Stepping out of the vehicle, Akari's heart clenched. She knew this place, even with the snow-covered ground ahead of her. In the center of the courtyard stood a deadened tree, but Akari remembered its beauty in springtime and the blossoms dancing in the gentle spring breeze. The engawa surrounding the building that circled the courtyard was a familiar sight - home. She breathed deeply, taking in the scent of snow and miso soup from the kitchen. The paper doors were like old friends that she had longed to see again as she and the other companions scattered inside the Shinsengumi headquarters. Akari expected it to be empty, but as Isaac went inside what was considered the main meeting room, she heard familiar voices.

"We were told to expect you. I am Kondou Isami, Commander of the Shinsengumi." Akari's heart pounded. More than anything, she wanted to run to embrace her father, but she could not.

"Kondou?" Matt asked, glancing at her. "Isn't that your dad?"

Akari nodded. "Hai."

"Ai, chica, why aren't you going to him?" Lolita placed a gentle hand on Akari's arm.

"The Unseelie King's portals create different timelines," Kanan said when she did not answer. "In mine, the Jedi were all killed..."

Lina clenched her hands together in front of her with her lips pursed. "And in mine, we were still in the middle of the Clone Wars."

Fear pounded Akari's heart. They were still alive, but... In this timeline, would they even recognize her? Would there be another Akari, a different version of herself? The endless possibilities of a magic she could not understand confused her. It was enough just to hear her father's voice. "It is alright, my friends. Knowing that they are alive in this timeline... Hearing my father's voice... It is enough to make me content again." Tears glistened in Akari's eyes as she turned the opposite direction from the meeting room.

Kijiro grinned. "I know exactly who's cooking in the kitchen." With that, he headed off toward the left, leaving Akari glancing back at Konosuke.

He frowned with his arms crossed.

"Konosuke-san? Are you not going to see Harada-san and Hijikata-san?" Akari asked him.

Konosuke's jaw clenched. "Why should I? I know how this ends... In death. Seeing them again only brings me more pain."

"Yet the memory of them again... It will hurt later, but the chance of seeing them all one last time..." Akari allowed her voice to trail off.

Konosuke reached into his haori and clenched his fists around a piece of paper. Akari wanted to ask what it was, but she refrained. "I see your point, Akari-chan." With that, he headed toward the rooms behind her and she knew immediately that he would go to see his best friend, Hijikata.

"What should we do?" Rhavvi asked in a quiet voice.

Aria beside her had one hand on Bry's head as he lifted his paws off the snow. Her other hand clenched her bag, which twitched.

"Everyone, this is Kondou, the Commander," Isaac said, walking out onto the engawa.

Akari slipped beneath the engawa across from them, hopefully too far away for Kondou to see her.

"You're all welcome here! Feel free to explore the dojo, but the rooms over here are private, so I ask that you respect that. The kitchen is this way and the meal will be finished soon, but, well... We don't exactly have room for everyone..." Kondou rubbed the back of his neck, closing his eyes with his cheesy smile that Akari remembered so well. "What should we do, Toshi?" Kondou glanced to his left, where Hijikata stood, tall and proud.

He closed his eyes with a shrug and a sigh. "Our men will eat in the dining room. The rest of them can eat outside."

Akari smiled. He seemed harsh, but she knew deep inside he cared about his men. She wondered if Konosuke had seen him or if he was going to wait for Hijikata in his room. Pursing her lips, she walked around the engawa, simply taking in the place, her home, her family. Even if she could not speak with them, watching them... Simply being here was enough. This was a true blessing, more than she could have hoped for.

*****

Sitting with his legs crossed in the center of Hijikata's room, Konosuke wasn't entirely convinced his decision to show up had been the right one. Not only would it cause him more grief later, but he had no idea what the timeline was like here. The magic stuff - he didn't understand any of it.

Glancing at the desk in the left-hand corner of the room, Konosuke grinned. On it was a sheet of paper, with a poem written on it.

The snow on the ground

Quiet and tranquil

The peace underneath

Unveiled

The sun in the sky

Glistening and shining

The cherry tree

Sleeping

The fire in the hearth

Warm and inviting

The air outside

Chilling

Winter is a season

Thought to be lifeless and cold

Bare

Yet evidence exists

Of the beauty it brings

One's breath in the air

As they exhale

The first snowprints

Frost etched on tree branches

Silver and glowing

Stars at night

Blanketing the sky

The silence of the cold night

One strolls outside

As the frigid air bites them

The beauty of winter

Evidence of it exists

Not bare

Nor lifeless and cold

Winter is a season

The air outside

Chilling

The fire in the hearth

Warm and inviting

The cherry tree

Sleeping

The sun in the sky

Glistening and shining

The peace underneath

Unveiled

The snow on the ground

Quiet and tranquil

"Oi! What are you doing in here?" Hijikata demanded.

Konosuke grinned. What kind of crap is this, Toshi? He normally would have asked, teasing his best friend. Now Konosuke had no idea if Hijikata even knew who he was. "Um..."

"Konosuke-kun?" Hijikata's eyes widened.

"Nice poem," he teased, setting the paper back down.

Hijikata glared at him. "Konosuke-kun, you can't just barge in like this!"

Konosuke sat back down, crossing his legs again. "Oi?"

"Why did you decide to come back, anyway?" Hijikata sat across from him, setting down a cup of tea. He held the teapot up and Konosuke nodded.

As Hijikata poured his tea, Konosuke became excited. Drinking tea was one of his favorite pastimes. "Come back?" Konosuke asked. "I left?"

Hijikata sipped from his tea and glared at him.

Most men would melt beneath that demon gaze of his. Not Konosuke. He had grown up with it.

"Did you forget how you decided to walk out on us? You know the delicate situation, Konosuke-kun and you still -" Hijikata stopped short, growling under his breath as he sipped on his tea.

Konosuke did the same, enjoying the warmth as it slithered down his throat. So in this timeline, I left the Shinsengumi. What a coward... "Gomen'nasai, Toshi," he murmured out loud. Konosuke was truly sorry, for more than this Hijikata could ever know or understand. He was sorry for not protecting him, for watching his best friend die, for not being strong enough to keep him alive, for getting himself killed, and most of all for letting their other friends die...

For everything.

Hijikata met his gaze as if he really did understand.

*****

Matt stood in the doorway, staring at a short man with purple hair slung over his left shoulder. The sleeves of his kimono were pinned back to keep them from the pot of miso soup.

Kijiro walked up behind him. His black hair rested against his back and he looked right in place with his hakama and kimono. "Saitou-san," Kijiro said.

Saitou glanced over his shoulder. "Kijiro-san. I thought you were leaving for Edo to recruit new soldiers."

Kijiro shrugged. "I think Kondou-san wanted me here for some reason." Matt guessed that it was the best lie Kijiro could come up with at the moment.

This is my third great grandfather, Matt thought, staring at Saitou. He didn't expect him to be cooking, let alone expect him to have purple hair. Well, this is Akari's timeline, not mine, but still... My grandfather... Matt drummed his fingers on his thighs, hovering in the doorway. Nervousness kept him from moving. The last time he felt this nervous was when he had asked Naolia out.

Taking a deep breath, he walked into the room, desperately wishing Kotomi was with him. He slid off his shoes at the doorway and bowed.

"Matthew-san. I didn't expect you to know our customs," Kijiro said.

Matt nodded. "Yeah, well I come from Japan, remember?"

Saitou turned back to the soup. "Pardon that I do not introduce myself correctly. I do not want to overcook the miso soup."

Matt grinned. "No problem." He wasn't sure whether to say who he was or not, but then again, considering the complications, he just kept it to himself. Actually meeting his great grandfather was like meeting a role model from history. Being in this place was amazing - like a history textbook come to life. The inner history buff in him completely geeked out. He looked at the room, observing every detail of how things were. It wasn't too different from the setting that he was familiar with back in his home, except for the lack of a few modern appliances. Then again, his family was always very traditional.

*****

Kijiro enjoyed chatting with Saitou about swords and surprisingly Matt joined in the conversation, fitting in much easier than Kijiro had expected.

"Kijiro-san, Saitou-san," Konosuke said, entering the room. "Matthew-san. Genjiro is here."

"Genjiro?" Kijiro exclaimed.

Saitou took his hands out of the soup. "We should not do anything until we consult with the Commander and the Vice Commander."

Konosuke rolled his eyes. "Look, Genjiro is part of this group and I followed him. I think he's planning to assassinate Kondou-san."

Matthew widened his eyes. "But that could change this entire timeline! We can't let that happen..."

Saitou glanced from him to Kijiro and Konosuke.

"I will warn Kondou-san," Kijiro said. "Konosuke-san, Matthew-san, you both find Genjiro. Don't kill him - subdue him until we receive further orders. One of you also needs to consult with Isaac-san and Akane-dono."

Matt nodded. "Got it."

*****

"Making footprints in the fresh snow is the best feeling in the world," Kondou said.

Akane smiled at him. He was a young man, closer to Isaac's age, but he seemed wise and kind. From what Akane had seen of him, she was fond of the man. "Yes, I agree. I can't tell you how many times I used to do this as a child."

Isaac lifted an eyebrow. "I think it's good some of us are enjoying ourselves while we can."

Akane gave him her "look." "Now, now, young man, live a little. You can't always be so negative."

"Akane-dono is correct, Isaac-san. Enjoy life and live in the present," Kondou said, pressing his shoes into the fresh snow. They were on the other side of the dojo, where none of the Shinsengumi soldiers or members of their team had walked yet.

Akane slung her arm through Kondou's with a widened smile, letting her gray hair loose on her shoulders, and chuckled as she stomped her feet into the ground. "You coming, Isaac?"

"I'll watch from here. Thanks," Isaac responded from where he stood on the deck.

"SNOW!" Razzet screamed, leaping off the deck into the snow. He sank down into it and disappeared.

Akane shook her head with a laugh. "Oh, my!"

"You coming, Bry?" Aria asked, keeping her duffle bag hung over her shoulder.

Bry whined but sat down on the deck beside where Isaac stood, wagging his tail.

"I suppose he doesn't care for snow," Akane stated. "He should be fine on the deck, sweetheart."

Aria nodded, gazing from Bry to Akane. "Yeah, you're right."

"I can understand how he feels." Isaac sat down beside Bry, petting his head.

Sarah sat beside them, hunched over her strange device.

"Young lady! You should get your head out of that device and out here in the outdoors! The fresh air is good for you!" Akane and Kondou strolled around in a circle, creating a ring of footprints.

"I'm already outside, so I'm getting the fresh air!" Sarah shouted back. "You're also not my mother!"

Akane rolled her eyes, unoffended. "Teenagers," she muttered.

Kondou smiled and looked at her. "Yes, they all reach that stage, don't they?"

"Do you have any children?" Akane asked him.

"Yes, I have a daughter named Akari. But she stays with her mother... a place with soldiers like this is no place for a young lady." Kondou smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Rhavvi and Aria joined them, Rhavvi grabbing onto Aria's hand as Aria hooked onto Akane's arm. "Mind if we join you two?" Aria asked.

"Of course not, dears!" Akane grinned. It was time they had a little bit of fun after all the suffering these poor young folks had experienced.

*****

Mushu loved wintertime and especially snow. Back in his homeland, it wasn't something that came often and when it did, it was usually too severe to play in.

In all honesty, he wasn't sure how the snowball fight started. One of the samurai, named Harada, threw a snowball intended for Nagakura, but it accidentally hit Katai instead.

Katai grinned. "Alright, it's war! Come at me!" He picked up a handful of snow and tossed it in the air, not seeing Zaylee speaking with Lina, Lolita, and Azaki, who had her archive magic out.

"Ai, chico loco! Que es eso?" Lolita shouted.

Katai stuck out his tongue with a wink and picked up more snow.

Jecht shook his head. "What's the point of this again? Trying to be waterbenders?"

"No, the point is to throw snow at each other. It's called a snowball fight," Tyson said, making up a snowball and threw it at Lina. She Force jumped over it and then picked up a dozen snowballs with the Force, pelting Tyson with them so much that he collapsed onto the ground.

"No one said we're using magic! Nem-Nem!" Katai laughed as Nemmie, his tan cat, sprouted wings and flew him into the air.

"Katai, how are you supposed to get snowballs from up here?" Nemmie asked quietly.

Mushu shook his head. "Guess we might as well join in."

Jecht shrugged, slashing his right hand in a knife-hand to bring fire across a barrage of snowballs shooting toward him.

"Bloody snow," Blake muttered. "Alright, mates. This is how it's bloody done." He used his wand-looking thing to draw more tattoos on his skin and suddenly, he zipped off and disappeared.

Zaylee squealed as Matt joined in, throwing several that hit her in the back. She ducked behind a tree with Harada who blushed and picked up snowballs. "Here you go."

Mushu rolled his eyes and grabbed a pack of snow, desperately trying to form a snowball out of it. Before he had a chance, a snowball slammed against his cheek, knocking him on his butt. It stung his cheek and not to mention it was extremely cold. Cold trickled through his clothes as he sprawled out in the snow.

Jaeah, the beautiful woman with blonde curly hair, laughed at him as she knelt beside him behind a rock. "You have to pack the snow tighter."

Mushu sat up, shaking snow out of his hair. "I have never done this before."

Jaeah grabbed his hand and used it to form a snowball. "Like that."

Her hands were soft. Mushu found himself wanting to hold it longer, but he released it in respect. "Thanks!" He formed a snowball just like she showed him and threw it as hard as he could. It slammed against Takayo, who laughed and used his magic to form a sand wall around himself.

"Cosmic Dragon Slayer's roar!" Katai shouted, making a huge explosion of snow completely cover them all.

Mushu rolled over on Jaeah as snow rained down on them. Everyone laughed and her tiny body shook as she giggled beneath him. When the snow cleared, he met her eyes as she stared up at him.

Smoothly, he rolled off her and helped her up out of the hole that had been made.

*****

Zaylee couldn't help but blush as she and one of the samurai named Harada hid behind a tree during the snowball fight. Mushu and Jaeah crawled out of the hole Katai had made while Tyson and Lina - the two lovers - furiously attacked each other, although it looked like Lina, with her Force abilities, was winning. Azaki hid on the deck with her Archive magic in front of her face, while Matt, Jecht, Lolita, and Blake took turns pelting each other with snowballs. Takayo used his sand magic against Katai, while he and his exceed Nemmie expertly flew out of the way. Zaylee laughed and ducked behind a branch as Harada's snowball flew right by her face.

"I'm not giving up that easily!" Zaylee shouted with a laugh as Harada simultaneously chucked two more at her. One of them slammed against her leg while the other hit her face.

She stood there, surprised, blinking snow out of her eyelashes.

"I'm sorry, Zaylee-chan," Harada said, walking up to her. "Are you alright?"

Zaylee grinned and threw up a handful of snow directly in his face. "Gotcha!"

Harada frowned at her but laughed. "That was a dirty trick!"

Nagakura tackled Harada to the ground with a loud grunt and the two began fist fighting.

Something zipped by her so quickly she couldn't see it, but it did leave a trail of snow in its wake. She was reminded of a velociraptor but reminded herself that Japan in the 1860s didn't have those. Just samurai and warfare, according to the history textbooks, Zaylee reminded herself.

Suddenly, she was on the ground, completely covered in snow. The vampire, Khulan stood over her with a grin.

"That's cheating, you know!" she huffed, standing to her feet as she threw a snowball at him. He was gone and instead, the snowball hit the tree and dispersed.

"Behind you," Khulan whispered.

Zaylee whirled around but once again he was gone. "Can I just surrender and have the snow stand in as a white flag? You're a vampire so it's obvious I have no chance of winning! If your species is anything like the legends say."

Khulan paused in front of her. "You surrender? You haven't heard my terms." He winked at her and Zaylee laughed. There was something about him she was fond of. Perhaps it was his maturity level. As she looked around at Katai whirling around in the air, magic-brawling with Takayo, Lina, and Tyson laughing, Matt, Blake, Jecht, Mushu, Jaeah, and Lolita enjoying the snowball fight, she chuckled to herself. Though they were mature as well, there was an air of time around Khulan, as if he had lived for a long time. Zaylee supposed her love for history and ancient creatures allowed her to sense it in a way. He did appear handsome, with Asian features that seemed almost to come from northern China.

Although she still couldn't take her eyes off the handsome Harada.

*****

Azaki completely ignored Takayo shouting at her, urging her to join in the snowball fight. For him, it had turned into an outright magic war between he and Katai, who seemed content to have Nemmie fly him through the air while he rained down Cosmic Dragon Slayer attacks on Takayo. Fortunately, they were being careful not to destroy the place.

"Fairy Tail does have a habit of doing that," Azkai muttered to herself. Over three hundred instances categorized in her Archive.

Personally, she was in love with this place. There was so much rich history, especially since it came from a completely different world. Already she had information on the rankings in the Shinsengumi:

Kondou was the Commander. His daughter was Akari, but from what Azaki had overheard, Akari was staying away from him, so Kondou didn't even know she was here.

Hijikata was the Vice Commander and Konosuke's best friend.

Sanan was a fury and another Commander.

Harada, Heisuke, Nagakura, Souji, and Saitou were all captains. Saitou was Matthew's third great grandfather, although Matthew had kept that fact from him. Kijiro was a fury and Akari's ex, and he seemed to enjoy hanging out with Souji, who was his best friend.

The political situation in Japan, from what she overheard, was another valuable piece of information Azaki added to her Archive. Even though the Shogun - Japan's military leader - technically ruled Japan instead of the Emperor, the way he handled the foreigners coming into the country made many people want him out. They believed the Emperor should be restored to power and the entire country itself was fractured over their personal beliefs. The Choshu clan itself fought the foreigners, believing they could deal with the situation better than the Shogun. All over the city of Kyoto, rogue samurai without masters - called ronin - were causing trouble. The Shinsengumi were charged with protecting the Emperor and the Shogun, as well as keeping the peace. It was a hard job and many people in Kyoto despised them, for reasons even Azaki couldn't figure out.

The Shinsengumi themselves even had members on both sides of the political dispute, and yet it didn't seem to change the way they worked together - as efficient as an army, though their numbers were much too small to be titled that.

Azaki finished downloading all the information to her Archive with a huge grin.

"You sure you don't want to join in on the snowball fight? We're having a blast," Takayo said, sitting beside her on the deck.

Azaki shook her head with a chuckle. "You and Katai are having a magic fight more than a snowball fight."

Takayo placed his arm around her. "I hate this situation but I'm glad we're in this together."

Azaki's heart raced. They were so close. She held her breath, hoping in vain that he would kiss her even though she knew he wouldn't. It could ruin their friendship, but she couldn't help the way she felt about him.

Even if she had to keep those feelings a secret from him.

*****

Tyson shook snow out of his hair and grinned as he walked up to Lina. "I'm pretty sure I won that." They both faced each other in the courtyard as the snowball fight among them all began to wind down. His enhanced senses could smell the aroma of food from the kitchen where the Shinsengumi soldiers ate dinner. A few members of their team had bowls of soup as they ate and shivered in the snow.

Lina smiled, using the Force to grab a snowball and hurled it at him. "Actually I'm fairly certain that I won."

The snowball slammed against his chest, but he didn't bother dodging. Because he was half-vampire, he didn't need to eat food, even though it actually smelled pretty good. Lina's heart raced and he could see the veins in her neck pulsing. Tyson closed his eyes, focusing on the smells of the soup, the stench of sweat, and the icy frigidness of the cold to distract him. When he was sure he had himself under control, he finally opened his eyes. "Yeah, right! Just because you can use the Force doesn't mean you had the upper hand.

Lina chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't believe you!"

"Right!" Getting serious, Tyson wrapped his arms around her, not caring who saw them. They had finally reunited after all their time apart. He was going to hold her and never let her go, no matter who was offended by their PDA. They had searched far and wide, desperately trying to find each other after the Toad had separated them.

Tears in her eyes, Lina tightened her grip around his waist. "I've missed you so much, Tyson. I love you."

"I love you too, Lina," Tyson whispered, kissing her forehead. He pulled back and gently brushed her lips with his own. "I will never let anyone separate us again, Lina. I promise."

Tyson was determined not to break that promise. No matter what.

*****

Nakia wanted to tell Myriil what she was doing, but after the Imperials had burned her throat, she knew it was too much to say. Instead, as he quietly watched her, she knelt in the snow. She grabbed a tiny handful and began making a snow bunny. The bunnies roamed the forests of her homeland so it was a tradition for her people to make them out of snow.

Staring at the bunny made from snow in her hands, she felt warm inside, thinking back to the fondness of her parents and siblings.

"This is a memory for you." Myriil did not ask a question but Nakia nodded her head in response anyway. He walked over to her and she stood up, placing her hand carrying the snow bunny in his own.

Being near him comforted her. It kept away the homesickness and reminded her that even though her entire people and their way of life was gone, she had him now.

****

Now Zira could really get used to this: an all-out brawl.

Osciine and the Dragonborn named River both brawled more intensely than some men Zira knew. Zira would challenge the winner and she was excited to do so. Osciine was short-tempered and fiery, making her difficult to speak to without dealing with her crabby attitude. It was that anger that seemed to give her the upper hand in the fight. River, on the other hand, was a complete savage, complete with hide clothing that barely covered her body. Before she attacked she would growl like an animal, but Zira wasn't sure that Osciine was smart enough to pick up on it. Meanwhile, Vymik didn't use his lightsaber or Force abilities as he brawled with a furious Ajax who didn't seem to have any other vocabulary other than curse words and insults. Rhovok joined them and seemed to really be enjoying himself.

So was Zira.

*****

Sarah couldn't be any more bored! Texting Kyler and messaging Vikki and Pepper on Facebook while snap chatting Casey and Thomas was the only thing keeping her occupied in this dumb place that reeked of history. She had enough of that crap in school and she had graduated a few months ago. No more of that for her!

Disgust grinned while she controlled the console in the middle of Headquarters inside Sarah's mind. Joy and Anger seemed like they wanted to, but right now, Disgust and Sarah were in total agreement. This place sucked!

"Guys, what if swordsmen attack us or something?" Fear muttered. "I - I mean, they could come out of nowhere! I remember one of the hot samurai saying that they were on the verge of war!"

Anger clenched his fists together and stomped his foot. "Who cares about some freaking war? We've been kidnapped and I say it's time we find who these suckers are so we can go home!"

Sadness had tears in his eyes, shaking his head. "We're never going to go home. Sarah will never see Kyler or her family again."

"Aw, come on guys!" Joy said cheerfully. "Things will get better. Look at it this way, we're sitting comfortably and it's beautiful with the sunset and the snow... Plus, we still have cell service!"

They all froze for a moment as Sarah's mind blanked out, focusing on that idea. Why did cell service even work here with no cell towers? Or did her phone still connect to the towers back in her world, even though she wasn't there? Could the signal cross realms?

Ugh, her head hurt. Sarah shook her head, replying to Kyler's message. Miss u 2 baby. Xoxo.

"Guys! We should really get inside now! The sun is setting and anything could be coming out here in the dark! Let's go!" Fear shouted, shoving disgust away from the console.

Sarah shivered involuntarily and stood, cautiously heading inside the main meeting room. At least in here, there was plenty of hot samurai around to look at. Taking out her phone, she grinned. Taking their pictures would be easy since they had no idea what a phone even was.

Joy grabbed the controls of the console, giggling while Sarah tried to contain her happiness. This was going to be so much fun!

*****

Blake finished drinking the last of his soup, watching the sunset behind the walls of the Shinsengumi's place. The soup tasted fine, but he could really go for a sanger and a tinny right about now.

The day so far had been ripper. He hated snow but when he decided to give it a go, he had ended up having a ripper time with his mates. Skye wandered into his mind, distracting his thoughts. His mates were ripper, but he missed her deeply.

Buried in the snow to his right was something shiny. Blake frowned and sat his bowl down on the deck, unsheathing his seraph blade. Kneeling down, he picked up the object, which turned out to be a sheathed sword.

Unsheathing it, he gazed at the silver blade. It looked just like a samurai sword - identical, except that the hilt was thinner and not laced with leather. Blake looked around, wondering if it belonged to anyone.

Shrugging, he decided to hold onto it, at least until some bloke claimed it.

*****

"...And that's how I ended up here." Kanan took a deep breath after telling Lina everything that had happened to him. She had asked him about it and he could sense that she was genuine and good. More than anything, he was determined to protect her. Especially after failing to protect Myenna.

"I am so sorry for all that you have lost, Kanan," Lina said. Her eyes were filled with compassion as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I promise you that I will help protect the three of us - the only Jedi that you have left."

Her reassurance to him comforted him more than anything else. She felt like a Master. He had helped Adaara and tried to teach what little he could teach to Myenna. Even Akali needed his wisdom, but it was relaxing to have a Master he could seek out when he needed advice. "We need to watch the Sith - Vymik," Kanan said.

Lina nodded. "I can sense his power. I've been keeping an eye on him since I arrived here."

Suddenly, the Force trembled with something dark and twisted.

Lina turned her head at the same time Kanan turned his.

Genjiro walked up behind Rhovok, who was talking with Zira with his back turned to Genjiro. They were standing outside the door where Kondou and a few Shinsengumi captains had gathered with a few members of their team.

Before Rhovok, or even Kanan and Lina - as fast as the Force made them - had a chance to react, Genjiro plunged a hidden blade into Rhovok's neck. As he choked and coughed, gagging on his own blood, Genjiro laughed wildly. His hair turned white and his red eyes glared at Zira.

Kanan ignited his lightsaber as Lina ignited her own. Kanan leapt over there, slashing toward him.

Genjiro was gone. He left behind Rhovok's body and a hole in the door to Kondou's room.

"Genjiro is going to kill Kondou-san!" Konosuke shouted, running across the yard.

Kanan turned toward the door as Hijikata, Kondou, and Matt all unsheathed their katanas and attacked Genjiro. He moved faster than any of them could see, and not even Kanan, stretching out with the Force, could fully find him. "Lina, go get Khulan! He might be the only one fast enough to stop him!" Kanan shouted.

Lina nodded and darted off.

Kanan stabbed his lightsaber to Genjiro's chest, just as Kondou slashed toward his neck, and Hijikata slashed across Genjiro's abdomen. Matt fired his gun, the bullets landing in the wall where Genjiro had been seconds before.

Genjiro zipped to the other side of the room, laughing. "Blood! I want blood!" he shouted, glaring at Kondou.

Akari charged in from seemingly nowhere, quickly unsheathing her katana as she passed Genjiro. He whirled around, slashing open her shoulder. As she screamed and fell to the ground, Kondou and Hijikata both growled and went to stab him, but he zipped around behind them and sliced their backs. Matt fired his gun again, but once again it missed Genjiro.

Closing his eyes, Kanan used the Force to pinpoint exactly where Genjiro was. He left the room, heading outside.

Konosuke and Kijiro joined the fight, along with Harada and Nagakura, as Kanan, Matt, and Hijikata caught up to them in the courtyard. Kondou helped Akari, staring at her in shock, stepping out onto the engawa.

"I'm the only one who will be able to beat him," Kijiro said, meeting Akari's gaze.

She screamed. "Kijiro-kun, no!"

*****

Genjiro easily took out Konosuke, Harada, and Nagakura, despite that the three of them were all expert swordsmen. Kondou, Hijikata, Matt, and even Kanan were the next to fall to the ground, bleeding from their wounds.

Kijiro knew that Genjiro was too fast as a fury. Not one of them would be able to catch him. The scent of their blood reached his nostrils, a sweet aroma calling to him, plaguing his mind.

Droshin threw his chakram, but Genjiro smacked it aside with his hidden blade and danced around Droshin, stabbing and slashing at him furiously. Surprisingly, the dark elf kept up with him well, using his daggers to block Genjiro's hidden blades.

"I'm the only one who will be able to beat him," Kijiro said. He met Akari's dark eyes as she stared at him from where she had fallen on the engawa.

"Kijiro-kun, no!"

Kijiro went into his fury mode and he felt the power overtake his body. His hair turned white and his eyes turned blood red. The pleasant fragrance of blood filled his body, driving an animalistic instinct inside him to drink it. His throat seized up and burned, feeling like fire had erupted inside him. Growling, he charged toward Genjiro just as he stabbed Droshin.

Droshin's body fell to the ground and with Kijiro's speed, Genjiro barely had enough time to block him. Khulan arrived, providing more of a challenge for Genjiro who struggled to take them both on at the same time. Khulan met Kijiro's gaze and nodded. As if they both knew what they had to do, Kijiro charged toward Genjiro from the front. "I refuse to allow you to harm my comrades!" Kijiro shouted.

Khulan came up behind him, but he whirled around and blocked Khulan, just as Kijiro stabbed him. Genjiro coughed, spitting blood onto his chin as he yanked out Kijiro's katana and pushed Kijiro backward. Kijiro flew across the yard and slammed against the cherry tree. Genjiro's wound closed up, just as Takayo and Katai arrived, throwing their magic attacks at him full force. Yet Genjiro was too fast for them, easily moving out of the way of the magic.

"Your magic is too slow for him," Kijiro said as his ribs healed themselves with a dull ache. He stood to his feet, just as Tyson arrived, using both his vampire and werewolf powers with Khulan to team up against Genjiro.

With a war cry, Kijiro charged toward him, slicing his katana across Genjiro's head, while he was distracted by Tyson and Khulan.

Kijiro's fury powers receded and he fell onto his knees beside Genjiro's convulsing body. As his powers fled him, he could feel the power draining away what remained of his life. He collapsed onto the ground just as he heard Akari scream his name.

******

Rhovok and Droshin were both dead. Genjiro was finally killed, thanks to Kijiro, but using his fury powers had drained the rest of his life.

Khulan watched as Akari collapsed on her knees, holding his head in her lap. Kijiro looked up at her and Khulan heard him whisper her name. His skin began to glow blue and fire erupted on his skin. Rather than burn Akari, the fire turned Kijiro's body to ash.

Akari screamed, sobbing as she rocked back and forth.

Khulan heard Isaac and Akane's heartbeats as they arrived on the scene. He sped over there and explained what happened. Three more heartbeats echoed from the rooftops. Khulan looked up to see three strange beings.

"The oni," Hijikata growled.

Lina walked over to grab Akari and took her inside with the other members like Zaylee, Sarah, Rhavvi, and Azaki who didn't want to or couldn't fight.

Khulan leapt up onto the roof just as the three oni easily surrounded him and shoved him off.

*****

As a fight ensued between the three oni, along with the furies who had come with them, River joined in the fray, along with Zira and Jaeah. Zira was in her lion form and Jaeah was in her wolf form and they teamed up with River against the oni leader, a blonde. Khulan teamed up with Harada against the blue-haired oni, while Tyson fought the redhead.

Meanwhile, Katai, Takayo, Jecht, Mushu, Matt, and Blake all used their magic, abilities, and a gun in Matt's case, along with Kanan and the Shinsengumi captains, against the hoard of furies who had arrived.

"Fus-Ro-Da!" River shouted. A blast of energy flew from her mouth, slamming against the blonde oni, or at least it should have, but he dodged behind her, slashing her shoulder. Pain erupted in the gaping wound, but it only fueled her adrenaline. Fighting was what she lived for, and killing dragons was just another everyday occurrence where she was from. Dragons weren't even a challenge for her, so this blonde oni was nothing to her as well.

She whirled around, shouting, "Yol-Toor-Shul!" Inhaling air, she exhaled flame, bathing the blonde oni in a fiery inferno.

Yet he had completely avoided her attack. River cried out in wild savagery and pulled out two of her elven maces, viciously hacking at him.

Leaping onto the wall behind him, the blonde oni sighed. "These furies are from Yukimura...They are failures and we should not be associating with them," the blonde shouted to his two oni companions.

"I like the fight, but I have to agree with you," the blue-haired one said as he dodged Harada and Khulan.

"Shall we go then? The Chizuru girl is not worth our time," the redhead said, slamming his fist against Tyson's chest faster than even he could see.

River growled at the blonde one. "I'm not through with you yet, Oni! Fo-Krah-Diin!" Crying out in fury, River grinned as a blizzard of frosted air exploded from her mouth.

The three oni were all gone.

*****

Akane stared at the carnage around her with a heavy heart. Isaac seemed to be in an even worse emotional state than she, after being around the young'ins longer than her.

Nakia and Myriil had both been killed by furies. Rhovok, Droshin, and Kijiro had all perished in their fight with Genjiro, who was also dead. Two other tributes had also died in the fight from another team - the names of which Akane believed were Victoria and Shaymus.

Lina saved Chizuru and fortunately, the three oni had left and given up on their quest to kidnap her. River, Osciine, Vymik, Mushu, Jecht, Matt, Lolita, Zira, Kanan, Blake, Khulan, Katai, Jaeah, Takayo, Ajax, and Tyson all stood in the center of the Shinsengumi courtyard, surrounded by the bodies of the furies, their comrades and other Shinsengumi soldiers. Tyson had been severely injured by the redheaded Oni. Zira and Jaeah both now rested in their human forms, slashed up from the blonde oni's sword. River stayed to herself in the back, holding her wounded shoulder. Osciine growled and limped from a fury bite on her leg. Vymik, Mushu, Jecht, Matt, Lolita, Blake, Katai, and Ajax appeared unharmed.

Konosuke held Akari while she sobbed, tears streaming out of her eyes where Kijiro's ashes scattered in the wind. Azaki, Zaylee, Aria, Bry, Razzet, Rhavvi, and Sarah joined the others all standing outside in the aftermath of the battle.

Isaac stared in shock at the six bodies of his tributes. Akane walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He winced. "I failed. I couldn't protect them." Those were the only words he uttered and they broke Akane's heart. For once, she didn't have any advice or consolation. How could she after something like this had happened? It was a grave reminder that even when the Gamemakers had allowed them to rest, relax, and experience some leisure, they were ultimately in control.

The Gamemakers would never let them rest or have fun. They were fools for believing even for a moment that they could.