"Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor"
By Onikage

Scroll Thirty-Nine: "Envy Me, Oh Jealous Sky"

Tori winced with a soft sob when Anubis pressed a cold compress on the side of her lips and cheek. It was still bleeding slightly. "Ow…"
"I'm sorry," he murmured and tilted her face towards the sunlight shining through the trees. "It's a bad cut… Just keep it on there, all right?" She fell silent with a slow nod. She felt so terrible after what happened in the kitchen. Tears blurred her vision as she stared down at the blanket where they sat. "… I… was only trying to help," she quavered, trying not to cry. Anubis stopped what he was doing.
"… I know," he began. He sighed to himself when she failed to halt her tears. "Tori…"
"No one looks out for her… 'cept me," she sniffled. "And she wonders why she's so depressed and drunk all the time! It's because she doesn't listen! It's like she doesn't even care about how her stupid stunts make us feel!" she shouted. She felt warm armored hands cup her cheek and the back of her head as they pulled her against the iron-like clad shoulder. She went with its pull. He rubbed her back slowly.
"Hey… Don't cry… She is just very confused now… Whatever made her sleep with Cale and yell at you is something that has been controlling her for a long while… I'm sure she does care… but perhaps… she forgot that. With all of her bad relationships and her family disintegrating," he began softly, "she probably lost the trust she had too… It's a defensive way of acting and thinking. Like when… Well, when you were in denial when we told you that Kiku had died, you tried to run from reality… but the more you ran… the harder and more painful her death became. Such is the same for Korin… She has been running away from her emotions and problems all of her life… and now that she has been cornered… we can probably expect her to break soon… if not all ready. No matter what happens, you must give her all the support you can…" She pulled away and looked up at him sadly. He touched the top of her hair with an armored hand with a smile. "… Things will work out, little one… Tread lightly, okay?" She nodded and wiped her cheeks. She tasted blood on her tongue and felt him put the compress back. Anubis held her chin delicately and sighed.
"I may have to stitch it later…" he murmured. Tori's eyes widened. She shook her head vigorously.
"You ain't getting anywhere near MY lips!" she exclaimed, then flushed when she realized how it sounded. Anubis chuckled and smirked coolly.
"Pity… they're such a lovely color and look so soft," he teased in a low voice. He loved watching her get so flustered. She frowned.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Red," she snipped, "but these are for one person and one person only and it's definitely-"
"Wildfire, perchance?" Anubis asked with a cunning grin. "No, no… wait. I mean… 'Yo-sama!" he sighed dreamily. Tori eyes widened.
"N-no!" she lied, her face fire red. "I-I don't know what you are talking about!"
"Liar; you're getting excited! Look at you!" he argued, grinning from ear to ear. This was too much fun. "You're in love with Wildfire!" he shouted and jumped to his feet.
"Stop it! I-I'm not!" she denied and grabbed his arm. "Be quiet! Someone might hear you!" she hissed. Anubis gave her a cool smirk.
"I know."
"Anubis! Please!" she cried. Her outburst startled him and her approaching tears startled him more. She gripped his arm and lowered her eyes. "Please don't tell… He'll be so mad… so will Kayura. Please, please, please don't tell!" she begged softly. Anubis kneeled back down to the blanket as guilt slowly set in. He sighed.
"You really do love him, don't you?" he asked softly. He had been pulling her leg before. This wasn't quite the reaction he wanted…
In fact, it was the last thing he wanted…
She nodded slowly. "Please don't tell anybody. Not Cale or Sekkie! You can't even tell Whiteblaze!" she exclaimed, holding his arm. Anubis nodded slowly. Frankly, he was a little disappointed. He just expected a small crush… like Kayura had on himself. Teasing her like this wasn't fun… in fact it sucked. "Promise me!"
"Okay!"
"I want to hear you say it!" she cried. Anubis nodded again, more vigorously.
"All right, all right… I won't tell anyone… You have my word," he promised.
"If you tell anyone, Zeal won't be the only one who wants to kill you!" she snapped, tears welling in her eyes.
"Not a soul…" Tori pulled away from him and hid her face in her knees.
"… I can't believe this."
"… Why… won't you tell him? He may actually love you back," Anubis said, mentally regretting the words. Her head snapped upwards at him.
"I can't tell him! NO fucking way!" She hid her face again. "Maan, this isn't happening…"
Might as well follow through now… Idiot. Can't keep your trap shut, can you? he scolded himself. "… What have you got to lose?" he placed a hand on her shoulder. Tori looked up at him with weary eyes.
"I… I don't know… it's… embarrassing."
"No. Being caught in the middle of an orgy is embarrassing… especially when you're drunk as hell and most of the group is male," he sighed heavily. Tori's eyes widened.
"Y-you… and… WHEN?" she exclaimed. Anubis sighed again.
"It was after I had been promoted… I think. All of us had one too many bottles of saké… You tell NO ONE, understand?" he frowned. He swallowed hard when she started giggling… almost mad-like… She looked like she was enjoying the thought rolling through her… well, now… dirty little mind. He frowned again. "Hey! I mean it!" He almost looked like he was going to pout.
"All bets are off if you tell, buster! One peep and it'll be spandex and glitter eye shadow for you! The gold sparkly kind! You wouldn't pull of hot pink very well with your coloring," she giggled. She lifted a lock of his hair. "Curling your hair and plucking those eyebrows of yours will only be the beginning!" He batted her hands away.
"My eyebrows are FINE just as they are…" he grumbled. Tori rolled her eyes.
"You're just lucky that you're cute so that you can get away with them… Just lemme-"
"Touch my eyebrows and you will become most unpleasant," he threatened with a playful tone. Tori pouted.
"You never let me have any fun…" Anubis twitched when she started to pout. He groaned inwardly. She looked too damn cute for her own good when she did that. He hated it… Kayura managed to skate by with that tactic as well. He sighed heavily.
"Fine… I'll let you CUT my hair. It's too long now." He fingered the long auburn strands tied together loosely with a shredded strip of cloth; his hair draped over and down his arm and chest reaching to his waist easily. Tori blinked. He actually looked good with his hair like that she noted with a faint blush.
"Why don't you let Mia cut it?" she asked as she munched on an apple. Anubis paled.
"She uses a bowl to cut little Yuli's hair…"
"No she doesn't… does she?" she gaped in disbelief
"Ask the poor lad!" he laughed. "No offense to her in any way, but I would rather have a go at that male… incident… before I let her cut MY hair…" Tori raised an eyebrow.
"And you'll let me cut it?" she asked, touching the end. She was surprised how soft it felt. "It looks good like this…"
"I've seen you cut your own hair before… It seems… normal. It gets in the way sometimes too," he smirked. "So what are you going to do? You don't have to tell him, you know. It is your decision, little one." Tori looked down in her lap.
"… But…" He grasped her shoulders again gently.
"Hey, look at me," he ordered gently. Tori looked up shyly and blushed. His stare was so intense. "He'd have to be blind not to fall for someone like you… Besides, I'll help you out if you need it," he said gently.
"R-really?" she smiled tearfully. He wiped her cheeks with his thumb and gave her a soft smile.
"Of course." Tori latched onto his chest with a happy cry.
"Thank you!" she sniffled.

Mia watched everyone filing into the kitchen. Her arms were crossed and she leaned against the counter where bottle after bottle of alcohol sat lined all around the room. Everyone was silent and weary. Mia was calm, silent, with her eyebrows slightly raised. Whenever she looked like that it meant trouble. She glanced around the room.
"Where are Sage and Domo? Anubis and Tori are missing too," she demanded. Kento raised his hand hesitantly. He looked like a student unaware of the answer. "Yes?" she began.
"… U-um… outside?" Mia sighed heavily.
"Well, then you can tell them then." She flashed him and Sai a glare. They straightened, swallowing a large lump in their throats. "Does anyone care to tell me why I have called you all here?" she asked nonchalantly.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I was the one that broke the lamp in the living room!" Rowen exclaimed. Mia gave him a quizzical look.
"No… That's not why… I'll talk to you later, Rowen…" Rowen swore under his breath. Mia indicated to the army of empty bottles behind her.
"Here's a clue…" Kento raised his hand again.
"U-um… 'C-c-c-c-c-cause the bottles are empty?"
"Well, very good, Kento! I can see that the hangover is over and done with for you to be able to think now!" she snapped. He flinched. "These are all the bottles that this house has consumed within the past fortnight!" Ryo leaned over to Dais.
"Hey… what's a 'fortnight'?"
"… Two weeks," he whispered.
"DAIS!" Mia snapped. He jumped.
"Yes, my lady!"
"Shut. Up."
"Yes, my lady." Mia began to pace.
"Sekhmet. How many bottles are here?" He straightened slightly. He wasn't sure why he was acting like he was afraid; yet there was something very intimidating about Mia. It was like Talpa once was but… more deadly? He swallowed.
"U-um… T-twenty-two?"
"Good." She folded her arms. "I have emptied out every single bottle unopened or not into the sink. I am sick and tired of people getting piss drunk around here! We have minors in this house still and I do NOT condone this kind of behavior! Since you all seem that you cannot control yourselves… I have gotten rid of the problem!"
Jaws hit the floor.
"But what about my cooking?" Sai protested. "You didn't pour out the Sherry, did you?"
"Gone."
"And the rum?" Sekhmet and Cale exclaimed in askance.
"Yep. There were five bottles in the wine cabinet," she stated in disgust.
"But," they chorused. "WHY IS THE RUM GONE?"
"Enough! The subject is closed! Stop whining!" Mia ordered. She eyed Sekhmet and Managi. "… The bed creaking will stop too. I'm sick of hearing Yuli complaining about the moaning keeping him up at night."
"Boy's gotta learn sometime," Ryo muttered.
"RYO!"
"Aah! Y-yes?" he squeaked.
"… Throw all these away since you can't seem to keep your comments to yourself. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes ma'am," everyone droned. She flounced out quickly. Cale grabbed one of the empty bottles of rum and moaned.
"Noooo…" Sekhmet put his hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be okay man…"
"My ruuuum," he whined.
Domo reached down and plucked a small blossom off of a honeysuckle vine. She was still leaning against Sage as he leaned against the trunk of a large oak, silent. She sniffled and sighed heavily.
"I'm seriously fucked up, huh Sage?" she mumbled against his shoulder. He continued to stroke her hair.
"… You're no more than I am or anyone else," he whispered. She lifted her face and gave him a long and silent look. He reached up and held her cheek. It had a few small scratches from a branch or two. It was slightly streaked from the tracks of her tears. He sighed heavily, knowing that there would be more to soon follow. "… Let's head back. You're probably still exhausted after all that has happened. You need to rest before we get back to training…" Domo flushed and stared down at her lap for a long time. Sage stared up at her and lifted her face gently. "… What is it?"
"… S-Sage… I-I'm sorry. I…" she sniffled again and hid her face in her hands. "It… just happened… After what happened in the apartment… I thought you-"
"… Water under the bridge," he whispered and put his arms around her. "There's nothing that you should be sorry for…" He paused and pulled away slowly. "A-are we okay?" he asked after a moment. Domo lifted her face and let him dry her eyes.
"Y-yeah."
"Shall I carry you back, milady?" he chuckled. Domo started laughing softly.
"Don't push your luck, Halo," she giggled, making him burst into his own fit of giggles. He stood and helped her to her feet. It was then he noticed her slightly swollen ankle. He bent down and held her small foot in his hands. Warmth flowed into her followed by a tingling sensation much like when her foot would fall asleep. "Sage! That tickles! Stop!" she laughed, still squirming slightly. Sage held on to her foot.
"Wait, hey…" He peered at her foot closely. "Purple nail polish?"
"What? I like purple! And it's called 'Manic Panic Purple Pain'!"
"… I think you need a nail polish that has a much more… relaxing name…" Domo put her hands on her hips.
"Oh really? Like what?" Sage very lightly tapped the back of her knee, causing her to fall backwards. He caught her gracefully and pulled her into his lap.
"Oh I dunno… How about Sexy, Sultry, Sensual Emerald." Domo blinked.
"That doesn't even rhyme!" she laughed. Sage fell silent. Domo knocked on his head. "Seiji? Somethin' wrong?" she asked and slipped off of his lap. He stood and shook his head, while removing his shoes.
"Put these on."
"Huh? Why?"
"Um, barefoot. You don't want a nematode, do you?"
"But what about," she stopped when Sage recalled his green and ivory subarmor. She frowned. "Cheater." He raised an eyebrow as she slipped on the sneakers.
"Hottie."
"Wh-what?" she flushed. Sage extended his hand.
"Did I stutter? C'mon." She slowly took his hand. It was surprisingly warm in the armored grip. His fingers curled around hers as they started back.
Megami trailed behind Kento, while lugging a very large picnic basket. She bounced it gently off her knees as she followed him down the path towards the south side of the lake with the meadow. He was humming something along the lines of "Old Mac Donald"… whatever THAT meant. Must be some American thing… Singing about piggies and oinking… WEIRD, she thought to herself. She stopped to set the basket down, to get a better grip on it before starting again. She stood and blushed when she saw that Kento had stopped. He seemed to be waiting for her. "Are you sure you don't want to switch? The blanket's not as heavy you know," he stated. Megami hefted the basket with a small grunt.
"No, thanks, Kento-kun. Someone has to make sure that there is food in here for the picnic," she said nonchalantly. Kento looked sheepish.
"H-hey, I'm not even that hungry right now."
"I've heard…hmf! that one before… urgh," she mumbled, continuing on down the path. Kento hurried after her.
"What? I'm not!" he laughed. Megami frowned.
"Man. If Sai and Sakura were gonna meet up with us, they should have brought their own food! There's enough here for all of us, plus two more for you!" she grunted and set it down on the dirt path. Kento sighed with a chuckle and lifted it without any problem.
"Oh, Sai and Sakura said that they had something to do. They're not meeting us after all," he announced. Megami's face flushed with embarrassment and a little bit of anger. He continued on with her glaring after him. If he wanted to go on a date, he could have asked!
"Hey, Megami?" he asked and turned around. She quickly masked her anger and smiled.
"What?" He scratched his head.
"Um… You look… nice today, by the way," he murmured. Megami blushed.
"O-oh. T-thanks…"

"HEY! Kento!" They both turned upon hearing Sage's voice. Kento swallowed when he saw Domo. He almost forgot about the little incident in the kitchen earlier. He waved nervously.
"H-hey, Sagie-boy… S'up?" he laughed uneasily.
"Just out for a little walk," Sage lied. Domo blushed. "Y'know to clear out any signs of cabin fever. Where are you two love birds going?" he chuckled, nudging Kento. He turned red.
"Over there by the large oak tree. We didn't eat lunch today cause we woke up late…" Kento looked down at the ground. Sage glanced at Domo who seemed to be carrying on her own conversation with Megami.
"Something wrong, Kento? Is it something I said?"
"Huh, no… I… stuff went down last night and she's a little shaken… She can't remember everything, soo… We're just gonna y'know… start over…"
"Ohh," Sage nodded. "I know how you feel…"
"Yeah, I bet. So you're not gonna kill Cale?" Kento asked, raising an eyebrow. Sage folded his arms.
"I've all ready thought of a way to deal with him," he said lightly, not wanting to divulge anymore of the subject. Kento smirked.
"Give 'em hell, man," he laughed. Sage smirked, but then his face turned from sly to serious.
"Hey, be careful today."
"Huh? You know me Sage. I'm always careful."
"Yeah, when you're by yourself… Watch her back, okay? I've got an eerie feeling…" Kento nodded.
"Sure thing, bud."
"Kentooooo, c'moooon!" Megami whined.
"I'm hurrying! See ya, Sage!"
"Later, Romeo…"

Sage opened the door to his room, waiting for Domo to enter. "Go on…"
"Huh?" she blinked. "I was just going to-"
"I want to keep an eye on you… Just for today," he smiled softly. Domo blushed. She hated and yet loved being on the receiving end of that smile. She hated the way that it made her face just flare. Sage seemed to notice this and chuckled softly. "Come on. You need to rest."
"But I can in my room Sage."
"Without being disturbed?" Domo fell silent. Whenever Sage was in his room and wanted to be alone, he shut the door. Everyone knew to not disturb him, especially after that incident with Kento and the squirt gun. Sage made it clear that he was not to be messed with…
The pink and green eye shadow looked hideously perfect on Hardrock.
"O-okay…" Sage grinned as she stepped inside. Domo sat on his bed and gasped. She bounced slightly and blinked.
"Heeeeeeey."
"Something wrong?" he asked and sat beside her.
"Yeah… You're bed is so comfy!" she frowned. "No fair!"
"It's the comfiest one in the house too."
"Wait, what? No fair!"
"What? I have back problems sometimes…" Domo raised an eyebrow.
"Yep. All those nights being 'saddled up'… I would be too…" she mumbled. Sage chuckled with a blush.
"I never initiated it… My first time was against my will… sort of," he said nervously. Domo blinked.
"Whoa, really? What happened?"
"… Date rape drug… I met a girl at a party. She 'slipped me a mickey' and the next thing I know, she riding me to a gallop in the back bedroom. So I… kinda know what it's like to loose your virginity against one's will… I just wish that it had been with someone I loved… I haven't felt like that yet, no matter how many stories the guys tell you." He lowered his eyes and fell silent.
"… I was… I was walking home from school when I was younger," she began softly. She slid her fingers to Sage's hand and curled around it slowly. She didn't look up. He turned to her. "I told you part of the story, but not all of it… It was getting dark and I had missed the bus so I waited for a little bit for the next one… These guys then started waiting with me. They were high school boys… The started hounding me so I decided to walk home. Tori's house was close by… about ten blocks from where I was. I figured I would stay with her and Kaos-sama until they went away… I… I didn't make it. I… remember a sharp blow to the back of my head… then nothing for a few moments… Hands… at my skirt and blouse… Rough hands touching me on the outside… and inside…" she swallowed hard, the sting of shame rushing over her face. "The next thing I knew my panties were gone, something hot was inside and there was this stabbing pain… I tried to scream, but another shoved himself in my mouth and…" She squeezed her eyes shut, tears falling. Sage stayed silent. "It was fast and so rough… I felt myself getting loose and wet… and it started to feel good," she wept softly. "I couldn't stop myself from moving more. I couldn't stop feeling the orgasms!" she exclaimed in an explosion of tears. Sage let her bury her face in shame in his chest as she just cried her eyes out. He touched her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, pulling close.
"… I ran home after they left and told mom what happened… parts of it. We went to the hospital and they took care of me for a while," she mumbled after a long time. She dried her eyes on her sleeve and didn't meet his eyes. "I've been a whore since day one. I enjoyed getting raped by those boys," she whispered. Sage lifted her eyes and said nothing. Domo felt her cheeks heat further and looked away.
"W-what?"
"… If I tickled your feet when you didn't want me too, you would still laugh wouldn't you?" he asked.
"Yeah… so?"
"So, it's the same kind of thing. You're body just responded to a normal act. Sex is sex like you said, but if you initially didn't want it, it's nothing to be ashamed of if something like that made you feel that way. Your body just responded to stimuli, honey… whether you wanted it to or not. That's just how things work. You didn't do anything wrong…" Domo fell silent then yawned.
"Sleepy…" Sage pulled back the comforter of his bed and pulled off Domo's house shoes.
"Lie down for a little while. You'll feel better after a nap," he said after tucking her in. Domo blushed with his actions. He turned to go.
"Seiji?"
"Hm?"
"Can you stay? Just until I fall asleep?" she asked meekly. He just smiled and curled up beside her.
"Go to sleep okay?"
" 'Kay," she said through a yawn. The clock started to chime on the half hour and before it had finished, Domo had fallen fast asleep. Sages glanced over at the clock and then back to Domo. He sighed heavily and reached over to pull her long hair from her face. Exposing her neck in the process, he saw faint scars of several bite marks from large fangs. His eyes squinted slightly and felt a chill run down his spine. Carefully he slipped his arm over and around her as he spooned up behind her back. He nuzzled close, sighed deeply, and fell asleep to the sound of her breathing.
"How did the boys receive the new armors again? Remind me," Dais asked. Mia dug through a large box.
"All I know that a ghost named Suzunagi put them through some type of test… I think it had something to do with a play they found… I'm not too sure, but, if the same applies to you four and the picture of the new armors we found, you can bet that you'll be confronted with a test of some kind before you get the new armor…" She tossed a mousetrap over her shoulder. It hit Dais in the head, springing and catching in his hair. "Ah! Hey… Watch it, my lady!" he laughed.
"Sorry."
"… I think I see the connection you're making… sort of…"
"Well, remember Anubis' hypothesis? Suzunagi was once human so she has a link with the armors since the boys are mortal with human virtues… So I would like to think that your test is coming from the gods themselves because of the virtues you hold now OR the new virtues these new armors might possess..."
"… Sounds like it makes sense… Did the boys receive new virtues?"
"I don't believe so… It's just a theory…"
"Hmm," Dais murmured, opening another box. He coughed as another puff of dust blew in his face from opening a large box. "Ack, b-blast it!" he coughed. "M-my lady… Wh-where did you say you found your grandfather's journal?" Mia's head popped out from behind a small tower of boxes at the far end of the overhead.
"Somewhere up here. Everything got moved around when we had to make room for Anubis' little transformation. I had found it along with those photos of the wall paintings I showed Kayura, but I found the box almost as soon as the others got here."
"Well, why didn't you get the rest of the items in box, my dear? It would have saved us the search-ACHOO! Ugh… Not to mention a case of hay fever."
"Bless you. Because, Dais, I was so busy with everything else going on that I forgot about it. I just remembered it after Kaos died. Oh, I know it's here somewhere…" She turned to the small tower of boxes beside her and read the sides. Dais still fumbled through the box he had and sighed.
"AHHH!" Mia's voice and a large crash caught his attention and he was at her side instantly.
"Gods, my lady! Are you all right?" he exclaimed. Mia shoved the lighter box off of her and rubbed her hip.
"Owch… Yeah… I found the box." She gestured to the bottom box behind Dais. He helped her to her feet and dusted off her shoulders.
"Be more careful next time," he warned. Mia giggled at his seriousness of his request. "What! You really could have been hurt! It's not funny!"
"Oh, I'm not laughing at that!" she smiled. She leaned up and kissed him softly. Anger melted from his face. "Better?" Dais for a moment was a little dazed, but then he quickly frowned.
"Just because you kiss me doesn't make it go-" She kissed him again, more slowly this time. Dais held her close and advanced on her, causing her to back against a large dresser. The force of her back caused her to knock something off of the top. Mia tore her lips away from Dais'. "What was that?" she asked. Dais began to kiss up and down her neck.
"Nothing," he mumbled against her skin. Mia shrugged out of Dais' arms and bent down to pick up a small blue leather back book. It was a little heavy and on the thick side. It had been tied together with a leather strap and a small pen was still inside marking the last page written. In burned letters on the front, it read: "Journal". Mia looked up at Dais. "I've never seen this before… Does it belong to you?"
"Hm?" Dais took the journal and shook his head. "No…" He untied it and opened it to the first page. He instantly recognized the scripture. His one blue eye widened. "This… is Kaos'!" Mia gasped and yanked it out of his hands.
"No way!" she gasped and flipped through the large journal.
"My lady, be careful with that!" he hissed. "Rekka may want it." Mia pulled him to the dusty and covered sofa and sat, pulling him with her. "Mia!"
"Dais… Look…" She pointed to a page marked with a red ribbon.
"'Amaranthine'…" He paused. "… Do you think that Kaos knew where it is?"
"I'm not sure… Most of this is in some strange language. Nothing I've ever seen or read." Dais peered at it closely.
"… That's because it's in the Ancient's tongue…"
"Maybe Kayura knows what it says?" Mia pointed out and leaned on his arm. Dais flipped through the pages.
"Runes, elvish… dwarvish… He's changing so many times for some reason," Dais murmured. The pages were filled with pictures, sketches, symbols, and footnotes within the available spaces between paragraphs.
"Perhaps it's code?" Dais agreed with a nod. "I can make out the runes… but Anubis will have to decode the rest."
"Anubis knows them?"
"All he ever really did was learn to speak languages in between war tactics and sparring. How else do you think he was able to conquer all of those realms for Talpa?" Mia blinked.
"I just thought it was because he was so pretty, honestly." Dais raised an eyebrow and pouted ever so slightly.
"Well, thank you very much, my lady."
"Oh, don't be like that… I was kidding, Dais!" she giggled. He just sighed. Mia tugged on his sleeve. "Dais?… Hey, I was joking…"
"I suppose…" he sighed. He loved playing games with her. She hadn't quite caught on to most of them yet. He loved to tease her. Mia hugged him.
"I'm sorry, Dais. If it makes you feel any better, I think you have nicer eyes…. Er… I mean." He started to laugh.
"I know what you meant, my lady." He kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's go see if Kayura can translate what she can…" Mia stopped him from getting up from the couch.
"Dais?" she asked softly. Her face had become quite flushed. He set the book down in his lap. She didn't finish.
"Mia? What is it?"
"Um… If… if that hadn't have fallen and… stopped us… Wh-what do you think would have happened?" she asked softly. She didn't look him in the eye. Dais' one eye widened after a moment before he caught her meaning. He lifted her eyes.
"What ever you wanted to happen…" he smiled softly and held her cheek delicately. Mia held it to her skin and closed her eyes. He pulled her close and sighed. "I'm not going to rush you into anything, all right?" he whispered. Mia nodded silently and just held onto him.
Badamon yelped at a beaker full of liquid exploded on the wall of stone above his head. "DAMN HER! BITCH! WHORE OF PIGS!" Zeal shrieked. She thundered through Badamon's laboratory, knocking over tables and boxes. She leaned over a larger counter and gripped the sides in utter anger. Badamon glanced over at the viewing flame:

"Look! I made an apple face! Grah hah ha haaaa!" Tori giggled and waved the carved apple at Anubis. He batted her away with a laugh.
"Don't play with your food!" he chuckled. Tori paused a moment.
"GRAAAAAAAHHH! Apple-attack-formation!" she cackled and pinned him on the picnic blanket. Anubis grabbed her wrist and chomped down on the apple.
"Power-hungry-oni-mastication!" he laughed. Tori pouted.
"Ewww… Now I can't eat it!"
"Eat around it. I don't have the plague!" he laughed. Tori set the apple aside and just lay on his chest. "Something wrong, little one?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking…"

Zeal screamed in anger again and launched a large fireball at the torch holding the scene playing out before them. "Traitor! BASTARD!" she shrieked, knocking off everything on the counter. Badamon swallowed hard.
"Don't fret, my lady," he reassured.
"To hell with you, ghost!" she snapped, throwing another vial of liquid at him.
"ACH! My sleeping tonic!" he whined as it shattered to the stone floor. "Oh dear… weeks wasted."
"BLAST IT!" Zeal hissed. "Why won't the bitch just die?" Badamon made a broom appear out of thin air and started sweeping up the mess.
"It's because of her guardian, my lady. Kill the guardian, you'll kill the summoner!" he explained. Zeal snarled.
"They've no longer taken physical form, idiot!" she yelled. Badamon stopped sweeping.
"Oh… Hmmm… Well, there is always Master's blood." Zeal stiffened and turned her head.
"What did you say?"
"Hm? Oh, the blood of Master Kurai. It can kill anything! Don't you read!" he sputtered. Zeal snatched up the priest by his thin neck. He yelped.
"Why read when I can just squeeze my information from you? Speak!"
"Come now, my lady! Master Kurai was banished from the heavens and had festered beneath the lowly feet of mortals for eons. They say his blood is the source of all disease and death in the mortal realm," he chuckled. "One drop and not even the great serpent emperor's venom can cure her!"
"Interesting… Get me some!" she ordered, throwing him to the ground. Badamon landed hard and he rubbed the back of his head.
"One cannot simply just take his blood!"
"Then how?"
"I don't know!" Badamon snapped back and floated up in her face. "I don't know everything, my lady! I try so very hard for you and Lady Managi when she was still here! And do I get a thank you? NO! It's nothing but work, work, work!" he pouted and started sweeping again. Zeal stood a little shocked by the priest's outburst. She then smirked.
"Badamon… please," she began in a silken tone, wandering around behind the old ghoul. She traced her hand up his back and touched his ear gently. "Please, please? Help me kill that little witch? Oh pleaaaaaase?" she cooed. "I know you can find something if you just try…" Badamon would have blushed if he still had a beating heart.
"W-well, I-I can certainly try," he chuckled.
"Goood," she smiled. "You're right I don't appreciate all that you do for me."
There was a large gust of wind that knocked Badamon onto the ground. Zeal just stood firm as one of the wraiths cloaked in black appeared practically on top of Badamon.
"Oof! Get off!"
"What is it? I'm busy," Zeal snipped. The wraith hissed softly:
"Massster Kurai ssssummonsss you. Very important… A missssion about the ssssummonersss. In the abyssss he isss, yessss." Zeal's brow piqued with interest.
"I see."
"GET OFF ME YOU POOR EXCUSE FOR A DUNG CLEANING RAG!" Badamon ordered. Zeal sighed.
"I will be there presently." The wraith vanished and Badamon popped up swinging. Zeal spun him around.
"Sorry about the mess, priest. The 'master' needs my attention."
"I'll find a way to get that for you."
"You would do well to do so."

Zeal let the portal close behind her and followed the dark winding staircase down to the abyss. This is where Talpa had placed Kurai after he had been freed from Hell. The ancient guardian was still very weak from his journey. Zeal held out a palm and a small blue fireball formed, lighting her way. She could hear the deep chanting of the ankoku priests the closer she got. The stairs were getting easier to see as she made her way down to the pit.
The path opened up into a large cavern-like room that seemed to stretch nearly endlessly. She had been down here several times. Every time it seemed to get larger. The entire cavern was flooded with hot, boiling lava like liquid. Priests hovered above her in sphere like shields tending to beasts being reborn or put to death. There was one happening right beside her that seemed quite large. Ignoring it she approached the edge and a priest met her on the shore. "Kurai summoned me. Take me to him." The priest nodded silently and encased her in the bubble along with him. They hovered only a few moments to the middle of the large sea of glowing red and orange to a platform where Kurai sat. The bubble landed gently at the base of the stairs. At the top Kurai sat in his bed behind a sheer curtain of purple and blackened silk. Zeal kneeled as she reached the top of the stairs. Kurai stood and emerged wearily from the curtains. His long black hair had been tied loosely in several jeweled cloths. The tied tresses draped over his pale and muscular shoulder. A raven sat perched on his other. He stroked it gently with his clawed fingertips. His entire torso was exposed as a robe of black and purple hung from his narrow waist. Ancient runes were tattooed over his arms and his chest telling of some kind of spell or magic. His arms, wrists, and neck were decorated with golden bands and gauntlets or a necklace. He smiled softly as he saw Zeal kneeling.
"Lady Zeal. You are so prompt," he said softly. Zeal lowered her head more.
"Because you summoned me, master." Kurai chuckled and lifted her to stand. Zeal blushed. He was a very handsome being. Kurai's eyes twinkled and he chuckled at the thought. Zeal shuddered as his hand trailed up the length of her torso and circled her breast. His simple touch had her on the brink of an orgasm. He stopped and she whimpered in protest. "Do well with this task and ye shall see how… rewarding I can be," he whispered.
"Y-yes, master," she breathed.
"Come…" He tapped the staff he held to the stone floor once and they immediately levitated over the sea of the abyss. The raven circled over them and followed. Zeal watched below them at all of the executions and rebirths.
"Badamon told ye of the little trick to get rid of our little summoners, yes?" Zeal stiffened.
"Y-yes. He mentioned it to me."
"Good…" They came upon another large platform where the source of the lava-like water flowed. Six priests encased in the large bubbles were sending electrical energy into a creature as it stood in a pool where the source of the abyss bubbled upward. The beast was writhing in pain or so it seemed. It was coated in the thick liquid, as it stood straight. They approached it as the priests continued.
Kurai turned to Zeal and removed a small knife from the hilt on his jeweled belt. She watched him with interest. He looked up to see the raven that had been circling them. He beckoned it in an ancient tongue. The raven flew to his shoulder and deposited an empty purple and gold encrusted vial. He petted the bird lovingly and kissed it gently before it flew off and perched on the stone gargoyles at the entrance to the flow of the water. "Master?" she began softly. Kurai exposed his wrist and sliced open a vein with a flash of the knife. Dark, purple tinged blood flowed freely from the wound. Zeal gasped in shock. Kurai returned the knife to his belt and opened the vial with his free hand, filling the bottle to the brim, before closing it with the jeweled stopper. His wound closed up immediately. He stumbled.
"Master, are you all right?" she gasped, holding him upright. Kurai chucked and handed her the vial.
"I just need to rest…" He held himself up with his staff. "Dip any blade ye choose into that. Cut anything and it will be given the quickest death. Ye both are to return to the mortal realm and dispatch Kongo, Rekka, Tenku, and Suiko. Leave Korin… for now. Start with Rekka if you wish. He is going after Kongo."
"He? My master… I do not understand." Kurai gestured to the pool.
The electrical bombardment stopped and the priests vanished. Kurai pushed away from Zeal and stepped into the waters toward the beast. It was breathing hard on all fours, tail lashing out angrily. A feral growl came as he approached. "Are ye ready?" Kurai asked. The beast nodded and stood upright, bare and a little shaky on his legs. He turned grinning in that familiar wild like way.
"Always, my master," he chuckled. Zeal gasped.
"Raiko!" The feline warlord slinked toward her and started to purr.
"Miss me?" he whispered.
"How?"
"Nine lives, my dear…" He slipped behind her and slid his hands beneath her kimono and to her breasts. He began to knead them gently, getting a pleasurable moan from her. She was still hot from the simple touch Kurai had given her. Raiko chuckled and removed her robe easily. "Step into the pool… Kurai has given me even more power… Power enough to help you destroy Loyalty's little red bird," he breathed against her neck. Zeal moaned softly as he lifted her to the pool.
Kurai stood by and watched. Fools…
A/N Bah! 8 months and only one freaking chapter! Grahhh. This was a tricky one to do. The next one should come up a LOT faster than this one. Hope you liked it! Poor Badamon, eh?