It had been a little over a year since the Savior incident. The time seemed to be so much longer than that though and all it once it felt as if it wasn't enough time to push past everything that had happened then.

Nero stood out on the balcony to his room, watching the citizens of Fortuna still attempting to rebuild their once glorious city. The ruins of the city were becoming smaller and smaller with each passing day. Soon it would almost look as nothing had ever happened there.

Almost.

Nero could almost see through the destruction to what the city once looked like. Nero closed his eyes, letting the warm fall breeze roll over his skin, his silver hair moving perfectly with the breeze. He could see every immaculate detail of the city behind his eyes. The perfectly set stones to the streets, the intricately carved stone and marble of the buildings. The fountain at the center and how the water coming from it would glisten in the sun, the water turning to liquid gold.

Nero let out a breath he almost didn't realize he had been holding in. His eyes opened, the image of the city flickering away quickly. It will never look the same. Nero thought as he turned away from the balcony heading back inside his room.

Once inside Nero left the doors to the balcony open, welcoming the breeze, regardless of how warm it was, inside his room bringing with it the smell of freshly fallen leaves. A white jacket trimmed with gold was laying on his bed. Nero looked down at himself, the finely pressed white button down shirt clinging tightly to his frame along with a frame fitting pair of white pants with the same gold lining. Nero ran his human hand though his hair as he tried to suppress the sigh that he was holding inside. He looked down at his other arm, completely bandaged in white, just how it used to be. The rough cast brushed against his Devil Bringer constantly, an irritation that Nero pushed to the furthest corner of his mind.

Nero grabbed the jacket off of his bed, slowly sliding his arms into the sleeves, taking a moment longer on his arm with the Devil Bringer, not wanting to get the cast caught on the delicate fabric. Why should I even care? Nero thought as he buttoned up the jacket, trying to avoid looking at himself in the full length mirror in the corner of his bedroom. It was something he has been asking himself a lot more frequently lately. A lot more than he really even wanted too admit. The only thought that came to his mind, the only one possible reason he could even think about why he was doing this. Kyrie. Nero felt his chest tighten at the thought of her. All of this was for her, everything he had ever done had been for her. The pain in his chest became even tighter, Nero winced, trying not to bring his hand to his chest in some form of comfort.

Nero brushed the thoughts away, knowing that it was time for him to head to the Chapel for the ceremony. Nero leaned down to reach under his bed, he felt around for a brief moment for his hand clutched onto a long case. Nero grabbed the handle pulling the case out from under the bed. Nero undid the latches quickly, not having opened the case in weeks, a small rush coming over him. The lid came open, flipping back onto his bed. Inside the case laid Red Queen. Nero ran his hand over her, letting the cool metal touch his flesh. Nero's eyes caught the other sword in the case, resting his eyes on it he took in a sharp breath; holding it. His fingers hovered above it, too hesitant to touch the once broken blade.

Nero's hands went back over to the Red Queen, he picked the blade out of the case, his hand firmly grasping the red handle. Nero turned the blade quickly in his hand, the metal hitting the few rays of the setting sun coming in through his open balcony doors. It had been weeks since any kind of demon had even come any where near Fortuna. Nero's mind flashed back to the night, how he drug out the battle just so he had something to do. The purr of his blade as he used the throttle to rev it up. Thinking back on that night Nero set his sword back into the case. Maybe Red Queen was a little to flashy to be strapped onto his back for this event. Nero placed his hand on the other sword in the case, letting his hand linger on it, flashes of the day coming to him in a rush.

Yamato.

A small smile played at the corners of his lips as he lifted the blade out of the case. The blade was a lot thinner, of course most of that had to do with it being a katana. Nero slid the sword into the small holster on his belt that was also issued as a part of the uniform.

The sword fit perfectly, Nero grinned at the realization of this.

Nero looked at himself in the full length mirror. The white of the uniform was off setting compared to his pale complexion with his even fairer hair. The uniform had been tailored perfectly to fit his built frame. Nero caught sight of the golden shoulder pads with the small golden tousles hanging off of them, he tried not to cringe at the sight of himself. The uniform fit perfectly, even he could admit that, but it didn't fit him. The only thing on the uniform that even felt right was the sword hanging at his side. Nero brushed his fingers lightly against the handle one last time before heading out of his bedroom door.

At least I have you.

Nero made it to the Chapel right when the ceremony was starting. He ran up the steps, standing outside of the wide double doors that were now closed. Inside he could hear Kyrie singing. Her strong voice carrying through the stone and stained glass building. His hand rested on the large handle to the door, just letting her voice take him away for just a moment. The pain in his chest came back in a burst of flame. This was how it all started. Nero shook his head lightly, as if doing this action would shake away everything he was feeling. Nero finally pushed open one of the wide doors, being careful to sneak in and make his way up to the front of the chapel by going around the pews. He knew that they had been waiting for him, he didn't even feel bad about being a little bit late. He tried not to smirk at the thought of it.

Nero took place in the very first pew, not where he would normally sit but now as one of the few remaining members of the Order left it was where he had to be. Nero looked around him, the knights around him in similar clothing, except that their uniforms were not as decorated as his.

Lucky bastards. Nero thought remembering exactly why it was that he was there today.

Kyrie finished her song, her eyes locking onto Nero's as the last note was escaping from her mouth. A small smile came to her face seeing him there. Kyrie stepped away from the altar, an older man taking her place behind a podium.

Nero moved over on the pew, leaving enough room for Kyrie to sit down next to him. Kyrie put her small frame next to his, smoothing out her dress as she did so.

"It has been a long year since the events that tore this city apart…" The man at the front started to say, starting his sermon. Nero had already stopped listening, his thoughts being anywhere but there.

The sermon that was being said faded into the background. Nero looked up at the ceiling, the clear glass that offered sunlight to the church. The glass was new, offering pristine shine to it as the suns rays were streaming in through it. Nero's mind immediately went to that day. The image of shards of glass falling down from the ceiling as the billows of a red coat came crashing down. A small smirk played at the corner of his lips as he remembered how he met the infamous half devil. Nero looked back up towards the podium, the words of the sermon coming back to his ears.

"..and today we would like introduce our new captain of the Order who, after much thought was taken into this, will be able to lead this town to its once former glory!" There was clapping through out the chapel along with many whispers.

Nero knew what was coming next, he knew the words that were going to come out of the priests mouth. Nero took in a sharp breath, holding the warm air of the chapel in his lungs, even though he knew it was coming there was something about it that he couldn't help holding his breath. "Our very own Nero!" Too cheerful, his voice when it sounded out Nero's name was too cheerful. A high pitch note on the e, his voice sounding louder on the o. Nero stood at the sound of his name, knowing that this is what he was suppose to do. Knowing that this is what all the cheers and clapping hands were for. Nero made his way up to the podium as the priest moved away from it.

Nero looked out into the pews of the church, the light from the high sun streaming in through the stained glass windows casting colored shadows across everyone's features. Another brief flash brought back the memories of the half demon in the red coat standing right where Nero was. The eerie silence of the church brought Nero back. "This is beyond a great honor…" Nero began his speech that he has practiced a hundred times over. The speech that he knew everyone would want to hear with the perfect words. None of it meant anything to him though. The words came out easily, Nero paused every now and then where he thought that the speech required it for more dramatic effect. The thought of this almost caused a sadistic smirk across his features. Of course none of this is for me. Nero repressed the smirk threatening to play at this lips along with the laugh that was daring to escape his throat.

The speech came to an end, where one by one everyone stood from their pews to applaud their new Captain of the Order. Nero smiled at the, the same smile that he had been practicing to go along with his speech. A smile that wasn't too wide, or too little to show that he was ungrateful, just enough of a smile that said the words thank you. Nero waved out to the crowed with his human hand, coming dangerously close to trying to lift up his bandaged hand. Just more of a reminder as to why he shouldn't be doing this.

Nero kept looking at the crowd, his eyes scanning everyone there. Off to the side where the other members of the Order stood Kyrie. She smiled up at Nero, a wide affectionate smile, her hands rapidly moving in applause for his speech. He knew that what he had said had made her happy, more than happy. Kyrie felt like her life was finally coming back together. She accepted Nero and that's what mattered.

Nero looked back down at his bandaged arm. The only thing that Nero could think about was how it was bandaged all the time. Even when he was with Kyrie, because when it wasn't he could see the way that she looked at him. How she pretended that everything was ok. It just took that one look a few weeks ago for him to realize that it wasn't. The worried look in her eyes anytime she looked at his Devil Bringer. His solution was to keep it covered all the time. He could feel the skin underneath being irritated, rubbing against the fabric of his cast. The irritation spreading all over his skin at that moment. As the irritation began crawling underneath his skin to his very core as he continued to wave out to the crowd he just kept reminding himself that this was all for her.

Its not enough anymore.