"So, is that all I really matter to you? Huh? Someone who is used for your pleasure?
A toy? Is that I only mean to you, Naoe?"

Takaya voice cracks as he lowers his head.

"Dammit! Why do I have to be so emotional?
I want us to work things out and you're being so cold to me!"

To his surprise, he's met by a pair of gentle lips.
Naoe's fingertips coast within his silk, raven hair and his arm wraps around him pulling him close.

Takaya's eyes light up in amazement and closes being within Naoe's stong, warm embrace.

Naoe holds the him by his shoulders and look into his eyes.

"Takaya-san. There is something I must tell you."

The star-stunned and strawberry blushed teen looks at him with dreamy eyes.

"Hmm?"

"You mean more to me than anything in theh world.
I will never treat you any less than a person..."

His forehead touches his and whispers softly to him..

"Ai Shiteru...Takaya."

"Naoe.."

"I'm sorry that I've left so abruptly. There is something else."
"What is it?"

Naoe backs off to get serious.

"Chiaki gave us a report from a group of paranormal hunters.
This spa, the only section of this hotel, is haunted with spirits.

The teen looks down away from Naoe to think.

"That hallucination from earlier...and that phone call from Kosaka!"

"What are you thinking, Takaya-san?"
"Could the Takeda clan bring forward these ghosts to recruit them into their spiritual army?"

"Why would they do that?
(gasps!)

Of course!

They're trying to avenge for a battle they've lost four-hundred years ago!"

"It can't be Kawanakajima. It was a draw. They're not fighting against us again.
I can feel it. Kosaka didn't threatened me just pissed me off."

"Kosaka spoke to you?"
"Yeah. He called hours ago.
Could this hotel have been built on like a village or something?"

Naoe looks at him sternly.

"This very spot was once a peaceful village.
Then, it was pillaged and plundered by Ronin samurai, way before the code of Bushido.
Many people were killed and feared them.

Perhaps Kosaka could be using their thirst for vengence for the sake of the Takeda clan."

"We have to find Haruie! She might need our help!"
"Our clothes are downstairs by the entrance. We must get dressed and hurry on our
way.
They must be vengeful sprirts here filled with anger. It could explained the hallucination you had."

"How?"
"A spirit was sent to inside your mind. Kosaka didn't want us together so we could stop him."

"That...BATSARD! He used a trick on me!"
"Takaya, please calm down.

Your anger could trigger the spirits and could cause chaos here.
Let's stay focus and get to Haruie and Chiaki. They have more information for us."

Naoe reaches in his kimono sleeve.

Takaya looks at a bracelet charm. The beads are pale rose pink with letters on each one.

"Put this on. It's to keep any distracting spirits from giving you any trouble."

Takaya slides the charm on. He remains his gaze on Naoe. Takaya is so relieved to have the real him back.

Of course, he won't admit that to his guardian.

Naoe feels his phone vibrating in his kimono and flips it open.

"Who is it?"
"It's Haruie... hai...

I'm already with Takaya-san and heading downstairs."

"You guys better come quick. I'm sensing some strong spiritual energy going on here."
"Is everything alright? You haven't seen anything strange?"
"No. Not lately."
"Hhm--"
"Meet me at the hair salon near the stairs first floor."
"Right. Be careful."

Naoe closes his cellphone and gets up to the door. He turns to him in an impervious manner.

"We must hurry. There isn't any time to loose."

Takaya stands up and fixes his yukata and walks out with him.

The two young men ride on the elevator to meet the other possessors.
So far, Takaya keeps his cool as Naoe instructed.

"Naoe,

how can spirits be contained in just one section?
I mean, it's 3 or 4 stories from ground level."

"Someone has put spells all over the entire third floor."

A wave of shock split through Takaya's senses.
He freezes in his stance wondering how on earth could he not see them.

"That's impossible! I couldn't sense them there!"
"Kosaka's distracting ghost interfered with you being Takaya and Kagetora...

right in the center.

The hallucination you had was the result of its tampering with your memories,
which made you loose track of yourself going back and forth with your personas."

Takaya bangs his fist on the wall.

"Shikusho! How could I be distracted like that? I could of been more watchful, more alert!
Kosaka's gonna pay for this!"

"Don't blame yourself, Takaya-san. When it's all said and done after the bracelet charm is removed,
your powers will increase, making you infalliable in your sensing abilities."

"It has to be from Kenshin," Takaya said raising his wrist to observe the bracelet.
"Yes. He himself told me to give this to you."

Takaya averts his eyes from him.

"If there are spells everywhere in the spa, how come you didn't get rid of them?"

"If the spirits sensed me, being a possessor, it could mean big trouble.
They can sense energy through emotions.

I had to hide my powers, and my desire then."

Takaya gasps at those words. He turns away from Naoe facing the wall.
He recaps of that scene after Naoe walks in the room upstairs.

"You..."

"Hhm?"

"You were...protecting me...that was why..."

"Takaya-san,"

The bell chimes and the doors open. As soon as they walk out, Haruie, Chiaki, adn the paranormal team are standing by an office desk. The two arrive at the doorway and Haruie turns around and sees them.

"Naoe, Kagetora-sama."

"Is everything ready?"
"Nah. We're prep up. I see that you managed to get him out of there in one piece."
"It wasn't easy keeping everything bottled in."
"Whoa. Wait a minute, you mean that--"
"Yeeehhhp. That's right.
Naoe was doing a rescue mission to get you out of that floor before the spirits go awol!

Naoe, you didn't tell him?"

Naoe smirkes, "I figured that you would."

"Well, we have everyone here."

Takaya looks past her to the group of men.

"Who are those guys?"

"They're the paronormal team from Kyoto University. They've give us the scoop of how dangerous those spirits are.
Although I can sense their energy, I still want to lnow what we'll be dealing with."

The college folks bows their goodbyes and walks out. Chiaki walks towards the trio adjusting his specks with a look of someone whose done with their homework.

"Ah, Takaya. So Naoe finally got you here."
"Yeah, cut da crap. What did those guys tell you about the spirits?"

"It is true about this hotel built on a village that was here.
They've hid themselves within the people in the spa.
I guess that you already know that it has something to do with the Takeda."

Takaya looks puzzled,"how could they tell?"

Chiaki's glasses glare from the reflection of the light that his eyes aren't visible.

"The village that once was, was not very far from the site of the battlefield."
"'Battlefield?'"

"It was the event that brought down the Takeda clan...

The Battle of Nagashino."