Sisters

"Sisters" (姉とイモウト) is the ninety-seventh chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
The squad consider Mahiru, Shinoa feels she does not know a thing about her sister. It is recalled that Shinoa was experimented on and how her mother passed away giving birth to her. Mahiru was also involved in experimentation and oversaw Shinya training against Seishirō before winning a fight herself against Kureto.

Shinoa was aware that Mahiru was in love with Guren. Both sisters were born with a demon implanted inside of them. Wary that they would be subject to experiments that would kill them if others found out Mahiru means to destroy any emotion Shinoa may have to prevent that and to stop the demon from possessing her. Mahiru physically assaulted Shinoa and says someday she will cut the demon out of Shinoa before revealing a needle.

Presently Shinoa asks Krul what her sister did. In the recent past Krul was approached by Mahiru who knew where Yu, Mikaela and Ashera Tepes were.

Summary
Shinoa is surprised and would like to know why her sister's name is coming up. Krul clarifies whether Shinoa is related to Mahiru. Yu also mentions her name and Mitsuba is aware of who Mahiru is. Describing her as the genius who invented cursed gear and then died, without the weapons humanity might really have gone extinct after the catastrophe. Mitsuba continues that most people consider Mahiru to be the savior of the world but there are rumors that she betrayed the Hiragi family. If anyone would know the truth Mitsuba feels it would be Shinoa. Yoichi has heard one rumor that Mahiru was possessing Lt. Col Guren yet Kimizuki feels it was more likely that she was manipulating him. Krul listens to the viewpoints as Shinoa thinks how she does not know a thing about her sister.

It is recalled that as a young girl Shinoa was strapped clothless to an operating table with scientists around. Aware of her name and that she was born as a guinea pig Shinoa underwent surgical based experiments. Every day she was subject to needles in every part of her body from her head, chest and her womb. Scientists at the controls still saw no reaction from the demon. Wondering what was going on they considered the experiment a failure. One of the impacts on Shinoa was that she felt she was a failure at what she was born to be.

Released, a scientist informed Miss Shinoa that the experiments done for today. Shinoa dressed herself as she considered the experiment to birth exceptional children. For this, seed was taken from the head of the Hiragi family and imbued with a curse. This was then used to artificially inseminate a gifted follower of the Hiragi family. Only two of the guinea pigs survived, Shinoa and her sister Mahiru. Thinking how they had high expectations of her from the start Shinoa noted that Mahiru was a once in a century genius which only made others expect more of her. Shinoa feels she could not live up to a single one of them and no more like her could be made. She was told that when her mother gave birth her mind could not withstand the curse and disintegrated. Shinoa guesses that was her fault as well. Asking a scientist nearby when she will need her for the next experiment Shinoa was told not to worry about it since it will be a while. Happily concluding that it was since she was incompetent and an utter waste of time Shinoa was not swayed by the scientist's remarks to the contrary. Shinoa knew that if they were experimenting on her less then that likely meant that they were doing more on her sister which deepened the extent of the disappointed she felt in herself.

Mahiru came across Shinoa and asked how it was. Replying that it is too bad when Shinoa stated that she was incompetent Mahiru happily greeted everyone and announced that their lovely genius heroine had arrived. As Mahiru encouraged some happy little experiments for the day Shinoa thinks how Mahiru indeed was a genius who excelled at magic, athletics and swordsmanship and no one paid attention to her.

In the centre of a large circular arena with many doorways on the upper and lower tiers Kureto and Mahiru observe Shinya sparring with Seishirō. After Shinya is knocked away Seishirō gloats over his perceived victory over him and mocks Shinya as a weakling who acts too high and mighty for an adopted brother. Shinoa was also watching and asks Shinya whether he was embarrassed since it was obvious he held back. Satisfied that he done it perfectly Shinya adds that he is a pro at holding back. Shinoa warned that if Shinya keeps throwing like that then her sister will become disillusioned with him. Adding that Shinya was brought here to be Mahiru's fiancé Shinoa said that was the only reason the family was keeping him. On those words Shinya questioned whether he was a pet and if Shinoa wanted him to bark for her then done as much.

As Kureto prepared to fight Mahiru he ordered that she dare not hold back. Shinya spoke to Shinoa on how Mahiru was already in love with someone and he is really curious about him. After exchanging sword swipes Mahiru throws Kureto over her shoulder and places a spell tag on his head once he is on the ground. Seated on him Mahiru jokes how that was close and comments on how good Kureto is before he retorts that she stop messing around. Shinya wonders what kind of guy could get Mahiru to fall in love with him. Including Kureto and Shinya now Shinoa thinks how everyone is watching her sister and thinks about her. All she could do was look up to her. Considering that they were both daughters of the head of the Hiragi family and both guinea pigs born from the same cursed seed Shinoa contrasted herself and Mahiru as sisters different as night and day.

At an apartment room Shinoa had a drink before glancing to a photograph of Guren with Mahiru. In love with someone where apparently thinking about him would keep Mahiru awake at night Shinoa thought it was only when Mahiru was talking about Guren that she acted like a normal everyday girl. Mahiru excitedly wondered whether Shinoa was going to ask who the person in the photo was. Whilst she was not interested Mahiru continued anyway that his name is Guren and he is so cute and so nice. He always tries so hard at everything and even though they were of different status he still cares for her. Shinoa was not asking yet Mahiru shares how she is in love and thinking about Guren makes her heart feel warm and skip a beat. Questioning whether she has ever been in love Shinoa replies that she is only four. Mahiru was five when she fell in love though figures that it probably is not the case for Shinoa. Whilst Shinoa is not even sure she knows what love is Mahiru replies that she will someday, after all both of them are girls.

Mahiru's conversation turns to how they were both born with a demon already implanted within them so when love, despair, and emotions that boil down to desire go wild their demon will try and use them to control them. Mahiru questions Shinoa on whether she has dreams, specifically dirty ones every night. With this confirmed Mahiru warns Shinoa that she cannot ever let anyone know she has them. They are already guinea pigs and if others find out they have a demon inside they will subject them to even worse experiments, ones that will kill them. In addition Shinoa cannot let the demon know she has desires either. If it finds them it will devour Shinoa from the inside and possess her. Asking if Shinoa has been taught about periods, menstruation and menarche when Shinoa shakes her head to deny this Mahiru explains it is something that happens to girls. Furthermore when the time comes for Shinoa her desires will really start to run rampant and that will make it even more difficult to keep her demon under control. Before that happens and before anyone finds out that Shinoa has that power Mahiru is going to completely destroy any emotion Shinoa might have. Every day starting then Mahiru will be beating Shinoa bloody and traumatize her so badly that she will not remember anything.

They were not empty words as Mahiru began physically doing what she said. She punches her then kicks Shinoa with enough force to knock her over. After striking her again Mahiru speaks for Shinoa to engrave the pain in her mind. No matter what torture they put her through she will not react and Mahiru asks if this is understood. Adding an emotional assault to it Mahiru contends that Shinoa's existence has no value. Mahiru adds that she is incompetent, that Shinoa is powerless with no will or any emotions. Shinoa thinks she comprehends Mahiru's intent yet she is more preoccupied that Shinoa has been beaten this badly but can still react like that. Shinoa is concerned about Mahiru being left alone and then what will happen to her. Then if she is useless a further concern is that everyone's expectations will then fall on Mahiru. Mentioning that she is in love Shinoa says that Mahiru is just a normal girl. Replying that she will be fine since she is a genius after all Shinoa thinks how she knew Mahiru was lying. It was the first time she caught a glimpse of her true feelings. Shinoa thought her sister was indeed a genius and could do anything but in the back of her mind Shinoa saw a glimpse of fear. Asking if she was scared when Mahiru answered that she was fine Shinoa asserted that it was a lie. She was still trying to push herself to do it all and Shinoa asked to let her help.

Mahiru's response was to hit Shinoa away and label her nothing but dead weight. Noticing blood on the sheets where Mahiru was, Shinoa remembered that when menarche hits it makes controlling the demon harder. If that is the case Shinoa stops short at outright asking Mahiru about the matter but the uncompleted question is understood. Mahiru composes herself and assures Shinoa that is is okay and that she is in complete control of herself. She has been experimenting on herself in secret to make certain that she can keep that control. Mahiru announced that someday she is going to cut the demon out of Shinoa and take it into herself then Shinoa can go back to being a normal human. Shouting for her to hold on, Shinoa questioned whether since she was in love whether Mahiru wanted to be a normal girl as well. Mahiru answered this could not happen anymore. After it has been experimented on for so long Mahiru felt she could not give what she called her defiled body to Guren. Whilst she did entertain the idea of getting to see Guren again as Mahiru moved to whether Guren would say that he still loves her she ends with the idea that it would not happen. That is a dream straight out of a shojo magazine and the world is not not that kind. Mahiru also thought if she allowed herself to fall in love then she will not be able to protect her baby sister. Shinoa wanted to fight too but she was hit in response. Mahiru told her not to worry, she will take care of that. Her emotions, memories, any desires that Shinoa's demon could use Mahiru was going to make it all go away so no one ever notices. She framed it as breaking Shinoa into bits to keep her safe. Procuring a hypodermic needle Mahiru told Shinoa that she loved her.

Presently Shinoa thinks how she knows nothing about her sister, neither about her battles, only that she betrayed the Hiragi family on her own, the Hyakuya Sect as well and then confronted to vampires too. She also changed the world. Shinoa entreats Krul to tell what her sister did. In a past encounter Krul was seated on a tall throne in an underground city when Mahiru approached. Asking who she was Mahiru greeted her majesty and shared that she was just a human. Mahiru declared that she knew where Yu, Mikaela, and even Ashera Tepes were and she has come to tell Krul.

Chapter notes

 * As a child Shinoa was experimented on where there was no reaction from her demon.
 * During Shinoa's birth her and Mahiru's mother passed away.
 * Shinya threw a battle against Seishirō and considered himself a pro at holding back.
 * In a fight Mahiru could defeat Kureto.
 * Shinya was curious about Guren since Mahiru managed to fall in love with him.
 * Shinoa states her age as four.
 * Mahiru says she fell in love when she was five.
 * Mahiru knows that herself and Shinoa were born with a demon already implanted inside of them.
 * To reduce the likelihood of Shinoa undergoing worse forms of experimentation or from being possessed by her demon Mahiru resolved to physically assault Shinoa to destroy her emotions.
 * To make certain that she can keep control of her demon Mahiru had been experimenting on herself in secret.
 * There was a waxing crescent moon.
 * Rather than letting herself fall in love instead Mahiru declined that and planned to take Shinoa's demon into herself all to protect her sister.
 * With the implied memory tampering effects of the needle Mahiru had, the recollection of events may not have been remembered by Shinoa who thought she was still none the wiser about her sister's activities. In which case Mahiru would be the one currently with the knowledge of the related events.
 * Not only was Mahiru aware who they were but she proclaimed to know the locations of Yu, Mikaela and Ashera Tepes and shared this with Krul.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 97 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.