Wow, this was done a lot sooner than I expected. Actually, I hadn't expected to get this done anywhere near this soon… But I'll get to that in a minute. Time for review replies!
…Except there are no review replies; there were no reviews last chapter. :( I'm keeping the space open for replies, however, in case someone reviews the previous chapter in the future. So, that means I can go straight to the important part.
In case anyone didn't see it on my profile, I did NOT lose my internet connection; I'm very sorry for the confusion. That means updates will continue as normal – thus why Yami no Himitsu has been updated. I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter… But I'll let you guys decide; read on. :)
Nothings are something, too. - Man wandering Jibral, known as "Nothing Man"
It catches him off guard.
He never expected it to be so easy for them to work together again, never expected them to fit together again so easily. It's almost like they've never been apart.
It's such a relief, such a comfort. It makes Shu think that maybe he hasn't changed as much as he thought. A puzzle piece has to stay the same to be a part of the big picture, right?
(Later, he'll wonder how it all went so sour.)
What really surprises him is that he's getting along with Andropov (a little better than neutral, anyway), but Jiro isn't. Shu has no idea what has the two boys riled up with each other, but figures that it's none of his business anyway.
Besides, there's other business he needs to be taking care of.
He checks the map that Xi gave him again, then to be sure asks Jiro, who confirms that this is the place.
Shu looks around, but doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. The location is about four and a half feet from the door to a house; poor girl was probably trying to get home when it happened.
Something catches his eye - a potted plant lying on its side, mostly intact save for some soil spilling out. It could have easily been knocked over by someone, but this isn't a busy path, and the people in this area would likely know to watch out for it. Not the most promising evidence, but it is a possible clue to a struggle of some sort.
Shu clears his throat. "Jiro-"
"I know." He sounds calm, but Shu can detect the unease. "You see anything else over there?"
"Not really."
"I don't get it." Bouquet pouts her confusion. It's kind of cute, in a way... (And Shu tells himself that he didn't just think that. It was someone else. And it was in his head. Somehow. But not him. Nope. Never.) "What's the big deal about a potted plant?"
Andropov rolls his eyes. "Pots don't knock themselves over."
Shu instantly catches on that there's some friction in the air (where it came from is worrying, but there's no time to consider it right now - later), and immediately breaks in with, "So, anybody see anything else out of place?"
While Bouquet, Jiro and Andropov remain standing - Jiro stays where he is behind Shu, while Bouquet and Andropov wander a bit - Kluke comes and crouches down beside him. That familiar scent invades his nostrils - what he's always thought sunshine would smell like if it had a smell, mixed with fruit soap. (She loves soap that smells like fruit for some reason; he remembers that she'd always try to use a different one each day, because according to her, it would be too boring otherwise, and she would always laugh after she said it...) It brings up so many memories - long before any journeying or fighting or hardship (not counting the time surrounding his mother's death - but there's no way he can think about that right now without coming apart) - that he couldn't avoid the powerful wave of homesickness if he wanted to. It bubbles up in is chest, and before he knows it, it's lodged painfully in throat, making his eyes sting.
"From the way you and Jiro were talking, this thing looks like it was just knocked over, but there's more to it than there seems," Kluke murmurs, half to herself. "I just don't understand it... Why would someone just take these women out of nowhere? There has to be a reason..." She trails off. "Shu?" She says his name urgently. It makes him look up, and he instantly knows what's wrong - her face is blurred. Which means his eyes are watering. Not crying... Not- oh, why do I even bother?
He takes an arm to his eyes, scrubbing furiously and hoping that everyone else is looking the other way. "I-it's nothing." That task finished, he does his best to meet her concerned gaze steadily. "I don't think there's much else to look for in this alley, so we should start heading towards the next closest place on Xi's map." Shu stands, then offers Kluke a hand. "Here."
"Thanks." She grins at him as Shu helps her up. About a second or two after, she claps her hands together. "Oh!" He recognizes that smile, that light in her eyes - she has an idea. She spins towards the others. "Andropov! Can you use your Shadow to look around the city?"
"Sure." Andropov smiles at her warmly - Shu already knows it's specifically for her. Shu's stomach flip-flops. Come on, Shu. Keep your cool. "I mean, it might not hurt to double check those places later, but we'll definitely spot anything that sticks out."
"If you can't pick up the details, why bother?" Jiro snaps at him.
"If I do see anything, it'll save us time." Andropov's eyes hold a challenge.
Shu almost groans out loud. He certainly does internally. Do they have to bite each other's heads off at every opportunity?
A couple of minutes actually pass where Jiro and Andropov argue the most nonsensical pros and cons that Shu has ever heard of. In the meantime, the rest of them are stuck on the sidelines - Kluke looking upset that they're fighting, Bouquet looking embarrassed for the two of them, and Shu wanting to smack them both and imagining that he looks it as well.
When he finally reaches his limit, Shu catches himself short of exploding and steps in as even-toned as he can manage. "Enough. Both of you." He doesn't shout, but it comes out loud in order to be heard over the two. "Here," he gives the map to Andropov. "Use this."
Jiro's eyes flash; ocean waves in a storm. "Why are you taking his side?"
"Because Andropov is the one who can scope out the entire city in less than a minute." Shu nods to the blue-haired boy. "Have at it."
As Andropov summons Alfheim, Jiro grabs Shu's arm. Roughly. Tack on a "very" to the beginning of that; Shu winces accordingly. "You and I need to talk." His former rival's voice is a low and hard whisper. "Now."
She whimpers as something - some thing with clawed hands that somehow feel like nothing and everything - drags her through what feels like a cavern tunnel by the way the air is compressed, from the way the thing's growl reverberates around them. She couldn't honestly say, though - she can't see at all, and that fear of the dark so many children have has come back to her with a vengeance. The thing that really makes her whimper, though, is what feels like tree roots all over the ground - they've sliced her bare feet open, and she no longer walks so much as she limps. The things took her shoes - she doesn't know why. They also gave her a dress that was little more than a rag.
She's just glad that when they took her clothes, they didn't do anything... unseemly.
She wishes she could go back to where she'd been. True, that's where they'd taken away her clothes and shoes and given her the raggedy dress, but in that room she could see her hand in front of her face. More importantly, in that room, there were other girls.
She wonders what has become of them. Wonders if their fate will be the same as hers.
... What is going to happen to her?
She thinks of her mother, thinks of her dear friend Miria, and hopes to see them one last time before the end.
In the next moment, the transition from cavern tunnel to enormous room is so smooth that she doesn't notice it right away.
When she does realize it is when she hears the voices.
"Sacrifice them, sacrifice them, sacrifice them..."
They say the same thing over and over again. This hungry, excited, animalistic chant that can't possibly be human.
Her feet are agony, her skin crawls, and a scream inches its way up her throat.
The thing holding her continues onward. Bringing her closer to the chanting. She tries to wriggle away, but all she earns is a claw digging into her arm until she yelps as a bead of blood is drawn.
And then a female's voice thunders throughout the room. "Silence."
The instant quiet is paradoxically deafening.
A small, orb-like light appears from a high corner. It flashes bright - and suddenly, the room is bathed in light.
She is surrounded by an army of Shadow.
The black, formless figures all look different, yet they all look the same. They are nothing and empty, yet they are something and brimming with an unexplainable wrongness. The one that holds her almost seems to have the shape of a person, but... When she looks back at it, it seems to sneer - in what might pass for its face, a dark purple light appears in the imitation of a grin that should be on a pumpkin at the very end of October. The scream wanting to escape her instead comes out as a choking sob.
The Shadows part, making a path for her to be dragged across. Though it's much higher up, she is stopped in front of the light. And next to the orb is the one who spoke.
The woman is beautiful, but also terrifying. She wears almost nothing - what she does have on is intricately placed, and it almost seems... organic... rather than any kind of cloth or leather. She trembles as she looks at her.
"Dear child," the woman speaks. Her very voice is as suggestive as her appearance. It also brings about the same hypnotizing fear. "Do you know what you are here for?"
She shakes her head slowly, too scared to speak.
"I need you, my dear. You had what you thought was a meaningful life Above, didn't you? But, I'm afraid that I must be the one to tell you that was a lie." The woman stepped down the vine staircase, her hips swaying. "I am Lady Bira, the most beautiful being in all creation, and I will be the one to give you a purpose." She stopped just in front of her. "Because of me, you will at last have meaning and importance. But... I'm sorry to say that there must be sacrifices."
"Sacrifices..." She quietly repeats, lowering her head. She finally gets a good look at the dress, as the other places hadn't been bright enough. Though the design is simple, it looks like it could have been beautiful once - held by thin straps, it goes to her calves, and a long time ago, it was probably snow white. It's been dirtied now.
Something pale in the corner of her eye. She looks to see.
And is flooded with icy terror.
A pile. A pile of bodies - a pile of girls. Each of them wearing that dress. The one on top is staring straight at her with blank, soulless eyes that are almost completely taken up by the color (brown). They silently plead with her to run.
And the girl underneath the one on top. Her hair is reddish-orange, with a small ponytail on the side that is tied with a green hairband.
Miria.
The scream inside her forcefully tears loose as she thrashes in a fruitless attempt to be freed. The thing holding her cackles; she knows it is making light of her despair.
Nails dig into both of her cheeks as she's pulled toward a face - Bira's face. The position would almost be one of two people about to kiss, or a mother about to lean forward to press her lips against her child's forehead, but there's nothing close to either in the woman's face - her eyes glint with malevolent intent. She wonders if the witch (this witch that killed her friend or whatever it is that's been done to poor Miria) is even capable of loving anyone but herself.
"I'm afraid that the sacrifice, my lovely, is you."
Shu rubs his arm where Jiro grabbed him. (He's stronger than he used to be, that's for sure.) They didn't go far at all - they can still see the others - but far enough so that they can talk without being overheard.
Shu narrows his eyes. "Jiro-"
"Don't." Jiro waves it away dismissively, not even giving him a chance to talk. "I don't want to hear it. Now, you-"
"Well, you need to, okay?" After cutting Jiro off (one good turn deserves another and all that), Shu takes a deep breath, realizes that accusing him straight off the bat is a mistake. He knows Jiro; doing that will only make the other boy clam up, and they'll be no better off than they were before (and in fact, things will likely be worse). He shifts mental gears and decides to try getting to the crux of the problem first. "What... What's up with you and Andropov? I mean... You're fighting with him worse than you used to fight with me."
"You and I are a different story." Jiro says quickly. "Andropov... We just don't get along, alright?" He snaps out the last bit. "That's all there is to it."
"But you said you didn't dislike him-"
"I don't dislike him."
"Then what's with the fighting?" Shu wants to bang his head on the nearest wall. They're going nowhere fast.
Jiro only looks away, not responding.
Shu sighs. "Well, if you don't dislike him, then you shouldn't have any problem getting along with him-"
"I can't do that." Jiro's eyes shoot daggers at him. "I'm sorry, but I can't, and I won't. Not with him."
That's what you used to say about me. He's already played this game with Jiro for half a year, give or take, and he's not eager to watch a repeat, even if he isn't the one contending this time around. On the flip side, Shu doesn't want to get on Jiro's bad side - not when they'd been getting along so well. He'd worked so hard to be friends with him, even in the beginning - it might not have looked it at times, but not for nothing, the kid saved his life - and now that they've finally earned that friendship, it seems insane for it to get wrecked because of a small disagreement on an epically bad day. So, to shortly summarize, Shu is navigating tumultuous waters (and he thinks chances are good that he'll capsize). "Look, Jiro. Women and girls are disappearing, and I just want to get to the bottom of it. I don't want anyone to die because we wasted time bickering." When Jiro's glare remains just as sharp, Shu sighs. "I'm not asking you to become friends with him overnight. I'm just asking you to cooperate with him for a few hours. That's not much to ask, is it?" Besides, out of the two of us, you're considered the calm one. If you can't keep yourself in check, how am I supposed to?
"Well, I don't know." When Jiro gets upset enough, he does sarcasm badly, and he's doing it badly right now. "Last I heard the both of you gave each other black eyes, so maybe you should ask yourself first."
Ow. That hurts. That's low, even for two-years-ago Jiro (did he somehow wake up today and get the wrong Jiro?). And how the heck did Jiro find out about that? "As a matter of a fact, I am cooperating with him." Shu tries to ignore the way his voice trembles with a hint of anger. And I don't think that what happens between me and Andropov is any of your business. That's what Shu almost adds, but doesn't - he's too upset, and it would come out wrong. Wrong and incensed, and that's the last thing he wants to do.
"I don't know how you could agree with him..." Jiro stares at the ground with hard eyes. "You have reason to be angry with him. You more than anyone."
"In other circumstances... yeah, maybe it would be a different story." For some reason, that particular part feels hard to say. "But this is important, so I'm willing to put it aside for now." He drops his eyes to his feet.
A hand on his back makes his head shoot up, and Jiro pulls back. Shu's surprised to see the heavy sadness that rests on the other boy's shoulders. "You've... really grown up, Shu. I thought maybe when you didn't take the bait back at the hospital, that maybe you were just in a rush, but... I was wrong." Jiro manages a small smile, until it drops to a frown. "I really am sorry about that. I... shouldn't have done it." He kicks at the ground. "I felt bad afterwards, but I didn't really have a chance to apologize."
"Oh... Don't worry about it. It's fine." Shu blinks at the sudden turns the conversation has taken. What a day.
Jiro suddenly stiffens. He's looking past him, over Shu's shoulder. Shu turns, and sees Kluke laughing at something Andropov has just said.
"Look at him," Jiro grumbles. "Showing off for her like that-"
"It's nothing the two of us didn't do in the old days."
"But that's just it," Jiro rakes a hand through his hair. "What gives him the right to...? Ugh, forget it." Jiro faces away from him. "It's not worth it."
Suddenly, it's all clear to Shu. "... You feel like he took Kluke away from us."
Jiro whirls around, stunned. "What do you-?"
"I know, Jiro, because I felt the same way." That quiets him down; Shu keeps going, because this is the chance to get his point across. "It took me a while to realize I was wrong. In the beginning, I felt like you and Kluke had left me, and I was bitter and angry at both of you." He actually still feels some of that bitterness sometimes, but just like he has been doing, he knows how to hide it. Shu spots hurt and regret flicker in Jiro's eyes, but continues, because he hasn't even gotten to the important part yet. "I didn't feel angry at you anymore after I tried to get you to revive Minotauros; I realized we had all been through a lot, and you needed that space, probably more than any of us. But when it came to Kluke, I couldn't let it go, and it didn't take much for me to direct all that anger towards Andropov. But... I guess it was the night after Rudolf made that wall. Kluke and I talked then, and it made me remember..." Shu grins. "If it's an elder or someone she looks up to, she'll listen. But otherwise, no one tells Kluke what to do. Andropov didn't take her away. She was in that hospital caring for people because she chose to be, and when Andropov was found, she chose to take care of him. I wasn't mad at her or Andropov anymore - Andropov didn't do anything, and I couldn't blame Kluke for being herself. If there's someone hurting, Kluke will always try to help them." Shu winks at Jiro. "After all, you should know that by now." Well, his throat aches something awful. But at least it's all out in the open now - that's what he tries to comfort his dry and burning vocal cords with.
Jiro flushes. "I... How did you..." He glares at the wall. "I am never telling Marumaro anything again, even if it is to get him to shut up for a second."
Shu grins, finally relaxing. Mission success. "A lesson well learned."
Another girl tossed on the heap. Bira throws her head back and laughs. She can feel their strength, their youth, their beauty - all of it coursing through her, making her more incredible than she already is. It's wonderful!
She lowers her head, looking at her subjects through lidded eyes. "That will be all for now. Leave the rest of them where they are. We have more... important things to attend to." She smirks. "The hour has arrived to show them our might."
She twirls a lock of hair around her finger. Really, it would have been much easier to just sneak into this place; not to mention much more fun. But now that she's become more of a do-gooder, her methods must involve less stealth and more teamwork.
An impatient sigh.
The door of the waiting room inches open and she steps out. "Now, how can I-" The woman catches sight of her, and the mood takes a swift downward change. "Oh. It's you."
She smiles genially at her. "Trust me, Matilda, truce or no, I'm not that pleased to see you either."
"Either! Either!"
"We're very busy today." Matilda snaps at her. "In case you haven't heard, the people of Nirvana are in a panic, so unless you have important business here, Delphinium," the Hraesburg captain draws out the syllables, matching the condescension when she had said Matilda's name, "I'll thank you to take your leave."
"Now, now. Is that anyway to treat your guest?"
"Your guest! Your guest!"
Matilda grinds her teeth. "You are no guest of mine-!"
"Matilda. That's enough."
"... Yes, Rogi-sama." The aide shrinks back as he enters the room, her face showing that she's ashamed of displeasing Rogi. When I had been at Rogi's side, I never cowered. I was always his equal. His better, in fact - Rosenkreuz may never have come into existence if it weren't for me. Yet he's forgotten about her so quickly, replaced her with someone more willing, someone who appreciates both his goals and him.
She wonders if he's forgotten about Zola, too.
"Delphinium." Rogi addresses her. "I'm presuming you came for a reason...?"
She smirks and stands. Delphinium shows them her back as she peers out of the window that takes up most of the wall opposite the door; feels Matilda's glare even though she can't see it. "White Brigade sent me. They know I've worked with you in the past, and they sent me to assist you."
"Assist! Assist!"
"We don't need your help." Matilda bites out. She's about to say more, but Rogi must have done something, because she pipes down before the next words are even out.
"Thank you for coming. We're glad to have your help." Even as he says this, he keeps his voice a careful neutral.
"The pleasure is mine." Delphinium smiles at his reflection in a window pane. "Well, now that I'm here, I might as well-"
She freezes.
"Delphinium?"
She can't believe what she's seeing. This can't be happening. They've already been through this!
"Rogi. Get over here now."
And yet here it comes, whether they're ready or not.
He gasps.
Something is wrong. Dear God, it's so wrong... It's so wrong that he can't even put it into words. He doesn't know what it is, or how he knows this, but it is. Oh, it is.
(Hey, it's not like anyone ever gave him a lesson about his powers. He would have gotten that - if he hadn't been taken from his parents before he could even talk.)
"Noi?" Rottares' quiet voice brings him back to the present.
"What's up, Chairman?" Hildegard's voice is teasing. Noi wishes she wouldn't do that - when she calls him that, and she sounds like that (either voice), it's like she's mocking him. Maybe she is mocking him. "We got trouble?"
"No. Not us." Noi puts strong emphasis on the last two words. It works - Hildegard gets serious, and Rottares tenses up, likely concerned over Bouquet. He can't blame her - he's worried about Bouquet, too. He's worried about all of them. "We need to get down to the Surface."
"Andropov..." Kluke's throat is dry - she can just barely talk through it - as she sees the image shown to them in Alfheim's crystal. "Are you sure that this is..."
"It's there." His voice hasn't sounded that grim in two years. "Trust me, it's there. I wish it wasn't, but..."
"Is it... the darkness?" Jiro almost sounds afraid as he says it. Kluke can't remember him ever being scared of anything.
"No. They're Shadows." Shu's jaw is clenched tight. "Those are the same kind of Shadows as the one that tried to take Bouquet." Said girl moves close to him, clinging to his arm, and when she feels a prick of jealousy, Kluke has to remind herself (as she's had to so many times) that she may very well have lost any right to feel jealous when she left after the Battle of Darkness.
A distant shout echoes. "The city is under attack! Bring out the Brionac platforms!"
"Let's go, guys!" Shu springs into action not even a second after he's said it, and everyone follows him with the same haste.
Kluke's insides twist. She doesn't want to fight. But she has to.
Because there is an army of darkness cascading down a hillside - she and the others are the only thing standing between them and the civilians of Nirvana. And even if she's come to despise conflict, she thinks innocent lives are certainly worth fighting for.
And it's done! :D Sorry it's so short, but it has to end right here – what's coming up next can't happen until chapter three. Otherwise it'll disrupt the flow of the story. :P I felt like some scenes weren't thorough enough (namely all conversion between Shu, Jiro, Kluke, Bouquet, and Andropov - any combination of the five), and that some were overdone. Also, I wanted to try and keep the fighting between Jiro and Andropov more humorous, and while I think it almost got there with one line, it seemed more "angst-y" this time (is that the right word?) than I would have liked. Still, I never said it would be completely humorous… Anyway. :P
If you can, please review and let me know what you think! :) I'll try to update after 10 hits, but… That's been taking some time lately, as you know. XP After this chapter is uploaded, the poll will be taken down. I've just finished fine-tuning my non-poll updating list – which basically means it's typed up rather than listed in my head – so not counting oneshots and/or drabbles, the next story to be updated will be Maple Leaf. (It seems like it's been ages since I updated that. *sweatdrops*) So, that's everything I have to mention. See you soon! :D