It's been a busy May and the guilt has started to eat away at me... For all you Resonance fans I'm sorry for not updating in, like, the last decade! I've been busy, busy, busy, so I won't talk a lot. I've been writing Phoenix Rising and I love how I'm able to crank out 10,000 words (at least!) a chapter so it has occupied my mind for a while. Due to this my writing style has changed for the better and if you notice sudden shifts in POV and verb tense, don't worry it's just my mind telling me to write better. Soon the changes should stop an hopeful reading will get better. i promised I would finish this story and I will! There may only be three or four more chapters but I can't be sure I guess this will go on a bit longer. (whoosh) Well, thanks for reading and I would always love to hear from you guys!

Warning? Heh, gore? What gore? (only a bit of talk about it) Umm, cussing? That's about it...though next chapter may lead u to some deilcious Lemon...

Chapter 14

Rin hummed to herself as she meandered around the kitchen. It had been several days since they had first arrived and things were still quiet. Yukio's crew had yet to find a single clue and the murders that use to occur every few days had yet to repeat the pattern since they had come. There were, of course, a few false alarms; such as Rin tripping and accidently setting off a ward that started to blare as loud as a nuclear siren. Trying to explain that incident to everyone was hard, but eventually Shura had convinced everyone that a stray coal tar was the culprit.

Between the never ending boredom of taking turns patrolling the circumference of the pool that housed the Honzon and helping the cook, Nao Umeko with cooking food for everyone, Rin was close to going stir-crazy.

She laid on the kitchen floor huffing in exhaustion after having run up and down the stairs taking everyone's orders for dinner. It didn't help that Shura changed her mind every couple minutes and that she didn't seem to understand that the Benzaiten sect didn't have any beer, or for that matter alcohol of any kind. Sure, there was rubbing alcohol for medical purposes, but Rin had to enlist the help of Shiemi to stop her from trying to mix it into her soda pop. It was a good thing that they never told her the Benzaiten members had sacred wine that they used every now and then to douse the Honzon for consecrating rituals.

Rin heard the humming of Umeko-san from down the hall and with a groan sat up rubbing the back of her head, navy-hair for once, free of its tie. It curled and jagged in all sorts of weird places as it reached to the small of her back to her hips.

Taking in a long, deep breath she clambered to her feet and untied the black ribbon off of her right wrist that Leiko-chan had given her a day prior and bundled up her hair into a messy bun on her head. Straightening out her short sleeved white blouse—courtesy of Shura, after all they were both the same size, at least in the chest area—she made sure her tail was hidden underneath Shura's equally skimpy red skirt—that she had snuck into her pile of clothes that she brought into the bathroom with her to take a shower—and that the inky-blue appendage was wrapped tightly around her left thigh. Seeing nothing out of place she hitched her bra—she had gotten use to the bite of the underwire, and blowing a stray hair out of the way of her eyes, she tucked it behind her right ear while getting back to work on the bento's for everyone's dinner.

It was at that time that a middle-aged, husky woman walked around the corner back from her smoke break and greeted her.

"Still working? Really Rin-chan, you're such a good worker!"

The exwire inwardly flinched thinking about her break before-hand. And the fact that no matter what she did at first, something always bad happened later when she tried to "help". Like at the grocery store or in the classroom with the hobgoblins and in the forest with Amaimon or on the train and most defiantly in Kyoto-

'Just thinking about it is depressing.' She smiled but it was more of a happy grimace.

"Not really, I just wanted to get this done. Everything has been really quiet…I can't help but feel that something bad is going to happen soon."

The stocky, red-headed cook shook her head, causing her short, spiky hair to splay everywhere.

"Nonsense! You have just been working too hard."

She laid her hand on top of the Exorcist-in-training's shoulder and steered her towards the wooden table situated in the corner and sat her in one of its chairs patting said shoulder.

Ever since Umeko-san had found out how good Rin really was at cooking the portly cook had taken a shine to the little exwire. And once all the other members had tasted it, they immediately warmed straight up to her. Even the grumpy Kagami had given in slightly. Not that she apologized for the incident a few days ago. Nope; "sorry" was apparently not in her vocabulary. That bitch.

Rin sighed and accepted the steaming mug of green tea from the cook. Feeling the warmth seep from the cup she brought it to her lips to blow the steam away to cool it down. As she went to drink it a beefy hand moved to intercept her.

"WAIT!"

Rin started, pulling back and hit the back of the chair. She glanced in panic towards the cook.

"What?"

"Look~"

Rin blinked at the sudden change in tone from the feisty cook and looked at where she was pointing. Straight at her tea mug. Leaning closer she noticed the stalk of a tea leaf floating straight up.

"Ahhhh, o-k?"

She glanced back at the older woman with pale green eyes and raised an eyebrow in question. The female paused then let out a blinding smile and twirled around. This, by the way, was a bit disturbing.

"Don't you know what this means?"

"Umm, free Sukiyaki?"

"Noooo, it's auspicious! ~"

Rin stared at her for a few seconds then opened her mouth,

"Ausp-rish-os?"

The cook sighed and patted Rin on the head kindly.

"No, aus-pi-cious, as in good luck. They say if you get an upright stalk of a tea leaf in your tea you're guaranteed a good deal of luck in the future! I'm so jealous!"

Rein sweat dropped and grinned good-naturally.

"Really? That's cool! I mean I'm not the luckiest person in the world you know…"

The chef giggled and turned to the island in the middle of the large kitchen to get to work on finishing the bento's.

"Well, maybe your lucks finally looking up!"

Rin smiled and turned back to her lucky tea. She took a sip not bothering to blow on it and leaned back. I hope a little bit of luck will help; after all I'm as bad as a black cat crossing the street. That causes a three-mile pile up. On the highway.

She closed her eyes for a second but shot them open at the sound of something cracking. She glanced over to Umeko-san but not seeing anything amiss, she frowned.

"Umeko-san, did something just break?"

The cook turned around in bemusement.

"No. Why?"

Rin sat up straighter placing her tea cup onto the table and gazed around the kitchen searching for the source of the noise. Scowling, she didn't see anything that could possibly have made the sound. The chef shrugged her shoulders turning back to work.

"Maybe you're just hearing things. We are after all, pretty deep underground. The earth shifts every now and then. It's pretty common so don't worry about it."

Rin rubbed the back of her head, sheepish for being so jumpy and chuckled dryly,

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm just worried that's all. I mean it's been too long since-OUCH!"

The cook whirled around only to find Rin holding her right thigh in-hand, the cup of tea sitting harmlessly at the edge of the table.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Rin greet her teeth letting go of her thigh as she glanced up at the chef hovering over her in concern.

"Nothing I just, I mean something hot just spilt on me that's all. Though I didn't pick up the cup..."

The exwire trailed off glancing at the cup for a second then she reached out for it before jerking it back suddenly.

"What's the matter?"

"There's a crack in the tea mug. I guess that's what I heard a few seconds ago. Glad to know I wasn't just going crazy. Well, I mean, I'm sorry about your cup."

Silence met her statement and she peeked towards the red-head. The serious expression on her face as she studied the cup was a bit scary. Then the quiet was broken as she spoke pausing,

"A…crack? That's…very bad. A crack is a very bad omen. It means disaster is nearing."

Rin blinked, glancing up with concern.

"Dis...aster?"

She gulped; head down again, brows wrinkled with despair feeling a cold shiver go down her spine. The ruby-haired cook nodded gravely.

"Yes…Maybe your instincts were correct. It would be best if you listen to them. You never know what could happen, in fact…"

The exwire grimaced, biting her lip in agitation. After all, she was a born trouble magnet… 'I really hope nobody dies…I've seen enough death for my entire life, ne, Kusojijii?'

"-going to tell Shimizu-sama."

"Huh?"

Her head shot up at that, eying the chef warily. She just dipped her head taking off the white and green trimmed apron she had tied on when she started working on the bento's.

"I should tell Shimizu-sama, you know, just in case. To put everyone on the lookout. We take this sort of thing seriously around here. You never know when a demon could be making its mischief."

The cook was almost out the door so she never saw the pained look that crossed Rin features but as she turned around the worry evident in the middle-aged woman face was enough to elicit a sad smile from the Exorcist-in-training.

"Don't worry. You Exorcists are good at your job and we of the Benzaiten shrine know a thing or two to keep the big and bad demons at bay! Why don't you stay here and finish the bento's? They are almost done anyway and I bet everyone's hungry. See ya!"

The portly cook was gone with a wink only leaving her smoky aroma to fade in her wake as she left.

Rin glanced back at the cup wondering if things were about to get as bad as she thought. 'Really…I just couldn't be a normal kid?'

She sighed, moving to pick up the cup to throw it away, but as her finger touched the glazed edge of it blue flames erupted and the cup shattered into bits and pieces all of them miraculous missing the demonic child. She sat there stunned till a bone-chilling scream echoed through her head causing her to grasp the edge of the wooden table in agony, in the process falling out of the chair and onto the floor in the process.

The wail cut off almost as soon as it had come and Rin was left gasping on the floor holding her throbbing head and franticly-beating heart in her chest as the tears poured out of her cobalt eyes. 'What? What was that?'

The echo of the scream resounded in her head, lingering, as the navy-haired teen finally stopped the tears leaking out and pulled her bangs out of her eyes leaning against the tables' wooden leg. The world seemed to tilt and it became hard to breath. The darkness swept over her eyes as she hit the ground. Her sword clattered to the tile as well.

'That…sounded like a girl screaming…'

And then nothing.

[Yukio…]

I was disappointed. Not only had we not found a single clue but we hadn't heard a single peep from the demon that we have been chasing for an entire week.

The teacher sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in agitation.

'Why is it that this always happens? I mean seriously? Something is telling me that there is going to be trouble soon.'

He fixed his glasses and glanced behind him at Bon and Takara. Bon was diligently looking for clues while Takara whispered silently to his puppet. Even the stoic teacher was starting to get a bit mad at his nonchalant attitude.

"Takara have you found anything yet?"

The sandy-haired boy just shrugged and answered—through his puppet, of course—quite rudely,

"Ahhh, shu'dup. Stop being all nosy, -than-thou."

Yukio's eye twitched at his comment as Bon exploded, stomping over to the ventriloquist and grabbing him by his collar.

"Hey, I don't care if he's our sensei or whatever! You shouldn't talk to others like that dumbass, he was asking you nicely!"

The exwire's pink and green puppet just huffed, crossing his arms.

"What'd you know? Huh? Tough guy? We don't need to search. We're psychics ya dumbass!"

Bon blinked in confusion allowing the shorter male to wiggle out of his grip and walk away.

The elder exwire was still frozen till he turned to Okumura-sensei and asked,

"Did you know that?"

Yukio was still looking after Takara's retreating form in bemusement as Bon asked him this. He shook his head in response glancing back at the small Exorcist-in-training.

"No, I didn't…but it would explain why he is so quiet."

"Quiet? What do ya mean? His rude that's what he is!"

The blonde and brunet student huffed, crossing his arms in annoyance. He glanced back at the teacher who was already turning away to get back to work.

"Mediums or psychics…whatever you like to call them are extremely sensitive to the miasma that demons emit. Most go insane at a very young age and those that don't…Well, they're not exactly right in the head, you know?"

Bon grimaced kind of feeling bad about his actions but still not too sympathetic with the vulgar teen. He turned as well, in a huff, but getting back to work but at that moment static came over the headsets on all channels emitting a high piercing noise. Before any of Yukio's team could turn them off it stopped. Bon sank to down to the pavement, the extreme nose actually making his ears bleed even though it wasn't hooked to his ear. Disoriented, he saw his sensei in the same predicament rubbing the side of his head and when he found the blood coming out of his ear as well, wiped it off.

Takara was even worse off. The blood seeping out onto his hand was worse and he was curled up into a ball, his puppet clutched to his chest as he whimpered. He had thrown up into the grass as he sat by the edge of the walkway they were on. No one was around which Bon was thankful for as he got up—albeit shakily—to go to the other male and rub his back.

He wasn't expecting for him to slap his hand away rocking back and forth whispering in his real voice,

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"

There was still ringing in Yukio's ears but he was able to hear the youngest exwires plea though the buzzing in them. Unbalanced, he was able to get to his feet and shuffled over to his two charges.

"Bon leave him alone. Bon!"

The other teen looked up at him with a bit of panic in his eyes as the medium in front of them began to sob, clasping his head with both of his hands now.

"But…he-"

Yukio shook his head pulling the bigger exwire off the guy.

"There is nothing we can do. Whatever the hell that was it was it must have been from the demon we are looking for if he was affected. We have to contact Angel's team. They may have found a clue or run into the demon."

As soon as he said this the line crackled to life and all three flinched anticipating another loud screech like before. When only static continued to come over the line the spectacled Exorcist sighed, glad that the radio wasn't damaged. He raised a hand up to push the PTT button. The static disappeared and the line was clear to talk.

{"Yukio to Angel Team, come in. Over."}

He released the button allowing the static to fill the line again. When there was no answer he pushed the button again looking at Bon and Takara in concern.

{"I said, Yukio to Angel Team, come in. Over."}

There was still no answer and Yukio shook his head standing up and surveying their position. It was the middle of the night and only a few of the lights were lit on the path they were on. Both teams had been in opposite positions circling the entire island in which the Benzaiten sect was housed and had yet to run into trouble, till now of course. The fact that Angel's team wasn't picking up worried him. After that loud burst of static his radio hadn't been damaged which was surprising but if his wasn't then the factor that the three others were was just too hard to believe. Something must have happened. Something bad. 'Speak of the devil…'

{"Angel to Yukio Team, coming in. I repeat Angel to Yukio Team, I read you. Over."}

The teacher let out a sigh as he let the tension in his shoulders drop. He immediately picked up as soon as Angel dropped off the channel.

{"Yukio to Angel. I hear you. Over."}

He took a breath, decompressing the button for a second then talking again over the line.

{"Yukio to Angel. Did your team encounter a sudden burst of static over the line? Over."}

The line went on crackling till a few seconds later it blazed to life again. Angel's tone sounded calm but he rushed his words.

{"Yes we did, we can't see anything over here the lights have gone out. We haven't been attacked but I think something's coming. Is there any activity over on your side? Over."}

Yukio was suddenly alert as the rest of the message came back.

{"No there is not; besides some technical difficulty. Takara, on the other hand, one of the exwires is suffering a type of shock due to the attack, though. Over."}

He came back over the line a slight edge to his voice.

{"Is anyone else hurt? Over."}

His cerulean eyes trailed to look at the no longer shaking form of the dirty-blonde-haired male and he grimaced.

{"No. Only he was. He is a medium. Whatever that was that came over the line earlier was definitely demoniac in nature. There is no other way to explain his reaction. Over."}

{"Che! Why didn't you say he was earlier! We could have used him to locate the demon! …Over."}

The brunet gritted his teeth in exasperation.

{"I didn't know earlier, Angel. I just found out. He doesn't talk much. Over."}

You could practically hear the sneer in his voice as he replied,

{"You're the instructor. You should be aware of these things, Okumura-sensei. Over."}

Said teacher's eye twitched in irritation as Angel's comment went over the line. In the ultimate display of patience Yukio managed to keep his head and say,

{"Technically, Angel, that's a personal subject. He was under no obligation to tell me or anyone else about his condition."}

All that met that comment was static. The grimace from earlier turned to a scowl as the Exorcist glanced back at Takara and Bon after deciding that he wasn't going to get an answer from the flaxen-haired Paladin. The blonde and brunet Exorcist-in-training was kneeling by the shaggy-headed boy. Who, at this point was breathing in and out calmly, fingering his puppet, no longer freaking out—thankfully—at what just happened. He still looked visibly shaken, but he was better than before. Glad that the shock had worn off Yukio offered his hand to the boy.

It took a second for him to recognize and he looked up at the taller. It was then that he saw the light lavender of his eyes for the first time. They seemed to stare straight through him seeing everything there was and what wasn't visible to the outer world. The sea foam-green eyed teen gulped feeling a chill pass through his spine but didn't jerk away. He wasn't afraid of this kid. He wasn't.

"Are you okay? Do you need any help?"

The child blinked then noticing that he was staring him directly in the eye immediately turned away eyes closed again.

"…"

"I can't help you if you don't say anything."

Takara looked at the ground then raised his puppet to face Yukio. It opened its mouth but didn't say anything. He waited but there was nothing. As if in surprise Takara turned back to stare at his puppet in his hand. He peeked up at the elder his eyebrows scrunched up in what looked like confusion but when he opened his mouth to say something his puppet sprang to life.

"It's coming. Run."

It was a short, curt, and cold statement. Bon spluttered behind the Middle First Class Exorcist not amused at his tricks.

"Stop fucking around! Were trying to help you!"

Takara scrambled up, looking stricken and on the verge of saying something himself when they all heard it. The wind had picked up and the electrical buzz of the lights illuminating the park began to flicker and fizzle. One by one the bulbs of the overhanging park lights shut off. On either side of them, they just began to turn themselves off, the encroaching darkness coming closer with every light that was extinguished.

Yukio immediately reacted pulling one of his guns from its holster and trained it to one side then swept it to the other.

"Bon, Takara, stay behind me and whatever happens do not split up! Understand me?" He couldn't see them nod but their backs were now pressed up against his showing that they were taking this seriously.

As the last light was swallowed by the dark night the wind settled down and it was then that they finally noticed how quiet it had become. They said nothing but all three could sense something coming. Yukio realized this was the same thing that had happened to Angel and suddenly he worried that the reason Angel never responded to their verbal battle was because they had been attacked.

He decided that the demon behind all this already knew their position so he tapped the call button on the neck band and over the now silent channel whispered,

{"Yukio to Angel Team, Yukio to Angel Team, anyone if you can hear me respond! I repeat, respond! That's an order! Over."}

All he got was static and goose bumps prickled over his body as his training kicked in detecting the attack before the exwires could.

"GET DOWN!"

Before the others could do anything else but react to his command the bullets were being fired into the night. An inhuman screech met the echoes of the trigger being pulled and Yukio, without hesitation, pulled the other two teens as fast as he could away from its source. He ran sideways still firing bullet after bullet in its direction, nimbly avoiding tripping over the silver cases being ejected from the chamber of the gun he held in his hand.

Even after he loaded another magazine with breathtaking speed he kept shooting, steering the exwires toward where Angel's team was suppose to have been before everything went wrong. 'Or as planned…'

The sounds of the lake lapping against the edges of the island was louder than before and the wind seemed to pick-up again, hitting them with the spray from the raging lake. Yukio barreled around the corner of a sharp turn in the foliage ringing the sidewalks while pushing both of the exwires in front of him wanting them to speed up. The crash and vibration in the ground told him that the demon chasing them was gaining.

As soon as they made it across the bend Bon crashed into someone sending all four to the ground. Yukio was the first to regain his footing as he tucked and rolled, training his guns on the unknown figure.

"Don-don't shoot! I'm too young to die!"

All three gapped at the pink-haired male; who, by the way, was sprawled on the ground and appeared to be soaking wet.

"Shima! What? Why are you here?"

The perverted teen laughed weakly and rubbed the back of his head warily.

"Well~ you see, I, uh-"

The Exorcist grabbed the shorter one by the collar and pushed the other two exwires into the bushes. All three let out sounds of surprise but the taller male shushed them. They waited, eyebrows raised in question at their sensei. It was then that a shadow passed over their hiding place and it started raining buckets. It felt like ice cold sleet was being forced down the back of their shirts. They all bit their lips to stop from crying out in displeasure.

The shadow paused and the rain came down harder. As soon as it had come the shadow slid passed, the rain turning to a drizzle and then petering off completely as the wind settled down.

When at last everything seemed quiet and the demon was gone, Yukio quietly signaled the others and he stepped out of the foliage, gun up and prepared to fire in case it be needed. When nothing popped out at them he relaxed lowering the weapon but not holstering it.

"Shima, what are you doing here? Your suppose to be with-"

{"Konekomaru to Yukio's Team. We've found a body. I repeat we found a body. Meet at the shrine. Over."}

All four teenagers looked at one another in panic. 'We were too late…'

[Konekomaru…]

When I stumbled upon the body I screamed, my back hitting the nearest object, which just happened to be Angel.

"What is it Miwa-kun? I told you to-"

It was then he must have spotted the body as I did. He went silent, pushing me to the side, away from the disfigured remains that were hanging from the torii in front of the Benzaiten shrine's entrance.

He examined the ruined leftovers as I turned away biting my lip and struggling not to cry or throw up. His voice finally spoke, disturbing the silent night,

"Call Yukio's team. Tell them we found a body and our location."

He turned back to me, his face cold as stone but his eyes were alight with rage. I shook but nodded anyway. Reaching for the button on my neckband I was able to squeak out a message trying to keep the hysteria out of my voice. All I heard was static and I tried again in hopes that their radios were working. We had earlier encountered the strange screech over the line and kept receiving only radio silence for a few minutes afterword. Okumura-sensei had said the demon was around. I guess the body cruelly laid out for our sight confirmed that.

"I can't…I can't contact them they-they're just not respon-responding…"

He glanced at me his sword drawn as he cut down the hanging corpse.

"Fine…keep trying. Okumura-sensei is the doctor in our group and we will need him to determine the cause of death."

"Cause of-of death? They've been ripped apart! And bur-burnt! What do you mean-mean…God!"

I sunk to the ground now openly sobbing as the image of first seeing the body swinging from the torii came to mind. It was just too horrible to comprehend. Who or what could be so cruel? 'A demon of course, they thrive on the pain and sin of humans…this is what they do best, and it's all for their sick amusement.'

Someone shouted my name at the same time and I glanced up tears streaking my face. Bon came running towards me as well as Shima, but all I could do was cling to them and cry like an idiot.

"What happened Konekomaru-kun?"

The asker was Okumura-sensei and he bent down taking in everything supposedly to look for any injuries but I knew despite his serious expression he was worried about me. I shook my head to tell him that I wasn't hurt and that Angel needed his attention but he was already commandeering him.

"Okumura-sensei, get over here. I need you to examine the body."

Sensei hurried over immediately eyes alert and silent as a grave as he took in what was left of the person who had been so brutally murdered by the vicious demon. He kept his tongue for several minutes till at last he broke his silence as he stated,

"The left-half of their arm is completely gone, spine severed, there was a lethal blow to the head, right-hand mangled, both legs broken and eyes burnt out."

He paused, unspeaking, till he whispered,

"And all these injuries were inflicted while the victim was still alive."

There was an awful quiet as we all worked over his words till Bon choked out,

"Alive…They-they were still alive when that happened? You mean they were tortured before they were killed?"

The rage in his voice was justified as the rest of us stood stock still digesting the horrible words that no one wanted or could voice, all expect for Bon. We were all willing to let him say it out loud, too disgusted and without the courage to voice this horrible tragedy ourselves. The hush was broken with Okumura-sensei last words, which was even quieter than before,

"That's…not all."

We all paused, afraid of what he would divulge next.

"I've already identified the body."

There was yet another dreadful unspoken lull in the conversation.

"I read the files Shura-san gave us a couple of days ago and…I know this woman."

He turned to Angel, who asked demurely,

"And?"

Our teacher bent his head, the stoic mask he always wore crumbling a bit.

"It's Umeko Nao. The crimson-haired chef for the Benzaiten sect."

We all gasped. Angel ground his teeth turning to face the shrine entrance his hand on the hilt of his sword, Caliburn. As it was there really was nothing we could do. None of the female team could be reached because of the surrounding stone underground that would block all of their cell phone service. Sooner or later Shura would have to come back up and that was the only hope we had to tell her of the murder. We would have to watch and wait. It was our only course of action. 'How many more people have to die?'

[Rin…]

I opened my eyes slowly, the dim light making it easier for my sensitive eyes to adjust. Everything had a dark blue tint to it. I immediately thought my flames were, well, flaming before I realized it was just the refraction of light from the ceiling. I also noticed that I was hanging from the ceiling by my wrists, which wasn't good, at all. The rest of the room looked oddly familiar till I recognized it was the same room I met that brat Kagami.

"What the hell!"

I growled, struggling with the white substance that had me bound to the ceiling. It started moving and I suddenly was very afraid. It gripped me harder, a slimy tentacle-like appendage moving to wrap around my mouth. I didn't want that thing anywhere near my mouth.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

My flames burst out and the creepy things jerked back. The tentacles that were wrapped around my wrist let go as well and I hit the curved inside of the circular dais in the middle of the room with a loud "thump" I immediately looked for my sword and cursed when I didn't see it. The tentacles were back and began to transform into what resembled white snakes. Large, white snakes with big-ass fangs. My eye twitched and I leaped back as they struck. They hit the pedestal and I back flipped shooting my flames out in defense.

My eyes widened as a wall of water suddenly emerged from the ceiling and blocked them. Steam filled the air and then a blast of water hit me knocking me against the stone wall and my vision really did turn blue. I wheezed out,

"Ass! Show yourself! Stop playing games!"

I rolled out of the way of another gush of water that was tinted white and was fixing to just take a swipe at the idiot who was attacking me when a snake shot out of the water and bit me in the thigh. I cried out as its fangs pierced my flesh and I could immediately feel it trying to pump its venom into me. I wasn't just gonna sit here and take it like some helpless girl. So I did the most logical thing.

"GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!"

I burst into flames. The entire room was covered in them and the wall of water that the demon was hiding behind—because I knew that this thing, whatever type of a demon that it was, was responsible for all the trouble in the park—started to disappear. When it finally did there was no sign of the entity that had attacked me.

"Come out or I'll roast ya, you damn bastard!"

There wasn't an answer to my demand so I growled and sent another fireball towards the middle of the room. That's when another whip of snake-like water shot at me and wrapped around my left arm. I gasped struggling to pull away when I was tugged toward the center of the room. I let out another stream of fire and evaporated the whitish water fixing to get serious. Like really serious.

That's when the entire ceiling broke and all of the water above it came crashing down on me. The ceiling which, if I recall right, was holding back the lake itself.

Yay me.

The last thing I saw before blacking out from the lack of air was a figure dressed in white framed by white hair. The last thing I thought?

'Damn it…I forgot. Shura and Yukio told me…not to use my flames…no matter what.'

So...here we are...I hoped you liked that! If you see anything weird don't hestiate to tell me...And drop a review! I would love to know people are still interested in this story!

Tarry a while. Thou art so fair. ~ Wild-Tama