From Dusk...To Dawn - Sequel to 'Into the Sweet Darkness'

Chapter 7 - Dumbfound

Sana pov:

My eyes were still as wide as dinner plates as I watched the 'heir' walk onto the stage. Yes, he was wearing white clothes, a white cloak, glasses and.....WHAT?!

I coughed several times and lifted my hand to point an accusing finger at him, still overly shocked. "I-I-I-Ishida?!!" He too looked mildly surprised seeing me, but he didn't look like me, like his eyes were about to fall out of his head.

"Sana san? What are you doing here?" He was frowning as he asked that question. I couldn't help but glare at him as I dropped my hand to my side. "I should be asking you that question! What are you doing here?! What's going on?! What on earth did I miss out in the last two years?!"

Heir?! Ishida was the new heir?! This was insane! I had no idea what was going on here! I was close to believing that I had started to dream. There's no way stuff like this would be really happening, right?

"Who is that four eyed b******?! We have to follow him?!" "What's the big idea saying some new person we've never heard of is the next Yhwach?!" "I'm not going to accept!" "What the hell!"

There were many comments coming from the other Sternritters. So even they hadn't met Ishida before. But what was all this talk about him being the next Yhwach? It didn't make any sense! I mean, Ishida was our friend! He'd helped Ichigo and everyone else against Sousuke and Kageroza and everything! So why was he with the enemy group now?!

"Come, Uuryu. We have to commence the ceremony." Juha san said. I stepped up lifting my hand towards him. "W-wait! What ceremony? What is going on here? I don't understand....."

"You may talk to Uuryu later, Sana. For now, we have something important to do." Juha san said and Ishida followed him out of the room without another glance ar me. I frowned, a little surprised about his behavior. Why did he suddenly seem so cold? First of all, it was too surprising to think that Ishida would join the enemy and secondly, he was being too distant.

"Sana, I will have Ishida come to your room when the ceremony with His Majesty is done." Haschwalth san was at my side and I followed him out of the meeting room reluctantly.

As we made it through the corridor, we saw a couple of the Sternritter arguing with each other. They almost looked ready to fight but stopped when Askin stepped in. "I wouldn't fight if I were you....you know the penalty for fighting amongst ourselves is death. Yhwach doesn't like it." He said in his usual bored tone.

"What the hell, Askin?! Don't tell me you're going to accept some b****** like four eyes as the new Yhwach!" One of them said. "I agree! Some random b****** turns up and Yhwach suddenly announces he's the heir?! I don't accept it!" Another one said. Askin just sighed and jumped down from one of the higher platforms he was standing on.

"Don't say that to me. Even I don't accept it but we cant fight among ourselves and risk our existence. Besides, we've got company." Askin looked towards me and Haschwalth san as we entered the huge columned aisle they were standing in. I sweatdropped standing awkwardly next to Haschwalth san. He was watching all of them passively but the ones who had been fighting prior to noticing us there, stiffened. But the scowls and glares of annoyance didn't disappear.

"Captain Haschwalth! You don't accept this too right?! How can someone besides you be appointed as the hew heir?! We would follow you no matter what but this newbie?!" One said. Another one pointed at me with an accusing finger. "I'm sure its all your fault!! You are Yhwach's guest so you influenced him to appoint your friend as the heir, didn't you b****?!" I sweatdropped yet again, smiling sheepishly.

"Actually.....I wasn't expecting to see him here...." "Who is appointed the heir is His Majesty's choice. Being his followers, we are willing to die for the continued existence of the Yhwach." Haschwalth san said unaffected by what these people said. I looked at him slightly surprised. Wow, he must really look up to Juha san to be saying something so selfless.