The dragon bursts through the door, rushing to the snake and tearing the unburned clothing from his shaking hands.

"What are you doing, Aaya?" he demands, as the sound of breaking glass fills the air and he brings fourth the fire extinguisher.

Ayame falls to the floor, where the waxed floorboards have begun to melt. He cringes as the hot wax scorns his skin, but presses to it all the same. Hatori extinguishes the flames and lifts Ayame into his arms, taking him out to the street outside. He whips his cell phone out and dials the fire department.

Meanwhile, Aaya stares straight ahead, eyes wide, saying nothing. Hatori hangs up and sits beside him, concerned.

"Why... why would you do that, Aaya?" he asks gently. More hot tears fall from the snake's eyes.

"I... am worthless. That's what Akito told me... worthless... stop creating my foolish costumes, he said. Spend all your time thinking about every wasted minute of your life, he said. He told me to burn them. Burn them all..." his voice horribly breaks, and so does the dragon's heart.

"When was this?"

"L-last night... while you were gone..."

"Then it was a dream."

Ayame shakes his head. "It couldn't have been... I heard him screaming... I felt him strike me..."

Hatori, being very out of character, pulls his best friend into his arms.

"Tell me, Ha'ri... what really happened to Shigure?"

Hatori's eyes brim with tears and he tries to hold them back. "Dead. Suicide."

Ayame ommits a gut-wrenching chorus of sobs. Hatori embraces him tighter.

"Letter opener to the wrists..." he sayd numbly.

"Why? Why? WHY?" the snake wretchedly shrieks. "Why?"

"I... I don't know why." Hatori says, stroking what was left of Ayame's silver hair. "But I will tell you one thing. Akito has gone too far."