Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, if I did a lot of characters would be dead now, or at least what Circle 2 says…

Zeke glared at them. "People like you will never be strong, you're too weak with your own pathetic ideals, people like you will have no place in my world, and are better off dead!"

"Besides, I've read your spirit energy and it dwarfs all my men," he smiled before turning away as his gang advanced towards them.

A blast of pure spirit energy sends the three screaming young women tumbling down onto the murky reservoir.

"Set off the bombs now," replied Zeke casually with a wave of his hand.

An hour earlier...

Millie was running through the Slums following Onibi as she went. It was noon and trading was in full swing at the Marketplace.

'Funny how everything just goes on in the Slums regardless of the riot yesterday,' thought Millie to herself. The Slums was filled with people who were tough, and a riot or the suppression of the Government does little to destroy the Slums.

Onibi stopped running, and gave a confused look. The trail was a dead end again. Millie felt like giving up at this point, and just go home, but what happens if Tilda comes back with enforcers?

Millie's ears perked up to the drunken singing coming from one of the more well established bars of the Slums. The singing sounded familiar, and she hopes the singer would know where her friends were. She confidently walked into the bar, and past the curious gazes of drinkers, to Ryu.

Ryu was originally a run of the mill biker leader, but these days he spends his time between Rebel work, meditating, and in the arms of various women. Ryu doted Millie for some odd reason, much to the annoyance of Elly and Sharona. Besides his odd accent, bizarre hairdo, and antics, Millie trusts Ryu. Something about this man… maybe its his compassion to be a mentor for the troubled and his humor brightening the atmosphere sets him different from the rest. Millie concluded that even though he's weird, he's a kind man and really believes in the Rebellion's philosophy.

Something Millie wishes that she could do the same, well excluding the "man" part at least.

Before Millie could talk to Ryu, she saw that he was already engaged in a conversation with someone. She couldn't tell whom, but the way the person was dress from was definitely from the Capitol. She stiffen up,' no one in their right mind from the Capitol would come here unless they were the X-Laws!' Biting her lip, she quickly scrambled underneath a nearby table and started to eavesdrop.

Lyserg walked calmly through the chaotic streets of the Slums, trying hard to keep his face from looking too curious at the people. The grim streets contrast with the clean ones at his home, but he was no stranger to the Slums. He had been through the nooks and crannies of this part of the city, constantly searching for clues, answers, revenge.

Even with his frequent visits, he always felt unfamiliar here. He swears every time he comes, there is another street he forgot to explore, another shop added for investigation, old buildings here one day and gone the next. No doubt, he both hated the Slums and found them fascinating.

Lyserg noticed a sad little girl sitting by the corner of the streets, her gaunt face and dull eyes indicating sickness. Compassion seized his heart as he walk quickly towards her. The girl didn't even acknowledge Lyserg's presence. Her eyes were staring into nothing. Lyserg bend down and offered her some of his money, but she remained listless. Lyserg stood up and walked over to a stall and bought a cup of warm tea before coming back to the girl. At first the girl remained listless, but the warmth from the tea stirred something inside her, and she reached out to take the cup. Lyserg patiently watch her drink the tea before getting up and giving a bow before walking away awkwardly.

Lyserg felt both surprised and sad at the girl's odd behavior. She looks like barely a husk of a person.

"Don't bother with her."

Lyserg looked to see a young man slight older than him standing nearby. Lyserg gave him a quizzical look.

"You're a kind person, but the Slums are filled with people like her everywhere," continued the young man with a sad smile.

"Yoh, were you spying on me?"

Yoh gave a light laugh, " Nah, not really I was about to give the girl some of my leftover food before yah beat me to her."

"For the leader of the Rebellion you seem pretty laid back… yet then again chivalrous as usual"

Yoh just shrugged, "I guess it's just my personality Lyserg, like you being a workaholic."

Lyserg gave an annoyed look before asking. "What do mean something is wrong with that girl?"

"She lost the will to live, her spirit is empty, she just wanders around, the Rebels found her earlier in the month but she hasn't respond much."

Yoh looked at Lyserg, and Lyserg saw anger in Yoh's eyes. "The Slums sometimes takes its toll on people, especially the kids and elders. You know what they do to the people that just kneel over don't you? They just cart them off and burn them in some dump."

Lyserg glared at Yoh. "Of course I do! Don't take me for some gullible idiot Yoh, and don't think that would persuade me to sympathized with the Rebel's cause."

Yoh gave a sigh, "I'm not trying to win you over to the Rebel's cause Lyserg, I'm just trying to show you what happens here, for your own good my friend."

Lyserg and Yoh originally had a very tense relationship. Originally Lyserg was in search for Zeke when he encountered Yoh, a seemingly good guy. But when Lyserg realized that Yoh was creating a Rebellion against the X-Laws, he felt it obligated to try to persuade Yoh to reconsider.

When that didn't work, Lyserg had to arrest Yoh, but after Yoh and his gang saved Lyserg from criminals that Lyserg previously arrested, well Lyserg couldn't arrest Yoh after that.

"As much as I support the Rebel's cause and appreciate your friendship Yoh, I can't betray the place I came from…I can support you guys with supplies, but I can't actually take part in anything you guys do Yoh."

Yoh smiled. "I know Lyserg, trust me buddy, the money you provide became a big help." He threw his arms around an embarrassed Lyserg, "Horo-horo didn't have to sell his kidneys to buy weapons."

"Thanks Yoh for making me feel like I'm contributing to something actually legal," sighed Lyserg.

"Have the X-Laws been asking you to join again?"

Lyserg frowned slightly, "Nothing seems wrong with them Yoh, I don't see why I can't…"

Yoh winced. "Oh come on Lyserg, don't enlist for them, there just as bad as HAO, you know what they do to the Slum people!"

Lyserg pulled away from Yoh angrily, "maybe, but compare to what Zeke has done I'm not taking any chances, I honestly think the only reason why you don't want me to join the X-Laws is because the money won't come flowing into the Rebels!"

"Come on Lyserg that isn't the reason, we can manage financially alright without your help, we have a big enough organization to deal damage to both sides!"

"Then give me one good reason why you disapprove of me joining!"

"They are fanatics, they took over the government, and killed the land's leader, they abuse their own power and have not pity nor forgiveness. It's disgusting for you to sink so low into their disillusioned fantasy. Besides if you join Lyserg, we will stop being friends…"

Even though Yoh and Lyserg are leader and detective respectively, they were still boys. They experience things that seem unimaginable to boys their age, but circumstances force them to accept their destiny.

Both are talented and have high amounts of spirit energy that enable them to perform magic and fight with undeniable skill. A person these days with this much spirit energy is rare.

Lyserg always knew that Yoh would lead the Rebellion with more justice but he still doubt Yoh's ability to take on the X-Laws and the HAO.

"I have to go Yoh," said Lyserg. "But like I said before, I don't regret being friends with you Yoh. But I have a job to do today."

"Does it involve us?"

Lyserg shook his head, "I'm not sure, it involves that marketplace riot yesterday…it seems like something you guys would do? Especially since inside sources link the Rebels to the cause."

"It wasn't us Lyserg, honest, though I wish it was. I think Ryu was actually there and saw what happen, you should go check with him."

"Ryu? Great."

Yoh smiled again. "Come on Lyserg don't blame Ryu for mistaking you for a girl when you guys first met. That means you're pretty attractive that even the guys want you," Yoh chuckled.

Lyserg cast an annoyed glance at Yoh before walking off.

Lyserg found Ryu intoxicated but manage to wheedle out that the Lily 5, another gang of the Slums was responsible for the riot yesterday. Lyserg felt slightly disappointed that it wasn't a major crime group but a bunch of thieves.

"The Lily 5…" he pondered before he heard Ryu let out a happy hello to some girl named Millie behind him.

'Shoot!' thought Millie in a panic, 'calm down even though Ryu exposed you to this X-Law, its best to just play it cool.'

"Oh hi Ryu-san," smiled Millie pleasantly as she clambered from under the table, the shady atmosphere of the bar suddenly radiating with her smile, "how are you doing on this lovely day!"

Ryu gave a gasp, "Millie you addressed me like a teacher!" Ryu sniffed, "finally someone is able to see the way of the true Bandit, even though "–san" is a Japanese word and I have no idea how it would come into our vocabulary system given that it was never implied if we were from that world!"

Millie just frown, whatever Ryu was talking about made sense for a drunk at least, she quickly spun around with Onibi in her arms and made a dash for the door while Ryu rambled.

"Hey wait!" called the X-Law when he noticed Millie dashing off.

That only send Millie into a panic, angrily she turned around and stuck her tongue out at the X-Law before running faster out the door.

"Sorry Ryu, but that wouldn't be one of the members would it?"

"Oh yes Millie is part of the Lily 5, and I'll have to say she's the cutest one of all!" laughed Ryu merrily. Ryu suddenly sobered up, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing," said Lyserg quickly as he dashed out the bar too.

"Thanks Ryu!"

"Err, anytime my protege!"

"Curses," fumbled Millie in frustration. Not only was she unable to ask Ryu where her gang was, she now had a bratty X-Law after her. Though the X-Law looks to be around 13-15 years old, so she concluded that she could lose him easily.

Its not a surprise X-Laws hired younger people to do their dirty work, why rumors have it that the so-called Lady that they worship is a little girl that is gifted with high spirit energy.

She made a turn around a building and ran. Running fast, she turned again and came to a dead end. The sounds of boots running faster echo the empty alley, telling her that the X-Law was closing in. Onibi gave whimper, and Millie knew she had to find some way to get out fast. She clambers onto the walls of the alley, propping her feet against the corner of the alley, and slowly started to climb, weight pressed against the two walls that meet to create the corner. She had slipped on Elly's magic weapons called Talons, the look like gauntlets or metal gloves equipped with blades giving Millie's hands the look of giant cat claws. Her 'claws' dig into the bricks, which were loose enough to still grip on. One foot on one side, and other foot on other side, she reminded herself.

Onibi clung onto her back, nails digging in, making Millie grimace at the pain. She just kept climbing fast.

When one hand reached the top edge of the building, Millie felt a rush of relief as she heaved herself over the top, with the X-Law just arriving.

She peeked over the edge, looking down at her chaser.

He was young after all, green hair that's spiky and a little messy. There was nothing else different about him except for his unfashionable green cloak and rather delicate features. She pursed her lips in annoyance, 'really does this guy think he could catch me?'

Lyserg glanced up and caught Millie's head peeking from the top of the building, determination set in, he ran to the wall and started to jump side to side, each jump pushing him closer to her.

"Eeek!" cried Millie in shock, she quickly scramble and bolted fast.

"This guy might not be such a sissy at all," she gasped to Onibi.

Millie ran off to the other side of the building, looking back to see that the boy was already on top and advancing towards her.

Millie took a breath and broke into another sprint, running fast and then jumping to the next building top.

She flew for a second, feeling a sort of rush as she soared, never mind that Onibi probably died of a heart attack by now, she was actually flying!

"Ooof!"

The impact as she landed on the next roof jolted her, cursing she staggered upwards, the pain shooting through her legs making her wobble slightly.

She turned around to see the boy looking mildly surprise, and turning around. He then broke to a dash and ran towards her direction, also making a jump for it.

"Ah man!" moaned Millie, as she ran to the next roof.

Millie was huffing and puffing in exhaustion, never mind if she was captured or arrested at this point, she was too tired to care. She legs felt numb from the landings, and she had more scratches than an old cat post.

Her chaser looked better off, and was still pursuing her relentlessly also.

Millie gritted her teeth and made another jump, but this jump was miscalculated and the edge of the roof impacted her chest, knocking the wind out of her.

"Ah!" cried Millie, her arms gripping onto the edge for her dear life.

"I don't want to fall!" she cried, eyes shut and frantically digging the claws into the side.

She was slipping, oh no!

"Noooo!" she wailed, Onibi dangling from her back was only adding to her imminent demise.

Her grip was lessening, perspiration drenching her, as she let go.

The last thing Millie saw wasn't the sky, but a flash of green, and suddenly she was dangling over the edge.

The boy had leaped over to the side and gripped her arms with surprising strength, gritting his teeth he pulled her over and with both of them collapsing.

Millie let out a cry in happiness as she kiss the roof top, panting with relief that she wasn't smashed to bits on the ground.

"Are you okay?"

Millie looked up to see the boy's green eyes flicker with concern.

And Millie suddenly felt blood rush up into her face.

"Y-yeah… I'm fine!" blushed a flustered Millie. She realized she was staring at him longer than required so she looked down instead. "I guess you're going to arrest me than…"

Lyserg looked embarrassed, but nodded. "Yeah I guess I have too at this point, not to mention I need to interrogate you also."

Millie winced, before nodding in agreement. "I'm not going to deny it, I'm part of the Lily 5, and I started the Marketplace riot the other day, you can arrest me, but leave the rest of my gang out of it!"

Lyserg looked perplexed, "why?"

"I was the one who caused it, the rest of my gang had no responsibility over it."

Millie didn't want her friends to go to jail because of her actions, they were innocent of the whole thing and it wouldn't seem right.

Lyserg stuck out his hand to help Millie up. Millie reluctantly glanced up to see him giving her a stern look. 'You have no right to look at me like I'm some bad brat, your practically my same age,' she silently fumbled before reaching her hand out.

Lyserg grabbed it and yanked out Elly's Talons before handcuffing Millie. "My name's Lyserg by the way."

"Millie," came an anger and terse reply.

Lyserg smile, "cute name."

'He thought my name was cute,' blushed Millie, before she frowned and shot back. "Weird name."

"Thanks."

Lyserg surveyed Millie. "So what exactly happen at the Marketplace?"

Millie explained it as casually as she could despite the building fear in her heart. Lyserg also tied up Onibi for extra caution though Onibi seemed stiff the whole time.

"I'm not sure how to make of this Millie…but there was property damage and some people were hospitalized, especially that X-Law with critical condition."

"But the mother was also hospitalized in the Slum hospital, the family lost everything!"

"You're right, but the law is the law."

"I'll repent!" blurted out Millie.

Lyserg looked confused for a second, "I don't work for the X-Laws, I took this mission on my own as a hired detective."

Millie took in that information for a second. "Oh."

She stared at Lyserg for a second, before coughing awkwardly, "well don't expect I'll go down without a fight."

"Nice try Millie."

They were walking down the stairs of the building, Millie feeling slightly downcast. Lyserg couldn't help but feel sorry for Millie; here was a girl who grew up in the Slums, she knew nothing about the laws or proper living and probably struggled to survive.

Millie cast an annoyed glance at Lyserg. "Don't pity me, I see all you Capitol people for who you guys really are!"

Lyserg frowned and let out a sigh, "I guess I can let you go on a warning…"

"Really!" Millie smiled hopefully.

"But I'll have to confiscate anything illegal in your bag."

"Jeez."

They were walking through the Slums, actually trying to find a way out, given that they were so deep into it that even Millie had no idea where they were.

Maybe they already reached towards the edge of the city, where a giant dam towers over the Slums.

Lyserg looked like her was going to say something but someone struck him in the back with a wooden board, making fall into the ground.

"Eeek!" shrieked Millie in shock, she spun around and faced his attacker.

A frazzled glass-less Lilly was wielding a plank.

"LILLY!"

"Oh Millie," cried Lilly in a panic, "I finally found you, quick lets ditch this X-Law and make a run for it!"

"Wait, why Lilly?"

"The rest of the gang left earlier today to ask to join up with Zeke and his gang, I didn't want to because we can't trust that kind of person…"

"But why would they do that?"

"I guess they want to be a more efficient and stronger gang, maybe reap in the profits that Zeke earns if they become his goons."

"I was so worried about you guys," stormed Millie angrily, "why didn't you tell me?"

"It wouldn't be safe, we were older and had more financial trouble than we can afford, so Sharona thought it would be safe to talk to Zeke herself."

"Of course it would be that idiot Sharona," muttered Millie.

"I hid nearby because I couldn't trust HAO and I couldn't be more right…"

"What do you mean Lilly?"

"Zeke wanted to test Sharona, Elly, and Sally, to see if they'll be loyal to him by ordering them to blow up the dam!"

"WHAT?"

Lilly swallowed for a second to compose herself, "they refused and they were shot over the cliff…"

Millie stared in disbelief at Lilly.

"I ran as fast as I could, until I heard you were bickering with that young X-Law, so I assume it was something you did that made you get arrested-"

"Well perfect Lilly, just perfect," spat Millie sarcastically, tears welling in her eyes.

"Give it to the Lily 5 to go ruin everything! Maybe Sharona can finally shut up. Or Sally stop getting in trouble…and Elly to stop babying me…and you can stop being such a COWARD!"

Lilly only remained quiet amid Millie's sniffling. "I'm sorry but I might as well been dead myself, it would have been suicidal if I went against the whole crime gang. I'm not impulsive like you, I'm a practical person. I can't take on all of HAO by myself to rescue them, and maybe also I'm coward."

Millie started to bawl while Lilly looked on in a pained expression. Lilly sighed and slowly reached into Millie's backpack and pulled out her glasses. "You even brought them Millie," she continued softly, "I was in such a rush to stop Sharona from going through with her crazy plan that I forgot them, silly me."

Millie stopped sniffing, and looked up at Lilly. "So do you think they're dead?"

"I don't want to think about it at this moment, praise the world that I actually found you at least." Lilly help cut Millie's handcuffs with Elly's Talons.

"So are we running away?"

"We have no choice Millie! Right after they fell into the water, Zeke order his men to blow up the dam themselves!"

"Wow this man sure knows how to ruin my day, wait, did I hear you right?"

"Yes, we have to leave now! If not we'll all drown!"

Before Millie could react, she heard a click of a gun, and gun pointed at Lilly's head with an angry Lyserg.

"Just what the hellis going on?" seethe Lyserg.

"Lyserg! Please don't shoot! Lilly was only trying to save me!"

Lyserg still glared warily at Millie, but he lowered his gun. "I overheard what you girls were talking about…if that monster Zeke is indeed planning to blow up the dam, then I'll have to stop him."

"Don't be a hero," said Lilly, "it's best to save your skin X-Law."

"Lilly! Lyserg isn't an X-Law, he's just a detective for hire!"

"Forget it Millie," snapped Lyserg. "You two! Get to higher ground and warn everyone!"

"Look Lilly!" continued Millie defensively. "Lyserg was suppose to come an arrest me for the riot, and well he saved my life during the chase..."

"Look I'll let you guys go for now, honestly I have bigger things to deal with now..."

Lilly ran with Onibi in her arms, Millie soon following with her knapsack.

"Take care than Capitol breed, we Slums don't like owning a debt that becomes unpaid," said Lilly before she ran through the street. Millie gave Lyserg a worried look before following Lilly.

Lyserg let out an angry sigh, and pulled out his cell phone, calling Yoh.

"Yoh, tell the Rebels to evacuate everyone in the Slums to higher ground…. yes this isn't some joke! The HAO are planning to blow up the giant dam any minute now!"

Lyserg closed of the phone and broke into a run towards the dam that lies south of the Slums.

Lilly was standing near the top of the building, huddled with other people from the Slums. It was amazing how fast the Rebels were able to organize the Slums; then again survival was key in the Slums anyways.

Lilly prayed that Sharona and the others were okay, she was scared and bracing for the worst, but then again they do have a knack to survive in odd conditions. Lilly looked back at Onibi who was frantically scratching and struggling in her arms.

"Onibi, what's the matter?"

She looked at where Millie was standing, and saw an old lady next to her instead.

"Millie?" she cried.

Frantically she scan the crowds, Millie usually doesn't get lost, unless she actually went back to the…oh no she was probably hoping to save her friends and that boy…

Lilly cried out and ran through the crowd, only to be restrained by a couple of Rebels.

"You can't go back down to the lower parts of the Slum miss!"

Lilly struggled and fought; only to fall back, defeated.

'Millie, you idiot!'

Lyserg ran up to the side of the ruins, but he felt that someone was following him. Quickly he turned around, gun aimed at his stalker.

"Ahh! Don't shoot me Lyserg! It's me, Millie!"

Lyserg lowered his gun warily, "Only the X-Laws carry loaded guns, Millie. Why are you doing here anyways?"

Millie stuttered, "I want to s-save my friends, they can still be alive you know! Plus how can you stand up against Zeke if the gun isn't even loaded?"

Lyserg sighed, "Look Millie, I doubt your friends are alive and even if they are they'll probably spend the rest of their lives in jail for working for the enemies."

"You heard what Lilly said about them!"

"True, but even Lilly could be making it up, regardless they had full intentions of joining and probably would be classified as criminals."

Millie stared in disbelief of the coldness in Lyserg' voice. "I don't care, you can't tell me what to do Lyserg! They are my friends, and I care about them, sure they're a pain sometimes, but they would do the same for me!"

Millie was huffing in frustration before she continued. "Also, I was worried about you…I know you were sent to arrest me an hour ago, but you saved my life back there…and I don't like being in debt with someone!"

Lyserg took in that information carefully, "you know you'll be in more trouble than help."

"I don't care, I'm saving my friends, or at least finding them-!"

Lyserg ignored Millie and ran up the path that leads to the dam.

"Hey wait up!"

"Explosives are ready sir."

"Hmmm good," smiled Zeke, "time to purify this land once in for all!"

The bombs were all rigged on either side of the gigantic dam, before they were set off.

The explosion became deafening just as Millie and Lyserg reached the top.

It blew off chunks of concrete that came smashing down onto the wasteland, dark water gushing out, with the sides of the dam gone, the rest of the dam became weak. Threatening to collapse in any second.

"Zeke!" cried Lyserg, angrily he realized that Zeke was on the other side, he pulled out his pendulum and shot it directly at the insane man.

It wasn't an ordinary crystal pendulum, but sharp enough to stab though metal, a magic item that can be used to fight.

Zeke smirked and threw up his palm, the sharp crystal embedded deep into his hand.

Lyserg only stared in disbelief.

"My Lyserg, how very good to see you today, just when I completed my act. It's a shame really."

"Cut the formalities Zeke!"

Zeke chuckled. "Of course! Always so coarse in the end eh? I wonder…how long does the crystal string go?"

With that he grabbed the crystal with his other hand and yanked it from his bleeding palm to both Millie's and Lyserg's shock.

Still grinning amid the deafening flooding, he jerked the cord that is connecting to the Lyserg's gauntlet contraption, pulling Lyserg with him.

Millie cried out in shock as Lyserg also plummeted deep into the reservoir, the current quickly taking him toward the crumbling dam.

"Lyserg!"

"Oops, my hand slipped," smiled Zeke as he turned off and calmly walked out with his men on the other side.

Millie screamed in frustration before contemplating on whether she should jump in or not.

Impulsive as ever, Millie decided to jump into the dam.

Author's Note:

Cliffhangers are fun to write, not fun to read :)

Okay, whew done, ouch my hand :P I'm trying to make it as less AU with the whole spirit concept added, but it's kind of going no where, so it might be pushed to the side. It's based on Shaman King episode 29 dubbed by the way. :P Final one right when school starts too :/

So there won't be much going on during this time, I wish I actually had more time in the summer to write stories, but I kept on getting distracted...And now school has started...even though I like within 25 min drive to home, I feel so scared and nervous, then again that could just be my personality...

Ugh angst sucks. Everything was so different last year, and now I feel so dumb compared to everyone else now, it's so frustrating sometimes! (Curse my anxiety problems. I tend to over worry in a lot of things which isn't healthy at all.) I don't want to feel miserable but I think it always comes around fall, my most hated season. Fall to me is when everything dies, summer is gone, and it starts to get cold and dark easily. Winter is crappy too, but the holidays like Christmas, New Year, and Valentine brighten the mood...

Sorry for the rant but I do feel really upset even though I can come home on the weekends, school is just scary and nerve-wracking on me :( I'm not antisocial just a stressor maybe I should see a couselor...)

It just feels better to pour my emotions onto here, never mind if strangers read it, it makes me less anxious. Classes would be starting and I don't even know how the classes work...everyone has so much effort thrown on me, and I'm scared to let them all down, and myself. School really doesn't care anymore about it's students, they expect us to act like adults, but that's not the way I'm wired to think. You can probably see that in my next chapter probably coming out in break.

Sorry my invisible readers for that rant, most of the story was typed during summer vacation, and when school started I became really busy with stuff.

I love all of you because I can be myself in my writing! Maybe Circle 2 or Circle 4 might have to take over, (my unproductive staff .) So be expected to see D-grayman fics popping in :P

Love,

Wuchen