Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) throughout this trying time… especially for the one who has grand plans for his newly acquired freedom.

~保護者~

"Vessel"

~保護者~

Touching down on Mobius filled the vampire with no shortage of glee, remembering the old days of chaos she would sow. She never killed unless her own life was in danger, but that never stopped her from causing people an endless amount of problems.

Having an old friend with her simply made that emotion stronger. Dion was certainly someone that she was very fond of, and in a way… it was possible that he would know a bit more about this person who had grabbed her interest than she knew. She wasn't quite sure where they were, either, having never come to the land that only chameleons roamed.

That wasn't her focus, however. What she wanted was to meet Cere's student, the black cat that had recently come into her magic. She was already outside of the home said cat inhabited, and this was confirmed when a blade of Darkness slammed into the ground inches away from her feet. The woman giggled a bit and looked up at the porch of the home, staring into ice blue eyes.

"Who the fuck are you, and what the hell do you want?" Armaris growled, staring at the two. "I'm not in the mood for bullshit."

"My name is forgotten to-" the Raven Queen started to say, only to be cut off by Dion suddenly speaking up and covering her mouth with a hand.

"Hey, kid. You know someone by the name of Ylden, by chance?" Dion asked, paying careful attention to her aura. "You got a presence kinda like his."

Armaris didn't like that question, especially not after what happened with that other cat asking about her father. However… she didn't feel any form of hostility from this person. "Yeah. I know him," she replied vaguely, shifting her gaze to the… well, whatever the fuck that woman was. "Why?"

"Just so happens that he's my kid," Dion replied, chuckling. "One of 'em, at least. Figured that, if ya knew him, you could help me find out where the hell he is right now."

"What-" Armaris was taken aback by this revelation, but further investigation revealed some startling similarities in her father's aura and this man that was apparently her grandfather. Weird. "Dunno where he is. Didn't ask. Don't feel like caring right now."

The Raven Queen shifted to get Dion's hand off her mouth finally, only for the man to move with her and keep it covered. "Gotcha, gotcha. Rough time with him? He was never good with emotions, after all. Kinda struggled to really get it with others."

"Comes off as a dick, too." Armaris huffed, settling down more on the porch. "I'm still gonna say that you two need to fucking leave, though. I'm not in the mood for whatever it is that you want. Someone nearly killed me and if I have to kill just to get some fucking sleep, you better fucking bet I'm gonna kill."

When the vampire grabbed Dion's arm to try and take his hand away forcefully, the man whacked her on the back of the head with Darkness just to keep her distracted for a second. "Alright, alright. We'll go. I'll come back and talk to you some other time, okay?" he said, giving a glare to the Raven Queen. "And you, you keep your fucking mouth shut, or I'll bash your teeth in. She's not in the mood for your bullshit."

"Fine," the vampire huffed, finally able to speak now that she had assented to Dion. She knew good and well that he'd follow through on that threat without hesitation. "Let's get out of here. I'm getting hungry."

Armaris watched the two quietly for a few seconds as they interacted, then huffed. "Don't bother me while I'm sleeping or I'll tear you to pieces," she grumbled hatefully, stalking away to walk back into her home. Somehow, Espio had (for once in his life) slept through the whole thing.

Rather than let the Raven Queen say something that would get them both in trouble with someone he believed to be his family, Dion teleported them both away from Mobius. "Let's find someone for you to eat. If you're hungry, you likely haven't eaten in a long time."

She licked her lips and teeth, delighted at the idea of getting in a good meal after so long. "Oh, finally, someone-" The woman lifted her head, a deep frown on her face. "Eh? Something weird just happened. Felt some sort of… shift. Something strong." That frown morphed into a bit of a grin, followed by a cackle. "Oh, things may be getting interesting if Nareish just did something."

Dion rolled his eyes a little, already somewhat annoyed by her insanity. It was something he'd had to put up with during his original lifetime, and it hadn't been missed after his death. "God, shut your damn mouth. This is why nobody likes you."

The Raven Queen turned to him with a wide grin, giggling. "I know." Amused beyond reason, she kept up her antics and began searching for food.

~保護者~

Calypso woke slowly on a couch to the sound of her niece and several others about a nearby kitchen. The smell of food wafted over to her. She wasn't hungry. Sitting up, she sorted through her most recent memories before looking around for her sister.

Tempest was only a few feet away from Calypso, curled up in a tight ball with her arms covering the back of her neck. She slept like this often when in unusual places, so that much wasn't surprising.

Upon seeing this, Calypso stood and walked over to her. She then knelt down to check on Tempest just in case. The woman shifted a little when Calypso came near, then cracked open an eye. "You're up."

"Yes," Calypso said softly. She sat down beside her sister.

Tempest sat up after watching Calypso, setting her hands on her knees. "I see. How are you feeling?"

"It is… difficult to find t'e words," Calypso said. "Everyt'ing still hurt, but not as much."

"Hm." Tempest put a hand on Calypso's arm, then dragged her closer. "Come here." The older of the two sisters came willingly and sat down beside her. Tempest just hugged Calypso close, taking in a deep breath. Calypso hugged her right back. "Saethrim was here for a bit, but he left for something."

"What happen?" Calypso asked her softly. She paused, thinking, then corrected, "Happened. T'at t'e word."

Tempest shrugged. "He had to go check on something, I guess. He's been gone for a while."

"Is everyt'ing okay? He not in any trouble?"

"Don't figure," Tempest answered. "Woulda known if he was in danger or some shit like that. He tends to have that smug fuckin' grin."

"Or he just get quiet and serious," Calypso pointed out. Still, her sister was correct overall.

Tempest shrugged a little at this. She was correct, too. "Regardless, should be fine. Doubt that idiot is in any serious danger right now."

"What about him charge?" Calypso asked. "His… student? T'at t'e word?"

"Dunno."

Calypso nodded slowly. "He also worry a great deal about him ot'er charge," she said. "T'e one call Black Doom. I worry Saet'rim do somet'ing rash if things not improve."

"Doesn't he always do rash stuff?" Tempest questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"T'is be different," Calypso insisted. "T'is time, Nareish be involve, and t'e victim is one of t'e only people Saet'rim care deep about. T'is have too much potential to go very bad."

"Wanna go find him?" Tempest asked. "Sure that if we were together, we'd be fine."

"I want to," Calypso admitted, eyes downcast. You, Novei, and him are all I have left. Trekk be… gone. I have no one else. …Kat', too, but it not t'e same.

That expression on her sister's face, Tempest decided she did not like it. The woman stood from the couch and yanked Calypso up to her feet. "Let's go find that bastard."

Her sister stumbled, but quickly caught herself. The roughness of the pull startled her and, in light of recent events, made her want to flinch at first. But then her mind returned to the present from the past and she instantly relaxed. "Alright."

Fuck. Be softer. Moron. "C'mon." Tempest moved to leave, but stopped herself before taking a full step. She looked back over her shoulder, yelling out. "I'll be back here soon, Novei! Don't go anywhere!" Some things never changed, clearly, and that brought Calypso some comfort.

"Wasn't planning to!" was the yelled response from her daughter.

With that reply, Tempest looked to Calypso. "Okay, we can go."

Calypso gently took her younger sister's hand and tugged her toward the exit. "T'en let's go."

Tempest walked with Calypso and left the building, intent now on finding the man that Calypso had chosen to love. You just had to make her worry, Saethrim.

~保護者~

Things had been quiet since the Light-woman had left. She was… Analia, unless he was mistaken. Even here, in the dark heart of Zyr, word of her and her exploits had reached him. He supposed there was nothing wrong with her as a person, but he was glad to be rid of her all the same. Like Finis, his body was nothing more than the energy that he'd been born of. In this case, pure Darkness. That is, some of the time. It had been on that day as a means of speeding up his healing, making him even more invisible than normal. But regardless of what form he took, being around any degree of Light was beyond grating, beyond agonizing. He truly detested it.

The first chameleon didn't have a true name, much like all other truly ancient beings of Darkness apart from Zenith. "Black Doom" and "Malevolence" and "First Chameleon" were just titles. Unlike those first two, however, the first chameleon had been referred to by people using names now and then. Some had called him Vijun, others had called him Vyn or Yoru. A few individuals lacking in much creativity had even taken to calling him "Yami". Though technically fitting, that one had managed to annoy him. There were certainly others, though, some better than others.

If he had to pick just one name to go back, he supposed it would be Seishin. Many chameleons from the various clans had called him that for a great many generations. It had been the first name chosen for him, picked by none other than his partner and eldest child - one of his three daughters. At one point, his four surviving sons (the first son he'd had had died as a child) had voiced their approval of the name as well. This was a name chosen by his family.

For his people, nothing mattered more than one's family. Even the cruelest of killers among them put their families before everything else. It was simple how life was for chameleons. Granted, there were always exceptions to rules. Abusers, for one thing, cropped up in their society now and then. In the past, he had taken to personally dealing with the worst of them whenever he learned of their misdeeds. Abuse was simply not tolerated. It was a value that even chameleons today seemed to hold. That pleased him.

More than anything, though, it pleased Seishin that his people were alive to begin with. After Nareish's wars and those Light users had come together in violent fashion to try and wipe out the whole of the chameleon race, he had been certain that any of them would manage to survive. He had known that a sizable portion of the population had managed to escape Zyr, but until very recent years he hadn't been at all aware of their survival. In a way, he supposed he had… "hoped". But he'd never known.

Then the raid on Nareish's realm had happened, successfully waking him from his long slumber. He had been awake to some degree before, just enough to distantly observe his people, but not enough to act. That had changed when he'd sensed the large-scale battle being waged on that day. He'd encountered a chameleon man there, a man who appeared to be a descendent of several chameleons with similar auras and Darkness who had perished during the genocide. They may have been the man's parents and grandparents… but he didn't really know. It was rare that there was any chameleon who'd been alive back then who had successfully avoided his watchful eye, but it had evidently happened with that man. Whoever he was, Seishin was for once unaware of his identity.

While that had indeed been a surprise, there had been others on that day. The revelation that Nyokae was alive, for one thing. The other chameleon had directly told him so. He sincerely doubted there was any hope for the girl (woman, now) to be saved from the path she seemed to have been walking on that day. Even if Nareish had never taken her away as a child the day of the genocide, Seishin knew there had been very little so-called "hope" for her. Nyokae had always been too interested in power, too sympathetic toward Nareish's goals.

Child or not, she had been… disturbed. It was one thing to be deemed "evil", as so many chameleons were, but it was entirely another thing to side with someone as utterly insane as Nareish. Still… it nonetheless infuriated him that the girl had been abducted. Whatever miniscule chance she might have had to change her ways, she had been robbed of it. That was just one of many reasons why he (like so many others) was out for Nareish's blood.

Then there was the fact that so much of his own family had been destroyed during the attack on Zyr. His partner. His daughters. His sons. His grandchildren. All dead. Except… they weren't. One of them had survived. Just one. The eldest son of his eldest child, namely his first daughter, Yoruha. None of the boys siblings, aunts, uncles, or cousins had survived. Not even his parents had. But Haru was somehow alive. Alive and, apparently, in possession of a family of his own. One now tied to the unknown chameleon Seishin had briefly spoken to during the raid.

Knowing that much was child's play. There had been another male chameleon there, a young adult who Seishin couldn't have not sensed if he'd tried. Such vast Darkness was unheard of, even among their people. That had drawn his attention first. The obvious familial ties had done so second. The boy was a grandchild of Haru and that man… which meant he himself had a great-grandchild for the first time. It was stunning. For once, not in a bad way.

His concern now lay in the fact that Nareish's mere existence endangered all three of them, that unfamiliar, so far nameless man included. Said man was evidently family now, meaning he was automatically under Seishin's protection. He had nothing less than a duty, a willing obligation, to protect his family. But how was he meant to do that? How could he protect them when he couldn't even truly defend himself from Nareish's wrath?

She had come to Zyr intent on killing him. Why she hadn't finished the job, he didn't know. Haru had appeared at the outskirts of Zyr from places unknown, his attention elsewhere and his senses unable to pick up on the woman's hidden energies. She had attacked him, thrown him through a portal and left him for dead. Then she had finally lost interest in her pointless talking with (or rather at) Seishin and attacked him as well.

The very next thing he remembered was sensing the Light-woman and briefly speaking with her. What had happened to leave him alive after his encounter with Nareish? He had no idea. For now, however, all he could do was rest. It irked him to have been rendered useless by Nairesh again, just like what had happened when he'd tried to save his people from her and those Light users so long ago… but there was nothing more that he could do. Given that, he closed his eyes and did his best to sleep. He would be of no use to anyone like this. Least of all his family.

If he was going to protect them, he needed to recover… and soon.

~保護者~

Steam woke up in a sort of haze, rubbing at his eyes until he heard a voice in his head. "Are you feeling better, Steam?"

"Yeah. Tired, but better." Steam stood from the bed he'd been placed in not bothering to try and comprehend the area around him. He knew where he was. It was beyond his mind. "You're still asleep, Utavi? Why are you spending your energy doing this?"

"You've spearheaded a lot of movement in this war against Nareish. I simply wished to offer my respect for your actions, bravery, and strength. You also disturbed my sleep with your murmurings, though it was far from an issue." Sul, the one other Faein still at rest in this area, was sleeping a touch too deeply to join the conversation. At least, not right now. He'd expended a great deal of energy during the raid recently, after all, in order to prevent Nareish from reviving Gerald. He'd also prevented her from doing the same with the Widow since then… though he hadn't told Steam and the others about that one.

Steam shifted a little, popping his back before glancing between the two Faein. "I see… thank you for letting me stay in this place. I understand that it is sacred in many ways."

"Think nothing of it, Steam. We understood your plight and chose to let you stay here since you would feel safe. Now, you should go. Your wife and friends that you helped to save have returned to Mobius. They will worry for you."

He nodded, thinking through a few things before teleporting back to Tails's home. Steam was still a bit tired… but he was definitely feeling better. Most people in the house seemed to be feeling better, too. At least, as much as possible given the circumstances. There was still grief in the air, especially from Silver, Blaze, and Kohaku, but it was better… somewhat. Given that and knowing full well he couldn't do much for those three, Steam sought out Amy and Tara immediately. It happened that Blaze with them, but that was fine for now. I need to check on them, considering what else happened.

The three girls were with Sonic down in the workshop, deep in conversation. The reunion had already taken place sometime before, so all four of them were at ease by now. As much as could be expected, anyway. Seeing as their emotions were settled, Steam felt comfortable approaching them all, teleporting into the room and walking toward the group. "Seems things are going decently?"

Sonic and Tara were both instantly on their feet, but only Tara immediately approached him. Before saying anything, she grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him in for a hug. He froze up for a second, just because of her grabbing him, then melted down into her hug and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Are you alright?" she asked him. "How were you purified?"

"Faein," Steam murmured. "That was the only chance of it being fixed quickly. Are Eila and Cyril okay?" he asked, looking over at Sonic.

"They're fine," Sonic said, "though I'm pretty sure that Eila is… less than pleased. I haven't seen her in a while."

Steam clicked his tongue, then lightly tapped Tara's back to let her know he was slipping out of the hug. "I'll handle that when the time comes, I guess. As long as they're alright."

"They are," Sonic reassured him as Tara let go and stepped back.

The green hedgehog lightly brushed off his arm, turning to Amy and Blaze. "You two doing okay?"

"We are," Blaze said quietly. She was being quieter than usual, in fact, but… that could only be expected considering who her family had recently lost. Amy put a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"That's good," Steam murmured. He didn't want to bring up that pain he sensed, not with how they were both feeling at this moment. "I wanted to make sure all of you were okay… but has anyone seen Locke?"

Looks were traded, then shrugs. "No," Sonic answered with a concerned frown. "Do you… think he knows about Knuckles and Kayde already?" The reminder of those two being dead caused Tara to go quiet.

"I'm not sure," Steam replied. "My guess is no, but…" I'm more worried about the fact that he didn't return with these three.

Amy pursed her lips together. "I'm not surprised he didn't come back here with us, since he always seems so busy these days, but if he knows about those two and his old depression kicks in… there's no telling what sort of state he might be in."

"Yeah, that's part of what I'm worried about," Steam replied, rubbing at one of his eyes.

"None of us can do anything if we don't know where he is," Sonic was quick to point out.

"If I can't find him, I know who can," Steam replied in kind, crossing his arms.

"Who?" Amy asked.

Steam sighed a little. "Eila, who is probably going to send me into orbit the next time she sees me."

While that was probably true, Sonic had a thought. "Maybe not. You know, if me or Silver is right there with you. She seems to be… at least mostly okay with us by now, so she's usually mellower than normal. At least from what I've seen."

"Maybe, but regardless, I'm gonna start looking into finding Locke," Steam explained.

"Keep us informed, alright?" Amy replied. "As much as you can."

"Of course." Steam looked to Tara, giving a small smile. Tara smiled back at him, but had nothing to add to the discussion. When there was no real reply to him, the hedgehog stood there awkwardly before teleporting away to make good on his word.

~保護者~

The hexan was painfully silent when she arrived on Gardenia with Finis in tow. Cere… she couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that Cosmo was dead. It hurt to think about, yet another of their kin dead. Yet another family member, dead. She wasn't sure whether she was supposed to feel anger or pain at this moment.

"This… I fucking hate it," Cere mumbled mentally. "I hate it."

Finis nodded grimly. "It is… not pleasant," he agreed.

She walked forward quietly and approached the… remains of an old friend, hands shaking as they balled into fists. Burnt… to ashes. Killed. Fuck you, Nareish. You sick fucking bitch. You tortured her in the last moments of her life by making her endure burning to death.

Her partner floated silently over to the ash and debris that had been left behind. Already, the world around them seemed darker and more unkind without Cosmo's presence. Despicable. This act was… barbaric.

Cere's vision blurred for a few seconds, and only after it cleared did she realize she had her halberd in hand. She wasn't in control of herself. Anger was pooling in her chest and being drenched with sorrow. Remorse. The loss of Cosmo's life weighed on the atmosphere and the people. Nothing was quite right anymore. I want to bury this weapon in your neck- Fuck! The Hexan whipped around and started walking away, rubbing at her eyes with her arms. She couldn't find her composure, not when she was so tired.

The shadowy Babylonian quickly followed after her, staying aloft as he always did in the process. "Cere, we should check on the children," he said. "Teyan said they were safe, but that does not mean they are necessarily well."

"I'm a mess," Cere blurted out, turning to him with teary eyes. "I can't pull it together. I can't go face children like this. They… this may make them feel worse," she pointed out, gripping her weapon tightly. "I… I don't want to make things worse."

This forced Finis to pause. He didn't feel most emotions as deeply as she did, owing to his deep ties to neutral Darkness, but he nonetheless understood the point she was making. "Then we must at least spend the time to determine whether or not it is safe for them to remain here. If nothing else, we must do this much."

Cere took a shaky breath. He had a good point, and that simply was what needed to be done. Pull yourself together, Cere. You're a leader. You can vent when you're ready, you can feel when you're ready, but people still need you. Just a couple minutes of strength, just a minute of showing no weakness… You can conjure up that much. For your friends, for your family. With her thoughts steeling her nerves and fingers drying her tears, Cere nodded. "Let's go check on them, first. Any and all who were here."

He paused again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Cere replied softly. "They need to be cared for, and the protection Cosmo brought upon this world is no longer here."

"It was not just her own," Finis reminded Cere as he began heading toward where he sensed the children. "Jet contributed greatly. His influence is the only reason this world is undetectable. No semi-Immortal can do such a thing on a planet-wide scale. Not even a vampire."

"I understand that, but being undetectable was obviously not enough," Cere pointed out in kind.

"Only because of Nareish's chosen target," Finis said, though he overall agreed. "Nonetheless, I sense a Faein's presence around this world now. Under their protection, none here will suffer further harm… should this Faein have the energy to remain for an extended period of time." Already, the pair were nearing the place where the children and their current guardians were.

"Right," Cere replied, mentally berating herself for having allowed that information to slip her mind. "You're right." The kids soon came into view, all being taken care of by a few Gardenians who Finis and Cere had met once or twice before. The Hexan quietly approached them all, putting her halberd away seeing as how she had calmed herself.

One of the Gardenians stood and strode gracefully over to the pair. "We wondered how long it would take for word to reach you," they murmured. For the life of him, Finis couldn't tell whether this androgynous-looking being was male or female. The person looked at them both with deadly serious eyes. "These chameleons need to be returned to their family. Now. Safe though this planet may now be, we cannot have an infuriated chameleon running amok and slaughtering people because of danger that was here previously."

…And now I recall the reasoning behind my disdain for you. Finis restrained the urge to sigh in aggravation. "There will be no murder sprees and you know it. With a scant few surviving exceptions, the chameleons of this day and age are far removed from their predecessors in terms of behavior. And all that aside, all the children in your people's care were sent here for protection from the war. To send any of them home would be to endanger their lives. We cannot condone that, not ever."

Cere's expression hardened and she stared down the Gardenian. "Unless the parents of the children wish for them to return in the midst of this war, they are to stay here until further notice." She personally had seen the type of carnage a chameleon could wreak, but to assume that one would come and do similar now had anger visibly rising to the surface. "Do not so boldly assume the actions of others."

The Gardenian crossed their arms and dared to scowl at them. "Then all the blood spilled when the inevitable rampage does occur will be on your hands."

The Hexan's eyes shone with her Judgement, but she had to take a moment to calm herself so she didn't say something untoward. "There will be no blood spilled. Silence yourself and your bias."

"I do not like this person," Finis told her silently. "I request that we leave soon before one of us does something regrettable."

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Cere replied, feeling her whole body shiver. "Let's do what we need to do and move on."

Finis started to answer her, paused, and then stiffened as much as one without a physical body could. "...I must go. Now. Check on the children and I will return when I can."

Cere froze, then turned to him sharply. "I- What? Why?"

Her partner hesitated to answer, but only briefly. "Two of Zsasha's… 'allies' are alive again. I felt their return just now. If they are alive again, Nareish is almost certainly at the root of it and he may well have also returned."

The Hexan tensed, much like he had. "Go. I'll be fine." Finis nodded stiffly and vanished.

All the while this had been going on, the Gardenian had been watching with a decidedly annoyed expression. "Where's he off to?" they asked. At least for now, they were refraining from letting out any further disparaging remarks.

"He's leaving to check on something," Cere murmured, walking off to check on the children properly now. It was her duty.

~保護者~

Kial stood on a balcony and allowed himself to take in the energy of his surroundings. The wind, the scents, the faint currents of what flowed through much of the tech here… he rarely ever took a moment to step back and take it all in. Right now, he was trying to focus himself. He was fairly certain that he would be approached once more by Aethra very soon.

There was a lot to think about. His soon-to-be wife, the role he was about to take on, his adoptive father, this war… it all weighed on his mind to some degree. It didn't hold him down, but it was nice to take time to think it all through.

The war was rapidly approaching its climax, that much he could feel. The air was charged with an unusual amount of energy, likely from sharp shifts in the balance (something he had a limited knowledge of). Kial knew he could only pick up on this because of his time in Saethrim's place, his senses having remained sharp since then.

Thinking on Saethrim, the man was… going through more than he'd admit. He had been slammed with multiple situations he'd never really had to deal with before, and it was plain to see that he was handling it all poorly. Saethrim obviously was trying, even if he made some glaring mistakes along the way.

Rose was still a touch irritable from that encounter, as well. The woman had been changed by trauma. He could see it in her aura. She'd gone through so much while chasing after her sister that she lost sight of herself. There was pent up rage, of course, but so much more grief and self-doubt. Kial couldn't help her unless she came to realize these emotions were there, and telling her wasn't likely to work. She had a tendency to… miss some smaller details. Perhaps bringing it up to someone Rose looked up to would be effective, such as Eila or Analia.

Ruminating on that was unlikely to be productive, so he changed the course of his thoughts. Kial's ear flicked and he turned to look at Aethra appeared, standing up a bit straighter. "I would say I am surprised you returned, but I believe that lying to the creators of our universe is… somehow a terrible idea."

She let out a soft, melodious laugh. "It would not be terrible. It is not as though we would smite you."

Kial returned the laugh with a gentle chuckle. "I would expect nothing less. From what little I know, you all seem benevolent. That much I can greatly appreciate."

Aethra smiled warmly at him. "As much as I am enjoying our banter, young Kial, I am afraid that I cannot remain here for long. I have come seeking your answer, whatever it may be."

"My answer is yes," Kial replied, returning that warm smile. "The thoughts and opinions of those close to me have swayed my thoughts, even against my own previous judgement."

"And you are truly certain in your heart that this is what you desire?" she inquired.

Kial nodded. "Yes."

"Very well." Power flowed from Aethra's very being and into his with all the gentility of a spring breeze. It was over and done in seconds. "I am finished. Though this is sudden, you should feel no ill effects."

The bobcat blinked, then gently nodded. "Thank you," he murmured. It took a moment to adjust to the feeling of being a semi-Immortal again (something he was vaguely familiar with), and he gave a smile. "I believe I feel alright, yes."

"Good. I must be off, then, unless there is something more that you require."

"I need little at the moment, merely to adjust to my senses," Kial pointed out. "Thank you."

"Shall I call for your partner?" Aethra asked him. "I am certain she would be more than happy to aid you."

"I am certain I can call for her myself," Kial assured.

"Understood." Aethra gave a small smile, then faded away as though she'd never been there at all.

Knowing Rose had busied herself with something, Kial teleported away silently. He had new duties to fulfill, and he was intent to not fail this time.

~保護者~

Seiko had done her best to follow Satsuno (or, rather, the spirit possessing him), but only so much could be done. They were close, that much she knew, but how close? Toru was sprinting alongside her, and they both had their weapons drawn. I can't help but fear this will not be enough. Her eyes darted to the left and she cleaved some creature that had come close in twain, obliterating the creature's body with her magic to make it simply vanish in the moment after cutting it. "We must be close."

"Yeah," Toru replied, keeping his pace steady. His sword was gripped tightly, but he didn't feel the need to raise it. Seiko was by far more efficient at removing the fodder from their path with whatever magic she wielded. "Keep your guard up. Something tells me this spirit won't take kindly to us trying to intervene."

"Correct." Seiko didn't speak more. This planet's atmosphere was making her lungs burn, and breathing more deeply than needed sounded like it would become agonizing. I much prefer the clean air of my home…

Toru twisted around suddenly and grabbed Seiko by the arm, pulling her in a different direction. I know where we should go. No doubt he'd go there. The two kept going until the demolished remains of the citadel came into sight. There was no immediate visual sign of "Satsuno", but he could be sensed standing somewhere amidst the ruins. He seemed to be examining Malevolence's lingering energies in that small area... the presence of which Toru chose not to question right now.

Seiko swapped places with Toru, taking the lead and readying herself. She had been forced to face down Satsuno during possessions a few times in the past, but there was a feeling in her heart that this would be different. I know you are strong, Toru, but this will be difficult. May you remain safe under the watchful eye of the Faein. It didn't take long for their target to come into view, the both of them slowing their sprints to a cautious halt. When Toru tried to take the lead once more, Seiko stopped him, immediately stepping between him and her possessed partner. "Who the hell do you think you are, taking away my love in this way?" she demanded.

The demon in control of her partner turned just enough to glare at her over his shoulder. His eyes were no longer Satsuno's soft, expressive greys. Rather, they were a demonic orange that glowed visibly even in this world's permanently red lighting. "Leave if you value your pitiful lives. I will not warn you again."

"You don't have the privilege to tell me what to do," Seiko bit out, raising her blade. "If you think I will not banish your soul to the Realms of Death where you belong, you are mistaken."

"I assumed you would try… though I also mistakenly believed you had an iota of common sense." The demon turned to fully face her. "I am no ordinary foe to be slain by simple magics or blades. You have no power here."

Seiko glared hatefully, taking a step forward. "You're a spirit, all the same. You all fall to my magic. If you intend to strike me down, raise a damn weapon and quit your blathering."

The demon let out a short, cruel laugh. "Oh, you Tokarians suffer beautifully. It is always there, painted across your eyes no matter what you do. Your spawn was the very same. I ensured it. And I will enjoy doing the same to you and my vessel now." As he spoke, he summoned a sword formed from corrupted demonic energies into his hand.

Toru watched as her stance shifted the slightest movement forward. He felt that wave of anger, the blistering hatred that washed over her in that instant. Maybe it was her magic reacting to her emotions, but his skin crawled due to the Darkness-fighting properties of said magic. He too tore off over the landscape, appearing behind "Satsuno" as she boldly challenged his front.

In a flash, "Satsuno" had blasted Toru away and pinned Seiko to the ground by stabbing through her sword arm. His blade pierced both flesh and then dirt as he knocked her backward. "Try it again, and I will take profound pleasure in cutting your hands off so that you may never wield a weapon again," he warned her, plainly more amused than anything else.

Seiko didn't feel this pain, nor did she care. Magic welled up within her body at the touch of this Darkness, exploding outward to try and consume the blade pinning her to the ground. He responded by wrenching his sword free and sending her flying with a brutal kick. By the time she'd landed, he'd already ensnared her and Toru both with tendrils of energy. He dragged them both next to one another before speaking. "If not for the fact that you have succeeded in amusing me, I would slay you here and now. Instead, I will permit you to live… this time. I have a traitorous rat to track down, and he deserves far more attention than you." Just like that, he was gone and so were their restraints.

Seiko stared on in silence before trying to teleport, finding herself immediately stopped in the process. She glanced over at Toru, demanding an explanation with nothing more than her gaze. Toru spoke up, shaking his head. "We're not gonna get anywhere alone, not like this. If you go after him, you're going to die."

She glared for several seconds before the seething rage faded from her eyes. "Find help. Now. Whoever we need. I'm going to Kaden." Seiko didn't wait for a reply, her demand known. She teleported away, leaving him to do the same shortly after.

The woman reappeared on Mobius, somewhere near Shadow's home. The smell of blood pouring from her arm was overwhelming, even considering that her sense of smell wasn't enhanced like her hearing. It was harder to focus, but she could still get a feel for where Kaden was. One of the aiding factors was that Zareil was near him. Seconds later, she was standing by the very tree they were both sleeping under. "Kaden, awaken."

Although he had (however unintentionally) slept through several big, if brief, events up until now, simply hearing a voice woke Kaden up in an instant. He quickly sat up, quickly surmised that something was wrong, and then stood. Though he was still full of nerves around her (this was only his second time ever truly seeing her, after all), he did his best to ignore that. "...What?"

"We're going to the Realms of Death. She is coming with us. We are not safe, but you have been made a target," she explained. "I will explain more when we are in less danger."

Being targeted by people and entities and whatever else was nothing new to him. Still, something about her tone made him frown. He turned and bent down to shake his partner's shoulder. "Wake up. We need to move." And I will have to apologize to Shadow later… again.

Zareil detested being woken up, especially when it hadn't been long since she had fallen asleep in the first place. However, as always, she rose to her feet the instant he attempted to rouse her, eyes alert and ready. "Why?"

Kaden could only offer a shrug in answer to that for now. "We are returning to the Realms of Death," he informed her, gesturing at Seiko to indicate who else was included in his statement.

The former demoness made an unusual clicking snort, shrugging back at him. "Fine. Let's go"

With this said, Seiko immediately teleported the three of them into the Realms of Death, specifically into the place that Ylden called "home" for as long as she'd known him. "I will not sugarcoat it, as doing so would serve no purpose. The demon who corrupted you originally, Kaden, has possessed Satsuno and is now pursuing you. Even with Satsuno's access to this place, I would presume that a being such as him entering would gain the attention of Zenith. That is why I feel it is safer."

Alarm and fury in equal measure shot through Kaden. But even as it did, he spiked his aura to gain said being's attention while asking Seiko as calmly as he could manage, "When did this happen?"

Seiko allowed her tone to become far less formal and serious, in favor of addressing his alarm. "It was very recent. I admit that my perception of time was skewed for a short while, if only because my own fury consumed me."

Zareil sniffed a bit, staring pointedly at Seiko's sword arm. "I assume that's why you aren't reacting at all to the hole in your arm, then? Stench of blood is driving me up the wall." Kaden glanced at the wound, but said nothing. He wasn't sure what to say (if anything) in truth, and it showed. Zareil, however, was trying to not bring up the Amnikaribah subject, if only because doing so would certainly invoke some sort of wrath from Kaden.

"Worry about it later," Seiko replied, tearing a piece of fabric from her current garment and tightly wrapping it around the wound. "For now, focus yourself and keep your minds clear. I have asked Toru to find aid so that we may deal with this trespasser, as there was little we could do against him when we attempted."

"Battling Amnikaribah without Light on your side is virtually always a fool's errand," Kaden remarked bitterly, speaking from experience. "It is unwise to attempt such a thing now, and that means defeating him will remain as difficult now as it was…" He quickly trailed off, refusing to finish his sentence. It was clear what he meant regardless.

Seiko watched Kaden with gentle eyes, nodding. "Do you know of anyone who could bring us aid in the event we find the chance to strike?"

"Jet," Kaden admitted quietly. "His is… an adopted son of mine, and a uniquely powerful Immortal. He knows little of purification, but he could in theory discern how to restrain a spirit given half a chance to try it."

"I see. How do we contact him?" Seiko asked.

"Through Sonic," he answered. "They are as close as blood brothers. Or else through his partner, Wave. Sonic can get you into contact with her as well."

"Understood." Seiko looked to Zareil, watching her expression. She could tell the woman was troubled, but bringing such up was unlikely to aid the situation. At least, not if she brought it up.

A shadow moved across the room as they spoke. It soon formed into Zenith, bringing him to stand beside the group. "What is it?" he demanded in a curt, angry tone that Kaden knew to be unlike the other man's typical character.

"I wished for your presence." Seiko blinked once, ignoring Zenith's tone. "Satsuno was possessed by Amnikaribah. The spirit is pursuing Kaden."

The very instant that Zenith heard this, he let out an ancient and surprisingly forceful swear. "Ateiyo!" He swore several more times, the realms shuddering with the weight of his fury, before he bit out, "I told Ylden to handle the situation before something precisely like that could happen."

Seiko's expression darkened immensely. "What the hell did he do?"

"Apparently he has done nothing," Zenith answered in kind, "and therein lies the entire problem. I told him of the escapes from this realm. I warned him that it is solely his burden as the current God to handle it, as I no longer can. He has so far not returned the one soul I told him to search the hardest for, even after I fought to impress upon him the sheer urgency of the situation. Not to mention the danger it would put him," he gestured forcefully at Kaden, "in if Ylden did not manage things."

I'll kill him if he does not have a good explanation. Seiko had to relax her muscles, feeling the blood pool out of her makeshift bandage as her heart rate increased. "Do you have any ideas as to how we should handle this?" Kaden eyed them both in silence, tense and uncomfortable to the point where he was at a loss for any contributing words.

"Until one of us locates Ylden, all we can do is keep Kaden away from the danger and attempt to involve an Immortal," Zenith muttered. "As much as Eona would like to help, she cannot when the possessed individual possesses Darkness. Using Light to free your husband will kill him, given the power of the trespassing soul. Do not go to that extreme unless you truly cannot save him through other means. Is that clear?"

"I understand," Seiko replied without hesitation. "All other reasonable methods will be employed before such is attempted. I will take on the mission of hunting down Ylden. I have my own questions for the man."

Zenith nodded once. "One final thing. Until he is saved, do not let your partner anywhere near my daughters. I will not have them corrupted." He vanished before she could answer him.

"Understood," Seiko replied once more, turning to Kaden. "You are to stay put until we are assured of your safety. I will also inform Shadow of the situation in your stead."

"I will stay," Kaden agreed after a pause, "unless I am specifically called for. I will not ignore any requests from my allies or family for aid." For now, he refrained from using the word "friends". He still couldn't be sure he even had any of those left. Except maybe Ylden. Maybe.

Seiko nodded to him at this, then teleported back to Mobius, leaving the two alone. Zareil turned to Kaden, tilting her head. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Kaden sighed a little and leaned back against whatever wall was at his back, crossing his arms as he did so. There was a bit of a pause before he spoke again. "I am just… unhappy with what has occurred. To put it mildly."

Zareil visibly scowled, upset by the whole situation on his behalf. "I can tell."

Kaden decided to ignore that comment. "You have been quiet for the duration of this… revelation," he observed. "Was there anything you did not want to say in the company of others?"

"I do not want to see you corrupted," Zareil muttered, turning her head away. "And I sure as hell don't want to know what that fucker wants with you." Her lips twitched into a visible frown as other thoughts came to mind.

Silence answered her for a time, then Kaden let out another sigh. "As a demon, I made it no secret what my views of treachery were. That it was spreadable like a poison and could only be punished by death. I learned that from Amnikaribah. That should say enough about what he wants to accomplish."

"It is foolish, but I would stand in his way," Zareil replied softly. You are the only thing left for me. I will not let you perish.

"I would do the same," Kaden said. "I will not allow him to harm you anymore than you would me. It will not happen."

Zareil wanted to contest his words, but knew that doing so meant challenging him to a battle of eloquence. That sounded like the right word, at least. He was a far better speaker. "Good. Let's not let it come to that."

"Hn." Kaden rubbed a hand over his face. "That aside… was there anything else on your mind? Now is the time to share if you do not want an audience. Ylden may well come tearing back into here sooner rather than later."

Zareil was quiet for several seconds before an unusual sensation entered her eyes. Only around Kaden would she ever feel comfortable… feeling. There was a mild pain in her eyes and she whispered under her breath, pain in her tone. "Will we ever see our children? We know revival is possible, but…"

"I cannot guarantee that anyone would choose to revive them," Kaden answered softly. One look at her face, however, had his mind made up about what could be done in the meantime. He took her hand and tugged. "Come. There is one other way to see them, even if it is not… the same." While he spoke, he opened a portal to another area in this realm. After all… he wanted to see them, too.

The thought alone was enough to evoke a pathetic noise from her emotional body, some mix of a groan and a cry. She had to fight herself for some control over it, wiping the streams of water from her face and following behind Kaden without fail. I wish to see them again. Already, it has been too long.

~保護者~

It had been a while since Azanae had put herself and Sona to bed. How long, she wasn't sure. Just… a while. Long enough for her to feel pretty well rested, if nothing else. She'd since gotten off of the couch she'd slept on, maneuvered around the debris littering the building, and made her way into the kitchen. She had two promises to keep, helping fix up the house she and her student had once shared and making said student a proper meal. Focusing on the latter first made more sense to her. Repairs would take a long time. She wasn't Sothan with his magic hammer, after all. I hope you're still around, old friend. I would love to sit down and chat… even if I'm the one doing most of the actual chatting.

A giggle escaped her while she rooted around the kitchen. That sound soon devolved into a sigh. Looks like we're feeding on scraps today. Not much seems to have survived whatever attack took place here. She poked her head into another cabinet, then another. Hope returned. Actually… I might be able to make a nice stew out of these things. Yes, that will do nicely.

Her mind made up, Azanae set about gathering what she needed. Once she had everything out and suitably prepared, she began cooking. She lost herself in thought while she worked, as was typical for her - at least when cooking. Once again, she lost her sense of the passage of time, only being aware that at some point the food was nearly done. Which meant that it was time to go wake up Sona. That girl certainly loves her sleep. This may be a bit of a challenge. Nevertheless, she proceeded to her student's room and knocked. "Sona?" she called. "I would like you to come eat. The food is nearly ready."

There was a loud thud. No doubt, the girl had just rolled out of bed. She apparently didn't notice, just letting out a sort of grumble rather than waking up. Azanae heard this and shook her head, amused. "Sona," she called again. "Sona, wake up, will you?"

"Why?" Sona mumbled, throwing her blanket haphazardly off of herself. "Fuckin' sleepy."

"I promised you a proper meal, and I have delivered," Azanae answered with a smile. "Now come and enjoy it before it gets cold."

She performed some sort of roll to force herself onto her feet, grunting with the effort of standing up in her groggy state. "Fine, fine, I'm up."

"Good," was the laughing response. "Meet me in the kitchen, then." Azanaei turned away from the door and returned to said room. She began dishing them both up a serving of the stew,

It took nearly a minute for Sona to arrive in the kitchen, claiming a chair and allowing her head to rest on the table. "That didn't feel like enough sleep…"

"Perhaps it wasn't," her former teacher acknowledged, "but it's important to eat as well. You can sleep more afterward if you so desire." She set a bowl down in front of Sona's head.

The warmth of the bowl radiating onto her head elicited a small purr of delight, the cat raising up again to look at the food. Admittedly, she didn't have much of an appetite (when did she ever?). However… she couldn't ignore Azanae's kindness. As such, it didn't take long for her to begin eating. Azanae sat beside her and did the same. Only once the older woman had finished eating did she speak again. "What exactly happened here, Sona? To the house, I mean."

"I was attacked," Sona replied vaguely, not daring to properly explain.

"Do you know by who?" Azanae frowned. She was, as always, feeling protective over Sona.

The younger woman only shrugged. "Dunno. Wasn't worried beyond not dying."

Azanae nodded slowly. After taking a moment to consider this information, she decided to change the subject just a little. "Did you take your instruments out of the house before then? I haven't seen them anywhere."

Sona winced a little. "The harp got destroyed in the attack," she mumbled, suddenly getting far quieter.

Azanae immediately became soothing in her tone. "It can be repaired," she murmured. "Do not worry so."

The younger woman didn't raise her gaze for a moment, idly gripping at her clothes. "Yeah." Sona was quiet for a few seconds before whispering, "I'm really tired."

"I want you to finish eating before you return to sleep," Azanae said. She did her best to smile. "I promise to leave you be once you have been properly fed. But for now, eat. I have another question for you, anyway." It took a bit of time for Sona to continue eating, only barely looking up to Azanae. "You've grown up so much, Sona. Unless I was mistaken, you even have a friend now. You seem to trust Therin much more than you typically trust anyone. Have you two grown close?"

"Mm," Sona replied unhelpfully. She wasn't quite happy with how things had gone. She'd almost hit him for no good reason.

"Is something the matter?" Azanae asked her.

"No," Sona boldly lied. "I'm fine."

Azanae sighed. "When will you learn that you cannot successfully lie to me? Throughout all these years, have you ever gotten away with your attempts?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Sona suddenly bit out, fighting the urge to tense up.

"Then at least tell me if, when you are feeling better, you would like some help with whatever is going on," Azanae said. "Keep the details to yourself for now if you wish. That is fine. Just tell me this one thing."

"I like him," Sona said, standing up from the table and walking away with pained sniffles. She didn't understand why she couldn't relax. Azanae was, for all intents and purposes, her mother. Why was she being so aggressive toward her mother?

Hearing this, Azanae considered how to move forward. "Has he expressed that he likes you the same way?"

"I don't know, mom!" Sona shouted, hitting the side of her head with a closed hand. "It's so fucking confusing! I can't even be a normal person near him!" What's wrong with me?

As ever, Azanae kept herself calm so as to not further upset her adopted daughter. "Sona… Sweetheart, come here."

Sona shook her head harshly, pressing herself against a wall for some sort of stability. "No."

"May I come to you?" Azanae questioned gently. "Or would you prefer to have some personal space?"

"Space," Sona mumbled, pressing her head harder into the wall. "Just space."

"I understand," Azanae said. "Try to breathe, Sona. It may help somewhat to ease your emotions."

The younger woman stopped herself and took deep breaths, letting them out shakily. "Yeah…" Azanae waited for any sign that Sona was doing any better. Even if it took a while, she was prepared to wait. It did take some time, but ultimately the woman sat herself down against the wall, head leaned against her knees.

This wasn't a particularly uncommon occurrence, what with Sona being a particularly troubled person when it came to emotions. However, it seemed that she had calmed back down and was now in a resting state. Once she was sure that was the case, Azanae spoke up. "Sona… please tell me what has you so upset. I cannot help if you keep me in the dark."

Sona mumbled under her breath for several seconds. "I lashed out at him randomly…" Sona didn't want to continue. Her mind was constantly replaying the scenario in her mind. She felt awful.

Azanae sighed. "Sona, will you please elaborate?"

The girl hit a fist against the wall roughly, threatening to crack it before she pulled back. "He just flinched. Didn't fuckin' move. Didn't even try to stop me!" she bit out. "He was just gonna take it, and I don't want him to think I'd hurt him!"

"Have you talked to him about it?" Azanae dared to ask.

"I-" Sona shrunk away again, mumbling. "No… I'm scared."

Her teacher considered this. "Would you like help speaking to him, then?"

"No-" Sona suddenly stuttered over her words, stalking off into another room with her face in her hands. Azanae ultimately thought it best to just let her go so she could have some space again. It seemed to be both what she needed and wanted right now... though Azanae was deeply concerned either way.

The woman was laying on her bed at this point, curled up into a tight ball. It always helped her think and feel more rational. She didn't really want to do those things, but she had to. Sona was wracking her mind for some way to fix this mistake she'd made, but she found nothing on her own. She felt trapped by her own humiliating problems.

She cried herself back to sleep, exhausted by her emotional state.

~保護者~

Ever since Nareish's murder spree, Rouge had sequestered herself in Tails's guest bedroom, unable to face or speak to anyone in the wake of her cruel losses. Her son, her husband… she'd lost them both in one fell swoop. Wasn't it enough that she and Knuckles had died so brutally before? Wasn't it enough that they'd been ripped out of their sons' lives, unable to watch them live on and be happy? Wasn't it enough that Jason had never been revived to begin with, forcing Rouge to grapple with the idea of continuing this new life with only most of her family present? Now they were all gone, and only she remained.

Sure, Locke was around somewhere… but what if he wasn't? What if he'd disappeared again. What if he really had died this time? Malevolence may have apparently failed in the past, but Nareish wouldn't if she'd set out to slaughter him as well. It was entirely possible that she really was the last member of her family who was still around. She couldn't talk to anyone about it, though. Everyone had suffered their own losses, whether directly or indirectly, because of Nareish's actions. What right did she have to add to their pain with her own?

The simple answer was that she had no right.

None at all.

She also couldn't stay in this room crying until the end of time, either. But even so… pulling herself together was easier said than done. Minutes and minutes on end passed before she managed to collect herself enough to sit up and somewhat dry her eyes. Though she tried to tell herself that she could stand immediately following that, her body wouldn't cooperate. In truth, she had no desire to move any further. So she just… stayed. It wasn't as though anyone was waiting on her, anyway.

There was a gentle knock at the door Rouge stayed in, followed by a voice. "Rouge?" Eila called, taking care to keep her tone low.

Hearing this, Rouge drew in a deep and steadying breath before finally making herself stand. She trudged to the door and opened it up. "Hey," she greeted weakly.

Eila's expression immediately fell and she shook her head. "Sit." She could see the pain, even with her limited knowledge of Rouge. I should've checked with you sooner… Rouge only sighed and did as she was told. The bed was the only place to sit, so naturally she went back there. Eila stepped into the room and closed the door softly, then took a seat next to Rouge. "I am sorry I have not seen you recently."

Rouge shook her head. "No… don't be. I needed the alone time. Probably not long-term, but at least for a little while."

"Oh," Eila replied, nodding softly. She was willing to admit that this was far from her strong suit, but the cat couldn't just ignore the state Rouge was in. "Still… I should have at least stopped by. I have been allowing myself to become wrapped up in my own work."

"Look… the way I see it, what matters is that you cared enough to show up regardless, even if it did take a bit. That's what I care about. Okay?" Rouge crossed her legs on the bed to get more comfortable. "So don't beat yourself up over it."

Eila looked over at Rouge, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. I'll keep that in mind."

It struck Rouge as being for the best to let that particular thread of conversation drop. She changed the subject. "What did you mean by 'work'? What have you been up to?"

Immediately, a touch of panic washed over Eila as she realized she needed to come up with an explanation that didn't involve the word "genocide" in any way. "I have been working to help with a recent corruption, among other events."

It went without saying that Rouge's sharp bat ears picked up on Eila's panicked heart rate, but she chalked it up to Eila's usual anxiety and the like. "A corruption that doesn't involve Amy and the others?" she asked with a frown. "That's what you mean, right? Because they're already fine again."

"Yeah," Eila replied after a moment. "A man by the name of Saran. He… is in a situation similar to what I lived through."

Hearing this caused Rouge to straighten. She'd heard about the revival of Kaden's sensei, even caught sight of him once, but she hadn't heard about this. "How bad is it?" she asked, her grief temporarily forgotten.

A small sigh escaped Eila. "It is worse than I had hoped. I have been speaking to whoever I can in order to figure this out."

"Do you have some sort of a plan?" Rouge asked her.

"Almost. I feel as if I am close to having the answer," Eila replied. "I will likely be returning to that mission once I leave here."

Rouge thought about this. "And… what will you do if your plan doesn't work?" she questioned her. "There's never a guarantee that purification attempts on people will work, from what I understand."

Eila fell silent, averting her gaze. I don't want it to come to that. I do not wish to harm Saran…

"...Eila?" Rouge prompted when she got no answer.

"I wouldn't have wanted myself roaming existence when I was corrupted," Eila mumbled vaguely. "Would've rather died."

That immediately clued Rouge in to what Eila was thinking. She tensed. "You… Eila, you can't kill him while he's like this. Even ignoring any other issue with that, evil souls go to 'hell'. There's no filter for people who were unwillingly corrupted and became evil that way. Evil means 'hell', period. If he dies before being purified, he can go nowhere else but there."

The cat sat there silently, blinking a few times. If I fail, he'll kill me. If I succeed… That's the only way forward, then. No other outcome can suffice. "I know scarily little of the operations of the Realms of Death and how souls pass through. I was merely able to navigate them."

"Just… keep this in mind, okay?" Rouge pressed. "That's all I'm saying."

"Yeah," Eila answered. "I will."

"That aside… how are you going about trying to find a solution?" Rouge continued. "What's your next step?"

"I guess I'm going back to find his father," Eila replied calmly. That string of words made her shiver, but not due to the thoughts of Kathros. She had to blink rapidly to banish the tears that stung her eyes when the fresh memory of meeting her parents' spirits bowled over her train of thought.

Rouge thought it best to try and not call attention to Eila's tears. Knowing the other woman, she'd potentially shut down or just up and leave. "You… think it's a good idea to go see him? I mean, his dad is Kathros, right? The guy looks a lot like an illustration of Kathros in this old book I saw once."

Eila crossed her arms. "He's a spirit, he can't harm me." I also do not believe he is… as evil as he is made out to be. Unless Nareish was lying… but how can I explain something like that? To say that I openly believe her words…

"Okay. If you think you'll be safe… I trust you." Rouge sighed, more to herself than anything else. "Just be careful all the same."

"I wouldn't let myself die," Eila mumbled. "Not while you and my sister are alive… Sonic and Silver, too."

This earned a wan smile from Rouge. Eila's mindset was a step in the right direction. She just needed to start living for herself sometime, too. "Good. So long as we're agreed, I have no complaints."

Eila managed to roll her eyes. "As if I would have listened to your complaints, anyway." The words were a bit more forced than she would have liked. She knew she was lying, but it was how others acted to be light-hearted, right?

Rouge stuck her tongue out at Eila, then laid back on the bed. "When do you think you'll be taking off?"

There was a weak smile on Eila's face, watching Rouge for a moment. "Soon, assuredly. However, I can remain in your presence for a time if you would like. Kathros is unlikely to go anywhere."

"Yeah, that's true." Rouge stared up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. "Honestly… feel free to do whatever you want to do right now. All I'll say is that I can't promise to be very good company."

"You're fine," Eila immediately assured. "I did have an… unusual question for you, if you do not mind."

"Shoot," Rouge invited.

Eila cleared her throat, oddly embarrassed. "Er, I have worn the same attire for… however long it has been since I first began recovering from my purification."

Now, anyone who knew Rouge even a little bit could figure out that there were two things Rouge liked greatly aside from her family. Namely, clothes and makeup. Fashion as a whole, really. Oh, and jewels. She couldn't forget her second true love, after all. So she made herself sit up again and canted her head at the other woman. "You're asking for help with your wardrobe?"

"Ah, I suppose," Eila replied, glancing away for a moment. "Admittedly, I have never learned much in the ways of clothing. I was young when things first went awry, and times were… not as advanced."

Rouge tutted at her and climbed off of the bed. "Then you and I are going shopping. I know you're busy, but give me an hour and we will find some clothes that suit you."

Eila managed a small chuckle at that, amused. "Do you even have current day currency?"

"Nope, but I have my ways," Rouge winked. "All we have to do is find a store with a male employee, and we'll score plenty of freebies."

The cat pressed two fingers to her forehead and managed to look disappointed. In truth, she was a bit envious of Rouge's confidence, finding it… attractive? Appealing? The proper word escaped her. "I dare not ask what acts you may commit, but if that is the direction you are going, I am aiding you."

"Then let's go do it," Rouge answered. "With your teleportation skills, we should find a good store in no time."

Eila blinked. "Right now?"

"Yes, now," Rouge huffed. "'There's no time like the present' and all that."

"Ah," Eila huffed, standing up and snapping to remove the cape-like portion of her clothing. "At any rate, I suppose blending in a bit will be in my best interest."

"It will be," Rouge agreed. "And one more thing, are you just dressing for yourself or do you have someone to impress once in a while? Boyfriend, girlfriend, anything like that."

Eila blinked once. She supposed that impressing Haru was something that could cross her mind, but a sneaking suspicion said there was little he was likely to care about in terms of apparel. "You're bold to assume I have entered such a relationship this quickly."

A single eyebrow raised at her. "Honey, I may not be as ancient as many of our comrades, but I've still been around the block a few times. I know romantic interest when I see it."

The cat snorted indignantly. "There is little to dress for. I simply wish to not wear the same clothes day in and out."

"Alright, have it your way," Rouge replied. "Let's get going if you're ready."

Eila huffed a little, teleporting them both away. If Rouge continued to act like this, she'd have to abandon the woman in some random store for her own sanity. Maybe… or maybe not. I suppose I can tolerate this… for a little while.

~保護者~

Things were quiet where Ghune had left Saethrim and Black Doom. Both males were still fast asleep. The only thing that had changed was the location Black Doom was in. His uneasy dreams had caused him to move further away from the sole other occupant of the space earlier, but he was calm again by now. Saethrim was curled up against a wall, a tail having sprouted from his body to wrap around his form firmly. His own sleep was rather restless, but that was normal. The goings on of the creatures he governed often kept him on edge.

It was no surprise when he awoke to the sensation of three vampires being revived at the same time. Zsasha, Lior, and Cyca? ...Nareish. Saethrim cursed his luck, irritated that such beings would have been returned to life. Likely to get at Ghune more than anyone else. That was enough to make him bristle, something that quickly reminded him that he was changing into another form. He glanced at Black Doom, eyes narrowing. His current upset was causing the vastly more ancient being to stir again. And you're still not in a good enough place for me to leave you be. Not to mention that Ghune would kill me.

Still, there had to be something that Saethrim could do, and he quietly ruminated over this fact. I can't think in this form. Not clearly. It happened that Black Doom chose that time to open his eyes and sit up. Those yellow eyes quickly scanned the area for any signs of danger, then swung back to him in a silent demand for an explanation. He could no doubt smell every single emotion tied to every single thought Saethrim was having.

Saethrim opened his mouth as he was going to explain, only for his words to fail him. The creature he'd become couldn't really talk either. He had to forcefully change himself back into his natural state, groaning as he did so. "Some old 'friends' of Ghune's were brought back to life, no doubt to try and fuck with her. We can't do shit hanging out here, but she needs to know the danger she's in." It only then occurred to him that he could simply reach out to her mentally, cursing his emotional state for fogging his thoughts so heavily.

Hearing this, Black Doom sat up a little straighter. His care and concern for Ghune prompted him to make an effort to speak for the first time since he'd escaped Nareish most recently. It took some genuine effort, and the one word he said came out sounding strained and hoarse… but he managed. "Go."

"You're coming with me," Saethrim replied, pointing at him. "Not a chance she'll let me live if I leave you on your own, and I sure as hell won't leave you here myself." With some further effort, Black Doom made himself stand up. His continuing exhaustion couldn't have been more apparent, but he wasn't prepared to argue this time. In an effort to preserve what energy Black Doom did have, Saethrim walked closer and warped them both to where Ghune was.

By now, Ghune was in a tent with Ryint, both having been engrossed in a conversation that halted once Saethrim and Black Doom appeared. Ghune turned to them both and frowned visibly. "So you sensed it, too, then?" Already, Black Doom had to sit back down to conserve his miniscule reserves of energy.

"Yeah," Saethrim muttered. "Lior, Cyca, and Zsasha are back. Figured you needed to know, just in case you missed it."

"Wait, Lior is alive?" Ryint asked, suddenly a touch excited. "You didn't mention him, just Cyca," she said to Ghune, smiling. "That's some good news, at least, right?"

Saethrim shot a look at Ghune, who completely ignored it. "Hm. The main problem is that Zsasha has returned. While I could handle Cyca alone if necessary, I do not believe myself strong enough to face Zsasha alone. We are… somewhat even in terms of strength, if he is not stronger. And I do not know what kind of strength would have been bestowed upon him by Nareish."

"Yeah," Saethrim replied, arms rising behind his head. "Not a chance we'll easily find him, either. Even now, I don't quite have a clue where he is."

Ryint tilted her head, frowning visibly. "Honestly, I dunno how to help. I could probably get some help from Nier on it all, but beyond that I'm stumped."

Ghune nodded at this, standing. "I also presume that as a result of recent developments, Shadow may also be a target for their schemes. I believe him strong enough to elude their attempts on him, but he is also inundated with children to protect. That alone weakens him significantly." The idea of his only child being threatened in any manner wrenched a growl out of Black Doom before he could stop it, but he was back to not even trying to speak again.

"Then we should probably maneuver them into as safe a position as possible, somewhere they can be easily defended and one where Shadow could fight back effectively," Ryint pointed out. "I doubt Zsasha would care if a few kids passed if they were in the way of his goals, after all. Where can we get them all?"

The eldest vampire shook her head. "He will not harm them… not deliberately. If it happened as a consequence of something else, he would likely not bat an eye," Ghune explained. "I firmly believe that Zsasha would primarily target me, but may attempt to use Shadow to do so."

Saethrim sighed. "And much as I want to help, keeping Black Doom away from those fuckers is important, too. If they know your relationship, that'll get exploited. He's not in any shape to fight back much, so someone needs to stick by him." And I bet that's why Nareish did all this, aside from her other sick plans regarding him.

Ryint put her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "There's a barrier around Shadow's house now that I think about it, right?" she pointed out. "Provided we don't come and go around there too much, it should be hard for them to find him, shouldn't it?"

Ghune had to give her friend credit. It had skipped her mind that she'd created such a thing early on to protect him. It should be enough to let him elude many things temporarily. He still needed to be informed, though. "I suppose I should go, then. Saethrim, return to the home you were last resting in and keep yourself and Black Doom hidden. None of them would dare face you alone, not with your strength. Ryint, keep your focus on the people here. They seem to be doing well under your guidance."

Saethrim nodded and decided to listen without any resistance. She had good points, and it was best to be working together here. "Gotcha. Don't go after them on your own, even if you're strong enough to. It's not gonna end well if you do."

The vampire nodded her head, crossing her arms. "I will exercise caution." With this said, Saethrim once more warped away, taking Black Doom with him.

Ryint looked over with a concerned glance. "Your muscles are way too tense. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up."

"I will be fine," Ghune replied, turning away. "I am going now."

A sigh escaped the babylonian vampire, shaking her head in dismay. "At least contact Xin. Make sure he's involved in this."

Ghune blinked once and simply nodded. "I will." With this, she quickly teleported away, intent on speaking to Shadow sooner rather than later.

~保護者~

This is not good. This so, so not good.

Sonic skidded to a halt. He'd taken off from Tails's house not two minutes before when something terrible - and not to mention terribly familiar - reached his senses. Now he was standing atop a mountain on the frozen continent Artika, freezing his ass off, and somewhat panicking. There was no way his senses were accurate, right? Espio, Shadow, and Jet had all chastised him for not trusting said senses, but how was he supposed to accept this?

Okay… enough of that. Gotta get my shit together. This is real. This is way too real.

Memories flashed through his mind. Night-born creatures stalking the vulnerable. Continents broken apart. The race to find seven emeralds. A mother wounded. A father defeated. A dramatic finish to a dramatic fight. And above all else… fear. Trauma. Heartbreak. This monster had orphaned him. It had threatened to do so again. Only drastic action, a Chaos Control, had finally defeated it. And now… now it was back. Dark Gaia was back.

I can't believe this is happening.

Swallowing thickly, Sonic turned away. Then he paused and turned back around. He watched the skies, tense and anxious. The monster was too far away to see. Still, he lingered. Why was he lingering? Was it nothing more than old fear? He wasn't sure. It didn't even matter. Forcing himself to move, he ran straight back to his friend's home. There wasn't a moment to lose.

I have to warn… everyone.

~保護者~

13,848 words this time. Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support, and I hope you enjoyed. Below are just a few pronunciation notes pertaining to the scene with the first chameleon.

-Vijun is pronounced "Vee-hoon". I don't think it's a real name with any meaning.

-Vyn is easy, it's just pronounced "Vin". I don't think it's a real name with any meaning.

-Yoru means "night" or "evening" in Japanese and is a real name some people have.

-Yami means "darkness" in Japanese. Not sure if anyone has ever really been named this, though.

-Seishin means something like "a star" or "a star shining in the night sky" so far as I'm aware. I chose this name because, admittedly, an anime character I really love has this name, lol. Plus the meaning behind the name fits with my idea of his family picking something special to call him by. Anyway, it's pronounced "Say-shin".

-Yoruha, so far as I could tell online, isn't a real Japanese name and as such has no actual meaning. It's pronounced "Yore-oo-hah".

Anyway, that's all for now. Posted (at about 12:05 p.m.) 04-01-23.