A/N: The poem here is mine! MINE! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! *ahem* Yeah, so no touchie!

The Gemini Movement

Chapter 11: Single Thought

The sloped tile roof led up to the flat top of Hinata-sou, the mats covering it worn in several places where numerous sparring sessions and battles had taken place. On the far side of the flat stood the clotheslines that Shinobu hung the laundry on. Off in the distance one could see the mountains crowding the horizon, and the town of Hinata sprawling out at the bottom of the seemingly endless stairway like a spindley flower.

What one could not find, however, was the warrior and her student, or the demure bluenette.

...

The door was left open, barged through. The TV in the living room was on, telling the empty room about the usual news that no one cares about. Luckily, no one was in the room to listen.

...

Niku and his gang burst through the door. Two of the gang members spread out to search the ground floor, while the other three went upstairs. Niku watched as his friends in the entryway brought back two girls, one with blue hair, the other with ash blonde. Both had short hair. Too bad, thought Niku, I really prefer girls with long hair. Though Teki ought to get a kick outta that one, he thought, eyeing the blue-head.

Niku led the gangsters with the girls upstairs as the others led back two more girls. One had, Dammit, short blonde hair and dark skin, and was making quite spectacle of herself. Holy hell! thought Niku, a sailor outfit? Teki gets his kicks and now Li gets his damn fetishes.

Then he ogled the last girl. It was difficult to catch a good look at her as she was fighting the two thugs tooth and nail. Finally the men managed to pin the girl's arms to her sides and he got a good view of her, and his eyes went wide. Sweet! he cheered in his mind, Long hair! And a nice body, too! Now it's a party!

The long haired girl saw the obvious intentions in Niku's eyes, but knew that there was nothing she could do. The men had her trapped, and the other girls weren't going to be able to help. The girls were escorted to the roof by the men, Niku figuring the roof would make for the best camera view. Had to make a good performance for Sobio.

"Okay girls, here's how it's gonna be," Niku shouted, pulling out his gun, "You three with the short hair are going with my friends here. And you," he pointed the gun at the long-haired girl, "are coming with me."

Niku led the girl to a corner of the roof at gunpoint before bashing her across the head with the butt of his gun, knocking her out. He tuned out his friends and their playthings as he put his gun away, and pulled out his knife. For some reason he just prefered holding a knife to his victim's throats, even if they were out cold.

He tore off the girl's shirt with the other hand, and admired the view for a second before grabbing hold of her skirt.

Then he suddenly became painfully aware of the hand crushing his throat and the very pissed-off man behind it. This can't be part of the show, thought Niku as the man holding him spoke at a low rumble, "You don't deserve life."

Niku was no fool. He had seen men who weighed six-hundred pound in muscle killed by knives wielded by weaklings who couldn't lift thirty pounds with either arm. Niku tried to spear the guy in the stomach, but a sharp pain in his wrist made him drop the knife. The man then pointed at Niku's stomach and whispered something, and suddenly Niku's life was pain.

Niku's eyes strayed to a point above the man's shoulder and he saw a circle of flame, and inside it was a face he knew, but now it wore a crown that the fire seemed to be erupting from. The face saw him too, and spoke to him, seemingly right into his mind.

"Why hello, Youniku! How appropriate that you're here now! I'm sure you know about your name? It means 'sheep,' and just like your namesake, you've been led to slaughter! When you get to Hell, tell them King Sobio sent you!"

As Niku's vision blacked out, he cursed the King and all he stood for.

...

Shaking off the memories of that night, Naru turned her attention back to the practice fight in the field behind the deserted Hinata-sou. When word had spread that Keitaro and Motoko were sparring ahead of schedule, everyone dropped what they were doing and ran out back. Kitsune even left the TV on in her haste, to drag Naru out. Keitaro was wearing the training garb Shinobu made for him, and it was apparent in his improved mobility that it was a choice of outfit.

"Alright!" Keitaro shouted, "Try this!" He held out his hand like he was carrying an invisible orb, and several small fires ignited around his hand, "Blaze Orbit!" The fires started spinning around his hand as he threw the whirling inferno toward Motoko, who dodged most of it. Her sleeve, however, suffered some singeing.

Motoko spun in midair, spouting multiple Vacuum Blades at Keitaro, who blocked with his Katana.

Naru frowned. These fights were so pointless. It had been months since they had studied together, and Keitaro was bound to fail the exams, and then what? She flinched as Kitsune shouted out, "Keitaro, I'm feeling lucky!"

Keitaro turned a grin toward the assembled audience and said, "Alright then," he raised a hand to the sky, "Chaos Dice!"

Two red cubes shot from his hand and burst into flame, forming two flares in the sky.

...

"Yes! Snake Eyes!" hissed Kitsune.

...

Keitaro shouted, "Bite!" Both fires suddenly darted toward Motoko, halting next to her before shooting a series of red bolts at Motoko, who had to sidestep multiple times to avoid the blasts. She responded with a Rock-Splitter aimed at the ground around Keitaro's feet. Keitaro somersaulted off of the crumbling earth. As he completed the flip, he swept a plume of flame from his arms, temporarily blinding Motoko, letting Keitaro draw his sword and bring the jagged edge to her neck.

The battle was over. In a practiced motion both warriors backed away from each other, bowing their respects as the crowd cheered, except for Naru.

"When did Kei get so good at not getting beaten senseless?" Mutumi pondered to no one in particular as everyone but Su face faulted.

"How did you not notice that until now?" growled Kitsune.

...

Where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go Knock knock where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go where'd it go Knock knock where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go Knock knock knock where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go where'd it go Gotta find it where'd it go where'd it go...

Thunk Thunk

"Oy Keitaro! What's the ruckus?"

"Oh, sorry Kitsune. I was just looking for something. Did you need anything?"

"Nah, but Shinobu wants to talk and you about scared her to death when you didn't answer her before."

"Ah- Sorry Shinobu. Just a second, please!"

...

"Okay, Shinobu, come on in."

Shinobu walked in, trying desperately to seem calm as she moved to the center of the too-organized room. Obviously he was trying to cover up the fact that he was tearing up his room looking for something.

And I know what, Shinobu fought off a fresh wave of guilt as she reminded herself that Keitaro's book was still hidden behind a row of books in her bookshelf.

"Shinobu, is something wrong?" Keitaro interrupted Shinobu's guilt trip with concerned words and a worried look, slightly surprising Shinobu with both his perception and the contrast...

"Shinobu?" another jolt brought Shinobu back from her contemplation of her manager.

"Oh, sorry sempai," Shinobu babbled, "I was just thinking about something."

"Oh? What of?" Keitaro inquired as he led her to his desk chair.

"Just a... book I read," replied Shinobu's conscience through her mouth.

"Cool, cool," bantered Keitaro, "So, what brings you here?"

"I just wanted to talk. Alone," Shinobu's eyes flickered with all the implications of the innocent phrase she just turned.

Apparently Keitaro's did too, as the slight leak of blood on his lip gave away, "Care to be more specific, Shinny?"

If Shinobu weren't already seared red, she would have blushed deeper at the nickname. She scrambled to restore some level of togetherness.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I..." Shinobu's brain froze up as she tried to form a sentence, or even string together two words.

What's your problem? He's waiting for you to say something and you're just sitting there stuttering! I'm nervous okay? Well no duh! You've been wanting to say this for years, and now you're blowing your chance! Well god forbid I'm nervous when I'm about to- Screw it I'll do it myself!

Shinobu lurched forward and tackled a suddenly very surprised Keitaro.

...

Naru was in the dining room, reading every book on dream meanings she could get her hands on.

"Hunter... 'Pursuing an inner desire.' Black deer... 'Repressing your feminine side.' Fork in a road... 'Making a choice.' Other hunters... 'Indirectly approaching a situation..."

Naru stared at the notes she had taken for a moment.

"What the hell? This makes no sense!" Naru's forehead impacted the sole clear surface of the table.

...

Well here's a surprise!

...

No, there's no way this is real.

...

Sure feels like it...

...

Knives don't feel like knives until you're dead.

...

At least this lasts until we do. Besides, you always complain about life and all. I figure you'd welcome a nice knife.

...

I only lament our life for the sheer damnability of it. I want life to be better, it just refuses to be.

...

Well it is now. You can't tell me this isn't a serious improvement?

...

Yes, actually, I can. Don't you think this is the least bit suspicious?

...

No, actually, I find it nice. It's as simple as life taking a very, very good turn for the better.

...

Until we're found out, you mean.

...

Hey, we're doing nothing!

...

My point.

...

Hey, you wanna be a spoilsport, fine, but I'm not going to pass this up.

...

Unfortunately for your efforts to hurt everyone involved, I believe it's my turn.

...

Damn. You ruin every chance this life has for improvement!

...

I ruin every attempt at wreaking hell you make. And now I get to try to fix the damage you've caused.

...

So be it. But know that I'm the only one they love.

...

People frequently love the things that will inevitably lead to their demise.

...

Go to hell, Salk.

...

I'd be glad to, but I have to leave you, dear Gauntlet.

...

Unbalanced.

Grotesque.

Rabid.

Baiter.

Incubus.

...

Mitsune knocked on the door, "Shinobu, I know you're in there! I can hear you! Shinobu!" she half-yelled. There was no answer except for a frenzied scuffling on the other side of the door.

What in the world is she doing? Kitsune opened the door.

"Yah!" Kitsune shrieked.

...

Motoko sprinted down the hall toward Kitsune's screaming, drawing the Hina Blade as she went. From the sounds of it, either Someone had snuck into the Inn, or Keitaro had done something perverted. Keitaro may have been improving recently, but that won't excuse him from any perversions he's committing now, she thought. She rounded the corner and nearly tripped over the fallen fox. Kitsune had fallen down in shock outside the door. Motoko looked inside and froze.

"Kyaaaaa!" the second scream in as many minutes rang through the dorm.

And the rustling in the room continued.

...

The King sat bitterly on his throne, watching as the clouds darkened the land, the ground turning bare and gray. The trees shed their leaves and withered. The shadows cast by the trees and uninhabited buildings lengthened and grew pitch black. Strange clicks and scraping noises started emerging from areas just out of sight.

"So dull. Just like him. And things were just becoming fun. Ah well. Nothing to do now but be bored."

...

Kitsune was the first to regain control. She stood up and chuckled as she saw Motoko passed out on the floor.

She walked into the room and saw the source of the rustling. "Tama-chan, you little scamp! You scared the daylights outta me!" she berated the turtle.

Kitsune ushered the reptile out of Shinobu's room and walked inside, "So, she's not here after all. Huh? What's this?" she walked over to Shinobu's bookshelf, where some books were all in a perfect row, as though someone reorganized them every time they took out. "Well, well. Seems Shinobu has something to hide here.

Needless to say, there was no stopping her from looking. And looking, and being appalled at what she saw.

I never knew Shinobu wrote poetry, thought Kitsune, but lord, where did this come from?

'Living in a world of contradiction

I never know an art of fiction

For filthy fact in hopes that

I might tarnish unreality

Every slight I've ever seen

Maybe maynot ever been

This sometimes truthful self-deceit

Is a golden war-flag, raised on high

A shattered black and shining mirror

Reflects me through the crystal tears

I tear my gaze away to wish

In hate for one of me to die

On one side hate, otherwise regret

None will allow the stone to set

None will let my minds to rest

When misery and chaos cry'

Kitsune's hands were trembling as she finished the poem.

"Shinobu..."