A few days later, they finally made it to the next town, which was, in fact, very crowded.

Kurumi commented as they moved through the center of town looking for the inn," Wow, the city is so big"

"Yeah, and there are like a million people here," Nakahito agreed.

"But it seems too crowded. Like there's something happening," said Amagi as she looked around. Her attention was caught by a sign depicting fireworks over a feudal Japan style castle, and she continued," Well, that explains it. I totally forgot"

"The great Owari fireworks show," Saki read.

For some reason, Kurumi got all excited, and then said," Fireworks are so romantic" She daydreamed for a moment or so, and then said," This night is going to be fantastic"

"Snap out of it!" Amagi barked," We are going to be leaving very early in the morning and that means getting to the inn and not going to see fireworks"

"What?! You're so mean! I wanna go see the fireworks show tonight with master!"

"Kurumi, stop it. You know how important it is to listen to what Dr.Amagi tells us," Nakahito said, trying to get her to listen to reason.

"But she's so boring!" Kurumi yelled, making Zataku chuckle. But then, he got an idea.

"Hey, don't worry about it, sweetheart, if the shows that big, then we'll surely see it from the inn"

"But will I get to watch them with you, master?"

"Heck, yeah!"

"Yippee!! Well, why didn't you say so?" Kurumi yelled, hugging Zataku so hard that he thought he was going to span in half," Come on, let's stop wasting time and check in" She picked him up, and carried him off.

"The inn isn't that way. It's the other way," Amagi pointed out.

Kurumi hurried back as fast as she could, and said, cutely," thank you" Then, she gasped as though she forgot something, quickly lassoed Amagi, and ran off yelling," Come on! You're showing us the quickest way to get to the inn!" with Amagi behind, screaming.

Saki stood there, forgotten by all, and said, softly," I wish she would have roped me like that" Then, she shook her head for being so lecherous, and took off after them. After they had very quickly checked in, Kurumi and Zataku went out to the hotel balcony near their room. Surprisingly, they were the only ones there.

"You were right, master, you can see the fireworks from here. I bet this is the best spot in the whole town. You're so smart. Come on" she said, offering Zataku a hand to help get up the ladder.

"This is great! A great room with a great view. This place is awesome!"

"You're right," she said, smiling and looking at the great multicolored flashes of light in the distance.

Despite the happy feeling in the air, Zataku sighed as though depressed. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but I think tonight... something bad is going to happen... Pretty silly, huh? Now is not the time for such talk. Man, those fireworks are great"

"So pretty"

"It's weird, you know"

"What?"

"That you hear the sound after the light," he paused, then changed to the subject," You know, Kurumi. When we met, it was just kind of a coincidence. I don't think that I knew what was going on then, but I think I'm beginning to now. What I mean is... I think that some sort of deity brought the two of us together, and that it all didn't happen just by chance. Maybe that certain deity knew how much I would... love you"

Kurumi listened, a deep blush appearing on her cheeks, and then said, hugging Zataku close," Oh, master. I love you so much, master. God, you don't know how much I love. I adore you!"

"Uh, hey, Kurumi," Zataku said.

"What's the problem?"

"Nothing. It's just that I had a real craving for caffeine just now, so I'm gonna go get something to drink, k?"

"I won't hear of it. You wait right here, and I'll go get it for you."

"Okay. I won't move. I promise" She ran off, leaving Zataku to watch the fireworks. He was alone, thinking, in love, and, above all, vulnerable.

He heard a slight thump behind him. Thinking it was Kurumi, he turned around, and said," That was fast. Uh-oh" Behind him was a tall black haired woman with tattoos that resembled red think lines of her forehead and cheeks. She, like Zataku, wore a headband to keep her hair out of her eyes, but her's was red. Her eyes had a hazel color to them, and she had her arms folded. "You must be the bad thing I predicted tonight, right? Well, only one thing to do then," he breathed in, and yelled at the top of his lungs," KURUMI!!!!!!" She cracked him on the top of the head with a boomerang-like weapon, and smirked as he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

About a minute or so later, Kurumi, having not heard her master's scream, came up the ladder with two ramunes, and said," Here you are, master. Yummy. Uh-oh" The balcony was, obviously, vacant. She came up onto the balcony, and said," where'd you go, master? I haven't been gone that long"

Suddenly, a voice appeared in her mind, "Kurumi..."

"Who's there? Master, is that you?"

"No. This is not your master. You can hear my voice, guiding.

"Who are you?"

Kurumi, I'm the one who has your master"

Kurumi gasped, and half-yelled," What do you mean? Where is master?"

"You should be able to tell. If you want to see him, follow my voice. Fine me, Find him"

"Oh, I'll find him" With that, she leapt to a fire tower, and listened.

"Come to me, Kurumi. Follow my voice"

Kurumi leapt to another roof, and another one after that, yelling out," Master!" every couple of seconds.

Meanwhile, inside where Dr. Amagi and Saki were folding laundry, Saki stood up, and whispered," Others. We have to go now"

Kurumi followed the mysterious voice into the deep countryside, and into a cauldera, the ancient remains of a volcano. The area had two levels. One was the area Kurumi was standing on, and occupied most of the battleground. The other was where three women, all about the same age, stood. Zataku was suspended in what looked like an evolution tank. It was a clear tube filled with liquid that was designed to increase a target's complexity of cells.

"Oh my god, master," Kurumi said, putting a hand to her mouth in shock. At the moment, he looked relatively the same, but that was surely not to last. "Give my master back!" she screamed at the three women.

"Kurumi, you're the one we've really come for. Come to us, Kurumi. Come now"

"I'm not going anywhere. I don't know you, and I don't think I want to know you"

"You know. We're steel angels just like you. I'm Kaga," said the black haired girl.

Another with a very odd hair style, pink hair, and a green vest said," I'm steel angel Tsunami"

The last one who had blue hair, a robe of brown, and white with steel metal lining said," And I am the one called Kaori"

"Kurumi, this is not your place. Come with us"

Kurumi made a face, and said," No! And you can't make me!"

"Fine then. Kaori, activate the evolution chamber" The blue haired angel tapped hastily at the keyboard at the side of the chamber, and the liquid suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. "He has five minute before the creature inside of him takes root. Then, he'll no longer be the man you love and obey. He will be a heartless monster obsessed with killing. No one will be left alive. All thanks to you!" Kaga drew two boomerang weapons while Tsunami and Kaori, respectively, brought out a whip and scythe from out of mid-air. They jumped into the air all at once, but split up in mid-jump.

Tsunami said, angrily," You are a heretic. How could you forget your duty as a steel angel, how dare you!" Then, she brought her whip down on Kurumi. The pink-haired android leapt out of the way.

Kaori continued for her," You're to atone for the sins of this world! Not become one!" she swung her scythe, created a light wave in the shape of a crescent. Kurumi barely dodged it, and it was a good thing she did. The crescent wave slit a tree right down the middle behind her.

By this time, Zataku had begun to change. His eyes began to disappear, replaced by white furry ears on the upper sides of his skull. His hair turned from black to white, and grew down to his knees.

Kaori and Tsunami launched a duel attack as their weapons crossed the almost exactly same area in the scissor attack. Kurumi ducked, and avoided certain death. There was a noise like something was spinning, and Kaga's two weapons nailed Kurumi in the stomach, and in the back before returning to her hands.

Zataku's muscles bulged as they received massive amounts of new cells, and his fingernails turned into razor-sharp unbreakable claws. This process would have taken months, but, due to the nature of the tank, it accelerated the process.

Kaga threw her weapons again at the same time her two teammates attacked. The result was that Kurumi was seriously injured and was thrown into a wall. Kaga walked up to her, and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Kurumi moaned in pain, trying to get free, but was unable because of the damage she had taken.

"Why are you doing this to me? You said you were like me, then why are you trying to hurt me?"

"Because someone was foolish enough to equip you with a mark II heart, that's why. Don't blame me"

Kurumi gasped for air," A mark II heart? What is that?"

"Don't play games with me!" Kaga snapped.

"I don't. I really don't know" Around this time, a fluffy white tail grew out of Zataku's lower back. It was about eight feet long, and floated in the tank with him. The computer said in a metallic voice," Evolution complete"

"You expect me to believe that you don't know what beats within your own body?" Kaga asked, narrowing her eyes.

"But I don't know. I don't know what any of this has to do with in the first place"

From inside the tank, Zataku stirred a little. The computer made a beeping noise in the sound of an error occurring. He flexed his claws, and opened his eyes. They were now slightly glowing like a cat, one was golden while the other was blood red, and his pupils were no longer just a small dot in the center. They stretched form top to bottom in a narrow slit like on a dinosaur's or a cat's. He tore off the facemask, and punched the tank, making it crack.

"Kaga," Kaori said, worried.

"Not now," she said, turning back to Kurumi," You are a threat to all of us" Then, she threw Kurumi into the air, drawing her weapons. Zataku punched the tank again, making the fluid spill out the side.

"Kaga!" Kaori yelled.

"What?" she snapped," oh-no" Zataku forced his way out with one last punch that was so powerful that it caused the tank to explode, sending shards of glass everywhere. Zataku said in a voice that sounded like two people speaking at once," What have you done to me? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! I was going to Izumo to prevent this from happening! I'll kill you!!!" Both of his eyes went red now as he uttered a screech that cause the very ground around him to explode in clouds of debris. The three angels fell back from the wave of air while Kurumi got to her feet to see what was happening.

A small hole appeared in the dust because of what Kaga recognized as instant transmission. Before she knew what was happening, Kaori flew back as if punched in the jaw. Zataku's image appeared for an instant in front of the blue haired angel. He looked like he had just punched someone, and, from the look on his face, she could figure out that he wasn't happy. Kaga targeted him, and threw her weapons. He stood stock still as the two boomerangs closed in.

"Master, look out!" Kurumi shrieked, running toward him. At the very last moment, she threw herself in front of him. She flew backward into a wall because of the explosion the weapons gave off. Zataku's rage and power doubled yet again, and his eyes were like massive red suns.

"Hope you have your affairs in order," he spat. He dashed at them, leaving ghost-like after images behind him. He used his tail to grab Tsunami, and took her up into the air with him. He said," How can you possibly think that with your pathetic design that you can be my equal?" He spun in the air once, and sent her slamming into the ground at massive speed. She bounced off the ground, and crashed into the rock wall. The limestone shattered because of the massive amount of inertia she still had. Then, she just dropped to the ground. She was very badly damaged, but still willing to fight.

Kaga spat," you should have listened, Kurumi, and surrendered when you still had the chance. You're master would have still had his humanity, and we would have been able to negotiate" She raised her boomerang over her head, and, with a slight flash of light, it doubled its size. She started to spin it, as did her teammates with their weapons, and soon, Zataku and Kurumi were facing a vortex of wind that surpassed that of a tornado. Even Zataku, with his newfound strength, was having trouble standing his ground. He held out for as long as he could, but was soon unable to remain standing, and started to be sucked into the air. He was thrown into a pile of rocks where his knee was scraped rather badly. Kurumi ran to him, caught him, despite his speed, and carried him to a safe place where Kaga' s, Tsunami's, and Kaori's twister had not yet affected.

She said," Master, I'm so sorry. Are you badly hurt?"

"It'll pass. I can still fight," Zataku said, covering up the sight of the wound with his tail. The skin was completely scratched off, and was bleeding very badly. He tried to stand, but immediately collapsed whereas Kurumi had to catch him again. "But then again, maybe not"

Kurumi laid him down, turned to the approaching twister, and yelled," You can try to do anything you want to me. IT'S ANOTHER STORY WHEN YOU TRY TO HURT MY MASTER!!!" Zataku sensed something about her get darker and more evil. Her hand glowed red as she reeled back, and used a laser beam to blast Kaga and her team. Around this time, Sake, Amagi and Nakahito showed up, having heard the explosion. The twister has instantly eradicated as Kaga and her team leaned on their weapons for support. Kurumi stood in front of the injured demon Zataku, and blinked once as though waking up from a dream. She looked left and then right, and asked," Okay, what just happened here?"

"No!" Kaga said through gritted teeth," It's impossible. Our attack has only just begun! We go at her again!" Then she appeared to be talking to someone telepathetically. "But why?" she said to the sky," We can defeat her! I know it!" Then, a moment later, a dust cloud blew over them, When it was gone, so were they. Saki looked at the devastation caused by the battle. The ground had a long huge trench in it where the twister had been, the walls were covered with craters, the remains of the evolution tank were quickly catching fire, and even some fully grown tree were uprooted.

Amagi walked to be to at Saki's left, and said," I never knew that there were other steel angel other than you and Kurumi. I'm sorry"

Saki turned around to look at her sister, and caught sight of Zataku who was now sleeping to recover. She said," Oh my god!" She, Nakahito, and Amagi rushed to his side where Kurumi had him in her arms.

"What happened to him?" Amagi asked.

"It's just like my brother said he would be. White hair. Claws. One yellow eye and one red. And a tail too. Zataku really is the demon incarnate"

"That's what he feared was happening to him?" Amagi asked," No wonder he wanted to get to Izumo and find a cure so badly"

"Master's hurt. We need to get back to the inn"

As Zataku slept, he had a dream. He was in the same room. Same black nothingness all around and same light overhead.

"So we have finally become one. I'll admit, it was a bit faster thanks to that tank, but I'm not complaining."

"Who are you exactly? Are you the demon incarnate?" Zataku asked.

"Me? Oh no. I was the demon thousands of years ago. You are my chance that I can live again through someone else. Don't worry, I won't have any free will, but I will be glad to breathe again. It gets a little stale if you know what I mean."

"Get to the point"

"Right. As the reincarnation of a great demon, you will have powers that no one else has. Namely ten times the healing rate of a normal human. That will come in handy come tomorrow. Also, you can perform any attack you have seen before if only once or one you create then and there. For example, you can execute that tornado attack you saw those angels perform. You can even do attacks you've seen in video game or T.V. Lastly, you have muchly-improved senses. You certainly won't need those glasses anymore after today. Your eyes, ears, nose, and even your tongue is much better than it was when you were human.

So, guns, women, ultimate power. Does it sound... hmm... tempting?

"I suppose"

"Good. Because now, there is no cure for demonism"

"So I'm going to be stuck like this for the rest of my life?!"

"No"

"So there is a way to get rid of it"

"No, there isn't. You're immortal. You can't die unless you're killed"

"Oh that's just great"

"Well, We're going to fully integrated in a few seconds. Meaning you'll be at full power. Bye-bye"