Here is the official first chapter. Firstly, thank you to everyone who put up with my antics on the preview (i'm owing-firstborn-son indebted to you) (shout out to syaz, blackcat686, and silver wildflame) , i wanted a second opinon because my fics have a bad habit of getting shoved down to the bottom of the metaphorical barrel. so yes! for those of you whom are new, this is the technical sequel to "Fallen Angels and the Season of Tears" but you can wait a while before reading it and only not understand one or two things.

format: switching selective third person POVs between Watanuki and Domeki with Yuko interludes.
length of chapter: i'm going to be upfront; the length will vary depending on where the nicest natural breaks are.

and i will be handing out cyber cookies/plushies/random goodness to those of youse who can guess the mangas/movies/books i stol-crossed overed stuff from (partial cookies/plushies/goodness can be distributed too). mini cookies/plushies/goodness will be handed out if anyone can figure out how many days have passed for Wata-chan and Dome-kun.

so yes anyways, enough of me...ONWARDS (gets hit with heavy, blunt objects and KO's)

Today was probably one of the best days in generally unlucky Watanuki Kimihiro's life. Firstly, it was his birthday, which didn't really matter, but it meant Himawari-chan blessed him with a cake (so what if she kissed that guy on the cheek, it could've been her brother or something). Secondly, Dômeki was sick and didn't come to school, another bonus, although not as big a bonus as it would have been the year before. And for dessert, Yûko had given him the day off as she was visiting that fortune teller, something about needing a clearer view of her future, he didn't ask. The only bad thing was about his birthday was the day school started, but that wasn't so bad. And it was gorgeous outside, a brilliant blue sky and a warm, though thin, sun. So, he decided to take today to stock up on ingredients and treat himself to a western flourless chocolate cake. This required more chocolate that he had at home, as well as other ingredients that he didn't use too often, so a trip to the store was in order.

"Happy birthday Watanuki-kun." A new voice said from behind him just as Watanuki was about to enter the mall. He turned, saw a shock of black hair, felt his chest clench, and his was out like a light.

"ACHOO!" Dômeki sneezed loudly on the way to the grocers' for some lemons and cola for his cold when he tripped over someone's legs. Turning to apologize to the beggar, he assumed, he got the shock of his life when he saw Watanuki propped limply against the building, legs scrunched uncomfortably; arms limp across his lap or hanging loosely down his side, both eyes open and eerily vacant.

"Yûko-san," Dômeki said in greeting to the time space witch.

"Afternoon Dômeki, what has my part-timer gotten himself into this time?" she asked cheerfully, gripping Watanuki's chin in and forcing his lolling head up from where it lay slouching against the fence to her shop. When he didn't scream, or make any acknowledgement of the unwanted touch, Yûko's eyebrows contracted in confusion. When she saw the lazy stare and the almost milky quality of his eyes though, her face contorted into subtle fury.

"Dômeki, take Watanuki inside, Moro and Maru will take care of him. Don't leave until I get back." With that, she swirled off, storming into the night, leaving a sick boy coughing fitfully and another who was dead to the world.

Watanuki woke up suddenly and violently, sleep banished in an instant. The first thing he noticed was the world in focus, but the usual weight of his glasses was gone. To make sure, he reached up to the bridge of his nose, but felt resistance pull at his wrists. Looking down, he was shocked to see a thick velvet cord, like the ones used to rope off areas in museums, tied around his wrists. His eyes flashed to the other end of the rope, he found a ring with several other velvet ropes attached, although many were thinner than his. Looking around, Watanuki saw other such people walking at the plodding pace, most asleep, yet still walking. Then he noticed he was plodding along as well, and tried to stop, but his legs didn't obey him anymore.

No one noticed his antics, so he stopped, opting for examining his restraints again. He inspected the rope around his wrists, which looked loosely looped but prevented any movement of his wrists and hands and wouldn't budge when he tried to nudge it off with his teeth. Looking back to the rope, he followed it to the ring then he noticed something new.

A single rope, the thinnest by far, led away from the herd of prisoners, following this rope, he discovered the other hand loosely held in the pale hand of a person a few inches shorter than Watanuki wearing a black divided hakama (skirt) and a nagajuban (under-kimono) without an outer kimono. A thin katana was stuck dangerously into this person's obi (belt) often coming close to cutting their long, black hair that fell just past their waist. As if sensing Watanuki's scrutiny, this person slowed and stopped, the other prisoners stopping too. Turning, Watanuki saw that this person was female.

"You're awake?" she asked, a dreamy expression painted on her face.

"Who are you?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

"No one important." She said turning back and continuing her leisurely pace, not worrying about getting anywhere fast. Since Watanuki had no control over his legs, he followed the plodding, hypnotic pace, although his eyes never left the jailer's back.

Dômeki was wondering whether Yûko was going to come back anytime soon; as if in answer, she stormed in, visible upset, trailed by a man who was much more relaxed.

"This is your charge?" he asked, looking at Dômeki from under a mop of blond hair.

"No, he is," Yûko said, pointing to Watanuki. The man immediately changed his focus, squatting and peering into Watanuki's eyes, lightly slapping his face, and generally making irritating motions that Watanuki remained unresponsive to.

"Definitely empty." The man said, standing up and dusting non-existent dust from his slacks and loose, and mostly unbuttoned, dress shirt.

"I'm sure Moro and Maru could have told me that. I just need to know where his soul is." Yûko fumed, although her words caused a shiver to run down Dômeki's spine, this was the first time he had seen a body without a spirit instead of the other way around, and to be honest, he preferred the loose spirit.

"Okay, but it'll cost you Yûko." The man said, smiling coyly at the Time Space Witch.

"Fine, I won't put you out of business Tsing Li." Yûko said seriously.

"Okay, okay, I'll even add a chain for free." He said, bending down to Watanuki's level and placing two fingers on his forehead. There was a brief flash of light and when it cleared, Tsing Li had a long, silky length a material held tightly in his grasp. One end was wound loosely around Watanuki while the other end seemed to diffuse into the dust filled sunshine.

"He's drifting between the worlds right now, but with this, you should be able to follow that easily enough." He said, looking at Yûko, "But why bother, you can't leave this plane, and you're girls can't leave the shop."

"That's why I'm sending him." Yûko said, gesturing to Dômeki, much to his surprise.

"And what are you paying him?" Tsing Li asked, straightening and looking Yûko in the eye.

"I'm showing him the way to his true love." Yûko said, smiling. Dômeki coughed in surprise, hacked away for a few minutes.

"You didn't tell him." Tsing Li said flatly.

"Dômeki, could you please help me find Watanuki's spirit?" the time space witch asked, bending over so she was at his level. He just nodded and continued coughing.

"There, I did ask him." Yûko said, jumping back up.

"Weren't you just really angry?" Dômeki coughed out later, after Tsing Li left.

"Why would I be angry? I know I'll see Watanuki again." She said, walking into the kitchen to pour a glass of vodka twice the size of her usual starter.

Watanuki had actually dozed off at one point, but a sudden stop jerked him back into consciousness. The young woman had stopped at the edge of a great bridge, wider than a city block and stretching into the darkness. On the bridge, there was a heavy flow of traffic both ways and many stripped tents lined the edges. It was into one of these tents that they were lead into, remarkable because of a lack of vibrant colours; it was a plain white with a little gold and silver trim.

Watanuki was shocked to see the inside of the tent looked like an entire house with a tall ceiling, complete with a small kitchen, an airy lounge, and large bed partially hidden by gauzy curtains. There were two people already in the tent, a sandy haired angel, his large wings tinted with a flashy gold in them, was drinking tea on the extensive lounge while a lump on the bed indicated another being.

"Power Sandaphon," Watanuki's captor said, approaching the long-haired angel, "I'm here to respond to your 'attractive souls' add." She said, nearing the angel and tugging her charges along.

"Wonderful, we still need a few more." The angel said, pouring another cup of tea for the black haired girl. As she accepted the seat and the tea with a slight bow, he moved to the pack of prisoners, checking each over like they were mystical cattle for sale. He was only a quarter of a ways through when he stopped and turned slowly to face Watanuki.

"I'll give you a gallon of soul seducer and a bottle of moon whisper for these three." He said, pointing to Watanuki, a young girl who was starting to wake up, and an old woman who twitched like she was living a nightmare.

"So generous of you." The captor said, finishing her tea, "would you like any of the others? I'm willing to part with them for a discount."

"I'll give you an all purpose sheath for two more." Sandaphon said, eyeing the naked blade nearly slicing the upholstery on the chair. He unhooked the five ropes from the leader ring and attached them to a tent pole.

"Wonderful doing business with you" the black haired girl said a few minutes later with a large flask, a small jeweled pendent filled with a liquid and a new leather sheath for her sickle in her possession.

"The pleasure is mine." Sandaphon said closing the flap after the last footprint had been made inside. He then rubbed out a rune in front of the door and drew a new one with the point of the sword hanging over the chair.

He opened the other side of the flap, sighing mournfully as a breath of what smelled like rosemary to Watanuki drifted into the tent. The angel walked over to the bed, sweeping aside the semi-transparent netting.

"Sameal…" he nearly cooed. An arm removed itself from the lump of blankets, looping around Sandaphon's neck, its twin joining soon after as the other pulled himself up.

"Where are we?" a drowsy voice asked.

"Heaven." Followed by a heavy sigh was heard. A thin angel seemingly drifted out of the curtains, silvery hair caught in silver tinted wings.

"Stupid hair." Watanuki heard softly as Sameal picked the errant hairs from their anchors in his down feathers. "Why did I grow it out again?"

"Where am I?" a shocked squeak filled the tent, alerting Sameal to the presence of the five slaves.

"New bait?" he asked Sandaphon as he slipped a sandy blond wig over his hair and wriggled into a flowing robe that added a good three inches to his shoulders.

"There are three more squads transferring to the sixth division; we're keeping that strong one."

"Good, we'll, shall we go dole out the goods?" he said, a rather sly smile perched on his face as he undid the velvet ropes, scaring the poor girl nearly to death.

"I have to go where?" Dômeki asked, starting hesitantly at the large circular pattern painted on the floor.

"To Watanuki," Yûko said, leaning against the oversized brush she used to paint it.

"And he is where?" Dômeki questioned.

"I don't know." Yûko said.

"You don't know." Dômeki repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Just follow the spirit chain." Monoko scolded,

"Chain?" Dômeki questioned again, referring to the silken scarf that threaded through his fist and disappeared about a three feet in front of him. Dômeki sighed and tried to grab past the vanished end, but his hand passed through where the cloth should be.

"Follow it how?" he asked the witch and the pork bun.

"Silly, only spirits can follow spirit chains." Monoko huffed irritably.

"But I'm not a spirit." Dômeki commented obviously.

"That's why we have this array." Yûko said, pointing down to the complex line system Dômeki was standing on.

"You're going to kill me so my I'm a free floating spirit?" he asked, slightly confused, hoping that that wasn't the answer to this dilemma. Yûko rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm just going to separate your spirit from your body, it'll be fine."

"Do I have too?" he asked,

"Do you want to save Watanuki?" she asked, glancing at the prone figure with the other end of the spirit chain wrapped around his shoulder loosely. Dômeki just sighed. Yûko's face broke into a grin and taking up her brush once again, she added the finishing storks to her design, causing everything to light up and gives Dômeki an odd sense of floating; then his vision went white from a blinding light.

Badum-ph. first chapter all squeakingly clean and done. hearts and eternal gratitude for reviews and hugs for anyone who made it this far. ta!