I can apologize all I want for the delay but that won't make anything better now will it? What can one do with no internet and no money?

Fatal attraction

"Morning!" Tajima greeted merrily to Nao as while she was walking by.

Nao smiled at him, "Good Morning, Tajima." Her smiled dropped for a moment when she noticed that Akito wasn't around him, "Hey, where's Akito? You two are usually attached at the hip."

Tajima chuckled uneasily, "Oh, he went for a walk earlier today…said he wanted to scout a route ahead for the nature walk later today."

"Oh, the nature walk!" Nao slapped her head, "I almost forgot about that! Mio was grating on my nerves so much that I completely forgot."

"Is that why you're walking?" he asked.

Nao nodded, "Hm. She's been going on an on about Daisuke in that annoying fake valley girl accent that I had to walk away from her to clear my head."

Tajima tilted his head in confusion, "But I thought you liked Niwa?"

"Er!"Nao was startled into a blush, "What I meant was that he is my friend and hearing someone talk about him in that way kinda annoys me!" She rushed to say trying to defuse the topic, "-anyway isn't there someone you like, Tajima?"

Tajima's eyes narrowed slightly and a coy smile formed on his face, "As a matter of fact… I do…"

Nao was taken by surprise She hadn't expected him to say it so easily, but someone as good looking as Tajima would most likely have a girl on his arm. She smiled for him anyway, "I'm sure she's very lucky to have a great guy like you."

Tajima chuckled humorlessly and looked away, "Unfortunately…it's not that easy…"

This time Nao tilted her head in confusion, "Huh…?"

Tajima only shook his head, "It's nothing. But Nao…there's something I'd like to warn you about." He stated seriously, causing Nao to frown. He walked closer to her until he stood by her shoulder and leaned down slightly to whisper into her ear, "Be careful…when you fall in love and set your heart's desire on someone be sure to treasure and protect them with all your strength. If you're not strong enough to protect them you will lose them forever…"

Nao head snapped in his direction, nearly bumping heads with him, "What? What are you talking about?"

Tajima turned his head and started walking down the one-way path, "Just as I said, be careful who you fall in love with."

When he was gone Daisuke came walking out with a chipper smile on his face. He saw Nao standing in the street by herself looking at nothing and jogged over to her, "Hey, Nao! Good morning!"

Nao snapped out of her thoughts and greeted him with a hesitant smile, "H-hey, good morning…" She looked back to where Tajima disappeared, 'His warning…there was something in it…something's not right here…'

"Nao?" Daisuke asked, a little concerned about the scared look in Nao's eyes, "Are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." Nao replied softly, raising a hand to her chest, "I have an unsettling feeling for some reason and I'm nervous."

"I'm sure it could be nothing," Daisuke said, trying to assure her, "Hey, are you excited for the nature walk?"

Nao smiled and nodded, trying to forget the unsettling feeling, "Yeah, even though we're not in the same group I'm sure we'll still have fun, right?"

Daisuke nodded, "Yeah!"

-0-0-

It was deep in the forest mountains that Tajima found Akito standing alone by a tree over looking the landscape. When he approached him Akito let out a soft sigh. "So?"

Tajima nodded gravely, "Yes, it will happen today. Alka just confirmed it one if not two will vanish later today."

Akito clenched his fist at his side in nervous fear. He didn't want it to happen. He'll do everything in his power to ensure it wouldn't happen.

Tajima kneeled at Akito's side with his right hand over his heart, "If the worse should happen, please know that it has been an honor and a pleasure, Akito."

"Please don't speak like that." Akito pleaded tightly, "I won't let you perish. We'll defeat them all."

A sad smile came to Tajima's lips, "Yes…" 'Miss Nao…I'm so sorry…'

-0-

Daisuke's groups traveled on the main road with Akito's group until they got to the foot of the mountain where the trail started. Daisuke's group stopped when they came to the sign that was labeled for their class. "I guess this is where we spilt up." Daisuke said, a little nervous to be left with both the Harada twins.

"We'll meet back here in two hours and compare notes, alright?" Nao told them, checking her watch and setting the alarm for when they're supposed to meet up.

Riku nodded, "Be careful, alright."

They all waved good-bye and parted ways. Daisuke's group headed up the mountain trail as Akito's group stayed on the path that leads them into the forest. Nao was getting a little unnerved by the silence. She had wished she could find something to talk about with the two silent cousins but she couldn't think of anything. She decided to be quiet and enjoy the sights and sound that the beautiful nature offered them.

Ahead of her Akito eyes narrowed, "We're almost there…up ahead."

"Yes," Tajima nodded, picking up the pace a little more.

Nao was confused by the sudden change in atmosphere. Quite literally in fact; she didn't know that a giant dome barrier as forming around them.

"It's begun." Akito stopped dead in his tracks, causing Nao to bump into his back.

"What?" She asked before her backpack started shaking violently, "Uh-oh!"

"Come out now!" Akito demanded, standing in a defensive stance.

The earth shook beneath them several moments before a giant metallic serpent broke through the earth, knocking them off their feet. The large serpent hissed as it coiled its body around itself, on its head stood a tall full grown woman wearing a Chinese dress.

She chuckled evilly to herself when she saw her prey sprawled out on the ground, "How fortunate for me to find you before the others did and how extra lucky for me to have the owner of the Kagutsuchi at my fingertips as well."

Akito and Tajima slowly got to their feet moving so that they could stand protectively in front of Nao. "If you want the power of Kagutsuchi you'll have to go through us first." Akito said before turning his head to Tajima, "Transform."

"Right!" Tajima's body was engulfed in a dark blue light before his entire form changed into a beautiful Pegasus donned in red and gold armor. Akito jumped onto Tajima's back and drew the long sword from its hilt on Tajima's side, "Let's go!"

Tajima flapped his wings and took to the skies as high as he could with the giant barrier intact. The women laughed with deranged glee as she willed her serpent to attack the winged horse and he flew around.

From below Nao had to shake herself out of her stupor as she watched the battle go on around her. Someone else was after her again because of Kagutsuchi? And this time Tajima and Akito were thrown in the mix? Sometimes she wanted nothing more than to throw the rings away just to be rid of the burden…but then that would be the easy part and the collapse of the world would be her fault. Shaking off her backpack she unzipped it to pull out the golden rings that have been causing her grief.

However the moment she tried to channel into the power and a bullet of energy pierced through her hand, making her drop her rings in pain.

"I'll be taking those rings now." Natsuki said approaching Nao with her pistol pointing at her head, "Give them up now."

Nao glowered at Natsuki, cradling her heavily bleeding hand to her chest, "You really need to get a life Natsuki."

Natsuki glared down at her, "I'll have a new life once I have Kagutsuchi to myself!" She fired off five shots.

Nao briskly all five shots and took shelter in the trees with the rings in hand. Despite the burning pain in her hand she tapped into the power of the rings and joined in on the fight. She dodged the bullets that Natsuki shot at her and fired her own fireballs in retaliation.

"You can dodge me forever!" Natsuki shouted at Nao when she flew over head, "Remember that I have an endless supply of ammunition!"

Nao created a small shield with her hand to block her bullets, "You also endlessly run your mouth!"

"Nao!" Akito tried to warn her but it was too late when the serpent's sharp tail collided with Nao's back, knocking her into four trees.

"Heh heh heh," Viper chuckled, "She should keep her guard up when she's fighting three enemies."

Nao shook off her blurred vision and she slowly recovered from the hit, "T-three…?"

Viper tilted her head towards Akito and Tajima, "Those two are in the same league as us in wanting the power of Kagutsuchi."

Nao stared at Akito and Tajima in frightened incredulity. That couldn't be…they were her friends…weren't they…? They're defending her right now there's no way…

"Don't think for a second that you have any allies in this." Natsuki butted in, "In this battle there is no friends with Kagutsuchi being the ultimate prize in winning this battle. There's too much riding on this…" Her voice slowly disappeared in Nao's thoughts

'It can't be true. Akito and Tajima are my friends! They wouldn't do that!' Nao shook her head vigorously in denial, 'It has to be a lie!'

"Duran!" Natsuki shouted turning her twin pistols into the timber wolf, "Attack!"

Even as Duran loaded its guns and prepared to fire Nao made no attempt to move or defend herself.

"Nao!" Tajima and Akito shouted when the shots were fired. They were still fending off the serpent's vicious head and had no way to get to her fast enough.

When the bullets hit their mark there was an explosion that blinded them. They were certain that she was dead until the aftershock bounced back at Viper and Natsuki, knocking them over. As they recovered and the dust cleared they saw Nao standing with a shield surrounding her and although she was uninjured she was breathing heavily.

"How…?" Viper started to say before she was blasted backward by a blast of fire.

Nao was seething with rage her hair whipped around her as she slowly stepped closer to Natsuki and a singed Viper. They were taken aback by the the intense heat and licks of flames that threatened to set them and the forest on fire if she wasn't careful.

"You want Kagutsuchi?!" Nao seethed angrily, feeding her anger into the fire swirling around her, "Here! Take it!" She shouted sending streams of fire everywhere.

-0-0-

"What is that?" Riku wondered staring off over the cliff edge where she swore she saw something flicker out there in the trees.

Risa and Daisuke looked out into the distance trying to see what she was. They didn't see anything by trees and birds.

"What's what?" Risa asked her twin.

"I thought I saw something out there…" She told them even though she was unsure herself. They continued to look to see if anything would appear but when nothing appeared they continued walking.

'Daisuke,' Dark whispered in Daisuke's mind, 'Riku is right about something being out there.'

'Huh?'

'I sense Nao's energy out there,' Dark explained tensely to him, 'It's faint almost as if something's blocking it but it's out there along with something else.'

Daisuke grew concerned for Nao, 'Is she in trouble?'

'I can't be certain but something might be up if there's something blocking me from sensing her like before.'

Risa stopped walking when she noticed that Daisuke wasn't following them anymore, "Niwa? Is something the matter?"

Daisuke looked up startled out of his conversation with Dark, "O-Oh! It's nothing!"

Riku stopped as well, "Do you need to take a break? We have been walking for a while."

Daisuke thought about it for a moment. If they took a break then he might be able to slip away. He feigned being tired so that they could all take a break. When they came to a bench like boulder near a large waterfall Risa and Riku sat down to rest their legs while Daisuke made an excuse that he had to go else where. He didn't explain where so Riku and Risa left it to imagination as they watched him disappear.

-0-0-

Duran, Orochi, and Tajima fell to the ground in defeat along with Natsuki, Viper, and Akito at the power of Nao's fire power.

"Is that all?" Nao panted, looking at their fallen forms, "After all that talk about defeating me you all couldn't even touch me! Get up!" She spat at them, stomping her foot in emphasis, "Fight me!"

Weakly lifted himself up slightly Akito glared at Viper and Natsuki, "Way to piss her off. Now she's out of control."

Natsuki glared tiredly back, "You didn't do much to help either."

Akito smirked, "Not allies remember?"

Viper slowly sat up, leaning on her Orochi for support, "I had no idea she would retaliate this much and she doesn't even have her weakness around her to fuel that anger."

Akito got to his feet, holding his arm in pain, "I think we would be better off if he stayed out of this."

Tajima recovered enough to rise to his feet as well, "So long as he stays out of this barrier he should be fine."

As soon as the words left his mouth the giant barrier around them began to flicker as if showing signs of disappearing soon. Viper cursed to herself knowing that meant her energy was draining fast.

"What's happening to the barrier?" Natsuki asked getting to her feet with Duran.

Viper frowned, "Orochi and I can't keep the barrier up forever with Kagutsuchi's power hammering away at it. She's stronger than I anticipated." She bit her thumb nail in anger, "If I knew her weakness this would've been in the bag."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed as the flames around Nao grew stronger and faster. She was surprised that Nao was waiting for them to recover, "It's because of her weakness that she's gain this power…just like the rest of us she refuses to lose someone precious to her."

Viper frowned, "I don't know about everyone else but I have nothing to lose, that's why I can take Kagutsuchi for myself!" She materialized a spiked whip into her hands, "Orochi!" She yelled cracking her whip once forcing her beast to rise against Nao.

Nao didn't even flinch at the beast, "I'll take down every single one of you!" She sent whips of fire at Orochi, slashing at him across his body. Hearing its cries of pain Viper used her own whip to strike at Nao only for it to be slapped away by her barrier.

"That barrier of yours is starting to get on my nerves!" Viper growled, relentlessly assaulting Nao's barrier with her whip.

"Duran!" Natsuki shouted whipping out her pistol and together they assisted in shooting at Nao thinking that if they fire at her barrier enough it will break.

Tajima stood at Akito's side with a troubled expression, "Akito…If this keeps up…"

Akito frowned with his eyes closed, "From the beginning we had no choice…we have to fight everyone here…" He opened his eyes to see that the relentless attacks were only making Nao angrier, "…this could possibly get any worse…"

"Nao!" Daisuke shouted from beyond the barrier, cutting into Nao's concentration.

"Daisuke?" She asked softly out loud, not sure if she heard his voice or not.

Viper didn't miss how Nao's face softened when the one called Daisuke appeared outside the barrier. "Ah…" She smirked deviously, "…there's the weakness…" She could see the outline of the figure against the barrier. The moment she released her own barrier she ordered Orochi to use his tail to attack that spot. "Orochi!"

"Nooo!" Nao screamed when she caught onto her plan, "Daisuke!" She screamed at the top of her lungs with tears in her eyes.

-0-

Daisuke didn't know what nearly happened. One moment he was standing outside the invisible barrier and the next he was up several feet in the air, sitting behind Akito on an armored Pegasus, "Huh? A-Akito?"

"You fool!" Akito rounded on him, "What are you doing here?! Can't you see that it's dangerous?! That kind of recklessness could've gotten you and Nao killed!"

"What?!" Daisuke shouted not understanding what was happening. It was all too fast for him but when it took the moment to actually look at charred and broken forest he then understood what was going on, "Oh no! I've got to help Nao!" He was prepared to jump off until Akito grabbed his arm to keep him in place.

"You'll do more harm than good if you interfere! If you jump in there now you might get hurt or killed and Nao can't risk that!"

"But Nao is out numbered!" Daisuke argued, "She can't win against the two of them!"

Akito looked down below them to watch the on going battle, "For your and our sakes she's going to have to win…"

"What?" Daisuke asked softly.

"Let's put it this way; whether she wins or loses our lives are at stake."

-0-

Nao thought for sure that Daisuke was gone. He had disappeared before her eyes and it was all Viper's fault…Viper's fault that Daisuke was gone.

"Got ya!" Viper cackled victoriously when she struck through Nao's barrier, piercing her in the waist, followed by Natsuki's and Duran's bullets Nao was blown backwards on her her unwounded side.

Even if she had landed on her wounded side the pain wouldn't have registered to her brain, she had already felt numb when she saw that Daisuke wasn't there anymore. She knew she heard him and just as the barrier disappeared she swore she saw his spikey red hair before the tail struck him.

"The power of Kagutsuchi is mine!" Viper raised her whip intending to deal one final blow until it literally blew up in her face.

Natsuki jumped onto Duran to avoid the wild flames the burst from Nao's body. Even from way up Akito and Tajima had to fly higher to avoid the monstrous flames that engulfed Viper and Orochi.

"Nao!" Daisuke shouted, terrified that Nao was trapped in those flames, "I've got to do something!" He was prepared to jump again until Akito held him back.

"Do you have a death wish or something?! You jump in there you will die just like they did!" He looked down at the flames, nearly sweating from the intense heat, "It's too late for them. The moment Viper tried to attack you she sealed her fate."

Daisuke's eyes widen, "You mean…"

Akito nodded gravely. It would be foolish to try to fight Nao when she's in an unstable state like this but because she's like that now who knows how much damage she will cause. She won't stop on her own and he's sure that Natsuki retreated to fight another day…that means…

"Master Akito…" Tajima said softly almost reading Akito's mind, "I'm am willing if you are…it must've not been our fate to have Kagutsuchi's power…"

Akito bit his lip. This was the absolute last thing he wanted to happen, "I didn't want it to go this far…Tajima…I'm sorry….and thank you…"

Tajima nodded his head, understanding the feeling Akito was trying to portray, "To you as well Akito…I enjoyed the time we had together…"

"Why…" Daisuke began to ask wondering if he should say it or not, "Why does it sound like…" They were saying good-bye…

Akito grabbed Daisuke by the back of his shirt, "Sorry about this Daisuke." Before Daisuke could even ask, Tajima flew lower to a safer distance away, when they were close to the ground Akito threw Daisuke off to the ground. Akito unsheathed his sword and braced himself against the smoldering heat as he and Tajima flew through the flames.

Nao sensed another enemy approaching her and her instincts kicks in. Clenching her bloodied fist she shot a long powerful stream of fire at the oncoming enemy only to register too late in her mind that she just attacked Akito and Tajima. No! She wanted to recall the flames or cancel the attack somehow…but it was already too late…..her attack pierced all the way through both boys.

Nao's flames died down instantly as all her angry emotions drained out of her completely. Her legs nearly gave out under her when Akito and Tajima crashed to the ground unmoving. "No!" She cried sluggishly running over to them.

Both boys groaned in pain Tajima's being more painful than Akito's since he took the brunt of the attack. "Tajima! Akito!" Tears were streaming down her face, "I'm so sorry! I don't- I don't-" She choked. "I didn't mean…"

"Miss Nao," Tajima choked on his blood, "Something…like this c-couldn't be…avoided…it…had to be d-done…"

Nao shook her head, in strong denial.

Akito groaned in pain, "He's right Nao…we would've perished….e-eventually if not by you…then by someone else…"

"I-I didn't want to fight…" Nao told them, "I didn't…I was so…"

"You did what was right…" Tajima insisted weakly he could already feel his powers leaving him, "I'm sorry it…had to come to this Miss Nao…I wish things were…different…for us…" He closed his eyes as his powers drained completely and before their eyes he evaporated into purple particles.

Nao tried to grasp at the particles hoping to feel him one last time even though it was no use, "Tajima!"

Akito, too, felt his time coming, "Nao…" He called weakly for her attention, "…if anything…please fulfill the proper destiny…for us…win this battle!" He begged strongly, "So that this can never…happen…again…" His strength left and death finally claimed him.

"Akito…" Nao let out a heart wrenching sob that shook her entire body. 'This is all my fault…! I killed them…all of them…I don't deserve-'

"Nao!" Daisuke called worriedly, rushing to her side, being mindful of her injuries, "Nao…"

She only shook her head and buried her face in his chest, "Daisuke…!" She cried loudly, mourning and in relief.

Daisuke held her close and allowed her to cry her heart out, holding back his own tears. It was awful what had just happened. He hated he couldn't do anything to help her. If he had interfered he might've been able to prevent their deaths…if he could've reached out to Nao and calmed her down…Akito and Tajima might still have been alive.

Natsuki decided that now would've been a proper time to reveal herself to them. Nao didn't have to strength to defend herself so Daisuke held her protectively.

"I'm not going to attack this time." Natsuki told them, "I want to let Nao know something." Nao turned her head to show she was listening. "I know that you feel that after this you don't ever want to fight again, but you're going to have to if you want to keep the person most precious to you safe." Nao tensed. "If you lose your Mythical or if you die Daisuke will die as well."

Both their hearts stopped at her statement, "What?!"

"You killed Tajima and Orochi so you can't use their powers or claim them as your own, but if you had killed the tamer you would've been able to keep the Mythical."

"Wait," Nao interrupted, "Why does Daisuke have to die if I lose?!"

Natsuki closed her eyes in thought, "I'm not sure other than to motivate others to fight harder. Sure it would be smarter to band together and not fight at all but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Whatever's coming we need all the Mythicals we can get to stop it and according to Kuro only one person can stop this entity." She turned around to mount onto Duran, "I'll withdraw for now, but think about what I said."

Duran let out a loud howl before dashing away, leaving Daisuke to comfort a distress Nao. This was all too much for them. Daisuke had his own curse and now he was burdened with the possibility of dying at any moment when Nao fights.

Nao was thinking the same thing. Even though she doesn't want to she had no choice but to fight for the sake of everyone, especially Daisuke.

Daisuke felt Nao's blood soaking through her shirt and became alarmed, "Nao! You're bleeding!"

Nao dizzily tried to pressure the wound, wincing she tried to lean away to avoid getting blood on him, "I'm starting to feel the pain now…" Her vision began to blur in and out of focus, "I-I think…"

Daisuke began to panic even more when Nao passed out in his arms, "Nao! Nao! No!" He cried, shaking her lightly to rouse her. She couldn't die too! "Dark, help what do I do?!"

Dark immediately took Daisuke's place and held Nao in his arms, "Getting her to the nurse is a start!" He summoned With and flew off towards the resort as fast as he could.