Hanyuu sat at Yuuki's bedside, her fists clenched tightly around the red plaid she wore at her waist. The last few hours had been nerve wracking with not a single dull minute. Since Irie had admitted her into the emergency room Yuuki had done nothing but fight. She had lost over half of her blood supply and her vital organs were in serious danger of shutting down. Even through Irie's best efforts, he had to resuscitate her at least twice through the entire surgery. He even said afterwards that it was a miracle she was even breathing.

"Her brain didn't sustain too much damage," he told Hanyuu when they met outside the recovery room. His tone was stoic and held no optimism. "However" - he pushed his glasses higher on his nose - "she has sustained some memory loss so when she wakes up - I said when, not if - she may not recognize you right away. Don't be frustrated," he continued when Hanyuu's head fell. "She's still alive and given some time she'll recover. You and Rika-chan did the right thing by getting her here quickly. She'll be okay."

No, she won't, Hanyuu thought as she gazed at the bloodstained bandages tied tightly around Yuuki's brow. The teenager had so many wires and needles in her that Hanyuu couldn't tell which one ended and which one began. A heart monitor beeped slowly and steadily nearby and a blood bag captured the mid-morning sunlight. And even now, Yuuki's bruises seemed more clear than every before. The effort she put in in trying to look like a normal girl was wasted and she was right back to square one: helpless and broken. With her memory loss it'll only take longer for her to break the curse. She did a noble thing saving Rika like that, but she was only a small part. I'm glad that Rika was okay, but Yuuki should have looked at the bigger picture and tried to get herself to safety as well. The horned girl stood up from her chair and gazed at the blond's sleeping features with what could have been seen as the offspring of disgust and disappointment. I didn't want to give up on her, but . . . now I think I might not have a choice. Too many factors have gone wrong and no right can come of it. I'll give them all until the Cotton Drifting then it'll be over . . . . She absently reached out and stroked the soiled bandages covering Yuuki's eyes, regret staining her heart. I'm so sorry, Yuu-chan . . . .

"Yuu-chan!" Mion stormed through the clinic doors and bent over her knees, panting. Her bike ride from the main town left her spent and exhausted; she could hardly even stand up. Sweat soaked the tight black collar around her neck, rubbing against the chaffed skin until it was red. Strands of her emerald hair stuck out at odd ends of her ponytail and for a moment she was tempted to simply let her hair down, but thought against it. Yuuki might not know who she was talking to if she did that and she didn't want to confuse her after what had already happened.

Gritting her teeth, Mion stood to her full height and steadily stalked towards the Coach's office, banging on the door roughly, and demanding that he let her in. I need to find her! she thought as her tensed fists slammed down on the wood. This wouldn't have happened if not for me!

"Mion-san." Hanyuu's calming voice broke through her haze of rage and worry and Mion looked over her shoulder at the younger girl. The stoic look on her face indicated that something was unusually wrong. Mion stooped down to Hanyuu's level and placed both hands on her shoulders, holding her tightly as if she may try to run away before Mion could get the answers she sought. "Hanyuu . . .?"

"She's okay," the horned girl replied, sensing Mion's anxiety. "Irie-sensei performed emergency surgery and saved her from bleeding to death." She frowned as Mion breathed a sigh of relief and what seemed to be the whole world lift from her shoulders. The last thing Hanyuu wanted to do was crush the older girl's hopes, but she needed to know exactly what kind of condition Yuuki was in. "However, she did suffer some damage." Hanyuu inwardly winced as the blood drained from Mion's face. She hated being the bearer of bad news. "It's not life-threatening, but she did suffer some memory loss. When she wakes up, I'm not entirely sure that she'll remember any of us." She turned her head away, disappointment writhing in the pit of her stomach. "Gomen nasai, nano desu . . . ."

Mion didn't know what to say. She already knew the good point in Yuuki's memory loss - she wouldn't remember the argument they had - but on the other hand she may not recognize her at all. That struck a heavy blow to Mion's heart and she clutched her chest tightly as if at any moment it would burst. "I see," she whispered quietly. Rising to her full height, she stared Hanyuu dead in the eyes, her own glazed with sorrow. "Can I see her?"

Hanyuu shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'm sure your presence will provide her with some comfort, but I wouldn't recommend you staying too long. She's still very weak and it'll take time before all of her strength comes back." She began to walk past Mion, but stopped when the pair stood abreast of one another. "Is Rika here? I want to speak with her?"

Mion shook her head, eyes downcast. "No. I left her with Shoin back in town. I wanted . . ." - her grip tightened over her heart and she grimaced, determined to keep the floodgate of her emotions closed - "to see for myself if she was alright . . ."

Hanyuu couldn't help but smirk. "You're very loyal, Mion Sonozaki, almost to the point where you don't even know it yourself. I know how much you hurt for her - so do I. To have a life wasted like this would be inexcusable and I don't plan on her dying at this critical moment. Mion Sonozaki," - Hanyuu turned on her heel to stare Mion directly in the eye, the afternoon sunlight playing across her violet hair - "I'm counting on you to help her through this. I was bent on giving up, but seeing your devotion - I can make one more effort to believe again. Don't disappoint me." With a fluid motion, Hanyuu walked solemnly to the front of the clinic, her long hair trailing behind her.

Mion stood in confusion, pondering Hanyuu's words. What had she meant by not having Yuuki die at this critical moment? Did she have something to do with her situation in the first place? Mion's green eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was she to blame for Yuuki being in the hospital? Or am I just overanalyzing things? She shook off the silly questions, attributing them to anxiety and worry. Hanyuu was just a little girl; she couldn't hurt Yuuki even if she wanted to. It didn't seem like it would be in her nature. The older girl shrugged off the uncomfortable atmosphere and walked down the hall quietly, scanning the row of doors for Yuuki's name. She was going to find her, no matter what. She suddenly paused at the twenty-first door and absently looked up to read Yuuki's first name on the door and for a moment Mion raised a brow in confusion. Oh, that's right. She doesn't have a last name. Taking in a deep breath, she reached for the knob and gently twsited it, bent on making as little noise as possible. If Yuuki was sleeping she didn't want to wake her.

"Yuu-chan?" she called in a hushed tone. She stepped into the room and was immediately floored by the image of her friend, broken and bleeding, lying in the bland, white bed, painted a gentle orange from the late afternoon sun. Sunlight bounced off of Yuuki's gentle features and a brilliant shine gleamed off her blonde hair. Her arm was bent up with her hand placed gracefully on the corner of her pillow, wires and needles poking in and out of her fair skin. Mion almost wished such beautiful flesh wouldn't be mutilated by them. Crimson bandages coiled like a snake around her head, even covering her eyes as to spare her the sight of where she truly was and her chest heaved up and down slowly with each shallow breath. Despite being in such a critical condition, Mion couldn't help but think how beautiful Yuuki looked. "Oh, Yuu-chan . . ."

She took careful steps towards the younger girl until she was standing less than an inch away from the bed sheets. Her emerald eyes scanned her features with a pitying eye and knelt down beside her, sadness weighing heavy on her heart. "I'm sorry, Yuu-chan," she whispered quietly, guilt coiling around her. "It's my fault that you're here. If I hadn't been so pushy then you wouldn't have run away and ended up here." Her voice broke and a tear slipped from her eye, a herald of many. "I would have kept you safe. I would have protected you." She reached up with her hand and coiled it around Yuuki's, reveling in how soft and warm she felt. "I'm so sorry . . . Yuu-chan . . .Please, forgive me."

Through her tears, Mion could feel Yuuki's fingers tighten ever so slightly around her hand. She jerked her head up, tears sparkling in her eyes. She rose higher on her knees and leaned forward, eager to be the first person Yuuki would see when she awoke. "Yuu-chan?" she asked excitedly, her warm breath grazing the blond's neck. She gripped her hand tighter. "Yuu-chan, it's Mion. Do you remember me? Do you know who I am?" The girl caught herself after the last question and she recoiled, ashamed. "There I go being pushy again. I'm sorry, Yuu-chan. I'm just . . . so worried about you. I don't want you to die. I want you stay here . . . with me, where I know you'll be safe. Yuu-chan . . . if you can hear me, squeeze my hand. Can you do that for me? Please, just tell me you're okay."

Mion waited patiently for the blond's reaction, never wavering from the hope that Yuuki would respond to her, one way or another. It didn't matter how long it took; Mion would wait forever if she had to. She made the mistake of letting Yuuki go once and she wouldn't foolishly do it again. Yuuki meant everything to her and so much more. She knew that she was strong and would pull herself out of her comatose state without a hitch. Mion closed her eyes and leaned forward, her forehead touching the edge of the bed, her long bangs just grazing Yuuki's arm. "Yuu-chan . . . please . . . I care too much for you to lose you . . ."

"Mi . . . on . . ."

Time froze and it felt as if the very air in the room was sucked away, leaving an unbreathable atmosphere. Mion leaned over Yuuki eagerly as her breath caught in her throat. Had she heard right or were her ears playing tricks on her? Either way it didn't matter. As long as she would hear her voice again . . . "Yuu-chan?" she called. "Yuu-chan, did you say something? Say it again, please. Say my name again. I need to hear you." Her grip was like a clamp on Yuuki's fingers.

The blond winced under her blindfold of bandages. She was still disoriented and didn't know all of what was going on. It hurt her ears to have Mion talk so loudly, but she couldn't find the strength to tell her. All the energy she had was focused on uttering only a few little words. "Mion . . ."

"Yuu-chan!" Mion's forehead crashed against the girl's collar as hot tears poured from her eyes, drenching Yuuki's warm skin. The older girl's shoulder's shook as she praised God for her friend's safety. "I thought I'd lost you!" she cried. "When Rika told me what happened . . . I'm just so glad you're okay!" Her ivory cheeks flushed and she whispered, "Promise me you won't leave me. Don't leave me every again, Yuu-chan!"

Yuuki tried in vain to push Mion off her, but no strength was found in her arms. Though she attributed it to the head injury, she didn't exactly want to push Mion off her. The feel of her hair, the scent of her skin; it all felt nice and heartwarming. She gave up her pursuit of personal space and went slack, her chin touching Mion's soft head. "You . . . okay? Rika . . . okay?"

Mion sniffed and turned her head against Yuuki's chest, resting at the right angle to listen to her heartbeat. She when when she heard how strong it was. "Yes," she nodded. "We're okay. Rika's fine too. She ran all the way to get us. She was really worried about you . . . and so was I."

Questions burned in Yuuki's mind. How did Rika know that Mion would be in town the same time they were going? It could have been coincidental, but somehow she didn't think that was the case. Reaching up with one hand, she tried to push the bandages off her eyes, but was stopped when a gentle hand overlapped her own. "Don't," Mion ordered in a caring tone. "You're not completely healed yet and the last thing I want you to do is hurt yourself more. Leave it on, Yuu-chan."

Yuuki lowered her arm and sighed. She was already spent from talking this much, but there was more she needed to find out, more she needed to know. What happened after she got hit? Where was Rika now? She opened her mouth to try and voice her questions, but was cut off short when a lithe fingertip laid over her lips, quieting her.

"Shh," Mion hushed. "Don't talk anymore. You need your rest. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You're stronger than this, Yuu-chan, I know, and you can beat this. Fight and I'll fight alongside you. If you somehow fall through the cracks, I'll be there to catch you. I'll always be here for you and keep you safe." She smiled tenderly as a stray tear slipped from Yuuki's concealed eye. "Hey, don't cry. I don't like it when you cry. Sleep, Yuu-chan. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." Mion rubbed Yuuki's hand as she quietly fell asleep in her arms, bent on enjoying every last minute she had with her. Mion's heart soared with joy as the blond laid her head against her upper chest, her soft breath caressing her skin. Mion coiled a protective arm around Yuuki's waist and simply held her. "I'll always be here." Absently, Mion inched her face forward until her lips brushed Yuuki's forehead. A pink blush colored her ivory cheeks as a genuine smile cracked her lips. "I promise . . ."

Hanyuu waited for what seemed like an eternity for Rika to show up again - if she ever would. Mion didn't exactly say whether she and Shion would be arriving. She was tempted to back and ask, but thought better of it. The older girls needed time to straighten things out between them. Hanyuu leaned back in the waiting room chair and hoisted her knees up close to her chest and hugged them. That was the original plan before it all blew up in their faces. The horned girl closed her eyes and took in one breath after another. She felt that she could have done something more to prevent this unexpected disaster, but had no clue what it could have been. Even though, technically, she was Oyashiro there were still laws she had to abide to. And one of those laws was direct interference with natural disasters and human casualties. Regardless of how she felt for someone - Rika or otherwise - she couldn't prevent their death no matter what she did. "Fight, Yuuki," she whispered to herself. "You were given another chance; don't blow it. Too many people would be sad if you died now."

"Hanyuu!"

Rika's sharp cry pulled Hanyuu out of her momentary trance and her head jerked up violently, long curls bouncing. Rika rushed forward from Shion's side as the pair stepped in through the door, a strange man wearing a black suit and dark sunglasses bringing up their rear. Merely from the fact that Shion nor Rika showed no suspicion towards the man Hanyuu was able to determine that they knew him. The horned girl intercepted Rika as she clutched her shoulders, barking madly, worriedly, "You didn't do anything to her, did you? Tell me Yuu-chan's still alive. Where's Mion-san? Is she here? Is she okay?"

"Rika," the girl called stoically. She looked deep into the priestess's eyes, her own glowing with pupil irises. Rika grimaced as a cold shiver bled up her spine and she backed down, knowing that any wrong move might be her last. Hanyuu's expression softened, but not much. It was about time she shared everything with her descendant. "They're both fine. Mion is with Yuuki now. I thought it appropriate to give them time alone considering how worked up Mion was when she first arrived."

Rika inwardly sighed. One thing she could say about Hanyuu was that she never lied. She had no choice but to believe her that both of her friends were alive and well. "So Yuu-chan is okay. I'm glad to hear that."

Hanyuu nodded. "Yes. I would assume that it was okay for you to see her, but Rika there are things I need to discuss with you." She turned her gaze to Shion, innocence coloring her features. "Shion-san, if you want I can tell you which room they're in."

Shion nodded her thanks. "Hai. That would be most helpful. Thank you." It took only a couple minutes for Hanyuu to point the way and she waited until Shion and the man were gone from view before returning her attention to Rika. "Let's talk outside. We'll have more privacy there."

Rika nodded and followed the taller girl out of the clinic where she took a seat on a fallen tree (it most likely fell from the earthquake). Hanyuu patted the spot next to her and the priestess reluctantly sat down, eyes fixed on her dusty toes, and waited for her ancestor to begin.

"I understand that you have a lot of questions," Hanyuu proceeded, getting right to the heart of the matter. "Some of which are a little harder to explain. My explanation is long, Rika. Are you willing to hear all of it, without objection?"

"Go ahead."

Hanyuu was surprised at the abruptness of her answer. Apparently Rika was even more prepared for the truth than she thought. Or is she? The horned girl frowned and looked up at the brilliant display of the setting sun. Closing her eyes, her tale dripped from her lips as smoothly as if it were drops of gold. Her tone of voice hadn't change throughout the story, but Rika's pent up frustration only grew as she caught each and every detail she had missed herself. By the time Hanyuu was finished, the little girl was about to blow.

Rika grit her teeth as the last of Hanyuu's words were spilled. All this time, she had thought Hanyuu was the one trying to get rid of Yuuki, but in actuality she was trying to help her. The smaller girl mentally smacked herself for her stupidity. "So she's the one who's supposed to free us from your curse?" she asked, voice hard.

Hanyuu nodded, hurt by her companion's increasing aggression. "I've tried before with Keiichi, but after Takano killed him that time I had to find someone else. I have no idea what drew me to Yuu-chan, but . . . somehow I knew that she could help us - would help us. I don't know what it is that makes her unique, but if she had the audacity to save you from being crushed to death . . . then that has to be something."

Rika stood to her full height and looked up at the myriad of orange and gold lacing the sky. though she wanted nothing more than to rile on Hanyuu, that wouldn't solve anything. She had learned long ago when to be childish and when to step up and act like an adult. Now wasn't one of those times. "I don't think we should pressure her into anything, regardless if it's to break the curse or not. She's being tormented at home, Hanyuu, and there's no one to save her. She's been through so much already - I remember in the last world all the hardships she suffered and all to be sacrificed in the end - and now I think it's time we would repay her. I don't know how, but I owe her that much for saving me . . ."

Hanyuu lowered her head until her curved violet bangs shielded her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was stoic and foreboding, as if at any moment the world would come crashing down. "That might be a little sooner than you think . . ."

Shion tapped lightly on the door to Yuuki's room and waited a few seconds out of courtesy. Kasai, her personal bodyguard, stood beside the door with an unreadable expression. He was always known for his stoic expressions. "Are you sure you should be intruding like this?" he asked in a nonchalant tone. Shion turned to him, confused. "That girl said that your sister and your friend needed time to work things out. What if they're still in the process?"

"Oh don't worry," Shion said, waving him off. "Onee and I are really close so she won't be mad if I came in. Besides, I knocked so they should already know I'm here. Trust me, Kasai, everything will be fine." Turning the knob, the younger twin stepped into the room and was immediately floored by the picture before her eyes. Mion and a worse for wear Yuuki were fast asleep, wrapped tightly in each other's arms. The blond girl was pressed up to Mion's upper chest with her head perched comfortably at her collar. Her pincushion arms were coiled loosely around her own shoulders, reminding Shion of the position mummies take in their sarcophagi. There was no true emotion on her face; just content. Mion, however, was a different story. She was positioned a little higher than Yuuki with her chin resting soundly on the injured girl's head. Shion could even see her the breeze of her breath swaying her fair hair. Her creamy arms were wrapped around Yuuki's shoulders and upper back, holding the girl close as if at any moment she might slip away. Lastly, but not least - and it struck Shion to the core -, a gentle smile cracked her older twin's lips; she was happy.

Shion grimaced and clenched her fists. She didn't want to see anymore. This was too much - too wrong even, and it sickened her. Turning her eyes away, the younger twin exited the room, shutting the door quietly behind her, leaving the unnatural pair to dwell in their ideal and blissful dreams.

AN: The main theme of this chapter came out when I was listening to Luka Megurine's "Your Song". It helped to establish the different relationships between the characters a lot. Yay, first MiYuuki kiss! :D And now Rika knows how important Yuuki is. Oh noes! Foreshadowing! Not good! XD Oh, everyone's gonna hate me during the next chapter! This chapter was meant to be short. I just wanted to update it after a long week at school.

Yours Truly,

Inhumunculus