Chapter Forty-Four: Unholy War Pt. 2:

Limbo

Sumire sat in grass of the special place that she shared with Emiko all those years ago. A wave of nostalgia filled her body. So many memories danced in her head. Fresh apan she always bought for Emiko at the bakery on the way to this place, their picnics together, the talks that they shared, and their first kiss.

Sumire leaned back. She always wondered what would've happened if Emiko let her go further. The angel smiled to herself. Maybe I'll see this time, she thought. The angel reached up for the empty sky. It�s a quiet day today.

Haruka's Virus World

"I can't believe it!" Amber said. "You fell for the same trick twice." Hotaru kept trying to stay on her feet. Emiko gritted her teeth.

"Damn you, Amber!" she barked. Hotaru's soul became anchored to Emiko's through the chains. If Emiko got hit with an attack, her girlfriend would take the damage five times more. Emiko trembled in rage.

"Damn you, Amber!" she barked.

"Try and come at me if you can!" Amber taunted. Emiko's eyes trailed to Cho. The demon glowed in silence. The butch demon shook her head. They put us in a harsh position. If I overdo it, Hoto-chan will be stuck paying for it. Emiko studied Cho even more. Hotaru paused when she felt her lover's thoughts flood her body. She shook her head.

No, mama! Don't do it!

Emiko clenched her fists. We have no other choice!

But you'll die!

I don't want to hurt you!

I can take it!

We already went over this!

But�

No more complaints! We have no other choice! Just do it!

At least try not to die!

Emiko smiled in her mind. Now there we go again, racking up with the promises here.

Please!

Okay, okay. I will try to survive this. Just do it!

Understood!

Amber snickered. "Aw, what's the matter? Give up already?" Emiko herself snickered.

"What?" her rival asked. Hotaru's body went stiff as soft black waves polluted the ground below her feet in one high-powered shot. Everything around them went still.

"What did you just do?" Amber asked. An earth-shattering scream caught her ears. Amber whipped around to see her beloved Cho with heavy black chains around her wrists, ankles, and neck.

"Cho-chan!" she cried out. Emiko laughed aloud.

"Impressed?" she asked as she rose to her feet. "You're not the only one who can anchor someone's soul to someone else!"

"But� But� How?" her enemy asked.

"Years of studying," Emiko said, smirking. "Now the playing field's even!" Amber gritted her teeth.

"Damn it!" she yelled. "I'll fix you!"

"Go ahead and try!" the butch demon challenged. Amber now saw fire.

"You!" she snapped. She let out a blood-filled scream as she raced forward with her sword. Emiko smiled as she shook her head.

"You poor, predictable dumbass," she muttered. Hotaru pressed a button on a hand-held device on her forearm.

In the house, Mike, Kazue, and the generals sat on standby. Mike looked up and saw green lights blinking in the fog. He turned to Kazue.

"Punch in the code," the demon said. "They need the light bomb!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Kazue said. "Alright on it!" She punched in five digits on the keyboard projected on the desk. The leaders watched confused.

"What did you just do?" Suda asked.

"Sit back and watch the fireworks!" Kazue said with a grin. Kiku's eyes shot wide open.

"Don't tell me�" he shouted.

Emiko grabbed Amber by the wrist as she got close. The green-haired woman panicked.

"What the�" she yelled. Emiko grinned. She leaned in close to Amber's ear.

"Goodbye," she whispered. Amber shook her head.

"No!" she snapped. "It can't end like this! I won't let it!" The demon formed her left hand into a dagger made of bright green light. She took aim.

Boom! Hotaru shielded her eyes. A great light swallowed everything in its path. Amber and Cho screamed as they felt shocks all over their bodies. Emiko backed up, clutching her bleeding side where her liver was. She chuckled to herself in her mind. Bitch got me after all, she thought as she sank backwards.

Pulsing cherry blossom pink everywhere. Emiko laid on her back, looking around. It doesn't hut anymore. Did it work? Am I dead?

Emiko-sama!

The butch demon paused. That sounded like� Emiko looked and saw a familiar sweet face looking down at her. She blinked many times, but the image didn't change.

"Sumire-chan?" the butch demon asked. "Is that you?"

The angel pulled back. "You have fought well. You can come home now."

"Home? With you?"

"Uh-huh."

"But� how? I'm a demon and�"

Sumire shook her head. "No."

"No?"

"They cleared you of all your sins. You can go to Heaven now. Come home with me." She held out her hand to pick her up. Emiko reached out to her, but paused.

"Wait!"

"What's wrong?"

"What about Hoto-chan, Mike, and Kazue? What will become of them?"

Sumire gave her a little smile. "It's alright. They will get to go to Heaven on their own paths someday."

Emiko managed a little smile. "I understand. I'm coming home." She reached up and took Sumire's hand.

After twenty minutes, everything went still. Hotaru looked around.

"Did we get them?" she asked. "Emiko? Emiko?" As Hotaru searched through the fog, she came across Amber and Cho lay out almost dead. They vanished before her very eyes, but where was Emiko?

A soft, warm light caught Hotaru's attention. She looked and saw her beloved Emiko floating before her. Her clothes turned fresh and bright white and she had two great white wings on her back. Hotaru gasped at what she saw.

"Mama!" she said. "You made it to Heaven?" Emiko smiled and gave her a small kiss on the lips.

"I leave the mission in your hands," she whispered with an unsettled ache in her heart. Hotaru quickly looked up.

"Hey, wait a minute!" she cried. Emiko was already gone to reunite with Sumire in Heaven.