Far outside of any Hierarchical City, there is naught but death. Seithr, the Black Beast's final blessing and curse, ravaged the lowlands, an invisible fog that covered all but the highest mountains. And yet, islands of vivacity dotted this world marred by holocaust. Pristine and idyllic, bright green grass covered one such rise, capped by a tall pine. But the edges of the hill were wrought with death's touch, brown and lifeless. Seithr contamination edged up the hill; its creeping death would eventually taint the oasis and leave it as barren as the surrounding lands.

His back against that tree, Azrael shuffled awake. Grumbling under his breath, he rose to his feet, hands in his pockets, and trudged around the tree to where Tsubaki slumbered. As he gazed down on her, he snarled. His alcohol-delivered buzz had long since dissipated, leaving only regret knotted in his gut. "Tch. Why the hell did I follow her…?"

With a groan, Tsubaki shifted, her gold breastplate in full gleam in the morning light. Her eyes snapped open and she met Azrael's murderous stare. She steeled herself for what may transpire. "Hm? Is something wrong, Azrael?"

A light smirk broke out on Azrael's lips, his muscles tensing. "I'm bored."

Just as she thought, and feared. As Tsubaki took to her feet, she edged her hand to Izayoi's empty hilt. Azrael's malice may as well have been tangible, and Tsubaki took an unconscious step back from him. "Well, my apologies, but there's nothing I can do about that."

A laugh met her lie, and Azrael gave her a full-on grin, and right then Tsubaki knew there would be no talking him out of this. "What are you talking about? You're strong. You know what I want."

Yep. Just as she thought. "We've already been over this. If you want to fight Terumi—"

"Why should I wait? Entertain me!" Azrael lunged forward with a swiping punch, straight at Tsubaki's gut. Before the attack could land, Tsubaki vanished into thin air, and left Azrael to stumble and fall flat on his face. Snarling, he turned to look back at Tsubaki, standing behind where he'd lunged from. After a moment, grinned again, wider than before. "Yes! Show me your precious justice, Yayoi! Feed me!"

For several moments, Tsubaki considered Azrael. No, this wouldn't do at all. Too much rested on their cooperation, for both of them. To throw it all away in the name of appeasing Azrael's boredom would be madness—especially given her doubts that she actually could defeat him. Anyone that exuded power the way he did was not one to challenge. Finally, she straightened up and, in what could prove a suicidal move if he did continue his assault, tossed Izayoi aside. "I will do no such thing. We have mutual need of each other; are you really willing to throw away your best shot at fighting one of the Six Heroes by attacking me? Hardly a wise decision, if you ask me. Especially given that I will not fight you."

By the time Tsubaki finished, all humor had drained from Azrael's face. His fingers dug into hardened soil, and he growled. He rose up to his knees. "You little shit…" He gave a feral snarl that made her take a step back. "Don't bullshit me. I know you can fight without your sword! Do you really think tossing it aside will deter me? Fool."

Tsubaki just shook her head, eyes closed. "No, I can't fight well without it. I can, however, wear you out by evading anything you try. Stand down; I have no intention of bringing you to justice here."

Azrael remained still for several moments, snarling his frustration. Finally, with a deep growl that quivered Tsubaki, he rose to his feet and faced her, eyes narrowed. "Then I'll destroy you where you stand."

Tsubaki did not flinch any further. "But would that be entertaining for you? You're looking for a fight, not a punching bag, right?"

"Then I'll force you to fight. Your flesh and bones will know…" Azrael drew back, fist balled. A crimson aura built around him, haloing his shoulders. White flashed in the spectral inferno as he grinned at her. "The true meaning of power! Black Hawk Stinger!"

With that roar, he surged forward with a massive, lunging punch. The attack ripped straight through the tree and splintered it, its shrapnel scattering all around the hilltop. However, as before, Azrael missed his target entirely as Tsubaki disappeared before the attack could hit. With a final curse under his breath, Azrael sagged to his knees, panting. "You… little…"

"Have you exhausted yourself already? I expected more stamina from you." From where she stood behind him, Tsubaki started forward. "How do you intend to fight Terumi with that sort of endurance?"

Azrael sighed, defeated. He knew when to give up; somehow, this girl had stumbled upon his one weakness. And there was nothing that could be done if she refused to fight him. "…You win. I'm not able to consume prey that is unwilling to fight back. Completely unable. And you really don't have any fighting spirit right now."

With a nod, Tsubaki came to a stop. "I see. Very well, then; I assume you won't try and pull that stunt again?"

Strength returning to him by degrees, Azrael pulled himself up to his feet and shook his head, wild blue mane covering most of his face. "Heh. I'd be an idiot to try that again. Let's get going."

"Alright." Tsubaki strode over to where Izayoi lay and picked it up, giving Azrael time to return to her side. At a gesture from her, they both started down the hill. "You are far more tolerable under alcoholic influence, by the way."

"Of course." Azrael snorted. "What of it?"

"I think when we reach a town, I'll get some of your choice of alcohol when I buy supplies. Just to ensure there won't be a repeat of this episode."

Azrael threw back his head for a booming laugh. "Works for me."

"Here. Just as you asked for." Tsubaki emerged from a liquor shop, a large case in her arms and a deep scowl on her face. Having to pull rank—something she legally no longer carried within the NOL, but that was hardly something an alcohol shop on the fringe needed to know—in order to purchase the drink due to being underage rankled, but what choice did she have? A drunk Azrael was an amiable Azrael. "I suggest you make it last."

"Heh. Should last a week." Azrael hefted the large case as though it weighed nothing and grinned at her. "Why the serious face all the time, Yayoi? You're not on duty or anything; you should just enjoy yourself, you know?"

With a snarl, Tsubaki turned away and beckoned Azrael to follow her. "I'm not doing this for pleasure; I'm doing this to spread my justice as far as I can. To destroy the Librarium. To see the Dark One slain. To eradicate the sin of this world in the flames of purgatory. I don't have time for relaxation."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you gotta have a stick up your ass." With a laugh, Azrael cuffed her shoulder, buckling her. "Come on, lighten up. Don't want this whole thing to be boring." Azrael ripped open the case of beer and pulled out a can. After a moment, he held it her way. "This shit helps. Try it. Kinda weak, but better than nothing."

"I'll pass, thank you." In annoyance, Tsubaki closed her eyes and ground her teeth. It seemed that an amiable Azrael proved to be an annoying Azrael, as well. Why should he care about something like this? "And so what if I'm like this?"

"Like I said, it's boring." Shrugging, Azrael popped the tab and guzzled the drink in a single gulp. "Great and all to have a goal, but if you ask me, you gotta actually live. Enjoy yourself. Any second, it could end, no matter how strong you are. Better that you had some fun than lived a boring life and accomplished nothing, right?" Azrael regarded the empty can, crushed it in his palm, and chucked it to the side. "That's how I see it, anyways. I enjoy fighting, so I'm gonna do it, and if I get shit done, then so be it. You should actually give it a try."

"Is that another attempt to challenge me to a fight?" In spite of herself, Tsubaki chuckled. "Although I must admit, you're sort of reminding me of one of my friends. Albeit somewhat less… sane." She briefly wondered what had become of both Makoto and Noel, but shrugged it off. They would be fine. They could easily fend for themselves, after all.

Azrael threw his head back for a laugh. "I do, huh? Interesting. So you've already had someone telling you all this? Gotta wonder how strict this sense of justice of yours is. Unless… He lowered his head and gave her a sidelong grin. The shadows from his hair fell over his eyes, and Tsubaki shuddered at the sudden darkness about him. "Well, I guess both goal and entertainment can be the same. Tell me, Yayoi. Are you entertained by your bringing of justice, your destruction of lives?"

"Of course not. That's absurd." And at once, all humor drained from Tsubaki. "I have spent my life pursuing justice, to uphold the standard of the Six Heroes. I have inherited the will of the late Hakumen, and shall act as his sword, scorching the land clear of sin and evil. This is not a matter of enjoyment, but necessity. If I were to not judge the damned, who would now? Order must be kept; if I can do so for as long as I have the power, I will rest easy on my dying breath."

"Heh. Well, in that case…" Azrael's smile darkened further, his bare teeth like fangs beneath his crimson stare. "Why don't you learn to take joy in the destruction justice brings? Or are you gonna tell me you have some edict against that?"

"…Why would I ever enjoy such a thing?"

"Destruction is not something evil, like you seem to be regarding it as. Destruction is beautiful. You remove the evil from the world, and allow your justice to spread in its place, right?" A low laugh choked out from Azrael's throat, raising goosebumps on Tsubaki's skin. "Destruction is a necessity. And if you're doing the world a favor by killing those who deserve it, why not enjoy it? Feed off the holocaust you bring, and laugh as evil falls before you! I mean… you're not exactly going to mourn the sinners you punish, or be remorseful, right? Or… maybe you're not certain of what you're doing. That for all this justice talk, you don't know if you're on the path you want. Could that be it?"

"Don't be foolish; I determine what justice is. I cannot waver in my judgment, and will stick by my convictions until the end. For they can't be wrong." Tsubaki turned away, scowling. "I cannot enjoy this act, however. Not out of remorse for purging sin, but rather, regret that the sin exists in the first place. Every person I judge will be a reminder that evil holds dominion on this world yet; how could I find joy with such a reminder every time I fight?"

"Because you sow the seeds of evil's destruction. Overwhelm your regret! If not with enjoyment, then with pride!" After a few moments, the blaze in Azrael's eyes simmered and died. "Or at least fake it, I'll go insane if you stay this boring."

"I'd argue that you're already there. And no, I will not so much as spar with you to quell your boredom." With a sigh, Tsubaki shook her head. "Come on. We need to get above the seithr line before nightfall."

In the shadow of Yabiko, some multitude of miles closer to the towering Nemesis Horizon than Kazamotsu, Tsubaki dropped onto her back amid the grass to stare up at the midnight sky stretching far overhead. "We'll rest here tonight; I'm fairly certain our elevation is above the seithr line."

"Works for me." Azrael dropped the case of alcohol, deprived of a third of its cans in two days, onto the grass with a soft thump and sat beside it. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Surprised you're not exhausted."

"I would say the same of you, as you've been carrying that case all day, but I've already gathered you're utterly inhuman, so I'm not exactly surprised." Closing her eyes, Tsubaki chanted under her breath for a few moments. Heat blossomed around her, stifling the late winter chill of the mountains. "But yes, I'm actually quite tired. And I intend to get going as early as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, we do that every morning." Azrael straightened up and looked over at her. "Okay, look, Yayoi. It's great and all that you're this eager to deliver my prey to me, but you're gonna wear yourself out. You're strong as hell—strong enough to catch my interest even—but even you've got your limits. Why don't we actually rest next time we get to a town?"

Tsubaki glared over at Azrael. "And since when did you actually care about my well-being?"

"Because if you die, I'm out of the best entertainment I could hope for. Long as you've got the promise of fighting Terumi hanging over my head, I figure it's in my best interest to keep you alive." Azrael chuckled, more remorseful than anything. "It sure as hell wouldn't be that easy to find such prey to fight without you around."

"…I should have known. I'll consider an extended rest, then." Without warning, Tsubaki sat up, searching the darkness around her. She held up a finger to dissuade Azrael from speaking. "Whoever's watching us, step out. Failure to reveal yourself will leave you at the mercy of my judgment."

"You haven't changed at all, eh, Tsubaki?" A chipper voice, tinged with elation and mild mischief as opposed to the sadistic glee Azrael carried in his voice, answered Tsubaki. The pitter-patter of soft footsteps sounded over the grass, and Tsubaki turned to her right to find the source. A young woman, facial features concealed by the darkness, came to a stop, bushy tail twitching and squirrel ears attentive. "Justice this, judgment that… Ah well. At least you're not doing it for the Library anymore, right?"

"Makoto!" Tsubaki jumped to her feet, the first genuine, blissful smile in days coming to her lips. She ran forward to meet Makoto's embrace. "What are you doing all the way out here? And, um, how did you find us?"

"On my way to Yabiko. I was traveling with Noel, but she ended up heading off with Jin toward Wadatsumi. How about you?" Makoto broke the embrace and peered over at Azrael, unable to identify him in the night. "And, uh, who's that? Finally got a boyfriend? "

"That's Azrael, of Sector Seven. I'm looking for Jin myself, actually, so it's good to know he's in the area. And… well, as long as Noel's safe, that's fine." Tsubaki glanced over at Azrael as well, who raised his hand in a lazy wave to Makoto. "Azrael… well, um, I promised him the opportunity to fight Terumi and Relius. I wish to see both of them destroyed, and Azrael seems capable of accomplishing just that. I'm guiding him towards the Nemesis Horizon.

"Azrael… Azrael…" Makoto looked down in thought, face paling. No, it couldn't be. Not him. But everything Tsubaki said indicated that yes, her companion was, in fact, the Tyrant from the Ikaruga War. "Tsubaki, can I… uh, talk to you a moment?"

"Huh?" Tsubaki blinked once, but nodded. "Certainly, Makoto. What do you need?"

"Yeah, uh, just come here a moment…" Makoto gripped Tsubaki's wrist and dragged her away a bit, out of Azrael's earshot. Once certain they were far enough, Makoto turned around and erupted, a volcano's fury refined into a quiet, yet no less intense voice. "Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea who that guy is? He's going to kill you the first chance he gets!"

"Yes, I'm aware of who he is. And I'll be done with him once my goals have been accomplished." Despite the heat of Makoto's words, Tsubaki offered her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I have this under control. He is unable to fight if the opponent is unwilling. As long as I never show the will to fight, I doubt he could harm me. And at any rate, he's said he doesn't want to risk giving up the chance to fight Terumi, and seems reliant on me to find him. There shouldn't be much danger in having him along."

Makoto gave her a dubious stare, a heavy sigh and a shake of her head, looking off into the distance. "…You're sure? You think you can actually trust the guy? Do you even know what the man has done? How many people his killed—how many of his own damn allies he massacred in the Ikaruga War? This bastard was imprisoned for a reason; are you really willing to risk everything on this guy?"

"If he proves to be a problem, I'll dispose of him."

"If he proves to be a problem, he's probably already punching you through a wall!" All animalian features drooping, Makoto shook her head again and looked down. "Tsubaki… why? Why would you even think about bringing this guy along? What are you trying to accomplish with this? I mean… you know he's going to try and drag you into a fight with him…"

"You should know quite well what I am attempting to do. To bring justice to this world, and tear down the evil corrupting it." Tsubaki's gaze burned into Makoto, the warmth of her voice cooling to stern conviction. "Sir Hakumen fell in combat for this reason, and I'm taking up his mantle. I will see Terumi's death at any cost, in any way possible. Azrael is capable of doing so, I believe. I think I have control over Azrael, and I know I can neutralize him when necessary, having learned his weakness. And I know what I must do should he prove a threat. Please, Makoto. Trust me in this."

"But… well…" And with one final sigh, Makoto submitted. She did not like it one bit, but there was clearly no convincing Tsubaki otherwise. As she should have expected from her friend. "Alright, alright, fine. I'll let it go for now. But!" She looked up, matching Tsubaki with the fire in her eyes. "I'm coming with you. If you think I'm leaving you alone with that guy, you're crazy."

Tsubaki beamed and nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Makoto. I'll be honest; traveling while only having him to talk to would probably drive me insane."

"Well, he's a total crazy from what I've heard, so yeah." Makoto followed Tsubaki back towards where Azrael lay, beer case serving as a pillow. He looked to be asleep, but as they drew near, he turned to them in a sudden movement that made Makoto jump. She slowed down and unconsciously drew closer to Tsubaki. "Um… hi, Azzy."

When Azrael turned to her in questioning, Tsubaki said, "This is Makoto Nanaya, an old friend of mine from the Academy. She'll be joining us on our travels."

"Heh." Azrael smirked. "Can I—"

"You may not fight her, or harm her in any way."

"Eh. Didn't think so." Azrael yawned and stretched. "You'd better let me handle any fights though, Yayoi. Getting real bored, you know."

"Very well." As Tsubaki lay back down on the grass, she couldn't stifle her own yawn. Okay, so having him ward off any foes on the way sounded workable. "Alright, get some rest, both of you. We'll be leaving early in the morning here."