A/N: Yea! The one week holidays are here so… I present to you another chapter of this series! And I'll be continuing my other series too during the holidays. Busy, busy.

Chapter 4

"Onee-chan, wake up please?" Umi shook Chikane hard by her shoulder, trying her vest to wake the azure girl up.

"Mmmm…" Chikane slap away the poor girl's hand and turned to the other side; ignoring her pleas.

"…Please? Pretty please? Wake up~~~~~~" the cyan hair girl begged her desperately. "Please?"

"Ugh! What is it?!" Chikane gave waiting for the girl to get tired of it and get quiet. "What's so important?!"

Umi pointed nervously in the direction of her futon. There was a quite large spot in the middle of it. "That… I'm sorry. I had a nightmare and…" the little girl apologized sincerely, her face also red in embarrassment at the same time.

"Forget about it. Hurry up and get to the bathroom, I'll rush out to get you some temporary clothes. My clothes don't suit you and we'll need to go out later." Chikane calmly settled the situation as she rose unstably from her futon, ruffling her hair a little in the process. She went to her closet, searched a little and got her change of clothes.

"I'm really sorry." The girl apologized once again; her head down in a half bow, hoping that Chikane wasn't angry with her for what she had just done.

"Whatever." Chikane sounded like she didn't care. All she cared for was to finish this draggy and troublesome matter with the little girl and get her good night rest again. No-no. Maybe not really a good night's rest but a good afternoon nap after taking care of everything for the little girl.

Chikane finished changing out of her pajamas and she was on her way to the door when she heard a loud growling sound.

"Ehehe." The little girl sheepishly rubbed her stomach as she smiled. "Seems like I'm hungry."

Chikane didn't give the little girl a glance and just answered, "I'll get you some food on the way." She left right after saying her last sentence.

"I'm back. Are you done with your bath?" The azure girl shouted form the living room, as she went to the coffee table to place her shopping bags and relieve her muscles from the dreadful weight of them.

Umi came running out from the bathroom, naked. This made Chikane gape a little. "Yes!" she exclaimed energetically.

"Ugh… learn to act a little more graceful and know some shame, will you!" She rubbed her temples as she lectured.

"But we're both girls, aren't we?" the little girl shot her a little mischievous look as she purposely raise an eyebrow.

The sentence made Chikane go silent, unable to counter the little genius any further.

"Hurry and get changed. I'll get the table laid." She shot the nine year old a short and piercing look before she turned her back, ready to enter the kitchen and get the food ready on plates.

A few minutes later, Umi came running out to the living room, fully dressed, her hair still a little messy and wet.

"Comb your hair." Chikane had already laid the table and was waiting at her seat patiently.

"But there's no comb." The little girl replied as she climbed up the chair to take her seat. "Phew!" she gave a sighed of relief after settling herself comfortably on the chair.

Chikane rose from her chair when the girl settled down and disappeared into her room.

"Here." She returned with a comb in her hand. "Do it yourself."

"But it hurts."

Chikane couldn't help but twitch a little at the girl's stubbornness. "Stop complaining or you're out of here!" she snapped, her eyes wide open, sending the girl a chill down her spine.

The nine year old shot her her trademark puppy eyes and made the older girl sigh in distress.

"Fine. Stay still for a minute, I'll get you done in a minute or so." She gently started to comb the little's hair, little by little. Her touch was really gentle and motherly. This made the little girl think to herself 'She's actually kind on the inside, so why hide her kindness?'

'This kid is driving me crazy!' Chikane thought at the same time. 'Everything she does and says opposes me totally! And she really annoys me somehow, with that pitiful face of hers.' The bad thoughts of that had been suppressed all long came rushing into her mind that very moment. 'Thank that she can gain others pity with that look of hers? No way. Humans are the most selfish and cruel race. They won't ever help you when you need the most help. All they do is give excuses, abandoning you and leaving you all alone. To suffer endlessly by yourself.' Subconsciously, she clenched her fists tightly on the girl's head.

"Ouch." The little girl moaned. "Onee-chan, it hurts."

The moaning of the girl in pain brought her back to reality "Ah… Sorry." She apologized not really sincere about it as her thoughts started to her away from reality again.

Suddenly, another voice was heard nearby. "Just accept it already." Chikane turned her head in the direction of the door. There she was; standing by the widely open wooden door of the run-down apartment, the other Shinigami, Makoto. Chikane shot her a cold glare, one that was also filled with killing intent.

"Come on, there's nothing wrong accepting the little girl's way of life, is there?" the brunette slipped into her house, appearing in front of the nine year-old a second later. "Hey there kid, want some candies?" she offered.

Umi immediately shot up from the wooden chair, almost pushing it and hitting the older girl behind her. But that didn't matter. After all, a Shinigami would not get hurt just because of something so insignificant. "Yes!" she stretched her palms out together, pushing them in the direction of Makoto's face.

The little girl made the brunette smile genuinely; her heart felt warmth from watching the pure, innocent little girl act honestly by her instincts. "Here." She placed some candies on the tiny palms, closing them softly with her gentle touch. She ruffled the nine year-old's head, making Chikane's previous efforts go down the drain.

Makoto stood up after the child ran to the couch and sat down, greedily munching down the candies she was just given despite not having her breakfast taken just yet. "You're one stubborn adult." She shrugged her shoulders before she continued. "I just don't get how you can be so hard headed. See? Even that kid knows that it's important to be honest." The brunette pointed, lecturing the azure girl with a superior tone.

"… Don't get full of yourself. I didn't allow you to enter but you entered. So you better not forget that you're in my territory now." Chikane threatened; her eyes full of killing intent now. She was really insulted by those words the brunette just said.

Makoto ignored the chilly atmosphere and the intense glare she was given. "Ahh… Before I forget, I saw someone pace up and down just below your apartment." This made the azure girl raise an eyebrow, her look turning curious. "Hmmm… Her hair colour's similar to mine though she has long hair. And she looks really gentle and kind. However, she seemed to be having trouble deciding whether or not to come up here. Is she someone you know?"

Chikane gave a 'tsk' before she shouted, her anger meter rising by the second. "Get her away from here!"

"Ho-ho? Is that how you ask for a favour?" she teased.

"You better not test my patience. Just seeing you is making me really want to give you a good beating for what you've done to me." Her fists were really tightly clenched, her fingernails probably already embedded deep in her palm's thin skin.

"Heh. Sorry to say but I'm not afraid of your threatening. I was just kind enough to let you know something and this is what I get? Fine then. I'll take you on." She got ready her battle stance, her weapon materializing.

"Stop!" the little girl who was sitting at the couch not long ago, now appeared between the two older girls. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Quarreling is bad!"

Chikane brought her cold gaze towards the nine year-old and this made her anger rise increasingly. "Don't interfere kid. Or you'll regret it." Blood was covering her fists, almost staining her clothes.

"Stop!" the little girl shouted again, her voice echoing the whole room and the windows were shaking.

"Huh?" Makoto blinked, slightly surprised at the power of her voice. "Impossible, could it be that this kid's not normal either?!"

"Keh. Damn it. How troublesome. I've got my hands full get taking care of myself and now that kid's a problem child? No kidding, get her out of here." Chikane's stern voice made the nine year-old and Makoto shiver a little; she's serious. "I don't care if you're going to throw her on the streets or what so ever. Get her out of my sight." The moment she finished her sentence, the windows that were quivering seconds ago shattered into pieces of fragments scattered all over the floor.

Makoto kept her weapon and got ready to suppress the little girl's power with her incantations as Chikane just stood still, her eyes currently closed. "At least help out a little, it's your house, not mine. I'm sure you'll be troubled if you're left with nowhere to go."

The azure girl gave a sigh before she released her tight fists, letting wound close up. It seemed like she had calm down, but that was not really true as the atmosphere around her didn't feel right. "Pin her down, I'll do the incantation." She ordered the brunette and slipped her hand into one of her pockets, taking out a choker.

"You're gonna use that?" the brunette turned to her, her eyes in disbelief. "I thought you really treasured that?"

Chikane ignored the brunette as she kneeled down to the wooden floor, her hands on the little girl's neck. "This may hurt a little but endure it for now." Right as she spoke certain foreign words and repeated them for the third time, the choker floated into the air for a few seconds before a bright blinding light came, enveloping the whole house.

"…You really overdid it. Saying it once was fine and you repeated it three times! Are you trying to kill the kid?!" Makoto glared at the azure girl, her arms wrapped around the currently unconscious child gently.

"Shut it. I had no choice. Her power is still developing and if we place a weak seal, she will overcome it soon or later." Chikane rose from her position, walking towards the big mess the unconscious child had made moments ago. She snapped her fingers two and the mess and cleared up. "It's better this way." The last sentence wasn't meant to be heard by anyone but her though the brunette was close enough to hear it.

"You're really not honest." She shook her head. "Learn from that kid and I'm sure you'll return to being the old you that you were years ago." Makoto brushed off the dust collected on her clothes and headed to the exit. "And about years ago, you're definitely misunderstanding something. I won't blame you for not remembering anything but I assure you that it's better for you to find the truth." Makoto said in a soft voice, hoping that her words would calm the azure girl's anger. "That girl," she paused as she walking to the railings outside the apartment to take a peek downstairs. "She's seems keen to help you from your misery. So, just accept that help already. It's painful for me to see you, who was once my best friend, in this current state."

"What do you know about me? You left me alone when I was suffering. You took all the glory for yourself and disappeared suddenly."

"Of course I know a lot about you. And that's really a misunderstanding. You'll know sooner or later if you seek the truth." Makoto finished off before closing the door behind her.

A/N: Another chapter done I guess? The next chapter is under thinking progress. Lol. I'm not joking. I think of how the plot should progress as the story goes on. Don't blame my incompetent mind and enjoy reading the next chapters too.