A/N: Sorry for the bad cliff hanger in the last chapter. –grin- 'Coz you know cliff hangers have their own importance… They make people curious so they have more urge on finding out what will happen. Hehe. Well duh, you know that but you know… I wanna make a point. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Thank for all your reviews! They help me a lot! THANKS TO ALL!!!

Please forgive my typos.

Disclaimer: Yeah… You know the same old story… I also don't own a line/s somewhere down there.

Claimer: Don't steal my stuff. Coz I don't steal yours.

Locked

Chapter 9

It's been a week since the mission.

A very long and annoying week to be precise. Ran never got any peace and his now far more greatly treasured time and solitude. He couldn't even set foot out the garden which he adored due to the number of security guards who has been seen everywhere and resting outdoors was their 'thing'. In every room, in every corner, there was at least one buffed man in a neat black suit wearing dark tinted sunglasses. You need more than dozens of well trained protectors to make up for 2 psychics?

Well, you do so believe it.

Crawford was ordered to stay in the house and was told that it was too dangerous to leave by the back-up company known as the MaiDAN corp., another company run by a the Tsujiimoto family ally. Being overprotective and a much older sibling toward the Tsujiimoto heir, they had locked her inside Schuldig's house along with all the protector's money and… love thatcan beoffered. This, leaving Yasumi to apologize with more then a thousand apologies for the intrusion.

Schuldig didn't mind as much as Ran did but then stated that if he was around that area they would have to leave his presence and so they followed. Where ever Schuldig walked the men would scurry away as if evading a plague. The younger red head had no liberty to ask that and didn't want to be rude, although if he was given a better shot he REALLY would. So instead he stayed near the German so then he would be given even the slightest bit of solitude aside from the times he had to use the bathroom. The older red head hadn't changed, still cocky, baring his usual grin but still smart and sassy.

The only real difference is that he made fun of him less. Crawford, even without his ability to see the future was very good in telling what 'would happen if you do this' or 'if you do that', it's like he really didn't need the pre-cog capability or never lost it. And Yasumi… He paused at the thought and momentarily stopped reading the 3rd book he bothered to scan since the day he got to the abode.

He hadn't seen Yasumi in 5 days. The last time was when she had done the 'thousand apologies' thing. But now it's like she was now lost in the abysmal terrains of the house… if there are any.

"Is something bothering you, kitty? You look a little tense…" Schuldig asked walking into the living room.

"Where's Yasumi?" He bluntly asked.

"…Well…is she even in the house?..." The German mumbled, thinking hard. Then his mood lit up. "Now I remember! She's in her room, with her laptop… she's been looking at those files we retrieved. Crawford would be with her usually but have you noticed he's been sleeping a lot lately?"

"Maybe it's hard to sleep when everything plays ahead of him and now that his precognition is gone he can sleep properly." Ran responded then went to getting back to his book. "Isn't it something like that when your psychic?"

Schuldig grinned. "Good point." With that he took a seat beside the swordsman, resting his chin on Aya's shoulder peering down at the book the younger red head was reading. "Still I Rise by Maya Angelou…"

"Ya… Very interesting poem." Aya remarked. Schuldig took his chin off Ran's shoulder and yawned sleepily.

"Crap… Now I'm sleepy…" The German grumbled and yawned again. "Is this a side affect? Crawford been sleeping like a log and Yasu… doesn't seem to be alive …" he yawned again for the third time and Ran looked at him worriedly. He was right, he looked really tired it was all too unusual even if it is for a spell.

The older red head looked at the book on Ran's lap and took it placing it on the coffee table with a small thud. Gracefully, he turned back and rested his head on the younger man's lap. He looked up at the younger man's face and saw some mixture of irritation and shock. Probably shocked at how casually he just rested his head on his lap and took away his very intriguing reading material. "That was mean…"

"Was it?" The German smiled mischievously, looking more than comfortable on the lap of the now agitated Aya. "Does my sexiness upset you?" He asked but only received a 'hn' in return. He gave another one of his trademark grins. He moved closer to Ran, putting his face on the younger man's stomach, giving him a hug and felt the other man shrug. Even if it was a weird situation for Ran, Schuldig felt all the more comforted by their closeness and maybe in a sense Ran too.

It was just like this before…

No even better…

After awhile his eyelids felt even heavier, wordlessly he began his trip to the dream world still surrounded by the scent of roses. Ran blinked, staring down at the now sleeping German and then blinked again. That was really fast. Too fast, who could sleep in just 60 seconds? He let out a sigh, oh well better then have him talk about how pretty he is…

He remembered what he was suppose to do but now barely even cared. Death… The word is but a long ring of Justice in his ear. But now it wasn't worth it. Life now was not worth giving up. He relaxed more, unconsciously started combing the strands of orange with his slender fingers. It was tangle-free and soft it didn't have a strong scent like those shampoos that may one day, due to toxins, make you bald but it had only a pinch of aroma but it was far better than anything he had sniffed the whole day.

Weird… Now he was talking to himself about scent. Not like anything else smelled good. But he remembered one of the guys in the hallway who was buffer than most. Disgusting. He smelled so nasty, some new level of body odor he presumed but he ran away but then Crawford came by. Never seen the walking fungus since…

He laughed a little at the small recollection of thoughts. Now that some time had passed he could escape, gently he pulled away the arms that were on his waist, lifting the older man's head, he positioned himself on the floor and placed the German down. He stood up, free from the other man, SUCCESS! Feeling triumphant, (but silently) he took a few steps towards his destination but then to feel something grab his knee he yelped and fell on his face and then to have something else fall on top of him. He cursed and looked at where Schu was suppose to be but to see no one. Where in the?... Then he felt something on top of him move.

Ahhh… Now he understood. He tried to lift himself up but then mysteriously couldn't, he knew he wasn't that weak to be unable to carry himself and the other man he WAS an assassin. Then, he felt his legs being hugged by the sleeping German. He cursed again.

"I love you, Ran…." Came a soft murmur from Schuldig's lips.

"I love you too, Schu but gods damn it get off…" He gasped and froze when he heard his own words come out of his lips. He felt like he said the worst of all profane languages. The L word… Then he stopped thinking about it and went back to trying to stand, this was not the time to think of those things, it was time to get up, walk away and THEN think of those things but no… he tried again to stand but still his struggles were futile.

"Umm…" He heard some one whisper and looked up to see three maids, one of them was Natsumi. "Do you need help?"

llllll

She continued to look into the files, in a sitting down on her bed typing away. No lights except the cross on around her neck and the light from the small monitor. But there was light at the foot of the door the crept in from the hallway. She was more concentrated in the files on Yusuru more than anything else right now. She has been asleep for 3 days in a row but she was neither hungry or thirsty in fact she felt more energized and alert, her spiritual power has been returned.

With that thought she stopped typing and looked at the side of the bed, frowning. "Come out… I know you're here"

At the commend, a pale figure of a middle aged man appeared at the place she was staring at. He was dressed in a neat suit, like the ones in the Victorian age. Despite his ghastly paleness, he was lean and good-looking his eyes shining blue.

"You noticed." He said a calm voice. And saw her nod. "Those exorcists were lame. Don't tell me you sent them."

She grinned. "Yes, it seems I've underestimated your level of malice. I should've came here to dispose of you myself well I can right now but I'm too busy so why don't you get yourself to do it?" She said and got back to her work. "Since now, that you can never see Yusuru again."

He laughed. "True. But I have seen something more pleasurable. My dear friend… suppose we make a deal?" He received no reply. "I know this will not be your first time to deal with souls such as myself. In fact you made contracts with all sorts of demons, am I mistaken?"

"No you're not," was her impassive reply. "That I know what ever you want is something I'm sure, I will not be able to help." With that remark came a laugh. She hated it, it was loud and exaggerated much like her stepmother's when she was flirting with the much older business men.

"You already know my request, you are quite an interesting vixen…" He paused. "The hour of the dark feast has begun, I will have to pardon to myself from your presence… But before I do let me tell you, Signum isn't your ordinary enemy… You will need him." With that he disappeared. Once he was out of sight she smirked. A malicious one, her eyes tainted with a devil stare and lips curved in a wide smile. The time comes at last…

llllll

Ran heaved a sigh. He was on the floor lying down on his back now no sleeping German on top of him. They had a strangely hard time getting him off. 5 maids… It was like the man wasn't even asleep. He looked at Schuldig who was on the divan facing the other direction and smiled.

I love him, huh? That's great…

He was alone in the living room now, the maids left Ran to inhale what oxygen was squeezed out when Schuldig just sat up and positioned himself to be able to give one of those 'hugs of death' and then they called for more maids and had to yank him out but somehow he never woke up.

It was a sadistic form of torture… he thought he was never going to stand up or die of suffocation.

But then he couldn't help but become closer and closer to the German. It was fearful and yet at the same time exciting and mysterious. It was a whole lot of emotions just jumbled up inside when he was with him and he didn't what it was called now. Schuldig provided him with the warmth he longed for since he had the idea of becoming an assassin. A passion he had lost since the time his sister feel into a coma and he was swallowed by a rage that now maybe if he met Reiji in hell he would kill him again just to tell him how much of a bastard he was and included in that kill list was suppose to Schwarz but ever since he was 'kidnapped' on the street that anger had faded away.

It was ironic really… because it was them behind the schemes of Reiji and yet he didn't really hate them anymore….

Okay…Maybe a little… Sometimes…

He looked up at the ceiling, he was clearly affectionate to his own muse to ponder on everything all over again. He missed Weiss but not as a bunch of killers but as a group of good friends. Which brought him to another question… where did Yohji go? Is he in another country? Is he an assassin again? He smiled. Well what ever the play boy was doing, it was clearly something very stressful or secret that not even Persia knows about.

He stood up lazily and then he heard a whisper pass him by. It was a slow uncanny whisper, with a chant far from understandable. It was as if it echoed through out the whole house but then there was only the yell of silence that answered back, making the caller whisper aloud again. It sent chills up his spine, he looked back at Schuldig but he didn't seem to hear it and fell even deeper into his sleep. He wanted to wake him up but somehow something told him he shouldn't and that he should walk… Walk and walk until he reached the owner of the eerie voice.

And so he did what was being asked by him. He knew as he walked and followed his intuition that the whole house was now dead to the world. He was the only one who can hear this voice and even the men that had to be posed on the hallway had vanished but he didn't care… All he wanted to do was follow the call. He felt his thought being missed and mashed together and a voice kept a steady chant in his head that he could barely understand but ignored. He stopped in front of double doors; slowly he entered and saw something far from what he was hoping to see.

llllll

"And then the gods sent down their must beautiful creation as a sacrifice to the demon…" She paused. She was seated casually on the large window sill. She was facing at the open window, viewing the dark sky with no moon or stars. Her voice was deep but elegant and clear like a true story teller and Ran was drawn by it as he entered deeper into the chamber, hearing the door click behind him as a signal that it was locked. "And as the creation allowed its self to be forsaken and to be swallowed by the evil incarnate for the sake of heaven and earth… the demon took one look at him… and loved him instantly…" At that line she turned back and stared at Ran who in turn stared back.

"You're not Yasumi… are you?" he asked trying not to shake. The air seemed to e getting thicker and the beating of his heart was throbbing in a rapid pace. It was getting harder to breathe, the air around him was thickening beyond imagination.

"No, I'm not." Came the really. It was a pleasing voice, a tone so pleasing to the ear that even the pettiest remarks would be forced out just for the people around to listen to it over and over. This was the accent that drew him to walk here and do nothing else. "I'm someone far beyond that… shall we say… an alter ego." There was another pause. "You don't know what just got yourself into, Fujimiya… You just don't know…"

"What's that suppose to mean?" He asked a little agitated and he received a devilish smile.

"Signum …" She spoke in that alluring whisper. "The same group who you've met that same day you saw yourself die…" Ran's eyes widened in disbelief. How does this person know what he went through?... "That same day… you knew that death would be wonderful. When that child came from out-of-the-blue and then a person appeared while you were in between your consciousness and your subconscious beliefs…"

"What are you?!" he asked much more aggressively and he received a soft mocking chuckle. He was quivering, trying hard not to remember what drove him to the path of madness and sorrow.

"Kogoyoshi Tsujiimoto. I know you've heard of me." Ran didn't reply, he was even lucky enough to spit a three word sentence at him but now he can feel his throat run dry and the air become even thicker. "Don't worry. Yasumi actually allowed me to possess her… Because you see, she likes you as much as I do which is not much I assure you. But for the sake of a friend, she will try to help…" He replied glaring at Ran maliciously. "She just has a better job at hiding hatred than I do. And my meeting with you today was just something she allowed me to do…" he paused. "I suppose this isn't the time to tell you why… but your involvement in this will cost not only your life but someone very close to you."

"Important to me…" Ran murmured. And Yasumi nodded, her feature more neutral now compared to the malicious stares she had previously been giving him. He thought for awhile… someone very important to him…

"And the same reason her life will be in danger… would be the same reason why she was taken from you by Esset…" Came the reply and Ran thought he would just die there, his beloved sister… Aya, to be taken from him again… would he be able to bear that same anger again without self-destructing? But he said nothing, he's completely running out of air. "I cannot protect her forever… you see Ran you're sister is special. Her blood… the reason why she didn't age in her coma was because of a mystery until today…" There was a much more intense pause compared to all the others.

"She is a sleeping necromancer. I am her guardian… just like that soul named 'Safron'… My job is to watch over her until I am able to rest in peace. The only way you are able to protect yourself and your sister from Signum is by earning spiritual or psychic prowess… You and your sister have a special line after all, it will not be as hard to learn." She paused again and stared at Ran, his glare had a deadly impact on her but she didn't allow herself to falter. Actually, it wasn't Yasu who was doing this but Kogo but physically that said otherwise. "I'm sure you're not one who would depend on others... Unless you want to burden him as well with your own muse and your own life…"

With that remark Ran just had to glare. Yasumi was obviously talking about Schuldig… it sounded revengeful but he didn't know why the woman would take a suddenly, a very different tone. The thick air was beginning to diminish now and Yasumi looked back out again at the night out the window. It was silent for a really long time and none of them wanted to speak or move.

"And the demon couldn't allow the mysterious being to fade from his sight. For the creature was an entity beyond beauty, beyond life…" Yasumi spoke finally, the continuation to the story she told earlier in the soothingly gentle voice. "Yasumi will teach you how to get your own power. We will simply tell everyone that you need the protection. I am quite late for the feast… this will not be the last time we'll meet." With that reply, the thick atmosphere began to diminish and Ran's uneasiness along with it.

llllll

If I had a chance to take your place,

I really would.

This was too much for him to understand.

24 hours have passed since that meeting. It was now night time and neither Crawford nor Schuldig (who was moved to his room) has awakened. They were both sitting down on the floor of a large empty guestroom with large curtain draped windows, a single candle in between them for light.

The lessons weren't harsh or in anyway painful as he had expected it to be. It was just hard on the brain and took out most of energy because most of it involved the power of the mind and spirit. It also felt awkward, for one thing Kogoyoshi had told him that they both hated him and yet she seemed so gentle and patient with him for that passed days. He was confused, were they just fooling with him?

"Fujimiya, are you paying attention?" He stiffened at the call of his family name at the rather strict voice and got rid of his train of thought. "Listen, you have to pay more attention to the fundamentals of 'ki'. You should by now already know what is, since you wield a katana and it's part of training but this is retrieving 'ki' from the body and not surroundings. This is the reverse of what you've learned as a swordsman." She told him motherly and he nodded.

"You know that anyone who can properly manipulate 'ki' can do nearly anything. Most people retrieve aura from nature others take what is within them and strengthen what they have. But we're a little different, unlike most talismanic leaders we gain spiritual force by the strengthening of one's subconscious and creating a world between reality and imagination."

He tried his best to get as much info as he can. These were just basics and yet they weren't entering properly. "The Tsujiimotos are a family of illusionist. We confuse are enemies with magic tricks but just like all magic tricks… they are fake." She continued and took the candle by its gold holder. "The entity that is fire is indeed one of the forces to reckon with… if not well-controlled; it can reduce you to nothing."

With that said she put the open palm of the free hand directly above it. He stared at her in amazement, she want getting burned but the flame was evidently touching her hand. "Surely, you can see the flame that is suppose to be burning me now has no effect. But what is it that has to surely burn, me or the fire?" She moved her hand upward a centimeter away from its original position and the fire burnt out. And now they were surrounded by darkness.

"But how certain are we that there was any fire to begin with?" She asked and the then the cross around her neck began to glow.

He meditated on it for awhile. He wasn't confused as he was before, it was becoming clear. He knew she didn't like him but he can tell she was being sincere on wanting to help protect himself and his sister. And in other questions, how do you power up a sleeping part of your brain when it isn't even awake to do the training?

"By the way," Yasumi spoke. "You only have 6 months of this. If you are unable to master my family's talismanic arts… I will have to kill you"

TBC

Sorry, once again cliff hanger. Aren't all chaps cliff hangers? And I think there are typos. (as always) but despite that, R&R!!!

R&R!!! THANKS!!!