A velvet blue butterfly flies through the air and gently lands in the middle of a dark field.

"You who wish to safeguard the future,

Take hold of it with your own hands,

Follow the road that your heart leads you on."

The dim background slowly gives way to the interior of the train. The blaring music from the headphones drowns out the ambience noise that the train presents. The speakers on the train crackle to life as their shout their orders. "APPROACHING IWATODAI SATION. PLEASE GATHER YOUR BELONGINGS, WE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOST OR STOLENT ITEMS . WE REPEAT…"

"About damn time."

Haggard was the condition that my clothes had, tired was mine. More than once my grandfather had told me 'looks can be deceiving' wish I took that more to heart, before deciding that taking the damn Sony train.

"Three days, it took three dam days to get here. Some service that they have, takes the damn engineer a whole day to get to us only to tell us that he can't fix it with what he has on him. Another day to the equipment and then he fixes it. Great electronics, you would think that they would also have great service. Damn you bandwagon logic, never riding with these bastards again. I ever get a hold-"

The loud speakers spark to life again, "NOW AT IWATODAI STATION, WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY TROUBLE THAT OUR DELAY HAS CAUSESD. WE WILL OF COURSE REIMBURSE YOU FOR THE TRAIN RIDE. ONCE AGAIN…."

A small cheer erupted from the people around, "still doesn't change the fact. –sigh- what the time now… damn so late." Flipping open my cellphone, the screen of the cell phone shone bright and displayed the time, 11:30. The train entered the station at last allowing for everyone to leave and get to their waiting families.

"Best be taking off to my new dorm I suppose."

"Hmmm… in retrospect it might have been a good idea to look at the map a little longer than a glance…" The time slowly approached midnight as I wandered the town trying to find the dorm. Deciding it best to take a short break and try and find my bearings, I stopped and took out my phone figuring I might be able to find my way off a few directions. "I just wanted to reach the dorm by midnight but that's too much to ask I suppose. " Sighing I closed my eyes hoping to rub a little of the sleep off, and to try and stem off the headache that was quickly appearing. "Three, two, one. Here it comes. The time of the Coffins". The world did a one eighty as it became ethereal, silencing my constant companion during the duration of the trip: my music.

"Well, I suppose I actually could get there before midnight hahaha… Now which way did the map say…"

The ghostly atmosphere of the city let out an eerie quietness only matched by my aura as I quickly got lost farther in the city. The only thing that was worse than losing music, was losing sleep; I had just lost both and was getting madder by the minute.

"GRAH! Freaking city is a maze!" I yelled out in frustration, as I figured it just might be best to sleep in a park and wait for light to give me directions in the morning.

"Huh?" Came from an alleyway, "the hell are you doing out here this late at night?" An athletic young man called out to me. He wore a red vest and had black gloves on his hands; his silver seemed a bit damp as if he had been running for some time.

"Uhh… trying to get to a dorm?" I responded lamely. "Hey, get down!" I yelled to him as a knife seemed to appear over his shoulder, he quickly ducked as he came running towards me,

"Don't just stand there like a statue, RUN!"

Quickly following his advice I turned after taking a look at the shade that had just attacked him, it was large and formless, an infinite amount of appendages seemingly appearing from the figure. Deciding that It might be a touch easier to go with the stranger than stay and deal with this thing. I quickly turned and bolted towards him.

Quickly catching up to him, I asked "What the hell was that?"

"-huff- Not now." He managed to breathe out.

"Mitsuru, I need backup now! I found a huge one, and it has been following me and a guy I found here." He called into the thin air.

I shot him giving him an dead panned stare.

"Shit, Move!" he yelled as he pushed me away from him something hitting him with great force. The giant figure had caught it and it was angry, or at least I figured that it was angry as it only had a mask to discern any emotions from. The multiple appendages all had wicked knifes that were poised and ready to strike down all who stood before it. The red vested man was lying motionless on the street having taken the brunt of the attack trying to move me out of the way.

"Fuck, what do I do? He called for backup but how long would it take for it to arrive? Can I hold it off for that long? God Dammit. Here I was hoping that I would never have to use this again and here I am breaking that promise. Sorry Gramps."

Reaching into the bag I pulled out long dagger, pulling it free from it weathered and worn sheathe the black blade sung into the night air.

"Hey ugly, over here" I yelled to it as I threw my bag at it. Hitting the mask it quickly turned face where it was thrown from. Rushing after my bag I was meet with a flurry of blades. Grunting, I used my dagger to reflect the knives that got too close while striking at arms that seemed to grow in length as I danced around the giant. Using the sheathe as an impromptu shield I was able to keep It from getting touchy feely with my innards.

"Huff, huff, damn it, I'm running out of energy I can't keep this up much longer." I spared a glance towards the guy from earlier and paid the price, a knife, seemingly like lighting hit my left arm, "Fuck!, that hurt you son of a bitch." letting my arm hang I could only use my dagger to try and keep the other knives from hitting me further. Feeling the blood leave my arm, I could also feel my chances of getting out of this alive dwindling as well. I could feel myself being overwhelmed I heard a beautiful voice from the side.

"Bufula!"

A large piece of ice suddenly hit the creature from the side seemingly injuring and stunning it. Following it an arrow pierced through some of the arms seemingly cradling the head.

"Aim for the mask," a different voice yelled out to me.

Not needing to be told twice I ran towards the center of the mask dodging the maelstrom of knives that surrounded the wounded creature as it flailed about. Arrows and ice lead the way, jumping towards the head I held my dagger in a stabbing motion and pierced the mask. The arms seemingly all died as if the plug was pulled. The mask dissolved into ichor, along with the arms that surrounded it. Seeing that it was finally dead, I slumped down feeling the after effects of a large adrenaline rush.

"Help Akihiko, Takeba. I'll go see how our friend over there is feeling." The beautiful voice called out in a commanding voice. Pulling myself to my feet, I turned to see one of the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen in my short life. Fiery red hair framed a pretty face, while she had on a white shirt with black skirt and knee high boots, I thought to myself "hell it might not be so bad here." She was almost to me when I felt my vision and knees go as I fell into the ample bosom the fiery red head.