...

...

...

...

...

"How much for this little Angel?"

"2000 Rouss for each hour, good sir."

"Wha!? What a ridiculous price for such a small thing!"

"Sorry, Sir, but... That's just how it is..."

"Well... The more I observe him... He does seems a little more... Refined. Than the others..."

"Indeed... He's beautiful. Isn't he, good sir? He's my favorite too."

"Well..."

"..."

"..."

"I'll take him."

"Heh..."

"Pleasure doing business with you, good sir..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Can't wait to mess you up real good... My Little Angel..."

...

...

Stop.

...

...

"Wow... What a gorgeous boy..."

"Yes, he has been quite the favorite for most in these past few months..."

"I can see why... Hmm... What's your name, little guy?"

"He doesn't have one. But most costumers already left a mark on him; 'Angel', pretty fitting right?"

"Right Indeed..."

"What are you waiting for? Give him to me."

"Immediately, madam."

"Hmm... Just looking at you... Makes me want to eat you up, my dear little Angel... Heheheh..."

...

...

Stop It.

...

...

"Look how much money you're making for me..."

"..."

"Mommy's favorite boy... You sure are beautiful... Aren't you?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Hmm..."

"..."

"You sure are tired. Aren't you?"

"..."

"Now... Heh... Wanna go to bed, sweetie?"

...

Tch...

STOP.

IT.

...

...

...

"I'll pay whatever you ask..."

"..."

"My daughter needs a friend."

"..."

"So... let me bring this one home."

"I'm... Sorry?"

...

...

Those memories... They come back every so often. When he dreams, day or night, bad or good.

They just won't leave him.

Here as he drifts gently in a world of pitch black, eyes squinting and limbs motionless. His bare skin rubbing against his folded wings. His muscles relaxing as he slowly falls deeper into the abyss.

...

'Mom... Dad...'

'What did I do wrong?'

...

...

...

'Why...'

'Why did you...'

'Leave me?'

Weak, raspy, cold. His thoughts echoes, bypassing his own head to spread all throughout the endless darkness. Though nobody is there to listen.

...

...

...

Silence. Nothing is present except for the dark. An out of body experience. A limbo taking form in an eternity of darkness.

Yuu is left with no strength as the glows in his green eyes dim. His folded wings slowly expand, only to go limp with the flow of air as he continues to fall deeper, the gravity pulling him into the pitch black.

Slowly, the darkness itself starts to float towards him. Tendrils of black ink slither their way onto him. Blooming and branching, they spread themselves across inches of his skin as they reach him, gradually painting him into the same darkness they emerged from.

But with that, another voice, the gentle and cheerful voice of a girl pulses within him.

"Yuu!"

...

...

..?

"Heheh, Yuu!"

...

...

A-Aza..?

"Don't be a sore loser now! Get up!"

No...

I... I can't...

"Remember, Yuu... We need to beat some senses into my father, right? And we need to do that..."

"Together!"

"Right?"

...

...

...

...

Yes.

Together.

...

...

...

Within the eternal darkness...

His eyes awake.

"!!!"

He bursts out from the cluster of swirling ink with one strong wing flap, sliding back as he lands on the now flooded metal floor.

He then looks around, seeing himself still standing on the length of the underground hallway, casted by strobing red lights emitted by the alarm system.

Then, to a rising shadow, he grits his teeth as he raises his head, facing the ever-changing mass of black that is growing taller and taller.

This thing... This... Creature. Whatever it is, just send him into a fucking flashback sequence. Did it just peered into his memory? Or was it just his brain playing tricks on him? Either way, he just escaped its... Stomach, or whatever he was devoured into. And now, he won't let it eat him that easily again.

With the tip of his black wings emitting a dark green glow, he spreads them wide and clap them forward, sending forth a gust of dark-green flame towards the monstrous mass.

The wind passing through it, the goop only bounces around slightly like water being shaken. The dark flames Yuu conjures completely disappear as they impact it, the blob seemingly absorbing his magic without any harm.

The blob slowly rises up, swirling and building into itself like a cluster of life sized amoeba. It then looms towards the Archangel, threatening to swallow him yet again.

"Tch!" Yuu grits his teeth before he turns around and immediately takes off.

With steady flaps, he continues to fly past the many rows of doors, flying deeper into the hallway. After a few moments, he looks back to the blob that is now chasing after him like a sentient flood.

Though with that, he suddenly hits his back on a wall, sliding him onto the floor.

"You," The same raspy voice echoes from the puddle of living ink, sending shudders to his spine.

With raspy and disgusting gurgles, myriads of black and sharp tendrils jolts out from the wriggling black mass, shooting out towards the Archangel.

He rolls to his left, causing the tentacles to stab through the metal wall instead. He then enters a new hallway; another long assortment of metal doors, walls and plates, though without the chaos that he created.

Quickly, he takes off with his wings, flying forward as he tries to keep the inkblob at a fair distance.

Glancing behind, he sees that the inkblob is quick to catch up, moving and slithering like a leech-snake hybrid, almost rivaling his own speed.

"That damn fox! Where the fuck did he take her!?" He grumbles as he reaches the hallway's end, turning left to another length of the underground level.

He keeps on flying forward, flapping his wings and diving through the air all the while he looks through his surroundings. This maze-like structure is not making things easy. From the looks of it, it seems like it's just an assortment of multiple prison cells put in rows with the hallway dividing each of those rows. But with the liminal and repeating nature of those metal doors assorting the hallways themselves, for a bird like him, it'll be hard to navigate.

"YOU," Keeping its pace as it crawls behind him, the blob of ink sends out a pair of claw-like appendages, aiming to grab hold onto the Archangel.

He continues to fly forward, those claws barely reaching his ankles.

Then he looks back, glaring at the bloodthirsty blob with his teeth gritted in rage, "Can't you just fucking... Shut the fuck up!?" Sharpening his wings, he quickly makes a sharp turn back, diving towards the inkblob.

He spins around as he wraps his wings around him, piercing through the elongated stems of the blob's newly formed claws as he flies above its length, passing through it to the other side of the hallway. From that, he manages to create a great distance with his bullet-like speed. He opens his wings again, letting the air slows him down while he slides onto the floor.

Letting out a huff, he is quick to take off again. He then makes a turn to his right to another lengthy hall, his surroundings still painted red by the strobing siren.

Then, from the corner of his eyes, he sees a shadow, a silhouette of a sharp eared and tailed figure looming behind a turn to another hallway.

With that, his voice pulses within his head.

"Bring her fox friend to me."

"After that... You could have her all for yourself."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Yes.

This is all your fucking fault.

How dare you took her away from me.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Feathers gently falling like snow, he clenches his jaw as his wings begins to move up and down. He hunches himself forward, letting the air run through his hair and feathers as he flies and turns to the Fox's whereabout.

And, there he is; running from one room to another, looking all around him with heavy huffs and pants.

Then, he looks behind, widening his eyes.

"Akh!" Yuu crashes onto him, grabbing him into his flight.

Gritting his teeth as he dashes through the air at max speed, he stops suddenly and releases his grip, sending the Fox flying onto the metal-plated wall.

"!!!"

He crashes with a loud clank as the metal behind him bend to the impact. In the crater he creates, the Fox stays limp, his tail hanging down onto the floor.

"K-Khk..." A lump of blood pulps itself out of his throat.

His eyes squint as his ears flip back. Groaning with furrowed brow, he touches the corner of his lips, feeling a tint of the cold and red liquid. With his sight disoriented by a blur, his attacker's fuzzy figure approaches, his wings widened to fit the hallway's width.

"W-Wait... C-Calm down... Listen to me..." the Fox's says with a raspy voice as he weakly stands up, leaning a hand on the wall while the other hang motionless.

He keeps his eyes squinting as his lips let out waves of pants. But those pants turn to raspy groans when a rough choke to his neck pushes and lifts him up onto the wall.

"Akh... K-Kkh-"

The Archangel's sharp eyes meet the Fox's shaking ones. Both men grit their teeth, one out of anger, the other out of pain.

"You..." Growling, Yuu tighten his hold, causing the Fox's eyes to widen.

"WHERE."

"IS."

"SHE!?"

Yuu lifts his head, widening his eyes as he furrow his brow, a flame of rage engulfing him completely.

"Kkh..." With his throat choked into submission, the Fox fairly couldn't answer.

But slowly, his hands move towards Yuu's wrist. The moment he touches him, a sudden wave of electricity courses through his arms, spreading into the Archangel's body.

"Akh!" Yuu flinches, releasing the Fox from his grasp.

The Fox quickly rolls to his side, creating a small distance away from Yuu.

"W-Wait... Look..." He stands flimsily up, raising a palm towards the Archangel while his other rubs his now bruised neck.

But... Yuu won't give a damn to reasons.

"You won't let that fox takes her away from you... Right?"

"You love my daughter too... Don't you?"

"You could have her all for yourself..."

"So..."

"Don't make me send you back."

A shudder shakes the core of his heart. That man's voice reverbs again, sending his teeth to grit.

I...

I'll make sure...

Our dreams come true.

Aza!

He jumps towards the Fox with his wings raised like a pair of oversized guillotines. The Fox immediately stumbles back, narrowly escaping his strike. Yuu's wings are inches away from the Fox's foot, jammed into the metal floor with clean, smooth cuts.

Yuu waste no time to lunge onto the frail Fox. His weight soon pressures his chest, wings spread wide as he balls up his fist, eyes glaring down with pure rage-filled blaze.

The Fox shields his face with his arms facing inward, the back of his arms taking a flurry of punches sent out by the Archangel.

"Ggh!"

"Ukh!"

"Akh!"

The Fox groans with every of impact of Yuu's fists, the former's arms hitting his own face with every hit, though the force is lessened by a margin.

"THIS."

Punch.

"IS."

Punch.

"ALL."

Punch.

"YOUR."

Punch.

"FAULT!"

The Fox keeps on taking his punch. One onto another, that is until...

"!!!"

A shockwave of electricity explodes out of the Fox's wrists as another punch impact them, blowing Yuu away.

He lands onto the ground flawlessly, flapping his wings to lessen the impact. Clenching his jaw, he looks forward, sharpening his glare at the sight.

The Fox is now standing firmly, huffing out pants as he holds his right arm. His eyes is now glowing a thunderous bold blue, iris animalistic sharp, like a wild animal ready for battle.

His body is suddenly surrounded with aura of bright blue as sparks of thunder flicker around him.

"Okay, then... If you just... Refuse to fucking listen..." A pair of glowing, white tails surrounded by the same blue aura emerges from the back of his waist. He wipes the remaining blood off of the corner of his lips, as he sharpen his eyes, glaring back at the Archangel.

"I'll make you."

-----

High in the middle of the clouds, the wind caress through the sakura trees, blowing their petals to flamboyantly land onto the sacred grounds of a temple standing high above on a cloud-piercing karst.

The pale-purple sky is clear, the sunset overlooking two white foxes, one small and one big; little Ren and his father are sitting on the temple's gazebo, gazing at sunset, surrounded by the raining cherry blossoms.

With his long, snow-white hair gracefully dancing with the wind, the older Fox huffs as he glances to his son, putting on a gentle smile, "Now, son. Answer me this: what causes a Kitsune to be able to gain an immense amount of power?"

"Hmm..." The little Fox tilts his head as he stares up at the sky, then he glances to his father's tail before going back to his own, "Ooh! Their tails!"

The father nods as his son's wiggle in pride, "Correct. But... What causes them to emit such power in the first place?" He continues, keeping his smile.

Little Ren lays his ears down, putting a finger onto his lips.

"Because... They have... magic..?"

At that, his father cackles as he gently shakes his head.

"No, son," He ruffles the little fox's hair, "It's because of their strong will."

Ren tilts his head, raising an eyebrow, "Strong... Will?"

"Yes. Your dreams, your wishes, your ambitions... They are what drive us, right?" He goes back to stare at the sunset, putting his hand onto his knee, "Imagine life without them. Wouldn't really be interesting, wouldn't it?"

"And once you truly know what you want..."

"You'll feel like you can travel the world in just one step."

"Don't forget that, Ren."

...

...

...

I know, Father.

That's why I am here.

Ren's eyes blare with his brave thunderous glow. Within the confinement of the underground hallway, he spread his trio of tails like a lionfish spreading its toxic fins. Aura of blue lightning swirl around every inch of his body as he spread his left leg back and kneel the other, while he puts his right hand on the floor in front of him, preparing to pounce.

"ALL."

"YOUR."

"FAULT."

The birdman's words echo in his head. Ren could only let out a huff.

Maybe yes, maybe not. He doesn't know the full extent of the Archangel's relationship with Azayaka. But... Just thinking about it, he suddenly feels new waves of energy flowing within him. Perhaps it is ambition? Perhaps it's his typical main character courage?

Or perhaps it is... Jealousy?

With a mere blink, Ren reaches the Archangel's front and takes hold of his shoulder. The former glares at the latter's widened eyes before he sends a flickering palm onto his chest, pushing him down and pinning him to the floor.

Despite the coursing lightning, the Archangel wastes no time to fight back. He grabs Ren's wrist, gripping it tight and lifting his palm away before putting the sole of his shoes onto his chest, kicking him away with a strong force.

Ren lands on all four, sliding across the metallic floor. He then looks up, seeing the Archangel pouncing towards him with his wings sharpened and wide.

A quick roll to Ren's right causes the Archangel to shred the floor instead. With green eyes filled with rage, he turns to his left, just for him to meet a torrent of blue lightning shooting towards him.

An explosion of blue commences the moment they impact, blowing the bird onto the wall, causing a rough clank before he faceplants onto the floor.

With the Archangel quivering his arms, still struggling to get onto his feet, Ren arches his fingers forward, stiffening them as he raises one of his hand to the height of his lips.

"Fifth form."

He clenches his middle and ring finger onto his thumb and straighten his pinky and index.

"Blossom."

From the 'mouth' of the fox head he gestured, a chain of lightning flows towards his trio of glowing white tails. Two of them then swirl around the last with an enchanting electrical hiss as they merge into one; turning into one giant fox tail.

With Ren keeping his stance and hand gesture, the fur on his tail's tip then starts to move, forming a pair of 'ears' before protruding a 'snout'. Then finally, a pair of glowing blue 'eyes' dot the sides of its newly formed 'head', glaring at the fallen Archangel.

He grits his teeth, keeping his flame of rage alive, unswept even with the giant fox looking towards him. Ren answers with his own glare, though his is not filled with the same rage, rather with a tint of indifference.

"Now, will you please just listen to me!?" Ren begs as his summon growls and approaches the Archangel.

"Tch..." Limping slightly back as he stands, the Archangel clenches his jaw, "You... You fucking... Cunt..." His wings widen again, their feathers staying sharp, "Do you really think... Your words mean ANYTHING to me!?"

At that, Ren only sighs with his hands on his hips, "Well then..." With electrical crackles, his summon lifts itself up, keeping its head locked towards the Archangel, "It's your own call, I guess."

"GRHAA!" The fox's tail roars as it dives toward the bird with its jaws open wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth made out of fur.

The Archangel quickly dashes to his side and take flight, letting the giant fox eats the floor instead. His lips form a smirk, but as he turns around mid air, they part as his eyes widened.

"KHRHAAA!" The giant fox tail is quick to recuperate and turn. It is already jolting towards the escaping Archangel with lightning speed.

The fox gaping its jaw inches away from him, the Archangel brings his wings to his front, shielding himself from its teeth as it snaps its mouth down, causing metallic clanks to echo.

"Kkh!" He groans as he keeps it away from shutting its mouth, "Tch... This fucking Fox..." As the teeth starts to dig into the flesh of his wings, they start to emit a black-ish green, flaming glow, "I'LL. MAKE. HIM. PAY!"

With a wispy whoosh, he flaps his wings open with full force, blowing away the teeth clenched onto them. Together with that, he sends a spiral of dark green flame to enter the giant fox's 'throat', triggering chains of explosions along its body.

Ren widens his eyes as his hand forms back into the gesture he uses to summon the giant fox. Though, those explosions soon reaches Ren's actual tail before he could discard the summon.

"Akh!" He hisses as the explosion blows him to his back a few distances away, "Shit... A-Ah... Fucking... Hell..." He feels the heat corroding the tip of his now dusty tail. A little trail of smoke is flying out of the small spark that lits his tail. But a quick slap of his palm manages to put down the flame, though the sizzling sensation is still there.

Not long after, the Archangel lands in front of him, his wings darker than before.

In rhyme as he steps forward, Ren uses his elbows to pulls himself back, though the Archangel quickly outpaces then weights him down, him sitting on Ren's chest. The Archangel then reaches his hand to grip Ren's collar and lift him up.

"I'll ask you one... Last... Time..." He tightens his grip and sharpen his glare, pulling his face closer and pushing their forehead together, "WHERE. IS. SHE!?"

"Tch... Are your head filled with an actual birdbrain or what?" Ren grits his teeth and glares back, "If you just... Fucking listened... I could've taken you to her by now!"

At that, the bird forms a sarcastic smile and pulls his head back, "And what am I supposed to do? Trust you? HAH! Don't fucking start with me now, Fox."

Ren keeps his jaws clenched, his ears lying down as he furrow his brow, "So you just want to get eaten by Samuel!? If so, be my guest and get your hand off of me!"

"Samuel..? That blob thing... Has a name? Heh... You dirty Knights never cease to amaze me."

"Tch... You..." Ren's glare sharpen as he grits his teeth.

As pulses of electrical discharges flow through Ren's hands, he quickly grabs the Archangel's wrist. Yet, the latter's grip still stays strong, him only letting out a slight grunt.

Ren tightens his grip, while the Archangel prepares to thrust his wings downwards.

Though to a sudden wave of shiver, Ren's ears perk and the Archangel's wings quiver. Both releasing their grasp.

"Gurgle."

Whoosh of dark, cold wind emanates from behind the Archangel. As the ripples of a certain blob of darkness echoes closer and closer.

"YOU," The blob of ink slithers through the metal floor like a black mamba, reaching the two in a blink.

Lifting itself high up in the air, Its front protrudes a spike that soon launches itself towards the Archangel's back.

"Wait! Samuel!" Ren reaches his hand forward as he pushes the Archangel off, causing the spike Samuel launched to stop inches away from his palm.

The rest of Samuel's blob-y body becomes calm, his eel-like motion now unmoving.

Ren furrows his brow as he looks at the Pishacha with concern in his eyes. Keeping his outstretched hand still, Ren let out waves of huffs as he calmly steps toward the dark blob, Samuel retracting his spike as Ren approaches.

"I know you're mad... But, please... Calm down," Ren keeps his voice and ears low.

"Ana... Alive..?" Samuel's croaky voice whispers.

Ren keeps his eyes locked onto demonic goo, though he pauses for a moment before answering with an unsure frown, "Don't worry about it, Sam... Just... Get a hold on yourself, Kay?"

Samuel "sighs"- letting out a wave of whistle-like click. He then slowly lowers his the upper length of his body, the waves that ripples throughout his body starting to calm down.

Ren falls to his butt as he lets out some huff. He glances behind, seeing the Archangel perplexed with what he just saw.

"What?" Ren says as he pants, turning around to Samuel. He is now moving back to where he came from, perhaps to find Anastasia's body.

"Haah... You sure beat me hard, huh?" Still letting out rounds of exhausted huffs, Ren wipes his nose, noticing that blood is dripping from it.

"You... You're a fucking idiot, aren't you?" The Archangel grumbles in a sharp tone.

"Hmm, I'm flattered," Ren sighs.

A minute of silence passes by. With each second, Ren is still letting out his huffs as he feels his body going numb. His nosebleed doesn't stop either, though slowly, trails of red keeps on flowing onto his upper lip before he wipes them away.

With a silent spit, the Archangel grits his teeth before standing up. He then approaches Ren with his bitter glare still intact.

But as he walks closer, Ren suddenly falls to his back, his head now right in front of the Archangel's boot, his sweaty face staring at a pair of green glare.

"S-Shit... A little help here..?" Ren's voice becomes raspy, his vision starting to blur. He raises his hand towards the Archangel, but he swats it away.

His vision has become too blurry to read the Archangel's expression, but Ren still could see him narrowing his eyes.

His nosebleed starts to act again, slowly flowing his blood to trail onto his cheeks. Then slowly, he could feel his nose starting to clog, thus air escapes through his mouth as his eyelids starts to go limp.

"H-Hey..." His vision blipping on and off, he sees the Archangel silhouette becoming bigger, he is crouching to look closer, "A-Aza... She... She wanted to make sure that you're safe..." In between his huffs, he continues, "S-So, help me get up. I'll help you find her."

Despite his peace offering, the Archangel stands up then turns around, walking away.

"H-Hey..." Ren gasps, "W-Where are you going!?" He tries to lift himself up but he quickly falls back down, "Fucking... Hell..." As his vision becomes all the more hazy, his eyelids grow tiresome. Thus, he closes them as unconsciousness grows nearer and nearer.

Reaching a few steps away, the Archangel stops, his jaw clenched tight, "Fuck," A silent curse from the winged man's mouth echoes.

Ren's throat is filling itself with pale groans as he tries to reach the Archangel. His fingers shaking and his ears flipped back.

Then finally, with one last huff, his eyelids slowly close, his hand falling limp to the floor.

Though, he catches a glimpse of the Archangel turning around, diving towards him in a flash.

-----