Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This story is an alternate version of the Osaka arc with differences from the original; please refer to the footnotes at the end. Once again, I would like to thank my beta readers and editors, xLightningToki and Falchion1984, for their help in making this fic possible. I also apologize for the delay in updates due to school and work but I have made it my priority to update my fic as often as possible. Enjoy and please review :)
Chapter 3: Frenemies: Part II
December 14, 2020
Japanese Imperial Demon Army Headquarters, Shinjuku Branch
Colonel Aoi Sangu, second-in-command and personal assistant to Lieutenant General Kureto Hiragi, quietly brushed the dust off her black JIDA uniform sleeve and used both hands to smooth out any unseemly wrinkles before making her way downstairs to what she referred to as "the dungeon" of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army Headquarters where prisoners of war, mostly captured vampire soldiers, were normally confined.
And considering the experiments performed on the prisoners, "the dungeon" lived up to its name. In chilling ways.
But the stoic blonde colonel wasn't here to see or interrogate any vampire POWs. *1* Such a task was usually left to lower-ranking JIDA officers. And while the prison and holding cells of the Shinjuku branch were actually in decent condition, neither the lieutenant general himself nor his father, the supposed head of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, ever set foot in it. And even when a noteworthy POW was worth Kureto's attention, he always sent Aoi to interrogate them in his stead. And those times were also quite rare.
Today, however, was an exception. For it was quite rare for the Demon Army to imprison one of their own high-ranking officials, especially a member of the esteemed Hiragi family, for treason. Not that it mattered to Aoi. In her opinion, all traitors should be treated the same, family or not. Including those closely related to the general himself like Shinoa Hiragi.
Ironically, the one deemed "the weak link" in the Hiragi family, despite having more ability to command than her higher-ranking brother Seishiro Hiragi, had managed to evade capture, if only because she had the help of her squad and the protection of her favorite brother.
Shinya Hiragi.
The disgraced major general who now sat in a holding cell in Shinoa's place because he chose to protect his adopted sister and her squad along with Satoshi Hiwatari and his squad, and guard their escape rather than turning them over to his father and brothers as traitors.
Even so, Shinya was still a Hiragi, even if he was adopted, so Aoi made sure her uniform and appearance was pristine before approaching the two young men guarding the closed doors of his cell. As they heard Aoi's high-heeled shoes clicking on the cold concrete floor, both of them gave a salute as befitting of an officer of her rank and a personal favorite of the lieutenant general.
"Ma'am!" they greeted in unison.
Aoi nodded in acknowledgement before getting straight to the point.
"The prisoner?" she inquired simply.
It was not lost on the guards that Aoi did not refer to Shinya by his name or rank, but they knew better than to question her about it. Instead, one of them gave a simple and straight-to-the-point answer in regard to the major general.
"He's been quiet and cooperative, ma'am," he said as his fellow guardsman quietly nodded in agreement. Judging by his tone, Aoi deduced that both men were relieved that Shinya had not been a difficult prisoner, if only because he simply chose not to be. With his demon, Byakkomaru, the major general could have easily broken out of his cell if he wished and there would have been very little, if anything, that his guards could have done to stop him.
Had she cared, Aoi might have wondered what prompted Shinya to stay where he was when he didn't have to.
Instead, she simply told the guards, "I see. Let me in. I'd like to have a word with him."
For a moment, the guards hesitated, as though unsure if allowing the lieutenant general's personal assistant into a holding cell to meet with a potentially dangerous prisoner was a good idea. But Aoi's icy stare told them that refusing her order would be equally unwise, so they relented.
"Of course, ma'am," the second guardsman said as he unlocked the door and stood aside to let her in. "Please let us know if you need anything."
Aoi nodded. "I will," she said before stepping in and gesturing for the guardsman to close the door behind her.
As soon as Aoi was inside, she found the object of her, or rather her superior's, interest sitting on the cold concrete floor with his back against the wall and his head slightly lowered, his white bangs obscuring his eyes.
Anyone else might have thought Shinya was sleeping, but Aoi knew the major general better than that. As a sniper, his senses were sharp and he had long ago learned to be a light sleeper if he wanted to survive on the battlefield.
"Shinya Hiragi," Aoi began coldly, purposely omitting his rank, "I have a message for you, and you'd do well to listen to what I have to say."
As she predicted, Shinya Hiragi was indeed awake. And unlike Aoi herself, his appearance was less than pristine. As a son of the Hiragi family, he was given clean clothes to wear everyday, mostly a white dress shirt and slacks rather than the standard prison uniform. But since he had no one to impress until now, Shinya found it rather pointless. He also shaved and combed his hair less frequently despite being given a razor, comb, and other toiletries that were not afforded to other prisoners, as was evident with several days' worth of stubble on his chin as well as his slightly unkempt hair.
Lifting his head to meet Aoi's cold violet eyes, Shinya put on his most charming smile even though he knew it wouldn't impress her.
"Ah, well if it isn't Miss Aoi Sangu, my dear brother's precious little pet."
Were he anyone else, Aoi might have sliced out Shinya's tongue for such an insolent remark. It was no secret in the Demon Army that Aoi Sangu's fondness and loyalty to Kureto went beyond her duty as his personal assistant and most trusted confidant—not that it was safe for any of the lower-ranking soldiers and officers to say so openly.
Even Seishiro, the second-eldest son of General Tenri Hiragi, would not have dared make such a bold statement.
But Shinya wasn't like his cowardly adoptive brother, Seishiro. Like Guren, he was the kind of man who laughed in the face of danger and death and wasn't afraid to speak his mind, even if it got him into trouble. Which it usually did.
Aoi gave Shinya a stare void of emotion. "And what's it to you, Major General?" she sneered. "In any case, I'm here only to deliver a brief message from him to you."
Shinya shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm not interested. How about you let me out of here, Miss Sangu? I promise I won't run away."
Now it was Aoi's turn to give him a cold smile. And unlike Shigure, who also rarely smiled, none of Aoi's were ever genuine.
"You know I can't do that, sir."
Shinya pouted childishly, a habit he usually displayed towards people he either had affection for or didn't take seriously.
"Aww, are you going to leave your old classmate to rot away in this little cell? Don't you feel the least bit sorry for me?" he teased.
"And why would I? You are not my concern. My loyalty is to your brother, Lord Kureto. Always has been and always will be."
Although she tried to sound confident, Aoi's voice wavered and Shinya easily picked up on it. He also didn't hesitate to question her so-called convictions.
"Are you sure, Aoi? Despite what others might think, I do believe you have a conscience; it didn't escape my notice that you were utterly terrified of the seraph Kureto unleashed on both humans and vampires alike while he reveled in it."
Aoi gritted her teeth, knowing that Shinya had struck a sore spot. Although she wished she could, Aoi hadn't forgotten how she briefly found herself reconsidering if Kureto's plans were indeed wise and for the good of mankind as he had claimed. Not that anyone could blame her, considering that soldiers on both sides were terrified of Mirai and Yuichiro while they were in seraph form, killing humans and vampires indiscriminately.
Unfortunately for Aoi, Shinya wasn't done yet. "And what about the countless vampire and human soldiers as well as civilians who died as a result of the Hiragi family's experiments in pursuit of power? Oh, they claim it's for the greater good, but in the end, all the 'good' they speak of is their own personal gain."
As much as Aoi hated to admit it, even to herself, Shinya did have a point. But she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was right.
"And what about you?" she countered. "You are also a Hiragi."
"Not by blood," he shot back.
"Does it really matter?" Aoi sneered. "You may criticize me and Lord Kureto, but the truth is, your own hands aren't any cleaner."
"You're right about that," Shinya admitted. "But at least I'm not afraid to question or disobey orders I find reprehensible."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Aoi snapped, her furrowing eyebrows betraying her irritation at Shinya's condescending remark.
"Before I answer that, how about I ask you a question?"
Aoi raised a brow. "What?"
"If Kureto demanded it, would you offer up your baby sister, Mitsuba, as a sacrifice for his deranged experiments?"
Aoi hesitated for a moment before her expression hardened and answered, "The Sangu family has no need for the incompetent or traitors who desert the army."
Shinya gave a bitter laugh. "I'd thought you'd say that," he replied, knowing full well that Aoi Sangu had little love for her father's second wife and even less for the daughter she had birthed. *2* But Mitsuba was her only sibling, and as much as Aoi wished it, she wasn't as eager to sacrifice Mitsuba as much as Kureto had been to sacrifice his own siblings if they got in his way. Aoi recalled how even she had to repress a shudder when Kureto ordered his demon to execute Shinoa and would have succeeded if Yuichiro had not protected her.
As for Shinya, Aoi was sure the only reason Kureto didn't execute him on the spot was because he still had some use for his adoptive brother.
"Never mind that," she retorted, trying to change the subject that Shinya knew was clearly uncomfortable for her. "You've wasted enough of my time. This is Lieutenant General Kureto's message to you: he will be returning to Shinjuku tomorrow and expects you to come to your senses and do your duty as a major general of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. That is, if you ever want to leave this cell or avoid the firing squad."
"I see. Is that all?"
"Yes," Aoi said frostily as she turned her back on him to leave the cell before a thought came to her. "Oh, and one more thing: Guren Ichinose will be returning tomorrow."
Shinya said nothing but watched the blonde colonel leave without another world. He didn't know who to pity more: himself for how far he had fallen or Mitsuba for having a pillar of ice for a sister.
SSSSSS
Tightening her grip on her sword, Yuichiro was about to charge at Crowley head-on like she had the first time they dueled before she felt Mikaela's strong grip on her shoulder.
Had she not known that turning her back to Crowley would be a deadly mistake, Yuichiro would have turned around and glared at her adoptive brother.
Instead, she kept her eyes on her opponent and demanded in an irritated tone while trying to shake off the blond's grip, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Mika?"
"I should be asking you that, Yuu-chan!" he retorted. "Do you have any idea who you're up against? You're not thinking of taking that bastard on alone again, are you?!"
"See, that's what I hate about you and Guren! When will you two ever stop underestimating me just because I'm a girl!?" Yuu shrieked.
Mikaela winced at her reaction. As much as he hated being compared to Guren Ichinose, this was the one thing he had to agree with his rival on: Yuichiro could be too stubborn for her own good. And even though she was now fully aware of her seraph powers and knew they could be used to her advantage against a more powerful opponent such as Crowley Eusford, Mika, as well as everyone in their two squads, knew that Yuichiro was still not experienced enough to control them; it would do none of them any good if she ended up incinerating everything and everyone around them along with Crowley himself like she had nearly done back at Nagoya Airport.
Knowing that Yuichiro would eventually break herself free from his grip and charge at Crowley if he didn't think of something quick, Mikaela was about to fling Yuichiro behind him to safety and take on Crowley himself before her other companions in the Shinoa and Satoshi squads saved him the trouble.
Like Mika himself, Yuu's other squad mates quickly deduced that she would jump at the chance for a rematch with the maroon-haired vampire lord despite her previous defeat at his hands; the knowledge that her new-found seraph powers would give her a greater chance of victory against Crowley would have made the prospect too great a temptation for Yuichiro to resist. Like her mentor, the ravenette did not mind using anything and everything at her disposal to win a duel against an opponent such as this.
"Don't worry, Mika, we'll cover you! Just get Yuu out of here now! It's her the vampires are after!" Shinoa shouted behind him before giving the order for her squad to attack Crowley in his and Yuu's place. Likewise, Satoshi followed suit with his own squad.
Instead of being intimidated that ten elite young ex-JIDA soldiers as well as Mikaela were poised to charge him in her place, Crowley found himself amused, even a bit excited at the prospect of having more than one opponent he could take remotely seriously, even if it was only to relieve his boredom until Ferid caught up to them.
"Oh, nice!" Crowley exclaimed with a grin. "I never did get to pay you kids back for taking my rightful prize, namely Miss Hyakuya, away from me back at the city hall. If you all fight with me, that'll make waiting for Ferid less boring!"
Yuichiro found herself irked that everyone was treating her like a prize to be won. Ferid's orders aside, Crowley's fascination with Yuu had little to do with the power housed inside body and more to do with the blood in her veins that he had yet to taste; asides from worthy combat and the blood of powerful warriors, there was little else that interested the maroon-haired vampire lord.
Knowing that fighting Crowley would be a waste of precious time as well as playing right into his and Ferid's hands, Mikaela tried to dissuade his other companions from such a foolish notion. Instead, he urged them to concentrate their efforts on getting away with Yuichiro.
"No, everyone! Let me handle Crowley!" Mika urged as he let go of Yuu, drew his sword, and stepped between Crowley and everyone else. Even though the blond knew he was stronger than an average vampire soldier, he still wasn't quite on par with a noble like Crowley. But Mika was confident that he would still be able to distract the vampire lord long enough for the others to get away.
Unfortunately, no one was inclined to let Mikaela face Crowley alone anymore than they were to let Yuichiro take a swing at him, and for a second time. Especially after all the trouble they took to rescue her after she had been defeated and nearly captured by said vampire lord.
"Good lord, both Hyakuyas are so fucking stubborn…" Satoshi muttered under his breath. "Sometimes I think they really are siblings."
Though this was neither the time or place to do so, Shinoa could not help smiling.
"I agree one hundred percent, Sato," she said. "But that's what we're here for, to keep our subordinates in check."
Satoshi refrained from mentioning that Mika wasn't exactly a subordinate to either of them, but he held his tongue and instead commanded the two archers in their squads to attack their vampire enemy.
"Yoichi! Takeshi!"
Neither archer needed to be told twice before readying their bows, tapping into their demons' powers, and firing. Mika and Yuu barely flinched as two arrows, one of green light, the other of red, flew past them on each side, missing them narrowly before heading to their true target.
Instead of catching them like before, Crowley drew his sword and easily deflected the crow and phoenix projectiles of blazing light and demon energy.
"You can't hit me with those, boys," he said in a disinterested tone. "You both tried it before and all you did was get my clothes dirty!"
Insulted by Crowley's flippant attitude, Takeshi gritted his teeth. Had he not known that the vampire lord was right, Takeshi would've fired a second arrow and hoped it would impale itself right in the middle of Crowley's forehead and wipe that smug grin off his face for good.
Not that it would've been enough to kill him. Maybe faze him if they were lucky.
"Shit!" The brunet archer snarled. "He's not taking us seriously at all!"
"Well, at least now we know that vampires really do have a sense of humor," Yoichi agreed grimly as he and his sniping partner kept their bows raised. If they could not injure Crowley, at least they might be able to distract him long enough for their other companions to get away.
Even if that distraction was Crowley finding amusement and making jokes at their expense.
Kimizuki, who was not far behind the two archers, quickly realized how ineffective their attacks were and that a different approach was needed.
"Forget that, I'll capture him with Kiseki-O! Yoichi! Takeshi! Fall back and let me take care of the bastard!" Kimizuki ordered as if he were their squad leader instead of Shinoa and Satoshi.
Narumi found his jaw dropping at Kimizuki's suicidal suggestion. It was times like these that he hated being the eldest and most experienced squad leader since it also meant that he was responsible for his younger subordinates now that his own squad had been wiped out at Nagoya.
"What the hell!" he exclaimed, glaring at Shinoa and Satoshi. "Are any of them thinking at all? It's a miracle your squads managed to even survive up until now!"
Under normal circumstances, Satoshi would have been insulted by Narumi's opinion on his and Shinoa's leadership skills, but he knew that now was not the time to get into an argument with the elder squad leader.
Shinoa knew it as well but spoke up just the same in case Satoshi gave in to his urge to snap at Narumi.
"Never mind that! Everyone, please help Kimizuki! It might be the only chance we have!" she ordered.
Knowing that Shinoa was right and that time was of the essence, Narumi suppressed his frustration at his younger companions' recklessness to focus on the task at hand. If Kimizuki was going to stand a chance at whatever he was planning for Crowley, he was definitely going to be needing all the help he could get.
Raising his demon trident, Narumi focused and used Genbushin's power to manifest the same turtle shell-shaped projectiles he had used against the elderly vampire bodyguard of Lucal Wesker, and hurled them towards Crowley in order to at least distract him enough to provide Kimizuki with an opening to attack.
Although a couple of those same projectiles accidentally struck Kimizuki in the back as well when he charged at Crowley, the pink-haired boy ignored them and focused on his target. When he was finally within range of Crowley, Kimizuki raised one of his twin swords to the sky and called for his demon.
"Go, Kiseki-O! Open the Devil's Coffin on the count of nine!" he commanded, just like the time they rescued Yuichiro from Crowley back at Nagoya City Hall.
Only this time, their target wasn't Yuu herself, but the vampire lord who would have been her captor.
And just like before, an unearthly levitating coffin of obsidian wood suspended in mid-air by a glowing purple aura and invisible energy, appeared above Kimizuki while an eerie voice began a count-down.
"One…two…three…four…"
Now that he had gotten a better look at it, Crowley whistled at the fine craftsmanship of the Gothic-looking coffin, more impressed by its appearance rather than the power it possessed.
"I've seen that one, too," he said. "It's a weird power of your demon, right? Well, at least it's more impressive than your comrades' toy arrows. Maybe I should pull back a bit…"
The maroon-haired vampire lord was about to take a step back when he suddenly felt a pair of arms around one of his calves. Looking down, he saw a young girl with blond pigtails sprawled on the ground making a rather pathetic attempt to restrain him.
Were he still human, Crowley might have laughed at the comical scene. Nowadays, the most he could feel was slight annoyance even though he knew no human girl could restrain him if he didn't wish to be.
"Excuse me, Miss, but would you mind letting go of my leg?" Crowley asked politely as was expected of his knightly upbringing. Crowley's courtesy extended even to his enemies as he had demonstrated when he agreed to duel Yuichiro one on one in exchange for Guren's freedom.
Under normal circumstances, Mitsuba might have been astounded at Crowley's sophisticated manners since most vampires she had engaged in combat with in the past were often more on the crass side. That is, if they bothered to speak to her at all before attacking.
But Mitsuba knew that now was not the time or place to be impressed by the vampire lord's charms. Or his good looks, for that matter. Gripping his booted leg as tightly as she could, the blonde shook her head fiercely in defiance.
"N-no!" she cried. "I'm not letting go until you leave my friends alone!"
"No? Well, I guess I have no choice but to cut off your arms then, will I?"
Determined not to let to let Crowley's not-so-subtle threat faze her, Mitsuba shut her eyes to keep herself from crying in fear and tried to think of something, anything that would give her more courage to do what she felt needed to be done to protect her friends and allies in both the Shinoa and Satoshi squads.
As Mitsuba tried to shut out everything else going on around her and focus on the task at hand, an image of her elder half-sister appeared in her mind. It was no secret in the Sangu family that Aoi never liked Mitsuba, and it wasn't only because they had been born to different mothers. The elder Sangu sister took great pride in her family's role and duty to the Hiragis as the true ruling family of Japan. And as such, Aoi despised and looked down upon anyone of Sangu blood who was unwilling or unable to meet this expectation—or both.
Including Mitsuba. Who was everything she hated in a sibling, even a half-one. Because of this, she knew it would have made no difference if she and Aoi had the same mother; they would never have the same bond that Shinoa and Mahiru shared. Because Aoi had always been the sister who followed the rules while Mitsuba chose to defy them. And thus, they were always at odds with each other and had never been able to see eye to eye.
Aoi had often referred to Mitsuba as the "weak link" of the Sangu family. Which wasn't a far cry from how the elder Hiragi siblings saw Shinoa despite the fact that she was a more competent commander than her second eldest brother, Seishiro. Aoi also didn't hesitate to voice her opinion of Mitsuba to her face whenever their father wasn't around. For years, the blonde had tried to convince herself that Aoi's harsh words stemmed from the fact that she disliked Mitsuba's mother. But deep down, she knew that there was a grain of truth in her elder half-sister's words.
But while Mitsuba did not share Aoi's convictions and absolute, unwavering, and unquestioning loyalty towards the Hiragi family, she did have all three towards the friends and allies whom she was risking her own life for at this very moment.
With renewed determination, Mitsuba clenched her teeth and banished the mocking face of her so-called sister from her mind's eye.
"No!" she hissed fiercely. "I am NOT the weak link! Not anymore!"
Whether Mitsuba made the statement in defiance to Aoi or Crowley was anyone's guess. And while her efforts to stall the vampire lord was admirable, even to him, Shinoa knew that there were limits to Crowley's patience before he made good on his threat to slice off Mitsuba's arms. That was, if he didn't end up killing her first.
"Mi-chan!, get away from him!" Shinoa screamed as she whipped out her demon scythe and took a swing at Crowley, hoping it would at least distract him long enough for Mitsuba to get away.
Without hesitation, Kimizuki, Narumi, and Satoshi followed suit since there was no way they could let Shinoa take on Crowley alone. However, it didn't take long before everyone realized that the vampire lord was not fighting any of them seriously. Even with Mitsuba clinging to his right leg, which would have made for a hilarious scene were he not such a deadly enemy, Crowley swatted away the weapons of his assailants as if he were faced with nothing more than a gaggle of school children attacking him with sticks. And in a way, he might as well have been considering that he had centuries of combat experience over all of them.
If both squads had fought in proper formation, they might have had a chance of taking the maroon-haired vampire lord down. But killing Crowley, a near-impossible feat in itself unless everyone actively participated, would have been counterproductive since he was probably the only one other than Ferid who could tell them of Krul's whereabouts.
While she was utterly pissed that her friends had no intention of allowing her a second duel with Crowley, Yuichiro also knew that there was not much she could do to assist them anyway since they left no opening for her to jump in and join the attack on the vampire lord who was supposed to be her opponent. The fact that Mika still had a strong grip on her arm didn't help matters much either. There was also little Yoichi, Takeshi, Daisuke and the Harada twins could do to assist Shinoa, Satoshi, and Narumi because they ran the risk of hitting them as well as Mitsuba if they tried unleashing their demons' full power at Crowley.
"What the hell are Shinoa, Satoshi, and the others doing!?" Yuu demanded in exasperation. "Don't they know that they don't have a chance in hell against that bastard without me?"
Were Yuichiro anyone else, Mikaela would have rolled his eyes at her remark. Most would think the ravenette was conceited in her words but in the short time they had been reunited, Mika had quickly learned what his sister was capable of, and not having her assistance would actually put the Shinoa and Satoshi squads at a considerable disadvantage.
"Yuu-chan," he began patiently. "Remember when you told me that I shouldn't take on everything by myself? Well, I'm sure that's exactly what your other friends are thinking about you right now. We can't risk you getting captured again. And besides, haven't you noticed that Crowley hasn't so much as scratched any of the others yet? He's actually going out of his way not to harm us, especially you."
After taking a closer look at the scene transpiring before her and thinking it over, Yuu realized that Mika was right and forgot her anger at being denied a second duel with the maroon-haired vampire lord.
"Why, yes! Now that I think about it, you're absolutely right, Mika. But why would Crowley do that? If he truly wanted to, he could have killed them all, especially since they don't have our help, and Mitsuba's because she's so busy clinging to him like that instead of using her weapon and her head to fight."
Taking another glance at Crowley and his attackers, Mika quickly figured it out and answered.
"I'm guessing that Crowley is stalling us here until Ferid arrives. He wouldn't act unless Ferid ordered it. For as long as I've known him, Crowley doesn't seem to have any ambitions of his own and merely obeys the whims of his higher-ups. And unfortunately, that includes Ferid."
"They're definitely up to something," Yuichiro agreed. "So, what do we do now, Mika?"
Before answering Yuu, Mika took another glance at the grim situation before them. While the two squads may not be able to take down Crowley without their help, the blond knew that this might be his only chance to get his sister away from here.
"The only thing we can do, Yuu-chan. We have to run. If Ferid and Crowley drag us into their games, it's over."
Although she expected such an answer from Mikaela, who had as much of a one-track mind now as he did when they were children, Yuichiro still found herself glaring at him, appalled by his seemingly cold answer.
"What? You're joking, right? You know it's me those bastards are after! Shinoa, Satoshi, and the others know it, too; yet they're still putting their lives on the line to protect me. And you, for that matter since you're also wanted by the vampires as a traitor and Queen Krul can no longer protect you now that she's been overthrown by Ferid!"
Mika flinched at Yuu's words. As much as he hated to admit it, the blond couldn't deny the truth in what she said. While Yuichiro was Ferid's main target, Mikaela knew that Ferid wouldn't mind having him back as well. And the bastard knew as well as Mika himself that wherever Yuu went or was taken, he would blindly follow.
But rather than accepting defeat, Mika stubbornly tried another approach in hope that it would change Yuu's mind.
"Look, Yuu-chan, I know you're worried about your friends, but if you escape now, Crowley won't have any reason to attack them anymore. I'm sure you've learned by now that he doesn't like to exert effort into fighting enemies unless he must."
This time, it was Yuichiro who had to admit her brother had a point. The maroon-haired vampire lord had played the part of a complete gentleman with honor during their duel at Nagoya City Hall even though they were supposed to be enemies, there was no denying that. But Yuichiro's more skeptical (and logical) side also told her that Crowley Eusford's days as a human knight who faithfully followed the Code of Chivalry were long over and that his vampire side was more dominant as well as his loyalty to Ferid Bathory as his commander.
"And what if Crowley decides to just kill them instead, whether of his own volition or on Ferid's orders?" Yuichiro countered slowly, her eyes meeting Mikaela's.
Losing patience, Mika released Yuu's arm and took her by the shoulders, leaning in closer to block her view of Crowley holding off her squad mates as easily as if it was a casual training exercise.
"Please don't make me look like the bad guy, Yuu-chan," he pleaded. "But there's nothing we can do for them. You said it yourself: Shinoa, Satoshi, and the others are fighting to protect you, so you mustn't let their effort go to waste."
Yuichiro shook her head. If this was going to be a contest of stubbornness, the ravenette was going to prove that she could be just as, if not more bull-headed, than the boy whose raw determination and wits alone successfully got her out of the vampire city that had been their prison for almost half a decade.
"I'm very sorry, Mika, but I can't do that. I'm tired of running!" she snapped.
"You have to!" he insisted fiercely, "If Crowley and Ferid capture you, it's all over. You'll be even worse than livestock; you'll be their weapon to use as they see fit, and I don't need to remind you what the consequences will be for the entire planet!"
"But what good does running do?" Yuu retorted. "I already did that once and what happened? Akane and the others got killed while you became a vampire!"
Mika winced at the painful reminder. "Yuu-chan, you really had no choice. I was the one who screwed up with my stupid plan!"
Knowing where their argument was heading, Yuichiro decided to calm down and do her best to apply logic to their situation based on her suspicion of why she, Mika, and the other Hyakuya children had been hidden among the normal livestock children in Sanguinem by Queen Krul Tepes. Contrary to what Mikaela thought, it wasn't hard for her (or anyone who was at the Nagoya Airport battle, for that matter) to figure out why it was forbidden for humans and vampires alike to mess with the seraphs.
"No, Mika…" she began calmly. "Despite what you think, it wasn't your fault how things turned out."
Mikaela's expression changed from exasperation to confusion. "What do you mean, Yuu-chan?"
Yuichiro's own expression became somber as she finally voiced her thoughts and suspicions that had been nagging at her for some time since we woke up in their new "home" in the deserted seaside village.
"My intuition tells me that we've been caught up in, no, an actual part of someone else's elaborate plan. And every time I try to run away, people close to me get hurt or worse, killed. I'm tired of it, Mika. That's why I need to stand my ground for once in my life and go against fate."
Mika snorted. "I tried that once, Yuu-chan. I also stood my ground and came up with a foolish and naive plan to 'fight fate' as you eloquently put it. And look what happened! It got Akane and the others killed while you ended up being captured and brainwashed by that bastard you call a mentor."
Had the circumstances been different, Yuichiro would have been offended that anyone, even Mikaela, would refer to Guren in such a way. But after what happened at Shinjuku and Nagoya, she could no longer ignore the fact that there was some truth in what her brother said.
Trying not to think about her guardian, Yuu gave Mika a look of determination and said, "No! Even if things did not go as we expected, your plan gave us hope for a better future! And all because you risked your life to find us a map out of Sanguinem so we can finally escape being livestock for the rest of our lives…"
"And do you recall how that worked out?" Mika challenged. "Even though we survived while Akane and the others were killed, we were never truly freed and we're still not, even now!"
"Yes, but it doesn't have to be that way anymore, Mika! This time, we'll do it together; it won't be just you. All we have to do is put our minds together and we can finally and forever free ourselves from the humans and vampires who want to use us for their own ends!"
Mikaela gave his sister an incredulous look. "What? Are you serious, Yuu-chan?" And he thought he was naive.
"Absolutely!" Yuu insisted. "And not just you and me—we also have the rest of Shinoa and Satoshi's squad, as well as Narumi. I'd say twelve heads are better than two, no?"
Not knowing what else to say, Mika sighed and asked, "Are you sure it will all work out so easily?"
Yuichiro grinned and her green eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief. "Honestly, no. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. That's why we need to do it together, so help me out, 'kay?"
Not knowing what else to say, Mikaela finally relented. Truth be told, he himself was out of ideas and had no choice but to trust Yuichiro's judgment. As much as he hated to admit it, if they simply ran, it would not be terribly difficult for the vampires to find them, even if they managed to escape the Hiragi family and Demon Army by leaving Japan. Unlike the latter, whose power was restricted only to Japan, the vampires', or more specifically, their leaders', power and reach extended around the world.
Yuichiro looked as though she wanted to say something else when they both heard a loud clang as Crowley swatted away blows from Satoshi's katana and Narumi's trident. It was clear that he was wearing the two young men down and knowing that they wouldn't stand a chance if this kept up, Yuu called out to the vampire lord in hopes of getting his attention.
"That's enough, Lord Crowley! We aren't going to waste time fighting you!"
At Yuu's bold statement, Crowley turned his head in her direction and gave a charming smile as if he wasn't the slightest bit worried that her squad mates would take that as an opportunity to attack him. No doubt he was confident in his ability to fight them off if they tried and that confidence was not misplaced.
"Well, now, my lady, is this really what you've decided? And I was looking forward to our rematch, too!"
Yuichiro wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but she thought she sensed a bit of disappointment in the vampire lord's voice.
Her squad mates, of course, had a different reaction. Most of them were dumbstruck at her words, but Kimizuki quickly got over his initial shock and glared at Yuu.
"What the fuck!? Are you high or something?" he roared. "Draw your sword and get over here right now!"
Ignoring him, Yuichiro looked the maroon-haired vampire lord straight in the eye and said without a hint of fear:
"I'll let you capture me."
This time, even the cool-headed Shinoa could not contain her shock and horror at what her subordinate suggested. While the others were at a loss for words, Shinoa managed to find her voice and tried to dissuade her subordinate from such a risky and foolish notion.
"Yuu, no! You don't know what you're doing!" she shrieked, ironically echoing Guren's words at Nagoya City Hall when Yuichiro challenged Crowley for their commander's freedom.
Ignoring her squad leader as well as her other squad mates who also started protesting, Yuu continued as if it were just her and Crowley present.
"It's me you're after, right? Because I'm one of the Seraph of the End's test subjects. Whatever you're planning, I'll go along with it as long as you leave the others alone; they have nothing to do with it."
Had Yuichiro been anyone else, Crowley would have told her that she was in no position to bargain. But now that she was aware of her Seraph powers, even if she could not fully control them, the rules have changed. And the vampire lord knew that securing Yuu's cooperation would be a hassle if he slaughtered her precious friends, including Mikaela.
"Very well, my lady, I'll accept your terms," Crowley said while lowering his sword.
Yuichiro wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but refrained from doing so, for she didn't want to appear weak in front of an opponent she actually admired.
"All right. Then will you at least do the honor of telling me what your plans are before I come with you, Lord Crowley?" she asked politely while trying not to let the anticipation show on her face as the vampire lord took longer to consider her offer than she was comfortable with.
"Actually…"
"Yes?"
Crowley shrugged and gave a confession that surprised everyone but Yuu and Mika.
"Other than wanting a taste of your blood, I'm not after you for any particular reason."
Yuichiro stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
As if on cue, everyone heard the sound of screeching tires as what appeared to be a sports car from the 1960s made its way towards them.
"Ahh…" Crowley noted coolly as if he were expecting such an entrance. "Here comes the one with the plan…"
"What the…" Yuu began in confusion before hearing Mika shout at her.
"Yuu-chan, look out!" he cried before quickly grabbing her and moving them both out of the way in time to avoid being run over by a speeding 1969 Chevy Camaro. *3*
To their other companions, the car appeared no more than an old vehicle from a bygone era. But having indulged in many books about life on the surface world before the fall of humanity during their childhood in Sanguinem, both Yuu and Mika could tell the make and model of the car with just a brief glance.
Normally, Yuichiro would have been impressed by the sight of the car due to her love of all things vintage. But seeing who was behind the wheel soured the experience.
After the car screeched to a halt, the last person Yuu and Mika wanted but needed to see offered a hand to them in what was supposed to be a friendly gesture.
"Hey, you two!" Ferid called in his annoying sing-song tone as if he were greeting some old friends of his rather than two teens he had traumatized as children. "I heard you were being attacked by a dangerous vampire, so I came to your rescue!"
Crowley could not help but roll his eyes at Ferid's rather pathetic attempt to befriend two kids who would much rather run him through with their swords, but he held his tongue as he watched the other vampire lord try to charm Yuichiro and Mikaela.
"I bet you've never had a ride in a car like this before. Can I interest you in going for a spin?"
Yuu and Mika gave their former benefactor a look that bordered between disbelief, suspicion, and a bit of disgust, that he even had the gall to behave so friendly towards them after all the grief he put them through.
And were he still human, Crowley would have felt the same. He himself had already experienced something with Ferid that was quite similar to the Hyakuya siblings and he would not be surprised if Ferid provoked Yuichiro into transforming. Nor would Crowley blame her if she decided to tear Ferid into pieces until there was nothing left of him.
However, the maroon-haired vampire lord thought it best to keep his opinions to himself. After all, it wouldn't be in anyone's best interest if Yuichiro lost control of herself again.
"Ferid…" Crowley began as he refrained from sighing in annoyance. "You don't have to cajole them. Miss Hyakuya said she'd come quietly, providing that you keep your hands off Mika and the others."
Were the situation not so grim or serious, and if she had not hated his guts so much, Yuichiro might have found Ferid's childish expression of triumph amusing.
"What, already? No way!" he exclaimed excitedly before turning to Yuu and Mika. "Since when did you two become so reasonable?"
As Crowley predicted, both the Hyakuya siblings wanted nothing more than to run them through with their swords. Or in Yuu's case, use her seraph powers to tear him into pieces.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Ferid," Yuu sneered. "The only reason I agreed to go along with this is because I got questions and you've got answers." Unlike Crowley, she did not refer to him by his noble title and that fact did not go unnoticed by everyone, including Ferid himself.
But, as with Mikaela, the silver-haired vampire lord had some measure of affection and admiration for Yuichiro, however twisted, so he tolerated her rude and insolent gesture despite having killed other humans and lower-ranking vampires for much less.
As everyone expected, Ferid feigned innocence and ignorance as he took the key out of the ignition and stepped out of the car to approach Yuu and Mika while completely ignoring the others, including Crowley.
"Oh, really? Is that so?"
"Yes, that's so. If our goals are the same, I'll try my best to tolerate you," Yuichiro replied through clenched teeth.
It was quite obvious to everyone that this was the best courtesy she could offer the vampire lord who murdered her brothers and sisters. Even Crowley found Yuu's restraint quite admirable because it was certainly more than Ferid deserved.
However, like always, Ferid decided to push his luck. Like Krul, Yuichiro could easily kill him now that she knew what she was capable of. And like always, Ferid got off on provoking those capable of killing him.
"My, how interesting. Why the change of heart, Miss Hyakuya? Now you have me curious."
It was a lie and they both knew it. They also knew that the only reason Yuu and Mika would ever ally themselves with Ferid was if he had something they wanted or needed, mainly information.
Trying her best to control her temper, Yuu simply said, "The Demon Army cannot provide the answers we need. Not that we could ever trust them again after what they, or more accurately, the Hiragis, have done."
"Ahh, so you're saying you would like my help? Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? You'd know I'd do anything for you and little Mika! However, in exchange for my help, are you willing to forgive and forget everything I've done to you?"
"I never said that," she replied coldly. "I said I'd tolerate you if you can give me the answers I want."
"I see…" Ferid said as he casually walked to the trunk of his car and unlocked it before pulling out a glass cylinder case filled with a strange liquid and what appeared to be a severed human head. Waving it in front of Yuu and Mika like a child showing off a new toy, Ferid continued in a sickly sweet voice: "Would you mind repeating that to your favorite sister, Miss Hyakuya?"
At first, Yuichiro thought she was seeing things. But upon closer inspection, she immediately recognized the dark brown hair tied in a side braid as well as the unmistakable face of her long-dead orphanage sister, Akane. Yuichiro might have thought the head was a fake were it not for the strange liquid in the glass cylinder case that was required to preserve it.
Mikaela, who had been silent the whole time and allowing Yuichiro to do all the talking, also found himself staring at the contents of Ferid's glass cylinder case in shock.
"Wh..what the fuck!? Yuu-chan, it can't be! This has to be some kind of sick joke!" he sputtered even though he knew that was wishful thinking.
Yuichiro knew it as well. She'd recognize that face and hair anywhere. Even after not seeing either for years.
"Mika…" she said in a strained whisper. "You've got to get out of here with the others. I… I can't hold it back…"
Although she offered no further explanation, Mikaela knew all too well what Yuichiro meant.
"Yuu-chan, no… please, it has to be a fake!" he insisted. "There's no way even Ferid would…"
But Yuichiro did not hear him. Like with so many others, his voice did not reach her now that the monstrosity housed within her was taking over her mind and body. Knowing that his sister would never intentionally release the seraph unless the situation was desperate, Mika deduced that the it was taking advantage of her anger, grief, and lapse in controlling her emotions to break out.
Yuichiro hunched over and wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to contain the creature, but it was no use. The purple demon marks slowly became visible on her skin and spread down her legs as well as up her neck and face while her canine teeth elongated like a vampire's. Sharp horns soon burst through her skull and blood dripped down each side of her face from the violent eruption. What came out of Yuu's mouth next was a demonic and unholy scream, her own voice mixed with none other than a creature from hell itself.
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
SSSSSS
"Yuu-chan, stop!" Mika cried as he ignored Yuu's earlier warning to stay away and tried to restrain her. As appalled as he was that Ferid had managed to sink to a new low by taunting him and Yuichiro with Akane's decapitated head, he also knew it was a trap to bait his sister into releasing the demon inside her. Though for what reason, Mika could not begin to fathom.
Seeing how the blond was struggling to restrain Yuichiro, Shinoa, Satoshi, and Kimizuku jumped in and tried to assist him. But even with their combined effort, the enraged demon-possessed ravenette managed to shake them off and charge at her hated enemy since childhood.
Seeing Yuichiro come his way while screaming for his blood, Ferid feigned terror and turned towards Crowley, waving his arms as if asking for the other vampire lord's protection.
"Oh, no! A scary demon is coming! Save me, Crowley, save me!" he cried in his usual sing-song tone when he wasn't taking a person or situation seriously. Which he usually didn't.
Crowley scowled at Ferid as if he just told a bad joke. "What? You're stronger than me; why would you need my protection?"
"Nah, I'm really a delicate flower, you know!"
As usual, Crowley wasn't buying his bullshit and did not move. Instead, he nodded in the direction of Yuichiro, who had sprung herself in the air with her Asuramaru raised with the full intent of cleaving Ferid in two.
"DIE!" she screamed.
As Crowley predicted, Ferid easily dodged her attack by simply moving aside just as he had when she attempted to shoot him with his stolen gun during the Hyakuya siblings' ill-fated escape attempt from Sanguinem all those years ago. While Yuichiro was considerably stronger than she used to be, Ferid knew that she wasn't experienced enough to control her emotions and use her demon or seraphic powers, let alone both at once, to their full potential yet. As long as he remained calm, he was still more than capable of handling the little green-eyed spitfire.
"What? I'm hurt, Miss Hyakuya! Didn't you just say a moment ago that you'll tolerate me if I help you?"
"FUCK YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU INTO SO MANY PIECES THAT EVEN THE VULTURES WON'T FIND YOU!"
"Oooh, scary! You know how many times I've been told that already?" Ferid teased and he dodged a second attack from Yuichiro.
Taking a moment to steal a glance at Mikaela, he gave the blond a playful smile.
"Hey, little Mika? Aren't you going to do something? Is it safe for your darling Yuu-chan to use this much power? What if she gets stuck like this forever?"
Mikaela shot the silver-haired vampire lord a dirty look even as sweat dripped down his forehead. He knew Ferid was trying to bait him as well but there was no denying the truth in his words. If Mika didn't do something and quick, there's no telling if Yuu would be able to return to normal again.
Ignoring Ferid's smugly satisfied look upon seeing that he took the bait, Mika quickly grabbed Yuu again and held onto her as tight as he could, using every ounce of strength his vampire body afforded him.
"Yuu-chan, calm down! You're falling right into Ferid's trap!"
Yuichiro turned her head and glared at Mikaela as she struggled in his grasp. Even with his vampiric strength, holding her still was no easy task.
"What do you mean, 'calm down'!?" she shrieked. "You saw what that bastard did! He desecrated *4* Akane! And don't tell me that head is a fake! We both know it's not!"
Mikaela gritted his own teeth as he tried to shut the grisly image of their orphanage sister's decapitated head out of his mind. Yuichiro was right. But he also knew it would be unwise for either of them to allow their anger to influence their judgment.
"Yuu-chan, please listen to me," he began calmly. "I know you're angry and I don't blame you, but please be reasonable. Were you not the one who suggested that we put our heads together to win our freedom? And for real this time?"
Yuichiro hesitated briefly before she appeared to calm down and stop struggling to face Mikaela directly. For a moment, the blond was relieved that he finally managed to talk some sense into her, but that illusion was quickly shattered when Yuichiro's demon side managed to reassert its dominance. She looked him straight in the eye, her face devoid of all emotion, before growling in a low voice.
"Let me go, Mika. Or I'll kill you, too…"
As soon as the words left Yuichiro's mouth, she instantly regretted it. And seeing the look of shock and hurt on Mikaela's face pained her more than anything Ferid could have done.
"Mika… I'm sorry… I didn't mean it!" Yuu wheezed as she shut her eyes and clutched the front of her uniform jacket tightly. "No! I said stop! K-ki… kill… kill…kill…!"
From one moment to the next, Yuichiro body contorted as she switched from sounding like herself one moment to sounding like a completely different person, and sometimes even both the next. It wasn't hard for Mikaela to figure out what was wrong with her.
Grabbing Yuu by the shoulders as tightly as he could in order to hold her still, Mika gave her—or more accurately, the creature possessing her body—a hard glare and hissed.
"Damn you, demon. Let go of Yuu-chan right now!"
Hoping that Mikaela would be able to hold Yuichiro long enough, Shinoa quickly turned to Mitsuba, who had finally released her hold on Crowley and distanced herself from him after noticing Yuichiro's transformation.
"Mi-chan! Do you have the enchanted shackles?"
Mitsuba nodded as she reached into the pocket of her uniform and nodded.
"Got 'em right here!" she answered.
Shinoa gave a quick sigh of relief and gratitude that Mitsuba did not lose the shackles as well as her limbs by testing the limits of Crowley's patience.
"Good! We need to restrain Yuichiro!"
Unfortunately, the rest of the two squads, including Narumi, did not share Shinoa's optimism.
"Hold it!" Narumi exclaimed. "A few wards aren't gonna stop a demon on a rampage!"
Satoshi shot him a dirty look. "You got a better idea, Narumi-san?" he demanded.
Risa sweat-dropped as she tightened her grip on her war fans. "Well, whatever we do, we better do it quick if we don't want a repeat of what happened at Nagoya Airport!"
Riku nodded in agreement as she looked towards their squad leaders. "Well? It's your call!"
Shinoa, Satoshi, and Narumi exchanged troubled looks. None of them could think of a better idea except for the enchanted shackles that Mitsuba had, even though they knew they would likely not be enough.
Kimizuki sensed this as well and turned towards Crowley. Although he hated the idea of allying with any vampire, let alone nobles, he knew that time was running out and they had no other options.
"Well? Let's call a temporary truce. You two came looking for us because you wanted to talk, right?"
Crowley shrugged. Unlike most vampires, he held no personal grudges or animosity towards humans.
"I really don't mind," he answered casually, and then looked towards Ferid as if silently letting Kimizuki know that he was the one they needed to convince.
Taking the hint, Kimizuki looked towards the silver-haired vampire lord, sweat dripping down the side of his face, his brows furrowing as if asking for Ferid's help was the last thing he wanted to do.
"What about you? Do you agree? Why else would you come seek us out yourselves instead of simply sending your minions?"
Ferid smiled cheerfully as if he were only too happy to do the little humans a favor.
"But of course! Like I said, if you want my help, all you have to do is ask! However, you and your dear friends won't be able to stop Miss Hyakuya as she is now."
"And you can?" Kimizuki challenged. His question prompted the rest of his squad mates as well as squad leaders to look Ferid's way. Even Crowley was interested in seeing what he could do.
"That's right. I have the drug needed to calm her down."
Shinoa stared at Ferid. "What are you talking about?"
As if in answer, the vampire lord reached into his pocket and took out a needle and syringe.
"Right here," he answered simply. "But I won't do it for nothing. So, which one of you will be the first to say, ' Please save us, gracious Lord Ferid Bathory?'"
At the outrageous request, every member of both squads glanced at each other with mixed expressions. Some nervous, others worried, and even a few were rather appalled at having to ask a vampire for a favor—every single one of them thought Ferid's demand was rather degrading. At best. At worst, he could be lying and the drug could make Yuichiro become a full-blown demon with no way of changing back.
And while she was not one to be offended easily, even Shinoa loathed the idea of having to beg Yuichiro's hated enemy to save her. She also knew that Yuu herself would be furious if she found out. But if it was the only way to save her subordinate from losing her humanity completely, Shinoa would gladly do it and take full responsibility for any consequences that may result from her decision.
Trying her best not to let the disgust show on her face, Shinoa began, hoping that her pleas alone would be enough to persuade the silver-haired vampire lord to help Yuichiro.
"P-Please…save…"
But before she could even finish her sentence, Shinoa felt the vampire lord give her a gentle pat on her shoulder.
"I was just kidding, Little Miss Squad leader!" Ferid joked, though he alone seemed amused. "I came here to be your new friend, after all. And it is a personal policy of mine to always help out a friend for free. Now, then, let's get down to business and rescue Miss Hyakuya, shall we?"
Before anyone could answer yea or nay, Ferid turned to Yoichi and casually tossed the cylindrical glass case with Akane's head in his direction. With a yelp of surprise, the brunet boy tossed his demon bow aside to catch the macabre relic before it could hit the ground and shatter.
"Hang onto that, my boy. If it breaks, poor Akane will rot away, understand? So, you must take good care of it."
Takeshi's nose wrinkled in distaste and he shuddered. "Hey, Saotome, can you please get that thing away from me? It's kinda creepy."
Yoichi glared at his sniping partner as Crowley gave them both a wry look of amusement.
"You know, I actually feel sorry for you lot…" he said with a genuine tone of sympathy that had both archers staring at him in bewilderment.
"And why is that?" Takeshi asked curiously, also genuinely interested.
Nodding towards Ferid, Crowley answered, "His antics are exhausting."
"Yeah, no shit!" Mikaela growled, giving the vampire lord in question a dirty look as he struggled to keep his hold on Yuichiro. Who was still struggling to contain the seraph within her by ironically calling for her demon.
"Asuramaru… come…" she wheezed.
"No, Yuu-chan, don't! You need to suppress your demon!"
"Shut up! I just…need a little more…more power… Asuramaru, come…" Yuu chanted like a mantra.
"Yuu-chan!"
But Yuichiro neither heard, saw, nor felt the grip of the blond vampire who was trying to get through to her. For now, she had receded back into the world of her mind.
A world where a familiar demon greeted her while perched upon the sword which bore his name.
"Long time no see, Asuramaru…" Yuichiro began.
The purple-haired demon boy cupped his cheek with one hand innocently and gave his mistress a whimsical look as if he were expecting her.
"Ah, I see you're back, Miss Hyakuya! So let me guess, you want more power?"
"What do you think?" she retorted.
Asuramaru grinned. "Hah! So, I was right! You are indeed a greedy wench! Or shall I say, a namanari?"*5*
Yuichiro's expression changed from annoyance to confusion at the mention of the word with which she was not familiar.
"What the hell is a 'namanari'?" she demanded.
"Oh, I never told you? It's a human one step shy of becoming a full demon. I believe this is the third time I've told you."
Yuu scowled in disbelief. "Really? I don't remember any of that. In fact, for some reason, my memories have been very spotty lately."
"Well, that's no surprise," Asuramaru replied as he crossed his arms. "Your human self doesn't want to deal with the memories of your demon self, so it hides them away. Yet you keep getting into situations you can't overcome without a demon's power. Ironic, isn't it? This has to be karma for sure."
Growing impatient, Yuichiro snapped at her demon contractor, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Does it really matter now?" Asuramaru retorted. "You aren't human anymore no matter how much you still look like it. Now you could take three or possibly even more of those pills and not die."
Yuichiro snorted. "Yeah, fat good that did me. I took three and still couldn't beat Crowley. Now, I only have two left. Thanks for nothing, Asuramaru!"
"Aww, come on! You can still make use of them yet! Once you take them, let me take over for an instant and I'll take care of everything for you."
"And how can I trust you not to kill my friends instead?"
"Oh, I won't be doing a thing. You'll be the one doing all the killing. So what do you say? It'll feel so liberating to be free of all those fetters."
Yuichiro shook her head. Unless she was sure she would strike the right target, namely Ferid, she wasn't going to be taking any chances allowing Asuramaru any control of her body.
"I decline," she said simply. "Unless you take over only when I am close enough to Ferid. He will be the only target, understood?"
"Of course, it will be as my mistress commands. I'll need only three seconds."
"Will that be enough to beat him?" Yuu inquired.
Asuramaru shrugged. "Who knows? I only know what you know. After all, I am you."
Yuichiro grinned. "Don't lie to me, Asuramaru. I don't what a namanari is yet you do. You have your own will and knowledge separate from my own."
Asuramaru chuckled. "Very astute as always, Miss Hyakuya! You are no doubt a very passionate young lady, but once all that exuberant energy and emotion of yours cool down, you're actually quite logical and calculating like that mentor you so adored."
"Don't go comparing me to Guren! I am nothing like him!"
That was a lie and they both knew it. However, instead of calling Yuichiro out on it, Asuramaru decided to change the subject.
"Anyhow, if you become a full demon, you'll probably be an unstoppable monster to humans and vampires alike."
Yuichiro shook her head. "I don't need to become a demon to protect my friends."
Asuramaru wagged a finger at his mistress. "Oh? Is that your logical side talking or your emotional side? Your human and demon sides are too intertwined to be separated now."
Yuu grinned. "You know, I really don't care if I'm a human or demon as long as I can achieve my objective."
"Ah… Then let me tell you one thing, little Miss Hyakuya: demons have no friends or family. They only know how to kill."
Yuu gave the demon boy a skeptical look, as if she didn't want to believe him.
"Then, I guess I can't become a demon then," she said simply.
"But if you take more of those pills, your demon side will continue to grow."
"So? I don't mind if it's to protect my friends," she replied stubbornly, not wanting to admit that Asuramaru had a point.
The demon boy sighed and gave Yuichiro an annoyed look. "Do you hear how you contradict yourself? Ah, well, it seems like you won't need the pills, at least for now."
Forgetting her annoyance at her demon contractor, Yuichiro's brows rose in confusion.
"What?"
"You are about to be rescued by a vampire. And you'll never guess who it is…"
Before the ravenettte could question her demon contractor further, the world around them faded and she soon found herself back in the real world. Almost immediately, Yuichiro felt her knees give way and she stumbled as if her violent outburst earlier drained her of energy.
When Yuu's mind cleared, she felt herself being held up by her childhood friend who moved to stand protectively between her and Ferid.
"I'm warning you, Ferid, stay away from Yuu-chan!" he shouted angrily.
As always, the silver-haired vampire lord did not take Mikaela seriously. Giving him a cheerful smile, Ferid held up one gloved hand in a conciliatory gesture, and said, "Calm, down, little Mika. I won't harm your darling Yuu-chan, I just want to help her!"
Mikaela glared at Ferid but stood his ground. "What? You've got a lot of fucking nerve! Especially since you're the one who set her off in the first place!"
"Correct, and now I'm going to take responsibility for that and save her. If I don't, she'll become a demon for sure."
"Hell, no! I don't trust you and won't let you lay a finger on her!"
As if expecting Mika's outburst, Ferid simply held up the needle and syringe as if offering it to the blond.
"Okay, then. Will you be the one to give her this shot in my place?"
Mika's brow furrowed in confusion, sweat dripped down the side of his face at the sight of the innocuous looking liquid inside of the syringe. While it was clear and resembled harmless water, the blond had no doubt that it was anything but.
"What the hell is that?" he demanded, not sure if he truly wanted to know.
Ferid grinned and gave a casual shrug. "Oh, nothing. Just a dangerous and unstable drug."
Mikaela bared his fangs. No way was he going to let Ferid pump Yuichiro full of that crap, whatever it was.
"You bastard!" he snarled.
"I'm afraid we don't have time to play around. If you won't do it, I will."
Mika's hand quickly went to the sword on his belt and tore it free of its sheath.
"I won't let you. You'll have to get past me first!"
Not waiting for Ferid to react, Mikaela dashed towards him, sword drawn with every intention to cut him down if that was what it took to keep him away from Yuichiro.
As if expecting the blond to attack, Ferid casually called for his subordinate.
"Crowley, dear!"
"Already here," the other vampire lord answered flatly as he suddenly appeared in front of Mikaela, his own sword drawn to block the younger vampire's attack. Unlike with Yuichiro, Crowley showed no interest in actually engaging Mikaela in combat, only keeping him away from Ferid while he completed his objective.
As he casually strolled past the dueling pair, Ferid shot a glance at Mikaela and gave his version of a reassuring smile.
"Now, now, don't be that way, Mika. You know I'm doing this for Yuu's own good. You'll thank me later."
Mika gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as Ferid approached Yuu, who was on her knees, her expression strained as she struggled to suppress the demon inside of her. If Mika did not know that Crowley only intended to distract him and not actually kill him, he would not have dared to take his eyes off him. Not that he needed to see Ferid approach Yuu to know what he intended.
"Dammit, Yuu-chan! Run!" Mika cried.
Unfortunately, Yuichiro was in no condition to do so. Hearing Ferid's approaching footsteps, she raised her head, demon horns still jutting out of her skull, and gave him a glare of hatred that did not entirely stem from Asuramaru's influence.
Instead of being offended, Ferid actually gave her an affectionate look as if looking upon a favorite daughter or niece.
"Wow!" the silver-haired vampire lord exclaimed. "You've grown up beautifully, little Miss Hyakuya! I can see why Mika is so smitten with you! Your demon is on the verge of rampage, yet you still have such clear and beautiful eyes that can enchant even a vampire like myself."
Yuichiro found herself confused at the unexpected praise, unsure of how to react. It certainly was not the first time she had been praised by a vampire lord. Her duel with Crowley was proof of that. And oddly enough, she could sense that Ferid's words were as genuine as Crowley's had been.
"What the hell do you want, you bastard?" she spat. Whatever Ferid was after, it was going to take more than a few compliments on her beauty to get it.
As if in answer, Ferid knelt down and brought his face uncomfortably close to hers before using one gloved finger to tilt her face upward and peering straight into her now reddish-green eyes.
"I'd like to help you if you'd let me. But before I do that, may I have a sip of your blood?" he asked as innocently as a child would ask for a piece of candy.
Yuchiro felt disgusted that Ferid even had the nerve to ask. Still, she also knew that he was strong enough to run the risk of her killing him if he truly wanted to take her blood without her consent. So if he was bothering to ask her nicely, there must be a good reason.
"I don't give my blood away for free, Ferid," she sneered.
"Oh, but I wasn't asking you to, my dear," he replied as he let go of her face, placed a hand on his hip, and held up the needle and syringe with the other.
"See this curse suppressant drug I have here?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Yuu retorted, unimpressed.
"This is the exact same drug Guren Ichinose is taking. Aren't you curious about it?"
For a moment, Yuichiro forgot her displeasure at the vampire lord.
"What? And how would you know something like that? Unless you know him personally."
"But I do, little Miss Hyakuya!" Ferid insisted. "We met before the apocalypse, when he was your age. I got this drug directly from him."
Yuichiro gave him a disbelieving look. It was no secret among humans and vampires alike that Ferid Bathory was a notorious liar. But like Mikaela said, even Ferid could be truthful when it suited him.
"And how do I know you're not bullshitting me?" Yuu demanded even though she was curious as to whether Ferid said was true or not.
And that split second of hesitation on her part was all Ferid needed. Grabbing her by the shoulders with his inhuman vampiric speed, he forced Yuu to her feet, jerked the collar of her uniform open, and sank his razor-sharp fangs into her neck.
Mika, who had witnessed the entire scene, even as Crowley held him back, screamed in rage.
"Yuu-chan! Ferid, you bastard! What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"
"Now, Mika, dear, don't be mad. I'm helping your darling Yuu-chan as I promised."
Before anyone could do anything, Ferid quickly flipped the needle and syringe in his hand around and jammed it into Yuichiro's back, using his thumb to pump the mysterious drug into her body, causing her to lose consciousness. After emptying the syringe's contents into Yuichiro, the silver-haired vampire lord actually took her still form in his arms with the gentleness of a lover and laid her on the ground.
Now that his task was fulfilled, Crowley quietly stepped aside and allowed Mikaela to pass. As the blond rushed past his opponent to Yuichiro's side, he thought he could see something akin to sympathy in the maroon-haired vampire lord's eyes.
By the time Mika had reached them, Ferid had already stood up after making sure Yuichiro was in the most comfortable position possible on the grass. The two puncture wounds on her neck as well as the one made by the needle that he jammed into her back had already healed thanks to her demon's power. Yuichiro's demon horns also sunk back into her skull before her rapidly healing flesh and growing hair covered them completely. Other than the fact that her uniform and hair was a bit mussed, the girl was perfectly fine and unhurt.
Still, that was of little consolation to Mikaela as he knelt down and took the unconscious Yuichiro in his arms. Until now, he was the only one who had tasted her blood and now Ferid had robbed him of that as well.
"You bastard!" he spat, giving the silver-haired vampire lord a death glare. "Don't think you can get away with this!"
As if taunting Mikaela, Ferid licked Yuichiro's blood from his lips in a rather vulgar manner that made him want to throw up.
"Why are you angry, Mika? You should be thanking me! After all, I just saved your darling Yuu-chan's life!"
"Bullshit!" Mika shouted. "I don't know what kind of sick plan you have in mind for her, but I won't let you go through with it!"
"But Mika, what makes you think it's my plan?"
Mikaela's expression changed from anger to confusion. "What the hell are you talking about? Why did you come here? And why did you bring Akane's head with you? What do you want?"
"Oh, nothing," Ferid answered nonchalantly as he made a gesture with his index finger as if making a point. "I just thought I might drop by and show you how to bring little Akane back to life."
"That is impossible! How stupid do you think we are!?" Mika retorted harshly.
"But it isn't," Ferid insisted. "I'm sure you've heard of it, the 'Seraph of the End', a forbidden magic that a group of foolish humans tinkered with eight years ago. And I don't need to tell you what the consequences were…"
Footnotes
1. "POW" is an abbreviation for prisoner of war. In SotE, vampire soldiers captured by humans are often used for experiments, mostly to see if they can be used to create more powerful demons to be bound to weapons for JIDA soldiers. This is usually only possible with nobles because weaker vampires often die before they can transition successfully.
2. In canon, it is not mentioned if Aoi and Mitsuba or full or half-sisters like Mahiru and Shinoa but for my AU, I have made them half-sisters born to different mothers to emphasize the distance between them.
2. The Chevrolet Camaro is an American-made muscle car introduced by Chevrolet in the years between 1966 through 1969. The model owned and driven by Ferid is a convertible that he obtained brand new back in 1969 when it was first introduced. Fem!Yuu learned about the Chevy Camaro from reading books when she and Mika lived in Sanguinem and from Shinya who has a passion for sport cars.
3. Desecrate means to treat a place or thing, especially a corpse or a grave, with outrageous and often violent disrespect. In the case of Akane, it is strongly implied that Ferid decapitated her after her death in order to taunt Yuichiro and Mikaela with her head
4. In SotE universe, a namanari is a human who is one step away from becoming a full blown demon. Unlike most demons, who were vampires and humans first, a namanari who transitions into a demon skips the vampire state. To date, Guren Ichinose and Yuichiro Hyakuya are the only known namanaris.
