A/N: So, finally, here we are. Beginning of the end and all that. Just a few quick notes.

1. I am currently working on revising both On Strange Wings and At Fate's Hands to purge them of their errors. And there might be an extra something in there as well.

2. Recently, I posted an Azrael origin one-shot. I am taking it to be canon as far as this work goes.

And as always, just to disclaim: I own nothing related to BlazBlue.

A gentle caress, a silky hand on his rough cheek, roused Ragna from his sleep. His eyes shot open, an instinct honed from years of needing to awaken at a moment's notice, but no danger lurked there. Instead, a peaceful smile and a kiss on the nose met him. From beside him, still with his arm wrapped over her waist, Tsubaki grinned down at him and ran her hand over his cheek again. "Hey. Morning."

"Mm…" With something akin to a feline purr, Ragna nuzzled against her hand and drew a giggle. He smirked back and shifted onto his back, giving a ginger pull on her side to ask her to lie atop him. "Early wake-up, huh?"

"Mm, I suppose." Tsubaki clambered over to lay atop him, arms folded on his chest to prop herself up over him and smile straight into his eyes. After leaning in for a brief peck dead on the lips, she said, "A fair number of people are going to be leaving today. You wanted to talk to Jubei first, right?"

"Oh. Right. Got some things I wanna ask him." Eyes alight with mischief, Ragna wrapped his arms around her waist, one hand moving down along the small of her back. "But I dunno, I think there's something I'd rather do right now."

Tsubaki squeaked at the sudden, lecherous grasp, but still found herself laughing. "Of course. Always so irresponsible. But I suppose we're not in any rush here." She returned the shark-like intensity of his smirk as she reached back, grabbed both of his wrists, and pulled them over to pin them behind his head. "Provided we do this my way, that is."

Ragna's eyes widened and his jaw dropped an inch, but before he could comment, she pressed a heavy kiss against his lips. One of her hands arched around to wrap the back of his head and pull him in tighter, trusting him to follow her lead and not fight against the single petite hand holding his wrists in place. He groaned into her mouth and returned the passion, letting her do as she pleased…

And, of course, the door had to open right at that moment. The sudden creak jolted them both, and Tsubaki rolled off of him, cheeks ablaze and staring defensively at who had just entered. Already, Jubei had turned away, pulling the door closed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb ya. I'll just mosey on out n' come back later."

"N-no, it's fine." Tsubaki shook her head, relaxing when she saw who had dared intrude. Beside her, Ragna sat up, still dumbfounded and face bright red. "We actually were hoping to speak to you before you left, and I think now's a fine time for it."

"Ya sure?" Jubei turned back and cocked an eyebrow. "Yer decent, right?"

"Of course we are, master." Finally shaking off the stupor, Ragna stretched and rose, throwing mental curses Jubei's way for interrupting. "Anyways, first, I guess you had something to say to us?"

"Yeah. A warnin' 'bout yer grimoire." Jubei into the room and pulled up a chair. "Course, if ya got more important things to talk about, you can go ahead with 'em."

"Actually, that's exactly what I was going to ask you about anyways." Ragna lifted his right arm and cast a sidelong look at it. "Okay, so this stupid thing absorbs souls, right? What would happen to them if my grimoire was destroyed?"

Tsubaki turned to face him, fast enough for her hair to whip around. "What exactly are you planning, Ragna?"

"Nothing."

"Bull."

Holding in a chuckle at Tsubaki's concern, Jubei shook his head. "Sorry, ain't got the foggiest. If I had to guess, the souls would be cast back to the Boundary. Or destroyed entirely. Ya gonna try to destroy it?"

"After I kill Terumi, yeah." Ragna closed his eyes. "It's not my power, right? It's the Black Beast. The Beast we saw in Ishana made it go all berserk and shit. Soon as I take care of everything I need to, I'm getting rid of this thing."

"…Might not be that easy, kiddo. It ain't yer power, yeah, but it's still a part o' ya. Yer not gonna remove it without somethin' strong, n' yer gonna feel it. Not just yer arm; yer eye's linked to it as well. N' I got no idea what else ya might lose." After a long pause, he sighed. "…But I'm 'fraid ya don't got any other choice."

"Huh?" After ceasing her accusatory glare on Ragna, Tsubaki turned to Jubei, shuffling uncomfortably. "What do you mean, Sir Jubei?"

"The Azure ain't stable. I reckon you both were aware o' that, it bein' the Black Beast n' all, but I doubt ya realize how much a threat it is."

"It turns me into something like the Black Beast if I overuse it, right? Terumi made sure to laugh about that back in Kagutsuchi." With a scowl, Ragna shook his head. His gut churned; he had the worst feeling about this. "Or is there something more? Wouldn't doubt it, seeing how much you and Rachel love leaving me in the dark. Cryptic assholes."

"N' ya have my apologies for it; as Rachel said, it's to keep ya from doin' somethin' drastic. But yeah, there's more." Jubei closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "If yer gonna deal with Terumi, ya'd better do it quick. Like I said, it ain't stable. What's more, it's become less stable by the day. Rachel must o' alluded to it, but it's a time bomb. You keep it for too long, it'll consume ya. N' I reckon Izanami can trigger it as well."

"…Well, shit." Ragna looked down. "We got any idea where Terumi is? The sooner I can hunt the bastard down, the sooner I can get rid of this shit."

"'Fraid not. He hasn't done anythin' since Ishana. But he's out there, I know it. We'll find 'im." After a few moments of silence, Jubei jumped up to his feet and started for the door. "Well, I reckon that's it, then. Sorry to come bearin' bad news."

"It's fine. Take care, Jubei." As the door closed, Ragna could only stare down at his feet, feeling as though he had taken a cannonball to the gut. A slender hand slipped into his and squeezed, but Ragna couldn't bring himself to look at Tsubaki. "…Tsubaki. Got a favor to ask of you."

Tsubaki gave his hand another squeeze as she nodded. "Of course. Whatever you need of me, Ragna."

"If I become the Black Beast, use your Immortal Breaker thing on me. Don't let it ruin all that we've fought for."

The words stung Tsubaki, and it showed in the wincing close of her eyes, the shudder of her breath, the prolonged tightening of her grip on his hand. But still, she nodded. "I will not let that happen. These won't be your last days, Ragna. I promise you that. We will win this final battle, and be free to be together for all time afterwards." One more squeeze of his hand. "I will do everything in my power to ensure this."

Despite the rankling news Jubei had delivered, Ragna managed to turn and smile at Tsubaki. "…You're goddamn amazing, Tsubaki. You really are. Come on, let's go grab something to eat."

The scratch of a pen. The rustle of papers. The occasional whispered curse or deep exhalation. These lone sounds haunted the grand office of Belioz Mutsuki, Imperator Librarius. His brow creased and his lips set into a deep frown at the stack of paperwork that remained before him. Soon, the Yayoi family would be removed from the ranks of the Duodecim for their weakness. He would extend his mercy; none from the family would be slain, and they would be allowed to retain nobility. Perhaps even its treasonous heir would be spared. Who would replace them, he didn't know quite yet, although many noble families would undoubtedly vie for the position.

A creak prefaced someone opening the door, and Belioz turned a heated glare up at it. There were only two people impudent enough to enter his quarters in so brazen a manner, and he wanted as little to do with either of them as possible. He sneered at Relius as the puppeteer strode inside, his free hand resting on his weaponized baton. "Clover. For what trifles do you intrude upon my work?"

"Oh, no trifles, I assure you. Merely a matter of utmost importance." Wearing a light smirk, Relius stopped at the desk and bowed low with a flourish, just theatrical enough to leave its sincerity dubious. "I have a task for you. I would carry it out myself, but alas, I have no time for such matters."

"If it does not concern you enough to draw you away from your work, then your plight is as necessary to me as a kazoo is to a string quartet." Belioz cast his glare back down at the paper before him, offering Relius a dismissive wave with the back of his hand. "I, on the other hand, do have truly important matters to attend to, before the threads of my life are severed by your damned mistress. Begone."

"I assure you, Atropos has not yet come to cut you loose." Undeterred, Relius rose from the bow to stand rigid. "I unfortunately do not have capacity at the moment to hunt down and slay the Yayoi prodigy; even now, Ignis is proving a serviceable battery for an experiment. You will see to it that she is slain, and Izayoi is wrested from her grasp. I require such a weapon that bends the very electromagnetic spectrum to its will."

"And sully my hands further? Though I loathe Yayoi, in the few days I have reigned as Imperator, I have seen the pulse of the people. Already we stand on the precipice of civil war; the disdain for Sector Seven a mere distraction before they slung their ire our way. Yayoi is seen as a heroic figure for her efforts in Yabiko; to seek her out and slay her would be to tip the people over the edge. I will not sacrifice a lifetime's worth of work to acquire a weapon for you."

"Is that so?" Relius stroked his chin, the smirk long faded. "Your desire for power trumps your hatred of the Yayoi?"

"Indeed, and by no small measure. Tsubaki is inconsequential in the grand scheme. I had my chance to take her life, and failed to do so. Now, the minuet has finished and only the sonata remains in this damned symphony." Belioz looked up, eyes sparking with rage and conviction. "I have but days to leave my mark upon the world. I will not waste this opportunity by chasing down an insignificant weakling, but rather will ensure that the name Belioz Mutsuki is hallowed into perpetuity, however brief it may be."

To Belioz's surprise, his words only brought a rebirth of Relius's grin—sharp and vicious, draining the color from Belioz's cheeks. A low chuckle echoed from Relius as the scientist shook his head. "How fascinating. And to think I was off the mark with one I took for wholly predictable."

"If I do not have time to slay the Yayoi brat myself, what makes you believe that I have time for your mockery?" As he scratched more lines into the paper, Belioz drew his baton and jabbed it in the direction of the door. "As Imperator Librarius, I demand you leave. If you wish for Yayoi to perish, take her life with your own hands. I have no qualms with you doing so."

"As I said, that is out of the question. She wields the Izayoi and its powerful Immortal Breaker. Though my life may be beyond the reach of most weapons, it is ripe for reaping at Izayoi's edge." Relius stretched out a hand. "Join me, Belioz, and I shall see to it that Izanami's designs for a world of death fall short."

Slowly, Belioz turned his gaze up to the masked man, contemplating. "What do you mean, Clover? What evils are you plotting?"

"No evils, I assure you." With a contemplative hum, Relius closed his eyes and pulled back his hand. "Tell me, Mutsuki. What does perfection mean to you?"

"Perfection? Why do you ask?" No response came, and Belioz sighed and closed his eyes. "Very well. Perfection is a world in which I reign supreme, my benediction pacifying those who would oppose me. A world of peace that sees me as the highest authority, not some sham of leadership held on a leash. What could be greater than that?"

"Hm… quite self-absorbed, but no less than I expected. I asked a foolish question—what is the meaning of perfection—and true to script, received a foolish answer, although one not entirely off-base. Of course, I already have my answer." A low laugh, a harbinger of some madness to come, sounded. "Power. And not just the threat of a looming power. It only has meaning if it is put into action. It defines us. It is our power that allows us to govern the world. All seek it; it is what makes the cogs of this world turn, what drives the actors in this farce. The Grim Reaper, the soul of the Azure's chaos, seeks with all his might to disrupt that power, as is only natural for a soul as rebellious and hate ridden as his."

He wheeled around, back to Belioz, and continued, voice growing more passionate—almost excited. "Perfection is not within the reach of ordinary men. It is no different in any aspect of life. The poor seek riches. The ugly, beauty. We compare ourselves to others and seek to cover our own inadequacies to give ourselves peace of mind. Your dreams, the Grim Reaper's, Yayoi's… all are doomed to fail. We do not live in a world where perfection can be made manifest. But that is no reason not to strive for the peaks of Olympus, the golden halls of Valhalla, the fields of Elysium, in order to snare perfection for mankind."

Belioz, leaned back as far as he could, only offered a wide-eyed stare. "What are you babbling about, you madman?"

Relius seemed not to have heard him. When he turned back around, a full grin plastered across has face and struck dead the remaining color in Belioz's cheeks. "All I seek is to continue our work towards the noble goal of perfection! The power that everyone lusts for! I will spread it over the world with but a touch! A precious mineral from an inexhaustible mine! And so, I shall craft a perfect being, an incarnation of the power we seek, the Alpha of a new creation, and by her hand, reach into the celestial thrones of the gods and tear them down! Only through this can our kind discover perfection; unfettered and without master. This is the world I shall craft. Our world will be forged in accordance my desires."

With a deep breath, Relius closed his eyes, the grin fading as he calmed down. "Perfection will be mine. Either the world will convert itself to my way of thinking, or it shall bow before the apotheosis of power. I will have Izayoi, and you will be the one to bring it to me. If you cannot seek Yayoi of your own accord, draw her to you. I expect this to be dealt with in three days, Mutsuki. Pray you find success."

With that, Relius turned and strode away. The door echoed as it slammed shut behind him, leaving Belioz behind, seething. His fist clenched, with a harsh growl, he banged it on his desk. "'Fie, on all mad masters and all foul ways.' Blast you, Clover, you madman. You speak of perfection, but only babble nonsense."

With a sigh, he rose, pondering Relius's words despite his claims of madness. "…But if it is Izanami's death you seek, then so be it, if it means I may survive. I shall pry Izayoi from Yayoi's stony fingers for you."

"…Well, at least Haku went out with a bang." Kokonoe shivered as a zephyr washed over her. Before her lay the remnants of Take-Mikazuchi, its deceased body melting as some swamp-like ooze over the pinnacle of Ishana. All features of the nightmare—its terrible maw, its crimson eyes, its clawed arms—had decayed beyond all resemblance, sans one. The crystal of its core gleamed even now, defiant of the trench carved into it by Ookami. With a scowl, Kokonoe snapped her fingers. "Tager. Clear a path for me, will ya?"

"Understood." At a trudge, Tager made his way toward the fallen Nox Nyctores, stopping just shy of the muck. He extended a palm, and released a blast of electricity. While the jolt itself did nothing, the accompanying blast of wind sloshed away the sludge, all the way up to the core. As he stepped aside, he lifted a hand in a salute. "If you don't mind me saying, it is an honor to work with you again. My apologies for going AWOL earlier."

"Eh, don't sweat it." Kokonoe made her way closer to Take-Mikazuchi. "The repairs holding up alright? You got kinda scorched. Bad."

"Yes, I am as good as ever." As Tager followed along behind her, he glanced around at the beast. "So, how are you planning on excavating the Unit?"

"Only one way. Going to go into this piece of shit and pull her out like that." As she spoke, she scowled. Nothing worse than relying on her mother's curse for anything, but if that was her only option, tough shit. After pulling out a device, she tossed it over her shoulder to Tager. "Here. In case shit goes wrong while I'm in. Emergency teleportation line in case I can't get back out."

"Roger." With swiftness unbefitting of him, Tager snatched the device out of the air. "Am I to assume that you'll contact me in that situation?"

"No shit, Sherlock." Kokonoe placed both hands on the cracked core, closing her eyes in focus. "Alright, I'm going in. Stand by, Tager."

Magenta light crackled around her hands, and Kokonoe's palms sunk into the solid object. Inch by inch, she vanished inside Take-Mikazuchi. No sooner had she entered than her breath stalled a moment as a tangible volume of seithr buffeted her. No solid ground, no walls were visible—all lay awash in the same bloody hue. Yet her feet rested on something solid—or at least, solid enough to support her weight. "…Okay. This isn't a mindfuck or anything. But shit, this seithr. I'd better hurry the hell up."

Thankfully, her target lay close by, coming into view through the red haze after only a few steps. Nu lay curled up in a fetal ball, shivering with harsh breaths. She turned as Kokonoe approached and gave her a thousand-yard stare, empty and hopeless. As Kokonoe approached, she stalled at the despair written in Nu's gaze. "…Shit, what the hell happened to you? Well, never mind that, I'm getting you out now."

"You… don't…" The rest of Nu's weak words proved too quiet for Kokonoe to hear. The scientist hefted up the girl and turned to speak into her radio. "Hey. Tager. I got her. Get me outta here, now."

Miss Vermillion. Arise. We have much to do.

Haunted by a voice in her head, Noel stirred from her bed. After sitting up, panda plushie squeezed in her arms, she blinked, trying to figure out who had exactly had contacted her. Or had it been a dream? No, the voice had been much too clear for that. With a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and rose to her feet. And then it clicked. "Oh… Rachel…"

Noel trudged down the hallway to Rachel's chamber, hoping that she would wake up enough for her training by the time she reached her mentor. She had scarcely gone through half of the corridor before something rushed her down and tackled her, cuddling her with a bushy tail. As Noel cried out in surprise, Makoto laughed. "Come on, Noelly, you gotta wake up. Important day, right? Tsubaki told me about it at breakfast this morning."

"Huh? She did?" Her surprise falling into laughter, Noel returned the embrace before picking herself up. "And I think you managed to shock away my sleepiness. So, thanks, Makoto."

"All according to plan." Makoto snickered as she jumped to her feet and reached into her jacket. "Yeah, she did. Although she made sure not to tell anyone else around. Dunno why, but I guess she has her reasons for not wanting everyone to know you're gonna become Kusanagi again. But anyways, I figured you weren't going to have time to eat, so here." With that, she pulled out a cherry pastry and handed it to her friend.

"Ah! Thanks, Makoto!" Eyes wide and sparkling at the breakfast offered to her, Noel took it and dug in with a large bite. Her steps lifted into a skip as she swallowed. "Ohh, so good…"

"Hey. What're friends for, right?" Makoto chuckled and gave Noel a playful nudge, but turned her eyes downcast after a moment. "…You're… sure this is the right thing to be doing, Noel? I mean, I would've been too traumatized by being the Kusanagi before to ever do it again. You really are doing this because you want to, right? Not because Ragna or Rachel or someone bullied you into it?"

After another bite of the pastry, Noel sighed. "…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. But I was the one that suggested it, and I really want to help against Izanami, so… I'm going to do it. I'm not going to be too weak to do anything anymore."

Makoto walked along in silence several more paces before nodding. "Alright. I'll trust you on this, Noel. But just for the record… I've never thought of you as weak. Not once. Now, go forth and become the best Kusanagi you can!"

After scarfing down the remainder of her pastry, Noel burst into giggles and hugged Makoto around the side. "I will! And… thanks again, Makoto."

The skip still in her step, Noel turned and ascended the stairs to Rachel's bedchamber. As she reached the door, she slowed to a halt and knocked twice. "Miss Rachel? You wanted to see me?"

"Indeed." A gust of wind blew and pushed the door open for Noel. Rachel sat tall in a chair, stiff as could be. "Come in, Miss Vermillion. We must begin your training. Posthaste."

"Alright." Noel shut the door behind her and plopped down on a chair across from Rachel. "Um, are you sure we should be doing this kind of training inside? It seems… destructive. And how long's it going to take for me to learn?"

"We shall move outside once you are capable of utilizing Kusanagi's power, lest it tear apart my mansion." Rachel closed her eyes and picked up a teacup from where Nago sat beside her, shape-shifted into a table. She took a sip and cringed. "As for the matter of time, it would be advisable to learn slowly. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be an option available to us. Izanami is no doubt near the final stages of her plans, and there is also Terumi, hanging overhead like a sword of Damocles, to be wary of. It is unfortunate, but in the threat of two deific beings, we must expedite the process as much as you can bear to do so."

"…Deific?" Noel blinked. "You mean, like, godly? Is Terumi really that strong?"

"Indeed. He has come closer to all but Izanami to godhood, although that loathsome Relius Clover has nigh transcended his own mortality as well. But that is irrelevant." Rachel set the teacup back down, and rose to approach Noel. "As the Eye of the Azure, you have the ability to decide the truths of this world. An ability you have underutilized to this point, but perhaps that is for the best. Allow me to aid in your visualization of Mu-12, the Kusanagi."

"Huh? What do you…?" Before Noel could finish, Rachel placed a hand on her head. A flood of images pierced into Noel's mind—her, armored, swords floating behind as she descended from the Altar—Hakumen standing his ground before her, sunk to his knees—Tsubaki striking with Izayoi, only for her to be blown back by Kusanagi's power—Ragna taking a laser through his chest, yet reaching out to grab her forehead despite everything—and she let out a scream, clutching her head in pain. When Noel opened her eyes, she found herself down on all fours, panting and sweating. "Wha… what was that…?"

"The memories of Kusanagi, fogged by Ragna's poor attempt at reversing your smelting. While he succeeded in reverting you to being Noel Vermillion, he failed to remove Kusanagi's taint from you in full. Indeed, it is fortunate that the mutt can be so incompetent." With a smile, Rachel extended her hand down to Noel. "Rise, Miss Vermillion. With those memories restored to you, you should have an easier time visualizing and making Kusanagi a truth once more."

"Al… alright…" Head throbbing and heart pounding, Noel accepted the hand and slumped back into her chair. "So… just focus on making myself Kusanagi…?"

"Hmm… not quite. While you are the anchor for Kusanagi, if you wish to be at your strongest, you must cut all the ties that form Noel Vermillion from your mind." As Rachel took a seat, she feigned a sip of the tea. "Your parents. Your friends. Your loves. Forget all your ties, so that Kusanagi may materialize at her strongest."

"E-eh?" Noel blinked, pale. "Wait, I have to give up everyone for this? Makoto, Tsubaki, Ragna…?"

"It is but a temporary voiding of your mind. A meditation, if you will. But Kusanagi is an existence of bitterness and misery; cutting off all you cherish when you wish to become her will yield the strongest results. Once you have done so, visualize yourself becoming Mu… and allow the Azure to make it a truth."

"…Alright. I understand. As long as it's temporary…" Noel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Every tie she had, she imagined just slipping away into oblivion…

A tray in hand, Valkenhayn paused at the door to the room Ragna and Tsubaki. After rapping out three even knocks, he waited, still as stone. To his relief, Tsubaki answered the door in prompt time, fully clothed. As the door opened, Valkenhayn bowed low and extended the tray to her. "Pardon my interruption, Miss Yayoi, but Madam Rachel requested I bring this to the two of you. Please, enjoy."

"Oh! Please give her our thanks." Smiling, Tsubaki peeked under the cloth covering whatever Valkenhayn had brought. Her eyes sparkled; chocolate. Before Valkenhayn could leave, however, she turned back to him. "Um, Sir Valkenhayn? Would it be alright if I asked a favor of you?"

"Why, certainly. Although I cannot guarantee that I can fulfill your wishes. After all, my duty is to Madam Rachel, first and foremost." Valkenhayn bowed low again. "Whatever can I do for you, Miss Yayoi?"

"I'm… worried. About my family, since the new Imperator holds great disdain for us, and has been trying to have us removed for some time now." Tsubaki chewed her bottom lip. "Would it be possible for you to ensure their safety?"

"But of course. I shall leave posthaste." Valkenhayn raised his head to look past her. "And will your… consort ask anything of me?"

"Huh?" From where he lay on the bed, arms crossed behind his head, Ragna sat up and cocked an eyebrow. "You'd actually do something I asked? And Rachel actually sent something nice? Is there something in the water here? But, uh… nah, don't need anything right now. Thanks, though."

"…It would seem that Miss Yayoi's manners have rubbed off on you somewhat. But very well." Valkenhayn bowed one last time and turned away. "I shall be on my way."

"Luna's hungry. Where are we going again, freakshow?"

Platinum hunched over as she followed Amane, Carl at her side. Towers of gilded metal rose in the distance, but this far out from the center of Iwatsuchi, all that surrounded them were earthen buildings, misshapen and drab. In contrast to his companions, Amane all but strutted along the thoroughfare, a hum in his throat. "Who knows~?"

With a sigh, Carl lowered his head. Why was this man so impossible? So few of Amane's actions and decisions made any sense to the boy. "If you don't know, then we can please stop and make plans? Sis says we don't have time to wander aimlessly."

"Yeah! And get some grub!" A moment after Platinum piped up, standing straight to best glare at Amane, she slumped over again, heat fading from her eyes. Sena's voice followed. "Yes, please. We haven't eaten since coming here."

"Oh, but of course. I don't want you to suffer, my dears." Amane looked around. Three food stands waited just in front of them. Instead, however, he swept a robed arm and headed down an alley to his right. "But I can't have you eating such unhealthy food as that. Come, let's find a proper restaurant."

The kids grumbled and whined, but still followed him off of the main street, wondering why they even listened to him at this point. As they passed by a bench, a man seated on it rubbed his chin, eyes on Amane. He stood up and ran a hand through his dark hair, leaning on his giant slab of metal. "Well, hey there. Haven't seen you in these parts before. What do you say we go grab a coffee and head to my place, gorgeous?"

"Oh my, but I'm flattered." Smirking, Amane turned and bowed to Kagura, whose face paled and jaw dropped as he realized his error. "Unfortunately, I must say you're not quite my type. Lighten your hair a few shades and we'll talk."

"Ah… um…" After shaking off his shock, Kagura offered a warm smile to Amane and returned the light bow. "Sorry about that. I thought—"

Platinum extended a hand to the side, and her staff materialized in her grasp. "Yeah, we know, you pervert. Luna should kick your ass for that shit."

Kagura blinked at her once, before turning back to Amane and jabbing a finger in Platinum's direction. "Does she always talk like that?"

"Ah, yes, Miss Luna is quite lively, is she not?" Amane straightened up. "I apologize for her brusque manners. I am Amane Nishiki, traveling dance extraordinaire. Perhaps I may interest you in my services, Mister…?"

"Mutsuki. Name's Kagura." Kagura grinned and extended a hand to Amane. "And sure. Last week's been stressful as hell."

"Wait… Mutsuki?" Platinum stomped over to Kagura, lip twisted in a scowl. "You mean, the Mutsuki family?"

"Yep." Kagura grinned down at her. "You're speaking to the current Mutsuki family head."

"…Okay, I'm not even gonna ask why a Duodecim head is in a back alley trying to pick up chicks, but…" With a yell, Platinum adjusted her grip on her staff and swung it straight into Kagura's gut. "Luna's gonna kick your ass, you Library bastard!"

Jin stood in the center of Rachel's garden, hand on Yukianesa's hilt. Ice crystals grew on the rosebushes as he tightened his grip, a scowl contorting his face. He had been given a chance in Ishana—Ragna and Terumi, both in his grasp. And he had failed to eliminate either. Terumi still existed to torment, and his brother still existed in torment. He had the power to do away with both of them—the same power that drove him towards this goal. So why was he just standing here, doing nothing? Even if Terumi was currently out of his grasp, Ragna was…

"Hey. Jin." Speak of the devil. Ragna approached him from behind, but Jin made no move except to smirk. "You gonna just brood here all day?"

"What does it matter to you, brother? Unless you're here for a fight; I'd be happy to put you out of your misery." Jin laughed. No matter what anyone else said, he was the only one that could end Ragna's suffering. And with just slightest excuse, he would. Yukianesa compelled him to turn around and strike down his brethren… but for now, he waited. "What do you want? I doubt you're here to chat."

"Well, first, I'll pass on the fight to the death, thanks. Already had enough of those recently." Ragna sighed and closed his eyes. "And you're right, I'm not here to chat. Tsubaki wants to, though; I think she's just nervous about approaching you at the moment. Did I ever give you an asskicking for attacking her?"

"Hm. I should have figured. Very well; I suppose I…" A chill tingled down Jin's neck, and his eyes burst open. His power, order incarnate, commanded him to attack his brother, a disruptor of order. But a second beacon called to him as well from somewhere within the mansion. Jin whipped around and brushed past Ragna. "It will have to wait."

"Wait, what?" Stunned for a second, Ragna turned to watch his brother's retreating form. "Just where the hell are you going?"

"To Rachel. Terumi is already here."