Title: Mueshsal und Verweiflung

Author: Kreuz Swords

Disclaimer: All rights belong to the writers and artists who created the characters Weiss Kreuz, and I gained nothing from writing this story.

Notes: This story is part two that takes place sometime after the final WK CD, and please excuse any incorrect grammar. It is centered on Ken-kun and Yohji-kun with angst. The extra characters and story I made up belong to me. The title is loose German for "Hardship and Despair".

Key: Metal words

Another Perfect Day: Lyrics by American Hi-Fi

I'm holding on, waiting for your call

It's simple but I can't explain this

I'm sinking down, I feel like I could die

I'm falling off I don't know why

I still believe it when you say

It's another perfect day

Another perfect day

I still believe it when you say

It's another perfect day

Another perfect day

So I might try, to leave it all behind

I know tomorrow's not so bright now

I'll say goodbye, cause nothing good can last

You wear and figured no where fast

And today, I don't know how

To keep it all inside

But I guess I'll let it slide

I still believe it when you say

It's another perfect day

Another perfect day

I still believe it when you say

It's another perfect day

Another perfect day

And today, I don't why

I thought that it was real

But I guess it's no big deal

I don't how

I don't how

To le it slide

The calls of sea birds filled the air as the sun shied brightly over the old site of Saint Mary Magdalene: Church of the Second Hope that served the poor and provided a shelter for the homeless. Inside the crowded shelter were two young men, who appeared to be physically just as well worn as their clothes, which they had checked in the night before. In the back, the tall blonde one was sitting on a cot with his legs tucked up to him, and the other younger brown haired one on was sitting cross-legged on the floor near the wall by his cot.

Yohji sighed. Another day, another place, and no cigarettes! Well, I wonder how Aya is doing? We left him quickly to make sure that the people hunting for us wouldn't find him and to make them believe that Aya was really dead. I hope he made it out okay from the hospital.

Yohji looked up and saw Ken. Cripes Ken, your hands shaking again! I really need to check you in to see a doctor, but I can't, not with people looking for us. Even though I think our pursuers have given up a bit on putting us on their number one hit list. The chance is still too great of a risk. I prey daily that you don't go completely off the deep end on me because I will have to be the one to stop you. I wonder if I will have the strength to kill you when you snap just like I did Auska, or will I be weak and join you on your rampage. Hopefully someone will shoot us down and put us out of our misery. Come on Kudoh, stop thinking this way! You need to deal with the situation one step at a time and make your decisions when it happens, not dwell on it. I need to get up and move around to clear my mind of these depressing thoughts.

"Hey Ken! I'm going to step out to get some fresh air. I'll be right near the shelter's entrance and be back in a few minutes."

"O…Okay, Y…Yohji-kun."

"Are you going to be all right Ken?"

"Y…Yes, Yohji-kun, I…I'm fine." Ken watched Yohji get up and slowly walk out of the shelter's door. I wish we didn't have to leave Aya behind. I don't even know if he'd lived or died. I hate myself because I have no future. I can see it in Yoji's eyes that he becomes afraid of me every time my hands begin to shake. There is no one to help me any more. Manx and Birman are gone. I'm nothing, but a cold-blooded killer. It would be better to kill myself before I turn on everyone. I wish I had died in the fire. Ken started sobbing.

Gentle soothing hands takes hold of Ken's wrists and his hands stop shaking.

"Do not fret so much, sad one," said a calm male voice.

Ken looked up into kind aqua marine eyes like the sea. Then he saw that the eyes belonged to a young man about his age with a fair complexion like Aya's that was framed by jet-black hair.

"Please come up and sit on your cot and let me attend to you."

Ken obeyed the young stranger and was assisted off the floor. As he sat onto his cot, the black haired youth turned to a large whickered basket on another cot. Ken saw that the stranger's long black hair streamed down to his knees, and he was wearing a dark blue tee shirt with blue jeans. When he turned back to Ken, the youth gave him a bowl of food and chopsticks.

"Here, have some good food to calm your nerves."

Ken applied himself to the food, which was very delicious to his starved stomach. The stranger sat onto the cot next to Ken's

"What is your name?" the youth asked.

"Ken."

"Well Ken-san, my name is Seisuin," and slightly bowed.

Seisuin lets Ken eat the food in silence only to slightly smile at him when Ken looked at him. When Ken was finished, he gave Seisuin the bowl and chopsticks back. But, Ken twinged forward in pain as he pulled on sore muscles around the partially healed sword wound.

"Are you hurt badly, if you are, I know a good herbalist that can help you!"

"No, no Seisuin-san! I will be fine it's just a healing wound."

Seisuin retrieved the bowl and chopsticks from Ken and says, "If you are sure you are okay Ken-san, but I can give you some herbal ointment to put on your wound to help it heal better and some willow tea to take away some of your pain."

"I will be very appreciative on your offer of the ointment and tea."

"Great! Let me get them from my basket." Seisuin moved to put away the chopsticks and bowl in his basket, and he brought out a small jar and covered clay mug. He handed over the mug of tea to Ken. "When you are finish drinking the tea, I will help you put on the herbal ointment, so you won't cause more pain by trying to put it on by yourself."

"Okay," said Ken, and he uncovered the mug and drank down the warm tea.

Ken gave back Seisuin the mug for him to put away and Seisuin opened up the jar. Ken noticed a nice herbal smell as it drifted toward him. Seisuin then dabbed his fingers in it.

"I need you to lift up your shirt and show me your wound." Ken gingerly pulled up his shirt.

Ken felt Seisuin cool careful fingers began to smooth on the ointment along his red scare.

"May I ask you, Ken-san as to what places you have been to? Personally, I have never traveled very far from home, but I like to hear about different places people have been to."

"Sure!" said Ken, thinking that it was a topic he didn't mind talking about to pass the time. So, Ken tried to tell all the places he had seen to Seisuin, which eventually lead him to talk about the places he went to as a soccer player. Meanwhile Seisuin had finished and just listened to Ken's details.

A little later, Yohji came in through the door and saw Ken taking with Seisuin. Well, well, well. I see that Ken has made a friend. It looks like he's talking with one of the church volunteers. Hum, Ken seems to be acting a little bit better than he has been in months. I'm taking this as a very good omen.

Yohji walked over to Ken. When Ken heard Yohji's footsteps, he turned around.

"There you are Yohji-kun!"

"I see that you made a new friend while I stepped out for a bit."

"Ah Yohji, I would like you to meet Seisuin. Seisuin-san this is my friend Yohji."

Seisuin got up, "I am glade to meet you Yohji-san," and bowed. "I have some food to give to you. Please accept my offer because it will help strengthen your body."

"Well, if you insist, I will accept then."

Seisuin handed over another bowl of food and chopsticks to Yohji. "I also have some green tea for you Yohji-san, if you like."

"I would be much obliged," and Yohji moved to his cot to eat.

Seisuin brought out a thermos and a ceramic cup from his basket and poured some tea. Yohji took the offered cup.

"This food tastes wonderful!" stated Yohji before drinking the green tea. "Did you make it yourself, Seisuin-san."

"Yes, I like to cook for others."

"I finally found ye, Seisuin-san," interrupted a silver haired man in black priest robes. "Would ye be so kind as to help me fix one of the legs of the altar tables Seisuin-san."

"It would be a pleasure to help you Father McKowen."

"That's a good lad. I'll wait for ye in the main church then," and the Father left.

Yohji quickly polished off the food and tea. Seisuin puts away the utensils into his basket and picked it up.

"It was nice meeting you both, Ken-san and Yohji-san," and bowed.

"Thanks for the food," said Yohji.

''You are most welcome." Seisuin removed a little box from his basket and gave it to Ken. "Ken-san, here is some willow tea packets to take when you feel pain again. I come here every three days to give out the food. I hope I will see you again to check on how you are doing. Also, if either of you need something, Father McKowen is a very caring man and will help you." Seisuin then turned and silently passed other people as he went toward the door.

Ken and Yohji sat back onto their cots and felt somehow refreshed.

"Yohji-kun, do you think we can stay here for a little longer because I like this place better than other places we been to."

"Yeah Ken, I think it's safe for us to stay here."

* * *

Three days later, Ken leaned against the wall outside the shelter's entrance. Yohji had gone off earlier to look around the town. As Ken sadly stood there in the warm sun, Seisuin came up to the door wearing a tight neon blue collared shirt with black jeans and boots with basket in arm.

"Ah Ken-san, I see that you are still here at St. Magdalene!"

"Hello Seisuin-san!"

"How are you doing today?" asked Seisuin.

"Just fine. The ointment and tea you gave me did wonders for my wound. I even shared some with Yoji, and he feels better."

"That is good to hear. My herbalist friend makes the best herb mixtures I have ever known." Seisuin moved into the shelter and Ken followed him in. As the black haired youth started to hand out the food to the people, Ken began to help him. When Ken was the last to get the food, they both sat down on a cot to eat.

"Ken-san, I have something for you to do that may brighten your spirit, if you feel up to it that is."

"What is it you want me to do?"

"You told me you use to play soccer. Well, you have seen the little girl named Juri with the soccer ball."

"Yes." replied Ken.

"There are no other children around her age to play with here, and she just sits on her cot by her mother. I thought you could cheer her up by showing her some simple ball maneuvers."

Ken gave it some thought and finally answered, "Sure, I think that my body will be able to handle it, Seisuin-san."

"Great, I knew you would help Juri-chan, but do not push yourself Ken-san.

I'll try not to."

When they were finished eating, Yohji finally showed up at the door and spotted Ken and Seisuin. Yohji called out, "Hi there, Seisuin-san!" He then strolled over to them.

"Hello Yohji-san, I am glade to meet you again," and he bowed a little.

"Did I miss lunch?"

"Oh no Yohji-san, I still have some food for you." He promptly pulled out some food and tea, which Yohji thankfully took from Seisuin.

"Well, I better go meet Juri-chan. Thanks again for lunch Seisuin-san," said Ken.

"You are welcome Ken-san. Father McKowen does not mind if you play on the church lawn. So, I will see you later then."

"Okay," and Ken wondered off. He found Juri and asked her to play soccer with him. Juri happily agreed with her mother's permission.

Seisuin turned to Yohji and asked, "Yohji-san, I must ask you a favor. One of the volunteers could not make it today to prepare dinner. I will stand in, but I could not get one of my friends to help me. So, I need you to help me prepare dinner."

"No problem, I would be glad to help you."

"I am most grateful to you Yohji-san." Seisuin got off the cot and cleaned away the empty bowls and cups into his basket. He left the shelter and went to the main church with Yohji in tow. They quietly strolled through the church's nave as their footfalls echoed, and they passed under multicolored beams of light cast from the stained class windows, to a door on the right of the front alter. A few busy priests greeted them on the other side as Seisuin guided his way to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, Seisuin let down his basket on a table and began to take food out of the refrigerator and cupboards. He gave Yohji some cabbages on a cutting board and a knife from a drawer.

Yohji began to chop up the cabbages. "So Seisuin-san, how long have you been a volunteer at St. Magdalene's shelter?"

"Umm, I think it has been three years now." He pulled out a pot and filled it with water. "I also make food for poor families that have come to my attention."

"My that sound like a lot work to do!" replied Yohji.

"It is no trouble at all. I like giving food to others who need it. It gives me so much pleasure to see people enjoy my food." Seisuin pored in some rice into the cooker on the counter. "May I ask you Yohji-san, what did you do before you fell into hard times with Ken-san?"

Yohji gave it some thought to Seisuin question, but felt he could not lie too much to the longhaired volunteer. "Well, I use to be a private investigator, but I lost someone close to me on a case. Then I went into a different line of work with Ken-kun. We ran into bad trouble and left."

"Oh that is sad to hear. I know a loss can change a person. Maybe, you can go back to being a private investigator. There seems to be none in this town that I know of."

"Thanks, but don't think that I can Seisuin-san."

"If you change your mind Yohji-san, I know some friends that can help you get started."

"I will keep that in mind Seisuin-san."

Yohji finished shredding the cabbages, and Seisuin gave him other vegetables to chop up. Meanwhile, Seisuin fixed up the noodles and meat. When they were finished preparing the food, they covered it up and sat down to drink some green tea. Seisuin got Yohji to tell him about the places he had been to. The day pasted quickly, and it was time for dinner.

Yohji went out and found Ken resting under a tree, happily talking to Juri on the grass.

Is that a true smile on Ken's face, I can't believe it, thought Yohji. He strode over to the seated figures. "It's time to eat Ken and Juri-chan."

"All ready, it's not fair!" said Juri and pouted.

"I don't know about you Juri-chan, but I'm starving," said Ken.

"Okay Ken-kun, if I can eat with you," replied Juri.

"Sure you can," and Ken laughed.

"You're the best Ken-kun!" Juri quickly skipped off to the shelter to wash up for dinner.

Juri-chan is such a sweet girl, and it's been a long time since I felt this good inside, thought Ken. Ken got up and walked along with Yohji carrying Juri's ball back inside.

When they finished washing up, Yohji helped Seisuin hand out the food. The small group sat down together and talked and joked with each other. After dinner was finished and cleaned up, Juri sleepily said her good-byes to Ken and promised to play soccer with him tomorrow.

"Thank you so much for helping me Yohji-san," said Seisuin.

"You're welcome. If you need help again, you can count on me."

"Okay," replied Seisuin.

They exchanged happy farewells with each other. Seisuin left with his basket. Ken and Yohji settled down into their cots to sleep.

"Hey Ken, I think we can hideout in this town until we can get on our feet again."

"Sounds like a good plan to me Yohji," said Ken sleepily. He yawed and drifted off into peaceful sleep.

Eventually Yohji did the same and had no nightmares that night.

T.B.C, the 3rd part will be on Omi-kun. Back to the 1st story, Kikyou was a friend of Aya, which he had to kill later on.

*To the reader, if you want to barrow my story, please contact me. Also, if you feel the need to flame, make it with guidance in mind. I hate rude flaming, and it will be looked upon as an incomplete sentence.