As we made our way through the forest up the mountain to Guren's home, I avoided branches that could easily scratch me.
Before we set out, I took the time to go back home and change into something that wasn't so concealing. It was like a kimono, but a bit shorter and movable.
Carmen seemed to have liked my style of fashion because of the clothing in my closet, requesting that I make her something like my clothes one day.
I smiled, 'She's easy to get along with once you get to know her better.'
"Princess Sayomi, I hope you didn't go through too much fighting before entering Sanguinem," Carmen said to me.
"I'm fine. No need to concern yourself about my well-being," I said, quickly moving through the branches and getting scratches, but they healed quickly.
Dawn had slowly peaked over the horizon as we made it to the top of the mountain.
We approached the wide and big Japanese tatami home.
Seeing figures ahead, I squeezed my eyes a bit to see who was out this early in the morning.
Carmen narrowed her eyes, "It's Crowley."
I sighed, 'Thank goodness he's unharmed. That must mean the others are fine, too. At least, I hope so.'
Looking back, I saw a familiar light blond glancing between me and Carmen with uneasiness.
Noticing that everyone was outside, I sighed once more, seeing that the number of allies is the same.
I smiled a little, 'Everyone is alright. No one was harmed by that seraph nor myself.'
"QUEEN SAYOMI, YOU'RE BACK~!" shouted another voice.
Looking in front of me, Bathory ran towards me with an excited look. He embraced me in a tight hug, but not so tight as to squeeze the life out of me.
I, on the other hand, stood there with wide eyes and in shock, not knowing how to take this...strange nice gesture.
He nuzzled his face between the left crook of my neck, sensually rubbing his lips on a spot that felt tingly.
Pushing away from him, I screamed and shivers ran down my back while I rubbed my hands up and down my arms.
"Don't ever touch me again, creep!" I yelled at him.
"Is that an order, my true Queen?" he asked with a sly smile.
Perking up at the title, I frowned, "I am not fond of formalities, you know that, so due stop it."
"If that's the case, should I call you Miss Sayomi or just Sayomi?" Carmen asked me and I nodded.
"Well, well~. If it isn't Queenie...and Carmen?" Crowley questioned, approaching us.
"I almost didn't notice you there, Carmen. You're so quiet...*Smirk* You've been so ever since Queen Estelle died," Ferid said.
She growled and advanced towards him, "Why, you-"
I grabbed her right hand with my left, shaking my head at her, "Ignore him, Carmen. He's just trying to drive you up a wall," I said to her with a look of concern.
She stared at me in bewilderment before sighing and taking a few steps back, "You resemble..your mother so much."
I tilted my head in confusion for a while until I felt myself being pushed backwards a little.
Blinking my eyes rapidly since I didn't see anyone coming, I looked down to see someone embracing me by my torso...
"Yu?"
He pulled away from me and slapped my right cheek, which surprised the hell out of me.
"What were you thinking?! Leaving like that?! What if you could've died?! I wouldn't be able to forgive you or myself if something happened to you! Everyone keeps calling me an idiot, but clearly you're the idiot for doing that! What if we would've died, huh?! What would you have done, then?!" he yelled at me.
"Yu, that's enough, she gets it," Shinoa told him, grabbing his left arm and pulling him back.
I kept staring at the ground, trying to get a grasp on what just happened, 'Yu...he's angry at me..seriously angry at me...'
*Silence*
"What is your name, human boy," Carmen demanded from him.
He glared at her, "Yuichiro Hyakuya. Who the heck are you?"
Carmen approached him, seeming to study him, "So...you are one of the two human boys Estelle was so fond of..."
Next thing we know, she hit her forehead against his.
"Never harm my best friend's daughter again, Yuichiro Hyakuya. I don't give a damn if you did catch her interest, I can't allow...my only hope to get hurt nor die," she said between gritted teeth.
I shadowed my eyes with my bangs, "I-it's okay, Carmen. I deserved that," I said, holding my cheek. "What I did..was reckless of me."
"Sayomi.." Mika spoke, approaching me.
I took a swift step back, "I'm okay, really."
Realizing that I was shaking, my eyes widened and I immediately stopped, 'Honestly...I'm not okay on the inside. I'm hurting..emotionally...'
"Yu," Mika spoke his name harshly.
"...*Sigh*...I'm sorry. I was just so worried that it turned to anger for what you did. I didn't mean to yell at you or hit you," he apologized.
An unnoticeable, small tear slid down my right cheek as I kept my eyes hidden.
"...Apology accepted, and I apologize as well for an unexpected leave. My mind was in a frenzy and I began to panic."
Feeling a hand ruffle my hair, I looked up to see Guren.
"I don't blame you. You have to put on a front and act as if everything is okay most of the time. I find it normal for you to just run off to clear your mind. Don't forget, I used to be eighteen, too," he explained to me.
I held back my tears and made a small smile, "Thanks, Guren."
"Mhm," he turned around, "As for you..." he said and looked to Yu.
Yu was punched in the face.
"What the hell are you doing, slapping a girl?! I oughta knock your $$ into next week!" he scolded an almost unconscious Yu.
Shinoa chuckled, "If there is a next week, Lt. Col.," she joked, but he glared at her, making her close her lips.
"That was uncalled for, Guren. Unnecessary violence wasn't needed," Maj. Gen. Hiragi said, placing a hand on Guren's left shoulder.
"Didn't say that when I first met you," Guren mumbled to himself.
(It's a Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose - Catastrophe At Sixteen Vol. 1' thing, you wouldn't understand.)
Blinking from surprise, I laughed a little, trying to ease my rapidly moving emotions.
"Miss Sayomi," Carmen whispered to which I directed my attention to her, "There is something I must tell you, but now isn't the time."
Tilting my head again, I was embraced in another pair of arms. Glancing to my left shoulder, where this person leaned their head, I jumped a little.
"M-Mikaela?"
'He's hugging...me? *Smile* That only proves his emotions are not fading as quickly as another vampire's would.'
I hugged him back, rubbing my left cheek again right, "So adorable~."
He took a step back away from me, "Now you're acting strange."
I pouted, "But Mika~!"
"There's your proof, Narumi. Mika may be losing his emotions, but he obviously just displayed affection for Sayomi," I heard Yoichi whisper to Narumi.
I lifted my left eyebrow, 'Could you explain to me what they possibly mean by that, Dante? It's not that I don't know, it's just that I recall Yuichiro saying 'not to go pick on me, too' or something like that.'
'They must've been having a discussion at Ferid's manor when you entered first. Mikaela must be losing his emotions, so much that he may not even feel a thing for you.'
A splice of pain went through my heart and my mind, so I held my right hand over my heart and my left hand grabbed my forehead.
'Dante, what is..this feeling?'
'Perhaps heart ache. I'm sorry if I said it that cruelly. I didn't mean for it to come out that wa-No. Sayomi, get ahold of yourself, don't let her take control.'
"Are you okay, Sayomi?" Yoichi asked, approaching me out of concern.
I swayed a bit, "I...I don't..."
My eyes widened as I felt the purple, flames of the curse spread on both of my cheeks.
"Not good," Mitsuba said.
I smiled, restricting her from letting loose, "I'm fine, I won't..let her take control of me again, I refuse for that to happen again."
"You sure about that?" Ferid questioned, circling around me with a smirk. "In many ways, you're like your mother. She's the type to take revenge, the type to choose kill or be killed, the type to keep going after someone or something that they get tired so she can put them out of their misery. Are you sure you're not the same as she used to be?"
I folded my arms, "She lies within my soul. In her soul, is my father's. The two of them are combined, creating Dante. Dante is everything to me: my desire, my compassion, one of my reasons to never give up, my love..."
I closed my eyes, letting the rose colored aura of Himezuru-sa emit from my body.
"Even I feel a small wave of wrath, envy, greed, and lust..so I try to block out these feelings. It only proves this is the human part of me that no one can ever take away from me. So my answer to your question is yes, I am sure."
The aura stopped emitting.
"Simply put, you're no acception just because you're still a human, just a special case," Narumi summarized.
A small smile crossed my lips, "You're correct. My life was too short to actually experience..."
A series of images flashed in my mind of a little girl...And I don't mean as in August to December of 2012.
These images were of a different time period, before my beginning of life, 'Is this another key?'
My eyes widened at the next image:
Name: Solana Molina.
I fell to my knees, "Wh..what the hell?"
"Sayomi, what is it?" Yu asked, dropping to his knees and lightly shaking my shoulders.
"I see, so you've already received that telepathic power," Carmen spoke. "This is that thing I mentioned. Your eyes and cursed flames are turning light magenta or a light plum color, proving you are inhabiting one of Estelle's powers."
"What do you mean? Is this a bad thing?" Guren questioned as Yu helped me up from the ground.
"No, it's actually a benefit. This is Estelle's power to predict the future; although, she despised this power and rarely used it. Miss Sayomi could use this as an advantage to avoid future mistakes," Carmen explained.
"But she can't use her ability to see in the future now; it's possible she could see too much and be consumed into a unknown time and space," Crowley explained.
"You sure know a lot about her situation. What are your sources?" Ferid questioned, keeping his eyes on mine in strange interest.
"Ahahaha, that's something I rather not reveal as of now," he responded.
"Anyway, Estelle used to be a Seeress: a woman who predicts events or developments. It's very possible she might've helped Mahiru will the 'prophency', but still kept it a secret from her; she didn't fully trust her. That has passed on to Miss Sayomi, unless..." She looks to me, "Have you had any blackouts, experiences in the past, seeing things that aren't apart of your memories? If so, for how long?"
Nodding my head, I tried to steady my uneven breathing as the flames grew down to my neck.
"Ever since..*gasp*..I escaped Sanguinem," I sighed out.
"I see, post trauma..and the sealing of a mixed soul into a vessel," Carmen analyzed. "Miss Sayomi, you should get some needed rest. You can't fight in the state you're in."
I gritted my teeth, and felt my eyes turn this plum color, like Carmen said, "Like hell I can't! I'm perfectly fine! You nor anyone else can dictate how I feel and if I'm strong enough to fight!"
"Sayomi, this might be critical and we don't want you pushing yourself over extreme measures," Mika spoke.
"But-"
Yu picked me up with his right arm on my back and left arm wrapped under the back of my knees.
"No buts. Mika's right, we can't take any risks. Quit your denying and just accept it," Yu told me, walking towards Guren's old home.
"You're the last person I should be lectured by! What would you know about my well-being?! You can't just assume I'm not okay and pamper me like a child!" I argued with him.
"Oh, yeah?" he asked with a blank look.
I puffed out my cheeks in a pout, "Yeah!"
He stopped walking, "Watch me. Mika, I might need your assistance if she struggles," he told him with a bord look, continuing his walk towards the large tatami home.
I scoffed, "How dare you?! Mika, don't listen to him! You...you wouldn't disagree with me, would you?" I asked with a caring smile.
He walked beside Yu, staring at me with distress before sighing and chuckling unexpectedly, "I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you."
Noticing Bathory approach Yu and I, he placed his right hand over my eyes, and I felt drowsy, so I easily fell unconscious.
"Sleep for now, Queenie~."
~Tiny Time Skip~
Slowly fluttering my eyes, I tiredly glanced around to see I was in the same room that I resided in when I first woke up after my two day's of slumber.
Sitting up in the slightly dim room with one candle, I felt a hand try to lift me up with ease.
"Take it easy, Sayo," I heard Yu's voice.
Perking up, I blinked my eyes multiple times to get a better view in the dim lit room.
"How long..have I been out?"
"A good fifteen minutes, I think," he replied.
"And..where is everyone?"
"Getting prepared to go to Tokyo or figuring out what they should do with the fifth seraph," Mika summarized.
I looked down at my lap, "I see..."
"Don't look so down, Sayo. We know you want to help as much as you can, but there are times you have to consider your health. If you overdid it on the field and would've collapsed, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," Yu explained.
"I wish you'd take your own advice," Mika mumbled.
I giggled a little, "I understand...! *Gasp*"
"What? What is it?" Mika asked, placing a hand on my right shoulder.
"Are...are we...the only ones in here?" I asked nervously, keeping my gaze on my lap.
"Yeah. Why?" Yu responded.
'My heart..its beat is increasing. Oh, I feel so nervous when I'm alone with them. What should I do? Asking them to leave would be harsh. No..no, not now...'
I scratched my throat lightly with my left index finger, "I-it's nothing. *Smile* I'm fine."
Yu smiled, "You look fine to me, so okay."
He leaned forward, pushed my bangs back with his right hand, and lightly kissed my forehead.
He stared into my eyes, then moved to my left ear, "You're so cute," he whispered lowly.
My cheeks turned a dark red as I scrambled to get under the cover of the futon I sat on to hide as Yu laughed at my embarrassed state.
"I'll be going now. It's Mika who volunteered to stay here and watch over you. Take care of her," he said, sliding the tatami door behind him.
Yu's footsteps grew distant...leaving me and Mika in silence.
"You said you are fine...but you know I don't believe you," Mika spoke, carefully pulling the cover off me.
Sitting up on the back of my legs, I looked towards him with a small frown.
"...You really can see right through me," I said, soft-spoken.
He nodded, "Come here.."
I hesitated for a good few minutes and Mika sighed..seemingly, out of impatience.
He grabbed me by my hips and placed me on his lap, making me straddle his hips.
"M-Mikaela!" I said in a panic.
"Sshhh.." he hushed me, cupping my right cheek with his left hand to which I rubbed against it.
"Mi..Mika...?"
He wrapped his right hand around the small of my back, "What?"
"Do you...need blood? I've been meaning to ask you this since we went to Bathory's mansion. I know Yu may have supplied you with some before I compelled you to, but I want to double it."
He sighed, "...If I don't cooperate, you'll get angry and argue with me...so I guess I have no choice."
Pulling me closer, I rested my hands on his chest as he licked the left side of my neck, which made me whimper.
Mika chuckled, "If you keep acting like that, I won't be able to hold myself back from drinking all of your blood, Sayo."
He slowly bit into my skin and started to sip my blood, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
'He may be a vampire, but he's not cold, he's not emotionless, or nothing similar to that. He's still my Mika..with a bit of a change, but I don't care; as long as he is alive, I don't care about what he is-only who he is.'
Somehow, temptation had sprouted from my heart and spread throughout my body.
I found myself grinding against Mika's hips, moaning quietly.
"...Ahh~, Mikaela..mmn~. Haah~.."
He pulled away from my neck, licking up the spilling blood. Mika grinded against me more, sensually rubbing up and down my sides while kissing the spot he bit.
I moved my hips in sync with his, tangling my hands in his hair, "Hah~! Ah~..! Mi-Mika~!"
Mika lowly growled-resulting in me internally go crazy for, he kept kissing my lips hungrily and I returned each one, but he soon stopped himself and gasped.
Coming out of my high temptation, I gasped, too, realizing that I lost control and drowned in my selfish pleasure.
I got off of him and turned away, hugging myself, "I'm so sorry. I..I lost control...I can't allow myself to fall for you, Yuichiro, or anyone else. I am an abomination, a being to not be reckoned with, so..don't become affectionate with me."
"...I guess we're in the same boat."
I turned around slightly, staring at him as if he was crazy, "What?"
"You heard me. I'm no human either, that includes Yu; you're saying we shouldn't love you, yet it seems you've already fallen for us. From the moment we met, your curiosity for love deepened."
Slowly, I kept turning around, staring in disbelief at how he analyzed me that quickly-telling me things I didn't realize about myself until now.
"You don't want to love us or anyone because memories will fray, time will wash them away. Admit it, you are afraid to love."
A wave of pain spread through my eyes as red lines of blood poured from them; I began to scream in pain..but I heard no sound come from my mouth.
I saw something similar to what I saw before.
Name: Nicole Dupre.
My vision was now clouded over with dark red and black again as chains wrapped around my body.
All I hear is mirthless, mock laughter around me.
"We finally meet again."
Looking behind me, I saw no one; but when I looked forward again, there stood an angel-like being, smiling at me with some type of mischief.
This wasn't Dante.
"What do you want now...Shigama Dōji, or should I say 'Uncle'?" I spat with malice.
"Why must you assume I want something and immediately think it's evil? It's not what I want, it's what you want."
"What would you know about me? We never even met in person."
He smirked, "You naive child. I don't have to meet you in person just to know about you. I know everything sinful thing you want in that heart of yours."
A sly smile crossed my lips, "You're exactly right. I guess that's what makes me human."
He frowned, "You wish to be a human instead of something far greater, an immortal?"
"Being immortal is no fun. That's why most of the vampires on this planet are bored to death. Tell me, Uncle, why did you have to choose her? Of all people to make suffer, her? My mother?"
"I simply saw her lying in the streets of Spain in the night after her husband beat her, and I made it possible for her to get revenge on him. Although, I never expected my 'sister' to breed with a human because she despised all men."
"You speak as if you never once cared about her," I told him, narrowing my eyes.
"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Who knows? I can't remember what I felt over a thousand years ago. The reason why I'm here is to tell you why I tried to kill you that day."
I grinned, "I've been wanting to know that for quite some time now. You said it's because I wasn't meant to protect Yuichiro and Mikaela, that it was your job."
"Oh? Did I really say that? You do know whom my meister is, yes? Are you sure it was me that felt that way?
Narrowing my eyes, I searched my head and suddenly remembered the sarcastic, ashen haired, girl:
Shinoa Hiragi.
I frowned a little, "I see, her...How did she know of my existence?"
"Let's just say...I got through to her in some ways when Mahiru let down her guard to restrain me."
"Shinoa-I'm sorry, her greed of unknowingly loving Yu years before she met him sent you to kill me because you let some secrets slip in her ear? Ahahaha! Is that supposed to scare me? You demons really do underestimate humans."
"It wasn't supposed to scare you. It was just a little push for you to accept your undying love for Yu and Mika, and for Shinoa's gates to break free."
I stopped any words I was about to say.
"What is it? Why are you not saying anything? Did the cat catch your tongue?"
I remained silent, feeling a familiar presence inching closer.
"Do you feel it? The lust, the greed, the anger?"
"...Oh, I'm not angry..." I said, then hands curled around my shoulders.
"She just figured you out, brother~," Dante spoke from behind me. "First, Ashe-kun, and now you? You are persistent to invade others' unconsciousness."
Shigama gritted his teeth, "Estelle..."
"It is not I, but two of us. I was so in love with my husband that I had to combine our souls. My name is Dante, but I usually take on Estelle's form with minor features of my husband."
"You were bluffing."
"Mahiru was stronger and smarter than you think; she kept you and other demons in check until sixteen. Also, Shinoa would have no desire to protect Mika-only if Yu said so, then she would agree. Sayomi's right, never underestimate humans. You want Shinoa to be an emotionless object for you to use, and make her my daughter's executioner since she's one of the joker cards in this game~."
"I will not let my friends nor myself be sucked into a pit of lies, confusion, and despair because of a damn demon's deceit and enticement!" I yelled.
He grinned, "Clever as always, Multa Nomina," Shigama spoke before dispersing into the dark red and black along with his chains and the color itself.
The tears that lay on the ground returned...and with a blue sky filled with some cumulus clouds.
"How did he invade my place of unconsciousness?"
"You...you let your guard down..because of Mikaela."
I flinched and tensed up,
"Sayomi. You need to accept the fact you love him and Yuichiro, or it will only get harder from here on out; Shigama will also keep invading this place. Don't try to conceal your romantic feelings. It's useless, 'they' can see right through you. *Giggle* Just like how your father saw right through me..."
"...Hn.."
"Sweety, are you okay?"
"...Love...I've always wondered about that feeling. You and father would express it, but I was still confused. Whenever we went for a walk in the city, I'd see couples and be a little upset since they and you two had something I couldn't experience because...because..."
"We died. We taught you everything...but how to love romantically; yes, I know. I am deeply sorry about that."
I shook my head, "That's not it. I..I was just too oblivious to realize it since..I could only see Mika and Yu as my family. It's all I ever wanted at the time..and I unknowingly fell in love with them."
"That may be true, but..I can't say you never knew enough about it.."
I turned around and gasped, not seeing her behind me.
When I turned back, I found myself in a warm embrace and slowly looked up to see Mika staring down at me as he held me in his arms.
I cupped his face, smiling with half-lided eyes, "Mika..."
"Sayomi, are you alright? You had another episode. Did you see anything? Nothing bad happ-!"
I pulled his face down to mine and sealed our lips in a kiss.
A tear slipped from my left eye as he stared into my eyes with shock and bewilderment.
I gently pulled away, "..I kept being affectionate..but I never knew the feeling that accompanied the kisses and hugs we shared, but now...I know it was love this whole time."
He blinked a couple times before a shade of light pink spread across his face, glancing away from me.
Sitting up in his arms, I kissed his cheeks, forehead, nose, and his lips again last.
Getting out his hold, I stood up.
"I think..I'm able to fight now. And no, you nor anyone else can stop me," I said, walking out the room.
(Wow, I actually got the MikaSayo scene in somehow. Anyway, I never realized how much I love this book myself because I really want Kagami to update again. If you're confused about the situation, I shall explain with questions and answers, but if you're not, go on ahead and read on.
•Has Sayomi been feeling love for Mikaela and Yuichiro, and just never realized it? -Yes.
•Why did Sayo obliviously avoid romantic feelings for them? -Her parents recently died when she got adjusted to the orphanage, and she didn't want to feel romantic love. She wanted family love and comfort; that's what she thought she felt for Yu and Mika, but she confused it with romantic love.
•How does Mika feel about her now that he's seen through her? -He feels as if he didn't describe love to her well back in Sanguinem, but soon realized there's no describing love. He loves her for who she is and vice versa, but can be a bit bashful about it~.
•How does Yu feel about Sayo? -He loved her like family at first, but the first time they kissed, he saw past that. Yu saw..a *Smirk* mix of Erza Scarlet and Mikasa Ackerman because he loves strong women! Lol! I honestly do think he goes for that type..
•How does Shigama Dōji invade Sayo's place of unconsciousness? -When she lets her guard down-whether it's fear [implying Yu's manifest scene] or being deeply pleasured [implying MikaSayo scene, he uses that as a weakness. Now, it no longer a weakness to Sayo because she's accepted the fact that she loves Yu and Mika.
•Will Sayo and Shinoa ever fight over Yu? -It depends on...what Kagami will do, how I can incorporate it in here, and it's a BIG IF.
•How does Crowley and Carmen know about Sayo's power? -Because Estelle only trusted to tell them. Mahiru got a hint of Estelle's power, but believed it was impossible since she is 'just'a progenitor.
•What does Ferid think of Sayo? -He sees Estelle in her, but knows they resemble each other a lot except in the eyes, and that's all I've got to say about that.
•Who is Solana Kiiro? -That was Sayomi's original name in her past life. She was actually born in-! *Narrows eyes* This may be some broken info, but I will not spoil the next chapter. That's all I got to say about that, too.
•Am I going to end this book any time soon? -Hell no! Not until a major battle happens! And I create my last Special Arc!)