"Edward got kidnapped?! Hold on a minute." Johnnathan pulls out a list titled "Things that according To statistics are bound To happen" and risks "Edward being kidnapped by a woman" item on it, right in between "Drake adopting a weird pet" and "Quitting smoking". "Can I have more details of what happened?"
"It was! Then! Swoop! Whaaam! Wooosh!" Vanilla explained by shouting a bunch of senseless words.
"Er, maybe I should explain." Said West. "It was just after the Rogues were gone when suddenly he was caught by one of her chains. I tried to help, but Nightmare appeared right after it. And you know how hard is to deal with that guy."
"I see. And how did you guys got here so fast anyway?" Asked Johnnathan. "Last time I checked, Tsukuyomi is still hours from here."
"I can't explain, but..." Said Vanilla. "I kind of teleported."
"I didn't you could teleported so far."
"Neither did I. I was trying to bring back Edward with my magic when suddenly, I got the three of us teleported."
"It appears it was a stress-inducing spell." Said Florencia. "She desperatedly tried so hard to bring Edward back that caused a disturbance in her mana. Well, good thing we got here fast."
"S-Sorry about that." Said Vanilla. "I do feel that I emptied my entire stock of magic, so sorry again."
"Oh yeah. She actually sent this." West picked up what seems to be an invintation card folded. "She tossed in a rock at us before leaving on top of Nightmare."
"Is that so?" Johnnathan unfolded the card and it read the following:
"How do you do, hot stuff? Are you looking for a good time?
Well, if you are feeling lonely, follow the coordinates for this location. I recommend you ask a Gremlim friend to read it.
Come here anytime. I have all my free time reserved just for you.
And remember. It's only for you.
With love, your favourite rogue vampire, Evening.
xoxo"
Ninetails then peeked at the card Johnnathan was reading. "Hohoho. Is it me or it is getting a little too hot here."
"By the way, there is one thing we forgot to report." Said it West. "Before leaving, Nightmare was carrying something."
"What it was?" Asked Ninetails.
"It was like...a giant sword on a red scabbard."
"Whaaat?!" Ninetails was astonished. "That's...Seimei's Seal."
"What is that?" Asked Sanzuke.
"A Magic Seal casted by a Shinto named Seimei. It was used long ago to seal away a powerful being know as an Oni."
"Sounds like something I wouldn't want Raven to have it." Said Johnnathan.
"Urgh. I am regretting even more letting those bloodsuckers get inside my city like this."
"Mother. There is something I wish to speak with General Kagutsuchi. Should I tell them about it the Seal?"
"No. Let me handle the bad news."
"Very well."
"If it is alright, I want to have a word with and you, Johnnathan. There is something else I have to give you."
"Fine by me." Said Johnnathan.
Later thar day, Sanzuke paid a visit to the tent that Asuka was recovering from her injuries. She was laying on a mat with ber body covered in bandages drinking a cup of sake. When she saw him, she gave a simple smile and raised her cup.
"So how are you feeling?" Said Sanzuke as he sits next to her.
"Like a pile of shit." Said Asuka. "It seems there are a few tendons in my arm that are beyond healing. "
"I'm sorry for that."
"Don't need to feel that way. It wasn't fault. It was the big vampire man."
"Even so, its unfit for a general."
"Nah. I'm still good. I still have one arm. But enough about me. It seems like you finally did it what you wanted after all these years."
"And yet there is still too much to be done. With that Raven out there, Izumo or anywhere is safe."
"So you wanna be the one to bear this burden?"
"No. It's not something one man alone can do. But I still wanna do my part of this."
"You mean..."
"I thinking of following Johnnathan along. He is on Raven's sight already. So maybe he and his brother can do something about it. Besides...He was the one who actually helped Izumo. So it's only natural I repay this debt."
"Gosh, you are stupid."
"Huh?"
"If you what you wanna say is travel with him and his friends because it would be fun, just say it."
"That's not it! And why would I say that! I met them for like a few weeks or so!"
"You were always the competitive one. I'm pretty sure you wanna see for yourself if you can surpass that Hybrid."
"N-Nonsense...I'm pretty sure I already that level yet and-" Out of nowhere, Asuka steals a kiss from Sanzuke. "Hmmm!"
"Just make sure you come back alive, you coward bastard."
"As you wish, you disgusting drunkard."
Meanwhile, Johnnathan and Ninetails still talking with Ninetails holding what seems to be a stone tablet with glowing blue glyphs on it.
"What is it?" Asked Johnnathan.
"We do not know." Replied Ninetails. "It has been into our protection alongside the key for just as long."
Johnnathan then picked up the tablet. "...That's a Sky Rune. I'm fairly certain."
"You know of the object?"
"I have an Acquilla friend. He once told me that his people used to live in cities floating in the skies long ago."
"Flying cities?"
"They were more like outposts, as I heard of it. Apparently those cities were made of this material. Sometime during the Immortal War, those cities were destroyed and ever since those parts were scattered all over the world. There is a Gremlim in my brother's group that has interests in those."
"There are still many things that even an ancient being like doesn't know."
"You don't usually get out home that much, right?"
"No...But I have plenty of time left I guess."
"You only called me over for this?"
"No. I wanted to ask what do you plan to do with Raven. He seems to reaaaaally want those keys."
"Yeah. The fact I didn't see him personally after all this time concerns me a little."
"He is not a enemy everyone would like to have."
"We are two on this one...Which reminds me. On our fight...You were holding back, right?"
"...Why would you say that?"
"First off all, you didn't try to do any illusion or something like that. Also, there is no way you would kill Sanzuke, do you? And...You certainly didn't wanted to burn all that stuff stored on the room below the roof, isn't it? What were those, anyway?"
"...Gifts. Yoshimetsu gave it to me."
"...Say what?"
"I didn't knew much about the outside world. So Yoshimetsu would always bring stuff that merchants that came from the West would sell it at Amaterasu. Heh. I wonder how much he must have spent on those. But every single one of them cannot be replaced it."
"...My mother was a vampire. If isn't too much, would you tell me how did you and Sanzuke's dad got together? I always want to know what makes two beings from different races in conflict with each other to find love. "
"...It all started one day when he captured one of my spies. After an interrogation he decided to spare and release him."
"Huh? Why?"
"Yoshimetsu was a reasonable man. He didn't saw any meaning for Humans and Kitsune to be against one another. So he saw an opportunity to start making the first steps. He relased the spy with the condition to a meeting with only he and me."
"And you accepted?"
"Yeah. You see, everytime a Kitsune is caught as a spy, they are executed without a second thought, but for the first time in aeons, Yoshimetsu broke that streak. We Kitsunes may be enemies, but we praise honor and duty. So he invited me to visit him on his house. He used to live not too far from the city. I was astonished how when I arrived there were no guards nearby. When I first met him, he certainlty didn't strike what I used to think of him."
"How so?"
"We all knew him as the Demon Swordsman, but he was a rather polite man. If I could describe him at that time, I would call him...Adorable."
"Really?"
"He was such a dork. Almost like he didn't felt talking to a dark lord right in front of him. And I do have thing for this kind of man. I did like the time I had to know him at that night. When we less expected...We fell in love with each other. Ever since, I gave my support and we arrived at a cease fire for a time...Until a certain Mr. R ruined everything."
"Gross."
"Now that I think about it...He was the first man I ever told my true name."
"True name?"
"You honestly thought that Ninetails was my real name? After a ninetails dies, their flames are passed to another and a new Nine-Tailed Fox appears."
"Oh. Interesting."
"...Makoto."
"Who?"
"That's my name. Ryusei Makoto."
"Are you sure you should be telling me this?"
"...Yoshimetsu once said that I had a beautiful name. Fitting for a woman with beautiful eyes. I never felt so flustered all my life, haha...It's weird. Just yesterday I felt that everything about him was just a dream. Now that my mind is clear, I...sniff...I wish he was here...Sob...Sob..." Makoto starts to cry out of the sudden.
"Oh dear...I don't like seeing a woman crying...Specially when I technically did it."
"...Say, that woman who kidnap one of your own...I think she may have said something about you while she was drunk."
"Ah....Ah! Y-You mean Eve, huh?! W-Well...What kind of things you heard?"
"...Be simple and short with me. Do you love her?"
"...Yes. Definetly."
"I see. I really should meddle on this sort of stuff, but it is clear that all you need is to be direct with her. I know she is Raven's sister and you two may be on a dire situation, but Yoshimetsu was in the same boat as you. And he got ME of all people. And I'll have you know, I am NO easy woman."
"Are you giving me relationship's advice?"
"Yes, you little turd. So how about you go ahead and say to her that you wanna hold her in your arms forver already, you coward!"
"...You don't even need to say it. Now if you excuse me, I have a date." He turns his back and walks away.
"...Wow. I was exaggerating a bit...The kid has moxie."
Later on Drake and the other pirates were reunited on a tent.
"Okay, all things are packed now." Said Drake. "All that it is missing that little tramp. Anyone willing to leave him to die, raise your hand."
"We aren't leaving Edward behind!" Vanilla protested hard. "I'll fucking murder anyone who dares raise a hand!"
"Woah! Easy there, tigress. I was just kidding. I couldn't face my beloved Hildr if I let her little bro die."
"I always knew that lad would be problem." Said Aladdin. "But I didn't knew it would be that bad."
"We had it worse Aladdin." Said Shadewing. "But, it is pretty bad for the boy in particular."
"I'm pretty sure if we works on this together, our chances of suceess will rise." Said Drake. "Ley's just wait for Johnny, shall we?"
"There is no We on this." Johnnathan just arrived.
"Hey Johnny! We were waiting for you. And what do you mean by no We?"
"I'll be short and straight here. What I'm gonna say will piss off you Aladdin, so you shut up for three minutes, okay?"
Aladdin looks to his two sides and creates a floatinf hourglass with black sand inside of it by snapping his fingers.
"Alright then. Here is the plan. I'm going out there. Alone. And I'm not returning without them, get it?"
"...Wow. This plan is dumb." Said Drake. "I mean...It's super dumb. Even for me."
"Did you forgot that you said that I shouldn't never turn down a request from a lady?"
"...I did?"
"It certainly does looks like something you would say, boss." Said Coela.
"She did mention for him to go alone." Said Florencia. "It does looks like a trap, but I'm certain that things will go worse if we arrive in a large group. Remember that it's a hostage we are talking about here."
"Gosh, I hate when she makes sense." Said Drake. "So, you are sure there isn't an ambush or anything?"
"I wouldn't say that." Said Johnnathan. "But I don't think there will be any cheap tricks."
"I see."
"Look, this is actually a good opportunity for me. I want to...Set things with her."
"Oh. You are talking about that "Second Base" thing, right?"
"Pretty much. It's time to end this dillema. For good or for bad."
"Hmmm...You speaking like a true man now. So when are you starting?"
"...Right now. Gonna pick Sanzuke's dragon and then I'm borrowing the Dolphin."
"The Dolphin again, huh? Alright, at least it isn't a lie this time. Hold just a minute." Drake opens a nearby chest and picks a long red leather coat similar to the one he uses it. "Here you go."
He tosses it to Johnnathan. "...What is it?"
"Something I wanted to give to look more like a proper captain when you looked like an actual badass, so better give it now. After all, you have to look cool on your first date and that plain old jacket needs to be retired."
"Hmm...Very well." He drops his old jacket and puts on his new coat. "How do I look?"
"Eeeh....About 20 percent cooler."
"Jeez, boss! That's so low." Said Coela.
"Probably a bit jealous that he nows looks better than him." Said Nikolai.
"As if you knew about it!" Said Drake.
"He certainly does looks cooler and tougher." Said West.
"Well...Thanks." Said Johnnathan. "Now...I have to somehow steal a woman from her brother's claws. All in a pirate's life."