AkiBlue

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Kaila was left in a pained daze as Lan and Ran looked at each other. ’This was not apart of the plan’ Their thoughts echoed each other. Both of them, on opposites sides, held tighter to Kaila as Jentou yelled at them to run off. The brothers were sure that if they let Kaila go, he wouldn’t listen. Tyar and Tiski had regained their own composure, the former scooping up the injured minion before escaping with the minion.

“We need to lose them before they follow us to camp.” Tyar’s voice reached the brothers’ ears and they immediately shot past them.

“This was not apart of the plan.” Lan whispered to his brother, in need of a confirmation of what just happened. Ran held the utmost concern for the second in command in their arms before shaking his head. He didn’t say a word though. Instead, he lead the way in the escape until Lan fell in step.

Jentou’s flash of light gave them enough cover to disappear into the forest creating a false trail to follow, before taking off to the skies when they were sure no one was behind them. Tiski continued to glance back at their commander, desperately looking for some sort of reaction, but he was too far in shock at the moment. “...We need to land away from the camp. We can’t take him there. Not like this.” Tiski bit her lip, feeling the waves of pain coming off Kaila. She wasn’t sure how to comfort him after what just happened and in the thick of it all, Tiski couldn’t help but think that the plan worked. Sure, Kaila wasn’t the one taken, but with him safe and sound, the camp was less likely to fall in utter panic. Speaking of the camp, she looked ahead where Tyar and the minion had already went. “I’m going to check on the camp. They'll probably have questions. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Without waiting fr a response, she sped off into the camp.

Kaila was left with the brothers for the time being. Quietly, they landed in the forest a little ways away from the camp. The second was set against a tree and the brothers sat in front of him. Lan and Ran looked at each other, knowing that the bond between family was a strong one. Neither could bare the idea of them being in the same situation.

“He’s tough.”

“Yeah… Jentou knows what he’s doing. You just have to-”

“Have to have a little faith.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Enasi could feel the sudden energy shift almost as soon as it happened. Instead of putting a barrier around Seishu, he shielded Rue and Rasha, letting the negative energy flow around the room. He shielded himself from most of it, unphased by the minor nicks he does receive. The guardian had already planned to get Crios, but he couldn’t leave Seishu in the state he was in. With one glance at Rue, the fairy was already taking off out the door.

“Rasha, get behind me for a moment.”

The minion had turned into his cat form some time in the process of being knocked off the bed. He flinched at the sound of Seishu’s cries, but scurried behind his guardian, into a protective bubble.

Enasi moved closer, pulling Inui into a sitting position as gently as possible. “Inui. Inui, dear. I need you to focus for me. All that negative energy you’re creating- Focus for me. All that negative energy of yours, I need you to focus and channel that into your guardian okay?” In between sniffles and hiccuping cries, Inui nodded and took Seishu’s hand in his. While Inui shakily shared his energy with the guardian, Enasi rested a hand on Seishu’s forehead. “I know you’re hurting Seishu and I can’t bare to imagine how much you miss your home. As painful as it is, the closest you have to home right now is Inui and I need you to focus on him and relax.”

It didn’t take Crios long to get the news and hurry into Seishu’s room, with fire at his feet. Before he could move too far into the room, he was stopped by a barrier of positive energy. The guardian didn’t look up, but he held a finger up to have the doctor wait. While Crios did obey the command, his tail thrashed back and forth a little impatiently. The fox watched as Enasi wiped Seishu’s tears and kissed his head. He didn’t say anything, and yet the negative energy flowed from one guardian to the other.

Enasi sighed and rested his head on Seishu’s hand for a moment before sitting back up and looking at the doctor. “I need to get him to the human realm.” With a shake of his head, the guardian spoke a bit more frustrated. “I need to get him home.”

“You are doing the best you can sir.” Crios whispered, unsure of what to say.

“And yet it’s not enough.” Enasi ran fingers through his hair and he groaned. “I’m going to take him to the human realm. I’m going to take Inui as well. We’ll stay there for a few days.” At this point, he knew Harper was approaching and could hear everything the guardian was saying. “I should have done this a lot sooner, but I was being selfish. I shouldn’t have them cooped up here where they’re uncomfortable. At least in the human realm there are no overbearing opposing energies to deal with.” As Harper stepped inside, Enasi looked at him. “I don’t plan on taking a whole squadron to watch over us while we’re out there, but I don’t mind you and the siblings checking in or occasionally checking the area. The less positive energy Seishu and Inui have to worry about, the better.”

Harper had straightened to attention towards the seriousness in his guardian’s voice and he nodded quickly. He wasn’t sure if the guardian was done, so he refrained from mentioning the readied portal. Inui at parts looked a little ready to protest, wanting to say that he was okay and comfortable, but he bit his tongue. He knew what Lord Enasi meant. He had to constantly bubble in his energy and be careful around the others ever since the positive barrier around his energy had been lifted.

Rue quietly fluttered to Rasha, unsure of what to say. As much as he wanted to go with them and be by their sides, he knew that it was best for Lord Seishu’s health to get better. He was also aware of every time Inui had to refrain from accidentally hurting a minion, or vice versa. Giving him the freedom to stretch out freely would be good as well. Without thinking, the fairy quietly willed some of his own energy into his guardian, seeing the stress building in his expression as he stood.

Enasi’s eyes softened a little at the act and he patted Rue’s head. “Thank you.” He sighed and relaxed a little more. “Whenever you’re ready doctor.”

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

“You idiots!” Gin growled out and the minions not out cold scrambled to detain Jentou. “...Useless.” He spat out towards the ones that were. Fortunately for them, Gin was too preoccupied with his new minion to enlist any sort of punishment on them. Instead, his sharp nails lifted Jentou’s face, piercing his cheek to draw blood before chuckling. “Jentou… I see you’ve come crawling back. Realized what side would be better for you in the long run?”

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Hiro returned the smile as Akito sat in front of him. He figured he had talked his ear off enough and decided to stay silent long enough for Akito to at least process half of what he said. His attention shifted to the little audrat sneaking out of Akito’s clothes but he didn’t think much of it until tiny paws were in his lap. Absentmindedly, he scratched behind one ear only to raise an eyebrow when he felt him climbing upward. The kimono wasn’t loose enough to slip through and Hiro watched as the small animal tugged it open just enough for him to wiggle his way inside. The prince couldn’t help the short laugh as Hoko got comfortable. It was an odd feeling at first, but he found it was something he could easily get used to after a bit of shifting.

“Hah, Hoko’s mine now.” He chuckled and continued leaning back against the tree.

He continued listening to Akito, watching as he seemed so entranced by the memory. The way he described training and battle was much different than that of his father. Both had passion in their eyes, however the latter enjoyed expressing the deaths of the enemy, the triumphant victories, the drunken parties, and whatever else Hiro didn’t listen to. Aoba’s talk of it all sounded much more familial and something like a dream even.” He listened in slight intrigue up until he finished.

“Perhaps.” Was his response at first. “He’s from an older generation. Things change. I would guess that would also be in regards to strategy and battle all the same.” The last comment made the prince smile and unexpectedly the timid male reached out to him. It was more of a surprise that he even attempted to, but Hiro didn’t make it a big deal not wanting to scare him off. “Yes, of course. And same to you.”

It grew silent for a few beats with Hiro fiddling with Hoko. The little creature would occasionally nibble his fingers or bat them away. For the most part, Hiro was a lot more relaxed with him compared to when he first met Hoko. He could only chuckle at the memory of the first time Hoko decided to crawl into his lap and scare him. “How long have you had Hoko? He is a very well-trained and loyal friend of yours.”

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

Pulling his hand back Akito nods at the returned sentiment and slides his hands into his sleeves. He smiles at the occasional sight of Hoko's paws as Hiro plays with his partner quietly. At the question his mind flashes back to the day he found the beast. “It was after a messy battle in the woods.” he murmurs. “Five years ago. The enemy had been pushed back and I was taking some time to breath. I heard some small sounds nearby and got curious. I found a lob that had been crushed during the battle by a foot or body or something.” He looks at Hoko's little batting paws with a faintly sad expression. “I saw his siblings and mother, and I felt a little sick, but there was one little squirming body in with the bloody mess of the others, and pulled it out, and it was Hoko!”

He tries to smile, not sure if he succeeds. “I brought him back with me, and the other and father put up with him for a while, helping me keep him alive and fed. However, after a while, we had to march, and my father said that we really didn't have room for pets.” He manages a real smile this time. “He wasn't trying to be mean, he even said we could drop him off in the next village we passed. His exact words however were 'We can't bring something with us that isn't useful.'. I actually agreed, but instead of steeling myself to get rid of my new little friend, I decided to make him useful!” He chuckles, his eyes twinkling a little as he looks up at Hiro.

“I began training him. He was stubborn at first, or just absentminded as he was a baby after all, but by the time we reached the next village, he'd learned some useful tricks. Father came to me to tell me it was time to say goodbye, but then I showed him how I'd taught him to make noise on command, how to go to certain items, and to even follow and track like a dog. He wasn't really impressed until I told him to hold Hoko for ten minutes and then I went off with a grub on a string and trailed it all through the camp, all the way to the other side. With other soldiers as witnesses, after the ten minutes, Hoko followed that trail all the way, even when it wasn't touching the ground in places, and got to me in no time flat.”

He smiles, reaching out to rub between Hoko's eyes, totally forgetting that he's essentially reaching inside his betrothed's kimono. “See, I had heard of units having dogs, and even battle cats, and I knew I couldn't exactly have him fighting, but tracking. Tracking is something I could tell he'd be good at and when I got back with my witnesses and they testified, Father gave me one hard, long look before laughing and saying, 'Well, you made him useful. Welcome to the unit Hoko.'. He even saluted!” He laughs again, pulling his head back. “So, since then, I've been training him, and he really is the most useful partner one could ever ask for.” He lets out a sigh, looking up at Hiro. “What about you? Have you had any pets?” He'd not noticed any around the palace but he figures that maybe he had one in the past that has passed away since.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiro beamed at the story, well minus the saddening parts. “He’s smarter than he looks. How-” He raised an eyebrow when Akito reached over to his kimono, but continued his thought. “Cute. It has to be something nifty with him being small too. Easier to be a sneaky little rascal.” He laughed and poked Hoko’s nose when his finger was nipped at. Towards Akito’s question, Hiro shook his head. “Never had an actual pet before. Not if you count the horses we have. When I was younger my dad used to take me horseback riding around the palace grounds.” With a chuckle, Hiro added. “I’ve asked for a tiger a few times. Going for the exotic pets. Of course, that was a no.”

He remembered all the times he was younger and he’d pester his father about getting a tiger. The older he got, the more it turned into a joke. “Huh, haven’t asked in a while. Who knows, maybe he’s changed his mind.” Hiro spoke in a lighthearted tone, only joking. He would have no clue what to do with a tiger.

“Although, in retrospect, having a pet may have been a good companion while being stuck on palace grounds. Wouldn’t have been as… bored.” He started to say ‘lonely’ but decided that certain things were better left unsaid. “It’s a fun idea. I’m not sure what the old man will say now that I’ve got a sibling on the way.” In a mocking, yet pretty convincing impression, he ‘scolded’, “It’s much too dangerous for a pet. We have to be sure that the baby won’t get sick because of it. Maybe when she’s at least five… Or you know, something like that.” He shrugged a bit and stretched his arms over his head.

“I remember the servants bringing in a stray dog once. Well, they took it to the servants quarters. It was an old dog, but still lively as ever. I got to play with him for a few weeks until one servant decided strays weren’t healthy for a royal to play with and that they’d all get in trouble for it. Something like that. They ended up taking him to the village. Not quite sure what happened after that.” He simply shrugged, not thinking much of it besides that being the closest to a pet he had.

With a blink and a raised finger he added, "Oh and lots of fish. Lots and lots of fish. There was one giant catfish that we had but it's been gone for awhile."

~~~~~~~~

Smiling gently Akito listens silently as Hiro talks about the animals in his life, chuckling ever so slightly at the idea of having a tiger around the palace for a young prince. 'A kewal may have been okay, but tigers are a little too wild. . .' Faint thoughts stir into like as he thinks this and he places them away in the back of his mind to be mulled over later. He nods at the worry over a baby getting sick from new pets and hopes that Hoko won't be a problem. He's not sure what he would do if he suddenly had to get rid of his partner.

His brow furrows a bit as Hiro talks about the stray dog and wonders about exactly how overprotective the people in the palace are. 'A good dog shouldn't be put out like that. . .' He feels a small twinge of real sadness that such a thing happened to the poor beast after what was likely the best days of his old life. If nothing else, a life in the palace is lavish, and a dog wouldn't have the same uncomfortable worries that he has.

He's not sure how much to count fish as pets, but he's seen the pond where they live and has at least admired their beauty. Nodding with a smile as Hiro wraps up the talk about the animals around the palace Akito looks back at the rain and sighs softly. “Hoko was a pet for a little while, but now he is my partner. He is clever and seems to always know what's going on better than I.” He smiles, eyes falling half closed. “I am sorry you did not have a real pet growing up, but I hope that Hoko can at least prove he is not just a pest who demands attention and treats.” Hoko grunts at this but stays put.

Looking at the sheets of rain Akito regains his feet and stretches. “Perhaps we should walk a bit more. Get a little closer to the road just in case this lasts until sundown so we do not have to worry about trying to find the road in the darkness?” He turns back to Akito, raising an eyebrow curiously. He will of course stay here if his betrothed would rather, but he feels that the more responsible action would be to at least find the road before nightfall.

~~~~~~~

Hiro waved the apology away, claiming it to be no big deal. “Ah, he’s no pest. Just takes some getting used to is all.” The prince gave a small shrug. “Not everyday there’s tiny feet crawling up my clothes.” He chuckled and followed Akito’s line of sight to the rain. It was a rhythmic sound, the worst of it avoided in their retreat into the forest. Hearing the plan, Hiro nodded, trusting that Akito knew what was best for them. He did make note that the last time he walked through the forest in the dark was when he had to go looking for Akito, and that could have ended with him tripping over nearly everything or falling in a hole. “Hm, not walking through the forest in the dark does sound like a better idea.”

The prince stretched his arms over his head, being careful enough so Hoko didn’t fall farther into his kimono. He stood and made his way to their horse who was comfortably sitting off to the side. “Alright Akito~ lead the way.” He took a few steps forward to get the horse to follow. “After all, you are much better at this than I am.” He waited until Akito had started moving before following right after him. For the most part, he stayed silent, looking around at the trees and listening to the sounds around them. It seemed like they were the only two- well four counting the horse and Hoko, creatures in the forest at first. But he took a moment to really focus and he noticed a few squirrels shuffle into trees and a few shifts along the ground. Thankfully it was bright enough out for him to see where he was going, but he was a lot more conscious about it compared to before.

The rain filled most of the silence and Hiro didn’t mind very much. If he had been home, he’d probably have dozed off at the sound of it. A thought did cross his mind though. Hopefully the storms would pass before the wedding. While a delay sounded like a nice idea, it would more or less be a catastrophe for everyone involved. So much of that planning and preparation being scrambled or put on hold seemed like a headache to deal with.

The later it got, the dimmer it became. Unfortunately, the rain didn’t give any hint of letting up anytime soon. Hiro didn’t mind it too much, however he wanted to avoid the fretting as much as possible. “It’s probably best to head home, yeah? We’ll be out here all night and it’ll get colder if we don’t.” Hiro smiled. “It’s just rain. We should be fine right?”

~~~~

“It’s getting late…”

“Love, it’s pouring. They’ve more than likely found shelter. Isn’t it too dangerous for them to be travelling in this weather?” Jezura set her book down. “You said it yourself. Aki is a more than capable of protecting Hiro.” The Empress watched her husband pace about the room. With a sigh, she scooted her way towards the edge of the bed and hoisted herself onto her feet.

“You shouldn’t-”

“Ssh, ssh, you worry way too much.” She silenced him with a kiss. “I know you’re worried about your son. I’m worried too, but you have to have a little faith. Hiro is a smart boy and Akito is the best of the best! A little rain can’t stop them.”

The emperor stared at his wife for a moment, letting out a small sigh. “You should really be resting.” It was his own way of saying she was right, without having to admit it. It made her smile and nod, happily allowing him to guide her back to bed. “You get some rest. I’ll wait a little longer for them.”

~~~~~~

“Hmph. When I said ‘it’s just rain’, I feel like it would have been a good time to mention that maybe that was a bad idea.” Hiro was standing next to Akito in front of the palace, soaked to the bone. A few guards had hurried to greet them and take their horse. He wasn’t upset, far from it actually. The prince gave a lighthearted laugh as he tried ringing out parts of his kimono. “Ah well, we made it back in one piece. Good enough.”

The two hadn’t even taken five steps into the palace before the Emperor and a few servants had hurried in. Hiro started to put his hands up in defense, about to explain what happened until he felt warm hands on his face. “Are you boys alright? You’re not hurt are you?” The genuine look of concern in his father’s eyes made Hiro pause for a moment, allowing the emperor to look over at Akito as well. He wasn’t as intimate with his son-in-law, but he still held the same amount of concern.

“Oh- uh, yes. We’re fine. Just a tad bit wet. A little cold.” He chuckled a little and glanced over at Akito, seeing if he wanted to say anything.

After he was assured of their well being, Kaede bowed to the both of them and ushered them along. The emperor was left to go back to his room. “We’ve started a bath for you both. Hurry along so we can take those clothes from you.” Her hurried pace made the prince quicken his own, now really feeling the uncomfortable feeling of walking in wet, cold clothing. He wasn’t sure what the rush was, but getting out of wet clothing sounded better than being in them any longer than necessary. “If you don’t hurry, you’ll get sick.”

“You’ve met miss Kaede right, Akito?” He fumbled with the tie of his kimono while she passed him and loosened his ponytail. His hair fell when he looked over at his betrothed. “Another mom I tell you. If not that, then a lady who cares not about the royal status.”

The woman simply rolled her eyes. “I’ve been given the liberties as a nanny to do what I must to keep you in line your highness. You’re still a rowdy child as ever. I just don’t have to bathe and dress you.” She ignored Hiro’s snickers and pointed out the door towards the large indoor bathhouse, her attention on Akito. “Just leave your clothes with me. I’ll have servants bring you both towels in a few minutes.”

“No need to worry Akito, she doesn’t bite.” Hiro called out, already having stripped down and walking out to slip into the warm water. He ended up sinking up to his chin and resting a small warm towel over his eyes. “This is… much better.”

She folded the clothes Hiro set aside and then looked over at Akito. A little more curious now that the prince had disappeared, the nanny spoke up. “I’ve worked… a number of years in this palace and have seen suitors and royalty alike come and go. Though I’ve never seen many- or any of them for that matter catch his attention quite like you have.” She continued collecting their things, only sparing Akito a few glances. “It’s nice to know he has someone that understands him. And by the looks of it, I can guess that it is working in your favor as well.”

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The growl didn’t make Aoba flinch like it had before but he did look down. He would have muttered another apology, but turned his attention to the wandering hand. A moment of defensiveness struck him when Kuro touched where the wound had been but he held his tongue. Sure he could have fixed it himself, but it wouldn’t have healed as fast. He couldn’t deny that not having his holy energy hindered that. However, his mind strayed from the thoughts as Kuro’s hand continued to feel about. He could feel the sudden goosebumps and suppressed the faint tint to his cheek when he shivered.

The comment shifted his attention once again and he playfully stuck his tongue out. “Well it’s not like I can sit and do nothing here. I actually have a job to do for once.” It was something he had thought about constantly since he was tossed on Earth. Seeing his old boss only reminded him of what he could’ve had, but also of what he hadn’t lost. In fact, the only real thing he lost after being casted away was his Grace and his halo. Absentmindedly, he reached up to check to make sure it wasn’t there. Like he expected, that was gone as well. His attachment to it was still there, but the longer he was away the more he realized it wasn’t...that bad.

Both of them were standing and that’s when Aoba noticed Kyou off to the side and peeking out the barn door once again. The angel looked a little embarrassed, moreso because he had forgotten the demon was inside the barn with him. He still managed to reciprocate the kiss and then hold on as they jumped down to the bottom floor. “Right. Mama and Otto.” Aoba gave a nod before giving a small wave to Kyou. “I’ll try to be quick about it.” The angel turned, tucking his wings back behind him instead of having them sag towards the floor.

The trip inside was quick, mainly because he wasn’t so wrapped up in his own thoughts. Before he headed to grab another shirt, he stopped by the bathroom. For a moment he could only stare at himself. He still had bits of dirt on him from sliding in the dirt, his eyes still had a faint red color from crying, he looked...tired. Aoba ran fingers through his hair and then dragged his hands across his face. “Ugggh…” After splashing water in his face he sighed. “I’m mean… it’s not worse than demons attacking. It’ll be fine.” Aoba gave an affirmative nod to himself in the mirror. He survived demon attacks and Issho. He could survive this too. For a brief moment his mind wandered to Kuro’s mention of another brother who by the sound of it, was into collections. That didn’t sound so bad. It did however make him wonder if he had any sisters because if he hadn’t been mistaken including Kuro, he had met only those four. He wasn’t too eager to meet his entire family but Aoba figured it would probably be best to build some sort of… tolerance to family visits.

When he walked out the house, he was buttoning his shirt as he went, getting to the last button when he made it to the barn. He walked through and out into the pasture to see Kuro, sure enough, waiting by Mama and Otto like he said. Aoba waved, looking back to his usual self, more or less. “Alright!” Aoba paused and looked around. “Actually… we’re done with the work today, yeah?”

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Kaila had remained silent, letting his and his brother’s energies intertwine. He went over the plan again and again up until Jentou spoke up. The idea alone made Kaila frown up, but he stayed silent for a little longer. The idea of Gin getting his hands on any other nightmares made him growl under his breath, but it soon turned into a sigh. The look he was given was clear as the night sky that Jentou wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Kaila straightened up, letting his energy dissipate from in between them. He kissed his brother’s forehead in response following it with a very reluctant, “Fine.”

“I’ll need to address them soon. We’re leaving tonight.”

Jentou was a little surprised at how soon Kaila planned for this to happen, but with the stakes at hand and the dangers that followed he quickened his pace as his brother hopped out of the tree they were sitting in.

It didn’t take long for the brothers to find their way back to camp. Most of the nightmares had settled down after the wave of worry previously and were settling in to rest. Filo and Feena collected all of the young ones, both giving a nod to the two as they walked past. Kaila and Jentou returned it before they were both farther off to the side of the camp, signalling for his group to gather. He started to speak as they got closer, but paused and gestured for them to follow him further from listening ears. The last thing he needed was a camp full of panicked nightmares.

“We have a new mission.” He started and watched as they immediately came to attention. Kaila braced himself for the worst of it but continued. “We all know Gin is prone to torture before killing. He is desperate for information about us. We still have the advantage of being in the shadows.” His gaze fell on everyone of them as he carried on, echoing what he told his brother. “We need someone to get close to him. We need to find out his plans, his weaknesses. But I refuse to let any more of the nightmares get hurt.” He could feel Jentou’s grip tightening on his arm but he ignored it. “We’l be heading towards Lord Seishu’s castle- it'd be impossible to actually go in there, but if we hurry, we'll catch up to Gin before he's inside. We’ll feign as though we fought back and then I’ll let myself be captured.” He held his hand up to silence them all until he was finished.

“Gin wants information on our whereabouts and how to get us under his rule. What he wants, I have. And with me being Master Seishu’s second, he will surely see that as a victory well won. All the information I can pull out of him will be sent to Jentou.”

~~~~~~~~

Enasi began drying off, glancing over his shoulder every now and again to respond, and of course let Seishu know he was listening. “Hmph. Have a little faith Seishu, I’m tougher than I look.” His laugh was gentle and faded soon after it started. The sudden ‘thump’ on the ground made Enasi whirl around. In one quick motion, his energy wrapped around him, creating loose shorts and he swiftly made his way to Seishu’s side.

Hearing just what happened made the guardian sigh. “Seishu…” His name wasn’t said in exasperation, it was moreso empathy. The guardian was hurting so much and Enasi hated to see him like this. Carefully, he helped the guardian up and wrapped the towel around him. Without much warning, he lifted Seishu off his feet just as he had when he brought him into the bathhouse. “You need a break from my realm and the best I can do for now is get you somewhere that’s- not here.”

Walking out the bathhouse, Enasi gave a low whistle and it didn’t take long for Harper to answer the call. “I need you to do me a favor. Can you collects Finn and Starla and send them to find a place that’s clear enough for us to visit?” Harper saluted, planning to ask what happened this time, but stopped as Enasi continued. “In the meantime, I’m going to let Crios know.” He paused in his tracks for a moment. “Hm, I think Inui should tag along as well… he’s been doing a good job at containing that negative energy, but it is still somewhat new for him.” At this point, it was hard to tell if the guardian was speaking directly to Harper and Seishu or simply expressing his thoughts outloud. Either way, he continued on to Seishu’s vacant room.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Aoba wasn’t expecting an answer, in fact, he wasn’t sure if he really wanted an answer. The fact that he was able to speak without the worry of someone telling him to be quiet was nice on its own. It was something that Aoba appreciated Kuro for the most.

For a moment, so wrapped up in his own distress and mental begging to stop being sad, he was caught off guard by the sudden kiss. Aoba froze like a deer in headlights, but relaxed moments later. He wanted to reciprocate the feeling of passion, care, or whichever Kuro was feeling but he just couldn’t. Fortunately, that didn’t cause him to pull away from it. The contact was grounding. It reminded him that he was still in the barn with Kuro. The world was still all there and that he was safe. As difficult as it was, he tried to coax himself into believing that what happened was just a minor setback, one of many that he could overcome. It hadn’t affected him then and it wouldn’t change anything now. Everything was going to go back to normal. They’d go back to working the farm as usual and all of this would be put behind him. As hard as it was for him to pretend that it was no big deal, Aoba let out a shaky breath. Though he wasn’t sure if it was shaky from the kiss or because of his struggle to control his emotions.

Aoba tried his best not to look at Kuro with sad eyes. He was fighting every urge to just break down, but his success was very minimal. As Kuro spoke, Aoba could feel the lump in his throat and the sting of tears at the corner of his eyes. Out of frustration he rubbed them as if to make all of it go away. He couldn’t think of anything to say, but his heart swelled with mixed emotions. For once in the spiral of negative emotions, he was sure that he was happy. And it was thanks to a demon that cared about him more than… anyone he had known in a long while. In that brief moment, Aoba cracked a weak smile only to turn and hug Kuro as tight as he could.

“....Sorry.” He mumbled with his face buried on Kuro’s shoulder. Realizing he apologized instead of thanking the demon, he sat back down, rubbing his tear stricken face. “Th-Thank you, I mean.” He didn’t want to start a bad habit again, but constantly ending up crying in Kuro’s arms seemed like a burden- despite Kuro’s constant reassurance. Aoba looked away for a moment, trying to regain his composure and also figure out what to do next. Trying to be a little more lighthearted, Aoba spoke up, still looking off to the side. “You know… The angels are going to have a fit… now that you know you can grab their halos.” Remembering how hard he tugged Leo’s made him absentmindedly scratch his head, but he still gave a small chuckle. It was a relieving feeling, giving him enough energy to at least sigh away some of his pent up stress. He didn’t feel like screaming as much anymore. He could probably still cry but he wasn’t so that was nice.

Still unsure of what else to do, he leaned back against Kuro. As much as he wanted to check up on the animals and do some form of work that made him focus on anything but now… this was nice. It was something he needed, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Although, a cool breeze made him realize one thing. Looking down at his side he could only frown. He realized he had left his tattered and bloodied shirt outside. “I should go freshen up and get another work shirt.” Aoba glanced at where the stab wound was and sure enough as Fenrir said, the scar was gone. “Should probably get that shirt too so no one gets any...bad ideas.” He could only imagine Dani’s frantic nature if he had returned to the farm not only smelling Aoba’s blood on the ground but seeing his shirt torn. The residual holy energy was already enough to probably put him on edge anyway. Despite all this, Aoba had yet to actually make the effort to move, realizing he was a lot more comfortable than he realized.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

The brothers sat in the tree in silence for a few moments but Jentou didn’t prod. He did let go however as Kaila straightened up and looked towards the camp. The contemplative expression his brother had made Jentou raise an eyebrow.

“It’s not the best plan… But it’s all we have right now.”

It wasn’t the most convincing start, but Jentou let him continue.

“With Master Seishu away, we need some way to get close to him and figure out his plans, his weaknesses. Anything.” Kaila wrinkled his nose in disgust as he spoke of Gin, his fists clenched and unclenched before he sighed. “I’ve thought of every possible plan and every possible outcome and I refuse to let any more of us die. I refuse to just wait for Lord Seishu. We don’t know how long we will have to wait, and if we can lighten the blow for when he gets here... The plan is for us, us as in you and I, to go towards the castle, close enough to be noticed by Gin or his troops. I’ll give myself up- or pretend to be captured rather. I know they’ll keep me alive for questioning, but I also know I can get information out of Gin. It’s… not that hard to get him to start yapping about himself.”

Finally, Kaila looked his brother in the eye, having been staring out at the forest for most of his explanation. While his brother frowned in protest, Kaila’s was devoid of most emotion. He knew his brother would disapprove of the plan, but he also knew that having him come along would make him more willing to accept it. “I need you there so you can be sure that our link will feed you whatever information I can get. That and to make sure it looks as though we fought before I am taken.”

Jentou continued to hold his frown, moreso because he knew there was no swaying Kaila’s plan. “The others will not like this.” It was the only thing he could think to say while he was set in his path. “But of course I will accompany you. That’s not a question.”

“We can worry about the others after I’ve been take, They’ll be upset but they will understand.”

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

Enasi stared at Seishu, his eyes softening as the guardian spoke. He couldn’t imagine how much pain and suffering he was going through, but he was still braving it out. Enasi sighed and cupped Seishu’s face. “You have been so, so strong baring all of this pain and positive energy and I appreciate it so much. You deserve to go home, you do.. You deserve to be surrounded by your minions and I want to help, trust me I do. You will be able to go home, I swear. Even if I have to go back to the Nightmare Realm and drag Gin off that throne myself- assuming you guy have a throne in your castle.” Enasi gave a sympathetic smile and a weak laugh before leading him out of the bath. He grabbed two towels for them, and then a third to dry Seishu’s hair.

“We could always take a trip to the Human Realm however. As amazing as Crios is, nothing truly beats actual negative energy for you. It wouldn’t be… from the pure source, but it definitely would help.”

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Akito began to speak about his experience in the rain and while he couldn’t sympathize with him, Hiro could imagine that riding around in the rain couldn’t have been fun. Maybe a light misty rain would have been nice and refreshing, but a downpour such as the one around them may have been a bit overwhelming. Hiro wouldn’t have known considering he was always whisked inside to stay dry because heavens forbid he got sick.

He shifted the topic about his days as a soldier but Hiro continued to listen. Though as Akito continued, the prince couldn’t help the bewildered expression plastered on his face. “Nostal-? Wait, wait, wait.” Hiro shook his hands as if to stop Akito, although he had already done so. The idea of soldiers standing out in the rain training or even fighting was one thing, but, “You guys trained, naked in the rain?!” Hiro’s hand went up to his forehead, unsure if he should laugh or continue being incredibly confused. “Don’t people get… you know sick from that? Isn’t that bad for your health? Soldiers must have some insane immunity.” He looked off into the distance for a moment. “I swear my parents constantly complain about me getting sick as if I’ll die the moment I get a head cold. I’ve gotten sick like...three times that I can remember- at least sick enough to be bed ridden. All hell broke loose I tell you, it was-” He paused for a moment and sighed. “Well, okay that I guess is something to be concerned about.” He remembered the story of his mother being sickly before she died, so he could see that being a fear.

He brushed the thought away before looking at Akito again. “Nonetheless, that sort of resolve training, or strength training, or whatever training sounds-! You know, I can’t actually think of a proper word for it besides crazy. Innnn neither a good or bad way. Just haven’t heard of anyone doing that. Then again, I’ve never talked about soldiers training either. So I don’t know what they do outside of the basic things father boasts about.” He hummed in thought, ceasing his own rambling and took a breath. “Well, yeah that would definitely be a reason not to be comfortable in the rain. But at least we’re dry and warm- more or less So is the horse, she’s probably happy about that too. And we still have some food, which are mostly desserts, leftover. I think we’re good to go.” Looking up at the protective canopy, Hiro tapped his cheek. “I’d say let’s hope this doesn’t last all day, but honestly a day outside of the palace is nice. Quieter and less hectic to be exact.”

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Aoba barely registered the kiss, but he did allow the soft push to lead him towards the barn. That crushing weight of the news turned into a hollowness that he was slowly beginning to appreciate. If he didn’t feel good, well the next best thing was to feel… nothing at all.

Kyou perked up from his hiding place up in the loft when he sensed Aoba’s presence. “Is it all-” His winged ears fell to the sides as Aoba walked past without offering him even a glance. “Aoba…?” His voice had lowered into a whisper but held obvious concern. “What happened?”

The angel heard a soft noise off to the side but continued walking. He didn’t stop until he found himself in some corner of the barn and could only sit. He stared at his feet, letting his thoughts slowly form again. He tried to think of all of the good things, the positive things that made him happy. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could be happy again as if the whole thing never happened. However no matter how hard he tried to think of those things, his mind went blank. Time felt like it was in a standstill, so forever was only a few minutes before Aoba felt arms picking him up. When he finally looked up and realized it was Kuro who collected him, they were already sitting in the loft above. He realized he hadn’t been up there, leaving it as Dani’s space, but that didn’t matter at the moment. He also noticed Kyou slinking farther away, but staying in the barn to figure out what was going on. The demon also stayed simply because he wasn’t sure if the archangels were still roaming.

For awhile, or what felt like a while, Aoba just sat in silence like dead weight- or a ragdoll. He stared off into space, until the faint sounds of animals made him refocus. Shifting a bit, he looked down at the hay under them and managed a small frown. “I’m an idiot. I shouldn’t have expected-” His words were slow and he paused to steady his breathing, doing his hardest to keep himself from crying. “...They’ve always had good intentions… But they aren’t- they aren’t very good at showing it… I shouldn’t have expected them to care. They have… they have better things to worry about than a fallen angel.” Every word hurt but Aoba continued. He rubbed his cheeks and started to scoot off of Kuro’s lap but didn’t make it far. As much as he wanted to curl up in a corner and disappear, he found a little comfort in a warm body.

“I know I saved you and all… But, there’s no reason- why… why do you stay?” It may have sounded like was pushing Kuro away, and he didn’t mean to, but he couldn’t help be as defensive as he felt. There were so many different angels and demons and even people who were so much better than he was and Kuro was wasting his time doing manual labor he didn’t need to do. Dani said so himself that all that activity could be done in minutes by the two of them alone. Aoba put his hands over his face. “I just don’t understand!” His voice cracked and he kept his face hidden for a moment, before whispering. “Why are you so willing to stay when everyone else is so ready to push me away?”

Kyou was still a far distance away but listened carefully. He wasn’t sure what happened between them and the angels, but whatever happened it didn’t end in blood but it did hurt Aoba. He wanted to stick around, but he knew Kuro was probably going to want him out anyway. He’d stick close to the barn, but watch the animals and stay on guard for other angels or even demons that appeared.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

“Right. You cheat, of course.” Enasi teased playfully until Seishu called him a street thug. “Hey, I have you know those clothes are immensely comfortable and have breathing room.” He couldn’t help but laugh. With his best “snobbish” impression, he put a hand to his chest. “See, unlike yourself I happen to not need the extra effort to make myself look as fantastic as I am.” Laughing all the while, Enasi kissed the other’s cheek. “I kid of course. You look great.”

He didn’t necessarily need his hair washed but Enasi decided to just let Seishu do so. There was no arguing with him sometimes. His breath stills for a brief moment, but Enasi quickly composes himself and pulls away, only enough to pull Seishu along with him. He let out a low whistle to get the trio’s attention and then pointed to the pools not too far from them. “Baths. All three of you. You’ve been running around way too much and probably need one as bad as Seishu did.”

The younger ones didn’t object, hopping off the chair they shared in order to go. Rue noticed Rasha being a bit more reluctant and decided to steal him away.

The dream guardian watched them go before turning and glancing at Seishu. It was some sort of ploy to get the kids to scurry away, but Enasi did actually want them to get cleaned off. He wasn’t really sure what to say or how to respond to the guardian’s antics so he gave him a quick kiss. “The baths are for everyoooone you know.” He wasn’t exactly denying Seishu his offer, but it was some small way to let him know that now was probably not the best time- or rather, place.

~~~~~~~

Tiski stood in front of the small clan of nightmares. After hearing of a report so brutal and knowing the dangers that rose with it, it was hard to keep a positive mind. But the minion bared down her will and put a determined face on. “It’s only a matter of time before Master Seishu returns to us. And when he does, we will be there for him. We’ll be there when he takes his rightful place back on the throne.” She slammed her fist into her palm for emphasis. “But we can’t do that if we give up can we? Of course not! I just as you all do want our guardian to return, but I know that if he comes back now, we will never know peace.” She looked out at the trees, where Seishu’s castle stood. “If we are to be there when he reclaims his throne then we must keep going. We must keep fighting.”

The air around the camp changed from its somber mood to a more motivated one. As a collective, they knew Tiski was right. They all wanted to see their guardian again and the only way to do that was to keep pushing forward and protecting each other.

Tiski looked back where Kaila had left and sighed. She wished she could help the second, bearing so much weight on his shoulders, but she knew she couldn’t. The best thing she could do was keep everyone from giving up. It wasn’t tremendous, but it was enough for now. She wanted, now more than ever to let her guardian know of the wrongdoings and the hardships, but the moment he heard it, she was sure he’d come running back, with injuries and all. “Master Seishu, we need you. Guide us.” She whispered her silent prayer before moving through the camp to see where she was needed.

Farther away from camp, Tyar had hovered a bit lower to eye level. “Fear is a strong motivator… but we can’t lose our focus now.” It flew a bit higher, gazing in every direction. “Gin’s power is only so strong. If we were able to sneak close… subdue him…” Now the airy creature was murmuring its thoughts aloud. “Dangerous but...a double agent to get information from Gin… find his weak points.” The creature didn’t think it was the best idea, and it was much too dangerous to risk anyone’s lives like that. But the power hungry minion may have just been blind enough to believe that a double agent would be on his side. It was all just a heavy assumption unfortunately and there was no way to test it without actually sending someone.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Hearing that Akito could actually dance was a bit of a surprise. “What? Why have I never heard of this? I am offended!” Kuro laughed as he spoke, obviously joking. “But, now I’d love to dance with you.” Before Hiro could get a response, he noticed rain falling on his leg. It wasn’t long before the rain began to pour heavier and heavier. “Hm. I think we should wait out the storm. At least until it lets up a little.” As the two, now three including the horse, were hurrying towards shelter, the rain only poured harder. “I don’t actually think we have much choice.”

The smooth path became dirt and leaves, making Hiro a little more attentive to wear he stepped. One hand held onto Akito’s while the other lifted his yukata a bit so it wasn’t hindering his step. He didn’t mind the rain whatsoever, but being stuck in the middle of a storm didn’t sound too good for his nor Akito’s health. Sure enough, the trees did provide a fine shelter for the three of them. “Would have never known. I’d end up getting lost or something.” He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, moreso just talking to talk. “Oh wait, where’d Hoko run off to?” The prince hadn’t seen the audrat as they hurried to shelter. At the sound of his name, Hoko peeked his head from Akito’s clothing, causing him to laugh. “Oh, good we got everything.”

Akito led them until he found a spot he believed was suitable to rest at. All the while, Hiro made sure he didn’t fall. When they stopped, he glanced around at the relatively small clearing and then looked above to see the trees creating a large umbrella to shield them. The covering was consistent throughout, but here it was easier to see without branches shielding the way. Hiro offered to tie the horse down. He knew how and Akito did it the first time. It wasn’t hard, especially considering the horse seemed to be grateful about waiting out the storm as well.

“So.” Hiro plopped into a sitting position, getting comfortable considering he wasn’t sure how long the storm would last. “Rain is nice.” He leaned back against a tree before correcting himself. “Well, listening to it is. I don’t usually go out in the rain.” He was almost sure his parents would be worried about the both of them and just hoped they wouldn’t be too frantic. Akito was perfectly capable and they weren’t too far, if he remembered the route correctly.