AkiBlue

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Knowing that the prince would have been safe made the guard relax a little more. And he didn’t want to turn down an offered drink. The prince was fine.

Outside, for a few minutes, Hironori just sat on the horse waiting for his guard to retrieve Akito. He was too deep into his thoughts to realize the staring eyes that started to gather at some point. “I have no idea why my father must be so. . .” Sliding off the horse, he realized the gathering crowd around him. He tensed up for a brief second, only to relax right after. They couldn’t- they wouldn’t do anything to him. He was the prince after all. So there was nothing to be afraid of. Their roaming eyes had been a little unnerving at first, but he stayed by his horse, gently patting its head. Many were intrigued by the fine garb he wore while others were more impressed with his looks.

“What a lucky kid scoring the prince.”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen him up close either.”

There were a few whistles after a few more of those not so quiet comments about his appearance. Hiro was a mixture of flattered and mildly baffled by their boldness. He didn’t say anything however. Instead, he simply stayed in his place, occasionally making eye contact with anyone who met his gaze. The comments went on until there was a sudden shift in the atmosphere.

“Still doesn’t change the fact that he must’ve done something to have Akito run off like this.”

There was always the pessimistic ones of the group. This roused a few murmurs amongst the group. The prince started to puff in protest, but figured what he had to say was of little importance about the subject- unless of course Akito proved to them himself that he wasn’t at fault. But even in that moment, glancing back at his horse, he wondered if maybe he did have something to do with why Akito ran off. Sure, he learned that the former soldier was a bit scared. . .everything, but maybe it was more than that. “You don’t think I’ve done anything, do you?” The horse’s ear merely twitched towards the soft voice and Hironori patted him once more. His attention turned when the murmuring voices continued. “I can assure that as the royal family, we’ve given him nothing but the best. There’s nothing that you all need to worry about.” He managed to keep the sass out of his tone and before any of them could respond, all of them scramble at the sudden noise.

’How peculiar. . .’ Hiro had a confused gaze as they scattered, only to see Akito approaching. “I’m not sure if that was out of respect. . .or fear. Very impressive nonetheless.” He spoke aloud for Akito to hear, but his gaze had still been on the others- it wasn’t clear if he was actually talking to his betrothed or not. His horse was sent away and Akito mentioned touring the countryside. That sounded nice. He took AKito’s hand in his when he realized it was offered. Normally, Akito would have his hands close by his sides or behind his back. Huh. . . Well of course he was a lot more comfortable in his old home. That only made sense. However, Hiro couldn’t help but wonder if that particular soldier had a point. Maybe they did something wrong and made Akito more nervous than normal. A small smile spread across his face when Akito said his name. It was nice to see him not panicky and anxious about everything. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze and nodded. “Lead the way.”

“Tell me,” He started after some time of silence. “what do you see them as? The soldiers.” Hiro was still looking ahead, his calm expression never changing. There was no real motive behind his question, however HIro did want to know a little more about the person he was to marry. Every time he tried though something went in disarray. That, and he just wanted to have a simple conversation, unless of course Akito would have much rather stayed quiet.

It wasn’t his preferred option but if it kept Akito calm then he was willing to stay quiet.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

"Ssh, I know. . . Trust me, I know." Enasi gently pushed Rasha back, keeping him at a safe distance until Crios drugged the nightmare minion. The sadness pouring out of Inui could have broken Enasi's heart, but the Dream Guardian steeled himself. Once he was sure Inui was safe to be around, he placed Rasha on the bed first. The small cat didn't hesitate to scurry and cuddle up to Inui, trying desperately to ease some of his pain. Enasi, much slower, slid into the bed with the two of them. He made sure Inui got most of Seishu's pillows as a sort of comfort for him. The faint traces of negative energy had still been there. Enasi near the foot of the bed, facing them. "It's okay. Relax. They'll find him. Just focus on getting your strength back." Enasi's voice was silk smooth, calm and collected. His hands ran through Inui's hair, caressing him with love and care as he tried to keep him calm. Normally, this sort of thing worked for his dream minions, mainly because it was a ‘motherly’ tactic he had always done in order to calm them. For the nightmare minion, it managed to quiet his tears until he was quietly sniffiling. “We’ll get him back. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

Enasi sighed and sat back, watching as Rasha and Inui laid together. He rubbed over the bite he received on his hand and then looked over at Crios. It was a look the fox doctor knew too well- not just from his guardian, but many of his patients. “No. I can’t allow you to get up. Not yet. You’re still injured.” He knew that wouldn’t convince Enasi too much, so he added. “Not now, but later. I’ll check you over to see if you can at least walk around, but for now you’re strictly on bed rest.” Enasi simply sighed and nodded. Crios had to keep his word to Harper. Enasi had to stay in bed no matter what. Hopefully that bought him some time.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the Nightmare Realm, Kaila held his calm facade as to not arouse suspicions or trouble. The last thing he needed was an uproar. Gin was enough of a problem, but the nightmares finding out about the incident now would cause chaos. Jentou stayed quiet, clinging to his brother as usual, watching everyone go about their day.

There was no time to waste. Kaila’s air of urgency made other minions and nightmares move out of his way as he walked through the camp, not bothering to stop him to talk. Even the smaller ones scurried away. In the midst of camp, he found Lan, Ran, and Tyar standing together.

“You sure that was all of them?”

Tyar gave a nod, turning to one of its many forms, this one being the girl with the large gun. “There were two, but I diverted their trail in the opposite direction. I’m sure.” Tyar looked up at Kaila and gave a small bow. Lan and Ran did the same. Before Kaila could ask, Tyar spoke up. “Two of Gin’s...followers were found headed in this direction, a few miles off. I changed their course...So things are safe.”

Kaila nodded but gestured towards the camp. “Make sure everyone is ready for any emergency procedures. We can’t be too sure.” Tyar nodded and hurried off to follow orders, once more back into the shapeless creature it normally was. “You two. Come with me.” The brothers didn’t question Kaila. They simply fell in step behind the nightmare second and walked towards the far edge of camp, away from the others. “I need another set of eyes helping our search in the Human Realm.”

“Search for?” Both asked in unison.

“Lord Seishu. He’s missing and the dreams tracked him as far as the Human Realm.” Kaila was blunt, leaving nothing to the imagination. “We need to hurry and find him.” Both Lan and Ran stared in shock, unsure of how to react. They were at a loss for words, following Kaila and Jentou through the portal he created. “I understand it’s not something to just take it lightly. But remember, time is of the essence.” Both of them composed themselves and nodded. They figured they could ask questions later, after Seishu was safe.

On the way there, Kaila explained the plan to the two. Seeing the dreams, no one had time to converse, only nods were exchanged before the nightmares’ wings sprouted. “Move out.” That was all that was heard, from Harper before everyone split up.

Starla and Finn rushed off, hurrying to a more heavily populated forest. “What have you seen...Tell us please.” Finn mumbled as he brushed his hand against the trunk of a tall oak tree. Starla followed their paths, finding different negative energy focal points. “A lot of these are just regular nightmares. They’re not strong enough to be his.” Finn frowned a little, but kept up his search.

“We can’t be so sure. Remember he is weakened. Instead of looking for negative energy out in the open...try looking for positive energy covering negative ones.” She commented as she looked down a certain path. It was still odd blaming one of their own for something so foul. It left a bad taste in her mouth. The siblings nodded to each other continuing their intensive search.

~~~~

“There’s a lot of positive energy that way Kaila.” Jentou slowed down some, turning in the direction he gestured to. Kaila stopped and flew downwards, pulling Jentou with him. “Remember, we aren’t here for trouble. We’ll get a closer look just to be sure if Lord Seishu is there or not.” Jentou nodded, both of their wings disappearing as they lowered their energies. Quietly, the two moved closer, using the shadows of the buildings as their cover. “I don’t sense anything-” He was silenced as the nightmare second peeked around the corner. To his dismay, Kaila witnessed nothing important- just a small group of dreams sharing a moment of happiness. Seishu wasn’t there. Of course not.

Kaila merely sighed and turned around. Not much later, the brothers were flying high and scanning the areas for anything they could use to find their guardian- any clues. It made things even more complicated when they had to hide from their own kind, not being able to trust them. Getting dangerously close to dreams wasn’t easy either. Kaila couldn’t just go up and ask if they had seen his guardian- he couldn’t go up to them without the tension of a fight breaking out for that matter.

~~~~~~

Rue and Harper ended up somewhere much colder. Fortunately, as fast as the duo were moving, the cold didn’t bother them. Snow rose up to Harper’s ankles but that didn’t slow down his pace in the slightest. Rue had to adjust to the wind change, but he was practically a professional when it came to flying- that didn’t stop him either.

“Do you sense anything?” Harper asked. With Rue being so close to the Nightmare Guardian, he assumed he would have been much more in tune with Seishu than he would. Rue was much too focused on his path, trying not to run into any sudden objects in the cold air, so he shook his head instead of replying. Harper sighed. “Me neither…”

He had the feeling that this would be a long night. . . But he wouldn’t stop. Harper was just as devoted as Kaila was, of course for different reasons. However, the two groups put their differences aside for a similar cause.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Aoba cupped the sheep's face and spoke in a light, happy tone. "I hope you're comfy after knocking me over like that. You could've said something you know." Aoba laughed softly and let go of the sheep just as Kuro sat by his side, leaving it to sit calmly and rest. The angel gave a smile and couldn't help but laugh as Kuro wrapped himself up among his feathers. It was oddly cute if he could say so himself. For a brief moment, Aoba sat, staring into Kuro's red eyes. Most usually feared the typical demon eyes, but here he found himself mesmerized by them. Looking at Kuro made him question many things he had learned throughout the many years he lived. There were dangers of being around demons, Aoba was fully aware of it. He witnessed it thanks to being fallen. But then, there was Kuro and even Dani. . . Both protected him. In some demonic sense, they even sympathized with him. It was nothing like the books. 'Maybe they aren't all bad. . .'

Realizing he was staring, Aoba looked down, letting his gaze trail to his hair. Sometimes, he wondered when Kuro ever had time to keep his long hair kept and neat. He always seemed to have his hands full with other things. But they were trivial questions and it seemed fairly weird to bring them up randomly so he left it alone. Aoba straightened up for a moment and sighed to himself. Before, when he first met Kuro, every fiber of his being screamed to stay away. They screamed that everything he did to help him was a bad idea. Those fibers were still there- not all of them now, but a few. It was less so that Aoba managed to ignore them a little easier. And as he ignored them, he found himself wrapping his wings around Kuro a little more to push him closer, his other wing coming around and obscuring random eyes, or simply surrounding them. The sheep on his lap didn't like the closing space and trotted off to eat. In the matter of moments, Aoba leaned closer and kissed Kuro. It was soft and gentle, nonetheless surprising (for Aoba at least.)

His wings retracted and folded tight behind him, reacting a little faster than himself. Aoba pulled away and put his hands in his lap. "I..." He wasn't sure what to say. Was that something he could or should have apologized for? Maybe it wasn't a big deal. Kuro kissed him all the time as thanks. He could always say-. . . No he wouldn't make a lie and say he was thanking him. He knew exactly why he kissed the demon and that was probably going to get him into more trouble with the angels. Aoba rubbed the back of his neck. 'Ohhh dear. . .that wasn't a good idea- he doesn't have a heart. He's a demon for goodness sake!' It was amazing how he could still consider Kuro's own feelings as an excuse before realizing the majority of the problem being that Kuro was a demon. His rational side (rational for an angel at least) kicked into overdrive afterwards, making Aoba realize just how wrong that was. For the both of them. Kuro never seemed to care about what other demons thought about him protecting Aoba, but crossing barriers to do so much as be intimate with each other sounded like it would have caused an uproar.

His face fell into a contemplative gaze as he pulled up a few strands of grass. How much trouble could he put himself in? At this point he was practically asking for it. . . Would the angels still be able to condemn him even though he was fallen? Or was he able to live by his own rules? Aoba wasn't sure about being risky enough to find out the answer. He looked to the sky for a brief second and then finally looked back at Kuro. Not knowing what to say in order to finish what he started minutes ago, he said something that he knew he couldn't mess up- something that felt familiar. "I- uh, sorry about that."

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The town came and went. He even yelled out, “Oh wait!” causing the guard to stop the carriage when they reached the village.

“What is it? What’s wrong!?” The guard had hopped out of his seat and hurried to the carriage doors. Hironori was leaning out of the window, looking out the serene village. The guard merely sighed and started walking back to get the carriage moving.

“Don’t you think, you know as a soldier, if he ran off he wanted to be alone? I mean, can’t we slow the pace to give him some time to relax, wherever he went to?” Hiro was leaning out of the carriage to talk to him. “I mean, we still are going after him, but there’s no need to rush it. He needs his space, so we can at least give him that time.” The soldier ended up sighing and slowing their pace. It wasn’t exactly disobeying the Emperor’s orders so he didn’t have to feel bad for doing so. He did however find it kind of the young prince to care to give Akito his space- however he could have also been doing so just for his sake.

The carriage stopped and Hironori gave a puzzled look. “Well, why on earth would someone give me this one? Well, I suppose they couldn’t have been sure of the distance we were to travel. Fair enough.” He looked back at the driver and then at the horses. “Will we be walking the rest of the way?”

“Oh, no sir. I couldn’t allow that. We’ll take one of the horses and go the rest of the way.” Hiro was going to mention he knew how to ride a horse himself, but decided against it and let the guard do his job. He was helped up, and they were off. It took a few minutes, but they had eventually made it to the camp grounds. The guard jumps off, leaving Hironori on the horse and leading it into the camp. The soldiers around looked up cautiously at the new intrusion before quickly realising just who walked into the camp. Hiro’s eyes scanned the campgrounds from where he sat. There were a few whistles and cat calls as the soldiers stood, wondering why the prince would visit them. Others who had seen the stress stricken Akito up close gave more weary and disapproving looks as the prince looked around. ’Oh right, I remember father said that the general’s tent is normally colored. He may be in there.’ It looked like some of his father’s teachings paid off.

“Sir?”

Hiro broke from his own thoughts, noticing the multiple looks of curiosity and disapproval. It made him wonder if they already knew of his disdain for war. Unless Akito returned home and explained just how terrifying they were and how much he hated it there. At least, that’s what Hiro assumed Akito thought. “Hm? Oh, right.” He took the guard’s hand and climbed off the horse. Proper etiquette raced through his mind. There were certain ways generals and soldiers were greeted, was there not? He didn’t need another reason for his father to yell at him. Though while he was in his train of thought, his guard had already gone inside to relay the message for the prince.

“Pardon me general, I’m here to relay a message from the king.” He cleared his throat, standing tall. “He requests for Akito to return to the palace. They are worried about him and would like to talk and sort things out.”

Outside, Hiro was quite confused as to why he was left outside, until of course he realized it was probably his father’s doing. Hironori was only there for the sole purpose to see the camp and maybe get out of the palace. The guard was the one with the actual task of retrieving the ‘stowaway bride’.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Crios stared at his guardian for a few moments before nodding silently. Harper’s orders echoed in his head for a few moments before he actually spoke. “Alright, but once Inui is well, I need you in bed resting.” He echoed Harper’s words. “The realm needs you. And with Seishu injured, it’s much too dangerous for you to be out as well.” His voice was soft, hoping Enasi would just comply with it.

Enasi saw sincerity and concern in Crios’ eyes. The doctor knew just how important this mission was to him and didn’t try to order him to stay. What Crios said was a hard truth as well. With Seishu injured and missing, both realms were in a dangerous state. It may have been peaceful on the outside, but on the inside the chaos and the panic was starting to boil over. Enasi had to be there for his realm in order to keep the peace. Enasi gave a gentle smile to the fox doctor. “It’s a deal.” Crios bowed in thanks. Both perked up at the sound of Inui’s soft voice. Rasha was the first to inch closer, crawling low as if he was about to pounce on him. His energy was lowered as he continued to shuffle closer and closer to Inui.. Enasi squeezed his hand gently before letting it go. He gave a small pout and shook his head. “No, it’s not okay Inui. I should have been way more careful. I was careless and didn’t think of your new state.” He gave a sheepish smile and rested his chin on the back of the chair. “I guess I may still be thinking that you’re a dream minion. . . Which of course, isn’t the case and I promise to be more careful next time.”

Crios stood quietly off near his supplies, watching the interaction. He knew Inui would need a bit more time to recover and Rasha and Enasi were bound to stick by him until he was healed up. There didn’t look like much chance of splitting them up. Not yet at least.

Inui had a weak smile, lightly patting Enasi’s hand as if telling him it was okay and he was forgiven. However his smile turned to a more confused look when Enasi sighed and moved his hand away. In the process, Enasi scooped up Rasha and put him on his lap. The cat mewed in confusion, but sat in place. Crios knew what was about to happen, but he stayed in place to watch.

“The reason I had to use my energy like that is because,” Enasi sighed and looked at Inui with a straight face. “Seishu’s missing. He’s been missing for. . .two hours or so and somehow there doesn’t seem to be a trace of him anywhere. Everyone else is out searching for him now. We will find him though. I’m sure of it.” It was best to end on a positive note, and it was also best to not dawdle on the subject too long. He had to be quick and to the point in order to lessen the shock.

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

“Rue stay close to me. Flynn, Starla, fan out to search. Try to stay hidden. We aren’t here looking for trouble. We find Seishu and we go.” Flynn and Starla nodded, not hesitating to rush off in their search. “We’re going to see Kaila.” Harper didn’t bother to wait for Rue to process what he said. Time was of the essence and each of them knew it. Harper’s ears stood straight, twitching ever so slightly as he tried honing in on where his counterpart was. Once he caught the lone trail of negative energy Harper took off towards it. Rue’s wings buzzed behind him having no problem keeping up. When Harper slowed down, he noticed they ran into an empty, and quiet neighborhood. Of course, the people were all fast asleep. No nightmares or dreams were around, and yet it still wasn’t too obvious. Harper skidded to a halt, kicking up a bit of dust in the process. He also grabbed Rue’s leg to stop him. The fairy really needed to work on his braking skill. . .

Rue stood behind Harper, looking around for any signs of Kaila. His caution changed into a bright smile as Kaila walked from behind one of the buildings with Jentou in tow. “Hi Kai-” Harper’s paw went in front of Rue causing him to fall silent. His wings folded a little tighter and he was once more standing behind Harper. The rabbit man stood silently, eyeing both nightmare minions that approached.

It was obvious what Harper wanted to know. Kaila stepped forward, gesturing to Jentou. “This is my brother, Jentou. You don’t need to worry about where he lies in allegiance. Obviously, he wouldn’t be with me if that wasn’t the case.” Harper said nothing, not needing to. Instead, he let Kaila continue. The Nightmare second stepped closer, closing the rather large space between them. “I’m glad one of your minions was. . .brave enough to follow through with the message.” He chose his words carefully, not wanting to insult the dreams. Jentou was silently watching. He had never been close to one of the dream creatures without ill intent in mind. As they moved closer, he couldn’t help but bristle some. By the way his brother and the dream looked at each other, they had to be equals in some sense. Kaila’s reassuring touch made him relax ever so slightly. Now it was their turn to wait for a response. There silent communication was a bit confusing to Rue, but he stood like an obedient child.

“Unfortunately, you are correct.” Harper stayed calm as the brothers flared for a moment, Jentou a little longer. The rabbit continued on. “It seems that someone of our kind still bears ill will to the Nightmare Guardian and doesn’t understand the jeopardy of harming him.” The last part was hard for him to say. He knew it wouldn’t sound pleasant. He placed a paw on Rue’s shoulder, moving him a little more behind him. “He’s been kidnapped and we believe whoever took him brought him here. There’s no trace of negative energy anywhere.”

Jentou’s eyes went wide with disbelief before he hissed in anger. “How incredibly irresponsible! How could you lose our guardian!? You must have been trying to get rid of him!” Jentou’s negative energy started to raise, which was why Harper moved Rue. The fairy cowered a little, but Harper gave a neutral gaze. Kaila couldn’t help his own glowering expression, however it ceased quickly. He knew better than that. This was not the time to point fingers and argue, especially if his guardian was in danger. He could understand it. The hatred the dream or minion had for Seishu. It wasn’t as if it was a new feeling and because they were dreams, Kaila guessed they may have even believed it was out of some righteousness to help their realm. . . Or something of the sort. Minions and Nightmares weren’t going to take too kindly to the new changes either. . . Well, not all of them. He knew, if Enasi was in the same position, his own minions would have probably done the same if they were given the opportunity. He placed a hand on his brother, silencing him. “But Kaila-!” The firm stare made him quiet down. His energy didn’t cease though.

“Yes, I’ll take responsibility for what happened, but don’t think I’m stupid enough to not know the consequences of injuring your guardian.” There is a tinge of annoyance in Harper’s voice, but he keeps calm for the most part. “We don’t have time to argue this through. We need to find him. I have Flynn and Starla already out searching.” Harper turned away, ignoring Jentou’s anger. “Come on Rue.”

“We need to find him and take him home Kaila! He’s not safe there. It’s too bright! They’ll hurt him!” Jentou’s anger turned into whines. The idea of him not being able to help his own guardian making him uneasy. His efforts to persuade his brother went on deaf ears when Kaila turned him down.

“He is safer there. More than he would be at home.” It pained him to say such a thing, but even he knew the truth. Gen wouldn’t rest until Seishu was killed if he had found out they were hiding him there. In the Dream Realm, he was assured that few people knew of Seishu’s stay there. Him being kidnapped didn’t really help that thought. . .”The farther away he is from Gen in his state, the better. He may heal slower, but what matters is that he’s healing.” It was hard to stick up for the Dream Realm in a predicament like this, but he did so, and he knew he would stick by that until a better option came along. “Come. The dream is right. We must hurry.”

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Aoba watched with his typical wide eyed and hopeful expression. Maybe Kuro could persuade Dani out of the sudden funk. Unfortunately, Dani didn’t seem like he wanted to be bothered. Aoba let out a soft sigh and let him be. For some reason he had a small guilty feeling as if he was the one that caused Dani’s sour mood. Looking at Kuro, Aoba gave a small nod and then looked at the animals. Even though he did wonder where Dani was flying to, he decided it was best not to ask. Demons were an odd species and technically with the false knowledge he was given about them, he was still learning. . .a lot.

“Oh, of course.” He shuffled over to the sheep pens and began to unlock the gate. It was a repetitive routine for them. Aoba would keep them going in a straight line while Kuro and Dani guided them out. Or more correctly, Dani got them out of their pens and Kuro guided the rushing crowd out. Everything was more or less the same minus the rush. The sheep were let out first and instead of their usual panic run, they strolled out into the fields. One sheep slowed a few others down until Aoba gave it a light pat on the head and sent it on its way. The cows followed next of course. Mama and Otto were the last ones out and he smiled, petting Otto as he stayed close to his mother. She walked past, bumping her head against Aoba’s chest, making him laugh softly. “Off you two go.” Despite being a little slower without Dani, things weren’t too bad. It was a nice and calm leisurely pace compared to normal.

In the process, Aoba hummed a soft tune, not knowing the words to it, if there were any for that matter. It filled the silence between the two when Aoba wasn’t sure what to say. “Oh, almost forgot to let the birds out.” He mentioned as he helped Kuro feed the pigs. They had been caring for the animals for the the past few weeks and the routine they had set made everything much easier. The fallen angel couldn’t consider himself a professional, especially with all the help received on the daily, but he could proudly say that if the other two had to leave he could take care of the animals himself. . . Of course, he would have preferred not being left alone, but the two were with him because they wanted to and he wouldn’t stop them from leaving. At times he did feel like he was cheating his sentence. After being kicked out of heaven, he was supposed to be bearing the weight of his punishment alone and learning from his mistakes, but here he was spending time with the very reason he was kicked out in the first place. Sometimes his own forgiveness was a shock to him.

“Hey Kuro, you should come sit with- oof!” Rather comedically, one of the sheep had wandered over and unceremoniously settled itself right onto Aoba, knocking him over. His wings unfolded as he fell back and the sheep simply let out a low ‘baa’-ing noise and got comfortable. Aoba laughed and petted the sheep’s head before sitting up again and brushing the grass out of his hair. Instead of finishing what he wanted to say, he simply patted the free space by his side in order to get him to sit by his side. He hadn’t tucked his wings back yet, so as a wandering cow walked past and nudged his wing, he looked up and smiled. It wandered off after receiving a light pat and Aoba waited for Kuro to sit by him, of course if he wanted to.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

"You don't-" Hironori started to correct Akito, but the Emperor decided to do it himself. With a nonchalant gaze, Hironori watched as his father scowled and then noticed Akito practically cower away in fear. His attention turned back to the creature in his hands. By the sound of it, Hoko didn’t want to be picked up. But before he could put him down, he jumped out of his hands and began chasing after Akito. That made Hironori blink, realizing Akito was racing off. Just like the first time. Hironori sighed and shook his head. The poor soldier was probably going to go into hiding or something, this time even longer. "I really hope he doesn't plan on running off during this wedding of ours." Though, in a sense, he didn't mind too much. If that was the case, the wedding would have been cancelled until Akito was found. That would certainly be an interesting event. It would add on to the oddities of the event.

His thoughts couldn't trail any further when his father accused him of driving his betrothed off. The Empress knew what was going to happen next and sighed, pulling her food closer to her. She decided to let them talk it through before she intervened. She was also really hungry and her food was much more interesting than their arguing. Hiro couldn't help but laugh for a brief moment. "I did nothing! Have you not seen the frown on your face? I'd be afraid too. You intimidated him. And I slept in! When would I have said anything to him?" He rolled his eyes and looked at the door where Akito had recently left.. "Yeah, he's probably long gone now. Thanks, you're such a kind hearted and loving emperor. He’s going to be a fine emperor following under your reign.” Little by little the kindness in his tone drifted and was replaced with a more cynical and sarcastic one. “Instead of yelling at me for not being the perfect son, why don’t you go find Akito?” He hadn’t raised his voice when he spoke the last part, however he did decide to push his half empty plate forward.

“Dear, you should finish eating. No need to storm off.” The Empress started, only for her husband’s voice to boom next to her.

“What a fine idea! Akito is a royal and has run off, you should most definitely find your betrothed.” Hironori’s mouth opened, the protest showing on his face. However the Emperor gave him a firm glare, reminding him that he was not only the Emperor but his father as well. The young prince closed his mouth and crossed his arms. “Fetch one of the guards for Hironori so he can find his betrothed. Quickly before Akito gets too far.” Reluctantly, Hiro followed after the servant, not wanting to have to wait with his father giving him such a smug look.

“What?” The Emperor looked at his wife’s disapproving eyes.

“You could have let him finish eating first.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll be right back. Not to worry, I’m simply going to change.” He realized that maybe a trip outside the palace wouldn’t have been so bad. He was cooped inside the palace with little to do after all. It was just the fact that they were probably going to have to search everywhere to find Akito that seemed like a hassle. “Ah, maybe I can slow the guard’s pace and give me time to wander about.” He had changed into his proper royal garb, choosing a deep blue and white colored one. As promised, he didn’t sneak away from his responsibilities and ended up alongside an older gentleman- one of the guards he had seen around multiple times before, preparing for their time to leave.

“The carriage is ready your Highness.”

“Do you think we could stop at the markets? Just to check out the items?”

“I’m sorry your majesty, but the Emperor gave specific instructions to find your betrothed before all else. However, I could send a servant down if there is something you’d like specifically.” Hiro simply sighed and shook his head, climbing into the carriage. The guard bowed before taking his own seat in order to lead them off. It was a warm, nice day. While he was being pulled around, he did take the time to enjoy the change in scenery, finding it relieving to see something different.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

The guilt radiated of the guardian. How cold he be so careless? He was supposed to protect his own! Inui may not have been a dream minion, but he had lived in the realm long enough to be considered family just like the rest of them. This was completely unacceptable! Enasi paused, glancing back at the trail he had spotted. Harper noticed and rested a hand on Enasi’s shoulder. “I’ll take a some of the group and follow after the trail you’ve made. You’re in no condition to travel just yet. We can take care of it for you.” He wasn’t leaving room for debate. There was no time for it. Seishu’s life was on the line and that meant Enasi’s was too. They both weren’t at their best, making both realms vulnerable for attacks. “Rue, Flynn, Starla, you’ll be helping me.” Rue was about to protest, but Harper put his paw up. “I need your speed. Crios can take care of Inui. Rasha can stay too. You have a more important job.”

Crios looked at the group and then at Rue. “Since I’m not going along, you’ll need something to calm Seishu down and stop the pain.” He would have gotten up, but he couldn’t leave Inui writhing in pain like this. Before he could send Rue to find his kit, Enasi hurried over, lowering his energy. “Lord Enasi-”

“It’s okay, I got him.” Enasi picked up Inui, his negative energy still lashing out. It wasn’t pleasant, but neither was hearing Inui’s cries of pain. “You go and get the stuff for Seishu, I’ll take him to the room.” It wasn’t the greatest idea, pressing Inui to his chest so close, but Enasi held him tight so he wouldn’t’ hurt anyone around them. Crios frowned at the sight, but hurried off with Rue to grab the necessary items.

“Lord Enasi-” Harper paused, letting his ears lower some. “Be careful please.” Enasi gave a reassuring smile and started walking to Seishu’s room.

“And you come back with Seishu.” Rasha traveled behind his guardian and Inui carefully while they walked. He was tempted to move closer, but every lash of energy made him instinctively raise his own, which wouldn’t be good for Inui. Enasi tried soothing the nightmare minion, shushing him like a child. The guilt was still emanating off the guardian, and he hoped it helped in the slightest bit. His hand gently rested on Inui’s cheek, but to his surprise, Inui’s instinctive reaction was to bite him, and bite hard. Enasi sucked in a breath and pulled his hand away quickly.

“Lord Enasi are you okay?!” The guardian nodded, looking at the small trickle of blood that appeared.

“I’ll be fine.”

Crios and Rue had raced past them to the others, carrying a kit of supplies with them. Flynn was intrusted with the sash holding the needles. Crios gave important instructions that they all carefully listened to, just in case the other forgot.

~~~
Enasi had placed Inui in Seishu’s bed, hoping he would find comfort in familiarity. He did calm down a lot more than before, but it was evident he was still in pain. Crios would be on his way soon. Enasi just had to wait for him. Rasha watched as Enasi took up his old rolling chair to sit beside Inui. “You look a little sick Lord Enasi.”

Enasi hummed a response before lifting his head and smiling softly. “I look how I feel then.” His head lowered on his arms again, resting on the back of the chair. As the silence grew, Enasi closed his eyes and hummed the lullaby Seishu sang many times before. He reached out, holding Inui’s hand gingerly. Rasha had turned into his cat form, lying at the edge of the bed and waiting quietly. When Crios did return, he appealed to Enasi and aided to Inui first. Just like with Seishu, he had to inject Inui with something to calm him and ease the pain. Thankfully, it worked wonders on him too.

“Are you sure you want to sit here? You should probably rest.” Crios spoke as he examined Enasi. He checked his eyes and his heart beat, then checked the stomach wound, along with a few other things. “You don’t feel like puking do you?”

Enasi shuddered at the thought but shook his head. “My queasiness subsided, I promise. I’m just going to sit here until Inui wakes up. Someone has to tell him the news.” He looked a little more serious when he spoke, but soon sighed afterwards. “And I want to apologize. Inui is my responsibility and I should have taken better care of him. It’s my fault he’s in here, so the least I can do is stay by his side.”

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

For awhile nothing was said. Instead, it was a silent stare off. Or really, Kuro staring at him. That didn't stop Aoba's occasionally glances into those dark red eyes. He couldn't read his clouded expression. Lately, it was hard to tell what the demon was thinking. He was always so lost in thought. Aoba wasn’t sure if he had been upset about something or even happy, but he decided not to bother him about it. He didn't like pestering others about their business, he remembered getting hassled about things like that. So, old habits may have died hard.

His train of thought started to derail for a few moments until he felt a hand on his neck and gently pull him forward. It was a familiar sensation that he remembered was once terrifying. But over the course of a few weeks he had relaxed considerably. It was a simple gesture, used as a thanks most of the time. It was an odd gesture in his mind. Most intimate moments usually meant so much more so he was taught. However, this was something completely different. As usual, his eyes never betrayed what Kuro was really thinking. Instead, he received the usual kiss on his head and smiled in return. Aoba had the heart to ask if something was bothering him, but his speech abandoned him. He just gave a quiet smile and nodded. He followed Kuro, moving a little faster to the barn, now with more purpose.

They hadn’t tended to the animals all day. The grocery trip did take up a fair amount of their time. “Dani?”

The smaller demon had been talking to Mama, but hearing his brother and Aoba walking towards the barn made him frown and fly up to his bed. Aoba’s call went ignored. Obviously, he was still a bit upset about before.

“Dani, can you help with the animals please? We’re going to herd them out.” Aoba waited patiently, wondering why he was being ignored. Still, he got no answer, causing him to pout a little. Why was he ignoring him all of a sudden? The angel looked over at Kuro for a moment before flying up to wear Dani was laying with his back to him. “Dani. . . Don’t you like scaring the animals out?” His head tilted a little and he reached out and poked Dani’s back gently. Aoba eventually landed back on the ground, still not good at hovering and then looked at Kuro to see if he could persuade his older brother.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Even with the politeness of his voice, Akito still seemed to be at a loss as to what to say. Eventually the poor soldier would come around. 'Well, he at least has his looks. I don't know how far he'll make it, running a kingdom, considering the job will most likely go to him. Hopefully he relaxes.' Hironori continued to stay silent and enjoy his breakfast, giving Akito ample time to speak if he chose to. In the silence, his gaze fell on his mother and the little creature Akito carried around with him. "I don't see why you haven't gotten yourself a pet. You seem to adore animals."

The Empress giggled, only to pout for a split second as Hoko disappeared. "I have considered it. I just never knew what." Once again, she was delighted to see the small creature. Hiro on the other hand gave a skeptical look as he propped himself on his lap. First, Hironori had to sit up because he didn't want to squish the little thing. Then, he ended up poking Hoko's side as he ate only for his hand to be swiped at. "Hmph." He figured he'd probably get a frown from his mother for pushing Hoko off his lap, and he was sure Akito would have another panic attack. So, with a defeated sigh, he let Hoko stay. There was no point in causing Akito to distress even more.

"Well," He stared at Hoko for a little longer, even offering him food. When his eyes fell back on Akito he continued. "When you do figure something out, there's no need to ask for permission. As a royal now, you can just go and do what you wish." The Empress looked up from playing with Hoko and clasped her hands together.

"Aw, all of that touring around gave you little time to get to know one another. It is a lovely day out, though I think you should spend it getting to know each other a little better. Your father and I used to spend time sitting and watching the koi swim along and we'd talk for hours." Her voice turned into a more dreamy tone. "It was much more beautiful at night, watching the stars shine up the small pond."

Hironori couldn't help but give a sly smirk. "I didn't think the old man ever had a soft, romantic side. Much too grumpy nowadays. Or maybe that's just towards me." He chuckled lightly and then gave an innocent smile to the Empress. "I wouldn't oppose such an idea, especially considering how bad I must be at this whole tradition thing," His mother couldn't help but giggle lightly. "However, Akito may have had other things in mind and I wouldn't want to pressure him into doing things he finds uncomfortable." 'Although everything seems to make him uncomfortable.' Of course his thoughts stayed in his head, but he did give Akito a short smile before once more looking at Hoko, this time picking him up with two hands.

"Hmph, I don't see why you've decided to take seat on my lap little thing. . . My mother is the one that's fond of you. Cute as you are, I don't plan on sharing food every meal. And you're in my way."