Chapter Four – Mother

Author's Note: I do not own the Buso Renkin series and the characters of the original series. I own only the original characters of this fic, Sakuya Mutou, Kaworu Jounouchi, their siblings and friends, Phalene, some members of the Alchemist Army, and the enemy, the Tetsujin Juusan. Buso Renkin is the creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

–

The night was over, and it ended with Sakuya's coming as an Alchemist Warrior Apprentice. As the two arrived at the building, Sakuya was greeted by her friends. Yumi tackle-hugged Sakuya to the ground first, pretending to cry because she was worried. Mihoshi held her chest and let out a sigh of relief as Ouka pulled Sakuya into a headlock. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU, YOU TROUBLE-MAKER?" Ouka exclaimed as she pulled the headlock tighter. Sakuya tried to gasp for air because the weight of two girls on her was too much to bear. Then she was released from her lock and glomp as she stood back up. "Your aunt was worried sick about you, you know!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Sakuya muttered and rubbed the back of her head. "I had urgent business back at school, and…well…" She then looked at Kaworu. How will she explain him coming with her? People will think she's a liar now. "And this is…"

"Good evening," Kaworu bowed politely with a smile on his face. "I am Kaworu Jounouchi…Sakuya-kun's boyfriend." This made the jaws of the three girls drop, and Sakuya fell over. "I am sorry she has kept it hidden from you all…but she ran to school because it was where we promised we'd mee-"

Before Kaworu could even finish, he felt a blow to his stomach by Sakuya, who used her fingers to jab into his stomach and knocked him out. "He's just kidding," she stuttered, her face red and her heart beating wildly. Oh man, now people would think she went back to sleep with a guy she's been keeping secrets of…or supposedly. Ouka's the yankee, not her! She couldn't do a thing like this! She began to panic in her mind and squirmed left and right, thinking of what to say. "He's…he's…my tutor! Yes! Kaworu Jounouchi is a tutor for my English!...Isn't that right, Kaworu-sensei…"

"Y…Yes…that's right…I'm her English tutor…"

–

The night ended, and the new day began. Sakuya was able to pass what had happened last night behind her. But knowing that she was dead and kept alive by the powers of the Kakugane was very unsettling. She felt bad that she had to keep it a secret from her friends, but how would they feel if they knew she had actually died that night? And Kaworu, he was doing his best to guard her. Everything was spinning out of control…

"Muto Sakuya…MUTO SAKUYA!"

With her name called twice, Sakuya snapped back into reality, blinking slightly. "Ah! Sorry, sensei!" she exclaimed and stood up, proceeding to read from her Japanese history book. They were in the Meiji Era, the Ikedaya Incident. But as she read, she wondered where Kaworu had retreated.

The entire time, Kaworu was on the school's water tank, talking on his phone. "What? Y-You're coming here?" he exclaimed loudly, sitting up on the tank. "N-No! It's no problem! But Sakuya-kun…right…yes, I understand. Just…don't hurt her."

–

Later that night, Sakuya was doing her homework with Mihoshi, who was having trouble with some math problems. Precalculus was a very difficult subject; even Sakuya had a hard time with it. But she could hear voices from the hallway. They were loud, and very distracting. "Stay here," she said to Mihoshi and stood up from the table, walking outside. Several students were outside as well, standing by.

"Where have you been?" exclaimed the caretaker Mahiro from the doorway. She was talking to a blue-haired woman. It wasn't clear, but Sakuya could make out a scar on her nose.

"Things have been…hectic…" the woman replied. She had a low, yet mature voice. Her yellow eyes looked at Sakuya, and a smile came upon her lips. "It seems you are doing your job well, Mahiro-chan."

"…Have you found him?" Mahiro had a worried look on her. She looked as if she was about to cry.

The woman was silent and shook her head. Sakuya could make out a silhouette behind her. It was Kaworu, his eyes closed. Could this woman have been part of the organization that Kaworu was in? What was it called? The Alchemist Warriors or something? "We're doing everything in our power," she stated, "to find your brother."

What? They had a connection with Aunt Mahiro's brother? They…knew father? Kaworu knew father? Sakuya stepped outside, and Mahiro turned. She was surprised to see Sakuya up. "You know…my father?" Sakuya asked the woman. Her eyes averted to Kaworu, and she stomped up to him. With a swift punch, she sent Kaworu flying back. "You knew my father? You bastard, you knew I was his daughter?" She had to be held back by Mahiro as she thrashed around, trying to grab at Kaworu.

"I had no choice…" Kaworu replied, looking up at her as he wiped his mouth from the blood. "Finding him was a top secret mission. Even YOU weren't supposed to know about it."

"Who gives you that friggin' right?" Sakuya roared. This caused the other students to hide in their rooms. "He's my dad, a man I haven't seen in ten or so years! Who gave you that right to not tell me this?"

Kaworu lowered his head, deep in thought. Then he slowly raised it with a glare in his eyes. Sakuya flinched when she saw those deep purple eyes of his. Something about it was…inhuman. Then he raised his hand and pointed at the woman. "Sakuya-kun…that woman over there…is the Warrior Chief. She has authority over me."

The woman couldn't even look at Sakuya. Mahiro slowly released her, only for Sakuya to punch at the woman. But the fist was caught, and she was flawlessly swung toward Kaworu. "Know your place!" she yelled at her, and took out her Kakugane. Sakuya placed her hand over her chest, which made the woman shocked. "Sakuya…you…"

"BUSO RENKIN!" Activating her Buso Renkin, her large buster sword emerged from her chest and appeared into her hands. "I WILL make you talk!" Wielding the heavy sword, she charged the woman and swung. But they were caught by four separate blades, each the shape of hexagonal-bladed scythes. She couldn't move her Buso Renkin at all.

"You rush recklessly," the woman commented. She had armor plating on her thighs, where her blades came from. "But…I can make you into a strong warrior, Sakuya…my daughter."

Sakuya's eyes widened, and she had let go of her sword. "Your daughter?...I'm…then you are my…"

As her eyes began to water, Kaworu placed his hand on Sakuya's shoulder and smiled. "Along with being my Warrior Chief, this woman here is also your mother. Sakuya Muto…this is Tokiko Muto."

It didn't take Kaworu's words to make Sakuya move. Ten years, ten years since she has last seen both her mother and her father. She embraced the now older Tokiko and sobbed. Tokiko simply smiled and held her daughter in her arms.

–

The following day, Sakuya was given permission to be excused from classes. She, Tokiko, and Kaworu were in the dorm headmaster's room, discussing current matters. "I not only came to see my daughter," Tokiko said, "but to assign you your new mission, as well as Sakuya's first." She looked at Sakuya, whose eyes were wide and bright as she listened intently. She was like this when she was young, the daughter listening to the mother down to the very word. "Kaworu, what is your report?"

"As headquarters suspected," Kaworu explained, "there indeed is a Homunculus in the school premises."

"What? Right under our noses?" Sakuya gasped and stood up. "Then we should go there and take it out as soon as possible!"

"Do not forget, Sakuya-kun, Homunculi can disguise themselves they were turned from. It'll be like finding a needle in a haystack."

Tokiko nodded her head and crossed her arms. "That's right, but that's not all," she added. "The craftiest of them all are the ones with no original form. Humanoid Homunculi can eat humans without changing forms."

"And you believe that there is one hiding amongst the school faculty and or students." Now Sakuya was getting confused. Fighting that scorpion and the turtle was enough, but this was just too much! Kaworu took notice of this and sighed. "In short…one stronger than your former teacher is hiding in our school. Are you sure you are willing to be a Warrior Apprentice? It's tough work."

The fire in Sakuya's eyes lit up. She stood and shouted loudly, "I'm not gonna run! I gotta protect my friends and my brother! I promised that the moment I was given my power…"

Tokiko smiled at Sakuya's eagerness. 'She's just like him...' she thought and handed the dossier to Kaworu. "This is all the information we have on the Homunculus. Use it wisely. You only have one chance at this."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And Sakuya…be careful. I don't want to lose you again."

Sakuya blinked slightly. Her mother must've heard what happened to her. She felt slightly bad, but she couldn't afford to mess up. She had to find the Homunculus who was causing the disappearances. "…Alright! I'm gonna do my best!"

–

Elsewhere, in the back of the school, a student was crying out in pain as a red-haired female was kissing him passionately, causing him to disappear and leaving nothing but his clothes. "So sweet…but not sweet enough…I need something…more…"