Koutetsujou no Kabane-Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress- (Ikoma Love Story)

15

All time favorite character right there...Cue the story!

"You can always die. It's living that takes real courage."

Blood tainting the ground and walls of the outside wall as the Kabane attempt to grab at anyone to feast upon.

"Fire the incendiary bombs!" Biba commanded.

His men complied with his order, scattering bombs everywhere. Biba took his opportunity to jump on his horse to go towards the Kabane and fight against them while his men followed him into battle.

Meanwhile, you stood in the place you were staying in making sure to satisfy Hikari's hunger with remains of Kabane's flesh. But when you think about why the both of you strayed from the path of normal Kabaneri, you begin to realize that it was because unlike those injected with the virus by Biba, accidently bitten trying to fight off the threat like Ikoma, and time-you begin to evolve but the more time that passes by, the more dangerous you both become.

"I'm sorry Yuki," Hikari muttered in a low voice.

You kneeled down to look towards him and pet his hair gently.

"I will try my best to find a cure fast Hikari, please don't submit," you said while Hikari began shaking from fear and from fighting off his urges. Immediately he bit down on the piece of meat in front of him.

As quick as they left, they came immediately back into the station to connect the train-carts of the Kotetsujo with the Kokujou. You turned towards Hikari to see him using a small paper wrapping to cover the meat he was eating on from the others.

You kneeled down to Hikari's level and laid your forehead against his as he looked up towards you with those innocent eyes that had enticed you to save him 5 years prior to this day.

"Avoid Biba and his men on this train," you said, "Be near me at all times, and if Biba somehow attempts to separate us, I want you to go to Kurusu, Takumi, or Ikoma-Trust no one on this train except those three. If by all means, you need to submit to your power to fight, use your power."

"Yuki..." Hikari muttered.

"I have a feeling that this time, Hikari, Biba has changed and is out to prove a point to his father, by any means necessary," you replied, "He is unaware of your power and ours as well, however, with Mumei knowing them-he will get de-briefed on them. Therefore, he will most likely go after you, especially, since you and Ikoma are the only male Kabaneri. Before that happens, you must kill them...if they get a hold of your power, they will use it for warfare and will become unstoppable."

"Right!" Hikari assured as you picked up his body and held it against you while climbing the train. You enter through the Kotetsujo's carts as everyone was at ease and relaxed.

"We can rest easy knowing Biba-sama will protect us," one person said as some nodded in agreement.

You took Hikari and yourself to the back of the cart as a way to avoid any trouble and to allow Hikari to eat to prevent himself to submit to his Kabane ways. A shadow loomed over you causing you to look up to see Takumi and Ikoma looking towards you and taking a seat near you and Hikari.

"As much as I love you both," you replied caressing Takumi's cheek causing Ikoma to growl lowly and you to chuckle, "I need you both to back away from me."

"You're dumping both of us!" Takumi yelled.

"It's not you, it's me," you replied, "literally."

"Something has been up with the both of you since we joined Biba?" Takumi questioned, "Like why didn't you tell anyone you were engaged to him!"

"Because I didn't want to be engaged to him," you replied, "His father set it up prior to him being exiled from Kongoukaku."

"His father?"

"Being "Humanity's Last Defense" many bushi's, samurai's, lords ask for your hand in marriage or ask you to marry their eldest son in order to have successful and strong heirs. Prior to getting that title, my mentor used to get those offers; However, before I left with my mentor back to our hometown, the shogun summoned us and asked that I get married off to his eldest son, Biba."

"So you accepted?" Ikoma asked.

You looked down towards the ground at your shoes and sighed at this vivid recollection.

"No," you replied, "Neither I or my mentor agreed to this, in fact, she told the Shogun that even though we face a threat to humanity, I should have the right of free will and choice and I should be able to choose my own husband. But then the Kabane's came and attacked my mentor, I bonded with Hikari and re-connected with Biba during one of his conquests. I learned that his father disowned him and he chose to liberate the world from Kabane's. Because word got around, the shogun summoned us both and asked me this time if I could marry Biba. I told him, only for the sake of Hikari and myself, I would do it. But, I realized after I agreed, Biba's true personality showed and I escaped barely with Hikari because of an unexpected visit by the Kabane's and stood clear from him until yesterday."

"If I had made you leave..." Ikoma muttered until you placed your finger between his lips causing Hikari to stop eating and make little squeals of joy from the scene in front of us.

"Ikoma,"you replied, "I don't regret this situation, however, I do ask that you remain alert around Biba and his subordinates."

"I will get you out of this," Ikoma said grabbing your hand and holding it tightly, then pressing it against his heart, "I swear it on my life."

"Focus on Mumei's predicament first," you replied, "She is in more danger than I am."

Ikoma turned his head to the side and nodded in agreement of the situation.

"Also, stay away from me while we are on this train," you said, "Biba sama is very perceptive like yourself and knows that there is a romantic interest between us both. I don't want you to die because of it."

You pulled your hand from Ikoma's chest and carried Hikari in your arms while he smiled and continued to much on the flesh. You rose from the ground and walked away from Ikoma and Takumi into the lower parts of the Kotetsujyo.

"Yuki?"

You turned and looked down at Hikari as he looked up while you smile and wiped the blood leaking from the side of his lips.

"Do you see why, Hikari, why Ikoma and I can't be together," you said, "I continue pursuing my interests with Ikoma, Biba will use him against me or even place you both in a predicament where I will have to choose between the both of you."

"But I wanted you to be happy for once," Hikari said.

"I am happy, as long as you are alive and the wishes that are in possibility are granted," you replied, "I am also happy because of you, if it wasn't for you, I may have never confessed my love to Ikoma and because of that--Thank you...."