BY NOW IT IS 8:00 pm...

Taro walked up the stairs and into his room. "Hunny!" called out a woman's voice.
"Yes, Aunt?" asked Taro slipping his head out the door.
"Would you like anything from the store?" she asked putting on her shoes and looking up stairs.
"Nothing please." he said and went into his room and locked the door.
"Okay deary! Sweet dreams!" she called out and left the house. She got into her car and drove off as Taro looked out the window.
'Finally.' he thought to himself as he lowered the blinds on his window and went to his desk. He pulled out some papers from his back pack and put it on the desk. "Homework on the first day." he said to himself then pulling out a pen from his pocket. He started to do his work until the lights in the room started to dim a couple times. "Huh?" 'ZZZT!!' The lights went out in the house. Taro quickly got up and stood there trying to adjust to the darkness.
"T- t- t- t- Taro!" said a creepy voice. Taro looked around the room in a state of paranoia, then settled down.
"Is it those annoying neightbor kids again?" he asked into the darkness. He walked into the middle of the room and asked, "What are you brats doing here?" At first there was no response, but a few seconds later the voice called out again.
"Taro... Taro Ritsue." A pair of white fangs appeared behind Taro as he looked foward.
"Where are you?" he asked looking around then slowly turning around still searching high and low. When he completely turned around he was face-to-face with the horrifying pair of teeth. "WAH!" he yelled out falling backwards. "What the hell?" he screamed crawling back as far as he could from the fangs.
"Hahahahaha!" he called out as his fangs moved closer. A car drove by the house showing a few seconds of light into the room. There stood a creature that looked like Taro Ritsue with huge white fangs, extremely long claws, and only eye sockets.
"The hell?!" he called out getting up slowly. "What are you? A shinigami?" he called out pointing at him.
"No. I am, Edagener." he said smiling a very unpleasent grin. "I am your Shadow." he said pointing at Taro. The car had passed by then relinquishing all light in the room again.
"My... shadow?" asked Taro in astonishment.
"Are you afraid?" he asked starting to giggle.
"Surprisingly... no." he said and had a small grin come up.
"What?" asked Edagener with his smile fading. "You're not scared?"
"No. Why would I? You're my shadow. My.... shadow...." he said lowering his head at the end of his talk.
"What's the matter Taro?" he said showing no sign of care.
"My father... heh... he isn't insane." he said to himself then going into an uncontrolled laugh. He wailed his arms into the air.
"Wow... you're more insane than me." he said smiling again.
"No! I'm not insane!" said Taro lowering his hands. "My father's told me about this day. 'My shadow would talk to me. It was only a matter of time,' He used to say. I know about you, Eh-Daggener." he said with a smirk.
"It's Edagener! Edagener Eustir Orat!" He said with anger. "I'm your opposite." he said with a smirk. "Come on! Say my name backwards!" then laughed.
"Hmm.... Taro... Ritsue.... Renegade?" he said questioningly.
"Perfect!" yelled Edagener when another car came past the house. "I am your renegade!" he announced laughing hysterically. "I've come for you." he said.
"To kill me?"
"Maybe..."
"Impossible!" shouted Taro swinging his arm to the side.
"How?" asked Edagener very confused. The only thing he knew to do was to kill his Host. That was his job, he thought.
"Destroy me, and my shadow no longer exists. It's simple! You cannot live without me! I'm your life line!" he said explaining it to Edagener. "So you must not be here to kill me." he said smiling.
"Uhhh.... I never thought about that." he said thinking to himself. "Kill the host and the Shadow follows?" he asked himself. "Intruiging... You ARE the smart one." he said to himself then slashed into the wall creating a Rift into the Darkness Realm. "I need you to join to Darkness and help us get back what was taken from us, the Pure Realm." he said to Taro.
"Why me?" he asked looking into the even darker Rift.
"Because You're father would help us if he could." he said thinking about his own father.
"He would... but I'm not him!" Taro announced. He turned around and looked out the window.
"At noon we're meeting with the other Demonics and an Angelic." he said to Taro.
"An Angelic?" he asked turning his head back at Edagener.
"Yes... Join us and what was ours can be yours!" he said to Taro then covered half of his face. "Think..." he said.
Taro lowered his head and thought for a minute, then turned around and faced Edagener. "I thought and came up with an answer! I choose to-"

Well, it worked, just the way she wanted it. Nothing more nothing less. Lio was fast asleep now, and as a form of congratulations, she guessed tricking the teacher into thinking she was there the whole time shouldn't have disturbed her attendance. Neko happily jumped from one shadow to another, stopping a few feet away from the school. She could see the whole place from where she was, and it was perfect to get an insight on anything and everything. She wasn't interested, so she might as well observe as for now. Who knows? She might gain something valuable. The angels and demons have gathered, what will happen of the war? Who will lose, who will win? Who will die, and who will live? So many questions, but so little time.

Everyone was being tricked, one way or another. Even she might be, but who knew? It didn't matter to her anyways, what could she have done? Nothing, and she wishes to do nothing. Either live a life of amusement, or rid of herself so she may rest in peace. Even then, she doubts everything. Averting her gaze, she looked up at the sky, seeing mixtures of yellows and oranges and purples as the sun slowly sank. How beautiful it was, if she had a heart. She was dark, she was evil, she knew that ever since she was made. Not much she could do about it though, her fate was sealed.

Sighing, she sped through the city, coming back to the house. It seems her host was awake all this time, foolish of her to not notice. If wasn't her fault though, there was a lot on her mind. She needed to think things through, or just forget about them. Ah, Lio, you can't trick your own shadow. Whatever you do, I know. Neko grinned, sliding through the window as she settled herself as Lio's shadow once more. “Hn, that wasn't my goal. I knew that a long time ago, and I'm awake for that reason. Can you explain to me what this is all about?” She asked, frustrated that Neko shut her up by putting her to sleep. Hypnotizing? She didn't know, it seemed like it.

I am you, you are me. I know what you want, and what you don't want. Everything you think, say, or do I know, by will or not. Neko said, very vague to put it. Lio scoffed, falling onto her bed. “Oh please, give me a break from your ridiculous riddles.” It is not a riddle, Leo, Neko grinned. It is the truth, no matter how much you refuse to believe it. Lio flinched, she was right. All she was doing right now was refusing to accept reality, in this case. “I'll only believe you because you are my shadow, got it? And can't you just tell me straightforward?! No need to dance around the question!” But then where's the fun in that?

"Start talking." Kale snapped as he jetted onto the east 405, "I mean it."

The yearbook was thrown carelessly in the back seat. Kale drove with white knuckles, beads of sweat on his forehead, and his eyebrows drawn together. When Taro had been collected so swiftly, that had left Kale nothing to do but sit, twiddle his thumbs and try to make sense of all that had happened. Mal crashed back in later and ordered curtly that they had to leave, and it had been everything to prevent Kale from beating his head against the sink.

Mal had noticed the aspirin that Kale took, and disregarded it carelessly. Kale's head was pounding once more.

"Come on!" Kale was angry. He glanced into the rear view mirror and saw that his pupils were enlarged, giving him a rather startling appearance, "Tell me what the hell happened back there!"

"Well, it's really quite simple." Mal sulked, "Do you want to destroy heaven?"

"Uh--no thanks?"

"Then it's settled." Mal was pacing again, thinking hard.

"Is that what this is about then? Others of your...of your kind are planning on destroying heaven?"

"That's the idea. Although some of us aren't quite smart and don't understand that it can't be done. And since some of us aren't smart it means that others of us have to risk themselves playing a very deadly and dangerous game to try and cover up the unplanned maniac idiocies of others."

"If it can't be done, then why..."

"Unfortunately, you're dragged into this as much as I am. We're connected, you see. I'm in your head. I don't know if you could tell."

"Good eye, Brian."

"Part of this not so brilliant plan is that I have to bring you somewhere at a certain time."

Kale swallowed, "And then what?"

"We go and destroy the world, obviously."

"That's it? No plan? No...actual execution?"

"Naturally. My boss isn't that smart of a guy."

"What if I said I had plans tonight?"

"Actually, I was planning on having you get out of it by either actually going to it, or driving you straight into oncoming traffic."

The wheel teetered dangerously.

"No!" Kale barked, "Don't, Mal."

"I'm supposed to do stuff like this you know. Torment you. Hurt you."

Kale's mind was spinning. Mal had never talked about hurting him before. Sure, Mal had made life hell for him a few times, but it was all as a joke, in a juvenile fashion. There was something frantic about the normally cool and smooth Ever Malevolent. Kale wasn't sure he liked the change.

"What do you need me to do, besides that?" Kale took a few deep breaths, indicating that Mal should do the same.

"Well you already said you didn't want to destroy the world. So, you know, that helps me considerably. You want to help me?"

"If it prevents you from killing me right here and now, then yes."

"Then here's what we're going to do.."

"Hahahahahahaha!" laughed Edagener hysterically. "You ARE the smart one!" he announced and stared at Taro.
"Why? Because I chose sides with the Angelics?"
"No! Because you can do whatever you want with no consiquences from me! I can't kill you or I die!" he said then laughed again.
"What happens if a Shadow dies?" said Taro curiously. Edagener stopped laughing and began to listen. "Does the Host die as well?" he asked. Edagener looked at Taro and smiled.
"Some say there's a shock to the host when a shadow dies. Some get heart attacks, and others feel insane amounts of pain. The stronger the Shadow, the stronger the reaction." he said with a grin. "Why so curious? Thinking about getting rid of me?" he asked.
"No." answered Taro. "You're a higher ranked Shadow and your death might cause me to die as well." he said. Edagener was shocked at how much Taro knew about shadows and their rankings.
"How do you know so much?"
"My father used to tell me stories before he went to the assylum." he said and turned around.
"My father is trapped there." said Edagener. "Within your father's head." he explained and Taro swifly turned around.
"The scar!"
"Yes... from earlier."
"My past history of Bipolarity!"
"Also me."
"That explains a lot..." The lights started to blink back on, flashing like a strobe light.
"Go to the Docks at noon tomorow! And choose the winning side!" said Edagener as fe sank into the floor and joined with Taro's shadow. The lights came on and nothing was out of the ordinary in his room. Taro went to the window and saw his Aunt had returned home.
"It's been that long?" he asked himself then tried to get a good nights sleep.

Lillia needed to clear her head. After spending so much time in another realm fighting things she didn't understand, she was thankful to be back in her room, the one she understood so well. But as glad she was to be in her room, she felt closed in by the walls. She needed to walk, to feel open and in control for once today.
Why are you going out in the open? You've been so vulnerable already, why do you need to go out on crowded streets in the middle of the night too? Sometimes I think you're trying to work me to death.
"I don't need you, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this situation..."
Lillia, don't talk like that.
"It's true, and now I'm going for a walk with or without you and your approval."
As she walked out the door, she felt the cold night air hit her with a force, causing her to pause mid-step. She inhaled deeply and resumed walking briskly, turning her attention to the sidewalk across the busy four-way street.
Are you crazy? You can't dodge that kind of traffic!
Ignoring the angel's protested, she proceeded to attempt to cross the traffic, dodging cars coming at her at over 50mph.

Frost had been sitting at home doing nothing except be bored. "When do you think the shit is gonna hit the fan?" He asked toward Fuyu.
I have no clue, He replied, But when it does the whole world is gonna stink.
"So what can I do to stop this?" Frost asked.
Learn to control what we did earlier, not very many have mastered that, and even less with a Shadow of my power.
"Ok where do we start?" Frost asked again sitting up in bed.
Concentrate on what you felt earlier. You need to be able to pull up that feeling from will. Imagine sending me your power through a tiny thread in the air, thats it.
Frost concentrated as he was told and felt strength being pulled from his body. Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light.
"Very good," Fuyu said once again real, "Now to see how long I can stay this way."

Edagener

He flew around in the Darkness waiting for noon to come. "I would suspect that the spy still lives..." he said hoping the spy heard him. "NOON!" he yelled stopping in the middle of the darkness. "THE CHOSEN WILL MEET AT NOON!" he yelled and heard cheering throughout the Darkness. He grined and listened to the cheering Demonics and let out a yawn. "My boredom shall disperse." he said with a laugh.

It was dark now, approaching the hour instructed by Edagener to meet at the docks. Lillia remembered the situation with the demon and his minion clearly, the picture stung in her mind.

Don't go Lillia! What if it's a trap?

Rise pleaded with her, begging her not to go. Lillia was strong willed, however, and once again failed to heed the warnings of her inner angel. Rise began to worry, she was not strong enough to exert influence over Lillia's actions, but she knew that the rendezvous was not a smart idea. Lillia crossed the next street, landing her in view of the docks not twenty feet away now. She blocked out the panicking Rise who continued to try and persuade her.

Please, just forget about it! What good could possibly come of this? Nothing, that's what!

Lillia once again ignored Rise and strolled her way to a chair parked on the side edge of the closest dock. Lillia sat down and began to wait, wondering about Edagener's motives for this encounter, but not once, having second thoughts about coming.

Edagener's Father

"Son... Break me out of my prison... My host has gone insane..." The darkness was all he could see. He was trapped within his host's body with no escape. "The light pierces his body like water of the Earth... Son... Edagener..." he said with a faint voice. Insanity was starting to grab ahold of him as well and now was the time for him to be rescued. He was locked away 10 years ago during the first war, and his capture ended the war...

Frost felt his concentration wavering, it had been a little over two hours since he had made Fuyu into a tangible being. "I can't hold it anymore," He said exausted. Fuyu faded into nothing and as he did said, "You did a good job, The last part being heard inside Frost's head not by his ears.
"Glad somebody thinks I can do a good job," He said talking to Fuyu.
With power such as this we can destroy these Shadows once and for all Fuyu said laughing.

Edagener

Edagener was wandering through the Darkness Realm and became bored, as usual, and decided to check out a hole for entertainment. He saw a girl walking to the docks and realized Rise's Host went at the wrong time. "Hah hah hah hah!" he cried out with his hands in the air like he was trying to grab something. "Change of plans my friends! The meeting shall be at MIDNIGHT!" he yelled and heard excitment within the darkness.

Taro

Taro was lying in bed for the past 2 hours trying to sleep. [i/]A shinigami?[/i] he kept thinking to himself. All of a sudden bright white fangs appeared in front of him. "BWAH!" he shouted when he saw the fangs.
"Hah hah! Easily scared I see... I've got an update."
"I don't care."
"We meet at midnight at the docks."
"Like I care."
"A human girl's going to get killed if you don't go."
"I said I- what?"
"Heh..." said Edagener now finding a weakness against Taro. "If you don't go a human girls will die. She's almost there. Do you want to be responsible for a death?"
"I..." Taro struggled at Edagener's question. If I go... then he'll make me join the Demonics... If I stay I can't be associated into this war... Damn!
"Well?" asked Edagener tilting his head completely sideways.
"I... I'm-"

The plan was as set up as it was going to be. Kale knew what was about to happen to him. The knowing didn't make him feel any better. He sure wished he could call Lacey, but Mal wouldn't let him.

"Not a good idea." The Ever Malevolent snapped the first time Kale reached for his phone.

Thankfully, Kale had his own dorm. He had been one of the last to sign up for freshman dorms--he had the lone room tucked into the end of Chaucer Hall. He had missed track practice. He had missed dinner, lunch, and everything else. Kale lay on his back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking.

For years Mal had been in his head--as long as he had remembered, actually. When he was a child he thought it was cool. He always had a friend he could talk to. Growing up he started to realize that not everyone had the voice in their head, the occasional headaches. And there was even a time when Kale had hated the fact that he had a monster living in his head.

But now, Kale Arlowe felt like he belonged to something greater and more powerful than what he could even fathom. The plan ran back and forth, up and down in his head. It was so risky--and yet it was the only thing that they could do to prevent what was bound to happen. He took a deep breath. In. Out. In. Out.

No use trying to rest. Mal was pacing again and again.

"Don't you have Angelics to talk to?" Kale muttered.

"Soon." Mal replied, "Either Charros or Fuyu."

He was rattled, irritated, uneasy. All the movement in his head--Kal wished he could down like ten painkillers. This was worse than muscle cramps from track or cross country. He was almost doubled up on his bed as Mal sulked and steamed.

"It's almost midnight..." Kale whispered, "Two hours. Please, Mal. Please let me rest."

"I'll have to, won't I?" Mal mustered his strength and broke through the barrier again, slipping into the beyond, "I'll go talk to Fuyu myself."

_______

The Ever Malevolent found Fuyu with his Host in their own home. The Demonic made his shadowy presence known, hovering in the corner without a sentient body.

"I bring no harm..." He said quite plainly, "To you or your human. In fact--I have information for you."

Fuyu looked toward the corner and said back, "Speak then, for I have little patience now." he flew toward the shadow in case other ears were prying in on their conversation.

"Get word to Charros that Edagener means to set Him free, the Shadow from the First War." Mal said smoothly, "It would be in your best interest--in fact, I would come with you--to journey to the asylum and speak with the man. What little of his mind if left, it would be best to appease it. If we can control the Host, then there is nothing that will break him free. All of Edagener's plans are scattered, a diversion. This is his true intent."

Mal swirled a bit, staring at the Angelic's boy, "I see you two have been preparing for what is to come, as well. Good. Edagener is a fool to think that his plan will work. He thinks without thought, he makes action without heed. I will do what I can for your side, but realize that I am still a Demonic Captain. I have my leeway now, though. We have an hour before the meeting. Will you come with me to the Asylum?"

Taro

"I'm going." said Taro turning around and opening the window. He would have to snaek out because this house is old and will wake his aunt up if he tried to go out the front door.
"Heh..." said Edagener as he vanished into the darkness. Taro slid off the balcony and landed on the cold, hard ground.
"I'll make sure this girl is safe." Or I'll kill my Shadow.

Edagener

"Hah...hah...hah..." he said into the Darkness. "Soon my army will be complete... Father... You'd be so proud..." he said as flew away from the hole.

Fuyu looked at Mal and nodded his head. "If you think this is important than I shall do it." looking back at his host he knew he had heard him and flew off toward the old asylum.

Jeffrey Ritsue

He sat in his room, pure white, no shadows. He sat in the fetal position as always and had his mouth closed so that it wouldn't dry out. The floors were glass and had flourecent bulbs in the ground letting light in from the floor, walls, and cieling. No shadow's could penetrate his defences that he requested. Let me out you creep! said the shadow in his head.
"Not a chance. You can only influence my mind a little."
So...weak... let me out you bug!
"Hah! Try you demonic!" he called out and laughed.

Fuyu
Looking over his shoulder he noticed the horrid shadow was not following him. As he approached the asylum he wondered how he was supposed to find the room with Taro's father in it without the help of the other shadow. Guess I'll have to wing it... He thought to himself and started going into the shadows in each room.

Taro

He was running as fast as he could towards the Docks when he finnaly recognized some of the buildings. He looked at his watch and read the blue numbers, 11:47. "Hah hah! You're almost late!" cried out Edagener in his mind.
"Shut up. I could kill you, you know?" he said as he stopped to catch his breath.
"Really?" he said amusingly.
"Yeah. We're connected by our own life. You die, I die and viseaversa. Look around. There's many things I could use to kill myself with." he said and Edagner giggled.
"Kill yourself? Like suicide? You'd never do that! Ever since your mothers death you've-"
"SHUT UP!" shouted Taro growing angry.
"Ooh I've hit a weak spot, have I?" he asked curiously.
"I'm only a few blocks away. What happens now?" he asked walking towards the Docks.
"The party'll begin!" he cried out almost giving Taro a headache. "Heh heh hah hah HAH!"

"Sorry."

Mal stepped out into the Between.

"I can't be too near you, Fuyu. You being an Angelic and all."

The Ever Malevolent jerked his head to the side, "He's in here, this guy. But when we enter, his shadow is gonna put up a hell of a fight even to let us talk to him. If you stay between, he might not notice you there. If he comes at me to kill me..."

Mal shook his head, hardly believing he was asking it, "...if he comes at me to kill me, he probably could. He's a lot stronger than what I care to admit right now. If he comes at me, it's up to you to come in and distract him so I can escape. Can I trust you?"

Can I trust you. That was nearly laughable. Fuyu didn't trust him. Charros hardly trusted him! Still, Mal knew his position was precarious. If he could win over Fuyu at this point, then the war would not be all for lost. Mal's own personal agenda might not fall through, either.

"We don't have much time."