Author's Note: Okay, I give in. Finally, a chapter about Hei. Most of you probably won't understand what happens at the end, but fans of another anime will immediately begin to pick up little clues here and there. I hope those that do can appreciate the connection.

Suggested are Sesshoku and Sekibetsu from the DtB OST, and Lightning's Theme, The Gate of Etro, and Tears of the Goddess from the FFXIII-2 OST. Trust me on this one.

Treat the other man's faith gently; it is all he has to believe with. His mind was created for his own thoughts, not yours or mine. - Henry S. Haskins

"You're younger than I expected."

"Am I? That you expected me at all is more flattering."

The boy couldn't have been much older than Suou- he still looked too delicate, too pale, almost as if he had been a rushed birth. But he was cold to the sight, skin shallow, a monster underneath with malevolence that lapped off him in waves. All it took was one quick stare into his pupils, the color of Yin's, to realize they were soulless like a Doll's.

"Is this your doing?" Hei grunted. He wanted to cut the crap, to just lash at him with blinding speed and plant a single knife in his forehead, but he couldn't. He had been waiting for the day they would finally meet, and had little to go on what to expect. If the kid happened to have some kind of power, things could turn ugly fast, and from what he had gleaned, there was a good chance of that regardless.

"You may call it that, but really, it's more of a product-"

"Izanagi." The boy smiled at the use of his true name, but it slid like poison off Hei's tongue. "I've had enough. Tell me why I'm here, and where Yin is, or die."

Boldly, Izanagi wagged his finger and made a few steps towards Hei. "You'll find that here, I make the rules." With a snap of his fingers, an intense force gripped Hei's chest and dropped him to his knees as he struggled to breathe.

A swift kick connected with Hei's face, sending him tumbling backwards and leaving a mildly painful throbbing on his cheek.

"We're not on the battlefield anymore." Izanagi continued, bending down by Hei's ear to make sure he was heard. "But it will feel like one, and it will hurt. You have my word." He stood, turning around to announce to the emptiness around them.

"This Gate is special, Li Shengshun. It does not simply produce hallucinations, or shuffle you from place to place. This Gate is bound with me- my very own space to bend as I please. I would squeeze the life straight out of you right now, but that wouldn't be fun." Izanagi smirked, snapping his fingers again and releasing the force. Hei gasped, clutching his chest in sharp wheezes that made his ribs feel broken.

"I have better plans in mind for you, Li." Through the pounding of blood in his ears, Hei found it difficult to hear, much less think straight. "You will squirm inside this Gate until Izanami has awoken, and we will meet again. At that point, you will watch as she gives birth to true terror and despair upon the world, and I will kill you."

Hei bolted up from the swirling shadows and lunged at Izanagi with what speed he could muster, aiming a crushing blow at his head, but was met with an invisible barrier instead. It reversed the force back at him, sending a burning sensation up his arm as he was pushed down onto his back.

All the while Izanagi smirked, and decidedly amused, turned and walked away. "Didn't I tell you?"

"Izanagi!" Hei roared, but the monster had stepped into the abyss. He was gone.

The sphere of black that had surrounded them crumbled away in jagged shards, shattering into millions of particles as they hit each other. Behind the sphere, the light of the sky seeped in and burned up what remained of the illusions.

Hei was left keeled over on the pavement of a small street that looked familiar. He could hardly believe the sight before him were it not for how real it all felt.

"This… this is the street I grew up on…"

It stretched forward in painstaking detail. Every little crack in the road, every insignificant pebble, every lamppost and blade of grass, everything- it was all there. Hei was faintly aware of his mouth hanging open.

The surge of emotions was overwhelming. Hei had, to the best of his ability, suppressed his memories of childhood, including this street. They were incredibly dear to him, one of the last few things that were truly his, including his name, and that was why they were so dangerous. They could make him falter, slip up, make a mistake and get someone killed. They could be used against him. His own memories were weapons. That was what the appearance of the Gates had wrought, and what he had succumbed to as a Contractor.

He blinked once, twice, but it was all still there. Hei flexed his fingers carefully; they responded. Even his breathing was still labored. And then, he tried something he had a feeling would fail. Hei bid his hatred return and, with trembling intensity, let it wash over him. To his surprise, a brilliant explosion of electricity ripped through the air, lashing out at the lampposts and popping some of their lights. A burning smell hung in the air, and the commotion had scared a nearby dog, who started whimpering.

It… worked?

Ever since the incident in Hell's Gate, Hei had felt his power drained. His stamina had been lowered, but most worryingly, he had been unable to unleash even the tiniest of sparks. The few informants he spoke to had been unable to give him any clues as to why, and the setback had made his missions that much more difficult. It was a bit like South America, actually, back when Bai and him…

Bai…

Her name soothed his aching heart. Hei recalled her face, her laugh, her smell, the feeling of her sleeping body in his arms as they slogged through the dirt and blood. He reached out, as if she would be there to smile at him, but touched only empty air.

'I'm still in your heart, Hei.'

"Bai?" He called out, looking around desperately for the source of what he believed had just been her voice. Even if he had imagined it, he was still on this street…

That's right. When I was still a kid. Born in China but raised here in Japan.

Hei shook his head, standing to finally get a move on.

It's exactly as I remember it. But- are the people…?

He singled out one house in particular and slipped into the front yard, straining his ears for the sound of anyone nearby. This was the house he had grown up in.

…She'd be at kendo right now.

There was no one. Hei entered the backyard and spotted the backdoor, every second a renewed sensation of wonder at the world around him. As it had usually been, it was unlocked. He stepped inside.

It had been… many years since he had last been here. The polished wooden floor creaked imperceptibly under the weight of his heavy boots and much larger figure. Hei knew the layout of the house like the back of his hand, but tread carefully nonetheless. Right then, he was in no mood to encounter anyone.

The kitchen smelled pleasantly of fresh fruit, stirring his hunger; his stomach growled in protest, reminding him he hadn't eaten for many hours. As much as Hei wished he could snag a single fruit from the bowl tantalizingly in front of him, he left the wish unfulfilled. Now was simply not the time for satisfying meager feelings.

I still remember all the times I would prepare food here…

Hei ran his hand across the cool marble countertop.

And the one time I accidentally cut my finger.

It used to make him wince, but after all the fights he had barely survived, a cut finger was the best he could hope for. Usually the blades had ended up inside him. He turned and ascended the nearby staircase to the second floor, shifting the balls of his feet to distribute his weight and be as silent as possible.

The landing was also empty. He couldn't hear a thing coming from any of the rooms ahead, although they looked remarkably the same. It was almost as if their former occupants had never left. He had never left. He half expected to find himself still sleeping in bed, but stopped the thought when he remembered he was in the Gate and he might be rudely surprised.

Hei stopped in front of the door to his room. The thin wood stood in place, motionless, within his grasp, beckoning. What would happen if he stepped inside? Would the pain of realizing what he had lost mangle his heart? Would he find all his furniture gone? Would anything at all remain?

That was the problem with coming back to old memories. Invariably, things change- and, so do the places and people one remembered. The light, the smell, the feeling, all of it… It could all be different. And once one witnessed that happening, it's like the old memory started to fade away, become weaker and resign to the fact that it really was just a memory anymore. The past couldn't come back to meet him with welcome arms. Not even Amber could do that anymore.

So he hesitated. The moment felt as if it was beginning to stretch into infinity, and in truth, he didn't actually want it to end. He didn't want to leave yet, and go back to fighting and being attacked and having to kill. If it was at all possible, he wished more than anything to see her just one more time, and hear her smile as she lovingly called his name- well, what it had been for the longest portion of his life.

In the end, Hei never had to make the choice. The sound of the front door opening jolted him into action and he slipped into the bathroom, opening the window and squeezing through to the backyard below. He landed with a soft thud, but not before he could hear a short, joyful laugh from whoever had entered the house. It was easygoing, genuine, and still had the tinge of unspoiled youth. If he didn't know better, Hei would have ventured to say it was his own; what it used to sound like. But, like many things, even his laughter had slowly been taken from him over time.

Hei jumped the low bushes that separated houses and dashed out the front yard of a neighboring one, halfway down the street before anyone would have a chance to climb to the top of the staircase.

Admittedly, Hei had to question why he found himself in Tokyo of all places. Izanagi was definitely not intent on letting him go, so perhaps everything he saw was an illusion, but there was no way to prove that. Even having his ability back meant little. What was certain was that his life was being torturous. No matter where he ran or what he did, something always drew him back, willing or not, to this city.

I suppose that means I'm chained. Maybe to Hell's Gate. Maybe it just keeps pulling me. Why?

Hei wanted, more than anything, to have his normal life back. Actually, it had never been normal. But he wanted peace, for that was something that had been in great supply up until he was about 14.

That was when it started- my very first dive into the world beyond.

He pushed the memory aside. It was too precious to ruin with self-pity and the image of what he had turned into. One day, when his business as a Contractor was over, he would come back to it and save it, permanently, when he was something better than a glorified assassin and he could look himself in the eye without flinching.

Hei's mind wandered like his feet, and it wasn't long before he found himself standing in front of a set of large palace gates, buffered by smaller metal barriers.

The Imperial Palace, front entrance. Chiyoda district.

A stone bridge arched from the street to the gate, across a large moat. It was actually one of the few gates he liked. The air smelled of fresh cherry blossoms, sweet and pure. He had come here once before, for a short while, to spend some time with someone very important to him. Hei sighed, wondering where she was and how she was doing. They hadn't seen each other for a long time, and he hoped she still remembered him. It was likely they were oceans apart, but somehow, he felt she was closer than he thought.

Hei noticed the gates were actually open, and a few people were strolling in and out on leisurely walks.

It must be Sunday.

Realizing he had nowhere else to go and he wouldn't have the opportunity for much longer, Hei decided to cross the bridge. The water's surface gleamed in the soft sunlight, barely disturbed by breeze or falling leaves. The gate itself was beautifully antiquated, a little rusted, but still sturdy. Hei wondered how long it had been standing, and how many visitors it had welcomed.

Japan… It was not so different from his birthplace. While the two were definitely separated by an ocean and cultural traditions, the people had grown up almost like siblings, one older than the other. They had fought just like family members, too. Even on such a large scale, it was impossible to keep the intimacy out of people and the societies they constructed.

Can't it be like that with Contractors and people, too?

Hei recalled when he had been with Amagiri, among the remnants of the EPR in a forest cove. The men and women there had settled into a peaceful existence, halfway between reality and their own fabrication. One couple even had a child. The sorry thing was without parents, the lot of them and their friends slaughtered carelessly by a being not unlike Izanagi.

Hei cursed under his breath at Izanami, whatever she was, for possessing Yin and staining her hands with blood and guilt. Yin didn't deserve what she was put through- nobody did, but like him, she found herself being swept away by greater currents, ones that had plucked all of their strings for years. He still wasn't sure whether Izanami was a deliberate weapon, created solely to kill, or an unintended byproduct of his growing feelings for Yin, and it scared him.

Hei paid for his ticket and was admitted past the small office. A gentle breeze tugged at his cloak, insisting he remove it and come closer to being united with the peace of the gardens, but he only pulled it closer together and watched, withdrawn, at the few people, most of them couples, that passed him by without a glance. They were oblivious, of course, to whatever peril waited for them should Hei fail to stop Izanagi, but that was the way it was supposed to be. It wasn't their burden to bear. These people found comfort within each others' embrace. They all looked to be in love… Both with the person they held hands with, and with the beauty around them. With life.

Amber had wished for this. She had wanted, all along, for both races to live in harmony, or at least to end the violence between them. She had sacrificed everything for that cause…

Amber…

The color of her eyes swirled in the sky above with the clouds. She, like Bai, wasn't truly yet gone from the world. She probably never would be. Was anyone? Did their spirit live on as some tiny fragment, out there, or in someone's heart? Hei hoped so. It was a small comfort for whatever remained of his spirit.

He made a policy of not thinking about it, but just this once Hei allowed himself to imagine the world after his time.

Ever since he was a young boy, he had always imagined it as a hilly field, brimming with flowers and light. It was a lot like the place he would go to with his sister at night to stargaze, a favorite pastime for both of them. The lake was nearby, mirroring all those tiny twinkles. Hei wondered where that place was now; whether it still existed anymore…

"Say, youngster, you look like you've got a world of burdens on your shoulders." A balding man in his mid-40's addressed Hei, interrupting his deep inflection. He smiled, walking up next to him. "Sorry to disturb you, but it's such a nice view out here and I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't cheering you up."

Hei blinked, staring blankly for a few seconds before looking away. "It's helping. I've just got a lot on my mind." He didn't even bother to lighten his tone, giving away a voice that sounded much gruffer and older than his true age.

"Oh, I don't doubt that. Everyone does! But I think that's why they go through the trouble of coming here- to let it all slide away for a while. Is that why you're here?" Under most circumstances Hei would have wished to be left alone, but the man was kind and sincere, and he hadn't had good company for a while.

"Actually, I've only ever been here once or twice before. I came here by accident today."

"Ah! Do you happen to know what is so special about these grounds, then?" The man asked eagerly. A single fact came to mind.

"Yes- they are many millions of square meters in terms of space, but not a single tunnel runs underneath nor a single plane is permitted to fly above. The Palace is like a vertical wall-"

"-Rising straight through Tokyo." The man nodded, completing the sentence. "Very few know that. I, myself, did not know until a younger boy informed me not long ago. He looked a lot like you, actually, but of course he was smaller. You're a grown man." He chuckled. "Tell me, what is your name, so I do not have to address you in a rude manner?"

Hei hesitated. He wasn't sure who the stranger actually was, even if he didn't look threatening or armed. He decided it wouldn't really matter anyway- the man would soon forget about him.

"…Li Shengshun."

"Pleased to meet you, Li!" He offered his hand. "My name is Naoya Kirihara-"

…Kirihara…

…Naoya…

The connection hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew only one other person with that name, and the boy he was referring to could only be… him.

Naoya looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Is something wrong, Li?"

Hei relaxed his nerves and forced a nervous smile. "No, no- you're Mr. Kirihara, of the Japanese Police?"

"Why, yes…" Naoya sighed. "I was hoping you wouldn't be so sharp. I prefer being anonymous out here, just like any other citizen enjoying a walk."

"My apologies, Mr. Kirihara."

"Please, call me Naoya."

"You have a daughter, don't you? Misaki."

"I guess that's hard to hide, too…"

"Haha, no, it's just that we have a few acquaintances in common and that's what they told me." Hei put on a clumsy face, looking to dispel whatever notions Naoya had before. It worked, for the man relaxed. He must have thought his identity as head of a police division would put his life in danger out here where they were far from any help.

"That's a relief. Yes, she's growing up so fast before my eyes. Pretty soon she'll earn herself a promotion onto the task force."

Promotion…?

"You mean she's not an officer yet?"

"You're a funny one, Li! No, she's still finishing the academy training."

Then that means…

"I'm really sorry about this, Naoya," Hei pretended to suddenly be surprised, "but I just remembered I have to be somewhere soon. It was nice meeting with you, sir!" He bowed respectfully, quickly turning away to Naoya's dismay.

"Well, alright, if you insist…!" Naoya waved at Li's retreating figure. "Have a nice day, Li! Don't forget to unwind sometime!"

"Thank you, you too!" Hei called back, jogging now down the path. Birds fluttered overhead, chirping merrily as gravel crunched under his boots. Around the bend of a corner, Hei caught the sound of voices. Two of them. One was male, and the other… Female. He stopped at the bend, pressing himself against a tree to stay out of sight.

And then, he saw them.

One young boy, black head of hair, slightly messy and sticking out at various angles. And the other, a young girl. Hei's eyes widened. Her hair was light auburn, long and flowing down to her waist.

When he spoke her name, the final piece clicked into place. Hei knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was where he had suspected.

"Asuna!"

He was reliving his childhood.

Reverse~Dive

"Hey, Misaki!" She groaned, a heavy hand jostling her into consciousness. "Wake up, come on!"

"Ungh... Nathan?" Misaki feebly protested as he flipped her onto her back.

"Good, you're awake." Misaki's eyelids blearily opened, adjusting to the unusual atmosphere. She appeared to be in a… dome, and it was totally devoid of light. She could, however, distinctly make out the general outline, and with some effort, the shape of the rest of her team. Misaki shook the heavy sleepiness out her head and everything came into focus.

"Where are we?" Her voice drifted away on unseen currents, disappearing beyond the abyss of the dome.

"No idea- the Gate, maybe? Inside, I mean."

The events leading up to her awakening rushed back in violent fury, making her forehead throb as she recalled being flung from the base to the entrance of the Gate's bubble, seeing Li, and then… Everything faded away. The only thing that had remained was a panicking feeling, like something really bad was about to happen, and she was reaching out to something, to someone, to stop it. She may have eventually touched whatever it was, but now… Here they were.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah, everyone's accounted for. Claire, Clifton, Al and Demu."

"Good. This is going to sound stupid, but, our comms don't work, do they?"

"Ha, I wish. No, they're all dead. Whatever we have on us, those're the only things that'll be workin'."

"Damn…"

"Hey, don't blame yourself. We were doing our job, and things happen. For now, we just have to find a way out."

Misaki looked around, taking in the emptiness and stillness. In the distance, she could make out the hazy outline of some tall, jagged structure. Nathan followed her line of sight and smiled.

"Yeah, Claire and Clifton went on ahead a little to get a better look. They should be due back any minute. Why don't you get up already so we can see for sure." He offered her his hand and pulled her up. The weight of her tactical gear and rifle weighed her down a little more than she would have liked, but she managed to stand and walk towards the rest of the team.

"Hey, sleepin' beauty!" Al grinned. "Had a nice nap?"

"If only. You're pretty cheery for someone who landed in who knows where." Misaki frowned.

"Yeah, better than freaking out, I suppose!" He rubbed the back of his head. "It's not so bad, actually. I'd feel better if I knew where the exit was."

"There they are." Demu interrupted, pointing towards the structure from where Claire and Clifton were walking. The four of them started walking to meet up, and within a minute the entire team was reunited.

"So, what's the prognosis?" Nathan asked.

"Kind of far, but from what we can tell, it's a castle. Beats me as to what's there, but it's the only thing around, so there's not much of a choice." Clifton relayed coolly, eyeing each of them in turn. "Oh, also-"

"-I can't use my specter in here." Claire spoke, voice monotone and devoid like the abyss around them.

"So, for all intents and purposes, we're isolated." Clifton sniffed, folding his arms in minor annoyance.

The group fell into silence, taking in the information, no one sure what to offer despite the obvious. They were, in truth, trepid and uneasy. The mission had been bombed, their actions had been improvised, and they had no contingencies for their current situation. Their morale was dipping.

"Let's go, then." Misaki spoke up. All eyes turned to her. She had been the team leader, and that was not something she was about to give up- for the sake of all of them, to get them back to reality safely, she had to remain strong. "Just because we're in some barren darkness with no contact with the outside world, doesn't mean we should hesitate." She stuck her fist out, warmth swelling in her chest. "We still haven't apprehended BK-201. Consider this a detour until the mission is complete and we have something to bring back to Tokyo."

The image of Li flashed into her mind. Just beyond the group, a ghostly apparition that resembled him wavered into existence, seemingly looking at her. It smiled, and disappeared once more. Li was… all that she had to hold on to now. She wanted to get back home, and while she was assigned to arrest him, the memory of his smile was her personal motivation, making her blush.

The pep talk seemed to work, as Nathan stuck out his fist, too. Then Al and Demu, Clifton, and finally, Claire. Their hands touched for a few seconds, their own reasons for surviving burning deep inside them, their energy shared and flaring.

This is it, Li. I'm coming for you.

Author's Note: You know, I'm actually really proud of this. At first, it had just been an idea- "What if?" But over the months of writing, some frustrating, some wonderful, it has evolved into an experience both discovering what the potential of a writer is, and sharing that with the readers. It may be a little grand, but ever since reading "The Fifth Act," I wanted to make something like it in the sense that someone, somewhere would sit down and read this, and would feel all the same feelings I did back then. Wonder, relief, anxiety, love, and so much more. Thanks for sticking around :) I promise this will be seen to the end.