It had been a normal morning at the Beastman Co-Op. Sitting and eating breakfast at the table with Michiru and Shirou, Yuki nursed a bowl of frosted flakes cereal, taking a bite every so often, as her eyes curiously watched Melissa get after her husband.
With a fist on her hip, a hand gripping and waving a white feather in her husband's face shielded by the local newspaper, she angrily chastised, "Jem! I told you not to take a bath when you're morphed! The feathers clog the drain! You can even do the one thing I asked! Can't you even keep a simple promise like this? The Silver Wolf is watching, you know!"
Jem, who had leaned away still hiding his face in his newspaper, revealed the shrine of a howling wolf decorated with red swirls on its puffed out chest. Two candles sat on either side of it and multiple small offerings laid in front of its stone figure.
Michiru, not lifting her mouth from her sandwich, mumbled, "The Silver Wolf?"
Finally dropping his newspaper slightly, still not daring a glance in his annoyed wife's direction, Jem eyed the curious gazes of Yuki and Michiru. "You mean, you haven't heard about the Silver Wolf?"
"Well, we heard a little bit," Yuki shrugged in response remembering Youta back in Rabbit Town speaking of him.
Jem, strangely, immediately grew excited at their responses. He leaned across the table and peered into their wide-eyed expressions. "That's no good! A little bit won't do! Allow me to explain!" He started to speak grabbing what looked to be a storybook from the nearby shelves, "Beastmen and humans have had varying relationships in every era. But no matter the era, beastmen have always encountered a crisis. That's when our savior arrives. That savior is Silver Wolf! In the past 1,000 years, there have been legends of Silver Wolf saving beastmen all over the world."
"Did you draw these, Jem?" Michiru asked smiling at the pretty illustrations.
"This is how I'll make money for my retirement," Jem started to speak again but Melissa quickly intercepted his story, screaming, with the feather still dangling in her fingertips, "Quit changing the subject! You're always doing that!"
Yuki watched the squabble with a nervous smile but her eyes immediately perked at Shirou removing himself from the table. He walked past the couple without a word, lifting an arm to avoid clashing with Melissa, and continued toward the exit with his head tilted down.
Yuki stood from her seat, excitedly asking, "Are you going out? Do you mind if we join you?"
He didn't answer but he didn't resist either.
Yuki and Michiru smiled and hurried after him.
"Hey, you three!" Melissa called for them stopping them in their tracks. She prayed before the Silver Wolf shrine, placing her index and pinkies together, keeping her middle and ring fingers curled to her palms, before grabbing three of the offerings. She handed one of each to them as usual, Yuki curiously gazing at the seaweed wrap tied by a small string, reminding, "You almost forgot your good luck charm. Don't forget to give it to Silver Wolf when he helps you."
"Oh wow, thanks!" Yuki and Michiru gasped before quickly following Shirou out of the building.
Once they were outside, Yuki and Michiru gasped in horror at him shamelessly tearing open the seaweed wrap and taking a large bite out of the bacon hiding within. "Hey! You're gonna be punished for that!" Michiru huffed.
"There is no way there is a god who refuses to save you just because you won't give it food," Shirou scoffed back taking another bite.
Michiru scowled in return, "You don't have to talk that way about something everybody believes in. That must be why you don't have any friends."
Shirou popped the last of his bacon in his mouth, chewing silently, but laid his narrowed eyes on Michiru. Yuki cringed at that. "Don't you think that's a little too far?" She asked her friend.
He merely turned his eyes away from the girls, huffing, "You say that but you only have one friend."
Michiru humphed. "I used to have a lot of friends, for your information. We even had another best friend. She's super pretty," She spoke with a large smirk and the dismissive wave of her hand.
"What are you boasting about right now?" Shirou groaned in annoyance.
Yuki smiled and giggled, adding along with a sigh, "Our friend. She was so cool and so cute."
Nazuna Hiwatashi was indeed their best friend. She was cool, pretty, cute, and totally awesome. Even after the accident, when they were all hit by a vehicle who hadn't seen them riding their bikes along the side of the road, Nazuna's cheerful and flirty disposition never faded. Her dream, the one thing she had spoken only about and nothing else even since the first day Yuki had known her, was to become an idol. The number one pop idol in all of Japan and soon the entire world. She became a main source of inspiration and drive for Yuki. She never backed down from her dreams, never gave up, and believed she would soon be at the top of the world.
Even then... she was still kidnapped. Taken from their very eyes the moment she sprouted fur, a snout, and paws. They have not seen her since, but every single day after that Yuki thought of her and wondered if she was okay.
"Hold on," Michiru squeaked suddenly.
Yuki jumped in her spot seeing them walking alongside Marie instead of Shirou. When... How... Where... Where are they?! Were they seriously so lost in thought they didn't realize Shirou had left them and were joined by Marie instead? Not even a heads up from him either!
Marie regarded them with a lazy look. "If you're looking for Ogami, he's with the mayor," She explained before producing two slips of paper from her pocket. At the very top wrote 500,000 yen. "This month's mobile phone bill. Each, by the way."
Yuki and Michiru grabbed and stared at the piece of paper as if it were an annoying leech. "We need to pay for this too?"
Marie slammed her arms around their shoulders and smirked. "If you can't pay, then earn it. Sell these at a high price to those fools in the slums," She snickered shoving a cart full of fresh water purifiers in their hands.
Yuki and Michiru groaned at the idea but agreed to do so nonetheless. Walking from the nice inner city to the slums was a drastic change in scenery. The bright blue sky became foggy and brown. The nice buildings coated in a fresh layer of paint turned to rusty, browning metal. The concrete their feet stepped on now slapped into the muddy ground. While Yuki felt bad for the residents, she still didn't like visiting it much.
"What a drag. Why do we have to commit a crime, so we can pay our phone bill?" Michiru groaned to Yuki's agreement.
She glanced down at the hefty price sitting in the pocket of her hoodie with a sheepish expression. "I seriously hope no one sees us doing this. Especially Shirou."
"Michiru! Yuki!"
They turned their heads at the sound of their names being called. Jackie ran up to them with the widest smile carrying a purifier on her shoulders. "Look at this water purifier. They said this will even turn muddy water into French water!" She exclaimed happily dropping the object into the murky water and spraying the filthy liquid into her mouth. She wasn't even using it correctly. She pulled the purifier back into her arms not noticing what she just drank. "I bought it on credit. Lifetime installment payments!"
"You did what?!" The two of them shrieked.
"Hey!"
They turned their heads again to see an intimidating group of men stalk up to them. They wore a mixture of unpleasant and sly smirks on their faces. "Which one of you people is Jackie?" The gang leader smoking a cigar demanded.
All at once, the residents of slums pointed their fingers to the girl with nonchalant looks.
Yuki and Michiru watched Jackie get bounded from head to toe in brown rope to a wooden stake. "We warned you not to pay by installments!" Michiru chastised her as they started to carry her away.
Jackie didn't look bothered at all. She only sighed, almost dreamily, "Who knew shopping could become so addicting?"
They embedded her wooden stake to the ground in the center of the slums. Yuki and Michiru could only watch in horror as the gang surrounded her and faced the residents also watching on in curiosity. "Collecting debts from you people won't get me much money at all, so this is the perfect chance to teach you a lesson. Anyone who's late in their payments, even just by a single day, gets burned at the stake!" He threatened whipping out a lighter from within his pockets.
They all morphed into their beastman form and started to create a mosh pit! They were both trapped in it all! Yuki yelped against the animal elbows pushing into her body and the tall, wide beastmen squishing both she and Michiru within their space! She didn't know whether the residents were against or for the burning! It was too hard to understand above the ruckus! All she knows is... Jackie is going to die!
AWOOOO!
Yuki and everyone immediately fell silent. The violent movements of everyone ceased at once. The sudden howl of a wolf came through in a clear, echo-y voice. It rung through the air and sent vibrations through her rib-cage. They turned their heads and coming from across the sea were a couple of boats. Each boat looked to have held dozens of robed beastmen. A flag with the insignia of a wolf was hoisted high. No one, not even Yuki, knew who they were.
When they docked and calmly disembarked onto the slums, she noticed a necklace of the head of silver wolf adorned each of their necks. The hood they placed down on their heads marked the trademark ears of a canine's. Their identities were kept hidden under its shadows. Yet one man came forth. He wore no robes but that of a long white trench coat. Underneath that were teal priest robes with a star marked on his chest. Instead of a hood, he wore a silver eye mask, his long blonde hair coming down in waves on his shoulders and back. A brown book was held softly in his grip.
"Cease this, wayward Sylvanians," The man ordered them.
The gang leader snarled nastily up at the strange newcomer. "Who the hell are you?"
"Sylvanians harming Sylvanians... That behavior is beneath even humans," The man huffed as if speaking to a child who knew better.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" The gang leader yelled at him ungratefully. "Anyone who doesn't pay their debts is neither human nor Sylvanian! They're trash! Trash has to be cleaned off the streets!"
The man gazed up at Jackie trying to squirm away from a nearby buzzing fly. "They are not trash. All of us are noble Sylvanians. We must take pride in that. Silver Wolf is watching."
Yuki shivered at the man's unsettling calm and poised composure. Though, not a single drop of malice or hostility lingered in his tone.
"What a moron! Silver Wolf is a sham that weaklings believe in!" The gang leader scoffed earning a few laughs from the slum residents.
The man took no offense at his words. Instead, he spreads his arms wide and high, chanting loudly, "Let us rejoice! The silver light shines down on even the most shameless and ignorant Sylvanians." Stepping forth from the group was a wolf beastman in a robe all white. "The founder of the Church of the Silver World, Déesse Louve, has descended upon the beastman metropolis, Anima-City."
The gang leader only angrily spouted, "I could care less if she's the founder. Back off! Get in my way, and I'll burn you at the stake too!" Then he dropped the lighter. "Like this!"
"Jackie, no!" Yuki and Michiru screamed in horror at the wood catching aflame quickly.
Their screams for their friend was drowned by the cheering and roaring of other beastmen. Jackie squirmed around as much as she could at the fire rising higher and higher, but they were stuck in the mosh pit! There wasn't anything they could do to save her!
A pink bright light suddenly blinded them.
Yuki turned and nearly had to shield her eyes from what laid before her. The silver wolf beastman that initially stepped forward had ripped off her robes. Her entire body illuminated in a bright white and the outlines of her shape, eyes, and hair a bright pink. Her hair billowed above her head in large waves. Suddenly, she hunched forward and landed on her front paws with a thundering boom. Standing right in front of their eyes on all four paws, menacing cold eyes accented with pink outlines with a small swirl going down her fore-head, her fur a mixture of pink and white, tail rising higher and larger behind her, the bright shining wolf stared down at the gang leaders silently.
"It's the Silver Wolf!"
"Our lord, Silver Wolf!"
Yuki turned her head to all of the residents fall to their knees screaming and begging for her forgiveness and mercy. Those who didn't was the gang leader. "What are you waiting for? Shoot her!"
They brought out their guns. Shaky fingers landed on the triggers. Their eyes wavered staring into the golden ones of the wolf who didn't back down or tremble at all. The lackeys fell to their hands and knees, screeching, "I can't! I can't shoot! Please forgive me!"
Releasing a loud roar, baring their sharp fangs, the wolf scared the gang leader and the goons away. They ran shrieking and crying like little children to the sound of the residents cheering. As they did, Yuki and Michiru immediately brought Jackie down from her burning stake, drenching her in the murky water gathered in her purifier. While Jackie bathed herself greedily unknowingly with filthy water, Yuki couldn't tear her eyes away from the glowing beastman. It was a curious thing. She could've sworn Silver Wolf was blue.
"Silver Wolf is the god of Sylvanians. Her silver light extinguishes hardship and fear. Praise our lord and savior, Silver Wolf!" The silver eye mask disciple exclaimed to its howling.
Everyone around them immediately sat on their knees. Placing their hands together, their index and pinkies together, they bowed their heads nervously in prayer. Even continued to do so as the wolf shifted back into her human form, the disciples covering her modesty with her white robe.
"Déesse Louve, our blessed mistress of Silver Wolf."
The proclaimed Silver Wolf picked up her head and opened her eyes to reveal red irises. All awe and beauty swirling in Yuki and Michiru's hearts gave way immediately to confusion and disbelief. "Huh?" They grunted with the lazy quirk of their eyebrows.
All white hair with a pink bang hanging down the middle of her face. Fair skin and red eyes. "The silver light is with all of us. Let us all shine with silver light," She spoke with a gentle smile.
No wonder! She looked and sounded familiar! Silver Wolf is Nazuna, their long lost best friend!
"Nazuna! Nazuna!" Yuki and Michiru shrieked happily trying to press through the crowd. They waved their arms excitedly as they drew near. "Don't you remember us? Nazuna!"
Unexpectedly, a cluster of Silver Wolf members ambushed them silently in the crowd and started to whisk them away! They fought against their captors still trying to gain Nazuna's attention. Quickly, they were gagged into silence and bounded in a thick roll of hay. They were carried far into the darkness of the night. With no idea where they were, they were carelessly thrown to the back of an abandoned alleyway. The Silver Wolf members who abducted them stood guard without ever looking at them. All Yuki and Michiru could do was glare.
"Step aside."
Yuki gasped against her gag at the familiar voice ringing through. The wolf beastman in all white robes approached from the shadows with her hood drawn. "I sense a powerful evil emanating from those two. Stay away from them until I say it's all right."
The Silver Wolf members bowed their heads and left without speaking a word.
When they were far away enough, the wolf beastman hurried forward and undid their restraints. As Yuki and Michiru came free, she dropped her hood from her head and squealed, round eyes so bright and shiny, "Michiru? Yuki? It really is you!" Her eyes sparkled with recognition, her human face stretching into a large smile when she dropped her head to their level. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're a beastman too?"
"Nazuna..." Michiru gasped breathlessly.
Nazuna looked embarrassed down at her robes and the nakedness she was covering. "Oh, this is kind of..."
"Nazuna!" Yuki cried, eyelids brimming with large tear droplets, before she launched herself forward. She wrapped her arms tight around her shoulders, a hand cradling her head, and released a small sob. Her hands shakily clenched around those white robes. "Thank goodness! You're safe! You're alive!"
Nazuna giggled softly in her ear. "Yuki..." She returned the hug but released a small gasp. "Wait, you're not a beastman, you're still-"
"Don't say it. Don't ruin the moment," Yuki interrupted her pulling herself away with the shake of her head.
Nazuna nodded her head and hummed curiously. "Michiru, you're a tanuki?"
Michiru placed her fists on her hips, huffing, "I'm a raccoon!" She tried to tug her red jacket over her large tail only managing to cover half of it. "It happened not long after it happened to you. Yuki and I have only been living here for a short time."
"They... allowed you stay?" Nazuna asked Yuki in almost disbelief yet awe.
Yuki wiped away her tears and nodded her head. The simplest answer should suffice.
"Déesse Louve!"
A voice from the entrance called for her. Nazuna turned to them, morphing into her wolf beastman form, and commanded, "Follow me!" Then she started to run.
Yuki watched her best friends effortlessly jump and climb boxes streaking across the city. She cursed at her inability to morph into a beastman but continued to follow anyhow. While it was more taxing and less smooth than of her friends, nearly tripping over her own feet and falling from high rooftops more than she cared to count, they found themselves at a high altitude. They sat on the edge of a tower overlooking the slums and behind them was the shining purple lights of Anima-City. It was peaceful and quiet, much of what Yuki had been wanting for a while.
Though, when she gazed down at the empty streets, she carefully asked, "Are you sure it's okay to ignore them?"
Nazuna sighed and leaned back into her hands. "Oh... yes, it will be okay."
"Nazuna, why-" Michiru started to speak but was interrupted with, "-Hold on, you're a tanuki. What do you mean raccoon?" by Nazuna.
Michiru quietly observed herself. Her eyes flickered from her furry hands to her tail. She turned to them almost as if saying she was right and Nazuna was wrong. The three of them silently gazed at each other before breaking out into small giggles.
Nazuna wiped away her tear, chuckling, "You're not fooling anyone by calling yourself a raccoon."
Michiru shoved her hands in her pockets and said, a small grin playing on her lips, "I couldn't help it. You're Silver Wolf, but we're just lowly servants in the world."
Nazuna shook her head and stood from her spot. Their eyes widened at what she morphed into. Her snout was much shorter, her shoulders less broad, her shape more defined and feminine, and her tail less busy and more slim. She looked at them with a delicate smile, speaking, "I'm not Silver Wolf. I'm a fox."
"A fox? Wait, so you're faking it?" Yuki gasped but she already knew it had been a sham. She swore Silver Wolf was blue!
Nazuna plopped down beside her, crossing her legs, placing a finger to her lips. "You have to keep it a secret. If anyone finds out, there'll be trouble." The two of them nodded their heads in understanding. "Michiru, don't tell me you can't turn back into a human."
Michiru tugged at her jacket with a shrug. "Well, at first, I couldn't. But now I can."
"Then why are you like that?"
"Isn't it more comfortable like this?" She giggled. Then she gasped in realization. Excitedly grabbing Yuki's arm, shaking her back and forth, she proposed, "Oh, I know! Come over to our place! There's so much we want to tell you!"
Nazuna looked shock at that. "You live here? Both of you?"
"Yes!" Yuki and Michiru giggled.
"Really? Let's go!"
Yuki, Michiru, and Nazuna traveled across the city enthusiastically. The chorus of three girls giggles were carried through the soft wind echoing and ringing. It felt almost as if time never passed between them. As if changes never occurred in their lives.
Unbeknownst to them, Shirou met Mayor Rose in her office discussing the Church of the Silver Wolf; a religious group that worships Silver Wolf and travels around the world demanding freedom for beastmen. Mayor Rose was especially stunned to find out Silver Wolf was the leader and founder. Shirou, on the other hand, was very displeased when he saw its ginrou form. A form extremely rare that no ordinary beastman can morph into. That girl is the first he has seen with a ginrou. He was especially displeased when the church was allowed into the city. An investigation will be underway.
The three girls conversed like old friends in Yuki's and Michiru's room. Then the conversation took a dark and sad turn. "So you saw when I was captured," Nazuna piped up from her seat on the couch.
Yuki lifted her hands in a slight awkward shrug. She sat criss cross on her bed, her magazines and ocarina scattered around her. "I was kind of far, so I didn't get a good look. But after that, you weren't around. That's when I finally understood." Her head dropped solemnly at the memory of her disappearance and spoke no words after that. Michiru did too.
Nazuna seemed nonchalant about it. "I was really scared. I thought they were going to kill me. I mean, I have already morphed into a beastman. Talk about freaking out!" She scoffed throwing her hand sassily. Then, she talked excitedly with a smile, "I was taken to some kind of weird research facility. That's where Cliff Boris rescued me. He knew I had the ability to do a full morph. He trained me, then we joined the Church of the Silver Wolf. Since I could morph into Silver Wolf, I became the founder, and Boris became the chief mentor."
"Is Boris the guy wearing the mask who was with you?" Michiru asked.
"Yup."
Yuki gave her a look. "Are you sure you can trust him? He seems pretty shady."
"He's not shady at all."
"But have you seen him with his mask off?" Yuki asked almost in disbelief.
"No."
Yuki and Michiru looked incredulously at one another. "So you're saying he always wears that mask? How is that not shady to you? It's kind of creepy to be with a man whose never shown his face before."
Nazuna turned her nose away closing her eyes. "No, it's not creepy. I told you, Boris is the one who saved me from that facility. He's not a bad person."
Those two only looked at each other and sighed. There was no changing Nazuna's perspective on the man she's known longer than them. Three girls just as stubborn as a nail stuck to a door are really the perfect blend of best friends. They only giggled slightly and released a shaky breath. "All right then. If you say so."
Nazuna stood from her seat and walked over to Michiru's desk. Sitting there unfinished was her latest picture book. Scissors, tape, and glue were still scattered among the nearly filled white pages. Yuki could see portraits of the city, a picture of Yuki and Michiru with Jem and Melissa, a group photo of the Bears, selfies with Nina, selfies of the two of them together, and one Yuki had gotten of Shirou off guard. Her face had stretched into a smile with Shirou turning his head to look at her from the background, annoyance on his face.
She fingered the pages, asking, "How long have you been like this, Michiru?"
Michiru smiled. "Not long after you, Nazuna. For a while, I hid at home, but I wanted to find a way to morph back. I thought coming here might help. Yuki tagged along because she didn't want me to be alone anymore and I'm grateful for it. But nobody knows about our disease."
"Disease?"
"Yeah, I think it's a disease. Beastman-itis."
Nazuna's snout widened into a smirk staring at the photos. Changing the subject, she said, "It looks like you're having fun though. Yuki, too!"
Yuki smiled widely and fell back into her bed. "Oh, yeah! I love it here! Even though I'm not a beastman like you two, it's really fun being in Anima-City. Though, things were pretty rough in the beginning. Of course there are some bad people here but there are many who help you out too. We were locked in a closet at one point but things turned out for the better."
Nazuna flipped a page and revealed another photo taken. Yuki and Michiru's faces framed the side, smiling wide and holding up peace signs, with Shirou looking away in annoyance once again but Mayor Rose smiling at their enthusiasm.
"Is this the mayor of Anima-City?" Nazuna gasped.
"Yes. We help her out sometimes too," Michiru answered. She straightened and approached Nazuna. "Hey, why don't we all live here together?" At the proposition, Yuki immediately clambered out of her bed and joined them on the floor. Michiru stared at their friend with unwavering determination. "Quit playing the founder of that religion. I swear we can find a way to cure this. Let's work together until we can become humans again!"
CHIRP!
Yuki smiled excitedly at the sound of a bird chirping. She turned away from them and toward the door. "Shirou's back," She giggled, cheeks burning and hands clasping together, hurrying out of the room hearing Michiru hot on her heels.
Climbing down the stairs, all three of them met at the door with Michiru brushing past. Shirou stood past the doorway with Kuro perched on his shoulder. "Shirou, welcome back!" Yuki greeted him with the bow of her head.
"Oh, Hanamura," He said turning in her direction. "Did you have a good day?"
Yuki nodded her head and held her hands behind her back. "Yes, I had a very good day."
"Good," He said with a slight grin.
She turned her head away to hide the blush that was deepening on her cheeks.
"Hey, Shirou!" Michiru greeted with the slight wave before turning to Melissa reading her magazine on the couch. "Hey, Mrs. Melissa! Is it all right if we let a friend of ours live here too?"
"What friend?" He asked.
Coming out from behind the doorway, Nazuna appeared in her human form with a small smile. Yuki and Michiru smiled hopefully at the two of them and waited with bated breaths. But not a moment later did his eyes widen in either shock or surprise. All of a sudden, he sharply turned his head with a scoff, "Impossible."
Both Yuki and Michiru were taken back. "What? Why not?"
"That girl can't live here," He growled.
"Shirou?" Yuki gulped staring up at his suddenly closed-off composure.
Nazuna smiled sadly at them. As if she expected that result. Sighing, "It's okay. I'll be going," She turned to leave.
"Nazuna! Wait!" Yuki and Michiru begged watching her continue to walk off without another backwards glance. Her back started to get smaller and smaller. A breath hitched at the back of her throat. "Please don't go!" She pleaded almost tearfully once more reaching forward to grasp her white robe-
A hand clamped around her wrist and pulled Yuki back with a sharp tug. "Hold it!" Shirou demanded keeping his hand firmly around her hand. "Don't tell me that friend of yours is human."
Michiru glared up at him and stood her ground. "That's right. Like me, Nazuna has beastman-itis!" She exclaimed much to his disbelief. "I don't understand! Why can Yuki and I stay here but Nazuna can't?!"
"That religion is fishy. We are not sure if they are a legitimate group," Shirou huffed down at her matter-of-factly. Then, his eyes flashed a mysterious color. "And I can't trust that woman. If anything compromises Hanamura's safety-"
Michiru growled throwing up her hands, "Is that all you think about nowadays?! Every time we try to do something it's always about her safety! If it compromises Yuki's safety, identity, or whatever it is, it's your job to protect her! But by keeping us away from Nazuna, all because, what, you think her group is fishy... No matter what, you're only going to be thinking about her and not what she needs or want! And that's Nazuna!"
"Michiru, wait!" Yuki screamed watching her friend take off out the building. She tore herself out of his grip and immediately took chase.
"Hanamura-!"
"Don't follow me!" She commanded him throwing a glare over her shoulder. "They're my friends, my best friends, and I won't let you keep me away from them!"
She raced through the city, past the blinding lights, the cars streaking under the midnight skies, and back into the slums. Nervously, carefully, she approached the tents set up on the outskirts and the robed members still loitering about outside. Lifting a shaky hand, she called out, "Excuse me! I'm Yuki Hanamura! Let me join your church!"
In an instant, she was surrounded by them and stepping forth from the crowd was Boris. Yuki swallowed the lump in her throat staring at the man who easily towered over her. She kept herself from flinching at the slit for a pupil and the sideways closing of its eyelid, like a reptile.
Taking a deep breath in, she continued, "When I saw the founder this afternoon, I was so moved! Please let me join!" and bowed deeply.
"Very well."
Yuki picked up her head in surprise.
"As Silver Wolf wishes," He said turning away.
As he and the other members left to what they had been doing, Yuki shivered uneasily and hugged her arms. "What's with that guy? He totally creeps me out," She whimpered under her breath.
At her side, a Silver Wolf member appeared. When she turned to him and stared, he shifted from foot to foot uneasily. She wondered why. "My new sister, take this," He said holding out a similar silver wolf necklace. His voice sounded older and more mature than she expected. As she reached and grabbed it, their fingers meeting briefly, he quickly withdrew his hands back beneath the safety of his robes. Acting as if she burned him. "I will show you to your tent."
Yuki followed the stiff man down the aisle of tents. It was strange and curious he acted like that. Is he suspicious of her? She hoped not. She has only the purest intentions. Although, she wondered where Michiru had gone to.
She was taken to a tent where other female members sleep. It was large with two rows, each having more than a dozen beds, lined on each side. There, she caught up with Michiru. She had been surprised Shirou allowed her out of his sights but Yuki admitted she fled on her own. Nazuna, it seemed, was their only and main concern. No, she's not going to lose her. Not again. She won't allow it.
When night came and both pretended to fall asleep, they snuck out from their tent and quietly to the largest tent placed on the other side. It looked to have been a combination of three with how wide it was. They carefully pulled the flaps back. Inside were dozens of half-melted candles strewn all over the interior as well as blue crystal gems placed delicately all around. Without making a sound they crawled over to her bed and lifted their eyes-
"EEP!" Yuki yelped into her hands at the sudden pair of eyes staring into theirs.
"Shh!" Nazuna shushed with a smirk. She sat up on her bed and grinned at them. "I heard from Boris. I can't believe you joined the Church."
Yuki and Michiru climbed on top, grasping her hands into theirs, begging just above a whisper, "Let's run away together. That Boris is way creepier than I thought. Don't trust that guy!"
Nazuna quirked her head at them. "You really are stupid, aren't you?"
"Huh?!"
"Keep your voice down!" She quickly shushed their offended voices. "You should go back. It looks like Anima-City won't allow the Church in. We just might have to leave at this rate."
Yuki's heart twinged at the thought. "And you're going with them? You can't stay here?"
"Unlike you, I don't have a place here. Even that guy said no to me, right?" Nazuna spoke solemnly with a sad grin. At their heartbroken sputters, she added with a sigh, "The mayor won't meet with us either. We tried to see her but she refused to meet us."
Michiru immediately perked up. "I know how you can see her."
"Michiru... Should we..." Yuki started uneasily already knowing of what she planned to propose. Of course she wanted to help Nazuna out but she was afraid of what Shirou might think. She should ask for his permission. Although, the guarantee he would say no would be 100%.
She ignored Yuki and declared, "Leave it to me. I know where she has breakfast every morning. I'll go with you and ask her. I'm sure she'll understand once we tell her about you. We'll go before everyone gets up." Michiru got underneath the covers and placed her heavy head on a pillow. "We need to start early, so let's go to bed. Now we can be together again, Nazuna."
Even though everything in her body told Yuki to not trust it, to go to Shirou with this, she couldn't help but lay beneath the covers with her best friends. Now we can be together again. Those words rung in her head. Even though it was impulsive, and downright selfish, she plans on helping her best friend into the city. That way, they can live and be together again just like they used to be. It sounded... really nice. The thought sent her sleeping soundly.
The next morning, they hurried across Anima-City and into the cafe where Mayor Rose had been nursing her cup of tea. "Mayor Rose!" Michiru screamed running inside.
"Miss Michiru. Miss Yuki," Mayor Rose greeted them.
Slamming her hands on the table, Michiru quickly spoke, "I brought someone with me I want you to meet. She knows that I'm-"
"I'm the founder of the Church of the Silver Wolf, Déesse Louve," Nazuna suddenly interrupted stepping forward into Mayor Rose's line of vision. Yuki and Michiru stared at her strangely. "Thank you for setting aside the time to meet with me. I have come to request permission for permanent residency in Anima-City for members of the Church of the Silver Wolf."
Yuki choked out, hand shaking at her side, "Nazuna...?"
Residency for the church... this isn't what they planned...
Mayor Rose abruptly stood from her seat. "If that's what you want to talk about..." She was already beginning to ignore her and her words.
"Why won't you accept our request? Doesn't Anima-City accept all beastmen? Is that promise a lie?" Nazuna threw back at her with a glare and a slight scoff.
"To beastmen, Silver Wolf is sacred. Using that for your own benefit is unacceptable," The mayor spat with angry eyes. "This city is open to and welcomes all beastmen. But this city doesn't need those who falsely claim to be beastmen."
Yuki's breath started to come in and out fast.
Nazuna stared determinedly without any falter. "Admittedly, I am a human. I am not the legendary Silver Wolf."
"That's for sure."
"However, does Silver Wolf even exist? An immortal beastman who's lived for 1,000 years?" Nazuna scoffed with the firm shake of her head. "And though he's a beastman, he has the form of a wolf? Of course, he doesn't exist. But beastmen have been so utterly oppressed that they've clung desperately to this lie and asked for its assistance. Am I right?" She didn't sound remorseful or sympathetic at all. She sounded as if she bought into the lie she could be the next Silver Wolf.
At the mayor's silence, she added loudly leaving no room for error, "That's why I am turning this lie into the truth. For the happiness of beastmen. I am not promoting false hopes. I am manifesting their hopes. That hope is something that's needed in Anima-City as well. Isn't that right, Mayor Barballet Rose?"
"Nazuna..." Michiru gasped.
Mayor Rose's defiance faded into a grin. She turned to the two of them, speaking, "Your friend is quite interesting." She turned back to Nazuna. "Come to the city hall this afternoon. We'll sign you up for permanent residency."
They left the building and into a park nearby. All rebellion and determination in Nazuna melted into all giggles and smiles. She stretched her arms high and yawned, "Gosh I'm starving! Let's get something to eat!"
Yuki stopped in her tracks. Her hands clenched in the pockets of her hoodie.
"Is something wrong?" Nazuna asked turning her head over her shoulder.
She dropped her head. "I should be the one asking you that. Don't act like that. You lied to us. You tricked us," She forced herself to speak.
"How did I trick you?" She asked with the smallest of scoffs.
Yuki's jaw set. She lifted her head and huffed, "We wanted to help you because we felt sorry for you for being forced to be the Church's founder. But what was that just now?! Were you just using us?! Was that your plan ever since you first saw that photo back in our room? Don't lie to me, Nazuna!"
Nazuna just looked at her as if her outburst was nothing more than a nuisance. "Oh, wow," She rolled her eyes. At Yuki and Michiru's sputter, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat lazily against the park bench beside her. She casually crossed her legs and laid her hand against her cheek. "You always get upset when things aren't exactly the way you expect. I didn't have to depend on you at all to get this. But Michiru was so smug that you could set up a meeting with the mayor."
"B-But you said the mayor wouldn't see you," Michiru stammered quietly.
Nazuna let out a taunting giggle. "Do you think the mayor conceded because I asked her just now? Of course not! That was already going to happen. She was obviously investigating the Church already. So you see, even if you hadn't gotten involved, the result wouldn't have been any different."
"Then why did you ask me to do that?" Michiru spoke.
"I never asked you. From the start, you did it on your own because you assumed I wanted it. In fact, I never said I wanted to quit as the founder," Nazuna sighed.
Yuki and Michiru gasped, "Huh?!"
Nazuna looked bothered at that. "See? You still don't get it," She tsked. She stood and faced their eyes without falter. Her smile broke into the brightest of them all. "Why in the world would I quit? I've finally become a pop idol. Being the founder is like being a pop idol. Tons of beastmen worship and praise me. They pin their hopes and dreams on me. That's what a pop idol is!"
"The whole thing is crazy! Are you nuts?! You're satisfied using that creepy guy to become a pop idol? How can a church founder be a pop idol?!" Michiru exclaimed in pure disbelief.
Nazuna grinned. "You haven't changed a bit. When something happens before your eyes, you always jump in without thinking about the consequences. That part of you still hasn't changed a bit. Jumping to conclusions, taking pity on me just because you feel sorry for me, then deciding you need to help me. You're only doing it because you want to feel good about yourself."
"That's not true..." Michiru mindlessly whimpered.
Yuki's core started to flare higher and higher.
"And as for Boris, he's not as creepy as you say."
"You're wrong!" Michiru screamed.
Nazuna sighed again. Then she spread a haughty smirk. "There you go again pressing your beliefs on me. I decided to do whatever it takes to achieve my dream. Right now, I'm no longer Nazuna. I'm the blessed mistress of Silver Wolf, Déesse Louve!"
Yuki didn't hesitate to step forward and draw her fist from her hoodie. At the lazy glance of Nazuna's eyes, she rammed her fist right into her face! Michiru's gasp sounded behind her, the impact's vibration spread throughout her knuckles, and she watched Nazuna knock to the ground with a yelp of surprise. She picked her head up to reveal a large red mark on her face, her hand lightly cradling it, with a look of betrayal in her eyes.
"No! You don't get to look at me like that! You don't deserve to look at me as if I betrayed you!" Yuki screeched ignoring the pain shooting through her fingers and up her arm. "A pop idol?! You're going to give up everything to be a pop idol for some church?! No matter what you say, you tricked us! You did! You knew our intentions were to help you gain citizenship to Anima-City, not allow your church to force its way in, and you didn't stop us! You knew what you were doing! If you knew everything would turn out all right, you could've told us you didn't need our help! Instead, you let us get humiliated!"
Yuki stomped a heavy foot to the ground and stared at the girl she spent time in the hospital with, the one who took the time to become her friend, to show her the world wasn't such a big and scary place like she believed. "We were worried sick about you! We thought you were dead at some points! Now that we found you...!" She choked on her tears.
She grasped the wolf necklace from around her neck and ripped it off. The metal shillings shattered under her strength and broke into smaller pieces at her feet. "I can't be friends with Déesse Louve! I will never be friends with Déesse Louve! And that's a promise!"
Michiru did the same. She ripped her own necklace from her throat and slammed it to the ground. Both girls left the injured Déesse Louve on the ground and started to run away as fast as they could. They were so caught up in their hurt feelings, in the betrayal, the shattering of trust, and the thought of their friend giving up their friendship, they didn't notice a Silver Wolf member hiding in the background following their every move.
They walked silently into headquarters ignoring the silent stares from Jem, Melissa, and Shirou. They collapsed on their respective beds with their heads buried in their pillows. Yuki sniffed and used the lining of her cushion to wipe the fallen stray tears.
A sudden weight shift of her mattress. It creaked as someone sat on its edge. "Do you want to talk about it?" Shirou asked above her.
Yuki quietly spoke, voice muffled against her cushion, "Nazuna-Déesse Louve-she's not who she used to be. Not anymore. I thought... I thought she was still our friend. I thought she still cared about us. Instead, she used us and said awful things. All just become a famous pop idol. H-How could she?"
It was silent. She felt the soft plop of his gloved hand land on her head. She slowly lifted her eyes to see his soft gaze. He rubbed her head affectionately. "It hurts, but you should move on. Nothing good comes from clinging to the past."
Her eyes fell to her cushion and she released a small sigh.
"She also punched her." Their eyes turned to Michiru. She looked down at her hands. "It was scary."
"Did you say Hanamura punched her?" Shirou asked almost in disbelief yet in awe.
Yuki dropped her head again in her pillow. "I was heartbroken, okay? She broke our trust! What happened in the human world was left behind there. Whatever friendship we had was gone. She used us to grant an audience with Mayor Rose under the pretense of wanting sole citizenship. Like I said, all for the purpose of becoming a pop idol even if she knows she is not Silver Wolf. She's using his name to become famous, and that's wrong!"
A snort from Shirou. "Impressive. You're upgrading from a slap to a punch. I'd say it was well-deserved."
Yuki only groaned into her pillow feeling more humiliated. Then, a phone rung. She heard the click of a button and, "Mayor Rose?" from Shirou. She heard the slight hum of his voice before another press of a button. "The mayor wants to see you, Hanamura. I am to escort you to her office."
"Just Yuki?" Michiru asked curiously.
"Yes."
Yuki nervously stood up. "Oh no, am I in trouble?" She fearfully asked him.
Shirou plopped another comforting hand on her head. "Most likely not. It didn't sound urgent but she wanted to see you right away."
It had been a silent walk toward Mayor Rose's office. She was tremendously nervous about what the mayor wanted to talk about. If Déesse Louve told her what happened, a human attacking her, "Silver Wolf", she could be removed from the city immediately and indefinitely. She didn't want that to happen! She can't leave Anima-City! She loves Anima-City! She didn't care if she couldn't morph into a beastman, it's her home now! Fighting tooth and nail is what she'll do!
Her suspicions only seemed to be confirmed even further. When they rode up the elevator to her office, the doors parted to reveal Mayor Rose conversing with a member of the Silver Wolf. Yuki grew more fearful but at least it wasn't Boris.
"Miss Yuki, please come in," Mayor Rose beckoned her with a hand.
She nervously stepped forward, Shirou on her heel, asking, "Is something wrong, Mayor? Did I do something? If I did, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! Don't kick me out of Anima-City!" She bowed her head multiple times in quick succession in forgiveness and mercy.
Mayor Rose quickly shook her head. "No, nothing of the sort. This member of the Silver Wolf here asked for your presence."
Shirou slightly growled. "And who is this?"
"That's for Miss Yuki to find out. Do not interfere."
Yuki gave her a confused look and grew anxious at Shirou's clenched fists. Even more so when the man approached her without hesitation or falter in his step. When they stood face-to-face, she recognized him as the member that gave her the wolf necklace back at their campsite. She almost drew her hand back when he reached forward to grab it but allowed him to hold it. Curiously, he lifted a finger and lightly traced the lines marking her palm. It tickled for a bit but stopped at the sound of his gasp.
"It's you," He mumbled before throwing back the hood of his robes.
She gazed at him and squinted her eyes. He looked at her with hopeful eyes. Tears brimmed the lining of his eyelids. His breathing became erratic just staring at her. She didn't know who he was. Yet this middle-aged man looked familiar. But why? "D-Do I know you...?" She tentatively asked.
The man looked as if he knew she would be confused. He was calm, caring, and held a lot of patience. He let go of her hand slowly and took a step back. He removed the cloak from his back and squared his shoulders. He then morphed into a beastman in a split second. He lifted his head to meet her eyes. Her gaze ran shakily over the wolf that stood before her. Then her eyes widened in sudden realization. A gasp choked out of her mouth. Her heart pounded so fast in her chest she thought she'd vomit it out. Her face scrunched hard and the tears that threatened to fall did so.
When he noticed she recognized him, he reached forward with a tender hand.
Yuki started to hyperventilate at the hand reaching out to her. She shook her head profusely in denial. At the fingertips closing in on her and she took multiple steps back. "Y-You're... Y-You're..." She whimpered and squeaked feeling her back collide into Shirou.
"Hanamura? Hey, are you okay?" He asked worriedly wrapping his arms around her to keep her from falling. He set his growl on the man. "Who are you? What are you to her?"
Yuki grasped his shirt tightly forcing his concerned attention back on her. "That's... That's my father," She managed to choke out before losing consciousness. After that, after the darkness swallowed her vision whole, all she heard were the echoes of her name falling from their lips.