I told you I wasn't as busy as I thought :D

Compared to my other chapters, this one's pretty long and I'm quite proud of that. That's largely because there's a fight scene. Now I won't tell you who it's between yet because you can find out later :P

Optional music: (Best played near the beginning of the fight scene) Gran Bruce's theme from Viewtiful Joe:youtube. com/ watch?v=2L3WfvNDaDI

So here we go with the chapter!

Undead things are afoot

Ragna and Rachel accompanied Kokonoe as she looked around for anything to take that would help them in any way.

"You haven't picked up anything yet" Ragna began. "Is there even anything you're going to use?" As he said, Kokonoe hadn't taken anything from the labs yet.

"Now that I think about it, I can't think of a use for much of the stuff I have here" Kokonoe admitted appearing to ignore him. She hadn't exactly prepared the labs of Sector Seven to be a sanctuary for an unknown virus outbreak.

"Do tell why you didn't mention this earlier" Rachel said.

"So we came here for nothing?" Ragna questioned.

"Not exactly" Kokonoe replied. "I thought of something to help us learn about this outbreak. Rachel, take us back so I don't have to explain it twice." Rachel said nothing and simply brought them back to the castle.

In Ragna, Rachel and Kokonoe's absence, Valkenhayn had prepared some tea to keep Noel, Litchi and himself occupied while they waited for the others to return. The three returned some time after they had finished.

"You didn't bring anything back?" Noel asked them, confused.

"No, I've got a better idea" Kokonoe began to explain. "But it's still not without its risks."

"I'd be surprised if it didn't considering what's going on back there" Ragna commented.

"You're thinking of going back there?" Litchi assumed.

"Yeah, since we don't know anything about what's going on, I thought that the best thing to do other than sit here and slowly figure it out would be to go back there and capture one of them for testing." Everyone was silent. She was right about the plan not being without risks. "I know it's dangerous but I don't think we have much of a choice."

"True, some of us may not return should this plan fail" Rachel said.

"Now if we're going to go through with this, we need somewhere to keep who or whatever we catch" Kokonoe explained. "You got anything like that Rachel?"

"I do indeed" She nodded towards Valkenhayn who entered the castle. A short time later, he reappeared in the garden via his method of teleportation with a large cage.

"What the hell?" Ragna exclaimed, surprised. "Why the hell do you have that?"

"When my familiars prove to be more than an annoyance to me, I keep them in here with George XIII. It is quite amusing" Rachel explained. Nago and Gii trembled upon remembering such times.

"How are we supposed to get them back here without being attacked before we put them in there?" Noel asked. "Ragna said he can't drain energy from them so shouldn't that mean they won't get tired?"

"True but I doubt it means that they can't be knocked out" Kokonoe assumed. "To reduce the chance of failure, it'd be better only two of us went out there. We can't risk everyone going there and drawing the attention of every last one of them. Obviously, either Rachel or Valkenhayn will accompany one of you three. Any volunteers?" Kokonoe asked the group. No one put themselves forward. "I thought it'd come to this. Look, I know it's dangerous but if we want to do anything about this, we have to try something."

"If I could offer my input, I suggest that Valkenhayn accompany Miss Faye-Ling" Rachel suggested. Litchi appeared particularly surprised.

"Why me?" she asked.

"Because as Ragna told us earlier, his Soul Eater doesn't work on them, meaning if he were to be surrounded, it wouldn't end well for him. As for Miss Vermillion, she doesn't appear to have the heart to face them effectively" Rachel explained.

"Why do you think I'd be useless out there?" Noel protested. "I can help out just as well as everyone else against them."

"I don't recall calling you useless" Rachel responded. "I'm merely referring to the state you came here in. I seem to recall you being unconscious for whatever reason. Valkenhayn tells me that you were fine shortly before he rescued you."

"Makes sense" Ragna thought, agreeing with Rachel. "You said your friends were among them. Can you honestly say that you can face them without feeling anything for them?"

"Well- I…" she began, remembering how she felt when she was hiding from them. She couldn't bring herself to attack them back then and while she could psyche herself up here, there was no telling if she would lose her cool out there. And not to be cruel to Litchi, Noel thought that as long as she wasn't there, she would still be safe from them here. "I understand" she finally said, stepping down.

"You okay with this Litchi?" Kokonoe asked.

Litchi took a deep breath. "Yes" came her simple reply. She would be lying if she told herself that she wasn't scared but it was their only hope of finding a cure. She felt some relief in knowing an accomplished fighter like Valkenhayn would also be there so she wouldn't be facing them alone.

"Alright then" Kokonoe began. "If there's a problem, come straight back here." Valkenhayn nodded.

Valkenhayn had teleported himself and Litchi to the Monorail area. Being largely in an open space, there was much less chance of a surprise attack. The two of them remained silent as they looked around. No one was in the immediate vicinity. Seeing no one, they set off quietly in search of a live infected person to catch, preferably one on their own. Their search didn't last too long for the simple fact that someone found them first.

"Boobie lady! You came to feed Tao!" Tao cried out happily as she leapt at them. As she announced her presence, it was easy to dodge her.

"No Tao, we came to stop you" Litchi told her. "We can help you if you come back with us peacefully. We're trying to work on something to cure you all."

Tao looked confused. "Cure? Tao just needs food. Boobie lady's always so nice to Tao so Boobie lady must taste nice too." Litchi watched sadly as her friend approached her with the intent to kill her.

"Tao this isn't you" Litchi tried to reason with her. "I know you always ate a lot but nothing like this. Think about what you've done to everyone just to get food."

"Tao can't help it, Boobie lady" Tao began. "People just taste much better than they used to."

"She won't listen to reason" Valkenhayn said to Litchi. "We have to subdue her." Litchi already knew that it would come to this and solemnly nodded. She just thought that she might have been able to talk some sense into her.

"I'm sorry Tao but you leave us no choice" she said, readying her staff. "I can't reason with you so I have to stop you."

"Food!" Tao yelled as she rushed at them. Litchi sent her staff spinning towards her but Tao easily evaded it. This however was what the two wanted to happen. During her dodge, Valkenhayn lauched a devastating kick to her mid section that she couldn't avoid in time, sending her hurtling away.

"No fair" Tao whined, picking herself up. All she wanted to do was eat. What was wrong with that?

Valkenhayn dashed forward leading with his shoulder to knock her back down before she could fully recover. Not wanting to interfere with his attack, Litchi stayed back but commanded her staff to help create an opening in Tao's defence.

Tao blocked as Valkenhayn landed a hit on her but before she could even attempt to counter, Litchi's staff hit her again allowing Valkenhayn to knock her into the air with an uppercut. As the infected Kaka flailed in the air, Litchi sent her staff after her, continuously striking her before slamming her back down to the ground. This time, she struggled to get back on her feet.

"There's no point in continuing, Tao" Litchi told her sympathetically. "Just let us help you."

"You can help by giving yourselves up" another voice said. Both Litchi and Valkenhayn looked around to see Jin approaching, Yukianesa already drawn. "I knew that following her would pay off. We'll just have to finish you off before the others get here."

"We need to catch one of them quickly" Litchi said to Valkenhayn. "If the others get here as quickly as he did, we won't be able to do anything about them."

"I'll keep him occupied" Valkenhayn replied. "Focus on her." He gestured to Tao. Litchi nodded. Valkenhayn transformed into his wolf form, jumped and dived down at Jin with his claws. He blocked with his sword and slashed at the wolf as he jumped back. Valkenhayn knew that he had to be careful in his wolf form. It involved him being within range of him being bitten and it would be wise to not try to bite at his opponent either.

"You sure you want to face me alone like that?" Jin smirked. "You're unarmed and rely on your claws and fangs. My blade will easily hold you off. Maybe you should have let your friend face me."

"It's true that I am at a disadvantage against him however Litchi will be better suited to knocking her out with her staff" he thought. "I just have to make sure I can reach her in time if there is a turn for the worst."

Litchi turned back to Tao who had already sprung towards her. She seemed much happier now that Jin had taken away some of the offense. Litchi blocked with her staff, keeping herself as far away from the Kaka's teeth as possible. While being held back, Tao attempted to kick at Litchi's feet. Knowing that it was Tao's only option to attack her, Litchi adjusted her stance and launched her staff upwards. It struck below her chin and sent her flying back once more.

"Here you go Boobie lady!" Tao pulled a smaller Kaka out from what seemed to be her coat and threw it at her. With very high odds that the Kaka was also infected, Litchi reacted by swinging her staff at it as hard as she could. If she began getting overwhelmed by the smaller kittens she wouldn't be able to fight for long without getting bitten or eaten.

"I can't remain on the defensive. I have to capture her before any others get here" Litchi reminded herself. She approached Tao swiftly, deflecting any of her projectiles before spinning the staff around herself as a shield to protect herself from an attack from Tao's claws. Once she tried to slash at her again, Litchi launched the staff downwards, striking her feet. She followed up the attack by swiftly changing the angle of the staff so it sent her into the air. Still able to continue on the offensive, she jumped and kicked Tao back down and into the ground. Each hit brought a cry of pain from the Kaka.

"Mew…" Tao cried weakly, still struggling to get up.

"Sorry Tao" Litchi muttered. "All Green!" From Tao's exact spot, a geyser of fire engulfed her causing her to cry out loudly in pain. Litchi recalled her staff. Surely this was enough to stop her. It was hard enough to bring herself to be so ruthless against her normally kind and playful friend.

"Nyaaa!" Tao yelled as she suddenly emerged through the flame, pouncing at Litchi with all the energy she had left as a last resort. Litchi was taken completely off guard and only just managed to bring her staff up to defend in time. However, Tao's momentum didn't stop as she knocked Litchi back and fell to the ground. Struggling to keep Tao from biting her, Litchi was barely managing to keep her away. With Tao's weight on top of her staff, she felt that she wouldn't be able to hold her back for much longer.

Valkenhayn continued to swiftly dodge Jin's projectiles in his wolf form, launching attacks every now and then to keep him from figuring out what they were trying to accomplish. Jin was able to read his movements easily whenever Valkenhayn attacked. Being in his wolf form, his attacks could only come from low to the ground or from the air.

"Don't even bother attacking, old man" Jin taunted. "Everything attack you perform is as predictable as the last. It won't be long before I can read your evasive movements too."

"Maybe this will change your tone" he growled, returning to human form. He lunged forwards, forming his claws over his right arm and slashed downwards with terrific force. Jin blocked it and was about to counter only to be stopped by a powerful kick that knocked him back and stunned him. Now that he was defenceless, he swiped low with his other foot and stood, kicking with his first foot again. He once again slashed down, as his attacks became faster, all chaining into each other, finally ending with one final kick that knocked him away.

In the brief moment he had to pause, Valkenhayn suddenly turned when he heard Tao's cry and saw her hurtling towards Litchi, taking her down onto the ground. Valkenhayn was about to intervene when he saw Litchi struggling to hold her back but grimaced as a sword made of ice hit him in the side.

"You're fighting me" Jin told him angrily. "You'll end up like her soon enough." Ignoring him, Valkenhayn wasted no time in transforming into his wolf form once more and charging at Jin who managed to block but not without being pushed back a considerable distance. "Pathetic! I told you everything you do is predictable!" He slashed at Valkenhayn as he bounded back, grazing his side near where the sword had hit him previously. He ignored the pain and sprinted away from Jin to Litchi's location. "Shit, so that's what he was doing!" The attack was just meant to push him back so he couldn't interfere with him helping Litchi. Jin was currently too far away to do anything to stop him.

By this point, Litchi could feel her strength leaving her. Slowly but surely, her staff had been lowering under the weight on it. Even if it was only a few millimetres at a time, Tao was getting close enough to bite her. She briefly looked around and saw Valkenhayn was preoccupied with fighting Jin. She closed her eyes tightly, knowing she was going to be killed or worse, bitten.

Valkenhayn snarled as he crashed into Tao, knocking her away from Litchi. She slowly opened her eyes once she felt her arms drop. Knowing she didn't have time to recover, she got back up, breathing heavily. Getting back up was somewhat difficult as her arms ached and her right shoulder hurt quite considerably. Not having time to ask if she was alright, Valkenhayn returned to human form expecting Jin to be right behind him. Strangely, he wasn't. He was exactly where he was before only this time; there were others around him.

"I knew it! You were holding out on us!" Makoto accused Jin.

"It doesn't matter if he was" Tsubaki began. "They're still alive so we'll be sharing."

"Miss Litchi, you were alive after all" Bang looked at her surprised.

"By that he means, we're glad that you're alive so we can pay you back for slipping away from us earlier" Carl said.

Seeing that they would be in much more danger if they persisted at capturing Tao, Valkenhayn quickly turned to Litchi and warped them both back to the castle.

"And now because you four turned up, they're gone" Jin deadpanned.

"How were we supposed to know you found someone?" Makoto asked angrily.

"We followed you because we thought you found someone that you weren't sharing" Bang told him.

While the three argued, Tsubaki and Carl approached Tao who had picked herself up against a wall. She appeared to be very happy as she chewed on something.

"She got something?" Tsubaki asked.

"Only one bite from the looks of it" Carl assumed. "Wherever the two of them went won't be safe for very long."

To be continued...

Well that's not good, one of them's been bitten. And by not good I mean really not good.

Next time we'll find out what's happened to either Valkenhayn or Litchi.

There are 3 potential answers for you to choose from

1. Litchi - the obvious choice

2. Valkenhayn - the choice for those who think the first choice is so obvious that it must be untrue

3. Both - the choice for everyone else

Try to guess which one. It may surprise you Note that I said 'may' not 'will'.

Well, you'll see next time :D