The wind howled, smoke billowing around the chaos. Fire crackled as it burnt everything it encountered to ash. Where Fire wasn't, Ice was, nothing grew. The beginning of time, the time the Living Flames were said to have been born of that fire, in the beginning of Demon World. The three Flames were made of that fire, Shin, the Flame of Destruction, En, the Flame of Rebirth, and Rekka, the Flame of Spirit. Shin was first made, destroying everything it touched. It melted the ice, which formed the first oceans. En was the second; he remade everything, scattering the life-giving ash over the world. Lastly was Rekka, from the last entity's flame came life, it poured over the ash, letting the warmth enter every being it encountered. After their deeds were done, En and Shin returned to the flames from whence they came. But Rekka stayed, despite its fellow Flames' protest and threats. The Third Flame looked at its fellows and smiled. It had found a reason to stay in the land it had helped create. A reason to take on a living form. And that reason was... (Cheesy, I know.)

Touya blinked, the realistic dream slowly slipping away as he gradually regained his grasp on reality. He froze, his cheeks turning a vivid red that radically contrasted against his pale skin. Jin opened his eyes and saw the look of shock on Touya's face and couldn't repress a grin. He looked so adorable blushing.

I stretched leisurely, savoring the look on Touya's face. It was priceless.

"You're cute when you do that." I observed, grinning. He just blushed harder. Laughing, I stood. Pulling the other two Shinobi to their feet, I did some light stretches. "I need to go core-diving to recover my energy. I shouldn't be more than a few hours." I grinned at the look on their faces. In truth, it wouldn't take me more than a half-hour to recharge, but there was something I wanted to do.

Two hours later... Jin leaned against the wall and closed his eyes; Touya stared out at the blizzard that had swallowed the mountain.

"Think she's almost done?" Jin asked, eyes still closed.

"Most likely." Touya replied, still lost in his own thoughts. "Jin... Why does she... Interested in me?" He asked, looking down at his feet.

"What's not t' like?" Jin asked, bouncing to his feet, grinning. "Yer smart, great fighter, an' good-lookin'!"

"Not everyone in the sect would think so." Touya remarked dryly.

"Who cares wha' Risho an' Biggy think?" Jin asked, his normal cheery grin on his face. "They're jus' a coupla bastards."

Touya smiled slightly at that.

"I would definitely have to agree with that." Rekka contentedly added, coming into the cave, heat radiating off her, and a few rabbits over her shoulder. "Dinner." She tossed them to the floor for whoever wanted to skin them, which would likely end up being her, not that she wanted to. "And these are for you." She tossed two blades in the air, one to Jin, the other to Touya.

They pulled the knives out of their sheaths. Touya ran his hand along the lethal steel. Then onto the elegant hilt, it flowed so easily, yet was so deadly. He fingered the impossibly shaped silver, staring at the intricate designs. It was cool to the touch. She made this...?

Jin tossed his into the air, testing it, how it moved in his hands. It cut the air easily, like the Grim Reaper's scythe. Obviously a blade made for killing. The warm gold moved fluidly in his hand, the blade wickedly sharp. He tossed it into the air one last time and deftly caught it. He grinned. "Feels like it was made to be in my hands."

"That's 'cause it was." Rekka rolled her eyes as she skinned the small mammals. "That's why it took me a couple of hours when a half-hour would've sufficed. I wanted to make you guys something."

Touya felt the metal beneath his fingers, it was a blade made for an ice master, the metal was incredibly resistant to the ice he wielded. He paused for a moment, looking at it, then sheathed it.

Gama glanced up towards the mountain. A foreboding feeling hung in the air.

"We should leave." He remarked quietly.

Risho glanced at him. The Master of Make Up could tell he was feeling the ominous cloud almost literally hanging over their heads as well. Bakken, oblivious, was drinking beer by the gallon. Gama had to wonder why he stayed in this company. Doubtless things were more interesting where Jin, Touya and Rekka had gone off too. Nothing was dull for even a second where Jin was. And that added to Rekka's desire for action overruled any restraint Touya had over the two of them. The poor Ice Master was probably caught up in whatever went through the Wind Master's head.

Surely whatever his wild plan was, it was aided by a certain young fire demoness. He didn't know what to make of Rekka. She was a wild card, not happy unless moving, She was restless, a wanderer. Like Jin. Those two were well suited for the other. Both were unpredictable, moody, and vagrant. And in Touya's case he could only guess that the age-old saying of 'opposites attract' was in effect.

He let out a small sigh as Bakken called for another drink, he couldn't help but wonder. What have Idone to deserve this...? To be stuck in a bar with a man that was wasted way past the point of making a fool of himself (Bakken) and another one that was almost to the point of being intoxicated (Risho). But no one ever said the "ol' Shinobi job" as Jin put it, was ever easy.

He watched Rekka. She hadn't changed, still only warm, and loving life. He knew her intentions were worthy of her being here, but he had to see if she was willing to give up her most treasured possession to keep her intentions safe. He glanced at the two demons. If his little 'sister' was to remain here, she was going to remain with beings that would unconditionally care for her. The only way to see if that was the case here was to do what he had once considered the unthinkable: nearly kill her.

He inwardly sighed. He didn't want to do this, but...

Gama's head shot up from his pillow. He got to his feet. The floodgate holding back that ominous feeling was gone. He glanced at his fellow sect members and groaned. They were out cold, asleep in a drunken stupor. Rubbing his temples in exasperation, he sighed. And sat down. There was nothing he could do but hope that the three could ride out the storm and survive it.

Touya saw Rekka whip around, ready to fight as a deep, enigmatic voice came from the front of the cave. "An Ice and a Wind demon mating a Living Flame. What is the world coming to?" The man stepped forward. He looked almost exactly like Rekka. Same wild mane, same mysterious dark flaming eyes, same dark Egyptian skin.

Wait a second... Living Flame...?

"Shin." The word left Rekka's mouth before she realized it, but she for some reason knew that was his name.

"It's nice to know I'm not forgotten." He acknowledged. "I was in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop by."

Rekka raised an eyebrow; this guy was anything but the aloof, harmless appearance he was putting on. He grinned nefariously, his canines abnormally pointed in a feral grin. "And thought I'd get a fight in before heading back to the flames." He looked at Rekka. "Show me that your reasons for staying here are worthy of your being here, little flame."

"What the hell are you talking about?" She replied, shifting into a fighting stance. She could sense he didn't really want to hurt her, but he would.

He raised an eyebrow. "You really don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what?" She snapped, getting irritated.

Shin sighed and shook his head despairingly. "What you are. Why you are here and what you have done." He saw the blank look on her face and shrugged. "No matter. I intend on reminding you." Rekka watched in slight horror as he threw off his outer cloak, that shimmered as if made of flame and let the element surround his body. "The only way you and your paramours are going to get out of here are if you prove your reasons worthy."

Flame erupted from the ground, surrounding Touya and Jin, not touching them, but creating a barrier, separating them from their lover. They could only watch in horror as the two prepared to fight.

"What reasons?" Rekka asked, shifting to a fighting stance. She couldn't help but feel a pang of fear go through her body. This guy was much stronger than she was. Much as in twenty times stronger than she could probably ever hope to be. And she had no clue about what the hell he was talking about.

Touya sat down. And tried to figure this guy out. Living Flame. He definitely mentioned that. 'An Ice and Wind demon mating a Living Flame. What is the world coming to?' He bit his lip. Rekka, a Living Flame? Her name was... Coincidental? Obviously not. It would explain how she defeated that S-class demon so easily, when the strain of battle should've kept her out of commission for a few days at least. As well as how she was able to last as long as she could in this barren terrain. A normal Shinobi Fire Master wouldn't have lasted as long. Especially after all the training regimes Risho made them do.

"Uh... Touya? What are you mumblin' about?" Jin asked, he glanced away from the two soon-to-be opponents, for Inferno apparently enjoyed listening to himself talk as much as Risho.

Touya, who hadn't realized he was talking aloud, glanced up at his friend. "I'm just trying to understand what Inferno meant by 'Living Flame'."

"Living Flame?" Jin asked. "What the hell is that?"

Touya took a deep breath and began the tale; his dream leapt to the front of his consciousness, as clear as the moment when he first woke up.

Jin glanced at the newcomer. "Shin...?"

Touya nodded. Both of their attention was brought to the two fire beings when the heard a cry of pain.