New AN: I left in the old AN for you. Yeah. I finally got it up! Yay! Read on!

AN: This chapter will be completed later. The only thing that's missing is the beginning of the ----- -----! (haha) So, I think tha either I'll replace this chapter with the full one, or put the last bit in the next chapter. Guess what? I actually wrote both this chapter and twenty-seven in advisory class the day before last! So next chapter is, indeed, assured!

Chapter Twenty-Six- Blame

"Ayaa! What are you doing with these traitors?" exclaimed the revealed Shigure.

Glaring coldly, the Hebi stared the Inu down, "Helping my dear younger brother escape a gruesome fate."

"More importantly," said Akito with an amused smirk, "What is Kazuma-san doing here?"

"Leave Shishou out of this! He just stumbled upon us! He has nothing to do with us!" yelled Kyou, distracting Akito from his adoptive father.

"Kyou…" Shishou smiled inside at the former Neko's sense of responsibility, but frowned in disapproval of the action.

"No!" cried the Onigiri, "I did all of this! It's not Kyou or Yuki-san's fault either! This operation was all my doing!"

Grinning, Akito said, "Just to be expected from the Honda-bitch."

"Tohru!" Kyou said in concern, "Don't take responsibility for this! Yuki and I are part os this, too!"

"Kyou's right!" agreed Yuki, "Don't take our burden."

"Look at them, Shigure; fighting amongst themselves!"

"Fools, really."

Speaking up, Ayame said, "Akito-san… what will you do to them? They're only kids…"

"You made the condemned say it himself." Said Akito, "they knew what they were getting into."

Whispering, the Inu said, "Ayaa… I'd take back those clothes before they're…" Ayame's eyes widened as a resounding smack rang through the air.

Two, actually.

One, arguably the worst, fell at the hand of Akito, to the face of the Onigiri.

"You're still pregnant with on of my men's children." said the God.

Shivering, Tohru pulled away.

"I'll soon change that."

The other, also important, and certainly the most dramatic, was exchanged from the Hebi to Shigure at the word, "bloodstained."

"How dare you suggest such a scenario! I thought you were my friend, Shigure! No... I don't think so... You are no friend of mine, you double-crossing bastard!"

The events taht followed each of the slaps soon blended.

Shigure went, quickly, to the God's aid as Kyou pounce upon the one who threatened the Onigiri, and Yuki quickly pulled the girl aside.

Shishou executed an expert roundhouse kick to the Inu's head as Shigure attempted to pry the former Neko from the God as he attacked Akito in a flurry of punches and knife-hands. (AN: I'm in Karate, so this may seem, in general, less traditionally written. It sounds like a boring fight, really. But I take what they seem to be good at... /rant)

Shigure fell back, changing his target to Kazuma, seeing Kyou as a futile effort.

Yuki assisted Kyou while all the same keeping stray blows away from Tohru.

Ayame seemingly fled to get first-aid.

Tohru cried.

New AN: Sorry that it took until Tuesday to get it up. I actually has homework yesterday (what a concept!), and a Karate Tournament on Sunday. Not that I participated, because I fractured my big toe on the stairs a week ago. My little brother did ahve to go, though, so I went.

Anyway, I'll have the next chapter up on time hopefully. Hopefully. (I make no promises) I also wrote, like, chapter twenty-eight yesterday... It's really long as I changed paper size (I usually use composition book paper, but used a spiral with little lines, this time...). Good thing. Yes.

AN: Sorry it cuts off. I will get the rest of the chapter to you all, I assure you. I'll find time to type the rest up today or tomorrow. Or Monday. It all depends. I just know that I have a basketball game that I need to go to tonight. I've never been to one. Should be interesting. Meanwhile, I've gone off the deep end, now having watched all 174 (currently) episodes of Naruto. The dub is horrid. That's alright, though. I'm getting my little brother to tape that and FMA tonight. And if I miss them, I'm sure they're on YouTube somewhere...