*Lord Kagetora...the leader of the netherworld Uesugi army...* He mutters as he watches the teenage boy walking with some blonde/brown haired guy.

"Hey, Yuzuru. What are you up to?" Takaya Ohgi asks. Akira grins.

"Yuzuru, huh?" Akira mutters, watching the two of them.

"Um...I'm not exactly sure..." The blonde guy known as Yuzuru says. Akira follows them for almost a mile as they walk. "So, Takaya."

"Yeah?" Takaya questions. Yuzuru looks at him.

"What are you going to do now that you're suspended from school for three days?" Yuzuru questions. Takaya's quiet for a moment before shrugging.

"Probably just hang out with the guys at the game counter." Takaya says with a shrug. Akira smiles.

*Such an interesting lord we have.* Akira says, shaking his head.

"Yo." Someone says from behind Akira. He spins around to be face to face with some guy.

"What do you want, and who are you?" Akira questions, glaring at the stranger.

"Following your lord, are you?" The guy asks. Akira looks at him with suspicious eyes.

"What do you want from him?" Akira questions. The stranger grins.

"The same thing all the others want." The stranger says with a shrug. Akira stands more in the way of the stranger and Takaya.

"Well, you can't have it!" He says. The stranger grins.

"That's too bad. I didn't think I was asking for your permission." He says. Akira stands in a defensive stance, and closes his eyes. His lips move, and suddenly, a blast of green light shoots out of his hand. He opens his eyes as three more shoot out of his palm.

"Die then!" Akira shouts. He makes a new hand sign, and shouts, "Bind!" The stranger freezes, and his soul shoots out of the body he was possessing. "You persistent bastard!" Akira shouts when the soul stands up, and repossesses the body.

"Yeah, well...I have things I have to do here before I can cross over." The stranger says. Akira looks at him.

"Just who are you?" Akira questions. The stranger smiles.

"Ah. I was wondering when you were going to ask. I am Keikaru of the Danjyo." The stranger says, sounding happy. Akira's eyes narrow.

"What does the Oda want with Lord Kagetora?" Akira demands. Keikaru grins.

"So, tell me, little brother. What is it that you plan on doing with the Uesugi?" Keikaru questions, looking at Akira, who sighs.

"I left the Danjyo Clan the day I joined Lord Kagetora." Akira glares at Keikaru. "And as such, I am no longer your younger brother." Akira says. Keikaru grins.

"Don't be so sure. You were born as a Danjyo, and that's how you will stay." Keikaru says.

"Akira of Uesugi." A voice says from behind Akira. He spins around.

"Ranmaru Mori..." Akira says, looking at the blonde.

"Ah, so you know me, although...I do not believe you were at my little show thirty years ago." Ranmaru says. Akira sneers.

"I wasn't, but I heard all about your little stunt." Akira says. He takes a step back so he can clearly see both of them. The two of them look at each other.

"What a nice 'stunt' it was though. Now I've come to finish what I started that day." Ranmaru says, smiling.

"Neither of you are going to touch Lord Kagetora!" Akira yells. Keikaru grins.

"Then prepare yourself, little brother." Keikaru says. The next thing Akira knows, he's against a tree.

"Gah!" He mutters as blood flows from the side of his mouth. "D...damn you!" He mutters. A light suddenly surrounds him, blasting outward. It forces both Ranmaru and Keikaru away from him.

"Damn you, brother!" Keikaru yells as his soul is forced out of the body. Unfortunately, before Ranmaru's soul is forced out as well, Akira falls to the ground, unconscious.

Akira wakes up, and looks around.

"W...where am I?" He questions as he stands up.

"I brought you to the hospital." A voice says. Akira turns to see none other than...

"Takaya. Just who is this guy?" The guy known as Yuzuru asks. Takaya looks at him.

"I'm not sure. I found him lying on the ground." Takaya says. Akira looks up at the two of them.

"I am sorry to trouble you, m...um...Takaya, right?" Akira says. Takaya turns around to look at him.

"What's your name?" Takaya questions. Akira looks at him in confusion.

"My name's Akira." Akira says, looking at Yuzuru. "And you must be Yuzuru Narita." He says in a sure voice.

"How do you know who I am?" Yuzuru questions. Akira looks at him.

"I heard L...Takaya say your name." Akira says. His eyes suddenly widen, and he looks out the door. "No!" Akira shouts as he jumps to his feet, and pushes Takaya out of the way in time to save him from the bullet. It embeds itself into Akira's arm.

"Akira!" Takaya shouts as he stands up, and walks toward Akira.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." Akira says, looking at Takaya. "You must be more careful." He says, closing his eyes.

"Why would you save me when we've never met before?" Takaya questions, looking at Akira, who merely smiles.

"I know you don't remember, but we have met." He says. Takaya looks at him in confusion.

"We...have?" He questions, sounding confused. Akira nods. "Well, you're right. I don't remember." Takaya says.

"I didn't think you would." Akira says, smiling. "After all, it's been a while." He says, wincing.

"Oh my god! You're wounded!" Yuzuru shouts, looking at the blood flowing down Akira's arm.

"Don't worry." Akira says, standing up straight. "I'll be fine." He says, walking toward the door. "I have to go." He says, looking back at Takaya and Yuzuru. "Take care of yourself, Takaya Ohgi." Akira says.

Akira collapses to the ground in an abandoned house a short time later.

"Dammit!" He shouts, annoyed that such a wound could harm him so badly. "What should I do? They're already starting to target him!" Akira wonders, trying to distract himself from the pain as he sticks his fingers into the wound, and pulls out the bullet.

"I didn't expect to find you here." A voice says from the right of him. He looks, but is forced to shield his eyes from the sunlight.

"Nagahedei? Is that you?" Akira questions. Nagahedei walks forward, and stand in front of Akira.

"You're not looking too well." Nagahedei says, looking at Akira's wound.

"Yeah well..." Akira says, laying his uninjured arm on his knee.

"I take it you've found him?" Nagahedei questions. Akira nods.

"No memory what so ever of us or his past." Akira says. Nagahedei sighs.

"Well, isn't that great." Nagahedei mutters. Akira looks at him.

"I thought you said you weren't going to get involved with us anymore." Akira says, looking at Nagahedei with a skeptical look.

"I'm not. I just wanted to come and see how you're doing." Nagahedei says, looking at Akira. "Although I didn't think you would be wounded. Don't you think you should treat those wounds soon?" He asks, watching as blood drips into a growing pool next to Akira.

"Yeah, I suppose." Akira says. He goes to stand up, but falls back to the ground.

"Well, that doesn't look good." Nagahedei says. Akira glares up at him.

"Noooo, you think!" Akira says sarcastically. Nagahedei shakes his head.

"Sarcasm isn't going to help." Nagahedei says simply. Akira shakes his head.

"Yeah well." Akira mutters. He looks up at Nagahedei. "Anyway, you can help me at any time now." He says. Nagahedei rolls his eyes, and kneels down. He helps Akira stand up, and sit in a chair.

"This is going to hurt." Nagahedei says, inspecting the wound. Akira nods. Nagahedei digs his fingers into the wound, and pulls out the remaining pieces of the bullet.

"Gah!" Akira shouts, clenching his eyes shut.

After a few minutes of Nagahedei removing shards of the bullet, he pulls out a roll of gauze, and begins to bandage the wound.

"Are you done?" Akira questions in an out of breath voice. Nagahedei looks down at him.

"Yes. Just try not to move the wound for a few days. Otherwise, it's going to bleed to the point of your life being in danger." Nagahedei says. Akira sighs.

"I will protect Lord Kagetora..." Akira mutters, and falls unconscious. Nagahedei sighs.

"Well, in that case, I sure hope Naoe gets here soon." He says in a serious voice as he looks at Akira's wounded shoulder. He sighs, and walks out of the building.

Akira wakes up to the smell of fire. He stands up, and looks around in panic. He sighs when he sees Nagahedei.

"Ah. So you're awake!" Nagahedei says, turning to look at Akira.

"Did you have to make the smoke go toward me?" Akira questions. Nagahedei smiles.

"I did no such thing!" Nagahedei says, sounding outraged. Akira smiles, and the two of them laugh.

"It's nice to see you, Nagahedei." Akira says in a happy voice. Nagahedei waves his hand back and forth.

"Yeah, yeah. Though it is nice to see you awake." He says, looking at Akira. "How are you feeling?" He questions.. Akira moves his arm slightly.

"There's no pain. Though it is stiff." Akira says in a serious voice.

"Good." Nagahedei says, walking away from the fire.

"Where are you going?" Akira questions. Nagahedei looks at him.

"To get some water." Nagahedei says. Akira sighs in relief. "Why?" He questions. Akira looks up at him.

"I don't want to be alone when I'm wounded. Especially with my brother running around." Akira mutters, looking away.

"You mean Keikaru?" Nagahedei asks. Akira nods.

"Yeah. He's the one that tried to shoot Lord Kagetora." Akira says, looking out the window at a bird flying away.

"Really? Why would he be trying to kill Lord Kagetora's host body?" Nagahedei questions. Akira shrugs.

"I have no clue. All I know is that was him." Akira says. Nagahedei sighs.

"This could be a problem. Maybe I should contact Naoe after all..." Nagahedei says. Akira sighs.

"Are you sure? If you do that, you're going to be stuck with us again." Akira says in a serious voice. Nagahedei sighs.

"I know..." Nagahedei says as he looks at Akira. "But I can't just stand here and let Keikaru hurt Kagetora." He says, sounding deep in thought. Akira stands up, and walks toward the door.

"I'll leave you alone to think about it." Akira says. Nagahedei nods.

"Thanks." He says. Akira nods, and walks out the door, shutting in as soon as he's outside. He looks out at the landscape.

"I know you're out there. So, why don't you show yourself!" Akira yells, keeping a close eye on the landscape around him.

"Very good, little brother." Keikaru says as he steps out of the bushes. Akira glares at him.

"What do you want?" Akira demands. Keikaru looks at him with a smug look.

"I've come to get my little brother to bring him home." Keikaru says, throwing his arms out to make a point.

"Don't make me laugh! You don't think of me as a brother any more than I do!" Akira says, glaring at his brother.

"Your words make my heart hurt!" Keikaru says, holding a hand over his chest.

"You're a bad actor." Nagahedei says as he walks out of the building. Both Akira and Keikaru turn to look at him in surprise. He merely grins.

"Get out of here, Uesugi! This is between the youngest brothers of the Danjyo family!" Ranmaru says as he walks out of the trees.

"Ah, Ranmaru Mori. It's been a while." Nagahedei says, looking at Ranmaru.

"Thirty years. So, tell me. How is the great Lord Kagetora doing?" Ranmaru questions. Both Nagahedei and Akira turn to glare at him.

"Leave Lord Kagetora out of this!" Akira shouts, turning to look at Ranmaru fully.

"I think you better pay more attention to your brother than me." Ranmaru says, motioning toward Keikaru. Akira turns to see his brother stalking toward him.

"Dammit!" Akira shouts, turning to face Keikaru.