In the morning hours in Portland Oregon at a park with the Sun slowly rising up behind the clouds that keep the sky gray, Yuuko and the Mokonas were waiting for August and Markus to show up. It was at the very park they had their drinking party at and is the agreed upon location to meet at since it wouldn't be necessary for Markus to enter the shop. Yuuko had received an urgent call from August last night after he had arrived to his apartment only moments before having a text from Markus.

Yuuko wears an ornate white jacket on with black patterns on her sleeves that slither up looking like dragons and wears a long grey skirt the goes down to her ankles with her wearing high heels. Beneath her white jacket is a black sleeveless shirt she wears. Her long black hair is worn in a ponytail that travels down her back.

The two Mokonas were playing on the playground equipment, practically going all over the place in it. The two never left each other's side playing around on it and were as thick as thieves.

Yuuko waits patiently for the two of them. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long as the suv parks at a spot some meters away from the playground equipment. August and Markus exit the car and made their way to Yuuko. She gives a sincere smile to the both of them.

"Hello again Markus." Said Yuuko, with her voice as serene as a breeze. Her red eyes were on Markus.

Markus was momentarily taken aback by her beauty again. He snaps out of it moments after. "Hey there, it's been a little while." Markus greets her shyly. "I see you're treating him well lately."

"He's been quite the miracle worker at my shop and is quite a help. How can I not?" Yuuko chuckles softly to Markus.

August, with clearly tired eyes, responds to Yuuko's claim with a snort. "I'm not that good."

Yuuko ignores August's response to her praise and instead has her attention on Markus. "So Markus, I have heard that you have a problem. Do you care to elaborate what troubles you so?"

"This is going to sound absolutely strange, and this has plagued my memory for a long time." Markus starts with a stammer. "I think the Black Dog from England has come back to haunt me."

"Black Dog?" August queried.

Yuuko looks to August. "He is more than likely referring to the Black Shuck, or in other words what you're more familiar with being referred to as the Hell Hound."

This gave August pause for a moment then he remembers having that conversation from before talking about the creature. "That I remember."

Markus shivered slightly at the mere mention of the word Hell Hound being spoken from Yuuko's lips. "That's the one."

"How many times have you seen it?" Yuuko asks Markus.

Markus gulps. "Once when I was really small, still living in England, near a graveyard. It chased me for I don't know how long; I thought it was going to get me when I was running all the way home for safety. When I looked back, it was gone."

August looked stunned at the explanation Markus has given for his first encounter of the Hell Hound. "I never knew you saw that thing before. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I honestly thought that it was all a nightmare, a bad dream, something my little kid mind had imagined. I didn't think it was anything more than just a dog after that, until recently that is when I was on my way home from work coming over a hill at night. That same dog… oh God the baying it made when it saw me…" Markus trails off, taking a seat on a bench as he quivers with fear remembering that night.

August just looks to Markus, sympathetically. "Christ…" He said beneath his breath.

Yuuko's expression was more serious with a frown worn on her face. "That's not good." Yuuko said plainly.

August looks to Yuuko, wanting to know answers that he needs to hear. "What do you think will happen if he were to see the Hell Hound for a third time?" He wanted to stay strong but the dread of knowing the answer can be heard escaping his lips.

Yuuko's red eyes look to August's brown eyes, her expression unchanging. "If Markus were to see the entity for a third time, death would surely follow after." Yuuko said solemnly, confirming August's fear. "The Hell Hound is a creature that is very closely associated with death and the dead. In the ages past, they were thought as guides helping the wandering souls find their way to the spirit world. Usually, they tend to stick around graveyards and they usually tend to be at the East Coast of North America and in England. This one seems like it's looking for something."

"You really think so?" August said with his voice a little higher. Yuuko nods to his concerned question.

"It's awfully far away for this one to be in its native range. Something or someone somehow got its attention." Said Yuuko. The gears in her head were moving, trying to make sense of the Black Dog's presence in Portland Oregon of such places for it to be wandering around.

Markus was silent throughout the conversation. He is nothing short of terrified for his life. "What do I do?" Markus quietly stammered to himself hoping for an answer.

Yuuko gives Markus a warm gentle smile upon her face and gives him her answer to him. "Continue on as normal." Yuuko answered Markus. He looks up in confusion looking at Yuuko. "We will have it all figured out."

Markus makes a crooked smile on his face. August smiles widely, he's absolutely confident in Yuuko's ability in dealing with the Hell Hound.

"He will, that is." Yuuko said as she points to August thus draining all the color off his face.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." August said as he grimaces.

"Well, can I come and help then if you can use the company?" Markus asks August and Yuuko.

Yuuko shook her head. "I'm not making you risk your life. I do have someone else in mind that can help."

Later on, towards the twilight hours of the day back at the shop, Maru and Moro can be heard giggling as they played about with their games and fun between the two of them. August sat, puzzling in his mind with the Hell Hound and how best to deal with it; frustration was visible in his expression. Yuuko elegantly lounges on her couch throne, smoking from her pipe, looks at August with a knowing that there needs to be a plan to be taken.

"You know, for a lot of the tasks that you had done involving spirits chasing you, you've handled it quite well considering the charm on around your neck." Yuuko said as she points to the Silver Eagle charm necklace that adorns August's neck. "But, I fear that just like with the ones last month, the charm won't be as effective, not on the Hell Hound of course."

"Thanks for confirming the obvious." August sarcastically said. "The two that I encountered last month were bad enough. This one's basically facing Medusa; I can't make eye contact with that thing."

Yuuko smiles smugly at August. "I did mention you wouldn't be going this alone."

August pauses then looks to Yuuko curiously. "Are you going along? You strike me as someone that knows what you're doing."

Yuuko shook her head. "Unfortunately, I cannot." Said Yuuko. "If I were to be involved, Markus would also have to give me payment."

August's eyes widened realizing that Markus would more than likely be in the same situation he is in. "I think I get the point." August said. "So who's coming with?"

Yuuko points to the bag, a small sized backpack with angel wings on it. August looks at the small bag with a raised brow, doubt was on his mind. "This one would give you more of a protection than that charm of yours." Yuuko stated.

"Alright, so where do I start with this Hell Hound thing?" August asks, nervous about what he is about to get into.

"Well I think you already know where to go. To the graveyard, is it?" Yuuko said whist smiling. "Your nocturnal habits may be of benefit to you."

Later on, in the dark of a foggy night, August now wearing a small white backpack sets foot into the graveyard where he suspects the Hell Hound is going to be at in its haunts. August treads carefully within the graveyard; it's hard to see with his footing as the fog casts everything in a deep haze. August minds his footing near the graves wishing to respect the dead.

"Well, I'm here." August gravely said to himself. "If not for the fog; it would have been a little easier seeing that thing here but I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

August was careful to also not try and look for the Hell Hound; he already knows what kind of misfortune it would bring. Then he thought for a second then he remembers the backpack he has and figures that now is a good time to see what protection he has. August opens up the bag only to be greeted by a small black fur ball. It's the Black Mokona.

"Hello!" He squeaks happily.

"Mokona! You're the protection?!" August hissed both confused and a bit upset.

"Yuuko entrusted me to keep you safe and be your eyes so you don't accidently see the Hell Hound!" Black Mokona squeaks in response.

"Pipe down, will you. It'll hear you." August said trying to hush the small creature in the bag. "However, I wouldn't mind having the company here in this place at least."

"Why do you think I'm here?" The Black Mokona replies rhetorically. "Just stand still and don't look for anything."

August understood what Black Mokona meant and did what he was told. He simply stood and lets the Mokona sit atop his head to look around for the creature. He then heard a loud barking causing him to jump out of his skin and looks around. He looked beyond the graveyard and sees the silhouette of a shape of a dog in the fog only to reveal a stray black Rottweiler at the fence with his paws on it, growling at August. August held his hand over his pounding heart as he looks at the dog. He starts to laugh a little bit to himself.

"Holy crap! You scared the bejesus out of me." August said to the dog beyond the fence as he was laughing. Suddenly he felt a small smack that felt more like a pat on his head by the Mokona.

"You fool! What if that was the Hell Hound!?" Black Mokona squeaks in irritation.

"Ah, no harm done, it's just a dog. That darn Lost Tapes series really over hyped this stuff with this type of thing." August said as he stood back up looking at the dog that now suddenly was whimpering and fled off away from the graveyard.

August looked momentarily confused by the dog running away until he heard the loudest baying he had ever heard in his life. He stood frozen still after hearing the sound behind him. His expression went from amused to pure dread.

"That was the Hell Hound wasn't it?" August said with his teeth practically chattering and not moving.

The Black Mokona was looking in the direction behind August. Then he hops into the bag and takes a silver mirror out and gives it to August. "Use the mirror. Have a look for yourself." He squeaks.

August hesitantly looks into the reflection of the mirror and sees the very thing behind him in another silhouette. This time, it's in the graveyard with them and its eyes glow a murderous red against the murky black of its body. August can definitely discern that this was no simple dog judging from the outline and its shape as it looks monstrous against the tombstones compared to the other dog. Its hair looked shaggy and its ears looked almost like large horns on its head. The Hell Hound is growling a low rumble that August felt in his bones shaking.

"Um, Mokona, what do I do?" August asks through chattering teeth.

"Well uh-" Before Mokona could give a response to August; the Hell Hound took a step towards August following it up with a deafening bark now causing August to flee out of the graveyard with Mokona in hand that now is screaming in surprise of August running as he's screaming. The Hell Hound gives chase after them leaving the graveyard.

August now runs through the streets away from the ghostly dog that chases after him. He takes to the alley ways to avoid the Hell Hound that effortlessly chases. The Black Mokona clings onto August with his small paws gripping on his shirt. August tries everything he can to throw debris to slow down the Hell Hound. The Hell Hound came inches to August and nearly sank its teeth in him but missed with a snap of its jaws biting air. August ran for as much as his legs could take him. When he sees with the mirror that he lost the Hell Hound, he takes a moment to rest at a wall.

August felt a poke on the top of his head from Mokona. "You nearly made me fall, you nincompoop!" He squeaks with irritation as he bonks on his head that still felt more like pokes.

"Oh, my bad, I think I nearly died with that thing chasing us!" August growled sarcastically. "It wasn't exactly like I had time to think as soon as demon dog started coming after me."

"Well thanks to you, we have to improvise the plan!" Black Mokona squeaks.

August was flabbergasted. "What plan!? I wasn't told any of that back at the shop!"

"If you'd trust me, it would have been resolved already!" He squeaks. "We were going to get someone to face the Hell Hound also."

"Oh now who would that be Mokona?" August grumbles.

"I had a trap in mind for the beasty!" The Black Mokona squeaks.

"That's your plan!?" August growls.

The Black Mokona bonks August's head again, feeling like pokes. "We would have stood a chance against that doggy!"

Before the two of them could argue any further, the two of them have heard a growling sound coming from around a corner. August held the mirror and looks into the reflection once again trying to see the Hell Hound. Once he has angled it to where he can see, it was too clear for him that it was very close to them.

"Mokona, do you have any suggestions for our next move?" August was back to teeth chattering.

"Well, since you've asked so politely, we get back to the shop. The barrier around the shop would not only block his entry but it would weaken it." The Black Mokona explains.

"Oh, I already like the sound of that, a thousand fold!" August said a little too loudly. The Hell Hound lunges out from the corner just as August dodges it and flees away from the Hell Hound. The chase continues.

The Hell Hound bounds after the two of them in the foggy streets in Portland. Every minute August runs from the Black Dog, it gets closer to him. He runs while holding the Black Mokona in his hands with the mirror. August is running for his life as the Hell Hound gets closer to him and Mokona. It seems like he was doomed to suffer the jaws of the demon dog. However, hope is now in sight for August. The white fence now seems to get closer to him as he runs towards it.

It felt like it lasted thirty minutes for August to reach the shop but being close to death has ways of making things longer than they actually are as it took only two minutes to get there as he saw it in sight. August sees the entry way, and he sees the shop as well just behind the fence.

The Hell Hound was merely a foot away from him now, snapping its jaws trying to get a bite out of August. The hound got closer and closer to him that his teeth practically tasted him.

August makes a leap towards the gateway with the Black Mokona and the mirror in hand just as the Hell Hound leaps after them. August makes it through the barrier. The Hell Hound was met with a painful shock, causing the beast to whine and scream in pain causing it to bounce away from the barrier. The infernal hound stands back up and growls with a fury at August that now lays on the ground face down within the barrier of the fence in the reflection of the mirror before the hound looks up and backs away slowly as if he's now afraid of something.

August looks up in front of him and is met with a sight that can be only described as multiple things ranging from majestic, beautiful, and yet terrifying all at the same time. Yuuko stood in front of August dressed in her black dress, with August now having a better view of the details on it up close. It is all black with the white markings that resemble very stylized eyes for its design and it seems to glisten in the light seemingly making it sparkle. Yuuko wore a hair dress that makes her long black hair go down her back in a ponytail and is flanked by two crescent moon designs on her hair dress. Her red eyes were glaring at the Hell Hound that stood beyond the fences gate. There seems to be a very powerful aura that emits from Yuuko's presence. Unlike the smoke August sees emitting off of people, Yuuko seems to be glowing.

No words were exchanged, only an understanding was met as soon as the two locked eyes on one another. The Hell Hound retreats and vanishes in the fog as a ghostly visage in the night. The fire that was in Yuuko's red eyes has vanished, along with the aura surrounding her, and is replaced with disappointment as she looks at August.

August's eyes were locked on Yuuko's now practically feeling as if he were in the presence of a queen that has little patience for error as he felt himself quiver before her. "Gomen'nasai." He spoke, unsure if speaking in Japanese would mean more or not as an apology for his failure.

Yuuko simply stood before August with the disappointment in her eyes for August's failure on his end to fulfill the plan. She sighs and has her eyes closed briefly then opens them back up and gives him her gentle smile that she has always displayed for him before. She reaches her hand out to him to help him stand up to meet her eye to eye again.

August accepts and stood up. He remained silent and was uncertain of what currently goes through Yuuko's mind. The Black Mokona hops off of August and joins with the White Mokona and snuggles with one another affectionately.

"You learn more from failure." Yuuko finally said. "There is a chance to get to the Hell Hound another time."

"I understand." August replies silently.

She strokes his cheek. "You sleep here for tonight. No buts." Yuuko softly requests August.

August nods in understanding and walks into the shop beside Yuuko through the doors.

A short time later, August lies in the guest bed with his thoughts going a million miles an hour as it always has for a long time for him. Yuuko sees that despite the late hours of the night, he is still wide awake and has decided to stay with him until he falls asleep. Maru and Moro peeked in the room.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume that had I have not used the mirror in those three instances I've seen devil dog, I think I would have been a goner for sure." August said. "It was because the mirror is made of silver, wasn't it?"

Yuuko smiles. "A good observation, but silver alone wasn't what gave the mirror its special power." She clarifies. "Part of Perseus' shield was used in making that mirror."

August's eyes widened with this fact with fascination. Doubt hung in the back of his mind, thinking back to all the stories in Greek mythology, he knew it would come in handy. "The Perseus?" August asks with Yuuko's response being a nod.

"That mirror came to me from a client a long time ago. It had belonged to an alchemist that had sought for eternal life." Yuuko explains. She then sees the wonder struck in August's eyes almost immediately. "Now before you get too excited, it wasn't Nicolas Flamel."

The excitement vanishes in his eyes and then had a more intrigued expression. "I see." He breathes as he scratches his chin.

"You also have someone to thank for your survival." Yuuko adds.

"Right, Mokona has helped me out." August said. "Think the company helped quite a bit over in that graveyard, especially in the fog."

Yuuko smiles seeing that he has acknowledged his little helper.

Then there is something that has confused August with his thoughts and desiring answers. "I know your deal with the bad medicine man and what not, but why didn't you go after the Hell Hound?" August asks wanting a genuine answer. "You looked like you were about to knock that thing into next week and I can see you being capable of that."

Yuuko frowns and looks into his eyes. "It isn't simply that I intended for the creature to be let go. I actually can't intervene very often."

"Why not?" August asks.

"You've heard much of me online, correct?" Yuuko queries.

"Enough to understand that there's something powerful about you. Being with you in person was all the confirmation I wanted." August responds as he nods.

"Then you would also understand that I cannot simply use it very often and sparingly." Yuuko explains. "I think a certain comic book had said it quite appropriately. I needn't have to quote that myself. A lot of people know it. Plus, I am bound by the laws of the universe with such power."

"I see what you're talking about." August said, now understanding exactly what she means. "With great power comes great responsibility. Yeah, that part."

Yuuko smiles and chuckles. Her beautiful red eyes seem to fill August's brown eyes as he seems to get more tired. He yawns as he stretches himself. He is tired but his eyes still fight to stay awake.

She puts her hand on his head and softly ruffles his blue hair, a reassuring reminder to him that despite all of the stories and tales he had heard of Yuuko and having a rough idea of just how powerful she is. He finds her to be rather gentle and playful when she wants to be.

Yuuko's red eyes still looks into August's brown eyes that slowly got heavier. "Were you frightened of me earlier?" Yuuko asks. "Be honest."

August shook his head. "No, you did not." August answers tiredly. "You had an intimidating presence and at the very first glimpse you had me scared. Now-" He yawns tiredly, having his response cut off. "Now, I know you're a good person in this dark little world."

Yuuko softly chortles as she retracts her hand from August's blue hair. "Get some sleep now August."

August didn't need much encouragement. His eyes slid shut in slumber as he had given her his answer. He sleeps silently in bed.

Yuuko leaves the room and looks to Maru and Moro. "August sleeps here tonight. We'll have to try again tomorrow night for the creature." Yuuko said to the twins.

"Yes Mistress." Both the twins chirped.

In the morning hours with the sun shining through the shop, August wakes up from his sleep. Both the Mokonas seem to cuddle up to August when he was asleep that night. "Huh, alright snuggly sleepy fur balls. I'm awake now."

"Aw. You were so comfy!" The White Mokona squeaks.

"We figured you could use some company in your sleep." The Black Mokona squeaks.

"Aw, well now aren't you two sweet." August said before getting up.

A brief moment later, August exits the room in a different set of clothes as his sleeping attire. He looks for Yuuko in the shop. The two Mokonas hopped out of the guest room in a playful manner, going about to do whatever games they so pleased. August comes to the veranda to find Yuuko sitting at her table.

As ever as she always has, Yuuko is dressed eloquently. She dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt with purple and yellow designs that compliments her dress. She has a glass of lemonade in front of her on the table, half full. Her hair streams down her back. Yuuko's eyes focus on August as soon as he comes to the veranda.

"You're awake at last." Yuuko said to August as he comes to sit at the table. "You sleep alright?"

"Waking up to Mokonas cuddling up to me was a nice change." August said as he chuckles. "I think I actually could have used that bed after that last night."

She chuckles also. "They really do like you." Yuuko said as she places her head on her hand. Her red eyes fixed on August. "Later on tonight, you and Mokona are going to try again. However, the both of you will have some help this time around."

"Takuma?" August asks only to have his answer be known with her head shaking. "Who then?"

"A friend of mine called me earlier today, just before you woke up. She seeks to protect Markus." Yuuko said.

August raises a brow, absolutely confused by this update from Yuuko. "I'm gonna go ahead and assume you've met this one in another bar somewhere."

Yuuko smirks, amused at his assumption. "Not immediately that is. I've met her in India. That place was so scorching hot. I suppose it was more like she got me to the bar to hydrate me. Then the drinking came shortly after." Yuuko said much to her amusement, laughing about it.

"Not surprised." August deadpans.

"She has arranged for us to meet in person. She thinks you are intimidated by her." She says as she drinks her lemonade.

"Intimidated? I don't even know who she is." August was even more confused.

Later on in the high noon of the day, the two of them stood atop the roof a building in Portland. August stood, still confused by whom he is meeting. Yuuko stood in front of August confidently, waiting for her friend to meet them there. August looks at Yuuko.

"She will come." Yuuko said as she held a pocket watch in hand only to place it back in her pocket of the purse.

August stood apprehensively curious to see who would come. He didn't need to wait long; a puff of smoke appears in front of them. As soon as the smoke dispersed, a small log was in front of them. His curiosity was becoming overwhelmed at the sight of the lone log on the roof of the building they stood at; Yuuko didn't blink at the sight of it, only smiled.

"Hello weird human!" An excited voice came from behind August. At first he jumped at the sound of the voice only to be greeted by someone he could only describe as quirky. She wears a green short sleeved shirt and mahogany pants. Her hair was varying shades of blue and her eyes were a bright hazel. Her forehead adorns a bindi red dot. She was lying on her side and floating.

"What in the world?" August gasps at the sights of the floating stranger. "Who are you?"

"Linna Lakshmi Green." The curious girl stated as she levitates in front of August and Yuuko. Her hazel eyes have the snake slit pupils. Linna gives August a toothy grin. "Seems like my big sister already knows who you are, Augy."

Yuuko chuckles to the nickname Linna has opted to give August.

"Is this the friend of yours you were talking about and who's her big sister?" August inquires to Yuuko as he faces her.

"I think you'll see her soon enough, August." Yuuko said.

Like clockwork, a long black and red shadow stretches out to the sky as it rises up from below like a dragon. The face and maw were present on the front end of the serpent's body with wild black hair and red highlights at the ends of them. August stood close to Yuuko, holding her hand, he knows that serpent and she terrifies him. She slithers about around the two of them; her glowing green gaze regards the two of them and a smile forms in her glowing green maw. She intimidates August quite a bit as he shivers in her presence with only Yuuko being his only safety with the long serpent's shadowy body surrounding them as the human face of the creature looks at them. Yuuko on the other hand showed no such fear.

"You know me informally little human." The shadowy serpent's hiss echoes as she slithers closer to them. Her green gaze stares at August causing him to be paralyzed.

"Yuuko… this snake is getting really close." August stutters. He couldn't help but keep his eyes on the serpent staring at him.

The description August describes her made the serpent back away from August. "A snake… am I?" She hisses with her S being stretched out with her evident accent followed by a flick of her forked tongue.

"Alright Nagina, that's enough terrifying August." Yuuko interjects as she smirks.

The shadowy serpent smirks then backs off from the two of them. Her whole body converges into one spot in a pile of coils with her head atop them. With all her body in one place, the shadowy form evaporates into black smoke, what emerges from the smoke has August's eyes go wide with realization. He looks at Yuuko and looks at the now human formed Nagina, he would have mistaken them for sisters if not for the obvious differences.

"So you were following me that whole time?!" August yelped.

Nagina chuckles heartily to August being afraid of her and not knowing who she is in her other form. "Wasn't it obvious?" Nagina said before pointing to her highlighted hair and bindi dot. Her green snake eyes looks at August with a smile. She is dressed in rather casual attire, in a purple shirt and blue jeans with a sash as her belt.

August places his hand on his forehead. "Of course." He grunted.

Yuuko looks at August while smiling. "You're holding my hand again." She teases.

August looks and blushes furiously and let go of Yuuko's hand. Nagina snickered at the sight. "Quite friendly with one another I see." Nagina says with a hiss. "But, I suppose fun times can wait. You and I have a common interest. A common enemy to face. A friend we must defend."

"You want to help us, Nagina?" August asks quizzically followed by Nagina nodding. "How do you know Markus?"

Nagina smiles serenely. "Do you recall him mentioning having an imaginary friend?" Nagina responds with a question of her own. "He had often seen this friend of his throughout his youth in England. I am his imaginary friend, only I'm not quite imaginary."

"What's your stake on him?" August asks with his brows furrowed. "And how come he hasn't brought you up to me yet lately?"

August regrets asking the second question as he sees Nagina flicker her snake tongue out and in with a hiss. "You see, I had my attention drawn away from him for a while and I saw the damage done to him. I intend to resolve it and it appears the Hell Hound has found him also." She said solemnly.

"You can trust her, August." Yuuko finally said to August. She was smiling sweetly to him.

He faces Yuuko and nods hesitantly. "I'm just really scared of snakes." August said.

Nagina inches closer to August and wraps her arm around his shoulder as her green snake eyes looks him in his eyes making him feel paralyzed with fear and making him gulp. "Oh, I promise you by the time all of this is taken care of; you would be so much less frightened of me that you would find me quite enchanting." Nagina hisses teasingly. Her eyes got closer to August and he could have sworn he saw a kaleidoscope of warm colors flowed through her eyes before looking away from them. "I may even help with your… sleepy problem of yours."

He shook in her grip and stuck close to Yuuko, wanting this to be over. "Maybe… next time after dealing with the devil dog." August said as he inches back from Nagina's face. His brown eyes face Yuuko's red eyes, begging her to do something.

"You'll have your fun when all of this is finished. For now, leave him be. You're terrifying my full-timer." Yuuko said humorously to Nagina with a chuckle.

Nagina's kaleidoscope colors disappear from her eyes and she let go of August as she smiles at Yuuko. "Tonight, let's help Markus." Nagina said. She then faces August. "You remember the old Chinese tale of Lady White Snake? I am her descendent, Nagina Parvati White."

August simply stood still slack jawed next to Yuuko, whom is looking at him.

"Quite the prestige, don't you think?" Linna says to August as she skips to Nagina's side. "She's practically royalty herself."

The two bow to Yuuko. "We will do what we can to assist August on this job in ridding the Hell Hound." Nagina states to Yuuko.

"Thank you." Yuuko simply said.

After the exchange, the two of them vanish leaving only August and Yuuko on the rooftop. August momentarily looks around before he truly knows they were the only ones on the roof. He sighs; his heart had been racing the whole time.

Yuuko has her arms crossed and smiles confidently to August. "So, tonight you and Nagina will try this again." Yuuko softly spoke to August. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Snake lady kinda intimidates me a little." August replies shakily.

Yuuko simply chuckles to his response. "She's not all that bad. You two should know what to do. In the meantime get yourself ready."

Night time has come again, sooner than August would have liked but he knows that what he does and what Nagina does depends on it for Markus. He had called Nina earlier to make sure she had given him a ride when he gets off work ensuring that no further issues could come around. The Black Mokona perched on his shoulder as he crawled out of his bag; he looks to the air and sees the shadowy form of Nagina slithering through the sky on patrol. August was looking up also and wasn't sure if he was glad Nagina was around or if he was dreading her. He then looks around the graveyard with his mirror in hand.

"At least now there's a better success rate with dragon lady flying around here in the night." August said just before gulping with dread still looking for the Hell Hound. "Still am unsure of whom I should be more afraid of though."

"You'll be fine, August." Mokona squeaks reassuringly. "She's got an upper hand over the big mean doggy!"

"I suppose, just may as well sit around until I hear the Hound of the Baskervilles over here." August says as he leans over on the metal fence. Then he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket, he takes it out and sees that Nina is calling him. He answers it right away. "Hey there Nina."

"August, we have a problem. Markus isn't there." Nina says in a panic over the phone.

He shoots up and is alert. Eyes wide open. "What? Why?" August worries.

"They sent him home early and he is walking home right now." Nina replies hurriedly. "What do I do?"

"I think that question answers itself; we get to him before the Ole' Black Dog gets to Markus." He said in a flustered voice. "We gotta improvise this plan. We need to hurry!"

With that August hung up and rushes out of the graveyard. He looks up at the shadowy serpent Nagina as she slithers through the sky invisible to all but August.

"I see that the plans have changed." She hisses monotonously. Nagina follows August in rapid slithering motions as August jogs over to the road Markus is using.

Meanwhile in the thick fog of night, Markus walks the lonely road of the neighborhood in Portland on his way home. He was at first unaware but felt eyes on him. He fought every urge to look behind himself.

"Pad… pad… pad…" The sounds of a second set of footsteps were being made behind Markus. They were slow and purposeful, all with malice behind those footsteps.

Markus couldn't help but pick up his pace as he walks faster as he has heard the second set of footsteps behind him. He is getting nervous.

"Pad pad pad" The footsteps picked up pace with Markus. Panting can be heard behind him.

Markus took a glance behind him and was faced with the dark visage of the beast that has tormented him so from across the world in England. He recognizes those glowing eyes against the all black body of the dog. His heart was throbbing at the sight of it. The instant he looks at it, he heard it bay at him and no sooner than it did Markus ran for his life as if he was fleeing death incarnate itself.

What feels like an hour running from the Hell Hound took him less than two minutes to get to his house. Markus swings the door open and in quick succession flings himself inside and swings the door shut before the Hell Hound could even get in the house. He locks the door and barricades it with a chair against it. As soon as Markus did, the door was met with loud banging and scratching and growling.

His two parents came downstairs; both were tired at first but are wide awake as soon as they heard the door banging.

"Mum! Dad! The dog's back!" Markus cries as he helplessly presses himself against the wall away from the door.

His father ran back into the bedroom and grabbed a bat and ran downstairs next to the door that continuously bangs. Markus' mother steps in front of him and is pushing him upstairs as he struggles to budge.

Outside the house at the door, the Black Dog was pounding on the door with his front paws and is audibly growling. He is trying to break in and claim Markus. As the dog slams on the door, a water balloon splashes on the shadowy hound and he turns around and growls with his red teeth showing that looks like fire coming out of his mouth.

August was the one that threw the balloon at the dog and was staring right at the dog.

"I'm looking right at him!" August screams.

Black Mokona bonks on August's head. "Snap out of it! Lead beasty away!"

August didn't have to be told twice, he dashes away from the hound and now is being chased by it himself.

"I got a pretty dumb idea and I hope to God it works!" He shouts as he leads the Hell Hound away from Markus' house.

Inside, everything is tense, all is quiet now. His father lowers his bat and looks at Markus. "What the heck is going on? Twice in one week!?" His father said in irritation and fear.

"The dog… dog is back… he's going to get me… I didn't want it to be real and here it is…" Markus was talking to himself, at times incoherently, with fear as he rocks himself into a panic.

Then there was a knock on the door. His father tenses up and raises his bat, Markus quivers in fear, and his mother urges Markus to go upstairs trying to push him up.

"Alright, who's there!?" Markus' father barks

"It's me, Nina!" Markus' girlfriend shouted from behind the door. "I want to make sure he's ok."

His father eases up and puts the bat down against the wall and opens the door. Nina steps in and sees Markus in his sorry state of panic.

"Nina, what's going on?" Markus' mother inquires curiously.

"I don't know. I'm about as lost and as confused as you are Maria." Nina says as she shook her head. She comes over to Markus.

Markus looks at Nina. He was normally a lot braver than he had been before but tonight it made him feel like he was a frightened six year old boy back in England all over again. He was crying and comes into embrace Nina.

A good distance away from Markus' house, the hellish dog was making chase after August through the streets of Portland's neighborhoods. August was employing all kinds of maneuvers to keep the beast at a distance from him and from losing him.

"August, are you sure this will work?!" The Black Mokona squeaks his query.

"Trust me! Holy ground's going to at the very least slow this sucker down a lot!" August loudly explains to the Black Mokona as he ran from the Hell Hound. His eyes were set on a church as his trap for the dog. The holy building was getting slowly closer to him with each step he is making towards it.

The Hell Hound inched closer to him with his teeth gnashing to bite him and tear him apart for the water balloon. The smell of August's blood was overwhelming to the beast's senses and couldn't resist a taste of him, just as August had planned.

Faster than he would have expected in his adrenaline induced run for his life from the Hell Hound, he reaches the church. He flings the door open and rushes inside the church and closes the big door shut before the Hell Hound gets in. There was banging from the other end but it seems to be much more labored as being near the church seemed to be weakening him a lot. The energy of the church seems to drain the hound's power every time it tried to bang on the door.

Outside Nagina in her spectral serpentine form floats just above the church with the Hell Hound trying desperately to get into the church to get August to have his blood. The serpent flings herself towards the shadowy dog with her maw wide open to bite. He looks up and realizes that the spirit had set sights on him and dodges her strike in time to avoid her blow. After seeing her, the Hell Hound flees the scene and sprints back to Markus' house.

August realizes that the banging has stopped and was quiet. He opens the door slowly to peak outside with the mirror in hand to see if the Hell Hound was outside, it wasn't but instead Nagina was out there causing him to flinch away slightly from the sight of her spectral form.

"Did you get him?" August asks.

"He got away." Nagina hissed in irritation. "We need to stop him."

Mokona looks to August. "Uh oh."

Back inside Markus' house in the living room, Nina receives a text on her phone with a buzz. She looks and the message reads. 'The Hell Hound is coming to the house. Barricade yourselves immediately and don't look at it.'

"We need to head upstairs, now!" Nina shouted.

Maria and Markus and his father looked at Nina collectively as they rested themselves in the living room.

"Why is that?" Maria asks worriedly.

"Oh god…" Markus whispers quietly, he knows exactly what Nina means. "It's coming back!"

Nina, Markus, and Maria all went upstairs while his father locked all the doors downstairs but is standing his ground at the front door with a bat in hand. Maria notices her husband at the door waiting for the dog to come.

"Eustace, what in the world are you doing!?" Maria asks her husband with worry and confusion.

Eustace looks up at his wife going upstairs. "Someone's gotta stop that mutt!" He said gruffly.

Nina interjects. "You can't look at that dog! The very sight of that thing will end very badly for all of us!"

Right as Nina said this, the door starts banging loudly causing the entire house to shake. Loud growling can be heard from behind the door with a rage that is now present in his weakened state. Eustace immediately drops his bat and runs upstairs to join the three of them. The banging continues on the door, the house shakes causing the glassware to crash to the floor and break to pieces.

The four of them huddled into the bathroom with the door locked and were frightened by everything that is happening. The Hell Hound stops banging on the door. Things were quiet. Markus looks up from his spot and looks towards the door.

"Is he… is he gone?" Markus asks himself. He soon was answered with a bay loud enough to shake the entire house on its foundation causing him and the others to scream.

The Black Dog is at the backyard of the house and is eyeing the glass backdoor, a very easy entry point to break into the house. He charges at the glass door only for his eyes to widen and jump backwards in the nick of time to evade Nagina's jaws once again swooping from above trying to get the Hell Hound. The shadowy serpent now sits between the spectral dog and the backdoor. She glares at the hound before shifting to her human form clad in the same uniform as earlier in the day only this time brandishing a gold hilted scimitar, pointing the curved blade at the demon.

"You are much too close to him, beast." Nagina said to the Hell Hound with scorn in her eyes. "Turn back now and end your hunt, this is a fight you will lose in."

The Hell Hound snarls and was pacing back and forth in front of Nagina in irritation of being blocked from his quarry. He lets out a thunderous bay like a battle cry and charges at Nagina while she takes a defensive stance readying to strike back.

Away from the battle that can be heard coming from the back, August is at the front yard of the house finding his way in through one of the windows. He sees that a window towards Markus' room is cracked open enough where he can enter his room. Then he sees the tree that sits right in front of the window with easier access with the rooftop sloping down smoothly enough to where he can have his footing.

The Black Mokona is with August looking at the window, the tree and its branches, then to August looking at where he is going. "Just don't fall like last time, George of the Jungle." He squeaks humorously and giggles.

"Don't remind me what happened that time at the park, Mokona!" August barks irritably.

He then goes up to the tree and begins climbing up the tree methodically, traversing the branches and minding his footing. He has climbed up the tree rather quickly knowing that timing is of the essence to get to Markus before it does. He comes to the branch that reaches out towards the roof of Markus' house and window. He makes a small leap to the roof landing on it easily, he comes and opens the window, and then he crawls through it. He shuts and locks the window upon entry.

He is in Markus' room that is filled with memorabilia of pictures of bands, soccer teams, and pictures of his own artwork. At a wall on the table in a large black box shaped enclosure that houses a Boa Constrictor with the enclosure labeled Little Lucy. The snake in question was looking right at August from inside the cage. This made August shiver slightly as he sees the snake looking at him as he rushes past her enclosure.

"Pretty snakey!" The Black Mokona squeaks a compliment to Lucy.

"Nope!" August shouts as he exits the room with Mokona on his shoulder and promptly shutting it behind him. "Markus, it's me, I'm inside!"

As soon as August is in the upstairs hallway, he hears a crash of glass from downstairs coming from the backdoor. His eyes widen and he rushes to find Markus to protect him.

"We're in here!" Maria's voice shouted from inside the bathroom. August rushes to the bathroom door and gets inside to join with everyone inside it.

"How'd you get inside?" Nina inquires August.

"I climbed the tree in the front yard and went through a window." August responds as he comes to the back of the bathroom with everyone inside.

There is a series of loud noises going on in the house downstairs with the Hell Hound ransacking the place looking for Markus and the fight going on between it and Nagina. With the hound irritated in not finding Markus downstairs, he goes upstairs to find him in a rush. In front of the bathroom door with its shadow casting through the seam beneath, he sniffs inside and could smell August's blood; it didn't seem to notice Markus was in the bathroom with August. Markus was still paralyzed with fear curled up in a corner of the bathroom next to the shower stall. The shadow moves away from the door but the footsteps rush towards Markus' room.

As soon as Markus saw where the shadow was going and heard the door being banged on to open up for the Hound, he felt anger build up inside him and rushes towards the door. August was momentarily struck off guard by the sudden courage Markus is having against the thing that scared him in his childhood.

"Markus, wait!" August shouts out to him and reaches for his friend.

"That damned dog better not hurt my Lucy!" Markus roars as he opens the door widely and glares at the dog only to realize he has made a fatal mistake as he was stuck looking right at the dog that now looks back at him. He stood dead still in the moment he locked eyes on the Hell Hound, he didn't dare blink even though his eyes were hurting and screams for him to shut his eyes. Markus is but a deer caught in the headlights of the Hell Hound.

The Hell Hound slowly approaches Markus with every menacing step it took towards him.

"Pad pad pad." Its steps grew closer to Markus, who is now helpless and didn't dare move an inch. He sees the dog practically smile at him.

He couldn't help but stare at it until he is but a couple feet away and he couldn't hold it in any longer and screams. The Hell Hound leaps right for Markus with jaws wide open and ready to tear his prey apart. Just as the Hell Hound leaped at Markus, a rush of colors and a sword push straight back at the Hound, stabbing it and cutting the spectral hound down the middle with quick succession. Just as it happend, the hound disintegrates into dust, and the dust simply vanishes as they touch the ground.

Nagina stands in front of Markus whom moments ago was about to die. She is hyperventilating from the fight she had with the Hell Hound. She pants and is slowly calming herself down with her breathing, she sheaths her scimitar on her sash. She looks at Markus, wanting to know if he is ok.

Markus stood stiff and still for a brief moment practically seeing his life flash before his eyes before snapping himself out of it only to realize that Nagina stands in front of him, he's saved. He collapses on his knees and smiles and cries with joy. Nagina comes over to him and hugs him.

August comes out of the bathroom as with everyone else and sees Markus and Nagina together in a hug. Maria sees the black and red of the woman's hair and instantly recognizes her and puts her hands over her mouth to cover her gasp. Eustace looks at Maria and looks at Nagina in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Eustace asks, scratching his head.

Maria looks at her husband. "You don't see it, do you?" Maria spoke silently to Eustace. "It's true, all of it. That woman's real."

August looks to Maria and Eustace, taken aback by their first meeting with Nagina only to realize they may have not formally met Nagina at all save for the few pictures he had displayed for them to see back in his school years.

Nina was stunned to even see Nagina also. She had never seen the woman before in her life, yet she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of familiarity with her like she has seen her before somewhere but couldn't put it together how.

Reading the room; the Black Mokona taps on August's cheek with his small paw, to get his attention. "They're going to have a lot of talking." Black Mokona squeaks.

"Oh I know." August responds. "Those therapy sessions my High School science teacher did on Markus has failed spectacularly."

He stands and sees Markus' parents come up to Nagina in greeting and were dumb struck by her presence confirming that she is indeed very real to them now.

August looks over to Nagina. She nods to him she knows that this will be easier to explain coming from her. Then she faces to Markus' parents with a warm smile upon her face ready to explain things to them.

August comes downstairs only to see that it looks like there's no mess from a fight. Linna stood present, and as soon as she sees August and Mokona she gives him a toothy smile. "Good thing you weren't down here earlier, it really was a mess." Linna said.

"That's, um, good." August looked around the room, still a little taken aback by how it doesn't look like anything happened in it. "Is everything good now?"

Linna gives August a thumb up and a wink. "The job is taken care of now, although, if I were you, I'd be getting back to Yuuko right about now." Said Linna.

Later on in the foggy night, back at the shop at the veranda, Yuuko and the White Mokona were drinking sake together, the fireflies are out. Maru and Moro were outside chasing around the fireflies that flew lazily in the air. August comes out into the veranda with the Black Mokona on his shoulder, as soon as the Black Mokona saw the sake he bounces off his shoulder to get a few drinks.

"Oh goody, some sake for me too!" The Black Mokona squeaks happily as he joins the others in drink.

Yuuko is in a night dress that is almost entirely white save for a few gold tassels that adorn the waist. Her long black hair is worn up in a hair piece holding her hair up that slithers down.

August looks and looks to the area in front of them and nods then shrugs. "Fireflies, how could I forget." August sarcastically spoke.

Yuuko turns to face August with her smile on her face. "Seems you've taken care of the Hell Hound alright with Nagina." Said Yuuko, knowing that all is well now.

"Oh yeah, nearly died a couple times but that goes with a few other spirits that tried to do the same." August said dryly. He sits at the veranda Yuuko and the Mokonas are at drinking sake and helping himself to a drink knowing that he needs it to calm his nerves. "But I'm glad the issue with the Hell Hound is resolved with Markus safe and sound now."

"That's good to know." She says before taking a sip from her sake.

August also took a sip of sake before speaking. "I pretty much saw Nagina and Markus in the same room together for the first time. She must have really cared about him."

She hums, in thought. "I see."

August, also in thought, couldn't help but look at the fireflies that blink in the air. He was thinking about everything that has happened in the couple days of this situation with the Hell Hound. Seeing Nagina, Markus' fear of the Hell Hound, why it suddenly jumped an ocean just to get to Markus. His thoughts were on traveling at light speed thinking about the situation. He then was thinking about earlier, way earlier for that matter, about everything.

He then felt a bump on his shoulder from a gentle hand. Yuuko noticed he was frowning while he was thinking. "Are you ok up there, August?" She asks as she taps her finger on August's head.

"Was I frowning? Sorry about that." He replies after trying to smile. "I was thinking about the whole situation. It all seems out of context, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

"About how the Hell Hound came all the way from England to get after Markus and why it specifically went after him until the hound smelled your blood? It certainly doesn't make a whole lot of sense without context." Yuuko said before taking another drink from her sake cup. "But, I think I do have a theory."

August looks at Yuuko, now both intrigued and worried. "What's your take on this?"

"Think about it, how a guardian of the graveyard could suddenly go rouge and jump an ocean just to go after Markus?" Yuuko asks August, with an answer that she is satisfied with already in her mind. "What do you suppose the context of that may be?"

August scratches his chin for a brief moment. Then his eyes widened with disbelief and horror. He isn't certain if it was correct in his thinking but he wants to hear it from another person to confirm his thoughts. "I don't know." He lied to himself, half to not have to be the one to say it and half to not confirm his own suspicions.

Yuuko leans to August, she is frowning this time. "I think you know that as well as I do of the context of everything that transpired for those two days." Yuuko said solemnly. "Someone sent the hound after Markus."

August turns his head to Yuuko slowly. "Why would anyone send the Hell Hound after Markus?" August asks now with one fear being confirmed. "Why would anyone want to hurt Markus with such a twisted fate?"

"Now that's a mystery on its own that needs to be solved." Yuuko replies to August sagely. She sees August's fists clenching shut, his silent rage being visible to her. "Save your energy. We don't know who the person is that sent such a being after Markus let alone have him dead. As far as I'm concerned, this little rabbit hole may be a lot bigger than the Hell Hound and much more than you could handle."

"Hey, I'm game for such stuff like this!" August retorts. "I practically look up conspiracy theories on a nightly basis. There might be an answer that makes some kind of sense."

Yuuko chuckles to August's determination. "And what exactly are you planning to do by the time you know the answer to what is happening?"

August pauses and holds his chin beneath his fingers. "Well… you got me there." He said in defeat.

"You've done a fine job tonight with the Hell Hound though." Yuuko said as she smiles at him with her red eyes looking at him.

August was still feeling sour about not being able to do anything for Markus for the time being but he smiles knowing that for now he is safe. "Thanks." He replies.

After a short session of drinking, August opts to head back to his apartment and sleep for the night in his bed. He is in his apartment and has almost out of habit gone straight to the keyboard and started browsing. He still wanted to find answers for what had happened in the events with the Hell Hound. He in no time fell asleep on his keyboard after hours of browsing for conspiracies that make the most sense, none of them did.