and if they find it you could be killed," Crumpet stated as he waddled towards the entrance of the passage.
"Fine, I will… go and Crumpet?" the little bat glanced to his Mistress.
"Yes? Mistress Krul?" he questioned.
"Until the Spring, stay with Satoshi Akane, okay? Do not return, no matter what." The bat's single eye watered.
"But, I need to stay with you!" Crumpet protested.
"Not this time Crum, if you do bad things will happen. Please, just stay with her, and you can help her, Amane, and Shindo… if you don't… we'll lose them, and we can't afford that, so please, do this for me." The small bat sniffled, nodding in sorrow as it wrapped its wings around her head and then came back to the passage, took one look at his Mistress and jumped up into the air before flying down into the entrance with a final farewell.
"Goodbye!" his voice echoed, and she took in a deep breath as she pulled the covering back onto the passage's entrance.
"Goodbye, Crum… please get that to them safely," she muttered as she slipped out from under the bed and snatched the book from it before looking at it in her hands.
All the information in here details plans, and major events that two certain someones were planning that they suspected would not only end the war, but result in domination of their world. It held details of a sadistic series of experiments that were being conducted, and what the ultimate goal of them were, and even as she knew how valuable the book was, she grabbed it within her delicate looking hands and ripped it apart, using her magic to burn the horrendous thing to ashes as she closed her fist around them, looking up to the window where artificial sunlight came in and her eyes burned, additional details having once existed in those ashes as she considered what the Seventh Progenitor had done.
It had never been her intentions to rely upon the evil Ghouls that existed in their world, nor their sadistic surgeon who seemed to find it entertaining to play with people's lives by turning them into monsters. Krul closed her eyes, tears sliding down her face as she tried to reason what she could do to possibly change the outcome of the situation, and she realized, all too painfully: that nothing could be done. There was no changing the wicked plans that had been set into motion, and even if they were changed in the Spring, it wouldn't matter, and that was because, it would have to play out as if all sides were still enemies, and that they were nothing more but good and evil fighting it out. However, that wasn't always the case, and nothing was ever just black and white.
"I doubt it will matter now or later… but I hope that they'll forgive me… for not being able to spare them this pain…" she whispered, knowing what would happen would ultimately be an irrevocable sin that she could once more, not undo.
{…..}
For a light in seas of shadows…
{…..…}
Author's Note: So, some humor and major foreshadowing, and… what the hell is Krul planning? Something tells me this will lead up to a major plot twist. We'll see what happens, and how Akane fits into the grand scheme of things later on. Now, we're three chapters into Arc II and things are heating up! we'll have to wait and see what all comes up, and I'll await your reviews.
Sincerely,
ShadowDragon94.
Chapter 14: Bestowed.