Author's note: I am SO SORRY for the delay. I'm constantly having to move from place to place and to be able to sit down and write now at this point in my life is GOOD. PLEASE be patient with me. I'm trying my best to add more and more to these chapters. I even tried to make this one longer than the others. So if I don't update fo a while, PLEASE don't give up on me. Thank you, and enjoy the ninth chapter! Note: I don't own Juvenile Orion or its characters, but my original ones ARE mine.

Chapter 9:

Memories

There was no time to react.

The next thing Kaname knew was that he was lying flat on his back on the ground, long wisps of red hair falling into his face. If he hadn't been so surprised by the form on top of him, he would have been complaining that he was gagging on the hair.

Itsuki, Mana, and Isshin were frozen in horror as Kaname looked back up at them. They didn't move or blink-- or breathe. What was going on? How could they not be breathing?

"Don't worry, Baal. I've momentarily frozen time. You need not worry about your little human…" he paused a moment, his deep black eyes flicking from Kaname to his companions then back to Kaname, "friends." He spat the word out like poison.

"What the Hell do you, want?" Kaname asked through clenched teeth as he tried to wring his wrists free of the grip, yet failing.

"I want you to remember…" the voice not two inches from his face purred, "I want you to remember the sweetness of Hell."

Kaname struggled once more, then gave up.

"Will you let them go?"

Balan smirked fiendishly and at that moment, Kaname realized it was all just a game to him. And he was enjoying every moment of it.

"Perhaps…" he purred again as he flung his long red hair out of Kaname's face.

Then something happened that Kaname hadn't expected. Balan kissed him; though lightly, it caused a tingle in his lips that trailed down his neck, and into his stomach, causing a sweet eruption of butterflies. Something inside him told him it was all so… right.

Then he realized the tingle was becoming painful, more like knives. What the Hell---

He pushed Balan off from over top of him to see that he was surrounded by a large reddened field of grass, blazing in a hot wind like dancing fire. Far off in the distance, he could see a tall blackened structure that appeared to be ripping the sky of Hell a new one.

Balan stood up, and he pulled up Kaname into a standing position.

"Where---"

"Where are we? Hell, my love."

Kaname was really beginning to get annoyed by this whole mind-reading thing.

Balan walked out a few paces then turned back to Kaname, his red hair cascading around his body wildly and his beetle eyes agleam.

"This was your home for many millennia, and this all occurred only about ten Earth years ago. Indeed, a tragedy."

Balan snapped his fingers and they were instantly transported into the black structure Kaname had noticed earlier. There they stood before a tall, highly decorated (not to mention cushy) altar, and those who sat upon it took Kaname's breath away.

Indeed, he saw the red hair and piercing midnight eyes and knew who it was immediately-- Balan.

Yet, here in Hell, he held the visage of an angel, whereas on Earth, he seemed a bit more… demonic-appearing. White robes (if you could call the tiny pieces of cloth that) clung tightly to his skin and folded perfectly into the floor. The red hair also hung down to the floor; but it was much longer than that of present-Balan, and was shinier and silkier than any hair he had ever seen. And the eyes-- jovial and joyous instead of sad and hungry.

But Kaname couldn't contain his awe. He saw himself there as well.

Baal sat mightily beside Balan; strength in comparison to beauty, both of them mighty in their own way.

"I was a prince of Hell and you were my general. Both in love."

Kaname looked away, feeling a flush creep into his cheeks. The thought that he had been in love with so vile a creature struck a chord in him, yet it oddly made sense to him. He himself was a vile creature.

He heard a snap of Balan's fingers and looked up to see a wide battlefield, and there at the lead was none other than Baal, the general of Hell's armies.

"About nine years ago, I had to see you off…" Balan's voice was distant; pained, "I had to see you off for Hell was in civil war. You were to lead our order to victory, but--"

Balan couldn't go on.

It was suddenly as if Kaname's heart had been stabbed by a knife. Could he feel-- sympathy?

Balan snapped his fingers once more, and there Kaname saw Balan, sitting on his lonely altar, wiping away tears. A thought passed him. 'So demons can cry…'

"I was heartbroken. To tell you the truth, I wasn't bored in Hell without you. The truth is... I was... in love."

Kaname suddenly felt the air around him shift, and there, hugging his shoulders, was Balan.

"I did this all for you! Please, Baal, come back to me!"

For a moment, Kaname considered. Then he remembered Mana. He couldn't just leave her behind…

"No. I can't."

He heard a snap of Balan's fingers. He felt the strong grip surrounding his shoulders cease. His eyes, of all the times they had appeared hungry and yearning, were now empty.

"That girl…"

Suddenly things began moving again. Itsuki, Mana, and Isshin were suddenly rushing to Kaname, their eyes filled with worry.

Mana was the first to reach Kaname. "Kaname! Are you al--"

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH! NO ONE WILL TAKE MY KANAME FROM ME!"

They all turned to see the once pale and fragile red-headed demon turn back into the ferocious insectinoid he had been when Kaname had first seen him. Now that he had tried negotiations and failed, he was going to take back what was his-- by force.

Just as he was about to fly right straight into Mana, a bright cross of light appeared in his way, forcing him to screech out in agony.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you all be in school?"

They heard the all familiar voice come from behind them.

Nakaura-sensei. He had finally come to join the fight.

All of them were present to face off against the monster; all but one.

Where was Amou…?

Well, I'm leaving you with a thought. Where IS Amou? Who knows. Well, I do, but, yeah, it wouldn't be a good idea to share it. It's a secret. So, PLEASE review and tell me what you think!