#and then that night frill sent me a message with both our answers of 'yes i have a crush on someone' and was like. hey. are we being stupid

[bbeelzemon]

frill fell back asleep but i didnt yet so im just thinking about how if this website and app wasnt actively falling apart at the seams as it does i dont know when or if frill and i wouldve ever made that first move on the other. and now we're ENGAGED

[write-like-you-mean-it]

A Hunter’s Prey: Rings and Rain

The cold chill of his words hit me to my core. Marriage was always on the table but this seemed so sudden. He didn’t ask after years of dating and caring for eachother. He asked after he fucked me for disobeying him. I was a toy that could be easily discarded if I messed up. I was the mouse that took the cheese from the trap. All of this was a trap.

My face fell as everything flashed through my head like lightning. All of the torment and torture. All the moments of silence we shared. All the days I spent in darkness by the hands of his monster. Every bit of it was to marry him.

He could sense my change in posture. The post-coitus bliss turned sour. “W-what do you mean?” I mumble while trying to escape his grasp. His hands still held onto my wrists. Flashbacks of the chains wrapped so tightly around my wrists that it left a few scars came across my mind.

Illumi finally pulled out of me yet he held his place above me on the bed. “I want you to be mine forever. Marry me.” The words filled my body with more dread than any bloodlust could. Marriage was a contract that I would never leave. It was an embodiment that I chose to be with him rather than a punishment. Was I ready to make that jump? Did I really want to be with Illumi?

“Illumi,” I said. My voice was quiet and somber. “Can we put back on our clothes and talk about this?”

He responded by his face becoming more emotionless than normal. He knew my response even before it was said out of my mouth. “No. Yes or no. Will you marry me?” His hands grasped tighter; enough that I could feel his fingers clawing into my skin.

A few tears started to fall from my eyes. Why was I crying? I turned my head away so I didn’t have to look at him. A pit of emotions bottled up so deep inside that I could feel a bowling ball held within my gut. Every second was an eternity as he waited for my response. I bit my lip in the hopes of gaining some courage.

“No.”

More tears fell from my eyes. It took everything to not look at him. Every inch of my existence wanted to look to see if he needed my comfort. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and take back the two letters. I wanted to make him feel alright.

However, I knew what needed to be done. If I gave in now, my life would still be so endlessly full of questions and the inability to touch. I may not be locked away in the basement but I’d be locked in the house with children. Illumi would leave without question and I wouldn’t know when he would return. I’d live in a constant fear of the unknown with only inklings of the truth.

Illumi let go of my hands and climbed off of me. The bed shifted with his weight enough that I knew he was gone. My body felt cold without his warm body pressed against me. No. It wasn’t just my body. Everything felt cold.

I finally sat up on the bed to see Illumi getting dressed. “Ill,” I mumble while looking at him. Even looking at him brought more tears to my eyes and the pit to grow stronger. “I’m sorry.”

“No,’ he said while putting his shirt back on. “You don’t get to apologize. You gave an answer.” His voice was quieter than I expected. Each word held a ting of hurt.

“I said that because I need time-.”

“Time to do what?” he asked while looking at me. “I’ve given you everything but time. I let you have friends. I let you go off on a mission. I let you meet my family. Every member of my family. You’re the one being ungrateful.”

“I didn’t want this,” I said a little louder. “I didn’t ask for any of that. What I really want is for you to talk to me like a normal human. I don’t want to marry a control freak.”

The words were out of my mouth before I could comprehend what they were. Illumi stopped his shuffle and looked towards me. The look he gave was deadly, violent, and angry. It was so different than anyway he’s looked at me before. This wasn’t him being possessive or obsessive; I hit a core. I hit something deep within him that he would refuse to see. It was a pain that was so low that I doubt I could take it back.

“You what?” he said, viciously.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that.” I said trying to backstep. “I just meant that I need my own space and to be my own person. I’ve lived my life without boundaries and this is becoming more-”

“Do you like me?”

His question threw me off guard from my ramblings. Did I actually like Illumi? Do I care? Am I just a puppet that he uses?

“Your silence is deafening,” he says while finishing getting ready.

“No, I do care about you,” I said, finally getting my thoughts together. I was drowning in my own thoughts. I felt like a rope that was benign tugged in both directions. I cared for Illumi but how? Was I scared or was this love?

“Why’d you sleep with me?” His eyes flickered as if they were made from glass. Was he crying?

I was prepared for my questions to be answered but I wasn’t prepared to receive any back. Illumi was always so silent that I thought there was nothing but missions, training, and caring for his family that was behind the dull, faced expression and long, black hair. He never expressed any emotion before.

“Today was because I was scared,” I said while looking at my hand that played with the frilled ends of the blanket. “Before, I-I don’t know. It happened.”

“I see,” Illumi said.

“I enjoyed it,” I said while looking back at him. My body shivered from a cold breeze. “Both times.”

Silence fell on the room; however, it wasn’t as comfortable as usually. Instead, this silence was screaming. Too many unspoken words that fell between the two of us. Anger had melded into a desperate sadnesses. We both wanted to say everything in our head. No. I wanted to hold him and say that everything was going to be alright. We were both scared children trying to play adult.

“I think you should stay here. We need a break. You have Machi and…” He couldn’t bring him to say the troupe or even Chrollo’s name. “Call me when you find out your actual answer. I have business I have to attend.” With that, he left me alone in this cold, lonely room.

I saw the door shut before I registered the moment. He actually left me alone. It’s what I wanted after all this time. I wanted to be alone and not trapped by him. Space is what he gave me and it felt so frozen.

I laid back into the covers and sobbed. I can’t fix this. For all I knew, Illumi was gone forever. I should be happy. I can move on. However, I can’t.

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I cried so much that my head was aching with a resounding pound every few seconds. I was still naked and had a lot of discomfort. I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I looked in the mirror for only a moment. The blotchy tear-stained eyes made me look even more pathetic than I felt. I climbed into the shower, turned on the water, and sat down in the stream.

Water washed over me like a cool breeze. My tears mixed with water that ran down my face. I brought my knees to my face and wrapped my arms around them. My head buried deep within the crevasse.

I should call Illumi and tell him it was a mistake. No. I said the correct answer. I had to say no or I would feel resentment towards him. I had to say no in order for him to realize that I need more than what Illumi would give me. I need a relationship built on trust and not one created in a basement. He hadn’t even bought me a ring. It’s a silly tinket but I want to feel loved.

I stayed there until the water ran cold. I only moved to wash myself with the small hotel soaps. The water turned freezing before I finally left. I had to get help or support. I can’t go back to the troupe. They’ll know something is off if I only return a few hours later.

I wrapped myself in a towel to try and dry off the excess water. Once out of the bathroom, I went to pick up my clothes. My phone was still in the pockets of my pants. There were no messages.

I didn’t expect one from Illumi. He wouldn’t give in easily. I would, instead, give him the space that he desired. We both need a little bit. Maybe we can come to an agreement when this is all over, but, for now, I will not message him.

I was a little upset that Machi hadn’t even tried to see if I was okay. She could feel teh bloodlust just like myself when I left. I went looking through some of the old messages sent between us. I should send her a message at least. She was my best friend.

For as many messages as I typed up, none of them seemed right. She was with her friends and I didn’t want to put the burden of my abusive relationship to the test. Instead, I texted a number that I had gotten during my time with the troupe: Kalluto.

He responded quickly with agreement that I should meet with him and quickly. I’m guessing he had heard things from his brother. If anyone were to know about Illumi, it would be his brother.

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I didn’t know how long Illumi paid for this room. I only knew that I hadn’t been kicked out yet so I would guess he paid for the night. I had changed back into the dirty clothes because they were the only ones that I had at the moment. It was already starting to get dark when Kalluto arrived. He knocked only a few times before I actually answered.

“Have you heard anything from Illumi?” I ask a little trepidatiously.

“Yes. He has sent me a few messages,” Kalluto replied while looking around the apartment. “I won’t tell you what they were. He told me not to tell you.”

“So he knows we’re meeting?”

“I didn’t say that. I can have secrets with both of you.”

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this,” I said while realizing that I had dragged in a child who should be making new friends with his group. All of this was stupid. I was stupid.

“It’s okay. I knew this would happen when Illumi brought you home. He’s always been protective of those he loves.”

I looked towards the little boy. “L-loves?” I questioned and Kalluto nodded. “What do you mean?”

“You two are the most oblivious adults I’ve met. Illumi had me watch over you because he was worried about you. The first thing to come out of your mouth is about him. It’s obvious that you’re worried about him.” Kalluto sat down on a chair that was next to the bed. “Look, there’s a lot of things you don’t know with my brother. There’s a lot of things that he doesn’t know. All Illumi knows is what was taught by mother and father.”

“-But it seems like their marriage is good. Maybe a little insane but good,” I interrupted.

“Yes,” he said. I decided to take a seat on the bed. “They’re good but what I mean is the other stuff. We’re all assassins. We all had to go through training. I can tell you that it's not fun. Milluki became a shut in due to the torment. Killua rejects the business because of being a cold blooded killer. Do you know what it's like to take a life before you can walk?”

“No,” I said.

“We do. We’ve been tortured, used, abused all in the name of love.” Kalluto’s eyes glazed over with a recognition of the past. I wanted to stop him because it seemed like this was too much. “I know what it’s like. I know too much. I have to live in Killua’s shadow.”

He took a breath to gain some composure. “Illumi-” he continued. “-is the eldest by seven years. Father perfected the training years before I was born so much so that he left my training to my mother. Illumi got the full force of my father for a full seven years. He was the test rat to see how far my father could push without resistance.”

“You’re telling me that he was tortured beyond you?” I say.

“Yes. Grandfather helped a little but it was mainly father. Illumi is so devoted to father because that is all he knows. I’ve asked him about his training and he refuses to answer. Instead, he stays silent. None of it gives him the right to treat you or Killua the way he does, but it makes sense.”

Kalluto finally looks at me. “Illumi does care. He would send me photos of you randomly. They were always so sincere. I’m not telling you to take him back. I’m telling you to try and help. He does care. It’s a possessive and needy caring but it's there. Give him some space to miss you and you to him. From our talks, Illumi will answer. It takes a bit. I wish I could say more but it’s not my place.”

“Why won’t you tell me?” I say.

A smile crosses the young boy’s face. “Illumi won’t even tell me. Maybe he’ll tell you.”

“I’ve been trying but he’s rejected talking to him.”

“I know. And your needs are just as much as his. Illumi needs to get over himself. You need to see if you actually like him.”

I nod my head. For as small as the youngest Zoldyck is, he is much more mature than any child that I’ve known. He’s been brought into this world when he shouldn’t have. Now he needs to make his own place in the world in spite of his brothers.

“I asked Chrollo if you could come back tomorrow. He said yes as long as you get dinner with him.”

“Dinner?” I ask, confused. “That’s all he wants?”

Kalluto shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll go. I think I’ll stay here tonight. I need some time to think.”

Kalluto stood up. “I walked all this way-.” He sighed, “You know where the troupe is.” I pull Kalluto into a hug. He stiffened up. Physical touch doesn’t seem to be a trait any of the Zoldycks possess.

“Thank you and I’m sorry.”

“You’re welcome,” he stated as I released. “It’s no problem. I’d do the same for any of my brothers. Also, if you do decide to stay with Illumi, it would be nice to have an older sister.” I smiled while giving one last hug and we parted ways.

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Full Masterlist

[rejects-mania]

From Pepper, With Love

Well, it’s been a minute hasn’t it? About four years? I think it’s safe to say that a lot has happened, not all of it good. So buckle in because as usual I’ve got a story to tell.

I’m 33 now. Hard to believe I’ve actually survived this long honestly. But here we are, alive, surviving, and most importantly living a very simple life now. No frills or crazy adventures, and that’s ok. Actually its exactly what I never knew I always wanted.

I haven’t seen the Rejects since that last show with Sayre. I haven’t picked up the records or listened to their music in years. I’ll get into why in a second. However, today, today was different. Today I listened to their music on my drive to work. Those haunting first cords of Another Heart Calls washed over me as I’d always remembered them and brought with them a chill of a past story that never got told. I’ve tried to write it before but couldn’t find the words, but today I feel like it needs to be told.

I hadn’t talked to Merch Mike in a couple years. Not since his last shows with the guys. I was married, miserable, and truth be told somewhere a long the way following the Rejects had become less about the Rejects and more about their merch guy. Truth? I’d fallen in love with Merch Mike. Take it how you will, but it happened, it was one sided, I was young, and I’m not ashamed.

Anyway, I found out Merch Mike was going out on the Cher tour which was starting in Albany. I was elated. I hadn’t seen him in two years, I still had the same feelings and so I reached out and asked if we could go for a drink. He actually responded, a big surprise to me honestly. Turns out Albany was the start of the tour so he was going to be there for a few days and could actually use a hand taking inventory. I jumped at the chance and offered to pick him up at the airport.

I’ll never forget that day. I showed up at the airport and stood anxiously waited for him to get off the plane and walk to the greetingg area. My heart stopped when I saw him. Same old Merch Mike. That big smile, those shining green eyes, the same man I had remembered. I don’t think I’ve ever hugged a person so tight. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed him or how much I still cared about him. As we walked down to baggage claim we began to chat.

“So how’ve ya been?” I asked casually mostly expecting to hear stories about his kids.

“Getting divorced, actually.” He replied. My heart practically left my chest. I’ve never felt anything quite like that before in my life. It was as if suddenly this person who I never in a million years would ever have even a glimmer of hope to be with was standing there telling me there was hope. There was hope.

We spend days together, mostly on the back of a truck going through tons of Cher merchandise, and talking. So much talking. The talking didn’t end at the truck, it carried to his hotel room. God, I have never wanted to fuck a man so badly in all my life. You. Have. No. Idea. But nothing happened. We just laid on that hotel bed and we talked. We talked about our lives, about dreams, and memories. Finally, one night at dinner he looked at me, his green eyes the most serious I had ever seen them.

“Are you happy?” He asked. He was asking something literally no one else in my life had bothered to ask for fear of the answer. It took me a few minutes to answer, the question catching me off guard.

“Of course I’m not happy. I hate my life.” I replied. He looked at me, that glorious twinkle coming back in his eyes as if it hadn’t ever left.

“Then why don’t you change it.” He stated before eating another piece of sushi. As if it was so simple. It wasn’t meant as an invitation but I’ll be damned if I didn’t take it as one.

I dropped Merch Mike at the airport that cool Friday morning at the crack of dawn. Actually it was well before that. I drove back to my apartment, crashed for an hour, then went to work at my new job at the DMV. At about seven that night I asked my husband one simple favor, please don’t drink tonite. He was instantly angry, instantly pissed off. He was angry I hadn’t brought Merch Mike to see him, angry I’d been gone for two and a half days with another man. Finally, he agreed and I fell asleep dreaming about a life I wasn’t allowed to have.

You see it’s the things we don’t tell people that cause the most problems. My husband, he was abusive and an alcoholic. Verbally abusive, I should clarify, but it was escalating, as these things often do. That night as I lay peacefully in bed, sound asleep from exhaustion suddenly all the lights flew on, the blankets were ripped off the bed, and yelling immediately started. My husband was standing there screaming at me for no apparent reason other then just to torture me. I was sobbing, my anxiety taking full control after having been scared awake and having literally every sense go from zero to sixty in a split second. Finally I was able to compose myself just enough to yell at him to leave the room. He stared for a minute then left to sleep it off on the couch.

I woke that next morning eerily calm. Calm as I have never been before (or after) in my life. I had this strangest sense of complete clarity. I walked out of the bedroom, woke my husband, told him to go in the bedroom to finish sleeping, and he did. I made myself breakfast and a cup of tea. I sat on the couch in silence, simply listening to the birds outside while I ate. Then I sat and just sipped my tea. I was serene. My husband walked out of the bedroom and took one look at me.

“Do you want a divorce?” He asked meekly.

“Actually, yes, yes I do.” I replied. He tried everything to get me to agree to stay. I wouldn’t budge. And then I sent one text.

Hey, Mike, I’m getting divorced.

The next six months were somewhat of a tearfilled blur, but a few things stood out. The first, my weekly conversations with Merch Mike. We would be on the phone for hours, talking about nothing really. He had been kind enough to have given me the contact info for my local arena and I actually got a job as a merch girl. We talked a lot about the business, a whole lot. I can not fully express how much those conversations meant to me.

I had moved myself into the spare bedroom of my soon to be ex husband’s and my apartment. I had exactly two feet around the bed of walking space and since he refused to allow me the larger bedroom and made sure every second he was home to be in the shared space I was confined to my room. I only left that room to use the bathroom and quickly cook food in the very short window between when I got home and whne he did. I lived like that for six months, unable financially to leave any sooner. I spent the first few pouring over divorce papers, unable to afford an attorney. My family still doesn’t know how bad it got, this is the first I’m actually putting it all to paper. There was one time my ex actually faked an emotional break down, had to be rushed to the er via ambulance, and from the hospital bed actually told me he had faked it. Yea, abusive. The only thing I had during that time was my friend Rae in DC and my weekly phone call with Merch Mike. They saved my life. Its that simple. They saved my life. That birthday I spent completely alone, my ex having used all our phone minutes so I couldn’t even talk to my family.

After months of looking for an apartment that was safe and cheap (a feat believe me) I signed the papers for one in a neighboring town. I was thrilled, but I had no one to help me move. My parents decided to come up and help me. It had been easier to sort of agree to be friends with my ex in order to get divorced and stay living there, so the day I got my apartment keys my ex offered to help me move some things. Nothing could possibly go wrong right? It’s laughable now really. He was sober when he got in the car, but by the time we got to my apartment he was drunk. I emptied out my car locked my new place and he and I got back in. I was furious, but he was getting violent as we neared the old apartment. It was the first real time I was scared for my life. He went inside. I stayed in my car. I couldn’t get ahold of Rae. I texted Merch Mike. In less then ten minutes he was on the phone with me. He stayed on the other end of the line until I was calm and over and over he asked me to please call the cops. He asked if I had the keys to the new place and could stay there. He was so concerned. I don’t know that I ever thanked him for that. I suppose this will have to do. Finally, I got my courage back and told Mike I was ok. The next day he checked on me to make sure I was ok. I was.

In my new apartment I thrived. I was saving to buy a house. I was working two jobs. I had left the DMV and moved to the OMIG. Merch life was incredible. I was travelling and making amazing new friends. I was still talking to Merch Mike every week, even after he landed the Rolling Stones gig. It was shortly there after I asked a simple question.

“Do you want me to come and see you in Buffalo? I got offered to work the show and can come out early and hang out or whatever. But only if you want me to.” I stated smiling the whole time. We hadn’t seen each other since before we both got divorced.

“I’m gonna be so busy during the day and you’d have to find something to do.” He replied.

“That wasn’t the question. Do you want me to be there?” I asked again.

“Yes.” He finally answered. I was thrilled. In my defense I was also still very much not ok. I started calling it my workcation and my excitement bordered on seriously ridiculous. But can you blame me? We were both single. We were staying in the same hotel room. I had lost a bunch of weight. I was stoked as fuck.

The trip was a bust. Right before I left for Buffalo Mikey (yes guitarist of the Rejects) had messaged Merch Mike asking if he and I were dating. We were not. I’m not sure of all the details, but whatever else happened in that conversation ruined everything. The trip was awkward and weird. Something didn’t seem right which only made me introvert worse then normal. But the worst would happen when I got back. Merch Mike and I had casually talked about me going on the road with him because he had been offered Alice in Chains again. A formal offer had not been given to me, but it was talked about. But after Buffalo, after he got spooked, I didn’t hear from him for months. Not a text. Not a FB message. Not a call. I went from talking to that wonderful man once a week for hours to complete radio silence. And it was all beacuse the Rejects who up and down claimed to give zero fucks about me got involved in my life. Its taken me years to forgive them and until this morning I hadn’t listened, watched, or even talked of them.

Months went by, I got worse in my mental illness. I started sexting with a guy from work who was very much not single. In fact his other half worked in our office. I was a wreck. I was having multiple anxiety attacks a day. I felt like this huge part of me was just gone. No Rejects, no Merch Mike, just this new weird world that I had to shape for myself, all over from nothing. But with that came a new hope. Its interesting to me that hope can do so much. I remember sitting on my couch watching that movie View From The Top. I sat after it was over just staring at the sun coming through my window. Peaceful and somehow content when I felt my phone go off. I looked down, just expecting it to be another gig offer as I’d been getting them frequently. It was Merch Mike. After months of complete silence he was calling me. He was calling me. I picked up the phone. He started talking and I cried. He apoligized I don’t know how many times. And then he asked me to come work a string of shows with him, Ringo Starr. He was even going to stop a night in Albany just to see me.

It was a nice visit. We talked and we planned the next trip where he was actually going to pay me to help him out. I was a real merch girl in that moment. I got to show him my shitty apartment and he was kind about it. I smile while I write this because god that apartment was awful and small and he was so nice about it. Then I went on the road with him for a few days working for Ringo Starr. We were in Philly when I finally asked him why he ghosted me. His answer was simple. He cared too much to hurt me and didn’t know how to handle it. Turns out not a week before Buffalo he’d hooked up with some other girl out on the road and he didn’t want me to be just some road whore. I’m certainly paraphrasing, but that’s what I got out of the conversation. We were just friends, and that was perfectly ok. Oddly the thing I had missed most was just us goofing off and talking. I realized I still loved him but that love had shifted. It was an amazing trip. I haven’t seen him in person since, but we still check in with each other. If I message him, he responds, keeping his promise to never ignore me again.

I went back to therapy after that. It was long since time. I’d remembered all sorts of awful things about life with my ex, things I pushed down and forgotten, buried amoung the concerts and the numbing vibes of those blissful shows. Including but not limited to being raped by my ex in a hotel room before we got married. Worst part is I didn’t even know thats what it was called. But you bet your ass it was. Real shitty what mind games our own mind plays on us to keep us alive. But I’m still going to therapy. The help is needed.

Then my grandmother passed away. Going through her jewelry I found a ring which had an inscription, ‘I love you Andy’. Not two weeks later I was supposed to be working a merch gig at a theater in poughkeepsie but was able to grab the second Albany theater. I met Andrew that night at the opening of Captain America: Civil War. I knew as soon as he touched my hand that was it. We forgot to exchange numbers. I hunted for him. I wrote to Craigs List missed connections. That crap got read on air on the radio (not kidding). All that and Andrew (Cap) came back the next day. We’ve been together since. He calls me Peggy I call him Cap. Avengers End Game just gave us our wedding song.

I say all this today because I go to therapy today. Its the first session after my cousin committed suicide. Of all the times I didn’t, of all the times it easily could have been me. His death hit me in ways I was not prepared for. I wish beyond anything he had had what I did. A Merch Mike to get him through the darkest days so he could find his Andrew. I share this story now because this morning I put on the Rejects music and I just listened and I smiled while I drove. Smiled at all the times their music saved my life. The roads we take, they lead us in crazy ways. At 17 I found a band. At 25 I followed them and met an amazing older man who asked the simpliest of questions that made me change my entire life view. At 30 I met my soul mate. At 33 I am going through a lot of shit, but I’m alive. I’m fucking alive and I’m unbelievably grateful for all the wonderful things I’ve been given.

Not many people can say they lived their dreams and get to make new ones. I can. So let this be my love letter, to whom I’m not quite sure. A fitting one full of hope and potential. One with ups and downs and wild rides and almosts but not quites. Let this be both a thank you and an apology. Listening to that one song this morning I remembered a little piece of myself I though I didn’t need. I hope there’s a fifth record now. Now I’m ready for one. Now I want one. Now I’m ready to see the boys again, this time from the back of the venue, probably the bar, in comfortable shoes and with my Cap. So please come to Albany gentlemen. Let’s have one more party. I need your music again. Really I always have. But now more then ever I need just one more show. You have no idea what your music did for me. It kept me alive for a long time. Y’all plan a show I’ll bring the cupcakes. We’ll have a blast.

From Pepper, with love always.

[crazyrwby65]

Kaeru’s Chronicles Chapter 10

"You," Kigaeru said. "Yes, it's me, Kamikaeru," Kamikaeru said. "You never mentioned a name," Blue Heart said to Kigaeru. "It is hard to explain how I heard it," Kigaeru said. "You picked the wrong time to make your presence known," Blue Heart said. "You are in the presence of two Hearts at once. I warn you that it would be wiser for you to leave." Kamikaeru didn't reply, instead started walking slowly toward the two Hearts and Aria. Blue Heart shimmered for a moment before materializing both her wings to go up into the air and multiple spears hovering around her aimed at Kamikaeru. "This is the last warning I will give you," Blue Heart said. Kamikaeru stopped for a moment to stare up at Blue Heart, then continued her slow pace toward the group. "Alright, we'll have it your way," Blue Heart said as she launched several of the spears at Kamikaeru. Just as they were about to hit her, Kamikaeru vanished, then appeared immediately to the left of where she had been standing just a moment before. Blue Heart then launched another five at her but then she jumped up above where the spears were going to hit her. Kamikaeru then launched herself at Blue Heart, and two glowing blades attached to her arms flickered to life in the jump. Blue Heart then materialized another spear to block Kamikaeru's launch, but the force of the impact threw Blue Heart against the wall. Kamikaeru then landed directly below where she and Blue Heart just clashed, where Kigaeru and Aria were waiting for her. Kigaeru had summoned both of her Gun-blades and Aria had copied a gun-blade with her mimic weapon, and both of them fired on Kamikaeru. Kamikaeru reflected them off of her arm-blades toward the ceiling, then she ran at them. Kigaeru stepped in front of Aria and blocked both of the blades with her blades. "Aria, get out of here," Kigaeru yelled behind her. "But I can fight too," Aria said back. Before Kigaeru could respond, Kamikaeru released a sudden burst of energy that threw Kigaeru up and made a crater high up in the wall. Kamikaeru's attention then went to Aria, as Aria realized she was feeling uneasy. This enemy had just hit both her sister and another Heart without effort into walls, and now she was looking at her. Aria then found the gun-blade she had copied from her sister disappearing and the arm-blades of her opponent appearing on her arms. Kamikaeru then flung herself at Aria, while Aria put her arms up and the real and the mimic blades clashed and let loose a flash of light. Aria felt herself being pushed back, which made Aria realize that somehow since the day before Kamikaeru had become stronger than Aria's mimic weapon. The force of Kamikaeru's blades was too much, and Aria got flung back at the desk. Just as Kamikaeru then focused her attention on Kigaeru getting back out of the crater she had been left in, Kamikaeru got hit by a flying spear that Blue Heart launched from her landing zone. Kamikaeru then ran over to Blue Heart. As Blue Heart was surprised by her speed, she grabbed Blue Heart and threw her from the wall to the ground, then put one of her blades to Blue Heart's neck. Just as she was lying on the ground, Blue Heart got a good look at Kamikaeru's face underneath the hood. Scarred, black veins all over the pale skin, and other things that made for a nightmarish appearance. As Kigaeru and Aria got up and realized what was happening, an alarm went off in the building. At the sound of the alarm, Blue Heart cracked a smile from beneath Kamikaeru's blade. "Why are you smiling?" Kamikaeru asked. "That was the internal alarm, meaning someone just entered the building, and before I warned you I sent message to Grey Heart and Silver Heart," Blue Heart said. Suddenly, both Grey and Silver Heart broke the door down and flew in directly at Kamikaeru. "The Cavalry's here," Blue Heart said as she materialized several spears between her and Kamikaeru's blade and the other two Hearts rammed Kamikaeru. "Glad you could make it," Kigaeru said. "It was our pleasure," Grey Heart answered back. "Silver Heart grabbed me as she heard things got worse." "Yeah," Aria said. "I was able to match her last time, but she just threw me like it was nothing." "Let's get this done," Silver Heart stated. She materialized her sword, and dived at Kamikaeru, only for Kamikaeru to phase out again and appear above Silver Heart. "That isn't going to work this time," Kigaeru said as she shot at Kamikaeru in the air while Grey Heart also materialized her guns and shot as well. Kamikaeru's blades came up to block the shots, but then three dozen spears came out of nothing and hit her as well, and the force of the impact broke Kamikaeru's blades. As Kamikaeru fell, Silver Heart flew towards her with her sword ready and slashed at Kamikaeru. ....as the dust from the impact parted, a circular object with weird runes had appeared between Silver Heart and Kamikaeru. Silver Heart's sword had been blocked by it, but now she put her sword to the side to look at the object. Suddenly, a cone of fire came out of it, pushing Silver Heart back away from Kamikaeru. The circle then grew larger, and a large black form crawled out of it. As the form took on a more defined shape, all of the Hearts realized what it was. "Heresy," Blue Heart said under her breath. Kigaeru understood immediately as well. While rare, dragons were considered sacred as they had helped humanity take on the monsters in the early days, and the monster in front of them appeared nearly identical to a dragon. Kamikaeru then jumped on top of the dragon, and like it was waiting for her it then jumped to life. It first breathed more fire towards Silver Heart, who ducked out of the way, then swung its spiked tail at Grey Heart. Grey Heart wasn't as lucky, and took the full force of the tail and fell to the ground. As the monster ran towards where Grey Heart landed, Blue Heart materialized several spears and threw them at the monster's face. However, as Kamikaeru say it coming, she put her hand on the dragon's frill and the dragon swung it's body around and avoided the spears. Kigaeru tried to shoot at Kamikaeru with her gun-blade, but the monster put up its thick wings as shields around her. In a shimmer, Kigaeru then transformed into Tatekaeru and formed her ax from her gun-blades and dashed up to the monster's head. The monster reacted to this by breathing fire at her like it did at Silver Heart, and while the ax took the brunt of the blow, it did slow her down. Grey Heart got up at that moment and started firing at the monster with her guns, but that just made it mad as it then swatted Tatekaeru away with its claws and dived toward Grey Heart. The next thing anyone knew, Grey Heart was in the beast's jaws, trying to hold them open, but she felt the full weight of it come down and she didn't have the strength, and the teeth came right down on top of her..... "GREY HEART!!" Blue Heart screeched out in surprise as the beast spit out the remains of Grey Heart. Blue Heart materialized several dozen spears in rage, and launched them all at the beast. The monster put its wings around Kamikaeru again as a shield, but otherwise barely flinched. Tatekaeru then brought her ax to bear again and tried to hit the wings, but unlike how she expected it to go, her ax barely left a scar on the wing. Silver Heart tried to slice the monster from underneath, but her sword barely left a mark on the hard underside. "What do we do?" Silver Heart said as she flew next to Tatekaeru. "How is this monster so resistant to our weapons?" "It must have something to do with the rider," Tatekaeru said. Silver Heart then turned her scanning systems on. "Yes, all of the energy is coming from where the monster is shielding the person that started the fight." "But how are we supposed to get to Kamikaeru?" Blue Heart asked. Before she could respond, the monster's tail came right down upon Tatekaeru, who was then sent into the floor. The monster then breathed fire upon Blue Heart and Silver Heart, and while Silver Heart was able to get out with just slight burns, half of Blue Heart's body was always somewhat lacking in armor, and she had major burns on that side of her body. As Blue Heart was trying to put out the fires on her, the monster slammed her with its tail and impaled her on its spikes. This threw her body next to Grey Heart. The monster then tried to grab Silver Heart with its claws, but she flew away from it and tried to slash its face with her sword. This left just the smallest mark on the faceplate, but otherwise did nothing. At that moment, Tatekaeru got back up, only for the tail to be swung at her. She jumped into the air and avoided it. "This is bad," Tatekaeru said. "We can barely do anything to it and it has already killed two Hearts," Silver Heart said in a defeated voice. Out of the corner of her eye, Tatekaeru say movement outside the window. She looked and saw a small Gold dot on the horizon moving towards them. Suddenly, she realized it was Gold Heart just as she smashed through the window and punched the monster in the face with her giant gauntlets. This shattered the face piece and the impact traveled down and shattered more armor down the body of the monster. However, the fast speed that Gold Heart came through the window put her on a collision course with the beast's spiked tail, and it pierced her armor in the chest, and she landed face-first on the ground. As Silver Heart looked over shocked at Gold Heart's fall, the beast opened its mouth and closed its teeth around Silver Heart before spitting her out as well. Tatekaeru then realized that this was what her dream from several nights ago had warned her of, but she wasn't about to go down without a fight. With her ax in hand, she saw the head was now completely devoid of the armor it had before Gold Heart's arrival. The beast breathed fire at her again, but she dodged out of the way of it and cut through the beast's neck with her ax, finally dealing a blow that not only hurt it but killed it completely. Kamikaeru then walked off the corpse of the monster and started clapping. "You did well, but it is already too late," Kamikaeru said as a new shape appeared behind her. Tatekaeru realized that the shape were wings as they took a more solid form. They were the deepest black she had ever seen. She looked around, realized that the office was on fire from the fight, which matched her nightmare which meant.... "All of your hopes are gone," Kamikaeru said. "I, Kamikaeru, stand triumphant." Then everything became too bright to see..........