Shinju and Ellie seemed to wake from their trances. Ellie nodded. "I'll go get Madeline, she's gotta be able to help us get home. You go after your bandit."

"Got it." Shinju winked, before running after Genro. "HEY! WAIT UP, STUPID!" She snapped.

Genro stopped dead in his tracks...his shoulders heaving. Shinju could see the tears falling from his face. He hugged himself. "If I don't...keep moving...I don't know...if I'll be able to go on...I...failed them...all of them..."

Now, she felt a cold sting of pain in her heart as she walked over to him, sliding her arms around him. "No, baby, you didn't..." She whispered, trying to brush his tears away. "You didn't fail anyone. You did the best you could." She smiled, "Hey, chin-up, sweetheart. We're gonna get Endless Night back for this. I promise." She hugged him a little tighter.

Genro wept into her shoulder, holding her tightly around the waist, "My mother...my sisters....I don't think I can go there...and see that..."

"Shhh...shhh..." She soothed, "No one said you had to, dear-heart. No one said you had to..." She was just glad he was crying, instead of sealing it all up. "You just have to learn to...let go...it'll hurt like hell, but you gotta do it...they wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over it forever."

"God, what am I doing? Crying like a little bitch! I'm the King of Bandits! Come on, Genro...get it to-fuckin'-gether!"

Shinju sighed, she was afraid of that. "Crying isn't that bad." She pointed out, "It keeps you from doing stupid shit like this," she pointed to the scars on her wrists, "And this," and the ones on the back of her hands, "And this," The one that went from her elbow up the side of her arm almost up to her wrist.

Genro looked at her, surprised, looking at the scars before he ground his teeth. "The way I'm feeling right now, hon..."

Shinju's fists clenched a little. "You think that you can just lock the bad stuff away? Just live off of happiness and anger and never shed a tear? You can't. I should fuckin' know, I did it for three goddamn years!" She glared at him, "Wierdly enough, Genro, I liked it better when you were crying like a little bitch."

There was a long silence between them, before a voice came from behind Shinju.

"Aww, and I thought some of those were for me." She went absolutely rigid, slowly turning and seeing the one man she did not want to see. Sitting there, licking bloodstained hands was a young man with light brown hair, blue eyes framed by glasses, dressed in a long trenchcoat, black shirt and pants. He smirked. "Hello, my drug."

"David..." Shinju growled, "Get the fuck away from here."

"Mmmm...no. After all, what's the point in eating a family if you can't have the whole set?" He looked at Genro and licked his lips, "I'm gonna drink him dry, Shinju. Then, you're coming with me." He leered, "It's been a while. You've grown, filled out. I like it."

Genro jerked his thumb at he who had dared interrupt his moment with his love, who Shinju was obviously not too happy to see, "Who the fuck is this?"

Shinju gave a bitter smile. "Well, Genro, you remember the guy I told you about? The one who used me and left me? Meet David."

"Used you? That's a little harsh." David rolled his eyes, "If I remember right, you wanted me, too."

Genro's fists tightened. "Fuck, just what we need right now. More crap to ruin our lives. So you want to suck me dry?" He took his stance and readied his Tessen. "Fuckin' go for it."

David shook his head with a laugh, disappearing before reappearing behind Tasuki. "Lookin' for someone?" He asked coolly, "Ya know, your sisters...they had a good set of lungs on 'em."

He was about to say something else, but Shinju delivered a perfect side-kick into his face. "Fucker." She muttered.

David sighed, sitting up and brushing himself off, before disappearing again. "God, you always had nice legs, Shinju. Tell me how you ended up with him, of all people." He grinned, looking at Genro, "Now what do you do? You don't dare light your girl on fire. She'll go up like a torch...like half your guys."

"Excuse me, you are not allowed to use me as a shield." Shinju snapped, elbowing the bastard in the stomach. She heard her elbow crack. "Ow..."

"Silly Shinju." He actually reached out and tweaked her butt, "Hmmm, you actually grew a nice ass since I saw you last." The next thing anyone knew, he was standing behind Tasuki again and had his fangs mere inches away from the redhead's neck.

Genro smirked. "Oh...so you can move pretty fast, can ya? God, I love how people think Suzaku gave us only one ability..." His eyes blazed with fire as he looked over his shoulder. "If you're going to bite me, go ahead. But I warn you...shit might get serious if you do."

David laughed. "Oh, right. Like Suzaku can touch me. I live for fire." He grinned, biting down on Tasuki's neck and starting to drink out his blood. Shinju didn't look too worried, knowing Tasuki had a plan. He had to have some kind of plan, right?

The teeth sank in and Genro smiled. As the blood came out, the enemy's teeth started to freeze...and chip...and break. David pulled back a second. "Wh...what the...?" He glared at Shinju, "The hell did you do, Witch?"

Shinju held up her hands with a grin, "Hands never left mah wrists."

Genro turned around and glared at David. "When you remove the fire from life, it becomes nothing more than bitter cold. I'm killing my blood the second you drink it."

David took another step back, holding his head. Shinju arched a brow. "Whatsa matter, Davey?" She mocked, "Too hot for ya?"

David's eyes went blood red as he disappeared again. Without a word, he threw Shinju over his shoulder. "See ya, Bandit-boy." He gave a little salute.

"Didn't I tell you? You aren't going anywhere," Genro said. "Sorry Suzaku, but I have to...Shin Gouk Rekka Shinen." The area was enveloped in a ball of flame and ice. "No powers, no abilities David just you and me, and my Queen stays with me, asshole." Just seeing this son of a bitch's hands on Shinju, the one who had caused her so much pain, made his stomach turn. His fists clenched around his Tessen. "Let's go."

David looked over his shoulder. "Your Queen, eh? Musta done a number on him, baby, if he thinks you're Queen-material."

"Knock it off and put me down." Shinju looked more bored than anything else, "Before I break my one good magick rule."

"I bet he still thinks you're human, too." At this, she looked at him strangely, "Ooooh, no one told you, huh, babe?" He patted her behind, "Well, I'll tell ya everything when we get back to EN Headquarters."

"HEY! Looksies, no feelsies!" Shinju snapped, sending her fist into David's nose. His glasses shattered, but his face seemed to remain alright. She winced, rubbing her hand. "And I told you not to call me baby."

"I know ya did...baby."

Genro vanished...and reappeared next to Shinju, grabbed her and vanished again. "Aww, did I say no powers? My mistake..." His tone was so patently insincere that she smiled a little at him. He mentally promised himself that as soon as they got to somewhere with a bed…or at least a soft flat spot, he was going to make love to her so long that she forgot the feeling of this David's hands ever being on her pretty tan skin.

"Powers or not, Shinju comes with me." David grinned a little wider, taking a stance. Something glowed around him, something black and ominous.

"Why don't you ask her who she wants to be with?" Genro smiled and afterimages of his shadow looked toward Shinju. "Get ready to run..." They whispered to her.

Shinju nodded, watching them still. David snorted.

"Because she doesn't have a choice." He dodged all of Genro's blows easily, before standing beside the red-haired girl. "She comes with me, or you die. Just that simple."

"Bite me." Shinju snapped, though she didn't strike him this time. Her hand still smarted from when she tried to hit him earlier.

"If you insist." David went to sink his fangs into her neck, but she was gone. Standing on the other side of the enclosure from him, her tongue stuck out childishly.

The redhead smiled. "Atta girl! Later fang boy! NOW CHICHIRI!"

Somewhere the monk's humming could be heard through the trees and his symbol glowed brightly on Shinju's knee. The gigantic warding circle was complete and David was trapped. Genro hugged Shinju. "Hey, I'm a bandit...I know how to fuck people over. Let's get out of here." He purred to her, brushing his lips over her neck, where that damned vampire had almost bitten her.

Shinju nodded, winking at David. "Sorry baby, but I'm into somethin' better now." She looped her arm through Genro's. "Let's get up to Mt. Reikaku, make sure that the others didn't get themselves in trouble." Still, in the back of her mind, something nagged at her. The bastard had said she wasn't human. That was a lie...right?

"Nope, its not," The phantom voice was back, "'Crafted by Fire' isn't just your title when you summon the Fey Queen, little Witch."

Genro looked over at her, noticing that something was bugging at her again. He tightened his arm around hers, looking down into her eyes, "Shinju, what's wrong?"

"Just...something weird..." She looked up at him, "What if...what if they're right? And I'm not human?" Shinju bit her bottom lip, "What the hell does that mean is gonna happen?"

He stopped and wrapped his arms around her. "All that means...is that I'm going love you with all of me. Period. No matter who or what you are, I've given you my heart."

Shinju smiled, hugging him a little tighter. It was that smile that made him melt inside. "Thanks...I'm glad for that much." She grinned up at him. "I promise, once all this over..." Resting her forehead against his, she whispered, "I'll dance for you again, with real music this time..."

Genro smirked and patted her behind. "I might not let you get that far, hon," he winked.

"If you two lovers are done, ya know, Reikaku is just up ahead…" Chichiri pointed out, obviously amused where he stood just behind Genro's left shoulder.

She jumped a second, before giggling. "Yeah, we know the way, Chichiri. I think Ellie went up there to help out the wounded. Why don't you go check on her?" She gave a suggestive little eyebrow-waggle.

Chichiri laughed. "She told me to come down her to make sure you two weren't....ya know…ya know?"

Shinju stuck her tongue out at him. "Yes, we know. Gooooooooooo," She waved him away, "Gawd, I was gonna show him the hat-trick." She pulled Shooter's top-hat from behind her, "You've already seen it, so go away."

"Hat trick?" Genro asked.

Chichiri just gave Genro a strong slap on the shoulder and said, "Take it like a man, ya know?" before he vanished.

Shinju nodded. "Jefe wanted to show you when we first met, remember?" She stepped a little away from him, dropping the hat. Behold, she glowed a moment and Shin was standing there in her place. "Freak fast, this thong hurts like a bitch."

He reappeared on the top of Reikaku, hopefully where no one saw him and started to cough up black energy. "We're slowly taking you over, Chichiri," the evil voice of Nyguen said in his mind.

"There you are!" Ellie walked up behind him, before wincing, "Doing it again?" She asked, before shaking her head. "I guess I woulda done a better job if I did more healings, ya know?" She blushed, "You know, that's contagious." She teased.

Chichiri removed his mask and looked at Ellie. "You did everything you could, darling. I really appreciate it." He gave a smile that could warm an entire palace and Ellie felt herself go all gooey inside, like chocolate left on the dash of a hot car. "How's everyone else doing? That's my concern."

She coughed and recovered…somehow and looked away. "Everyone...should be fine, as long as we don't get attacked again." She looked back at him, "How'd you end up getting possessed, anyway?"

Chichiri shook his head. "As far as I can tell, the Endless Night has the power of 'gaps'. Wherever there is an absence of something, their power can move in. So if Shinju keeps taking the Suzaku Seven's powers, they will slowly take us all over. Which I believe was the plan in the first place. Shinju is just keeping our powers so the Four God's don't become aware of anything. As long as their powers are 'active', they won't act in any way."

There was a small silence between them, before he added, "It's just a theory, ya know?" He smiled a little wider at her. "If you'll indulge me...come sit with me. I've never been able to share a view like this with anyone."

"Pretty good theory." Ellie shrugged, moving over and sitting down next to him. "So, if she stops taking people's powers...then everything goes back to normal, no one gets possessed and we all go home happy." She sighed, "I would give you back your power if I could. Can't be fun to have some vampire-bitch yelling at you in your head, huh?" She set her elbows on her knees and her face in her palms, looking over the view. Still with a little bit of a blush on her pale cheeks.

Chichiri blushed, "Oh, I don't know. Considering how I've ended up right now...it might be worth it, ya know," He murmured. How he'd ended up, sitting on top of Mt. Reikaku alone, with a beautiful Witch next to him, who apparently thought he was the greatest thing since instant ramen…whatever that was.

Ellie looked back at him. "How...d'you mean?" She asked, before giving him a little smile, "She's saying sexy things to ya, I bet." She joked, poking him in the side.

"Honestly...I can't seem to hear her...right now," He smiled at her a little wider, his brown eyes locked onto her gray ones.

"You're welcome, I guess." She shrugged, looking away from him before she embarrassed herself. Again.

Chichiri thought to himself, now or never and gently put his forefinger under Ellie's chin and slowly turned her face back to him. "What a beautiful view..."

She stared at him in silence for a long few minutes, her gray eyes about the size of small dinner plates. "Uhm...Chichiri...I..." she bit her lip. Alright, think, Ellie, think. Don't screw this up.

"Allow me to thank you for all you've done, Ellie," Chichiri said, barely above a whisper. He leaned in and placed a soft innocent kiss on her lips.

There was no hesitation in that girl, she leaned in and returned his kiss the moment his lips hit hers. It was quite possibly the most perfect, romantic moment that a girl could ask for, before…

"Told you so." Inu-Tiffy's voice came from behind them.

"Yes, and I told you to go back to bed."

"But Ma-ars! It's even better than Tasuki and Shinju!"

Mars groaned, dropping her face into her hand. "Sorry, guys, she just got away from me."

Chichiri broke the kiss just for a second and smiled at the interruption. He looked back to Ellie, "If I've...overstepped my boundaries...I apologize. I don't want to come across as ungentlemanly."

Ellie shook her head. "No way. Honestly, I was wondering what was taking you so long." She stood, brushing off the back of her jeans. "I'll be back with the wounded, making sure they don't open up their wounds." She walked over to the two girls, dragging Inu-Tiffy back by her ear. Mars just stood there, shaking her head with a small smile, before looking back at Chichiri.

"You gonna be okay up here alone?" She asked, mildly worried about him.

"I don't know, priestess...I'm worried for when Genro gets up here....he's going to lose it....and I don't think you, I or Shinju will be able to console him."

She nodded, walking over and sitting next to him a minute. "He'll get through it. Trust me, you guys always do." She sighed, looking out calmly, "The Endless Night's been skirting around direct confrontation for too long. I get a bad feeling."

"M-M-Maws..." Madeline toddled out, before Mars instinctively picked the child up and set her in her lap. "Maws, Sh-Sh."

"She'll be here soon." Mars assured, before looking back at Chichiri. "I don't think that Endless Night really wants any of us. Otherwise, they would've come after us when we were all knocked out. Before Shinju broke the unconsciousness."

"I agree," Chichiri said, his face getting serious. "…And it's hard to say about the other Suzaku Seven. I can't sense them anywhere, including Hotohori..."

"Not surprising. You DID lose your powers." Mars sighed, looking down at Madeline, who had drifted off in her arms. "I'm sure everyone else is okay."

"...are you done staring?" The red-haired young man asked, picking up Shooter's top-hat again, "I'm changing back into a girl, if you are."

Genro didn't know what to say except, "...please don't drop a hat during sex."

"I'll remember that." He rolled his eyes Heavenward again, with another exasperated sigh of "Men," before he dropped the hat. Shinju stood in front of him, picking up the hat and setting it on her head, cocked at a cute angle. "Chichiri wanted me to show you before we went and got married and you found out the hard way."

"Thank God for friends," Genro muttered. "Alright...we've stalled long enough. I have to face this..."

Shinju nodded, taking his hand. "Okay, baby. Just remember...I'm right here." She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

The two finally reached the fort at Mt. Reikaku..and the blood was everywhere. The survivors had taken the dead down off the impaling spikes, but it was obvious what happened there. "My...God..." were the only words that escaped Genro's lips. "Mother....Father..." he frantically went to look...only to find nine graves...one for his mother, father and his seven sisters. "No..."

It was only by the grace of God and Shinju that he managed to keep standing that long. He saw her shiver, but his eyes were on the graves. Genro dropped to his knees, tears spilling over. "I'm...sorry....I...wasn't strong enough....Mother...Father...I..." the words became lost in his grief. "My men...brothers...sisters..."

Shinju watched him. It tore her apart to see him like this...but she didn't want to leave, in case he got any dumb ideas in his depression. She just sat back, let him mourn.

Genro stood, his body suddenly stiff. "Inu-Tiffy...how many of my men survived?"

Inu-Tiffy blinked, from where she had been standing behind Shinju. "Not many...twenty or thirty, counting me and and Jefe." she looked up at him, "You gonna try and take Endless Night head-on?"

"Baby, I know you're hurt, but...that would be extraordinarily bad right now." Shinju stepped forward, her voice soft in an attempt to be soothing, "We'd just get ourselves killed before we could do any damage."

"No, honey. You're right...and I don't plan on committing suicide yet." Genro turned around, his features chiseled as if out of stone, his eyes like two black storm clouds. "Afa, Syka...take what's left of the men and head to the fortress."

"My King...are you sure?"

"You heard me...call in all the reserves. We're going to war."

Shinju gulped. "Inu-Tiffy, get Madeline and anyone else who can't fight inside the fortress walls. Don't let them out of your sight." She cracked her knuckles, before looking back at Genro. "I'm going into battle with you." Her tone and her face left no room for argument.

"Shin..."

"I'm going, Tiff." She didn't take her eyes off Genro, "I just want you guys to have a way home if I'm not there to go back with you."

Genro nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less of my queen, Shinju."

Afa voiced his concerns. "My lord...the reserves in the fortress are ex Kuto and Konan Military! They are trained killers and theives. Do we really need to soil the name of the Mt. Reikaku bandits-"

"THE REIKAKU BANDITS ARE DEAD, AFA! ALL OF THEM! And it's because I was too weak to act. Don't question my orders again...or I will put your ass on one of those spikes, GOT IT?"

"...yes...my king." Afa stepped back, but Shinju just watched her king rage. Knowing that he needed her here now, as much as when he had been hurting.

Then, Chichiri's words rang in her head. "There was a power...liken to that of Suzaku...that was actually controlling Nakago..."

"Kuto?" She asked, looking over at Afa, "Hang on Genro..." She held up a hand, "Afa, I know that military men die by their ranks...who's the leader of the Kuto soldiers in the fortress?" She figured that - since most of those who had died near the end of the series were still alive...well, if Nakago was around, she might as well get as much information about the demi-deity pulling the strings as possible.

Genro sighed and started walking away. "Soi owes me a life debt...so she controls the fortress in my stead." He explained, though Shinju walked a little faster to try and keep up with him.

"Genro...listen, I want to talk to her. If she knows where Nakago is, I can find out about whoever's leading Endless Night. The more information we have, the better." She looked up at him. "Will you trust me enough to let me go after Nakago alone? They need you here."

He rubbed his chin for a bit. "Alright," he relented. "But I swear to you, if you fuckin' get your sexy ass in trouble, I'm coming after you, come hell or high fuckin' water, got it?"

Shinju nodded, wrapping her arms around him. "I'll see if Chichiri and Ellie between them can make me permanently a man until I get back. Would that make you feel a little better? I'm pretty sure that Nakago's not gonna wanna touch me with a ten-foot pole if I have dangly bits."

"You obviously don't know Nakago that well, hon," Genro muttered. "But yeah, that'll help."

"I know that if he had just had a hug as a kid instead of getting molested, he woulda turned out just fine." Shinju sighed, "But, whatever. I'll just stay on my toes." She looked up at him again, her eyes pleading again. "Can I just...stay the night with you, head out in the morning?" She whispered.

Genro smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Shinju." He looked to everyone. "If you ever considered me a leader, follow me now. I will not fail again." He took Shinju's hand and with one last look at his family's graves, he headed deep into the catacombs of Reikaku.