Trinity Blood Fan Fiction / Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Darker Angels ❯ Protocol Blows ( Chapter 20 )

 

Blaze and Takara stood on the front lawn and waited for the small airship to touch down. When the doors opened a small figure could be seen in it, pacing. Blaze grinned a little at the Empress' impatience. She tugged on the collar of her gown in an annoyed fashion.

 

“Gods, I hate these things, feels like someone is trying to hang me,” Takara said, voicing Blaze's own irritation at the trappings of state they were both wearing.

 

“Protocol, darling. Even though we know Seth well, we don't know the others. You know how finicky these damn negotiators usually are. I'd personally rather be in leather.”

 

“Speaking of leather, why didn't you tell us that Black and Blue was a bondage bar? Should be interesting to see Leon there tonight.”

 

“I didn't know it was until Hunter told me. I'm sure that will be wildly entertaining,” Blaze said, moving forward to greet the party now coming toward them from the airship.

 

Seth was practically running, the others scrambling to keep pace with her as she approached the two women waiting for her. She reigned herself in a few meters away from them and bowed deeply to first Blaze then Takara. When she raised her head she winked ever so slightly.

 

“Welcome, Empress.”

 

“Queen Edana, Princess Takara, may I present to you the Viscountess of Odessa, Duchess of Kiev: Astaroshe Asran,” she said, turning to the woman at her left, who bowed to them but kept her eyes trained on the surroundings. “And the Earl of Memphis, Ion Fortuna.” The young man also bowed to them, looking more than a little bit nervous. He had heard that these two were much older than the most ancient Methuselah and were powerful beyond imagination.

 

Blaze fought back the grin that threatened to spread at the absurd formality of the situation. “It is an honor to meet you both. You are welcome in my home.”

 

“Oh for the love of the gods!” Takara said, turning to Seth. “Get over here, you brat.”

 

Seth beamed and immediately launched herself at the older woman hugging her so hard that Takara thought her ribs were going to break. The other Methuselah stared in stunned silence at the spectacle of their Empress acting in a distinctly unusual manner.

 

“Okay, you two, stop scaring the other royalty,” Blaze said, laughing. She pried Seth away from Takara and hugged her then held her at arms length. “Gods, you've grown.”

 

“I'd hope so,” Seth said. “How's Abel? When can I see him? What are we going to do about fixing him?”

 

“One thing at a time, sweetheart,” Blaze said, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her toward the house. Blaze explained what had happened to Abel as they were walking in.

 

Skye, Star and Hunter met them in the foyer. Seth hugged the two women in turn and grinned as she was fussed over for a minute then turned to Hunter. She raised one eyebrow and grinned at him. “Ready?”

 

“Set?”

 

“GO!”

 

He grabbed her and immediately disappeared, sending the two Methuselah in the group into panic and then fight mode.

 

“Where has he taken the Empress?” Astaroshe demanded.

 

“Relax, it's a game they play,” Takara said.

 

Hunter appeared behind them a few seconds later with Seth sitting on one shoulder and giggling madly. “You're getting heavy, kid,” he said, putting her down.

 

“Empress, are you all right?” Astaroshe asked, glaring at Hunter, who simply grinned at her.

 

“Perfectly fine. Don't worry, Hunter is harmless. Unless you happen to be a pretty woman,” Seth said with a smile. “Then he's all kinds of trouble.”

 

“You know way too much for a kid,” he said indignantly.

 

“Please, you're only a century or so older than I am.”

 

“Hunter,” Skye said. “Would you go bring a couple bottles of wine into the library? It's been a long trip and I'm sure they'd like to relax a little.”

 

“On it, Mom,” he said, glancing back over his shoulder at Astaroshe and leering. “I'd like to be on other things later.”

 

“Hunter,” Skye said warningly.

 

“Okay, okay, I'm going. Yeesh!”

 

“Is he always so bad mannered?” Astaroshe asked indignantly.

 

“No, he's usually worse,” Seth said. “I'm not really interested in relaxing though. I'd much rather see my brother.”

 

“Of course. I'll take her,” Skye said. “I promise we won't destroy the grounds in the process.”

 

“One of these days I'll beat you,” Seth said, sticking her little nose in the air primly.

 

“I look forward to that day, bebe,” Skye said with an indulgent smile. “I sincerely do.”

 

Skye put her arm around Seth's shoulders and they made their way down the corridor.

 

“Will we really be able to fix him, Skye?” Seth asked after a moment.

 

“Yes, I believe we can. But it will take quite a lot, he's been badly injured.”

 

“Just tell me what I need to do, Skye,” Seth said earnestly.

 

“I know you will, bebe. All of his nanomachines are shut down at the moment except for the healers. Those are very few considering that most were destroyed when the others went haywire. I've repaired them as best I can but everything needs to be rebooted. The cells and tissue that have been injured need to be healed as well. For all of this, I need a full coven. There are seven of Red Shaman here but we need at least nine in order to pull enough power.”

 

“I'll do it. I know Astaroshe and Ion will want to help as well.”

 

“I was hoping you'd say that. We've been hesitant to ask the members of the Vatican to participate for obvious reasons.”

 

“I can certainly understand that,” Seth said, nodding. “You know this may kick him into full Crusnik.”

 

“I'm aware of that possibility. Can you control him if it does?”

 

“Possibly. But I'd hate to damage him once he's fixed. Then again he really doesn't have any problems with me or any of the members of Red Shaman so I don't foresee any trouble with him even if he does go 100%.”

 

“True.”

 

“When are we doing this?”

 

“Tomorrow night. I want this accomplished as soon as possible. I think it would be best to take him to the Henge instead of doing it here.”

 

“Yes. I think that's an excellent idea. It should help tremendously. I don't want to have to mourn him as well as Lilith, Skye.”

 

“You won't have to if I can help it, Seth. But you stopped mourning Lilith ages ago.”

 

“Yes. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten her. Not everyone grieves the same way that Abel and Takara do.”

 

“That's true. I didn't think we were going to get her back after her husband died.”

 

Seth nodded. “In a way, I think it might have been better that she didn't get to keep his body. I think if Abel had been denied access to Lilith's he would have recovered much more quickly. But then other things would have changed drastically as well. Everything for a reason I suppose.”