I do not own claymore in any way.

Well here is the newest chapter for you all. you should expect at least one more chapter before the month is out.

Siblings

It wasn't long until he was called to leave again, this time it was a searching mission.

"Number 47 has disappeared. We want you and Galatea to go out and find her." Rubel explained.

"Why send me? Surely this Galatea can handle this herself." He asked.

"We think not. Number 47 was last assigned to work with our number 4, to exterminate an awakened being. We found the target dead and also found the awakened remains of number 4. Since there were no other warriors present we can safely assume that 47 killed her and has gone into hiding." He explained.

"Very well. However I would like to make a request." He said.

"A request? What could you possibly want?" Rubel asked.

"A better weapon. I no longer feel that the claymore will serve me well. If you could, I would prefer something lighter, so that I can maximize my speed." Christopher explained. Rubel thought for a moment and finally responded.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Something with equal length, though much slimmer in the width, a single sided blade, a smaller guard and a clothe wrapped hilt." He explained.

"Alright. I'll tell the higher ups. If they approve of this then your new weapon will be ready by dawn. If not then you will leave in one hour." He said as he left. Waiting for word on his weapon was maddening but once the hour passed Rubel returned with his usual grin.

"It's been approved. They feel that if you can better serve us with such a weapon then use it. You leave at dawn, once your new sword is completed." He said as he closed the door.

Dawn came all too slowly for him but once the door opened he saw that it was one of the elders waiting with his new weapon.

"Before we give you this weapon we want to know why you have requested such a sword." He said, hoping he would say something traitorous.

"To improve my fighting style. A claymore hinders my speed and makes it harder to use my full powers. With that new blade I will be many times faster and thus many time stronger." He replied calmly, only giving them what they thought he would say.

"Very well. Get going, Galatea is already a day ahead of you." He snapped as he handed him the blade. It was exactly what he had described with a sheathe for it made of hardened wood painted to match his silver armor with red patterns near the guard.

Moving quickly he left the organization and travelled west until he found Galatea. He moved quickly and matched her pace so that he could pull up beside her.

"You're late." She said as he ran next to her.

"Sorry. There was a delay." He replied as they stopped. She then started to search until she muttered something.

"I have found her but she is about to be in trouble. She has entered the den of Riful of the west." She said.

"Riful? The former number one? He asked, getting worried.

"Yes. Now we need to find a way to get her out of there before she notices her." She growled.

"Simple. We just go in after her." He laughed as he left. Running faster than Galatea could he reached the entrance and sensed the massive youki that was inside. Walking carefully he saw that Clare was fighting an awakened being. He was large and seemed to have thick armor around his entire body. He also had rod like things protruding out of his elbows. Sensing the youki coming from the awakened being he knew who it was and grinned.

"DUPH!" He yelled as he enter their sight.

"Huh? Who's there?" he asked, shaken that someone knew his name other than Riful.

"Your commanding officer." Hs grinned as he walked closer.

"Christopher?" he asked.

"If you forgot about me like Jacob did I will be extremely pissed off." He said. He then walked into full view so that Duph.

"It is you!" he exclaimed in shock.

"So what are you doing to my comrade there?" he asked hand reaching for his sword.

"Breaking a weak warrior." He grinned "If you've awakened then feel free to join us."

"Us?" he asked.

"Yeah Riful never turns down a strong awakened. You would be right at home here."

"So Riful is here." He sighed. Then striking quickly he slashed off one of Duph's fingers that had been pointing at Clare.

"What are you doing here Christopher?" Clare asked.

"I was sent here to bring you back to the organization. I thought that Miria had told you to keep a low profile?" he said.

"I couldn't. I was faced against Ophelia and was forced to kill her when she awoke, and now I have been searching for Raki." She explained.

"Raki?"

"Someone I was traveling with, someone I care very much about."

"Ouch!" Duph screamed as blood gushed from the missing finger "Why did you do that?!"

"Because we are enemies. I have not awakened yet, where as you my friend have. Therefore if our roles were reversed I would expect you to do the same. It's nothing personal, just business." He replied. Then Galatea walked in and was mumbling something about castrating Christopher.

"It's about time slowpoke." He laughed. Then Duph tried to punch Christopher but missed. Galatea and Christopher then proceeded to attack Duph and cause him endless grief. After a few minutes Christopher nodded to her and she grabbed Clare and started to leave.

"Don't you turn your back on me!" he roared as he fired one of the rods from his elbows at her, but it didn't even come close to hitting her.

"Your aim is slipping." Christopher grinned as he attacked. Duph knocked him away and fired rods from his fingertips, and the stump of a finger at the two leaving but they all missed. Finally he fired a larger one into the ceiling blocking their escape.

"Wow, good thinking Duph. You trapped yourself in here with the organizations numbers three and zero." He laughed as he nicked his arm. Then he and Galatea started destroying him, with Galatea's ability to manipulate her opponents yoma energy slightly she made all of his attacks fail until she cut off his right hand.

"Gosh… he really is rather stupid isn't he? That's why even though he's my man I really can't brag about him." A voice said form where they had left Clare to repair her wounded legs.

"Damn. She came earlier than I expected." Galatea cursed.

"Hey, Duph! What exactly are you doing letting your hand get cut off by those two?" she asked

"But but…! My punches and stuff don't hit them at all. That's why…" he cried.

"What are you talking about? There's no way that they would not hit." She said.

"No. It's the truth really! That's why…"

"Alright, I get it. Then I'll just teach you a way to make your punches definitely hit." She sighed "But after that you better make sure that the next one hits. Just smash into them with all your power."

"No, you see, that's what I've been doing this entire time already! And I still can't hit them!" he whined.

"Just shut up and do it. Let me tell you now though: If you miss this time it's over between us." She threatened.

"No… No anything but that. Dammit. You! This is all your fault!" He roared as he tried to punch Galatea. At the last second she dodged but if she hadn't he would have crushed her

"Huh? It didn't go off target." Duph said clearly surprised. He then proceed to target only Galatea with everything that he had, seeming to forget about Christopher.

"Yes, that's the way! If you had fought like that from the beginning you wouldn't have lost your hand." She said.

"I wouldn't be too sure." Christopher growled as he slashed at her. Flipping back off the rubble from the ceiling she sat on she dodged his strike and looked him full in the face.

"Big brother?" she asked.

"Riful?" he stopped.

"It is you!" she exclaimed locking him into a back breaking hug.

"Riful. You're hurting me." He gasped. With that she eased up her grip a bit but still refused to release him.

"I'm so happy to see you! Did you come here to become my ally?"

"Sorry but no. I came to get Clare, that's all." He said patting her head.

Suddenly they felt a burst of energy and saw Clare rushing to save Galatea who was about to be killed by Duph. Once she had moved her she started going over her limit but with help from Galatea she managed to revert.

"Awww. What's this, I thought that you had finally awoken." Riful said "A high ranking warrior, an enigmatic warrior who can turn back even after going over her limit and the last unawakened male warrior. I really like you three. I think that I will make you into allies of mine." She grinned as she released Christopher from the hug. Galatea then started talking with Clare about how there had only been three disastrous cases where a number one had awoken, and finally asked Riful what the three abyssal ones, as they were called, were planning with them gathering awakened ones to join them. Riful then explained that Isley had attained a strong awakened being after she had gone on a rampage through the north and that now he was slowly expanding his territory and beginning to pick a fight with the other two. She then spoke a little of the woman which caused Clare to begin to lose control.

"Where…Where is she?"

"What was that I can't hear you?" Riful asked.

"Tell me the name of the man in the north! I will kill this woman of his!" she proclaimed unleashing her yoma energy.

"Why do you know her?"

"That's none of your business. Just tell me his name and location this instant!" she growled.

"Tsk tsk. That's quite the attitude you've got there. Let's say that if you can cut me once then I shall tell you." Riful said playfully. Without wasting a second Clare moved straight for Riful Who was blocked by Duph.

"Too bad, but that was close." She said. She then struck again and again until Galatea stopped her before she awoke.

"That was a clever trick." Christopher said as he sheathed his sword, not feeling the need to interfere with this fight.

"Awww. She was so close to awakening too." Riful complained.

"You realize that I could tell them myself and help them escape." He pointed out.

"You wouldn't. You like letting people work for their knowledge. That's what you always did with me at least." She giggled.

"True." He agreed as he sat down. He watched as Clare ran off deeper into the castle to get another warrior before she would awaken while Galatea released her energy to an extent that it surprised him.

"You realize that they will escape and defeat him." He said.

"Care to make a bet on this. Since the two of us won't be fighting it should be fair. If you win and they escape then I promise to let you leave here. If I win then you awaken."

"Why would I agree to that? I gain nothing if the warriors win." He smirked.

"Alright. If you win then if you ever awaken I will make you my man. Is that a better deal?"

"Probably the best I will get out of you." He laughed. They then watched as Duph fought Galatea to the point that she was exhausted. Then Clare and another warrior came up from the level below.

"Wow. I thought that I had made her awaken. These people really do amazing things." Riful said. Then Galatea and Clare attacked each taking an arm while the third one prepared some attack. Once she was ready the two of them tried to keep his arms back while the third one, who Galatea called Jean, charged forward, her right arm twisted up. Seeing the attack coming he pulled his arms together knocking the two into each other while he raised his left hand to defend against the thrust that was sure to come. Jeans arm then spun and pierced through his hand, tearing all except his pinky finger off. Reacting quickly and in pain he knocked her out of the way and onto the floor.

"Well I guess that ends the match." Riful said, looking at Christopher.

"It isn't over yet." He grinned as Clare stood up.

"Just stop it the match is already over. I don't want to kill you. Just torture you and make you awaken and then we can be friends. If I kill you I lose everything." Riful said. Clare then spoke quietly to Jean who began to prep that attack again while Clare prepared to clear the path for her.

"Remember Duph I want her alive, so don't overdo it." She said as Clare attacked Duph's face with amazingly quick slashes. When he tried to counter attack she moved with greater speed than Christopher had seen on the mountain top and attacked him from behind. She then dodged his attack and attacked him from above his head with the next flurry of slashes. Finally she faked him out to think that she was going to attack from above and then attacked him from the front. After a few moments Clare got knocked away and he realized that Jean was ready to launch the attack that had destroyed his hand. He launched the rods at her which Clare blocked once she had gotten up. With an order from Clare Jean went in to attack, so when Duph tried to stop the attack Clare moved in and stopped him by using the speed slash to only cut up his arms.

"Impressive. She focused the attack to only attack his yoma energy." Christopher noted. When Duph realized his arms wouldn't stop her he prepared to launch the rods from his open mouth, but was forced shut by Galatea manipulating his energy again, which allowed Jean to spin the sword again and pierce through his throat. When Jean turned to finish the job thin red strands wrapped around Jean and pinned her to the ground. Christopher turned to see that Riful had transformed her right arm and had stopped Jean from delivering the killing blow.

"Sorry. I really wanted you to savor your moment of glory a little longer. But I really can't be having this." Riful said as she stood "After all is said and done, he is still my man after all." Clare then leapt forward and swung her sword into Riful's head, just stopping above the eyes.

"Well… I will consider this as one cut." Riful said as she transformed into her awakened form. When she transformed she destroyed the entire passage way leveling off everything so that they could see the clear sky.

"I really wanted to end this before things escalated this way…because someone weird is close…and I really don't like having my power measured. I see that the organization is cunning as usual. When did they manage to create something like that?" Then Duph, who was wrapped in the red rope like things that were her body coughed "Oh, I'm sorry I forgot about you Duph… it would be bad if you died on me! Someone like you who can accept me without breaking." She then tossed Jean over to Clare "I'll give her back to you. A reward for defeating Duph. By the way: you two are already halfway there. Rather than forcefully making you awaken now, leaving you to ripen a bit more and reaping the results seems far more delicious. Until you awaken…become stronger! And then wake up. That way you will be even stronger awakened beings. AH… yes that's right…I promised you something didn't I? That I would tell you about the man in the north if you could cut me just one time. Alright, I shall tell you. Especially you really did give it your best in this battle…" she began

"His name is Isley." Christopher interrupted "He rules the northern lands of Alfonse, known as the silver king."

"The northern lands of Alfonse, Isley." Clare repeated.

"Let me tell you right now though: don't go there expecting to just fight and win because it went so well this time. He isn't nearly as kind and warm hearted as me. If you want to defeat that man become allies with me. That is the single fastest way to do it. Until then I'll be waiting. Lets meet again." She said as she lowered herself next Christopher and whispered "Especially for you. Once you grow tired of serving the organization." With that she disappeared into the ground to return to her deep sanctum.

"Damnit. So far…everything is far." Clare cursed as she fell to her knees in despair.

"Well now that that's out of the way it's time to return to our original mission." Galatea began "Number 47, we were told to bring you back to the organization. Dead or Alive. If you come back without a fuss good. If not then I will bring back your corpse. Which will it be?"

"Right now I have no intention of returning to the organization. There is something that I must prioritize over everything else." Clare said.

"Does that mean that you want to return to the organization as a corpse? Is that how I am supposed to take it?" she asked. With that Jean and Christopher both moved in front of Clare.

"What is the meaning of this you two?"

"I am sorry but she saved my life. I have decided to use it for her sake." Jean answered.

"I am done following the organizations orders. I will follow my own path, and it follows Clare at the moment." Christopher said, his hand reaching over his left shoulder to draw the sword.

"You will both be targeted by the organization. Are you prepared to deal with that?"

"I had already lost this life. I do not intend to stretch it out at the cost of my honor."

"They can send whoever they like after me, but they better be ready to bury them soon after." He grinned. Galatea then turned and began to leave.

"Low rankers like you two should not have been able to survive a battle with an abyssal one you encountered. He went in and tried to save you both and died. Additionally you bodies were chopped and crushed so badly that I couldn't retrieve them." With that she began to leave.

"You're letting us go?" Clare asked in disbelief.

"Thank you Galatea, we really owe you this one." Jean said.

"I do not need any debts from the deceased. I do not know whether we will be allies or enemies the next time we meet. But in any case, try to stay alive until then." She then left them standing in the ruins.

"Yeah it's a promise. Let's meet again Galatea." Clare said. They then began to leave the ruins travelling in whatever direction Clare walked in.