Finally my muse kicked in to finish writing this chapter. It's been sitting on my dash half-written for the longest time!

Warnings: minor language.

Anyways enjoy~

When the Day Met the Night

Rabbit Boy and Doll Face Arc

Part 2

(unknown location)

Your allotted time has run out foolish one. Now, temper your soul and fight for the value of your life!

Midnight eyes widened as the world around him turned pitched black. He cursed, this was really bad timing but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Sitting around would not help him so he began to run, even without clear sense of direction. But he faltered slightly when a sudden pain shot through his chest, just over his heart where a tattooed "OM" stained his skin. The pain only grew as a strange new marking began to form. It looked like a crescent of a black sun surrounding his OM, the matte black rays stemming across his chest and shoulders.

No, it was spreading, slowly consuming him.

He had to get out of this place. Now.

He sped through the darkness trying to spot any ray of light that could guide him out but with the pain steadily growing he found it harder to keep moving, the inky shadows almost swallowing up his left arm.

No, he would not give up. He didn't want to have to do this but he had no choice.

"Mugen," he called out slowly, and from his forearms, light bled out. The light began to merge and from them formed a blade bright enough to cut through any darkness. He kept the long silver-white blade within his line of sight watching as it glowed.

"Kaichū Ichigen, break through the depths of darkness, force your light onwards and lead me towards my one vision."

As he spoke the incantation, six insect-serpent like creatures emerged from the blade shooting out like stars and within moments he found his escape.

There.

The gate.

He surged forward, he could feel darkness wanting to reel him back but he fought to break from its grip.

He was so close, just a little further...

He raised his blade ready to cut through anything and then...

And then he was falling.

(Aestival, Temple of the Garden of June, North of the Lotus Ponds)

"Master Kanda!"

"Master Kanda!"

"Where are you? Master Kanda!"

Tiedoll idly sat back as the servants of the temple scampered about in desperate worry and haste. Dawn had barely broken in and yet everyone was already up and active, hustling about. But that how things always worked in Aestival.

"Master Tiedoll?" A soft voice spoken from behind.

"Ah, good morning Marie," Tiedoll greeted the tall, dark man amiably while taking out his sketch pad; sunrises were always lovely to draw out.

The other man, Marie, silently took a seat on the edge of the wooden floors right next to Tiedoll. He knew that his master was sketching, hearing pencil scratch on paper. He chose not to disturb the eccentric man for the time being but there was something he really wished to ask the other about.

The eccentric man smiled a small knowing smile, already aware of Marie's predictament. It was obvious that Marie was concerned about Kanda just like the others in the temple, albeit for different reasons possibly. Hmm, it was such a shame that Marie was blind though, Tiedoll could only vaguely thought as he took out a soft yellow color pencil to draw the peak of the sun. There were so many beautiful things to see in this world and yet people could only see the ugly.

Such a shame.

Tiedoll glanced at the strongly built yet strangely gentle man beside him while he focused on nothing in particular. Which would never be true because the man, although blind, could "see" things better than anyone he knew.

"Kanda is back." Marie commented softly.

Tiedoll looked out towards the sky and from there he saw what could be mistaken as a falling star crash far too close for comfort within the lotus ponds, not even a kilometer away.

When the resounding splash was heard, Tiedoll stood up calmly as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

He took a few steps forward but stopped when he heard Marie move too.

"Marie, why don't you go fetch Yuu a towel?"

"But Master-"

Tiedoll hummed softly to silence Marie and then smiled merrily, "no worries, I'm sure he is just fine."

Marie only nodded his head and ran back inside the temple.

Within a few minutes Tiedoll reached the ponds where he found a man, soaking wet and grumbling to himself. Tiedoll could only chuckle at the sight.

"Welcome back Yuu!" He called out cheerfully.

The man snapped his head towards the other, his long hair heavily whipping across his face and chest. It made a sort of slopping sound where it hit his body while some of the strands stayed stuck to his face.

Tiedoll fought hard to not grin and Kanda glared.

But Kanda didn't say anything as he let this old fart scrutinize him. He understood the reason for it so there was no reason to argue.

Which was why he continued to keep his mouth shut when Tiedoll's gaze sobered and turned solemn.

Kanda eyes as Tiedoll noticed—that also continued to glare at him—were a deep shade of midnight blue with bright specks of silver within their depths. They were like stars burning holes right through the dark.

Nothing was said between them as they heard the sounds of Marie's footsteps increasing, although they were still faraway.

Tiedoll turned away from Kanda and began to make his trek to the temple. But before he did so, he glanced back at Kanda who still sat at the edge of the pond, speaking low enough for only them to hear.

"Glad to see that you're okay, but–"

Kanda raised questioning eyes up towards the older man.

Tiedoll smiled, one that hid a secret message, "you're still late."

(Hibernal, East of Mountains of December, Frostbite Trail)

Two panting figures were trudging up along the rocky slopes of the trail, the heavy snow having long since melted away yet still left an icy trace. It indeed was difficult for the two weary travelers to climb.

One of them was a tall man with long red hair, who wore a sterling white mask with a matching pistol. The other was a young boy with stark white hair, who was barely visible behind a tower of bags, satchels, and sacks.

They both donned long heavy black jackets with a rose cross emblem on their left breast, but the elder had many embellishments in gold, a symbol of high rank, whereas the younger one's was made of silver.

The older man suddenly stopped, eyes closed and hands bracing his knees before crying out to the heavens, "you got to be fucking kidding my holy ass!"

"…M-master Cross! Sir! That is not the the way an Exorcist of the Black Order should talk!"

The apprentice piped at the man called Cross, whose words fell on deaf ears. The man reached into his coat to grab his secret stash of wine.

"Shut it Alice. It's a fucking death march out here! What the hell is up with this trail? Are you sure we're going the right way Alice?"

Cross took a long swig, relishing the taste that burned down his throat and warmed his body up.

But the apprentice flushed with indignation.

"It's Allen. Allen Walker! And you're the one with the map!"

"Ahhhh, yes, you're quite right Allie. "

Allen cringed, but his grimace was overshadowed by the immense load in his arms.

"Sir… Is this seriously a time to be drinking? It would hardly be appropriate to meet with the Winter Sage if you're drunk." But Allen sighed, what was the point anyway?

"That is no way to talk to an elder! I, who have slain countless demons! I am Central's great General and Exorcist, Cross Marian!"

Allen skeptically looked over at his 'master', who looked quite ridiculous babbling about his "holy greatness", while his nose was red from drinking too much wine. He doubted the demons would even come close enough for the man to actually fight them—too much stink from sweat and booze.

"…huh, who has a penchant for sleeping around, preying on virgins, and drinking too much? Oh and theres all the debts you have no qualms in leaving for me." There wasn't much respect lingering between the true but accusing words.

"Ah, I shouldn't have taken an apprentice. How foolish of me! Now pipe down, Aleeah. "

"Sir! For the hundredth time it's ALLEN!" The shout sent birds flying from the space surrounding trees, "And when have you last washed? I swear you still smell of sex..."

Cross himself did not acknowledged the insult. Instead, he set about looking for a nice boulder to sit on.

"Eh…?" Allen looked at his Master, bewildered, "what are you doing... Sir? "

"Looking for something to sit on. "

"…we're going to rest here? "

"Yeah, sure, whatever... we'll reach December in a few… soon enough."

"Really? How splendid! "

Allen without hesitation let the load in his arms to drop. Cross frowned but he didn't bother criticizing his idiot apprentice.

Wouldn't want the idiot apprentice to refuse to carry all of their bags the rest of the way, now would we?

Finally catching the chance to rest for a bit, Cross spoke up.

"I find myself worrying about the new sage of Hibernal, you know?"

"Huh, you are worried? Seriously? And not about how your stash of wine is running out or where to get your next lay? Wow, that is something new sir, I'm amazed."

Cross yet again ignored the comment but it wasn't everyday he dished out mercy, though. Allen should consider himself lucky.

"Yes. Well, remember the last sage? The one that disappeared almost six years ago? "

"Of course I know! Mana was Hibernal's last sage..."

"Shush it! No interrupting me."

Allen would have snapped or at least sulked but he held his tongue. Keeping peace with Cross was the only way he'd get to learn anything about being an Exorcist.

And keep the debts and torture to a minimum.

And maybe... to finally end the curse that has been plaguing him since the day of his birth. Allen absent mindedly rubbed his left hand alongside his right arm.

"Anyways, the impact of Mana's disappearance was huge. Why I remember how I was still the sage of Aestival at that time, and there was his younger brother, the sage of Vernal, who was prepared to start a riot. That time was just chaos!"

"W-wait, Mana had a brother?"

Cross waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind about that, Allison."

"But!"

"But, shush it I say! I talk, you listen. Got it?"

Allen nodded his head grudgingly.

"Good. What I'm here to talk about is this new sage. Naturally the pass from sage to sage in Hibernal takes the longest out of all countries but this time it took five years. And this new sage was someone no one saw coming, a young thing, only sixteen. One of the youngest sages ever. And from what I heard is that not only is this sage pretty, but pretty naive as well."

"I'm not sure I understand Master, what has you so worried?" Allen decided not to comment on the "young" and "pretty" part.

Cross suddenly went serious and grave, a look that only succeeded in making Allen uncomfortable. Whenever Cross was like that only meant future trouble for him.

"Since you're from Hibernal yourself, you would know of the festival they hold in the Mountains of December each year, yes?"

"Y-yes, the winter solstice festival. Where night lasts for many days, a month at best, until the Aurora lights come out."

Cross reclined his back a little, "that's right Allison. So this new sage was to govern the festival that had last past. But Central believes that something odd had happened during the Aurora lights."

"Odd? Like what?"

"They're not sure. That's why we're heading over there to find out."

"Eh…I suppose I get what you are trying to say... But sir, my name is–"

"What? Oh, right. Your name is Allison, yes?"

"goddamn you sir... "

They rose to resume their journey, both still bickering and covered in icy dirt from the trail. In their hurry to reach the sacred temple before nightfall, neither noticed that a round golden object had fallen from the bundles.

But then the small golden object sprouted to life, with wings flapping rapidly and a tail swinging from side to side.

The thing kept quiet as it silently followed behind the master and apprentice along their journey.

Well... It was still a long road ahead to the sacred temple in the Mountains of December.

Either love me for posting a new chapter after what has seems to be forever. Or hate me for not updating my other stories XD

New talk of sages and festivals now, yes? It will all be explained next time.

Review please?

Take care~