Morg: Heyo! Birthday time!

Ikuto: You should have birthdays more often.

Amu: Why?

Morg: I could…

Ikuto: You'd probably update more if you did.

Amu: You could just find a new hobby.

Morg: I like this one and I update plenty!

Ikuto: It's a good thing you don't own us or no one would know anything about us. You'd take that long to update.

Amu: True!

Morg: Whatever.

~Human by Night~

The trees swayed as they stood back in the shadows of them. The sun had already began to lighten the horizon. They didn't have much time before dawn. The task that the king had given them was by no means easy. Sneak into the castle and open the gate. They were more than likely going to have to fight a few guards. Rima had no qualms about killing them. Most of them were traitors or power hungry individuals. The country would be better off without them. Nagihiko, however, was hell bent on getting in and out swiftly. He didn't want anyone to get hurt.

A bird whistled high in the trees. To the guards it would sound as if the forest was beginning to wake up for the day. To Nagi and Rima it meant that their window of opportunity was open and swiftly closing if they didn't hurry. The two acrobats were quick to leave the safety of the trees in order to approach the castle walls. They did so without raising alarm.

"Just like mounting our high rope."

Shaking his head, Nagi braced his arms in order to support Rima's small amount of weight. "This is nothing like that. There is death waiting for you up there."

Smirking as she placed her foot on his clasped hands, Rima leaned forward to place a quick kiss to Nagi's lips. "There is always death waiting for us up there."

The man couldn't argue with that. Instead, he boosted his smaller lover up the wall. She scrambled over the top before dropping the rope she'd had around her shoulder. Everything they did was death defying. The swords were just new to the mix, somewhat. Usually they were the ones carrying them.

After heaving Nagi up behind her, Rima turned to see that their area of the wall was still clear. Their people in the trees were watching carefully to make certain that nothing went wrong. So far they were doing a good job.

Sneaking along the top of the wall, Rima let the way into the watch tower next to the gate. The top floor was empty. The blonde wasn't surprised. Ikuto said that the guard usually changed early in the morning. They would be down underneath exchanging reports and commands. Rima and Nagi only had to make it to the second level to reach the lever that controlled the gate.

Slipping silently down the stairs, Nagi made good use of his ability to be light on his feet as he followed his lover. They didn't have far to go. They didn't have much to do, but if they were caught, the likelihood that they were coming out of it alive was very slim.

Finding the second floor still empty, Nagi moved over to the lever while Rima approached the window. She could see out over the gate from her spot. "They're emerging. We have to get it open now."

"This is heavy."

Abandoning her spot, Rima returned to Nagi's side to force the lever to move. The gears began creaking as the gate began to rise. Shouts echoed up the stairs and footsteps could be heard, but Rima and Nagi didn't stop until they had the gate open.

Pulling out her small dagger, Rima faced the charging guards as they made their way up the stairs and onto the second floor. "We fight for the King! He has returned! Join him or be prepared to die!"

The guard that came through the door first was quick to turn and stab the two behind him. They never stood a chance. "I'm Musashi. I'm for the King!"

Nagihiko gave the other man a nod before they went out to join the group of people flocking into the courtyard. They were already fighting guards. Some had joined their side since they were people far from home and some of the people attacking were friends or family.

Rima gave a nod to the king in his panther form just before he tackled a large man. Quick with her dagger, Rima threw the blade so that it went through another guard's head. The man had been about to deliver a harsh blow to the king. Rima wasn't about to let that happen.

Ikuto rolled to his side before pushing himself up onto his four legs. He saw the other guard go down with Rima's blade in his head. The panther couldn't help but be thankful. The fight was going to be a long one. He was going to need all the help he could get if Ikuto wanted to reach Amu.

Growling as he faced another guard, Ikuto crouched before he pounced. As much as he hated the taste of blood, Ikuto put up with the liquid flooding into his mouth as he bit down on another guard that was loyal to Tadase.

The courtyard was quickly becoming theirs, though Ikuto knew that it was only the beginning. The castle was vast and there were sure to be plenty of Tadase's supporters hidden within it.

With several people staying back to make certain that they didn't lose the courtyard, as Ikuto instructed, the king led more of his supporters into the castle. The front hall didn't have as many guards as Ikuto had been expecting, but it didn't slow the large cat down. He attacked with the rest of his group. They fought through them so they could move on. He would get to Amu, no matter what.

XXX

Tadase watched the battle taking place in the courtyard from a high window in the castle. To have someone dare to attack him. And that one be the king he was searching for to eliminate. The worst part was that the man he'd been looking for turned into the same cat he'd had within his grasp several times. The blasted cat that traveled with Amu. She'd known. The entire time he'd had her in the castle, she'd known exactly where Ikuto was. Tadase was beyond furious.

Pushing away from his window, the fake king stalked down the hall. They might be in the castle, but that didn't mean much. There were plenty of guards between him and them. Every single intruder would be killed before they ever had the chance to reach him. In the end, Tadase would still have the crown and Amu will be his queen. He thought her reluctance was rather clear now. He understood exactly why she was putting off accepting his offer. She was hopeful that Ikuto would save her. Tadase planned to let her know that it wasn't going to happen.

Throwing open the door to Amu's chambers, Tadase strolled in to find the pinkette watching from her window. She was giving little fist pumps whenever someone she didn't like died. At least, that's what Tadase assumed she was doing. "You think because he's here he's going to save you?"

Jumping to her feet, Amu turned to see a not so pleased looking Tadase staring at her. "Tadase."

Scoffing, Tadase leaned against the door he'd just closed. "You seem so surprised to see me. Did you think that Ikuto would come and save you? He's no longer the king."

All this time she'd been putting on a smile and acting as though everything was all right. Now Amu could see that acting that way wouldn't get her anything. Tadase was done with her resistance. Though, with Ikuto in the castle, fighting to get to her, Amu didn't have to deal with the false king before her for much longer. "Ikuto is the true king."

Any humor that Tadase had attempted to maintain faded quickly at the sound of Amu's comment. "I AM THE KING! Do you know how many soldiers are between him and you? Do you know how many men I've bought? He'll never reach here! He'll never reach you!"

Amu moved quickly out of Tadase's reach as the blond attempted to grab her. No more would she allow his greed to affect her. "You think you can stop him? You think he'll be stopped? That man is greater than you'll ever be! He has the country behind him now! He didn't have to use money to get it, either. No, the people support him because he's the true king! You might sit in his throne, but you'll never rule."

"Fool!" Tadase wasn't aware of what he was doing until Amu was on the floor holding her cheek. "You dare say that to me?! I hold your life in my hands! I hold everyone's lives in my hands! I rule this kingdom! It is mine!"

Tears stung her eyes from the force of the hit. Amu knew that she'd pushed too far, but Tadase wasn't about to come out of this situation alive. Too many people were fighting for Ikuto. Slowly, the pinkette pushed herself to her feet. "You own nothing and you are nothing."

Backing away, Tadase opened the door before glaring at the girl he would make his queen. Despite her clear reluctance, Amu was the prize he wanted seated beside him. Stealing her from Ikuto would be only that much better. "Let him get this far. I'll be waiting for him, and you can watch as I kill him."

Amu threw herself at the door as Tadase slammed it shut. Beating her fists against the inside, she screamed at the man that trapped her there. She screamed for Ikuto.

XXX

Digging his claws into another guard, Ikuto panted as he released the now dead man. There were many within the castle, but he had the endurance and strength to take out as many as he had to. Traveling with Amu had given him that.

Her scent was there, lingering in the halls. Ikuto only had to follow it and he would find her. The country may be what the fight was about, but Ikuto couldn't help but put Amu's safety before everything else. He had to get to her before Tadase could do something to her. The man knew who he was now. There was no telling what he would do once he connected the dots and realized that Amu had known all along.

Lifting his nose to the air, Ikuto found traces of the man he truly wanted to kill. It would only be a matter of time until he reached him. Tired and exhausted, Ikuto planned on taking Tadase down. He would not give up until the man that tried to ruin his kingdom was dead.

.

Morg: So everything is coming together!

Ikuto: This better not have a sucky ending.

Amu: You mean, where you die?

Morg: Wouldn't that be exciting?

Ikuto: No.

Amu: It could.

Morg: We'll have to just see what happens!

Ikuto: You say that like you don't already know.

Amu: You better have the ending planned.

Morg: :D