Author's Note: If you are enjoying this story, then you may want to check out a side fanfiction of this fanfiction that is much more light hearted. It jumps FAR ahead of where we are now, past the England Arc, but I think you may like it. It is called Those Of the Horizon - Side Stories. I would also appreciate your reviews for it.

Arc II - Chp. 13 ; 49 -

At the Honda household, Masazumi, Tenzou, and Ichijou carried Futayo, Tenzou holding her legs while Ichijou held her by her upper body. The stab wound had been dressed properly. Tenzou quitely opened the door, nothing but darkness and a dim changing light could be seen on the hallway wall from an open archway.

"Shh..." Masazumi said to Tenzou quietly, putting a finger to her lip. "My father must still be up."

"You're right, but it is very late..." Tenzou looked up to the dark night sky.

Masazumi scoffed. "My father... gosh..."

"What's wrong, Masazumi?" Tenzou politely inquired.

Masazumi glanced away. "My father... He's really strict... and hard on me..." Tenzou blinked in question. "He's ashamed of me..." Masazumi hung her head down, a shadow casting over her sad eyes. "Ever since Innocentius had exposed me, and Toori, not really helping... He has been overly mad and disgusted by me, and you guys... He believes, stuck in this absurd fantasy that you are all a bad influence me and I'm..." Masazumi started to stutter. "Fo-... Fornicating with the lot of you..."

Ichijou blinked with narrowed eyes as Tenzou only watched Masazumi.

"Hey..." he said to her. "I believe I speak for the rest of us when I say we don't care what your father may think about us. From me to you, what matters is what you think and know about yourself." Tenzou smiled under his scarf as Ichijou nodded. "I think you are a great friend, Masazumi, it doesn't matter what any parents of yours think to me."

"The same is for me, Masazumi." Ichijou added, coming closer to her. "And I'm sure the rest of the Special Units think the same."

Masazumi smiled. "Thanks, you two."

"Don't mention it." Tenzou said.

The two hoisted Futayo to a more comfortable position as Masazumi lead the way into the house. They walked down the hall hosting several doorways, on which held the source of the light. They walked at an even quieter pace, try to cross it. Masazumi peered around the frame to see her father watching a program on a signframe, sipping teaa. Masazumi then turned to the two and nodded. Ichijou and Tenzou silently proceeded behind Masanobu and when they succeeded, they quickened their pace.

Masazumi quietly opened a door leading to a rather large and elegant room, hosting a staircase along the wall, safety rails along it and the walkway ten feet above. They went up the stairs and turned right to a hallway holding several doors. Masazumi lead the way to her door. She carefully opened the door and allowed Tenzou and Ichijou to carry Futayo in.

They softly laid the injured girl on the bed. Tenzou straightened out and Masazumi breathed a sigh of relief as Futayo got herself comfortable in the bed.

"How's your wound, Futayo?" Ichijou asked.

"Better..." she replied, carressing it. "Ninji's healing lucrative really helped."

Masazumi chuckled. "I bet..." She turned to Tenzou. "Alright, what do you say we gather the others and go get Neshinbara?"

"Judge." Tenzou said, pulling up a sign frame. Masazumi turned to Futayo.

"You'll be safe here. Just please, rest..."

Futayo nodded and Masazumi began to turn. "Wait, Masazumi." Futayo reached out, and Tenzou, Masazumi, and Ichijou turned to her. "Could you... uh... Could you give me a hug?.." she asked shyly.

Ichijou looked up with his eyes. I didn't know the tough Futayo could sound so cute.

Masazumi only smiled. "Jud..." She walked over to the bed and crawled over her, then softly took her into her own arms and pulled her to a warm embrace. Ichijou only smiled as Tenzou nodded respectfully, then turned to the signframe. Futayo smiled and returned the kind favor. Tenzou thought of Dame Scarred and wondered what she was doing around this time. His thoughts ended when Masazumi broke the hold.

"We have to go now..."

"Judge." Futayo nodded. "Please bring our commander back, the real one."

"Don't worry about your cousin, Masazumi." Ichijou said, hoisting Maken from his back and resting it on his shoulder with a cool smile. "She's in safe hands, I'll stay and watch after her."

Masazumi and Tenzou appeared surprised. "You, you sure?"

"Yeah?" Tenzou asked. "I'm sure that doppleganger is where ever Neshinbara is..."

Ichijou shook his head. "If I was to see that thing again right now, I'd probably try to kill the thing and screw up. This is about getting Neshinbara out of where ever he is, there will be..." he looked away with a serious face. Masazumi and Tenzou could see the firmness in his eyes and the setting of his mind. "another time... for revenge..."

"..." Masazumi could only stare at his set stance. He appeared to be unmovable at that point. She felt Futayo would be trully safe with this character. "I see. Hituro will probably feel the same..."

"It'd be best if you took none of the Special Unit with you on this operation. Only you guys can do this, it'll be best for you, the others, and him. Don't worry, we'll all still be here when you get back, just make sure you do... alright?"

Tenzou nodded. "I'll ensure it."

"I'll be holding you up to that, Tenzou." Ichijou said. "Where you guys are going is uncharted territory. We are not allowed to be on England yet until Shirojiro can clear something up, so if you get spotted, then we may have an entire war on our hands we might not win."

"I understand. We'll be taking a small party of the class."

"That'll be best." Ichijou turned forward. "Just... stay alive."

They nodded and walked out, and Futayo could only watch as the door closed. Ichijou glared forth with narrowed eyes.

"Damn..."

"What's wrong, Ichijou?" Futayo asked. "Are you scared?"

"To be honest... Yes." He turned to her. "They are going into England where some monster stronger than most of us put together is hiding. I can only hope they succeed, otherwise, I'd hate to ask Ayumi to bring the others in..."

Futayo tilted her head. "You're Special Tactical Unit #1, aren't you?"

"Yes..." He turned to her with a kind face. "Yes I am..."

"Does that make you the supposed leader of the squad?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I am the leader, with Ayumi being next, then Tsukasa. He may unit #5, but he has shown incredible leader ship skills. Our numbers come from the order we were recruited into the squad, not from our rank. I'm simply the leader for being the strongest and Sakai has the most faith in me, but if you ask me, Tsukasa better fits the rank..."

Futayo smiled. "Feel honored, you were chosen for a reason. No friend of my real father would make such a choice unless he knew better otherwise."

"Hmph... I guess you're right..."

"So, they're going out, huh?"

Tsukasa stood at Makiko's porch with Ayumi and Kuina beside him. Ayumi only nodded. "They need to handle this themselves. No help from us."

"Good..." Tsukasa said. The wind blew by briefly, swaying the loose garments of their uniforms slightly. "I need to see if these guys can still carry on by themselves. They let their emotions get too involved with the task at hand."

"Well, what can you say..." Kuina said. "We're all creatures driven by emotion." She turned to Ayumi. "Tsukasa is just too hardened to really understand."

Tsukasa laughed slightly. "Heh, as if... I feel too... I was angry about what that thing did to Futayo, don't get me wrong, but it is just not time to fight it yet. I have to lure into a sense of security that I can't do anything... I will not fight it... not yet."

"Fight what?" The three special units turned to see Amagi stepping out of the house.

"Oh, hey..." Kuina said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Amagi turned to the moon.

Tsukasa planted a hand into his pocket. "How's Hituro doing?"

"He's still sleeping. He hasn't taken this whole thing with Neshinbara too kindly, but he's not running from anyone either."

"He's pretty pissed, huh?" Ayumi said. "Darn, I feel bad for the kid."

Amagi looked to the house. "No... Just sad, but he'll be fine. I wouldn't want to be the one in charge of this whole operation when he finds them though... And I think he may even know who it is."

"It'll just be a wild guess..." Tsukasa said, turning away. "Doesn't matter though, those guys are going to bring Neshinbara back finally. Let's just hope he's still alive after these five days..."

Amagi simply turned to walk inside the house and sat down. Good, with this doppleganger running around, they have no time to even consider my reasons for being here... Soon, it'll only be a matter of time before I can convince Mister Shirokage that these embicels are way too weak for him to even serve with. Soon, I'll have converted one of Musashi's strongest to his Holiness' side. Amagi smiled faintly. Yes, I will...

A scream pierced her mind. She sat up and looked around.

Was that Masazumi? She looked around again and to the door to see no one there.

Si-in

Amagi turned to the front of the living room to see nothing there. "H-hello."

"Amagi?"

"Huh?" The automaton turned to see Kuina behind her. She blinked in wonder.

"Are you okay?" Kuina leaned in a little. Amagi only blinked again, then turned around.

"Jud, I'm fine."

Kuina smiled. "Alright then..." the girl walked away as Amagi stared at her hands.

What was that voice... Where did everyone go just then? Amagi sat back. I wonder... What that feeling was... Darkness... A thick cloud or something... then that scream. I couldn't have just imagined it... Amagi turned to the door. Maybe... this doppleganger isn't the most of our problems... "But I guess we'll see soon enough..."