"We can't find them. We suspect they are already outside the farm."
The voice of a demon rang through the intercoms. Isabella stood in front of Grandma who was glaring at her.
"Six low grade, three average, two good, two fine...and four highest grade! A total of 17 of them. What a tremendous loss. And what a blunder, 73584! How did this happen? This isn't like you. How could this...you are...you should have..." Grandma trailed off.
"No. I take full responsibility." Isabella said.
***
"We confirmed footsteps along the northern bank. Send a party after them at once! And notify everyone in the vicinity. We've had the highest grade product escape. The highest grade of our top farm. Whoever can capture them alive...or even dead, will be rewarded handsomely." A demon said.
***
Emma held a compass in her hand and looked up at the sky. Sunlight was barely shining through the leaves of the large trees. The children were walking now and admiring their surroundings. The faint sound of birds chirping could be heard overhead.
"It's so big..." Don marvelled at the trees.
"Wow... So this is what the outside is like? A primaeval forest? It's a completely different forest from where we came from. It's huge. Even bigger than what I've seen in pictures and drawings. What is this? I've never seen anything like it in the books at the house. I thought we could estimate our location from the terrain and weather, but... It might be tough. Where exactly are we?" Ray wondered.
He looked back quickly when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.
"Was it my imagination? I thought something moved." He thought.
Their were large roots on the ground, fitting for the humongous trees in the area. The younger kids were having some trouble getting over them so (Y/n), Don and Maiko were helping them cross over them.
"Watch your step." Maiko said as she helped Alicia over a root.
She glanced back at the other children. Some were yawning and panting. Their pace was clearly slowing.
"Our pace is slowing. They're tired. Not to mention how the ground is covered in these large roots..." She thought.
(Y/n) walked over to Emma.
"Emma." She called.
The orange haired girl nodded.
"Yeah."
She turned to the younger kids and smiled.
"Guys! Let's take a break. We should eat breakfast." She said,
The kids cheered. The group had found an area in a large hole under one of the trees. Maiko was sitting with the younger ones along with Don and Gilda. Emma was standing out and keeping watch.
"Don't eat everything all at once. A little at a time. We should try to stretch out the food and water we brought with us." Gilda told the kids.
Chris came running over to Emma.
"Emma, aren't you eating with us?" He asked.
Emma bent down and ruffled his hair.
"Nope. I'll keep an eye out right here. So go and eat in peace with everyone else." She said,
"Okay!" Chris said happily and ran off to join the other kids.
Emma smiled as she saw the others all sitting together, their hands pressed together and praying. Maiko was standing off to the side, keeping an eye on them.
"Our first breakfast after coming outside. We're starting here. A house where we can live in peace. Food that we can eat until we're full. I'm going to make it happen...and...we'll all live together again." Emma smiled at the thought.
"I'm going back to get Phil and everyone else as soon as possible. In order to do that...I can't let my guard down. I need to be on my toes! I'm going to protect everyone! So far, it doesn't look like there are any pursuers after us. But they'll come eventually. I hope they got tricked by the fake footprints we left in the beginning. But they'll probably catch on soon. And it's not just the pursuers. Wild beasts, other demons... We'll never know where the enemies might come from."
She was so lost in thought that Emma didn't hear the pair of footsteps approaching her. Ray lifted a jar filled with water and hit her on top of the head with it.
"Yoooooo." He said.
Emma clutched her head in pain.
"Yo?" She questioned.
"Ray! You didn't have to hit her that hard!" (Y/n) exclaimed.
Ray ignored the girl.
"Don't worry. This isn't the territory of a savage beast or anything. I don't see any footprints, claw marks or droppings of that sort. Usually there are traces you can spot. Just like when we play tag. You're too eager. I'll keep watch. You need to rest too." Ray told Emma.
He held the jar out to Emma and she took it from his hands.
"Thanks." She said,
Emma sat down on the ground and began to pray before she started eating the small amount of bread she had with her. It was silent between the three for a bit.
"Sorry." Ray said.
Emma and (Y/n) turned to look at him. "Huh?"
"If I had been cooperative from the beginning...maybe you wouldn't have hurt your hand or lost an ear." He said to Emma.
Emma smiled. "Don't worry about it. As long as you're alive and smiling, that's all I need."
She continued to munch on her bread when Ray spoke again.
"I also apologised to Anna earlier. You know what she said?"
-Flashback-
"Sorry about your hair..." Ray apologised.
Anna closed her eyes and smiled. "Forget that. Hey, it's your birthday. Happy birthday!"
Jemima, Chris, and Rossi also wished Ray a happy birthday.
-Flashback End-
"Even though I was about to leave them behind. They still care about me. When I don't deserve it. Emma, I'll live. I'll live and protect this family. Everyone in this family, just like you two and Maiko. This time, for sure, I vow. No matter what happens, I'll never abandon them again." Ray said, holding his hand up.
"Ray..." Emma smiled at him.
"So you don't have to bear this burden all on your own. We'll create it together, along with Maiko...a world where we can live as a family. All of us." He told her.
"Okay!" Emma nodded.
Just then, Maiko came walking up to the three.
"They're all doing well." She told them.
Emma smiled. "I'm glad."
Maiko looked at the ground.
"I told the others the truth about me..." She trailed off.
Emma, (Y/n) and Ray perked up at this.
"What did they say?" (Y/n) asked.
Maiko smiled. "They accepted me. They didn't shun me."
She looked up and smiled, her eyes closed.
"It's funny. Thoma and Lani said that I was cool. Yvette and some of the other younger ones cried a bit and hugged me after I said I was scared they'd all hate me..."
-Flashback-
"I found out a month or so ago... I was nervous about telling you all because...I didn't want you to hate me." Maiko said, looking to the side.
The others stared at her when suddenly Yvette, Alicia, Chris and Jemima started crying and ran up to the girl, hugging her.
"We'll never hate you, Maiko!" Yvette cried.
The other kids nodded and Maiko stared at them in shock. Anna came up and placed a hand on Maiko's shoulder, giving her a comforting smile.
"Thank you for telling us, Maiko. We'll never abandon you. You're our family." She said.
A grateful smile came to Maiko's lips and she looked at the others.
"Thank you, you guys..."
-Flashback End-
"I kind of feel stupid for doubting them...and you guys. I'm glad my family doesn't hate me and won't leave me. I swear, I'll protect all of them. Including the three of you." Maiko vowed, placing a hand over her chest.
Ray walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You don't have to protect everyone on your own. Emma and (Y/n) will help you. I'll help you." He said.
Maiko smiled. "Thanks, Ray."
Ray moved his hand from her shoulder.
"So what do we do from here?" He asks the girls.
"I want to get water. You guys saw the river earlier, right? I want to see if it's drinkable." Emma answered.
Ray nodded. "A reasonable plan. I've read before that humans will die in three days without water. So we need to get water first. And we may be able to get food too." Ray said.
"But...the enemy will assume that's what we'll do." Ray thought, narrowing his eyes.
"And? What about after that? Do you have a plan? Somewhere to go?" He asked.
"We do. We'll head south." Maiko replied.
Ray turned to Maiko. "South?"
(Y/n) nodded at Maiko's words and Emma began to rummage through her pocket. After a bit she pulled out a pen that had a checkered pattern.
"We're going to point B06-32 to see Mr. Minerva." She told Ray.
Ray looked at the pen in Emma's hand with curiosity.
"What's that pen? And point B06-32?" He asked.
"Look." Emma said.
She held the pen out for him. Ray took it and examined it.
"Norman got it from Sister Krone. Try opening it up." Emma said.
-Flashback-
Norman stood in front of his nightstand, the drawer was open.
"What is this?" He wondered aloud.
He grabbed the box that was inside and laid it on his bed, opening it up. There was a pen inside as well as a block that had the imprint of the house's master key. Norman picked up the pen and looked at the pen, turning it around in his hand.
"It's from Sister Krone. "W.M"? A pen?" He wondered.
Norman uncapped the pen, and tried writing on a sheet of paper with it. His eyes widened when nothing appeared on the blank piece of paper.
"I can't write with it. Out of ink? No, this is..."
-Flashback End-
"And when we took it apart..." (Y/n) trailed off.
She, Emma and Maiko watched Ray twist the pen open. It showed the coordinates, B06-32, on the side.
"Pull it out a bit more." Maiko told him.
Ray's eyes widened once he did what she said. A click was heard and a large hologram appeared in front of him, being projected into the air by the pen. The hologram had the coordinates, B01-14 above the familiar owl symbol of William Minerva.
"What?" Ray said aloud in disbelief.
"What is this exactly?" He asked.
***
Thoma was walking around the area when he looked behind him. He became confused when he didn't see Lani behind him.
"Lani?"
Thoma then fell into a panic.
"LANI?!" He shouted.
Ray, Emma, (Y/n) and Maiko heard his shouting and immediately ran towards him.
"What's wrong, Thoma?!" Maiko asked in concern.
Once he noticed them, Thoma ran towards them as well.
"Maiko! Emma! Ray! (Y/n)! Help!" He then pointed at the place he last saw Lani. "Lani disappeared!"
The four older kid's eyes widened in horror.
"What? Disappeared?" (Y/n) thought in panic.
"What do you mean?! Were you attacked?! Or did we lose him?" Emma asked.
"No, it's not like that! He suddenly disappeared! He was walking next to me. Then, when I turned around, he was gone." Thoma explained.
"Hey, Lani! Stop messing around and come out!" Thoma called out to the boy.
Chris had ran over to Emma after hearing the shouting.
"Lani come here!" (Y/n) yelled.
"Lani! Answer if you can hear me!" Ray shouted.
Maiko then suddenly shushed them and they all shut up. Maiko looked around with furrowed brows and wide eyes.
"No answer...Lani? Why? How did this happen?" Emma wondered in a panic.
"Ray, Maiko, (Y/n), I'm going to go look around-"
"Hold it!" Maiko told her, cutting Emma off.
(Y/n), Emma, Ray, Chris and Thoma all looked at Maiko as she continued to speak.
"Something's weird. Something's not right, Ray, Emma, (Y/n). There's no answer. It's not just Lani. It's weird. Why is no one else reacting?" She wondered aloud.
Ray, (Y/n), Emma and Thoma's eyes widened even more in panic while Chris was just confused, not fully understanding the situation. Maiko began running to where the others were, the other four following after her, Emma carrying Chris. When they reached the area they all stared in horror at the empty area. Not even their stuff was there.
"This can't be real." (Y/n) muttered in disbelief.
"Where's Don? Gilda? Everyone else?" Emma wondered in panic.
"Where did everyone go?"
...CH. 39/END
A/n: YAY! I finally get to start writing from the plot of the manga! I'm still so annoyed that season 2 didn't follow the manga. I hope you all enjoy the story from this point on!