Awakening Gentians

Awakening Gentians
Chapter Two : Sympathy for the Devil

* * *

Ken froze at the mention of their nemesis. His aqua gaze shifted looking for what Ran might have seen but saw no one. Yet he knew Ran wouldn't have gone so pale over nothing and the nightmares and imaginary haunting had long since passed. Ran had made a near full recovery. He let go of Ran's hand momentarily only to slip that arm about the redhead's waist. Concern and patience swam in his aquamarine depths as he looked up at his lover. "Are you sure, Ran? Should we get Youji and Omi and leave the spring and go somewhere else or do you just want to go find them and go upstairs. It's up to you koi. We go where you go."

The tall redhead sucked in short shallow breath as he fought hyperventilating as the touch of telepathy slid over his mind, memories flashing and slamming through his mind at the contact. Though it was different than Schuldich's style, more refined and lighter, not the seductive dominating feel of the German telepath, it was the same hum in the back of his head. The main times he had ever felt the touch of telepathy in his mind had begun when Schuldich first appeared when Weiß was on that mission. And then every single thing the German had said to him afterwards while he was in captivity, while he was raping him. It had taken Ken forever whenever they were in any way intimately involved to get his redheaded companion to stop expecting to hear Schuldich's telepathy in his mind. And the last time he had felt the hauntingly familiar buzz in the back of his mind was when Schuldich had been dying, lashing out to deliver his utter pain upon someone else partly responsible for it.

"Find Omi and Youji," he whispered before pulling away from Ken's hold. Panic quickly set in as the mental hum stayed in his mind, like a claustrophobic suddenly shoved into a dark closet. The old fears return, the only desire being to get out and get away from the close enclosure. Ran wanted away, away from the telepath, away from that damned mental touch. If Mastermind was back and contacting him, he may try to take him again. He may try to hurt Omi and Youji and Ken to get to him, use them as tools to get him again. He had to get away, get away from them so they would not be caught in the crossfire if Oracle were far behind Mastermind.

He glanced at Ken for a moment before disappearing, shoving past people without a word of apology, just wanting to get away. His almost inhuman speed was spurred on by adrenaline and panic, soon taking him out of the resort lobby. He never paused in his fleeing, just wanting distance between him and everything. He kept up as much of a mental block as he possibly could, not bothering to answer the telepath. Escape was the important thing, nothing else. Distance.

Coming upon a tree far from the parking lot he leaned against it, breathing heavily as he closed his eyes only to open them again, not wanting that darkness. Not again. Not that ever again, not for him or any of the rest of Weiß.

~/You can't be Mastermind. He's dead./~

~/Oh but I am and I'm not. What was it he called you... Orchid? Ahh Schuldich. Such a child in many, many ways. He was a failed experiment. He wasn't carefully reared as I was. Though... luckily for you I suppose, you're not my type. I prefer my men like your little Siberian though. I bet he's a nice and rough little tumble. Ah well. I don't play games like that. There are more... interesting ways to turn a man inside out without using sex. He was ahhh what's the point. He's very, very dead. Did you know Ken still has the gun wrapped up in the bloody gear he wore? It's in the back of his closet. His blood is still caked on it. Do you know how much pleasure he took in the kill? How much he savored putting a bullet into that German's penis, hands, feet, mouth and brain. Such sweet anger and passion and brutality. I bet he's... oh wait... you -don't- know how good a fuck he is yet. It's you who used to rape him nightly. Oh isn't that just delicious! Oh well. As much as I enjoyed our little chat... I think I've given you enough to think about. Oh and give Kenken a nice blowjob for me will you? I'm sure he's just sooo tasty!/~

The telepath had to suppress a grin over his cappuccino as he winked softly at Nagi. One more hello and he'd call it a day.

~/Ahh.. Kenken! Looking sexy today? Special occasion? Ran lay you good earlier? Afterglow looks heavenly on you. Rrawrr!! Anyway. Name's Mastermind. In due time I'll letcha know my real name. But for now... just call me Master. Oooo I like the sound of that! Rrawrr/~

~/You're dead. I killed you myself!/~

~/Oh goody. More Princess Bride? Touching. Westley was a babe in that. Rrawrr! You me hot cocoa and you in that cute little orange shirt and nothing else. Mmm baby! Is it getting a little hot in here or is it just me! Anyway Kitten. I just wanted to say hello. Shoot some shit with you and tell you your little Ranran is in the parking lot crying like a lost little puppy. Better go over and see if he's okay before he hangs himself from that tree. Ta-tah! Oo you sexy little TIGER you! Rrawrr!/~

Once more Crocifisso just smiled into his beverage and looking like a cat who snuck into the dairy farm.

* * *

Whipping out his cell phone he quickly dialed up Youji's number. When the blonde answered all he said were three words before he hung up, knowing that Youji would know exactly what to do. "Schwarz is here." He'd tell them about the new Mastermind as soon as they got the Hell away from here. No way was he going to stay at the same resort as Schwarz. That would be stupid.

Mastermind. They'd replaced him. That explained Ran's sudden departure. He sighed soft and took off in the direction the telepath had given him, hoping to find his lover before he did something drastic, knowing instinctively that Ran was far from all right and needed someone and he was just the guy to be there. Promises. Especially to Ran were ones he never broke.

Huddled against the base of the tree trunk was the usual stoic redhead, his hands over his ears as he rocked slowly back and forth, trying to block out Crocifisso's voice though he knew that tactic would never work. Though the telepath's voice was gone from his mind, he was not caught in an onslaught of memories of the times before that badly turned mission. Every night... every single night he would go to Ken... barely ever speaking a word except for perhaps a short order... every night... every single night....

* * *

Nagi sighed faintly and glanced over at the Italian, eyes narrowing faintly as the man continued to grin. How lovely that he found so many reasons to be happy while the Japanese boy descended further into his own personal Hell. Not a thought he told anyone. It didn't matter.

Looking over at Crocifisso once more, he noted that grin. It was the same grin Schuldich had when he acquired Sakura and twisted her little mind to think that only she could 'save' Ran. By shooting him. Clever little Schuldich. When he wanted to be. By that smile he could only guess that Crocifisso was giving a cheery hello to Weiß. He shook his head almost sadly, looking over to the man. Did he really expect to break Weiß? Honestly? He could play in their minds day in and day out and never break them. They were too closely bonded to just let another member break. Too... alike to not want to help one another.

Looking over to the Italian, he sighed, wondering what the Hell SZ was thinking. Schwarz had grown to rely on each other a bit over the years, trusting each other even. This man was binded to Schwarz in no manner whatsoever.

~/You're such a fool./~

But he had to wonder who indeed the fool was.

Crocifisso merely smiled at Nagi and rose to his feet not bothering to say anymore to the teen. With a casual swipe of his hand, his hair fell back into its smooth pale golden curtain that cascaded down his back. He lifted his red leather gloves from the table and buttoned closed his black Armani suit. His eyes roamed the restaurant for tonight's plaything and finally settling on a young gentleman, blue eyed, soft brown hair and short stocky muscular build. Sighing softly he turned to leave his two companions but paused briefly. "I suggest you two find someplace else to sleep before Weiß comes to hunt you two down. Toodles." As he flicked his fingers in a mockery of a wave before disappearing into the throng.

* * *

The soft crush of grass under one's feet signaled Ken's arrival. He dropped down to squat before Ran, combing his honey hued fingers through the scarlet locks. After a moment he pulled Ran's hands from his ears and held them in his bringing them against his lips. Soft kisses danced across the ivory knuckles as Ken sought to reassure his lover. "Ran... I don't know what he said to you... but it's a lie. He's just... fucking with us. Please, Ran. Look at me. Tell me what happened, please?" Ken's voice was soft and reassuring full of all the love he had to give for the redhead.

"It wasn't a lie though..." Ran whispered after he had found his voice, his hands limp in Ken's hold, barely reacting to the soft kisses and comfort in his voice. He didn't deserve it. None of it. He was no better than Schuldich and the new Mastermind knew it. At least Schuldich had been quite clear in his intentions... had even given some indications of pleasure even if it had been from the redhead's resistance and hatred of the situation.

He kept rocking slowly, in his mind the rich Italian tones of the telepath repeating over and over in his mind. Three things stood out mainly from the man's diatribe. The part of Ken enjoying the kill was brushed away, Ran knowing he was not innocent of that crime as well, enjoying hurting people who'd hurt those close to him to a degree. Though it had fixed nothing, he had a rush of victory and sadistic pleasure from killing Reiji Takatori who framed his parents, and killing the leader of SZ and watching Ken and Omi kill a second, the two having wanted his sister for some ancient ritual. But the gun... why would he keep such a thing? The rape part echoed forever in his mind, though Ken had never fought him, never said no, he'd never said yes. Never once... Ran had never asked for agreement or cooperation, he had just taken him. And the third...

...luckily for you I suppose, you're not my type. I prefer my men like your little Siberian though...

Hate like he had never known had flashed through his eyes at that comment, that comment staying in his mind even as he curled by the tree to try to escape from the world. That comment had kept him from continuing to run, to just leave Weiß then and there in his panic, to just disappear. Mastermind... possibly wanted Siberian. Not happening. Not happening again. He wouldn't let Schwarz hurt Weiß any more than they already had. He was an assassin. He would kill him. And if SZ sent Schwarz another telepath he'd kill him...

"Why... why didn't you tell me... why did you let me... so many times... all this time..." he whispered out, not caring that he made little to no sense to anyone but himself.

* * *

Nagi sent a sharp glare the man's way, resisting the urge to pick up the flamer and drop him in a hot spring in an attempt to put him out. Sighing faintly he just shook his head and looked over to Crawford for instruction, ever the obedient little Schwarz member.

"Weiß is here..." Crawford said softly, bringing a finger down off of his temple. Crocifisso's abrupt went seemingly unnoticed but every single thing the man had said and every single action was taken to mind. Left alone with his teammate, he glanced down at the solemn serene boy.

"So the Italian says," Nagi said dryly, refusing to call him by his name... Crocifisso. Crucifix. A mockery of Weiß Kreuz or mere coincidence? Did it really matter? He also refused to call him Mastermind. He was just a cheap replacement for Schuldich, who he had considered to be a very dear... friend, he supposed, was the only fitting word for him. He looked off, not wanting to see the oracle's ice blue gaze, sometimes feeling like he was the telepath and could read his thoughts with just a look.

"They are leaving tonight."

"Another vision?" the Japanese boy said with just as little emotion as his earlier statement. He looked back to Crawford with incredibly empty eyes, the depths dark like space missing the lights of stars to give new life and light. "Will they be killing another of ours before they go? Perhaps they would be doing us a favor..."

"Nagi," Brad said in a warning tone, getting up from the table. He set down his teaspoon onto the linen napkin, leaving the glass to be picked up by whomever.

"I do not like him, Crawford," Nagi stated, walking along side his leader. Whether or not they were taking Crocifisso's advice and leaving he was unsure of.

"He is the best SZ has. We are lucky to have him in our ranks."

"What is there to hold him to us? We are a game. Weiß is a game. SZ perhaps is a game. I believe, Crawford, he is too good."

Opening the door for the small boy, Crawford sighed and slid his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, looking down at the telekinetic boy. "SZ raised him and trained him. He bears no ill will towards our organization."

Frowning deeply, Nagi looked up at him. "An organization we were once ready to leave and betray... and did betray... because they did not see as we do. Who is to say he sees as we do?" Glancing over to the blonde member of Schwarz... he guessed so since Crawford was so adamant about it... he looked to the American for his answer. But he could almost guess it.

"So long as he helps us obtain our goals, he will suit as Mastermind."

"Of course Crawford. I am going to take a walk-"

"If Weiß is here they could harm you."

"I am the one who can kill with a thought. Not them. They cannot harm me in public. I will be fine." A half smile crossed Nagi's lips as he looked over his shoulder at him, part of him not much caring if the white assassins did harm him.

* * *

"Ran? What's wrong? You're not making any sense? Why didn't I tell you what? Let you?" Ken's brow furrowed in cute confusion as he sat down and pulled his beloved into his arms and rocked with him, softly brushing away the scared tears and the soft tendrils about his face. "Let you... you mean come into my room all those months? Simple. I loved you. I loved you then and I still do. Every night I hoped beyond hope that you'd see it, feel it, know it just how much I loved you. I had this fantasy... dream... whatever you want to call it. You'd come into my room as you always did, and just plunge in like you always did, but then after you'd be done you'd see me lying there looking at you from the corner of my eye and you'd see it. Then you'd roll me over and take me in your arms and let me make love to you. And afterward you'd realize that you loved me too and we'd continue making love until I woke up.

"That's what I held on to. That dream... that's why I let you come into my room night after night. That hope. I never got angry or resented that you didn't. I knew in the back of my mind that it would probably never happen but I needed that hope or I'd be lost and... beg you to stay. I couldn't do that no matter how many times I wanted to. I did once though, but you'd already gone, and I was too tired and too scared to find you even though you were right next door." Ken sighed softly and pressed his lips to Ran's temple and continued speaking. "I should have been mad, or I should have hated you, but I needed you and I loved you and... I was thrilled that it was me you went to and not anyone else. Me. Not Omi, not Youji not some nameless schmuck on the street corner. -ME-. And so long as you continued to come to me... I knew that somewhere deep inside you, you felt something... and if you felt something then there was hope that someday you could love me like I love you. It's a belief I still hold on to. I'll give you anything Ran... all you have to do is ask."

Ran protested the close hold Ken had on him for a moment before just going limp in his lover's arms, too tired from the day's activities to run anymore. He had nowhere to run -to- and weariness was slipping over him from the panic and anger and no release. Also memories of the pleasantly spent day... -all- of it... flit through his mind, making him not want to run. Counting out the three hours of blissful time in bed with Ken, most days for the past two months had been spent as such, slowly getting to know his teammates better and gaining a deep comfort level with the three. Ken was the one he spent the most time with but the other two were far from ignored. It was a nice feeling of familiarity that he used to only have with Aya, one that Ken's arms fully encompassed.

He sighed softly and wrapped his arms up about his neck, leaning further into his hold and just listening to him talk, his smooth rich voice calming him as it had done eight weeks ago when they'd rescued him from the abandoned prison. The rocking lulled him into a calm that he had been unable to find when doing it alone, coupled with his lover's hold and words. "Ken... Ken I used you, even if you wanted it you didn't want it like that." He looked down, trying not to cry again. It was a pathetic weak feeling, one that made him just cling tighter to his lover, almost afraid if he let go the new Mastermind would come and... what was it he said? Find more interesting ways to twist a man without sex.

"I still don't understand... I probably never fully will..." Hiccuping almost like a child after crying too long, he glanced up into those perfect blue green eyes which had warmed to a sky blue, serene, eternal. "Even though I do love you... so much... God Ken you deserve so much better. Not someone like Schuldich." Biting his lip he turned in his arms, not caring about the comment Crocifisso made about the gun right now. His pale forehead pressed against his lover's shoulder, just staring down at his broad chest, the planes he'd laid his head to rest on while sleeping so many many times now. It was in his arms that was the only place he felt safe. Even now, with that damn telepath's words still buzzing in the back of his head, Ken felt so safe and warm to him. "Even if I don't deserve you I need you so much, Ken. So damn much.... Promise me you'll never leave me. Whatever new torments Schwarz sends our way, promise nothing will change between us. They won't be able to ruin what we've found. Please Ken. Promise me. I won't let them take you from me like I was taken by Schuldich." Looking up again, he curled his hand about Ken's to entwine their fingers together, eyes the color of siberite meeting turquoise with a pleading in the lilac irises as if this were the most important thing in the world. But the feeling that the new Mastermind may be going after Ken for whatever reason made it so.

"I promise, Ran. I'll never let anything or anyone come between us. Ever. I love you Ran Fujimiya and I always will... until death do us part." Ken bought his fingers underneath Ran's chin to tilt his face up to his further, making his lips more accessible. His lips fell to the redhead's in loving acquiescence both giving his love and taking Ran's. To the casual observer the love between the two and contained in that embrace was timeless, strong and unbreakable. Written in the stars for two souls who would always find each other until Time ceased to exist.

As he broke the kiss Ken smiled warmly. His eyes searched the grass around them plucking a few long blades and a small miniature wildflower. After a moment he fashioned them into a ring with the small flower acting as the stone and slipped it onto the ringer of Ran's left hand. "No matter what happened in the past and what happens in the future,
know that I always have and always will love you." Ken laughed lightly and pressed his forehead against Ran's. "You and I are joined by the bonds of love, and you cannot track that; not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords."

"Ken..." the redhead whispered before tilting his head once more to kiss him softly, letting his now ring wearing hand trail up his chest to cup his cheek, putting every single soft tender emotion he felt for the younger male into the kiss. He could ask Ken about the gun later, once he'd calmed down a bit more and gotten a handle on himself. But like Ken said... no matter what happened in the past... A sweet smile touched his lips as he drew back, content to just watch his lover's adoring face, the same near worship of the other in his own eyes as he looked at Ken.

There was indeed one casual observer near the pair, the younger boy leaning against a tree and watching the two lovers with a faint soft tint to his eyes. The deep connection between the two was blatantly obvious, the love and affection that they shared. Nagi watched the two silently for long moments, unable to hear what the two said but it was obvious it was some declaration of eternal love and togetherness. A soft sigh crossed his lips as he stepped forward with every single mental wall up that he had, wondering what in the Hell he was doing but he suddenly couldn't stop himself.

Was this what he had wanted with Tot but couldn't try to pursue because it got in the way of Schwarz ambitions? Watching the pair he had to shake his head. This went above and beyond what he and Tot could have ever had. This was the perfect union of two that had lost everything together and gained it all back. Together. Nothing could change that. Holding a thick packet in his frail seeming hands, he moved towards the tree the two Weiß members were sitting at.

"Hate to interrupt..."

Ran's eyes widened and he looked over to see the youngest member of Schwarz standing sedately, the soft look in the solemn midnight blue eyes quickly fading as soon as the leader of Weiß looked over. Keeping Ken's fingers curled in his hand, Ran slowly got to his feet, the look of ice and authority slowly overtaking him as he gazed evenly at the boy. Any uncertainties and timidness of the man held in Ken's arms faded, his eyes staying on Nagi and looking for the other three of Schwarz. "Hardly a place for a fight, Naoe."

"If I wanted a fight or wanted you dead, Fujimiya-san, you would currently be embedded into that tree trunk before even knowing I was within close proximity," Nagi said in a near bored tone, observing the obvious change in Ran as he went from being held in his lover's arms to facing the enemy. "We need to talk."

Ken's sinewy hand tightened in Ran fingers twining together to lend him strength. A glance over to Ran told the redhead that the boy had a point. They'd been so oblivious that they hadn't noticed the boy not several yards away. He blushed softly at the weakness, then straightened as his eyes hardened as he looked at their youngest enemy. "Best you make it quick, Naoe. I can only contain Ran for so long. It was you who allowed the former Mastermind to capture Abyssinian. You're just as responsible for what happened that night and its consequences." Ken knew he was pushing it, and most likely pushing quite a few deadly buttons but he never was one to censor his words in the face of his enemy, nor was he one to think them out before he said them.

"Then I shall just make it so you do not have to contain alone won't I?" Nagi said and before either of the two could respond, they both found themselves pushed against the trunk of the tree by a strong push of air. Much like he'd pounded Omi against the pillar in the ocean temple but this was more of a warning shot to the mouthy one to not piss off the boy who was already treading on thin ice with everything. He had nothing to lose. They had everything. And all three knew it. "Do not anger me, Siberian. You forget so easily that I can crush you with single thought."

"Yet you have not," Ran commented blandly, tightening his hold on Ken's hand as he felt the constant push of air on his chest holding him back so they would not be able to touch the boy should their anger at being near a member of Schwarz get the best of them.

"How keenly observant of you, Fujimiya-san. And yes you are correct in that which I suppose was an accusation, Hidaka-san. But you should be thankful that it was I Schuldich was paired with that night, not Farfarello or Crawford."

Sighing faintly and dropping his hand from Ken's in a faint sign of truce, Ran was relieved to feel the pressure ease up a bit. Nagi's eyes stayed on the pair, almost daring them to make a move so he could end this and be on his way. "How should I be... thankful of any actions of Schwarz that night."

Nagi held back a faint snort. "Do you honestly believe that entire mission interception was planned so that Schuldich could have his object of lust, Fujimiya-san? So he could kidnap you and rape you for three days? Hardly so." Sighing faintly as he noticed the puzzlement in their eyes, he went on. "Had the plan originally gone as it was to, Crawford would have been sent with Schuldich and myself with Farfarello. Your dear Abyssinian would currently be dead in many interesting ways... or one of ours. Had I not hidden the location of the prison from Crawford as a favor to Schuldich, Schwarz would have found him much sooner than Weiß."

"Schwarz is hardly SZ's only team of assassins with extrasensory powers. Killing me now will do absolutely no good. SZ will simply send Schwarz a new telekinetic Prodigy. As they sent us a new paranormal telepath. So are the two of you ready to forgo your Schwarz murder spree and talk like adults? You have other things to worry about than myself." The boy crossed his arms over his chest, dropping the barrier of air pushing them away from him.


Ken kept his cold suspicious gaze focus on the pixie telekinetic. Had he been able to raise his arms he would have crossed them before his chest. He had to settle for his glare eyes shifting to mirror the sea turning a monsoon. Nagi was up to something. What he didn't know the fact that he and Ran could have been killed and were in fact alive meant that Nagi wanted something. What that something was however was a mystery. A mystery he was suddenly curious to have solved. "We're listening. You have a ... captive audience."

A faint smirk touched Nagi's lips before quickly fading away, Ken's wit reminding him slightly of Schuldich. But Schuldich was gone now. The wall of air dropped completely as he brought his gaze to the pair. "Clever. Cliche. But amusing. But I digress and waste valuable time..." Sighing softly, he reached up to brush away his dark bangs, levitating the thick packet of information over to the two. When he had left Crawford to go on his walk he'd done so for awhile before stumbling upon the two lovers snuggling and kissing under the tree. After watching them for a bit, he had slunk off to the resort office, using his sweet looks and calm demeanor to weasel the use of the copier from them. In the air were copies of the entire file on Crocifisso SZ had provided Schwarz, and he was handing it to Weiß.

Finding that he could move once more, Ran reached out cautiously and took the papers, thumbing through them, glancing at a few of the pages to get an idea of what had just been handed to them. Looking up, he tilted his head to the side curiously. "Why... Why should we believe a word of this? You're betraying SZ and Schwarz."

"No. I am betraying SZ, not Schwarz." Nagi sighed faintly, his dark blue eyes turning to look absently to the resort. "That... Crocifisso will never be Schwarz, never be Mastermind. Not to me. You two and your teammates did not like Schuldich... the term utter hatred comes to mind... We did not. I did not. Weiß and Schwarz is not so different in some ways. One does not just replace a member." Lifting his hand to push his dark locks from his face once more, his gaze returned to the two Weiß members.

"Schuldich was not a bad person, though you would most likely rather believe it so. He was just... extreme. He wanted Crawford in his world so badly and you were the closest he could get. You were a test, in some way. If he could get you, he could get Crawford, It was a wrongly carried out test but the harm done seems to have mainly fixed itself."

Sighing softly and trying not to twitch at the many mentions of the man who had so brutally raped him for so many days, Ran's fingers tightened on the packet of information to try to keep his cool. "What does any of this have to do with us."

"He is not Schwarz. He is SZ. He was the personal telepath to the three former telekinetic leaders of SZ. Two leaders of whom Weiß killed, after interrupting their ancient ritual..."

"There was a third though, one which Schwarz killed..."

"Yes. Schwarz has not exactly been loyal to SZ. You hardly know it but we were sent by headquarters to protect Takatori-san-"

Ran twitched. Even years later, he hated that name.

"-and we did so, so long as he worked into our plans. As the election drew nearer, his views wandered from ours. Crawford had a vision of Weiß coming to assassinate him just as our use for him had ended and we merely stepped to the side, though we were still there by headquarters' ruling to protect him. And... Schreiend, another part of SZ, we attempted to use to get rid of you. And them." A faint shrug rolled over Nagi's shoulders.

Finally able to cross his arms over his chest, Ken did so and continued to eye the munchkin with suspicion. Eyes thick with mistrust instincts kicking in and constantly checking the perimeter for the others. Especially the telepath. "Why are you giving this information to us. You want Weiß to kill this one too? What's wrong with him?" Ken sighed softly trying to calm down, something in the boys eyes wanted to trust him but his head continued to scream it was insane to do so. Logic and instinct screamed at each other for control. But... was Ken Hidaka... the reckless and impulsive one of Weiß. Why? Because he -always- followed his instincts. Ran was the logic... the mind... Ken... he was the heart.

It was with a heavy sigh and a slight slump of his shoulders that instinct reluctantly won out. "I'm sorry... Nagi..." Using the boy's first name had been difficult. Refusing to use any of Schwarz given names. If they had names it meant they were people. It was easier to hate someone who didn't have a name. Never once has he referred to the German as anything other than Mastermind. Not even in his personal musings, always using the code name or something generic like German or telepath or cold-hearted bastard. Never his real name.

He took another deep breath and looked over at Nagi. "What do you need from us? Why are you doing this and why... should we trust you aside from the fact we're still alive now. You just said so yourself... you're about Schwarz and I don't think Oracle would be happy to know you did this. So why?"

"There is nothing to be sorry for, Hidaka-san," Nagi said blandly, tilting his head to the side once more, his dark hair falling over his smooth brow. "Had the situations been reversed and it had been my leader confined in that prison as Fujimiya-san was..." He just shrugged, not feeling the need to continue that line of discussion.

"Why... why indeed. Because I am doing this for Schwarz." Glancing up, he eyed the tree Ran leaned against, extending his hand palm up. His fingers curled in a counter-clockwise motion down to his palm, causing a swirl of leaves and blossoms from the tree to move around the trio before falling to the ground after he finished talking. "SZ is not at all like Kritiker, Hidaka-san, Fujimiya-san. SZ is a full test of strength and survival of the fittest. In that packet there are hints to the full tests of survival in SZ. It is as they say 'a dog eat dog world'. Schwarz... Schwarz was loyal to one another, to an extent. Schwarz strived for more and was ready to leave the organization. Now we are... for the most part... stuck. And this new member... he holds no loyalties to us, perhaps not even to SZ itself. He is a danger, a liability that could be Schwarz's ruin. Why should you care though? Because if he brings down Schwarz, Weiß will easily be next."

"And yet, Crawford is letting him join Schwarz?" Ran questioned, setting his hand lightly on Ken's shoulder as he saw him slump almost in defeat. How odd that the youngest of Schwarz was so... reasonable.

"He was sent by SZ. There is really little to no choice on our part about this. And... Crawford wants Weiß dead. And if Crocifisso can do that... " The boy just shrugged.

"Why don't you, Naoe," Ran asked again, his eyes narrowed as he eyed the boy. He seemed so sincere but he was still Schwarz.

"At times I do not know." Straightening, Nagi dropped his hand and started to walk away.

"Wait..."

"I have to go. What you do with the information is really up to you. I cannot ask anything of you. I have provided you with the needed information to protect yourself from Crocifisso, perhaps to even fight back using his own strengths against him. As for your question... what is wrong with him. I think him to be a Level Zero personality. He had no morals, no sense of right or wrong, only his desire. What his desire is really depends on the moment but he is infantile in that he expects it to be given then. I am sure Tsukiyono-san could find more on that for you. I am impressed on his hacking skills. I know he has been in the SZ and Schwarz files. It shall be a challenge to create a block to keep one with such skill out of the mainframe."

"If he is such..." Ran sighed faintly, trying to word this so he wouldn't feel like he was betraying himself or sounding weak. "What... will he do when he finds out about this..."

"This meeting? He shall not, from my mind. I was trained with telepaths and know of a few tricks to keep them out. One I can teach you... He does seem to deal more on surface thoughts, at first. Every person, whether they are aware of it or not, have a... safe of sorts in their mind where they can keep things they do not want found out. Finding it is a start in creating mental shields. More is detailed in the package along with his training. He has been in SZ since he was seven years old. Worry not about me but rather about yourselves. I picked up a few pointers from my years with Schuldich and ... in Rosenkreuz."

"Rosenkreuz?"

Turning back to look at them, Nagi nodded. "If... you want a closer look at how SZ works. Have Tsukiyono-san research Rosenkreuz in the SZ files. I will not be safe guarding them.... yet."

Ken nodded as the young telekinetic moved away. As the boy disappeared into the hotel, he visibly relaxed and curled himself against Ran letting the fear wash over him. The faint trembling as he'd come up against Schwarz' most powerful member and lived. He glanced at the folder in Ran's hand and looked up at him. "Are you going to trust him? I'm curious as to the files and what he said. Maybe we should head home and go research this stuff?" Ken's soft blue eyes gazed up at Ran hoping to still ease some of the trauma from the new telepath and their brush with Nagi. All this was still unsettling for him. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Ran was feeling.

The epitome of calm strength broke slightly as soon as Nagi moved away from the pair, showing in the light tremors moving through his form. Sighing shakily he leaned his back against the tree, drawing Ken close into his arms up against him. The male's lips pressed on the other male's forehead, drawing strength from his simple cheery warmth. Not to say the man was simple or one-sided or anything of the like, but when he had Italian telepaths jibbering in his mind and Japanese telekinetics appearing to give him inside information, his world was sent into a wild storm of confusion. Ken being the calm tranquil eye of that storm he could return to at any time.

"I really do not know..." he murmured back, half in his own thought as he drew his lover closer, moving his head to nuzzle his cheek on his. "I probably shouldn't yet... this information is possibly too valuable to throw aside and the things he said about SZ seemed accurate." Still holding the packet tightly between his pale fingers, he drew back to meet Ken's gaze. "Let us go tell Omi and Youji what happened. We can decide our next move together... like a team ne? No matter what, I want away from this resort. If we go home we can simply tell Manx to keep our missions filtered to keep us on vacation as she was already going to do. I think we all need one. Especially now."

Nodding softly Ken let himself be pulled up into Ran's hold, himself needing the soothing contact of the other male just as much as Ran needed it. He nestled into his chest as they leaned against the tree, his hands clasping his hips gently. "They're probably up in the rooms packing up whatever it was they unpacked. I called them before I came out here..." Ken tilted his head and pulled Ran's lips down to his in a soft gentle kiss, meant more to reassure than anything else. His hand then went to his left hand to kiss the homemade ring on his finger. "Right a team... and more importantly... a family." Shifting to stand on Ran's left side he held their clasped hands and curled their fingers together and waited for Ran to lead them whenever he was ready. Ran was the leader both of Weiß and his heart. No matter what he would follow Ran to the ends of the earth. Always.