Author's Note: Note to all my readers! Don't expect an update until after June 8th. I'm dedicating my time to cosplay until then. I hope to see some of you at A-Kon! Look for the Reaver (probably the ONLY Fable III cosplay) in the runway show! After that, I'll get to work on writing for all of you. xoxo

DoppleGengar: XD I thought you'd love Ava's shining moment. She is her father's child, no? o.o It's kind of frightening, huh? I wouldn't want to meet her on a bad day!

Song for Chapter:
Stardust - Gemini Syndrome, Lux

Chapter Nineteen: Edge
One Month Later...

Hajime and Daiki had been camped out with Hatsukichi for nearly a month now. They were alone, though the sounds of war were going on further in the distance. They had moved close enough to the battle lines to hear the screams of the dying and the battle cries of the brave.

It had put all of them on edge, but they could not intervene.

"I can't fucking take this!" Daiki pulled angrily at his hair. "I want to join!"

"We can't. We have to protect Hatsu," Hajime growled at his companion. He wanted nothing more than to be in the middle of that war too.

"I promise, it won't be much longer. Kotone said in precisely two months from when we left. One month to go," the kitsune dai youkai mumbled, stabbing a stick at the cooking meat before her.

They would bide their time.

~:.:{I Know This Place, It Smells Like Innocence Lost}:.:~

"This war is going too smoothly," Hiei grumbled as he peered out of the window. His arm was bandaged from overuse of his Dragon, thus he was ordered- yes, ordered- to return to Mukuro's fortress for a few days.

He could clearly see his comrades fighting below and it was driving him insane.

"Patience, Hiei," Mukuro calmly said and slunk up beside him. He did not miss how much closer her proximity to him had become. "You've done such a great job since Kotone was banished."

'You... bitch...' His teeth ground against themselves and the female king noticed. He covered by remarking, "Do not say that wretched woman's name in my presence again."

The smirk that curled at Mukuro's lips made his stomach flip and his rage bubble, but he could not do anything against her. Instead, he bit his tongue to the point blood filled his mouth. He swallowed it before she could catch the unmistakable scent.

"Regardless, your allegiance is welcomed."

Her hand slipped across his arm, a feather's touch, but he indeed felt it.

It caressed his chin and she drew closer.

Her lips descended upon his before vacating, a fleeting instant.

He stormed from the room, eyes burning red and wanting nothing more than to rip that woman's heart from her chest.

'Kotone...'

~:.:{We Left The Traces Of The Sins We Bought}:.:~

Chu, Touya, and Shishiwakamaru had done their part well. Innumerous bodies had been torn apart at their hands, and now Yomi's army lacked all of their healers and a good portion of one of their squadrons.

Even still, they wore the guise of the enemy troops and their voices had not been used in over a month. Instead, they had merely communicated with simple glances or the scribbles of notes passed discreetly to one another.

Helmets had done their part and hidden their looks from the troops, thus it made their job undeniably easier. Almost too easy...

They planned on removing themselves from the fray in a few weeks, after they had taken out a few of the other squadrons and lessened Yomi's armies. Still, they remained on constant guard in case of being found out.

Thankfully, Kurama had done his part well and they were conveniently overlooked by any that might have grown suspicious of them. The only one that was suffering was Chu, unfortunately, and that was only because he had not been allowed to partake in his drink the entire duration of their trip.

He pushed on, regardless of his alcoholic tendencies, and refused to look back.

They were unstoppable.

~:.:{It's No Mistake, You Are Perfect, You Are Perfect In My Mind}:.:~

"Ava?" Yuji held his sister at arm's length, surveying her. She had been swathed in the finest array of clothing, though he knew her battle garments were buried underneath. She glared at him fiercer than before. "I must leave, Sister. Shoichi and Izume do not need to make this trip alone and you could easily demolish this city if you pleased. You've become an honorable ruler and they respect you, so the need should not arise."

"But you've only recently been at full strength, Yuji," she huffed indignantly. "What if you get hurt like before?"

"I won't. We go somewhere far less dangerous than that. Our journey will take a few days, at best. Do not worry; I'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring smile and she sighed, rubbing her temples in aggravation. "We have to, Ava."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just get out of my city, would you?" She grinned up at him at long last, the very emotion he had been waiting for, and the wind apparition enveloped the girl in his arms. "Be safe, Yuj. I mean it."

"Don't worry, I will." He kissed her forehead before a shout behind him broke the demon from his farewells. "I'm coming, Shoichi. Calm yourself. See you soon, Avaron."

"You too, Yuji." She waved to him and watched the masses below part as the three made their way through the city. The sounds of guards could be heard in the distance, training relentlessly for a war they would soon be joining because of her hand.

"Lady Avaron," came the quiet murmur beside her. The fire apparition glanced down to see a child, the very same from that dreadful night over a month ago, holding out a glass of thick wine, "Your drink."

Avaron nodded in thanks to the girl and glanced once more into the distance. Her three friends had taken off in a sprint, though she was sure Yuji had propelled them with his wind. They were heading to Genkai's Temple to gather up Koume for the next part of their mission.

After all, every war needed proper healers. What better place to find them than on the Floating Island of the koorime race?

~:.:{Now I Can't Recall A Thing, It's Such A Wicked Dream}:.:~

"PUSH!"

An angry snarl broke through her lips, soon followed by erratic pants and moans. Demons did not have an epidermal and instead relied on sheer will to birth their offspring.

Mizue sincerely hated the demonic race and half her blood for it.

"One more! He's crowning!" An elderly woman sat at the end of the bed, a wind demon, and eagerly helped to pull the baby from within the confines of his aching mother. "Mizue, you're done!"

The hanyou made a noise that resembled a whine before collapsing back on the bed. A panic spread in her body when she did not hear a cry from her newborn. "What's happened?"

The soft chuckle eased her heart as a baby, wrapped in a blue cloth, was handed off to her. The elderly woman said, "He's alive, Mizue, so no worries. Look."

And look she did, only to see the brightest pair of ghostly green eyes she had ever seen. They were glistening and beautiful, almost enchanting, and the hanyou beamed proudly at her child.

"What will you name him?" Keiko whispered, just as enraptured as the new mother was. "He's so... beautiful."

"I can think of only one name," Mizue stated and never tore her gaze from the newborn, "and it is one that reminds me of a demon that once saved my mate's life. Akiyome will be his title."

"Like Akihiko," Yukina mumbled, smiling serenely at the pair. "I love it."

"He looks like Haji." Akiye regretted it the moment the words left her lips. Hajime had not been able to see the birth of his son and she worried that it had affected Mizue.

But the new mother did not seem to be upset in the slightest. "Yes, even the white hair. He'll be gorgeous when he grows up."

The women laughed pleasantly, their worries forgotten just for the time being.

They did not wonder over their mates or if they even lived still.

They did not even think of the horde of kaze dai youkais just outside.

Not even a war of massive proportions had entered their thoughts.

This is what their loved ones fought for.

Life, and family.

~:.:{Praise To The Memory Living Inside Of Me, Host To Entirety Writing My Story}:.:~

A battle of gale-force proportions was being waged in the skies as two combatants eagerly slammed against one another. Both were serious and their youki had nearly drained, but they fought on.

"I'm going to get you, Ko!" A fist made contact with her eye and she snarled.

"Not again, batty!" Kuronue was knocked back by the force of her Tornado Fist, careening towards the dirt. When he lay sprawled in the dust cloud, she grinned. "We've been dueling for days straight. I think it's time to rest."

"Agreed," he groaned and she helped him to his feet. "Should we tell the others?"

Kotone shrugged and padded through the trees to the open fields. Their makeshift camp had been made there, after moving all of Suzuka's things to the middle of the island. The demon had been upset about it, but it provided more work space and materials with the remains of two stadiums being nearby. He had been relentlessly toying with new things they would receive before they departed.

The wind demoness flopped onto the ground, surprised to find Karasu and Touya were there as well, though a comfortable distance away from one another. Jin, Genkai, Toguro, Yuji, and Raizen were still brawling in the distance from the noises they heard.

"I suppose the two of you are taking a break as well?" Kotone had sat next to the crow demon, which she- begrudgingly- had made a lofty friendship with. Neither spoke the words aloud, but both knew the other had become a means to an end.

"I was just about to go and fish for something to eat. Since Yuji hooked that bait up, fish larger than all of us have begun to venture closer," the ice apparition replied.

"Yeah, I'll help. Four hands will make the food get here quicker." Kuronue stood and stretched, flexing his wings and twitching. The metal Youki Cuffs around them had made it hard to use his wings as often as he had before, but the bat had noticed a slight improvement with his duration wearing it.

"I'll grab some water." Kotone stood as well, snatching up a huge tub she could haphazardly carry alone when full. "Yo, Karasu, helping hand?"

"I suppose," the crow added, but stood nonetheless. The four separated ways to their own devices, which might have unnerved the wind demoness before, considering her partner.

They easily gathered up enough water for the group in that large tub, carrying it between them back to the campsite. The wind would have assisted, if Kotone had any youki left to spare. Unfortunately, she did not and made do.

When they were comfortable and seated once more, she started up a fire to cook the fish on. They were alright when raw, but even demons could taste their dinner. Cooking them had turned into a better option after the first encounter with writhing fish.

Needless to say, Raizen had eaten most of them.

"One month," she remarked loftily, rolling her shoulders and hearing a satisfying pop. "In one month, we make our way to Makai."

"Hmm," began Karasu, seated just to her left, "Do you suppose this team-" he did not seem to like the word, "-will truly do any good?"

"We can work as a unit," she shrugged. "I can't say, but don't you think it'll be worth the effort when we get to dance on the thousands of corpses?"

After a beat of silence, the crow agreed. "Perhaps... I suppose we will be split up?"

"Yes. It would make a greater difference for all of us to come at different angles on Yomi's army, but I'm still planning the dramatic unveiling," she grinned excitedly. What once had been worry and fear had now turned into a morbid kind of arousal for this war. The change had been welcomed, though unnerving at best.

"And these teams... Who will they be?" Karasu quirked a brow and Kotone glanced up at him. The mask was still irritating, but she tried to ignore it.

"Well, Yuji and Genkai have been figuring that out. So far, it looks like Jin and Touya as one unit, then Raizen and Toguro. Genkai will probably be with Suzuka, since the idiot isn't that great when it comes to fighting. That just leaves Kuronue, me, you, and Yuji, but the teams haven't really been set in stone." She leaned back on her elbows, letting the refreshing breeze wash over her. Her fingers went to the necklace at her throat, fiddling with it idly.

Oh, the gift Jin had painstakingly wasted so much precious time over? A damn locket that had some strange insignia on it and would not open, no matter how much force was applied. Apparently it was a relic of her mother's, who she really could not remember, but the mere thought that Jin had gone through all that trouble over a trinket was maddening. Instead of berating him about it, she had simply tried to play it off with forced excitement. She had failed, but it was the thought that counted... She had taken to wearing it to placate the wind demon.

"I believe our powers would be best suited on a team." Karasu crafted a bomb from thin air, holding it up for her to see. She was careful not to get too close, if only because those damn things hurt when after you.

"Oh, and why is that?" It was her turn to raise a brow. "I would think Kuronue and I, considering we can come by air."

"Ah, but where my bombs are fast and I am faster, your winds could carry them swifter still." His logic was spot-on and she actually found herself considering it.

"You might just be right." Though she hated to admit it, she favored the crow demon. He still constantly reveled in her irritation, often staring to provoke a rage, but his advances were not as profound as before. Though, his fascination with her blood was starting to unravel the female. Apparently it tasted 'just right', whatever that meant. "We'll see when the time comes. For now, just worry about training."

"As you wish," he mumbled, running a gloved hand through his long hair.

"Oi, Ko!" Jin happily burst from the bushes just as Kuronue and Touya appeared, carting a mound of fish that would surely dwarf the wind demoness. "Done trainin' for now, I am. Stomachs been rumblin' an' complain' since dawn, yup!"

"Idiot," Raizen sneered, but the jest behind it could be heard. He took his own seat on one of the fallen trees they had dragged over for seats. "I don't want mine cooked."

"Of course." Touya hacked one of the gargantuan sea creatures in half, throwing one of them to the former king.

It was then that Toguro, Genkai, and Yuji emerged from the nearby valley, the male psychic blissfully silent while the other two spoke in rapid tones. They were still discussing tactics, which Kotone had dropped out of last week. All of their ideas were much too complicated for her preferred tastes, so it had been deemed they would do all the planning.

"Wait for me. The Beautiful Suzuka must eat as well!" Obviously, Suzuka had ceased in his tiresome work for the day and joined the amassing crowd around the fire.

Soon enough, the fish had been cooked and passed around, each hungrily devouring it. Yuji had handed out flasks of water before taking a seat next to Jin, who had sandwiched Kotone between himself and the crow demon.

Light conversation was made, sometimes between just a few parties and more often as a group, discussing old battle tales and memories.

Kotone looked on, silent as she smiled to herself. The mass of misfit, undead entities had become something akin to a family now. Though they squabbled and fought with ferocity unheard of, they still took care of one another. Whether it was because they were forced to or secretly wanted to was unknown, but nonetheless, it mattered to her.

They had been through quite a bit as a unit, and though many would not understand the hell she went through to bring these six undead souls back, she did not regret it. She had never expected to meet any of the unfamiliar faces, but was thankful for it.

Toguro, though he did not speak often, had become a powerhouse as a psychic instead of a demon. The few times Kotone had him as a teammate in training, he had been a team player and protected her as she did him. Though he was the last on her list of 'best bonding' adventures, he certainly held a place.

Kuronue had become a close companion, a friend even, to her. He had been the first she resurrected and had taken on the duty as her second without a warring thought. His loyalty was now necessary to her, and Kotone secretly prayed he would not fade away when this war ended.

Raizen, a close runner to last in her bonding time, might have been a rough contender, but he did care for his family, even if he had not met part of them. The few questions directed at her had been asked when they were alone, but most had been solely focused on his grandchildren and Yusuke's mate. She could tell he cared for them then, but did not dare mention it to the others. Because of these secrets, they had grown closer, if only slightly.

Karasu had been the biggest surprise to her. Though he was an obsessive freak in his own way, she had grown rather fond of sharing time with him. At first, they had worked pathetically together against the others, but before she even realized it, their teamwork had become something akin to legendary. Yes, she shared a similar bond with Kuronue, but considering how she had been so nullified to the idea of Karasu, it had come as a shock to her. Most of her time was divvied between him, Genkai, Kuronue, and Yuji out of the undead parties.

Yuji had fallen into sync with her almost immediately. It was as if the last century had never happened and they had always been side by side, one unit and a family. He still loved her, but had already established he wanted nothing of her any longer. His previous madness of a former life had been substituted for undying loyalty and she appreciated him now more than ever. He had become her rock.

Genkai, as expected, was just as brash and brutish as she was when she was old and decrepit. She joked with Kotone and berated her when she did something wrong or did not understand her, but it was not in ill-favor. Her sense of humor had certainly torn away part of the wind demoness' burden.

Suzuka, Jin, and Touya, despite knowing they were free to leave and return to Makai whenever they pleased, had stayed to assist the rag-tag team. Jin and Touya were working as a unit with the group now, having their own Youki Cuffs in place as well, and the aid had been helpful in more ways than one. Suzuka, though mouthy as always, hardly took breaks in his efforts to make them unstoppable by means of his gadgets. He had earned Kotone's utmost respect, if he cared for it at all.

"Ya don't touch me food, lad!" Jin broke Kotone's silent reverie when Kuronue daringly stole a filet from his plate, scarfing it down before the Windmaster could steal it back. In retaliation, a bone had been shoved down the bat's throat.

Gagging and growling, though not in serious danger of suffocation, the entire group had broken out into raucous laughter of varied degrees. From doubling over, rolling on the ground, and quiet chuckling, the group shared a moment.

And Kotone beamed, even though her stomach hurt from the violent laughter.

Next in 'Revelation, Defamation':
The Ice Maidens were the next targets on the to-do list. Hopefully they would be less difficult than the Fire Clan, all things considered. While the children attempt to recruit, Kotone continued training and strategizing ruthlessly, diligently... It was almost their time to shine, but could they handle it? Could the war work in their favor now that the undead were involved?