Search for Kyūi Arc: Infiltration

First Steps
Running along the side of the island, the group is getting closer to their objective.

"Even if we get to the location, we still have this barrier thing to worry about." Adela murmured. "Megami, are you skilled in shattering barriers by anychance?"

That brought Megami to grin, as if she was waiting for someone to ask that very question. "Do you really need to ask?" She repeated, turning her eyes forward as she kept running. "This is one of my specialties. The good thing is about it is that you don't need simple, brute force in order to disrupt them. All you need to do is hit it in the right spot, and it's down for the count."

"Excellent." Adela said briskly, clapping her hands together. "Then there's the matter of getting underground without causing disturbance."

"I can do that." Miharu said exictedly.

"Whatever else...." Megami said. "....will have to wait once we actually get to it."

Aoi nodded at this.

"Kā-san, if we make it home by tonight, can you make me a really big hamburger?" Miharu asked out of nowhere.

"No, sweetie, you'll get too fat." Megami answered dismissively. Though the question came out of nowhere, it was relatively easy to ask. She was the girl's mother, after all! It paid to be prepared for such questions simply by knowing your own daughter.

"Kā-chan that would never happen." Miharu said cheerfully brushing aside her mother's reply.. "I never seem to gain weight no matter how much I eat."

"Mi-chan. I'll worry about dinner after we get this over and done with, okay?"

"Alright."

Aoi frowned. How could they even be thinking about dinner right now? She would say something but figured since they were nearly there, she would refrain from it. The sun had fully risen by now, but no ordinary soul could see them moving even if they were there, they were moving too fast. The sunlight was reflecting off the ocean water from this side of the island, a sight which caused even Aoi to smile momentarily. She'd love to be here under different circumstances...maybe on vacation with Kyūi. That thought also made her smile, though one that lasted slightly longer than the smile the sparkles had caused.

Miharu began to move ahead, and no sooner had she done so than she was forcefully pushed back by an invisible force, heading towards Megami, who sidestepped, causing the girl to fall into the ocean.

She would be fine.

For now, Megami pressed her hands against the barrier, trying not to agitate it enough for it to push her way. She closed her eyes, and focused her energy. From her hands, a blue shockwave pulsated outwards and spread across the entire barrier. It wasn't long after that there was a shattering sound. As Megami removed her hands, the barrier instantly shattered into fragments of spiritual glass that disappeared into thin air.

Miharu lumbered out of the water, spluttering and soaking wet. Grumbling, her blade flashed, and she was dried, her clothes as warm and dry as if they had been hanging in front of a fire for hours. "Did you break the barrier?" She asked, sounding slightly annoyed, most likely at having been deflected by a barrier.

"Just got done." Megami answered, stepping back. "It's all you from here, Mi-chan."

"Alright." Miharu drew her sword. "If everyone would be so kind as to gather 'round me, grab hold of my shoulder if possible." Aoi, Adela, and Megami all did as she had asked. She waved her blade, and they all began to sink, slowly but surely, into the ground. They landed themselves in a dark corridor before Miharu deactivated her Zanpakutō, solidifying them all.

"Attention! Unidentified biologicals have infiltrated the area. Making attempt to identify."

A female, automatron voice came from around them. This was followed by the lights of the corridor snapping on. Out of the ceiling, a total of four cameras pivoted on one mechanical arm each poked out and flashed the group. A red dot on their panels cut on, presumably in the process of scanning. Megami took in a deep breath. "Calm down, everyone. We're not in the frying pan yet.... they haven't sounded the alarms...."

"Should we destroy those cameras now?" Miharu hissed. "Before they do something that does sound an alarm?"

The female automatron voice immediately interrupted, the cameras sinking back into the ceiling. "Unable to identify. Sending data to master server." It spoke yet again, its words followed by nothing but silence.

There was a large flash of light, and in a split second, each and every camera was blasted to bits, Aoi's hand raised and smoking. "There..." She murmured. "Maybe that disrupted it."

"I state otherwise."

Now Megami almost recoiled at the rather smug tone that the robotic voice took on in her statement. "Ok....?!" She muttered. "Obviously, Taiki's been learning how to give machines personality...."

Aoi frowned. "You have a bad sense of humor." She said, assuming Taiki was listening in. "Let's just move. The sooner we get through here the quicker we can get to him."

"Right...."

Megami quickly snapped back into action, pushing her feet forward in order to lead the group. As she ran forward, the voice continued to speak amongst them. "Recognized intruders moving through the lower levels of the facility. Activating limited access...." Up ahead of them, a mechanical door slowly started to hiss open, steam pouring out of the middle crack. Then, it slowly slid open, revealing more corridors.

"Stop talking ya damn whatever!!" Miharu whined as they stopped before the new entryway At first, there had been two. Now, there were a total of seven.

"What do we do here?" Adela murmured, looking from entryway to entryway.

"Uhm...." To tell the truth, Megami was really lost. Her eyes looked around, searching from hallway to hallway in an effort to regain direction. Splitting up didn't really do much.... but it wasn't as if they could just cross all of the ground at once. "I'm at a loss, actually...." She took a step forward--

CLANK!

She immediately let out a yelp as the ground gave a sudden jolt in front of her. Behind them, the door shut, and the walls seemed to close in on them until they were in a sort of box-like room. All around them, there was a shuddering noise, and the room seemed to shake. "Ok...." The red-haired woman muttered half-heartedly. "I guess we just sit here and.... wait for whatever it is to stop...."

"Primary control missing." The automatron voice continued. "Redirecting to secondary."

Adela frowned. Trying to delay them? Perhaps she could bust them out of here, if this container was weak enough. She waved her hand in a circle motion, creating a circle of energy bullets. She repeated the motion until the circle was entirely full of the floating energy bullets.

"Cero Chispa: Embate." She murmured, and pressed her hand to the circle, firing all of the bullets simultaneously one of the boxes 'walls'.

"Wait!!!"

Immediately, Megami attempted to stop her.

However, it was far too late.

The bullets richocheted off of the wall.... and off of the wall.... and off of the wall. Now, thanks to Adela's actions, they were now trapped in a small room with bouncing bullets that could easily puncture some holes within them. "Call them off! Now!!" Megami shouted, barely evading an attempted head-shot.

"I can't!" Adeal said, panicking as she jumped to the side to avoid a bullet aimed at her stomach.

Miharu raised her blade and swung it, sending out a mist which immediately dissolved the bullets, before sheathing the blade again. "Apparently, blasting our way out is not going to help us here."

"This thing is moving!!!" Megami exclaimed. "Didn't you realize that?!" She looked towards what would've been the exit. "It's like an elevator.... it's taking us to wherever it wants us to go.... and...." She looked up at the ceiling. "From those messages that the machine keeps broadcasting.... I think it's taking us to a secondary control room."

Adela frowned. She hadn't realized that, and, by the looks on their faces, neither had Miharu or Aoi.

"So we just wait it out?" Aoi asked, a touch of the old impatience in her voice again.

THUNK.

The elevator stopped.

Slowly.... the doors began to open, and they were greeted with the sight of a massive room tinted with a blue light. The source of it was several computer terminals, each one with their own screen. On one of them, a finger was bent over the table and typing furiously. The light made it difficult to see clearly, and the figure did not seem to notice them at the moment. Megami squinted her eyes and peered at it for a moment.

"Only one here....?" She commented to herself. "No defenses or anything...." Then, she directed her voice to her group. "Be careful. This is most likely a trap, so we need to keep on our guard!"

Miharu slowly stepped forward, looking around the room. "This is really cool." She murmured. "Was this all made by Taiki?"

"I don't care if it was..." Aoi murmured.

Megami took the time to approach a few steps towards the figure typing on the computer.

Upon closer inspection, whoever it was had a rather feminine figure. To her chagrin, she could see the woman bent over in a moderately provocative position, her butt the primary thing sticking out. She was wearing a black skirt and collared matching-color shirt that exposed the midriff. A sword, presumably a Zanpakutō, was secured horizontal across her back and running along her waistline. A white ponytail ran down the spine of her back. Immediately, Megami's eyes widened in recognition, and her hands clasped over her mouth as she recognized who it was.

"Oh, God..."

It was none other than Kyuui.

Aoi walked up to Megami, looking at her expression of shock. "Um... Megami-baa, is something wrong?" Then she took a closer look at the girl standing in front of the monitor. "W-wait..." She whispered, who it was finally beginning to dawn on her as well. "Kyūi?"

"Yeah, just hold on a minute, guys, I'll be with you in a minute..."

The white-haired girl, however, seemed to be distracted at the moment, too busy typing on the keyboard.

Aoi fell silent for a moment. Was she talking to them, or through the computer to someone else?

"Is that it....?" A rather gruff voice sounded on the other end. Kyūi lifted her finger to one of her ears, monitors, apparently clicking on an earpiece.

"Yes. The shipments are being sent towards the 71st District as we speak. Expect them in half an hour." She answered calmly, pushing the keyboard aside to place her hands onto the table.

"You'd better be telling the truth, girl...." The voice on the other end had a rather venemous tone to it, and it made Kyūi wince a little. "If there's any law enforcement around, we'll find you. You got that?"

"If you have any problems...." Kyūi answered back, a rather hot tone in her voice as well. "You can turn it over to my dad. I'm just relaying this through him, and he says there's no problems at all. Remember, the end of the week is the deadline. You got it?"

"Tch.... whatever. This better be worth the trouble."

As she was speaking, Megami looked over towards Aoi and noticed the oddly silent attitude. Lowering her hand, she gently pressed it onto the girl's back to usher her forward. "Go on...." She whispered. "She was what you were wanting to find the most out of all of us, I bet...."

Aoi hesitated. She was rather nervous now. The way Kyūi was talking over to that person, she seemed perfectly sane, perfectly calm. What if she didn't want to come back. She slowly walked forward, her steps echoing around the quiet computer room. If Kyūi didn't want to come back...well, she had something in mind to help her deal with that. After what seemed like a century to Aoi, she reach Kyūi's side, but didn't speak. Aoi inhaled for a moment, her Pesquisa telling her it was indeed her sister.

"Kyūi?" She said quietly.

Loyalties
It was the magic word.

Immediately, Kyūi's body stiffened, her head whipping around to stare over her shoulder. For a moment, she didn't move, eyes looking Aoi's figure up and down. Her mouth opened slightly, but in those fleeting seconds, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her eyes were stricken with both disbelief and hope, unable to concieve that what she was seeing was actually there. Yet, at the same time, she wanted it to be there, to be real, and to exist. Her heart was shaking violently within its ribcage. Could it be?

One way or another, she was going to find out.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Kyūi pulled herself up, turned around, and nearly tackled Aoi in a hug, arms wrapping around the shoulders around the girl. Her eyes were shut, and her voice was cracking as she spoke her words. "Oh, my God, Aoi....!" She sobbed. "Is.... is that really you?! I can't believe you found me!!"

As Aoi felt Kyūi's arms envelop her, she could feel the emotions she had long since been missing returning to her. Kyūi was glad, glad to see her. Aoi was not on the verge of tears of joy, but she wrapped her own arms around her sister.

"It's me, Onē-chan." She said quietly, breathing in. "My hair may have whitened in your absence, but it's me."

Adela stood watching this. Both her children were back together, she thought, smiling. Now all that remained was to find their father.

Miharu hung back for a moment. She wanted to apologize to Kyūi, since she had been kidnapped because Miharu was getting to into the fight with her brother. She felt the need to apologize.

Megami had her arms folded across her chest, giving a satisfied smile and expression towards the two re-united sisters. It was nice to see them back together again, especially greeting each other with such emotions. Such moments were always amazing to watch....

Kyūi pulled her face away from Aoi's shoulder, giving her a weak smile. The pull was only enough to keep her face off of Aoi's shoulder while keeping herself in the comfortable embrace that the other girl had put her in. "Heh.... I guess we can say we're really twins now, huh....?" She asked jokingly, placing her hands on Aoi's shoulders.

Aoi let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, just get some color changing contacts for your eyes and it would be perfect." She took a deep breath. "All that remains now is, are you gonna come home with us?" She spoke these words nervously, fearing what the answer might be.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question, really."

Upon the second voice that seemed to come out of nowhere, the computers all shut off, leaving everyone in the room in darkness. Megami's eyes widened in shock, readying herself to summon her Zanpakutō. However, her tensing was unneeded, as overhead lights snapped on to completely light up the room. The sound of boots clamping onto hard steel made her snap her gaze to the right. A white-haired figure, decked in a black uniform and gray gloves, stepped towards them with an unreadable smile across his face. Despite his calm demeanor, it was clear that this man was not here for an easy family reunion. A spiritual pressure, terrifying and dominant in contrast to the unchallenging and equilibrium-based energy from the group, could be felt from his person. His Zanpakutō was at his side, ready to be unsheathed at a moment's notice.

Taiki had made his debut.

Emergence
"Tō-san." Aoi hissed.

"Onī-san." Miharu said soon after, though her voice was much less venomous.

Adela merely eyed her husband quietly.

"I really have to say...." Taiki muttered, standing a distance away from them. His hands were in his pockets, his eye leveling themselves on the group in particular. "I was expecting more of you. A disappointment that no one cared about little old me enough for the whole family to come. But.... I have to say, I am shocked at the lack of response, even though you all knew that Kyūi was alive...." The said girl was taking a few steps back from Aoi and turned to her father. "And here I thought Kurosaki would always be loyal to family...."

Aoi eyed him coldly. "As if you're one to talk Tō-san." Her face, which at been so emotionless before their arrival, had every line etched with anger.

"Um... Tō-san didn't feel like seeing you..." Miharu speaking nervously to her brother. "And...well, you know how Onē-chan is with Kibō..."

Taiki made a fwhipp noise with his tongue. "Of course...." He muttered, shaking his shoulders a little. "The phony's busy with her boytoy, and that moron.... well.... don't get me started." He took a few steps forward. "Tell me. Who did you actually bother to come for? Me...." He pressed a hand to his chest to motion to himself. "Or did you come for my daughter?" He lifted a finger to point at the white-haired girl, who was staring from him to the group in worry.

"We're here for Kyūi." Aoi said firmly.

"Well, Aoi is." Miharu said. "If you'd come back as well, I wouldn't object. I'd like to have you back at the house Oní-san."

Adela was continuing her silence. She wasn't sure what to say, since anything she said usually tended to annoy her husband.

"Taiki..."

The solemn voice of Megami brought Taiki's attention to her. She had her arms folded across her chest. "Adela had told me what happened between you and the family. I might have not been there to see it myself...." She looked away for a moment, before directing her gaze back onto him. "But that doesn't mean we can shirk responsibility for what we've done to you." Her expression turned slightly pleading. "Please, Taiki.... we've all made mistakes. Your father was being....selfish, at the time.... but now is a different time. Things change. I'm sure Ahatake would understand everything if--"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

She recoiled at Taiki's loud, boisterous, angered laughter sounded within her ears. Immediately, Kyūi herself flinched at the rather malicious tone lacing the sounds. Soon, they faded away, and the once-polite smile turned into a sneer. "Change?!" He spat. "That man wouldn't know the word "change" if it reached over and tore off his nuts!! Several years have passed, and not a word of reflection or apology was directed my way. Why else do you think my mother left him?! He refused to change, and that's what cost me someone that actually understood me for who I was. How can you speak as if you know everything about it, outsider?!"

"Onī-san, calm down!" Miharu insisted, shocked to hear her brother in such a rage. Aoi was giving her father a furious stare, as if she would love nothing more than to tear out his throat and devour it.

Adela sighed. "You shouldn't direct your anger at her Taiki." She said, her voice as calm as she could manage. "Megami is the type of person who can see a good outcome in anything. While I admit, assuming Ahatake will ever apologize to you or view you as anything less than the scum of his boots is optimistic to the point of foolishness, there is no need to take such harsh tones with Megami."

Taiki narrowed his eyes dangerously, glaring at his wife. However, this immediately flashed away, replaced by a look of what would've been frustration. "Do I really need to hear that from you, of all people?" He asked lowly, folding his arms across his chest. The vicious tone had lessened drastically, though it could still be heard. "You know...." He lifted that hand to wag a finger towards her. "She was right about one thing. Things do change. Years back, I would've looked at you as something more than someone so annoying. But, just recently, I had been thinking of you honestly as someone better than that. I was actually starting to love you, Adela, and I was just about to throw myself away just for you."

He cocked an eyebrow, his tone taking on a casually conversational tone. "And then you had to say it.... you didn't trust me. After all those years, you never completely trusted me...." It was almost as if he was also saying "Shame on you!" "Well.... congratulations, you ungrateful bitch. You took that chance and threw it out the window. Good-bye, relationship!" To emphasize, he raised a hand to mockingly wave her farewell.

Adela let out a mirthless laugh. "Taiki, it's an unfortunate fact that no one in this family, sans Tereya -and she's odd anyway- completely trusts you. It's a sorry fact, but it's true." She smiled, a strange, hollow smile, and turned to pick at the last words he had just said. "Once upon a sadder time, Taiki, you saying the words "good-bye relationship", would have crushed me. Living without you is something I can manage quite easily now. I would, however, like my daughter back."

This prompted Taiki to smile wryly, his calm demeanor once again fading to the surface. "And what makes you think that's going to happen any time soon?" He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"For one, we outnumber you." Aoi said, pointing at the "rescue party". "I'm sure we can take even you, if Megami-baa and Miharu don't hold back."

"And two...?"

"There's always the chance Kyūi would come willingly." Miharu supplied the second option. "But I'm sure it would still end in a battle..."

That's when Megami's eyes widened in shock at Megami's words, and she snapped her head towards the girl. "Miharu, no--!"

"....oh."

Taiki's smirk returned, and his words effectively rendered a near-stop of Megami's heart. "Are you hearing this, my dear? They said chance! Even though they came all this way, they weren't sure if you'd actually come willingly or not! That's just a heart-crusher right there!" His eyes fell onto Kyūi. "I'm pretty sure that now that you've heard it, you've made your choice.... right?"

What he saw pleased him.

The girl's eyes was stricken, staring at her family in a mixture of shock and betrayal. Tears fell down her cheeks, and her hands quivered at her sides. She couldn't believe it. All of this time, they were actually questioning her loyalty! She assumed that they would've had more faith in her! Her sister hadn't even said anything in order to counteract that statement! She shut her eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely across her face. But her expression, overall, was nothing but sadness and disappointment.

"Yes, father...." She whispered, voice cracking.

"Kyūi..." Aoi stuttered. Then she moved, instantly, towards her father. One thought was going through her mind. If she could just end his existence, right now, Kyūi would be able to come home, and she'd be happy. She drew her swords from under her coat.

"Fluctuate! Rakuen!" She cried, anger pouring out of her body as her sword entered Shikai. Her speed, strength, everything was increasing as her anger spiked. She appeared in front of her father with surprising speed, and aimed, not a strike with her sword as one would assume, but a power-packed punch towards his face. She wanted to punch it off.

It was so quick... no one had been able to react in time. Yet, even as Taiki stared at his daughter come forth towards him, he smiled. There was a serene look into his eyes, and he did nothing to prevent the attack from hitting his face.

Someone else did.

WHAM!

Kyūi had acted, re-appearing off to the side of Aoi and extending a leg. The base of her foot connected with her sister's ribs, and she was sent flying away from her target. Kyūi landed in a crouch, head hung down as tears were streaming down her face still. However, even that was a fleeting memory; she blinked them away, a defiant stare directed at Aoi. "I'm not going to let you harm Tou-san, Aoi!!" She said angrily, clenching her fists.

Aoi was surprised, all the power she had gained depleting due to change of emotion. "Since when were you so quick to strike?" She murmured, rubbing her side. "I need to get rid of him. He is in the way!"

Immediately, Kyuui grabbed the hilt of her own sword, quickly unsheathing it and holding it in a backhand position in front of her. Her eyes were narrowed, and an angry frown was plastered on her pale face. "Of what?!" She demanded. This wasn't a weapon she could use for lethal purposes due to the blade being on the wrong side.... but, it would still be an effective weapon to fight with in the event that Aoi decided to attack again.

Aoi eyed the blade warily. "Hell no." She said, sheathing her own. "I didn't come all the way to this place just to fight you." She jerked a finger at her father. "Him, yes, you, absolutely not."

Miharu frowned. She could stop this, but best to see how it played out.

"Then you better leave...." Kyūi growled, glaring daggers at Aoi. "Because there's no way I'm coming with you now!!" To emphasize, she pointed the blade straight at the other girl. "I really thought I knew you better than that. For me to hear that you were already thinking I betrayed you?! That's just too far!!" She whipped her scornful gaze towards the rest of the family. "The same goes for the rest of you.... especially you, Kaa-san!!!"

Megami remained silent, a now unreadable expression crossing her face.

"So..." Aoi said slowly. "You're not coming back?" She began to draw her sword again. It seemed she would have no choice.

"Too bad for you, isn't it....?" Taiki said mockingly, walking over to stand behind Kyūi and placing his hands on her shoulders. She flinched slightly under the touch, but relaxed once she knew who it was. "All because you let a little pessimism slip through your mouths. Then again, you never did learn how to keep your mouth shut...." As he spoke, Kyūi lowered the blade, but still kept her glare directed at Aoi.

"Fluctuate..." Aoi murmured, feeling sadness rip through her like a cold knife. "Rakuen." This time, the sword vanished, and Aoi's dim shadow began to darken and rise up, forming tendrils that moved in a circle around her. A single tear fell from her eye.

"Well, Onē-chan... It was a nice few centuries." She said, and the tendrils rose quickly into the air and then shot back at Aoi, spearing her from all directions, one piercing her heart in a sure bid to end her life.

This action, needless to say, sent a vicious shock through the minds of Megami and Kyūi.

"NO~!!!!"

Immediately, Kyūi and Megami lunged forward at Aoi. However, Kyūi was stopped as the hands gripping her shoulders squeezed tightly. "Now you understand...." He whispered smoothly, lowering himself so that his voice would be right in the girl's ear. "This is what happens for a Kurosaki when they see change. They either deny it completely.... or they destroy themselves before accepting it. Your sister attempted to do this twice because she only wanted what was best for her.... not you. If you stayed with them.... that could've easily been you...."

Immediately, Megami skidded to a stop and kneeled over Aoi's form. "You... you stupid girl!!!" She said angrily, even though it was most likely she would be dead at this point. She shoved her hands onto Aoi's torso, blood staining the skin as she did so. She pushed healing energy within the girl in an attempt to preserve her life. However, the apprehension continued to exist, with her knowing that it would be the end.

Aoi was not budging, her pierced heart already seemed to have stopped.

Miharu ran over to Aoi, her face white as a sheet. "Kā-san, perhaps I can do something?"

Adela let out a hiss like an angry cat. Her hearing was good enough to catch what Taiki had just said. "Taiki, from what you say, you make it sound like Kyūi staying with you is what's best for her."

Immediately, Megami moved aside, her hands shaking as she stopped the flow of the healing. "Anything." She pleaded. "We need it!!!"

At this, Taiki turned to face his wife. However, Kyūi turned with him to face her as well, a blank look of solemn apprehension crossing her face. "Apparently it is...." He said smoothly. "Based on what we've both seen from our own families. Nothing but disappointment and ignorance on your end. Not to mention...." He turned his eyes from her to the fallen Aoi. "Our daughter just committed suicide right in front of you, and you didn't even flinch. Even if they managed to revive her, it's not going to erase the despair she'll feel. You and I both know she doesn't take rejection lightly...."

"You could easily erase the despair she feels by giving Kyūi back to her." Adela said simply, waving away Taiki's remark about her lack of reaction. Miharu was here, her daughter's death would be easily reversible.

Miharu drew her sword. "Improvise! Kyūmu!" One again, the golden sparks she had used before to revive the citizens of the Yūrei Ōkoku and Kibō's parents. As it landed on Aoi, the multiple stab wounds on her body began to heal and close, her heart began to heal and began to beat again. Then her eyes opened. She sat up, her sword materializing in her hand.

"W-why am I alive?" She murmured, as if waking up from a sleep. "That attack should have finished me off."

SLAP!

She was answered with a vicious slap to the face. "What were you thinking?!" Megami snapped, retracting her hand. "Giving up just like that!!!" She was clearly unhappy for Aoi's selfishness.

Taiki turned his gaze back to Adela. "Give her back....?" He repeated, giving a small smirk in her direction. "I don't even have her. She's staying with me out of her own free will." At this, Kyūi closed her eyes and turned her head away from her mother. "What part of that don't you get?"

"I was thinking it was time to die?" Aoi said simply.

Adela frowned. "Hmm... that is problematic... I'm thinking Aoi had the right idea, trying to eliminate you." Miharu heard this and shot Adela a reproachful look, which the Arrancar ignored. "Not that she would have succeeded." She added as an afterthought.

"Don't be an idiot, Aoi!" Megami scolded.. "Things aren't just going to happen instantly just for your benefit! And I, for one, am not going to let you go and waste your own chances!"

"SHUT UP!!!!!"

A piercing scream immediately brought the room to silence, drawing the attention to Kyūi herself. She had her fists clenched, her hands shaking with rage. Her eyes were wavering, but they held a look of outright fury. "D...don't you dare say anymore to him....!" She hissed, voice shaking slightly. "Don't you dare talk to him like that....! If you do.... I swear..... I'll kill you!!!" She didn't hold any regret for it. Why should she, hearing her mother talk so callously like that?! She hadn't even cared that Aoi had just tried to extinguish her life! Was that how much she loved her daughters?!

Adela's eyes widened, and Aoi was shocked. Kyūi, the family pacifist, had threatened to kill her own mother.

"You've done a good job on her." Adela murmured, staring at Taiki coldly. She turned to Megami. "I did tell you she favours her father."

Miharu was looking at Taiki, Adela, and Kyūi. "I hate to sound as if I'm joking at a time like this, but isn't there some sort of divorce lawyer you two could see?"

If it was a simple show, that would've been a clear blooper.

Now, Miharu was finding herself looking into the raised eyebrow of Taiki and Kyūi, expressions of clear disbelief on their faces. The white-haired man slapped a hand onto his face, only saying one thing to her. "Little sister.... you are such a ditz...."

Megami promptly slapped Miharu on the back of her head. "Not the time, Mi-chan!" She exclaimed, a comical vein twitching on her forehead.

"Sorry..." Miharu murmured.

Adela frowned. "I believe we should go. If she wants to stay with Taiki, there's no point in forcing the child." Her tone was cold, though she did not like the thought of leaving her daughter with Taiki. She was already acting differently. Anymore time around him and she'd definitely be permanently altered. But she didn't seem like she wanted to come with them.

Aoi shot her mother a wild look. "L-leave?" She stuttered. "While she's still with him?!"

"Yes." Was the simple reply. "Megami, do you agree? Before more damage can be caused?" She gestured to Aoi, obviously reminding Megami of the suicide attempt the girl had so recently attempted.

It was clear that at this moment, it was hopeless.

Megami simply stood up, eyes shadowed by her hair. "We're leaving." She agreed simply, her tone grim. They had destroyed their own chances, anyway. She had entrusted them to do what they had to do.... but it was just not the case. Now, she was feeling that same pessimism that had taken them over before they had arrived. "There's nothing more we can do."

"B-but we can't le-" Aoi was starting to protest again, but Miharu waved her sword, and the girl fell unconscious.

"Aoi, sleep it off." The girl murmured, she said, flinging the girl's limp body over her shoulder, and they began to file into the elevator that had brought them there. Adela spared a glance back at Kyūi.

"If you are going to come, now is this time." She said, one foot in the elevator.

"Oh, shut up and leave already...." Taiki muttered, giving her an irritated glance. Kyūi said nothing in particular, only continuing to give her mother an angered glare.

Adela frowned, and stepped into the elevator, and the elevator began to make it's descent. After it vanished from view, Anton and Achilina faded into view, Anton wearing a slight frown, Achilina, a malevolent smirk.

"That was an amusing little show." The girl said.

"They really messed themselves over by doing that...." Taiki said calmly, putting his hands into his pockets and shrugging. "Not very good with words, were they?"

"True." Anton nodded. "That trait seems to have been skipped you. Might as well consider yourself lucky."

Achilina let out a wicked chuckle. "I think I'mma go mess with the white-haired girl's head again." She did not bother to supress the delight in her voice at the very thought of the idea.

"I'd rather you not...." Kyūi said quietly, voice sullen as she spoke the very words. She didn't turn to face Achilina, not having the will to do so.

"What does it matter to you?" Achilina asked. "You obviously don't want her. Besides, I think I almost had her convinced you drowned earlier yesterday. The tears were definitely something to laugh at."

Anton frowned, and made a funny little spasm as if to slap the girl but thought better of it.

Kyuui slowly turned her head to give the other girl a defiant glare. "I'm not going to let you." She declared, fingers curling slightly at her sides. Though she had been angry at Aoi for her lack of faith in her, there was still a part of her that had loved her. She would be damned if she let this sadistic do whatever she wanted with her!

Taiki remained silent. Of course, he wasn't the boss of every one of them.... just an associate. He simply watched the words exchange themselves between the two females.

"I highly doubt you'll be able to stop me, staying holed up here with him." She jerked a finger at Taiki. Like the Kurosakis, she wasn't his biggest fan. "Have a nice a tiiime." She said, fading into the shadows. Anton let out a sigh. "I do apologize for her rude behavior you two. She's only about a year old anyway, she hasn't learned how to behave."

"Well--"

However, Achilina's disappearance tipped Kyūi off. Immediately, she pumped into a Flash Step, surprising her father and vanishing from the room. In return, the white-haired man sighed, placing a hand onto his forehead. "My, my.... you're dealing with a kid?" He questioned. "And she already knows how to mess with someone's mind?"

Anton gave a grave sigh. "Yes. She's actually a part of me. As a Hiteiteki, I have the ability to create a Chevalier. I gave her more power than a normal Chevalier would possess, and I think it's twisted her."

"Is there anyway to fix it?" Taiki asked casually.

"No, and even if I could, I wouldn't." Anton said genially. "When she's not being inconvenient or annoying, I find her rather entertaining. Besides, I'm sure your kid will put a stop to mine."

A smile came across Taiki's face. "Thanks for having faith in my daughter, Anton." He commented, giving a bowing nod.

Anton mimicked the action, and then he himself faded.

Achilina was running across the water, blending into her surroundings like a chameleon. All that was going through her head was how best to mess with Aoi's head. With any luck, she'd get the girl to kill herself again.

Little did she know, Kyūi was right behind her.

She was underwater, pushing her muscles as she sped after Achilina at an inhumane rate. She had masked her spiritual energy, so Achilina wouldn't discover her following until the very last minute. Her eyes were narrowed, and a scowl was on her face as she continued to manuever through the cold liquid.

She continued to press on, certain that she could not be seen, various plans racing through her head, each different one giving her a thrill of sorts.

Far up ahead, the Kurosaki group was also moving swiftly across the water, Miharu still carrying an unconcious Aoi over her shoulder. She turned to her mother. "Kā-chan, are we going home then? Since we couldn't convince Kyūi?"

"We messed up, Miharu...."

Megami kept her head lowered as she ran. "All we did was say the wrong things.... right now, the only thing we can do is retreat, wait, and maybe try again...." She said solemnly.

"It's my fault..." Miharu said, looking down at the water. "It was what I said. If I hadn't spoken, maybe it all wouldn't have gotten out of hand."

"Don't take it out on yourself." Adela replied, looking at the girl. "I'm willing to bet even if you hadn't said anything, and she came with us, Taiki would have done something." She looked irritated. "You heard what he said when Aoi asked if Kyūi would come home with us. 'I'm afraid that's out of the question, really'."

Megami continued to remain silent, not having much to say.

"If we were to go back and get Tō-san, would he be able to make Kyūi come back?" Miharu asked her mother.

"We know that's going to be extremely difficult to do...."

"I could probably do it." Miharu said, holding up her Zanpakutō with one arm for emphasis. "If I asked, Tō-san would do it. He's never refused me or Midoriko."

"Yeah.... maybe he could go through with it.... but in the end...." Megami looked away from her. "How are you sure that everything will work out?"

"I'm not." Miharu replied slowly. "I haven't been sure of anything since we started this. I'm only sure Tō-san will come. Not sure of what will happen after that. Do you not agree it's worth a shot?"

"....it's worth a shot...."

Miharu tossed Aoi's body to her mother. "Alright then, I'll get moving." She said, and she sped off ahead of them before anyone could call her back.

"Do you really think it's going to work?" Adela asked Megami.

"....no." Megami muttered, catching the body. Mentally, she criticized Miharu for being so reckless with it. Even though she was fine, she wasn't a ball! "In fact, I don't think anyone can convince them now that we managed to mess everything up...."

"True..." Adela murmured. "Either way, what do you say we stop off at the same inn we stayed in before. We can all rest there, I'm sure Mihara will find us, and we can try and think of a way to convince Kyūi were aren't the monsters she's beginning to think we are."

"All right..." Megami gave an affirmatory nod. "I just hope Aoi doesn't try anything else when we actually get there...."

"She'll be out for awhile I'm sure." Adela assured her as they turned towards the island they had so recently left, and walked into the inn. She told the innkeeper where they would be staying, and they went up to the room. After Megami set Aoi down on the bed, Adela sighed. "The day is only half over, and I feel exhausted."

"I know what you mean...." Megami immediately flopped down onto the bed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Everything that went on.... it just wears one out, you know?" She placed the back of her hand on her forehead, half-lidding her eyes.

"Yeah." She stood up. "If you feel like it, there's a hot spring that we could go take a soak in. It'd be a nice way to rest at least."

"...really....?"

Megami immediately shot up, a rather surprised look on her face. "That's....convienient...." She muttered, pulling herself up and off of the bed. "But I could really use one right about now....!" Her grin grew, happy that she had at least some form of reprieve. "I'll join you!"

Adela smiled. At least some good would come out of this day. "Follow me then, I'll show you where it is." She motioned Megami to follow her, and she did, leaving Aoi asleep in the room.

At first it was silence, the only sound was Aoi's slow, deep breathing. Then, Achilina faded into the room. She looked upon the white-haired woman sleeping. "So unaware." She chuckled. "If I wanted, I could extinguish her life as easily as water on a flame. But where would be the fun in that?" She formed what appeared to be a hand sign, and began to flicker, her appearance changing into that of Kyūi's. Now, at least for a moment, she'd have to act the part of a nice person. Just the thought of it caused a look of revulsion to cross her face. It did not suit the face of Kyūi.

She took a seat down on Aoi's bed, the weight of the additional person causing the bed to sag slightly. She placed a hand on Aoi's forehead, dispelling the forced sleep that was placed on her by Miharu. Aoi's eyes began to open, and she slowly sat up, dazed. She looked around the room, missing Achilina at least twice. Then her head snapped back towards her.

"K-Kyūi?" She stuttered the name, puzzled by the sight of her 'sister'. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you." Achilina replied simply.

"But why?" Aoi asked, puzzled. Delighted to see 'Kyūi' though she was, she hadn't forgotten her sister's rage at them all, the look of anger on her face.

"Let's say I've had a change of heart." Achilina kept going. "I'm tired of staying with Tō-san."

"This is for real?" Aoi asked, not believing the simple sentence she had heard. She pinched her cheek. "I'm definitely awake."

"This isn't a dream." Achilina said, smiling. "I'm gonna come back."

At those words, Aoi flung her arms around Achilina, tears starting to leak out. Apparently the joy she was feeling was not easy to express in words, for she remained very silent. Achilina smirked, and summoned a blade with her free hand. It wouldn't hurt if she killed the girl. She didn't think Taiki would complain. Anton would disapprove and Kyūi would probably be distraught, but that would add to her fun. She swung the blade at Aoi's neck.

It was as if that very notion had spawned her savior.

THWACK!

Immediately, a body came in from behind Aoi, almost pressing the white-haired girl between the two figures. A hand thrust out, grasping the wrist of the attacking sword hand and preventing it from going any closer to her goal. Narrowed blue eyes glared at "Kyūi", white hair dampened with water. Her lips were curled into a snarl, and she remained silent as she leveled a cold glare towards the other girl.

The first Kyūi smirked, staring the newcoming Kyūi. She jerked her wrist out of Kyūi's grip, and jumped away from Aoi and Kyūi. "What a surprise. You actually followed me all the way here."

Aoi looked from one Kyūi to another. "Wait... what's happening here?"

Kyūi kept her glare at her "clone", pointing an accusing finger. "This monster wanted to toy around with you a bit more before you left. I may be staying with Tou-san.... but that sure doesn't mean I'm going to get family get thrown around like that!"