SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 1 out, this is Chapter 2 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and my OC.

Chapter 2: Sacred Prayer


"What have you two been up to till now?" Yuna asked, the reunited group settling down in an outdoor café.

"Lots of things." Ryuho replied. "Anyway, Haruto's getting married. Isn't that right, Haruto?" he beamed at his seat mate.

"EH?" Koga and Yuna exclaimed in unison.

"Ryuho…" Haruto muttered a warning.

"So…" Yuna grinned. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"Yuna, she's the 'you-know-who'." Ryuho's eyes twinkled.

"Oh…" Yuna nodded mischievously.

"Who's 'you-know-who'?" Koga was confused.

"Well…" Ryuho started, casting a knowing look at Yuna.

"Don't you dare…" Haruto growled.

"But Koga needs to know." Yuna whined.

"It's before you came to Palestra." Ryuho sipped his drink calmly, ignoring Haruto's glare. "I remember it's during one of those week-long missions me, Yuna, Haruto and Souma were sent on. Souma had the brilliant idea of playing 'Truth Or Dare' during one of the nights' campouts. So when it came to Haruto's turn…"

"He picked 'Truth', so Ryuho asked if he had a girlfriend somewhere, seeing he pretty much flat-out ignores his more avid... female admirers in Palestra." Yuna continued.

"So?" Koga was all ears.

"Haruto said he doesn't have a girlfriend, but he likes his childhood best friend." Ryuho grinned. "Then, Yuna pestered him on letting us see her photo. But that picture doesn't do her justice, though."

"I take it she's grown." Yuna mused.

"You have no idea." Ryuho concurred.


Back in the ninja village, Kikyo was about to get into bed when she sneezed and she looked up at the ceiling. Someone must be talking about me. She thought. Mom, she turned to the photo of her late mother. It seems that I share your fate; to fall in love with such troublesome men. Haruto, she prayed upon the sacred magatama of the Shrine. Please, come back to me safe and sound.


"A broken incense stick…" Kikyo's eyes widened at the snapped incense stick within the mediation hall's burner. "A bad omen…" she breathed and hurried off to the Sacred Fire room.


"It's been a while." Yoshitomi greeted Haruto who had fallen into the prayer room after he, Yuna and Ryuho were engulfed by Erebus' darkness powers.

"Brother!" Haruto gasped.

"I see…" Yoshitomi noted. "So you took the Wolf Cloth in my place."

"You died." Haruto declared. "Did you think a cheap illusion like this would fool a ninja like me?"

"It's no illusion." Yoshitomi corrected. "These are the darkness ruins, Erebus. A place of regret and atonement. Here, everyone confronts the darkness within them, and falls into the abyss of hell, surrounded by eternal darkness. I am the darkness within your heart."

"So, this is what Kikyo meant." Haruto recalled the warning the Shrine Maiden had cautioned him of.

"Haruto… Why did you run away?" Yoshitomi demanded. "Why did you abandon me and run? And then, you took up the Wolf Cloth," He got to his feet. "In my place as an attempt to atone? How selfish of you. Do you expect me to forgive your sins? And do you think I would entrust the Cloth to you, when you abandoned me, fearing for yourself? I guess running is something you're good at, Haruto." He taunted, the pair taking the fight outside. "But what about this? Jumonji Ganseki Kuzushi!" he released his earth shuriken at Haruto who was forced to take the attack head on. "You don't have the right to wear that Cloth." He remarked at his fallen opponent. "Take off that Cloth." He ordered, the next wave of attack sending Haruto crashing through a couple of trees. "And I won't kill you."

"I don't expect your forgiveness." Haruto admitted, dodging the next assault. "Simply because I wear the Wolf Cloth. I swore to this Cloth that I'd become a strong Saint. That I'd become a man who'd never turn his back on a friend in danger; a man worthy of Kikyo's heart."

"That doesn't matter." Yoshitomi shrugged. "Because you're going to die here."

"You didn't run." Haruto declared, Kikyo's prayer having somehow reached him. "Now that I wear this Cloth, I can't run away, either."

"Fuji-Style Secret Technique: Houkou Tenro Kuzushi!" Yoshitomi let loose his next attack.

"Hakurouken Denshin Musou!" Haruto countered, vanquishing the dark image of Yoshitomi.


SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.