Kuroko stared wide eyed at the yokai. Akashi's gaze was unwavering but it is hinted in his eyes that he needs to have Kuroko's answer now. Kuroko gulped and slowly nodded his head,

"What do I need to do?"

Akashi gave him a small smile before dropping it just as quickly as he turned to look at the black demon; Akashi took careful steps backwards until he's side by side to Kuroko. The yokai still has not moved from its position but he is looking cautious, no doubt planning on how to defeat the two of them in the garden.

"Listen. Only humans have the ability to touch pieces of their hemisphere since if we yokai's touch it, it will burn our skins—"

"How come it can touch it though? He's firmly holding it in his hand,"

Kuroko pointed out in hushed whispers. Akashi knows, but he's sure it'll only make Kuroko's heart break if he'll know. Nevertheless, Akashi sighed a breath,

"Tetsuya, right now that demon had us trapped in his barrier, that's why it looks so dead inside here. Only those who have the ability can enter and those who can't can only sense a feeling of unease. This is just like the dimension that I trapped you in the second time we met but with further sharpening of your abilities, you can see the situation from your realm. Go on and do it,"

Kuroko gave Akashi a weird look, but Kuroko wants to know the situation outside, so he closed his eyes and focused but not before hearing the flames of Akashi's fire fend off something,

"I don't like it when you two chit chat!"

The demon yokai screeched but Kuroko cannot quite hear it and instead he's seeing what is outside of the barrier and it was not a pretty sight.

He was in the middle of a crowd but he is not seen as only his conscious is in the human realm. The crowd was in panicked whispers,

"Who could do this?"

"At a temple no less,"

"Let's go! I don't want to see this anymore!"

Kuroko panicked that the crowd was also in panic. He then looked below him, to where the crowd was also staring. His eyes widen in horror and his face twisted into a terrified expression. He wants to scream but not quite and so his mouth let out a small whimper. He felt his knees buckled as he doubled over; he clutched his stomach and covered his mouth with his hand. He's feeling so sick with what was in front of him.

In front of him splayed a lifeless figure drenched in blood. It was a maiden of the shrine with how she's dressed with the shrine's proper uniform. She was lying on the ground with her back facing the sky. She was covered in small cuts and bruises but the most prominent wound was the huge gaping hole on her back and the place where her beating heart used to be was now empty.

Kuroko shook his head as he stared. His whole self was shaking. He doesn't want to see this. Kuroko took a trembling step back, he's still fighting the urge to puke and so he quickly closed his eyes and focused so that he's back in the barrier.

Kuroko took a deep breath as his eyes shot back open. The eerie atmosphere and the nauseous feeling came back to him; he's now in the barrier again.

"That took you a while,"

Kuroko snapped his head to meet the yokai's strong gaze. Akashi now has a few cuts here and there, some on his arms and legs, and some on the face. Akashi's hands are wielding the hottest blue flames that he has ever felt, even though Kuroko's a few feet away, he can still feel the raging fire from Akashi's palms.

"Did you see it?"

Akashi asked as his flames once again blocked an incoming dark blow from the enemy. Kuroko nodded and then images flashed in his head; the lifeless body of a shrine keeper and the gaping hole on her back. Kuroko's fists clenched and his jaw tightened, remembering the shrine maiden and then seeing Akashi's bruises; they are all too much. Kuroko seethed with rage as he glared at the yokai giving Akashi blow by blow. He wants to help the kitsune, but what can he do? A mere human.

Akashi then sent his own attack at the demon but it dodged with a smug smirk on its face,

"Tsk. That yokai just so happens to be able to touch the shard because he is now part human,"

The yokai went to charge in front of Kuroko but Akashi was quick to block. The kitsune sent the demon flying with a push of his palms and his kitsune-bi. Akashi took a quick glance at Kuroko to check if he was okay. Kuroko nodded in reassurance that he's okay but then a forlorn expression appeared on his face,

"But how can I get it? He's a yokai and he can touch it. I'm only human,"

Akashi can't help but smirk as he sent another wave of flames towards the enemy, he then fully faced Kuroko with a proud look,

"Being human is your greatest weapon."

Kuroko carefully snuck to hide at an almost dead iris bush he was cautious as to not be seen at the black yokai Akashi was keeping busy. Kuroko's goal is to get close enough to the yokai and the shard, focus and open his [Eye] to be able to attract the shard.

"Even though the yokai can now touch the shard, his ability cannot surpass yours, the shard is supposed to be attracted to human flesh and soul and that demon put an illusion that he's human by eating flesh hence tricking the shard into being held. However, you [Seekers] have very strong human presence that is enough to attract and magnetize the shard into coming to your arms. I expect the very best of you, Tetsuya."

And after telling Kuroko that in his mind, Akashi charged and kept the demon busy and that's when Kuroko slipped into the bushes where he is now.

Kuroko released a shaky breath as he crawled carefully slow to move over to the next bush. His task was proving to be difficult as the yokai kept on retreating to different parts of the garden each time Akashi tried to trap him in a corner.

Kuroko wants to avenge the maiden and their plan will provide him so. From the bushes Kuroko knelt down, clasped his hands together and prayed for the maiden's soul and he promised while praying to give her the justice she deserves. Once Kuroko was done praying, he suddenly felt a surge of a pleasant energy, Kuroko took it as the maiden's blessing to him. The human breathe out a long breath as he brought himself to focus and do what he is set forth to do.

The instructions to Kuroko were simple; wait for Akashi to bring down and pin the yokai, lunge forward and heighten his [Eye]'s power, magnetize the shard to come to his hand and let Akashi finish him off. It seems easy enough but he thought of something that'll make it easier.

Kuroko tried contacting Akashi using the contract forged to voice out his opinion to hopefully lessen the load of his task.

"Why don't you just finish him off first?"

"There's a huge chance the shard will burn alongside the yokai. It might be powerful but it sure is not invulnerable,"

Kuroko sighed. There's no easing up his task now. The bluenet sucked in a huge breath as he observed the fight from a safe distance. It seems that the yokai dismissed him as a petty human and instead focused on just attacking the kitsune.

Akashi then changed his elemental attack to catch the yokai off guard. The kitsune used his mizu kitsune-bi and added a little modification. As the sphere of water hit the black yokai, it screamed and it staggered back.

'A little poisonous acid worked,'

Akashi then wasted no time and used his most realistic illusion to hopefully trick the yokai that he is, in fact, binded. The yokai howled and Kuroko came running towards their direction, his eyes held an insane amount of focus. It's obvious that his power sharpened. It's really relieving to know that Kuroko knows how to do things fast.

Once Kuroko was in front of the writhing he held out his palm facing the sky. Akashi watched as the shard glowed and it moved on its own; from the yokai's burnt hand to Kuroko's open palm. The kitsune nodded once the shard was in the safety of Kuroko's palms, he then faced the black yokai instilling fear into its last moments,

"You should know better than fight the son of the future ruler, filthy scum."

With a wave of his hand the yokai was very easily incinerated. With the last of its cries the barrier also disappeared. The irises began to bloom once again, the nauseous feeling left, the sky cleared but that does not mean things were okay.

The pair was standing at a far distance from the crowd as medics and the police hurriedly scanned and cleared the area. Kuroko looked at the scene with sad eyes,

"They won't be able to close the case but at least justice has been served."

The human looked at the yokai who was back on his disguise.

"I don't want this to happen again..."

Kuroko's voice breaks. Akashi turned to look at the human and he's on the verge of crying. The kitsune then gave Kuroko a comforting hug, to which the bluenet accepted willingly and he cried as he clutch the front of Akashi's robe. The yokai comfortingly rubbed Kuroko's back and the both of them stayed there. Akashi leaned down to whisper in Kuroko's ear,

"I promise I won't let this happen again to anyone, not even the bystanders. I'll protect them just like how I protect you. This will be the first and last time."

Akashi whispered reassuringly as he rubbed the human's back. The yokai dared turn his head to look at the scene; people were shooed away as the forensics did their job. Kuroko was probably scarred for life and Akashi frowned at that. He came to the human realm to create peace and yet his partner witnessed something horrid one of his kind did. Akashi gritted his teeth, as the ruler's son, he must regain peace for both of their lands.

Kuroko has stopped crying but he's still holding onto Akashi, he does not want to see what was happening in the surroundings and so he stayed there until he felt himself being lifted from the ground. Kuroko opened his eyes and looked down, only to find that the both of them are now floating in mid-air,

"W-wha—"

"I concealed us; no one will see you this way. I'm taking us home; we can continue the discussion there,"

Akashi has a firm hold around Kuroko but then the human was abruptly released. Kuroko screamed as he fell. The bluenet closed his eyes and turned so that he was on his back when he lands on the hard ground. He can't believe for after what he did to retrieve the shard, Akashi will just drop him off. Kuroko landed; but not on the cold rough surface of the Earth, but something warm, soft and fluffy.

Kuroko dared open his eyes and he was facing the sky. The human looked confused for a moment before sitting upright and looking at his savior.

"Did you really think I'd drop you?"

It's Akashi's voice, but it came out of the mouth of a huge red fox. Kuroko stared in wonder,

"Akashi-kun?"

"Who else?"

The fox gave out a small chuckle as it flew to the air.

"Keep yourself comfortable back there and I'll bring us safely home,"

Just then, Kuroko felt safe and worn out from the day's activities. Kuroko shifted into a more comfortable position; almost like he's lying down to sleep and not soon, the taxing day came crushing down Kuroko's system and he was fast asleep.

A/N I hope you enjoy :D R&R please : /sorryforthedelayi'mhorribleiknow/