Hello, everyone! I hope everyone is safe in their homes during this bad period. -

Here's a new chapter to cheer you up! :D Thank you so much to the new (and the old ;3 ) people that are following and favouriting this story! I swear I'll write it until the end! \(^w^)/

Enjoy! :3

"We don't know what they were doing there." Shiraishi sighed lightly. "And it was a massacre. The only ones that survived were, in fact, just those that had come to visit us as well as a few that were out for missions."

Yukimura paled as he heard those words.

Higa, the only clan that had no Humans among their ranks, had attacked Rokkaku, whose members were all Humans except for three people.

Saeki Kojirou was a Vampire, a good friend of Seigaku's Fuji, while Kurobane 'Bane' Harukaze and Amane 'Davide' Hikaru were Werewolves.

"They had to know that the strongest ones wouldn't be there." Yukimura commented bitterly, feeling a pulsing rage building inside.

Shiraishi nodded, agreeing with his words. "And that's what worries us the most. Nobody knew nor realised that they had left their territory in Okinawa. So either their skills have dramatically increased, or someone is helping them."

"Unless they've infiltrated somewhere." The leader of Rikkai reasoned. Just like their Niou was spying on Hyoutei on their behalf.

"That's not impossible." Shiraishi conceded. "But that's one of the many things we're researching."

He hesitated. "I know that you haven't come here for this, but… Do you think you can spare some of your men to give us a hand? We're clueless, and Rokkaku's surviving members are, well… Definitely not in their right mind, at the moment."

Yukimura looked at his friend with sad eyes. He really wished to lend him a hand, for what had happened was terrible. But they were quite busy on their side as well.

Unless…

He tilted his head slightly as he thought about it quickly.

Maybe he could. In fact, this situation could even favour them!

He took a deep breath. "Before I give you an answer, I'd like to ask you something."

Shiraishi nodded, listening to what the other had to say.

"Firstly, we have currently joined forces with Fudoumine and Seigaku, thus, before being able to do something, I'd need to discuss about this with both Tezuka and Tachibana." Yukimura started, speaking calmly. Though the fact that Fuji and Saeki had been childhood friends could be a positive thing to give them a light push in order to help Shitenhouji in their search. "Secondly, if it ends up with us helping both Rokkaku and Shitenhouji, two neutral clans, then… We will need something back from you."

Shiraishi kept quiet for a little while, lost in his own thoughts after what he heard. He would not endanger his people in a war, or so he had been thinking up until that moment. But now that others had been attacked, maybe they had not the luxury to remain neutral anymore.

"I knew of your alliance." He answered quietly. "And I've somewhat heard of what Atobe has done."

He glanced aside, to a big map of Japan that was hanging on the wall, with the various clans' territories clearly shown. "The balance is breaking. We are not going to go all out, of course, but maybe we cannot afford to ignore this any longer."

His golden eyes met his friend's. "I'll have to discuss about these developments with my people too. I cannot promise you anything, but… The time might have come for us to fight again, as much as I don't like it. I won't stand aside and watch as innocents get slaughtered – just as I didn't in the past."

As his last words were pronounced, Yukimura looked away, a trace a guilt appearing in his eyes for a short moment. He knew he would react this way – or at least, he had hoped so. After all, back then he had joined the fight as well.

"Thank you." He smiled softly. "I appreciate this."

Shiraishi chuckled low. "Honestly, I prefer going against Kite or Atobe rather than having to fight you again."

"Honestly, I wouldn't want to fight the old me neither." Yukimura agreed, amused for a moment, but then sadness appeared in his eyes. "Really, you saved me back then. And many others."

Shiraishi gently placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with soft eyes. "You still think about the past, don't you? But you need to stop tormenting yourself. You have changed now. You're different than back then. You're back to your senses."

"How I wish I could take them away at times." Yukimura confessed. "Just to… Forget everything. To not think about anything at all anymore."

The poisonous plants' lover watched his friend with pity for a long moment. He still wasn't over that time, was he? Who knew how long he had been thinking it over and over, blaming no one but himself. For everything that had happened, since the very beginning of it all. When they were still young and inexperienced, when it was just so easy to trust each other – and to betray.

"Please tell me why you came here." He murmured, having a very bad feeling.

Yukimura nodded, regaining a hold of himself; calmly, taking his time to go into all the details, he explained everything, about Hirari's kidnapping, their plan to get her back, the rescue, and her current condition.

"That's why I thought of asking you for help." He concluded. "You're skilled with drugs and medicines, perhaps you can succeed where Renji and Inui failed. Counter-spells don't seem to work, and they are unable to break what was casted on her."

Shiraishi frowned. There it was again, Atobe's habit of playing with others people's feelings. Not to mention that this situation reminded them of something similar.

"One thing I can say for sure." He smiled. "She's tough to break. Or they wouldn't have had to resort to control her mind."

"Indeed. " His friend agreed. "She is not Fleur. In fact, they might be similar, but their characters are nearly opposite."

"I can't say anything about that, since I've never known that woman." Shiraishi chuckled slightly. "But I trust your words."

He then kept quiet, thinking for a little while. He had an idea of what to try, but would it even work? He didn't want to give Yukimura false hope…

"I'll ask Gin." He decided then, and Yukimura looked at him in surprise. "I know, he's an Exorcist and she is not controlled by a Demon. But if there's anyone who knows how to deal with these kind of things, that's him. As for me, I'll try to search in my books, maybe I can find something useful to brew."

The bluenet smiled softly, truly grateful. "Thank you. And I'll talk to the other two leaders as soon as I can – we need to be swift and stay together during these times."

After the meeting, Yukimura stayed a few more hours in Shitenhouji's care, chatting with his friend, tending to the plants and being shown around some new rooms that had been built inside the Headquarters.

Eventually, the sun set and it was time for him to return home.

"Since Gin is still in Chiba curing some lucky survivors, I'll tell him to pass by your place once he's done." Shiraishi told Yukimura as he accompanied his friend back to the gate. "It might take a few days, though."

"Don't worry." Yukimura reassured him. "Tending to the wounded comes first. Hirari's just… sleeping, after all."

He was incredibly grateful for the help, and relieved too. It had been a good idea to come at this point, it was probably the best time to join forces with Shiraishi.

The two Vampires bid each other goodbye, then Yukimura disappeared, teleporting back to Rikkai's HQ in order to speak with Sanada and Yanagi at once.

Thus, he headed to the infirmary at once, also to check on Hirari's conditions.

Yet as he arrived, Yanagi shook his head. "No changes."

Yukimura took a deep breath, then nodded. "I wasn't expecting something. Come, Yanagi, I have news over here."

The Master opened his eyes slightly, interested. "I knew that the belladonna would have been useful."

His leader chuckled amused. "If everything goes well, I'm going to buy him a whole field with it."

Even though Yanagi watched him the entire time as they walked, Yukimura refused to say anything until Sanada had joined them, which wasn't too much time later.

After organising his own thoughts, he started to tell them about the discussion with Shiraishi, of the attack on Rokkaku and their current situation, and of their possible mutual help.

As soon as he finished speaking, Sanada had already dialled Tezuka's private number: there was no time to lose.

"Yes, I know of the incident." Seigaku's leader confirmed. "Fuji's there already and I have contacted Tachibana for a meeting; I was about to call Yukimura in a few moments, but you anticipated me."

"Tomorrow in the early morning." Yukimura nearly ordered, unable to wait any longer.

He was able to hear everything the other leader had said because Sanada had put the call in loudspeaker.

Tezuka decided not to comment about Yukimura's tone; he understood the situation he was in.

"8 a.m. over here." He only said before closing the call.

Yukimura sighed tiredly and sat heavily on a chair, running a hand through his hair.

"The fact that Fuji's with Rokkaku already means that they're going to accept." Yanagi predicted at once. "I'd say 99. 7- no, 99.8%."

Yukimura smiled slightly, feeling better. He fervently hoped that this wasn't going to be one of those times when the 0.02% would occur.