Chapter 08A: Meeting With The Remaining Slayers – Meeting Begins

A group of ten of us are sitting round a huge table, the four of us, Ren, Alicia, Elizabeth, and I, on one side, and the four remaining Slayers on the other. Alma and Shiori-sempai are sitting opposite far ends and Wolfy is standing on standby behind me. The atmosphere is cold and silent. These people are our natural enemies after all.

In such a tense situation we cannot afford any slip ups.

"Say, what is your name my cute little white haired kitten? Do you want some candy?" I ask the all important questions straight away. "GAHH!" I grunt. Alicia, whom is sitting next to me, pinches my leg.

The cute girl whom is clad in some kind of grey one piece swimsuit like costume just gives me a quick glance with her lilac coloured eyes. But before she can say anything a guy stands up and roughly grabs my collar. Unhand me you vile brute.

"Oi you damn Anomaly! Who do you think you are, chatting up my Ley, HUH!?" The guy in question is someone in his mid twenties with long scruffy raven black hair, and crimson eyes. He has a single piercing in his left eyebrow and innumerable amounts in each of his ears. Accompany that along with his dark clothing that has a skull on it, his appearance is that of a stereotypical bad boy.

"Your Ley? You've gotta be twice her age. Are you some kind of lolicon?" I ask in an annoyed tone. Hurry up and get your grubby hands off of me.

"I'M NOT A LOLICON I'M A PA%£@$*ILE!" The man corrects in a voice loud enough I think the whole neighbourhood could hear him. Fortunately my mind filter covered up the naughty word. That is one word that should not be processed in the beautiful Yuichi Shiro's brain. Therefore for future reference I shall replace that word in the Yuichi dictionary with “Boogeyman.”

"Let him go, Jijitsu," Shiori-sempai orders as she slams her hand on the table. The self proclaimed Boogeyman named Jijitsu reluctantly does as he is told and returns to his seat.

"Yuichi, will you stop trying to pick a fight?" Alicia says with a glare, as I too, return to my seat. He started it, I only wanted to know that girl's name.

"Anyway, a bit of an unorthodox start, but shall we begin?" A man in his late teens to early twenties who is dressed smartly in all white asks. His blond hair is neatly styled and combed to one side allowing his clear blue eyes to be the main emphasis on his face. A pretty boy who is probably three levels lower than myself, If I'm a ten then he is a seven.

"My name is Bosch Wolfgang," The pretty boy introduces himself, "I am the current wielder for the Soul Slayer Joyeuse-Longinus. I am also the one who has been put in charge of handling our current dilemma."

"I'm Jijitsu, the wielder of Fragarach-Kusanagi." The guy from earlier announces with a haughty tone. Oh, I so want to hurt this guy.

"I'm Antioch-Artemis' wielder, please call me Phoebe." A stylish woman with golden hair and hazel eyes introduces. She is definitely beautiful, but my instincts are telling me, I should stay clear of her.

"Ley comma just simply Ley period" The cute girl who caught my eye from the beginning says.

"Um, sorry?" Ren says, in a way that represents us all.

"Ley is a little special," Shiori-sempai explains.

"She has the habit of voicing out punctuation as she speaks." Alma further supplements, I see.

"In that case, I'm Yuichi Shiro, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ley-chan. Colon close brackets." I imitate.

"They already know who you all are from the data we sent, Yuichi-kun." Shiori-sempai explains.

"Now then, let us get down to business." The blond haired man named Bosch says with a clap of his hands, his eyes suddenly turn serious. "The four of us have been tasked with the elimination of a certain group that we have been keeping an eye on for a while now."

"Enigma?" Elizabeth asks, and Bosch nods.

"Being a member of the Cerberus family, I'm sure you must have at least heard about a group of souls that escaped from Purgatory and into the living world before the usual procedures took place, correct?" I remember Ren mentioning something along those lines before. Apparently their existence is the biggest stain on the Cerberus family.

"The Faux Human Anomalies." Elizabeth says in solemn voice with a nod. Talking about something which is an embarrassment to her family can't be easy. Ren noticing his fiancé's mood takes her hand in his own, Elizabeth gives Ren a quick look before her frown changes to a small smile.

Nice going Ren, you just raised a flag.

"Does the Cerberus family have any leads as to how this situation came about?" Bosch asks cold heartedly, can he not see the state of the girl in front of him.

"They believe that a stray Reaper, who has aligned herself with a masked man, personally led the souls back into the living world." Ren answers on Elizabeth's behalf.

Alicia too is now beginning to wear a frown on her face. I heard that she used to genuinely admire Carrisa, so hearing about this can hardly be called pleasant.

"I see, so the stray from Thanatos was behind it." Bosch says to himself. "I had received a report regarding this masked man from Alma and Shiori. Am I right to presume that he is the mastermind behind the group known as Enigma?"

"You tell us," I reply, I'm getting fed up of him harassing my friends with all these questions. "We only know what we know, and all of this is a theory at best. We told you the conclusions we've come to. It's up to you if you follow our logic, or use your own."

"Yuichi..." I can just make out Alicia quietly whispering my name.

It's about high time this guy gets to the point of all this.

---

Chapter 08B: Meeting With The Remaining Slayers – The Sister That Wasn't Present (Perspective: Yuna)

Onii-chan, Ren-sempai and their respective significant others have gone to meet with the Slayers. They told me and Sakura that it was too dangerous and so we couldn't attend, I hope everything goes okay. I couldn't help but feel worried. So I decided to wander through the town to help me get my mind off of things.

"Hey! What did you say, ya little punk!?" A low tone voice shouts, I instinctively turn to its source.

Standing there is a group of three boys around middle school age surrounding another boy of about the same age. His appearance seems highly reminiscent of someone I know and see everyday.

"Like I said, the three of you could do with a face job. How else would you be able to even have the right to breath the same air as my wonderful, graceful self?" His personality also seems to match.

"Why you little!" One of three prepares to strike the boy.

Oh jeez.

I quickly run up and grab the younger lookalike "Huh, what?" He exclaims with a blank look on his face.

"Come on, just run." I order as I drag the boy.

"WAIT!" The three goons are giving chase. With the boy in tow I quickly turn several corners and soon lose track of the pursuers.

I quickly try to catch my breath before I turn to look at the boy, whom doesn't look the least bit tired.

"What on Earth were you doing?" I ask, "Why did you go and provoke them when you were outnumbered!?"

The boy just tilts his head slightly at my question, "I was just saying how it is." He replies in a voice that is full of certainty.

I don't think I'm going to get anything through to this brat's skull.

"How on Earth did you end up in such a situation in the first place?"

"I wanted someone to guide me through the town, so I offered to give those three such a privilege, but they threw it back in my face, the nerve of such people." Oh god, they're so much alike it's almost scary.

"Hmmm," The boy stares into my face.

"What is it?" I ask as I turn to the side, his glare is giving me the creeps.

"You seem to be a pedigree of almost my equal." He declares.

What? am I dog or something? And what's with the “almost” in that sentence.

"Will you show me around town, Miss?"

If I refuse he'll probably create a situation just like before. Therefore do I even have a choice in the matter?

"Okay fine, the name's Yuna, Yuna Shiro. Just Yuna will be fine." I introduce myself, if only to stop him from calling me “Miss”.

The boy gives an innocent nod along with a smile before he opens his mouth, "A pleasure for you to make my acquaintance, I'm sure,"

Really? I'm glad someone is.

"I am Ichiyu, Ichiyu Weiss."

I can tell this boy is going to be nothing but trouble. I can only sigh in disbelief at my own misfortune.

---

Chapter 08C: Meeting With The Remaining Slayers – Carrisa's Task (Perspective: Carrisa)

"I'll leave the retrieval of Gungnir-Mjölnir to you, Carrisa." My master says in his low emotionless voice. "Feel free to use our latest addition to assist you."

"Yes Master. But if I may, if you wanted Gungnir-Mjölnir, why didn't you take it in the last confrontation?"

"Alma Ivana, I knew that if I left her be, she would challenge Yuichi Shiro," He explains, "Yuichi Shiro has the potential to be the centre piece for the “Final Project”.”

The Final Project? I hope it doesn't come to that.

“However, he still lacks battle experience, and in order to grow he needs strong opponents."

"I see, so Alma Ivana was one of those opponents." I reply.

My master nods his head before turning on his heels.

"What is about to occur will give him the opportunity to battle even stronger foes." He continues, "In addition, unlike before, we now have a reason to bring Gungnir-Mjölnir into our possession."

"A reason?"

"Even if Soul Martyr shattered it into a million pieces. As long as it still exists, then like a puzzle, it is possible to piece together and reanimate a soul." He declares.

So that's it, that's what my master is after.

"I shall be in contact soon." With these final words, he disappears, like his very presence was nothing more than a mirage within my own mind.

---

Chapter 08D: Meeting With The Remaining Slayers – The Meeting's Conclusion

Bosch breaths a quick sigh as he fixes his gaze onto Ren, and then moves it onto me. "Yuichi Shiro, Ren Kirei, what I want to ask you two is this: What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" I ask back.

"We want to know if you are planning to align yourself with Enigma." Jijitsu says with a grunt.

"Are you kidding me?" I reply, "That scum attacked us, and you think I'll work with them!" I can't contain my anger. Like hell someone as great as I would ally with someone who hurt my fiancé and my friends.

"That goes double for me." Ren chimes in.

"I see, in that case, would you be willing to form an alliance with us?" Bosch asks.

Everyone on our side of the table cannot hide our shock from the sudden proposal.

"Oi Bosch! You can't be serious!?" Jijitsu exclaims.

"Jijitsu, our opponent this time is a dangerous one. We need all the allies we can get." Phoebe explains.

"I have no intention of working with this pathetic half wit!" Jijitsu states as he points at me.

"Be silent whelp!" A voice comes from behind me, it's Wolfy, "I've sat here quietly and listened to you, but your constant insults to my master, you're really pressing your luck."

"Thank you, Wolfy. But it's okay, I can handle this." Wolfy gives me a satisfying nod and returns to his former position. I return my eyes back to Bosch, "What is it that we have to gain from teaming up with you?" I ask. He can't seriously expect our support without giving us something back.

"For as long as you both use your powers justly, then the church shall offer you both a permanent amnesty effective immediately." Bosch states.

"Alicia, what's he talking about?" I whisper into my future bride's ear.

"He's saying, that if you agree, they will no longer hunt you or Ren." She whispers back.

"Can we trust your word on that?" I ask.

Bosch in turn gives me a sincere nod.

"My Father and Alexander-sama predicted that they would make such an offering. The Church has lost too many Slayers by involving themselves with us." Elizabeth explains, "It's not so much as they won't attack us, as it is they don't have the personnel to spare to do so."

"Are you saying we should refuse, Elizabeth?" Ren asks, Elizabeth shakes her head.

"Bosch, was it? My Father and Alexander-sama also asked me to pass on a message to yourselves should you come to us with such a promise," Elizabeth continues as her gaze sharpens onto Bosch, "If you break your word, and so much as lay a finger on either Yuichi Shiro, or Ren-sama. Then we will use every resource that our two families have, to completely erase you all from existence."

Wow, seriously? That truly is some threat.

"I think that just about decides the matter," I say to Alicia, who gives me a forced smile and a sigh, before nodding her head. "What about you, Ren?" I ask.

"I'm marrying into the Cerberus family, hence I will personally clear up any stains to their name." Ren replies with a serious face and a nod. I'm embarrassed to admit, that even I, a guy, thought he looked really cool just then. Elizabeth is staring at Ren with her face completely dyed red, she's completely head over heels.

I turn back to Bosch and straighten my back to give my voice some power. "We accept your conditions." I state as I hold out a hand to the blond man in front of me, he takes it and gives it a firm shake.

With this our alliance has been finalised.

"So our kind warning fell on deaf ears." A voice states.

What the!? A girl is standing at the far end of the room. When did she get there!?

"YOU! YOU'RE!" Alma exclaims, her voice is full of absolute hatred, with Gungnir-Mjölnir in her hand, she charges at the mysterious girl, "I'LL BE TAKING SHUREN'S VENGENCE!" She screams as she swings down her soul slayer to the unmoving girl. The Soul Slayer goes right through her, but the girl's expression doesn't change and there is no blood or anything. "A ILLUSION!?" Alma curses.

"Alma, this girl, is she the one!?" Shiori-sempai also stands up and glares at the girl with hatred. "The one who murdered my brother!?"

Say what!? This girl murdered Shiori-sempai's brother? My mind quickly floats back to that time last year, when Sempai lost a relative and closed her heart. That relative, was it her brother? And this girl, she was the one who killed him?

"Gungnir-Mjölnir, how nostalgic. The girl who could do nothing but crawl along the floor also seems to have grown."

“ARRGGHHHHAAA!!!” Alma's eyes thin at the insult and she swings her Soul Slayer, once, twice, thrice. But each whoosh does nothing to the girl. Despite knowing it is a hologram Alma cannot control her emotions and is striking at it continuously. Slowly the strength of Alma's swings weakens until she runs out of breath and is forced to use Gungnir-Mjölnir to hold herself up. But even though her attacks stopped, killing intent was still leaking out of Alma's body.

“Well, that accomplished a lot.” The girl ridicules with a smile, "Anyway allow me to introduce myself,” The girl holds the hem of her dress and gives a dignified curtsy. “My name is Stella, I guess you could say that I am the leader of Enigma. Oh, and as you just found out, this is a hologram, you won't get anywhere by attacking it."

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"To put it simply, I'm here to declare war. On the Slayers, who are our natural enemy, and you, their new found compatriots." She declares. "We'll show you the horrors that await all those who stand against us!" As the words escape from Stella's mouth. A bright flash of light illuminates the entire room as well as the sky outside. I instinctively close my eyes to shield them as my mind feels drowsy and slowly blacks out.