Be Very Afraid of the Dark

Chapter 1

This story is based on my other X-Men story Don't Be Afraid of the Dark...hence the title and same cast of characters...with Kami Kurosaki and Yang Hiachi switching roles a bit (Kami as a good guy and Yang as a much stronger bad guy with a vengeance against his old master) and how it'll affect the Ghouls, Humans, Mutants as well as Bane himself...R&R and enjoy. Michael Darkstone, the main villain of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark as well as his allies and enemies like Azazel will make appearances as well as Yang will join Michael in Kami's place to kill mutants in his former master's place.

Bane was the son of Tsume Asakura and Yang Hiachi, the most odd couple to be found anywhere as neither of them was fully human with Tsume being a mutant with the ability to use her shadow in a variety of ways, including possessing another person's body and Yang, a Ghoul...a being with a variety of elemental/magical based powers and abilities. Bane, as far as his genes were concerned, was a little but equal balance of both...with the right training he could be stronger than both of them, but Yang despised him for that same reason.

Yang Hiachi was clear that he didn't want to be stuck with the young Asakura but knew that if he lets him go free, it would come back to bite him later...so instead, he takes care of him, as in making sure he was in as much pain for as long as possible and too afraid to even go outside, thinking he would escape which he was dead set on doing...he also tries to eat him occasionally, thrilled by his screams.

Yang Hiachi was a cold, ruthless and almost demonic Ghoul in nature when compared to others of his kind as his cold red eyes looked down on Bane, who his wife has forbidden him from laying a finger on. The young 16 year old was playing indoor, having no friends or the luxary of leaving his house without supervision, a rule Yang enforced brutally.

"Poor little Bane...come to daddy" Yang's hand reached for the 16 year old, who was very knowledgeable of his father's cruelty, having hated him since he witness him beating and abusing Tsume...it was clear he was very dominant in the relationship despise never doing such a thing since and divorce was out of the question as he'd warned her that he'd absolutely destroy them both if she dared to divorce him but like him, she was a fighter as a shadow came from nowhere and lunged at Yang's throat, but missed as he flipped away and landed silently before sitting on the floor, not seeing her as a valuable enough threat as his red eyes glowed "What do you think you're doing, woman?" Yang growled lowly, his red eyes glowing ominously as Tsume defended her son.

Bane smiled at his mother, the one thing keeping him alive and sane here, but that didn't go down well for Yang, who didn't like seeing any kind of joy on Bane's face as he grit his teeth, they'd fought not two days ago and he'd wanted to get even ever since...now was his chance to be rid of her once and for all while she thinks she has him backed against the wall as she embraced her son, completely forgetting about her sadistic husband creeping into her blind spot as her shadows moved closer to the two and lunged at Tsume.

Bane's world turned to real horror as Yang said "I think that's about enough of that to last a lifetime" as Tsume looked down to see Yang's arm through her stomach holding Bane's neck tightly.

"See what you made me do, you human piece of shit?" Yang threatened and tightened his grip when he saw Bane mouth something 'Anata wa nano o kami wa nashi, kanojo o toru mae ni, watashi wa konojo no ikutsu ka no wakare no okurimono o iu nodesu ka?' (What do you say I give her some parting gifts before God takes her, no?) as Bane was shaking with fear muttering "No, please...no" knowing his father was intent on hurting him or even killing him and his mother was the only thing preventing Yang from laying hands on him as he growled throwing Tsume against the nearest wall as he held Bane's head with the other, cleaner hand. He was rarely ever fazed by the sight of scent of blood.

"Someone will find out...and hunt you down" Bane said barely as his father choked him a bit tighter and Tsume was still alive, but barely as Yang proceeds to rip Bane's shirt off and rub the tender skin on his neck lightly with a demented smirk "What makes you think I care, I plan to enjoy my meal fully with no interruption and whoever gets in my way is dog food" he bites down hard on Bane's neck as the boy screams, swears, cries and fights to get free, Yang beginning to love the taste of his son as he pulled away and glares at him before smiling evilly and backhands him hard in the face and knocking him to the ground, luckily his neck wasn't broken but he was knocked unconscious with a slight concussion.

Yang, having rid himself of Tsume, decides to go to a cabin he owned in a desolate part of the forest with Bane, he already had it laid with explosive magic traps in a two and a half mile radius to ensure that no one or nothing can get to or away from the cabin without him knowing or them being blown to the moon...little did he know, a group of Ghouls were watching him. Elsewhere, in the City of the Ghouls, the Ghoul Lord, Kami Kurosaki was just returning from a hunt...Kami suffered from something a healing factor couldn't heal, depression, as they'd finished with a hunt that was meant to but failed to make his current mood any better as the Hunters laughed and talked with occasional jokes while Kami was the only one with a serious face, that made some think he was displeased and angry but it was quite the opposite as the Hunters took notice.

"Lord Kami..." One of the Ghouls said as Kami's blue eyes fell from the darkening sky with a quiet "Hm, what is it?"

"Is something wrong, sir?" the Ghoul asked as Kami shook his head "I'm just worried about my old Master...why did he leave, I wonder?" He asked himself and he decided to leave the Hunters be.

Kami decided to journey to his home alone but was joined by someone who usually never leaves his side since his master's disappearance, Tsujin who was one of his personal bodyguards, despite his fit but not muscular enough build for Kami's taste, as well as his advisor...something that suited him better than being anyone's bodyguard.

"Something seems to be bothering you, Kami-sama..." Tsujin said as Kurosaki shrugs, not looking at him with a calm "Hm..."

"I've received word from the Hunters you had assigned to look for-" Kami glared at him before he said the name of that certain Ghoul as Tsujin cleared his throat "...anyway, a scouting group saw him leaving the nearby human city...with a human boy in tow, he heard sounds of him arguing with a female inside but no woman left the house he's supposedly been staying in"

"Let those baka keep an eye on them..." Kami walked off, but turned to show his burning eyes "...if they fail to do so, they'll answer to me" he showed his black flame, Amaterasu, burning and crackling in his palm...Kami's personality could flip from a kind man to the demon that was on his mask in seconds but preferred peace over war most times despite his love for testing his mettle and fighting prowess. He was far from the type of Ghoul Lord that just sat around all day giving orders either.

"As you wish, Kurosaki-sama" Tsujin bowed as Kami decided to go home, as he said to himself "So it has begun, huh?"

"Tell them not to attack him, no matter what happens" Kami added as Tsujin said "Yes, milord, right away." He left, Kami was curious why he was in such a hurry but decided to follow him some other time.

Kami went home and chose to meditate, but anyone who got a good look at the Ghoul Lord couldn't tell that he was hurt due to his suppression of those feelings from others, his own student...banished and his master...disappeared to who knows where, leaving him with more responsibility and regrets than he thinks he can handle. Elsewhere, Bane woke up in a cabin...he didn't know where he was but he was sure that it was part of some cruel plan his evil father had planned for him.

Bane went to the window, something was outside but he couldn't see what...it seems that Yang wasn't there though as Bane felt like he was set ablaze...his whole body was burning up and he'd had enough fevers to know this was no mere fever and he still had the bite wounds he had when he last saw his mother as he fought the fear to open the door to leave, tears in his eyes.

He managed to open the door, his throat feeling too crushed to speak but what had him frozen in place was that Yang stood between him and freedom...something was different about him tonight though, his eyes shimmered with no good intentions for the human in them and he didn't even look like himself anymore but Bane pushed him aside to get out - which he did too easily - until he discovered that it wasn't him and now, Yang was onto him as he heard a noise like an avalanche

'An avalanche...in the middle of summer?' Bane thought until he saw something coming straight at him but he jumped into a nearby bush and Yang doesn't seem to have seen him as he set down bags of what looks like food on the floor as he went from supersonic to zero in no time flat.

"Bane, get up and eat now" Yang ordered only to discover his son was gone as he went back outside. Bane was in the bushes, trying to control himself but he was shaking with fear and rage...not that he could do much, for if Yang found him, he would have no chance to escape ever again but he still can't understand how Yang is so much stronger and faster than a normal human, he can run or fly at supersonic speeds and could see and hear a pin drop on Earth possibly from the moon. It was like he had the wind itself at his command

Suddenly, Yang disappears from Bane's sight in an instant as his eyes widen as a red tail came up behind him and he could feel Yang's hateful glowing eyes boring into him "You think I'll allow you to escape so easily, now that you're in my grasp, did you?"

Bane had no time to gasp as he was thrown out of the bushes but managed to scratch at Yang's eyes with a sharp rock he managed to grab when Yang had caught him.

The Ghoul snarled as he held his eyes, walking over to him and narrowly missing his head with a stomp that cracked the ground.

Bane started bleeding from the mouth and tried to run screaming "Leave me alone!" his voice showed a massive amount of fear but Yang grabbed his chin length jet black hair roughly and dragged him to the door and slams his face against the hard oak door.

"I'll soften you up first...nice and tender" Yang whispered in his ear as he licked his lips "then I'll have myself another slow feeding"

Yang dragged him inside, but noticed that he wasn't begging like the last time, his face was plain and cold with a very distant, unnerved rage in his red eyes.

The next time Bane woke up, he noticed that he was laying on the stairs inside the small shack that was somehow two stories from the inside but not from the outside and quickly rose to see that it was night time but he felt no need to sleep whatsoever, just like he'd never seen Yang sleep. Yang wasn't far, sitting at a table going over a city wide set of plans and schematics, he also several swords, daggers and sharp weapons on his desk...a big dinner table he took from his home where he killed Tsume. What caught Bane's eyes was that there were many gemstones among them that he'd never seen before. Yang didn't acknowledge his presence or that he was awake and the blood on the corner of his mouth was definitely not his, but Bane's blood by the teeth marks all over his body.

'Sorehanandesuka?' (What is that?) Bane asks as he was still ignored, Yang clearly more caught up in his work as he muttered "I have to get back in and kill him..."

He grabbed the dagger and one of the stones, which was green in color as a Wind element gem used to imbue said element into a weapon "I'm no blacksmith though...sadly."

Yang was well aware that Bane was there but gave no sign of it as Bane was given a few distasteful stares as he thought 'Kill who?'

Bane's hand reached for his father's face as Yang sank his teeth into his arm "I'll have to take your life as well, sadly...the old fool can't have you now, my boy" he warned as he pulled Bane's hair roughly, earning a scream as a fist put him out again.

"Sleep tight..." Yang said, the last thing Bane seeing was Yang at the door with a sadistic, bloody grin on his face as he closed the door as Bane fell unconscious.

Several hours passed and Bane was still unconscious, within his mind, his body was bathed in a light purple light as a mostly red ember drew him closer and spoke, which surprised the young man.

"Bane..." The flame flickered as a voice he couldn't recognise beckons him to it "Embrace our power...if you perish here, so shall I and I do not wish to die any more than you do"

'Anata wa dono yō na dare ka?' (Who or what are you?) Bane asks as the flame replied 'Anata no uchinaru honō...Iwaba, watashi wa watashitachi no hi ga sō kantan ni shōmetsu suru koto o kyoka shimasen...Okiro!' (Your inner flame...so to speak and I won't allow our fire to be extinguished so easily...Get up!)

Bane was wide awake now, but refused to open his eyes...hearing not one but two voices in the room with him and gladly, none of them were Yang's.

"Omoshiroi, sore wa e iru ka dake possamu o ensō shimasu ka?" (Interesting, is it dead or just playing possum?) One of the Ghouls glanced at Bane before glancing at the other Ghoul with him, who looked at him incredulously 'Nē, shushin wa anata ga sono yōna koto o iu no o kiku koto was dekimasen ka, kare wa, anata o nokkuauto shite inai baai no akka kanōsei ga arimasu' (Hey, don't let Lord Kami hear you say something like that or he might knock you out, if not worse)

The two decided to leave their argument for later and tend to Bane before Yang reappears on them...that would be bad and worse would be testing Kami's patience if Yang let them live long enough to go back to the Ghoul Lord...if he did.

'Anata ga koko ni ikinokoru tame ni... Sono otoko o esukēpu shitai baai wa, koko kara watashitachi ni mairu o mitashimasu' (Meet us a mile from here if you wish to escape that man...to survive here) one of the men said as he showed Bane the city map he saw Yang with as the other retorted 'Watashitachi wa osoku suru koto wa dekimasenga, izureka no hōhō wa, watashitachi wa itsu demo sugu ni koko modossa remasen... Isshūkan koko ni arimasu' (We have only a week here...we can't be late but either way, we won't be back here anytime soon)

All Bane could do was nod as he fought to stay conscious, his father was much stronger than he looked and stated that he very clearly dispised him and Tsume, who Bane couldn't think of right now without crying "Mo-ther"

The men then looked at him again as their sclera turned black and their pupils changed color as he gasped silently at the swift movements of their heads as unconsciousness took over again.

Bane decided that he would take the Ghouls up on their offer, but first he had to see where Yang goes to when he leaves him alone then evade him, in order to keep his promise to two strangers he'd just met that treated him better than his own blood even though they didn't have to.

Yang returned to the house to find that Bane had taken up one of the three bedrooms in their home, that didn't bother him in the slightest but he checked on him anyway to make sure he was there "Oy, Asakura...what are you up to?"

No answer...something he expected, since he doesn't have any interest in having a bond of any kind, even less with Bane than Tsume.

Yang sensed anger in the young man in waves before even hearing or seeing him as he sat on a lonely bed he'd taken for his own, he and Yang glaring daggers at each other upon seeing each other.

'It seems he was aware of my presence...good, but this also means he's willing to fight tooth and nail to survive as much as I am to kill him' Yang thought as Bane snarled, biting back tears "Don't you dare touch me, I'll make you pay for what you've done..." Yang was about to reach out and throttle him but stopped as Bane's hand protected the area Yang had bitten him when Tsume died as he smirked, searching his eyes for something he may be hiding 'Yakunitatanai... Ueniiku to watashi o tameshite mite, watashi wa sono meinu de okonatta yō ni watashi wa anata o tsubushimasu yo' (Useless...go on and try me and I'll crush you just like I did with that bitch)

That snapped a nerve in Bane, literally, as he lunged at Yang "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that, you murderous monster!" He lunged at Yang with a rather fast punch, fast enough that he'd almost hit the Ghoul square across the mouth as he looked him in the eye, dodging faster than he moved "Interesting...but get the idea that you're any match for the likes of me out of your head as fast and soon as possible" he retaliated without holding back as his knee knocked the air out of his stomach as he defied gravity to do a close ranged spin kick to the chest and face, sending him back to the remarkably strong bed that somehow survived the onslaught as Bane's blurry vision saw Yang over him as he bit at his hand which caressed his cheek and he smelled something off on Bane as he grabbed him by the throat and pinned him hard against the wall "Don't cry, I won't kill you...just yet, Bane Hiachi!" He slammed him harder on the wall head first as Bane glared venomously at him for the change in his name.

Yang dropped him and stalked out like nothing ever happened, after nearly strangling him and went back downstairs to find his property just as he had previously left it, Bane followed only when he could no longer hear Yang's nearly silent footsteps.

"Who was here?" Yang said firmly with a glare over his shoulder as Bane bit back "No one, we're in the middle of nowhere"

Yang thought for a moment, it was true that they were in the middle of nowhere and far from anyone else's reach...at least any humans reach, but they weren't human and Ghouls tend to attract other Ghouls unless it's their preference to shy away and be alone as he left the room without a word.

The following day, Yang was to leave again but this time Bane was to follow him though, by now Yang was almost fairly certain that Bane had company the day before and did a comb of his territory, which was pretty big to Bane but very small to Yang's point of view.

Yang disappears into the forest quickly, leaving the door unlocked as a threat was enough for Bane to not leave and let him know of it.

Bane came out and pursued his father...he knew he couldn't keep up with Yang (yet) but he didn't want or need to as he made it to where he heard Yang's voice but quickly hid.

Yang seemed to be checking on an intricate trap he'd set for if Bane should he stumble upon it while escaping, which he's bound to do if Yang knew him and he had enough time to silently watch him to know as he looked at the shiny reflective chime metal of the bear trap redesigned by Yang to tear off any foot it catches cleanly, leaving something he could track to finish off whatever was caught, should it escape before he finds them.

Yang growled as he spotted Bane in the reflection behind him "Ooh, I'll pick my teeth with your bones if it's the last thing I do!" Yang snarled as he formed blades of wind on his hands as he turned and attacks as the blades lengthened to unique bladed whips as he shredded the trees and narrowly missed Bane every time.

The attacks had stopped as Yang figured he'd already killed Bane or he somehow escaped, but out of fear, Bane didn't as a final surprise attack hit Bane in the back of his head and sent him flying face first through many trees before coming to a stop. Elsewhere, The Ghouls that Bane met had already returned to the city...when Kami heard that there was confirmation that a child was in fact with Yang, he hoped to find his banished student soon enough but knew it was very unlikely right now. As long as he got the child, he could lure his stubborn student to him

Kami had just made it to his home when he felt but didn't hear someone appear behind him but stopped and said "What is it?"

"Your assumptions have been confirmed, Kami-sama" The taller of the two said in a deep baritone as he and the other Ghoul was still kneeling, which sometimes annoyed Kami "Where's Yang and this gaki?" He was too calm for even himself to handle and they'll regret it if they didn't answer him.

"We don't know, milord, he wasn't with the boy when we found him" the other said "We've been combing the area for some time though, but so had he since we last met the boy"

"Take me there then...I'd like to see this myself" Kami said, hoping adamantly that they'd cross paths with Yang as the two looked at each other replying "Are you...sure, Kami-sama?"

"Yeah..." Kami said with a look that they didn't want to know what he'd do if Bane died because they left him there in the first place "I've been sure for a very long time now"

The two Ghouls went back the way they came as Kami whispers to himself 'Masutā, watashi wa dokoni ite mo... Anata wa hokori ni omotte iru negatte imasu' (Master, I hope you're proud...wherever you are) Yang looked at a picture of a himself with his student, Yang and a man with black hair, light red eyes on white sclera dressed finely with a sagely and wise grin which belied how openly perverted he was, which caused fist fights between him and Kami despite Kami never defeating him.

Kami stood at over seven feet six inches (eight by now) with his master dwarfed at a little over five feet and Yang being the shortest of the three barely, at exactly five feet as he quickly put the memento away and followed the Ghouls.

As soon as Kami set foot in the forest, he could sense that something powerful was there...hurt and injured in more ways than one. It was also torn between fighting to stay alive and just embracing death's call. Whatever it was, Kami knew it was dangerous and hoped it didn't think of him as a threat.

It's only been a few minutes and Kami's patience was waring thin as he fought the urge to complain, as he intended to spend most of the rest of his day alone.

[Bane takes a weak breath]

Suddenly, Kami felt like he was struck straight through the brain by a spark of lightning and stopped dead in his tracks as he sensed Bane's life force and it was fading quickly despite the fight he was putting up, which surprised Kami 'Korehadarou ka?' (Could this be?) Kami muttered, completely unconscious of it.

"...It is..." Kami said, earning a look from the hunters before speeding past them and stopping a distance away with a look of horror and rage written all over his face as he slowly walked over to Bane, face down in the wet forest and carefully lifted him into a sitting position.

"It's him..." One of the Ghouls said slowly as Kami, was now visibly enraged...whoever did this wasn't going to have to beg Kami to kill them when he's through with them as he lifted the youngster in his arms "Who did this?" Kami's voice was cold and he exuded a scary black aura as his eyes glowed black glaring back at the men whispering "Tell me or so help me..."

"He was alone in a shack not far from here" the Ghoul said averting his eyes from Kami's "however, the area was littered with intricate traps and we were lucky to even make it to the door."

"We're heading back then..." Kami walked past them, his temper subsided a bit but he was still bothered as to why Bane was here and smelled like a human...even though he was already a Ghoul by Kami's eyes.

"Where are you taking him?" One of the Ghouls, Sozin asked as Kami stared at him for a moment "Care to stop me from taking the boy, boke?" Kurosaki challenged childishly as both men shook their heads "Let's go then"

Kami and the Ghouls decide to return to the city with an unconscious Bane Asakura, meanwhile Yang had returned to the house hoping Bane had returned there, as unlikely as it was, but he was gone which only fuelled his very bad mood. The last thing he wanted was someone to find him and even worse if it's his former master, Kami.

Yang entered his home, not even bothering to call out to Bane as he looked around with his sharp vision picking up any movement but he could tell now that Bane, being more intelligent and afraid of him that he thought, wasn't there as he clenched his fist as he went back outside to calm himself but it failed as he ended up punching a tree "Kami...Bane, I swear you'll both regret this."

"Calm yourself, Yang...you can think of a way to use this to your advantage" Yang said to himself with a deep calming breath "but two can play at that game...Kami Kurosaki"

Elsewhere, Bane has woken up to find that he was alive but somewhere completely unfamiliar to him with three older men in the room with him...Kami was not there but ready to lure him to where he was.

'Koko de watashi wa, anata ga hito daredesuka?' (Where am I and who are you people?) Bane asks as the three Ghouls looked at him "Run..." Then, without warning and with inhuman reflexes, they jump and stomp the bed to pieces and narrowly missed Bane as he ran out of the room and into a city of half a million more Ghouls who seemed not at all that concerned who he was as his head ached, Kami had used a telepathic spell on him while he was unconscious in order to guide Bane to him.

'Over here...no, here' Kami's voice tried to guide the stubborn newcomer to him before he snapped and forced Bane's spinning head to stop where he wanted 'This way now...' Bane then runs down the intended path.

Once Bane is gone, a Ghoul appears where he just was to see something had slipped out of his pocket, a picture of Tsume which he curiously takes on his way to Kami via a shortcut.

Bane made his way down the street, little did he know that before he could see Kami, he'd have to overcome three tasks to prove himself. They're not easy but Kami thinks Bane has what it takes.

Bane ran as fast as he could, the voice guiding him only to a part of the city with less Ghouls...or Ghouls that prefer to remain out of sight, Bane didn't know why but at the same time didn't want to find out

"Oy, newbie" a male voice called out to Bane who stopped and looked back to see a man standing in the middle of a downright deserted looking park waking at him as his face was cold and serious waving at him "fight me if you wish to see Kami-sama, I'll test you on how worthy you are..."

The man was about Bane's height but relatively older than him and was too muscular if you asked Bane "You're crazy if think I'm fighting anyone...and who's this Kami?"

Bane didn't,t know that him stepping up to the Ghoul was taken as a challenge until he was punched in the gut and knocked him back as he smirked, hitting the same spot with an elbow at seemingly sonic speed "Still standing I see...let the test begin"

Bane was forced to one knee as he growled "What test?"

"I am Hanzo...and I am here to test your physical endurance" Hanzo clarified "I ain't allowed to kill you, but I can and will bring you as close as possible to the door of Shinigami-sama...hit me at least once and you pass" but when the dust cleared, Bane was gone 'Anata wa sore ga watashi ni doroppu o shutoku suru no ni jūbundato sorehodo shizukada... Shikashi arimasen' (You're quiet...but not that much that it's enough to get the drop on me) Hanzo sensed Bane coming from above him and with inhuman speed was gone without Bane seeing him move and held him in an arm lock "You're just full of tricks, aren't you?" He saw nothing but pain in Bane's red eyes but was stopped when Bane snarled "Boke, let go!" Throwing his head back and hitting Hanzo in the face hard enough that the Ghoul let him go and stumbled back holding his face.

Bane couldn't believe what he'd just done as he saw the Ghoul bleeding and glaring at him with his hand over the bleeding wound and Hanzo looked as pissed as Bane looked mortified but he smiled and stepped out of Bane's way "Go before I change my mind...the next Ghoul you face won't go down easily, so my only advice would be to be very careful"

Bane left with that little advice and a few metres away noticed that he was being watched by a Ghoul that was considered one of the best fighters in the city, not including Kami...he was also cold and unforgiving and even described as a monster by Ghouls he'd fought already. He was the renowned fighting master, Ryuken Slalzar who had a scar on his forehead as a huge X shape that earned him the nickname Scar. He also had Tsujin's twin brother, Raimundo with him. Raimundo was a slacker compared to Tsujin as he was a huge whiner and too curious for Scar's taste with a short lollypop stick ever present in his mouth.

"Where's nii-san?" Raimundo scowled slightly but wouldn't dare let Scar see it "the kid's s'posed to take us one at a time if what Kami-sama said was right"

"Stop whining, Rai..." Scar shot a glare his way then smiled "Kami told me that the plan you're talking about would waste too much time"

"He looks familiar...like that arrogant Hiachi, I assume Kami already knows this?" Raimundo said noticing that Bane must know they're watching him "He's quite the interesting and perceptive one, ain't he?"

Scar watched Bane for a minute before shaking his head "that he is..." He scowled inwardly that he was Yang's blood but smirked that the teen was so aware of his surroundings "Let's go say hi" the two jumped from their hiding spot in the trees.

With Bane, he'd made it closer to where he was being guided by Kami, but something told him this was easy...too easy.

Bane has been walking for some time and was growing impatient and a bit concerned, he'd tried to learn as much as he could about Ghouls with what little information there was that was actually true as he felt like he was being watched as he stopped and looked around "Hello, who's there?"

Elsewhere, Ryuken and Raimundo were hiding a bit closer to Bane and watching, surprised that his senses were accurate enough that he did not know where they were, but knew that he certainly wasn't alone.

'Omoshiroi' (Interesting) Raimundo said curiously looking at Scar, who had no initial reaction 'Kara wa watashitachi o sudeni shitte imasu ka?' (Is he that aware of us already?)

"So it seems..." Scar said, wanting to fight as Raimundo smirked "Shall we?"

Bane looked around "I know I'm not alone, come out or I'll force you out!"

Scar's serious expression hardened as the two came into Bane's sight "That, I'd love to see, kid"

"You're as impetuous, impatient and grouchy as your father" Raimundo scowled at the sight "otherwise, you're nothing like him...we came here to fight, not to sit around and have a conversation" Scar nodded in agreement, smirking sadistically despite his expression still being stone cold...Bane assumes that they have some connection to his father and Scar has a huge vendetta against him.

"I don't want to fight, I just want to know why I was brought to this place" Bane reasoned but the Ghoul only charged at him as Scar replied "We're not here to take requests, kid, we're here to end you"

"What?!" Raimundo and Bane both exclaimed as Bane somehow dodged Scar's punches and kicks that was seemingly with ease, which was a task for some of the city's best fighters, even Kami at times but he was doing it all while barely conscious of it.

'Watashi was watashi no me o shinjiru koto ga dekinai... Kono kodomo wa nanidesu ka?' (I can't believe my eyes...what is this kid?) He had to activate his Kakugan, which was moss green in color just to keep up with their movements which he still could do barely but they were wasting time as far as he was concerned as he concentrated, slowly raising his hands as he created a mini-earthquake to stop the two enough to gain their attention as Bane felt a bit dizzy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Scar glared at Raimundo who merely gave a sly smile "He's endured this long...he passes at least my expectations"

Scar, whose real birth name was Ryuken Salazar, shot a menacing eye at the Ghoul "Fine, just as I was having fun and really getting into it" he said as he stopped attacking, leaving Bane to fall on his butt, slightly embarrassed but as amazed as the two adults that he wasn't beaten shitless 'Dono yō ni hazukashī... Iku anata wa pasu shi, anata wa sukuinushi ga kansha o matte iru koto o nozonde inaidarou' (How embarrassing...go, you pass and you wouldn't want to keep your savior waiting to be thanked) he pointed at a set of small, seemingly unoccupied or even abandoned houses just beyond the trees as Bane nodded and left.

Scar staring as he left before Tsujin asked "I noticed something...his shadow was moving completely opposite to his body almost like he was being controlled by his own shadow"

"You think he can weild it as a weapon...an extension of himself?" Scar didn't look completely convinced by this but it was hard to hide his curiosity.

"I'll follow him and keep an eye on that shadow of his, you coming?" Scar said as Raimundo shook his head "I'll pass, I'd rather imagine the look on Kami-sama's face than see the real thing" he turned and left.

Scar looked at his back as he left for a moment before going on his own way after Bane, meanwhile Tsujin had made it to the bar where Kami awaited Bane, who was on his way there.

Kami hadn't moved much from his seat and wouldn't until Bane came to him, his head resting on his hand and elbow on the counter with his eyes closed and the dagger twirling on one finger in his other hand.

The moment he heard the door open, he threw the dagger at it but it wasn't Bane but Tsujin who stayed behind the door so the dagger wouldn't hit it's target, his temple, as Kami opened his eye "Who's there?"

"It's Tsujin, Kami-sama" Tsujin still wasn't used to the Ghoul Lord's sometimes violent demeanor 'Watashi wa anata ni kyōmi no aru mono o mitsuketa to omou' (I think I've found something of interest to you.)

Kami was alert "...and what's that?" Kami looked as Tsujin pulled something out of his pocket, the picture of Tsume as Tsujin replied "The boy dropped it on his way into the forest after he woke up...she seemed to be very dear to him"

"They have the same face...what a beauty" Kami muttered, almost forgetting Tsujin was there "I believe we've found the woman that was with Yang when the Hunters had found him...Bane's mother...I'll make sure this is returned to his possession myself"

Tsujin merely nodded and left, leaving Kami with the picture as he used an invisible string tied to his dagger to pull it back to him.

"He's almost here, but I still have one more trick up my sleeve" Kami said as he placed the picture on the counter and waited without a second glance at it.

The bar and a few other buildings were now in Bane's sight, he came up to one where a man sat at the front, seemingly asleep against his his three prized but apparently cursed swords. The man was apparently unlike the Ghouls that were in the city as any passing Ghoul would keep a safe distance from him as Bane would find out that Ghouls never sleep to begin with.

Zoro Ryuma was a travelling sellsword that frequented this city due to how much Kami pays for his services and how well he was treated and respected for it her as compared to other Ghoul settlements he'd been to worldwide.

He was currently guarding the entrance to where Kami currently was and was feared as a wandering murderer due to his very low tolerance level and blinding skill at welding three swords at the same time, albeit cursed sword with deadly accuracy. He has bright green hair, slightly pale dry skin due to his habit of laying in the sun and grey eyes that even the steeliest of warriors couldn't look into as Bane came close, trying to sneak past the sadist but tripped ending up on the man's lap.

Ryuma's eyes opened slowly to glare at Bane as without word he grabs one of his swords and almost stabbed Bane, who rolled out of the way before being impailed as the sword stuck in the ground between the swordsman's legs.

"I am Zoro Ryuma...who are you?" Ryuma introduced himself as he could tell Bane was studying him, despite his lazy demeanor, which was a ruse, he was highly athletic, strong and extremely intelligent

"I have business in there, let me pass!" Bane demanded, ignoring the swordsman's request but looking up to see his cold, silvery gray eyes that froze him.

Ryuma, infuriated by Bane's disrespect throws the first sword, Ichigiri, right at Bane as he used the other two one above the other, almost mimicking the mouth of a tiger,

He reached Bane long before the third sword 'Tsuinsōdo Satsujin Geijutsu: Howaitotaigā' (Twin Sword Murder Art - White Tiger)

Bane managed the great feat of dodging the attack as Ryuma Zoro caught Ichigiri with grace behind him without looking "I'll wager you, kid...if you can hit me once, then you'll get to see the man who's been guiding you the whole time from up here" Ryuma chuckled pointing at his head as he'd caught Bane's interest "If I get to take your life before that though, you're dead...win and I'll give you a sword from my collection of your choice to keep"

"Hell...no" Bane said but Ryuma still charged, no longer listening "Domo Arigato...meet you maker" He laughed as he held a sword in his mouth and the other two in both hands 'Doragon no Sasayaki' (Whisper of the Dragon) as he spun in the air and a blue-green aura surrounded him and formed a dragon coming right at Bane who was a bit afraid as time slowed in Bane's mind and Tsume appeared but her spirit looked like it was getting bluury, like static.

Bane...keep fighting, you can't die here

"Mother..." Bane reached out to his mother's spirit but it disappeared before he could touch her hand, this enraged Bane a bit as his eyes glowed red, his Ghoul side taking over as a teary eyed, but fiercely determined used Wind Magic for the first time to boost himself into the air, while at the same time his shadow creeped upon Ryuma, who gave a genuinely surprised "What sorcery?" He noted the shadow came from Bane and bound him so he could not move

Ryuma knew that look and knew that Bane would defeat him and he'd already lost muttering before their next moves were even made "I missed...I lost" as Bane suddenly was in the air and Ryuma's blind spot and came down on the Ghoul fast with both feet slamming his back into the ground...he heard his spine crack painfully as the impact built a cloud of dust with Ryuma in a crater.

Bane walked off and to the door, an amazed look visible on his face but Ryuma called out "You forgetting something, kid...I don't promise a gift that I'm not going to give" he tossed a sheathed sword that almost hit Bane in the face "The sword's yours, show it respect and it should aid you, even against him" he got up and walked away

'Shikashi, watashi wa ken o tsukau koto was dekimasen...' (But I can't use a sword...) Bane retorted as Ryuma looked back at him with an icy glare 'Anata ga hayai gakushū-shadearu koto o inotte kudasai' (Pray that you're a fast learner then) before finally going under a tree and sitting "This is something I have to see"

Bane swallowed his fear and entered but stayed close to the door "So you've made it...come in" Kami said, his head obscured by the shadows "I was watching and I couldn't help but notice you trying to touch a certain spirit you saw...this woman" he revealed the picture and showed it to Bane

"You're the man who saved my life...how's you get my picture?" Bane noticed Kami's face as light came in and revealed his face as he replied "You dropped it, but I won't just give up something like this so easily"

Kami threw his dagger at Bane, who raised his sword and blocked it as Kami smiled and narrowed his eyes slightly "She's the one that died?"

Bane looked down, trying not to cry as he nodded "Don't cry about it!" Kami snapped punching Bane hard in the face knocking him out through the wall and as he managed to get to his feet, only to find Kami's dagger in his chest "Those who are weak and give up just because they're weak don't deserve to live"

Bane staggered for a moment before falling but literally stopped mid-fall, a red hazy flame surrounding his body as Kami, as amazed as he was felt a drastic change in Bane's newly awakened powers. It was very similar to Kami's Amaterasu, but was like another being entirely dwelling inside his body that was accidentally triggered.

'Amazing...' Kami thought, his jaw still slack a bit before he shook his head and held Bane as he cried, he suddenly hated to see the boy cry even if it was his own fault "I'll take you as my apprentice...that way you can be strong and anyone in this city who tries to take advantage of you will answer to me"

"I'm Bane Asakura" Bane said through tears as Kami replied "Asakura? I thought your surname was the same as your father's...no matter, I am Kami Kurosaki."

Kami lets Bane go and stands up, looking away as Bane asked "That name...I've heard my father mention that name before, saying he wanted you dead"

"Is that so?" Kami's smile turned a bit sadistic "My banished fool of a student thinks he can test my mettle and took it out on you?" Kami's anger rose with the temperature just thinking of the nerve the young man's father had but he banished those thoughts quickly "Let's go home" Kami left and jumped a great height into the trees with Bane on his back, that when Bane saw Ryuma and said "Ryuma-san, I'm returning your sword"

"No need, keep it" Ryuma looked up at Bane "consider it your prize for holding your own against Kurosaki-sama"

Kami continued through the forest, where he met with Scar who was watching his fight with Bane...

"You were watching, weren't you?" Kami said to apparently no one as Scar appeared behind them nodding "Of course, he's able to subconsciously use his shadow to fight...there's more to him that meets the eye" Bane looked at him through one eye as he thought 'What was that supposed to mean...my shadow?' He was as he passed out again, his mind still a bit aware of the waking world.

"I wish I could disagree with that, but he's my only way to find..." Kami was silent for a moment as he stared at Bane who was laying unconscious on his shoulder.

Scar nodded understandingly as he left Kami be as the Ghoul Lord made it back to the city and made a beeline for his home.

Kami made his way inside his home, it was much larger on the inside than it was on the outside as he tossed Bane on a couch and used his powerful Amaterasu, a black inextinguishable (at least by normal means or even water based magic) flame that had a life all it's own as he lit the fireplace with a flick of his wrist.

'Dakara, anata wa watashi no meidai ni tsuite kangaemashita ka?' (So, have you thought about my proposition?) Kami said as Bane rose up behind him, which he knew without looking and replied 'Hai, watashi wa saisen o shutoku shi, anata wa watashi no tame ni hitotsu no koto o okonau kagiri, anata no gakusei no narudeshou' (Yes, I'll become your student as long as I get a rematch and you do one thing for me)

Kami simply looked back at him, waiting to find out what he could possibly want from him "What would that be?"

"I want to be the one to kill him..." Bane said quietly and Kami was baffled as he thought 'To think, I'm training someone whose more likely to become my successor than anyone I've ever trained...Bane Asakura, the Wolf' Kami nodded and smiled widely as he pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit the end, unable to get that grin off his face as he walked out and said "Come with me...and keep up this time" Kami looked back at him one last time as he disappeared with a burst of speed "There's a thin line between common sense and pure instinct, let your instincts take control...that is your final test"

Bane concentrated and within seconds, was moving as fast as Kami and since Ghouls are naturals at blocking Adrenaline, their legs won't be sore but this being Bane's first time, he would be tired but not as sore as if he were still human.

"You catch on fast...good" Kami came to a stop, reaching his destination as he caught Bane, who wasn't able to stop himself yet.

"Stay right here and I'll call for you, okay?" Kami flicked Bane's forehead for not paying attention as he replied, holding his forehead replying "Hai"

Kami then walked into the dark room and disappeared but didn't see Bane imitating his fighting skill with a dagger.

Kami made his way into the room, he couldn't see but had come here so many times that he didn't need sight to traverse this darkness.

Kami created two small will-o-wisps of Amaterasu's flame as they danced around him in what looked like happiness before he cleared his throat and pointed at a small hole before him as they moved to the tip of his finger and shot into the hole as he slammed his palm on the ground, causing a pulse 'Kage no myakudō' (Shadow Pulsation) as the pulsation continued at a controlled pace and Kami looked to see several full body figures appear...they were mere shadows but Kami appeared the same to them in their separate parts of the world, they were:

Bjorn Tartaron, the smartest Ghoul of all and master of Dark Magic, he's the Ghoul Lord of Germany.

Tsu Chen, the Ghoul Empress of China and lone female...she's an expert in seduction but Kami finds she comes on too strong and ignores her flirtations more or less.

Johnson Briarios, the Mexican Ghoul Lord and physically strongest of them all with a temper to match

Mario Bartalos, the Italian Ghoul Lord is a master seducer when he wants to be and the Master of Seals. His powers tended to compliment Briarios' as much as their personalities

Vladimir Romanoff, the Russian Ghoul Lord...he was as prideful as Kami, though not for the same reason as Kurosaki. He was more powerful than even Bjorn and Kami's equal as a swordsman but he was a bit self absorbed and tended to pick on Kami's every mistake, why Kami hated him but respected him. He can control gravity around himself and other, crushing many before he is ever touched.

"Kurosaki...have you found Lord J'onn yet?" Vlad sneered at Kami who thought it was best to ignore him "You don't think he'll be coming back after what happened to his own master, do you?"

Kami wants to bite him in the throat, literally...he talks too much, but decided to change his usual stoic and cheerful expression to a still stoic, but cold expression replying "Not yet, don't joke about his lineage or I'll come over there and make you wish you weren't born" Kami's eyes narrowed "...again"

"Again?" Vlad snarled as he laughed "I know neither of us want to get on each other's bad side"

"Can we get to why I contacted you in the first place now?" Kami sighed as he decided now was the time for them to meet Bane "Oy, Asakura...you can come in now" he called out to Bane.

Back with Bane, he was bored with imitating Kami's fighting skills when he sat on the floor near the door. He heard Kami calling him before his thoughts could stray to his mother though.

"Mother..." Bane said quietly with his head down, thinking of his lost mother when he heard Kami yelling his name and by the sound of it, his patience was wearing thin.

Bane stood up and entered the room and once he made it to Kami, saw the other Ghoul Lords "Kami-sama, who are these people?"

Kami looked at him "they're my colleagues, Ghoul Lords from all over the world"

"Okay..." Bane nodded, his mind a bit far away as Kami thought 'Something's bothering him...now I'm sensing that unreleased potential again'

"So, is he willing to take our test?" Bartalos asks as Bane nodded "I'm ready for anything" a determined expression on his face momentarily.

"You don't seem so to Bjorn..." Bjorn narrowed his eyes on Bane "...but once agreed, we should give you time to prepare."

"Hmph, prepare to be utterly disappointed..." Vlad watched Bane with even higher expectations than the others "Do not fail us, boy"

Kami glared at him as they disappeared and Kami seemed angry, though not with Bane as his clenched fist was shaking but he sighed, thinking of another way he'd blow off steam later.

Bane grabbed his wrist and he flinched and looked at him "What was that all about?" As Kami replied "they're going to test your strength by fighting you in a year and I need to train you to make sure you don't lose, I will be ridiculed if that happens...do you agree to becoming my student?"

"Yes...if it'll help me become strong enough to face my father, then how could I say no?" Bane smirked as Kami remained emotionless, ruffling his hair "I admire your spirit, but the hard part is yet to come...from now on, you will call me master"

"Why?" Bane asks as Kami pounded him on the head "It's a sign of respect for your teacher, boke, and I won't have to smack you!"

"Okay" Bane rubbed his head

"Come with me..." Kami walked away and smiled over his shoulder to Bane before disappearing in a burst of speed as Bane tried to catch up without crashing.

Elsewhere, Yang has decided to return to the city because he felt something he was unable to ignore calling out to him, something familiar, but different all the same.

Yang felt the tingle of telepathy urging him to return to where he'd rid himself of Tsume as he scowled, sensing something off.

He could tell, however that whoever this was...their telepathy was off the charts and he probably couldn't hide in another country from it.

"Who's there?" Yang's patience was running thin as he surveyed the interior and heard a very strange voice coming from his, now old, shared bedroom with Tsume saying "We are here..."

"We?" Yang repeated to himself, a he slowly rounded the corner to see a man that should've been dead since he was a child, sitting on the bed awaiting him.

"Greetings, Yang Hiachi" Yang turned to see a man who he thought was long dead...the man whose disappearence caused his old master so much pain...the man's name was J'onn Lucario Lebeau, the fallen Ghoul Lord who left his Will of Fire and teachings to Kami.

"You..." Yang didn't know when the tears formed in his eyes but was unable to brush them aside by how much J'onn had changed, his once black hair had become bone white and his skin had a few cracks but he doesn't seem to have aged since Yang last saw him as a child and an omnipresent black smoke wisps around as if a part of him "You shouldn't be alive"

J'onn merely closed his eyes and smiled at that "I remember getting in the way of an attack meant for Kami then nothing else...since then, all I've had is my master."

Yang jumped back as a ghostly body seemed to come over J'onn's and cause him pain as Yang ran up to him to make sure he was alright.

J'onn pushed him back with strong telekinesis as his personality changed "Well well, you seem to have lost your chance of ever killing your son now..." J'onn looks at the empty bed "but I can allow to have that chance again" he smiles deceitfully, little did he know the J'onn he knew was long gone.

"What must I do...and how do you know all this?" Yang asks suspiciously as J'onn merely put his hand out "Bow down to to my master and all you seek to know will be yours"

Yang does as he is told and bows, both thinking of ways to double cross the other...Yang keeping his hidden from even the strongest telepaths but scrambling his thoughts to confuse them. Back with Kami and Bane, they'd gone to the library of Kami's old master, where he found a Wind Tome for his apprentice to learn.

Kami searched through the various books as Bane stood behind him, going out of his mind with boredom "Uh, master...what are we supposed to be looking for here?"

'Kaze no mahō o oshietekureru hon, watashi wa nani mo shiranainode' (A tome that should teach you Wind magic, since I don't know any) Kami said "I do have great knowledge of all elements of magic though...ah, there you are" he finally found a book with the Wind kanji and tossed it to Bane who asked "What is this for?"

'Kono koto kara dekiru koto o subete manabi, renshū shite kudesai... Anata wa sore de tesuto sa remasu' (Learn all you can from this and practice...you will be tested on it) Kami let Bane go off to explore the city and learn at his leisure, once he sensed Bane was far enough he stood up but quickly fell to one knee from the strong dark magic he could sense from far outside the confines of the city, this usually happened when someone had fallen into darkness...a secret sense Kami had called Shadow Sense, allowing him to sense deception and many other things, but the best thing about it was that it allowed him to sense when someone would turn from good to evil, but if he knew, saw or met the person, he would momentarily feel enough pain to knock him off his feet...he also saw a dark version of J'onn's face, which confused him if his master was already dead as he said weakly "Master?"

A/N - Finally finished with the first chapter, reviews are always welcome and a good Kami/Evil Yang and Possessed J'onn come with new powers and abilities that they won't have in 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark', Bane will also be more powerful as Kami's apprentice with control of most of his power with Kami's wisdom, as he also explains why Yang was banished to those who weren't there or made to swear an oath of secrecy and think Yang was dead...R&R and I own nothing but my characters and the story, not the X-Men Evo characters.