Author's note: A HORRIFYINGLY LATE update for all of you readers! I know my apologies might mean nothing at this point but my environment has been rather unstable and I've been into politics more lately. And curse summers, as usual. You will notice that there is only one scene break in this chapter because it consists of a one huge scene. NOTE: Contrary to what I said, chapter 5 is a really sensitive device in this plot and I need my Beta for it. I can't publish it without her, I'm sorry. I am really, very grateful to all of you readers. :) And also, I planned to have this beta-ed but the savior is not at optimum working condition at the moment so please excuse this sorriness and I hope to do better till next time.

The rats were starting to back away from the mist already. Some of them who were already at a distance watched as azure Hi no Tama started to visibly glow at different positions in the mist. And they also started retreating when the mist became closer to the gate.

The grey form of Kyuso did not move but his jaw opened, shut and opened again and his eyes began to pop when before they had been attempting to discern the sight. When he could finally speak again, he found he could only really say one word.

"IMPOSSI-!"

BOOM

No one had seen who was responsible. At that moment, in an explosion of grey, the gate was blown right off its hinges. With the billowing smoke disguising the two pieces of the gate well, with sonorous, raucous clanging, the rats were unable to see their impending doom and did not position themselves accordingly.

Further crashes and thuds ensued as half of the grandeur took its fated place on the earth, stopping, trapping and, in some unfortunate cases, crushing underlings beneath and between its bars. The same happened on the other side. While the leader flung himself backwards easily, his subordinates who had been in surrounding stances were all downed at once.

He was alone, at least for a few minutes while the rest of the lazy bums struggled to get back to their feet, and facing what he had only heard stories about. As the mist started to clear, he saw it: the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Not a herd or an organized force, it was a Parade comprised of youkai, big, small, disfigured etc, a chaotic crowd of a diverse variety of monsters. And in the middle stood a tall male with white, gravity-defying hair which was black from the bottom. His red eyes glowed eerily and the rest of his followers had that same gleam.

A monk with white tentacle-shaped hair and a skull bead necklace in particular, smirked at him, a fist raised. The rat leader needed no more clues: he was the one who had torn up the gate. There was a five second silence during which the horde of subordinates who managed to struggle off of their prisons arrived at their master's side, fangs bared.

Then the real chaos began.

Nodding as she understood where to go, the preteen Keikain arranged her features into the placid, business-like face as she said, "Well then, let's go. I have to reseal Tanrou and quickly in case they start looking for us. This won't be over until I kill Kyus – wait, what's going on back there?"

Suddenly catching the sound of several war cries, riotous and overwhelming, as though several hundred people were screaming all at once, she turned her head back to the direction they had just come from. Then she saw the glow of the Hi no Tama and a shadowy mass, indistinguishable creatures constituting it, all of them merely dissolved into their own silhouettes and each other's shadows except those who were very unnaturally shaped such as a 'creature' that looked like a huge wheel.

But the mass was now scattering, going to meet the rats the two girls had just escaped from. These creatures were throwing themselves at them and vice versa, resulting in more yells, screams and howls.

"I hear it too!" The no longer endangered brunette exclaimed in alarm, setting her gaze at the same direction. The onmyouji's eyes briefly slid in her direction but she said nothing. In truth, she had actually felt a great mass of foreign youki that had drawn her attention. Had it been these noises alone, she would have dismissed them, deemed them threatening noises in admittance of their prey escaping, told the older one to ignore them and simply concentrated on getting her home. In fact, she had even been on the verge of ignoring this, thinking they were just some allies…

"That building." she commanded Rokuson, gesturing at the top of another lower heighted shop which would help them squint at the scene, suddenly curious beyond rationality. As the shikigami sprang into the air and Kana squealed in astonishment, she resumed her speculation.

These did not look like allies at all. A real fight was ensuing between youkai at the entrance of that building but why would youkai attack their own kind? What purpose would it serve seeing as humans were their most enjoyable targets?

The deer landed neatly on the cement of the empty roof, both of them got off of it and went to the ledge.

Everywhere, claws against swords, fangs getting at blades, slashes versus gnashes, bites for swipes, anywhere the onmyouji looked, she could only see the 'black' attacking 'black'. Blinking repeatedly in much astonishment, as her ears too supplied her with proof of the sight through clangs and slings, she put both hands behind her back and leaned her head forward. Upon doing so, she spotted…

"I've brought some tea for all of you."

Luscious, brown waves of hair were also involved in this mass slaughter. Said waves were rapidly curling around furry necks, tautening and either rising with the whole body and colliding with the ground, or, tightening until the very necks and all the above attachments popped in a gruesome bubble of blood. The cement outside was stained with more crimson in any case.

Meanwhile, something else, yet similar was attracting the brunette's attention. Hair colors that reminded her of ink being thrown into a clear cerulean water body and giving it both a new color and a new pattern, they were swaying here and there as a white streaked, freezing wind blew through them, crystallizing all that came near it and it seemed to be originating from an area very close to the hair. The white clad owner did her the favor of turning their head and she saw with shock, another familiar face she had never expected to see here.

She did not know that girl very well but she had cared to retain the features of her face in mind, all the while pondering over why she brought her classmate his lunch. The only difference was the eyes which were once electric indigo – the brunette was sure she had not made any kind of mistake since she had been drawn to the peculiar rings before the pupil, but they were now amber. And in the midst of all the fairness surrounding her, the dark color of her hair and eyes, the only ones alienated stood out very clearly. It was tough to decide what was more shocking, the fact that she was in her school or the fact that a deadly mist was coming out as her breath.

"That's a Yuki Onna." the black haired onmyouji's toneless voice made her blink, "There're a lot of youkai here, what's making you stare at her for so long?" she asked, somehow maintaining the placid look from hours ago.

"Wha-uh! It's nothing, I mean, she's making quite a spot for herself, wouldn't you say, Yura-chan?" the soon-to-be thirteen year old spluttered awkwardly. To attempt to brush it off, she also gave a light laugh.

What had made her friend suddenly monitor her reactions? As she turned around to face something else so she could think about it for a minute and also because it was not very enjoyable to see monsters in such a savage, crimson clash, Rokuson's large form greeted her sight and some reassurance warmly seeped back into her.

There was no question the Keikain girl found this just as queer as she did, if not more so. But still, why turn to her? It was a simple question and also a valid one: she had been told stories like other little children about ayakashi but she should have been more absorbed in the scene itself rather than see the look on her face.

"I didn't mean to keep you away from seeing it," the placid tone muttered and she wheeled around to see her looking at the battle once more, "It's just that as an onmyouji, I can't stop myself from being confused at all this. But I thought that you shouldn't be uncomfortable at my expense so…" she then trailed off, leaving the rest understood.

Kana let out a soft 'oh' of comprehension and then nearly smacked her own head except that her ordeal prevented her from being that cheerful or carefree at the moment. But it was clear to her from the girl's confession, and if she wondered about it now, certain other words exchanged tonight would cloud the small hope of her life returning to normal when she went back home. However, pouring some resolution in herself, she inquired, while avoiding looking below,

"Do you think they're gonna come after us?"

The young Keikain did not reply immediately, simply giving her a 'hmm' while squinting more. Over the loud noise, she had not caught it all too loudly but it was his familiar vengeful cry, still prominent given that she was investigating, not simply seeing and also because the noise had decreased. Interestingly in Yura's opinion, the grey giant had soon and somehow disappeared from the chaos, not that much of his antics could be spotted due to how the monsters jumped and sprang, trying to land full body blows. But now she could see him, and he was on the leftward side of the courtyard and the current battleground was starting to get less crowded. The rats looked lesser in number as their unknown foes started to occupy a larger proportion of the arena.

Quickly jogging to the other side of the rooftop where she could see it from better angles, she said,

"What's left of them might consider it,"

There was too much blood there. The older student was glad she could not smell it and walked over to her savior's side. Surrounding his huge form, not many youkai were there, only three of them. One of them, noticed by his blue, black striped haori, had just gotten swatted away like a fly and collided roughly on the ground, two or three meters away. Another blond one wearing an indigo scarf and a turquoise robe had landed in front of the offender, the red string around his hands presumably his weapon.

"GAAAKKH!" he screamed, his rumble sending chills down the human girl's spine and more of the racket quieted after it, "I'll take care of you once I kill your leader!"

Upon hearing that, the girls turned their attention to the person who still stood straight in front of him, albeit not as close as the ones who had challenged him, holding a large red sake cup. The one with black hair let out an audible gasp at seeing him, losing her recovered placidity and her eyes widened. Kana had a sneaking suspicion that it was not just because his hair was long, gravity defying, gourd shaped or colored with white and black because, like the Yuki Onna, she herself felt very drawn to stare at his back.

He lifted the sake cup but they could not see what he did to it. The result was that the liquid in the cup rose, divided into watery tentacles, became enveloped by cyan fire (or transformed into it, she could not tell) and went on to ravage on the grey mass of fur, spiraling mystifyingly in a blue radiant glow as it did it. In fact, it was so mystifying that it was easy to lose sight of how damaging and painful it must be, making a bonfire out of the rat named Kyuso because it had already begun to burn the ground surrounding his perimeter. Dense steam was beginning to rise from both it and him at a very fast pace.

"AAAKKHH…the NURA CLAN IS TIED BY ITS OBSOLETE RULES AND TRADITIONS! YOUR CLAN HAS NO FUTURE! I WANT IT GONE! I WANT FREEDOM!"

His dying howl was so deafening that the brunette closed her eyes and put both hands over her ears, cringing in discomfort. Her comrade did not bother for it and gazed even harder, disturbed by the smokescreen coming to hinder her efforts.

"Is that really him?" she said to no one in particular, deep in thought, "Is that really the Leader of the Night Parade?"

To the brunette's surprise, the girl actually groaned in frustration since bigger clouds of steam began to spread alarmingly all around the courtyard, making everyone there simply appear as shadowy silhouettes even more ambiguous than they had been when the feud had started. And being youkai, their appearance was already distorted so no one could really be identified. As there had been only three at the left side, they got sheltered by the cloud too easily.

Finally turning to look behind her, the onmyouji stared wonderingly at the night, her index and thumb going up to stroke her chin. Rather bewildered at how she was acting like she had missed a football match, her fellow student began squinting at her instead.

"Why do you want to see them so badly, Yura-chan?" She blinked at her confusedly.

"I told you I came to this town to defeat Nurarihyon, the Leader of—"

"And you mean that person is him?" the brunette immediately shot, suddenly shocked.

"According to Kyuso anyway. I need to know why these two were fighting," she resumed, not taken aback by her bemused feedback, "If I've identified my quarry, I have to collect as much information as I can about him."

She had to remember that as an onmyouji, her way of thinking was highly meticulous when it came to youkai. The hazel eyed one hoped her question had not been too stupid.

"Y-Yura-chan –"

"Shhh! They're saying something!"

Now it was her turn to get cut off. The short haired girl quickly began squinting there again, the mist that had formed all over the area no longer being the main location of this youkai horde. Most of it was in the courtyard but the gourd haired ayakashi was now walking composedly out of the part where the gate was supposed to be erected, and they, following behind him. One other person whom they could not remember from just his outline came closer to him.

"Waka, if I say so myself," a respectful, clear voice addressed, "His subordinates were easier to deal with than I'd expect."

Yura was barely even daring to breathe, frightened of missing even a single syllable. In response, Kana too remained quiet.

"Hmph," the heir acknowledged as young said in a deep baritone, "Did you already forget what he was saying when we got here?"

"Yes, but there were far too many of them and if you imply what I think you're implying…" he protested hesitantly.

"Seems the cats gave them a run for their money," the leader remarked with a small laugh, clarifying it to the youkai beside him. As the mist got even thinner, they were able to spot the string trailing from his hands and as well as his scarf. Maybe the shadow made it clearer than before but they also realized (one of them covering her mouth in disbelief) that he had no neck. His head bobbed without any support to his body.

"It appears we underestimated the on—" he began to comment but upon seeing his superior motion downwards with two fingers, fell silent immediately.

The white haired ayakashi, seen to be wearing a yukata and a haori hung loosely over his shoulders, carrying an old style lantern which had orange fire lighting it, then lifted his neck sideways.

Her canvas shoe feet actually stumbled as something hit her eyes so suddenly that she became momentarily disoriented. Red, a deep yet flashing color had just met her sight, the sight which had become used to looking through the dark night at the darkened horde before and now at the dark shadows. Her school friend's reaction was no serener than hers, although differing. She exhaled shortly and stepped back, her shoulders starting to quiver. Yet neither one of them could stop looking back with a mixture of surprise, awe and something exclusive to their own perceptions. Not one of them might have been an onmyouji the way they ogled at him, like seeing a ghost.

The youkai leader's eyes were gazing right at them, unruffled, as though he had had no problem in spotting their location. His mouth was curved upwards in a small smile, unless their own eyeballs were faulty. Then he turned away and continued walking ahead.

The female in a uniform recovered first. Blinking rapidly, she backed farther away with newfound urgency and whispered, "Quick, Ienaga-san. We can't take any chances. We have to get away before they come after us."

"W-What?" further puzzled, the brunette stepped towards her gingerly as though new to walking with her own two feet. Then she noticed her fist had gone up to her chin in nervousness and she lowered it.

"He may target us too. There's no telling what might happen," she answered impatiently, backing away to give her room to mount the sika deer.

"Do you really think he'll do that?" she asked uncertainly.

The uncertainty in her voice made the onmyouji gape at her.

"Youkai are evil! How can you even ask that?" she burst out, pushing her towards the deer.

"But he killed the other evil one. How do you know he is evil himself?" Kana hoisted herself upwards with a few grunts and Yura assisted her by pushing more.

Once she had settled properly and safely away from the antlers, her black haired friend too began to get on behind her.

"So what if he killed him?" she retorted in a low voice, her eyebrows furrowing and she seemed unsatisfied for something, "That didn't help us when we needed it to! It's not like he saved us, Ienaga-san!"

The brunette nodded, not wanting to argue more. After all, she had remained conscious for longer this night, listened to more, suspected more, panicked more and thought more. There was time for debating only tomorrow according to her plan for the next twenty hours.

"No," she smiled in genuine gratitude, cocking her head at the girl behind herself, "That was all you, Yura-chan!"

They stared at each other, one face glad and the other, astonished. Then the eye contact was broken as one turned to the ground and the other turned to the front, the two humans settling a silent agreement to simply let their minds rejoice at their narrow escape, for tonight at least.

As the shikigami sprang into the navy colored sky, they were both grinning in relief.

So, another chapter focused on the before and after of the kidnapping. I had hoped to progress beyond this point right now but... -_- And I know what I bad job I did here, this time I really did. I hope to make up for it next time.

Replies to anons

Guest: If I answered why it took me so long, it is likely to be considered excuses. Thank you so much for bearing with me up till now! :D

Died in Vain: Oh goodness, you make me sound much better than I have any hope of being! That was an amazing and funny review that had me staring and pinching myself (mentally). And I know what makes you excited, I'm excited (and nervous) to write about that too! And hopefully you'll get those scenes next week. Thank you so much, really you are too kind.

Special thanks to, Awesome D.T, uchiha-sakura193, izzywalz1999, mafia king, Rose Rain 7, TacticalFan, Androgynous-Heron, Kar Blackheart, SmileRen, xLollipopLovex, hawkeyeriku, Rose Blood Cat, snowy1219, Thanatos The Forsaken, Vongola Ventitreesimo, ShinigamiNoKitsune129, Arina Lakhanda, Betula, Capt. Jack Harkness, CrossoverxToxThexDarkxSide, Dragon God xxx, LadyNightRain, Lord Nayrael, Not-Gonna-Update, OkitaRetatski for faving and following. And to the Legendary Dennou for the support. I can't thank you enough.