Forgive me if the updating is taking too long. I was so busy lately with schoolwork and I've got some other neck-breaking problems here at home. This chapter's still…well, kind of 'normal', if you get me. But, seriously, if you don't wanna read this, you could wait for the other chapter. I don't really mind.

Chapter XVIII

Burned into Ashes

"How long will it take before we could arrive in London, anyway?" Kai asked impatiently as he sat on the chair.

"Two days," David answered plainly.

"But you said Diva's performance would be the week after their departure!" Kai said.

"Yes," David agreed grimly. "I'm afraid we'll be arriving on the second day of her performance."

"How can we possibly get Saya back if we have only three days left for us?" Kai demanded.

"We have no idea on where they are headed to after that," David replied. "But I doubt they would be leaving at once."

Kai lay back on his seat. How long has it been by then? He couldn't wait. Nor could the Schiff. Strangely for the past few days, they were restless. They avoided him as soon as he was present. And most queer of all was the fact that he hadn't seen Irene.

The thought was bothering. He won't be seeing Saya for at least two days and now he still couldn't find Irene, despite the fact that she was on the same ship he was in. Kai stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. Wordlessly, he exited the room.

-ns-

As he walked to the front deck of the ship, he caught sight of a hooded figure by the railing. "Hey!" he called to the person. When the face turned to him, he was surprised. It was no other than Irene herself. He ran up to her at once. "Irene? What are you…" his voice trailed off.

Irene smiled wryly. Then her smile faded into what Kai saw as sadness. "I'm sorry if…if I avoided you for the past few days." Her voice was strangely weak, yet her face showed no sign of pain or whatsoever.

Kai shook his head. "It's alright. I guess you needed time alone and I didn't want to demand your attention."

"No, it's not alright," Irene said seriously. "We said we'd be your friends from them on. Both you and I were the ones who made the humans and Schiff come together peacefully. But I myself…" Her shoulders shook. "…I avoided you."

Her sudden situation was alarming him. "It's not something you should worry of, Irene. Really."

"You're quite fortunate to be a human, Kai," Irene said, suddenly shifting topics. Kai couldn't understand. What was wrong with her?

"I'm not," Kai said. "Humans are…slaves to their own desires. They keep on stumbling over their errors."

Irene looked back at him. "You speak as though you aren't one."

"I wish I were like you," Kai admitted. "At least with your capabilities, you could do pretty much anything."
"You rather not," she said softly, returning her gaze to the sun, which was slowly setting. "We Schiff cannot live as long as humans could…"

"…Is that why you're going after Saya and Diva?" Kai asked.

"Yes," was Irene's reply. "We called it the Thorn. But we already knew about it back then."

"What was it like…" Kai asked slowly, avoiding her gaze, "…back then?"

"We were born in a place called Khirbet," Irene answered. "It was a cold and dark place. The humans…they taught us what was necessary. But most of the time, they made us fight." Irene seemed to cringe at the memory and Kai watched her with growing concern. "Everyday…fighting. Fighting… And then more fighting… There was no end to that. However, as time passed, we were growing smaller in number. The other Schiff were slowly dying for no cause. Red cracks would grow on their bodies and faces and then…slowly, so slowly, they die…

"We knew our lives then depended on the blood Saya and Diva have, that's why, right now, I'm with you…"

Kai couldn't say anything. What else could he say?

"Kai…" Irene said softly. "Are you…are you afraid of me?"

"No, Irene," Kai answered, taken by surprise at her words.

"…Then we'll still be friends?"

"Of course!"

"So no matter what happens, Kai…" Irene paused. "…We'll still be friends?"

"Yes," Kai assured. He was growing more worried now.

"I wish there was more time," Irene said, her face reflecting pain and sadness. Somehow, the same pain and sadness was seeping into Kai…as if he was starting to feel what the girl with him was experiencing.

"There is time, Irene," Kai said, his voice now laced with concern.

"If only there was…" Irene said painfully. She held his hand, an act that startled Kai inwardly. There was a small part of her wrist which was bare and Kai glimpsed something red. It was cracks… Red cracks.

"Irene?" Kai stared at the young girl before him. He tried to study her face under the dark hood. True enough, he saw red cracks across her cheek as well. "Irene…" he was stunned by what he saw. "Irene…you have the Thorn…?"

"Yes," Irene answered in painful slowness. She squeezed his hand.

"We should tell them…!" Kai turned around, attempting to dash back through the entrance. But the hand that was holding his remained firmly in place in its steely grip. Kai looked back at her. "Irene…"

"Please don't tell the others," Irene said. "They still don't know…"

"But we have to tell them!" Kai protested. He was becoming desperate. "Irene, we have to…" his voice trailed off when the young girl looked up at him in silent plea, begging him to stop.

"I don't want to worry them, Kai…" Irene said softly. "I just want you here with me."

"But why me, Irene?" Kai was confused and frantic.

"Because…" Irene gave a small smile "You were the first person to make me realize what hope really meant…"

"Hope…?" Kai repeated, not understanding the word at all. A lump filled his throat.

"Even when we had escaped Khirbet, I honestly did not know what that word meant. We claimed to be living for hope, because we wanted to believe in it. But I couldn't just believe in something I couldn't understand." She looked back at him, her smile slightly brightening.

It only made Kai feel worse.

"Hope is such a wonderful word, don't you think, Kai?"

"Yeah," Kai said softly. His eyes burned. He knew she was dying, yet he couldn't do anything to help her. "It sure is…"

They watched the sun set beautifully.

"This world is so full of wonders," Irene began. "I wish I could see it all with you by my side." She paused, and then smiled once more. "But walking with you in the streets of Paris was enough."

"Don't say that!" Kai cried, a thing that surprised the young girl. "You're not going to die, you hear me? You're not going to die so stop acting like it's going to happen!" He was unaware of the tears that were flowing down his cheeks.

"Kai…" she was at loss with words.

"I promised to myself…" Kai's shoulders shook. "I promised to save everyone! So stop making me worry, Irene! Because…" He gritted his teeth. "Because one day I'll be going back to Okinawa with Saya and we'll bring you along. And then I'll show you how to cook delicious food and we'd eat it with everyone else!"

"That would be great, Kai," Irene said, smiling warmly. "But you see, you already saved me…"

Kai's heart faltered at her words. Irene squeezed his hand and he held hers tightly as well.

"I always dreamed of walking under the sun, or watching it without wearing my hood…"

Kia's eyes widened in shock. "No…"

"Kai, you'll stay by my side forever, won't you?"

"Please stop! Please, Irene…"

Irene was about to remove her hood, but Kai held her hand tightly.

"Kai, please…" Irene said gently. "As my friend, I have one request…" She didn't have to continue because Kai reluctantly released her hand. Irene walked away a bit far from him while he watched her. A breeze blew strongly, pushing back her hood.

"No!" Kai ran toward her, holding out his hand to pull the hood back. But it was too late.

Far too late.

Irene smiled back at him. "Thank you, Kai…for everything."

She burst into green flames.

"No!" Kai was forced to step back. He shielded his face with one hand. He was crying then and the tears continually ran down his cheeks.

-ns-

David, Lewis, Joel, Julia. Okamura, Mao and some other agents ran to the front deck where they heard a cry. There, they saw Kai on his knees, sobbing while the rest of the Schiff stood nearby, watching the green flames burn continually.

"What happened?" David asked.

"Irene is gone," a stoic voice said softly. They turned to find Haji standing beside them. The Chevalier gazed at the flames with a blank expression.

"The girl?" Julia asked.

"Yes."

-ns-

"We have received reports from London," an agent reported in Joel's office. Everyone else was there, all except for Kai. He was allowed to stay in his room.

"Please continue," Joel said as he sat before his table, propping his hands on it and clasping one on the other.

"According to the report, they have discovered a research facility on the outskirts of the city." The agent handed him a brown envelope containing the files.

"Are there any news on Saya's whereabouts?" Joel asked as he took out the papers and scanned them.

"There was a suspicious limousine roaming in the city, and had been stopping by Covent Garden from time to time," the agent answered. "We were unable to confirm if it was Saya or Diva who was inside, though."

"Were you able to track it down?"

"Certain circumstances delayed us. And it posed danger, Director."

"I see. Do tell them to continue their observations until we arrive in London."

"Of course."

"Are there any more?"

"So far, that is all I could report to you, Director."

"Then you may leave and return to your quarters. Thank you." The agent inclined his head respectfully and left the room.

"No doubt, that limousine could be Diva's," David said when the agent was gone.

"I agree," Joel said. "However, we still have to observe them before we could formulate a plan."

"Will the Schiff partake of our mission?" Julia asked.

"We all have but one target," David said. "But I doubt they would join us. Their view is probably different from ours and I should think that they have their own plans."

"What…happened to the girl?" Mao asked, rather sadly and the previous topic was quickly forgotten.

They all quickly understood that he was referring to. "The Schiff had prevented us from drawing any closer to the flames," Joel said.

"And neither did they allow us to touch the remains after the flame died down," David added grimly.

"They planned to throw her ashes into the sea," a quiet voice answered. All turned to Haji, who was standing by the door.

"Shouldn't we at least go out to show our respect?" Okamura asked. "Not that we know them much. But still, they're our comrades, aren't they?"

-ns-

"Irene never said that she had the Thorn," Lulu said sadly. "And she died…without telling us a single thing."

"She never wanted to make us worry," Moses said as he held the one-sided blade in his hands.

Karman clenched his fists in frustration while muttering a curse. "What now? Irene's gone. How could we possibly track Saya and Diva down?"

"I don't know," Moses admitted.

"That human wouldn't be of any help," Karman grumbled.

"You mean Kai?" Moses asked.

"Irene only told him, didn't she?" Lulu said. "Why did she tell him, and not us?"

"Sometimes, I just don't understand what goes through her mind," Moses said. He looked up at the stars. "But I just know that that is the path she chose and that's where she ended." He gave a bitter smile. "That's our Irene, alright."

-ns-

Kai lay on the bed in his dim-lighted room. Thoughts had been bothering him hours after what had just occurred. It was probably dawn by then and he still refused to be pulled into the arms of sleep. Every part of his body was aching for some unusual reason and yet he hardly noticed it.

"You were the first person to make me realize what hope really meant…" Was it really he who made her understand hope? "But Irene, I'm already losing it…" he said softly.

"This world is so full of wonders," Irene began. "I wish I could see it all with you by my side." She paused, and then smiled once more. "But walking with you in the streets of Paris was enough." The young man crumpled the sheets in his hand. Just seeing how happy she was, during that one time when he saw her and was able to walk down with her through the streets of Paris…it was hard to believe that she was gone now. She was dead.

"I promised to myself…" Kai's shoulders shook. "I promised to save everyone! So stop making me worry, Irene! Because…" He gritted his teeth. "Because one day I'll be going back to Okinawa with Saya and we'll bring you along. And then I'll show you how to cook delicious food and we'd eat it with everyone else!"

"That would be great, Kai," Irene said, smiling warmly. "But you see, you already saved me…"

Damn it! It was all too frustrating! It was too painful! He turned to the other side. His face was still damp with tears and now he felt like they're not too far from flowing down his cheeks again. He gritted his teeth, trying to prevent from bursting into tears once more.

"Thank you, Kai…for everything." Those were the last words Irene had told him. They were the words of gratitude.

He hated it whenever he cried because then, he felt so weak. But that thought was not strong enough to hold back the tears. Nor could it stop him from sobbing into his pillow. He couldn't save his dad, nor Riku, not even Saya. He couldn't save Irene. He couldn't save anyone.

He hated to cry like some stupid brat who was overly emotional over some trivial matter. But perhaps the matter was not so light. And he didn't think himself to be a brat, or to be stupid, only reckless, that's all.

Besides, he was still crying. Perhaps he'd think if he was a stupid brat some other time. But the matter regarding Irene's death…

That was another thing to consider.

-ns-

"So, you really think we should do it here?" Karman asked. The wind was blowing harder than usual.

"There's not much we could do," Moses told him as he held the remains of Irene. They were standing by the edge of the heliport, the topmost part of the Red Shield Headquarters. The moon was shining brightly on them, casting a gentle, ghostly light like that of the day.

"But I don't want her to go yet," Lulu sobbed, tugging on Moses' sleeve. "No! I don't want Irene to go!"

Gudrif gave a sigh and held the young girl close to him. "There's no other place where Irene could stay, Lulu…" he said softly, watching with concern as the young girl faced him and cried into his arms.

Moses sighed as well, and he too was reluctant to let go of the very ashes to Irene's body. He was about to unclasp his hand when Karman said, "They're watching us."

All four Schiff turned to see the small familiar group of people standing close to the stairs, indeed watching them silently from a respectful distance. Among them was Kai, who eyed them sullenly.

"What should we do?" Karman asked Moses. But there was no response. "Moses?" But Moses was already walking toward the small group, not seeming to have heard his question. "Moses, what are you doing?" he demanded.

"I shouldn't be the one to let her go, Karman," was Moses' reply, his back turned against him.

Kai saw what was going on and walked towards the approaching Schiff as well. Lulu dashed to him and cried into his arms.

"Irene's gone!" she said in her frail voice.

"I know, Lulu…" Kai said soothingly, rubbing her back. "I know…"

Moses stood before him and held out something in is clasped hand. "Irene would have wanted to have you let go of her as well."

Kai looked at his hand. He didn't know if he was prepared for this. The simple thought that she was gone was something he could not bear. How could he handle the very remains of her body?

"Please Kai," Moses said, looking directly into his eyes, pleading him earnestly. "For everyone and especially for Irene's sake."

Kai stared hard at his hand, and then tentatively reached out. He hesitated for a moment, then had Moses carefully place a small piece of cloth in his hand. He immediately held the piece of cloth in his hand tightly, fearing it would be blown away by the wind.

They headed to the edge of the heliport. Form there, Kai could see the dark expanse of the sea, reflecting the cold light from the moon above.

"Moses, why did you—" Karman began indignantly, but was cut off.

"Irene would have wanted this and you know it," Moses said calmly. Karman clamped his mouth shut and watched what Kai would do.

Kai held out his arm and was about to open his hand. But his fingers refused to let go, and tightened its hold instead. He didn't want to let go. He couldn't… It was hard to accept that his dear friend was now mere ashes in his clenched fist. He was holding the remains, the entire her…

His hand was shaking, already a cold thing in the wind. A hand touched his, gentle and warm, and he heard Moses say softly, "It is time to let go, Kai…"

He had no other choice. He clenched the cloth in his hands, just like the moment when he squeezed Irene's hand in his. Then, reluctantly, he opened his hand, unwrapped the cloth, and watched the ashes go along with the wind.

"Goodbye, Irene…"

The group watched solemnly as the dark remains of the girl Irene flew with the breeze towards other unknown lands…

Or perhaps to the other worlds beyond.

Yeah. I know this was unusually short, but that's the way it is. I promised to make better chapters, but this still isn't the time to fulfill that. And I'm sorry if things aren't too well-detailed. I like Irene, but I had to 'end' her part in this chapter 'cause in the series, she didn't last long as well, right? I don't want to remove her, but I guess I had to be a bit 'realistic', because making her last too long is quite…strange. I must say though, it's a bit too abrupt, but heck, who cares? I'm hurrying the events 'cause there are a few other events I'd like to write about after these.

I'm somehow losing my thrill in writing. Continuing the chapters seems to be more of a duty than a hobby… But I still write for your sake, and yeah, there's still that anticipation for a few events I think you would find interesting.

And your reviews…don't forget them.