[FF] Crossings

[MrTags]

Welcome all back to Mr.Tags theater. I'll be posting Crossings back from the beginning so that everybody who was traveling with me can recap and anyone new can follow it.

Thanks for your patience, I'll get back up to where I was as quickly as I can, but only 10000 words might make the posts a little small.

Crossings - Begins

The golden king traveled. He traveled not in fanfare, for out beyond his great city, the city of all man, that was not his way. He traveled without his companion of many years, for that companion had been taken from him. He moved through the land as a peasant, as a ghost, robes the color of the sand around him, dusty and dirty from the long untracked path he forged in the desolate wilderness.

He traveled, long and hard across the sun baked land, far to the west, always to the west. The west was where the answers lay, where the dead lay, and where the ancient places, the gates to the netherworld lay.

He traveled, and when he did, all knew of him. They looked upon him and spoke.

"Ah Gilgamesh, lord of Uruk, king of man" they said one and all, "Why are your cheeks emaciated, your expression desolate! Why is your heart so wretched, your features so haggard? Why is there such sadness deep within you! Why do you look like one who has been traveling a long distance so that ice and heat have seared your face! Why do you roam the wilderness!"

And the king of all replied to them in length!

"Should not my cheeks be emaciated, my expression desolate! Should my heart not be wretched, my features not haggard Should there not be sadness deep within me? Should I not look like one who has been traveling a long distance, and should ice and heat not have seared my face! ... should I not roam the wilderness? My friend who chased wild asses in the mountain, the panther of the wilderness, Enkidu, my friend, who chased wild asses in the mountain, the panther of the wilderness, we joined together, and went up into the mountain. We grappled with and killed the Bull of Heaven, we destroyed Humbaba who dwelled in the Cedar Forest, we slew lions in the mountain passes! My friend, whom I love deeply, who went through every hard- ship with me, Enkidu, my friend, whom I love deeply, who went through every hardship with me, the fate of mankind has overtaken him. Six days and seven nights I mourned over him and would not allow him to be buried until a maggot fell out of his nose. I was terrified by his appearance! I began to fear death, and so roam the wilderness. The issue of my friend oppresses me, so I have been roaming long trails through the wilderness. The issue of Enkidu, my friend, oppresses me, so 1 have been roaming long roads through the wilderness. How can I stay silent, how can I be still! My friend whom I love has turned to clay; Enkidu, my friend whom I love, has turned to clay! Am I not like him! Will I lie down, never to get up again!"

For he had lost Enkidu, the one who fought him, the one who was most like him.

And onward he traveled, killing the great lions of the valleys, onward to the land of the scorpion beings.

Again and again was he asked.

"Ah Gilgamesh, lord of Uruk, king of man" they said one and all, "Why are your cheeks emaciated, your expression desolate! Why is your heart so wretched, your features so haggard? Why is there such sadness deep within you! Why do you look like one who has been traveling a long distance so that ice and heat have seared your face! Why do you roam the wilderness!"

And he did answer them one and all with the self same phrase as before. Till that time when he climbed to the edge of the great mountains called Mashu, that reached from their tops to the sky, and their bottoms the netherworld. The mountains, guarded by the scorpion beings.

And the beings did see him, and called him what he was, called to he who was flesh of the gods. And they asked of him why he had come so long and hard and he did tell them that he needed the knowledge of immortality.

The scorpion beings, terrible as they were, beings it is said that the mere sight of to mortals is death, they listened to his words. He entreated them, he called upon them, he asked and demanded in ways only the great king of all men could.

The beings of scorpion listened, great were the words Gilgamesh did use, great was his need, and his plea. They, great in their wisdom as beings of the scorpion, men and women alike, did put forth to him great challenges, wars of words and of spirit.

And Gilgamesh passed one and all, until there was only one last thing, one last being who needed convinced to convince them all.

But this one they said would only be convinced of worth in battle. In grasp and reach equal and proven by the language of body, hand, soul and combat. They put forth this ultimate test and the unbeaten one Gilgamesh stood forth, the golden king, clad in rags made of slain lions stood forth as the great gate into the outer darkness opened and the last test came.

From before the darkness strode a tall man, of a height nigh the great king if not taller. His short, dark hair pressed back, conformed more to his feral head. He was a broad foreigner of the northern wastes, evinced by his lighter color skin and grey green eyes. Swathed from neck to foot in shining golden armor he walked towards the king, easy in his manner. With a massive greatsword, black as pitch, held loosely in a hand so it laid across his shoulders he grinned broadly in a well worn, thin lipped smile, showing teeth clean like those of royalty.

For a second the king of Uruk had thought it was him that stood in the gateway, he who had been lost, yet now, in this new one's lazy but refined posture, relaxed but trained air, Gilgamesh could tell the thought had been in error. This one was not the same.

He stepped forth before the disheveled king, looking down upon the lordly one's almost shrunken demeanor. A look of puzzlement and mirth graced the man's foreign features.

"Ah Gilgamesh, lord of Uruk, king of man." he began as all the other's before him, then switched tone as his brows furrowed in some concern, "What happened to you? You look like shit."

Section 1 End.

[MrTags]

Heh, have to reformat this for forums from it's original non spaced and indented form, then reset the other formatting like indents and such.

Crossings Section 2

He sits in a dark place... lit barely, a place with an up and down indicated only by his position. No ceiling, no floor, no walls... only the lines. Thousand upon thousand of lines, spaced in three dimensions, in front behind each other, angling touching, effecting. Here and there new lines start, here and there, other lines end. Some converge, bounce off, or stay together. Some that were close part ways, some that were bright, blink out as another line crosses. He sits in this place, a place of no space but time he sits in this place and softly weeps.

Where he sits, to him, there is no line, though by all rights there should be, must be. There, and there, and there, behind him, lines twist and turn with no apparent reason. In his wake the lines change, sometimes like a ripple, sometimes like a hurricane, and each one glows with an aura of brighter blue, no matter it's original color.

Where he sits, next to him, and a little before him three lines meet, one red, ancient, stretching back as far as can be seen, two blue, each sparkling with golden motes, but one of those, half red, twirled betwixt another old line of dark vicious colors. His hand sets upon the clear red line, running its length softly, reticently, caressing it like the shoulder of an old, pained friend. Before him, mere seconds down the path, the lines meet, crashing cataclysmically. Two end in the flash, only the blue, drained and weaker for it, continues it's path.

With a furrowed brow, he concentrates. The land shifts, the lines change. Time and again minute details or major factors change behind him, time and again the lines crash, time and again, the way it plays out changes, yet the ending, one line moving forward, a different one each time, but pained, faded, cracked and crumbling, remains the same.

He cries softly, helplessly. His tears pool over his eyes in a place with no up or down to fall to. With a flick of his hand he sends them away thoughtlessly, hitting other lines, sending them spinning to new places. He watches wistfully, sadly, feeling the person behind each... caring for one and all. As a wisp of smoke a line, it's jet blackness nigh invisible without the glowing green cracks within it twirls up from behind him, changing for a moment, passing the other lines, leaving them ever so slightly different. He looks at the lines and sees something he hasn't before. His senses extended he isn't in the least bit surprised when he hears the words.

Who else would be here? Who else would come around him when he's like this? The darkness behind him congeals, not as well formed in time as he, but a black silhouette of a familiar outline anyway.

"And look at you now, moping and all" voiced the shade in a feminine drawl, sitting behind him to his left, running a finger over the converging lines, "You really care for these, and who's this? A her? Should I be jealous?"

He laughed slightly, still looking down. A little faux Celt accent, once she hadn't had in, what was it now? fifteen hundred years? And a little bit of faux jealousy added on to stir the pot, had gotten him to smile in seconds when he felt like he hadn't in centuries. He looks back at her, his sad eyes still managing a sarcastic knowing sparkle. It should be impossible, considering who she was, even back then it should have been, and yet here she was, she still cared for him. He supposed it just another one of the ridiculous paradoxes that defined his existence.

"Oh no, of course not." the female presence says, sighing slightly as her black wings droop a bit, "A moment here, a love there, all we can really have are trysts isn't it? Love them and watch them leave, or hold on and be the death of them... The ability to make a difference in everyone else’s life but our own."

"It's the price we pay Morg." he says softly, "Fleeting glimpses of life, touches of love, happiness for a second only in the grappling for life with one disastrous thing or another. No contentment, just the endless battle."

He looks back down to the red line, eyes half closed. He pets it for a moment, runs his finger over the all too short tangle where it and the blue line become as if one before separating again, a tiny island of peace along the string of things. Then his eyes move up, he watches the lines with red, both pure and mixed start to collide, the pure blue streaking along, breaking away to find another, a greenish oddity with sparkles of red, before being directed right back into it... then pain... collision... and always one line, cracked and fading, leading away.

A hand falls upon his, in his light it reflects a dove soft, light sheen, with it her voice calls out, "You know... you really can't save them all."

As he tenses the female form looks away. His hand falls back from the lines and clenches. His teeth grit together, mouth opened into a maddened sneer. His eyes fill with something other than tears as unimaginable power leaks through him, his emotions breaking his abilities to restrain it. His shaking fist begins to spark, the space around them actually contorting slightly as it and time are drawn thinner. His growl seems to effect everything around him, as if time itself is afraid.

"But I WANT too." he spits through clenched teeth, "This is wrong, they deserve more."

"Not all stories have happy endings." the woman replies sadly, wings twitching on her back and head, she slumps forward, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them close to her, "Not even ours did... we couldn't even save ourselves."

"For us, only things end, attachment, closeness... no matter what, we keep going." there was a desperation in his voice now, a longing, he opened his hand and looked deeply into it, "This isn't right, we don't end, we never have, they never had a chance to truly start, never admitted anything."

As he fumed the form behind him became clearer, possibly because he fumed. She crawled in behind him, hugging him, a tress of green hair falling over his shoulder. Without even thinking he reached behind him, rubbing her head with the same fist that had been clenched. Time fell back into place around them, energies stopped leaking away. The woman let out a soft, satisfied little coo that had him smiling all over again. A peaceful moment passed.

"Well." she says softly, standing, "Isn't it time?"

"Is that a joke? Time?"

"No!" she says, throwing her arms wide, spinning round, "Isn't it time you do something about it!? Well?"

He turns, looking back at the threads, his eyes narrowing.

"Come on!" she goads, crossing her arms under her chest, a hand coming up so one of her fingers falls on her cheek while her wings spread as if she was floating, "Do it! You know you want to, you know you're the only one who can. Pull one of your insane little stunts. Do one of those impossible things you're always doing, those heart stopping, jaw dropping things like only you can."

"Heh," he laughs, "And if I'm not supposed to..."

"Like that's ever stopped you before." she remarks, leaning over him with a smile, "We both know it, once you get started... nothing stops you."

Light crackles through the nothingness, a smile spreads across his features. Thoughts flow through his brain, how's, what's, why's complex plans scheming across time. With an insane laugh he throws his arms wide, lightning dancing off of him, then brings his hands back together, blue energy sparkling and swirling between his palms. His face cracks in a knowing, lop sided grin and he is gone.

Alone in the dark place a single figure stands. A woman of incomparable beauty. In her eyes burn a fire of victorious evil. Glancing back over her shoulder, as if to something, someplace different, she breaks the silence only once before disappearing.

"Oh father, I think this should solve your little Zelretch problem."

And in a fit of dark laughter and a swirl of bats...

She is gone.

Crossings Section 2 End

Hrmm, the board colors are a little off and it's hard to see some stuff. I hope that gets worked on soon hint hint ^_^

[MrTags]

Man 10000 characters is SHORT! I'm gonna fill up a lot of posts with this story. The song is Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely by Backstreet Boys.

Crossings Section 3a Begin

Blue Blue Glass Moon Under the Crimson Air

The airless void of space. The heat of the sun bears down without mercy on the surface of the bright side of the moon. The grey, pockmarked lunar landscape extends out to the edges of the lunar horizon. Above, looking all too close, hangs the bright blue orb of the Earth, basking in the light of eternity.

In the void there is nothing but quiet. Peaceful nothingness, emotionally null. The grey unmoving lunar dust sits calmly, untouched by air, moved not by the solar winds and light that beat down upon them. It is serene. It is cold. It is nearly beautiful.

Sitting with his legs crossed in meditative repose, he reaches down and touches the deceptively hot lunar surface, picks up a bit of dust in his hand and lets it slide through his fingers. It hits the ground without sound or debris, dully, lifelessly. Sitting back he lets the sun scour his austere features. Dark hair, medium nose, strong chin and cheekbones, they all take in radiation that would kill a normal person, not that the nigh absolute vacuum of the place wouldn't have earlier. His more than six foot height seems small out in the middle of nothing, his physical build completely unable to fill the vastness of the empty space a round him. He opens his blue/green eyes and looks to the Earth. At the corner of his eyes, streamers of moisture form as his tears vaporize in the unforgiving conditions.

Blue Blue Glass Moon Under the Crimson Air

With eyes wide open his powers stretch out, break the boundaries of time and space. In his minds eye he scans through dimension after dimension, watching the sad scenes unfold. His brow furrows. His eyes dart from side to side, looking for what he needs. Sadness fills him. He reaches out with his heart to the core of the pain that rests in the souls of two, so sadly denied their love.

Show me the meaning of being lonely
In pain Shiki Tohno looks down at the broken form of his lover, Arcueid Brunestud, and offers her his life. With sad eyes she refuses to take it, denies herself life for the sake of the one she loves.

After she fades to nothing, life lost to the ages, Tohno faces down his foe one last time.

So many words for the broken heart
The battle is short and bittersweet. Shiki breaches the death dot of the suspended hallway in which they fight. As it crumbles both reach out with their blades, protecting themselves from the falling debris, loosing each other for a critical moment in the confusion.

It's hard to see in a crimson love
With sad eyes Shiki Tohno kills his adoptive brother. Piercing his point of death he sends Roa on his way to whatever fate awaits him beyond the veil. As other eyes turn away he finds himself unable to hold out any longer, falling to his knees he finds he somehow cannot weep for his lost love. With glasses found and back in place he heads back.

So hard to breathe
For a moment on the way he spots a friend, Ciel sempai. She says nothing, standing atop an overhead lamp as if it were made for such abuse. Without a sound she turns and leaps away. Shiki swears he sees tears on her cheeks.

Walk with me, and maybe
At the park he imagines Arcueid there, unable to stop himself from seeing her in her favorite places.

Nights of light so soon become
He steels himself and walks on, past places once happy.

Wild and free I could feel the sun
He tries not to think of Arcueid, or the times they had together... or the pitiful death of such a strong woman.

Your every wish will be done
He tries, for now, to banish the memory of the woman he loves.

They tell me...
The redhead sisters greet him when he returns home, it seems a sullen affair. He goes to Akiha's door. He announces his return as softly as he can, and behind the door he hears the wail he expected, and a fit of crying.

Show me the meaning of being lonely
Even through it all, Shiki Tohno stays with his adoptive family.

He goes to school, does his work.

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?
The ghostly image of his love plagues his mind.

Tell me why I can't be there where you are
Sadly he turns down the affections of Satsuki. She runs from him in tears.

There's something missing in my heart
His life continues into the lonely future. His survival without Arcueid making him all the lesser for it. Slowly down the lines of fate, his line cracks, fading into a miserable nothingness.

Crossings Section 3a End

[MrTags]

To the next universe

Crossings Section 3b Begin

Brow furrowing more he looks over to his choice of the next reality. Behind him, in the lunar dust, a pattern begins to form. Moving lazily slow and so far indistinct it weaves a way in slow curling arcs, brushing up the soil into swirls of grey, something massive is starting to take shape.

In his minds eye, a new, different version of events appears.

Sight flies down the streets of Misaki, over the school, over the alleys. It hovers above a young girl, sitting, crying in a pool of blood, a familiar face in an unfamiliar location, before slipping away up the great hill and past the gates.

In a high room of the Tohno mansion a blonde woman sits, staring down at the desk, to the number of pictures spread upon it. Arcueid Brunestud, sits within Shiki's old room, staring at his pictures, looking down as coldly as she can manage.

Life goes on as it never ends
The door to the room opens, Arcueid looks up to Kohaku, entering quietly. The maid smiles and lays a cup of tea from her tray on the desk, speaking words though none can be heard. Arcueid smiles back and takes the tea, sipping it, then making an odd face. She looks over at Kohaku before the maid leaves, and pretends to choke on something in the tea. The redhead just winks at her. Arcueid smiles back, apparently part of some personal joke.

Eyes of stone observe the trends
The moment Kohaku leaves Arcueid's veneer of happiness breaks down. Softly placing the cup back on the desk amid the drops of her tears she lays her head forward on her arms and sobs. Outside the door, Kohaku stops for a moment to wipe away a tear from her own cheek.

They never say forever gaze... if only
Sliding past the focus shifts, moving down the halls. It slips through a door at the end, following down a stairwell. Within the room at the end of the stairs sits a nigh identical maid to Kohaku in European dress. She reclines on the floor against the wall in the midst of a veritable sea of red.

Guilty roads to an endless love
Hisui looks up sullenly, doing her duty to her mistress. Past the hair, past the bars, in the far cell sits the unmoving form of Akiha Tohno, eyes wide open yet not seeing. Only an occasional rocking motion, and the twitching of her unearthly hair show signs she still retains life.

There's no control
Written around her in blood, using the same style as her late brother's writing, the words "Kill Me" repeat, seeming to echo off each other on the walls.

Are you with me now?
Kohaku comes in. Hisui accepts a drink from her tray before her sister walks on, directly into the waves of Akiha's hair. Opening the door for a moment, she says something softly, then lays a last cup of deep red blood on the ground behind her mistress. In the clear light both she and Akiha look far more gaunt then before.

Your every wish will be done
The eyes return to Arcueid, in fitful sleep. The events of the past haunting her yet again.

They tell me
In a hall, in a school, high off the ground, the battle rages. Arcueid Brunestud, Princess of the True Ancestors throws her most powerful attack at her opponent. He staggers, reduced almost to nothing, yet in moments he is back up. Arcueid looks towards him, her eyes wide, in her shock she looses her hold on Shiki behind her. One Shiki calls out to her, while the other approaches from in front.

Show me the meaning of being lonely
The darkly bandaged figure before her attacks, his hand streaking straight for her gut. Arcueid tries to dodge, to her horror she isn't fast enough... to her eternal shame, someone else is. Roa's eyes open in horror and regret as he finds his hand buried within the belly of his brother. Shiki grasps his hand, holding it tight for but a moment before his eyes glaze.

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?
Arcueid screams soundlessly as she and Shiki fall backwards to the ground. She hugs him to her, helpless tears flowing down the sides of her head. Roa looks to his hand... sees the blood all over it... he staggers, unable to comprehend it. His brother has done it to him yet again, took the blow, yet again. He looks surprised, not only by the actions, but by a pain in his back, he feels more than sees Shiki's knife lodged in his dot of death, just shallow of killing depth.

Before him Arcueid pushes Shiki's dead form off of her. On her abdomen, there is a wound, it pools with blood, Shiki's blood... almost all of it. Roa had stabbed through Shiki right into her... and in doing so, he forced his brother's blood into the princess... poisoning her yet again.

Tell me why I can't be there where you are
Arcueid's tears are now blood. Roa manages to take one step back before she is on him. His fear, the realization that his life's dream is now ending in failure, both written on his face. Arcueid grabs the knife in his back and shoves it in. Even as the real Shiki Tohno and Roa die, even before they begin to fade she rips them apart into a bloody spray. Her eyes filled with blood, her features reddened, her body coated from head to toe she turns back and stalks towards the still form lying on the ground.

There's something missing in my heart
As she reaches for it, as her teeth, sharp as knives, spread apart, something catches within her. Her eyes fall upon Shiki's face. For a moment there is nothing... then something snaps deep within Arcueid Brunestud. Her eyes clear. Her teeth return to normal. Her face goes from a mask of hunger to disbelief. She cradles Shiki to her breast and screams... the force of her outburst bringing the suspended hallway crashing down around them.

There's nowhere to run
The twin redheaded sisters wait patiently behind the front doors of the Tohno mansion. Each looks around worried, glancing to each other.

The doors swing open... Arcueid, bloody, crying, walks into the room, carrying Shiki.

I have no place to go
Hisui's eyes go wide, then blank. Her knees buckle under her and she falls to them, in a moment her body's stance changing from that of a living girl to that of a lifeless doll, head cocked to the side... mind dead to the world.

Kohaku makes no noise... tears splash from her eyes as she closes them and runs back into the mansion.

Surrender my heart' body and soul
Kohaku breaks into Akiha's room, screaming. Shiki's younger sister turns around... in seconds Kohaku has told her. The stately young woman's eyes go blank... there are no tears, there is no expression. She screams to the heavens, her hair changing color, whipping around.

Kohaku falls to her knees, slams the floor with her tiny fists, calling out to her mistress. With words silenced by the space of time she begs, pleads with Akiha. In plaintive wails she confesses her sins, tries to take all the blame, screaming out her pain. As Akiha's eyes turn towards Kohaku the maid rises, lowering her head and holding her arms out to the side. The hair reaches for her, lifts her up.

How can it be you're asking me to feel
In an instant tears break free from Akiha's cold, dead eyes. Kohaku is thrown to the wall, barely scratched. Akiha's rage turns inward, and as she screams Kohaku can do little but hold her own ears.

Through a veil of tears Kohaku draws a knife from within her robes and looks to it. Before she can act a hand falls on her shoulder. Arcueid looks down at the maid, shakes her head no and Kohaku drops the knife before the princess steps forward into the agonized swirl around the head of the Tohno family.

the things you never show?
The vampire princess takes hold of Akiha and holds her tight, accepting the brunt of the punishment dealt out by the flying red hair. Kohaku watches the display, Arcueid refusing to let go, pain or no, in awe. As the furor dies down the young maid finally feels the full weight of her own emotions on her. She curls up on the ground and bawls.

Section 3b End

[MrTags]

Going on till here. Let's see who's around.

Crossings Section 4 Begin

Forward, into the future of fate, five lines proceed, each diminished.

His hand clenches before him... the corners of his eyes boil with tears. The surface of the moon swirls as if suddenly given air. He looks forward, his jaw tight, his face stern, angry. Even here, in airless space, were one here, they would hear his growl, a low rumbling that stirs the rocks, shakes the dust.

"I will not... I will not... I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!!" he cries out to the heavens, his voice loud, his demeanor resolute, the shout making a ripple through the dust around him as if an impact. He stands and without pause, looking to something far away, past thought and seeing he declares his resolve, "I will not forget or forgive, I WILL NOT back down, nor turn away, I have seen what fate has decreed and TO HELL WITH IT! Do you hear me?! And to hell with ever whom or whatsoever shall stand in my way!"


There was a snapping noise... a cracking, something in misalignment.

The wizened old mage opens his eyes to the heavens, to the jewels, brings them to focus as portals, as mirrors. He interrupts his studies, looking aghast at the energies flowing over him. Something is horribly wrong, balance has lost it's way. Energy coalesces, a little pulling from each reality, focusing on the nexus. Someone else was using a power such as his.

With panicked heart the wizard stands, looking through the sea of mirrors. Two such, on the opposite ends of the spectrum, on the opposite sides of the room are shifting, distances are decreasing, fate's hand is being denied.

You are missing in my heart
"TRUTH! LOVE! JOY! SORROW! HATRED! FURY! HEAR MY PLEA!"

The symbol on the moon becomes clearer. The extent of pinions, hundreds of miles across stretch across the cold dusty surface. In the midst of a storm that can not possibly be he stretches out his hands in both directions, reaching out, his back arched, his muscles taught. He basks in the energies, drawing a tiny bit of the emotions, a tiny bit of the suffering from each Arcueid, each Shiki. His body is wracked with pain, phantom electricity plays across the lunar surface. It is too much, to much for him to do, he can't do this, this is beyond what has been set, but it doesn't matter. He has sworn it, there is no other choice.

In the skies above Misaki, the moon begins to glow.


Tell me why can't I be there where you are
The mage pushes himself hard, then pushes himself beyond that. Things are shaking now... there is an energy bleed from the source. Life is being pulled into the rip.

Even Zelretch has to avert his gaze.


Show me the meaning of being lonely
The pain is so much. The sorrow, the hurt, so pervasive. Spread, floating in space above the moon, facing the Earth, he pulls his arms in, crosses them over his chest. There is no question, there never was. There is only hope.

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?
He jams his eyes shut against the misery, against the anguish. His arms, held across his chest, crossed in the pose of the dead, shake as they hold the energy to him.

Opening to slits, they loose one final tear.

Under his breath, so softly nothing should hear, yet everything can he whispers...

"Please?"

Tell me why I can't be there where you are
His eyes, the irises now glowing a blue that spills out into the white to spark and crack in the corona of energy around them, look on seeing nothing yet everything. Hundreds of different versions of events twist and turn around the common focus. Time for a moment stands still.

A single, white hot point of light appears on the moon. Spreading out like a star five points reach out, bridging the Earth and moon. At the instant they touch, the star bursts. A storm of a thousand times a thousand smaller lights swirl out, whirling like fireflies caught in a hurricane. Soon a quarter, than fully a half of the moon's bright side is under their swirling radiance.


There's something missing in my heart
Zelretch is forced to duck down, he covers his wizened frame with cloak of night and shields of iron as the light becomes so bright. The sky sounds as if it's full of falling shards of glass.


Show me the meaning of being lonely
With clenched fists he lets his arms slide back. He grits his teeth. Everything is a world of sparks and lighting. His eyes now show only light. His body burns with an intense inner fire.

"Now..." he calls, "shine, Shine! SHHIIIIIIII YAAAAAAIIIIII!!!"

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?
People are forced to avert their eyes as the moon flares, the sky lighting bright as the sun for a split second. Some swear the wind just afterwards was a shockwave, but those can't pass through space... right?

The sky cracks, the thrones shake. Eyes open. Heroes wake.

The lines of fate twirl and bend, dozens of phantoms appear, vanish, and dance through time. As one most slam together and continue, unchanged as they absorb their doubles. In the darkness, change comes.


Tell me why I can't be there where you are
Even through the shell around him, Zelretch can see the twin mirrors collide.

The fire dies down, the energies begin to dissipate. Before his surprised eyes, he finds no destruction, no broken mirrors. He sweeps his eyes around, seeking the moved ones, those who had been misplaced. He takes half a step back, looking further up and find them, finds it.

There, on the wall of continuities, two frames, buckled and bent, now surround one expanded, cracked mirror.

There's something missing in my heart
He hits the ground hard. Falling from height to his knees. Blood boils into space, forming little fast dissipating clouds of red froth. Something more than blood begins to leak from breaks in his skin, through his clothes, from his ears. A thick, glowing liquid, sky blue in color, this type not vanishing into space falls from him to the grey landscape, burning it charred black. As he kneels there, unmoving, the great shape that formed from before begins to fill. Bluish white liquid escapes cracks in the fabric of space itself, falling to the ground, filling the furrows, burning them black. A massive black symbol appears on the surface of the moon.

Unable to move, he holds his place. His eyes are gone, replaced with that same blue glow, weaker now. At the corners of those blank orbs, cracks have formed through to the glow under his skin, leaking energy like blood.

With a strange sizzling the energies are slowly absorbed into the lunar surface. On the moon, now is shed a new kind of tear.

Section 4 End

[Kieran]

*Sigh* - and so the wait begins again. But someday, I WILL see the end of this!

[MrTags]

Crossings Section 5a Begin

Across an endless tunnel of black they floated. Bodiless phantoms they slid deeper and deeper into the depths, out of sight and perception. Familiar figures, familiar faces. Falling away voices their voices floated past.


But my faith? Where is my faith?
What? Who was that?

Kohaku NO! Hisui stop her! It's poison!
But wasn't that Kohaku?

Hey Tohno? You still livin?
Arihiko? Where are you?

Why? Why didn't he protect me?
No, Yumizuka... I'm so sorry...

Do you really want that monster back?!
I... I...

But master Shiki is the master
Hisui... why?

Will you take responsibility for killing me? Again?
ARCUEID!!!!

-------

Ugh, what the hell is all that damn noise?

CLANK! CRACK!

He looked down into his cup of wine... wondering if it had actually been there a second ago. In his confusion he watched the surface ripple as the cup was refilled. He couldn't understand if the world was continuing on from what had just happened, or if he had only moments ago appeared in this place, and was just now realizing it.

The fine drink pouring into his cup took his attention away for a moment and he looked up to the servant girl. He knew, for some reason that there were two more lovelies just behind him to the left and right, waiting to fulfill his every desire, as was only right for someone of his prestige. Still, even though he knew everything around him, the girls, the wine, the wide open fields and small copses of trees and bush spread out before his small, luxurious pavilion, he had to wonder...

Had it all been there a second ago?

CRACK! SNAP SNAP!

A small knot of muscles tightened on his forehead in exasperation. Out there on the hill a man in red and a woman in blue were battling it out not quite far enough away for his tastes. At least the idiots on horseback were at a respectable distance so he didn't have to listen to them. Looking over he thought he recognized them, at least the annoying trollop with the hair as bright blonde as his. He shook a fog off his head for a moment. Of course he knew that one, the pain in the ass that had... wait... had...

"Is milord alright?"

Gilgamesh's attention shot over to the speaker, his face now a broad smile for one of the pretty girls, one of *his* pretty girls.

"Of course I am." he spoke confidently, "Nothing but a minor..."

He stopped, wondering what he was going to say. This was so unlike him, so pensive, what was bothering him? He shifted his golden silk shirt, trying to get more comfortable. He waved the servant back to her place, no need to even furnish her a reason, she'd just been someone to speak to, and he felt as if he needed to use his voice.

CLANK! CHING! CRACK!

"Dammit Saber... did you HAVE to start that so close?" he growled, then stopped himself. That was right, it was Saber... and for the life of him he couldn't tell why that was a surprise. He sipped at his wine, looking up and to the right, past the derided duo to the clear blue sky.

The cup fell to the ground away from his lips through his twitching nerveless fingers. One of the servants zipped in and scooped it away from his feet as he stood and stepped forward, jaw agape. There was a twitch at his eyelids where they edged the wide open orbs of his eyes. One would think therein, was a tiny spark of something, maybe fear.

Out there, before him and opposite the sun in the still lit sky, the moon was up. Even though it's outline had been tinged a light shade of pure blue, even at the great spatial distance between there and where he was, a black pattern on the moon filled his perceptions.

"The five wings..." he whispered softly under his breath, "It's him."

Steeling his resolve the golden warrior Gilgamesh turned back to his pavilion. In quick order he called his bright golden armor, switching from his comfortable silk to something more appropriate, in another second he headed off towards the moon. The one he was looking for would be that way.


They clashed lances again, sparks flying as combat was joined. Lancer grinned, having some fun finally, and turned back towards the big brown Berserker for another pass. The day was bright, the air was perfect, and the little valkyrie watching the both of them was darn cute, almost the match of Rider who was cuddling her winged horse not to far away. With two girls out there to impress Lancer couldn't figure how to make this a better day. He spurred his horse on and into the next charge.

The big fellow held up his hand, "Hold."

Lancer's eyes bugged out, "Whu... ah, GAAHHHH!" he started, then let out a cry as in his surprise he'd let the tip of gae bolg hit the ground and was now flying through the air, accidentally vaulting off his horse. He curled up into a ball, tumbling over his competitors head to make a perfect, low, three point landing behind him.

"Gyahh..." Lancer grumbled, rubbing the back of his head, "I wish y'd warn me 'fore you do that! I'm still not used to ya talking!"

The big fellow just brought his horse around and shrugged. Lancer should have been well aware that the class types they used in the war held little sway here, but Hercules had to admit he wasn't saying much lately, while his voice recovered from disuse. The big fellow just dismounted his horse, apparently to it's whinnied relief. He barely lost a few inches in height as he stepped down.

Lancer composed himself for a second, taking a seat on the ground. He brushed himself off and rested on his lance before continuing, "Ay? So what is it that has you interrupting us?"

Looking around, the giant stood, almost confused for a second, making Lancer think the answer should be obvious. Looking left and right the ex Berserker put his fist in front of his mouth and coughed a bit trying to clear his throat. Not having much luck he spread his arms wide and said, almost as a question, "Feel?"

"Uh? Feel..." Lancer looked about, an eyebrow twitching, "Huh, something is..." he stopped a second, picking something up he didn't recognize, "Wait, what is that? Do you know what it is?"

Hercules simply pointed at the moon. Lancer glanced over his shoulder. He didn't know what to make of the symbol.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" a feminine voice called from above as Caster floated down, "Other than the two on the hill you guys were the only action around. Can't a girl have some fun watching sweating men pummel each other?"

"Wouldn't think you were into that." Lancer mumbled, then turned, figuring the cunning girl had probably been spying on them from up above for less forthright reasons.

Berserker managed a broad smile at Caster, whether he meant it or not, then raised his arm to point at the moon again, saying simply, "Slayer."

Caster floated low, slipping over the surface as if her feet were too good for the bare ground. With a rather elegant air she tipped her hood back slightly to look and spoke, "Hmm? Five wings," she remarked, turning her head to the giant, "A mortal?"

Hercules gave her a dour nod. His eyes, now a bit haunted, continued to stare at the moon. There was the sound of hooves on dirt.

"Problem?" Rider asked, her pegasus trotting up.

"Some big thing up there in the moon has got our large friend upset." Lancer pointed out. Rider turned and flipped up her mask for just a second to get the best look at the moon, stargazing being about the most harmless pastime for her eyes, then covered her strange and deadly vision again.

"Interesting." she said blandly, "What does it mean?"

"Trouble." Berserker managed another one word response, beginning to stride in the direction of the moon, "Come."

As he strode off, Rider just shrugged, "I don't see what it has to do with me." she remarked, not spurring her pegasus on.

"Nor me." Caster said, resting her staff lazily on her shoulder.

"Well I'm always up for trouble." Lancer said, his grin widening, he bolted up from the ground and jogged off after the walking giant, "Ya can count me in."

Rider leaned herself forward and rested her arms on the back of pegasus's neck. Caster scratched her hooded head. The both of them shared a glance, then looked back at the leaving pair.

"Wonder what that's all about?" Rider mumbled, then to Caster, "Curious?"

"Not really." Caster replied, turning away.

"Didn't think so." Rider finished with a sigh.

Crossings Section 5a End

[MrTags]

Crossings Section 5b Begin

Shirou Emiya, Archer extraordinaire, smiled as he deflected another few blows from his love Saber. Ducking a long range slash he teased her with a few quick cuts of his own, sending her wheeling back, loving the jesting look she gave him as he showed off how much better he'd gotten. While this wasn't exactly the reunion he'd had in mind when he'd envisioned it so long ago, it certainly was a fun way for a heroic spirit to kill some time. As he rolled himself out of the way of her counter he wondered to himself how she felt about being a heroic spirit yet again, this time in death. With a laid back grin he caught her sword between his and pushed himself forward.

"Happy to be back Saber?"

"Maybe." she said, smiling.

"Eh?" Shirou said a bit irked that his company might not be enough, "Depending on?"

"How fast you can duck."

Shirou proved he could do so, FAST, for he had very little time. Saber's counter, sliding her sword so the cross guard hooked his blades, pushing them aside, then slashing back across at neck height came so quickly Shirou had to pull himself down low, gravity not being nearly enough. Smiling broadly he rolled away from her, zigzagging side to side to avoid her overhead swings then blocking and forcing her back with his free sword as he came to his feet. In the clash of steels the two of them pushed off, landing a few feet from each other with flashy flourishes. Before they could start up again the sensation of someone approaching brought them to a halt.

"Odd." Saber said, her voice monotone, turning, "Who would interrupt... oh not him."

Shirou stepped to the side to look past Saber, seeing a familiar gold armored figure briskly striding towards them he slapped his head in his hand, "Damn, well... I suppose we were going to have to deal with this some time."

"He looks angry." Saber said as Archer came up to her side, "Can you still use Avalon?"

"If I have to." Shirou replied. Gilgamesh looked towards them, clearly irked.

"And what are you two whispering about?!" he growled, not slowing, his shining armor glinting in the sunlight, "Be useful little serfs and get out of my way!"

Shirou and Saber exchanged glances, not quite knowing what to make of it. Without hesitation Shirou stepped forward, right into Gilgamesh's path. Disturbed the golden warrior stopped short, one eye twitching.

"Not a good listener are you?" he grumbled, "And who stands before the king of heroes?"

Archer held a blade forward, "You don't remember? My name is Emiya Shirou."

Gilgamesh took a glance up and down the warrior in front of him, "Emiya? Oh, you. Now I see it, your hair and shirt exchanged colors. Whatever, get out of my way."

"I won't let you get to Saber." Shirou growled. Gilgamesh just laughed.

"If I was headed towards Saber there would be nothing you could do about it anyway." the golden one said with no hint of boast in his voice, "You're lucky enough I don't want to bother wasting my time teaching a boy like you his place."

"Not me?" Saber whispered under her breath.

"Then what do you want here?" Shirou asked, still holding one of his swords out. Gilgamesh crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one leg. His facial expression showed barely contained disgust and a lack of patience.

"You can't sense it can you? I suppose being part god helps." he said, more to himself than anyone, "I don't want anything at this spot. I want to pass and as your King I don't expect to have to change my path just to walk around the likes of you. Haven't you even looked at the moon lately?"

"Eh?" Shirou looked at Gilgamesh somewhat askance, wondering what he meant. Not one to turn his back on someone so deadly he kept his gaze locked on the one before him. Saber however was free to turn back, wondering what the golden king was talking about. Her shocked gasp almost made Shirou turn.

"Oh God." she said in barely a whisper, "He's in trouble, we have to go."

"Uh? Wha?" the red Archer grumbled, taking a step back and to the side so he could turn his head enough to get both Gilgamesh and the moon in sight, "What's going on Saber."

Shirou's surprise turned to annoyance as Gilgamesh dismissively slapped his sword aside and strode past, almost knocking him over. Stumbling slightly Shirou still managed to catch himself, having realized he was obviously not even considered enough of a threat for Gilgamesh to keep an eye on. Saber glowered at Gilgamesh in disgust as he passed her as well. She kept her sword in between them cautiously, taking a step back away from him. Even while he was unarmed neither doubted just how deadly the golden warrior could be.

Shirou came up behind Saber, looking at the both of them. "Saber, really, is there a problem?" he asked.

"The moon." she said, "Look at the moon."

Archer glanced up, putting his swords away, and took a look. He scratched his head as he cocked it to the side, wondering what to make of the symbol up there. Five black marks scarred the moon, each must have been hundreds of miles long to show so well. They were arrayed similarly to an inverted pentagram, however the second set of marks down was out of position, being too high up and at the same angle as the top two.

"Huh? What's that?" Shirou asked, still scratching his head, "Looks like Kami swatted a bug."

Saber smiled softly, shaking her head as she turned her sword Caliburn down and stuck it's tip into the ground, "No Shirou, it's the sign of five wings."

"Sure it's not more four wings and a tail?" Shirou quipped, looking at the symbol. Gilgamesh actually stifled a laugh.

"It's five wings Shirou." Saber replied, "The symbol of a friend of mine from my days in Camelot."

Gilgamesh stopped and turned, looking back at Saber, "He was there too was he?" he remarked as a matter of fact, "I shouldn't be surprised, he did get around."

Saber pulled up her weapon, starting forward. In a commanding voice she stated, "We have to go."

Archer stood there, looking at the two with an odd smile on his face, then pointed out, "Hey, I hate to break it to you... but are you two going to try to walk to the moon?"

Saber stopped, a tad embarrassed. Gilgamesh just looked mad, typical when someone pointed out a problem in what he was doing. Shirou just kept talking.

"Unless you've got an american Saturn 5 shoved behind that gate of yours goldie, you're in for a really useless walk." Shriou berated Gilgamesh blatantly. Insulted or not, Gilgamesh, who brought a hand up to his forehead, covering the tightening stress marks, looked more mad at himself than at the other Archer.

"Then I'll have to be summoned!" he growled, looking back at Shirou with rage filled red eyes.

"Uh yeah, sure." Shirou laughed, still looking a bit laid back, even with Gilgamesh staring daggers at him, "And with no war going on, no spare mages around, and no way to even tell them you want to come out, how are you expecting to pull of this minor miracle?"

Gilgamesh gritted his teeth, nearly shouting now as he stepped back towards the pair, "It's none of your concern you obseq..."

FSHAKK! Shhhooommmppp

Archer and Saber looked on in shock as Gilgamesh vanished with a shower of sparks and a mighty blue light, right in mid word. Shirou stepped forward, watching the glow fade.

"Wow, somehow I liked the good old days better, when the summoners actually let you finish a sentence." he pointed out. There was a chill wind behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and his eyes bugged out a second before he jumped left, hitting the dirt.

"EXCALIBUR!!!!" Saber screamed out, bringing the enchanted blade down in an overhead slash. A bright beam of power flashed past the flailing Archer to strike the point where Gilgamesh had vanished, igniting a firestorm of clashing energies. Saber held onto the attack as long as she could stand to, the backwash singeing both of them. In the swirling burst of power at the end of her attack space itself began cracking asunder, opening like a zipper. She dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

Shirou waved his arms around frantically, roaring back at Saber, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!!! KILL ME?!"

Saber just smiled at him as he started to compose himself. She looked up to the rip and was disheartened to note it was still pretty small. Even a powerful weapon like Excalibur wasn't really meant for cutting holes in reality. She stood, then felt the approach of more people behind them.

"Owww..." Shirou grunted, standing up and dusting himself off, "It didn't work well?" he held a sword towards the rift, "Maybe if I..."

THUM THUM THUM THUM

"Eh?" Shirou managed to say before a dark shape thundered past him. Hercules rocketed into the energy storm, slamming into the rift with a shoulder block and pushing his upper arm into it slightly. Growling with an effort that would have done his berserker self proud he grabbed onto each shrinking edge of the cleft and pulled. The light grew intense. In a few moments he managed to get the edges of the rip to widen enough for himself to squeeze through.

"Well?" he said simply in a deep bass voice, turning to look over his shoulder, "Coming?"

"Ah, demigods get all the good tricks." Shirou muttered, not sure in any way if he wanted to trust that damned Berserker. Just the broad smile on the dark skinned warrior's face was making Archer a bit queasy. While Saber was a friend to him, too many of the other Servants just brought up bad memories. To his right Shirou could feel Lancer out there too, walking up over the hill.

"Hey! Is that the door?" Lancer shouted as Saber started over quickly, "And everybody just got here too."

"There's someone we need to help." Saber called back, "Are you up for it?"

"Wherever there's a party." Lancer replied. Archer didn't look a bit appreciative.

Saber slowed as she came in through the shifting energies to Berserker. He looked down at her and smiled as she lightly glided under his arm. She looked to the gate, then up to the dark skinned giant, blushing slightly then giving him a shy nod.

"Coming Shirou?" she called, then stepped through, not waiting for an answer. She faded from sight quickly past the threshold of the gateway. Lancer came up next, besides gae bolg held comfortably over one shoulder he was almost camouflaged by all the blue he wore.

"Ha ha! On to the next battle." he chimed just a bit too happily and jogged into the gate.

Shirou stepped cautiously over to where Berserker held the gate open, looking in. Hercules noticed how reluctant he was to come closer.

"Damn, everyone just runs through." Archer grumbled, looking over to Berserker. He wondered if he could afford to be so trusting about the exit to this gateway. Clearing his throat the big man tried to help with a few more words.

"Uh, hi." he got out slowly, "Uh, sorry a... bout the whole death thing."

Shirou sighed, shaking his head, if even Berserker was being nice he couldn't let himself be the odd man out. As he walked through the gate he replied, "Ah, happens. Don't worry yourself about it, let's catch up."

Grinning broadly Hercules shifted his arms, threading himself side first before moving through the gate. With a tug he pulled his fingers through last. Sparks flew and lightning arched for a moment, then as if no one had ever been there, the gate and heroes were gone.

Past the space, left vacant by the leaving, in the slightly darkening sky, the moon changed. Vast tracks of black scalded dust began to run inwards towards the center. Far in the distance the image on the moon started to loose it's edges in a slow swirl. The pieces were in place, it was time to stir.

Section 5b end

[MrTags]

Well let's hope the new forums don't mind moderately adult content.

Crossings Section 6 Begin

Soft sheets of white. Pale skin on pale skin. The world of dreams and remembrances makes its dance through the past. For a moment of time the emptiness abates. The loneliness is not quite so bad.


So close, so close, oh we're so close.

I can feel breathing.

Trembling

Trembling

Which of us is trembling?

Is it me? It's got to be, I've never done this. I'm so scared, I've never felt so vulnerable, or so strong.

I don't want to live without this new other half of me.

That skin, that closeness, it's so different, so much contact, I love all the contact, is it always like this?

Tell me I won't ever get used to this.

So much skin, so much closeness, chest to chest. I'm feeling self concious.

That look, that sweet soulful look. I'm accepted for what I am.

Closer, I want closer.

A kiss now, so tender, holding tight, oh so tender.

Don't get it wrong, just soft, not too much pressure.

Am I doing it right? Tell me I'm doing it right.

A breast, squeezing... so nice.

Closer, closer. This new part of me must never go.

So cute, dueling tongues.

How old am I to be doing this for the first time?

Is it time yet? I feel it's time. So close, have to get clo...

*GASP*

It's inside...

So deep, this is what it's like.

I am more complete.

It's started, the thrusting... can't think... can...

Oh yes.

Words fail in the language of dreams. Far more primal sounds, utterances of the earliest passions, take over. Gravity fails for two. Concentration becomes absolute. Love is all. Separation, of selves, of bodies, of soul, no longer exists. Time has no meaning. Forever in the duration, all too short in the remembering. Two bodies intertwine in the most intimate way possible. There is nothing other than their lover.

Please! It's so much! It's building!

Don't stop! Don't ever stop!

There is no stopping now! The end nears, the best nears!

Yes! Thrust! Push back! Take and be taken!

That light!

Explode!

ARCUEID!! SHIKI!!

The dream is so much the explosion so great the cry reaches the real world around them. A moment of remembered locked, shuddering passions. The remembrance of a hand in a hand. The sad feeling of wakefulness, knowing it was just a dream. That shuddering breath heard from the other, with just a bit of wind blowing past the face.

Wait... HOW?!

Their eyes fly open, look into the night, into reality. Their eyes look into another's, laying with nose barely an inch away. A spectral figure of colorless greys, but recognizable none the less. There is a common, sudden bolt.


"AAAAHHH!!!!" Shiki manages to cry out, springing back out of his bed. He lands badly on his ass, his eyes wide, his breath ragged in fright. The covers come with him and his legs are tangled for a second. He looks to the empty spot on his bed, where there was, where there was the impossible.

"GHOST?!" he gasps in disbelief, pulling himself upright, looking back and forth. He sees nothing. The room is dark, empty.

Shiki rushes back to the bed, grabbing the linens in his fists, his eyes wide, his voice small, "Arcueid?"

"Master Shiki?" a voice calls from the door, breaking Shiki out of his shock. Hisui's concern and reaction speed are as usual extraordinary. There's a small thud as Shiki sits back on the floor, wrapping his bottom half discretely with the sheet. The door opens and Hisui enters partially. Shiki is almost surprised by her ragged hair, glossy eyes and bedclothes. He finds himself realizing how rarely he sees her outside of her maids outfit.

Hisui peers in through the night, seeing the mess. Her look, while dazed from sleep, imperceivably switches to concern as her eyes fall on Shiki sitting in a pile of bedding in the middle of his room. Shiki reaches over and snatches up his glasses... looking into them.

"I even saw lines..." he whispers softly, "What was that."

"Master Shiki." Hisui moves forward, not entering out of modesty but still wanting to be closer and help, "Are you all right?"

Shiki puts his glasses on and turns to Hisui. His eyes show as much concern for her, out in this cold wearing so little, as she shows concern for his outburst. He rubs the back of his head, rather embarrassed along with his confusion. He can't really figure out when he'd become naked, sleeping like that wasn't his style, even in the currently warm weather. His mind quickly picked up the second thing out of place. He could see breath.

"Hisui." he said, adding in a little ugh as his rear ached, "I'm ok, I'm ok."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, thanks for your concern, it was just a dream."

"Very well Master Shiki." Hisui replied with a bow, looking to turn back before something thin and red floated across her vision. The room got very very cold.

Shiki was confused for a moment, why was there a glowing red line here with his glasses on? What was making it cold at this time of year? The thought struck him as he lost sight of the first line, yet saw more out of the corner of his eye. Akiha?! Was Akiha in trouble? He stood up, holding his sheet of protection tight. Shiki was out of the room quickly, brushing past a flushed Hisui as he headed for his sister's room. Ghostly trails of fog floated in the hallway, yet while those could be seen, it seemed the red lines causing them rarely ever showed.

Kohaku, a fully dressed and awake Kohaku, met them at Akiha's door. She had it opened half way and was looking over expectantly towards Shiki when he came into view. Shiki took it as a good sign and peeked in, only to find his sister resting, dead to the world and with her silken black hair unblemished by red, still in bed.

"Tales again?" Hisui whispered accusingly to her still dressed sister who blushed and shrugged.

"I wanted to see how they handled things." Kohaku giggled. She apparently hadn't been to sleep yet, doing something else.

Shiki closed his sisters door, looking to the maids, "I don't get it." he said softly, "There's no sign of red hair... what have we been seeing?"


There was a soft weeping coming from the door. From the sudden surprised shout that had come earlier Kohaku had almost expected this. The maid leaned against the wall, listening to it for a moment, she would have been sad if she could have. She pressed forward and opened the door.

"Miss Arcueid." the amber eyed maid called without raising her voice as her head entered the room. Kohaku was almost taken aback by the blonde woman's state. The room was a bit of a mess, the sheet laying inexplicably spread across the floor, but it wasn't as unusual as Arcueid.

"Shiki..." the blond woman managed to whisper between her sobs.

Kohaku again found herself wondering if this beautiful woman was really some sort of monster, some blonde haired vampire, instead of the fully grown child she saw in front of her. As Kohaku walked into the room, she had to avoid looking enviously at miss Arcueid's nude form, curled on the bed. Picking up the sheet the maid closed her eyes and covered the weeping woman.

"Uh?" Arcueid mumbled, looking over through tears, "Kohaku?"

Kohaku gave Arcueid her best smile, nodding. Arcueid shuddered, a cold wind slipping past the both of them.

"You seemed distressed miss Arcueid." Kohaku said, spreading the sheet more, "It is a bad time to be like that, Lady Akiha is having a bad night. I think something is bothering her."

Arcueid stretched, noticing a blush on Kohaku's cheeks, "Like wha?" she started before noticing that sheet the maid was wrapping her in also was the only thing she was wearing. With a little mmph noise Arcueid pulled the sheet around her. It was odd for her to sleep at night like she was, and sleeping naked? If only the memory of Shiki... the ghost of Shiki wasn't so strong in her mind, maybe she could think more clearly. The tingle of cold on a warm summer night confirmed what Kohaku was saying about Akiha at least. The broken sister was at it again.

"I'll be out in a minute Kohaku." Arcueid remarked, sitting up, "I need to get dressed."

"Very well miss Arcueid." Kohaku said with her usual smile, stepping away from a sliding line of red hair "I'll be right outside."

Arcueid's head hit her hands the second Kohaku closed the door. She squeezed the last of the tears from her eyes, wiping them away with her sheet. It took her only a second to spot her clothes all over the floor, in a strangely familiar pattern she couldn't quite catch. There was something about they way they were spread out that she'd have to think about later. Picking them up she tossed the bare essentials of her underwear blouse and skirt before heading to the door.

My brother...

The ghostly sound of Akiha's disembodied voice made Arcueid jump. She glanced around, sure she was alone, alone but for the few strands of Akiha's floating red hair.

Brother...

The hair spiraled around the room if searching.

Where? Where?

The dramatic way Arcueid wrenched open her door and blew past Kohaku almost had the maid's heart jump out of her throat. She'd been trying to keep warm as Akiha's wretched hairs were leeching the heat out of the hallway, wrapping her arms around herself and hunching slightly. Seeing her breath and the slight fog around wasn't helping though, so she'd been so wrapped up in keeping warm that Arcueid's sudden arrival had caught her off guard. The maid smoothed on her best face quickly and followed after the vampiress as best her kimono would allow.

Section 6 end

[MrTags]

Crossings Section 7 Begin

There was a sharp cracking noise, the spreading dust broken free from the lunar surface carrying it further and further out beyond hearing. Five trails of black soot, burned into the ravines and plains of the moon, pulled themselves sharply upward. Cracking in the middle they rained debris on the landscape, raising like massive polygons before curling about into a swirl.

In a burst of blue white light five shapes split away from the moon. Wheeling around each other once they made for the Earth.


"NO NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY!!"

Her eyes open wide, tears streaming down her cheeks Satsuki Yumiduka sat straight up in bed, screaming. She could still see the teeth, feel the breath of her pursuer from the dream. There was a burning agony in her neck... a tearing feeling... familiar, painful, yet nothing she'd ever felt before. As she panted for breath she could hear fumbling and footsteps outside her door. Her family coming to her aid.

Satsuki sat there, with wide disbelieving eyes. The pain was so real... the images, the feelings. Being chased, failing, no one to protect her. She found she couldn't even blink, didn't want to blink, for behind her eyelids every time they closed was the image of a sad, despondent girl who looked frighteningly like her, still wearing her school uniform, sitting and weeping in some back alley, covered in blood.

"Why Shiki?" she gasped, "Why didn't you save me?"


The clouds rippled and rolled. It began to rain, drops en masse falling from the waterlogged sky. A bolt of lightning, then another, and another, flashed from cloud to cloud, electrical energy trading between them as they tried to reach equilibrium. Above Misaki the skies were cold enough, the air wet enough that this rain might never end.

Then it did. Not a drop reached the ground. Each sizzled away in midair as there was a sudden shift, the air warming from an incredible heat. The clouds themselves were reabsorbed into the atmosphere, vanishing in a outward ripple, as if something had smashed them away out from a central point.

In the crack of air being displaced a spiral of five brightly glowing objects cut through the space left by the clouds. The sonic wake flowed out over Misaki, yet the noise never reached out of the sky. Visible only as a distortion it settled and spread outwards as the bright forms that created it slowed to a crawl over a particular spot. Seeming to loose the ability to fly, they shrunk into a tiny mote of light and landed hard in the Nature Park, burning a small hole into the concrete before the benches, not even ten meters away from the swings. There was a slight shaking to the ground, a crack formed in the cement, then all was silent.


With a slight smile Satsuki Yumikuda looked up to the clearing sky. For some great fortunate reason this was going to be a warm night, and one which she wouldn't get rained on. She thanked something, whatever it was that she still had heart left to believe in, for small favors. Stretching she wiped the trail of fresh blood from the corner of her mouth. Looking to her now bloody finger she licked the precious blood away, hoping that it would make her hunger abate for just a little longer, hoping no one else would have to die tonight.

Sitting alone, not counting the corpse of a poor boy for company, she sighed gently, trying not to close her eyes. For some reason tonight, whenever she did, she saw to her sorrow the way things might have been, if she hadn't become a vampire. On this night she wouldn't be closing her eyes, but nor would she need rain to get wet. She could still cry well enough with her eyes open.


"Gyaahhh... wha..?" Arihiko Inui gasped, sitting up in bed. He shook his head in confusion. Something was really wrong out there tonight, he just knew it.

For a moment he ducked back down as his house rattled. The windows shook as if something massive had just passed close overhead. Arihiko jumped up and looked out. The sound had been heading towards the park but whatever it was he couldn't see a thing. Looking up to the sky he found it surprisingly clear.

"Huh? Weren't we supposed to get rain?" he thought aloud, holding his hand out, "Oh well, I've had enough weird dreams tonight. I don't need to get off on any other trips."

He glanced back to the clock, it was 3:15 am, "And man, too late to sneak out and do anything."

With a shrug, he sat down in bed and grabbed a random book from the stack of manga on his desk. If he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight he figured he might as well make some use of it.


They were deadly, but they were so soft, gentle. Even down here, in the very deepest dark, doing her duty, something was left that cared for her. The coldness had not pierced here yet, even at the heart of the maelstrom. Instead it seemed a soft, questing, questioning cradle of red had been made for her. She sat in the midst of it on her mat, head down, knees up, arms wrapped around herself, the same position she held, she had held almost every day since it happened. It didn't matter that it wasn't the most active thing she'd ever done, it was her duty, her responsibility, and she always kept up with her responsibilities. It was Hisui's honor to serve her master, even in this state.

"B... b... b... roth... er..?" there was a whisper from the red mass deep within the cell, Akiha was sitting in there, almost in the same pose as Hisui, her usually vacant eyes showing a tiny sliver of life. The glowing red strands, filing up the stairs, flexed once more, the shape changing, reacting. Hisui heard it as well, the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

Arcueid threaded her feet through the waves of red on the stairs, her preternatural sense of balance keeping her upright even in the most awkward of positions. Kohaku was falling further behind her, the poor maid clinging to the walls and railing as she tried to keep her footing in the weaving strands. Arcueid slowed as she approached Hisui, looking the younger twin over. Akiha's hair was, as usual, being slightly protective of her silent watcher, cradling her, and not sapping the heat out of this already cold lower room. Seeing this was at least the same as usual Arcueid crouched down beside Hisui, looking in at the obscured form of the house's mistress.

"Are you alright?" Arcueid whispered.

"Yes miss Arcueid." Hisui replied, not looking over, keeping her vigil.

"Akiha?"

"She seems..." Hisui started, then paused, thinking, "Almost, better than usual. She is more awake."

"Hmm?" Arcueid looked up, hearing Kohaku make it down the stairs behind her, "That's odd, I thought she was in a panic or something."

"Oh my." Kohaku gasped, looking in, "Poor Lady Akiha. Don't worry, I'll calm her down."

With professional grace, the kimono clad maid slipped into the room, sliding a small packet from her sleeve. Pressing her shoulder against the metal cell door to open it against the weight of Akiha's hair Kohaku entered and worked her way around in front of Akiha. Kneeling down she opened the package, tipping Akiha's head back slightly and pressing it to her lips.

"Lady Akiha please take this." she whispered soothingly, opening Akiha's mouth with practiced ease and slipping the packets contents of herbs in. With a touch on Akiha's throat, the maid's soft fingers brushing downwards, she got the distraught master of the house to swallow.

"She'll be alright now." Kohaku said reassuringly with a slight nod as Akiha slumped, "Everything will be back to normal in the morning."

Hisui nodded from her seat, giving Kohaku a slight smile. Kohaku barely noticed though. Someone was missing. Kohaku wondered where miss Arcueid had gone.


The Princess of White. The Princess of True Ancestors. The most likely being to succeed as Crimson Moon. The most powerful vampire known to the world, and even with all that, she felt so small, weak and helpless. She was so empty, so alone. How had one human been able to make her feel that way? Why had she let it happen, and why did it feel like the pain would truly have been even worse if she hadn't?

Arcueid looked up from where she knelt. All the titles and powers in the world seemed so pointless, so useless in this one hallowed place. Here, the final resting place of all her hoped for, imaginary things.

In a secluded hollow, a small clear vale on the Tohno estate, out behind Kohaku's herb garden, Arcueid knelt before the lonely grave of her Tohno Shiki. Her hand reached out to touch the engraved headstone, the visible marker to where her love rested beneath the earth. Arcueid herself had picked this spot, visible from the window of Shiki's room, now her room, so that she could look down and check on him whenever she wanted, as if she expected something to happen, for there to be some reason to watch for a sign, to need to dig up the dirt under which he rested and save him from that sad box they'd insisted he be put in. She remembered vividly the fight she and the maid's had gone through with Shiki's other family, the Arimas, in having him buried here, instead of being put through a traditional japanese internment. That the Arimas will had been thwarted had proven fortunate. The bereaved family did not need the extra mysteries of why Shiki body would neither burn nor decay, the mixing of the Tohno's demonic energy from Akiha and the bit of Arcueid's own blood that had seeped into his body from their combined wound leaving him so ironically more immune to the effects of damage and time after his death than before. No, that little bit of information was only for Arcueid to know and feel some measure of hope from. No matter how long into the future she needed to feel near him, he would always be right here. He always could be found... right here, in the outfit she first met him in, with that knife that had started things off beside him.

But now... after all this time. What had happened to make such a sudden change? Why this?

"Shiki." the shinso choked, running her hand over the two copies of his name, one in japanese one in western, "Are you there?"

Slowly she crawled behind the gravestone and draped her arms over it, resting her chest and cheek on the grey slab of granite in a way she'd done all too many times before when she wanted to feel near him. She ran her finger over the glasses, set into the slab, another one of her indulgences, the red haired mage child or her sister be damned.

"What is it?" she asked sadly, a tear running down his name in stone, "Was there something you wanted to tell me..?"

Section 7 End

Is it just me or do we have more character count now?

[MrTags]

Crossings Section 8 Begin

It was dark, still quite dark. The night had fallen, the curtains had been drawn, the lights shut off, darkness abounded, and still, no sleep. This was an atypically bad night. The bed creaked and groaned slightly as it's lone occupant sat up and rubbed her bleary eyes.

"Mmmph..." she grumbled, rubbing her forehead, trying to figure out what was keeping her awake, "This is bad, maybe I should just skip my cover tomorrow and make some sort of excuse."

Running her hand through her blue hair, Ciel decided that she would need to take more drastic measures. She slowly hauled herself out to the small living room an took a seat. Her most powerful secret weapon for sleep lay hidden in the bowels of her lower cabinet. Into her hands slipped the time honored traditionalist japanese tea ceremony set.

With a practiced hand Ciel sleepily began setting up the ceremony, laying all the pieces out before her. She considered the pros and cons of actually drinking the tea. It might just give her the kick she needed, wake her up just enough to go to sleep, or it might just make sure she stayed up all night.

Step by bleary step Ciel's hands went through the tea creation. A bit setting the water to heat on one side. A bit of doling out the right amount of tea here. A bit of placing the cups and items in proper order there. Ciel actually managed to wonder exactly what it would be like if she collapsed face down in a cup of green tea. In all to short a time, maybe the it had passed quickly, maybe she'd rushed things, to asleep to give them their proper care, she was brushing the tea around in its cup. Absentmindedly she pushed it forward, offering it to the blank space on the other side of the ceremony. Giving her hand made tea to the no one that was there.

CLINK!

Ciel looked up in surprise, and right into her own eyes. In front of her, as shocked as she was, and definitely more awake now for the coincidence, was, for all intents and purposes, her. She was on both sides of her own tea ceremony. The clink had come from her own cup, hitting its identical opposite as it was presented. Glancing the situation, and her counterpart up and down she took the scene in. Her opposite was in greyscale, almost some sort of vision, but nearly identical except that it wore a bit more ornate upper class nightgown, the kind she only wore when someone else did all the cleaning for her. The look of the room behind her was definitely different though. It looked far more like a convent cell at the burial agency offices proper.

Taking the initiative she cunningly spoke the one thing that would assuredly prove the intruder's identity, "Red curry mixed with yellow curry then a slice of curry bread and some curry mixed milk on the side for dipping!"


Her brows furrowing Ciel leaned backwards on her hands as the phantom image of herself vanished. She mulled the words spouted in stereo by herself and her duplicate over cautiously looking for any hint of mistake. Shaking her head and standing up in her cloister room she could find none.

"Nope... that's breakfast alright." she mumbled, "That was definitely me."

Ciel began cleaning up the tea ceremony setting. The reason why she had started it in the middle of the day starting to make a little more sense. Something was up, and by the look of the room her alternate had been in it wasn't a hard guess where that "something" was.

Her train of thought was broken as a note was slipped in under the door. Silent, anonymous delivery as usual, no surprise. She went over and picked it up. Therein between the folds was the confirmation of her suspicions. Something big had happened not even an hour ago in Japan, back in Misaki. She'd already been assigned to it. Tickets ready and in order. Massive jet lag to follow.

"Oh well, I'm not that much for vacation anyway." she quipped. It was time to get packing.


The ground that Misaki's nature part sat on began to shake for a moment. There was a bit of a crumbling noise as something small and box shaped slipped out of the hole in the midst of the cracked concrete. With a clatter the almost iconicly out of place form of an active cell phone flopped down onto the ground. Numbers dialed onto the screen. There was a ringing.

"Hello?" *crackle*

"I need a horizon."

"By the crystal... do you know what damn time it is?"

"I didn't bring my cross universe time conversion chart, no. Will you just make it?"

"You got me out of bed, with my wife, at one thirty in the damn morning, for THIS?! Why don't you make it?"

"I'm a bit under the weather... wait? You finally got married?"

"It was a big wedding."

"Was I there?"

"Being the groom's father, we hope so, but we honestly don't know."

"I'll tell you when I find out."

"... *grumble* well then, what do you need? How big, what where and when?"

"Mirrored co-location, a few miles, here, around now."

"Task master." *click*

The cellphone disconnected, the end of the call showing on the screen. There was a burst of light from above. The cell phone shattered. The ground itself seemed to be pressed down by the light.

"AUCK!" a disembodied voice grunted, "Ass..."


His hands slowly finished dancing through the intricate weaves of light. The magics blared and flashed angrily as they were strained, the counterforce stretching against the bounds, attacking in dozens of ways both brute and subtle at once. Sadly Zelretch was aware that his efforts had only gained him a few moments of peace with the power trapped, nothing more.

"I can't believe he actually spoke it." the ancient mage said, shoulders slumping. He stood back from the weave of prismatic light beams dancing through his chamber of realities. With a glance over to the place where two realities stood on the brink of collapsing each other, signified by the creation of a dual mirror on the side wall. Zelretch cursed fortune, fate and everything else he knew. It was all to common, but he didn't want to believe he was going to have to go against the wishes of those he loved.

"The third word of creation reversed, the third name of the creator spoken backwards." Zelretch gripped his forehead, "I can't believe he would even give thought to such lunacy."

"The way you're talking, you certainly haven't put much effort into studying him."

If the wizened old mage had any reaction at all to the comment, he didn't let it show. The voice was from a total newcomer to his room, to his little stage where all the universe's plays could be watched in their dance, yet it was expected. It had only been a matter of time before he arrived.

"You're late." Zelretch grumbled with little care for the other's attempt at a dramatic entrance, "I've already sent out the other that came. You might have been able to help."

"Bah!" the newcomer said grandly, walking down to the center of the room "I see the legends speak right of you wizard. To believe you're not even impressed by the King of Kings!"

Zelretch looked up, his gaze haggard from efforts, his reply was simple, "I have seen kings come and kings go, I've seen you live and seen you die a thousand times a thousand times, there is little left in time that impresses me. I've met and befriended or bested far stronger than you in my span of age godling."

As Gilgamesh approached the aged mage proudly stepping in from the accumulated nowhere outside the rays of crystal light the grandeur of his entrance, his golden armor glinting and shining, his massive shoulder guards throwing off their own small cacophony of lightshows and reflections, his blonde hair, pristine features and bright red pupils testament to his part godly heritage, now only seemed to reinforce the notion of just how much Zelretch had seen. In this dark place, outlined by the shining rays and images of parallel worlds Gilgamesh seemed at his most Kingly, most extraordinary. In comparison the mage, with his dark robes, proud but lined features and grey hair didn't seem the match.

"I see..." the King of Kings remarked with a nigh visible wince, "You sound a lot like him."

This actually creased the mage's face with a smile, "Remarkable, I hadn't heard you'd taken to such a skilled way of complimenting and insulting a person at the same time." he said seeming a bit brighter in mood as he waved an image away from his sight with a brisk hand motion, "So, you're who the Alaya chose to guard Order... a rather unique idea if I've ever heard one. The guardian of Chaos made at least more sense."

"Who better to guard Order than the King of Kings?!" Gilgamesh replied with a huff, holding his hand out in front of him and clenching it to a tight fist, "Ruler of all, owner of all, lord of all he surveys! I am order!"

"Well." Zelretch mumbled to no one in particular, "Remarkably full of himself at least."

Gilgamesh's eyebrow cocked in a mix of annoyance and disbelief, "If I didn't have better things to do I'd have run you through by now..." he said, not really in a threatening manner, just as a matter of fact. He circled around the plinth of light at the center of the room taking it all in with his gaze.

"So how do you read this silly little bauble of yours? What is going on? I demand to know!" he called to the mage, then dropping his rather regal stance and slouching for a moment he asked in totally different tone, "And what has the bastard done this time?"

"Done prancing and showing off?" Zelretch asked, not bothering to look over at the warrior.

Gilgamesh crossed his arms and grunted, "For now."

"Good."

In another wave of his hand Zelretch pulled a stream of images into the room from beyond. They flew past far to quickly for the human eye but Gilgamesh caught each almost lazilly.

"You know the balancer at least, so I won't have to explain that part to you unlike the last." Zelretch spoke mostly to himself, busy with getting the right images. He held up a hand and a swirl of moving pictures formed a ring around them. For all the world it looked as if Zelretch had pulled up an array of infinitely thin television screens, the clarity and movement within each, along with the rather active happenings therein built up an almost cinematic feel. In each the same or at least an eerily similar being was fighting tooth and nail against a procession of powerful foes. With practiced eye Gilgamesh recognized more than half of them. Marduk, himself, Ra, Akenesh, Hercules, Mars, Corvatine, Fenris... He had to smile. The views shifted to different areas in the present time, and slightly in the past. Some of the screens blanked and flashed, only showing fragments as they began to leak energy. Gilgamesh actually felt himself gaining strength from the waste mana pouring through the screens.

"So we know the who of the problem." Zelretch continued, waving a hand at the various images, "As for the what, it has to do with a mix of a sad story, a soul rather intolerant of fate, and creation mythos of all things."

"Do plot exposition much?" Gilgamesh asked dryly.

"It's a hobby." Zelretch replied with a shrug.

Images, little panes of vision, flew past the pair, till the entire space was illuminated. Confusing combinations of energies and pictures spilled forth from the screens. By this point it was unclear to all but the most trained eye exactly what was being shown.

"The exact nature and processes behind creation are as of yet beyond mortal and immortal comprehension." Zelretch explained, looking at the passing images with a researcher's eye and a little dismay, "The best living kind has come up with yet are a number of broad generalizations in the form of myths and legends. Creation mythos is common to all standard religions, it's one of the things that religion is responsible for answering, where everything came from."

Gilgamesh sighed almost bored, "Should I remind you I'm part of one, and mostly destroyed it?" he pointed out.

Zelretch looked over at him more concerned that his lecture was being ignored, "There are however a number of similar ideas running current through each and all. One of the pivotal parts of creation is the definition of certain concepts that are required to put everyone and everything in context. The order is different, but the first five or so of those are the important ones. Existence, of course usually considered the start of space and time, light which is a generality for energy, separation which differentiates and defines all things, life can't really have someone in the creation without it, and thought so that something other than the creator can actually take independent action. When these are defined by a religion a piece of the very concept they serve is invested within certain ultimate objects, such as your sword Air, an artifact of separation."

"All typical." Gilgamesh grumbled.

"Well, therein lies the problem, balance in his duty was afforded an access to a number of those concepts. Zoa-austrian in nature, specifically nine hundred and ninety eight of the nine hundred ninety nine names of god." Zelretch added, a bit concerned.

Gilgamesh's head hit his hand, "Of course..." he groaned, "Give a mortal, a raving emotional lunatic mortal, the keys to creation. I hope no one's actually wondering WHY this happened? Please tell me the one he doesn't have is the..."

"First one... yes. Even he knew enough not to hunt out the word which if spoken backwards ends all of creation." confirmed the mage, looking over at Gilgamesh warily, "The other ones are linked to the first so the damage that can be done should have been limited, he decided to use the third one, backwards, break the separation between two things that should have been apart. The problem is, the two things he decided to merge..." he motioned towards the combined mirrors floating above, "... were realities, two different timelines separated by distinct events and personae. The mismatch between them is sending shockwaves through each and all."

"He got mad, threw a tantrum, the whole universe threatens to shake itself apart." Gilgamesh put it succinctly.

"Well it's not quite that simple..." the mage started before Gilgamesh glared at him, "... buuuut for what you need to know it's alright if you think that."

Confident he had things under his proper, orderly, control, the King of Kings gave the mage a nod.

"Good." he said, "We keep it simple, now how soon is the creature scouting for us going to find the target?"

Zelretch gave that a thought, "If you mean how soon the guardian should be able to cross into the troubled realities and take on balance..." he mused, "Give it a day, the attack should start tomorrow night."

Section 8 End

[Kieran]

You're really moving - looks like I might not have long to wait.

[MrTags]

Character Focus, Arihiko's Story: One Dual Day

"By all the ancestors in heaven above, what are YOU doing going to school on a Monday?!"

---

Three little birds hopped about on the ground, picking on bits of bread. They chirped happily pecking at each other for the best bits. In a flurry of little wings the trio of puffballs zipped around and past their benefactor as he lazily made his way down the street towards the empty corner.

"Hey hey! I gave you what you asked for!" he laughed as they landed on a sign nearby and chirped, "Go get your own breakfast!"

Ugh, he couldn't actually believe he was using that word. What was he running on? Three hours of sleep maybe? It wasn't his fault but did his sister really have to yell in shock like that? It wasn't like he knew exactly why he was up and awake at this ungodly time. It's not like he had as many friends waiting at school as he used to. It was just... well, he felt something was different today then had been last Saturday.

It had all started last night, when something big like a jumbo jet had flown right over his house. Sure, he hadn't seen it, hadn't been able to find it, but he'd heard a couple of rumblings about it on the street from passers by. That had started it alright, or maybe about seven hours earlier when the night had lit up like day for a minute, that had been weird to. He even thought he'd heard voices, his own, people he didn't know, people he did, and a couple of lost friends. Man, if he'd been drinkin the night before he'd have quit whatever he was using cold turkey.

And now here he was, following some flash of vision he'd had at sunup of himself heading to school. What a weirdass day. This was the kind of thing he'd have to bug Ciel-sempai about. Weird stuff was her specialty, heck that and obvious late nights, something else endearing about the upperclassman-babe.

He heard the school bell ring out. Only two blocks to go now. All the other students were probably scattering around being good, rushing to classes and desks. He'd take things a little bit easier. Wasn't anyone waitin on him out there anyway.

He made the school grounds just after things were starting. He clucked to himself a bit as he entered the front doors and headed for homeroom. Wouldn't be anyone looking at him for coming in late, they'd be all so damn amazed about him actually being here on a Monday that he'd breeze by any reprimand. Still he liked it better when Tohno had been around. Nothing better than a guy who passed out on any given day to take the heat off himself.

No Arihiko Inui wouldn't have minded Tohno being around at all. Or Yumizuka, or the other dozen or so night owls that had disappeared last October. It was almost bad enough around for him not to bother with school anymore. Cept for someone with big glasses, short blue hair and a bod. He just *had* to stifle that grin.

---

UGH?! What was the problem with these teachers? Could they make crap any more boring without using a slide projector and downers? He banked a note off the guy next to him, then almost panicked as the note stuck in the poor sleepy doofus's hair and stayed there for a few seconds before the guy grabbed it down. The teacher had luckily not seen.

Good lord, could Tohno be any *MORE* off in space? Not that he should complain, what was he running on himself? Maybe three hours of sleep? It'd taken him a lot to get off his butt and get in this morning, he'd half a mind not to, but heck with watching the soap opera of Yumizuka trying to get Tohno's attention on her and off some girl he hadn't seen in months on the schedule, how could he resist.

It's not that he wished bad luck on anyone. Of course not. But now that Yumizuka was taking it more of her mission to either get Tohno or get him back for brushing her off, he of course had to be there as the mutual friend. If the whole thing happened to be uproariously funny at times, oh how could he help it?

Shiki = Mr. Dense

Satsuki = Miss Cutely Persistent

Himself(Arihiko) = Innocent *cough* bystander

Yep, that's how things stood. Perfect equation. Too bad he hadn't caught up with anyone this morning, but he had been late. Heh, that wasn't anything too unusual either. Chalk it up to another late night. It wasn't even his fault this time either! Damn low flying airplanes.

---

He sighed, bored as anything as the class let out. Wasn't much goin on today, that was for certain. Why had he even come in? It all seemed such a blur to him. He watched the class file out the door as he sat there, lounging for a few moments before heading out. Nothing better to do.

The class had been so boring he felt half asleep already. He might have passed out on the spot but he felt oddly cold sitting in his chair, or was it warm? The way things had been going lately it would probably take him a few minutes to get everything sorted in his head.

At least he might be able to get a hold of Ciel-Sempai.

---

"Whoa whoa whoa." Arihiko called out, draping himself over Yumizuka and Tohno's shoulders as the girl popped up beside sleepyhead outside class, "And what do we have here? Ok, who's got notes?"

"GAH! Stoppit Arihiko!" Shiki groaned, "I've been having a weird enough day as it is, and last night..."

"You too?" Yumizuka and Arihiko choired as Shiki's head hit his hand, signifying his normal weakened headache. The three of them looked at each other askance, eyebrows raised. Arihiko dropped back off of everyone's shoulders and shrugged. He didn't like the sound of that one bit.

"Hey hey!" he called out, "More bad nights eh? I'm sure there's a rational explanation for all of this. Did you guys have a problem with the light show, or the low flying jet?"

"Light show?" Yumizuka asked softly, rubbing her neck.

"Low flying jet?" Shiki grumbled, confused. Arihiko looked at them, trying to be as happy as he could, and shrugged. Shiki looked over his shoulder, went stiff with surprise and lurched past Arihiko. He'd spotted a strangely familiar pair of glasses and blue haircut.

"Wha..." Shiki gasped quietly, "Ciel??"

"Huh? Seal?" Arihiko turned, "What are you talking about?"

Yumizuka walked up next to him, "Do you get the impression today is even weirder than usual?"

"Yeah." Arihiko agreed, "I wonder what that's all about."

---

Arihiko's hand hit his chest as he fell back against the wall right outside the classroom door. His eyes were wide, his forehead beaded with sweat. He was breathing unsteadily.

There was no way, no way he'd seen... what... how? He couldn't put the thoughts together. Had he just seen that? Why wasn't anyone else even noticing. Was he going totally out of his mind?

How else could he explain seeing a perfectly clear greyed image of himself talking to a living Tohno and Yumizuka?! Touching them, talking to them, having a perfectly normal absolutely nonsensical conversation with the two of them! He couldn't understand it! The people in the hallway had even split for them like they were there. No tv-like half joke people passing through people stuff. People seemed to have reacted... but then.

But then where did they go? How did they fade out like that? Was the universe going mad or was it just him? Did too many late nights mean that much? It's not like he hadn't gone to school on only three hours of sleep before... hell no! Quite the opposite, but dead and vanished friends never appeared before him before! HE never appeared before him before!!

"What the HELL is this?" he gasped, eyes wide.

---

Arihiko slowed for a second before catching up with Tohno. Who was that against the wall? Had that been... well... HIM? Couldn't have been, must have been seeing things. Seeing things like leaving a copy of himself behind when he got up from his desk. Seeing things like catching glimpses of him following himself to school.

Oh yeah, today was a weird one alright. He looked to find Tohno standing in the hall, eyes darting this way and that. Well, at least Tohno was acting more normal. Was it a bad thing he was happy Tohno was acting more weird than depressed? Err, that one he'd have to figure out later.

"What are you doing Tohno?" he grumbled, coming up behind his friend, "Anemia getting to you again?"

"Ugh, what?" Shiki said, hand covering half his face, looking back to Arihiko, "Oh no, it's not that... I just thought I saw Ciel-sempai."

"Huh? That name again." Arihiko groaned, "I told you if we'd had a girl like that in our school, I'd be the first one to notice! And what's with constantly ignoring Yumizuka? Come on Tohno, she's cute, you know she likes you... she actually exists."

Shiki's expression turned rather sad as usual, almost whistful, "I'm just not interested Arihiko, you should know that by now."

"Yeah, but it doesn't make it feel any better ya know?" Arihiko replied with a resigned nod.

"Look, I know how you feel." Shiki remarked, head hanging as he turned and walked the other way, "I'd like for her sake to feel something for her, she's a good friend, but I just don't. The sooner she gets that..."

"Yeah yeah." Arihiko droned, glumly. This was definitely not going to be easy. Why'd Tohno have to be such a downer? Man and today of all days. A girl brushed past him hurriedly. He looked over to say something, but realized there wasn't anyone there. He thought for a second... maybe...

---

Ok, ok, logical explanation...

Going mad? Early senility? Ichigo spiked his cereal with LSD...

Well, he was thinking to clearly to believe himself mad. That was out, so far... He could remember everything, well most everything, homework didn't count. Anyway, where would Ichigo get drugs... this time. Nah, that was just to mean a way to think of her, she'd never do anything to cause him harm, just aggravation. Arihiko would have to come up with something else.

Ok ok, seriously...

What if he'd caught Tohno's weirdness.

No way, too scary to contemplate. Weird crap like this was only supposed to happen to Shiki Tohno, not Arihiko Inui. The walking aura of strangeness had disappeared a while ago, right?

"There you are Inui!"

Oh wait... not quite all of it had.

"Good morning Ciel-sempai." Arihiko called, rubbing the back of his head. He must look a little nutz standing just outside the door to his last class, eyes wide open and kinda shocked. At least he wasn't drooling or something, oh wait, Ciel was here! At least he wasn't drooling or something, yet.

Smiling so broadly her eyes were shut Ciel gave him a cursory bow. He returned a nod seeing the sempai give him a quick once over with her now open, sparkling eyes. It took him a second to get beyond the wonder of her striking foreign features to notice that even she was looking a little haggard this morning.

"Wow Inui, you are looking a little tense this morning." Ciel noted after the look, "This day must be getting to you."

Arihiko closed his eyes and nodded, trying to relax some of the tension out of his frame. The girl was perceptive as usu... He caught himself in mid thought. He hadn't told her anything about his day yet. Perceptive or not what was she doing down here looking for him. She didn't usually seem to pay him much attention until lunch.

"Uh? Ciel-sempai." he croaked, a bit unsure, "Is there something about this day I should be aware of? You sound a little..."

"Oh? Oh! No no, there's nothing to be worried about." Ciel almost sputtered, which had him doing the mental equivalent of rolling his eyes, "I was just wondering where you were, you didn't meet me between classes upstairs as usual."

Hrmm, he didn't peek in at her heading to class and she noticed it? He knew the blue haired sempai's senses were unusually good, but her noticing him not ogling her when he had a chance? That sounded fishy.

"I guess I was just out of it." he said, rubbing the back of his head, "Though could you tell me something?"

"What's that Inui?"

Arihiko looked up with perfect honesty in his eyes, "Have you been seeing ghosts today?"

Ciel looked like he had just told her someone ran over her parents with a dump truck. A big bead of sweat rolled down the side of her forehead. The look itself told him most of what he needed to know. He was about to press when the bell rang.

"ACK!" Ciel stammered, "Got to get to class!"

"Huh?" Arihiko called after her as she blew down the hallway, "Hey wait! Damn."

There'd be more chances as the day went on to ask her. He was sure of it.

---

"Spaghetti and stew today?"

"It's not like you come on Mondays to check the menu often."

"Heh... you're right there."

Arihiko made a face and shrugged, taking Tohno's comment in stride. The food wasn't great but at least the company was good enough. He twirled the pile of noodles around his fork looking over at Tohno warily. Yumizuka had planted herself next to him and was merrily munching away on her tray of varied slop without a care in the world. The seating arrangement wasn't quite the normal one, but he couldn't complain about it.

The tv news droned away in the background.

"...on to our top story of the day, the spectacular impact of an as yet unknown celestial body into the moon last night could be seen from points as far away as Moscow and Cairo in the West, Chicago and Lima in the East, and clear across the poles. The Melborne astronomical center, responisble for keeping track of orbiting objects such as the Space Shuttle when in flight, reported the first direct observance of impact related spatial distortion by mankind outside a particle collider. Experts put the yeild at near seven point nine gigatons of TNT the largest explosion seen in the solar system since Shumaker Leavy 9 collided with Jupiter some..."

"Hey yeah? Did you guys see that?"

Arihiko jumped a little, having zoned out in thought. Spatial distortion... hmm. Uh... He turned his attention back to Yumizuka as she cleared her throat.

"Well guys?" she asked, head hovering low and spookily over her spaghetti, "Did you? And have you heard the rumors of strange things happening around town."

"Strange stuff always happens around this town." Arihiko remarked with a shrug, "Haven't you noticed?"

"Well in second period the buzz was all about aaaa-liens." the girl said in a spooky whisper. Shiki and Arihiko shared a laugh.

"Oh come on Yumizuka, it's a good joke and all!" Arihiko chuckled.

"Yeah, last thing we need in this town in aliens!" Tohno added, "The vampires would eat them all!"

At that their little group all broke out laughing. Arihiko added to it by grabbing his chest and pretending to be a vampire with alien heartburn. Even a couple of tables over the jokes and fun were going on. In the midst of it, Arihiko stopped cold, looking oddly morose.

"Hey Arihiko." Shiki gasped, holding his chest in laughter, "You alright?"

"Yeah... yeah." he said, shoulders slumping, "It's just funny, I got really lonely all of a sudden."

"Huh?" Yumizuka looked up at him, "That's odd. Any reason why?"

Arihiko looked one way, then another. With a nod he stood up, leaving his meal mostly untouched. He wasn't very hungry anyway. The other two at the table looked concerned.

"Don't worry about me guys, it's nothing." he said, heading for the door, "I just have something I need to look into."

---

Arihiko Inui sighed as he let the wind blow through his stiff, colored hair. He looked down to his lunch, a bagged mix he'd tossed together himself. The ramen was bland, the soda was flat, and the paisties looked like something a few steps beyond day old. He reasoned to himself that it could easily be worse though. He might be stuck, all alone that lunchroom crowd, listening to everyone else have too good a time. He was missing Ciel-sempai though, but that didn't mean to much to him right now. He wasn't as interested in seeing her as much as usual. He'd have to put it to the fact he was missing others more.

"Why'd all you guys have to up and split out on me eh?" he wondered aloud, gazing up into the sky, "Tohno, you're probably up there with dozens of women at your beck and call, leavin me out of the fun as usual. And Yumizuka, hope you're happy wherever you wound up, why'd you guys have to leave me all alone?"

Arihiko sighed, looking around from where he was sitting. Leaning on the brick enclosure over the stairwell as he was he could see the whole, fenced in, roof. Beyond it he gazed out over the distant Misaki city like something that had been cut off from him for all to long.

The ramen bubbled a bit. Weird instant cup'o'stuff. Arihiko looked down at it, distracted and poked at some of the noodles with his chopsticks. This wasn't fun one bit.

Something in his heart told him he wasn't quite alone, before he even heard the words.

"Hey, mind some company?" a voice asked from around the corner, "I hate eating alone."

"Heh, might as well." he replied, nodding, "Even if it is just a bit on the weird side."

"So you are here." was the response, "I knew without even looking, I'd always sit right there when Tohno was out and Yumizuka wasn't being very promising company."

"And you knew to sit around the corner so you wouldn't sit on top of me." he chuckled, "How clever of me."

"You know me! Always thoughtful!"

"I try!"

Sitting around the corner from each other a pair of Arihiko Inui's laughed at their own joke. One took a moment out to suck up some ramen while the other gazed in repose at the sky.

"So isn't this just the weirdest."

"I swear *slurp* I'm catching Tohnoitis."

"I think everything was weird before Tohno started acting up, I just didn't really notice as much back then."

"Maybe, maybe..." Arihiko mumbled looking down at his cup, "Not that it matters much."

"It sounds lonely over there." Inui remarked, looking towards the corner, "No others huh?"

"For about six months." he returned to himself, "Satsuki after some weirdness at the Century hotel, she vanished with all the guests."

"Mine caught a cold and didn't go." Arihiko chuckled back.

"Auugghh... that's just her luck isn't it?" Inui laughed, playing with the noodles, "The kind you don't really know if it's good or bad."

"Yeah."

"Then Tohno... he wasn't long after. The night the causeway between one and two blew up." he added, sighing and slumping, "They said it was his anemia that finaly did him in, but his family wouldn't even have a public funeral."

Around the corner Arihiko slumped hearing the news "Oh man, I'm sorry. That's so harsh. You've got no one?"

Inui looked back towards the corner, "Well there is Ciel-sempai, you could call her a bright spot."

"Uh? Ciel who?"

"Hmm? You don't know Ciel-sempai?" Inui sounded taken slightly aback, "How could I forget that sweet blue hair, cute glasses and killer body?"

"Auugghh, you're kiddin me!" Arihiko laughed, "You mean that girl Tohno is always going on about actually exists?! Oh man I'm gonna haveta eat my words if he hears about this, along with a couple of shoes! You'd think I'd remember a hot girl with such a weird sounding name."

"Weird... hmm." Inui put some thought into it, "You know I never questioned that. It is kinda foreign isn't it."

The both of them sat back against the wall, looking up at the sky. They wouldn't know that they were in the exact same pose, even if they could have seen each other, yet they were. Rubbing a hand across his forehead one Arihiko kneeled and leaned forward around the corner.

"Hey..." he said, looking at his counterpart, finally able to see him clearly, if in greyscale.

"Yeah?" the other replied, putting down the cup.

"I don't know if you can, but well..." the kneeling Arihiko thought a second, "If you want to come over here for a while you're welcome to."

"Heh? You'd do that?" the other asked, looking a bit wary.

"Hey yeah! I'd get a crack at your hot blue haired girl right!"

"Oh... *chuckle* I knew there was some reason!"

The kneeling Arihiko smiled, mirrored in his opposite, he nodded once, "Hey it's no problem really, you know what it's for."

"Yeah, I think I do." Inui said. They both reached out to each other, one started to speak and the other followed as they shook hands, "It's..."

For My Friends

---

"Inui! You're going to be late again!"

Jogging down the hall Arihiko blushed a bit rubbing the back of his head. The blue haired sempai stood with her arms crossed glaring at him scoldingly.

"Lunch go over late huh?" she asked as he hurred past.

"Yeah yeah! See ya Ciel-sempai!" Arihiko called back, dashing down the hall. He hit his classroom at a quick pace, smiling and chatting to his classmates as he threaded his way between the seats. Without warning he jumped over and draped his chest across the shoulders of one spaced out spectacled fellow, causing him to jump and curse in shock. Arihiko was just all smiles as Shiki grumbled.

With a grin Arihiko asked, "Hey Tohno! You still livin?"

Arihiko's Dual Day, Finish

[MrTags]

Least replies and views of any active story thread... this isn't making me feel very good. It's not like this is a convo between me and Kieran. I'd love other input. Come now, speak up. I know you're out there.

Crossings Section 9 Begin

She stood out, yet was not noticed. She was in plain sight, yet was not seen. As eye-catching as she was, standing where she was, if she willed no mortal to see her, none would. Closing her eyes she let the breeze flow through her hair, smelling the wind. There was a tiny scent of Shiki on it.

Standing atop one of the posts that held up the chain link fence surrounding the roof of Shiki's school Arcueid Brunestud was quite sure that somewhere out there she could sense him. She smiled, running her hand under her hair as her purple skirt blew in the wind. It was actually quite a nice day, all except for one nagging thing.

"So you're here are you?" an unfriendly female voice growled at her. She just smiled, wheeling with nary a great movement of her feet, and looked down on her old annoyance, or maybe unlikely friend.

"Isn't it such a pretty day?" Arcueid asked, watching Ciel, who was standing at the threshold to the stairs, push her glasses back up a bit by force of annoyed habit. The shinso hid any sign of a grin. Her usual happy self was as grating on Ciel's nerves as it ever had been. Bright red eyes stared into bright blue.

"It's a maddening day!" Ciel almost shouted, grinding her teeth, "And you out and about is just the damnable cherry on top shinso!"

Arcueid's wide smile, less innocent then usual, but more knowing, caught Ciel off guard. The Princess of True Ancestors reached up and brushed her hair back by her ear, smiling that odd way.

"That's just what I was hoping to hear." the blonde said with a grin, hopping off the fence away from the angered burier and disappearing from sight, "See you around!"

Confused, Ciel took a step back, still fuming a bit. She couldn't understand what was with her perennial target. What was possibly making her so happy? Ciel turned back and started down the stairs. There was no point going to look and see where Arcueid landed, she wouldn't be in sight anyway.

"Curry..." the blue haired burier droned, "Curry, must calm nerves... need curry..."


"I want it removed, NOW!!"

Kohaku flinched under Akiha's enraged gaze. The way the end of her lady's hair was almost lighting on fire, she knew someone would be needing her blood refreshed all too soon. Akiha's voice was almost horse from the first yell she'd made, now it was even sounding a little painful. Loud noises definitely did not agree with her.

"I DON'T CARE HOW IT GOT HERE! I DON'T CARE WHERE IT GOES! GET RID OF IT!!!" the enraged Tohno roared, her fist slamming onto the top of the granite headstone. Kohaku flexed her fingers around her broom, taking a step back.

"Yes yes lady Akiha." the maid said with a nod, "I can have someone up for it by morning! Please calm down lady Akiha, this cannot be good for you."

The raven haired lady of the Tohno clan fumed about for a few more seconds then with a small haughty noise forcibly reclaimed her composure. Kohaku let out a audible sigh of relief, letting her tightly held shoulders slump a bit. The maid glanced back up at the house, spotting Hisui looking down at them through one of the windows, but she disappeared as Akiha stepped around to her.

"But seriously Kohaku." she mused, rubbing her chin as she looked down at the offending item, "How could this have gotten here? And what could it possibly mean."

Kohaku looked at the subject of debate, a large granite headstone that had as best as she could tell materialized behind her garden since yesterday. The disturbing nature of it's appearance only matched the disturbing nature of it's script. It was dedicated apparently to the still living Shiki Tohno.

"Could it be a dedication to Master Shiki, not Shiki?" she asked, pointing out the two different Shiki in the family, "The death date is the right one, even if it doesn't match the official records."

"The birth date is wrong." Akiha corrected, her face a scowl, "And who would know of either anyway? This was done as a masterwork, very expensive, that it could be here makes no sense. Where is the billing? The shipping? I should have seen something in the family finances. Are you sure this is the first you've seen of it?"

"Yes lady Akiha." Kohaku reassured her, lowering her gaze, "It was not here yesterday when I came out to tend the garden, yet today, it is here. I informed you of it as you know at the very moment you arrived home."

"Very well, at least have it covered." Akiha grumbled, checking the time, "It would have to be right outside my brother's window, if we're lucky he won't have to see it and..."

"See what Akiha?" Shiki asked, making his sister jump as he came up behind her from the forest, he was still carrying his school bag, making it likely he'd just gotten home, "I saw you guys out here on my way around, what's going on? Is that a grave marker?"

"Uh..." Akiha gasped.

"It's nothing Shi... err... Master Shiki!" Kohaku tried to divert him, noting a little put off that even when Akiha was startled she still gave the maid quite a look when she didn't formally address Shiki in her presence.

"That bad huh?" Shiki walked around, looking as Akiha waved her hands uselessly trying to dissuade him, "Err? Me? MY Headstone?"

The girls could only nod. Shiki crouched down and looked at the offending object closer. He felt his finger around the letters, noticing something that stood out to his sight.

"It's a little premature." he joked lightly, not bothering to take it as badly as the girls had feared, softly to himself he added as he checked the cut of the design, "The letters, it's careful, but they were carved, I think by claws..."


"Boarding, Boarding, last call for flight 328 from Hong Kong boarding at gate 12. Boarding, Boarding..."

Fighting evil hoards of undead and monsters of all sizes, Fine.

Fighting the loathsome machinations of ancient shito and beasts, Fine.

Fighting off a nearly eleven hour jetlag... now that sucked.

Her blue hair a little more ragged then usual, her stance a bit leaned to one side Ciel slowly waited for the escalator to bring her down to the main Terminal floor. Her arrival in Japan as innocuous and inconspicuous as possible. Most of her luggage either in her hands, or supposedly already picked up by her current minder wherever he happened to be.

Barely stifling a yawn and holding back a much needed stretch Ciel stepped off the escalator. Customs as usual had been such a bore but her Vatican credentials had gotten her past the worst of it, and none of her weapons would ever show up in a check. All that was left was to meet up with her contact and get going. Rubbing her temples she absentmindedly headed off towards the swarm of signs being held up announcing rides and calling to never seen relatives or businessmen.

Ciel made her way over to the lines of people and searched the signs. It occurred to her that her contact would probably be more covert than to announce for a burier in such an obvious way but it never hurt to... She stopped herself, a large sweatdrop on one side of her head, along with a little sign of horrid rage that scared some people into hurriedly backing away from the blue haired woman.

Within the throng of sign holders, back and out of sight, someone was holding up a big bright sign...

For a Curry Hag.

Almost hurling full grown men aside Ciel burst through the crowd of sign holders, growling grabbing and shoving. Letting the sudden tirade of retorts and curses from thrown people go she dug through to the holder of that sign.

Bright lavender hair, bright red eyes, currently closed in a big smile. Face like an angel, one she wanted to strangle.

"Oh there you are miss Ciel!" Merm Solomon said in a happy chirp, his enormous smile all the more infuriating, "And here I thought someone had let loose the bulls from Pamplona."

"You little..." the blue haired burrier growled, her blue eyes boring into his red. Merm's smile changed to a look of genuine upset and he pouted at her.

"Oh my miss Ciel, it's almost as if you aren't happy to see me!" he gasped in shock.

Ciel's finger shot out towards his, still held up, sign, "AND WHAT IS THAT?!" she cried.

"Uhm... highly effective I think." Merm said, pulling the sign down so quickly out of sight it may as well have been a slight of hand trick, "Wait... sign? What sign?"

Ciel slumped at the shoulders, letting out an exasperated, if resigned, sigh. The annoying little senior burrier was in true form today. It could have been said that there wasn't any stronger an agent Narbarek could have sent for her, but what a little asshole.

"Can we get going?" Ciel groaned, putting on her false glasses as she lowered her head. Merm held up her other suitcase and a ring of keys.

"Oh, you can go." he said, "Just take these."

"Uh?" Ciel grumbled, pocketing the keys and taking the second suitcase.

"I've called a cab for you, he'll be waiting, you can be sure of it." Merm added with a glowing smile that said the cab driver would be waiting till the end of time if he had to.

"You're not coming?" Ciel asked.

"Oh, I don't think I should be intruding, and I have other things to do." Merm said, making a bit of a sweeping gesture and resting his arms behind his head, almost as if he was the little schoolboy he looked like, "You have such reunions to make don't you? Wouldn't want me getting in the way of you and Mr Shiki eh?"

Ciel's eyes opened wide and she blushed.

"Thanks." she gasped out, turning and zipping away, leaving the words "I'm glad you understand!"

Grinning the little Dead Apostle Ancestor watched her go with great satisfaction. He kept an indirect eye on her up to the point she loaded the cab, got in and it sped off.

The pace of the world around him slowed, the shadows deepened. In naught but an extended moment he seemed to be all alone in the shadows. The sort of smile he was wearing changed to something a bit more conspiratorial. Something in the darkness beyond, of the darkness beyond looked in on him.

"Well she's here, as you asked." Merm said, grinning, "All alone too! I tell you that wasn't easy. It was hard to convince Narbarek not to send half the entire burial section down here after you."

"Should I be honored?" the darkness laughed back.

"Heh honored? They're still pissed about that little mess you orchestrated in Florence in the fifteen hundreds!" Merm remarked in chastising tone, "They really don't take to those burnings of Rome either."

"Augh, they still remember that?" the darkness grumbled in mirthful tone, "And here I'd think they'd have better things to do."

Merm crossed his arms, tapping his foot, "So?" he prodded.

"Oh that." the shape of the darkness shifted ever so slightly, as if in annoyance.

"You owe me!" Merm called out with a grin.

There was another shift in the dark. The shadows retreated slightly and the terminal was almost visible around him. Merm growled, flexing an arm but then there was something. A tiny voice started to whisper in his ear. Merm cocked his lead, listening, his face changing again and again, happier and happier each second.

The ancient Shito grabbed something out of his pocket, a small pad and a pen. He listened, listened some more. The whispering stopped. Merm's eyes glistened. He suddenly let out a little joyous shriek like a tiny schoolchild seeing the gifts under the Christmas tree.

"WOOOO!!! MINE!! MINE!! IT SHALL BE MINE!!!!!" he cried joyously then skipped off. The darkness around him slid away. Within the swirl of featureless darkness there was the idea of a smile.

Section 9 End

[MrTags]

Argh my eyes, I can't seeeee anything. I hope the background on the typing box lightens up a bit soon. Come on people, someone's gotta have SOMETHING to say. People do read this. We gotta find some people eh?

Hopefully it'll get interesting enough soon for some comments.

Character Focus, Hisui's Story: Duty Above All

Earlier...

The clock clicked to one pm. That the clock was upstairs didn't matter. The time was one. Lunch was over. Big sister would be finishing in the kitchen. Miss Arcueid was out. Lady Akiha showed no change in condition. Things were as they were.

The small redheaded servant, dressed in finely fitted and pressed european maid attire, stood and bowed to the formless red mass that swallowed the cell before her.

"Excuse me Lady Akiha." Hisui said, with no true knowledge if the person in the cell had heard her, had ever heard her since the breakdown. That was entirely beside the point in any case, decorum was to be maintained.

It was one o’clock, time for the early afternoon touch up dusting. Hisui walked up the stairs in silence and flitted down the hall to the carefully hidden away cleaning closet. She picked up the cleanest feather duster from the rack of them, careful to knock off any dust that had clung to it unbidden since the last dusting in which she'd used that particular one. A good pass by a magnet over the debris pail temporarily negated the static hold of the feathers and the dust simply fell off.

In addition she tucked away a trio of cleansing cloths, a small spray bottle, and some perfuming solution. Convinced all proper gear was in hand for the task of making Tohno Mansion spotless, the blue eyed maid swiftly padded out of the closet, closing the door behind her, careful that it made the proper closed click.

The top half of her body nearly motionless she moved off down the hall, entering the first room for dusting.

---

Earlier...

"Sister... no, no, try the... not that, ah... oh well..."

Hisui hid a bit of a blush as the seasoning, apparently the wrong seasoning, splashed into her latest attempt to make soup. She sniffed it, but unlike her big sister, she could not tell in any way wether the soup had improved or been damaged by her inappropriate spice.

"Was that not the correct spice big sister?"

"Uhm, I don't know Hisui..." Kohaku looked into the pot, smelling demurely, "I've never really tried celery salt and nutmeg in miso..."

The blue eyed maid sighed and slumped, almost dropping her ribbon into the sauce.

"This is not working then..." she said, feeling disappointed. How would she ever help master Shiki to be happy if she could not take proper care of him? She felt the addition of some heartfelt cooking could possibly improve the situation, possibly between herself and master Shiki, or between master Shiki and lady Akiha. There was the unfortunate fact, however, that she didn't seem to have a knack for getting master Shiki's tastes right.

"It's only a matter of time sister, and a little less tobasco." Kohaku assured her. Hisui picked up a ladle and tried her concoction.

"I don't taste a problem." Hisui stated plainly. She didn't miss the fact, though, that her big sister was currently turning a few strange colors in sympathetic pain. Hisui's head cocked, noticing the time.

"I'll see if there's something I can do with it." Kohaku remarked, shooing Hisui away, "Isn't it time for you to dust now?"

"Yes, it is." the blue eyed maid said with a nod, turning and walking on. Kohaku looked back at the soup, wiping her brow in ill disguised relief. Hisui padded over to the maid's closet, picking up and cleaning one of the feather dusters therein, then tucking three cleaning cloths, a small spray bottle and some perfuming solution in the hidden pockets of her uniform.

With a dutiful air the maid slipped out of the kitchen. Looking down she noted some dust on the feather duster, she had been too hasty in leaving. Wheeling about Hisui padded back.

"Sister I..." Hisui started... then her expression went blank. On the other side of the room, at the stove Kohaku was standing over her soup, stabbing it over and over with a butcher knife in a robotic motion. With that picture in mind Hisui decided it much better to have a little dust on her feathers. She turned and quickly sped out of the kitchen.

Hurrying along Hisui looked up the stairs. To her surprise for a moment she caught sight of a greyed version of Kohaku walking down the stairs, holding a tray of untouched food. The both of them stopped, looked at each other, then the image faded. Hisui cocked her head.

"Ok, right..." she monotoned, "No more nutmeg and tabasco."

She then went right back on her way.

---

Slightly later...

Dust, dust, spritz, dust, repeat

Hisui finished with the back living room in good order. Things were going near to schedule as was right. The house must be kept clean, even if only herself, her big sister and miss Arcueid were to see it.

She paid special attention to the curio cabinets, keeping the collections neat and tidy. The house was showing some odd inconsistencies today that she had yet to be able to place. The things she was noting kept her mind busy while her body moved in similar patterns as it did every other day. It was of course the little things she noted and kept track of in her mind that made things worth doing.

The place settings in the dining room had been used. She found that unusual since only the Tohno's had ever used the dining room. Miss Arcueid always ate up in her room, while the maids always ate in their own areas. The dining room, with its large table had been used however this morning, and she hadn't noted it. This was the first inconsistency.

Lady Akiha's original room was also inconsistent. The make up and personal items on her desk had been moved. Hisui had of course fixed them as always, however it was reminiscent of when Lady Akiha had been using her own room instead of the downstairs cell. As the maid working the indoors, Hisui had noted each thing out of alignment in her master's room. The door was slightly ajar, the bed somewhat rumpled, the vanity adjusted to take advantage of the natural lighting. This, while reminding Hisui of the times Lady Akiha had stayed there, also confused her, as there was no one to do such things.

It was a mystery. Hisui's eyes began to sparkle. She hid her smile, even though no one was around to see it.

Maybe the next room would prove inconsistent too. Padding along she headed for Arcueid's. Mulling things over she walked up to the door and opened it.

Something was very inconsistent. Her thoughts jumbled, scanning the rest of the day's events as she entered the room. This was not quite right. She touched the desk... there was dust. She could have sworn the room had been already dusted. Warily she began doing the desk. Things weren't quite right, the bed was too well kept, all the drawers were closed. Arcueids little pile of pictures were all in order. It was as if Hisui had already done this room, yet she hadn't been here...

Glancing across the table she let out a little surprised noise. Master Shiki's knife was there. That could not be, it was buried with him, she'd seen to that herself. Was it a replica? Stepping over she reached her hand down, and passed right through it.

Hopping away in shock Hisui stared at the recalcitrant object. She leveled a finger at it, pointing its way with an accusatory stare. The image faded from her sight.

"Ghost knife." she said, thinking. What a mystery indeed.

---

Slightly later...

Had Kohaku been playing tricks on her? The mansion definitely was full of some odd inconsistencies today. While Hisui's pace and actions were the same as any day of dusting, her mind was racing through the possibilities of an enticing mystery. Had Master Shiki broken from his depressed mood enough to play games, stage little tricks for her? Were the mysterious red hairs of last night, which were from, yet not from, Lady Akiha to blame?

There had been pictures she would have sworn had never been taken in Master Shiki's room. She had arranged them, since they were spread across his desk, yet they made her feel decidedly uncomfortable. She was in a few of them, yet had never remembered posing. Of course the night of that one party she wouldn't have truly known if she had or not, too much alcohol.

Besides that however there was a hint of a woman in Master Shiki's room. It wasn't quite the sights, but possibly the smells. Something simply told her that a woman had been staying there. Such was impossible of course, there wasn't a woman staying in Master Shiki's room, and any that did would have had to face the full on wrath of Lady Akiha each and every day. The very thought made her shudder.

In addition, halfway through the house, things simply looked dusted. They weren't of course, she hadn't reached there yet, and no one else in the house would lift a duster, that she knew of, maybe Master Shiki, but she could have sworn without touching the surfaces that the dust had already been removed. That was quite an inconsistency.

Hisui padded down the hall, looking to the more unused rooms of the house when something made her stop short. The door to the underground chamber... Why was this door open? Hisui wore a concerned look, glancing through the darkened threshold. The stairs seemed freshly trodden. She would have expected more dirt to have accumulated in such a totally unkempt chamber.

Her eye for mysteries gripping her Hisui found her way slowly down the stairs. The lights were lit, another oddity. There had been no need to keep this place lit for a long time. She caught herself dusting a bit of the wall in force of habit. Hiding the duster behind her with a little hmph she steeled herself and padded down the stairs.

The first thing that struck Hisui about the small underground chamber was the strange softness there was to it. Usually the place was all solid iron bars and stone walls, yet it seemed as if something was softening the hard lines of the place. The light was on, which was unusual, but the others down the way had been as well. The red haired maid felt the stone, cold as ever, hardly mysterious but maybe a little disappointing.

Looking around Hisui picked up a slight movement on the floor. Fixing up her skirt to let her crouch properly she bent down and looked. There was a slight reddish tint. She reached down and touched the floor, and something moved.

"Eep!" she let out a tiny gasp, hopping a little and almost toppling over. The little maid waddled around, encumbered by her skirt for a second before righting herself again. Peeking down warily she saw the faintest glimmer of red thread on the floor. It was somewhat translucent, in fact immaterial, as her hand had passed through it, so she'd only noted it as a red glow before. The oddity of Hisui's situation started to settle in on her, the red hairs of the previous night made a little sense. Reluctantly she gazed into the cell and squinted her eyes, concentrating hard.

...and found herself in a sea of red.

With a gasp Hisui bounced up and tried to hide herself at the foot of the stairs. While the image wasn't of good quality she could see a formless mass of red swirling out from a pile in the center of the cell, just behind the bars before her. While not being the most member of the household to all the oddities residing therein, it took her barely any time at all to consider the possibilities and decide on a conclusion.

There were two Akiha's in Tohno Mansion today. More than that, there had been a second Kohaku. Hisui decided to ignore common sense as the mystery demanded. The least probable reasoning had become the only one possible. In that case, there would be one person to ask, in order to find everything out.

---

A few moments ago...

"..........."

"Gah!" Hisui gasped slightly as a small black cat hopped up and crossed her path, small bells chiming softly. She should have expected it, but still... it had caught her by surprise again. With a speedy zip and a flick of it's tail the little creature left the room.

Hisui held onto her chest, breathing deeply, "Just miss Arcueid's cat..." she whispered, still a little scared. She hated this room, there was no doubt about it. She should get back to what she was doing... yes...

Dusting, there was dusting. Dusting and waiting, waiting and dusting. This would be the place. The signs were right, unusual though they were. Now all there was to do was wait and dust.

Hisui padded slowly around the old master's office. She had always done Makihisa Tohno's study last of all the rooms in the house. Possibly because she had the least experience doing it, possibly because of the things that happened in here. This place still sent chills down her spine every time she entered it. It had been the last room in the house she'd been allowed to tidy, the last room in the house she'd ever want to enter, the most uncomfortable room.

Given that, who she waited for in here was probably fitting. Only one person alive that she knew of often, and willingly, entered this room.

Padding around to the far bookshelf she dusted the oddly dual locked box, then did a few of the books. Looking out the window she allowed herself a indulgent sigh. As she walked over to check on the far windows she looked down slightly. This would be ever so difficult. There was a panting behind her.

"So, you are here." a female voice pointed out, plainly but a little out of breath.

Hisui turned, looking over her shoulder, "You're late." she scolded, "If you are to take any longer it will be difficult to get back to the front and wait for Master Shiki."

There was an uncomfortable noise from the other figure in the room. With a short motion she pulled her duster out from behind her and started to work on the tables across from her aggravator. Hisui was certainly not used to being told her business by anyone. Still, she looked across near the window, if there was anyone who could do it, it would have to be herself.

"You've realized then." the newcomer Hiusi said with a nod, neither of them had deigned look at the other, "You put together the clues."

"Yes, it was difficult for me, you most likely had a simpler task." the first Hisui also nodded, working at the windows, "I deduced it partially from Master Shiki's belongings, and a few of the foods in the pantry, but mostly from your own pattern of cleaning. Mine changed, I had to rework it for Lady Akiha's current needs."

"Mine hasn't changed for a while, since there has been no drastic change in the household." the second Hisui pointed out, agreeing, "Which you correctly reasoned would mean there was no change in the people in my household."

The two Hisui pointed a swirling finger at each other, never breaking composure.

"You the girl."

"Thanx."

"So," the Hisui at the window remarked, cleaning a spot with a towel, "Your Master Shiki, is he well?"

"He is... physically well." the other replied, brushing up some dust on the far dresser, "But he has lost miss Arcueid, I fear he is... deeply wounded, inside..."

Breathing softly on the window and rubbing with elbow grease to get a particularly stubborn spot the far Hisui looked down, lost in thought. The way her counterpart had said that... It was very likely that she had cause for concern over Master Shiki's well being. All was not right, on either side of the divide.

"It sounds, unfortunate..." the Hisui at the window said, as she moved across to the next set of panes, "That would likely mean that Lady Akiha is alright."

"Yes." the other Hisui said with a nod, straightening the pillow of the far chair, "It is most unfortunate about your Lady Akiha though. I am interested in finding what happened to her, she is very distressed. I am confused on why any of us would let someone like the distant miss Arcueid move in with Master Shiki though. Do you not think their closeness would upset Lady Akiha even more?"

The breath caught in Hisui's throat as she tried to dust the sill of the window before her. She found her lower jaw shaking. She could feel the tear break loose and slide down her cheek. Such a simple misconception... oh how she wished...

"I'm sorry..." the Hisui at the window said, her voice itself nigh breaking the other Hisui's heart before she even heard the rest of the statement, "You do not understand... miss Arcueid... Master Shiki, it is not what you think... miss Arcueid moved in to help, in case we can't handle things... you see, Master Shiki... is... dead."

There was a quick, strangled cry from the other side of the room. Hisui's hand clutched her chest as she bent over, holding herself up against the bookshelf. Her blue eyes were wide, staring yet not seeing anything. She didn't know where the tear on her cheek had come from, how it had gotten there so quickly. It was such a simple assumption... how wrong...

"No..." she gasped hoarsely, Lady Akiha's condition made all to much sense now, especially if... she had to know, "Then both?"

The Hisui near the window nodded slowly as she moved to the other side of the back bookshelf, "Both of Lady Akiha's brothers are dead."

"So... sad..." Hisui said slowly, her eyes clenched shut as she brought her duster back up to the books, "You are holding up?"

The other Hisui sighed and closed her eyes as well, her hand returning to her duster, "It is not easy."

"I see now." Hisui remarked with a nod, "The ghosts we see, they are not the ghosts of the dead."

"No, they are ghosts of chance." the first said, "Ghosts of the way things may have been, had things been different."

"I will help then." the second Hisui replied, her face determined, "I have not been through as much, you need my strength."

"I don't know what can be done." the first mentioned, thinking it over as she absentmindedly dusted, "You cannot touch those on my side, or apparently important objects that are in different locations."

"The pictures in Master Shiki's room, they are miss Arcueid's?"

"Yes, those are miss Arcueid's remembrances."

"I could touch them."

The first Hisui looked up towards the bookshelf as she made her way down towards the second. She was deep in thought for a second, then came out of it, her eyes a little brighter.

"Then there are some things we can do." she said with a nod, "It is our duty to take care of Lady Akiha."

"And Master Shiki." the other added. They both nodded.

"Then we shall care for them both." the first said confidently, "It is our duty."

"Yes it is." the other pointed out. The two Hisui's together finally reached to dust the final book on the shelf. As they stood together, the same thought occurred to them. They said it at once.

For My Family


Hisui glanced out the window, catching Kohaku's concerned look. Lady Akiha's enraged shout had brought the blue eyed maid's gaze out past her big sister's garden. She saw them there. Lady Akiha was in a rare mood glowering at the granite slab standing on the ground between them. Her anger could be felt, even from the office window.

"Hmm." Hisui said softly looking out to them. She would have to handle that later. Miss Arcueid would be very upset if Master Shiki's grave disappeared. With a gasp Hisui realized she was late. She headed quickly out the door, not noting Kohaku looking up in confusion at the window, wondering where she'd gone to. It was not that important.

Not important at all, compared to missing her usual greeting of Master Shiki at the front door.

With concern she padded off to catch him.

Hisui, Duty Above All, Finish

[Kieran]

I always did like Hisui.

[MrTags]

Still going. SACCHINx2 TIME!

Character Focus, Satsuki's Story,
Part One: Irreconcilable Differences

"Why me?"

It was the one question she'd hoped he wouldn't ask. Not that it was a question she didn't have the answer to, but maybe it was one she didn't want to admit the answer to. Such a simple thing, that question, yet so hard to explain.

"Well... I... I..."

Satsuki Yumizuka rubbed the back of her head, bemoaning her fate in yet another outing. She looked around the school grounds, trying to find an out to the situation she was in. She'd stopped Arihiko on the way out of class, catching him before he went home. She had a request of him, an odd one admittedly, but nothing too hard. Ever since the dream she'd had last night, the young girl had a strange but pressing need to go and check something out. It was like she wanted desperately to go someplace and dispell any notion that the dream was anything but. Now though, a snag had appeared, the traditional one in the name of Shiki Tohno.

"Uhm really Yumizuka." Arihiko pressed on slightly, shifting from foot to foot and looking at her, "Why me? Isn't this more of something Tohno would handle?"

Satsuki's shoulders slumped. He'd caught on to the biggest annoyance about this little problem. As she believed him to be Tohno was a far more logical choice to ask help her than Inui. She really didn't want to have to explain this, but oh well...

"It's just that it's gotten so complicated with him Inui." she said, blushing with a slight sigh, "I really need this done, but if I asked him, well he could look at it as some way to get closer to him, or as a sneaky kind of date, or... or... well, It'd just be so hard to make him say yes, that it's not even worth trying. He hasn't seemed to be very reliable lately has he?"

Arihiko sighed, nodding in understanding, "Yeah, he's gotten that way lately hasn't he?" he managed back, "Then I can't say I blame you for not asking him, but jeeze Yumizuka, thinking of all that's gone on down there, it's not like I'd be of much use!"

With a beaming smile Satsuki giggled at Arihiko's bemused look. He was so funny being honest like that. She hadn't even thought about him fighting off some monster for her! Is that what he thought this might come to... yikes! She had to set him straight.

"No no no!" she gasped, relieved, "If we go now it'll be daytime! No big bad monsters! I just need, ya know, to feel a little looked after when I'm there... It's still kinda scary!"

Arihiko grinned widely, lifting an arm and flexing it, "Well then, I'm your big strong man!" he laughed. Satsuki giggled again.

"My hero!" she cried, grinning back. The two of them shared the laugh as they headed out under the afternoon sun.

A simple little quest. Go down to the back alleys of town, check around and proove Satsuki was just dreaming things, then split up and head home. Nothing easier, right?


The sun was still gracing the sky when Satsuki and Arihiko reached downtown. They had a decent number of back alleys to cover so they went right to it. Starting at the first block they came to they began walking the alleys. To keep their minds occupied the pair chatted away.

"Hmm." Arihiko mumbled, holding his nose to stave off the worst effects of something rank in a dumpster they'd just passed, "I don't think we'll really be able to do this all today Yumizuka."

The brown haired girl looked back at him and shrugged, "Ah, it shouldn't really matter." she said happily, "We'll just check what we can, that should do right?"

"Heh, well it's your dream." Arihiko replied as they turned down another side alley. Satsuki smiled broadly, looking around. The alleys were dank, but not as cold as she would have thought, the tight walls trapped a lot of heat in the area. It was so, depressing and foul down here though, someone could almost get lost forever if they wanted to, if they avoided the main streets and stuck to the smaller lanes between them. She thought of something and figured there'd be no better time to ask.

"Arihiko?" she queried in a voice that made him cringe a little, the sad sound behind it telling him there'd be only one thing she was asking about. He looked like he'd try to hide behind some crates.

"Arihiko..." she said again, then went on, "Is it, well do you know... is there something wrong with me?"

"Gaahhhh..." Inui twitched, rubbing the back of his head, "That a loaded question if I've ever heard one."

"No really," she said looking back at him, eyes a bit sad. The way opened up into a main street and the two fell silent as they crossed it and headed into the next set of alleys. These were just a little darker, turned mostly North and South or at angles, the sun wasn't filtering in as well.

"So, do you think, maybe it's me?" Satsuki asked again, sighing slightly, then looking around, "Or maybe is it Tohno?"

"Ahhhh... Yumizuka, ya know you're really putting me in a spot here." Arihiko replied, hand practically affixed to the back of his head, "You're both my friends, it might not be right to interfere."

"Oh like that would really stop you Inui." Yumizuka remarked with a big knowing smile, "Remember who was all, 'you better go after him' earlier?"

Arihiko blushed a bit. Satsuki noticed but didn't mention it. The boy was falling a little bit behind her. She figured she oughta slow down or she'd loose him all together in these dark places.

"Well yeah, but he wasn't that sad back then." Arihiko mentioned, "Come to think of it, maybe he's just really really out of it you know? I wouldn't put it past him... this is Tohno we're talking about here."

Satsuki giggled, hiding her mouth behind a hand, "Yup!" she called, "It is."

Arihiko practically had his eyes closed he was smiling so broadly. He looked as if he was hoping for all the world that exchange was over. Satsuki giggled again. Energetic as ever she was pulling ahead a bit. As Arihiko sped up to catch her he tripped over something hidden in the shadows.

Something that made a little mmph as he did.

"Gaahhhh! Satsuki." he grunted, regaining his balance.

"What?" came a stereo reply.

Arihiko turned back to what he'd tripped over in shock. Sitting against the wall, hidden in the deepest shadows, her legs, sticking into the alley, having tripped him, was another Satsuki. She looked around drowsily, just waking up from sleep. The first Satsuki must have walked right by her, it was so dark there. Arihiko bent down, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking.

"Yumizuka! Yumizuka! Wake up! Where have you been!?" he cried, "Everyone's been so worried!!"

"Huh?" the first Satsuki said, walking back, "Worried? What are you talking about? You're talking like I've been gone."

"Mmmmph... Inui... just a few more minutes... the teacher can't care that much..." the sleepy Satsuki grumbled, sobbing slightly "...school sucks."

"Ack!" Arihiko shook his head, "We're not in school Yumizuka! Wake up!"

Satsuki wondered exactly what Inui was on about. He'd stopped so suddenly and now, well wasn't he talking to thin air? She straightened her pleated skirt and crouched down making sure she didn't flash anyone to get a better look at the dark area Inui was so interested in. The schoolgirl gasped as something odd started to blur in and out of her vision. It couldn't be!! Looking harder she could see what had to be another girl from their school, wearing the same school uniform she was, just in greys not yellow and blue. The sight confused her... if only the image would focus down. What was Inui doing?

"Nyaaahhh..." the sitting Satsuki stretched and yawned, inadvertently flashing Inui once or twice before she blinked her large eyes open and tried to figure out what the commotion was, night was still a ways off and she didn't like wasting energy. Groggily she noticed someone had her by the shoulders and was shaking off and on. Someone must have had a death wish or something. Who was it? She looked up and almost lost her cool in shock.

"You ok?" Arihiko Inui, just about the last person she'd ever expected to see in the back alleys, asked. Her eyes flashed wide as she reached up and grabbed his arms back.

"ARIHIKO?!" she gasped, "What are you doing here?! How did you find... wha... where... how is..."

Dozens of questions flew through the sitting Satsuki's mind. She could find out about everything! It was wonderful! Then something started nagging at her from the back of her mind. With a start she realized she was hungry... the sound of Arihiko's blood was rushing in her ears. The painful truth of still being cursed as a monster hit her. He couldn't possibly stay here... not even long enough for questions. She couldn't stand the thought of hurting a friend.

"Hey hey! Waittaminute!" Arihiko was laughing, "One question at a tiiiiii..."

"NO!" Satsuki shouted, tossing Arihiko back across the alley into the far wall with all the effort of lifting a paper clip, "Leave me alone!! Arihiko! Leave me alone! Run away! RUN! NOW!"

Satsuki's eyes widened to saucer size as Arihiko went flying across the alleyway to land with a thud against the far wall. How the hell had that happened? At least Inui seemed to be alright. He picked himself up from where he'd landed, only slightly winded. He looked more concerned than hurt. What was going on?

Arihiko's eyes almost teared as the missing Satsuki curled herself into a little sobbing ball in front of him. Laying on her side she pulled her knees into her chest and hugged them tight as she cried softly. She saw him get up and was at least happy she hadn't hurt him, but still he wasn't leaving. Her big red, tearing, eyes looked over at him in fear. She didn't need the problems someone knowing she was still alive was going to bring, she didn't want to be hurt again.

"Hey!" another girls voice called to her, shocking her out of her thoughts, "That was mean! You shouldn't have done that. He was only trying to help!"

The crying Satsuki looked up in shock. She'd sensed no one else in the alley with her, and to a vampire that meant a lot. There was no way someone should have been able to sneak up so close. There was another girl there, crouched only a few feet away, looking at her sadly. She squinted her eyes, as the other girl was, trying hard to bring the vision into clarity. It seemed that this girl was greyed out somehow, lacking any sign of color. They both put some effort into looking... and both were shocked to the core by what they saw.

Satsuki let out a little eek, falling back on her bum with a thud as she finally realized who she was looking at. The fact it couldn't possibly be true not able to outweigh the evidence before her. There was another version of her curled there! Sure she was a bit dirty, kinda crudded up looking. Her uniform had some stains on it, and he socks and shoes were scratched up, and her hair was a little bit of a mess, but that was her! She scrambled back up to a crouch as the other her uncurled and looking at her with a facial expression that suggested horrified fright began pulling herself away across the dirty ground, legs seeming to be almost paralyzed.

"No no..." the other her whimpered, "That's too cruel, that's just too cruel..."

Crossing her arms Satsuki growled at the rather pathetic, unkempt version of herself, "Hey! what are you doing?! Cruel? I'll say." she grumbled, looking at how messy the other her was, "Get up! And for the love of fanservice close your legs and COVER YOURSELF!!"

The crawling Satsuki let out a little strangled noise, then an eep as she took note of how she was arrayed on the ground. Scuttling over back to the wall she fixed up her small skirt and pushed it down more. She wasn't used to having to watch her amount of coverage lately, most of the boys she saw ended up dead anyway. To her surprise the other Satsuki was right beside her before she even noticed the movement, reaching up to fix one of her disheveled pony tails. The hand passed right through, hair and head.

"EEE!" both stereo gasped, "Freaky!"

The pair of strangely mismatched twin girls started giggling. Arihiko pulled himself back to his feet on the other side of the alley, sporting a lump on the back of his head. He looked at the pair in a kind of aghast way.

"Owww, did you have to be so rough?" he grumbled.

"You knew!" the Satsuki he'd walked with turned to look at him and said accusingly, surprising her twin, "You knew there was another me out here, one that had been missing! How did you know!?"

"Huh, well..." Arihiko stammered, not quite sure of himself, "Maybe I should have..."

"That's not an answer Inui." the first Satsuki harrumphed, crossing her arms sternly.

"Well, there were two of me too this morning..." Arihiko admitted to the girls shock, "One who'd been at school with Shiki and you Yumizuka..." he motioned to the one he'd come with, "...and the other who was missing Shiki and hadn't heard from Yumizuka since she disappeared."

"And there's only one now?" the girls chimed together, interested. They didn't even seem to notice the stereo. Arihiko blanched, rubbing the bump on his head.

"Well, we kinda got together on it, decided to work together ya know..." he explained like he didn't quite get it himself, "And well, here I am all of a sudden, with two sets of memories."

"So you combined?!" the first Satsuki said with her eyes wide, "So cooooool..."

She looked over at her other to find that Satsuki slowly sneaking away from her, looking scared. The reaction really confused her, she didn't spend any time thinking over it though, it was coolness.

"Wait!" she called, stopping her other in her tracks, "What are you doing?!"

"No, no no!" the other Satsuki cried, seeming to be scared, "You don't want anything to do with me! Stay away! Don't come near me!"

"Huh... wha?" the first Satsuki looked confused... then noticed Arihiko was similarly edging down the alleyway, "And where are you going?!"

"Well, now that you two are together," he pointed out, backing off and turning down the alley, "You don't ne-eeed me anymore, so I'm just gonna go..."

The twin Satsuki noticed themselves starting to flicker a bit when he walked off. Worried they turned to Arihiko. He must stay! He was making it easier for them to see themselves! Err... them other selves... whatever...

Arihiko had almost thought he'd made it away before he felt the powerful evil force catch up with him. He felt it boring a painful hole into his back... it was too much! Far to much for any male to bear!! NOOO!!! He peeked back over his shoulder...

And saw two sets of tear-stained, saucer-sized, massive female doe eyes in twin side-by-side pose tearing away at his conscience. He wheeled around and looked back in horror, his ability to do anything against the wishes of the two Satsuki's melting in a pained flash. He cried the pained cry of japanese males throughout anime eternity.

"Aaaahhh!!! Ok ok! I'll stay!" Inui wept pitifully, unable to resist the sheer mass of teary red/brown cute.

The Satsuki he came with just had to giggle, holding her hands up to her lips, "Heehee, boys." she laughed. The other Satsuki just returned to the wall, sulking. Arihiko sat down over by the other wall, keeping his distance from super strong Satsuki model two.

"Hmph, yeah... boys." the other Satsuki grumbled, sitting down and stretching her legs, "I don't know why I did that, I must need company or something."

The first Satsuki sat facing her, fixing up her skirt demurely, then looked over and spoke, "It's ok." she said with a giggle, "I'm here."

Sadly the second Satsuki ducked her head, sighing, "What do you think?" she asked, "I'm going to be some friend or something? You must have seen the dream... you shouldn't be near me, it hurts... I can't deny what a monster I am with you around."

"You don't look like a monst..." the first Satsuki started. With a growl the second rammed her fist into the pavement. It went in an inch making a small crater. The first's eyes went wide.

"Coooooooollllll." she gasped. The second just couldn't believe it, she started to cry.

"Is it COOL that I can't go out in the sun, is it COOL that I kill people?! Is it COOL that I saw mom and dad ripped apart in front of my eyes! IS IT COOL THAT I'M A MONSTER?!!" she nearly screamed, her fangs glinting even in the shadowy light, "What the hell does cool mean then?!"

The human Satsuki almost choked. She'd nearly forgotten the pain of the dream... the horror... the fear. Now here it was in front of her and all she could think about was how cool all the powers were. She had to know...

"Could you... uhm... tell me?"

Arihiko looked up, shaking his head, "Satsuki, maybe it's better if you don't..."

"I wanna know... please." the first Satsuki rebuked her friend, looking straight at the second, "Tell me what happened."

The vampiric Satsuki glowered at her counterpart, "It's not all fun and coolness, it's not some happy shallow little game like your life is, like mine was..." she warned, growling with her fangs out, "You might get scared."

"Please?" the human Satsuki repeated, sadly, crossing her arms and pushing her chin down into them. The vampiric Satsuki grumbled, closing her eyes and resting her head against the wall.

"You're going to make me remember aren't you..." she said sadly, "I try to forget."

"She has a point." Arihiko mentioned, "Getting it off your chest might help."

Satsuki the vampire slumped into a sigh, bringing her hand up to absentmindedly rub her fangs while she thought about it. She shook her head slowly, sadly, not wanting to. Why ruin a peaceful life with her horror story. The look in her former self's eyes told her she wouldn't be easily denied though, as most overly optimistic girls her age she felt everything could be solved by talking. Oh for the days in which she could afford that kind of naiveté. She sighed one more time, looking to the sky.

"Oh well... if I must." she remarked, laying her hands by her sides, "I'd better make it somewhat quick though, finish before the sun goes down."

"I don't mind the dark!" the human Satsuki scoffed.

"No, no..." the other almost laughed, "It's for your own good. You won't like me very much when the sun goes down."

"Cranky without enough sleep eh?" Arihiko joked, knowing full well what was meant, "Ichigo gets like that too... ooh can she go off on a rant."

The vampiric Satsuki laughed a little. Her real laugh was a bit more of a dark chuckle, less of the girlish giggle her human version used. She did appreciate the attempt at humor. Her eyes glanced up to the sky, maybe because she missed seeing the blue up there more often, maybe just to check how much time was left before there was more monster and less Satsuki in that dark alley. Her eyes fell back to her feet just staring there, not really looking or seeing, but staring off.

"It was that night, that night at the hotel. That night after I'd told Shiki I believed he would be the one that always saved me." she started, slowly, her eyes falling into shadow, even the alley seeming a little darker, "I was feeling a little queasy earlier that afternoon, but I got over it in time to go. Dad was so happy, it was his party, and everybody was so happy for him. It was his birthday, but you know that... of course you do. The party was great, kinda european and american. We had a yummy dinner, that italian place was great, and then cake... lots and lots of cake. It was almost a perfect night. I was so happy for Mom and Dad, I stayed out of their way a little, let them get closer."

The human Satsuki coughed, knowing where that part of the night was going. She'd been sad her sickness had prevented her parents from making the most of her father's birthday. Arihiko just crossed his arms and looked down the alley.

"It was all ok you know? I stayed out for a while, then went back to our room, we had one like halfway up. The place was pretty back then, I don't think they let anybody see what it looked like after..." the vampiric Satsuki spoke almost wistfully, her story starting to darken like the alley, "I was almost up to the room when the lights went out, it was scary. The place got soooo dark, and you could almost feel this like... I guess pressure, or presence or something. I got so scared I ran back to the room. I think I heard the first screams then, my heart was pounding so hard... I figure there weren't many people on our floor, cause no one else was out. I almost made it in the room too, had the door all open. Mom and Dad were in there, looking concerned. I thought I was gonna be ok, as long as I was with them everything would be ok right? It wasn't though... I must have blanked out because I was already way into the room with Mom yelling something the next thing I knew, and my shoulder really hurt. Something hit me I guess, one of the things... they were really really bad, worse than scary. Scary was what I knew back then. Scary things just stayed in the dark, in my imagination, they didn't come out, they didn't leave big claw marks on my back. And then there was the screaming..."

"S-ss-s-s-screaming..." the human Satsuki stuttered like a hissing air hose, holding both hands balled in front of her face and cringing, "People were screaming?"

The vampiric Satsuki looked at her counterpart sadly. She turned away, looking out into space, focusing somewhere past the walls of the alley, far far away. Taking a deep breath she shook her head and averted her eyes. She looked sad enough to start crying.

"It... it wasn't so far away anymore." she said, a shudder in her voice, she shook her head even harder as if trying to dispel the image, shake it off like a dream, one that clearly wasn't going to go away, "It was on us, it was us... it was me, it seemed so distant, but it was my voice. I could hear my own voice shout in pain. I could hear Mom and Dad cry out, running to me. Mom was stooping down, screaming about blood. I felt wet, maybe it was blood. I don't know... really I don't. Dad was gonna too, but I guess he saw something. I really didn't hear much after that, feel much. It was all so slow. It didn't hurt, I wasn't feeling anything, I mean nothing. It was like it wasn't me ya know? But it was, why did it have to be? Dad moved past me. There was a funny noise, tearing kinda, and there was blood, so much blood. Mom's mouth was moving, she was screaming too I think, and she was a funny color. Was she turning red? Or was it blood? There was so much blood I think, it was so thick, moving so slow... Then Dad was there, falling past me with something black, something black there, and Mom was falling to. I think I started to blank out cause I was getting up the next thing I remember. I remember Mom... Mommy was coated with black, or was it red, something big and black, or red... She was reaching out to me, pushing me. I don't know I didn't hear her tell me to run, but I knew she was telling me too... and I think I heard Dad say it too... but his eyes were so blank... I don't know... was it one eye... or two... were they both there? It's so... That noise, that tearing noise was so loud..."

"Shhh... shhh... Satsuki, hold on." Arihiko moved forward a bit, holding his hands toward the vampire, "You're gonna give Yumizuka a heart attack. I think she knows all she needs to about that part."

The vampire Satsuki broke out of her thoughs with a start. She saw the other poor Satsuki cringing on her rear, sliding away slowly, her eyes full of tears. Reaching out for her double fearfully the vampiric Satsuki realized and pulled her hand back. Arihiko started sliding away himself.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." the vampire said, looking down. Arihiko smiled and backed off a little more.

"It sounds like you're alright." he remarked, "You really don't need me for this..."

Arihiko was starting to sneak down the alley, trying to get away. He thought he could have made it until he realized he was looking straight into vampiric Satsuki's blood red eyes. She gazed deeply back into his eyes.

"Stay." she commanded.

"Yes master." Arihiko droned, dropping cross legged on his butt. The human Satsuki was awed.

"That could be useful." she whispered. Arihiko just shook his head with a grin.

"I was kidding about the master stuff." he said chuckling and rubbing the back of his head, "Pretty nasty force of will you've got there though, I couldn't stop myself."

Satsuki shrugged, "It's no big thing." she said, then pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them to her as she rested her head on them, "Where was I."

"Being scaa-aa-aa-ry." the human Satsuki offered.

"At the running part I'd think." Arihiko responded.

"Yeah, running." the vampire continued, "I really don't know how I got out of the room. The things, they were these black animals, they were all over. I rushed out of the room, pushed past one that was... well it was eating something, I don't even want to think about it, and headed for the stairs. I ran and ran, it was all still kinda a dream, numb, moving slow, my vision kinda went all tunnel. I hit the door and was gonna go down, but there was just a wall of them below me, so I headed up. I just wanted to get away. I remember thinking a lot of weird thoughts. It's strange what went through my head. Well, maybe not too strange. I knew I didn't wanna get eaten. I didn't wanna die. I wondered how I looked for some reason, how I could face him. Urr, yeah and him. I kept thinking, kept asking where he was. Why wasn't Shiki there? Why wasn't he saving me? I was so naive back then, he'd shown up to help me once and I figured some way he'd always show up... kinda silly huh?"

A glance from the vampire Satsuki to the human one showed all to clearly the human was still a believer. The vampire rolled her eyes as the human glared at her angrily. She'd have to learn that lesson on her own someday then. It wasn't the vampire's problem.

"Never mind..." she grumbled, sinking a little lower, "It didn't happen anyway, no saving, no savior, no super Shiki to the rescue. Just little me running blind as far as I could. I think I got to the top floor before they got to close to stay on the stairs. It was all such a blur. I ran through the doors, there wasn't anyone else up there I guess, cause I didn't see any monsters. But I wasn't gonna get anywhere either... I kinda cornered myself I guess. So I ran, and when I ran out of space to run, I hid in the deepest darkest corner I could find. Heh, seems really funny to think about it. I was probably the only one that couldn't see in the dark... I was just breathing real hard, and panting and all out of breath. I couldn't stop myself from crying, I didn't even remember why, I just was crying. So I hid in the dark, away from the bad animals, the killing monsters. I didn't know the worst monster there wasn't an animal at all... he found me up there... it... that damn thing. It should have just let me die, die like everyone else, die like I knew everyone else was dead. That thing, that grey haired boy didn't though. I was so hopeful when I saw him... saw someone, anyone, someone alive. I didn't notice anything unusual about him, I was such a mess, I suppose a few bandages on him didn't mean anything to me. I just knew there was someone there, he even held out a hand to me and I took it... I could scream at myself now, to not go near him, not take that hand, not get so close... but I didn't know monsters came looking like humans too, the worst ones always look like humans... and then... and then... that pain... the teeth... I was so shocked, it hurt so much... all I could do was cry, I wasn't strong enough any more, I wasn't in any control any more... and he did it... he did it... that thing..."

Arihiko started to reach out for the dark, huddling Satsuki across the alley from him. Even the human Satsuki looked so distraught, her eyes had grown so wide. It was probably for the best that the vampire's shriek stopped Inui from going to her.

"HE ATE ME! IT ATE MEEEEE!!!" she shrieked, slamming her head back against the wall and wailing to the skies, "It didn't eat skin, or bone or body, it ate ME... it took me away! It killed me! Killed everything I was, killed everything I ever wanted to be, love, hate, feelings, life, it didn't matter... I WAS FOOD..."

The human Satsuki made a little choked noise, holding a hand over her mouth. She remembered vividly that pain at her neck, the pain of soul as well as flesh. She had felt it, remembered it, and it hurt all the worse knowing what it was.

"And then, even worse... I woke up... not me, nothing like me..." the vampire groaned, her eyes wide and glistening, "So hungry, so much pain... I wish I hadn't woken back up, I always wish that. Cause I guess for the first time I was the prodigy, I was really really good at something, and it was killing. I wanted so much to be warm again, to be me again, and I just felt blood would do it... bring me back, so I had to have it... had to have blood! I took it, took a lot of it, lots and lots, so much blood, so much red deep red thick, tangy pumping hot blood, right out of people... so much of it..."

Satsuki and Arihiko cringed at the strange tone in the vampire’s voice. It was like she was enjoying remembering the blood, savoring it in her own mind. They backed off just a little.

"And the worst thing, the worst damn thing, he found me like that! HE had to find me like that... to see me... to recognize this thing that was wearing me. Shiki found me!" the vampire cried into her hands, gripping her forehead, "But I wasn't ready, wasn't ready to see him. I killed so many, so many more cause I had to be ready... had to be ready to see him! I was gonna be strong enough! I'd force him to save me!"

Satsuki and Arihiko exchanged a worried glance. Neither of them liked where this part was heading. To the best of Arihiko's knowledge no one had seen Yumizuka since the hotel. To hear he'd seen her. If she was like this though, maybe it was better he'd not been told. Satsuki, the human one, looked at his pained expression. Shiki, uh... one Shiki... Well she was fast enough to catch on.

"I saw him the next night. This time I was supposed to be ready... but he found me at my weakest, when I'd come to my senses and seen what I'd done. It hurt so much worse, the more me I got the more it hurt... and I was lonely, so lonely when he found me. I think I was in a pool of blood... another person I'd killed, so many... I can't even begin to understand how so many people could just vanish from what I did without something happening, some police or something, but I didn't get them, not their punishment for what I'd done, I got Shiki for that. I was so out of it I attacked him too... I so wanted him to be there, I wanted him so much, wanted to keep him, but he got me off of him, something I hadn't been able to do and chased me down." Satsuki recounted the events almost as a fond memory, so strange from what she was describing, "It's kinda funny... instead of fighting he talked, we talked. He actually felt it, felt guilty... was sorry he couldn't protect me... to believe it!! He actually cared... felt sorry, wanted to protect me. I thought it had been a dream promise, one I dreamed up, but he felt it too, I hadn't known... He was so sorry for letting me get hurt... but I was so twisted then, so new at being this, I didn't think. I just wanted what I wanted, so I tried to make him like me... and he let me try... he actually did that for me, let me try to make him a monster... I shouldn't have wanted it, I shouldn't have wanted to condemn him too! I was so lonely... and well, I felt the killer in him, but I didn't know it was so strong... he was too powerful for me... he stopped it somehow... stopped from changing... stopped it all... then... well he tried to save me the only way he could... he... he turned his killer on me... that killer, the power I'd felt that pulled me to him... and he did it. He did his best job of it, saving me... by killing me, running me through with that that killing thing he does."

Arihiko's ass hit the floor almost as fast as his jaw. He scrambled back to the far wall... choking on something not there. He couldn't handle the idea. The human Satsuki just managed to cock an eyebrow.

"No way, no way Shiki wouldn't do something! Couldn't do something like that!" Inui gasped out loud. The look he got from the vampiric Yumizuka said something different. It was a sad, but almost happy resignation. She shook her head slowly. No wonder he'd never ever told.

"He saved me... it was what needed done... I'm so sorry Inui." she said slowly, shaking her head, "I was so happy it was him, so happy he'd saved so many lives by stopping me."

"You're still here." the human pointed out. The vampire's shoulders slumped impossibly low.

"It didn't work..." she said between crying sobs, "I floated free... so free for a while. I was happy, free of it all. Then something tugged me back... I woke up again, felt the pain again... the hunger again. If I could have died from disappointment I would've. It all started right back up again, and for some reason Shiki wasn't around anymore. Maybe he could have done it better... but he was, well just gone."

"Yeah, I know." Arihiko said sadly, looking down. The human Satsuki just glanced around confused.

"I tried to, ya know, limit what I did... but it was hard, and someone was working against me." the vampire confessed, "When she found me, that blue haired pain... I almost laughed at her." she shook her head with a sigh, "Still can't believe it was Ciel-sempai who came after me next. She killed me too... not that it did anything."

"Cie... err? Wait..." the human Satsuki broke in, "You mean that weird sempai Shiki talked about, the one he swears was here but I never heard of?"

"Never heard of?" the vampire gasped, "How never heard of? We ate lunch together, well for a little while... I thought it was longer but... oh... yeah, makes kinda sense."

The vampire looked over to Arihiko. He nodded and pointed at his eyes knowingly. She smiled back and shrugged.

"So now you're back again." the human Satsuki said, deep in thought, "Wow... so sca-a-a-rie. I never realized, I don't know what to think..."

"WHAT TO THINK?!" the vampire almost roared, leaning towards her human double with blood in her eyes. She growled deeply at the care in her other's features, and let her own switch on to full monster.

The human Satsuki blushed as her other, person... err... her leaned closer. She felt so sorry, felt so sad... wanted to help so much. Then she got her first real good look at a monster. Her other's face had contorted, it almost glowed darkness. Her large glowing red eyes stood out, throwing strange ruddy shadows across her nose and forehead, and her teeth... The vampire Satsuki's evil pointy teeth grew over her lower lip for just a moment before she opened her mouth and showed off her evil sharp fangs. Satsuki's heart almost stopped as she was caught in her own glare. She had the horrifying feeling of being prey, of an evil, hungry thing coming at her, coming at her and looking at her not like a person, like like... She fell back on her rear, her eyes wide, her expression a mix of broken denial and the helpless look of someone who knew they were cornered by something they could never handle or escape.

The human Satsuki let out a shriek, a shriek that was matched by the sound of metal parting air and slashing into cement. Both Satsuki's eyes went wide, distracted by the black gripped sword now sticking out of the ground between them. Arihiko bolted down the alley, having already seen to much. The vampire Satsuki snarled and wheeled about, looking above where Inui had raced, up to the form of another girl standing atop a fire escape. The human Satsuki looked up too, not recognizing the new, blue haired arrival.

"Get away from her!" Ciel ordered in her most commanding, mighty tone. Which, if either, Yumizuka the words were directed at wasn't clear, but nor was it a concern. The vampire Satsuki stood, her legs spread, her arms held out with hands balled into fists. She growled darkly at the cursed figure standing there. The human Satsuki just let out a horrified eep, scrambling backwards, even faster as the sword vanished in a burst of light. The clattering of it's crossguard to the ground seemed to break the spell the human was under and she clambered to her feet and shot out of the alley in the opposite direction as Arihiko.

"Damn you!" the vampire growled. Another black key flashed through the air towards her, and Satsuki directed her strength against it. The air around the key sparked, but it didn't stop. With a surprised noise the key blasted past her powers and flashed right through her like a trick of the light. The sound it made when it hit the ground was real enough and the vampiric Satsuki cursed out loud when she realized this Ciel was colored in greyscale to her eyes.

The phantom image of Ciel began to flicker, but for a moment she looked so sad, "Yumizuka I..." she started, almost choking the words, but then she was gone.

"Whatever..." the vampire grumbled with a shrug, "Kinda what I was trying to do anyway."

She no longer felt comfortable where she was, and the sun was low in the sky. With an audible "hupp" Satsuki Yumizuka the Dark Apostle hurled herself upwards, grabbed hold of the wall of the building beside her and with a push she was soaring away through the darkening sky.


Arihiko came around the corner of the alley at a full tilt run, his legs taking him as fast as they could go. The alleys were getting dark and this was really not a good place to be at night. He didn't even see the figure standing around the corner before she reached out and snatched him.

"GAHHH!" Arihiko gasped, looking over with dread, not quite liking what he saw, though a little less afraid for it, "Ciel-sempai!! What are you doing here? Weren't you jus... oh, wait. Crap..."

The blue haired girl, decked out in her full burier habit scowled at him, then looked down the alley.

"Damn, I'm late." she grumbled, shaking her head. She looked back at Arihiko and he waved his hands in front of her face.

"Late for what?" he spouted quickly, trying to find an out, "Hey, it's getting dark back here? Should you be here? Uh, nice outfit... err, maybe I should walk you home?"


Ciel sighed, but didn't relax her grip. Arihiko was finding the slight girl to be uncomfortably strong. Her blue eyes turned to him, looking more weary then he'd ever seen them. It almost felt like it wasn't quite her without her glasses.

"It looks like you're going to have to forget a few things Arihiko." she said solemnly. He turned away fast, holding his hands out.

"No way! Not the eyes!" he choked, "Not again!!"

Ciel's face for a moment betrayed her shock, then she scowled, "Oh yes, definitely forget a few things..."


Satsuki grabbed her chest, she was breathing so hard, her heart was gonna burst. She fell forwards, leaning on a storefront for support. She had to catch her breath, there was no way, just no way. This was a hard one, she'd have to think up a good excuse for being out so late, and that wouldn't be easy with everything going through her head. She glanced around, trying to get her bearings, then felt something and looked up.

Her other, was up there, she just knew it. She was over the city somewhere, in some big leap. Places to go she figured. Catching her breath she tried to straighten out her thoughts about all of this. It was so horrible, she could never understand. Then another annoying thought struck her... her double was up high, in the air...

great...

just great...

And in some other reality she was flashing the whole damn city...

Satsuki, Part One: Irreconcilable Differences, Finish

Somehow I'm remembering

"We are Satsuki's if you please."
"We are Satsuki's if you don't please."

But not where it came from.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

[MrTags]

O_o, Uhm thanx?

I appreciate it ^_^

BTW, I've parsed down the segment after the next some and I need a few people that remember something of the old Nero/Balance Fight to look it over and see if it's less what was it called? God Mode Mary Sue? Fodder for the Aristotle's Quest? Something like that?

Oh and before I forget Thu'Bain alert!

Thu'Bain States:
I'm more worried about the possibility of two Rens. Does that mean we get double White Rens as well? Quadruplets? Black and White Dream Force?

O MA KE! O MA KE!

The four Rens hold a meeting in the deepest bowels of the Tohno Mansion, the dungeon. One of the ones wearing white yawned and wiped a tear out of her eye. 'Twas the result of a night-long plotting for their Holy Grail.

Her twin-in-white shot her a bemused look before turning back to the diagram on the dungeon floor. "Okay", she said. "Sis and I will take care of the two maids. You two originals will split up; the first one will take care of the Master's sister by trapping her in a dream. Be creative; have her in an illusionary violin concert or something. The other one will lure-"

The two black Rens shot her a venomous look.

". . .Guide him here. To the dungeon. Then we'll all come back and the fun finally starts. All clear?"

The second White Ren held her hand in the air.

"Which Master should we take?"

One of the black Rens held up a sign that said "The one that's still alive."

The first White Ren, who was nominatively the leader, grinned. "Alright! Now let's do this before-"

"Umm. . ."

The four Rens turned to the source of the sound.

"What about me?" Nanako asked weakly.

The quadruplets exchanged glances before the aforementioned White Ren spoke up.

"You make sure we have enough supplies here to last a long while."

"Supplies?"

"Y'know, the usual. Canned food, drinks, catnip, curry, lace, handcuffs, whips, lemons, ballgags, cream, and so on. And don't forget the Chiyo-chan costume."

"I'll do my best!" Nanako vowed in her shaky voice. "I'll get my sisters to help if neccessary."

"Sisters?" Two voices asked, echoed by two signs.

"Yes, my sisters." Nanako said thoughtfully. "Ichiko could get the foodstuffs we need. Niko could keep Master Ciel busy. Sanko would keep a lookout. . ."

[MrTags]

The Song in this part for those that don't recognize is The Offspring: Gone Away As usual I put no claims on writing it or any such thing. We're going along well here and I hope to get back to new stuff by next week. That would be to give me time to WRITE new stuff.

Crossings Section 10 Begin:

Night was falling. The powers of darkness were waxing as the light waned. The Princess of True Ancestors breathed in the elemental power of the dark, feeling as near to her full strength as she ever had been past Shiki Tohno's little misdeed. Standing out front of the Tohno manse, she spread her arms to the darkness. For the first time in a long while this promised to be a good night, or at least an interesting one.

"You will be careful won't you miss Arcueid?"

Arcueid Brunestud smiled happily at the naiveté of that simple question. She turned her broad smile back to Hisui who was standing with an almost frightened air just outside the mansion door.

"I'll be just fine!" she called out to the maid happily, "It's a fine night."

"Then best of luck to you miss Arcueid." Hisui replied with a bow, turning and retreating back within the mansion.

"Hmm?" Arcueid made a questioning noise, but Hisui was already gone. With a spry shrug the shinso pushed open the Tohno manor gates and strode out. Her pace light but forceful, purposeful, she headed down the hill towards the city.

Not far away Hisui stood on the balcony, watching Shiki take his normal path out the back of the mansion. She felt happy that he was finally of doing something other than moping, that he had found purpose again. Even though he couldn't see her, she bowed.

In a soft whisper Hisui intoned her wishes, "Best of luck to you both, Master Shiki, miss Arcueid."

---

Distant from the Tohno manor compound, far atop the outer wall, a small black cat made its way along the stones. With a soft clinking of bells it sat. Licking a paw the cat started cleaning itself.

There was a noise and it looked up. Someone had left the compound from an unusual gate.

"........."

There was no noise from the cat as it watched Shiki head out into the night. It showed no signs of concern or worry, it simply stood back up on it's four feet and headed along the wall in the same direction. There was no betrayed hint of emotion, nor any sign the cat was anything but.

There was a little jingle from below. The cat stopped and looked down. A small bell rolled across the ground. Intrigued in the way of cats it hopped down and sniffed around towards the ball. The ball jingled again and rolled away. The cat swatted the ball but missed as the offending object rolled into the bushes. Looking a bit mad the cat pounced into the bushes. There was a rather extravagant scuffle as the bush shook with a great tumult of hissing and angry fighting cat noises.

Looking a little scuffed a black cat stepped out of the bush. With a bit of a prissy huff it fixed up it's little bells and bow, turning them over since they were on backwards. Having done that, though still a little ragged looking, the cat hopped out into the night in the direction Shiki had gone.

---

Would she see a movie? Would she shop? Would she get something to eat?

Six months... six whole months now...

What would she do when she saw him? What would she say when she found him? It was dizzying! The rush of emotions, the feelings, the need, desire! She practically spun down the streets, prancing through the entertainment district. The looks she got, some of lust, some of confusion, some of concern, some just expressionless, bounced off her. Nothing was going to disturb her tonight.

She just had to have her Shiki.

Maybe in another life
For a second she stopped and looked at the movie theater. That quaint little vampire hunter movie wasn't playing anymore. They'd seen it already anyway hadn't they? She held a finger to her chin.

She smiled and looked up as the lights came on. She so missed Shiki, so missed being with him. So missed having to goad him. Where was he now? What was he doing?

I could find you there
A spring in her step she strode on down the brightly lit street. Only the night would tell.

---

Six months, six months now...

Had it really been that long since he'd seen her? Had it been that long since he'd lost her? Shiki walked the city streets in a daze. He couldn't really tell why he was out here, why he was haunting the streets for the first night in months.

No... that was wrong.

Pulled away before your time
The pain was back. The hurt he'd pushed down was back. Arcueid, something of Arcueid was back. He'd felt it all day. There'd been a nagging something in the back of his mind. Had it been that dream? Had it been a dream he saw, with his eyes open, a dream with lines?

I can't deal it's so unfair
Shiki looked down the steps to the park. He looked at the bench, the swings. It was too early. He walked on.

---

And it feels
Yeah it feels like
heaven's so far away

This was so boring without him...

Arcueid swatted one of the vampiric dead like a bug. It just wasn't the same. She'd done this before. She'd done this for a long time, yet her time with Shiki... Had it changed her so much?

Absentmindedly she slapped another dead into the alley wall behind her. It just wasn't the same.

---

And it feels
Yeah it feels like
the world has grown cold
Now that you've gone away

Shiki looked up at the clock. The animated puppets had just begun playing their short seven thirty performance. He hadn't bothered to watch this since... oh well.

He hadn't bothered to come to the square since he'd been up there on the other side, at the fast food restaurant with Arcueid. He wondered what he was really doing out tonight. There could have been plenty of reasons.

He might just be trying to spend some time away from Akiha. That wasn't fair though, she'd been good to him since he'd stayed. There hadn't been an incident in the house, nothing up until the last night. The strange red hair that had flitted through the mansion, the hair that didn't seem to come from Akiha.

Taking the thought he switched track with it. Instead, he might be trying to get away from the Mansion. Kohaku and Hisui were nice, but... they'd been a little distant. Hisui was always attentive, not really obtrusive, and better than an alarm clock, but she'd yet to stop calling him master. Kohaku on the other hand, well she seemed a bit more moody. Something more had happened that night he'd fought Shiki, more than he was aware of. Maybe it was the ribbon he'd returned to her...

Shiki looked around. There wasn't any sign of Arcueid, yet why did he feel like he was looking for her? He might just be loosing his mind. He laughed to himself, figuring he'd have to have had it in the first place for that.

Even if he hadn't been walking absentmindedly, he would have probably missed the small black animal darting from hiding place to hiding place behind him.

---

Leaving flowers on your grave
Show that I still care
The school grounds. Around the back only a group of discarded caution signs, and a pair of boarded up walls high on the two school buildings were all that was left of the debris from that fateful night. Soon there would be scaffolding here... soon a new walkway would be put in. Soon, nothing would be left to tell of her failure.

Sadly a dark figure in black dress knelt beside that place she'd killed the heart she'd found so recently before. With solemn grace Ciel stood from praying, her habit shifting around her, pulling back into place as she rose.

Turning back, she headed again into the night.

---

But black roses and hail marys
Can't bring back what's taken from me
Ciel crouched atop a fire escape, looking down into the street below. She'd found him, finally. He was there, so close. She reached out, held her hand towards him... and yet couldn't call to him. She couldn't bring herself to step back into a life she'd come so close to ending.

A tear ran down her cheek as she grasped towards Shiki and he walked, oblivious to her presence, away from her yet again. What was it that was stopping her? She'd been so excited at the prospect of finding him, renewing her acquaintance, now it seemed like the whole weight of reality had landed on her shoulders at once. If she came back, she would have to deal with his loss. If she came back, she would have to deal with his family. If she came back, she would have to deal with her own grief. If she came back... she would have to realize, how she felt for him... and she would have to realize, what he didn't feel for her.

Maybe she would have to leave that thrown black key... that distraction that helped Shiki defeat Roa, as the last good act between them.

How could she face him. After all, while it was his knife, his power, it was her hand that killed his brother.

---

I reach to the sky
He couldn't believe he was back here. He couldn't believe he was back here at night.

And call out your name
Shiki gazed at the sky. The stars were out brightly tonight again. The sun had set, and he was here. How could he be here? He remembered so sadly. The fight here...

Standing in the strangely hollow space under what had once been a school walkway, Shiki Tohno lost himself in his memories. He remembered... he remembered... Damn it how he'd wanted to forget so many times.

He remembered racing along the hallways. He remembered the flying glass. He remembered finding them. He remembered how she stopped him...

and if I could trade
He remembered his helplessness as she was hurt... He remembered her dying.

I would
Shiki ran off the school grounds.


And it feels
And it feels like
Heaven's so far away
A cool wind blew past the balcony and she was suddenly lonely. The way things were, the way things are, was it really meant to be so complicated? The night sky held no answers.

Fingers danced across strings, changing notes with soft pressure. The bow held firmly in her other hand, it's back and forth motion under her control brought forth a strong melody of chords and pure notes. With chin laid firmly on rest she gripped the violin with desperate power, making it, and it's music her own, uncompromising in her terms. It was the way things should be.

Halting her musical tirade Akiha Tohno lowered her violin and bow, allowing her arms to rest. Kohaku was coming up behind her, looking apologetic. There was no doubt to what she would say.

The maid bowed daintily, waiting for acknowledgement from her mistress before speaking, "You are right Lady Akiha." she intoned, "Master Shiki has left, he is no longer within the compound."

And it stings
Akiha turned back to Kohaku with a bemused look on her face. She glanced around, then let free a sigh.

Yeah it stings now
"I'd thought so." she replied, "Though I am at a loss to know whether I should be cross with him for leaving after curfew or happy that he's starting to get back on his feet."

"If I may suppose..." Kohaku asked to put forth her opinion.

"Yes?"

"The day has been especially hard on him." the red haired maid pointed out, "The odd events of the last night, the tombstone, his remembrances of... that woman..."

The world is so cold
Now that you've gone away
Akiha's shoulders slumped, she turned away from the maid then spoke, "Very well then." the lady of the manor said, "I suppose we will just have to give him his space for tonight."

Kohaku bowed politely.

"As you wish ma'am"


Gone away, gone away, yeah
Shiki stepped out onto the street and hurried across it. The other park was over this way, maybe he'd find her there. Had he actually been feeling her? It seemed strange, but she was supposed to be immortal right? Maybe she was coming back, but why hadn't she shown up?

Shiki looked around the park, walking in circles. There were people here and there, lots of couples too, which kind of hurt. He stepped around the low hedges, heading for the ice cream stand. This was at the very least a happy place, with happy memories. His spirits felt just a little lighter...

*THUMP* MEAACCKKK!!

Shiki looked down in shock. He'd kicked something, something that made a funny noise. It was pretty dark by his feet but he made out the shape of a black cat twitching down there.

"Whoops!" Shiki cried, kneeling down, "Sorry kitty... are you alright?"

Shiki reached down and tried to see if the cat was hurt. It didn't feel like anything was wrong. He guessed he'd just surprised it. The poor black cat's eyes stopped swirling and it looked at him. Shiki tried to pet it.

With a hiss the little creature struck out at his hand. He got a little knick on his finger before he could get it away.

"Yack!" Shiki yelped, "Sorry!"

Doing it's best feline growl the cat shot off into the bushes. Shiki just shook his head.

"Darn, that was weird." he though aloud, "It must have been right behind me, was it following me?"

Shiki stood up looking around. The strange cat had vanished. He was thinking of finding out if it was alright before the bells at the square rang out eight thirty. With a start he realized he was running behind. With destination firmly in mind he headed off.

Behind him a small black shape once again darted out, looked around carefully, then followed.

----

Try as she might, she couldn't beat the damn thing. What a pain...

Arcueid's shoulders slumped as the arcade game ate another one of her coins. It just wasn't fair. She'd gone into the video arcade to get her mind off her worries, and now was getting trounced by the games. She had to admit it, she just wasn't all that good.

I reach to the sky
Stepping out of the arcade the worry caught her again. What if she was wrong? What if he wasn't out there? Could she take the thought of that? What would she do?

And call out your name
The clock on the wall read eight thirty. It was time to go. She held her head down, almost as a little prayer.

"Shiki." she said softly, "Please, wait for me, I'm coming."

oh please let me trade
I would
In a ruffle of purple skirt and white blouse the Princess of True Ancestors dashed off down the street. She had a date with destiny to attend.

---

This was the place... this was the time...

Of all the things he couldn't believe about this night, this struck Shiki Tohno as the most impossible one. He was actually walking into the nature park at night. How many bad things had happened to him here?

The count started at killing Arcueid. Something that set up a chain of events that led to her death. It continued though her finding him and confronting him for the first time. That was scary as anything, and then the fight with Nero. He'd fought and killed that monster in the park.

And it feels
And it feels like
Shiki walked past the nature park sign, past the small outbuilding. The place was as dark as ever. He headed for the fateful stairs, for the playground.

Heaven's so far away
Then there was at least one fight with the dead here. Arcueid had almost bitten him here. He'd confronted Ciel-sempai in this place. You'd think he'd avoid it like the plague. He had so far.

So what was different about tonight? He had to know.

He walked, slowly down the stairs. There was a crack in the playground cement he didn't remember, but other than that, the swings, the jungle gym, the benches, it was all the same.

Shiki crossed the cement area cautiously. He slid his hand into his pocket, reassuring himself that his knife was indeed there, ready to be used. It proved there, as ready as when he'd taken it. That was good, he couldn't be sure what had drawn him here.

He looked around, slowly walking past each part of the playground. He'd almost had himself convinced he'd find Arcueid here. It wasn't too different from the time he thought he'd killed her and she just popped up, was it? That was a long time ago though. Remaining cautious he made his rounds.

And it feels
There was nothing. No sign. There was no wind, no noise. Not even that cat. Not a creature was stirring. The clock was already at five past nine. He made sure, double checked everything. No one at the benches. No one at the swings.

Yeah it feels like
Shiki let out a sigh, wiping his brow. Looking up at the sky he laughed at himself. The wind through the trees was the only reply.

"Heh, I had myself so worried." he said, chuckling. He shook his head slowly, drawing out his knife and looking at it. He wouldn't need it tonight after all. For a moment, the loneliness was there. He gripped the knife tightly.

One word parted his lips, one word spoken softly, spoken sadly.

The world is so cold
There was a slight creaking noise...

"Arcueid."

It creaked again...

The noise caught Shiki's attention. The swings must have been blowing... but the wind...

The wind had stopped...

Shiki slowly turned, looking over his shoulder...

"Shiki."

A voice, like the wind... a female voice. She was... she was...

Now that you've gone away
And to Shiki's startled eyes, the vision, the feeling, became truth. The swing creaked again, as she pushed herself lazily with a soft kick. Colored in only shades of grey, almost a ghost, but unfathomably solid. It was there to him... for him... she was...

Before Shiki's startled eyes Arcueid Brunestud, her head held low, hands gripping the chains, slowly drifted back and forth on the last seat of the swing. She was here. She was back...

Section 10 End