Upon seeing the figure that was his fighter, said fighter was then attack by what appeared to be a small ball of fuzz. This ball, however, turned out to be a very upset teenage sacrifice.

"Ritsuka?" Soubi muttered. Then, as if suddenly realising something of great importance, ((XD and epiphany!)) Soubi gasped. "Bonds that bind me, release!"

"Sou...Soubi!" Ritsuka was muttering ever and over while sobbing and clinging to the older male's shirt. The older male wrapped his now free arms around the shivering boy. Soubi slowly sat up, guiding Ritsuka onto his lap. Ritsuka clung tighter to Soubi. For comfort, Soubi began to rub small circles on Ritsuka's lower back. He was sure to be gentle, seeing as how he could tell there were bandages underneath the boy's tight shirt. After about fifteen minutes of cradling the boy in his arms and stroking his hair, and back, Ritsuka finally calmed down enough to talk.

"Ritsuka...how did you find me?"

"I...hic...I was walking down the...hic...hallway. I came up to the door, since mi-hic-ne is at the other end of the hallway." Ritsuka said. He had given himself the hiccups.

'How cute.' Soubi thought.

"Your room, you said? I thought you were in a cell of some sort." Soubi looked at Ritsuka, puzzled.

"I think Sei-hic-mei moved me after I passed ou-hic out. DAMN HICCUPS!" Ritsuka pouted, sticking his bottom lip out.

"How are you now, then? I mean, besides the obvious." Soubi pulled Ritsuka closer to him. He nuzzled his nose into Ritsuka's neck.

"Other than being sore and having a few minor cuts and some bruising, obviously, I guess I'm ok." Leaning into Soubi, the small boy rested his head on the blonde's shoulder.

"....."

"I'm sorry, Soubi. You must be angry."

"For what, Ritsuka?"

"At me...I...you wanted to take my ears, right? N-now...now..y-you c-c-can't." Ritsuka began to visibly shake.

"Ritsuka, how could I ever be mad at you? It wasn't your fault. As far as I'm concerned, your still my innocent little Ric-chan. So please, don't blame yourself."

"Yes Ritsuka. Its not your fault." Two simultaneous gasps were heard.

The couple turned towards the door.

Standing there, was Seimei.

With a knife.

"I'm sad, Ritsuka, that you disobeyed a direct order to stay in your room. And Soubi, I told you not to use spells, didn't I?" Seimei walked closer.

"Seimei! What...what do you want?" Soubi's complexion paled when his eyes spotted the knife's glint. If his suspicion was right...

"Me? I just want to see my little brother. But I am dissapointed. Why is my little brother consorting with the likes of you? Can you tell me, Soubi? Or shall I force it out of you?" Seimei put the knife up to his ex-fighter's neck.

"Incase you don't remember, big brother, you left him for me. In your will. Please don't hurt Soubi!" Ritsuka looked up at his older brother with pleading eyes.

Seimei looked warily at Ritsuka before slowly bringing the knife down and putting it on the table next to the bed. Ritsuka sighed and leaned against Soubi. Astrong arm was wrapped around his midle.

"Ritsuka, I have a present for you." Seimei said suddenly after several minutes of silence.

"Really?" Ritsuka tried to hide the nervous tone in his voice.

"Yes. I found one of your friends today." Seimei pulled out a small remote. "Would you like to see her?" He smirked.

"W-who...Yuiko!" Ritsuka was visibly shocked when a screen was revealed inside the wall.

On the screen was Yuiko, tied up and bleeding from several cuts. From the looks of it, the only thing wrong was the cuts and the fact that she seemed to be unconcious.

"Do you like my present, Ritsuka?" Soubi pressed another button that turned the screen was turned off.

"Seimei! You didn't hurt her did you?!" Ritsuka looked at his brother, tears in his eyes.

"No. She just had some trouble getting to the place through the woods. I simply slipped a sleeping pill into her soda and bam! Out like a light a few minutes later. I tied her to that chair so she wouldn't get any ideas about getting up and trying to find you."

"Why are you doing this Seimei? Why are you holding us?" Soubi unconsciously pulled Ritsuka closer to him. Ritsuka winced. The slight pressure Soubi's arm was putting on his wounds hurt a little too much for comfort. He wrapped his right arm around Soubi's arm. His other arm was currently squeezing the life out the poor comforter on the bed. (XD, comforters dont live, Ritsuka!)

"Simple. I will do whatever it takes to keep my Ritsuka with me. Either you stay, little brother, or all of your friends suffer, starting with pretty little Yuiko, then that little male friend of yours. Then, when you feel as if nothing else could hurt more, your precious Soubi will kill you. What is your choice, little brother?"

"Seimei, I love you, so please don't hurt my friends! I'll stay with you, but you have to let them go!" Ritsuka said.

"Ritsuka, no!" Soubi looked at his sacrifice.

"I have to Soubi! I dont want you to be responsible for my death! And I don't want Yuiko and Yayoi to be hurt because of me! I owe my brother...I can't leave him alone..."

"Ritsuka, you don't owe anyone anything. If anything, you owe you, for working so hard and worrying about everyone but yourself!" Soubi pulled Ritsuka into a tight hug.

"Soubi, let go of my brother!" Seimei seethed.

"I have a proposition. I want to fight you." Soubi said. "Call your fighter."

"And why would I do that?" Seimei said.

"If you lose, you can keep Ritsuka and do whatever you want with me. If we win, You let us all go free." Soubi said.

"I don't think so. You can't beat me. Now, have a nice sleep." Seimei muttered a few words under his breath. The last thing Ritsujka and Soubi saw was Seimei's smirking face.

i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i!i

"...ka....suka-kun....Rit...."

"Ngh!?" Ritsuka jerked awake.

"Ritsuka-kun!"

"Aouyagi-kun!"

"Ritsuka!"

Ritsuka looked around him to see his friends staring at him with wide eyes. Sitting up, he was surprised to find that he was in a hospital bed.

"Whaa? Soubi, whats going on?" Ritsuka was obviously confused.

"I'm not sure, Ritsuka. I just got here."

"Ritsuka-kun! Read this!" Yuiko shoved a piece of paper that looked like an internet article.

"What is this about, Yuiko?" The three men said in unisen.

"I looked it up when Ritsuka-kun--mrgh!" Her mouth was covered suddenly to stop her from telling the secret. She tried to pry Soubi's hands off her mouth. She sent pleading looks to Yayoi. He shrugged.

Through out this time, Ritsuka had been reading the article.

"Soubi...what....what is this!?" Ritsuka's face remained on the paper, shocked.

"Ritsuka...you've...you've been in a coma for....for 6 months."