Shadows of The Heart 003

Currently Playing: Gackt - Last Song

Wow, here I go again. What is there to say today? Let's start off with this morning....

Well, since last night's posting in A Series of Unfortunate Events, life again started off as it usually does, normal enough. Himitsu was waiting for me outside my house, I noticed her as I grabbed my bag, slipped on my shoes and walked out the door. Calling over my shoulder to Rae, as beside me Himitsu giggled saying, "Hey, Rae's looking good today." Blushing and turning to her, I narrowed my eyes just slightly.

"You're in heat," I said calmly, levelly. Himitsu just shrugged and "hmed" to my response, folding her arms behind herself and skipping off towards Max's place. Sou, it was becoming one of our own habits to pick up Max on the way to school. Rae followed after us eventually meeting up with Jake and Logan.

Turns out that Himitsu had spoken to Logan about his skipping classes and convinced him to start turning up for them. In case I forgot to mention that, I think Himitsu told me about that Tuesday night or something. She said she met with him and the two talked a bit. Himitsu actually became sentimental on me saying that Logan had had such a sad life. She said that she talked to him about his life, and she said that she was surprised to hear of all that he had been through, now believing she saw reasoning in his skipping classes and distancy from everyone else, and she respected that. ^o.o^

To think, our Himitsu...not to mention she went all sentimental on me when she told me about how they had talked, and then now how she respected him and his seemingly cool exterior. Yeah, that's our Himitsu, a bit disbelieving, hm? -Foxears, twitch. Grins.- And she said that she didn't like him. Ha, sou ne! ^n.n^

But anyhow, falling back, Logan was now attending classes, and now seemed to pick up a habit of his own of walking with Jake and Rae to school. Ace, we didn't know where the hell he was. Probably just coming around the corner or something. Any of which he would meet up with those three and the four of them would head to school together. Oh and again, Inari..gomen nasai, on Tuesday night before Himitsu's visit I ended up having to go to a club and pick up Ace. Rae and Jake approached us at the park around eight fifteen on Tuesday night and told us that Ace had wandered off.

Well, it turns out that he had wandered to another club that he knew, and as we arrived, Max, Himitsu, and I . We took note of the police cars parked outside the club. I caught a glimpse of Ace and burst across the parking lot and to the office. "Excuse me, sir," I said politely. "But he's with us." I then had to go off on an explanation, apologizing for Ace's behavior, and then Ace was returned to us. Himitsu again grabbed his ear and tugged him over to our group. Which at the time was Rae, Max, Jake, and then Himitsu, and I.

Himitsu had taken Ace home that night. vx.xv. Oh boy. I think he will think twice before doing that again. I know how Himitsu can get when she is annoyed, and Ace, is the master at that. But I don't think we have to worry about him 'wandering off' again, at least not for a while. Himitsu probably lectured to him and all that, and her lectures can oftenly be harsh. That I know. She once lectured to me about my worrying, and that was harsh.

Anyhow falling back to today, gomen ne. vn.nv;;

So we went and stopped at Max's turned out she wasn't there, or so we had thought. So we figured that she must have already left. As such Himitsu and I ended up walking to school alone, but together, if that makes any sense. vn.nv;;

Well, as it turns out I had been correct. Himitsu was in heat, and because of such she wound up flirting with every guy she met. She flirted with Rae, and with Logan, hell, she even flirted with Ace!! No kidding. But she seemed entirely absent of who he really was. vx.xv.

Anyhow, during our first hour class she, instead of taking her usual seat, wandered over and sat down at an entire boy's table, and began to flirt with each and everyone one of them. I spun to face her noticing just then that she had not take her rightful seat. "Himitsu!" I whispered sharply clasping a hand to my forehead and voicing, "Aiya." Then I walked over and took her by her arm tugging her back over to her spot. Then tossing her down I went into my bag and pulled out a beaded choker which I threw about her neck.

She glanced at it and then shrugged standing up and making the attempt to follow some other boy, a grade or two older then us who had walked in and asked where Mrs. Yukimura was. I told him that she was down at the office. He nodded and told me thanks before disappearing into the hall. Beside me Himitsu "hmned." Then stood up and began to walk after him, with a slight smile I voiced sharply, "sit" and she fell to her knees.

Standing up and turning to me, she glared and then began to walk again. Again I said, "sit" and she fell down. I then looked away only momentarily and towards Max's spot, she still wasn't present, but Himitsu had started wandering again so my attention was drawn back to her. Eventually she submitted and took her seat next to me in the classroom, and began to finick with the collar. I smiled.

"It isn't going to come off, Himitsu. Not unless I remove it." Growling she stopped messing with it and just went about with her work. Every once in a while when one of the boy's stood up, she would bat her eyes at him, and start flirting, but with a warning glance from me she stopped, grumbled and went back to work. ^n.n^ (Yay me!!).

Well, the rest of the day passed by just fine. Himitsu got a few more sit commands because she had attendancy to get out of hand with her coquetry. Nothing that my collar could not manage of course, except that I think Himitsu hated me because of it. Even though it was for her own good.

We then began our trudge home with me giving frequent sit commands to Himitsu when she started to wander after some boy or another. We were passing the park arguing about Himitsu and her predicament. She kept asking me when the hell she could have that damn sit collar removed , and I told her it would be removed once I was for a certain that she was entirely out of heat.

"Himitsu," I argued. "You have flirted with every guy you have seen. You flirted with Ace and Logan, hell you even flirted with Jake, and my guess is that you also have flirted with Rae..." At that Himitsu became her innocent child scolded holding a finger to her lips.

"Well, not exactly..."

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to face her. "What did you do, Himitsu?!" My voice cooled almost immediately.

"Well--I--ah--" she stammered with her words. Then made and attempt to walk away from me.

"Sit!" I called and she fell down. "Now, tell me." I stood over her and looked down.

Himitsu looked up at me. "Well, I sort of pulled him behind the school and yeah..."

My eyes narrowed dangerously. "You what?! Himitsu, don't tell me you made out with Rae? Behind the school?!" My usual calm and gentle sapphire blue eyes gleamed a dangerous warning. Revealing their own hidden flame.

"Aha..." muttered Himitsu.

She then stood up and began to walk away again. "Sit!" She fell.

"Now, again I ask, what did you do?" Himitsu went to get up and I raised my hand to her, the collar around her neck tightened, and had she kept struggling it probably would have cut her entire air supply off. She fell back to her knees. Until well, she finally told me flat-out that she made out with Rae, french-kissed him even, behind the school. I listened to her story, with a cooling gaze. Himitsu remained on the ground, afraid to begin to stand and walk again for fear that she would be just knocked back down, until who should we see coming our way? But Max. She saw us and began walking towards us. Himitsu got to her feet just as Max approached us.

"What's going on?" asked Max. Himitsu pointed at me.

"She's trying to choke me with this damn collar!" I looked at her making a "tsk" sound.

"Well, if you had just told be straight out to begin with, none of this would be happening." Himistu glared at me and began to tug on the collar. Shaking my head I cautioned to her, "I--wouldn't do that if I were you. The collar, I said cannot be removed unless I remove it." Himitsu pulled back as faint white spark struck her hand. Turning to me she glared. "Like I said, it's for your own good."

Max, was now completely confused.

"Wait? What? What was Kira suppose to tell you? And what the hell is going on?" I turned to Max. "Himitsu made out with Rae behind the school today between our fourth and fifth periods." Max's eyes widened and I could tell her expression read 'oh, that's not good. Kira, you didn't want to do that.' I nodded bluntly to her expression with a voicing of, "Mm."

Himitsu just rolled her eyes and looked away. I placed a hand on my hip. "Now, I have to go correct this little mishap." Turning to Max I placed a spell on her that made the collar Himitsu wore respond to her voice when she said sit. Then the two walked off as I headed to my house.

Well, as it turns out, one of the gifts I received from Gaia was the ability to erase memories from the mind and from history so that they never happened, which I used to correct the mishap, as with that spell they never did. The entire thing had been wiped clear of both Rae's and Himitsu's minds. It never happened. (Inari, you have got to love some of the things that Mother Nature can do. Woot! ^n.n^)

So, with that little mishap cleared, never having happened, I then headed towards Max's home since that was where I had seen Max and Himitsu heading. I approached the two and took the spell from Max so that only the collar would respond to my commands and no one else's, as just as I approached, Himitsu was heading after some guy. "Sit!" My voice rang through the air, and with a gasp of "Dammit!" Himitsu fell to her knees. I walked over to her and glanced down at her.

"Hello again, Himitsu," I said in my level tone of voice. Himitsu growled and rolled her eyes at me as she rolled onto her side, and looked away from me annoyed. I chuckled softly.

Himitsu then got to her feet and brushed herself off as the two of us headed towards the Rock Gardens. Max had said that she wasn't feeling well, and so just bid us farewell then and there, and then headed into her home. So only Himitsu and I found our way to the gardens.

But, as Fate would have it we were both about to get an unexpected surprise. It was now around five thirtyish, and the sun was slowly sinking into the gold and crimson horizon. Himitsu and I found our way to the gazebo, and just sat in there for a while. With Himitsu gazing out at the horizon as the sun set, and with me gazing into the water, just letting my mind wander in ponderances of its own. Himitsu and I then got off onto some topic or another, and my friend then made the comment that her senses seemed dulled. Her back was to me, and her gaze on the horizon.

I glanced behind me and saw a form there, someone I recognized. He had short black hair, and milky white skin. Dressed entirely in black. Yep, it was Mallos, and he was back again. I smiled softly just as Himitsu turned to me.

"You know what I have recently realized?" said Himitsu suddendly, voice hinted with cool malice.

"Hm?" I said, seeming absent of taking note of the slight coldness in my friend's voice.

She turned to glance at me, not having seen Mallos, as he had made himself only visible to me. "I have noticed that my senses have all dulled, and they only seem to do that around that Mallos guy. As every time they are dulled he tends to show up." Her fired-rubies met my sapphired-blue gaze. "So tell me, Fox, where is he? He's here isn't he?" And then she turned and glared right at the spot that Mallos sat, not even knowing in the slightest that he was there.

"I don't--know what you are talking about..." I responded, and Himitsu muttered a low "Mmhm."

She then got up and wandered about the gazebo, disappearing from my sights. I then turned to Mallos. "What are you doing here?" I asked softly, curiosly. Mallos' eyelids flickered; he had his eyes shut again.

"I've been here the whole time. I've been listening to the two of you...I knew you would come here." I went to protest something against that when Himitsu suddenly reappeared.

"Aha! I told you! He's here." She gave me a look of triumphant. "So then tell me, Fox. Why does he only make himself visible to you, and not to the rest of us, if he doesn't like you, hm?"

"Himitsu," I breathed. "Don't start on me."

My friend simply grinned at me playfully, and she didn't let it rest. She began to go on and claim that Mallos liked me and that I was crushing on him, all that. Truth be told, I felt somewhat as if she weren't the one talking, and that it was something, someone else. Himitsu had never been so relentless before.

Eventually though, Mallos revealed himself to her, and her eyes lit up as he appeared, reflecting triumphant once more in her fire of rubies. Himitsu then got off and began to talk about something else, until Mallos politely asked her to leave. Well, Himitsu wouldn't stand for that, and she argued with him saying that she was going to stay to just see what happened between the two of us. Inari, what did she expect from us? To start making out on the gazebo floor? Damn...

Well, being's that she was in heat, Himitsu was having trouble denying a sudden urge of her's to go and find Logan. She fought and fought against it. Mallos and I told her exactly where Logan was and she squirmed in her positioning. Again Mallos repeated to her to leave, and she wouldn't.

The thing is, with dark angels when they get a craving for sexual desire (aka heat) that desire, that--craving turns into lust, one of the seven deadly sins, and as such, in order to get out of heat, the dark angel must have sex three times. So sou, apparently Himitsu was not all that knowledgeable about her own kind as she had claimed to be, or that she thought she knew.

Anyhow, back at the gazebo. Himitsu was fighting against that desire, as it began to grow and grow, and soon it did turn into lust, and she could no longer stand it, or fight it. So instead she wandered off to find Logan. (And I will let you use your own imaginations for what happened between the two of them. To go into detail here, would probably get me in trouble with the administrators ^n.n^;;).

So anyhow, now Mallos and I were indeed alone as Mallos seemed to want us to be. As then, turning to me he voiced, "Sakuuya, tell me something." I glanced at him taking a seat on one of the benches kiddy-corner from his own positioning.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever heard of the seven seers?" I blinked and then looked away.

"Hai," I said in no more then a whisper. "They were suppose to be both all knowing and all seeing. But one of their fellow seers was supposedly killed by another of them. Apparently the second seer had brought to life one of the other's visions and it wound up marking his end. The one who died I believe was named Malik."

Mallos nodded, knowing already that I had heard of them, but still impressed enough by my elaboration. "Now then tell me, have you ever heard of Merlin?" Again blinking I turned to face him, nodding.

"Hai, he is one of the remaining six seers." Well, as the words slipped from my lips Mallos got to his feet and walked over to me. Smiling slightly playfully and extending his hand to me, "Hi, I'm Merlin."

Okay, that was just way too much for me to draw in at once. And it took all I had to keep myself from gasping, even though I could do little to hide the surprise from my eyes. I blinked yet again, and then shook his hand.

"A pleasure to meet you...but then--why the name Mallos?" I knew it was blunt and rather rude, but I couldn't stop myself, I guess my kitsune-half just had to know, or something.

"It was a cover-up name," said Mallos taking a seat on a nearby bench.

"A cover-up--but..why?" Sighing Mallos turned his head to face across the area, hands folding beneath his chin, as he leaned against them apparently seeming to become lost in deep thought. "Mallos?" I asked.

Sighing Mallos once more spoke. "The name Mallos was used as a cover-up for this simple reason: Unlike most of my brethren seers I am indeed all-seeing, but am not--all-knowing."

"And so to hide that, you took on an pretend name?" Mallos nodded hesitantly.

"I see," I glanced towards the gazebo's floor, my eyes reflecting soft sadness. I was certain that Mallos could sense my sorrow, but he couldn't see it..because, as said before, he was blind...

Finally, I stood up and wandered across the gazebo. Somewhere along mine and Mallos conversation we got onto the topic of Armageddon, I don't even know how it came into play, just that I know that I began lecturing about it. Saying how there is light and there is darkness in this world, and then, "This world was brought into existence by a war, and as such it will end with a war. A final clash between light and shadow..." Little did I know, just how right I was....

I returned to my bench as Mallos stood up and wandered back to his spot, once more taking up his meditating formation. I had figured that since I had come here with Himitsu that I had better wait for her to come back. That was if she came back. Besides, I really didn't mind all that much about being in Mallos' presence, I was actually seeming to be reassured sitting there in his presence, even as his eyes slipped shut and he fell into a meditation. That positioning more-than-likely held up to with-hold some of the pain that he always seemed burdened with. The pain, and the sorrow that I sensed weighing down on his mind, and, his heart.

I had found, that since I have come back from my second encounter with Yami, I seemed to be able to read people's emotions a whole lot easier. Most people, as I noticed, seemed to wear their emotions on their sleeves, and since I returned I was seeming able to read them in a way that I had--never been able to before. Although, it was somewhat painful, because at times I read too deep into a person's emotions and wound up only feeling an unbelievable sorrow.

I have always had a weak point for those in pain, and I have often been present at hospitals and heard, echoing in my mind, voices of people as they died. The voices of people crying out in pain, for aid and help. Heard some of their pleas for their lives to just end, begging to whatever god they believe in to just take them from this world. They were sick of pain, sick of suffering. And often I had heard people draw their final breaths and felt--in a rush of sorrow--felt their souls as they left this world. It hurts...so much. It hurts...so damn bad, but being what I was. What I am. I could hear it..I had to bear it. Often times I could see it. See life as it ended...just like I had seen my parents' death...and...as I had seen Rae's parents die...I never have told him...but I had known before anyone else that Rae's parents were dead. I knew the news before even Rae did.

Have you any idea how much that hurts? To not only see your own parents' death, but also your dearest friend's parents' deaths as well? Iie, I suppose you wouldn't know...you couldn't...not like I can...Not like I could....

Tugging my mind from my own deep thoughts, and with a soft sigh, I held my hands out before me, with my elbows bent just a ways, and then began to transpire an orb of silvery-white light as I awaited Himitsu's return. Somehow I knew that she would come back, something inside me just seemed to tell me that.The gazebo then fell silent as both Mallos and I ceased talking, but little did I know..that another would soon be joining us. Someone that I could not see.

And as it turns out, Yami reappeared. Mallos had sensed his brother's approach and barely glanced in his direction more-so for fear of revealing his presence to me then anything else. "Hello, brother," said Mallos.

Of course I could not hear them, the two had seemed to place a barrier up that blocked off their conversation to me. "Hello, Mallos," said Yami coolly, his crimson eyes gleaming coldly as he glanced towards me. And aa, as of now, beyond either mine or Himitsu's--beyond any of our knowledge, but Mallos', Yami now held a physical form in this world, no longer was he a mere shadow. And aa, because of such he was considerably far more weaker, but that didn't mean that he was 'harmless.'

Yami then began to talk to Mallos about Himitsu and I. Casting me a glance every now and then. Yami couldn't do anything to me since Mallos was present, and since he needed to keep his human-self hidden from me, at least for now..but he could torment Mallos with his words.

"So, do you like her?" asked Yami, and Mallos flinched fighting back the urge to glance at him. He did not respond immediately, until Yami commented on something else and then Mallos said, "I am not like you...but I will not deny that I do like her...but she already has a lover."

"Mm," said Yami coolly. "Well, that doesn't mean that you still couldn't have your way with her. You could always do what my sort do. You could rape her..." Mallos grimaced and I glanced at him.

"Mallos?" I asked curiosly having seen his troubled expression. "Are you all right?"

Mallos turned to me and put on his calming expression. "Yes, yes, I am fine." Then he focused on the gazebo's center picking back up his conversation with Yami as I said, "All right," and then went back to toying with the silvery-white rose that I had transpired from the orb I had recently been idly toying with.

"I told you, I am not like you,"said Mallos. "Your sort thrive in the shadows of the night, and prey on the innocent. I, on the other hand, do not. I keep to myself, and whether or not I like Sakuuya doesn't matter...she has her own future, and it lies not with me."

"But you want it to," said Yami in a sing-song voice glancing at me, and watching me toy with the rose. "Who's stopping you from claiming her?"

"Fate," said Mallos, "and destiny."

Yami leaned back with a "tsk" sounding and glanced up at the gazebo's ceiling.

"So then I take it you are still lusting after Kira?" said Mallos. Yami looked at his twin and smirked with an expression that read, 'you know it.'

Mallos looked away from him appalled. "You will never have her, you know..."

Yami shrugged, "Hm, perhaps, but I can still at least make the attempts. Besides, " he grinned at Mallos. "I have things planned that even you do not know about..I have done things that you know little to nothing about."

"Perhaps," said Mallos. "But your plans will not go far...You may be able to hold a physical form in this world, but only because you have implanted some of your seeds of darkness into Kira...It is because of her that you even have your form in this world."

"True," said Yami boredly returning his gaze to the ceiling. "But you couldn't have stopped me, hell, you can't even stop the event soon to take place...You cannot stop the end, and you cannot stop your own death."

"Of course," said Mallos. "After all you are going to be the one to kill me...something that I actually am looking forward to..a chance to finally be released..."

"Released," mocked Yami. "Your so sentimental, Mallos."

"Perhaps," said Mallos turning back to Yami yet again. "But just like I cannot stop my own death..cannot stop you from killing me...You cannot stop your own death either. I have foreseen how you are going to die, Yami, and I know how the final chapter of you life is to be written." Again Yami made a 'tsk' sound, and Mallos turned back to the center of the gazebo. "But many of the other things I have seen, I wished not to have...I also know how the world is going to end..." Yami grinned and turned to face him, but before he went to say something Mallos spoke, "You had best be on your way, brother...go and stalk Himitsu...go on living in your fantasy of her and you, because it will never be made into a reality."

Yami smirked then turned to face me. "You can't see her, can you? You cannot see her beautiful face, or her reddish-brown hair, her deep blue eyes...you cannot see the sorrow reflected on her face, can you?" He mocked, speaking of course to Mallos about me.

"Why do you torment me like this, brother?" asked Mallos flinching as Yami mentioned his inability to see.

"Because, it's fun."

"Oh, I forgot," said Mallos. "You enjoy seeing people in pain."

"Well, it can't really be helped now can it? After all," he grinned slyly. "I am Death." He then stood up, looking down at me, still sitting and playing with the rose.

Noticing Mallos' troubled expression yet again I glanced at him letting my legs uncurl and be placed on the ground, flat-footed. I leaned forward. "Mallos, what is it?" I asked.

"It's nothing, Sakuuya," answered the seer.

Well, I was getting tired of this, I knew something was wrong, Mallos was troubled. "Is it Yami?" I asked.

"No, it's nothing Sakuuya. I'm fine," and he smiled softly at me.

"Well, all right," I said and leaned back, returning to my former position and glancing at Mallos worriedly. But when I seemed assured that he was seemingly all right, I let my rose disappear and then just looked across the gazebo. While Yami smirked coldly beside Mallos.

"Well, I think I will take my leave. Maybe see if I can't find Kira..." As with another cool smirk, he disappeared into the night.

Mallos then turned to me, just as Himitsu showed up. "Aha! So the two of you are still here," she said smirking coolly. "Kind of figured as much." She then walked up the steps and approached us. "I knew it! I knew you liked him, you liar!" She snapped at me and I winced.

Well, I reasoned, the truth was at least she was out of heat...Standing up I walked towards her and placed my hands on the collar I had placed around her neck earlier that day. I removed it and then Himistu pulled back, glaring coldly at me.

"Himitsu," I said softly looking at her with my gentle gaze. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She just smirked and then said, "So what have the two of you been up to?" She wanted to know.

"Nothing," I said as I placed the collar into my bag. "We were just talking is all." My own voice did not shake with worry, fear, or surprise, remaining calm and level. But Himitsu's crimson eyes gleamed dangerously.

"Uh huh..." I looked back at her. "It's the truth. Mallos and I just talked about a few thing is all. Like the seven seers and things of that nature. Why don't you believe me?"

I felt a sudden coldness sink into the pit of my stomach. Since we got back after being captured for a second time by Yami and his dark dome, Himitsu and I were seeming to argue a whole lot more. And I just didn't understand it, at all. We never use to argue...Well, I reasoned, maybe it was just the after effects of her having just been in heat, and just gotten out of it. Sou, I thought, that's it.

Himitsu shook her head. "It's fine. I do believe you, sorry to have jumped down your throat like that."

"It's all right," I said gently.

Mallos, now seeing that he apparently didn't need to be here anymore soon disappeared just as Himitsu grabbed my wrist. "Come on, there is someplace I feel that we need to me. I just have this feeling that--something is wrong..."

"Something wrong?" I repeated blinking. "Like what?" But Himitsu just tugged at me, then looked over her shoulder at where Mallos had just recently been sitting.

"Where'd he go?" she asked, and I followed her gaze. "He probably had something that he needed to attend to is all," I answered.

"Hm," shrugged Himitsu and then she let go of my wrist quickly.

"What is it?" I asked, but then I felt a chill down my spine and shivered.

"Did you--just feel that?" asked Himitsu and I nodded. "Come on, something must seriously be wrong. I have never gotten a vibe like that before..."

She then began to head back down the gazebo steps and I followed her. Glancing over my own shoulder at the spot Mallos had been in, before with a sigh I turned away and followed Himitsu.

Well, our wanderings lead us back to Max's place. Himitsu called up at Max's window to let her know that we were there. There was no response. She tried calling again, still there was no response. I picked up a few small pebbles and then tossed them at the window, they weren't answered to either. My heart suddenly began to beat feverently in my chest as I turned to Himitsu. Fear and worry being reflected in my eyes. "Let me try the secret way." She then disappeared around behind the house, and I watched after her only momentarily before tossing a couple more pebbles at the window. They hit it with a tink, tink sound, but still were left unanswered.

By now, I had begun to really get worried. If Max was hurt and in need of help I couldn't just stand here tossing pebbles at her bedroom window. So I decided to try the front door. I knocked once, twice, no answer, so then I decided to try the handle. The door was unlocked. All lights were off in the house, giving it the impression of either no one being home, or else having all inhabitants sleeping soundly. Either of which, I pondered my hand resting on the handle before turning it quietly and then opening the door. Pale street-lamplight seeped into the house in golden streaks. Cutting through the darkness within the area.

Glancing about, I stood in the doorway for only a few seconds before I walked in, closing the door quietly behind me. I wandered into the house, and checked the rooms on my way towards Max's bedroom. I was just walking past the living room when I heard sharp, shallowed breathing. Feeling my heart seem to skip a beat I wandered into the room, stepped around the coffee table and glanced down at the floor. There Max laid having another of her seizures.

"Inari," I gasped and fell to my knees beside her, closed my eyes and concentrated, making the attempts to heal her, just as Himitsu wandered into the room from the upstairs. She saw me kneeling and looked down seeing Max laying there.

"My god," gasped Himitsu rushing to my side and kneeling down beside me. "Not again." She then began to look around for Max's pill vile. Glancing down beside her, she searched the floor for the vile, but didn't find it, and Max wasn't grasping the bottle like she had when she had fallen into a fit like this the second time Yami had captured us.

"Dammit," cursed Himitsu standing up. I followed her movements.

"What are we going to do?" I said. "My powers of healing are useless against something like this." Himitsu shook her head, and I saw, for the first time, I saw fear and worry reflected in my friend's usual emotionless eyes.

"L-Let me check the medicine cabinet. Maybe she has a spare bottle there," said Himitsu and she hurried away towards the bathroom. Only to return momentarily, empty-handed.

I looked at her and shook my head. "No..."

The truth of the matter was this: During Yami's second attempt at capturing us, which he had succeeded in as you all well know. But soon after we got Max out, Yami through Himitsu and I into memories of the past. We were sent to a world in which the earth was charred black, and the sky was the color of crimson flames. And then he told us, after sending us back in time to the first moment that we were captured. We found Max in the memoires, lying outside the image of the gazebo that Yami revealed to us. The same gazebo that both times he had used to capture us.

Max had then been lying on the ground, the memory journey was coming to its end, as the reason Yami revealed to us the gazebo was because we were returning to it. That and the fact that he wanted to revive the memories said gazebo brought back...but anyhow, Max was laying on the ground outside the gazebo in this world with black grounds and blood-red skies. And she was having another seizure fit.

Himitsu turned to me and immediately told me to heal her, while Yami taunted us with words like, "Don't you want to save her?" When we were hesitant, and other phrases that were not pleasant in the least. And there I had managed to heal her, but now..here, this day, I could not...We would learn more about Max's seizures later on, courtesy of Mallos and his seers abilities. But we knew, from our last meeting with Mallos we had learned that Max's seizures would eventually be what led to her end. So as you can guess, with that knowledge in tow we were worried that maybe now the time had come...

Glancing towards the window I heard Himitsu curse beneath her breath. Following her gaze I looked towards the window. In the distance I saw two dark forms and as they drew nearer I realized that it was two black-winged angels with snow-white skin, amber colored eyes, dressed in black silk-like dresses, and each carried a scythe. "Death Angels," I breathed to Himitsu.

"Dammit," she cursed. Then turning to me, "You take care of trying to help Max out as best as you can. I'll take care of Lady Death and her twin. Oh and here," she threw me a vile with some sort of greenish liquid in it.

"A potion? Himitsu, potions aren't going to work here, not with something like this..."

"I know, but just--give it a try." We then heard the death angels swing their scythes and give two shrilled notes of Death's song. I gasped closing my eyes and covering my ears.

"Himitsu!" I cried glancing down, my voice overcome with worry and with fear, as I saw them drawing all the more nearer to us.

"Damn," whispered Himitsu, and then leapt out the window. I opened my eyes in time to see her black wings taking form from her back from two collections of black light. Then she was out the window and airborne. I shook my head and then glanced at the potion I held in my head.

"This isn't going to work..." Outside I heard the sounding of Himitsu's claws colliding with the death angels' scythes, and winced looking down at Max. Grasping ahold of the potion tightly in my hand.

Suddenly I heard the sound of tapping on the window, as I turned to face the one across from where I knelt beside Max's form. In the window I saw the form of a young boy with short black hair, he was looking in at us, tapping on the window as he saw my gaze there. I scrambled to my feet and rushed across the window to let him in.

"Jake," I gasped, but he was looking at Max, as once he was in he rushed past me and kneeled beside her. Tipping her head back, he dropped in four small round tablets. They were Max's pills, as shortly after the seizures stopped. That was how I knew what they had been.

The death angels vanished and Himitsu landed outside beneath a tree before walking to the house door opening it, and then walking back in to join us. Wings and claws all having disappeared as well. She looked from me to Jake and then at the others in the house. Rae, Ace, Logan...all seven of us were still present. (On our way here Himitsu and I met up with Rae and the others. They were heading back to Rae's and my place to drop Rae off at home when we all met. So we all had headed here to Max's, and as such, we were all now rather cramped into Max's living room).

"Is she all right?" asked Himitsu, and I nodded.

"She should be all right," I answered. "Jake got here just in time."

"She'll be fine," answered Jake. "Lucky that I got here when I did."

"Touche to that, Jake," agreed Ace nodding, blonde locks blowing in the slight breeze his actions had created. He then glanced towards the windows, pure night had finally crept up on us all throughout the duration of this little event. "Well," said our blond-haired friend. "I seriously don't think any of us are going to make it home tonight." He yawned and stretched glancing at all of us.

"He's right," agreed Rae softly, glancing back into Ace's bright sky-blue eyes. Logan just made a "hn" comment and then walked over to the stairs, away from the rest of us. Himitsu looked after him, with an expression that read, 'oh that was real mature.'

I, however, turned to Jake. "You don't think--that Max, or her mother would mind if we all just--stay here for the night, do you?" I asked gently and Jake shook his head, his own deep blue eyes meeting my saphired gaze.

"No, not in the slightest. Max's mother is hardly ever home, so I don't think you have to worry about her, and besides..." He paused to look at Max. "Max needs her friends by her side now..."

"All right then," said Himitsu clapping her hands together. "Then it is decided. We'll all be staying here for the night."

She then shot Ace a warning glance. "Try anything, and there will be severe consequences." Her crimson-eyes flickered dangerously in the pale street-lamp light that seeped in through the window. Ace just blinked.

"I hadn't planned--anything." Another curious blink.

"Mmhm..." said Himitsu going and closing the one window she had flew out to meet the death angels, in hopes of stopping them, which obviously she apparently did.

I stood up and closed the other window, and then went to the door and locked it, before slipping to sit with my back braced against the wall. Everyone else found a spot to sleep, and in a matter of minutes each and everyone of us had fallen into a deep slumber.

It has just been another of those days. Weird things happening and an exhaustion beyond reasonable limits befalling us all.

And there, I think I will let it be, friends. Take care all.
Ja ne.

Secrets here, are hidden bare...until the time comes for them to be revealed....