Authors notes: Thank you to the person who wrote the review, it's appreciated. And a quick mention of my OCs: Kirigakure Saizo is one recorded as one of the Sanada 10 Braves, but I have no idea if Yukimura had a sister or not, Kirihime is my creation.

And the song I used in the last chapter is a traditional Japanese song called Moonlight on the ruined castle (Or Kojo no Tsuki in Japanese).

I hope people are enjoying this, and here is the next chapter.

Chapter 2 - Castle ruins

"Ok, I must be dreaming." Yukimura sighed as he wandered around the moonlit ruins of a castle, trying to find anything of importance.

"Haru koro no hana no en

Meguru sakazuki kage sashite

Chiyo no matsu ga e wake ideshi

Mukashi no hikari Ima izu ko"

"Again, though the setting fits the song." he sighed, looking for the singer.

"Aki jinei no schimo no iro

Nakiyuku kari no kazu misete

Uurutsurugi ni terisoishi

Mukashi no hikari ima izu ko"

He was not surprised to find the girl in what would have been the gate house. This time he did not cry out, she seemed uninjured this time.

"Ima kojo no yowa no tsuki

Kawaranu hikari ta ga tame zo

Kaki ni nokoru wa tada kazura

Matsu ni uto wa tada arashi

Tenjo kage wa kawaranedo

Eiko wa utsuru yo no sugata

Utsusan toteka ima mo nao

Ah! Kojo no yowa no tsuki"

He stayed quiet until the end of the song, not knowing why, but he just knew interrupting the girl was a bad idea.

"I'm coming for you." The voice echoed around him, making Yukimura jump.

"Who's there?" he called out, noting that the girl was looking straight at him.

"Aww, poor little tiger cub, lost in his own dreams, you won't wake up, I assure you of that." The voice was female, but older, sultry and seductive, not that it affected Yukimura that way.

"What are you talking about?"

"She's trying to invade your mind."

Yukimura stared at the girl who spoke to him for the first time. "Who are you?"

"It's. . . complicated."

"Uh-huh, and what are you doing here?"

"I'm a fragment of another's mind, they care about you a great deal, and want to protect you, so that's why I'm here."

"Kiri. . ."

"How did you know?"

"I remembered where I'd heard that song before, she used to sing it when she was little, you sounded exactly the same, but you don't look like her."

"I'm only a fragment of her mind."

"But I saw you at that temple."

"I was trying to warn you, but the drugs were too strong."

"Oh, and can I wake up?"

I don't know, I don't sleep."

"I need to wake up, if that demon invades my mind I'm in serious trouble, but how, I've never been in such a vivid dream."

"I can't help you there, all I can do is guard the gate and keep her out."

"Will you be ok?"

"I'm from the stubborn part of your sister's personality."

"Alright, now I need to find a way out of here." he said as the girl started to sing again. Now he had a better idea as to what was going on, he was calmer and able to make more detailed observations. He noticed doors in various walls, and eventually gave in to curiosity and opened one.

"Are these my. . . memories?" he asked out loud as he saw his first encounter with Masamune from another perspective. Watching himself fight was disorientating so he left and shut the door. Another door led to some memories involving his brother's wedding; he noted both doors looked the same and decided not to open anymore unless he was out of options. He could still hear the girl singing by the gate, but continued on, looking for a way out of his own mind.

-In the waking world: Oshu-

"We don't have need for your services." Kojuurou said to the old woman at the compound gate.

"You will tomorrow, you'll need me to wake the red one up, I'll camp in that group of trees, I know you'll come for me, so I won't go far." she said, before walking away.

"What was that all about?" Masamune asked.

"She seemed to think we needed help with a demon Masamune-sama."

"That was last month, though I did wake up with this really bad feeling. . . and where has this fog come from?"

Kojuurou frowned, "I have an idea, it would also explain that bad feeling."

"Uh-huh, so it's that little brat's ninja, what was his name again?"

"Kirigakure Saizo."

"That was it, if it is him, can you sort in out without a certain little brat trying to kill me again?"

"I'll do my best Masamune-sama."

"Now I've got to do the monthly paperwork."

Kojuurou let his master leave, keeping an eye out for any signs of ninja.

"I know you're there, Kirigakure, what do you want?"

The ninja was behind him, surrounded by thick fog.

"There's a serious problem, my master is apparently going to get married, only the bride to be is a demon who wants to eat his soul, and the only member of his family aware of this, is Kirihime."

"They're coming here, aren't they?"

"Yes, only we camped out last night, and this morning Yukimura-Danna would not wake up, the Demon has trapped him inside his dreams."

Kojuurou grimaced, so the old woman had been right.

"I'm assuming your mistress is with her brother."

"Yes, and Sarutobi."

"Masamune-sama is not going to like this."

"If it helps, Hime-sama has agreed to play nice, until this whole mess is sorted out."

"That is a great relief, though, literally five minutes ago, some old woman was at the gate, she seemed to know more about the situation than she ought to, she's setting up camp in those trees."

"I know her, she was my grandmother's student, the others should arrive this evening."

"I shall go and inform Masamune-sama, could you check with the woman?"

"Alright, I'll wait with her until the others arrive."

-That evening-

Kirihime did her best to be civil towards Masamune, oddly she could read him so easily, and she was able to keep her nerve even though he seemed more worried than she was.

"Hmm, yes, he's trapped within his own dreams, I can create an exit, but someone will need to go in and show him the way. The old woman sighed.

"How long will that take?" Sasuke asked.

"It's not a difficult ritual, but you need someone who holds a special place in their heart, but not a blood relative." The old woman explained. "How long it takes depends on how quickly the person finds him."

"Him." Kirihime said, pointing to Masamune.

"Well, we can start tomorrow at dawn, I have to meditate to prepare. Do not eat for the rest of the night, the journey can be, unsettling."

"I see." Masamune was surprised Kirihime had suggested him and not Sasuke, then again he was Yukimura's lover, not that she seemed happy about it.

The first real problem came when both Masamune and Kirihime wanted to stay with Yukimura. Even Sasuke and Saizo agreed that would be a bad idea, until Kirihime promised to behave herself and not kill Masamune.

Neither could sleep as the night wore on, each finding the other's presence unnerving.

"Why are you interested in my brother?" Kirihime suddenly asked.

"It's wierd, someone once asked me if there was anyone I wanted to be with so much that I would give everything else up, and Yukimura came to mind. Then the whole mess last month drove it home, the transformation was not just physical, but over time, you lost your human mind and gained the mind of a cat. Seeing him in that state was too painful. And now this. . ."

"I see, what happened to that last demon in the end?"

"Once we'd beaten it to within an inch of its life, it got sealed away."

"Ah, hmm, well, compared to the other option availiable, I can't believe I'm about to say this, I'll put up with it, but if you hurt Yuki-chan, I will kill you for certain."

"Hai, not that I intend to hurt him." Masamune was glad she would accept the relationship, but he was still terrified of her.

"Good."