Chapter 17: Sutures
{Training Center: December 7th, 2020, 8:04am}
Yuuichiro watched the group of former Anteiku Ghouls and humans as they began going through the basics of their training. Fortunately, most of them had a good enough physical combat training that the weaponry skills were going smoothly. They had divided their efforts amongst each other, working with those who they felt were the best suited to teach certain members of their fourteen-member group. Mito had taken to teaching Kimi whom they had learned had a type of Cursed Gear similar to the red-haired General's own as it was based upon moderate physical skill as well as the connection the Demon and user had.
Kimi's Cursed Gear came from her tattoos that were on her legs in the style of peacock feathers that when activated seemed to rise off her skin and coil around her legs in a glowing green, fragile looking state of wisps that reflected the peacock feathers themselves, but came down with a crushing force as they morphed into leg-braces that went up to her knees. Mito had already stated within just twenty-four hours of basic training, that Kimi showed great potential and that she and her Demon had a remarkably good connection.
Emerald eyes turned to Nishiki who was being trained by Shinoa, one of the only other people in this little group that had a poll-type arms weapon. Nishiki's Demon, Remashita seemed to be a good fit for him, and the spear-type poll-arms allowed him to flip and move about with little difficulty, which was good considering his Kagune type. Yuuichiro then looked to Mika who was being placed with Touka when it came to teaching her how to use a sword with better ease, meanwhile, Akane had Ayato who was taking to his training well, his Demon giving him constant lip and causing quite a few comical moments between all of them.
"Keep it up! good job!" Sayuri cheered for Hinami who was learning how to use her shield weapon as both defense and offence while over in a corner of the training hall, Shinya and Yoichi were helping Hide.
"They're shaping up huh?" asked Kaneki as he looked the others over.
"Yea, what about you? Are you practicing the strikes like I told you?" emerald met hazel.
"I have been… it feels kind of strange, using a weapon instead of my Kagune, but I'm okay so far. What about you? Are all your wounds healed?" Kaneki questioned.
"For the most part, I'm a little stiff in my hands where my fingers were broken, but that'll go away soon…" the white-haired Ghoul watched how the other moved his fingers and rose an eyebrow.
"You play an instrument?" he inquired.
"Um… y-yea, I do. I play the violin…" the other gave him a surprised expression.
"I honestly wouldn't have expected that from you," Kaneki admitted as Yuuichiro gave him a slightly annoyed look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"Well, you honestly don't seem the type…" the other sighed.
"You're a bookworm, and you don't seem the type either," Yuu stated, arms crossed over his chest.
"You've got me there, but violin? Why did you pick that up?" the black-haired boy glanced down.
"When Mika and I were brought into Shibuya, we were completely out of it. Mika was half dead, and I was feral… so… Sayuri began to try and get me to open up, and I watched her play violin a few times… next thing I knew I was learning to play too," he explained.
"That's a pretty scary label to put on a kid…" Shinoa walked up with Nishiki who had just spoken as Yuuichiro shot him a look.
"Please, can't the same be said for the Ghouls?" Nishiki shrugged.
"Guess you've got a point. So, why are the two of you standing around chatting while the rest of us bust our asses?" the pale-brunette questioned.
"Kaneki has been training with me on different occasions. The Cursed Gear he has is different, so it's kind of hard to gage the strength of it." Shinoa laughed a bit.
"Are you feeling the pressure of having to train someone?" she asked him.
"No! I'm sure enough in my own skills to train someone how to use a sword, Shinoa!" the periwinkle-haired girl giggled, leaning against him as she smiled.
"You know I love you, don't take it so personally," she told him.
"Yea, I know, I love you too grape head…" she sighed.
"Cherry boy!"
"Perverted Shrimp!"
"Oh, you know you love it Yui!" a deep blush came across the black-haired boy's face.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!" the boy started chasing the girl across the training hall as Guren came to stand next to the two Ghouls as the others watched Shinoa dodge her boyfriend's attempts to tackle her as she laughed, skipping about.
"Lover's quarrel?" he questioned.
"Um… not exactly, but –"
"SHINOA! COME BACK HERE!"
"Catch me if you can, Yui!" a growl left the black-haired boy as he turned as the others backed away while Shinoa summoned her Cursed Gear and the other tisked as Asuramaru appeared in his grasp and the two of them locked blades as the boy parried his girlfriend's attack.
"It seems we're getting an exhibition," Shinya said as the others moved away from the two while Shinoa tried to block the boy's attacks, Yuuichiro smirking as he dove under the blade of Shikama-Doji as he got close to the girl and halted her next swing with only a single touch a smile coming to his features.
"Well, that ended quickly…" Guren shook his head at Hide's statement.
"Oh, it's far from over," he stated.
Shinoa pushed the boy away and he flipped, blocking her attack as the girl frowned, a series of sparks flying as their weapons locked and the black-haired boy swept his leg across her own, knocking her feet out from under her as the large scythe went flying and she flipped over, doing a series of cartwheels as she landed in a crouch and grabbed her weapon as she swiped at the boy's legs, causing him to jump up and land atop the blade of her weapon, causing her to throw him as he turned mid-air, righting himself like a cat as he slid back, and Shinoa smirked, going after him as he dodged her attacks, the two of them moving almost as if they were in synch with one another to a finite point.
"Yuu can move like this with Mika as well as Akane. After a little bit of time, he's also gotten to where he can work well with Kimizuki and Yoichi if needs be as well as Mitsuba. This kind of synchronized fighting, knowing one another's movements like this, is vital, and you should know at least one person in your team's own fighting style to an almost perfect degree, that person is your partner," Guren said as his youngest blocked another attack and with a swift turn on his heels, he knocked the scythe from Shinoa's hands and caught the girl just before she fell as the scythe fled away from the two, landing in the ground as he held the tip of his sword at her throat.
"You lose…" Shinoa laughed.
"I let you win," she said as she kissed his cheek, moving the sword out of the way as he stood her up right.
"Go get a room!" the two went blood red as Guren laughed at Nishiki's statement.
"The two of you are excellent for lessons, I'll admit," Guren said as the two recalled their weapons as they returned to their concealed forms.
"So, do we gotta act like them?" Mika looked to Hide as he shook his cross bow.
"Why are you shaking your weapon?" the other blonde sighed.
"Leviathan was being rude last night while I was attempting to sleep, so what I decided to do is shake the weapon. I've learned that if you do this, they experience a mini earthquake!" he explained.
"What was it doing?" Hide gave Nishiki a long look.
"Annoying me, and this morning, it went off and nearly killed me! So, shake, rattle and roll baby!" he said as he shook it again.
"With such a sour attitude in the mornings, that can mean only one thing…" the group eyed one another.
"It's female…" stated several of the boys with a groan.
"Bingo, and she's a real mean bitch when she wants to be," he said as he shook the weapon again.
"H-Hide! S-stop s-shaking the w-w-weapon! I'm g-g-gonna be s-s-sick!"
"Well, stop trying to shoot me! And stop picking on me when I'm sleeping!" he protested at his Demon's statement.
"Don't torture her, you're supposed to form a bond with your Demon, not give it motion sickness…" the blonde frowned.
"You're lucky I have to listen to Guren's commands, otherwise you'd be on an earthquake scale of the stairs later this evening," he said.
"Thank the Seven Seas…."
"Is anyone else getting trouble form their Demons?" asked Guren.
"You mean besides Ayato's calling him bunny boy?" several of the group let out thinly veiled snickers of amusement as Ayato gave them an annoyed look.
"Yes, besides name calling, is any of our new comrades having trouble with their Demons?" the man questioned once more.
"Not really, we're just trying to adapt to fighting with weapons and not just our Kagune," Hinami admitted.
"That's good to hear, come the ninth, the fourteen of you will be going to the Section Office and will be completing a forum for registry…" Mika gave him a suspicious look at the statement.
"I think we have a right to know why we're being sent to the Section Office," Mika stated with a sharp tone.
"Alright, fine… as of December twelfth, the fourteen of you will become a specialized unit that works as a branch of the Moon Demon Company, under my jurisdiction…" the group eyed one another, looking both interested, and terrified of the statement.
"Specialized unit? What good does this do us exactly?" asked Ayato.
"It'll grant you a special immunity in order to keep Kureto Hiragi's grubby hands off of you."
"Grubby hands huh?" the door of the training hall slammed shut and all eyes turned to see none other than the man that had just been mentioned standing there.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in," stated Guren.
"Hmm, seems the junior branch garbage still has a lot to learn. I recently was informed that you had sent in a special request forum for a new branch unit of the Moon Demon Company, it was approved… I thought it appropriate to congratulate you." The fourteen teenagers stayed close together as Kureto moved towards Guren.
"Thanks, but we're in the middle of a training session, these kids have a mission coming up soon and I don't need them dying on their feet," he told the other.
"Of course, now… let me see who's in this little group of yours…" the man's cold eyes locked on the fourteen youths and then zeroed in on Mika and Yuuichiro, the blonde-haired boy giving him a menacing look while Akane shot him a withering glare.
"Your children are going out with the Ghouls? Are you certain you can trust them?" Kureto questioned.
"Perfectly certain. They're the reason that Tokyo worked out so well." The other hummed.
"And that also came from the boost your Naturopath and Abjurist granted you. Not to mention, those two are also Seraphs," Kureto said as he locked eyes with emerald orbs that narrowed in a fierce manner.
"Let me kick this fucker's ass Yuu! Let me kill him!" Asuramaru snarled in his mind.
"No, Asuramaru, just leave him alone… we can't do anything right now."
"Dammit! I can't have any fun!"
"Do you have a problem with what they are?" asked Shinoa.
"No, little sister, I don't. but I do question how much of your affection is genuine when it comes to the Black Seraph and how much of that is seductive lust. It would do you well to remember, he is the darker half of their kind." Mitsuba felt rage boil in her, but Akane beat her to it as she stepped away from the group.
"Their kind?! How dare you! You lowly, arrogant, pompous, self-absorbent, scum-sucking, lily-livered, snake! In case you've forgotten, they are your kind!" she snarled as she raised her hand to strike the man. Kureto gave her a disdainful glare as he caught her hand in a bruising grip.
"The former Vampire defending the Seraphs… how becoming. I suppose the fallen ones need to stick together though, don't they?" Kureto tossed Akane back, a bruise having formed on her arm as Ayato caught her.
"You need to learn some manners! Didn't anyone ever tell you not to treat a lady that way?" Ayato questioned with a scowl upon his features.
"Spare me the lectures. You are here on the grace of my father, if you believe that you truly have a place amongst civilized beings, you are sorely mistaken." Shinya narrowed his eyes.
"I think that's enough, Kureto. You may want to remember that these people are what helped make the Tokyo raid successful," he informed the other as Kureto looked them over.
"Yes, a group of fourteen misfits managed to somehow help us win the battle. However, they only recently received Cursed Gear, and are still learning, tell me, Guren? Do you truthfully think that their success rate will continue?" the Lieutenant Colonel shrugged.
"Who knows, I could say the same for you and your last assignment, in… where was it again? Oh yes, Nagoya. That went just as planned, didn't it? Arrow-brows?" Guren inquired.
A small smirk came to the faces of the others as Kureto shot the other a glare before turning his gaze upon Yuuichiro who instantly found a trace of fear curling through him. Every single time he came into contact with this man, he felt nothing short of unbridled anger and disgust. He knew it was from his Seraphic bloodlines, and that he was sensing the vile blackness of the man's heart and soul, but he could do little about it, and while he had discussed the topic with Mika on several occasions, they had both concluded the same thing each time: Kureto Hiragi didn't possess a drop of good in him.
"And how are you feeling since you interview? Yuuichiro?" Kureto ignored Guren who gave him a seething look as the Lieutenant General eyed his two sons.
"If that slimy fucker thinks he's going to even attempt to lay a hand on my children, he's got another thing coming," Guren thought.
"Believe me, if he does… I'll strangle him with his innards." Mahiru's vicious statement eased his worries, at the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about her being conflicted about attacking her brother.
"He's fine," Mika answered.
"I believe I asked him, not you, Mikaela." The man locked eyes with Yuuichiro once again.
"I'm fine, like Mika said," he replied, his tone clipped as Kureto looked him over.
"Oh, really? I see, you haven't been having any recollections of the past again? Nothing about Sanguneim or those tragic circumstances?" a sudden crackling noise caught their attention as ice began to spread under their feet, Mika's head bowed as he stepped in front of his brother, a frost-like pattern appearing upon his face as he clenched his hands, his nails extending a fraction as he locked his gaze with Kureto, his right eye turning a brilliant gold as he did so.
"You better leave before I do something drastic, Lieutenant General," the blonde warned.
"Hmm… very well, have a good day…" with that Kureto left and the moment the doors closed Mika turned to his brother who felt his legs cave out from under him, his breathing ragged as he braced himself on his hands and knees while Guren crouched down beside the boy.
No matter what he did, Guren knew that his youngest was to drained, and shell shocked to do anything else for the day; therefore, he looked to Mika - whose changes had faded – to inform him to take the other out of the area for the time being. However, the black-haired boy shook himself out, and glanced forward, a tired sigh leaving him as he slowly staggered to his feet, Mika coming with him to make sure that the boy didn't fall as Guren did the same, the others watching in concern over seeing the normally energetic, and somewhat hyper boy so exhausted from a single encounter with the man who had just left.
"That was Hiragi Kureto?" asked Kaneki.
"Yea… because of… what I am… I can feel the… darkness inside a person's… heart and soul… to this day… he's the blackest… soul I've ever… met." Nishiki stepped forward, placing a hand upon the boy's pulse as he sighed.
"You need to sit down, your heart rate is up to high," he said as he eased the other onto the floor.
"He'll be fine in a bit. However, I know one thing is for certain…" everyone looked to Guren, the icy expression he wore sending a thrill of terror through them.
"And what's that?" Sayuri gave her fiancé an understanding look, her expression similar to his own.
"If that bastard lays so much as a hair on any of you… I'll skin him alive," he stated.
"He's higher ranked than you, though isn't that…" Shinya looked to the others.
"The thing is, Kureto is dangerous, and that's something that even mine and Shinoa's father is now aware of. He is greedy and lustful for power, believing that all he does is right, and that he can do no wrong," he explained.
"That kind of mindset is dangerous." Yuuichiro laughed just a fraction, the resonance startling a few of them at how hollow it sounded.
"Especially for a human like him," he muttered.
"Yuu…" the boy shook his head.
"I'll be fine… but the problem is… Kureto thinks he can play God without any punishment. He seems to be forgetting that there are two Seraphs that would beg to differ," he stated simply.
"That's scary to think…" everyone looked to Akane, who held her hands close to her chest.
"What is?" Mika asked.
"That either of you would consider yourselves more Angelic than human. Remember, Yuu… both you and Mika are still humans… your only Seraphic bloodlines aren't pure, and you aren't fully one thing or the other… you're both teetering on the edge of mortal and celestial." The black-haired boy sighed.
"I know that Akane, but if you could see how… vile that man is like I can, you would understand my thinking," he explained.
"Just don't go losing yourself, okay?" he nodded.
"We won't, don't worry."
{Rooftops: 8:15pm}
Akane sighed as she looked down at the city below her, the lights gleaming a bit in the darkness a she leaned against the railing of a roof, thinking about the way things had been going lately. It was stressful, and more than a bit harrowing; however, for some reason, she was not worried about the others, nor Guren's plans for them to form a specialized unit. The one thing that did concern her, was how Yuuichiro had acted around Kureto, and how the Lieutenant General had behaved. She eyed the bruise on her arm, and recalled Mika's behavior during the encounter, how his ability over ice had almost overreacted, and the way one of his eyes had turned gold. It was a strange sight, and it reminded her of how one of Yuu's own eyes had looked during the Tokyo Raid. A strict silver, the color of moonlight in all of its cold, encompassing beauty. Brown eyes closed as she thought of Kureto Hiragi's behavior, his words and actions, and the interview that he had brought up, which Mika had long since told her about.
To bring up such a horrific moment in her youngest brother's past, caused something within her to feel nothing short of raw hatred for the Lieutenant General. The man acted as though it was his God given right to treat others poorly, and act as if everyone was beneath him. Akane bit her lip, finding the notion atrocious and revolting. As Yuuichiro had said, behavior such as that, was a dangerous thing for a human being to possess. The brunette girl huffed, looking out at the city again as moonlight showed through the clouds and she looked at the glowing orb in the sky and raised her hand outwards, reaching for it as though it were a lifeline in a raging sea.
"Don't lose sight of who you guys are, please… if you do I don't know what'll happen," Akane said softly.
Just as the words escaped her, a fluttering of wings caught her attention and she turned to see a tiny black object flying towards her, the little creature giving a valiant effort to continue flying as it landed upon the railing and sighed, wiping sweat from its brow as it took in a few breaths, grumbling to itself as she edged closer, recognizing the slightly plump form.
"Crumpet?" she asked.
"Hmm?! Oh! Princess!" the little cyclops bat came towards her, walking along the railing as she edged closer.
"I'm not the Princess of the Vampires anymore Crum, just Akane is fine," she stated.
"Y-Yes, right! How have you been since Shinjuku?" the brunette took in a deep breath.
"I've been fine… but why are you here?" she inquired.
"It is of the utmost importance, please, can you help us?" Akane eyed him.
"What's going on?" the small bat fluttered up to her shoulder, settling upon it before he began to whisper in her ear.
The response she gave was silent, but as the statements continued, Akane's chocolate colored eyes grew wider and filled with unbridled terror as realization came upon her features. She quickly took the bat, stuffing him inside her jacket pocket and told him to remain silent as she looked around and went back into the building, dread filling her. As of this moment, she knew the risks were growing in danger levels, and with the information that Crumpet had just given her, Akane knew that a sinister plot was beginning to unravel.
{….}
Light the way and I'll follow, where you go…
{….}
Author's Note: Kureto Hiragi has always been a grade A bastard in my opinion, and after seeing Battle in Nagoya, I was glad that my first impressions of him were correct. In this chapter, we got some training, a little bit of humor, and a visit from a residential sociopath of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Akane also seems to have just learned something that is going to change the tides of this entire battle, and Crumpet is now officially in the main casts line-up due to his orders from Krul. Speaking of which, we will be seeing some of her and the others, don't worry. Tell me what you think, and I shall await your reviews.
Sincerely,
ShadowDragon94.
Chapter 18: Momentum