Dreamer Awakened

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

"Kushinada," Tamanasu breathed.

Midori watched his eyes widen in shock before they began to gleam brightly.

"M-momiji," she muttered weakly, trying desperately to focus on what was happening. "Forget about me. Shoot. Shoot him now," she urged, her voice thin and thread-like.

"Let her go!" Momiji demanded one more time as she gained control over her breathing, her hand shaking as she pressed the gun between the two sharp, curving horns that ran like a ridge down the back of Tamanasu’s head.

A gurgling sound filled the room, and Momiji realized disconcertedly that Tamanasu was laughing. Already terrified, it still managed to send a fresh chill down her spine.

"Gladly," he agreed with malice, "since you’ve been so obliging as to appear to take her place."

"Shoot him, Momiji!" Midori feebly cried one last time and Momiji, the panic coursing through her body, felt her finger begin to tighten on the trigger.

BANG!

Distantly Momiji heard the sound of the gun go off, knew her bullet had gone astray and prayed that it hadn’t hit Midori.

No!" she thought as pain crashed through her.

Moving incredibly fast, Tamanasu had whipped around before she had had a chance to fire her gun and threw her bodily away from him. She had found herself briefly sailing backwards before she had slammed into the coffee table and felt it collapse beneath her. The breath knocked out of her and her left arm throbbing unbearably, Momiji lay stunned, unable to move; listening to the hollow, mocking sound of Tamanasu’s continued laughter.

Briefly, her eyes flickered in the direction of where Midori was, although in the darkness, she couldn’t see her.

"Mid-ori," she wheezed, still struggling to catch her breath.

"You’ve got to run, Momiji. Leave me while you still can."

Midori’s voice sounded even weaker, almost lifeless altogether, but Momiji was just relieved that she’d answered. Satisfied that she hadn’t inadvertently shot her best friend, Momiji’s eyes pivoted towards the misshapen, dark outline in front of the sliding glass door, as she heard Tamanasu’s voice counter Midori’s words.

"I’m afraid that leaving is out of the question."

The mitama on his forehead was pulsating strongly and even though his skeletal countenance was shrouded in shadows, Momiji knew without a doubt that he was smiling his twisted smile. She could hear it in his voice.

"Imagine how delighted Lord Akumakai will be when I bring him not only the hybrid’s energy, but also the pure and powerful essence of the Kushinada."

The sound of his hateful voice ignited Momiji’s need to keep fighting.

"You think I’ll let that happen!?" she retorted through clenched teeth.

Mustering every ounce of energy she had left, she raised the gun that she’d somehow clung to despite her collision with the coffee table and squeezed the trigger again. But she missed Tamanasu, instead shattering the glass door behind him as he moved with the same lightning speed as before. His silhouette flickered as he moved in a lunge while the sound of splintering glass filled the room, and Momiji felt more than saw him close in on where she lay sprawled on the ground.

Then he was standing right in front of her. By the pulse of light coming from his mitama, Momiji could now faintly see his red eyes. They were glowing with malice as he stared mockingly down at her.

"And how do you plan to stop me?" he laughed, staring at the trembling gun that was still trained in his direction before his gaze slid to her other arm clutched protectively against a rapidly rising and falling chest.

Surely, you won’t miss him at this range? came the desperate thought. You hit all those other Tengugaki when they’d been charging at you, she told herself, knowing full well that there was a huge difference between those weak ones that had been roaming the streets and the one that was standing before her, teeming with human energy and the precious energy of Midori’s baby: an Aragami- Human hybrid.

Some of what was going through her mind must have reflected on her face for Tamanasu’s mouth stretched into a terrible smile of amusement.

"I’ll give you one more chance, Kushinada," he told her softly, his long talons motioning towards her gun. "One more chance to save not only yourself, but your friend."

He was toying with her, she thought furiously. He knew that he could easily dodge her bullets. Especially when he was anticipating her attack.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, his smile widening. "Or have you decided that it is easier to die without a fight?"

Momiji’s thoughts raced as she kept the trembling gun held in his direction, searching desperately for a way out of this impossible situation.

"I have no intention of dying –" she again retorted defiantly as she stared up at him. "- not by your hand, ever!"

And then she squeezed the trigger and watched what she knew would happen, happen.

Tamanasu dodged and dove towards her, one skeletal hand enclosing around her wrist, and the other around her throat. He squeezed her wrist hard and Momiji felt her fingers open involuntarily, the gun falling from her nerveless fingers.

"Shall I use your intentions to help pave your way to the Afterworld?" he sneered, his other hand around her throat beginning to squeeze and cut off her air, "since that’s all they are good for?" He pinned her empty hand to the ground and leaned over closer to her so he could stare into her eyes. "Looks like you lose, Kushinada," he told her gloatingly, "and I win."

Momiji could feel the blood pounding in her head as he applied increasing pressure to her throat, completely sealing off her windpipe. She jerked her right hand which was still caught in his grasp, trying to draw his attention there more than truly free herself since the likelihood of that happening was virtually nonexistent. Then she surreptitiously moved her other hand, trying not to stiffen when pain exploded through her broken arm, knowing that everything would be over if he caught on to what she was doing. The corners of her vision began to darken and the blood hammered even harder through her head drowning out Tamanasu’s pleased laughter as she continued to struggle feebly against his hold.

And then, suddenly she could breathe as he let go of her throat.

She didn’t have time to be relieved as she sucked the air back into her lungs for he put his palm against her forehead and she knew he was getting ready to siphon her energy.

Now! Now! Screamed her brain as she began to feel that sickeningly familiar burning sensation vibrating against her skull. She wasn’t quite ready, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She could already feel her senses slowly slipping from her body into Tamanasu’s. Flexing her left index finger, she triggered a sudden explosion, the flare gun she’d pulled free from her waistband erupting into bright orange white light.

Just as she’d hoped, he’d not expected her to be able to use her left arm, and she watched in vicious satisfaction, the look of incredulous shock on Tamanasu’s face as he hurtled backwards towards the empty frame of the shattered glass door, unable to fight against the force of the flare’s thrust. She heard him strike the metal frame hard and go down just inside the door amid the hissing and spitting sound as the flare continue to burn where it had become imbedded in Tamanasu’s lower torso.

Momiji got up as quickly as she could; her movements made clumsy from pain and shock, and groped around for her gun. Tamanasu might be down for the moment, but she’d been unable to get her gun into a prime position before she’d had to fire it, and she knew that without severely damaging his body or destroying his mitama, she would be unable to beat him.

"M-momiji –" she heard Midori weakly warn, "he’s getting back up!"

Momiji turned her head and saw Tamanasu clambering to his feet while she continued to frantically feel around for her gun.

"I know, I see him!" she cried, as she watched him reach down and slowly pull the still burning flare from his body and toss it carelessly to the ground, seemingly unconcerned with the black blood that began to flow and the hole that had been made.

"No more games," he hissed angrily, "I’ve already let you live too long."

He turned his head and snarled at Momiji, hunching over and getting ready to lunge again. Momiji moaned, her fingers sweeping frantically around as she kept her eyes pinned to Tamanasu. I’m not going to make it, she thought, but then her fingertips brushed against the cooling metal of a gun barrel.

Desperately, she scooped it up and, as he sprang forward, began emptying its contents at him.

He was moving much slower now, his energy beginning to seep away with his blood so he was unable to adjust as quickly as before and she managed to hit him in the shoulder before he swerved away, making it harder for her to aim. The flickering light of the burning flare helped Momiji keep him within sight, but even with the extra light and the fact that he wasn’t as fast as he had been, he was still too fast for her lousy marksmanship as long as he wasn’t coming straight at her.

Moving more erratically now, he flitted around the room and her gun swivelled around, trying to keep up with him. Twice he stopped, as if gauging the best way to attack her, and both times, she tried to take advantage of his stationary position, by shooting at him, but each time she missed. The third time he stopped, he had made a complete circuit of the room, coming to a halt just inside the patio door not far from where Midori sat slumped against the wall. There he crouched low, his eyes shining eerily in the wavering light of the flare

Momiji hesitated only briefly before firing again, but this time there was nothing but a loud click. Horrified, she watched Tamanasu smile triumphantly and realized her mistake immediately. This is what he had been waiting for. This is what he had wanted. He’d bided his time, knowing that he could easily reach her before she could reload her gun.

"Oh no," Momiji breathed, digging for a full clip in her pants pocket as he surged towards her at full speed.

She felt like she was moving in slow motion as she helplessly watched him zoom in. She fumbled with the clip that was now out of her pocket, trying to get it into the gun but not making it before he was in front of her, his claws extending for her.

Momiji cringed, reflexively throwing up her arm as she took a step back, knowing it wasn’t enough to save her, but miraculously his claws never touched her. A jagged burst of bright blue lightning crackled to life from behind him, diverting his attention from her as he scrambled to avoid it. Momiji was forced to dive for safety as well when a swift volley of light blades followed the lightning, and the flattened remains of the coffee table where she’d been standing, became pulverized as the blue energy blasts hit it.

Momiji rolled to a stop next to Midori, bodily shielding her friend from small pieces of shrapnel that shot out in all directions. Flattening her hands against the wall on either side of her Midori’s head, she tucked her face into her own chest as she listened to various objects around the room shatter or topple to the floor, victims of flying debris.

Amid the crackling and popping sounds, she also heard the scuffling of claws against the floor and she tensed as she realized they seemed to be moving in her direction.

"I think you should be more concerned with me than with them," she heard a cold voice observe, and then heard Midori softly breathe his name:

"Murakumo."

Lifting her head, Momiji chanced a peek over her shoulder and saw Murakumo flit forward, putting himself between where she and Midori were and where Tamanasu was. She heard a low growl emit from Tamanasu’s throat and knew that the Tengugaki was furious.

"Murakumo," Momiji called in a tremulous voice, "you mustn’t let him leave – Midori – " fraught with suppressed emotion, her voice broke before she could tell him the horrible truth. It was all she could do to finally say, "he has … he has the hybrid’s energy."

Murakumo darted a sharp look over his shoulder, his gaze murderous as he redirected his attention back to Tamanasu.

"You bastard." His voice throbbed with cold hatred. "I’m going to obliterate every slimy piece of you!"

Tamanasu fell back towards the apartment door, stalked by Murakumo who slowly advanced, gauging the Tengugaki’s condition as he retreated. The sudden wariness in Tamanasu’s stance, something that hadn’t been there when it was just her and Midori, told Momiji that the Tengugaki realized he was at a serious disadvantage. He was still bleeding, still losing energy, and an Aragami was a much different, much more dangerous opponent than a mere human girl.

Because of that, Momiji fully expected to see him turn and run, praying that with his loss of energy he would be slow enough for Murakumo to catch. But he didn’t. Instead, he threw back his head and let out a roar that became bone chilling when a muffled response rose up from the night.

The horrifying sound came from all around them: above them, below them and even behind Tamanasu, behind the door that separated Midori’s apartment from the hallway.

"He’s calling for help," Momiji whispered in terror.

Murakumo stopped moving, his fists clenching at his sides as he realized the same thing. "The hell you say," he hissed furiously. "It’s not going to be like that," he vowed, suddenly lunging forward, "I’ll kill you now!" he roared, "Before they can get here!"

But even as the words left his mouth, the room was becoming flooded with Tengugaki. They burst in through the door behind Tamanasu, and some were coming through the patio door, climbing like giant lizards from the patios above and below. Momiji let out a muffled scream and again threw herself in front of Midori, doing her best to shield her. But the Tengugaki didn’t seem to notice her; their focus was on Tamanasu and Murakumo only.

Several converged on Murakumo while the rest continued towards Tamanasu, and Momiji could hardly believe her eyes as she watched Murakumo fight. In the past, he had always fought with a calculating coldness; even in the fiercest of battles that she’d been witness to. He’d been a truly terrifying sight to watch, – but the side of him she was seeing now was just as terrifying – No, she silently amended, it was more terrifying.

His rage was completely out of control, his movements wild and erratic. With no sign of obvious strategy, he carelessly ripped through the slimy cage that sought to entrap him, his opponents falling like dolls beneath his sword. But his savage anger left him prone to attack, and long talons pierced his shoulders and raked the flesh from his arms as he continued his rampage, seemingly unphased by the pain they inflicted.

"Stop him!" Midori begged Momiji, her clammy hand weakly gripping Momiji by the wrist as they both watched by the sickly flickering light of the flare as he became bloodier and bloodier with every passing minute. "He’s going to die!"

Momiji didn’t know what to say. How could she stop him? He was all that separated them from being attacked by the Tengugaki.

She might not be able to stop him, but there was something she could do, she thought with determination.

Pushing wobbly to her feet, Momiji turned and stood. Taking a small sidestep so she could see beyond Murakumo, she searched the mass of slimy bodies for the pulsating mitama of Tamanasu.

She saw him at the same time that he saw her, and as she raised her gun, she heard him let out a warning roar.

Murakumo’s head whipped around, his eyes amazingly clear despite his fury as he bellowed, "You fool! What do you think you’re doing!?"

Momiji fired her gun, but the bullet was lost in the sea of Tengugaki that was now surging towards them; their target no longer Murakumo, but her. She’d known that they would come, knew that Murakumo would only be able to hold them off for a few seconds before they were on top of her, and she had at best, one good shot left.

He’s slower now, she reminded herself as she steadied her gun, her eyes moving past the undulating mass of slime to focus on the pulsating light centered on Tamanasu’s forehead. He’s slower, and unguarded… I can do it…. The first few Tengugaki had finally made it past Murakumo and were bearing down on her, but she ignored them. If I aim for his mitama, I can bring him down… Out of the corner of her eye, she saw them lunging for her. It had to be now.

"Please God," she silently whispered as she pulled the trigger, "let me hit him."

Everything became a blur. She heard the sound of her pistol exploding, felt razors tearing into her broken arm and then experienced a numbing blow as her body was jerked aside amidst the loud, hoarse scream of her name against her eardrum.

"Momiji!" Kusanagi shrieked, as he flitted out of the balcony door with her and Midori in tow. He all but dropped her to the ground once outside, being more careful but just as hasty as he settled Midori against the wrought iron railings. "What the hell are you doing!?" he railed at her, not bothering to wait for her answer as he spun back around towards the apartment and ordered, "Stay here! I’ve got to go and help Murakumo. - Don’t move from this spot, got that Princess!?"

Momiji nodded her head but he was already sprinting back into the apartment, and Momiji listened tensely to the sounds of battle that lay beyond the flickering flare light in the darkened doorway.

There was another loud roar and then she heard Kusanagi’s voice cry, "Damn! Don’t let him get- !"

The rest of his sentence was lost in a loud groaning crash, like that of a wall being demolished and Momiji realized as the sounds of struggle began fading that Tamanasu was using his Sentinels as a blockade. He was running away; back to his demon lord before the hybrid’s energy was taken from him.

"He’s – going to - get - away," Midori remarked brokenly, her breathing becoming labored as if speaking took all of her strength. "I’m – so – sorry, Momiji."

Momiji crouched by her friend, and placed a caressing hand against her cheek, alarmed at how cold she felt. She had nothing to put around Midori to try and keep her warm and although the apartment was now completely silent, Momiji was not about to leave her out here alone to search for something inside.

"You don’t have to be sorry," Momiji said softly as she smoothed the hair away from Midori’s face.

"- My fault," Midori mumbled closing her eyes before opening them again after some effort. "M-momiji," she huffed, her breathing again becoming labored, "C-can you do something for me? Can you – tell - Murakumo something for me?"

"Shhh, don’t talk," Momiji soothed, trying to quiet her friend’s sudden agitation, "save your strength, Midori."

"But I need you to tell him something!" Midori insisted, becoming more fretful, her chest rising and falling rapidly in gasping breaths.

"You’ll be able to tell him later when you see him," Momiji replied, unwilling to acknowledge what she knew Midori was thinking.

"Please, Momiji!" Midori implored, her eyes desperate as she stared unblinking up into Momiji’s taught expression.

"What –is it that you want me to tell him?" Momiji reluctantly yielded.

"Tell him that it’s important for him to continue to look for the future with Noa – tell him that no matter what happens, he should never stop searching for that. – He’ll understand what it means," Midori mumbled. "And would you also tell him," she hesitated, her face twisting into distressed lines as she went on, "tell him that – I – I love him… I want him to know that…"

Momiji’s eyes began to sting with tears and she struggled to keep her face from crumpling, desperately willing her friend not to give up.

"Midori, I’ll tell him - but you should focus on saving your strength so that when he comes back you can tell him yourself," she began encouragingly and paused when Midori reached up and gave the Momiji’s hand that still cupped her cheek a comforting squeeze.

Her eyes drifted close and she let her hand drop back down to her side as she weakly mumbled, "I – I’m tired. You don’t mind if I go to sleep do you?" Momiji didn’t answer, clenching her teeth together to keep the sob rising in her throat from breaking free. "Please don’t forget my request, Momiji."

Her voice faded, her body going slack against the wrought iron rails, and time stopped as Momiji remained crouched anxiously by her side, tensed and trembling.

"Midori?" she called, unable to see her friend’s face through the veil of tears overflowing from her eyes.

Quickly she leaned forward, pressing her cheek close to Midori’s nose and mouth, frantically feeling for the brush of breath against her skin. It was there, but only just. There was no sense of relief; only the pain in her chest that was becoming all too familiar as, once again, Momiji was faced with the circumstance of losing someone very dear to her and the knowledge that the power of the Kushinada had failed to protect one of the ones she wished to protect the most.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she gave vent to her rage and frustration, railing loudly, "Why can’t I do anything!? Why can’t I save you!?" Then her shoulders sagged in defeat and she grasped the railing above Midori’s head, her voice coming out in a whisper as she begged, "Don’t give up, Midori. -Please don’t die."

The words cut swiftly through her agony scarcely before she sensed the familiar presence and was almost blinded by a sudden luminescence as her shot open. Everything around her was bathed in bright, white light, a circle the encompassed the entire patio, even though the city beyond her still lay gripped in the darkness caused by the Tengugaki.

Momiji turned her head, slowly rising to her feet as her eyes met the unfathomable dark depths of the Storm God’s who had appeared so suddenly and silently behind her.

"Lord Susano-oh," She murmured in a voice still clogged with tears.

Susano-oh’s mouth curved into a faint, comforting smile before his eyes drifted away from her to light on the still figure of Midori. Moving quietly past Momiji, he knelt down in a fluid motion and lightly rested the fingertips of his left hand against Midori’s brow and the palm of his right hand against her abdomen. He closed his eyes, and Momiji watched as Midori’s face became softly illuminated by the healing blue light emanating from his hand. After a long moment, the glow faded and the Storm God again opened his eyes, turning to look at Momiji who remained standing in awed speechlessness as he rose to his feet and took her hand.

"Will she be all right?" Momiji asked, finally finding her voice.

"It is not within my power to decide her fate, but I have done what I can for her. – Now, close your eyes, Kushinada."

The words echoed only in her thoughts and Momiji found herself obeying his command without hesitation. As her eyes slid shut, she felt him draw her close, and her head dropped to his shoulder as his arms came up to encircle her in a comforting embrace. Almost immediately, the pain that had been throbbing continuously in her left arm began to lessen, as did the painful ache around her heart. After a few moments, her body was once again almost completely whole, but even so, Susano-oh continued to hold her for a long moment.

He could sense her lingering sorrow and it only added to his reluctance of carrying out the task he had come here to do. But she alone was the single hope that remained, and he had faith in her.

"Do not let despair defeat you," he quietly spoke aloud to her, finally releasing her and stepping back to gaze compellingly into her troubled green eyes. "You are the only one who can defeat the darkness rising to engulf humankind," he told her, wiping away the saltiness that dampened her cheek. "It is your power that will save us all, Momiji, Kushinada."

He sounded so sure when he spoke, but Momiji couldn’t understand how he could say such a thing, since the power of her blood had been nullified when Tamanasu had taken the unborn hybrid child. She gazed uncertainly up at him until he took her hand and pressed something into it.

"I have come to return this to you," he murmured, his words once more falling only into her thoughts.

Momiji looked down then to see the Ceremonial Blade of Sacrifice clutched between her fingers and she darted a bemused look at him.

"Do not draw the blade until you are ready," he directed her with solemn meaning, his fingers curling around hers where she clutched the tantou.

Momiji nodded unsteadily, realizing what it was she was being asked to do and was slightly startled when he reached out and gently grasped her chin between his fingers.

"Make them understand, Momiji," he urged her, once again speaking aloud, "help the Souls of the Blade to see clearly the future that you so desperately want; the future that your human friend wants Murakumo to find. If you can make Them understand that, then you will win."

Again Momiji nodded and he released her chin, taking a step back.

"Believe in yourself -," Momiji heard Susano-oh’s last words echo in her mind as the light around her began to diminish, "and don’t give up."

Slowly, Susano-oh’s visage faded from her sight until she was once again standing in the darkness lit only by the feeble flickering sparks of the burning flare.

"I won’t give up," Momiji stammered aloud, staring over the railing out into the darkness where she’d last perceived Susano-oh’s waning presence to be.

"Who are you talking to?" she heard Kusanagi’s deep voice ask her from behind.

The suddenness of it made her yelp and she turned abruptly to face him, surreptitiously tucking the blade Susano-oh had returned to her into the waistband at the back of her pants as she surveyed her husband’s bloodied appearance.

"Are you all right?" she demanded, reaching up to gingerly examine a long groove that had been carved down the length of his cheekbone. "Were you able to stop him?"

Kusanagi jerked away, evading her touch.

"No," he replied darkly, "There were just too many of them. It didn’t take long for us to lose sight of Tamanasu and once that happened, the others fled as well." Then his voice became accusing as he demanded, "Susano-oh was here wasn’t he?"

Because of Susano-oh’s visit, Momiji wasn’t surprised to learn that Tamanasu had indeed escaped, but she was a little disconcerted at how perceptive Kusanagi was.

"How did you know he’d been here?" she asked, mystified.

"My mitamas started glowing while we were chasing after Tamanasu, and also –" Kusanagi reached out and grabbed her left arm to hold it up between them, his voice no less accusing when he acerbically remarked, "when I rescued you from the Tengugaki, you were bleeding profusely from here."

His expression didn’t improve when she unwisely blurted out that it had been broken too.

"But it’s not broken now," she hastily informed him. "See!?" Her hand still caught in his grip, she wiggled her fingers in front of his face to demonstrate and watched his countenance become even more forbidding.

Kusanagi opened his mouth to make a biting reply at her lack of regard for safety, but was interrupted when Murakumo came striding through the glassless door behind him. Kusanagi gave the Aragami lord a swift assessing look, noting that his hard eyes never left the unconscious figure of Midori. Abruptly, Kusanagi let go of Momiji’s arm, the irritation in his face dying out as he realized that the scene playing out in front of his eyes could very well have been he and Momiji instead of Murakumo and Midori.

Murakumo seemed oblivious to their presence as he knelt beside Midori. His eyes followed the spattered trail of blood that led from where she lay, all the way across the patio to the doorway. It didn’t disappear there but continued on until it reached the large pool that had formed when Tamanasu had destroyed the unborn life inside of her.

So much had been shed, he thought broodingly, and humans were so frail. He’d never seen a human survive long after losing that much blood.

A sudden coldness gripped his insides and his eyes roamed over the stillness of Midori’s face. His hand was shaking, he realized as he reached out and touched her cheek. But he was too disturbed by Midori’s condition to draw back and hide his sudden weakness - even when he heard the Kushinada speak to him from behind.

"Susano-oh tried to help her," Momiji murmured quietly, "but he couldn’t say for sure…" her words petered out and she fidgeted slightly when it appeared Murakumo would not acknowledge her words. "She gave me a message for you," she continued doggedly, and delivered the message to him in a diffident manner, completely unprepared for the fury in his eyes as he finally looked at her after she was finished.

"How pathetic!" he lashed out, rising to his feet, his face so contorted with anger that Momiji took a step backwards, bumping into Kusanagi who dropped a reassuring hand on her shoulder. At that moment, she was afraid that Murakumo might actually physically strike her. "Did she really expect me to be content to hear that from you!? I refuse to accept her message, Kushinada!" Murakumo railed with icy contempt.

You jerk! Momiji thought, her own temper rising at what she felt was Murakumo’s lack of concern. She balled up her fist, getting ready to shake it at him, but then froze in place when she saw the veiled look of desperation in Murakumo’s eyes as he glanced back down at Midori.

"Did you hear me, Midori?" he demanded softly of the unconscious girl. His voice was no longer hard or angry, and it held a note of entreaty as he dropped back down to his knees by her side. "If you want me to accept your message, then you must tell me yourself. I will only accept it if I can hear it from you."

He leaned over and carefully scooped her off the ground, cradling her head against his shoulder with one of his hands as he rose to stand. As he stood there, unspeaking, his head bent and his eyes closed, the blood from his open wounds mingled with the blood staining Midori’s clothes; a feeble but poignant echo of what had been lost to them that night.

A light breeze blew several long raven strands of hair across Murakumo’s face, accentuating the lines of utter bleakness in his countenance. And Momiji was forced to look away, unable to bear looking at the one person she had never thought to see crushed by concern for another.

"He loves her," Momiji whispered to Kusanagi, her voice thick with unshed tears.

"Yeah, he does," came Kusanagi’s gruff reply, the hand on her shoulder giving her a tight, understanding squeeze.

"Yo! Kusanagi! Momiji!"

Standing just outside Midori’s patio door was Kome and she was armed to the teeth. She didn’t ask any questions at first, her blue eyes flying swiftly over the scene, assessing everything before she reached for her radio to relay the situation. Then she briskly stepped towards them and began firing questions at them, getting all the pertinent information she needed before she even reached their side.

"Help is on the way," she told them as she drew abreast of them, her eyes lingering on Murakumo who still stood apart from them. "A helicopter should be here within the next few minutes." Then she turned, an uncomfortable look on her face as she diffidently muttered, "Damn, how long is he going to stay like that!?"

"I’ve never seen him like that before either," Momiji replied in a low, troubled voice.

"I know," Kome agreed with a shudder, "It’s just … plain unnatural."

Kusanagi grunted noncommittally and Momiji’s eyes widened as she opened her mouth to dispute Kome’s claim, but she was forestalled by the arrival of the remainder of the TAC team on board a military helicopter. It hovered just off the balcony and without a word Murakumo flitted aboard it, carrying Midori. Kome moved to clamber on next, and then before Momiji could, she felt Kusanagi’s arm catch her around her waist and haul her sideways like a sack of potatoes as he lithely jumped on board, leaving Midori’s decimated apartment behind.

Once inside, Kusanagi immediately released her, but before Momiji could even stand straight, the rest of the team gathered around them, save for Ms. Matsudaira who was kneeling by Midori, working to see what her condition was.

"Just after Kome radioed that you and Murakumo were unable to stop Tamanasu, the Tengugaki attacking the power plants also retreated. Not only that, but all other Tengugaki activity that was being picked up by the TLTS system quickly ceased as well," Kunikida reported without preamble. "We can only assume that since they have what they came for, they have retreated, but for how long they will be gone is an unknown at this point. The Ground Defense Force has already started evacuating the city’s populace to underground shelters, and they are working to repair some of the power grids taken out so that the city will at least have emergency power. Momiji," he called, turning his face in her direction, "do you still have the ceramic bracelets with you?"

Momiji nodded and withdrew them from her pocket, handing them to the older man. He in turn took them and handed one each to Murakumo and Kusanagi.

"Now that the Tengugaki have what they want," he muttered as each man took a bracelet from him, "their leader will assuredly make an appearance soon. When he does, we need to be prepared. These bracelets should give you extra strength," he informed them and then held up a warning finger as he added grimly, "but use them sparingly because we don’t know what ill effects they will have over a long period of time." After both men nodded in understanding, Mr. Kunikida turned to the rest of the team, "I’ve already discussed this with the President. We will remain headquartered at the Terrestrial Administration Center’s Lab until things start to happen. Then we will break up into teams and each team will have the back up firepower of an elite squadron of the Ground Defense Force. So, you, you and you," he said pointing to Sakura, Yaegashi and Sugishita, "you will be working as reconnaissance on the western perimeter of the city. Kome, you and Ryoko will be heading up Command in the center part of the city while Matsu, I and Momiji will head to the eastern front –"

"No-" Kusanagi interrupted abruptly, "Momiji should not be a part of the teams. She should stay at headquarters."

"Kusanagi!" Momiji interrupted in protest, but he just ignored her.

"Tamanasu issued the threat that once he had the hybrid’s energy, he would be coming after Momiji," he went on, keeping his focus only on Kunikida. "It’s imprudent to put her in harm’s way when we know that the Tengugaki can sense her energy. She should stay within the ceramic field with Noa where they will not be able to find her."

"No!" Momiji objected vehemently, but it seemed no one was willing to listen to her.

"Excellent point, Kusanagi," Mr. Kunikida agreed with a nod, "Then the eastern team will just be Matsu and I. You, Kusanagi, and Murakumo we’ll be relying on you to go where you’re needed most. Communication between teams is top priority, in order to combine our efforts and make our attack as effective as possible when the enemy finally makes its appearance… Please be aware, that should we fail, we have once again asked our American allies to step in – you are all aware of what this means." He paused and looked around at the solemn faces as each one nodded and then quietly added, "We cannot let the plague of the Tengugaki spread beyond our borders. They will be stopped by whatever measure necessary. But I have no intention of letting it come to that -" he assured them with grim determination.

Doggedly, Mr. Kunikida continued going over team organization until they landed on the roof of the Terrestrial Administration’s laboratory building, but by then Momiji had ceased to listen. Everyone quickly disembarked save for her. She lagged behind, still upset over being excluded and solemnly watched as two medical personnel who had been standing by waiting for their arrival scurried forward to extricate Midori’s stretcher from the Chinook helicopter.

As they worked, her eyes slid to Murakumo’s somber figure. He had been the only one besides Momiji who had remained aboard, but as soon as Midori was gone, he was too, trailing watchfully behind as she was borne away into the building. Momiji bowed her head, her thoughts chaotic and dark as she reached around and touched the handle of the tantou. How was she going to use this if the TAC kept her from leaving the ceramic field they’d created to protect Noa?

"Oy!" she heard Kusanagi call to her from outside. "Are you coming?" he wanted to know with a little more impatience than the situation warranted. Momiji knew it was because he sensed her desire to continue arguing about being left out and he was trying his best to discourage her.

But she wasn’t about to let this go. It was much too important!

"Kusanagi, why did you tell Mr. Kunikida to leave me out?" she demanded without preamble as she hopped down next to where Kusanagi stood waiting for her. "You know we’re going to need every single person out there fighting!!" she exclaimed.

Kusanagi scowled down at her.

"You’re not ‘every single person’," he retorted, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning to walk away, throwing over his shoulder. "You’re Momiji."

"Wait!" she called, scrambling after him. "Kusanagi!" she cried in frustration as he ignored her and jerked open the stairwell door, disappearing inside.

Running to catch up with him, she called his name again as she entered the stairwell well behind him, surprised that it wasn’t pitch black when she went inside. Apparently, the building’s emergency generators were now up and running. Thankful for the light, Momiji leaned over to search for the crown of his greenish-black head as his name echoed off the cement walls. Her mouth fell open in dismay when she saw him all the way at the bottom, getting ready to open the door to the floor where the ceramic lab was, and she felt a little spark of anger as she realized that the only way he could’ve gotten that far ahead of her was by using his Aragami speed. He was running away from her, running away from what she wanted to say.

"I know you can hear me!" she shouted, exacerbated when he didn’t hesitate, the metal door clanging behind him as he went through it. Momiji made an irritated noise, skipping down the stairs as quickly as she could and grumbling under her breath, "I hate it when you ignore me!"

By the time she made it to the bottom, she was out of breath and even angrier. Sticking her head out of the door, she glanced up and down the hallway, but Kusanagi was nowhere in sight; not that she had really expected him to be. She headed towards the lab and wasn’t surprised when she spied Kusanagi beyond the glass wall coming out of the small bathroom, shirtless and carrying a bloodied towel which he tossed into the corner. The anger that had been simmering inside her died when she saw the deep scores the claws of the Tengugaki had made in his flesh. Knowing the damage they were capable of inflicting was what had spurred him into having the TAC leave her behind.

But it didn’t matter, she told herself. She no longer needed to be protected just because she was the Kushinada, and she wanted to fight alongside them. Every member of the team faced that same risk; so why should she be given special treatment?

This was the argument she had to make; this is what she must make him believe if she were to have any chance of using the tantou that Susano-oh had returned to her.

"Kusanagi," she called, stepping through the glass door and into the room, "why didn’t you wait for me? I need to talk to you!"

"You don’t have anything to say that I want to hear right now, Momiji," he informed her darkly, grabbing up a clean set of clothes and heading for the bathroom. "I’m tired, I’m dirty, I’m hurt – and I don’t feel like arguing with you."

"But this is important!" she protested.

She followed him across the room almost bumping into him when he stopped short and whipped around, resentment burning in his eyes as he demanded, "Why!?" Why is it so important, Momiji!?"

"Because I’m part of the TAC too!" she responded earnestly, "- Because it’s not right for everyone to be out there risking everything while I’m cowering behind a barrier, risking nothing!"

"None of the rest of us is being targeted by the Tengugaki!" he shot back. "The risk to us is minimal, whereas for you –"

"That’s not true!" Momiji argued hotly. "You’re even more of a target than I am!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him as if it was his fault. "Tamanasu would come after you before he would come after me!"

"That’s fine with me!!" Kusanagi cut in in hardened accents. "I would rather him come after me than you; which is why you have to stay here. If he caught even a whiff of your energy–"

"But it’s not fair! It’s not right!" she persisted, pushing her husband to the very limits of his patience. "I worry about what will happen to you!"

"If you’re worried," he shouted ill temperedly, "then you’ll do as I say. I can’t afford the distraction of looking out for you when I have my own neck to think about!"

His words were hard and cynical, but they held a lot of truth. That didn’t keep the hurt expression from Momiji’s face though and as she looked away from him, a heavy silence settled between them.

"This is because of Susano-oh, isn’t it?" he asked bitterly and Momiji’s gaze flew back to his face in surprise. "You’re fighting with me over this because of him."

"N-n-n-" she stammered shaking her head and then, "wh-wh-why would you think that?"

Kusanagi turned his back to her and said in a quiet, stony voice, "Why else would he have come, unless he wanted something from you?"

Momiji grimaced and clenched her fists at her sides. She wanted to be able to deny the charge, but her voice seemed frozen in her throat and her silence was all he needed to confirm the truth.

"You’re not going," Kusanagi snapped with a frigid note of finality. "So, you’d better get used to it, Princess." Then he walked away from her towards the bathroom, muttering, "I’m going to get a shower. I need to wash away some of this stench."

Seething with pent-up frustration, Momiji turned, yanked open the glass door and stormed back into the observation room. Flinging herself into the swivel chair in front of the computer station, she leaned her elbows against the white desktop and dropped her face into her hands. She stayed like that for a few minutes before she finally lifted her head, her eyes resting dejectedly on a three-tiered rolling cart that was positioned in the corner.

There had to be another way, she thought, despondently, but what?

Little by little, her brain began to absently register and catalog the contents of the cart, and with a sudden start, her gaze came into sharp focus as she realized what she was looking at. Quickly leaning over, she reached into a mesh basket on the second shelf and pulled out the emergency two-way radio she saw sitting there. She darted a furtive look into the room beyond the glass to make sure that Kusanagi was still in the shower and then she turned the radio on, adjusted the channel settings and held it close to her face.