Part 7

…

"Report, Cat." Baka-Alaskan ordered.

"Shalashaska is dead, sacrificing himself in battle. His suicide dive took out a Liddo-walker, the resulting explosion destroying another three walkers and severely damaging the last one." The Cat reported. "The surviving troops say he died a martyr's death."

"Quite." The Prime Regent grinned maniacally. It was a little early but everything was going well in his scheme. "And what of our surprise attack on the CoK?"

"Reports say that Kana was wounded, three times in fact." The Cheshire Cat grinned evilly.

"Is he dead?"

"Well, no but he won't be…"

"Then you have failed." Baka-Alaskan said ominously. "The objective was to kill him."

"If I may ask, why are you so insistent on eliminating him?"

"Because as Master Necromancer, he is the chosen keeper of the Necronomicon, which, along with the Book of Shadows, can summon forth the greatest power this world has ever known. That power will propel Shinobu-sama to her rightful place as Supreme Being of this world." He explained. "Those two out of place artifacts (OOPArts) will allow her to reign supreme and I will rule by her side."

"You mean we will rule by her side."

"Yes, yes." Suddenly, the scheming Prime Regent drove his long sword through the Cat's back, ripping through his heart. "Have I ever told you…"

"Damn…you…back…stabbing…."

"…that I hate cats?" Baka-Alaskan smiled as he ripped the blade through the side of the Cat's body, essentially cutting him in half. "And I do not tolerate failure."

…

Kana was sleeping restlessly. The glow of Shinobu's healing spell was still there but slowly fading. Kanako stood there, in the shadows of her room, observing. In his mind, one of his many bitter memories was playing again. He was still a child in this one, barely seven years of age. He once lived in a small Imperial slave village, at the time when Naru's brutality was at its highest. He sat somewhere in the shadows, almost completely covered by them, as he watched one man completely decimate his home, his village, his family. He would never forget that man: Leon the Butcher, the Imperial 'discipline' officer at the time. Kana would not forget that day, nor would he forgive the man who slaughtered his family before his eyes. A nightmare it surely was, one that he awoke from in a cold sweat, feeling soft lips on his. They were NOT Kanako's.

"I'm sorry." Shinobu blushed as she pulled away. "I'm…glad you're awake now."

"Was it that dream again?" Kanako asked. "The Butcher dream again?"

"I swear, before this war is over, I'll kill him." Kana closed his eyes grimly, his knuckles bleeding. "I will."

Shinobu kept her silence and simply looked at Kana. His body was weak, scrawny and barely even alive with its pale skin tone but it was his will, his spirit, his mind, that was powerful. She both admired and feared that power. His dogged determination to bring down the Empire that enslaved and eventually slaughtered his family, the undying loyalty to his beloved Kanako and the ability to take the pressure of his duty as keeper of the Necronomicon, she could almost love it. However, the fear that these very same qualities made her feel was overwhelming that small attraction. Deep inside, Shinobu wanted a little demon in her man but Kana simply had too much demon in him.

"My…wounds…gone?" Kana asked as he used his hand to search for his wounds. "You did it?"

"I did." Shinobu nodded. "As a favor for a friend and to show that I didn't give the order to attack."

"Yes, that was all I ever was to you." Kana said, noting that Shinobu was pointing to the opposite side. She didn't have to do that, Kana knew that Kanako was there. "I know she's there and she knows I don't have any of those old feelings left."

"We made a good pair, administratively speaking, and while you may be a warrior of darkness, I am proud to call you my friend." Shinobu smiled as she got up. "I have to go, Kana, Kanako."

"Thank you." Kana said as Shinobu began to vanish in a circle of light. "For the healing and for the memories, thank you."

"No." Shinobu said as she completely disappeared. "Thank you for the memories."

"What memories? Kana, is there something you haven't told me?"

"You know everything. What I once felt for her, that moment in time when she mistakenly thought she felt the same way. I kept nothing from you." Kana answered as the look on his face asked Kanako for forgiveness. "I'm sorry about that kiss just now."

"It's alright, as long as you're alive and well." Kanako said as she sat down beside him and embraced him tightly in her arms. "I was afraid…for the first time, I felt fear. I was so afraid…of losing you."

"I won't die. Not until I've completed my oaths." Kana said, lifting his arms to return the embrace. "Not as long as you want me to be here."

"I won't let you come so close to death again." Kanako slowly began to cry. "I don't want to lose you."

…

"Congratulations, Eijentu. You just warded off an Imperial invasion force!" Kitsune said as she relaxed with her Grand Minister in the giant bathtub. "Have some sake with me."

"It was not really my victory, Boss. That mercenary team Talon sent us on short notice…the Angel-tai, did most of the work." Eijentu confessed but she took a nice long drink of sake anyway. "Boss…I need a favor."

"As long as it's not like the favors we had a few nights ago, sure, what is it?" Kitsune smiled foxily. It was clear one night with Eijentu was all she wanted. "Anyway, what do you need?"

"I need a rather large raise."

"How come, Eijentu?"

"Well, remember that redhead in Talon's personal body guards?" Eijentu asked. "I want to hire her as my personal guard."

"Why? Not enough security personnel watching you?" Kitsune asked as she ran her hand along Eijentu's petite lap. "I would have thought you didn't like having too man guards around."

"Well, the redhead was a one hot girl." Eijentu smiled, trying not to show the fact that she enjoyed Kitsune's hand moving along her legs. "Please?"

"Sure, why not? The KFH has money to spare anyway."

"Thank you!" Eijentu cried out in glee before taking another drink of sake. "You are too good to me, Boss Kitsune. I can't imagine how I can thank you!"

"I do. After we finish this bath, you can give me a nice, long backrub."

"Y-yes Boss! I'll give you the best backrub you've ever had!"

…

"Ara…Talon-kun? Is that you?" the large slab of marble that had Mutsumi imprisoned within moved to look to where Talon was sitting down, as if meditating. Silver was just outside the room, asleep. "Talon-kun, are you alright?"

"Mutsumi-san? Mutsumi-san you're alive!" Talon exclaimed as he jumped for joy. He ran to the marble slab, seeing Mutsumi's perfect smile form on the marble. "How? And why only after all these years?"

"Ara, I've been asleep."

"Asleep? After…never mind." Talon just sighed. Good old Mutsumi, even being imprisoned in marble didn't change her rather cluttered but still empathic and gentle, loving mind. "How are you? I'm sorry Silver and I couldn't get Keitaro out too."

"It's okay." Mutsumi smiled brightly through the marble. "I'm sure you'll reunite us soon."

"I am honored and humbled by your confidence in me, Mutsumi-san." Talon bowed before her. "I swear, I will not fail to return you to your rightful place as Empress."

"Ara ara…you and Silver were always my favorite Royal Guards." Mutsumi smiled. "Oh, by the way, how is your friend, that nice mercenary? Kana was it?"

"He is serving under Kanako-san now." Silver, who just entered the room, answered for Talon, looking in awe at the moving, living marble statue that is Mutsumi Otohime. "At war with the Empire that that psychopath Naru has turned into an instrument of butchery, sadism and pure evil in the years after you and Keitaro-san were sealed in marble."

"Ara, that's nice."

"Good old Mutsumi-san." Silver smiled while shaking her head. "The same old, loveable Mutsumi-san from all those years ago, she still hasn't changed."

"Now that you're awake, do you know how to unseal you from your prison?" Talon asked, holding Mutsumi's marble hand. "We have no idea how to do it."

"Ara…My old Book Of Shadows has the spell that can undo this." Mutsumi then noted the doomed look Talon had on his face. "Why do you all look so glum?"

To Be Continued…

Kanako: Haha! I like writing stuff like this. It helps me take out all the repressed anger and angst I've guilt up over the years. Next episode! Shinobu reminisces! Kana has 2 surprises for Kanako! Kebinu's first battle! And the NEW Knight Commander of the KoM revealed!