XXII

Amelia Lightwood

"How is she?" asked NingNing.

Kouji tucked Amy into her bed and placed a towel over her head. She was burning up and breathing hard. He didn't know the kind of effects Devil and Angelic magic pressure could to a human, not both of them at the same time anyway. He kept forgetting that Amy was a regular human, no way she would be able to stand in the presence of two beings like that, especially not when both of them were seconds away from going for each other's throat, even if it was all an act.

"I feel terrible…" Lady Gabriel looked down at the girl. "Should I heal her?"

"She'll be alright after she gets some rest," Kouji smiled. "But why didn't you tell us Sirzechs would do that? You could have let us know, Lady Gabriel."

"If I were to tell you, you would unconsciously know that he wasn't a danger to you," said Lady Gabriel. "The mask wouldn't have manifested."

"As stupid and dangerous as it was…she has a point," NingNing sighed. "In a way, it was the quickest way of getting the Devil King to trust us. If that mask had fully taken over, you would probably have died."

"Good thing I practiced," Kouji sighed. "What now?"

"I'll leave you to your own devices for the time being," said Lady Gabriel. "Now that Sirzechs is on our side, I have to convince Micheal to do the same. He's easy enough…but Raphael is getting rather trigger happy. If he sends his Seraphs, I won't be able to intervene."

"Do your best Lady Gabriel," said NingNing. "We'll be ready when the time comes."

Lady Gabriel smiled as she vanished.

Kouji stretched his arms as he walked to the door, opening it to see the sun beginning to rise. They had really spent the whole night at that negotiation…he didn't realize that much time had passed. He hadn't slept in a few days but he felt fine…does this mean he doesn't need to sleep at all?

"Kouji," said NingNing. "What did you mean when you said you knew who the White Dragon was? You've met him before?"

"No," said Kouji. "Imugi recognized him. Apparently the Heavenly Dragons are its descendants, I'm not really sure how that works."

"It's kind of complicated," said NingNing. "They're not direct descendants of Imugi. That thing is the first Demon but also the first dragon…but technicallity, all dragons created after it are related to it."

"Yeah…weird," said Kouji. "So they're created? Who creates them?"

"That part's even more complicated," NingNing sighed. "Think of it like how a star is born. A big explosion of mass and power that results in the creation of something…that's how a dragon is born. Each is unique in their own way, but the strength of each dragon is dictated in the power used in their birth."

"Okay yeah I'm not following that at all," said Kouji.

NingNing smiled and took his arm. "You don't have to. I'm just happy we got out of that whole meeting unscathed…well most of us."

"Hey!" cried a familiar voice down the steps. "What the hell!"

Kouji's lips curved into a bright smile. She was here…She was really here. One leg went in front of the other and before he knew it, he was running at Winter with his arms open. She hadn't changed a bit…even if her hair was silver rather than the blonde he remembered her as. It didn't matter what she looked like…it was really-

Seconds before he touched her, Winter slapped him on the cheek hard enough to leave her handprint on his cheek.

"What did you do?" cried Winter. "How could you do that to me? To us? How could you just try and erase our memories like that? How could you…How could you just toss us aside like that? Do you know how much I was worried sick about you? Do you know how many nights I stayed conscious thinking about what you had…to go…through…" Her eyes swelled up with tears as she choked on her words. "You…You must have been so alone…Kouji I-"

He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. His eyes teared up as he held her. He had missed her company more than anyone else's…As much as he thought it was just her quirk before, her constant need to hold him in some way was something he didn't know he would miss so much until she wasn't there anymore.

"I've missed you," said Kouji. "So much…So much."

"You idiot," She squeezed him tight and buried her face in his chest. "Don't ever do that again or I swear I'm going to freeze you solid…wait did you get taller?" She pushed away and looked at his face with shock. "Your hair!"

"I said the same thing," NingNing leaned forward and smiled. "I missed you too."

"Oh it's so good to hold you again!" Winter hugged NingNing this time. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner…I had to go to Vatican City."

"For the murder of Alice, right?" asked NingNing. "How'd it go?"

"Before that," Kouji smiled. "Should we get something to eat? I know you're probably starving."

Winter's stomach growled on queue, sending her into an embarrassed flush. "M…Maybe…"

It was a surprisingly short trip now that there were two Angels to teleport him anywhere, and after making sure the Church was safeguarded for Amy to rest, they arrived at Obu's ramen shop. He had been dying to actually finish a bowl of ramen here since he ran into Issei and Asia.

Surprisingly enough, the place was open 24/7 so they were actually able to get a table before Winter ordered one of everything from the menu. As they ate, Winter explained what she found at the Vatican.

"Jeanne?" asked Kouji. "You think she's the one who killed Princess Alice?"

Winter slurped up her 8th bowl of ramen before burping. "The trajectory of the angle of the wound that killed her didn't match up with a normal thrust by a handheld sword, even if the killer was shorter then Alice. There were also scuff marks on the floor of her bedroom. Somebody tried to hide it but it's hard to mask the remnants of a Sacred Gear like Blade Blacksmith."

"But…why would Jeanne kill Alice?" asked NingNing.

"The prophecy," said Kouji. "If she's the one who killed Alice, then the Hero Faction knows about the prophecy too."

"But that doesn't make any sense," said NingNing. "Alice was a good person who helped others. If the Hero Faction wanted to stop the prophecy, killing Alice wouldn't have been the way to go."

She's right. Alice could have helped them to decipher more of the prophecy. Now that she's dead, there's no one to fully interpret the prophecy beyond it's surface meaning. If they were planning on stopping it…that is.

"You don't think," said Kouji. "They're not trying to stop it?"

"That was my guess," Winter began her 9th bowl. "I relayed everything to Lady Gabriel before coming here so she knows too."

Their circumstances aside, watching Winter eat the store away was a nostalgic sight he didn't think he'd ever see again. It was only when she caught him looking that she stopped eating and awkwardly looked up at him with noodles in her mouth.

"What?" she asked. "Something on my face?"

"No," Kouji smiled. "I just really missed you guys."

"Then don't go erasing our memories," Winter leaned forward and flicked his forehead. "But yes, I missed you too." She smiled with her mouth full of noodles.

"You really need a haircut though," said NingNing. "Kouji you look like a war veteran, and that's coming from an actual war veteran."

"You don't like it?" asked Kouji. "I thought I'd grow it out and dye it."

"Oh no, don't do that," said Winter. "Dying my hair was horrifying…everything felt like straw."

He was beginning to put two and two together… "Oh my God, you guys had to dye your hair because you were idols huh? Are these your natural colors?"

"Yup," said NingNing. "I'm all black."

"I always hated my hair so I dye it either way," said Winter.

"What? Why?" asked Kouji. "I like your hair, it's pretty."

She smiled, however it was an insincere one. "Thanks, but it reminds me too much of home."

"What do you mean?" asked Kouji.

"Winter's Russian," said NingNing. "She died during World War I, well back then it was just the World War."

"Oh…" All this time he had no idea Winter was Russian. Now that he was getting a closer look at her, she still maintained some of her Russian traits. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask."

Winter smiled more sincerely this time. "It's okay, it was a long time ago anyway. Besides, if I didn't die…I wouldn't have gotten to meet you guys and have this amazing ramen…I need to pay my respects to the chef. Wait speaking of chef, why in the name of sanity were the two of you in a church?"

"It's…a long story," said Kouji. "But for right now, since we're staying in Kuoh, it's gonna be our home. Azazel refurnished the place for me but now that I'm thinking on it…there were way too many beds for just me. He must have known I would release you guys."

"Why are you referring to Azazel like that?" asked NingNing. "I hadn't asked but…it seems weird."

"Yeah Kouji," said Winter. "He's the Governer General of the Fallen Angels."

"He's an old man who's entirely obsessed with whiskey and booze," said Kouji. "We've been through a lot while you guys were…hibernating. I worked for the Grigori for a little bit, made some friends with a lot of supernatural beings before wiping their mind clean, learned squat about who I am before the kidnapping…but it was all kind of boring without you guys."

"Wish I could've been there," Winter frowned.

"Yeah," NingNing squeezed his cheek. "Shame."

"Okay, okay!" cried Kouji. "I get it, I'm sorry."

"I can't believe I was too late to your negotiation," Winter crossed her arms. "I'm great at negotiations."

"Oh we know," NingNing rolled her eyes. "I was more thinking you could have helped out in terms of political views. You're as open minded as anybody I know."

"Speaking…of open mindedness," Winter set down her chopsticks. "Kouji I have some news and it's not exactly…good."

Kouji leaned back on his chair. "What is it?"

"Well the Church is sending ambassadors to speak to Rias Gremory, the Devil leader of this town," said Winter. "I'm pretty sure it's about Alice's death and Karisma going missing…but you're not going to like who they're sending."

Kouji gulped. "Who…"

Winter leaned forward and took his hand, looking gently into his eyes. "I'm so sorry Kouji…it's Irina."

…

Amy had dreams of her training days before she was chosen by Lady Karisma. She remembered each slice against her skin during swordsmanship class, every miscalculation in magecraft training, every soreness in her muscles from the endless physical condition. Each and every detail of those days were seared into her mind…but all of it with Lady Karisma by her side.

She remembered the night her life was turned upside down. The night a Stray Devil broke into her childhood home and destroyed everything. She remembered her mother forcing her into the closet and telling her to be quiet…she remembered the screams of her father as he fought back desperately…she remembered the silence when he failed.

It was only a matter of luck that she survived. Lady Karisma happened to be in the Hamptons and sensed a Stray Devil nearby. She came as quickly as she could but by the time she did…Amy's entire family was gone. The looks on their faces forever engraved into her memory. Her father, her mother, Drake…everybody was gone.

Amy remembered looking up at Lady Karisma's face as she opened her closet, a face not two years older than her own at the time, the face of a savior.

She shot up out of her bed in a cold sweat. Amy's eyes darted around the church until she spotted Kouji sitting on the ground and leaning against her bed, playing with the scales of his Mystic Eyes, looking up and smiling at her.

"Good morning," the boy smiled at her. "You had a nightmare?"

"I…" Oh no, was she talking in her sleep again? "Yeah, kind of. What happened?"

"Negotiations with Rias Gremory went well until the Devil King Lucifer himself showed up and almost got into a fight with Lady Gabriel, remember?" Kouji got up and pushed her back down into bed. "How are you feeling? You were burning up after those two let loose their magic pressures."

"I…" That's right…the negotiations. "What happened after?"

"It was just a test," said Kouji. "He wanted to see how far I've come in handling Imugi's mask, turns out I passed. We got you some breakfast, eat up when you're ready."

Amy's eyes glanced over to their dining table, watching as NingNing played chess with another unfamiliar yet equally attractive girl with long silver hair wearing a cardigan and pajama pants.

"Morning Amy," said NingNing without so much as turning her head. "When did you get so good at chess Winter?"

"I've always been good," Winter smirked. "I just always let you win."

"Who's-"

"That's Winter," Kouji smiled. "One of Lady Gabriel's Angels, one of my sisters. Turns out releasing NingNing also released the others, but they're out on jobs for Lady Gabriel right now. Winter just happened to finish first."

"Nice to meet you," said Winter, equally distracted as NingNing. "Don't think I forgot about you putting a sword to Karina's throat. You're lucky my baby brother likes you."

"You have one crazy family," said Amy. "Sorry Kouji, I didn't mean to faint…"

"Don't sweat it," Kouji smiled. "I've been meaning to say thank you, by the way."

Amy got up and furrowed her brow. "For what?"

"For…them," he looked to Winter and NingNing. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have ever seen them again. I wouldn't be smiling, I wouldn't be…happier. All of that, all because of you."

"I didn't do anything," said Amy. "I just got sick of you moping around being depressed."

"Do you wanna tell me about it?" asked Kouji.

"About…what?" asked Amy.

"Amy I've been hearing you talk in your sleep for three days," said Kouji. "Seeing as I don't really sleep a lot, I listen. What happened?"

It was weird. Amy felt like she knew Kouji well before she even talked to him, really talked to him in Kuoh. She had watched him go from one place to another, helping out every town and city he visited, helping spirits move on and resolve their regrets…He had helped so many people and so many families in the past year, all without so much as letting a single person remember him. He did it because he loved helping people, loved humans…meanwhile the Church was deadset on killing someone like him.

"I was 10," said Amy. "I was sleeping in my room when I heard it. Like a rattling or a growl…and my mom came in and woke me up. She told me not to worry, not to be afraid, that everything was going to be okay. I remembered how scared she looked, how terrified she must have been…but she put me in the closet and told me to try my best to be quiet."

"Amy…" said Kouji.

"I heard the Stray Devil blast into my room with my dad trying to fight it off," said Amy. "He couldn't do much…neither could my mom. Turns out it had already gotten to my baby brother before it came into my room…he was 7."

"Jesus."

"Lady Karisma found me," said Amy. "She took me from that house and asked if I wanted to stay with her. She said she would help me make sure that nothing like that happens to anyone else…that no child will ever have to lose their family like that. She's a good person, Kouji. Duty may come before feeling to her…but it doesn't mean she doesn't have a heart. I know it must have killed her to do what she did but she did it in the name of humanity."

"I know," Kouji sighed. "I…I don't blame you, or her, or anyone anymore…if anything I'm the one to blame."

"I'm not saying that she's not to blame," said Amy. "All I'm saying is that everybody deserves a second chance…You gave me a second chance, right?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess I did. I mean look at us. I'm a demon-human hybrid, there's two angels over there playing chess, and we're in a town that's filled to the brim with Devils, one of them being the Devil King's sister. In a way, you're the only thing that's human left in my life."

"I'm sorry Kouji," Amy's eyes began to tear up. "About…About King. I didn't know she would do that…none of us did. We didn't know…We didn't know how far Lady Karisma was willing to go."

Kouji placed his hand on her head and smiled. "You are forgiven. So don't beat yourself up about the past, alright? I know I was…hostile, but you showed me that there was another way other than isolation. I owe you my life."

"We don't," NingNing stood up from her seat and turned her head towards them. "Listen girl, the only reason you aren't six feet under right now is because I care very much for Kouji. Killing you would make him sad. He may have forgiven you but we will never forgive you for what you've done. Whether or not you were the one who stabbed King doesn't matter, you might as well have been holding that blade from the way we see it."

"She's right," said Winter. "I don't know you, like at all, but I can't forgive the pain you caused my baby brother." Seeing Winter walk over to her sent shivers down her spine. She had heard stories of Lady Gabriel's angels, everybody from Griselda Quarta to NingNing…their stories echoed through the Church. "You and your people killed his best friend, one of my fans, and backed him so far into a corner that he felt he had no other option at survival other than giving into that thing…"

"Stop it," Kouji intervened. "I get you guys are angry…but everybody deserves a second chance."

"KoujI!" cried Winter. "How can you forgive her?"

"It's not about forgiving…" said Kouji. "Forgiving someone's the easy part, Winter. And if you guys remember, all of you tried to kill me too."

"Y-Yeah but that was-"

"How is that any different from what Karisma tried to do?" asked Kouji. "You guys thought I was dangerous…you guys tried to kill me, but you all saw the good in me, right? You saw that I could be more then what the world told me I was…Can't you do the same for her?"

"Kouji…" said Winter.

Amy felt the blood rushed to her cheeks as Kouji placed a hand on her head, defending her to his sisters. What the hell was wrong with her? Why was she so nervous?

"Amy's a friend," said Kouji. "You guys saw the good in me, you guys trusted me…now I'm asking you to trust me again, okay?"

Winter frowned. "Okay fine! Fine…" She grabbed a box of pastries and pulled out a flaky croissant. "Open up."

"W-What?" asked Amy.

"It's a croissant from a bakery down the street," said Winter. "I thought…I thought we could have a snack together."

"For me?" asked Amy.

Winter nodded. "This one's mine but…you can have it."

"I'm not saying it'll happen by tomorrow," said NingNing. "But…I can try to get along with you, happy?"

Amy smiled, looking to Kouji who gave her a nod. This was different then anything Amy had ever known before. In the Church, even in Lady Karisma's unit, everybody got along…but it wasn't close to friendship. Everybody just bowed to Lady Karisma's authority, they all served under a single master…they were colleagues, not friends.

"Thank you," said Amy. "It…It means a lot to me."

"Good," Winter smiled. "I hope you like it though, I don't really like chocolate all that much so…"

"N-No, I don't like chocolate either," said Amy.

"You don't?" asked Kouji. "Didn't I make you a hot chocolate the other day? Why didn't you say anything?"

"You already made it," said Amy. "I didn't want to be ungrateful."

"Speaking of Kouji making food…" NingNing's eyes wandered around the church. "I think I speak for the whole group when I say…we need a kitchen, like bad."

"Yes!" Winter shot to her feet and practically drooled. "We. Need. Kitchen. NingNing, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Renovations?" the girls smiled at each other.

"You guys are serious not planning on putting a functioning kitchen in here…are you?" asked Amy. "We don't have running water to use like that, or-"

"D-Don't," Kouji sighed, sitting down besides her and stealing a croissant. "Once they set their minds to something, they're gonna do it. We should just eat while they work."

"What are you thinkin?" asked NingNing. "I saw we put a stovetop there…counter there…cabinets here…"

"We need an island!" cried Winter. "How else are we gonna watch him cook?"

"And a fridge!" cried NingNing. "Yes, yes! You start breaking things apart, I'll start making what we need."

Amy found herself in a nervous sweat as she scooted over for Kouji to hop in bed next to her, eating away as they watched Winter and NingNing tear apart a corner of the Church.

"What's wrong?" asked Kouji. "Is your fever back? Your face is red."

"What?" Amy felt her cheeks and turned away. "N-No, I'm fine…just nervous I guess."

"About what?" he smiled.

"I…I've never had…friends," said Amy. "It's the first time I've spent this much time around people who weren't my colleagues. Everybody in Lady Karisma's unit are just that, soldiers working for a general. I've never been friends with others before."

"We are not friends!" cried NingNing.

"Spend more time with us…" Winter wound up her fist before punching an entire wall away. "And you're practically family!"

Kouji smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to them, but they're right. NingNing and Winter are my best friends but they're also my sisters…Karina and Giselle too. I never really had a lot of friends either, just King and Irina. I know how you feel."

Amy smiled and bit her croissant. "Should we help them?"

"Nah they got it," Kouji slid down and got comfortable. "Besides, we gotta save our energy for later."

Her brow furrowed. "What's later?"

"My adoptive sister that doesn't remember me," said Kouji. "Irina's one of the ambassadors coming to talk to Rias about Alice's murder and potentially finding a weapon that can kill me...The three of us decided to eavesdrop in on the meeting. Wanna come with us?"