Mitsuko's forces began the march to the mountains, the troops are in high spirits after their successful ambush. As they travel both LingQi and Dodomeki stayed in complete silence as they travelled preferring to stay away from each other, more than usual. LingQi was speculating on Mitsuko, why did she do it? How? Was this just her plan all along? Was she just being manipulated by Mitsuko? That idea was what brought her the most pain...and brought out her anger. Suddenly she saw a hand waving in front of her.

'Hello, earth to LingQi! You there?'

'What?' She asked bluntly as she looked to her side to see Mitsuko taken aback by it.

'Whoa, take it easy. I just wanted to ask how your doing. Its been a while since we left and you hardly said a word.'

'I just don't really have anything to discuss I just...need some time alone.' LingQi responded as Mitsuko sighed.

'Look just tell me what Dodomeki said and I'll have a word with him. I'm sure he didn't mean it.

'If he says there was nothing then there was nothing.' She stated.

'You don't have to defend him I-'

'I'm not defending him!' she yelled though when she saw how surprised and almost frightened Mitsuko looked she sighed.

'Sorry but I just need to be alone is all.' LingQi whispered as she turned the other away. Mitsuko did the same.

'Well I can understand that...well I'll leave you to it.' Mitsuko walked forward, leaving LingQi behind to focus on her thoughts.

'Having trouble my lady?' Pang Tong asked as Mitsuko joined him at the front.

'No no, its not me. Its LingQi. She and Dodomeki had a fight and it seems to really get to them both. I'm starting to get worried about them. Just when things finally started to go our way.' Mitsuko sighs as she shook her head. Pang Tong chuckled.

'Is that so? You have any idea what they might've fought about?'

'Not a damn clue and she doesn't want to speak to me about it.'

'Well that is a problem isn't it? Hehe.' Mitsuko glared at him.

'This is serious I don't know what they've fought about but its been a while since the morning and both don't seem like themselves.'

'Hmm yes I see what you mean. It may be best to leave them alone for the moment, perhaps their verbal sparring this time needs more time to be alleviated. After all it wasn't like they were best friends to begin with.'

'I know...but something doesn't feel right about this, though it could just be my imagination.'

'C'mon you know full well its not your imagination, you know full well your deceitful ways have been exposed! And now shes just waiting for the chance to take you down!' Akari laughed to Mitsuko's side who tried desperately to ignore her and act normal.

'Maybe or maybe not ill see what I can dig up if it continues for too much longer, leave it with me my lady you have more pressing matters to attend to than dealing with a disagreement.' Pang Tong chuckled.

'You sure? I mean-'

'I'm sure. Do not worry I wouldn't offer this if this was not something I wasn't sure of. It is important to make sure our generals don't try to kill each other.' He chuckled.

That night Mitsuko's forces made camp. LingQi immediately went away to train alone, no word to anybody. She strayed a lot further from the camp. She didn't need anyone, especially Mitsuko to appear, she just needed to clear her head. She took a deep breath when she was far enough away, she was in a field if grass, no one in sight. She then begun her training, practicing her swings and thrusts much more vigorously than normal. As sweat begins to form on her brow she cant help but allow herself to go remember her childhood with her father.

A childish LingQi was holding a small wooden bo outside in a field all alone with the mighty Lu Bu hovering over him with a longer bo. LingQi made the first move as she took a step backwards though Lu Bu immediately countered and swept her off her feet forcefully. She groaned in pain as she landed on her back.

'Get up LingQi!' Lu Bu demanded as she struggled to stand up.

'If you wish to join me on the battlefield then you will need to become stronger!' He yells at her as she holds back her tears, she didn't like being shouted at by her father.

'I know father!' She shouted back.

'Then come at me again! Prove to me your mother didn't give birth to a weakling. Prove to me that you're my daughter!' He ordered as LingQi attempted to attack him this time with a thrust. Lu Bu effortlessly deflected the attack and struck her in the abdomen. She fell face first as she clutched her stomach trying desperately not to cry though she did rub her eyes.

'Weak!' Lu Bu declared as he pointed at LingQi.

'I told you before strength is everything! Strength is absolution! You cannot be weak in this world. That was something your mother didn't understand.'

'Mother...' LingQi missed her mother a lot and released the built-up tears. Lu Bu scoffed at this.

'Tch, pathetic. We're done here. Don't come ask me to train you until you've become worthy of my name.' Lu Bu stated as he turned to walk away. LingQi saw this and stood up as fast as she could and ran after him. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

'Wait father, I'm sorry! I'll try harder.' LingQi called out to him though he just kept walking away as she attempted to follow him.

'Father allow me to join you.' A grown LingQi requested before her father marched on Dong Zhuo at his rebellion.

'Absolutely not. I don't take weaklings with me.' Lu Bu responded which hurt her but she pressed on.

'Please father, I've become stronger and I wish to aid you. I promise you I will not get in your way.'

'I know you won't because if you do I won't hesitate to cut you down.' Lu Bu threatened as he hovered his might sky piercer inches from LingQi's face. She pit on a brave face to show her father though inside she was terrified over the prospect of that. Lu Bu chuckled slightly at her daughter's brave face and removed the halberd away.

'Hmph, fine. Just don't hold me back.' He stated as he turned away to wall towards the large open gate. LingQi smiled as she bowed to show her respect, she finally got some sort of acceptance from her father. Finally, she wasn't going to be alone anymore. She followed him through the gate where the sun blinded her. She covered her eyes with her hand. When she removed it, she saw her father getting cut down as he called out to her by a mysterious figure. She rushed to her father's corpse and knelt beside him.

'Father!' She called out to him though her fingers traced the large diagonal wound on his torso. Her heart dropped. The only person that stayed in her life has now gone. She felt lonelier than ever. There's no one else now is there? She looked up to see his killer to see it was...Mitsuko!?

'Mitsuko? But...why?' Mitsuko demonically smiled at her while resting the neck of the crescent blade of her scythe on her neck.

'Why? Because I could.'

'W-what?' LingQi was speechless at Mitsuko's lack of reasoning.

'You heard me. He was fun to cut down. And where does that leave you I wonder?' Mitsuko questioned as LingQi trying to make sense from this situation.

'Oh yeah, all alone. And that's what you will always be.'

'Stop it.' LingQi told Mitsuko. Though she ignored her.

'Poor you. Alone and afraid like the weakling you are.'

'I said stop it.' LingQi begged her.

'You'll die the same way you lived, all alone!'

'No!' She cried out as she cleaved her blade through a tree. As the tree falls down she looks around to find herself somehow at the front of a forest while spotting the field she first started quite far away. She fell backwards as the tree thunderously landed on the ground. LingQi started to breathe rapidly as she processed what she just envisioned. She slowed her breathing as stared at the fallen tree before her gaze meets the open palm of her hands. She didn't know what she was going to do as she buries her head in them, trying to not let her tears fall.

'I really am alone now...aren't I?' LingQi whispered to herself.

Elsewhere the demons meet up on the outskirts of the camp that night.

'So what did you call us for?' Dodomeki enquired to Diamondback who called the other two together to discuss something.

'What do you think? Your estranged behaviour that's what.' Diamondback stated as he points his halberd at Dodomeki who simply pushes the tip away with his index number.

'Tch, what are you talking about?'

'I mean it, this time you are not acting yourself. Your antagonistic behaviour towards LingQi is starting to affect more than just you two. I'm not sure what the deal is so explain yourself.' He demanded before Dodomeki got inches away from the reptile's face, unafraid.

'You dare order me?'

'I don't dare anything. I'm telling you, you are going to give us some sort of explanation of what's going on and what you actually said to her.' Diamondback told Dodomeki who scoffed at him.

'Your deluded. Your reincarnation seems to leave as humans would say a few screws loose.' Dodomeki guffaws as he starts to walk away. Though as he does Gyuki slams his club on the ground in front of him. Dodomeki looked up to Gyuki with an annoyed expression on his face.

'You can't keep this up. As your blood brother I want to know what's wrong with you.' Gyuki pleaded though Dodomeki turned away from his gaze.

'There's nothing-'

'Not good enough!' Gyuki quickly grabbed Dodomeki with his left hand which wrapped tightly around him. Dodomeki couldn't anticipate this from Dodomeki so he couldn't move out if the way in time. Even Diamondback was visibly surprised by Gyuki's outburst.

'You cannot keep doing this! I don't know why your acting like this but it has to stop! I want to help but you need to talk to us. If you tell us what you said we may just be able to fix it and we can go back to being one cohesive unit. But what you said is even affecting LingQi badly.'

'When did you suddenly start to care about her?'

'When I saw how much she pushed herself to help her selflessly. She fought so hard for her, battling mystics just because they were lady Mitsuko's enemy.' Gyuki explained as Dodomeki was struggling to escape though Gyuki kept a firm grip on him.

'Would she still be so loyal if she knew about our lady killing her father?' Dodomeki questioned. The other two demons looked at him with shock.

'You didn't did you?' Gyuki questioned.

'You idiot! Why would you say such a thing to her!' Diamondback asked angrily.

'Because how can we be so sure of her loyalty otherwise? She's a danger to Lady Mitsuko. Its better to expose her now.'

'Expose her for what!? She did nothing but help our lady, you even saw her defy her father for her when she was in danger! How can be a threat?' Diamondback yelled, he just couldn't comprehend Dodomeki's decision to blab to her about it.

'As you said humans are complex aren't they.' He stated.

'See this is why I warned Mitsuko about your behaviour.' Gyuki finally lets him go as Dodomeki stared at Diamondback with hatred.

'What?'

'You heard me. I told her sending you was a mistake, your were acting different but I didn't think you'd do something so reckless.' Dodomeki sprinted until he was inches away from Diamondback.

'You had no right to tell her anything about me!'

'and you had no right to run your mouth to a loyal officer!' They both screamed at each other, both feeling the others breath hit their faces.

'If she turns her blade to Lady Mitsuko then she isn't loyal.'

'Says the coward who watched her suffer.' Enraged by those words Dodomeki threw a right hook punch at Diamondback who quickly reacted and grabbed the fist with his left hand. He immediately attacks Dodomeki with his spike covered halberd, though Dodomeki did the same thing as his grabbed it between two of the spikes. They both head butted each other.

'Say that again and I'll lodge one of your crystals in your throat.'

'Not before I tear you limb from limb, cyclops!' They both growled at each other, not backing down ready to strike the other one down if necessary. They push each other away and both get into a battle-ready stance and was about to lunge at each other before they hear clapping and a familiar chuckling in the distance. They look towards the direction to find Pang Tong clapping his human and shadow hand together.

'Hehe, so that's what all the commotion is all about? I must say, intriguing that it would Dodomeki who would be the one to do that.' Pang Tong chuckled which riled up Dodomeki.

'And what of it? You insufferable hermit?'

'Leave it Dodomeki.' Gyuki warned him

'Forgive me I did not mean to cause offense, I was merely surprised is all. Though we are in a little bit of a predicament as a result.'

'How so?' Diamondback enquired.

'Well, given our current situation the morale of our forces will diminish should Lady LingQi leave or dare to turn her blade towards Lady Mitsuko, especially when we are so few to begin with. Endangering Lady LingQi's relationship with Mitsuko is dangerous as a result seeing as we have no power, no land and so forth. It really would've been better off to keep Mitsuko's betrayal a secret.'

'And what if she found out about this later when we have such power? She'd fragment us! Its better to snuff out the ember before it becomes a raging fire.' Dodomeki stated. Justifying his actions.

'Ahh but there lies the problem we all suffer from. The lack of knowledge of the future. Who knows the future sets out in store, you could be correct my one eyed friend. She could do that…or she would find it easier to accept it with time after she has moved on. We can never be too sure of what the future may hold or what may happen. Educated guesses certainly though in situations like this, its almost impossible to tell. Even though I can see your reasoning for such an action, it was still very reckless thing to blurt out. However this could potentially work to our advantage in the long run. Though it would be better I believe if this was brought up later.' Pang Tong explained.

'Work to our advantage? How?'

'Depending on how strong their bond is, it could be something that could actually be talked out. If they could clear the air, it will be beneficial to both of them. It will allow Lady Mitsuko to not worry needlessly about the wellbeing of her officers or fear infighting between them, which does involve demons. If you wish to fight and slay each other you're more than welcome to however may I remind you that Lady Mitsuko has a lot more enemies out there and I believe she'll need all the help she can get.' Pang Tong chuckled as the other two lower their arms and their stance and relax a bit.

'As much as I don't like being called disloyal or anything of the sort I'll forgive your remark…this time.' Dodomeki stated.

'Hmph, I suppose I can forgive your…threat as well for now.' Diamondback. Gyuki jumped up and brought them in for a tight hug, one for each arm.

'There we go, that's my demon brothers in arms.' He excitedly jumps with joy. Both of which were startled and were struggling to breathe before Gyuki let them go. They both fell to the floor gasping for breath before they stood up.

'Still though, there must be some other reason why you do not trust Lady LingQi Dodomeki, is there something you're not telling us perhaps? Its always good to let these things out…like phoenixes. They can't just stay in cages, can they?' Pang Tong chuckled.

'How can I tell you what I don't understand? I don't know why I felt this way, I just do.'

'But you never did before.' Gyuki stated.

'Before was different, before it was…just lord Orochi. Lady Mitsuko…is her own person. I don't know. They're different even though they're the same. Urgh, this is something I don't even understand, how can I convey it to anyone else?' Dodomeki stated.

'I mean…you're not wrong they're different people I guess.' Gyuki responded with confusion, he didn't quite understand Dodomeki either.

'Still doesn't explain the behaviour.' Diamondback responded, sceptical of Dodomeki.

'Now now, I think we've all had enough for one day. Why don't we continue this discussion another time? You can't really debate or give each other a hard time when we're all tired can we? Lets just rest for now shall we?' Pang Tong suggested as he started to walk away but stopped when Dodomeki questioned him on something.

'Will you tell Lady Mitsuko of this in the morning…about what I did?' Pang Tong glanced behind him and saw him looking to the side.

'Would it be a problem if I did?' He asked. Dodomeki glances back at him before shifting his sight back to the ground to his left sight before sighing.

'No.' He shook his head. Pang Tong wasn't entirely sure but he could've sworn he heard a hint of regret in his voice. He did his signature chuckle at this.

'Then who knows, why don't we wait and see what the future holds.' Pang Tong answered before walking away.

A/N: Hello again. Just wanted to let you know…stuck in a different hotel now and the internet is really bad so I'm actually hotspotting my internet now... and its still bad haha, only me. Thx unlimited data but I got a laptop now and it works like a charm so NO MORE GODDAMN PHONE WRITING! Hopefully now I'll be able to get back into my schedule as before. And thanks to I cloud saving it from my phone I didn't even have to transfer any files I could just pick the file and write it without hassle…apart from the office 365 malarkey but what can you do? Well hope you enjoyed it and see you next chapter, sayonara