Sacrifice

The group walk into the Palace returning from their trip catching Mitsuko by surprise because he wasn't told when they were coming back.

Tachibana just told him he's in charge a few hours before the trip.

"Sir, welcome back everyone, shall I get you something?"

"No, I think everyone is just exhausted we'll talk later sleep is what we're after." Tachibana turns around to find himself still standing alone.

Everyone else already knows where their rooms are so they had no interest in waiting around for hotel service and any unnecessary conversations.

"You'd think they would come back refreshed from vacation, not looking like they need one." Mitsuko comments as Tachibana goes to his room passing out the instant his body and his bed meet.

Early morning he wakes up taking a shower before heading to his office to get an update on how things were while he was gone.

Mitsuko sits across from Tachibana scratching the back of his head he is worried he didn't do a very great job at watching the place and the numbers are proof of that.

In the past week the number of guests decreased by 2% which is a big hit in the long run and shouldn't be taken very lightly.

"You did a great job of handling this place while I was gone.

"Normally this time of year we don't see that many guests coming in and out which is why it's usually the time when I have certain rooms closed off for maintenance and all, but now it's going to be difficult with a full house.

"Do you still have the notebook with the list of repairs and interior design plans?" Tachibana puts the report down.

"Yes sir, on a more pressing matter sir an Aiko Yamato has been coming here demanding to see you every day for the past week I'm sure she will be here today again, is there anything specific you'd like us to say to her?"

"Don't worry, when she gets here bring her to my office but make sure you're at Yuno's side constantly as well as the others. I don't trust her intentions."

"Right sir, Anything else?"

"Yeah, my father is back I don't know how long Himawari will be asleep, but every time she dies she takes longer to wake up giving him a short term window of opportunity to come after me.

"Now's not the time for me to be dealing with him I just got past Phase one of my plan.

"I'm ready to move on to Phase two which is a delicate procedure that needs time and total concentration." Tachibana stretches to shake off the stress.

"Phase one was to disempower the top brass and now we're under the Empress's rulership, what's next?"

The door violently swings open exposing a very angry Aiko, "I have been coming here to see you everyday Tachibana and all I got from your shitty staff was the bullshit line that you're on vacation.

"Didn't you just come back from a 3 months long trip? What the hell was another vacation for?" She angrily shouts fuming at the door.

Tachibana notices that she's causing a scene and that's the last thing he needs right now, "Mitsuko can we have this conversation a little later I'll see what has Miss Yamato here in such grave distress."

The male stands and walks to the door gesturing for Aiko to enter before he closes the door behind him going to look for Yuno and Tori.

"Miss Yamato, how may I help you?"

Aiko takes deep breaths calming herself she is so angry speech is not possible, she paces up and down the room until she is calm taking a seat in front of Tachibana.

He puts his phone away giving her his undivided attention.

"What the hell did you do to Kaminari? I know it was you because no one was coming after him like you were not to mention your oh so, convenient three-month trip just after he disappears and everything goes to shit in this country.

"You and Ryujin had the most to gain from his death you slowly wiped out everyone else leaving just the two of you at the top.

"Ryujin is an old bag of bones on borrowed time he's bound to kick the bucket pretty soon leaving the All Mighty Tachibana at the top as the sole survivor of the Political massacre of the year 3050 in Japan."

She chuckles looking him up and down crossing her arms convinced it was Tachibana who killed Kaminari because no matter how she slices the cake Kaminari was supposed to be killed in this very office shortly after he signed off his assets to her.

Now she's left with nothing all the hard work she put into carefully planning her master plan that leads to Kaminari's death and her benefiting from it is just blown out of proportion.

He's dead and she's got nothing.

"I hate to say this to you Miss Yamato but Kaminari's death was not my fault I was just as surprised as you when I found out I knew he was going to die because you predicted it and told Yuno, but I didn't believe it I was convinced your prediction was wrong.

"So, if you're looking for someone to blame I suggest you start looking into the facts or maybe start harassing Ryujin he's the one that took everything that Kaminari had not me."

"Keep lying Tachibana, but just know that I am going to make your life a living hell for ruining my life I finally had a ticket to the good life and you ruined it."

She stands up and releases a heavy breath, "Hitoshi sends his greetings." She utters with a sly smirk on her face before walking away.

"I don't know what happened to Kaminari if you want me to find out for you that's what I'll do, but I swear to you I have no idea what happened."

She pauses in her tracks the urge to turn around and open the door to look him in the eyes as he says that is like an itch she can't scratch.

Tachibana opens the door and she's already turning away, "Dammit!" Tachibana bangs his door shut pacing in his office.

Yuno swims while Setsuno brings the refreshments.

Kai and Tori are still sleeping.

Setsuno comes back and joins Yuno, "So, Hitori, Why call him fire bird?"

"He's like a Phoenix in my eyes and it's more so for good luck. I want him to always remember that he has the strength to get back up again.

"Like a phoenix he is immortal, indestructible, and a force of nature you do not want to trifle with."

A slow clap echoes both Setsuno and Yuno turn to see Tensho with a smile on his face.

"Good Evening, I take it he's still sleeping I was delivering goods to the nearby supermarket and thought I'd pass by to see him."

"They'll be up pretty soon Tensho, care to join us? Our vacation isn't over yet."

"Time is not on my side unfortunately, but I'll be back later after my last delivery I'm very curios to hear it from him what happened out there."

"He'll definitely be awake then I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again he asks about you from time to time." Yuno smiles as the smile on his face turns brighter as he waves goodbye and leaves.

"Is that Tachibana?" Setsuno points to the male standing in front of the vending machine with his back turned to them.

"Don't be an idiot Setsu he's taller and bigger, but he does look like him from behind maybe we'll see his face if he turns around."

"I have a bright idea." Setsuno throws a rock at the back of his head and goes under.

The male turns around to meet with a dumbstruck Yuno completely lost for words and doesn't know what to do so she joins Setsuno underwater.

Setsuno waves his hands around she was supposed to turn and look at his face.

They look up and see the man's figure standing in front of the pool waiting for them to come up.

Yuno can hold her breath for more than an hour underwater but she can't say the same thing for Setsuno who is about to reach his limit soon.

She puts her lips on his giving air to his lungs before they swim to the other side of the pool and resurface.

A gun shot goes off grazing Yuno's cheek, since she's already in water it closes up instantly.

"Bingo." The male smirks putting the gun away and leaving.

"Is it safe in or out of the water?" Yuno asks Setsuno.

He takes her hand helping her out of the pool, "Let's get inside I'm sure someone heard the gun shot and is on their way."

Yuno turns the corner and Mitsuko sighs in relief when he sees she is okay the gun shot sound had everyone in a panic.

Ackerman isn't here so Tachibana is watching Kai and Tori himself while Mitsuko was supposed to be watching Yuno but since she was with Setsuno and in the pool he didn't think it was necessary to invade their down time.

"I apologise gravely I was supposed to be watching you."

"How about we keep that minor detail to ourselves boss man does not look like he just came back from vacation." Setsuno points to Tachibana holding Tori with Kai behind him they look like they're in a rush and Tori doesn't look so good.

Tachibana notices Yuno rushing over towards them, "Crap, cover for me with your sister will you?"

"Hey, what's going on? Is he okay?" Yuno is in front of Tachibana in an instant.

He gives Kai a side glance to get an opening and rush Tori to Kim but luckily she came to him instead.

"Get him inside it's a false alarm, where's the dog?" Kim asks looking around.

Yuno cocks a brow Tachibana and Kai follow Kim inside ignoring her it's like she doesn't exist or something.

Kim injects Tori with the syringe and injects the dog as well, "Alright, so remember when I said that Hitori's egg is growing too fast for his own good?

"It's growing again and faster than before with his link with the Puppy It shouldn't be growing at all I don't know what to tell you guys I think it's poisoning and this isn't the kind of thing Yuno can just heal it needs a witch."

"Dammit! Even if Aphina was here she's pregnant there's no way Ackerman would let her cast any spells we just have to find the witch doing this and kill them before the next 24 hours are up assuming that's how long he has.

"In the mean time someone get the dog to use ice or something."

Everyone looks at Setsuno and Kai specifically and Tachibana takes Yuno's hand pulling her along.

"You're letting me tag along?" She looks surprised usually he'd insist on her staying.

"I have a better chance of protecting you from my father and if he's after you he will target you specifically until you're dead he finds doing things like that more fun and exciting so where ever you go he will follow and being around them is the last place you should be right now."

"Is this a good time to ask questions?"

"Nope, unless your goal is to piss me off than go ahead and ask all you want."

"Ken."

He looks into her eyes and his expression softens, they carry such a calming aura.

She gives him a hug and he tenses up he was expecting a question not a warm embrace, "We won't lose Bobo and we'll survive your dad until Himawari wakes up."

He smiles opening the car door for her, "I know Yuno just get in."

The drive is quiet, Yuno doesn't know where exactly their going and Tachibana is driving like a madman.

The car pulls over at a bus station and a ash blonde male walks into the car.

"Am I happy to see you." The teen exclaims excited.

Tachibana drives back to the Palace explaining what is going on with Tori.

"Seriously? I come over for a visit and you're already doing this to me, couldn't you at least wait for a day?" The teen complains crossing his arms.

"I don't have a day and you were supposed to have arrived yesterday. By the way this is Yuno his mother.

"Yuno this is a friend of mine Roku he'll be taking over as the family witch while Sensen is out of commission."

"Nice to meet you, but why are you half naked? Not that I mind or anything I'm just questioning exactly how straight Ken is to be so focussed on the road."

"Great I forgot how annoying you are if you're bothered by her stop staring."

They arrive at the Palace Yuno goes straight to her room and get's dressed before joining the others and finds Tori sleeping soundly.

"I found my Fathers grimoire he has a spell that can protect from these kinds of attacks and unlike Aphina's it's more solid than again she's putting all her energy in protecting her child so that turns to make spells weaker.

"Give me an hour and you'll all be witchy proof in no time." His bright smile lights up the atmosphere in the room.

Roku is just a person that's always smiling, genuinely a happy person with a bright out look no matter the situation the number one attribute that drew Ken to him.

Ryu glares at Aiko but doesn't say anything they were supposed to kill Hitoshi now their allies if it wasn't for the man being Izumi's target Izumi would've turned on her but they seem to have an understanding and playing along is keeping her alive.

"You two are getting along very nicely." Hitoshi and Izumi glare at Lynx who screwed up.

They did not plan to reveal themselves so soon and now Ken and the others know they have a witch on their side which kind of kills the element of surprise they had.

"Did it have to be my son? Yuno I'm honestly cool with seeing dead she's our biggest threat anyway." Ryu clenches her fists if her stupid sister had a better taste in men she wouldn't be dragged into this mess that has absolutely nothing to do her.

"What do you mean by that? She's just a healer." Aiko asks getting a glare in response from Ryu

"Remind me again what she's doing here, and why exactly we need her here?"

"I found him." Aiko points to Hitoshi, "You found us and we're a package so deal with it."

"Tch, first chance I get you're dead girlfriend, and what I meant by Yuno being our greatest threat is that everyone knows she's Tachibana's girlfriend and anyone looking to get in his good graces will have all eyes on her

"Anyone she likes Tachibana will automatically let into his inner circle and I don't know if you've checked the numbers, but their circle keeps getting bigger every time we make a move."

She points a finger at Lynx who failed at killing Tori, "So, you witch friend need to get over yourself."

Ryu does not like that he claims to be a powerful witch but would target a baby out of a whole group of adults to send a message. 

She turns to Izumi who's sickly looking, "And then there's him" She gestures to Izumi who narrows his eyes.

"He claims to have been the most powerful Aztec to have ever walked the earth yet here he is reduced to a mere human being who can only do magic on full moons.

"Even girlfriend over there has better odds of survival than him so you need to stop underestimating the enemy they sure as hell are over estimating us." She flops on the couch and the room is quiet.

"I will get my power back soon enough I need to sacrifice 6 individuals on the 31st of December and so far I can't find a single one."

"Who? I'm good at finding people." Aiko asks.

Izumi stands up writing down the 6 names

Miyoko Karasu

Abe Oseen

Oyama Jin

Kimiko Kazumi

Rose Fahashi

Tensho Karma