Aisaka watched the two reaction to her slight prod. The kendo girl had jumped right on guard all most expecting something to jump out at her. This had caused the raven haired woman with her to start looking around. There reaction wasn't normal but apparently neither of them could see the tendril. It either meant the kendo girl had been attacked, or the woman at least knew of the monsters. The tendril that had tapped the kendo girl would vanish from existence. Aisaka would wait for the two to calm down, and go back to there conversation, before she decided to prod the two again. Granted she wasn't interested in magic lay lines, or the direction the conversation was going in. Once the two had calmed down and continued there conversation, Aisaka would manifest another tendril. Like before the tendril was spawned from a direction away from the phantom woman's own, and was in an ethereal state and un-seeable state to those who normally couldn't see such things. This time though it would tap the raven haired woman on the shoulder, before just retreating back slightly. It was still in visual sight, if the raven haired woman turned her head or around. Though the trick was being able to see it in the first place.

There was nothing... But she had been sure. Maybe she was just on edge. Taking a deep breath she lowered her weapon. However she looked around just in case... It may have just been branch or something. "It was nothing.. I guess I am just on edge." MAchi confessed calming down. She wasn't truly aware of the monsters on the island her first encounter was really dream like as such she didn't quiet believe what she recalled as nothing more than that.

Judging by Machi's reactions she had been quick to deal with a threat. As such I wouldn't want to be the one that snuck up on her by accident. There was good reflexes that came with training though I had been more perceptive then most. There were things that I missed though but I saw something, perhaps a shared paranoia.

I knew of two other girl that had been victimized but given her abilities which were far beyond mine if Machi had been unable to protect herself then what chance did I have? I could see into that other dimension but all the ones there were harmless at least until they had crossed over.

If the tendrils were out of phase from this reality and not invisible I would have detected them though I felt uneasy it had more to do with that reaction I believed then anything else though the opportunity to say something at least had been there, perhaps I could come away from this not sounding too crazy … of course I had no idea that we were being observed and we may not have gotten to far along though I did not use that as a guideline since I was unaware.

“You've seen them too? Since I was little I had this gift of sorts … I'm unsure how best to explain it, it's not magic but I can see things that others cannot. I've seen them here and there usually they cannot interact with our world nor us with theirs. I've seen more here hence my interest in discovering those ley lines, I'm curios if there are more here because they are drawn to them,” I hoped that made sense. It confirmed that I say them any way and thus open to wild stories about monsters and such. I settled probably quicker than she had since I had the sight and did not see anything I was more prone to believe that there was nothing there. Big mistake.

There had been no response from the raven haired girl. It appeared she was less intuitive of her surroundings then the wooden sword girl. Aisaka's interest in there conversation picked up when the raven haired girl mention being able to see things. It had been a long time, since Aisaka had run into some one who could see what others couldn't. Though that person had graduated long ago from the university itself. It left Aisaka with out a stable anchor to the island, and so she had been reduced to trying to stay in this realm by feeding. That often wasn't enough though, and she was sent back only to bide her time till she was strong enough to cross over again. A plan quickly began to form in the phantom woman's head. She could grab them now and draw the energy she needed out of them, or she could wait to see if they went towards a weak point between dimensions. There would be plenty of spirits there which she could then use the two students as bait to gather.

Then again she could just manipulate the both of them so that they arrived at such a destination. That was probably the best course of action from Aisaka's point of view. The phantom woman would materialize her violin and begin to play. The violin's music would sound like it was coming from all around them. It then started to become more distant being focused in one direction. Moving in one direction sometimes made the music sound louder and at times it sounded further away. There was the possibility there was another student out in the woods practicing. The two of them though would feel the need to find out where the music itself was coming from, though it would also feel like they were being lead someplace.

Machi was slow to return to a normal stance. Habit or fear, it was hard to tell even for the vixen samurai. Her heart beat had risen exponentially; though she lowered her hand made wooden weapon though her eye’s scoured the woods looking, sensing. anticipating. There was nothing there, a figment of imagination perhaps, or perhaps not. She wasn’t sure of her memories of late, which ultimately never failed her, nor confused her. If she was to be ask about being attacked she more that likely would not understand what was being asked.

Midori it seemed didn’t react too much like it was normal leaving Machi feeling inadequate. Then Midori began to explain a second sight, which to the samurai girl sounded like a Mushi. Spirits that took strange forms, they where both friendly and vile creatures, at-least thats what local stories stated. This sounded interesting and at the moment had her fool attention.


“A second sight, in which you cane see spirits.” Machi replied interested.” I don’t posses such a sight, but it has been mentioned to me on several occasion by master... He called what you descirbe as other worldly begins as Mushi... I never quiet took his stories seriously.”

Before she continued the sounds of sweet violin music filled her ears. Strange, most music students stayed inside when practicing, not only that her training spot was rather remote and here well trained hearing indicated it was close yet far. The likely hood of the violinist picking a spot in area was unlikely even Midori happened upon by happen stance because she was looking something,m perhaps the Mushi. This thought process was interrupted as felt the need to locate the music, and leave her training area. It felt wrong but the need was nearly irresistible.

Ah, a familiar term! I was getting so use to the Westerner girls here that I sort of overlooked the Eastern influences, perhaps it was the red hair that had me by default speak of creatures instead but Mushi worked much better.

I smiled and nodded. “Mushi … perhaps even Kami too but I'm not sure of the later. Only that they seem far more numerous here than elsewhere so I came up with a cray theory ley lines is more a Western concept I guess we would use something like the flow of Chi being stronger in areas.” I smiled and shrugged, I suppose it had not mattered as to why it was, just that it was. At least Machi had not been looking at me as if I had grown a second head, such a second sight had been easier to believe after all.

Huh? Music? I suppose it was likely that a student could have been practicing and at first the sound was all around us before I managed to pinpoint a direction. Machi seemed interested n the sweet melody as much as I had …

“Mushi?” Maybe but I had never heard them before, not the ones in the other dimension at least and not until I came here. Perhaps another had crossed over or my second sight allowed me to perceive them all the more if hey were closer to the ley lines. I could only speculate and it did not really matter as this was what I was looking for all the while. Even if that melody sounded so sweet … before I realized it I was imitating those children enthralled by the Pied Piper of Hamlin and thus made my way towards that sweet sound though the instrument was different the effects had been the same …

Aisaka stayed ahead of the students out of sight, but in enough range that the violins music could still be heard. The two would find themselves trekking through the forest the growth growing thicker as they proceeded, if they were not careful it was possible for there clothes to get caught. There were no paths created from human traffic, suggesting very few if any students came this way. If the raven haired girl paid attention to her surroundings she would notice the amount of spirits were increasing. Eventually they would come to a small clearing where the music seem to return to coming from every direction. The raven girls sixth sense would allow her to see a sort of mirror floating in the middle of this clearing. Had this been the gate that she had been searching for ?

She would see a spirit cross over and then its form changed into a floating blue flame. Apparently it took time for the mushi to attune themselves onto this dimension. There was just one snag to this though, and that it seemed more spirits were crossing over in quick succession. The flames would be in two assorted colors one a calm blue and the others a orange tone in color. The group of flames would then begin to merge together. "What you are seeing is called a amalgamation. It's what happens when to many mushi as you call them cross over at once." Aisaka's voice would echo from among the tress seeming to be carried by the violins music. The blue flames would begin to take on a more humanoid appearance, while the orange flames took on a more bestial form with what looked like talons for feet, and claws for arms and what looked like a dragons head. The orange one would let out a bellowing roar that could be felt, before both of these fire like amalgamations looked at the two students before them. Aisaka could only grin seeing the two amalgamation that were before the students. They were indeed powerful, and would provide good sustenance. Though she wondered what the two students would do while she watched while playing her violin.

While Machi couldn't see the Mushi, she felt like she was being guided by the music. It was almost similar to how she felt awhile ago, but that was just a strange dream... Wasn't it? They traveled a good a distance, moving through the thick foliage like mice to the pied piper. Sadly she could not see the Mushi or the plausible Kami, and what wondrous yet frightening sight it would have presented. Instead the Kendo prodigy focused on finding the music. as far as she could tell no one was there, and the gate that was between worlds escaped her notice. Then a voice rang out, the location provided an echo making it difficult to locate it seemed to have originated in the tree line... The Samurai felt her skin crawl as she did not if this voice was friendly or meant them harm, the music however was soothing. All the more disconcerting for the Samurai.

"Midori what do you see." Machi was forced to question, having to relay on the other girls sight, and judgment on if they where safe or not. Mushi where unpredictable, they where faries, playful and helpful, cruel and sinister.

“A mirror … it's some form of gate. The Mushi that come forth loose their shape though becoming either blue or orange flame, some are merging together now.” I was frightened but not overly so. The music was soothing in a way and dragons where a sign of good luck in the East, not these Western monstrosities.

The voice explained something and was most alarming of all getting me to look this way and that for the source of it though I could only see the mirror and the flames as they drew together. By her reactions it had seemed that Machi heard that voice as well. She was looking around as much as I was. Something had crossed over from one dimension to the other, this was unlikely to be another student though I kept that possibility open.

After all a witch or some practitioner of magic may have had the same gifts I had and had a better understanding of what I was seeing. Eerily I eyed the dragon though having seen my fair share of movies I knew how they were viewed in the West.

“What is it? Some sort of medium that makes crossing between the dimensions easier?” I ask of that voice. “Are they dangerous?” Until I determined otherwise the voice belong to a student … or perhaps a spirit that crossed over, that gave me a bit of a chill as my hazel eyes darted about once more.

The raven haired woman was curious enough about the gate to ask questions despite the two beings in front of her. By this point the flames would have become visible even to those with out the woman's gift. "It depends on what you see. Some would call it a gate, others would call it a tear in the dimensional space. Either way it is a weak point in the dimensional boundaries which allows what you call mushi to cross over. As for being dangerous that is entirely up to your definition of the word. They are no more dangerous then anything else on this island. The fact the amalgamation took place just means there is a strong enough soul on the other side to cause this many mushi to cross over. In this case though there are two such souls standing before them right now." Aisaka would let go of the violing allowing it to float in the air still playing itself, while she moved to a better spot while staying out of sight.

"Each amalgamation is different and acts like a mirror reflecting on the soul that has drawn them over. I guess in that sense they are only as dangerous as the reflection they are based on. Right now they are overflowing with energy and require something special to calm down." Aisaka would watch while the two flame like beings began to move. The blue one was quicker then the human eye could track, but Aisaka had no issue following the being. The blue flame being would grab hold of the raven girls modest breast and begin to fondle them. In the mean time the dragon, like red flame being, began to slowly lumber towards the sword wielding woman. The closer it got the more it looked like it was going to pounce on top of the kendo woman, until it just lunged forward towards the woman.

Machi eye’s widened as she looked the Mushi, they where huge, and beautiful. How she was seeing this she wasn’t sure but it was amazing. A dragon, it was a sacred animal within mythology, though she wasn’t keen to it she still had great admiration for seeing such a creature in real life... There was something off, the voice was explaining a lot, but it was what she said at the end of her speech. Something special to calm down, like what....

Before Machi could even surmise what was being said the blue mushi moved blindingly fast, a little too fast for MAchi to track, though she did she hints of its movement.”Midori be careful, they’re attacking!” She shouted a little frustrated , she should have anticipated this then again Mushi where unpredictable.

Her first instincts was too help Midori, as she was the first to be captured, however the lumbering Dragon had its eye’;s on her. She was too tired by her standards to take on both at the same time. Further more that was a fool’s move, these where spirits and she had no real way to defeat them. She only had an wooden sword, it would do little.. The samurai needed to conserve strength out maneuver her attacker and free Midori with a worthy enough distraction. The dragon seemed to take its time getting to her, then it simply just pounced.
It was slow that was good that meant she was faster. In a blur she moved away, no near the speed of the blue flamed Mushi, but fast enough to dodge the dragon effectively. “Hrrrrgghh.” Machi cried out as she made a jumping attack above it.

The mirror was explained to me though the thing with the light was it was hard to tell if it were here or there. It was bright enough so that it had not appeared transparent enough like many of the other dimensional beings I had witnessed. The light was bright enough where it had not seemed transparent though it was only through Machi's reaction to it that I could tell that it had been here.

Though the spirits passing out of the mirror had indicated to me at least that they were here, that they were moving from one dimension and into another. My heart raced in my chest at those words though, no dangerous than anything else though I recalled that Demon that drugged me and wore me down. In the end it had not killed me or harmed much more than my pride though it was a terrifying ordeal one that had me regressing and forgetting the matter at least for a few weeks as my mind came to terms with it and clues slowly reminded me as to what had occurred.

“Special,” I barely managed the word before the blue image was upon me. It moved to quick to track and by the time I reacted to it it was already groping my chest. It was odd in a way, that touch was solid and yet not solid at the same time, telekinetic? Perhaps. The touch was cooler than a human's causing my nipples to firm up as I tried to stagger back out of it's grasp though I only managed to trip and land flat on my rear in a sitting position, my hazel eyes going wide in shock at the suddenness of it all.

Was my soul darker given all that I had experienced thus far? I was somewhat selfish but not a bad person. That selfishness stemming from the fact that I had learned that no one was going to help me if I did not help myself first … not until Armand at least … though I did harbor dark thoughts about the officer that returned me to that hell, against Kyo my supposed father … there was no telling the nature of he creature before me as I stared blankly ahead, my head tilted back just a little as I was frozen barely aware of Machi's movements.

The strike would appear to come down on the blue frame figure, causing it to dissipate. Did she actually defeat it or had it just moved. In the meantime a thick fog had appeared in the woods and the area that they were in. Turning around the sword wielding woman would see that the girl she was trying to protect wasn't behind her. Where was she or was the raven haired girl there just unable to be seen due to the dense fog. The sword wielding girls ears would hear voices whispering to her. Telling her how she wanted a strong and worthy opponent. How now, that she had one, she was ignoring it to defend some woman she had just meet. The red being would slash at the katana wielding girl, seeming to appear out of the fog from no where. Could she really divide her attention while this thing was around ?


The raven hair girl would feel something like strings wrapping around her body. It was beginning to feel like that she was caught inside some sort of net. There was no other sound outside that of voices whispering to her. Telling her that she was a bad girl trying to pretend that she was something she wasn't. That nothing would truly change with her. The strings would begin to tighten around her the sound of her clothes being torn by the tightening invisible threads. The blue being would appear before the raven haired girl, a hand stroked the woman's cheek. The voices would seem to vanish at the beings appearance, and only one could be heard. It was telling her that everything was going to be okay that she could be absolved of her dark past, if it just did what she was instructed to do. Was this the blue mushi talking to her, or was it some one else ? Could she truly be forgiven if she did what she was instructed to do ?

She missed how why? She hit straight from above, what was more she lost Midori in the process. Worst part a fog was now blocking her view making it harder to relay on sight. Then she heard voices, taunting her for trying to save another instead of fighting a worthy foe.Yes she had been yearning for a worthy foe, a decent challenge to her skills. Yet she was human, and held a gentle heart despite her cold disposition towards others. Then A wield slash came seemingly from no where. She barely manage to dodge to her left to avoid it. It was clear dividing her attention was not a sound move, nor an effective one. Not while the Flamed creature presented itself so violently. Gripping her katana tighter She prepared for a heavy battle against the mushi before her.

“You wish to fight Dragon...” Machi said hot breathed a fury of rage burning in her eye’s. Almost quiet like the creature before her. Her grip tight her eye’s narrowed and focused. Her breath became smooth and calm, her body lax but poised to strike down her target. The Beat of heart that of Japanese drums beating to a roaring storm. Fog or no fog this opponent would taste a warriors wrath.”Then let us Duel till the other falls!”

She may have well been a thousand miles away with that fog obscuring my vision. The mushi was gone for the moment but I could still hear whispers in my ears as I staggered back. Hazel eyes did not reveal anything though I soon felt something coiling against me.

Vines? No, they were not course .. ropes? A net? I was baffled by what it was though my eyes revealed nothing Further, like a net the greater I struggled the more entangled I seemed to become. The taring of cloth had been strong within my ears and it was a sound I was familiar with at least one time before.

“NO! STOP!” I cried out not knowing what the voice was relaying though I could not draw myself further than the spot that I had found myself it. The blue mushi returned with a feather soft caress against my cheek though I was unsure if it were now speaking to me or if it were something else. The lips had not seemed to move much though with all the fog it was hard to tell. Plus my mind had been on other matters.

An elevated heart rate ensured that my heart beat rapidly against the cage of my chest though my struggles had subsided. It was futile to get free after all and throughout the years I had been conditioned to submit rather than resist. Resistance never worked in the past and often got me more hurt.

Words tumbled from my lips though full of concern. “W-Where's Machi?”