The sound of the train wheels click across the steel rails. White flakes of powder gently float from the massive grey void above and rest on the ground below. A thin layer of condensation and steam form on the damp glass windows. Daigon is sitting across from me and polishing the comb of his Spartan helmet while I re-read letters the girls, Astoreth and Mr. K sent us during our deployment.

However, I spend a majority of my time reading the letters Asuka wrote. The fact that I'm going to see her in a matter of minutes overwhelms me, and these letters are doing nothing to quell the excitement and anticipation I am feeling right now.

It's been nearly nine months since I last seen the city. Since I last seen Asuka and the others. When Spring arrived, I decided that it was time I helped the shinobi take the Bolakna (golden river) back from the evil hunters.

The shinobi launched a campaign to try and retake the river completely. The moment I heard that the shinobi were going against the evil hunters, I was the first one to sign up despite Asuka's protests. I told her that "the shinobi didn't need heroes. They needed professionals," and that's what I brought to the table. Plus, I never want to miss out on an opportunity to kill evil hunters.

Hunters that have spent decades killing, raping and kidnapping shinobi as well as other hunters that didn't agree with their motives. The very hunters directly responsible for the destruction of my people. When Daigon heard I was going off to war, he quickly followed because it reminded him of his time when he served as a Spartan polemarch.

As of now, Daigon and I have helped the shinobi win several battles that have turned the tide of war in their favor. The fight has been successful and those who enlisted at the start of the campaign are being granted leave for Christmas since a majority of the fighting is over now.

"So... what are you going to do when you get back?" Daigon asks.

"What any Spartan would when he's been away from his bride and home for nearly nine months." I reply.

Daigon lets out a soft chuckle and puts his helmet back on. Even though the shinobi are supposed to be my enemy, I have come to terms that they are now the dominant civilization. I am still a hunter by heart, but I've conformed to the shinobi ways to blend in.

Jonathan told me that if our clan, and the good hunters are to thrive, we must surrender our identity so that our people can truly live on.

The train Daigon and I boarded was the last one. Mainly because we didn't want to ride back with everyone else. We wanted a train to ourselves so Daigon and I could talk. Before we left the train station a couple hours ago, I called Mr. K and let him know that Daigon and I would be returning.

Before I could finish my sentence, he already handed the phone off to Asuka where all the girls showered me with tearful praise. The fact that I was about to come home and their joy of having me return really warmed my heart. Especially hearing Asuka's testament of how she missed me.

After I talked to all the girls, I handed Daigon a handful of yen and said take as long as he needed. He was emotional about hearing the pleas of the Hanzo girls, but he cried when Astoreth got on the line, and they talked until it was time to board the train.

I pull my After-Action Report out of the envelope and read it. I'm not supposed to, but I'm curious what my stats are before Mr. K looks at them. Daigon pulls his out too.

"How'd you do?" Daigon asks.

"Average. I had over thousand hours of service time since I worked twelve on, twelve off."

We trade papers, and the first thing I look for is his kills confirmed. Daigon pumps his fist up in the air and lets out a grunt of victory as I sit back and sigh. He has twenty kills over me.

"Damnit. I guess that means I owe you that case of wine from Lemnos." I state as we hand each other our reports back.

"A celebration?"

"I promised Asuka's parents I'd keep the alcohol away from their daughter. I haven't touched a drop since last winter."

"Ah come on Alan! Lemnoian wine takes the edge of the war!"

"I'm sorry Daigon, but I can't. So, drink extra for my sake."

"Well, I guess I can respect that request." Daigon teases.

"It's what a Spartan would do." I poke back.

Daigon lets out a hearty chuckle and starts polishing the emblem on his shield until the lustrous shine radiates with pride. In our downtime, Daigon would tell me stories about his time and adventures in Sparta nearly 2,500 years ago.

Even though he started out as a yoma general, Daigon found absolutely no peace in the life he was living. He had everything in the world and it still meant nothing. Then when the honored elders defeated him, Astoreth and their commander, Daigon and Astoreth accepted the honored elder's offer of becoming guardians of the lineage.

Because of the honored elder's hatred towards the yoma, a majority of descendants refused to call them guardians. Even though they were bound to this family until I killed Roger. Daigon said one day when he woke up, Astoreth was gone.

On the table sat a letter stating that she went to the land of Gaul to try and get away from him because he reminded her of all the horrible things she did, and that she recommends he go somewhere else.

Daigon was heartbroken that she left, but he respected her decision. One day, he just started walking until the land turned into a sea. Because he was originally the god of the sea, he simply walked across it until he came to an area called Lacedaemon.

Because he was an outsider, Daigon was sold into the services of the Agiad king, Anaxandridas. Although a slave, Daigon worked hard and became one of the king's best servants. He was even promoted to managing estates the king owned.

When threats of war loomed over Sparta, Daigon quickly proved that he was an able warrior and would faithfully serve as the king's armor bearer. The kings of Sparta had a better idea though. They allowed him to enlist in the army where he worked his way up to a polemarch of the Spartans special forces, Cheri vasilia (Hand of the king).

Even after the fall of Sparta, Daigon continues to carry out their way of life for the integrity they taught him. Although they did things he did not agree with, the Spartans taught Daigon self-discipline and always trying to better yourself and those you care about. Even when you are at your absolute lowest.

I dip a rag in a bottle of solvent and scrub the dried blood off the blades of my kopis swords. Because I was enlisting with shinobi, I needed to change my appearance to something that would help me blend in, but also make me unique.

Daigon and Astoreth were overjoyed that I needed a new look so they went to work. Astoreth built the armor while Daigon forged my new weapons. While they did that, I sealed my old armor, duster, scythe and revolver in a box where no one could get to it other than me. I still have the hat from Italy the Hanzo girls bought me, but I only wear that on special occasions.

Three days before my deployment, Astoreth and Daigon presented me my gifts. Astoreth took my hand, kneeled and said, "I fashioned your armor by mixing material from the land of Gaul and Sparta. That way we are always with you."

Astoreth had the girls bring me the armor. It was truly a masterpiece and something only a god could forge. Because the shinobi are fascinated with shadows, Astoreth made an entire set of armor out of black leather that came from Greece while the chainmail plating was forged out of raw ore from France.

It has the ability to completely cloak me when I'm in the dark and is capable of stopping moderate magic attacks. It's also very light so I can move extremely fast. To an extent, this set is the shinobi equivalent to my old hunter armor. Although it can't protect against blood arcane.

After that, Daigon and Mr. K presented me my new weapons. The swords were joined together at first, but Daigon broke the weapon apart and twirled them around his hands. Much like Astoreth, he forged one out of metal from Greece and one from French metal.

He then flicked his wrists, slammed the weapons together and it formed a double-bladed sword, "These are kopis swords that my people used in war. It's the sword that saved Sparta from the Persians, and now, it will be the swords that will protect these girls."

As he handed them to me, the mark of Lacedaemon was etched deep into both blades. A symbol of strength and pride. The same was true with the armor. Except on the chainmail from France, there was a metallic gold fleur-de-lis engraving that covered the back of the armor. This was Astoreth's blessing of protection.

"Well now that this war is over, what's the very first thing you are going to do?" Daigon asks.

"Asuka's parents are probably going to want to see me since I'm returning, and it's the holidays."

"How's that working out?"

"They like me. I only met them twice, but they seem like nice people."

I think back to the first time I actually met Asuka's parents. I hated it because I was positive that they were going to give me the "you're not good enough" speech. No, they were actually kind to me.

Even though my dad, sister and Asuka's mom have bad blood, she doesn't need to know that's my old family. Besides, since Miyabi decided to actually contribute to society by helping Oliveria kill off evil hunters, things have really calmed down between my old family and Asuka's.

The train starts to slow down as it enters the city gates. I put my weapons back in their sheathes and grab my bags. Daigon stows his lance and shield away and follows me down the train aisle. Asuka, Yagyu, Katsu, Ikaruga, Hibari, Mr. K, Daidouji, Astoreth and the new girl Katsu told me about.

Her hair is as black as Ikagura's, and the irises of the girl's eyes illuminate with a ruby red color. Her name is Ayame, and she started shortly after Daigon and I were deployed. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Katsu and Ayame were sisters because of their similar appearance.

All the girls are dressed up in their blue winter uniforms, and Astoreth is wearing her attire from the hospital. Shortly after I left, Jonathan gave Astoreth a job at the hospital. Mr. K told me in a letter that because Astoreth couldn't have children, she still loved and wanted to help them. So Astoreth has been working as a pediatrician and newborn specialist so she could help single mothers raise their babies.

The moment I step off the train, Hibari and Yagyu fly from the bench and onto me. The combined weight of them both almost takes me down to the ground. Daigon drops his bags and helps me stand.

"Alan! Tu es retrorsum (you're back)!" Hibari yells. Her pink topaz necklace presses its way into my shoulder as she squeezes me as tight as she can.

"Ego sum certus. Quid mihi et tibi est (I sure am. How have you been?)" I ask as I sit my bags down and hug them both.

"Bonum! Nos libenter es retrorsum (Good! We are glad you came back)!"

"Scutum meum et dixi ego redire vel in parte vel in ea (I said I'd either return with my shield in my hand or resting on top of it)."

Hibari gives me a playful scowl and gently slaps me across my face, "Don't say that. You'd give Asuka a heart attack if she heard that."

"What did he say?" Yagyu asks.

"Nothing. It was just a little joke." Hibari giggles.

"Animadvertit ego vobis dicam in lingua modo potest (I noticed you can speak the language now)."

"Astoreth docuit (Astoreth taught me)."

"Bonum, ipsum bonum (That's good. Very good)."

I sit Yagyu and Hibari down and head over to Ikaruga and Katsu. Behind them stand Astoreth, who is absolutely ecstatic that we made it back. Daigon plants his lance in the ground, sits his shield down and takes his helmet off.

Daigon picks Astoreth up and spins her around. This is really the only time I've seen the two of them this intimate. Astoreth and Daigon are very conservative about their relationship. Sometimes I wonder if they are even in one, but it's not my place to judge. None the less, they care about one another and whether the relationship is there or not is none of my concern. Ikaruga and Katsu give me a quick hug and move me down the line.

"Glad you made it back in one piece." Daidouji says as she straightens the blue cap on top of her black hair.

"It's good to see you too Jotaro." I joke as I shake her hand.

Her grip tightens around my fingers that it feels like the knuckles in my hand are going to pop, and the bones are going to break. I clench my teeth and force a smile. Mr. K chuckles under his breath. I'll never give them the satisfaction of knowing they forced me to take something back and beg.

Daidouji realizes that I'm not going to apologize for the comment. She releases my hand and gives me a massive bearhug. The raw strength of this woman is enough to nearly snap me in half. It's getting to the point I can't breathe. I didn't want to have to do this.

"Vis mittere (emit force)!"

My body glows yellow for a split second and a massive wave of energy erupts. The concussion is strong enough that it breaks Daidouji's death grip and pushes her back. My feet hit the ground and air fills my lungs again.

"Ah come on Alan, I missed you!" Daidouji teases.

"So, I've noticed." I reply as I flick some feeling back into my hand.

Back to the task at hand. I got to go through Mr. K, and then I can reunite with Asuka. He's intentionally blocking my way. Probably to aggravate me. Which he's doing a good job at. Of course, if I didn't have a student trolling me every day, I'd make it a priority to see him too.

"Here you are Mr. K. My after-action report." I say as I hand him the shredded envelope.

"It's good to see you actually followed orders and left it unopened." Mr. K sneers in a sarcastic voice.

"Well I saved you from having to use a letter opener. You should thank me."

Daigon hands Mr. K his report and examines his first. He shakes his head in satisfaction. "It appears you were the one that rallied the army up with your speeches and was always the first into every battle."

"Couldn't have done it without him." I state.

It's true. Before every battle, Daigon and I would march up to the frontline because in battle, the elites were usually kept in the back. We would disobey orders just to do so because the young and inexperienced were put on the frontline.

It's already terrifying enough fighting evil hunters in the first place because those savages don't care if they become yoma. They will do anything and everything to ensure victory. Most of the guys on the front line were anywhere between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. The same age range as all the girls at Hanzo academy.

A majority of them haven't even graduated or seen war yet because of the demand for warriors. Many scared to death and throwing up in anticipation of what was going to happen, and Daigon and I couldn't bear watching these boys who haven't even graduated high school meet their end.

Because Daigon served as a polemarch, he was always a better speaker than I was, so he would deliver a speech, pound on his shield to rally up the army and then he'd charge off with me right behind him. Even though many of the young ones fell in battle, they gave their lives knowing that their sacrifices would not be in vain, and that there were people that cared about them.

The very next speech Daigon would give before the next battle always dealt with honoring those who survived the last and remembering those who didn't, and that their fallen blood would not go unavenged.

"Now let's see how Alan did." Mr. K states as he looks over at my report.

He bursts out laughing and shows me a specific part of the report. I roll my eyes and sigh. Before I left, I made Mr. K a bet that he had to tell me and the girls his age if I got more kills than Daigon, and if I didn't, then I had to buy Daigon any alcohol of his choice.

Mr. K looks back at my report and reads the entire thing. Several things catch his attention. The amount of operations I participated in, the number of allies saved on the battlefield, and overall, the number of hours spent serving since I worked twelve on, twelve off.

That wasn't all the undocumented things Daigon and I did either. Many times, we would sneak out of camp and raid nearby enemy encampments and forts to make things easier for our army.

"Seems like you have a new title on top of all the others. 'The Spartan' because of your use of a Kopis sword that could be broken apart. Oh, it appears you used them with inhuman skill too. No surprise there."

"Well Asuka did teach me how to use two swords at once before I left. Credit goes to her." I reply.

Everyone looks over at Asuka. Her nervous face is as red as a cherry as she looks away. "It was… nothing really…" Asuka stutters as she grabs the tie on her blue uniform and fiddles with it to try and hide her anxiety.

Since Asuka has always used a katana and a wakizashi, I figured it would be best to let her teach me the basics. I knew how to use a single blade, but I never even attempted to wield two at once. Mainly because I always used a chain sickle or a scythe.

In a way that shouldn't be taken out of context, it was my first time having two at once. So I spent hours training with Asuka as she taught me how to use duel weapons, and she did a damn fine job too.

"Alan, this is Ayame. She's one of the new students of Hanzo academy." Katsu says as she introduces her.

To be honest, she kind of looks like Mirai except a lot taller and more developed like Katsu. She's probably around the age of fifteen or so. Most of her aura comes from her hands, so I'm guessing she's got gauntlets much like Hibari. Except they probably aren't infused with some kind of element yet.

"It's an honor Alan. Everyone here speaks highly of you." Ayame says as she bows.

"It's an honor to have a new student. We don't get very many of those." I reply with an honorable bow.

"I look forward to training with you in the future, but I'll keep it short since there's someone here that wants to see you more than anyone else." Ayame says as she steps to the side.

It is just like the last time I seen her. It's only been nine months but has it felt like an eternity. Nothing about her has changed. Hazel hair secured with a white lace that forms bunny ears behind her head, and the way those brown eyes sparkle with tears of joy.

Asuka and I wrap our arms around each other. She buries her face into my neck as I rest my chin on her shoulder and close my eyes. A huge wave of joy comes over me. I'm so glad to be back.

"Welcome home Alan." Asuka whispers.

"I missed you too."

We pull away and sit down on the bench together. Everyone waves bye and heads in the direction of Hanzo academy. They must be giving me and Asuka some space so we can catch up. Daigon motions that he's going to take my bags so I don't have to. Although I'd do it myself, I think I'd rather stay here.

"Mom and dad are anxious to see you."

"Before we do that. First thing's first." I say as I pull some of the leather back and point to an injection sight.

"Have you been taking your shots?" Asuka asks as she digs through my side satchel of supplies.

"Yes. I can go four days without one now."

"Did Jonathan say you could?" Asuka asks as she wraps a tourniquet around my arm.

"As far as you know." I say with a grin to try and hide my guilt.

"Alan!"

"Okay, I'm not going to give you any more excuses. I'm sorry." I state.

"Don't do it again." Asuka says.

"Yes Asuka."

I was just excited to come back was all that I forgot to take it yesterday. If Asuka knew that, she wouldn't have gotten so firm. As much as I didn't want to take the scolding, it would be better if I did because saying I missed her would cloud her judgement and she'd tone it down. Even on a serious matter.

Asuka can be firm, but she's more of the type that's easily carried away by her feelings. One compliment or excuse, and she would have missed the entire point of me taking the shots in the first place.

I clench my fist a couple times and Asuka feels around for a vein. She doesn't look too mad. It would suck if I had to sleep on the ground tonight. Even though I'd do it if she really was that mad. Actually no, about thirty minutes in, she'd lay down beside me on the cold floor, and we'd spend the night down there.

"So how did you take your shots?" Asuka asks.

"I gave the field surgeon the note Jonathan wrote me for administering the shots. He mixed a little penicillin in with the holy water to sell the point it was for medicinal use."

When I first arrived at camp, the officer's asked if I had any known defects or diseases, I said I suffered from a past addiction to painkillers and that these shots were mixed with a chemical that acted like a deterrent to discourage pill use.

In reality, I never had an addiction to anything other than alcohol, although I did pop painkillers and drink a couple times to change things up, but I overcame that and straightened my life out for the sake of Asuka and the Hanzo girls. No, these shots are to prevent something way more sinister from happening.

If my power is left unchecked for more than three or four days, then I start to suffer from delusions and insanity from all the strength my body generates. My wings I inherited from my family and demonic tentacles caused from the consumption of yoma flesh spout from my back without consent, and my face encases itself in a hard plague doctor's mask formed from bone and darkness.

I swab the exposed part of my arm while Asuka prepares a shot. She pulls the plunger and draws a syringe full of the diluted penicillin, holy water compound. I look away and close my eyes. The needle breaks the surface of my skin and tears into a vein.

The hot liquid is swept down my bloodstream, carried to my heart and pumped all throughout my body. Bones swell up to the point of breaking, and a fluid boils deep in my chest and stomach. Asuka places one hand on my back, one on my stomach and helps me stand.

Heavy beads of sweat build up on my face and we walk over to the closest restroom. It happens to be the women's bathroom, but I don't care. Several women are washing their hands as Asuka escorts me to an empty stall.

"Excuse us!" Asuka states.

Darkness eats away at the enamel of my teeth as my mouth fills with corruption. I go to spit it out, but a swift blow from my intestines strike me in the gut, and the stuff projects out of my mouth like a water faucet. The vomit mixes with the water and turns it the color of black coffee.

Asuka lays her head on my shoulder and pats my back in a rhythmic manner as I try to get myself under control. Another wave of sickness hits me and more black liquid fills the toilet. The goo is so thick that it stains the inside of the bowl.

"Are you okay in there?" Some random girl asks.

"Yeah… I'm fine. The doctor prescribed new medication and I'm not accustomed to it yet." I reply as I wipe the residue off with my black leather gauntlet.

My breathing returns to normal and my strength slowly returns. I place my body on the stall and stand on my own. Asuka wraps my arm around her neck and acts like a crutch as she carries me over to the sink. I wash the sticky gunk off my gauntlet and follow Asuka outside.

"Let's take the scenic route so you can have time to calm down." Asuka says as we walk towards the city gates. She begins to hum to try and take her mind off what just happened.

I don't know what Asuka is humming, but it sounds great. Dun dun dun dun… dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun. For some bizarre reason, it sounds almost like… "Tsuranuke iro ni somaru unmei wo…"

Sledgehammer 963 Presents…

Senran Kagura Arkanum

Ending song: Scarlet Master by Sayaka Sasaki