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Not too long ago in 's story "Rescue the Ranger" -- just a couple weeks story-wise! -- Takeru Miyamoto and 19 more gifted and innocent dudes were taken from Earth by Lilith to be auctioned off as slaves in her Bordello, which by the way was in her Hell! In my story "Worth", Shinri Muto's undercover mission to infiltrate Lilith's Cult of the Goddess, mortal and otherwise agents of Lilith in the mortal world, bore the unexpected and timely fruit that helped our heroes pave the way to that rescue. Ever since, it was thought that things would be back to normal for T.K. and everyone saved...

...but that presumption couldn't have been more wrong. What Lilith did is having quiet yet tragic aftershocks. And so some of our heroes in Demon City 7 must do what they can to heal the damage!

Get ready for a much more subdued yet meaningful ride as you'll see what I mean. Also, this is my first chance to really show some respect to a character by the name of Tetsuya, who was imagined by . What's interesting about him is how little you'll know about him...but he does know a couple of familiar yet equally intriguing faces you've seen in my stories before!
---
"The Secrets That Bind"

--1--

Only a couple of weeks earlier, Takeru Miyamoto and 19 more mystically gifted men were going to be condemned. They had been taken by the demonic predator many called the Goddess of Lust, Lilith. She had her way with each and every one of those men, seeming to focus with the most zeal upon Takeru, a Ryu Ranger. Those twenty were fated under Lilith's will to be auctioned off as slaves within the First Circle of her Hell known as the Majin Realm. The only reason those helpless victims weren't condemned already was because Lilith's Palace was uniquely shielded from the rest of her Hell's environment. Ordinarily, a mortal going to any Hell meant instant death and damnation, but in her Palace and the place of auction Lilith called The Bordello, agents in service to her who were mortal and those Angelic she turned to evil would be protected...

...thankfully, that gave many heroes from Earth the chance they needed to do something that had only been accomplished once before: to actually cross over into a Hell from Earth (and some would say it's only fair since those from The Other Side invade the mortal realm CONSTANTLY, and much too often for the most terrible of reasons!)...and that was how a group of heroes reached the Maijin Realm to liberate Takeru and his fellow prisoners!

By the time of the auction, Kyoko and Misa Asagi, Fubuki Inazuma and Herene Hakuryu, Chikage Akuma, and more Slayers boldly infiltrated Lilith's Bordello and wisely used cunning instead of facing their demonic enemies in a straightforward fight...they had an 'inside man', Shinri Muto, who helped set the stage for doing so safely. Trying to challenge Lilith in her Hell would NOT have been a good idea -- they were risking enough possibly drawing the attention of her realm's gods! But the Dark Gods of all the Nethers ordinarily didn't give a shit about the little things that happen to any of the damned beneath them. One can suspect they might have ignored the invasion from Earth simply to see the proud Lilith, who wasn't a goddess, taken down a peg or two!

Employing a powerful mystic chalk they used to put Lilith, the Oe family and all possible opposition in attendance into a state of unconsciousness, the twenty men were saved and taken back to Earth.

--2--

But that wasn't the end of this story...it was a long way from that.

Takeru and his fellow prisoners might have been returned to Earth, but they had been traumatized in so many horrible, humiliating ways during their captivity. Lilith had violated them all, repeatedly, and they all continued to suffer in silence. Five of those men, tragically, committed suicide only days after their rescue. Even the brave and confident Takeru Miyamoto sorely felt the temptation to end his own pain somehow...

...but during their captivity, in spite of the fact they never got to directly interact with one another, Takeru and his fellow prisoners had inexplicably formed a kind of mystic rapport as a result of their shared experiences. It was similar to the bond those of Vanquisher lineage share...they could get a sense for each other's location and well-being, but it depended on proximity.

That was why one fateful night, Takeru sensed and found 18-year-old Tetsuya Yuki...like the Ryu Ranger, Tetsuya had been a captive of Lilith and the experience wounded him, heart and soul. The encounter was a much-needed salve for the both of them as they found the courage to share the pain they were so reluctant to talk about, even with those they loved the most. A true friendship formed that night and Takeru and Tetsuya began a lasting connection.

In the meantime, the fact that five of the liberated men had committed suicide wasn't lost on those involved in their rescue. Misa Asagi was horrified when she found out as she simply wanted to check on the former captives' status...she and Kyoko realized that if those guys took their lives because of their unspeakable experiences, how could Takeru and the rest of them have felt?! The sisters immediately went to one of their sweetest friends, someone who hadn't been part of the situation up to now: Holy Nun Seira Doncella, who was a warrior nun and counselor...in spite of her youth, she had a lot of experience in both roles.

When the sisters spoke of what happened and their worries, Seira was immediately tempted to anger, which wasn't in her nature. With elemental frustration the sweet Holy Nun griped, "Why in the world didn't anyone think about what those men might be going through sooner?! Going to one of the Hells alone must have been traumatizing! Takeru and the others must have suffered any of a number of terrible things as long as Lilith and the Oes had them!"

Kyoko Asagi quietly said, "Takeru-san and the rest never spoke of what happened to them while in captivity. We weren't foolish, Seira-chan. We did ask them all what they must have been through while held prisoner by Lilith after their rescue as they were examined to see if any of them were corrupted or bewitched. They hadn't been, of course...still, none of them told us much."

Misa Asagi quietly said, "Things must have...happened to them that they couldn't bear to talk about. Things so painful, five of them couldn't live with it anymore." And how many more of them suffered an inner agony so terrible, it might tempt them to end everything?

Seira said, "It isn't too late to help Takeru and the rest, girls, and we need to start now!"

--3--

Many entities connencted to Earth's demon slayers, whether religious organizations like the Holy Ark or social orders like the Order of Vanquishers or the relatively recent creation of the Slayers Organization, they all saw the necessity of providing counseling for warriors who swore their lives to defend justice and the innocent. Much the same as military forces, those in service to the Heavens and Earth didn't just have to contend with physical pain that needed healing in the line of duty. Many Slayers inevitably, in one way or the other, suffer great stress and psychological trauma of many kinds fighting forces of unspeakable evil.

A large part of Seira Doncella's experience as a counselor came from supporting fellow Holy Nuns and Magic Priests who suffered such quiet pain. With Kyoko and Misa's help, Seira began setting up a group counseling session for the 15 surviving men who had been taken by Lilith. Seira and the sisters went to Dragon Village and visited the Miyamoto home. Kyoko waited outside next to her Nissan as Seira and Misa spoke to Takeru and his father Jotaro, and the conversation didn't go well at first -- T.K. was incredibly resistant to the invitation the girls offered. The tension only built as Jotaro became seriously worried and demanded that his son speak of what happened. Emotion escalated until a LOT of shouting was heard and almost made Kyoko rush inside out of concern, but it only lasted for a few moments. Finally, in tears, Takeru could only say to the girls and his father that they had no idea what Lilith did to him, things he couldn't bear to go into detail with in front of his father, much less his brother Rangers Kyosuke and Saito.

A man defines themselves by the simplest of measures...how would any man feel to be violated so brutally and in so many ways they feel helpless? Insignificant? Useless? And no, don't think such trauma and violations could only affect women...unless you want to be an ignorant asshole who knows nothing about the subject.

Jotaro felt dark pain that was almost similar for years when he lost his beloved Mai over two decades ago, and T.K.'s mother was lost in spite of him...Jo couldn't even be there for his wife at that most critical moment she was taken. What his son was suffering was so much worse because it was a trauma that directly affected him and couldn't escape from. How must the rest of those former captives have felt? Jo, Seira and Misa gently urged Takeru to come to the session all the same, because it was so heartbreakingly clear this was something the young warrior couldn't cope with by himself...they reassured him with love that he wasn't alone.

Finally...Takeru conceded...but it was because of something he held back before that moment. The Ryu Ranger finally revealed that he knew he wasn't alone. He enlightened his father and the girls about his meeting with Tetsuya, and how tempted his new friend had been to end his own life.

--4--

It took another week to arrange things and finally, greatly troubled and reluctant, fifteen men came to the session...it was held in a conference room of the Medical Wing of the Slayers Organization HQ. Many of them brought family members who were in full support of the former prisoners. Takeru came with his newest friend Tetsuya, and they were accompanied by Jotaro Miyamoto, Kyosuke Oda and Saito Kusanagi. The others were joined by loved ones as well, at least those who gathered the courage to share their ordeals with anyone else before now. Tetsuya, a very quiet and private young man, wasn't accompanied by anyone else close to him.

Seira seemed helm the session at first -- but she surprised all the guys by turning the meeting over to Wayne Morrsion, who recently joined the Slayers Organization, and she left. Seira knew it would be much easier for them to share their feelings and experiences with another man guiding the session instead of her, and so had a talk with the Slayer from deep in the heart of Texas a few days before. Wayne hadn't had any experience at all with any kind of counseling, and at first the whole damn idea made him say, "Seira, what kinda help do you think I can give?? Hells, I'm gonna feel like a plucked duck on top of an iceberg!" However, Seira knew the Slayer from the West had a unique, comforting wisdom that was part of who he was...Wayne just needed some preparation from her on how to shepherd the meeting. The sweet girl added, "Otherwise, all you have to do is be yourself like usual!"

It lasted for almost four hours, and for most of the men, it was torture for a while...but well before the end of the session, Takeru, Tetsuya and the rest painfully confided in each other the inner torment they all had in common, and as they did they really came to understand that no, they each didn't have to suffer alone. They didn't have to let all that Lilith made them suffer defeat them. By the end, Wayne got the sense that the session worked out better than he and Seira hoped. (That was confirmed by Kikyo Sakai, who was there in the next room to Telepathically and unobtrusively monitor their emotions, later.) None of the men suddenly and miraculously felt better, of course, but the pain they all shared was eased in ways they really felt. They had each gone through hell, literally, but together they began to talk and take the first all-important steps to really helping each other through it...and really healing.

--5--

They would always have the support of some new friends, as well. As everyone began to part ways from the session, Kyoko and Misa had the opportunity to really talk to Tetsuya Yuki after Takeru and his loved ones left. They didn't get to speak to many of the former captives of Lilith before, and the girls wanted very much to remedy that. Even though he was a quiet young man, the girls got a sense of the genuine kindness and nobility within him.

Tetsuya told them only a few things about himself, that he was an orphan who had been left on the doorstep of the Sun Temple when he was an infant. Kyoko and Misa were impressed to know that he'd been adopted by a family of Samurai: like the Vanquishers, this noble warrior class had passed down their duties and ways from one generation to the next for centuries. In the modern day, Samurai were still active as the honor guard for the Emperor and ministers of their kingdom's government in Chiyoda. Tetsuya also had mystic gifts in the form of far greater than normal strength, speed and endurance to harm, like Kyoko and Misa.

He was only 18, and Kyoko remarked that she got the sense Tetsuya could have the potential to be a great Samurai. Tetsuya humbly responded, "Well, I'm not sure if that would be right for me at the moment! I'm actually starting college to learn other things. I just...want to keep my options open for the future, that's all." The sisters understood and Misa told him that whatever he decided, she hoped he'd be happy.

The conversation lasted for only another few minutes...Tetsuya hardly shared anything more with the girls, and then he said he had to go meet a couple of friends. They were going to pick him up at another location just off the Slayers Organization campus to take him home. The girls gave him their numbers and looked forward to seeing him again...Tetsuya fondly said goodbye and left.

Minutes later, at a plaza not far away, a sleek coupe arrived and stopped close to Tetsuya on its humble lot...two young women stepped out of the car and they each embraced him with pure warmth. Tetsuya couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. As good as he felt after that session, these young ladies were sisters to him in every way but blood, and seeing them always brought him happiness.

One young woman asked, "How did it go, Tetsuya?" Her name was Jade Kitamoto, and she was a little older than Tetsuya. She was a striking beauty with bright green eyes and robust brown skin, a result of her mixed heritage of Japanese and Cree First Nation descent.

Tetsuya nodded deeply and said, "It went great, honestly. You were both right, it helped a lot."

The other Caucasian girl was a true beauty like Jade, but in different ways. She had blue eyes and the gloss of her long platinum blonde hair gleamed under the sun. As young as Tetsuya, Eri Mori had so much love in her soul as she joked, "Of course we were right, Tetsuya! Are you ready to go?" Eri and Jade were both born American citizens, but they presently called the Tokyo Kingdom home...and that wasn't all they had in common.

Tetsuya eagerly said, "Yes, let's go home!" Jade got behind the wheel as Tetsuya got in the back...Eri took the passenger seat next to Jade, and after they belted up they were off.

The young man in the back seat said, "Oh! I got to meet the Asagi sisters right after the session."

Eri turned in her seat to look at him; her smile was beaming as she asked, "Wow, really? We already owe them so much for helping save you before. I wish I could have been there to say hi!"

Tetsuya looked at the driver of the car thoughtfully. He asked, "You must wish that too, Jade-chan?"

For a long moment, the girl with green eyes was silent. Eri's blue eyes examined her lovingly and she asked with a soft tone, "Jade...Misa was your best friend. You must have wanted to see her...?"

Jade Kitamoto kept her eyes straight ahead as she drove...she became very quiet as she said mildly, "Eri, there are reasons why I shouldn't."

Tetsuya stared at the driver and offered, "Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't!"

Eri pouted and sighed, "I've tried to tell you before, it wouldn't hurt anything if you..."

Jade glanced at the other girl and said, "Eri, it's been over five years. I last saw Misa when I lived...a very different life."

Eri Mori urged gently, "And it wouldn't hurt anything if you made her part of your life again. Besides, Misa must miss you, just as much as I know you miss her...!"

Jade's hands tightened on the steering wheel...she began to finally express some of the sadness she felt, but there was resolute firmness in her tone, as well. "Eri, if we did reconnect, Misa would have all kinds of questions about where I've been and what I'm doing now. And I couldn't answer any of those questions, not if I wanted to be honest with her.

"I appreciate you two are worried about my feelings, I love you both so much...but you need to remember what we're part of. We have far, far greater responsibilities. And just look at what happened to Tetsuya and...and to Akemi." With the mere mention of that last name, a great weight of tragic feeling was felt in the car. Eri felt a sadness that would never go away not knowing where Akemi was...or even if she was alive or dead.

Jade continued with quiet steel: "Our safety and security come before everything...that's our Code.

"I do want to see Misa again. But I can't." Jade Kitamoto finally said in a thick voice, "I decided long ago it's for the best that Misa never sees me again...for all of our sakes." And she absolutely was NOT speaking about simply the three of them.

Eri Mori could only quietly gaze at the girl she loved like a sister as Tetsuya could only sit behind them both in thoughtful quiet. The girl with green eyes was right. They were a part of something they each swore their very lives to, something no one else could EVER know about. And yet. Tetsuya thought of Jade's feelings as he asked, "Maybe it's necessary, Jade-chan...but is it really 'for the best'...?"

The girl with green eyes didn't answer as these three traveled in the coupe, carrying their secrets with them...

The End
---
As a quick aside, I'm sure you couldn't forget the truly striking Jade when you saw her in the closing parts of "The World We Live In"; and just in case you forgot, Misa did fondly speak of her old friend and former fellow Vanquisher in the last part of "Lost and Found". Also, you saw Eri really briefly once before during my epic story "Deadly Reunion"! If any of you missed those moments, what are you waiting for? Dive into my gallery or go to the SoDC7 Group and catch up!

I'm sure you're asking what binds Tetsuya, Eri and Jade together...and what in the world is this mysterious Code they mention? What exactly are they a part of? And what's so damn secret about that affiliation, NO ONE ELSE can know...and Jade is so cautious about that, she feels she can't even see her old friend Misa, one of the sweetest girls on Earth???

Also, if you've been following my Slayers stories for a long time, the name Akemi must be a familiar one to you! In previous tales Akemi has been referenced and mentioned on more than one occasion, and usually by characters defined by their fair share of secrets they need to keep. If you've been in any way curious, you must have asked yourself who Akemi is?

Believe it or not, all of those questions in the past couple of paragraphs are linked in ways you may not expect! There have been some prevailing and constant mysteries you've gotten hints to over time as I've written stories for Slayers of Demon City 7, and there's good reasons why those mysteries can only slowly be unveiled...first and foremost, it's because those at the heart of them from Sister Marie to Tetsuya and even the Emperor himself keep their secrets well. (And I can assure I don't believe in bullshit like 'mystery boxes'!) Will the roof be blown off once and for all so you'll thusly know everything? All I can say is, time WILL tell and you WILL be rewarded if you're patient!

In my next Slayers story, though, that great black drape over certain mysteries will be pulled away just a bit more...and you will FINALLY get to meet and get to know a truly unique girl named Akemi. As a bonus, this very special flashback story will reveal quite a bit about Eri Mori too, since this tale will be told from (mostly!) her perspective. It's the story of how Eri and Akemi first met...how both of their lives were changed forever...and this will be more important than you think! ^___^

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
's Tetsuya Yuki (in the first panel!), Eri Mori and 's Jade Kitamoto were all meshmodded by !
Takeru Miyamoto by his creator, ! x 100!
Jade's car is all thanks to !
Sceneries by ! x 100!

Description
Not too long ago in 's story "Rescue the Ranger" -- just a couple weeks story-wise! -- Takeru Miyamoto and 19 more gifted and innocent dudes were taken from Earth by Lilith to be auctioned off as slaves in her Bordello, which by the way was in her Hell! In my story "Worth", Shinri Muto's undercover mission to infiltrate Lilith's Cult of the Goddess, mortal and otherwise agents of Lilith in the mortal world, bore the unexpected and timely fruit that helped our heroes pave the way to that rescue. Ever since, it was thought that things would be back to normal for T.K. and everyone saved...

...but that presumption couldn't have been more wrong. What Lilith did is having quiet yet tragic aftershocks. And so some of our heroes in Demon City 7 must do what they can to heal the damage!

Get ready for a much more subdued yet meaningful ride as you'll see what I mean. Also, this is my first chance to really show some respect to a character by the name of Tetsuya, who was imagined by . What's interesting about him is how little you'll know about him...but he does know a couple of familiar yet equally intriguing faces you've seen in my stories before!
---
"The Secrets That Bind"

--1--

Only a couple of weeks earlier, Takeru Miyamoto and 19 more mystically gifted men were going to be condemned. They had been taken by the demonic predator many called the Goddess of Lust, Lilith. She had her way with each and every one of those men, seeming to focus with the most zeal upon Takeru, a Ryu Ranger. Those twenty were fated under Lilith's will to be auctioned off as slaves within the First Circle of her Hell known as the Majin Realm. The only reason those helpless victims weren't condemned already was because Lilith's Palace was uniquely shielded from the rest of her Hell's environment. Ordinarily, a mortal going to any Hell meant instant death and damnation, but in her Palace and the place of auction Lilith called The Bordello, agents in service to her who were mortal and those Angelic she turned to evil would be protected...

...thankfully, that gave many heroes from Earth the chance they needed to do something that had only been accomplished once before: to actually cross over into a Hell from Earth (and some would say it's only fair since those from The Other Side invade the mortal realm CONSTANTLY, and much too often for the most terrible of reasons!)...and that was how a group of heroes reached the Maijin Realm to liberate Takeru and his fellow prisoners!

By the time of the auction, Kyoko and Misa Asagi, Fubuki Inazuma and Herene Hakuryu, Chikage Akuma, and more Slayers boldly infiltrated Lilith's Bordello and wisely used cunning instead of facing their demonic enemies in a straightforward fight...they had an 'inside man', Shinri Muto, who helped set the stage for doing so safely. Trying to challenge Lilith in her Hell would NOT have been a good idea -- they were risking enough possibly drawing the attention of her realm's gods! But the Dark Gods of all the Nethers ordinarily didn't give a shit about the little things that happen to any of the damned beneath them. One can suspect they might have ignored the invasion from Earth simply to see the proud Lilith, who wasn't a goddess, taken down a peg or two!

Employing a powerful mystic chalk they used to put Lilith, the Oe family and all possible opposition in attendance into a state of unconsciousness, the twenty men were saved and taken back to Earth.

--2--

But that wasn't the end of this story...it was a long way from that.

Takeru and his fellow prisoners might have been returned to Earth, but they had been traumatized in so many horrible, humiliating ways during their captivity. Lilith had violated them all, repeatedly, and they all continued to suffer in silence. Five of those men, tragically, committed suicide only days after their rescue. Even the brave and confident Takeru Miyamoto sorely felt the temptation to end his own pain somehow...

...but during their captivity, in spite of the fact they never got to directly interact with one another, Takeru and his fellow prisoners had inexplicably formed a kind of mystic rapport as a result of their shared experiences. It was similar to the bond those of Vanquisher lineage share...they could get a sense for each other's location and well-being, but it depended on proximity.

That was why one fateful night, Takeru sensed and found 18-year-old Tetsuya Yuki...like the Ryu Ranger, Tetsuya had been a captive of Lilith and the experience wounded him, heart and soul. The encounter was a much-needed salve for the both of them as they found the courage to share the pain they were so reluctant to talk about, even with those they loved the most. A true friendship formed that night and Takeru and Tetsuya began a lasting connection.

In the meantime, the fact that five of the liberated men had committed suicide wasn't lost on those involved in their rescue. Misa Asagi was horrified when she found out as she simply wanted to check on the former captives' status...she and Kyoko realized that if those guys took their lives because of their unspeakable experiences, how could Takeru and the rest of them have felt?! The sisters immediately went to one of their sweetest friends, someone who hadn't been part of the situation up to now: Holy Nun Seira Doncella, who was a warrior nun and counselor...in spite of her youth, she had a lot of experience in both roles.

When the sisters spoke of what happened and their worries, Seira was immediately tempted to anger, which wasn't in her nature. With elemental frustration the sweet Holy Nun griped, "Why in the world didn't anyone think about what those men might be going through sooner?! Going to one of the Hells alone must have been traumatizing! Takeru and the others must have suffered any of a number of terrible things as long as Lilith and the Oes had them!"

Kyoko Asagi quietly said, "Takeru-san and the rest never spoke of what happened to them while in captivity. We weren't foolish, Seira-chan. We did ask them all what they must have been through while held prisoner by Lilith after their rescue as they were examined to see if any of them were corrupted or bewitched. They hadn't been, of course...still, none of them told us much."

Misa Asagi quietly said, "Things must have...happened to them that they couldn't bear to talk about. Things so painful, five of them couldn't live with it anymore." And how many more of them suffered an inner agony so terrible, it might tempt them to end everything?

Seira said, "It isn't too late to help Takeru and the rest, girls, and we need to start now!"

--3--

Many entities connencted to Earth's demon slayers, whether religious organizations like the Holy Ark or social orders like the Order of Vanquishers or the relatively recent creation of the Slayers Organization, they all saw the necessity of providing counseling for warriors who swore their lives to defend justice and the innocent. Much the same as military forces, those in service to the Heavens and Earth didn't just have to contend with physical pain that needed healing in the line of duty. Many Slayers inevitably, in one way or the other, suffer great stress and psychological trauma of many kinds fighting forces of unspeakable evil.

A large part of Seira Doncella's experience as a counselor came from supporting fellow Holy Nuns and Magic Priests who suffered such quiet pain. With Kyoko and Misa's help, Seira began setting up a group counseling session for the 15 surviving men who had been taken by Lilith. Seira and the sisters went to Dragon Village and visited the Miyamoto home. Kyoko waited outside next to her Nissan as Seira and Misa spoke to Takeru and his father Jotaro, and the conversation didn't go well at first -- T.K. was incredibly resistant to the invitation the girls offered. The tension only built as Jotaro became seriously worried and demanded that his son speak of what happened. Emotion escalated until a LOT of shouting was heard and almost made Kyoko rush inside out of concern, but it only lasted for a few moments. Finally, in tears, Takeru could only say to the girls and his father that they had no idea what Lilith did to him, things he couldn't bear to go into detail with in front of his father, much less his brother Rangers Kyosuke and Saito.

A man defines themselves by the simplest of measures...how would any man feel to be violated so brutally and in so many ways they feel helpless? Insignificant? Useless? And no, don't think such trauma and violations could only affect women...unless you want to be an ignorant asshole who knows nothing about the subject.

Jotaro felt dark pain that was almost similar for years when he lost his beloved Mai over two decades ago, and T.K.'s mother was lost in spite of him...Jo couldn't even be there for his wife at that most critical moment she was taken. What his son was suffering was so much worse because it was a trauma that directly affected him and couldn't escape from. How must the rest of those former captives have felt? Jo, Seira and Misa gently urged Takeru to come to the session all the same, because it was so heartbreakingly clear this was something the young warrior couldn't cope with by himself...they reassured him with love that he wasn't alone.

Finally...Takeru conceded...but it was because of something he held back before that moment. The Ryu Ranger finally revealed that he knew he wasn't alone. He enlightened his father and the girls about his meeting with Tetsuya, and how tempted his new friend had been to end his own life.

--4--

It took another week to arrange things and finally, greatly troubled and reluctant, fifteen men came to the session...it was held in a conference room of the Medical Wing of the Slayers Organization HQ. Many of them brought family members who were in full support of the former prisoners. Takeru came with his newest friend Tetsuya, and they were accompanied by Jotaro Miyamoto, Kyosuke Oda and Saito Kusanagi. The others were joined by loved ones as well, at least those who gathered the courage to share their ordeals with anyone else before now. Tetsuya, a very quiet and private young man, wasn't accompanied by anyone else close to him.

Seira seemed helm the session at first -- but she surprised all the guys by turning the meeting over to Wayne Morrsion, who recently joined the Slayers Organization, and she left. Seira knew it would be much easier for them to share their feelings and experiences with another man guiding the session instead of her, and so had a talk with the Slayer from deep in the heart of Texas a few days before. Wayne hadn't had any experience at all with any kind of counseling, and at first the whole damn idea made him say, "Seira, what kinda help do you think I can give?? Hells, I'm gonna feel like a plucked duck on top of an iceberg!" However, Seira knew the Slayer from the West had a unique, comforting wisdom that was part of who he was...Wayne just needed some preparation from her on how to shepherd the meeting. The sweet girl added, "Otherwise, all you have to do is be yourself like usual!"

It lasted for almost four hours, and for most of the men, it was torture for a while...but well before the end of the session, Takeru, Tetsuya and the rest painfully confided in each other the inner torment they all had in common, and as they did they really came to understand that no, they each didn't have to suffer alone. They didn't have to let all that Lilith made them suffer defeat them. By the end, Wayne got the sense that the session worked out better than he and Seira hoped. (That was confirmed by Kikyo Sakai, who was there in the next room to Telepathically and unobtrusively monitor their emotions, later.) None of the men suddenly and miraculously felt better, of course, but the pain they all shared was eased in ways they really felt. They had each gone through hell, literally, but together they began to talk and take the first all-important steps to really helping each other through it...and really healing.

--5--

They would always have the support of some new friends, as well. As everyone began to part ways from the session, Kyoko and Misa had the opportunity to really talk to Tetsuya Yuki after Takeru and his loved ones left. They didn't get to speak to many of the former captives of Lilith before, and the girls wanted very much to remedy that. Even though he was a quiet young man, the girls got a sense of the genuine kindness and nobility within him.

Tetsuya told them only a few things about himself, that he was an orphan who had been left on the doorstep of the Sun Temple when he was an infant. Kyoko and Misa were impressed to know that he'd been adopted by a family of Samurai: like the Vanquishers, this noble warrior class had passed down their duties and ways from one generation to the next for centuries. In the modern day, Samurai were still active as the honor guard for the Emperor and ministers of their kingdom's government in Chiyoda. Tetsuya also had mystic gifts in the form of far greater than normal strength, speed and endurance to harm, like Kyoko and Misa.

He was only 18, and Kyoko remarked that she got the sense Tetsuya could have the potential to be a great Samurai. Tetsuya humbly responded, "Well, I'm not sure if that would be right for me at the moment! I'm actually starting college to learn other things. I just...want to keep my options open for the future, that's all." The sisters understood and Misa told him that whatever he decided, she hoped he'd be happy.

The conversation lasted for only another few minutes...Tetsuya hardly shared anything more with the girls, and then he said he had to go meet a couple of friends. They were going to pick him up at another location just off the Slayers Organization campus to take him home. The girls gave him their numbers and looked forward to seeing him again...Tetsuya fondly said goodbye and left.

Minutes later, at a plaza not far away, a sleek coupe arrived and stopped close to Tetsuya on its humble lot...two young women stepped out of the car and they each embraced him with pure warmth. Tetsuya couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. As good as he felt after that session, these young ladies were sisters to him in every way but blood, and seeing them always brought him happiness.

One young woman asked, "How did it go, Tetsuya?" Her name was Jade Kitamoto, and she was a little older than Tetsuya. She was a striking beauty with bright green eyes and robust brown skin, a result of her mixed heritage of Japanese and Cree First Nation descent.

Tetsuya nodded deeply and said, "It went great, honestly. You were both right, it helped a lot."

The other Caucasian girl was a true beauty like Jade, but in different ways. She had blue eyes and the gloss of her long platinum blonde hair gleamed under the sun. As young as Tetsuya, Eri Mori had so much love in her soul as she joked, "Of course we were right, Tetsuya! Are you ready to go?" Eri and Jade were both born American citizens, but they presently called the Tokyo Kingdom home...and that wasn't all they had in common.

Tetsuya eagerly said, "Yes, let's go home!" Jade got behind the wheel as Tetsuya got in the back...Eri took the passenger seat next to Jade, and after they belted up they were off.

The young man in the back seat said, "Oh! I got to meet the Asagi sisters right after the session."

Eri turned in her seat to look at him; her smile was beaming as she asked, "Wow, really? We already owe them so much for helping save you before. I wish I could have been there to say hi!"

Tetsuya looked at the driver of the car thoughtfully. He asked, "You must wish that too, Jade-chan?"

For a long moment, the girl with green eyes was silent. Eri's blue eyes examined her lovingly and she asked with a soft tone, "Jade...Misa was your best friend. You must have wanted to see her...?"

Jade Kitamoto kept her eyes straight ahead as she drove...she became very quiet as she said mildly, "Eri, there are reasons why I shouldn't."

Tetsuya stared at the driver and offered, "Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't!"

Eri pouted and sighed, "I've tried to tell you before, it wouldn't hurt anything if you..."

Jade glanced at the other girl and said, "Eri, it's been over five years. I last saw Misa when I lived...a very different life."

Eri Mori urged gently, "And it wouldn't hurt anything if you made her part of your life again. Besides, Misa must miss you, just as much as I know you miss her...!"

Jade's hands tightened on the steering wheel...she began to finally express some of the sadness she felt, but there was resolute firmness in her tone, as well. "Eri, if we did reconnect, Misa would have all kinds of questions about where I've been and what I'm doing now. And I couldn't answer any of those questions, not if I wanted to be honest with her.

"I appreciate you two are worried about my feelings, I love you both so much...but you need to remember what we're part of. We have far, far greater responsibilities. And just look at what happened to Tetsuya and...and to Akemi." With the mere mention of that last name, a great weight of tragic feeling was felt in the car. Eri felt a sadness that would never go away not knowing where Akemi was...or even if she was alive or dead.

Jade continued with quiet steel: "Our safety and security come before everything...that's our Code.

"I do want to see Misa again. But I can't." Jade Kitamoto finally said in a thick voice, "I decided long ago it's for the best that Misa never sees me again...for all of our sakes." And she absolutely was NOT speaking about simply the three of them.

Eri Mori could only quietly gaze at the girl she loved like a sister as Tetsuya could only sit behind them both in thoughtful quiet. The girl with green eyes was right. They were a part of something they each swore their very lives to, something no one else could EVER know about. And yet. Tetsuya thought of Jade's feelings as he asked, "Maybe it's necessary, Jade-chan...but is it really 'for the best'...?"

The girl with green eyes didn't answer as these three traveled in the coupe, carrying their secrets with them...

The End
---
As a quick aside, I'm sure you couldn't forget the truly striking Jade when you saw her in the closing parts of "The World We Live In"; and just in case you forgot, Misa did fondly speak of her old friend and former fellow Vanquisher in the last part of "Lost and Found". Also, you saw Eri really briefly once before during my epic story "Deadly Reunion"! If any of you missed those moments, what are you waiting for? Dive into my gallery or go to the SoDC7 Group and catch up!

I'm sure you're asking what binds Tetsuya, Eri and Jade together...and what in the world is this mysterious Code they mention? What exactly are they a part of? And what's so damn secret about that affiliation, NO ONE ELSE can know...and Jade is so cautious about that, she feels she can't even see her old friend Misa, one of the sweetest girls on Earth???

Also, if you've been following my Slayers stories for a long time, the name Akemi must be a familiar one to you! In previous tales Akemi has been referenced and mentioned on more than one occasion, and usually by characters defined by their fair share of secrets they need to keep. If you've been in any way curious, you must have asked yourself who Akemi is?

Believe it or not, all of those questions in the past couple of paragraphs are linked in ways you may not expect! There have been some prevailing and constant mysteries you've gotten hints to over time as I've written stories for Slayers of Demon City 7, and there's good reasons why those mysteries can only slowly be unveiled...first and foremost, it's because those at the heart of them from Sister Marie to Tetsuya and even the Emperor himself keep their secrets well. (And I can assure I don't believe in bullshit like 'mystery boxes'!) Will the roof be blown off once and for all so you'll thusly know everything? All I can say is, time WILL tell and you WILL be rewarded if you're patient!

In my next Slayers story, though, that great black drape over certain mysteries will be pulled away just a bit more...and you will FINALLY get to meet and get to know a truly unique girl named Akemi. As a bonus, this very special flashback story will reveal quite a bit about Eri Mori too, since this tale will be told from (mostly!) her perspective. It's the story of how Eri and Akemi first met...how both of their lives were changed forever...and this will be more important than you think! ^___^

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
's Tetsuya Yuki (in the first panel!), Eri Mori and 's Jade Kitamoto were all meshmodded by !
Takeru Miyamoto by his creator, ! x 100!
Jade's car is all thanks to !
Sceneries by ! x 100!