Notes: glad people are still actually reading this. Makes me feel all loved about life. In any event, there are only two or three more chapters after this one- beyond that… who knows?

Warnings: eh heh… you'll just have to wait and see…

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, as much fun as that would be.

Shinwa- 8

Mimi and Sora had emerged from the bathroom greeting the others with empty eyes. No one wanted to discuss what had happened. With the silence in the room thickening the tension was becoming stifling. Someone had to break it. Naturally, Taichi opted to speak first- since he hated prolonged awkwardness more than anyone else.

"So…" his voice was loud. "What are we going to do about Ken? I mean, I know he's all split in half and whatever, but can we track him at least? If Yama could catch his thought pattern, or if 'Kari could follow his energy, and I could tap his emotions…"

Koushiro merely shook his head. "No, Taichi. It doesn't seem to work that way. Whoever's holding Ken has got him very well secured with all kinds of magic. We won't be able to use our powers alone- or even as an entire group for that matter- to find him."

Earthen eyes rolled and Tai had to snort. "So if we haven't got the juice why don't we just find a juju breaker who can set him free or something?"

"How many vodun priests or priestesses you know would go looking for a bunch of demons?" Miyako's voice was cynical, stern. She knew her fair share of magick workers in Tokyo, so she knew the answer to her own question.

"None," Taichi shrugged. "But we don't know for sure that it's demons that're after Ken and Daisuke. They've been attacked by demons- but who's to say the money sponsoring the whole event came from demon lineage?" All of that said, he paused to take a breath finally as the others considered the matter.

Finally, Ryo spoke up. "No, whomever is keeping Ken, while they might not have been demons, they most definitely weren't human. That much I can tell you for certain."

"I thought you said Osamu dealt with them," Iori raised a brow as he eyed the captive fey.

"He did, but all interactions left traces of energy on him. Children of Earth are very good at sensing psychic energy patterns, particularly from earth related creatures. Humans have a highly distinct pattern. I'm sure she," he motioned to Hikari, "could tell you that. This pattern wasn't human. It… varied from time to time, but it wasn't human."

"So, we're back to square one," Taichi deadpanned.

"No," his sister shook her head. "Not necessarily." Rising from her seat on the couch she crouched in front of Ryo, well aware that Miyako was instantly on alert status the moment the stepped within touching range of the fey. 'Kari knew that if he tried anything, he would be tasting his own blood before he had a chance to blink. "Ryo, maybe you can help me locate them."

The fey hesitated for a moment. "That depends," he replied. "How do you normally track?"

"Through auric projection-"

"No," he said flatly, shaking his head. "I can't do it. Auric energy is air related. That's probably how you could track Ken before. As a Child of Air he could very easily be tagged by his own element. But, since I'm a Child of Earth…"

"We're shit out of luck," Yamato finished. Sighing, he rubbed at his forehead. "Great. Just fucking great."

Jyou leaned over and whispered in Koushiro's ear for a few minutes. While the others watched, the two had a lengthy discussion that ultimately concluded with Koushiro stating, "You're right, it just might work."

"What might?" Tai and Yamato chorused together. After speaking, the blond rolled his eyes while the brunette poked him and laughed.

Jyou turned to Ryo. "Ken, Osamu, and yourself are all part of an Elemental Circle, correct?" When the Child of Earth nodded, he continued. "If you contact your fourth, perhaps you can find Ken through the energy of the fey group…"

"No," Ryo shook his head again. "Impossible." He refused to say any more.

Gennai frowned from his post in the corner. Something was amiss about the fey's response. "What makes you say it is impossible, Ryo?"

Glittering caramel eyes dropped to the floor as he whispered, "It just is. Please don't ask me again."

Stepping closer, the kitsune asked again, voice going darker, thicker. "Why is it impossible? What happened to your fourth?" As he moved towards the fey, the old man's face began to elongate, his ears became triangular, his eyes smaller and darker like polished buttons.

Still whispering, the Child of Earth bit his lip. "I'm not supposed to talk about it. If he finds out he'll… I'll be in trouble."

Hikari reached out and placed a tentative hand on the fey's shoulder wincing when he flinched away. "Osamu isn't here now, Ryo," she said calmly. "He can't hurt you right now."

Finally, he looked up- eyes overflowing with terror. "It's not right now that I'm worried about."

Gennai grew frustrated and let out a growl. It was only a low rumbling in his throat, but it was enough of a threat. "What happened to your fourth?"

Ryo whispered the answer four times before finally announcing it loud enough for everyone to hear. "He's dead. Osamu killed him ten years ago. That's all I can tell you."

***

Daisuke swallowed past his nerves, trying to calm himself. Before him, the body of Ken stood elegant, proud, and distractingly naked. "Your brother, he… well, you see, the thing is he captured me and-"

"How?" Violet eyes narrowed even more still, the fey body radiated menace.

"He showed up at the shop and there was kind of a fight and he took me. Bastard," Daisuke muttered. "I wasn't ready for him to just go all out like that." His words faded away when his memories traveled back to the Child of Water's base. "Ken, it's not important. I got away. I'm safe, that's all that matters."

"No," the voice was cold, caustic. "He tried to hurt you in some way. I know he did, Daisuke. You can't lie to me. I heard you calling out for help. Shit, I felt your desperation." Moving closer he grabbed the other man's chin in his hand forcing him to look up. "What did he do?"

Fear. Panic. They overwhelmed Daisuke in a matter of seconds. Normally, he would have been able to brush it aside. But it was Ken he was dealing with. And the fey was right, Daisuke could not lie to him. "He tried to… he…" Pride caught the words in his throat. Sure, bad things had happened to him before, but the memory of Osamu's touch was still fresh in his mind along with the lecherously unclean feeling of having been so close to that edge of insanity.

However, it seemed that small admission was enough for Ken. "No," he hissed, and it was clear that the Child of Water was not going to live until the next sunrise. The fey pulled Daisuke into his arms to comfort him completely unaware that his rapid change of mood and nudity put the other man in an entirely awkward position. Soothing him a little, Ken was pulled out of a particularly bloody homicidal fantasy by the sound of another voice.

"Ken?" Wallace stood just beyond the edges of the cell. "I noticed that when Daisuke mentioned the shop you looked a little lost."

He thought about that for a moment. Fighting off the mental fog that seemed to have eclipsed him, Ken's body finally nodded. "Yes. I know the shop he's talking about and even the people, but I can't recall why it's important." Still not looking at the ninja, he sighed. "Do you know?"

Startled by this turn of events, Daisuke looked up at the fey in confusion. "They're your friends! You've got to remember them."

Thinking for a moment, the fey offered, "I remember who they are: Sora, Mimi, Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Iori, Hikari, Miyako, Jyou, and Koushiro. You met Gennai as well. They all have abilities and I know those too. I just can't remember… why they're important."

"Shit," was all Wallace had to say. "I thought this might happen. It's the split."

Dai shifted his gaze to the ninja. "You mean body from soul?"

The blond shook his head. "No. I think Ken created this rift himself. Under other circumstances it wouldn't be so bad, really. But it sounds like he's divided his own memories storing some in his body and others in his soul. In another case, it would prove useful. But right now, it means we're fucked until he can get up enough magic to call back his soul."

Cinnamon eyes blinking at the ninja, Daisuke asked the obvious question. "Well then, how do we go about that?"

Wallace felt his face settling into a weary expression. "The fastest way," he began, and stopped. Shaking his head, he began again, "It's the easiest way, but you won't like it. I know you won't."

"Fuck that!" Daisuke was livid. The ninja held the answers to all their problems- hell, he had caused a few of the setbacks in Dai's opinion. "How? And quit tip-toeing around it!"

Closing his cerulean eyes in defeat, Wallace hesitated a moment before responding. "You'd have to fuck him."

Silence. Pure, complete, unadulterated quiet. Nothing like a direct order to have sex with half a person, a fey technically, to put Daisuke in his place. After a long bout of thinking, and wondering if he had misheard, Dai finally asked, "What?"

"Ken," Wallace said again, "you'd have to fuck him." When that got no response he tried again. "You know, have sex with him, shag him, screw him, do him, fornicate, hit it-"

"I heard you!" Turning away from both men, Daisuke thought for a few more drawn out minutes. At long last, his shoulders slumped and he turned again to face the room. "Not that I wanted our first time to be like this. But if it's our only real option…"

"Well, unless you know how to call a seraphim or even a poukah…"

"A what or a what?" Shocked and confused, Daisuke stared at Wallace.

"That's what I thought."

***

Rubbing at her temples, Miyako fought off an overwhelming homicidal urge. Ryo was most definitely at the top of her People Who Need To Be Mercilessly Slaughtered list. About fifty times. However useful he could have been… in the pagan's mind, that one saving grace had expired hours ago. Everyone in the room was quiet, digesting what the Child of Earth had said. Not even Koushiro had dared to ask a question. And Gennai merely stood, mouth hanging open in a mix of shock and disgust. Deciding to settle things one and for all, Miyako pulled a silver dagger from her belt, rushed at Ryo, pinned him to the wall, and drove the blade in to the hilt just beneath his clavicle.

Ryo screamed. The blade was made of silver, but the wound still hurt- especially once the pagan woman began to twist the blade back and forth within his flesh. "You bitch! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

A small light of satisfaction began to burn in Miyako's eyes. Behind lenses and wire frames, a tiny spark of something burst. "So, that's where you've been hiding," she hissed. "Still the same disgusting fey who walked into the shop earlier. You're just trying to cover it up by playing the victim." The sadistic smile dropped away from her face leaving it blank and deadly. "What happened to your fourth, Ryo? Tell me. Start talking soon. This knife is silver, but it's the only silver one I've got. Anything else is going to do some awfully permanent damage to you…"

Something hit Miyako away from her target. She fell, rolled on the floor for a split second, and came up snarling, two more daggers out, ready to strike. Jun squared off to the seething pagan, her own copper eyes gleaming. "You just put an enormous hole in my living room wall. What the fuck? You plan on paying for this?"

"There's barely a scratch," Miyako protested. "There's no way that blade went all the way through! If anything there will only be some blood and your walls are painted white- a little bleach and it'll all come right off! Get out of my ass and let me finish what I started or we'll never find your darling little brother!"

The others all drew in a collective breath. Even those who had only met Jun just earlier that afternoon knew better than to say what Miyako had. "You little bitch!" Shrieking, Jun dove at the other woman swatting at her for all she was worth. "Fuck you!" Landing a punch somewhere on Miyako's shoulder, Jun had to laugh. "Fuck you- AND the horse you rode in on!" Her victory was short lived. A hard blow to her stomach put her to the ground. Miyako, however, still had other things in mind.

Diving for Ryo, she pinned him again. As she retrieved her iron blade she traced another quick set of runes over him before rising. "You'll tell me what I want to know, and you'll tell me now."

The Child of Earth was silent, too terrified to say much of anything. A voice spoke up from somewhere behind Miyako's shoulder.

"Um, 'Kari, did you know your girlfriend was a complete fucking psycho when you started dating her?"

"Shut up, Taichi!" Hikari stepped closer to Miyako, but once she was within touching distance something swept her. A nauseating wave of violence struck, rooting deep in her core, making her shake. Her legs failed her, knocking her backwards and onto the floor. Waving her arms blindly she pushed into her girlfriend's mind and sensed the same feeling of bloodlust. "Miyako stop," she gasped. "It's a discord curse. You keep going and there's no telling what you'll do."

Once the words registered completely Miyako's eyes widened. Dropping her daggers she staggered back, away from the fey. Head in her hands she hissed at the Child of Earth, "How are you doing this?"

For his part, Ryo tried to fold his body into the tiniest ball he could manage. "It's not me, it's not me, it's not me…" The words kept spilling out of his mouth.

Even Gennai had difficult swallowing that. "You can't honestly think that we'll believe you if you tell us Osamu is doing this from such a great distance!" The kitsune's voice was harsh, as if the spell was seeping into his skin. Once he realized what was happening, he too took a few steps back. "By the gods," he whispered, "how is this possible?"

"You mean you've never even seen something like this before?" Koushiro felt himself finally begin to panic. If Gennai had no idea what they were facing, they might as well have started performing last rites.

"It's not Osamu, but it's not me either," Ryo managed to say quietly. "Part of it is…the fourth, and part of it still feels like Ken too. I… I don't know. They both hate Osamu and me so much that I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that it's them doing this." Lowering his hands from his disheveled hair, he looked up at the group with haunted eyes. "It's not like they mean to, it just happens sometimes."

"Holy shit," Yamato whispered. "You mean, it's the ghost of your fourth?"

Ryo nodded. Seconds later, his caramel eyes began to fill with tears. To him the room began to fade away as memories took its place, until a stern voice called him back.

"They never do these things to Osamu, do they?" Iori knew enough about ghosts and spirit energy to determine what had happened, but he would feel better once his theory was confirmed.

"No," the Child of Earth said. "It's just me."

Nodding, the younger pagan heaved a sigh. "It's as I thought then." A touch at his shoulder made him look up into a stunning pair of bewildered aqua eyes. "He still feels guilty. Earth isn't a naturally violent element. Only the other three are as destructive as this. Earth is known for its nurturing tendencies, its ability to love and care for something. As a fey of the element of Earth, Ryo would feel the weight of what happened to his Circle more than Osamu. His guilt gives the spirit enough energy to feed off of so that it can make things happen." Closing his cool jade eyes, the youngest thought for a moment longer.

Takeru glanced at the fey who was now crouched on the floor. Stooping closer to Iori, he whispered in the pagan's ear, "How long do you think the ghost has been feeding like this?"

Jade and aqua met and danced on an intrinsic level. Iori never had to speak. Obviously, the ghost of the fourth had been following Ryo for quite some time- maybe even before the actual Child of Fire had died, for as long as Ken had been gone. Which would put the activity at close to twenty years, give or take.

Taichi studied the Child of Earth while a dead, heavy quiet filled the room. None of them could imagine trying to live with the guilt of the things Ryo must have seen and done. Unfortunately for Tai, he could feel some of it. While he was far from doling out pity to the fey, he could understand how Ryo would have had no real choice. Emotions carried the weight of not only the one who experienced them, but also the memories of the events themselves. And emotions never lied. Ryo really had had no choice at all. He loved Osamu with everything that he was. Between the choice of being tortured and eventually killed by the one he loved, or standing by him, the Child of Earth had chosen what felt like the lesser of two evils. Tai would have been hard pressed to actually say Ryo had made the wrong decision. If Yamato had given the empath the same options, Taichi would have stayed in a heartbeat.

When Tai finally moved closer to the fey, Ryo met the empath's gaze. "Don't pity me," he hissed, voice thick.

"I don't," Taichi simply shook his head, eyes filling with tears. "I don't pity you, Ryo. You had no choice. No choice at all." Biting his lip, Tai somehow managed to keep what he was feeling on the surface of his eyes.

Witnessing the exchange, Iori could gather what Taichi meant. If he had had the time, the young pagan would have tried to look at their auras to get a closer glimpse of the emotions they were feeling. Time, it seemed, was not on their side. "Perhaps you should tell us what happened to him, Ryo."

Hikari looked to the youngest from where she was trying to comfort her fallen girlfriend. "It might make you feel better," she added, her voice sad. Miyako would most likely be beating herself up over this for months, if not years.

How could they possibly hope to understand something so big? Ryo felt the years of his life beating down upon him. They pushed at his soul, crushed his heart. At least, Osamu had tried. Literally- Osamu had tried to carve out Ryo's heart years ago so that the Child of Earth would never feel the effects of all that he had done. It would have seemed sick if Ryo himself had not asked his lover to do it. Defeat washed over him as a fresh batch of self-pitying tears fell from his eyes. He cleared his throat…

***

Shimmering, glittering… Ken's soul battled the darkness. Somewhere within its depth, the soul knew the black void that it kept pushing away. Parts of it felt so familiar- yet still so alien. Memories of Daisuke only made his light shine brighter. A stark contrast to the demons that waited for it to break, the soul kept its form- it still looked like Ken in all of his shining splendor and glory. Part of him realized that the comparison was actually quite funny.

Before his brother had sold him, Ken had been raised within his ultimate extended family. The fey existed in two courts, much like everything in the universe- darkness and light. Ken came from darkness. His entire blood related family thrived upon it, lived for it. Osamu was proof enough of that. Yet even with thoughts of his brother's treachery plaguing him, Ken could not find a place in his soul to hate him. While his body held onto vengeance, it seemed his soul had forgiven long ago. Still, part of him feared what would happen once he was whole again. He knew that vengeance was terrible. The power of it could likely overwhelm whatever redeeming values Osamu still had within his soul. It was a very precarious situation.

If his soul won out, Osamu would probably be healed of all the black dreams and fantasies within. The cost however, was yet to be determined. But, if his body won out… the chances of his brother even living to see another day were slim to none. And the cost for that? Oh he already knew. The cost for killing anyone- nevermind Osamu- would be losing Daisuke. Ken, whether in body or spirit, could not stand the idea of losing Dai. Not when he was so close to finally finding out the truth.

After years of being told he could never, would never, and should never love… somehow, some way, Daisuke slipped through the cracks. But it was only once Ken was broken into pieces that he realized it. Separately, the body and the soul both acknowledged his love for the Adept, but together they fled from it. Smiling amidst the darkness, Ken's soul vowed to never let go of Daisuke, no matter what it took. He would protect him, he would love him, he would make him whole. And in return…?

A great pain hit him then. Something was settling in, whether it was guilt or shame, the soul could not tell. But something was happening. There were glimpses. Flashing visions of lips, eyes, hands, blood, tears. The images captured a small portion of Ken's soul making the light flicker for a moment. Different emotions dwelled in separate places within Ken. In his soul? Kindness, love, gentleness, happiness, guilt… shame. A tremendous ache spread throughout Ken's soul then. What if Daisuke found that Ken was not what he wanted? What would happen then...? More visions filled him- Daisuke crying, unable to understand the bodies at Ken's feet. Daisuke bleeding because Ken let his own dark side go too far. Ken… crying, hurting, screaming. What would happen then…? Daisuke would leave, that was what would happen. Another shooting pain flickered through Ken's soul. And the light flickered for a moment, then dimmed. No, no, no… Daisuke had to love him… He just had to…

But…

But what if he didn't?

And the light flickered out completely.

***

The Shadow Prince wove his way down the sidewalk. Beneath the asphalt of the street he could feel the Jishin-Mushi scuttling below him. The great fool. Everything had been planned out perfectly and that idiot had to go and screw it up. No matter though. They fey's body was missing, but they still held the soul. Without the soul, it was only a matter of time before the body began to fall into its own darkness- just as it had before. Then, that Child of Air would become the Prince's masterpiece. The thing he had waited a thousand years to make. Finally.

Smirking, the demon walked into a small child completely unaware of stepping on its fingers and toes making the child wail. That is, unaware until the child stood up and kicked him back. A slew of curses that a child should not possibly know flew through the air. The prince could only smile. Perhaps he would not have to wait for the fey. He could begin everything with this one child. A child who dared to touch him with his base, human flesh…

Grinning, like a true predator, he watched a slow look of horror steal across the child's face. Reaching down he effortlessly plucked the small human from it's place- rooted to the earth before him in absolute fear. His voice, when it finally came, was dark, biting, as if ripping through into the child's skin like teeth. "Well, hello there, little one. And what's your name?"

The child's voice was thin, wavering. A cornered mouse watching a mighty python. "Noriko."

"Well, Noriko, don't you just look scrumptious…"

***

Ryo tried to start at the beginning…

"Originally, the fey had no problems living with humans. I mean, yeah we would trick you and steal from you, but you do that to yourselves enough. But, even while living among the humans the division of the courts has always been a severe thing- even with Elemental Circles from way, way back in the day. The two courts of the fey are the light, the Seelie, and the darkness, the Unseelie. They don't get along." He paused and chuckled to himself. "No, saying the don't get along is probably the biggest understatement ever. They hate each other. At least, they used to. Eventually, things happened and the fey all drifted into their own realms leaving a few of us behind to guard the doorways and just remain as general links to the human world.

"Hundreds of years ago the courts would have found any excuse to go to war with one another. It was only creatures like the Adepts that even held them in check. Without the Adepts, the fey would have no real magick. Of course, now it's taught to every fairie child that personal magick exists no matter what, but that wasn't until way after the last great Adept bit the big one, or headed for the hills, or just went wherever it is the Adepts go when they're tired of the earth. Anyway, she gave us the gift of being born with our own magicks and skills and tried to unite the courts before departing for places unknown."

"Do any of the elders know what became of her?" Gennai's voice was soft, as if far away. Memory perhaps, but also something else.

The Child of Earth shook his head. "If they know, they don't feel like sharing. Not that that should come as some sort of big fucking shock or anything. So, she bid that we all get along and the noble families-"

"You mean the sidhe?" Iori spoke up.

"Yes, the sidhe, the nobles took the task upon themselves." Pausing again, Ryo's eyes flickered in thought. "Well, no that's not entirely true. It was more like they accepted the treaty and decided to delegate its actual implementation to their children. And then most of them waited a hundred years, or sometimes two, before they produced offspring. By that time a lot more of the fey had died. Not by human hands- we really prefer to slaughter each other. Going up against a human is hardly considered a challenge."

"I should think, that by now your kind would have realized that us mere mortals are more of a challenge than you suspected," Miyako finally added her two cents. Her pride was still sore, but it was taking a backseat to the situation at hand.

"Obviously! What we didn't realize then, was that the Adept had blessed a whole bunch of you human-folk with gifts as well. Such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis, touch sensitivity, and so on. Things like telepathy, empathy, and other psychic mojo were already on par with the human chain of events." His words faltered. Of course, having come so far, Ryo knew he had to finish the explanation. But they were only human after all. And they had no ideas of the things he had seen. Although… that again was untrue. The empath seemed to understand all too well.

"So, how does this relate to your fourth?" Takeru's eyebrows were in his hair. "The Adept gave everybody superpowers and disappeared. And then…?"

"Hush, Takeru," Sora spoke after being silent for so long. "I can't imagine it's easy for Ryo to tell us these things. Think about it. Have you ever read of any of this before? We never learned this sort of information in class." Motioning to the fey, she bade him to continue with his tale.

Ryo's eyes dropped to study the floor. "You have to realize that what I'm going to tell you will most likely get me killed. Shit, it could get you all killed." He looked up to see no change in any expressions- even the two without gifts looked at him expectantly.

Jun had been quiet for far too long. It was eating at her to not push the fey along. He might have looked like her brother, but after a quick rundown of events earlier she knew full well that the very same fey she was trusting now had tried to kill Daisuke once already. "What does all of this have to do with my brother? Why are you after him? Hell, why are all the demons in Tokyo after him?"

Ryo refused to meet anyone's gaze and pointedly ignored Jun's question, though he knew it was a bad idea to do so. "My family, along with Osamu's, was very proud of me. After all, Elemental fey are still a rare breed. However, we lacked a fourth and it was decided by some council somewhere that the union of the courts should finally be put into effect. Our fourth came from the court of light, and that's just what he was- light against so much darkness. Myself, I'm half Seelie, but I was raised in the dark court. Osamu, Ken, and I were all brought up thinking that the sidhe of light were nothing more than spoiled, obnoxious, half-talent excuses for fey. But the Child of Fire… he proved us wrong.

"His name was Michael, and he was a gift from the Seelie court in exchange for a final settling of everything. There was to be peace at last! He was announced as our fourth at some big banquet when Ken was still only a baby. We grow fast and all, but I sincerely doubt Ken even remembers him. Osamu made sure that Michael was never around Ken once his baby brother was old enough to walk. And then, Ken was given away."

"How can you say it like that?" Mimi was outraged. It took all of her own restraint plus Sora's hand on her shoulder to keep her from leaping across the room to choke the Child of Earth. "Given away?! He wasn't just some fucking gift that his brother parted with. Osamu sold him to a bunch of fucking demons!"

"Don't you think I know that! I know that better than any of you!" Ryo was livid, caramel eyes flashing shades of honey and deeper earth tones. "You never had to see the look on his face. He idolized Osamu! And he was only a child; he couldn't understand why his brother was treating him the way he was. Osamu… did things to him. You have no idea what it was like, what he was like back then." He pressed a hand to his mouth. How could he have been so stupid to think that they would understand?

"It's all right, Ryo," Hikari reached out to try and soothe him, but was met with another wave of the discord curse. "Just let it all out." It was all she could think of to say.

"Osamu, he was… he just would do these horrible things. And at the time it didn't seem so bad, but after a while it all catches up with you," Ryo's voice was so soft as to enchant everyone in the room. It was the sound of a frightened child describing his worst but most fascinating nightmare. "He used to cut Ken with different kinds of metal just to see how much damage he could take. Ken just thought it was his brother's way of showing affection. I'm sure he figured out much later on just what it was that Osamu was really doing."

"That's the only part I don't understand," Yamato shook his head. "Why did he do all those things to Ken? Why put him through all of that and then sell him off? Why do it period?"

The tears were back in Ryo's eyes again. Iori had been right- he was wracked with guilt still, years later. "Their parents doted on Ken. They fucking adored him. I mean, come on, a Child of Air? Do you know how much power he has? He could kick Osamu's ass around the block and back! And they knew it too. But so did Osamu. He thought, maybe, if he could just break Ken, free up some of his power. It never worked though, so he sold him. Whoever it was Osamu sold him to the first time, that's who's after him now, and who's after Daisuke too. All Osamu ever told me about him was that he was a prince of some sort. That was it though- after dealing with the demons, Osamu just started to get a little crazier each day. Then he killed Michael and just never looked back. I got so caught up in everything…" Ryo's voice faded away completely. He had nothing more to say.

"How?" Gennai's calm voice broke the trance all too easily. "Fey are infamous for their healing abilities, especially the sidhe. How could he have simply killed your fourth?"

For a long stretch of time it seemed that Ryo was not going to answer. Then he spoke, quite obviously lost in his own memories. "I can still hear Michael screaming sometimes. At night, when everything is still, when the darkness is so thick you think you can cut it with a knife. I can still hear him, begging me, calling out to me for help…" Before any of the others could interrupt him, he continued. "In the space we used to live in, there are a lot of rooms with no windows, so I thought nothing of it when Osamu had me create one more. A special room, he called it. Built with magic to keep everything out- even daylight. He closed Michael in there. It drove him mad. Days and days of no light at all for a sidhe of the Seelie court. He lost his mind completely, ripped out his hair, clawed at the walls until his fingers were broken and bleeding." Swallowing past his own guilt and shame, Ryo kept going. "That was when Osamu began to fill the room with water. Slowly, so fucking slowly, he put out the Fire with Water. It took him so long. It took days for Michael to die like that, even after being in the darkness for weeks on end screaming until I thought his throat had to be ruined." Stopping completely, Ryo sobbed to himself for a while as the others looked on. It was no wonder that the Child of Earth had wanted to keep his secret.

Finally, one by one, the entire group of listeners moved towards him hands held out, arms outstretched. They comforted him. It was Taichi who whispered, "There was nothing you could have done, Ryo. You're a Child of Earth. He would have done it to you too."

That only made him cry harder. "Then why do I still love him?"

***

Daisuke was out of the cell. He paced the length of Wallace's small kitchen. Having lost count of the number of passes hours ago he stopped for a moment to glance at the ninja. "Are you sure that's the only way?"

It almost seemed to upset the blond to admit it. "It's the easiest way right now. We don't have access or time to perform a calling ritual." Hesitating for the barest of moments he added, "I'm sorry, Daisuke. I really am. Things shouldn't have to be like this for you. Ken without a soul," Wallace shook his head.

"He's fucking dangerous with a soul. I don't even know if I want to think about what he's going to do to me if I sleep with him now. Ken, soul free? How do I even get him to agree to this?" Cinnamon eyes flicked over to the pouting form on the couch in the next room. The body of Ken had long since retreated there once dressed and after making a few discoveries.

"That isn't even an issue," Wallace replied. "Remember how I explained that certain magick exists at a genetic level?" When Dai nodded he explained further. "Ken's weapons as a Child of Air come straight from his element. You've probably seen him pull blades from nothingness, right? Well, without his soul he can't do it. Everything else, that comes to him naturally as an Elemental sidhe. But, his soul has the only key to pulling his greatest weapons. The ones that can kill anything."

"Can he get to any of his blades?" Not that the idea made Daisuke entirely comfortable. The thought of Ken deciding sex would be a good time to demonstrate his ability to draw a knife from thin air was more than a little unnerving.

The ninja nodded. "Of course, but it's the important ones he can't reach. In the beginning all the sidhe fought with blades, most of which had special names for what they did. As technology moved along the fey did too, with the exception of the Children of Air."

"Wait," Daisuke broke in. "Children? Plural? You mean there are more out there like him?" For the briefest of moments he allowed his heart to sing with hope. If Ken was not the only one then he might be able to pull Ken away from his brother and fill their circle with someone else.

The blond shook his head. "There used to be others. No one really knows what happened to them. A lot of them have disappeared. Probably because the circles they exist in either died out, or they got along well enough to remain hidden from public view."

"Oh." So much for Daisuke's hope. Something about what the ninja had said struck an odd cord in him though. "What's so different about Ken's circle? I mean, yeah his brother's a fucking nutjob and everything, but why are they so special?"

Hesitant, Wallace glanced at the sulking body of the Child of Air. "They don't have a fourth," he admitted softly.

"Then how can the Circle even be complete? Don't they need a fourth-"

"Osamu killed him a long time ago."

Shoulders sagging, Dai leaned against a counter. "He does seem to have that problem." As he thought for a minute, trying not to fidget in his usual way, he realized there were precious few choices in the matter. Still, he had some unanswered questions. "You said Ken has a sword- one that can kill anything?"

Wallace nodded, face grim. "Yes, and without it he's going to be pissed off. Don't get me wrong, even without his most powerful physical weapon, Ken can still kill humans, demons, and fey a thousand ways, but it would be a serious blow to his pride. That sword makes up a lot of who he is. It was created solely for a Child of Air and he's been the first able to wield it ever. One of the original Adepts made that thing. No human hands can touch it and no Child of Air before him has been strong enough to keep it. Ken's the only one."

Cinnamon eyes bulging, Daisuke thought over the implications. "Shit." Silent for a few moments, he added to his profound statement. "An Adept made it for him then. It had to have been made only for him. If I am what everyone seems to think, then it only follows that my instincts would be accurate in this case, right?" When the blond nodded, Dai mimicked the action. "It was made for Ken. From what you've said it doesn't sound like there's ever been a Child of Air, or even a fey as powerful as he is."

"There hasn't been. Not on record anyway." Glancing at Ken again, Wallace let his apprehension fill his eyes, softening them for the first time. "That's why he was chosen to watch you, why he was the only one who could wake your power, and why he's fallen in love with you. Daisuke, when Ken was saying earlier that there's only one being of equal power to you, he was talking about himself. But that only holds true when he's complete. Without his soul, you're stronger than he is. Even if you decide to go through with it and call his soul back, Ken won't be as powerful as you are until he gets his shit together."

The pair was quiet for a while. Sounds filled the space where words could not. It truly boggled Daisuke's mind that he could be the most powerful creature alive on the planet at that moment. After the life he had lead he certainly never felt strong. Too often he gave in to weak desires and cheap thrills. Something like being an Adept required so much responsibility, and he was unsure if he was up to the task.

"No pressure," the former soccer star muttered. Rubbing his face with his hands he gave Wallace a tired look. "So, tell me about this sword. What else do you know?"

"It's called ShiAtoShi, Death After Death. Nothing can stand against it."

"Gee, that's comforting." The kitchen was silent again while Daisuke pondered his options. He asked one last question. "Is there a bedroom we can use for some privacy, or do you want to watch?"

The ninja glared at the Adept. "Stop being such an ass," he replied. "I'm doing you a tremendous favor."

Daisuke only raised an eyebrow. "And…?"

Wallace sighed and moved out towards the living room. "And… the bedroom's this way."

***

A half an hour later, Daisuke stood in the bedroom with Ken watching the fey for any signs of the anxiety he felt. The Child of Air had been a lot more than willing to go through with the proposed plan. However, once it came down to the wire, both men were awkward and clumsy. Neither one had been in such a situation before. What exactly was the protocol for a sexual soul calling?

As he cleared his throat, Daisuke glanced around. "Are you sure about this? I mean, there are other ways…"

For the first time in nearly two hours, Ken's body smiled. "My beautiful Daisuke, I've never been so sure of anything in my life." Stepping closer, he eliminated the small space between them and sealed his mouth over Daisuke's.

Discomfort and worry still lingered in Dai's mind though, and he gently pushed the fey away. But as he looked into his would-be lover's eyes, he felt something settle within his heart. It was right, what they were about to do. And certainly they both wanted it. Still, one tiny problem remained… "Ken, you aren't still putting up a glamour are you?"

Eyebrows knit in confusion, the fey blinked. "Just a small one, why? I thought you could see through it anyway."

Daisuke smiled. "So, you do remember some things." Giving Ken a wicked grin he pulled the other man closer still and whispered in his ear, "I want to see all of you, Ken. No tricks or magick, just you."

Air spilled out of Ken's mouth in a rush. Such a simple request, but it seemed so erotic, so unifying. As if letting his power loose would bind them that much closer together. There was a brief shift as the glamour slid away before Ken stood before Daisuke, magically stripped and eager. His smile was tentative. Though the body was the center of lust, it still held his physical heart, and even that one muscle contained an unquestioning love for Daisuke.

"You're so beautiful." Those were the last words spoken before their mouths met again. Moving together they fell into synchronization. Lips and tongues brushing and caressing, they fell into one another, lost to the rest of the world. As if they had been together dozens of times before, Daisuke and Ken quickly moved into the all too familiar pattern of sex…

… Ken closed his eyes and smiled. He knew then, beyond any doubt that he would die for Daisuke- or better still, that he would live for him, at all costs.

They lay together gasping for air as the final traces of orgasm and sex magick trickled through their skin. Daisuke hoped it had worked. Sex had never been like that for him before. It felt like something had changed, and he realized that indeed it had. He loved Ken, he truly loved him. And Ken… he was everything. When he finally managed to move to lie beside his lover, Daisuke reached out and cupped the Child of Air's face as he kissed him.

Ken, lit at last by body and spirit, whispered to Daisuke, "I love you."

**************

If you think there's something missing… then you're right. For the full on version of this go to: MediaMiner . org / fanfic/ view_ st. php ?id=13523 it's all there! There are spaces in the web address so that it would show up- don't try to copy & paste, it'll go all screwy on you. If you prefer to stay clean, that's okay too. Review or criticize as you would like. ^_^