Garo 6: BEAUTY

Makai Psalm Number Thirty:

That shadow, that darkness, At the end of time, as it goes to Hell, The desperate efforts of darkness are not needed, It whispers to thee "You're destined to slowly run out of time", The dark planet's Yin self will come and obtain a new soul, Nails are the "truth", Teeth are the "past", When the colors of the rainbow bridge become pitch black, The damage from within will not disappear.

At night in the woods Kouga is chasing down a Horror. They have a running fight through and up the trees until they wind up in a Western style graveyard. The Horror is able to levitate several gravestones and hurl them at Kouga, who deflects them with his sword. As he leaps through the air and lands with his sword in the ground dispatching the hidden demon, a small dagger is flung from the shadows of the woods, which Kouga catches just before it hits him. Blood drips from his hand from catching it by the blade. He sees nothing as he looks around, Zaruba saying whoever it was already got away. As he looks at the blade he hears a man screaming in the distance.

Further into the graveyard a man is being pummeled by what looks to be a Lady of the Evening in a white Prince Valiant wig as the man's two escorts look on in horror. After being beat to unconsciousness she grabs his wallet and also the pocketbooks of the two girls. As they run away with their beaten friend Kouga appears, his Madou lighter shining its green light in her face. When he sees that she is not a Horror he turns and leaves.

Alone the woman hears a voice in her head saying she is what he needs, a black, solitary soul wandering the darkness. It offers for her to join with him, her blood and flesh will overflow with joy. She screams as the Horror possesses her.

At Kouga's mansion Kaoru is preparing to leave as Kouga walks in, his bandaged hand bleeding. Kaoru grabs his hand exclaiming that he is hurt and he pulls his hand away telling her not to touch. Gonza asks what happened and Kouga offers him the dagger. He is stunned by what he sees.

In the study Kaoru runs in complaining about the lack of first aid in the house. Gonza is saying this is a Haja Dagger, which can kill a human within minutes after being cut by it. In ancient times the Dagger killed many Makai Knights. Kaoru is running around panicking saying maybe they should call an ambulance and she runs out of the room again. As she leave Kouga tells Gonza it is time to use the Reverter. Gonza brings a box with assorted odd-looking vials and vessels, picking out one, which he gives to Kouga to drink. After drinking it Kouga uses the Madou lighter on the wound, holding it under his hand the green flame engulfs his palm, which completely heals. Kouga leaves, saying he is going to go see "the three little guard dogs".

At a dark and dingy nightclub the Lady of the Evening is drinking alone. The owner of the bar walks up and says she's had enough to drink. She goes into the bathroom where she looks at herself in the mirror and sees the Horror that has possessed her. Her head plunges down and comes back up with a different, younger and more attractive face.

Out in the parking lot the beautiful woman picks up a man who starts grabbing and kissing her. She says she is inviting him to Hell and grabbing him, sucks the life out of his body, which then explodes into fleshy chunks.

Suddenly all three of the fairy guardians wake up in their chairs. Kouga throws the Haja Dagger at the glowing girls and is intercepted by their "butler" Kodama. They ask how and why Kouga has it. He looks at them accusingly; saying the only one who can use it is a Makai Knight. They feign ignorance, asking if a comrade is after him. He turns from them saying "just add it to your collection".

Kaoru is getting ready for another job interview when some young thugs start hassling her. They start to drag her away to their car, trying to kidnap her when one is grabbed and thrown by a stranger in a long dark leather coat. The rest of the thug's gang shows up and tries to take him on. He deals with each of them easily and viciously. He really seems to enjoy beating up all six assailants. As they run away he walks over to Kaoru and asks if she will come with him.

He grabs her, noticing the ring that Kouga tracks her with and tries to pull it off, saying it's too cheap for her. She breaks away asking what he thinks he's doing. Showing more menace in his face, he replies that she is cute and her face suits her, but her screams will fit her better. "The next time we meet let's go on a date. Night would be best, for many reasons." He walks off leaving Kaoru wondering what the heck he is talking about and then realizes she is late for her interview.

On the way to the interview she talks to Dr. Ryuuzaki on her cell phone. He reassures her that her youth and vitality will assure her success with her dreams.

Back at the nightclub the owner is talking to the Lady of the Evening, saying that at this rate she'll have no more customers and that this club is the only place she can find business. They are interrupted by Kaoru, who is there for a job interview.

In a side room the owner tells Kaoru that the girls that work there tend to steal tips and cause trouble, but she assures him that she will be on the up and up. He has her start working right away.

In Kouga's training room Gonza asks who owns the Haja Dagger and Kouga replies that it doesn't matter, whoever it is he'll deal with him in kind. Zaruba interrupts to tell Kouga that "that girl" Kaoru is near a Horror.

At the nightclub Kaoru is working as a bartender. The owner asks her for a glass of water, but when she offers it a beautiful young woman take the glass before he can grab it. She drinks it all and flirts with him, then walks away. Like a magnate he is attracted to her and follows. In a back room he grabs her, when suddenly he sees it's the Lady of the Evening. Kaoru walks just as the Horror grabs the man and starts feeding until his body explodes into pieces. "Again?" she asks herself and starts running.

Out on a pier the Lady of the Evening has chased Kaoru to the water's edge. As the Horror takes some casual swings at her Kouga arrives, sword in hand. He tells Kaoru to run and without another word he and the Horror start fighting. Sitting on top of him, through a series of acrobatic moves she is able to wrap her legs around Kouga's neck, she asks, "doesn't that feel good?" The fight continues and the Horror is able to create hovering gravestones, which she stands on like a flying carpet, commanding the rest to pummel Kouga who fends them off with his sword.

He is able to destroy the gravestone she is standing on and hits her to the ground. As he readies for the finishing blow he senses something behind him and quickly moves his sword around to deflect another Haja Dagger. The mysterious stranger has returned. Kaoru recognizes him as her savior from early that day. He jokes, telling her that he said they would have a night date. With that he pulls out two short swords, holding them out like giant fangs.

He runs past Kouga, taking a swing at him as he passes and then attacks the Horror. He hits her several times and as she falls to the ground Kouga asks who he is. "Can't you tell? We are in the same profession." Kaoru is stunned "Another Makai Knight?" Kouga says the Dagger of Haja is his.

They both run at the Horror who transforms into its monstrous demonic form, defending and kicking both Makai Knights to the ground. They both recover quickly and while attacking the Horror they throw intentional swings at each other. The Horror picks up the Dagger and throws it at Kouga, who deflects it again with it almost hitting the interloping Makai Knight. Kouga transforms into GARO. The dark clad Makai Knight is about to transform as well when a voice very similar to Zaruba's but female intercedes, saying that tonight they are just observing.

Again the Horror blasts several flying gravestones at GARO who jumps up and uses the blocks as stepping-stones, jumping from one to another, leading towards the demon. He jumps from the final one down to the Horror, where he splits in half with the GARO Blade, and slices it again through the waist. The Horror reverts to the form of the beautiful woman and then to the older Lady of the Evening. As she dies she asks for help. She doesn't want to be a monster. GARO responds that it is too late, "that once you let a Horror possess you, your body is destroyed." She disintegrates into the night sky.

Zaruba comments on the poor woman, saying that if her thoughts had been more beautiful the Horror wouldn't have gone after her.

Kouga turns his attention to the dark-clad Makai Knight. He introduces himself as Rei Suzumura, otherwise known as ZERO. "ZERO?" Kouga asks. [Editor's note: "Rei" is a Japanese word for "zero"] Rei walks towards him saying, "You don't get the joke do you? Golden Knights sure are dense. I bet you don't know what I'm after either." He grabs Kaoru and asks "What if this is my target?" and kisses her hand. She slaps him hard and runs behind Kouga. Rei turns and walks away with a sly smile.

Kouga stares after him, a look of concern and determination etched in his face.