Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only (and mine too, lol). This story is the fourth arc in my fem!Yuu AU story and is my personal take on the events of the Osaka arc and will have differences from the original. I strongly recommend reading Who She Is Within and Broken Bridges, Mended Hearts parts I and II before getting into this because I will be making many references to them. Once again, I would like to thank my beta readers, Falchion1984 and xLightningToki, for their help in making this fic possible. On another note, I apologize for the delay and updates due to me and my beta reader's hectic schedules but we finally got down to making it happen. Thank you for your patience!
Broken Bridges, Mended Hearts III
Chapter 1: The Village by the Sea
December 1, 2020
"Go on… Without me, Yuichiro would be dead by now. Because of you…"
Yuichiro gasped at her guardian's cruel barb towards an already riled Mikaela, enraging him even further. Those who knew Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose weren't kidding when they said he was the kind of man who sneered in the face of death.
Not that Mikaela was in any way impressed by it. He knew the other man was absolutely right and found it absolutely galling that this whole series of events was started by him getting separated from Yuichiro in the first place. Not only that, someone like Guren of all people, had been the one to find and raise her during the half decade they spent apart.
"Don't expect me to be grateful after what you did to Yuu-chan," Mika snarled as he raised his sword. "I'll take care of her from now on. What happens to Yuu-chan doesn't concern you anymore, not where you're going!"
"MIKA, NO!"
But the blond didn't hear her. Having exhausted her strength and seraph powers to stop Mirai earlier, Yuichiro watched helplessly as Mikaela finally cast the fatal blow and severed Guren's head from his neck… *1*
SSSSSS
"Guren! Mika!" Yuichiro screamed.
"Yuu-chan, wake up! It's all right, you're safe now!" a familiar voice called.
Yuichiro's eyes flew open as she felt herself being shook awake by the strong hands of her brother before being pulled into his gentle embrace.
Upon awakening, the ravenette's gaze instinctively darted about her surroundings until she realized with relief that Guren's decapitated corpse was nowhere to be seen. Once her heart had stopped pounding, she realized that she had been having a nightmare. This was reinforced when she saw Mikaela's worried face, his now-ruby eyes staring right into her green ones.
"Wh…what happened?" Yuichiro gasped while clutching the front of her plain white nightgown.
It was then that Yuu finally noticed that she was out of uniform and half sitting up in a bed that wasn't her own and in a room that she didn't recognize. Not only that, Yuu also noticed that Mika himself was out of uniform and clad in civilian attire consisting of brown slacks and a beige sweater. At first, she found her brother's new garb rather strange but then supposed that was because she wasn't used to seeing him in anything other than his vampire soldier uniforms. *2*
"Calm, down, Yuu-chan. You've been through a lot, so take it easy. I'll try to explain as best as I can."
Trusting Mika's word, Yuu allowed herself to relax in his hold before he gently lowered her on the bed.
"What happened?" she asked again, albeit a bit calmer this time. "Where are we?"
Knowing this might take a while, Mikaela pulled a chair out from a nearby desk so he could sit down at his sister's bedside.
"You passed out again shortly after we took you away from the airport. Fortunately, everyone in both Shinoa and Satoshi's squads as well as Narumi-san made it as well. We all worried about you after you lost consciousness, possibly as a result of your seraph transformation. But taking you to a hospital was out of the question. So, the only thing we could do was find someplace where the Demon Army and their leader would not think to look for us. Namely, here."
As if to make his point, Mika gestured to the nearby window to draw Yuu's attention to the wilderness outside.
"And where is 'here'?", Yuu pressed.
"A small, deserted fishing town near the sea surrounded by wilderness", Mika answered. "Don't ask me the name because I have no idea since the residents are gone and there's no one to ask." *3*
"How long have I been out?"
Mika hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Two weeks." *4*
Yuu's jaw nearly dropped.
"WHAT?!"
"I'm sorry, but nothing we did could wake you up so we had no choice but to wait and see if you would awake on your own. Though there was no way of telling how long that could take, the others offered to take turns watching you. But I told them it wouldn't be necessary, and they should take care of themselves first. I can watch you perfectly fine on my own since I don't require nearly as much rest as they do."
Yuu blinked. "You mean, you've been here every day for two weeks watching over me?"
Mika leaned back on his chair and sighed. Though he still didn't entirely trust Shinoa or Yuu's other friends, it would be dishonest if he claimed he had no assistance from them in caring for her while she was unconscious.
"Just about. I can stay up all night to watch you if need be, but I felt that it would be more… appropriate to let Shinoa, Mitsuba, and the Harada twins bathe and change you out of your uniform."
Yuichiro blushed when she looked down at herself and realized that in addition to being changed into more comfortable attire to sleep, her skin was also quite clean.
"You mean…"
"Not entirely," Mika answered, knowing what was on his sister's mind. "You weren't in any condition to take a normal bath, so the girls just cleaned you off with wet hot towels after getting you out of uniform. It was actually Shinoa's idea."
Yuu sighed in relief at Mika's revelation. Shinoa may have been an insufferably annoying brat at times, but Yuu had to appreciate her thoughtfulness in a situation like this. As much as Shinoa loved teasing Yuu about her experience with men (or lack there of), she was just as protective of her dignity and modesty as Guren had been.
"I see. I'll have to thank her for that. If all of us are here and not with the Demon Army, that means I didn't dream up what happened, did I?"
Mika shook his head. "Believe me, Yuu-chan, I wish it was a dream."
"So, we really did escape the battle when the humans and vampires went at it again after…"
"Yes… I intended to escape with you alone, but the others insisted on coming along."
Yuu sighed. "I know… I remember everything. We literally betrayed the Demon Army, the Hiragi top dogs, and…Guren."
As soon as her mentor's name slipped past her lips, Yuichiro instantly regretted mentioning him. Mikaela frowned before taking her by the shoulders again.
"No, Yuu-chan! You didn't do anything wrong! It was Guren who betrayed you. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: your mentor has been using you for his own ends all this time. Even though he raised you, it still doesn't change that cold, hard fact. I assure you…you don't owe him anything!"
"I…" Yuu began before closing her mouth when she realized that Mika was absolutely right and that there was not one word she could utter in Guren's defense. Not after what happened between them at Nagoya Airport. Even before that, Guren himself admitted to her that he didn't have the luxury of saving anyone who didn't serve a higher purpose.
Though exactly what that "higher purpose" was in regard to herself was still lost on Yuichiro.
Knowing that it would be insensitive to Mikaela to speak of Guren any further after everything he had gone through to save her, Yuichiro finally decided to drop the subject of her guardian. At least for now. *5*
"Yes…you're right. The question is, what are we going to do now? Where do we go from here?"
Relieved that Yuu took the hint, Mika answered, "For now, Shinoa, Satoshi, and Narumi have decided that we lay low until we decide where to go next. It's very likely we won't be able to stay here very long before the humans and vampires decide to pursue us again."
"Us? Or just me?"
Before Mika could answer, he and Yuu heard a familiar voice speak up.
"Technically, we are all on the Demon Army's wanted list. But it's you they have the most interest in, Miss Hyakuya."
Turning towards the door, Mika shot the purple-haired squad leader an annoyed look.
"You know, it's common courtesy to knock before entering someone's room, human," he growled.
Instead of taking offense, Shinoa merely smiled and casually leaned against the doorway. From what they could see, she had a dark JIDA uniform that looked very much like Yuu's old one folded over her arm.
"I did, Mikaela. A few times, actually. But you two seemed so…absorbed in your conversation that you didn't even notice. So, I've decided to let myself in to see if everything was alright. It is my duty to ensure the well-being of all my squad members, after all."
Normally, Yuu would have also been annoyed by Shinoa's tendency to pry into her business, especially at a time like this when she finally got to be alone with Mika again. But after everything that happened at Nagoya Airport two weeks ago, Yuichiro was grateful that everyone she held dear escaped the battle and chaos with their lives.
"It's all right, Mika," she said, patting her brother's hand. I'm so glad everyone's alive. Even Shinoa."
Shinoa rolled her eyes, placed a hand on her chest, and feigned hurt before putting on her usual cheerful smile again.
"I'm ever so touched by your concern for me, Yuu. But we've all been worried about you, not just Mika."
"Yes, he already told me. And I appreciate it, I really do. And if you don't mind me asking, did Shinya and the rest of his squad make it as well?"
It was not lost on Shinoa that Yuu refrained from mentioning her guardian, no doubt out of consideration for Mika, whom they both knew had little love for the older man. And so, she did her best to answer her subordinate's inquiry without bringing up Guren—at least not by name.
"The last time I saw nii-san and the other members of his squad, they chose to stay behind and guard our escape. We owe them our lives. Unfortunately, I have no idea what became of them after that."
"Do you think they would be branded traitors like us?" Yuichiro asked, her brow furrowed with worry.
Shinoa crossed her arms and closed her eyes for a moment as she thought over how to answer Yuu's question.
"To be honest, I'm not sure. I want to believe that my elder brother, Kureto, would not harm them. They are his best soldiers, and he may have need of them again in the future. At least, that's what I'm hoping."
Yuu cast her eyes downward as she processed her squad leader's words. While Guren's squad had trounced and humiliated the Shinoa and Satoshi squads in front of the entire MDC as punishment for showing up late in Ebina, there could be no denying that they also risked their very lives to ensure the safety of both junior squads as well.
"I understand… I guess we'll have to hope for the best and not let their efforts go to waste."
"Right… Speaking of which, how do you feel, Yuu? I'm sure Mika told you that you've been asleep for two weeks. Would you like something to eat?"
At the mention of food, Yuichiro found her stomach growling, much to Shinoa's amusement. Even Mikaela had to smile and stifle a small laugh.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'?" Shinoa teased.
"Well, duh, I haven't eaten since we left Nagoya, so what do you think?" Yuu asked impatiently while trying to hide her embarrassment behind a mask of irritation. She was about to point a shaking finger at her squad leader when she suddenly noticed a metal cuff around her wrist attached to a chain.
And that chain also happened to be attached to her bed post.
"What's this?" Yuu demanded when she looked around and confirmed that both of her wrists and ankles were cuffed and chained. She also noticed that Shinoa was still standing in the doorway and made no move to approach, at least not yet.
Instead of answering right away, Mika and Shinoa looked at each other for a moment before turning back to the girl in question. Both looked as though they wanted to say something but weren't exactly sure how to say it.
"Well?" Yuu pressed impatiently.
As tempted as she was to let Mika do the explaining, Shinoa knew it was her responsibility as Yuu's squad leader. Mika had already done more than his fair share in aiding with his sister's recovery as well as dealing with her…other issue.
Knowing that this might take a while, Shinoa finally entered the room. If there was another chair available other than the one Mika was using, she might have taken it and sat down as well. But since there wasn't, Shinoa chose to stand next to the seated blond vampire.
"Yuichiro…" she began. "I hope you don't take offense to this, but after what happened with you at Nagoya Airport, we had to take…precautions to ensure not only your safety, but the safety of everyone in our squads, as well as Mika himself since he has been the one watching over you the most."
Yuu was confused. "What do you mean, what happened to me?"
Shinoa and Mika were startled at Yuu's bewildered question.
"What? Are you saying you really don't remember anything, Yuu?" Shinoa asked incredulously.
Yuichiro placed her fingertips on her forehead as she tried to recall the events at Nagoya before she, Mikaela, and the rest of their friends in the Shinoa and Satoshi squads deserted the Demon Army and left both the warring humans and vampires behind to continue their pointless battle.
"My memories are a bit fuzzy…" she confessed. "But I can vaguely recall talking to Asuramaru before…"
"Yes?" Mika pressed. "Go on." Although he disliked making his sister uncomfortable in any way, it was important that they find out what she could remember and how much.
"I remember my body growing hot and then…pain. Lots of it. It's like I wasn't myself anymore, like I became someone else… Yet, I still recall my actions as being my own. I reveled in destruction, of humans and vampires alike. They were all equally disgusting sinners in my eyes. And then…"
"And then?"
"I saw and heard Asuramaru again. I think he was trying to persuade me to trust him and remind me of my true desire, which wasn't actually the destruction of humans and vampires. After that, I fell, though I wasn't hurt because Risa saved me. But then…"
Looking at Mika again, Yuichiro fell silent and wondered whether or not she should bring up Guren. Taking the hint, her brother sighed and nodded.
"It's ok, Yuu-chan. We need to know how much you can recall if we are to help you."
"I remember you and Guren engaging in combat like you did back in Shinjuku. But it was different this time; he wasn't himself. And I was really afraid you'd both…"
Yuichiro buried her face in her hands, as if the very thought of what might have been pained her too much to speak of.
Mikaela's expression softened, taking Yuichiro's hands and gently squeezing them as if to assure her that all was well, at least with him. Guren's fate, however, was anyone's guess.
"It's all right, Yuu-chan. As you can see, I'm fine. As for Guren, well…"
Knowing that the topic of Yuichiro's guardian was a troublesome one for Mikaela, Shinoa spoke up again.
"You need not worry about Guren, either. The last time I saw him, he was just as alive as Shinya and the others. If there's one thing I've learned about your mentor, it's that he's not a man who will die easily, Yuu. This is also true of Nii-san and the rest of their squad as well."
Upon receiving confirmation that Guren still lived and that the disturbing dream she had of Mika beheading him never happened, Yuichiro wanted to express her relief and gratitude. Unfortunately, Mikaela's presence made her hesitant to do so. Even though she had been out for two weeks, and her memories were a bit fuzzy, Yuichiro still hadn't forgotten that the two men dearest to her heart had tried to kill each other over her.
"Yes… Now I remember. After Mika defeated Guren, Kureto sent a handful of his soldiers to try and capture me, but Yoichi and Takeshi held them off long enough for us to escape."
"Right," Shinoa confirmed. She paused for a moment before asking her next question, a more crucial one. "Do you remember anything else after that?"
"I…" Yuu began before trailing off. To be honest, she couldn't really recall anything after Mika, Shinoa, and the others took her away from Nagoya and before waking up in this strange and unfamiliar room.
"You really can't remember, Yuu-chan?" Mika pressed.
Yuichiro closed her eyes and probed her mind for answers before finally giving up when she realized there were none.
"No… I'm afraid that's the extent of what I can recall. Tell me, was I really asleep the entire time these last two weeks?"
Mikaela and Shinoa were alarmed by Yuichiro's unexpected question. And judging from their reactions, it was safe for her to assume that she hadn't been entirely asleep, just that she couldn't recall the events that took place after the airport battle. She also wondered if that also had something to do with why she was shackled in the first place.
"Well, I'm not sure how to answer that, Yuu," Shinoa began. "It's a bit complex and might take some time, but I'll try later. For now, how about you get changed and join the rest of us for breakfast? If you're worried about clothing, Mitsuba and the Harada twins have secured some usable things for you in town. As for your uniform, well, it couldn't be saved, so I just made you a new one like it."
Yuichiro blinked. "Really, Shinoa? I didn't know you could sew."
Shinoa waved her hand like it was nothing. "When you've nearly raised yourself from childhood like I have, you pick up a few tricks and useful skills here and there." Though cooking was not one of the skills Shinoa picked up well, she conveniently chose to leave that out and continued, "While you were away in la la land, Kimizuki and I taught the rest of the gang the domestic skills we'll be needing to take care of ourselves out here."
"Is that right? Well, in that case, I'd like to get changed and grab some breakfast. How long do you think we're going to stay here?"
"About that: Satoshi and I have discussed searching for a way to leave Japan. It is imperative that we take you beyond the reach of Kureto and Guren himself."
"Wait, take me away from Guren? Are you serious, Shinoa?
"Yes, she is, Yuu-chan," Mika answered sharply. "And for once, I actually agree with her."
"And why is that?" Yuu challenged.
"Because it's for your own good, and the world's, as well. Now that everyone knows who and what you are, they're never going to leave you alone, Yuu-chan. Remember what I told you after we left the hospital? That your abilities were the result of the Demon Army's, or more accurately, Guren's secret experiments? If you thought what happened at Nagoya was bad, think about what would happen if either the Hiragis or the vampire progenitors got their hands on you again—it could be the end of all life on Earth as we know it."
Yuichiro didn't like what she was hearing one bit. But try as she might, she could not find a hole in Mika and Shinoa's argument. Asuramaru himself said it: once Yuichiro took the trumpet, her human life as she knew it would end, and the Yuichiro she had been beforehand would cease to exist.
"All right," Yuu began, hoping she could convince her brother and squad leader to find an alternative to what they suggested. "Let's say I completely agree with both of you. How on Earth can we even leave the country? The airports are out of commission; there probably hasn't been an outbound flight since the Apocalypse! And traveling by boat would be suicidal since the oceans are full of acid and monsters now. And even if that were not the case, none of us can fly planes, sail boats, or navigate the skies and sea."
"You're right about that, Yuu-chan; the humans might not have the means. But the vampires do."
"What are you implying, Mika?" Shinoa asked inquisitively with concern in her tone, unsure if she liked the direction this conversation was going.
"Not exactly what you think," the blond vampire answered before turning back to Yuichiro. "There was a vampire who was involved in the Seraph of the End experiments. Unbeknownst to us during our childhood, she was actually the one who safeguarded the Hyakuya Sect children and kept our existence hidden from the rest of the vampire progenitors. She is the vampire queen who raised me after Yuu-chan and I were separated the first time."
"You mean the one who was captured by Ferid?"
"Yes. Her name is Krul Tepes."
"Can we trust her?" Shinoa asked, skepticism laced in her features.
"I want to believe that we can. Ironically, Krul was the only vampire I could really trust after I was changed. One thing I do know for sure is that going back to the humans in the Demon Army is not an option. Not for any of us, and certainly not for Yuu-chan."
"B...but!" Yuu protested, but Shinoa cut her off.
"I'm sorry, Yuichiro, but I have to agree with Mikaela here. Guren is possessed by his demon, possessed by my sister, Mahiru. We can't trust him as he is right now, especially not after what he tried to do to you."
As she said this, Shinoa turned to Mikaela and gave him a look of silent apology for bringing up such an unpleasant reminder of Guren's actions back at Nagoya.
Fortunately, the blond was not offended and gave a nod of understanding.
"It's all right. It was something that needed to be said."
"So, what do you suggest we do right now?" Yuu inquired.
"For now, we need to lay low until you've regained your strength, and until we figure out how to find the vampire queen Mika spoke of," Shinoa answered before turning to the blond himself. "Is that all right with you, Mikaela?"
Mika nodded. "Yes… It's not like we have a choice anyway."
Yuichiro scoffed. "Tsk, fine! Can I be let out now? I'm starving and need to stretch, if you don't mind!"
A look of reluctance crossed her squad leader's features. Seeing this, Mikaela tried to convey with his eyes his assurance that he could restrain Yuichiro if she became possessed by her demon. After a long moment, Shinoa finally nodded her acceptance.
"Of course," Shinoa answered as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the key to Yuu's manacles before handing them to Mika. Afterwards, the purple-haired girl placed the new uniform she had been carrying at the foot of Yuichiro's bed.
"I'll be taking my leave now. Please come downstairs to the dining room to join the rest of us after you get changed. I'm sure Mitsuba and the Harada twins will be done preparing breakfast by then."
Remembering what happened the last time the girls, including Shinoa, tried to cook for them, Yuichiro felt a bead of sweat forming on her brow.
Fortunately, her squad leader knew exactly what she was thinking.
"It's all right, Yuu," Shinoa comforted. "We've all gotten better at cooking over the last two weeks. While you were out, Kimizuki supervised all our…kitchen activities."
At her squad leader's words, Yuu could not help releasing a sigh of relief. If the girls had not accidentally set fire to the house by now, then Shinoa must be right. Yuu made a mental note to thank Kimizuki later.
"All right, then. I will."
After unlocking her manacles, Mika left Yuu alone to change out of her nightgown so she can join him and the rest of her squad mates downstairs. Yuichiro had fully expected her new uniform to be either too large or too small, if Shinoa's sewing skills were anything like her cooking skills. But, to her surprise, she found that it fit her perfectly. Yuu's guess was that Shinoa probably took her measurements while she had been unconscious, possibly with the help of Mitsuba and the Harada twins.
As she fastened the buttons of her dark jacket, Yuichiro could not help noticing the irony of her donning the uniform of the army she and her squadmates had renounced their allegiance to. It reminded Yuu of something her guardian had told her long ago: that people tend to cling on to what's familiar to them, something that Yuichiro could relate well to. After all, she had continued to dress and play the part of a boy for years after her parents' deaths.
Yuu frowned when she found her thoughts going back to Guren. Although she tried not to talk about him unless it was truly necessary, especially in front of Mika, she still worried about her guardian and what would become of him. But for the moment, Yuichiro also knew that there was nothing that she could do for Guren, nothing that Mikaela wouldn't object to anyway, and tried to push all thoughts of the older man from her mind before going downstairs to join her companions.
SSSSSS
"Good morning, Miss Hyakuya; how are you feeling?" Risa greeted Yuu upon seeing her enter the dining room where the rest of their friends from both squads had gathered at the dinner table. They were also joined by Mikaela and Narumi. Like Yuu herself, everyone was dressed in their military uniforms once more, including Mika, who also abandoned the vampire army. The irony of it all was not lost on Yuichiro.
Looking around, Yuichiro saw that Shinoa, Mitsuba, and Riku were bringing out plates of food from the kitchen and setting them on the table. To her relief, everything the other girls made looked perfectly edible, thanks to Kimizuki's sharp supervision. While Shinoa and Satoshi might be their squad leaders, the pink-haired boy's orders in culinary matters were to be obeyed without question if they didn't want a repeat of the kitchen disaster back at JIDA Headquarters.
"I'm fine now. Thank you, Risa," Yuu answered politely before her eyes wandered to the food on the table. From what she could see, the fresh-baked bread, eggs, smoked ham, fruit, and juice looked far better than the bland meals they were all used to in the army.
And Yuichiro could not help feeling nostalgic. Since none of the food on the table looked like they came from cans, she could only assume her friends must have baked the bread from scratch as well as scavenged the eggs and fruits from the nearby woods and hunted the local hogs for meat, something that Yoichi and Takeshi would have no problem doing with their archery skills.*6*
"Is there something the matter, Yuu?" Risa asked curiously as she noticed the distant look on the other girl's face.
Snapping back to the present, Yuu apologized. "Oh, I'm sorry! It's just that seeing all this food reminds me of the time I used to help Sayuri and Shigure make breakfast in the morning before I joined the Shibuya Guard."
"Sayuri and Shiguri? I didn't know you were on a first-name basis with the lieutenant colonel's entire squad and the man himself," Satoshi commented from his seat at the table.
"Well, that's because they raised her," Mitsuba explained as she walked around the table, pouring everyone a glass of orange juice.
As she watched her blonde squad mate fill her glass, Yuichiro also noticed that the glasses, dishes, and eating utensils still looked very usable and were spotlessly clean, making her assume that the house where the two squads resided still had electricity and running water. Either that, or her squad mates must have cleaned the dishes as well as their laundry in a nearby freshwater stream or pond. *7*
"So does that mean you're as close to Guren's squad as you are to him?" Takeshi asked Yuichiro curiously before he felt Yoichi gently elbow him in the side from his seat next to him.
The brunet boy was about to ask his sniping partner why he did that before noticing Yoichi make a silent nod towards Mikaela, who was sitting at the other end of the table. The vampire in question said nothing at the mention of Yuichiro's guardian, but seeing him frown slightly told Takeshi all he needed to know, and he dropped the matter without another word. Curious and adventurous he may be, but like Shinoa, Takeshi Saehera knew when to take a hint and back off.
Besides, the group had more than enough problems already, and the last thing he wanted was to invite the displeasure of Yuichiro's vampire friend.
Seizing the opportunity to change the subject, Shinoa cleared her throat before taking out a vial of red liquid, no doubt blood, from her apron pocket and filling Mika's empty glass with it. It was no secret that the blond would not be able to indulge in the generous breakfast dishes that the girls set on the table before him. The sight made Yuichiro wonder, somewhat uncomfortably, whose blood it could possibly be if not her own?
"I apologize, Mikaela," she said softly. "Takeshi didn't mean anything by it. How are you feeling? It's been at least a few days since I last saw you feed."
Yuichiro was startled at the revelation and turned to her brother.
"Is that true, Mika? If you're thirsty, you can have some of my blood again."
Before the vampire in question could answer, Shinoa cut in.
"No, Yuu, I wouldn't recommend that. You've only just woken up from your coma and need sufficient time to recover; too much blood loss can weaken you and stunt your recovery."
Like Yuu herself, Mika often found Shinoa to be annoying and overbearing. But at the moment, he was actually relieved that the purple-haired girl just gave him an excuse not to drink from Yuichiro, especially in her condition—even if he was indeed in need of nourishment.
"It's all right, Yuu-chan," he insisted gently before taking the glass in front of him. "Shinoa is right. I'd never forgive myself if I lost control and kept drinking your blood until you die. It's safer this way."
Although she knew that Shinoa and Mikaela were only concerned for her well-being, Yuichiro could not help feeling disappointed.
"Oh... Are you sure it's all right, Mika? Whose blood is that, anyway?" she asked with trepidation as she watched him down the glass in a few sips.
Yuichiro wasn't sure if she liked the idea of her blood being extracted while she slept over the last two weeks, but if it was for Mikaela's sake, she would tolerate it—if the blood was in fact hers.
"Yes, it's fine," he answered. "Everyone chipped in and gave me a little of their blood. So, it's all good."
Technically, this was only partly true. While the combined blood of Yuichiro's other friends wasn't bad by any means, it wasn't anywhere near as divine as hers has been. Though there was no way in hell Mikaela Hyakuya was ever going to admit it.
Yuu gave Mika a questioning look, as if unsure whether or not to believe him. But she also didn't want to make him uncomfortable since she knew this was a rather sensitive topic for him.
"All right, if you say so, Mika."
Grateful toward his sister for taking the hint, Mika made a mental note to apologize to Yuu later for his less-than-honest answer. For despite being separated for almost half a decade, Yuichiro still knew Mikaela well enough to sense when he wasn't being entirely truthful about something.
Trying not to think about that for the moment, Mika turned to the rest of Shinoa and Satoshi's squads as well as Narumi to discuss the plan he revealed to Yuichiro earlier when she woke up.
"Thank you, everyone, for helping to sustain me while Yuu-chan slept. Now that she's awake, we must discuss what we will be doing next."
"Yes, I believe you mentioned it yesterday, Mikaela. You wanted to take Yuu away from here, am I correct?" Satoshi asked as he eyed the Hyakuyas with great interest.
"That's right. But I haven't yet gone over the details of how we will accomplish that, not with the rest of you, that is."
"Oh, do tell, Mr. Hyakuya," Risa said, her brown eyes wide with curiosity.
"Yes, please. We'd all like to hear it," Riku added.
After making sure he had the full and undivided attention of everyone at the table, including Yuu's, Mika said, "As you already know, Yuu-chan isn't the only one wanted by the Demon Army. We all are. Yes, that includes me. So far, we've been lucky that no one has disturbed us while we hid in this abandoned town waiting for her to wake up, but this will not last long."
"You mean the Demon Army will come after us? Well, that's always been a no-brainer," Kimizuki said harshly as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "They've been experimenting on my sister behind my back all this time as well as Yuichiro. Trusting them is not an option."
"Then who do we turn to? The vampires?" Daisuke asked, his voice slightly exasperated. Although his comment was meant to be sarcastic, he never expected the answer he got from Mika.
"Exactly," the blond said, startling everyone at the table except Shinoa and Yuichiro, with whom he had already discussed his plan with earlier.
Takeshi could not help laughing at what he thought was an absurd suggestion on Mika's part.
"Ha, ha! And I thought vampires had no sense of humor!"
Were it not for the serious look on Mikaela's face as well as everyone else's unease at the idea of going to the vampires for help, they would have laughed as well.
When Takeshi noticed that no one had joined him, he became embarrassed and fell silent, causing Yoichi to roll his eyes. After all the trouble he took to remind his sniping partner to be mindful of their new vampire companion, Yoichi felt like his words and warnings went through one ear and out the other with Takeshi Saehara. Nonetheless, Yoichi wanted to make sure if Mika himself was actually serious.
"Are you sure about that, Mika? I know going back to the Demon Army isn't an option, but what makes you think the vampires will be any better?" he asked suspiciously.
As if expecting such a question, Mika said, "Not just any vampire, but Krul Tepes, the vampire queen who raised me and gave me her approval to conveniently go missing in action to find Yuu-chan. She has in-depth knowledge of the Seraph of the End project. I believe we can trust her to help us all get out of Japan and take Yuu-chan with us to safety. She may even be able to help us get Kimizuki's sister back, too."
While no one present believed that Mikaela would deliberately lie to them over something that concerned Yuichiro's safety and well-being, none of them seemed eager to trust the Third Progenitor vampire queen either.
A heavy silence fell over the table for a long moment as both squads contemplated Mikaela's plan before Narumi, who had been listening the entire time in thoughtful silence, finally spoke.
"I hate to admit it, but Hyakuya does have a point. Even if any of us knew how to sail a boat and navigate the seas, traveling that way is out of the question because the oceans are now filled with acid. Not only that, but monsters even stronger than the Four Horsemen of John lurk beneath their depths. The only way we can leave Japan is by plane, and none of us has access to one."
"None of us can pilot an aircraft, either," Satoshi said as he sipped on his orange juice.
"Or navigate the skies," Kimizuki added grimly.
"Right," Mitsuba said. "And staying in Japan isn't really an option. If this country wasn't so isolated or part of a bigger continent like Europe and the Americas, we might be able to hide safely. But none of the Japanese islands are large enough to hide for long and the Hiragis run everything here."
"Unfortunately, I have to agree," Shinoa confirmed. "The Hiragis, or more specifically, my father and eldest brother, have the resources of the entire country at their command. The only way to assure the safety of all of us is to go beyond their reach, to another country where they can't send their minions after us."
"Wait a minute!" Yuu protested as a thought came to her. "Even if we manage to get out of Japan, where will we go? Like the Hiragis control Japan, I'm sure the vampire progenitors have the resources of an entire world at their command. Since I'm the one everyone really wants, I think I should go with Mika alone to draw the attention of the Hiragis and vampires away from all of you; there's no reason for everyone here to endanger themselves further for my sake."
"Yuu, stop right there," Narumi interrupted.
Surprised Yuichiro stared at him as if he just grew a second head.
"What?"
"I've lost my entire squad because the Hiragis coveted the power you possess. We all saw how the lieutenant general wasn't satisfied with only Kimizuki's sister and was willing to sacrifice as many of our fellow soldiers as it took to add you to his arsenal for whatever sinister plans he has in mind. And, no offense to your dear 'brother' here, but I can't rest easy unless I also have part in ensuring you stay out of the hands of those who want to exploit whatever it is inside you that caused the disaster back in Nagoya. Otherwise, my comrades would have died for nothing."
Thinking Narumi implied that he wasn't strong enough to protect Yuichiro, Mikaela was about to snap at the older man, but Shinoa, knowing that an argument would be counterproductive, quickly spoke up.
"Mikaela, please don't misunderstand. No one here is doubting your ability to protect Yuichiro. But no matter how strong you may be, you're still only one person and can only do so much alone. We were able to come this far only because we stuck together after deserting the battle at Nagoya Airport. If we were to all go our separate ways now, the Demon Army, not to mention the vampires, can easily hunt us down and pick us off one by one. And besides, Yuichiro is also our friend, and we want to protect her as much as you do."
"I agree," Satoshi said as he turned to the pair in question. "If you say that the vampire queen who raised you can help us, then it's a chance we're going to have to take, because I don't see anyone else we can turn to who is capable of doing so. That is, if she's willing to help. I presume that is the case, or you wouldn't have suggested it, right, Mikaela?"
"Yes, that's right," Mika answered, forgetting his earlier displeasure towards Narumi. "But as I mentioned earlier she was captured by Ferid and Crowley. I'm not sure what her situation is right now."
"Would it be possible to rescue her?" Daisuke asked. Like the others, he was not too keen on trusting the vampire queen, and the idea of rescuing her seemed pretty daunting to him, given their current situation. But since he could think of no other option to keep Yuichiro and his other squad mates safe, the red-haired boy kept his opinion to himself.
"I want to say 'yes', but to be honest, I wouldn't even know where to start looking," Mika confessed before a thought came to him, and he reconsidered his words. "Wait, no, that's not entirely true. Since Ferid was the one who captured Krul, I have the feeling that if we find him, we'll find her as well."
"And how do we find this Ferid?" Kimizuki asked.
"Knowing him, we might not have to."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that it's very likely that he will come looking for us. Or more specifically, for me and Yuu-chan."
"You sound like you know that noble quite well…" Riku said with interest.
"That's right. Do you two have some history together?" Risa asked.
Mikaela rolled his eyes. "You have no idea, girls…"
Intrigued, the twins were about to press Mika for further details when they saw Yuu make a quiet gesture to let them know this was not a comfortable topic for him. Taking the hint, they dropped the subject and turned to their squad leaders as if asking what they should do next.
Shinoa was about to answer when she felt Satoshi's hand on her shoulder, as if asking her to allow him to speak since she had already exerted enough energy explaining their options as well as calming Mika down after Narumi rubbed him the wrong way.
"If what you say about Ferid is true, then it looks like we don't have to do anything except wait for him to come to us. Though whether or not we can actually get him to reveal Queen Krul's whereabouts is another story. Do you really think we can force an answer, and an honest one at that, out of him, Mikaela?"
Mika sighed and placed a hand on his forehead as if trying to ease a headache. As much as he hated to admit it, Satoshi did have a point, and his question was a fair one that had to be considered.
"To be honest, I'm not sure. I do think that both of your squads working together might be able to take Ferid down, but that does us little good if he takes the knowledge of Krul's fate with him to his grave. The same is true for Crowley as well."
"Wait…" Yuu began as a thought came to her. "Brute force isn't the only way to get answers, Mika. Maybe we can reason with them."
Mitsuba stared at her raven-haired squad mate as if she had just suggested the most stupid thing.
"Are you out of your mind?! You cannot seriously be suggesting that those blood-suckers would actually…"
"I've already done it once," Yuichiro said sharply, cutting the blonde girl off before finding ten pairs of eyes on her.
Alarmed, Mika grabbed Yuu by the arm while trying not to be too rough with her.
"What do you mean, Yuu-chan?" he demanded.
Yuichiro hesitated for a moment as if trying to decide if it was a good idea to tell Mikaela and the others how she tried to bargain with Crowley for Guren's release. As far as she knew, her squad mates likely believed she had tried to take her mentor back by force alone, since they came to her rescue only after she was taken off guard by Crowley and defeated by him.
Knowing that Mika and the others expected an answer, especially since she was the one who brought up the possibility of negotiating with vampires, Yuichiro finally decided to spill the beans.
"Before we saw Guren again at the airport, he was captured and, as all of you except Mika know, I returned to the city hall to challenge Crowley Eusford for his safe return."
Mika's jaw dropped. "You did WHAT?!"
"Please let me finish, Mika!" Yuu insisted before turning back to the others gathered at the table. "I never had the chance to tell any of you until now that I managed to strike a deal with Crowley when I confronted him. I challenged him to a one-on-one duel with the condition that if I won, he would return Guren to me alive and in one piece."
"And if he won?" Mika pressed.
"Umm…"
"Well?"
Yuichiro sighed and braced herself for her friends' reactions.
"I promised to surrender myself to him."
As Yuu expected, everyone stared at her in shock before Narumi whistled.
"Oh, wow, Miss Hyakuya. I've always known you to be gutsy, even if a bit reckless. But challenging a noble on your own? That really takes the cake."
Ignoring Narumi, Mika glared at Yuu. It was quite obvious to everyone present that he was absolutely furious with her.
"I can't believe you actually agreed to such an outrageous deal with a noble like that!", he exploded.
"You're one to talk, Mika!" she shot back, as if reminding him of his own shady dealings with Ferid during their days as livestock children in Sanguinem.
"That's enough, you two!" Narumi interrupted sternly. "As much as I might agree that Miss Hyakuya's actions were reckless, at least we know that vampires, even nobles, can be negotiated with."
"That may be true, but what could we possibly have that those two nobles would want badly enough to tell us the queen's whereabouts?" Yoichi asked.
"I'm not sure…" Yuu confessed after she and Mika calmed down. "That's something I need a little time to think about."
Turning to Shinoa, Satoshi, and Narumi, Yuichiro gave them a pleading look, as if asking the squad leaders to trust her judgement, at least this time.
Taking the hint, Shinoa looked to the other two squad leaders. While she was free to manage her own squad and their actions as she saw fit, Shinoa also knew that Yuichiro and Mikaela's plan may also require their cooperation as well as that of the rest of Satoshi's squad to succeed. Especially if negotiations with Ferid and Crowley went sour.
"Well, what do you two think? Yuichiro is my subordinate and thus my responsibility, even if we're no longer members of the Demon Army. If you and your squad don't want to be involved with us and risk having to deal with the nobles again, we understand. However, if you choose to go along with our plan, your help would be greatly appreciated."
"Shinoa, you don't even have to ask," Satoshi replied gently. "I've told you before that me and my squad are with you and yours no matter what. We've already decided the moment we chose to abandon the Demon Army at Nagoya and go our own way."
"Yes, that's right," Narumi added. "And I did say I'll do my part to ensure Yuichiro stays out of the hands of anyone who intends to abuse her power. You can count on us."
Grateful for everyone's cooperation, Shinoa finally stood up and leaned over the table, placing both of her hands on the wooden surface.
"Then it's settled. For now, we do nothing but wait. I'd give it about another week or so to ensure Yuichiro recovers properly. If the nobles Ferid and Crowley do not show up by the time she does, then we will leave this town and seek them out. Is everyone in agreement?"
In response, everyone at the table raised their glasses in unison.
"Agreed."
SSSSSS
Later that night, after everyone in the house had turned in for the night, including Yuichiro, Shinoa settled down in an old leather armchair that faced a vintage fireplace in the living room of the house she and her squad shared with Satoshi's as well as Narumi and Mikaela.
Over the last two weeks, everyone aside from Yuichiro had cleaned the two-story house they assumed had belonged to one of the wealthier townspeople in order to make it more livable before turning it into their temporary residence (and hideout). Since the previous owners had the luxury of live-in servants, there were enough rooms as well as beds for everyone. The linens were also easily usable after being cleaned since they had been tucked away in the closets and untouched until the arrival of the two squads.
And while both squads patiently waited for Yuichiro to awaken while scavenging the abandoned town and surrounding wilderness for food and other basic necessities, Narumi had warned them not to get too comfortable and that they needed to be prepared to leave or fight at a moment's notice if necessary.
Though everyone knew that both the human and vampire armies had sustained heavy casualties after the battle at Nagoya Airport and may require some time to recover before either side could conduct a search for Yuichiro, they also knew both sides would resume the hunt sooner or later.
Now that the girl in question had finally woken and a plan had been set out, Shinoa was finally able to turn her focus on another matter that required her attention. After pouring herself a cup of hot tea, the purple-haired girl took out another vial of blood from her shirt pocket and poured it into a second teacup across from her while she waited for her expected visitor to arrive.
Shinoa was not to be disappointed when she heard some light footsteps behind her. Without turning around, she finally spoke.
"So, how is Yuu?"
"She's asleep," Mika answered. "Although she wasn't thrilled about it, I managed to convince Yuu-chan to let me shackle her to the bed again as long as I stayed with her until she fell asleep. I told her it was a necessary precaution in case her demon went wild again. Not that it wouldn't have been necessary no matter who was watching her, but at least Yuu-chan is more willing to obey me than the others on this matter."
Shinoa sighed, finally stood up, and faced Mikaela. "I see. So, what do you think? Does she really not remember anything from the time she fainted after we left Nagoya until now?"
Mika shook his head and paused for a moment, as if unsure what to say next. Knowing that this was a delicate topic for the blond, Shinoa said nothing and waited patiently as she picked up the teacup she'd filled with blood earlier and offered it to him.
Her patience was rewarded when Mikaela took the cup and finally spoke. "No, I'm afraid not. It doesn't look like Yuu-chan has any recollection of what she says or does for that matter when she transforms. It's been like this for the last two weeks when I am alone with her. I assume that whatever it is inside her reveals itself to me only because of our personal history together."
"I see… Can you please clarify, if you don't mind?"
Mikaela hesitated as if he were reluctant to answer Shinoa's request, but knew it was likely necessary for at least Yuichiro's squad leader to know the truth about her, if no one else.
"Very well..." he answered.
SSSSSS
"Mika, my love, please release me from these chains…" the possessed ravenette pleaded in the sweetest voice she could muster as she placed her hands with their shackled wrists on Mikaela's chest. "We can run away like you've always wanted, just the two of us."
Mika smirked as he took "Yuu's" wrists in his hands and pushed her slightly away from himself while giving her a contemptuous gaze.
"Who's 'we', demon? You are no family, no sister of mine. Don't you dare mock me by saying things I know she never would."
"Aww… That hurts Mika!" the creature in Yuichiro's body pouted, the two black horns jutting out of her skull an obvious tell-tale sign of the creature's hold over her. "You must be terribly thirsty. Otherwise, you wouldn't say such mean things. Oh, I know! How about I offer you some of my blood like I did back at that hospital? I know you really liked it…" she cooed as she leaned forward and tried to kiss him.
Growling, the blond took "Yuichiro" by the shoulders and pinned her down onto the bed while trying to ignore the cleavage poking out from her nightgown where the buttons had come undone.
"Forget it, demon. That won't work on me, so don't waste your time. How about you just give up and release your hold on Yuu-chan?"
At his refusal, "Yuichiro" finally dropped her flirtatious act, her face contorted in fury, and she gave him a menacing look as she struggled to break free from his grip and the chains binding her to the bed.
"Damn you, bastard!", she screamed. "Release these chains or I'll devour you right here and now!"
It was moments like these that Mikaela was grateful Shinoa provided him with talismans to soundproof Yuichiro's room so that the rest of their companions could not hear her demonic railing.
Ignoring the demon's threats, Mikaela waited patiently until the demon horns jutting from Yuichiro's temples finally sunk back into her skull and covered by her rapidly healing flesh before she fell unconscious again…
SSSSSS
"So that's how it went every time?" Shinoa asked after allowing Mika to speak.
"Yes. Yuu-chan, or more accurately, the creature possessing her, might try something a little different each time, but the results are always the same: she threatens to devour me out of frustration when I don't give into her temptations or demands."
"Is that all?"
Mika shook his head. "If only," he said, his voice hinting his frustration and despair over his sister's situation.
"Tell me…" Shinoa persisted. "What else is there?"
Mika set his cup back on the table before taking out the pocket watch Shinoa had lent him and returning it to her.
"One hundred and twenty seconds. That's how long Yuu-chan was possessed the last time her demon took over. The first time it was twenty seconds. Then thirty. Then forty and so forth, until she remained in demon possession for two whole minutes. At this rate, Yuu-chan will be a demon for half a day in just half a year."
"I see… This is a problem. And not just for Yuichiro, but for all of us."
Mikaela gritted his teeth. "It wouldn't be if not for that bastard Guren Ichinose! I knew the Hyakuya Sect was already messing with Yuu-chan before she ended up in his care, but there is no doubt in my mind that Guren is the one who made her what she is now."
Recalling her own discussion with Yuichiro's guardian after the first time she transformed during the battle of Shinjuku, Shinoa frowned in silent agreement.
"I'm afraid I can't argue with that," she admitted. "Though he never confirmed or denied it one way or the other, I knew there was no way the lieutenant colonel wasn't involved in Yuichiro's seraph transformations. I must confess that I had unwittingly aided him in that endeavor until after she trashed Shinjuku. Even so, I couldn't bring myself to tell Yuu, knowing how much she admired and respected her mentor. However, after what happened in Shinjuku, I also made it clear to Guren that I would no longer help him hurt Yuichiro, whether she was aware of it or not, behind her back. Not even if he ordered it. And my conviction still stands."
Not too long ago, such a confession might have set Mikaela off. But after seeing how devoted Yuichiro's other friends were to her, including those from Satoshi's squad and Narumi as well, the blond had warmed up to them enough to accept any assistance they offered to take care of his sister since he could only do so much for Yuichiro on his own.
"Tell me, Shinoa. Who exactly is Guren Ichinose?"
The purple-haired girl was stunned by the sudden and unexpected question.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me, Miss Hiragi. I want to know what kind of man uses and manipulates an innocent young girl he's supposed to protect. And, judging from the way you talk about Guren Ichinose, it's safe to assume that you know him quite well."
Shinoa sighed as she poured herself another cup of tea and considered Mika's question for a moment. Although she preferred not to discuss her former superior officer with anyone, Shinoa also knew that if she wanted her new vampire ally to trust her, and with Yuichiro's well-being no less, she needed to be as honest with him as possible.
"If you really want to know, then please have a seat, Mikaela. This could take a while." *8*
Taking Shinoa's invitation, Mika seated himself in the armchair Shinoa was sitting on earlier while she awaited his late arrival.
"I've got time," he said simply.
Shinoa smiled as if she expected such a response from Yuichiro's ever protective brother. As she probed her mind on how to begin, Shinoa turned away from Mika and gazed into the fireplace in silence for a moment.
And as she had done for him earlier, Mikaela waited patiently for Shinoa to speak.
"I was eight years old when I first met Guren Ichinose. He was young, barely past his sixteenth year, but already the head of his family. Like Yuichiro, Guren was a prodigy with a near-genius level intellect, incredible fighting skills, and exceptional leadership abilities, even though he put on a facade of being the complete opposite to the world in his youth."
"He also has a knack for manipulation and doesn't mind using it. Even on those he professes to care about," Mika pointed out bitterly.
Instead of being offended, Shinoa smiled sadly and nodded.
"Yes, that, too. Especially if he deems it necessary for the greater good. Guren can be a difficult person to read, even to his closest friends. He often keeps things to himself and has no qualms about dishonesty, should it be necessary to achieve his objectives."
"Even to Yuu-chan?"
"Especially to Yuichiro. Oh, I was just as appalled as you were when I confronted him about it after the events in Shinjuku. I wanted to know what Yuu really meant to Guren and what his true intentions were. After all, she was just another orphan out of thousands left to fend for themselves after the world fell," Shinoa pointed out.
"Except that wasn't the case with Yuu-chan and he knew it. It can't be coincidence that she was the one Guren chose to raise when there were countless other orphaned children on the surface world who needed homes as well," Mika pointed out.
"Yes, I agree. I strongly suspected that, while Guren appeared to somewhat care for Yuichiro, he saw her as a tool first and foremost."
"For what, exactly?"
"That in itself is also a long story, but I'll do my best to give you the short version."
"Go on."
Without turning around, Shinoa continued. Even as someone who normally respected her superior's privacy, she was willing to make exceptions when she knew the life and well-being of someone involved with Guren was at stake.
"Guren's family, the Ichinoses, were what you might called an outcast lower branch of the Hiragi family. They were considered 'defects' and thus despised and scorned. Throughout his young life, Guren had been mistreated for no reason other than the blood that flowed in his veins. Yet he bore it all without flinching. That was, until he met and fell in love with someone he shouldn't have: Mahiru Hiragi, my elder sister."
"You mean, the demon in his sword? Wasn't she the one who made Guren take Yuu-chan hostage at the airport?"
"Yes and no. If there's something you should know about our demon contractors, it's that they cannot actually force us to do anything against our will. Rather, they encourage and manipulate humans into acting on their true desires, and Guren is no different. While it's true that he saved and raised Yuichiro for his own purposes, I believe that he also has a degree of emotional attachment to her as well."
Mikaela scoffed. "Like love? Do you believe he's even capable of such an emotion? It didn't look like it to me when Guren threatened to slice Yuu-chan's throat open just to keep me away from her."
"Well, you'd be surprised to know that it was out of 'love' for my sister that Guren started plotting the downfall of the Hiragi family in the first place. Changing his family's disgraced status was actually second fiddle to that, as unbelievable as it may seem."
"And judging by what we saw at Nagoya, it didn't work out that way if your sister is no longer human and the Hiragis are still in power and searching for Yuu-chan as we speak. And they aren't the only ones either," Mika said acridly.
"Yes, I'm well aware that the vampires will be after her as well."
"I know, but I wasn't talking about the vampires."
"What do you mean?" Shinoa asked curiously.
"He will come for her. You know this as well as I do. The only question is when, and how."
Shinoa smiled sadly as she finally turned around and faced her blond companion. As much as she wanted to assure Mikaela that his sister would be safe under the protection of her squad and Satoshi's, they both knew that Guren had invested far too much in Yuichiro to give her up that easily.
"I…can't argue with that. But we're doing everything we can for Yuichiro. I don't know what else to tell you."
Mikaela sighed and his expression softened. "Look, Shinoa. Despite what you might think, I am not heartless. I sympathize with Guren's tragic past, I really do. But even so, I will not let him use or sacrifice Yuu-chan for his own ends, whether it be to settle his personal vendetta against your family or turn the tide of this war in the humans' favor."
"Believe me, I feel the same way. But I must tell you that without Guren's protection and guidance, Yuichiro would not have even survived alone outside the vampire city, let alone become the warrior she is now, despite her many gifts and talents."
"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right, Shinoa. I'm sure Yuu-chan didn't tell you this, but it was my fault our brothers and sisters were killed trying to escape the vampire city. So, in a sense, I am responsible for her ending up in Guren's hands."
As he said this, Mika shut his eyes and gritted his teeth again while remembering the cold hard truth of Guren's words back at Nagoya Airport that had tempted him to execute the man then and there. In fact, he would have, had Yuu not begged Mika to spare his life.
Go on... Without me, Yuichiro would be dead by now. Because of you.
"Mika, are you all right?" Shinoa asked in concern after noticing the vampire's prolonged silence while he was lost in thought.
"I'm fine," he insisted. "You're right. Even though I can't forgive what Guren did to Yuu-chan, I have to admit that I'm in his debt for being there for her when I couldn't. Even if it was for his own ends."
Shinoa smiled. "Yes, the lieutenant colonel is a rather complex man. And like I've said before, he has many talents. Not only is Guren among the best leaders and fighters I have ever seen, but he can also carry a tune. One might say his voice is hypnotic, as I'm sure Yuichiro herself can tell you."
"About that," Mika began. "When we saw him at the airport, I've noticed that Guren held Yuu-chan in thrall with his singing. What kind of sorcery was it?"
Although she knew it was hardly appropriate to do so, Shinoa could not help smiling in amusement at Mika's inquiry.
"Sorcery? I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to call it that, even though Guren's voice is enchanting. I think it's most likely difficult for Yuu to resist its lure due to her love of music and…affections for him as her mentor."
Mikaela wasn't sure if he should be appalled or impressed by Shinoa's revelation.
"You've got to be kidding me. Are you seriously saying that all Guren has to do to secure Yuu-chan's obedience when she hesitates to do his bidding is open his mouth and sing to her?" he asked incredulously.
It took all of Shinoa's effort to resist teasing Mika over his envy of Guren's musical talents and their effects on Yuichiro. Instead, she set her teacup on the table before approaching Mikaela and placing both her hands on his shoulders.
"Mikaela, there is no need to be jealous. I don't presume to know Yuichiro as well as you do, but I do know this: she chose you, not Guren. And I doubt that even his siren-esque voice would be enough to change that."
Mika closed his eyes as he gently took Shinoa's hand in his own. "Yes, you're right. Thank you for reminding me. The question is, what will you do when he finally comes for her? I know what I must do."
"If you're concerned that the rest of us will be caught between our loyalty to Guren and our vow to protect Yuichiro, then you can put it to rest. We will defy not only him, but also the Hiragis, the entire Demon Army, and the vampires as well to keep her safe," Shinoa assured before placing a gentle sisterly kiss on his cheek.
Relieved that he no longer had to worry whether the Shinoa and Satoshi squads would hesitate to protect Yuichiro from those who would seek to exploit her, Mika gently squeezed Shinoa's hand.
"Thank you, Shinoa. You have my gratitude. And if it's not too much to ask, I would appreciate it if you kept this discussion a secret from Yuu-chan and the others."
"I will. You have my word. Will that be all, Mikaela?"
"Yes. I'll be taking my leave now since I've kept you up long enough. Good night, Shinoa."
"Good night, Mikaela. Sleep well."
Footnotes
1. Refer to "Broken Bridges, Mended Hearts, Chapter 31.
2. The scene of Mika in civilian clothing is an anime original but I've decided to include it in my AU.
3. In the manga continuation of SotE that takes place after season 2 of the anime, Yuichiro and company settles in a seaside village that was still occupied by people but in my fic, the village is completely deserted.
4. In the anime adaptation, there is a four month time skip at the end of season 2 while in the manga, it is three months. In my fic, the time skip is much shorter between the Nagoya and Osaka arc: two weeks.
5. Male!Yuu mentions Guren constantly after waking from his coma but fem!Yuu is a bit more considerate of Mika's feelings knowing that he obviously doesn't like her guardian.
6. In the manga, the village people provide Shinoa's squad with all their basic necessities in exchange for hunting the monsters roaming the area. In my AU, everyone has to provide for their own needs because the village is deserted.
7. In addition to being deserted, I am also going with the suggestion of Falchion1984 that the seaside village has been vacated fairly recently so that may still have electricity and running water.
8. Most of what I had Shinoa tell Mika about Guren's past came from my limited knowledge of the SotE prequel light novels, "Catastrophe at 16", which I have not yet had time to read in detail. If any of my reviewers have read them and can give me suggestions on how to make the Shinoa/Mika discussion about Guren more in-depth, accurate, and interesting, please let me know and I will fix it.