Chapter 20:

Confrontations

Time had flown by quickly, and before Emo knew it, it was the Plum festival. Hundreds of people were crowding around venders, plum trees, and parks to celebrate. As the week before it passed, Emo began getting a bad feeling that's something might happen during the festival. She neglected to tell anyone and silently prepared for the possibility. The group decided to meet up in the late afternoon for a picnic before going to shop and listen to the music performed by local bands. Only Homoto was at work and had to miss out. They each made something to bring and as everyone began to set up, Emochan felt as if someone was watching her. She excused herself and walked over to a strip of venders, where her sense was growing stronger and stronger. Her eyes caught something sparkling at her side as she walked, and she noticed a small pink chain that had a flower design on it. Mom would love this, she thought.

"Oh, Dearie, how can I help you?" A small old woman turned around and smiled at the teen. Her hair was grey and pulled back. She wore a faded kimono with crows and trees as the design. Emo smiled at her.

"I'd like this necklace please," she said. The woman pulled it out and held it out for her. "How much is it?"

"Oh, I suppose for such a sweet girl like you, I can give you a discount…." Emochan reached into her purse to pull out her money. As she reached for the chain, the old woman grabbed her hand tightly.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Emochan cried. The old woman's face twisted into that of a sinister demon. Her eyes turned bright red and fangs poked through her lips as her hair fell down into branch-like strands. Before Emo could try and get out of the demon's grip, the two disappeared.

Emochan soon opened her eyes, feeling very cold. Complete darkness surrounded her, as well as the stench of rotting meat and stale soda. Where am I? She felt the cold ground beneath her and she stood up cautiously. The faint sound of the plum festival gave her the impression that she was not too far from it. Maybe an alley? Her eyes darted back and forth, waiting for her kidnapper to appear. She didn't have to wait long, for three pairs of red eyes welcomed her in the darkness. She felt around herself for her broach but couldn't find it.

Oh no! Could I have dropped it?! She thought as the three sets of eyes came closer. A strange laughter flowed down the narrow space, giving her goose bumps. She held her hands out in front of her, forming fists. I don't have time to look for it. I'll just have to fight with my own hands.

"EEYYYYYYA!!!!" She heard and watched as an explosion of la lamp bulb above them give her a glimpse of what she was up against: three disfigured, very angry demonic shadows. One hurled itself down the alleyway and floated above her, laughing sinisterly. The second one disappeared under the concrete ground as the third whipped through the air towards Emo. She started to run behind her but felt something hold her down as if she were a magnet.

Shit! She tried to move and looked behind her to see the shadow only inches away. It flew right through her, causing her to scream. "AH!!!" It felt like something was ripping at her insides, burning her organs and throat. The second and third shadows laughed as they flew through her as well, intensifying the pain. Emo fell to the ground, groggily trying to feel around for her broach. A faint laughter from above made her pause and look up to see a trench coat-wearing Daichi. His eyes seemed to be enflamed with hatred. He was holding something in his hand.

"Looking for this, Sister?" His voice was deeper than before…darker.

"Daichi…" Emochan whispered through pain, backing up in terror.

"You're so weak!" he cried and threw her broach at her. It struck her cheek and fell to the ground beside her. It began to glow, showering them both with blue light. While she grasped for the broach, Daichi groaned and held his head in pain."Eaaughhhh…..! Emochan...help me....I can't fight it....Morgana is taking me over!!!" He screamed as he started backing up. Emochan's eyes widened and she stood up. The glowing light reflected on his face, changing it back to normal. He started to cry. Emochan's eyes softened and she held onto her broach tightly.

"Daichi…? No…it's a trick..." she said, shaking her head.

"Please help me..." Daichi said and fell to his knees with a thud. His hands grabbed at his head. After a few whimpers, he began to laugh. "Yes....HELP me...dear Sister..." Emochan frowned, sensing the struggle he was enduring within himself. She could also sense Daichi's defeat. "You should have ended your life when you still could...you whore...." he said, looking at her with his blackened eyes. His words struck her heart deeply, but she shook her head and held up her broach.

"You are not Daichi! You are only a weak demon possessing his body!" She exclaimed. "EARTH CRYSTAL POWER..." Daichi only laughed and held out his hand, a black and silver Katana forming in it. He swung it at her; a wave of wind energy pushing her to the ground before she could henshin. He slowly approached with an evil grin on his face.

"Die..." he whispered.

"Daichi! Don't hog all the fun!" Tomaru's voice yelped from behind. Daichi froze in his place. Tomaru walked up to him and smiled at Emochan. "Let me play with her..." he whined, tugging at Daichi's arm. Emo looked on, slowly reaching for her broach again.

"We must follow through with our mission." Daichi said sternly.

"Mission?" Emochan gulped. Daichi raised the blade of his katana at Emochan's throat and smiled.

"Yes. To destroy you," Toma said. Daichi smiled and with his free hand, brought Toma's face closer to his and gave him quick kiss. Emochan took hold of the blade and pushed it against Daichi, the hilt pushing into his chest. He growled as he stepped back and Emochan stood up. Toma grabbed hold of her shoulders from behind and Daichi smiled, placing the tip of the blade in-between her eyes.

"It would be so easy to kill you right now, dear sister. I would just have to thrust this blade through your skull. In seconds, you would be gone from this earth....It would be so fast, you wouldn't feel a thing. That would my brotherly gift to you..." Daichi said, his cold eyes staring to the shivering pupils of his sister's.

"Daichi....don't...please..." Emochan pleaded. Toma smiled, watching from behind her.

"GRRARRG!!!" A growl from behind Toma startled Daichi and he pulled back his katana. A black figure seemed to fly out of nowhere, racing towards Emo and Toma. It ducked from Tomaru's attempted grasp and back-kicked Daichi into the nearby brick wall, then continued running down the alleyway. Emo took the chance of momentary freedom to snag her broach off the ground and run away.

"Damn you, Toshiro!" Toma screamed behind her in the distance. She felt a whoosh of air pass her and she saw a black panther run ahead of her.

Thank you, Toshiro... She thought and saw light ahead. She continued to run until she hit the festival. She collapsed by one of the plum trees. The others found her moments later.

"Emochan, what happened?" Mai asked. Toshira ran to her side and held her.

"Yeah, we saw Toshiro run off a few moments ago..." Sakura said. Toshiro walked over towards everyone.

"It was for messing up Reiko's date with me..." he groaned as he sat beside her. After she explained what happened, everyone looked worried.

"Great....they finally decide to attack," Reiko said. "Of course it would be now." Emochan shrugged.

"I saw Daichi fighting whatever is inside him...maybe he's finally getting the strength to fight Morgana's hold over him."

"I hope so. I know that I don't wanna fight him," Sarah said. "He seems like he's really powerful."

"Yeah and when he's evil, he is soooo cruel," Sakura said, munching on a sandwich. Her haphazard critique made Emochan laugh. She looked over at Toshiro and smiled. Toshira rubbed Emochan's shoulders a little.

"Well come on, let's try to enjoy the rest of the day, ne?" Toshira suggested with a warm smile. Everyone else nodded and returned to their picnic spot, where they ate some food and then shopped around. All the while, Emochan started to think of what would be happening in the coming days and weeks. There were so many hardships she had to face, and even though she wasn't alone in the upcoming battles, she couldn't help but feel so….empty inside.