Wow, feels like it's been forever! Sorry again for the strange update schedule. You want to blame someone? Blame my teachers for giving out massive amounts of work lately.

Kyra-BlackWolf: S'okay, I confuse myself all the time :D Hopefully everything that's about to happen shall confuse no one, though I make no guarantees. But I think I'm still doing a good job so thank you for the support.

laustic: Thank you very much! (bows) No real Muraki butt-kicking just yet, but I assure it's in the to do list!

jennamarie: That's not what I had planned…but I liked yours better so I rewrote almost the whole chappie! Really though, this version is so much better and flows much more nicely so thank you so much for giving me the idea. It's not exactly your idea though ;D As for the first greatest dragon…that's for later. Don't wanna give it away just yet. And yes, I have been planning this for a while --; I'm getting too good at torturing my characters when I plan it that far ahead. As for the rest, read and find out! (…most of it.)

Hiyami: It's coming along but I'm afraid absolute reassurance isn't included in this chapter. Next chapter though I guarantee something will be happening. And I will update much sooner this time, I promise.

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Hokuto shut his eyes tight against the invading light even when he felt the falling sensation cease. Something large was now in his arms, limp and heavy. Opening his eyes slowly, he smiled when he saw the familiar golden crown of hair near his cheek. Neina… "Love? When did you get here?" There was no response and he frowned. "Love? Neina?" He shifted her slightly and his breath stopped as her head lulled back. Her eyes were dead and vacant, the vibrancy in them he had come to cherish extinguished. Her skin was even paler than usual, nearly white, and her lips robbed of color with it.

"Neina! Neina, snap out of it! Wake up!" He shook her, choking when she didn't even flinch. Leaning down he pressed his ear against her chest and felt a sudden chill run through him to find it silent. No rhythmic beating of her heart the way he listened to it every night, no trace of breath in that small frame. No life. It was gone. She was gone. "No…No…wake up. Wake up. I said wake up dammit! I'm your husband! Listen to me!" He pressed his lips to her frantically, inwardly cringing out their tepid warmth. She hadn't been gone long. Pulling away, he felt a sob wrack his body when her eyes remained half closed and senseless. Holding her close enough that he practically willed her into himself he began breathing fast as a feeling of his whole world collapsing fell on to him.

Why! Why now? Why did this happen! Who did this!

He jerked and looked up the feeling of someone else entering this white world. His eyes widened at the figure before him. Dressed in black robes and a raven headdress, he was a hard man to forget even if he had only seen him on two occasions.

"Enma-daioh…? What're you…? Can you—?" He stopped, a sudden feeling of déjà vu coming over him. Looking down at his wife in confusion, he realized that she was not dressed the way she had been when they had left to help their son. She was dressed the way she was for their final mission over 25 years ago, though it felt like only 5 years. Her tattered dark guard uniform, the black material cut dozens of times in the raging battle between the full Eraser force and the full force of the Dark Guard. But none of them were life threatening or should have been. Then how…?

"She has given the ultimate sacrifice for you," Enma said solemnly, drawing his attention. "The power of this place has drawn away her soul and it has been lost. She can never even be reincarnated now. And truly it should have been you."

Hokuto's eyes widened, not so much from the statement though it still struck its chord but from the fact he had heard this before. "'Then tell me how to bring her back!'" A voice that was his and yet not him speaking cried. He looked around in confusion, wondering where it came from.

"An impertinent child, aren't you?"

"'I don't care what you say or think of me! Just tell me how to bring her back to me!'"

"Why?"

"'Because I made her a promise! I would never let her be alone. And I can't keep that promise if she's dead."

Enma regarded him for a moment, though in his mind he had feeling it was not the him he was now being looked at so critically. How is this happening…? This is what happened in the past.

"Is a promise all that bind you to her?" Enma finally asked.

There was silence for a while until his past voice responded quietly, though the answer echoed in this space the way it did that day. "No."

"You love her?" he asked stoically.

"Yes. So, so much. Please," he choked and Hokuto reflexively held her closer to him just as he had done then. "Please don't take her from me, Enma-daioh. Please…"

"I am willing to bargain for her life. That is why I have come here. If you wish to keep her with you, you must complete a task for me."

"Done."

"Don't you wish to know what it is first?"

"If it means Neina will live I'll do it. No matter what it is."

"……An all conquering love. How endearing. Very well I wish you to hide something. Specifically to hide it in—"

Realization hit Hokuto in an instant. Quickly biting his lip, the sharp physical pain the wound caused had the world around him dissolving like a water color painting dropped in a river until he was crouching in the dungeon instead of the strange white world.

"Impressive…you have a high physical pain tolerance, hm?" Tempest smirked.

"Years of practice, you son of a bitch."

He chuckled and walked forward as the sutra user sprang to his feet. "Now was that really necessary? All I'm asking for is a location."

"And I'm not giving it to you, so you might as well stop this stupidity."

Tempest's smile diminished slightly and he stopped his approach a few feet from him. "You truly are an impudent man, aren't you? Do you not realize how far you and your family have fallen? How much trouble you all are in? Who holds the upper hand?"

"My wife and my son are more than capable to protect themselves."

"Truly?" the smile returned and suddenly he vanished to appear behind him, now apparently several years older. "And if you should lose them both tonight? Do you believe Enma would be so kind as to strike up a deal again?"

Hokuto whirled, his foot extended to catch Tempest across the face, but he was gone again in a flash. "Bastard! You won't lay a finger on them!"

"Not I, true. But then again I'm not the only one with in this compound. I wonder how long they will last before they are finally brought down. Of course I could stop them if you give me what I want."

With a snarl he took two sutras from within his jacket and snapped them into life like two long bolo whips. "If you want death, I'll be more than willing to oblige."

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The straps were still digging into Tsuzuki's skin as he struggled but he ignored the pain. What was hard to ignore was what was happening on the screens positioned above his head on the other wall. Hokuto was facing off against the guy he figured was in charge from some of Muraki's previous taunts and conversations with the Dragons. Neina had been propelled into one of the rooms but the screen had immediately gone blank and he worried what was happening to her. And Hisoka…Hisoka appeared to be holding his own but the desire to rush to his lover's aid was too great to tamp down.

Tsuzuki looked up as from his futile struggles against his bonds against the chair when the door to the observation room opened. "I swear when I get out of here I'm going to—!" His threat died on his lips as Muraki entered carrying an unconscious Neina in his arms. "Neina! What did you do you bastard!"

"Calm yourself, Tsuzuki-san. Physically she is fine. However, I can't say much for her mental state right now." Setting her down against the wall, he backed away and Tsuzuki craned his neck to see her. Her eyes were half open and glassy, her expression blank though there were tear stains down her cheeks. He knew this was how she was when she suffered an emotional overload. It was essential a shut down of her mind and heart and he clenched his teeth.

"Whatever you did to her you're going to regret."

"I haven't done much honestly. We just talked." He smiled and knelt down next to her. "Her son does so resemble her, doesn't he?" He reached out and grasped the end of her braid, pulling the tie out and letting it loose around her shoulders. "I wonder how alike they are…"

Tsuzuki paled and began struggling even more. "Don't touch her!"

He chuckled, running finger across her cheek. "Or what? Your not in a position to make demands, Tsuzuki-san. Or are you jealous that I'm giving my attentions to another?"

"Get away from her, you sick freak!"

"But she's such a lovely new doll, even if she so similar to an old one I threw away."

Tsuzuki lunged with his teeth bared, straining against the chords that held him to the chair and ignoring how the barrier around him singed his skin. Muraki turned his face to him with a frown.

"My you are so much feistier now. What happened to the Tsuzuki I left behind that day? The one ready to face death, wishing for it, and selfish enough to try and take me with him?" Amethyst eyes glared but he didn't retreat. "What are you fighting for now?" Silver met amethyst for a few moments before a smirk came to his face. "Ah…the boy." Tsuzuki tensed and he chuckled at such an obvious admission. "Well how interesting. You've picked up my second hand doll?"

"Stop calling him that! These are people, not your toys!"

"People are my toys. I wonder how much you've played with him." He glanced at him from the corner of his eye and smiled. So easy to read. "That much, hm? That brings back some memories." He chuckled at the outrage on his face and leaned down near him. "Oh yes…young, untouched, innocent….can you say the same? And so responsive. Every little touch seemed to set him off. Even though he screamed and cried and begged, his body didn't seem to mind—"

The sound of splitting wood echoed across the chamber as the chair arms splintered and his legs broke away. Tsuzuki's skin fizzled and burned as he pushed through the barrier as he grasped the front of a surprised Muraki's shirt and shoved him to the wall. Acrid smoke was rolling off him, smelling of singed skin and hair that was quickly being replaced. Muraki felt a tendril of fear rise in him when he looked into the enraged eyes of the shinigami pushing him hard enough into the wall he felt his ribs crack.

"I'll kill you."

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Watari held on to Tatsumi as hard as he could as he felt the shadows push at them from all sides. He'd traveled with Tatsumi this way before but it had never been this turbulent before. He gritted his teeth as the pressure increased and he felt them flying by. But then it stopped all together. Opening his eyes was futile he knew so he tightened his grip even further against his lover.

"Seii, what's going on?" he hissed.

"I don't know. Just hold on for a moment and I'll try to get us out."

"Allow me," a voice whispered around them. Watari tensed as what felt like dozens of hands grasped him and began pulling him away from Tatsumi. Arms he knew were his partner's tightened around him and his own shadows fighting against the ones grabbing at them. When the pull was too strong though they were separated.

"Yutaka!" The cry was cut off as the shadows encompassed the scientist full and he felt as if he were being suffocated. His arms and legs were dominated by them and he couldn't move an inch for his life.

Dammit! I have to move! I have to get out of here and help them! I have to—

The sudden light filtered through his eyelids surprised him, but not as much as the feeling of the hands suddenly releasing him and his body falling. It was a short fall but a hard landing on his back. Opening his eyes, he blinked at the strange world he was in now. It looked almost like a park he would find back home, complete with a bike path and a lake. However all the trees appeared to be in various states of the seasons and places of the world, from blooming cherry blossom trees to Canadian maples in fall splendor, cedars in summer greens and pines with snow capping their branches.

"Where am I…?" he muttered. The sound of a large mass shifting through the trees drew his attention.

"Shinigami…"

He tensed and slowly rose to his feet, keeping his eyes on the shadows of the trees. The voice was breathy and low but with no discernable age or gender. "What?"

"Do not worry, I have not brought you here to harm you. If I did I would have left you to the shadows."

He narrowed his eyes at the shadows in an attempt to identify who was talking but could find no one within the shades of the foliage. "Alright…then why did you bring me here? Just to save me?"

"I do nothing without my reasons, shinigami. I require you to deliver something to one of your comrades for me."

"Why me? Can't you deliver it yourself?"

"My ability to travel between worlds has been sealed. I was only able to pull you out because you were caught between worlds in the shadows. Are you complaining or would you rather I put you back?"

Mysterious voice with a sense of humor…I hope. "No, no. Not complaining. But who are you?"

"You will find out another day. Our time is limited, I cannot hold open the way to your world for much longer. Know for now that I seek to help you and your friends in this time of crisis. Will you do as I ask?"

He was silent for a moment before nodding. Thinking perhaps the being could not see him he spoke allowed as well. "Yes. But if I find out your working with these dragons against us, I'll find you again and make you sorry you ever stuck your nose into our business."

There was silence for a moment and he sweated slightly. "You are quite fiery. I'm surprised. Thank you for your assistance." There was a rush of wind from the trees strong enough he threw up his hands as a shield as it pushed him back. When it subsided he looked to his feet to see what looked like an ornate ring box at his feet. Picking it up he stared at it in confusion. "Take that to Kurosaki Hisoka."

"To Bon? Why? What is it?"

"That is not for you to know. But I assure you it will help him and his family."

He frowned but stuffed the box into his pocket. "Okay. I'll take it to him."

"Thank you. I will send you back now. I must warn you however, though I can place you inside the dragons' headquarters I cannot control where you will end up specifically or who will be there to meet you. There are five dragons in total who control separate elements. Fire, wind, water, darkness and time. I wish you luck and I'm glad it's not me."

"Wait, how did you—?"

He gasped as the ground around him rose up like a wave of water and enveloped him. When it dissipated he felt as if he were falling…right into a tub of hot water. "What the hell…! When I see—hear that damn voice again I'm gonna—!"

"Who the hell are you?" He looked up to see a girl in a lot of make up and a towel glaring at him. "Oh, you just crossed the line, Pervo." Lifting up a hand a bright ball of flame erupted over it.

"Oh crap…"

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Hisoka jumped back as the air sliced into the stone beneath him again, creating a deep groove in the stone. Aaron struck again, smiling even as he evaded once more though quickly having to dodge a sudden strike by the sutra past his side.

"You're not half bad. Tammy said you'd be pretty easy to handle."

"…You're the one who fought Tsuzuki, aren't you?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yep. That was pretty easy too, but then again he couldn't do much in that tiny space. I wish we could've really danced, you know?"

He blinked when he felt something wrap around his neck from behind and Hisoka pulled him forward with the sutra's added strength to punch him square in the jaw. "Sorry, dancing's more his thing. You'll have to settle for getting your ass kicked."

Aaron laughed and pulled himself up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Cheeky little twerp, aren't you? This isn't high school, you know. Just because you're the dragon and tiger's son doesn't mean you have their skills."

Green eyes narrowed at the wind dragon as he dug into his jacket once more and pulled out another sutra. "You're right. But that doesn't mean they haven't trained me." Flicking both sutras in his fingers they elongated to almost three feet in length as he crossed them in front of him. The edges glistened in the same way his mother's swords would.

This was true. Neina had been slightly disappointed when it was obvious any sorcery ability had been lost by never nurturing it. However she'd been very proud to watch both her men training together with sutras. But it was obvious she was feeling left out. His training in mantis kung-fu was still going on but it wasn't quite the same. That's when Hokuto had come up with the idea that besides the sutra whip, they had something else to his arsenal. It took weeks to perfect but eventually Hisoka was able to go to his mother and summon a pair of sutra swords, asking her to teach him how to use them. The look of pride on her face had made him flush but also made him smile.

Mom, dad, time to see if all that training paid off.

Aaron's eyebrow ticked in surprise and he planted his feet more solidly into the floor and tightened his grip on the empty sword hilt. "Then bring it, boyo!" The words were barely out of his mouth when the sutra swords were against his neck like a pair of scissors. He ducked down but winced as a few strands of hair fell down to the floor. He's fast! But I'm a dragon, there's no way he can beat me.

Bringing the air sword around, he blinked when he didn't even move to bring up the swords in a block. Yet when the sword was a foot away it was stalled by a shield. One sword had been drawn back into sutra that erected a shield around the blonde youth. Aaron continued to try and break through by running the air current against the shield like the belt of a chainsaw, gritting his teeth. He grinned when there was a crack in the dome of light only to cry out as the shield suddenly split and flew at him like a hundred razor edged pieces of glass. He jumped back, his clothes and skin split and bloody and stared at the boy with a new appreciation. "Hmm…you're not as easy as Tammy or the Doctor made you out to be."

"The Doctor?"

"Yeah. Muraki."

Green eyes widened and suddenly Aaron had to dodge as one sutra smashed the rock where he'd been crouched before. He looked up in surprise only to see Hisoka stare back, eyes hard as the sutra returned to its sharpened elongation. "You should never have mentioned him. Now I'm just going concerned with getting to Tsuzuki and not with trying to keep you alive."