Preface: Sorry for the long wait! This chapter was hard to write. I didn't realize how difficult Shirou's character would be for me! A couple of OHSHC characters make an appearance! Please review. I love constructive feedback! As always enjoy!

"Takaouji, would you mind eating lunch with me?"

He rolled his eyes towards the new transfer student from the United States who smelled faintly of tobacco. "If you don't leave me alone, I'll tell the teachers that you smoke." He looked back at the window. His grades had slipped badly, but he didn't care even when his parents had fussed over something so small. It was like they didn't even care that Hina's parents had said she might never wake up again.

"That girl."

"Hina Kamishiro."

"Yes. Pity about her condition, don't you agree?"

Obviously Americans didn't give a damn about tact, which suited Shirou just fine. The transfer student creeped him out. "It's none of your business. You don't even know her, homo."

"I'm merely concerned with your constitution."

"You know, your Japanese teacher sucks. You talk like an old guy."

Muraki had to choke the desire to reach for his cigarettes in the pocket of the uniform shorts, but he had left them with Ootori when he had asked for them point blank. However despite the flawlessness in which his partner had constructed his background, he had not been warned of the little boy's sharp eyes and nose or his unrestrained tongue. "That may be, but I do speak fluently."

"So what? I know three languages."

"Oh? Would the third language happen to be German?"

He frowned tiring of the game. "Shut up."

Muraki chuckled amused at the pathetic woes of a pre-pubescent. "Is little Takaouji in love?"

"You don't know how it feels!!"

"Oh my. Whether or not you're heartbroken doesn't matter to me. I felt sorry for you sitting over here by yourself, pining. " The silver-white blonde smiled.

The brunette grabbed the front of his coat. "You!"

Staring him down calmly without the amusement he had worn previously, Muraki sighed. "How could you be so smitten? Does she even love you back?"

Realizing a ruse when he saw one, Shirou let go of him shoving him back. "What do you want? You're here for something aren't you, old guy."

"I collect cursed objects."

Takaouji gave him a blank look. "Good for you."

"There has been one in circulation causing illness, such as fainting or dizziness."

The boy laughed childishly. "Right. So, Hina's cursed, is that it? Are you done, old man?"

Muraki released an irritated noise though there was a tightness to his face that barely concealed his anger. "In the event that the user of this cursed book has it in possession for a long period of time, then it is certain that coma or death would result."

Shirou narrowed his eyes in suspicion, though the glare he shot was filled with suspicion. "It's a chain diary, dummy. It's not cursed. It got confiscated because loads of girls have been passing germs with it and got sick."

The pale boy raised two fingers to his lips absently and curled them to rest on his own cheek thoughtfully. "Then, would you believe that I'm a Shinigami sent to investigate the matter?"

"Yeah right. And your mother is Japanese." But Shirou didn't turn his eyes away to dismiss him, which was completely contrary to his tone.

I have you. Dropping his hands to cross his arms, Muraki smirked lightly, knowing that he had the boy's full attention. "She certainly was, with hair as white as pure silk."

"Is your lying contagious? I hope not."

All trace of pleasantness wiped from his face, the transfer student's voice turned positively blasé as if his words were not particularly important. "That girl's soul is trapped in that book. Without it, she will not awake. The longer her soul is separate from her body, the less chance that she has to continue living." He turned away then, facing the door. "But, since I'm lying, I won't trouble you any further, boy."

Shirou's retort stopped before he got much farther than opening his mouth. He swallowed thickly as he felt his face go cold. Hina was going to die?? "Th-the Superintendent has it. He's the one who confiscated it."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't speak of my business to others, Takaouji."

Shirou's grin was grim. "Yeah, got it, Smith." Mimicking Muraki's posture with his arms, he turned back towards the window where he sat on the sill. "I don't have time to spend with a nerd like you anyway."

And the Shinigami walked out without another look to the boy. Waiting until he was by himself, Kazutaka looked to his right, speaking to thin air. "Are you worried?"

Adjusting his glasses, Kyouya flicked his pen. "I used to know the superintendant's son, Suoh Tamaki. He presided over a popular club when I was alive, which I doubt is still in operation."

Kazutaka quirked an eyebrow. "How would you suggest we find Suoh then?"

"Room 3-A. The person in question should be there, since lunch is over for the High School section."

"Lead the way, Ootori." His partner phased into his incorporeal form and gestured forwards with a light flick of his fingers.

Walking steadily, Kyouya had to let his emotions flicker over his face. He had mixed feelings. At worst, Tamaki had refused to go back to school and had been transferred, but he had a feeling that Tamaki wouldn't have left the rest of his 'family' alone.

Luckily enough, when they had stepped through the door, a class was already in session. It was Advanced French Conversation Theatre. The blonde, a little taller now, was reciting a flowery script on one knee a rose in hand offered to a familiar-looking girl with curly long hair, possibly a regular of Tamaki's. While he was a year out of touch, not knowing her name didn't bother him much, even if he felt he should know her.

Kyouya adjusted his glasses with a hint of a smile. "That's him."

"Ah, I didn't expect him to be a womanizer, but if he's the son of the superintendent—"

"I believe you have the wrong impression. While he is an ambitious flirt, there is no material gain expected in his actions. His ideal is to please others."

The rose was taken and the girl gave praise for the flower in her hand. Offering a hand to his conversation partner, Tamaki whined when he was reluctantly rejected. He smiled brightly afterwards and the glasses-wearing girl giggled as they bowed to the class together.

"Very good, Suoh. Jounoji. Please take your seats. Will the next two partners please come to the front to share their piece?" Ah, her. I see she's decided to stop straightening her hair.

With the attention away from him, Tamaki looked haggard as he sat down staring out the window into the courtyard, somewhat bored and lonely. The two students began their piece as Tamaki looked into his reflection in the glass. Seeing a familiar reflection beside his own, he turned around abruptly standing, and almost knocking his desk over in his haste. "Kyou—ah!" He blinked furiously at the silver-haired delicate-faced boy, wondering how he had mistaken him for Kyouya.

"Suoh, please have a seat." The teacher rapped his pointer on his desk with a warning tone and Tamaki did as he was told. The teacher looked sternly to the young elementary student. "May I help you, young man?"

Muraki smiled. "My apologies. I just transferred here today. Which way is it to the elementary section?"

The former Host King went back to looking out the window, lost in thought.

"Down the corridor and to the left. Follow that hallway all the way to the end and walk the length of the covered walkway to the elementary section."

"Thank you. Sorry for disturbing your class." He bowed his head lightly and walked away.

After some distance into the covered walkway, Muraki stopped, surveying the well-manicured landscape. "Your friend looked tired."

Not so worried about that knowing Tamaki was probably still depressed over his death, Kyouya smirked, pushing his glasses up his nose with a finger. "We'll need to corner him."

------

"I've been able to move only small pieces of Gensoukai at a time. I would need the cooperation of the mikos to move such a well-protected shikigami as Tenkuu to the proper location on a server where imagination lies plentiful."

Sohryuu eyed the bird avatar. He knew that it had to be a powerful messenger from the Golden Emperor because the power that he felt was very similar to their savior. "Mikos, do you agree?"

Donned in the colors of Air and Earth, the tall twins representing the East and West gates nodded. "Time is important. We see no need to hesitate." The quiet voice of the one wearing a white and green outfit stated.

The short woman of the North Gate glared daggers at the other two. "I am disinclined to agree so easily." She turned to the golden bird still perched on the stool. "Kin-U, how do we know that you are not lying and leading this world into ruin?"

The bird nodded and a familiar elder appeared.

"Genbu!" Tsuzuki cried happily as his partner stood with his usual dour expression.

Genbu bobbed his head chortling raising up his stick and stamping it on the ground. "I feel better than I have in years! That place is filled with our strength!" Turning towards Sohryuu, the elder chuckled. "You would be a fool to refuse, since this place is going to hell."

Disagreeing no longer, the miko in blue and white hmphed and crossed her arms.

"What about Fuyuu Desert?" The young green-eyed Shinigami asked darkly.

"Since it is no longer in use, we don't need to transport it with us." A dark-haired woman the eyes the color of orange fire stated fiercely.

"Suzaku has made a valid point. If need for that prison arises again, we can develop a new dimension." Rikugo said nonchalantly, draped in his normal robing and his hair pulled back and braided.

"Then it's settled." The golden peacock cocked its head and a large arcane symbol appeared on the ground underneath them. "If the mikos would please take their positions…?"

The mikos did precisely that holding their hands open and out, and reciting the password to open the Gates. At that point everything began to disintegrate around them, as the shikigami winked out of existence.

"Transfer is commencing. Shinigami, I am sending you out from here. Mikos, you will know the new destination as the Gates are tied to you. Denizens of the Imaginary World, I will see you once the download is complete. Good day."

When everything began to turn an empty white, the Shinigami heard a pop and felt themselves tugged out.

"Ahh! Get off!"

"Your elbow's in my side!"

"Take your hand off my butt whoever that is!!"

"I can't breathe."

"Hisoka, I know it's heavy, but hold on!!"

Six people found themselves uncomfortably dog-piled in Watari's lab. The mikos pulled themselves off first.

Wakaba, of the South Gate, offered the chuckling Hisoka water as his partner fretted over his pale appearance. The miko of the Genbu gate patted her crumpled outfit, trying to fluff some order into the wrinkles, while the twin mikos were cooing over 003.

"So you all made it back in one piece." Watari grinned at them in his usual labcoat. "Rough trip?"

"It looks like Gensoukai's location is changing." Tsuzuki stated and frowned.

Staring at the computer screen, the miko wearing blue and white also frowned. "I can't access it."

"Kin-U said the download would take some time, right? I'd wait and see before worrying." Hisoka reached up and touched his bangs, playing with the ends as if mesmerized by the color and softness of his hair.

His partner blinked at Hisoka, tilting his head, then recognition dawned in his eyes. "In the meantime, would you like to go to the bakery with me?"

"Sure." Standing the green-eyed boy followed his partner out. Leaving the four mikos alone with the mad scientist and his pets.

"We'll be in the break room!" The miko of the East gate tugged her sister's hand hurriedly.

"Matsuki, you're not coming?" Wakaba asked promptly, stopping just at the threshold of the door.

The grumpiest of the four crossed her arms, but stood her ground.

"Well, see you!" Seeing her obstinate refusal fairly easily, the miko of the Suzaku Gate exited quickly. Matsuki Izumi was about to discover why…

"Oh, Izumi, it's excellent to see you! I have just the drink for you try!" A smiling Watari so eagerly offered her a non-descript beverage, which she graciously took from him…

------

Clutching a letter in one hand and glancing at his watch in the other, Tamaki headed towards the place where he would invariably break another girl's heart. Ever since he dissolved the Host Club, he had gotten them fairly frequently, though it had dropped off in the past month. Word traveled quickly and with every rejection fewer love letters came. The start of the new school year had seen a large rise in love letters because of the influx of incoming Freshman.

He turned the corner expecting the pastel yellow uniform to come into view. Instead, the green uniform of an elementary male student came into view, but not after the initial shock of nearly silver blond hair. He slowed as he approached the transfer student that had momentarily interrupted his unneeded French class.

"Good evening, Suoh-senior. I am here in place of the girl who sent that, who was too shy to stand her ground."

"And you are…?"

"Kyle Smith." Muraki gave an arrogant dip of his head and a flourish of his hand. "In the Elementary section, class 6-A."

"Ahh." Tamaki let his airs on though it was a mere shadow of what it had been, very few sparkles coming alight in his rather short let-down statement. "Be sure to let sweet Emiri know that while I sincerely appreciate her interest, my heart is already taken."

Unseen, Kyouya stood against the wall frowning at Tamaki's lack of enthusiasm.

Muraki smiled. "Of course, but there is also another matter I have with you, Suoh."

The upperclassman blinked at the younger boy. "Is that so?"

"Well, I have a favor to ask." He continued to smile pleasantly.

Tamaki looked at the boy and felt a chilly sort of nostalgia. "What is it?"

"My dear friend, Hina Kamishiro, is in a comatose state at the hospital if you've heard… and I was thinking that maybe you could help me get something that is hers back for a boy who thinks highly of her." He nudged his glasses up with a finger.

A smidgen of his Host spirit seemed to peek out a little, just a spark really, but Kyouya saw it. "And what is this 'something'?"

"A diary. Her diary, though it was passed around by other girls. I had heard that the Superintendent had removed it from the school." Silver eyes bored into violet-tinged blue ones. Tamaki was the first to look away as his posture stiffened and his eyes became hooded.

Kyouya's friend shook his head with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, but no I can't help you with that. They say it's cursed. I wouldn't want to endanger your friend. If that's all…?"

"No, I apologize for troubling you."

Tamaki waved a hand and continued that pained smile as he walked away. "No, no, it's fine. It never hurts to ask. Please remember to tell Emiri!"

The boy nodded and watched until Tamaki disappeared around a corner. There was another moment of silence before Kazutaka spoke. "That boy is hiding something."

"Tamaki was never very good at lying." Kyouya stated to affirm his partner's suspicion.

"He's displaying the signs, isn't he? He saw you, however briefly." His dimunitive partner narrowed his eyes, raising his hand. "Give me my cigarettes."

Kyouya's lips thinned into a small frown, choosing not to respond, and handed them over. He had a feeling that he would not like whatever Kazutaka was about to tell him, and closed his folder, placing the pen in his front pocket smoothly.

"One, who sees Shinigami, will see Death in the future." Lighting one and pocketing the rest, the youthful-looking Shinigami took a long drag and spoke indifferently as he breathed out the cancerous smoke. "The book is probably in his possession based on how drained he seems. Don't you agree?"

It was a good thing that the black-haired Shinigami had emptied his hands or his grip would have shattered the writing utensil spectacularly.

TBC.