Chapter 4

Blind Sight

"Hello?" Shinobu called out, but the halls of the Hinata House only replied with an echo of her own voice. She sighed, "Where is everybody?" she walked opened up Keitaro's room, seeing books and papers on his desk, but he himself was nowhere to be found. "I thought Sempai came back from his trip already…" Shinobu thought to herself. She felt a cold wind blow and she began to shiver, "Wh-what the…" Shinobu began to hear faint crying coming from a few doors down. "Is someone there?" Shinobu said leaning back from the door she was standing in. The only sound she heard was the soft weeps of the voice. She closed the door to the room she was in and walked forward, "Hello?" She walked quickened her pace a bit and the weeping grew louder. She turned a corner and she was in the hall that led to her room and her door was partially open. The crying continued as Shinobu began to shake, "I…is someone there…?" She cautiously walked to her door and peeked her head in through the opening. She saw a woman crying on the ground near her jewelry box, her forehead against the box with her hair covering any part of her face. "M-miss…?" She bent over to touch her shoulder, when suddenly the woman's arm shot up and grabbed Shinobu by the wrist. Shinobu screamed and tried to pull her arm back but the woman's grip was too tight,

The woman raised her head and Shinobu screamed louder. Her skin seemed to sag off her face as if she was melting, pulling all her features down. The sagging skin began to, also, drag her eyeballs out of their sockets as a gush of tears fell from behind them. Her skull and jaw began to be exposed and her voice was deafening as she spoke, "You will give it to me!" Shinobu couldn't reply; her voice failed her as she tried to ask what the woman was talking about. The woman grabbed Shinobu's arm with her other hand and screamed even louder, "Where is it?! You will give it to me!" Shinobu felt something press against her forearm as the woman grabbed her and she noticed something black in her hand.

Shinobu tried even harder to pull away, and screamed louder, "Help me! Someone!"

The woman began to stand, "Tell me where it is!" Her voice began to sound like a broken record and it vibrated. The woman stood up and lunged at Shinobu her skull, now, fully visible and what had used to be her face was now dangling from her jawbone. Shinobu took a step back but tripped and as the woman was about to land on top of Shinobu…

* * * * * * *

Shinobu woke up in her bed with a start, "Where am I?" She thought to herself, she looked around and saw she was in her room. She winced in pain and she felt the slight bump on her head where she had fallen, "Oh… I remember now." She sighed, remembering her sweater and fell back down on her pillow. She felt her black pendant fall to the side of her neck and she picked it up, playing with it in her fingers. She sighed again and closed her eyes.

"SHINOBU!" a voiced yelled and she, again, jumped out of bed, Naru slammed the doors open and saw Shinobu staring at her dumbfounded, "What are you still doing in bed?!" Shinobu still looked confused, "It's almost nine! You're going to be late for school if you don't leave now!"

"What?!" Shinobu looked at her clock as it blinked at her the time: 8:45. She screamed in shock, "How long was I out?!" She jumped from her bed and threw on her clothes, grabbing her books as she put on her shoes she dashed out the door, "Bye everyone!" she managed to scream as she raced down the steps. She began to breathe heavily and as she turned the corner, she saw the cable car to Tokyo U and she began to tear up, "No! Wait for me!" She began to slow down as she saw her attempts to catch the car were failing her. She stopped and took huge breaths, "No…" Her tears began to start when suddenly she felt someone grab her from behind,

Shinobu turned around in shock, but before she could say anything she looked up and saw a familiar face, "Shinobu!" it was Saygun. He was dressed in a buttoned up shirt, slacks, and shoes that were bright white and gleamed in the sun.

"O-oh! Saygun, you startled me." She sighed but looked up as his hand brushed against her cheek,

"What's with the tears, hmm?" He smiled at her, "Gonna be late?" She had a look of disappointment and lowered her head, nodding yes. Saygun laughed, "Hey, hey! Don't get sad! I was just walking to my car, why don't I give you a ride."

"R-really?!" Shinobu asked her face gleaming with hope,

"Of course, come on." Saygun and Shinobu hurried down the street and got into a nice black car.

They began to drive and Shinobu began to blush, "This is the first time a guy has ever offered me a ride before."Shinobu thought, excited, "Saygun?"

"Yes?" Saygun replied,

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you live around here? I mean, since your car is down here and all."

"Somewhat." Saygun laughed, "All my roommates have cars so the parking around my apartment is full. The area around my apartment is always so busy so parking on the curb never appealed to me, so I thought I'd park down here, have a nice walk in the morning before going to school."

Shinobu smiled, "Wow that's really smart!"

Saygun smiled, "Nah, not really, but lucky for you I park down here huh?" Saygun laughed,

Shinobu laughed as well, shyly, "Yeah…" She began to blush and slapped her forehead with an open palm, "What the hell was that Shinobu?! 'Wow that's really smart'?! I sound like a retard!"

"Something wrong?" Saygun asked, smiling with his white teeth that complemented his white attire,

"N-no, nothing!" Shinobu answered quickly and they drove the rest of the way in silence.

When they reached the university Saygun pulled up to the drop-off zone, "I figured you should head to class first, instead of waiting for me to find parking."

Shinobu nodded, "Okay, thank you again Saygun." She smiled and began to get out of the car,

"Shinobu?" Saygun called to her as she closed the door.

Shinobu looked through the window of the passenger's side and smiled, "Yes?"

"Hey I really liked driving with you today, maybe we should do it a bit more often." He smiled and Shinobu began to blush madly,

"O-okay! Sure!"

Saygun's smile grew bigger, "Alright, I'll see you at lunch then right?"

"A-alright!" She smiled and he waved goodbye as he drove away. Shinobu began walking away, but kept an eye on where Saygun's car was. As soon as it was out of sight she jumped in the air and cheered, "YAY!" She danced throughout the halls to her class and gracefully sat in her seat with a smiling. Nothing could possibly ruin her day now.

* * * * * * *

(Later that day, at the Hinata House)

Shinobu gleefully skipped up the concrete stairs to the Hinata House smiling. She stepped in through the door and took her shoes off and energetically shouted, "I'm home!" She smiled and listened, waiting for a response. There was none. Her heart began to slowly race and checked around, "Is anyone home?" She looked through the kitchen and out by the hot springs, but there seemed to be no sign of anyone. She her began to become paranoid, "I guess I can start cooking dinner a bit early..." her voice trailed off as she hurried to her room to change, when she noticed that the door to Masuda's room was open. She walked cautiously to the door and peered inside, there was no one there however. Her tension eased and she was about to head to her room when something caught her on Masuda's bed. "Hey… isn't that…" her voice was almost a whisper but she didn't need to finish the rest of the sentence. On Masuda's bed was the sweater that was cut the day before, except it was sown perfectly; Shinobu rushed to the sweater and picked it up. She looked and looked but couldn't even find where the cut had previously been, "This… looks amazing!" Shinobu smiled but it quickly faded as she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned around, scared, and saw Masuda, with a white rag around his hands; he was wearing his brown cloak, concealing his face. "Who's there?" He asked,

Shinobu let out a breath of relief, "It's just Masuda…" She smiled, "It's Shinobu."

Masuda paused, as if thinking, and his head slightly moved up, as if suddenly remembering, "Ah! Shinobu, I'm glad you're here. I've finished patching up your sweater." He walked forward, moved around the coffee table in the middle of the room and found his way to his bed, where he sat down.

"Th-thank you very much Mr. Kanashiro, you really didn't have…"

"It was no problem Shinobu," Masuda replied, cutting her off, "and please, call me Masuda."

Shinobu was about to reply in response but she caught a glimpse at the white rag he was holding and saw that it was covered in small blotches of blood. "Oh! Are you bleeding?!" She cried out, placing the jacket to the ground and kneeling near him, grabbing his hands,

Masuda laughed, "Just a bit. I'll tell you, sewing up my cloak is a lot easier then sewing something I've never seen. Tell me, does it look good?"

Shinobu grabbed the white rag and tossed it aside, she saw his hands were pricked and in all different ways and she sighed, "It looks wonderful, really. Let me get you some band aids."

"I'm glad you like it." Shinobu got up and hurried to her room, returning shortly with a small box of band aids, "What are band aids, Shinobu?"

"Huh?" Shinobu asked, confused, then she remembered, "Oh yeah, I guess he never used a band aid in that temple before." She smiled at him, pulling out band aids from the box, "Band aids are like little bands you place around a wound that helps it heal."

She placed a band aid on his hand and he recoiled, "Why does it feel that way?"

"You mean sticky?" She asked,

"Yes. Why?"

"It's to hold the band aid in place without having to tie it around your finger." She closed the band aid and reached for another one. There was silence for a bit as Shinobu placed the rest of the band aids on.

"Thank you Shinobu." Masuda said as she finished the last band aid.

She laughed, "There's no need to thank me Masuda. I should be thanking you for fixing my sweater."

"If it wasn't for me your sweater wouldn't need to be fixed in the first place." He sighed,

"Hey, cheer up!" Shinobu encouraged, "There was no harm done so you don't have to worry about it alright?" She smiled at him, forgetting he was unable to see it. He pulled off his hood and returned with a smile. Shinobu began to blush but shook it off quickly, "What's happening to me?" She got up and walked backwards towards the door, "I'm gonna go make dinner now…" her voice trailed off slowly.

Masuda stood up, "Wait! Watch out for the…" Shinobu screamed as she backed into the coffee table in the middle of the room and stumbled over it. Right before she hit the ground, she felt an arm grab her by the upper back. She opened her eyes and looked up, her eyes met with Masuda's white rag that was over his own eyes. His body was pressed up against hers; his other arm placed on the ground to help support their balance. Masuda felt Shinobu's breath move softly across his cheeks as he held her. They both blushed, Shinobu more than Masuda and both of their mouths were ajar and silent.

Shinobu's arms were pressed in between her chest and Masuda's, and her heart began to pound. "Wh…what's happening…? Why do I feel this way…?" Shinobu's heart began to beat faster they longer they stayed there, and though she didn't know how, she knew Masuda could hear it. She felt his heart against her arms begin to beat faster as well and soon Shinobu found herself moving closer to Masuda's lips. Masuda felt Shinobu's breath get closer and began to move in closer as well. They moved closer and closer together, Masuda now pressing his arm against Shinobu's back to push her closer. But suddenly, the pendant around Shinobu shifted and slid around the side of her neck and jingled as it reached the end of the chain. Masuda stopped and there was a moment of slight stasis. He pulled her up, along with his own body, and reached for the pendant,

"What is this?"

Shinobu, completely confused and dazed at this point began to stutter, "Well… it's.. it's just a pendant."

"I know what it is," Masuda replied, "Describe it for me!"

"Well.. it's.. well it's black, and kind of an odd shape, almost like a hexagon mixed with… a… a… a diamond?"

"What?!" Masuda stepped back, shocked, he grabbed his sword, which rested against the wall near his bed and began to tie it around his belt, "After all these years, it was with you…"

Shinobu was even more confused, "W-What are you talking about?"

"Fate drew me here for a reason! My ancestors pointed me to you for this!" He finished tying the sword around his waist and grabbed Shinobu by the shoulders, "Please tell Keitaro thank you! And I am sorry Shinobu." He grabbed the pendant and with a flick of his wrist, broke the small chain and began to rush out of the room.

"W-wait!" Shinobu cried out, "That's not the real thing!"

But it was too late, Masuda was already out the door but he suddenly stopped at the foot of the stairs. "Masuda Kanashiro!" It was Motoko and her sister, "We've come to challenge you to a duel!"

"No… not now!" Masuda cried out,

"It is only by a duel between us that will determine if you really are a descendant of the Kanashiro family!"

Masuda quickly darted to his right, only to be stopped by Kitsune and Su, "I leave for a quick banana and booze run and you're causing trouble already?" Kitsune laughed with a bag of bananas in her hand and Su carrying bottles of wine.

Masuda quickly turned and ran for the other way and he also paused, "Masuda?" It was Keitaro and Naru, "Where are you going off to?"

He quickly turned back around and Shinobu stood by the doorway, "Masuda! That's not really my pendant!"

Masuda stood confused, "Wh-what?!"

"That's a replica pendant Su made for me so I could keep the real one safe. Feel the back!"

Masuda began to feel the back and began to notice the engravings of Su's trademark the eyeball symbol. He began to tremble, "This isn't the real pendant?" he continued to feel, with both hands and his finger moved across a switch, "What the…? A switch?"

Shinobu looked confused, "Su did you add a switch on the pendant?"

"Of course!" Su replied cheerfully, "I had to add the self-destruct button somewhere!"

"Self… self destruct?" Masuda asked confused, "What does that mean…?"

Shinobu looked towards Masuda shocked, "Masuda! Throw the pendant…!"

But her voice was cut off as a giant explosion engulfed Masuda and he fell to the ground, still.

A/N: How is this chapter? The story is kind of getting into the good stuff-ish… just didn't want to rush the story so fast X]

I hope everyone enjoying the story and thank you for reading! R&R if you can!

-Q