Chapter Five – Chase

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.

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After all that had happened, Sakuya felt she could calm down a little. Her mother is alive; all that was left was her father. Wherever he was, she hoped he was safe from harm in anyway. She continued her classes, but at the same time watched out for anyone suspicious. She remembered what the dossier had said about the homunculus, and that most of its victims were males.

"We must assume that the culprit is a female," Sakuya recalled Kaworu saying to her before school began earlier in the morning. "To have remained hidden this long, she was probably sent to watch over Ishida, the Scorpion Homunculus. As a Warrior Apprentice, you must always keep your guard up as we hunt her down."

"You don't have to tell me twice…" she muttered under her breath as the teacher scribbled in kanji on the board. She was copying the characters into her notebook, where some of her doodles took residence. 'But if she's in the school, why hasn't she come after me and Kaworu-kun? This is so annoying…I wish mom would've done something about it…'

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As class ended, the day was over. Sakuya and Souta saw Tokiko waiting for them at the gate. Souta still didn't know about Tokiko's existence, as he was just a very young child when she and their father disappeared. When Sakuya explained who Tokiko was, the teary-eyed Souta ran to her, sobbing on her stomach like a little child.

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"So you're our mom…" Souta mumbled as he and Sakuya walked back to the dorms with Tokiko. "But where have you been all this time, mom? Me and Saku-nee…we missed you so much. We were so lonely without you…"

"It's…been rough on all of us," Tokiko replied as the three had reached the dorm. "Souta, I want you to be good, alright? Stay out of harm's way, and always do your best in school. Now head inside. I have to talk with your sister." The boy nodded and ran inside after hugging his dear sister. Now that she and Sakuya were alone, Kaworu could join them. "Kaworu-san, report."

"Hai," Kaworu saluted and looked at his notepad. "As of today, a total of three male students have disappeared." As he read the report, he cringed a little, holding his stomach.

"Kaworu-kun!" Sakuya gasped. "Are you okay? What happened?" Tokiko's face showed some concern as well.

"I-It's nothing…" he lied and lifted his hand to brush his hair from his eyes and rubbed the sweat from his forehead. His purple eyes looked down at the report, and he said, "The culprit is indeed female. All of her victims have been males who were part of a gang. And it's not just the school. It seems that this Homunculus feeds on some older men as well."

This kind of person sounds like a whore, a person who sells herself to men. Well, Sakuya thought so anyway. She was usually blunt about these things. But she was amazed on how much information Kaworu had conjured up. It was faster than her. But she was worried with Kaworu's earlier gesture, wondering why he cringed, as if he was in pain. "Sorry, mom," Sakuya apologized to Tokiko. "I couldn't find any information on the disappearances…"

"It's alright, Sakuya," Tokiko sighed, looking down at her cell phone. It was getting late. "I'll head back to headquarters to find anymore useful information." As Tokiko hugged her daughter, she disappeared into the streets, leaving Sakuya with Kaworu.

"Well, Kaworu-SENSEI," she leered at Kaworu, who froze slightly at her look. "I have English homework, and I need help, y'know. You're my teacher, so let's go!"

Sakuya left, and Kaworu sighed slightly. "Very blunt, are we…" he chuckled and looked down at his notepad. Then he turned the page, where more, direct information on this person was stored. Reddish orange bleached hair, around 171.5 centimeters, or 67.5 inches, fit, at least D-Cup (how he knew that is a mystery), and a pretty, but seductive face. These were right on the spot. "Agh…how could I have been so careless…"

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"So…Alchemist Warriors are now after me," said an orange-haired girl as she put on her school uniform. A male's uniform was thrown to the side. She slowly slid up underwear up her legs and into her skirt and placed on her headband. Then she licked her fingers, as if she ate a meal. She was at the back of the school, where the track field was. "Hmm…that boy was such a cutie, too…too bad he was one of THEM." Then she looked up at the moon, glaring at it. "The moon…where that beast of a man had placed us…we were not meant to live away from humans. We needed humans to survive…"

Then she slowly opened her locket that was tied around her neck. It was a vague, but distinct picture of a butterfly man. He was wearing a black spandex suit and a butterfly mask. His butterfly wings were granulated, like made out of powder. "Oh my Papillon…" she said with love, her fingers trailing down her body, and she let out a loud moan.

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It was a Sunday, meaning that there were no classes. Kaworu stood at the back of the school, where a male's uniform had laid on the bench of the track field. "She got this one, too…" he muttered and held his stomach. "She's attacking at such an amazing rate…and because of my inability to catch her, she now knows of our plan…shoot, how could I have been so careless?" As he stood up, he looked up at the moon, which was still in plain sight because it was early morning. His right hand slid up his face to cover his right eye; he felt a throbbing pain, like a headache that pulsated with his heart beats. "The moon…why does it attract me so…"

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Later that morning, Sakuya was jogging around the block because of the school off. Ouka was right behind her, with Yumi trailing behind and Mihoshi barely making it. The four of them decided that they have been rather lazy lately; this was also a plus for Sakuya, as this could serve as physical training for future battles. "Oy, Sakuya, why are you so tense?" Ouka asked, her voice sounding kind of concerned. "I've noticed that you've been goin' out a lot at night, and sometimes with your new 'teacher.'"

"You mean her boyfriend," Yumi grinned, correcting Ouka in a teasing way. Sakuya's face flushed, and she turned to hit Yumi on the head. "Ow…you're so sensitive!"

"Shut up!" Sakuya scolded, now twisting her knuckles on Yumi's temples as she began to twist and turn in pain. It was then Mihoshi had finally caught up. She was tired and really out of breath; not much into athletics, but more for home-ec. "Hey, Miho-chan, are you okay?" Miho-chan was Mihoshi's nickname.

'I'm…fine…" she gasped as she took in deep breaths. She looked up and saw a blonde-haired male running after someone. "Oh! Oh! Kaworu-sensei! Kaworu-sensei!"

Kaworu heard his name being called, and he ran over to the four, noticing how tired they were. Well, Mihoshi, anyway. "Are you all exercising?" he asked politely, then glanced at Sakuya, as if telling her that they had to go.

Sakuya understood and said, "You guys go ahead. I'll meet you all back at the dorm." Ouka looked a bit worried, knowing something was up. She was the keenest of the group, so these kinds of things usually picked up. But she nodded her head and lead Yumi and Mihoshi away, running down the street. "What happened, Kaworu-kun? Why are you hurt like that?"

She knew? Kaworu must've made it obvious earlier. He sighed and said, "I'll tell you at the park." Then the two headed for the nearest park, where the children were playing on the contraptions by the sandbox. "I never told the Warrior Chief…but I found the culprit…and battled her."

"What?" Sakuya yelled and hit Kaworu on the back of the head. "Why are you so reckless? Why didn't you contact me or anything, you stupid idiot?" One could tell how worried she sounded. She was also annoyed that her partner wouldn't tell her anything; she didn't really like secrets, as how she reacted when Tokiko first came.

"I know…but I had to do it…out of pride as a man." Kaworu closed his eyes and sat down on the bench, holding his stomach. "I couldn't stand that humans in your class, especially men themselves, being targeted by one female…being toyed around and used like as play things…it was despicable." His violet eyes opened, and the glare he emitted made Sakuya shiver. It was just like that time. "I tried to stop her…but she's strong for a humanoid Homunculus…she's fast and agile, but drawn to her enemy like a moth to a flame. She will undoubtedly kill us if we were careless…and as you can see…" Then he lifted his shirt; his torso was wrapped in a bandage, and a red mark could be seen on the right side of his ribs. "…I was careless."

Sakuya gasped and covered her mouth. This was a recent wound. Why would he not tell Tokiko or the other Warrior Chiefs, if there were any, about the situation? "We have to get you medical treatment," she stated and tried to help, but Kaworu would not accept it. "Kaworu-kun…"

"I appreciate it, Sakuya-kun, but…I WILL finish what I started…" That's when they heard a painful scream. The two scrambled outside the park to find a woman in an alleyway, sucking up a man inside-out into her hand. "You!" Kaworu yelled and took out his Kakugane.

The woman turned to the two people behind her and smiled, grinning devilishly. "Oh…it's Knight-sama," she teased Kaworu and walked toward him. "Back for another round? Oh…and you brought your girlfriend!" She took notice that the Sakuya was from Ginsei Academy. The girl was also wearing the same uniform, wearing a green armband as opposed to Sakuya's white.

"That's…Motomiya…Reiko Motomiya…the school beauty…" Sakuya stuttered, watching her fellow classmate walk toward them in shock. "But…how? How could I've not noticed this?"

"Oh, I was careful," Reiko grinned, crossing her arms. "But I had to keep my eye on you as well. You see, Ishida-sensei informed me that you were killed by him a few nights ago. How are you still alive?"

"Don't answer her, Sakuya…"

Sakuya kept quiet, holding her chest. But what would Reiko do if she knew? "…A kakugane," she finally replied. "I died, so a Kakugane was used to replace my heart."

"You have a Kakugane? Then you're an Alchemist Warrior, too!" This made Reiko very happy. Her legs fidgeted, crossed together. Her fingers gripped onto a locket around her neck. "If I kill you both…and deliver the Kakugane to HIM, he'll finally notice me! Give it to me, you little bitch!"

"Buso Renkin of the Claymore! Garden of Eden!" Kaworu yelled out and activated his Buso Renkin. The claymore-type weapon dug into the concrete, releasing a golden aura that knocked Reiko back to the top of the building. "I will not let you enter our Eden!"

"Tch…I knew it wouldn't be too easy…especially in an enclosed space like that…" So Reiko retreated, and Kaworu quickly scaled the building with his speed, jumping from wall to wall, to reach the top and chased after her. Sakuya, being left behind, ran off to at least try to follow the two.

What seemed like an hour had passed, and Sakuya had lost sight of them. But by the warehouse near the construction district, an explosion (not one with flames) occurred. That had to be Kaworu! He had a knack of making things explode like that! That means he must've won the battle! So Sakuya hasted toward the explosion and into the warehouse, only to find an injured Kaworu on the ground. "KAWORU-KUN!" she exclaimed and knelt down to him. She looked up at Reiko, who was just as tattered and torn as Kaworu. "You bitch…I'll make you pay for what you did to him!"

Reiko simply grinned and prepared to attack. "Bring it on, little girl!"

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