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Kaguyo seemed to relax at Aled's words... well, at first...
She grew very stiff and tense the second he mentioned that name. Without even meaning to, she had tipped her hand...
"s**t." she avoided his eyes momentarily, "That easy for you to read, even after all that time... Couldn't even change the subject..."
She was quiet for a while, before looking over at the former Ou. "It's not that it's the planet itself." she tried to explain. "It's him---it's all him. I feel him as if he's part of everything now..."
Which made her wonder whether or not he had gone into the Tree once or twice, or if he even resided within it now instead of a proper host. It was hard to tell, but even now, even if she couldn't see or sense where he was exactly, she felt his power... sleeping, waiting, ever so patient, somewhere out there.
"This used to be somewhere I knew... It was one thing if we were fighting someone on our home turf, but we don't have that advantage anymore. This is his world now, exactly as he wanted..." she rose to her feet, pacing nervously, "He's going to pick his moment to reveal himself if he IS alive and well, to begin with... And yes, I suppose I was rash to try and break in, but I'm so tired of waiting! If we're the ones their prophecy talked about, why the hell can't they trust us!? The longer we wait here, the more likely it is he's going to find out... And what then, Aled? We don't even know anyone here anymore, save Aoikage--and for all we know, he's still in the shrine..."
Although the fact Po-ar and Kazuhiko were missing was another alarm in itself. "Your son and grandson came with Ainsu," she added, "But you don't find it strange something that should've taken them an hour at most is suddenly taking over a day? When they can teleport??? No no, you listen to me," she wagged her finger at the man, "Something isn't right, and I don't like it... I won't settle until I figure this out, Al-kun. It won't stop nagging at me, like I forgot something... Should have seen something obvious, you know? Like that..."
She gradually slowed down, sitting again on the bed beside him. "Even if we have the royalty here temporarily on our side," she took a long, deep breath, biting her lip, "I have no doubt that the Muse is in someone of power.... He wouldn't ever fall to being powerless, not after what he's tasted. He always said he'd rule this planet... While I haven't gotten a good sense of either Hikaru or the Emperor, I'm not sure either are him. They don't have his eyes..." she frowned, "Lively, but not sharp enough... He's in some position of power, or held in respect, at the very least. Wherever he is, I worry that we won't have anyone to back us up... If... if it were me in his place instead, I would be waiting for this day. I would skew the prophecies so that I could turn the people to my side---stage some sort of disaster, blame it on the outsiders---use us as scapegoats to bind the people under his rule. Maybe... maybe I am dreading the worst, Al-kun... but... honestly, how can you expect me not to?"
The Muse had tried to kill her and if she remembered right had actually succeeded in killing her before---if not Konton. Certain things were blacked out in bits and pieces...
Probably for the better.
"But... then again...." she sighed, gripping the bed and blankets in her fists, "Maybe someone was strong enough to kill him.... Or lock him away, the way you were. Maybe I'm overreacting..."
Perhaps, but even though it was considered, the feeling of dread knotting up her stomach was stronger...
That, and Ainsu's arm, the ever-glaring evidence of his survival through the ages.
"If he is alive," she swallowed a growing lump in her throat, "I really don't know whether or not I'll survive this time... I mean, I've tried training...." she shook her head, "But...."
If anyone knew about the last time she and the Muse were around eachother, it was Aled... By around this time, she should have had a child, only a few months but an infant nonetheless.
"Perhaps... perhaps I was never meant to have kids." she sighed, holding her stomach. "He may have guaranteed me children... but.... they were of him... I... I couldn't pass that sort of curse to my lineage. A year of training on Earth, to a thousand training here... I worry I don't have what it takes to fight him off again, if it comes to that..."
All valid fears.
"Al-kun... I... I won't push you away, but you need to understand," her eyes met his, looking as if she might cry, "I literally cannot rest until he's gone, Aled... I can't sleep at night until I know he's dead."

Kaguyo wasn't sure what to say, still in shock at seeing the black flame. In fact, she was still staring at Aled's hands whenever he started talking about Kazuhiko again.
"Um..." she blinked a few more times, shaking her head, "Holy crap... but... then again, you know, they say that all people like you developed powers." she thought carefully. "That Hikaru guy... he might be the one you would want to ask about that. Maybe the Muse woke it up in you... Maybe... Maybe he woke it up in everyone with demon lineage. It would make sense wouldn't it?"
But if he could awaken that sort of ability... It was also very likely that he could severely impair one's use of their abilities as well.
A very dangerous combination...
"Perhaps Aoikage is taking longer to heal..." she murmured, "But I know you're worried too. You know as well as I that Kazuhiko's... well... the kid's out of this world. You must be awfully proud to have him as a grandson. He's healed me god knows how many times, I almost never have a scar, and he treats it all like the easiest game. It's almost frightening... But, he knows what he's doing. He knew the child I carried was of the Muse before I did..." she sighed, "Whatever Aoikage was sealed with, they say the boy from the stars in the ONLY one who can save him. Kazuhiko, of course... Aoikage wouldn't leave that sort of message if it wouldn't be a piece of cake for him to solve, right? But then again.... ugh... Maybe I do worry too much, but I just can't shake this feeling, Aled. Something in the wind, maybe..."
That phrase made her think over things. "Aoki. Where's he been, I wonder...? He might know... But... between you and me, he's the one who told me where the writings were stored. He acted as if he'd already been in there."
She bit her lip, rising to pace again. "Aled, what do you think we should do? Do you think he's up to something?"

"Dangerous or not, it's yours to control." Kaguyo pointed out, "And you've almost always been exemplary when it comes to that. As for the boys... yes... we'll probably have to go out in the morning."
But whenever he started talking about Aoki, that really made her think. "Well, he and Ainsu are friends now, I assumed he came with him...."
"Not the case, actually I came with you." Aoki materialized, leaning against the doorway. "Good to see you're awake! I'm surprised you can move, Aled-sama..."
He paused, looking at Kaguyo. "They didn't arrest you?"
"I should've known you were trying something like that." the woman's eyes narrowed. "What ARE you doing here?"
"The same as everyone else." he shrugged. "I used to live here too, you cold-hearted b***h. Did it ever strike you I was just as curious as you were?"
It seemed like a fight was only imminent, the way those two were going at it... Kaguyo was already getting cold, while over in Aoki's direction a warm breeze was blowing.
In any weather system, when a cold front meets a warm front, storms are usually the result. In this instance, it would undoubtedly be no different.

Kaguyo didn't say anything, but Aoki had noticed something rather curious about the woman. Sure, her powers varied with her temperament, that wasn't a big change...
But her expressions when using them, that surely was. The worry she was trying to hide could be explained away, but he was, as always, the silent observer, the gatherer of information.
Kaguyo herself had rushed to help Aled except Ainsu beat her to the punch. It was a bit indignifying, but she was at least glad the former Ou was alright. Had she had the chance to reply, she would have told Aled that whether he meant well or not, Aoki's information was at least reliable. He had told her all the actions of the guards after all... And out of anyone, he was the only one who would tell her about the vault.
But something told her to say all that in front of Hikaru would be a major faux-pas.
"Hikaru...." she finally spoke up, "Look at him. He's clearly a Tarnbjin... Are you really so surprised? He has almost the same traits as you... The only difference is that Aled's eyes, like I told you before, turn red when he is angry. If he is, in a sense, one of your ancestors, is this really all that surprising? Why are you so frightened? This is the first time I've seen you so tense..."
"You know, I could very well say the same of you." Aoki piped in, smirking from across the room.
Although she didn't respond, the look she gave him was increasingly wary. It seemed that his confidence waxed, directly affected by the way her own was waning. It was almost as if he drained her of all assurance just by looking at her; a mosquito, but far larger and deadlier.
"You look a bit pale, maybe a bit unsteady on your feet." he moved towards her, gently taking her arms and moving her to a chair, "If I didn't know better I would say you were still having a bit of a hard time adjusting to our planet..."
She didn't even breathe, but the sudden plummeting of temperature was evident in her icy gasp as Aoki's fingertips sizzled on her arm. The man only smirked wider, making sure she sat down before moving to Ainsu.
It was probably a good thing. Kaguyo did look awfully pale and sick all of a sudden.
"Why would you ever think I would betray you?" he asked curtly, crossing his arms, "Look, wasn't what I just did nice? While you're all busy looking after Aled, who's looking after the little lady? Have you really been oblivious to it all this time? I'm only saying this because I'm your friend. I wasn't even trying to burn her, mind you---she's not burnt, actually I almost had a touch of frost bite. You don't think she's been acting differently since we got here? You're an empath, and you haven't picked up on it yet?"
"Get him out." Kaguyo whispered, before strengthening her voice, "Put the cuffs on him and please get him as far away as you can...!"
But now that Aoki brought it up.... anyone, let alone any empath would have had no problem telling that Kaguyo's dread wasn't over Aled alone. Even after repeatedly asking her, she still couldn't control the frigid bursts of air and ice...
For Kaguyo, whose pride and pretty much only defense was her mastery of her power, this was actually a little alarming.
"That's a joke... put the cuffs, on me? I have perfect control over my abilities. You really can't control yours, can you?" Aoki turned from Ainsu, ignoring Aled's orders to stop instigating, "What makes you think that you're not going to wake up in the middle of the night, having frozen Aled to death?"
Clearly that had hit a nerve---she was almost in tears within a half second, and it took her only another half second to wipe the curious and amused look off his face. While it was only a slap, it was hard enough to shatter his form entirely, the loud clamor of breaking glass filling the room.
"Ouch..." he murmured, materializing in the other corner, "You know it's a valid question though... What if you freeze the entire castle?" he continued, rubbing his cheek.
At that, Kaguyo glanced once at Hikaru before lowering her eyes to the ground, as silent as the winter she embodied.
"Better get the cuffs. Clearly she can't be trusted with her powers just yet.... She puts everyone at risk." Aoki crossed his arms. "Even she knows it now."
And of course, he had waited until Hikaru had returned to drop that bomb... Regardless of whether the two men objected, he had a pretty good feeling that Hikaru would take this seriously.
He intended to get Kaguyo imprisoned, or at least under some sort of lockdown. The less people in his way, the better, after all.

Kazuhiko frowned. "Hey... um... don't you guys sorta think we've been gone a while?" he burped, slurping down a large mug of hot tea, "You being an Emperor, we're not going to be accused of kidnapping you, are we?"
They had lingered in the dimension for what seemed like hours; between Po-ar and Kazuhiko, there never seemed to be an end to translating the immense volumes of history books in the study. The new emperor certainly was curious; Kazuhiko rather liked that.
He frowned after waiting for a response, placing his hands on his hips. "DA! Kage-kun! Don't you think it's time to leave?! Wake up! When the hell did you fall asleep!? God, and you didn't even save any pink elephants for me?!"
The boy was clearly agitated at this recent turn of events. "Alright, you know what, if this isn't serious to you guys, I'M going to take Mr. Emperor back HOME before we become Public Enemies numbers 1, 2, and 3! Whether I can use my powers well enough or not, it beats just sleeping and eating and reading all bloody day! Ugh, Mom would be sooo maaad..."
Well, maybe not... Hard to tell lately. She'd been practically consumed with trying to bring the other fragments of the tribes together, so it seemed like her usual motherly responses were muted. He didn't doubt part of her would've been pissed though.
In truth, he was really just trying to use it as a threat.
Either way, the delayed responses that would've sounded a warning bell(at least before being gassed) only annoyed him more.
"C'mon, Your Grace," Kazuhiko sighed deeply, opening a portal, "Let's get you home, and let's find my grandpa..."

"I made a copy..." Kazuhiko nodded, although he seemed uncertain about it. "But please return it. I think the fact my father wrote it himself... well... It's sorta another one of his kids, a pet project of sorts. Treat it as if it were a holy relic. No one else can touch that, alright? Especially if you do not trust their intentions... That book cannot be destroyed."
They both arrived at the palace, although it was outside, not inside as Kazuhiko had attempted. "Hn..." he frowned, "Powers are still wonky... We should've shown up in the throne room... I can kinda sense people in there though." his eyes lit up. "I think... I think my grandpa might be in there!"
He started to run, but only took a few steps before slowing down. "I'm tired." he yawned, turning around and tugging on the Emperor's sleeve. "Will you carry me? You don't have to. I'm just tired..."
Teleporting took more out of him than he thought it would. It must've been a side effect of that weird gas.
"I bet people are looking for you Mr. Emperor."

Kaguyo likewise ignored Aoki's rantings, frowning. "Touched...." she whispered, "What did he mean by that? Do you think it has something to do with the Muse?" she looked to Aled.
But Aoki just crossed his arms, frowning. "You know it's more annoying than it is painful to shatter. I'm not saying it's the most pleasant mind you... but.. If you really want to threaten me, just say you'll make me listen to Kaguyo's voice for five minutes."
"He'll do it." Kaguyo narrowed his eyes.
"I'll shut up." Aoki shook his head. "Three words and I already want to kill you and myself."
Kaguyo rolled her eyes, while Aoki smiled. "We need to figure out what's going on here... I think I want to visit the Tree once we get out. Maybe the Muse is in there... It won't hurt to check, right? I don't know how I'd do that exactly... but... well, maybe either you or Ainsu would be able to tell. Either way, unless Hikaru and his people feel like explaining what happened to you, the Muse is the only other person who would know. Those are the only leads we have when it comes to this, Al-kun."