The gateway to the Japanese spirit realm stood tall and proud with only the twin globes of light dispersing the darkness around it. The foreign newcomers gazed at the archway with their scrutinising eyes under their masks.

"Let's be done with this," Ayako said, taking a step forward. Already, the air around them grew wet from the ripple of her power and the tassels that was hanging on the archway swung as if there was a sudden sea breeze in the still Demon World Sea.

Lifting her arms up, her hands created a ball of power which crackled and pulsed, teeming for destruction.
"A gate without a sentinel is nothing more than a toy."

With a graceful motion, the ball of power was let loose to hit upon the archway and when it connected it seemed as if a tidal wave crashed upon the Japanese structure.

"Now, who's next?" Ayako asked.

Mitsui stepped forward, "Let me do it."
His dragon armour's ruby eyes suddenly blinked and at once it came to life, hissing and showing off its deadly teeth before Mitsui calmed it down with a pat on its head.
"Go forth and show that your powers are stronger than Ayako's water."

With another hiss, it began uncurling itself from the demon's body and the other shinma could distinctly see the power emanating from its metallic scales.
"Go, my dragon!" Mitsui commanded and with a roar the dragon lunged forward towards the gateway.

At that moment, Kogure walked up to touch Mitsui's shoulder and offered, "I should help too."
Allowing his powers to mix with the young man by shifting his body close, the gentle shinma murmured a spell and Mitsui's dragon instantly developed a fiery body, its sleek features mutated into what resembled a fierce demonic being.

"Fire Crush!" Kogure cried.

Upon impact, the archway was gone for a moment because of the blinding light but after a while they could see the structure still standing but threatening to fall from its singed and highly abused pillars.

Kishimoto looked at the destruction and chuckled, "Well done my comrades."


****

"Where is this place?"

"Where... am I?"

"Is this the place that my bird went to?"

"But my bird isn't here..."

Hikoichi scratched his chin and regarded the dream image before him.
"Hmmm... he's wandering around aimlessly."

"It is because he was raised as a human," Fukuda told him, "That is his weak point."

The yonger shinma nodded and continued watching Rukawa who was at that moment in his human-child form, wandering around looking for his pet bird.

Hikoichi giggled, "Hey, let's torture him some more!"

"Alright," Fukuda nodded listessly. Taking his rapier from his belt, the tall shinma lifted it to point it towards the vampire.

In the dream realm, there was a sudden flash of lightning and being totally into his human child persona, Rukawa crouched down in fright.
He didn't need to turn around and see that the lightning bolt missed him a few feet away since he could distinctly smell the charred soil behind him.

"How pitiful," snorted Hikoichi.
Fukuda lifted his sword from the ground to begin on another assault.

"Ahhhh!!" Rukawa cried out as another bolt of lightning hit him directly from behind. He dropped on his knees to the ground and clutched instinctively at the back of his shoulder. What he felt was wetness and pain. He opened his eyes to see himself back into the darkness and back to his true form.

A...A dream? Just a dream? Why can't I wake up from it?? Rukawa shouted in his heart.

"That's right," came a low voice, "You can't wake up. The lightning was real. Can't you see?" Rukawa shook his head and he could hear a chuckle from a young voice close to the other one.

"This pain that penetrates your body is also not a dream," his enemy continued, "It hurts doesn't it? Your dreams are too sorrowful..."

"Suffer and die," whispered the second person as a shiny blade touched Rukawa's neck from behind.

Hanamichi....

Hanamichi....


****

Hanamichi!

The redhead gave a jump as if startled.
"Kaede?! I must go!"

Suddenly a strong hand gripped him by the wrist and he whirled around to see the long-suffering expression of his child-hood companion.

"You can't go!" Haruko protested, clutching at the redhead with determination as her blue eyes began to well up, "You're coming back with me!"

"Haruko..."

"You are a Western Shinma! You must come back!" the brown-haired shinma cried out.

Hanamichi's brown eyes turned sad and for a moment Haruko thought she has won when the redhead told her softly, "Haruko. I'm sorry."

Hanamichi roughly shook himself out of her grasp and before she could determine what he was about to do he has already disappeared with a flash of light.

"No!! Hanamichi!!"


****

The spirit who resided in the gateway awoke too late. It surveyed the archway in shock and remorse, sorrowful over what has happened to the structure which held the identity of their Japanese spirit world.

Where is Rukawa?

The spirit who was not noticed turned its attention to the invaders, 5 Western shinma, paying particular attention to the two who seemed to be in charge of the attack.

"All right," Kishimoto said, "Let's finish this off, Maki."

The masked man wrapped in a white cloak nodded, "Yes."
Closing his eyes, Maki lifted his hand and with an incantation a ball of power appeared and with just a flick of the wrist it hurled towards the gateway in a mightly blow.

Kishimoto jumped towards the archway and with a victorious yell, he called out his own power, "Finish!!"
Dark power dispersed from his body to take shape as dozens of ferocious dogs which attacked the gateway with their powerful bodies.
It was the final blow that did it.

The spirit watched in horror as the gateway shook fiercely before crumbling down into a dusty heap.
NO!! it wailed, Rukawa!!!!


****

Rukawa gasped in hurt, his right fist clenched on the ground while the other clutched at his wounded shoulder.

"Unh...." the vampire grunted as he managed to sit himself up and with concentration, he summoned light to shine from his right fist to help him see through the darkness.

A few feet away from him stood the dream-weaver and fencer, Fukuda, standing aloof with Hikoichi a distance away from them.

"You're wasting your time," Hikoichi grinned, showing his fangs, "It's useless."

"He's right," nodded Fukuda, "I've told you. This is the dream realm. This is only a dream. However, you can still hurt."

Rukawa did not doubt that as he accidentally pressed too hard on his wound, causing himself to involuntarily wince.

The stoic shinma stepped towards the young vampire and said, "Now, play time is over."
Lifting his rapier, he waved it in an intricate signiture before declaring in monotone, "It's time for you to die."

As the blade descended upon him Rukawa squeezed his eyes shut to prepare for the pain, crying out for his love's name in his heart.
Hanamichi....

"Goodbye," said Fukuda when suddenly a tremble under his feet began, making him nearly loose his balance and trip onto the ground. The hard soil underneath Rukawa's knees started the crumble and like a domino affect the whole realm started to disintigrate until the dream-scape shattered and instantly the two shinma and the vampire found themselves back into the reality.

"What...." demanded Fukuda shocked that they were out of his dream scape.
He was the master of spinning dreams and no one managed to get through his well-weaved dream worlds before, unless he released them dead or alive.

"Kaede."

The baritone voice was music to his ears and Rukawa lifted his head up to see his masked and cloaked companion perched high up in a tree.

"You're here...." Rukawa exhaled, his face stiff but the blue fox-eyes clear with relief.

Hikoichi glared at the dark shinma while Fukuda was still trying to get over the fact that the young vampire was able to evade his dream realm.

Suddenly Hanamichi flitted down from the tree and landed right in front of Rukawa, shileding the young boy from further harm.

Fukuda narrowed his eyes as he criticised the protective stance. Sakuragi, you really have become his slave....

As Hanamichi stared at the two Western shinma waiting for them to make a move, he felt a warm pressure on his back and realised that Rukawa was just about clinging at him from behind, low but boyish voice nearly muffled as the young vampire's face was pressed against the dark folds of his cloak.
"You're late again. Nearly too late..."

Hanamichi's masked face was expressionless but the brown eyes hidden under the shadow of the mask showed remorse. A second later he turned his attention back towards the shinma in front of him to acknowledge his former team-mate, "Fukuda."

The tall shinma arched an eyebrow, "So, you do remember us."

"Traitor," growled Hikoichi.
The pain of losing his brother was still fresh in his heart.


****

The smoke cleared and standing beside the rubble of the gateway stood the Western Shinma, ash from the burnt wreckage falling down on their cloaks unheeded.

"Weak..." Kishimoto scoffed lowly, "He is too weak."

"How disappointing," sighed Kogure.

Mitsui narrowed his eyes, "He is not a worthy opponent."

You...

The shinma directed their attention towards the voice and they saw the spirit in the form of floating red light.
Who are you?

"Pleased to meet you," Kishimoto bowed mockingly.

Why are you Western shinma here?

"Something you don't expect," Ayako replied, " A little surprise attack from us."

Rukawa.... Where is Rukawa?

"He is...er, playing with our friends," Kishimoto grinned.

"And he'll follow your destiny too," added Maki.

Silence.

"Hey, aren't you going to reply?" Mitsui teased.

"The red light is dimming," Kogure said, looking at the dying spirit, "Let it rest in peace."

"You're right..." Kishimoto nodded. Closing his eyes, he willed a ball of energy to glow from his hand and directing it towards the spirit, he said, "Goodbye."

The power crackled and surged towards the spirit and with a blast that blew their cloaks to the wind, the Western shinma watched as the Japanese spirit died without even a last flicker of light.

"Hmmph," grumbled Kishimoto, "This country is spoiled by peace. Even a spirit like you take it for granted."

"Such carelessness is what brought this on," commented Ayako.

"This country is easy to take over," Kogure murmured.

Mitsui grinned, clenching his fist in pre-victory, "And we are here to reap it!"

Ayako wondered out loud, "Is this all there is?"

"No," Kishimoto answered, "It's not that easy."

Maki nodded before proceeding to tell them, "The Japanese realm consists of 5 layers. We have just taken out the first one. The last layer will surely be the strongest. The mightiest always comes last."

"Lord Maki..."

The five shinma turned around to the sound of the soft female voice.
There was Haruko, her cloak flung back from her brown head and her mask gone, showing them the sadness in her beautiful young face.

After Haruko told them, particularly to Maki, about her encounter with Hanamichi, Maki lifted his hand towards her soft hair and sighed, "Is that so?"


****

"I merely hunt wandering shinma," the tall, dark cloaked shinma told the other two foreigners.
Then turning towards Rukawa, Hanamichi suggested, "Let's let them go."

Rukawa's blue eyes narrowed, "No. I want them to pay."

"Kaede..."

"The boy," Rukawa cut in, nodding towards Hikoichi, "I want to see if he's as good as his brother."

"Brother?" Hanamichi turned and looked towards Hikoichi as if he just realised that his old friend's younger brother was there, "Hikoichi..."

Suddenly the young shinma ran and as being signalled, Fukuda flitted away as well.

"Hanamichi! Go after Hikoichi! I'll go get Fukuda!" commanded Rukawa, going after the tall shinma. The vampire thought that he was about to catch up to Fukuda when in an instant, the Western shinma appeared from on top of him with his rapier directed towards him.

"Rukawa!" Fukuda snarled.

Rukawa looked up but before the blade managed to strike him, Fukuda was blinded by a sudden thunderbolt that snapped his sword and sent him tumbling to the ground, stunned.

Fukuda blinked his eyes, trying to get rid of the flashing light beneath his eyelids.
Where am I?
My rapier has been broken by my own thunderbolt.
How could this be?!
That light... seared my eyes...
Am I blind?!

"Open your eyes, Fukuda," commanded a low young voice, "Welcome to my world."

The shinma slowly opened his eyes and what he saw was the young vampire, up in a tree with his toes barely touching the branches. Dancing around the immortal sentinel were flames birthed by the vampire's powers.

Rukawa? But he was so weak earlier... cursed Fukuda, unsure of what to expect.

"My fire wants you..." Rukawa murmured plucking one of the flames to create a burning globe of fire.

"You make sport of me," growled the shinma, trying to stand but in shock he found that he was unable to. Something is constricting me!

"You can't move at all," Rukawa confirmed his fears, "Your days of interfering in dreams are over."

With just a light blow from between his lips, the fiery globe left his finger-tips and headed straight towards the immobile shinma. At once Fukuda was engulfed in flames.

After the initial cries of pain, Rukawa heard Fukuda beginning to mumble a sort of incantation. Seeing that the flames were still licking at the shinma's body, Rukawa didn't take head of what was said, assured that his flames were strong enough to fight whatever spells Fukuda had in mind. After deciding that he ought to put the shinma out of his misery, there was a sudden swift movement of a body passing him from behind and before he knew what was going on, a tall dark-cloaked figure has already slashed his clawed fingers onto the surprised demon's body.

Fukuda dropped to the ground which was slowly covered by his blood, "Wha...."

Rukawa stood silent, watching the dying shinma staring in shock at the masked figure.

"Sakuragi.... Why?" Fukuda choked, as he continued to burn, "How could you betray your friend... Are you not an Occidental shinma?"

"I know fight on Rukawa's side," Hanamichi said before Rukawa's flames wiped Fukuda out of the face of the world.

"Why did you rob me of my spoils?" asked Rukawa, nearly looking petulant if not for the perfection of being stoic.

"Kaede, don't underestimate Western shinma," warned Hanamichi, looking towards his ward, "He was about to curse you with his dying breath."

Rukawa made an annoyed noise in his throat, "Is that so?"
He then turned towards Hanamichi and said softly, "But, as long as I have you, I'll be alright."

Hanamichi stepped forward and bent his body to allow the dark-haired vampire to wound his pale arms around his neck.

"Yes," Hanamichi said, smiling behind the mask.

"Ai shiteru," the vampire said softly, kissing the redhead lightly on the metallic facial covering.

After disengaging himself from the demon, Rukawa stepped back and asked, "What happened to the boy?"

"Boy?" Hanamichi iterated.

"Hikoichi. Miyagi's younger brother," Rukawa said.

"It appears that he ran away," Hanamichi replied as he pushed back his hood to reveal his fiery mane before taking off his mask.

"He runs fast," commented Rukawa, stretching back to lean against the shinma's chest. Hanamichi was ready to hold onto him to tuck the young boy comfortably against his body.
"I'll get him next time," the vampire sighed.

The redhead's brown eyes grew thoughtful as Rukawa continued to talk, "Your friends are ganging up to take you away from me."

"Actually," Hanamichi spoke up after a moment of silence, "I don't think I was his main target."

Rukawa turned around in the enclosure of the redhead's arms and questioned, "What is it then?"

When the redhead didn't answer but instead gazed off in thought, Rukawa tugged violently on his cloak, "Hanamichi?"

"Huh?" the shinma blinked before he looked down to smile to the vampire, "Nothing. I'm fine."
Caressing Rukawa's smooth marble cheek with his clawed fingers, Hanamichi said contritely, "I'm sorry for being late today."

"Hanamichi..." Rukawa gazed at his guardian with curious fox-eyes as the shinma cupped his face lovingly in his big hands.
He's keeping something back.
What is it?
What's going on?

"Don't worry," Rukawa murmured and he burrowed more closely against the redhaired demon, "I'll protect you."

What is he hiding?


****

"We must perform the Dark Exorcism," Maki told his crew while Haruko stood in front of him with her head bowed in acceptance.

Haruko clenched her fingers together, "Lord Maki..."

"Enough of this!" Kishimoto declared, "We must bring Sakuragi back to us!"

Sakuragi...

Mitsui's blue eyes gleamed in determination while Kogure nodded in agreement. Ayako crossed her arms, smiling and anticipating for the battle. Maki and Haruko looked at each other before they turned towards Kishimoto.

"Hai..." said Haruko. Maki's brown stern eyes took on a harsh light.

Hanamichi...

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