Night had fallen over Paris on what had turned out to be a surprisingly good day for Kai Miyagusuku. The reason for his turn of good fortune was the artificial chiropteran on his back, Irene. Earlier, when he'd been roiling in turmoil over his place in the world with Saya's species could no longer able to be denied and Riku having become a Chevalier the two had met by chance.
After their meeting the two had talked and it had shown Kai just how small and petty his problems were, especially compared to the things Saya and Irene were going through, and by now the human and the Schiff had fallen into a companionable silence enjoying each other's company.
Still, the red cracks on Irene's neck nagged at the back of his mind. He'd hopefully run into Saya soon so she could give Irene her blood and end the conflict between Red Shield and the Schiff.
Then, a white car came into view. Kai would have paid it no mind but he then heard Irene gasp in shock, lurching from his back as she looked at the vehicle.
Whatever Irene was going to do she didn't have a chance to try. The car slowed down to a stop and the back door opened and she walked out.
Wearing a serene white dress, her blue eyes shining eerily in the night, her face a perfect copy of Saya's was…Diva.
"Come now, Diva. We're going to be late." a cultured looking man in the back half-heartedly chastised the chiropteran queen as he was duly ignored.
She looked at Kai. Despite being shorter than him it still felt like she was looking down on him. "You're Kai, right? Saya's new toy?" She didn't even acknowledge Irene's presence as she got off from Kai's back fearfully backing away, ready to run.
She smirked, showing her fangs. "I think I'll take you from her."
The driver, a black man in a military uniform then spoke, "If Saya truly sees the boy as a brother then taking or killing him would demoralize her making neutralizing her easier in the future. I think it's worth being late for a meager human appointment."
"Yes, then this might be a worthwhile detour." the other man agreed.
"James, Amshel, just let me have my fun. It's been so stuffy since we've come to Paris." Diva complained.
"Your wishes are my wishes, Diva. Let us help you take what you desire." Amshel agreed, exiting the car and standing behind his queen.
Diva then surged forward her nails extended like claws reading to tear into Kai's body.
But then she was blocked by Irene, her sword drawn and parrying Diva's claws. "Kai, run!" she yelled.
Diva let out a contemptuous snort. "Oh, the doll thinks it matters." She then increased her strength, knocking the Schiff back.
"Irene!" Kai shouted.
—-
Irene stood back up again. She didn't know why she was doing this. Sure, Kai had said that he would ask Saya to give her her blood but fighting Diva seemed more liable to kill her than the Thorn right now. Her first instinct was to run. She was going to run until Diva stopped the car.
Maybe it was because she was tired of watching innocent people die, Human or Schiff? That it would be better to die in a blaze of glory that could never be forgotten rather than just live a bit longer to die a more miserable death? That it would be better to fight without regrets, against a foe who chose to just hurt people?
"Kai!"
"Irene!"
Thankfully, help came for both sides with both Saya and the Schiff with glasses—Karman blurred onto the scene in a rush of pure speed Karman's spear already out to protect his loved one.
Strangely, Irene noted. Saya didn't have her sword.
"Ah, Saya! Come to fail again?" Diva greeted her sister with mocking cheer. Getting ready to continue her assault.
"Saya and Diva?" Karman, meanwhile, realized that the two Queens were for once in the same place.
"Karman," Irene called out. "Don't fight Saya, go after Diva!"
"But we need Saya!"
"No," an authoritative voice called out. The other four Schiff appeared around Diva and her Chevaliers as Moses finished, "Diva's group is clearly the strongest here. Best to fight her for survival's sake."
"Hmm," James mused. "It looks like we'll be tying up a lot of loose ends tonight. Amshel, I shall deal with your defective prototypes."
"My thanks, brother," Amshel said.
That made it easy for Karman to decide who to fight. He, Dahz, and Gudriff attacked James with their weapons drawn only for James to block them with his arms, the cuts in his uniform showing a carapace of some kind was growing over his skin.
Meanwhile, Moses and Lulu focused on Amshel who emotionlessly dodged their scythe and battle axe, their battle beginning.
Finally, Saya and Diva clashed once more. Diva trying to get around her sister to get to Kai while Saya steadfastly held her ground to protect her brother.
Saya was unarmed, but she wasn't going to let it stop her. With her brother's life on the life without thinking her nails turned into claws like Diva's did, slashing at the enemy queen.
"Hey, sis, do you like him more than Riku? You're fighting much harder this time!" It was true, Diva seemed to be putting far more effort into dodging and evading Saya's claw swipes despite Saya's clear unfamiliarity with unarmed fighting.
"Shut up!" Saya did not take the accusation well, her hands becoming a flurry of blows pushing Diva farther back. Despite being pushed, Saya's anger gave Diva life as she happily laughed at her anguish.
Kai and Irene looked over the battles in front of them. Saya currently held the edge over Diva while James, Karman, Dahz, and Gudriff seemed to chase each other at superspeeds.
As for Moses and Lulu versus Amshel…it was going poorly.
Lulu found herself batted away like a fly while Moses found himself bleeding from a hole in his gut.
Irene readied herself for battle. She might not like fighting but this time it was worth it. She might have the Thorn, but she could still do something! Ghee held it off for a month!
"You don't look like you're doing okay," Kai said to her, worried.
"Thank you, Kai. But now I need to help Moses and Lulu." With that, Irene drew her sword and entered the fray. A mixture of fear, adrenaline, and the sheer desire to live keeping her going in spite of the Thorn.
Still, her body was failing, and Amshel easily dodged her sloppy swing but it did let Moses and Lulu regroup.
Moses turned to Irene and saw the red cracks on the back of her neck as her hair was disheveled from forcing herself to fight. "Irene, you have the Thorn now, too,"
"Moses, don't tell the others to go after Saya. Focus on Diva's group," Irene pleaded.
"But—" Moses began.
"I don't think we have much of a choice," Lulu cut him off as Amshel charged at them forcing them to dodge.
Then the sound of a bullet firing went off and a hole appeared in Amshel's head. Kai had loaded his gun and fired. Sadly, it didn't seem to do any real damage. Amshel didn't even look annoyed.
"Enough time has been wasted." Amshel decided while looking at Kai. "Best to give Diva what she desires."
"No!" Saya shouted as Diva cut her off. Despite her early lead, Diva was gaining ground, Saya's unfamiliarity with unarmed combat not being up to par against the more experienced Diva.
Until a knife fell down from the sky and impaled Amshel in the shoulder. Haji quickly followed it diving down at Amshel like a bird of prey, Chiropteran claw fully revealed, and a katana held in his human hand which was thrown to Saya who easily caught it. Her thumb touched its edge letting her blood flow through the sword.
This sight caused Amshel to put effort into retaliating, his right arm turning into a horrific purple claw matching Haji's blow.
Haji actually seemed to be keeping up. Exchanging blows with the enemy Chevalier, focusing on the wound he had made on Amshel's shoulder. Forcing him to take a defensive stance.
His advantage didn't last long. Amshel transformed his other hand into a more demonic form and met Haji's claw with his fist, the impact knocking him back into a wall, breaking it.
Irene forced herself back up, standing alongside Moses and Lulu, ready to fight Amshel. Moses swung his scythe at his head, Irene targeted his wounded shoulder, and Lulu used her fellow Schiff upward attacks to target Amshel from below while he was forced to focus on the above attacks. Their coordination and Amshel's prior wound worked in tandem and Lulu's axe hit true leading to a bloody gash on his suit.
Meanwhile, Saya's fight against Diva turned in her favor. Her bloody sword coated in her poisonous blood and Diva's lack of a weapon gave her back the advantage.
Together, Saya, Haji, and the Schiff seemed to be beating back Diva and her Chevaliers.
Then Karman, Dahz, and Gudriff ran by in retreat with James charging after them.
He was no longer in human form, having become a hulking bat-like brute covered in a grey crystal carapace. "You fight well together, I'll give you that much!" James shouted as he used his new size and speed to throw the battlefield into chaos forcing Saya and the Schiff. Smashing through a nearby alleyway and forcing all the combatants away from the main street locking them in far less favorable terrain. "But you know nothing of using the terrain to your advantage!"
Seeing her chance Diva shouted, "Amshel, you deal with Saya!"
Amshel quickly followed his queen's orders, reorienting himself and taking advantage of the chaos James made to pin down Saya and the older-looking man began to regain the advantage.
Moses and Lulu abandoned fighting Amshel, using his change in priorities to move to support their struggling fellow Schiff against the transformed James.
"Kai!" Saya shouted in fear of losing another family member, but no matter what she did she couldn't get past Amshel.
Leaving only Irene and Kai to face Diva.
Kai immediately shot Diva. She let the bullet hit, showing that it did nothing to her despite the bulletholes bleeding.
Irene raised her sword in defense, ready to fight Diva, charging at the queen to protect Kai.
But it was all for naught.
Diva easily caught Irene in a grapple, her hand crushing Irene's main sword arm. As she did a cracking sound was heard and red dust fell from her cloak's sleeve as she hit the ground.
"Oh, you're falling apart, like a broken toy!" Diva mocked her. Then she kicked Irene for good measure, sending her rolling away. Seeing that she was down, Diva turned her full attention to Kai.
There was nothing he could do and even if he ran Diva would easily catch him.
Diva stalked forward, basking in his helplessness, her fangs exposed and her nails drawn like claws.
Diva stood over Kai her chiropteran claw fully formed and ready to impale him. Saya, Haji, and the rest of her fellow Schiff were being held back by Amshel and James as Irene lay on the ground near him the Thorn wracking her with pain.
Irene's world slowed, she remembered Dismas, Gestas, Jan, and Ghee's deaths. Would Kai join them? Another body added to the pile from a conflict beyond all of them?
Diva turned away to look at Saya, savoring her face filled with despair as she was going to take a brother away from her.
Then a sword was sticking out of her chest as Irene lunged at her fangs fully extended. All manner of poise gone in favor of utter desperation and bloodlust as moved faster than she ever did before. Then she bit Diva's neck and sucked her blood.
She didn't know why she did it. Saya's blood was the thing that was supposed to save her but as she came closer to Diva she felt an urge overcome her and for the first time in her life she embraced it. For the first time, her bloodlust would let her stop a pointless death and so she let instinct take control.
Diva was tackled to the ground as she writhed in rage. But no matter how hard she fought Irene just seemed to grow stronger and stronger as she bit into the queen, greedily sucking her blood.
Irene's body was on fire. She felt the red cracks of the Thorn spread throughout her body making it feel like it would not just turn her to dust but instead explode.
Maybe that's why she was able to do this. Better to be remembered as going out in a blaze of glory rather than falling to dust in despair. Having made a truly unforgettable impact on someone by saving their life.
Now no one here will ever forget me… Irene thought to herself as she readied herself for the end.
…Then it stopped. The Thorn receded. Perfectly healed and the horrific pain was replaced with something…nice.
As a matter of fact despite the sorry state she was in before Irene now felt better than she'd ever had in her entire life.
"Get off!" Diva yelled at the stunned Schiff throwing her off her. This time, instead of flailing around Irene easily righted herself in midair and landed feet first on the ground.
Despite the heavy blow, she felt better than she'd ever felt in her life. Uncaring of the loss of her sword, Irene merely turned her right hand into a chiropteran claw, ready to continue the fight while Diva ripped the blade out of her body and threw it away from Irene.
"Diva!" James swore. "How dare you swine take her blood!" But he found himself busy by the rest of the Schiff, who fought with renewed morale.
Haji then recovered. Seeing the way the battle was now going he moved to aid his queen forcing Amshel away from Saya.
Diva, meanwhile, was quiet. She looked at Irene with a cold glare. Her full attention was now upon her. "There are two kinds of people in this world; people who bow at my feet and my enemies. You, little doll, are now my enemy."
Irene met her challenge. "Diva, give me your blood or face the consequences."
Diva laughed. "Ha! Don't get ahead of yourself. You got lucky keeping your toy from me, but now you have my complete attention, little doll. You won't survive much longer."
The fight was then interrupted by the sound of sirens.
"The police?" Kai murmured in surprise.
Amshel scowled. "James, we're retreating, we can't let Diva be seen like this."
James nodded in understanding. "Understood."
Diva didn't look happy, but listened to her Chevalier. "Tch. Stupid sound ruins the mood, anyway."
"Let's go," Moses ordered. "We can't keep this up much longer anyways!"
The Schiff followed the commands of their leader who turned to Irene. "Come on, Irene."
Irene looked at Kai, who seemed to be fine, and then her fellow Schiff who all looked to be in far worse condition. Decision made she said, "I'll see you again, Kai!"
And with those words, she became a blur, picked up her sword, and vanished with her fellow Schiff as Saya ran to her brother and Diva's forces retreated as well.
—-
"Irene!"
Once the Schiff returned to the stone being that had been acting as their hideout they circled around Irene in worry.
"Are you okay?" Karman asked.
"What about the Thorn?" Moses said, worridly.
Irene lifted up her hair to show the back of her neck which was now pale and smooth, with no sign of the Thorn to be seen. "It's healed."
"Check everywhere else. We need to be careful!" Lulu begged and the rest of the Schiff agreed.
Irene's cloak and army jacket were removed and from their layman's perspective of her body, Irene was back in perfect shape.
"What's happening? I thought we needed Saya's blood!" Dahz said in disbelief.
"Why knock it? Irene's all better." Gudriff asked.
"Because we thought we were made from Saya's blood," Moses answered. "But given the effect that Diva's blood had on her…that scientist lied to us."
Moses shook his head. "No. I was just wrong and Gestas and Dismas were right. I read the papers. We should have gone after Diva all along."
"Meaning?" Irene asked, even though she'd already pieced together the answer.
"We were never made from Saya's blood at all; only Diva's. If we took Saya's blood we'd just crystalize and die."
"You mean everything we did was for nothing? Ghee and Jan died for nothing?" Karman said, wanting him to say he was wrong.
"Yes, they did," Moses said the truth they didn't want to hear.
Irene expected the more optimistic Schiff like Lulu or Gudriff to tell Moses he was wrong. But there was only a sorrowful silence. No one had an answer.
"What were you doing with that human, anyways, Irene?" Karman changed the subject.
Happy to keep her mind off that Irene happily told her fellow Schiff what happened to her today.
—-
Irene stood at the doorway to the stone building the Schiff were staying in. She had put her jacket and cloak back on, just in case. Gripping the scruff of her coat nervously, the moment was almost here, the sun was about to rise…and with it, then they would know.
"Are you sure you want to do this Irene?" Karman asked, his worry palpable. He had always been the most pessimistic of them all and the hope they now had come with great fear.
"While Irene's Thorn might be gone we still don't know if Diva's blood has fixed our weakness to sunlight. This is the only option we have." Moses said, but not unkindly. "And this is Irene's choice."
"I have no desire to die now, Karman. Even if the sun still burns me I will survive. You, Moses, Lulu, Dahz, Gudriff I need to help all of you…and I want to meet Kai again." Irene said.
"I don't get what you see in that human," Dahz said.
"Hey, if she hadn't met him she'd have never gotten Diva's blood." Gudriff pointed out.
"I don't think Irene should risk it at all," Karman changed the subject. "We're the only chiropterans who get burnt by sunlight. Diva's blood might not have fixed that."
"And without Irene's senses, we won't be able to track down Diva so easily. It's too much of a risk." Dahz agreed.
"I think you guys are all overthinking things," Lulu said. "Even if the sunlight still hurts her she can just take off a glove first to check. Sure it will hurt but Irene will heal in the end."
"Still, we now know that the scientist lied to us, no matter what we're making a shot in the dark," Moses pointed out.
Irene knew the reason why her fellow Schiff were talking in circles and why she was just watching. Her sucking Diva's blood and the healing of her Thorn was the first good thing to have ever happened to them. After the cold realization of last night them having that hope be so coldly crushed was terrifying.
Still, the sun was beginning to rise and Irene's decision was made. Even if the sun still burned her she would carry on. She wouldn't waste whatever amount of time she had gained.
"Don't worry everyone. No matter what happens I will continue on. I can't die after being so blessed." Irene promised.
To show how much she wanted to live now, Irene pulled her hood farther over her head just in case and began to walk out the doorway. Her right hand grabbed the glove on her left hand and removed it and she slowly held her hand outwards, closer and closer to the rising sun's rays.
The light touched her pale skin and washed over her…and it just felt warm.
Irene slowly removed her hood from her head and felt the sun hit her face. There was no pain, no fire, just a little heat on her cheeks, and it felt good.
Irene couldn't help herself. She laughed. Her normally monotone voice broke into a chorus of emotional cheer. She threw her cloak away and began to run through the streets uncaring of the odd looks the humans were giving her or her fellow Schiffs' reactions as she spread out her arms to embrace the sunlight.
It was the most amazing moment of her short life. All of a sudden everything just seemed to be bigger and greater than before. All the things in this human city that interested her before were even more intriguing now. The sights, the plants, the food, the stores, the animals, she wanted to see it all now that she had the time—an actual life ahead of her.
Her revelry had to end and Irene's ended when she saw the rest of the Schiff hiding in the shadows of their temporary base. Shirking from the light that would cruelly burn them with the threat of the Thorn hovering over them threatening to cut their painful lives short at any time.
Irene gathered herself and walked back to her fellow Schiff. A simple task that only she could accomplish now.
The second Irene reached the shade she found herself hugged by Lulu. "It worked, Irene! It worked! You're fixed!"
"Yeah, she is. I guess everything did work out this time." Dahz said.
"Which means the rest of us can't give up either," Gudriff added.
"We won one. Finally." Karman let himself smile.
Strangely, Moses didn't seem to have anything to say which confused Irene, so she said, "Thank you, Moses. You were the one who led us from Khilbet. Convinced us to move forward for the sake of hope. Be proud of what you've accomplished."
"I don't think I deserve it," Moses admitted. "I'm the one who said we should hunt Saya when we really needed Diva's blood. Ghee, Dismas, Gestas, and Jan died for nothing…and if Diva hadn't decided to attack that human and instead he got Saya to give us her blood…I don't want to think of what would have happened."
Irene felt a similar chill of fear now that Moses mentioned it. Maybe the reason Ghee's Thorn accelerated so quickly after sucking Haji's blood wasn't that it was Chevalier's blood but instead, chiropteran blood born from Saya.
If they had been more suspicious maybe Jan wouldn't have died on that boat in a pointless fight.
Darker more disturbing thoughts that she had warded off last night returned to her mind. If things had gone according to plan and she drank Saya's blood. Previously, her death wouldn't have been so terrifying as long as her fellows remembered her, but now that she could walk in the sun the road before her just seemed so much longer than before. And how Kai would react since his word was the thing that would have caused Saya to give them her blood?
Irene immediately grabbed that train of thought. "His name is Kai," she corrected her leader.
"My apologies, we can afford to call him by his name," Moses agreed, happy to diverge from the topic.
"Don't get yourself down, Moses, you're always telling us not to get stuck in the past," Lulu interjected. "Sure things could have gotten worse but things are better now. Let's focus on that."
"Well, I think you're all getting ahead of yourselves," Karmen finally spoke. "Sure, Irene's healed of the Thorn but it's not like the humans will accept us. We still need to drink blood to live!"
Karman had a point, but did that have to be the only solution? Kai told her that humans could share or give things away so was hunting humans to gain blood their only option now?
"We could talk to the Red Shield humans," Irene suggested. "Saya and her Chevaliers must get their blood from somewhere."
"What are you suggesting, Irene?" Moses asked, interested.
"We don't know anything about the world. We were raised to see everything as kill or be killed. But the humans who taught us that were tricking us. Kai said that humans could talk to one another and share, maybe the Red Shield could help us?" Irene spoke, far more than she usually did. The words were still stilted and monotone but they held a fire in them that the Schiff had only heard from Moses before.
Their leader quickly realized it. "If that's what you believe, I'll support your plan." His decision was made.
"I think it's a good idea," Gudriff said. "Even if meeting with the humans doesn't work out Irene could just run away and lose them in a crowd. Her being the only one of us who can move around in sunlight and with her senses she could easily scout ahead."
"And if things go wrong and Saya runs it's not like it costs us anything even more. We don't need her blood anymore and we could then focus on trying to find Diva," Lulu added.
"And Diva's group is much stronger. Not having to worry about Saya's while focusing on them would be helpful." Dahz finished.
"Then we are decided," Moses declared.
"No, it's not!" Karman grumbled. "We've already killed some of their own. There's no way those humans will accept us."
"We've only ever had bad options, Karman. I don't think this is the worst thing one of us has ever done." Moses said.
Irene looked Karman in the eyes. "I'm doing this. Don't try and stop me."
"Just be careful, Irene. Don't let them walk all over you. We still killed a lot of their men on the boat. Don't let them take advantage of you." Karman said, knowing he was beaten.
She nodded. "I will." And with that, she left their base embracing the sunlight once more.
—-
It was easy to find the Red Shield's current base of operations. Even without her enhanced senses Kai and Saya's scents were emblazoned in her memory and Irene soon found herself walking to the location.
To her shame, Irene found herself moving very slowly. The sun shined in the sky above but it did nothing but cast light on her now. She wanted to feel it more.
On top of that Paris was much busier on a sunny day compared to the cloudy day yesterday when she took the opportunity to explore. There were so many humans going about making so many different sounds and noises and doing so many things that it was hard to keep track of it all.
To Irene, it wasn't loud or annoying. In many ways, it was invigorating. It showed there was so much more to life and she had to do her part to make sure the rest of the Schiff were healed as she was.
When she arrived at the apartment complex the Red Shield members were staying in Irene drew a blank. She was used to just breaking in and out of places she needed to go but from what little she knew breaking into places wasn't seen as a friendly act.
Irene wracked her brain for an answer. Perhaps she could make a sound to let them know she was here. She'd seen humans knock their hands on things for differing reasons before.
Her decision decided, Irene jumped up to the floor where she could smell the Red Shield's scents and knocked her hand on the door.
Irene felt nervous, this was the first time she was asking for permission to enter a building. Was she doing it right? Was her knocks too soft to hear? Or so loud it was offensive?
But then the door opened. The one at the doorway was Saya's Chevalier hovering in front of Saya who had her katana drawn behind him. Irene felt fear at the sight of the blade, now that she knew what the blood she bathed it in would do to her.
There was a tense standoff like the two Chiropterans were expecting a fight but it wasn't happening.
"Hello…?" Irene slowly said in her normal monotone. "I am here to talk on behalf of the Schiff?"
"Where's the rest of your group?" Saya asked, suspicious.
"I'm the only one who came. I'm the only one who can move about in sunlight now." Irene explained. "I wanted to talk to you all."
Then Kai came into view. "See, Saya? The Schiff aren't our enemies anymore and she just wants to talk."
"If it's only one I don't see the harm," A blond-haired man with a deep voice said. "And going by Kai and your own testimonies the Schiff's weakness to sunlight seems to be true if only she's here."
"I see what you mean," A dark-skinned rotund man continued. "If it's only her there's no shame in talking."
Like with Karman, seeing that she was beat, Saya relented, but said, "I want you to be watched."
"C'mon, Saya there's no need for that. She saved my life." Kai said.
"Okay," Irene agreed and followed her into the apartment taking a seat at a table with the blond-haired man, a blond woman wearing glasses taking a seat across from her while Saya and her Chevalier stood behind her as guards. Further back was a scruffy-looking man and a brown-haired girl in purple clothes who was giving her a rather mean look.
"Hello, my name is David, and beside me is Lucas," he motioned to the round man, "and Julia a scientific advisor. She'll be listening in." The blonde man said while motioning to the woman in glasses.
"Nice to meet you, Irene was it?" Julia warmly greeted her.
Irene wasn't nearly as enthused given her experience with scientists but simply being in one's presence wasn't the worst thing she had done or experienced.
"Anyway, I've come here to ask for your help," Irene said.
The group seemed surprised by that. "What do you mean?" David asked.
"Kai told me that humans can ask other humans for help or to share with one another so I want to try with all of you now," Irene explained.
"It would be easier if you could be more specific about what you want help for," Julia suggested.
"Well, just overall survival. Us Schiff need blood to survive and the way we've been getting it has been killing humans. You have two chiropterans working for you so I was wondering how they've been getting blood."
"Humans can take blood from other humans and store it away for later," Julia explained. "Not enough is taken to be fatal but multiple people donating causes the amount to be used for other purposes and they're commonly stored in hospitals and blood banks."
Irene winced at that. If she knew that humans would just keep their extra blood in certain buildings then she and the rest of the Schiff wouldn't have had to kill people. She knew stealing was also considered bad but it was far better than what they had done.
"We can help with that, the Red Shield has lots of blood saved up," Kai entered the conversation.
"Yes, it would be more prudent to give blood than risking another fight when Diva's the one we need to kill," David agreed. "I'll contact my superior about your offer."
"Continuing from there in exchange for blood perhaps the Schiff could work for Red Shield? Diva is both of our objectives and you all would be useful fighting her Chevaliers." David said.
Irene frowned as she thought about it. "I can't make that decision by myself. The Schiff were created by humans to be tools and weapons. We escaped for the sake of hope and freedom. I don't think my brethren would be willing to let themselves be beholden to humans in such a way."
"I see. From what Kai's told us about your group's experience your stance is understandable. So our current arrangement is that in exchange for blood, you won't hunt humans anymore? I'm afraid that's not a trustworthy deal." David surmised.
"But why? Humans can share." Irene asked.
"A similar reason to why the Schiff won't want to join us. We don't have a way to know if you'll keep your word."
Irene thought it over and decided his points made sense. "Then what can we do?"
"Currently, you are the only Schiff that's been cured of the Thorn, right? How about you meet up with us here as a show of good faith? Make it a trade." Julia suggested. "Also, can you give us a sample of your blood as well as some samples from the other Schiff. You are currently an unprecedented phenomenon among chiropterans and I think it's prudent to compare samples between yourself, the other Schiff, and normal Chiropterans."
Giving a scientist her blood? Irene didn't like the sound of that.
"It might be a good idea," Kai spoke again. "The Red Shield's been studying Chiropterans maybe we could find another way to cure the rest of your group of the Thorn."
She saw the sense in his and Julia's argument, but…No, I made the decision to reach out. I can't go back empty handed. I have to prove to the other Schiff that all humans aren't our enemies.
"I'll give you a sample of my blood but for the others, it'll have to be their own decision," Irene offered. "And what do you mean by 'meeting up'?"
"Just come by regularly as a show of good faith," Julia elaborated.
"I think that works better than you think. I can meet you during the daylight and hunt for Diva at night." Irene nodded.
"You don't sleep like Chevaliers?" Saya said.
"No, we've always stayed awake and it's never bothered us. I think it's a good thing now that I can move in sunlight. I have twice the time I did before."
"So you were forced to stay up all day, hiding from sunlight not able to rest," Saya said, a sad look in her eye.
"I will need to go back to the rest of the Schiff. My abilities are vital for tracking down Diva in this city." Irene said.
"What do you mean?" David asked.
"Oh, I have senses far beyond my fellow Schiff. I can hear after a wide swathe of territory and separate the different sounds and voices from each other. It's how we've been able to follow you." Irene explained.
Lucas whistled impressed. "So that's how you've been able to find us so easily despite not being able to move around in the daylight. Even Diva's crew doesn't have a power like that."
"And you're just telling us that?" David said, surprise seeping into his stoic voice.
"There's no reason not to. We now know that Saya's blood will only kill us. You all knowing how we've tracked you doesn't cost us much." Irene responded.
Kai winced at her proclamation and Irene immediately decided to move on. She didn't want to think of what could have happened either. Her mind thought back to how the rest of the Schiff would react… Karman especially. She remembered what he asked of her. "If you want me to check in as a show of good faith what about all of you? Can you make a show of trust as well?"
Saya's eyes narrowed at her demand while Julia, Lucas, and David seemed to give it thought. "I see," David began. "We could have an agent of our own be a liaison. If they don't appear then you'd know something's wrong."
"I can do that," Kai immediately volunteered.
"Kai, are you sure about this?" Saya asked.
"I'm sure. If being with a Schiff as a show of trust is a way for me to help, then that's what I'll do." Kai assured her. "It's the best way I can help you and the rest of Red Shield."
Saya looked at Irene. Like she was trying to find some flaw in her logic, some reason to distrust her beyond just being a chiropteran, but couldn't. And without any logic to shape it, her hatred of her own kind faltered. "Fine, I'll trust you on this, Kai."
"Thank you, Saya." Kai said.
Things went well from there. David got out some strange device and began to talk to it in another room and she gave Julia a sample of her blood. Irene looked between Saya and Kai who were still sitting at the table with her. Saya seemed to be watching her while her Chevalier hovered behind her.
"We going to do anything?" Kai broke the silence between them.
"What is there to do?" Irene asked interested.
"I dunno, there's tons of ways to kill time. We just need to think of something. Wanna try out TV?" Kai suggested.
"What's that?" Irene tilted her head.
"C'mon, I'll show you."
Irene and Kai moved to a couch and he motioned to the Schiff to sit down. She did so and began to rub the fabric of the couch. She widened her eyes in interest and removed her gloves. She began to move her hand over the fabric, marveling at the softness of the material as all thoughts of television vanished from her mind.
"What are you doing?" Kai asked.
"Seeing how good this feels. I've never sat on anything that felt as comfortable as this before. It's amazing." Irene laid back on the couch, enjoying the feeling of falling back into the cushions. "The scientists of Khilbet only let us rest on metal slabs and we've only stayed in abandoned buildings. If all humans have something like this in their house no wonder why they don't want to leave."
Kai and Saya looked at the cheap couch in the apartment both with pensive looks on their face.
Then the glaring girl made her move, walking up to Irene, hands on her hips, looked the Schiff straight in the eyes, and spoke in a haughty voice.
"Alright then, who exactly are you and what's your relationship to Kai?"
"Huh?"
I'm afraid I made Saya look bad here but at the time in the show, she had internalized all chiropterans as evil thanks to Diva and her crew's depravity mixed with her own self-loathing and only began to grow out of it in canon after Irene's horrific death.