Yoru and Kaede (my ryooshin)

Currently Playing: "Movie" by The Birthday Massacre

Alright, so it looks like it's time for another subsection post. This one, though, causes my heart to ache, because it shows two people who were very important in my life, but were never able to really share in it with me. Aa, in this post the pictures that I put up are those of my okaasan and otousan. My mother was the light angel who fell from Joukai in order to live the life she wished with my father. Who was a kitsune from the Makai realm.

My okaasan possessed the ability to manipulate light. In other words she controlled the element of Light. And my otousan was able to control the element of Earth, he was clever and wise, and extrememly smart. Yet, he, like my mother gave up his life in Makai to descend to Ningenkai to live his chosen life with her. They were deeply in love, and would do anything for each other, as well as for their child..-Weak smile.- I do not know much about my ryooshin, though, I possess memories of them, vague, and simple, but I know to treasure them.

I would..give anything to see them again..At least one last time..-Wipes a tear from eyes.-

Signing out. Ja matte ne..

Malevolent Structures 003: A Dark Descent

Currently Playing: Nightmare - Jashin To Bara

"I hear the clock of Destiny ticking time away. With secrets revealed we begin our dark descent."

Ne, so things have gotten a little bit hectic now. Now Kira knows about the secret that even I did not know until nearly the very last moment. And we both new secrets about Max and Jake, more-so Jake then Max, since nothing the spybot had to say about her was new. We knew all of that, or at least as much as he revealed we already knew. So this is where things begin to heat up, and I think we're reaching something close to the final confrontation with this whole thing, or maybe..maybe this is all but just the beginning.

I find it hard to believe that a bunch of loopy scientists, and researchers would pose as our main opponents in this bizarre war that just so happened to fall into our laps; or that was rather bestoed into our hands. All I know is that things are going to be tense for a while, and it is going to take a while before we can even begin to hope for things to get back to the normal peace we all once knew, and had. Although, it really wasn't normal to begin with..-Sweatdrops.- Anyways, okay so now I'm rambling, and that's not something any of you want to hear..So let's continue were we last left off..

Kira delivered her challenge in her last words to our oppressor. Kerana, managed then to take control from Youka, and her expression was one of shock, and surprise. Her pale gold eyes were wide, and clear; emotion capable of being plainly seen on her face. Though, the doctor didn't seem too surprised, or shocked at Kira's words, and rather actually appeared quite bemused, shall we say? He just looked at the ravenhaired girl with lecherous eyes, and Kerana absentmindedly reached out to grasp her own wrist. Keeping her gaze adverted in shame. Kira, however, glanced back at her.

"You know, I would never had expected a hikari to feel guilt-ridden," said my friend kindly, a small smile on her lips. "I mean, I guess I would expect them to feel ashamed for some things, since from my understanding a yami doesn't give a damn, but still.."

"Still what?" asked Kerana.

"I guess that it would make sense, after all."

"Because the only emotions that a yami feels are negative. More-so anger, and destructive emotions? Loathing?"

Kira shrugged. "Yeah, something like that."

My hikari didn't say much to that, and just nodded meekly. Before drawing her attention back towards our captor, who still seemed to remain as calm as ever. "So, what will you do now?" asked the scientist with a level tone of voice.

"Where are Jake and Max being held?" asked Kerana cautiously. She was choosing her words carefully, and implementing a tone unto her voice that hid her truest intentions. The hikari was making the scientist believe that he still pocessed the upper hand, and that there was nothing that they could do, even if he had decided to tell them the whereabouts of our friends. Though, that wasn't the case at all, in all actuality, the pale pink-haired girl had already planted a seed somewhere near the spybot. There, it waited until further direction, waiting to bloom, and to subvert our foe.

But was our foe oblivious to her contrivance? That was hard to tell, for he remained quite unresponsive to her question. Kira glanced at Kerana, and met her gaze before nodding, and then slipping to sit on the ground. She brought her knees to her chest and leisurely threw her arms atop them. "Well, it's not like we're going to be able to get out of here. So what harm could be done in disclosing their holding area(s)?" She was purposely playing dumb, to throw the machine off of any suspicions he may have had on the hikari.

The robot glanced between the two girls, and Kira was worried that maybe he might have caught onto something. Though, when he turned away from them, and the mechanical spider turned his back to his prisoners both girls gave soundless sighs of relief. The scientist was stroking his chin again in contemplation. "Aa, I suppose that it wouldn't hurt. Since, it is quite impossible that you could escape this holding cell. However.." there was a bitter pause, and Kira's heart raced again. "You did managed to overcome Yami's dark dome, now didn't you? And he was an original maker of these handy little--beneficiaries.."

"Youe know his name?!" said Kira surprised, and Kerana shot her a warning glance from across the way. "Oops.." My hikari slapped herself in the forehead, and just as the robot turned around to face the dark-haired girl, she waved her hand, and the seed erupted into a viney conception of plants. Which wrapped around the spybot, scrambling any distress signals, and silencing the doctor's speaker. With a triumphant look in her eyes, the ravenhaird girl leapt to her feet, and sauntered over to the once captor, as around her the dark dome began to ebb away. Placing her hand on her lips she leaned down leering at the robot.

"Now who holds the upper hand?" She smirked, and then transfigured a fireball in her hand. "How about this, you tell us their whereabouts anyways, and I might consider leaving this scrap heap of metal to your further studies? Since, well in all honesty, once we blow this popsicle stand, you're going to need at least something to work on, ne?" The hologram said nothing, and just looked at Kira with an expression akin to anger, surprise, and fear. "No? Well..all right then.." She prepared to attack, and the scientist held up his hands in surrender. Then the hologram changed revealing a map, and twin red Xs that must have been Jake and Max's holding cells. They weren't being kept together, but rather in separate holding cells, in nearly complete opposite ends of the facility.

Kira grinned maliciously at the robot, before saying to Kerana. "Did you convert that to memory, foxy?"

All my hikari did was nod softly, and then Kira's eyes flashed dangerously as she brought the orb of fire down. The attack collided head-on with the machine, and there was a minor explosion as the thing sporadically combusted. Sparks shooting into the air from a completely totaled automaton. Pulling her hand free of the melted alloy, she stepped back looking at Kerana. "Let's go."

As with a speed that only we could muster, we made our way through the research facility. From the upper floors into the lower, around corners, down hallways. Battling the badguys as we went, until we at long last came to the holding chamber that Kerana had converted to memory. As also, at this moment in time my main personality seemed to have reobtained control, and as I followed my friend through the floors to our other friend. I had to grimace every now and then at the percision of her strikes, and ever in they were right on the mark, and she missed, she would at least manage to injure the enemy at least in a minor sense. Though, it was the much more percise attacks that made my stomach queasy, and as such I tended to just dodge the guards as best as I could. And if I had to attack, my blows were simply, and not life threatening.

When we at long last reached the holding place, Kira took out the four watchmen guarding the area. And then hurried over to the cell, were her crimson eyes befell an exhausted Max. Her body again was marred with cuts, bruises, and what I presumed were injection sights. Albeit, when she saw us her emotionless eyes lit up, and she even managed a small smile as she leaned heavily against the wall of her cell. Kira was eyeing the cell, and trying to figure out the simplest, and quietest way to free her, but in the end settled on simple lockpicking. Once Max was freed, Himitsu rushed in to catch her as she nearly collapsed against the ground. I, on the other hand was looking at the computers, and converting their research to my photographic memory; or at least what remained of it now..

"Hey, Fox, mind if you give me a hand?" asked Kira breaking through my tranze of thought, and memorization. "Max won't be able to escape from here in this condition. Time to work your magick, fox-girl." Shaking my head, I turned around, and walked into the cell wrapping Max's other arm around my shoulders, and helping Himitsu help her onto one of the nearby chairs. An while I focused on healing her, Kira kept a watchful eye on the camera screens, and the door. At long last, though, Max was pretty much fully healed, and we prepared to make our exit. Well aware of the obstacle course that awaited us in our leave. Max, had picked up her twin daggers from one of the research tables, and twirled them in her hands, sheathing them.

Kira then looked up at one the surveilliance cameras, and saw all the watchmen. We all waited for a moment longer until they began to pile into the room, and then Himitsu glanced at each of us with a cool grin on her face. Her bloodred eyes sparkling in the irridesent light of the holding chamber. What happened next was kind of a blur, all I really remember was Max, and Kira leaping forwards at about the same time Max unseathing her blades, and then Kira, grinned mischieviously, and thrust her hands forewards creating a complete katana from shadow, but they had solidified enough that it looked like an actual blade, just--darker. I heard moans, and gasps of the guards as my two friends took them down, and then the three of us rushed through the door, continuing on our way threw the facility in search of Jake.

Though, when we came close enemies came at us from most every which-way. Max, and Kira attacked as best as they could, but they just kept coming. Until finally Max called out for us to retreat, Kira argued yelling "what about Jake?!"

"We'll have to come back! There's too many of them!" cried Max disdainfully. She didn't want to do this, but the scientists, and guards were beginning to leave us with no other alternative.

"Are you sure about this?!" called Kira.

"No, but I also know that we have no choice!" replied my other friend, and I felt my heart tighten. Which was probably me channeling her emotions. "Fox!!" yelled Max over the assault of gunfire, moans, groans, and the collision of bodies in hand-to-hand combat. "Do you think you can clear a way out for us?!"

I had no choice but to nod, although silently. As with what strength I could gain I shifted my foot back, and slowly turned on my heel, hand outstretched. The watchmen, and scientists behind me lunged, and tried to restrain me, but in doing so I had manage to shoot a streamer of green at them. The plant cut through my attackers, shoving them aside, and leaving them to nursing their wounds. "This way!" I called. "Hurry!!" My two friends turned on their heels, and sprinted after me as we made haste. Running, and running. Running and attacking, and then running some more, until we at long last broke through the last barrier of people, and burst out into the open courtyard of them facility.

We stopped momentarily to catch our breath, and then Kira asked. "Which way now?"

Max pointed to the southeast. "That way."

Behind us, we could hear shouts, and more gunfire. Which was more than enough of an incentive to get us running again, and we kept running until we were far, far away from that awful place. We kept running until we came to the cemetary where we all collapsed. Max bowed her head placing her hands on her knees, and Kira's chest was rising and falling rapidly. Every one of us were covered in sweat, and in Max, and Kira's case minor cases of blood and splattered sedation fluid. After we took a few moments to rest up, we finally were able to sit down and talk. Kira approached Max on the issues concerning Jake, and his--strange heritage, and then my run-in with Markus got brought up, which shocked Max, but at the time of it's revelation, Kerana had taken control to verify an questions that Max, or Kira might have had.

Max, didn't know much about Jake's heritage, but she did admit that she knew that he was a genticially enhanced human-being, similar, but yet not the same as her. So the two talked about that for a while, while I just kind of sat off to the side of the shrine. We had decided to take our conversation inside the edifice, just in case someone was passing by, and overheard. Every now, and then though, Kira would bring up my assailant Markus, and then she'd break out into some outburst of another on how she was going to kill the bastard. Kerana just listened quietly, not saying much.

Finally it got late enough, and all of especially Kira's unspent energy was spent; we laid down, and went to sleep. My dreams that night, though, were those of dark sentiment that warped easily into nightmares so I wasn't able to keep control. And again Kerana took care of the matter, helping to ease my body into sleep, and burying anything that I might have learned about the rape, or the fact that this was MPD. She didn't care so much for the medical part of things; meaning with her and Youka, I was allowed to keep my memories of them, but of anything else that I may, or may not have known/learned Kerana sealed away. Her, and Youka got into it that night, an argument taking place somewhere inside my weary subconsciousment. But I was so lost to sleep, and sheer exhaustion that I wasn't even aware of their--disagreement..

Welcome to my life. A place, where darkness dances with the light..

Malevolent Structures 002: Tipping the Scales

Currently Playing: Gackt - RETURNER

Okay, so I know it's kind of pointless to put in an introductory part, and many of you are probably just wanting me to continue on with my life story. Albeit, I can't just leap into the next part, as much as I would like to, and as much as you'd all like me to as well. It just doesn't fit, or seem right, because then it sounds like a story, instead of--well, okay, so this is 'technically' a story. My life's story, but hopefully at least some of you get what I mean. vn.nv;; Anyhow, so what's going on now is that we broke into the research facility. I began to have problems with my alters, and ended up surrendering control first to Kerana, and then Youka decided to but it..She tends to do that a lot.

-Light sigh.- Anyhow, so alright. In this part of my recollection, Kira meets and speaks with Kerana. The secret that she had kept hidden so long from me, is revealed courtesy of the asshole who's apart of the robot, and also we learn a few rather interesting things about Max's boyfriend, Jake. Gomen, I know now it sounds like I'm doing a playwright or something, but honestly I'm not. vn.nv; This just needed some form of an introduction, and this was the best I could come up with. Maybe it'll be better in the next..Gomen..

Kira looked to the spybot one more time. "You have got to be kidding me."

Kerana snapped control from Youka in that moment. "I'm afraid not.."

Himitsu seemed to note the change in my voice from Youka's harsh high-and-mighty one, to a much more calmer, and gentler one. She glanced at Kerana. "Who the hell are you, now?"

Kerana sighed softly, almost meekly. "I am Kerana Sakamoto. Sakuuya's other self, I suppose you could say. Youka is her darkness, and I am her light, so to speak."

"Yeah," said Kira raising her eyebrows. "I got that much. I'm just glad you aren't a royal bitch, or pain-in-the-ass like she was. I think that I can actually have a civil conversation with you. Provided we had the time."

The hikari nodded. "Aa, but unfortunately now we have much more pressing issues at hand.." She cast a wary glance upon the spybot, and the monogram he was giving off. Almost as if she were sizing them up, or observing them in a tactical manner; she tilted her head a bit watching the mechanical spider closely, and very carefully.

"Okay, so what's your brilliant plan on how to handle this guy?" asked Kira breaking the momentary silence.

"Does she even have one?" interjected the spybot.

"Alright, I've had enough of the head games already," cried Kira in near-outrage. "Just shut the hell up! Damn you!" She glared at the robot with livid red eyes. Kerana, however, remained unwavering as she watched her potential foe with a cautious gaze. A straight forwards expression, until the spybot got bored, and began to talk about further experimentation, and sexual affairs. While he spoke on them, Kerana's gaze tended to flicker, and yet she refused to give into his mockery. Kira, on the other hand, didn't seem very capable of holding her own. Something that my hikari had to shake her head at, and at the same time wondering what I honestly saw in her as a friend.

But then she remembered earlier occurences in which Kira put her own self on the line, in a means to protect me. And so her wanderings ceased there, as she returned to watching the spybot circle the room.

"So what are you going to do?" sniped Kira to their oppressor. "Are you going to make this any bit more entertaining, or are we going to have to endure your consistent, and yet rather irritating droll?" Which became apparent that she was beginning to loose whatever bit of reserve she had ever held.

"Oh, there are a number of things of interest to you that I could go on about," answered the mechanial spyder. "Who would you like me to start with? How about your sweet friend there?" The robot swiveled around so that it faced my hikari, and the color drained from her face. Her own composure faultering just slightly. Kira glanced at the machine with a look akin to disgust.
"I don't think that I even want to know. Especially from scum like you," shot Kira angrily.

"Oh? But aren't you the least bit interested in why she's the way that she is?" asked the robot levelly. "Don't you want to know why she has a two alter egos? One, who is the purest of the pure, and the other the darkest of the dark?" The hologram's eyes glinted eerily.

Kerana overcame her sudden freeze, and took step towards the spybot. Though, she stopped holding a balled hand to her chest, pale eyes reflecting some form of deep emotion. Himitsu spun on her heel to glance at the hikari. "Kerana, what's he talking about?" asked my friend quietly.
"You are aware of the fact that she has MPD, ne?" asked the scientist coldly, causing Kerana to flinch.

Kira rounded on the machine. "Ya know, it wouldn't kill you to shut your goddamn mouth for five minutes." Her eyes were livid, though when she looked back at Kerana her expression was softer. My hikari sighed softly, glancing aside.

"And let's not forget that in order for the disease to take place, some form of extreme trauma must take place," said the hologram a smirk forming on his transparent lips.

Again Kira turned to face him with a glare. "I know that much, you idiot."

"Ah, but do you know that most cases are caused from severe sexual abuse at a young age?" asked the machine. Kira's eyes blazed with a brilliant crimson anger.

"I thought I told you to shut the hell up."

"You did," said our captor. "But you'll find that I don't listen very well, unless it benefits me in--some way."

"You're sick," said Kira.

"He's a doctor, what the hell did you expect?" I said bitterly, my own identity shining through. Kira did a double-take, though, when she looked back it wasn't my face she saw, but Kerana's once more.

"Did you just shift on me?" asked Kira blinking in surprise.

"Maybe?"

Kira glanced at her, looking her up and down. "Right, anyways.."

"So, did you want to know the rest of the story, my dear?" asked the spybot.

"Not exactly, but do I honestly have a fucking choice?" snapped Kira irritably.

The scientist glaned idly at the sky, moving his hand just slightly as if to grasp a fleeting thought. "Iie, I suppose that you don't."

Kerana looked to our captor with frightened eyes. "I..I can't handle this.." As in the next moment Youka had sanpped control back with a smirk.

"Lookie who's back. Miss me, love?"

"Fuck you," said Kira acrimoniously.

Youka just chuckled coldly from where she stood across the way. She leaned back against the wall, and just observing the surroundings. "So," said the yami. "When do the painful injections, and seering shocks begin?"

"Will you shut up," sniped Kira eyes reflecting sheer ire.

"Nande? Don't you want to hear about little Sakuuya's past?" Youka smirked again. "I'm sure you're dying to know what it is that she's hidden from you, and pretty much the world all these years, ne? But then again..she doesn't really remember it, now does she?" A cruel smile curled itself around her lips.

"Repressed memories?" asked Kira slightly intrigued.

"Good guess," said Youka viciously. "You catch on quick."

Kira narrowed her eyes into a harsh glare.

"Girls, have you forgotten about me?" asked the robot with satirically.

"Oh no, of course we haven't," said Youka mockingly. "I just find myself much more capable of telling her. Nothing against you, of course." There was a dark glint in her eyes.

"I see.." said the hologram. "Then by all means do. I can observe both your reactions then. To think that I was given the change to work on such--unique specimen."

Kira turned her rage onto the robot, a fireball appearing in her hands. She prepared to throw the attack at our oppressor, but then stopped.

"What's the matter, firefly? Finally realize what I have?" mocked the yami. Though, Kira said nothing, and her gaze remained on the spybot.

"What do we have to do, to get out of here?"

"Wrong question, dear," said Youka.

Kira, however, kept her eyes on the hologram. "What do you mean by 'unique specimens'?"
The scientist placed a hand to his chin, stroking it as if lost in thought. "Alright, if you insist. I'll tell you," a cold smile flickered on his lips. "For one, I know exactly what each of you are, and just how much of complete opposites you, and your friend are. I know that you, Kira, are a half fallen angel/half fire demon, and I know that the original Sakuuya is a half light angel/half fox demon. You, Kira, control fire and darkness. The original Sakuuya controls earth and light."

Kira's eyes narrowed. "Point being just what, exactly?"

"Exactly that. How different the two of you are, and yet--you are the best of friends. As for your other two friends, they aren't nearly as interesting as the two of you. I've been dealing with their sort of years, it's nice to have a change of pace like this." The ravenhaired girl crossed her arms across her chest.

"Well, someone's certainly done their homework. What else do you know?"

Our captor's gaze then lingered onto Youka. "I know that the original Sakuuya suffers from a case of Dissociave Idenity Disorder due to the rape she endured at the hands of a one Markus Fujiwara. The one alter, Kerana, is her protector. So when the event happened, I would assume that she took control immediately, in order to seal the pain of the memory away. As for the second alter, Youka, she may or may not care for Sakuuya. She hates her for being weak, and allowing the body to be taken advantage of in such a way. So she exists solely to create a hell-on-earth for the original.

As for you, my young friend," his gaze lingered onto kira. "I know that your mother was an angel who fell from Heaven simply for falling in-love with your father, who was a fire demon. Most of her abilities were taken from her, and her powers were virtually cut-in-half. And your father, is presently in the military. You're mother died when you were young, as far as you know, from an unknown cause. Are these facts not correct?" Our captor wore an evil smile upon his face. Again the darkhaired girl's face flushed with the anger she tried to hide, but was failing in. Neither she, nor Youka said anything.

"I'll take your silences as a yes," said the hologram triumphantly. His cold smile turning into a vicious grin. "Now, as to your other two friends. Max and Jake. They too were interesting, at least in the beginning, but I have dealt, as said with their kind for too many years. Long enough, that they cease to interest, or amuse me in any way. Your friend, Max, was from one of our earlier programs, one of the five known survivors of the activies. Not to mention she somehow managed to escape, and it was Hell trying to find her again. But..in the end we did, so her tests can continue. And Jake..Oh yes, Jake..his newest history is fascinating. I will at least give him that."

"What are you saying?" asked Kira levelly.

The scientist turned to face her, smiling evilly. "Jake is of a most rare descent. He is probably one of the last know survivors of a ancient civilization of gentically enhanced personelle. He hails from an ancient Atlantic descent, that was said to live in the lost city of--surprise, surprise--Atlantis. They were known as Elders, and their powers, and knowledge was unparallel. Most of our previous studies are based off of the knowledge of the Elders. They are truly a remarkable race, borne to such a level of intelligence, speed, and strength that no human can muster. Scholars, trying to pass on their history, and their timeless knowledge, so that it--unlike the lost city--would not fade away beneath the waves, shall we say?"

Kira appeared stunned. "You have got to be kidding me. So Jake's like Max then?"

"Well, yes and no. Technically, he is actually from an entirely different study, actually race. Though, because he does not remember much of his ancestors, I am afraid that he isn't at the full capacity of expectation that we would expect of someone like him. So Max, or rather CC-332-0596 may in-fact be more powerful then him. But only until we can unlock his dorment memories, then we will have a quantity of power and knowledge such as the likes never known on this planet."

"Great," said Kira annoyed. "So it's another world domineering plan. Jesus. Seriously, you badguys need a new hobby, or scheme. Because this--this kind of thing gets real old, real fast."
"But aren't you even the tedious bit angry at the fact that all of this has been kept hidden from you? Sakuuya's rape, Jake's legendary past?" asked the villian.

"Well, yes and no," said Kira with a smirk mocking his previous answer. "I may not like the fact that these things were unknown to me, but really..the people who hid them didn't really even know they existed. So what's to be mad at? They have their reasons, still do, and yeah, I'm a little pissed, but not so much at my friends. Right now, I just really want to kick your fucking face in." Her crimson eyes sparkled maliciously in the dimlight of the dome. "So what do you think of that, Mr. Fuckyouscientist?"

For once, it was our potential opponent's turn to be harrassed, and his face turned a small shade of red in his minor outrage. Though, it was something that Kira was taking 'great' pride in. "So what are you going to do now? Now that..unbeknownst to you, we are--in fact--actually one step ahead of you?"

"Are you now? And in what way would you possibly be possessing the upper hand? I have locked you here, in this black dome. The only escape you have is--" but Kira interjected.

"Either you set us the fuck free, or we kick your sorry ass to Kingdom Come." Again her eyes flashed. "It's your call, spyderman."

Time to start from scratch again. The scales are tipped to favor our hand..

Malevolent Structures 001: Breaking Point

Currently Playing: Mami Kawada - Joint

Alright so it looks like we decided to take a trip down memory lane. All I hope is that this time, Kira would be smart enough to know that reusing the way we had infiltrated the structure the last time, probably wouldn't work this time. Ano..oh, gomen ne. I suppose that I first should recollect all that's been happening. Well, Max got captured again, only this time the thieves also took Jake hostage for reasons that I'm pretty sure we would eventually figure out. Also, Kira managed to figure out where the crooks had taken Max, and as it turned out it was to the same place they had taken her before. Reginald's Facility of Science and Research. Sou, even just typing that all out sent shivers up, and down my spine.

Sou ka, so that was where we were at present. Kira, and I standing outside the edifice with Kira trying to scope out a way in, and me regretting ever having went with her. Even though, I knew that we were doing this not just for shits and giggles, but to help a possible friend in need. Okay, so scratch that we knew that Max was in a helluva lot of trouble, and we would be too if anyone ever caught wind that we were here. Though, if the pilfers were any bit smart, I'm sure that they'd be keeping a look-out for us. Now knowing who we were, and what we looked like. I mean, they did managed to come in and swipe Max up like a newborn baby, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had us on file as well. Again, the very thought gave me the creeps.

Anyhow, so that's were we are at present. Standing outside Reginald's and trying to find the easiest, and saftest way of getting in without being found out. From where we stood, just on the edges of the structure, I turned to Kira. "Have anymore brilliant ideas?"

"You mean like how the hell we're suppose to get in?" asked Kira.

"Well, what else?"

"Uhm--I have an idea, but I don't think you'll like it very much," my friend sweatdropped.

I sighed, and then cast a glance about the expansion. Sou, they were expecting us there were soldiers; probably the same as Max, surrounding the entire area. "Well, it can't be worse then what I'm expecting you to say."

"Which is?" said Kira.

"There are guards surrounding every inch of this place. The only way in, is through them," I said observing our surroundings once more.

"Good idea," said Kira with a smirk. I cast her a bitter glance.

"It's not my idea," I said holding my hands up in defense. "That's just how you work."

"Why thank you very much," said Kira sarcastically. "So, on my whistle?"

"Excuse me?" I said doing a doubletake, and looking at her with wide eyes.

"3..."

"Kira!"

"..2..."

"Don't you dare say that last number," I warned my friend with a cock of my head.

"1!" just as it slipped from her lips, Himitsu whistled loudly, and then disappeared in a blur of shadow.

I tilted my head at her, or rather the area that she had been in once last time. Before I leapt from the tree, and began to race towards the front of the building. Kira appeared at my side, and grinned, before leaping up onto the next story's ledge, and I heard the sound of necks snapping as she threw a body off the ledge. I gimaced, but my personality had suddenly shifted at the sight of the dead guard at my feet. The moon flashed in my eyes, as I followed Kira up onto the ledge. She continured to race down it, breaking necks, and throwing unsuspecting guards to their near deaths.

Soon, the watchmen caught on, and the sound of fire arms erupted into the night air. By that time, though, I had jumped down, and raced along on the ground beneath Kira, casting a glance up at her every now and then, as she continued her onslaught. Finally fed up, I leapt up after her once more, but instead of following, I jumped up onto the next story, throwing my body into the air. I quickly snapped my wrist, a whip with thorns quite similar to a rose's shot from my hand. Another flick of the extension, and I heard the weapon collide with an unsuspecting watchman a nasty gash forming across his chest, oozing blood. He looked up at me with terror reflected in his eyes, but I continued to move without so much as a regret to what I had done.

Our attack continued on for the following ten minutes, until we finally found an opening into the facility. Himitsu, and I met at that one point, and then she looked over my shoulder at the damage that I had done. She seemed slightly surprised, but then she just smiled at me, with a congradulating slap on the shoulders. The hit was enough to pull me to from my daze, and I glanced in shock around me. Gasping when I saw the men, and women that had been slaughtered at my own hands. I continued to stare in horror, until my gaze befell an almost miraged outline of a young woman with bloodred hair, and flickering gold eyes. She smirked at me, and then held up her hand. In it was the weapon who had led my assailants to their deaths. Youka smiled coldly at me, and then idly dropped the whip. As once it hit the ground, the ground almost seemed to swallow it up. Almost like a viral plant imbedding itself into the warm, wet ground.

I felt slightly nauseated, and felt myself sway just slightly as Youka's silhouette vanished from my sights. My vision swam momentarily, until I was finally able to pull myself back to reality. Kira, at the time was talking to me, but I didn't hear what she was saying. When I managed to come to from the tranze, she looked at with curiosity.

"You alright there, Fox?"

I nodded weakly to her. "H..hai."

"Well, alright then," said Kira, hesitantly looking away from me. "We can enter through here." She pointed to the opened window, and I just nodded. Kira ducked through it, and I shakily followed. Once inside I slipped and felt my knee hit the windowsill, as I toppled to the ground. Gingerly I lifted myself up with my hands, my body was still shaking in an almost uncontrollable way. I really was beginning to not like this whole infiltration idea, though, I also knew that we had to save Max from--whatever the villians were doing to her here. Kira appeared in my line of vision, and held out a hand to me.

"Are you sure that you're all right, Sakuuya? You look pekid."

I smirked begrudgently at her. "I've just seen a ghost is all.."

"That isn't funny, Fox," said Kira. "Quit playing games." She grabbed a hold of my hand, and helped me up. Once on my own two feet, I shook my head trying to clear my mind of the sudden angry, and dangerous feelings. I felt like I wanted to hurt someone, like I wanted to see another person writhering in pain and suffering. I wanted to see them bleed. I wanted their blood on my hands, but the only face that swam into my line of vision was Youka's. She smiled darkly at me, and then shifted my thoughts to sightings of my own form in pain, and suffering, bleeding. Gasping I shook my head more vigorously, thankful that Kira had seemed to have given up on making sure that I was all right, and instead began to walk down the white corridor.

Just as a sudden cold wave washed over me. I gasped as the sudden temperature drop, and then numbly walked over towards Kira. Who was looking around the hallway, her eyes suddenly narrowing as they befell something on the wall. What it was I couldn't make out, or even see. Which meant that whatever it were was meant for Kira's eyes alone, or was something that only she could see.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," said my friend in both irritation, and surprise. Just as the area surrounding us grew bitter, and dark. The walls shifting to that of a purpleish black substance that reminded one of a black fog. Only this was reeming with spiritual power, familiar, and yet not so much so. A sharp breeze besieged the area, rushing up from the very ground we stood on to greet us. As for a moment both of our visions swam in darkness, and when they were able to focus again, we found ourselves in a black dome. "Jesus Christ," said Kira, "don't tell me that that asshole had something to do with this.."

"Who? Yami?" I asked quizzically.

"Who the fuck else?" said Kira angrily.

I choose to steer clear of the potential hazzard waiting if I replied to her answer. And instead I cast a wary glance about the chamber, there was no telling where we were. We could be anywhere in the facility, or on any floor, and I suddenly grew uneased. Though, another part of me wildly searched for Max, albeit, nothing showed. Not even the slightest hint that she was anywhere near here. Kira on the other hand, was walking up to one of the dome's walls. She held out a hand to it, and the collection seemed to reach out for her, though, once it hit her hand she let out a startled cry and withdrew that hand quickly. "Dammit, that hurt," she cursed, but again I choose not to say anything. Kira glared at the wall, and I began to feel my own control withering away.

"Then don't touch it," I said. "How hard is that?"

Kira looked at me, and raised an eyebrow. She glanced deep into my eyes, and her expression changed to a curious, and yet suspicious one. "Do I even dare ask?"

Kerana shrugged. "That's up to you."

"Exactly," said Youka cutting in. "Unless you want to delve deep into little Sakuuya-chan's past, and stir up that ever so forbidden dust."

"Great," said Kira irritated. "So who the hell are you, exactly? And what is this? Like MPD, or what?"

"Good guess," sneered Youka. "I guess you're not as dumb as I thought, after all."

"Excuse me?" said Kira, placing a hand on her hip. But all Youka did was glance over her shoulder at her, and smirk.

"Maybe not," said the darkness just trying to get a rile out of my friend. She looked back towards the dome. "Oh me, oh my, isn't this clever. Set up to make you think that that young man had something to do with your little friend's abduction."

"If you know something then why don't you share it with the rest of us, hm?" snapped Kira beginning to loose her cool.

"My, my so tempermental. Better becareful, you wouldn't want to end up hurting Sakuuya-chan, or yourself, now would you?" the yami continued with her taunts.

"Fuck that," snapped Himitsu. "You're beginning to piss me off."

"Really now?" said Youka. "And just exactly what are you going to do about it?" She turned to meet my friend squarely in the eye, smiling cruelly. Her gold eyes flashing. Kira growled, and raised a hand, a small flame beginning to form there, and yet all my yami did was smirk at her. "Smile for the camera, won't you?"

Kira immediately dropped her guard, the fire ball deflating in her hand. "What?"

"Oh, didn't you know?" said Youka. "We're under surveillance."

"Surveillance, by who?"

"By the good doctor, of course," said Youka with a malicious grin.

"You mean the one who took Max?"

Youka shrugged idly, apparently bored that she had given up so easily. "I wouldn't know. Why don't you ask the doctor?"

Kira glanced around her, as if looking to find a person, or camera. Yet she found none, and turned back to Youka. "What kind of head games are you playing, Fox?"

"Actually," said the yami. "My name's Ishida. Youka Ishida, and trust me, I am nothing like your pathetic friend."

Kira's eyes went cold. "Watch what you say."

"Or what? You'll set me ablaze, little firefly?" Youka laughed. "Don't make me laugh, love. I've been faced with worse then you, and even they couldn't damaged me all that much. Well, at least not before my seeds ate through their still beating hearts."

Kira almost grimaced at her blunt description of death. "You're seriously fucked up, you know that?"

"Oh yes, I've heard that one before, love," said Youka. "Though, it never seems to grow old, now does it? That accusation? When really, wouldn't it be Sakuuya-chan who's, how did you phrase it, oh yes; 'fucked up'?"

"You bitch!" snapped Kira, lunging at her. Youka simply sidestepped, and Kira fell face-first onto the ground.

"You'll have to move faster than that, love," said the yami. "I'm not an easy one to catch."

Kira looked up, and over her shoulders glaring harshly at the darkness. "When I get my hands on you--"

Youka's own eyes blazed as she raised a hand. The ground beneath Himitsu began to rumble, as small sprouts of greenish blue began to form underneath her. Kira gave a disgusted sound, and rolled to the left, but Youka was one step ahead. The once blueish-green patches turning to almost a poisonous emerald green shoot.

"What the hell is this?" cried Kira.

"A simple earth-element spell," mocked Youka nonchalantly.

"Earth huh? Well how about we heat things up a bit, see how well you're stupid plants work then?" Kira's eyes were a livid bloodred in anger as she spoke.

"Oh, please do," said Youka. "Let's see how high your own petiful attacks rate on the richter scale."

Himitsu began to glow with a faint embery glow, as in her hand appeared two fireballs. She leapt into the air with an angry cry, and with great force threw both of the spheres at my yami. Unfortunately, just as she did so another collection of plants surfaced, and formed a barriered wall that must have been as hard as cast-iron. For Kira's fire attacks went out in a puff of smoke just before colliding with it. Kira landed, and glared harshly at the redhead.

"I told you to give it you're best shot," said the yami. "If that's all then you aren't even worth my time."

"How dare you--" but before she could get another word out, Kira was cut off. Just as from one of the domed walls appeared a mid-sized silvery round object on four legs. In truth, it looked like a mechanical spider, as from it's single eye there appeared a hologram of a middle-aged man. It was hard to figure out any characteristics because his face was blacked out, but he stood before Kira, and Youka, his hands folded behind his back.

"Now, now, girl's let's play nice, shall we?" said the spybot. "After all the experiments have only but just begun." A smirk formed on the strange man's lips.

"What the fuck?" said Kira surprised. Every bit of her was in a shocked, and confused state, and yet it couldn't hide her still vivacious anger that lingered about her form like a dying ember. Across the way, Youka just folded her arms, and smirked at the robot leaning against the wall.
"Now the fun can really begin.." said the strange man.

Altering lives, or changing the course of Destiny. Right now, it's hard knowing what we're doing.. But one thing's for-sure, we're at the point of no return, and beginning the breaking point..

Kerana and Youka (First Twilight)

Currently Playing: Gackt - Mind Forest

Alright, so this is another one of my simpler posts. You know the ones that you can read without falling asleep halfway in, or for some who don't even last 'that' long. As many of you may, or may not know, during this last section of posts two new people made their appearences. Who they are, what they are..That's hard to say, though, if you paid attention you might have already guessed.

A lot of things have gotten pretty messed up for me right now. And are receeding into a much more complicated measure. Albeit, I'm just going to stop there before I turn this post into one of my usual ones. -Sweatdrops.- Gomen ne. The people who's pictures I post here are Kerana, and Youka. My--mind friends from the previous section. Some may call them alters, or idenities, I later will give them--along with their companions--the title of being "My 10th Twilight."

Kerana, and Youka came on the first wind when I found out the truth about what had happened to me that night. After..after it happened, Kerana had immediately came into existence, and took control thus sealing the memory away. Later what secret she has hidden will become revealed..but until then..this is all that can be said.. K'yotseke, minna..

Whispers 003

Currently Playing: High and Mighty Color - Seek

That night I didn't sleep as well as I might have liked, though, I was grateful for any sleep that I was given. And if you were to ask me why my sleep wasn't all that great, I guess that even I didn't really know. I didn't have any more of those dreams about my past life, nor really any other pressing matters. I just had a really bad feeling that something was about to happen, and that Max being captured that night had been all but the first steps in this new 'grand design' that Fate had laid out for us. -Shakes head.- Iie, I don't know what my problem was, I just remembered waking up numerous times, a couple of which I had accidently woke Rae up.

Though, when he asked what was wrong I just told him that it wasn't anything, and to just go back to sleep. Well, he bought into that about the first three times, and then he finally sat up with me during one of the my waking phases, and talked to me. I told him about the bad feeling that I was getting, and he did his best to try, and ease my worries, and fears. He'd brush back my bangs, and kiss me on the forehead, holding me close in his arms. Someplace, among few where I actually felt safe, and warm. Only then did I realize, though, how bad I was falling for him. Something that I knew most people probably would scorn, but I really didn't care, I loved him. He was, after all, my childhood friend first, and then my foster brother, so really was it such a crime to love him as I did? -Sighs softly.- I really don't know.

I'm so insecure on so many things right now. Whereas before I had been so confident in myself, now I seemed to be lacking in that sureness. I'd space out so much more, and it was hard to keep track of everything that had gone on during school. By the end of the week I was just thankful that it was Friday, which meant that I could have the weekend to rest up, and hopefully get myself back on track. Though, that eventually proved more easily said then done. Max had been kept home for the past couple of days because of her injuries, so a lot of our time after school was spent with us all going over to her place, and seeing how she was doing. Each day, though, she looked a little bit better, for which myself, and many of the others too were thankful for.

Of course, though, that didn't help me to sleep at night. Nor did it help to ebb away that strange feeling of disater that was plaguing me. I started relying on Rae's little comforts at night, and just knowing that he was there when I went to sleep at night. I know that he was worried about me, but he still kept up a pretty brave, and strong face. We also began to walk to school alone together more than before. No one else seemed to mind so much, though. Since Jake would then just usually walk to school with Ace, Kira, and Logan, be it that Rae was with me. And that was provided Jake did go to school, since I know that a lot of his own freetime, and even his schooling was taken up by caring for Max. Checking in on her to make sure that she was safe, and the likes. Those two, I swear, were the perfect couple, and it always warmed my heart to hear of the things that Jake would sacrifice in order to care for Max. He was truly a great guy, which..I am sure all of our friends were. I know they are, but it was just sweet to see a boyfriend so apt to take care of his girlfriend.

"Sakuuya?" asked Rae at my side as we walked home from school.

"Hm?" I asked looking at him, but I then looked away. "I was spacing again, wasn't I?"

Rae nodded. "Yeah, sorry.."

I shook my head. "Iie, it's all right. I know that it's unhealthy."

"Well, no, not exactly," said Rae. "Not if used in moderation." He smiled faintly at me, and I smiled softly back before throwing my arms around him, and hugging him close. We had stopped just beneath one of the sakura trees we often passed on our way to and from school. And when we parted his gaze met mine, and I smiled shyly at him, casting my glance aside. Though, when I looked back, his expression had not changed, and a soft breeze danced around us, filling the air with the fragrance of the sakura. Meeting his gaze one last time, I let my eyes flutter shut, and pulled myself closer to him, in the next instance he had closed the gap, and we had kissed. His lips felt so warm, and his hold around my waist was reassuring, and kind. I wrapped my arms tighter about him, pulling him closer. The wind, and cherry blossoms dancing around our forms.

When we at last pulled away, both of us blushed diverting our gazes, and muttering immediate apologies. But we stopped, and then glanced at one another, and I finally just smiled softly back at him. Which seemed to reassure him. "Anou..we best be getting home.." said Rae quietly, and I nodded.

"Hai." And not another word was said, as we made our way back to our home just on the outskirts of town, on one of the last streets before hitting country road. When we arrived home we found that all the lights were shut off in the house, and the doors were all locked. Tell-tale signs that Ritsuo and Ayana had gone out for the night, which was nice. They deserved to go out have a bit of fun every now, and then. I mean, even great parents/guardians like them deserve a break. -Smiles kindly.- So actually the sight was quite pleasant to Rae and I. (Oh, and don't you hentais get any ideas, or so help me you will be in 'trouble.' v-.-v).

Anyways, so once we arrived, and unlocked the door, the two of us walked into the small, yet quaint home slipping our shoes off at the door. I was just kicking off my second shoe, and took a step forwards losing my balance. Rae immediately was there, and he caught my arm steadying me. Opening my eyes I looked up at him, and smiled sheepishly, but all he did was smile politely back. "Be careful, Sakuuya."

I swallowed nodding. "Hai."

Setting the shoes off to the side I then made my way past Rae, and into the kitchen. I began to look around for some possibility for dinner. Rae had followed wearing a soft smile on his face, which turned much more brighter, and almost playful as he leaned against the side of the doorway looking at me. A few strands of his brunette hair with a hint of red fell into his eyes, and he shook his head brushing them aside, and revealing his kind eyes. I felt his eyes upon me, and lifted my head up, closing the refrigerator door. "What should we make for dinner tonight?" I asked politely.

Rae just looked at me with a quizzical expression on his face. "Are you honestly hungry, Sakuuya?"

"Hm? Well iie, I suppose not," I answered truthfully, "but we still should at least make something in case one of us does get hungry, later on.."

Rae chuckled softly. "Fair enough. Well in that case, how about sukiyaki?"

"Sukiyaki? Really?" I asked tilting my head at him, my red hair catching a ray of the evening sunlight.

"Why not, it's easy enough, ne?"

I chuckled softly nodding. "Alright," I said, and then began to rummage through the cupboards until I found two pans. I filled one with water, and set the other on the back burner of the stove. The next step was finding the makings for the dish, as once that I was done all I had to do was wait for the water to boil. Rae had by this time wandered into the opposite room, and taken a seat at the living room's computer. I began to hear his quiet keystrokes, as I continued making supper.

About a half hour passed, and I had finished the dish. I called to Rae who just looked over his shoulder from the computer desk at me, and smiled. He let me know that he had heard, and that he was just finishing up the last page of his History paper. To which I had to chuckle remembering how many times Kira got into a fiasco with that teacher. Though, I knew that Rae would do just fine, he had always been good at the sort of thing, and it seemed to be a favorite past-time of his to study. He was quite knowledgeable on the subject as well.

So while he finished up, I decided to put supper into bowls, grabbing two pairs of chopsticks. I took a couple glasses out of the cupboards and filled them with water, and then carried Rae's into the living room, setting it beside him at the computer desk. He glanced up from the screen at me, and smiled thanking me.

"Dou-itashimasta," I said with a soft smile. And then I went back into the kitchen to grab my own serving, and water glass. I walked back into the living room, sitting down on the sofa, and folding my legs. "I hope that it's all right."

Rae finished his paper, and then looked at me. "I'm sure it's fine. You're a great cook."

I just smiled meekly at him, sifting the chicken in my sukiyaki to the side. "I wonder how Max is doing?"

"Hm?" asked Rae as he came over to sit down. "Oh, well she has been showing signs of recooperation hasn't she?"

"Sou.." I said softly sifting a bit more of my food to the side.

"So I'm sure that there is nothing to worry about, Sakuuya," said Rae kindly, and I looked up at him. I then withdrew my gaze, as just as I did my cell phone began to ring. I numbly picked it up, looking at the caller ID and realizing that it was Kira. I glanced at Rae, and he looked at me, but then shrugged, and I clicked recieve.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Fox?" came Kira's response on the other end.

"Hai."

"Oh, thank goodness I finally got through to you," said Kira.

I seemed a bit taken aback. "Nani?"

"It's Max.." said Kira. "She's missing again."

My eyes went wide. "She's missing?"

"Yeah," came Himitsu's almost strained reply.

I sat up on the couch. "When did this happen? How long has she been missing?"

"I don't know, one, maybe two hours or so," answered Himitsu. "And get this, Jake's gone as well."

"Jake's gone too?!"

"Yeah, I went over to her house, and there was no hide nor hair of either of them," said Kira.

"Nothing?"

"Not a trace."

"Well," I said in almost near-desperation. "We got to think of someway to pick up some sort of trace of them. We've got to find them!"

There were a few momements of silence before Kira said, "Hey, can I come over? I think I might have an idea."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Forget it, now can I, or can't I?"

"Sou, sure," I replied. "I'll leave the door unlocked."

"Great thanks," said Himitsu by far too enthusiastic for her own good. "See you in just a bit." And then there was a click, and our conversation ended. Sighing softly, I closed my cell phone, and glanced at Rae.

"I swear, we never get a break," I said.

Rae looked at me questionably. Though, I choose not to further the conversation, and shook my head, and then glanced towards the window watching the setting sun on the horizon. A pure golden glow from the sun being cast upon my form.

"Uh..Sakuuya?" said Rae, voice a mere whisper. I turned lithely to face him, and saw his face flush.

"Hai?"

"Anou..nevermind," was his reply as he glanced aside. But I cast him a confused, and worried look.

"Are you all right, Rae?" I asked my foster brother kindly.

"Uh..sou," was all he said, and then glanced aside. Almost as if he were ashamed of something, I went to lean forwards reaching a hand out to him, when the doorbell rang. I withdrew my hand, and glanced quickly towards the front door.

"Come in! It's open!" I called just as Kira peeked her head in and around the door. She saw us, and grinned playfully.

"I hope that I'm not interrupting anything."

I threw a pillow at her from the couch. "Baka."

She ducked obviously, and so I missed. Kira then burst into a small fit of laughter as she stepped into the house taking her shoes off. She glanced into the kitchen. "Were you cooking?"

"Hai," I answered. "Sukiyaki, there's extra if you want some."

Kira wandered into the kitchen to get herself a serving, and then sauntered back in. She glanced at the two of us. Though, before she could say anything, I suddenly asked, "did you have any luck finding anything that might lead us to Max?"

"Does it look like I found something, hun?" asked Kira opening her arms. She walked over to the living room chair, and plopped down, taking a bite of her sukiyaki she said, "I thought that we might scry for her."

"Scry?" I repeated. "As in wiccan search? That scry?"

"Well, yeah, duh. What else would it be?"

"But I don't have anything of her's that we could use."

"Nope, but I do," said my friend triumphantly.

I folded my arms across my chest. "Really? And what of her's did you manage to confiscate?"

Kira smiled coyly at me. "Don't worry it's nothing that anyone would realize is missing."

"A diary?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Then what?"

Kira set her bowl of sukiyaki down, along with her chopsticks, and then reached into one of the pockets of her black jeans pulling out what looked like a small ring.

"What on earth is that?"

My friend just giggled. "It's the promise ring that Jake gave her."

"When was this?" I wanted to know.

"Nevermind that," said Kira shaking her head. "What matters is that we have something to scry for her with. She never takes this thing off, which means that she really has been abducted."

"Soshite?" I said.

"And," said Kira, "I think that it might just have been by the same people who had done it before."

"And how did you manage to come to that conclusion? Unless there is something that you haven't told us," I said levelly.

Kira just waved me off. "Now, now, no need to get suspicious. I just thought that it would make sense, since--who else in their right state of mind would catnap a genetically enhanced human being?"

I rolled my eyes at her kitty joke. "Obviously somehow who doesn't know who, or what she was. That proves nothing, Himitsu."

"Well, maybe not," said Kira indignantly. "But it was a thought."

"You were jumping to conclusions," I reasoned.

"So?" said Kira. "Anyways, I also brought my mother's scrying map, and crystal." As she said it, she pulled each thing out of her backpack. Then she got onto the flow, and laid out the map, reaching up to nimbly grabbed her bowl of dinner, and pulled it down beside her. Kira then began to tie the ring in against the crystal, she muttered a small spell, and the crystal began to circle around the map, as my friend held it suspended by a string. With a soft sigh, I slipped down to the floor, beside her watching the crystal.

After a few minutes it stopped spinning, and landed sharply on a rather family area. I looked up at Kira who was similing quite lively. I then glanced back at the map. The crystal had landed on Reginald's science and research facility.

"That can't be right," I said. "No one in their right minds would use the same place twice."

"Why not?" said Kira with an airy shrug. "Yami did it."

"Aa," I said slightly irritated, "but Yami isn't..wasn't your typical, average person now was he? Nor did he ever seem in his right state of mind, to begin with." I added the last part with a small tinge of acid, and Kira glanced at me quirking an eyebrow. "This just doesn't make sense. Things don't add up."

Kira sighed, folding up the map. "Why do you always have to analyze every little detail, Fox? Max could be..is in big trouble. We don't have time to tread cautiously here."

"There's always time," corrected Rae softly.

"It's better to be safe, then sorry," I added.

"Yeah, well the longer we sit here trying to figure things out the closer we get to be both safe and sorry," said Kira slightly angered.

Now it was my turn to sigh. "Fine, " I said, "but if we get into any sort of trouble that could have been avoided, so help me--"

"I got it," said Kira cutting me off. "Come on, let's go." She then looked at Rae. "Are you coming too?"

My foster brother shook his head. "Iie, I think that I'll go and let the others know what has happened."

"And maybe get us a little bit of back-up, in case this plan of Kira's goes--and pardon the pun--" I said to Kira. "Up in flames?" Kira looked at me with a smug expression on her face, and reached out cuffing me lightly upside the head.

"You're horrible, you know that?" said Kira, but she was smiling.

I glanced at her with just my eyes alone. "Not at bad as you."

"Oh, ha ha," said Kira with a roll of her eyes. "C'mon." She stood up, pulling me up with her, and walking towards the door. I looked over my shoulder at Rae.

"Will you be all right?"

Rae nodded gently. "Aa, I'll be fine. Just--be careful, okay?"

I smiled at him, also nodding. "I will. K'yotseke."

He just smiled at me, as I slipped my shoes on, and then followed Kira out the door an into the evening twilight. I looked up into the sky, and sighed.

"Wonderful," I said unenthusiastically, and Kira glanced at me.

"What? Is is going to rain, or something?"

"Iie, it's twilight," and Kira burst out laughing. Since we had all remembered what had happened in our previous lives, the idea of 'Twilight' had sort of became an inside joke between Kira, Max, and I.

Kira then reached out to grab my arm. "Don't worry, I'm not going to turn all bad-ass on you. I'd be more worried about Max doing that at present..or worse.."

I just nodded, my gaze shifting from the sky back to the area in-front of me. "Come on, let's go," I said softly. As with that with set off once more in the direction of Reginald's Reasearch Facility.

Time's running out, and we're coming close. I can sense it. I can feel in, deep inside of me. Something's going to happen that will forever realter all of our lives..

Whispers 002

Currently Playing: Nightwish - The Wayfarer

So I have a question for you all. Am I the only one who seems to think that breaking into a reserach facility around three o' clock in the morning was a bad idea? Because, I'm kind of feeling like I'm the only one who eventually thought that this was a really bad idea. Though Kira seemed to be having the time of her life, while I dwelled on the fact that I remember having said once that I got use to breaking rules because of my friends. But this..this was a completely different story. Whenever the rules got broke before we couldn't get into too much trouble, especially not with the law, or even the governement. But here, here we were breaking into a laboratory that had been shut down for years, because of it's dealings in animal-human genetics.

I had heard that they had taken children, mostly those off the streets, or from other institutionalized homes, and had messed with their biological make-up. The rumors told of how the laboratory had been crossing human DNA with that of animals, and how some of the children used had even been given up while still in the womb for this dastardly endeavor. And I was having a little trouble coming to grips with the idea, or even possible fact that Max had been one such child, taken from her family to be experimented on, or maybe she was one of those other children. The one's given up at birth, or even conception, or the one's living in the streets, or in other institutions. I mean..what could honestly have compelled such a twist in the human mind to enact on such a devious endeavor? I was starting to get sick to my stomach, as well as overwhelmed.

We were walking one of the multiple long hallways that seemed to decorate this place, and I lost my balance in having become so lost in my own thoughts. I stumbled against one of the white walls, and braced myself. Kira was at my side almost immediately.


"Are you all right, Fox?" she asked kneeling beside me. I just nodded to her, and then use the wall to support myself as I got to my feet. Kira watched apprehensively. "Did you sense something, or were you just dizzy?"

I glanced at her, curiosly. "Sense something? Like what?"

"Well, I don't know," Kira shrugged. "Maybe you picked up on Max's residue or something."

"What kind of residue?" I asked now skeptic, and Kira just sighed.

"Nevermind," she said, "forget that I said anything."

"You know something," I said looking at her. "Something that you aren't telling me."

"Fox," whined Kira. "Can't this wait, please?"

I sighed. "Fine, let's just find Max," I shook my head, and continued to walk. Albeit, just as I did such, I suddenly tensed up, and then glanced frantically down the hall. There came the sound of thunderous footsteps. "Someone's coming."

"Yeah," said Kira incrediously, "it's sounds like a whole goddamn army."

I didn't say anything to her, and just began to look wildly around our surroundings. Eventually my gaze found a supply closet, and I grabbed Kira's arm. "In there," I said, and pulled her over to it.

"Fox," said Kira. "It might be locked."

"Iie," I said. "It isn't." I reached out to turn the handle, and then pulled her inside after me, closing it slowly, but without hesitation. The both of us then backed up against the wall ducking down listening for the footsteps. And they came loud, and without pause. Kira had been right, it did almost sound like an army marching off into battle. Albeit, despite my earlier attempts at telling her to keep her head low, she suddenly poked it up, scanning the area with a level gaze, though her eyes suddenly widened.

"Max!" she cried, and then to turn the handle. I went to stop her, but everything happened faster than I had anticipated. As the next thing I knew Kira had reached out, and pulled someone inside as Max fell face down at my feet, and Kira quickly shut the door.

"Kira," I cried voice still a mere whisper. "What were you thinking? You could have been caught."

"Ease up," said Kira eyes glittering in the vague light of the hallway. "I know what I'm doing."

"Well," I said looking down at Max, and swallowing hard. "I certainly hope that you do."

As just as soon as I finished my sentence, Max began to wake up and my whole body went tense. She moaned a little, and then slowly opened her violet eyes. Though, the expression she wore was one that I was afraid of. She looked blankly at me, and then glanced at Kira.

"W--what happened? And w--who are you?" She looked over Kira, and I. "Trespassers!"

"No, no," cried Kira kneeling down beside Max, and covering her mouth. Kira looked at me, and I lowered my gaze at her with an expression that read 'toldcha so.' She just sneered at me, and then shook her head. "Max, we aren't tresspassers, we're your friends, and we came here to help you."

"To help me?" repeated Max sitting up. "Why would you want to do that?"

Kira looked between Max, and I. "Memory loss, " I said simply.

"I got that much," said Kira irritatedly. "Thanks for that, Sherlock."

"Why are you calling me Max?" asked our friend, and then she stood up brushing herself off. "My name's CC-332-0596."

Kira giggled. "Would CC be for Carbon Copy, or Copy Cat?"

"Kira," I said, "I highly doubt that this is the time for jokes." Though I did wonder why she had called her copy cat, though, I choose not to persue the issue. Kira just rolled her eyes at me, and whispered "spoiler," before addressing Max again.

"Max," said Kira, "You do realize that this is a place for scientific research, right?"

"Does that really matter?" asked Max."This is my home, and you two are tresspassing." Her eyes grew suddenly violent.

"Ut-oh," said Kira backing up, and I hastily reached out, and shoved open the door, just as Max lunged at Kira, and the two were suddenly in the throw of hand-to-hand combat. Something that I couldn't help but stare at. The two seemed very good at keeping their own against their opponent, or so I thought. But suddenly Max had the upper hand, and Kira was slammed against the wall.

"This could get ugly," said a voice in the backs of my mind, and I blinked glancing around. Kira managed to shove Max to the side, and got out of her strangle-hold, but I was preoccupied all of a sudden. I looked around the area, and then felt what reminded me of an aura wash over me, and I was suddenly thrust into a mist-filled corridor. And before me there stood a young woman with pale pinkish-red hair, and gold eyes. She was dressed in either a maroon, or some purpleish-pink and white uniform. Well, actually the entire uniform was white except for the maroon colored peticoat that was worn over your typical Japanese schoolgirl uniform. A pale pink bow was tied at the very front up by her neck, and around one wrist she had a stringed bow tied there.

"W-who are you?" I asked backing up into what I had hoped would have been a wall, but there was nothing. But all the mysterious girl did was smile at me.

"Sakuuya, you don't know who I am, and yet you called to me?"

"H--how do you know my name?"

"Lucky guess," said another voice in my head as a second young girl appeared. Only unlike the first who looked no older than maybe fifteen or sixteen, this girl looked to be more-so around the age of eighteen. And she had long, straight, silky looking blood-red hair, and gold eyes. This one was dressed in a rusty pink and white school uniform. She walked into the area, her arms folded across her chest, and a cold smirk on her face. "Well what have we here? A little lost fox come to seek refuge in her weary mind. How quaint." Something about her tone of voice already threw me off, and I knew she was not someone to be trusted.

"I--I don't know what's going on here," I said backing off a bit more. "Was I hit with something? Did some of the scientists come around the corner without our knowing? Oh God, is Kira alright?"

The first girl held out her hands to me in calming gesture. Almost like she was telling me to keep my voice low, while the other just smirked watching the whole scene. "Sakuuya, listen to me, calm down. Nothing has happened, Kira, and Max are still fighting."

"How do you know their names?" I asked a little freaked out now.

"How does she know your's," added the second young woman with a cold smile.

The first shot her a sharp glance, but the other didn't seem to take note of it. I just looked between the two, shaking my head. "This is..too weird. What's going on?" The first girl looked like she wanted to say something but didn't, and so the second took the initiative before the first could stop her.

"Ever heard of Multiple Personality Disorder?" said the second girl coldly. I just nodded to her not saying anything. "Well, guess what--" but the first girl cut her off.

"Youka, stop it."

"Why should I, Kerana? Because 'it's not her time to know yet'?" sniped the second girl. "You honestly think that I am going to buy into that shit of your's? You should know by now that you can't tell me what to do. Oh, you can try, but you honestly have no power over me."

The first, Kerana, almost seemed to glare at the second, Youka.

"You've held me off long enough, but now she's called to you, and you can no longer stop me," shot Youka. "Face it, this little kitt is going to get a taste of her own medicine."

Okay, so I got that much now. Apparently Youka hated me for something that I did or another, but that still didn't tell me what the hell was going on. I looked to Kerana for support, but she just sighed and shook her head. Youka just smiled darkly at the two of us.

"You're sick, Sakuuya," she said. "Why don't you ask that beloved foster brother of your's what's going on? He, and Kerana got along pretty well the first time around."

"What?" I asked voice a mere whisper as I looked at her, and then at Kerana. Who again just sighed, but said nothing, and instead just looked at the ground. Youka just grinned broadly at us, eyes cold in the darklight of the chamber.

"Just a little bit of head's up in your direction, darling," said Youka cruelly, as then they both began to fade away as if to only be ghosts, or mirages even.

"H--hey, wait a minute!" I cried. "What's going on? Who are you?!"

Though, there came no reply, as I was jerked harshly to only to find myself laying on the cold stone floor of Reginald's Research Facility. Kira was screaming my name, as she, and Max continued to have it out, until finally a small collection of flame appeared in Kira's hand. She threw the ball of fire at Max, and it hit her knocking her unconscious; she slumped to the floor, and Kira let out a sigh of relief. I was took shaken, and taken aback from what had previously happened between Kerana, and Youka, and now my best friend was throwing fire balls at another of my good friends. Kami-sama, my life really was getting screwed up, and here I thought things couldn't get any worse than they already were. Heaving a heavy sigh, I got to my feet looking between Himitsu, and Max.

"Great," Kerana said. "Now that's she unconscious what's you're brilliant plan?"

"To get the hell out of here," said Kira, reaching down to pick up Max. She looked up at me. "Well, are you going to help or not?" I snapped to, and glanced at her. "Welcome back to earth, space cadet," she teased.

"Hm?" I asked voice still a bit distant. Kira eyed be suspiciously.

"Did you like fall and hit your head once too hard, or what?"

I shook my head at her. "I--I don't know. Let's just get out of here."

"Sure thing, though, first," Kira looked at me, and hoisted Max up, "care to give me a hand?"
Nodding to her, I walked over, and helped pick Max up off the ground. We carried her to the exit of the facility, and then at the back entrance we ran into Jake, and Rae. Both looked genuinely concerned.

"Jake, Rae," said Kira surprised. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Ask questions later, here, give her to me," said Jake, and Kira, and I relinquished Max to Jake who took her in both his arms bridle style. "Come on, it won't be long before they realize that she's missing. Kira, do you think we might be able to take her to your place?"

"My place? Why my place?" asked Kira.

"Because all of us have are parents home at this hour," said Rae quietly as he glanced frantically towards the research building. His gaze locked suddenly on the glass roof.

"Rae?" I asked. "What is it?" I followed his gaze, and could vaguely make out a shadowed form atop the buidling. The glass roof didn't reflect enough light for us to grasp a full look at his face, but I didn't need to see his face before I knew who he was. Stephen.

"What's he doing here?" I asked, and Kira suddenly looked over the roof, and spotted Stephen as well.

"To Hell if I know," said Kira. "Let's just get out of here."

"Was he following us?" I asked.

"Sakuuya, I don't know, but we got to go, now," said Kira anxiously. I then looked towards the doors, and saw the research team's police, and a few scientists filing out.

"Chikushou," I cursed.

"Hey," cried Kira. "That's suppose to be my line."

"Girls!" yelled Jake. "Let's go, now!"

The four of us then sprinted off down the ways, turning corners, and running alleyways to try and shake the guards. When it seemed as if we finally did, we all stopped for a moment to catch our breath.

"Well, I think that that went over quite well," said Kira, and everyone glared at her. "What?"

"Well, now we can't go to either of our homes," said Jake. "I don't think they spotted any of us, but if they knew where Max lived, then they probably know other things as well."

"Like who her friends are," I finished his thought quietly.

"Yeah, so now what?" said Jake.

"I--I think that I might know one place to take her," I said. "The cemetary."

"Fox, she's just lost her memories. She's not dead," said Kira.

"How cute," Youka spat, and Kira withdrew slightly.

"What the fuck--" but she was at a loss for words, and just shook her head. In the next instance I was back in control, looking towards the cemetary.

"We'll have to hurry, though," I said. "She's bound to wake up from that blow to the head shortly."

"Uhm--yeah," said Kira quickly. "Let's go."

As with that we made a break for the West Woods Cemetary, and once we were in the safety of the place I had them bring Max up to one of the shrines. She was beginning to toss, and turn in Jake's arms as it were, and while she did she was muttering something incomprehensible. No one could make out what she was talking about. Eventually I just told Jake to lay her on the ground of the shrine, and then told him, and Rae to keep an eye out, just in case someone might have picked up on our trail. Both boys agreed to it, and then Kira, and I made attempts at waking Max up. And we succeeded much to most of our dismay, though, she wasn't able to recall anything.

Not to mention the first thing she asked was where she was, and when I told her, she asked if something had happened to one of the other troops. Which, by 'troops' I guess she meant experiments. Though, when we tried to explain things to her, nothing seemed to click, and we went around, and around with her until I heard Jake suddenly exclaim that someone was coming. Though, when Kira asked who it were, he said that he didn't know, but as the person got closer his eyes widened, and Rae gasped. Kira ran out to see what was going on, and the next thing you know, I see her ducking from someone aiming to knock her upside the head. I looked at Max momentarily before I also ran out to see what was going on, and nearly lost my balance as my foot caught in one of the stone steps. Albeit, I managed to retain most of my balance, and then looked out across the way at Kira's newest oppressor, and my breath caught in my throat. The person that Himitsu was fighting looked like another Max, and I had to glance back inside the shrine to see Max still sitting there in order to take in what was going on.

Though, it became apparent what had happened. During the time that she had been missing, and the time it took for Himitsu, and I to save her, Max had apparently been cloned. And now I had to wonder if the Max we had was the right now, though, that became clear when the first Max appeared on the steps, and looked down at the other. "CC-343-0698," said the first Max, and the second Max, and Kira's battle halted almost immediately. As the second one looked up, and smirked. Sou, that was an apparent sign that the second Max wasn't our Max. As our Max looked back defiantly, she then walked down past me, and to her clone. A few words were exchanged, and there was a little bit of groping going as the cloned Max gribbed our Max. Not to mention that now that our Max was talking with her clone, her clone began to pay more attention to Kira, and was flirting, and touching her. I felt sick to my stomach, and had to look away. Albeit, when I turned back, Max's clone was suddenly right in front of me, and I gasped stepping back, and again nearly losing my balance.

Max's clone reached out to catch me, her hand coming to wind about my waist. "Ah, and who might this pretty little vixen be?" Cloned Max's eyes flickered dangerously as she gripped my chin. I reached out, and tried to shove at her chest.

"Let go of me," I said struggling.

"Let her go!" yelled Kira.

Cloned Max smirked. "No, I don't think so. Since, I think I know the way to get to both of you."

"Don't do it, CC-343-0698," said Max in a warning. Though, Kira was already ahead of her, as another fire ball was hurled from my friend's hand, and it hit cloned Max directly in the back. There was enough force from the blow that Max's clone threw me down, and my head hit the stone steps breaking the skin as I was knocked unconscious. Max's clone, though, was now going directly for Kira, as they broke out into another spar until CC-343-0698 managed to gain the upper hand, and shoved Kira aside, who hit her back squarely on one of the tombstones. As in that moment a strange glint of familiarity flickered in Max's eyes, and then in the next instance the two were in the throw of battle. A battle that last about a half hour or so, until finally Max managed to deliver the killing blow, and her clone collapsed. Albeit, it was a short lived victory, for in the next moment, Max had collapsed to the ground eyes hazing over. Kira muttered something and then the whole area crossed over into the ghost realm. Jake, and Rae, though, remained in Ningenkai.

I came to in a familiar, and yet unfamiliar world that was painted over with a ghastly green mist coloration. Everything was bleak, and dreary, and spectors wandered about the expansion. Managing to get to my feet, I stood up, and looked around. For a while I didn't see anyone, until I suddenly heard someone cursing in the distance, and I scanned the area. I found Kira stumbling to her feet, there were a few bruises and cuts on her body, but she seemed overall okay. Though when she saw me she pointed at her head, and I reached up to touch the spot that my head had hit on the stone steps of the shrine. I winced as I touched the tender spot, and then pulled my hand away seeing a fine coating of blood now on my fingers.

Kira had now joined me on the steps of the astral form of the aforementioned shrine. "I think you'll live, it's just a scratch."

"Where's Max?" I asked. Right now, I couldn't bring myself to worry about anyone else but my friend. Kira seemed to understand, and began to look around.

"Well, she collapsed over there somewhere," she pointed across the way. "So she should be around there."

"Provided she didn't wake up before us, and wander off," I said with a soft sigh, as we made our ways across the way. Though, as it appeared, Max was still there, curled up in a makeshift ball. There were numerous cuts and bruises all over her body.

"Max!" Kira, and I cried at the same time rushing over to her. I fell to my knees, and reached out to smooth back her bangs from her eyes.

"What do you think compelled her to fight back against that clone?" asked Kira.

"I don't know," I said with a shake of my head. "Do we really have to talk about that now? Max is hurt, she's in need of immediate attention. Come on, help me." I reached out to pick her up, but Kira stopped me.

"Sakuuya, there aren't any hospitals around here. And no healing magick is going to work. This is the ghost world."

"We're dead?" I said more bluntly then intended. I was taken by shock, and surprise.

"Well, uhm..not necessarily," said Kira.

"Then why are we here?"

"Well, I..thought that bringing Max here might help her remember something."

"Like what? Her death from a previous life?" I said bitterly.

"Well, no," said Kira, "but..hey, wait. How did you know that?"

"Know what?"

"That she was a reincarnate?"

"Himitsu, we all are, the dreams, remember?" I said, looking anxiously over Max's body. "We've got to bandage these up."

"But I thought you didn't believe that that was what was happening here?" said Kira either skeptic, or surprised, it was hard to tell by her tone of voice, and I wasn't about to look at her to clearify.

"Ne," I said. "Just like I can't believe the fact that you're a half fallen angel, half fire demon. Or that Max is one of those poor genetically enhanced children. Or the fact that at one point in time you, and I helped in ending the world."

"Sakuuya, how--how do you know these things?" asked Kira voice softening.

"And you expect me to believe that you don't know what I am? Or what Max was? Come on, Kira, you can do better than that," I said at long last looking over my shoulder at her, but Kira stepped back.

"Fox, there is something seriously wrong with you. Did that bump on the head cause you to remember this?"

"Will you just stop? Please? Max needs immediate medical attention," I said. "Just help me to get her inside the shrine."

"O--okay," said Kira with a shake of her head, as she helped me get Max inside. Where I began to bandage her as best as I could until she fnally began to come around. When she woke up, she just blinked looking at us, but she still didn't seem to recall anything. I sighed, and Kira just rolled her eyes, as we went through another round of trying to explain things to Max, until something clicked, and that she remembered us. Though, we had little to no success, if any before we finally just all curled up, and feel asleep inside the astral shrine.

When I awoke the next morning, Max was already awake. She had actually managed to get to her own feet, and was standing just outside the temple, as if to be watching the dawn rise. Kira was still sound asleep, so I also stood up, and walked over to her, standing beside her. I glanced out across the way at what I presumed must have been the horizon in this world.

"There isn't any sunrises in this place," I said quietly.

"I know," said Max, gaze still unwavering from the horizon. I just glanced downwards.

"How are you feeling? How are those wounds?"

"I think I'll live," said Max, and I sighed. "Sakuuya?"

I glanced at her surprised, it was the first time she had spoken any of our names since the night previous to her having been captured.

"Hai?" I asked my heart racing.

"What do you think is the grand design this time around?" asked my friend softly.

"Grand design?" I repeated.

"Yeah," said Max. "Like before, it was the Armageddon, so what do you think it is this time?"

"Matte..you remember?" I asked trying not to be too hopeful. Max finally turned away from the horizon, and looked at me.

"We all are, you, and Kira first," said Max, "and now me."

"But wait, you know who we are? You remember what happened?"

Max chuckled. "Which time? The Armageddon, or when I majorly kicked that would be me's ass?"

"So you remember everything?" I said anxiously, emotion being purely reflected in my dark blue eyes. "You remember me, and Kira. You remember Jake? And Ace? And Rae? And--and everyone?"

"Everyone, and everything," said Max kindly. I looked at her nervously.

"But how?"

"When I was asleep, Mallos came to me," explained Max gaze turning back to skyline. "He helped me to remember everything. And this place..this is the ghost world, or spirit realm." She then looked back at me. "Why are we here?"

"Because I sent us here," came Kira's voice suddenly from behind us. "I thought that it'd help you remember."

"Well," said Max opening her arms. "I'm all cured."

"How can we be for sure?" said Kira eyes skeptic.

"Kira, please," I said, but she had already begun to quiz Max on a whole bunch of things. Both from our previous lives, and the ones we--somewhat possessed at present. vn.nv;; And Max passed with flying colors, so at long last Kira reversed her spell, and we were thrust back into Ningenkai. Though, the way we arrived had been similar to that which we had in the spirit world. Only, Max knew everything, and so too did Kira, and I. But I meant we all still had our injuries. Jake, having seem Max come to had rushed over to her, to check, and see if she were okay. Max told him that she was fine, and that what she had was nothing that a little rest couldn't cure, then she reached up, and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him softly, and whispered an apologize. To which, Jake said she needn't have to apologize, and then just held her close and protectively in his embrace.

"Come on," said Jake addressing everyone. "Let's get you all home."

"But what about those scientists, and the police?" asked Kira. Jake just shook his head.

"Don't worry about them right now, " he said. "We'll worry about them later, and I don't know about you, but Max needs rest. And I really doubt that cut down the middle of your back is going to heal in thirty seconds worth." He smiled playfully at her, before scooping Max up into his arms once again. Kira just flashed him some sort of look, and then picked herself up, wincing a little from the pain the wound on her back inflicted.

"Fine, you're right," she looked across the way at me. Where Rae was helping me to my feet, I leaned heavily into him, still a bit woozy from the blow to the side of the head, and the return from the spirit world. "You alright, Fox?" asked Kira, and I just nodded to her.

"Let's all just get home, and get some rest," I said softly.

Kira nodded. "Yeah, alright. Jake, are you gonna take Max home then?"

"Yeah," replied the brunette. Kira then looked at Rae, but didn't say anything, and just shook her arms at him. She knew he would get me home safe, and sound. As on our way home, Kira seemed to have forgotten my strangeness in the spirit world, and I seemed to have forgotten what Youka had told me to ask Rae about. All I know, is that when I got home, I went into the bathroom, and cleaned up the cut. Then walked back upstairs, put on my pajamas, and then crawled into Rae's bed where we feel asleep once more.

Secrets once hidden return to the dark, as vaccant memories consume. All around us things and people are changing, something's happening..I can't deny it any more..how about you?