Lol. So I took way too long to update, once again. I'm surprised I haven't gotten threatening e-mails. I really thought being a senior was going to be easy... but whatever. Lol on the bright side, I found my prom dress this week!!!! I also got a job at daycare, which is the best b/c I love the kids that work there. The gals I work with are awesome, too.

Urg... I'm not sure if this chapter is good. Lol I'll let everyone else be the judge of that. I'm working on chapter 27 as soon as I'm done editing. I'm also listening to Fall Out Boy's single on repeat, which is where the name of this chapter came from. Lol I'm crazy like that. And yes, if you're going to a MCR concert, you're lucky as Hell! Lol I'm jealous.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:

"...BUT THE REAL BOMBSHELLS HAVE ALREADY SUNK..."

Shuichi stood up and looked around him. He was currently standing in a tiny lake that barely reached his shins. It seemed as though the lake was in the exact middle of the cave. To his left was a vastly spacious passage that led into darkness… and to his right was a vastly spacious passage that led into darkness. The inside of the cave barely contained any light. The walls of the cave were rugged, sharp, and jutted out, due to the uneven rocks that made them up.

Shuichi was concentrating on his surroundings so intently, he didn't realize that Tiril and Suzu were mischievously sneaking up on him. "Boo!!!" Tiril leapt onto Shuichi's back and Suzu simultaneously splashed them with water.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!" Shuichi shrieked out, jumping high in the air so quickly that Tiril fell off his back. Suzu expertly caught the Fallen Angel and they burst out laughing together. The half-demon landed with his bottom in the lake, glaring up at his tormentors. "What the heck was that for?"

"You do realize that we could've been one of those octopuses, right?" Suzu raised an eyebrow at the younger male. "It's always important to observe, but you should always be consciousness of what's going on around you." Shuichi's mouth closed, realizing that she was right. Suzu helped the teen up to his feet. "Now let's go exterminate the Octo-Dynasty, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's go!!" Tiril squirmed in Suzu's arms until she set him down. "I've got the barrier!" Shuichi shook his head, but smiled at the boy all the same.

"The only question is… which way leads to Apollyon?" Shuichi frowned, looking in both directions. "Saving him is our first priority."

"Well, considering the fact that he's an Angel, he should know." Suzu put a hand on her hip and poked Tiril in the top of the head. "C'mon, squirt. We don't have all day. Use your angelic sensory powers or whatever you've been divinely endowed with to find your fellow kin."

"I didn't understand half of what you said." Tiril frowned, giving Shuichi a frustrated look. I like Suzu, but why does she have to be so crazy?

"Suzu thinks that because you're an Angel, you can sense where Apollyon is." Shuichi explained gently.

"Thank you, my fellow thesaurus!" Suzu slung an arm around Shuichi's shoulders and squeezed him. "Now, like I said. Use your-"

"He's that way." Tiril proclaimed immediately, pointed to the right. Suzu smiled, ruffled Tiril's green hair, and began splashing her way to the right. Shuichi held a hand up to keep the water from hitting him and Tiril. "You're so cool, Shuichi; you're anti-spray!"

Tiril suddenly stopped walking, covering his mouth suddenly. Anti-spray… His mind felt funny. Why did those harmless words seem so ominous to him? What was it about those words that stirred something so deep inside him? But, no, wait. It wasn't the words that affected him… it was the sound.

Suzu and Shuichi turned around, looking down at the boy expectantly. "I'm okay." Tiril fibbed, flashing his first fake smile in centuries. Both Suzu and Shuichi seemed to fall for it; they didn't question him. "Sorry, let's keep going."

Something's bothering him… Suzu crossed her arms over her chest as she walked ahead. It's odd, though. He's a Fallen Angel and I'm positive there's absolutely no record of him. I've never heard of him before.

The trio left the wet, shallow lake and started walking on the dirt ground. The very walls seemed to poke out at them menacingly. The cave was so deep underground, Shuichi couldn't see the ceiling. It frightened him a bit.

After walking through the same passageway for about twenty minutes, the group became somewhat uneasy. There were no signs of life; no octopuses had attacked them. There was no sound in the cave except the sound of their feet. The dimness of the cave didn't help ease the tension either.

"Are you sure you picked the right direction?" Suzu grumbled, running a hand through her highlighted hair. "Are you old enough to know left from right?"

"Hey!" Tiril protested, pouting miserably. "Not fair!" Shuichi laughed out loud, but ceased as soon as Tiril glared up at him.

"Don't worry, Suzu. All the passageways lead to the center of the cave." Shuichi pointed out. He heard a rustling behind him and his eyes widened. Suzu winked at him and put a finger to her lips. They kept on walking as if nothing had happened. This whole incident went unnoticed by Tiril.

"You said our first priority was saving Apollyon." Suzu retorted, rolling her eyes. "How do we know he's in the same area as Sasayaku?" She began summoning her fire energy. I wonder how many of them are following us?

"Why wouldn't Apollyon be near Sasayaku?" Shuichi challenged the demon. "If my posse kidnapped someone important, I'd make sure to keep him near me!" He began envisioning five tiny bubbles in his mind.

"Why is it that masculine terms are always automatically put in sentences?!? You sexist pig!" Suzu screamed out at Shuichi, getting into their game. "I'm so sick of you and your 'I'm-the-tragic-half-demon-so-everyone-pity-me-and-let-me-get-away-with-everything' attitude!"

Finally, Shuichi couldn't take it anymore. He didn't care if there were a million demons around them. He still had to laugh until he was literally out of breath. Suzu snorted, holding back her laughter as well. Tiril just looked at both of them, wondering if Raphael had made a mistake in entrusting him to Shuichi.

"Ready?" Suzu giggled, shaking her head.

"You betcha." Shuichi smirked seriously. There was no laughter in his tone.

"Huh?" Tiril raised his eyebrows and looked up at his guardians. It happened in a split second: Suzu jumped forward, blasting what seemed like plain old darkness with a stream of fire. Shuichi jumped backwards, attacking the air with five cyclones. "What's going on here?!?"

Finally, when the all the rubble had settled and the smoke had cleared, Tiril saw them. The group had been encircled by about forty octopuses, twenty on each side. For some reason, the octopuses that Suzu attacked looked more damaged and the ones that Shuichi attacked looked unscathed.

The octopuses were all reddish orange with beige underbellies and red, beady eyes. They all had pirate hats and black eye patches. They were about three feet and each held one wooden spear with a metal tip in one of their eight arms.

Just as I thought… water has absolutely no effect on them. Shuichi scowled and turned his head to look at Suzu. But it seems like Suzu's fire attack did more damage than it should have. Some of the octopuses she attacked were missing limbs.

"The octopuses immersed themselves in their own black ink in order to hide themselves. Their ink contains an accelerant." Tiril blurted out unexpectedly, his orange eyes widening. How'd I know that?

"God, I love this kid!" Suzu pranced over and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You're a genius!" The octopuses began to make rumbling noises.

That explains it… Shuichi smiled in relief. So the only thing I did was wash the ink off of them. Demon octopuses are certainly smarter than the ones back in the human realm. As a matter of fact, I don't think human octopuses have an accelerant in their ink. Isn't it just a defense mechanism for them?

"So then, Shuichi, you know what we have to do, right?" Suzu grinned evilly. Shuichi smiled and nodded. As if on cue, all the octopuses dove at the trio.

Tiril instinctively put his brooch on the ground. All the octopuses were blasted away. "Good job, Tir!" Suzu whooped with joy. "Hurry up, Shu!"

"Does she want all of us to have short names like her?" Tiril cocked his head to one side. Shuichi smirked, but held his laugh back. He held his hands out, concentrating on the flammable ink.

The ink is everywhere… it is in their bodies… it is on the floor… it is on the walls… Shuichi thought to himself. Ink, ink, ink. Suzu and Tiril watched in amazement as the octopuses began spewing out black ink at each other. It was obvious that the octopuses were doing it against their own will.

Soon, every octopus was covered in black ink once again. "Your turn, Suzu." Shuichi finally opened his purple eyes, staring at his companion intently. "Let's give Sasayaku a little message."

"Tiril is here; you have EVERYTHING to fear!" Tiril shouted out loudly. Suzu pushed her hands together in front of her, as if she was praying. Golden energy began radiating off of her in somewhat circular motions. The octopuses began attacking the barrier with their spears. Their attacks were fruitless and they often ended up hitting each other, because they were all blinded with ink.

Finally, Suzu opened her eyes and folded her fingers down so that they were in between her knuckles. She then bent her folded hands forward, pointed her thumbs up, and her index fingers forward. It was as if she was pointing a gun straight ahead of her, except the gun consisted of four fingers.

"Ha!" Suzu shouted and a horizontal fire tornado emitted from her fingertips. It passed through the barrier without damaging it. It hit all of the octopuses at once and the result was catastrophic. For every time the fire touched an octopus, an explosion was instigated, due to the accelerant in their ink (which currently covered all of the octopuses).

Tiril covered his ears to try and blot out the noise, but it didn't help any. Fire and destruction were everywhere and the boy was terrified. Shuichi picked Tiril up and pet his head. Finally, the bangs ceased and the fires began to extinguish themselves. Tiril opened his eyes and looked around him in shock.

There was no sign that the octopuses had even been there. There weren't even any ashes left, no remnants of metal from their spears… nothing was left but them. Even the walls and the floor had been scorched. Suzu sighed loudly and wiped her forehead.

"You just killed forty demons with one attack." Shuichi stated in shock.

"Forty one if Sasayaku goes into cardiac arrest." Suzu replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Now we've got work to do. That attack is hard to execute, but we've taken a big chunk out of their forces. I didn't do all the work; I merely amplified my attack with the accelerant. And I wouldn't have been able to do that if you hadn't extracted the ink from their bodies. Not to mention the fact that if the barrier wasn't here, neither of us would have been able to concentrate.

"We just killed forty demons." Suzu finished wisely, looking at the boys.

"Beware the power of Tiril!" Tiril leapt from Shuichi's arms and puffed out his chest proudly. He began pretending to flex his nonexistent muscles.

"And Shuichi, too!" Shuichi punched the air happily. "I'm awesome!!"

"Damn straight." Suzu laughed. "Now let's go." Tiril picked up the brooch and put it back on. The trio kept on walking through the dark cave, knowing that they had made their presence known… together.

Shuichi was happy because he, alongside Tiril and Suzu, would successfully save Apollyon. I missed him… and he'll be so proud of how strong I've become. The three of them were a team. A very compatible team, as a matter of fact. There's nothing we can't do. The half-demon relished in the memory of their latest battle.

Their Ink Removal/Protective Barrier/Offensive Fire Attack (as Tiril had aptly named their quite victorious strategy) had worked out perfectly against the three octopus lieutenants they had faced along the way.

"Ch, these guys are all weaklings!" Suzu had jeered while Shuichi had been taking the ink out of the octopuses. Indeed, the only difference between the soldiers and the lieutenants was that the latter group was taller and held swords instead of spears. It had been rather easy defeating them and the trio had continued on as if nothing had happened.

Now, the group was still on the same path, but both Shuichi and Suzu could feel the demonic energy growing stronger with each step they took. They knew that they were nearing Sasayaku, and the remainder of his forces.

Tiril, on the other hand, could feel Apollyon's presence. It was just as Suzu had said. Unfortunately, he could tell they needed to hurry. Apollyon's life dwindled with every second that went by. There's only three of us… how are we all going to take on forty-something octopuses? The Fallen Angel sighed to himself. He wished he knew what to do. Plus, he didn't have that feeling in his head, so he couldn't randomly say something incredibly helpful.

Finally, the trio saw an opening in the cave wall up ahead. The group could tell that the inside of the cavity was well light. They could hear voices as well. Shuichi was practically shaking with anticipation. He would see Apollyon again. He made it. I'm close, I'm so close…

"Too bad we can't see through walls." Tiril muttered to himself.

"Sh!" Suzu hissed at the boy. Shuichi rolled his eyes as they crept along the wall, trying to keep themselves hidden in case an octopus exited the cavity. At last, they were a few feet away from the opening. Light poured through it and Shuichi could detect the faint odor… of alcohol. There was another stench in the air, but Shuichi couldn't tell what it was.

"You smell that?" Shuichi muttered to Suzu.

"Yeah… seems like they're having fun in there." Suzu narrowed her eyes. "When do we bust in?" Tiril sniffed the air around him.

"Now would be a good time…" A soft, sinister voice said from behind them. The three beings whirled around in shock. Tiril's hand reached up to get his brooch. "Don't even think about it." A snapping sound was heard and the trio was thrown into the lit notch in the cave.

Shuichi was the first to stand. He remembered what Suzu had told him earlier. He used one eye to explore the vicinity… and the other to make sure no one was creeping up on him. They were in an enormous, circular room that consisted of stone walls, a stone floor, and a rather interesting ceiling. The huge ceiling stretched upwards so that it looked like an upside down ice cream cone.

Shuichi noticed that despite its distance from the ground… the ceiling was actually visible. That meant one thing: this was the exit. Sasayaku was here. There was a huge, wooden structure that stood upright in the distance, but the half-demon couldn't see what it was. It didn't help that the "thing" was partially covered with a red sheet.

The room had wooden benches placed around it. Mugs dripping with alcoholic beverages were scattered about them. The tables were filled with octopuses that held multiple mugs with their many legs. Alcohol was on the floor, on the table, and on the octopuses… it was a disgusting sight. For some odd reason, none of the octopuses were even looking at them. It was as if they were invisible.

"It's so good of you to come and visit! We rarely get company here-being that this labyrinth is nearly impossible for demons to find-but nevertheless, we shall welcome you with open arms!" Upon hearing the menacing voice, Shuichi whirled around, as did Tiril and Suzu. What stood before them was so surprising, so unexpected, so…

"What the BLOODY HELL are you doing here Colin?!?" Suzu pointed at the blonde vampire, who was still wearing ridiculously bright clothing.

"Is that any way to speak to your main adversary?!?" Colin screamed back at Suzu. "Cower in fear of me, vile Jezebel!!!!!!"

"You have got to be kidding me…" Shuichi smacked himself in the forehead.

"Ha ha ha!!!! Did you forget my words, foolish maggots?" Colin laughed manically. "I told you people I was going to sell you to the Octo-Dynasty! I have already spoken with Sasayaku! We happen to have much in common. I found this cave light years before you fools came upon it and have been anxiously awaiting-"

"You followed us here." Tiril said flatly, causing Suzu to snort. "You've never even met Sasayaku before." Colin paused in his tirade, his face growing red.

"What do you know about me, little boy?" Colin peered down at Tiril, who stared up at him with ferocity.

"Leave him alone!" Suzu ran forward and punched Colin in the nose. Colin let out a screech and fell onto his knees, wailing in agony.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!? My nose… my beautiful nose…" Colin was in tears, his hands over his bloody nose. "I hope Sasayaku kills you… just like he killed the other visitors…"

"What other visitors?" Shuichi demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"I've got my sources, see? I know people." Colin was back to his smug self, after healing his nose and removing the blood from his face and clothing.

"Want me to break your nose again?" Suzu asked dangerously.

"Ch, I'm only leveling the playing field. Might as well throw you losers a bone…" Colin smiled to himself. "I'm so much more superior than you… it's quite pathetic actually. I mean, a whole team of demons, sent by Akuma himself stormed in here not too long ago. Sasayaku killed them all, boiled their remains… and mixed them with alcohol. You see that 'juice' they're drinking? That's actually all that's left of those demons…"

Suzu's mouth dropped open in shock. "So many demons came… that their remains could provide drinks for all these octopuses?" The demon gulped, watching an octopus slurp down its drink. "That's disgusting."

"Oh yes, it is. I wonder… what will your remains taste like?" Colin sneered at Shuichi. "Will they be sour like my throat? Or sweet like my personality?"

"Why aren't they looking at us?" Tiril turned to Suzu, frowning slightly. "You and Colin were shouting like crazy… and they all just kept on drinking."

"Oh ho ho!!! I see my ingenious spell of invisibility has gone unnoticed by even the Fallen Angel!" Colin cackled again. "Once again, my brilliance surpasses yours… I tell you… I think I've outdone myself this time."

He made us invisible? Shuichi frowned curiously. So he isn't as weak as he looks. I'm guessing his spell prevents the demons from hearing us as well.

Suzu let out a sigh. "That's lovely and all… but where is Sasayaku? We've got an Angel to save!" The female looked around the room.

"Ah yes… in order to do that, you must defeat me." Colin smiled caustically. "If you do not defeat me, I will remove the spell. It will be quite impossible for you to save Apollyon once you have been discovered."

"We don't have time for this!" Tiril shouted in protest. "Apollyon is dying!"

Shuichi's jaw dropped and Suzu's eyes widened. "What??" They shouted simultaneously. Shuichi began mentally panicking. Where the heck was Apollyon?

"Hahahahaha!!! All the more reason why you should hurry!" Colin burst out laughing, throwing his head back in ecstasy.

"You do realize that if Apollyon dies because you delayed us, you will be committing an offense not only against Hell, but Heaven as well." All the humor in Suzu's tone was gone. She looked dead serious. Her purple eye was now red with fury. "And believe me, the Angels would like nothing more than to scoop you up and torture you for the rest of your pathetic afterlife."

Suzu stalked towards Colin, who was backing away in fear. "Shuichi, find Apollyon. Tiril, when Shuichi finds him, put a barrier up around the both of you." The demon turned around once to stare each boy in the eye. "Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Tiril saluted Suzu. Shuichi took off, using Colin's spell to his advantage. He crept about the room, looking for any sign of Apollyon. Suzu continued walking over to Colin, who looked as scared as a bunny surrounded by dragons.

"I'M HOME CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A loud, booming voice shouted out, causing the entire room to vibrate. Shuichi and Suzu froze in their tracks. Colin was so relieved that he passed out, smacked his head against the edge of a table on his way down, and plopped down onto the ground in a rather awkward position.

"He's here…" Tiril whispered ominously.

Where is he? Shuichi looked around rapidly. I can sense his power… How strong is he? For the first time since Shuichi had entered the cave, he actually felt real fear, fear that had taken him by the ankles and turned his entire body upside down. He knew now that this was a test. Could Shuichi defeat him?

"WHAT'S THIS- INTRUDERS IN MY HOME?!?" The voice continued on, causing the mugs on the tables to spill over. All the octopuses halted in their tracks and leapt off their seats. Colin's body began glowing red and he convulsed violently, despite the fact that he was unconscious.

Suzu cursed to herself, already knowing what the voice was doing to Colin. "Shuichi, come over here!!" Suzu ran towards Tiril. The Fallen Angel instinctively took the brooch off his neck. Shuichi began hurrying back to the both of them.

"IT IS TIME TO END THIS FOOLISHNESS!!!" An explosion of white light filled the entire room. The tables were blown away, but the wooden structure stayed put. Shuichi found himself being thrown into the air from the force of the blast and as he fell back down, about five octopuses grabbed him with their legs.

Shuichi began shouting and writhing in protest as his body was hoisted into the air. A tentacle slithered across his mouth and muted him. Another wrapped around his eyes so that he couldn't see. Shuichi began panicking and struggling with more intensity than before.

They can see me now… Shuichi thought weakly to himself. The tentacle covering his mouth was making him nauseous. It reeked of things the half-demon didn't even want to fathom. Another leg enveloped his waist. Shuichi could no longer move. Everything seemed hopeless.

I can't die here! Not now! Shuichi shouted in his head. Apollyon needs me! I made it all the way here… I can't lose now! Shuichi began imagining all the octopuses around him and the liquid that encompassed their bodies…

Okay, so that's it. The next chapter, 27, is entitled: Horobosu. Lol see Shuichi run. See Shuichi fight. See Shuichi kill. All while Horobosu lurks about, waiting for the opportune moment to strike and avenge his brother.

Let me know how it was!! Did you love it? Hate it? Was it okay? Please review!