Dlbn: Here we are with the conclusion of this fic.

Nbld: Didn't want to wait until next weekend to post so I figured I'd do it now while I posted the rest of the Seimei's birthday fic. But let's start the Review Corner! Thank you to Promocat and The DarkCat for reviewing! Candy and cupcakes for you both!

Promocat: Thanks! Ironically it WAS going to be just Zero's garbage that did this, but I figured I'd make it more interesting if they weren't the direct cause.

The DarkCat: Yay! Thanks. I'm just glad I got to finish it lol reading your Halloween fic pushed me to finish ^^

Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot and some minor characters. He rest belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money from writing this.

000

Fifteen minutes later, Zero, Ritsuka, and Mei led the others through the twists and turns of the maze. At a fork, Mei stopped and scratched her head.

"What is it?" Yoji asked.

"Both paths lead to the exit, but…I don't know if one is a dead end…that's the way things normally are in mazes…" Mei replied. "I don't want to make a wrong turn…"

"Where's that paper? With the questions?" Natsuo asked Yuiko.

"Right here!" She handed it to him.

He took it. "These questions are for two-year-olds…the answer is pumpkin." He shoved it at her again. "We go left."

"Are you certain?" Mei wondered.

"Yes."

"What of the questions were made to trick us? Like give false directions." Yoji asked.

"Don't worry me like that, Yoji, I swear." Ritsuka ordered. "This is all your guys' fault anyway."

"How is it our fault?"

"If you two hadn't tried to cause trouble no one would have reacted like this!"

Yoji rolled his eyes. "If you want to get technical, it's your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

"You wanted to come to this thing. We only tagged along to keep an eye on you. You're accident prone."

"I don't need you to protect me."

"Someone has to." Yoji held up his wrist, which had a bandage on it. "Clearly Agatsuma's failing, so I guess it's our job."

"Yoji…" Natsuo scolded with a sigh.

"You know damn well that most of my injuries come from my mother. I'm too careful to be clumsy and get hurt so carelessly, you know that." Ritsuka hugged himself. "But now's not the time to talk about that…not the right company…"

"Your mother…?" Sensei asked. "She…she's the one that hurts you…?"

"And he protects her like a dumbass." Yoji snapped.

"Shut up, Yoji, you wouldn't understand. She's all I have, alright?"

"All you have? Seriously? What about us?"

"That's different, and you know it!"

"Alright, alright." Natsuo shoved both of them by the shoulders. "You're both worn out. Stop acting like idiots. Fighting won't do anything to help us get out of here. Now shut up, and let's get moving before another creature catches us."

The two Sacrifices glared, then sighed. Yoji rubbed the back of his neck while Ritsuka rubbed his arm.

"S-Sorry, Ritsuka…" Yoji apologized.

"M-Me too, Yoji…"

"There. All better."

"Idiots." Mei complained. "Come on. I'm getting tired, too…"

They turned the way Natsuo suggested.

Mei? Can you hear me? I can feel you getting closer.

I'm getting tired, Mimuro…

I know. I can feel it. Let me help.

But…how?

Let me take away some of that exhaustion from you. You need your strength more than I do. I just need to stand here and look pretty.

Like a girl.

Shut up.

She laughed. Thank you…Mimuro…I feel…better…now…

I don't…you owe me for this, Hotarubi Mei.

My pleasure, Shinonome Mimuro.

At another fork, Mei paused, hearing rustling in the corn.

"Oh no…" One of the kids buried her face in the mom's dress.

Someone ambled out of the corn, tripping over a fallen stalk as they did so. Kids screamed.

"Will you pipe down?" A familiar voice scolded, a pale hand brushing midnight black hair from chocolate eyes. "Oh…thought I sensed you two nearby…"

"Akame?" Mei and Ritsuka asked at once.

"I thought you were working on finding out who cast the spell?" Mei wondered.

"I am, but they keep disappearing on me." Nisei complained, standing straight. "I took a shortcut, but it appears they've gone that way." He pointed.

"So go that way?" Mei asked.

"I plan on it. this is just a road block. There's a couple creatures up ahead. The bridge to the left leads to another fork. Take it and go right. You'll be closer then."

"Thank you…"

Akame snorted. "I'm not doing this to help, understand? I'm only helping you so Seimei doesn't skin me alive later for failing to do so."

"What a faithful dog." Natsuo snickered at Yoji.

Nisei glared. "Watch it." He ordered. "I have my own path to follow. Get lost."

They watched him leave.

"What an unpleasant man…" Sensei muttered.

"Yeah, and my Sacrifice is in love with his ass." Mei rolled her eyes. "But I don't think he's going to lead us on the wrong path. Let's just try what he says."

"And if we're wrong?"

"I skin him alive when I find him again. That's not a threat. That's a promise."

000

Another resting break on top of the bridge gave Ritsuka and his friends the opportunity to look around.

"We're not far." Yoji pointed. "I can see numbers on the barn clearly now."

"Thank god." Mei complained, plopping onto the bridge. "I'm using up too much power with my bond…Mimuro is doing what he can to take some of the exhaustion from me, but…it will only work so long…"

"Shut your bond off for now." Natsuo ordered. "Let him know you're resting." He sat with her.

"Y-Yeah…good idea…"

Mimuro? I'm taking a break…I need to save energy. So please…let's lose contact for a moment.

I've lost contact with Nisei. Don't lose contact with me, too.

If I want to be able to keep moving, keep pushing forward, I have to. It won't be for long. We've come across him. he's the same; as rude as ever. He'll be fine. He's on the trail.

Are you sure you want to break our bond? Even for just a moment?

Yeah. I'm certain. I won't be gone long. You're not rid of me yet, Mimuro.

Good…I'm glad…rest up. I'll…try and do the same. Stay safe.

You too.

She sighed. "He's being a big baby again." She lay back on the bridge, arms under her head. "Sacrifices and Fighters are supposed to be a lot alike…you know…? Like you two…and Aoyagi and Agatsuma…"

"Soubi and I are nothing alike…" Ritsuka argued softly, sitting next to her. "There's not a thing we have in common…"

"You're both being used and abused by Seimei." Yoji offered.

Natsuo smacked him as he sat down. "That's not it, Yoji." He stated. "You're both…hurt…and looking for someone to fill that void left within you from someone who hurt you…"

"Huh?" Ritsuka asked.

"You and your mother and Seimei…Soubi and Ritsu and Seimei…there are some parallels…don't you think?"

"Not…well…I guess…" Ritsuka blushed. "D-Don't make me think about things like that…" He hugged his knees to his chin.

"You want to get out of here…and find him…don't you?" Mei asked. "Nisei is here now…he would know where your brother is…and…"

"He wouldn't help me." Ritsuka shook his head. "I have to find him on my own…it's not going to be an easy process…but…I'm willing to take the risk."

Mei smiled gently. "I'm starting to realize…" She laughed. "I don't know what I would do if…if he was gone from me like Agatsuma is from you…you're a lot stronger than I would have thought, Ritsuka…to have your heart broken so easily…but to still love the person who did that…"

"I don't know if its love, but…"

"You're willing to risk everything to find him." Natsuo pointed out. "That's love if I ever heard of it." He shrugged.

"Enough mushy shit." Yoji complained, stretching his legs. "Are you powered up enough yet? Can we start moving forward again?"

"I think I'm okay." Mei stood.

Mimuro? Are you ready?

I'm here.

That…doesn't answer my question…

Let's bring you home.

She blushed. "We're ready."

000

Ritsuka wasn't certain how long they'd been walking since they rested. It could have been ten minutes, it could have been an hour. He hadn't remembered his watch and his phone died after the last time he tried to call for help. Yoji and Natsuo took up the rear of the group while Mei and Ritsuka headed it, though the twins had argued they could fight since they were a unit and the other two were not, but Ritsuka had convinced them that it was more likely they'd get attacked from behind again and that was the best place for them. Really, it hadn't made sense to put Mei in the back because she was using her bond to get them all out to safety. The chattering of the preteens' teeth and the quiet whimpers from the children had died down a while ago; everyone keeping their eyes and ears-both sets of ears for everyone that wasn't the mother, since Sensei had hers still-for someone to come, whether it be friend or foe. So far, most of the screams took place on the other side of the maze; nothing too close to the group for comfort. Someone had suggested splitting up into smaller group so they'd be less likely to find, but considering Mei was the only one with a tie to the outside world that they could follow right now, splitting up would only put the group she wasn't a part of into danger.

"How much further?" Amane complained. "It's getting later and later an we're still not at the exit."

"Most of the paths have two directions going the same way. I won't know what's a dead end unless I try a path. Sorry we have to keep turning around…" Mei complained.

"Do you think whoever cast the spell is messing with the maze structure, too?" Yoji's ears twitched. "Because we should be out by now, right? How far away is he? Can you tell?"

"Um…" Mei closed her eyes, almost walking into corn because she didn't realize they had to make a left next. "Not far…"

"How far is not far?" Natsuo pressed. "Come on, you'd doing good…don't screw up now!"

"Natsuo." Ritsuka scolded.

Only Zero could compliment and insult you in one sentence. Maybe that was just a Fighter thing, since Soubi was able to mention love and murder in the same train of thought, and those two didn't go together. At least, Ritsuka didn't think that they did.

"What?" He wondered. "We're close, but she doesn't know how close?"

"Are we at least closer than we were before…?" Yayoi offered.

"Yeah, definitely." Mei stated, giving a side eye back towards the twins. "It could be a few feet, it could be a few miles."

The rest of the group groaned as a unit.

"Seriously?" One of Ritsuka's male classmates asked. "Are we sure she's right, and that she's not just pretending she is to keep us calm?"

"Excuse you?" Mei asked. "You think you can do better? At least I have a heading, and a connection that can't be broken. What do you guys have? Non-functioning cell phones and bruised egos?"

"Excuse you?" The boy repeated.

"C-Children, no fighting." Sensei stated. "We're all in this together…we should work together, right?"

"I'm sorry…Mei's always confrontational. I'm not surprise…" The woman sighed. "We've all been trying to get her to open up, but…"

"I'm right here." Mei complained. "Sorry if I defend myself when I'm insulted."

"You should be a little more patient with her." Ritsuka offered as Mei stomped forward a bit and looked around the clearing at the different paths. "I know she has a temper, but if what she said was right, about her parents abandoning her, then she's hurt. It's been two years, and I'm still mad at my brother for leaving me."

"He's dead." Amane argued. "We saw the online article."

"If he was dead, I'd be blaming god, not him." Ritsuka informed, hugging himself. "I've learned some things; none of them very pretty. But that's not the point here. The point is that she's trying to help. She knows we're exhausted and done with this and want to get out and go home as quickly as possible. She feels the same way. But arguing with her and questioning her abilities isn't going to help."

Mimuro? I'm in a large clearing…can you see a map of the maze somewhere? I thought I saw one before we came in…where the papers with the questions are…

I see a place with papers you can take. I'll check there.

Hurry…

Give me a moment, Mei. I'm right here still. I'm not leaving you.

She felt herself blush at that, though it was the least of her worries. At least, unlike her parents, Mimuro was there for her and cared for what happened to her. It was…welcoming. It was one of the reasons she'd fallen in love with her Sacrifice so easily.

I found the map. Tell me, Mei, what do you see?

I'm in a clearing…there are four paths in front of me…one directly to my left as well.

I see it on the map. You're close. You're almost home.

What path do I take, Mimuro?

What do you think? Feel me reaching out to you. Hear me call for you. Where…?

Um… She squeezed her eyes tight and pointed down one path. It didn't feel right, so she tried again until she found one that was right. The…second from the left…my left, Mimuro…

If I look at the map the way you'd be looking at where you are, that's the right one, Mei. It's straight through there. Take that path. You're almost free!

Thank you…

"This way!" Mei called, pointing. "He found a map. I described where we are. He says to take this one."

"Who says?" The woman looked worried.

"The guy that's saving our asses." Natsuo informed. "Come on, if they're both certain, let's just go."

The corn behind them rustled like someone was walking through it and stopped to stare. The younger kids screeched while the older ones held onto one another.

"We've been found again…!" Yuiko complained.

"You took too long to decide!" Amane warned.

"It might just be Akame again." Ritsuka offered. "He's not even using the paths of the maze. He's just going."

"He's reckless." Yoji commented. "Some kind of death wish, probably."

"He accepted a long time ago that he was going to die. He's not afraid to." Mei pointed out. "He knows he will, it's just a question as to how. Mimuro's certain Seimei will be his downfall, but who knows…that acceptance, that realization, might be what does him in, in the end…"

"I don't want to stand here talking and thinking about things. I just want out of here!" One of Amane's friends snapped. "Come on!"

"What if it follows?" A little girl asked.

"We can handle a couple of spellbound losers." Yoji informed.

"Go. We'll stay here in case something comes." Natsuo offered.

"If you say so, Zero." Ritsuka replied.

"This is our fault anyway, right? So who cares? Just go. We can hold them off."

"But if you don't make it out and break this in time, I'm personally coming back to haunt you until you die, got it, Aoyagi?"

"Got it." Ritsuka laughed.

"Stay safe." Sensei muttered. "Please…I don't want to lose any students…"

"You won't." Yoji smacked her backside, making her gasp out. "We got this, teach. Let us handle the sloppy part. You handle the escaping part."

"Get them the hell out of here, you got me, Mei?" Natsuo ordered. "I haven't been following the decisions of another Fighter just for you to all die."

She nodded. "R-Right…come on!"

Ritsuka let everyone else go ahead of him. "Good luck…" He told the twins.

"We don't need luck." Yoji replied.

Ritsuka smiled and darted off after the others, hoping he wasn't too far behind.

"Whatever it is, why isn't it coming out?" Yoji asked his partner. "A coward?"

The corn rustled and what looked like a skeleton came out, wielding a sickle. It stopped and stared with its black, dead eye holes. The holes closed and opened one at a time as if it couldn't blink both eyes at once.

"This is what we're up against?" Yoji wondered. "Lame."

"This will be easy." Natsuo confirmed. "You want a piece of us, bony?"

The thing grunted.

"Then come and get it!"

The skeleton person swung its sickle and advanced on the boys. They danced around with it, avoiding its attacks. Yoji tripped over corn and the sickle cut through his skin. Unable to feel it as a Zero, he barely flinched. The skeleton seemed upset and roared, slashing a few more times at him. Yoji covered his face to protect it. Natsuo picked up an ear of corn and threw it, hitting the skeleton in the head. Its head turned, barely held onto the neck, to look at him.

"Don't you even think about it." Natsuo growled. "Not my partner, you don't."

Yoji got up and picked up a fallen stalk of corn. "Say goodnight, boney!"

The skeleton turned just in time for Yoji to hit it in the head with corn. The skeleton grunted. Its eyes blinked rapidly, one after the other, before it collapsed into a pile on the ground.

Yoji snorted. "That was too easy…not my partner? Seriously, Natsuo?"

The redhead blushed, dropping the other ear of corn he was planning on throwing. "S-Shut up."

"Aw, do I really mean that much to you?" Yoji teased, poking his cheek and twisting his finger a little. "That's so cute, Natsuo."

Yoji kissed the tip of his Fighter's nose, laughing as his face changed colors.

"Come on, asshole." Natsuo ordered, taking him by the wrist. "Let's catch up."

"Yeah." Yoji agreed, nodding as Natsuo led him away.

The corn rustled as the skeleton began stirring. It got up onto one elbow and glared at the retreating preteens, crooked mouth morphing into a twisted grin.

000

Despite her protests that she was fine and didn't need to rest and announcements that they were close to the maze's end, Mei was visibly exhausted. The mother had tried to get her to listen to reason, but she refused. They needed to get out before something else could come after them. Zero had managed to get rid of the creature they had faced, but that didn't mean that it was the last one, or that it was the strongest. Ritsuka was certain they could handle themselves and fight on despite being injured since they were unable to feel pain, but he didn't want to put their lives at risk; no matter how much of this was their fault to begin with.

"Are you sure we're close, Mei?" One of the little kids asked, tugging on her sleeve. "You can't know that for sure. It's a maze!"

"I can see the light from the barns getting closer." Mei informed. "We can't be too far off now."

"Ask Mimuro." Ritsuka asked. "See if he can estimate how far away we are."

"Who are you talking about, Ritsuka-kun?" Sensei asked. "There's no way to communicate with anyone outside of our group…"

Mei scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that, lady. I'm the one getting us out of here, and I know what Aoyagi's saying." She sighed. "It takes a lot of my energy to talk to him through our bond instead of follow it." She informed Ritsuka. "If I do that, I may not be able to follow him much longer…"

"I see." He sighed, defeated. "Well, at least you know we're going in the right direction."

"And now we're screwed." Yoji commented when they reached a fork. "Guess you have to find the strength to call him, kid."

She huffed. "If I do that, I can't follow the bond. And it's not like any of you can see it."

"Uh, Ritsuka, Natsuo, and I can. Duh."

"She means because it's dark, Yoji." Ritsuka informed. "I can barely see my hand, let alone my bond."

"What bond?"

Ritsuka glared as the twins laughed.

"Assholes." He complained. "Come on, Mei. Any idea what way to go here?"

She tapped on her lip, trying to focus on the direction that the bond was going.

"The one closer to the left." Amane offered. "If we go the other way, we're probably going back the way we came. The other way can't loop around anywhere if we're as close to the end as you think."

"Can't we just go through the corn?" Natsuo asked.

"If we do that, we may not be able to break the spell." Mei scolded. "If the condition is that we have to get out of the maze, then we have to get out of it by following it to the end and walking out of the arch."

"And what if you're wrong?"

"Then we'll handle that later. Right now, we need to get out of here." Ritsuka stated. "What way do you think, Mei?"

"I don't…"

"Left." Amane stated.

"Right!" One of the kids commented. "The left could be the way we came!"

"That makes zero…"

"If we end up going out the entrance instead of the exit, we won't clear the maze anyway." Yoji complained. "So just pick a damn path and we'll deal with the consequences after."

"Or we just pray that Akame finds who cast the spell and gets it reversed…" Ritsuka muttered. 'But I don't put much faith into him."

"He's…a better Fighter than you think he is." Mei informed. "He'll find who he's looking for, most likely, but getting them to reverse it may be difficult. I mean, you and Agatsuma aren't bonded and kicked his ass when he went solo. Who knows what will happen if he comes face to face with a bonded Unit alone."

"Yeah, that's a risk he's taking and that we're going to have to deal with later. But to be fair, we won because Soubi's a better Fighter, not because Akame's just weak. Who knows how strong the people he's going after are."

"They managed to respond to our spell by putting some kid of serial killer come to life death race spell over the entire corn field." Yoji informed as if Ritsuka were an idiot. "I'd say they're strong enough to handle their own against the sociopath."

"So, you see it too, hm?" Mei wondered. "Mimuro doesn't…damn idiot…too in love with the guy to realize he's a nut job."

"I wonder if that makes Mimuro a nut job as well." Natsuo snickered.

"He's okay." Ritsuka shrugged. "I only met them once, but after the battle, he was pretty chill about everything."

"Th-That's funny…" Sensei stated, shaking. "I have a cousin named Mimuro…"

'Small world." Mei replied.

"Who cares!?" Amane screeched. "What path do we take?"

"I don't know…"

"Best guess!"

"Uh…um…I'm not certain I…"

"You got this, Mei. Come on." Ritsuka pushed.

"Yeah, you can figure it out! Yui…I believe in you!" Yuiko pumped a fist into the air, hair bouncing as she jumped a little.

"I'm…" Mei sighed. "I'll talk to him…give me a moment…"

Mimuro? I'm weak…I'm going to pass out soon…We're at a fork, and I don't know…how close are we…?

The fork goes left and right, yes?

Yeah.

Map says to go left. If you just go that way, you'll hit another fork. Keep going straight. Don't make any turns. You'll be out as long as you keep going straight. You should be able to see the lights form the farm when you get close. You're not far now, Mei.

I don't know if I can call you again…or follow the bond again…its dark, I can't see it…

I'll give you ten minutes to come out, and then I'll contact you. The power in the channel will be mine and not yours. Follow the bond. I'll make the new connection. That path is completely straight, though, Mei. You'll be fine if you don't make any more turns…

Okay…thank you…

Mei shook her head, holding onto it as a bit of lightheadedness overcame her.

"Are you okay?" Sensei asked.

"I'm fine." She stated. "Just give me a minute…"

"It's been a minute…" Amane's friend offered.

"Quiet." Natsuo ordered, voice deepening. "Stop being a pain in the ass."

She opened her mouth to counter, but no words came out. Her mouth open and shut like a dying fish, making the twins laugh.

"Not funny, Natsuo." Ritsuka glared. "They're going to sense that, baka!"

Their laughter stopped abruptly. "Oops…"

Mei glared. "Left. Mimuro said to go left." She stated. "It's a straight away from there."

"Finally!" Amane sighed. "But what of…?"

"She'll be fine in like ten minutes." Natsuo waved his hand. "That was a minor spell."

"Spell?" Yuiko paled.

"When we get out of here, I'm so making Akame erase their memories…" Ritsuka muttered.

"Yeah, cause that worked well when he did it to you, right? Call blondie." Yoji answered. 'Oh, wait, you can't!"

"We should have left you on top of the bridge…" Ritsuka muttered. "Lead the way, Mei."

She nodded. "R-Right…"

The group took the left path and continued straight down it. at the end, they came to a blocked path.

"A straight way out, huh?" Natsuo wondered.

"God damn it…" Mei muttered.

"Mei!" The mother scolded.

"My language is the least of our problems right now!" Mei scolded. "I can't contact him again. He's going to try me in ten minutes, but I don't know if I have the strength to answer…"

"Or if we can risk waiting that longer." Ritsuka informed as something howled in the distance.

"What are we going to do?" Yuiko started to cry.

"If he's right about it being straight…" Ritsuka pushed apart some corn and peered through. "I think I can see a barn from here."

"Anything else? There should be an arch for the exit." Yayoi informed.

"I think I see something…" Ritsuka groaned. "They had the exists sealed to keep us inside. Mei…"

"We may not be able to solve this just by getting out…we might just have to…survive…"

"And who knows how long that's going to take?" Natsuo groaned. "This isn't a simple spell like mine. This could take hours, even days."

"We don't have that kind of time!" Amane protested as the smaller kids started protesting. "What if something gets us? Your friend just led us to a dead end."

"He was looking at a map…"

"A map the people in charge made! Maybe that changed when the maze changed!"

"I wouldn't think the properties of the corn maze itself would change." Yoji offered. "But I'm no expert. Natsuo?"

"It depends on the spell. It could be part of the conditions set by the caster, or it could not be. We won't know until we talk to them, and right now, we've just got them dealing with Akame." Natsuo stated.

"So, there's no way to determine what to do next…" Ritsuka paused.

"I'd assume that it would either go away or change somehow come day time." Natsuo stated. "The corn maze is only a haunted one at night. There's nothing in here to control in the daylight like the workers.

"Who knows when daylight is…" Amane's other friend stated.

Yayoi strained to look at his watch. "It's nearly midnight." He informed. "At least, it looks it."

"Maybe it's like Cinderella and ends at midnight." Yoji snickered.

"Enough!" Mei shouted. "You two got us into this mess. Stop making jokes about it!"

"She's right, you know. You could have just done the maze as it was and went home. But no, you had to try and stop yourselves from being bored." Ritsuka complained.

"Well excuse us for wanting a little fun." Yoji complained back, arms folded over his chest. "It's not like you're doing anything here either, Aoyagi, so don't act all high and mighty on me."

"What the hell do you expect me to do?" Ritsuka wondered. 'I'm a Sacrifice, and one without a Fighter at that. I'm useless."

"You got one, you're just too afraid to try and contact him." Yoji scolded. "Seriously, he ditched you in a graveyard for your brother, not up and cheated on you with your best friend and then got killed in a freak accident. So man up and give him a shout, would you?"

"Y-Yoji, that's a little harsh…" Natsuo offered. "We all know he's not going to answer, regardless of what Ritsuka does."

"Thank you, Natsuo."

"It's better than just being the group cheerleader!"

Ritsuka glared. "We're friends and in danger here, so I'm going to let that slide, but shut up."

Zero chuckled.

"Enough f-fighting." Sensei stated. "We need to figure a way out of here…we don't have all night…"

"You sure you can't contact him again, Mei?" Ritsuka wondered.

"I'm certain. He's going to contact me."

"Are you…?"

Ritsuka stopped talking as he watched Mei's bond shimmer.

Mei? Can you hear me?

Mimuro?

Good, you're there. Are you okay?

We're all fine.

I'm asking about you.

I'm okay. Tired. I want to go home…get out of here.

Did you go straight like I told you to?

It's a dead end.

That's impossible. I can sense you a lot better now. You're not far from me. I can't get closer to the corn maze, but you're standing near the exit sign at the least.

We can't see it from where we are. What do we do…?

You might have to just go through the corn. But I know if you continue the way you were going, you'll reach us in no time. Do you feel that?

You activated our battle system. Be careful! That might set off whoever put this trap together!

I'm sorry, but it's a chance I have to take. You're not far. Let me take some of your weariness away from you, okay?

But…I don't want you to get hurt…

I'm just going to get tired. I'm your Sacrifice. My job is to take damage for you. Let me do this. So you can follow our bond better, and not have to wait on me. You can't just stay in there until daylight or the cops decide to go in.

They haven't yet?

They're near the entrance, but no one has gone in. Maybe they can't.

You can see the exit, right? The open gap?

I can.

Can you see the open gap for the entrance?

Yes, I can.

If you can see the exit, can you see me? See the others?

No.

There's some kind of barrier here; that's for sure. So you can see in but no one on the other side, and we can't see out at all.

It's a trick to keep you in there. Unless the exit moved somewhere, you're right there.

So if we go through the corn, the spell should be broken…?

I'm not sure. Have you come across Nisei since the first time?

No, not once/ I can't sense him. I don't know if he's even in here still.

He hasn't come back to me, so he has to be. I just hope he's okay.

He's like a cockroach. He's not dying any time soon, and not at the hands of some two-bit magicians who use cheap parlor tricks!

You're starting to trust him, I see. As I have come to do.

Not in the least. I trust his skill set. Not him as a person. Are you so blinded by your love by him that you can't see that?

Let's not waste energy fighting. I'm going to transfer your weariness to myself now, alright? Do what you can to get out. Go through the corn if you have to, blast it away with a spell.

Thank you…

Mei snapped back to reality, shaking her head. "He can see the exit. We're near it, but he doesn't see us through the corn."

"So the corn is just an illusion?" Ritsuka got closer to the corn behind her and reached out to touch it. "It feels real to me."

"Of course it does." Natsuo snorted. "It might be an illusion, but tis a spell. It's real."

"We see corn, but people on the other side can't see corn?" Amane scratched her head. "How does that make sense?"

"The spell was cast just to effect the people inside, maybe." Ritsuka responded.

"No." Natsuo shook his head. "Those two got here after the spell was cast. As did the police. They can't see the corn because the spell hadn't effected them. Have the police come into the maze yet?"

"He says they haven't, but he's not sure why. He sees the entrance, but maybe they can't."

"Or there's a barrier they can't get through. Could be part of the spell." Yoji countered.

"He's not wrong." Natsuo responded. "What do we do?"

"If the corn is an illusion, we can just go right through it without consequence." Mei stated. "Any objections?"

"Whatever gets us out of here quicker!" One of Amane's friends complained.

"Alright…let's do it." The mother nodded.

A loud roar ripped through the area. Ritsuka and the twins turned to look while Yuiko buried her face in Yayoi's shoulder and the others froze in place.

"What…is that…?" Ritsuka wondered.

At the end of the long, straight path, here was a creature standing on all fours like a dog. It had the head of a lion, body of a tiger, and a tail wagging back and forth like a dog's.

"Uh…I think that's what they call a chimera…" Yoji pointed out. "I saw one in an anime once…"

"You're a dork; that's great." Natsuo informed. "We…should get going…"

The creature roared as some of the younger kids shrieked. They scattered around Mei, pulling their mom into the corn and rushing away.

"Let's get out of here! I hate this place!" Amane complained.

She and her friends burst through the corn as well.

"K-Kids, wait! It's not safe!" Sensei ushered the other teens, including Yuiko and Yayoi, towards the corn. She guided each of them through before turning to the Zero unit and the two solo unit members.

"C-Come on! You kids can't fight that thing…" She stated. "Let's go!"

"We'll hold it off." Yoji offered. "Just like last time. Just get your asses out of this maze and break this curse thing, alright?"

"The spell was cast because you two cast yours. I think it's the two of you that need to make it through." Ritsuka informed as the creature started to paw at the ground like it was preparing to charge.

"C-Children, quickly. We can all m-make it…"

"That thing can break through corn easily." Natsuo informed. "We need to hold it off until you're all out."

"You won't know if we are…" Ritsuka replied.

"Yes, you will." Mei nodded. "I'll stay here as well."

"Are you crazy?" Ritsuka wondered.

"No, listen. When you guys get out, tell Mimuro to call me. I can't break my concentration to ask him if you did, so he's the one that has to alert me. Once we know you're out, the three of us can follow." Mei huffed. "They can go first and I'll bring up the rear. If they need to get out to break this, then they should go first. If I'm in danger, the danger should fade once they break it."

"What if we're wrong?"

"Then I have to hope I'm a better runner than I think I am."

"Her mind's made up. Just go. The longer you stay here and chit-chat, the more danger you're in." Yoji offered.

"Get out of here. Have her Sacrifice call her like she said." Natsuo agreed. "Just don't die out there, alright?"

"R-Right…" Ritsuka swallowed. "Stay safe."

They twins nodded, ignoring him as Natsuo cast a spell for a barrier or two to construct themselves. The thing roared and charged towards the first force field.

"Go!" Mei ordered.

Ritsuka took his Sensei by the wrist and pulled her into the corn.

"Come on!"

"R-Ritsuka-kun…are we sure they…they…?"

"They'll be fine."

He heard Mei and Natsuo both cast spells.

"They'll be fine." He repeated to himself as he and his sensei tried to navigate the dense cornfield.

Some of the stalks were pushed away from the others trying to find their way out. Ritsuka heard sparks fly from the barrier being struck by the chimera creature and swallowed hard. They had to get out quickly and get to Mimuro before it was too late. That thing would descend on the others in moments.

"I think I see the end!" Sensei pointed out.

She and Ritsuka pushed against the final row of corn. A hand reached in and grabbed each of them by the wrist, yanking them both to the ground outside the corn field. The students and family they had bene in the maze with were being coddled by the police and ambulance, being given free hot drinks and warm blankets. Ritsuka looked up at who dragged them out and was surprised to see someone he thought was still in the maze.

"Akame?" He greeted.

"Whoever they were, they ran off." Akame grunted, as if that made any difference. "Where's the brat?"

"W-Who?" Sensei asked.

"Mei!" Ritsuka scrambled to his feet. "Where's Mimuro!?"

Akame pointed up towards the barn. "They made us move away, but I snuck back down here from the other side of the barn. What do you need him for?"

"S-She said to have him c-call her when we all got o-out. There's some c-c-creature in there." Sensei whimpered.

"Oh, for the love of…" Akame rolled his eyes. "Pathetic. You're a sensei. Be a little stronger for your students, would you?"

"P-P-Pardon…?"

"How did you…? Never mind, I don't want to know." Ritsuka shook his head.

He started to rush up the hill as officers came over to help.

"Is there anyone else inside?" One asked.

Screams came from different areas of the corn field.

"You could say that." Akame huffed.

"Didn't we tell you to wait at the barn already, kid?"

"No, that was the other guy."

"What other guy?"

"Any other guy."

"Seriously?"

Ritsuka was thankful for the distraction, whether it was intentional or not. Stupid Akame.

"Mimuro!" He shouted, rushing up the hill. "Call Mei! Let her know we're out!"

He nodded and gave the neko a thumb up.

Mei? Aoyagi said to contact you. They're out. Him and the woman.

Thank you…we will be shortly…Mimuro…if I don't make it…

Don't say that!

No, you listen to me, Shinonome! If I don't make it out of this, I want you to know I'm sorry for giving you a hard time and not listening, alright? Nothing against you, just I l-like you and s-sometimes…I don't think…about anything but-

Mei? Mei?!

000

Mei came to her senses thanks to a slap from Yoji.

"Was that him? Are they out?" He asked quickly.

She nodded. "Y-Yes…"

"Then why are we standing here like idiots?" Natsuo wondered, grabbing the orange-haired girl and shoving her into the corn path made by the others escaping. "Get moving!"

Mei shuddered as she heard the last barrier shatter away and the creature roar as it leapt into the area where she and the twins had been standing. Yoji and Natsuo quickly pushed through the corn, using one another for support. Mei could barely hold her own as she stumbled after them, trying not to get separated since Natsuo was using spells to cast the corn out of the way and give them an easier escape. The corn behind her cracked as if it were being shoved down and she risked slowing down to look over her shoulder at the path they'd come down.

The creature had its head and half its body through, and was swiping through the corn that was still standing with its claws. It's jewel-like eyes sparkled in the starlight as it roared again, pushing harder to get through the still-standing corn stalks. Mei came to her senses as two rows of corn cracked and the creature pulled its hind corners through. She shook her head and started running, hearing the creature break out after her. She resisted the urge to scream as she forced her way down the half-path the twins had made towards the exit.

Using the last of her strength, Mei shoved her way through the last corn stalks, falling to her knees and crawling away from the corn row. The creature roared as she scampered away as quickly as she could. She heard a commotion and looked up, freezing in her spot. The creature behind her had stopped, and Mimuro was trying to get past the police to her.

"Mei!" He shouted. "Mei, are you alright?!"

She gave him a thumb up and started to stand, but her knees buckled and she fell on her stomach on the grassy hill, one arm stretched out towards him.

"Mei!"

Her name rang in her ears as he called her using both their bond and his own voice. Exhaustion hit her and she passed out where she was, looking like a child who'd fallen asleep on the living room floor watching a movie instead of a Fighter that was on her last leg.

Her foster mother finally saw the commotion and rushed over with her kids, pushing past the police.

"That's my daughter!" She told them when they tried to protest.

Mimuro used the distraction to force his way down to her as well. Ritsuka met him halfway with his sensei.

"Mimuro…?" She asked, reaching for him as he passed.

He was too lost in his determination to get to his Fighter to notice the elder woman reaching towards him.

"Mei…" He muttered, falling to his knees at her side.

He brushed hair from her eyes as her foster mother cradled her in her arms.

"W-Who are you…?" She asked.

"I'm Mimuro…Mei's been talking to me this whole time…"

"I don't know how you know my daughter, or how you were able to talk to her with no one hearing…but thank you…" The mother ran a hand over her hair. "Her faith in you is what got us out, I really believe that."

Mimuro flushed. "Just helping my friend, ma'am."

Pale pastel colored specks floated around in the air as the spell over the corn maze rescinded, light wisps of a fading spell rising from the corn maze itself. As Ritsuka and the others from his school crowded around the Unit and Mei's foster mother, the corn that had been blocking both the entrance and the exit to keep everyone inside faded away and only the original entrances were left.

"Everyone else can get out now." Ritsuka sighed in relief. "We did it."

"Finally." Yoji huffed. "Well, at least it wasn't boring."

"I should hit you." Ritsuka stated as the others glared.

"Who did it?" Mimuro asked. "Did you find them, Nisei?"

The raven shook his head, running a hand through his long hair as he put the other one in his pocket.

"Ah, no, I didn't. They were either close to the exit when this started and got away, or they cloaked themselves so even I couldn't see through it." He shrugged. "As long as no one does anything stupid in a public haunted attraction again, I doubt we have anything to worry about."

"They probably only cast their spell because Yoji and Natsuo cast one, and they thought they were in danger."

Nisei snorted. "Defensive spells. How cliché. Though, I've never seen one this advanced before…" He covered his mouth with one hand, thinking.

"YOU better not be thinking how to find them for my brother, because I swear to god, Akame, he doesn't need any more psychotic weapons on his side." Ritsuka scolded.

Nisei chuckled. "I was thinking nothing of the sort, Loveless."

His eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that."

"Enough." Mimuro ordered, yawning.

"Tired, sempai? You're like an old lady." Nisei teased.

"I took half of Mei's exhaustion upon myself." Mimuro glared at him. "I know your Sacrifice is too much of a selfish prick to do something like that for you, but trust me, it takes a lot of energy."

"Hey, brother of the selfish prick here." Ritsuka waved at him, making him blush.

"Mother of several very small children that can hear you here." Mei's foster mother scolded.

"Gomen." The two Sacrifices chorused.

"Pathetic." Yoji complained.

"Don't thin k I'm not going to tell Nagisa about this, because you know I'm going to." Ritsuka threatened.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me, Zero."

Yoji lunged as Ritsuka scrambled to his feet.

"That all you got?" He asked.

Yoji growled, getting to his feet and giving chase to the raven-haired Sacrifice.

"Get your ass back here, Loveless!"

"Don't call me Loveless!"

Natsuo chuckled at his Sacrifice's antics as the sparkles and wisps faded away. "Yo, Akame."

"What?" He asked, looking down at the redhead.

"You ever manage to learn how to properly cast that memory spell?" Natsuo asked.

He glared. "I don't use it unless I absolutely have to, but if you're asking if we'll have another Aoyagi sized error again, we won't."

He jutted his finger at the fighting teens, ignoring how Yoji tackled Ritsuka to the ground. Natsuo sighed.

"You take care of that, then, will you? I have to go prevent Yoji from giving Ritsuka a concussion."

"Or Ritsuka from breaking his arm." Nisei chuckled as he watched Ritsuka twist Yoji's arm to get him away. "It's not like he's going to know its happening."

"Right." Natsuo raced towards the others. "Hey, you two! Quit it!" He ordered.

Mimuro shook his head. "Are they always like this?"

"More so than you think…" Sensei informed. "You…know this young girl, Mimuro…?"

His ears flattened as Nisei giggled, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Someone's busted." He teased.

"Shut up!" Mimuro scolded. "Uh…yea…cos…she's a friend…I was in the big brother program and we were paired…"

"Seriously?" Nisei rolled his eyes. "What a lame answer. Boring!"

"Shut up, Nisei."

"You're not Seimei. I don't have to listen to you."

"You do if you ever want to get laid…"

Nisei laughed. "Ha, I could find someone else for a night, don't tempt me."

"Boys, small children…" Mei's foster mother scolded.

"Sorry." Mimuro offered.

Nisei just shrugged, folding his arms over his chest. "Forget." He ordered. "The events of the night relating to the world of spells. Forget."

The others froze in a daze.

"What…what happened…?" Sensei asked at last. "All I remember is…"

"This young girl tripped in the corn maze." Mimuro informed. "We helped her out, but she was so tired she just passed out."

"What's with all the police?" The foster mother wondered, looking around. "Thank you for helping her…"

Mimuro smirked. "I just did what any good friend would do."

A fake howl from a worker dressed as a werewolf made the Sacrifices and Fighters pause, Natsuo on top of Yoji as he tried to wrestle him off Ritsuka.

"How scary would that be if it was real, momma!" One of the kids complained. "I want to come back next year! Best corn maze ever!"

The other kids agreed, shouting please to come back the next year. Nisei and Mimuro laughed as they and the rest of the Units recovered from the sound of the howl. Whatever helped them sleep at night. But next year, they'd make sure the Twins were excluded.

After all, those who don't learn from their history are doomed to repeat it.