Liddy appears to be fully free of the Abyss, Charlotte prescribed her with medicine to deal with the growth pains she'll experience but aside from that there doesn't appear to be any physical changes. ~Matthew
'Thank the Gods.' Artorian sighed as he looked at his PDA, having just received the message from Matthew. The Dragon Slayer had informed him of each instance important for the operation; including the process, moment of completion and when Liddy had woken up. Luckily there appeared to be none of the negative side effects of the Abyss, meaning the Slayer did well in resisting it.
Growth will be the most immediate change she'll have. The other changes will come likely in the next two to three days, we'll deal with it when it comes. ~Artorian
Make sure this doesn't happen again. ~Matthew
"Yeah, I'll get right on that asshole." The Abysswalker muttered as he pocketed his PDA, sighing as he looked out to the ocean view. He was currently at the docks on the island, him and Emilia agreeing to meet off Little Garden for the sake of simplicity of getting out. He was unsure of how to prepare for the date, simply going with his casual clothes rather than putting on his uniform for comfort's sake.
"Hey Artorian, sorry if I'm a little late. It took awhile to get ready." The Lord would hear after a few minutes, feeling Emilia pat his shoulder from behind.
"Nah, you're on time Emile. I came a little early was all…" He'd respond, turning to face the Slayer and pausing when he saw her. He had expected the girl to be in her boy disguise, but was caught off guard as she was dressed in a white dress, small frills on some of the ends while her hair was let down instead of being tied back like normal.
"Oh, that's good, I was worried that I was falling behind." She'd smile, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "It's been awhile since I prepared myself as a girl rather than a guy. It felt weird almost."
"I'd bet." He'd agree, his composure remaining calm as he put a hand on his hip. "Gotta say, I'm surprised you dressed like that. What if one of our classmates sees you?"
"We'll be careful, I didn't get this far playing a guy by being a novice." Emilia promised, poking her fingers together as she looked to the side with a small smile and blush. "And even then, I don't mind if I get found out at some point. You said you liked seeing me more like this, didn't you?"
"I mean you certainly won't see me complaining." He would say. "I just wanted to make sure that's what you want. I said I enjoy seeing you as a woman but I don't want you to feel pressured into completely dropping your cover for that."
"It's fine, promise." She would say, looking back up to him. "Besides, it feels nice to breathe normally for a change. I even get the chance to finally try on one of the dresses Char got for me."
"Well, if you say so. I just feel underdressed now."
"Oh don't worry, we can fix that soon enough."
"You are not taking me shopping to start a date."
"I hate this. I hate this immensely and I hope you know that." Artorian said as he stood outside of a changing room holding a stack of several outfits. Him and Emilia having entered the store despite his constant protests, the girl determined to find a new look for the hybrid.
"Oh stop being such a spoil sport, you'll have fun I promise!" The white haired girl promised, grinning as she pushed on his back, ushering him in before closing the door on him. "There's nothing wrong with trying a new look or two!"
"You grabbed nearly fifty different sets of clothes! We'll be in here for hours if you make me go through all of this shit!"
"We won't be if you just try them on, just give it a shot." Emilia pleaded, getting met with silence for a few seconds before an exasperated sigh was heard.
"I cannot believe I'm doing this." Artorian would groan, a bright smile returning to Emilia's lips as he would begin to change.
The first outfit he put on was a red shirt with a brown jacket and black sweatpants, the Lord shifting uncomfortably at his arms being completely covered by the sleeves.
"So, how do you like it?"
"It feels hot." He answered, rolling his arms with a dissatisfied stare. "The jacket's one thing, but the shirt's long sleeves makes this unbearable."
"But I thought you were colder than most people?"
"I like the cold, this just feels like I'm getting ready for winter."
"Alright then, go try another one on!" Emilia cheered, getting another sigh before he went in.
When he came out next he had on a black shirt with short sleeves and a matching pants. Both simply stared at each other for a few seconds, Emilia looking to his hair and eyes in contrast before they both looked down.
"Nope." They said in sync, admitting the color did not suit Artorian well. The process would go on for the next twenty minutes, with Artorian wearing a variety of clothes, all serving to be a resounding no from the Lord despite some appearing good to the girl.
"Over forty outfits, and not even one that you remotely like." Emilia whined while sitting out of the changing room, Artorian in the process of putting the last available outfit on.
"Hey, I prefer to be comfortable rather than look good. Not my fault you want me to play dress up to decide what I should wear." He argued, rolling his eyes as he put his shirt on.
"A lot of them looked really good on you though! I was sure the last one was a keeper."
"I hate button up shirts, too much work and they rip up easily. I already wear one for our uniform and that's enough for me." He stated, giving the reason without a second thought. "I also really hate the color green."
"Our uniforms are green though?"
"And I never said I liked it, a mystery how that works out."
"Hrrrmmmmm…" Emilia groaned, resting her chin on her hands as she looked to the door. "It'd help if you picked out some of the clothes, you're the only one who knows what you want to wear."
"Yeah, but I have no fashion sense. I thought my old outfit screamed that." Artorian would then walk out, the latest outfit catching Emilia's eye as she looked up. The Lord had on a brown shirt and jeans, the former having short sleeves that reached halfway to his elbows. However most of the shirt was obscured by the navy blue shawl that reached down just past his elbows.
"So… what about this one?" Emilia asked cautiously. She had saw that Artorian wasn't moving around nearly as much as he had with all the others, the Lord looking to his arms while taking in all the details.
"Shawl feels a little weird, feels like I'm begging for attention with how it's set." He responded, moving his arms a bit to push the sides of the shawl. "Shirt feels good, and the jeans don't appear to limit my movement too much." He then crossed his arms, sighing as he gave a small smile. "You know what? It's good enough for now. Something needs to be changed but I think this look will serve to keep me from looking like a hobo in comparison to you."
"What do you mean, it looks great on you!" Emilia smiled, standing up in excitement. "The blue goes really well with your eyes, and brown is a surprisingly good look for you!"
"If you say so, I don't have the touch to say that." He would chuckle at her exuberance, finding it relaxing in some odd fashion.
His eyes would then trail to the store, taking a measurement of everything before settling on two familiar figures. His instincts kicked in and he grabbed Emilia by her wrist, surprising her as he pulled them into the changing room before closing it.
"A-Artorian!? What are you-mmpph!?" Emilia attempted to speak, but was stopped as Artorian placed a hand over her mouth.
The girl was caught off guard and confused, reaching up to his hand before the sound of a familiar voice was heard.
"Seriously, you can't just wear the uniform 24/7!" Reitia would argue as she and Matthew stepped into view through the crack of the door. "It'd be nice if you actually wore something besides it when we hang out. It feels like you don't try to be a normal person."
"First, as a part of Selections it's expected I wear it more often. Second, we're usually on Little Garden so the uniform concept is further needed. And third, you're one to talk." The hybrid responded, getting a stern stare from the girl as she crossed her arms.
'He saw them in the store…' Emilia realized, looking up to Artorian as he kept a hold on her, keeping his back pressed against the far end of the room while the two remained in view outside. The girl would then relax in his grasp, knowing he did it to keep her identity secret from Reitia.
"Jeez, I was just making the comment. It wouldn't kill you to smile a bit, instead of the constant glare you have on." Reitia would then shrug, walking out of view as she turned. "But I know you won't, so we have to think of a few different looks to make you look better."
"You just want to shop for your own outfits and are using me as a scapegoat." Matthew called out, looking to the side where Artorian and Emilia's changing room was.
"Navy blue does not work for you." He would whisper before walking off, getting an irritated growl from Artorian.
"Navy blue brings out my eyes you fuck." Artorian responded as he walked out of view, defensive of the critique on the grounds that it was the Slayer who said it.
"Damn, who would've figured with a whole town to explore they end up in the exact same store we were." Artorian would sigh, taking his hand off of Emilia's mouth to allow her to speak.
"A-Actually… Reitia was the one who told me about this sto-OW!" Emilia winced in pain as Artorian flicked the side of her head, putting enough force to sting. "Whhhhhhhhhhyyy?"
"The fact she brought it up should've clued you in she intended on coming here." Artorian said, looking down to Emilia as her back remained pressed against his front. "Your identity would've been blown if I didn't see them. Even if we clue her in, the more people that know the more likely the secret will get out."
"Sorry…" Emilia muttered, looking down in embarrassment and shame as her hands still held onto his arm.
"Damn it, don't give the puppy eyes. Karen's are bad enough…" The boy would groan. "You just need to be more on your guard is all. You don't have the advantage of cross-dressing to excuse the situations you get caught in."
"I understand, thank you for the save." Emilia said, now able to relax as the two waited for Reitia and Matthew to be out of potential sight.
After they felt it was safe, the two exited out of the changing room and paid for Artorian's clothes, the two getting out of the shop as quick as they could as to avoid running into any other students.
Deciding they needed to get further away from Little Garden, the two took the bus to get out to the nearest town. According to Emilia, there was a good place to eat there, which felt appropriate for them to go to as lunch was coming up. It also served as plenty of reason to get out of town without appearing suspicious.
When they had gotten to the restaurant, Artorian took a second to register the François décor. The sight of which sent several red flags to his mind.
"You didn't learn this from Reitia too, did you?"
"No, Char actually recommended the place to me." Emilia answered, the two seating themselves and looking into the menu.
'Oh Gods damn it.' Artorian would think, seeing that the menu was entirely in françoisen. 'Over a dozen languages and this is the one that they have written in… makes sense but FUCK!'
"Everything okay Artorian?" Emilia asked, seeing Artorian's narrowed stare at the worthless menu.
"Yeah… I just don't know what I'm reading." He admitted, dropping the menu onto the table and lowering his head in shame. "I've learned over a dozen languages, and françoisen was the only one I could never get down. I don't know why either, it just doesn't click for me."
"Oh, well I can. Is there anything specific that you'd want?" The girl would offer, seeing him show actual shame in not knowing the language.
"Nah, I'll just have what you have."
"Are you sure, I kinda eat a lot."
"I'll be fine. Trust me I have a bigger stomach than you'd think."
"I made a miscalculation." The boy said with a deadpanned expression, looking at the amount of food that was on the table. For just the two of them it seemed as if there was a meal for four, easily more than enough for the two of them to eat were they normal.
However despite the ridiculous amount, it had actually made sense to the boy that they had so much. Both of them were Variants, and as such burned through an excessive amount of energy throughout the day without actually using it. The amount of food he needed to eat easily doubled, and he still had to eat a lot before then with his Lord half practically burning calories away when he trained. It was however still a sight to see a girl of Emilia's size and figure to eat so much.
"Is something wrong?" Emilia asked, finishing a plate of fish while swapping it for cold pumpkin soup.
"No, I'm fine." He shook his head, chuckling to himself as he ate a piece of scallop. "I guess I'm not fully used to seeing so much food at once. For one I never pegged you for a glutton."
"Hey, you know full well why I eat so much."
"Of course I do, doesn't change you're a glutton."
"Jerk."
"Just calling them as I see 'em." He shrugged, the two enjoying their lunch while having an idle chat.
It was a rarity for the two to see anyone eat the same as them, but at the same time there was a level of comfort to the aspect. They haven't known each other for long since their reunion on Little Garden, but the bond they had were growing surprisingly. Every day felt as if a new view on them was made, for the better or worse it was always up in the air.
"I'll be back in a minute." Emilia would say after the two finished eating, excusing herself as she walked back to the restroom.
"Heh, guess it still has to come out at some point." Artorian chuckled to himself, finding his joke funnier than it should be. He'd then rest back in his chair, looking up to the ceiling with a distant stare. "Strong, gluttonous, compassionate… Gods to think she's the same scared little girl from back then…"
He'd then raise his hand to stare at his palm, seeing the flash of burning splinters as he recalled the Second Attack in vivid detail. "Then again, I guess I was just as scared back then." Placing his hand onto his face, he'd try to block the memories out as he sighed. "Don't think about it, there's no point mourning the distant past. They wouldn't want you to be absorbed in it."
'Hayato… dad… am I doing the right thing?' He'd think to himself, his last thoughts on the past before his PDA on the table started to vibrate.
Sitting back up straight, Artorian looked down to his device to see "EMERGENCY CALL", the sight surprising him enough to pick it up immediately.
"What's going on?"
"Good, you picked up." Claire spoke on the other side of the call, sounding both tired and relieved. "Artorian, we have a bit of a problem."
"Damn it, where did the Savage pop up? Emile and I can be back at Little Garden and gear up in a few minutes if we move quick."
"No, that isn't the problem. Although I must admit it'd be much easier if it were…" The blonde muttered at the end, getting the boy to raise an eyebrow.
"No Savage? Then… why did you…?"
"Sakura Kirishima has disappeared from the hotel."
"How the fuck did she disappear!?" Artorian suddenly shot up to his feet, spooking half the patrons in the restaurant as he shouted. "There's over a dozen Slayers at the hotel, how could she just disappear without anyone knowing!?"
"It's most likely she had simply snuck away, the Slayers are assigned to watch the building, not monitor her every move." Claire informed. "Her PDA's GPS has also been shut off, so she likely had this planned and simply snuck away."
'Damn it Pinky…' Artorian thought with a narrowed stare. Kidnapping was unlikely to start, but he had a bad feeling in his stomach over her disappearing. Sakura's a famous idol, one that has no ability to defend herself. All it would take is one creep and she could be…
"Damn it, so is there anything else?" Artorian would ask, sitting back down as he attempted to calm himself, keeping his thoughts on worst-case scenarios down.
"We have several Slayers out tracking her, but I felt we had to call you. You had guarded her yesterday, meaning you would have the best chance at knowing where she is. And if that is the case, I would want you helping with the search right away. Preferably the sooner the better."
.
.
.
"You sound mad." Artorian commented, picking up the subtle hostility in Claire's tone. "I get the idea you're mad, it's a hunch but I can definitely hear it in your voice."
"What are you saying? Claire would say in the same tone, adding onto the hybrid's instincts. "What reason could I possibly have for being angry right now? Certainly not something as simple as you and Emile eating at a Françoise restaurant in Eastland?"
.
.
.
"Did this turn into a booty call?"
"Artorian!"
"Better question, are you watching us?"
"I had to find you as soon as possible, I've been pressed on searching for Sakura for the past hour. I haven't even had the chance to eat lunch because of this."
'There it is…'
"Claire, there are easier ways to ask someone out on a date than to use an emergency call as a medium."
"Th-That is not what this call is about Artorian!"
"Nope, but I assume it was going to come up sooner or later." He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Look, if I have to go looking for Sakura that means me and Emile will have to cut this date short, meaning we'll have to set another one. And I have a prior engagement to get to next week. Would you want to go out for lunch sometime after then?"
"That… that would sound nice." Claire would say, sounding embarrassed but grateful at the same time. "We-well then, if all's settled than I must get back to my own side of the search. Please contact me if you hear anything else regarding Ms. Kirishima."
"You got it Boss-in-Blonde." Artorian said, hanging up on the call and placing the PDA back on the table. "So the pink-ocalypse ran off… fuck I don't know where to look."
"I finally found you, Artorian."
'Never mind.' He rolled his eyes as a girl wearing a hat and sunglasses sat down in Emilia's chair, the boy instantly putting together who it was.
"You know you pulled a hell of a stunt turning your GPS off and sneaking out right? They have Little Garden heading your search, and it doesn't sound that Claire's happy about it."
"Fuuu… you couldn't have even played it off for a minute?" Sakura would ask, pulling her shades down to reveal her pink eyes slightly. "How did you know it was me?"
"First, the outfit isn't something to hide your figure very well. Second, I never forget the figure of a woman."
"60 points."
"We're still doing that?"
"Well, you have a lot of room to grow, so I have to make sure you preform well." Sakura would say as she looked away, pouting with her arms crossed underneath her chest. "You're lucky to get a score as good as 60, I don't mind your pervyness but you should act better in front of a beautiful young woman."
"I'm calling Prez." Artorian said, grabbing his PDA again.
"Wait!"
"Hey!" Artorian was caught off guard as Sakura was able to grab his PDA out of his hands, surprising him with her him by her quick reflexes.
"There's a reason I came out looking for you, you know?"
"I figured, but considering a private military company's top asset is currently looking for you I figured it'd be smart to tell them I found you so no one thinks I kidnapped you and I'm not shot on sight."
"What, they wouldn't do that!"
"You clearly don't know how international PMCs work." He sighed, hanging his head as he did. "How did you even find me? It would take over an hour to search all of Westland alone."
"Oh, I put a small transmitter on you."
"…How?"
"That's not important."
"I would beg to differ!"
"How about I explain to you what I did while we head out? There's somewhere I wanted to go to with you."
"And where would that be?"
"It's a se-cret." She'd respond, playfully sticking her tongue out as she did.
"…I'm going to get in so much trouble for this." He groaned, placing a hand on his head as he did. "Fine, we'll go to your little destination. I have to keep an eye on you anyways since you left without telling anyone."
"Yay!"
"But first." Artorian then got up and swiped his PDA from Sakura, showing his own speed as he got it before she even realized he was up. "I was here with someone before you showed up, so I'll have to message them when we leave. Also…" He then pulled out his wallet and put his card underneath Emilia's discarded napkin, mentally reminding himself to include that in his message. "There, hopefully that doesn't leave her in too bad of a spot."
"Oh, so a lady friend then huh?" Sakura stared at Artorian with a measuring stare, getting him to cross his arms.
"Hate to tell you Pinky, but you aren't the first girl I've ever met." He said, ushering her to follow as the exited the restaurant. Sakura would push her glasses back up to cover her eyes, getting the boy to roll his eyes as they got onto a tourist bus and sat at the back. He would then hold out his PDA to Sakura, confusing the idol as he kept it extended to her.
"Um…?"
"Call Souffle, let her know that I'm with you."
"But if I do she'll-"
"Either you call her, or I call Claire and I drag you back to the hotel."
"Hmph! Fine…" She relented, taking his PDA and putting in her manager's number. It would only ring twice before it was picked up.
"Artorian? Did Harvey contact you on what had happened?"
"Hi… Souffle."
"Sakura!" Both the girl and Artorian recoiled at the volume, Souffle's voice booming in concern and anger. "Where on earth are you!?"
"Ow… I'm in the southern part of Eastland. You don't need to worry, I came here with Hayato so I'm fine."
"Bullshit!"
"Shh!" Sakura hushed the boy, getting him to turn away and cross his arms as he was figuratively thrown under the bus. Sakura would then begin to vaguely explain the situation to Souffle, the hybrid barely listening in as he stared out the window to watch the town landscape.
"Here." The idol would say after a minute, holding the PDA to him. "Souffle wants to speak with you."
"Fine." He'd say, taking the device and answering it. "Hey Souffle, it's Artorian."
"Artorian, I am very sorry for Sakura suddenly dropping this on you. I know it's a lot to ask, but could you please stay with her until she returns to the hotel?" Souffle apologized, her request coming off as awkward as she felt it was unjustly put upon the boy.
"Sure, it's not too much trouble." He responded. "It is what I was hired to do, I'm just clocking a few extra hours of work is all."
"Thank you, I'll be sure you're properly compensated for thrusting this job on you out of nowhere."
"Why call it work?" Sakura said as she pouted. "That makes it sound boring."
"Anyways, good luck Artorian. And once again I am sorry for the inconvenience."
"I'll take care of the pink princess, don't worry." Artorian would say, the two hanging up afterwards. "You'll be expected back at the hotel right after whatever we do, clear?"
"Of course, my rehearsals are at eight so I was planning for us to go here and then head back." The idol responded, smiling again as he put his phone away. "So… new outfit?"
"Yeah, just bought it." He said, continuing to look out the window.
"I think it looks nice, much better than your uniform." She complimented. "The shawl's a nice touch, but it feels a little off on you."
"That's what I said, but I'll figure out how to make it work later."
.
.
.
"I've never seen a combative Hundred before, especially not one in your form." Sakura would say, wanting to keep a conversation going to pass the time.
"My partner Emile said something similar." He responded. "Apparently the Wolf Knight is a rare Hundred type, I'm just guessing a greatsword and shield isn't a very common or effective combo."
"Wait, that sword you had wasn't your Hundred?" Sakura asked, confused as she suspected the weapon he carried yesterday was in some shape his Hundred.
"No, this sword is my dad's old one. It's important to me so I always have it-!" His eyes then snapped open as he felt the cushion beside him, noticing now that his sword wasn't there. "What the hell?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Did I not bring my sword on the bus? Where the hell did it go!?"
"You… didn't have it in the restaurant." Sakura's reveal caused Artorian's eyes to widen further, the boy turning to the back window to look out in shock. "Did you forget it at the clothing store you went to?"
"That's… but I… how could I…?" His mind was running rapidly, recalling every moment of his time in the store with Emilia. And that's when it focused on Matthew and Reitia appearing, and in the heat of the moment when they were out of sight he and her left quickly.
'Son… of a bitch!'
"Artorian?"
"GODS FUCKING DAMN IT!"
"SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!" The rest of the patrons on the bus shushed, most of which placing their hands over their children's ears while shooting him dirty glares.
"Oh fuck all of you!"
"I'm sorry you left your sword behind, I'm sure we can get it back." Sakura would say, Artorian noticeably missing a few beats in his walking without his father's blade. "I'm certain no one could've taken it."
The two had been in the bus for roughly an hour, and during that whole time the boy was fuming at his own stupidity. Never in a millions years would he imagine leaving his father's last memento to him behind at something as dignifying as clothing store, yet here he was now.
"…Whatever, carrying it would be too much of a problem for anyone to sneak out with it. It just feels… wrong. I've carried that blade with me for years, and today of all days I forgot. Damn it…"
Getting one last sigh out, he would attempt to raise his posture a bit, albeit just barely as they were walked for the next ten minutes down a dirt path in an open wasteland. He was almost surprised at how Sakura wasn't complaining, figuring an idol like her would hate walking over 500 meters. But she never even said a thing, rather forwarding strong like heading towards a vital objective.
It wasn't until the two made it to a viewing platform that Artorian saw exactly what they were out her for: the Zwei Great Canyon. The massive landmark was one of the Zwei Islands main attractions, a smaller but similar sight to the Grand Canyon in Liberia.
"Whoa…" It was the first time he had ever seen a canyon, and to see one as popular as the Great Canyon was enough to shrink away the irritation of forgetting his sword. The reddish-brown stone carved to near perfection from thousands of years of irrigation had him baffled at the sight. And the sheer scope of it was a shocking reality to see first hand.
"Like it?" Sakura would giggle, seeing the look of astonishment on Artorian for the second time now. The way he was looking at the canyon now reminded her of a small kid seeing it for the first time, bringing a smile to her face as she was able to give him this experience.
"Are you kidding? I've never seen anything like this." He admitted, holding onto the railings as he looked across the canyon's natural walls. "Yamato has nothing like this, I never knew that a canyon could be so… big."
"It's an amazing view, one I'm always glad to revisit." She said, standing next to the boy and resting her arms on the rails.
"When you said you wanted to go somewhere with me yesterday, is this what you meant?" He asked, looking over to the idol.
"Yes… I have many precious memories of this place. Of times when my mom… my mom was alive. She brought me here a few times, even two of my old friends were allowed to come with us one trip."
"Then is it really okay I should be here?" Artorian asked, letting go of the railings. "I can give you the time you need, I've got the sight in now so you're more than welcome to-"
"No, I want you to be here." She admitted, confusing him as she looked out to the colorful stones in the canyon. "I originally intended on coming here alone after my previous concert. But then… then the Savage landed here on the Zwei Islands."
"Oh… so that's why." He simply said, looking out to the canyon with Sakura as the sun was lowering bit by bit, the light illuminating the stones more.
"When they landed, I have to admit that I was scared. "What would I do if the Savage destroyed such a beautiful gift?" But in the end, a Slayer was able to save the island from its assured destruction. So I wanted you to come Artorian, I wanted you to see it. This canyon is one of my most precious treasures, and you were the one who protected it."
"Ah, don't say that." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "You make it sound like I did something amazing. All I did was my job, there were two others who could've done the same thing as me during the mission."
"But it was YOU that did it, not them. And it was amazing." The idol smiled, closing her eyes in bliss as the wind gently blew on them.
After a few minutes of silence, Sakura would begin to sign a soft song; much more melodious and gentle than her normal pop music. Artorian initially winced in preparation for the ringing, but was surprised as it never came. As her song went on, he had felt a flow of warmth go through him, one that felt as if he was in a familiar presence rather than that of someone he's only met yesterday.
He was able to easily tell he had never heard her voice before her music came out, but the song she was singing felt almost identical to another he had heard.
"It recognizes when an entity is something it can familiarize with and lowers it's guard…" Charlotte's words echoed in Artorian's mind, and as he waited for Sakura's song to end he wondered just how it was possible that he recognized the song. It wasn't until her voice died down that he saw the visage of him and Karen in the hospital, the girl's tone similar to Sakura's as if they knew the exact same song.
"Hey, Sakura… where did you learn that song?" He'd ask, getting her attention as she looked over to him.
"This song? I learned it from my mom. She was a pianist and she made this song for me, saying it was for only me." The idol explained. "It's a good song right? My mom used to always sing it like this-"
"That isn't possible…" Artorian muttered, confusing Sakura as he looked down.
"Artorian? Is something wrong?"
"That song, Karen used to sing it all the time back when I visited her at her hospital in Yamato. I can't tell why, but I know it's the exact same song as back then."
"That can't be possible, the only people who have heard that song was my mother and my friends… but one of them died during the Second Attack…" As she went on, Sakura's eyes slowly widened in realization, looking back up to the boy as he shifted his view to her. "Artorian, you were from Yamato, just like me."
"Yeah… what about it?"
"You didn't happen to enter the shelter with two girls did you?" That comment caught his attention immediately, his body almost jolting as his mind struggled to recognize the situation.
"Yeah, Karen Kisaragi and Emilia Gudenberg. There was supposed to be a friend of mine but he, he died from a stray Savage blast." Artorian admitted, looking to the girl in confusion.
"Kisaragi… Karen and Hayato…"
And that's when it clicked.
"The singing girl…" Artorian muttered as his eyes widened in realization. "When I went out after Emilia, I left Karen back in the shelter. When I came back there was a girl who… that was you?"
"Karen was a friend I made two months before the Second Attack, she always said there was another friend she wanted me to meet but… I never imagined it was you." Sakura said in amazement, the two remaining in silence over the shared discovery.
"But, but Souffle and Charlotte said they found you years after the Second Attack." Artorian spoke, trying to put together how everything could be put together. "If you were in Yamato, how could you have been…?"
"Shortly after the attack, I was sent to live with my father in Rasiya. I'm sure you know it; it's a cold country and the center of the Rasiya Federation. It's snows almost year round and there's permafrost all over. It was a perfect place to be forgotten… or develop Severance."
'Oh… fuck…'
"After a few weeks of the attack, I was hospitalized. When I was there, I had met Souffle for the first time. Back then she was just a medical intern, having left some big project for the military and looking for a new line of work." Sakura then smiled softly as she rested her arms back on the railings, looking out to the canyon. "She was… she was very kind to me."
"She studied genetic diseases and ways to alter them to be less dangerous or even cure them. I hear she helped cure something dangerous back when the Slayers were just implanted with powerful technology rather than equipped Hundreds. She tried so hard to help me, but my Severance was getting worse by the day. And after a year… I lost my voice."
Artorian looked to her with a sympathetic gaze, seeing her subconsciously rub her throat at the memories of losing her voice. He didn't have much to remember his father outside of his father and the journals he left, but that was a bounty of memories compared to Sakura. All she had was the song her mother made for her, and by then she couldn't even sign it. It would be like if he had gone blind while reading his father's old notes and journals, all of which were made for him.
"My father… he and my mom divorced before I was born. And by the time I lost my voice he was drowning himself in alcohol. When my treatments were brought up he had decided to transfer me to a laboratory to help with… no. No, he had sold me off as a test subject. And after that, me and dozens of children were transferred to a Warslran facility. All of us had contracted Severance from the Second Attack."
"There goals were an early stage of creating a vaccine for Severance, the fluorescent drug they gave us was meant to help people that were like us. But it… they did more than take a strain from Severance to create it." She then looked to her arms, a flash of seeing bloodied marks from the injections, haunting her as the glowing green liquid traveled through her veins.
"The head scientist, a woman named Vitaly Tynyanov, had ordered that Savage fluids were to be injected into us as well. She believed that the antibodies created to fight it could create the vaccine that they were looking for."
"That's… that's insane." Artorian growled as his fist clenched, his anger was growing from the moment Sakura spoke of her father, so much his eyes were slowly turning gold from his Variant virus feeding on his surfacing emotions.
"It was, and for a time I was on the brink of life and death. I can barely remember what had happened in the days before and during, just that it was extremely painful. But after it, I had managed to survive. My voice had even came back and I could move freely again. Her methods were horrible, but she saved me."
"A few of us were then ordered to try and interact with the Hundreds in possession. And when none of us got a reaction, Vitaly ordered to give us a second set of injections."
"Bitch!" Artorian shouted, surprising the idol as he slammed his fist down onto the railing and denting it in deep. "She was experimenting on kids, she was taking advantage of the experiment's goal to make damn Variants!"
"How do you know what a…" The idol's voice died down as she saw his eyes glow gold, his anger reaching a boiling point as he looked forward endlessly. "Artorian… were you…?"
"No, I transformed by accident." He admitted, knowing that his eyes were visible as he glared with enragement. "Emilia had a cut on her that some of the Savage's fluids got in, and I tried to get as much out as I could. But that was my choice, you were treated like a… like a damn lab rat!" His fist pushed down more on the railings, the metal nearly bending to a snapping point as he felt his energy slowly seep out of him.
It had taken almost five minutes for him to cool down, his energy vanishing as his eyes reverted back to normal. He was panting lightly, his limited experience with the power making it taxing to keep it in check.
"What… what happened?" He asked hoarsely, sounding almost scared to question.
Sakura's face visibly gloomed, her voice turning dark as she recalled the rest of her memories. "From here one, it's the worst of what happened. The second hardest things I've had to experience in my life."
"When we were injected a second time, some of us were able to activate Hundreds. About the same amount would also suffer side effects unrelated however. Some of them would suddenly explode with rage, attacking each other like they were beasts. I'd have nightmares of being in the middle of those fights, it scared me more than anything. But one day the nightmares just… stopped. I knew it was still likely but I never dreamed of them after then."
"A friend of mine, a girl named Latuni was affected by a stronger side effect from the injections. In her rage, she'd begin to spasm and scratch her chest, trying to rip into herself to get rid of the pain she was feeling. But as she would, she begged me to sing, saying it was the only thing that would help."
"And I would, the song my mom made for me. I sang as much as I could, and as it did I was able to calm not just her, but the other kids as well. And for a time, I was able to keep everyone from hurting each other and themselves. But eventually my singing… it wouldn't work."
Sakura would then begin to cry, bloodied memories of the kids beating and nearly tearing themselves apart rushing into her head. "They would be vomiting out blood or beating one another to a pulp… even Latuni was… she… she… I couldn't do anything to help her. I could only watch as they all died until I was the only one left. I thought I would die too, I thought I would lose myself just like them and be forgotten. But then… Souffle and Charlotte discovered the laboratory and found me."
"Apparently, my father never told Souffle of my transfer, and she asked Charlotte to help her find where I had been sent to. Vitaly was affiliated with Warslran military department, so she knew Charlotte would have been the one to find me. And when they did, Souffle knew right away that Vitaly was trying to make Artificial Variants. She was trying to solidify Warslran's position as a top PMC."
'Judal…!' Artorian thought with his fist tightening, his nails cutting his palm from the pressure he was holding it.
"I received treatment from Charlotte after they found me, and they gave a proper and safe examination to test how my Hundred would operate. I was able to get a reaction but… I couldn't deploy the armament."
"It's for the best then." Artorian said, closing his eyes as he attempted to rein his anger in. "You went through more than enough, you shouldn't have to fight any more battles. You suffered enough."
"Maybe… others suffered more and lost their lives. I don't want to have to fight, but there's a battle that I will always participate in." Sakura said, wiping her tears away as she stared out to the horizon.
"Sing, Sakura."
"So many people gave me the strength to keep going, they helped me when I suffered and I was able to survive. So to hold everything they did for me close, I will continue to sing my heart out. Even if I'm no longer a human, with Savage fluid flowing through my veins. Even though the only reason everyone likes my singing is because I'm a Variant as well."
"Bullshit." Artorian said, getting the idol's attention. "I'm calling bullshit right here and now. People love your music Sakura, it has nothing to do with you being a Variant."
"Artorian…"
"Your songs helped many people, hell your signing probably helped Karen more than I was ever able to. Your music always brightened her day; it gave her the strength to keep going. And even then, there's no way your songs are only good because of the Severance and Variant viruses."
"How do you know?" Sakura asked, looking away as she did. "My voice enthralls a portion of the Severance, it makes a pleasant sensation that attracts others. My voice is only good because of the Variant virus targeting and altering the Severance in everyone."
"Then why is the song you sung to Karen not cause a ringing in my ears?" He asked in returning, surprising her as he did. "Sakura, there's a bit more to me than being a Variant. What it is, it hates being calmed, which your normal songs do. But this one, the single one I heard from you before all this shit is the only one that I was able to listen to."
"I'll be honest with you Sakura, I was never a fan of your professional music. The ringing hurt my head and I could never focus normally. But that song, the one I know that you sing with all your heart is the one I feel reach me." He then turned to her, giving a small smile as he did. "You're a born singer, don't ever doubt yourself for a second."
"Artorian I… thank you." Sakura smiled in return, his words touching as she stepped away from the railings. "Can I… ask something of you?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can you reintroduce me to Karen? It's been ten years and I… I want to make sure she's okay."
"Of course." He promised, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure she'd love to meet you, both as a pop idol and as an old friend. But I think it's best until after your concert tomorrow. Karen's going to be sleeping soon and she won't be allowed out of the hospital until before."
"Thank you, you don't know how much that means to me that I can… there has to be some way I can repay you."
"You already have." He said, flicking her forehead lightly. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and help keep Karen smiling."
"I will." Sakura nodded, the two looking back to the canyon. "Artorian?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we stay like this?" She would ask, the two remaining there as the sun lowered more, night less than an hour away now. "Just until we have to go back?"
"Well, it's a pain but… sure." He smirked before looking down to the canyon with a somber expression. However his eyes showed a burning rage, turning gold as he hid the anger from the idol.
'Her own damn father… you bastard, I'll gut you if I ever meet you.' He'd think, his pupil's turning to slits as he clenched his teeth. 'And Vitaly, I have your name. Pray I don't get your face!'
"Hey, why are we just standing out here in the middle of nowhere!" A girl complained as she and two others stood on a small hillside along the highway of the Zwei Islands. She had short dark brown pigtails and black eyes, her skin tone a medium brown signaling her origin in Al-Salaam; a small country out in the middle of nowhere. And above that, she looked young, possibly no older than fifteen.
"There's a chance some Savage are going to be in the area, so we were sent to see if we can scrounge up their cores before any Slayers show up." A boy of near identical features informed, his build surprisingly impressive for his height. His hair was much more spikes, unruly even as some strands went off in different directions.
"Well then why not attack the concert's security and get the variable stone from there and come back for them later?" The girl asked, her legs kicking off the side of the hill as she complained. "I'm getting bored just sitting up here and waiting!"
"Have you ever heard the phrase "If you run after two hares you will catch neither"? Attempting that would become nothing but a problem." The second girl and final member of the trio said, looking over to the girl. Much like the former two, she had the same hair, eyes and skin tone as them. However she appeared to be slightly more matured and taller than the other girl, and her right eye was covered by a cybernetic eyepatch. And all three of them had on jet black variable suits, altered variations to the ones the Slayers of Little Garden wore.
"Besides, haven't you had fun fighting against the other Slayers from back then Nakri?" The boy asked, putting a hand on his waist as he looked down to her.
"But that isn't enough. There's still more and more Slayers that can be taken down Krovanh!"
"Well don't worry, I'm sure we'll fight more when the time comes. And then we'll earn our freedom. So for now, we just have to wait for a Savage to show itself, then we can set our plans into action."
"...Yeah, I understand then." Nacre said, giving up as she rested her chin in her hands. "Still boring."
"Maybe you'll get lucky and a Slayer will show up when the Savage does." The second girl said, her voice quite yet heard by Nakri and Krovanh. "Then the chase won't have occurred and both will be right before us."
"I guess I can hope, you're right Nesat!" Nakri would say, grinning to reveal her sharpened teeth. "If a Slayer shows up, I'll kick his ass and take his Hundred! Then I'll get two birds with one stone!"
"That's the spirit Nakri." Krovanh grinned in agreement, revealing his similar yet sharper teeth. "Good things come to those who wait. Our hunt will come soon, and the Slayers will see just why Hunters like us are superior!"
(A/N): And another chapter out. Gotta say I'm glad to have this one out at this time, once again I'm avoiding let this story just sit around collecting dust like I had earlier. I also have to admit I really enjoyed this chapter, more than I was expecting considering how tame it was like all the others. Just shows I've grown from my old days of writing an unnecessary fight sequence every two chapters.
Not much to say here, just a little note to say in regards to things. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one. Peace!