We All Fall Down

☽ My Heart Doesn't Stand a Chance ☾

The Town

I lunged, sprinting to the left, drawing her attention away from the shop my friends were still in. Her gaze followed me, not blinking once.

"Human, you should have died. How do you still live?" It asked using Mirai's voice.

I don't say anything in response. Keeping silently focused, I jump spiraled at the demon mounted on her back. I knew that when Yuu had defeated it as the Salt King all those years ago, she had collapsed, back to normal, which was my goal at the time. 

It seemed she was ready for that attack, as she slammed an appendage into me, smashing me into a nearby building. I coughed, as I struggled to get up, my demon already working on the repairs.

"Slaver, much? Five minutes in and you're already injured." 

"It's been years, Kiseki-O, you've had your break."

"Touche, Kimizuki."

Surprisingly, Mirai had not made a move to attack again, and I wondered for a brief moment why. Until I spotted an ax wielding blonde on the street below.

"Hey, you!" She yelled, waving her ax around, and I swear that thing was 2x bigger than her.

"Mitsuba! Don't!" I warned, it was too late. Mirai had already slammed into her, knocking her halfway down the now empty streets. I acted on pure instinct then, putting everything I had into it. I managed to somehow cut a little at the demon's left horn, slicing it off cleanly.

"I'm okay, Kimizuki, that's what I wanted to happen." Mitsuba said, running up to me. I sighed.

"Fine, just please don't get hurt okay?"

"No promises."

"Ararara, did someone need a scythe?" Shinoa asked, appearing next to them, her black key in hand.

"Actually, yes."

"Alright, I'll distract her while you actually try attacking."

"Got it."

Shinoa ran to the right, so I broke left, getting pretty close to it while Shinoa had it's attention. I cut again, render it's left arm useless. A cry of pain rang out through the town, and I spotted a flash of brunette running atop the roofs. I smiled. We had our sniper back. The one thing that was bothering me however, was that we were all here, but Yuu wasn't.

He had been the center of our team, his fiery determination a beacon that kept us all near and never far apart. So where was he? I kept hacking at the thing as soon as it had it's attention on Shinoa, mindlessly tearing at it's skin.

If Mirai, a Seraph that has turned twice, was here as a seraph to bring about the end of this world, would Yuu also be a seraph somewhere else in the world, ending it? It was highly probable, based on the way Mirai had been acting, and the way we were all here, but Yuu wasn't.

Yoichi started shooting arrows a minute later, moving every now and then to a safe distance, and we kept at it like this, just working together as a team, trying to get my sister back. I smiled, it was like we were back in our routine, but I could tell Yuu's absence was taking a toll on them. We needed him, he was part of our squad. Right then, I knew we had to find him.

~

The City

"Ah, Yuu-chan. It's been how long? Oh how I've missed you. The world's been no fun without you. The only real fun I had was hunting Ferid down." I said softly, bringing my sword up to block his blow. He snarled, blowing me backwards a few feet. I grimaced. 

"Is that how you're going to be, Yuu-chan?" I asked, pretending to be hurt. "Then no 'Welcome home' for you, you rude jerk."

"Vampire! Drop this! I have work that needs to be done!" It growled, striking my sword again. I smiled wistfully.

"Oh, I can't. The real Yuu wouldn't want this. So I can not allow you to do this." I explained patiently as it swung time and time again.

"You can not interfere with the will of the Heavens!" It snarled, whipping it's spear against my sword several times. I sighed, and quickly knocked the spear out of it's hands. This was not the first time I'd had to fight Yuu as the Salt King. He had gone out of control at least twice after the initial transformation. His friends hadn't known about it though. How could they when they'd been knocked unconscious both times?

"But I already have." I said, cutting off one of it's wings. It jumped back, forming another spear. 

"Are you also involved in the breaking of the taboo?! Vampire!?" It screeched, racing up to take a swipe at me. I easily dodged it. Being as old as I am has it's perks. I was chosen as the third progenitor about a hundred years ago, though I didn't rule anything. It was a title gained simply from being how old I am. I found it funny how I had Krul's title though. 

"Naw, I'm not interested in such things." I insisted, swinging and effectively knocking it's second spear from it. I swung again, cutting off it's second wing, rendering it pretty much useless. And it knew it. It threw itself at me in a blind rage, which I side-stepped easily.  "Try harder, you might just catch me, King of Salt." I mocked as I pulled out my one memento of Yuu from all those years ago.

It was a simple Japanese style sword, a katana. It's edges shone, not once did it lose it's gleam. Anyone who happened to see it, which were few, knew it wasn't just a normal sword. It was green and black, and you could see your reflection in it. It's name? Asuramaru.

Without hesitation, I threw it to him, and he caught it.

"Why, vampire?" It asked. I shrugged, struggling to hide the smile breaking out on my face.

"Because it wouldn't be an equal battle then, would it?" I asked. With my reassurance, it opened the sword, and from the way it's eyes widened, I knew Asuramaru was doing what he had promised he would, time and time again.

Not a second later, his eyes went from black and yellow to white and red, and horns popped out of his head. I sighed, relieved as he dropped to his knees. 

I went over to him, kneeling down. I smiled at the sight of sleeping Yuu. I hadn't seen him in such a long time, but I still remembered back then in perfect details, even the small things. My smile grew as I picked Yuu up and held him close to me, just hugging him. 

"Now that you're not so mean, I guess I should say it." I paused, looking at his peaceful face. "Welcome home, Yuu-chan."