10. Parting Gifts


"IYA! No matter how many times you say it, I won't do it, Ohgami-san!" Sakura defiantly retorted.

Ohgami's voice had regained its strength, and he was using it full blast. "There's no other way, Sakura-kun! Even as we speak, Tenkai's waking up and there's no telling what he'll do!"

"Demo, Onii-chan! There has to be some other way to get that bad Tenkai off you!" Iris exclaimed.

"There isn't, Iris! Even if there is, there'll be no time to do it, because Tenkai would have probably reduced the Imperial Capital to dust by then," Ohgami explained.

Sakura was losing hope. She turned to Maria, who had been quiet during the whole time they were talking. "Maria-san! Please say something!"

She replied, with much grief in her voice, "I'm afraid that there isn't anything else we can do, Sakura, minna."

Sakura was shocked. She felt like Maria had left her side. She then turned to Kanna. "Kanna-san, please!"

She looked grim as well. "I hate to say this, Sakura, but Maria's right. I don't like this any better than you do, but in regards to the situation, it's bleak that we'll find anything that can free Taichou from Tenkai within the limited time."

Her words passed from ear to ear as she then turned to Kohran. "Kohran!"

The inventor was quiet. She said nothing, but the grim expression on her face told Sakura what she needed to know.

"Sakura-san, listen to me," Sumire suddenly said, surprising Sakura.

"H-hai?" She was afraid of another tongue-lashing.

"Didn't I say earlier…that we don't have the precious chance of saving Chuui now? Didn't I say that we don't have time to search for some kind of cure? If there were, by all means, we would've gone and done it, but Sakura-san…"

She found it hard to speak. "I want to save Chuui too, Sakura-san, but we can't. Not right now. If we were just given a little more time, I really think that we would've found some kind of way to exorcise Tenkai, but we weren't.

"We can't save him, Sakura-san, but we can save the Imperial Capital…by…by…" She lost the words. She didn't want to do this.

Ohgami chuckled a bit. "Arigato, Sumire-kun."

"Sou na…chikusho…iya…iya…I can't do this…even if it means saving the Capital…oh, Ohgami-san!"

She threw herself at his arms, sobbing onto his chest. He placed his arms behind her and embraced her tight.

"Sakura-kun…Minna…I have something to tell you all."

He strained the words, finding it hard to speak, but he spoke anyway. "It…it was all my doing. I was the cause of all this, not Tenkai."

Another shock and they stared at him with questioning eyes, save Sakura. Ohgami continued.

"Me…I'm always so weak. I was assigned to the Hanagumi, because they thought I would be strong enough to lead you all, but boy, did I disappoint them. All of you, each and every one of you…you were always leading the battle, but me, I was always left behind to watch all of you risk your lives. I was always left behind doing nothing.

"I felt so helpless…I wanted to go fight with you, join you on the battlefield, but I always couldn't. I couldn't even join my own formation…The Haja No Jin, because my spiritual energy was too weak. If I join, I'd only get in the way."

His voice was beginning to become hoarse.

"I wanted more power. I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to be in the battle, to make sure that I know what's truly going on, not just watch you and wait for you. I felt like I was betraying you, letting you go off into the battle, leaving me behind," he then spat the words, "sitting pretty."

His face was full of sorrow and remorse, and his voice had strong tones of regret.

"He talked to me right after the fight against the cloaked man, which was actually an incomplete Tenkai. I didn't know who he was then, but I didn't care as well. I was desperate for more power. Right after all of you were severely hurt, even to the point of almost dying…"

He bit his mouth. He was finding it hard to speak, like it hurt him when he spoke. Yet he strained himself to continue.

"And I was unhurt, no wounds or bruises whatsoever, then and there I felt like I had committed the ultimate betrayal to you all. And no matter how many times I'll apologize, I'll never, EVER, forgive myself."

He spat the words again, tears now streaming down his face, crying for the first time in his life. The Hanagumi stared at their Taichou with open, bewildered and concerned at the same time. They had never imagined that Ohgami Ichiro had gone through so much without them knowing. He had already gone through so much pain. He had a heart that bled for each and every one of them, and torturing himself because of his lack of power had squeezed it dry.

They only watched further as he roughly wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.

"So I accepted, without thinking of who I was talking to, or what consequences would be entailed," he paused, taking a long, hard look at the destruction he had caused, "And that turned me into what I am now, a vessel for Tenkai's path of destruction."

He looked at them, his soldiers, his friends, his family, battered, tired, weak, all because of him.

"Gomennasai, minna. But I know that saying sorry won't bring everything I destroyed…every person I killed back. What I've done is utterly unforgivable."

He forced a pained smirk. "So, doing me in," he paused, waiting for their shock to fade. They were still surprised at how he was talking about killing him so casually, "won't only be a way to save the Imperial Capital, but it'll be…well, a kind of retribution, vengeance if you'd like, for all the pain I've caused."

Sakura lifted her face from his chest and looked at Ohgami with blue, glassy, teary eyes. Her voice full of despair, she said, "Demo…Ohgami-san…isn't…there has to be some other way…"

He gently stroked her face. "If there was, that wouldn't rid me of my guilt. Death may very well be the only saving grace for me…so…onegai, Sakura-kun…please do this for me. I don't want to destroy the Imperial Capital or hurt you, but if Tenkai has his way…I won't be able to stop him."

Maria abruptly stood up, her face colder than before. She showed no emotion as she pulled her revolver out of its holster and aimed at Ohgami's forehead. She acted like an executioner, killing because it was asked of her.

Sakura saw Maria take out her gun and was about to protest, but looking at Ohgami, she stopped. She found him smiling. Confused, she kept swerving back and forth, not knowing which she should prioritize, the Imperial Capital or Ohgami?

"Taichou, forgive me," Maria said, pulling down the hammer of her gun.

"No need to, Maria, you're only doing what you should do," Ohgami calmly replied, closing his eyes, "Hurry though…I can feel him waking up, I think he knows of our plans…"

Maria could feel it, the stare of her teammates were piercing her soul. Sweat trickled down her brow as she slid her finger inside the trigger chamber. After that, it was only a matter of time until the lethal bullet shoots out.

She shot a look at her teammates again. Their confused eyes told her that they were unsure of what they should do, whether they should try to stop her or not. In truth, she was unsure herself, but she was following orders, nothing more.

But would this be an action she wouldn't regret? She would be doing a favor for Ohgami AND for the Imperial Capital, by removing the source of their troubles. But by all means, Ohgami was a good friend to her, a comrade-in-arms. She was more than just a good soldier. She followed his every command, because she knew that his decisions would lead to a favorable outcome. She believed in him.

Now, he was commanding her to kill him. The gun was directly aimed between Ohgami's eyes. The shot would instantly kill him.

For their sake and of the Imperial Capital, he would have to die.

His death would save millions.

But, her trigger finger shook. Her hand trembled and her aim was moving.

Now, after a while, the gun seemed so heavy.

She dropped it. It fell to the burnt ground with a dull thud.

"Gomennasai, Taichou," she weakly said, stumbling on her knees, "Even if I followed your every command back then, I can't do this…I know that I'm speaking for everyone when I say that you are special to us!"

His eyes reopened and saw their eyes gaze out to him, reaching out to him, desperately finding a way to save him. It then dawned to him that no matter how desperate the situation might be, no matter how many times he would ask them; they'd never do it.

They cared for him too much.

Sakura said, her eyes glassy once more, "I don't…we don't want to lose you…"

He forced a smile. "Minna…arigatou…you've been more than my friends…you're my family…your love is all that matters…that's what gives me strength…but it's too late…please," his voice became weak and in pain, "Help me…it hurts…it hurts…"

"Ohgami-san! Are you all right? Ohgami-san!" Sakura called, trying to hold him. He was trembling madly. His eyes were shut and he was sweating profusely.

"He…he's…waking up…" He struggled to say, "Go away…GO AWAY!!"

"Ohgami-san!" Sakura shouted, but she was dragged away by Kanna. The Hanagumi ran a few meters away from Ohgami, who was still shouting like mad. He was wrestling with Tenkai, forcing him down, but it looked like he was failing.

His last defense falling, Ohgami let out a scream of despair before the dark energy burst out of him again, enveloping him, wrapping him up like a mummy. The place lit up with bright violet energy and electricity surged around his aura.

Sakura and the others watched in horror as Ohgami's aura exploded, scorching the area around him. When his violent energies calmed down, they saw on all fours, his face to the ground.

"Oh-Ohgami-san?" Sakura asked, despair a strong tone in her voice. But she knew that calling him out know would be fruitless, because as Ohgami stood up, the color in his face had faded away, and his face was twisted in mad anger.

Tenkai had returned.

"You thought you can get away from me?!" Tenkai shouted, his voice once again like Ohgami's, but it had a dark, deeper voice accompanying it. "You fools…you stupid idiots…if you had only killed Ichiro then you wouldn't have to face me one more time…you humans put so much stock in your feelings, you trust them even if doing so was futile."

"Baka!" Sakura retorted, "These kind of feelings are what make us stronger! Though it's true that there are feelings that hurt us, happiness, care, and love unites us together, no matter how bleak the situation may seem! We always have hope that things will turn out for the better, and the courage to defeat any obstacle that stands in our way!"

That only made him angrier. "Fool! That will lead you to your deaths!"

Raising his hand once more, a gigantic ball of energy instantly formed. He was laughing maniacally, saying, "This energy ball has enough power to not only destroy Ueno Park, but the entire Imperial Capital! Prepare to die!"

There was no hope now. The Hanagumi's spiritual energies were drained, and they barely had enough strength to lift their weapons. They just watched helplessly, as the ball even grew larger and more powerful.

"TIME TO DIE, HANAGUMI!!" Tenkai screamed.

"Not so fast, Tenkai!"

Tenkai was momentarily distracted, and saw groups of black-clad ninjas suddenly surrounding him. They were armed to the teeth with guns, machine guns, rocket launchers, gatling guns, and grenades.

Yuichi Kayama was up front, aiming a semi-automatic at Tenkai, "I'll make you pay for what you did to Ohgami, you bastard! Teikoku Kagekidan, Tsukigumi, SANJOU!"

The ninjas all answered, snapping a salute, "Yokai, Taichou!"

Then the bullets, rockets, and grenades started flying, creating a metal storm directed at Tenkai. He laughed even louder, as he created a force field, deflecting the bullets. The bullets ricocheted off the field, while the rockets bounced off.

"FOOLS!" He screamed, highly amused, "Do you actually believe that your weapons will do damage to me, Tenkai?"

Kayama replied, "Maybe not, but that's just part of the plan."

"Plan?" He was slightly concerned. Slightly.

"Like we'd tell you, you idiot! Keep firing, Tsukigumi!"

The bullets kept on raining, and Tenkai maintained his field. Kayama deftly leapt through the bullets and approached the Hanagumi, all wildly bewildered.

"Minna, we're glad we came just in time!" Kayama said, taking off his cowl to reveal a toothy grin, "We had to take each and every gun that we had from our arsenal, even head to Hanayashiki for back-up weaponry, and go here!"

"Eh…anou…who're you?" Sakura asked.

"Me? Why, hasn't Ohgami introduced Yuichi Kayama, Taichou of the Tsukigumi, yet?! Why, when we exorcise him, I'll give him a good punch or two on his spiky noggin…"

Then Sakura lunged at him, grabbing his collar, "Nani!? Exorcise?! You have a plan to exorcise Ohgami-san!?"

"Urk…agh…air!"

"Ah, sumimasen!" Sakura apologized, removing her grip on his collar, "What plan!?"

He gasped, color returning to his face, "Ah, that feels good! Anyway, Yoneda-shire had something in mind, so he sent my team to distract Tenkai until he gets here. Didn't tell me what he HAD in mind, mind you. I tell you, that commander's getting old…"

Sakura and the team finally felt hopeful. "Ah, that's good news! Then we CAN bring Ohgami-san back!"

Kayama nodded. "Yeah! One more thing, Yoneda-shire said that you should save your energy. He had something planned for your part in the exorcism. Let's just hope that Yoneda-shire gets here in time. I think I left him with a bottle of sake…Whoa!"

Kayama moved his head just in time to avoid a stray bullet, taking off a few strands of his hair. "NO! Not my hair! PREPARE TO DIE!!!"

The Tsukigumi Taichou charged back into the fray, raining bullets with his semi-automatic.

Iris said, "Onii-chan has a weird choice for tomodachi…"

"Minna-san!" Sakura announced to her teammates, "Ohgami-san has a chance!"

Maria smiled. "We all heard. You were right, Sakura."

Sakura gleefully nodded. Then she watched the battle once more, watching Tenkai battle with seemingly innumerable Tsukigumi who won't stop their barrage.

Ohgami-san, just wait…We'll bring you back…I promise!


"Are you sure this will work, sir?"

Back in the Teigeki, Ayame and Yoneda were discussing their plans on how to exorcise the Hanagumi Taichou.

Yoneda took a sip of sake before replying, "It's a long shot. After all, their primary purpose was to remove any dark essence from any object so that forensics can examine it. Like Wakiji parts, for example."

"But an exorcism? They already have difficulty with one Wakiji, what chance do they have against Tenkai?"

He took a bigger swig. "We have to take the chance. Ayame-kun, the catalyst is an integral part of the Hanagumi, remember? We requested his promotion because not only did he have enough spiritual energy to move the white Kobu, but he had the makings of a person who can bind their hearts into one."

Ayame nodded. "Sou ka. Anyway, they've left on the Goraigo already, thanks to the Kazegumi. Let's just hope that they get there in time. Who knows what Tenkai may have in mind?"

He looked at his second-in-command, a meaningful look on his tired, wrinkled face. "You know, Ayame-kun, I'm really looking forward to the end of this long war. It's taking too long, and many lives have already been wasted. Kazuma, Shinnosuke, all the soldiers who fought and died, and now…Ohgami-kun and the Hanagumi."

She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Your children will be fine, sir. Nothing to worry about."

He gulped down another shot of sake. "I'm getting too old for this…"


"FOOLS!"

Angered by their impudence, incensed by their disrespect, furious Tenkai let out a ragged scream, and as his powerful voice lanced out, a mighty surge of energy was produced, blasting outwards, sending every Tsukigumi member in the vicinity either flying or crashing into the nearby trees.

"You will all pay the price for mocking me, hindering me from my goals!" He shouted, his dome-like blast expanding.

The Hanagumi took shelter behind some trees, shielding them from Tenkai's wrath. But they knew that it was only a matter of time until his energy reached them.

"What's taking the commander so long?!" Kanna shouted, her voice almost drowned out by the strong sound generated by Tenkai's attack, "A few more seconds and we're toast!"

Maria, taking a risk, pulled out her revolver and aimed at the almost fading figure of Tenkai, who seemed to disappear behind the energy dome. She fired a shot, but the bullet was only deflected by his power.

"There's no more time. If Yoneda-shire has something in mind, he better do it fast," Maria muttered, watching the dome expand.

Sakura's ears were ringing. The powerfully loud sound created by Tenkai's attack was nearly defeaning. The powerful electric discharge, plus the expanding energy dome had so much volume, the trees that were nearby seem to shatter when the sound waves struck them.

But behind those sounds, her sharp ears picked up something else, something quieter, calmer, even to the point of being monotonous. It sounded like chanting, and from the gaining volume; it seemed like a whole choir was chanting. It sounded like…

"A prayer? A spell?" Sakura guessed, then something caught her eye, "Minna, look!"

Flanked around Tenkai and formed in a wide circle, women clad in Shinto priest robes assumed prayer positions. They were equipped with prayer wards and staffs, and they were chanting what seemed to be a spell.

"The Yumegumi, of course!" Maria remarked enthusiastically, "They're charged with spiritual purification and prayers. Exorcisms are probably one of their abilities."

A white aura emanated from the priestesses, and it increased in size along with the volume and speed of their voices. Their hands locked in prayer and their faces concentrating hard, the Yumegumi began their ritual.

Thenkai felt the strong surge of energy from the Yumegumi countering his own. The dome of energy slowed down in its expansion, until it eventually came into a standstill. But it remained standing.

Kayama pushed himself out of the dent he made in the ground (Tenkai did fling him really hard) and received a note from a passing-by Tsukigumi ninja. Seeing that it was addressed to the Hanagumi on the surface, he leapt from his hole and headed towards the girls in full speed.

"New orders, Hanagumi!" Kayama announced when he approached them, "Read up, Taichou."

He handed the note to Maria, who opened it right away. Reading it as fast as she could, she then said, "Hanagumi, listen up! Form the Haja No Jin around the Yumegumi and gather as much as spiritual power possible! You are to share your powers with the Yumegumi so that there would be enough energy for the exorcism. This was probably the reason why the commander asked us to rest our energies. Hanagumi, SANJOU!"

Everyone snapped a salute except for Sakura, who raised her hand. "Anou…Maria-san…where will I be? I' m supposed to be at the center of the formation, but…well…Tenkai's there."

Maria smirked. "That's exactly where you're going."

She was beyond surprise. "Eeeeh!?"

The assistant Taichou held up the piece of paper in her hand. "You will face Tenkai one more time. He will be significantly weaker than before. Perform the Haja Kensei one more time to break through his barrier, then perform it once more. That would serve as the conduit for Ohgami-Taichou's exorcism."

Kayama nodded. "The Haja no Chikara has been always the prime factor in the battles against the Descended Evil. Doing your special technique would 'push' Tenkai out of Ohgami's body. Hopefully, we will be able to seal him after that once and for all."

"U-understood! I'll do my best!" Sakura replied, snapping a salute.

"You have your orders. Hanagumi, ganbarimasu! SANJOU!" Maria ordered, and the Hanagumi prepared for the final battle.


Sakura unsheathed Arataka once more. Its edge was still as sharp as ever, and it still could serve as her weapon and the passageway of her energy. The holy blade was passed on from generation to generation of the Shinguji, and it now presently belonged to her, the daughter of Kazuma Shinguji, perhaps one of the greatest heroes the Imperial Capital had.

She looked at where she stood. She was inside the pentagon of the Hanagumi's Haja No Jin, inside the circle of the Yumegumi. She was a few meters away from the Tenkai's dome. Her teammates were silent, and their aura was visible. It flowed into the Yumegumi circle, and it served as the source of power for the exorcism and the sealing.

She looked beyond them, past the fading violet dome, at Tenkai, furiously fighting against the holy energies that were possibly tearing him apart. He still maintained his ground, and he still had plenty of power to spare. He was a fearsome enemy indeed.

But what bothered Sakura the most was his face. She had gotten used to gentle, sometimes strict, but caring face of Ohgami, but now it was heavily distorted into the deluded, bloodthirsty face of Tenkai. It was deathly pale, and almost showed no signs of life. His blood-red eyes were hungry for more bloodshed; hungry for whatever goals Tenkai might have in mind.

Then she looked at the blade once more, gleaming in the powerful light. Its edge had not yet been ruined, and still remained sharp. The only time it did get ruined was when she first fought with Satan Aoi. She had to go home to Sendai to have it repaired, and eventually undergo the re-forging ceremony. Not only would the sword be repaired, but her spirit as well.

Ohgami was there too, to look after her, to see if she was going to be all right. Though he had not been allowed to witness the rituals itself, because it was a privilege only to the clan members, Sakura felt that he had been always there. She might call it crazy, but she even heard his voice in her own ceremony.

He was always there, to protect her, to keep her from harm as much as possible. Despite his own weakness, he had tried and tried to protect her.

If he had only realized that he wasn't weak at all. In fact, Sakura regarded him as one of the most powerful people she had ever met. Why? Because he always put himself in danger for them and he always came out alive. He did everything in his power to protect them.

And now, it was their turn to protect and save him.

"Here we go again, Arataka. Let's do this," Sakura muttered, assuming her battle stance, gathering her power once more.

"HAJA KENSEI! OUKA HOSHIN!!!!" She screamed, and lanced her sword out, and at once a powerful beam of pink energy shot out from the tip of her sword. It hit the barrier in full force, drilling into the dome.

The prayers became faster, and the Hanagumi channeled their energies into the ritual. This was the final moment. There was no leniency for mistakes.

Sakura poured on more of her powerful energy, and the beam became wider and stronger. The barrier then started to crack.

"NO! This cannot be!" Tenkai shouted in disbelief, watching as his power falter under the power of Sakura's attack.

"Your time's up, Tenkai! Bring me back Ohgami-san!" Sakura shouted, and with that, gave everything into that blow.

The crack turned into a shatter, and the beam penetrated right through the barrier, slamming into Tenkai.

Maria opened her eyes, seeing Sakura's success. "This is it, minna! Give it everything you got! Defeat him at all costs!"

The Yumegumi's prayers were being heard, and their wards began to glow in spiritual energy. From their flimsy forms, they suddenly stiffened, and showed the mystical letters of the exorcism ritual. And then, like darts, every priestess threw her wards at Tenkai.

With each ward, Tenkai could feel his power over his body slipping. He was losing control of his host, and try as he could to hold on, the combined power of the Haja Kensei, the Haja No Jin, and the Yumegumi's ritual was overwhelming, even for him.

The ritual was taking effect, and Tenkai screamed one final time, as a misty figure of a pale, cloaked man was pushed out of the body. He flew into the air, screaming in pain, grasping his head. The body, however, collapsed to the ground.

Sakura then dropped her sword, the beam suddenly dissipating, and ran as fast as her legs could take her to Ohgami. She gently cradled his head in her arms, softly stroking his bloodied cheek. She was glad; color was returning to his face.

"Ohgami-san? Pull yourself together, please," she pleaded.

He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he knew who he was looking at. The black and pink haze and the warmth could tell him one thing.

"Sakura-kun…thank you…" was all he could muster.

She held him close, tears streaming from her face. "Everything's going to be all right now. We'll go home soon, and we'll be together again."

Meanwhile, Tenkai was still screaming in pain, as the multitude of wards came storming into his misty figure, pulling him down to the ground, and preventing any kind of escape. His fate was sealed.

Up in the skies, the Shogei-maru, the zeppelin and the main aerial transport of the Hanagumi, was heaving a gigantic rock spire, with a single mystical letter engraved on its surface.

On board, Yoneda and Ayame were at the cockpit. The old commander put the radio (which was linked to a megaphone outside) to his face, and said, "Give it up, Tenkai! We've already placed the smaller sealing stones in their old temples. This will be the coup de grace."

The Yumegumi stood up and began to surround Tenkai, saying their prayers in louder, more powerful voices. The sounds hurt Tenkai's ears, and he could feel his very existence vanishing.

"No…" Tenkai muttered, "No…not like this…this is not the way it was supposed to be. I still have a mission…"

He could feel his body slowly becoming rigid. The sealing was taking place.

"I'm not going to be holed up in some rock for the rest of my life! I WILL TAKE REVENGE! YOU CANNOT STOP ME!"

And in a mad, desperate effort, he exerted the last of his powerful energy in the form of a single violent shockwave. The Yumegumi were blown away, crashing into the ground. The Hanagumi stood their ground. The seals burned away on his body.

He then began to laugh incessantly, and though it first seemed to the Hanagumi that Tenkai was laughing because he was going mad over his defeat, but Maria sensed something else. It was a strange, but triumphant laugh.

"The last laugh will be mine," Tenkai shouted, "And NONE of you can stop me!"

He raised his pale white hand and from it a beam of violet energy shot forth. It traveled at such a high velocity that no one saw where it went until it was too late.

"OHGAMI-SAN!!!" Sakura screamed.

Ohgami began to scream in absolute pain, as the beam began to pierce into his body.

"Yamete, Tenkai! YAMETE!!!!" Sakura screamed, standing up, picking up Arataka.

Along with Sakura, the Hanagumi moved out, planning to stop Tenkai from his assault, until Maria stopped them. "Minna, stop! Look at Tenkai!"

Tenkai, too, was screaming in pain. It looked like the beam he had created was also hurting him.

Then, he tried to stop himself from shouting, forcing the pain back down. His fingers danced in a rhythmic movement, and a small light seemed to follow his fingers. It was as if he was writing letters.

Then, he murmured arcane words, summoning a spell. Then with a wave of a hand, it commenced.

Ohgami and Tenkai screamed out loud, as the beam was released from the latter's hand and started to strike them both. The winds picked up, and the earth started to rumble. Fires flared everywhere, and powerful rain started to pour. The elements raged as a testament to the display of tremendous power.

The Hanagumi barely stood their ground, feeling the tremendous shockwaves push against their bodies. Shielding themselves with their arms, they could barely keep an eye on the conflict.

"What's going on?! What's Tenkai doing?" Sakura shouted.

"I have no idea, but it's not good! The force is hurting Tenkai AND Taichou!" Maria replied.

Then, a transparent image of Tenkai, almost like a ghost, came forth from the cloaked man's body. It was limping, like it was dead. Then, it darted into the beam, and was engulfed almost instantly. But some fragments remained in the beam.

"What the hell's going on?! Why did that ghost thing do itself in?" Kanna screamed.

Then it hit them as fast as the fragments plunged themselves into the battered Taichou's body. The beam ended right there, and both Ohgami and Tenkai collapsed into the ground. Sakura was the first to go to Ohgami, followed by the others.

"Ohgami-san? Pull yourself together! Ohgami-san!" Sakura screamed desperately, shaking him but receiving no response.

"Did Tenkai possess him again?!" Sumire demanded, teeth gritting.

"No, minna, look!" Kohran exclaimed, pointing at Tenkai.

The cloaked man was standing up. Like a piece of cloth picked up by the wind, he flew to stand up, but when his feet landed, he almost stumbled. But he maintained his ground.

Maria stood up and pulled out her revolver, aiming it almost instantly at Tenkai. "Tenkai! What did you do to Taichou?"

He did not reply. All he did was stand up straight. His appearance almost remained the same. He was still heavily cloaked, though his clothes were shred at some parts. Both pale, white hands stuck out now, with the same, fearsome blood-red claws.

She clicked the hammer. "Answer me, damn you!"

All he did was lift his hooded head up and shouted, "Yoneda! You may want to think twice before dropping that rock on me."

His voice was unnaturally loud, but it still maintained the rasping tone.

Replying with the same amount of decibels via megaphone, he replied, "Bakayaro! What makes you think I'll listen to you?"

"Because if you want to seal me now…"

Then his pale white finger pointed at Ohgami, who was slowly regaining consciousness.

"You might as well seal Ichiro as well."

Her finger slid into the trigger chamber. It was aching to pull. "What are you talking about?"

"I am Ichiro. Ichiro is I."

"Damn you, Tenkai!"

She pulled the trigger, and the gun fired. The bullet flew and it embedded itself into Tenkai's shoulder. He almost dropped to the ground, but managed to keep himself standing.

Blood trickled from the wound, and Tenkai gripped the bullet hole. "Fool. Before you make any more rash decisions, see the results of your attack."

He pointed a pale finger towards Ohgami, and they were compelled to look.

"Masaka…" Maria muttered, dreaded.

There was a bullet wound in Ohgami's shoulder.

"Oh no!" Sakura gasped, then faced Tenkai, "What have you done to Ohgami-san?"

His voice was mocking. "I halved my spiritual energy and fused it with Ichiro's own. His original energy has been converted to my kind of power. Therefore, he is significantly stronger than before."

Kanna muttered, "Well, that isn't so bad…"

"But there's a catch. That power acts as a parasite. It will eat him, devour his memories, and consume his soul, until he is nothing more than a ready vessel. A vessel for me. In the meantime, I will regain my lost half of power, and when I take his body one more time, I will be twice as strong."

He triumphantly laughed out loud, wringing his hands in the air to express his glee.

"But we are connected to one another. It's still my power that he has, and inhabiting his body has left me with some of his. We are the halves of one whole now. Though what happens to me happens to him and vice-versa will only last for a short time, when you take one of us down, you take the whole thing down."

He pointed his blood-red nail at the Hanagumi, bewildered and threatened.

"So, sealing only me will not suffice until you gather the guts to seal Ichiro as well, something you can never, ever do. You humans think that your feelings, your relations to one another are the source of your strength, your victory, but this proves that you are wrong."

He pointed his index finger at his head and raised his thumb, similar to a gun.

"Do it. Kill Ichiro. Kill me. Shoot me at the head. That can instantly kill me, and end the threat to your Imperial Capital. But remember, killing me now will also kill Ichiro."

Maria dropped her gun. This was beyond her. She would never kill him.

He seemed disappointed, but content. "Hmph, I thought as much."

Tenkai used one nail to raise the hood slightly, revealing his eyes. They were blood red, like the nails, and stared intently at Ohgami.

"Did you get all that, Ichiro?"

He could barely stand up, but his face was pale with shock. "W-what have you done to me…"

"Didn't you say that you wanted power, Ichiro? Power to protect those you love? Well, now you have it, my parting gift for you. But remember, there's a price for power, and yours is to spend the rest of your short life, knowing that your desire for power has brought ruin to the Capital."

Tenkai laughed.

"After all that you've done, do you really think you have the right to protect them now? You made them bleed, Ichiro. You made them suffer."

Ohgami violently shook his head, covering his ears. "No, no, no! This can't be!"

"You have power and no one to protect. Your mistakes have brought you their enmity. Your indecisiveness has brought you their hatred."

He was screaming madly. His eyes were bloodshot. Sakura tried to qualm his anger, but to no avail. Tenkai's voice seemed to pierce directly into his heart.

"With all that, don't you wish you were better off dead?"

Tenkai laughed, filling the air with his maniacal cackling. He floated into the air, the winds picking him up like a discarded cloak, and then he disappeared. His laughs echoed in the air until it vanished, drowned out by Ohgami's mad screaming.

"Ohgami-san! Please, stop! Please, STOP!" Sakura begged, watching Ohgami scream and scream and scream, tears flowing out of his eyes like waterfalls.

"Onii-chan! ONII-CHAN!" Iris pleaded, crying. Her big brother was beginning to calm down, his screams becoming softer.

"Kayama-taichou! Please call for a medic, immediately!" Maria demanded, and Kayama leapt off.

Ohgami lied down on the burnt ground, bleeding, battered. His eyes were bloodshot, just staring into the raining heavens. He could hear all the cries for him, begging him to hang on. He could see their faces, just pleading for him to survive. But they were nothing more than blurs to him.

Then everything faded to black.