Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) in these two confrontations… especially for the one who has a change of plans.

~保護者~

REVIEW REPLIES:

Hello, MelGamingPlays! Haha, I'm sorry! XD Yeah, he really did wreak some serious havoc there. Poor Sonic and the others, they're pretty helpless without his mom. Hopefully she heals fast... :( Yeah, Espio's... not doing so hot, to put it lightly. On the one hand he lacks the capacity to be bothered as much by killing Shei as most others would have been in his position, but on the other hands... it's still awful. As for his Darkness consuming him... unfortunately, it's doing a pretty good job of that so far. Anyway, on a much lighter note, I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the story so far! That always means so much to hear. :) Thank you for all of your support, and do your best to stay safe!

~保護者~

"Blackest Night"

~保護者~

The uproarious sounds of combat seemed to vanish as Kaden prowled into the dark chamber where his enemy waited. He had beaten through her armies enough to force a direct confrontation, which was precisely what he intended to do. And he knew she was here. Separated from the rest of this realm though her black mist-filled throne room was, he could see her sitting there on the throne in question. She smiled at him, elbow propped up on an armrest and her cheek in her hand. "Nareish," he snarled in lieu of a proper greeting.

Nareish grinned fleetingly, just long enough to reveal the whites of her teeth. "Kaden," she purred in a tone that he loathed. "Here to avenge your son, I take it? And here I thought that demons do not care."

He glared at her. Hard. "I do not," he responded icily. "This is not about him."

"So you intend to settle old scores? To take your revenge for your poor lost demons?" Her eyes scanned his face. "Or is there something more to this little visit, hm?"

"If a fool dies, he dies. I take no pity on the weak. They are more useful to me dead and used as fodder for my legions then alive and in my goddamn way." His grip shifted on his sword, prepared to attack. "You are in my way."

"Come to stop me?" she asked. When he moved closer, close enough to cut her if he lunged forward just a couple of feet, her smile grew. "I'm afraid you will not have much luck in that endeavor."

"Afraid…" Kaden repeated softly, testing the word and finding it distasteful. He gave his sword a sharp twirl in his hand. "No, you are not. You are bold, overconfident, stupid. But you are not afraid. Although… you should be."

"Of you?" Her head tilted slowly, a coy smile playing at her lips. "I think not."

Dimly glowing eyes narrowed. "Do you think your tiny emotions, your foolishly contrived plans will matter once you cease to exist?" he challenged her. "The Void has already swallowed realities far more vast than you seem capable of comprehending. You are nothing compared to it."

Nareish laughed. "Concerned, are we?"

His sword shifted to point at her throat. "You stand in my way," he growled.

"Oh, I am aware of what you are doing, Kaden," Nareish assured gleefully. "I know what you desire. That ancient power… I will not deny you it. In fact, I am quite curious to see how events unfold."

Fangs bared. "I will not stand here idly and allow you to let me do as I please."

"Then by all means… stop me," she invited with an idle wave of her hand.

Her words were a bait. He refused to rise to take it. His own words were colored by a low, continual growl as he tightened his grip on his sword. "I think not." Slowly, reluctantly, he lowered his blade. The briefest flicker of surprise poked through her normally unruffled demeanor, but she was just as quickly back to smirking at him as though unconcerned about anything at all. He turned to stalk out of the room. "The Void will devour you soon enough… no matter how prepared you think you are to prevent it. And when it does…" he paused, looking over his shoulder to aim one last glare at her smug face. "I intend to watch."

For once, her smile faded. "Do you have even the slightest inkling what I intend to do, Kaden?"

"Do not call me by my name, woman."

"Have it your way, then. But I await your answer."

Kaden turned back around. He regarded her through narrowed eyes for a time before simmering down enough to reply. "Rumors spread like blood," he muttered. "I already know what you are doing, what you are attempting to accomplish,"

"Then why resist me so?" she asked him. "As I said… my vision for a new reality does not include ridding it of you, or your kind."

Baring his fangs again, Kaden moved closer in a slow and predatory manner. "Time and again, you have invaded my territory seeking allegiance," he reminded her, tone dripping with venom. "Every time you come, your soldiers die before you. And yet you keep gathering new allies, launching new assaults… I am not sure whether to applaud you… or continue to think you stupid."

The smile returned. "Every action of mine has a purpose, Kaden. You and I are not so different, in that regard."

He snarled at her once more. "You think you will gain a powerful new ally, but you will not. Pain is all that is here for you… and I do not make deals with filth."

"There is more waiting for me, for both of us, than the hand we have been dealt by the Faein. What I have is not a dream. I intend to turn it into a reality." Nareish finally sat up straight and set her arm in her lap. "You and I… we want for the same thing. An existence filled with nothing but Darkness. A place where those who do not belong suffer and die while we grow ever stronger." His right ear flicked faintly and his arms crossed. Her smile grew. Seeing that she had his attention (however slightly), she turned her palm over, revealing some tiny creature that had appeared in her hand. "When a creature is so weak as this… it is a pleasure to watch it die. She then proceeded to crush it into dust that idly drifted toward the floor. "Do you not wish to do the very same to Jet? To Locke? To every other wretched soul who has ever defied you?"

Though her assumptions were bold, almost too much so, Kaden merely bared his teeth at her again. "You ramble," he said softly. "Find your point before my patience runs out."

"Whoever survives our passing does so only by our consent" she responded. "That will never change. What will change… is that minor irritations such as the Immortals will cease to be."

Just like that, whatever vague flicker of interest he'd had was lost again. "Such a rousing speech…" Kaden glanced behind him toward the outside world, ears keenly attuned to the sounds beyond this room. "But it would seem that most of your comrades are no longer alive to hear it."

"That matters not," Nareish answered, not a trace of concern in her voice or demeanor. "There are others where they came from. There will always be others. You, however… I'm afraid I cannot replace you. I would so hate to have to kill you, given how much I enjoy what you do."

"You assume you can end my life?" he challenged.

She raised an eyebrow. "You believe you can end mine?" she challenged in return.

"Your spawn will inherit the wounds I leave on you…" he snarled.

"An interesting point," she smirked. "But I am afraid I can inflict much the same damage to you as well. I believe this means we are at a bit of an impasse." When he didn't answer her, she leaned forward in her seat, resting her arms on her knees. "Death rides the winds, little demon. Can you feel it yet? From the space between realms it comes, hungering for death and destruction… You can resist it, if you'd like, but I cannot advise it. It will not end well… for you or your goals."

Kaden scoffed at her… but turned away. "Do what you want, witch," he growled. "I do not care. But stand in my way again… and I will have your head."

Laughing, she leaned back in her chair. "I look forward to it."

Seething but silent, Kaden vanished from the room. It seemed that there was a great deal he had to do…

~保護者~

Things were quiet until the crunch of fresh grass beneath boots intruded upon their ears. Espio looked around in silence, unsure what he was expecting to find but managing to be vaguely disappointed regardless. He had to admit… he had hoped that the Hollows would stay dead. Fortune wasn't exactly smiling down upon them though, or so it would seem. Nature and people were restored, but it seemed that had come with a price.

Keeping low to the ground, Espio slunk back to where he had left Kial. He slipped past a newly-repaired grave-shrine contained within a very small temple. It was a burial site for an ancient warrior, and this was said to be where she had died. Perhaps the old remains of such a strong individual was why these soul-eaters were prowling around this area in such numbers. But, then again, maybe that was only part of a larger problem.

Whatever. He didn't care why they were here. That they were was reason enough for him to keep his sword in hand. "Kial," he called quietly to get his blind friend's attention. Once he had it, he continued. "We need to go back." He didn't say why. The Hollows may have been impossible to sense (they gave off no auras and the like), but Kial was surely smart enough to know that there was something dangerous here. Hopefully that meant he wouldn't ask questions. The more time they spent talking, the less time they would have to escape. And besides that, if one with a more acute sense of hearing came too close and heard them…

Kial gave a silent nod, lowering his entire body and motioning for the chameleon to lead the way. I'll have to try and follow behind him, somehow, he thought to himself, willing his feet to shift into that of a much more unusual form (padded in such a way that would help him stay silent as they moved along).

Thinking fast, Espio took the sheath from his sword and nudged Kial's hand with one end. "Hold this. I will guide you."

The cat grabbed it lightly, nodding once more. "Go," he answered lowly. Espio began walking without further discussion, tugging Kial along using the sheathe. He kept close to the ground, crouching behind trees and within bushes as they back-tracked to where they had been before he'd spied the first Hollow. Once they were safely away, he tugged his sheath out of Kial's hand and returned it to its usual place at his hip.

Kial's feet returned to normal and he frowned, arms crossed lightly. "So… where do we go from here?" he asked.

Taking stock of their location, Espio answered, "Graves dot the landscapes nearby. Hollows are often drawn to the dead in hope of finding and feasting upon their souls. We will have to go around."

"Air isn't safe, I reckon," Kial said, mostly to himself. "Going underground wouldn't work well for you, so I guess that really might be our only choice overall.

"Some Hollows fly," Espio confirmed. "Some also burrow and dig tunnels. It is safest to remain on the ground - or the trees, if need be." He resumed walking, this time allowing his footsteps to make just enough noise for Kial to hear and follow.

"And sadly, I have no way of going in the trees," Kial muttered, mildly unhappy with such an admission. "I'd run into something or off of something else before we made it anywhere." He followed behind Espio closely, his ears turning to listen to the almost inaudible footfalls.

"Perhaps." Espio offered no reassurances, merely this word and a small shrug.

Kial sighed with a shrug. "I'll get over it. No need to comfort or whatever," he joked, managing a small smile. "Jokes aside, what were you doing with yourself all those years we were separated? You didn't sit around on your ass, that's for sure."

Espio decided to indulge the bobcat this once and answered, "In a manner of speaking, I did for a time. I was not engaged in much combat, nor training as often as I should have." He paused, thinking, then found himself admitting, "Although… the years were not wasted, I suppose."

"You met some good people, yeah? Perhaps learned a bit about yourself?"

"I met… many people. The group you met… with the exception of some, most of them were a part of a larger group. We were all… friends, I suppose." Espio took one last look around before deciding to sheathe his blade.

"Fair enough. They all seem like pleasant enough people, anyway," Kial answered with a faint shrug. "I wandered around for several years before anything really happened. Eventually, though, Nivren passed of old age. Never found him a mate, though… I always kinda knew I wouldn't be able to." The cat's face morphed into one of faint sadness, the memories of his long-gone companion surfacing before fading once more. "At some point, a man named Saethrim was on Mobius. He never explained why he was there, but he took interest in me."

Recalling the giant wolf Kial had always traveled with in the past, Espio took time to think this over before speaking. "Who is Saethrim?"

"He was the God of Mythical Creatures," Kial answered softly. "A very wise, and… quiet man. You might have gotten along with him, honestly."

The wording tipped Espio off. "He is dead, then."

"Let me ask this. Who do you think I am now?" the cat asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure you may know, given the information I've told you."

"It does not take a genius to figure it out," Espio responded blandly. "Particularly when you witness someone morphing their body into that of various beasts."

Kial smiled, chuckling softly. "Blunt as ever. Saethrim passed his title on to me one day after enemies of his came and engaged with him in battle. He was already wounded, and the battle was fatal. That is why I am who I am now." Espio remained quiet, as he often did, to allow himself time to process everything he'd been told. Kial gave him this time, then added, "I sometimes wonder if I was right to have avenged him in the way I did. I showed little mercy simply at the behest of my anger. Though, what is done is certainly done. Now, would you mind answering the other question you left? I believe it was about having learned about yourself with your friends."

They were worthy of death, so why hesitate to bring that death upon them? Espio found himself wondering. However, he soon pushed that thought aside. "I did not answer because there is nothing to say."

"You didn't learn about yourself in that time?" Useless though the gesture was when used in response to a blind person, Espio merely shrugged. Assuming that Espio had either remained silent or done an action such as the one he had performed, Kial moved along. "How about this, then. Who, aside from your family or me, was the most memorable person you know from that group?"

"Vector," Espio answered without hesitation.

"Why so, then?"

This time Espio did hesitate. Why did Vector matter so much to him? The idea of friendship had always been foreign to him up until a certain point in his life, and even now he had to admit that he struggled with it. But Kial likely knew that. "I don't know."

Kial thought for a moment. "I'd guess that he cared a lot about you and helped you through a lot. That might be a part of it, but definitely not the whole thing."

Recalling the giant wolf Kial had always traveled with in the past, Espio took time to think this over before speaking. "Who is Saethrim?"

After a lengthy pause, Espio relented a bit more of the truth. "He always… did what he could. It was not always enough, but he did… try."

"I'm glad to hear you had someone like that," Kial responded lightly, a smile on his face. "Everyone needs that in their life." Espio considered that to be a matter of debate, but he opted not to say so. This was precisely the wrong place to have an argument. About a second and a half later, Espio reacted without thinking by taking hold of Kial by the arm and roughly hauling him several steps forward. This allowed the cat to narrowly avoid a kunai knife as it sailed through the air before disappearing into a thick bush. In the instant that Espio had grabbed him, his body had begun to change so that his skin was far thicker and harder, but this process stopped when he realized he was already out of danger. "What's wrong?"

"You nearly met a knife," Espio responded flippantly, gaze scanning the nearby trees. Then he added in an almost casual manner, "Given its trajectory… I do not think it would have ended well for you."

Kial's face gained an almost unnatural edge, as if expecting more to happen by now as he removed his staff from his cloak. He wasn't angry in the slightest, instead focusing more strongly on his surroundings than he had been before. "Do you know where they are?"

That question was answered when Espio whipped his sword out, followed by the harsh screech of metal on metal as he parried Nyokae's latest attempt on his life. Scowling, he threw her off and demanded, "Now what do you want?"

Unsurprisingly, she laughed. "What," she then mock-pouted, "am I not allowed to come visit you when you have friends over? How dreadfully boring."

"Who are you?" Kial asked, letting one end of his staff rest on the ground. "Surely you realize that attempting to kill another is not a pleasant way to introduce oneself?"

His interruption caught her attention and she looked at him with upraised eyebrows. After taking his appearance, she told him, "Darling, nothing about the matters shinobi engage in is pleasant to outsiders. Given who you are travelling with, I would have assumed that you knew that." Her head tilted. "Or are you blind and daft?" Espio stared at her coldly, but didn't intervene just yet.

"Understandably, I may be considered daft in terms of my knowledge of the ways of shinobi. However, it is still not a pleasant experience," Kial tilted his head softly. "You are one who cares not, regardless. You follow your own path, do you not?"

She chose to ignore him this time. Returning her attention to Espio, she said, "To answer your question, love… I merely wished to let you know just how much I have enjoyed annoying all this time, and how much I look forward to continuing to do so in the future. Is that so wrong?"

Irritation bubbling to the surface, Espio retorted with a simple, "You are unwelcome."

"You say that… yet here I am. Funny, isn't it?"

"Nyokae…"

"What?" She blinked at him with falsely innocent eyes. "I am merely here to visit. Is that so hard to believe?"

"With someone of your temperament, I would be willing to believe otherwise. What is your purpose in being here?" Kial asked, a frown appearing on his face.

She shrugged, sporting one of her typical smirks. "At this point, it is a given… there will be pain."

Espio pointed his sword at her throat. "Perhaps for you."

"And him," she easily countered, "if he continues his attempts to involve himself."

"I am willing to endure pain if necessary, though your threats feel mild and weak at best in an attempt to gain a rise." Kial's skin resumed its earlier process, growing harder and thicker by the second. He made no move of aggression, and remained standing where he was.

"And who says that that is my goal, hm? Perhaps I am merely having fun." Nyokae all-too-casually put a finger on the flat side of Espio's sword and tipped it away. For some reason, he let her.

"Do it somewhere else," Espio muttered, already moving to walk around her.

Her fingers gently wrapping around his wrist stopped him. "Not now," she gently chided. "You and I are not finished here."

Kial took a step forward, frowning more. "Who are you to say when he is not finished with something? Is it not his choice to be done with this confrontation?"

A kunai with an explosive paper tag sailed toward him, managing to dig in just enough not to fall to the ground once it met his skin. Espio started toward Kial, but her use of equal strength was enough to pull him back to where he'd been. When he shot her an icy glare, she smiled. Almost sweetly. "Oh, come now. It is not as though his… odd form of defense won't keep him alive. For now."

"You are wasting my time," Espio told her in response. He wrenched his wrist free with a bit of effort. He was pretty sure her grip had left bruises. "Get to the point."

She responded to his movement by simply looping her arms around his neck. This contact was affectionate enough to make him stay still for a moment, albeit unintentionally. "And if I do not wish to just yet?" she asked him. "What if I merely want to spend some time with you? Is that truly so hard to believe?" She was playing with his emotions, or trying to. He knew that to be true, but that didn't make it any easier to try and shut her words out. Yet… he also knew simply spending time together was something they had done somewhat frequently in the past. It felt like such a long time since they had last been able to.

"Entirely," Kial answered, slowly and with deliberate care removing the kunai from his skin. "You continue to attempt to manipulate him with your words and actions, though much of it is to fuel your own motives. What have you done to make him believe otherwise?" The cat carefully placed the kunai back on the ground as he walked away.

Of course, for her own amusement, Nyokae grinned and opened her mouth to actually answer him. Espio was quick to silence her by putting a finger to her lips and muttering, "Don't you dare."

This made her laugh. "You are truly no fun. And here I was actually going to tell the truth, for once… What a shame."

"'For once'. Such an implication meaning that you are often fond of lying. Does this mean you lie to Espio for your benefit?" Kial asked, continuing to step closer in a slow manner.

"Of course she does," Espio said unhappily, dropping his hand back down to his side.

"You accuse me of a lack of honor?" Nyokae asked him. Her head canted. "Let me say this, then. Stand amidst the ashes of a trillion corpses and ask them if honor matters. Their silence is your answer." She shook her head a bit. "But it makes no difference in the end. If you do not fight, you lose. Fighting, in any form, gives you more of a chance. And I believe I am correct in saying that you wish to live."

Espio frowned at her. "Bold of you to assume I fear death…"

"You ask as if you are to have honor, but as I have mentioned you let nothing bind you. That shows itself more now than earlier." Kial sighed softly. "'Death and life are intertwined in a dance that never ends. As long as one remains, the other continues. To refuse death is to refuse life. To refuse life is to refuse death.'" Kial's facial expressions hardened. "You ask me to ask if honor matters to those who have died by immoral actions, and still believe that honor matters none? See for yourself what it matters."

"You are too passionate about things that do not matter," Nyokae told him, sparing him a brief glance. Then she smiled. "Still reeling from the loss of your teacher? I suppose that is your right. Such a shame we could not have continued on without him standing in our way…"

Kial "watched" her for a moment before sighing. "Whether you and your allies were the cause of my teacher's death, you must realize that there are forces far beyond your control. Beings capable of rending realities and altering fate." He seemed incredulous at her words, stepping yet closer. "His death was sad, but necessary. All actions serve purpose, and all will lead toward the intended future."

"'Fate'... You put too much stock in something that does not exist." Espio looked ready to say something, but she cut him off by giving him a few quick kisses. That was always effective in shutting him up for a moment or two.

"Keep yourself off of him," Kial muttered. "There are few things that dare attempt to change reality, and they are given that power through the actions of the Faein. The time of the True Immortals will come, where they rise to a place capable of changing all things for the better good. Those that wish to bring harm to reality will not be able to do so in the face of such."

"Chaos is the one true order of things. To pretend otherwise, to pretend to see order where there is none, is the sheerest folly." She again turned her head to look at Kial. "You claim the Immortals seek to do good? Then you fail to see the truth behind their actions. For a time, the Immortals bound me, banished me to a place that was not a place… a prison with no walls. I had no knowledge of who they were, why I was left to rot in a hole beyond the confines of time and even reality. They left me to suffer. What about that strikes you as good?"

Espio was again silent. This... This was something she had never spoken of before. Not to him, at least. Likely not to anyone aside from her leader. There was always the chance that this was yet another elaborate lie, but something about the poison in her voice and the anger in her eyes... Could it be that the Immortals truly had done such a thing? Such an experience... surely it would twist anyone who experienced it. And such vast, unrelenting anger and pain would certainly provide an explanation as to why she was so willing to pursue the idea of ending the Immortals once and for all. Understanding her point of view, however, while useful... did not make her right. Her motivations were starting to make sense for the first time, though, and through that he understood something. Something he had known all along but had never grasped the truth of quite so deeply before. Her mind cannot be changed.

"What in my words implied that all Immortals have been good?" Kial responded easily. "I never uttered such a thing. I speak of those that are to become True Immortals. And to imply that all Immortals are inherently good or bad is false. Just like you and I, all are born different. Their experiences, their lives, they are all different. Though, surely you know that which is true for one of the 'main' timelines is most often true for the rest." He stood mere feet from them both now, a deep-set frown on his face. "The Faein would never allow an Immortal with wicked intentions for reality to come to a status like themselves."

Finally, Espio ducked out of Nyokae's grasp and stepped back from her. "Enough," he told them both. "Your arguing is pointless." Kial stood quietly for a moment before nodding gently to Espio, starting toward him.

Nyokae huffed at him and, naturally, ignored what he'd just said. "So this is all you have to offer…" she said, eyes on Kial. "Empty promises and blind faith… that will only get you so very far before it leads you to your death."

"You follow such a path as well," Kial answered softly, turning his head just enough to face her. "And if I need to die for the greater good of existence, so be it. I will have lived my life how I wanted to." He turned himself away and prepared to ignore any further words she may say, sighing. We both follow such troublesome ideals.

Thankfully, she seemed prepared to ignore him now. Turning back to Espio, she said, "Tell me something. Why are you out here, hm? I seem to recall that you made it a point to avoid these soul-eaters."

Espio blinked at her. "There are fates worse than death," he remarked blandly.

"That may be so," she returned thoughtfully, "but I am still not convinced that death is what you seek. Is it peace of mind, then? Escape from the constant companionship you were being afforded?"

Amber eyes narrowed. "It hardly matters."

"What do you believe he seeks, then?" Kial asked Nyokae quietly, turning more properly to face her.

Nyokae ignored him again. She closed the distance between herself and Espio again, leaning her forehead against his… but pointedly keeping her blade pressed into his so that he couldn't use it to swipe at her. This earned her a glare. "That you are so complicated to understand never ceases to entertain me," she murmured, yet another smile tugging at her lips. "However… I suppose I do want one honest, direct answer out of you."

He regarded her warily for a time before finally huffing and looking away. "Ask, then, and get it over with."

Apparently pleased with this response, she afforded him another quick kiss before passing a piece of paper into his hand. "That will guide you to a meeting place, if you wish to come," she murmured. "We have not had a chance to talk, just you and I, since you were on New Babylon. I will ask you there… if you see fit to join me."

With another frown, Espio glanced at the paper in his hand. This is on Mobius, he immediately realized.

"Oh… and one more thing." Nyokae traced a finger along the side of his face, tickling his cheek and prompting him to smack her hand away. She merely smiled yet again. "Do come alone, will you? I would hate to have to suffer yet more interruptions."

Scowling anew, Espio let the paper fall from his hand. "Then spend your time there alone."

Her amusement with his words was apparent in the faint twinkle in her eyes. "I do not believe you mean that," she responded lightly, "considering the fact that you have been seeking time away from your allies just as much as I have."

"Espio. If you truly wish to go, I will not stop you, and you know such. I advise against it, for you know well within yourself as much as I do that she may be luring you into something far worse than you realize. Even if she is not, her words are poisonous to those who hear them, and you know this," Kial said. "You can ignore my words if that suits you and your desires, however."

Nyokae spoke up before Espio could. He let her say her piece, but didn't pay too much attention to it all. Kial's words were nothing if not logical, but damn the cat for wording it like he had, for putting it all in his hands. As if he had had any control over what he wanted… him and his cursed emotions. And of course, she was aware of his anger and turmoil, and she pressed her advantage like the ruthless fighter she was. "It truly is your choice, love. So I will ask you the same question I have been asking you for years now. What is it that you want, hm?"

"Leave him be, now that you have said what you intended to," Kial murmured. "If you cared, you would now allow him to decide for himself rather than attempt to continue as you will."

"I was merely making a point," Nyokae smirked. "Working to settle an old argument, if you will." Shaking her head, she quickly planted one last kiss on Espio's mouth before finally turning to go. "But, have it your way, cat. It appears likely, however, that we will meet again… and I will not feel so inclined to stay my hand then." With that said, she leapt high into the trees and sped off through them, soon vanishing from the area altogether.

Kial sighed and turned to Espio, all hardness leaving his expression to make way for his usual compassionate look. "Are you alright?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice. "I didn't mean to get so… heated."

Though Espio sheathed his sword a tad harshly, his tone was devoid of inflection when he replied, "I'm fine."

"You say that, Espio…" Kial murmured. "Are you simply avoiding it, or do you truly feel fine?"

"Irrelevant," Espio retorted, already beginning to walk away.

Kial nodded to this gently. "I understand," he answered. "Do you wish for me to be quiet as we walk?"

Given the option to say yes or no but not really caring enough to decide one way or another, Espio simply defaulted to his usual response. "Do as you please."

"I will only speak if I have a question, then," Kial said in response. What has she done to you…?

Elsewhere, Nyokae appeared close to where Armaris currently was. Watching the cat closely, she canted her head and idly toyed with a dagger between her fingers. So you have the nerve to believe that you and your friends can mend what I have broken… how very bold of you. Armaris remained curled within her own shadows as she often did, a faint fog protruding from the telling mark of where she laid still. Why he insists on hanging around your ilk, I will never understand. Even half-demons are still rather… vexing to be near. Ice blue eyes grew visible within the darkness and narrowed at the chameleon, but never surfaced. Ah. So you are awake, then. A pity. I had hoped to kill you in your sleep. Oh well. She knew full well that that would never have worked, but who really cared. A girl could dream.

"The hell do you want?" Armaris called in agitation. "If you didn't realize, I have more important matters to attend to than dealing with your shit."

"Oh? Pray tell." Nyokae took a seat on her branch. "Is hiding on that list of important matters?"

"Who said I was hiding?"

"That you were, indeed, hiding would seem to indicate that."

"Go on about whatever you want. Just get to your point and move along."

Nyokae rested her head on one of her hands and coyly remarked, "And if my point involves Espio?"

"I said it once and I'll say it one more time. Get to your point and move along," Armaris answered, narrowing her eyes further.

"Oh, I will… but I believe you will be interested to know that he is coming with me," Nyokae smiled.

Armaris almost visibly raised an eyebrow at this, seeming mildly amused. "Oh? Says the least trustworthy person I have the displeasure to know."

"With him," Nyokae said slowly, "it is often what he leaves unsaid that is most important. I am sure you know this. When I ask him to do something he does not have any desire to do, he tells me so. And, of course, he means it. When so determined to refuse, there is a fire in him. I believe you know his temper as well as I." Her smile grew. "It simply was not in him this time, nor did he at any point tell me no."

The cat emerged from her shadow with a hateful glare. "And why do you want to tell me, huh? Seems idiotic to keep your enemies in the know."

"It would be…" Nyokae acknowledged, twirling her dagger, "if not for the fact that your knowledge will help me in the end. And besides… I enjoy observing how people react. What fun is anything otherwise?"

Armaris's claws extended and her eyes gained a faint yellow glow. "What's your plan then? You gonna try and take me alive?"

"Hm? Oh, no, not now," Nyokae laughed. "There is little point in that. Although, your anger is entertaining to say the least."

"Laugh it up. I'll bathe in your blood, like the demon you so claim me to be. Would that make you happy?" Armaris answered, her teeth bared.

"Honey, few things make me happy." Nyokae stood and very idly stretched. "Knowing that you are not getting what you want, however… that does help."

The cat idly twirled her own dagger of magic wisps, frowning. "And yet you don't explain what of my knowledge will help you. What do you want from me, then?"

"To tell you everything will only spoil the fun," Nyokae teased gleefully. Then, giving her dagger another quick twirl, she actually relented. "However… I suppose I can stand to tell you this much." Her dagger sailed through the air just then, slicing through Armaris's side before lodging itself into whatever was at her back. "You are losing him, kitten. Everything you and your allies have done or tried to do… it has done little to aid you in your cause. Even if he never truly joins me, he will soon no longer be against me… and that spells death and suffering for you lot. But by all means, continue to interfere. See how much he appreciates your efforts when he finally spills your blood as he has been wanting to for so long."

"You feel it necessary to say such a thing when you know we would not back down? Kill me first, bitch," Armaris spat. "He is my brother and I won't stop trying to help him."

"Oh, I am aware… and it is that blind determination you possess that will make your pain all the more delicious to witness." Nyokae turned and stepped onto another branch, prepared to leave, then stopped and turned back around. "One more thing, kitten. Your… brother, as you put it… will soon be well beyond the point of caring about you. I suggest you remember that." Smirking, she turned back around and vanished.

Armaris turned and grabbed the dagger, pulling it free from its lodging and growling. Espio… I never want to fight you. I don't want to be on the other side, because I can't fucking stand the idea of hurting you. She whirled around and slammed the dagger through a tree with a burst of wind, her body shaking. "God fucking damn it, Espio! Why can't I help you more?" She fought not to lose control of her emotions, but it was so damn hard now. Everyone she cared about felt so distant, even as she opened a portal and stepped through it. She needed to step away... this was all becoming too much.

~保護者~

6,564 words this time. Hope you all enjoyed, and many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support. Posted (at about 11:50 a.m.) 04-16-20.