S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ The Spectre's Seven ❯ Chapter Seven--Black Handed Illusion ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Yeah…don't own stuff…Cept my Raviel… ::snuggles:: …and my ultra cool invincible Sand/Sea/Snow/Jungle Monkeys.

Chapter Seven--Black Handed Illusion

"Mimori, was it? I'm sorry, I'm not good with names." Isaac apologized instantly as she moved into the room, hesitantly taking the chair before his oak desk.

"I'd think for you to at least remember mine," She said, "seeing as we both come from the Mainland."

"Come from the Mainland?" Crane perched his stout chin upon the palms of his hands, leaning forward in his leather seat. "No, I only live in the Mainland. My real home was in Britain."

"It really doesn't matter where your birthplace was," Mimori remarked, annoyed. "The purpose of my visit today has to do with your arrival here to the Lost Ground."

"Oh?"

"I understand that you are the new commander of HOLY."

"You've heard correct."

"And that you've been storming villages and taking innocent people hostage."

The middle-aged man frowned. "Not since I last checked. You see, HOLY stands for discipline and reclamation- - at least my HOLY does. I don't know what orders Martin Zigmarl led his subordinates under. The Native Alters and Inners in my custody are menaces to society. Without SOME sort of boundary, reckless behavior is inevitable."

The man rose from his seat and turned his back to Mimori.

"And just what gives you the right to play God to these people!? That village had nothing to do with HOLY!"

"Ah, so you WERE there that fateful morning."

"Yes!" Mimori pushed her chair back, standing forcefully, her fists falling to her sides. "I believe that the way you act is no better than the Mainland! Treating these people like rats is completely unacceptable!"

Crane turned his eyes slightly, so that their dominant glow touched her. "These people are not treated unjustly. They have jobs, working under me, here at HOLY. They are clothed, fed, and treated like every other human being."

"Then how is it, Mister Isaac Crane, that these are the same individuals who attacked you over a month ago!?"

He shrugged. "Change of heart, perhaps. Who can explain the mind of an individual?"

Mimori marched up behind him, taking him by the shoulder, and forcing him to meet her dangerous glare. "Isaac Crane, I cannot be persuaded by your words. If you do not step down and give these people their freedom, I will have to bring my parents into this, and seeing as you are the Commander of HOLY and they are supporters, I'm most certain that they will not be pleased with the thought of their money being used to fund an unmerited organization."

"On the contrary, my darling," Crane grabbed her wrist, bringing it above her head. "I've already consulted your parents, and they're just fine."

Mimori ceased wriggling from his grasp, her eyes large and her pupils dilating.

"W-What?"

"Well…actually I shouldn't say that they're as FINE as one would like to hope for them to be. They're dead."

"How dare you say something as horrible as that!" Mimori cried, pulling back. "You have no sense of dignity at all, you pig!"

"I don't care much for the name calling," Isaac replied shortly, bringing Mimori against him. "You really are a rather beautiful woman. I find you to be even more attractive when you're frustrated, as you are now. Your cheeks puff and your face reddens into the most loveliest crimson color I've ever seen."

"You disgust me."

"Ah, thank you." Isaac beamed and spun her around so that her hands were restrained behind her back. "Your parents said the same exact thing when I had them executed for treason. Fancy that."

Mimori stiffened against the man, her blood chilling. "You…what?"

"Surely you didn't think I was lying about their demise, did you? Ah! But now that means that YOU come into the Kiryu fortune! Isn't that splendid?"

Mimori's heart shattered within her bosom, ripping beneath her throat, and leaving it dry. How could this monster…

"I've actually been waiting for this moment, Princess. You see, I intend to be the inheritor for your claim. You are far too young and reckless to be trusted with great sums of money."

"I would never sign my name over to you!" Mimori exclaimed, thrashing. "And I would never be caught dead with you!"

"Mmm, yes, I already saw that coming," It was easy for the man to constrain the young woman, her futile attempts to escape nettling him none the least. "Therefore, I think we can work around that. It won't be as broad as Mujo had intended, oh no! Soon you'll be all over me, obeying my every order and satisfying my every whim. It will be the perfect life, Princess. Just you and I."

"I will never stoop that low!"

"You already have by coming here." The ends of his lips snaked into a curl, widening and parting to expose two rows of pearly teeth. "Hitaro!"

The door to Crane's office was instantly intruded upon by a HOLY-S member and several Dars.

"Aye, Sir!"

"Take Miss Kiryu to the Reformation Lab. Treat her with the utmost respect. We wouldn't want to hurt the inheritor to the Kiryu fortune, now would we?"

Mimori's body suddenly chilled. Reformation…Lab?

-----------------------------

"Gray! Kanami!" Raviel jumped up the steps and threw the door open. "Gray! Hey! I'm…home…?" The blonde man's eyes scanned the premises thoroughly. Nothing had been touched or overturned since the four of them had left for the warehouse several days before.

Had they never come home?

"Gray!" Raviel broke his own silence and jogged in and out of the rooms, swinging himself into the hall and finally into Gray's room, where he spent most of his free time. "Gray…?" His eyes caught the cold cigarette butts hanging out of the ashtray that Gray had always cleaned out. It was the only thing Gray kept tidy in his room.

But even that had remained unmoved.

Raviel immediately began to chew on his bottom lip out of habit, turning his body so that he was facing the hall again. He concentrated hard, trying to pick up faint vibes from the little girl's Alter, but alas, there was nothing. They had never come home.

How unlike them! Even if Raviel HAD been missing, it was the trio's pact that none would come looking for their missing companion. It was not like Gray to break that pact now, after 10 years of having enforced it.

That pact was the one thing that always let Raviel know that something was wrong. And somehow, he knew who was responsible for the despicable deed.

How crass they were! Thinking that they could outsmart him, Raviel!

He dashed for the door, slamming it shut, and dove into the car, speeding back onto the dusty road as fast as he had come.

-----------------------------

The silhouette of the man danced along the walls as he casually made his way to the end of the corridor. Ah, it was the room in which he had last left her, the small girl. He suppressed the anticipation of meeting with the Kiryu daughter, knowing that first came first.

Isaac Crane stopped short inside of the laboratory where several HOLD members moved about, filing papers, conducting experiments…

…all at the will of Commander Crane.

"Commander!" A scrawny man with thick glasses shuffled up to him, almost fearfully, the papers trembling in his hands. "We have performed the DNA tests just as you wished. The girl has been identified as Kanami Yuta, a Native Alter, preteen, and um…"

"Did you say…Kanami Yuta?" Crane's voice caused the startled man to drop his papers. The two watched as they fluttered to the ground.

"…I'll get those." The scientist was on his hands and knees instantaneously, relieved that he no longer had to look into the eyes of his boss. "Uh…Y-Yes…I did say Kanami Yuta…Is there a problem, Sir?"

Crane did not respond immediately. He simply looked up to the ceiling, tracing the neon glow of the dim lights with his eyes. Then he said, "Yuta…I knew a woman by the name of Yuta before. She was…a special woman."

"Does that mean…that there's some connection?" The scientist forgot his fear and stared up at the tall and intimidating figure before him.

"Could be. I want you to take a blood sample from the child and bring me the results. If the child is indeed the daughter of the woman 26 years ago, then we'll be in for quite a surprise."

"26 years ago, Sir? Isn't that about the time of the Great Uprising?"

Crane merely smiled and turned his head.

-----------------------------

"Project M is in motion…DNA confirmed…set accurately…" Colonel Kei Toshima observed the seven capsules meticulously. He stood tall, six-foot two, with short brown hair, just long enough to surpass being in the army. His arms hung loosely behind his back, connected just at the fingertips.

His subordinate pivoted on his back heel and saluted the Colonel. "Project Mother is going according to plan, Sir!"

Kei continued to say nothing as his eyes trailed to the capsule furthest to the left. A foreign woman, not even of Asian descent, lay almost lifeless inside of the clear tube. He had promised to release her and the baby she now carried within her womb. Release her and all of the other women who were forced to play Isaac Crane's inhumane game.

"Colonel?"

"Hmm?" Drawn back to the present, Kei absentmindedly nodded. "Oh, yes. Right."

"You look ill, Colonel. Is something wrong?"

Kei had no time to answer as a white gloved hand grasped his shoulder firmly.

"Why should anything be the matter?" Asked a well-dressed man in a black top hat.

"Eh, I'm not myself today, Mr. Crane," Kei answered almost truthfully. "I believe I am ill."

Crane replied that he understood wholly. "Then perhaps you should rest, Colonel. The final tests have been set into motion. With the DNA cells from my own genes, the offspring from the Project M should result in the very first Alter Users known to mankind." He chose to exclude one small detail.

"Alter Users," Kei's subordinate echoed. "You say that Alter Users are refined humans who have the power to change matter at their own digression based on their personality. Yet, you say that they are not human. What would that make them? Undead beings?"

"Spectre," Kei answered for Crane. "Obviously if something is not living, yet is not completely among the dead, they would be Spectre."

"Or Specters," Isaac finished. "Either way you look at it, I suppose, their father is among the Spectre of the Other Side."

"Mister Isaac Crane," Kei's subordinate chuckled. "If you were a Spectre, then you would be dead yourself, would you not?"

Crane simply smiled, neither assenting nor denying the man's words.

Kei turned, his hand reaching for the collar of his uniform. He found that it grew tighter somehow now. "Yes, Mr. Crane, I think I will take upon your advice and leave you. I am far too ill to receive any kind of order." Turning sharply on his heel, Kei left the two without another word, his hand still fidgeting with his uniform, and eventually drifting to his neck.

Crane's eyes followed Kei down the hall before advancing back to his specimen. "Fine, they are," Crane marveled, the creations before him filling him with excitement. "After twenty-two years, my anticipation can finally smooth itself into a calm and placid pond, rather than the violent ocean, taunted by the moon's rising that it has been for so long now."

"Such words you speak," Kei's underling responded. "Is it really necessary? I mean, I know you've been working your way to the top for twenty-two years, but…"

"To the top?" The man in the black top hat interrupted. "Surely you jest. I have been at the top since the beginning."

-----------------------------

Kei's breathing took a turn for the worst. His hand fled to his heart, which pounded vigorously in his chest. He dropped the communicator from his lips with his other hand and turned the corner, nearly tripping over his own long legs.

"Kei!" A man dressed in a dark cloak approached him, holding in his arms a woman wrapped in a dirty gray cloth. It was one of the women from Crane's experiments. "Sector Z has been secured. Crane's power is down. Now all that's left is to release the hostages."

"Yes," The Colonel whispered, afraid that his voice would carry down the halls and be heard elsewhere. "Um…" He glanced around, searching for a particular woman. "Where is Miss Mina?"

"Don't be so formal, Colonel," The man grinned briefly. "You're not on duty and she is simply a woman."

"Miss Mina is a wonderful woman." Kei protested, slightly offended. "You should know better than to address her as such. Now, please tell me where I can find her."

The man nodded down the hall. "The General has her. He's about to take her, so if you want to bid her farewell, you had better do so."

"Yes," The Colonel nodded. "Goodbye and…" Kei stopped and turned back to his comrade. "…thank you for your help, Reiji." Colonel Toshima moved briskly down the hall, his eyes scanning the surroundings. It was no surprise to him that the security was low. They hadn't been alerted of an intrusion.

Kei burst into the lab just as the old General grabbed the last of the women, and he was startled by the Colonel's presence.

"Kei!" The General relaxed, his breathing evening. "You're supposed to be watching the south east gate."

"I had to see Miss Mina," Kei explained, quickly moving to her side. He shook her gently by the shoulders. "She is asleep, I fear. Too deep to be reached, even by me." Kei chewed on his bottom lip and then looked up at the kind General's face. "Tell her I will be late but to wait for me. I shall meet her by the train station and if I'm not there the day after tomorrow, that I will be there the following day. Tell her for me, kind General?"

The General picked the young woman up in his arms. "You should have not gotten involved with Crane's women." Even through the white cloth draped over the woman, the General could see the curve over the woman's midsection. "Pregnant, Kei? She is to bear your child? But you're still young! Only twenty, but…"

Kei turned away. "Please, General. Please do this for me."

"…So young," The General repeated. "Yes, I shall tell her, Kei. But for your sake as a man and a soon-to-be father, not as the Colonel, you had better keep that promise."

-----------------------------

Kei Toshima stared out of his window, holding the maroon curtains back. The alarm had just been sounded, but the Japanese Rebellion had already fled. He knew it wouldn't be long before Crane had his suspicions and although Kei longed to see Mina, he knew that for her safety and for the safety of their child, it was best that they stayed separated.

No doubt by now Isaac Crane had already learned of the release of his specimen and was seeking answers. Kei wanted to avoid that man for as long as possible. But sometimes, meetings are inevitable.

The Colonel jumped from his position at the window when the rap of angry knuckles came into contact with the wood of his door. But as a man, he could not back down. When he pulled the door back, the man in the black top hat was quick to seize the welcoming and stepped inside.

"I suppose you've heard of the Japanese Rebellion's arrival?" Crane breathed, his cheeks red with apparent anger.

"No I have not, Mr. Crane."

"That's Master to you." Kei could not evade the black glow in the older man's eyes.

"Your subordinates tell me that you have been acting irregular lately, Colonel…often talking about my specimen or…at least one of them." Kei found himself moving backwards as Crane stalked closer towards him.

"In any such case, it only leads me to believe that you somehow have connections with tonight's raid. Isn't that right, Colonel?"

"I…believe you misunderstand."

"No," Crane said, waving a single white finger in front of Kei's pale face. "I believe it is YOU who misunderstands. You see, I am a living and dying God. It's hard for you to understand now, but as your superior, that is how you must view me. And I will NOT tolerate liars or traitors." Immediately halting in his tracks, Crane tipped his hat upwards. "You may have cost me seven valuable women for a priceless experiment, but I can always substitute for that. Since you set my specimen free, you can take their place instead."

Kei's eyes diverted back and forth across the room.

…He never did make it to the train station after that.

-----------------------------

Crane rocked back and forth in his leather seat, his hands folded neatly across his lap. He didn't even bother turning his head when the door opened behind him.

"Sir, the reports…" The papers were laid neatly on the surface of his desk. "As you have predicted, they match the cells perfectly. It's amazing that you still have those results after twenty-two years."

"Yes," Crane rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "You can call it a miracle." He pushed himself from his chair. "What wonderful news this is. I want you to prepare a vehicle to the wastelands, exactly 43 degrees east from here. The child is coming with me."

"But Sir…what on earth could be out in the middle of nowhere?"

Isaac made a slight hum in his throat and then sneered. "The door to the Other Side. It does not need to be opened by a single Alter User such as what Mujo had predicted with Kazuma and Ryuho. But it needs a place of life and death to be activated. A single useless structure." Then, twirling his hand in a half circle, "Simply put…a church."

-----------------------------

"Elian, are you sure you don't see anything?" Urizane asked from inside Cammy's car. She sat in the driver's seat, the engine still running.

Elian, overlooking the hill that he and Urizane had occupied just hours before, stood in his Alter shaped like a bubble, and proceeded to search for their missing comrades.

"Just like Mujo before Crane," Elian whispered, his attempts proving useless. "It's a barrier…I can't see into the walls of HOLY."

"What was that, Elian?" The hefty man inquired.

"It's a barrier," The boy repeated, louder this time. "I can't see into HOLY."

"Not even YOU, Elian?" Shaking his head in disgust, Urizane jumped out of the car.

"Urizane," Cammy protested, but he would not listen.

"This Crane guy is just playing with us now!" Urizane could not restrain himself from kicking the front bumper of the car, prompting a "HEY!" from Cammy.

"This is Asuka's car!" Cammy shouted, honking the horn.

Recovering from his temporary deafness, Urizane turned back to Elian. "We'll just have to figure out a new plan. And Cammy," The large man rubbed his ears. "sorry about kicking the car."

-----------------------------

Raviel nearly overturned the car as he pulled up in front of Asuka's house- - the same house that he had dropped Mimori off at that morning. Waiting for all four tires to make contact with the ground, Raviel pulled the emergency brake and pushed himself out of the car. He didn't even bother wearing his sunglasses to disguise his face, figuring that Gray and Sydney's kidnappers had seen their features already. He stood now in a black tank top, minus the coat from when he had pretended to be Lieutenant Major Hyuga, and his black pants with steel-toed boots.

-----------------------------

Kazuma, who struggled to look up from his position on the couch, waited for his vision to focus and for all four blonde heads to meld into one before recognizing that they had company.

"Mmm? What the…?"

-----------------------------

Raviel was not surprised when the door swung open and a drunk-looking Kazuma staggered outside, his eyes swollen and his arms and legs wrapped in bandages. The thing was, Kazuma wasn't drunk.

"Ugh…what do you want?" Kazuma slurred, the lack of hospitality evident in his voice.

"Stayed out partying all night?" Raviel called to him, still approaching the door, where Kazuma's broken form haunted the frame.

"Not hardly," Once Kazuma's eyes focused, he recognized the unmistakable blonde hair…and those clothes! "…You…" The younger man snarled.

"Ah, so you DO recognize me," Raviel said, cracking his knuckles. "That's peachy. Then we can cut to the chase."

"You're the moron who kidnapped Kanami, aren't you!?"

"Call it whatever you'd like," The thief shrugged. "but either way, that's not going to stop me from getting my companions back." Surprisingly, Raviel ceased moving. "So, where are they?"

"Bite me."

"Maybe some other time," Raviel's patience was thinning. "Right now, I have more important matters to attend to. Now, either you frolic away from that door, or I use force. Are we square?"

"Square-less," Kazuma replied. "I'm not letting you go anywhere, except straight to hell!"

"Oh that's nice," Raviel grinned. "I thought that those would be your words. Well then, friend, I really don't care how it's done, just so long as you remove yourself from the doorframe. And if fighting you is the only way, well then…" The blonde man shrugged. "…it can't be helped."

"That's right!" Kazuma thrust his right arm away from him, his Alter encasing it. "Are you ready?"

"Kazuma," Raviel stood relaxed, which surprised the Shell Bullet Alter User. He had no look of fear in his eyes at all. "I've heard a lot about you. Who knew that it would be my misfortune that I would finally have to meet you?"

"You should be lucky that I'm your executioner."

"Oh that's not what I meant," Raviel chuckled, his blue eyes glowing. "I was merely stating what a disappointment it is to meet a spineless lowlife such as yourself."

"You take that back!"

"Truth hurts?" Raviel moved his foot back slightly, waiting for Kazuma to make the first move. "I really feel sorry for Kanami for ever having to associate herself with such a selfish, lazy…"

Kazuma's body came as a blur to the thief, a stream of light following behind.

"Shocking First Bullet!" The ground erupted beneath the two, and Kazuma felt a smile tug at the end of his sore lips, pleased with himself. "That outta shut you up, ya pig."

"You know, that's the second time this week someone's called me that." Raviel said, his back to Kazuma. "I really don't view myself as a pig. I don't live in a PIGSTY nor do I have the physical features of a pig."

Looking over his shoulder, Kazuma felt his jaw drop in defeat. He had…missed?

"Are you sure you weren't out partying?" Raviel questioned, his hands on his hips. "Your aim seems to be slightly off."

"That was just a warm up," The Master of the Shell Bullet grunted, saying it more to himself than to his opponent. "You're nothing like that monster, Crane."

"Well, thank you for the compliment."

"It wasn't a compliment!" Kazuma pushed himself into the air, readying his next attack. "Annihilating Second Bullet!"

"Persistent little…" Raviel turned his wrist, his fingers spread apart slightly. "Look! I'm over there!"

"Huh?" Kazuma lost his concentration, and the light of his attack died out. He turned his head in midair, and saw Raviel to the far left of him. "How did you…GAH!" Caught off guard, Kazuma was unaware of the side kick to his head until the blow came forcefully and he was thrown to the ground, shattering the soil beneath him.

Raviel stood above him, smiling. "Seems like your eye caught something else. No one would be dumb enough to take their focus off of the target."

"You were over there, mor…on…?" Kazuma blinked. Were his eyes deceiving him? Now Raviel stood to the far left of him again, waving.

"I could've been over there," Raviel admitted.

"Or I could've been over here." Jerking his head to the right, Kazuma was astonished to find Raviel's form there again.

"Or perhaps I could've been in front of you the whole time." Startled slightly, Kazuma looked back up, the voice that had been growing nearer coming from the same blonde thief, who stared down at him now.

"Why you…" Arching his body back, Kazuma thrust himself upwards, sending his legs into Raviel's chest. Strangely enough, Kazuma's legs never made contact.

The younger man was flung to the ground without anything to hold himself on, his face disturbing the soil of the earth. "Ow…"

"Aw! Poor form!" Raviel said from behind him. "What kind of idiot taught you how to fight?"

"My brother was NOT an idiot," Kazuma mumbled and pushed his foot underneath him, making it easier to stand. Spinning around, his back hunched, the Shell Bullet Alter User looked up, and his eyes widened. Raviel was nowhere in sight. "All right, you coward, enough games!"

"Awwww, but I love games!" Unaware of the speeding kick behind him, Kazuma was hurled forward, however, remained lucky enough to catch himself before he completely fell apart.

"What…what are you?" Kazuma coughed, spitting blood up from the back of his throat. "I can't…sense an Alter."

"Ah, well then, you haven't been trained very well." Wiping his chin clean with his arm, the Shell Bullet Master looked up, Raviel's face held haughtily heavenwards. "An experienced Alter User is someone who doesn't depend on his Alter." At Kazuma's blank stare, the thief continued. "Sure, practice, practice, practice to your heart's content, but if you rely on your Alter, well…where's your survival skills, eh?" Then, Raviel began to count off on his fingers. "You don't have the brains, the logic, the innate ability to fend for yourself…Well, that's a pretty meaningless existence, don't you think?"

"Shut up. Everything you say is just plain bull."

"Oh, you think so, eh? You know, I don't deny your powers or anything, Kazuma, but I think you would've fared far better in our fight…had you known that I was an Alter User myself."

Kazuma jumped to one knee. "You cheap dirty…!"

"Allow me to show you my Alter," Raviel said, folding his arms over his chest, the light of an Alter User illuminating from his body. "It's grandiose! Kazuma, meet the exalted and superlative Master of the Black Handed Illusion!" Forming in a single line was the same light of an Alter User's, and three other silhouettes stood before Kazuma, all duplicates of Raviel.

"An Illusionist?"

"Take your pick," Raviel bowed low, all of his duplicates mirroring his move and talking in unison. "Would you like to learn the…"

"Martial Arts of Karate?" The words came from behind Kazuma, taking him for yet another round of surprises as the younger man was swept off his feet by one of the duplicates.

"Or Kung-Fu?" Before the Shell Bullet Alter User could hit the ground, his chest was struck by the infamous palm strike and he went sailing again.

"Or are you picky and would like to learn something in particular? Like…"

"The White Crane?"

"Drunken?"

"Or even the Eagle Claw?"

From all sides the replicas came, and every time Kazuma swung, he was constrained by another, while a second photocopy attacked. Another, and another! It was an endless dance, it seemed, and Kazuma, already weakened from Crane's own illusions, could not stand up to his opponent any longer.

He was relieved when his most hated rival exited the house, Zetsuei already by his side.

"Are you all right, Kazuma!?" Ryuho asked, his own face covered in bandages.

"Watch yourself," The Shell Bullet Master struggled to say, his body growing heavy against the ground. "He's…an Alter User."

"Alter?" Ryuho's eyes lifted, obviously struggling to believe such a statement. "The thief is an Alter User?"

"An Illusionist," Raviel was quick to specify.

Then it was clear. "I see. That day back at the port…that duplicate we were following was…"

"Merely a duplicate," Raviel finished. "My, is it THAT much of a surprise?"

"Where is Mimori!?" Ryuho shouted, his face reddening with anger.

"Ah, there is the hated look I've grown to love and adore." Raviel snickered. "Anywho, I thought that that would be a question you, yourself, could answer. I dropped her off here this morning."

"Indubitably a lie!" Ryuho swiped his hand through the air. "You better not have killed her!"

"Me? Harm Ms. Kiryu? Certainly ALL lies!" Raviel held an open hand to his heart. "I swear it upon my oath as an untrusting thief! Eh…wait a minute…probably not a good thing to be swearing upon…"

"I knew it!" Ryuho roared. "You're as despicable as they say! Kazuma!"

"No need to tell me twice," Kazuma's lips curled into a smile as he stood, his injured body quaking. "I'll cut his lips off and then sew them shut."

"Well that's fun," Raviel remarked, standing before the two. "See, that's why you two keep losing to me. You're so intent on maiming me or tearing the organs out of my body, your focus just simply isn't on anything else!" Then, leaning forward. "That's called narrowed mindedness."

"Oh shut up!" Kazuma snarled. "I've had enough of your elaborate talk! You say that you're an advanced Alter User, but you obviously have never seen us fight! We've taken on HOLY and the Mainland, and we'll be glad to take you on too!"

"I agree!" Ryuho assented. "Zetsuei!"

"That's what makes us different than each other," Raviel said, pulling up the sleeves on his shirt. "See? No ailing limbs, no lines etched into my body, AND I have both eyes. I'm in perfect condition!"

"We'll see if you'll be saying that after I snap your legs off." Kazuma said, clenching his fingers together. "Exterminating Last Bullet!"

"Zetsuei!"

"Oh, bother…" Raviel shook his head.

This time, six duplicates appeared before Raviel, their unchanging gazes following the speedy forms of the two Legendary Alter Users.

"Black…"

"…Handed…"

"Illusion!"

Then a total of eight duplicates, surrounded the two, taking a form on each side of the Alter Users, and took a turn gliding about them, too fast for even the likes of Kazuma and Ryuho to notice.

"Did I mention that it doesn't help when the two of you are in the conditions you are now?" All eight mirrors of Raviel said in unison. "You simply can't fight at half-power, nor even a quarter! Until you two decide to take a break and REALLY fight me, I suppose that even the two Legendary Alter Users don't have a chance."

Unable to respond, Kazuma took the beating as he had before, the last of his Alter dissipating into thin air. With a final kick from one of the duplicates, he was tossed away like a discarded doll, too broken to fight.

Ryuho, rushing in to help his Alter, was taken by his own surprise. Like a bolt from the blue, he was thrown to his back, and Zetsuei, who was a tangled mess within the four pairs of arms, was powerless against the obscurity made from the blazing duplicates. It wasn't until a final kick crashed down upon the two like a hammer that Ryuho found himself dazed and stationary.

"Are we done already? Glorious!" Raviel stood in between the two still forms of Kazuma and Ryuho. "Then I'll be on my way."

"Over my…"

"…dead body…"

Then, a mirror that wasn't controlled by Raviel flashed before him. Sprinting forward from opposite sides, Kazuma and Ryuho both reeled an arm back, their faces void of any reasoning.

"I'LL GET YOU!" Came the unison between the two as their arms swept like lightning, Raviel caught in the middle.

"Heh…"

And both fists collided with one another, tearing through the faces of each other, and Kazuma and Ryuho fell to the ground, defeated.

"It was…another illusion…" Ryuho muttered, his words becoming absorbed within the dirt that his face lay in.

"Friggin Mother- - "

"Now don't be so bitter," Raviel said, his form leaning against the wall, next to the door. "You lost, I won, and fair is fair." Then his head turned, aware that they were not alone. "Hmm?"

A green van rose up from within the distance, tearing up the ground beneath it.

"Oh goody! More Alter Users!" Raviel cheered, sensing the presence of Elian and Urizane from within the moving vehicle.

-----------------------------

"Is that…Kazuma…?" Cammy breathed.

"And Ryuho!" Urizane's jaw dropped in disbelief. "What are they doing taking a nap out in the middle of the road!?"

"Look right!" Elian pointed with his small fingers. "It's that thief they were talking about!"

-----------------------------

Raviel was intent on slipping into the house, but fighting suddenly appealed to him, which was unusual. He didn't often waste his time using his Alter, and he realized that he had to use it more times this week than he had to in a year's time.

"You ugly, stupid…"

Raviel had the urge to pull out a mirror.

"Ugly!? How rude!" Raviel remarked as Urizane jumped out from the car. "Why don't you take a look in the mirror yourself!?" The blonde thief watched as a young boy with blue hair emptied from the car behind the hefty man, but the young driver stayed inside.

"What do you think you're doing here!?" Urizane shouted, not bothering to close his door. Elian was so preoccupied, he didn't either.

"I am LOOKING for my comrades." Raviel explained. "You commoners are so rude…oh wait. I'm a commoner myself. But still! What's with all the hostility!? I was simply trying to have a civilized conversation with Kazuma there and he started ATTACKING me! I swear if I…"

"Be careful," Ryuho said, still on the ground, breathing hard. "He's…he's an Alter User."

"A what!?"

Raviel, seeing as he was no longer the cynosure of everyone's attention, turned his eyes back to see several furry creatures jumping into the open doors of Cammy's van. Chewing on his bottom lip, his eyes widened as he saw the small bodies of the little animals, bright red bandanas tied around their heads, and a single, shiny silver scimitar held up, especially right above the young female driver's head.

"SAND MONKEYS!" Raviel screamed, sprinting to the green van. Apparently, Cammy hadn't seen the attack coming. "Hold on lady! Raviel is here!" And he pulled the door open and yanked the woman out of her seat, just as the dangerous scimitar cut down, tearing the seat in half.

Raviel carried Cammy in his arms as he kicked the door shut immediately with his right leg. Everyone looked up at the blonde thief as the car's tires instantly began to spin and the van drove away at exceedingly high speeds.

"Hey! HEY!" Raviel dashed after the car, the woman still in his arms, until he finally gave up and turned back to the four pairs of eyes, excluding the eyes from Cammy, that were on him. Their questioning gazes rendered him silent for a brief moment. "They're…Sand Monkeys! A form of monkey. They…um…apparently know how to drive." Then, staring down at Cammy. "Sorry for your car, Miss." Then he set her down on the ground. "Ms. Kiryu and I were ambushed by Sea Monkeys, ourselves…"

"Monkeys?" Kazuma asked through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing. "You're expecting us to believe that monkeys just stole that car!?"

"Well…yes."

"You really ARE an idiot!" Urizane shouted profoundly and then stared down at the remains of the two Legendary Alter Users. "You were annihilated by HIM!?"

"He's tougher than he looks," Ryuho warned. "Don't take him lightly."

"And above all else, you DON'T believe me!" Raviel cried. "They WERE Sand Monkeys! I swear!"

"Monkeys are ANIMALS!" Kazuma said, especially putting emphasis on the word 'animals'. "Even I'm not stupid enough to believe that we were overthrown by MONKEYS."

Giving them a sour look, Raviel folded his arms over his chest. "I save your lives, and THIS is the thanks I get!? I hate you all!" Then he stuck his tongue out at them.

-----------------------------

The door opened, breaking the darkness for the first time in at least fifteen years. Welcoming the sunlight briefly, the walls instantly shuddered in fright as the most feared of men stalked through the doorframe and thundered across the creaking boards overpoweringly. In his strong arms was the form of a small girl, dressed in orange and white. Her hair, tied back by a bright red ribbon, seemed to dull just by coming into the darkness of the church. Not even the color from the faded stained glass windows could offer any reprieve.

Isaac Crane stopped at the edge of the altar, holding the girl up as though he were making an offering.

"As the ruler of this child's existence, I command the door to the Other Side to be opened! Bring forth such light and give me the key to unlocking the whereabouts of the Seven who shall love and serve me!"

Then the stained glass window shattered.

-----------------------------

Woot.