"It's the seeeeeeeea!" Reitia cheered as she ran past Matthew, Emilia and Artorian as she ran towards the ocean from the sandy beach.
"Well she seems excited." Artorian chuckled as he was setting up his own chair, his sword impaled into the sand next to him as he did. "You'd think we weren't surrounded by water 24/7 on Little Garden."
"She hasn't been to a beach in roughly three years, it's been killing her not to come here because of classes and her induction into Selections." Matthew answered, simply setting his seat up before taking his shirt off.
"I think it's cute." Emilia laughed as she sat down on her chair, wearing a pair of shorts and a loose shirt. She was the only one coming that didn't have a swimsuit on, an obvious downside to her secret identity.
"Well she should be careful about just jumping in, even though it's a clear day the water at this part of the world is-"
"COOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLDDD!"
"That, it's that." Artorian nearly cracked up at hearing Retia shrieked at the revelation, the Slayer in training running back to the shore temporarily after her long jump into the water.
It was the first Sunday of July, and Little Garden had sailed across a portion of the sea from the Zwei Islands. The battleship was currently now cruising across Ryukyu, a small chain of islands past the southern tip of Yamato. And given the scenery and great weather the day had, the Slayers of Selections had decided it would be perfect to enjoy it to the fullest.
They weren't allowed to leave the ship as per regulations; however it was brought to the Abysswalker's attention that there was an artificial beach, another addition to his long list of things that he wondered why they were on a battleship but wouldn't complain about.
"Poor Reitia." Emilia said, albeit with a small chuckle as Reitia shivered slightly.
"Why didn't you warn me!?" The girl would shout back to Artorian, flashing her teeth as she did.
"You didn't ask! Not my fault you actually used energy to jump as far as you could into cold water!" He shouted in return. "Besides, it's the fucking ocean! Of course it's going to be cold!"
"It's July, it shouldn't be this cold!"
"We're not even on a real beach, its still the middle of the Gods damn ocean!"
"Yeah well… hmph!" Reitia pouted as she looked away, her eyes still narrowed as her shivering stopped. "Still should have warned me."
"Whatever." Artorian chuckled, rolling his eyes in amusement over the girl's antics. Out of everyone he's met at Little Garden, the tiny brawler was by far the most childish. Outside of combat she was a rather interesting specimen, one he was actually glad to meet and become friends with.
Although he could tell Matthew kept an especially close eye on the Abysswalker when Reitia was around; as the Dragon Slayer was even now.
'Guess the Starving Lion's got a soft spot after all.'
"Oh Artorian~. Thank you for waiting." At hearing the familiar voice, the hybrid would turn to see Sakura, Karen and Miharu all approaching, each in their own bathing suits. Sakura was by technical standards a member of the martial arts department, although extremely loosely as she doesn't actively participate in class or sparring. Whereas Karen and Miharu were allowed due to Karen's connection to Artorian and the nurses need to be nearby to care for her.
"For you three, I'm more than willing to wait for a bit." Artorian chuckled, crossing his arms as Sakura was the first to get close, winking before taking a rather provocative pose.
"So what do you think of my swimsuit, Artorian?" The idol would ask, smiling brightly. In taking the chance to look at her from head to toe, Artorian couldn't help but bless the idea of a bikini, the pink two-piece more than drawing attention to her curves. From the way it clung to her modest chest and remarkable hips, the idol certainly knew how to pick the right wear to draw attention from the Lord.
"Since Karen's here, I'll go with the more PG answer." He'd say, smirking as he gave his own wink to the idol. "It's certainly an amazing view to behold."
"Yay~" Sakura would beam, grateful for the response. "That get's you a nice 80 points."
"Drat, the PG kept it from the 90 didn't it?' The two would joke, finding humor in the idol's little point game now.
"A-Artorian?" Karen would speak up from her wheelchair, the two both turning to her as she poked her fingers together. "What do you think of my swimsuit?" The girl's was a much more simple swimsuit, a dark purple one-piece with a white decal of a rose on her shoulder.
"It looks cute on you Karen." Artorian would smile, his expression more genuine with his response as he did. "It even looks like it was made for you."
"Ehehe, you think so?" Karen would giggle in return, happily accepting the compliment. "Miharu took me out yesterday after your visit to go shopping for one, which means the time we spent was fruitful."
"That's what you were doing?" Artorian asked, looking up to the nurse. "You should have told me, I would've come and helped out." The Lord spoke rather regretful, seeing that the nurse already had a lot on her plate to deal with in her field.
"No no, it's perfectly fine; I was more than happy to spend a little time with Karen outside of the hospital." Miharu responded, wanting to dispel Artorian's worries. "It was fun to try on a few suits with her, I was even able to find mine for the year."
"I guess, but I feel like I should have paid since you took her out on your own time." He would say before his gaze wandered, taking the time to see the swimsuit that Miharu was wearing. Out of all the women present, the nurse was actually the most conserving in her choice of swimwear; a dress like suit rather than a one-piece or a bikini with a flower pattern across it. "Yours looks good too, it brings out your eyes very well."
"Fufu, thank you very much." The nurse would smile. "It's not very special, but it's comfortable for me. I couldn't imagine wearing something such as Sakura's swimsuit."
"It's probably for the best, you'd have way too much power over everyone if you wore a bikini." Artorian joked, his gaze remaining on the nurse for a bit longer to enjoy her figure more.
"Hey! Stop looking at her boobs, you womanizer…" Sakura would call out, pouting her lips as she gave the boy a glare.
"Sorry Sakura, but I am an appreciator of the female form." The hybrid responded, shrugging his shoulders playfully as he did. "There's just so many beautiful women with amazing traits though, the difficulty of being around such prime examples."
"Oh my, to be interested in the breasts of a woman years older than you such as myself. Such a forward stance to have." Miharu would teased, emphasizing her breasts by crossing run arm under them with an alluring smile.
"What can I say, they are quite eye catching in their own right. Nurse outfit, sweater or swimsuit alike."
"Indecent Artorian…"
"Pervert…"
Both Karen and Emilia would give their own pouts at the boy's admission, three of the four women around him giving him their own disappointed looks while the nurse continued to smile.
"Hey Matthew! Come over here quick! There's so many beautiful fish in here, they even look like they're tropical!" Reitia called from the water, waving her arms out to the hybrid as she put on snorkels and a pair of goggles after getting used to the water.
"Fish, really? That's what you're excited about?" Matthew muttered to himself, shaking his head before grabbing his own pair of snorkels and goggles, knowing he'd get an earful if he didn't. "Alright I'm coming."
"Hurry up! They'll swim away if you don't!"
"Reitia's so energetic." Karen would say with a hint of jealousy, seeing the girl mentioned grin excitedly as Matthew followed her in the water. "I want to go in the sea too…"
"Is it okay if she does Miharu?" Sakura would ask, looking to the nurse.
"Of course, her therapy sessions have been going well." Miharu answered. "But remember not to push yourself too hard. Don't go anywhere deep or where the waves get too big, and if you feel exhausted please come back right away."
"Of course Miharu, I promise!" Karen would smile brightly, attempting to push herself up from her wheelchair.
"Here, let me help you." Sakura would respond, aiding in Karen's rise to her feet. After their reunion at her concert, the two's bond was growing more and more. The time apart doing nothing to break the bond they had years ago.
Seeing Karen on her feet, Artorian couldn't help but stare in nostalgia, his lips curved up in a thin smile. It had been years since she last was able to stand up, and seeing her with so much excitement with a friend like Sakura made the years of hard work to get her this far all felt worth it.
'She's on the right track.'
"Are you going to come too Artorian?" Karen would ask, Sakura carefully allowing her to stand on her own but remaining at the ready to help if she needs it.
"Nah, I think I'm going to hang out here for a bit." He admitted. "I've been training and working non-stop for the past two weeks, I think a nice break would do me some good." He then placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair as he smiled down to her. "You just go and play with Sakura, enjoy yourself."
"O-Okay." Karen would smile back, seeing his visible relief at her encouraging her and Sakura to head for the water.
"It really is a relief to have Sakura here." Miharu would comment, the two watching as they would step into the water, both shivering for a second at the temp before laughing. "Maybe it wasn't necessary for me to come with her around."
"Nonsense, you're the medical professional here." Artorian stated, looking back to the nurse over his shoulder. "If anything happens you're the only one capable of helping. I know a bit but you're the crown jewel in taking care of Karen."
"Thank you Artorian, that means a lot coming from you." The nurse would smile gracefully.
"So what are you going to do with your free time?"
"I might just sit in the shade and read a book, maybe work on a tan if I feel like it." Miharu answered, bringing Karen's wheelchair over to her beach chair before opening her parasol.
"A tan? You'd need some more sunscreen if you do that." Artorian chuckled, the nurse picking up and giving her own smile.
"I suppose I would, but I might need some help getting it on."
"I'd be more than glad to help if you need it." He'd wink, the two sharing a small chuckle. "To make sure you don't get burned, obviously."
"Of course, it has nothing to do with getting to feel and rub a woman's body in such an intimate position."
"Absolutely."
"Hrrrrrmmmmm…!" Emilia would groan at the two's less than subtle proposition, curling her knees up to her chest when she sat down on her chair.
"Oops, looks like Emile's getting jealous." Artorian chuckled, waving the nurse off as he headed for his chair. "Call me over when you want that lotion on, and enjoy your reading."
"I will, just be sure not to ignore her for too long." Miharu responded, smiling before resting down and opening her book.
'Why'd she say it like that?' Artorian would think before getting to his chair, taking the backrest down to have it leaned back more.
"Hey Emile, enjoying the sun?"
"Oh, so you do know I'm here." Emilia would pout, looking away as the Lord sat on his chair.
"Oh come on, don't be like that." He'd smile. "I just have to give everyone some love, can't have all the special moments between us guys can I?"
"Doesn't mean you should be ogling every girl around you. You know it isn't fair out here for me."
"Yeah, but just because you can't show off doesn't mean you don't look good." He'd respond, taking his shirt off to leave himself in his grey swimsuit. "Seeing you out of the uniform is definitely a step up in my opinion."
Emilia would blush at his words, looking over her shoulder to see him lay back with his arms crossed behind his head. Of course she couldn't take her shirt off, revealing the wrappings that hide her breasts would be an obvious source of questions with her having received no injuries to fall back on. But seeing the Lord without his on was a start for him to make up for his flirting, the princess' eyes lingering on his torso before he looked over to her.
"And you have a problem with me ogling?"
"I-It's different!" She responded, although relaxing before sitting back on her chair. "So you aren't going to swim?"
"Nah, I got a problem with that concept. Although I will be working on that eventually." The hybrid would admit, relaxing while shifting his gaze to the right. A few feet away was the student council, their beach chair's protected form the sun by their parasol's as they remained there. Similar to when they were at the pool, Erica was reading her book while Claire rested on her front, the blonde's hair untied and flowing in the gentle breeze.
The only difference from the previous sight was Liddy, who had her own book with roughened edges. The Lord recognized it as one of the books he gave her, the symbol on it revealing it to be the annals of Lordran's Abysswalkers.
'Good, she's doing some of her own homework.' He'd think, before his stare going back to Claire. 'I wonder if she's gotten any clue about what's happening…'
"Artorian…" Emilia spoke warningly, getting the hybrid's attention again as he saw her glare. "You're staring at Prez again, you're not checking her out are you?"
"Hehe, whoops. Looks like you caught me again Emile." He grinned playfully, keeping the reason for his stare secret to play with the girl. "Gods, you and Karen both just always seem to figure me out." He'd add, getting comfortable and closing his eyes to fully relax himself, enjoying the warmth the suns rays gave him.
"Jerk…"
"I love you too Emile."
For the next half hour, the Slayers would all be able to enjoy themselves without issues. As Artorian and Emilia would idly talk, Matthew and Reitia were looking at the fish in the created reefs, and the student council resting, recovering from the harsh training they've been putting themselves through.
Although while they were relaxing, Sakura and Karen were enjoying themselves by splashing each other with the water. They couldn't go deep with Karen's condition, but they were safe enough with the water up to their knees as they played in the water. The two were smiling brightly as they splashed, genuine laughter brightening the whole atmosphere for those who could hear them.
'They've earned this.' Artorian would think with a smile, opening a single eye to see the two girls playing. From the experiences he knew Karen had been through, being able to play like this again was a gift from the gods, even if she was limited in what she could do. And for Sakura, the reunion with a long lost friend was everything she needed after the horrid experiments she had gone through.
"They sure are having fun, aren't they?" Emilia would say, giving her own smile as she watched the two. "I haven't seen Karen smile this much outside of when we'd all eat out together."
"Yeah, it's nice to see her enjoy herself."
"Are you sure you don't want to be out there with them?" She asked, looking back to the Lord. "I'm sure they'd like it and... and I can handle keeping an eye on your sword for you."
"You don't have to pretend that you aren't jealous you can't enjoy yourself." Artorian responded, turning his gaze to her. "Karen and Sakura are having plenty of fun by themselves, and I wouldn't want to just let you get all lonely. And besides, I wasn't joking when I said I'm using this chance to relax. I've been training everyday since Sakura showed up again and this has been the best break I've gotten."
"Thank you." Emilia smiled, happy to hear the Lord's willingness to stay. "You know… speaking of training, you've been doing that a lot with Liddy right?"
"Yeah, gotta say she packs a real wallop." He'd admit, cracking his neck in remembrance to one of her hits. "She's definitely a part of Selections for a reason, I can barely keep up with her."
"Seriously? After the fight with the Trenta I thought you'd be a lot better than her?"
"That was a stroke of bad luck, that thing would've knocked just about any of us out if it hit us." Artorian stated, opening his eyes and sitting up as he thought back to his training with Liddy. "I have strength over Liddy, but she has plenty to spare and has me outclassed in speed. She's the better Slayer, plain and simple."
"Yah, but you're still a great Slayer yourself, you just need more experience with your Hundred and get a grasp on your Variant powers." Emilia encouraged, giving him a grin as she did. "After you get that down, you'd be the best Slayer on Little Garden hand's down, even Prez wouldn't be able to fight you."
"I doubt it'll be that easy, but the encouragement is adorable." Artorian would chuckle in return. "But I still have to prove myself her equal before I can do that. Which means I have to prove I'm the strongest in Selections next to her, so watch your back, ya hear?"
"Me, but I-"
"Don't even try that shit Emile." He interrupted, curling his hand into a fist and tapping it against her chest. "You have your Variant abilities under control, you should've had no problem dealing with the Trenta if you focused on being your own fighter rather than a support. Hell, I bet if you unlocked your Full-Body Armament you'd give Matthew and Claire both a run for their money right now."
"But I'm… I'm not a natural born fighter like you."
"The situation of one's birth is irrelevant. Work yourself till you drop, continue to grow and fight as hard as you can; and you'll see you're more than capable of keeping up with the best of them." The hybrid then smiled as he placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze as he did. "You're strong, stronger than even me right now. It'd be a shame for that potential to go to waste."
"If you have that kind of faith in me, then I won't disappoint!" Emilia responded, tightening her hand into a fist as she stared in determination at him. "And if we do eventually fight to prove who's the best, I won't hold anything back!"
"That's what I like to hear."
"Karen!" At the sound of Sakura's shout of concern, both Slayers' heads snapped to attention. In the midst of picking up water to splash Sakura, a decent sized wave had come in and knocked her off balance. Sakura was attempting to reach for her, but it was clear she wouldn't be able to grab her in time.
As Karen braced herself for the horrid pain that would come from falling, she was caught off guard when she felt herself remain in place, drops of water hitting her face as she slowly opened her eyes. Looking up, she would see that Artorian had cleared the gap in a single leap, catching her in a princess carry and looking down to her in concern.
"Are you okay?" He'd ask as he stood up, the water going up to his waist as he slid from the sand in the water.
"Ah… um yes I… sorry about that." Karen apologized, relaxing in Artorian's arms as he walked back towards the shore. "I got a little carried away and I… I'm sorry if I had you concerned."
"I'm always going to be concerned, I'm just happy to know you're okay." He'd respond, slowly lowering her so that her feet touched the sand first. "Are you alright to walk? I can bring you over to your wheelchair if you need."
"N-No, I'm fine." Karen would promise, holding herself close to Artorian as she attempted to regain her footing.
"Karen, are you alright?" Sakura would ask, running out of the water to the pair as Karen was just getting her bearings on standing again.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine Sakura." Karen answered. "Artorian's always here to help me, I shouldn't have been surprised he was able to catch me."
"Thank goodness." Sakura would sigh, looking to the Slayer. "I'm sorry Artorian, I should have been more aware and stopped her before the wave came-"
"It's fine Sakura." He interrupted. "I knew it'd eventually happen, I was just lucky you were able to get my attention in time. So don't beat yourself up over it."
"Thank you…" Sakura would sigh, grateful both for Karen's safety and knowing that Artorian didn't blame her for the situation. "…By the way, how long are you going to hold her like that?"
"Hmmm?" Both Artorian and Karen hummed, confused by the sudden question.
"It's just kind of a weird position, you almost look like a pair of lovers." The idol explained, pointing to the two. And to an extent, she would be correct. Artorian was carefully holding the girl to him, her head resting against his torso as she was regaining her balance; a position that would appear as a tender moment.
"I-I-It isn't like… kyaah!" Feeling her face turn bright red, Karen would separate herself from the Slayer, turning away to avoid him seeing her face.
"Karen?"
"It's nothing… I-I'm just feeling better now."
"Wow, convincing." Artorian said with a deadpanned expression.
"It's of no concern to you!" She'd say, albeit with a small squeak as her face was still flushed with embarrassment.
"Oh wow!" Karen would say with excitement, her eyes shinning in the light as she sat next to Artorian.
"See, I told you this would be fun too." Artorian would say, smiling at the girl's interest as he used his finger to carve out a small window.
After Karen's near fall, the hybrid used his authority as her best friend to say that was enough playing in the water for the day. And after they, Sakura, Miharu and Emile had a small lunch break he decided to show Karen another way to have fun while on the beach.
"I'm surprised Artorian, I didn't think you'd know how to build a sandcastle." Miharu would admit, giving a small laugh at Karen's interest at the decently made formation.
"It's not too difficult when you have a steady hand." He shrugged. "Hey Karen, do you want to try and carve your own window?"
"Can I?"
"Of course, just be careful." He'd say, chuckling as Karen turned to the sandcastle. "It's even more fragile than you, so too much pressure could cause some damage."
"Okay!"
"They all seem to be having fun." Claire would comment, looking out to them from the corner of her eye. "It looks like this small break was exactly what everyone needed."
"I agree, the fight against the Hunters seemed to have the others on edge with the aspect of a mission that would result in encountering them again." Erica noted. "If I didn't know better, I'd almost say that Artorian himself appeared concerned at the idea as well."
"He wasn't, he feels confident that with their variable suits that they'd have been able to match them, although the Hunters being Artificial Variants made him cautious to letting them outnumber us." Liddy responded, not looking up from her book as she turned the page.
"Something you picked up from your time training with him?" Claire would ask, looking over to her friend and getting a nod in return. "Did he expressively say that, or did you gather that from him mentioning them?"
"He told me directly, he isn't entirely subtle talking about probability of success in fights."
"You've spent a few days training with him, was there anything else you could get on him?" Erica would ask. "We only have the limited data of his match with Claire, Reitia and his first mission."
"His Savage combat wasn't a fluke for the most part, his style heavily incorporates moves that are meant to stun or destroy one. However his one-on-one duels leave much to be desired, I believe even if he could control his Variant abilities he would've lost to Claire in their duel without forcing her to fight with everything she has."
"Interesting, I assume you've had full contact sparring then?" Claire questioned, getting another nod. "How many of them have you won?"
"Ten matches, ten victories." She answered, surprising the two. "As I said, he isn't adept at singles combat. He's a tough opponent, but he lacks the speed in order to fight opponents that would otherwise be on par with him. Although his reaction time is high, he may not have been able to avoid my attacks but his eyes were always following mine, he knew where the attacks would come from."
"So he lacks experience in fighting proper opponents, that shouldn't be surprising." Claire would mutter to herself, turning herself over to rest on her back to look up. "And what about the Variant virus, has it shown any signs of acting out of control during your training?"
"None, I doubt he's activated it in combat since the battle against the Trenta. Dr. Dimandias believes his… natural limits may prevent him from using it until he has a better grasp on his energy control." Liddy explained, stopping herself from revealing too much from her training with the Abysswalker. "He's a quick learner, he'll likely figure it out in time."
"Having three Variants in control of their powers would be beneficial, but it'd be dangerous to rely on them." Erica stated.
"We won't be, they're our comrades so we'll be fighting alongside them." Claire said, closing her eyes as she contemplated her friends' words. "We're also their seniors as Slayers, it's our duty to help guide them and provide the proper training in order to develop their skills."
"Of course Claire."
"You've done well to help him Liddy, I'm sure with your help he'll become a true Slayer in no time."
"Well… that's what I aim to do." Liddy had to keep up her appearance, hiding the fact the training between them was more to assist her in controlling her new found strength and speed rather than aid Artorian's development.
"Oi, three council stooges!" After a few minutes, the three Slayers would hear Artorian call out to them, the Lord standing alongside the others with a challenging grin.
"What is it Artorian?" Claire would ask, raising an eyebrow at his expression.
"We're going to be having a little game of volleyball, care to join in?"
"You're asking us to play as well?" Erica questioned.
"Yeah, kinda the point behind "care to join in" isn't it four-eyes?" Artorian responded. "Look, Reitia wants teams bigger than two, and we have an uneven number of participants. You three would balance it out, and it wouldn't kill at least two of you to get some sun."
"What are you talking about, we've been tanning this whole time." Claire stated, getting a few seconds of laughter from him.
"Ahahahahahaha-no. Hanging out under an umbrella with its shade over you isn't tanning, and your pale asses are the only evidence I really need to my point." He'd shrug, closing his eyes while grinning with entertainment. "Not that they aren't good sights regardless."
"Your shamelessness knows no bounds, does it?' Erica asked, giving the boy a half lidded stare while shifting her glasses.
"None I haven't found yet. So you three in or not?"
"If you wish to be shown how outclassed you are, then we'll gladly join." Claire stated, getting up as she returned his smirk with her own, a competitive aura surrounding the two as she did. "We'll consider this another unofficial rematch then?"
"Now you're talking my language blondie."
"Yes! Teams of four, this is going to be good!" Reitia cheered with excitement, grinning as she held the volleyball in her hands.
"You may have to rain check that." Matthew said, his ears perking up at the same time as Artorian and Liddy's.
"What, but there isn't even a cloud in the sky. Why would we-?" Reitia would start to ask before the sounds of propellers slowly crept into her ears, getting closer and closer by the second.
Before long a helicopter became visible coming in the distance, approaching Little Garden before hovering over the beach.
"That's the Warslran crest." Matthew pointed out, noting the symbol on the helicopter's side as he covered Reitia's eyes, preventing any sand hitting her as it would be sent all around.
"That's the WL-02." Claire noted, recognizing the pattern of the paint on the helicopter. "Don't tell me that means it's Judal… big brother?"
"Wait, big brother? That means… the president of Warslran is here right now!?" Reitia would question, taking Matthew's hand off her eyes to check, only to get hit by a puff of sand. "Ah, my eyes!"
"I tried to help."
'Great, now I have to deal with him in person.' Artorian thought in distain as he covered Karen's eyes and protected her from the sand, the girl still sitting off of her wheelchair on the beach.
Once the helicopter landed, several seconds would go by as the propeller would die down, slowing until it eventually came to a stop and stopped sending sand everywhere. When the aircraft was fully landed, the door would then open and a ramp would extend down.
Two people would then step out from the inside onto the ramp, one man and the other a woman. The man was easily identified as Judal Harvey, his bright blue eyes and long blonde hair pegging him rather easily as related to Claire. Not only that, but several of his features appeared almost identical to the Slayer, albeit with more masculine and definition in comparison to her. The woman on the other hand appeared much more simple, with a basic bobcat haircut and brown eyes. She also had a Warslran uniform on, signifying her as Judal's bodyguard.
"This is a rather surprise visit, Judal." Claire would say, walking past everyone to stand closest to her brother once he stepped off the ramp. Behind her, Artorian couldn't help but give a look of annoyance to the man, his entire appearance matching the annoying aura his voice on the phone gave.
"It's been a year since my last visit, I wished to see my little sisters again." Judal would say, his expression calm while he smiled to Claire. "And as expected of my little sister Claire, that swimsuit fits you perfectly."
"Your flattery will not get anywhere." Claire responded, crossing her arms under her chest while she stared sternly at her brother. "So what are you doing on Little Garden?"
"Well, while I was here to see you two, I also wished to personally meet the new faces that will be apart of Warslran." Judal spoke, his gaze turning to Emilia as he did. "You're Emile Crossfode, yes?"
"O-Oh, yeah that's me." Emilia would say, surprised that she would be the one called out first.
"I hear you have a rather impressive Hundred reaction, one that even surpassed my little sister, a most impressive feat to say." He'd say, giving a smile to her as he continued on. "And to possess the Virus of the Gods, I expect many great things from you in the future."
His words were pleasant, but Emilia couldn't help but feel a chill go down her spine at his voice. It felt cold, calculated and informed, as if he was saying "I know exactly who you are" to the extent that he saw through her like it was nothing.
"And you're Matthew Ornisium, correct?" Judal would continue on, looking to the hybrid. "I believe we've met before?"
"When I was inducted as a Slayer." Matthew answered, keeping his expression blank while regarding the man.
"Ah yes, Ornstein himself was present as well for that. Well if you're anything like your father was, you'll be a valuable addition to Warslran, no to humanity in our battle against the Savage." He'd then turn to Reitia, the girl finishing getting the sand out of her eyes as he did. "And you must be Reitia Saintemillion?"
"Y-Yes sir-I mean boss-I mean-!" Matthew would stop the girl's rambling's by tapping her head, snapping her out of her stupor and calming her. "Yes, Reitia Saintemillion reporting, sir!"
"No need to be so formal, you're a Slayer regarding a regular man." Judal would chuckle at her recovery. "Matthew spoke highly of you when used as a reference for your induction into Selections; brutally honest, but highly spoken. And with such a high Hundred reaction, I'm sure you'll rise through the ranks if you put your effort into it."
"Th-Thank you sir."
"And the auspicious son himself." Judal would finish, looking to Artorian as the Lord stood back up from in front of Karen. "I heard you've already made a name for yourself after battling a Trenta Savage, nothing less expected from the son of Artorias."
"Apologize." Artorian said simply, getting half the group to stare at him in shock at the demand. "Our sandcastle, Karen worked hard on putting details in it. And you ruined it when you landed here out of nowhere. So, apologize."
A deafening silence fell between the two as they remained in place, the tension in the air rising despite the clear capabilities difference between the two. It was as if the two recognized each other as equals, undesired but earned equals. And the stance they had showed their understanding that the other had an advantage in the given situation.
"…Of course." Judal would eventually say, putting on an innocent smile as he looked to Karen in the sand. "Karen Kisaragi, I'm sorry for coming unannounced the way I did. I ruined your sandcastle and that was rude of me, I hope you can forgive me."
"O-Of course, it's okay." Karen would mutter, ducking her head to hide more behind Artorian to avoid being seen directly by the man. She couldn't tell why, but she knew Artorian registered the man as a threat, and if he saw Judal as such she trusted his judgment completely.
"Thank you." Judal responded before looking back to Artorian. "Now then, I believe there's some business that I would like to attend to. Artorian, if you would be so kind as to follow me?"
"Give me one good reason."
"It would be in your best interest, I simply wish to extend a level of trust to you." Judal would say, extending his hand to the side in a sign of his lowered guard. "I promise you it's a situation that could use your… unique traits. And as a further sign of faith, Neveah will remain here."
"Sir I can't leave you with this…" Neveah, Judal's bodyguard would begin to say, stopping herself to whisper to him rather than openly speak. "This abomination."
"Oi, this abomination's got damn good ears." Artorian growled as he looked to the woman, grabbing his sword from the sand and twisting it in his grasp before resting it on his shoulder. "Wanna talk smack, have the guts to say it out loud for everyone."
"I will be fine Neveah, I'm sure Artorian wouldn't want to risk anything by making a move too out of line." Judal would say, reassuring his bodyguard while keeping a sharp gaze on the Lord. "And it's not as though I'm a threat, not to the likes of him."
"Tch!"
'Cheap shotting bastard.' Artorian thought as he clenched his teeth. He knew that Judal's words had more weight to them, albeit said both directly and in undertone. He was completely right, Artorian could bury him hundreds of feet into the dirt without much effort, less if he wanted to. But Judal wasn't a risk to him, his authority in Warslran gave him the ability to completely overturn Karen's treatment, making the past two months meaningless and putting her in jeopardy.
Letting his rage go away, Artorian would release the tension built up in him before taking a step forward. "Where are you planning on going?"
"Somewhere special." Judal promised. "I'll allow you to change, and then I may introduce you to someone who I feel has been interested in properly meeting you for awhile."
"Just point and I'll be there." The hybrid growled, heading back to grab his stuff from his seat.
'Just what are you doing Judal?' Claire would think, watching as her brother and Artorian left the beach. She knew her brother had a hand in enrolling Artorian, but seeing the way Artorian reacted to him as well as how he spoke of him before she couldn't imagine it was on good terms. Which makes her wonder what gave him a tight enough leash to get the Lord to give up so easily?
'Don't tell me…' She'd narrow her eyes, seeing the look of concern on Karen's expression as the two disappeared from sight, getting her to tighten her fist. 'So that's it, isn't it Judal?'
"This shit better be important." Artorian would grunt, fixing the tie on his uniform as he and Judal entered the elevator at the center of the battleship.
"Oh I promise you Artorian, this is very important." Judal promised, holding his PDA up to the screen over the buttons on the elevator, a red light appearing as it identified him. "What I'll show you is the lifeblood of this vessel, a vital piece in my plans."
"Oh really now?" Artorian responded, the elevator descending while the men stood still. "And what's the reason to actually show me it? You already have me by the neck with Karen, you don't need my trust when you have that."
"True, Kisaragi's situation is most favorable for me, especially with the last Abyssal now in the ranks of Warslran." Judal's comment caused the Lord to clench his teeth again, getting an entertained hum from the CEO while he looked forward. "But no, this isn't for you to trust me. No, I wish to simply test something. And you're the one I feel would be the better choice for this."
"And what's to stop me from sabotaging it for the future?"
"Well I don't feel you would do that. Besides, I'm sure she wouldn't appropriate it."
"She?"
At Artorian's question, the elevator would slow before stopping suddenly, the door opening to a dimly lit room with dozens of power conduits all spreading around. A single look was all the hybrid needed to figure they were in the reactor room, but remained hesitant as he and Judal stepped out into the room.
"Little Garden, it's the most technologically advanced vessel Warslran has ever created." Judal would begin, the pair walking down the path towards a pod at the center, the object glowing bright blue and was the source of all the conduits. "From the required power for everyday life on the ship, there's also the need to power all the weapons and fortifications present. As well as the energy barrier that protects the ship at all times."
"The amount of energy required to run Little Garden is massive, more than any generator created by the hands of man. We're still decades away from achieving such a level of power, unlike the Lords that have had such advanced abilities for untold millennium."
When they were close enough, Artorian would have to put a hand to his eyes to block the light, feeling the raw energy course out around him. All the functions it powered and yet it was still releasing an abundance this close put him on guard. Humans had no chance of creating an energy source this strong, Charlotte was good but he never believed she could make something so advanced.
"What is this?" He'd ask, trying to se through the light, his eyes slowly adapting thanks to the Abyss.
"This… is the heart and soul of Little Garden. The crown jewel of Warslran and our key to defeating both the Gods of this world, and the Gods that seek our destruction from the stars." Judal would say, turning just in time as Artorian's eyes adapted to see through the light. "This… is Liza."
Once his eyes could see, the Lord's would stare in confusion before turning to shock at what glowed before him. Past all the light, past the glass that struggled to contain so much raw energy, rested a young girl who looked no older than fourteen. She remained in place, rested in the center of the pod thanks to what appeared to be vines made out of pure golden energy. Her hair was straight and long, matching the level of harmony that could be felt along the overwhelming energy that was coming off her.
But what drew Artorian's attention were the features of her appearance. Her familiar blonde hair was one thing, but seeing her face told a thousand stories to him. Despite the more petite appearance from both age and development, he recognized her from another. And if he could guess accurately, should her eyes have opened he would have also seen identical blue eyes to the man standing before him.
"You…" Artorian growled, his shock turning to anger as he ran right to Judal, hitting him against the pod and keeping him in place with his right forearm. His eyes were wide with rage; his lips snarled up to reveal his teeth slowly sharpening. "What the hell did you do to her!?"
"Temper Abyssal, temper." Judal would say, keeping a calm expression despite the initial loss of air and being slammed and held up against the pod holding his sister. "I needn't tell you what would happen if you did something regretful?"
"You can instead tell me why you turned your little sister into a fucking battery!" The Lord shouted, pulling his arm back to press the tip of his blade against Judal's chest. "And I'm going to warn you now, if I even think for a second that you're saying anything but the truth I'll carve you like a fucking pumpkin!"
"I did not do this to her-ngh! Not in the way you believe." Judal would state, grunting as Artorian pressed his arm more against his throat. "Liza was put into a critical condition during a mission, she's been comatose for three years now."
"That doesn't answer why you turned her into a fucking tool!"
"Liza connected to the hardware she was placed in to communicate. She asked us to do it, requested Dr. Dimandias herself to help use her power."
"Bullshit! Charlotte would never agree to using a little kid as a piece of hardware!"
"She knows better than anyone her importance, she couldn't let her power go to waste." Judal argued, remaining calm in spite of Artorian's eyes turning gold. "You can feel it, you're a Variant. The amount of energy that she produces, it's too much for her body to contain in this state. Having her power Little Garden allows her to safely release the energy without harming herself or others around her. You must understand that much."
"You don't honestly think I believe that's the only reason this has happened, do you?" Artorian growled, his voice calming while his fury still raged. "I can feel the energy, but that's not all. You've done something to her; no human physically could ever achieve this much energy. So what. Did. You. DO?"
"I didn't do anything." The blond answered. "Vitaly's research came as a response to my little sister, it was not the source. She had this energy when I was a kid."
The Lord had nothing but resent for the man before him, and he had more than enough power to act out on him. But even if Karen's health wasn't at risk, the hybrid found himself relenting slightly. He hated Judal for using Karen as a means to control him, but the man wasn't lying. If he was, things may have gone differently than as they are now.
"Why bring me here?" Artorian questioned, stepping back from Judal and allowing him to breathe, taking his forearm off his throat.
"Despite your ideas of me, my ideals are to secure humanity's survival in this world." Judal started, rubbing his neck as he took a healthy deep intact of air. "My little sisters are both some of the best chances my people have against not only the Savage, but the Lords should they deem us as too much trouble for our worth. We both know what will be the case should Gwyn suspect we are planning on usurping the Age of Fire."
"Get to the fucking point." Artorian already knew of this. Despite his father's heritage and history as a Knight of Gwyn, he held humanity to a higher regard during his days fighting the Savage before the official First Attack. And Gwyn for all his "wisdom" was a paranoid leader. If humanity grew too powerful too quickly, there's no doubt he'd wipe humans out for the sake of "containment".
"I believe you may have the ability to wake Liza up." Judal answered, placing his hand on the glass to Liza's pod. "You and her share the Blood of the Exalted; the pure Variant virus is coursing through your veins. It's been theorized that your energy may calm her energy and allow her to awaken."
"Why not get Emile, he's better at using his virus than me."
"Believe me, Emilia is an excellent Slayer and has much potential as a Variant, however she simply lacks the level of will required to reach out through pure energy." Judal detailed. "She at best would potentially give Liza a moment of relief. Your will on the other hand, yours is well beyond hers. You've spent years fighting the Abyss' control, you've fought and struggled simply to make ends meet, you survived and helped others survive in the Second Attack when you were but eight years old. You might be a bearer of a great evil, but you are as equal a valuable asset as Liza is."
"…How would I even do it?" Artorian questioned. "Variant's receive and offer power through body fluid, and I don't plan on making out with a fourteen year old. I have standards damn it."
"Oh no, you won't need to act in such debauchery."
"You and fucking Claire, no one says that!"
"Besides the point, Liza's containment is advanced. It both gives out and absorbs energy." Judal continued, ignoring Artorian's interruption. "Simply place your hand on the glass and focus your energy to your palm. That should serve the need of transferring."
"If this goes wrong, I'm ripping your arm off." Artorian said, placing his hand on the glass and attempting to give the girl his energy. He saw his energy slowly come to life at his hand, and seep into the pod, mixing with the energy vines and condensing into the thorns.
The blue energy would then begin to vanish, being absorbed into the vines completely as the Lord removed his hand. Several seconds went by before Judal would sigh, stepping away in disappointment.
"It seems it's still too soon for her to wake."
"That's it?" Artorian questioned. "Your sister isn't any closer to waking up, and that's all you can say?"
"She isn't in any worse condition, so at the very least nothing bad had happened."
"Oh that'll change you blond bast-!"
*Click*
Artorian's entire body froze as he heard the faint click of a pistol's hammer being pulled back, turning to see Claire standing halfway from the elevator with an N-Tranquilizer pointed forward.
"Claire… you…?" The Lord wasn't able to make out his words, seeing the Slayer aiming the barrel of a gun that could do serious damage to someone with energy like him at him. As far as most messages would go, he'd feel that the girl had a hand in her sister's condition.
That quickly went away however as he saw her shift her gun's aim, focusing it more on Judal as she narrowed her gaze to her brother. "Why did you bring him down here?"
"To test a theory, unfortunately it came out to be wrong."
"Don't give me that, there's something else, I know it." Claire stated, her finger hovering over the trigger as she stared her brother down.
"Now why would I lie about something like our dear little sister with a gun pointed at me?" Judal would respond.
"You lied to my face about the experiments Vitaly did, I had to learn that Warslran committed more human experiments from Artorian."
"Ah Abyssal, so even you have a bleeding heart."
"Say that one more time and we'll see whose heart is bleeding." The Lord growled, getting little response from Judal as he stepped towards Claire, the Slayer keeping the gun pointed at him.
"Let it be known I had little involvement in Vitaly's work, on the contrary I despised it when I discovered it. However it had proved beneficial, enough that the data found allowed us to give Liza the care we have now." He would say, showing no concern as he stepped next to Claire. "I am fully aware the amount of distain you have towards Vitaly, she's a very painful reminder to our mother. But know I will fully use what I can to assure humanity's survival, as you are expected to do the same."
Claire's hand would shake as she slowly lowered her gun, placing it back in her holster as her brother stepped past her. It was at that moment Artorian saw a familiar level of restraint, the same level he had for when Judal used Karen. He had no idea the relationship between the siblings, but he could certainly tell it wasn't anything healthy.
"You know, I'm honestly glad you two seem to have some level of compatibility." Judal would admit, confusing the two as he stepped into the elevator. When he turned to face them, his calculated expression was replaced by the welcoming smile he normally had, putting face back up for when he went up. "Our people face a difficult time, the next worldwide invasion from the Savage is estimated to eliminate around ten to fifteen percent of the current population. Recovery is important, and here we have two powerful Slayers in the same team."
"Your point?"
"Artorian, I know your given situation you require an heir. Should you face an untimely demise or find yourself no longer fit to serve." Judal continued. "I'd certainly see no problems if you and my little sister Claire were to produce said heir. Between you two I'd say your child would have a power unmatched by previous Slayers."
"W-What are you implying Judal!?" Claire demanded to know, her cheeks reddening faintly as he brother pressed a button out of their sight.
"Preserving humanity is important Claire, and as the current generation it is our duty to ensure the preparation of the next. You're both young, powerful and important pieces in the battle against the Gods." Judal stated, the elevator slowly closing on his smile, his eye opening in time to give an icy stare to the Lord. "There's no telling what tomorrow will bring, you should make preparations to continue our race should things end up poor."
The door then closed, leaving the two in a deafening silence, Liza's energy serving as the only source of light as the two Slayers stared at the closed set of doors. Neither would say a word as they waited for the elevator to come back, allowing them to head up after the Warslran president.
'Bastard, you know that as well…' Artorian would think as they headed up, knowing the idea Judal threw in was intentional and not simply a "suggestion" like he implied.
"Artorian… I am sorry you had to see that." Claire would speak up, getting the Lord's attention. "I assume that was a lot to take in, and I apologize you had to learn this ship's greatest shame."
"Pardon?"
"You appeared thinking deeply, I wish to say sorry for anything conflicting or problematic that my brother may have said."
"Oh no, that isn't it." The Lord would chuckle. "I was just thinking what our kids would look like."
"Y-You what!? What do you man "our kids"!?"
"Eh, he just put the idea in my head." He'd shrug, smirking as he cupped his chin with his fingers. "I mean I definitely would like at least two, preferably a boy first and then a girl. The boy to train and teach the lessons I learned growing up and a girl to spoil. It'll be nice knowing the boy won't look like Judal, but I certainly would hope the girl looked like you."
"You can't be serious, everything you've seen and that's what you're… you're trying to relieve the tension." Claire would eventually pick up, closing her eyes as she let out a deep sigh.
"Oh look, you're learning." He'd chuckle, lowering his arm back to his side while resting his sword against the wall. "Look Claire, you don't have to say anything. The fact you pointed a gun at your brother that could kill him if shot at the right place tells me more than enough."
"I still should have told you, as a Variant you share something with my sister I never could. Perhaps you could have been the answer, if only Judal wasn't the one…"
"Eh, I'm glad he was." Artorian grinned. "I nearly crushed his windpipe after I saw who was in the pod, I was looking for that opportunity since he first approached me about entering Little Garden."
"You should be careful, Judal is a dangerous enemy to make. If you step out of line he could do something worse than simply remove your status as a Slayer for Warslran."
"Oh trust me, he can't risk that. He's just lucky I can't either." Artorian stated, crossing his arm as he looked to the blonde. "So, you're the middle child?"
"Is that a big deal?"
"Nah, it just reminds me of an old friend." He admitted, looking down as he did. "Use to be me, Karen and another friend, sticking together and looking after each other. Back then there was only us, it was… easier."
"And now there's many more people and a bigger responsibility?"
"Yeah…"
"I used to think like that before I met Erica and Liddy. But since then, I learned that I can rely on others, and most importantly the amount of people who may rely on me." Claire then looked over to Artorian, giving an understanding stare to the hybrid. "I understand you do not follow Noblesse Oblige, I don't know the circumstances but I respect you following your own ideals. I just hope you understand that as a Slayer, you have a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves."
"As long as Karen's okay, I'll do what I have to." He stated, closing his eyes and smirking to himself. "And if I get to meet as many beautiful women as I have I'll gladly keep the "noble hero" role going."
"I do not know what I keep expecting, but you always go bellow it." Claire sighed, rubbing her forehead before her PDA beeped, getting her to reach into her pocket and pulling it out.
She'd stare at the information sent to her by Chris in silence, a solemn tone filling her face as she read the report.
"Something up?"
"Before you head to your room, come with me to the student council's office." Claire would say, the doors opening in front of them. "I'm initiating an alert for Selections, we need to meet for an immediate briefing."
"Why, what's going on?"
"Savage." The word alone got Artorian silent, the hybrid grabbing his sword and narrowing his gaze as he looked at the blade.
"Lead the way, Boss-in-Blonde."
(A/N): Well, the next arc has officially begun. And I'd say it's about time. I'm getting excited to get to what I have planned, and as much as I enjoy this build up I feel it's time for a few questions to be answered soon. I've been enjoying the feedback and I'm glad to see so many people have been enjoying the story so far, it's also good to know I've been doing well to avoid the apparent trope of making a Gary Stu based character, plot twist I admit I used to have characters like that but as I became a more focused writer I worked hard to avoid making characters like that.
But that isn't here or there, that was a long time ago and I'm glad to say they're gone. As of now though, I'm more than excited to keep writing Artorian and watching him develop more as a character in the future. And I hope I can live up to the expectations that have been laid before me in both the coming arc and the future. But most importantly for now, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you at the next. Peace!