Storming the Facility

Human world, U.S.A, Alaska.

Four days have passed since Dante and Lady passed on the location of the fallen angel facility where the yuki-onna were being experimented on. Even though James instructed the members of his peerage to inform the higher ups at the first possible moment, the Devil Council has yet to make a decision. At the same time, the Grigori has denied any involvement in the kidnapping of the yuki-onna from the Yuki-Onna village.

What James and his peerage don't understand is, if the Grigori are denyig involvement then why is the council against helping the youkai? The unfortunate answer to that question is that the council does not want a half-demon to get credit for the act. Due to Yasaka's protests, James received credit for the mission of protecting Kunou instead of the heiresses of the Gremory and Sitri Houses. With another feat on that level, he would be eligible to be promoted into an Ultimate-Class devil.

"That damn council." Cu Chulainn said with a scowl while he James and Dante walked through a blizzard on their way to the fallen angel research facility. "I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't given the go ahead because they thought something stupid like they were weakening the fighting force of the youkai."

"Nah, it's probably because they'd like to see as many youkai wiped out as possible." Dante said spitefully. "Shit like this is why Dad betrayed."

"You're probably right, Dante." Cu Chulainn said while tightening the hood on his cloak. "Damn, this snow is getting everywhere. It's not like I'm feeling the cold or anything. But I'm tired of my hair getting wet."

"Whatever, no one wants to hear you bitch about it." Dante said with a frown. Then, he turned his attention to James who has yet to speak. "Anyway, why are you so damn quiet, James? Why do you think the council is dragging their feet on this?"

"Oh, that's simple James said with disdain, unaware that the guess he was about to make was actually the truth. "They're probably against me, a half-devil, getting credit for rescuing the yuki-onna. And even if they decide to give the credit to the one that found the facility. Then they would have to give it to the half-devil son of the Underworld's greatest traitor."

"Now that you mention it, that makes a lot of sense." Cu Chulainn said in amazement. "Instead of making allies for their faction, they'd rather keep a couple of half-devils down. What are those idiots thinking?"

After Cu Chulainn finished his sentence, James and Dante froze and looked at him in astonishment.

"Why are you two looking at me like that?" Cu Chulainn asked, feeling that he was subtly being insulted.

"Things must be really fucked up if Cu Chulainn can justifiably call someone an idiot." Dante said with mock amazement in his tone.

"I'm actually surprised he followed at all." James said with a wry smile. "Usually, Lancer's the first one to zone out when we talk about political shit."

"Fuck you, Dante." Cu Chulainn roared angrily.

Like that, the rest of the trip to the facility was filled with the sounds of the three young men joking around. Until they reached the facility, you would have thought they were just your average thrill seeking trio. Unfortunately, the fun times did not last long. The trio, with their presences hidden, stopped just inside 164 feet (50 m) away from the front entrance to the facility.

"Alright, boys, you remember the plan, right?" James asked in a solemn tone.

"Yeah, yeah." Dante replied. "How many times do you plan to ask?"

"We put down the guards around the entrance as fast as we can, then we make room for the rest of the team to teleport in." cu Chulainn responded while rolling his eyes in Dante's direction.

"Dante's impatience aside, that's right." James said, with a hand resting on the hilt of Ochiru Sakura. Then, he drew the sword and continued. "I'll make the first move, since I have the quietest ranged attack. Scatter, [Senbonzakura]."

Once the trigger words were spoken, Ochiru Sakura's blade was quickly broken down into cherry blossom petal-shaped blades. Mixing in with the fierce blizzard, the petal blades were mostly unseen. Then, one by one, the guards surrounding the entrance fell, never to rise again. Meanwhile, Cu Chulainn and Dante moved to take out the hidden guards around the facility.

"That was easier than I thought." Cu Chulainn said with a frown.

"Flag raised." James said nonchalantly.

"I guess it was." Cu Chulainn said with a shoulder shrug.

"If they were strong like you expected, it would have been harder to sneak in back then, right?" Dante said in response.

"I guess you're right." Cu Chulainn said.

"Anyway, lets get inside." James said. "Once we're inside, contact the others, Lancer."

"Got it." Cu Chulainn and Dante answered simultaneously.

With that, Dante cut a hole in the obviously locked entrance. When the trio entered, the first thing they noticed was a blaring alarm.

"If they didn't know we were here before, I'm sure they know now." James said nonchalantly.

After spreading his perception through the facility, James could feel all the presences throughout the facility. When he did, he frowned. At the same time, Cu Chulainn had already finished contacting the rest of the peerage. Shortly afterward, a teleportation magic circle appeared on the floor behind them.

What's wrong, James." Mizore asked as soon as the magic circle was done with its task. "Why is it so quiet?"

"I can only sense a bunch of weaklings and a crow with eight wings." James said curiously. "On top of that, there are only twelve yuki-onna here."

"Only twelve?" Shuna asked in shock.

"I don't know what's going on, but we should be able to find someone who does." James said while tracking the movements of everyone in the facility. "We need to move, now. All the personell in the facility are moving toward where the yuki-onna are being held."

With that, James disappeared from the spot using [Flash Step]. Knowing that the members of his peerage would be unable to keep up with his speed, James opted to not hide his presence any longer, which served two purposes. First, to make it easier for the rest of the group to follow him. Second, to put pressure on the fallen angels.

Eventually, James reached the room where the yuki-onna were being held at the same time the fallen angels opened the door. Using that to his advantage, James [Flash Stepped] past the eight winged fallen angel and appeared in the room standing between the yuki-onna and the fallen angels with Ochiru Sakura unsheathed once again.

Seeing the intruder, both the fallen angels and the yuki-onna were surprised. However, this young man seemed to be standing protectively in front of the yuki-onna. This, of course, left the fallen angels furious.

"Who the hell are you brat." A six-winged fallen angel shouted after seeing James stopping them from reaching the yuki-onna.

"Dude, why do you sound so angry?" James replied with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I've been requested to find these women. They've been missing for about eight years, or so."

"Hmph." that same six winged fallen angel only snorted in response. "Just a half-breed. I guess your council wanted to get rid of another one by seemingly legitimate means, huh."

Hearing that, James rose an eyebrow. Thinking he would like to hear more, James decided this moron may get to live a litte longer.

"Arandelt, shut up!" the eight winged fallen angel barked. Then, he turned his attention back to James and spoke. "You should know your actions could spark a full blown war between our factions, right? If you just leave, we won't report this back to the Grigori."

"*Sigh* You're much more intelligent than that six-winged idiot standing next to you." James said while pointing his sword at the fall angel who shouted at him earlier. "However, you should know we've known what's going on in this facility for over a week by now."

"What?" The eight-winged fallen angel exclaimed in horror. "Then, does that mean?"

"Yup, it sure does." James replied with a smile. "We've already reported this to the Grigori. Guess what they said when we asked about you all."

As James smile grew wider while he stood before the group of fallen angels, the eight winged fallen angel's face paled.

"What does any of that matter?" the mouthy six-winged fallen angel, Arandelt, shouted once again. "He's alone and he's only a brat. If we kill him, then there's no problem."

With that, the room fell silent. The other nineteen fallen angels could only look at Arandelt as though he were any other idiot. Then, the eight-winged fallen angel felt a gaze on him. When he followed it back to its source, he found James gazing at him in pity. Without asking, the eight-winged fallen angel knew exactly what that pitiful gaze meant.

'*Sigh* having a subordinate this stupid really does deserve a look of pity.' the eight-winged fallen angel thought to himself.

After a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, Arandelt finally realized something was wrong. Then, he figured out what it was. The strongest being in the room was not his superior, the eight-winged fallen angel, standing next to him. Instead it was the half-breed brat standing in front of him.

"it looks like he figured it out." James said with a teasing smile.

Seeing that smile, the fallen angels felt despair. Then, they all heard footsteps approaching from behind. When they turned back, what they saw were a group of devils, all as strong if not stronger than their superior.

"So, here's the deal." James said in a sing-song tone. "Some of you will live and be arrested. And some of you will die."

Hearing that, all the fallen angels present gritted their teeth. Eventually, Arandelt could no longer hold back from shouting at James.

"And who are you to determine which of us lives or dies?" Arandelt shouted hysterically.

"Oh, I think you've misunderstood... Um... what was your name again?" Ara... Ara..." James said, before giving up on the six-winged fallen angel's name. Then, James shrugge his shoulders and continued. "Ara, Ara, That should be good enough. Anyway it won't be me that's deciding whether you live or die. But them."

With that, James pointed over his shoulder with the thumb of his left hand. Behind him, of course, were the captured yuki-onna. And now that they could feel freedom was close at hand, they were pissed and ready to see the blood of some fallen angels.

"But before that. Mizore, why don't you come over here? James said.

Hearing the name James just said, the yuki-onna behind him were surprised.

"Mizore? Shirayuki Mizore?" Said one of the yuki-onna in the worst physical shape.

Even though the voice was very faint, Mizore, who was already on her way to join James, was able to hear it.

"Kaa-San?" Mizora asked in disbelief.

Then, Mizore quickened her steps. When she reached the group of yuki-onna, She saw faces that were all familiar to her. Even if they looked a bit older an were worn down. They were still people she knew and cared about. Then, after scanning through the familiar faces for a moment, Mizore found the owner of the voice. When she did, tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Mizore-Chan." The yuki-onna with the appearance of a woman in her late twenties or early thirties sai when she was able to see Mizore clearly. Before the reunion could go on for too long, James brought it to a stop.

"I'm sorry ladies, I really don't want to interrupt your reunion. Please believe me when I say this." James said with sincerity. "However, we need to do what we came here to do before we get to that."

Hearing James, Mizore stopped in her tracks and struggled for a moment. Then, she walked toward James and stopped when she stood next to him. After that, she looked at the group of fallen angels. Then, she started pointing out perpetrators.

"Him... Him... Her... Him... Her... Him... and him." Mizore said with the flames of rage burning in her eyes. Then, she turnedher eyees to the eight-winged fallen angel who led the group. "And that son of a bitch was the leader of the bastard crows that either killed or kidnapped the members of my village."

After Mizore pointed out those responsible for her and her villages misfortunte, she turne and hugged James, unable to hold back the tears any longer, she cried into his embrace. Then in a tone colder than the tundra outside the facility, James spoke.

"Kill all those Mizore pointed out. Oh, except for the leader and that guy." James said while pointing out Arandelt. "I want him alive for information extraction. Put everyone else down non lethally. We'll hand them over to the Kyoto Youkai faction."

With that, Cu Chulainn, Moka, Dante, Lady, Flora, and Shion burst into action. Shuna, on the other hand, made her way to the yuki-onna and did what she could to heal them. A few minutes later, all those who were marked for death were dead. And those wanted alive were unconscious, except for the leader of this research facility.