Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Leviathan's Arrival
Chapter 8:
"___" - Speech
(___) - Thoughts
{___} - Internal Voice(s)
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"See? If I hadn't been there to intervene she would've turned you into Sashimi."
Oron continued to mend the bruises on Jin's face with an evident scowl, occasionally he would make the treatment sting on purpose just to get his temper across.
"Ouch!"
"Stop squirming, your body might be slightly above average but that doesn't mean everything will just heal on its own."
"Whatever you say, Mom."
Xenovia's laughter caused a vein to pop out of Oron's forehead as he contemplated punting the Exorcist right there and then.
"Haha, my bad. I didn't expect you to be that strong so I let myself get a little carried away."
She sheepishly scratched the back of her head whilst desperately trying to avoid Oron's cold stare.
"You call this a lit— Ow!"
"I told you to keep still."
Once his assistant was satisfied with his condition, he walked off to the dining table to "supervise" the clutz of the two Exorcists, leaving only the two of them in the backyard.
"Hey, is there any reason you're doing all this?"
"Hm?"
"Retrieving the stolen Excaliburs, what's your motive?"
"I'm pretty sure I've already told you before, I'm doing this because it's my job to."
She griped as she shook her head in disappointment.
"That's not what I'm asking, I want to know what drives you beyond that. Surely you're not going this far just because you were told to?"
(You're actually not too far off, but in truth, I probably just haven't thought about it until now.)
"Don't take this as gospel but if I had to say, I guess it would be because it just feels right. Though I don't fully comprehend the reality of what would happen should I fail, a part of me keeps telling me that I don't want to find out."
For some reason, Jin's words seemed to put a frown on her face.
"I might be wrong, but doesn't that just mean that your motive is fear?"
"Fear? Actually, now that I think about it you might be right."
Adverse to Xenovia, the thought of dread being his prime motivator didn't seem to bother Jin even in the slightest. He simply continued to gaze at the sky with a content look on his face.
"You're pretty strange for a Crow you know that?"
"Haha, maybe."
(I'm willing to bet that's because I'm not a "Crow" in the conventional sense.)
"I'm serious, sometimes I find myself wondering if you really are one at all. You don't respond to insults, you approached the Devils like it was nothing, and you're sat here talking to me like it's the norm. It's strange isn't it?"
(Honestly, I understand very little about Exorcists, Devils, and even Fallen Angels. In my eyes, you all share the same problems as humans except you handle them with abilities exceeding theirs. I'm willing to bet I'm wrong though, hayseed and all.)
"Eh, chances are you're probably right —but I'm much more simpleminded than you seem to believe. If it'll make the plan a success, I could care less whose sword I borrow."
"And if one of those swords ends up turning on you?"
Initially, he thought of the remark as a gag, but as he turned his neck he came to realize that her expression was dead-serious.
"Well, if I'm stronger than them I'd imagine the normal reaction would be to retaliate."
"And if you aren't?"
He let out a soft exhale as he briefly pondered her question.
"Then it would just mean my number is up, why worry about something you can't avoid?"
"I didn't say whether it was inevitable, just if the opposition happened to be stronger."
"I know, but you implied it."
Sigh
"Alright maybe I did, but it wouldn't kill you to be a little more reactive?"
(Perhaps if you people would ask me something different for once, I would be.)
"Oh right, I've been meaning to ask. You keep mentioning you're doing this because it's your job, what exactly is your position in Grigori? You must be pretty important if you're being asked to handle something as delicate as this?"
"Uhm, I guess you could consider me as an extra pair of limbs?"
"Huh?"
Jin's cryptic analogy had essentially left her with even more questions than before.
"Sorry, I probably could've worded that better, I'm like an apprentice of sorts."
"Apprentice? Why would someone who has yet to complete their training be handling this?"
(I'm just as lost as you on that front.)
"I wish I knew, my 'employer' if you will, told me that there were others with far more potential, but in spite of that I still ended up being chosen."
"It seems like this 'employer' has a lot of faith in you."
"I like to tell myself that, but honestly I don't know what goes through their head, my boss is an enigma to me."
"Then I guess we're in the same boat, though we Exorcists are primarily driven by our faith, I've always felt like the way my higher-ups see the world is fundamentally different from my own."
"Is that so? I was under the impression that the church shared a singular God-driven mindset."
"I used to think that, but over time I came to realize that at the end of the day, everyone was still human. I am under no delusion that the church is perfect, and frankly, it's out of the control of someone like me. However, that doesn't mean you should let the corrupt influence your own mindset, as long as I maintain my sense of self-justice my bond with the Lord can never be severed."
(She must be thinking about Balba, he was fairly high up the pecking order so I can understand why him being ousted as a heathen would alter her mindset.)
"That's respectable."
"You think so?"
"I do, it's probably people like you who show others that one's mind can never truly be the property of another. I don't know what your ambitions are, nor will I pretend to —but should the day come when you are crowned a figurehead of your faction it will definitely be for the better."
Though his sudden approbation had left her confounded momentarily, a smile soon formed on her face once she understood his praise was genuine.
"Thanks, I guess."
------------
Dusk had fallen signaling the inevitable arrival of nightfall, the academy remained mostly empty save for a few figures still present.
One of them being the Student Council President, Sona Sitri.
Her face expressed conflict as she restlessly paced back and forth within the confines of her chambers.
"President, I think it best for you to compose yourself." Her [Queen], Tsubaki Shinra looked on with woe as her [King's] usual stone-cold demeanor was nowhere in sight.
"You don't need to tell me that." Despite what she said, her unease didn't seem to dissipate in the slightest.
"I'm aware that Leviathan-sama has the tendency to be—"
"Ballistic?"
"Your words, not mine, President." Seeing as her [Queen] had also experienced the "explosiveness" of the Leviathan, the sense of dread was mutual between the two.
However, Tsubaki could take comfort in the fact that Sona's presence would most likely direct the Leviathan's attention away from her.
"I blame that Crow for every—"
Both of their expressions froze as a vivid blue light gradually started to illuminate the room, warning them that the arrival of a certain someone was about to commence.
Tsubaki wasted little time wedging behind her [King] and standing at attention, both hands folded in front of her skirt as she did her utmost best to appear formal.
As a figure started to unveil herself, the two performed an immediate bow upon their arrival.
"Greetin—"
"SO-TAN! ✰"
Sona quickly found her ribs being crushed in a bear hug by a petite woman in what looked to be a Mahou Shoujo costume.
"I missed you So-tan! You should have seen my expression when I heard you wanted to see me!"
Her grip tightened as her younger sister winced under the strength.
"...Nee-sama…can't…breathe!"
As she tapped against her elder sister's arm the Leviathan quickly released her grip with a slightly flustered expression.
"Tehe ✰ sorry about that. Ah! Tsu-chan is here too! ✰"
Tsubaki instantaneously broke into a nervous sweat as the Leviathan's attention had now been turned towards her.
"It's good to see you too Leviath—"
She shot a quick glare towards the [Queen] before the latter realized her error.
"I mean, Levi-tan."
She hummed approvingly as Tsubaki heaved a colossal sigh of relief.
"So? How can Levi-tan be of use to her precious So-tan? ✰"
"I take it you're already aware of the ongoing situation here in Kuoh?"
The Leviathan's cheeriness seemed to simmer down as her demeanor started to shift towards a slightly more sophisticated one.
"Mhm, actually just a short while ago I received an interesting letter directly from Grigori."
"You did?"
"It came as quite a shock, even more so the fact that it was delivered directly to me rather than the higher-ups as a collective. Apparently, Kokabiel has been formally excommunicated from the organization."
Both Tsubaki's and Sona's eyes widened as the latter recalled the conversation she had the day prior.
(He actually made it happen? "Not close" my ass!)
"I'm guessing you told Azazel-chan to do it? That's not nice So-tan, you should have relied on your wonderful sister instead!"
Serafall pouted as she folded her arms together.
"Actually Nee-sama, it wasn't my doing."
"Eh? Then Azazel-chan did it on his own?"
"I don't think so, actually as of late another Fallen Angel seems to have come to our aid."
Serafall's eyelids narrowed as she solicited her sister.
"And you didn't notify me about it immediately? So-tan, you know my policy when it comes to strangers approaching you."
The temperature seemed to drop as a nervous lump formed in Sona's throat.
"But! I can never stay mad at my beloved So-tan! So, who is this Fallen Angel you've met with?"
"This might be hard to believe but apparently he used to be a human, somehow Fallen Angels have also gained the ability to reincarnate others as their own."
Sona expected the reveal to at least somewhat surprise her sister, but on the contrary, the revelation didn't shock her in the slightest.
"Nee-sama?"
"It's nothing, continue."
"His name is Jin Iwata, he's a student here in Kuoh like me. Supposedly he's here to help resolve the Excalibur situation, but he approached me in order to acquire assistance in dealing with Kokabiel."
"I see, so he's the one who made Azazel-chan file the excommunication?"
"That would be the safe assumption, but—"
"I know, he's the reason you asked me to come here right?"
A sense of shame invaded Sona as she nodded in embarrassment.
However, Serafall simply smiled warmly as she gently patted her sister's head.
"It's alright So-tan, I would've been furious if you tried to fight Kokabiel on your lonesome. Calling me was the right decision, I know you don't like being dependent on others but sometimes you have to let the adults handle things."
Her kind words seemed to restore some of her confidence as she responded with a silent nod.
"Now then, when should Levi-tan spur into action to save the day? ✰"
"Iwata-san is going to lure Kokabiel out tonight, he seems pretty certain that his plan will work."
"Good! That means I'll get to have more bonding time with my So-tan! ✰"
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