Kitty, Kai, Mei and unconscious Lily on Mei's back arrived at the Safe House, which meant they were very close to the White House. They stood on a slightly higher rise, giving them a perfect view of the entire city.

They looked into the distance, but all they could see was a crowd gathered around the White House.

"What's going on over there?" Kitty thought, staring at the group in the distance.

Human and Neko citizens stood with banners and placards, protesting food poisoning.

"I expect they'll tear us apart, piece by piece, if we go there…" Kai said, activating his Core for reading emotions; all he could see was hatred and anger.

Suddenly something rustled behind them in the bushes.

Everyone turned and looked toward the shrubbery. Aki stepped out. "My master… I'm sorry for scaring you," he said, dropping to his knees. "Is that your sister you went to rescue?" he asked, looking at Mei.

Mei stood there, still wearing her brother's jacket that barely covered her upper body, with only her orange panties underneath.

The jacket slipped slightly off her shoulders as she shifted, revealing more of her skin with every movement.

With the help of her RAIKEN Core she managed to keep Lily on her back.

"Yes… that's my sister," Kai said, then glanced toward the White House. "What's the situation over there?"

Aki bowed his head. "Not good; people are protesting because you fed them poisoned eggs… some even want to kill you…"

"Exactly what I was afraid of…" Kai replied, then turned to him. "Where's Mary?"

Aki parted the bushes, revealing Mary tied up on the ground. Her eyes were swollen and streaked with tears, and her clothes were disheveled.

Mei waved at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Aki's gaze then fell to Lily. "What happened to her…?"

"None of your business," came the curt reply.

Aki bowed his head again. "Sorry for asking…" he said, then remembered another question that had been on his mind. "What do we do now?"

"Do you know how many Calamities were killed?" he was asked putting his finger to the mouth.

"As far as I've heard, nine were killed…" Aki answered, staring at the ground.

Kai turned to Mei. "Count," he ordered, and Mei immediately began projecting in her head, then spoke aloud.

"Snake Of Illusions, Cataclyst, Sad Whale, Meat Building, Forgetting Spider and Forest Stag as far as I know…" Mei said.

"The people protesting destroyed the factory and killed Bug With The Lantern, and I heard Blood Raven and Ghoul Mantises were also killed on the Demon continent… leaving only—" Aki started, and Kai finished his thought.

"Whispering Owl…"

"Where could we find her?" Aki asked.

"That's easy, we wait — right, sis?" Kai asked, glancing at his sister.

"That's right," Mei nodded. "She's an all-knowing owl; she should know where we are, and she'll come because she said she wanted to learn more about us."

"We just need to wait for her to show up…" Kai added, putting a finger to his lower lip. "And I already know exactly who I want to kill before then…"

⬜ ⬜ ⬜

At the meeting of the Gods everyone had gathered except Feloria.

Rhazir — the God of Bloodbeasts — looked at the empty chair where Feloria should have been sitting, then glanced at Nytherra. "Is it wise to let her do as she pleases?" he asked.

"She's not like she'll do anything…" Nytherra said.

"But… she'll kill the brother and sister…" he said, pounding his palms on the table.

"So?" Nytherra asked coldly.

Rhazir gave her a strange look. "Why did you kill the little Goddess of the Elves, but you don't want to kill Feloria?" he asked angrily.

"Do you have a problem with my decisions?" Nytherra shot back. "If you want, then stop her yourself from killing Kai and Mei."

Rhazir blinked a few times, thinking. "You won't kill me?" he asked skeptically.

"I won't…" Nytherra said. "But you know the rules — if a God kills another God they will be stripped of their duty…"

In other words, if Rhazir kills Feloria he will lose the privilege of being a God.

"Why are you making things so difficult for me…?" Nytherra tapped her fingers on the table. "You know it takes 100 years before a new candidate is born…?"

Rhazir rose from his seat. "With all due respect I apologize, but I must go…" He strode confidently toward the great obsidian doors. "Goodbye!" he said as he slammed the doors behind him.

⬜ ⬜ ⬜

"My master…" Aki began, drawing his sword carefully as he sensed someone. "Someone's in the bushes…" he whispered.

Leaves rustled lightly, then a green-tipped kunai flew out and plunged into Kai's chest. Infection quickly started spreading across his body, around the kunai.

Kai's gaze fell as he felt the pain. He froze, staring death in the face. "Ha!" was the last thing that escaped before he collapsed to the ground.

They all stared at Kai with different expressions. Kitty and tied Mary looked terrified, Aki was ready to commit suicide — pressing his sword to his heart — and Mei smiled faintly.

The sound of Kai's body hitting the ground was followed by another unexpected THUD. Miyuki's body lay before them.

Without a second's thought Aki drew his sword. He swung it back then brought it down toward her, ready to cut off her head, but before he could even make a small nick at her throat something stopped the blade's path.

A hand sprang out of the bushes and caught the sword. Aki's blade cut through all fingers except the thumb — slicing it in half — and then came to rest right above Miyuki's neck.

Aki looked up and saw Kai. "M-master…?" he stammered, and Kai only smiled while a fountain of blood spurted from his hand.

"What happened? You look like you saw a ghost…" Kai said with a smile, and his sister looked at him with a 'that's cringe' expression.

"That gag's overused," she said, then adjusted Lily into a slightly more comfortable position.

Kai grabbed his head. "Maybe they don't know about it!" he shouted, then looked at his sister with eyes begging, "please, spare me."

Kai, with his healthy hand, tore off the lower part of his white shirt and wrapped cloth around his wound to stop the bleeding.

"But…" Aki began, confused as he looked between the Kai on the ground and the Kai standing before him. "Then who is this?" he asked.

Kai's body, that had been lying motionless on the ground, began to blacken. In a matter of moments his body turned completely black. That blackness then spoke.

"It's nice again to see you," said the Shadow, who looked entirely like Kai.

"Shadow...?" Aki asked, puzzled, and immediately took a fighting stance.

The Shadow bowed to Aki, tipping his hat. "Pleased to meet you!"

Kai's eyes flicked between Aki and Miyuki, who lay sprawled on the floor. Only the top of her bunny suit remained, clinging to her curves, leaving her long, slender legs completely bare.

The smooth skin of her thighs caught the light, making them seem almost unreal in their softness.

Even in unconsciousness, Miyuki's long, white, bunny ears twitched at the faintest sounds, tiny shivers running down her spine that made her chest rise and fall ever so slightly.

Kai couldn't help but notice the way the sunlight played over her form — the gentle curve of her calves, the soft hollow of her knees, and the slight rise of her chest with each shallow breath.

Even the faint, accidental arch of her back added to the display, a subtle invitation written in the language of her body that only someone paying close attention would notice.

Every twitch of her ears, every delicate movement of her hands and legs, seemed to mock everyone playfully, as if Miyuki herself was aware of the effect she had — even in unconsciousness.

"Better keep an eye on her… Don't worry about Shadow…" Kai said looking away from Miyuki's unconsciousness body.

Aki planted his sword at Miyuki's throat. "Please, master, accept my deepest apologies. I didn't mean to cut off your fingers…"

"Don't worry about my hand… But don't kill her — I need her," Kai ordered.

"May I know who she is?" Aki asked, poking her with a sword.

Kai grinned. "Bunny Girl senpai…" he said, then turned to the Shadow. "You saw her, didn't you?" Kai asked.

The Shadow only nodded, without a word. His red, burning eyes and entirely black face gave nothing away. The top hat and gloves lent him an aristocratic air.

"Then lead us! Take us to the Neko Goddess!" Kai said with a smile as blood dripped from his hand, now with only one finger left.

The Shadow bowed, ready to guide them. "Of course… However, bargain our stands… right?" the Shadow asked, seeking confirmation.

Kai didn't answer; Mei took over. "Of course, our bargain stands. You get your revenge, and we get ours…"

"Revenge?" Kai asked, then added, "More like freedom…"

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