Now that the battle was over, the cold, deadly aura that surrounded Amira Arashikage seemed to dissolve, leaving only a battle weary, somewhat shell shocked young girl who, despite having the skill to kill, and had done so many times, still couldn't shake the off the trauma that came with taking a life.

Munakata watched the young mermaid as she rose to her feet after whispering into Otoya Mizuchi's ear, and the latter's last breath left her in a death rattle. The black haired Strain was completely still, keeping her back to him as if she was too ashamed to face him after she had let him see her deadly side, afraid that she would only see revulsion and cold judgement in his eyes.

He saw her hand trembling, and was overcome with an almost uncontrollable desire to hold her in his arms until she calmed, however, he didn't act on that urge since he knew that it wouldn't be proper, and might frighten her away from him.

" Search the area for Otoya Mizuchi's accomplices, or any other possible targets! " Lieutenant Awashima's voice broke the deathlike silence inside the ruined greenhouse. " Second Unit, follow Fushimi-kun's tracker! Find him and Hikaru Okamihime! "

" She killed a security guard doing his rounds inside the main building. " Amira Arashikage's voice was firm with an underlying fury in it. " It was his weapon I used. "

The gravity of her words wasn't lost on those present. It had been a life and death battle between the two Strains, and if she hadn't killed Otoya Mizuchi, she could have been the one lying dead.

As the Blue Clansmen scattered to their tasks, Amira closed her eyes and clenched her fist, hating herself for still feeling guilty, and trembling after killing the sadistic murderer at her feet, anger at her enemy for threatening Anna, and depriving her last victim's children of their father almost too intense for words.

You had no choice.

She opened her eyes, the world coming back into focus. There was no voice that accompanied those words, they were just there.

Turning and walking away from the remains of her enemy, Amira was startled by the sound of the rapid clicking of heels on marble, the heels belonging to a pair of red mary janes worn by a precious little girl she barely knew, but loved dearly. She turned to the child, wanting to ask her if she was alright, but also unsure how to tell her that she shouldn't come near her because she might become contaminated with the blood she had on her hands.

Anna…

The doll like child suddenly rushed at her, locking her arms around her waist in a death grip, and burying her face in the material of her blouse as she hugged her. Amira's eyes widened in surprise, but her fears melted away at the warmth she felt being reunited with her friend, and after a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Anna, and hugged her back, feeling her defenses coming down. Holding her little girl in her arms, she touched her cheek to the snow white hair, and inhaled her clean scent.

" Hi, Baby… "

The Red Clansmen watched their little princess rush up to the black haired Strain who had just killed the daughter of the man who had deprived Anna of her family, and, from what Izumo Kusanagi had learned from the details that Seri Awashima had given him about Amira Arashikage, her own as well.

Amira Arashikage held Anna tenderly, as if she was a newborn baby, her face buried in her hair, the sight of the little albino reuniting with her friend who had protected her from Koshi Mizuchi heartbreakingly beautiful, and some of the Red Clansmen wondered if both girls meeting again could help her find her lost voice.

The Blue King, Reisi Munakata stood back, watching the happy reunion with a gentle smile, but after a few minutes, he moved towards the pair, reluctant to intrude on them.

" I am pleased that both of you are now able to see one another with the threat against both of you eliminated, " he stated softly, causing Amira to look up at him as she continued to hug Anna. " However, your earlier fears for your friend, Hikaru Okamihime were well founded; one of our clansmen who arrived at the location where she and Fushimi-kun are reported just now that there is another assassin from among your classmates on the scene. "

Amira stiffened, a list of her various assassin-classmates running through her head.

" It is your classmate with a scar on the left side of her face, " Munakata elaborated, his expression turning serious when he saw Amira's face turn pale with recognition at the description.

" More drama? " Mikoto asked in a bored drawl as he came to stand near the reunited friends, his eyes on his rival.

" I know who that girl is, " Amira confirmed almost breathlessly. " By day, she's a timid girl named Mahiru Banba, but when the sun sets, her more aggressive, borderline insane personality emerges; her name is Shinya. "

She looked down at Anna, her heart breaking because once again, she had to leave.

She had to help Hikaru.

Fushimi swore as he dodged another attack by the psychotic, sledgehammer wielding girl. He flung a handful of knives at her before ducking behind a pile of red bricks, trying to catch his breath.

The fight with the girl seemed to be taking forever, and if she was trying to keep him from reaching Hikaru, well, she was succeeding.

Dammit, he thought. I need to get to Hikaru!

The vibrating phone in his pocket pulled him out of his thoughts, and when he saw the name on the Caller ID, he wondered how things could get even worse.

" Captain, " he answered irritably. " I'm kind of busy right now, and the others who arrived on the scene aren't any help! "

" Sorry about that, Fushimi-san, " a girl's voice answered his irritated tirade with a calmness that he suspected she was far from feeling. " But please listen! The girl you're fighting right now, she and her other personality have one thing in common: they're afraid of bright lights. Are you able to find a spot where can lure her to, and turn them on? "

Whoever this girl is, he thought. She knows her moves.

" Find the switch for the construction lights so you can turn them on! " the girl urged. " I hate suggesting that you use something that paralyzes her with fear, but that's the only way to incapacitate her until I get there! "

" Tsk. " Fushimi muttered. " Anything's better than having this psycho using me for target practice with her damn sledgehammer! "

" Sorry, " the girl apologized.

" Fushimi-kun, " Captain Munakata was speaking, and Fushimi realized that the call had been on loudspeaker. " Do as Arashikage-kun instructed you to. That is your best chance of incapacitating your opponent without resorting to killing her. Arashikage-kun will take care of her once we arrive. "

We?!

Fushimi tsked again. " I thought she was occupied with Otoya Mizuchi! " he pointed out, feeling his irritation rise again.

" I stamped her a one way ticket to hell. "Amira Arashikage retorted.

Hikaru flinched at the sound of " Shinya " Banba's psychotically gleeful laughter following the sound of her sledgehammer hitting a concrete pillar.

Saruhiko…. she thought as she sprang back, the bullet from Isuke Inukai's handgun barely missing her. Saruhiko!

Be careful!

" Don't worry, " the pink haired assassin taunted. " Banba-san will take good care of your boyfriend so that he won't notice you're gone – because both of you will be dead! "

That got Hikaru's temper up, and dispelled her fear. Her pursuer frowned slightly when she noticed the change in her quarry's demeanor: Hikaru's deep violet eyes began to gleam ominously as her jaw took on a determined, angry set.

" He won't die so easily, if at all! " Hikaru declared, shedding her uniform blazer. " If you and Banba-san want to kill us, you'd better give it your best shot since your last one is just as lousy as your attention span in class! "

As Hikaru spoke, a dark glow began to surround her before she was engulfed in a flash of white light that momentarily blinded Inukai. When the light faded, she saw a wolf – larger than any that she had seen on tv – standing where Hikaru Okamihime had been. Its smooth, silver-white coat shown in the moonlight as if it had just been through a thorough grooming, violet eyes shining with an ominous anger that promised deadly consequences for what the vain assassin had just said.

Oh, shit.

Fushimi rounded the corner in time to see Hikaru take her wolf form as she faced Inukai, his foot lashing out in a backward kick that landed with a gratifying crunch, signaling that he had broken his opponent's nose. She let out a yell that was part surprise, part pain, and all insane glee as she dropped her weapon, and landed on her backside.

" Oh, you broke my nose! " she shrieked gleefully as she clutched the bloody mess on her face. She exhaled in exhaustion. " Time to take a break… but I'll be back! "

She never got a chance to act on her words.

To say that Fushimi was furious would have been putting it lightly. Yanking the psycho girl to her feet by the collar of her blouse, he rammed his fist into her abdomen, knocking her out.

" I don't know why Hikaru's friend doesn't want you dead when you're one of her potential killers, " he muttered before turning back to the silver haired she-wolf.

Isuke Inukai gawked in disbelief at the young man who had just kicked Mahiru/Shinya Banba, momentarily incapacitating her, the growl from the wolf in front of her bringing her attention back to her.

" You two think you can take us down so easily? " Fushimi taunted, flipping one of his knives between his fingers, his blue eyes dangerous behind his glasses. " I don't think so. "

The wolf facing Inukai turned at his approach, recognition dampening the fury in the deep amethyst pools that were its eyes, and Hikaru gave a soft growl of acknowledgement. As Fushimi closed the distance between them, Hikaru touched her forehead to his chest in a gesture of relief.

You still managed to recognize even in the enraged state that you're in while in wolf form, Fushimi thought in wonder as he slipped his hand under her chin, and tipped her head up so that their foreheads were touching.

I've found you…

Just as Fushimi directed his attention back to their opponent, the sound of booted feet entering the premises signaled the arrival of Scepter 4.

Instinctively, Fushimi placed himself between the pink haired assassin and the she-wolf he had come to rescue, drawing his sword out once again.

" Fushimi ready for battle. "

He had just spoken those words when he saw Amira Arashikage moving towards them, silent as a shadow, a gun in her hand.

" I think I'll have some fun with you two lovebirds before I kill you, " Inukai declared, arming herself with her signature knuckle knives.

A single shot rang out in the shadows, opening up an ugly red flower in the remaining assassin's right forearm, causing her to shriek in pain and disbelief as she reached behind her back, drawing out a derringer as she turned towards the intruder.

Amira Arashikage never gave her a chance.

Grabbing Inukai's gun wrist, she directed it upward just as the derringer emptied itself, before turning on her heel and shoulder throwing the pink haired assassin. As soon as Inukai landed on her back, Amira pinned her down by placing a knee on her chest, and ramming her fist into her face, momentarily stunning her before she snatched the pistol she'd dropped earlier, and pistol whipped her on the right temple. Inukai went limp as a dead fish, although Amira didn't kill her.

A sound like wind chimes signaled that Hikaru had reverted into human form, although both Fushimi and Amira deemed it best not to look until she was fully dressed.

" You guys can turn around now. "

Both her friends turned at her words, and Hikaru froze at the look on Fushimi's face. It was none like she had ever seen before, and she didn't know if he was angry at her for not telling him the truth about being a target of the Black Class, or relieved that she was alright.

His blue eyes were opaque as he sheathed his sword, all the while never looking away from her.

" Saruhiko…. "

The young man closed the space between them in three strides, and before anyone could react, Fushimi had drawn Hikaru into his arms and embraced her as if he never wanted to let her go.

" You're alright, " he whispered, and although Hikaru couldn't see his face, she could have sworn that he sounded relieved.

" So are you… " she answered, sinking into his embrace, and wrapping her arms around him as well.

None of them noticed Amira look away discreetly before turning, and leaving to give them some privacy.

All they knew was this moment…