Takao was grumbling as they walked home that early evening back to his house. "Tsukiyo, for the LAST time…"

"I thought you're my BEST friend?!" SD Tsukiyo was an angry Jigglypuff. "I HATE Kai! It's the ONLY way to get back at HIM!"

"What, by getting in his WAY?! Look, you don't know Kai, he HATES to be disturbed. If you egg me on to do this, I would be coming back to Japan in a matchbox with half the entire space left to SPARE."

"You'll NOT be getting in his way, just try stopping HIM! Even if what he says about those –Aurans- are true, he STILL can't KILL them!"

"Hello. Are you forgetting Kai Hiwatari IS an ASSASSIN?"

"Ohhh…just STOP him!"

"Uh…guys…" Professor stopped and pointed. The 2 of them stopped arguing at once then blinked at the Professor.

"Professor…what is it?"

"Look…"

Takao stared to where he was pointing. Tsukiyo's eyes were curious.

"Lei?"

Lei and Max were right in front of Takao's house, looking like a pair of statues. Takao blinked, then saw Lei's plastic bag fall from his grip. The bag contained several glass bottles of Snapple and bags of Frito Lay's, the glass bottles shattering upon impact on the pavement. Takao's eyes now have a puzzled expression to them, too.

"Lei…?"

Lei's eyes, which were wide and glassy with shock, now filled up with tears. He broke into a run up the cobblestoned pathway.

"MAO!"

"???" SD Tsukiyo was puzzled. Takao's eyes widened, then ran after Lei. Professor and Max were close behind his heels.

Her heart filling up with dread, Tsukiyo broke into a run and went after them, too. What she saw made her put her hands to her mouth and gasp.

Mao…Lei's childhood friend…lay bloodied and unconscious on the pavement floor.

Max's eyes widened. He got the Nokia 6800 hanging via a strap about his neck and dialled the emergency number.

"Hello…?! Yes, is this the emergency line?! Oh, good. Listen, there's an emergency…I need an ambulance here quick!" Max bit his lip. "5 minutes? OK. Thank you very much!"

Lei dropped down on his knees then gently cradled Mao's upper body in his arms. "Mao…MAO! What happened…who did this to YOU?!"

"L…Lei?" Mao slowly opened her amber-yellow eyes then smiled faintly upon seeing him. "Lei…"

"Mao…"

"I…got here quickly…" She coughed. The effort she was doing to be able to talk to him must be very painful as she winced and took a full minute before she could manage to talk again. "Thank…the gods…"

"Mao…please hold on! The ambulance is almost here…"

"Go…back…" Mao whispered. "Entire village…they were…so ruthless…"

"Who?!" Lei's eyes were narrowed, but tears still flowed on nonetheless. "What HAPPENED?!"

"I'm…the only one…left…" Mao coughed again. Takao shook his head, then gritted his teeth. "Don't force yourself to talk, you'll just open your wounds further…"

"Black…claw…" Mao reached out to clutch at the front of Lei's uniform. "Cries…pain…"

"MAO!"

"They're after us…" Mao broke into halting, faint sobs. "Everyone…Rai…"

The ambulance came sooner, and medics rushed to her aid. It was all Lei could do to completely break down and cry hysterically. Takao's blue black eyes were narrowed in deep seated anger.

***Who did THIS? Why…WHY?***

"…" Max was very worried. "Is Lei fine now?"

Takao shook his head slowly. "I don't think he'll ever be the same again. The doctors did all they can to save her…but…the wounds were just…too grave."

Tsukiyo was crying softly in Profesor's arms. Takao took one look at them, then nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Please take care of Tsukiyo for a while for me."

He slowly opened the shoji screen door leading to Lei's room, then peeked inside.

"Lei?"

The young man was seated at the end of his bed. He was still dressed in his school clothes, and he was clutching something in his hands.

"Lei…"

"I've tried washing my hands…but…it won't come off…Mao…she died…and I wasn't able to do anything to save her…"

"…"

"I was supposed to give her this…" Lei bowed his head. "This was all I have left of my mother before my father and her…passed away. She said…I was to give it to the woman I was to spend the rest of my life with…"

"Lei…?"

"What was the purpose of being gone for 4 years…without anybody to come home to…without finding a place to belong to…? Why…why did she have to DIE?!" Lei gripped his sheets with his right hand, his knuckles white, and his whole body shaking with anger. "I told them I would be back…she told me she would be waiting for me…and it was a promise…they all died when I was supposed to be there for them…I WASN'T responsible enough…why the hell did I even become the leader of the White Tiger CLAN?! All of them…gone…I'm all alone now…"

"…"

"I'm going back to China and hunt those demons down. They won't get away with this!"

Tears fell and wet the sheets he was clutching at. His amber yellow eyes were narrowed very dangerously.

"To the grave I shall avenge them! And to the grave we SHALL meet!"