No Need for (The) Conception

by Nena Camadera

Tenchi's life was pretty good. He spent his summers with his grandpa, he was entering his final year in highschool, and freed a 700 year demon from her prison. He even almost got a girlfriend, which was the real cherry on top. Then the world ended. "Life's a bitch, then you die." But sometimes you come back.

9. School's Start, World's End

Okinawa Prefecture,

Naha City, Japan

"…state that Hikawa has moved to Naha City, Japan, to escape the scandal which has followed him from Tokyo. The Chief Technical Director of the rising computer tech company, Cybers, claims that his peace has been disrupted, and wishes to retire from Tokyo's limelight and the media's eye for 'quiet' under claims-"

With a moan, a hand came down on the radio alarm clock, silencing the broadcaster before the reporter could finish. Bleary-eyed, the young man rolled onto his back, yawned, and slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Next to him, the clock flashed 07:00 AM in large, red digital letters.

The youth stretched, his lips pursed in a small frown. "First day of class." Tenchi Masaki muttered, and crawled with lackluster out of bed battered, beaten, and bruised.

His final weeks at the Masaki Shrine had been neither kind nor productive.

Ryoko never made her reappearance as Tenchi had so desperately hoped, though at one time he could have sworn he saw a kitsune-Nanatsu specifically-watching him train with Kuzunoha.

The Devil Summoner himself had taken every opportunity not spent investigating Ryoko's whereabouts in training with Tenchi and Yosho, and more often than not one if not both of the teens came away beaten and bloody. Raidou had learned some finesse in Yosho's tutelage, and though Tenchi would have never admitted it, he'd been a little jealous in seeing his grandfather-no longer under the guise of an old man but now as a young man still in his prime-train a stranger.

The teen sighed, feeling his ribs throb as he took a breath and wondering if either Raidou or Yosho hadn't cracked one of them in their sparring matches. Both were absolute beasts with the bokken, Tenchi learned, and Yosho would at times have a free-for-all between the three of them, leading to a level of intensity and chaos well outside the boundaries of Tenchi's comfort zone.

Ryoko's resurrection, continued absence, and the Goetia battle had triggered something in his grandfather. What, Tenchi wasn't sure, but a terrifying drive had been reawakened which left both Tenchi and the young Kuzunoha at Yosho's mercy.

Not to say Tenchi did not improve.

Where before, Yosho could still easily defeat him, in their final day of training, Tenchi had become quite the sparring partner-be it of sword or fist. Even Raidou had come to acknowledge his prowess, and in a way that had been more satisfying than ending his final match at the shrine in a draw between himself and his grandfather.

The teen trudged into the bathroom, removing his night shirt and washing his face, feeling his muscles strain. When he looked at the face in the mirror, a grim, harrowed teen looked back, covered in heavy bruises from the chest down. He blinked, then narrowed his eyes. Did I lose weight?

He dismissed the thought. With how much both his grandfather and the devil summoner had been training with him, it'd been all he could do just to keep his current weight. Still…looks like I gained some muscle mass. He wasn't stacked or even necessarily toned, but there was more muscle definition in his chest and arms than before.

Frowning, the teen grabbed his school uniform, slipping his arms through the white button-up shirt and finding the fabric tighter than he remembered. "Well…crap." He grumbled. "First day of school and the guys are gonna give me shit for an ill-fitting uniform." Sighing, the teen shook his head in dismay before butting the uniform and heading downstairs.

His father was reading the morning paper, as was customary, with two plates set out of miso soup and grilled salmon. Tenchi blinked at the unexpected surprise, then smiled slightly, sitting down to join his father at the kitchen table.

An article headline caught his eye. "Cult of Gaea Spreads to Okinawa's Shores" and beneath it, in smaller text, "Twenty Arrested in Attempted Occult-Related Ritual, before his father folded the paper and placed it to one side. "Morning Tenchi. Ready for the start of a new year?"

Tenchi nodded. "Kind of relieved to be going back." He muttered, waiting for his father to pick up his own chopsticks before picking up the bowl of miso soup.

Nobuyuki watched him with a raised eyebrow but remained quiet. A long silence stretched between them before his father finally broke it. "Tenchi…did something happen while you were at your grandfather's? You've been awfully quiet since coming back."

"I have?" Tenchi looked at the older man in surprise, taking note of the concern on his father's face.

Nobuyuki nodded. "I feel like you've been more withdrawn since coming home. Is everything alright?"

The teen paused, looking down at his meal. It wasn't often that they had grilled salmon and miso soup for breakfast. His dad wasn't the biggest fan of salted salmon, though Tenchi had grown up loving it. A small, sincere gesture of his father's own love and concern for his son. What do I tell him? That I was traumatized by a devil and helped resurrect a seven-hundred year old demon woman? That I've been getting in fights with a bancho demon summoner while looking for leads on the released demon? That a talking cat thinks a doomsday cult really is trying to end the world-and might actually be progressing?

At length he sighed, setting down the miso soup as he looked back at his dad. Nobuyuki own food remained untouched, and his father was watching him carefully. "It was…a bit of a rough summer, Dad." He confessed.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Nobuyuki asked.

Tenchi opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. I watched my best friend almost die. He almost said, And I still don't know if she's okay.

Instead he closed his mouth and shook his head. "Not right now." He whispered. "I-I still have school."

The concern on Nobuyuki face deepened, darkening the wrinkles on his face, and Tenchi was struck by just how old his father seemed in that moment. He looks older than Grandpa. He realized, and his eyes roamed his father's face, examining the scars of Age and Time. The crows feet at his eyes, the laugh lines in his face, even the way his cheeks had begun to droop from stress and loss.

Across from him sat his father.

Across from him sat a man who'd experienced much in his life, and valiantly continued for the sake of his son.

All this was seen in the span of seconds, and Tenchi closed his eyes, as if, in that moment committing his father's face to his memory. "I'm okay Dad." He finally said, opening them. "Nothing I can't handle." He smiled, though it did not reach his eyes.

Nobuyuki's worry did not leave his face. "If you ever want to talk about it…"

"I know Dad. You'll be the first I come to."

Nobuyuki nodded, not looking in the least bit convinced but knowing better than to press. "Hurry up and see what you can eat them." He said instead, an open invitation to change the subject. "You don't want to be late for school on your first day back."

"Right. Thanks." Tenchi reached over to break off a small piece of salmon, then paused, meeting his father's gaze. "I mean it." He said. 'Thank you, Dad."

A warm, if sad smile breezed across Nobuyuki's face. "Of course. I'll always be here when you need me."

With these words, Tenchi finished his breakfast and departed, unaware it would be the last he saw his father alive.

---

The teachers and faculty staff were all standing outside the school gates, ushering students inside the building premises despite being fifteen minutes prior to the opening ceremonies starting. Tenchi watched them in open curiosity, and caught the eye of one of the staff members-she looked like a teacher, one Tenchi didn't recognize from last year-who smiled reassuringly at him. A tall, pale man dressed in a predominantly brown suit approached her, and the smile cooled as she redirected her attention to him. Tenchi passed them, and heard the man mention something about 'Miroku scriptures'.

He paused as Tenchi slowed his pace, eavesdropping, and turned to regard the teen with cold gray eyes. For his part, Tenchi was more taken back by the absurd widow's peak the man had stylized his short black hair in. Without thought, he snickered, gestured to his own forehead, then turned and walked off, ignoring the glare the man sent his way.

Holy crap, I never thought I'd emulate Dipshit. He thought.

Still…'Miroku Scripture'…Gouto-Douji had specifically mentioned something about that prior to their departure. "The Cult of Gaea has become inconsolable." He'd said, "Their sacred treasure, the Miroku Scripture, has been stolen."

Were they part of the cult?

As he passed through the school gates, he paused, looking back over his shoulder. The man had vanished, but the woman remained. She looked troubled. Black hair down to her neck, white peacoat over her arm, black blouse and pants, matching heels. He committed the image to memory, then slipped away, knowing that the opening ceremonies would be introducing everyone on the faculty staff as they named out homeroom advisers. The youth frowned. I'll need to call Grandpa during lunch. While Kuzunoha and Gouto-Douji had departed on the same day as Tenchi from the Masaki shrine, he had passed Yosho a way to get in contact with the Devil Summoner should any new revelations pop up. Wonder what it was. The youth mused, It wasn't a telephone number-that'd be useless to someone like Dipship when he can't even talk. Unless he has Gouto-Douji answer the phone. Unbidden an image of Raidou holding the phone up to the feline's ear came into his mind, and the teen grinned at the absurdity of it. Too bad he doesn't have a cellphone. That'd be real handy right about now.

As if he was one to talk. The devices were well out of his price range even with the odd jobs he'd picked up in the past year.

Shaking his head, the teen looked around the campus, searching for Amagasaki and the others and finding none of them. Must be early. He thought, shoving a hand in his pocket and moving towards the area he'd met up with them the year prior. Placing his satchel at his feet, the teen leaned against a concrete pillar holding an elevated garden, the scent of flowers wafting to his nose. He observed the others around him in silence, recognizing many of the newer seniors form the previous two years. He saw Kumashiro Sakuya with a group of other girls talking excitedly as they shared some detail or other from their own summer. For a brief second he caught her eyes, and felt his heart jolt when, rather than dismiss him, she smiled widely and waved.

Tenchi returned the gesture with an open smile of his own.

…Okay, so maybe things weren't all doom and gloom.

"Masaki!" A large, meaty arm wrapped around his shoulders, and Amagasaki appeared, looking a fair bit redder and a lot skinnier than what Tenchi remembered of him. "We ain't even start school yet and you making eyes with a girl?"

Tenchi stared at him with a start. "Holy shit, Amagasaki, what did you do all summer?'

The teen released him and pat his bicep. "Took on a summer job at a construction site!" He said, "I'm gonna be graduating this year! I need money!"

"You didn't want to get a job at like…a fast food booth or a restaurant?" Tenchi asked. "You'd have had A/C."

Amagasaki shook his head. "Nah man. I hate being cramped indoors punching numbers and pleasing folks. I need to be doing something that feels productive, y'know?" The youth beamed at him in pride. "We constructed a whole building over the summer-its being fitted with furniture by the buyer now. The boss said he was so impressed with my work ethic that he'd hire me back on throughout the school year it I wanted some extra cash." The teen winked. "He said he'd be willing to employ others if I recommended them. Hit me up if you need some cash while you're making googly eyes at the ladies."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tenchi said. "Have you seen the others yet?"

Amagasaki shook his head. "They're probably dragging their feet. You know how the first day of school is."

Tenchi smirked, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, that's true. Trying to catch the last bit of zee's they can before the school year steals it from them with studying and tests."

Amagasaki chuckled, then pointed. "I think I see Ikeda now."

Tenchi looked to where his friend was pointing and nodded, watching as the teen slunk through the front gates, looking semi-anxious as he glanced over his shoulder. "Looks like he got heckled by the faculty too." Amagasaki stated, folding his arms over his chest. "Poor guy, I feel for him. The school is going out of its way to make sure students arrive safely and aren't harassed by anyone."

The teen glanced at his friend in confusion. "What do you mean?"

The larger youth looked at him in surprise. "You mean you didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

A frown slipped over Amagasaki's face. "There was a mass serial murder a few weeks ago. One of the victims was a student from this school."

"You serious?"

Amagasaki nodded. "A first year. His friends said someone claiming they were a teacher lured him away from their group and disappeared. He'd been dead for close to a full day by the times the cops found him." The teen shook his head. "The school got blamed for it, so they're going out of their way to ensure another incident doesn't happen."

"Fuck…" For a moment Tenchi's mind flashed back to the demon at Funaho, of how easily the Goetia had brought the sword down on his head, and how quickly Ryoko had slain him. Like a videogame. Tenchi thought. Or a movie. No emotions involved. 'Just another Tuesday'. He shivered despite the heat, rousing form his thoughts only when Amagasaki elbowed him in the ribs.

"Hey Masaki-kun, take a look at that goon." Amagasaki pointed with a snicker. "Man, who needs to investigate-they just let the murderer walk through the front gates!"

"Come on Amagasaki, that's not fun-" The words died on Tenchi's lips as Raidou Kuzunoha, dressed in their local school uniform but rebelliously wearing the bancho top, strolled through the school gates.

"Are you fucking serious?" Tenchi whispered.

"I know, right?" Ikeda approached, throwing a glance over his shoulder. "Dude's been following me since I got off the train."

"I think he wants a piece of you Ikeda."

"Why do you say that?"

"The delinquent is coming our way."

Ikeda moaned. "Man, what did I do? I accidentally made eye contact with him, that was all! I don't even have any spare change on me! I have like, one five hundred yen coin on me, and that was supposed to be for lunch!"

"Calm down guys, I got this." Tenchi stepped past them, leaving his bag with them, and walked towards Kuzunoha, who smirked as their eyes locked. Around them, conversations died down as people moved out of the twos way, perhaps sensing the violent intent between the two of them. They met in the middle of campus, Tenchi glaring at what had becoming his sparring rival as Raidou smiled down at him, his eyes glittering like diamonds; raw, hard, and cutting.

A crowd began to form around them as students moved to see what would happen, sensing a fight and wanting blood.

"The hell are you doing here, Kuzunoha?" Tenchi demanded.

Kuzunoha smirked, then pointed at Tenchi.

"Me?" He pointed at himself with a thumb. "You came all this way for me?"

Raidou, smiling, crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at the teen. He drew his thumb across his throat, then pointed at Tenchi.

"As if." Tenchi replied. "You think you can waltz in here like you own the place?"

Raidou nodded.

Tenchi narrowed his eyes.

"Boys!" A voice, clear and sharp, rang through the school grounds, and with some protest the circle of students opened up to allow a teacher through. Tenchi observed her from his peripheral vision.

It's her again. The teacher from before. The one who had been talking to Widows Peak.

"There is no fighting on school grounds!" She snapped. "Both of you back away from eachother now, or you'll both come with me to the principal's office!"

Tenchi turned his full attention back to Kuzunoha. "You heard her." He said. "You don't want to get in trouble your first day, do you?" He jerked his head to the teacher, watching a measured look slip across Raidou's face.

Then a dark smile slipped onto the devil summoner's face, and Raidou stepped forward.

Tenchi, refusing to back down, followed the gesture.

"No!" The teacher stepped between them, and Tenchi raised his hands, watching from the side of one eye as Raidou's expression drooped into one of bored irritation.

"Both of you, come with me!" The woman demanded, grabbing them both by the arms. Raidou looked ready to throw her off, and Tenchi cleared his throat. When the teen looked at the Masaki, Tenchi shook his head ever-so-slightly.

Defeated, Raidou sighed and allowed the woman to escort them in the building.

"My dad's gonna kill me." Tenchi said, staring at the ceiling as his fingers strained, each hand holding a full bucket of water.

Raidou shot him a flat look.

"Good to see you too, Dipshit."

Raidou, still holding his own water buckets, carefully raised one hand and flipped him off in ceremonial greeting.

"Serious talk though." Tenchi said. "You here looking into the murders?"

Raidou nodded, looked down the hallway they were standing in, and set his buckets down. He held a hand over his face, masking his face.

"You're undercover?"

A nod.

"Dude…could you be any more obvious? Tenchi snarked. "The guys you were following to school all thought you were gonna mug them. One of them even joked you're the murderer, dressed like a delinquent."

Raidou stared at him with flat eyes. I'm not apologizing.

"Figures." Tenchi heaved a sigh, and when it grew apparent that no staff were coming to check on them, placed his own buckets down as well. "That teacher who stopped us…I think she might be connected to the Cult of Gaea."

Raidou's eyes widened, and the youth grew uncharacteristically serious, turning to face Tenchi fully.

"She was speaking with someone when I was coming through the gate. Tall pale guy, big widow's peak, wearing a brown suit. I don't think he was a teacher, but…" Tenchi shrugged, flexing his fingers as he got the blood flowing once more. "They were talking about Miroku Scriptures."

Raidou gestured him on, but Tenchi shook his head. "I only picked up on it. Widow's Peak shut up real fast when he caught me eavesdropping. But the lady he was speaking to, the teacher…" Tenchi frowned. "She looked spooked."

Raidou pursed his lips, then stiffened, turning to the western hallway before quickly picking up his water pales. Tenchi mimicked him.

The woman from before marched down the hallway, a soft scowl on her face as she approached the two teens. She stopped before them both, a notebook in hand as she looked between them both. "Masaki Tenchi, Third-year…" She looked at Tenchi, "…and Kuzunoha, Raidou, the Fifteenth." Her gaze moved to the Devil Summoner, who looked at her passively. "…You two are cousins?"

Tenchi almost dropped his two buckets. "We are?" He demanded.

Beside him, Raidou nodded in confirmation.

The woman sent Tenchi a critical gaze. "Are you saying the school records are wrong?" She asked. "Cousins, Masaki Tenchi with a clean school record up until today who has attended this school since he was a first year, and Kuzunoha Raidou, who transferred here from Tokyo to be near his ailing grandfather. Is that incorrect?"

Raidou shook his head, a slightly desperate smile on his face as he looked over at Tenchi. His eyes were murderous.

Tenchi stared at the teen in abject horror before biting his pride and slowly, painfully, bowing his head in agreement. The teen stared at the ground. "…Yes Ma'am." He said. "I uh…forget sometimes we're…related." He grit his teeth. "We don't…have the best…relationship."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "I can see that." She snapped. "Yet that is no reason to allow yourself to sink to such a lowly level as to start a fight on school grounds-on your first day!" Both teens flinched. The woman sighed. "…However…" She continued, "I am willing to give you both the benefit of the doubt. If you can both make amends to each other right now, and show me that you are above such petty squabbles and that you can maintain a professional relationship, I will allow you to return to the opening ceremonies."

Tenchi stared. "Ma'am…"

"Takao Yuko." The woman squinted at Tenchi. "I believe I'm your homeroom adviser, as a matter of fact."

Inwardly Tenchi groaned. Way to make a first impression on the homeroom teacher. He thought. "Takao-sensei, why are you making such a…large exception for us?"

"I believe there are two sides to every story." Takao replied, crossing her arms over her chest. She smiled. "Logic and reason can only be achieved through a higher understanding of deeper issues at play. An ailing family member. A history of bad blood. Perhaps even a troubled home life." She looked at Raidou specifically. Raidou flinched. "Once an understanding of that can be achieved, better efforts can be made to address the issue in a manner all parties involved can agree upon."

Tenchi blinked, staring at the woman in surprise. This was a Cult of Gaea member? Someone out to theoretically end the world? "That's surprisingly diplomatic."

"Thank you." Takao replied. "It's just a shame others tend not to see it as such. But if the younger generation, such as you two, can embrace such practices…" A ghost of a smile flitted across her lips. "Then perhaps this world may become better that what I currently view it as."

Raidou pursed his lips, watching her with a thoughtful frown. Then, to Tenchi's surprise, he bowed steeply in thanks before casting a glare to Tenchi.

"Oh." Tenchi followed the gesture, a light flush on his face. "Thank you very much, Takao-sensei." He said. "We appreciate the gesture. We'll do better and…not fight on the school grounds."

Takao cast an amused look at two boys, the corner of one lip quirked up in a wane half-smile. "I'd prefer you didn't fight at all." She stated. "However, if the rivalry between you both is that strong, may I recommend the kendo club? It may help you both not only sort out your…differences, but may also provide you some guidance into who and what kind of person you wish to one day become."

"Yes Sensei. Thank you for your consideration." Tenchi peaked at Raidou, who maintained his thoughtful expression. "We'll consider it."

"I'll do you one more and recommend you for the kendo club myself." Takao replied as the boys straightened. "They're a newer club and need the members." She planted a hip on her side. "Now go dump those buckets and get back to the assembly hall. The day's only just begun."

Amagasaki was in his homeroom class. So too was Kumashiro. By the grace of a god whose face Tenchi did not know, Raidou was not.

Neither were the others, unfortunately.

"Masaki-kun, over here!" Amagasaki hailed him as he entered, and Tenchi winced as the other students all turned to stare him, the conversation which had been so easy going suddenly dying as his peers recognized The Instigator from that morning. Inwardly he cringed, a part of him wanting to strangle Amagasaki for bringing the attention on him. Instead, the youth plastered a large, fake smile on his face and entered the classroom, trying to look calm, cool, and comfortable as his classmates began to whisper around them.

"….Rattail was gonna fight the bancho…"

"…heard he got his ass beat. What's he doing here?"

"…heard wrong, its the other way…"

Amagasaki seemed deaf to the comments around them. "Saved you a seat Bud. Got your bag too." He offered the black satchel to the teen.

Now the smile became honest. "Thanks Amagasaki-kun. I hadn't realized it was even missing." He sighed with relief, taking the satchel from his friend and taking a seat next to Amagasaki.

Kumashiro Sakuya approached, her expression curious but pensive. "What…happened this morning, Masaki-kun?"

Amagasaki slapped a meaty palm against Tenchi's back, throwing the teen forward into his desk. "Masaki-kun here's a hero, though that teacher would say otherwise." He said, eyes gleaming as he smiled at the girl. "That dude who showed up? He was stalking one of our buddies, Ikeda-kun, through the front gates. Been following him since he got off the train and looked like he was gonna beat him up. Tenchi intervened before the punk could start something."

Tenchi felt his cheeks warm with a blush. "It wasn't that big a deal." He muttered. "And that teacher is our homeroom adviser."

Amagasaki ignored him. "This is the second time Masaki's stood up for us." The teen leaned back in his seat as Kumashiro took the desk in front of Tenchi, turning the chair around and leaning forward as she listened with rapt attention. "Last year some punk from one of the rival schools started targeting me, cutting me off and stealing my lunch money because I was too scared of fighting him-he was part of a gang and he'd call them on me if I tried anything-or so he claimed. Word got to Masaki-kun over here, and the next thing I know he's meeting up with me at my house and we're going to school together. The bastard shows up and what does Masaki do?"

"Come on Amagasaki…" Tenchi groaned, and buried his face in his hands, the flush in his cheeks spreading up to his ears.

"What's he do?" Kumashiro asked.

"This motherfucker goes and asks him to leave me alone!"

Tenchi groaned, crossed his arms over his desk, and buried his head in his arms.

"I take it he didn't?" Kumashiro asked, and Tenchi missed the coy glance she sent his way.

"Course not!" Amagasaki laughed. "Instead, the jerk heckling us takes a swing at him, totally unprovoked!"

Kumashiro gasped.

His voice muffled, Tenchi moaned out, "Shut up, Amagasaki!"

Predictably, his words went unheard by the Great Deaf Amakasaki.

"But one thing Masaki never talks about is how he spends his summers training with his grandpa, a Priest who is like, a retired kendo instructor or something. The swing never comes close, and suddenly the dude is on the ground with a bloody nose from where Tenchi smacked him with his palm. It was awesome!"

"Seriously?" There was a note of awe in Kumashiro's voice.

"Yeah, no lie!"Amagasaki proclaimed. "The guy gets up, super pissed, and Masaki is just standing there all calm like he didn't just destroy this man's nose. He repeats his request for the guy to leave me alone, and this dude just goes apeshit on him. Masaki though?" Kumashiro-san, I shit you not, it was like watching one of those Dragon Ball characters fight-the dude never so much as touches my man here, but you can see Masaki getting more and more pissed by every move. He finally acts, and wham!" Amagasaki slammed his fists down on the desk, creating a start from Kumashiro, Tenchi, and the other classmates who had fallen silent, listening attentively to the teen's story.

"Masaki punches the dude in the stomach-"

"Solar plexus." Tenchi muttered.

"Solar plexus," Amagasaki corrected, his hearing returning to him but for a brief moment in time, "And the dude goes down hard. Masaki puts him in an arm bar and politely tells him to go fuck himself-"

"To leave you alone." Tenchi corrected.

"-and then calmly steps over him and starts walking to the school. He stuck with me a whole week, just to make sure the asshole didn't show back up. The dude never did though; Masaki here had scared him so badly he'd gone weeping back to his school." He shook Tenchi's shoulder with a laugh. "And then in the spring, we absolutely decimated them in baseball!"

"Wow." Kumashiro whispered. "That's…that's kind of cool."

"It is?" Tenchi's head immediately popped up, his face a deep red that had traversed from his ears and down to his neck.

Kumashiro nodded, a smile filled with awe on her face. "Is Amagasaki-kun telling the truth?"

Tenchi's flush darkened, and he stared at her mutely.

Kumashiro giggled. "Must be. Why else would you be so embarrassed by it?"

"…Wasn't trying to hurt him." Tenchi muttered. "He just…wouldn't stop. Let my emotions get the better of me."

"Like right now?" Kumashiro leaned over on Tenchi's desk, and laughed with the teen fell out of his seat. "Humble but heroic. My, you certainly are full of surprises, aren't you Masaki-kun?" Kumashiro smiled. "I like that. I'd love to hear more stories."

"From this guy?" Amagasaki gestured at the teen with a thumb. "It'll be like pulling teeth. He'll just try and tell you how boring his life is, spending all his summers locked up in the mountains at his family's seven hundred year-old shrine, training with his grandpa and maintaining a shrine that supposedly has a 'Heavenly Demon' or something in it." The teen smirked. "If you ask him nicely though, he might tell you stories of the youkai which he claims haunt the place…"

"Really!?" Kumashiro looked ready to burst with excitement, and picking himself up and reorienting himself in his seat, Tenchi looked at her.

She's kind of cute when she's all excited like this. He thought, and despite his embarrassment, smiled awkwardly at her. "Uh, sure. I can share some stories."

"I want to hear all of them." Kumashiro beamed.

Tenchi swallowed. "O-okay."

"I must say, with how Amagasaki-kun goes about his storytelling, even I'm curious about your stories, Masaki-kun." The trio jumped, and Kumashiro spun in her seat, the three teens looking up to Takao-sensei, who stared down at all three of them with a bright smile, gray eyes dancing with laughter.

"Oh gods, kill me now." Tenchi muttered, and slid down into his seat.

"It's okay if you don't want to share right now." Takao-sensei replied. "But while I do enjoy Amagasaki's gift for storytelling, class is about to begin. So if you'll kindly direct your attention to the front…"

"Yes Sensei." The three teens muttered, their faces ranging from light blushes to deep red embarrassment as the woman turned back towards the class.

Tenchi glanced up at Amagasaki.

Amagasaki winked.

Tenchi smiled. Maybe the school year won't be so bad after all. He thought, and looked at the back of Kumashiro Sakuya's head. It might even be fun, if we can stop the Cult of Gaea.

Raidou found him during one of their breaks. He passed Tenchi a note. We follow Takao at lunch. Rumors say she takes her meals off school grounds. Meet me at the bike rack near the school walls. Gouto-Douji will tail her until we can rally.

Ninety minutes later, the lunch bell rang. My first day back and not only do I get into a fight, but I also ditch school to stalk a teacher. Dad's gonna have a hernia if this gets back to him. The teen sighed, digging through his satchel for his wallet and blinking when instead he saw the gleam of red gems embedded in wood. Shit, is that where I put it? I've been looking for this thing all weekend. Absently he grabbed it, his thumb running over the cool, smooth gems in reflex and finding an odd comfort in their presence. "If I have these, Ryoko will show up again." He murmured, then pocketed the tenchi-ken. "She has to."

"What was that, Masaki-kun?" The youth jumped, and looked up, finding Kumashiro staring at him in curiosity.

Tenchi ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, nothing." He said. "Just thinking aloud."

"What are you doing for lunch?"

Ah come on… "I'm meeting my cousin for lunch." Tenchi replied, scratching the back of his head. "He uh, recently moved down here from Tokyo and doesn't have any friends yet. I'm helping him adjust for the next couple weeks until he can make some friends of his own."

"Do you want to invite him over and sit with us?" Kumashiro asked. "A couple friends and I were hoping to sit with you and Amagasaki-kun." Her expression was hopeful.

The look died as Tenchi grimaced. "Sorry…" He said. "…Not today. My cousin is…" He paused, trying to think of the best way to describe the Devil Summoner. "Socially inept." He decided. "He…grew up in a rough neighborhood and is only just starting to adjust. I don't want to expose you to his more…negative traits…until he's more acclimated down here."

"Oh." Kumashiro wilted. "So we shouldn't go…"

"Oh, no!" Tenchi interrupted. "I'm'—I'm not introducing him to Amagasaki or the others either. A fight will break out and there's been enough violence for one day. Instead we're just gonna find some place quiet and away from the other students to just chill for a while. He ah, kind of needs a break from being around so many people for hours at a time."

"I see…"

"Tell you what though-I'll work something out with him and tomorrow I'll join you, Amagasaki, and the others. How's that sound?"

Kumashiro seemed to brighten at the prospect. "Is that a promise?"

"Uh…sure!" Tenchi replied.

"Will you tell me one of your youkai stories?"

"Sure. I'll even let you choose." Tenchi smiled. "Demon, Crow, Fox, or Spider. Your pick."

"Oh! Fox! Like kitsune?" Kumashiro's eyes shined with curiosity.

She has blue eyes. Tenchi noted, and a smile slipped across his face, open and excited. She like's kitsune, just like mom did. "Exactly like kitsune." Tenchi replied. "Seven tails and nine tails. A bonded pair which live up in the shrine."

Kumashiro leaned towards Tenchi. "Are you serious!?"

"Sure am!" He chirped. "But that's tomorrow's stories. Anything else is a spoiler." He winked, and watched her smile spread to her eyes.

"It's a date than!" The girl proclaimed, and Tenchi felt his heart leap in his chest. "Let's meet up somewhere quiet too. I don't want to miss a thing!" She turned and left, looking over her shoulder to wave in goodbye. "I can't wait!" And then she was gone, leaving Tenchi alone in the classroom, baffled, excited, a stomach filled with butterflies and a heart doing flips in his chest.

"…A date!?" He whispered.

A hand moved to his chest, feeling the wild circuit of his pulse as it raced through his veins. "I have a date." A large smile on his chest, Tenchi Masaki too, departed the classroom.

His back turned to the window throughout the entire affair, he never saw the entity which appeared hovering outside the classroom window, watching his retreating form.

Raidou was waiting for him at the bike rack, tapping his foot impatiently as Tenchi ran breathless to his companion. "Hey 'cousin', you ready?"

The Devil Summoner glared at him, then tapped his wrist, miming a watch.

"Yeah, I know. I got hung up, okay?" Tenchi replied. "Anyways, what's the plan? How are we supposed to meet up with Gouto-Douji if he's following Takao-sensei?" The teen frowned, then looked at the wall surrounding the school. "How are we even supposed to leave school grounds? The latest incidents with the Cult of Gaea have led to a lock down policy on the school; students aren't allowed off the premise until the school day is over unless absolutely necessary."

Raidou looked at him flatly before unbuttoning his jacket and giving Tenchi a peak at the vials sewn into holders inside. He withdrew one and popped off the top, allowing the entity within its freedom.

At first Tenchi didn't see it. He was aware of a green gas emerging from within, felt a breeze, and smelled something like musk and evergreens. A moment later, and he saw an owl, both there and not in the same instance, with one leg, a dark gray body, and wings the unique shade of lilac. He blinked, and rubbed his eyes, looking at the creature again. It has a human face. He thought.

Raidou held his arm out, and the creature landed, gripping his forearm with talons the length of Tenchi's middle finger. "What is thou bidding, Master?"

Raidou gestured to Tenchi, then the wall, twirling a finger on his free hand.

The entity laughed, its head swiveling a full one-hundred and eighty degrees to look Tenchi in the eyes. The youth felt himself begin to sweat as the human-like face smiled at him.

It was cruel.

"As thy Master wishes." Leaping into the air, it took to the sky, lilac wings flapping as it stared down at Tenchi. Tenchi looked at Raidou. "What is it going to do?"

Raidou merely shrugged.

"Kuzunoha, what the fuck is it gonna do to me?" Tenchi grew distressed.

Raidou smiled innocently.

"Zandyne." A burst of wind exploded beneath Tenchi, and before the boy could react he found himself enveloped, flung into the sky by a dust devil like nothing he'd ever encountered before. The teen screamed, the world flying in dizzying proportions around him, the blue sky and white wall whipping around him with terrible frenzy. Something green-a bush-entered his vision and joined the cacophony, and the youth curled up into a ball as he landed in the shrubbery on the other side of the wall.

Gasping, dizzy, and his stomach somewhere in the underworld, Tenchi found himself staring at a bright blue cloudless sky. Then two hands gripped the white wall immediately over him, and Raidou peered down at him, snickering.

Tenchi didn't even have the strength to flip him off.

A smile still on his face, the Devil Summoner hopped over the wall with an ease that came with experience, using the wall's surface to leap off of and over the hedge Tenchi had fallen into.

Raidou clapped his hands. Chop chop, times a-wasting.

"Yeah, fuck you too." Tenchi wheezed, and shakily crawled out of the bush.

The Devil Summoner already had a fresh entity out by the time the teen joined him. In his mind's eye, he saw a giant dog, cartoonishly disproportioned, with short red hair like fire and a row of crocodile teeth too large for its skull. Its tails split in two at the end, like a nekomata, and its chest was coated in reptilian scales. It wore a giant spiked collar, and Raidou held on to the end of the chain which dangled from it. The monster snarled at Tenchi, yet Raidou looked unconcerned, whistling a sharp tune to the beast. The monstrous hound sat.

"YOU WISH FOR ME TO TRACK SOMEONE." The creature roared, and though Tenchi didn't hear it with his ears, he brought his ears over them anyway. "GRANT ME THEIR SCENT, AND I WILL LEAD THE WAY."

The Devil Summoner produced a cat tail from his jacket and brought it to the creature's maw. Tenchi marveled at the teen's bravery. It looked like the beast would bite his hand off at any moment.

I HAVE THE SCENT. LET US DEPART." The beast was off, tugging on the chain with such ferocity that Raidou was half dragged away. Tenchi had to run to catch up with them both, and the creature took them away from the school, through a busy intersection, and then down several back allies where ramen shop owners watched them with scorn. Through the alleyways they raced, passing shady thugs who cast them glares, homeless men who shuffled after them stinking of piss and cheap beer, washers taking their smoke break before the next influx of characters, and several cats who raced off-one with a rat as large as Raidou's hat in its mouth. Directions became an illusions as one ally turned into another turned into three, and by the time the boys emerged into a quiet intersection, they were both well and thoroughly lost.

Raidou whistled, and the beast paused, looking back at the Devil Summoner with a snarl. "THE SCENT GROWS COLD. DO NOT WASTE MY TIME, SUMMONER." Raidou gestured to the creature with one hand in a request to pause, and the two teens took a moment to catch their breath, looking around them as they both sought to reorient themselves. The streets had grown quiet and empty in their race, the cement sidewalks replaced with stone tiles. The modern and chic buildings of Okinawa had vanished at some point, and what remained were small, single story buildings with tiled roofs.

"What the…"

Raidou glanced at Tenchi, then gestured around them. You know where we are?

"We're in Kinjocho." Tenchi replied. "But that's…that's fifty miles from school, at least." He glanced at his watch. A meager ten minutes had passed since leaving the school. "How the fuck…?"

Raidou pursed his lips, but shook his head, apparently equally as lost. He gestured to the beast, the closest reasoning either of them had as to the sudden travel. He scratched between the creature's shoulder blades like it was a large dog, and the creature growled. To Tenchi, it sounded threatening, however a second look showed the monster leaning into the teen's body, tails gently swaying at the attention it received.

"THE SCENT NEARS ITS END. IT IS NOT MUCH FARTHER."

"No need, I'm right here." A voice called from above them, and the two humans and demon looked up, spying a green-eyed cat staring down at them.

Tenchi smiled in relief. "Gouto-Douji.

"Masaki-kun. I see you are well. Thank you for the tip off this morning."

"Sure. Mind explaining why your apprentice is suddenly my cousin on school records?"

Gouto-Douji laughed, trotting over to a nearby gnarled bishop wood and hopping onto one of the overhanging branches. "Thank your grandfather, it was his idea. He thought Raidou might have an easier time under cover if he feigned attending the school due to a family ailment."

"Thanks for the heads up." Tenchi said flatly.

"Thank your grandfather." Gouto repeated. "We had no way of informing you." The cat carefully made his way down the tree, then dashed over to the trio, tail held high like a banister. He stopped in front of the hound spirit, and the massive beast lowered its head, mouth panting as it displayed its fangs.

That thing has a mouth big enough to eat Gouto in one bite. Tenchi thought.

Yet nothing of the sort happened. Gouto turned his face up to the hulking behemoth and touched his nose to the monster's. "Thank you for your assitance, Garm. It's always a pleasure."

"IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU ALIVE AND WELL, GOUTO-DOUJI." The creature replied, then raised his head to look at Raidou. "MY PURPOSE IS COMPLETE. ALLOW ME TO RETURN THAT I MAY SLEEP."

Raidou nodded, pulling out an empty vial and popping the top off. A moment later, and Garm was gone. Gouto looked up at the two boys. "The woman you spoke of, Takaou Yuko, is inside. She arrived by POV not too long ago."

The teens looked at each other. "Pretty out of the way place to go for lunch." Tenchi muttered.

"The building was closed for supposed maintenance prior to the woman's arrival." Gouto added. "It's still closed, though it seems the door is unlocked; Takao-san was able to enter without a key or assistance from anyone else."

Raidou nodded, and looked at Tenchi. He jerked his head towards the building. "You want me to go with you?" Tenchi asked.

The teen nodded, patting his uniform pant's pocket.

"Ah." Tenchi withdrew the tenchi-ken. "You think I can help if there's trouble."

"There will be. The entryway reeks of demonic essence." Gouto warned. "If you could not handle yourself, Raidou would not have brought you along. You are armed. Can you activate the sword?"

The youth looked at the sword, then held it out in front of him and concentrated. The prongs which served as the hilt's small crossguard began to spark, and a beam of brilliant blue burst forth with a hiss. "Yeah, I got it." He said, giving the sword an experimental swing.

"Good. Raidou only has his pistol on him right now.

Tenchi stretched his shoulders and popped his neck. "Guess its time to kick ass and take names." He grumbled.

Raidou snorted, digging into his jacket and removing two fresh vials.

Together, they approached the Museum entrance. Tenchi pulled the door open and Raidou slipped inside, pistol drawn with a pair of spirits-a red armored samurai and a tiny fairy girl-following closely behind. Gouto followed at a slower pace behind the band, and Tenchi brought up the rear, looking behind them to the deserted streets one final time before letting the glass entry door close behind them. The group vanished into the depths, unseen, undiscovered, and unmolested.

The sound of shifting particles at the door's entrance, and another hand, feminine and lined with talons, reached out to grab the door as golden eyes glared into the dark depths of the Cult of Gaea's Okinawa headquarters, following the thin trail of light of a sword it once knew.

The building was empty.

No people.

No spirits.

No demons.

Nothing.

Yet the ominous atmosphere of the building persisted, and worse yet, several of the rooms they entered-historical sections of the museum devoted to the Ryukyu Kings of old-had been cleared of their historical relics, the display cases pushed to one side. Great circles of indistinct glyphs and archaic patterns, covering at least a ten foot radius, were painted in red on the ground. Some of them were clean.

Others were coated with blood and reeked of sulpher.

"What is this?" Tenchi whispered, staring at one of the large circles and carefully stepping around it, fearful of what might happen if he stepped inside.

"Sigillum Dei Aemeth, the Seal of Truth." Gouto whispered. "A magic circle crafted by an Englishman who supposedly learned the language of angels in the Western fourteen hundreds." His tail lashed wildly. "From what I know if it, the angels taught it to him in their language as a way to enhance his ceremonies in communion with them. It is a powerful magical amplifier, and under the right-or wrong-circumstances, can be used to boost the power of communing with demons too." The cat's fur stood on end. "These ones have been corrupted for a terrible purpose though-like a kitchen knife taken from preparing food to striking men."

Raidou hushed them both with a hiss.

Tenchi didn't blame him.

Empty as it was, it felt like they were being watched. Stalked, Hunted by something just out of their peripheries.

Tenchi wiped first one, then the other hand on his pants. They felt sweaty. He felt sweaty. Sweaty but cold, like when he was with the Foreigner in Ryoko's cave. His heart hammered against his ribs, and his skin was coated with goosebumps. It can't be worse than the Foreigner. He thought, and let it ring through his head like a mantra. Nothing can be worse than the Foreigner. No matter what is in here with us, its nothing compared to the Foreigner.

They checked the first floor and came up empty of little aside from more blood-stained magic circles. The fairy-Pixie, as she introduced herself-found a door labeled Staff Only, and found it unlocked. Inside was a staircase leading to the basement, black and consuming, and Tenchi found himself looking back into the yawning opening of Ryoko's cave, the Foreigner beside him once more with a coy but cruel smile on his face.

He shook his head.

Raidou was already heading down.

Gouto paused, looking back at Tenchi. "There is no shame in staying up here." He said.

Tenchi steeled himself with a grimace. "No…I'm okay." He whispered, and took a deep breath. "I've got your back. Let's go."

The cat looked at him with calm eyes. "You're braver than many Kuzunoha I have had the misfortune of instructing. Do not allow that bravery to turn into foolhardiness, Masaki-kun. I have seen an equal amount led to an early grave."

"I won't Gouto-Douji." Tenchi whispered softly. "I have…too much to live for, I guess. And too much I want to protect." He paused. "…Thank you though."

The cat said nothing in response, and together human and beast descended into the depths. Raidou and his demons were waiting for them. The basement was illuminated with the aid of Pixie's magic, where twin flames were ignited in either hand. Raidou met Tenchi's eyes with a solemn gaze of his own. The teen tensed, waiting for some sort of insult.

Instead the Devil Summoner gave a sharp nod, then turned and traveled onwards.

For a moment Tenchi stared at the teen's retreating figure. I met his approval. He thought, and taking a long breath followed after. I'm not dead yet. Nothing's struck us in the dark. We've got this.

He swallowed. Gods, I hope we've got this.

The basement was larger than the initial floor layout implied. Two closets, both with janitorial equipment and boxes of gift shop supplies. A small bathroom. An emergency exit.

And a door that escaped their search on the first past.

Raidou raised his hand, signaling for a stop. He pointed, and looking over the Samurai's shoulder, Tenchi saw a low blue glow emitting from the crack in the door. He looked over to Tenchi and waved him over, the two spirits moving to one side to allow the teen's passing. Tenchi approached, and Raidou gestured, miming how they had first opened the museum doors, a finger over one lip in a demand for silence.

Tenchi nodded, and pressed himself against the wall, the red samurai pressing in close against him with a hand on one of the two swords at his belt. Raidou pressed against the other side of the wall, both hands wrapped firmly around his pistol and the pixie standing balanced on his shoulder. Gouto had disappeared, blending into the darkness with all the ease of a black hole in space.

Raidou looked at Tenchi and nodded.

Tenchi reached his hand forward, pressing his fingers into the sliding doors finger gap and sliding it toward him. The door opened silently, and Raidou rushed through, pistol pointed in front of him as Tenchi and the samurai brought up the rear.

A man looked up from the book he was reading in mild annoyance. Tenchi blinked, recognizing Widow's Peak from that morning. "What's this?" The man carefully placed a wooden bookmark in his spot and closed the book, an old and dusty grimoire which looked to have seen better days. "I thought I gave orders not to be disturbed…" He looked at the two humans, and his eyes drifted to the samurai and pixie at Raidou's ear. "…yet neither of you are Gaeian are you?" He said. "Interesting…yet you have demons with you…Impressive, but of no consequence." He flicked his left hand dismissively, causing the chain of violet mala beads around his wrist to sing. "I had hoped to enjoy these final moments in Silence, but even now I find my time disrupted. Such is the challenge of dealing with insects." He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he glared over them. "I will grant you a boon, however. Turn back now, and know peace in what little time is given to you. Or stay, and discover this world's fate prematurely."

Raidou didn't move. The samurai slowly advanced, and taking it as his sign, so too did Tenchi, the two slipping to either side of the Devil summoner as they approached Widows Peak from two sides in a pincer move.

"…I see. How unfortunate." Widows Peak sighed in annoyance. "Very well. Entertain yourselves with Death." He leaned back in his chair, and behind him, a large prayer wheel-mechanical, its base covered in wires, began to glow bright. Widows peak leaned back and spun it, as if he were little more than a child attending the mass of his parents, using whatever was in reach to entertain himself.

The prayer wheel began to spin, and the Sanskrit text written upon its surface began to glow white-blue. It's speed increased, and soon the script was little more than a blue of light across its surface. The wires at its base began to tremble and throb, veins pushing blood into an artificial heart for the spiritual, and Tenchi shied away as bolts of electricity began to dance across its surface.

The air above the prayer wheel began to shimmer and warp, darkening, condensing into a form, and something large and black emerged from above it. It sat hovering in the air, eyes burning red, wings emerging from a humanoid body and-

"Stop!"

With an irritated sigh, Widows Peak rolled his eyes, looking past the teens and their demonic allies to Takao Yuko, who stood in the door's threshold. "Let them go, Hikawa."

"More buzzing insects." Hikawa, in his widows Peak glory, muttered in disdain. "Must I continue to be interrupted? I specifically asked for silence."

"And you'll have it. Releasing them will grant you a faster silence then trying to murder them." Takao replied.

Hikawa huffed in disdain. "One has a literal gun pointed at me." He stated. "The other has some archaic sword. Both have demons. Why wouldn't I kill them?"

"You'll stain the Amala Drum." Takao said.

Hikawa frowned.

"And then you'll have to clean it up yourself because demons don't understand what Lysol, lime juice, and coca cola are and I refuse to clean up your own mess. I'm your Maiden, not maid."

Hikawa twitched.

"Besides, both of them are my students, and they're cousins."

Both Tenchi and Raidou twitched.

"So let them live out their final moments in the same peace you seek."

Hikawa remained silent, reaching back and touching the spinning prayer wheel. At his touch the glow began to fade, and the barrel decelerated. The silhouette which had come so close to emerging in the physical world faded, and with it, so too did the oppressive atmosphere. "…Troublesome Maiden." Hikawa muttered. "Mixing business with pleasure? Or do you simply seek younger flesh in your final moments?"

Takao deliberately ignored the barb. "Masaki-kun, Kuzunoha-kun, if you'll follow me please? She turned to leave, then paused and looked over her shoulder. "Kuzunoha-kun…please return your…companions from whence they came."

Raidou narrowed his eyes at her, then shifted the aim of his pistol to her. Takao sighed. "Yes, if it makes you feel safer, you can aim that at me." She raised her hands. "Just return your…friends to whatever state they were in prior to entering this building. You're making the Others irritable."

The Devil Summoner clicked his teeth, then glanced at Tenchi, who still stood facing Hikawa. Tenchi grimaced, then shrugged. "You know what's going on here better than I do."

"Then allow me to enlighten you, if only so that you all get out of here." Hikawa seemed to be nearing the edge of his patience. "You stand on the edge of this world's end. In the span of an hour, this world will undergo metamorphosis, and you and all that you care for will be dead, wiped away like the fine grains of sand destined to restructure this land." Sighing, he once more picked up his book, opening it to the bookmark once more. "Kuzunoha, was it?"

Raidou glanced back at the man with a snarl.

"You've lost, Boy. Go home, or wherever it is you call home. Bid whatever you call kin goodbye. Soon only Silence will remain." The man's left hand raised in a shooing gesture. "Now begone." He spun in his chair, the hinges squeaking beneath his weight, to face the prayer wheel, dismissing them fully from his mind and attention.

Raidou took a step towards the man in rage. Tenchi raised a hand, stopping the teen from advancing and earning a wrathful glare in payment. "…Let's go, Kuzunoha-kun."

The teen's face scrunched up in a grimace that could have passed as demonic, and the pistol trembled in his grip. He brought it back to bear on Hikawa in rage, and pulled the trigger. The echo of the chamber filled the room, deafening everyone within it.

Silence.

Deafening Silence.

Hikawa sucked in a long, deep breath, and turned in his seat once more. Above his head, a smoking hole rested in the prayer wheel, where small sparks of electricity danced inside. "You," The man's face was painted black with an evil rage. "Will pay dearly for that, Boy. Best hope you go softly into the night, for if not, I will find you, and I will make you suffer the likes of which your incessant mind cannot begin to imagine."

"Put the gun down, Raidou." Tenchi rested a hand gently on his companion's arm. He couldn't even hear himself speak, his ears still ringing from the gunshot. "Let's go."

With a snarl, Raidou wheeled and left, storming towards the door. Takao quickly dashed out of his way, her face drawn and pale as she watched the teen, fearful of where next his rage might point the weapon. His demons followed after him in a silent trail, until all that remained was Tenchi.

"Consider it a mercy that you die tonight, a curse should you survive." Hikawa smoldered in his chair. "For I will send every beast, every ghoul, every spirit, and every demon after you and your cousin. That is a promise."

Tenchi said nothing.

"Masaki-kun, let's go." Takao was at his side, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We can't leave your cousin alone. He's in a dangerous place of mind right now."

Together the two departed.

As the door slammed shut behind them, Hikawa threw his book to the ground, slamming his hand onto the chair's armrest before rising. The Amala Drums could not be damaged. Not now, so close to Conception.

His silence lost, his peace vanquished, Hikawa began his maintenance on the last Amala Drum on the Eve of the End of the World.

---

"We'll speak once we return to the school. On the roof. I'll request a leave of absence for both of you so that we are not disturbed. Until then, please take some time and try to calm down." Takao drove them all back to the school in silence. Tenchi sat in the front seat with Takao, but the entire time his eyes were glued on the rearview mirror, watching Raidou in the back seat. The teen had unloaded the pistol and handed the bullets over to Tenchi for safe keeping, but refused to hand over the weapon despite Takao's prodding. Now he sat curled up in the back seat, His face buried in his hands as Gouto-Douji sat in his lap, attempting to provide what comfort he could in a world about to meet its end. Sometimes, the hands would drift, and Tenchi would spy tears; Tears of rage. Tears of regret. And most of all, tears of failure.

He watched the Devil Summoner grieve in silence, diverting his gaze whenever a dark, black eye drifted his way, and instead took those opportunities to glance at his homeroom teacher; a woman he'd met hours ago, who had likely saved their lives, and now, apparently, had a role in ending the World's.

Was the world really going to end?

That's bullshit. There's no way it can end. I mean…its not like America sent another nuke our way unprovoked. It's not as though we're living in a world that's already dead and Okinawa is just an illusion of what was. It's not even like this is 'heaven', and the supposed Underworld is the real world, filled with demons because of a deal some asshole made decades ago. This is…

He saw the grim look on Takao's face.

This can't…

He saw the utter defeat on Raidou's face.

It can't be…

He saw the drooping body language of Gouto-Douji.

Please no…

He thought of his Father.

He thought of his Grandfather.

He thought of Amagasaki, Ikeda, and Kamikura.

He thought of Kumashiro Sakuya, and her eager anticipation of his stories.

He thought of Ryoko, and all the youkai he'd grown familiar with.

His eyes began to burn as unwilling tears slipped from the corners of his eyes and slid down his cheeks. In his heart of hearts, in the depths of the core of his being, he knew that it was true. He looked out the window, despondent, and squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to acknowledge them, feeling droplets hit his fists and wishing it was rain.

If only he had thought to look to the rooftops, where he might see a ghostly spectral follow after them, cyan hair swaying in the breeze.

The school felt empty and desolate when they returned.

Tenchi stared at the large, multistory building which had been his life for the past two years, seeing it with shadowed eyes as Takao parked the car in the small faculty parking lot. Little things he'd never noticed before stood out to him: The old paint scheme from the nineteen seventies, the emptiness of the courtyard, the cracks in the pavement. The kids on the track, all so close to his age, racing circles around the field as others played soccer and more sat against the fence. A moment of sondor overtook himas they exited the vehicle, bveoming so overwhelming that for a moment in time he stood paralyzed, staring with the keen horror of a animal made aware of the future slaughter of itself and its pack. They're talking about what they'll do after class. He thought. Homework, music, weekend plans, who they hang out with…They all have their own lives. Their own wants, their own goals.

He grit his teeth. None of them know.

Without thought, he slammed a fist into the car door, leavin a sizeable dent in the doorframe.

Takao said nothing.

Together, the three of them-four if one counted the small black cat in Raidou's arms-walked to the school building and headed up the five flights of stairs which would lead to the roof.

The rooftop was mostly empty.

The kids who were there-kids already in the process of skipping class-cleared out as soon as they saw first The Teacher, then the dark look on the two Students faces. They rushed by in silence, keeping their head down and averting their eyes, and a part of Tenchi wondered what they saw.

He sighed.

Takao moved to the fence which surrounded the rooftop, gripping the chain links as she looked out to Naha City. "What I have done," She started, "you will find inexcusable. Traitorous even-not only to Okinawa or Japan but to Humanity as a whole." She turned to face them. "I realize this, and I accept this burden as my sin. It changes nothing. This whole world has become diseased."

She turned to face them both, folding her arms over her chest. "You will bear witness to an event no human has ever before witnessed. And event known as Conception, the rebirth of this world. With it, Humanity will be lost, save for a small handful with the Will to subject their Reason for Existence upon what remains." Her eyes drifted between the two of them. "Life as we know it shall cease to exist, and in the world which remains, demons, monsters, spirits of all type shall flourish. It will be an end to the Phyiscal World, and what shall be left in its wake will be an extension of the Spiritual World which Humanity has turned a blind eye to."

Tenchi licked his lips. His mouth felt dry. "…Why..?" The word came out a harsh, emotional croak, and Takao smiled at him softly. Sadly.

"Because this world, and all things in it are corrupt." She stated. "The World is slowly dying, holding on to its last thread of life, a victim of the cancerous casualty that is Humanity's jadedness. Yet like Humanity, it too undergoes a cycle of rebirth; in order for it to heal, it must first end."

"You lost faith in your own world and in your own people." Gouto accused, "And rather than find a solution to whatever troubles you see, you chose to end it on your own selfish morality."

Takao looked at the cat, as unsurprised by its speech as the demons which she had witnessed in Hikawa's room. "I do not deny this." She stated. "However, I have borne witness to the atrocities of this world for far too long, watching as peers, fellows, and my betters do nothing to end it. I was presented with an opportunity to act. I am the one who merely refused to let it slip through my fingers.

"You've been brainwashed by the Cult of Gaea."

"No." Takao shook her head. "Though I understand how you came to that conclusion. The Cult of Gaea and their rival network, the Messians, both tried to prevent Conception's occurrence." She shrugged. "They served their purpose as sacrifices to call upon the birth of this new world.

"The suicides and murders…" Tenchi murmured. "They were…"

"Sacrifices by demons who allied themselves with Hikawa and myself." Takao replied. "They shared similar goals to us, and we learned the Miroku scripture could serve as a vassal to call upon them." A careless shrug. "And when you add to that a magical amplifier and the blood and emotion of the spiritually sensitive…progress is made in leaps and bounds."

A wash of coldness overcame Tenchi, followed by a deep-sated anger he'd never felt before. "There are innocent people out here!" He screamed, and a part of him was shocked by the rage and hate in his voice. "People who know nothing of this, people who could still make the world something better! What right do you have to go and fucking end it!?"

"I never said I had a right." Takao replied, holding a level of calm that was infuriating to behold. "Only that I seized an opportunity. There was, and never will be, a 'right'. Such a things is merely a concept, subjective to the definition of one whose Reason rules over all. There is only the Will to follow through with the actions I wanted to see commence." Takao looked at him in curiosity, her lips pursed. "You want to kill me, don't you."

Tenchi bared his teeth in a snarl, his hands clenched in tight fists at his side.

"You could if you wanted to, you know. You could give those bullets back to your cousin, or you could take his gun and do it yourself. Little would change. What has been set into motion cannot be stopped."

The woman turned around, leaning against the fence as she gazed out at the horizon. "If not…and you survive the Conception…then come find me. Prove your Reason to live is stronger that Hikawa's, and that you have the Will to see it through to the end in this new world."

Far off in the distance, a bolt of bright blue-violet lighting struck downtown Naha, despite the cloudless sky. Tenchi jumped, and Takao sighed. "We're out of time." She said.

Another bolt of lightning struck, closer to the school this time, and Raidou ran to the fence, looking out into the city scape with a tight grimace on his face.

Another came, and another, the gaps between them growing shorter by the second.

The ground began to tremble, and Tenchi reached out, leaning against one of the metal a/c exhaust chutes. "What-" A bolt of lightning struck above his head, not vertically but horizontally, and the teen fell to the floor with a cry. The tremors grew more violent as more bolts of electricity danced across the sky like dancing raiju.

And then the world went still.

The world flashed in black brilliance, painting the world in a strange, dark blue hue. Motes of darkness drifted from the buildings to the heavens, circling in a slow, gradual vortex as they traveled higher.

With bated breath, Tenchi crawled to his feet, shakily moving to join Raidou at the fence line. "Is the city…stretching?" He breathed, watching as rows of sky scrapers seemed to stretch away from the school, as though the tectonic plates they rested on were a rubber band someone was stretching out of proportion. "What is this, what's-"

A flash of blinding light, and in the afterimage Tenchi witnessed something his logical mind could not wrap itself around; the city lengthening in long strips, the earth and all its buildings curling upwards to the heavens.

The earth began to rumble with fresh intensity, and Tenchi wondered if they weren't moving as well, the building on its rubber-band structure moving upwards even as the buildings around them shifted accordingly. Fresh bolts of blue lightning appeared, large and thick now and striking whole districts of the city. When the bolts faded the buildings-once alive with electricity and people-were dark, black and dead.

Something began to appear above their heads; an artificial sun of such alien intensity that Tenchi could not stare at it directly, that its image alone brought with it a sense of cthonic dread that made him want to bury his face in his hands. It has a face. He thought, and wanted to scream. A human face, an omnipotent face and its looking at all of us, in every direction, all at once.

It lashed out with its own lightning, and where it struck whole sections of the city were destroyed in a wave of blackness; there one moment, and obliterated the next.

He did scream then, watching as the world stretched and elongated, curling around the horrific orb as more areas were struck with lightning. He looked to his left and saw Raidou, cradeling Gouto-Douji tightly to his chest with an expression of manic horror on his face. He looked to his right and saw Takaou Yuko, her expression one of peace, relief, and release as she turned her face towards the orb like a woman who'd found her god.

"Tenchi!"

He looked up, and saw Ryoko, alive and in the flesh, racing down towards the three of them, one hand outstretched towards him.

"Ryoko!" He cried out as well, and rose, reaching to the Demon Lord in desperation. He locked eyes with the woman, the space pirate, the Heavenly Demon of the Masaki Shrine, and for a brief instance, felt her fingers touch his.

She's here. She's-

A bolt of lightening engulfed the school, and Tenchi's world went white.

---

Comments of a Madwoman: In which one chapter spans the length of two, and the author catches the flu. So ends Part 1: The Old World.

Next Chapter begins Part 2: The Vortex World.