[OPEN]

[soul_mods]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Witch Factory
Rating: R
Time: October 2019, at dawn.
Description: It’s time for war. This is the log set in the TYL timeline. Everything else following this will resume in the present timeline in November 15.

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[ninetyninesouls]

It was a pleasure to fight in something of this scale, something they had tried to keep him from but unsuccessfully. Mifune was a swordsman: he was born in the battlefield and would die in the battlefield, not withering away in the dark. The thrill of the carnage surrounding them was muted not by urgency but by the vicious efficiency that was necessary in his style.

It felt good, fighting alongside someone as skilled as Kanda with the sword without the other relying on the strange magic that deathscythes had. It had been a while since Mifune had been in a near-perfect footing and rhythm with another fighter, not since the rest of them had partnered and completed their prerequisite of souls. Yuuri was powerful, but he had not yet been tainted by a witch's soul, had not yet deformed his soul. Here was something of pure skill, nothing more.

While he had always been a lone wolf, there was something to be said of having another person watch your back as you watched theirs, a reliable presence just at the edge of a shoulder, pushing him to move faster and hit harder. A duality (or twice that? Mifune had never really known how to address the weapon in a meister's hand) that was remarkable for what it could bring into the field. He had spent enough time training with these two to know them intimately, despite the short days, and he trusted them to hold their own.

Mifune left the kishin egg for Kanda to dispatch, slipping low and past the boy's hip to round the corner and meet the next kishin egg he could hear from there. The swordsman did not have his usual array of swords, had lost them long ago. Now he was only armed with two, one in each hand. Fragile things in the face of monsters, but frightening in the right hands.

[lavenderglasses]

Others were actually fighting in that battle, but Saralegui's primary concern was simply escaping. It seemed that word of what he had done hadn't yet gotten around to the average soldier, or he wouldn't have had nearly so easy a time of it. Then again, it wasn't likely that Crane would have been able to call for help immediately, and in the middle of a war no one paid much attention when one's hands were bloodied.

Still, he wasn't going to just wait around until there was a bounty on his head among the witches, and there wouldn't be such an opportunity to escape as now, with the chaos of battle distracting everyone. Heading to the outer edges of the compound where he could just run and not look back, most just let him be as he darted between various private fights -- the kishin eggs knew not to attack him, still supposedly on their side, and most others were too busy with more immediate dangers to go after someone who wasn't obviously trying to kill them.

[a_r0yal_flush]

The sharp edge of his blade effortlessly slice through the kishin as Kanda attacked it. He could sense Mifune slipping out from behind the one wielding him, and carefully observed the man's movements. The skill they both displayed was admirable, to say the least, and the Maou knew well that his decision of support had been the right one to make.

It wouldn't take them much longer to clear the way and make it to the inner areas of the compound. Until then, their work would not be complete. Yet something off in the distance that caught the Maou's attention off. There appeared to be a familiar presence that pulled at the one sleeping within. The flash of blonde, and a figure reminiscent of one ten years younger flashed through his mind. The sense of familiarity tugged at the one sleeping within, and when Yuuri began to awaken, the connection between weapon and meister began to become unstable.

"S-Sara?" Yuuri spoke moments before he unwillingly transformed out of his weapon form. All thoughts of the fight around them went forgotten as his gaze settled on the other king. Sara was alive... Not only that but Sara was here right now and within reach! He felt his chest tighten at the thought of missing his close friend and losing the opportunity to see if he was alright.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know if he's alright! I'll be right back!" Scrambling back up to his feet, worry was etched in his expression as he regarded Kanda and Mifune. This was something he'd regret forever if he didn't do it now. "Sara!" Yuuri shouted as he began running after the other king.

[kandescence]

Kanda had felt the tremor of unrest in the sword, and knew that something wasn't right even before he knew what was happening. Yuuri's shifts between his usual personality and the more formidable self inside him were, for Kanda, like the acceptance of a firm, warm handshake. Steady and secure, there was a mutual self assurance when the usually-dormant personality took over.

But the swordsman had never felt anything from Yuuri like this. It was almost like the process in reverse, but it reverberated through his skin and bones until he could feel it in his teeth: something was wrong. Something was off with the resonance. And an instant before Yuuri regained his human form, he knew what it was.

"No!" But the single syllable was all he managed to get out before he was holding only the palm of Yuuri's hand in his own, and even that was slipping out of his grasp, already out of reach even as Kanda made a grab for him.

"Damn it! Yuuri! Come back here you IDIOT!!" It didn't matter what he yelled though, the swordsman could already sense that none of his words would penetrate the younger boy's tunnel-vision.

For a moment, Kanda stared at Yuuri's back as he ran down the corridor, his mind racing for what to do. And then his head snapped round to look at Mifune: in the span of time it took Yuuri to call his friend's name, their whole status on the battlefield had changed. Kanda was disarmed, Mifune was fighting alone, and if they lost Yuuri now, chances are he would end up dead before either of them ever saw him again.

[ninetyninesouls]

That had been unexpected. Mifune wondered what was so important for Yuuri to bolt like that, but was distracted by a kishin egg coming for his bowels. The natural solution to the problem would be to follow Yuuri and see to his safety. The lives of these four from the past were more important than the rest, and he had put two of them on the battlefield at the possible disadvantage to his side. It was his responsibility.

But things were about to get worse. Just as Mifune decapitated the kishin egg, just as he was about to urge Kanda to follow his weapon, he caught sight of a malignant figure approaching.

Vergil Sparda.

He fixed Vergil with a steely look, mind a whirr as he made his decision. Theirs was a strong line, but only if all the parts stood their ground.

Mifune focused on Kanda, then, meeting the young swordsman’s gaze steadily. He could not leave to follow them if it meant allowing the kishin to rampage and kill their allies behind: Kanda would have to go, but Mifune would stay and compensate. Wordlessly and with an abrupt twist of his hand, Mifune tossed his second blade to Kanda.

I am fail and didn't realize it was my tag 8|

[lavenderglasses]

Of course getting away wasn't going to be so easy, and he scowled at the reminder, hearing someone calling his name. It didn't sound like an angry voice, so it didn't seem likely that it was someone out to murder him, but still. An inconvenience.

Except it was a familiar voice. And it had been a long time since he'd allowed anyone to use that nickname. And then there was someone else yelling Yuuri's name, and he remembered the rumors he had heard that he'd simply shrugged off, unwilling to believe, get his hopes up...

No way. Sara froze, glancing back over his shoulder with wide eyes that only got wider as he caught sight of the demon king trying to catch up with him. He was exactly as Sara remembered, unchanged after so many years. No way, that's not... He spun on a heel, caught between going to his friend -- was Yuuri still his friend, even after all he'd done? Was that really even Yuuri, or some cruel trick someone was playing? -- and simply continuing on and getting away. He took a step backwards, eyes locked on the approaching double-black but beginning to lean towards the later option, and then another step, and then suddenly he lost his footing as he tried to place his foot down on a spot occupied by a body and with a yelp, he stumbled backwards.

Worry not! I am fail and thought it was my tag. Was stressing about being so behind, otl

[kandescence]

Extending his hand as on reflex, Kanda caught Mifune's sword in mid-air, his eyes immediately fixing on his fellow swordsman.

He didn't speak the question behind his expression, nor did he think he needed to: Are you certain? But of course he already had his answer; he understood what Mifune was telling him to do.

For an instant, Kanda's eyes flitted to the figure who drew near, able to tell at once how formidable a foe this was. No mere kishin egg, this. And Mifune meant to face him alone.

But when it had come to the battle with Skinn Bolic in that room on the Ark, Kanda had made much the same choice: he had sent his comrades away and then had to trouble himself with the distraction of their near refusal to leave. He would not disrespect Mifune or his skill with a blade by doing the same thing now as Allen and the others had done to him then, making him turn an attack against them all to assure that they honored his choice.

His eyes once again holding Mifune's, Kanda gave a slow single nod. In his gut he knew that the two of them would not meet again. But be that as it may. Each walked the path that he had chosen in life, and this would someday be every swordsman's fate.

Turning, Kanda took off down the passageway at a run, following the path that Yuuri had taken. He didn't pause and he didn't look back.

How about saying we all fail then? :>

[a_r0yal_flush]

Yuuri could hear his name being called in the distance, but none of it mattered as he kept running towards Sara. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of a war-zone, or the fact that he stumbled and nearly tripped over the fallen debris. Sara was right there and looking at him. He could feel his heart skip a beat when he caught sight of the older, but familiar figure of the other king.

"Sara!" He called out in alarm when he saw his friend stumble backwards and fall. It didn't take him long to close the distance. Falling to his knees where Sara fell, his eyes were brimming with worry and joy at finally finding the other king. "Are you alright?"

[lavenderglasses]

For a moment, as the other king dropped beside him all concern and happiness, Sara could only think that there was no way it was a trick, because that move was just so very Yuuri. Who else could be worried about another person -- someone on the other wise, even -- in the middle of a battleground?

And for a moment, Sara was actually happy. To be able to see his friend again, unharmed and only worried about him...the fact that Yuuri still obviously cared, even now, generated a little bit of warmth in his chest, and a smile threatened to slip onto his face.

But then someone's leg bumped into him, stumbling past in their own fight, and he was brought back to the present moment. They were in the middle of a war, and they were enemies, and even if neither of them planned to fight, he didn't have the time to be sitting there, with Yuuri shouting his name and making a fuss and no doubt attracting the attention of all the people he currently wanted to get away from.

So he gritted his teeth, drawing in a breath and silently cursing at the sheer unfairness of it all, and sat up just enough to shove his friend away, half-dried blood on his fingers leaving red streaks where he touched.

"No!" he shouted, scrambling backwards and shooting the double-black a glare. "Get away!" Perhaps if he broke Yuuri's heart quickly enough, he'd just let him go without a fight.

[kandescence]

The passage down which Kanda ran giving chase was thankfully not a busy one, at least not at first. But it was not a perfectly straight or unimpeded run either, and as he rounded one bend, he found himself coming face-to-face with a kishin egg waiting there.

It must have only come out of its hiding place--wherever that was--after Yuuri had passed. But drawn by the commotion it was now ready for a good meal. Kanda was ready to face it though, and readying Mifune's sword he prepared to meet its charge.

[[OOC: Setting this up so as to keep Kanda distracted for a while so that Yuuri and Sara can get some threading with just them two. Just give me a poke when you're ready for him to turn up there!]]

[a_r0yal_flush]

Yuuri felt his eyes widen when Sara shouted and scrambled away. This, this couldn't be happening? He felt the heavy weight in his chest, but decided to ignore it for now. Maybe Sara didn't remember who he was? It had been ten years since the other king had seen him, so it was entirely possible.

"Sara, Sara it's me!" He called out before launching forward to wrap his arms around the other king's neck. "It's me, Yuuri!" In the back of his mind, he heard the creature appear somewhere at his back, but Yuuri's attention was fixated on Sara.

[lavenderglasses]

It was almost painful to hear that name over and over, and the feeling only intensified as Yuuri embraced him. He froze for a moment, stiff as a board and wide-eyed. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been hugged -- hell, the last time anyone had touched him in a kind manner -- but it was just as warm as he knew it used to be, before Yuuri had ever vanished.

And now with that, it was even more painful for him to shove all those feelings aside, that slight vestige of hope that Yuuri still cared, grit his teeth and dig his arms between their bodies, forcing his old friend away. "Shut up! Get away from me!"

Even if it hurt, it would hurt a lot more if he got caught sitting around here by those that would no doubt come looking for him soon. Even if it meant abandoning Yuuri after finally finding him again, it would be a choice between that or being killed, and he wasn't exactly fond of the latter idea either.

[a_r0yal_flush]

Yuuri felt one single moment of peace after he felt the familiar warmth of Sara within his arms. It didn't matter in that moment that there was a battle going on, only that he now knew that Sara was alive and here right now. He'd been worried ever since he read that newspaper clipping, and after months of worrying, the young Maou had finally found the other king.

Yet there was a hand to his chest moments before he was shoved away. "Sara---?" He sounded questionably as he was told to shut up and go away. Eyes wide, Yuuri felt the pit of dread well up within before he reached forward to grasp at Sara's shoulder's. "But why? What's wrong? I can't let you go now that I've finally found you again."

[lavenderglasses]

There was that twinge of regret and guilt again. If only he had more time. But there wasn't enough time in the world for him to explain everything and get the other king to leave him be, and there was no way Yuuri would forget about him even then. He'd still follow, or want to help, and get himself involved, or hurt. Even if it was crueler, wasn't it better to just break it off immediately, in whatever way possible? Like ripping a bandage off, doing it like that would cause the least pain in the end, for both of them.

So he swatter at Yuuri's hands as he tried to get a grip on him, shaking his head and forcing his expression into a glare. "You're in the way," he snapped, taking on as harsh a tone as he could. "Get off me, or I'll kill you."

[a_r0yal_flush]

He pulled his hands back as if he'd be burnt. The snapped words had Yuuri visually flinching before the threat of being killed was given. This couldn't be real... this couldn't be happening. There didn't seem to be anything left of the Sara that he knew in there, but how could that be possible?

Yuuri wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab Sara again, but he didn't. "Why? Wat's happened to you?" He called out desperately. He didn't understand what's going on.

[ooc: Maybe Kanda can come back in after Sara's next response?]

[lavenderglasses]

As much as he didn't want to, Sara tore his eyes away from the other king, glancing about desperately for some opening in the crowd that he could slip away through. He had lost his orientation when he fell, and suddenly he wasn't even sure which direction would take him back to the witch's base and which would lead him away from it. Damn...

But at least Yuuri seemed to be stunned, ad he had to take that chance. He scooted back away from his friend and quickly got to his feet, making to turn around and disappear back into the fray. At the very least, he could lose Yuuri first and then figure out where to go.