It took a matter of two days for the swelling to heal, and another two days for the bruising to completely disappear. In total, that was four days. During the whole four days, Waka had surprisingly left her along, occasionally coming in to check on her, but that was about it. He left her alone, and oddly, that was the thing that felt wrong. It was driving her nuts.

"This is your fault," Louna muttered, staring at her mask. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this!" Call her crazy to be scolding her mask, but anyone who wasn't an Oina wouldn't know why she was. It was the mask's fault she felt the way she was feeling. If it was only at her side when she needed it… "Or," Louna mumbled to herself, sinking back into her pillows. "Maybe this whole situation really is my fault after all." Louna had done a lot of thinking over the past four days, it was really all she had to do. Waka didn't like seeing her limp around the palace, being careful not to force too much weight onto her foot. He pretty much forbid her from leaving her room.

Louna turned her head to the side, looking out of the window. When she thought about everything that started to happen to her, she could only say that she had been looking for something to blame. It was hard for Louna to convince and admit to herself that she really was the cause to blame. It was just one of the many challenging steps she had to take, and she knew many more would come.

"Louna?"

Louna, without thinking, turned her head to her door to see Waka stepping through. He stared at her blankly for a moment before quickly glancing away. Louna blinked her eyes, wondering what the problem was.

"You're not wearing your mask," Waka stated, pointing down to the half-mask in Louna's visible hand.

Louna nearly groaned, throwing the silly object to the floor on the side of her bed. "What does it matter anymore? If it happens, it happens…" she said, most speaking to herself and causing Waka to glance back at her with evident surprise. Louna stared at him flatly, not having to use the phrase "what do you want" for him to speak.

"I was coming to check on your ankle," he started, leaving the door opened as he walked to her bed. "If it is completely healed like I've heard, then I thought we could resume your training."

She should have known. Louna started to open her mouth to protest, causing Waka to grow a frown, but she quickly closed it. He was trying to do what he thought was right for her, and Louna knew she really was just making things more complicated. He deserved a break of some sort, even if that meant doing what he wanted her to do. "Fine," Louna said lightly, glancing back to the window. "Dodging again?"

Waka seemed a little surprise. She could tell by how fast he responded to her. He actually took a moment, and when he did speak, she could hear the suspicion in his tone. "Yes," Waka said, nodding his head. "You don't mind?" he asked.

"No," Louna answered. It was half the truth, anyway. She didn't mind partly. "If it has to be done, it has to be done. Besides, you'd probably find some sort of clever way to get me to train without realizing it."

Waka chuckled, sitting down at the edge of her bed and starting to unwrap her bandage ankle. "Well, since it's taking this long I'd like to say I wouldn't, but most likely I would. There's no denying that. Are you sure it doesn't hurt?" he asked, glancing back up at her with a smile. Louna could feel the cool shiver that ran through the both of them whenever they came into skin to skin contact, and it caused the both of them to stare at one another for brief moment.

Louna quickly nodded her head, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Yeah," she muttered. "I'm sure. It's just fine, see for yourself." Louna moved her foot, more of a desperate attempt to end the silence between them. It seemed to work. Waka's eyes wandered to her foot, his smile returning to his lips.

"Good, we'll resume your training in a bit. But, for the time being Louna, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?" Waka asked, shifting his emerald gaze back up to her. Louna tilted her head to the side a little, and his smile tugged a little more. She wasn't sure why.

"What kind of questions?" Louna asked.

"Questions concerning your past… That is, only if you don't mind speaking about it," Waka said, speaking almost in a rush in the end. She guessed he didn't want to offend her, or get her angry, or anything. She honestly didn't mind. This was her opportunity to tell him why she was the way she was; reluctant, and occasionally rude, and stubborn, and there was probably so many other things she could use to describe herself at this time. Louna glanced away, a pit of unease settling in her stomach. "Hey," Waka said, tilting his head to the side. "What's wrong, ma cherie?"

Louna quickly shook her head. "Nothing," she said quickly, bringing her attention back up to Waka. "Um, yes… Feel free to ask what you want."

A look of surprise flitted across Waka's face for a moment, but it didn't phase Louna. She guess that was to be expected. He was probably thinking she was going to deny his request, and of course he probably would have found some other way to get it out of her. Louna found herself faintly smiling at the thought. Waka cleared his throat.

"When did you stop believing in Amaterasu and her children?" Waka asked her, seeming to grow just a little awkward.

"Four years ago," Louna started, glancing to the window for a brief moment. "When I was sixteen, my father was attacked, supposedly, by either monsters or a thief. In the process, he was killed. I lost just about most of my faith in the gods, but not completely."

"Ah," Waka said, nodding his head as if he fully understood her pain. It peeved her just a little, but not enough to speak or get emotional about. "I'm sorry to hear. But you make it seem as if you had just a little faith left over…?"

Of course he would be curious to hear about that part. Louna chuckled for a second, rolling her eyes in the process. "Just a little, and that vanished when I was became eighteen. The volcanoes near my village erupted furiously, and in the process not everyone was able to escape safely, my mother being one. It was only me and Milly, and I was so angry." Louna clutched her bed sheets, holding back the tears that came to her eyes every time she thought about it. "I thought the gods would be able to control events such as life and death. I thought they took away my parents on purpose, and left me and Milly alone. I didn't have anything to fall back on, and I needed something to blame." Louna closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath of air and calming down the anger suddenly boiling inside of her.

Waka was at her side in seconds, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pushing her head to his neck. He seemed to have no intentions besides calming her, making her feel comfortable, so Louna allowed him. "Tell me about your sister," Waka said. "What about her?"

"Milly," Louna felt a small, involuntary smile pull at her lips. "Milly was always faithful. She didn't want to stop believing like I did, and I didn't force her. I wouldn't push my views and opinions on to her. She never grew a grudge like I did. She never became as bitter on the inside like I did. She never felt… so much hatred… like I did…" Hot tears were forcing their way past her eyelids and down her cheeks. Louna struggled to prevent her voice from breaking, from showing any signs of her emotions, for crying for possibly the second or third time in front of Waka, but she just couldn't hold them back.

"There, there, ma cherie. Everything is going to be fine." Waka lifted up a hand, and used the sleeve of his robe to wipe her tears with. He lifted her chin, holding her face up so they could have eye contact. It made her feel like a child again, being comforted by her father when she was upset. She missed that feeling so much, and Waka was giving it to her. "See? Your tears have already stopped," he said with a bright smile. "Now, I don't want to stray from the subject, so please forgive me, but you still feel that way?" he asked her.

Louna nearly sighed, pushing his hand away from her chin and glancing down at the space between them on her bed. "Yes," she answered simply. "I do. I honestly don't think that I'll ever believe in Amaterasu the same way I ever believed in her before, not when I've been holding so much hatred inside of me like that."

Waka tilted his head to the side. "But is there a chance you'll believe in her ever again?" he asked.

"Perhaps," Louna replied. "You never know what might happen."

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear." Waka chuckled. "Now, you might want to put your mask back on. We're going to resume your training."

Waka's arm slipped from her shoulders, and he rose from her bed. Without glancing back at her, he left her room. Louna sighed, laying down on her side for a moment. She had to figure out what she was going to do, or else she would get no where. She closed her eyes, planning on catching up with Waka in a few seconds. Well… at least her ankle was better.

A/N: Muwhaha. The end of the chapter, hope it was okay at the very least. :]

Oh, and has anyone noticed Waka's speech? I slipped in 'ma cherie' at last, but it took me a while to find the right moments to use it since he only uses it for Ammy.

Ma cherie: my dear