EPISODE 15: HELL KNIGHT [AU; PART 1]
Summary: What if not only the truth of Misurugi's eldest princess shattered the world's expectations of her; but also her eldest brother's unexpected circumstances? How will this affect both the humans and the royal family?
Disclaimer: I don't own Cross Ange or any of its characters and original plot, excluding the original characters I created for this story. This is a spin-off series of the main 'Cross Ange: Living Hell' story. So please read that before here.
Cross Ange and all its rights belong to King Records (Japan), Sentai Filmworks (USA), and Sunrise/ Bandai Namco Entertainment (Japan). This fanfiction is meant for entertainment only and not for profit. This story contains heavy language, blood and violence, and mild sexual themes not for audiences under 16-18 years old.
At first, when he was told the truth his beloved sister was born a Norma but their parents kept the truth from her for her protection, away from the people who would hurt her or do worse because of her unexpected birth, Julio didn't think highly of it and treats Angelise as a real sister for a big brother he made sure he is, especially when they had their youngest sister Sylvia in their lives and Julio promising their parents that he can protect his sisters and rule their kingdom fairly as their heir and future Emperor of the Misurugi Empire…Only, that dream shattered and broke Julio's innocence to see it is Angelise and their parents' fault. Over the years after Angelise turned eight years old, Julio's attempts to please his parents wavered because of their overprotectiveness for Angelise and her oblivious secret by giving her special care and attention that unknowingly pushed Julio and Sylvia away.
Although they do give them attention, not as much as they do to Angelise, even their mother cares more for her than her other two children.
Although Sylvia doesn't seem to mind, this makes Julio start breaking down until he knows his heart is filled with hatred and envy for his sister. First, he started small by pretending to be the kind eldest brother to his innocent sisters but secretly growing his jealousy to the point of seeing her as the same thing as Norma girls: powerless, animalistic savages hellbent on destroying their peace and their Light of Mana by their touch. So far, Angelise hasn't accidentally revealed herself as a Norma by her maid Momoka taking care of her, but that still soured Julio's hidden mood. If Angelise was exposed much sooner, Julio wouldn't care if she were shipped off and her parents would mourn or cry for her since they had never done any special caring for Julio and Sylvia.
But one memory hit the nail in Julio's heart and mind so badly…
"But Jurai, Julio will protect Angelise even if he inherits the throne on his twentieth birthday…"
"The people will still figure out that Angelise is a Norma if we allow Julio to be Emperor. So, we must make her the Empress of Misurugi on her sixteenth birthday to save herself! Surely, Julio will understand…"
Julio couldn't understand in dismay, after overhearing his parents discussing something about Angelise taking over the throne for their empire one night. His dream to rule the Misurugi Empire as Emperor is quickly shattered into a million pieces… by his own parents' desires to protect that Norma sister of his!
He can still feel how betrayed, and furious he was, that he once tried to kill Angelise by his hand that same night when he snuck away without his parents knowing his secret. However, despite wanting to, Julio must stop himself from doing the deed, not because of what's left of his so-called brotherly love for the monster who dared become his sister, but out of fear of being exiled or executed by their father.
So instead, he 'patiently' waited and planned until Angelise was of age to seize HIS throne and that shall be when the world knows the truth of the Norma Princess of Misurugi. It wasn't easy…but the result will hopefully go in his favour…
"Hear this, my beloved subjects. I will now reveal the truth; Lady Angelise…is a Norma! To conceal this fact and that a Norma rule over us must be a plot to undo our nation! This act is the ultimate treason against our citizens! Our Empire will not be tainted by monsters! It is high time our people found out the truth! On this; the day of Angelise's baptism!" Making sure that the entire Misurugi Empire's eyes are on him and not his father, uncles, and aunt apprehended by the confused but diligent guards, led by their captain and Julio's confidant Riza Randog, Julio revealed the truth of Angelise's secret and released all the rage and hatred he felt towards her in every venom hissing through his teeth. The sight of his future people's horror and denial may be understandable but the proof will reveal itself in no time.
"We must go, hurry!" However, Julio heard Mother gasp in her desperation and whirl around in time to see her dragging Angelise out of the glass platform by the wrist and conjuring the barricade in time to block anyone from stopping them. "Seize her!" Julio ordered.
"They're escaping to the ceremony section to the inside column. Don't let them escape." Riza informed her men inside the Dawn Pillar with her earpiece while Julio witnessed Sylvia's horror at Mother and Angelise's escape causing her to faint with Momoka and Daigorou checking on her. But Angelise's capture is important for Julio quickly materializes a Mana window showing a surveillance view of Angelise stepping and breaking the Mana pyramid forcefield intending to capture her, revealing herself as the Norma scum she is in front of the disbelieved audience who witnessed it from their eyes or their Mana. But instead of backing down even at the officers' gunpoint, Angelise boldly unsheathed her robes' sword in anger and was about to attack the terrified leader who fired a shot but Mother foolishly broke from the guards' restraints and take the shot intending for Angelise.
'…Angelise, you deserved everything.' Julio was mentally scorned at the beast helplessly taken away by the officers, who no longer idolised her as before alongside the people now howling their anger for their betrayal, with their mother's justified death lying on the ground in blood. But despite protecting and loving Angelise for her life, Julio never despised his mother the same as he loathed his father for grooming his sister to live as a supposed-to-be Empress.
Julio was about to inform Riza who sent the guards leading Father, Sylvia, and his uncles and aunt away, with the former's future execution for treason…when he immediately felt something excruciating shooting in both his brain and heart, alarming him in shock that attracted Riza, Momoka and Daigorou with the latter comforting his distraught cousin for her loss, and a few of the guards remaining on the platform by suddenly gasping and screaming after fallen onto the floor by whatever is inflicting pain on him. To their horror, Julio's strangely sweating skin visibly showed his veins inhumanely glowing an oddly bright green light, almost like Mana from his face to his neck, hands, and even under his clothes.
"Prince Julio!" Julio faintly heard Riza shout his name but the hellish pain that came through his system from out of nowhere hurt him so much that he kept howling and crying his agony, spasming wildly on the floor like a fool being tased, without realizing the people running to his side in confusion and horror. 'It burns! It burns! It hurts so much! What is this pain!? Why am I having it!?' Julio mentally cried with his throat only releasing screams that might strain his voice, managing to see his hands initially grabbing his forearms unusually glowing his veins in horror.
"R-R-R-RIZA…" Julio wailed for the one person he trusted to help him, but the pain in his brain was so great that it switched off on him, with Julio's now weak body lying motionless but still glowing in his veins and shedding tears from his slowly lightless eyes. The last thing he saw before his watery eyes closed and was unable to fight the ongoing torture in his body was some small white and purple blur with tiny but glowing red orbs staring in his direction from the corner of the entrance before his eyelids shut on him, initially seeing his veins until it dimmed into darkness…
…Standing against the wall nearly revealing himself, Julio smirked his cruel satisfaction and spied his oblivious father secretly manipulating the controls of the Dawn Pillar's glass chamber once there was not a soul in sight, by disabling the Norma sensors and alarm so that Angelise's baptism will go off to fool the public that she is a human than a Norma. Oh, how foolish for Father. Julio played the part of a dutiful son and brother to his sisters so well that Father was still unable to see how his future betrayal and downfall would affect him tomorrow. And the only person who helped Julio all this while is Riza who helped snuck him inside the Dawn Pillar and followed Father with him. Often, Father anxiously pauses and looks around if someone is spying on him but resumes doing so until he finishes and scurries away from the Dawn Pillar, not once spotting his son witnessing his 'sin'.
'Father, you're such a fool.' Julio chortled his amusement as he quickly restarted the glass chamber's system and enabled the Norma sensor and alarm, only taking a few seconds compared to Father taking almost half a minute. Tomorrow, the baptism will play out the way that it intends to, and Father will not have his way in making that Norma be the Empress. The throne will and always will be Julio's.
"Prince Julio. The Emperor has retreated to the Misurugi Palace through the back path." Julio heard Riza informing her through the small Mana window hovering closer to his left ear after exiting the chamber and heading through the dimly lit corridor, on his way to catch up with Riza also walking through the inside from spying on his father's exit outside.
"Excellent. Then tomorrow, nothing will stop us from hiding the exposure of Angelise's baptism…" But Julio wasn't able to finish his order when something small but bigger than his shin hit his legs and accidentally toppled him to fall flat on his face with a startled gasp, not seeing Riza's Mana window disappear the moment she arrived running to his location, faintly surprised to see both Julio and the source of his fall lying on the ground in an unexpected sight. "Your Majesty!" Riza hurriedly kneeled and carefully pulled Julio to his knees, releasing a groan in pain.
"Aya, are you okay?" Julio and Riza heard a girl's voice younger than Sylvia's from where Julio tripped to spot two toddler children with the albino older boy rubbing his hands on his white hair while being comforted by his blue-haired, dark-skinned younger sister, who made Julio almost shudder his appalment of her terrifying glowing green and black sclera eyes when the two children noticed them.
"Who are you two children? The Dawn Pillar is strictly restricted to the people and only for the royal family and the staff unless necessary." Riza demanded the two children, as the professional Captain of the Guards she is.
"Don't worry, pretty lady. We're with Padre…" The blue-haired girl spoke first but stopped herself when she, Julio, and Riza watched her albino older brother move his hands and fingers in sign language, confusing the latter two but the former understood with a brief blink in surprise before rephrasing her sentence to Julio. "I mean our father. We go to him."
Julio pursed his lips in suspicion but then shrugged it off and stood with Riza at his side, ready to leave them be. They're just innocent, albeit terrifying, children. "Very well. Go back to your father, and don't tell him I was here, even if he works…no worked under my father. Come, Riza."
"Bye-bye." Julio and Riza heard the little girl kindly giving her farewells as they walked away. But unlike Julio anticipates his chance tomorrow with a grim smile, Riza remains scowling her suspicion at not just the baptism but the two children. What she picked up from them made her sneer her anger away from the prince.
'The children…they smell vaguely like HIM.'
"How long until we wait for this pompous ass to wake up?"
"From what happened to him after sending his sister away to Arzenal, it might be either later or tomorrow."
"Ammo, why are you vexed by the royal family?"
"…I have reasons, okay, Cynical. But I don't see why Rush has to bring him here, even under the royal jerks' orders."
"Even still, I'm just as curious as to what happened to Julio…" Julio wasn't sure how long he was surprisingly unconscious, only remembering the odd but excruciating hell that he had to be given, but he could feel that both the pain was no longer torturing his weakened body and that he was sleeping face down against some rough-textured ground than the soft, carpeted floor. And by his hearing slowly returning in his mind, he guessed that wherever he is has people who might help him, although he noticed one sounds strangely irritated with such foul words.
Finding the strength in his body, but his body is still aching he is worried he will no longer move yet luckily unscathed, Julio forcefully and sluggishly pushes himself up to shakily climb off the dirty floor with strangled groans and whines of pain, shaking so hard he might fall back and almost break a rib but Julio manages to hastily get on and sit on his backside, harshly panting his pain for his body but quickly raise and look at his now faintly dirtied hands and royal robes to see that his skin is no longer glowing his veins with the Mana-like light.
'W-W-What happened back there?' Julio wondered in dread, only staring at his dirty palms but unable to calm himself from his dread. Whatever happened to him, no human would have ever experienced it. It's like some ghost or inhuman being did something that caused him to feel like … he is missing something. 'Other than that, where am I? This doesn't look like the Misurugi Palace's dungeon…'
"Hey." Julio shuddered with a painfully muffled whine from the voice curtly, and strangely angrily, calling him from the side, alarming him to look to his left and fall completely wildly but hit his head at the wall with another gasp of pain, looking around at the unfamiliar, empty room looking like a dungeon and the group of unusual people watching over him from the other end. A giant man in red armour and helmet, an unarmed brunette woman in a black leather coat, a blonde and blue-haired woman who wields a dangerous weapon for a delicate-looking lady, a timid boy in white and bears two different sized snakes around him, and a green-haired boy who, Julio and the other people of the group noticed in mixed surprise, glares his disdain at him. But Julio doesn't know about him so he couldn't understand why the green-haired boy looked as if he despised him as such.
"W-Who are all of you?" Julio hurriedly found his voice to demand the group, recklessly climbing to stand onto his feet and hurriedly holding his hands against the wall from feeling his legs almost become wobbly to fall back on the ground. "Where am I? Answer me!" Despite his threat seemingly making the snake tamer squeak a gasp behind his green-haired friend blocking the other from Julio, the team is unfazed.
"Julio Asuka Misurugi. You are now in the Haven, a restricted nation and military facility led by the Human Killer, per the new Emperor Akihide of Misurugi's order … under the suspicion of the events relating to you after exiling your sister, Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, from your homeland." The giant man calmly spoke, alarming Julio in surprise with his booming baritone through his helmet but his words induced surprise, confusion, suspicion, and a tint of anger that slowly expressed his reaction, his mind burned for questions needing answers this instant!
"What do you mean? I don't understand! I'm supposed to be the Emperor, not Uncle Akihide! Wait, you said Human Killer? Is he here? I want to see him! I wanted him to serve me just as he served my Father!" Although Julio sees the green-haired boy sneering at him with his anger growing, he reluctantly calms down to walk and stand in front of Julio, lifting his hand for a Mana window of a recording to materialize in front of Julio's face.
"Here. The first half is my recording, while the second half is the Misurugi Empire's broadcast to the world they just posted online." First musing at his suspicion for this boy's impudent vehemence, Julio curiously watched the recording showing a bird's eye view of the Dawn Pillar's platform where Julio has fallen unconscious after the hellish torture that ceased his veins glowing like The Light of Mana, and surrounded by Riza, the guards, and few of the royal family's medical staff. But when the recording shows one of the medics reaching his hand and his Mana screen closer to the back of Julio's head…his touch at Julio's head caused the former's Mana screen to immediately shatter like glass shards before disappearing, as if Julio broke the Light of Mana just like a Norma break it.
'…W…What?' Julio was stunned in horror as he watched the shocking sight of Julio's unconscious body and the human staff backing away from him in bafflement and apprehension, one guard dared pull Riza away from him when the same medic nervously conjure a Mana forcefield flying closer to Julio, again breaking it when it touched him and made the guards, boldly in Julio's eyes, aim their rifles at Julio's body in distraught while Riza was unable to get closer from being pushed back by the traumatized medical staff as if THEIR prince and future Emperor just became a beast just like Norma are.
"What was supposed to be today's baptism immediately horrified the entire world with two discoveries; not only Former Princess Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi is revealed a Norma before she could ascend the throne as Empress of Misurugi, but Former Prince Julio Asuka Misurugi's Light of Mana has disappeared to somehow transformed himself into the first Male Norma in history!" A panicked news anchor-man started the news that came up after the recording. However, a few different POVs of that travesty before a picture of the royal Misurugi family popped out at the sub-Mana window behind him, with all but Sylvia's faces crossed out in black Xs.
'Former Prince…Male Norma?' Julio mentally choked his disbelief, staring at his family's picture with his barely visible face behind the X. It's not possible…there's no such thing as a Male Norma…It's not possible that HE is now the same thing as his damned sister! It's a lie!
"This has become a surprising devastation that even happened in the royal family - no our humanity. We knew that Julio was initially human until he threw the blight of the royal Misurugi bloodline. But to think that he ended up becoming like those animals as well." The screen then shows Uncle Akihide being interviewed by the media press, visibly showing the false concern in his voice with his usual angry scowl. "After the public execution of the former Emperor Jurai, with the Human Killer's assistance, I shall abide the sufficient time to plan further for the future purification of our beloved kingdom by both Angelise and Julio's tainted infection for twenty years, even pondering the possibilities of Male Norma existing in our perfect world, with the blame going to the Former Prince…" However, Julio felt his mind starting to break not just from the recording, he hoped that it was edited out of a cruel mistake, but Uncle's spiteful tone even towards Julio.
"N-NOO!" Julio hastily lunged his hand towards the green-haired boy's Mana, hoping to use his to switch it off as a chance to prove he is human…but both his hand doesn't glow with the Light of Mana upon his silent command and the boy's Mana broadcast shattered into tiny glass shards and disappear into particles of light by his hand. Julio almost fell forward but didn't bump into the boy who quickly backed away when he accidentally broke the Mana screen. Julio ignored him nor everyone with him when he hastily raised and stared at his shaking hands in horror. How did HE break the Light of Mana!? Why did HE!? What happened that turned him from a human to a monster!?
"…No…No, it's not true! I didn't break it! This isn't happening to me! I'm not a Male Norma! This is ridiculous!" Still refusing to believe the truth in his eyes, Julio objected in dread towards the Human Killer's team.
"Both the Misurugi and Haven medics tested our Mana on your body before and after we brought you here, but you unconsciously break the Light of Mana every time." The blonde and blue-haired woman noted with a serious but concerned tone in her glued sadness. However, Julio frantically shook his head and kept refusing to believe it.
"No, it must be a mistake! I'm a human, not the same as those things AND my sister! I know something was torturing me after I threw her away! That could be why my Light of Mana isn't working now! I'll get it back…" As he was panicking about his predicament, Julio unknowingly irritated both the brunette woman, whom he may have thought of as a grown Norma for her expression and her athletic body slightly lacking femininity, and the green-haired boy who slid closer and breached Julio's space…
SWOOSH!
Too fast for everyone to react, the green-haired boy swiftly swung his long, red baton upwards from between him and Julio, who stopped his pleas in shock from the sudden movement only to grow his eyes in horror and pain from seeing a big amount of crimson erupting from the long, horizontal scar now adorning his left cheek and barely slicing his eye off. With a scream of pain, Julio backed away and fell on his knees from this Ammo with his right hand holding his left grasping his first scar while his assailant's team mostly the blonde woman and snake boy almost ran towards their ally but the giant man and brunette woman silently pulled them back just from seeing a glimpse of their friend's dark expression for harming the Prince of Misurugi.
"It hurts! It hurts…" Julio groaned with his closed eyes again welling up tears, starting to feel pain but not as agonizing when he lost both his consciousness and Light of Mana back at the Dawn Pillar. Unfortunately, the harsh speed of a foot forcefully slammed his torso, almost smashing his heart from the impact sent Julio flying and hitting his back against the wall with a strangled scream and fell on his back, panting in hoarse breaths that nearly lost his voice just like earlier.
"Ammo!" The snake boy cried in shock.
"…Guys? Can you let me deal with him myself?" As Julio left panting with strangled cries but more focused on Ammo's sudden dark reaction, presuming multiple theories of his strange hatred for Julio or possibly the royal Misurugi family, his suggestion and disdainful voice again alarmed the others in astonishment and dread. Out of the team, Cynical is the first to reduce her surprise with a stern but still concerned scowl for Ammo.
"Don't kill him until Rush comes back, Ammo." Cynical relented and carefully led Hyacinth by the hand to the front door, silently alerting Red Death to gently lift Moon and his two snakes off the floor in their surprise, holding him like a doll. "A-Ammo, wait!" Ammo didn't turn around when Moon shouted until the room's door closed with him and Former Prince Julio inside, the latter still trying to reclaim his breathing with the last few coughs to steady his slowly recovering breaths…but it won't be enough for what he shall do to him now that he is no longer in their former land.
"Alright, asshole." Julio grimaced in a loud whine of fear from the boy, believing his friends called him Ammo, darkly hissing such rage towards him when he hastily looked up at his furious eyes looking down on him, almost matching Angelise and Mother's eye colour, and still grasped his now blood-stained hands on his bleeding cheek. "What I'm doing to you has nothing to do with you being the new Male Norma…but something the royal family did to mine before I joined the Haven." Julio whimpered his horror for his life to hear Ammo's words. What did the royal family… do to him?
"W-Wait, please!" Julio begged, pressing his back to unsuccessfully get away from Ammo walking closer with his right hand still holding his weapon he might strike at him again. "I don't know anything about what my family did to yours! I-I know! Why don't you tell me, so that maybe I might remember or do anything to beg you to forgive me!" But despite his pleas, Julio realized in horror and tears of blood, that Ammo would not accept and forgive him by his eyes furrowing in ferocity and slowly raised his baton over his head with both hands at the guard, ready to swing and strike him again.
"How dare you…I'll NEVER FORGIVE YOU, FUCKER!" Ammo's anguishedly blind rage made Julio scream his fear just as he received the first of the soon-to-be many tortures from a revenge-driven boy towards his family…
"…The fuck, Ammo?" Ammo had just finished unleashing his rage and contempt onto his victim, who couldn't even fight back for a pampered ex-prince, when he heard the familiar voice asking him from outside to turn around. "You're trying to beat him to death? I didn't think you can do that, for being the weak ass nerd of the group!" Seeing Rush now home from Misurugi startled Ammo to summon a Mana window for the time and see that he's been non-stop torturing Julio for the past half an hour.
"Rush! What took you so long?" Ammo hurriedly ran away from his first kill and joined Rush's side to demand his leader for his absence, although pouting his embarrassment at what he heard. "And what do you mean, weak ass nerd!? I can still fight!"
"Yeah, but you're Ammo." Rush's nonchalant response made Ammo pout harder in anger but calmed down when Rush gave his answer. "After what happened to Julio, I accidentally met Em…bryo. I found out that I saved his kid yesterday and he wants me to represent the Haven in any future royal meetings." Ammo almost gasped his shock but noticed something that confused him; it sounded like Rush almost stopped at Em instead of the enemy's full name. "I was also forced to execute his dad by the uncle who'll be the new Emperor with his brother and sister-in-law, and I just found out after coming home that my best friend's cousin sneaked in my car, thinking that I'll take her to her Princess."
"Wait…you met Embryo?" Ammo choked in bemusement and worry, aware that Rush promised to kill Embryo for what he had done to this world but still shared everyone's concerns. However, something about both the enemy and Julio here seemingly helps Ammo connect some dots. "…Does he have anything to do with this asshole losing his Mana to be a Male Norma, Rush?"
"I had a hunch when we first talked and Julio unknowingly revealed himself as a Norma. The next time I'll call him at the right time and mood, I'll ask him."
"What do you mean next time? You're the only one who can get close to the enemy! Can't you force him to tell you about it now!?" Ammo gasps, flabbergasted by Rush's tiredly unserious response when he needs answers now. Unfortunately, Ammo grimaced at Rush's eye glaring his annoyance at him.
"Because…I just got back from doing so much shit today, and we still have to go to Arzenal in two days even his sister's there. Luckily, thanks to Julio, Rosenblum asked me not to go visit them tomorrow. I'm gonna go bed and so do you and the others." Ammo wished that Rush would still have the energy to tell him, but both heard something odd at their side.
"…ana…Mana…" Rush and Ammo turned to where the latter left Julio's bloodied, destabilized body onto the floor, nearly ripping the chest of his now heavily stained, tattered robes, and his voice only came out as nearly inaudible whispers, the tears of water almost dried in his blank eye, with the blood on his left cheek from his new scar. "…Light…of…Mana…"
"Tch. He's still breathing and thinking he's human." Ammo scoffed his irritation, thinking he should've finished that last swing that would kill him, but he watched in confusion as Rush leisurely walked away and squatted over the ex-prince and the growing pool of his blood under his combat boots.
"…Killer…please…don't kill…me…" Although relieved yet terrified of still being alive from Ammo's beatdown, and that the Light of Mana refused to answer his commands he remembered it used to until now, Julio's almost blurry vision spots a white shadow that he can recognize as the Human Killer from yesterday hovering over his side. A tiny piece of his mind and heart pray that the human murderer will not kill and hopefully save him from this hell. But instead of a hand, regardless of the Human Killer's bandaged right hand and fingerless left gloved hand, what Julio only got from him was a cruel sentence that might shoot through his heart for his possible dilemma of being a male Norma
"Starting now, by your former people, you're no longer the Prince of Misurugi."
Ever since that dreadful day, which was supposed to be just Angelise's suffering, Julio's new permanent situation felt like an hour turned into years as he was holed up inside one of the padded rooms in this Haven's medical rooms, with the human doctors and some of the female nurses who never use the Light of Mana forcefully made him wear a straitjacket robe from his now shredded royal clothes out of the potential risk of harming himself out of fear of losing his Light of Mana, and so-called proof of humanity. Luckily, he managed to salvage and keep the only thing of his old life, that is precious to him just like Mother's royal ring she gave Angelise before her banishment; the red-jewelled diamond choker around his neck that he wore at the baptism.
As he stayed in his corner and did not move out of the room, afraid of both the Human Killer's people checking on him through the room's single large window, Julio tried at least have an effort to call the Light of Mana back to him with his voice, hoping to prove he is still human and convinced Human Killer to take him back to his homeland. But each unsuccessful attempt reduces Julio's hopes to the point his last chance makes him realise that his Mana no longer accepts him. He's just a powerless monster, like his sister.
During his cries for help, the medical staff who treated him may or may not initially be from Misurugi based on their suspicious expressions towards him, some even had a wild animal surprisingly as their pet and talked to them like a human being and they understood their owners back, and most of the time some of the Human Killer's teammates, mostly the blonde and blue-haired medic Hyacinth, occasionally checks over him whenever they visit the medical bay, two days after Julio's arrival. At least, Julio was hoping to be relieved, better for anyone including Human Killer to help him than the Ammo character. From what happened to him that night, Julio is still confused and afraid of that boy's hatred of the royal family relating to his. Could Father have something to do with this?
A soft but threatening growl of a wildcat at his padded room's door, that just opened itself from outside, alarmed Julio with a hissed gasp that almost screamed his fear of seeing a cheetah casually walking inside before sitting at the other end of the room, its jaws holding the golden beige handle of a thick, foam-looking bat with a blue blade bearing the word STRUGGLE in gold writing adorned one side. "Hello." The cheetah's owner calmly greeted and stepped inside, holding a stack of clothes and steel-looking materials possibly for Julio.
"H-Human Killer…" Julio's initial surprise at seeing the Human Killer again faltered into sorrow and fear when he looked away from the bandaged murderer. "I…I cannot use the Light of Mana anymore. I'm no longer human."
"Not surprised but you're missing the point, just like those fuckers outside the Haven." The Human Killer leisurely lowered to sit and placed Julio's new clothes on the padded floor, beside his cheetah lying on its body, as his words snapped Julio's depression to look back in bewilderment.
"The Mana-humans in the human world think that the Light of Mana is proof of their existence, which makes them believe themselves as superiors and those who cannot are seen as not human." The Human Killer elucidated, not once expressing anything but his stoic glower that darkened into anger, clenching his mismatched gloved hands. "However, regardless of whether having Mana or not, every human being stays a human being. What I'm trying to say is that you don't just need some magic bullshit that defines who you are; you need a good head in everything that you want to do. That's why everyone in Haven decided to leave their former world; they want to be real families again and protect others from the discrimination that made those who heartlessly throw them away just because of some rules imprinted on them."
Julio was baffled by the Human Killer's cruel words and opinions regarding being human and the Light of Mana, although his mind couldn't help but pick up some mixed emotions. Is this why and what those who, despite having the Light of Mana, felt when their Norma daughters were taken away? The news report would always say that they are overjoyed that their world is saved…except for the Norma girls' devastated family members. He called his parents desperate to lie to the populace for years about Angelise's true self. "I wish I could say the same to your sister back at Arzenal." Julio heard the Human Killer adding something that surprised him to look up again. "You met Angelise?"
"Yeah. As soon as she saw me, she demanded me to take her away from there…and look for you." Human Killer confessed, shocking Julio. "According to the Commander of Arzenal, she and the human Inspector showed her what happened to you with the Inspector's Mana recording of the news broadcast. From what I was told, your sister was horrified to see you losing your Light of Mana, she yelled at me, and I quote: "My brother couldn't be a Male Norma! He is the First Prince of our people and a loving brother to me and Sylvia! And he loves and protects us as his dear sisters! I'll prove to everyone, Human Killer, that my brother and I are not Norma!"
Hearing those words, Julio felt numb and his eyes froze in horror. All his life, Julio knew and pretended to care that Angelise innocently saw him as the most caring brother that she would say those words about him before the ruined baptism. At first, before that day, he finds it disgusting that the Norma thinks of seeing him as her brother…but now, due to losing the Light of Mana…he feels his heart immediately breaking out of guilt.
"…What have I done?" Rush and Sheeta heard Julio choking his sobs to see his blue eyes twitching wide in tears streaming down his cheeks, his left permanently has the scar that Ammo surprisingly gave him that night. "I was so envious of Angelise having our parents' special care and hatred of her being a Norma for years, that I was blind to not realize how much she loves me as her brother! And I sent her away because of my desire to be Emperor!" Without a word, Julio's bounded body fell onto the cushioned floor when he hastily leaned forward but continued crying loudly for his grief. "I'm sorry, Angelise! I wish I could take it all back! I'm such a foolish brother!"
"We'll wait for him," Rush told Sheeta looking at him before both stayed in their spots and watched Julio crying his remorse, which may have attracted the curious medical staff peeking through both the window and open door from his voice until Rush waved them aside to get back in their work. They stayed with Julio for at least ten minutes before he seemed to calm down to lay motionlessly, reducing his cries into sniffles and sobs. "You good?" Rush asked, albeit accidentally remorseless for his near lack of empathy.
With a sniffle, Julio sluggishly raises his head off the floor and looks at Rush, too saddened that he has no energy to be afraid of his pet cheetah. "…What's going to happen to me, Human Killer? I cannot use the Light of Mana." Julio solemnly asked, his voice almost gone hoarse.
"Just like both Arzenal to the Norma girls, and Haven to those who got away from their former lives; you need to fight enemies that I'll tell you later. Just this once, we'll help you clean up. Voroton." Rush declared, waving his gloved hand towards the doctor patiently waiting outside to get inside and help lift Julio on his feet before removing the straitjacket. Julio tried not to get his choker confiscated by Voroton until Rush convinced him to hold it.
As he was carefully led out of the padded room and into one of the med bay's bathrooms, Julio did nothing but silently stare almost dead in sorrow when this doctor named Voroton gently washed him onto the bathtub like a parent cleaning his infant child. That made him remember when he used to join his father in the baths as a baby and that was long before his regret and hatred severed their loving father-son relationship.
"I hope this is a good chance for you." Julio heard Doctor Voroton talking to him but gasped his surprise at the generous pail of water poured onto him, washing the soap off his hair but nearly blinded him from hitting his face. "I'm not from Misurugi myself, but currently taking care of the Norma baby's mother who met your sister before Commander Rush fake shot her dead. But if you stay and help the Haven, you'll understand everything of the world with the truth no one outside knows. And in return, the Haven people also from Misurugi will be convinced that you no longer act just like how you used to be, and how you and your sister were thrown away by your people who happily allowed it to happen."
"B…But, how?" Julio timidly asked after Doctor Voroton carefully pulled him out of the bathtub and sat on a chair with a towel readily drying him for modesty. "How could I change myself from what I used to be? I was raised since birth to be the First Prince of Misurugi but now I'm a Male Norma. I now realise it's my fault for exiling Angelise and I cannot go back in time to beg her for forgiveness…mmph!?" However, Doctor Voroton interrupted Julio by gently patting and rubbing another towel all over Julio's hair and face, rendering his words muffled in surprise until he stopped and nearly pulled the towel off his shoulders, giving the surprised and almost breathless boy a sad smile not showing animosity.
"Then, you need to learn how to live in different people's eyes. Just like when we rescued Commander Rush from his past in Misurugi." Voroton's reassurance shocked Julio with another gasp, guessing this Commander Rush was the Human Killer and his revealed but possibly terrible past as a former Misurugi citizen. Maybe that's why he doesn't act like he has empathy for human life….
"Commander Rush." Rush heard Voroton calling his name from the changing room, luckily saving him from the group of nurses joining him and Sheeta to make small talk in seducing him, when everyone saw Voroton slide out of the room to the side and reveal Julio nervously walking out while adjusting his walking and curiously looking all over his new clothes, each movement released faint clinging noises of steel. "Tada! The - sorry Julio – former Emperor's New Clothes!" The nurses blushed in awe, one of the few doctors slowly grew amazed, and even Rush whistled his impressment after Voroton brashly presented with a proud grin.
A large baggy, long-sleeved navy purple shirt too big that Julio stuffed the ends underneath his large, black slacks for his legs and matching purple, and black knee-high, heeled-like stainless steel boots sharing the same material and colour as his armoured gauntlets for his arms and hands, vest, and shoulder pauldrons, with the steel armour bearing white and golden linings. Around his waist and reaching to his ankles is a long and tattered, brightly purplish-blue cloth almost the same material as his armour with a long bright blue scarf hanging around and past his knees with a black belt bearing a stitched hook at the side. At least to calm Julio down, Voroton returned his prized choker now adorning his neck again.
"My…for the ex-Prince, he does look dashing if he isn't all-mighty like his people." One of the nurses whispered to her friend as they watched Julio curiously raising his now gauntlet-worn hands and fingers. "Yeah, but Ammo had to cut his face like that, just because…" However, the two nurses stopped themselves out of fear of Rush's warning glare towards them.
"How do you feel, Your Ma…I mean Julio?" One of the doctors asked Julio who glanced back after inspecting his new clothes, finding the heavy-looking armour fit for his size surprisingly light to move and walk. He is aware that the doctor almost casually referred to him as Your Majesty before calling him by his name. If he was a human prince or future Emperor at Misurugi, he would've executed this doctor or anyone simply for his demeanour. But now in his new state, especially because of his guilt for his sister's exile, Julio doesn't seem to have the callousness he once had to do so. Instead, he nervously and sadly nods his response.
"I can handle this armour, but it's too big." Julio again faintly looked over and swayed his arms his new clothes and armour that he didn't notice he unknowingly made the entire medical group almost snort their laughs for his innocent opinion but held it in while Rush's serious scowl did not match his mind chanting the same thing as his response. '…Don't make a dick joke, kid. Don't make a dick joke, kid. Don't make a dick joke, kid.'
"The shirt and pants are Red Death's old clothes, he said that he was eleven years old when he last wore them. We still find it hard to believe that he's nineteen with a bodybuilder body and his real voice through the helmet's voice filter." Rush noted towards Julio who finished checking the light weight of his arms and looked back at the Human Killer with his face flinching in shock.
'Nineteen!? Red Death is a year younger than me!?' Julio's mind screamed his dismay, remembering the giant but gentle soldier who once visited him when he was recovering mentally.
"Sheeta." Rush nodded at Julio towards his pet cheetah who nonchalantly walked closer with its head moving forward to hand Julio the bat it was holding the whole time in its teeth, nearly terrifying Julio for the surprisingly tamed wildcat. But instead of screaming or recoiling away, Julio nervously reached his right hand and curiously inspected the bat now dropped on its hand before looking back at the Human Killer. "AFTER you're fully healed and well-adjusted, you'll use this to practice offensive and defensive attacks in the Haven before you get the new weapon that you'll request. You might need it for battles and emergencies." Rush explained.
"Weapon… I'll request?" Julio wondered aloud in confusion, seeing everyone looking at him with mixed curiosity in their faint smiles or frowns. Before this, Julio never thought of learning combat but maybe he might do something productive to compensate for his loss of Light of Mana. "Are swords allowed?"
"You fenced?" A nurse curiously asked as Julio nodded his agreement but faintly frowned his embarrassment looking away from the Human Killer's people. "…But I'm not as athletic and agile as Angelise…"
"Don't worry, you'll start small like the others, and you'll do great in fighting in no time, just like how I started as the Human Killer. And we have some swords that can be made and finalized early for you. Pick one you like." The Human Killer reassured, raising his bandaged hand with a Mana window showcasing 25 pictures each showing a different type of a sword with its name at the bottom. Julio glanced at each of the pictures, musing his astonishment slowly growing into wonder at seeing a different sword other than a rapier or cutlass. He did find something promising but squinting his eyes at the unusual name to slightly leaned forward with a finger reaching closer at the picture he spotted.
"Ka…katana…Ah!?" Julio accidentally broke the Human Killer's Mana just by touching the screen which, although unfazed the Human Killer and his people and animals for seeing the Mana window broken, alarmed Julio in fear of possibly getting killed despite knowing that the Haven housed Norma and their sympathetic families and friends. "I'm sorry!" Julio apologized, feeling Doctor Voroton holding his hands on the other's shoulders to comfort him.
"Don't worry. Katana, huh? I think we do have a few katana users here because most Haven citizens and soldiers use knives, daggers, or ammunition." The Human Killer reassured, surprising Julio for both his lack of concern and his soft tone unlike what he remembered about the murderer.
"My husband makes swords, so I think he'll be happy if I recommend him to you. But why do you wanna use it?" One of the nurses pondered with a curious smile, starting to no longer see Julio as suspicious for false acting from the other's sincere diffidence after his predicament.
"I like to read my favourite book, ever since I was a child," Julio recalled, starting to sadly smile remembering the one book he always read since he was younger. "It has a knight who used a katana sword in battle, and most of his appearances focus on his obsession in finding the strongest opponents that could best and kill him like an equal…" Even now, Julio can still remember the few words he always gets influenced by, he feels as if the character speaks towards him:
Hear me, hero. Endure. Survive. Live.
For the rush of blood, in time between the seconds; live.
For the sole pleasure left in this empty, ephemeral world; Live!
"Despite knowing I initially don't have to fight the same as that dark knight in the story, I thought that by being here, I might as well use him as a major inspiration on how to fight and act now that I'm no longer Prince of Misurugi." Julio finished remembering to answer his question, looking down to not see everyone curiously looking at each other although some of them slowly smiled at the ex-prince's new emotions unlike what they remembered him as.
As for Rush, something he said prompted him to think and briefly glimpse at Sheeta looking at him. '…Finding the strongest opponent, huh? That sounds like me if Em can give me a good fight, as what others say he would do.' Rush wondered.
"That sounds fucking awesome." Julio and the medical crew were taken aback by the Human Killer's immediate response, seeing the small but cruel smile on his half-bandaged face. "I want people to be quick-thinking, independent fighters who know how to reasonably accept themselves, not cowardly babies who hurt and sacrifice others just to get what they fucking want. I hope, once you completely grow up in the Haven, you will do whatever it takes to follow my orders and fight for you to live with everyone for the truth."
Julio blinked his eyes with a soft gasp but also saw the people now expressing happiness and determination for their leader's goals. Julio may have doubts about his new role of being a Male Norma and a Haven fighter. Still, if he could grow up and see everything from different perspectives, as what the Human Killer and Doctor Voroton want him to do…maybe he could live and see the truth of everything.
"…I don't know how and why, but I'll try, Human Killer." Julio nervously accepted and he could've sworn, he saw the Human Killer smiling serenely at him. "…Call me Rush, but not in front of people outside the Haven."
So, for a whole month or almost two, the Haven received the, although expected, surprising sight of the Former Prince and eldest child of the Misurugi family and now first Male Norma's progress of being a Haven fighter under their Commander and Human Killer and his team's tutelage. Julio may admit that the first week may have been more difficult to learn how to do things with his two hands than the Light of Mana but he was a diligent student learning the comparison between the truth of the human world he remembered from the Institute and the Haven's history of the Ancient Humans, Norma in Arzenal, and the Light of Mana.
He was aware, and a bit afraid, of the Haven humans he guessed from their sceptical stares towards him that they were initially from Misurugi, just like Ammo who remains distrustful of Julio. Their attempts to humiliate or fight Julio, however, were forcefully aborted by Rush openly and almost killed them due to, from what the entire Haven was told, the new Holy Emperor of Misurugi Uncle Akihide ordering Rush to torture Julio for being a disobedient rat. Those heartless words horrified the Haven who started sympathizing with Julio after seeing his traumatized reaction to his heartless uncles and aunt who now took the throne.
Not only that, how Julio started improving his studies and combat progress which in turn helped improve his behaviour as decent, but everyone started to be convinced of Julio's sincerity and acceptance from witnessing his reunion with his sister's maid Momoka, their tearful meeting with Julio's apologies for his actions towards Angelise was immediately forgiven by the kind-hearted human maid.
"Are you sure you'll be alright when you get to Arzenal, Momoka?" Julio asked Momoka one night when the two headed to Commander Rush's office after their dinner after Momoka received a call from Rush asking them to see him.
"Don't worry, Lord Julio. Like you, I am improving myself to serve and protect Lady Angelise more than I did back at our home." Momoka happily reassured Julio, carelessly calling him by his former title, with her hands curled into fists for her determination to reunite with Angelise, making Julio faintly smile his concern. He knew her as a bit of an oddball with a golden heart for the royal family and her mistress, like her eldest cousin Daigorou. But there's nothing he can do to change her mind but hope that Momoka will be safe and find Angelise. The two arrived outside Commander Rush's door and Julio was about to fully pull the door open when they heard Ammo's voice shouting in shock and anger.
"Rush, you just talked with the enemy, and yet you didn't ask him about Julio!?"
Momoka almost gasp her surprise and Julio almost pulled the door back, both surprised to hear Ammo this angry that not even Julio heard whenever Ammo tried to instigate him with harmless threats. Slowly, Julio pulled the door into a large gap, and both looked through to see Rush and his team present, with Ammo standing in front of Rush's desk in an angry pose at something he demanded of Rush.
"You expect Rush to demand Embryo right after his uncle unknowingly insulted us AND his late wife, like those cowardly rulers?" Cynical exclaimed with a faintly annoyed scowl for Ammo's anger relating to Julio, with Rush waving his bandaged hand at her in agreement as he sat improperly hanging his legs over one of the armchairs. "Cynical's right, Ammo. I'm making sure to not say something stupid that irritates BOTH of us for the chance to distract him for Libertus…."
Making sure not to waste their time waiting for them, Julio softly knocks on the door a few times, seeing the team looking at the door Julio hurriedly pulls it open and comes inside with Momoka following him. "Excuse me, Hu…I mean Rush. Momoka told me you want to see us?"
"Oh, hey, kids. Just in time." Rush waved them closer, somehow pleased to see them while Ammo slowly backed away when Julio stood beside him and in front of Rush's desk where he noticed two unfamiliar objects. "Julio. The swordsmith for your new sword just finished and tested it and made you a new gift. He was so ecstatically proud you're happy to ask for his help." Julio first looks at Rush before looking down in bewilderment at his two new stuffs. The first thing he grabbed was a skull-like mask for his face with a pair of long, vertical horns pointing upwards on each side and dark eyeholes that might hide his eyes. As terrifying as it looks, at least Julio can hide the scar under his eye but what attracts him the most is the sheathed katana sword he curiously pulls it open and sees the most gleaming red coloured blade, almost glowing like a red sky in sunset.
"Oh my…" Momoka softly mused her amazement as she, Julio, and Ammo stared at his new katana sword in mixed surprise although the latter tried not to be impressed, still having his mistrust for the royal Misurugi family. "The blade looks strong…but doubt that you can handle fighting with it."
"T-That's not true, Sir Ammo! Lord Julio has been working dangerously hard with Sir Red Death coaching him!" Momoka defended Julio from Ammo in anger, which startled both boys in surprise although everyone watches Red Death now standing behind Julio and playfully reach and ruffle his giant hand over Julio's whole head and hair with a proud grin, making Julio close his eyes with brief gasps.
"That and says the guy who uses a baton." Red Death teased Ammo who argued in anger and embarrassment, pointing at Julio holding his gauntlet hands trying to sluggishly pull Red Death's hand out of his head. "Hey, I nearly killed Julio with it that night!"
"U-Umm, is something wrong, Rush? I-I could guess that it must be serious." Julio hurriedly asked Rush with an embarrassed smile, seeing him being treated like a child by Red Death made almost everyone chuckle their pleasure from their smiles, even Ammo may have faintly snorted his amusement until Red Death ceased playing with Julio when everyone saw how Rush's stern face is now being darkly serious.
"Tomorrow, we'll be expecting the rulers' master who your father once served before his death, and now my superior as a guest to stay here for one night, because your uncle and almost all the royal council accidentally said bullshit about his late wife and her unfulfilled wish to visit the Haven." Rush elucidated, informing Julio who was initially surprised by this superior only to falter in dumbfounded defeat for the reason. Of course, Uncle Akihide never backs down from insulting people for his and Aunt Sayuri's superiority complexes. "Because you were mentioned, Julio, Embryo is curious about you and your adjustments under my supervision, so I want you and Ammo in a mock fight for the entire Haven to see… Full Arena."
"Full Arena!?" Ammo gasped his bafflement, Julio blinked in astonishment and Momoka tilted her head in confusion. From what Julio was taught by the Haven teachers and his late-night studies, a Full Arena battle means that combatants must publicly fight each other all over anywhere of the Haven, even moving in different parts during the battle with the citizens and animals' occasional assistance that might turn into a winner's favour. "Rush, why do you want us to fight Full Arena?"
"…Because I made a poll, and this is the result." Rush opened a Mana window showing Ammo, Julio, and Momoka a poll window with the top results being Full Arena and the name of the poll written as: 'Ammo VS Julio: Win or Dead Babies!' "Why did you write the name like that!?" Ammo angrily pointed out and Julio sweatdropped his confusion for Rush's sadistic childishness whenever he felt like it except on duty.
"Even if I didn't, the others suggested to see another Full Arena battle. And just like everyone, I want to see how Julio can fight." Rush shrugged his response with his hands hovering towards Julio who curiously looked over the poll window but accidentally shattered it by touching it with his finger, alarming him in surprise but quickly but slightly regain his composure.
"U-Um…Whether I win or lose, I'll do my best." Julio nervously decided, slowly going confident that may have attracted everyone mostly Momoka's surprise, but Rush smirked his confidence, pleased that Julio had come out of his royal, sheltered shell.
"You don't need to win or lose, kid. You just need to show yourself how you handle an all-round battle." Rush reassured with a wave of his bandaged hand. "Because you two must fight each other; you both, Moon, and Momoka will accompany me in giving Embryo and his kids the Haven tour…then you guys fight after lunch." Although Julio nods his understanding, he cannot help but notice in surprise that Rush's team looking at their leader acting as usual in anger and worry, which Momoka notices in apprehension.
'Is it because of my first Full Arena and battle…or something to do with this Embryo?' Julio wondered, finding their reactions uneasy.
A/N:
- I've been thinking about an AU where Julio was the Norma instead of Ange, during the first ten times I watched the anime in 2016/17 because I hated Julio more than Embryo even when I found out people hate the latter. But like Embryo, I want to try writing Julio a bit different than his annoying dumbass canon self. [After writing this chapter; I want to write the full AU of this more than the Royal Adopted! Rush AU]
- There are some parts deleted from the final version, especially a fight between Julio and Ammo, due to this chapter's word length, which is why I shall make the full AU fic at another time/ during Hel-Live.
- Originally, I thought of Julio sent off to Arzenal with Ange, but I decided not to. It would've been almost like Glitch in the System by the main character Cal's relationship with the other characters but also, in my opinion, the feeling that Ange will NOT mature from her former princess self to be her current personality if Julio is with her. And due to his personality, I cannot think of how he would act in Arzenal.
- For Final Fantasy XIV fans, Julio's outfit and weapon in this AU are references to Zenos yae Galvus because they both share the same JPN voice actor, Kōsuke Toriumi. I'm aware Stormblood was made after Cross Ange, but I thought it was funny since they are opposites. [For a bit of funsie on this part; I added a Zenos quote.]