YYH Next Gen(Anna only)

Todd stared for a moment. Beside him, Hina noticed his tail fluff up and his ears pin. "Lucian..." He said calmly, though his demeanor betrayed him. "Pray tell; why do you smell so strongly of my little sister?"

Lucian was half way through his food when he froze. Quickly shoving the rest down he bolted from the tent like a bat out of hell now wishing that it was damn well snowing as he bolted for the woods fearing for his life at this point.

Tod's eyebrow twitched. "You'll excuse me while I eviscerate a pest." he stood up, leaving the tent calmly. Then he vanished, chasing after Lucian, silently.

The forest was easy for the fox to navigate. Unlike Lucian, he was used to running among the snow covered brush. He knew where roots would likely be hidden under snow mounds.

It didn't take the fox but a moment to pick up his trail. The trick would be catching up-- and given their power differences; it boiled down to prediction. Where would Lucian go? He followed his trail for a minute or two before veering off, having figured out his pattern.

As Lucian cleared the edge of the forest, he was greeted by the carrot topped fox waiting for him. "Urimeshi." Todd growled.

Lucian was fast to throw up some snow in his face before crying, "It was her idea!!!" He then ran back the way he came only to fall into one of the set traps for Hinamori's training.

Screaming like a girl practically he was forced to dodge kunai poison needles and throwing stars. Hinamori's teacher who sat up in the tree watched as he bolted on by avoiding several more kunai. "Hmm he beat Hina's record for sure..." She said laughing.

Todd was right on his tail-- so to speak.

He haddn't had time to complete the obstacle course by the time the fox caught him, grabbing his shoulder roughly. "Face me, like a man!" He snarled, more angry that his so called friend would run from him.

Lucian had been caught. And he could feel Todds energy breech the next level, and not by a little. The fox seemed to be nearly lost to rage. He slammed Lucian into a tree, cracking it right up the trunk-- all the way through. "Opa's idea or not, did you or did you not dishonor my family out of wedlock?" he demanded, his eyes flashing from their typical green to red.

Lucian slumped down while Todd still had him in grip. His head lowered as tears streamed down his face. "Yes... I did... and I'm sorry! I just wasn't thinking as usual! I'm sure she was just trying to ease me because she knew I been faking my smiling half the time when I just pretty much lost hope in everything including myself..."

"Stop crying." Tod ordered mercilessly. He thrust one clawed hand into he wood beside Lucians head and glared. He wouldn't hurt him. He was simply too disappointed in him.

The energy in the air seemed to have been caught in a sudden vacuum. As Todd took in a quick breath, his energy fell back to his typical A rank in less than a second. It left a hallow ringing in the air, and with it a strong scent of blood, though neither had been cut during their confrontation.

Todd pulled his hand free, stepping back from Lucian, an obviously pained expression across his face. Hell, it was the closest thing to agony Lucian had ever seen on his friends face before.

It all happened in 2 seconds flat. Todd had hit the forest floor, gasping, gargled, as blood dripped from his mouth.

Lucian's eyes went wide tears still falling and he fell to his knees holding his head letting out a loud scream that shook the area. By the time Himawari came rushing up with the others Todd was alone. Lucian was gone and completely out of everyone's senses..

They had rushed Todd back and thanks to his teachers healing she managed to keep him from flat lining and stabilized him. "Hinamori and her teacher had returned and Yomi said, "Did you locate Lucian yet?"

"No he's gone.... he's no longer in this territory and we searched the whole perimeter." Said Hinamori catching her breath.

Even after his teachers helping hand, the ordeal had left Todd weakened and drained. His energy had reached a mid-s class... His body simply hadn't been able to handle the strain of his soul.

Opa had left long before Lucian, leaving Envy to survey their broken group with mild confusion. "A group as weak as this will never succeed in taking down the sins." she said knowingly, sitting in the room Todds cot was in. The fox was sleeping--resting.

Envy looked to Hinamori and tilted her head slightly. "You have practiced the art of subterfuge, correct?"

Hinamori just sat next to Todd saying, "I'm not in the mood Envy.... Just leave me alone and let me sit here in peace.." She then held Todd's hand in hers and sighed softly saying, "You idiot.... you already cause me grief and we're not even together for long. I swear if you die I'll bust into the other side and drag you back myself..."

Envy fell silent, watching them both curiously.

One of Todds ears flicked.

"His energy rubber-banded. Stretched to it's limits then snapped." Envy said. "He won't die. Though you ought to know his heart will fail him during the fight."

The green haired woman stood up, bowing slightly out of respect to Hinamori. "When you are finished codeling the fox, please come find me."

Hinamori huffed and just sat there next to Rodd. Gwen came in a few seconds after Envy left.

"I heard Lucian vanished and Todd ended up like this. Are you mad at Lucian..." Asked Gwen coming in.

"I'm pissed at them both for doing this shit. I don't care if his sister was the queen of whatever he shouldn't have chased after Lucian like that and over exerted himself." Said Hinamori pissed.

Envy led the way through the frozen tundra, Todd, Hina, and Gwen on her tail skirts. "We should be getting close." the green haired woman said, huffing slightly. The icy air burnt their lungs as they ran. "As I said before, I will aid in showing you to the sins, one at a time, but I can not help in the fight."

"That's fine you just hide yourself and keep out of the way while we handle this." Said Hinamori.

"That's right so far we owe you our lives Envy as much as I hate to admit it. But since I found out it was wrath who killed my father his ass is so mine." Said Gwen firmly.

"This feels like sloth." She informed the group. "She and I never did get along..." She frowned, slowing down. She rested on a tree branch, frowning. "Be careful. Just past the woods edge should be a cave." she stated, closing her eyes. "You'll have to avoid barriers, and watch out for illusions. Sloth is not physical, but her mind games are nearly unrivaled."

"Thanks for the heads up." Todd frowned. "Hina, you've inherited some of your fathers jagan abilities, correct? You should be able to see though illusions easily enough. That means you take the lead."

"More then that." Said Hinamori running ahead of the group and suddenly her eyes went from their usual color to a straight silver and the area around her became instantly exposed. "Everyone straight behind me don't detour to your left or right just focus. We have a trap coming ahead in five seconds after I make the call jump but first pick up speed." Said Hinamori.

Gwen braced herself and picked up speed and said, "This is nerve racking."

"Now!!" Yelled Hinamori and seconds after the group jumped the sound of glass was heard shattering around them the moment they landed after jumping. The area suddenly was exposed to them all as the barrier was broken and Hinamori stopped the group seeing the cave.

"This is it I'll be fighting this one as you all will have problems." Said Hinamori firmly.

"I think it might be wiser to work together." Todd said. It was too late though-- Hina had taken off again, out of ear shot.

Sloth sat in the center of a tall cavern, playing with strings along her fingers. She seemed to be playing cats craydel.

"Todd she may be right I didn't eve see that cave till the last second just now. Her barriers are strong that's going to be huge issues for us." Said Gwen.

Todd frowned. "Still, I would feel better knowing she had back up..." He sighed.

"There's nothing we can do at this point now move quickly before the illusion goes back up!" Sad Gwen dashing inside quickly dragging Todd with her.

Hinamori had stopped seeing sloth of course playing with her string like no one had barged in.

Throwing a kunai Hinamori tacked the string out of her hands to the wall saying, "You think you're smug think again. Now get up and fight me."

Sloth stared for a moment down at her hands where the string had been moments before. "Oh..." She said, sounding mildly disappointed. "You've ruined my game." she sighed, waving a hand carelessly. "Kill me if you plan. Just spare me your voice."

The woman made no move to stand. Her voice was hallow, carrying a faint echo to it. She seemed herself to be more of an illusion than real. If it weren't for a slight warmth and smell of iron drawn from the small slice in her finger-- a result of Hina's blade-- she might as well not have been real at all.

Gwen came staggering in with Todd behind her and the two froze. "Jeez why's it pitch black in here! Hina are you here if so give us a holler!!" Called Gwen.  Hina sighed seeing they were caught in the illusion again. Quickly moving over she sliced Gwen across her arm and jabbed Todd a good one not enough to be lethal but to pull them back to reality.

"Ow ah Hina you're here what was that for!!" Whined Gwen.

Finding two Kunai tossed her way lightly Hinamori said, "My teacher told me the art of illusion can be broken if you cut yourself. Keep these with you and jab yourselves if you fall into it again."

Gwen handed one to Todd and said, "Thanks we'll keep that in mind so that's sloth huh?"


"Yes and I got a bad feeling she's stronger then she's letting on." Said Hinamori.