Identity quest 13; Making angels weep.


The inside of the sky-tower was not what would expect from such a mundane looking building. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all covered with stone veins, some glowing red as ether flowed trough theme, making a hollow sound and staining the air red.

Krishna-Kripa could feel the energy flowing up and down, and the smell…

"Makes you hungry, huh?" Hoshi intimated to his friend, standing as close to Kripa without appearing to close.

"No...not really." The boss, out of desperation had once given his adopted son some reds, hopping it would feed him and keep him strong. He knew Nanashi was not human, so logically, if demons would eat it…

It had made Kripa very, very sick…

"Dang, I don't know who designed the place, but I wouldn't hire the guy for my own crib, that's for sure." Radha wrinkle her nose as she poked a very human looking statues.

Mukhara, for her part kept floating, not even bothering with trying to walk on the uneven surface. "Let us not dawdle here more then necessary."

"Eh! A woman after my own heart." Abe smirked.

"Ew...gross! I'm like, so not into tentacles right now." The lilim complained with a wrinkling of her nose. "I'm like, not staying out there. Abe, If you want to service...call me when were out of Ch'tulu's fun house." The lilim returned to Abe's phone, followed by the other lust-eater.

"What's up with Medusa's museum, It's like...d'you remember this one incident were all the important youkai and god got turned into stone by this Cockatrice in looking for fame and adoration?" The hell cat asked the heavenly prince.

"No..." she answered back.

Abe walked beside the hovering Mukhara, a nasty smirked on his face. "It ain't no cockatrice kitty, your first guess hit the nail right on the head ."

Mukhara moved away, to Kripa's great relief.

"So...The rumors were true, Flynn really did kill the snake bitch." Nozomi drawled as she looked around the place, taking plenty of picture. "Let me guess, those ain't some mere statues." She peered at the stoned form of a man, his face frozen in pure terror. "Love the uncanny effect...not how she sourced her material."

"Me neither." The place felt like a crypt… 'I feel so filthy...'

"The stuff we want's up in the excavation workers quarter up in the bedrock." Abe spoke as he quickly made his way to the stair well. "Let's go."

and thus they climbed...well, Mukhara and Radha shamelessly floating up, and Kripa…

went up the stairs by foot.

It was slow, but with the kitchary he had eaten and the rest and the growth light, he now had more stamina then what he knew what to do with it. Beside, even if he could fly up, his acrophobia anchored him to the ground.

"So...what were you...telling me about...meeting God?" Hoshi huffed as he tried not to show how tired he was by the hike.

A few expletive ran around Krishna-Kripa head...right, he and his big mouth.

"Listen...when I meant god, I just meant one random Hindu god like...you know...Ganesha...Shiva..."

Hoshi raised a brow. "whoa, really? Who was it then?"

More expletive ran around, now even more imaginative.

"Hari..." Right, Krishna had thousand and millions of names. 'Sorry Krish...but until were out of Abe's ear shot, I'll have to reduce you to the level of a mere demi-god.' He genuinely felt bad.

Krishna was the supreme personality of Godhead…Who else could've given the youth memories of his previous memories?

'I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas….Bhagavat-Gita, Chapter fifteen. verse fifteen.'

"Alright...why did you met Hari?" Hoshi asked, slightly out of breath.

"Oh, I got my heart ripped out by a mesopotamien ass-peacock demon by the name of Adramelech." Kripa Flippantly explained…"I met him in his home planet, Goloka-Vrindavana."

He missed Vrindavana...and his first meeting with Krishna had been disastrous. 'Save my sister!' Oh my Lord, I was so stupid! I should've for you service..." He berated himself...he had asked for some broken rice to the Master of the universe. "Anyway...K...Hari...I met one of his servant earlier and...well, that servant brought me to this God's abode, I met him and..." Krishna-Kripa sighed.

"He...He knew me...he knew me from before, when I was..."

"Akira?"

"No, Aigis."

"Ah...Doesn't ring any bells."

'good.' Kripa thought with great relief as he continued his ascent, sometime shooting the demon's barricade, other time, listening to Abe bitching abut that one broken elevator and who the hell would make a building so tall with only one working elevator...a broke elevator…

Oblivious, the Boss of the Asura-Kai was out of shape...or Kripa had more stamina then expected.

"So...Harry...what, he revived you?" Hoshi asked as he pulled himself up. "Why…not that I want you to stay dead or anything."

Kripa remained silent...his heart quailing under his ribs…

Krishna had said it was because he needed him to perform a task. But Kripa knew better…

'I miss you...'

"Hari...listen, it's a bit...It's..." He stuttered as he tried not to trip on the irregular ground.

"Dude...Your face's all red." The nephilim remarked. "Completely understandable you know, I told you you were one fine piece of-"

"Kripa!" Mukhara interrupted. "I can hear a powerful entity...a huge bird on the floor above us, the creature may engage us." She warned, catching her son's glance.

She was worried...but not about the bird.

"Alright Mom...thank for the heads up." Krishna-Kripa moved away from Hoshi...he may be an old friend but...he could fell something had changed between them.

He moved closer to his mother and aunt, their presence reassuring. In his back, he could feel Hoshi's gaze.

'After we get the Radar, I need to speak to him.'

eventually, they could not climb further, the fire-escape well was filled with debris and the same oversized veins.

"Welp...I could...nah, I ain't crawling trough there cat mode. Not with what I'm smelling." Radha drawled out as she moved away from a possible entry point.

"What's the matter kitten, get in there and find the-"

"No can do Abe." Radha crossed her arms over her breast. "Yah may be the Boss of the Kai's. But yah ain't my Boss."

"Hey! I'm the Boss here Bitch." Abe barked. "You'll do what I say or-"

"Or what?" The hell cat nonchalantly flipped her tail. "You ain't no boss of me, and I don't wanna get the risk of getting turn into stone with no one around." She explain with a shrugged. "One thin ya have to learn Abe, yah need to know who to maintain yer subordinate better, good henchmen are hard to get by."

The New Boss of the Asura-Kai grit his teeth.

"I do approve of your decision Radha." Mukhara spoke up. "Splitting up a recipe for disaster."

Krishna-Kripa smirked, His mom was smarter then the average Yakuza and horror movie protagonist.

"Now, let us see if we can go around this obstacle...as a group." she emphasized as she walked to the exit. "Be warn tough...I do believe a battle is behind this door." Mukhara smirked as she exited the dark and stuffy stairwell.

When they walked out, Kripa's breath caught in his throat. The room was huge and in shamble, half the ceiling had collapsed and the huge window that gave to the urban scene of underground Tokyo met his eyes.

His legs locked...he was so high!

Kripa held the wall as vertigo robbed him of all faculties...his heart pounded, sweat covered his body and a infernal buzzing covered his ear.

He didn't care about how he looked, not even with Hoshi around. Krishna-Kripa and height were as compatible as the two same pole on a magnet.

He heard the swishing of cloth, and soon enough, his mother's arms surrounded him, shielding her son from his phobia.

He clutched her dress...losing all ability to function as irrational fear took over.

He hated height...he'd rather die then...then...then…

He wanted Krishna...He had been there when he'd fell the first time…

"Beta...It's me, mama's here..." Mukhara whispered. " Hari Haraye nama..." He felt his mother bit her tongue.

Right, they were not among Vaishnava's anymore...meaning Kripa could not call out to his Krishna. the very real treath of simply be close to the lord would net them a few bullets in the head and heart.

it was sobering, and it was what Kripa Needed to start breaking out of his fear-loop.

"Be patient Beta...It's be over soon." She once again whispered over his head. And Kripa felt shame burning his face.

'yeah...I need to stop acting like the faggot I am and get going.' He gritted his teeth and tried to get up, trying to power trough the horrendous feeling of the floor falling from under his feet.

He hated Height...He could not handle it. But Kripa also knew that the longer he let his Acrophobia control him the longer it would take for the whole ordeal to end.

His mother helped him, and soon enough, he was back to his feet.

"feh..." Abe gave a nasty smirk.

Mukhara shoot him a piercing glance. "Say anything, 'Abe', about my son. And I will rain devastation upon and your family. There's no try for me, and no...even your power can't compare to a furious mother." She spoke in a velvety tone that held steel. "Now...everyone, get ready...we have a bird gate-crashing in three."

Radha smirked as she liked her chops, looking as demoniac as one could expect a Kasha to look like. Nozomi called out her team and Abe pushed Hallelujah forward. Telling Hoshi to be useful for once.

Hackle raised, Kripa swore he would try to get Hoshi out of the Kai's slimy grip. hopefully

"Two!"

Krishna-Krpa send a prayer to the lord that his fear may be taken away as he unhooked his shovel. He had no idea if the incoming Demon had any weakness, but he chose the obsidian since it seemed to affect everything equally.

And as his mother had predicted, a huge bird like creature broke trough whatever glass windows remained, screeching at the party.

'This gonna be fun.'


'Huh...that was not as bad as I tough!' Krishna-Kripa tough as he sat as far away from the broken window. The fight had been brutal and quick, Radha, being a creature of old hell, had decimated the bird.

No..it was not a real bird, the Hermit of the group had assured him. But a good imitation of one.

"Man...I feel so useless." Hoshi groused from beside Kripa, his hand brushing against his. "Sorry I couldn't do much."

"it's alright." Kripa assured, wondering if he should keep his hand here of remove it. He didn't want to give Hoshi hope...but he also didn't want his friend to grow disheartened.

"Dude...you fought that Rukh with a shovel. I've never seen anyone fight with a shovel before."

"And how about Shovel-ninja?"

"It's shovel-knight Nana." Hoshi grinned widely.

"Oh yeah!" Krishna-Kripa grinned back. Even with how awkward he felt around his old flame, he still missed having another guy around.

"Also...how did you managed to shot darkness?" Hoshi asked as he leaned back to pear at Kripa's shovel.

"I just...you know, chose an obsidian and shoot." He shrugged. Knowing he was safe with his mother and Aunt around. Nozomi and her team also. "I didn't really do much."

"Yah still contributed tot he skirmish, Kripa." Radha purred as she bounded over, a very satisfied smile on her lips. "Yer a good shot!"

"I try...My t..." His eyes spontaneously filled with tears. "My old teacher, Nikkari's the one who drilled in my thick skull how to aim..." SO many hours in the shooting range and hunting in the park…

He felt Hoshi put a hand on his aching shoulder. "Hey...It's alright. I'm sure he's proud of you." The nephilim whispered to Kripa.

"Are they?" He didn't feel like it...how would his teacher react if they were to learn that Kripa had served God in his previous life, and was still serving Him now?

Radha sat to his left, and, after wiping her hands of the Rukh's blood, gently put her claws on his shoulder. "Kitten...They ain't suffering, and I didn't their ghost anywhere in the park." she revealed...and Kripa squeezed his eyes shut…

'They will be reborn in a year's time.' Krishna...Sri-Krishna's love filled words rang in his mind as he tried and failed to contain his tears. their sudden death still too fresh in his mind.

And yet...the pain was not as bad as he had feared. for he knew that those souls were not gone for good.

It was just a see you later...not a goodbye forever.

After the grief came and went, The small group finally made their way to the worker's rest area.

It was dank, damp, musty...he hated the place…

"Alright you slacker." Abe single the mourning boy from the rest. "You slowed me down, so you go look for the radar part while I speak to you mom." He practically shoved the two youth in with Nozomi. Then he addressed the ancient prince of Japan. "Hey you! I need to-"

"You didn't need to take my son and Nozomi as hosta-" Abe slammed the door shut, the only light coming from Nozomi and Kripa's phone were the only way they could see.

Not that Kripa and Hoshi needed any...since none of them were humans.

The smell of the worker's rest area was...rancid and claustrophobic, thankfully, as long as he had solid ground under his feet, Kripa's acrophobia would not get the best of him.

"...Alright then." Hoshi broke the silence. "Now what?"

"Well obliviously, we go and look for the piece we need." Nozomi spoke as she went at the other side of the room, looking for… "wait...what's the thing were supposed to look for again?"

"This." Kripa showed the blueprint of the thing. To his eyes, it looked like yet another piece of technological garbage.

Nozomi gave her tanks and began rummaging in the moulded clutter the worker had left before evacuating the premise.

With nothing better to do, Kripa did the same, thanking his Krishna that He had provided gloves.

'Thank you Krishna...I ow you another one.' Really, if this kept on going, Kripa may have to take over the universe to Repay God.

"I only need the love you have in your heart." He heard his Krishna speak.

'Too bad my heart's a piece of dry rock.'

"Hah! My dear, if your heart was as dry as you think, they your eyes would not shed tears for me."

"Who said those were tears for you." Krishna-Kripa whispered sadly as he rummaged trough yet another box of assorted crap, the dust and spore causing his eyes to water.

"For who?" Hoshi asked as he stood a bit too close to the plant like being, making his scream in surprise.

"Oh Krishna! Don't scare me like that Hosh." He huffed as he clutch his heart.

And then he realized his mistake...and he could just feel the lord of his heart give a triumphant smirk…

Right, he now had to tell the truth of his willing servitor ship to The Absolute Truth.

He turned around, Nozomi's eyes were comically wide behind her neon green glass, her hand already over the pocket were she kept a small 'in case of' knife and small handgun.

But to be very honest, Hoshi face was even more Hilarious.

No...it was not funny, he looked betrayed.

"Nanashi...Creeper..." he butchered his name. "Why did you...why did you called out Krishna's name?"

One...Krishna-Kripa could deny his sacred connection with the Lord and tolerate Hoshi's constant prying into why he had called Tokyo's most hated deity and a thousand other thing or…

He could be truthful…

'What would Krishna and Guru want…?' He wondered...and then, he made his decision.

"Yeah so...Hari's other name is Krishna." He heard Hoshi gasp, "But He got like, no relationship with our brown problem." He took a chance to peer at his...friend from the far side of his eyes.

He still look as if he was about to have a conniption.

"Yo, Nana...What if...what if this Hari lied and he was...like, our problem twink."

Behind Hoshi, Nozomi covered her mouth.

"Nah" Kripa abandoned the half rotten box of random stuff and leaned on the sturdy desk, crossing his arms nonchalantly, hiding how anxious he was at the moment. " My Krishna and the other one, they may share their names but, not much beyond that." he smirked.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. My Krishna's not brown, he's as blue as a sapphire,He's bare footed and would never be caught dead wearing leather boots " he spat. " He loves his cows like his mother, and who in their right mind would wear his murdered mother skin as ugly foot covering."

No, Krishna's feet were made to be bare...for who in their right mind would want to cover those two blue and red lotuses with...urgh, he could not even bear to imagine it.

"Really?" Hoshi asked as he moved closer to his plant-like companion.

"Hmm-mm." Kripa nodded as he closed his eyes, he could still feel Krishna's feet in his hands, it was as if he was holding them at the moment. "the real Krishna's an ocean of sweetness, He's like..." He sighed as he leaned back. "He's so caring Hosh...like, He not only revived me, but he gave me new clots, He fed me, listened to me...He...He even protected me from Being impaled by a branch." He squeezed his eyes shut, remembering the order of his mother.

Yes...he had some vague feelings for Krishna. But he had to hide it...Especially in front of Hoshi.

"Were is he now?" The Nephilim asked as he plopped himself beside Krishna-Kripa.

"He's back home...In Goloka-Vrindavana." He willed his voice not to choke and his tears not to fall. "It's...the spiritual world. Way beyond heaven, it's the actual...It's were..."

"It's the real Kingdom of God, And this is were Sri-Krishna eternally lives with his mother, father and friends, herding cows and playing His flute for the pleasure of his Devotee."

He could feel Hoshi's sharp blue eyes staring at him.

"Are you telling me He's a servant of God?!" Hoshi yelped.

This caused Kripa to burst into laughter. "No...Krishna's not the servant of anyone." He paused, letting Hoshi mulled over what he's just said.

"Obliviously." Spoke Nozomi from her end of the room, reminding the two boys of her presence.

Hoshi...who was a bit closer then normal social norm would call normal, scooted a bit further. "What do you mean, obliviously?" He asked a bit harshly.

"Alright...let me-" But before Krishna-Kripa even had the time to start to explain who his Krishna was, they heard a terrible commotion outside. Rahda's demoniac yowling shook them all to the core.

"The hell?" Hoshi exclaimed as he held onto Kripa for dear life. Obliviously spooked by the hellish sound.

"Oh yeah...That's Radha-Shyamasundara. And yeah, she's from there alright." and she didn't sound that happy. Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate.

It was his mother.

Hare Krishna Beta, We're dealing with a fallen angel right now.

An explosion was heard outside.

"Don't worry, we can handle it, by the way, it's time to break the mould a bit, and I made a friend with a beautiful Nagini.

Love, Mukhara.

"Guse Kanon!" Krishna-Kripa heard his mother bellow. And the crack under the door lit up with coloured light.

"Ah! Try as you might, false saint, But you petty candle light cannot destroy- "

"Spleen eater!" Radha-Shyamasundara declared, and the...demon, probably a high ranking angel, scream in sheer pain.

'Obliviously, he's weak to dark spell...totally an angel.' One of the guards perhaps?

"Oh Worshiper of God," he spat, he sounded pretty close to death. " you have been led astray. Just give up your useless worship of the black idol!" there was a crash and a demoness yelped. "You, the hell cat! You don't belong with them, you's place is at the right side of Lucifer! Right on his-" A hellish hiss could be heard, it sounded nothing like what a devotee of Krishna should sound like.

More then a bit scared, Hoshi held Krishna-Kripa close to him, and Kripa followed suit.

"Alright Kids, you stay back." Nozomi spoke with undeniable authority as she headed towards the door. But before she could even touch the knob, Mukhara gave a very garbled war cry...

There was another flash of light...then nothing. Not even a pebble could be heard.

and then the door knob rattled, and Mukhara, dirtied, singe in a few places but as serene as ever, floated in. "I'm sorry, it took longer then expected." she apologized. Behind her, Radha slunk in, her mouth bloodied, grumbling about perverts and how she didn't want to serve a demons if he wasn't name Prahlad, Bali or Vibishana...she was a servant of God, and God didn't have a cat girl fetish, thank you very much.

'Krishna...What type do you like?' Kripa idly wondered as he tried to gently loosen Hoshi's grip.

"Radha...you know, you didn't have to attack him." Mukhara scolded the hell cat as she was about to sit on the mouldy bed, but smelling and seeing the state of the sheet and mattress, she thought better of it.

The hell cat growled, her eyes still a pair of angry stars. "Dude was pulling my tail's...and this lady spirit told me the guy was planning to use..."

Mukhara grumbled something about how this may be a bit too much for the admin of this world.

"Sorry Mukhi-Chan," The Kasha's ear sadly flattened on her head.

"No, What's done is done...the outcome would've been the same anyway." Mukhara spoke sadly...and yet, it was clear she was surrendered to this fact. "He would not take no for an answer..."

"Mom...what happened? What are you talking about?" Krishna-Kripa asked, finally managing to get out of Hoshi's grip.

Mukhara looked at her son, and her son's old friend. Kripa knew she was listening to their inner desire's, scanning them, for lack of better words. Mukhara sighed.

"Hoshi-Prabhu, if you don't mind the mould...please sit down." She addressed the nephilim.

"No...It's...you don't need to explain." He spoke sadly. "You...You killed him." She stated as he balled his fist hard enough to turn his knuckles white. "You Killed Abe...You killed my Bro."

"I did..." Mukhara admitted.

"Wait." Krishna-Kripa went in between the fuming Hoshi and his mother, the last thing he wanted would be for his only guy friend. "Hoshi, Listen!" He called to his friend. "Mom didn't want to kill him, but Abe gave her no choice!"

"Yeah, her words over that of Abe." Hoshi spoke hoarsely. "You killed him-"

"Like he wanted to kill you." Mukhara revealed. "Hallelujah, Abe only saw you as a tool, nothing more."

"I know that!" Hoshi snapped, his eyes taking a ruddy sheen. "But...But now the Asura-kai's have no head again! What will happen to them, to me?" He pressed a hand to his chest, his anger now receding to show his fear. "I'm...I'm practically a dead man!"

"No.." Mukhara declared, her steady gaze never leaving Hoshi's. "I will take care of you...You don't need to follow me until the end of time, only until you reach legal age. I will maintain you, protect you and make sure you have the best education you can get before I let you out in the world."

"Best education, out in the world?" Hoshi asked, obliviously thinking what he was hearing to be complete and utter nonsense.

A compassionate smile lit Mukhara's lip, and as she opened them, yet another voice interrupted her.

"Excuse me," came the distorted voice of a female demon. "But...may I come in?" Medusa asked meekly…

Meekly.

"Holy shit!" Hoshi Whispered as he roughly shoved Krishna-Kripa toward the wall, almost crushing his friend's face in the wall.

"Hoshi! What the hell man?"

"Medusa!" the nephilim spoke as an answer.

The image of all those lapified body re-appeared in front Kripa's eyes…

"Yes, Of course Medusa, just make sure to keep your eyes shut...I'll make you some specialized glasses once were on ground level." Mukhara spoke gently

"T-Thank you Ma'am?...sir?"

"You may address me as either Mukhara Prabhuji or Mataji, it's up to you." Mukhara spoke graciously. "One mean respectable Master, the other one means respectable mother..." she explained.

"Umm...Oh...you had a son."

"Indeed...a glorious Son...a miracle."

"Mataji then..." Medusa spoke quietly.

"Right...now...Hoshi, can you please let go of my Son?" Mukhara pointedly ask the actual orphan of the room. Hoshi complied. "And you can move away from the wall, Medusa won't turn you to stone...not if she value her second lease on life.

They heard something slithered towards the bed...and the bed sheet being ripped. A few moment later…

"Alright pretties, I'm safe to gaze at." Medusa stated. "oh ewe...gross!"

"Huh...Will you be able to navigate with your eyes covered?" Mukhara asked.

"I'll managed..." She didn't sound so sure.

More then a little intrigued, Kripa moved out of Hoshi's arm and turned around...'Well, the room's gotten pretty small all of a sudden.' Indeed, there was Mukhara, Radha, Medusa, Nozomi, Hoshi and himself. This resulted in the stuffy room being even stuffier. 'I want out...I can't even breath properly.'

Medusa, who was thought to have met her end at Flynn's Katana was standing(?) there, here eyes covered with a piece of moldy fabric.

"So...I get that Abe was...err..." Kripa restart their previous conversation. not sure what to do else after the event.

"A 'fallen Angel' serving 'Lucifer' that happen to be a pimp and a pusher...killed a few peeps also." Radha-Shyamasundara growled. "The guy was a bit to interested in you Kattyucha."

Krishna-Kripa shuddered, he may have been sickly growing up, but he still managed to attract unwanted attention...just like his sister.

"Anyway...we found what we were looking for...let's just come back to cafe Florida and take whatever rest we can before the next chapter start." Mukhara stated as she headed to the door. "Come...Hoshi, stay with us at-least until the crisis is over."

they all agreed, even the Nephilim, albeit a bit reluctantly...and Krishna-Kripa added Medusa to his team of demons. Since it would be easier for her to be kept safe.

As for why she was listening to Mukhara and Radha meekly?

'I'm and artist, not a fighter, I know when to fold them.' She had said...in other words...someone in Kripa's Little Family had scared her straight.

Kripa just rolled with the hit...no use fighting a strong current.


In the tsukiji-Hongwangji, Flynn and by extension Navarre were being lead down one of the ever so confusing corridor by Dagda...they destination, unknown. Only that 'Krishna' wanted to speak with them…

It made the Samurai extremely worried. What was Ikutsuki planning now? What was happening outside? Was he deemed obsolete now?

Navarre had been gathering information as to how Tokyo was doing...and apparently, their was now another player, two woman, one was divine in nature, the other was a creature from the darkest pit of hell. Together...they had found Kripa, the sickly boy from Kinnshicho, and were now a fearsome trio.

Then Nozomi and an angel had come to the mix…

Their goal's were unknown, but they seemed to be helping Flynn and Fujiwara. One one of them, Mukhara seemed to be Kripa's mother.

Other wise, the entirety of Tokyo were shaken by his kidnapping, thankfully, no one had the slightest that he had expired, and was living on borrowed time.

Isabeau was safe...and she was the one leading Flynn's retrieval mission…

Dagda roughly shoved Flynn forward. "get yer ass into gear, Krishna doesn't like waiting."

The samurai didn't say a word and did what he was told, no use being rebellious in this situation.

Eventually, they came to a door that oozed tendrils of darkness, and once again, Flynn could not breath.

Thank Go...Thank the Lion God he was already dead.

The door slid open, revealing Odin. The Lord of Asgard glared at the samurai and the Celtic God. "Dagda...your early."

The skeleton grinned. "Me, early?" he chuckled. "Nah, Big guy here just pulled a fast one on yah."

The Odin looked tired. "Yes...of course...please come in. he's...waiting for you." He said stiffly, and Flynn began to feel pity for him. It was hard not too, after all he went trough.

The walked in the supernaturally dark room, it seemed more like an assembly hall, with an opulent seat at the back.

There, slumping on the plush chair was Nyarlatotep...Or Yuki.

He looked sick and tired, but the demon using his body hid this fact with a twisted smile.

"Ah! Flynn and Dagda, my two favorite...persons in the world." The thing greeted as he sat straighter, his clothing still immaculate despite the fact that those were the only thing he would wear. "A puppet and his..." he chuckled. "Master."

'Is this supposed to be a joke?' Flynn wondered, unsure as to what consist of humor for an eldritch abomination. As an answer, Navarre shrugged.

Oh, he could still speak, but the green ghost was very much aware that his presence was merely ignored...

'Krishna' crossed his legs and let his dead gaze fall unto Flynn...And Navarre. "So, I'm sure you are wondering why I convoke you here and not in our...what's the word...little cocoon."

The samurai of hope hid a shudder of disgust.

"You see Finn." he messed up his name again. "I was forewarned that...two unforeseen players have entered his little game, two new players that don't want to play by the rules" He gave a maddened grin. "Two powerful birds eating from our dungeon master's hand...are they against me? Will he use them?" He got up from the throne and began to pace the length and breath of the room "Will they let me have my freedom? Or will they be like a pair of bitches and hunt me down!" He suddenly turned his head to Flynn. "My friend, what's your opinion? What shall I do?"

"Ah!" Flynn managed to get out, the last thing he had expected was for Nyarlatotep to...ask for his opinion.

'I can always try a third option.' What did he had to lose anyway.

"Sir...maybe you could suren-" He mouth clamped shut, Dagda iron grip did not let his Godslayer speak more.

But...those few words were enough for Nyarlatotep to catch what he was saying. "Surrendering?" He scoffed. "Me? Surrendering to humans?" He barked in laughter, his whole body shaking. Tendrils of darkness dancing on his skin.

Finally, his gales ended as a wheeze, and Flynn knew he would have to work on Yuki later. 'poor Yuki...How long shall you suffer?' The samurai of hope could only pray that his suffering would not get drawn out for too long.

"Oy, Krishna." Dagda caught the demon's attention. "Yah may not want ta surrender to some mama's boys, but yah could...yah, now...try to strike a deal with em." The Celtic God spoke, his words gravely and oily at the same time.

Once again, 'Krishna' burst into laughter. "Oh really Dagda? Do you really think they would accept to even listen to me?!" He scoffed. "No forget about it." He slunk back to his makeshift throne and heavily sat upon it's cushion.

"They killed my Shesha...how am I supposed to give salvation without him?" He threw his hands in the air. Then he let his veiled eyes fall onto Flynn, and remained there for some time.

He kept looking at the Godslayer, calculating…

A wicked smile light his lips, and Flynn could feel the proverbial sword to his neck.

"Finny~" The abomination purred. "Do you mind doing me a little favour?"

"Do I have a choice?" The Godslayer asked. "can we negotiate?"

"No, and no." 'Krishna answered without changing his smile. "My Shesha almost got killed by...a hellish creature, a Cat." He explained. " And now...I cannot give salvation to my surrender souls." he opened his palms and shook his head. "It's quite unfortunate really...I supposed." he smiled wickedly, and Flynn braced himself for the terrible pun.

"A black cat ate my Canary!" Ikutsuki burst into laughter and both master and thrall cringed.

"But...why can't Dagda-"

"Dagda can only revive what once was dead...within reason." 'Krishna Flippantly explained. "As we speak, Shesha is barely clinging to life." Flynn could hear the smirk...and he just knew what would be the Abomination's next line.

'Krishna' Looked at the samurai with clear disappointment. "Finn, my friend...Don't you get it?" he grinned widely.

"How can a snake cling to life is he has no hands?" The samurai of hope intone in the most dead an deadpan way as he humanly could…

he hated himself for that...'Prahlad was right, much suffering is in my future." Flynn chanced a glance toward Dagda and Navarre while their...host burst into uproarious laughter.

Dagda's body was rigid but there was a glint in his eyes and Navarre…

He looked pale and even more ghostly.

'Now I know who had the better taste in humor.' Flynn tough as he returned his attention to the one using Yuki's frail body.

He had slumped in the chair, holding his gust. "Ah Finny...A-ah! Oh...I can't remember the last time I laughed so much." Nyarly sighed. "Anyhow, Shesha's in the 'secret' basement of this temple, just follow the smell of burning Samagri, incense and flesh, he's not hard to find."

Clearly dismissed, Dagda, Navarre and Flynn managed to find the hidden entrance, and sure enough, finding the dying Shesha was even easier; they just needed to follow the smoke.

Flynn managed to locate the hulking beast, now mortally wounded by what seemed to be a feline of unusual size...Shesha, as Nyarlatotep had said, was in the biggest room in the secret underground passage of the Tsukiji...but entering said room felt more like entering another realm entirely. Flynn wished he had the vocabulary and the intelligence to describe the room, but the only way he could describe it as big enough to hold the dying Hindu god.

The 'divine' serpent was now but smoldering ashes, many of it's hoods were gone, only three remained. His breathing was laborious and his life blood flowed from his numerous wounds.

"What in the world could have done this to him." Flynn whispered as he assessed the damage. One thing was for sure, were he to succeed in healing the beast, a full night would be needed. And plenty of Chakra Pot.

"Twas a cat..." Dagda spoke from a corner of the room. "A black n' red flying feline glowin' like coal."

"were you there?" Flynn asked as he tried to figure out were to start. Healing Yuki was easy, for he was quite scrawny and his wounds were merely cell deep, he had not gaping maws of flesh marring his frail body.

Shesha, on the other hands…

"'Course I was there Boy, Shesha need's a handler to herd him, can't have 'im destroy more then what we want gone." Dagda drawled as he leaned on the far wall. "Fer some reason, Krishna still want's Tokyo standing...not that it matters in the end."

"why so?" Flynn prodded as he began to heal the worst of the wounds, hoping her would have enough magic to do so...since he knew Yuki's state would be rather poor.

Dagda didn't speak.

Flynn turned back his attention back towards the divine beast...and meditated on what he had heard.

"Nyarlatotep is the source of the white." The Godslayer said conversationally. "Their goal was the complete annihilation of the universe..." he swallowed thickly. "That's… 'Krishna's' Salvation...isn't it?"

"Ai...That's what old Nyarly told yah, didn't he?" Dagda drawled. "This world...this universe is a steaming pile garbage left in the sun for to long...and YhVh's the prat who keeps piling us with crap...only because he wants humans faith."

"So that he may remain the only worshipable God." This felt wrong to the Godslayer… The words of Prahlad still fresh in his mind.

"Dagda?" He ventured again. "What if...What if YhVh was not God...but another one was?"

Dagda scoffed. "It would make no difference boy...I've lived long enough to see history repeat itself one time too many." He ran a metallic claw trough his bloody red mane. "I just want to end...just let me return to being one with everything. Let this whole farce of a universe dissolve and return to zero..."

"But how about you daughter?"

Once again, Dagda scoffed. "Mother, daughter, land...It's all an illusion boy. It's here one moment, gone the next."

Flynn opened his mouth in protest.

"This universe is just one big torture device...and I'm breaking everyone out o' it, whether they like it or not." And with that, Dagda closed the subject. "You'll be pretty busy for the next hour or so...I'll let you be. don't try anything stupid please." And with that, Dagda was gone. Leaving Flynn and Navarre alone with the dying Shesha.

With the dark presence gone, Navarre came out of hiding. "...What a terrible way to see the universe." He intoned. "It's...it's not all bad and...eh..." His face fell. "Oh...I can see that he is right, but I the same time, the idea of losing my magnificent self is..." he sighed. "Flynn...why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

"...I..." the Godslayer rubbed his face...this was too much for him. And he doubted Dagda would be willing to negotiate. Instead, he returned his attention to Shesha...hoping he would have enough magic to restore Yuki's body once the great snake was in less of a rough shape.

And thus he channelled his magic in his hands and healed away...loosing track of time.

He would sometime speak to Navarre...and sometime to Shesha. Sure, the beast was intimidating and the end of everything but...Flynn never liked silence.

Weather it was Issachar's telling him tall-tale about the fishes that lurked in the dept of the deepest lake in Mikado, to shooting the wind with Walter to learning about what it was like to be a luxuror with Jonathan...Flynn's ears were never empty.

Navarre was...and OK choice. But really, he longed for the kind words of his friend and family…

"Flynn?" He heard the ghost. "You look...troubled." Navarre spoke surprisingly kindly. "Care to share?"

Flynn sighed and once again turned his attention back to Navarre. His head felt like an explosion and he could definitively feel the drain restoring Shesha had on him. The beast looked better, and his breathing had improved...and his hollowed eye-holes never left Navarre and Flynn.

Unfortunately, most of his heads would never come back...not before long anyway.

He sighed...and opened up to the ghost of his bully.

"I...I lost everything..." He spoke as he leaned his back onto Shesha cool body. "Navarre...you...when you became a Samurai, you didn't-"

"Flynn...let me stop you right there..." Navarre interrupted...and then sighed. "No, you are right. The only thing I lost that day were the last few shreds of human decency I had...You...You made friend with your fellows. I rejected mine, thinking they would slow me down." he shamefully admitted.

"I never thought you could feel anything but madness and pride, Navarre." Flynn spoke with a weak grin.

"Once again, Fujiwara took a broken, spoiled brat in...and rebuild him as close to a man he could." The green ghost sighed, 'settling himself beside the tired Godslayer. "But enough about my Pity party...you...It's all about you now..." Navarre managed to grit out of his teeth.

Flynn settled his head back onto Shesha's side, the divine serpent seemingly coiling himself around the two less-then-living youht.

At that point...Flynn didn't care if he would be crushed to death…

"You know Jonathan and Walter?" Flynn asked.

"How could I not? I knew Jonathan when we were both Altar boy for our parish. And Walter embodied all that made Casulary...err..."

"It's alright..." Flynn spoke gently, Shesha's half-chewed tail resting on his lap. Thankfully extinguished. "I...Just like there are exemplary and despicable Luxuror, the same applies to the Casularies. Walter...was the lather."

"That bad?"

"Not at first… Walter I and Jonathan were rather close. They became my new Family...same as Isabeau." he closed his eyes.

"Where are they now?"

"Hell and heaven." Flynn informed his ghostly friend as he absentmindedly healed and petted the serpents tail. "Walter fused with a girl by the name of Hikaru, becoming Lucifer's left arms, and Jonathan chose the side of the angels, taking the role of the Lord's chariots."

He could just feel Navarre's incredulous stare on him. And this stare turned to horror.

"No...no it...it can't be...Jonathan...Was the most vocal about how unfair the angels would treat the Casulary...a- and..." He floated away. "You...your quest to free Tokyo from Lucifer and Merkebah..."

"Is really me killing my last two friends..." Flynn spoke quietly as he held the end of Shesha's tail. He scoffed. "First was Issachar...and now them. Who else will it be now? Isabeau? The rest of Tokyo." He began to laugh...or maybe it was a sob? "No...I...I am tasked to maintain the holder of the apocalypse so that the universe may be destroyed..." he sobbed…

"All this suffering...all I did...It meant nothing." He held the great serpant's tail closer. "The children of reverse hill...the ring of Gaea...Mikado...My mother...father...what are they thinking now?" he raised his head. "they knew I was a chosen one! They had friends in Mikado..." he bit his lips, trying to get his emotion back under control. "And Issachar...my Brother in all but blood!" he sobbed. "This whole farce...Lilith...this god damned temptress took everything from me...from everyone!" he shouted. " YhVh will pay for this! His Goddamned game...He can shove it up his ass far and choke on it!"The salty cursed echoed in the room...as where the sobs of a broken man...

no...he would rarely get overwhelmed, knowing that foolish decisions often happened when disturbed by the movement of the heart...but now?

He wanted to scream, to shout...to fall to the ground and rip of this so called holy cloth of a samurai. Let his title as the Samurai of hope burn and dissolve like the mockery it was.

He was hopeless… the hope he had carried had revealed itself to be but a potent poison dulling the mind to the rality of their situation…

Flynn folded his palms...and began praying to the Lord of Prahlad.

He could find not a single words, but pleading for help…

and he prayed...and prayed...and prayed more…

Suddenly, he heard Navarre gasp along with a very bony 'pop'. Opening his eyes, Dagda's Godslayer came face to face with Shesha's main hood, the serpent now strong enough to move. And, from the lack of green luxuror screaming in fear at the fearsome sight, it was abundantly clear what the divine serpent had done.

'Oh no...Oh God, WHY!?'

And then...as an answer, Shesha began to glow and change just as Flynn's Demons would once their strength had sufficiently grown.

His body began to morph, to Flynn's unending horror. Two of his neck stump turned into hands, his whole body covered itself in green scales, the 'petals' around his skeletal head reseeded and he gained a 'proper' snake head...covered with dozen's upon dozens of flashing eyes.

The transformation done, the divine serpent reached for Flynn, now held in place by it's tail.

"F...Flynn..." The beast uttered as a harsh whispered that filled the room. It weakly slid his new hand towards the samurai. "Flynn...Flynn..." It...he kept repeating, no animosity could be detected, no hunger, nothing but this feeling that…

That Shesha knew him...The snake somehow knew him…

Flynn had no idea if he should be more afraid of the implication of not.

Then the divine beast took Flynn in his hand...and brought him to his beating heart. His movement slow and gentle.

"Flynn...I...Issachar..."The serpent uttered, holding onto the Godlsayer. "I...Am...Issachar..."

"I...Isa.." 'No...No...It can't...' Flynn denied, unable to form words...finally, he managed to voice out his disbelief...only to have Shesha...sing.

Well, more like a low hum. But it was enough to convey the Lullaby their mother would sing...learned from he own mother.

It was a well known song...but the people of Kinshigigiorgi had their own tune for it…

Flynn didn't want to believe...he didn't want to believe it...it couldn't be.

Issachar...His blades had pierced his flesh, his guts spilling onto the scorched ground of their home vilage, now but ruins.

"Flynn...please...become...a Magnificent Samurai."

The memory and the humming of Shesh...Of Issachar, now a great snake broke Flynn completely.

He cried until sleep claimed him.


Yes, I am awar that my stories not all that great, no, I wasn't planning on Killing Abe like that, no I wasn't planning to have Issachar be Shesha.

And yes, I know Radha and Mukhara are over-powered. b ut their are not without weakness.