The Classical Side of Love Chapter 4, a mai hime fanfic

The Classical Side of Love

Disclaimer: I don't own the series Mai HiME or Mai Otome, Sunrise does.

AN:

1. First off, thanks for all the many kind reviews, I know I'm a horrible procrastinator, so I'll just reply to those that reviewed here. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll never get around to responding to you wonderful readers. So for those of you who wish, just scroll down to the chapter.

2. I apologize for the very late update. But due to unforeseen health issues I was unable to continue writing for a bit. So thanks to everyone that has stuck with me and waited for this update. I made this chapter extra long, so I hope you'll enjoy that.

3. Many thanks goes out to my wonderful beta Balit! With out her constant support, I think I would have given up writing a long time ago. Haha….

4. Okay thanks for reading and sticking with me. You have no idea how au'some you all are. (big grin). Okay so the rest will be replies to the reviews. I'm really sorry I'm so horrible at this, but here goes!

Raiet: Thank you for the nice review! :D

Shy-Rainbow: Thanks, I hope you like the next chapter.

Ninnypants: au'some name! Thanks for the comment. :D

Sacred07: thank you. Don't worry, Natsuki and Alyssa will meet again! (I want to say they will meet in the next chapter, but eh, it might be the one after that depending. Ehehe, (sweat drop). As to why Natsuki got banished from Aries, well that's cuz she doesn't get along with her step dad. .cELLOMa2 will definitely come into play later in the story, so I hope you'll look forward to meeting them. :D

Lildevilish: I'm glad you find Natsuki and Shizuru's misconception funny, I know I did. XD

Goat13: Woo! A fellow hiker! *high five* Hiking in Sweden is like a dream for me! It's too bad about your hypothermia though, that's harsh! But it's great that you survived that. I once got phenomena from hiking and camping out in the Rockies, the mountains in Colorado, so I know how miserable the cold can be.

Loveless: *passes a tissue* XD I'm glad you're liking it thus far.

Chum-sa: thanks for voting and commenting! XD *hugs*

Lindred: I'm glad you liked their meeting, and you're right, Alyssa and Natsuki can meet another day. Thanks for reviewing and your understanding! :D

Brain Damage: thanks for the comment!

Nuggi: Thanks for the review! I totally know what you mean, I'm more of a reader than a writer, so I appreciate the comment. :] I'm glad you like the story thus far, so I hope I can continue to entertain you with the next chapter. XD

Lolanoreally: yay another fellow hiker! *high five* lol the first time I went on a hiking trip I feel so many times too, when I came back my mom was horrified. But dang! you had BOTH your ankles sprained and you didn't know about it?! You're just amazing. Hands down.

ALEXISSA2: LOL! XD yup little fling in the cottage for sure! Nothing too straight forward, but I hope you'll like it. *wink* As for Shiho, that girl's just crazy! Every time I watch her in MO I think, 'dang I'd hate to get Maki-maki'ed by her!'

Emtz95: thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the chapter. :D eh, give them time, and it'll be ShizxNatty goodness all the way. XD

Krugern: *tight hug* ah Krugern, buddy, I just love reading your reviews! They make me squeal like a school girl. XD I'm totally hyped up that you liked all those points. Some times I feel like a lot of people don't notice those small details, and I get worried if I should just cut them out. ._. But then when people do notice all those little things I feel like it was totally worth being all long and boring with the details. Hahahaha.. As for My Musume, I'm using a new way of organizing all my notes into something a bit more coherent, so it's really slow going. But I'm really excited about the next chapter of MM, so that should be out soon. XD.

Akira Sasaki: many thanks for your review! It totally made me lol. But hey, don't you know? Jogging and hiking are horrible sports! Why? Because they are the ones that always find the dead people. X_X Okay, lame joke, sorry. (sweat drop). Anyways of course Shizuru thinks highly of herself! She's the super au'some, super HOT Kaichou in Mai HiME, and the Bewitching Smile Amethyst in Otome, with tons of fans. As for the kind Natsuki…well we all know she's really a cute girl on the inside. *wink* Woo! Fellow otaku love! Lol XD

Ume sama: I'm glad you liked the love charm and Anh's teasing. :]

Colorfulsunrise514: hehe, I'm glad you like this type of love story. I love the love at first sight theme too, but when ever I try to write one, it always comes out like 'blah.' lol.

CapActive4: thanks for the review! I'm so glad you like the details! It makes me so happy. Haha, when you mentioned plot, I had to snicker, I'm sorry! But the reason this update was so late in showing was because I DIDN'T have an actual plot. XP But I've fixed that now, so hopefully I'll keep your attention. :D

MyPennamehasbeentaken: yay for realism! XD If I had a tail, it would be wagging right now! XD thanks I'm happy you like the length. I'm really trying to get this individual plot per chapter thing down right, so yeah. Thanks for always bearing with my erratic updates!

ShayP: Thank you for reviewing! It's so nice to see the comments of fellow authors here. But you know, I'm just amazed at the speed and length of your updates! I'm away for a few months, and I'm just blown away by how far Monster has progressed! Anyways I hope I'll continue to hold your interest. :D

Freyia: LOL oh you have totally got it! Natsuki's reaction when she realized that Shizuru is no witch is just priceless! At least it is in my mind. The only issue I have is getting it to flow right on paper. XD

Noraily: thanks for the comment. XD

PandorasTube: Thanks for the review! :D Yup the chapter in which Natsuki realizes Shizuru is no witch is gonna be fun! XD I hope you'll stick around to read it. :]

Bobo-q: Gasp! Do you know what your comment has done to me?! You totally stopped my heart there! (pounce) XD Well I have you know I'm working on MM, but it's so slow! MM is my Mai HiME story, so I'm really attached to it, so I want it to be perfect! The sad thing is every time I write a part of it, I end up scraping the idea because everything turns out like 'blah.' DX Anyways I'll never forget about MM cuz I've got you to remind me. *hug* right? Lol

Lollerpoop: Thanks for the review! I hope you'll like the next chapter too. :D

Hanazono: hmm I haven't seen any snakes when I went hiking, I think it was too cold for them up on the mountains. But I love snakes, I used to have a python for a few years till it got so big my mom made me get rid of it. I cried for days.

The Chronic Meltdown: Is it okay if I hug you? Cuz your review was just way too cute! XD No offense! But I really appreciated your review. So thanks! :]

Okay I think that is everyone. Whew, I swear I'll try to never let things build up like this again! (sweat drop). Anyways, on to the chapter!

Chapter Four

In a darken room, only the sound of labored breathing was heard. The sole occupant of the room was powerless. Bound and gagged, only frantic ruby eyes were allowed freedom of movement. She did not know how long she was there for. Day most likely; yet it has only been a few hours since she was left alone. Now was her chance. She had to think of a way to get out of the room, away from the obsessed fan.

Shizuru awoke with a sharp gasp of breath as ruby eyes snapped open. The room was dark and foreign, causing adrenaline to shoot through her veins. Controlling herself to not bolt upright, Shizuru recalled yesterday's events. She was not in a basement room, but in a cottage on Kala Mountain. It was not cold, like in her dream, but actually it was rather warm.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Shizuru palmed her clammy forehead. It was just a dream. Casting ruby orbs around the darken cottage, the young musician tried to determine the time. It was dim, but not dark in the little cottage as light streamed in from the over head ceiling window. "Strange," she spoke softly, she didn't recall seeing that there last night. Peering up at the small circular window above, Shizuru noted that the sky was only beginning to brighten as orange and red hues colored the gray sky. It was probably only four, or five o'clock in the morning. Listening carefully, Shizuru could hear in the distance, birds chirping their morning song. The constant rush of the river outside continued to flow, and the wooden water wheel creaked with each rotation. However the second set of soft breathing, reminded Shizuru, that she was not alone in the room. That fact caused her a moment's distress, but she quickly regained herself.

It was the bandit. Not the assailant. However she could be just as dangerous.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Shizuru stared blankly at the warm quilt blanket that was once on the bed, now covering her. Casting questioning eyes to the other person in the room, the violinist found the shorter girl also sleeping on the floor. The bandit was sleeping by the door, and as far away from Shizuru as possible. The distance was a bit surprising, as the girl had even used her hiking pack as a makeshift barrier, but seemed to have kicked it away sometime during the night. Staring blankly at the skewed pack, with a slender bare leg resting atop, Shizuru was mildly grateful of the distance, yet annoyed at the situation she was forced into. As red eyes focused on the bare leg atop of the hiking pack, the violinist noticed the girl's sleeping bag was open, covering only half of the thief's body.

Taking a quiet moment to openly study the sleeping bandit, Shizuru's eyes roamed the lean form of the girl that lay still before her. No longer covered in dirt and grime, clear porcelain skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the cabin. Long locks of raven hair, that was once restricted in the high pony tail, now pooled around the girl's head like an inky river. Even the expressive face, which was usually set in a frown or a glare, was now relaxed and at ease. It could not be denied, the girl before her was beautiful. It almost took her breath away.

"She looks so innocent, sleeping like that." Covering her mouth with her hand, Shizuru gasped at the whispered words. Shaking her head to dislodge the stray thoughts, as if to make what she had just said any less true, she looked away and glared at the bare wall. Such traitorous thoughts should not be spoken, as she was sure it was due to the bandit's presence that caused her to relive that awful dream. With renewed resolve, russet orbs turned back to glare at the sleeping figure's serene profile.

Glaring had no effect; thus exhaling softly, Shizuru looked away. Deep down she knew it was irrational to be upset at the raven haired girl, but the heart of the matter is, she just couldn't trust the girl. Slowly moving from the bedding on the floor, the dark blond haired woman made her way to the washroom. The movement caused stiff joints to pop, and she groaned at the sickly sound. Sleeping in the floor always left her stiff, but last night it seemed like the best choice, since she wasn't going to take the bed simply because the other girl ordered her to.

By the time Shizuru exited the washroom, she felt refreshed and less annoyed at the girl still sleeping by the door. After picking up the used bedding and returning it to the closet, the violinist began to change her bandages. Sitting on the wooden bed, and absentmindedly massaging her left ankle, red eyes began to wander over to the sleeping bandit once again.

The girl was strange. A bundle of contradiction, and thus far, Shizuru did not know how to go about handling the thief. The girl was obviously weary of her, a weakness Shizuru exploited without regret, as past experiences proved that she could not just blindly trust people. If she only had a way of contacting Reito and the others, or of disarming the cobalt haired girl of the hunting knife, she would feel all the better.

Looking over at the walking stick, Shizuru pondered, she could easily overpower the slightly shorting girl, using the walking stick as a makeshift naginata. However her left ankle might pose a problem if she tried to use some of the various maneuvers to attack, or even defended herself. Looking back to the girl, Shizuru bit her lower lip. The other option would be to sneak out and get as far away as possible. Although she was currently lost, all she had to do was head down, and she would eventually get to the foot of the mountain, and from there get help. There was also the river to consider. She was pretty sure the man from the hotel told her there was only the one river on the mountain. So if she were to just followed the stream, she would eventually get to her original destination. Nevertheless that plan was tossed aside too, as the thief was sleeping right by the door. That left the ceiling window above, but that was even more impossible to reach. A buzzing sound broke Shizuru from her train of thought, as the rhythmic buzzing turned into a high pitched phone chime. Excitement soared through Shizuru, 'a phone!' she mentally exclaimed.

Silent red eyes watched from her vantage point atop the wooded bed, as the bandit's once peaceful expression shifted into annoyance. Grunting, the female bandit blindly groped for the offending object. Finally locating the cell phone, and opening up the device, the girl asked in a sleep laced voice, "…yeah?"

"Natsuki!" a panicked voice called out; it was loud enough for Shizuru to hear from across the room. Hope rose in the violinist as the prospect of having a working cell phone to call Reito became a reality. Finally, she would be able to ease her friends worry, as they would no doubt be looking for her.

"Erstin? What's wrong?" the bandit asked as she sat up. Rubbing the sleep from emerald eyes, she tried to become more alert. There was another chime from the phone, causing the raven haired girl to pull the phone away from her ear and look at the screen. 'Battery low' flashed on the screen, drawing a low curse from the girl. "Battery's low Erstin. What's up?"

'Battery Low' seemed to echo in Shizuru's mind, as each reverberation seemed to chip away at her plan, and instill disappointed, however she didn't let it show. Continuing to sit quietly, she watched the scene unfold from across the room. The voice from the phone continued to grow in panic it seemed, and briefly Shizuru wondered what the crisis was about, but she didn't have to wait long as the girl on the other side continued to speak urgently. "Natsuki, you have to hurry and get off of that mountain! Midori is already on her way to pick you up, she'll be at the pick up area in two hours."

'Natsuki? Ara…so that is the girl's name, is it?' Shizuru wondered idly. She had never thought to ask for the bandit's name; as she had never really wanted to know before. However as she watched the emotions play across the pretty girl's face, Shizuru wondered once again, if that was indeed the face of a heartless mountain bandit. She had never met one before, so she didn't have much to compare by, but there was something about this girl that just intrigued the violinist.

"Wait a second Ers," Natsuki said as she started shoving the sleeping bag into a sack. The slim phone was cradled between her ear and still sore shoulder. "What's this about?" Although she sounded more annoyed than anything, Natsuki continued to quickly pack up her things.

"It's all over the news Natsuki! Apparently Elysium is at Kala Mountain too, but last night one of their members went missing. So this morning a search party has been rallied up, and they're going to be headed your way! If they find you Natuski--"

"Where's my sister?!" Natsuki quickly cut off Erstin's growing panic, standing abruptly, she clenched the phone tightly. The low battery warning chimed once again, but it was completely ignored. The thought of her sister missing, even lost of a moment, sent a chill of dread down her spine. Damn the restraining order! If Alyssa was in danger, Natsuki would do anything--everything--possible to find her.

"Don't worry, she's not the one. But Natsuki, you need to hurry! You can't get caugh--" the line went dead before the anxious voice could finish.

Growling at the useless phone, the bandit hurled the device into the wall before her. "Damn it!" the girl snarled as she watched the phone burst apart. Although she was relieved that her sister was fine, she still needed to know where Alyssa was to be sure. Even though she could trust her sister's care to Miyu, there were just some things that Natsuki had to be absolutely sure of, and that was Alyssa's safety and well being.

As the phone violently collided into the wall, the erratic action caused Shizuru to gasp, the sound startling the bandit who turned hard viridian towards her. Never before had Shizuru witnessed hate, worry, and determination swirl in those clear emerald pools directed at her; the intensity caused her to unconsciously hold her breath. It seemed her friends have been busy, gathering a search party and all, but why would it cause the bandit, and who ever else she was working with, to panic?

"Who are you?! How did you get in here?!" Natsuki barked as her hand instantly went down to grasp for the hunting knife that was not there.

Gone was the hate and worry, only to be replaced by panic, confusion, and suspicion. Did she honestly not remember? Shizuru wondered in awe. However upon seeing the shorter girl's hand twitch at her hip where the knife used to be, caused a frown to mar the brunette's features. "Ara, ara…it seems that bandit-han has forgotten…the situation, no?"

Searching the graceful face before her, Natsuki flinched as she recalled who the woman was before her. Another crazed mountain witch. Narrowing cold green eyes at the deranged woman before her, Natsuki bit the inside of her cheek before stiffly turning away from the woman. She did not want a confrontation. She really did not want to be cursed--once was enough for her--so she did the only thing she could do, and walked away. The mark of her curse itched, but she refused to acknowledge the prickling sensation that marred the mid left of her back. Normally Natsuki wouldn't hesitate on a fight, but she knew better than to openly challenge the sandy haired witch. Perhaps it was those blood red eyes, she wasn't sure, but something about the injured woman just screamed, 'touch me, and I'll kill you.' Besides, she had more important things to do than get into a fight with a spell caster, and that was to get the hell off of Kala Mountain and find out if Alyssa was indeed alright.

If the search party found her, they would no doubt question her, and if they looked at her records they would see the restraining order her step father had on her. She never understood why her step father hated her so, but he did, so she hated the man back with equal passion. She left her house almost five years ago, and never went back, except once. But that visit ended badly, as she was arrested by the Police Force of Aries on her front door step, and thrown in jail. Although she met Midori at that time, she had no desire to repeat the experience. It was coincidence that Alyssa and herself were on the same mountain, but the police would not see it that way, and would throw her in prison without question. Natsuki couldn't have that, so she couldn't afford to get caught. Especially since she hasn't even actually 'seen' her sister. So it wasn't worth getting caught now. Not yet anyway.

Pulling out a white hoodie and jeans, Natsuki quickly ducked into the washroom to change. Just the thought of Alyssa being on the same mountain filled her with excitement. She wanted to see her now! But if what Erstin had said was true, then the mountain would be crawling with search and rescue teams looking for the missing quartet member, and any suspicious persons to be blamed for kidnapping or whatever. Either way, it would make escaping unnoticed a bit harder, and it would make trying to see Alyssa near impossible. Stepping out of the small room, the cobalt haired woman glared at the injured witch. Leaving the woman would be the best option, as she would only slow her down Natsuki reasoned.

Shizuru watched the younger woman exit the washroom dressed for the day. Ignoring the glare, Shizuru watched the thief stomp over to the door and proceed to take out food, and other supplies from the hiking pack. The air was thick with tension, but it was nothing new to Shizuru, she would never crack under the pressure she reassured herself. The dark haired woman's actions only further proved she was guilty of a crime Shizuru's mind reasoned. However a small part of her was curious as to what crime the bandit had committed as to warrant her current behavior. 'Perhaps murder?' her mind whispered, and Shizuru shivered at the thought. It could be possible, after all, one never can tell with strangers, and that hunting knife is large enough to kill a man. Or woman in Shizuru's case. Mentally shaking her head at her inner musings, Shizuru tried to stay calm. Gripping the walking stick a little tighter, the blond exhaled softly. She didn't know what the bandit would do, so she had to be prepared for anything.

Taking out all the extra days worth of food, and various other things she would not need and could easily replace, Natsuki quickly dropped twenty pounds from her pack. The weight broke even as she arranged the two bags of ore at the bottom of the hiking pack. Turning to look at the broken bits of the cell phone, Natsuki briefly regretted her actions, but she couldn't help it now. She would just have to buy a new one. Nibbling her lip, the bandit's emerald gaze wondered over to the witch on the bed. For a long time, she just stared at the honey haired woman, unsure of what to do.

With the turn of events, she no longer needed to gather more ore, as she had enough for her parts. Originally she was going to gather as much as she could over the weekend to make a profit. The added sum would in turn help bribe a few officials to turn the other way as she infiltrated Aries to see her mother, or if she got caught, it would be bail money. Now though, she had to quickly escape the mountain if she was going to act on her plan to visit her comatose mother. But first, she had to deal with the silent witch. "Do you plan to stay here?" Natsuki asked, honestly curious. If the witch stayed it would be better for her, since they would be able to part without incident. If not, well maybe they could still part without incident.

Shizuru eyed the bandit, the girl seemed honest, but she couldn't allow herself to trust the thief. Instead she spoke calmly. "It was never my attention to do so, no."

"I see," was all the bandit said, as she pulled out a worn map and compass. If the witch had no intention to stay, then perhaps she was heading down to the foot too. The witch's silence and indifferent gaze unnerved her, but she refused to falter. "The foot of this mountain is at least a four hour hike down if you follow the path, or the stream. Following the river would be easiest, but considering your condition, the path is smoother."

Although the thief spoke matter-of-factly, Shizuru still felt put off by her 'condition' as the girl had called it. "Will bandit-han be heading back down to the foot as well?" the witch asked icily. She was curious to know where the blue haired girl was going in such a hurry, and why she was offering up the information. Perhaps it was a trap, and the bandit was directing her to more of her 'friends.' If that was the case, Shizuru would just have to overpower the girl and take the knife. She was already annoyed the girl destroyed the phone, so she could only hope Reito and the others found her quickly.

Ignoring, but annoyed, by the frosty tone, Natsuki pulled out the windbreaker jacket and tossed it atop of the table with the rest of the discarded items. She did not need it since she only had two hours to meet Midori at the pick up point, and she would most likely be running the entire way down. She just had to endure till then. "I'm heading down too, but I'm not talking the path." was her terse reply. There was no sense in letting the witch know where she was going. That way the ruby eyed woman wouldn't be able to hurl a curse at her. She had to think of her safety after all, she still had things to do. She still had to see her mother and Alyssa, so she had to get back to Windbloom City quickly. She couldn't afford to meet Alyssa yet, but if everything worked out right, she'd be able to see her sister next weekend at Elysium's Tour's end concert. With that thought in mind, Natsuki finished packing.

Confident that the witch wouldn't try to curse her back with the hunting blade strapped to her side, Natsuki began lacing up the hiking boots. "I'll be taking a short cut through the woods, that should cut the time in half." she said, peeved at the sandy haired woman's silent stare. It felt like the woman was trying to mentally set her on fire or something. She didn't catch fire, instead it just made Natsuki's curse itch. Standing up, and brushing off the dust from sitting on the dirty floor, Natsuki turned and met russet orbs.

The more she looked into those endless pools, the more she felt herself drifting, and that worried Natsuki more than the silent scrutiny, and the short distance that separated them. Thus far, this woman was nothing like the crazy Shiho Huit, as there was no deranged glint in her eyes, but a clam apathy that continued to observed her. There was no doubt this witch before her, was perhaps far more dangerous than Shiho. Clenching her jaw, Natsuki decided it was better to say nothing, than to experience the excruciating pain of another curse.

Yes, it was the best to get away from this witch as soon as possible.

Picking up the heavy pack, the bandit turned once again to Shizuru. "This is were we part, Mahou-san," the thief spoke and nodded her head briefly before turning and opening up the door. However no sooner had she opened the door, she was knocked down by a pouncing dog! Yelling out in surprise, the bandit used her arms to shield her face from being bitten by the wild animal.

Ruby eyes widened in shock as the stray dog growled and continue to snap at the bandit's arm. Without thought, Shizuru moved in a fluid motion, and used the walking stick to hit the attacking dog squarely on the head. The blow forced the canine out of the small cottage, and gave respite enough for the bandit to drop the hiking pack and stand. However as soon as the one dog was forced out, two other dogs quickly tried to rush in.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, and seeping blood from her left arm, Natsuki quickly unsheathed the long hunting knife and prepared for the next attack. Wild barking and growling echoed in the early morning, as more of the pack rushed to the lone cottage. Soon dozens of wild dogs surrounded the quaint stone house by the river. Never before had Natsuki seen so many wild dogs gather at one time. Gritting her teeth, and gripping the large hunting knife tighter, Natsuki sliced open the throat of a lunging dog. The hot blood splattered across her chest, but she ignored the foul smell as another dog charged at her. Kicking out with her left foot, the mechanic cleared the threshold of the cottage, and knocked aside the charging dog. Now outside, with her back to the stone wall, Natsuki furrowed her brows at the sheer number of rabid dogs running from the woods to the small house. "Tch, I should have brought my guns." she mumbled before stabbing another dog straight into it's open mouth.

Once the bandit had moved out of the door way, Shizuru too, quickly exited the stone house and shut the door behind her. There was no point in being cornered in the house, as it would only restrict her movement in the tiny space, and with the door closed, there was no chance of being taken from behind. Outside she would have more freedom to fully use the makeshift naginata properly, and hopefully survived the onslaught of attacking hounds. Although all the dogs were malnourished and scrawny, the pack in which they gathered was enough to be fearsome. A group of five dogs ran at Shizuru, only to be beaten back and killed by the blunt weapon in the hands of a master. The force of each swing and stroke, sliced through the air and collided with bone and ruptured the skin. Dog after dog, mindlessly attacked, excited by the smell of fresh blood, only to be crushed by each thrust and jab of the bladeless weapon.

Although only armed with a hunting knife, Natsuki expertly deflected and killed every canine that attacked her. No longer burdened by the hiking pack, the cobalt haired girl moved with the ease and experience of living in a harsh environment. Animals attacking her was nothing new, as Aswad's savage lands had honed her skills to survive. Thus using her left arm to turn away snapping jaws, and her right to gouge open throats, Natsuki efficiently and effortlessly disposed of all that attacked her.

Despite their large numbers, the wild dogs were quickly killed. None survived as the bloodlust clouded their mind from retreating, their carcasses littered the ground and stained the soil red. Pulling out the hunting knife from the latest kill, Natsuki exhaled heavily. The smell was putrid as she was covered in blood from head to toe. Turning to look for the mountain witch, green eyes widened in shock. The woman was slowly making her way to the river's edge, not a single drop of blood on her! The walking stick was the only testament of the carnage that occurred, as it was the only thing stained with the animal's life's blood.

Stepping into the cool water, Shizuru sighed in relief as the throbbing pain in her left ankle quelled. The skirmish with the pack of rabid dog left her exhausted. Never had she had to fight off such relentless attackers, but she was grateful of her knowledge to protect herself. Sitting on the wooden planks that supported the water wheel with her legs still in the cool water, Shizuru was surprised to see the bandit strip before her. Although covered in the blood of countless hounds, the bandit proved to be an exceptional survivalist, one that was able to hold her own. Shizuru was impressed, and even more so as she saw in her peripheral vision, the toned body of the young bandit on display.

Removing the blood soaked hoodie and tank top, Natsuki kneeled by the edge of the river to wash off the offending smell of animal blood from her face and body. She didn't care about being only in her jeans and bra, she just had to get the awful smell off of her, and clean her wound. Splashing the cold water on her face and washing her arms, Natsuki cringed as the cold water stung the bite marks on her left arm. The dog that first jumped her, and knocked her down in the cottage, managed to bite through the thick hoodie. "Damn." the wound looked worse than it felt. Luckily there were only several punctures and laceration, and she wasn't missing a big chunk of flesh. Nevertheless she was bleeding profusely now, and she needed to be treated before she becomes infected with rabies. All the more reason to quickly get off of the mountain.

Moving from the bank, Natsuki passed the carcasses and headed into the small cottage to retrieve the first aid kit. Quickly clearing the wooden table of all the cluttered items, Natsuki crumpled on one of the chairs and fumbled with the kit. So caught up in trying to apply pressure to the wound, and open up the first aid kit, she did not notice the witch following her into the small house.

"Let me." Shizuru spoke softly as she watched the cobalt hair girl struggle to tend to her injury. The wound looked deep, but she said nothing as the bandit eyed her sharply. A stiff nod was all she received from the thief, signaling her to go ahead and aid the stubborn bandit. Taking out gauze and antiseptic, the honey haired woman was about to dress the wound, when the girl pulled away.

"That won't do. The lacerations are too deep. It needs to stitched first." Although she spoke calmly, Natsuki could feel herself pale at the thought of having to stitch herself again, but it had to be done, else she'll bleed to death before reaching Midori. Using her belt to apply pressure to her arm, Natsuki took out the bottle of peroxide and poured it over the wounds. Hissing at the sting, she was grateful to see the witch was being helpful as she was offered a threaded and sterilized needle.

Shizuru watched in awe as the bandit stitched herself with practiced ease. The process was no doubt painful, as red eyes watched sweat bead down the pale girl's face and neck, but it was necessary as blood continued to flow from the gaping wounds. The girl before her was definitely not just a pretty face, Shizuru mentally noted. Looking around the small cabin, Shizuru's eyes eventually wandered back to the girl before her. Still clad in only blood splattered jeans, hiking boots, and a damp black sports bra, the girl tried her best to bear though the pain. She was breathing heavy, tears were leaking out from focused jade orbs, and her face was flushed from the effort. The sight caused something to stir within Shizuru, and for reasons unknown, she wanted to help ease the girl's pain.

It was then that crimson eyes noticed the damaged imperfections on the girl's pale skin. There were large burses across the girl's shoulders from when she carried the ore the night before. Also a few faded scares along the bandit's arms and abdomen. However the scar the stood out the most, and looked the newest, was an angry red swirling pattern that started from the girl's back and reached around her left side. Leaning to the side of her chair, Shizuru tried to see where the strange scar started from.

"Hhaa~!" Natsuki sighed heavily as she reached a shaky hand out for the peroxide bottle and poured it over the partially sealed wounds. Twenty seven sutures in total--she would need more, but she couldn't stand to continue--as the lacerations practically wrapped around her forearm, and were deep-set into tissue. Gritting her teeth, and loosing the belt on her upper arm, Natsuki prepared herself for the uncomfortable prickling sensation as blood rushed back into her left arm. Despite her preparations, she still shrank back from the pins and needles sensation. Hunching over in her seat, the mechanic rested her clammy forehead atop the cool wooden table. Stitching herself back up took more effort than fighting back the rabid dogs, and she was drained.

Seeing the girl crumple before her, Shizuru stood, and winched as her ankle throbbed in protest. Nevertheless, she moved to picked up the discarded jacket from the floor. Patting off the dust, the violinist carefully stepped around the panting emerald eyed girl. What she saw caused her to freeze. There, stemming form the bandit's mid left back, was the start of the strange, angry spiral shaped scar. The unusual scar pulsed red, and seemed to grow a tiny bit with each pulse. Tearing her eyes away, Shizuru draped the windbreaker jacket over the hunched girl, disturbed at what she saw.

Gasping at the contact of the cool jacket on her fevered skin, Natsuki's eyes clamped shut. "We need to dress your wound before it gets infection." the witch's soft voice spoke from behind her. It had a calming effect on Natsuki, as she nodded absent mindedly to the soothing voice. The voice was different from the other times the enchantress spoke to her, but fighting back her growing fever, Natsuki didn't care to analyze it. Vaguely aware of the witch's cool hands on her arm, the cobalt haired girl's wounds were dressed quickly and precisely. Once finished, the sandy haired woman stood, and regarded her handy work. Looking up, Natsuki's green eyes searched the spell caster's red orbs, but she saw nothing. She wasn't sure what she expected to see, but for some reason, she felt disappointed. Perhaps she was already going into shock she reasoned.

"Thank you." the bandit said softly as she too stood. Shizuru nodded, but said nothing as she watched the younger girl shrug on the jacket and zip it up. "The other dogs will surely pick up on the smell of blood, and come running. It's not wise to stay here, but if you do, be sure to lock to door and don't come out. A rescue team will be searching this mountain, so they'll eventually find you here." the girl said tiredly as she looked around the small cottage one last time.

'Of course they'll find me here, I'm the one they're searching for.' Shizuru though as she watched the bandit turn to leave. The sight caused worry to suddenly bubble up inside of her, and against her rational mind, Shizuru wanted the bandit to stay. It was dangerous out there after all, and the girl lost a lot of blood, so she could easily be attacked by wild dogs again! "Will Bandit-han be leaving, even though she is injured?" Following the younger woman out, ruby eyes watched the girl don the hiking pack once again. "Surely the rescue team could aid you." The pulsing red scar flashed in Shizuru's mind, and she knew without a doubt, that wound was not normal. Perhaps the girl's fear of being curse by a mountain witch was valid after all? The realization made Shizuru feel sick as she had heartlessly exploited the girl's sensitive fear, however it was already done, and now she would never get the chance to make it up.

Securing the straps along her hips and chest, Natsuki gave the witch a crooked half smile. The witch was being insane if she though Natsuki would stay, even though a part of her want to. If only to make sure the honey haired woman wouldn't run into any more wild dogs, but she couldn't. Shaking the lightheadedness a way, emerald eyes swept over the carnage that occurred indifferently. She had already lost a lot of time, and no doubt the search party would be closing in on their location. "They will do more harm to me than help." was all she said as she started walking away from the witch. "Goodbye, Maho-"

"-Shizuru." the violinist cut the bandit off. Pausing, the emerald eyed girl turned to look at the witch, bewildered. "My name is Shizuru." Shizuru repeated as she stepped closer to the girl. At first she had no intention of telling the bandit her name, but after everything, she felt she needed to. The girl had been nothing but kind and accommodating to her--a complete stranger--which was more than she could say for own behavior. Although she already knew the bandit's name, she wanted the girl to tell her. Although they may never meet again, she wanted the girl to know her name; if nothing else.

"Shizuru…" Natsuki tested the name out. It sounded familiar, but she could not place it, so she shrugged it off. "I'm Natsuki." she said as she looked at the mountain witch still standing four feet away. The sun was rising higher, and once again Natsuki was aware of the witch's enchanting eyes. However this time, emerald eyes saw something flicker within those mysterious ruby orbs, but she was unsure of it's meaning. Whatever it was, it was not malicious, and for that, Natsuki sighed in relief. Nodding to Shizuru, she turned to leave. "Goodbye, Shizuru."

"Goodbye, Natsuki." Shizuru said softly as she watched the girl walk away.

AN: I'm sorry if the scene of Natsuki and Shizuru fighting the pack of wild dogs was not properly described. I'm rather horrible at writing fighting scenes, even though I love the action, it always seems to play out better in my mind. D: Bah! This is where drawing is far more enjoyable than writing out a scene. Anyways thanks for reading! See you next update.

Take care,

-Jyuami