This had been a terrible idea… he gritted his teeth giving the blonde in front of him a glare, but not letting his ever teasing smile leave his face. His shades were laying crushed somewhere on the ground…. His sword hand was shaking a bit…. He wasn't going to make it back… but it wasn't his looming death that made him ache to the core. It was what he was going to leave behind… the promises he was breaking…at not being able to return…

That scythe took another swing at him he parried it. Unable to do much more. The dark blood in his veins roared in anger at the man who wielded that which did not belong to him…

Ayanami's scythe…

Aya-tan…

His shoulders now shook… he had to get back…just had too…. After seeing Aya-tan like that…torn apart by that Ghost.. He knew he had to do something to ensure that the Chief of Staff never fall into such a state again. He hadn't expected to be so easily defeated…not when his will was so strong….

He froze his eyes widening as he felt a soul slide in beside his.

"Aya-tan.."

'Hyuuga…'

The dark haired major felt the warmth of being complete. His soul only being half…having Aya fill him in, completing him…. If only it had been under better circumstances… Ayanami controlled him a bit. Using him to survey the situation. The very bad situation..

No strict words were ushered at him. No scolding…. And Hyuuga longed to be yelled at. It would mean that Aya-tan wasn't worried about this…that he'd get out… The silence…was terribly painful.

With Aya-tan moving his body he was able to fight past the fatigue and aching limbs.

Hyuuga's blade clashing with the scythe, it looked hopeful for a little while. He just needed to find an opening and escape. He felt Ayanami's heart beating in time with his. Such perfection. Hyuuga smiled as Ayanami moved his aching body tired, wounded and sore in fluid movements. Doing his best to save the loyal major.

Almost…

Ayanami hadn't seen that rotten emerald eyed boy, who fired off a Zaiphon… stopping their almost escape.

"Zeihel…" hissed Ayanami through Hyuuga as they were slammed into a wall.

"Aya-tan…go. You're going to get hurt," Hyuuga hissed.

'Silence,' ordered the Chief of Staff. Still plotting. Still trying to get them out of a terrible situation. But there was nothing more to be done it was over.

Hyuuga closed his eyes… he could see Aya-tan. Right in front of him. The man looking indifferent as always. But those eyes. Those sparkling violet eyes always told another story.

Hyuuga wanted to reach out. But as he did, his hand was stopped. An invisible wall blocking them from making any contact…. After all…. He was here, and Aya-tan was there…in his office most likely… Hyuuga rested his hand against the barrier. Sapphire eyes looking down at his chief… "Gomen nesai…Aya-tan… I shouldn't have left your side like this…."

Violet eyes narrowed, doing anything to hide the emotions running through them. But he slowly moved his gloved hand to where Hyuuga's was. Resting it there. Unable to touch because of the invisible wall between them…

"I wish… I could have served you longer… Aya-tan…"

Those violet eyes lowered their gaze. The emotions that ran through them should not be seen.

Hyuuga didn't know what would become of his Chief now… the man had hung on by threads when Yukikaze had died. And that was because he had been there…guiding the silver haired man through the loss of his loyal Beigleiter. And even then…it hadn't been easy. Even now.. The Chief of Staff was still suffering from that loss…

With Hyuuga gone…. Ayanami would… most likely be lost.

"Aya-tan.." What could be said?… what would fix this…? What could fix this? "Please let go of my soul… you'll get hurt…"

Violet eyes glared at the dark haired major, his fingers curling on the barrier, hurt almost reflecting in them. Insulted that he had been asked to release Hyuuga's soul. Violet alls said it all.

He would not allow Hyuuga to be alone in the end.

The world came back terribly clear. No more silver haired man in front of him. No more pained violet eyes. Just icy cold blue ones, quickly lowering the scythe that did not belong to him….

"May God be with you,"

Hyuuga almost laughed at such stupid words. They were wasted on someone like him. He felt the blade pierce through his middle. Blood spilled from his lips. And the world slowly stated to fade. And still. He felt a soul beside him. Holding onto him.

White feathers and specks of white appeared around him in his darkening vision. His? Could creatures like them still look so pretty when they died. His hand reached out to touch one. The darkness was taking over, making it all the more difficult to do so…

His body gave it's last shuddering breath… sapphires started to dull as life left them. "Aishiteru…A-Aya-tan.." Hyuuga said faintly. His last thoughts on only that man. Silver hair. Violet eyes. The faintest smile on the palest of features…. And how…till the end he was held onto… even after his broken promise….


Blood spilled from his lips, scarlet staining the ivory sheets of paperwork. His hand at once going to his middle. Blood spilling from it. Violet eyes wide. Filled with pain, so many different kinds of pain.

In an instant Katsuragi was by his side. "Ayanami-sama!" The older man quickly trying to stop the bleeding with his own jacket that he was quickly removing. Konatsu starred wide eyed, frightened at this sudden instant. What would make Ayanami hold on to a warsfell, or kor for that long? That he would risk his own life?

Kuroyuri spoke softly from the desk. Her one visible eye dull. Lacking any spark of life. "He's gone…"

The blonde turned to her. Looking over the room, with it's one missing person… "W-Who?" he dared to ask.

"Hyuuga…" she said, though her voice cracked at the name.

"No.." Konatsu quickly turned to stare at Ayanami and Katsuragi. The older man fussing over the wound. The Chief of staff's face even paler, scarlet blood staining his lips, dripping from his chin. "No… Ayanami-sama…"

Violet eyes didn't meet his. They wouldn't…couldn't….

"Hy-Hyuuga…sama…" Konatsu placed a hand over his mouth, his eyes tearing up at once… It couldn't be…

Katsuragi sighed, seeing as Ayanami was going to be his usual stubborn self about such wounds stood. And glanced at all members within the room. A broken staff….

He stood tall, a heavy sigh escaping him. Another member lost… this one…beyond all hopes of recovery… "Let us, recover the body, Ayanami-sama…"

The silence that followed was painful. Unbearable heavy silence was suffocating. The Chief of Staff slowly stood. His eyes locked onto blood stained documents. His own blood still seeping out of him. Through his gloved fingers. Though not as badly as before…

It took all his will power to appear strong in front of them all. Slowly walking around his desk. Holding himself up proudly, as if this death had no effect on him, when everyone knew… there was no doubt that it did…

"Let's…."

With out a sound they rest of the staff followed. They were Blackhawks. Emotionless monsters that cared nothing for others. They could not ever look broken. Defeated. Human. To do so would admit that they had weaknesses. And that would not do.

They walked proudly to their ship. Faces set in grim determination, like always. As if nothing had happened.

"Katsuragi.." Ayanami said coldly. His voice lacking any emotion. The sound of amusement or pain, would most likely never be heard again by the Chief of Staff. All the humanity the man had left died along with Hyuuga. He would now forever be the icy man all believed him to be.

"I shall prepare all the arrangements when we return." he said quickly.

There was nothing more said.


And time passed and the hunt for the ghosts became all the more desperate. He'd rip them all apart. For stealing once more all he held dear.

Ayanami dropped the robes of the freshly devoured silver haired ghost. Crushing flowers under his heavy boots. Another fragment…. Zehel still lived…and that… that just wouldn't do. He heard a soft mew. The silver haired man offered a soft sigh, removing his hat. He held it upside down looking into bright sapphire eyes. Another soft mew.

This little runty panther…. So little… and it didn't seem to grow either… so bothersome… it had appeared to him so suddenly. His fully grown panthers carrying such a runty little panther… With bright Sapphire eyes. Square markings around the eyes…

The tiny panther mewed again. And Ayanami poked it in the nose. So noisy and bothersome. The little kit just mewed at him again. Batting a tiny paw at his finger.

He smirked slightly, placing the hat back on his head. Not bothering to remove the tiny panther. The little thing would find a way under his hat or just cling to his shoulder, using his little claws to hang on. Just best to keep him under the hat….

He walked back to his ship, the soft crunch of flowers that were beginning to wilt anyway was the only sound. And of course…the soft purring that always filled the silence these days…

Though he chose to forever be in solitude these days…. It seemed he had been gifted with something that refused to leave his side… Blue eyes that made him remember another pair. Always with a grin. And with that smile it led to a promise. "I'll always protect ya, Aya-tan. You'll never be alone."

"Never alone..hmm," he questioned to himself.

A soft mew from under his hat answered him.

He shook his head, letting a soft chuckle escape him. No. Never alone…


A/N

I figured if Bastion could be reincarnated as a tree the others could be too. So, I'm sure you got it…but yes, Hyuuga was the little runty annoying baby panther. Never leaving Aya-tan alone. And protecting him when he eventually grows. Until then, he just stays under Aya's hat.