A/N: This takes place during Shin's timeline, when everyone's buddy-buddy.

Disclaimer: This doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the mighty Oh Great! I wish I was Oh Great!

I'm a moth to a flame, desperate and fragile with mottled, brownwings and a blackness that consumes. A blackness that no one will ever cradle in their arms, or shield from the fire, nor do I believe I want them to.

I asked Maya to meet me by the trees today. I need to talk to her...but lately she's so busy. She doesn't understand that I need to see her, that if I don't, it hurts. My chest feels tight, and my eyes, the dragon eyes it calls out like a wounded serpent.

Can't she sense it? Doesn't she understand? Why won't she understand?

I think she wants to have nothing to do with me.

Maya, my flame, my misguided little sister, my one-winged butterfly...when will you sprout the other wing.

I talked to Mitsuomi today.

He looked angry and a bit shaky, like he hasn't been getting enough sleep lately. I asked him what was the matter...but he shook his head and smiled and asked me where Maya was.

I told him I didn't know.

He changed the subject when he caught the look in my eye like he always does and he told me he thought he saw her skipping out on classes today.

I know he's telling me the truth, Maya has never been someone who would readily listen to a teacher, so stubborn in reasoning that she believes she is always right, always. I hope one day she'll grow out of that and realize what an amazing thing it is to listen to human beings talk. To listen to each other, to hear the words that aren't spoken.

I'd like to call it observing sound.

Mitsuomi can't observe sound yet, the meaning behind words and the truths, but one day, I think he will. He's very good at listening to people's hearts but one day, a day when I won't be here, I know he'll possess the power to listen, to observe people's souls as well.

I hope he teaches Maya that talent of his one day.

"What the fuck do you to think yuh doing? Leavin' me behind like that, and sittin' out here like two pansy-ass lovers. Makes a guy feel unwanted, that's what."

There is something about Tawara Bunshichi, that for some reason I can't escape. I think it's the fact that he won't let you.

"Stop spacin' out Shin, you look like an old man meditating on his death bed."

He gets Mitsuomi to laugh, like always, and plopping down next to me on the bench, he throws a look at my bento.

"Damn, Kuzunoha made that for yuh, huh? You one lucky sonnavabitch, know that?"

He smiles and slaps me on the back and I forget for a moment that there had been such a thing as quiet before he came.

"Wanna go out ridin' tonight fellas, I got some serious turf problems withthoseassholes from Burin Dojo. Up for it, Shin? What 'bout you M'suomi, you ready to run with the big dogs?"

Mitsuomi shakes his head, "Yeah, hell yeah," and throws a look my way. Bunshichi is also now throwing a look my way that makes it hard for me to say no. Not that I ever have.

"You won't regret it, boys. Should see the action I got the last time, fucking assholes, might be weak but they come in drones."

I nod at him again and he eyes my bento like he wants it.

I give it to him.

"Bunshichi did you see Maya today?" I know I shouldn't be bringing it up again, especially in the company of friends, but I can't help it. It's rude, I should be thinking about my friends and spending time with them but...

Bunshichi looks a little down when the name comes up, then masks it with a heavy smile. I can tell he wants to tell me something, always has wanted to tell me something but he's always stopped himself. Mitsuomi looks away at a falling and rotten leaf.

"Mmm...I ah...yeah I seen her, pickin' on some assholes from the karate club."

"So she's at the karate club?" I shouldn't be pressing him like this. I know it hurts him, it hurts him to know that I can't let her go, even though she's not a little girl anymore, that she can take care of herself...If anything I need her to take care of me. I'm useless without her.

It's his eyes that give it anyway, that I shouldn't throw myself at her like that. He worries about me, they all do, and yet I don't care. Mitsuomi looks uncomfortable and he's staring really hard at the big sakura tree in front of Mr. Nesuta's class.

"Yeah...yeah, she's...there. Probably making them eat their gi's right now. I swear, second bitch of the family that one."

I don't have to ask him whose the first and I don't get sore at him for talking about my sister so crudely. It's his way of being affectionate...kinda.

"Thank you...Bunshichi. It'd be nice to go out ridin' tonight."

"Yeah." He looks at me, a little sadly, like he would a girl that's been beat up. It's pity and I hate that my best friend can look at me like that, when I've heard him tell me he's admired me because I'm stronger and faster and unmerciful in a fight. I know he admires me but how can he look at me like that and tell me I'm the best, toughest bastard there is.

I hate Bunshichi sometimes...

"Tonight, then." I get on my feet and walk away from them, already feeling that sweeping darkness echo and coil and burn. I can feel Bunshichi staring at my back and that feeling doesn't go away until I enter the school building and the wall cuts him off.

I walk through the hallways with a stern pace that has a focus, an arrow's target and finally coming upon the karate club, I see Maya, her face a little bruised and her uniform sloppy.

When she sees me, she smiles, that one smile that melts everything away and I immediatelythink that we should go out ridin' tonight. Me and her...alone.

I ask her and she says yes.