The Clouds Will Part Part VII: An Unlikely Partnership
The rain clanked down hard on the grass, as the trees swayed in anticipation. Lightning illuminated the sky and captured the young, chestnut-haired girl climbing up a hill. She slipped to her knees, but continued to grab hold of the ground and edge forward. A mixture of sweat and rain dripped down her forehead, as her sapphire eyes remained bright with determination. The young girl picked herself up and looked all around her. She held out her arms and closed her eyes, as the rain continued to come down on her. Hitomi let out a piercing scream that could wake the dead…
Ayane opened her eyes, as an immediate expression of confusion and fear darkened her pale face. She slowly inhaled and took a deep breath, trying to erase the dream from her guilt-filled mind. Ayane ran her fingers through her gleaming, lilac hair and let out a yawn. She decided to fall back asleep and release all of her worries and fears…
Meanwhile, back at the dojo
A shadow crept over Hitomi's angelic face, as she remained asleep in her coma. A clap of thunder echoed in the distance, as if to signal her awakening. Hitomi's eyelids fluttered and her small, delicate hand trembled slightly. The thunder cracked once again and Hitomi's eyes opened wide. Her body shivered and her mouth felt dry. Hitomi attempted to sit up, but a spell of dizziness held her back.
"Ein," Hitomi whispered in fear…
Meanwhile
Ayane awoke for the second time, as a feeling of warmth melted her heart. She touched her soft lips with her fingertips and imagined Hayate next to her. Ayane knew that some part of him must have remembered her. Even when he had been trying to choke the life out of her, Ayane felt the connection. "Is it so wrong that I liked it when he hurt me?" Ayane asked herself. She traced her fingers down her neck and tried to remember Hayate's strong hands wrapped around her delicate throat. Ayane's cravings for Hayate began to overtake her, as she closed her eyes and lost herself in this trance…
A shadow appeared before her, which snapped Ayane back to reality. She immediately reached for her dagger and opened her blazing eyes. Hitomi stood before her with her lips quivering and her arms crossed. Ayane rubbed her eyes and tried to force the image out of her head, until she realized that this was no dream. Ayane's mind raced with different scenarios: "Has Hitomi come to take revenge on me?" she frantically asked herself. The day that Ayane watched Hitomi fall to the ground haunted her at every waking moment. Ayane stared at Hitomi and noticed that her cheery glow had faded from her face. Hitomi's ruby lips had lost their hue and dark circles surfaced under her eyes. Her bright blue eyes reflected only a hint of a spark. Ayane was at a loss for words, as the dagger dropped from her hand. She waited impatiently for Hitomi to say something…
"I know that you did not mean for this to happen and now I need your help to find Ein," Hitomi stammered.
Ayane's eyes narrowed, as she attempted to read the expression on Hitomi's face. Part of her wanted to free herself from this overwhelming guilt, but the other side of her wanted to go find Hayate for herself.
"You mean Hayate," Ayane muttered.
Hitomi glanced at the ground and let out a small sigh. Ayane rolled her eyes and stood up. She gestured for Hitomi to follow her, as she detected a rosy glow start to form in Hitomi's sallow cheeks. "She is like a little puppy dog, lost without her master," Ayane thought to herself with a smirk. She turned around and flashed a crooked smile at Hitomi, as they set out to find the man of their dreams. Ayane felt torn in this situation, as her conscience began to eat away at her icy heart. She decided to ignore her selfish desires and focus on the task at hand. The sun began to peek out in the distance and interrupted the storm that had brought these two unlikely partners together. Ayane's purple hair and dark desires clashed with Hitomi's good intentions and innocent glow, but their love for the same man kept them bound to each other…for now.
