Yuki didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but it probably was for just a small while. The sun greeted her eagerly with its powerful rays of yellow by the time her eyes started to flutter open. It felt as if she was peeling her glued eyelashes from her skin and her eyelids felt heavy, as if she hadn't slept in days, but it wasn't what concerned her the most. The world was still a slight blur, the voices of people trying to speak to her came through muffled like she were held underwater, and the only thing she could manage at the moment was lifting a weak hand to silence the overbearing shadows crowding her and her vision.

Perhaps it was a couple minutes that passed by but she felt well-enough to sit up on her own. With a tender hand placed to her head, as if to see if she could somehow stifle the headache easing into her brain, she took a long look around the room and found it far crowded than she anticipated.

Yuki found herself on Mayor Rose's couch, her entire body having been stretched across and laying on the soft green cushions, staring up into the worried and concerned faces of those surrounding her. She almost didn't remember what had occurred that made her lose consciousness. She peered into Mayor Rose's solemn look and Shirou's concerned expression. He sat behind her letting her back rest against his shoulder with a hand to her side to keep her steady. She almost didn't recognize the third face kneeling at her side.

Though, when she peered into his hopeful green eyes all of what happened rushed back into her unexpectedly. She stared at the man, at the father she had long thought was dead, and nearly burst into tears. Face scrunching up hard, her vision blurring and eyes stinging, she reached forward and whimpered, "Papa."

Tears immediately brimmed his eyelids. "My pup," He shuddered breathlessly snatching her hand out of the air and clutching it to his chest. He bent over her hand in pain, an agonizing sob working its way up his throat, the large droplets of his cold tears pattering against her skin. When he gathered his courage, he gazed up at her again and smiled through his small cries. "I never thought I'd see you again," He said barely above a whisper.

"I should be saying that to you," She immediately spoke grasping his hand back and using the other to close in around his shaky fingers. "I thought... you were dead all this time."

He shook his head profusely. "No, I wasn't dead. Truth is... I thought you were dead," He pleaded through red swollen eyes. Yuki jumped in her spot at the revelation. He placed a wet kiss to her fingertips. He laid their conjoined hands against his fore-head as if in prayer, to give himself more strength to speak, "But your mom didn't make it. She truly is dead."

Yuki, for a moment, had thought he was speaking of her biological mother. At the memory of her mother's throat being slit open right in front of her spilling gallons of blood that shouldn't ever see the light of day. But she wasn't the one he was talking about. He was talking about her adoptive mother, Misaki. Her heart ached profusely at the thought of her, at the memories of her kindness, and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Was she killed by the hunters?" She forced herself to ask.

He shook his head still not meeting her eyes. "No. She was killed... by someone else."

"By who?" She said, nearly demanded of him, through gritted teeth.

The hand at her side squeezed slightly. Shirou behind her gave her the smallest shakes of his head. Not a warning to keep her from asking questions, but to take it easy. She gave him an understanding nod back. "Papa, what happened?" She asked softly but not weakly.

He finally lifted his eyes to meet hers. Where she expected despair and anguish, she found anger and fury. His green irises sparkled with flames at the memory she was going to have him relive. "I expected you to believe Misaki and I were dead after what you had saw us endure with those Anti-Beastmen Hunters Seto had hired. We were beaten to hell but we were alive. I was awake when I saw them turn their wrath on you. I wanted to defend you with everything I had even when I was spent on just breathing, I needed to protect you but I couldn't." His hands trembled and he forced himself to take a deep breath. "Your mother and I were taken into a slavery camp, and your fate... I was never allowed to know."

"Slavery camp?" Yuki nearly sobbed, her own hands trembling.

"Yes, we were sold to a slavery camp where many beastmen were trapped just as us," He recounted with an emotionless tone. "We were tortured and treated like vermin. Their cruelty didn't just extend to adults but to the children too. My wife, she lost her life protecting a child and I... in my rage..." His voice trailed off into a growl. His jaw set into a snarl. "I slaughtered every single human I could find, every last one that was a part of the camp, and freed all the beastmen that were held captive." A hint of remorse couldn't be found.

Yuki couldn't envision him hurting anybody. Not even a fly. She had remembered a poor caterpillar getting in their home and trying to find a way out. While she grew frightened at such a small creature, he merely smiled, plucked it from where it laid, and gently set it on a leafy bush that had been nearby. To coat his body in blood she couldn't do.

"What happened then?" She soon asked.

"I tried searching for you, I had to believe you were alive," He answered softly, running a thumb over her knuckle. "Even when I couldn't, even though there had been no trace of your existence, I still never gave up hope. After what happened to Misaki, I couldn't lose anybody else. I hoped joining the Silver Wolf cult will bring me some sort of meaning to my life but, here you are. Right in front of me."

When she stared down at him, she finally gathered the courage to ask the probing question in her head. "Is it because I'm your daughter? Your... biological daughter?"

His eyes flew wide open in horror. He stared at her incredulously, even Mayor Rose and Shirou exchanged surprised glances. "H-How did you-?"

"You really think I wasn't going to find out?" She asked him in a slight chuckle. "After you and mom adopted me after... well, mom died," She tried to explain realizing how hard it was to speak about two different set of mothers, "I found the DNA test results in your study. Until then, I thought the man who was lived with us was my biological dad. You have no idea... how relieved I was when I found out you were my dad. Are my real dad. I'm glad you were the one who saved me and loved me for as long as you could."

More tears slipped down the corner of his eyes and he pressed another kiss to her fingers. "Thank you, my pup. It means so much to hear you say that," He shuddered breathlessly but with a wide smile.

Yuki smiled too but it twitched after a moment. "I want to know more about you and mom. I want to know what happened. Please," She nearly begged.

He wanted to give in to her plea, she could see it in his eyes, but the emotional toll of what was happening was too much for him to bear at the moment. "In due time, pup. I promise I will."

She wanted to persist, wanted to keep asking about what happened, what led up to her birth, what occurred afterwards, and everything else. But the heavy and dark bags around his eyes, the sparkled yet emotionless look in his eye, and his trembling hands grasping hers prevented her from doing so. She only swallowed her questions and nodded her head in understanding.

Yuki suddenly winced at the pressure in her side. "Shirou?" She mumbled turning her head to look at him.

Shirou had a dark look in his eyes but it was only for a split second. At her gaze, at her head rolling on his shoulder twisting to see him, the shadows immediately dissipated. His grip on her loosened to a soft hand. He cleared his throat and readjusted himself on his seat. "It's nothing," He merely said.

"Didn't look like nothing," She retorted.

"It's nothing," He repeated and nothing more.

Mayor Rose stepped up with a gentle smile. She gestured with a gentle hand, speaking, "I am very delighted Miss Yuki and Mr. Kaien reunited. Congratulations."

Her father stood from his spot and grabbed her hand giving her an appreciative nod. "Thank you for doing this, Mayor Rose. This never would've happened without your help," He said shaking her hand vigorously.

"Oh please, we're friends. It's what we do for each other," Mayor Rose said with a grin.

Yuki looked at her almost incredulously. "Wait, you're friends?" She sputtered.

Her father nodded his head. "Yes, we are. When I wanted to see you, when I first recognized you at the Church of Silver Wolf, I came to Mayor Rose straightaway and asked to be granted an audience with you. She has eyes and ears everywhere so I knew she had some sort of idea of where you could be. I didn't think you were on talking terms, to be honest. That's sort of a surprise."

"Does that mean you know Shirou as well?" Yuki asked gesturing to the man behind her.

Her father and Shirou made brief eye contact. "I am well-acquainted with him and with what he does."

"As do I. In my hastiness, I had forgotten who you were. It's been years, you look much different than you did before," Shirou grumbled lifting a hand to clasp his and use the other to place a friendly pat on his back.

Her father chuckled embarrassed and ruffled his brown hair dripping down his head. A swirl of brown bangs tickled his green eyes. "Yes, it's been a while. I've been meaning to get a haircut but when the church roams and visits different parts of the world, you're not really given much leisure time. It's pray for our savior Silver Wolf or be expelled and never allowed back in. At the time, it wasn't a luxury I could afford." His eyes still spoke sadness of how he came to joining the church.

Yuki swallowed a lump, a hopeful feeling growing in the core of her chest, and asked, almost nervous, "Papa, we could go right now for your haircut." Then she eyed his dirty beige trench-coat, dark green sweater underneath, and baggy mud-stained blue jeans and shoes with a disgusted eye. "Then we'll get you showered and clothes cleaned."

"Perhaps," Mayor Rose quickly intervened lifting a gentle hand once again, "that could wait until you fill out some forms you may want to look over."

Her father and Yuki shared confused glances. "What forms?" He asked curiously.

Mayor Rose beamed and grinned. She reached inside her desk and drew forth a stack of papers. "If you plan to reside and stay in Anima-City to be with your daughter, you might as well register for your citizenship's." A gasp choked out of Yuki and her father's face widened in shock. "It's a long and tedious process but the sooner it starts the quicker you'll get your IDs. I'll make sure your applications are top priority without the necessary red tape."

"Mayor Rose, thank you!" Yuki gasped with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her father smiled wide and knelt in front of her once again. He grasped her hands in his again. His hold was firm, protective and loving. "We could get a house in the suburban. Or an apartment within the city. Whichever you'd like. I promise to be the best dad possible. This time, I won't ever let anything like what happened happen again. I will protect you until my dying breath.

"That better not be any time soon," Yuki chuckled and hugged him close. Then she gasped and pulled back sharply. "That means I would be leaving Michiru all alone by herself in the storage room at headquarters. Now I feel kind of bad."

Her father gave her a shrug. "I don't know who Michiru is, but she is more than welcomed to visit as much as she likes or move in if she wishes."

Yuki smiled widely at the idea. "She's my best friend. I love it. Thank you, papa!" She exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck once again. When he wrapped her in his, his hold once again was warm, protective, and firm. A promise.

"If you don't mind, I would like to discuss the Church of the Silver Wolf with Mr. Kaien, Miss Yuki," Mayor Rose spoke up softly.

Yuki nodded her head. "Of course."

Her father stood and approached. "What would you like to know?"

Shirou cleared his throat and tried to subtly, not-so-subtly actually, motion his eyes towards Yuki's presence. "Should we talk about it in front of the girl?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Yuki frowned at him.

"It's fine. Her father may provide valuable information that Miss Yuki would probably like to listen," Mayor Rose admitted.

Yuki smirked haughtily at him earning her an eye-roll.

The projection screen lit up green with the familiar silver wolf symbol. She pressed the memories of ripping and slamming the necklace into a million pieces on the ground to the back of her head and held her chin high.

Her father stepped up as the projection switched to a picture of regular beastmen praying to a shrine of Silver Wolf like Miss Melissa had done. They were dressed in casual clothing, looked quite content with what they had, and joined together by their make-shift campfires to keep themselves warm. "The Church was never what it is now. It used to be a simple folk religion. A humble gathering of regular beastmen wanting to pray to their savior," He started to explain.

The projection switched pictures to one of Boris and the robes she is familiar with. Yuki frowned heavily.

"It was about six months ago when Cliff Boris joined. He changed the entire structure and turned it into the cult it is now. It expanded and quickly became powerful," He added with a rough sigh.

"What's more, the founder is a childhood friend of Hanamura and the tanuki girl," Shirou stated standing from his seat and crossing his arms.

Mayor Rose casted her eyes down. "Two people with beastman disease, and they're close friends. I doubt it's a coincidence. Don't you agree?" She said before asking Shirou.

"One caught it from the other," Shirou simply said.

Her father shook his head. "If that were the case, more humans would've been infected. Yuki, most of all."

Yuki placed a contemplative fist to her mouth. She couldn't understand the predicament. They were all human at one point. Suddenly, Nazuna turned into a beastman and Michiru followed suit. But why is she still human? She is born to a beastman father and yet... how come she does not have the ability to morph like everyone else? A recessive gene, perhaps?

"The mystery grows more puzzling," Mayor Rose sighed. Then she exhaled deeply. "I will allow the Church to settle. If there is a beastman disease, we should monitor it closely. I need you to keep a close eye on Miss Yuki and see if there's any changes in her condition or appearance."

"Of course," Shirou and her father suddenly answered in unison.

Yuki's eyes widened. They darted back and forth repeatedly, nervously, between the men immediately gauging each other with a scrutinizing gaze at the answer they provided without hesitance. Her father raised an eyebrow while Shirou merely turned away without a bother.

A beep rang from Mayor Rose's telephone. "Mayor, you have a visitor."

She held down a button, speaking, "I don't have any appointments."

"Well..."

The elevator doors to the office slid open without warning. "Good day. I'm terribly sorry for intruding like this. It's good to see you again, Mayor Barballet Rose." A voice accompanied by the sound of footsteps. Yuki rose from her seat to see who it was and found herself staring at Alan Sylvasta, Chairman of Sylvasta Pharmaceuticals! She recognized him from the tabloids in the human world.

Mayor Rose immediately stood from her chair, gasping, "Chairman Alan, what a pleasant surprise."

"Sorry, but it's my nature to be impulsive," He chuckled with a sly smirk, stepping forth. He faced Shirou hanging by Mayor Rose's side and held out his hand, speaking, "I'm Alan Sylvasta, Chairman of Sylvasta Pharmaceutical. Nice to meet you."

"Shirou Ogami," He introduced himself without removing his hands from his pockets nor changing the suspicious expression on his face.

Alan didn't look too bothered. He kept his sly smirk when he asked, almost mockingly, "Not too fond with handshakes?"

"That's right. I'll get a human scent on me," He scoffed. Yuki cocked her head at him. He never once complained he would have her human scent on him if they hung around together. Then again, she hangs around Michiru, Jem, and Melissa all the time. They could be camouflaging her scent making Shirou none the worry.

Alan shrugged and pulled back his hand. "Oh, how rude of me."

Mayor Rose's assistant, a bulky man in a black suit standing behind him, explained, "Mr. Ogami is a consultant to the mayor. He has assisted us since the founding of Anima-City."

"Then you're in much the same position as I am," Alan smiled. "I give financial aid, while you provide expert advice. I heard you were of assistance in the Sylvasta Pharmaceutical bombing."

Yuki, Mayor Rose, and Shirou stiffened heavily at the mention of it.

"I received a report that you and your cute assistants exposed Yaba and his cronies' foolish crimes," Alan chuckled light-heartedly earning a glare from Shirou.

""Cute assistants"?" He questioned with a scowl.

"Am I mistaken? That tanuki and the other girl. Shame I couldn't see her in her beastman form. Must've been too shy to do so," He said as if he was having a friendly conversation with a pal who had known for many years.

Yuki had no idea she had been mentioned in the report. In any report. Or how much details they provided. It must've looked suspicious she never morphed into a beastman when she was in trouble. She looked away hugging her arm in worry. The concerned flash of Shirou's eyes in her direction caused Alan to turn and finally place his attention on her.

His eyes brightened seeing her standing there as if he hadn't noticed her when he first stepped in. "Is this her? The girl who helped foil the plans of the beastmen bombing my pharmaceutical?" He gasped taking multiple steps towards her much to her extreme unease. He stopped before her and reached forward grasping one of her hands. He held it up between them with a flirtatious smile. "You are indeed very beautiful and courageous for your age. You have my utmost gratitude. Without your help, surely they would've succeeded." He then leaned down and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

As soon as she felt the brush of his lips, the warmth of his breath staining where he father once clung for hope and courage, her face scrunched in distaste, her core flared with disgust, and slid her hand free. Before Alan could register her hand was no longer in his grip, before Yuki could withdraw her hand completely to her body, Shirou was suddenly in front of her. His figure became a shield. He glared down at the man with those icy cold irises of his.

Alan straightened himself and replaced his smirk. "I'm just being polite. No need to take it seriously," He chuckled once again.

"You don't touch her without her permission," Shirou spat unkindly.

Yuki, her father, and Mayor Rose looked taken back at the sudden change of his demeanor. Before he was a stoic towering brute. Then, just like on the bridge the night she confronted Seto, a dangerous aura emanated from him. A warning. No, more like a threat. She was grateful for it.

Alan looked unfazed, even amused, at the response. He turned back to Mayor Rose, speaking, "I'm sorry for barging in like this. I heard that the Church of the Silver Wolf is requesting residency," before turning to gaze out the windows. He gave one glance toward Shirou, huffing tauntingly, "I think you should turn them down."

"That would go against the purpose of this city," Mayor Rose quickly reminded him.

"True. Anima-City is a refuge for oppressed beastmen to escape to. By living here, beastmen become acquainted with human civilization and learn how to coexist with humans. I empathize with your beliefs and provide you with funding as the representative of humankind," He explained without ever turning his head to look at them.

Mayor Rose nodded her head. "That's right. Anima-City does not turn away beastmen. So why do this?"

"A whim?" He said nonchalantly.

A heavy snarl, one of immense disgust and great annoyance, swiftly spewed from Shirou's mouth without warning. Yuki gasped at the large and sharp fangs revealing from in between his human lips. She almost took a few steps back in sheer shock alone but she clung to his arm instead with her body, speaking quickly below her breath, "Shirou, please calm down."

"My, what magnificent fangs you have! You're quite the wolf beastman," Alan complimented with a wide smile much to her own annoyance.

"Ogami, please!" Mayor Rose said with exasperation but without losing her cool. She turned back to Alan with an expression of frustration. "I know full well that the young heir to the Sylvasta Conglomerate doesn't act merely on a whim."

Alan's smirk reappeared. The glow of the sun on his face and golden hair made him look much like an angel but his behavior was far from it. "You give me far too much credit. I simply believe that Anima-City doesn't need the Church of the Silver Wolf now. While beastmen are trying to modernize, allowing a beastmen cult into this city would have an adverse effect. It would agitate anti-beastman factions." His demeanor suddenly changed. His smirk faded and he rested a heavy look on Shirou. "Recently, central figures in the beastman rights movement, such as elected officials, beastman activists, and journalists, have been getting shot."

Yuki trembled violently in her spot. She momentarily closed her eyes and saw the flash of blood and heard the horrifying screams of her mother, her father, and adopted mother. It wasn't just them being attacked. Other supporters are being targeted as well. She couldn't understand why!

"There are reports of unidentified flying beastmen crossing our borders too. Naturally, the final decision lies with you," Alan added turning to return to the elevators across the room. "Depending on your decision, I may need to rethink my position."

"That a threat?" Shirou glowered.

"No, just a piece of advice," Alan said waving away his anger. "Now that the Medical Center has no director, I'll be taking charge. If possible, I'd like to continue working with Anima-City. Goodbye." He gave them a casual wave of his hand and left toward the elevators. Before the doors could shut completely, Alan threw a wink in Yuki's direction and disappeared from view.

Yuki stuck her tongue out at him, a scoff leaving her lips.

Shirou's glare and angry demeanor never changed. Yet he never shook Yuki from his arm. He turned to Mayor Rose, growling, "You plan to let that young kid boss you around?"

"Don't underestimate him just because he's young. The Sylvasta Conglomerate is a distinguished old family from Europe. Alan is regarded as the future central figure of the conglomerate. You know that this city relies on financial aid from Sylvasta Pharmaceutical," Mayor Rose sighed looking more troubled than ever before.

Shirou's growl never let up, not even as he spat, "That Church smells like nothing but trouble. But I'm even more opposed to bending the knee to a human."

That final spat made Yuki feel slightly uneasy.

"I still have to make a decision about it. Even if it results in incurring the hatred of beastmen," Mayor Rose announced leaving no room for argument from either Shirou, Yuki, or her father.

She pressed a button on her phone at the sound of its beeping. "The government has confirmed it. A bird beastman illegally crossed the border and is hiding somewhere within Anima-City. They say he's most likely an anti-beastman-rights terrorist."

Mayor Rose sighed. "It appears what Alan said was no mere threat."

Shirou growled quietly but his breath got hitched at the back of his throat. His eyes lingered outside toward the city. Yuki followed his view. A hand flew to her mouth in shock. Gliding right past the building, barely visible in the far distance where Mayor Rose couldn't see her, was Michiru riding on the back of an albatross beastman. And she swore she saw that beastman staring right back at them with a menacing glint.

Yuki and her father took the citizenship applications to look over and do together some other time from Mayor Rose. When they left the building with Shirou following behind keeping a respectful distance from the pair, Yuki was pleasantly surprised to see the streets, sidewalks, and buildings caked with rainwater. She had no idea when it started raining and looked curiously all around her. Then again, she was more focused on her father's return and Alan's sudden appearance than the weather outside. She merely shrugged it off and tugged her father's arm towards headquarters excitedly waving the citizenship application in the air.

"You have to meet Michiru! She's my most bestest and treasured friend in the whole world! She's funny, cute, athletic, and full of determination and bravery. She's amazing," Yuki rambled on trying to tug her chuckling father faster and faster. Yet, a second face appeared in her mind that dulled her enthusiasm extremely. Even the thought of the albatross beastman worried her. It took everything she had to remove the image from her head and continue heading towards their destination.

By the time they arrived, the sun was close to setting below the horizon. Warm colors of pink, purple, and orange glided across the sky replacing the bright blue paint. Yuki introduced her father to Melissa and Jem who welcomed him with open arms. When she showed him the room she's sharing with Michiru, he looked sad yet happy at the small yet tidy place of her things. She wanted to show him more, wanted to tell him the adventures she's had while being in Anima-City, but her eyes followed Shirou climbing to the rooftop. She excused herself and followed after him.

Shirou approached Michiru leaning against the railing bordering the rooftop staring longingly into the sunset. She joined her just as he demanded, "Where's the bird beastman?"

Michiru lifted her head. She sounded as solemn as she looked when she answered, "You mean Mr. Pingua? He left."

Shirou let out an rough scoff.

"What's the problem?" She scoffed back.

Yuki placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, speaking carefully, "Well, you see, that guy could be a terrorist."

"A terrorist?" Michiru laughed at the suggestion. "You can't be serious. He told me he's leaving the city tomorrow."

"Then he could be carrying out an attack tonight," Shirou said.

Michiru immediately offended and defensive in the albatross' place. She glared at the two of them, demanding, "What's wrong with you? Mr. Pingua is not that kind of person."

Shirou's eyes squinted down at her with such frustration and annoyance it sent chills down Yuki's arms. "How would you know? You can tell that after taking one little flight with him together?" He scoffed.

"That's rude," Michiru huffed before asking, "Besides, how did you know we flew together?"

Yuki chuckled nervously, answering, "We saw you through the windows of city hall earlier today. You looked especially carefree in that moment."

"Careless, more like," Shirou corrected her.

"It wasn't careless at all," Michiru rounded on him with fists balling at her sides. "Not in the least bit! You don't know what it was really like!"

"How so?" He shot back.

Michiru's ears drooped slightly. Her face fell into somber. "I didn't realize that having human rights doesn't mean happiness for all beastmen."

"The migrant bird problem?" Shirou asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You knew?" Michiru gasped. Yuki didn't think she'd grow even more depressed but she had. Her voice was smaller, shoulders slouching slightly, speaking softly, "Mr. Pingua said that some of his own friends were shot."

"Then he has an underlying motive," Shirou spoke without sympathy or remorse.

Michiru was once again angry. "Why do you only see the negative aspect of things?"

"Michiru, listen please," Yuki begged grabbing her hands. "Apparently, an anti-beastman-rights terrorist is hiding out here in Anima-City. An unidentified bird beastman illegally crossed the border earlier today and they suspect they're the one planning to attack. I know it seems like horrible timing but... I agree with Shirou. He's right to be suspicious of him. He could be the suspect they're looking for."

Michiru couldn't believe it. She shook her head in denial. "Then we find him and clear his suspicious," She suggested.

"If it could be cleared," Shirou huffed behind their backs.

"Why don't you track his scent?" Yuki asked.

Shirou shook his head. "The sky is my weakness. It scatters the scent trails in no time. Even without a way, I have a hunch about what he's up to." He turned and started to leave back downstairs.

They followed after him and Michiru stopped short at Yuki's father browsing her books and sitting on her bed. "Uh, who is that?" She asked with the point of her finger.

Yuki had almost forgotten he was there. She rushed forward and pulled him off and on his feet. She placed them face-to-face, beaming widely in between them, speaking excitedly, "Michiru, meet my papa. Papa, meet Michiru, my best friend," She quickly introduced them with a large smile.

Michiru's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "You... I thought you were..."

"No," He chuckled already knowing what she was going to say. A genuine smile flashed across his face. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter all these years."

Michiru shrugged like no big deal. "Oh, well, what can I say?" She chuckled. Yuki giggled at that.

Suddenly, news came forth of the Church of Silver Wolf gathering at the Medical Center. The media released statements of Mayor Rose explaining she wouldn't allow them access to Anima-City and is planning to relocate them to a special area on the outskirts. Apparently, it was their act of rebellion and Shirou believed it to be a diversion from the real attack that will be taking place against city hall. Yuki couldn't blame him, that albatross looked frightening with that glint in his eye.

It was completely dark out. They stood atop the rooftop of city hall. The wind blew roughly through their hair. No stars were aligned in the sky, just the full moon shining brightly down on them all. They all mingled in silence, Michiru, Yuki, and her father waiting for anything to happen. Shirou stood at the very edge while she kept herself in the very center after witnessing how far the fall was. She wasn't planning on falling a hundred meters again!

Without warning, Shirou suddenly morphed into his beastman form and jumped from the roof!

"Shirou!" Yuki screamed fearfully scrambling for the edge, forgetting her fear in an instant, and peered over. He had landed on the albatross they saw earlier and dangled by his leg! The bird beastman flew off course from city hall trying desperately to fling the angry wolf from his person!

Yuki and Michiru screamed as they flew overhead, covering their heads with their arms to avoid being hit, and continued watched the madness unfold helplessly! The albatross rammed Shirou's body violently into windows of city hall, hundred of panes of glass shattering and sparkling in the moonlight. Left, right, down, and finally up high in the air above them. Finally, the albatross kicked him off with a powerful leg letting him fall freely from the sky.

"Shirou!" Yuki cried hands covering her mouth. She turned to Michiru, desperately screaming, "Help him!"

Michiru had already moved before Yuki's plea. One hand grasping a small satellite tower nearby, she raced for the edge, her arms extending abnormally long just like her powers allowed her to, and extended her other arm for him. She reached and reached for him grabbing... nothing but air!

"Shirou!" Both girls screamed watching his unconscious body continue to descend rapidly toward the ground.

All of a sudden, the satellite tower snapped off. Michiru screamed as she toppled over. Yuki turned with a gasp at the heavy metal soaring right for her and couldn't contain the grunt slipping from her mouth at the sheer weight of it slamming against her. Her feet left the roof and she soon felt herself falling toward her death once again! She heard the scream of her father reaching her even past her own screams as she continued to fall toward nothing!

Yuki watched beneath her as Michiru desperately waved her arms through the air. Gasps of fear and horror rang through the girl who kept waving hysterically through the air. "Just fly!" She begged desperately and loudly into the air. The ground was much, much closer now! "Come on! Let me fly!"

Feathers grew along her arms, her legs turned into those of a bird, and suddenly wings sprouted forth! Yuki yelped as her body slammed into Michiru's back just as her talons grabbed hold of Shirou's shoulders!

Shirou awoken with a start seeing the ground just a few feet from his body. "You can fly?!" He choked out staring up at Michiru taking them back up into the sky.

"I've never done it before. It's my first time!" Michiru sheepishly answered.

"You haven't?!"

"No!"

His shocked expression quickly turned into amusement and appreciative. "Think you can get above him?" He smirked.

"Leave it to me!" Michiru exclaimed moving to intercept the albatross taking a round turn back toward city hall.

The albatross hadn't noticed them for a moment but turned to glance casually up at Michiru, Yuki, and Shirou flying above them. "You can fly now! Is that even possible?" He huffed with furrowed eyebrows.

The albatross tried to lose them by making sharp and strong curves through the air but Michiru stayed on him no matter what. Yuki dug in the shoulder bag she brought along with her and fetched her slingshot. She pulled back the band, filling the small hole with sharp pebbles, and aimed for the albatross. She released and watched her bullets projectile hit and pierce the unsuspecting albatross. He squirmed and yelped in surprise at the onslaught of pebbles pestering and stabbing into him. His wings fluttered erratically resulting from the skyrocketing pain.

"This time around, you're mine!" Shirou growled just as Michiru, with all of her strength, flung him through the sky!

He slammed mercilessly right on top of the albatross. The sheer force plummeted their grappling bodies straight into a nearby rooftop. Shirou landed on his feet as the albatross slammed into the guard rail creating a small crevice in the metal. Michiru safely dropped both herself and Yuki nearby. They ran for the pair just as they morphed back into their human forms.

He smirked at the approaching Michiru, chuckling, "Tanuki girl, huh? You really fooled me."

"You were in the military, weren't you?" Shirou interrogated him ignoring his comment.

The albatross, Pingua, smirk faded. He gauged Shirou standing before him. "Yes, I was in the beastman military when I was younger. I believed in human rights for beastmen and fought against anti-beastman radicals. But I never once expected that to result in being unable to migrate."

Yuki's anger glared. "Just because you can't migrate you resorted to terrorism? Against your own kind?!" She screamed.

"The bomb is a fake. It's not lethal. But nobody will listen unless you scare them. I don't trust civil servants," He revealed much to her dismay.

Shirou lifted his bag and gave it a small whiff. He turned to the two of them and nodded his head in confirmation.

Pingua stood and took in Shirou once more. "Where do we go from here?"

Shirou glared heavily at him. His jaw was set staring at the bomb who planned on attacking but not seriously injuring Mayor Rose. A ploy to grab attention toward the beastmen world. "I only want to protect this town. Get out. Right now," He growled. His voice spoke anger but his face held none of the emotion. "You haven't done anything wrong yet."

Pingua regarded him with a smirk. He removed four pairs of silver dogtags from beneath his shirt and from around his neck. He held them up to Yuki and Michiru to see, the metal clinking softly together. "Hey, kids. These are my comrades-in-arms who fought and died in the war and for our rights. If this is a city for beastmen, then I want their graves to be dug here. Tell the mayor that," He said full of seriousness before laying them softly in Michiru's cupped hands. She gave him the firm nod of her head.

He looked away, almost ashamed. "Oh, right. I'm not the only one who flew into this city. There was one more. There's only one guy who could fly that fast. In the underworld, he's called Meteor. He's an assassin who is willing to do anything for a price. Watch out," He warned them sternly.

"Is he after the mayor?" Shirou asked.

Pingua shook his head. "No. If he were, I would have noticed."

Shirou looked troubled when he mumbled, "It means... he's after Alan Sylvasta."

They wasted no time in leaving in pursuit of Meteor. News reached their ears of Alan's intent to meet with the Church of Silver Wolf leaving them with only one place to go; the Medical Center! They met up halfway with Yuki's father and hurried toward the group crowding the gates barring them from entering the vicinity of the building. Yet loud gasps rang from in front. They faltered in their steps seeing Alan swept off the ground by a black albatross getting further and further away!

"We're too late!" Yuki gasped.

Shirou immediately turned to Michiru, asking, "Can you fly again?"

She didn't have time to answer. In the very front of the crowd, a pair of bright neon pink wings sprouted high above the crowd. Just as Alan's body was dropped from the highest point of the building, the blur of bright pink soared from the ground and straight into the air. As they connected, a bright explosion resembling a star engulfed the entire area making it glow like daylight itself. It stayed that way for a long time before finally diminishing. Shining against the white glow of the moon behind them, it revealed Nazuna in a wolf form with wings protruding from her back carrying the stunned Alan Sylvasta safely in her arms.

"Behold! A winged Silver Wolf!" Boris preached from the crowd pointing a finger in her direction. "Her grace is not only for beastmen, but is showered generously on humans as well! Our founder, Déesse Louve, is truly the savior of the beastman world!"

While Yuki had been entranced by the display, eyes widening at the angelic glow and form of her friend, Pingua foiled Meteor's back-up plan to attack Nazuna and allowed her father and Shirou to grab the incapacitated albatross. The crowd of applause and cheers deafened her ears slightly as Nazuna safely brought both of them back on the ground.

"Listen to the voices of the citizens! Can you ignore their voices, Alan Sylvasta?" Boris demanded angrily.

Alan looked to have been unconvinced at first. Then, his infamous smirk stretched his lips. "What a pain this has become," He muttered.

Yuki and Michiru had been stunned into silence. At the praise, love, grace, and enamor for her by all those people who truly see her as their savior, for saving Alan when she didn't need to, didn't have to, they were speechless. Their eyes wavered, shaky hands holding, clutching, each other's, at the smiling girl shimmering against the moonlight. Tears brimmed her eyelids at the pure joy that couldn't be discerned as anything else. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest at the memory of what she had said and done to her.

"Nazuna..." She could barely whisper. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You're amazing... Nazuna..."

They were escorted back to headquarters by her father and Shirou. It took a while for sleep to take Yuki. She stared at the moon staring back at her through the window remembering the angelic grace of Nazuna staining against its white cratered sphere. She really did look like an angel. Most of all... she almost resembled who she used to be back in the human world. Finally her eyes closed and her breathing fell into soft snores.

Kaien and Shirou watched from the doorway, both men leaning on opposite sides with crossed arms. They protectively watched over Yuki and Michiru sleep for the first couple minutes before moving away when they were comfortable enough to leave them alone.

They descended the staircase in silence. Until Kaien broke it. "I noticed the glances you've been giving my daughter. You seem pretty close."

If Shirou was shocked at the assessment, he didn't show it. "How can you fall in love with a human while keeping your hatred for them?" He asked. He kept his eyes downward on the darkened staircases taking one patient step at a time. It wasn't a retort. It wasn't a snort. It was a genuine question. A question Kaien found most curious.

Kaien sighed. "Allow me to share some advice," He started. "Trust in Yuki. She knows what she's doing. She knows what she wants. She's never been anybody but herself. I mean when I say, thank you for being there for her." It truly had been sincere but his heart flared at a certain thought. His jaw clenched slightly. He rounded on the man with a stern gaze. "I am still her father. After all this time, I finally got her back. If you dare hurt my pup in any way, it won't matter if we're friends. I'll make sure you won't make the same mistake again."

Shirou held his stare for the longest time. He didn't show any anger or frustration at the man's protectiveness over his daughter. No matter how needless it was. "I have no intention of hurting or harming Hanamura. I gave her my word to protect her," He said.

Kaien raised an eyebrow but nodded his head in understanding. "That's fine enough. For now," He merely finished before descending the rest of the way down, leaving Shirou to his thoughts.