Tales of the Dreamworld, 5th Night - The Harbinger's Tale
Rated R


	Kindred: (n) 2.a: relationship by blood or marriage;
 	  kinship.  b: possession of similar qualities; 
	  affinity

			-Webster's 3rd New International Dictionary



	Just as every life possesses an instance that can be 
brought to life in words, the event becomes a chapter in a 
book, a story for others to gaze upon and be swallowed 
whole within the realm.
	A realm beyond the waking hours, forged from the magik 
of a thousand dreamers and their dreams. Within every soul 
lies a story to tell, each event a tale to give unto 
others.
	These tales, both surreal and sensual, are but a few 
of many chapters in a world given breath by a creator. Her 
name is Naoko Takeuchi. The people and their lives are of 
her heart and soul. They belong in her embrace. But the 
Mystwolves, those who live in the myst of the Dreamworld 
belong to another, and they are of my skin and soul. I 
embrace their world and their fangs as my own children.
	I ask that none may steal any of them away from their 
creators. The world of the Moon Princess and her royal 
court belong to Naoko Takeuchi. Their hearts and souls 
belong to her; they are a part of her stories. But the 
realm of the waking dreamers, and of the Darkpacks who roam 
within them, are a part of my own story.  Milady Naoko's 
princesses belong in their castles beyond the moon, and my 
Mystwolves belong lurking in the corners of our dreams. 
	One of honour does not become a petty thief; I ask for 
your requests if you wish my raven angels to wander into 
other worlds and other stories.

	-His lordship Chaos  (hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com)



	"Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
	 In the forests of the night, 
	 What immortal hand or eye
	 Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

				-William Blake, "The Tyger"


	For over one thousand years have I wandered this realm 
beyond our dreams, where those with the magik walk as if 
their dreams were their waking hours. From one kingdom to 
the next I have travelled, finding many tales to reach my 
listening ears.
	And none are darker than those of the creatures of the 
evening mysts that are the essence this realm. Their 
howlsong can shatter the still of a midnight sky, and even 
raven angels and Shadowdemons will pay them respect. Legend 
holds that they were the first to ever roam the kingdoms of 
this place.
	They are the Dreamworld's firstborn.
	They are the Mystwolves.
	Possessed with deadly stalking prowess, they are bound 
by fierce codes to protect each other from danger. To 
tangle with one is to declare war on every last one of them 
who breathes. If only humans were as dedicated to their 
friends as the Mystwolves are. Yet I know of a handful who 
would cross into hell if it meant rescuing a friend. I have 
witnessed them nearly die to save the life of one they 
cared deeply about. These girls and their raven angels are 
very much like the Mystwolves in this respect.
	But how far would you be willing to go to protect 
someone who was not of your breed, not of your realm? What 
price is worth paying to see someone breathe for one more 
day, even if it meant you had to breathe your last?
	Let me tell you a story....


	THE HARBINGER'S TALE


	Alone he stoop atop the lonely flat surface of the 
plateaus, staring down at the lush vegetation and 
cliffscapes far below. Beyond the horizon of these plateaus 
was a sea of jungle forests that swallowed up both 
highlands and valleys. And somewhere in that beyond there 
lied an empire of dragons.
	Three large crystal orbs were being twirled around in 
his palm, the moonlight flashing off their glistening 
surfaces. Gently and gracefully he plucked one of the orbs 
without disturbing the motions of the remaining two. 
Lifting the orb to his lips he blew on the crystal, and it 
suddenly took off like a bubble.
	He brushed aside some bangs of shining blonde hair 
from his shades as he watched the crystal float away into 
the night sky, to journey through the realms until it found 
a place to rest. Another wish made, another hope come to 
take wings.
	The cool winds breathed life into his silver cloak, 
the ends billowing out at his side. The edges of his black 
jacket and tie fluttered into the breeze.
	And then a grey mist rose up from behind him, possibly 
filtering out from the rock but not like ordinary smoke or 
cloud. Still continuing with the twirling of the crystals 
in his one palm, he glanced back at the mist.
	With a loud whinny a steed trotted out from the mists, 
brilliant and elegant, its long flowing mane dancing in the 
winds that suddenly swept the plateau. But it was not a 
Silvermane. Instead what he saw before him was a white 
unicorn bearing a set of angel's wings. A Pegasus steed, 
pawing at the ground with its hooves as the hot air from 
its nostrils came out as wisps of steam.
	He turned his entire body now, pushing the cloak over 
his shoulders so it billowed up behind him and over the 
edge of the plateau as he faced the Pegasus.
	Plucking a second crystal, he blew it out into the 
kingdoms beyond the plateau. And then with a rapid twist of 
his hand, he rolled the last crystal around his wrist and 
brought it into his other palm. This one also drifted out 
into the night air on his breath, floating to a place only 
it would decide upon.
	He never opened his mouth to speak. Instead from 
behind his shades he gave the white steed a quizzical 
expression. The Pegasus lowered its head, pointing its horn 
towards the decorated cliffsides far below. He turned and 
gazed down in that direction, slowly pulling the shades off 
his face to reveal a pair of crystal blue eyes.
	A glance to his side showed that once again he was 
alone on top of this plateau. There was no surprise or 
confusion in his face; if anything his curiousity had been 
piqued by this visitation. So he remained at the edge of 
the plateau and stared out at the jungle forests sprawled 
out before him, and to the crescent moon high in the 
midnight skies.
	Somewhere out there a cool wind was blowing.
	Then out beyond he heard a chorus of haunting cries 
lifted up to the air, howls of the wolf. And yet of no 
ordinary wolf, but of Mystwolf.
	The darkpacks were on the move once more.


	It was midnight somewhere out there on the planet 
known as Earth, but here inside the Dreamworld it was 
forever that hour where never a sunrise nor a sunset had 
ever been seen let alone glimpsed. Yet the eternal moon, 
forever going through its waxes and wanings, circled the 
skies with its host of stars.
	Tonight the moon was in its crescent form, and tonight 
it was gazing down upon the rocky faces of the forest 
cliffs that were shadowed by the looming plateaus off in 
the nearby distance. Here a waterfall cascaded gracefully 
down levels of stone and through channels of rock to 
finally crash down in a white, bubbly steam over the 
hotsprings.
	She was alone as she bathed beneath the warm water 
rushing over her hair, her shoulders, her entire pale white 
body. The interior of these rocks heated the water, and she 
had come here knowing full well that she would find a 
hotspring and not a cold though refreshing lake.
	With a sigh she let the warmth course down her sixteen 
year-old body. It was a body that had seen time both askew 
and amok, and she herself had grown up twice in one life. 
But now she had returned to the way she once was, the way 
she once knew herself to be.
	The winds whistled as they swept past her, sending up 
another rush of steam from the water. But as the whistling 
of the air died down, new sounds reached her ears: 
breathing, panting, growling. These were the sounds made by 
animals of the Dreamworld, ones she knew well enough. Her 
hands crossed demurely over her breasts, she turned and 
looked out the forest around the hotspring.
	One pair of eyes suddenly lit up the darkness amidst 
the trees, glowing brilliant gold as they stared at her. 
The slitted eyes of a cat watched, yet they belonged to a 
creature not quite feline yet not fully canine.
	Another pair of golden eyes were opened, emerging from 
the shadows. She could see nothing in the darkness except 
those eyes, but she could hear them move amidst the 
foliage. And then one more pair of golden eyes were opened, 
followed by another, and yet another still.
	A legion of blazing golden eyes were drifting past the 
shadows of the trees lining the edge of the clearing. The 
winds carried with them the growls and breaths of a wild 
wolf. But she was not frightened, smiling as she watched 
the many eyes fade away until only one pair was left.
	They were retreating.
	All but one, for he was their Huntking, their Alpha 
male. Out of respect and honour for the one more ancient 
than any of the wolves in the darkpack, they allowed him 
the privacy to approach her.
	"Okami-chan," she said quietly, a delicate smile 
growing on her face.
	The Mystwolf pushed out from the darkness of the 
forest, its sleek body sparkling in tints and shades of 
silver in the pale moonlight. Twin sets of fangs were at 
the corners of its mouth, slender and lethal. The wolf 
walked over to the edge of hotspring and looked down at its 
reflection into the surface. For a moment she saw a human 
face with the same eyes stare up at the wolf. Then the 
waters rippled and the reflection vanished. 
	He waited patiently as she waded over to the edge of 
the hotspring, leaning against the delicate grass to stare 
up at the wolf. In turn the wolf sat down and lowered its 
head until they were nose to nose.
	They remained like that for a while, silent and 
staring into each other's eyes. He seemed almost human in 
those two golden cat-eyes, looking at her with dedicated 
affection.
	"Were you waiting long?" she asked, reaching out with 
one hand to scratch behind the Mystwolf's ears. The wolf 
seemed to growl approvingly, it's own version of a purr.
	A mischievous smile came across her face as the 
Mystwolf relaxed under her stroking, and she moved closer 
until both hands were able to wrap around the wolf's body. 
And then she pulled as hard as she could.
	Giving a startled yelp, the Mystwolf toppled into the 
water with a loud splash. She giggled as wet fur brushed 
against her warm skin as she too fell backwards. The 
Mystwolf emerged from beneath the water's surface. But this 
was not a wolf to arise, but a young man. He bore with him 
the telltale cat-eyes of his breed; apart from that he now 
appeared no more wolf than she.
	"You devilish little imp!" he said, his voice low but 
smooth, a strange blend between growling and purring. 
	She laughed and tried to escape, splashing through the 
waist-high water as he gave chase. Yet he seemed to glide 
through the hotspring, and with relative ease he wrapped 
his arms around her and scooped her up out of the water, 
playfully tossing her back down.
	Once more she found herself in his arms as he helped 
her back up from below the water's surface, her wet, 
shoulder-length raven hair clinging to her neck and 
shoulders. She fought in his firm grip as he drew her 
closer.
	She stared in playful defiance at him, but then 
relaxed as he lowered his head to kiss her. His grip on her 
arms was lost, instead his hands wrapping around her back. 
She did the same to him, feeling his warm skin press 
against hers. 
	They drew apart, her own dark violet eyes staring 
demurely at golden cat-eyes. 
	For so long she had been living in fear of herself, of 
what she was. Only in her darkest hours had her true self 
emerged. The entire Earth had almost been claimed in that 
hour of darkness. But now she was older, and saw the world 
in a different light. For a time she had been a literal 
child again, and then once more became the soldier of death 
and rebirth.
	That had been an hour darker than any before it, and 
if not for the compassion of the etherial, odango-haired 
blonde, they all would have perished forever. But that was 
in the past. Now the world was at peace, slowly 
rediscovering its lost magik. She was fast becoming a young 
woman, and learning about a new breed of magik. This was 
its world, its beauty.
	He stroked her cheek, smiling. "The Gathering will 
soon be upon us," he whispered. "A time when all darkpacks 
come together for the celestial howlsong, and you can 
become our queen. Have you chosen your Earthen familiar 
yet?"
	"Not yet," she answered. "But I will when I awake." 
	He closed one hand and then reopened it a moment 
later. In that moment which spanned but a heartbeat, the 
flower of a black rose was in his palm, the petals opened 
up to bloom.
	She closed her eyes, sighing as he caressed her face 
with the delicate petals of the rose. The petals brushed 
her forehead and then ran down along her nose, pausing 
briefly at her lips before continuing around her chin and 
down her neck. She shivered as the rose slid between her 
breasts and then was pulled away upon contacting the 
water's surface.
	"Okami-chan," she whispered.
	"Hotaru-sama," he breathed.
	And then someone else deliberately coughed.  
	They both whirled, and he placed himself defensively 
between her and the shore of the hotsprings, twin sets of 
vicious fangs suddenly jutting out from the corners of his 
mouth. 
	Two young women stared back at them with wry smiles. 
One was tall, wild sandy-blonde hair rustling in the 
breeze. The other, who had wavy aqua-green hair, was almost 
as tall but held a more refined aura.
	"I trust we're not interrupting," the tall sandy-
blonde said.
	"Perhaps it would be just as well if we had," the 
aqua-haired one remarked, if not chiding her. "What are you 
doing here, Hotaru-chan?" 
	The aggression in his eyes faded, and his fangs 
retracted. "You two always did know how to spoil a romantic 
moment," he remarked sourly. "Unless it was between 
yourselves."
	The wavy, aqua-haired woman regarded him curiously. 
"Have we met before?"
	He nodded, chuckling to himself.
	The two young women slowly turned as more Mystwolves 
emerged from the forest. Others they would have been ready 
to rip to shreds in a heartbeat, but they knew these two 
women to be friends and allies.
	"I never knew you were in the company of Mystwolves, 
Hotaru-chan," the aqua-haired woman said. 
	"They are my friends," she replied, smiling as he 
laced his arms around her neck. "I have travelled with them 
for many months now."
	"And who's he?" the sandy-blonde inquired.
	He chuckled, letting them see the glow of his golden 
cat-eyes. "Don't you know? Have you not already recognized 
my eyes? Or my fangs for that matter?"
	"Masaka," the sandy-blonde whispered. "He's a 
Mystwolf."
	"Enough teasing them," she said.
	"A Mystwolf for a boyfriend," the aqua-haired woman 
said with a smile, kneeling to pet one of the friendly 
Mystwolf cubs--and then glance down at the two in the 
hotsprings. "So what exactly are you doing in there with 
her?"
	"She started it," he countered. 
	"Who exactly are you anyways?" the tall sandy-blonde 
asked.
	"Would you like to do the introductions, Hotaru-chan," 
he inquired, glancing over to her with that playful glimmer 
in his eyes. "or shall I?" 
	She smiled shyly. "Ara. Haruka-poppa, Michiru-momma: I 
would like to introduce you to Okami. In this form he is 
human. In another form, he is Mystwolf."
	"I didn't know they could assume our form," the aqua-
haired woman said.
	"We Mystwolves are shape-shifters to a certain 
extent," he replied. "The leaders of the clans hold the 
highest level of magik among them, and with a darkpack's 
magik backing them up they can become human for a time."
	"Kind of makes you jealous, doesn't it?" the sandy-
blonde said to the aqua-haired woman. "What would you 
choose to become, Michiru?"
	She chuckled. "Depends on the mood you're in."
	The tall sandy-blonde cocked an eyebrow. "Is that an 
offer?"
	"And my time, at least, is running out," he abruptly 
spoke up. "I would like to spend that remaining time alone 
with Hotaru-chan."
	"Let's let them be," aqua-haired woman said to the 
tall, sandy-blonde. "I know that look of his all too well 
after seeing you give it enough times, Haruka."
	A few more moments passed with some knowing and stern 
glances cast in his direction, and they could tell that he 
understood enough what they meant. The two women ventured 
off into the forest, as did the darkpack, going their 
separate ways and leaving her again alone with him. 
	"Never a moment's peace," he growled, giving her a 
quick peck on the cheek and starting back to the shoreline 
of the hotsprings.
	She remained where she was, staring at where the two 
young women had gone into the forest. As much as she 
appreciated their loving protection, she wasn't a little 
girl anymore. In the prelude of it all, when Nehelenia's 
seal had been broken, she matured from a year-old baby into 
a twelve-year old girl to help them fight as Sailor Saturn. 
Ever since the purification of Galaxia, she had grown rapidly 
from twelve to sixteen in but a few months; that had been her 
original age once before.
	Everything had come full circle now.
	"I'm not a child anymore," she whispered, more to the 
air than to anyone else. Or was she whispering these words 
to herself as comfort for a life that had been violated by 
her world's magik?
	Abruptly something stung her eye, a pain that 
ricocheted throughout her skull. It lasted only a moment, 
and was gone all too quickly. However there was a strange 
sensation echoing in her body. Soon afterwards it too 
faded.
	"Strange," she said to herself. Most likely dust from 
the rock face high overhead.
	She glanced back and saw a Mystwolf body rising up 
from the hotsprings, vigorously shaking itself dry. The 
Mystwolf turned, and she saw his eyes watching over her. 
Wading over to the edge of the steaming waters, she pushed 
herself out of the hotspring and found the dry blanket she 
had left on the rocks.
	Wrapping the blanket around herself, she sat down upon 
the smooth face of the rock, the Mystwolf pacing around her 
before he too settled down, resting his head in her lap.
	"So strange that someone so deadly could be so 
gentle," she said quietly, stroking the wolf's fur. This 
elicited a content, growling purr from the ancient beast.
	Somewhere far off in the heart of the forest a chorus 
of haunting wolf cries were lifted up to celebrate the 
eternal moon. Very soon now all the Mystwolves would gather 
together, as they had once every century, to protect a 
newly chosen Darkqueen, their Empress.
	Now she was the chosen one.
	"Such a beautiful howlsong," she said, staring up at 
the midnight skies.
	The Mystwolf lifted his head, staring at her with 
those dedicated yet dangerous cat-eyes. He licked the side 
of her cheek and then withdrew, stalking around the 
hotspring before pausing atop the highest rock.
	"Okami?" she asked.
	And then he lifted his head and unleashed a howl that 
seemed to echo across the forest and its neighbouring 
plateaus. With his single howlsong a dozen more joined in, 
and then even more. She stood very still for a long time as 
she watched him proclaim with his haunting voice his 
dedication.
	The dream around her started to fade away, caught up 
in a cloud of grey mist that was taking her back to the 
world of the waking hours. She closed her eyes, 
surrendering back into a place where she would arise from a 
bed and be greeted by sunlight.
	In that final moment between sleeping and waking, she 
heard his voice once more. "I shall always protect you," he 
whispered. "Now and forever, my Darkqueen...."


	The masquerade wraith sat leisurely atop the brilliant 
crimson torii at the front of the Shinto temple grounds, 
one leg dangling over the edge of the gateway. At his lips, 
a delicate crystal flute was piping a beautiful melody.
	"He makes me nervous when he does that," the blue-
haired genius admitted, staring up at the wraith.
	"Meikyu's like a cat," the raven knight stated, 
sitting in the embrace the tall brunette. "I've yet to see 
him not land on his feet."
	The mid-December sun was beginning its descent into 
evening, a time for lovers and dreamers. Each one now had a 
beloved to call their own: the tall brunette and the raven 
angel, the long-haired blonde and the raven knight, the 
dark-haired shrine girl and the shrine protege--and the 
last of them all to find a boyfriend, a soulmate, the blue-
haired genius and the masquerade wraith.
	But before them all had been the odango-haired blonde 
and the dark-haired prince. These two had been destined in 
past, present and future to share a love that seemed to 
possess the very heart of all that was magik.
	The air around them was cool but mild enough for them 
to still be comfortably outside together, seating along the 
verandah of one of the shrine buildings. However in a few 
days this weather was liable to change, ushering in the 
possibility of snow and a season of both passion and 
compassion.
	"What do you want for Christmas, Minako-chan?" the 
raven knight asked of the long-haired blonde.
	"I know what I want!" the odango-haired blonde 
enthusiastically piped up. "A romantic dinner for two with 
Mamo-chan!"
	"Kishi was asking Minako, not you, Usagi," the dark-
haired shirne girl sighed, and then added, "Baka."
	The dark-haired prince gave an uneasy smile. "So long 
as I don't have to treat you all to Korean barbecue 
again...."
	Everyone shared in the laughter of the time, though 
the guardians of the Dreamworld could only exchange 
confused glances at a joke and an event that preceeded 
them. 
	"We have a visitor," Meikyu's voice abruptly 
announced.
	They all turned as a girl with a pale complexion and 
garments in shades of night walked beneath the crimson 
torii. The black against crimson hues made her pale skin 
all the more evident.
	"Hotaru-chan!" the odango-haired blonde exclaimed with 
a smile.
	"Ohayo," she said, bowing slightly to them all.
	Meikyu leaned backwards and dropped off from the 
torii, flipping around and landing with perfect grace. Long 
strands of earthen brown hair flowed around the wraith in 
the descent. She stepped away as Meikyu landed in behind 
her, but all too quickly she saw this young man was of the 
Dreamworld too.
	"It's been a long time, Hotaru-chan," the tall 
brunette said warmly.
	The others all nodded.
	"We've missed your visits," the dark-haired shrine 
girl added.
	"How is Souchi-san?" the long-haired blonde inquired.
	"My father's well," she answered. She turned to the 
odango-haired blonde. "Usagi, may I speak with you in 
private?"
	The odango-haired blonde was surprised but nodded none 
the less. 
	"Daijobu," the dark-haired prince said. "I need to get 
home anyways; I have a paper to work on."
	After a chaste peck on each other's lips, the lovers 
excused themselves, the dark-haired prince leaving the 
Shinto shrine and the odango-haired blonde slipping through 
a fusama.
	She followed, closing shut the screen behind her.
	"Who is she?" Sora asked as she disappeared inside the 
room. For none of the Dreamworld guardians had ever 
witnessed the highest joys and darkest hours of the Sailor 
Senshi before, though they had felt the ripples within the 
dream realm.
	And so the girls shared with them the tales of the 
Outer Senshi, the most enigmatic and distant of them all. 
When they had finished with her tale of death and rebirth, 
all the guardians remained silent for a long time.


	"What is it, Hotaru-chan?" the odango-haired blonde 
asked as they settled into a room.
	She took another hard look at the girl seated across 
from her. Sometimes it was hard to think of the odango-
haired blonde as their future queen, full of elegance and 
compassion. Yet these virtues were revealed when all other 
hopes were lost. She owed her life to this girl.
	"Chibiusa-chan is not here in this time, is she?" she 
asked.
	"Gomen, but she's back in Crystal Tokyo," the odango-
haired blonde said, trying not to hurt her feelings. "I 
don't know if she's coming back anytime soon."
	Her deep violet eyes lowered to the wooden floor. 
"Oh."
	"Were you hoping to play together again?"
	It may have been an innocent question, but even still 
it caused her to clench a fist, controlling the 
frustration. They had seen her run through so many ages 
before, it was hard to think of her as a sixteen year-old. 
More than once she had licked her wounds in quiet as they 
treated her differently, as one younger than them.
	Evidently her quiet rage was picked up by the odango-
haired blonde, who wore a look of concern for her.
	"Hotaru-chan?" 
	"Hai," she answered, staring back at the odango-haired 
blonde with as much defiance as she dared possible for 
someone like this girl. Yet her harsh gaze softened; she 
could never stay angry at the odango-haired blonde. It was 
a wonder if anyone could for a soul who cared so much about 
everyone else. 
	"I've met someone in the Dreamworld," she began.
	The odango-haired blonde seemed to forget about that 
last moment of uneasiness, suddenly alive and excited and 
talking in a loud voice.
	"Sugoi! Hotaru-chan has a boyfriend?" 
	She blushed slightly. 
	"You are in love!" the odango-haired blonde sighed 
romantically. "So who is he? Another guardian?"
	She shook her head, laughing quietly at the girl's 
exuberance. "His name is Okami."
	"Okami," the odango-haired blonde said, trying out the 
name. "Sounds very mysterious. I can't wait to meet him."
	She smiled shyly, nodding. It felt awkward getting all 
this attention. Especially what she was about to ask. 
"Usagi-san, I have a request to make: tonight Okami and his 
kind will make me their Empress, their Darkqueen. They 
wished that I bring someone from our world to bear witness 
to the ceremony. And since Chibiusa-chan is not here--"
	"You want me to do it?" the odango-haired blonde 
exclaimed, beaming with pride. Suddenly the odango-haired 
blonde wrapped her up in an embrace. "Arigato gozaimasu! 
You've made Usagi very honoured!"
	At first she was startled at such an emotional 
outburst, but them smiled, and even returned the sentiment. 
"No, Usagi," she said quietly. "Thank you."


	It was forever the midnight hour inside the 
Dreamworld, and tonight the forest of one kingdom seemed 
alive more than ever before, teeming with excited magik. 
The Gathering was almost at hand.
	She smiled as she saw the odango-haired blonde come 
into being, looking around for directions. "Komban wa, 
Usagi," she said. Her robes of dark black were sparkling 
from the parade of moonbeams puncturing through the forest 
ceiling. Numerous billowing sashes of glistening silver 
fluttered around her body as if possessed with their own 
souls to dance.
	The odango-haired blonde laughed sheepishly. "Gomen, 
Hotaru-chan! I was so excited I couldn't fall asleep!"
	Some things never seemed to change.
	"The Gathering is almost at hand," she informed the 
odango-haired blonde. "Come, Usagi; the ceremony is down 
this path, through the clearing."
	She led the way, taking her time; her physical body 
was forever at a disadvantage, for while she possessed a 
gift of the healing touch, that energy was transferred from 
her own body.
	"Where are we going?"
	"The valley of the Myst," she answered. "We are 
already close to the heart of this kingdom. It is their 
domain, almost lost within the borders of our two worlds."
	"Oh, that's right!" the odango-haired blonde 
exclaimed. "I was so excited I forgot to ask: who exactly 
wants you to become their queen?"
	"The Mystwolves," she answered.
	"Na ni?!" the odango-haired blonde exclaimed, 
completely taken aback. "Y-you're going to be 
their...they're going to make you...your boyfriend is 
a...."
	She laughed. "Daijobu, Usagi. They are quite gentle 
around those they trust. And tonight you are my guest." She 
paused, glancing down at the grass path beneath their feet. 
"I...I want to thank you again, Usagi. You don't know how 
much this means to me."
	The odango-haired blonde smiled, clasping their hands 
together. "Everything will turn out fine, Hotaru-chan."
	And then something swept past them, a biting gale that 
ushered with it a hideous sensation of dread and cold fear. 
A thousand primal screams washed past her ears.
	She was frozen, rooted to the ground at her feet, eyes 
wide and trembling in terror over what she had felt and 
heard. A chorus of dying howls had been lifted up to the 
eternal moon and then savagely silenced.
	The odango-haired blonde glanced over at her. "Did you 
feel that?"
	She nodded, a shiver running down her spine. But what 
frightened her more was that she knew what made such a cry 
to the heavens of this realm.
	"Okami," she whispered, stepping forward.
	That one step became a run, and even though her body 
could never handle such physical stress she pushed herself 
forward. One time she stumbled, only to be caught in the 
arms of the odango-haired blonde.
	Even though minutes passed, they felt like hours upon 
nights to her before they saw the emerging light where the 
Gathering was to take place. Here the forest canopy opened 
up into a great plain adorned with broken ruins claimed by 
the Mystwolves. Many times she had been there and felt at 
peace. Now she feared even drawing nearer after what she 
had just felt.
	She forced herself to step closer to the opening, to 
the place where the Gathering was to be. This was to be the 
place for her inauguration.
	And then her senses beheld the fate of these 
creatures.
	Her eyes widened as she saw the clearing. Blood and 
gore was spread across the grass and splattered across the 
trees and plants. Her mouth opened to whisper something, 
anything, but her voice was choked and she could only 
listen her own frantic breathing.
	The Mystwolves had met with a truly vicious end.
	"Hotaru-chan...." the odango-haired blonde whispered 
hoarsely.
	Not one she saw was alive, or even had a chance at 
possible survival. Even mothers and their young were laying 
dead, sprawled out beyond the rows of slain wolfen hunters. 
Their bodies were as far as she could see, dismantled and 
decorated with blood. Some had been torn apart savagely, 
their organs spilled out before their broken bodies. 
	So much horror. The smell of blood, urine and fear was 
thick in the air. This was ultimately the scent of death, 
something that made her shiver. So much blood. So many 
bodies. This had to have been every last Mystwolf that ever 
roamed the Dreamworld. They had all come together for this 
one night to celebrate the Gathering, to make her their 
Darkqueen. And now they were all dead.
	"Okami...." she managed to say in a strangled voice.
	It would be impossible to find him amidst all these 
corpses and blood-ridden grounds. Some Mystwolves were only 
stains of blood or matted tangles of fur and intestines. 
Even if she did find him, did she want to find him here?
	The tears were starting to run, though not 
specifically out of sadness or fear. She was at a loss for 
coping with the gruesome sight before her. The odango-
haired blonde wrapped her up in a desperate embrace, 
already lost to tears and sadness. 
	"Why?" she cried to her princess. 
	Then she heard the faint whimpering of a child wolf. 
Her deep violet eyes found a bundle of fur that was still 
moving, stirring as it was painfully roused by her 
presence. She took a reluctant step into the fresh 
graveyard, searching out for a Mystwolf who may have 
survived.
	She knelt down next to the body of a mother, and found 
at the mother's side a tiny Mystwolf cub. It looked at her 
with its saddened cat-eyes of gold, its tiny body shivering 
from the cold. She could see the pain in the cub's eyes, 
the blood dripping from its mouth and soaked into its 
matted skin.
	Her heart nearly broke in two.
	She moved out her hand to touch the Mystwolf child. 
Her power could give this cub a chance at surviving. But as 
he fingers stretched out the cub's whimper ceased, and it 
eyes slowly closed for the last time.
	"Iie," she whispered, desperate. 
	No. Not this. 
	She touched the cub, nudging it with her hand. But it 
did not move of its own life or breath. 
	"Hotaru-chan," the odango-haired blonde said quietly, 
reaching out to gently touch her, to comfort her. But she 
recoiled, slapping away the hand and glaring at the odango-
haired blonde with frantic eyes.
	"Iie!" she cried out, her voice growing louder with 
each time she said it. "IIE! IIE!!!"
	A blur of silver suddenly exploded in between them, 
and she stumbled backwards, startled. The odango-haired 
blonde cried out in fright. 
	It was a Mystwolf, the only visible one left alive. 
Two glowing, slitted eyes narrowed as they fixated on her, 
and suddenly she recognized those two eyes. Once they had 
looked at her with love and dedication.
	The Mystwolf lowered his head and sniffed at the 
mother and cub, curling the edges of his lips to reveal the 
deadly twin pairs of savage fangs.
	"Okami," she whispered.
	In a very low growl, he spoke two nearly inaudible 
words: "Get out." 
	There was nothing else left for her here, and the true 
terror was seizing control of her mind and body with each 
passing second. She could not face this any longer. She 
turned and fled, terrified by what she saw. The dam burst, 
and hot tears flowed down her cheeks. The odango-haired 
blonde gave chase after her, calling out her name.
	"Hotaru-chan! Hotaru-chan!"
	And then his sorrowful cries reached her ears as she 
ran away, a single lonely howl lifted up the heavens of the 
Dreamworld. 
	He was singing a requiem.
	She finally stopped running inside the forest, her 
breaths coming in frantic, irregular gasps as her mind and 
body lost all their power and will to carry her forward one 
step more. Her weight shifted, her stance wobbling. And 
then she fell, though the odango-haired blonde caught her.
	"Iie!" she sobbed, burying her face into the odango-
haired blonde's gown. Her strength left her, and she 
collapsed. 
	"Hotaru-chan!" the odango-haired blonde exclaimed, 
catching her and helping her down onto the forest floor. 
She curled up into the odango-haired blonde's grip, and 
then felt a teardrop strike her own face.
	Her princess was crying too, but was still trying to 
be there for her tears. "Usagi-san," she whispered.
	But the odango-haired blonde could say nothing else, 
and she could see that both their hearts were torn apart by 
what they had just witnessed. Such fragile and beautiful 
life mercilessly destroyed.
	And so the odango-haired blonde held her there as she 
cried, and she became lost in her sadness, unaware even 
when she stopped crying or slipped away into her own realm.


	She awoke in the dead of night, huddled up and still 
crying. But she felt a warm body next to her; it was that 
of the odango-haired blonde. Her princess has stayed with 
her all through the night, even when the time came to cross 
back over to their world.
	With weary eyes the odango-haired blonde managed a 
weak smile. "Hotaru-chan, you're awake."
	Neither of them had reverted to their nightgowns; 
their robes from the ceremony still remained. She gripped 
the odango-haired blonde's dress tighter, trying to curl 
herself into her princess' caring embrace.
	The memories returned to haunt her, and she saw all 
those in the Dreamworld she had ever cared about, those who 
had cared for her, die cruelly. Had Okami deserted her too 
now?
	It was still too much for her.
	"Hold me, please, Usagi-san," she whispered. "Just 
hold me for a little while longer." The tears started to 
flow again. "I just need someone to hold me...."


	The morning of a December Sunday had already crept 
across the city, and many souls awoke from their sleep 
refreshed and smiling at the world they knew. Yet the new 
morning brought only uneasiness as a group of souls with 
unique magik came together.
	The dark-haired shrine girl was standing next to the 
shrine protege, watching as the raven knight and the long-
haired blonde entered the Shinto temple grounds. 
	"Did you feel that last night?" the raven knight asked 
uneasily.
	"It was as if a thousand cries were lifted up into the 
skies before they were suddenly silenced," the dark-haired 
shrine girl stated, visibly chilled not by the weather but 
by the dream.
	The shrine protege glanced around the temple grounds. 
"But what makes a cry like that?" 
	"Someone from the Dreamworld," came a new voice. The 
masquerade wraith, arm over the shoulders of the blue-
haired genius, walked beneath the torii. Beside the couple 
was the raven angel and the tall brunette, the first of 
them all to experience the magik of two worlds.
	"What does it all mean?" the tall brunette asked.
	They all turned as the odango-haired blonde slowly 
walked beneath the crimson torii, not quite aware of all 
the actions any of them were making--not even herself. The 
sadness was evident in their princess' face, and the girls 
helped the odango-haired blonde inside to a warmer room.
	"Usagi-chan?" the long-haired blonde asked, concerned.
	And so the odango-haired blonde told them of what she 
had seen. Before the account could be finished, the 
princess broke down in tears and sobs. The others rushed to 
aid the odango-haired blonde, but the guardians of the 
Dreamworld looked to each other with grim uneasiness.
	For whoever had the power to kill the firstborns of 
their realm, their Dreamworld, was an evil that perhaps 
they might not even be able to destroy.


	Across the city the midnight December winds were 
blowing, though not as tempests or gusts. This was a gentle 
breeze, but cold enough to chill the body. All around the 
bright lights of the cityscape turned the night into a 
spectacular display of darkness and daylight.
	On the outskirts of a park evening mist began to 
billow out from the heart of the trees, tracing its way 
around the base of the trunks and over the grasses until it 
reached fencing and sidewalk, and then asphalt road.
	Another pocket of wind stirred the mists, and a cloud 
arose from the heart of the trees, beams of moonlight 
giving it eerie shades of grey. A shadow began to emerge, 
and very quickly the silhouette stepped out onto the 
sidewalk, mist trailing out around his feet.
	He was dressed in strange clothes, and held about him 
an exotic and dangerous aura. He was not one to be trifled 
with, nor underestimated. A black choker was around his 
neck. Chiselled muscles visibly outlined his chest for 
beneath the open jacket he wore was a billowy black shirt 
with a low neckline that curved beneath his pecks.
	He glanced up at the moon in its crescent glory of the 
night, its beams catching his blazing golden eyes. Slitted 
eyes of a cat. The winds arose once more, and his wild 
silver hair danced at their whim. Yet he did not feel the 
cold in the December air.
	"So this is her world," the stranger remarked. His 
voice was low, slightly guttural with what might have been 
a purr or a growl edged in.
	With one step he began to stalk across the street, 
savouring the cool winds of Tokyo. His aura was thriving on 
the approaching midnight hours, and he smiled savagely. 
Twin sets of fangs protruded from the corners of his lips, 
silver and glistening.
	He whirled as lights suddenly caught his crouched 
form, and the roar of a car engine reached his ears. A low 
growl escaped his lips as he saw the yellow convertible 
charging down towards him.
	But he was not like a deer. Instead he waited, 
watching as the car grew larger in his vision. At the last 
possible second he sprang into the air, the ground leaving 
his feet. His leap was like a raven's flight, soaring high 
and disappearing into the trees.
	The covertible veered sharply in trying to avoid 
smashing into his agile form, and he was all but gone as 
the sports car spun around and lurched to a stop, leaving 
black skid marks on the road.
	The two passengers inside undid their seatbelts and 
pushed off the seats, staring up at the crescent moon that 
had claimed his shadowy form.
	"What in the hell was that?" the driver exclaimed, 
running a hand through her short sandy-blonde hair. She 
turned to her passenger, a young woman with wavy aqua-green 
hair. "Did you see it?"
	The passenger shook her head, unsure of her senses. "I 
don't know. It looked...it looked human."
	"Shimatta," the sandy-blonde said. "I don't like 
this."
	They both slowly turned as a dark, sinister chuckle 
came from behind. Crouched low on top of the convertible's 
trunk was he, two golden eyes staring back at them with 
dark delight.
	"Ara ara," he said, his voice smooth but low and edged 
with a dangerous laugh. "Haruka-san. Michiru-san. Fancy 
meeting you two here."
	Their eyes widened as they recognized him.
	"Masaka!" aqua-green haired one exclaimed.
	"What are you doing here?" the tall sandy blonde 
snapped.
	He smiled, letting his fangs glistening silver in the 
moonlight. "I think I'm going to like it here after all."
	And then he was gone again, springing from the 
convertible and leaping onto a nearby rooftop. The two 
young women barely caught sight of his form disappearing.
	The tall, sandy blonde slowly turned to her companion. 
"I don't like this, Michiru."
	"Since when have you liked any of this?" the aqua-
haired one inquired.
	The sandy-blonde grinned. "If it wasn't for any of 
this, I would never have met you." Her gaze returned to the 
silhouette of the city. "We had better find him, and fast."


	She walked through the park alone, quiet and distant 
in her thoughts. On most other nights she enjoyed 
retreating here to be in solitude. For a long time she had 
been the outsider, scorned and feared by those who saw her 
healing magik.
	A few solitary leaves remained on the trees, and a 
number of them were floating in the breeze down at her 
feet. On most other nights she found comfort in the beauty 
of the world around her. But not tonight. More than 
anything she wanted her surrogate parents to pick her up 
earlier than usual.
	And then she heard a new legion of footsteps rapidly 
approaching her. She turned and found herself being 
encircled by people she knew only by perhaps a reputation, 
people she cared not to associate with. Bullies, gangs, 
arrogant and scornful of her; sometimes she had wished to 
summon the Mystwolves and have the entire Darkpack chase 
them for a few hours.
	But the Mystwolves were dead.
	The grim fact had the melancholy return to her face.
	"Aw, the little girl's sad," one of them taunted.
	She backed away, glaring at them but frightened none 
the less. For though she was sixteen soon to be seventeen, 
this gang held members who looked seventeen if not 
eighteen. And none of them were her friends.
	"Hey, little girl," the leader, laughing cruelly. "Why 
don't you want to play with us?"
	The man reached out to touch her cheek.
	"Leave me alone!" she shouted, smacking the leader's 
hand away from her. 
	Her glares told them enough; she was in no mood to be 
pushed. This glare had been constructed with a hundred 
painful memories of classmates taunting her years ago, 
going out of their way to cause her pain. So she had 
withdrawn and in doing so made certain they never had a 
chance to inflict pain upon her fragile form. She never 
wanted to show her true sadness, her weakness in being an 
outcast. And so she let them know when she was not to be 
pushed around.
	Yet this gang seemed to want to push regardless.
	"You damn bitch," the leader exclaimed.
	A few made steps to advance on her, encircling her on 
one side. She didn't care if they were hostile towards who 
she was; what she had witnessed was burned into her mind, 
just another memory she never wanted.
	"I told you," she shouted. "to leave me alone!"
	"You heard the lady," a new voice growled.
	They turned and saw a strange young man crouched atop 
a tree branch overhead, someone foolish enough to challenge 
them alone. But she saw the moonlight strike his familiar 
face. 	
	Her eyes widened. "Okami!" she exclaimed.
	"Who the hell are you?" one punk snapped.
	He smiled wickedly, displaying a twin set of fangs in 
his mouth. "No one of consequence if you leave now. But if 
you choose to stay, the remainder of this encounter will 
become...unpleasant."
	"Do we look like we give a shit?" one teen retorted
	He hissed, opening his fists and splaying his fingers. 
Each perfectly manicured nail suddenly became a savage, 
black claw unsheathed. Whatever patience he had summoned to 
control his rage was now lost.
	"To hell with this," he snarled, lunging off the 
branch for the nearest person. "To hell with you all!"
	Even though this was a girl, he did not care, striking 
the teen in the chest with enough force to lift the body 
off the ground and send the girl tumbling across the grass. 
He whirled, springing into the air once more.
	He landed in the middle of them all, placing himself 
between her and the gang. He hissed, displaying his fangs. 
"Who's next?" he asked savagely.
	They all converged on him as one. With a chilling 
battle cry he in turn charged at them, flinging as many as 
he could across the grass or onto the closest tree. One man 
produced a switchblade and jabbed it at him.
	"Okami!" she exclaimed.
	He gave an enraged growl through clenched teeth as the 
blade sank deep into his shoulder. With a vicious slash he 
swatted the assailant aside.
	The young man screamed, clutching a bloodied arm.
	He slowly turned, drawing his hand away from his 
shoulder. The knife was in his grip, dripping with his 
blood. Raising the blade to his lips, he ran his tongue 
down one side, savouring his own taste.
	The leader was the only one left standing, and she 
could see that this teenager was terrified. "What in the 
hell are you?" the man exclaimed.
	Suddenly he whirled, launching the knife at another 
gang member who was struggling to rise. The blade sank 
pinned the boy's hand to a tree trunk, and the teen 
screamed.
	He lunged for the leader of the gang, both arms 
seizing the boy and crashing them both against a tree. "I 
could crush your throat right here," he snarled, eyes 
blazing with the soul of a deadly wolf.
	"Please!" the young man cried, choking out the words. 
"Don't kill me! Oh god, don't kill me!!"
	He snarled, licking his fangs with his tongue. "I gave 
you but one chance to leave--a first for me. But I shall 
never give second chances." He leaned into the teen's face, 
slowly opening his mouth to let the fangs protrude and inch 
ever so closer to the man's throat. Within his eyes was 
every intention on giving only the mercy of a quick death.
	"Don't kill me," the teenager cried, tears streaming 
down a bloodied face.	
	The eyes flashed in a pure thirst for vengeance as he 
held the thug's neck in place. "My huntbrothers asked for 
that, and received only death. So death I give unto 
you...Shin'ne."
	"No!" she screamed. "Okami, please! Stop!"
	His head snapped to her direction, his eyes narrowing 
as he closed his jaw and retreated from the young man's 
neck. He was staring at her, waiting for an explanation.
	"Yamete," she pleaded. "Don't do this, Okami. They are 
not your enemy."
	As guilty as they were, these were merely arrogant 
children caught in the wrong place with the wrong enemies. 
She knew that he was venting his rage over losing his kind. 
But this was not like him.
	A part of his eyes flickered, recalling the partial 
humanity he possessed as a Mystwolf. That there were 
emotions beyond hatred, rage and vengeance. That there was 
another reason for him to live.
	He nodded to her. "As you wish."
	The grip around the young man's neck was lost, the 
teen collapsing to the ground and gasping for air. He 
stalked away from them until he was by her side. Then his 
glare returned to those who had threatened her.
	"You're not worth the effort," he snarled at them. "I 
have met hobgoblins that showed more courage than you. But 
if you so much as touch this girl again, the next time we 
meet I won't be so...merciful."
	And to emphasize his point he snarled once more, 
stretching open his jaws to display the lethal fangs. His 
eyes were caught in the moonlight, and those fallen before 
him saw his blazing gold eyes.
	The teens stumbled away with whatever was left of 
their pride and bodies. One cried in clutching their hand, 
the blade pulled out of the tree but left in their palm. 
Slowly they disappeared into the shadows.
	With the adrenaline leaving his body, now the pain set 
in fiercer than he could have recalled it being. He dropped 
to his knees, grimacing as he clutched his wounded 
shoulder.
	She tried to help but he pushed her away.
	"I'm fine," he stated.
	She reached out again, and this time he did not resist 
as she gently placed her fingers on his body. "Please," she 
said, touching his shoulder.
	She closed her eyes and summoned her magik.
	His eyes widened and he hissed as a warm sensation 
shot through his entire chest, radiating out from the 
shoulder. Every nerve felt like it was on edge and ignited. 
He fought well against the urge to squirm and escape; that 
would only do more damage than healing.
	Abruptly the pain stopped, leaving his shoulder numb. 
But the gaping wound was sealed; not even a scar remained. 
He smiled as he tested his arm.
	"Arigato, Hotaru-chan," he said. He smile faded as she 
seemed to grow paler than before, and collapsed into his 
arms.
	"Hotaru-chan!" he exclaimed. "Hotaru-chan!"
	"Daijobu," she whispered, smiling weakly at him. 
"Whenever I heal someone, it drains much of my own energy."
	He propped her seated form against his own, holding 
her tightly as if afraid that if he let go he might lose 
her forever. "I never thought you would get into trouble 
like that, Hotaru," he remarked.
	"I'm sorry about your shoulder," she said. "Usually 
when I heal it is a painless ritual."
	"I am far from a resident in your world," he answered, 
tilting her face up to his. "Your magik has different 
reactions when met with mine."
	He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. There was a 
passion shared between them, and she felt her strength 
return with his touch, his warmth tingling all through her 
mind, her breasts, her legs.
	Slowly they drew apart. "I thought I had lost you 
there in the valley," he whispered. "I don't want to ever 
go through that hell again."
	"Okami," came another voice.
	He slowly lifted his head, though did not appear as 
much on the defensive as before. She was thankful; she 
recognized that voice, and didn't want him engaging in 
unnecessary battle.
	Two silhouetted figures stood before them.
	"You move fast," one said. It was a woman's voice, and 
a very cold voice at that. But it was one he knew well 
enough to identify without being able to see the face that 
went with it.
	"I'm impressed you found me so quickly, Haruka-san," 
he remarked.
	"My mirror shows me everything, even those hidden 
behind illusions and shadows," the aqua-haired woman said. 
"Your presence is unlike anything I've ever seen; the 
mirror picked you up right away."
	"We're the only creatures save the ghosts who can 
freely cross over," he said with a chuckle.
	"Why are you here anyways?" Michiru asked. "This 
arrival really doesn't seem to concern the Mystwolves at 
all."
	His eyes grew cold, though not towards them. She held 
his hand, felt his grip tighten. That fear of losing her 
was returning. She could sense it.
	"Something has come from the Dreamworld to Earth," he 
stated solemnly. "And before it came here, it slaughtered 
not only my darkpack, but every last of my kind that ever 
roamed our realm. No one was spared save me."
	The two young women exchanged glances. 
	"That chilling cry from last night's dream," the 
sandy-blonde murmured.
	"I'm sorry," the aqua-haired woman said quietly.
	"Feel pity for the creature who did this," he snarled. 
"It will visit hell in its final breaths as I tear it to 
pieces and scatter its blood across both worlds. I am the 
only Mystwolf left now. I alone am left to exact my 
revenge." 
	"It can't be a Shadowdemon," the tall, sandy-blonde 
said. "Karasu told us they were confined to the Dreamworld. 
Raven angels are the same way unless there is 
intervention."
	"Maybe it's a Bogeyman," the aqua-haired one 
countered.
	He shook his head. "No, not Bogeyman nor hobgoblin nor 
Shadowdemon. This one moves differently. This one smells 
differently. This...is something new."
	He chuckled bitterly, his laughter low and dangerous. 
Every part that looked human was countered by the very wolf 
essence that shone through his eyes and reflected through 
his actions. "It fell upon the Darkpacks, and there was 
nothing I could do to stop it."
	"It wasn't your fault," she said, trying to comfort 
him, to let her be to him what the odango-haired blonde had 
been to her in that lonely and dark hour.
	The sandy-blonde turned to the aqua-haired woman. 
"This could be a very clever trap. Can Karasu verify this?"
	"The Wanderer has disappeared again like the ghost he 
is," he cut in, his voice still possessing that wolf-like 
growl. "He could be in the volcano's underground catacombs 
for all I know. He doesn't carry a scent like the other 
creatures."
	"We should find the others," the aqua-haired woman 
said. "Perhaps the guardians can help in identifying this 
new enemy."
	"Where do you think we should start?" the sandy blonde 
inquired.
	"We can all meet at Rei's shrine," she said weakly. 
"That is where they usually come together regardless."
	"My car's just at the edge of the park," the sandy-
blonde said, kneeling down next to her with an outstretched 
hand. "I'll carry you there, Hotaru-chan."
	"No!" he snapped, gripping the sandy-blonde's wrist. 
	His sudden hostility took the women aback. He slowly 
rose to his feet, helping her up before scooping her up in 
his arms. In her weakened condition she could do little to 
protest. 
	"I will carry her," he stated. 


	She had regained most of her strength by the time the 
convertible was nearing the grounds of the Shinto shrine. 
The aqua-haired woman had contacted the others, who were 
also on their way. 	
	She felt his fingers brush away some bangs of raven 
dark hair away from her face as she gazed down into her 
lap. He was leaning closer to her, and placed his other 
hand on top of hers.
	"Okami-chan," she said. "I want to thank you for what 
you did earlier tonight."
	At the wheel, the sandy-blonde glanced at them in the 
backseat through the rear-view mirror.
	"I used to live for my clan," he said quietly. "for my 
huntbrothers and sisters. Now they are gone, and in their 
place is a vendetta I have sworn to exact."
	There were no tears in his eyes, though she could look 
into his soul and witness the pain he was crying through. 
He had mourned already, and it had now passed.
	"All I have left is you, Hotaru-chan," he stated. "You 
alone are my only reason for existing now. You were ready 
to become our Darkqueen. I ask you now to take up the title 
and the honour. And I swear that my every breath shall be 
dedicated to protecting you."
	She held her breath, staring into his golden eyes. He 
tilted his head, slowly closing his eyes in the hopes of 
once again kissing her. She gently placed her palm on his 
cheek, guiding him closer. And then he jerked back, his 
slitted eyes flashing in the streetlight.
	"Wait!" he snapped. "It's here. I can smell it!"
	He released his restraint, standing up.
	"Okami, will you sit down?" the tall, sandy-blonde 
exclaimed, slowing the car down.
	"It's laying in wait for another attack," he snarled. 
"I won't let it happen again. This time it's mine!"
	Suddenly he was catapulted from the moving vehicle of 
his own magik, soaring past the convertible and landing 
upon the stone dividers that marked the tiered landscape. 
	"Okami!" she called out, straining to see him. All she 
found was a brief shadow that threw itself into the tangle 
of trees and disappeared.
	"Okami!" the sandy-blonde exclaimed angrily. 
"Shimatta. We have to put a leash on that guy."
	"I think he would simply chew through it," the aqua-
haired one replied. 


	They walked together, arm in arm, towards the sign 
proclaiming: FIRE RIVE TEMPLE. The long-haired blonde 
sighed contently, leaning against the shoulder of the raven 
knight.
	"Strange getting a call to come to the temple so late 
at night," he mulled. "And by Michiru-san of all people."
	"You know what they say, Ki-chan," she said with a 
vivacious smile. "Absence of your heart will kill you!"
	With a sigh, the raven knight said, "That's 'absence 
makes the heart grow fonder', Minako-chan."
	The she giggled, embarrassed.
	Abruptly Kishi paused, turning back at the empty 
street as if searching something out amidst the deserted 
road and its shadows.
	"Ki-chan?" she asked.
	Sapphire eyes narrowed. "There's something out here."
	Suddenly a volley of violet light exploded from the 
darkness, striking Kishi in the chest. The long-haired 
blonde cried out as he was sent crashing into the stone 
wall, held in place and continually being pushed further 
into the rock.
	He gasped as the stones shattered more, blood dripping 
from the cuts all across his body. Beneath matted bangs of 
moss green hair, two sapphire eyes narrowed. 
	"Mi...na...ko," he gasped.
	Laughter filled the air. It was a woman's laughter, 
harsh and evil, laced with desires of death and 
destruction. A bizarre silhouette emerged, pulsating with 
dark violet hues, advancing towards Kishi.
	 "How ironic," a woman's voice remarked. "that the 
turncoat demon will be the first."
	"Stop!" she shouted. Magik had transformed a regular 
outfit into a sailor battle fuku, and bestowed unto the 
long-haired blonde ancient powers of another life. 
	"I am the soldier of love and justice," she exclaimed. 
"I will not have you hurting my boyfriend just when we were 
getting romantic! I am Sailor Venus!"
	The woman turned, and two eyes of hatred glared at 
her. "I remember you," the voice hissed. 
	Suddenly another attack struck the long-haired blonde, 
throwing her into the side of a parked car. The windows 
shattered, the car's frame--and guardrail in front of it-
dented upon collision. The long-haired blonde whimpered, 
collapsing onto the sidewalk, head hung low.
	The woman's form began to become more defined, long 
strands of dark hair billowing out in the night winds. The 
spectre moved towards Kishi, a hand opening up towards him.
	"What...are you?" the raven knight demanded through 
gasps of air.
	The guardian was only met with laughter. "First you 
shall die. And then your soulmate with the blonde hair 
shall follow you."
	Kishi let out a silent scream, forcefully ejected from 
the wall and hurled across the sidewalk into the guardrail 
as well, the raven knight falling at the feet of the long-
haired blonde.
	Both were breathing, but still.
	The woman laughed cruelly. "Pathetic fools."
	And then something exploded through the air, striking 
the ground mere inches from the woman's body. The pulsating 
aura whisked the woman away to a safer distance as the 
sidewalk blew like a geyser of stones and magik.
	It rained down dust and rock shards as a young man 
slowly lifted his hand from the epicentre of the crater and 
rose from his crouched stance. Two slitted cat's eyes 
flashed at the woman.
	"Your fight is against me, you bitch," he snarled, his 
 tongue running along his fangs.
	"Mystwolf," the woman's voice hissed.
	He crouched low, his body arching. "I will never let 
you hurt Hotaru-sama." 
	"Baka," the woman snapped. "You would have been safer 
back in the Dreamworld."
	He was knocked aside by a blast of magik, crashing 
into a telephone pole. That barely even seemed to faze him; 
a second later he lunged for the woman's shadowy form. Yet 
he was met with nothing. Whirling he saw the spectre 
looming over the raven knight and the long-haired blonde.
	"To make Hotaru feel pain, I do not have to touch her 
right now."
	He hissed, unsheathing his claws. "Touch them, and it 
will be the last thing you ever do."
	Suddenly he was hurled backwards, smashing into the 
wall. The crushing force pushed him further into the stone, 
threatening to have his body implode. With an enraged howl 
he fought but was held back.
	The shadow of the woman cackled once more, reaching 
out for the head of the long-haired blonde. "Sayonara, Aino 
Minako."
	And then came a new attacks:
	"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
	The woman's form rippled with dark energy as the magik 
struck. Seconds later the frothing blade of a scythe tried 
to cleave the spectre in half. The shadowy silhouette 
dissipated, but was not destroyed. Instead only that same 
harsh laughter was left to echo across the street.
	He grunted as the crushing grip on his body was 
released, and he fell onto his knees. Slowly he stared up 
at those who had intervened.
	The tall brunette stood there, ready to launch another 
attack. And only a few steps away was the masquerade 
wraith, the Tsunami scythe poised for a second strike. And 
there were others too, converging upon this place.
	"Okami-chan!" a familiar voice cried out.
	His eyes found her racing up to him, embracing him. He 
wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. Her hair 
still smelled of the hotsprings where they had met for many 
nights in another realm. 
	"Don't you ever do that again," she scolded.
	He glanced past her, to the couple injured before he 
could arrive. A grim silence reigned over them all.
	The dark-haired shrine girl grimaced, gently touching 
the bloodied face of the long-haired blonde. "We need to 
take them inside immediately."


	She felt her stomach tightening up as the dark-haired 
shrine girl and the shrine protege emerged from the private 
room. Inside the long-haired blonde and the raven knight 
were recovering.
	"They'll survive," the shrine protege said. "But they 
were both busted up pretty badly. Whatever attacked did so 
with no hesitation or mercy."
	They were all in an adjoining room now, seated and 
staring at each other. The odango-haired blonde was finding 
comfort in the arms of the dark-haired prince. The raven 
angel was kneeling on the floor next to the tall brunette, 
their hands clasped together. The blue-haired genius was 
but a few steps from the masquerade wraith, who had opened 
another fusama and was staring out at the Shinto shrine 
grounds. Apart from everyone else, the sandy blonde and the 
aqua-haired woman leaned against different sides of a 
wooden beam, arms crossed over their chests. 
	She, though, was like the odango-haired blonde, 
seeking refuge in the arms of her Mystwolf. She felt warm 
in his arms, strangely though comfortably distant from all 
this. He was her only sanctuary, and by his own words he 
had sworn to protect her.
	"First the Mystwolves, and now us," the tall brunette 
said. "It's attacking everyone we value most."
	"No," he countered, his eyes fixating on her. "It's 
attacking everyone she values most. The first pain it 
wishes her to feel is the pain of her friends."
	"Then this is personal," the sandy-blonde stated. 
"Someone wants Hotaru to feel genuine torture."
	She shuddered, staring down at the floor. This was all 
her fault, then. She squeezed his hand, and smiled despite 
her tension when he shifted his body to become like a 
second skin around her.
	"But what could hold such a hatred towards her, and 
still possess enough magik to cross between worlds?" the 
raven angel asked. "Has anyone ever felt this aura before?"
	The masquerade wraith walked over to her, extending a 
hand. "Okami, is there anything you can tell us about it 
from your fight."
	Coldly he slapped the hand away, hissing.
	"Hey," the masquerade wraith snapped. "I'm only trying 
to help, Okami. It's after us too and I for one am not 
going to just simply let it come."
	He seemed to bristle defensively, though said nothing 
in response. She felt his grip around her protectively 
tighten, and reached back to touch his cheek as he nestled 
his head into the base of her neck.
	The masquerade wraith turned away, moving towards the 
open partition that would take them to the December night.
	"Where are you going, Meikyu?" the odango-haired 
blonde asked.
	Meikyu cracked a dark smile. "Hunting."
	"Wait!" the blue-haired genius exclaimed, racing up to 
the wraith. "Meikyu, you don't have to do this. Please, 
don't do this."
	"Daijobu, Ami-chan," Meikyu said caressing the blue-
haired genius' cheek. "I've always come back, haven't I?"
	She held her breath as abruptly her Mystwolf released 
her, and rose. 
	"I shall go with you," he said, surprising everyone.
	"Okami-chan," she whispered. "Neither of you have to 
do this." Her eyes trembled at the thought of being alone 
again, of being left to pain and sadness. 
	"Look," the masquerade wraith stated. "Either we 
search this thing out now, or it will attack us one by one 
until it gets to Hotaru...or Ami-chan." Meikyu turned to 
him. "I would be honoured to hunt with a Mystwolf, Okami-
san. Let's kill it together."
	He stalked past the wraith. "No. Only I kill it. You 
can wound it all you like, but I shall be the one who kills 
it."
	"As you like," Meikyu said, exchanging looks with the 
raven angel.
	He turned, kneeling down before her. "Hotaru," he said 
quietly. "Believe me when I say that I would walk through 
the fires of hell to protect you. But that thing's out 
there in the city, and I cannot rest until I know it's 
destroyed. If I have offended you, my queen, please forgive 
me."
	With one last kiss to her cheek he followed the wraith 
to the partition. The two slipped out, Meikyu closing the 
fusama behind them. 
	She lowered her head.
	"He was willing to exact revenge even when it meant 
leaving Hotaru all alone," the tall brunette fumed. "What 
kind of a guardian does that?"
	"One who is torn between duties," the dark-haired 
prince answered. "But he still trusted us enough to leave 
Hotaru in our care. With all the rest of us here, she 
should be safe."
	"When a Mystwolf is angered," the raven angel said. 
"nothing short of death can stop it. That's why the 
Bogeymen attack in large groups, and why hobgoblins stay 
far away. That is why raven angels and Shadowdemons pay 
them respect. To tangle with one is to pick a fight with 
every last Mystwolf alive."
	"But he is the last Mystwolf alive," the dark-haired 
shrine girl said.
	"And that makes him all the more dangerous," she said 
quietly, staring at the closed fusama. "Okami, be careful."


	She stared out at the darkened skies of the winter 
night, at the deserted courtyard of the Shinto shrine 
grounds. His eyes seemed to shimmer amidst the twinkling 
stars, in behind the shadows of the trees.
	The voice of the odango-haired blonde rose up for a 
moment, and she glanced back at her friends through the 
fusama. The others were inside, some caring over the long-
haired blonde and the raven knight, others talking about 
this new enemy. She had wished to be alone; she had to 
gather her thoughts, her emotions.
	"Okami," she said quietly, her deep violet eyes 
lowering to the cobblestone ground.
	How many times had she actually spoken to him that she 
loved him? Perhaps it was reflected in her eyes whenever 
she was in his embrace. But his devotion went beyond words 
and actions. She could feel it radiate from his body 
whenever he was near her, a secure magik that enclosed her 
in gentle howlsongs and Mystwolf lullabies.
	Once, what seemed now to have been an eternity ago, he 
had asked her to be his darkqueen, the Empress over all his 
kind. No mortal from Earth had ever been asked that; it was 
her honour--and thus her responsibility.
	Now he was all she had left from the Dreamworld, and 
he was trying to protect her by stalking something that 
seemed bent on making her suffer. But why?
	"He's mine...." a woman's voice whispered to her.
	She spun around, suddenly on the defensive. But all 
she saw was the eerie shadows of a darkened night. "Who's 
there?" she demanded.
	Only that taunting laugh came in response, cruel and 
scornful towards her. "He's walking into my trap, and soon 
his royal wolf's blood will decorate my robes. Can you stop 
them, Tomoe Hotaru? Can you stop me?"
	And for a moment she saw images explode into her mind: 
a devastated street, the masquerade wraith's broken body 
laying in the shadows of a shattered window, a stranger 
bearing the mark of a lost soul.
	More would suffer unless she made a stand. 
	She quietly slid the fusama shut behind her. "Gomen 
nasai, minna," she whispered. "But this is after me, and I 
have to stop it."
	She was no longer a child, dependant on everyone else 
to protect her. This was her responsibility, and she would 
fight alongside Okami to protect them all.


	The streets of Tokyo were busy at this evening hour, 
yet not as busy as they would have been a littler earlier 
on. Amidst a large crowd of people waiting to cross the 
street, two souls were hunting.
	"I can feel it," he said, either purrs or growls 
escaping with his words. The masquerade wraith could feel 
his thrill for exacting revenge rise within his voice. His 
slitted eyes flashed once again, and a few people seemed 
hesitant to stay near him.
	The crossing signal appeared, and the crowds began to 
file across the street. But the masquerade wraith stayed 
back, instead moving out to the centre of the intersection.
	"You can't hide from us," Meikyu stated icily, slowly 
turning to the shadows there. "I've seen every trick a 
creature of evil can perform, so I can feel your presence a 
mile away."
	The shadows of the street began to pulsate, possessed 
with sudden new life. The pedestrians started to whisper in 
confusion and fear as these shadows came swarming together 
to form a black cloud of darkness. 
	From within the cloud the silhouette of a woman 
appeared. Two eyes of hatred pierced the darkness, glaring 
at them. "So you know all my tricks?" laughed a voice. 
"Well let's see how you deal with this one...Meikyu."
	Meikyu's eyes widened as the shadow flung a car--an 
occupied one. The wraith exploded into the air, opening the 
living ocean mask to become lost in the mystic waters that 
carried the guardian through the vehicle like a ghost. When 
Meikyu emerged, the driver was in Meikyu's arms, being 
carried with the waves.
	The car smashed on top of another parked car, crushing 
the rooftop. There was the loud sound of twisting metal and 
shattered glass.
	Meikyu slowly rose after gently laying the woman out 
of the line of fire. "You're playing just a little too 
rough!" 
	He leaped into the air, landing next to Meikyu. "This 
creature likes to play dirty," he said. "She seems to live 
for it. In fact, I'm impressed that she seems to know all 
our names--even the ones of the Earth warriors."
	Another car was lifted into the air, hovering and 
poised to fly somewhere new. He shouted in fury as the car 
was flung at him, throwing out his arms as the 
undercarriage struck his body, dragging him across the 
street and grinding him into the side of the building.
	"Okami!" Meikyu exclaimed, whirling towards the 
woman's shadow. "Damn you!"
	The woman laughed. "Come now, Hunter. Do you really 
believe you can win?"
	Suddenly the mangled body of the car bounced across 
the roadway between them, leaving behind it a sickening 
echo of grinding metal against asphalt. The hole gouged 
into the side of the building revealed him to be still 
alive.
	There he stood, his golden eyes burning with intense 
rage at the shadow. The jacket was gone, torn to shreds. 
Even his shirt and pants were torn in a numerous places, 
bleeding. Yet the Mystwolf seemed oblivious to his wounds. 
Fists clenched, lips curled back to display his twin sets 
of fangs, his battle aura of crackling silver energy 
swarmed around his body.
	He glanced down at his left shoulder, grotesquely 
contorted and out of shape. The collision had dislocated 
it. Of his own will the Mystwolf jerked back his shoulder, 
setting it into joint with a hideous pop. The pain was too 
intense, and he threw back his head to unleash a bellow 
that shattered the windows behind him.
	"She's mine, wraith!" he snapped, stalking towards 
them.
	The woman laughed, and with another wave of a hand yet 
another car flung itself at him. But this time the Mystwolf 
stayed his ground, pushing back and actually holding the 
vehicle at bay.
	"Tenacious fool," the woman remarked, making another 
rapid gesture. Abruptly the car gained more force and tried 
to crush him into the road. 
	"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Meikyu snapped, the 
scythe appearing. The masquerade wraith smashed the scythe 
blade into the road, and a deadly wave of the tsunami's 
powers tore up the asphalt as it charged towards the woman.
	With a contemptuous laugh the silhouette made a simple 
gesture, dispelling the attack. "Was that the best you 
could do?" cackled the voice.
	"Shimatta," Meikyu hissed.
	And then a volley of blak magik converged, pummelling 
Meikyu with enough force that the wraith was thrown from 
the road, hurled into the air. He watched grimly as 
Meikyu's body collided with a telephone booth, tearing 
apart the wooden frame and shattering the glass panels. Yet 
that didn't stop Meikyu's flight--not until the wraith 
struck a large, plate glass window. Shards of glass cut up 
Meikyu's tumbling body, where it finally came to rest atop 
a restaurant table, legs dangling over the sides.
	With deliberate unhurried motions Okmai turned away 
from his fallen comrade and faced their enemy.
	"I guess that just leaves you and me, Mystwolf," the 
woman said, the shadows pulsating all around the 
silhouette.
	The tsunami scythe began to twitch, gaining new life 
and breath of its own will. Abruptly the weapon flung 
itself into the air, the blade spinning to cut off his 
head. He dodged the strike, leaping aside. Out of the 
corner of his vision he saw a streak of blue, and then his 
right shoulder exploded with a numbing pain. He lost his 
balance, crashing to the ground.
	The next thing he saw was his own blood running in 
small rivers beside his face. He picked himself up, shaky 
in his motions, and gently touched the bloodied slash 
across his right shoulder.
	"That," he hissed. "hurt."
	"If I had wanted you dead, I would have killed you 
already," the spectre replied. "No, Mystwolf, I wish for 
you to be alive. When your beloved comes, then your life 
will end."
	He chuckled darkly, rising to his feet despite the 
wounds. "I fear you shall find that rather difficult once 
I've ripped off the arms and legs on that body of yours."
	"Okami," the spectre said, its voice filled with sweet 
evil. "You cannot fight forever. Where else do you see an 
ally who might help?"
	"Turn around," came a new voice.
	Out from behind a veil on nothingness a tall, young 
man with shining blonde hair walked into the carnage. A 
sword possessing the full furies of a storm was in the 
young man's hands, poised to strike.
	"Will I do as an opponent?" the man inquired.
	The woman glared at the newcomer. "Karasu." 
	The spectre raised its arms, another van starting to 
hover off the ground. A frightened driver threw open the 
door and flopped onto the road, scrambling away and 
screaming loudly. The van launched itself at the Wanderer. 
With a glare Karasu stood still as the van was suddenly 
struck by an invisible wall, crushed into a thin cube as 
fragments were thrown across the street--but not before the 
vehicle burst into a fireball that cast an eerie crimson 
glow upon the street.
	"Wanderer...." 
	Karasu glanced around the street as the mysterious 
voice of a woman whispered the title. The shadow seemed to 
vanish, leaving them alone on the chaotic street. 
	He landed next to the Wanderer, staring solemnly at 
the young blonde man. "So, the Wanderer has returned after 
all. And you knew exactly where to come."
	Karasu removed the shades, crystal blue eyes staring 
into his golden cat-eyes. "I'm not as attuned to the 
movements of the Dreamworld creatures as they are of each 
other. However, while this thing slipped through to Earth 
without my knowledge, your exit lacked subtlety."
	He growled, though not at his ally. "You saw their 
resting place, didn't you?" he said.
	Sadly, Karasu nodded. "I can't offer you any comfort, 
Okami. They were my friends too. I just want a part in 
exacting revenge. You can kill it; I just want to help in 
the maiming."
	"Do you honestly believe you can destroy me?" the 
woman's voice snapped. 
	The two whirled as an enormous violet light exploded 
towards them, casting eerie shadows upon their backs. He 
hissed, baring his fangs. "Looks like you might get that 
wish sooner than expected, Wanderer."
	"Silence Wall!"
	This defense came from a familiar voice, and his eyes 
widened as a barrier field smashed into the woman's attack, 
saving them all. "Hotaru!" he snapped, turning. "What are 
you doing here?"
	She stood before them, walking out through a cloud of 
dust and smoke, dressed in a sailor battle fuku and 
wielding a deadly glaive.
	"If it's me she wants," she answered. "Then she shall 
fight me. I don't want to see anyone else hurt because of 
this."
	"Kuso! She told you where to find us, didn't she?" he 
snarled. "Hotaru-sama, this was a trap designed to flush you 
out, away from those other soldiers!"
	Abruptly the barrier dissipated, and the war-torn 
streets returned. The shadow was closer now, the air filled 
with crackling dark energy. Karasu's head jerked back as a 
legion of glass projectiles streaked past them. 
	He threw himself over her, using himself as a shield. A 
few shards punctured his back, but seemed to hold no effect on 
him. 
	"Arashi!" Karasu shouted, leveling the storm sword to 
the ground. The lightening magik screamed its way towards the 
shadow, and actually struck something instead of fading like 
mist.
	"Impressive, Wanderer," the voice remarked. "You I might 
spare if not to have a worthy opponent. But as for the 
wolf...."
	Suddenly a powerful attack knocked him aside, sending him 
tumbling across the roadway. A heartbeat later the ground beneath 
Karasu broke apart, catapulting the Wanderer into the skies. He 
rolled onto his stomach and pushed off from the asphalt while 
Karasu leaped aside and landed on the ground.
	But now she was left alone to face the enemy.
	"Who are you?" she demanded. "Why are you doing this?"
	"I have suffered grievously at your hands, Sailor 
Saturn," the spectre said coldly. "I have returned to pay 
you back tenfold. Shin'ne."
	She raised her glaive, the blade catching the light of 
the moon. "Silence--!"
	She became lost in a dark aura that swallowed her up 
and seconds later spat her out. The glaive clattered to the 
ground as her fragile body twisted through the air and then 
struck the streetlight pole with a horrific sound.
	"HOTARU-SAMA!!" he shouted, exploding into the air and 
landing at her side. 
	Karasu came between them and the living shadow, 
brandishing the storm sword. "To get to them you'll have to 
get past my illusions first."
	But no attack came. In fact it was just the opposite; 
the shadows were fading away, the force behind them 
retiring. "Sayonara, Hotaru," the woman laughed, the voice 
drifting off into oblivion as well as the spectre. 
"Sayonara...."
	Regrettably, the Wanderer let the entity leave.
	The Mystwolf seemed oblivious to the end of the 
struggle, gripping her hands and running his fingers down 
her pale skin. "Hotaru-chan," he whispered, lifting her up 
and pressing her against his body. "Damn you, why don't you 
ever listen?"
	She smiled weakly, her eyes fluttering open. "This was 
something I...I had to do." Her eyes closed and she lasped 
into a dark sleep.
	"Okami-san," the Wanderer said, putting a restraining 
hand on his shoulder. "We have to return to the temple. 
That creature will be back soon."
	His eyes widened, hot tears spilling down his face. He 
set her down, and then turned on the closest thing to vet 
his rage. In a fury he whirled, smashing himself into 
Karasu. "I want blood!" he snarled, ramming Karasu into the 
pole and hoisting the Wanderer's feet off the floor.
	Abruptly Karasu's body slipped through the pole like 
it was water, and became lost from his grip. He slowly 
turned as the Wanderer reappeared from behind.
	"And you'll get your revenge," Karasu stated. "But 
right now we have to get both of them to a safer place. 
This blak magik counteracts my healing illusions, and 
unless we get them to Rei-chan's temple, they are dead 
already." 
	He nodded, pushing his rage back down into the pit of 
his stomach for a later time. It would come soon enough; 
that much was certain. "I will carry Hotaru. You take the 
hunter."
	"Wait," Karasu added. "There's something else we need 
to do now, Okami."
	He slowly turned around, watching in silence as the 
Wanderer opened up a palm to display a crystal orb.  


	The odango-haired blonde stared out at the open 
fusama, concern revealed in eyes of crystal blue. The 
embrace of the dark-haired prince was of little comfort, 
for somewhere out there they all had sensed warring magiks. 
All but two had remained, keeping close watch on their 
wounded friends; the two who left were adamant about 
finding her.
	"I just can't believe Hotaru-chan would go out and not 
tell us," the dark-haired shrine girl scolded. "She knows 
the danger she's placing herself in."
	The raven angel nodded in agreement, squeezing the 
hand of the tall brunette. "We just have to trust that 
Haruka and Michiru, or else Okami, can find her in time. 
Whatever is attacking us has more power than I've ever 
seen."
	"And it's getting bolder with each new attack," came a 
new voice.
	Everyone turned to see a young man with shining blonde 
hair and eyes hidden behind a pair of shades enter the 
Shinto temple grounds. In the young man's hands was a 
wounded masquerade wraith.
	"Meikyu-chan!" the blue-haired genius cried out, 
rushing outside to the fallen wraith.
	"Daijobu, Ami-chan," the Wanderer soothed. "He just 
needs to rest."
	"Komban wa, Karasu," the dark-haired shrine girl said, 
smiling upon seeing the Wanderer.
	Karasu smiled. "Rei-chan. I wish I could say it was 
good to see you again, but under the circumstances let's 
skip the greetings. Whatever attacked the darkpacks, and 
Minako and Kishi, just tried to kill Meikyu and ourselves."
	He emerged from the shadows behind Karasu, cradling 
her form close to his chest. He was exhausted but alive 
none the less.
	"Okami!" the odango-haired blonde said, relieved. But 
then the odango-haired blonde saw him more clearly, blood 
dripping down his forehead and rivers running down his 
right arm. And in his arms was his beloved, his Darkqueen.
	"Hotaru-chan!" the tall brunette exclaimed, racing out 
onto the pavilion. "Okami, what happened?"
	He aggressively snapped at the tall brunette, his 
attack impeded by the fact that he was still carrying her 
in his arms. He refused to give her over to anyone else, 
taking her inside and laying her down on a futon.
	She smiled weakly, and managed to sit up. "Gomen, 
Okami-chan," she whispered. "I'm sorry I made you worry."
	He shook his head, caressing her neck. "Talk later, 
Hotaru-sama."
	"Don't be too harsh on her," Karasu said, laying 
Meikyu out on another thin futon. "She saved our lives."
	"She shouldn't have been there in the first place," 
the tall brunette stated.
	He whirled, glaring at them all. "That is why I left 
her here in your care! Can I trust no one among you with 
Hotaru? I've already lost all my kind, and I am not ready 
to lose her too!"
	"Not all the Mystwolves are dead," the Wanderer spoke 
up.
	There was dead silence in the room.
	"What?" he exclaimed, spinning around. 
	"How is that possible, Karasu?" the dark-haired prince 
asked.
	Karasu removed the shades, stretching out both arms. 
Suddenly the room was bathed in a shimmering blue light 
that forced everyone to step back. A series of glowing orbs 
flashed into being around the Wanderer's body. These 
crystals grew until they were the size of the ones Karasu 
used for wielding illusions, their glassy surface fading to 
reveal the souls inside. 
	As she looked at the crystals, she recognized the 
forms curled up within, sleeping and unaware of it. Within 
each orb was a Mystwolf, and the orbs seemed to number just 
over twenty.
	"Masaka," she whispered.
	Karasu's eyes slowly opened. "This creature remained 
hidden even from my senses. But the Master of the 
Dreamworld led me to the Gathering, and I arrived when the 
battle began."
	There was a grimness in the Wanderer's crystal blue 
eyes. "Gomen ne, Okami-san. I only had enough time and 
magik to save one clan of Mystwolves from the slaughter. 
That is why I was unable to contact any of you, or even 
show up on Earth for a time; all my powers were exhausted 
from hiding these Mystwolves."
	He walked over to the Wanderer, placing his hand on 
Karasu's shoulder. "You did what I failed at, Karasu. You 
protected my huntbrothers and sisters. I am in your debt."
	The shades went back over Karasu's eyes. "I'll deduct 
it from the list of favours I still owe you, Okami. In the 
meantime, we need to count our losses. Meikyu's out of the 
fight now, and Hotaru's in no shape to do battle either." 
	She tried to gather enough strength in defiance to the 
pain, and pushed herself a little further off the mattress. 
"I can still fight," she stated. But her arms trembled and 
she stifled a gasp, falling back.
	"Hotaru!" the dark-haired shrine girl exclaimed, 
catching her from the fall. The dark-haired shrine girl 
bandaged her and treated her wounds, while the shrine 
protege tended to Meikyu.
	He looked on fiercely, held back by the Wanderer and 
the raven angel.
	"You will not help her by interfering with them," the 
raven angel stated, glancing down at his bloodied shoulder. 
"In fact your own wounds should be checked out."
	"I'll live, Sora," he countered icily, pushing away 
from them.
	He knelt down next to her as she was being tended to, 
taking her hand in his and squeezing it. He shed no tears 
but they all could read the concern he held for her. Such 
fierce dedication his breed held close to the heart.
	And she was his Darkqueen, his soulmate. She smiled, 
feeling him channel his own formidable battle aura into her 
body. Some of the pain faded away, and she sighed in 
relief. Both of their bodies were glowing with a silver 
aura, like sparkling starlight.
	"For you, Hotaru," she heard his voice whisper through 
the gentle winds of his aura. "I will never let them harm 
you again so long as I still breathe."
	"Okami, you can't transfer all your strength to her," 
the blue-haired genius spoke up. "You're already weakened 
from the last battle."
	"I survived getting hit by that car," he countered. "I 
can still take whatever that creature came throw at me."
	"He got hit by a car?" the odango-haired blonde 
exclaimed.
	He laughed darkly at the memory, his shoulder still 
filled with numbing pain after being dislocated. "Flying 
car, actually. Grinded me right into the side of a 
building."
	"Hai, and then you threw it back across the road," the 
Wanderer added. "You can take a lot more than anyone else, 
but even still you can only take so much."
	"But Hotaru needs her own strength," he snapped. 
"Dammit, don't you see? Whatever this woman is, she's bent 
on killing Hotaru. We're just pawns in the game!"
	She tried to push against the hands of the dark-haired 
shrine girl. "I can make it," she stated, wincing as 
newfound pain streaked through her chest.
	She had to try. This was not a time to give up, not 
when everyone depended on her. This was her fight; why 
couldn't they just understand that? She was no longer a 
little child.
	"Hotaru, in this fragile form you cannot hope to 
survive another attack," the dark-haired prince said. "It's 
a miracle you survived at all. You need rest."
	"Hotaru-chan," the odango-haired blonde agreed. 
"Please let us help. You are in no condition to even fight 
right now."
	"Then let her take the bite of the Mystwolf," he 
stated, his golden eyes flashing to meet the odango-haired 
blonde's gaze.
	For a moment silence filled the room. The girls 
questioned what his words meant, while the two remaining 
guardians glanced uneasily at each other.	
	"The magik of the Dreamworld is nothing like the magik 
of Earth," the raven angel said somberly. "There's not 
telling what might happen to her if the magik of the myst 
runs through her body. It could very well kill her."
	"Okami, remember what happened when I tried to force 
my way into the Dreamworld with my own magik," the Wanderer 
added. "Remember that first favor I owed you."
	He shook his head at them. "It is her choice. This is 
her battle, and as I am her protector, so too is it mine. 
But this risk must be one she alone decides to take." 
	She saw the solemness in his golden eyes; he knew very 
well that she could die. A part of him cried out for her to 
refuse, yet another part saw that she might die without the 
power of his magik.
	"I'll do it," she spoke up.
	The room fell silent once more as everyone turned to 
her; she was sitting tall and determined, though fear of 
what might happen was within her eyes. 
	"Are you willing to take the risks?" the tall brunette 
pressed.
	She nodded, squeezing his hand. He tightly held onto 
hers. If he was there beside her, she could endure the 
pain. They had come through so much together already; she 
knew for certain that he would never leave her side.
	"So be it," the Wanderer spoke up, a crystal orb 
flickering to life. "There is a way around the problem, 
though. Whatever pain Hotaru feels from the merging can be 
locked inside this illusion. She will feel nothing, but 
instead sleep."
	"What's the problem, then?" the blue-haired genius 
asked.
	The Wanderer turned to him. "I cannot simply 
extinguish the pain inside this illusion, or else I would 
undo all the effort of the merging. Someone else has to 
take Hotaru's place in feeling the pain."
	He glanced away from Karasu and over to her, his 
golden cat-eyes flashing in the dim shadows of the room. He 
stepped forward, his hand closing over the crystal. 
	"Then take me," he stated. "It is the least I can do 
for the risk Hotaru-sama was willing to take for me."
	"Okami, are you sure?" Karasu asked cautiously. "As 
resiliant as you've proven yourself to be, you are in no 
real condition to take the merging of two magiks. You could 
be killed instead of her."
	His gaze was cast back at her for a moment, and she 
couldn't help but shiver at how dangerous yet how 
compassionate his eyes were in that moment.
	"For Hotaru," he answered, taking the crystal into his 
hands and pushing the orb into his chest. The illusion 
rippled slightly, absorbed into his body. 
	"Okami-chan," she whispered. He was willing to do this 
for her? It seemed stupid of him to do so, yet she knew 
that in her condition she would not survive. Her guardian 
was walking in death's shadow that she might live.
	For a moment he showed slight discomfort but it 
passed.
	"I'll be outside," Karasu stated, drawing back to one 
of the fusama. "Sora, Yuichiro, Mamoru; would you please 
accompany me? Our enemy's bound to make another attack, and 
I don't want us to be caught offguard."
	The dark-haired prince nodded, leaving the odango-
haired blonde and rising. "Mamo-chan," the odango-haired 
blonde said, hesitant to see the dark-haired prince leave.
	"Daijobu, Usa-ko," the dark-haired prince answered. 
"I'll be back before you know it."
	Sora gently kissed the tall brunette's cheek. "Mako-
chan, we'll be together again in our dreams tonight. I 
promise you."
	The shrine protege embraced the dark-haired shrine 
girl, caressing her cheek. "Hey, if I survived Bogeymen I 
can survive this, Rei-chan."
	At that Karasu glanced away, the light from the 
candles flashing across the shades and hiding his eyes from 
everyone else. The Wanderer disappeared through one of the 
screens, presumably to be outside.
	The three guardians left the building, closing the 
fusama behind them. He watched them go, finally looking 
back to the girls staring at him. "We will need someplace 
private," he stated. "A place where I will not be 
disturbed."


	She glanced around at the small room presented before 
them by the dark-haired shrine girl. There was a futon on 
the floor, and some candles at the corners of the paper-
covered dividers.
	"I hope this is what you need," the dark-haired shrine 
girl said. "Just try to keep it down; so far we've been 
able to hide this fight from my sleeping grandfather. I 
don't want to blow it now."
	"Leave us then," he said.
	The dark-haired shrine girl nodded and slid shut the 
fusama. Now they were alone. She embraced her Mystwolf, 
hesitant for what would follow next. In truth she was 
frightened; this was new to her, completely foreign. He 
held onto her tightly, brushing away some of her raven dark 
hair away from her face.
	"Hotaru," he said quietly. "This will make you like 
me: a Mystwolf. And even moreso, this will truly make you 
our Darkqueen. After that my life will mean nothing so long 
as you survive. You must understand that, no matter what 
happens."
	And suddenly he brought her closer to his chest, his 
eyes closed as he tilted down his head and kissed her. "I 
love you, Hotaru. Nothing will ever change that, not even 
death."
	She smiled, resting her head against his shoulders. 
Already the wound on his one shoulder was sealed, though 
the healing process was far from finished. "Okami-chan," 
she answered, running her fingers down his defined chest. 
She glanced over at the futon. "We should begin."
	He nodded. "As you wish. Remove your shirt then."
	She drew back, slowly unbuttoning her black blouse. It 
drifted down as she released it, rippling as it met with 
the wooden floor. He glanced down at her breasts, running 
his hand down her side. She shivered.
	Taking her hand in his, he sat her down on the edge of 
the mattress, kneeling down before her. His slitted eyes 
flashed a haunting gold in the candlelight.
	"It will hurt regardless," he stated, and though his 
voice was still edged in the dark tone of wolf there was 
concern for her, his Darkqueen.
	"Hold me tightly when it happens," she answered, 
taking a deep breath and bracing herself.
	Guiding her hands away from her chest, he slowly 
opened his mouth. The twin sets of fangs grew out at the 
corners of his mouth, glistening. She held her breath, 
suddenly questioning her choice.
	For a heartbeat his eyes met hers, and then he lunged. 
He sank his fangs into her skin just around her breast, 
droplets of blood running down from his lips. She fell 
backwards onto the futon, and he kept pressing against her, 
not allowing his fangs to retreat from her flesh.
	She cried out in pain, her legs wrapping tightly 
around his back as she pulled him closer to her. 
Relentlessly he continued to bite down, not quite drinking 
her blood but forcing it to run free around his lips and 
down both of their bodies.
	Her fists clenched, fingernails raking down his 
shoulders. He grimaced as she drew his blood. Abruptly he 
pulled back, raising his head as her blood dripped from his 
mouth. She stifled a gasp as she felt his fangs pull out 
from her skin.
	And then he lifted his lips to her, and they kissed. 
She tasted her own blood, warm and bittersweet. There was a 
strange exhilaration that suddenly flooded her body. She 
gasped, arching her back as she still clung to Okami's 
form, pushing her breasts against him.
	"Okami-chan!" she cried out.
	Her grip on his body relaxed, her eyes closed and her 
body slowly lowered itself onto the futon. He smiled, 
helping her down.
	"Hotaru-sama," he said quietly, kissing her forehead. 
With his palm he caressed her skin, brushing her stomach 
and breasts. She sighed in her sleep as he touched one of 
her nipples. Already the wound was starting to seal itself, 
the blood still there but only a closed scar remaining.
	He straightened up, sitting on the edge of the 
mattress. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could feel 
what might have been pain. Covering her up with the 
blankets, he grimaced as one of his legs erupted in sudden 
agony, as if every nerve in his body was on fire.
	"Chikusho," he muttered.


	Guests were anxiously waiting outside the fusama as he 
slid open the wall panel, leaving her alone to rest. They 
were the raven angel and the odango-haired blonde.
	The cool evening air brought comfort to his soul; 
these winds were just like the ones his darkpack had used 
to run with. Had it been so long? His thoughts returned to 
the Wanderer, and the last clan of Mystwolves kept hidden. 
Soon they all would be avenged, by Mystwolf blood or else 
by none.
	"Where are the others?" he said.
	"Helping with our injured friends," the raven angel 
answered. "I fear they do not share your rate of physical 
healing."
	Quietly he slid the fusama closed behind him, trying 
to move out into the Shinto shrine's courtyard. But the 
odango-haired blonde blocked his path; he read the genuine 
concern in her trembling crystal blue eyes.
	"Is she alright?" the odango-haired blonde asked 
expectantly.
	"She sleeps," he answered. "Now forgive me if I do not 
remain here for a time." He brushed past them, limping 
slightly as he moved outside. Abruptly his form became 
blurred as he leaped into the air, disappearing past the 
trees of the park surrounding the Shinto shrine.
	"Is he alright?" the odango-haired blonde asked.
	"Her blood will burn with the magik of the myst," the 
raven angel said. "But now her pain is his, and it will 
test whether or not he can survive the merging of two 
different breeds of magik."
	And then an anguished howl echoed across the Shinto 
temple grounds, coming from deep within the trees of the 
surrounding park. 
	"Okami," the odango-haired blonde whispered, suddenly 
breaking into a run.
	"Hey!" the raven angel called out. "Usagi, where are 
you going? Usagi! Usagi!" 


	He fought.
	He fought with pain, with electricity streaking 
through his veins and his entire body burning with intense 
fire. Every muscle was flexing and relaxing at will, his 
insides twisting around. Finally he could run no longer to 
forget the pain, collapsing onto the damp grass and curling 
up into a ball, clenching his jaw and growling. Somewhere 
just at the edge of the trees before him he could see the 
waters of a lake or a pond. 
	"For you, Hotaru-sama," he hissed. "I shall bear this 
pain."
	He pushed off the grass, forcing himself to take one 
more step forward, and then another. If he wished for his 
Darkqueen's survival, he had to endure the pain, that when 
she awoke he could protect her.
	"Okami!" he heard a female voice call out.
	He turned and saw the odango-haired blonde racing 
towards him. "Are you a fool, girl?" he said. "You should 
be with the protection of the others."
	"Then what about you?" the odango-haired blonde shot 
back, stopping a few paces from him.
	He tried to stand, but only fell against a tree. Two 
blazing cat-eyes glared at her. "You're the one they call 
Usagi?" he asked. The odango-haired blonde nodded. "Usagi, 
you have not even the slightest idea what is going on. You 
know nothing about me or my kind. Go away." 
	He glanced away, limping towards the clearing. Out 
beyond that he could see the rippling waters of a large 
pond, the moonlight shimmering off the waves. So much like 
the hotsprings....
	Abruptly his knees were overcome by immense pain, and 
his entire body shook. The odango-haired blonde was at his 
side in an instant, taking his arm and helping him stand.
	"I can take it!" he snapped, pushing her back though 
stumbling onto his knees in the process. The shoulder that 
had felt the tsunami scythe was raw and giving him the most 
pain; he was almost tempted to rip it off in the hopes of 
the pain going away.
	"Why do you keep pushing us away?" the odango-haired 
blonde asked of him. "We only want to help because we care 
for Hotaru-chan just as you do."
	"If you want to help, then leave me now," he hissed, 
clutching his chest defensively. "Go back to that temple 
and guard her while she sleeps. I can handle myself."
	He turned away, walking towards the edge of the lake. 
Perhaps his body might be soothed by its cool waters, just 
like when he swam in the Dreamworld.
	"That's not the only reason you're out here, is it?" 
the odango-haired blonde pressed. "You ran from the temple 
to be alone, to bring whatever's attacking us to you and 
not to Hotaru."
	He chuckled and looked back at the odango-haired 
blonde, his fangs glistening. "Very impressive, Usagi. I'm 
a prime target for this creature, and I can feel it coming 
closer. But now it will come to me, and not to her."
	"In this state you won't survive!" the odango-haired 
blonde protested. 
	His strength left as a new wave of pain struck, and he 
sank back down to his knees. Resignedly he remained there. 
"I love Hotaru," he said quietly. "I have ever since she 
first bathed in those hotsprings and saw our darkpack 
emerge from the forest. You saw the horror at the 
Gathering. I thought I had lost her there; I swore then 
that so long as I live and breath I will never let it 
happen again. Not to Hotaru-chan."
	"Then let us help, please," the odango-haired blonde 
asked, reaching out a hand. "We understand the pain you're 
going through."
	His cat-eyes flashed at her in the pale moonlight.
	"Tell me," he said icily. "Have you ever seen everyone 
you ever cared about stolen from you in front of your eyes, 
and there was nothing you could do to save them?"
	Stunned at his harsh words, the odango-haired blonde 
opened her mouth but her voice was choked from within. 
	He laughed scornfully, turning his back. "I guessed 
not."
	"Hai!" she shouted with passionate anger.
	He slowly returned to meet her gaze, surprised by the 
emotional response. And so the Mystwolf listened as the 
odango-haired blonde told him of Galaxia. One by one the 
people she treasured most were taken: first her beloved 
prince, then her closest friends, and finally those who 
fought for her cause.
	All the time his glowing eyes were solemn, never 
leaving the sight of the odango-haired blonde. Finally when 
she ended he showed a response.
	"Perhaps I was wrong about you, Usagi," he said. "But 
even still you live on the other side of both our codes. 
These Senshi were willing to die to protect you, their 
princess. I know from looking into your eyes that you 
cannot understand this sacrifice yet. But I am just like 
them, for now Hotaru-sama is our Darkqueen, and if I die so 
that she may live...then I will accept it."
	The dedication burned through his eyes, and the 
odango-haired blonde found her own eyes trembling. The 
Mystwolf slowly rose, shaking out his body. "The pain has 
ended," he stated. "The merging of magiks must be complete; 
we have our Darkqueen at last."
	"But will she have any subjects left for her?" 
inquired a new voice. 
	He whirled, snarling in recognition. "So, you finally 
decided to show up, did you?"
	Between a set of trees a pulsating aura emerged, 
filtering out like a writhing stormcloud. All around the 
violet mist black magik crackled and sparked, sending out a 
cold chill across the night air. The silhouette of a woman 
emerged, staring at them both.
	"Okami, I'm glad to see you recovered from the last 
injuries I inflicted upon you," the voice laughed. "I like 
having a body cleansed before they're broken."	
	"Who are you?" the odango-haired blonde demanded. "Why 
do you want to hurt Hotaru-chan?" 
	The spectre turned to her, and two eyes narrowed in 
sadistic desires. "I remember you," the woman hissed upon 
looking at the odango-haired blonde. "You should feel as 
much pain as Hotaru for what you have done."
	The odango-haired blonde faultered for a moment; did 
they know this enemy, a shadow from their past? But who 
could it be? 
	"How convenient you both are here for me," the woman 
said. "Once I destroy you, Hotaru will be next."
	His eyes widened, though not in fury or shock. Instead 
they opened wider to display the manifestation of his 
wolfen magik in his blazing golden cat-eyes. His silver 
bangs were dancing wildly around his head as the battle 
aura surrounded his form.
	"Just try it!" he snarled, smashing his clenched fist 
into the ground. All around him the glowing battle aura 
exploded from beneath the grasses, sinking into a small 
crater. The attack erupted from the epicentre, rampaging 
and tearing through the ground as it shot towards the 
shadows.
	With a wave of a hand, the spectre summoned a barrier 
that crashed into his attack, both forces lost in a flash 
of light. As the light died down, he was already on a 
charge. But another gesture from the woman sent him hurling 
backwards, striking the water and sending up a tremendous 
wave.
	"Okami!" the odango-haired blonde shouted.
	Suddenly he punched through the surface, soaring 
through the air and landing in a crouch alongside the 
odango-haired blonde. He vigorously shook his head, drying 
out his hair. The deliciously malevolent gleam his eyes was 
shining brighter. "Ne, now is that all the power you've 
got?"
	He directed his attention over the odango-haired 
blonde. "Usagi, get the hell out of here," he said. "This 
is something personal I intend to take care of."
	"No!" she protested.
	"Just leave!" he snapped.
	"The only way out now is death," the woman's voice 
stated. What looked like large, demon wings unfurled from 
behind the silhouette, and then a volley of small 
projectiles were unleashed.
	They were organic spikes.
	The odango-haired blonde's eyes widened as the 
gleaming points of the spikes shot towards her. And they 
sunk into flesh, spraying out blood with a sickening and 
audible series of dull thuds. But the odango-haired blonde 
was not the one struck. He was there before her, grimacing 
through clenched teeth and fangs, eyes blazing in golden 
fury. 
	"Okami!" she cried out.
	He dropped to his knees, trembling as he looked at the 
neat rows of needles piercing his skin. "Damn you, Usagi," 
he muttered with a bittersweet smile and laugh. "That was a 
perfectly good defense I wasted."
	A blast of blak magik sent his weakened form hurling 
through the air, striking a nearby tree. The trunk 
shuddered with the impact but was unbroken. None the less, 
there was nothing between the odango-haired blonde and the 
shadows of evil.
	"Now, the White Moon princess," the woman snarled, a 
hand raised to unleash an attack directed at the odango-
haired blonde. There was no time to react before the 
pulsating violet light erupted, seeking out the girl.
	The odango-haired blonde cried out, stepping back and 
tripping on the grass. Sprawled out she watched in horrific 
silence as the blak magik came closer and closer still.
	"World Shaking!"
	And with that new shout a new attack shot through the 
park, colliding with the woman's attack. Their impact left 
a smouldering crater mere feet from the odango-haired 
blonde, who was trembling.
	"Who dares to defy me?" the woman exclaimed, the 
spectre and its shadows spinning around.
	The shadows of the trees slipped away to reveal the 
sandy-blonde and the aqua-haired woman, both clad in their 
own sailor battle fukus.
	"You led us on quite a chase," the sandy-blonde 
remarked. "Are you that afraid of fighting us?"
	"If you fear anyone," he snarled, rising to his feet 
and wiping a thin trail of blood from his lips. "then fear 
the Mystwolf. Did you think that would stop me?"
	His entire chest was glistening in crimson, as well as 
his arms and his face. Slowly he reached for one of the 
spikes in his forearm and then pulled it out, showing 
little reaction to the pain.
	The woman laughed. "That was merely a warm-up, Okami. 
Now all of you can feel the wrath of my dark magik."
	The entire park was starting to ripple with contrary 
magiks as his battle aura erupted once again to rise 
against the spectre's dark aura. The sandy blonde and the 
aqua-haired woman exchanged glances.
	"What do you think?" the sandy blonde asked.
	The aqua-haired one smiled. "A reckoning is in order, 
and it would be rude of us to simply stand down now."
	The sandy blonde nodded. "My thoughts exactly."
	And then a loud shout echoed across the entire park:
	"STOP!"
	It came from her, the one bearing the mark of Saturn, 
the one who had taken the bite of the Mystwolf to become 
the Darkqueen.
	"Hotaru-sama," he whispered in awe.
	Her skin was pale just as it had always been, but now 
it glowed like the white moon. Dressed in her sailor battle 
fuku, the deadly Silence glaive in her hands, she stood 
there defiantly before the pulsating darknesss.
	Behind her were the ranks of the legendary warriors 
still able to fight: the tall brunette, the blue-haired 
genius, the dark-haired shrine girl. And with them the 
guardians of the Dreamworld: the Wanderer, the raven angel, 
the shrine protege. 
	The odango-haired blonde turned as a young man dressed 
in a black tuxedo and wearing a white mask landed near one 
of the trees. "Usa-ko," the dark-haired prince said.
	"Mamo-chan," the odango-haired blonde exclaimed, 
throwing herself into the prince's embrace.
	The Darkqueen approached him, and he smiled through 
the blood and the pain as he caught sight of twin fangs 
protruding out from the corners of her mouth.
	"Hotaru-sama," he said, kneeling before her. "My 
queen."
	"Rise, Okami," she said, touching his cheek.
	The Darkqueen slowly turned to face the entity of evil 
before them all. Her eyes caught the moonlight, and they 
were glowing gold, cat-eyes. "You attacked my friends," she 
stated icily. "and you murdered my darkpacks. I will never 
forgive you for what you've done."
	The shadows jeered at them. "None of you has the power 
to destroy me," the woman laughed. "I am more powerful than 
any of you could possibly hope to destroy let alone defeat. 
One by one, you will all die."
	"I've heard enough of this crap," the Wanderer 
growled.
	"Who are you?" the sandy-blonde demanded angrily.
	And then the woman stepped out from the shadows, the 
spectre finally revealed. Among the ladies present, a 
stunned silence reigned.
	"Masaka," the aqua-haired one gasped. "She was 
destroyed."
	Standing before them was a woman with long dark hair 
flowing out past her face, reaching down around her back. 
Piercing eyes of deep, evil violet stared out at them all 
with a love for the destruction around them.
	That had once been the woman's mission: to summon a 
force bent on annihilation of the Earth. She wore a low-
cute, dark dress adorned with strings of small black pearls 
draped around her dressed and over her arms. And in the 
centre of her forehead was the marking of a black star.
	"Who is she?" the raven angel asked, still in a 
defensive stance with the furies of the winds encircling 
him.
	"Mistress Nine," the odango-haired blonde whispered.
	"Should we know her?" he asked, turning to his 
Darkqueen.
	She looked upon this older version of herself, a skin 
of evil that had thrived on her ancient, dormant magik of 
death and rebirth. Her deep violet eyes trembled in stunned 
fear; this spectre had been destroyed when she retook her 
soul to become the Senshi of the planet Saturn.
	He took her silence as a response. "If you killed her 
once," he growled, his tongue running down his fangs. "then 
that means we can do it again."
	"Baka," Mistress 9 hissed. "My powers are more than 
you could fathom! Welcome to the beginning of the end of 
your precious world. Hotaru, you I will save for last."
	"The hell you will," the sandy-blonde retorted, 
drawing out a mystic sabre, the blade glowing a brilliant 
white. The sandy-blonde charged, brandishing the sword. 
"Space Sword Blaster!"
	The sabre unleashed a volley of rapid fireballs, the 
sandy-blonde still charging behind them. Mistress 9 
deflected the fireballs with frightening ease. "Don't 
patronize me, Uranus. Your attacks never could touch me in 
the past, and now is no different."
	Suddenly a wave of blak magik smashed into the tall 
sandy-blonde, savagely catapulting the young woman into a 
tree. This time the tree was torn apart by the impact, bark 
and wood raining down as the sandy-blonde crashed to the 
ground in a battered heap.
	"Haruka!" the aqua-haired woman shouted. Fierce eyes 
the colour of the woman's hair glared at the demoness, and 
an attack was sumoned with torrents of water. "Deep 
Submerge!"
	That attack was subdued, and Mistress 9 launched a 
volley of spikes from demon wings once more. The aqua-
haired woman leaped and vaulted aside, but could not 
outmanoeuvre all the projectiles, crying out in pain as one 
sank into the woman's thigh.
	"Michiru!" she exclaimed, trying to race towards her 
friend. But she was pushed back by her Mystwolf. "Hotaru-
sama," he hissed. "You may be my Darkqueen, but don't defy 
me. Stay here."
	The Mystwolf lunged for the demoness, but was swatted 
aside and plunged back into the icy waters of the lake. A 
heartbeat later he erupted within a geyser, landing back 
onto the grasses, panting for breath and loving every 
minute of it.
	Mistress 9 turned to the odango-haired blonde. 
"Princess of the White Moon: now you die."
	The dark-haired prince scooped the odango-haired 
blonde up and leaped aside as blak magik carved a wicked 
gouge through the ground. But the demoness was expecting 
this, unleashing a second blast that caught them in 
midflight.
	"Mamo-chan!" the odango-haired blonde screamed as the 
dark-haired prince's body twisted, a spray of blood 
striking the girl's face.
	"Usagi!" she cried out to her friends.
	Even still, the dark-haired prince tried one last 
attempt to stop the demoness, throwing a red rose before 
the two crashed to the ground.
	The dark-haired prince gave a weak smile, slowly 
falling into a dreamless sleep. "Gomen, Usa-ko."
	"Mamo-chan," the odango-haired blonde whispered, tears 
forming in the girl's crystal blue eyes.
	Mistress 9 caught the rose in the air, crushing the 
petals. "I tire of these games," the demoness snarled, 
spinning around and delivering a blast of magik that struck 
the couple a second time. Lost in grief, the odango-haired 
blonde never saw the attack coming despite the cries from 
the others.
	Suddenly a flash of bright violet light exploded 
around the odango-haired blonde and the dark-haired prince. 
Standing between them and Mistress 9 was she, her Silence 
Glaive creating a barrier field to protect them.
	"You dare to hurt my friends?" she snarled, her cat-
eyes blazing with golden light. The combined auras of two 
worlds encircled her, turning the entire park into a 
brilliant display of swirling lights.
	"I'm not about to simply stand by and watch this," the 
Karasu muttered, a legion of crystal orbs appearing to 
flank the Wanderer.
	"What makes you think we're content to do the same?" 
the dark-haired shrine girl replied, an aura of fire 
erupting from open palms.
	The other soldiers began to summon their own deadly 
magiks, the raven angel and the tall brunette breaking into 
a run towards Mistress 9.
	"ENOUGH!" the demoness bellowed, throwing both hands 
into the air and unleashing a tremendous blast of dark 
energy that engulfed the park like a firestorm. Most of 
them barely even got to speak the first word of their 
attack before the wave overtook them with deadly force, 
scattering each warrior around the trees.
	Abruptly two leaped into the air, racing towards 
Mistress 9.
	"Karasu, go left!" the shrine protege shouted.
	The Wanderer gave a nod, Arashi drawn. The shrine 
protege and Karasu teamed up, one unleashing an illusion 
and the other striking the ground and sending out a 
shockwave of magik. But they held no effect, and Mistress 9 
launched a savage counter-attack.
	The dark-haired shrine girl rose out from a gouge left 
in the earth from that first attack, eyes widening in 
seeing the attack tearing apart the park to destroy her 
beloved. "Yuichiro!!"
	The Wanderer saw the projectile and grappled onto the 
shrine protege, throwing the young man aside. Karasu 
grunted in pain, taking a hit in the left shoulder, blood 
spraying out across the grass in behind. 
	"Shimatta," the Wanderer muttered, collapsing to the 
ground in a battered heap.
	The Mystwolf lunged once more, using the distractions 
of the others to get closer to his prey. "Kon chikusho!" he 
hissed, unsheathing his claws. "Aren't you forgetting who 
your real opponent is?!"
	He moved fast, but Mistress 9	moved faster, whirling 
and striking him down, clamping onto his neck and then 
hurling him back across the park. He tumbled to a stop at 
the feet of his Darkqueen, who was beside the odango-haired 
blonde.
	"Okami-chan," she scolded, kneeling down the help him 
rise once more. "You'll get yourself killed."
	"That is the duty of a Mystwolf," he answered 
solemnly, staring into her eyes. "Hotaru-sama, you are my 
Darkqueen. Everything I have belongs to you. And so long as 
I live nothing will harm you."
	"What are you saying?" she asked, her trembling eyes 
telling him that she already suspected and feared the 
answer.
	His palm gently caressed her cheek. "My life means 
nothing so long as you survive. You must understand that, 
no matter what happens." Slowly his vision focused onto 
Mistress 9. "Protect the others. Do not interfere with me. 
That is not a request, my queen. But know that no matter 
what happens, I love you."
	"Okami-chan," she protested weakly. But he had already 
pushed away, stalking towards the demoness.
	He growled at Mistress 9, tearing away the shreds of 
fabric that had once been his shirt. "Now we end this," he 
stated coldly. "One way or another."
	Mistress 9 laughed. "Are you that ready to die, 
Mystwolf?"
	He snarled, revealing his twin fangs.
	For one brief moment the entire park grew silent, and 
nothing but the biting winds could be heard beneath the 
light of a pale moon. The aura around him began to manifest 
once more, pulsating and swarming around his body. The 
demoness's laughter rang through the trees, the demon wings 
spreading large around Mistress 9.
	It was a stand-off.
	Abruptly the ground beneath him shattered, pummelling 
him with shards of rocks that cut apart his skin. With an 
enraged howl he leaped from the shrapnel, claws gleaming as 
he raked them down upon the ground. The arcs of the claws 
were lit up in a glowing sliver light, shooting forward and 
slicing a deadly path through the air. Mistress 9 countered 
with a barrier field, dispelling the attack. Magik 
scattered, cutting through trees with a single stroke and 
uprooting the grasses like an invisible wind.
	"Is that the full extend of your powers?" Mistress 9 
asked of him, the demoness' voice laced with taunts and 
malevolence.
	Suddenly the furies of the winds swept around him, and 
he was lost in the gales. Mistress 9 glared at the empty 
place he last was.
	A grey streak flashed behind some trees.
	Another across the waters of the lake, leaving ripples 
behind it.
	Yet another above in the midnight sky.
	And then one appeared right behind the demoness. With 
barely any time to react, Mistress 9 whirled and saw a 
large silver wolf pouncing. The form rippled and amidst the 
sudden explosion of magik the wolf became a young man with 
silver hair and blazing eyes.
	"Shin'ne!" he howled, burying his claws inside her 
chest. 
	Mistress 9 faultered, gasping at the wound. He 
snarled, retracting his claws, letting the demoness fall to 
the ground, long dark hair fluttering in the wind. Licking 
the blood off his fingertips, he started walking towards 
his Darkqueen.
	"Never again," he whispered.
	"Okami!" the odango-haired blonde screamed. "Behind 
you!"
	He whirled, only to see Mistress 9 standing once 
again. And then his entire sight went crimson and blurred. 
The world seemed to tip over, and he was vaguely aware of 
hitting the damp earth.
	Everyone called out his name, but they were vague 
whispers in the back of his mind. Though his fists were 
clenched tightly, he could deliver no more attacks as his 
strength ran out in scarlet rivers from his body. The sweat 
on his body seemed abruptly cold, and he could taste 
something bitter-sweet in his mouth.
	It was his own blood.
	He was on his side, curling up into a ball, his golden 
cat-eyes staring at the enormous bloodied hole that was 
once his chest, the blood gushing out and staining his pale 
skin, soaking into the grass.
	"Chi...kusho," he muttered.
	The harsh cackles of Mistress 9 echoed inside his 
brain. "I can't believe you thought I was dead. Foolish 
wolf, my magik is far stronger than that."
	The screams of his beloved reached his ears, and he 
smiled though his body was growing strangely cold and numb. 
In the corner of his vision he could see her struggling to 
reach him, held back by the odango-haired blonde.
	"Okami-chan!" she cried out, tears streaming down her 
face. "Okami-chan!"
	"Gomen ne, Hotaru-sama," he said quietly, his eyes 
slowly closing. "In the end I...I couldn't kill her. But it 
was good to see your...to say 'I love you' before...."
	With one last breath he surrendered to the eternal 
night. And there he died.
	"Okami-chan!!" she screamed. "Usagi, let me go!"
	"Hotaru-chan!" the odango-haired blonde cried, holding 
her back. "There's nothing you can do for him! You'll be 
killed!"
	She squirmed out from the odagno-haired blonde's grip, 
spinning and slapping her friend in the face. "Iie!" she 
shouted angrily. "He's not dead! He can't be dead! 
OKAMI!!!" 
	Her rage flickered as she saw the look of stunned 
sadness in the eyes of the odango-haired blonde, who was 
rubbing the cheek where she had slapped the girl. The anger 
died out, and she collapsed into the odango-haired blonde's 
arms.
	"Usagi!" she sobbed.
	She lifted her head from the odagno-haired blonde's 
breasts, glancing back at where her soulmate was resting. 
And her eyes widened with newfound fury.
	Mistress 9 was looming over his body, laughing 
cruelly. The demoness grabbed hold of his hair, hoisting 
his body off the ground.	
	"Let him go!" the tall brunette shouted, charging at 
the Empress. But with one glare from the Empress, the girl 
was catapulted backwards as magik met with greater, dark 
magik. The raven angel caught the tall brunette moments 
before the young woman would have struck a tree.
	"A shame he had to die," Mistress 9 said. "But this is 
far from over, Hotaru. Just as the Mystwolves were wiped 
out, so too shall I use my blak magik to end the life of 
every living thing on this planet."
	Slowly she rose to her feet, taking up the Silence 
Glaive. "Give Okami back to me," she hissed, her eyes 
burning with hatred. Mystwolf blood ran through her body; 
now she was understanding their thirst for vengeance.
	"Queen of the Mystwolves," Mistress 9 stated. "There 
is no one left of your kind. What else will you do, 
Darkqueen?"
	She was beside herself with rage and sadness, 
horrified and unbelieving at the scene before her. "Okami!" 
she shouted.
	But he made no response, lost in a cold, dark sleep as 
he remained in the arms of this Empress of evil. Instead, 
the harsh taunting laughter of Mistress 9 echoed across the 
devastated park.
	Dark mists began to filter out from the shadows of the 
trees, swirling around the demoness and the fallen wolf. 
Mistress 9's cackles became louder now. "He was but the 
first of you all to die. Let him serve as an example that 
no matter how hard you fight, not one of you will survive."
	The dark eyes of Mistress 9 focused on her quivering 
form. "Sayonara, Hotaru."
	And with one final laugh the demoness was swallowed 
up, taking him into the folds of darkness. A gust of wind 
swept through the park, dissipating the mists. Everything 
grew still in the aftermath; the only testimonies to the 
battle were the scars upon the trees and the grass. And 
those who had fallen to the attacks of dark magik.
	"She's gone back to the Dreamworld," the raven angel 
said. "And she's taken Okami with her."
	She turned away and looked at the others. The tall 
sandy-blonde was as battered as the raven knight, the aqua-
haired woman at the sandy-blonde's side. 
	"You always have to rush into things, Haruka," the 
aqua-haired woman said quietly. "Rest now, and I'll scold 
you later."
	The dark-haired prince was in the company of the 
odango-haird blonde and the raven-haired shrine girl. The 
Wanderer seemed oblivious to his bloodied shoulder. Many of 
the others were bruised and cut but not critically injured. 
 	She looked back at the odango-haired blonde, her 
golden cat-eyes slowly fading to reveal two sad but 
beautiful violet eyes. "I want to thank you for what you 
did, Usagi," she said quietly. "For the fight all of you 
helped me with. Perhaps we may meet together in another 
life, or another dream."
	Her tone was message enough.
	"Hotaru-chan...." the odango-haired blonde whispered 
hoarsely, clutching the dark-haired prince.	
	"What are you doing, Hotaru?" Karasu asked, taking a 
step forward.
	"I'm going after her," she answered. "I don't care 
where she goes; no place is safe for her now." Fierce cat-
eyes flashed once again. "I will have my revenge."
	"Hotaru, you can't win this fight," the tall brunette 
said. "Mistress 9 is more powerful now than she was before. 
None of us could touch her even when we combined our 
magiks."
	"I have to do this," she answered. "I owe Okami that 
much."
	She turned her head to the midnight skies, finding 
partial comfort in the warm beams of moonlight falling down 
upon her pale face. This might be the last time she ever 
saw the moon again. Her eyes closed momentarily as she let 
her skin soak up its rays. A smile flickered to life, a 
peace of what would come. 
	With a deep breath her violet eyes opened again. The 
fight was far from being over; the only difference now were 
the raising of the stakes. "I am their Darkqueen, and I 
will fight even for only one of them. There is a clan still 
alive, and they are in danger." Her eyes narrowed. "And 
what's more, I will not allow her to claim my Okami for her 
own."
	"You're too young to go up against something like 
that," the aqua-haired woman gently protested, not wanting 
to let her go. 
	"I'm not a little girl anymore," she snapped.
	"Hotaru," the blue-haired genius said, nursing a 
wounded arm.
	"Let her be," Karasu stated, placing a restraining 
hand on the blue-haired genius. "This Mistress Nine has 
just taken the life of a Mystwolf, and whoever's left will 
hunt her down until they kill her. And right now, Hotaru's 
the only Mystwolf left."
	They turned as a new tempest swept through the 
devastated park. A violet aura was glowing from her body, 
streams of sparkling silver winds dancing around her. With 
the glaive in her hands she cast one final look at her 
friends.
	Then she faced the dark shadows, jamming the base of 
her weapon into the ground. Everyone shielded their eyes as 
a pillar of light shot up from where she stood, reaching 
out to the stars and merging with the pale glow of the 
moon. As abruptly as the light had exploded it died out, 
sucked into a crater left in the earth.
	But she was no longer there in the park. Like Mistress 
9 and the fallen Mystwolf the demoness had claimed, she had 
vanished in that explosion of light. 
	"What just happened?" the blue-haired girl asked.
	"She jumped between realms," Karasu answered, wincing 
as he moved his shoulder. "Hotaru just crossed over into 
the Dreamworld."
	"Masaka!" the dark-haired shrine girl exclaimed. "If 
she does that, she'll become a lost soul!"
	"You don't understand," the raven angel countered 
solemnly, leaning on the tall brunette for support. "Hotaru 
has Mystwolf blood running through her body. Like them, she 
can now cross over at will."
	"Then it's not finished," the shrine protege stated.
	"But can she win against Mistress Nine?" the tall 
brunette asked.
	"That wasn't just Mistress Nine," the Wanderer 
countered. "There was something else behind the facade that 
wasn't human or of this world."
	The blue-haired genius looked at Karasu. "A 
Shadowdemon?"
	"I thought they weren't supposed to be able to cross 
between worlds," the aqua-haired woman said.
	"She's something new," stated a new voice. 
	They all turned and saw the raven knight limping his 
way between the trees. Though bandaged up and still 
sporting many scars, the raven knight was alive and awake.
	"Kishi," the tall brunette said quietly.
	"Sorry I couldn't make it here fast enough," Kishi 
said, wincing through the pain in his side. "I may be 
awake, but I'm far from recovering. However, I felt this 
magik of your battle, and I've never seen of her kind 
before among the demons."
	The odango-haired blonde looked down at the dark-
haired prince. "Mistress Nine was destroyed a long time 
ago. She had possessed Hotaru in trying to bring an entity 
called Pharaoh Ninety into our solar system. When Hotaru 
retook her own mind and became Sailor Saturn, Mistress Nine 
ceased to exist."
	"It would appear as if someone chose to resurrect 
her," the aqua-haired woman remarked grimly.
	"Impossible," the dark-haired shrine girl countered. 
"There was nothing of Mistress Nine left to resurrect."
	"What if it invaded her mind?" the blue-haired genius 
asked. "Could a Shadowdemon use the memories of Mistress 
Nine to resurrect her?"
	"That would explain a lot of things," Karasu agreed. 
"The Shadowdemon would gain incredible powers from both 
worlds. No wonder none of us could stop her."
	"Shadowdemons attack when your guard is at its 
lowest," Kishi explained. "If it attacked Hotaru's mind, 
then it gained magik from Earth along with its Dreamworld 
magik. She could cross through at will."
	"That creature is no longer Shadowdemon or human, but 
a powerful enemy none the less," the raven angel agreed 
quietly. "If it merged with this Mistress Nine, then the 
demon gained her powers...and a thirst for revenge to 
destroy everything Hotaru loves. What other magik could 
Hotaru weild to destroy her?" 
	The odango-haired blonde's eyes grew wider. "No...."
	"Shimatta," the tall brunette whispered. 
	Everyone but those originally from the Dreamworld 
seemed possessed by incredible fear, becoming silent, their 
bodies trembling.
	"This can't be good," Karasu remarked sourly.
	"What power does Sailor Saturn possess?" the raven 
angel pressed.
	"She is the soldier of death and rebirth," the aqua-
haired woman stated. "Within Hotaru is the power to destroy 
the world."



	It was the 13th hour as she alighted the tower. 
	This place was a Shadow kingdom, lost to the forces of 
the Shadowdemons. A domain torn apart and reborn into 
chaotic evils, it was forever cloaked beneath swirling 
stormclouds and streaks of blue lightening.
	All around enormous beasts were circling, unleashing 
howls and bellows that made her shudder at the sounds. They 
were the serpynts, wild and rampaging creatures meant for 
the lesser spawns to ride upon during conquests.
	She was only a few paces from the edge of a precipice, 
and far far below her was nothing but a pulsating mass of 
substance, perhaps cloud or perhaps something far worse. 
But that was lost in the distance. She was atop a lofty 
column of rock that jutted out from the pulsating darkness; 
the air here was cold and alive in blak magik.
	And the surface of this column was round, in the form 
of a clock. Dreamworld runes numbering thirteen ran around 
the perimeter, but there were no hands to tell the hour or 
minute. Instead there was a dark circle in the centre. 
Within it was a reflection of the Earth, her homeworld.
	"Welcome Hotaru," the voice of Mistress 9 echoed 
across the screeching winds. "I'm surprised you found the 
courage to face me in my own domain."
	A silhouette took form before her, sauntering towards 
the middle of the clock. And the cruel laughter began 
again. Mistress 9 appeared, the limp and lifeless body of 
Okami in the demoness' arms.
	She clutched her glaive a little tighter. "Release him 
now," she stated evenly.
	Mistress 9 blatantly laughed at her. "Hotaru-chan, you 
come into my realm, into my kingdom, and then you demand 
for one who is already dead?"
	Then the demoness unceremoniously let him fall to the 
ground, his blood no longer flowing yet the wound remaining 
grotesquely open for her see.
	"It's refreshing to see you face me instead of running 
like a little child," Mistress 9 said. "Now I will have the 
pleasure of making you scream in agony before I end your 
pathetic life. A pity, really; you and I could have ruled 
Earth, Hotaru. We could have been queens alongside Pharaoh 
Ninety!"
	"Mistress Nine was destroyed," she snapped, her wolf 
eyes flashing in the glow of the lightening. "I overcame 
your evil. You cannot be her!"
	"I was once a Shadowdemon," Mistress 9 hissed back. 
"But when I invaded your mind, I found this being of 
destruction and evil lying dead in sleep. Welcome to the 
resurrection of Mistress Nine, Hotaru. We have become one, 
and together we shall finish what we once started."
	Her eyes widened as the memory of that sudden 
throbbing in her skull returned. Could that have been when 
she was violated by a demon? It frightened her to think 
that they could attack a dreamer so easily.
	Mistress 9 looked down at the slain Mystwolf. "Why do 
you love him? I cannot believe you would be this foolish to 
come after me even knowing you both would die."
	She lowered her glaive, looking at her beloved with 
sad memories of their kisses and quiet moments. Never again 
would she be able to share them with him.
	"I have seen in his vicious eyes a quiet gentleness 
whenever he holds me," she answered. "It is something you 
could never understand, Mistress Nine. You are twisted and 
evil, incapable of such emotions. I pity you, demoness; you 
may be my own dark shadow, but without a soul to feel 
anything except a bitterness for destruction."
	Mistress 9 visibly bristled at that. "I saw your 
memories, Hotaru. We could have accomplished great things, 
but instead you fought me, and look what it did to you! You 
became a child again, unable to reclaim your former life."
	She took a step forward, yet found herself unable to 
attack as the memories she had for so long kept buried 
returned to haunt her. Of who she once was, of the hurt she 
had caused to so many of her friends.
	"I'll never forgive you for the pain you caused me," 
Mistress 9 snarled. "So I will take everything precious to 
you. First your Mystwolves, and then those whom you call 
friends. Those Senshi who helped you fight me, and their 
raven angels. You abandoned me, betrayed me, and for that I 
will make you beg for a quick death. This is the final hour 
you and your precious world have, Hotaru. When you are 
dead, I shall bring the Pharaoh back to earth and claim it 
for the Deathbusters."
	Her brooding ended with that, and cold vengeance arose 
within her soul. This was the reason she had chased 
Mistress 9 into the Dreamworld. Everyone had tried to 
protect her, and was hurt in the process.
	Okami had paid with his life.
	"Tonight may be a good night to die," she said, her 
tongue running down her twin fangs. "but I'm not about be 
the one who dies."
	Mistress 9 knelt down and savagely yanked up his head 
by his silver hair. "My patience is wearing thin. Take a 
good look at him, Hotaru! You shall be joining him soon, 
and then I will flaunt your corpses in front of your 
friends before they join you both!"
	She stared at the face of her Mystwolf, of her 
guardian and lover. His closed eyes were lifeless, his face 
pale and cold without breath or beating of a heart. All 
because of her, all for her. 
	"I won't fail," she whispered fiercely. "I won't fail 
now." She lifted her head to Mistress 9, tears spilling 
down her face. "Damn you, do you hear me?! I will not give 
up!!"
	And then Omaki's eyes opened.
	Suddenly his hands snapped up, clamping down on 
Mistress 9's wrist. He leaped to his feet, yanking on the 
demoness' arm.
	"HOTARU-SAMA!" he bellowed, throwing Mistress 9 over 
his head, launching the demoness towards the precipice of 
the clock. Mistress 9 shrieked, tumbling across the uneven 
stones, stopping right at the edge.
	She froze, sucking in her breath. No...this couldn't 
be. She had watched him die, breathe his last word that was 
of love. How was this possible?
	He stalked towards her and took her hand in his. 
"Hotaru-sama," he said quietly, smiling and baring his 
fangs. Leaning forward he kissed her passionately, and she 
felt his lips as his tongue met hers.
	This wasn't a dream.
	He was somehow alive.
	"Masaka!" Mistress 9 exclaimed angrily, rising up. "I 
tore your body apart! Not even a Mystwolf could have 
recovered from that damage!"
	This time it was his turned to chuckle savagely. He 
reached into his mangled chest, and pulled out from the 
gore a small object. Though stained with his blood, its 
form and essence was undeniable.
	He held in his hand a crystal orb, an illusion.
	"The Wanderer wishes to extend his kindest personal 
regards," he snarled, closing his fist around the crystal, 
shattering it. The hideous wound in his chest vanished, 
rippling like glassy waters.
	"If it's any consolation," he growled. "it did hurt 
like a bitch when you tried to kill me."
	Mistress 9 quivered with uncontrollable fury in 
watching them. 
	"Hotaru-sama," he said, turning to her, a malevolent 
spark in his golden cat-eyes. "Shall we end this now?"
	She smiled and nodded, abruptly grabbing his choker 
and lowering his head. Passionately she kissed him, 
exchanging the favour he gave to her. He wrapped her up in 
his arms, and they tried to steal the magik for each 
other's souls in that kiss. They drew back, and as he 
unsheathed his claws she brandished her Silence Glaive.
	"I will not be insulted like this," Mistress 9 
snarled, hair rippling and growing with a life of its own. 
"Yurusenai, Hotaru! Yurusenai!" 
	He hissed at the demoness, his eyes projecting the 
vengeance he was bent on exacting. "Upon your command, my 
queen," he said, crouching low.
	The blade of her weapon started to glow as if it were 
being heated by fire. "Okami-chan," she stated. "Take the 
initiative."
	He chuckled. "As you wish, Hotaru-sama."
	He lunged for Mistress 9, his body pouncing with 
incredible speed, leaving behind a trail of the silver 
light of his battle aura.
	Mistress 9 howled in fury, lashing out and using the 
blak magik of the kingdom to fuel this rage. Okami grunted 
as he was struck again with the full force of the demoness' 
power, sent toppling back even though his own aura was at 
its maximum.
	"Baka," Mistress 9 laughed at him.
	He grinned wickedly. "Who's the fool, demon?"
	Mistress 9 spun around upon hearing her words, the 
summoning of an attack: 
	"Silence Glaive Surprise!"
	There was a moment of dead silence; nothing happened 
in that moment. A split second later a blazing explosion 
tore through the clock, enveloping Mistress 9. The 
demoness' scream was abruptly cut off somewhere in the 
blast, and became silent.
	"For the Mystwolves," she said, watching as the 
smouldering remains of the clock came into view, a jagged 
crack shearing off the runes from 'one' to 'four'. "And for 
my friends."
	Suddenly another explosion of magik rocked the column, 
violently shaking the entire clock. He leaped and used 
himself as a shield as stones and debris were thrown in all 
directions. 
	"Shin'ne!" the voice of Mistress 9 howled, blak magik 
erupting towards them.
	She erected her barrier to block the attack, 
protecting them both. As the dust and smoke cleared, the 
figure of Mistress 9 slowly stalked out through the debris. 
A trickle of blood ran down from Mistress 9's cheek.
	"I swear I will skin you alive and make sure to keep 
you alive," the demoness snarled. "Then all your friends 
will be hung one by one next to you."
	"She looks thoroughly pissed," he remarked.
	"Shimatta," she muttered. The Shadowdemon magik and 
the powers of Mistress Nine had given the demoness more 
strength than they could do damage to.
	"I hate to say it," he growled. "but we cannot kill 
her, Hotaru-sama. Not here in her own realm. Perhaps 
tonight is a good night for us to die after all."
	But not every option had been exhausted; she still had 
one final attack left, one she had tried to use once on 
Earth. Only the odango-haired blonde had stopped her, 
protecting everyone. And now she found herself once again 
in the same situation.
	Only this time there could be no rescue.
	"There is one way," she said quietly.
	He glanced back at her, cocking an eyebrow "And that 
is?"
	"Destroy this kingdom," she answered solemnly. "I have 
one last attack that will annihilate this place forever. If 
the Shadowdemon has erected barriers to hold us in here, 
then the damage will only be limited to this kingdom."
	"And if she hasn't?"
	She bit her lip. "Then many dreamers may not wake up 
in the morning."
	"If I have to die," he said, moving in behind her and 
wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "then at least it 
will be with you, and taking that creature down with us."
	"What about a possibly reckless gesture?" she 
inquired.
	"If we don't stop her now there might not be anyone 
left to dream come tomorrow night," he answered simply, 
perhaps growling or perhaps purring in his smooth tone.
	She nodded. "There will be a moment of pain, Okami-
chan. And then maybe we can meet in someone else's 
beautiful dreams."
	He kissed the base of her neck, withdrawing slowly. 
"It has been an honour to serve you, Hotaru-chan."
	The Mystwolf stood behind her, focusing his battle 
aura into her body to give her more endurance for the final 
blow. Even though they were not together in body, in their 
last moment they would be joined at the soul with magik.
	"You would be willing to sacrifice this entire realm 
just to destroy me?" Mistress 9 cackled, blak magik rising 
up to meet her challenge. "If only you could have done the 
same for Earth, Hotaru!"
	Her eyes narrowed, the lethal magik within her soul 
manifesting itself into the blade of the Silence glaive. It 
was time for the last proclamation, the sentence of 
oblivion for this place. "Death Reborn--!"
	"Hold!" thundered a new voice.
	Suddenly the storm overhead grew fiercer, and a thick 
stream of lightening bolts struck the centre of the ruined 
clock, channelling together to give way to a new figure 
appearing in the battle. Another woman, though once again 
hidden in a silhouette. But there came with this shadow an 
aura of incredible darkness and evil, something that could 
be felt across even this poisoned domain.
	He moved in between her and the newest shadows, on the 
defensive once more. "The Shadowqueen," he growled. "What 
is she doing here?"
	Yet while he and his Darkqueen braced themselves for 
another struggle, they found themselves ignored completely.
	The Shadowqueen turned to Mistress 9. "Explain 
yourself."
	"Majesty," Mistress 9 said, reverently bowing. "My 
Empress, look! I have almost captured this girl's magik for 
you. I have even wiped out all but one of the Mystwolves 
who roam our world. Who else can claim such victories?"
	Suddenly Mistress 9 was blown backwards, knocked aside 
by a fierce blast of blak magik...that had come from the 
Shadowqueen. The demoness shrieked, the form of Mistress 9 
coming apart at the seams.
	The silhouette then focused onto them. "Kill her," the 
Shadowqueen instructed.
	"My Empress!" Mistress 9 screamed in newfound terror. 
	She deliberately hesitated, trying to catch herself in 
another dream. Tales upon tales of the cruelty of the 
Shadowdemons had come to her friends with the raven angels. 
But the fact that the Empress of every last living 
nightmare was telling her to destroy a creature of its own 
evil seemed too strange to believe.
	"What are you waiting for, warrior of Saturn?" the 
Empress said. "Destroy her!"
	"Her demon power's been sealed off," he said to her. 
"Destroy her, Hotaru."
	She nodded, stepping forward and raising the Silence 
Glaive to the air. "Silence Glaive Surprise!" she shouted, 
levelling the blade with Mistress 9's face. 
	The demoness' final expression was twisted and lost in 
the attack, but the scream of Mistress 9 carried on far 
after the woman's face was torn apart, echoing inside the 
winds. As the magik died down, she stared at the remains.
	Nothing of Mistress 9 was left. 
	Her darkest nightmare come to life had moved on in 
death; she sighed in relief, the tension seeming to 
disappear with the wisps of smoke rising out from the rocky 
terrain of the ravaged clock.
	"Minna," she said softly, her forehead pressed against 
the shaft of the glaive. "The threat is over. I have 
avenged you all."
	The ripples of the Shadowqueen caught her attention. 
She turned, though not ready for a fight. If they had been 
targets of this entity, they would have been killed while 
Mistress 9 was still alive.
	"Why?" she asked.
	The shadowy figure of the Empress stood out from the 
pulsating black mist before them. "Because I respect the 
Mystwolves." The Shadowqueen turned to him. "Okami-san, 
your kind has been avenged. Leave it at that."
	He never spoke a word in response, growling but 
restraining himself from an attack none the less. In this 
case there was no debt owed to either side; both had 
benefited. His bloodlust was over, and the Shadowqueen 
still had a world to try to conquer.
	"Sayonara, Darkqueen," the Empress said. 
	And then the clouds were sucked up in another fury of 
lightening bolts. The entire domain that had once belonged 
to the Shadowdemon become Mistress 9 was fading away, 
overtaken by the mysts that divided the realms of the 
waking hours and the kingdoms of the dreamers.
	"What happens now?" she asked, turning to him.
	He smiled, his twin fangs no longer visible. "Now we 
go home, Hotaru...together."
	Gently his hand reached out and caressed her cheek. 
She placed her own hand overtop of his, guiding him across 
her lips, down her neck, brushing over her breasts. He 
stepped in closer, his hands slipping around her waist.
	She pressed herself against his body, feeling his 
warmth and hearing his beating heart as she rested her head 
against his chest. Now she could only see the two of them 
drifting inside the mysts, dancing inside their dreams. She 
tilted her head, letting him brush aside her raven dark 
hair.
	"Hotaru-sama," he said, his golden cat-eyes looking 
down at her with dedicated affection. He lowered his head, 
and their lips touched. Her entire body was filled with a 
warmth that flooded her soul and caused her heart to beat 
faster. She clung to him tighter, lacing her hands behind 
his neck. 
	And it was as they became lost in the kiss that they 
faded from the Dreamworld.


	It was midnight in the jungle forest, and a crescent 
moon was shining down upon this realm that somewhere became 
the domain of the dragons. Here, nestled against a series 
of plateaus, a clearing had given birth to a beautiful 
spring of steaming warm water.
	 She stood waist-deep in the hotspring, sighing with 
closed violet eyes as the waterfall splashed down onto her 
pale skin, steam rising up from her body. Such was her 
contentment that she barely even noticed when fingertips 
began tracing the contours of her body along with the 
running water.
	Slowly she turned around, demurely opening her eyes. 
The deep violet hue was replaced with a golden glow and the 
eyes possessed of a cat. With a smile she lifted her arms 
and wrapped them around her lover's neck.
	"Komban wa, Okami-chan," she said.
	"Good evening to you as well, Hotaru-sama," he 
answered, tilting his head so that it too was being 
submerged beneath the waterfall, his wild bangs of silver 
clinging to his forehead.
	She wiped away the damp bangs, gazing into his own 
pair of golden eyes. Then pushing off the floor of the 
spring, she pressed her lips against his. They drank from 
each other's magik for a long time, finally breaking away 
with a passionate gasp for air.
	"So," he asked her. "Where do you want to stay 
tonight? What places would you like to roam, my queen?"
	"Does it really matter?" she purred, playfully nipping 
at the base of his neck. "We have eternity in our dreams to 
go anywhere."
	He chuckled, stroking her hair before unceremoniously 
pushing her backwards into the water. She let out a playful 
shriek and thrashed about, grabbing hold of his wrist and 
taking him down with her.
	They fought and kissed for much of the night, their 
magiks merging and becoming one at the body and soul. He 
took her hand in his, directing it down his chest until it 
rested over his heart. A strange warmth radiated out from 
his body as she touched his skin, flowing through her arm, 
the sensations causing her to gasp in ecstatic delight. She 
had forgotten about the incredible magik the Mystwolves 
possessed, how much it could be manifested with a mere 
touch or thought.
	Now she was sharing a part of that fierce magik.
	"Can you feel the pulse of the wolf?" he whispered. 
"Can you feel the Myst, the blood of our dreams?"
	"More than that," she answered, her hot breath causing 
his ears to twitch. "I can feel the beating heart of my 
lover."
	They made love together that night amidst the flowing 
waters of the hotspring, and both seemed to exchange turns 
in taking the other. He guided her to the soft grasses on 
the edge of the spring, and there they became fiercer.
	For a time he was on top, their bodies pressed closely 
together as she let him keep the rhythm. But all too 
quickly she rolled him over, pinning him to the ground and 
taking control for herself, pushing herself over the edge 
as he lifted a howl to the skies.
	She lowered herself on top of him as the climax 
passed, purring contently. "I hope this dream never ends," 
she sighed.
	"And it never shall," he answered. "For I will always 
be with you, my queen. Even if the sun fades and the moon 
falls, I will never let anything happen to you Hotaru-sama, 
my beloved...."


	Somewhere in the Dreamworld there is a place forged of 
the most ancient of magiks, the blood of our dreams. That 
place is called the valley of the Myst, a place as 
legendary as Earth's Atlantis and as beautiful as the 
whispered realm of Crystal Tokyo. It was here where the 
firstborn of this world, the Mystwolves, were said to come 
together every century for the Gathering, a ceremony to 
celebrate the ascension of their Darkqueen.
	At the edge of a myst-laiden forest surrounding the 
valley an odango-haired blonde and a dark-haired prince 
waited quietly, hand in hand.
	"When will it begin?" the girl asked, barely able to 
contain the excitement inside.
	"Soon, Usa-ko...soon," the prince answered with a 
kiss. 
	The odango-haired blonde and the dark-haired prince 
exchanged caring smiles as they watched from the edge of 
the forest. Far across the valley, a silver wolf of the 
ancient myst and a young girl with pale skin and raven dark 
hair frolicked and ran through the valley with each other.
	And then with a cry that shattered the night, their 
howlsong was lifted up into the heavens. Neither one could 
tell which cry was the girl's or the wolf's. Their haunting 
cries were suddenly joined by a chorus of new howlsongs as 
the last surviving clan of Mystwolves emerged from the 
silver clouds slowly creeping in around the forest.
	Suddenly even more howlsongs were lifted up to the 
midnight skies as ghostly Darkpacks seemed to spill out 
from the myst, wolves borne of the very essense that forged 
this realm of magik. These celestial Mystwolves gathered 
around the two central wolves who had started the haunting 
howlsong.
	"Hotaru-sama," he purred, nuzzling cheek to cheek.
	"Okami-chan," she whispered, wrapping her arms around 
the wolf. She stared out at the souls of the Mystwolves 
who, even in death, were at her service. They did not bow 
but instead lifted their heads to the sky and began another 
chorus of haunting wolf cries.
	Their Darkqueen had been found. 
	And at the edge of a mountain high above, the Wanderer 
stood and watched the return of the firstborns. The smile 
of a personal memory emerging, Karasu plucked one of the 
crystal orbs spinning in his palm and gently blew it into 
the sky, letting it float away.
	"Enjoy your dream, Hotaru-chan," Karasu said quietly.
	The Wanderer turned away, and began to roam once more, 
the celebration of the Mystwolves continuing long after 
Karasu's form had disappeared into the shadows.