Gomen ne everyone, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry, just wasn't in the mood.. I'll try to write more… ) A wave of "inspiration" has hit me temporarily, so I ought to take advantage of it..

Chapter 9 – Unwanted company

While he held Yaone, Hakkai's mind was working furiously. Who or what would expand so much power to confine them there? The shield or force field that stopped them from turning around, the elaborate illusion and the overwhelming feeling of…hatred or anger that he could almost taste in the air… Someone went through a lot of trouble to set things up – someone who was filled with negative emotions.

It was a trap. Hakkai's mind was screaming this out to him. He knew it. They were bottled in, with only one way to go. It was worrying. The strong illusion… who knows the extent of its power? They could walk off the edge of the cliff, fall into a hole, get trapped – it was too dangerous. He felt a sense of crushing guilt rushing over him. It had to be him. He had done many despicable things in his life. He had killed so many. It was his hands, his wrongdoing, and Yaone might get hurt or even killed because of that.

His mind was filled with too many things. His eye, the one he hid behind the monocle, was aching. He frowned. It never ached. It hadn't ached for years.

He sighed, and mentally prepared himself for combat, even though his mind screamed at him that they were like rats in a trap. Helpless.

High above, two figures stood, watching Hakkai and Yaone huddle in their meagre shelter.

"Cho Gono…" This voice was light, and she said his name in a high sing-song tone. "He really is quite a beautiful man, as they say. He's got a beautiful woman with him too, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"How are you feeling? Is holding the illusion taking too much effort?"

"No."

Mirai smiled as she looked at her tall, dark haired companion. "You never will speak much, will you…. sister?"

Hela stood still, her dark purple eyes fixed on Hakkai.

Mirai moved closer to Hela. "Do you want to act now?"

Hela said nothing for a while. Then, she nodded.

"Good. We'll go according to plan then."

The two figures blurred for a while, and vanished.

Hakkai fidgeted, still feeling uncomfortable.

"What's wrong, Hakkai-san?" asked Yaone. She could feel the tenseness in his muscles as he was so close to her.

"Something's coming."

Yaone frowned. She uncurled herself, stood up and walked out of the small hole.

"What are you doing, Yaone-san?"

"Getting prepared. I would rather face it head on than wait shivering in that cave." She stood firm, getting drenched by the rain. Inwardly, she laughed at her own foolishness and false bravado. She had no weapons, since her spear was still somewhere in Kougaji's castle, and she had also lost all her explosives when she jumped into the stream. She was almost defenceless.

"Yaone-san…" Hakkai stopped. He smiled to himself. She had become more spirited, more like the person she normally was.

"Yes?" she said, turning to him, tilting her head slightly.

His smile grew wider. "Nothing." He stood up and stood beside her.

The rain poured down onto them, soaking them to the skin. They stood there, waiting for their unknown opponents to arrive.

Hakkai's hair was sodden, and starting to fall onto his eyes, obstructing his view. After constantly pushing it back from his face, he was starting to get irritated.

Yaone noticed, and despite the situation that they were in, she laughed. "Let me help you, Hakkai-san," she said. She gently pushed his hair to the side of his face.

"Arigatou, Yaone-san," he replied, his emerald gaze fixed onto hers. She was unable to look away, drawn into his eyes.

"Cho Gono…" A light teasing tone echoed throughout the canyon.

Hakkai was instantly on the defensive, his eyes narrowed and his body crouched

"Come out and stop playing your games. I'm tired of your illusions."

"So impatient, Cho Gono… I never knew that you were that sort of person…"

Two figures appeared before them, some distance away.

One was blue-haired with golden eyes, and she wore a tight light blue cheongsam, embroidered with a dark blue dragon. Strangely, she seemed untouched by the rain, her long hair was perfectly waved, and her clothes looked dry. She wore a pair of navy blue heels, and to top it up, her lips were perfectly made up with a shade of high gloss and rich red that was almost black. Her ears were pointed, giving away the fact that she was a demon.

The other was a tall brunette with purple eyes. She had a black trench coat on, with a black shirt and black pants underneath. Her gaze was locked onto Hakkai as soon as she appeared and it never wavered. She was pale, her face seemed bloodless and white. She wore a black hat, similar to top hats that some men were fond of wearing.

"Who are you?" asked Hakkai. Yaone stood behind him, looking at the two females.

"I am Mirai, and this is my sister, Hela," said the blue-haired one, stepping forward slightly.

"Mirai?" repeated Yaone, unable to resist the temptation to ask. "Future?"

"Yes." The answer came from the dark haired one, called Hela.

"What do you want?" asked Hakkai.

"Cho Gono, Cho Gono, you are one fickle, fickle man, just like all men," said Mirai, her voice filled playful reproach.

"What?" asked Hakkai, keeping his face straight.

"Only about four years ago, you massacred one thousand demons to save the woman you loved, and for revenge. What now?"

Hakkai kept silent.

"You seem to keep very close to that woman, Cho Gono… Do you love her?"

"What's it to you?" asked Hakkai, his tone still neutral.

"Just wondering, Cho Gono. I thought you loved that other woman of yours, what was her name again, Kanan?"

Hakkai glared. "What do you want?" He looked at Mirai and then at her silent companion. "What do you want?" he asked again, voice soft.

"Questions, questions, questions… Cho Gono, how did you feel, watching the woman you love die before your eyes?" Mirai's voice grew harder. "Watching her die, sprawled out on the ground, bleeding, bleeding.. all that blood? Knowing that you couldn't protect her, knowing that she had been defiled, knowing that she had killed herself because she was too embarrassed to face you?"

Hakkai's body visibly trembled, but even as Yaone watched, he actually shuddered and regained control.

"I have come to terms with her death, and whatever it is, it should mean nothing to you," he said evenly.

"She took the knife out of your belt and stabbed herself. You just stood there and watched as she died. You couldn't do a thing. You couldn't protect her. You're useless, Cho Gono, totally useless. Weak. You broke your promise. You said that you were going to protect Kanan forever. You lied."

Yaone instinctively reached out her hand and grasped Hakkai's left hand in hers. She couldn't say anything. This was Hakkai's battle to fight. All she could do was give a little support.

He was still, and he was barely breathing. Yaone could see that it took supreme effort on his part to just keep himself in check.

"You keep on asking what we want. I have a question for you. How would you like to see..a woman you love die in front of you again?" Mirai's tinkling laugh rang through the air.

Hela's figure blurred and reappeared beside Yaone. She held a sharp knife to Yaone's throat. Her other hand gripped Yaone tightly around her waist.

"Would you like to watch as she dies, Cho Gono?" Mirai's voice was amused.

Yaone could feel the cold steel on her throat. She kept still, her mind racing. What could she do in this situation? Hakkai stared at her, and his eyes were wild.

"You love her, don't you, Cho Gono? What will you do now?" Mirai taunted.

Hela smiled. She tightened her grip around Yaone.

Lightning struck in the heavens above but the four figures were perfectly still where they stood.

Chapter done.. all reviews and comments welcome, as always.. ))))