Seiji stirred in his sleep. It was morning, wasn't it? Why didn't his alarm clock go off? Why didn't Nasuti call for them to get down for breakfast? Seiji opened his blue eyes. They feel like weights on his face, pulling his eyelids back down trying to draw him back to his heavy sleep. But Seiji was a light sleeper. He forced his eyes open. Blackness. Nothing. No light, no noise, no life. Nothing. Seiji blinked rapidly in surprise. {Am I awake?}

"Nani?"

Seiji gasped as everything returned to normal. He can see. The room that he shared with Touma was back. Their dressers were on the opposite wall in front of the two beds. The wall scroll belonging to him of a samurai hung to his left, the constellation chart belonging to Touma was right next to it. The crystal collection he had was untouched on his dresser. The desk and computer was beside the window on Touma's side of the room. The small lamp table was in between their beds. And the room door was wide open as the tantalizing smells from the kitchen told him that Nasuti was up making their breakfast.

"Minna, get up!" Nasuti's voice called up towards the boys on the second floor.

Seiji turned towards Touma. The boy was slumbering peacefully throughout it all, his blankets pulled over his head to keep out the violating sunlight.

"Touma!" Seiji called out. He got out of bed. As he placed his feet on the floor, Seiji felt a vibration go through the floor. He stumbled as he felt the ground shake violently under his feet. Seiji braced himself against the table that was between their beds. The floor heaved and threw Seiji towards Touma. Seiji landed hard on the side of Touma's bed and fell, his hands clutching Touma's blankets. As Seiji fell, he pulled away Touma's blankets. Seiji landed hard on the now still floor and looked up quickly. Touma was still sleeping. {What was that?} Seiji wondered bewildered. Seiji looked at Touma and reached up to rouse him. The boy turned by himself towards Seiji.

"Aaaiihhhhhhhhhhhh!!" screamed Seiji as the grotesque horror stared at him. A decaying skeleton laid in Touma's bed, his eyes wide open in a look of unspeakable pain. The skeleton was dirtied, blackened by ash, dirt and blood. The skull was fractured, as if the death was brought on by the shattering of the skull. The fingers of the bony hand was curled, clutching the last escaping threads of life.

Seiji backed up, crawling on elbows and feet as his breath came in great gulps. Where was Touma? Why didn't anyone come running to see? Why didn't anyone care?

"Seiji." the skeleton spoke in a low threatening voice. Seiji was shocked still as the broken mouth formed more words. "I'll kill you."

"Nani?" Seiji asked back. {My yoroi!} Seiji remembered and took his yoroi sphere off the lamp table. He froze with yoroi sphere in hand as the skeleton spoke once more.

"Seiji, I'll kill you," the skeleton repeated, "if you don't give me back my blanket!" Touma said annoyed as he sat up.

"Touma?" Seiji asked as Touma got up from his bed.

"Ohayou." Touma yawned. Seiji stared dumbfound as Touma exited the room towards the bathroom in the hallway.

"Seiji, get ready and then get down for breakfast!" Shuu poked his head in. Shuu was all dressed for school. Only Seiji was unprepared. Even lazy Touma got to the bathroom before Seiji.

"Hai." Seiji said shakily, slipping his yoroi sphere into his pants pocket.

"Daijobu ka?" Shuu walked into the room. Seiji was looking a bit pale and his breathing was off. "Why are you on the floor?" asked Shuu.

"I fell." replied Seiji, still on the ground. "Shuu, did you hear me wake up Touma?"

"Iie." Shuu replied. "It's amazing he got up and beat you to the bathroom to get ready. He's usually last."

"Aa." Seiji nodded, getting up.

"I mean you could scream and shout all you want and no one would hear you." Shuu grinned.

"Nani?" Seiji asked, stepping back in surprise.

"I said you could scream and shout all you want and Touma wouldn't hear you." repeated Shuu, looking at Seiji as he had two heads. "Seiji, are you sure you're ok? "

"Hai." nodded Seiji. "I'm just having an off morning."

"Well, we're waiting for you." Shuu turned away just as Touma came back.

"Ohayou, Shuu." Touma said as Shuu left.

"Ohayou! Breakfast is ready!" Shuu said as he went back downstairs.

"Seiji," Touma said as he crossed the room to his dresser and began pulling out the day's clothes, "your turn for the bathroom."

Seiji nodded wordlessly and walked to the bathroom. {What's going on with me today?} Seiji flipped on the bathroom light. {Am I going crazy? Or just half asleep?} Seiji turned on the facets and let the cold water run into his cupped hands before he splashed it onto his face. Seiji screamed as soon as the water hit his face. It was warm. Sticky and thick. It was definitely not water! Seiji stared at his face in the mirror in fright as rivulets of blood ran down his eyes, his nose, and cheeks before meeting under his chin. Seiji wiped off the blood quickly but only smeared it over his face like red paint. Seiji shoved his hand back under the facet for more water but pulled it way again with a strangled scream. Blood was coming out of the facets. Seiji turned around as the shower turned on, red liquid coming down in streams. Malicious laughter met his ears and Seiji turned back to the mirror quickly. Seiji felt a force slam him against the wall and hold him there. He couldn't scream, something was cutting off his voice.

Silver eyes stared hard into him from the mirror, searching for his heart. Around the silver eyes, a shifting black cloud heaving up and down in breaths. The silver eyes roamed and Seiji felt ice fingers paw at and grip his shaking body as the eyes landed on each part. The fingers traveled from his head and Seiji gasped as the fingers touched his exposed throat. Seiji felt the hand tightening but the fingers loosened their grip before it went to his shoulder, and then arm. It followed the arm to his hand and Seiji felt his entire arm go numb. The fingers moved downwards and stopped at his pants pocket. Seiji felt the hand tightened and then vanish.

The horrors disappeared. The shower and sink was still on, clear streams of water spilling out. The mirror only showed Seiji. Blonde hair in a mess, blue eyes wide and diluted, his pale white skin whiter than usual and green and white pajamas rumpled.

A knock on the wooden door roused Seiji from his frightened stupor. "Seiji?" Shin's worried voice called through the door. Seiji didn't answer him. His voice still hadn't come back. "Seiji?" Shin's voice had grown more noticeable frantic. "Seiji?"

"Shin." Seiji croaked out. He opened the door to reveal a dressed and fed Shin.

Seiji gaped at how normal everyone else looked. {Why is going on with me today?} Seiji stared out into the hallway and saw Ryo and Touma walking by. Both were dressed and had their book bags slung over their shoulders.

"Are you dead yet?" Shin asked, his eyes glowing silver.

"Nani?" Seiji asked, eyes growing wide as his heart pounded.

"Are you done yet?" Shin asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Shuu told me you were having a bad morning but he didn't mention you were going deaf."

Seiji faked a laugh. It came out low and raspy even to his ears. "I'll be done in fifteen minutes." Seiji promised and slammed the door in his friend's face. Seiji leaned against the sink and quickly thought everything out.

{This isn't right. Something's definitely wrong. But please not another demon.} Seiji pleaded with himself. Seiji lifted his head. The others were waiting on him. {I have to get ready. But I need to tell them about this. But how?} Seiji stared at himself. Seventeen years old, possessor of the Korin yoroi for more than three years, the winner against one powerful evil demon lord and yet one nightmare had him nearly on the ground shaking like a leaf. They wouldn't believe him. But he had to try.

~~~Outside~~~

The engine of the red Samurai jeep sounded loudly as Ryo started the car. "Where is Seiji?" asked Ryo, getting impatient. They were late for school! Seiji was late! That never happened. Ryo was extremely worried. His English test was first period. And he was going to fail. Badly. The attempt to cram late last night and early this morning was futile.

"Here he comes!" said Shuu from the backseat. Seiji was just exiting the house, followed by Nasuti. Nasuti and Seiji exchanged a few words. Seiji gave her a half-hearted smile and Nasuti sent him off. She waved bye to the group before she went back inside. Ryo watched Seiji carefully. The brisk confident stride Seiji usually walked with was reduced to a slow shuffle. Seiji's bright eyes were dimmer, filled with hidden worry and his face tightened with deep thinking about his morning.

"Hey, Seiji." said Ryo as Seiji got in the front passenger seat. Seiji mechanically buckled his seat belt and slouched against the seat.

"Ohayou." Seiji replied, turning to Ryo and the rest of the guys. Ryo pulled away from the house and headed towards school.

From inside the house, Nasuti hear the car drive away. She moved to her room to continue her work. Ever since the group had returned from New York, they all remained with her because it was more convenient in case of something happened and the Samurai Troopers were needed. The boys still needed to finish high school and she had college to keep her busy. Nasuti didn't have classes today. Class usually started at nine in the morning for her on a school day. Fridays were not school days. The boys started school at eight everyday. Nasuti hummed to herself as she cleared her work desk. She turned on her computer and waited for the monitor to light up. Nasuti turned away to get her textbooks. Her term paper was due soon and she had a three day weekend to work on it.

The monitor turned on finally, it's black screen appearing. White text appeared at the top and soon it filled the whole screen. Nasuti turned around to see the white text moved across the screen.

"What is this?" Nasuti typed in a command, trying to prevent the computer from continuing its typing. "Did I get a virus?" Nasuti wondered. "Please no! I have my paper on this computer!" Nasuti watched the words stop moving and slowly delete themselves going backwards. Only one word remained on the black screen.

"Yoroi." read Nasuti. Nasuti watched the word type itself over and over again while growing in size and glowing with silver light.

Yoroi

Yoroi

Yoroi

Yoroi

Yoroi

The word "yoroi" vanished to replaced with two slits of silver. Black claws shot out from the screen and pulled Nasuti towards it. Nasuti screamed as the silver eyes widened in bloodlust. She vanished in a blast of silver and wind. The room was silent as stray papers floated down from the table. A black cloud drifted out from the computer and slowly grew in size. It took shape, becoming humanoid. The shape became definite as the waist narrowed and hips widened. The chest grew larger as ample breasts formed. The naked woman was still a black cloud. Soon the black was replaced by pale pink skin and the hair grew out long. Long black hair that turned to dark red. The woman opened her eyes. Silver. The silver melted away to be replaced by forest green. The naked woman stood in the empty room.

"Get their yoroi."

The woman nodded and raised her hand. A human hand. Slender fingers with manicured nails. The woman narrowed her eyes and flexed her hands. Blacks claws shot from from her finger tips. Sharp and slim. Deadly.

~~~En route to school~~~

"Ne, Seiji," smiled Shuu, "what took so long this morning?"

"Nanimonai." Seiji replied.

"I guess you're right. Your hair isn't up to its usual standards." kidded Shuu.

"Heh." grinned Seiji despite himself. "Shuu, what would you know? You don't even comb your own hair." Seiji said pointedly, looking at the tousled mess held back with Shuu's yellow headband. The guys broke into laughter as Seiji and Shuu ribbed each other about their hair, lightening the mood. Ryo drove on, their car glowing in blue light that no one could see except for one person.

In my fortress, I watched the blue speck move through the streets of this pitiful world from my tower. I had watched how the world had changed over the millennias. Nothing impressed me. The Hunt has started at last. My pet has been placed in their home. The woman-child that lived with the yoroi bearers was with me. I turned around to see the red haired girl in a large crystal. She was frozen, trapped in her own horror. The death of her grandfather. How amusing. These humans cherished family ties so much that death would bring such grief. They wasted their feelings and their time on each other. I didn't need anyone. No one or nothing. Not after...

The blue speck had stopped at a large building. The five yoroi bearers exited their ... ugh...vehicle. Stupid metal machines used by the fat and lazy humans to transport their gluttonous posteriors everywhere.

"Are you ready, pet?"

Another window into the human world appeared beside me. Soon the window showed my precious pet. She turned towards me, a twin of my captive.

"Hai, Master." she answered.

"You know what to do."

> "Hai, Master."

"Get the remaining five yoroi."

"Hai, Master."

I closed the window. Whatever method she wanted to use was up to her as long as I get the yorois. I turned back to the woman-child. She was naked, the curves of her breasts and hips were more than tantalizing to males. She was desirable. But I was not interested. I lit up the area next to her. Four more crystals, four more people screaming in fear and pain. Naked, stripped of their power and memories. And yoroi.

"Soon the Troopers will join you, my dear Masho."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Japanese Phrases I Used:
Nani-What
Minna-Everyone
Ohayou-Morning
Hai/Aa-Yes
Daijobu ka- Are you alright
Iie-No
Ne-Hey
Nanimonai-Nothing

Symbols:
<> Flashbacks
[ ] Visions/Dreams
{}Thoughts
" " speech
~~~ ~~~Time/Scene changes
* * Actions/Sound Effects