"tono, TONO" takeru was in a daze, unresponsive as he was hauled away by his team, chaiki under one arm and mako under the other, dragging him into the forest.

kotoha was trailing behind worried like her timid self was as always worrying for her lord and looked behind at ryunoske, he looked as if he was deep in thought and walked slowly after them, his sword was still out as he twitched his eyes from his lord and the path they just came down, 'juzo will come for tono but what was with..' but kotoha stopped his train of thought and pulled him along the trail faster, "come on ryunoske, we will lose them".

they finally reached the stumbling trio at a clearing in the forest and they laid takeru down on the floor as he couldn't walk anymore and they couldn't support him, his body was not as delicate as he normally was.

they stayed there for a while in silence as the mountain breeze followed them and cooled their heads as takeru fell into sleep. ryunoske was still agitated and twitched at any sound coming from the forest surrounding them but also at every move made by his lord, not trusting he could be safe anywhere or at anytime.

chiaki noticed this and he asked mako to take him awya and talk to him. kotoha was worried and scared for their lords health and ryunoske's actions wouldn't help her timidness. she nodded with agreement and took him away to the river side which was out of sight of the clearing. he was relunctent at first but with makos force you didn't want to argue with her.

the river shone in the moons light, everything pale and serene around them, ryunoske calmed down as he heard the flowing of water and the gentle breeze as he closed his eyes to experience it fully.

"what is wrong ryunoske" mako asked as she stood by the blue samuari and he opened his eyes and looked to the rivers bed just in front of their feet.

"have you noticed anything wrong with tono" he asked slowly getting to his knees and touching the water below, waiting for her answer as she looked upon him and joined him on the floor, "well of course, he's a bit shaken up, why you ask"

"no i mean, real changes" as he splashed the water and standing up, shocking her and he walked away to a large rock. he leaned on it facing mako again.

"what do you mean real changes" she questioned herself, now getting annoyed with his vagueness

"his eyes" he egzadurated, "they were red" he looked at her now directly as before he slightly looked away,"you didn't notice did you, of course not" he laughed at her, rather psychotically but rather frightened and troubled, as he looked away to the river as he collapsed on his knees "his eye's were red, mako, red" he was now worried and in serious depression as mako walked towards him.

she didn't notice, but if ryunoske was this serious then it must have been true, "its probably just your imagination" she reassured him and placed a kind hand on her shoulders for comfort, but she heard him whisper, "hes turning into a Gedoshu" he wailed in sadness, "its because we left him, mako, its our fault"

"No he isnt" she stood up in offence but as she stamped her feet, a red blaze of fire flicked and then exploded from the forest.

they both shot to attention in their fighting pose and saw the blaze of light shine through the night as the heat radiated to them. this reminded of them of...

it couldn't be

they ran through the trail they had earlier as ryunoske muttered "i told you, i told you"

they returned to the clearing and were greeted with a sight they would never forget.

chiaki unconscious with blood escaping his side and pooling on the floor, the blood now starting to smell, at the feet of a figure with a screaming and squirming kotoha in his grasp holding her around her neck.

they looked on the 3 and were unable to understand as kotoha was dropped to the floor and he looked in their direction. "tono" ryunoske managed to sustain his need to run to him but was scared and unsure if his lord was present in the man that stood in front of them. kotoha reached out at his hand and mako saw this but closed her eyes as kotoha rethought her actions

the fire crackled and burned at their equipment they had brought along with them and a red glare of light escaped under the dirty messy hair of takeru, his appearance and aura slightly demonic as he turned and walked up the forest path back to the gravel hill, smiling at the mess he had created but also cried as he disappeared into the darkness and shade of the trees.

as soon as takeru had got out of their sight, ryunoske and mako ran to each of their comrades.

kotoha was stunned and couldn't talk, speechless as she stared into mako's eyes and held her neck, a hand mark that bruised, her eyes watered at the edges and tears started to form but she calmed her down as she hugged her tightly. she looked over to chiaki and ryunoske who was trying to see what damage had happened to chiaki but he shook his head.

he got his morpher out and called the Shiba mansion in haste.

he was expecting jii but was answered by an excited gen, "hay hay, have you got take-chan, how is he, can i talk to him" he asked question after question, but mako shouted from her position, "gen, we need help now, chiaki and kotoha need it now, chiaki mostly" but no one answered

"gen, gen, GEN" ryunoske called down the mike, "you got there to late, didn't you" gen mumbled finally as ryunoske and mako, look at each other, "well, that's partly true, gen but we need help now in the forest" ryunoske summoned and turned the mike off.

"we cant tell him tono has gone mad, or even gone to the gedoshu" he said as he gripped his morpher to his head

"well anyway, lets concentrate on kotoha and chiaki" mako sighed as she turned to see chiaki and kotoha looking the direction takeru had left.

"chiaki" ryunoske rushed to his side as his friend try to get up with his injury, "he is lonely" kotoha said as she stood and walked towards the path but fell and leaned on the nearby tree, "he isn't gedoshu, just confused, the idiot" chiaki hissed in pain but laughed at this and fell into unconsciousness again

why did they save me, why, i as as i stumble away

i'm alone now as i walk down this pathway to my destiny and wish in life

fighting is all i have left

this serge for power and always on the verge of fighting, to fight and kill, is this what gedoshu feel, is it

someone tell me

SOMEONE TELL ME

i hear a chuckle from behind the tree, you feel it too don't you

juzo, juzo understands me, he's the only one now

i walk to him not watching my feet as my blood boils and i sense my head fall to a headache and dizziness,

but i'm stopped by a memory, fresh smiles and a happy family, and the hands that keep me hoping and following friends, and... i turn to see no one there as i'm sent back to reality, no a dream like juzo said

"huh, is this what a dream is juzo"

"yes" he nodded with a kind smile as i clasped his hand tightly and he pulls me up to the rock infront of a waterfall, a sort of warmth flowing through me and him as our eyes join in understanding

"as i have had a taste of your curse, may i join you on your way for the ultimate battle"

"what about your comrades" he mentioned behind me, as i turn and all that's behind me is darkness and an abandoned setting, "of course they wont be here, ive fallen to the godeshu, partner"

"partner, huh ive never had one" he was stunned " but i might except this once"

we clasped hands together and the sound echos through the forest, i smile as we both transform, me looking at the river bed to see my samurai uniform changed and deformed to look like juzo, but with my usual red as he hands me my sword, it transformed with braided horse hair flowing from they handle and its handle twisted with a black iron.