Chapter Eight –

"Y-Yuri!" Vera exclaimed as she scrambled to stand upright once again. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

The prince continued to smile, ignoring Nadeshiko's sharp look. "Yes, sister, I'm fine." Yuri's grin widened. "Could you please give me the brooch?"

Vera blinked and looked down at her hand. "Oh! I almost forgot I was still holding it…" She opened her clenched right hand, revealing a jewelled brooch of the royal family's crest. The jade green jewels flared as the young woman held out her hand for her brother to take the brooch.

Nadeshiko quickly grabbed the heirloom before Yuri could.

"Klara – Oh, I mean, Nadeshiko!" Vera gasped, tripping over her words slightly as she remembered the brunette's real name. "What are you doing? Its Yuri's birth right to receive that brooch! I was just about to give it to him when those things – Akuma, you called them? – attacked!"

"Vera, I was wrong. The Akuma aren't after you're brother, but this brooch. It's Innocence."

"W-What? Innocence?" The black-haired woman stuttered in confusion.

"Yes." The brunette nodded. "Innocence is what we Exorcists call fragments of 'The God Cube'. It can be made into a weapon to destroy Akuma, and wielded by only the ones who have been chosen by God and the Innocence itself. Those who are compatible with Innocence can become Exorcists." Nadeshiko explained, not once taking her eyes off Yuri – the closed-eye grin that was still plastered on his face made her wary. "And I believe that you're compatible."

"M-Me? But –" Vera was cut off by a sadistic laugh coming from Yuri.

"No she knows, huh?" He cackled. "Well, since the truth has finally come out, I guess there's no need to keep up this charade and longer!" Yuri's skin became a dark bistre brown, and his hair steadily grew longer until it reached his shoulders and turned a mouldy green colour. His eye shape became smaller, narrowed, brown, cat-like orbs looking at the two females with amusement.

"Yu… Yuri…?" Vera whispered, staring at her 'brother' in shock.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's not your brother anymore." Vera a Nadeshiko looked over their shoulders and saw Florentina standing there. But the shy girl's appearance slowly melted away to form something completely different.

Her shoulder length golden blonde hair became shorter, and stuck up around her head in blue spikes. Her skin tone paled, and her eyes became gray. The pink maid's dress changed into a black skirt, white long-sleeved dress shirt, striped stockings, black Mary-Janes and a purple-pink tie around her neck.

"F-Florentina…?"

'Florentina' laughed. "Nuh uh – try again!"

Nadeshiko's eyes narrowed to glare at the blue-haired girl. "I don't know who exactly you are, but am I correct to assume you work alongside the Millennium Earl?"

"Oh ho ho! You're a smart one!" The girl giggled and pulled a pink umbrella with an orange jack-o-lantern on top out of thin air. She threw it up and caught it a couple times, while it let out a yelp.

"Road-sama, Lero~! Please stop, Lero~!"

"Aw, c'mon Lero! I'm just having fun!"

The girl named 'Road' managed to wrestle 'Lero' so that it was floating horizontally in the air, with her sitting on it and looking down at Vera, Nadeshiko, and the Akuma that used to be Yuri.

"If I were you, I'd be focusing on the Akuma behind you, Exorcist."

Said Akuma had snuck up behind Vera while she and Nadeshiko had been focusing on Road, and now tried to hit her. The brunette however, thanks to Road's 'warning', had deactivated her Sword of Healing while turning around and now held her Sword of Fire strongly. She swung the sword, releasing a fire ball like she had done with Tyki back in the garden.

Vera ducked and slid across the floor to stand closer to Nadeshiko. "W-What are you going to do?"

"Destroy it of course."

"No! You can't!" The young woman pinned the brooch onto the top of her dress, above her heart. "That's my brother!"

"No, Vera, it's not. That's an embodiment of sorrow, pain and mourning. You're brother is dead now. There's nothing you can do to change that fact." Nadeshiko knew she was being harsh, so she softened her tone ever-so-slightly. "But you can, however, safe some of the guests' lives."

The black-haired female remained silent for a moment, as a determined look crossed her face, fire burning in her eyes. She straightened her posture, clenched her jaw and nodded to the brunette. "Alright. How?"

"Activate your Innocence."

"What? I don't even have –" Vera stopped speaking when the Akuma launched itself at Nadeshiko, copper claws extending from the tips of its fingers. It swung its hands at her, but the brunette blocked each attack with her sword.

Pushing back against the claws, Nadeshiko sent the Akuma flying backwards, though her breathing was slightly heavier and faster do to how much strength she had to use to do so. She looked over to Vera for a moment. "Just try Vera, that's all we can do sometimes."

And with that, she ran at the Level Four.

-:-

Lavi stared, wide-eyed, at the scene before him.

He had seen Nadeshiko heal Vera.

He had seen Vera's shocked face when Nadeshiko told her about Innocence and the fact that she may be compatible.

He had seen Yuri turn into an Akuma – the Level Four they had been searching, no less.

He had seen Road appear.

He had seen Nadeshiko narrowly manage to evade the attacks thrown at her.

He had seen Nadeshiko send a Level Four flying.

But throughout that all, he found himself unable to move, unable to go help her. The Bookman side of him was working hard, trying to comprehend the things going on. His thoughts were racing, wondering how anyone could have the power to do the things Nadeshiko just demonstrated.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed movement – Nadeshiko sprinting towards the Level Four.

Was she insane?

No one could just attack a Level Four head-on and expect not to get injured!

So… did she understand that she would most likely get hurt?

Did she accept that fact? Willingly?

Suddenly, the Level Four merged with the earth underneath it and appeared straight behind Nadeshiko. The brunette turned around, but was not fast enough to dodge the copper claws that slashed at her body.

"NADESHIKO!"

AN/

I'm horrible… Two cliffies in a row…