"I got it from here Shishio…" Miya stutters as they make it to the stairs.
"Oh…ya sure?" He asks puzzled. Miya walks slowly past him and up the stairs crunching her teeth until she finally makes it past the door.
"Thanks again, "She adds before closing the door to the room she's currently staying in. When she can no longer hear his faint footsteps she tries to look straight ahead, but the floors seem like they're tilting. She puts her hand on her neck and crunches her teeth from the burning sensation.
"What is this?" She falls forward on her knees and makes a fist before falling completely over.
"This will make you remember."
"Don't forget you're nothing but a murderer. A monster. You don't belong here and you never will."
"I remember…" She stutters before laying her head down and closing her eyes once again. "I remember everything."
~::.::.::.::.::~ The next morning ~::.::.::.::.::~
"Should I go back? I have no business here…but…I just don't understand anymore," Miya whispers quietly to herself. She lies on her back on a tree branch and has been examining her hands for quite a while now. Everything comes to mind now and it can't be ignored any longer. Trying to fit in was just too silly. Kaguro was right. She didn't belong here and no matter how much she wanted, she never would. She was far different than anything else. Even Gen was far more different. Then again she still hadn't uncovered what was his story, and it was bothering her.
"Ugh why am I thinking about you stupid Shishio!" Miya thinks to herself a light blush appears on her face, as she thrusts her fist onto the tree branch underneath her. Suddenly she hears a loud cracking sound, followed by a sudden gush of wind as she falls back and towards the ground. She closes her eyes waiting for the impact of the ground, but only feels herself land into someone's arms. She quickly opens her eyes and realizes who it is and her face puffs up as she puts on a blank expression.
"Where did you come from…?" She says blankly.
"What are you doing falling from the sky?" Gen adds just as surprised and weirded out. He was just walking through and by chance this happened. Miya stands back on her feet and looks down at her feet then up at Shishio. "You didn't go to school today…don't tell me you've given up already," He adds sounding curious.
His sarcastic attitude annoyed her, but she just clenches her fist and avoids eye contact. It was true, she didn't go today because she simply didn't feel like it, nor saw the point in attending. For she was starting to realize what she had to do, and it had nothing to do with going to school and wasting her time. She crosses her arms and shrugs and starts to walk off the opposite direction he came from, leaving him behind in silence.
"Miya… how did you get into the Kokuboro in the first place?" He says making her freeze in her place. She looks down at the ground trying to think of a rational way to answer that. It's like he knew she was remembering everything again. But how could he have possibly known? Unless he was testing her…to see how she'd react to the question. Or maybe he guessed it by the way she was acting. More distant then before, but then again before she was like a different person. She turns around slightly to face him trying to calm herself from shouting out at him. "Never mind…" He mumbles and she resumes her walking.
"I should only have one purpose right now…and it's to defeat Kaguro myself, so I don't have time for you Shishio…"
...
Miya walks past the place Gen and her both stay, and doesn't look twice at it. She continues to walk towards a neighborhood she's never explored and puts her hands in her pockets just like how Gen does it. At the beginning it was usually him going off alone and now it's like they had switched roles. The night was already falling and she wasn't sure whether to stick around for the night or take off now when no one would notice. Of course her plans are ruined when she suddenly hears footsteps behind her. She turns around frightened at first thinking she knew who it might, and is surprised to find Yoshimori standing their slightly yawning.
"Hey…can I ask you something?" He adds with a dead look in his eyes. It seems that during the day he is always tired and then when it comes to nightfall and their shift taking care of the Karasumori sight, he suddenly has a giant burst of energy.
"Yeah….what is it?" She adds turning to face him fully.
"What kind of cakes do girls like…? Do you know? "He adds looking more serious, but with a slight blush on his face.
Miya couldn't help but wonder who he was thinking about. Surely he was asking such a question because there was a girl who had his attention and he wanted to do something special. Miya only being here for a short amount of time has only seen pictures, but then there was that one time where he did bring some over, but it was for Gen. Back when Miya was trying to cook she did see a bunch of pictures of what he called cake and immediately something came to mind.
"Strawberries….!" She finally says remembering a specific picture which looked like a pinky fluffy cloud. Her mouth started to water and her eyes appeared like stars as Yoshimori stood there with a sweat drop on his back.
"Aww…ok gotcha…" He adds. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked a girl that doesn't even know that much about different flavors…" He thinks to himself.
"Can I ask you a question now…Yoshi…?" She shocks him with the sudden nickname and then finally he nods his head.
"What….what do you know about Shishio's past?"
The words seem to swirl around in the space between them as she clenches her fist from the words that slipped out. But it was bothering her for a while now and she was sure since he seemed so close with him he would know. He continues to stare at her, studying her face. How nervous she was while trying to keep a straight face. He grins to himself and talks a step forward with his hand over his mouth.
"Why do you wanna know, huh?" He says with bug eyes into her ear. She feels a weird shiver and then gives him a nasty glare making him step back.
"I can't even ask a casual question, Yoshi?" She stutters before turning her gaze to the side. He crosses his arms still grinning and then sighs before putting on a more serious face.
"Well he doesn't like talking about it…. In fact I had to find out by my older brother, Masamori." He pauses as Miya thinks of the name he just mentioned. "When Gen was younger…he almost killed his own sister…and from there the shadow organization took him in. Because of what happened… it sort of explains why he's so hostile sometimes, and I guess because people were so hostile towards him when he was younger."
Miya takes it all in finally realizing why he acts the way he did. Yoshimori studies her face and smiles slightly.
"I'm trying to get through to him… Let him know it's ok to trust people, but I could really use your help, Miya," He adds. Miya slightly blushes then puts on a blank face. "You're half Ayakashi and you must know how it's like to have been out casted, right? Aren't all half Ayakashi the same that way?" With that said he excuses himself, noting that it's almost time to meet up. "See you later!" He says while running away waving.
"Or not…" Miya adds into the silence. "Shishio…I had no idea," She thinks to herself and looks down at her hand one more time.
"There you are." A chilling voice calls sending a horrible chilling feeling to swipe through her body before she turns around with her hand in a fist.
~::.::.::.::.::~ Meanwhile ~::.::.::.::.::~
"Tokine! TOKINE! Toki-"
"Geez late again Yoshimori?" Tokine adds appearing from behind a tree with Hakubi hovering over her. He makes a pouty face before noticing Gen standing in a tree above her with his arms crossed and his head down. Yoshimori suddenly remembers his conversation with Miya and looks around noticing she hasn't arrived yet.
"Hey Gen!" He calls. Gen looks down from the tree with raised eyebrows. "What do you know about Miya's past?"
…...
"What are you doing here!" Miya snaps feeling her blood boil. Kaguro grin's wide before jumping off the tip of a fence and walks towards her. "About time you're back to normal you idiot girl. When are you going to tell them you've regained your memory? Do they even know what you've done in the past?" He continues.
Miya starts to step away backwards as he stops his walking. Standing before her in his human skin once again, but this time by himself. Little did she know that there was something else going on elsewhere with another Kokuboro member.
"Don't forget what you are. You're purpose…" He adds.
"What purpose? You… You tried to kill me! I no longer am a part of your stupid organization!"
"Oh that's right…I thought it be better this way…. It was all a part of my plan from the very beginning, and you fell for it just as expected."
"Quit beating around the bush and tell me what you're blabbering about!" She snaps.
"My someone's in a bad mood…" Kaguro smirks before putting on a serious face. "You were supposed to get close to the Kekkaishi, but I never imagined you'd get so close with that Ayakashi boy too."
"Whaa-"
Kaguro grabs her by the neck and dangles her slightly off the ground looking into her big eyes with an evil smirk.
"Now listen…and listen good, and if you don't….well then…I guess I won't be held responsible for what accidently happens to you," He adds and with his free hand puts it inches away from hers with knives seeping forth.
…...
"Gen over there!" Tokine shouts. In a flash he cuts through another Ayakashi before landing on a tree branch.
"Where is she?" He thinks to himself scanning the area. Yoshimori stands on the roof top talking to Madarao as they continue their job throughout the night. While his grandfather rushes to help a friend nearby.
~::.::.::.::.::~ Later that night ~::.::.::.::.::~
"Oh it's you."
Gen makes way to Miya who sits alone on the roof top edge with her chin resting on her knees. She looks out towards the sunrise again, something she's been doing quite often. To most it was just a normal occasion, but it was like magic to her. How the colors would turn to different shades and the sun would slowly rise while the moon would slowly disappear. It was pure bliss, even the breeze was relaxing at this moment. She tried to ignore Gen's voice as he started to walk towards her on the edge. All the events that occurred today she knew she had to keep silent about.
"Only one thing to do…" She tells herself before facing him as he looks at the sunrise with his hand on his hip.
"You still don't remember huh?" He adds breaking the tension and the empty silence. She nods shyly avoiding his gaze and looking down below at the long fall of the edge. She had to hide the fact that she remembered no matter what. That included not using her skills such as being able to jump long distances and other things panthers could do, like speed.
"You should tell me about yourself Shishio…I want to know," She adds. This takes him back in surprise. He clears his throat as the light blush on his face fades back into his tan complexion.
"Why do you want to know…? It's not important, or any of your business…." He says sounding a bit a cold. She flashes an adorable smile at him making him feel bad.
"You haven't changed," She thinks to herself.
"I remember some of mine…would you like to hear some?" She adds still smiling. He knew she was acting different, but didn't know how to tell her. Almost like putting on an act. So he nodded his head curious to hear what she had to say. Before she even begins talking he notices a scar on her neck as she pushes her short hair behind her ear. He stares at it suddenly remembering, himself what happened years ago.
~::.::.::.::.::~ Flashback ~::.::.::.::.::~
"I don't know what it is, but…I feel like I know you," She said making him turn towards her again. She was so short then and her eye seemed even bigger and cuter. He'd never seen such a cute girl, but her words angered him.
"No. No one knows anything about me," He snapped and started to walk off again. Miya started to walk after him splashing water everywhere trying to get out fast. She tripped and fell down face first into the water. Gen turned around all the way as he watched her struggle to get back on her feet.
"What does she want?" He thought to himself and while she wasn't looking he had slipped away out of her sight. When Miya looks up again she saw that Gen was no longer standing there. He watched as she sighed at her failed attempt and started to walk home. He climbed high in a tree and looked down at her and her distressed face, but accidently moved a branch making a loud noise. She had looked up at him and his stomach had dropped, like that moment when you're caught sneaking a cookie from a cookie jar. With no other choice he jumped down to approach her as she stared at him in surprise.
"Why is your body covered in bruises?" He blurted out. He noticed how uncomfortable she had suddenly gotten and listened to her excuse about falling down while playing with her friends. But being bullied so much he was able to tell the difference and those bruises didn't look like ones you could receive from a simple fall. But then again he told himself he wouldn't know because maybe she was rough when she played.
"Friends…?" He added quietly and his face turned into a harsh expression. "Well aren't you lucky."
"Don't you have friends?" Miya added shyly. He told her that was none of her business and started to walk off again. But he suddenly felt a warm hand grab a hold of his wrist startling him. He looked at her without a word and then gently pushed her hand off telling her he doesn't need anyone's friendship and especially hers, and then disappeared. Though his own words made him feel a bit guilty. A few days later he returned to the same place to see if she'd be there, but she never did come back.
