HOLY CRAP GUYS I'M SOOOO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO ON ANOTHER UNNOFFICIAL HIATUS! To be honest, I've been super busy lately with school and graduation and registering for my degree...Cause... I don't officially have one yet... XD Life's catching up with me... HOWEVER I have been working on the latest chapter, and I think it will be the longest one I've ever written! I hope you enjoy it!
-Hiro P.O.V.-
The only thing I could use now were the moves that we had received from killing the demons... But even those were limited. Yet, I couldn't tell them that... Yamato, Daichi, and Alcor would force me to stay back, or even retreat... I didn't want to feel helpless as my friends fought by themselves, possibly getting themselves killed... I had to be there to make sure they lived another day...
"Alright, we'll need to proceed with caution... Daichi, go with Alcor and flank from the right. Yamato and I will charge straight through the middle, taking the brunt of the attack and the attention away from you guys." I said as we entered Yamato's limousine. Traffic wasn't unbearably heavy, but there were still some detours due to accidents and construction...
"Hmph... Right to the point, as always. Alright, Hiro. I'll lend you my strength." Yamato said as he crossed his arms and smirked with pride. He nodded in approval to the plan...
"But, Shining One..." Alcor began to protest. I was afraid that he was going to reveal my temporary handicap and immediately covered his mouth with my hand.
"Don't worry. I can take care of myself." I bluffed. I had my skills ready, and had some healing skills prepared as well... I'm going to make sure that we survive this fight... Besides, everyone here has my back, so I have nothing to worry about.
"Hiro... Are you sure about this? I mean, continuing to fight demons after all that's happened? We don't even have the app anymore!" Daichi asked with a concerned expression. In response, I nodded, but Daichi wouldn't take his eyes off me. His expression remained as a long silence filled the limo, but it didn't last long. The limo had screeched to a halt in front of Tokyo Tower.
"The tower again...? Why do they keep going after the towers even though the calamity is over?" I looked out to see that the area in front of the tower was completely deserted. Nothing moved within my line of sight, and it seemed completely abandoned.
"Are you sure the signature came from here?" I asked, turning to Yamato.
"OF course. Have I ever been wrong?" Yamato said as he lifted his head with a prideful, yet cold, expression.
"But... Wait... Look! At the top of the tower!" Daichi said as he pointed to the top of the tower.
There, on the top platform, were several demons lying in wait, as they secretly used their attacks to scare away innocent pedestrians. There had to be at least seven or eight demons huddled in a circle, but right above them floated the figure of a man that wore a long, black cloak. Is he in charge of these demons...? If so... Who is he?
"That man..." Yamato said as he glared through the window. He immediately opened the door and motioned for us to follow him. "He spotted us." Yamato said in a low tense voice as he pulled out his phone from his pocket.
"Alcor... We need the summoning app!" I pleaded. Alcor looked at me with a pained expression and shook his head. The demons from the top of the tower began to approach us at an alarming rate.
"I cannot do that. Humans no longer need that service to survive the Holy Ordeals that Polaris had unleashed on Humanity. Humanity has proven-" He tried to explain, but he was interrupted by the demons who began to attack us without hesitation. We all managed to dodge the attacks with little retaliation. We were helpless as the demons rapidly continued their assault...
"Tetrakarn!" I said as I immediately put up barriers that blocked most of the demons' physical attacks. Yamato and Daichi stared at me, while Alcor just smiled... It happened yesterday as well... I was able to use my skills without the use of Nicaea...
"What's the meaning of this, Alcor?!" Yamato demanded. He looked back at Alcor with a harsh glare, trying to force an answer out of him.
"In this new world, the Shining One is able to use her abilities without the use of Nicaea or the demon summoning app. However, she still must use the app to summon her demon allies..." He said as he looked back at me with a wide smile in a prideful tone. "Truly... The will of humanity is fascinating... Creating miracles that seem near to impossible..." He said in astonishment.
"Alcor... If Hiro is the only one able to fight, we'll die! Everything that happened would be for nothing, and we would have to live with the mistakes we make here!" Daichi argued. He had a point. Throughout all of our battles, we had at least one or two demons with us. With these teams, each member was able to survive, unless they were caught off guard, which was rarely the case. Without Nicaea, and only two members able to fight, our defeat is imminent... We're at a huge disadvantage, especially if we get overwhelmed...
"I see your point, Shijima Daichi..." Alcor took a moment to ponder. "Alright... I shall reactivate the site... For humanity's survival..." Alcor agreed and snapped his fingers. Daichi and Yamato's phones immediately rang, and once they opened them, two familiar voices greeted them.
"Welcome back! Our services are now, once again, available to all V.I.P. users. Have a nice Wheeeeee!" Tico's voice rang from Daichi's phone. His face immediately lit up and he started clicking through his phone for the demon-summoning app.
"Master Hotsuin, our services are now available to you, and other V.I.P. users. All apps are functioning normally. Have a nice day." Male Tico announced from Yamato's phone.
"Cerberus!" Yamato called out, as a familiar, lion-like, demon appeared from a string of summoning circles. Cerberus immediately went to fight the other demons as Daichi finally found his app.
"Jack Frost!" He said as a little, blue and white demon appeared. Daichi seemed slightly disappointed that his demon wasn't as big as it used to be, but it was probably for the best. If he had summoned the Black Jack Frost, it would have caused a national panic.
I looked at my phone in disappointment. It seemed to still be malfunctioning as the app was still missing and Nicaea seemed to be missing from my phone... Could someone, or something, be blocking it...? I shoved the phone in my pocket and charged ahead without a second thought. Yamato followed close behind me as we took out any demons that stood in our way..
"Hiro, are you mad?! Summon your demons!" He said as we began to struggle through the demons' numbers. I looked back at him as we dodged several attacks and my stomach sank.
"I... I can't..."
Cerberus had dispatched some of the demons in front of me as Yamato and I continued to advance towards the tower. He immediately walked in front of me, but he looked back, and his lavender eyes scanned me from head to toe. A frown formed on his lips as he looked down at my hands.
"So you've become useless." He said in a cold tone. His expression had turned cold, but not disappointed. He looked away from me and chuckled. "Then... As I promised I'll lend you my strength... So, rely on me from this point forward." He said in a prideful, compassionate tone as he stuck his hand out towards me.
"What...?" Did I hear what I think I did...? Did I just hear Yamato have compassion for another human being?!
"Oh... So, the great Yamato Hotsuin, Head of the Hotsuin Clan, DOES have emotions!" I teased. Now really wasn't the best time to make jokes, but when would I get another opportunity like this?
"I'm not so inhumane that I do not have the capacity for human emotions. I prefer not to exhibit them, to prevent the useless exhaustion of energy." Yamato's slight smile had disappeared as he defended his wounded pride. He motioned for Cerberus to dispatch of the stragglers that remained on the field, and it let out a soft growl as it went to work.
"Oh my! Such a persuasive reason! And here I thought that you were completely void of any emotion! But... I guess I was wrong." I teased again. I started to laugh as Yamato turned away with a flustered, annoyed expression.
"Silence you!" He said in a low tone as he came closer and grabbed me by the collar of both my shirt and my hoodie. "Remember who you are speaking to!" I started to laugh and waved my hands frantically as he scowled at me.
"Alright, Alright! I apologize! I'm sorry, Yamato...!" I said as he released me. "It's just that... Now that everything's back to normal... I just feel like we're closer than we were before." I said with a smile.
"Closer... Huh...?" Yamato said quietly. "My... You haven't changed since... No, forget it..." He said as we approached the base of the tower.
"Yamato...?" I followed behind him, but it seemed that he was done talking... I noticed that, instead of his usual cold expression, he actually had a slight smile that seemed softer... What could he be thinking about...?
Suddenly, Yamato stopped and looked up at the top of the tower, where the group of demons were gathered earlier. The mysterious figure started to float towards us, as his cape blew in the wind... He had blue hair that covered one of his eyes, and cat-ear shaped headphones. Yamato kept his composure as the man touched his feet to the ground in front of us. They locked eyes and the tension in the air grew thick... I was standing closely behind Yamato when the man focused his gaze on me, and a slight smirk appeared on his face...
"Ah... You must be the human who defeated Polaris... I thought you'd be... Different..." The man said with strange tone. "And you... Pawn of God..." He said as he looked back at Alcor who began to approach us.
"Ah... So you are the one who sent demons to attack Shining One's residence..." Alcor said as he and Daichi approach us from behind. He casually floated towards me, but he seemed... Tense...
"I see you're still nothing more than one of Heaven's Dogs... Al Saiduq." The man said in slight disgust as the smile on his face faded, only a glare remained.
"Ah... But you are mistaken. For now, I sit upon the Heavenly Throne as this world's Administrator... Abel." Alcor smiled, but his eyes showed a deep, storming anger waiting to be unleashed.
"Yet you still remain God's pet... Is that why you still remain?"
"Now, who could say..." Alcor said in his usual, mysterious tone.
"And you've dragged humanity into it... To be expected from God's pet." The man said in annoyance.
"Ah... I have done nothing to humanity, except given them the opportunity for true freedom without an administrator... Even you should know their potential... You were human, after all... By the by, we are not God's pawns, but his successors..." Alcor lifted his head in pride as they stared each other down. Alcor appeared to be analyzing the man, as if he was looking for a weakness he could exploit...
"So... You're saying that you are now God...?" Abel said without hesitation.
"No, far from it. I am but an administrator who watches man as they create the world of their own design..." Alcor said calmly.
"Don't lie to me. This world isn't designed by man, it was designed by you. She is proof of that." Abel said as he pointed to me. "She is not meant to exist and you know it. She is but a replacement for a missing existence! You knew what you were-!"
"Enough, King of Bel." Alcor said, raising his hand. "You surrendered your humanity in order to fight a war you could not win... You let the one known as Kazuya Minegishi die as you took over. You have no right to speak of her as an unnecessary existence. You and your companions survived the first Holy Ordeal, as have they. But now, what is your purpose for being here?" Alcor said as silver chains surrounded him, which signaled for us to get ready for a fight.
"Hmph... I am here to wage another Holy War. I did not succeed before because I was facing the angels with no way to stop their growing numbers... But now... You have taken the Heavenly Throne, and I plan to take that from you so I may create a world were humans and demons live in harmony. I have no doubt of the odds... Especially since your 'pet' seems to be having some troubles of its own... I will not harm humanity, but I have no strife in harming you and your pawns!" Abel said with a sinisterly, determined expression. And with a snap of his fingers, several demons surrounded us, only to be dispatched moments later by Alcor. He had taken out the demons with ease and smiled.
"Ah... So that's why... You were the cause of the Shining One's difficulties with Nicaea... However, you forget... I am still its administrator." Alcor floated over to me with a smile and put out his hand. The chains around him slithered and stood prepared for an attack from Abel... "Shining One... If I may...?" He cocked his head in an adorable manner.
"O-Oh... Yeah..." I reached into my pocket and let Alcor take my phone. As he took it, I couldn't get Abel's words out of my head... I'm not supposed to exist...? I'm just a replacement...? What... What does that mean...? Why does it feel like he's telling the truth...? I've always been happy, but I've had these moments where I feel like I don't belong to this world... Suddenly the image of Hibiki flashed into my head... Why does he keep popping up when I think like this...?
"Shining One." Alcor said firmly. He had a concerned expression on his face as I snapped back into reality.
"Oh... Sorry..." I looked down at my phone in his hand and tried to shake off that horrible feeling... He cupped the phone in his hands and a small surge of power entered the phone... Immediately I heard a familiar tone as Nicaea turned on...
"Now accessing the demon summoning app..." Male Tico's voice projected from my phone. "Access granted. Our services are once again available to you, Master Kuze." Tico said as he bowed. Alcor handed my phone back to me, and I couldn't help but feel nostalgic.
"She should have no difficulty summoning her demons now... King of Bel, are you sure you wish to start this war...? Surely you have seen man's potential... As well as hers." Alcors said as his expression saddened. "Humanity will be dragged into the conflict... The calamity will begin again, yet unlike the Holy Ordeal, there will be no way to undo the damage caused..." He turned to Abel with a sympathetic expression, but was met with nothing in response.
"That means the world would be destroyed, demons will wildly roam the streets, and humanity will be left in shambles! Would you become the tyrant that almost destroyed humanity, even though you yourself were previously human?" Yamato said as he approached me.
"Y-Yeah! We finally have our lives back! And you're just going to take that away?!" Daichi yelled as he gripped his phone...
"SILENCE. I will destroy any obstacle in my path! The Pawns of God and the Angels have no right to live, for they are the true enemy!" Abel said as a burst of power blew some of us back.
"Byakko!" I screamed as my demon appeared from the arcane circles and stood in front of me, taking the brunt of the shockwave. A valiant, white tiger stood before me as it displayed its power. Yamato, Alcor, and Daichi had been blown back by the surge of power and struggled to get to their feet. "Abel, Please! We don't have to do this!"
Abel only looked at me with a dark expression and slowly moved towards me. Byakko and I stood no guard as he immediately vanished from our line of sight. I flinched, but immediately took a step back as Abel reappeared behind me. He didn't move, but he kept his gaze on me, as if he was examining me...
"You... Why do you try to stop me...? Why have you not attempted to strike me with your demon...?" Abel said with a slight frown.
Well... You haven't summoned your demons against me... Nor have you physically attacked me, yet. I'm still suspicious, but I believe you're bluffing... You would have destroyed us years ago, if you had the chance... Your timing's just too coincidental for that to be your true intentions... Besides, you used to be human, right...? So, your friends must still be alive... And you wouldn't be able to kill them... Right?" I said as I looked around and slightly relaxed. Byakko stayed on guard and started to growl at Abel.
"Hmph... That reasoning will get you killed..." He said with a slight smile.
"Obviously it hasn't killed you yet, so I should be find. Besides, if you were truly serious about starting a war... You would have killed us by now, instead of telling us your plan." Abel looked surprised by my comments, but then he started to laugh...
"Ah... Very perceptive... I see why he calls you 'Shining One'... However you must have realized by now, right? You are not the original..." Abel said with a slight smile. "Only one of you truly overcame the Holy Trial... Ah, but I've said too much... If I let you live the universe will be torn apart by your existence..." His expression was filled with remorse as he raised his hand, and a strange force started to lift me by the throat and suffocate me. "Truly... I apologize for this..."
As I struggled, Byakko had attempted to attack Abel several times, but to no avail. Abel had set up a barrier that deflected all of Byakko's attacks, and then he had used his power to blow Byakko back. I was suspended in the air, choking to death. I could feel my life fading as I began to grow cold, and my vision had started to fade.
"Hiro!"
"Shining One!"
Two voices rang in unison, and as I struggled to look back, I saw Yamato and Alcor finally climb to their feet. Alcor's chains slithered, and suddenly shot out towards me, as a blur had passed me on the left. When I looked back at Abel, he was being attacked by Yamato's Cerberus, who seemed to have broken through his barrier...
"What, so you'll attack your overlord for a simple human? Pathetic-?!" Abel was suddenly interrupted as Byakko suddenly bit his arm and released his grip on me.
Alcor's chains quickly wrapped themselves around me as they pulled me towards him. As I reached Alcor, he suddenly embraced me and trembled slightly. His grip around me was tight, and I could hear his shallow, shaky breathing.
"Alcor...?" I said in hesitation. He had buried his face into my shoulder. He flinched as I said his name and he immediately let go of me.
"I... Apologize, Shining One. I was overcome... By deep emotions... I had no control over them..." Alcor said as he pondered his actions.
"Now is not the time for this foolishness! Or have you both forgotten the current situation?!" Yamato said as he stepped between us, staring daggers at Alcor.
"If you are going to protect that girl... Then you shall die with her!" Abel said with the snap of his fingers, summoning dozens of demons... We were surrounded and outnumbered...
"We need to get out of here! There's t-too many!" Daichi screamed as he tried to back away and clear a path... I looked back at Yamato to see his unwavering determination in these circumstances.
"Yamato...! We need to go!" I said as I put my hand on his shoulder. He looked back at me and reluctantly nodded. He immediately rushed behind me as I stared at the sheer amount of demons that filled the area within moments of being called... I felt like it was my fault that this was all happening, and I contemplated staying behind, giving my friends time to escape...
"Hiro, what are you doing?! This is no time to play hero!" Yamato screamed as he pulled on my arm. I immediately flinched at the touch of his gloves and looked at him. "We need to leave, this instant!" He said firmly as he dragged me behind him.
I looked ahead of him to see Daichi and Alcor waiting in front of the car that brought us here. Daichi had a grim expressions on his face and shook his head... The driver was no where in sight and there was blood on the door..
"I don't think the driver made it... He was probably trying to escape during the fight and got killed by a demon... But the body's no where to be found..." Daichi said. "Luckily he left the keys, so I can get us out of here. After all, I do have a driver's license." He said as he held up the keys with pride.
"Yeah, Daichi. No one cares right now! Just get us out of here!" I said as I shoved Alcor into the car. He yelped and immediately entered the driver's seat. Yamato entered behind us, as Daichi started the car, and looked back at the mob of demons approaching us.
"Go! NOW!" Yamato ordered. Daichi floored it, causing the back tires to screech, and sending the rest of us flying backwards. Alcor and Yamato landed in the seats, while I landed on Yamato, who quickly wrapped his arms around my waist, preventing me from flying off. "That that was... Very abrupt." Yamato commented on Daichi's sudden acceleration.
We immediately passed several intersections, putting a large distance between us and the demons that chased us. We gained a steady and constant momentum, yet Yamato's arm remained around my waist. I could feel Alcor's stare, and when I looked over at him, he had a puzzled expression with a hint of jealousy in his eyes. I looked away and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks and started to fidget.
"Yamato... Could you please let me go...?" I pleaded as I tried to pry his hands off. He slightly tightened his grip and chuckled.
"Just sit, and be a good girl." He said calmly. I tried to turn to look at him, but he had me so close that it was impossible.
-Alcor's P.O.V.-
The Shining One was in Yamato Hotsuin's embrace, and appeared to be struggling to get out of his grip. A slight grin grew on his face and his eyes showed an unusual, soft array of emotions. As I stared at them, strange emotions from deep within started to build, and caused me to become agitated... I tried to remain my composure as Daichi Shijima drove the vehicle back to the JP's Headquarters.
He had stopped several times, abiding by the rules humanity had created, and then quickly increased the vehicle's momentum. The consistency of this routine started to make me feel uneasy, and I started to feel slightly uncomfortable. I believe this is what humans call... "Motion sickness"..
"Alcor, are you alright...? You're looking a little pale..." Shining One leaned over and asked with a concerned expression. Yamato Hotsuin's arm was still wrapped around her waist, yet she still struggled under his grip. He gave an annoyed expression as she continued her struggle.
"Yes... However I feel rather uneasy as a result of the constant stopping... I apologize if I caused you to worry about my well being..." Her concerned expression remained as she looked in Daichi Shijima's direction, but then she returned her gaze to me. She gave me a comforting smile and reached over to pat my head. I was puzzled by this unknown gesture...
"It'll just be a little longer... Please bear with it, Alcor." She said softly. I began to laugh at this surprising act of compassion. How interesting.
"I think that's quite enough." Yamato Hotsuin said as he suddenly pulled the Shining One back, and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders. Now, she couldn't hope to get out of his embrace...
The sight of them agitated me further... But why...? What were these strange emotions that stormed in my heart...? Why were they constantly directed towards the Shining One's male companions...? I look down at the hands of the form I had taken for centuries... I purposely chose the appearance of a human male to avoid conflict with humanity... Yet, why did I chose a male..? It seems I cannot recall my actions over the centuries of my existence... Perhaps, I subconsciously considered myself male...? Yet, all Septentriones, excluding myself, have been genderless... Could it be... Ever since I've taken this form, I've been becoming more human...? The faulty Septentrione and former Sword of Polaris... Becoming a human? Impossible... Yet, it would explain these emotions that haunt me...
I looked toward the Shining One to see that she had stopped her struggle, and her cheeks had been colored with a slight pink tint... She had a flustered expression, as Yamato Hotsuin continued to hold her in his embrace. He seemed satisfied with her reactions...
"I'd prefer if you did not treat the Shining One in such a manner, Yamato Hotsuin." The words had unconsciously escaped my lips.
"It does not concern you, Alcor. I'm holding her for her own protection." He said with a distasteful grin, as he glared with me in disatisfaction.
"Uh... Sorry to interrupt your lover's quarrel, but we're here." Daichi Shijima said with what humans call "sarcasm".
"Lover's... Quarrel...?" I repeated. It was an unknown subject to me...
"Daichi! Don't get weird ideas into their heads!" The Shining One retaliated. She lashed out at Daichi Shijima, and was almost able to escape Yamato Hotsuin's grasp. However, he immediately grabbed Shining One's waist and pulled her back into his embrace.
The vehicle came to a halt in front of the JP's Headquarters. Yamato Hotsuin had finally let go of the Shining one, opened the door, and walked out of the vehicle. Shining One followed him, but she stood in the door and looked back at me.
"Are you coming, Alcor...?" She said softly. Her expression was a mix of curiosity and frustration.
"Ah... Yes. My apologies." I said as I followed behind her. As she exited the vehicle, her skirt and hair fluttered in the wind. She had the ears of her jacket in her hands as she looked up at the building before her. Truly... She is one of the brightest Shining Ones that I have ever met...
-Hiro's P.O.V.-
The wind had become unusually strong since our encounter with Abel... As I had gotten out of the limo, a strong gust of wind almost blew me off my feet. I grabbed the ears of my hoodie and stood my ground as I followed Yamato to the Diet Building. It made me sad that I had ended up here again after one day... We finally had our lives back, but I had already come back under different circumstances...
I cursed under my breath as I thought of the rooms in JP's HQ. The beds were as hard as rocks, each room had this moldy smells, and the dust literally burned your eyes. I shuttered at the thought of them.
"Were the rooms really that unsanitary and uncomfortable, Shining One...?" Alcor questioned as he floated beside me.
"The rooms here? Is that what you're talking about?" Daichi interrupted. "Oh yeah, they were the worst! The beds felt like they were made out of concrete! They also had this horrible stench, as if a bunch of sweaty men had rubbed their stench into the foundation... Ugh." He shuttered. "It also felt like a prison, with those bars on the windows! I couldn't get a wink of sleep some nights!" He complained.
"Uh... Daichi... I think only your room had bars on the windows..." I said.
"Our facilities were never meant for comfort, Shijima." Yamato said, overhearing his complaints.
"Well they should have been! Just think! The beds must had hurt the girls' delicate bodies! They probably couldn't get any sleep either, so they'd visit each other and find ways to pass the time... Oooh yeah..." Daichi began to daydream...
"I do have to admit... It was hard to get some sleep..." I agreed as I hit Daichi over the head.
"Ow! What was that for!?" He said as he suddenly caught me in a headlock.
"For being an idiotic pervert!" I grinned. I fought out of his grip and gave him a taste of his own medicine. I put him in a headlock and started rubbing my fist into his head.
"Hey! Ouch! That hurts!" He whimpered.
We both started laughing as we continued to walk.
"How noisy..." Yamato stopped in front of an elevator and swiped his JP's ID card. He stepped inside, turned around, and scowled. "Both of you, desist immediately!" Yamato ordered with his arms crossed.
"Yes, sir!" We said in unison as our bodies stiffened. We made our way into the elevator with haste, as Alcor leisurely floated inside.
"Shijima"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"When we arrive, I want you to coordinate with some of our agents and investigate the tower. It seems we can no longer rely on... His assistance." Yamato said coldly. Alcor looked at him with a displeased expression, but did nothing in retaliation.
"W-Wait! Whoa-whoa-whoa! W-Why me?!" Daichi argued.
"Because, you are but another expendable pawn. You can be replaced." Yamato said sternly.
"O-Oh..." Daichi said with a pained expression.
I patted his shoulder and gave him a look of reassurance. "Don't worry. No one can replace my best friend." I said with a smile.
"H-Hiro..." Daichi said, as he began to tear up. "Oh Hiro!" He hugged me from the side as he, literally, cried rivers of tears. You could literally see the sparkles around us, like from a shoujo manga.
Yamato seemed angry at the sight of use, but if you looked closely at his eyes... You could see a hint of jealousy raging within. Why would Yamato be jealous? I knew he wanted me to fight by his side during the trial... But now...?
My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden halt of the elevator. The doors opened, revealing JP's Tokyo Headquarters... It seemed a lot cleaner and more organized that the way it was two days ago.
"Chief Hotsuin, sir." A familiar voice called.
"Makoto-san?" I said as I looked at her.
"Hiro! Thank goodness!" She said as I came to hug her. "It's good to see that you're safe. We heard what happened at your apartment... Is everyone alright?" She said with a concerned expression.
"Yeah! Everyone's fine! It's going to take a while to repair my apartment though..." I said as I scratched my head.
"Ah... Well you're welcome to stay here, if you want. We'll open up the room you were staying in-"
"That won't be necessary, Sako." Yamato interrupted.
"C-Chief Hotsuin...?" She said, surprised.
"I've already made arrangements for her to stay with me in my quarters until her home is repaired." He said with a slight grin.
"Wait-whoa-what?! You-arranged-for-me-to-what?!" I said in complete shock.
"No. No no no no no no! Unacceptable! I object! Red Flag!" Daichi responded.
"Shijima! Why are you not over there with the agents!? Move. NOW." Yamato commanded.
"Eek! Y-Yes, sir!" Daichi stiffened and immediately walked over to a group of JP's agents standing in front of a desk.
"Chief Hotsuin... Are you sure that's wise...?" Sako continued.
"It is quite alright. My quarters have a separate guest room Hiro can rest in." Yamato replied with a smirk.
"Ohh no no no. Absolutely not! I can't share a room with you Yamato! I-It's not necessary." I tried to argue. I was met by his cold glare, as if they were threatening me to accept his offer or risk my life. "O-Okay... I-I'll take you up on your offer..." I sighed in complete defeat.
"Good. Curfew is at 22:00 hours." He said as he continued down the hall.
"Yes, sir..." I sighed.
"Shining One..." Alcor said as he floated next to me.
"Hmm...?" I replied.
"When we encountered Abel... Something felt unnatural about his behavior. It was as if... He was a pawn to a higher power." Alcor grabbed his chin as we stood in the middle of the room.
"Now that you mention it... He seemed relieved when I called his bluff..." I said in deep thought. It was true that Abel had a spark of joy in his eyes, as if we wanted me to call his bluff... It's as if he wants to be saved, but can't openly say it...
"If I recall correctly, Abel had a cousin when he was human... I believe he still goes by the name of Naoya..." Alcor said. We both pondered the actions of Abel and the possibility that he was being controlled. But in the back of my mind, one thing continued to repeat over and over again...
I'm nothing more... Than a Fake...
YEEEEAAAAHHHH I GOT IT DONE! Again, I'm sooooooo sorry for the unofficial hiatus! I've been having a lot of life problems and school problems... lol. It's not serious though~ XD It's just like getting ready for college and stuff. But I will try to bring you more updates on this story and the other ones too!
Alcor: My, my... It's been a while everyone... Please do review... I'm interested to see how humanity will respond.
Hiro: I... Think you're taking that a little... TOO seriously...
Me: Yup...
Yamato: I ORDER you to review!