Haiii! Chapter 4 is finally up! Crystal Cavern here! How ya guys doing? Last chapter, Rima-san told you about her boring days. This time, Senri-kun will tell you about their meeting with Hanabusa-kun! Anyway, I can't force anybody, but if you have time, please review! I know many authors, myself included, who practically live off the feedback. No reviews mean lower quality work. So please review! The reviews are like motivation to us!

Oh, and… I love the ending to this chapter! If you also liked this chapter, PLEASE review! Arigatou gozaimasu!

~Crystal Cavern

Pocky Stix

~Senri Shiki~

Chapter 4: The Meeting in a Candy Shop

I woke up this morning only to find that my pocky was gone. Hmmm… Where did I put it?

It's Saturday. Rima and I went met up again. I was more bored than usual today and I didn't have anything to do. I was leaning against the wall outside her room and waited for her. When she came out, we left, heading nowhere.

I found her leading me back to the Park, the same one that we were in a week ago. The one that that level E was in. I leaned against a tree, doing nothing in particular. The Park was empty. There was nobody there. My mind was blank. Perfect match.

Rima looked at me. Without any intention, I said, "What am I to you?" If she was shocked, she didn't show it.

She looked back, her eyes bright in the sunlight. "My best friend." She took out a pack of pocky and opened it.

I didn't say anything, I just thought. I was sure about one thing. Rima was important to me. I don't think I'm trash to her, but I needed to know if she had feelings for me or not. I could just throw away this stupid idea, but the truth will set me free. I think.

Rima nibbled her pocky, and looked away. She spoke. "I'm running out of pocky."

"Hmmmm…" I said amused. Rima never lied. I knew I could trust her, but… There was so much pocky sticks left yesterday! How much did she eat? I decided to ask her. "How much did you eat yesterday?"

She turned her head away, like some guilty child. I could tell she was hesitating.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Rima." I said.

"Shiki…" She squeaked. Rima clenched her fists, sat down, and faced me. Her facial expression was like a child's –soft and teary. I knew that face. Oh no. Something's wrong. She only made that face when she felt guilty.

"What is it, Rima?"

"I'm sorry." Sorry? For what? She looked back down again. "Senri, I'm sorry for taking your pocky…"

So she took it…

"Don't be mad at me…" She whispered. Oh… So she finished her's and took mine. What a sneaky girl.

I wasn't mad. I walked closer to her, closing the space between us. "Apology accepted." I said.

Rima looked at me. "Thanks." I noticed that her eyes were red. A deep, dark red.

Then it was awkward silence for a while. Rima didn't seem to mind it, but it was killing me. I couldn't take it. I haven't had a pocky stick for a while. Hmmm… I wanted one, but not Rima's. She just showed emotion, and I was going to reward her for that. She could keep her pocky. I remembered her dark red, blood-shot eyes, and realized what she needed. "Rima…" I said. "Are you thirsty?"

"A little." She responded.

The next part was very hard for me to do. I summoned up all my courage and took a breath. "You can have mine, if you want…"

She gazed at me, her eyes red and full of gratitude. She stood up and took my hand and bit my wrist. I felt a soft pain as Rima's fangs slid into my veins. It didn't hurt that much. For Rima I would do anything.

She stopped sucking and used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. "Thanks Senri…"

I nodded… Now Rima was fine, but what about me? I was still pockyless. For the second time that day, I summoned all my courage. "Rima, do you want to go to that corner store again? We could get some more pocky."

"Ok." And that was that. Not so hard, was it, Senri? I thought to myself.

Rima led the way. I followed her. We didn't speak at all during the walk. It was pleasant.

When we got to the corner store, I sensed another vampire's presence nearby. Apparently Rima did too, since we both looked to our right, towards the unknown vampire. Level B, like us.

This was going to be fun. "There's a vampire here, Rima." I said.

Rima replied. "I know."

Instead of entering the store, I walked towards the aura.

"Senri…" Rima said.

I didn't reply. I continued walking. Rima stayed where she was, but she was watching.

I looked at the sign. "Sweet Factory." A candy store… Inside there was a vampire. I peered through the glass and saw him. He had wavy-ish hair and blue eyes. He didn't seem to notice me.

I watched him sample a few different types of chocolates. "Hmmm!" He said. "This is really good!" He put on a chibi grin, got a bag, and dumped eight large scoopfuls of chocolate in it. The bag was going to burst. He put that on the counter next to seven more bags of chocolate.

"That's a lot." Rima said. I didn't notice her walk up to me. "Can he eat it all?"

"I dunno." I replied. "It seems like he can."

Rima looked inside one more time and walked in the store. Before she closed the door, she said, "I see pocky sticks." Come on! Wait for me! I thought, but I didn't show it. I just blinked and walked in after her.

The inside was dimmer than I had expected, and the working ladies were all wearing maid costumes and crowded around the other vampire.

"Why don't you try some of this?" One said, with a happy smile.

"No! This one's better!" Said another.

"Aidou-kun! How about this?" The third chanted as she pointed to a darker variety of chocolate.

Aidou… I think I know that name…

"Sure!" Aidou-kun said. "I'll try them all!" he said, his smile filling up most of his face.

Rima, on the other hand, got a bag and filled it with pocky sticks. I leaned against the wall. I then noticed that she had already filled up five bags. She put them on the side.

Aidou-kun, on the other hand, had already filled up twelve. I noticed that Rima glanced at Aidou-kun, and went back to filling up her bags with pocky, this time double the speed.

Hmmm…

Aidou-kun glanced at Rima and also filled up with renewed energy.

The candy ladies, the customers, and I all stepped back to watch.

We looked left. Rima had fifteen bags.

We looked right. Aidou had seventeen.

Left, Rima had twenty.

Right, Aidou-kun had twenty-three.

Left, thirty.

Right, thirty-two.

We all had sweat drops and a dumbfounded look. The candy ladies' jaws were practically on the floor. I tried not to show any expression, but I'm not sure if it worked or not. They continued.

Left, thirty-six.

Right, forty-five.

Left, sixty.

Right, sixty.

Both of them reached for the last bag. They froze. I swear I saw lightening shoot from their eyes and clash in the middle.

A little boy walked up to them. Neither Rima's or Aidou-kun's gaze wavered. I don't think they noticed them. The boy took the last bag, walked away, and filled it up with gummy bears.

Aidou-kun and Rima watched as he did so. The boy paid the cashier and left.

The rest of us stood, still enthralled, the sweat drops still there.