ALT-FLAG 08: Blackout

x-x-x-x Flashback Bit... x-x-x-x

It was about fifty years ago. I was a young Kyoto girl back then, who apparently had the ideal life: a loving family, a decent house near the shore, just about everything that an ordinary family should have. All I cared about back then was the plans I had for myself and my family's future.

Then it happened...

One fateful night saw my family disappear under my nose in one fell swoop. No screams, no fair warning; just a large explosion which caused the entire house to crumble. I was the only survivor.

I had no choice back then but to cry out my sorrows. It was already saddening to see your family taken away from you, but once you realize you're the only one left, there really is no resorting to inner strength anymore.

And then from atop the rubble, I saw a mysterious figure. She had long, bright green hair tied up from below her shoulder; she nearly had the same hair as mine were it not for mine being of a darker shade. She also had a light green shawl that floated behind her neck and reached down to her waist.

But her two defining features were the single horn that stuck out from her head, and her red-and-black scythe. Fearing that she was an incarnation of the demons of the underworld, I tried to hide from her.

Nonetheless, she called me out in a calm manner that one would not expect from a demonic being, "No need to be afraid, young one; I'm not here to hurt you."

Still shaking from the turn of events, I slowly walked towards her. She then struck her scythe to the ground, knelt down in front of me, and looked at me with eyes that were unusual for a demon. It was as if she was not a harmful being at all.

"You want to come with me, young girl?" she asked me. "I just cannot leave you behind here lest you eventually die from hunger and the cold winds. It's not safe here anymore..."

"Why is it not safe to be here anymore?" I asked her.

"There's bound to be a greater conflict here than the one that killed your family. I cannot protect you properly here."

Knowing that I had nowhere to go, I took up her offer and joined her. "Mind if I know your name, dear?" she earnestly asked.

"Kageyama Kaorouko, ma'am..."

"I see... Seeing as you'll be with me from now on, you will have to forget that name..." She then patted me on the head, while thinking hard on a name.

"Hmmmn... I think the name 'Sylvia' suits you, dear. From now on, you'll be known by that name. As for me, you can call me Sofia."

"Okay, Sofia-neesan..."

x-x-x-x End Flashback Bit x-x-x-x

Back at Maijima Academy, Chihiro was so far still busy finishing her essay in one of the classrooms, while Suzaku was out at the hallway, letting his student work in peace. Still, he cannot help but feel very uneasy of the situation.

"I just hope Sylvia and Shoutarou-sama are okay. It has already been an hour and there's still no reply from them," he thought.

He then took a second look at his student and noticed that she apparently fell asleep. "She sure is determined enough to get through her hardship, but I just wished that she would stop nodding off while I'm not looking."

Just as Suzaku peered again through the hallway window, he noticed a couple of hooded characters landing at the school grounds.

"Must be that 'enemy' backup she was talking about," he said to himself. "I need to keep them away from 'Juno' as much as possible."

x-x-x-x-x

Meanwhile on the other side of Maijima, a massive clash of steel is underway between Sylvia and Gira. The former was parrying with all her might the attacks of her opponent with her heavily worn-out scythe. But Gira kept on attacking with her blade, not letting up with strike after strike.

"What's the matter, Vindictus? You already losing your touch?"

"Speak for yourself, Gira," she confidently replied. "Your strikes aren't even going beyond my Scythe's range. And here I thought you'd pose as much of a threat as Lune-neesan."

"You really think I would be weaker than your adoptive sister?" Gira retorted. "Your perception of ex-Vintage elites must be heavily clouded. I wonder what rubbish did Dokurou Skull feed you during your time in New Hell?"

"Leave Dokurou-sama out of this, you three-eyed fanatic!"

Sylvia then tightened her grip on the lower end of her scythe, infused the blade with Hellian energy, then flailed the same in one massive sweep. The swing generated a shockwave that went flying towards Gira.

"Dammit, got to evade!" the caped demon thought. In response, she immediately went for a mid-air backflip. Unfortunately, the shockwave got her lower left calf, wounding her in the process. She eventually slumped to the ground, holding on to the wounded leg.

"I guess Lune-sama was right. You really are not to be taken lightly," she uttered. "I'll give you one last chance to retreat, 'cause I will definitely show no inkling of remorse on my next assault."

"Mere idle threats don't scare me, Gira," Sylvia replied. "If you're really willing to take me on, then..."

She then raised her free hand and made a taunting gesture towards her opponent.

"Just... Bring it!"

In response, Gira began speaking an incantation that is in a language completely different from the current Hellian language Sylvia was accustomed to, while a dark purple aura began engulfing her. Anticipating the worst, Sylvia immediately brought up her strongest Hellian barrier.

"Old Hell magic... She really must be desperate to stall me..."

The dark aura continued to grow until it engulfed everything within a twenty-meter radius, including Sylvia who just got her barrier up in the nick of time. Unfortunately, the blast intensity proved too much even for her to withstand.

*FWOOOOOOOOOOOM*

x-x-x-x-x

Back at the academy complex, the two hooded figures were conversing in front of the building where Suzaku was helping out Chihiro with her essay. One of them formed a screen out of her hagoromo, which contained some inscriptions in Hellian.

"Is Lune-sama sure about these mission orders?" said one of the hooded figures.

"I also have doubts about the details too," replied the other figure who was controlling the hagoromo screen. "We all know that the Public Safety Department ordered the capture of the Goddess hosts as top priority, but why did she order us here for a civilian?"

"According to the order though, the civilian is to be 'eliminated' if unable to be captured."

"Whatever. Let's just finish thi-"

-pshik-

Immediately after being cut off mid-sentence, the hooded devil fell to the ground, blood dripping through the side of her head.

"Dammit, an ambush?!"

In response, she changed her location, while contacting someone with her RSS Sensor. About fifty meters above the area where she left was a still-smoking silencer barrel of a customized M14 rifle which rested on the edge of the building.

"Good thing I brought those anti-demon bullets that Sylvia created," Suzaku uttered, as he slowly pulled back his rifle. "That's one down."

But then he turned the other way and saw about half a dozen more targets headed his way. And apparently unlike the one he shot down, all of them had uniforms different from the ones previously worn by Vintage members.

"So the rumors about the Public Safety Department getting involved were true," he thought. "So much for this mission being a walk in a park..."

x-x-x-x-x

Back at Ground Zero...

"Lune, I've dispatched the 'blockade' as you requested. Our forces won't have to worry about resistance anymore..."

"..."

"Are you serious, Lune? We could still use her..."

"..."

"Sometimes I don't get what goes on in your mind. If you insist then..."

Dragging her wounded leg, she inched towards Sylvia's lifeless body with a dagger in one hand. "Forgive me for this, Vindictus. But this is just business..."

She then aimed the dagger at her heart...

"PSHAK!"

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TO BE CONTINUED…

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