___________________________________________________________________________

At the least it had been fifteen minutes that had passed when Ryoma Toriyama had dove, head first, onto his couch. Work had been extremely frustrating that day. Shuichi was on his back, berating nearly every decision he had made, he had to break up a fight with two youths from rival gangs, and he had to reassure several stressed out upper classmen who spent hours studying for their highschool; entrance exams.

Ryoma used his hands to push himself back up. He felt the impression of the couch’s upholstery against his right cheek and knew he had a red mark on his skin. He leaned back and brushed his fingers against his bangs before he replaced his glasses. Ryoma still felt tired but small pain of an empty stomach became the dominate feeling. He should eat something, shower and then crawl into bed. With his plans for the rest of the evening made he rose from the couch and removed his suit jacket.

Ryoma had the chicken and vegetables cut up and ready to place in the skillet when he heard the shouting outside his window. He knew he shouldn’t give in to his curiosity. He needed to be Ryoma, the Ryoma who was recently hired at Jykun junior high. The Ryoma before he was hit by a car and spent two days in a coma. Before the hero he was in the past resurfaced.It took all of his will power to ignore the shouting and small thuds and smacks outside. It was just a fist fight. There was no need for him to get concerned. He focused on the noodles in the skillet and added the vegetables. He would cook them first before using the remaining oil for the chicken. He would have continued cooking his dinner if he hadn’t heard the gunfire.

"Shimatta!" Ryoma wanted to slam his skillet down in frustration. It was the fact that he did not want to have to quelch a grease fire that kept his temper in check. He turned off the heat before moving the pan and racing towards the window.

What he saw was not two punks trying to slam each other’s skulls into the wall of the building next store, but rather a woman being thrown against the bricks. She was Caucasian with a slim and athletic build. Her hair of pale gold silk was tied back. Her face might have been beautiful, but all Ryoma could see of it was her narrow chin and crimson lips pulled into an expression of surprise. The rest of her face was clothed in a black mask with three scarlet lines painted across the material. Her torso was covered in a black chest armor with bright red shoulder pads. Red kneepads and holsters adorned her black pants. Her outfit was complete with red boots and armband, and fingerless black gloves.

Ryoma had to wonder what could have possibly thrown a woman that well armed and with a body like that when the answer stepped into view. The youth looked like he had stepped out from the 1980’s He was dressed in a matching acid wash denim pants and vest. What really set him apart were his eyes. He appeared to have been wearing a giant pair of dark green sunglasses lined in silver, but on a closer inspection, Ryoma could see he did not have any ear pieces. The sunglasses appeared to have been glued on to his face. His hands and feet were dressed in matching silver and metallic metal.

"Lucky shot," The woman reached from behind and pulled out a small pistol that had remain, concealed and clipped to the back of her belt. Her mouth remained in the form of her sneer as she pulled back the trigger.

The bullet did not hit it’s target. Her attacker shot up, straight up into the sky a second before the metal lump struck the pavement where he had been standing. As he descended back to the grown two light green spheres appeared in his glasses, right where his eyes should be. Twin beams of neon green light shot out of his glasses. The lasers were aimed for the woman.

__________________________________________________________________________

"Ye bastard," one of the twin lasers cut across her arm band, tearing through the material and removing the uppermost layer of her skin. The pain burned even though it was minimal. It would be healed within a few days. Her main concern was her attacker. She aimed a gain and shot two more bullets. The first one barely missed, but the second one struck the bottom of the thief’s foot. A small cloud of sparks engulfed the metal appendage from toe too ankle.

He retaliated by holding out his hands. Multiples blasts of energy erupted from his palms as soon as he landed. He had to maintain most of his support on the foot that remained fully functional.

Robyn jumped backwards and waved out of the range of the blasts. She did not pay attention to her weapon until two bits of red metal encircled the gun, wrapping it in the thin metal cords. Robyn tried to keep a firm hold on the handle, but the cyborg’s pull was too strong.

"Ye havene won yet," Robyn felt herself tumble backwards from when the gun was removed from her fingers. She sat straight up, watching as the cords were nearly rewound completely in the cyborge’s hand. The thief was focused on her and the newly acquired toy he stole form her. He was not looking behind him.

The karate chop struck the punk at the back of his head, heard the skull met the neck. He spun around halfway, only to have the newcomer strike him in the kidneys with the pointed end of his shoe. The pain was strong enough for him to drop the gun.

Robyn ran up to the two of them as the stranger struck the cyborg’s middle with his fist. A mouthful of saliva was ejected from the enemies mouth. Without a second’s notice she kicked up, the toe of boot came in contact with the bottom of his chin before she snatched her gun from the ground.

"I hope I didn’t set a bad example for my students." The stranger did not remove his gaze as he massaged his knuckles.

"You might have inspired them," Robyn regained her Americanized accent. She did not remove her gaze from the man they had fought together. He wasn’t moving, but she could not take a chance.

"May Day!" Fang shouted from above. Robyn looked up to see the mutate falling toward the ground. He was not plummeting. His descent was slowed half way as his right wing kept flapping, trying to keep him aloft while his left hung limply.

"Fang!"

"Get back," The stranger pushed her down and shielded her with his body. He kept her down until the both heard the muffled thud of the mutate striking the ground.

"Fang!" Robyn quickly returned to her feet and pushed the stranger off her before she raced to the mutate’s side. Fang was still concious. He remained still, not so much as a twitch of a foot or his hand. His golden yellow eyes blinked when Robyn neared him. "Where are ye hurt?"

"Shit," Fang winced as he tried to stretch his legs. Nothing was broken but something was sprained. "My butt hurts. There are going to be some bruises there."

"What about your legs and your wings?" She gingerly touched his knees and ankles, hoping she was able to find out if something was broken or not.

"What is he?" Robyn had nearly forgotten the stranger. He was standing over her shoulder.

"I’m a mutate," Fang brushed Robyn’s hands away. "I used to be human once and I was tricked to take this injection. It contained something that obviously altered my DNA."

"I’m sorry," he kneeled down on the other side of the mutate. "Is anything broken?"

"I’m used to it," Fang grinned while trying to wave him away. "And the only thing broken is my left wing. One of those rejects from a Sci fi show just snapped the bone."

"We got one of them," he turned to where the other cyborg lay, only to find he was missing. The stranger bolted to his feet. "He was there a second ago."

"Damn it," Robyn diverted her attention from her injured crew member to where the enemy was a few minutes ago. "Can’t leave Fang."

"Why not?" The mutate struggled to his feet, only to be kept down by Robyn. "I already told you I only have a broken wing."

"Your legs are bothering you."

"It’s a sprain not a break."

"You still need to stay off your feet for a few days," Robyn stood back up. "I’ll help you get back to the van, and then you are going to stay in bed."

"You need some medical attention also," the stranger took Robyn’s hand into his own and pointed to her arm. There was a deep gash in the middle of the material and a reddish pink streak across the skin. there was no sign of blood but a clear moisture had formed on the wound, giving it a slick appearance.

"It’s just a flesh wound," Robyn pulled back and felt her tongue go limp. She hadn’t gotten a good look at the newcomer. He was lean, but she could see muscles developing along his arm. His oval shaped face ended in a strong chin. He had well defined cheek bones and the nose of a renaissance sculpture. His almond shaped eyes seemed to twinkle as his mouth pulled into a small smile. "Thank ye fer yer concern Mr...."

"Toriyama. My name is Toriyama Ryoma."

"Robyn Canmore," she held out her hand. "And you have also met Fang."

"I do not quite understand why you are in costume or why you were fighting those thieves, but I do understand you are both injured." He pointed to one of the buildings. "My apartment is right here. I can fix a splint for Fang’s wing and do something for his ankle. I can also treat your arm."

"Ye donae have to offer," Robyn could not remove her gaze from his eyes.

"You two relax and I’ll cook dinner. I have plenty of chicken and I could add a few more carrots. There will be enough food for the three of us."

"Robyn, where have you been?" Standing at six foot four and full of tanned muscle, the third member of her group had finally tied up things on his end and caught up with them. His face was flushed from running and fighting and his black muscle shirt was saturated in his sweat. More sweat formed beads of crystal on his head and face, the moisture was soaked into his mo-hawk and caused it to lean to the right.

"I’ve been trying capture the perpetrators," Robyn slipped away from Ryoma and spun around to face Dingo. His pale blue eyes were full of confusion at the sight of Ryoma. "Unfortunately they got away."

"Your friends are injured," Ryoma was trying to pinpoint the accent of the new comer. "Fang has a broken wing and a few sprangs and bruises. Canmore-san has a gash. I was offering them some of my medical supplies and food. I am certain I can stretch out my ingredients to feed four people."

"Canmore-san?" Dingo’s thick eyebrows lowered. "You gave him your real name?"

"Dingo, calm yourself." Robyn held up a hand.

"Calm myself?" He stepped back as if her were shoved and looked at Fang. "Can you believe her? She gave her real name to a complete stranger because he offered to cook dinner. The Matrix and I have been risking our lives to complete our assignment and she’s making goo-goo eyes with some stranger."

"We weren’t exactly playing hop scotch," the cougar mutate struggled to stand, keeping his weight supported on his leg without the sprang.

"You didn’t see him fight," Robyn quickly grabbed onto Fang’s arm and placed it across her shoulders. "One of them had taken my last gun and-"

"And he leaped in and kicked his are like some dashing hero?" Dingo did not let her finish.

"I was only being a concerned citizen," Ryoma spoke up. "There have been reports of those thieves in the news. I wasn’t going to assist until I saw Canmore san was in danger. My offer for dinner still stands, even if I have to figure out how to feed five."

"Matrix doesn’t eat," Fang gave up trying to struggle with Robyn to allow him to stand on his own.

"We are going to have to decline," Dingo didn’t even look at Ryoma as he rudely refused his offer. "We have to escort the blokes we did catch to prison and we have to file a full report to the director."

"The director is so important," golden light dominated the muates eyes for a brief moment. "Who cares if we are hurt or not?"

"You two will receive your medical attention, but not here." He pulled Fang off Robyn’s shoulder and draped the furry arm across his own shoulders. He did not turn back to Robyn or Ryoma before he slowly walked away.

"I’m sorry," Robyn smiled politely. "Your dinner offer was very appreciated."

___________________________________________________________________________

The cartoonish image of a family of rabbits was nearly complete. There only a few jagged holes to filled and puzzle would be complete. One of the pieces was held in the child’s hand. Beige fur covering the plump fingers matched the pelt covering the face and body of the four year old. A few rosette spots were scattered across her feline snout like freckles. She took only a few minutes to figure out where the piece was by looking at the image painted across it and the nearly constructed puzzle.

"Very good," long indigo fingers picked up another piece from the pile as soon as the child had finished. She knew where it was supposed to fit, yet she hesitated. She wanted to humor the child. She placed the piece near the long antennae like stalk on her forehead. "I believe this might go here." She set the piece next to where the child had set hers. Only one more piece was needed ad that hole would have been complete.

"I want you to stay off your feet," Robyn pushed the door open. She had cast off her hunter uniform in the exchange for a simple pair of jeans and white cotton shirt. Her blond hair was no longer kept in a pony tail. A roller bandage kept a square piece of gauze to her arm. She ignored the study section of the recreation room and approached the couch.

"I’m not going to spend a whole week in bed," Fang limped behind her. A cheap cane helped him along. His light foot had an ace bandage wrapped around the ankle. His injured wing arm was covered in gauze while the whole wing was held in a giant sling. The cloth was knotted across his shoulder.

"Daddy! The mutate child nearly fell out of her chair as she jumped up and raced to her father. Her bounce behind her like waves of rose petals.

"Spring!" The highlight at the end of his day was about to leap into his arms. He stepped back and pointed to his sling. "I can’t pick you up."

"What happened?" Spring’s energy ebbed out of her. "How did you get hurt?"

"A bad guy broke daddy’s wing and I fell to the ground." He tapped the end of his cane against the tile floor. "I landed on my foot and sprained my ankle. That is why the doctor gave me a cane."

"You broke your foot?"

"Not quite. When you break something you break the bone. When you sprain something you tear the muscles." His daughter did not know about tendons and ligaments yet. She did know about bones and muscles. "That was what happened when I landed. I also hurt my butt."

"You hurt your butt," the idea of someone hurting their bottom sounded funny to the four year old. "Can you sit?"

"I have to be careful."

"Is this the first time you became injured while in the air?" the tall and slender being approached the mutate. Her platinum dreads barely moved with each of her fluid foot steps.

"Talon once shocked me at Coney island, but I was out of it for nearly two days. I never had a wing broken while I was in flight."

"I am sorry you are hurt," her narrow eyes were turned up in sympathy.

"Thanks. Are the gargoyles awake?"

"They have awoken, but I was engaged in putting a puzzle together with your daughter." She ran the tips of her fingers through Spring’s hair. "I shall go see them after I give Robyn her message."

"Message?" Robyn muted the television show and turned around on the vinyl covered upholstery.

"It came from Ishimura," Vahril paused by the end of the sofa. "Yama has an invitation to an emergency meeting. We need to decide on who is going with him."

"I should go," Robyn glanced at her dressed wound. "Fang should stay here, and the others can track down the other cybernetic thieves."

"You did not catch everyone?" golden pupils diminished in size to pinpoints.

"We were able to capture two," she tried to hide the bitterness in her voice.

"You seem to be quite bitter for some reason," Vahril arched the rows of tiny white bumps above her eyes. "I have a feeling the fault lies with Dingo. Where is he?"

"He and Matrix are giving a full report to the Director." the human removed the mute off the TV. Her tone remained the same.

Vahril tried to seek answers to Robyn’s sudden rudeness from Fang, but the mutate just shrugged. She dismissed the attitude before she left the room. It was probably another fight between the two humans.

_________________________________________________________________________

Tiny sparks, no more than flecks of light, sheared off the silver and red foot with every step the thief made. His damaged prosthetic had diminished the amount of sparks during the drive back to their meeting place. He wished the pain would have diminished as well.

"Can you walk, Koji?" His companion had pulled the jeep into the alley next to the boarded up building. His broad face, lined with a few scars was devoid of any facial implants. The top of his head was replaced with a curved skullcap of steel.

"I can walk despite the pain," Koji stared at his foot, his vision was filled with columns of information about the damage he received. "I’m more worried about what the boss will say."

The two of them entered the building via the basement. It was only half a room with a ceiling tall enough to support the near empty room . The door to the second floor was at the front of the room with the platform and staircase leading to it in front of it. The dark room was barely kept alight by the half dozen cobweb covered light bulbs. Large dust colored circles formed on the floor from the weak spotlights, casting the rest of the room in a dirty light.

"Welcome back," the voice came from the figure standing at the top of the metal platform. The dim light did not reach his face, but his shadowed form stood with much pride. "Where are the others?"

"There were complications," the bald man stepped forward.

"Keichi-kun, you are not telling me they have been captured by the authorities?"

"They were not the authorities," Keichi rubbed his fingers together. "They were a strange group. There was a man who wore an armor who melted into the second terminator, a woman in a costume, and furry gargoyle creature."

"A gargoyle? You have discovered a gargoyle who doesn’t turn to stone?"

"There was another guy," Koji limped forward. "He was a local man. The others were gajins."

"I see," he descended down the ladder, leaving the shadow’s once he stepped off the last step. He was dressed in a business suit, crafted from expensive cotton and silk. His hair was combed back neatly save for a few bangs that hung over his youthful and handsome face. "And that means you did not steal the amulet?"

"Gomen Nasai, Taro-san," Koji apologized.

"Should have figured the police would have been too incompetent to be able to catch you," Taro rolled back his sleeves. He wore a long black glove on his left hand. The leather did not end until it reached his elbow. "What happened to your foot?"

"The woman was very armed. She was able to shot me in the bottom of my foot."

"Why did you not try to remove it?"

Koji flinched. "I lost my tool box."

"I’ll take care of it." The tip of Taro’s ring finger bent back, exhibiting the felt metal of an end of a screwdriver. He said not a word until he kneeled knelt to the injured cyborg. "sit down."

"Hai, Taro-san." Koji careful sat down and raised his still sparking foot. "Can you repair it?"

"That is a bit too complex for myself. I’ll have Dr. Myoto work on it." The end of the tool fit into the slot of the tiny screw. Taro’s finger rotated at a rapid speed until the screw came loose. "I was hoping he would have been able to take the amulet while it’s still in the city. It appears we are going to have to pay a visit to Ishimura."

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The ice cold jets of water that sprayed her face and body did little to wake up the hunter in the long run. She jolted from semi consciousness at the second the water came in contact with her skin, yet she felt the fatigue creep back into her when she had finished dressing. The pleated skirt she had selected was similar in color and length to the suit she wore when she was under the brief employment of Dominique Destine. She matched it with a crisp white blouse with sleeves ending at the elbows and an embroidered vest, hunter green in color.

Food was the first thing on Robyn’s mind when she left her hotel room. She didn’t think to remember if her earrings matched or if she slipped panty hose on. Only a brief discussion with one of the hotel employees and she was able to find the brunch buffet. Her eyes lingered over the variety of food before she grabbed a plate and loaded it up with her favorites: a tiny egg white omelet with crisp, golden brown edges, a sweetroll topped with almonds cut paper thin, a couple of chocolate rice balls, strips of tuna that were raw in the center and cooked at the edges, and some fruit.

"Top of the morning t’ ye," the young man who addressed her did not look a day over twenty four. His deep red hair was combed back with his bangs puffed up and finger scrunched, possibly held together with a dab of hair gel. "A bit of an appetite ye have."

"Aye," Robyn concentrated on her plate. She did not know what to eat first and started on one her salad, the edge of her fork cut the bit of honeydew in half . She didn’t know the waitress had approached until she had been addressed. "I would like a cup of coffee. The strongest ye got."

"Are ye from the island or are ye Scottish born?"

"I’m from Scotland," she sat up and a brushed her hair back.

"Are ye here wi the council?"

"I donae even know yer name," Robyn narrowed her eyes. The sweetness of her breakfast made her mouth crave liquid. She normally would not chase down chocolate anything with a drink of water, but her coffee had yet to arrive.

"I’m sorry. Here I am prattlin on when I havena introduced meself," the youth reached out across the table with his hand up in a friendly gesture. "me name is Rory Dougan from Ulster in North Ireland."

"Robyn Canmore," she gave his hand a single firm shake before she returned to her meal. "I lived in Scotland till I was fourteen, been around the world and I currently live in Japan."

"Moved because of yer job?" Rory tore a remaining fragment form his bagel and used it to op up the marmalade sticking to the plate.

"Ye can say that," she smiled as the waitress set down her cup. The only thing keeping her back from drinking it on the spot was the fact she had yet to treat it. She dumped the contents of open of the sugar packets into the dark liquid and swirled it around with her spoon. One long drink was enough for her to sit up. It was not hot enough to burn her tongue, yet it was warm enough for her chest to feel it as it went down.

"How do ye like liven here?"

"Its a bit of fun, a little bit of excitement. My only difficulty with liven here is I am separated from me family."

"I understand," Rory paused to take a drink form his cup. "I hardly ever get t’ se me da anymore."

"Do ye hate being cut off from yer father?" She continued after he nodded and shrugged. "I’m so far away from me brothers and their families. I donae get vacation time verra often and whenever I visit me nephews seem twice as big as before."

"How many nephews?"

"Three. Eddie is a year old, Hunter is two and Colin is four. All three of them are full of energy. Runnin around with a toy n their hands and faces sticky from peanut butter." She couldn’t keep from smiling at the thought of her nephews. The highlight of her day was when she received mail and she tore through the letters hoping to find at least one from New York. One wall of her bedroom was devoted to pictures of her nephews. With each new image she could see more of Jason in Hunter and Jon in Colin and Eddie.

"I bet ye spoil them rotten," Rory grinned.

"I get them toys for Christmas and on their birthdays. Sometimes I send them small boxes of the cookies and candies they have here in Japan."

"Well, now that we know a bit more about each other ye can answer the question I asked earlier. Are ye with the council?"

"I have been invited," Robyn tilted her head as she dipped a piece of tuna in soy sauce. "I am mainly here fer Yama. He lives with me and his mate is here."

"Why does he not live here in Ishimura?" Rory raised his brows.

"It connects with our work. We have all done something in the past we are not proud of . We feel like we are making amends through our work."

"I feel a bit of the same. I feel like my tasks make up for all the stuff I did as a teenager."

"We have all done stuff we are not proud of when we were teenagers."

Rory smiled sheepishly. "Ye were not a pick pocket and a shop lifter were ye?"

"Nae, but I donae want to talk about it." She did not want to bring up her family’s history of hunting down Demona, nor did she want to address how many gargoyle statues she had destroyed. "May I ask what brings ye here?"

"I’m a good friend of the Irish clan."

"I didnae knew there was an clan in Ireland." She hoped she did not sound shocked about the Irish clan. She had read the Hunter’s diaries shortly after her father’s death. She read about how her ancestor had killed every last gargoyle in Ireland.

"Most of them were originally form Turkey. They were frozen by a spell to protect them form someone called the Hunter." He paused when Robyn squirmed. "The spell was broken by a my friend Logan. He also turned himself into a gargoyle because he fell in love with one of them. The other fourteen members were originally human. They were transformed by a being called the Gargoyle Sidhe."

"I was told this Gargoyle Sidhe was the reason for this meeting."

"She had turned a few hundred people into Gargoyles both in the Isles and in America."

"That would be the reason why Xanatos is here," she ate another bite of her omelet along with a strawberry from her salad. "We talked last night

"Maybe well be able to talk with him after he is finished talking with Hoshi about that amulet."

"Amulet?" Robyn allowed a piece of tuna to slide for her fork. "What does a amulet haft do with this meeting?"

"Not sure," Rory dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin. "I just heard they were having some jewelry shipped in form Honjo."

The fork fell from Rboyn’s hand and landed on the middle of the plate with a loud clatter. "Honjo?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong." She was going to have to call Dingo and the others as soon as her brunch was finished.

_________________________________________________________________________

Honjo

The gold and black van remained parked outside the Osap Jewlery store, on the side where the delivery trucks would come in. The employees would give the people in the vehicle a worried glance every hour, even if they were told they worked with the police. The windows were heavily tinted, keeping the people from staring inside the vehicle.

"There is something bothering you." Thin discs of gold framing liquid mercury and surrounded by black were focused on the fuming man in the drivers seat of the van. The three of them had been quiet when they went to watch over the jewelry store in case the enhanced thieves decided to make a return. She wanted to talk to ebb away the boredom of waiting. The human remained quiet and stiff as a brick. She received more words from the sentient being made up from nano technology "You might was well speak of it."

"Nothing to discuss," Harry turned to stare at the alien for where she sat in the first row.

"Then why do you not want to talk about the assignment?" Vahril leaned back in the seat. Her white dreads spilled over the headrest. "We have been discussing why did they try to start stealing from jewelry stores when their other targets have been software and appliances."

"Work?" Dingo blinked. had they been speaking of the criminals they need to track and he was not paying attention.

"We have spoke of the jewelry and the Cyber enhanced thieves for nearly an hour." If moonlight could take on a liquid form it would resemble the substance the Matrix was made from. The mass of microscopic machines was seated in his humanoid from right behind Harry "I have also noticed you are extremely tense. You didn’t even notice when I touched the back of your neck."

"You did what now?" Dingo spun around his seat till he could take a good look at everyone who had accompanied him, including the vacant rows behind Vahril and Matrix, and the large stone form of Gaiwan at the very back with the rest of the supplies. McKinley was probably sprawled out on one of the other rows. The tinted rows did not thing to keep out the sunlight and the hybrid cat was stone. The five of them searched for the remaining two criminals . When they couldn’t be found Dingo pulled the van into the back parking lot of the Osap store. The thieves might try to steal the amulet again.

"I touched the back of your neck." One of the liquid being’s fingers extended in length until the very tip came into contact with Harry’s forehead. The human blinked at the touch.

"Are you sure you did that, mate? I would have felt you if you were that cold, or did you warm yourself up to body temperature."

"I was just as cold."

"That is the point we are trying to make," Vahril brought up. "There is something on your mind. You have been like this since last night."

"There is nothing troubling me."

"Like hell there isn’t" Vahril did not feel any remorse in using the swear. The terrain word was foreign to her vocabulary, yett she has used it in the past, and in the past she recoiled at her surprise and disgust. She did not recoil this time. "Robyn was just as angry as you were last night."

"I have noticed the tension between the two of them last night when we left the other two thieves with the authorities." Matrix gave his head a bob.

"What caused the fight this time." The thick fifth "Finger" separated into a long and narrow claw. She closed it in a second, creating a snap. "And why will you not let it go?"

"She gave her name to a complete stranger," he rested his head on top of the steering wheel. "Didn’t know anything about him except he knows karate, and she just gave him her name. Her real name."

"You felt she endangered the team?"

"Too right."

"The same man who offered to treat Robyn’s and Fangs injuries, and cook everyone something to eat?" Matrix asked

"She shouldn’t be telling anyone who she or we are," Dingo drummed his fist on top of the dashboard, and she shouldn’t be flirting with Japan’s answer to Remmington Steel and accepting dates from him."

Vahril smiled at the recognition of what was truly going on. "You are upset because Robyn was attracted to another man."

"Now don’t you start jumping to conclusions."

"What you have described, Vahril sounds like the human emotion known as jealousy," he turned around to Dingo. His hollow eyes were faced with his shocked blues. "But for a person to feel jealous they have to be worried they might loose the person they like or are attracted to. That would mean Dingo is attracted to Robyn."

"Precisely," Vahril’s grin widened.

"Stop it," Dingo pointed at the two of them. "We have an assignment to do and I don’t want to have you two talk about nonsense.

"Hello?" Fang’s voice, enriched with various pops and crackles from static came through the spark. "Anyone there?"

Dingo quickly grabbed onto the speaker and adjusted the volume. "Dingo here." Any thing to make him forget their accusations.

"I just got a call from Robyn. You are not going to believe this but the amulet those guys were after is in Ishimura."

"Why is it in Ishimura?" Dingo asked.

"She doesn’t know either, but I was wondering if those cyberpunks knew."

"Can’t be. They didn’t look that bright."

"It could be the reason why we haven’t seen any sign from them," Matrix spoke up. "Perhaps they have been informed it had been shipped to Ishimura."

"Shit," the word was barely audible. "Fang, I want you to let Vinne know we are on our way to Ishimura. If they do come back to this store let us know."

"Will do," the mutates final words were washed over by static.

"We are just going to Ishimura?" Vahril buckled her seat belt in anticipation of the vehicle moving. "We are not going to pick up supplies?"

"We don’t need any supplies. Now unless you need to use the bathroom we are leaving, and not another word about Robyn and me."

"We promise," Vahril glanced over to Matrix. His blank face was the only expression she received from him.

__________________________________________________________________________

The image of the van was captured by a pair of binoculars as it drove off. The liscence was memorized, but he did not need it. The vehicle was easily recognized by it’s sleek design and the most distinguishing feature was the scuffed up bumper sticker: I BRAKE FOR PIE

"I have a feeling on where you are going," Toriyma Ryoma allowed the binoculars to leave his hands and hang from the strap around his neck. "I shall see you in Ishimura."

He had discovered what the thieves were after they had been apprehended. After a brief call with the owner (Her daughter was one of his students) he learned the nearly pilfered item was the eye of the waking dead. Ryomas mixed memories include a few images of the amulet, and they never have been good.

"I don’t know why you want to posses it, but I cannot allow you." He returned to his car. It was time for his trip to Ishimura, and he was bringing his pen knife.

_________________________________________________________________________

Pencil thin fracture lines spread out across the stone gargoyles decorating the golden roof of the meeting house. The building had served as the private meeting hall for the gargoyles of Ishimura in centuries past and was reserved to be used for the meeting house for the clans whenever they came to meet for the yearly council.

"Still an amazing site," Robyn Canmore breathed. Full awake and refreshed she took the time to slip into a pair of ankle cut dress boots and a gold necklace to match the tiny hoops in her ears.

"There will some things that will never get old," Xanatos agreed. He never removed his gaze from the gargoyles as they shed their stone skin and greeted the night with their deep roars. His eyebrows raised in concern when one of the new gargoyles, a male representative from New Hampshire, nearly slid down the roof. He was caught by Stealth of Massachusetts and a female from New Brunswick. "And some things are still new to some."

"They are the ones who used to be human?" Robyn inquired.

"Two from each state," Xanatos nodded. "We tried to get them each to conglomerate into one clan per state.We asked the leaders from both of their clans to come with us.

"Xanatos," the deep and smooth voice was heard before the seven foot hulking from landed in front of them. The lavender brute cloaked his dark wings before he took notice of Robyn. "Miss Canmore."

"How have you been?" Robyn smiled politely at him. "I’m sorry I do not get to vist you often when I’m in New York."

"We have been well." Goliath sighed deeply "There have been a few problems, but your younger brother has not been the cause of them."

"How has he been?" Robyn glanced around her. Several different gargoyles glided down from the roof and landed in front of the human waiting for them. From the deep embraces between the unique species she could tell some of the gargoyles were either a relation of the human or even a lover. Her heart went out to those who were transformed and thought about the first time she saw her brother after he became a weregoyle.

"His quarry men have caused much more trouble than he has," Goliath stared into the hunter’s eyes, reading the shame and worry within the arctic blue. "He has helped the clan with the struggle against the Gargoyle Sidhe.’

"He put up quite a fight," Xanatos turned to stare at a dusky pink female as she wrapped her arms and wings around the other human who had accompanied him on the trip. "Unfortunately the Sidhe had transformed the former DA"

"Margot Yale?" Robyn felt her mouth drop when she recognized Yale’s facial features on the pink gargoyle and when she pulled away she received a good look at the man she was holding, her husband.

"The four of us landed last night," Goliath explained. It was en emergency meeting and did not require two or three representatives from each clan. The only ones who did not have to joind the conferencewas the Central Florida and the Jordan clan who traveled to offer support and to offer help the neo-gargoyles in their transition. "I believe this is the first time you have attended a council meeting."

"Aye," she stared at the still closed double doors, the arch covered by a long and slender dragon. "I guess ye could explain what we are waiting for and what is so special about the amulet Ishimura purchased."

"We are waiting for Kai to open the doors," Xanatos answered before Goliath had a chance to open his mouth. "As for the amulet. All I have been able to dig up was the jewel once belonged to Ishimura. The lost it centuries ago when it was stolen . It ended up floating through several jewelry stores."

"We do not have to wait much longer," Goliath pointed to the doors as a large mustard green gargoyle made his way to the front of the crowd. "The council is about to begin."

"It is good to see all my old friends," the pale greenish yellow gargoyle paused in front of the door. Thick horns parted his dark hair. A Yukita hugged his muscular frame. He allowed his wings to fold across his shoulders while he spoke. "And is good to meet several new ones." He nodded before turning around to open the double doors.

_________________________________________________________________________

The extremely sweet scent of sugar and strawberries filled the expensive car. Taro fought hard to ignore the nausea in his stomach and the grating pain in his mouth. The candy scented air was sweet enough to make his teeth feel like they were rotting."You have to keep chewing that?" He did not turn around to face Keichi. It was open invitation for his nose to feel the full force of the saccharine filled aroma.

The larger and stronger two of his hired muscle paused in mid chew. "It keeps me from smoking." His eyes beheld the stunned expression of a child accused of doing something they had not done.

"You could have chewed something else," Taro kept his nostrils pinched while he studied the outline of the village. The soft glow of many lights and the occasionally dark shape gliding over the village was the only sign of life.

"What is wrong with my gum?" Keichi directed the question at the person sitting in front of him.

"Nothing, except it’s Sugar-sugar." Koji adjusted his cyber enhanced eyes to read the heat waves from the village. There were several bright orange figures moving around on the ground level and in the air.

"I like Sugar-sugar."

"Have you thought of trying to chew mint flavor?"

"Quiet," Tarao raised his still human hand. "It would be next to impossible for us to go in there and steal the jewel."

"Why did we not try to steal during the day?" Koji kept his left eye clear while his right displayed various information on the village’s size and amount of human population. He did not have any information on the gargoyle population.

"That is what thieves in the past have tried," Taro unlocked his door and stepped out. The mixture of dead leaves and twigs snapped under the heel of his shoe. "Technology and weapons have improved and groups of thieves do not enter villages on horseback to plunder anymore. We also have a trump card to use"

‘What are we going to do?" Keichis words where nearly inaudible because of his gum. The pink mass had nearly filled his mouth.

"Remove that from your mouth if you wish to talk to me."

Keichi spat the pastel colored glob onto the ground. "I asked what are we going to do."

Taro did not answer. His mouth was set in a cruel smirk as he walked around to the back of his car. "You are going to cause a distraction and I am going to be able to get inside." He unlocked the trunk and pulled out what appeared to be a black motorcycle helmet, except it would cover his entire face and head.

__________________________________________________________________________

The golden roof of the building reflected the light of the moon, almost appearing as if it was glowing. No one dared to land on it. Especially not the dun gray gargoyle. His large angular wings were suspend in the air as he studied it. He didn’t want to land on top of it, he would rather enter it. He doubted if he would have been allowed inside, even the dragon surrounding the doors seemed to judge him.

"Yama-san!" She was slender in frame and dressed in a shimmery kimona that flowed around her like a gown. "I am here."

"Sora-chan!" Yama did not have to decide if he should go in any longer. His main purpose for the visit was waiting form him on the roof of the building in front of the meeting hall. A single adjustment of his wings and he was landing next to her. "Why are you not patrolling with the others?"

"Kendo-san gave me the night off," Her small mouth was turned up into a smile. "He said I have as many nights off when you are here."

"Kendo is an excellent second in command. He is a noble warrior, full or honor. He respects Bushido and is willing to listen. Much more suiting second than myself."

"Do not say that," Sora folded her wings around him. "You do not have to keep blaming yourself."

"Only part of my honor has been restored." He used his own wings to embrace her. "I feel I have to help the others until it is fully restored."

"How long will that bee?" Her soulful eyes pleased with him.

"Before our breeding season," he brushed a stray lock out of her face and did not stop stroking her hair.

She returned the expression of love with a few strokes of her knuckles across his forehead. She stared into his eyes and tried not to allow her focus to stray when she saw something behind him. It was a long silver stalk with a round bulb at top. Two areas, close in distance, collapsed on the face, revealing dark eye sockets. Sora nearly screamed as she slipped from her mate’s embrace.

"What is wrong?" He turned around to face what she saw. The liquid metal creature was all to familiar. "Matrix?"

"Down here!" Dingo’s voice came from the ground below them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yama stared over the side. Dingo was waving at him. The human was not alone. Behind him stood the alien and the other gargoyle member of their clan. "What happened to the assignment?"

"The assignment came over into Ishimura," Dingo answered. "Did Robyn tell you about the amulet?"

"I have learned the Eyes of the Waking Dead is here," Yama’s voice carried an annoyed tone. He did not get many nights off to visit his mate. "I do not understand why you are here."

"The thieves did not return to the scene of the crime," emerald knobs and spines formed a natraul crown above the yes of the young warrior, keeping his cascade of white silk out of his handsome face. Golden wings were cloaked across his shoulders, held together by the triple claws on each wing. "We felt they may have known the jewel was being shipped here."

"Only a foolish person would try to steal from Ishimura at night."

"A fool or someone very clever," Vahril spoke up. "The thieves themselves may not have a lot of brains but the person or persons they are working for may have a inventive plan."

"They didn’t receive their implants from an idiot," Dingo added.

The gray gargoyle turned towards his mate. Apology was painted on his face. "I am sorry my love." His talons were clenched into fists. "But our mission is not complete."

"I understand," Sora tried not to sound too disappointed. "I shall alert your friend, Robyn, and Kai with the information." She turned to face the meeting hall. Her eyes were affixed to the doors, wondering when they would open.

_________________________________________________________________________

"My name is Bronson Dyer," the pale orange gargoyle addressed the council. A pair of spiral ram like horns had sprouted from each temple. The rest of his head was covered with dark brown hair. He was dressed in a white shirt and flannel jacket with the sleeve rolled up, and a pair of blue jeans. "I used to be the dock master in New Brunswick. I have recently been given my promotion after working the harbor for nearly twenty years. I will never forget that night. We were expecting a shipment of linens from Ireland but instead we received a shipment of horrors. This she beast had brought her squad of the undead with her and instead of battling her out the captain and a few others sealed the cargo hold, trapping several innocents along with them."

From his table Goliath picked up the small round cup filled with his tea. He quickly drank his fill before Bronson continued.

"Myself and a few others convinced the captain to open up the cargo. He released the she beast and she and her minions attacked us. The child like creature paralyzed the captain, but I received the beast’s poison." He held out his talons in front of him. "I learned what was about to happen to me from one of the transformed crew." He slowly sat down at the table marked New Brunswick. He was not alone. He was accompanied by a young human with strawberry blond hair and dressed in a tan trenchcoat and a crimson gargoyle.

"My story is a bit different," the red gargoyle rose to his feet. His dark purple wings had two ribs that extended far out from the bottom of the wing and seemed to have taken the flesh with them, creating sharp points. "Some buddies and I decided to go over the boarder for the weekend. The lines were long and we decide to pull over to use the facilities before we continued. Thats where we came across the bitch. She managed to get all four of us plus three others before some of the border people came at her with their weapons." He pointed at his curved parrot shaped beak and the spiked knobs of flesh covering his head. "I thought I was going to die. I didn’t think I was going loose my hair and turn into a gargoyle."

"Thank you friends from New Brunswick," Kai rose for his seat. "Goliath-san, why don’t you introduce your friend?"

"We should consider ourselves lucky," the lavender gargoyle spoke. "Only one human was attacked. She was an aquaitence of the clan before she was transformed. My clan has been helping her along with her life change."

The pink female stood up. She remained statuesque even after she had broken from her stone sleep. "For twenty years I worked for the justice system." She may have felt a crumb of self confidence when she had first entered the room, but it had faded when she spoke. She was not going to allow anyone to intimidate her. She would have spoken just as proudly if she were still human. "I have climbed the career ladder into the role of District Attorney. I live in a nice upscale apartment, married to a successful businessman and we both adopted a little girl." She paused to smile at the mention of her daughter. "Nearly everything changed when Brendan and I went to a ball. The Gargoyle Sidhe attacked. She did not count on other gargoyles being there and took me as a hostage. Once she was sure her minions were safe she stabbed me."

A few mumbles wavered around the room. The most frequent words were along understanding and pity.

"You don’t have to feel sorry for me. I still wield out justice to those who deserve it. I live in a very nice apartment and I’m still married and my daughter is still with us."

"I guess it’s much more easy for you because there was a clan there," the newly elected clan leader from New Hampshire accused. Dark green hair was a small disparity against his light blue skin. "It’s the same for the ones in London and Ireland. We didn’t have anyone."

"Sit down," the human woman sitting next to him pulled down on his wings. "You are embarrassing everyone."

"We have tried to help you along with your change," Goliath spoke in a calm matter. He should not be to angered by the Neo Gargoyle’s outburst. He knew what it was like to be pulled form his old life and thrust into a new one. "We provided with you access o the network and you have help from everyone. The circus clan who you have met and the other clans." He gazed around the room and was met with various nods.

"Even though this creature has yet to attack our village we will help." Dodi from the Jordan clan said. "We will teach you about our ways."

"We are all willing to offer assistance," the white furred wolf like gargoyle spoke up. Lupa was accompanied by a reddish purple gargoyle from Scotland, one of the many Scottish victims who became apart of her clan. "After all if what is said to be proven true then it means are own ancestors went through what these unfortunate souls went through."

"I’m kind of glad some of the other clans did not attend," Xanatos whispered into Goliath’s ear. He remembered to keep his voice extremely low as to prevent another gargoyle from over hearing "A few might be glad the Gargoyle Sidhe exists. She in a way is replacing clans that have been slaughtered."

"Aye," Goliath placed his head in his hands. The meeting started out well with the clans greeting each other and the former humans introducing themselves, where they were from and how they came across the Gargoyle Sidhe. He understood and appreciated why the Central Florida and Jordan clans decided to attend. They were not only offering help verbally, they were offering friendship to the neogargs.

__________________________________________________________________________

"I wonder what they have in mind," Taro focused his attention on the belt of woods his two henchmen ran towards. He told them the distraction would have to be big enough to bring the attention of the gargoyles. He did not want to be seen, not that it was easy for anyone to see him. He stared down at himself. It took little effort for him to fit into his body armor. He thought it was ridiculous at first. The sleek metal and plastic reminded him of the costume Ultraman wore. Once he had packed it into his car he could see how it would benefit him. The complete black outfit helped him blend into the night. As long as he kept to the shadows he would be near invisible.

"Better call my partner," he had set his celular phone into the trunk. "Evening Ino-san."

"Evening," the voice on the other end greeted him. "Have you retrieved the jewel?"

"I’m about to go in. Your idea for the suit was quite ingenious."

"It pales to your idea for the implants. May I ask what you are waiting for?"

"Just waiting for a diversion." He spoke at the right tie. Two small flashes of greenish light appeared in the woods followed by two more. "I believe I just received my diversion."

"Good, I need the amulet."

"I still don’t see how it will put us on equal footing as some of the richest billionaires in the world."

"You are thinking small again Taro-san."

"What if I am nearly caught?"

"Use the incantation I have given you, but keep the numbers to twenty each."

"Hai," he hung up. There was something odd about Ino. "He wasn’t like this until six months ago." He turned to watch a few of the last flares caused by Koji’s optic lazers. The green illuminence was replaced by orange from the rapidly developing fires. Fire was a too obvious choice but it woulld capture the attention of the village. As long as they could keep the fire going strong ad make it large enough, Taro would have the adequate cover.

_________________________________________________________________________

The dark blue and silver van stood out amongst the rows of parked cars like a saint Benard in a kennel full of dashunds. Most of the other vehicles did not appear newer than five years. The van appeared to have just rolled out of the factory. It was kept in decent shape, not a single scrat to be found on it’s surface that gleamed under the light of the full moon.

"I don’t even need to look for the other signs," Toriyama Ryoma walked around the van, stopping behind the bumper to read the numbers on the plate and the bumper sticker. The decal was the only part of the vehicle that did not match. The edges were tattered and torn and long white scratches carved through the once glossy surface as of someone placed it there and decieded to have it removed shortly after. "Someone must be obsessed to keep it this clean and shiny."

A low growl from behind was the only answer he recieved. Toriyama felt his heart beat quicken in fear for a few seconds. The two dog like beasts where the size of small horses. The one on the right was the color of freshly spilled blood. Bull like horns flanked the sides of his head. The other one, while slightly smaller, was still fearsome. It’s eggplant hue made it easy to blend in the night with only a crown of golden curls to make it appear noticable. It’s mane started at the back of it’s scull and did not end til it was at it’s shoulders and wrapped around it’s neck. Rows of quills were behind it’s yellowish eyes.

"I know them." Ryoma’s scattered memory pulled out images from the distant past. Images of him fighting Oni and Tengu with the dog like creatures at his side. "I come in peace. You do not have to be afraid of me."

The loud thump on the van brought Ryoma back to facing the vehicle. He felt a new kind of fear at the sight of the new creature growling down at him. The new creature was barely larger than the two dog like beasts and was more streamlined. The rippling muscles udnerneath it’s teal flesh, coupled with the way it crouched down reminded Toriyama of nature specials on tigers and other large cats.

"Ryu, Tenshi, heal!" A young woman dressed in a mix of leather and denim ran towards them. Her bright blue boots matched with the metalic paint on her nails. Her leather pants were of a slimming shade of black the woman did not need. the rest of her outfit consisted o a belt of pale blue cloth wrapped around her breasts and a denim jacket. A camera was held by a clp to the leather chord around her neck "I said heal."

The two dog like creatures stopped growling after the red one sniffed the air. His eyes stopped glowing as he stepped back to the woman. The purple best soon followed suit

"I can’t get the Jaggar to listen to me," her pencil thin eyebrows wer raised in concern. She was too old for highscool, but was younger than Toriyama. The crimson streaks in her fringed bob matched the shade of lipstick she wore."

"It is acceptable since they do not know me."

"Do not know you, and do not trust you," one of the creatures that was seen through out the villiage landed next to him.. He had the apperance of prince. Long flowing hair of moonlight cascaded behind a browridge shaped like a natraul crown. Golden wings with a deep red lining stood erect. He was dresed in cloth tunic with a matching loin cloth and bronze chestplate. "What is your purpose here?"

"You don’t have to be rude," the young woman barked at him.

"He’s a stranger," the emerald green gargoyle accused. "Sora doesn’t know him and Mckinley does not trust him. Jaggars are a great judge of character the same as the beasts."

"I do believe we could have exorcised some tact." What appeared to be a puddle of liquid silver slid towards the the small gathering.

"What is that?" Toriyama tried to search his memories for an clue of what the liquid being could be, but turned up with nothing.

"I hope my presense does not frighten you." The puddle stretched up forminga pillar that quickly reashaped itself into a human shaped being. Two hollow eyes formed in it’s head. "I am known as the Matrix."

"Matrix?" The name was familiar to the teacher. "You don’t eat."

"That is correct."

"You are a friend of Robyn and Fang?"

"That is also correct." The head nodded again.

"How does he know Robyn and Fang?" The princely gargoyle relaxed his wings, not to the point where he allowed them to droop or cloak them across his shoulders. He studied the human carefully. He did not want to place judgment too quickly. " If they knew you where did you meet and did they tell you about us?"

"There is a possibility he could be the teacher who assisted Robyn and Fang," Matrix suggested.

"Vahril and Yama returned to the meeting hall," the latest stranger slowed down as he neared them. He was winded, but not completely out of breath. His fit and strong body could endure long runs. He only formed an expression of pain when his eyes fell on Toriyama. "Not you again!"

"Well, that answers that question." The gargoyle’s shoulder relaxed as he smiled. "I believe Robyn had yet to give you my name, McKinley’s Yama’s or Vahril’s. I am Gawain."

"I am Toriyama Ryoma." The cat like creature had relaxed and stretched out on the top of the van. His front paws hung over the top while the end of his tail tapped against the surface. "I see your cat trusts’ me."

"He must have received a good scent of you," the young woman reached down to pet both gargoyles beasts at the same time. "Like these two. My name is Watanabe Akima."

"Are we all forgetting something?" Dingo was the only one who did not relax around Toriyama. "This guy followed us out of the city to here. Is nobody suspicious as to how he was able to find us." He turned to glare at the teacher. "Or add the fact you showed up out of nowhere to help fight those blokes?"

"McKinley and the beasts trust him," Gawain spoke in an annoyed clip. "Vahril is right. You are j-"

"Not another word on that subject!" The Austrailian nearly tackled Gawain in order to clamp his hand over the gargoyles mouth.

"I can explain," Toriyama chose to ignore the abrupt behavior. "The mother of one of my students works in the jewelry store that had The Eyes of the Waking Dead. She told me it was being sent to Ishimura. I watched over the store thinking the thieves might return and that was when I saw your van. I mistook it for the thieves vehicle. After the van had left I had a feeling you would be here. I made a mistake."

"We all make mistakes," Gaiwan had managed to wrestle out of Dingo’s grasp. He tried to ignore the sirens wailing through the city. "We also believe the thieves might strike here."

"What is going on?" Akima stared up. The sirens wee fading but the gargoyles were gliding towards the woods. "Where is everyone going?"

"Dingo!" Two of the gargoyles seemed to slow down in the air as they neared them. The gray male had his arms free, but the pink female was carrying a woman with dark blue skin. From where Toriyama stood he could her white hair kept in thin rope like dreads and the fact she was not a gargoyle.

"What is going on?" Dingo cupped his hands around his mouth. "We heard sirens. Where is the emergency?"

"The forest near the village is on fire," Yama dipped down low enough to grab onto McKinley before he continued on his way.

"No sense in standing around," Dingo barreled past Toriyama and through the Matrix. The liquid mass of nanotechnoligy allowed him to pass through and stuck too his body as he ran, and reshaped his body to form into a tight fitting armor. Gaiwan raced after him, running on all fours.

"Everyone is leaving the village to help with the fire," Toriyama hoped somebody would stay behind him with him. Akima and the two beasts lingered behind. All three of them were staring at him. "Leaving The Eyes unprotected."

"You believe the fires were deliberate?" Akima asked.

"All I know is a fire broke out the night after the jewel arrived."

"Follow me. I have something that can help us." Akima ran off towards the opposite direction.

________________________________________________________________________

It was just too easy. The library that doubled as a museum was devoid of any gargoyle. There were only a few human guards standing in front of the entrances, leaving the windows unprotected. All Taro had to do was cut the trip wire with the small knife that was sheathed in the middle finger of his cybernetic hand. The rest of his fingers would provide the necessary tools too break inside.

The display that held the jewel was in the center of the resource room. The book cases filled with enclyopedias, biographies and atlases surrounded the glass topped table. There were no other guards in the room, not even a velvet rope to keep people from breathing on the glass surface and children from leaving their dirty finger prints.

"You deserve a nicer place," He peered into the display. It was made of polished jade and attached to a gold chain. The figure carved into the jade resembled an emanciated human with their arms wrapped around their knees. The large eyes on the small face was closed.Working quickly, Taro managed to use his hand to unlock the case and removed the trinket from the cloth of black silk it was placed upon. The second the jewel was removed from the inner sanctum of it’s case a blaring alarm rang.

"Shimatta!" Tarao stepped back away from the case and quickly turned around. As he raced back towards the window he broke into he learned one of the drawbacks to the armor he wore. There were no pockets for him to place the amulet. "Shimatta!"

__________________________________________________________________________

"You can not just hide from the world!" Dodi leaned over her table. Her palms rested on the e edge of the cloth covered surface. "Watching over your own hide and not protecting something is not our way. It is not the gargoyle way."

"Sorry lady," the leader of the New Hampshire clan snapped back. "We only recently received the memo."

"It does not make up for the fact you have turned your back on your instinct and heritage." The light slowly built up in Dod’s eyes. The red glow overtook the whites first, followed by the iris’s and pupils."

"What heritage? We’ve only been a member of your species for a few weeks now."

"So have we, Larry," Stealth kept himself calm. He leaned back in his seat and cradled the back of his head with his paws. "Even before we voted on what our protectorate will be we felt the need to help those in trouble."

"Maybe you are quick to give up on your life. We are not."

"Do you think we are pleased this happened?" Stealth rose to his feet. "Listen, buddy I had to give up on my job and livelihood. I had to break off a relationship with my girlfriend after two long years."

"I didn’t say you enjoyed it now did I?"

"Silence!" Kai clapped his hands twice. The leader of the Ishimuran clan gradually stood up as the discussion took place. He closed his eyes when he felt his eyes beginning to glow. "I know you are all frustrated. You are no longer human, but you are still adults. Please stop this childish behavior."

"Jalapena," Goliath sighed. He had buried his face in his hand the second the first argument broke out and watched the conversations through the cracks between his talons. The angry words bouncing back and forth between the clans was beginning to form a headache.

"Now I know why nothing gets done in congress," Brendan poured himself his third shot of saki. "If the representatives and Senators are like this."

"I’ve seen worse on CSPAN," Xanatos glanced over at the human woman at their table. Robyn appeared just as uncomfortable at the sight of the spectacle as they were. "I’m thinking Parliament is the same?"

"Aye," Robyn quickly drained her glass. "Sometimes they are just as bad as these folk."

"They are obviously human on the inside," Goliath lowered his hands. "Hopefully Kai can keep them in line."

"Kai!" The double doors of the meeting hall flew open. Hoshi did not appear apologetic about intruding on the meeting. His eyes were wide with panic and his face was slick with sweat. More seat stained the underarms of his shirt. "We have two emergencies. There is a fire near the village and The Eyes of the Waking Dead have been stolen."

Kai raised his arms in the hope to quite down the rising clamor. "I am sorry everyone. We have to end the meeting now."

"We understand," Lupa was already on her feet. Nearly everyone had left their chairs at the mention of fire. "You do not have to help us if you feel you are still not ready." She spoke to the newly transformed Scottish gargoyle.

"I cannae just sit here," the purple gargoyle explained.

"We have no time to wait on who wants to help," Daunte said. The black gargoyle from central Florida resembled a medieval knight with the gold chest plate, shoulder pads and vembrances he wore over the blood red clothing. His hair of the same coloring was style in a stiff mohawk and not wiggled down by the helmet on his head. "We need to decide which half assists the others with the fire and which half looks for the thief."

__________________________________________________________________________

The village of Ishimura had only one fire station and it only had two fire trucks within it’s garage. A call to a nearby town was to hopefully bring in more help to dispel the roaring flames before they consumed all of the trees.

The trucks were providing the most efficient help. Long jets of water fought back against the flames nearest the village. The handwork was paying off as the firefighters were able to trod on some of the burnt and soggy underbrush with their heavy boots.

The rest of the villagers and gargoyles fought their best against the flames with what little the could use. They sprayed fire extinguishers and lodged dirt clods at smaller and weaker fires. Some of the gargoyles created their own version of a water bucket brigade by repeatedly diving towards the pond and spooning up large buckets of water and emptying them over the towering flames.

None of them could compare with the large sheet of liquid metal approaching the farthest end of the fires. The Matrix had requested Yama, Sora, Gaiwan and another gargoyle to grab onto his psuedolimbs and stretch his form out creating a large tarp

"Now!" The artificial intelligence requested when the were at the end. The gargoyles released his body and allowed him to drop onto the burning woods. The multitude of nanobots were able to cover the flames and smother them out. The matrix waited until he could no longer sense the intense heat of a flame before he raised his form and sloshed forward, covering another group of flames like a wave.

Nobody paid any attention towards the two humans sneaking towards the car parked far away from the fires. Everyone was preoccupied with the inferno. If they turned around they would see them and the gargoyles with their stronger eyesight would be able to make out the cybernetic implants and metal skull cap on the larger man and the mechanical hands and feet and the strange glass eyes of the second.

"Are you sure Taro has not returned?" Keichi asked as they neared the vehicle. The built man turned towards the fire he helped Koji create. "I don’t want to stay here much longer."

"I don’t see him," Koji’s gaze was focused on the village. The only beings, human and gargoyle, exiting the outside perimeters were racing towards the fire.

"Are you sure none of the villagers are after us?" Keichi turned back towards the chaos.

"I don’t see them," Keitchi tapped the glass shielding over his and turned back towards the car. "All I see is a firefly." He didn’t know why there was one and why it was coming towards him. He adjusted his gaze quickly until it was at heat seeker level, but by then it was too late. A tremendous force had plowed into his gut.

Vahril spun around after delivering the first kick and stuck her foot out as the lasers were developing in his eyes. Her foot struck him in the shoulder with enough force to send him back. The twin lasers shot out of his eyes and flew over her head.

The cyborg was ready to strike back with this fingertips. The ends of his robotic fingers shot out and wrapped around her arm, trapping it in the thin cords She didn’t even wait until the fingertips stopped moving before she cut the chords with her thin lobster claw like fingers.

Keichi quickly regained his compress after the blue woman leaped forward and knocked his associate onto his back. He did not have as many weapons as Koji, just two small lazer canons and two long knives. He raised one leg, aiming his knee at the back of the blue woman. The silver nub like end off the pseudo knee became illuminated with a red glow. He just needed to get one shot.

He heard the roar of the jungle cat before he felt a tremendous weight on his back. He couldn’t keep from falling and toppled forward. His mouth became filled with the dirt that joined the air from the strike of his lazer. The force of the discharge cashed him and whatever tackle him to rise a few inches before they both crashed onto the cold ground.

"Get off me!" He rammed his arm back as a switch blade protruded from his elbow. He felt the edge of his weapon come in contact with something as he heard the creature cry out in pain. Keichi rolled over to se what attacked him and felt his mouth widen. It appeared to be a large jungle cat, but it’s skin was almost reptilian.

"If you can’t be nice to the kitty," the voice of the gajin was heard at the same time Keichi felt a prick at the back of his shoulder. "Then you’ll just have to go to bed early." Keichi tried to spin around, but felt his legs had gone limp. The images of the strange cat and the man approaching him blurred into darkness.

"Nobody harms my cat and gets away with it," Dingo reloaded the dart gun with another tranquilizer and fired it at the legs of the second thief. The tranq struck the crook’s shin just as he had plowed his fist into the bottom of Vahril’s chin. "Bastard doesn’t know who to treat a lady. He didn’t hit you too hard, Vahril?"

"I have been hit with something worse," Vahril rubbed the side of her face. The cyberpunk she had been battling with had lost consciousness nearly after the dart had struck him. "How is McKinley?"

"They got him in the shoulder," he studied the crimson gash on the cat. Tributaries of blood ran down his leg and dripped onto the dirt. "Going to have to see if this place has a vet and get you patched up."

"Stone sleep will cure him." She grabbed onto the ankles of the smaller man. She made sure to grab the flesh, right above the cybernetic part. "Smart move thinking the fire was a distraction."

"They were talking about another," Dingo grabbed onto the legs of the other man. "Can you walk boy?" McKinley limped a few feet, towards the village. "Good. I didn’t want to leave him here while we bring these sleeping beauties inside."

________________________________________________________________

"Whoever he is he is smart." Akima stuidied the dark form as it ran closer to the buidling she was standing on. The small drug store was one of the few places in the village that had a roof flat enough fo her to perch on and gave her decent viewpoint of the ground below. She pulled back the thick pair of glasses, too thick to be considered sunglasses and not quite thick enough to be called goggles. The glowing green glass parts wereframed by black plastic.

"How long have you had those?" Ryoma spoke of her glasses that abled her to see through the dark like a nocturnal animal.

"I finished making them a few days ago." what ever words she had left say remained unsaid. The perpatrator was right underneath her and she had to jump and hopefully land on top of it. After being kidnapped she had little to fear from. She did not notice the small camera that fell from the clip as she jumped.

Ryoma nearly fell over himself trying to catch it. One leg hung over the side of the building and he had to hold onto the edge to keep from falling over as he caught onto the nylong strap attached to the camerea. He did have a good view of what transpired on the ground. Akima had landed on the back of something. He did not have time to place the camera back on the roof and quickly climb down.

"Get off me," the thief was pinned down under the weight of Akima. She was not heavy, but the way she was seated on his back made it difficult for him to throw her off him.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t see you." Akima kept her body sprawled out over the thief. She had to admire him. The suit made it near impossible for him to find without her night vision glasses. Only when she strained her eyes could she make out the joints in the armor and eye gaurds on the helmut. Only one thing was clear to see and it was the gold chain laced through his fingers.

"That was quite a landing," Ryoma nearly dropped to the ground and quickly ran towards them. He had to squint to see the figure underneath Akima. Even with the surrounding lights he was difficult to find. "Lets see who this guy is." He handed the camerea back to Akima before grabbing on to the bottom the helmut. To his surprise it slipped off without much trouble.

"I don’t know how you were able to see me," their thief turned out to be an attractive man close to Ryomas age.

"I helped in apprehending your cohorts in the City," Ryoma explained. "I had a feeling you would be here after putting a few clues together, and that fire seemed a bit suspicious."

"I do have to admire your cleverness."He pointed his cybernetic hand at Ryoma. The top on the back of his hand flipped back revealing a couple of tiny kinves. One shot forward towards Ryoma. He did not look to see if it had struck or not before he aimed the second blade at Akima. He did not intend for the blade to strike her, rather he just wanted her to move so he could slip from under her.

The first knife did not hit Ryoma. He stood in the way in front of Taro after the thef craweld out from under the woman. "Going somewhere?"

"You are very foolish or brave," Taro tried to squeeze past him.

"I doubt you have any other weapons." He tried to grab onto the armored man.

Taro raised up the amulet. Ino had told him he could use it as an option if everything else fails. He clasped his hand on the stone hanging from his neck and whispered the same words over and over  again. He felt almost foolish for saying the charm, although the eyes on the jewel seemed to be open instead of closed.

"What have you done?" Ryoma tried to reach out and swipe the amulet out of Taro’s hand. The armored man stepped back. "You didn’t invoke the amulet?"

"So you happen to know what it does?"

"I have heard of a stories," he felt the hairs on the back of his neck pick up. The air seemed a different, colder by a degree and it felt as if there was a bit of a static charge in the air. "Do you know what it does?"

"All I know is the fact it is going to give you trouble." He watched as a figure was gliding closer to them. He would have been worried if it wasn’t ivory in color and transparent. The large dragon like wings and long tail were telling sings of what the firgure was when it was once alive.

"Ryoma!" Akima pointed to the sky. Her finger seemed to be eclipsing a ghostly white gargoyle dressed in tradditional samurai armor. It’s dark eyes were as vacant as the matrix while it seemed to have been reaching at them. It only took them a second to notice the gargoyle was transparent.

"He invoked it!"Ryoma turned around to face Taro, but to his disgust the amrored thieve was already yards ahead of him. He almost ran after him when a second ghost appeared between them. The new spirt was human in form but just as transparent as the gargoyle and it’s eyes were just as empty. The former human was dressed in clothes Ryoma had only seen from movies and television shows from thirty years ago.

Akima did not know what to do. Two ghosts were approaching them and she did not know if they were capable of harming them. Both she and Ryoma did not have any weapons, and even ifthey did what could affect a ghost. She kept thinking of ideas while searing the area around them. All she could find was her camera that Ryoma left on the ground.

"It won’t work. It’s just a game." She picked up her camera. "It was just a game." She stared through the viewing window while the flash keyed up. "Just a game." She waited until the vacant spirit of the warrior was centerd within the viewing window before she pressed the button, releasing the flash. The ghost of the gargoyle had stopped moving, frozen in the atmosphere. "Maybe it wasn’t just a game." She had read stories about how more primitive tribes in third world countries objected to having their picture taken because they believed if one captured someones image they would capture their soul.

"Akima," There was a look of surprise on his Ryoma’s when he saw the ghost. Unlike the spirit’s eyes its mouth held an expression, a partly open frown. The same look Ryoma had seen on some of his students when they did not recieve a proper amount of sleep. "This man used the amulet to bring forth the ghosts."

"Why?" Akima used her thumb to wind the film.

"The charm is used to call forth the spirits in the area the amulet has been invoked," the memories from the last time the heroe within had encountered somone using the amulet. "The idiot just wanted a distraction."

"How long will this go on?"

"Until either somone uses the amulet to cancel the spell, or until sunrise."

"I don’t know how long that will be." Akima held up her camera and pointed at the still image of the ghost. "Camera’s make them freeze. I just took one picture and it stopped moving."

"It’s not the camera. It’s the flash." He pulled out his pen knife. "This village has kept one secret for centuires. I hope it can keep another." He stared a the young woman with a pleading look in his eyes. "If no one else in this villiage discovers my secret, please don’t tell them."

"I promise," Akima raised the camera back to her eye. She had no idea what he was up too, but she hoped he wouldn’t stall much longer.

"Arigoto," He tossed the knife into the air and caught it. The second the knife cam into contact with his palm, tiny bolts of red lighting shot out of the blade and covered itself and Ryoma in red light.

"Ryoma!" Akima raced towards the teacher when the first crackls of electricty shot out but paused when he was consumed with the light The flash only lasted a few seconds and when it faded another man stood in Ryoma’s place. He was taller than the teacher and more athleticaly built. He was dressed in strong cloth and armor of thin metal covered in red laqur. Upon his head he wore the golden helmet of a samurai warrior, complete with a short pair of ivory horns. He had almost the same facial features as Ryoma. His chin was slighty longer and more angular. His hair was longer and eyebrows were thicker. His most distinguishing feature was the scar over his right eye. Instead of a knife he held onto a sword with a blade that appeared to have been made from the same glowing red energy. "Ryoma?"

The strange man did not say anything as he turned around and raised his sword and waved through the approaching ghost. The spirit stopped in it’s tracks before the blade passed completely through. "I’m not Ryoma," the strange man spoke with Ryoma’s voice. "We have to freeze the ghosts until sunrise."

"Who are you?"

"I had faced The eyes of the waking Dead before," he ran off towards the same path Taro used. "Tell the others to use cameras with flashes and flashlights. Its the light!"

__________________________________________________________________________

Xanatos ran through the paths in the village, trying to find a clue on the whereabouts of the jewelry thief. Everyone was searching the museum or the area near the museum. Xanatos knew the thief was on his way out of village. He and Goliath had both guess at the same time.

Roars from overhead brought the billionaire’s focus to the sky. The fire was probably contained and most of the Ishimuran clan was on their way back to the village. He was not sure why they we roaring until he saw two pastel colored gargoyles attacking Goliath One that was shaped and as tall as the lavender gargoyle appeared to have been made out of siver mist. thick arms ending in sharp talons grabbed onto Goliath’s wrists while a shorter and more lith form dove towards Goliath’s right side.

"Where did an enemy clan come from?" His question was immediately answered when Goliath slipped away from the hgue gargoyle and glided back to avoid the second attacker. With his eyes lit up goliath plowed foward, trying to ram his fist into one of them and the lavender gargoyle passed completely through.

"Ghosts. They are already dead." The statement had barely left the billionaire’s mouth when someone grabbed him from behind. He turned to face the hollow eyes of a human spirit. He tried pull the ghostly arms off from him but his hands when through the limbs.

"Unhand him." The voice was deep and contained an Irish lilt. He stood over six feet and was built with the physique of a skilled warrior. Gold armor dressed him from head to toe. His helmet cast a shadow over most of his face leaving only his storm colored eyes and thick mustache exposed. The only weapon he wielded was lance of light. The air around the golden weapon crackled as if the warrior had beheld a bolt of lightening.

"Cu Chulain," Xanatos had heard but never seen the Celtic warrior that served as an alter ego to the young man from Ireland. He glanced at the ghost holding on to him. The vacant eyes and sad frown did not express any notion he was about to allow the billionaire to go freely.

Cu Chulain stormed forward, racing at an inspiring speed despite the heavy armor he wore. He was only a foot away from the spirit when he hefted up his spear of glowing energy and brought the end of the magnificant weapon down onto of the ghost’s head. The glowing lance passed through the spirit’s transparent form. The figure stopped moving and it released it’s hold on the billionaire.

"How did you do that?" Xanatos slipped away from the pale hands of his captor. The spirit appeared as if somebody pressed the pause button while watching a horror movie. "There has to be a simpler way for the rest of us to pause them in their tracks."

The Celtic warrior appeared as if he did not hear him. He was too occupied woth the terrors facing Goliath. With a simple flick of his wrist he launched the spear of light at one of the ghosts fighting with Goliath. The fiery weapon passed through one translucent gargoyle before it boomeranged back to it’s owner. With another throw Cu Chulain had froze the second ghost in the sky.

"Cu Chulain!" Goliath, was only temporarily surprised at the sight of the ghosts frzen within the sky. Without any any more adversaries, he glided towards the ground next to Xanatos. "I am thankful for your aid." The Celtic warrior just nodded before running along through the village. "There are probably more of these ghosts and he knows he can’t rest until they are defeated.."

"A hero’s work is never complete," Xanatos did not watch Cu Chulain leave. His gaze was fixated on the ghost who was holding onto him a few minutes earlier. "Do you know how long they will stay like that?" He weaved his hand over it’s dark eyes before testing it’s substance. His hand cut right through as if there was nothing there.

"I am more concerned with finding a way to freeze them."

"Unless you have a Spear of Light on you I have no idea"

"Goliath." If they hadn’t heard his voice they may have not seen the black gargoyle from Massachusetts. Stealth nearly blended in with the sky. The baggy pair of gray pants and a sleeveless olive green shirt made it easy for Xanatos and Goliath to make out his form. He glided around in a tight circle above them before he landed "You guys wouldn’t have a few cameras and flashlights on you? It turns out the flash and the beams of light cause these ghosts to freeze."

"It wasn’t the spear?" Goliath blinked at the realization. "It was the light radiating from the weapon."

"Thank you for informing us," Xanatos said

"Unfortunatly I don’t have either of those things." Stealth spread his wings, ready to take to the air once more.

"Try to get all the humans to safety," Goliath turned to Xanatos. "You have always been known to be prepared. I am certain you have brought those objects."

"I left my camera and emergency light in my room," Xanatos spun around in his tracks and raced towards the hotel room.

______________________________________________________________________

Robyn’s knees nearly struck her chest as she raced towards her hotel room. Several people were also running to thier homes to rummage around in the search of any thing that can create light and be able to be carried around. She did not pack any cameras with her when she prepared for her trip and the only flashlight she carried was small enough to fit in a purse. Hopefully the beam would be enough.

The deep roar, sounding more like a moan than a battle cry of a gargoyle, stopped the hunter cold in her tracks. She could see the entrances of the hotel throught the body of the gargoyle. It may have been yellow once when it still was alive, but in it’s spiritual form it was a faded buttercream tint.

"Clever," the word fell from her mouth. She was going to have to run around and enter the building from one of the other entrances.

Another roar brought her attention to her left. A second gargoyle spirit was gliding in for a landing next to her. She turned to the left and nearly ran into the arms of a third. Even with all of her training she would not be able to escape the trio. She had one idea. Robyn tried to run through the center of one of the spirts and made it halfway when the gargoyle grabbed onto her.

"That was a foolish move, Robyn," she tried to pull away from the clutches of her captor, but they were as strongs as if they were alive. Captured by three deceased gargoyles. Was this revenge from the grave? Did any of her ancestors journied to Japan in the past to hunt down Demona?

"Hand’s off fellas," the gruff voice bought a smile to Robyn’’s face. "She’s not that kind of girl." A wide beam of light washed over the ghost holding onto Robyn and nearly came in contact with the other two.

"Harry," Robyn slipped from the hands of her captor and passed through his chest, ignoring the chill her whole body felt, and approached her rescuer. Dingo was holding onto two large flashlight/lantern’s. "Where did ye get those?"

"They were in the back of the van," Dingo handed her one of the large lights. "Along with the rest of the supplies."

"Ye brought a lot of supplies fer just a stakeout." She turned on her light and washed it over one of the other ghost’s while Harry took care of the third .

"None of the other’s complained." He turned his light off. "And I don’t get any thanks for rescuing you?"

She kissed his cheek. "Don’t flatter yerself." She turned her light off and ran a few feet, only pausing to give Harry her best "You better follow me," look.

"Flatter myself?" His face twisted into a scowl. "I’m sure if was mr Dashing-teacher you would have leaped into his arms by now."

"Now is not a time fer this stupidity."

"So you do have crush on that guy."

"Don’t ye be accuising me of anything," She didn’t even turn around to look at him.

"I was right."

"Fine," Robyn set the light on the ground. "If this will make ye stop acting like a prat. I have no interest in that teacher. I have feelings for someone, and it’s already someone you know."

"Where does he live?"

"He works for the Alliance," Robyn gave him one more scathing glance before she picked up the light and ran down then arrow road.

Harry did not even dare to open his mouth again and followed behind. He couldn’t help wonder who Robyn’s mysterious crush was.

_______________________________________________________________________

There was no sign of Keichi or Koji near the car and it did not look like they were inside. Taro leaned against the driver’s side door to catch his breath and tried to stare into the tinted windows. He couldn’t see the cybernetic eyes of Koji. Even in the darkest alley Koji would have made his eyes glow if he knew Taro was looking for him. "Did those two idiots get caught? I’m not surprised."

The snapping jaws of the red gargoyle beast latched onto the hand concealed with armor. Taro shook his arm back in an effortless task of getting the beast to release him. Taro did not have much time. He could hear the barking of another beast and could see a handful of gargoyles gliding towards him in the sky. With one swipe of his fist onto the damp nose of the red beast he had freed most of his hand, but the jaws clamped down again, taking most of the jewel into it’s mouth. The fingertips on Taros cybernetic hand flipped back as he raked his hand across the top of the snout. The sharper tools managed to cut through the leather hard skin.

Taro jumped into the vehicle and closed the door just as the purple beast leaped for him. The immense paws clawed at the window, leaving behind large muddy streaks. He did not have enough time to worry about the condition of his car or completely remove his armor. He tossed the amulet into the passengers seat and it was soon joined by the lower half of his suit. He had to be able to reach the keys in the pocket.

________________________________________________________________

"Shimmata!" Yama pumped his wings in hopes to pick up speed. He and the others hand nearly caught up to the mysterious car when the engine roared to life and the vehicle tore out of three. The wheels spun out waves of dirt and loose grass before it went into motion. Yama would have followed the car until either his wings tired or it had driven out of sight if he was not held back by two other gargoyles.

"Don’t be a fool," Gawain had a stronger grip on Yama’s wrist. He shifted his wings to bring guide his body to land next to the beasts.

"Ryu is hurt," Sora pulled on the arm of her mate once more before she landed next to the red beast. Ryu wagged it’s whippy tail back and forth, despite the still bleeding scrapes across the top of it’s snout . "Let me see your snout." Sora tried to cradle it’s jaws in her talons but he jerked his back and then lowered his head. He opened his mouth and deposited a small green shard into her palm. "Nani?"

"What was in his mouth?" Yama had thought it best for his mate to examine the beast. She was one of the most gentle members when it came to examining wounds.

"It’s a piece of jade," Sora held it out in front of them. "I think he bit off part of the amulet."

"how would that affect the spell?" Gawain asked. His gaze was fixated on the edge of the viliage and the few forzen spirits that were visible to the five of them.

"I know they vary with different stories," Sora tore a piece of fabric from the bottom of her yukita and used it to compress against Ryu’s cuts. "But all magical talismans from the Akita section of Japan have one thing in common. The spells that have been cast by them are broken when the talisman breaks."

"If the thieves want to use the amulet for a spell that means they will return?" the green gargoyle asked.

"They may return, but the shard won’t be here," Yama stared at the palm of his hand. "I will speak with director. I am certain he has a place on the opposite of the planet where we can hide this. I may have to convince Kai."

"I will help you convince him," Sora grabbed him by his arm.

________________________________________________________________

Five ghostly spirits closed in on the two warriors. Two were human in form and three once belonged to the corporal forms of gargoyles. Their eyes, while dark and blank as the others, were drawn up in an expression of sorrow.

One living warrior was dressed in gold and the other was clothed in red armor. They both wore helmets and wielded weapons that glowed with a fiery light. The Celtic warrior nodded towards the other man. "Ye take care of the ones on the ground." He threw his weapon at one of the Gargoyle spirits. The flare of the lance illuminated the ghost before it returned to him.

The warrior who was once Ryoma was about to swipe at one of the humanoid ghosts but paused. The ghost was smiling at him and nodded towards the hero in respect. The other humanoid ghost was also nodding and when he looked up at the sky the two ghosts who were not frozen seemed to be at peace. Before he could even question the motive behind their change of expression the spirits flickered like a dying candle flame and disappeared.

"What just happened?" The hero known as Cu Chulain had revered to his reincarnated form. Where there was once shining armor there was an old shirt, pants and vest. The energy of the lance had left, leaving Rory to hold onto an old wooden spear.

"My guess is someone reversed the incantation," Ryoma had reappeared. The sword of red lightening was replaced with a small pen knife.

"Who are ye?"

"As off now I’m-"

"Ryoma?" She was no longer dressed in her costume of the Hunter but Ryoma recognized her voice. She matched her athletic form and blond hair with the woman who fought against they cbyerneticly enhanced thieves. "We saw the samurai warrior being surrounded with red light and then ye were standing here."

"What the hell are you?" Dingo had arrived the same time as Robyn. Both of them were armed with two high powered flash lights.

"He is a hero like myself," Rory held out his hand. "I don’t quite know who yer otherself is. I am the reincarnated form of Cu Chulain."

"I believe I have read about the Celtic hero," Ryoma accepted his handed in a grim shake. "I too am a reincarnated hero. Yagui Jube."

"I don’t think I have heard of either," Dingo confessed.

"Is that why ye decided to help us?" Robyn studied both young men before looking up at the frzen gargoyle spirit above her. "Why hasnae that one left."

"They will move within a span of twenty minutes," Ryoma answered. "They will return to their eternal rest."

"What caused all this?" Dingo pointed at the ghost.

"Somebody invoked The Eyes of the Waking Dead." Ryoma watched as several living gargoyles glided in for a landing. "It is used to call forth sprits and reanimate corpse to do the bidding of the one who holds the amulet. I have seen it happen many times in the past."

"Why did it stop?" Rory asked.

"Something has happened to the amulet."

"It’s been a long and very confusing night," Harry said. "There is proabaly cleaning up to do, and after that I’m goingto be ready to hit the sack."

"The council is pretty much over," Robyn said. "It was pretty much over when they started arguing."

"I’ll lend you all a hand," Ryoa smiled. "Tomorrow is Sunday. I don’t have to work tomorrow."

________________________________________________________________

Goliath stared the remaining ghost. The spirit of the gargoyle warrior did not vanish along with the rest of the ghosts. It had remained in the pose, one hand around the hilt of it’s ghostly sword while the other reaching out to the space where Kai remained hovered only minutes before. The ghost would have grabbed onto the leader of the Ishimura clan if Xanatos hadn’t taken it’s picture.

"That would have been a close," Xanatos had stared up from between Kai and Goliath.

"If I was able to shake the two ghosts holding on to me," Goliath trailed off while starting where the others ghosts where. "Now they are gone."

"The eyes of the waking dead," Kai explained. "There is a charm that can be used to summon the sprits of the bed, or cause the corpses to rise from the ground."

"It does not quite explain why they disappeared," Goliath pointed at the remaining spirit. He tried to ignore the beast dogs barking. "Or why this one has remained."

"There is a possibility somone from the village had intercepted the thief, and used the jewel to send the spirits to rest, or something has happened to it."

"And the ones that have remained?" Xanatos had turned around to see why the beasts were seeking them out. The sound of their barks were close.

"My guess is because he is still frozen," Kai responded

________________________________________________________________

"I am sorry I failed you Ino San," Taro held the phone to his ear. He had put a great distance between himself and Ishimura and took a break outside a restaurant. He had managed to remove the last of his armor.

"You have tried your best," Ino spoke at the other end. "We had both overestimated the strength of theses beasts jaws. I am sure the piece that has been bitten off is not shattered."

"I am certain it is still intact," Tara stared at the amulet in his hand. The small jagged piece missing at the bottom had marred it’s once perfect oval shape. "All I have to do is id another way back into the village and take it."

"Don’t trouble yourself. We will just have go come up with another idea."

"This time I will not fail you," Taro waited until they had exchaneged goodbyes before he hung up.

_______________________________________________________

 Ino tried not to slam down his phone after he had hung up on Taro. He had every right to be angry. taro was an extremely intelligent young man. How was he able to blunder a simple task.

"He can’t be that smart," Ino hissed through his teeth while the lengthened and sharpened. "He never did try to look at my name backwards." Skin darkened to red and a pair of horns sported from his head. The muscles of the Oni Demon bulged and he grew in size till his srit shreeded into tatters that fell onto the floor.